Open Mike 02/09/2018

Written By: - Date published: 5:53 am, September 2nd, 2018 - 171 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

171 comments on “Open Mike 02/09/2018 ”

  1. Ed 1

    This is terrible.
    Clearly the private insurance company model fails people and societies.
    Nationalise insurance.

    “Christchurch homeowners with unresolved insurance claims from the earthquakes have described feeling exhausted, frustrated and stuck as another anniversary looms.
    Eight years ago on Tuesday, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck near Darfield, starting the sequence that damaged so many homes in the region.
    On Saturday, about 60 people, many with unresolved claims and some fighting their way through the courts, gathered on Papanui Rd to draw attention to their on-going plight.
    …..Speaking at the protest, Empowered Christchurch secretary Seamus O’Cromtha referred to recent statistics showing a rise in suicides in the region and mentioned similar rallies in 2016 and 2017.
    “Here we are in 2018, is this going to go on for another 10 years? Are the suicide statistics in Canterbury going to go sky high?”
    “This has got to be a reflection of the misery and the despair that insurance companies and the Government have been putting people through for the last seven-and-a-half years.”

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/106754135/christchurch-protest-highlights-unresolved-insurance-claims-eight-years-on

    • James 1.1

      “Nationalise insurance”

      Nope. That’s a stupid idea.

      • tc 1.1.1

        Yes of course we need to re-nationalise it……not nationalise it as it’s another area the govt stood up a provider in waaay back, flogged it and look where we are now.

        Like banks they’re leeches on a small country like ours with a pissweak legislative framework holding them to account.

        • gsays 1.1.1.1

          These ideologically bound Tories forget the state bailout and government guarantees given to AMI/IAG.
          It’s the same old same old- privatise profits, socialise risk.

          Why didnt the white white collar crims in AMI do gaol time for under insuring AMI’s exposure

      • KJT 1.1.2

        Like ACC, you mean?

        Cheaper, more effective and worked better than the private equivalent elsewhere.

        Until National fucked it, so they could try and privatise it, of course.

        • Infused 1.1.2.1

          Except it dosent

          • greywarshark 1.1.2.1.1

            infused
            It certainly needs a dose of good people running ACC, not computer paradigms.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.1.2.1.1.1

              Nope.

              You may have one good person in a position of power but who replaces them?

              Much better to have laws and computer algorithms. In fact, that’s pretty much why we have The Rule of Law rather than dictators.

              • greywarshark

                But who is devising those machines and programs, people who love machines not people? Or machines that are turned into virtual agencies by government and are learning-cumulative and then given charge of people’s lives. You are so trusting DTB that I don’t care for your easy assurances. You may remember when computers were first introduced and some huge difficulties arose because everyone believed any answer that came from them.

                I want to get through to the Vodafone network and it has given the message that it is under maintenance for the whole weekend. That is our future DTB. We will be locked out of services at the whim of a computer, because they will develop whims as they start to learn and build up memory banks and think out their own approved paradigms.

                • Draco T Bastard

                  But who is devising those machines and programs

                  Researchers.

                  You are so trusting DTB that I don’t care for your easy assurances.

                  And yet you’re the one thinking that we should let benevolent dictators rule us.

                  I want to get through to the Vodafone network and it has given the message that it is under maintenance for the whole weekend. That is our future DTB. We will be locked out of services at the whim of a computer

                  That’s not the whim of the computer but of the profit motive. Vodafone obviously weren’t spending enough on maintenance and probably didn’t have enough infrastructure to support their customers.

                  because they will develop whims as they start to learn and build up memory banks and think out their own approved paradigms.

                  The Terminator isn’t actually real.

                  • greywarshark

                    OK DTB. You get all your ideas from films apparently!

                    Vodafone becomes a dictator that doesn’t spend enough on maintenance. I have a landline still but fewer people have it. Especially on copper. I demand my right of freedom of choice and not loss of acceptable service.

                    Some in NZ still are not on cellphones. It is no answer to put a machine in charge to avoid companies’ profit gouging because machines will do an efficiency audit and decide that rural people aren’t worth the effort. Result same.

                    Tedtalk speaker on Radionz tonight says that in future networks will go down majorly. See No. 3 below.

                    Better start breeding carrier pigeons that can handle NZ weather. Go along to bird fancier days and shows and find out how to do it before all the bird fanciers die off. We don’t want to lose all our hard won developments and be back to running real marathons. By the way peruse Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, we have to learn from the Cretes. And others.

                    Networks – 2 September
                    From TED Radio Hour, 7:06 pm today

                    TOPIC :Networks
                    Networks surround and sustain us, in nature, in our bodies, in relationships, in the digital world. This hour, TED speakers explore how we rely on networks and how we have the power to shape them.
                    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ted/audio/2018660254/networks-2-september

                    1 Suzanne Simard: How Do Trees Collaborate?
                    2 Wanis Kabbaj: Can We Improve Our Transportation Network Using…Biology?
                    4Robin Dunbar: Is There A Limit To How Many Friends We Can Have?

                    3 Avi Rubin: What Happens When Hackers Hijack Our Smart Devices?

                    • Draco T Bastard

                      I have a landline still but fewer people have it. Especially on copper. I demand my right of freedom of choice and not loss of acceptable service.

                      You don’t have that right. Fact is that we can’t afford to maintain both copper and fibre. Chorus and the other infrastructure are pushing the removal of physical connections to the home as well because it costs more to maintain such a network than a wireless network.

                      It is no answer to put a machine in charge to avoid companies’ profit gouging because machines will do an efficiency audit and decide that rural people aren’t worth the effort.

                      It wasn’t machines which did that but the people managing Telecom after the sale to the private sector.

                      In other words, the profit drive and the bludging shareholders.

                      3 Avi Rubin: What Happens When Hackers Hijack Our Smart Devices?

                      You do understand that that’s already been happening right? And that it’s getting more and more difficult?

              • McFlock

                Laws and computer algorithms are developed and operated by people.

                ACC has lots of algorithms and legislative frameworks. The people who use those algorithms have been poorly led by other people, though.

          • KJT 1.1.2.1.2

            Never lived in another country, without ACC, have you?

          • Draco T Bastard 1.1.2.1.3

            Except it did before National fucked it over ready for privatisation by making it work the same way that private insurance did rather than the pay-go method of the original ACC.

            The fact is that private providers can’t actually compete with government services. That’s why they pull all these lies about how great the private sector is and lobby to make all government services provided by the private sector which, as we’ve found out at our expense, cost more while providing less.

      • cleangreen 1.1.3

        No James you are wrong there.

        We need a Government Insurance company to lead the way then we will see the privateers Insurance companies will modify their inhuman methods.

        Also while living in Florida in the 1990’s one of the large insurance companies threatened to pull out of insuring Florida because the hurricanes were casing so much damage and the Federal Government told the insurer that if they stop insuring florida they will be kicked out of te US to and the insurance company modified their attitude.

        Labour needs to do this here to.

    • Stuart Munro 1.2

      Proper regulation would suffice – not under a round-heeled Czar like Brownlee of course.

      Meeting claims honestly and within a reasonable period must be part of an insurance company’s license to operate.

      The majority of companies involved in Christchurch behaved very badly indeed – with the full complicity of the treacherous and revolting Brownlee, a man whose financial affairs are long overdue for a forensic audit.

  2. James 2

    Stacey Kirk nails it this morning – on labour’s problems and credibility issues.

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/106664691/stacey-kirk-labours-issues-come-back-to-one-word–credibility

    • KJT 2.1

      More propaganda from National’s party political broadcasters.

    • Ed 2.2

      Stacy Kirk is a propagandist for the establishment.
      A paid puppet for the permanent government.

      • Grantoc 2.2.1

        Sounds like you’re describing yourself Ed – just ad the phrase “left wing” in front of “establishment” and change the name to “Ed”

      • cleangreen 2.2.2

        100% Ed. you scored it right.

        Big bussiness is trying to turn the screws.

    • mickysavage 2.3

      Wait until you read Heather Du Plessis Allan …

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12116830

      Kirk has always been anti labour. Du Plessis Allan was but has had a significant change of mind lately.

      • Ed 2.3.1

        Don’t be too hopeful.
        A leopard can’t change its spots.

        It is more likely that Duplicity has been ordered by her handlers to write a government friendly article.

