So let’s get this straight Andre. Is Russia not allowed to respond to the massive military build up right on its borders ? Should they just shrug their shoulders and believe that the Americans(Nato) are nice friendly people just giving their boys some kind of a picnic on their border? Would the Americans let the Russians amass forces on, say, the Canadian border?
Is anyone in this World allowed to disagree with USA hegemony, and have a different world view?
You come across as America – Great, and Russia- Bad , full stop. It’s not that simple, even if you are an American.
garibaldi – at least half the article is about the states dirty extractive energy decline – be good if they all just gave it up and worked towards the future – whether that be cleanish energy, reduced need for energy and/or renewable energy.
But I spose while kneejerks continue on the macro and micro scale we are left with the spoil.
It actually explains a few of the reasons nations in the Baltic region are nervous about Russia and might want visible shows of friendship from their allies.
The article talks about Russia parading warships close to the Swedish coast.
Looking at the linked article referencing that, Russia moved two warships to its Kaliningrad base and they have to pass through Swedish waters to get there.
This kind of propoganda isnt great for international relations either.
The article refers to Russian warships deliberately preventing power supply from Sweden to the Baltic republics, so they have to remain dependent on Russia for electricity. You don’t think the governments involved might have some concerns about that?
Paul
That thing about the border agreement doesn’t get mentioned much but could be pivotal in Russian thinking today leading to aggressive defensive moves.
And I would really like to know if you will be in the first reading group looking over E F Schumacher, it would be good for us to have you along. We give it a month and then a really good discussion.
The first citation involves some people claiming a “massive military build-up,” which says nothing more than that people other than Garibaldi are also making the claim. The second one includes the actual number, 4,000, which is equivalent to one brigade. That’s a “massive” military buildup to the same extent that a sandfly is a “massive” animal. The only purpose a military force that small can serve in those countries is to ensure that any Russian attack would involve firing on American troops, so the fact the Russian government is angry about it is quite revealing.
The second citation points out that these troops are being deployed in Poland and the Baltic republics. Those countries certainly border Russia (and two of them border “Russia” only in the sense that they border Kaliningrad, which Russia has no business occupying in the first place), but if we’re applying that criterion, every single one of Russia’s neighbours has military “right on Russia’s borders.” There is no military build-up “right on Russia’s borders” under any useful meaning of the phrase.
Come on, you are cherry picking, America has at least 40,000 troops in Germany alone, you know the same Germany that invaded Russia, and raped burned, tortured and pillaged their way to something like 20 million Russian/Slavic casualties not all that long ago.
So I am not defending Putin, but I can fully understand Russia being just a little bit sensitive when it comes to it’s boarders…especially when an extra 4,000 troops from the world biggest and most aggressive super power arrive on your doorstep, don’t you think?
Sure. But can you fully understand the governments whose countries have been invaded and occupied multiple times by Russia being just a bit sensitive when Russia is ruled by a nationalist authoritarian dictator who acts aggressively against his neighbours?
Are you not aware of the Ukraine and Georgia? These were actual invasions this century. So it is not surprising the Baltic states need some reassurance.
Ukraine? Where fascists (not your ‘garden variety’ or idiot on the street type of fascist) were floated into government on a raft of western interference in the internal affairs of the country? That Ukraine?
They were indeed, Wayne, and they were certainly wrong. But compared to the invasions this century of Iraq and Afghanistan, they’re not in the same ballpark.
What reassurance do you think the United States’ neighbours need?
Yes I can, but what has that got to do with the USA?
However we all know what happened in Cuba right? that’s what happens when the US felt threatened, but they can’t seem be able to put that shoe on the other foot.
Yes I can, but what has that got to do with the USA?
Seriously? Lithuania has a smaller population than New Zealand. Estonia and Latvia between them have a similar population to New Zealand, but a proportion of those are Russian colonists. If you were responsible for the defence of any of those countries, wouldn’t your first priority be an alliance with someone who has a military as powerful as Russia’s?
However we all know what happened in Cuba right? that’s what happens when the US felt threatened, but they can’t seem be able to put that shoe on the other foot.
There’s a lot more reason to feel threatened by nuclear missiles than by a combat brigade. I expect that if there was an actual equivalent, ie if NATO was installing nuclear missiles in Poland, there’d be a “Polish missile crisis” and we’d all be wondering if we’d wake up to a nuclear war – which is why there’s 0 chance of NATO installing nuclear missiles in Poland.
No seriously American has significant nuclear weapons in Europe…
“180 of the tactical versions of the B61s remain at six
bases in Europe – in Belgium, Italy, Germany,
the Netherlands, and Turkey – as symbols of
US nuclear commitments to NATO. All the bases,
except the one in Turkey, have US or Allied
fighter jets equipped to deliver the bombs;” https://www.stimson.org/sites/default/files/file-attachments/B61-Life-Extension-Program.pdf
Maybe my first priority would be making an alliance or at least try fora stable diplomatic relationship, with the countries on my boarder, but while the US is in there, the natural scales are never allowed to balance.
These countries have excellent diplomatic relationships with the countries on their borders – except with the one that’s invaded and occupied them multiple times, never accepted that it was wrong to do so, and publicly regards them as belonging to a putative “sphere of influence” it feels it has a right to.
But you’re right in that the best thing the governments of these countries could do is achieve stable diplomatic relationships with the Russian Federation. I could envisage that being a possibility if the Russian Federation were to apologise for previous invasions, publicly reject any claim to an interest in the governance of these countries, cease its military activity against its neighbour Ukraine and generally demonstrate a willingness to cooperate (or at least to not actively obstruct, as described in the article linked above).
Problem is: first, those things aren’t going to happen, and second, even if they did the relevant governments would take decades to be convinced it wasn’t just a sham to get them to drop their defences. So, status quo it is then, for the foreseeable future.
Iraq, yes illegal. Afghanistan was a UNSC approved operation for reasons you know well. So Afghanistan is actually a legal invasion.
Neither Georgia or Ukraine were UN authorized.
The Baltics have been previously invaded by Russia (USSR). That is why they wanted to be in NATO, to guarantee it would not happen again. The deployments are part of the guarantee.
In any event this is all a pointless debate. Pointing to Iraq or central America is all a bit irrelevant if you are a Baltic nation. Russia actions are what matters to them.
The Baltics are in NATO. That won’t change. NATO provides guarantees to all it members. Trump can’t change that. Congress wont let him.
So despite this debate, these deployments will happen, until and unless Russia stops complaining about them. If Russia didn’t complain the Baltics would be less nervous.
Neither was the U.S./U.K. aggression against Iraq. In fact, it was the refusal of the United Nations Director General Kofi Annan to back the aggression that so incensed this racist broadcaster….
Pointing to Iraq or central America is all a bit irrelevant if you are a Baltic nation.
You are not a Baltic nation. I wanted to know why you were singling out Russian intervention in Georgia and Ukraine, and ignoring the far bloodier, far more destructive, and utterly unwarranted invasions of Afhanistan and Iraq.
Exactly. The countries near to Russia got worried about the semi-covert invasions of their territory similar to those that Russia did with the Ukraine in both Crimea and eastern Ukraine. The obvious buildup in Kalingrad is worrying.
Russia that has been getting increasingly aggressive apparently for the purposes of stifling internal dissent triggered by the faltering Russian economy. All of the states near them are increasing their defensive posture. Part of that has been to request and receive token numbers of ‘tripwire’ troops from Nato.
Both help to constrain the Russian government from executing adventurism in neighboring states. If that makes Russia uncomfortable, then that is the direct consequence of their previous actions.
If their idiotic apologists here dislike that, then I really couldn’t give a damn. Russia has shown in the past that this is about the only language that they understand when their internal issues spill over the borders.
Both help to constrain the Russian government from executing adventurism in neighboring states.
Russian adventurism in neighboring states is minor compared to what the United States has done and is doing in Central and South America. I see no concern by you about constraining the U.S.
If their idiotic apologists here…
So pointing out inaccurate and/or maliciously false claims against a party makes one an apologist, does it? I have sometimes had to point out to people that the United States did NOT have anything to do with the 9/11 attacks*; does that make me an apologist for the United States?
* Well, it did of course have something to do with the 9/11 attacks in 1973, which killed more people.
Russian adventurism in neighboring states is minor compared to what the United States has done and is doing in Central and South America.
More false equivalence. First, the actual invasion, occupation and colonisation of Russia’s neighbouring states isn’t “minor” compared to US activities in Central and South America. Second, what’s your opinion of US involvement in Central and South America? Is it something you’d defend as vigorously as you defend Russia’s invasions of its neighbours? No, it isn’t, because the US’ activities in Central and South America have been unbelievably shitty. It would be nice if those countries had some means of defending themselves against their local great power, wouldn’t it? If they did, would you be on here berating them for “threatening” the USA?
Fool, I didn’t say they were equivalent. When it comes to aggression and body counts, Russia is Switzerland or Liechtenstein compared to the United States.
I guess you’re right – “false equivalence” is overly generous. It fails to capture the requisite level of wrongness and bombast. Unfortunately though, I don’t believe the the necessary linguistic tools to properly describe Morrissey levels of logical fallacy have yet been invented, so “false equivalence” will have to cover the territory in the meantime.
Looks like I slipped and posted that comment early. However…
The stupid adventurism of the US up to last century pretty much caused the hostile reactions by their neighbors. It also caused the formation of regional coalitions to limit it, and the slow deterioration of the Monroe doctrine. As it stands at present, the US has apparently been pretty good recently in central and south America in recent decades. Venezuela you could argue about, but it appears to have been largely the incompetent government internally that has done the damage there.
But basically you are being a complete and utter fool if you equate a powers making bad as excusing another to also act like an arsehole. It speaks of a certain level of moral and intellectual stupidity that I associate with unthinking apologists for one cause or another.
Personally I’d prefer if we left that kind of idiotic thinking back in the 19th century where it belongs.
Governments of small states (like NZ or Lithuania or Poland or Mexico or Saddam’s Iraq) should be able to make their own stupid decisions without having dickhead nations treating it as an excuse for adventurism. The exception is always when the disintegration of the government of the state causes overflow at the borders (the failed state issue), or where they start intruding or threatening other states (eg North Korea).
As it stands at present, the US has apparently been pretty good recently in central and south America in recent decades.
That is simply not true. Unless of course the expression “pretty good” means something entirely different to what it used to mean. The United States is still involved in funding and training death squads in Honduras, to mention just one of the places where the United States has, in recent decades, been involved in the overthrow of a democratically elected government…
Venezuela you could argue about, but it appears to have been largely the incompetent government internally that has done the damage there.
Certainly the Chávez and now Maduro government has been extremely incompetent, but it is its fiercely independent stance that angers the United States. Forty years ago, of course, the United States could deal with these troublesome democratic governments by backing a military coup, as it did to the democratically elected government of Chile in 1973. There was a coup against Chávez, of course, in 2002, but massive popular resistance restored him to office—in fact, it’s a model of what the beleaguered population of the United States should be doing right now as its democracy is under massive attack from within the very centre of power. It certainly beats repeating those DNC fantasies about Russian hacking.
