It’s a conspiracy by socialist elements in the press to sabotage the leadership prospects of the person best equipped to become National’s next leader after Key …
A toss pot blue nose national party member getting drunk and rude at Hamner Springs – how surprising. It is in fact the only thing these arseholes do well…… be an arsehole
The statement came after allegations emerged that Gilmore called a waiter at the Heritage Hanmer Springs who refused to serve him more wine a “dickhead”, handed over his business card and made a comment along the lines of, “Don’t you know who I am? I’m an important politician”.
Considering National’s fixation of who people are I’d say that that was perfectly accurate summation of what actually happened and what was said.
Hope this wont damage his plans to be PM, he’s got what it takes to lead National clearly, but like all their other losers, running a country would be a another disaster for the future.
Andrew Riches revealed that Gilmore, a National Party backbencher, not only made the comments reported to date, but also threatened to have Prime Minister John Key get the man fired.
Riches said he had been happy to let the matter lie, but had been incensed by Gilmore trying to “shift responsibility” for his poor conduct with a “half-hearted apology”.
Riches confirmed Gilmore make the comment to the Heritage Hanmer Springs hotel waiter along the lines of, “Do you know who I am. I’m an important politician”.
Riches revealed Gilmore also threatened to have the prime minister’s office intervene and end the waiter’s employment.
“By the time this incident occurred, the remainder of our party had left the restaurant and were not connected to these events in any way. I consider attributing blame to any other person to be completely unjustified,” he said.
John Key has received an apology from Gilmore and he says that’s the end of the matter.
Of course it is. Gilmore in his drunken state let a large cat out of the bag. That is, if someone crosses Key, he’s not beyond destroying the person’s career or getting them sacked! It certainly doesn’t surprise me!
Hey . . . c’mon, what’s the fuss? Its not like Gilmore is the National Ltd™ Associate Spokeshole for Health noisily getting pissed while enjoying the hospitality of the tobacco industry by blowing cigar smoke into the face of strangers at a rock concert before getting into a punch up. This guy’s an amateur . . . eh, Jonathan?
The sense of entitlement that some Nats have..
Sources close to the Heritage Hanmer Springs hotel said Gilmore called a waiter a “dickhead”, handed over his business card and made a comment along the lines of “Don’t you know who I am? I’m an important politician.”
“Important politician.” Now thats an Oxymoron. And judging from the reports then the Oxy should be dropped, and what do we have? Just some lowly back bench sprat politician, who is overinflated with his own sense of self importance, IE being a Moron.
I am sure there used to be a retreat for rehabilitation out there somewhere – was closed in 2003, though it would appear it should be considered for reopening…
Shameful behaviour from Radio New Zealand this a.m.
During the live interview discussing youth rates and collective bargaining involving the Supermarket duopoly in New Zealand, RNZ showed just how pathetic they have become.
All because facts were being broadcast to the people, the interview got shut down mid-syllable.
If RNZ are questioned on the behaviour, I predict they would say it was for the time share consideration of the next vital interview. What was the next vital interview? Horse trials at Badminton! An exceptionally crucial and relevant topic that undoubtedly affects the future of New Zealand and obviousy deserves more attention than the oppression of youth and non-unionised workers.
RNZ, fast becoming the Fox News of the South Pacific
It was a bit abrupt. Sounds like he was told to pull the plug when she started on a tangent about the benefits of unionism in general, rather than sticking to this particular example.
The really disturbing thing though is that it appears this employer, while not planning to use the youth rate, is looking to cut all existing wages down to the adult minimum.
and that is the precise moment when the host abruptly and unprofessionally cut the interview off.
All that had been mentioned was the two to three dollar difference between the wage levels in the collective contract and the isolated and increasingly vulnerable employees who work for the other hand on the pantry door.
really not a good look from our Public Broadcaster
Yeah I would have enjoyed hearing a much longer in depth discussion about the benefits of union membership and how it relates to this issue too. There are many, many discussions that could have been had on many topics related to this event.
However this is soundbite media.
You stray from the immediate topic at hand and it’s over because you can’t be easily slotted into the preordained narrative. Especially after 4 minutes of primtime.
Yes it’s dumb, yes it’s unhelpful, but it’s also very well understood. The union representative, as a professional, should have known better.
No, I’d prefer longer discussions in the media because it takes time to explore complex issues. In a soundbite format people are only really able to discuss things that are already widely understood.
That not only puts a great limitation on the range of subjects that can be discussed and linked together, but over time it also has a sort of negative exponential effect. How do you learn anything if you only get to hear people talk about things you already know?
That’s how people end up like you and burt and big bruv.
“In a soundbite format people are only really able to discuss things that are already widely understood.”
reminds me of the new improved google search, image search in particular
[we will show you a wide selection of results harvested from a diverse field of data which once we have done our bit will basically tell you what you have already looked at! Oh did you want to discover something you did not already know? Sorry, we don’t do that any more]
imagine your old fashioned card catalogue of your public library,
now imagine the percentage of total cards you may have once looked at,
now imagine that is all you are ever allowed to access ever again and you get the picture,
or not as the case may be
The government has already flouted two of the UN’s Human Rights.
.#12 the right to privacy
#20 the right to assemble.
What ‘s one more?
I wonder if we’ll hear the corporate media talk about ‘big brother state’after all that nonsense we had to listen about nanny state.
Well if they (unions) were banned then it’s “Herr Fuhrer” ShonKey Python. New Zealand would not stand for it. The result is obvious. A vast majority of New Zealanders would physically stand up in defiance of “Herr Fuhrer” and the security forces called in to put them down. It would be a constitutional assault justifying sharp fightback.
There is a class war going on. Fundamentally the warring parties are (1) an entitled, born to rule but not on account of breeding, and (2) the rest of us.
Pus eventually explodes outwards and dribbles away, giving relief. This will happen. There are all the signs. ShonKey Python Rules !
Llanthanide.
Then he shouldn’t have asked her a question so close to the end of her time. I thought he was thoroughly unprofessional. I would like to see her interviewed on Campbell Live.
Yes Lanthanide I am sure we are all aware of that which is obvious and well understood, but interviews are rarely cut off so abruptly, never mid syllable and never without an apology or such like from the host. What we heard this morning was kill switch journalism and it was wrong, unprofessional and a little worrying when we project to 2014.
I’ve heard them do it before on Morning Report, and also on Checkpoint in the afternoons. Not too often, but it does happen occasionally. In this case Geoff did say “thanks for speaking to us” (or similar) and she carried on anyway; most people are polite enough to stop talking at that point.
Seems it’s only a big deal when it’s a topic you care about, so clearly RNZ must be biased, when actually the most obvious answer is simply time constraints.
I really believe I am not being unjustly selective in my interpretation of what I heard.
It was kill switch journalism, it was rude and it was damned unncessary considering the snail like pace of the Badmintion event interview that followed it.
I didn’t hear that particular Radionz interview. But if they have booked someone to give a report on the Horse Trials where wer may be winners also, then they are bound to be fair to the respondent speaking about it. They won’t get co-operation or be able to present the range of topics planned if they go too long over time on one.
I don’t think that comparisons with Fox are justified.
“I don’t think that comparisons with Fox are justified.”
For dramatic effect I was applying an obvious exaggeration by comparison to illustrate the everdiminishing quality of news content that is being excreted from our Public Broadcaster.
Imagine another two to five years of government intervention and control of the Christchurch CBD….. Already the move back is sagging and build costs skyrocketing. People and businesses are saying right now “no thanks, we’ll stay put”. The only people and buildings in the CBD will be Council and government offices – not overly exciting.
On top of that of course the blueprint sought to “shore up” land values byt heavily restricting land use, so speculative land prices are through the roof.
Upshot of this interference equals slowing the rebuild to such an extent that it may not even happen. The donut ghost town.
the risk is as real as this morning’s dawn. don’t count on the sparkly new city folks
It’s been obvious that this was a slow motion train crash from the start.
The moment you let so much time elapse and let the insurance companies gait the tempo of activity, and allow businesses, jobs and families to wither on the vine and go away, you’re fucked. Declining population base, declining rates base, declining morale.
The people adding to Christchurch now don’t see Christchurch as a new home.
Yep. I wonder whether the earthquakes and subsequent demolition of pretty much the entire CBD has been too much. The whole act is too massive for a population to take. The job of rebuild too big. The timeframes too long. It may be that we have lost forever one of our cities (as the CBD and Chch were).
VTO – My contention has always been, and will remain, that there was NO intention to rebuild Christchurch, to any standard which would create a desireable *second city*.
I expect that agenda was set from the get go, and I don’t see Christchurch being allowed to have any remnants of the elected council, anytime soon either!
There have been many agendas. One notable one, which suspiciouns were raised about and confirmed recently with a talk with a senior banking person in the city…… the blueprint acted to shore up land values in the city so that owners and lenders on that property wouldn’t dip out financially. One clear agenda enacted. Fact.
And as long as the derivatives markets continue unabated, there is no end in sight to the schemes which will be dreamed up, to *shore up* markets, of all kinds. The potential losses, from all forms of speculative gambling, have to be propped up, by more conventional lines of business, until the time is right to collapse of course!
What this translates into, is suffering, misery and so on, for the overwhelming majority of people, regardless of where in the world they reside!
