“I confirm that there is no British government involvement of any kind in training, equipping or co-operating with Khmer Rouge forces or those allied to them.”
See also….
No.24 John Key: “…at the end of the day I, like most New Zealanders, value the role of the fourth estate…”
No. 23 Jay Carney: “…expel Mr Snowden back to the U.S. to face justice…”
No. 22 Mike Bush: “Bruce Hutton had integrity beyond reproach.”
No. 21 Tim Groser: “I think the relationship is genuinely in outstanding form.”
No. 20 John Key: “But if the question is do we use the United States or one of our other partners to circumvent New Zealand law then the answer is categorically no.”
No. 19 Matthew Hooton: “It is ridiculous to say that unions deliver higher wages! They DON’T!” No. 18 Ant Strachan: “The All Blacks won the RWC 2011 because of outstanding defence!”
No. 17 Stephen Franks: “Peter has been such a level-headed, safe pair of hands.”
No. 16 Phil Kafcaloudes: “Tony Abbott…hasn’t made any mistakes over the past eighteen months.”
No. 15 Donald Rumsfeld: “I did not lie… Colin Powell did not lie.”
No. 14 Colin Powell: “a post-9/11 nexus between Iraq and terrorist organizations…connections are now emerging…”
No.13 Barack Obama: “Simply put, these strikes have saved lives.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-27052013/#comment-638881
No. 12 U.K. Ministry of Defence: “Protecting the Afghan civilian population is one of ISAF and the UK’s top priorities.”
No. 11 Brendan O’Connor: “Australia’s approach to refugees is compassionate and generous.”
No. 10 Boris Johnson: “Londoners have… the best police in the world to look after us and keep us safe.”
No. 9 NewstalkZB PR dept: “News you NEED! Fast, fair, accurate!”
No. 8 Simon Bridges: “I don’t mean to duck the question….”
No. 7 Nigel Morrison: “Quite frankly, they’ve been VERY tough.” http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-15052013/#comment-633295
No. 6 Herald PR dept: “Congratulations—you’re reading New Zealand’s best newspaper.” No. 5 Rawdon Christie: “…a FORMIDABLE replacement, it seems, is Claudette Hauiti.” http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-13052013/#comment-632594
No. 4 Willie and J.T.: “The X-Factor. Nah, nah, there’s some GREAT talent there!”
No. 3 John Key: “Yeah we hold MPs to a higher standard.”
No. 2 Colin Craig: “Oh, I have a GREAT sense of humour.”
No. 1 Barack Obama: “Margaret Thatcher was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty.”
How does this fit with Liar of our time Colonial Viper’s racist dismissal of the whole Arab Spring phenomenon as a Western/US plot?
Or indeed CV’s support for the bloody suppression of the Arab Spring in Syria by the Assad regime, in which CV claimed that the use of nerve gas wouldn’t be a war crime?
Views all quite acceptable to be promulgated on The Standard without any censure.
In his continuing racist attack on the legitimacy of the Arab Spring, CV’s latest outrageous claim. Is that the Syrian insurgents have “used” sarin.’ Without any substantiation at all CV claims that the rebels stole the sarin from Assad. “And used it, yes”
I would have liked to ask Colonial Viper would he consider the use of deadly nerve gas a war crime if it was used against his hero Bashar Assad?
However, such details are irrelevant to Jenny. Her popular uprising Arab Spring in Syria happens to be staffed by…Islamist fighters from Qatar, Turkey, Europe, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. For some reason this particular “popular uprising” needs a heck of a lot of foreign fighters and foreign firepower just to keep going. Odd that.
Funny how she didn’t manage the “Arab Spring” in Egypt. Seems like the people think that the new Boss was exactly like the old Boss, except with an Islamic Brotherhood tinge. (Oh dear I just read that a popular uprising just burnt down their HQ.)
Jenny, in Egypt, is it now the Arab Summer? Because they already had their “Spring” I guess it must be the next season.
Despite increasing wheat production by 350% since 1960 Egypt is now the world’s largest importer of wheat – imported wheat which it admitted recently it can no longer afford to pay for – http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-06/egypt-seen-asking-france-for-delayed-payment-for-grain-imports.html. The political implications of subsequently rising grain prices in a country where over a quarter of the population live in abject poverty is obvious, and the initial protests of the “Arab Spring” were really more bread riots than democracy riots.