But basically you are being a complete and utter fool if you equate a powers making bad as excusing another to also act like an arsehole.
Certainly that would be true if that’s what I had done, but it’s not. I don’t support Russia, any more than I support Australia, or Sweden, or anyone else. But are you seriously trying to suggest that Russia’s actions in Ukraine and Georgia have caused anything like the death and destruction that the U.S. and its vassal states have wrought in Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Palestine, and Syria?
…. where they start intruding or threatening other states (eg North Korea).
And the United States, and South Korea, and Israel.
or where they start intruding or threatening other states (eg North Korea).
Can’t say that I consider the DPRK as a threat to anyone*. The US on the other hand, well, history tells us that they are a threat and a major one to pretty much any nation that displeases them.
* This isn’t to say that they haven’t threatened anyone – they have. I just don’t think those threats are credible.
Exactly. The countries near to Russia got worried about the semi-covert invasions of their territory similar to those that Russia did with the Ukraine in both Crimea and eastern Ukraine. The obvious buildup in Kalingrad is worrying.
Russia that has been getting increasingly aggressive apparently for the purposes of stifling internal dissent triggered by the faltering Russian economy. All of the states near them are increasing their defensive posture. Part of that has been to request and receive token numbers of ‘tripwire’ troops from Nato.
Both help to constrain the Russian government from executing adventurism in neighboring states. If that makes Russia uncomfortable, then that is the direct consequence of their previous actions.
If Russia’s apologists dislike that, then I really couldn’t give a damn. They deserve my contempt for their moral turpitude. I am only really concerned with their neighboring states and their ability towards self-determination without having an arsehole state next to them meddling in their internal affairs. The great power twaddle about “spheres of influence” and other such imperial stupidity belongs to be back in World War 1 when it demonstrated why it should be as dead as the soldiers and civilians it killed.
If Russia’s neighbors feel insecure, then they should be able to call on the international community for whatever assistance they need to feel secure with Russia rattling its sabers against them again. A brigade level tripwire for states is a minimal response to that call.
I’d point out that I feel exactly the same about the US, UK, French, China, Germany, or even tiddlers like Aussie.
Edit: Opps – I must have banged that off already… Oh well.
If Russia’s neighbors feel insecure, then they should be able to call on the international community for whatever assistance they need to feel secure with Russia rattling its sabers against them again.
But it’s a case of if they should call upon the UN or upon NATO.
Of course, the UN has been set up so that it can’t act against the actions of the big players with the UNSC veto that they hold.
True but NATO’s is not the people that they should be asking as it comes with massive US political agenda.
To put it another way: The UN needs to be reformed so that it can act against the US, Russia, China and all the other UNSC veto holders. Preferably by getting rid of their veto.
ok, so until the five permanent members all relinquish their vetos out of the kindness of their hearts, NATO is the go-to organisation for smaller European states looking for some external security support.
Yeah. But the hassle with the UN isn’t just the security council. The principle of giving seats based solely on nation states sucks as well. It seems designed to provide lowest common denominator (ie the bribery level) decision making.
I’d say that the UN is a failed experiment, except that all of the extant alternatives are even worse.
Not so much a failed experiment. It’s long been fashionable to write off the UN, but it is a large and complex organisation that has achieved a lot over the years. Arguably the world would be a lot worse off without it, despite the obvious shortcomings and failures.
The modern democratic nation-state was centuries in the making; equally it is reasonable to suppose the next logical step of federal global governance might take more than one attempt to get right. History will judge the League of Nations, and the UN as essential pre-cursors to the emergence of an authentic, democratically accountable global body.
All of the really big problems humanity faces are global in nature; from climate change onwards. I’ve always argued that ultimately they will only be solved by an entity with the authority and capacity to solve them on a global scale.
so until the five permanent members all relinquish their vetos out of the kindness of their hearts,
Well, it should be put to the General Forum where every country gets to have a say on it. I don’t think there would be a majority of other states that allow them to keep it.
Of course, those states will probably simply leave the UN at that point in which case it would be up to the Rest of the World to show that they can go on without them. And that would include putting in place valid sanctions against them.
Let’s go with your counter-factual. For the analogy to work, we’re going to have to imagine that the USA has invaded and occupied Canada and Mexico several times within living memory, that they have since requested Russian protection because they don’t want a further repeat of the exercise, and that this Russian protection consists only of a few thousand troops who can serve no military purpose beyond ensuring that the USA can’t attack Canada and Mexico again without firing on Russian soldiers. I imagine the US government’s response would be exactly the kind of bluster we’re seeing from Putin.
we’re going to have to imagine that the USA has invaded and occupied Canada
They haven’t invaded Canada, although Henry Cabot Lodge and Theodore Roosevelt both spoke of invading Canada at the time they were “liberating” Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Haiti, and the Philippines.
and Mexico
California? Texas? Arizona? New Mexico? Nevada? Utah? Colorado?
You’re quite right that the annexation of much of Mexico did not occur “within living memory”. The rhetorical and physical aggression against Mexicans by successive U.S. administrations, however, shows that the war against Mexico has continued through different means. And you’re correct to point out that Canada has not been attacked and occupied by the United States.
But the people of the Dominican Republic, which the U.S. attacked in 1965, or Grenada (attacked in 1983) or Haiti, or Panama, or Chile, or Nicaragua, or Venezuela, or Brazil, or Honduras, or Ecuador, or Guatemala, or Bolivia, or Colombia, or Costa Rica certainly do have a living memory of being invaded, occupied, threatened, blockaded, tortured, humiliated and insulted by the United States.
Until Hopey-Changey did one of the few positive things in his eight wasted years and normalised relations, Cuba had been the subject of a relentless propaganda and outright terror campaign by the United States.
The terror, economic sabotage and vile propaganda continues against Venezuela.
The United States has been, and is, a relentless and malignant aggressor against its neighbours. Russia, for all its crimes, is not in the same league.
Blah blah blah. Meanwhile, back here outside of the People’s Republic of False Equivalence, Poland and the Baltic republics have been actually invaded and occupied by Russia multiple times within living memory and their governments are justifiably suspicious of Putin. Your opinions on the relative merits of the Russian Federation vs the USA matter jack shit to them.
How exactly is what Morrissey is saying the “People’s Republic of False Equivalence”?
Of course most post war invasions quite often look a lot different from those pre 1930’s, but the results and intentions are the same politically.
The US invasion of Panama 1989 would be a good example of that..
So as I have mentioned before I am not defending Putin, but neither could one deny the US has been the major player in conducting regime change, in one way or another on the world stage post ’45.
How exactly is what Morrissey is saying the “People’s Republic of False Equivalence”?
Because it’s his standard MO. In this particular instance: Russia’s practice of invading, annexing and colonising neighbour states (or parts of them) has continued unbroken from the times when that kind of thing was typical, right up to the collapse of the USSR, and now looks like it’s starting again under Putin. The USA attacking some states it wasn’t happy with in Latin America is not in the same league, and in any case is completely irrelevant to the topic of the post.
…I am not defending Putin, but neither could one deny the US has been the major player in conducting regime change, in one way or another on the world stage post ’45.
Well, one can deny it, and I do, because “regime change” in other countries was a major focus of the USSR for the entire period of its existence, not just post-war. In any case, what the USA does is of a lot less interest to the governments of Russia’s western neighbours than what Russia does – given the content of comment 1, all the subsequent blather about what the US government gets up to is tiresome what-aboutery.
Since when is calling someone a retard an acceptable insult, here, at the standard, or anywhere for that matter?
You won’t be, but you should be thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed of yourself 🙄
Ultimately the content of your rants show the caliber of your mettle.
And your anger belies any pretense of decent, knowledgeable opinion.
No matter your half baked, ill politics and sick logic, I reckon you’re a bit scum, to be fair.
Reading these responses, it seems some people need to go take a look at a map. Apart from Kaliningrad (that Russia continues to hold Kaliningrad and has stationed big nasty missiles there is a provocation in itself, like Gibraltar or Ceuta and Melilla), to get from Poland to Russia requires going through quite a lot of either Ukraine or Belarus.
So in fact as far as I can tell, American troops are a lot closer to Russia just across the Bering Strait from Alaska than they are in Poland.
Asleep While Walking
EU aren’t going to allow Brits off as Greece wasn’t allowed to do what was best for it. All divorces have high costs these days.
When I was writing about having a reading circle AWW you liked the idea. Will you come in to the first group looking at E F Schumacher Small is Beautiful over a month with big discussion on it at end? You would contribute lots and it would be great to have you in if poss. Could you let me know as I am looking at best way to get the most out of the exercise. Thanks.
Any payment will be minimal. At the end of the two years the U.K. can leave and just go to WTO rules (basically the same as NZ today). In that case no payment is required. That is why PM May said no deal is better than a bad deal.
Peter Thiel supports Muslim ban of Trump’s.
We should remember that he is part of a religion himself – the cult of Ayn Rand and Hayek. Their neoliberal cult of the individual has done a lot more damage to the world in the past 40 years than Islam has.
Shall we ban followers of the neoliberal religion?
a brief glimpse of a parallel world through a crack in the door……where the rules and rationale of the often evoked ” kiwi way” are turned on their head.
This is just appalling. Is there no end to this greedy need for irrigation ? Surely someone in the Takaka authorities can see the incredible threat irrigation would bring to the Springs?
Labour drops the ball, no wait Labour never picked up the ball on protecting the renter class from being gouged by landlords. http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/322483/average-rent-on-the-rise-across-the-country-trade-me http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/323612/rental-rises-put-squeeze-on-tenants
Labour also have no policies that I know of to enable the renter class to have any type of long term security in a tenancy.
No plan for protecting the wave of people coming into retirement age renting.
So while Labour push their $500-600,000 affordable houses, they have no provisions to protect working people and families who obviously can’t afford their ‘affordable’ houses and are consigned to a bleak life rent from Ma & Pa investors, and speculators, who will both sell their investments at the drop of a hat, with no thought to the uprooting of the lives that live in their investments.
As I have said previously, if I have missed something in Labours manifesto, please inform me, other wise we have to jus call it for what it is, class war.
Luckily they have got the centre well covered though.
No, you are right, Labour are quiet on this. Their slogan is ‘Backing the Kiwi Dream’, but nowhere is there concern for those who missed the boat when National cast off the moorings.
Greens are much more vocal. Clutching at straws here but maybe the Greens are given that area under the MOU?
To me “Backing the Kiwi Dream” of home ownership is part of the problem.
So much emphasis on home ownership puts more pressure on people to buy – and some will pay over the odds to nail this over-rated dream. This plays into the hands of the speculators, property investors and banksters.
Better to back secure, safe, affordable homes for all whether it be via renting or property ownership.
Yes to say I am disappointed in Labour, with the information I have on their policies thus far would be a understatement.
To have a labour Party completely ignore the working class housing security is a sham.
To have a Labour Party that is tacit at best on importing Labour from third world countries, there by artificially keeping working class wage growth down, while at the same time the unprotected renter is being forced to pay more and more in rent to the greedy and unhinged landlord class is almost beyond belief.