It isn’t just a case of ‘suspicions’ over the Frame and Anchor projects being designed to shore up land prices in the designated ‘retail precinct’ – it was admitted from the origins of the Blueprint.
Don Miskell, somewhat naively, seemed overjoyed that CERA’s economists not only approved of a ‘Frame’ but then proceeded to expand its proposed width markedly – and all in order to increase land values in the remainder of the city. Miskell saw it as ‘win-win’ (economic benefit in terms of land values and ‘environmental benefit’ in terms of the so-called ‘green frame’).
The argument was that only by reducing land supply artificially could the ‘critical mass’ of investment drive recovery. As you pointed out in another comment, reports now are that it’s had exactly the opposite effect – of course this was predictable, but, presumably deliberately, had been denied until now.
It was a remarkably bold, duplicitous, agenda-driven process from the get go. I’ve blogged several times about the process and am (over)due to do another.
On the broader question, I tend to the view that the government did indeed also see this as an opportunity to castrate Christchurch politically and disempower its population in order to ensure the ‘economic goldrush’ for the province’s resources (including but not restricted to water) would proceed and accelerate, only meeting ineffectual, unorganised opposition from stressed people being pulled in a hundred different directions and having few formal avenues to engage in the political decision making process.
Dismantling communities, destabilising locales, encouraging ‘sprawl’, importing transient labour and all of the other socially fragmenting features of this planned ‘recovery’ serve the political right – and, frankly, crony capitalism – extremely well.
The fewer natural opportunities and structures there are for people to form common interests the better, for the right. This is known instinctively by most right-wing politicians and, by many of them, it’s known quite explicitly (e.g., wedge politics, divide and conquer, etc.).
I presume you’re responding to vto but I think this link to the Central City Blueprint reveals that vto’s contention about the aim of increasing land values is no conspiracy theory. On page 35 it reads:
“The Frame in tandem with zoning provisions, reduces the extent of the central city commercial area so that the oversupply of land is addressed. It will help to increase the value of properties generally across the central city in a way that regulations to contain the central core, or new zoning decisions, could not. The Frame helps to deliver a more compact core while diversifying opportunities for investment and development. The Frame allows the Core to expand in the future if there is demand for housing or commercial development.
Is the central city blueprint a ‘quality link’? If not – and I understand why you might be wary of it given its glossy nature – here’s an article in which Don Miskell is interviewed about how the frame came to be.
“We looked at the map and thought, well, Latimer Square is 80m wide. Let’s lengthen that all the way up to the river.‘
Hesitantly they put their suggestion to the CCDU and were astounded by the response. “They said great idea. But no. Not nearly wide enough. And that was their investment guys!”
Miskell says this is where the advantage of having all the experts in the one place really showed. Cera’s economics team could see angles that Blueprint’s architects and urban planners could not imagine.]
The economists said a much fatter park strip – one a whole 220m, or an entire city block wide – would have the double benefit of creating green amenity in that part of town while also mopping up the excess land.”
Couple good posts there mr puddleglum. The “investment guys and the economists”, who effectively delivered that scenario to Christchurch (and how many of them maybe 3 or 4 or more?), have of course caused the current malaise.
It is the old story of outsiders thinking they know better. And Wellingtonians no doubt of course too. And the old story of having people who don’t pay the bills make the decisions – or rather having absolutely no input from the people who do pay the bills and live in the place. Example “having all the experts in the one place really showed. Cera’s economics team could see angles that Blueprint’s architects and urban planners could not imagine”
For fucks sake, the economics team, the architects, the urban planners…..
And now it continues – apparently tomorrow the Press has the 50 Power People in Chch and it is dominated by people from outside Christchurch (government through cera eqc and of course the ecan fuck).
The power should be resting with the people who live there, not elsewhere.
This is fundamental.
It was described immediately post-earthquake throughout the media as one of the most important components of a recovery.
It’s amazing how easily it can happen. The pattern seems to be that a core group (relatively small) have a very clear goal/agenda. They then package it in a way that they can entice and recruit to their project a penumbra of professional ‘gnomes’ who, for all sorts of reasons, commit to the process.
These ‘gnomes’ – ‘good’, professional people, technocrats, experts, etc. pursuing their own careers and limelight – can conjur in their minds all sorts of worthy reasons why what they are doing will, ultimately, benefit the masses, even if what they are doing so thoroughly excludes the masses.
I imagine they genuinely don’t think there is an agenda from the ‘core’ group that is at odds with the interests of the ‘masses’ – largely because it serves the ‘gnomic’ class’ interests to be in denial about any such agenda. To acknowledge such an agenda would cause unbearable cognitive dissonance and, potentially, exclude them from such an exciting – often career-enhancing – ‘Big Project’.
It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for many of these people. It must be quite intoxicating so far as the social status it offers to them and the sense of making an ‘impact’ on the world.
It all highlights what an amazing city central Christchurch was. Which should highlight to all other communities that what they have in the scape, the buildings, the people, the routes and byways, the lanes and streets, the bridges, intersections, schools, theatres, restrooms, garages, trees, old trees, shops and hotels, the acknowledgements and hellos and nods and handshakes all in a space borne from the natural growth of a population, is something to treasure. It is a life, a culture, a tradition and heritage, a haven, home, workplace, meeting place, it is all of these things done to a a state that only long time does…………….
Your comment makes no sense, TC. Perhaps you were trying (and failing) to be humorous?
Mosquitos are a delivery mechanism, not the cause. Malaria, and the others listed, are diseases of poverty, as I’m sure you actually know. Very few cases of TB in Remeura, as far as I can tell. So, in a time of austerity, it’s hardly a surprise that impoverished neighborhoods, cities and countries see a lift in cases of diseases related to pisspoor living conditions.
Rather than take the default right wing view of the poor, why don’t you try being contrarian?
Well, I’ve got my money on the changing environment causing malaria borne mosquitos to expand their territory and growing antibiotic resistance to be causing the spread of Malaria as opposed to austerity measures.
You’ll note I only mentioned malaria and didn’t mention TB or the other listed diseases as well as the fact I haven’t taken any view of the poor, left or right, so I’d say your comment is a bit of a strawman.
Well, austerity could plausibly (meaning clearly pulling this out of my arse) result in decreased public health funding for projects such as education campaigns about standing water, delayed treatment and neglected prophylactic treatment, and localised pest eradication schemes.
So there is actually a reasonable theoretical link between austerity and malaria, regardless of the actual vector of the organism.
“The harms we have found include HIV and malaria outbreaks, shortages of essential medicines, lost healthcare access, and an avoidable epidemic of alcohol abuse, depression and suicide,” he said in a statement. “Austerity is having a devastating effect.”
It apparently data mines an array of historical case studies from a range of countries to come to the conclusion that, from a public health perspective, people’s circumstances, wellbeing and health can improve even in economic downturns so long as austerity is not used as a policy tool. When it is, public health takes a big hit.
The British commenter this morning I think Matthew Parish, said that Ed Milliband came poorly out of a recent interview. He said that Labour would alter VAT I think he said that they would drop it for a year. When asked where he would get the Billions of pounds that would be foregone he dodged the question, and couldn’t come up with a definite plan to manage the Budget. It doesn’t look good for British Labour.
Labour all around the world are timid about making a simple statement that the allocation of wealth in society needs to change from the top end to the middle.
The trouble was that his timidity seemed to stem from a lack of any plan to meet the gap between receiving present income from VAT and the sudden loss of it.
There’s a hole in the bucket dear Liza dear Liza – Henry has to fix it with a straw. Is that the strawman that gets mentioned on this site quite often? I’m trying to keep amused with anything that comes to mind as the ship appears to be steadily sinking and most people are reacting by being sadder or madder or both. Let the musicians play diverting songs!
Its madness…there is a massive thieving under taxed financial centre in London…that and reversing the Tories income tax cuts…plus UNCUT UK have quite a few ideas too…I mean this stuff is not rocket science.
City of London, can only be considered *under taxed*, if it is part of the jurisdiction which HMRC lords over!
Should City of London, or more accurately the corporations/institutions which a registered there, be outside the jurisdiction of HMRC, then whatever taxation is paid, can only be deemed, appropriate!
That will be the same Matthew Parish who recently told Kathryn Ryan that Margaret Thatcher was the most important post-war British Prime Minister and he would know since the highlight of his career as a Tory MP was being her loyal letter opener.
Gawd, coming back to civilisation every now and then leaves moi dumbfounded at manwomankind and its perverted ways. For something to take you back to the raw beauty of nature and its brutal honesty check this http://www.surf.co.nz/tv/977 I posted it here some time ago but it has reared its head as a repeat on this other site. Go wide screen and lose yourself lest you get lost in the wrong world…..
And to think when the World becomes absent of people, the ocean will still be surging and tumbling and foaming away according to its own agenda. Magnificent joe.
Press Release: Sue Henry Spokesperson for the Housing Lobby
“Say NO to democracy for salivating property developers.”
“There will never be positive advancements for the public majority of the Auckland region as long as we have political party ticket monopolies sitting in the Council Chamber,” says Sue Henry Spokesperson, for the Housing Lobby
“The faces may change ever three years while both party tickets play ‘pass the parcel’ and bulldoze through the failed ideology of housing intensification from the 2004 ‘Central Sector Agreement’ and former ARC ‘Regional Policy Statement’ .