Most of the Arab spring is simply Malthusian expressions of human over-population. Egypt’s population a hundred years ago was around twelve millions. At the turn of this century, it was 63 millions. Today it stands at 83 millions, and is projected to hit 100 millions in a decade. Almost all of these people live within twenty miles of the Nile river or Nile Delta. Encouraged by religion, population growth in Egypt is out of control at over 2% pr annum and out-stripping the available resources of the largely desert state that is Egypt. You have got a seething mass of young people, that the the state cannot provide jobs or opportunities or even bread for, becoming hungry, bored, angry and agitated.
The Arab Spring in Egypt is less a democratic upwelling than a manifestation of too many rats in a cage. It may be starting in the third world but it is a warning of what awaits us all as human numbers combined with climate change leads to a faltering ability of governments to provide even the basics for seething populations.
Not so much to do with increasing population as much as the mis/non use of resources.
The Egyptians have one of the biggest rivers in the world plus the two Aswan dams.
Combining a massive fresh water resource with a hot middle eastern climate should mean that Egypt (via modern irrigation techniques) should be the bread basket of the middle east.
For them to be importing massive amounts of grain reflects on their collective lack of leadership over the last 100 years.
And that would solve the problem that Sanctuary listed how?
Oh, that’s right, it won’t.
the world is over-populated by between 5 and 6 billion people. Sooner or later, especially with ACC coming, most of that population will starve to death and there’s nothing that can be done about it.
Coal and oil delayed the Malthusian predictions. For Egypt oil was a resource boon which enabled them to keep feeding and financing an expanding population. However, their peak oil was 15 or more years ago.
Now its a nasty slide down the other side of the slope.
These countries are basket cases and they are none of our business. If religious zealots straight out of the dark ages and brutal militarists decide to massacre each other in sectarian violence, then neither side deserves our sympathy and we should leave them to their barbarian slaughter. The curse of religion is upon them, they have only got themselves to blame for getting into this sectarian mess, they can sort it out amongst themselves with their very own Thirty Years War and get back to the rest of us when some sort of sanity prevails.
That is an incredibly superficial view, Sanctuary.
To paraphrase Edmonds: though the collusion with radical Islam had been going on for decades, it wasn’t until 1996 that a formal decision was made by NATO to abandon their previous secret relationship with neo-Fascists and arch-Nationalists and replace them with Islamists.
They can’t help it, probably have over active agency+pattern recognition detection* issues judging from their posts and the site they linked to, combined with an inability to recognise serious incoherence in their belief structure(s). It’s mostly a learned set of behaviours though that can be unlearned, but leads to them being a royal pain in the arse at social gatherings as they blather about free-energy and freemasons to anyone and everyone who hasn’t told them to fuck off.
___________________________________________
*translation – sees links where there are none or weighs what links there are to heavily and sees agency where there is none.
I have got no doubt that the sudden desire of the West to arm the barbarian Syrian rebels to stop their defeat at the hands of the savage Assad forces is driven purely by a wicked and cynical desire to keep the region destabilised. A fractured Syria and a fragile Lebanon and Iraq acting as hosts for a internecine religious war between Sunni and Shi’ite is is music to the ears of Whitehall and Washington – nothing like getting that oil money back in the form of weapons purchases from a Saudi Arabia petrified of Iran. I also have little doubt that a large part of the reason for the rise of religious fundamentalism in the Middle East can be sheeted home to the disgraceful policies of the United States and it’s client state Israel. That is why I suggest we should leave them alone – because at least leaving them alone will not constitute actively encouraging sectarian slaughter, which is what we are doing at the moment.
Yep – to assume intervention to bring down a dictator, even if the prick really deserves it, will bring about an Arab Spring, is to fall into the same well meaning fallacy that Christopher Hitchens did regarding Iraq. Of course there is a vague possibility that an educated middle class will rise to establish a democracy – but there is also a vague possibility winged monkeys will fly out of my arse. The actual result is anarchy and infighting between cliques who are more than likely as bad as each other, and even if you do suceed in creating a democracy, by and large it is the conservative theocrats who get popularly voted in. It’s a Catch 22 and best kept at arms length unless the clusterfuck is right on your border.