        Why?

        The clue is here….

        …….compare Labour’s changed attitude to business. Only a few months back Labour was all DGAF. It pulled the pin on a hand grenade and lobbed it at the oil and gas industry. No consultation, no warnings, nothing. Just poof, industry over.

        What a contrast to last week when the PM gathered business leaders for a kumbaya speech. She told business she would now be listening and announced a working group (yes, another one) to make that happen.

        The establishment has sent a message.

        Grovel up to business and we’ll call off the dogs.
        You are free to tinker, but leave the deep state’s power structure in place….

        Business has played this power game before.

        https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/07-06-2018/does-jacinda-ardern-face-a-helen-clark-style-winter-of-discontent/

        • marty mars 2.3.1.1

          Have to say that that is one of the best comments ive ever read of yours.

          I agree that this is a tactic from the right. Sadly some will fall for it.

        • Dennis Frank 2.3.1.2

          That history lesson from the Spinoff was well-articulated & I agree with Ed that we’re seeing a repeat effort. Give credit to the PM for creating a Business Council as an antidote, sensible precaution, but neoliberalism was going strong back then and now is going weak, so the parallel is over-stated.

          I read Stacey Kirk’s analysis in search of the partisan bias that Ed & others saw but didn’t find any – it was a fair appraisal. Heather’s was more interesting, nuanced, and I share Ed’s scepticism. Can’t see why she thinks Little’s summit was a debacle – surely we ought to reserve judgment. Too soon to jump to that conclusion. Policy & administrative decisions may be in the pipeline.

          I also disagree with her re the two under-performing ministers. I worked with her when she started in the TVNZ newsroom (mid-nineties), she had a natural enthusiastic style but never made any political comments about the stories we worked on together. She seems to have trended to the right since. I agree with Jacinda that sometimes people deserve a second chance. One can be a successful leader without being ruthless.

      • greywarshark 2.3.2

        Bryce Edwards has a sensitive nose.

        This government has lost its new car smell
        https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/365088/this-government-has-lost-its-new-car-smell
        10:21 am on 28 August 2018
        by Bryce Edwards*
        Opinion – Jacinda Ardern’s leniency towards demoted MP Clare Curran leads to easy comparisons with the actions of the last government, writes Bryce Edwards.

    • Observer Tokoroa 2.4

      Lovely to see you again so soon James

      You been fooling around a bit I see. Sucking up to Stacey. She’s a Stuff up James.

      Couldn’t you possibly get somebody who has a brain and a pen that writes coherently ? You could then invite her out to lunch (if you can afford it).

      Regards to your weird nationals. Have you paid your debts to the music you stole? Got the mental chap hospitalised ? booked a trip with the unstable Leader of the Opposition ?

      Good lad.

    • Doogs 2.5

      OK James, here it is – credibility is basically perceptual in essence, as is this elusive and slippery thing called business confidence. They are ephemeral in all aspects except the real effect they have on people’s thinking. Few people are capable of standing aside from the perception of others to make a genuine assessment based on their own research and thinking. It’s so much easier to be a sheeple and follow whatever your tribal beliefs are. Whatever the media are driving also doesn’t help things. and we end up with self-fulfilling prophesies with serve only to cement the prevailing idea. Genuine thinking disappears down the gurgler and we end up with skewed views on what’s really happening.

    • Carolyn_Nth 2.6

      Curiously, while Kirk (a known Nat cheerleader) is doing another hatchet job on the current government, bot the Guardian and Independent UK have glowing front page pieces on Ardern. (scroll down the front page of both websites)

      I do think the UK pieces are a bit over the top. I don’t think all NZ is over the moon about Ardern’s government. I have yet to see really strong legislation for alleviating (child) poverty, or for restructuring our welfare system (as claimed in the UK articles).

      However, I do think it’s interesting that NZ corporate media are not as enamoured by Ardern as some overseas news media.

      I also think it’s curious that both centrist/centre liberal UK papers have glowing articles about Ardern on the same day. But this is perhaps an indication of where Ardern’s government sits on the political spectrum: not radical left, but centre left/liberal. While Kirk is firmly to the right.

      I think Soper and HDPA are not keen on Bridges, and want another Nat leader. There’s some barbs against Ardern’s government buried towards the end of HDPA’s latest article.

      • Kat 2.6.1

        All the parliamentary opposition including their sycophantic scribes in the media are not keen on Winston Peters. They see him as the bogey man, the enemy, the Judas that appointed a “girl” as PM. All for his own ego trip. They see Winston as the architect of something that is “not fair” and “simply undemocratic” in going with Labour and forming a coalition of the losers. That rankles them and they will not give up on the disparaging commentary until either the coalition is kicked out or Jacinda Ardern manages to pull lots of votes and establishes a clear lead in the polls for Labour over National.

        And yes Soper and co desperately want another Nat leader other than Bridges. One that will outshine the PM. But there just isn’t one lurking in the ranks at the moment. So that is why the Nat helicopter is on permanent standby ready to fly in the next great right hope.

      • Sanctuary 2.6.2

        See this – https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/09/simon-bridges-says-he-s-arranged-for-abby-hartley-to-come-home.html

        This tells us much about the attitude of much of the NZ political right. They do not believe in democracy that doesn’t suit them and simply refuse to regard the current government as legitimate.

        How else do you explain a millionaire approaching the National party leader to arrange their piece of altruism, rather than simply calling the appropriate ministry? The donor clearly regards it as anathema to allow a good news story to not be politicised with an explicit rejection of the legitimate government in favour of a stunt designed to portray National as the legitimate government.

        The refusal of a large section of our deeply polarised electorate to accept that National lost the last election is what drives the bitterness of so much of the anti-government media rhetoric from the likes of Hoskings and Soper, and sense of vbeing cheated by usurpers that tainsts so much of what Kirk writes.

    • Grafton Gully 2.7

      The Labour NZ First Greens Coalition is showing a reassuring stability and immediacy in addressing problems any reforming government would face in its first term. A refreshing change from the cynical and arrogant National led governments of the past.

  3. marty mars 3

    A read for the grown ups

    “How do any of us deal with finding out that someone we once admired is guilty of sexual abuse? Moana Maniapoto reflects on her conflicting emotions about “an undeniably talented and deeply flawed man”. ”

    https://e-tangata.co.nz/reflections/the-unforgiven/

    • James 3.1

      I think you can seperate a persons achievements and the person.

      Just because they achieved great things or did good – they can still be an asshole.

      • McFlock 3.1.1

        That really depends on the individual case, imo.

        And it’s complicated.

        Were their good acts merely cover (or even an access route) for their crimes? Cosby or Saville being the community-caring star in public, and that reputation making them invulnerable for decades.

        Part of the thing about watching a movie or comedian is a little bit of disbelief that accompanies the suspension of disbelief. I enjoy action movies, but I don’t feel the same emotions watching actual combat footage. Cleese or Palin had a story from A Fish Called Wanda, where they had to show a dog that had been killed comedically – test audiences didn’t like the one that looked like an actual dog, but laughed at a less realistic version.

        So Louis CK jokes about jacking off in front of people who don’t like it – a bit to close to the truth these days. The movie The Usual Suspects was shut down for two days because the very bad man playing the nice guy playing the very bad man playing a very weak man sexually assaulted someone. I don’t know if I’ll watch that movie again – it just doesn’t appeal so much now.

        It’s complicated.

      • cleangreen 3.1.2

        James we can all be both good and bad.

        Mum always said to me that there was god and bad in everyone.

        Then said Son,’ look for the good not the bad’

    • chris73 3.2

      Thats a really well written article

    • Dennis Frank 3.3

      Indeed excellent & good to see that these insights are being shared. Healing comes after the dark side is acknowledged – we hope. But with some offenders still in denial (Bill Cosby) possibly unto their death, it remains difficult to get to the healing process. That Jekyll & Hyde two persons in one body thing is real difficult to manage, both for perpetrator & community. We just have to keep moving the process forward.

      • greywarshark 3.3.1

        marty mars
        I am sorry to see that shitty comment from James next to your good comment. It deserves a better response next to it.. It should be lauded by others who are real sensitive human beings.

