yep. And in the colder parts of NZ, we have higher heating needs outside of winter and the winter energy payment only runs May – Sept. People with wood burners need to buy firewood in summer for it to be dry for winter. People with electric heating often have cold, snow and frosts outside of the WEP time.
Labour have done well with things like WEP which are tax free and don't afaik affect the abatement via wages. But we actually need welfare reform alongside universal services. Time to nationalise power.
People with wood burners need to buy firewood in summer for it to be dry for winter.
I am ringing WINZ on another matter this week and that was one of the points I was going to dicuss.
I was going to suggest that it people be given the option of having it granted as a total in Feb say so we could buy firewood. In the olden days, I never got it, you could capitalise the Family Benefit to make up a lump sum to add to a home purchase.
At the mmoment i am able to be one of the best wood scroungers around and am able to use a circular saw to cut and prepare it but sooner or later these options are not going to be available.
I use the wood burner in preference to electricity as I am able to clearly identify the inputs/outputs plus it keeps the house warmer.
I also have a view that keeping just one room warm while the rest of the house is an ice box is not good for health.
This guys been around for a while normally talking about tools and their use this time its about windmills in his area and their demolition .When you look at the landscape its just corn and windmills an more of the same .
He genuinely asked for advice on the topic which if you had watched more than ten seconds of the video you might have gleaned .Since when has asking for advice been a hanging offence ?. Ive watched quite a few of his videos over the years and can assure you he knows more about his specific areas of expertise than you and i will ever know .Hardly an idiot .
Personally i dont give a fuck about his opinion on windmills and even less about yours .Being in the process of putting up a turbine myself i noticed his content thats all though the snapshot of that small corner of the US is interesting in and of itself .
It's only old farts who think Education is in crisis, just because you once went to school does not make you an expert. It's like saying that because you once did a valve grind on a Morris Oxford Series E your now an expert on modern Hybrid cars.
My little brother is 16 and going to a pretty good school.
While he passed, More than half his class failed NCEA level one last year.
The amount of illiteracy in his high school is staggering.
Education is actually in grave trouble.
A lot of this is due to the months/years a lot of young people missed in education due to the pandemic, though we still need to find a way to get the education they missed into them.
There's also a massive problem with polytechnics, the merger failed, if something doesn't work we fix it, we don't block our ears and pretend it does.
Eventually we're also going to have to something sort our universities, they continue to tumble down the international rankings.
I actually think, all of parliament needs to come up with an education plan that works and stick to it long term.
Right now everytime the govt changes our education sector sees massive reforms almost always based on the ideology of the govt of the day rather than results and it causes massive disruption to the system and costs tax payers loads of money.
Corey: As your brother is aged 16, presumably he and his classmates started school 11 years ago i.e. in 2012. Their formative education years (the critical time to learn fluent reading and maths) were during the last National government.
NZ's low literacy and numeracy levels, which are showing up in secondary school tests, are the result of problems building up over time. The problems would have been evident at primary school.
It seems some teachers were/are unable to effectively teach children to gain reading skills, as described in the following linked article. The balanced literacy teaching method appears to be the major cause of NZ's literacy crisis. If children are unable to read properly, this will affect all areas of their learning.
Really? I thought she stated the changes to improve literacy and the education system very clearly. She didn't shy away from discussing the problems in the system either.
i was impressed by the way she managed the interview.
Jan Tinetti is an unlucky person. Education was / is fucked for a while now. I would like to point out that Jan inherited Education from the current PM when the previous PM resigned.
Chris Hipkins is their name and they were Education Minister from 2017 – 2023.
It was the PM in their role as Education Minister who has been fucking it up. The kids just pay the price, after all both Jan Tinetti – place holder and Chippy – ex minister for education got theirs when the going was good and they also got decent jobs.
So i can totally understand why Jan Tinetty is clearly out of the know as they have no idea what they do, they are just a place holder.
Stuff keenly wants a scalp in reward for their investment in "getting" Kiri Allan.
Speaking of stuff, their defeatist negativity is completely out of control at the moment. Did someone get Tracy Watkins car towed away for parking on some yellow lines or something?
I read that article 'The Country is Stuffed'. I bet that tosser is also grizzling about the state of roads (potholes etc) or he just doesn't keep up with the news. Surely he must be aware of the immense damage the Cyclone and ongoing rain bearing fronts have been wrecking many parts of the roading network over the past 5 months – what/who does he think pays for remediation and new roads and bridges. Our household subscribes to the Sunday Star Times (after years of putting up with The Herald). These two outlets are madly competing for Nats Arselicker of the Year Award. Thank goodness their cartoonists – Sharon Murdoch and Emmerson do their bit for a bit of balance.
One of the key points from my point of view is that the reports, especially from the senior PS do not end with the comment or similar
'I put the phone down and then shortly after it rang again and it was the Minister who said she wanted to apologise.'
In fact the fact that it was not mentioned probably meant there was no apology or that the pattern repeated despite an apology.
I am sure that if this had been part of the story it would have been stated and we would have a very different picture. From what I am reading apologies did not happen. I think this is part of the problem.
While my stint with Ministers was trouble free I did have a very high, in the pecking order high Minister tear a strip off me once at a briefing. I reported it to my minister who said 'the only person who entitled to tear a strip off you is me and I am not about to start doing this'
He tried to ring but could not and the reason was that the Minister was on their way down to apologise to me in person and to work with me to get the papers sorted, working against the clock. My minister was very surprised when he opened my office door a little while later (our doors were routinely left open) to find us both esconced in there.
So when the niceties are observed there is a very different story to tell.
I think whoever is going to investigate this, if it gets to this level, should see if an apology was made. If one was made then that is usually the end of the matter, unless berating becomes a pattern.
An inquiry into what, exactly? There are no complaints to investigate. What specific events or claims would be the focus of this inquiry? These wazzocks seem to imagine govts should pay people to go on fishing expeditions for bad behaviour based on nothing more than gossip.
Elon Musk is a real idiot – his platform sells eyes, so he limits the eyes? It is just an excuse. But anyway, the site is increasingly moribund. It is like a party at 4am – the only people left are the drunk ranters in the kitchen and a few of the desperate chain smoking while they rack up the last of the cocaine in one of the bedrooms.
The party people have long decamped to the clubs and the rest went home at midnight. The fun has left the house.
Twitter haven't paid their AWS bill – Amazon said they'd start throttling their pipe back after June 30th if there was no payment. Musk's rump staff have been transferring away from AWS to where ever they can find, but he doesn't have the people.
People have been saying twitter failure is imminent since Musk took over 9 months ago.
The party people have long decamped to the clubs and the rest went home at midnight. The fun has left the house.
Meanwhile, four areas that I see still using twitter as a major networking and communication tool: NZpol, including the MSM (despite the early exodus to Mastodon which isn't suitable for politics), feminists, gender critical movements, and the right.