What sort of Labour is Labour 2017?
Who are they fighting for?, because it sure as hell doesn’t look like they are fighting for and protecting he working classes with any conviction.
“Backing the Kiwi Dream”, yes they are, but only for certain classes.
I’m an aging renter from choice. Rented all my adult life. I’d always assumed there’s be affordable rentals available, and that there always would be properties available for long term rent.
This is the worst situation I’ve ever seen for renters in my lifetime. It has escalated to unacceptable levels since 2008.
Still, I’m not one of the worst off….. yet at least. I have a reasonable income at the moment, and a further year’s tenancy in this place.
But I have seen what else is out there for rent. And I know how much of a desperate struggle it must be for those on low incomes.
The future situation is insecure for all renters now.
This issue will be a biggie for me in this year’s election.
Yes – Adrian Thornton, you HAVE missed something. And Muttonbird too.
Labour has a massively comprehensive housing plan – it includes building thousands of state houses for rental, getting hundreds of young people into building apprentices – thereby giving them a good starting place at work, cracking down on speculators, limiting the numbers of immigrants to what can be sustained, fund additional emergency housing, and stopping the current Govt’s state housing sell-off.
And of course, making it easier by getting more affordable housing built.
This plan has been out in the open for months – and is on the Labour website.
So I don’t know how you’ve all missed knowing something about it.
It’s also on Labour’s Facebook page, if you’re into FB.
‘
You can see that yesterday I looked at Labour’s Housing policy online. There is nothing there explicitly to support private renters re- security of tenure, rent caps, etc.
I know that manifesto pretty well I have read through a number of times.
Have to say their I also think the ‘cracking down on speculators’ is pretty soft core.
I say again, where are the protections and security policies for renters? keeping in mind that this private/public affordable housing scheme is geared toward middle and upper middle class couples and not working class workers.
Are you suggesting that Labour’s long term plan is to house the working class renters and incoming renting retirees in long term state housing?,
“Little also said his party would build at least 1000 new state houses each year until there were enough to meet demand”…that’s great, but say Labour are in power 3 years, that’s 3000 state houses, its not going to cover all those in real immediate need, let alone those people who are simply trying to survive a lifetime on short term rentals and constant rent hikes, who do not have a hope of ever, ever, getting anywhere near a housing NZ waiting list.
These policies are, maybe, addressing the immediate crisis of homeless people, and middle class kids who can’t afford a house. But they DO NOT deal with the new reality of an ever increasing number of folk who need to be allowed some security during a life time of renting.
And there is no hint at how Labour will deal with large numbers of renters living on the pension. No one seems to want to have that conversation.
Bill English, who deals daily with the ACT cult, and was one of the many recipients of secret Brethren cash, condemns “ideological” and “doctrinaire” Greens
RNZ National, Thursday 2 Febrary 2017
About 8:15 this morning I heard that little tick Bill “Douple Dipton” English engaging in a bit of low-level propaganda warfare. He was dumping on the Greens….
“We found them eventually just too ideological, too doctrinaire.”
He said that with not the slightest tremor in his voice, nor the slightest sign that he possessed any sense of irony or absurdity. He sounded just like John Key.
He would argue that he ‘helps’ them by taking away any support and ‘encouraging’ them to stand on their own two feet…..
“Its [the Church’s] desire is that the poor should rise above poverty and wretchedness, and should better their condition in life; and for this it strives.
Rerum Novarum -‘Condition of Labour’ (1981), paragraph 23
What I don’t understand is that English doesn’t get called out for being an ideologue himself.
Key and English are probably the most pure politicians, ideologically since Douglas, they are both real believers.
John Key chair of the right wing International Democrat Union https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Democrat_Union
I recall that Judith Collins marched with them last year. So no platform this time for Louise Upston.
Maybe Judith (such a great LGBTI supporter!!??) will be able to hitch a ride this time with an ethnic community float, or one focused on energy & resources?
Two girls die in suspected suicides a 9 and a 10 year old – this a a real tragedy – that kids so young take their own lives should be a wake up call.
I don’t know why these kids did what they did, but I do think National’s policy of National Standards needs to be abolished. It puts a huge amount of stress of children from 5 years of age upward and they are told they are no achieving a set of standards that are stupid and arbitrary. There is also too much emphasis on safety in schools, this leads to kids thinking that the world is a dangerous place and developing anxiety. Parents are now forced into long hours of work and being home for your kids at 3pm is a luxury as well as the worry of losing your job/ income. There is huge pressure on parents in NZ and there is huge stress on kids in NZ.
I went on a horrendous school trip last year and there were something like 8 messages of safety at least one per hour and the trip was not dangerous at all and was as boring as hell. It seemed more about keeping the kids contained than the actually the kids learning something and enjoying themselves. The kids were fidgeting and poking each other in frustration. I feel sorry for today’s kids and it was not the school or the teachers fault in my view but more policy from the ministry of education that they were following. Paperwork and testing has replaced teaching and learning. Teachers do a fantastic job. They should be respected and allowed to do a good job.
Kids need to play and room to grow mentally and physically. These days there are no school pools anymore and fun places for them. They should not be told they are not good enough by their school reports and be contained and restrained in everything they do for ‘safety’.
Who knows what else was going on in these poor kids lives to lead them to want to end it.
My condolences to the family and friends of the two little lives lost.
I was also talking to another parent, their kids went on a pre school trip to the local estuary – they had to fill out a 28? page report on the site prior to going and the teachers put barricades around some trees because they were prickly. WTF?
Welcome to the nanny state, Bob Jones did a story in the herald a couple of years ago about how NZ has become the biggest nanny state any where, a slag at JK and National, I don’t support Jones, but what he said is correct.
Protecting people form inherent danger is mandatory, but you have to draw the line somewhere, when govts regulate how people behave in the belief that it some how protects them is incorrect, molly coddling leads to a lack of “personal responsibility”, which in turn results in greater danger for all.
Thousands of years ago, when humans made stupid mistakes which resulted in injury or death, this generally served as a lesson for all, and if death occurred, it meant that this lack of perceived danger could not be passed on to next generation.
Nanny states lead to reduced responsibility by some individuals, having a negative outcome, rather than a positive one.
Children should be allowed to play, but supervision in imperative, allowing children to be pricked by a gorse bush, for example, is a lesson about how to avoid a recurrence, one which makes them wiser.
Newsflash
Example of dogma Number 1 of 1000. Repeat 100 times while sitting on the toilet thus reducing the brain’s ‘downtime’ in an efficient manner.
Nanny states lead to reduced responsibility by some individuals, having a negative outcome, rather than a positive one.
I came across this url, and it reminded me that in these difficult times for journalism, there is little follow up on stories. Naturally this trend is encouraged by the government – they know that all they have to do is defer action for a short while and the issue will be forgotten http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/85000994/John-Key-keeps-lid-on-hidden-billions
What’s the betting nothing will be done before the next election?
In like vein a radio report yesterday said that one of the issues affecting housing construction was a shortage of developer finance. Remember when National promised to do something about finance company legislation to restore the ability of investors to trust they will not lose all their money, and provide an alternative to the banks for developers? Well if you didn’t I suspect you are not alone – and of course it is very hard to find any references . . .
Another article I remember is one about some foreign workers employed by a foreign contractor just before Christmas – I think they were doing welding work on a project – their “employer” required them to live where directed, and charged them for food and accommodation – leaving them with pay much lower than the minimum wage. After discovering that this was all legal as it was an overseas contractor with overseas workers, it all got dropped. Can anyone find the reference?
All that makes me wonder if there is a site somewhere that indexes articles that need to be followed up – perhaps it would be enough to keep a list of posts to The Standard that should probably be looked at again in a certain number of months – and a “reminder” posted if appropriate at that time – and perhaps the list of “banked” issues posted once a month for review.
Ed
Absolutely necessary as you say, to keep note of these stories. Facts, reference to past disasters, unbelievable but true, to learn from – absolutely. And not just the links either, though that is better than nothing, they need to be fully copied and (my belief) transferred to paper if possible. Everyone in theory, should have a large drawer for this sort of stuff. Lest we forget.
Trivia it may be but illuminating of hidden behaviour and culture of some; does someone remember – when did some NZ men in Wellington area I think, businessmen I think, punish someone for something by digging an underground bunker and locking a man in? About 10-20 years ago.
Thanks. I still can’t find the story about the foreign workers getting treated as slaves and the advice that it is all legal even though they were working in New Zealand (and prevented some locals getting welding work).
I am not able to help with the “memory list’ – it needs a reference list held by category, picking up both post headings from the Std as well as urls. I understand why the search function was removed, but it was a good way to find issues from this site at least.
lprent
Hi what do you think about Ed saying that some subjects need to go into memory both from posts and from URLS? Can it be done.
And is it possible to have again a search function where you can type in a commenters name that brings up their contributions? It was so handy and I miss it.
“Speaking rights confirmed for Penny Bright at next Auckland Transport Board meeting 16 February 2017.”
The next AT Board meeting is scheduled as follows:
DATE: Thursday 16 February 2017
TIME: 2.00pm
VENUE: AMP Building, Level 17, Mairangi Room, 29 Customs St West
“This is going to be, in my opinion, a HUGE development in ensuring that ratepayers’ and citizens’ lawful rights to transparency and accountability in the spending of public monies on private consultants and contractors, are fully implemented and upheld,” says ‘anti-corruption campaigner’ and 2017 Independent Mt Albert by-election candidate, Penny Bright.
“My subject matter for this Auckland Transport Board meeting, is as follows:
Having spent days over the Christmas break, studying the ‘Reasons for the Verdict of Fitzgerald J’, I wish to raise key concerns that arise from the facts and evidence, upon which Justice Sally Fitzgerald relied in her Judgment.
1) The need for Auckland Transport to fully comply with the Public Records Act 2005, particularly section 17, and to make transparent and available for public scrutiny the details of ALL awarded contracts, including those under $50,000, and including ALL those sub-contracted.
(1) Every public office and local authority must create and maintain full and accurate records of its affairs, in accordance with normal, prudent business practice, including the records of any matter that is contracted out to an independent contractor.
_________________________________________________
(Please be advised that I have raised my concerns directly with the Local Government and Environment Select Committee, regarding the lack of transparency with Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs), which included Auckland Transport.
Petition 2014/33 of Penelope Mary Bright and 55 others, and Report from the Controller and Auditor-General, Governance and accountability of council-controlled organisations.
a) Here is the Local Government and Environment Select Committee’s Report on my above-mentioned petition:
I would like members of the Board of Auckland Transport to please study both this Local Government and Environment Select Committee Report, and the evidence I provided, before I attend the AT Board meeting on 20 February 2017? )
2) The need to cease the ‘collaborative’ model for contracting, given that it has proven to ‘breed corruption’.