        It is important to my mind, to consider this situation of flaws in leaders and politicians’ lives. For instance, I can never see why unfaithfulness or sexual liaisons should automatically make people unsuitable to do their jobs and have to give up their positions. It should depend on the seriousness on a list of criteria, not automatic biffo.

        Some people I remember, such as Jimmy Carter, ex-President USA, was so aiming at purity that he admitted something like – he had lusted in his mind about some woman other than his wife. But think on popular people with good public notoriety such as Bill Cosby and Rolf Harris. What a shock, and people cannot accept that there was a darker secret side of them.

        The linked article is an example of kind, practical thought about how we can integrate these people and their flawed personalities into our thinking so that the secretive behaviour is realised, truncated and stopped much earlier.

        I was impressed by this part:
        I asked Dr Erihana Ryan, a psychiatrist, about it. “For many of his victims, it will create rage, and that will translate into self-loathing,” she told me.
        “A community must be able to integrate these truths, to support and allow the achievements, without forgetting that our admiration does not negate the reality of less acceptable behaviours.”

        The big question is, how do any of us deal with this?
        My mate Jason speaks of a kaumātua who tried to use the story of Tāne Mahuta and Hine-titama to rationalise his abuse of young people. The old man justified his actions as being consistent with tikanga. (Another friend who works with ex-prisoners says she’s heard that line more than she’s had hot dinners.)

        Horrified at the lack of remorse, Jason said the old man’s peers stripped him of his speaking rights. He was seen as kahupō: “spiritually blind and already dead.” A persona non grata. Now, Jason says, the man shuffles around on the margins of his hapū, still ignored.

        The word kahupō is mentioned in a 2004 report based on a conceptual framework developed by Tamati Kruger and others to address the issue of whānau violence.
        https://e-tangata.co.nz/reflections/the-unforgiven/

      • cleangreen 3.3.2

        Dennis;

        100% right there.

        Keep the Government honest and llive up to their promises.

  4. James 4

    The irony of Helen Clarke commenting on voilence against women when one of the labour ministers is being investigated for assisting a woman.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/09/government-needs-to-recognise-violence-against-women-as-a-national-crisis-helen-clark.html

    Mind you when indecent assault against a woman is down played as a bum pinch by Andrew little you get the feeling they don’t take assault against a woman too seriously.

    • Cinny 4.1

      OMG are you serious james….. geez, you are hard out baiting this morning.

      We’ve the highest rate of family violence rate in the developed world, it’s going to take more than a year to sort that out. Violence against women and children, sexual violence, gender related violence.

      In the meantime, how did it get so bad? What happened or rather didn’t happen in the last decade?

      Aunty will shine in her new role, lucky NZ, thrilled to hear she was taking it on.

      Lolz love that 10min edit window, morning James 🙂

    • dukeofurl 4.2

      What would you call hair pulling James?
      Thats an assault too!

      • James 4.2.1

        Compare and contrast the outrage of the left.

        • dukeofurl 4.2.1.1

          Was the person who assaulted the waitress ‘stood down’ ?

        • Observer Tokoroa 4.2.1.2

          James !

          We have had suspicions that you are Anal focused – night and day. It appears everyone in National is.

          But for Simon’s sake why do you blurt it out in public Lad ? Arsehole my Word.

          We of the Standard Blog – have Standards. We do not like you talking about your dirty filthy Bum – or anybody elses – especially any arsehole from the ranks of National.

          Now – go and wash your hands. Or I will send you up to Paula! She can cover up most things – at a price.

        • veutoviper 4.2.1.3

          No, the hair pulling was “assisting a woman” as per you comment above, James. LOL.

          That big wooden spoon of yours is getting good exercise lately! None so blind etc etc

    • Robert Guyton 4.3

      Are you thinking of the pony-tail pulling incidents, James?
      (You should be).
      *edit: beaten to the punch by the duke!

      • Ed 4.3.1

        What a creepy prevert Key is.
        And James thinks he is a great guy.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WFtd3dx2us

        • James 4.3.1.1

          I do.

          • dukeofurl 4.3.1.1.1

            What about the video of Key fondling the ponytail of a 12 yr old girl?

            Was that not creepy enough for you?

            And heres another hair fondling image , a much younger girl
            https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/67981595/minister-for-women-standing-by-prime-minister-after-ponytail-incident

            ( The intense fixation in Keys eyes is significant)

            • Ed 4.3.1.1.1.1

              Clearly not.

            • mary_a 4.3.1.1.1.2

              dukeofurl (4.3.1.1.1) … Can’t remember seeing this pic of the hair fondler before.

              Yes, the disturbing focused eyes of Key touching the girl’s hair tell the sordid story alright! Perversion!

              • greywarshark

                Here is a recent harassment piece from stuff.
                https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/106750352/kiwirail-sacks-worker-for-sexually-harassing-a-woman-colleague-7-years-ago

                Note the poster showing the attractive female providing services, showing plenty of cleavage. Her youhg lush full lips. Yum say the eyes of the men she is attending.

                The trouble is that women went through a fashion stage that ended about three years ago where they wore deeply cut tops. It was de rigeur to have your boobs displayed. Now compare this with the way men are dressed for office work. They are in clothes that cover the body and for display, dress up their shirt with a coloured tie.

                In the past, the 1960-70s they went through a display fashion with shirts undone to the belt and chains with pendants worn over their hairy chests. The display look now means shaved chest and biceps but not for office work, now it is a buttoned up look. The latest that I notice are young men in good quality shirts, mid coloured, worn creased, not ironed. But many young women display flesh as a default reaction. In winter they must appear glamorous for television appearances with bare shoulders.

                I think women would be considered as being more honest if they dressed for the place and the weather.

          • Ankerrawshark 4.3.1.1.2

            Well James you are entitled to still think key is a great guy, rom him inflicting unwanted physical touch on a woman in a far less powerful position than him. I can understand many men don’t get what that’s like for a woman. As for Meka, I stated categorically it’s not good and that she has let people down (although in fairness we should wait for in the investigation. As for Helen Clark speaking up about domestic violence, it would make no sense for her to keep quiet on the basis of what Meka has allegedly done (by the way I would be very surprised if she isn’t found to be guilty). We can’t take responsibility for others actions, but we have a responsibility to speak up about them.

            Violence, bullying, sexual harassment are things that we should unite against. I would never defend anyone in labour or any other party for this sort of behavior.

          • Robert Guyton 4.3.1.1.3

            Sounds like something you’d say at the altar, James.

        • Stuart Munro 4.3.1.2

          I doubt James thinks at all.

          But he’ll say Key’s a great guy – this is how he promotes his political views – corruption and non-performance being values close to that howling void, which, in RWNJ, occupies the space where the heart resides in ordinary mammals.

    • miravox 4.4

      I’m not seeing where the irony is James. And last time I looked, violence against women belongs to neither the left or right.

      Do you think it’s an unimportant issue, worthy of a bit of a laugh?

    • Visubversa 4.6

      No “e” at the end of Clark. Shows your inability to reasearch even the simplest detail.

    • cleangreen 4.7

      James on 4;

      was that as bad as; – ‘the pony-tail- gate’ PM affair?

  5. Cinny 5

    Excellent episode of The Listening Post this week.

    Turns out the national enquirer (yes ‘that’ dodgy rag) has had a big spend up on trump stories, preferring to bury them rather than publish. Fascinating media manipulation.

    Also examines the Mueller investigation.

    https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/listeningpost/2018/09/catch-kill-trump-media-allies-hasten-downfall-180901070424259.html

    Here’s the youtube link if you prefer to watch via that platform.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sadcb0ONgfo

  6. Ed 7

    This is George Galloway’s weekly radio show in the UK.
    It is well worth listening to.
    His opening monologue remembers WW2 and fighting fascism.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax9dAqtPe6c

  7. Ed 8

    5 timely reminders that the media think you are an idiot…

    #4. Jeremy Corbyn hates the Jews

    Jeremy Corbyn is soft – maybe, arguably – too soft for the job that history has violently hoisted on to his shoulders, but soft none the less. He rides his bike to work, wears cardigans, is a vegetarian. He has campaigned for peace and against war his entire life. He was arrested for protesting apartheid whilst Margaret Thatcher was calling Nelson Mandela a terrorist, he spoke out against Pinochet while the General was a darling on both sides of the Atlantic.

    He has won two international peace prizes.