“It is scandalous the way both tickets have extended this housing intensification proposal deep into the heart of well-established residential areas, ignoring vigorous community opposition,” she continues.
“We need a fresh approach away from slums and leaky chilly-bin houses.
Whose interests are being served?
The public majority or salivating property developers?”
Well, if we go the way that National wants – the land bankers, the banks and the oil companies and a few others that will benefit from the inflated costs that come with sprawl but not the people of Auckland.
If we go the other way, which we really don’t have a choice about, the people of Auckland and not the land bankers, the banks and the oil companies. Actually, the banks will win no matter what happens because they get to print money.
By 9 May 2013 – I should get my Privacy Act reply as to whether or not I am one of the 88 New Zealanders who has been unlawfully spied upon by the GCSB.
For those who are interested in our country being clever and getting business and enterprise going and getting jobs and lots of working people getting wages to a reassonable standard instead of seeing NZs being represented cows’ sweet faces (the Jersey ones I mean with long eyelashes) in large advertisements all around the place, well…
There was an interesting interview on Radio NZ this morning with a woman who has spent about ten years in New York and come back here to live and she has looked at how the ORs (Overseas Residents) are treated back here. 24,000 come back each year, recently anyway. And are their ideas, their expertise etc being welcomed, embraced and utilised?
For more exciting details try Radionz 9 to Noon this Thursday the 2nd, if you can get on to the Radionz site, and once there on to the details of the interview. I couldn’t and I don’t have all day to get the full information.
But this woman has good stuff that needs to be beard.
Maori TV have posted the film on their site and have the rights to show it 5 more times — we will at some point, release the film on DVD as it has strong educational potential. However, if I can eke out the time! we intend to edit a feature version for the NZ International Film Festival (about 70 mins). As always making documentary, one always has heaps of footage left on the cutting room floor and it would be good to incorporate more aspects of the story, and let it breathe a little more. TV tends to clip along at the faster pace while cinema can take its time.
Thanks for all the support.
John Lancashire (see last para) giving comments about our dire biosecurity lack-of-system in Radio NZ Rural News today Thursday 2/5. Midday Rural News for 2 May 2013 News from the rural and farming sectors. (7′40″) http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ruralnews
He was excoriating about it (good word – we should be using it a lot with political degenerates as we have now). He also seems to be talking factually and his judgment seems sound. Apparently the latest money-saving conflation of government work and responsibility is to bring together Biosecurity and Biodiversity. Both of which he thinks are vitally important and need separate monitoring and understandings.
We are so full of shit in this country. It seems to become more obvious daily from what we hear coming from people who have wormed their way into positions of power and supposed interest in serving the country and the citizens. I don’t know if the rough measure so often used of 80/20% applies but it seems to me that the reliable and thoughtful people are down to the smallest minority. We need to change so much – get responsible people in power – how?
Serious weaknesses identified in NZ’s biosecurity system
from Nine To Noon on Friday 1 March 2013
John Lancashire, immediate past president of New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science; and Rob Thode, a Te Puke kiwifruit grower whose orchard was infected with PSA.
Duration: 21′30″ Play (Windows) Play (Other) Download: Ogg Vorbis MP3
It’s getting vomit inducing having to listen to these self-interest groups explaining how unfair it is that their income stream plans are being disrupted. It’s as if God has told them it’s their right to fleece electricity users ffs.
There’s plenty of other ‘shares’ to gamble on, and there are even casinos around too.
Vomit inducing is right. It’s more than a little disheartening that basically nobody in the MSM is calling them on their BS. The whole thing has really underscored how economically-far-right NZ has become. On a positive note, I suspect that it won’t matter what National etc say, most people get this issue and realise that National is only concerned for shareholders and no-one else.
Delivery days probably should be cut as more and more mail becomes electronic but, in saying, there are still people (elderly for example) who might require a full service.
And burt, being the idiot and economic ignoramus that he is, fails to understand the problem. The problem being that the decline in physical mail has brought about the fact that the volume can no longer support the legal requirements of 6 delivery days per week.
He also failed to read the article – it seems that the bank is doing fine but it would do better with the government investing more in it. It seems that burt is so stupid that he doesn’t realise that a successful business requires ongoing investment.
Hey Draco, did you know it is possible to point out misunderstandings or incorrect statements without saying things like “burt is so stupid” and “eing the idiot and economic ignoramus that he is”.
TheContrarian, in fact you may not be seeing the whole picture. Conservatives often lack the cognitive ability to understand logical challenges to their opinions. In such cases, emotional approaches may yield better results.
Take the mass of resources available to schools for combating that archetypal wingnut philosophy, racism, for example:
…videos and films that are realistic and present authentic characters can be effective tools. Students are drawn to characters who experience real feelings about the impact of intolerance. “Heroic” characters represent role models whose positive attitudes or behavioral changes can be emulated by students. These tools should be used with the intent to have students identify and empathize with such characters and facilitated discussions and debriefings can reinforce the negative effects of prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination. In many instances the most effective media tools are those that were not explicitly designed to “teach about prejudice and discrimination”.
The study then presented participants with a real-world choice: With a fixed amount of money in their wallet, respondents had to “buy” either an old-school lightbulb or an efficient compact florescent bulb (CFL), the same kind Bachmann railed against. Both bulbs were labeled with basic hard data on their energy use, but without a translation of that into climate pros and cons. When the bulbs cost the same, and even when the CFL cost more, conservatives and liberals were equally likely to buy the efficient bulb. But slap a message on the CFL’s packaging that says “Protect the Environment,” and “we saw a significant drop-off in more politically moderates and conservatives choosing that option,” said study author Dena Gromet, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
This is basically where burt is at. As far as he’s concerned anything state owned is bad and so he will treat as such even if doing so hurts him.
He also failed to read the article – it seems that the bank is doing fine but it would do better with the government investing more in it.
Yes… lets extract some more tax payers funds to prop up a business that’s having trouble in a competitive market… Better still – lets kill off all competition and mandate state control over the sector… Seems to be the right approach for electricity – why not banking ?
Question: Has there ever been a year when KiwiBank didn’t require capital to stay operational and fund all that TV advertising?
Advertising that it’s NZ owned and looking after the best interests of NZ by sucking up tax payer dollars in some grand charade that it’s competitive and making a difference to the behaviour of the “big banks” that just keep recording massive profits while “our bank” needs capital from tax payers ?
Those apologies came after one of his dining companions, Christchurch lawyer Andrew Riches confirmed he’d left a note at the hotel the following morning apologising for Mr Gilmore’s behaviour.
Mr Gilmore allegedly called the waiter a “dickhead” when he refused him more wine and gave him his business card saying something like “Don’t you know who I am? I’m an important politician”, The Press reported today.
It has also been suggested this morning that Mr Gilmore told the waiter he would tell the Prime Minister’s office about the waiter’s behaviour and have him sacked.
Mr Riches this afternoon confirmed to the Herald he’d heard Mr Gilmore use words to that effect to the waiter.
Mr Riches also said he was disappointed that Mr Gilmore had apologised for his group’s behaviour when it was “absolutely” his own behaviour that was in question.
“It’s a shame because I thought this could just lie, he could apologise and that would be the end of it, but to sort of blame everyone else!”
He told the Herald that two of the four in Mr Gilmore’s group had left by the time of the incident.
“It was because most of the group had already left, he was cut off service, he did the old, “do you know who I am, I’m an MP”.
If you read the article carefully. he’s not really taking responsibility…
“As a group of diners our behaviour was at times boisterous, and I sincerely apologise for any offence this may have caused to staff and/or patrons”.
No individual apology for his own specific actions, which have been outlined in some detail.
Just a general apology on the part of the group.
If he does not apologise fully, this story will keep running.
He hasn’t even apologised for them either. “I apologise for any offence caused” is a Clayton’s apology. If he means it he’ll apologise for his own behaviour not what he imagines to be someone else’s state of mind.
PS: The same apology, in fact, that Little and Mallard offered Collins; a gesture of contempt 🙂
Yup. A letter has been sent to Duncan Garner from Andrew Riches, one of the Hanmer group.
And Garner makes a suggestion to John Key to get rid of him.
It’s not a good look.
While “some inappropriate comments might seem to have been made”, they had been apologised for, he said. – Herald
Yes but not by him. Must have caught that infection from his Leader?
The Chartered Financial Analyst Institute yesterday told the Herald Mr Gilmore was not a member, although he listed membership as part of his list of educational and professional qualifications on his parliamentary web page.
And yeah, that’s a Clayton’s apology. Two strikes, I’m sure there’s a third in there somewhere.
Do you notice how Matthew Hooton always uses the term the Green/Labour axis?
He is clearly trying to control language and introduce new slogans for the right?
1. The use of axis, which has negative connotations because this was the term given to the German alliance in World War 2.
2. By using Green before Labour, he is trying to wind up Labour supporters.
Forget Hooton, – he is nothing more than tool in the box of the estabishment, as soon as there is no more use for him, he will be on the scapheap.
Does that make me feel good, no , not really, Hooton is a human being too, but has chosen sides, and now has to see it through to the inevitable conclusion.
Use of the word axis, is as you point out, Paul, and Draco, also!
looks like the MP’s aren’t the only drunks
This has to be the worst edited articles ever in the Herald, or was it simply unproofed.
It is just a long string of variants of the same handful of sentences.
