Open Mike 02/06/2017
Written By:
- Date published:
6:00 am, June 2nd, 2017 - 54 comments
Categories: open mike -
Tags:
Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
54 comments on “Open Mike 02/06/2017 ”
- Comments are now closed
- Comments are now closed
CommentsOpinions
Recent Comments
FeedsPartyGovtMedia
- Fact brief – Is climate change a net benefit for society?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is climate change a net benefit for society? Human-caused climate change has been a net detriment to society as measured by loss of ...6 hours ago - National’s Water Done Well Will Cost Ratepayers More
When the National Party hastily announced its “Local Water Done Well” policy, they touted it as the great saviour of New Zealand’s crumbling water infrastructure. But as time goes by it's looking more and more like a planning and fiscal lame duck...and one that’s going to cost ratepayers far more ...10 hours ago - Trump’s Tariff Tantrum Is Causing Economic Chaos
Donald Trump, the orange-hued oligarch, is back at it again, wielding tariffs like a mob boss swinging a lead pipe. His latest economic edict; slapping hefty tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada, has the stench of a protectionist shakedown, cooked up in the fevered minds of his sycophantic ...16 hours ago
- The ‘China’ challenge: now a multi-generational test for Australian strategy
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...18 hours ago - White Rabbit
One pill makes you largerAnd one pill makes you smallAnd the ones that mother gives youDon't do anything at allGo ask AliceWhen she's ten feet tallSongwriter: Grace Wing Slick.Morena, all, and a happy Bicycle Day to you.Today is an unofficial celebration of the dawning of the psychedelic era, commemorating the ...19 hours ago - Why Has The World Forgotten About Hollywood?
It’s only been a few months since the Hollywood fires tore through Los Angeles, leaving a trail of devastation, numerous deaths, over 10,000 homes reduced to rubble, and a once glorious film industry on its knees. The Palisades and Eaton fires, fueled by climate-driven dry winds, didn’t just burn houses; ...21 hours ago
- Viennese Refugees Who Changed the Way We Think
Four eighty-year-old books which are still vitally relevant today. Between 1942 and 1945, four refugees from Vienna each published a ground-breaking – seminal – book.* They left their country after Austria was taken over by fascists in 1934 and by Nazi Germany in 1938. Previously they had lived in ‘Red ...1 day ago - Disputationes adversus astrologiam divinatricem, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1496): A Complete...
Good Friday, 18th April, 2025: I can at last unveil the Secret Non-Fiction Project. The first complete Latin-to-English translation of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola’s twelve-book Disputationes adversus astrologiam divinatricem (Disputations Against Divinatory Astrology). Amounting to some 174,000 words, total. Some context is probably in order. Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494) ...1 day ago - Hamish Campbell Lied About His Links With Two By Twos Cult
National MP Hamish Campbell's pathetic attempt to downplay his deep ties to and involvement in the Two by Twos...a secretive religious sect under FBI and NZ Police investigation for child sexual abuse...isn’t just a misstep; it’s a calculated lie that insults the intelligence of every Kiwi voter.Campbell’s claim of being ...2 days ago
- Is Shane Jones The Most Corrupt Politician in New Zealand?
New Zealand First’s Shane Jones has long styled himself as the “Prince of the Provinces,” a champion of regional development and economic growth. But beneath the bluster lies a troubling pattern of behaviour that reeks of cronyism and corruption, undermining the very democracy he claims to serve. Recent revelations and ...2 days ago
- Good Friday
Give me one reason to stay hereAnd I'll turn right back aroundGive me one reason to stay hereAnd I'll turn right back aroundSaid I don't want to leave you lonelyYou got to make me change my mindSongwriters: Tracy Chapman.Morena, and Happy Easter, whether that means to you. Hot cross buns, ...2 days ago - Luxon Turns A Blind Eye to Homelessness
New Zealand’s housing crisis is a sad indictment on the failures of right wing neoliberalism, and the National Party, under Chris Luxon’s shaky leadership, is trying to simply ignore it. The numbers don’t lie: Census data from 2023 revealed 112,496 Kiwis were severely housing deprived...couch-surfing, car-sleeping, or roughing it on ...2 days ago
- The Hoon around the week to April 18
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: on a global survey of over 3,000 economists and scientists showing a significant divide in views on green growth; and ...2 days ago - Simeon Brown Has Caused The Doctor’s Strike
Simeon Brown, the National Party’s poster child for hubris, consistently over-promises and under-delivers. His track record...marked by policy flip-flops and a dismissive attitude toward expert advice, reveals a politician driven by personal ambition rather than evidence. From transport to health, Brown’s focus seems fixed on protecting National's image, not addressing ...2 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2025
Open access notables Recent intensified riverine CO2 emission across the Northern Hemisphere permafrost region, Mu et al., Nature Communications: Global warming causes permafrost thawing, transferring large amounts of soil carbon into rivers, which inevitably accelerates riverine CO2 release. However, temporally and spatially explicit variations of riverine CO2 emissions remain unclear, limiting the ...2 days ago
- Whatever Happened to Cactus Kate?