Actually, leaving them to their own devices usually isn’t the best idea due to the knock on effects that can destabilise surrounding regions and lead unto swarms of refugees and pissed off young people. However the UN is pretty much useless for dealing with large scale civil wars due to colonialism 2.0* power plays by state actors, including the EU, so actually intervening in a zero-sum game way, in which only the fuck-monsters loose, is sadly rather fucking impossible.
And the situation in Syria, much like Iraq and Afghanistan, is only going to create more fuck-monsters, aka fanatical young males with bad cases of anti-sociality and a score to settle with what ever out-group of the month they dislike. Causing all sorts of direct and indirect negative effects.
Which leaves us with the utter crap, but less monstrous option of backing semi-secular and less insane muslim jihadi groups in the hope they kill off most of the fuck monsters.
Worst case scenario for non-intervention – Israel uses it nuclear assets offensively, on mostly civilian targets, thus potentially drawing in all the external powers (US, EU, Russia and China) into a hot war. There’s others, but the shear toll in human life from each one is pretty much the same.
____________________________________
*who cares about ruling when you can just force the locals into selling you every natural and human resource they own for crazy low prices?
New Zealand governments supported the Khmer Rouge from 1978 to 1990
John Key “can’t remember” if he supported the Khmer Rouge or not
Under the cloak of parliamentary privilege, Phil Goff and Winston Peters, who both obeyed this U.S. policy of supporting the Khmer Rouge, brutally slandered Keith Locke, who was opposed to it.
Page 1 New Zealand Journal of History, 33,2 (1999)
The Devil You Know: NEW ZEALAND’S RECOGNITION POLICY TOWARDS CAMBODIA
FROM 1978-1990 [1]
by ANTHONY SMITH
THIS ARTICLE looks at New Zealand’s policy of recognition towards Cambodia (or Kampuchea [2]) between 1978 and 1990. New Zealand policymakers had to make the difficult decision as to which political entity to recognize, if any at all, after the Vietnamese invaded and installed a puppet government in Kampuchea in 1978. The Vietnamese army’s removal of the genocidal Khmer Rouge, or Democratic Kampuchea (DK), led by Pol Pot, provoked mixed reactions from the international community. There was universal relief at Pol Pot’s removal, but the Association of South East AsianNations (ASEAN), China and the United States expressed the concern that a Soviet-sponsored Vietnam was attempting to achieve sub-regional hegemony.These nations all
supported the anti-Vietnamese resistance forces. Controversially, New Zealand also opted to give diplomatic recognition to the ousted Khmer Rouge regime-in-exile as the legitimate representatives of the Cambodian people.
What emerges about New Zealand foreign-policy decision-making over this issue is that it contained a great deal of ambivalence. ……
Australia Post stamp issue demeans New Zealand and Palestine
1 July 2013
The 60-cent joint Australia Post/Israel Post stamp (one of a two-stamp commemorative issue) with its Tel el Saba inscription implies that the 1st Australian Light Horse Brigade took the Turkish hill position. In fact, an attack planned for the Australian Light Horse was being held up until the threat from the Turkish machine-guns on Tel el Saba could be eliminated. It was actually the Auckland Mounted Rifles that took the hill and a photo of them can be seen on top of Tel el Saba after its capture from the Turks. The caption explains that the “hill was the key to taking the outpost township of Beersheba – with Turko-German weaponry dug in overlooking all the approaches to the township and its trench defences, it had to be in the hands of the Anzacs before a frontal attack on the town could take place.”
The re-writing of history to suit Israel and its Australia Post propagandists went far beyond implying that it was Australian, not New Zealand, forces that took Tel el Saba. An Australia Post website article referring to the collaboration of Israel and Australia in the stamp issue states: “The Battle of Beersheba is a significant event in the history of both countries and one of Australia’s greatest and least-known military triumphs.” The battle took place over 30 years before Israel came to establish itself in Palestine and to imply that the battle was a part of Israel’s history is a slap in the face for Palestinians whose forbears fought with ANZAC forces in Palestine. The Palestinians were led to believe that fighting for victory with the allies would help to ensure their independence when the war was over. Australia Post’s tribute to the (at the time) non-existent Israel in the fighting is absurd. As Ali Kazak has pointed out, “Jews did not fight with the Australian forces, they were merely 6.8 per cent of the population in Palestine, according to British statistics.” Instead of gaining independence with the defeat of the Turkish empire, the Palestinian people were subjected to merciless terrorism with the Palestinian residents of Beersheba being ethnically cleansed from their city by Zionist forces.