Looks like it mickysavage. It suggests the swinging voters are swinging more wildly than ever. Not a good sign. They’re ripe for NAct manipulation and we’re seeing this happen with increasing frequency. Eg.. the far left wolf-whistle.
To my knowledge no senior Labour politician has seriously addressed this load of crap. They ignore it at their peril.
What polling needs to be written off? The polling where a 4 point bump for labour still takes them only half way down to their previous election result?
But that’s part of it – Will labour be in government next year, with shearer as pm?
I think the chances are pretty good. And really, unless shearer’s campaign is akin to Brash or Banks, I’m not sure Cunliffe (assuming that was your ABC reference) would make the slightest difference
There’s always secret challenges brewing. It’s politics after all.
“Will labour be in government next year, with shearer as pm?”
Nope.
“unless shearer’s campaign is akin to Brash or Banks”
And you think he’s better, how? Don’t bother, I’ll just photoshop an extra plank into his head shots and we’ll all agree he’s bad, but not in a good way.
“I’m not sure Cunliffe (assuming that was your ABC reference) would make the slightest difference”
Them who made the decision must take the blame, and abc will know this, hopefully sooner rather than later. Fuck judgement day, that’s so last week. I’m waiting for consequence day.
You remind me of fundies expecting armageddon to happen on date XXXX.
Every time things go badly, it’s a portent of imminent doom.
Every time things improve, it’s a blip and armageddon has been rescheduled for the morrow.
I’m not “lowering expectations”. My expectation is a labour/green government.
There is nothing in RM, colmar brunton, or Reid Research (TV3) trends to indicate that this is not a likely outcome in 2014.
No matter how desperate you are for labour to fail or the world to end.
Well I can imagine that on a billboard – “Not as bad as Brash or Banks”. The irony will surely capture that vital hipster demographic. Maybe Shearer and Robertson should start growing handlebar moustaches, wear enormous spectacle frames, skinny trousers and and drink Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.
Actually, this could go really well: “I’m David Shearer, you’ve probably never heard of me.”
the Nats PR clobbering machine is just warming up over NZ Power, and Labour counter punches have been light weight. I’m with Al1en, this ride is going to be rough. Go Greens, go Mana.
Well it does suggest the tv3 poll was a better reflection of the sentiment than tv1. Guess well have to wait for the next round from them. Of course if labor was doing well post power policy, maybe they could tell us their numbers. Who polls for them these days anyway now umr is gone (assuming they are?).
Actually it doesn’t suggest anything of the sort. TV3 claimed that National would be able to govern alone on their last poll results. Gary Morgan makes the point that even with this bounce in the Roy Morgan, Labour and its coalition partners would be more likely to form government than National.
Colin Craig’s Clint moment? Bomber just asked him on Citizen A, about Auckland’s Transport funding issues, “What would Jesus do?” Craig collapses with a snorty giggle – no idea.
You seem to be asking questions based on the premise that these boards and their directors wish to build strong ongoing businesses. And yes, some do.
But with many others, it helps to view their activities from the standpoint of conducting a bank heist in progress. Then you’ll find that their activities make far more sense.
I think it’s a good thing that John Minto is standing as an Auckland Mayoral candidate – he will be able to promote Mana policies which will help focus on the most vulnerable of the 99%.
That will also help to raise the profile of Mana, and their policies before the 2014 General Election.
As I did in 2010 as an Auckland Mayoral candidate – I will be focusing on how the $upercity has been a corrupt corporate coup – and how to take back the Auckland region from the control of the 1%.
I tried to warn you folks as an Auckland Mayoral candidate in 2010 – that the Auckland $upercity would be a SUPER RIPOFF – a super public trough, for fewer but bigger private snouts.
Where was I wrong?
Have YOUR rates gone UP or DOWN?
______________________________________________________________________________
Why I stood as an Auckland Mayoral candidate in 2010:
Proven track record, as a successful Occupy Auckland Appellant (in my own name) in fighting the corporate 1% who run the Auckland region, ‘like a business – for business’:
EVIDENCE in the following High Court document – exposing the role of the unelected Committee for Auckland, of which the CEO for Auckland Council, Doug McKay is a member.
(So – whose interests is he serving?
The majority of citizens and ratepayers – or his corporate mates?)
PS: My defended hearing in the above-mentioned Court case on the charge of ‘willful trespass’ for occupying John Banks electoral office on 18 June 2013 – has been adjourned until 27 September 2013 🙂
A panel, chaired by Key’s scientific adviser Sir Peter Gluckman, advises of the impact climate change could have on the Antarctic, and thus on NZ and it’s economy.
The panel recognised that of all the various potential risks New Zealand faced, a dramatic change in Southern Ocean currents driven by changes in the Antarctic ice sheet, “would have far more dramatic influence on our economy, through changes in the climate and rainfall patterns, than any of us had realised”.
“Therefore, given that we are uniquely committed and associated with Antarctic research, and given our leadership in that area, it was self-evident that to protect our future as a country, we need to understand what’s going to happen in the Southern Ocean far better than we do now,” Sir Peter said.
Despite concerns about the issue, it attracted relatively little funding in the current financial year.
A cabinet paper by Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce calculated that only $4.1 million was spent on research areas connected with the deep south challenge in 2012/13, out of the $523 million provided through contestable funding and crown research institutes. Those figures did not include research funded through the tertiary education sector and other government agencies.
“A young unskilled person is disadvantaged in competing against more experienced and trained people in the labour market. Starting wages help young people gain experience and better equip them to be able to compete on stronger terms.”
So where does the more experienced and trained person go ? And wait a few months/year and see these organisations that are currently commenting that they will still continue to pay min wage will be?
‘Young’ is a superfluous word. E.g. an any, particularly and older, unskilled, inexperienced pak’n’save stacker is easily as disadvantaged as young unskilled, inexperienced pak’n’save stacker when competing against more experienced and trained people. That’s why there are pay grades.
Why do we let these people making excuses that lead to lower wages based on age get away with this?
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
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The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
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Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
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In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
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Nooooooo …
It’s a conspiracy by socialist elements in the press to sabotage the leadership prospects of the person best equipped to become National’s next leader after Key …
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8621657/Apology-over-MPs-flare-up-in-restaurant
Sure it wasn’t Reece Witherspoon in disguise?
Or a GCSB agent gone rogue?
The last I heard, they were all “rogue”
A toss pot blue nose national party member getting drunk and rude at Hamner Springs – how surprising. It is in fact the only thing these arseholes do well…… be an arsehole
I like how Aaron had a bottle and a half which leaves about half a bottle each for everyone else.
Still, he’s pretty sure it was one of the others being a drunk fool and not him. Sort of anyway, can’t really remember.
Yes, did the wine maths too and wondered. I imagine Aaron’s spent hours thinking how to come up with that pack of cover up lies. Pathetic.
He apparently feels some connection with Christchurch East. Drunk in a restaurant in Hanmer is about as close as he gets to there.
Imperator fish seems to have inside knowledge …
http://www.imperatorfish.com/2013/05/a-day-in-life-of-aaron-gilmore-mp.html
Considering National’s fixation of who people are I’d say that that was perfectly accurate summation of what actually happened and what was said.
Hope this wont damage his plans to be PM, he’s got what it takes to lead National clearly, but like all their other losers, running a country would be a another disaster for the future.
And it gets worse.
What a dick. Typical born to rule tory.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8621657/Lawyer-unfairly-tarnished-by-Gilmore
John Key has received an apology from Gilmore and he says that’s the end of the matter.
Of course it is. Gilmore in his drunken state let a large cat out of the bag. That is, if someone crosses Key, he’s not beyond destroying the person’s career or getting them sacked! It certainly doesn’t surprise me!
‘
Hey . . . c’mon, what’s the fuss? Its not like Gilmore is the National Ltd™ Associate Spokeshole for Health noisily getting pissed while enjoying the hospitality of the tobacco industry by blowing cigar smoke into the face of strangers at a rock concert before getting into a punch up. This guy’s an amateur . . . eh, Jonathan?
The sense of entitlement that some Nats have..
Sources close to the Heritage Hanmer Springs hotel said Gilmore called a waiter a “dickhead”, handed over his business card and made a comment along the lines of “Don’t you know who I am? I’m an important politician.”
A politician sure. Important? Best laugh of the morning.
Yes, the oxymoron is moronic. More importantly it demonstrates the out of touch Wellington beltway self centred mindset and ego of some MPs.
Of the people, for the people? Gotta be dreaming.
Gilmore ranks 54 within the National party… He will be gone at the next election.
He might not be ranked so low on the 2014 list.
Flattery through imitation, I think
Perhaps. On the other hand, it looks like it might be time to check who is next on the current list.
Ten percent ox, ninety percent moron
Nah Allen……..you missed out the 20% rhymes with ox starts with p.
“Important politician.” Now thats an Oxymoron. And judging from the reports then the Oxy should be dropped, and what do we have? Just some lowly back bench sprat politician, who is overinflated with his own sense of self importance, IE being a Moron.
Hanmer Springs
I am sure there used to be a retreat for rehabilitation out there somewhere – was closed in 2003, though it would appear it should be considered for reopening…
(Should be) fatally clanging ! That it should be at Hanmer Springs of all places ?
Was last in that spot 49 years ago. Hot pools etc. Great for kids.
You know what ? In the whole five days I took the waters there I never met a single drunken , entitled, prat.