    The idea that, during a public career dedicated to the socialist ideals of decency and fairness, he was secretly thinking “Bloody jews!” the whole time is completely absurd. Insultingly absurd, and there is not a single piece of evidence to suggest otherwise. There is nothing more to be said on the matter.

    https://off-guardian.org/2018/08/27/5-timely-reminders-that-the-media-think-you-are-an-idiot/

    • Morrissey 8.1

      There are certainly idiots who believe everything they read. But nearly all of this lying campaign against Corbyn stems from nothing more than a desire to smear him. They can’t out him as a homosexual, and he obviously hasn’t consorted with Russian prostitutes, so they’re resorting to the most ridiculous allegation of all. There is more evidence that Corbyn detonated the Twin Towers on 9/11 than there is that he is anti-Semitic.

      That complete lack of evidence won’t stop the insinuations, however. The hatred for and fear of Corbyn—i.e., the hatred for and fear of democracy—is as rabid down here as it is in the Blairite rump of the Labour Party. There’s one ex-National Party minister, for instance, who regularly posts on this mostly excellent site, who is on record saying he “doesn’t know” if Corbyn is anti-Semitic.

      • tc 8.1.1

        Yes the ‘throw enough shit and some is bound to stick ‘ MO in tandem with ‘keep repeating the spin’ when caught spinning deploy msm acolytes.

        Pretty sound move given the average punters uptake of reality via the msm outlets.

        • Morrissey 8.1.1.1

          Wayne got away with it in National Party caucus meetings. On this forum, and others, his behaviour is regarded with contempt.

          • Dennis Frank 8.1.1.1.1

            On what basis did you attend National Party caucus meetings? What, you didn’t? Trying to bullshit readers here? No intelligent person would regard a moderate Nat with contempt. Get real.

            • Morrissey 8.1.1.1.1.1

              He’s a moderate? How so?

              Do you think it’s “moderate” behaviour to repeat brutal, baseless smears against someone?

            • marty mars 8.1.1.1.1.2

              Moderate gnat is an oxymoron imo – the moderate bit is hiding stuff to make the opinions palatable to citizen x who will thus vote for them.

            • Dennis Frank 8.1.1.1.1.3

              I speak as someone who has been a lifelong opponent of the National Party, as the result of being a fast learner born to National-voting parents.

              Nobody is beyond redemption. Keep demonising the opposition, you’ll get trumpism in Aotearoa. Is that what you really want?? I doubt it.

              Smears aren’t helpful. Often due to seeing only one side of an issue or person, or getting the wrong idea due to subjective bias. Using smears to polarise fails to enhance political culture. We ought to be developing common ground. Only way to survive, given the serious shit imminent!

              • Morrissey

                Nobody is beyond redemption.

                Mostly that is the case, Dennis. However, there are some people that are, I fear, beyond redemption: Colonel Oliver North has not improved one whit since he oozed onto the world stage thirty-five years ago. Bill O’Reilly seems to actually be getting worse. Here in NZ, I don’t hold out much hope of ever hearing an honest word from Dr Michael Bassett, who once claimed on Jim Mora’s program, with as much evidence as Dame Hodge has against Jeremy Corbyn, i.e. no evidence, that Nicky Hager was a Holocaust-denier,

                But, yes, people can—even the worst of us—change for the better, even redeem themselves. The notorious Karl Rove has managed to achieve something of a rehabilitation in the public’s esteem, as has his boss George W. Bush. Tony Blair, for all his faults, seems to be genuinely troubled by the death and destruction he wrought while in office.

                I have no doubt that once Wayne shrugs off the habit of being always “on message”, i.e. being prepared to lie at the drop of a hat, he will be a sober and valuable commentator. Perhaps one of these days he will be as honest as George W. Bush. But at the moment he is happy to go on smearing a decent man without a skerrick of evidence to support his vicious claims.

                Keep demonising the opposition, you’ll get trumpism in Aotearoa. Is that what you really want?? I doubt it.

                I’m not “demonizing” an aggressive liar by pointing out his lies. You are, I think, confusing a cynical politician with an ordinary punter who might be bamboozled by the mass of disinformation being pumped out on this matter. The only demonizing going on here is by the malicious Dame Hodge and the desperate, discredited rump of the Blairite faction that is trying to destabilize what is now, under Jeremy Corbyn, the most popular mass participation party in Europe.

                Smears aren’t helpful.

                Why are you addressing that admonition to me? Surely you should be talking to Wayne, that casual and conscience-free proponent of the smear.

                We ought to be developing common ground.

                How do you establish common ground with someone who is prepared to tell the most vicious lie imaginable?

                • Dennis Frank

                  Okay thanks for your careful, considered response. Re smear, I wasn’t directing the comment at you. I’m unaware of the reason for your gripe with Wayne, was just making a general point. The thing about any criticism is that sometimes others misinterpret it – so best to give folks the benefit of the doubt I reckon.

                  • Morrissey

                    Thanks for that Dennis. Yes, I’m always ready to forgive anyone, and I’ll willingly extend the benefit of the doubt to anyone. I’m not into playing hardball—unlike a lot of politicians and political operatives here and overseas.

                • Incognito

                  How do you establish common ground with someone who is prepared to tell the most vicious lie imaginable?

                  You start by leaving your personal bias at the door, as much as you can and are willing to do …

                  • Morrissey

                    It’s biased to point out that someone has told a lie? If you were going to talk about science with a “skeptic”—e.g. an ex-president of Federated Farmers—would you leave your “personal bias” about the world being global, not flat, at the door? You’d be willing and able to do that?

                    • Incognito

                      Well, you asked an important question and I gave you an answer. And now you’re asking me to confirm/repeat it!?

                      At 7.31 pm you wrote:

                      Yes, I’m always ready to forgive anyone, and I’ll willingly extend the benefit of the doubt to anyone. I’m not into playing hardball

                      From that I take it that you are willing and able to leave your biases at the door.

                      For the record, I believe there always is (a) common ground and, in fact, much more than we think. The problem is that we tend to focus on (our) differences and take these out of context and out of proportion (i.e. we make them much larger than they really are and project these to all sorts of issues/situations). So, we have to go into this ‘hostile territory’ of examining our own biases and reflexive behaviours and then build a bridge to the ‘enemy’ who’s having to de same. Obviously, it doesn’t take much to scare them off/away and this is what others (…) know all too well …

                    • Morrissey

                      You seem to accept that the likes of Wayne, a hardened and seasoned politician, is arguing in good faith. He is not. He is willfully and callously recycling the most extravagant and brutal slander it is possible to make.

                      I am indeed willing to find common ground with anyone who is genuine and respectful. Wayne displays neither of those qualities. He made a career out of lying and denying and “forgetting” on behalf of the military, and is now employing those dubious skills in the service of the most bizarre campaign of character assassination since the byzantine—and discredited—rape charges manufactured against Julian Assange.

          • Wayne 8.1.1.1.2

            Morrissey,
            A significant number of Labour MP’s think Corbyn is not doing nearly enough to deal with antisemitism among members of the Labour Party. And are less than happy about the level of interaction he has had with extremists.
            All your insults are not enough to rebuff that. Though that seems to be the standard approach for defenders of Corbyn.

            • Dennis Frank 8.1.1.1.2.1

              Looks like the problem is being caused by people deliberately misrepresenting disapproval of zionism as anti-semitism. “Sir, Being anti-Zionist and being against the Israeli government does not make one antisemitic. All my four Jewish grandparents escaped from the murderous antisemitic pogroms in Russia and arrived in London in the early 1900s. My mother was a young Zionist leader and went to work in a kibbutz in the early 1930s. She returned disillusioned and was for ever a fierce opponent of Zionism. In the 1950s I remember that the majority of my parents’ large extended family and circle of Jewish friends were vehemently opposed to Zionism and had nothing but contempt for British Zionists and their cheerleaders.” [letter to the editor, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/corbyn-and-the-charge-of-antisemitism-zfbmlhf87 ]

            • Draco T Bastard 8.1.1.1.2.2

              A significant number of Labour MP’s think Corbyn is not doing nearly enough to deal with antisemitism among members of the Labour Party.

              You’re assuming that there’s actually a problem with anti-Israeli sentiment in the UK Labour Party of which I haven’t actually seen any evidence. Only the deluded BS of the RWNJs as they try to malign the UK Labour Party.