Australia Post’s reference to the Battle of Beersheba as being a part of Israel’s history implies that the organisation regards Beersheba to be an Israeli town. If Australia Post had any respect for international law it would give due recognition to the indisputable fact that Beersheba is still a part of Palestine and that it is illegally occupied by a foreign power. Israel continues to defy international law by denying the refugees their United Nations-recognised right of return.
Australia Post could have made a more honest stamp issue, jointly with Palestine Post, that recognised the true participants and with the Arabic language included. It is cause for alarm when a government agency (Australia Post describes itself as a ‘Government Business Enterprise’) allows itself to become involved with a foreign government in such an exercise. It is easy to understand that Israel must, of necessity, attempt to deny history in the promotion of its ideology but the Zionist state should not be allowed to subvert our democratic institutions or undermine respect for international law.
Christchurch City Council loses its stamp for issuing building consents and the government is set to take over. So we will now get the same treatment for consents as we do for our damaged homes – EQC, the most fucked-up delayed bullshit govt organisation ever.
John Key gets all uppity over leak of email, electronic parliament entry and other correspondence. If you got nothing to hide John then you got nothing to fear.
Government sets aside $80million to help irrigation schemes get underway where private business is too fearful to tread. Duh.
Primary Industries Minister, the deceitful Nathan Guy, claims dry areas of the country need irrigation, seen by the recent “extreme drought”. One, the land is dry because the dumb farmers stripped all the vegetation off – duh. Two, the “extreme drought” was nothing but a normal dry spell exacerbated by farmers stripping bare the land. Witness hapless North Canterbury farmer crying “the rivers haven’t been this low in five years!” – duh.
Nothing but lies lies lies. The place has gone to shit.
Indeed, watching Bob Parker on Campbell Live last night gave me the distinct impression of a mouse facing an oncoming 20 tonne road roller,
What is going on with Christchurch building consents, according to Mayor Parker they have fulfilled the legal obligation to process these within the 20 day period and are now being told they have lost the consenting rights because they do not have the ‘technical ability’,
A sneaking suspicion has formed in my mind that the move by Slippery’s National Government to strip Christchurch Council of it’s consenting rights is in fact the first move in an attempt by these Shysters to ‘privatize’ the building consent process first in Christchurch and if they can get away with that then ‘privatization’ of building consents nationwide,
i might be way wrong with my suspicion but there is something not quite right going on here…
Exactly bad12. Something is up. I wonder if they have been lovestruck by the awesomeness of their Ecan coup and the wondrous feelings it brings them that they have developed an addiction for big government interference and picking winners and corporate handouts. This addiction has blinded them, yet they remain undeterred. They blunder on charging at a great rate of knots, ignoring the full face frontal reality of the exodus of private investment in their most beautiful CBD Blueprint.
They are indeed a 20 tonne road roller. Ever followed behind a road roller to see what happens to everything it passes over? Ever seen a seat after fat arse Brownlee has sat on it?
interesting development that i noticed re: CHCH building consent
1, ministers claimed it was wrong to point the finger at the govt as IANZ was an independant body
2, bob parker came on news and radio last night claiming that as IANZ was an accreditation body and not a licensing body, the CHCH council could still process consents
3, this morning, news reports about the govt considering legal measures to prevent CHCH council processing permits
so yet more blatant utter BS from the govt – something is very very rotten in CHCH and it has the crooked hands of the national and act parties all over it
“A sneaking suspicion has formed in my mind that the move by Slippery’s National Government to strip Christchurch Council of it’s consenting rights is in fact the first move in an attempt by these Shysters to ‘privatize’ the building consent process first in Christchurch and if they can get away with that then ‘privatization’ of building consents nationwide”
and extrapolate all of this to Auckland and past and present Nact interferences .. we should all be afraid, very afraid — or just become so bloody angry we do something about it, right ??
I think it’s more a long the lines of Christchurch being full of Labour types who will purposely fight National about the way the city is being rebuilt, causing endless holdups and frustration.
You don’t wont this sort of bullshit going on especially, going into an election, by removing the sabutours, National can finally get on with the rebuild providing heaps of great photo shoots and rah rah, go national stories.
Well there are definitely pluses and minus when it comes to democracy.
Won’t argue with you there.