Plenty of former drinkers taking therapy at the rehab that used to be there.
But not one entitled prat !
Shameful behaviour from Radio New Zealand this a.m.
During the live interview discussing youth rates and collective bargaining involving the Supermarket duopoly in New Zealand, RNZ showed just how pathetic they have become.
All because facts were being broadcast to the people, the interview got shut down mid-syllable.
If RNZ are questioned on the behaviour, I predict they would say it was for the time share consideration of the next vital interview. What was the next vital interview? Horse trials at Badminton! An exceptionally crucial and relevant topic that undoubtedly affects the future of New Zealand and obviousy deserves more attention than the oppression of youth and non-unionised workers.
RNZ, fast becoming the Fox News of the South Pacific
+1
It was a bit abrupt. Sounds like he was told to pull the plug when she started on a tangent about the benefits of unionism in general, rather than sticking to this particular example.
The really disturbing thing though is that it appears this employer, while not planning to use the youth rate, is looking to cut all existing wages down to the adult minimum.
and that is the precise moment when the host abruptly and unprofessionally cut the interview off.
All that had been mentioned was the two to three dollar difference between the wage levels in the collective contract and the isolated and increasingly vulnerable employees who work for the other hand on the pantry door.
really not a good look from our Public Broadcaster
Yeah I would have enjoyed hearing a much longer in depth discussion about the benefits of union membership and how it relates to this issue too. There are many, many discussions that could have been had on many topics related to this event.
However this is soundbite media.
You stray from the immediate topic at hand and it’s over because you can’t be easily slotted into the preordained narrative. Especially after 4 minutes of primtime.
Yes it’s dumb, yes it’s unhelpful, but it’s also very well understood. The union representative, as a professional, should have known better.
Is the reason you wanted to hear more about the benefits of union membership because you are currently unsure that it has any value?
No, I’d prefer longer discussions in the media because it takes time to explore complex issues. In a soundbite format people are only really able to discuss things that are already widely understood.
That not only puts a great limitation on the range of subjects that can be discussed and linked together, but over time it also has a sort of negative exponential effect. How do you learn anything if you only get to hear people talk about things you already know?
That’s how people end up like you and burt and big bruv.
So you were disappointed that Nat radio couldn’t be used as a machine of propaganda…got it.
Beautifully illustrated, thanks.
“In a soundbite format people are only really able to discuss things that are already widely understood.”
reminds me of the new improved google search, image search in particular
[we will show you a wide selection of results harvested from a diverse field of data which once we have done our bit will basically tell you what you have already looked at! Oh did you want to discover something you did not already know? Sorry, we don’t do that any more]
imagine your old fashioned card catalogue of your public library,
now imagine the percentage of total cards you may have once looked at,
now imagine that is all you are ever allowed to access ever again and you get the picture,
or not as the case may be
I hate people like you who want to outlaw trade unions and collective bargaining.
Its just around the corner folks, soon unions will be banned. I have been saying this since 2004.
Not sure unions can be banned.
Bill of Rights guarantees the freedom of association so you’d have to get around that first.
that one would want to is what is called a tell
The government has already flouted two of the UN’s Human Rights.
.#12 the right to privacy
#20 the right to assemble.
What ‘s one more?
I wonder if we’ll hear the corporate media talk about ‘big brother state’after all that nonsense we had to listen about nanny state.
Well if they (unions) were banned then it’s “Herr Fuhrer” ShonKey Python. New Zealand would not stand for it. The result is obvious. A vast majority of New Zealanders would physically stand up in defiance of “Herr Fuhrer” and the security forces called in to put them down. It would be a constitutional assault justifying sharp fightback.
There is a class war going on. Fundamentally the warring parties are (1) an entitled, born to rule but not on account of breeding, and (2) the rest of us.
Pus eventually explodes outwards and dribbles away, giving relief. This will happen. There are all the signs. ShonKey Python Rules !
Ignore that ConKing Response.
That woman Maxine Gay pretty much got her point across and was also attractively ardent in doing that.
Actually the radio does run on a schedule with allotted times for each story. She used her time up.
Llanthanide.
Then he shouldn’t have asked her a question so close to the end of her time. I thought he was thoroughly unprofessional. I would like to see her interviewed on Campbell Live.
Yes and no.
She was cut because the time was up, but she was cut mid syllable because she was about to embark on a tangential voyage.
Yes Lanthanide I am sure we are all aware of that which is obvious and well understood, but interviews are rarely cut off so abruptly, never mid syllable and never without an apology or such like from the host. What we heard this morning was kill switch journalism and it was wrong, unprofessional and a little worrying when we project to 2014.
I’ve heard them do it before on Morning Report, and also on Checkpoint in the afternoons. Not too often, but it does happen occasionally. In this case Geoff did say “thanks for speaking to us” (or similar) and she carried on anyway; most people are polite enough to stop talking at that point.
Seems it’s only a big deal when it’s a topic you care about, so clearly RNZ must be biased, when actually the most obvious answer is simply time constraints.
I really believe I am not being unjustly selective in my interpretation of what I heard.
It was kill switch journalism, it was rude and it was damned unncessary considering the snail like pace of the Badmintion event interview that followed it.
I didn’t hear that particular Radionz interview. But if they have booked someone to give a report on the Horse Trials where wer may be winners also, then they are bound to be fair to the respondent speaking about it. They won’t get co-operation or be able to present the range of topics planned if they go too long over time on one.
I don’t think that comparisons with Fox are justified.
“I don’t think that comparisons with Fox are justified.”
For dramatic effect I was applying an obvious exaggeration by comparison to illustrate the everdiminishing quality of news content that is being excreted from our Public Broadcaster.
-there is no smiley for that 🙂
Imagine another two to five years of government intervention and control of the Christchurch CBD….. Already the move back is sagging and build costs skyrocketing. People and businesses are saying right now “no thanks, we’ll stay put”. The only people and buildings in the CBD will be Council and government offices – not overly exciting.
On top of that of course the blueprint sought to “shore up” land values byt heavily restricting land use, so speculative land prices are through the roof.
Upshot of this interference equals slowing the rebuild to such an extent that it may not even happen. The donut ghost town.
the risk is as real as this morning’s dawn. don’t count on the sparkly new city folks
It’s been obvious that this was a slow motion train crash from the start.
The moment you let so much time elapse and let the insurance companies gait the tempo of activity, and allow businesses, jobs and families to wither on the vine and go away, you’re fucked. Declining population base, declining rates base, declining morale.
The people adding to Christchurch now don’t see Christchurch as a new home.
It’s just the next gold rush.
Yep. I wonder whether the earthquakes and subsequent demolition of pretty much the entire CBD has been too much. The whole act is too massive for a population to take. The job of rebuild too big. The timeframes too long. It may be that we have lost forever one of our cities (as the CBD and Chch were).
It has been too much.
Naomi Klein “Disaster Capitalism.” New Orleans
http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine/resources/part7/chapter20
VTO – My contention has always been, and will remain, that there was NO intention to rebuild Christchurch, to any standard which would create a desireable *second city*.
I expect that agenda was set from the get go, and I don’t see Christchurch being allowed to have any remnants of the elected council, anytime soon either!
There have been many agendas. One notable one, which suspiciouns were raised about and confirmed recently with a talk with a senior banking person in the city…… the blueprint acted to shore up land values in the city so that owners and lenders on that property wouldn’t dip out financially. One clear agenda enacted. Fact.
And as long as the derivatives markets continue unabated, there is no end in sight to the schemes which will be dreamed up, to *shore up* markets, of all kinds. The potential losses, from all forms of speculative gambling, have to be propped up, by more conventional lines of business, until the time is right to collapse of course!
What this translates into, is suffering, misery and so on, for the overwhelming majority of people, regardless of where in the world they reside!
It isn’t just a case of ‘suspicions’ over the Frame and Anchor projects being designed to shore up land prices in the designated ‘retail precinct’ – it was admitted from the origins of the Blueprint.
Don Miskell, somewhat naively, seemed overjoyed that CERA’s economists not only approved of a ‘Frame’ but then proceeded to expand its proposed width markedly – and all in order to increase land values in the remainder of the city. Miskell saw it as ‘win-win’ (economic benefit in terms of land values and ‘environmental benefit’ in terms of the so-called ‘green frame’).
The argument was that only by reducing land supply artificially could the ‘critical mass’ of investment drive recovery. As you pointed out in another comment, reports now are that it’s had exactly the opposite effect – of course this was predictable, but, presumably deliberately, had been denied until now.
It was a remarkably bold, duplicitous, agenda-driven process from the get go. I’ve blogged several times about the process and am (over)due to do another.
On the broader question, I tend to the view that the government did indeed also see this as an opportunity to castrate Christchurch politically and disempower its population in order to ensure the ‘economic goldrush’ for the province’s resources (including but not restricted to water) would proceed and accelerate, only meeting ineffectual, unorganised opposition from stressed people being pulled in a hundred different directions and having few formal avenues to engage in the political decision making process.
Dismantling communities, destabilising locales, encouraging ‘sprawl’, importing transient labour and all of the other socially fragmenting features of this planned ‘recovery’ serve the political right – and, frankly, crony capitalism – extremely well.