“Elon must be destroying the site on purpose he can’t be that stupid!” Last week a billionaire imploded, literally, because he thought he could outsmart the laws of physics. Never being told “no” makes a person stupid.
'…the IMF said: “Rising corporate profits account for almost half the increase in Europe’s inflation over the past two years as companies increased prices by more than spiking costs of imported energy.
“Now that workers are pushing for pay rises to recoup lost purchasing power, companies may have to accept a smaller profit share if inflation is to remain on track to reach the European Central Bank’s 2% target in 2025.'
So the lunatic right are now trying to rewrite NZ history by creating history books full of mis and dis-information and sending them to unsuspecting schools.
The usual story… the writers are not historians in any sense of the word but are claiming to be the experts.
During the heyday of the CC deniers, we had the same problem. The so called denier experts had little to no professional qualifications on meteorology and/or climatology but still claimed to be the experts.
This is not new (I work in this industry, so get an insider's perspective).
Since the advent of self-publishing – anyone can easily write and publish a book on any topic. Many are badly written with spelling and grammar errors. Some are blatant copyright infringements (illegally copying a work which is still under copyright – and changing the author and title; or simply copy the Wikipedia article on the topic). Some are slanted to support a 'niche' view of the topic (although these existed pre-self-publishing, too – didn't you know that NZ was discovered by the Spanish ).
Once a book is 'published' it's available in all of the online platforms from which public and school libraries source their material.
Really, the main difference with this one – is that they are actually approaching schools directly – which probably means that their book 'looks' legit (reasonable publishing quality, historical photos, etc.). So, it would require someone to review it in depth to evaluate the quality. Which clearly this school librarian has, and the teachers did not.
It looks like the review standards need to be changed in order to ensure these 'fake' books (because in a sense that is what they are) do not make it to the school shelves or any other sensitive public shelf.
We have seen from the Covid years, the extraordinary amount of damage online false information can have on a society and there seems to be no pathway out of this conundrum. To be fair it is the extremities at both ends of the spectrum who are at fault here.
Educating a whole generation to be able to differentiate between truth and falsehood is the only answer but that is going to take a few decades to achieve. What do we do in the meantime?
The burden of evaluation for quality, content and age-appropriateness – falls on the school librarians.
Which means that the review process has to be repeated multiple times for each individual school – and requires a reasonable degree of knowledge, skill and experience in this evaluation. This is specifically covered in librarianship qualifications – but many schools are not willing to pay for this expertise (teachers have a completely different set of qualifications and expertise).
Practically, doing anything about it at a school level would require significant infrastructural change. Something like the National Library Schools Service selecting on behalf of schools across the whole country. There are pros and cons to this level of centralization (that's a whole different debate). Or specific levels of minimum funding and professional staffing for school libraries.
I honestly don't see any significant support for either option, in any political party – or as a ground swell across NZ.
There is nothing in the way of a national review service which would filter this kind of material out of public or school libraries. The closest would be the Censor – and they only act to review titles, when specifically requested to (usually on the grounds of age-appropriateness). I'm sure many will remember the furore when the teen novel "Into the river" by Ted Dawe was age-restricted by the Censor (before the rating was reviewed, and removed, 2 years later)
Quite frankly, I find the ability of many people to differentiate between truth and falsehood (at any age) is fairly limited. And the plethora of on-line sites supporting any possible interpretation of 'the facts' is well beyond controlling. I don't think that any amount of education is going to change people's desire to believe what fits comfortably with their world-view.
The most effective strategy is for this kind of media coverage; complemented by the distribution network being alerted to supply online content warning labels. (something like: "Controversial content")
Which is why it's particularly important that school library collections (both print and e-resources) are well-curated to ensure that they effectively support the curriculum. Schools, unfortunately, are much less enthusiastic about spending the money that this requires.
TBH the MoE wouldn't have the expertise — if you want a centralized agency to do this, then the National Library Schools Service is a much better option. This is basically their bread and butter (i.e. they already have professional librarians selecting and purchasing books for bulk loans to schools).
I think an Rental warrant is a no brainer, (rural workers houses to please) any other business that provides a structure or vehicle for financial gain has codes, (thinking restaurants,work sites , bus ,shipping)
Too much of this stuff is left for self-reporting, or to property managers, ie, often lies. Give healthy home registration to local bodies to administer, as well as doing airbnb licencing. Let councils clip the inspection fee ticket, like food service places. Currently there's really no easy way for councils to know how many short and longterm rentals on their patch.
who saw the two ugly sisters mulch and lynch harassing Chippy on the teev in China about a nationals put up job that supposedly happened two years ago. This country is really on the wonk if this sort of stuff is allowed to go unchecked. Everybody write to TV1 and TV3 ad tell the what you think about this sort of egregious beahviour from two overfed nationals party operatives spreading their ordure all over the media
We expect/require politicians to declare and stand aside when there is a conflict of interests; surely the same rules should apply to journalists and reporters.
What a sad sorry state NZ journalism is in when the partner of political party operative, can produce low down cringe worthy propaganda on a national broadcaster.
Time to strip tv3 of it’s license with this level of shitfuckery.
I am surprized you feel this way Darien "It's not safe". You who have been a firece advocate for lower wage earners, mostly women (and for that I admire and respect you). You must of had to confront the most disgusting psychopathic boses in you time and speak up for the workers you represent. Same for you time in parliament which is often described as a robust place.
The Standard is a robust place too, but we do have moderators to step in when people are out of line. I cop a fair bit of flack on this site for my views. Well that's how it rolls. and I believe the old saying sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me.
Of cause this "safe" issue is often pulled out by the trans rights activists i.e that things that people like KJK say make some people feel unsafe. But of course we all got to see who is really unsafe in Albert Park in March of this year. Turns out it wasn't the Rainbow crowd and their allies. It was a bunch of women, many older, lesbians who were kicked, pushed to the ground, punched in the face, hit with placcards, spat at and had tomato soup thrown over them. Many of them including a pregnant woman had to be rescued from the braying mob (an impartitial photographer who took pics at black lives matter and many other protests said it was the first time he had to put his camera away and assit people to safety during a protest. Oh and his camera was broken)
The Standard hasn't been a good place for women ever as far as I'm concerned. Which is why we have had so many women authors and commenters leave. Safety has become even more of an issue with the gender/sex wars, which is why many of us use a pseudonym. Women have lost jobs, careers, social networks over this. Safety isn't just about freedom from immediate physical violence.
true. Different kinds of safety I think. It's easier for some people to use their RL names to speak than others. Some people's jobs and careers are at risk.