              Just more Dirty Politics.

              • Dennis Frank

                Looks like a perception thing eh? Some Labour MPs seeing others as antisemitic when the others support Palestine. Typical binary framing.

                “Frank Field, who has represented Birkenhead since 1979, said he was resigning the Labour whip after 39 years over what he described as the current perception of Labour as a “racist party”. MPs said the resignation – the third by a Labour MP in less than two months – could trigger a “full-scale existential crisis of the Labour Party“, amid reports of a potential parliamentary breakaway by MPs furious at the party leadership’s handling of antisemitism. In an explosive letter to Labour’s chief whip, Nick Brown, Mr Field said Britain had fought the Second World War to “banish” the type of views expressed by Mr Corbyn, and suggested the Labour leader had been antisemitic in the past.” [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/frank-field-resigns-labour-whip-jeremy-corbyn-antisemitism-racism-row-a8515036.html]

            • Morrissey 8.1.1.1.2.3

              All your insults are not enough to rebuff that.

              The self-pity in that comment is repellent. Nobody has insulted you. I pointed out that you had recycled a blatant lie and that you have not resiled from it yet.

              Though that seems to be the standard approach for defenders of Corbyn.

              Sorry? Could you explain how having a laugh at Dame Hodge’s insane fantasies is insulting her? Nobody had a go at her appearance or her accent or the way she dresses. She’s made herself a figure of ridicule and opprobrium around the world, and has joined the pantheon of ridiculous liars along with Colin Powell, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush—and Wayne Mapp.

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt5fOmtJfGQ

                • Dennis Frank

                  Wow, what a speech!! Galloway deserves an award for this performance – creating a political context in the mind of the listener in which not a single word seems out of place, and every point is a hammer blow onto a nail in the political coffin of Frank Field! Truly remarkable.

                  • Stunned mullet

                    Here’s another remarkable performance by galloway.

                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQA2X4yvK_g

                    • Morrissey

                      Shameful.

                      But he’s never ordered or voted for the mass destruction of a nation, unlike many of his critics.

                    • Dennis Frank

                      Thanks. 😆 What a performer! Guess it comes from being hybrid Scottish/Irish? Got this from his wiki too: “Galloway commented in his speech at an event in Trafalgar Square on 3 January 2009: “Today, the Palestinian people in Gaza are the new Warsaw Ghetto, and those who are murdering them are the equivalent of those who murdered the Jews in Warsaw in 1943”.[171]

                      “Jonathan Freedland in The Guardian thought “the effect of repeating, again and again, that Israel is a Nazi state” was, potentially, an incitement to attack Jews because the comparison with Nazis as “the embodiment of evil” implies that “the only appropriate response is hate”.[172] Sigrid Rausing in the New Statesman wrote: “The claim of moral equivalence is dangerous, not because it exaggerates the horror of Gaza (the reality of that bombardment was probably worse than we can really imagine), but because it minimises the horror of the Holocaust.”[171]

                      First, the current crisis has been building for at least nine years, we can see from this evidence. Second, moral equivalence as a rationale seems weak due to disparities of scale and type of crime. Third, calling Israel a Nazi state is obviously inaccurate – even if it does seem to be exhibiting a similar methodology at times. He’s self-identified as a supporter of the Palestinians for forty years.

                  • Ed

                    Galloway is worth following.

            • Ed 8.1.1.1.2.4

              Yes a significant number of the parliamentary Labour Party still are attached to the careerist compromise that Blair set up.
              They do not represent the membership of the Labour Party.
              You need to read more widely before repeating what you have seen in the UK corporate media.

              Here is a take your blinkered worldview will not have heard before.

              Starts at 3:10

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSsxs-wN6AI

            • cleangreen 8.1.1.1.2.5

              Wayne mapp; – when did you become the fairy godmother?

              You say Morrisey throws insults????????

              You are the gold standard in that corner sunshine.

              Talk about ‘pot calling the kettle black;’ – – whew.

  8. joe90 9

    Next up, Cayman Islands banks freeze accounts of customers suspected of not being citizens of the Cayman Islands.

    His case isn’t unique. In recent months, Bank of America has been accused of freezing or threatening to freeze customers’ accounts after asking about their legal status in the U.S.. In July, the Washington Post reported that multiple customers had been locked out of their accounts after Bank of America questioned whether the account holders were U.S. citizens or dual citizens.

    https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article217567300.html#storylink=cpy

  9. Morrissey 12

    Glenn Greenwald. Worth watching.

    It’s hard for me to express to people who don’t live in the United States and who don’t follow United States political debate on a daily basis just how utterly insane and deranged Americans have become about Russia….”

    (This quote begins at the 20:25 mark)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKRGsPCUTqs

    • Dennis Frank 12.1

      It was good to see Greenwald exposing how inane the leftist trend towards censorship in recent times actually is, in the unlikely event of governments and other authorities acceding to their delusional thought processes. Any implementation of such censorship is likely to have the opposite consequence to that desired by that group of leftists. As G explained, it is almost certain to be used by the powerful to target the very groups those leftists support.

    • Dennis Frank 12.2

      G: “propaganda is about convincing citizens that your side is the moral one and the other side is the immoral one”.

      This is a fundamental element of political psychology. Morality aligns people on the basis of tribalism or nationality. It is a primary driver of identity politics. Thus fake news and traditional media-owner censorship: promote atrocities committed by the other side, ignore or spin exactly the same when committed by your side.

    • Dennis Frank 12.3

      I liked his parody of the leftist msm establishment in the USA: `Trump is a moron, Putin is a global mastermind using Trump as puppet` then asking why would a global mastermind use a moron as puppet rather than a clever player? And democrats refusing to take responsibility for their defeat by a `game-show host’.

      • Andre 12.3.1

        I kinda gave up on Greenwald when he started going all ‘deep state is out to get Trump’. It looks to me like his woldview is so tainted by hatred of ‘the establishment’ and the msm that his assessments in those areas aren’t particularly useful anymore. That quote about ‘Trump is a moron, Putin is a global mastermind …” is a really gross misrepresentation of what’s being said outside of that small convergence point on the circle of derp where the moonbat far left meet the far RWNJs.

        Most Democrats are trying hard to talk about other stuff, such as healthcare. But it’s the cable news that jump on Russia stuff, helped along by Adolf Twitler going “WITCH HUNT” every other day and his enablers in the likes of Faux News claiming (falsely) that Dems are obsessed with Russia.

        https://www.thedailybeast.com/dems-give-up-on-trying-to-get-cable-news-to-care-about-anything-but-russia

        • Morrissey 12.3.1.1

          You have chosen to render Greenwald as some sort of cartoonish figure. His views are nothing like as simplistic and reflexive as you claim. Anyone who bothers to read or listen to Greenwald will reach a different conclusion to you. I suspect you haven’t “given up” on him; I suspect you have neither read nor listened to him much at all. And citing the Democratic Party organ The Daily Beast as some sort of authority enhances your credibility not one iota.

          Most Democrats are trying hard to talk about other stuff, such as healthcare.

          Really? So how come all they ever do is talk about Russia?

  10. Ed 13

    Sharon Murdoch nails it.

    “Shane Jones attacks Australian-owned banks,, who are making mega-profits, for closing branches in provincial towns.”

    https://mobile.twitter.com/domesticanimal/status/1035996527716487168/photo/1

  11. Morrissey 14

    Brilliant comedian; somewhat nervous audience.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20p9MoPElcM

  12. greywarshark 15

    There are places in parts of the world where NZrs are remembered and cherished. On is Le Quesnoy du Nord. We should keep our contacts with them and enjoy warm relationships, perhaps have sister city with them. They would like help in keeping facilities in good order. We should make special efforts to keep our relationships with European countries open and reciprocal if the UK is going to withdraw from the EU which relationship will be filled to make them more an arm of the USA, and perhaps try and resume their patronisation of their old colonies.

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/365479/memorial-site-for-nz-liberation-of-french-town-seeks-funding
    https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/5761-rangimarie-a-new-zealand-garden-for-peace-in-le-quesnoy-france

    The garden is being designed by Xanthe White and the theme of peace will be expressed through the Māori concept of rangimārie.