The fewer natural opportunities and structures there are for people to form common interests the better, for the right. This is known instinctively by most right-wing politicians and, by many of them, it’s known quite explicitly (e.g., wedge politics, divide and conquer, etc.).
Fact eh! Lets see the citation and or quality links then.
Hi dumrse,
I presume you’re responding to vto but I think this link to the Central City Blueprint reveals that vto’s contention about the aim of increasing land values is no conspiracy theory. On page 35 it reads:
“The Frame in tandem with zoning provisions, reduces the extent of the central city commercial area so that the oversupply of land is addressed. It will help to increase the value of properties generally across the central city in a way that regulations to contain the central core, or new zoning decisions, could not. The Frame helps to deliver a more compact core while diversifying opportunities for investment and development. The Frame allows the Core to expand in the future if there is demand for housing or commercial development.
Is the central city blueprint a ‘quality link’? If not – and I understand why you might be wary of it given its glossy nature – here’s an article in which Don Miskell is interviewed about how the frame came to be.
“We looked at the map and thought, well, Latimer Square is 80m wide. Let’s lengthen that all the way up to the river.‘
Hesitantly they put their suggestion to the CCDU and were astounded by the response. “They said great idea. But no. Not nearly wide enough. And that was their investment guys!”
Miskell says this is where the advantage of having all the experts in the one place really showed. Cera’s economics team could see angles that Blueprint’s architects and urban planners could not imagine.]
The economists said a much fatter park strip – one a whole 220m, or an entire city block wide – would have the double benefit of creating green amenity in that part of town while also mopping up the excess land.”
Couple good posts there mr puddleglum. The “investment guys and the economists”, who effectively delivered that scenario to Christchurch (and how many of them maybe 3 or 4 or more?), have of course caused the current malaise.
It is the old story of outsiders thinking they know better. And Wellingtonians no doubt of course too. And the old story of having people who don’t pay the bills make the decisions – or rather having absolutely no input from the people who do pay the bills and live in the place. Example “having all the experts in the one place really showed. Cera’s economics team could see angles that Blueprint’s architects and urban planners could not imagine”
For fucks sake, the economics team, the architects, the urban planners…..
And now it continues – apparently tomorrow the Press has the 50 Power People in Chch and it is dominated by people from outside Christchurch (government through cera eqc and of course the ecan fuck).
The power should be resting with the people who live there, not elsewhere.
This is fundamental.
It was described immediately post-earthquake throughout the media as one of the most important components of a recovery.
The opposite has happened, as these things show.
It is very bad.
sad.
Yes it is sad.
It’s amazing how easily it can happen. The pattern seems to be that a core group (relatively small) have a very clear goal/agenda. They then package it in a way that they can entice and recruit to their project a penumbra of professional ‘gnomes’ who, for all sorts of reasons, commit to the process.
These ‘gnomes’ – ‘good’, professional people, technocrats, experts, etc. pursuing their own careers and limelight – can conjur in their minds all sorts of worthy reasons why what they are doing will, ultimately, benefit the masses, even if what they are doing so thoroughly excludes the masses.
I imagine they genuinely don’t think there is an agenda from the ‘core’ group that is at odds with the interests of the ‘masses’ – largely because it serves the ‘gnomic’ class’ interests to be in denial about any such agenda. To acknowledge such an agenda would cause unbearable cognitive dissonance and, potentially, exclude them from such an exciting – often career-enhancing – ‘Big Project’.
It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for many of these people. It must be quite intoxicating so far as the social status it offers to them and the sense of making an ‘impact’ on the world.
It all highlights what an amazing city central Christchurch was. Which should highlight to all other communities that what they have in the scape, the buildings, the people, the routes and byways, the lanes and streets, the bridges, intersections, schools, theatres, restrooms, garages, trees, old trees, shops and hotels, the acknowledgements and hellos and nods and handshakes all in a space borne from the natural growth of a population, is something to treasure. It is a life, a culture, a tradition and heritage, a haven, home, workplace, meeting place, it is all of these things done to a a state that only long time does…………….
Austerity economics causes suicides, depression, disease
HIV, malaria, TB returning.
Thanks right wing prick politicians, central and investment banksters.
Whilst continuing to engage in idiotic left wing spending like there is no problem always turns out well.
Commonly known as the “smoke yourself free of lung cancer method”.
Hi King Kong
You do talk utter rubbish, you know? Of course you wouldn’t would you…..?
More sensible than the “cut money and spending from communities business recovery method”
Austerity causes Malaria? I could have sworn it was mosquito borne
Your comment makes no sense, TC. Perhaps you were trying (and failing) to be humorous?
Mosquitos are a delivery mechanism, not the cause. Malaria, and the others listed, are diseases of poverty, as I’m sure you actually know. Very few cases of TB in Remeura, as far as I can tell. So, in a time of austerity, it’s hardly a surprise that impoverished neighborhoods, cities and countries see a lift in cases of diseases related to pisspoor living conditions.
Rather than take the default right wing view of the poor, why don’t you try being contrarian?
Well, I’ve got my money on the changing environment causing malaria borne mosquitos to expand their territory and growing antibiotic resistance to be causing the spread of Malaria as opposed to austerity measures.
You’ll note I only mentioned malaria and didn’t mention TB or the other listed diseases as well as the fact I haven’t taken any view of the poor, left or right, so I’d say your comment is a bit of a strawman.
Well, austerity could plausibly (meaning clearly pulling this out of my arse) result in decreased public health funding for projects such as education campaigns about standing water, delayed treatment and neglected prophylactic treatment, and localised pest eradication schemes.
So there is actually a reasonable theoretical link between austerity and malaria, regardless of the actual vector of the organism.
I’d still put my money climate change and antobiotic resistance.
Nobody’s said that those aren’t factors.
Just that the resources that a government uses in response to a public health threat also has an effect.
Hi TheContrarian,
This link shows the point about the effect on malaria – Greece had its first outbreak in some time because of, you guessed it, reductions in malarial spraying programmes.
Further,
“The harms we have found include HIV and malaria outbreaks, shortages of essential medicines, lost healthcare access, and an avoidable epidemic of alcohol abuse, depression and suicide,” he said in a statement. “Austerity is having a devastating effect.”
This is the book – yet to come out.
It apparently data mines an array of historical case studies from a range of countries to come to the conclusion that, from a public health perspective, people’s circumstances, wellbeing and health can improve even in economic downturns so long as austerity is not used as a policy tool. When it is, public health takes a big hit.
The British commenter this morning I think Matthew Parish, said that Ed Milliband came poorly out of a recent interview. He said that Labour would alter VAT I think he said that they would drop it for a year. When asked where he would get the Billions of pounds that would be foregone he dodged the question, and couldn’t come up with a definite plan to manage the Budget. It doesn’t look good for British Labour.
Labour all around the world are timid about making a simple statement that the allocation of wealth in society needs to change from the top end to the middle.
The trouble was that his timidity seemed to stem from a lack of any plan to meet the gap between receiving present income from VAT and the sudden loss of it.
There’s a hole in the bucket dear Liza dear Liza – Henry has to fix it with a straw. Is that the strawman that gets mentioned on this site quite often? I’m trying to keep amused with anything that comes to mind as the ship appears to be steadily sinking and most people are reacting by being sadder or madder or both. Let the musicians play diverting songs!
Its madness…there is a massive thieving under taxed financial centre in London…that and reversing the Tories income tax cuts…plus UNCUT UK have quite a few ideas too…I mean this stuff is not rocket science.
City of London, can only be considered *under taxed*, if it is part of the jurisdiction which HMRC lords over!
Should City of London, or more accurately the corporations/institutions which a registered there, be outside the jurisdiction of HMRC, then whatever taxation is paid, can only be deemed, appropriate!
Same can be said of the FSA et al!
That will be the same Matthew Parish who recently told Kathryn Ryan that Margaret Thatcher was the most important post-war British Prime Minister and he would know since the highlight of his career as a Tory MP was being her loyal letter opener.
Gawd, coming back to civilisation every now and then leaves moi dumbfounded at manwomankind and its perverted ways. For something to take you back to the raw beauty of nature and its brutal honesty check this http://www.surf.co.nz/tv/977 I posted it here some time ago but it has reared its head as a repeat on this other site. Go wide screen and lose yourself lest you get lost in the wrong world…..
Spectacular.
I have never used “awesome” but today, that was awesome vto!
And to think when the World becomes absent of people, the ocean will still be surging and tumbling and foaming away according to its own agenda. Magnificent joe.
Seen this?
__________________________________________________________________________
2 May 2013
Press Release: Sue Henry Spokesperson for the Housing Lobby
“Say NO to democracy for salivating property developers.”
“There will never be positive advancements for the public majority of the Auckland region as long as we have political party ticket monopolies sitting in the Council Chamber,” says Sue Henry Spokesperson, for the Housing Lobby
“The faces may change ever three years while both party tickets play ‘pass the parcel’ and bulldoze through the failed ideology of housing intensification from the 2004 ‘Central Sector Agreement’ and former ARC ‘Regional Policy Statement’ .
“It is scandalous the way both tickets have extended this housing intensification proposal deep into the heart of well-established residential areas, ignoring vigorous community opposition,” she continues.
“We need a fresh approach away from slums and leaky chilly-bin houses.
Whose interests are being served?
The public majority or salivating property developers?”