3) The need for the Board of AT to urgently review the ‘private procurement’ model for the provision of passenger transport services, and for related services provided by Auckland Transport, regarding ‘cost-effectiveness’, ‘transparency’ and ‘accountability’, bearing in mind the statutory obligations arising from the underpinning Act upon which Auckland Transport was established, namely the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009:
In meeting its principal objective (as a council-controlled organisation) under section 59 of the Local Government Act 2002, and in performing its functions, Auckland Transport must—
(a) establish and maintain processes for Māori to contribute to its decision-making processes; and
(b) operate in a financially responsible manner and, for this purpose, prudently manage its assets and liabilities and endeavour to ensure—
(i) its long-term financial viability; and
(ii) that it acts as a successful going concern; and
(c) use its revenue efficiently and effectively, and in a manner that seeks value for money; and
(d) ensure that its revenue and expenditure are accounted for in a transparent manner; and
(e) ensure that it acts in a transparent manner in making decisions under this Act and the Land Transport Management Act 2003.
Section 40: substituted, on 1 November 2010, by section 31 of the Local Government (Auckland Council) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 36).
…”
______________________________________________________
We’re going to war in the South China Sea in five to 10 years, aren’t we?” Mr Bannon said on his radio show in March 2016. “There’s no doubt about that. They’re taking their sandbars and making basically stationary aircraft carriers and putting missiles on those. They come here to the United States in front of our face — and you understand how important face is — and say it’s an ancient territorial sea.”
President Donald Trump threatened in a phone call with his Mexican counterpart to send U.S. troops to stop “bad hombres down there” unless the Mexican military does more to control them, according to an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation obtained by The Associated Press.
The excerpt of the call did not detail who exactly Trump considered “bad hombres,” nor did it make clear the tone and context of the remark, made in a Friday morning phone call between the leaders. It also did not contain Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s response.
What also I find interesting is the ‘shock’ of the media about anything Trump says like “stopping bad hombres” but it’s already been going on with Obama and with previous presidents throughout their history and more and more presidents seem to be doing it openly and with zero penalty or censor from international community. (Hard to censor when they are guilty of it themselves).
My wife just made the observation to me that the “Fallout” series of computer games (set in the post-apocalyptic US) is based on the premise of a Chinese-USA war.
The game involves remnant technology from the war – Remote drones, Power Armour, Energy Weapons, Virtual Reality & Robot military hardware – all things currently in varying stages of real-life development and some probably not all that far away as we seem to be on the cusp of a rapid automation boom/phase.
After the reports of Trump’s conversation with Turnbull, and his casual line about sending troops to the Mexico border, any confrontation with China makes that feel a little too close for comfort.
Just to give you the flavour of how that imaginary war started:
“As the United Nations tried with little success to keep the peace, many of that organization’s member-states pulled out, and within two months of the outbreak of what was soon called the Resource Wars in 2052, the United Nations was disbanded. Next, following the breakdown of trade talks and the unilateral American exploitation of the world’s last newly discovered reserves of crude oil, the Chinese invaded Alaska in 2066 in pursuit of the state’s remaining oil reserves. The United States ultimately annexed Canada in 2076 to ensure Canadian support for its defense of the Alaskan front even as the American federal government acted aggressively against its own citizens to contain wartime rioting, anti-war civil disobedience and military desertion.”
Somehow it doesn’t seen quite so an unlikely scenario any more.
Trump is insane. We have proof now. He needs to be removed from office. Peacefully, one hopes. @GOP, you know what you have to do — do it.— John Schindler (@20committee) February 2, 2017
In a letter to the Dutch parliament on Wednesday, Interior Minister Ronald Plasterk wrote “no shadow of doubt can be allowed to hang over the result” of the March 15 parliamentary poll.
To allay concerns about potential interference, municipalities and electoral regions will now have to tally all votes manually instead of using an automated counting system.
“I cannot rule out that state actors may try to benefit from influencing political decisions and public opinion in the Netherlands,” Plasterk wrote.
The military convoy spotted on Sunday flying a Donald Trump flag near Louisville belonged to an East Coast-based SEAL unit, a Navy spokesperson told ABC News.
Military officials have launched an inquiry to determine if any misconduct can be linked to the incident. Regulations do not permit an unauthorized flag on a military vehicle.
And who’s to say the services haven’t been infiltrated in the same way law enforcement has.
In a heavily redacted version of an October 2006 FBI internal intelligence assessment, the agency raised the alarm over white supremacist groups’ “historical” interest in “infiltrating law enforcement communities or recruiting law enforcement personnel.” The effort, the memo noted, “can lead to investigative breaches and can jeopardize the safety of law enforcement sources or personnel.” The memo also states that law enforcement had recently become aware of the term “ghost skins,” used among white supremacists to describe “those who avoid overt displays of their beliefs to blend into society and covertly advance white supremacist causes.” In at least one case, the FBI learned of a skinhead group encouraging ghost skins to seek employment with law enforcement agencies in order to warn crews of any investigations.
Coincidentally, efforts to counter extremists have been sidetracked.
The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a U.S. government program designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism, five people briefed on the matter told Reuters.
The program, “Countering Violent Extremism,” or CVE, would be changed to “Countering Islamic Extremism” or “Countering Radical Islamic Extremism,” the sources said, and would no longer target groups such as white supremacists who have also carried out bombings and shootings in the United States.
Oh dear. It’s probably just as well Trump seems to be too lazy to do any background on people he talks to or he would’ve given Turnbull shit about how close he came to losing.
Robert Guyton
How are things going down south? I am wondering if you can join in our group planning to read E F Schumachers Small is Beautiful over a month and then have an on-line discussion on it? Could you reply and let me know if you can fit it in. It’s something you could do to take a break from the hard yakker in the forest!
Just when I had given up the panel I heard that Rachel Stewart and Gary McCormack were going to be on. At last, two decent people instead of the usual twats.
Garibaldi
You ended up in a different place than you intended as I am talking about a group on TS reading together E F Schumacher Small is Beautiful. That’s the nearest I am coming to a panel.
But since you have turned up, it’s an opportunity to ask – would you be in on this our first go at group informed discussion, which we plan to do at the end of a month reading and extracting good stuff that could raise our political nous? Hope to have a really good discussion together on TS on a Sunday. If you could join in that would be much appreciated. Could you reply and let me know yay or nay, or next time, as if we can get this sort of informed political discussion going on a regular basis it would be a useful aspect giving kudos to TS.
And yes fancy Rachel Stewart being on Mora, lets have more’a of her stripes.
Gary, you like do you. I may have to listen to bring my opinion uptodate.
Sorry greywarshark, I was merely expressing my delight at getting a decnt panel on RNZ.
Thanks for your offer to join your group but I have too many other commitments for the next 3 months.
Paul
I asked on one of my comments if you would be in the reading group that you expressed interest in earlier. Perhaps you didn’t see it so I am asking again.
Could you advise yes or no by replying to this?
You are very interested in the political scene and it would be good to have your comments after the month we have set for reading and noting ideas from E F Schumacher.
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
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 ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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As a young gymnast, Aimee Didierjean was always conscious of making sure her underwear wasn’t showing on the competition floor. A peek of a bra strap, or briefs if a leotard rode up, would cost a gymnast points in her routines. “When I was growing and going through puberty, it ...
Jubi/West Papua Daily Repeated cases of Indonesian military (TNI) soldiers torturing civilians in Papua have been evident, as seen in the viral video depicting the torture of civilians in the Puncak Regency allegedly done by soldiers of Raider 300/Brajawijaya Infantry Battalion. There is a pressing need for stringent law enforcement ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In 2023, Anthony Albanese was shooting for the moon, his eyes on the Voice referendum. On one view, he looked like the idealist reflecting his left-wing roots. In 2024, we’re seeing a pragmatic, determined, ...
The House - The principle that all MPs are honourable and that they should be taken at their word has been tested multiple times this week in Parliament. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Helen Dickinson, Professor, Public Service Research, UNSW Sydney Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock Since the review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) released its recommendations in December, there has been a series of Town Hall events to discuss them around the country ...
Asia Pacific Report Two of the global Freedom Flotilla ships are being prepared in Turkey and almost ready for the upcoming humanitarian mission to Gaza. It is expected that the flotilla will include a New Zealand medical team. Kia Ora Gaza is a member of the international Freedom Flotilla Coalition ...
Russian military threat keeps Baltic states reliant on Russian dirty energy.
https://cleantechnica.com/2017/02/01/russian-military-threat-halts-giant-offshore-wind-project/
So let’s get this straight Andre. Is Russia not allowed to respond to the massive military build up right on its borders ? Should they just shrug their shoulders and believe that the Americans(Nato) are nice friendly people just giving their boys some kind of a picnic on their border? Would the Americans let the Russians amass forces on, say, the Canadian border?
Is anyone in this World allowed to disagree with USA hegemony, and have a different world view?
You come across as America – Great, and Russia- Bad , full stop. It’s not that simple, even if you are an American.
garibaldi – at least half the article is about the states dirty extractive energy decline – be good if they all just gave it up and worked towards the future – whether that be cleanish energy, reduced need for energy and/or renewable energy.
But I spose while kneejerks continue on the macro and micro scale we are left with the spoil.
Did you read the linked article garibaldi?
It actually explains a few of the reasons nations in the Baltic region are nervous about Russia and might want visible shows of friendship from their allies.
The article talks about Russia parading warships close to the Swedish coast.
Looking at the linked article referencing that, Russia moved two warships to its Kaliningrad base and they have to pass through Swedish waters to get there.
This kind of propoganda isnt great for international relations either.
The article refers to Russian warships deliberately preventing power supply from Sweden to the Baltic republics, so they have to remain dependent on Russia for electricity. You don’t think the governments involved might have some concerns about that?
…massive military build up… [citation needed]
…right on its borders… [citation needed]
At the time of Gorbachev the US promised NATO would not move East .
You appear to be a cold war armchair warrior.
Paul
That thing about the border agreement doesn’t get mentioned much but could be pivotal in Russian thinking today leading to aggressive defensive moves.
And I would really like to know if you will be in the first reading group looking over E F Schumacher, it would be good for us to have you along. We give it a month and then a really good discussion.
…massive military build up
http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-nato-buildup-on-russian-border-could-lead-to-nuclear-war-nobel-laureate/5568246
…right on its borders…
http://www.businessinsider.com/nato-build-up-on-russias-borders-2016-10?IR=T
The first citation involves some people claiming a “massive military build-up,” which says nothing more than that people other than Garibaldi are also making the claim. The second one includes the actual number, 4,000, which is equivalent to one brigade. That’s a “massive” military buildup to the same extent that a sandfly is a “massive” animal. The only purpose a military force that small can serve in those countries is to ensure that any Russian attack would involve firing on American troops, so the fact the Russian government is angry about it is quite revealing.
The second citation points out that these troops are being deployed in Poland and the Baltic republics. Those countries certainly border Russia (and two of them border “Russia” only in the sense that they border Kaliningrad, which Russia has no business occupying in the first place), but if we’re applying that criterion, every single one of Russia’s neighbours has military “right on Russia’s borders.” There is no military build-up “right on Russia’s borders” under any useful meaning of the phrase.