Even that is just pretend safety, everyone can be found out quite quickly online. In fact i would almost state now that using ones own name is safer as you can better defend yourself if someone makes silly threats. And i have gotten my fair share of silly 'we know where you live' threats. Usually the answer is 'come git me' 🙂 cause in the end if someone want to hurt you they will. And if they do come, i will eat their faces. Unseasoned.
"Background: There are 11 reported cases of pregnancy in true hermaphrodites, but none with advanced genetic testing. All known fetuses have been male."
Note that this is NOT a world wide study and is, as usual with medicine, focused on the Global north.
These people exist, are defined as intersex by medical professionals, themselves and, perhaps most importantly, the GC crowd who would not view them as women.
I posted this on The Standard last year and got a lot of absurd responses including being accused of trying to erase the word mother. So I won't be taking this any further other than to say "Facts don't care about your feelings".
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
I can't find the full paper so it's hard to discuss what is happening there and how science meets politics. But, people with differences of sexual development are people with biological issues. That's completely different from gender identity.
But let's say that the people in the paper are maybe ten times the number cited, so 110 people. Are you suggesting that the word mother should be used to include males, because of 110 people with a DSD condition? And if that is what you are suggesting, what is the word for female people that bear and raise children?
Background: There are 11 reported cases of pregnancy in true hermaphrodites, but none with advanced genetic testing. All known fetuses have been male.
Case: A true hermaphrodite with a spontaneous pregnancy prenatally known to have a remaining portion of a right ovotestis, delivered a male neonate. The mother has a 46, XX karyotype with polymerase chain reaction demonstrating low levels of the Yq12 sequence. Postpartum androgen levels were normal.
Conclusion: Partial removal of testicular tissue may enhance fertility in hermaphrodites, and there may be a genetic basis for the progeny to be male.
from your link.
46,XX DSD.
A 46,XX karyotype in a newborn with ambiguous genitalia indicates that the child is a genetic female who was exposed to excessive amounts of androgens during fetal life.
"Listen, this strike on Kramatorsk is just chic! I take my hat off to whoever planned it and who carried it out. The song is simple! Just a song! My old military heart rejoices,” Russian General Andrei Kartapolov rejoices on Solovyov’s air.
The haves are labeling the have nots vermin and savage hordes, rioting and looting has spread as far as Brussels, rail curfews are in place, rail links to Geneva have been cut, 45k head-crackers have been deployed, >1500 arrests have been made and Macron's trip to Germany has been postponed.
But the Tour de France will go ahead so I guess all's well.
Policeman shot a teen, driving a high-end car, who failed to stop at a police check, in Nanterre (northwest suburb of Paris, poor area, with a high Muslim population)
Policeman has been charged with 'voluntary homicide' (and stood down)
Teen had a fairly extensive criminal record (though this is unlikely to have been apparent to the policeman at the time of the incident) – not only police obstruction, but drug offences (so not just being a teen idiot, but actual criminal offences).
Family of the teen have not claimed the attack was racially motivated (as far as I know)
There has been ongoing simmering tension between French police (who are not at all touchy-feely) and disaffected youths in the housing projects. Long history of youth unemployment, poor quality education, etc. in poor areas in France.
Anti-racisim, leftist and radical Muslim groups have claimed it's a racial crime, and encouraged protests and rioting in Paris, which has now spread to towns across France. This is a well-honed tactic in France – so doesn't have the same impact that it would have in NZ, for example.
Reading your post was usual anti left bullshit I've come to expect from you, the artcle you posted was even worse.
Have you seen the video? Your facts are off right from the start, he drove off after being stopped, it was then that they shot him in the back. In the BACK, how fucking brave of the cops. Then they lied about it, if not for the video, this would have been swept under the carpet.
Killing a kid, a teenager, a fucking child.
As for the so called crimes, drugs are a health issue and he was never involved in any violent crime. Being charged with ignoring police is like obstruction here, common as fuck and hardly ever held up in court.
Your and Psycho Milt's casual racism is so common of many on this site now, it's fucking sickening.
I provided a summary of facts, and linked to an article to support them. If you want to expand on them, or even correct them (with appropriate links) – no one is stopping you.
Quite frankly, I find the casual assumption that protest violence and rioting is justified – because it's on the 'right' side – much more sickening.
It's the vandals that burn books – you might think about that.
That said, we're talking here about adherents of a totalitarian religious ideology who'll cheerfully shout "God is great!" while burning down a library or chopping your head off with a machete, so the fact the library didn't burn down is nothing to thank them for.
"Background: There are 11 reported cases of pregnancy in true hermaphrodites, but none with advanced genetic testing. All known fetuses have been male."
I guess the point is for me that we are not talking here about true hermaphrodites but members of the trans community. It is known that there are hermaphrodite and intersex but I am not sure about the linking of these people to the trans debate.
Seems a little like trying to say that giraffes are linked to zebras because they live on southern African grasslands. Well they do but………?
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
I am more than happy to accept an arguement that all trans identified people require a diagnosis of a Difference of Sex Development. Easy to do with a chromosome test. Otherwise, you have to accept that these extremely rare medical conditions have nothing to do with gender identity at all.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
'Power held the roles of Minister of Justice, Minister for State Owned Enterprises, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Deputy Leader of the House. He was appointed CEO of TVNZ in 2021 [from Wiki] (and just left a few days ago).
Bet Labour regret his appointment. And it explains why One news has become useless, as viewed at their website recently. Posting Aussie crime news is 20% of the content there now.
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Hi,I wanted to check in and ask how you’re doing.This is perhaps a selfish act, of attempting to find others feeling a similar way to me — that is to say, a little hopeless at the moment.Misery loves company, that sort of deal.Some context.I wish I could say I got ...
I have hitherto been fairly quiet on the new season of Rings of Power, on the basis that the underwhelming first season did not exactly build excitement – and the rumours were fairly daft. The only real thing of substance to come out has been that they have re-cast Adar ...
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Don Brash writes – There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...
Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...
Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 5, 2024 thru Sat, May 11, 2024. (Unfortunate) Story of the week "Grief that stops at despair is an ending that I and many others, most notably ...
Last night the largest solar storm in decades resulted in Aurorae being seen across Aotearoa, causing many to ask why?Why was the sky pink? What was all this stuff about the power grid? Have we, as so many have wondered since the election, reached the end of days?I had a ...
We have been on the road in England, squeezing down narrow lanes, flying up the M6, loving hedgerows and villages and cathedrals, liking the 21st century less.There have been moments when it’s felt like a movie trope. The pub in Exford, lovely seventeenth century bar, almost more dogs than people, ...
There’s a solar-storm on at the moment, and since the South Island is having a day and night with clear skies, that means Aurorae. I have just got back from a midnight visit to Tunnel Beach – southwards-looking over the Sea, and without the light pollution. Quite a few others ...