    Rangimārie is the space of calm within which people can walk with their tūpuna (ancestors).

    Xanthe White said the design had been scaled back due to a lack of money, even though the design was fairly modest.
    “We did just not have enough money to create the garden we originally planned with gravel paths, edging and seats.”
    Ms White said seats are a must and funding is needed for them.

    • Exkiwiforces 15.1

      You might find that Le Quesnoy du Nord has a sister city relationship with Cambridge as some of the major players (incl a minor part my NZ grandfathers side the Beaurepaires) help liberate Le Quesnoy and the 4th NZ Brigade aka NZ Rifle Brigade came from Cambridge.

      My distant cousin from the Beaurepaire side of the family was conscripted into NZEF even though was he employed on the family dairy farm which should’ve restricted him from being called as all the other workers from the farm had left for the war. 74852 Rflm Louis Beaurepaire was mortally wounded near the railway station as the Rifle Brigade had to envelop Le Quesnoy before the Coup de main could be attempted.

      The sad thing is Louis died of his wounds at the four corners aid station which is now known as four corners cemetery which is about 4-5 miles south of Le Quesnoy and the NZ Division was pulled out of line for rest after the liberation of Le Quesnoy until the occupation of the Rhineland.

      I’ve visited the cemetery every time I’m in the UK/ Europe weather it by myself or a with a relative from the Beaurepaire side and we somehow seem to time when there’re locals about (middle age to elder or school age kids) coming to say thank you especially when I’m in formal day/ afternoon dress NZ Scots tie, blazer, gongs and headdress.

      The problem with the Fench, some degree with the British and other countries in Europe their governments have forgot about the sacrifices NZ has made in both world wars unless it’s ANZAC Day or Remembrance Day etc as most NZ battles sites are the rural parts of Europe. Their governments also know that the Kiwi worker and Farmers etc are the most efficient in the world and don’t rely on subsidies etc unlike their industries, farmers etc and it comes to imports of NZ goods these industries will pull the stops out restrict NZ imports especially France. The USA Farm lobbyists are just as equally bad as the French to a point that they make up all sorts of false news, but Canadian one’s don’t go that far.

      What I would to see with Commonwealth especially when UK pulls the pin on the EU is turn the Commonwealth into a common market based on human rights, fair trade, the rule of law, aid, government/ civil service and education development. I note this something that Bryan Gould has mentioned in his blog site and I believe this was one Big Nom’s idea during his time as PM. With some sort of Security/ Defence Treaty down the track IRT training, resource protection etc similar to the Mutual Defence Aid that the NZDF does in the South Pacific atm.

      • greywarshark 15.1.1

        Exkiwiforces
        You are a man with principles and vision of a possible future based on the idea that we have principles that the government and leaders believe stand for something. Unfortunately Britain and the USA have raised a propaganda curtain over their countries, and they can mount a performance of worth but look hard at what they actually do most of the time and you know there is no substance to it. What we have now is not what my birth father, buried in France with his crew, would have regarded as a decent society. He would have expected us to be achieving what was possible with application of smart thinking. Instead that vision has been deliberately smashed by those al;ready advantaged seeking to advance themselves by degrading the lower strata and limiting their opportunities to improve their conditions.

        Our people fought and died; their time was not thrown away, useless. If we had not gone, if we had not strived, we would have been worse off. But post WW2 we have constantly declined in what we had and was possible, with keen and concerned minds across the sectors trying to bring sense and intelligence to policy.

        I should say that I would understand if you didn’t wish to use your time reading further. It is a litany, not of lies but of woes and loss of confidence. I have a pessimistic vision of the future with the only rosy thing about it being the knowledge that there are good, true, thinking people in NZ and the world trying their best to find ways to limit the harm that is happening now and coming.

        But their words and advice and examples float by many who are stuck in late 20th century dreams that were out of date at that time. I am resigned to the way things are, but will keep on working for better things for now, short term and long term for the years I have left.

        However our politicians in opposition are not interested in the good of the country and try to deter government from spending time and effort facing future needs and finding solutions. They carry their enthusiastic supporters similar to that of a rugby or netball team with simple outcomes to aim for.

        Their supporters don’t want to seriously think about the harm some people are coping with now, and how this is an example of how bad we have become as a country. They just want to keep their money for themselves, buy or build houses for solid investment, have overseas trips, get out on their bikes, update their cars, keep fit, and eat healthy, save the environment because that affects them, etc. To them their concern is all about Me and my family’s wellbeing and some planning to ensure that for the future, but no continual thought for other people’s present and future.

        Now it is a case of deciding what principles we want to apply in NZ to present citizens and limiting the rush from overseas, as fairly as possible. And then form policies on how far we will go standing staunch for us, and when we will give a little, at the same time getting something of value for ourselves.
        We must not trust anybody completely; but also not dismiss many people and things if they don’t fit into our tight little schemes. Loosen those and work out how to include people as resources taking, but giving to society as well.

        We have to think harder and straighter than ever before, loosen up on some laws and expectations, keep to reasonable standards, be excellent only where we have to be, make our own judgments and decide what we want to comply with and meet of the standards overseas, such as the OECD. Keep President Putin’s approach in mind as a basis for ours. He is always looking at his opponents or member states with a judgmental eye, and we have to do the same. We must stop cringing and take hold of our skills and invest in our country and not just sell everything for a fast buck seeming to think it might disappear.

        We are what we are, some good and some parts needing improvement, and if we get together work out a good scheme and strive in our different ways we can keep it so. It is people that count and we can’t rely on western nations to live up to their own BS. Looked at objectively it can be seen they don’t care about people and have slipped low in the standards of respect for people which were our democratic base. They have now gone back to laissez faire and they will just suck us dry if we let them, and we could become like an abandoned plantation that has been destroyed by greed, corruption and neglect.

        • Exkiwiforces 15.1.1.1

          Thank you for those kind words and reminds me to pull my finger and finish off essay on Climate Change effects and The NZDF for submission to The Standard blog. Which has turned into a bit of a beast atm.

      • Gabby 15.1.2

        I never tyre of your Beaurepaire stories exy.

        • Exkiwiforces 15.1.2.1

          Well, there is very distant French relative from the Beaurepaire side a Col L Beaurepaire who return back to the Colours during French Revolution and his marched Regiment (Infantry Battalion) from end of France to Verdun. Where he and his Regiment took on 30 odd thousand Pussians of King Frederick the Great Army and he held them off with great Elan until he was mysterious killed by either the Prussians or the citizens elect council as they want to surrender, where Old Beaurepaire didn’t want to as per his orders which were to defend, delay, deny the Pussian Army advance from crossing the river at Verdun as long as possible IOT allow the main French Army to arrive and defeat the Pussians at Verdun. Unfortunately Col Beaurepaire was killed and all French resistance collapsed at Verdun. But he frought an excellent defensive battle that by the time the Pussians got a place called Namy about 50km West of Verdun I think they were already a spent force when they encountered the main French Army from Paris.

      • greywarshark 15.1.3

        More on Le Quesnoy and the exact name. And an image of their wall which we didn’t try to demolish.
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of_Le_Quesnoy_(1918)

        • Exkiwiforces 15.1.3.1

          I was at the 90th Anniversary of the liberation of Le Quesnoy, where they held an Symposium on the battle of Le Quesnoy and the resulting liberation of the village. The question was asked where bloody hell did the Kiwis find or build the ladder in the first place? Let alone trying to drag the bloody thing across the battlefield and rise it against the rampant to scale the wall? Where the ladder was raise is very small spot and a very exposed area with no cover or protection from German fire or observation.

          It was an excellent feat of arms to pull it off by all concerned including the OMR lads who were the NZ DIv CAV changing a break neck speed to towards the German gun line and into the Germans rear area IOT to prevent a German counter attack.

  13. greywarshark 16

    Interesting stuff on RadioNZ.

    Tech fantasy
    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/365458/do-we-need-another-planet-to-colonise

    Each law is not able to consider every human possibility, especially now in the Period of Disruption.
    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/365480/man-deported-for-not-telling-immigration-about-sperm-donation

  14. Morrissey 17

    Watch Hillary Clinton trying hard to show empathy.

    The hilarity/horror/pathos begins at the 10:00 mark….