Once a venomous thorn in New Zealand’s blogosphere, Cathy Odgers, aka Cactus Kate, has slunk into the shadows, her once-sharp quills dulled by the fallout of Dirty Politics.The dishonest attack-blogger, alongside her vile accomplices such as Cameron Slater, were key players in the National Party’s sordid smear campaigns, exposed by Nicky ...2 days ago
- Sovereign capability can benefit Australia—up to a point
Once upon a time, not so long ago, those who talked of Australian sovereign capability, especially in the technology sector, were generally considered an amusing group of eccentrics. After all, technology ecosystems are global and ...2 days ago
- David Seymour’s Charter School Rort
The ACT Party leader’s latest pet project is bleeding taxpayers dry, with $10 million funneled into seven charter schools for just 215 students. That’s a jaw-dropping $46,500 per student, compared to roughly $9,000 per head in state schools.You’d think Seymour would’ve learned from the last charter school fiasco, but apparently, ...2 days ago
- Flexibility and awareness will help India deal with Trump (again)
India navigated relations with the United States quite skilfully during the first Trump administration, better than many other US allies did. Doing so a second time will be more difficult, but India’s strategic awareness and ...2 days ago
- Inflation data confirms real terms minimum wage cut
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is concerned for low-income workers given new data released by Stats NZ that shows inflation was 2.5% for the year to March 2025, rising from 2.2% in December last year. “The prices of things that people can’t avoid are rising – meaning inflation is rising ...2 days ago - Climate Change: Kicking the can down the road again
Last week, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment recommended that forestry be removed from the Emissions Trading Scheme. Its an unfortunate but necessary move, required to prevent the ETS's total collapse in a decade or so. So naturally, National has told him to fuck off, and that they won't be ...2 days ago - The Spirit for Australia: why Canberra should pursue the B-2 bomber
China’s recent naval circumnavigation of Australia has highlighted a pressing need to defend Australia’s air and sea approaches more effectively. Potent as nuclear submarines are, the first Australian boats under AUKUS are at least seven ...3 days ago
- A bit more unpicking of RB spending and the Funding Agreement
In yesterday’s post I tried to present the Reserve Bank Funding Agreement for 2025-30, as approved by the Minister of Finance and the Bank’s Board, in the context of the previous agreement, and the variation to that agreement signed up to by Grant Robertson a few weeks before the last ...3 days ago - A successful COP31 needs Pacific countries at the table
Australia’s bid to co-host the 31st international climate negotiations (COP31) with Pacific island countries in late 2026 is directly in our national interest. But success will require consultation with the Pacific. For that reason, no ...3 days ago
- Brown unveils unfunded health plan for small NZ
Old and outdated buildings being demolished at Wellington Hospital in 2018. The new infrastructure being funded today will not be sufficient for future population size and some will not be built by 2035. File photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories short from our political economy on Thursday, April 17:Simeon Brown has unveiled ...3 days ago - Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace
The introduction of AI in workplaces can create significant health and safety risks for workers (such as intensification of work, and extreme surveillance) which can significantly impact workers’ mental and physical wellbeing. It is critical that unions and workers are involved in any decision to introduce AI so that ...3 days ago
- NZ Must Undertake a Peacekeeping Role in Trump’s Wars
Donald Trump’s return to the White House and aggressive posturing is undermining global diplomacy, and New Zealand must stand firm in rejecting his reckless, fascist-driven policies that are dragging the world toward chaos.As a nation with a proud history of peacekeeping and principled foreign policy, we should limit our role ...3 days ago
- Donald Trump’s first three months: rude, raucous and rogue
Sunday marks three months since Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president. What a ride: the style rude, language raucous, and the results rogue. Beyond manners, rudeness matters because tone signals intent as well as personality. ...3 days ago
- Gordon Campbell On The Left’s Electability Crisis, And The Abundance Ecotopia
There are any number of reasons why anyone thinking of heading to the United States for a holiday should think twice. They would be giving their money to a totalitarian state where political dissenters are being rounded up and imprisoned here and here, where universities are having their funds for ...3 days ago - Taiwan: the sponge that soaks up Chinese power
Taiwan has an inadvertent, rarely acknowledged role in global affairs: it’s a kind of sponge, soaking up much of China’s political, military and diplomatic efforts. Taiwan soaks up Chinese power of persuasion and coercion that ...3 days ago
- Women in combat roles strengthen our defence force
The Ukraine war has been called the bloodiest conflict since World War II. As of July 2024, 10,000 women were serving in frontline combat roles. Try telling them—from the safety of an Australian lounge room—they ...3 days ago
- China targets Canada’s election—and may be targeting Australia’s
Following Canadian authorities’ discovery of a Chinese information operation targeting their country’s election, Australians, too, should beware such risks. In fact, there are already signs that Beijing is interfering in campaigning for the Australian election ...3 days ago
- Climate Adam: Climate Scientist Reacts to Elon Musk
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). From "founder" of Tesla and the OG rocket man with SpaceX, and rebranding twitter as X, Musk has ...3 days ago
- Rattus Interneticus: Otago’s Internet Saga
Back in February 2024, a rat infestation attracted a fair few headlines in the South Dunedin Countdown supermarket. Today, the rats struck again. They took out the Otago-Southland region’s internet connection. https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360656230/internet-outage-hits-otago-and-southland Strictly, it was just a coincidence – rats decided to gnaw through one fibre cable, while some hapless ...3 days ago - Spin (and obfuscation)
I came in this morning after doing some chores and looked quickly at Twitter before unpacking the groceries. Someone was retweeting a Radio NZ story with the headline “Reserve Bank’s budget to be slashed by 25%”. Wow, I thought, the Minister of Finance has really delivered this time. And then ...3 days ago
- Little’s pitch
So, having teased it last week, Andrew Little has announced he will run for mayor of Wellington. On RNZ, he's saying its all about services - "fixing the pipes, making public transport cheaper, investing in parks, swimming pools and libraries, and developing more housing". Meanwhile, to the readers of the ...3 days ago
- Our Rough Beast.
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?W.B. Yeats, The Second Coming, 1921ALL OVER THE WORLD, devout Christians will be reaching for their bibles, reading and re-reading Revelation 13:16-17. For the benefit of all you non-Christians out there, these are the verses describing ...3 days ago - What does India Want? What is New Zealand willing to give?