Michael Bassett writes – I’m not sure that it’s much comfort to anyone to know that the post-Covid surge in violent crimes, gang activity, ram raids, random shootings, thuggery and stabbings is occurring in other countries as well as New Zealand. These days, wagging school, out-of-control welfare and ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – Cast your mind back to mid-December. A new Prime Minister had just been sworn in, the new Government started its 100-day programme, and Christmas was only days away.Amid all the haste, a report landed that would have deserved our attention.I am talking about the ...
TL;DR: An unseasonally early icy blast at the same time as some long-overdue maintenance almost caused Aotearoa-NZ’s electricity system to black out this week. That’s because a quadropoly of gentailers1 have prioritised paying dividends from their rising profits and adding debt over investing in 1.5 GigaWatts of new wind farms ...
Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveReporting on defence spending late last year, RNZ said the coalition government will have to make some tough calls this term to help the force address staff shortages and ageing infrastructure. “These are huge, huge amounts of government spending. It’s a significant proportion of the government’s ...
Peter Dunne writes – I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos Chris Trotter writes – TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction? Gary Judd writes – Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result?As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and ...
Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
Almost all of the Wellington City Council’s recommended zoning changes to allow many more apartments and townhouses in its inner-suburbs have been approved.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guest on geopolitics, ...
Open access notablesA Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future:Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
Alwyn Poole writes – After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
Eric Crampton writes – A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
The Minister for Mental Health has found the Suicide Prevention Office and mental health support for 111 calls slipping through his fingers, says Labour spokesperson for Mental Health Ingrid Leary. ...
Today’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...
The Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...
“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...
The Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Te Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says. “This ...
Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners. “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
The prime minister has made it clear this is a no frills budget in all but name, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The group has also raised concerns about the power that ministers could have after it was revealed Shane Jones failed to report a dinner with a company deputy chair. ...
Minister Shane Jones’ failure to declare a dinner with mining interests is just one red flag of many about the Government’s proposed fast-track legislation, Transparency International says. Earlier this week, Newsroom revealed Jones, the Resources Minister, at a dinner on the West Coast on February 16, encouraged a mining company ...
Exclusive: A transgender man is bringing an unprecedented human rights case against the Department of Corrections. He tells Alex Casey about his experience at work and what he’s fighting for. This story contains transphobic language and references to self-harm. Take care. A trans Corrections officer is taking a case against ...
Opinion: New Zealand is a country of food producers. We may be a small, isolated nation at the end of the world, but we create an outsized amount of kai, most of it bound for faraway shores. Each year New Zealand exports enough food to feed 39 million people their ...
When households and businesses pulled the country back from the brink of painful power cuts on the coldest day of the year, there was no reward for the sacrifices they made in turning off their heat pumps and lights. Matt Ward, SolarZero CEO Photo: Supplied Consumers saved the day ...
Critics say they cause consumer confusion, contribute to food waste and should be ditched, but brands and retailers rely on them. I thought Pods were dead. Discontinued to the dismay of thousands. Sold for hundreds on Trade Me before disappearing for ever. So when I found some in a dairy ...
Opinion: A recent study published in Nature’s Scientific Reports recently presented a novel approach to predicting which chemicals might be emitted from a vape. During heating, chemicals can break down into smaller molecules. A process known as pyrolysis. This study combined deep learning computational methods with chemical structure information from ...
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While women’s sport is exploding in Aotearoa and around the world, you still don’t hear a lot of talk about athletes and their periods, RED-S, breastfeeding and visible panty-lines. SASS Talk isn’t afraid to have that kōrero.LockerRoom founder Suzanne McFadden and Olympian broadcaster Sarah Cowley Ross host the episodic podcast, sparking ...
RNZ Pacific Outgoing Secretary-General Henry Puna of the Pacific Islands Forum is “not surprised” with the violent unrest in New Caledonia which has shut down the French Pacific territory. New Caledonia has come to a virtual stop after three days of civil unrest, resulting in burning, shooting and looting, as ...
COMMENTARY:By Antoinette Lattouf Sorry Palestinian women and children. It seems Australia’s leading women’s media company has more pressing issues to cover than the seemingly endless human rights atrocities committed against you. It’s been seven months of almost complete silence from Mamamia and their most popular writers and podcast hosts. ...
Asia Pacific Report As Israel drives the Palestinians deeper into another Nakba in Gaza with its assault on Rafah, the Palestine Youth Aotearoa (PYA) and solidarity supporters in Aotearoa New Zealand tonight commemorated the original Nakba — “the Catastrophe” — of 1948. The 1948 Nakba . . . more than ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gwilym Croucher, Associate Professor, Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education, The University of Melbourne On one level, the 2024 federal budget brought few big surprises for universities. The two key measures were already announced leading up to May 14: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Tuesday handed down his third budget. It had a second successive surplus and sweeteners, including relief on energy bills, and tax breaks for development of green hydrogen and critical minerals processing. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reports on the winners of this year’s book awards.Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction ($65,000 prize)Lioness by Emily Perkins (published by Bloomsbury), about a middle-aged woman wrestling with her life choices, has won the $65,000 Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction.Hooo boy this ...
Emily Perkins has won the fiction prize at the 2024 Ockham book awards for her novel Lioness. She collects $65,000, the most loot you can pocket in New Zealand letters, as winner of the Jan Medlicott Acorn fiction prize for her satire of the anxious rich. It’s kind of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute This year’s budget has “something for everyone”, with very little in the way of cuts and no new taxes. It’s a classic “good news” pre-election budget. Whether it is too good to ...
A new steel-making furnace will reduce emissions so much, environment officials have pitched reducing the whole country's supply of carbon credits. ...
Three people have now died in New Caledonia in the wake of pro-independence protests and escalating unrest. Charles Wea, a spokesperson for international relations in the New Caledonian territorial President’s office, confirmed the deaths to RNZ Pacific. The circumstances are unclear in the French territory’s third day of violence. France’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Ziguras, Director, Centre for the Study of Higher Education, The University of Melbourne The federal government is due to introduce legislation on Thursday to enable new caps on the number of international student places at educational institutions in Australia. These include ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jaana Dielenberg, University Fellow, Charles Darwin University Jaana Dielenberg Australians have more pet cats than ever before – more than 5 million in total. With the growing number, expectations on pet owners are shifting. Many cat owners are now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Campbell, Lecturer, Performing Arts, UniSA Creative, University of South Australia Tracey Leigh/State Theatre Company of South Australia Symphonie of the Bicycle is a tour de force. Actor and writer Hew Parham takes the audience through comic and heartfelt parallel stories ...
Why worry about accurate messaging around gangs when you can throw out some scary numbers instead? As sure as night follows day, Mark Mitchell will premise a gang policy announcement with a spine-tingling stat about soaring gang membership. “New Zealanders need only look at the fatal shooting in Ponsonby recently ...