Just to put on my conspiracy hat for a second.
I have a sneaking suspicion one of the main reasons Lianne Dalziel has decided to run for Christchurch mayor is so she can purposely spike the rebuild process thus creating bad publicity for the National government.
You can just see it , she’d be endlessly in the news wailing about what a terrible job National are doing and how the poor, poor people have suffered under the incompetence of National, etc ……, not what you want going into an election.
The chances of her getting elected are quite high especially with Parker being so hopeless, so National have decided they’ve got to neuter the council and get it in their control before Dalziel gets elected.
Well BM. How have the nats done? Eh? How is that beautiful central bity Blusprint coming along? Do you know?
And what about the people going through a third winter right now out east? Have you been here? Have you slept here? Is it ok that they suffer a third winter so the national voters in Ilam and Fendalton can get their easy houses repairs done quickly to make up EQC repair numbers?
wake up and open your eyes fool.
Perhaps Dalziel will call it as it actually is. Perhaps she is actually concerned for people.
Hey, I’m not saying it’s easy or I agree with whats going on.
I do think in these sort of situations you need to take a bit of a Chairman Mao sort of approach.
Endless discussion and community involvement = glacial progress.
So, from my point of view, “it” would be enabling a process whereby Cantabrians could direct their own rebuild, mediate between opposing interests, etc., whereas for you “it” means dictating “solutions” bereft of community buy-in.
As you rightly point out, Cantabrians don’t like being told how to live. Nor do you, I suspect. Pot, kettle, lightbulb?
Your view there lines up exactly with the nats, unsurprisingly.
It may surprise you to learn that “just get on and do it” on the ground reads “just get on and do anything, something,…”. The warped speed which much has been done has resulted in too much of the very underlying base fabric of the city being ripped apart. It has torn the city to shreds. It has gone too quickly, too much. We are now left with a barren landscape with nothing for the people to reference. When locals wander the CBD they are adrift. The link through generations and history has been torn up and tossed in the bin.
The speed has been the wrong approach.
Who said anything about “endless discussion”? You just made that up.
Your view on the entire situation lacks facts, base knowledge and also personal knowledge. Your understanding is pretty worthless actually.
The history of the Christchurch recovery has already been written. Check it in ten years BM and see how this government’s actions are seen. You will be surprised at how wrong they have got it.
NickS why on earth would it leave us with an empty barren wasteland? Why do you think that?
Imo if it had been left to fly by the seat of the people and their needs and desires i.e. the free market (you know it surely), there would be significantly more building and activity going on in the central city. As well as all the government and council work and building.
National can finally get on with the rebuild providing heaps of great photo shoots and rah rah, go national stories.
National has once again trumped the socialists.
You agree with what National are doing (removing democracy and making life worse for Chch) and that you want them to continue doing it.
Endless discussion and community involvement = glacial progress.
We’re getting the glacial speed from government interference because they don’t want to let the community have their say or to do things their way.
Some one has to step in and just get it done
Well, what the government should be doing is supplying Chch with the resources needed for the Cantabrians to do it their way. Instead the government is trying very hard to prevent the Cantabrians from doing anything and are, instead, dictating from on high.
Go have a look at how the central city rebuild is getting on. It aint. Although I do agree that that is what the arsehole Nats and their arsehole voters are trying to do.
Another example is the bullshit claim that EQC are halfway through their claims – ha ha ha ha ha ha ha lying pricks again. They may be halfway through the number of claims but that is because they fixed up all the pathetic claims in Ilam and Fendalton where people had a wee bit of torn gib and left all the other claims in Aranui and Brighton where each claim is each massive. The number may be halfway but the work is about 20% max. Lying arseholes. I don’t know why you support them – maybe you lack a brain.
Yes, god forbid that the people who have gotten the short end of the stick, ie homeless, those on low incomes, etc have their needs taken into consideration and their concerns heard, rather than just be shouted down as moaners.
The CHC rebuild is nothing more than a dogs breakfast, with the government seeming to think that all a city needs is a convention centre and a stadium,and all sorts of other tomfoolery.
The best thing to do with regards to Christchurch is for central government to focus on rebuilding central government things, local government to focus on rebuilding local government things and private sector to rebuild private sector things, with EQC just paying out homeowners and policy holders in cash for them to spend as they see fit.