4 days ago
- President Trump is redefining America’s international role, and Australia has influence
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...4 days ago
- Simeon Brown Gaslights Doctors
Yesterday, 5,500 senior doctors across Aotearoa New Zealand voted overwhelmingly to strike for a day.This is the first time in New Zealand ASMS members have taken strike action for 24 hours.They are asking the government to fund them and account for resource shortfalls.Vacancies are critical - 45-50% in some regions.The ...4 days ago - ACT’s “Tough on Crime” Facade Crumbles with Jago’s Appeal
4 days ago
- Judith Collins’ Hypocrisy: War Drums Over Welfare
Judith Collins is a seasoned master at political hypocrisy. As New Zealand’s Defence Minister, she's recently been banging the war drum, announcing a jaw-dropping $12 billion boost to the defence budget over the next four years, all while the coalition of chaos cries poor over housing, health, and education.Apparently, there’s ...4 days ago
- Making the most of it
I’m on the London Overground watching what the phones people are holding are doing to their faces: The man-bun guy who could not be less impressed by what he's seeing but cannot stop reading; the woman who's impatient for a response; the one who’s frowning; the one who’s puzzled; the ...4 days ago - Maranga Ake
You don't have no prescriptionYou don't have to take no pillsYou don't have no prescriptionAnd baby don't have to take no pillsIf you come to see meDoctor Brown will cure your ills.Songwriters: Waymon Glasco.Dr Luxon. Image: David and Grok.First, they came for the Bottom FeedersAnd I did not speak outBecause ...4 days ago - Bernard’s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Wednesday, April 16
The Health Minister says the striking doctors already “well remunerated,” and are “walking away from” and “hurting” their patients. File photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories short from our political economy on Wednesday, April 16:Simeon Brown has attacked1 doctors striking for more than a 1.5% pay rise as already “well remunerated,” even ...4 days ago - Strengthening Australia’s space cooperation with South Korea
The time is ripe for Australia and South Korea to strengthen cooperation in space, through embarking on joint projects and initiatives that offer practical outcomes for both countries. This is the finding of a new ...4 days ago
- They Can Only Talk About One Thing
Hi,When Trump raised tariffs against China to 145%, he destined many small businesses to annihilation. The Daily podcast captured the mass chaos by zooming in and talking to one person, Beth Benike, a small-business owner who will likely lose her home very soon.She pointed out that no, she wasn’t surprised ...4 days ago - National’s Inflation Shame: Kiwis Pay the Price
National’s handling of inflation and the cost-of-living crisis is an utter shambles and a gutless betrayal of every Kiwi scraping by. The Coalition of Chaos Ministers strut around preaching about how effective their policies are, but really all they're doing is perpetuating a cruel and sick joke of undelivered promises, ...4 days ago
- Winston’s Mate Rhys Williams Has Been Unmasked
Most people wouldn't have heard of a little worm like Rhys Williams, a so-called businessman and former NZ First member, who has recently been unmasked as the venomous troll behind a relentless online campaign targeting Green Party MP Benjamin Doyle.According to reports, Williams has been slinging mud at Doyle under ...4 days ago
- Idiocy, Opportunity
Illustration credit: Jonathan McHugh (New Statesman)The other day, a subscriber said they were unsubscribing because they needed “some good news”.I empathised. Don’t we all.I skimmed a NZME article about the impacts of tariffs this morning with analysis from Kiwibank’s Jarrod Kerr. Kerr, their Chief Economist, suggested another recession is the ...4 days ago - US allies must band together in weapons development
Let’s assume, as prudence demands we assume, that the United States will not at any predictable time go back to being its old, reliable self. This means its allies must be prepared indefinitely to lean ...4 days ago
- I’ve been reading
Over the last three rather tumultuous US trade policy weeks, I’ve read these four books. I started with Irwin (whose book had sat on my pile for years, consulted from time to time but not read) in a week of lots of flights and hanging around airports/hotels, and then one ...4 days ago
- This is not the time for increasing Indonesia’s defence spending
Indonesia could do without an increase in military spending that the Ministry of Defence is proposing. The country has more pressing issues, including public welfare and human rights. Moreover, the transparency and accountability to justify ...4 days ago
- FSU Supports Chris Milne’s Right to Make Death Threats
4 days ago
- Winston is inciting terrorism
That's the conclusion of a report into security risks against Green MP Benjamin Doyle, in the wake of Winston Peters' waging a homophobic hate-campaign against them: GRC’s report said a “hostility network” of politicians, commentators, conspiracy theorists, alternative media outlets and those opposed to the rainbow community had produced ...4 days ago
- Winston is inciting terrorism
That's the conclusion of a report into security risks against Green MP Benjamin Doyle, in the wake of Winston Peters' waging a homophobic hate-campaign against them: GRC’s report said a “hostility network” of politicians, commentators, conspiracy theorists, alternative media outlets and those opposed to the rainbow community had produced ...4 days ago
- Why has Hamish Campbell Gone Into Hiding?
National Party MP Hamish Campbell’s ties to the secretive Two By Twos "church" raises serious questions that are not being answered. This shadowy group, currently being investigated by the FBI for numerous cases of child abuse, hides behind a facade of faith while Campbell dodges scrutiny, claiming it’s a “private ...4 days ago
- Why has Hamish Campbell Gone Into Hiding?
National Party MP Hamish Campbell’s ties to the secretive Two By Twos "church" raises serious questions that are not being answered. This shadowy group, currently being investigated by the FBI for numerous cases of child abuse, hides behind a facade of faith while Campbell dodges scrutiny, claiming it’s a “private ...4 days ago
- The Government is cutting, just as the economic recovery is stalling
The economy is not doing what it was supposed to when PM Christopher Luxon said in January it was ‘going for growth.’ Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short from our political economy on Tuesday, April 15:New Zealand’s economic recovery is stalling, according to business surveys, retail spending and ...5 days ago - For a safer Symonds Street
This is a guest post by Lewis Creed, managing editor of the University of Auckland student publication Craccum, which is currently running a campaign for a safer Symonds Street in the wake of a horrific recent crash. The post has two parts: 1) Craccum’s original call for safety (6 ...5 days ago - Tuesday 15 April
NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff has published an opinion piece which makes the case for a different approach to economic development, as proposed in the CTU’s Aotearoa Reimagined programme. The number of people studying to become teachers has jumped after several years of low enrolment. The coalition has directed Health New ...5 days ago
- As China’s AI industry grows, Australia must support its own
The growth of China’s AI industry gives it great influence over emerging technologies. That creates security risks for countries using those technologies. So, Australia must foster its own domestic AI industry to protect its interests. ...5 days ago
- Luxon’s Economic Mismanagement
Unfortunately we have another National Party government in power at the moment, and as a consequence, another economic dumpster fire taking hold. Inflation’s hurting Kiwis, and instead of providing relief, National is fiddling while wallets burn.Prime Minister Chris Luxon's response is a tired remix of tax cuts for the rich ...5 days ago
- Girls and Boys
Girls who are boys who like boys to be girlsWho do boys like they're girls, who do girls like they're boysAlways should be someone you really loveSongwriters: Damon Albarn / Graham Leslie Coxon / Alexander Rowntree David / Alexander James Steven.Last month, I wrote about the Birds and Bees being ...5 days ago - Australia can learn from Britain on cyber governance
Australia needs to reevaluate its security priorities and establish a more dynamic regulatory framework for cybersecurity. To advance in this area, it can learn from Britain’s Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which presents a compelling ...5 days ago
- Gordon Campbell On Why The US Stands To Lose The Tariff Wars
Deputy PM Winston Peters likes nothing more than to portray himself as the only wise old head while everyone else is losing theirs. Yet this time, his “old master” routine isn’t working. What global trade is experiencing is more than the usual swings and roundabouts of market sentiment. President Donald ...5 days ago
- Why is there no progress in Ukrainian war peace talks?