Sue Henry
Spokesperson for the Housing Lobby
Well, if we go the way that National wants – the land bankers, the banks and the oil companies and a few others that will benefit from the inflated costs that come with sprawl but not the people of Auckland.
If we go the other way, which we really don’t have a choice about, the people of Auckland and not the land bankers, the banks and the oil companies. Actually, the banks will win no matter what happens because they get to print money.
Did you ever find out if you were one of the people being spied on?
Last time I was here I saw a comment that you were going to find out soon.
By 9 May 2013 – I should get my Privacy Act reply as to whether or not I am one of the 88 New Zealanders who has been unlawfully spied upon by the GCSB.
Penny Bright
2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
For those who are interested in our country being clever and getting business and enterprise going and getting jobs and lots of working people getting wages to a reassonable standard instead of seeing NZs being represented cows’ sweet faces (the Jersey ones I mean with long eyelashes) in large advertisements all around the place, well…
There was an interesting interview on Radio NZ this morning with a woman who has spent about ten years in New York and come back here to live and she has looked at how the ORs (Overseas Residents) are treated back here. 24,000 come back each year, recently anyway. And are their ideas, their expertise etc being welcomed, embraced and utilised?
For more exciting details try Radionz 9 to Noon this Thursday the 2nd, if you can get on to the Radionz site, and once there on to the details of the interview. I couldn’t and I don’t have all day to get the full information.
But this woman has good stuff that needs to be beard.
The documentary He Toki Huna: New Zealand seems to be longer available on Maori TVs website. Does anyone know where it can be bought?
http://www.maoritelevision.com/tv/shows/anzac-2013/episode/he-toki-huna-new-zealand-afghanistan
There’s a longer version coming out soon for the doco circuit I think. Probably available after that I guess.
This was posted under my post on the doco. Posted by Annie:
John Lancashire (see last para) giving comments about our dire biosecurity lack-of-system in Radio NZ Rural News today Thursday 2/5. Midday Rural News for 2 May 2013 News from the rural and farming sectors. (7′40″) http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ruralnews
He was excoriating about it (good word – we should be using it a lot with political degenerates as we have now). He also seems to be talking factually and his judgment seems sound. Apparently the latest money-saving conflation of government work and responsibility is to bring together Biosecurity and Biodiversity. Both of which he thinks are vitally important and need separate monitoring and understandings.
We are so full of shit in this country. It seems to become more obvious daily from what we hear coming from people who have wormed their way into positions of power and supposed interest in serving the country and the citizens. I don’t know if the rough measure so often used of 80/20% applies but it seems to me that the reliable and thoughtful people are down to the smallest minority. We need to change so much – get responsible people in power – how?
Serious weaknesses identified in NZ’s biosecurity system
from Nine To Noon on Friday 1 March 2013
John Lancashire, immediate past president of New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science; and Rob Thode, a Te Puke kiwifruit grower whose orchard was infected with PSA.
Duration: 21′30″ Play (Windows) Play (Other) Download: Ogg Vorbis MP3
here’s the latest from the right re: NZ Power
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/134117/labour-and-greens-urged-to-abandon-electricity-policy
It’s getting vomit inducing having to listen to these self-interest groups explaining how unfair it is that their income stream plans are being disrupted. It’s as if God has told them it’s their right to fleece electricity users ffs.
There’s plenty of other ‘shares’ to gamble on, and there are even casinos around too.
Vomit inducing is right. It’s more than a little disheartening that basically nobody in the MSM is calling them on their BS. The whole thing has really underscored how economically-far-right NZ has become. On a positive note, I suspect that it won’t matter what National etc say, most people get this issue and realise that National is only concerned for shareholders and no-one else.
Is anyone else getting an odd display on the Feeds?
Just wondering if it is my browser cache or more general.
Ah – whatever it was cleared after shutting chrome and restarting
Surprise surprise….
NZ Post feeling squeeze
Wow… That bank … can’t stand on it’s own two feet !!!! How surprising ….
Delivery days probably should be cut as more and more mail becomes electronic but, in saying, there are still people (elderly for example) who might require a full service.
Perhaps you can elect to have three day service?
And burt, being the idiot and economic ignoramus that he is, fails to understand the problem. The problem being that the decline in physical mail has brought about the fact that the volume can no longer support the legal requirements of 6 delivery days per week.
He also failed to read the article – it seems that the bank is doing fine but it would do better with the government investing more in it. It seems that burt is so stupid that he doesn’t realise that a successful business requires ongoing investment.
Hey Draco, did you know it is possible to point out misunderstandings or incorrect statements without saying things like “burt is so stupid” and “eing the idiot and economic ignoramus that he is”.
You knew that, right?
Not sure it is possible in burt’s case…
+1
😈
TheContrarian, in fact you may not be seeing the whole picture. Conservatives often lack the cognitive ability to understand logical challenges to their opinions. In such cases, emotional approaches may yield better results.
Sure they will.
Take the mass of resources available to schools for combating that archetypal wingnut philosophy, racism, for example:
Note the emphasis on feelings.
Uh-huh.
Conservatives less likely to buy same lightbulbs if you tell them it will help the environment
This is basically where burt is at. As far as he’s concerned anything state owned is bad and so he will treat as such even if doing so hurts him.
And knowing this result, what are intellectually and academically capable lefties going to do differently in their political campaigns and messaging?
I suspect nothing.
Yes… lets extract some more tax payers funds to prop up a business that’s having trouble in a competitive market… Better still – lets kill off all competition and mandate state control over the sector… Seems to be the right approach for electricity – why not banking ?
Question: Has there ever been a year when KiwiBank didn’t require capital to stay operational and fund all that TV advertising?
Advertising that it’s NZ owned and looking after the best interests of NZ by sucking up tax payer dollars in some grand charade that it’s competitive and making a difference to the behaviour of the “big banks” that just keep recording massive profits while “our bank” needs capital from tax payers ?
It doesn’t require capital to continue operating – it requires it to grow faster.
oh man. Reckon he should of HeyClinted on this one:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10881044
Those apologies came after one of his dining companions, Christchurch lawyer Andrew Riches confirmed he’d left a note at the hotel the following morning apologising for Mr Gilmore’s behaviour.
Mr Gilmore allegedly called the waiter a “dickhead” when he refused him more wine and gave him his business card saying something like “Don’t you know who I am? I’m an important politician”, The Press reported today.
It has also been suggested this morning that Mr Gilmore told the waiter he would tell the Prime Minister’s office about the waiter’s behaviour and have him sacked.
Mr Riches this afternoon confirmed to the Herald he’d heard Mr Gilmore use words to that effect to the waiter.
Mr Riches also said he was disappointed that Mr Gilmore had apologised for his group’s behaviour when it was “absolutely” his own behaviour that was in question.
“It’s a shame because I thought this could just lie, he could apologise and that would be the end of it, but to sort of blame everyone else!”
He told the Herald that two of the four in Mr Gilmore’s group had left by the time of the incident.
“It was because most of the group had already left, he was cut off service, he did the old, “do you know who I am, I’m an MP”.
“I thought it was just disgusting.”
If you read the article carefully. he’s not really taking responsibility…
“As a group of diners our behaviour was at times boisterous, and I sincerely apologise for any offence this may have caused to staff and/or patrons”.
No individual apology for his own specific actions, which have been outlined in some detail.
Just a general apology on the part of the group.
If he does not apologise fully, this story will keep running.
He hasn’t even apologised for them either. “I apologise for any offence caused” is a Clayton’s apology. If he means it he’ll apologise for his own behaviour not what he imagines to be someone else’s state of mind.
PS: The same apology, in fact, that Little and Mallard offered Collins; a gesture of contempt 🙂
Yup. A letter has been sent to Duncan Garner from Andrew Riches, one of the Hanmer group.
And Garner makes a suggestion to John Key to get rid of him.
It’s not a good look.
While “some inappropriate comments might seem to have been made”, they had been apologised for, he said. – Herald
Yes but not by him. Must have caught that infection from his Leader?
This is the same Aaron Gilmore that claimed high level finance industry qualifications on his CV, right?
And yeah, that’s a Clayton’s apology. Two strikes, I’m sure there’s a third in there somewhere.
Do you notice how Matthew Hooton always uses the term the Green/Labour axis?
He is clearly trying to control language and introduce new slogans for the right?
1. The use of axis, which has negative connotations because this was the term given to the German alliance in World War 2.
2. By using Green before Labour, he is trying to wind up Labour supporters.
And don’t forget the Axis of Evil.
Forget Hooton, – he is nothing more than tool in the box of the estabishment, as soon as there is no more use for him, he will be on the scapheap.
Does that make me feel good, no , not really, Hooton is a human being too, but has chosen sides, and now has to see it through to the inevitable conclusion.
Use of the word axis, is as you point out, Paul, and Draco, also!
“By using Green before Labour, he is trying to wind up Labour supporters.”
He must have got that from me.
Opps – posted comment went in wrong OpenMike.
Annoying. A Jetpack upgrade (for wordpress) just broke the site http://wordpress.org/support/topic/updating-jetpack-breaks-wordpress
Cleared the plugin out and we’re back again.
Interesting, the whole site is noticeably faster without Jetpack. I’ll have to look and find out what they’re screwing up on.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10881044
looks like the MP’s aren’t the only drunks
This has to be the worst edited articles ever in the Herald, or was it simply unproofed.