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPTUqy1utdM

  15. Ad 18

    This one goes out to all the Tolkein nerds, Childish Gambino fans, and anyone who did Prof Wystan Curnow’s modern poetry classes to Stage 3:

    Stephen Colbert reinterprets Chance the Rapper and Childish Gambino via the Silmarillion:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmr_CtN1K3g

  16. joe90 19

    Fascinating piece on indigenous people asserting their rights to manage their resources, and who has access to them during seasonal harvests.

    https://www.hakaimagazine.com/features/of-roe-rights-and-reconciliation/

    • Dennis Frank 19.1

      Thanks for that. Quite an exemplary demonstration of how indigenous tribes are using due process to regain access to traditional fisheries! And an eye-opener that the Supreme Court verdict was ignored by the government.

      Brilliant report too, from this man: “Ian Gill is a journalist and author who has published extensively about natural resource politics and economics, with a particular interest in Indigenous rights. Australian-born, he worked in newspapers and television in Australia, Canada, and France before founding Ecotrust Canada in 1994. Ian led Ecotrust in Canada, the United States, and Australia before returning to journalism full time. He is adviser to the CEO of The Discourse and a regular contributor to The Tyee.”

  17. ianmac 20

    Brian Easton has some interesting facts.

    Australia has had 6 changes of PM since 1996. So have we in NZ.

    I like this bit:
    “…Where there was instability was in the Opposition. National had four leaders in its nine years of opposition; Labour had six leaders. (Now you know why Bridges is a bit anxious. The main activity in the Opposition caucus seems to be plotting.) …”

    https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/political-turmoil-when-the-economy-sours

  18. Macro 21

    Different stokes for different folks….
    Message for POTUS
    You don’t Buy RESPECT – You EARN it.

  19. joe90 22

    But of course, nothing will shut the whingers and naysayers up.

    Was Warren on the agenda because, as her critics say, she had decided to self-identify as a Native American woman and Harvard saw a chance to diversify the law faculty? Did she have an unearned edge in a hugely competitive process? Or did she get there based on her own skill, hard work, and sacrifice?

    The question, which has hung over Warren’s public life, has an answer.

    In the most exhaustive review undertaken of Elizabeth Warren’s professional history, the Globe found clear evidence, in documents and interviews, that her claim to Native American ethnicity was never considered by the Harvard Law faculty, which voted resoundingly to hire her, or by those who hired her to four prior positions at other law schools. At every step of her remarkable rise in the legal profession, the people responsible for hiring her saw her as a white woman.

    https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2018/09/01/did-claiming-native-american-heritage-actually-help-elizabeth-warren-get-ahead-but-complicated/wUZZcrKKEOUv5Spnb7IO0K/story.html?s_campaign=bostonglobe%3Asocialflow%3Atwitter

  20. eco maori 23

    Good morning The Am Show we will see if the billionaire or his crew will held acountable for here action’s .
    Untill we see tangata whenua speaking Te reo in cafes and shops out in public that will be a sign the Te reo is reviving .That is not happening now so of course I back compulsory Te reo . Te reo is the back bone of the culture and our tipuna did a lot of mahi to protect our tangata whenua culture. As I look around Papatuanuku I see a lot of indigenous culture’s that look like they have lost large parts of there culture we won’t let that happen in Aotearoa. Maori culture gives Aotearoa that unique flavour that the rest of Papatuanuku is interested in especial other indigenous cultures that admire the strong presents and revival of Aotearoa’s tangata whenua culture.
    Get rid of those gambling machines we have had a lot of common people that have a gambling problem the money that goes to charity’s is pittance less than 10% compared to the gross amount 2.2 billion dollars stright into the wealthy pocket this is a good cause .
    We have a culture of spend spend when I was young there were know money machines or EFTPO’s or poke machines so to counter these new technology the mokopunas need compulsory Kiwi saver to protect there future make a option to opted out but one has to prove that they have the money for retirement or we are going to end up with thousands of broke retired people and that wont be good at all in the next decades.
    Ka kite ano

  21. eco maori 24

    The Am Show
    How hard will it be to retool our paper making machines ie toilet paper to make paper bag’s this would be a logical answer paper bags instead of exporting our log’s cheap we could ad value in Aotearoa. ka kite ano P.S I have the run out of bin liners problem to the thing about a shopping bag is it could be blown stright out to sea from many of our citys 5 minutes after been brought

  22. eco maori 25

    Eco Maori has many time’s complained about the neo liberal capitalist they win cheat lie and steal do anything to hod wink te tangata to win there vote /election .
    They have been using the sharp edge of the internet sword against the common people national was m8 with peter thiel is fact this is still a big threat to our democratic process now and it will be a threat till we find laws to stop this behavour of using our data against us.
    I seen a story that Cambridge analytical unethical company had shut down typical way people use company’s to get out of the———- my answer to that was that they would just start up a company and use the soft ware to carry on business as usual using massive computing power to find the voters who will swing right and target them with false fact in video’s social media mailers radio and the media please keep these people in check as this is a real threat to te mokomunas future .
    My concerns have been proven correct I watch a show that enlightened me even more of this phenomenon it’s The Code series 1 /3 Predicting the future this a good watch and it made me even more alarmed .Everyone is collecting all the data they can even if it is encrypted because one day AI will break those codes thats why I say Aotearoa is in a good position to have our own data bases and sell these services to the Papatuanuku.
    Back to my main point Data is the biggest currency now and in Aotearoa we have to have systems in place so that people who have axcess to OUR main goverment data has to identified so we no who and why they are axcessing our data as this could be used in a unethical way to damage people’s live’s. I have a link below Ka kite ano.
    https://thenextweb.com/politics/2018/06/15/trumps-getting-the-cambridge-analytica-band-back-together/

  23. eco maori 26

    As soon as I see word would could in a story I start questioning the story this one is stating that the wild fish stock could improve with good management and if we mitigate climate change.
    The problem is we cannot trust our wealthy people whom are out for a power grab ie money men as I call them .
    Aotearoa fishing and wild fish stock are great compared to the rest of Papatuanuku
    but it aint nothing like it was when I was a lad that was when the quoter managment system first came in so if the system was working correctly there should be more fish in our waters now than there actually is now .The fishermen wanted to set a limit on horse power as the main type of fishing is trawling and horse power catches fish with trawling so setting a cap on horse power in the1990 would have conserved our fish .
    But the money men advising the government at the time did not want that simple effective solution to our problem as they could not milk it like the quoter management system we have at the minute . IE the traded commodity would have been buying the retiring fisherman’s horse power rights out to get into the industry know loophole’s to hack the system . To get the quoter management system passed the fishermen they bribed them with more fish quoter why because the fishermen got a good lawyer Fairbrother and put a injunction on the crown . So what Eco maori is saying is keep up the fight to preserve the wild fish stocks for the mokopunas future and be wary of the money men’s manipulating storys trying to lul people into thinking everythink’s going to be fine & that the momey men have the conservation of Papatuanuku’s & her beautiful at heart .YEA RIGHT Ka kite ano Link is below

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/29/fish-populations-could-rise-even-with-extreme-climate-change-study-shows

  24. eco maori 27

    Some one is making a power grab If these 5 eye’s get a hold of all data that’s encrypted
    That will cause OUR internet industry’s to come to a halt why because no Papatuanuku company is going to invest in Aotearoa tec industry’s and this industry has the capability to become our biggest export earner with the lowest carbon footprint 8 billion .Are we prepared to sell OUR mokopunas future out just to keep trump happy NO WAY.
    ka kite ano . P.S It show you that this was my fate to become a decipher for the common tangata

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/106775413/internet-society-fears-five-eyes-could-be-about-to-undermine-the-net

  25. eco maori 28

    This person is full of it he has a bulge in his hip pocket from the sensible sentencing trust poverty is the main cause of crime .
    Yes gangs are a big problem for the system and yes alot of the same surnames appear it the system.
    That is what happens when te whenua is stolen and the Rangatira’s could not provide prosperity for te tangata . Then the crown decides to import labour they were not happy that they got most of the whenua they wanted us to disappear. So not all crimes are of the highest category 3 many maori are locked and they have not been convected of a crime we are locked up on a minor crime that if the person had no tan they would be let off that’s a fact TROLL ana to kai ka kite ano link below. P.S It’s the system that has to provide for tangata because the system stole that role from te Rangatira of te tangata.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/106515616/its-not-the-justice-system-thats-broken-its-the-people