President Trump’s hopes of ending the war in Ukraine seemed more driven by ego than realistic analysis. Professor Vladimir Brovkin’s latest video above highlights the internal conflicts within the USA, Russia, Europe, and Ukraine, which are currently hindering peace talks and clarity. Brovkin pointed out major contradictions within ...5 days ago - Ani O’Brien has Zero Credibility
In the cesspool that is often New Zealand’s online political discourse, few figures wield their influence as destructively as Ani O’Brien. Masquerading as a champion of free speech and women’s rights, O’Brien’s campaigns are a masterclass in bad faith, built on a foundation of lies, selective outrage, and a knack ...5 days ago
- Australian policy does need more Asia—more Southeast Asia
The international challenge confronting Australia today is unparalleled, at least since the 1940s. It requires what the late Brendan Sargeant, a defence analyst, called strategic imagination. We need more than shrewd economic manoeuvring and a ...5 days ago
- EGU2025 – Picking and chosing sessions to attend on site in Vienna
This year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) will take place as a fully hybrid conference in both Vienna and online from April 27 to May 2. This year, I'll join the event on site in Vienna for the full week and I've already picked several sessions I plan ...5 days ago
- Bookshelf: How China sees things
Here’s a book that looks not in at China but out from China. David Daokui Li’s China’s World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict is a refreshing offering in that Li is very much ...5 days ago
- The Mirage of Chris Luxon’s Pre-Election Promises
The New Zealand National Party has long mastered the art of crafting messaging that resonates with a large number of desperate, often white middle-class, voters. From their 2023 campaign mantra of “getting our country back on track” to promises of economic revival, safer streets, and better education, their rhetoric paints ...5 days ago
- To counter anti-democratic propaganda, step up funding for ABC International
A global contest of ideas is underway, and democracy as an ideal is at stake. Democracies must respond by lifting support for public service media with an international footprint. With the recent decision by the ...6 days ago
- What was the story re Orr’s resignation?
It is almost six weeks since the shock announcement early on the afternoon of Wednesday 5 March that the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Adrian Orr, was resigning effective 31 March, and that in fact he had already left and an acting Governor was already in place. Orr had been ...6 days ago
- Monday 14 April
The PSA surveyed more than 900 of its members, with 55 percent of respondents saying AI is used at their place of work, despite most workers not being in trained in how to use the technology safely. Figures to be released on Thursday are expected to show inflation has risen ...6 days ago
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
- Release: Boot camps blog post fails to provide clarity
After stonewalling requests for information on boot camps, the Government has now offered up a blog post right before Easter weekend rather than provide clarity on the pilot. ...2 days ago - Release: Inflation rises and families feel the squeeze
Inflation is rising again and it’s landing hardest on families already stretched thin. ...3 days ago
- Release: Govt doesn’t know how to fund new hospitals
The Government’s health infrastructure plan is big on promises but coy on where the money is coming from. ...3 days ago
- Release: $10 million for only 215 students in charter schools
David Seymour is pouring $10 million into charter schools that only have 215 students enrolled. ...4 days ago
- Release: Food prices further stretching the family budget
Families already stretched by rising costs will struggle with the news food prices are going up again. ...4 days ago
- Release: Mental health staff and patients at risk without plan
More people could be harmed if Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey does not guarantee to protect patients and workers as the Police withdraw from supporting mental health call outs. ...6 days ago
- Release: Driver licensing proposal doesn’t put safety first
The Government’s proposal to change driver licensing rules is a mixed bag of sensible and careless. ...6 days ago
- Release: Students struggling as Govt sits on hands
The Government is continuing to sit on its hands as students struggle to pay rent due to delays with StudyLink. ...1 week ago
- Release: More must be done to stop children going hungry
More children are going hungry and statistics showing children in material hardship continue to get worse. ...1 week ago
- Greens continue to call for Pacific Visa Waiver
The Green Party recognises the extension of visa allowances for our Pacific whānau as a step in the right direction but continues to call for a Pacific Visa Waiver. ...1 week ago - More children going hungry under Coalition govt
The Government yesterday released its annual child poverty statistics, and by its own admission, more tamariki across Aotearoa are now living in material hardship. ...1 week ago
- Release: Longer wait for treatment under National
New Zealanders have waited longer to get an appointment with a specialist and to get elective surgery under the National Government. ...1 week ago
- Ka mate te Pire- Ka ora te mana o Te Tiriti o Waitangi me te iwi Māori
Today, Te Pāti Māori join the motu in celebration as the Treaty Principles Bill is voted down at its second reading. “From the beginning, this Bill was never welcome in this House,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Rawiri Waititi. “Our response to the first reading was one of protest: protesting ...1 week ago
- Chris Hipkins speech: Treaty Principles Bill second reading
Normally, when I rise in this House to speak on a bill, I say it's a great privilege to speak on the bill. That is not the case today. ...1 week ago
- Release: End to the Treaty Principles Bill, but challenges remain ahead for Aotearoa
Ka mate te pire I te rā neiThe bill dies today ...1 week ago
- Ka mate te Pire, ka ora Te Tiriti o Waitangi – Treaty Principles Bill dead, Te Tiriti o Waitangi m...
The Green Party is proud to have voted down the Coalition Government’s Treaty Principles Bill, an archaic piece of legislation that sought to attack the nation’s founding agreement. ...1 week ago
- Member’s Bill an opportunity for climate action
A Member’s Bill in the name of Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter which aims to stop coal mining, the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill, has been pulled from Parliament’s ‘biscuit tin’ today. ...1 week ago
- Release: Bill to make trading laws fairer passes first hurdle
Labour MP Kieran McAnulty’s Members Bill to make the law simpler and fairer for businesses operating on Easter, Anzac and Christmas Days has passed its first reading after a conscience vote in Parliament. ...1 week ago
- Release: Reserve Bank acts while Govt shrugs
Nicola Willis continues to sit on her hands amid a global economic crisis, leaving the Reserve Bank to act for New Zealanders who are worried about their jobs, mortgages, and KiwiSaver. ...1 week ago
- Release: Property Law Amendment Bill pulled from ballot
A Bill to protect first home buyers and others from bad faith property vendors has been drawn from the Member’s Ballot. ...1 week ago
- Release: More children at risk of losing family connections
Karen Chhour is proposing to scrap Oranga Tamariki targets which aim to connect more children under state care with family and their culture. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: David Parker made a difference – Hipkins
The Labour Leader today acknowledged and celebrated David Parker’s 23-year contribution to the Labour Party and to Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: David Parker to step down from Parliament
Long-serving Labour MP and former Minister David Parker has today announced his intention to leave Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Flaws in Govt’s climate strategy will cost us money
The Government’s plan to achieve our climate goals falls short, and will cost New Zealanders money and jobs. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party differing view on the Treaty Principles Bill
Read the Green Party's differing view on the Treaty Principles Bill, prepared by Tamatha Paul. ...2 weeks ago
- Te Pāti Māori Urges Governor-General to Block Repeal of 7AA
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Abortion care quietly shelved amid staff shortage
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt guts Kāinga Ora, third of workforce under axe
The gutting of Kāinga Ora shows public housing is not a priority for this Government as it removes a third of the roles at the housing agency. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Thousands of submissions excluded from Treaty Principles Bill report
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Uncertainty remains over the impact of tariffs
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Worst February for building consents in over a decade
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports Willie Apiata’s selfless act
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...3 weeks ago
- Te Pāti Māori MPs Denied Fundamental Rights in Privileges Committee Hearing
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Govt health and safety changes put workers at risk
Changes to New Zealand’s health and safety laws will strip back key protections for small businesses and put working Kiwis at greater risk. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Kiwis worse off this April thanks to Govt choices
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Three more years for Interislander ferries
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Myanmar junta must stop the airstrikes
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: National failing to deliver on supermarkets
National is paying lip service to its promises to bring down the cost of living, failing to make any meaningful change in the grocery sector. ...3 weeks ago
No feed items found.