It is just a long string of variants of the same handful of sentences.
sorry for double posting the article, missed pb’s above
Latest Roy Morgan is out …
http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2013/4890/
All I can say is that there is no way that National support should have swung back like this and the polls are far too messy to be taken seriously.
makes more sense when you meet the author
Looks like it mickysavage. It suggests the swinging voters are swinging more wildly than ever. Not a good sign. They’re ripe for NAct manipulation and we’re seeing this happen with increasing frequency. Eg.. the far left wolf-whistle.
To my knowledge no senior Labour politician has seriously addressed this load of crap. They ignore it at their peril.
What’s the bet this one gets reported by The Herald?
lol
For goodness sake!! Morgan is all over he place, getting pretty silly!
It’s always been bouncy. National got abig bounce, and it’s a fifty/fifty call. Next bounce will be t’other way.
What, a rogue poll you say?
So what happens when we run out of months to write this polling off?
Abc, you rock :fucksticks:
What polling needs to be written off? The polling where a 4 point bump for labour still takes them only half way down to their previous election result?
Sure, you can concentrate on that 31.5 and try to spin it however you wish, even positively, but modesty and embarrassment would stop me.
How many months out will it be before you accept the inevitable and that I’m right, as usual? 😉
Abc :tardwanks:
about 18 months, if you make the same pledge 🙂
Do you really expect DS to be leader in 18 months?
I always put my money where my gob is… Like you didn’t know already 🙂
Unless you know of a secret challenge brewing.
But that’s part of it – Will labour be in government next year, with shearer as pm?
I think the chances are pretty good. And really, unless shearer’s campaign is akin to Brash or Banks, I’m not sure Cunliffe (assuming that was your ABC reference) would make the slightest difference
“Unless you know of a secret challenge brewing.”
There’s always secret challenges brewing. It’s politics after all.
“Will labour be in government next year, with shearer as pm?”
Nope.
“unless shearer’s campaign is akin to Brash or Banks”
And you think he’s better, how? Don’t bother, I’ll just photoshop an extra plank into his head shots and we’ll all agree he’s bad, but not in a good way.
“I’m not sure Cunliffe (assuming that was your ABC reference) would make the slightest difference”
Them who made the decision must take the blame, and abc will know this, hopefully sooner rather than later. Fuck judgement day, that’s so last week. I’m waiting for consequence day.
Enjoy your 31.5%
Actually, it’s much a much better day than the 27.95% day about 18 months back. That sucked.
And i really don’t think shearer is even remotely close to being as bad as banks or brash. Eye of the beholder, I guess. We’ll see.
“Actually, it’s much a much better day than the 27.95% day about 18 months back. That sucked.”
After the previous three years and shocking election campaign, marginally so.
“And i really don’t think shearer is even remotely close to being as bad as banks or brash. Eye of the beholder, I guess. We’ll see.”
It’s going to a rough ride. Strap in, mate.
Keep lowering expectations mate, it’s the only way to win this one.
you two always make me laugh
You remind me of fundies expecting armageddon to happen on date XXXX.
Every time things go badly, it’s a portent of imminent doom.
Every time things improve, it’s a blip and armageddon has been rescheduled for the morrow.
I’m not “lowering expectations”. My expectation is a labour/green government.
There is nothing in RM, colmar brunton, or Reid Research (TV3) trends to indicate that this is not a likely outcome in 2014.
No matter how desperate you are for labour to fail or the world to end.
“you two always make me laugh”
Then you need to up or lower your meds, depending 😆
“No matter how desperate you are for labour to fail”
That particular space ship has long since sailed, my friend.
McFlock, yes there’s every possibility that Labour will be able to form a government even with a 33% or 34% e-day result.
No need to set expectations higher than that mate, as that delivers the win you want.
Well I can imagine that on a billboard – “Not as bad as Brash or Banks”. The irony will surely capture that vital hipster demographic. Maybe Shearer and Robertson should start growing handlebar moustaches, wear enormous spectacle frames, skinny trousers and and drink Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.
Actually, this could go really well: “I’m David Shearer, you’ve probably never heard of me.”
“Vote Labour: It could be a lot worse you know.”
NZFirst is down 10%.
Maori Party down 25%, CCCP up by the same.
ACT and UnitedPeterDunne holding steady.
The big winner though is Mana on the far left, up 100%!
Must be up by the margin of error then…
Fuck no, nowhere near that much.
the Nats PR clobbering machine is just warming up over NZ Power, and Labour counter punches have been light weight. I’m with Al1en, this ride is going to be rough. Go Greens, go Mana.
“I’m with Al1en”
That’s puts me ahead of uf and act in recent polling. 🙂
And with Brewster’s Millions, I’d out poll Craig and the loony c’s in a couple of months.
Well it does suggest the tv3 poll was a better reflection of the sentiment than tv1. Guess well have to wait for the next round from them. Of course if labor was doing well post power policy, maybe they could tell us their numbers. Who polls for them these days anyway now umr is gone (assuming they are?).
Actually it doesn’t suggest anything of the sort. TV3 claimed that National would be able to govern alone on their last poll results. Gary Morgan makes the point that even with this bounce in the Roy Morgan, Labour and its coalition partners would be more likely to form government than National.
Except hasn’t Winston made it clear he won’t go into any kind of coalition with the Greens?
Winston’s firm positions on the Greens, like all his firm positions, are (ahem) biodegradable.
And that was two (maybe 3?) elections ago. Before National cost him his Parliamentary gig. I’d say 60/40 he won’t go with the Nats.
I tend to agree with you but the Nats and their corporate mates are really really good with the trinkets.
Colin Craig’s Clint moment? Bomber just asked him on Citizen A, about Auckland’s Transport funding issues, “What would Jesus do?” Craig collapses with a snorty giggle – no idea.
How easy it is becoming for a board to improve their share market price and still maintain their earning power, if we downscale our workforce or outsource who will have the money to buy these coys products or services?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10881039
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10874446
Perhaps those here could make a wee (immoral) profit with air nz???
You seem to be asking questions based on the premise that these boards and their directors wish to build strong ongoing businesses. And yes, some do.
But with many others, it helps to view their activities from the standpoint of conducting a bank heist in progress. Then you’ll find that their activities make far more sense.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Protestors-Minto-Bright-to-run-for-mayoralty/tabid/1607/articleID/296315/Default.aspx
I think it’s a good thing that John Minto is standing as an Auckland Mayoral candidate – he will be able to promote Mana policies which will help focus on the most vulnerable of the 99%.
That will also help to raise the profile of Mana, and their policies before the 2014 General Election.
As I did in 2010 as an Auckland Mayoral candidate – I will be focusing on how the $upercity has been a corrupt corporate coup – and how to take back the Auckland region from the control of the 1%.
I tried to warn you folks as an Auckland Mayoral candidate in 2010 – that the Auckland $upercity would be a SUPER RIPOFF – a super public trough, for fewer but bigger private snouts.
Where was I wrong?
Have YOUR rates gone UP or DOWN?
______________________________________________________________________________
Why I stood as an Auckland Mayoral candidate in 2010:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10673942
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video.cfm?c_id=1&gal_objectid=10673942&gallery_id=113947
______________________________________________________________________________
AUCKLAND MAYORAL CAMPAIGN 2013:
ACTION PLAN against ‘white collar’ crime, corruption and ‘corporate welfare’
http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com/action-plan-to-prevent-corruption/
Proven track record, as a successful Occupy Auckland Appellant (in my own name) in fighting the corporate 1% who run the Auckland region, ‘like a business – for business’:
EVIDENCE in the following High Court document – exposing the role of the unelected Committee for Auckland, of which the CEO for Auckland Council, Doug McKay is a member.
(So – whose interests is he serving?
The majority of citizens and ratepayers – or his corporate mates?)
http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/OCCUPY-AUCKLAND-APPEAL-APPLICATION-BY-APPELLANT-BRIGHT-TO-ADDUCE-NEW-EVIDENCE-pdf.pdf
There is more …………… LOTS more to come …………….
Cheers!
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation’ campaigner
2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
PS: My defended hearing in the above-mentioned Court case on the charge of ‘willful trespass’ for occupying John Banks electoral office on 18 June 2013 – has been adjourned until 27 September 2013 🙂
A panel, chaired by Key’s scientific adviser Sir Peter Gluckman, advises of the impact climate change could have on the Antarctic, and thus on NZ and it’s economy.
Youth rates
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/133949/pm-defends-lower-youth-pay-rate
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/8617998/Protest-as-youth-rates-come-into-force
“A young unskilled person is disadvantaged in competing against more experienced and trained people in the labour market. Starting wages help young people gain experience and better equip them to be able to compete on stronger terms.”
So where does the more experienced and trained person go ? And wait a few months/year and see these organisations that are currently commenting that they will still continue to pay min wage will be?
‘Young’ is a superfluous word. E.g. an any, particularly and older, unskilled, inexperienced pak’n’save stacker is easily as disadvantaged as young unskilled, inexperienced pak’n’save stacker when competing against more experienced and trained people. That’s why there are pay grades.
Why do we let these people making excuses that lead to lower wages based on age get away with this?
Look at these filthy disgusting black-gloved thugs physically shoving law abiding citizens around in Queen St yesterday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtjM_kFOp_s
Disgraceful. They should all be before the courts charged with aggravated assault.
Disgraceful. No one pushed back.