Come on, you are cherry picking, America has at least 40,000 troops in Germany alone, you know the same Germany that invaded Russia, and raped burned, tortured and pillaged their way to something like 20 million Russian/Slavic casualties not all that long ago.
So I am not defending Putin, but I can fully understand Russia being just a little bit sensitive when it comes to it’s boarders…especially when an extra 4,000 troops from the world biggest and most aggressive super power arrive on your doorstep, don’t you think?
Sure. But can you fully understand the governments whose countries have been invaded and occupied multiple times by Russia being just a bit sensitive when Russia is ruled by a nationalist authoritarian dictator who acts aggressively against his neighbours?
a nationalist authoritarian dictator who acts aggressively against his neighbours?
You’ve described the president of the United States perfectly. But your misapplication of those epithets to Putin is simply nonsense.
Are you not aware of the Ukraine and Georgia? These were actual invasions this century. So it is not surprising the Baltic states need some reassurance.
Ukraine? Where fascists (not your ‘garden variety’ or idiot on the street type of fascist) were floated into government on a raft of western interference in the internal affairs of the country? That Ukraine?
These were actual invasions this century.
They were indeed, Wayne, and they were certainly wrong. But compared to the invasions this century of Iraq and Afghanistan, they’re not in the same ballpark.
What reassurance do you think the United States’ neighbours need?
Yes I can, but what has that got to do with the USA?
However we all know what happened in Cuba right? that’s what happens when the US felt threatened, but they can’t seem be able to put that shoe on the other foot.
Yes I can, but what has that got to do with the USA?
Seriously? Lithuania has a smaller population than New Zealand. Estonia and Latvia between them have a similar population to New Zealand, but a proportion of those are Russian colonists. If you were responsible for the defence of any of those countries, wouldn’t your first priority be an alliance with someone who has a military as powerful as Russia’s?
However we all know what happened in Cuba right? that’s what happens when the US felt threatened, but they can’t seem be able to put that shoe on the other foot.
There’s a lot more reason to feel threatened by nuclear missiles than by a combat brigade. I expect that if there was an actual equivalent, ie if NATO was installing nuclear missiles in Poland, there’d be a “Polish missile crisis” and we’d all be wondering if we’d wake up to a nuclear war – which is why there’s 0 chance of NATO installing nuclear missiles in Poland.
No seriously American has significant nuclear weapons in Europe…
“180 of the tactical versions of the B61s remain at six
bases in Europe – in Belgium, Italy, Germany,
the Netherlands, and Turkey – as symbols of
US nuclear commitments to NATO. All the bases,
except the one in Turkey, have US or Allied
fighter jets equipped to deliver the bombs;”
https://www.stimson.org/sites/default/files/file-attachments/B61-Life-Extension-Program.pdf
Maybe my first priority would be making an alliance or at least try fora stable diplomatic relationship, with the countries on my boarder, but while the US is in there, the natural scales are never allowed to balance.
These countries have excellent diplomatic relationships with the countries on their borders – except with the one that’s invaded and occupied them multiple times, never accepted that it was wrong to do so, and publicly regards them as belonging to a putative “sphere of influence” it feels it has a right to.
But you’re right in that the best thing the governments of these countries could do is achieve stable diplomatic relationships with the Russian Federation. I could envisage that being a possibility if the Russian Federation were to apologise for previous invasions, publicly reject any claim to an interest in the governance of these countries, cease its military activity against its neighbour Ukraine and generally demonstrate a willingness to cooperate (or at least to not actively obstruct, as described in the article linked above).
Problem is: first, those things aren’t going to happen, and second, even if they did the relevant governments would take decades to be convinced it wasn’t just a sham to get them to drop their defences. So, status quo it is then, for the foreseeable future.
4.00pm and I’m back from work and I just want to say thanks to Paul, Morrissey and Adrian Thornton for their efforts here in this thread.
Morrissey,
Iraq, yes illegal. Afghanistan was a UNSC approved operation for reasons you know well. So Afghanistan is actually a legal invasion.
Neither Georgia or Ukraine were UN authorized.
The Baltics have been previously invaded by Russia (USSR). That is why they wanted to be in NATO, to guarantee it would not happen again. The deployments are part of the guarantee.
In any event this is all a pointless debate. Pointing to Iraq or central America is all a bit irrelevant if you are a Baltic nation. Russia actions are what matters to them.
The Baltics are in NATO. That won’t change. NATO provides guarantees to all it members. Trump can’t change that. Congress wont let him.
So despite this debate, these deployments will happen, until and unless Russia stops complaining about them. If Russia didn’t complain the Baltics would be less nervous.
Iraq, yes illegal.
It was, and is, the worst case of aggression since the destruction of Indo-China.
Afghanistan was a UNSC approved operation for reasons you know well. So Afghanistan is actually a legal invasion.
Your relaxed view of that horror contrasts starkly with the view of thoughtful Afghanis…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gEK7nOq5KY
Neither Georgia or Ukraine were UN authorized.
Neither was the U.S./U.K. aggression against Iraq. In fact, it was the refusal of the United Nations Director General Kofi Annan to back the aggression that so incensed this racist broadcaster….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNdk7Hsj_R0&t=1s
Pointing to Iraq or central America is all a bit irrelevant if you are a Baltic nation.
You are not a Baltic nation. I wanted to know why you were singling out Russian intervention in Georgia and Ukraine, and ignoring the far bloodier, far more destructive, and utterly unwarranted invasions of Afhanistan and Iraq.
Exactly. The countries near to Russia got worried about the semi-covert invasions of their territory similar to those that Russia did with the Ukraine in both Crimea and eastern Ukraine. The obvious buildup in Kalingrad is worrying.
Russia that has been getting increasingly aggressive apparently for the purposes of stifling internal dissent triggered by the faltering Russian economy. All of the states near them are increasing their defensive posture. Part of that has been to request and receive token numbers of ‘tripwire’ troops from Nato.
Both help to constrain the Russian government from executing adventurism in neighboring states. If that makes Russia uncomfortable, then that is the direct consequence of their previous actions.
If their idiotic apologists here dislike that, then I really couldn’t give a damn. Russia has shown in the past that this is about the only language that they understand when their internal issues spill over the borders.
Both help to constrain the Russian government from executing adventurism in neighboring states.
Russian adventurism in neighboring states is minor compared to what the United States has done and is doing in Central and South America. I see no concern by you about constraining the U.S.
If their idiotic apologists here…
So pointing out inaccurate and/or maliciously false claims against a party makes one an apologist, does it? I have sometimes had to point out to people that the United States did NOT have anything to do with the 9/11 attacks*; does that make me an apologist for the United States?
* Well, it did of course have something to do with the 9/11 attacks in 1973, which killed more people.
Russian adventurism in neighboring states is minor compared to what the United States has done and is doing in Central and South America.
More false equivalence. First, the actual invasion, occupation and colonisation of Russia’s neighbouring states isn’t “minor” compared to US activities in Central and South America. Second, what’s your opinion of US involvement in Central and South America? Is it something you’d defend as vigorously as you defend Russia’s invasions of its neighbours? No, it isn’t, because the US’ activities in Central and South America have been unbelievably shitty. It would be nice if those countries had some means of defending themselves against their local great power, wouldn’t it? If they did, would you be on here berating them for “threatening” the USA?
Fool, I didn’t say they were equivalent. When it comes to aggression and body counts, Russia is Switzerland or Liechtenstein compared to the United States.
I guess you’re right – “false equivalence” is overly generous. It fails to capture the requisite level of wrongness and bombast. Unfortunately though, I don’t believe the the necessary linguistic tools to properly describe Morrissey levels of logical fallacy have yet been invented, so “false equivalence” will have to cover the territory in the meantime.
Looks like I slipped and posted that comment early. However…
The stupid adventurism of the US up to last century pretty much caused the hostile reactions by their neighbors. It also caused the formation of regional coalitions to limit it, and the slow deterioration of the Monroe doctrine. As it stands at present, the US has apparently been pretty good recently in central and south America in recent decades. Venezuela you could argue about, but it appears to have been largely the incompetent government internally that has done the damage there.
But basically you are being a complete and utter fool if you equate a powers making bad as excusing another to also act like an arsehole. It speaks of a certain level of moral and intellectual stupidity that I associate with unthinking apologists for one cause or another.
Personally I’d prefer if we left that kind of idiotic thinking back in the 19th century where it belongs.
Governments of small states (like NZ or Lithuania or Poland or Mexico or Saddam’s Iraq) should be able to make their own stupid decisions without having dickhead nations treating it as an excuse for adventurism. The exception is always when the disintegration of the government of the state causes overflow at the borders (the failed state issue), or where they start intruding or threatening other states (eg North Korea).
As it stands at present, the US has apparently been pretty good recently in central and south America in recent decades.
That is simply not true. Unless of course the expression “pretty good” means something entirely different to what it used to mean. The United States is still involved in funding and training death squads in Honduras, to mention just one of the places where the United States has, in recent decades, been involved in the overthrow of a democratically elected government…
https://theintercept.com/2016/04/12/death-squads-are-back-in-honduras-honduran-activists-tell-congress/
Venezuela you could argue about, but it appears to have been largely the incompetent government internally that has done the damage there.
Certainly the Chávez and now Maduro government has been extremely incompetent, but it is its fiercely independent stance that angers the United States. Forty years ago, of course, the United States could deal with these troublesome democratic governments by backing a military coup, as it did to the democratically elected government of Chile in 1973. There was a coup against Chávez, of course, in 2002, but massive popular resistance restored him to office—in fact, it’s a model of what the beleaguered population of the United States should be doing right now as its democracy is under massive attack from within the very centre of power. It certainly beats repeating those DNC fantasies about Russian hacking.
But basically you are being a complete and utter fool if you equate a powers making bad as excusing another to also act like an arsehole.
Certainly that would be true if that’s what I had done, but it’s not. I don’t support Russia, any more than I support Australia, or Sweden, or anyone else. But are you seriously trying to suggest that Russia’s actions in Ukraine and Georgia have caused anything like the death and destruction that the U.S. and its vassal states have wrought in Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Palestine, and Syria?
…. where they start intruding or threatening other states (eg North Korea).
And the United States, and South Korea, and Israel.
Can’t say that I consider the DPRK as a threat to anyone*. The US on the other hand, well, history tells us that they are a threat and a major one to pretty much any nation that displeases them.
* This isn’t to say that they haven’t threatened anyone – they have. I just don’t think those threats are credible.
Exactly. The countries near to Russia got worried about the semi-covert invasions of their territory similar to those that Russia did with the Ukraine in both Crimea and eastern Ukraine. The obvious buildup in Kalingrad is worrying.
Russia that has been getting increasingly aggressive apparently for the purposes of stifling internal dissent triggered by the faltering Russian economy. All of the states near them are increasing their defensive posture. Part of that has been to request and receive token numbers of ‘tripwire’ troops from Nato.
Both help to constrain the Russian government from executing adventurism in neighboring states. If that makes Russia uncomfortable, then that is the direct consequence of their previous actions.