- Labour’s Chris Hipkins stands by initial Covid response, but admits mistakes were made
Labour's Chris Hipkins shares on a podcast his thoughts on the government's Covid response and his journey as a politician. ...4 hours ago - Did Australia back the wrong war in the 1960s? Now Putin’s Russia is knocking on the door
ANALYSIS: By Ben Bohane This week Cambodia marks the 50th anniversary of the fall of Phnom Penh to the murderous Khmer Rouge, and Vietnam celebrates the fall of Saigon to North Vietnamese forces in April 1975. They are being commemorated very differently; after all, there’s nothing to celebrate in Cambodia. ...4 hours ago - Trump executive orders roll back ocean fisheries protections in Pacific
By Gujari Singh in Washington The Trump administration has issued a new executive order opening up vast swathes of protected ocean to commercial exploitation, including areas within the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. It allows commercial fishing in areas long considered off-limits due to their ecological significance — despite ...5 hours ago
- ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 19, 2025
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 19, 2025. Google loses online ad monopoly case. But it’s just one of many antitrust battles against big techSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Nicholls, Senior Research Associate in Media and Communications, University ...11 hours ago
- Battlefield Remains Unearthed By Wildfires In Gallipoli Covered Over By Kiwi Team
New Zealand commemoration lead John McLeod said a small team, including members of the NZDF and the NZ Embassy, assisted in the covering up of remains that were exposed. ...12 hours ago - Four-Year Term Referendum Must Include Local Government
This Bill is a great opportunity to improve our system of government across all levels. Let’s make sure we get it right and give the public a say on a simple and enduring solution. ...12 hours ago
- Google loses online ad monopoly case. But it’s just one of many antitrust battles against big tech
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Nicholls, Senior Research Associate in Media and Communications, University of Sydney Tech giant Google has just suffered another legal blow in the United States, losing a landmark antitrust case. This follows on from the company’s loss in a similar case last ...15 hours ago
- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to talk trade and defence with UK prime minister Keir Starmer
Christopher Luxon will meet with King Charles and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. ...19 hours ago
- The Secret Diary of .. Paddy and Amanda
Paddy GowerAmanda Luxon. I mean what can you say. Easter is a good time to publish my latest reckons at Stuff because without exaggeration or making too much of things, Amanda Luxon walks among us like Jesus but probably with better shoes.Jesus healed. How good is that? It’s really good, ...20 hours ago - Short story: The new man, by Owen Marshall
How can an afternoon be long when it starts at one o’clock and finishes at half past three? Beauden thought about that as he stood at the back of the classroom and looked through the large window to the upper grounds where his colleague Monty Spiers was taking a phys ed ...20 hours ago
- Why is everyone suddenly obsessed with The Artist’s Way?
Alex Casey delves into the enduring success of The Artist’s Way, a self-help book beloved by everyone from retirees to famous rappers. On the video call, my mum is gesticulating so wildly while recounting all her recent creative endeavours that she knocks her cup of tea over a work-in-progress jigsaw ...21 hours ago - Is this the great New Zealand dessert?
Feijoa scholar Kate Evans reviews the dish everybody raves about at Metro’s 2024 restaurant of the year, Forest. People have been telling me I need to try the deep-fried feijoa dessert at Forest for about three years now. I’m embarrassed it took me this long, but it takes a lot ...21 hours ago
- ‘That’s not really who I am’: Colin Fassnidge on playing the MKR villain
Chef, author and reality television judge Colin Fassnidge takes us through his life in television. Colin Fassnidge is a huge television fan. He watches every blockbuster TV series the moment it drops and scores every single show on his Instagram account. It’s a habit that recently caught the attention of ...21 hours ago
- The legal loophole that allows certain streets to trade on Easter
Why are shops on Parnell Road allowed to open on Easter Sunday? It’s all thanks to an obsolete rule from the 1970s that’s been ‘frozen in time’. Originally published in 2023. Under our current trading laws, most stores are required to stay closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday (along ...21 hours ago
- Recipe: Ima’s hot cross buns
Yael Shochat, chef-owner of Auckland restaurant Ima Cuisine, shares the recipe for her hot cross buns – regularly voted among the best in the city. Originally published in 2019. HOT CROSS BUNS Makes 12 You may use equal weights of pre-ground spices, but you’ll get a much better flavour if ...21 hours ago
- End finally in sight for swimmer’s 38-year challenge
Gràinne Moss knows she can’t tackle the final leg of one of the world’s toughest swimming challenges alone.In her quest to complete the Oceans Seven marathon challenge, 38 years after she began, she’s enlisted the help of two remarkable women – one barely out of her teens, and the other ...21 hours ago
- What was HMNZS Manawanui doing before it sank? Calls for greater transparency
By Susana Leiataua, RNZ National presenter There are calls for greater transparency about what the HMNZS Manawanui was doing before it sank in Samoa last October — including whether the New Zealand warship was performing specific security for King Charles and Queen Camilla. The Manawanui grounded on the reef off ...1 day ago
- Labor’s poll surge continues in YouGov, but it’s barely ahead in Freshwater
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Labor increased its lead again in a YouGov poll, but Freshwater put the party ahead by just 50.3–49.7. This article also covers ...1 day ago
- ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 18, 2025
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 18, 2025. Labor’s poll surge continues in YouGov, but they’re barely ahead in FreshwaterSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and ...1 day ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 18
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic, $30) Haymitch’s Hunger Games. 2 Careless People: A ...1 day ago
- Labor’s poll surge continues in YouGov, but they’re barely ahead in Freshwater
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Labor increased their lead again in a YouGov poll, but Freshwater put them ahead by just 50.3–49.7. This article also covers the ...2 days ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘How to Make a Terrorist’ by Tusiata Avia
A new poem by Tusiata Avia. How to make a terrorist First make a whistling sound which is the sound of a bomb just before it lands on a house. Then make an exploding sound which is the sound of the bomb which kills a father, decapitates a mother, roasts ...2 days ago
- Compulsory consent education proposed for schools
More than three quarters of recent school leavers said they didn't learn enough about consent. ...2 days ago
- Energy and shipping decisions needed before meatworks – Chatham Islands mayor