What’s to bet you thought the government’s over-ruling of the original inner city plan was right to? Despite it following the same plans that have helped keep the inner cities of many modern EU nations vibrant, liveable and economically productive. Instead of the hollow office park we’re now going to get…
I don’t think you are wrong, Bad12, you’re spot on. This Govt and its mates would dearly like to privatise local govt – it has huge infrastructure to bring in big profits for them. Privatising building consents could well be the start to privatising the whole local govt scene.
But building consents WERE put out to private contractors in the early 1990s ….. and resulted in ….. leaky homes ! Not that the private contractors were totally responsible for leaky homes …….
shonky fly-by-nite developers, untreated timber played a part, windows without eaves, etc. etc
And if this whole Ch’ch building consents scenario is not about privatisation, then how on earth is the Govt and Brownlee going to make sure the Ch’ch building consent process is improved ?
Why doesn’t Bob Parker grow some balls and stand up for himself and his Council. I have never seen him do that. Never stood up to Brownlee and his bull boy ways. Never fired back a missile. Never stood up to this government.
He just stands there and offers a useless white tissue of appeasement – each and every single bloody time. Weak.
Stand up man. Say something you really want to. Stand up for your ratepayers and citizens. What’s the worst that can happen? Eh? Seriously, what is the worst that can happen?
VTO – Surely you understand the levels involved, right.
These people operate in a structure, they answer to someone with a higher ranking, they know this. They are also prevented from speaking out, due to their allegiances laying elsewhere, i.e, not with NZ!
There is no speaking out, they’re on the *same team*!
McFlock, the *planet*,as you put it, is going terribly for billions of its inhabitants, not to mention other animal species, and the environment….that aside, it’s not what I was referring.
Where is the outrage, where is the public airing, of the dirty dealings which are leading to such actions, which are happening in Christchurch, re consents etc.
Parker, as a minimum, will be well aware what’s going on, well aware of the dirty, filthy undercurrent, which is creating these situations, so where is the outrage, the very public transfer of this information.
None of these events/actions are an accident, McFlock!
Here is something not surprising I’m sure. I loathe this government as much as I did the last one at this end stage of its life.
What a bunch of low-level dishonourable people government politicians always turn out to be…
How does this happen? Is it the system? Or is it the nature of the people it attracts? Is it the addicitive lure of the beehive’s honey? The lust for power and the end-game excessive power always brings about?
Is it the system? Or is it the nature of the people it attracts? Is it the addicitive lure of the beehive’s honey? The lust for power and the end-game excessive power always brings about?
vto says “is it the nature of the people it attracts?”
This is an outcome of the type of a elected democracy, regardless of the party.
From a 4M population, you are looking for someone to stand for parliament as a backbencher, and depending where we are in the political cycle maybe a couple of terms in opposition. So who do we select from?
…. take out children and most of the >60 age groups
…. take out those adults that have a past that they do wish to become public
…. take out those adults who do not have the public (speaking) or social (engagement) skills to be a politician – I expect this number would be high. There are so many people that can operate quite efficiently in their own social or political group but would die in a public role.
…. take out those adults who do not wish to give up existing lifestyle of family, location, career/small business interest etc. The lifestyle choice of having a significant part of downtime (weekends) time on spent on political events against the demands of your children and/or partner is a big ask, and for a lot people sometime not prepared to sacrifice
… take out those adults who have no interest in joining political parties but are voters, and maybe their energy is directed at a specific community of national group
…. Take out those that do not vote in a democracy – at guess this would be at least a 25% of the voting population (you may vote but in a democracy others have a right not to vote or participate)
… take out those – add your own
We do elect our politicians from a very small group of of people, and by default cabinet is selected from at best 60 odd candidates.
An IT Manager role would have more applicants that those Labour party members applying to replace Dalziel or Roberston in a couple of Labour winnable seats.
You could ask why doesn’t karol. vto, bad12, cv, jenny, iprent, millsy, BM, winston etc stand. They have their reasons and we return to vto original questions, and my conclusion as stated by vto “is the nature of the people it attracts?”
interesting analysis, but it’s missing some bits. vto asks if it’s the nature of the people that are attracted to politics. Assuming the pool of people is small (as above), why is it that of those people we get the ones we do? Is it because the whole of the pool is made up of certain kinds of people (why?), or is it that there is a subset of that pool that will make it through? I reckon it’s the latter – parliament, and politics, are brutal so you get the subset of hardarses, including the people at the sociopathic end of the spectrum. If parliament had a different culture, we would be getting a better range of people making it through.