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A new 10-year budget for Auckland has dropped funding for the fourth and final part of the up to $1.4 billion dollar Eastern Busway, partly because the Government ditched the regional fuel tax. The Auckland Council believes it has been left $600m short by that early call to do away ...
Connor Molloy, said: “Christopher Luxon is right to point out that inflation over the last 14 has pushed New Zealanders into higher income tax brackets so that they are paying more of their wages in tax even when they are not better off." ...
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Macron’s plan has backfired. But there can be no sustainable solution without cooperation of all parties, writes a former Australian diplomat New Caledonia.ANALYSIS:By Denise Fisher Monday night saw demonstrations by independence supporters in New Caledonia erupt into serious violence for the first time since the 1980s civil disturbances. ...
We won’t be violent, but we will organise and do everything in our power to prevent further degradation of our taiao, writes Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Toa Rangatira chief executive Helmut Modlik. In the early 1950s, prime minister Sidney Holland’s National government was under enormous pressure to increase housing supply ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A group belonging to New Caledonia’s pro-independence movement, UNI (Union Nationale pour l’Indépendance), has released a communiqué saying they were “moved by and deplored the exactions and violence taking place“. UNI member of New Caledonia’s Northern provincial assembly Patricia Goa said ...
"The United Kingdom’s Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill has just passed its final stage in Parliament (last night, NZ time) and will soon be enshrined into law. This will mean that the UK has banned export of farmed animals by sea. The Australian ...
The Government’s success in designing a national climate adaptation framework will depend entirely on its propensity to utilise landscape architects. ...
Matariki Williams speaks with Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku about her extraordinary memoir, Hine Toa.Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku has a seemingly effortless approach to knowledge: the ingesting, digesting and sharing of it has been part of her scholarship for decades. The week after I interviewed her, I was heading to Venice to ...
A memo accidentally released by Wellington City Council shows at least $5.2 million of pipes needing urgent repair have just been covered up by $55 million of brand new bus and cycle lanes on Thorndon Quay. ...
A damning briefing paper released by a group of offshore wind developers warns that if Trans Tasman Resources gets the go-ahead to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight, it would spell the end of New Zealand’s chance to embrace offshore wind ...
The government intends for new charter schools to be operating by the beginning of 2025. How does the model work? Shanti Mathias explains. What did David Seymour announce? On Tuesday, Act Party leader and minister for education David Seymour said the upcoming government budget would include $153m of new funding ...
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A new national gang unit – coupled with smaller ‘disruption units’ – will target and ‘harass’ gang members, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A gang crackdown Throughout National’s election campaign and into its time in government, ...
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110,000 households or about the population of Wellington and Hutt valley dont have enough money to heat their homes,
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/132437115/chilling-energy-hardship-data-puts-the-heat-back-on-power-companies
and this is with the winter heating allowance.
yep. And in the colder parts of NZ, we have higher heating needs outside of winter and the winter energy payment only runs May – Sept. People with wood burners need to buy firewood in summer for it to be dry for winter. People with electric heating often have cold, snow and frosts outside of the WEP time.
Labour have done well with things like WEP which are tax free and don't afaik affect the abatement via wages. But we actually need welfare reform alongside universal services. Time to nationalise power.
I am ringing WINZ on another matter this week and that was one of the points I was going to dicuss.
I was going to suggest that it people be given the option of having it granted as a total in Feb say so we could buy firewood. In the olden days, I never got it, you could capitalise the Family Benefit to make up a lump sum to add to a home purchase.
At the mmoment i am able to be one of the best wood scroungers around and am able to use a circular saw to cut and prepare it but sooner or later these options are not going to be available.
I use the wood burner in preference to electricity as I am able to clearly identify the inputs/outputs plus it keeps the house warmer.
I also have a view that keeping just one room warm while the rest of the house is an ice box is not good for health.
This guys been around for a while normally talking about tools and their use this time its about windmills in his area and their demolition .When you look at the landscape its just corn and windmills an more of the same .
What a moron.
Studies on the comparative subsidies of modes per kilowatt hour are practically an industry in itself, and have been for a long time.
https://www.iea.org/policies/3936-tax-subsidies-for-power-production-based-on-renewable-energy-sources
https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/economic-aspects/energy-subsidies.aspx
https://www.iisd.org/gsi/sites/default/files/power_gen_subsidies.pdf
https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2020/Apr/IRENA_Energy_subsidies_2020.pdf
https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/pdf/electricity_generation.pdf
Did he think private enterprise built the Benmore Dam?
Don't post idiots.
He genuinely asked for advice on the topic which if you had watched more than ten seconds of the video you might have gleaned .Since when has asking for advice been a hanging offence ?. Ive watched quite a few of his videos over the years and can assure you he knows more about his specific areas of expertise than you and i will ever know .Hardly an idiot .
Personally i dont give a fuck about his opinion on windmills and even less about yours .Being in the process of putting up a turbine myself i noticed his content thats all though the snapshot of that small corner of the US is interesting in and of itself .
Jan Tinetti has just been absolutely embarassed by Jack Tame on Q and A.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/q-and-a
Our education is in crisis and Labour have no answers.
I am not saying National or Act are the solution – quite the opposite.
The solution is to turn back to socialism and genuine state education, as opposed to the neoliberal tomorrow's education model.
Sadly, I cannot see any party prepared to take New Zealand back from the plutocrats.
It's only old farts who think Education is in crisis, just because you once went to school does not make you an expert. It's like saying that because you once did a valve grind on a Morris Oxford Series E your now an expert on modern Hybrid cars.
Mines doing really well at yr9, passing everything, free lunchs at our local college, bloody handy for a busy solo dad I tell ya.
They appear to be taught in a far more ingaging manner to how I was back in the dark ages.
My little brother is 16 and going to a pretty good school.
While he passed, More than half his class failed NCEA level one last year.
The amount of illiteracy in his high school is staggering.
Education is actually in grave trouble.
A lot of this is due to the months/years a lot of young people missed in education due to the pandemic, though we still need to find a way to get the education they missed into them.
There's also a massive problem with polytechnics, the merger failed, if something doesn't work we fix it, we don't block our ears and pretend it does.
Eventually we're also going to have to something sort our universities, they continue to tumble down the international rankings.
I actually think, all of parliament needs to come up with an education plan that works and stick to it long term.
Right now everytime the govt changes our education sector sees massive reforms almost always based on the ideology of the govt of the day rather than results and it causes massive disruption to the system and costs tax payers loads of money.
Totally agree Corey.
Corey: "something sort our universities, they continue to tumble down the international rankings."
Not so. All 8 of our Universities had their grading upgraded.
Corey: As your brother is aged 16, presumably he and his classmates started school 11 years ago i.e. in 2012. Their formative education years (the critical time to learn fluent reading and maths) were during the last National government.