Monique Croon says energy and shipping decisions are needed before a meatworks supported by the government can proceed. ...2 days ago
- Watch live: the 2025 NZ Scrabble Masters
The top-rated Scrabble players in the country go head-to-head this Easter weekend. Watch games live from 9.30am on the stream below. How does it all work? The Masters is different to most Scrabble tournaments in that it’s invitational, open only to the top-rated players in the country. The ...2 days ago
- Film adaptations of Jane Austen novels ranked from worst to best
Books editor Claire Mabey appraises all the Austen-adapted films from 1990 onwards to separate the delightful from the duds. For the purists, read our ranking of Jane Austen’s novels here. It is a truth universally acknowledged that not everything is created equal. Since 1990 there have been 12 attempts to ...2 days ago
- Table Service: Margot is the very definition of hospitality
To arrive through the heavy red door of Margot in Newtown is to be invited to the best dinner party in town, hosted by the best friends you haven’t yet made. Table Service is a column about food and hospitality in Wellington, written by Nick Iles. Hospitality is a term ...2 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 18 April
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 18 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 18 April
The post Daily crossword, Friday 18 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Bestselling books at Easter
NONFICTION1 No Words for This by Ali Mau (HarperCollins, $39.99)A free copy of the author’s new memoir was up for grabs in last week’s giveaway contest. Readers were asked to share their feelings about Mau, a former broadcaster and one of the most powerful figures in the New Zealand #metoo ...2 days ago
- Rather than ‘de-extincting’ species, let’s save the species we have
Analysis: The announcement last week that Colossal Biosciences in the USA had “de-extincted” the dire wolf, which was last seen 13,000 years ago, was reported worldwide.The three wolf pups generated equal parts fascination and widespread scientific criticism. But is this actually de-extinction, and what are the implications for the potential ...2 days ago
- The best TV shows to binge this Easter
We recommend the best – and longest – television series to watch this holiday weekend. As the Easter holiday weekend descends and the weather turns a little grim, many of us will turn to the trusty old television for comfort and entertainment. If you’re lucky, you’ll have some time over ...2 days ago
- Why Kinshasa keeps flooding – and why it’s not just about the rain
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gode Bola, Lecturer in Hydrology, University of Kinshasa The April 2025 flooding disaster in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, wasn’t just about intense rainfall. It was a symptom of recent land use change which has occurred rapidly in ...2 days ago
- Grattan on Friday: Peter Dutton’s tax indexation ‘aspiration’ has merit – so why didn’t we...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Peter Dutton, now seriously on the back foot, has made an extraordinarily big “aspirational” commitment at the back end of this campaign. He says he wants to see a move to indexing personal income ...2 days ago
- Keith Rankin Essay – Barbecued Hamburgers and Churchill’s Bestie
Essay by Keith Rankin. Operation Gomorrah may have been the most cynical event of World War Two (WW2). Not only did the name fully convey the intent of the war crimes about to be committed, it, also represented the single biggest 24-hour murder toll for the European war that I ...2 days ago
- Public toilets could be the jewels in our cities’ crowns – if only governments would listen
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Tietz, Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design, UNSW Sydney A New South Wales Senate inquiry into public toilets is underway, looking into the provision, design and maintenance of public toilets across the state. Whenever I mention this inquiry, however, everyone nervously ...2 days ago
- Bad news – why Australia is losing a generation of journalists
Shrinking budgets and job insecurity means there are fewer opportunities for young journalists, and that’s bad news, especially in regional Australia, reports 360info ANALYSIS: By Jee Young Lee of the University of Canberra Australia risks losing a generation of young journalists, particularly in the regions where they face the closure ...2 days ago
- Why do scientists want to spend billions on a 70-year project in an enormous tunnel under the Swiss ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tessa Charles, Accelerator Physicist, Monash University An artist’s impression of the tunnel of the proposed Future Circular Collider. CERN The Large Hadron Collider has been responsible for astounding advances in physics: the discovery of the elusive, long-sought Higgs boson as well as ...2 days ago
- Could you accidentally sign a contract by texting an emoji? Here’s what the law says
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer McKay, Professor in Business Law, University of South Australia Parkova/Shutterstock Could someone take you to court over an agreement you made – or at least appeared to make – by sending a “👍”? Emojis can have more legal weight ...2 days ago
- Why healthy eating may be the best way to reduce food waste
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Trang Nguyen, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Global Food and Resources, University of Adelaide Stokkete, Shutterstock Australians waste around 7.68 million tonnes of food a year. This costs the economy an estimated A$36.6 billion and households up to $2,500 annually. ...2 days ago
Sorry to spoil your day!. It has mine
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/332118/live-donald-trump-reveals-climate-deal-decision
Donald Trump dumps Paris agreement
He’s just officially withdrawn ‘Murica from the Paris Climate Change Accord.
What a stupid stupid man Agent Orange is, one would think saving the planet which gives us all life would be a priority.
Did you hear his speech? He claims he has gained over $350 billion of ‘trade’ ,meaning thousands of jobs for Americans. That 350 billion is all for weaponry! America first ?
It’s time the World woke up to the vile USA.
I did hear part of it, far out are you saying his ‘new jobs’ revolve around weapons? Why does that not surprise me.
It does my head in when people complain it will cost too much to clean up certain industries and reduce pollution. I don’t understand why they are unable to grasp that without a planet there is no industry.
The US is a rogue nation and it’s time that the Rest of the World started treating them as such.
All weaponary ? Really all of it ? For a citation?
sid he not say before the election hat he would so this ?
He’s doing exactly what he promised and was voted in on.
I think people were hoping he’d change his mind. After all he said he would “drain the swamp” and then proceeded to reappoint ex-Goldman Sachs employees into White House positions.
“I think people were hoping he’d change his mind.”
I dont think you are right on this one.
There were lots of people saying that they supported Trump and when confronted with his outrageous statements they would say that he’s exaggerating or he’s never going to do that, that it was hyped up for the campaign trail.