If Russia’s apologists dislike that, then I really couldn’t give a damn. They deserve my contempt for their moral turpitude. I am only really concerned with their neighboring states and their ability towards self-determination without having an arsehole state next to them meddling in their internal affairs. The great power twaddle about “spheres of influence” and other such imperial stupidity belongs to be back in World War 1 when it demonstrated why it should be as dead as the soldiers and civilians it killed.
If Russia’s neighbors feel insecure, then they should be able to call on the international community for whatever assistance they need to feel secure with Russia rattling its sabers against them again. A brigade level tripwire for states is a minimal response to that call.
I’d point out that I feel exactly the same about the US, UK, French, China, Germany, or even tiddlers like Aussie.
Edit: Opps – I must have banged that off already… Oh well.
But it’s a case of if they should call upon the UN or upon NATO.
Of course, the UN has been set up so that it can’t act against the actions of the big players with the UNSC veto that they hold.
Which is why they asked NATO.
True but NATO’s is not the people that they should be asking as it comes with massive US political agenda.
To put it another way: The UN needs to be reformed so that it can act against the US, Russia, China and all the other UNSC veto holders. Preferably by getting rid of their veto.
You know that what Peter Fraser said would eventually undermine the UN.
lol
ok, so until the five permanent members all relinquish their vetos out of the kindness of their hearts, NATO is the go-to organisation for smaller European states looking for some external security support.
Yeah. But the hassle with the UN isn’t just the security council. The principle of giving seats based solely on nation states sucks as well. It seems designed to provide lowest common denominator (ie the bribery level) decision making.
I’d say that the UN is a failed experiment, except that all of the extant alternatives are even worse.
Not so much a failed experiment. It’s long been fashionable to write off the UN, but it is a large and complex organisation that has achieved a lot over the years. Arguably the world would be a lot worse off without it, despite the obvious shortcomings and failures.
The modern democratic nation-state was centuries in the making; equally it is reasonable to suppose the next logical step of federal global governance might take more than one attempt to get right. History will judge the League of Nations, and the UN as essential pre-cursors to the emergence of an authentic, democratically accountable global body.
All of the really big problems humanity faces are global in nature; from climate change onwards. I’ve always argued that ultimately they will only be solved by an entity with the authority and capacity to solve them on a global scale.
Well, it should be put to the General Forum where every country gets to have a say on it. I don’t think there would be a majority of other states that allow them to keep it.
Of course, those states will probably simply leave the UN at that point in which case it would be up to the Rest of the World to show that they can go on without them. And that would include putting in place valid sanctions against them.
Andre still believes what America tells him…
Fake news Paul – yawn
The msm does create a lot of fake news, I agree.
Iraq, Libya, Ukraine, Syria, Scotland, Brexit etc etc
Fake news marty mars – yawn
Touchy
Imagine the response if thousands of Russian troops conducted live fire “exercises” in Canada and Mexico.
Let’s go with your counter-factual. For the analogy to work, we’re going to have to imagine that the USA has invaded and occupied Canada and Mexico several times within living memory, that they have since requested Russian protection because they don’t want a further repeat of the exercise, and that this Russian protection consists only of a few thousand troops who can serve no military purpose beyond ensuring that the USA can’t attack Canada and Mexico again without firing on Russian soldiers. I imagine the US government’s response would be exactly the kind of bluster we’re seeing from Putin.
we’re going to have to imagine that the USA has invaded and occupied Canada
They haven’t invaded Canada, although Henry Cabot Lodge and Theodore Roosevelt both spoke of invading Canada at the time they were “liberating” Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Haiti, and the Philippines.
and Mexico
California? Texas? Arizona? New Mexico? Nevada? Utah? Colorado?
I guess the phrase “within living memory” made the sentence longer than you can read.
You’re quite right that the annexation of much of Mexico did not occur “within living memory”. The rhetorical and physical aggression against Mexicans by successive U.S. administrations, however, shows that the war against Mexico has continued through different means. And you’re correct to point out that Canada has not been attacked and occupied by the United States.
But the people of the Dominican Republic, which the U.S. attacked in 1965, or Grenada (attacked in 1983) or Haiti, or Panama, or Chile, or Nicaragua, or Venezuela, or Brazil, or Honduras, or Ecuador, or Guatemala, or Bolivia, or Colombia, or Costa Rica certainly do have a living memory of being invaded, occupied, threatened, blockaded, tortured, humiliated and insulted by the United States.
Until Hopey-Changey did one of the few positive things in his eight wasted years and normalised relations, Cuba had been the subject of a relentless propaganda and outright terror campaign by the United States.
The terror, economic sabotage and vile propaganda continues against Venezuela.
The United States has been, and is, a relentless and malignant aggressor against its neighbours. Russia, for all its crimes, is not in the same league.
Blah blah blah. Meanwhile, back here outside of the People’s Republic of False Equivalence, Poland and the Baltic republics have been actually invaded and occupied by Russia multiple times within living memory and their governments are justifiably suspicious of Putin. Your opinions on the relative merits of the Russian Federation vs the USA matter jack shit to them.
Your flippant, disrespectful and foolish answer does you no credit.
How exactly is what Morrissey is saying the “People’s Republic of False Equivalence”?
Of course most post war invasions quite often look a lot different from those pre 1930’s, but the results and intentions are the same politically.
The US invasion of Panama 1989 would be a good example of that..
So as I have mentioned before I am not defending Putin, but neither could one deny the US has been the major player in conducting regime change, in one way or another on the world stage post ’45.
How exactly is what Morrissey is saying the “People’s Republic of False Equivalence”?
Because it’s his standard MO. In this particular instance: Russia’s practice of invading, annexing and colonising neighbour states (or parts of them) has continued unbroken from the times when that kind of thing was typical, right up to the collapse of the USSR, and now looks like it’s starting again under Putin. The USA attacking some states it wasn’t happy with in Latin America is not in the same league, and in any case is completely irrelevant to the topic of the post.
…I am not defending Putin, but neither could one deny the US has been the major player in conducting regime change, in one way or another on the world stage post ’45.
Well, one can deny it, and I do, because “regime change” in other countries was a major focus of the USSR for the entire period of its existence, not just post-war. In any case, what the USA does is of a lot less interest to the governments of Russia’s western neighbours than what Russia does – given the content of comment 1, all the subsequent blather about what the US government gets up to is tiresome what-aboutery.
“Meanwhile, back here outside of the People’s Republic of False Equivalence”
It’s funny because it’s true but a little sad at the same time.
http://img.memecdn.com/that-one-teacher-who-makes-you-feel-like-a-complete-idiot-when-you-get-an-answer-wrong_o_410937.gif
Since when is calling someone a retard an acceptable insult, here, at the standard, or anywhere for that matter?
You won’t be, but you should be thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed of yourself 🙄
Ultimately the content of your rants show the caliber of your mettle.
And your anger belies any pretense of decent, knowledgeable opinion.
No matter your half baked, ill politics and sick logic, I reckon you’re a bit scum, to be fair.
I expect the response would be quite severe as such an action would quite possibly have involved an act of war by Russia.
Reading these responses, it seems some people need to go take a look at a map. Apart from Kaliningrad (that Russia continues to hold Kaliningrad and has stationed big nasty missiles there is a provocation in itself, like Gibraltar or Ceuta and Melilla), to get from Poland to Russia requires going through quite a lot of either Ukraine or Belarus.
So in fact as far as I can tell, American troops are a lot closer to Russia just across the Bering Strait from Alaska than they are in Poland.
OMG – are they “massing troops” there?
Not that I know of. Just the usual contingents at the bases scattered around the state. But Sarah Palin’s keeping a good eye on them from her porch.
https://investmentwatchblog.com/eu-demands-half-a-trillion-for-uk-leaving-brexit/
This ^ is what happens when unelected bureaucrats are allowed to take over.
Asleep While Walking
EU aren’t going to allow Brits off as Greece wasn’t allowed to do what was best for it. All divorces have high costs these days.
When I was writing about having a reading circle AWW you liked the idea. Will you come in to the first group looking at E F Schumacher Small is Beautiful over a month with big discussion on it at end? You would contribute lots and it would be great to have you in if poss. Could you let me know as I am looking at best way to get the most out of the exercise. Thanks.
Any payment will be minimal. At the end of the two years the U.K. can leave and just go to WTO rules (basically the same as NZ today). In that case no payment is required. That is why PM May said no deal is better than a bad deal.
https://www.ft.com/content/5741129a-4510-11e6-b22f-79eb4891c97d
and keep in mind that basically half of the UKs exports go to EU member countries.
Peter Thiel supports Muslim ban of Trump’s.
We should remember that he is part of a religion himself – the cult of Ayn Rand and Hayek. Their neoliberal cult of the individual has done a lot more damage to the world in the past 40 years than Islam has.
Shall we ban followers of the neoliberal religion?
a brief glimpse of a parallel world through a crack in the door……where the rules and rationale of the often evoked ” kiwi way” are turned on their head.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201831731/xero-founder-'absolutely'-backs-peter-thiel-citizenship
Should we ban neo liberals, No just left wing nut jobs
http://img.memecdn.com/that-one-teacher-who-makes-you-feel-like-a-complete-idiot-when-you-get-an-answer-wrong_o_410937.gif
Paul
Shall we ban followers of the neoliberal religion?
Yes! And remove tax privileges from all religions?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11792544
nats can’t even keep city police stations manned. Hopeless
If resistance is rising and Revolution is in the air is it too much to expect some decent fucking music at last!.
Once the revolution overturns the industry cartels
Here you go Adrian,
Gil Scott Heron:
Htpps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qGaoXAwl9kw
@gsays – great link to start day!
Some good water protection networks out there – the fight to save us all is continuing – check out ‘bung the bore’ on fbook for instance.
And for those who have visited Golden Bay/Mohua and may have met the beautiful waters of Waikoropupu Springs – this is concerning isn’t it?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/88874528/new-zealands-largest-freshwater-springs-under-threat-from-irrigation
This is just appalling. Is there no end to this greedy need for irrigation ? Surely someone in the Takaka authorities can see the incredible threat irrigation would bring to the Springs?
The opposition to this will win. This is not going to happen. Many allied against including iwi.
Labour drops the ball, no wait Labour never picked up the ball on protecting the renter class from being gouged by landlords.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/322483/average-rent-on-the-rise-across-the-country-trade-me
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/323612/rental-rises-put-squeeze-on-tenants
Labour also have no policies that I know of to enable the renter class to have any type of long term security in a tenancy.
No plan for protecting the wave of people coming into retirement age renting.
So while Labour push their $500-600,000 affordable houses, they have no provisions to protect working people and families who obviously can’t afford their ‘affordable’ houses and are consigned to a bleak life rent from Ma & Pa investors, and speculators, who will both sell their investments at the drop of a hat, with no thought to the uprooting of the lives that live in their investments.
As I have said previously, if I have missed something in Labours manifesto, please inform me, other wise we have to jus call it for what it is, class war.
Luckily they have got the centre well covered though.