  26. eco maori 29

    Good evening Newshub our Prime Minister is doing her job and one does not put there child at risk they are playing it safe with there baby that’s cool.
    There you go the health system has been starved of funding . Those cat scan’s that helped that person with cancer to be diagnose & treated quicker with some new health tec but one knows that all the wrong’s that have been dished up to the government systems can not be undone in one term of new government .
    Those people who live on tornado ally and in the Pacific Islands need to go back to nature and built round house’s that is a design that resist the wind Papatuanuku does not have straight lines she has been perfecting her design’s for billion’s of years,
    Many thanks to all those companys & Wellington council for paying the living wage .
    Ka kite ano P.S Ingrid I can feel the chill from that bad weather and so can some others after the moves I made to day

  27. eco maori 30

    The Crowd Goes Wild Mulls & Wairangi the chilly weather will make it a bit uncomfortable for Argentina Rugby test team .
    I had a mullet and did not know it my kids had informed me Brodie .
    Yea thats a mean Haka for Simon guy’s ka pai I was in the back row to shy for the school Haka at Ngata college .
    Even tho Bolt was a bit unfit the crowd was huge at that football game .
    Ka kite ano P.S you should have chrome cast and cast the videos stright to the screen from your phone

  28. eco maori 31

    Because the Independent Police Conduct Authority cheated Eco Maori out of my justice when they falsely said they interviewed me and investigated my complaint 2 years ago .
    Well I lost all my mana with my children because of this they are not listening to my advice so any thing that goes wrong with my children I will be eventually be holding the NZ Police accountable for there wrong’s to my whano ka kite ano P.S they hacked my email and deleted my email correspondence to the IPCA I wonder why because they stuffed up and that’s what they have been doing right from the start stuffing up and cheating & spinning lies to cover there ASSES. I know one fact Eco Maori has more honorer than these muppet’s

  29. eco maori 32

    Good morning Newshub nigel farage that’s the muppet that caused britexit and then baled out. They used cambridge analytical to hack democracy and now he is down here spreading lies about the fact’s on human caused climate change he can—-back to were he can from and give trump’s money back because your lies won’t work on Kiwis .
    Winston has his own agenda that is not all about what’s best for the all tangata he is trying to pump up NZF partys polling. If Winston had the long term interested of our Pacific Island cousins at heart he would be trying to set up trade industry’s IE growing fruit and vegtables for Aotearoa and Australia off season so they can give there tangata jobs not just give aid that is used as leverage to get them to vote on there policys.
    IE Jacinda had to be at that meeting to make sure Winston does not push policys that are not what they agreed on it’s not like he has not left Labour in the dark about his real intention’s on new law’s. ????? Why was the meeting the meeting held in Naru????.
    Was it so that Jacinda could not attend I trust no one.
    We know who likes Bluffing all the time no trump.
    The elephants being killed in Bostwana is a crime against Papatuanuku wild life .
    Yes when one becomes a parent it changes the way one see’s the hole Papatunuku .
    Duncan the only one that is full of trickery is you .
    Ka kite ano

  30. eco maori 33

    The Am Show Everyone in Aotearoa deserves to have a living wage everyone deserves to shear fairly in the bountiful resources that our country has to give us this will just be a correction to get back to were wages were 30 years ago I no it was much easier to live on the lower wage bracket just 10 years ago 30 years ago not many worked on weekend’s and were living a happy life the living wage will lower crime and poverty .
    There you go everyone who comes to Aotearoa fall’s in love with our clear sky’s and good people the price of house’s would have kept rising rapidly if the government did not ban foreign buyer’s I.E the holiday home for the ultra wealthy all maori would have ended under the bridge like native Hawaii’s are at the minuet .
    The hottest run in Britain’s weather and nigel farage is down here broad casting his climate change denial lies ——off.
    With the methane in our live stock all they have to do is change the bacteria in the animals gut so the bacteria produce’s different gases not all herbivores animals produce methane I support our farmers why because if the family farm’s go the big multi national company’s will move in and do what ever they want . They will use lawyers and lobbyist to do that I.E strip the assets and when its stuffed they bale with there profits
    There you go the Auckland Mayor has put straight about the increased rates for Airbnb.
    Airbnb’s people’s rates won’t go up in Auckland if you lease out one room or less than 29 day’s at a time you will be exempt from the xtra rate’s charges .
    Ka kite ano

  31. eco moari 34

    I saw a story on the hearld site that said Face book and its other aps have crashed.
    Next minuet I can not find the story on any nz sites ????????????? here’s a Ausse link to the story ka kite ano .

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6128095/Facebook-Instagram-Users-world-left-frustrated-apps-crash.html P.S I assume that this won’t be good for there shear prices . Conclusion who sold a heap of shears yesterday . Ka kite ano
    P.S follow te putea

  32. eco moari 35

    This is why I discourage te tangata from getting DNA test that have been flogged on TV ads lately .
    Why because they will sell that data to the highest bidder who could be a health insurer
    what better way to run a insurance scheme with this data they will be able to exclude anyone who actually need health insurance and keep all the tangata that don’t have bad genes in there DNA money for jam . You see your DNA will be used against you and your whano if you have the same surname as someone who has taken the test well they will link that up and know health insurance people have been ripped off for century’s this is the way of Papatuanuku at the minuet .link is below ka kite ano

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/09/03/220728/dna-testing-pitfalls-bombshells-and-mysteries-solved P.S If you need to test your DNA pay a bit more and make sure the data is protected and used for your own gain

  33. eco moari 36

    Good evening Newshub Its all about timing for my input on Narau enough said .
    Yes we need to plant more trees if it is planed correctly the production from our Farm’s need not drop IE plant in strips around waterway’s and steep land which will hold h20 in the ground and increase production on the un-planted land this is working with Papatuanuku and not against her.
    There you go these Maori leader have to know that they have all of Maoris mana on the line so they have to know if they cheat they are not only damaging there reputation but all te tangata whenua mana gets tared .Looks like someone was counting there chickens.
    Those Victoria university students need to protest about being cheated out of the future prosperity this is one way to get the bar lowered .
    With Global warming they mite have to have enclosed air conditioned tennis courts
    Federer look’s like he had heat stroke .
    Ka kite ano

  34. eco moari 37

    Good evening The Crowd Goes Wild James & Mulls That was a big upset at the tennis .
    Sore face Wairangi that cuddle look a bit shady lol yes my finger’s are crossed for the Game of League.
    The Rugby will be great as well couch the other code is going great .
    James that’s were you been supporting te mokopunas of Tonga League players I see the tan lines ka pai
    Aron loving his new job in France they take there Kai seriously there like maori do .
    Ka kite ano

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    54 mins ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 hours ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats why they introduced the Recently Deleted folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Heres how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on Edit. Select Show Recently Deleted. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose Recover to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    4 hours ago
  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    11 hours ago
  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    12 hours ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    12 hours ago
  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    12 hours ago
  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    12 hours ago
  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    12 hours ago
  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    12 hours ago
  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    12 hours ago
  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    13 hours ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    14 hours ago
  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    15 hours ago
  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    15 hours ago
  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    15 hours ago
  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    15 hours ago
  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    16 hours ago
  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    19 hours ago
  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    19 hours ago
  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    19 hours ago
  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    20 hours ago
  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    21 hours ago
  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    21 hours ago
  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    21 hours ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    23 hours ago
  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago
  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    1 day ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    3 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    3 days ago
  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    3 days ago
  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    3 days ago
  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    4 days ago
  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    4 days ago
  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    5 days ago
  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    5 days ago
  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago
  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    6 days ago
  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago
  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    6 days ago
  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
    Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Small accomplishments and large ironies
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VII
    In order to catch up to the actual progress of the D&D campaign, I present you with another couple of sessions. These were actually held back to back, on a Monday and Tuesday evening. Session XV Alas, Goatslayer had another lycanthropic transformation… though this time, he ran off into the ...
    6 days ago
  • Accelerating the Growth Rate?
    There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
    The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
    New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.  “While there are no set timeframes for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
    The New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
    The coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with China
    Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved
    The coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Fast Track Projects advisory group named
    The coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-18T19:15:10+00:00