They are certainly easy to find with a quick google search.
https://www.facebook.com/IRegretVotingForTrump/
https://trumpgrets.tumblr.com/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Trumpgret/
Green MP Catherine Delahunty lead a very successful public meeting in Invercargill last night at which fishermen, farmers, regional councillors, oil and gas activists, water forum members, ministers of the cloth, students , lecturers etc. listened and spoke with presenters (the MP, a regional councillor and a dairy farmer) who focused on the Mataura River in their talks, but drifted off into all aspects of environmental care as the evening progressed. looking around, I thought to myself, “This is a real “Land & Water Forum”. Grass roots, piaka harakeke, action; The Government can’t manage anything even close.
Ka pai! Go Southlanders.
what farmers not bent on destruction!!! i don’t believe you
And the liberal Blairite UK media start to move into outright denial phase…. LOL
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/hung-parliament-yougov-model-not-true-a7764591.html
Pundits are right to remain a little cautious regarding the YouGov model … but I have to say that’s typical bluster and hyperbolic overdrive – “bunkum and balderdash” – from dyed-in-the-wool Blairite Rentoul.
Lead continues to narrow
As of Yesterday – Latest Tory poll leads:
YouGov: 3pt
Survation: 6pt
SurveyMonkey 6pt
FT poll of polls: 9pt
Kantar: 10pt
ICM: 12pt
ComRes: 12pt
Panelbase: 15pt
Today:
Pollster with most Con-friendly ‘house effects’ Panelbase: 8pt Tory lead (down 7 points in one week).
As someone with a lot of knowledge of political polls, have you ever seen such a rapid decline in support for the leading contender, Swordfish?
I have been a observer of politics in many countries for decades, but I can’t remember anything as dramatic as this during an election campaign. True, May has run an awful campaign and it does make you wonder whether she doesn’t actually want to win, as Bill suggested a couple of days ago.
There is an idea that Tory support hasn’t dropped at all. Rather, Labour has attracted support. Much of that support seems to be from younger people, so the problem of converting the polls into votes remains – http://survation.com/tide-turned-david-cowling/
Editractor is more or less right.
Tories mildly down ／Labour substantially up (consolidating its support at the expense of almost everyone – Tories, Lib Dems, Ukip, SNP/ PC, the Greens, and the previously Undecided (many of whom were 2015 Lab or Lib Dem voters).
Rather than focusing on the Headline Poll figures, it’s useful to consider the Initial results (which are fully weighted but still include the Don’t Knows)
Here’s a comparison I did between the 1st YouGov to be conducted after May announced the Election (18–19 Apr 2017) – when the Tories were at their height – with the latest YouGov
… …YouGov (18–19 Apr 2017) … … (30-31 May 2017) … … Swing
Con …. … … … … 34 … … … … … 31 … … … – 3
Lab … … …. .… …18 … … .. ..… … 30 … … … + 12
Lib Dem … …. . … 8 … .…. . .….. … 6 … … … – 2
Ukip … … ….. …… 5 …. ..… . …. … 3 …. … .… – 2
SNP/ PC . . …… .… 4 … ..… ..….. … 4 …. … ……. =
Other … … … . …. 2 … …. . ….. .… 2 ….. …….. . =
Will not vote ….. 10 … … . .…. .. . 8 …. … …. – 2
Don’t know …. … 17 … ……. .…. 15 … .…. … – 2
Con Lead … … …+ 16 … ..… … + 1
Mild Tory decline ／substantial Labour rise.
Headline figures for same Polls ….
YouGov (18–19 Apr 2017) … (30-31 May 2017) … Swing
Con …. … … … … 48 … … … … … 42 … …. .… – 6
Lab … … …. .… …24 … … .. ..… … 39 … …. … + 15
Lib Dem … …. .… 12 … .….. .…..… 7 … ….. … – 5
Ukip … … ….. …… 7 …. ..… . ….. … 4 …. …. … – 3
SNP/ PC . . …… .… 6… ..… ..….. .… 5 ….………. – 1
Green . .. ……. .… 2… ..… ..…… .… 2 …. … ……. =
Other … … … . …. 1 … …. . …… .… 1 ….. …….. . =
Con Lead … … …+ 24 … ..….. … + 3
Is 15% high for the UK for Don’t Knows?
4 YouGovs conducted 5-10 days out from 2015 Election (ie same stage of Campaign) = Don’t Knows all in 10-11% range
3 YouGovs Same stage 2010 Campaign = 11-13%
ok, so not that much more but a bit. (NZ’s are much lower right?).
Polls since early 2016
Roy Morgans = Undecideds = all in 5.5-7.5% range
Colmar Bruntons = Undecideds = all in 10-13% range
Reid Research = Unknown (they play their methodological cards close to their chest)
In the 21st century, residential electricity is a necessity, and shouldn’t be treated as a consumer product/service. Prices are escalating too much, and the fact that increasing numbers cannot afford the bills, mean the root of the problem needs to be fixed.
Electricity is a public service, and shouldn’t be provided on a for-profit basis.
Article on Stuff about increasing numbers of people having their power cut off due to unpaid bills.
That’s true of many of the services that were built up by the taxpayers because private industry wouldn’t do it and then got sold off by the government once they were profitable causing us to lose billions of dollars and decreased the evolution of those services.
Electricity
Telecommunications
Airports
And the list goes on.
“Electricity is a public service, and shouldn’t be provided on a for-profit basis.”
Could you please cite any examples internationally where this is the case?
NZ was like that pre 1984. Electricity was a govt dept and govt departments were not permitted to make a profit, this was also before the bogus “return on investment” nonsense invented by accountants.
Pretty much everywhere. It was only after such services became profitable from the massive investment by governments that the private sector became interested. Only after the money for nothing that is the hallmark of private businesses.
There are a number of US states where electricity is owned and run by the state, not private enterprise.
Obscene.
In a newly released paper, researchers in Scandinavia and the United States use the Swiss and Panamanian leaks to show that global tax evasion is likely much more prevalent than previously thought. Their estimates indicate that the top 0.01 percent of the wealth distribution own about half of all offshore assets and may be hiding roughly a quarter of their wealth offshore.
“Most of the tax evasion happens at the very, very top of the wealth distribution,” said Gabriel Zucman, one of the researchers.
Zucman has previously estimated that the equivalent of about 10 percent of global gross domestic product is hidden in tax havens. These countries, which often have laws that ensure the secrecy of offshore accounts, include Singapore, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, and, of course, Switzerland — which alone manages an estimated 40 percent of the world’s offshore wealth.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/06/01/researchers-are-figuring-out-just-how-much-wealth-the-super-rich-are-hiding-overseas/
Bloomberg is reporting on the direct conflict between intensive dairying in the McKenzie Country and New Zealand tourism industry, and puts it like this:
“Since 2000, when Peter Jackson filmed the Battle of Pelennor Fields, the showdown between the armies of men and Sauron’s evil Orcs in “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” vast swathes of Mackenzie landscape have been transformed.