Now here we go another stick that they can beat the beneficiary with, personally I cant remember the last time I went to a takeaway shop. We find it easier and better tasting to make ours ourselves and we only have fish is we catch it ( or my mate does). And the same with Pizza Meat ends and bases from supermarket. Mcvomits and bugyaking I’s rather eat the box (probably better for me)
Amazing to see what 10 bucks can buy a poor family in Mangare. But what of the health risks from eating this stuff everyday? Obesity and Diabete’s among others.
But principal economist at the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research Shamubeel Eaqub suggested perception was not always reality. He said average weekly earnings for all workers had increased more than the cost of living, meaning people were, on average, better off.
And right there is the right-wing spin.
Around 75% of people don’t earn the average income (note: graph missing on that page)
Those people most powerless have seen their incomes decline
“Canterbury has seen construction wages rise but not for other types of work.
LOL, My nephew is paid $5 per hour less today than he was paid in 2008 in nominal terms. Take into account inflation and that gap increases.
Other than that, it’s not too bad. Now, if every article was like that then you might be able to claim that the MSM is left-biased but most articles are the exact opposite of that having lots of right-wing spin and little or no facts.
How does the cop know that the situation has nothing to do with poverty? This is the sort of worthlessly simplistic pseudo-analysis that that stupid debate on TV3 was always guaranteed to encourage, playing straight into the blame-the-victim claptrap and which is the right’s social policy bread and butter. Disgraceful journalism.
Well of course this might be horribly bigoted of me, but it did occur to me that if the parents could afford the regular boozing and parties their neighbours, CYPS and the police say they did, then they might possibly have put that money toward food and treating their children’s open sores. While I’m sure that their relative poverty might be said to encourage them in the pursuit of escapist hedonism, it doesn’t actually negate the fact that they had resources that should have been directed at the children. Thankfully the state has intervened.
It’s good the state has intervened, but what gives the cops the right to assume they’re an authority on the subject? That television programme has helped reinforce some “poverty versus parenting” explanation where the two are mutually exclusive. What made the cop even want to refer talk about poverty in the first place?
Probably because the police are often the ones at the coal face in cases of domestic abuse and child neglect, which would give them some insights. I don’t think it was so much poverty versus parenting as one exacerbated by the other, but maybe they wanted to draw a distinction between this scum and poor families that are still struggling but are trying to do the right thing by their kids. The police are human, they see a lot of shit no one would find easy to articulate.
Yeah, right, because Economists have a deep understanding of the real social and human impact their entirely theoretical models have, because they have to deal with ordinary people on the edge every day rather than take tea and biscuits in the ivory towers of academia and bureaucracy. That was sarcasm by the way – I though I’d better lampshade it for you.
Nobody’s questioning the severity of the abuse, just the reasons for it. The greater the severity doesn’t increase the chances that what’s observable is the culprit. Just because the cops see a lot of things most of us don’t doesn’t make them experts on causes. Your analysis falls into the same trap of being way too simplistic.
I didn’t say the police were experts, I said they had were human and had a pool of experience to draw on. But I’m damned sure that people do in fact become pretty expert in situations by physically intervening in them day in and day out and dealing with the associated beuracracy rather than interviewing their computers from the comfort of an armchair.
And I’m pretty sure that they don’t as they’ll be missing the most important stuff. The stuff that can only be revealed by prolonged questioning. Questioning that would involve asking the police.
“I’m damned sure that people do in fact become pretty expert in situations by physically intervening in them day in and day out and dealing with the associated beuracracy “
Oh, ok then, they are experts.
“rather than interviewing their computers from the comfort of an armchair.”
Speak for yourself. You know nothing about what anyone here does or doesn’t do.
Felix, you’re doing it again – not really contributing or critiquing, and instead choosing to attack my wording, and actually you can work out to an extent how involved people are in an area by what they say about it – but whatever, go back to being shrill and pointless. Yawn.
I have thought about this family and the assistance that was available to them.
1. They were in a HNZ home.
2. CYFs did not know where the family was residing and the family were known to them.
3. Free GP visits, (not sure if prescriptions are free for under age 6).
4. The children had nits and open sores from scabbies, (whole family has to be treated and a lot of hot washes of bedding/clothing is required). I have had scabbies and you itch like mad.