No, you are right, Labour are quiet on this. Their slogan is ‘Backing the Kiwi Dream’, but nowhere is there concern for those who missed the boat when National cast off the moorings.
Greens are much more vocal. Clutching at straws here but maybe the Greens are given that area under the MOU?
To me “Backing the Kiwi Dream” of home ownership is part of the problem.
So much emphasis on home ownership puts more pressure on people to buy – and some will pay over the odds to nail this over-rated dream. This plays into the hands of the speculators, property investors and banksters.
Better to back secure, safe, affordable homes for all whether it be via renting or property ownership.
Yes to say I am disappointed in Labour, with the information I have on their policies thus far would be a understatement.
To have a labour Party completely ignore the working class housing security is a sham.
To have a Labour Party that is tacit at best on importing Labour from third world countries, there by artificially keeping working class wage growth down, while at the same time the unprotected renter is being forced to pay more and more in rent to the greedy and unhinged landlord class is almost beyond belief.
What sort of Labour is Labour 2017?
Who are they fighting for?, because it sure as hell doesn’t look like they are fighting for and protecting he working classes with any conviction.
“Backing the Kiwi Dream”, yes they are, but only for certain classes.
I’m an aging renter from choice. Rented all my adult life. I’d always assumed there’s be affordable rentals available, and that there always would be properties available for long term rent.
This is the worst situation I’ve ever seen for renters in my lifetime. It has escalated to unacceptable levels since 2008.
Still, I’m not one of the worst off….. yet at least. I have a reasonable income at the moment, and a further year’s tenancy in this place.
But I have seen what else is out there for rent. And I know how much of a desperate struggle it must be for those on low incomes.
The future situation is insecure for all renters now.
This issue will be a biggie for me in this year’s election.
Yes – Adrian Thornton, you HAVE missed something. And Muttonbird too.
Labour has a massively comprehensive housing plan – it includes building thousands of state houses for rental, getting hundreds of young people into building apprentices – thereby giving them a good starting place at work, cracking down on speculators, limiting the numbers of immigrants to what can be sustained, fund additional emergency housing, and stopping the current Govt’s state housing sell-off.
And of course, making it easier by getting more affordable housing built.
This plan has been out in the open for months – and is on the Labour website.
So I don’t know how you’ve all missed knowing something about it.
It’s also on Labour’s Facebook page, if you’re into FB.
‘
Yes, Jenny. There are those policies.
Adrian and I commented on the Labour Housing policy yesterday here.
You can see that yesterday I looked at Labour’s Housing policy online. There is nothing there explicitly to support private renters re- security of tenure, rent caps, etc.
I know that manifesto pretty well I have read through a number of times.
Have to say their I also think the ‘cracking down on speculators’ is pretty soft core.
I say again, where are the protections and security policies for renters? keeping in mind that this private/public affordable housing scheme is geared toward middle and upper middle class couples and not working class workers.
Are you suggesting that Labour’s long term plan is to house the working class renters and incoming renting retirees in long term state housing?,
“Little also said his party would build at least 1000 new state houses each year until there were enough to meet demand”…that’s great, but say Labour are in power 3 years, that’s 3000 state houses, its not going to cover all those in real immediate need, let alone those people who are simply trying to survive a lifetime on short term rentals and constant rent hikes, who do not have a hope of ever, ever, getting anywhere near a housing NZ waiting list.
These policies are, maybe, addressing the immediate crisis of homeless people, and middle class kids who can’t afford a house. But they DO NOT deal with the new reality of an ever increasing number of folk who need to be allowed some security during a life time of renting.
And there is no hint at how Labour will deal with large numbers of renters living on the pension. No one seems to want to have that conversation.
Bill English, who deals daily with the ACT cult, and was one of the many recipients of secret Brethren cash, condemns “ideological” and “doctrinaire” Greens
RNZ National, Thursday 2 Febrary 2017
About 8:15 this morning I heard that little tick Bill “Douple Dipton” English engaging in a bit of low-level propaganda warfare. He was dumping on the Greens….
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/323600/political-alliances-clear-ahead-of-election-campaigning
He said that with not the slightest tremor in his voice, nor the slightest sign that he possessed any sense of irony or absurdity. He sounded just like John Key.
“too ideological, too doctrinaire.”
= too principled.
the horror.
The tick from dipton – nice
he Had better also check with his religious leaders about the too ideological and doctrinaire position -he might be being hypocritical
His religion says a lot about helping the poor. Does the National Party do that?
Who’s the major deity of third rate stenographers ?
“Third rate”?
https://cdn.meme.am/instances/54388732.jpg
Surely it’s better than being fourth rate…
http://media.salon.com/2015/04/sean_hannity4.jpg
This article starts with a much better shot of him.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/01/27/donald_trump_gives_hannity_interview_says_usual_ridiculous_things.html
Leave Lumpy alone.
https://twitter.com/lumpyhannity1
Ok. I’ll pick on the orange pimple instead.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/anti-trump-street-art_us_58820c24e4b070d8cad1ead2
Titter – I believe that’s the face he makes as he outrages his underpants.
He would argue that he ‘helps’ them by taking away any support and ‘encouraging’ them to stand on their own two feet…..
“Its [the Church’s] desire is that the poor should rise above poverty and wretchedness, and should better their condition in life; and for this it strives.
Rerum Novarum -‘Condition of Labour’ (1981), paragraph 23
What I don’t understand is that English doesn’t get called out for being an ideologue himself.
Key and English are probably the most pure politicians, ideologically since Douglas, they are both real believers.
John Key chair of the right wing International Democrat Union
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Democrat_Union
What I don’t understand is that English doesn’t get called out for being an ideologue himself.
All they worry about is the ties he wears, and the timbre of his voice. The fact he tells lies as routinely as he breathes is of little importance.
Dept of Corrections has been banned from this month’s Auckland Pride Parade.
I recall that Judith Collins marched with them last year. So no platform this time for Louise Upston.
Maybe Judith (such a great LGBTI supporter!!??) will be able to hitch a ride this time with an ethnic community float, or one focused on energy & resources?
Two girls die in suspected suicides a 9 and a 10 year old – this a a real tragedy – that kids so young take their own lives should be a wake up call.
I don’t know why these kids did what they did, but I do think National’s policy of National Standards needs to be abolished. It puts a huge amount of stress of children from 5 years of age upward and they are told they are no achieving a set of standards that are stupid and arbitrary. There is also too much emphasis on safety in schools, this leads to kids thinking that the world is a dangerous place and developing anxiety. Parents are now forced into long hours of work and being home for your kids at 3pm is a luxury as well as the worry of losing your job/ income. There is huge pressure on parents in NZ and there is huge stress on kids in NZ.
I went on a horrendous school trip last year and there were something like 8 messages of safety at least one per hour and the trip was not dangerous at all and was as boring as hell. It seemed more about keeping the kids contained than the actually the kids learning something and enjoying themselves. The kids were fidgeting and poking each other in frustration. I feel sorry for today’s kids and it was not the school or the teachers fault in my view but more policy from the ministry of education that they were following. Paperwork and testing has replaced teaching and learning. Teachers do a fantastic job. They should be respected and allowed to do a good job.
Kids need to play and room to grow mentally and physically. These days there are no school pools anymore and fun places for them. They should not be told they are not good enough by their school reports and be contained and restrained in everything they do for ‘safety’.
Who knows what else was going on in these poor kids lives to lead them to want to end it.
My condolences to the family and friends of the two little lives lost.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/02/two-girls-die-in-suspected-suicides.html
I was also talking to another parent, their kids went on a pre school trip to the local estuary – they had to fill out a 28? page report on the site prior to going and the teachers put barricades around some trees because they were prickly. WTF?
Welcome to the nanny state, Bob Jones did a story in the herald a couple of years ago about how NZ has become the biggest nanny state any where, a slag at JK and National, I don’t support Jones, but what he said is correct.
Protecting people form inherent danger is mandatory, but you have to draw the line somewhere, when govts regulate how people behave in the belief that it some how protects them is incorrect, molly coddling leads to a lack of “personal responsibility”, which in turn results in greater danger for all.
Thousands of years ago, when humans made stupid mistakes which resulted in injury or death, this generally served as a lesson for all, and if death occurred, it meant that this lack of perceived danger could not be passed on to next generation.
Nanny states lead to reduced responsibility by some individuals, having a negative outcome, rather than a positive one.
Children should be allowed to play, but supervision in imperative, allowing children to be pricked by a gorse bush, for example, is a lesson about how to avoid a recurrence, one which makes them wiser.
Newsflash
Example of dogma Number 1 of 1000. Repeat 100 times while sitting on the toilet thus reducing the brain’s ‘downtime’ in an efficient manner.
Nanny states lead to reduced responsibility by some individuals, having a negative outcome, rather than a positive one.
I came across this url, and it reminded me that in these difficult times for journalism, there is little follow up on stories. Naturally this trend is encouraged by the government – they know that all they have to do is defer action for a short while and the issue will be forgotten
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/85000994/John-Key-keeps-lid-on-hidden-billions
What’s the betting nothing will be done before the next election?
In like vein a radio report yesterday said that one of the issues affecting housing construction was a shortage of developer finance. Remember when National promised to do something about finance company legislation to restore the ability of investors to trust they will not lose all their money, and provide an alternative to the banks for developers? Well if you didn’t I suspect you are not alone – and of course it is very hard to find any references . . .
Another article I remember is one about some foreign workers employed by a foreign contractor just before Christmas – I think they were doing welding work on a project – their “employer” required them to live where directed, and charged them for food and accommodation – leaving them with pay much lower than the minimum wage. After discovering that this was all legal as it was an overseas contractor with overseas workers, it all got dropped. Can anyone find the reference?
All that makes me wonder if there is a site somewhere that indexes articles that need to be followed up – perhaps it would be enough to keep a list of posts to The Standard that should probably be looked at again in a certain number of months – and a “reminder” posted if appropriate at that time – and perhaps the list of “banked” issues posted once a month for review.
Lest we forget . . .
Ed
Absolutely necessary as you say, to keep note of these stories. Facts, reference to past disasters, unbelievable but true, to learn from – absolutely. And not just the links either, though that is better than nothing, they need to be fully copied and (my belief) transferred to paper if possible. Everyone in theory, should have a large drawer for this sort of stuff. Lest we forget.
Trivia it may be but illuminating of hidden behaviour and culture of some; does someone remember – when did some NZ men in Wellington area I think, businessmen I think, punish someone for something by digging an underground bunker and locking a man in? About 10-20 years ago.
Thanks. I still can’t find the story about the foreign workers getting treated as slaves and the advice that it is all legal even though they were working in New Zealand (and prevented some locals getting welding work).
I am not able to help with the “memory list’ – it needs a reference list held by category, picking up both post headings from the Std as well as urls. I understand why the search function was removed, but it was a good way to find issues from this site at least.
lprent
Hi what do you think about Ed saying that some subjects need to go into memory both from posts and from URLS? Can it be done.
And is it possible to have again a search function where you can type in a commenters name that brings up their contributions? It was so handy and I miss it.