NZ's low literacy and numeracy levels, which are showing up in secondary school tests, are the result of problems building up over time. The problems would have been evident at primary school.
It seems some teachers were/are unable to effectively teach children to gain reading skills, as described in the following linked article. The balanced literacy teaching method appears to be the major cause of NZ's literacy crisis. If children are unable to read properly, this will affect all areas of their learning.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/463704/now-i-don-t-know-my-abc-report-exposes-crisis-in-literacy
Well that almost 50% who passed, let's celebrate. The future don't need educated people.
Really? I thought she stated the changes to improve literacy and the education system very clearly. She didn't shy away from discussing the problems in the system either.
i was impressed by the way she managed the interview.
Interesting how two people come away from watching an interview with such different points of view.
Jan Tinetti is an unlucky person. Education was / is fucked for a while now. I would like to point out that Jan inherited Education from the current PM when the previous PM resigned.
Chris Hipkins is their name and they were Education Minister from 2017 – 2023.
It was the PM in their role as Education Minister who has been fucking it up. The kids just pay the price, after all both Jan Tinetti – place holder and Chippy – ex minister for education got theirs when the going was good and they also got decent jobs.
So i can totally understand why Jan Tinetty is clearly out of the know as they have no idea what they do, they are just a place holder.
List of Education Ministers
Name
Term of Office
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300918717/labour-minister-kiri-allans-future-in-the-balance
More speculation/making things up here from Vernon Small. He says:
"What is unusual this time around is the public acknowledgement of problems – some on, some off the record"
To my knowledge nobody that has revealed their identity to the public has come forward. It is all off the record.
Small also says:
"….and more detail to come – Hipkins has little option but to undertake some sort of inquiry."
If a formal complaint is made, I'm sure there will be an enquiry. Until then Small is making things up and should know better.
Stuff keenly wants a scalp in reward for their investment in "getting" Kiri Allan.
Speaking of stuff, their defeatist negativity is completely out of control at the moment. Did someone get Tracy Watkins car towed away for parking on some yellow lines or something?
Two recent sample headlines:
'The country is stuffed':
I wish I'd moved to Australia sooner
I read that article 'The Country is Stuffed'. I bet that tosser is also grizzling about the state of roads (potholes etc) or he just doesn't keep up with the news. Surely he must be aware of the immense damage the Cyclone and ongoing rain bearing fronts have been wrecking many parts of the roading network over the past 5 months – what/who does he think pays for remediation and new roads and bridges. Our household subscribes to the Sunday Star Times (after years of putting up with The Herald). These two outlets are madly competing for Nats Arselicker of the Year Award. Thank goodness their cartoonists – Sharon Murdoch and Emmerson do their bit for a bit of balance.
Stuff came out as the most left leaning news site. The NZ Herald is far more balanced.
NZ Herald rated as NZ's most politically balanced media outlet – theFacts.
Being the furthest left just means everyone else is to your right,
that being said I find stuff mostly balanced , but prone to finding the biggest wingers they can to get clicks.
None of the news outlets in the survey will 'Left' enough for yourself.
Wouldn't consider myself as that left, stuff gives Damien Grant a column so their obviously not hard left.
'The NZ Herald is far more balanced.'
She said holden driver, what's the odds it's a gas burning commodore? Ya reckon. ?
One of the key points from my point of view is that the reports, especially from the senior PS do not end with the comment or similar
'I put the phone down and then shortly after it rang again and it was the Minister who said she wanted to apologise.'
In fact the fact that it was not mentioned probably meant there was no apology or that the pattern repeated despite an apology.
I am sure that if this had been part of the story it would have been stated and we would have a very different picture. From what I am reading apologies did not happen. I think this is part of the problem.
While my stint with Ministers was trouble free I did have a very high, in the pecking order high Minister tear a strip off me once at a briefing. I reported it to my minister who said 'the only person who entitled to tear a strip off you is me and I am not about to start doing this'
He tried to ring but could not and the reason was that the Minister was on their way down to apologise to me in person and to work with me to get the papers sorted, working against the clock. My minister was very surprised when he opened my office door a little while later (our doors were routinely left open) to find us both esconced in there.
So when the niceties are observed there is a very different story to tell.
I think whoever is going to investigate this, if it gets to this level, should see if an apology was made. If one was made then that is usually the end of the matter, unless berating becomes a pattern.
These wankers. "…undertake some sort of inquiry."
An inquiry into what, exactly? There are no complaints to investigate. What specific events or claims would be the focus of this inquiry? These wazzocks seem to imagine govts should pay people to go on fishing expeditions for bad behaviour based on nothing more than gossip.
Musk gate-keeping at twitter, apparently to stop AI scraping for language model learning. But also, to use looks like you will have to join.
Elon Musk is a real idiot – his platform sells eyes, so he limits the eyes? It is just an excuse. But anyway, the site is increasingly moribund. It is like a party at 4am – the only people left are the drunk ranters in the kitchen and a few of the desperate chain smoking while they rack up the last of the cocaine in one of the bedrooms.
The party people have long decamped to the clubs and the rest went home at midnight. The fun has left the house.
Twitter haven't paid their AWS bill – Amazon said they'd start throttling their pipe back after June 30th if there was no payment. Musk's rump staff have been transferring away from AWS to where ever they can find, but he doesn't have the people.
Twitter is going bankrupt fast.
Correction to the above -it was Googles cloud services, not AWS
People have been saying twitter failure is imminent since Musk took over 9 months ago.
Meanwhile, four areas that I see still using twitter as a major networking and communication tool: NZpol, including the MSM (despite the early exodus to Mastodon which isn't suitable for politics), feminists, gender critical movements, and the right.
Elon is shoving Linda to the edge of the glass cliff, that is all I'm going to say.
gazing at the twitter crystal ball is one way to spend the time I guess.
A soothing cuppa should do it.
https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-ceo-linda-yaccarino-tries-boosting-morale-with-tea-time-2023-6
He reckons he's going to Mars, too.
Skulls in the Stars @drskyskull@mastodon.social
“Elon must be destroying the site on purpose he can’t be that stupid!” Last week a billionaire imploded, literally, because he thought he could outsmart the laws of physics. Never being told “no” makes a person stupid.
https://mastodon.social/@drskyskull/110640407308011821
When we get to a year's worth of fantasies about Twitter's imminent demise, will people give it a rest, do you think?
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jun/27/corporate-profits-driving-up-prices-ecb-president-christine-lagarde
'…the IMF said: “Rising corporate profits account for almost half the increase in Europe’s inflation over the past two years as companies increased prices by more than spiking costs of imported energy.
“Now that workers are pushing for pay rises to recoup lost purchasing power, companies may have to accept a smaller profit share if inflation is to remain on track to reach the European Central Bank’s 2% target in 2025.'
Sheesh!