Drawing water from nearby rivers and using pivot irrigation, farmers are creating circles of pasture that are as much as two kilometers wide, converting tussock grasslands that are the habitat of numerous endangered and threatened species of plants, birds, lizards and insects.”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-01/middle-earth-desert-becomes-battlefield-again-in-row-over-water
What the reporter is showing that our landscape has been so altered in the last two decades by intensive dairying that it would now no longer be possible to film The Lord of the Rings as they did. A nice large scale economic conflict, that hasn’t been managed.
A few more articles like this in the global press and maybe there will be a political wakeup.
It’s become a political sore spot for the Government. Violent dairy robberies across the country seem to happen weekly, if not daily with the main target being tobacco.
The Government says they are taking the issue seriously, yet there is no plan to halt tobacco tax increases.
At years end, tax on tobacco will increase again, further fueling this crime-spree.
If the Government were genuinely taking the issue seriously, they’d put an end to this experiment.
Is Labour taking the issue seriously?
The silence on this from Labour is astounding. The level of violence is tearing away at our social fabric. New Zealand used to be such a safe society, now shopkeepers are living in fear. It’s only a matter of time before the increase in violent crime negatively impacts upon our international reputation.
It’s devastating the poor whom makeup the majority of smokers with smoking within Maoridom the most prevalent. Hence where is Labour’s outrage?
The Government is handling this poorly, thus presenting Labour with the opportunity to score some political points, yet Labour seem to be MIA.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/06/lloyd-burr-labour-s-kiwibuild-immigration-pickle.html
Good article on New Hub with Littles kiwibuild immigration pickle.
Will be great to see him articulacy answer this question while still being able to keep his other commitments. Even better if he provides his assumptions and they make sense.
Wouldn’t it be great if Labour introduced a long term, permanent tradie apprenticeship scheme, created a govt department that built houses and provided permanent jobs through that, and managed immigration in the short and medium term to bring in temporary workers and prioritised tradies for residency applications?
Encouraging owner/builders would be a good thing too.
Not sure about the numbers in that article, but it really should be differentiating between people on temporary work visas and those immigrating permanently.
And they only need around 5000 staff, if that – it’s not like the programme requires colossal numbers of people, migrants or otherwise.
Where did you get that?
The article breaks it down as:
Total migrants needed for the current housing forecasts: 12,763 per year
Total migrants needed for current forecast + KiwiBuild (Labour estimates): 13,263 per year
Total migrants needed for current forecast + KiwiBuild (Govt estimates): 17,363 per year
Luckily the Kiwibuild policy is using projected figures and it can be changed if needed huh?
As opposed to National’s policy which is to do nothing and blame Labour.
This article proves that RWNJs only care about money not 1000’s of people SLEEPING IN CARS IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER
Petty and stupid.
“This article proves that RWNJs only care about money not 1000’s of people SLEEPING IN CARS IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER”
Really – where?
You did read it right?
Did you?
Or, even better, did you actually think about what the lying reporter said?
I based it on 6 months worth of labour to build a house including fit out etc. Apparently at 4,600 per year as per DTB’s link below, I wasn’t far off. I have no idea why the government believes 46,000 people are required to build 100,000 houses, however – surely people can build more than 2 houses in 10 years. People will come and go, but it seems awfully unlikely that they will only do a year in the programme.
Interesting, MBIE seems to be missing about 70,000 people:
Now, is MBIE wrong or the guy who wrote the opinion piece and who fails to link to his sources? I’m feeling the latter.
And we’ll still have over 150,000 unemployed or around 6% of the workforce. Which actually tells us that we have the people available but that our training capability is inadequate to achieve what’s needed.
And that’s not even taking into account productivity increases from things like 3D printing.
And, under this government, we’d still have ~6% or more unemployment.
No, that’s not ‘Labour’s pickle’ but the reporter lying. See, we don’t actually need all the migrants that come in now.
So, yeah, just looks like another lie from a RWNJ reporter.
Interesting. The neoliberals’ Pravda aka The Economist ditches May in favour of the Lib Dems. Of course they weren’t going to endorse Labour and Corbyn, but I see it as an interesting indicator of the divisions in the right:
http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21722855-leaders-both-main-parties-have-turned-away-decades-old-vision-open-liberal
So there is a sekrit Muslim in the White House.
this is a fabulous interview to watch.
No fake media here 🙂
or from Russia with love, and please spell your name while I take notes.
https://www.facebook.com/roslyakov/videos/10212844249759495/
“A Grand Coalition.” Gareth Morgan has an interesting idea:
“…Incredibly, National and Labour appear to be closer together than the potential coalition partners Labour and the Greens are. While Labour and National fight over who is going to change the least, most of the interesting policy discussion is happening in the minor parties….”
“…Of course it is unlikely to happen here, with the main barrier being party tribalism. Labour and National party diehards would never countenance such an idea, they are simply not mature enough to see that their approach is so close….”
http://www.top.org.nz/a_grand_coalition?utm_campaign=2_candidate&utm_medium=email&utm_source=garethmorgan
Actually, IIRC, Michael Cullen said the exact same thing.
And it’s ‘tribalism’ that keeps them apart by diametrically opposed philosophies to life.
TOP seems to be so immature as to think that they’re right and everyone else is wrong. They’re still a capitalist party which means that they’re wrong about almost everything.
Maybe but some of the ideas are worth exploring. We shouldn’t condemn an idea just because of who said it.
Oh I don’t know. Just had a scroll through twitter and TOP are all about Morgan and condescension. More importantly I’ll question someone’s judgement who can’t tell the differences between Labour and National’s policies, or who chooses to lie to the electorate about them.
TOP have some good policies and idea. How they talk about them is not so good, and once you scratch the surface you see an economist who isn’t left wing.
A pox on ego-driven politics.
It sure as hell saves a lot of time otherwise spent dealing with bullshit, though.
Water Quality
Housing
Health esp. mental health
Education
Yeah go on, tell me there is no difference between the left and the right in NZ.
https://twitter.com/LostArcNZ/status/870200852081856512
We could make a long list.
National were literally formed to keep Labour out of government, so he’s asking the impossible.
Also, there are a lot of fundamental differences in approach outside of economics e.g. employment relations.
Interesting article on how the CIA infiltrates American newsmedia, sometimes clandestinely, sometimes in collusion with management and journalists.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-12-20/cia-washington-post-and-russia-what-youre-not-being-told