FYI.
2 February 2017
“Speaking rights confirmed for Penny Bright at next Auckland Transport Board meeting 16 February 2017.”
The next AT Board meeting is scheduled as follows:
DATE: Thursday 16 February 2017
TIME: 2.00pm
VENUE: AMP Building, Level 17, Mairangi Room, 29 Customs St West
“This is going to be, in my opinion, a HUGE development in ensuring that ratepayers’ and citizens’ lawful rights to transparency and accountability in the spending of public monies on private consultants and contractors, are fully implemented and upheld,” says ‘anti-corruption campaigner’ and 2017 Independent Mt Albert by-election candidate, Penny Bright.
“My subject matter for this Auckland Transport Board meeting, is as follows:
Having spent days over the Christmas break, studying the ‘Reasons for the Verdict of Fitzgerald J’, I wish to raise key concerns that arise from the facts and evidence, upon which Justice Sally Fitzgerald relied in her Judgment.
( https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/cases/r-v-borlase-reasons/@@images/fileDecision )
1) The need for Auckland Transport to fully comply with the Public Records Act 2005, particularly section 17, and to make transparent and available for public scrutiny the details of ALL awarded contracts, including those under $50,000, and including ALL those sub-contracted.
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2005/0040/latest/DLM345729.html
17 Requirement to create and maintain records
(1) Every public office and local authority must create and maintain full and accurate records of its affairs, in accordance with normal, prudent business practice, including the records of any matter that is contracted out to an independent contractor.
_________________________________________________
(Please be advised that I have raised my concerns directly with the Local Government and Environment Select Committee, regarding the lack of transparency with Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs), which included Auckland Transport.
Petition 2014/33 of Penelope Mary Bright and 55 others, and Report from the Controller and Auditor-General, Governance and accountability of council-controlled organisations.
a) Here is the Local Government and Environment Select Committee’s Report on my above-mentioned petition:
https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/51DBSCH_SCR69296_1/924613ec7fb831c4e74bd062f73287ac2ceb5081
b) Here is my evidence which I presented to the Local Government and Environment Select Committee:
https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/51SCLGE_EVI_51DBHOH_PET66634_1_A494444/90cd29f5accdd6dca8189fcddce8fa662e07a62b
I would like members of the Board of Auckland Transport to please study both this Local Government and Environment Select Committee Report, and the evidence I provided, before I attend the AT Board meeting on 20 February 2017? )
2) The need to cease the ‘collaborative’ model for contracting, given that it has proven to ‘breed corruption’.
3) The need for the Board of AT to urgently review the ‘private procurement’ model for the provision of passenger transport services, and for related services provided by Auckland Transport, regarding ‘cost-effectiveness’, ‘transparency’ and ‘accountability’, bearing in mind the statutory obligations arising from the underpinning Act upon which Auckland Transport was established, namely the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2009/0032/80.0/DLM2363310.html
40 Operating principles
In meeting its principal objective (as a council-controlled organisation) under section 59 of the Local Government Act 2002, and in performing its functions, Auckland Transport must—
(a) establish and maintain processes for Māori to contribute to its decision-making processes; and
(b) operate in a financially responsible manner and, for this purpose, prudently manage its assets and liabilities and endeavour to ensure—
(i) its long-term financial viability; and
(ii) that it acts as a successful going concern; and
(c) use its revenue efficiently and effectively, and in a manner that seeks value for money; and
(d) ensure that its revenue and expenditure are accounted for in a transparent manner; and
(e) ensure that it acts in a transparent manner in making decisions under this Act and the Land Transport Management Act 2003.
Section 40: substituted, on 1 November 2010, by section 31 of the Local Government (Auckland Council) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 36).
…”
______________________________________________________
Penny Bright
………
‘Anti-privatisation / anti-corruption campaigner’.
(2017 Independent candidate Mt Albert by-election.)
(Authorised by Penny Bright 86A School Rd, Kingsland Auckland 1021)
Zzzzzzzzzzzzx
The peace dividend.
/
We’re going to war in the South China Sea in five to 10 years, aren’t we?” Mr Bannon said on his radio show in March 2016. “There’s no doubt about that. They’re taking their sandbars and making basically stationary aircraft carriers and putting missiles on those. They come here to the United States in front of our face — and you understand how important face is — and say it’s an ancient territorial sea.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-steve-bannon-china-south-sea-war-chinese-us-president-special-counsellor-a7556546.html
On a roll.
President Donald Trump threatened in a phone call with his Mexican counterpart to send U.S. troops to stop “bad hombres down there” unless the Mexican military does more to control them, according to an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation obtained by The Associated Press.
The excerpt of the call did not detail who exactly Trump considered “bad hombres,” nor did it make clear the tone and context of the remark, made in a Friday morning phone call between the leaders. It also did not contain Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s response.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-mexico-care-bad-hombres-us-might-231304076–politics.html
Executions seem like all the rage these days for Presidents…
Obama’s drone wars and the normalisation of extrajudicial murder
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jun/11/obama-drone-wars-normalisation-extrajudicial-killing
Philippines President Duterte admits killing suspects
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/12/14/asia/duterte-philippines-davao-killings/index.html
What also I find interesting is the ‘shock’ of the media about anything Trump says like “stopping bad hombres” but it’s already been going on with Obama and with previous presidents throughout their history and more and more presidents seem to be doing it openly and with zero penalty or censor from international community. (Hard to censor when they are guilty of it themselves).
My wife just made the observation to me that the “Fallout” series of computer games (set in the post-apocalyptic US) is based on the premise of a Chinese-USA war.
The game involves remnant technology from the war – Remote drones, Power Armour, Energy Weapons, Virtual Reality & Robot military hardware – all things currently in varying stages of real-life development and some probably not all that far away as we seem to be on the cusp of a rapid automation boom/phase.
After the reports of Trump’s conversation with Turnbull, and his casual line about sending troops to the Mexico border, any confrontation with China makes that feel a little too close for comfort.
Just to give you the flavour of how that imaginary war started:
“As the United Nations tried with little success to keep the peace, many of that organization’s member-states pulled out, and within two months of the outbreak of what was soon called the Resource Wars in 2052, the United Nations was disbanded. Next, following the breakdown of trade talks and the unilateral American exploitation of the world’s last newly discovered reserves of crude oil, the Chinese invaded Alaska in 2066 in pursuit of the state’s remaining oil reserves. The United States ultimately annexed Canada in 2076 to ensure Canadian support for its defense of the Alaskan front even as the American federal government acted aggressively against its own citizens to contain wartime rioting, anti-war civil disobedience and military desertion.”
Somehow it doesn’t seen quite so an unlikely scenario any more.
I told her to stop – she was freaking me out! 😉
This bloke’s a right wing hawk and he’s worried.
Fake news!.
/
In a letter to the Dutch parliament on Wednesday, Interior Minister Ronald Plasterk wrote “no shadow of doubt can be allowed to hang over the result” of the March 15 parliamentary poll.
To allay concerns about potential interference, municipalities and electoral regions will now have to tally all votes manually instead of using an automated counting system.
“I cannot rule out that state actors may try to benefit from influencing political decisions and public opinion in the Netherlands,” Plasterk wrote.
http://www.dw.com/en/dutch-to-hand-count-ballots-in-march-vote-due-to-hacking-fears/a-37375137
Come on Joe ,say its not so.
https://www.lrb.co.uk/v39/n03/patrick-cockburn/who-supplies-the-news
Junta in the making.
The military convoy spotted on Sunday flying a Donald Trump flag near Louisville belonged to an East Coast-based SEAL unit, a Navy spokesperson told ABC News.
Military officials have launched an inquiry to determine if any misconduct can be linked to the incident. Regulations do not permit an unauthorized flag on a military vehicle.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/military-convoy-flying-trump-flag-belonged-seal-unit/story?id=45207477
Holy moly that is scary.
Indeed.
And who’s to say the services haven’t been infiltrated in the same way law enforcement has.
In a heavily redacted version of an October 2006 FBI internal intelligence assessment, the agency raised the alarm over white supremacist groups’ “historical” interest in “infiltrating law enforcement communities or recruiting law enforcement personnel.” The effort, the memo noted, “can lead to investigative breaches and can jeopardize the safety of law enforcement sources or personnel.” The memo also states that law enforcement had recently become aware of the term “ghost skins,” used among white supremacists to describe “those who avoid overt displays of their beliefs to blend into society and covertly advance white supremacist causes.” In at least one case, the FBI learned of a skinhead group encouraging ghost skins to seek employment with law enforcement agencies in order to warn crews of any investigations.
https://theintercept.com/2017/01/31/the-fbi-has-quietly-investigated-white-supremacist-infiltration-of-law-enforcement/
Coincidentally, efforts to counter extremists have been sidetracked.
The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a U.S. government program designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism, five people briefed on the matter told Reuters.
The program, “Countering Violent Extremism,” or CVE, would be changed to “Countering Islamic Extremism” or “Countering Radical Islamic Extremism,” the sources said, and would no longer target groups such as white supremacists who have also carried out bombings and shootings in the United States.
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN15G5VO
Oh dear. It’s probably just as well Trump seems to be too lazy to do any background on people he talks to or he would’ve given Turnbull shit about how close he came to losing.
http://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/no-%E2%80%98g%E2%80%99day-mate%E2%80%99-on-call-with-australian-prime-minister-trump-badgers-and-brags/ar-AAmwcU6?li=BBqdg4K&ocid=mailsignout
Robert Guyton
How are things going down south? I am wondering if you can join in our group planning to read E F Schumachers Small is Beautiful over a month and then have an on-line discussion on it? Could you reply and let me know if you can fit it in. It’s something you could do to take a break from the hard yakker in the forest!
Just when I had given up the panel I heard that Rachel Stewart and Gary McCormack were going to be on. At last, two decent people instead of the usual twats.
Garibaldi
You ended up in a different place than you intended as I am talking about a group on TS reading together E F Schumacher Small is Beautiful. That’s the nearest I am coming to a panel.
But since you have turned up, it’s an opportunity to ask – would you be in on this our first go at group informed discussion, which we plan to do at the end of a month reading and extracting good stuff that could raise our political nous? Hope to have a really good discussion together on TS on a Sunday. If you could join in that would be much appreciated. Could you reply and let me know yay or nay, or next time, as if we can get this sort of informed political discussion going on a regular basis it would be a useful aspect giving kudos to TS.
And yes fancy Rachel Stewart being on Mora, lets have more’a of her stripes.
Gary, you like do you. I may have to listen to bring my opinion uptodate.
Sorry greywarshark, I was merely expressing my delight at getting a decnt panel on RNZ.
Thanks for your offer to join your group but I have too many other commitments for the next 3 months.
Thanks Garibaldi for advising.
When are they on?
Paul
I asked on one of my comments if you would be in the reading group that you expressed interest in earlier. Perhaps you didn’t see it so I am asking again.
Could you advise yes or no by replying to this?
You are very interested in the political scene and it would be good to have your comments after the month we have set for reading and noting ideas from E F Schumacher.