So the lunatic right are now trying to rewrite NZ history by creating history books full of mis and dis-information and sending them to unsuspecting schools.
The usual story… the writers are not historians in any sense of the word but are claiming to be the experts.
During the heyday of the CC deniers, we had the same problem. The so called denier experts had little to no professional qualifications on meteorology and/or climatology but still claimed to be the experts.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/300899633/racist-propaganda-the-undercover-campaign-to-infiltrate-school-libraries
This is not new (I work in this industry, so get an insider's perspective).
Since the advent of self-publishing – anyone can easily write and publish a book on any topic. Many are badly written with spelling and grammar errors. Some are blatant copyright infringements (illegally copying a work which is still under copyright – and changing the author and title; or simply copy the Wikipedia article on the topic). Some are slanted to support a 'niche' view of the topic (although these existed pre-self-publishing, too – didn't you know that NZ was discovered by the Spanish ).
Once a book is 'published' it's available in all of the online platforms from which public and school libraries source their material.
Really, the main difference with this one – is that they are actually approaching schools directly – which probably means that their book 'looks' legit (reasonable publishing quality, historical photos, etc.). So, it would require someone to review it in depth to evaluate the quality. Which clearly this school librarian has, and the teachers did not.
That is interesting information.
It looks like the review standards need to be changed in order to ensure these 'fake' books (because in a sense that is what they are) do not make it to the school shelves or any other sensitive public shelf.
We have seen from the Covid years, the extraordinary amount of damage online false information can have on a society and there seems to be no pathway out of this conundrum. To be fair it is the extremities at both ends of the spectrum who are at fault here.
Educating a whole generation to be able to differentiate between truth and falsehood is the only answer but that is going to take a few decades to achieve. What do we do in the meantime?
The burden of evaluation for quality, content and age-appropriateness – falls on the school librarians.
Which means that the review process has to be repeated multiple times for each individual school – and requires a reasonable degree of knowledge, skill and experience in this evaluation. This is specifically covered in librarianship qualifications – but many schools are not willing to pay for this expertise (teachers have a completely different set of qualifications and expertise).
Practically, doing anything about it at a school level would require significant infrastructural change. Something like the National Library Schools Service selecting on behalf of schools across the whole country. There are pros and cons to this level of centralization (that's a whole different debate). Or specific levels of minimum funding and professional staffing for school libraries.
I honestly don't see any significant support for either option, in any political party – or as a ground swell across NZ.
There is nothing in the way of a national review service which would filter this kind of material out of public or school libraries. The closest would be the Censor – and they only act to review titles, when specifically requested to (usually on the grounds of age-appropriateness). I'm sure many will remember the furore when the teen novel "Into the river" by Ted Dawe was age-restricted by the Censor (before the rating was reviewed, and removed, 2 years later)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_River
Quite frankly, I find the ability of many people to differentiate between truth and falsehood (at any age) is fairly limited. And the plethora of on-line sites supporting any possible interpretation of 'the facts' is well beyond controlling. I don't think that any amount of education is going to change people's desire to believe what fits comfortably with their world-view.
The most effective strategy is for this kind of media coverage; complemented by the distribution network being alerted to supply online content warning labels. (something like: "Controversial content")
Which is why it's particularly important that school library collections (both print and e-resources) are well-curated to ensure that they effectively support the curriculum. Schools, unfortunately, are much less enthusiastic about spending the money that this requires.
Might be a good idea if all school books are vetted by ministry of education, a 1 stop shop .(that'll get the loons agitated)
TBH the MoE wouldn't have the expertise — if you want a centralized agency to do this, then the National Library Schools Service is a much better option. This is basically their bread and butter (i.e. they already have professional librarians selecting and purchasing books for bulk loans to schools).
The greens have released a decent housing policy package..
Rental warrents..and so much more..
I hafta say the greens haven't put a foot wrong in their policy releases to date..
Especially when compared/contrasted with the incoherent drivel the tories have disrespected us with..
Much of it reading like it was written on a napkin..at the tail end of a tory pissup..
I think an Rental warrant is a no brainer, (rural workers houses to please) any other business that provides a structure or vehicle for financial gain has codes, (thinking restaurants,work sites , bus ,shipping)
Too much of this stuff is left for self-reporting, or to property managers, ie, often lies. Give healthy home registration to local bodies to administer, as well as doing airbnb licencing. Let councils clip the inspection fee ticket, like food service places. Currently there's really no easy way for councils to know how many short and longterm rentals on their patch.
who saw the two ugly sisters mulch and lynch harassing Chippy on the teev in China about a nationals put up job that supposedly happened two years ago. This country is really on the wonk if this sort of stuff is allowed to go unchecked. Everybody write to TV1 and TV3 ad tell the what you think about this sort of egregious beahviour from two overfed nationals party operatives spreading their ordure all over the media
Jenna Lynchs coverage from China was the most pathetic cringe inducing garbage I've witnessed in a while, just a grandstanding idiot,
With an ACT party fiance.
"With an ACT party fiancee" and big finance to match.
We expect/require politicians to declare and stand aside when there is a conflict of interests; surely the same rules should apply to journalists and reporters.
Really?
Her bloke is Seymour's chief of staff.
Father of her 2022 newborn.
So TV 3 is in pure ratfucking mode.
What a sad sorry state NZ journalism is in when the partner of political party operative, can produce low down cringe worthy propaganda on a national broadcaster.
Time to strip tv3 of it’s license with this level of shitfuckery.
Just shows how far the wool has been pulled over unsuspecting or well intentioned eyes.
Trans men are women ie they are women ie they carry the baby
Trans women are men ie they impregnate the women who carry the baby
For short and clarity I just call them men and women, dropping the trans.
Of course if I was in the company of a person who identified as other than their sex I would be polite and use the names they wish me to use.
But I am not particpating in the general snow job that is around at the moment.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
please stay on topic for this post, thanks.
I thought about commenting, but decided I won't. It's not safe.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
I am surprized you feel this way Darien "It's not safe". You who have been a firece advocate for lower wage earners, mostly women (and for that I admire and respect you). You must of had to confront the most disgusting psychopathic boses in you time and speak up for the workers you represent. Same for you time in parliament which is often described as a robust place.
The Standard is a robust place too, but we do have moderators to step in when people are out of line. I cop a fair bit of flack on this site for my views. Well that's how it rolls. and I believe the old saying sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me.
Of cause this "safe" issue is often pulled out by the trans rights activists i.e that things that people like KJK say make some people feel unsafe. But of course we all got to see who is really unsafe in Albert Park in March of this year. Turns out it wasn't the Rainbow crowd and their allies. It was a bunch of women, many older, lesbians who were kicked, pushed to the ground, punched in the face, hit with placcards, spat at and had tomato soup thrown over them. Many of them including a pregnant woman had to be rescued from the braying mob (an impartitial photographer who took pics at black lives matter and many other protests said it was the first time he had to put his camera away and assit people to safety during a protest. Oh and his camera was broken)
The Standard hasn't been a good place for women ever as far as I'm concerned. Which is why we have had so many women authors and commenters leave. Safety has become even more of an issue with the gender/sex wars, which is why many of us use a pseudonym. Women have lost jobs, careers, social networks over this. Safety isn't just about freedom from immediate physical violence.
And yet, there is no safety in not speaking ones mind.
true. Different kinds of safety I think. It's easier for some people to use their RL names to speak than others. Some people's jobs and careers are at risk.
Even that is just pretend safety, everyone can be found out quite quickly online. In fact i would almost state now that using ones own name is safer as you can better defend yourself if someone makes silly threats. And i have gotten my fair share of silly 'we know where you live' threats. Usually the answer is 'come git me' 🙂 cause in the end if someone want to hurt you they will. And if they do come, i will eat their faces. Unseasoned.
Yet here you are.
What is it you wanted to say? The only possibility to fear is disagreement.
The word "safe" is another one that seems to have lost all meaning.
Being challenged or being told NO is inherently unsafe for those who expect people to march in unison.
It flies in the face of observable scientific fact.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19155947/
"Background: There are 11 reported cases of pregnancy in true hermaphrodites, but none with advanced genetic testing. All known fetuses have been male."
Note that this is NOT a world wide study and is, as usual with medicine, focused on the Global north.
These people exist, are defined as intersex by medical professionals, themselves and, perhaps most importantly, the GC crowd who would not view them as women.
I posted this on The Standard last year and got a lot of absurd responses including being accused of trying to erase the word mother. So I won't be taking this any further other than to say "Facts don't care about your feelings".
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
I can't find the full paper so it's hard to discuss what is happening there and how science meets politics. But, people with differences of sexual development are people with biological issues. That's completely different from gender identity.
But let's say that the people in the paper are maybe ten times the number cited, so 110 people. Are you suggesting that the word mother should be used to include males, because of 110 people with a DSD condition? And if that is what you are suggesting, what is the word for female people that bear and raise children?
from your link.
46,XX DSD.
A 46,XX karyotype in a newborn with ambiguous genitalia indicates that the child is a genetic female who was exposed to excessive amounts of androgens during fetal life.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/karyotype-46-xx#:~:text=Steroid%20Disorders%2C%202014-,46%2CXX%20DSD,of%20androgens%20during%20fetal%20life.
Women, females, have been birthing every human being since ever, and most certainly all the 8 billion + of people currently alive.
thanks Sabine! Bookmarking this for next time it comes up.
Charming. Russian state media celebrates a missile strike on a Ukrainian community that killed 12 civilians, including 14-year-old twin sisters.
/
Giorgi Revishvili
@revishvilig
"Listen, this strike on Kramatorsk is just chic! I take my hat off to whoever planned it and who carried it out. The song is simple! Just a song! My old military heart rejoices,” Russian General Andrei Kartapolov rejoices on Solovyov’s air.
https://twitter.com/revishvilig/status/1674828349150052355
Russian-speaking twin sisters, as well.
Can anyone give a two paragraph summary of what is happening in France right now? Did protestors really set a major library on fire?
The haves are labeling the have nots vermin and savage hordes, rioting and looting has spread as far as Brussels, rail curfews are in place, rail links to Geneva have been cut, 45k head-crackers have been deployed, >1500 arrests have been made and Macron's trip to Germany has been postponed.
But the Tour de France will go ahead so I guess all's well.
/
Reportedly, yes (and the videos seem to show the building on fire)
Largest public library in Marseille – even though the youth killed was from Paris.
https://organiser.org/2023/06/30/181438/world/riots-erupted-in-france-amidst-chants-of-allah-hu-akbar-after-police-shot-a-teen-with-a-criminal-record/
Reading your post was usual anti left bullshit I've come to expect from you, the artcle you posted was even worse.
Have you seen the video? Your facts are off right from the start, he drove off after being stopped, it was then that they shot him in the back. In the BACK, how fucking brave of the cops. Then they lied about it, if not for the video, this would have been swept under the carpet.
Killing a kid, a teenager, a fucking child.
As for the so called crimes, drugs are a health issue and he was never involved in any violent crime. Being charged with ignoring police is like obstruction here, common as fuck and hardly ever held up in court.
Your and Psycho Milt's casual racism is so common of many on this site now, it's fucking sickening.
I provided a summary of facts, and linked to an article to support them. If you want to expand on them, or even correct them (with appropriate links) – no one is stopping you.
Quite frankly, I find the casual assumption that protest violence and rioting is justified – because it's on the 'right' side – much more sickening.
It's the vandals that burn books – you might think about that.
The protestors didn't shot a kid in the back though.
As you seem to have forgotten that.
https://www.drugfoundation.org.nz/news-media-and-events/mental-health-and-addictions-inquiry-says-treat-drugs-as-a-health-issue/
And sorry I’m not going to link to a cop killing a kid. If you want to see that, google is your friend.
Family of the shot teen is calling for the riots to stop – the rioters are destroying their own communities.
"they didn't ask people to break or steal and they weren't honouring his legacy"
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-66073728
Apparently they smashed the library's windows and shot fireworks inside, but the fire didn't take hold and the library still stands: https://newsinfrance.com/the-alcazar-library-in-marseille-victim-of-an-attempted-fire/.
That said, we're talking here about adherents of a totalitarian religious ideology who'll cheerfully shout "God is great!" while burning down a library or chopping your head off with a machete, so the fact the library didn't burn down is nothing to thank them for.
"Background: There are 11 reported cases of pregnancy in true hermaphrodites, but none with advanced genetic testing. All known fetuses have been male."
I guess the point is for me that we are not talking here about true hermaphrodites but members of the trans community. It is known that there are hermaphrodite and intersex but I am not sure about the linking of these people to the trans debate.
Seems a little like trying to say that giraffes are linked to zebras because they live on southern African grasslands. Well they do but………?
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
I am more than happy to accept an arguement that all trans identified people require a diagnosis of a Difference of Sex Development. Easy to do with a chromosome test. Otherwise, you have to accept that these extremely rare medical conditions have nothing to do with gender identity at all.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
"He [Simon Power] is effusive about the high-quality journalism being produced by TVNZ, and the Herald." (NZ Herald, 1 July 2023, p C3)
Not everyone would agree with Simon Power's view.
'Power held the roles of Minister of Justice, Minister for State Owned Enterprises, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Deputy Leader of the House. He was appointed CEO of TVNZ in 2021 [from Wiki] (and just left a few days ago).
Bet Labour regret his appointment. And it explains why One news has become useless, as viewed at their website recently. Posting Aussie crime news is 20% of the content there now.