5. Young children roaming on the road and near a creek.
6. The caboards were sparse with food and alcohol had been purchased.
It is clear that there was neglect of the children.
I praise the neighbours for being a voice for the children. I think that CYFs need to employ at least 100 extra social workers to handle the heavy case load of notifications and some social workers/mentors who specialise in intensive parenting skills/financial management.
Now if only NZ would hurry up and finish legalising it, since adults can already legally refuse life-saving medical treatment or starve themselves to death, but neither way is particularly a nice way to go.
“These countries legalised euthanasia for patients in the terminal stage who are able to decide for themselves, but in practice the target group has progressively grown broader and been extended to vulnerable groups in society,” the report said.
In Switzerland, it added, a fifth of patients helped by an assisted suicide association between 1990 and 2000 “did not suffer from any mortal illness”.
Peter Singer has covered this better than I, but basically severe mental illness and it’s impacts on quality of life are just as significant as terminal illness, which I know all to well through my own depression.
Then there’s progressive mental illnesses like dementia and alzheimers that rob a person of what makes them that person, and for some sufferers they don’t want to end up like that and would much rather die with their faculties intact(ish).
What it comes down to frankly is the ethics of forcing someone to suffer when there are alternatives, along with bodily autonomy, i.e. what right does the state/culture have to say what I can do to my own body?
Which brings us to the rather difficult to understand (for most) concept of people ending their lives at the same time as their partner and the ethics of that. Which I get, but is not easy to describe :/
And of course, there needs to be some sort of monitoring system in place to prevent elder abuse, or manipulation of mental states and to make sure euthanasia methods are humane, but such things are not impossible to implement.
It’s interesting that government that often seems to care nothing about people during their life suddenly becomes besotted with them when they want to make a choice for their own passing from this life.
Oh dear every reasonable and practical thought such people might give to their last period of living and how it should be, is to be ignored in favour of a belief that you have no rights in this regard. If you have considerations about much money you want to spend on your care, or that family might be interested in when death will occur are matters that completely block off any rational thought about euthanasia and how it can be allowed and governed. The state can have the right to take life but your own is not your property. Response to that – get the police or the SAS to shoot you then. That would be legal.
Waiting for your body which is your automatic servant, to shut down its devoted efforts to keep you alive though shutting down bits at a time until it loses its ability to function can be a long, wearisome and painful business. Just living and being presented with the constant trauma of human life, your own and the news of the world’s, can cause an ennui in an older person that can ready them to choose to leave this world.
If you have lived your life, and wish to make a time for it to finish there should be a procedure to follow till the state and the law agree that all care and consideration has been given to your decision and plan. This would be ensuring that you have a will, that you have notified family or nominated a responsible person who has written notification similar to a power of attorney, but specially worded for this purpose, that you have expressed this wish in an interview, and in writing, to a person from a registered group made up of lawyers, and others who are responsible and aware of the importance and solemnity of their task. This should be free so as not to make a financial burden for the service. Such person would check that family have been notified, wills made, dispositions of property organised, and then require that person to come back in a month and briefly discuss the matter and confirm that their resolve is the same.
Family and supporters should not have to suffer the increased sorrow and grief of being dragged through police procedures and the Courts for assisting any death. Proper well-thought-out, compassionate and practical legislation would avoid this.
Lots of interesting things going on in the political blogosphere lately. I’ll never keep up.
Still, Giovani Tiso is always worth a look, if you have a minute:
It was the absurd question that lingered, for me, above the din of the leadership coup: whether Julia Gillard was a real female Prime Minister, or a leader who was female. That one should seek to make that distinction, and from within an ostensibly progressive, feminist frame, is baffling enough. But there is a weariness that sets in. To grasp the discomfiting essentialism that still dominates the discourse on gender gives one temporal vertigo. Where are we, or rather, when are we? Why does progress never seem to leave the station
Which got me thinking that maybe Gillard was at a disadvantage in being the first woman Prime Minister and Labour. Tory leaders like Shipley and Thatcher were never undermined for being women leaders anywhere near as overtly, viciously or relentlessly as Gillard was. I wonder if Clark wasn’t hugely fortunate in having Shipley break the some of the icebergs ahead of her. Which isn’t to imply that Clark didn’t herself have to battle against sexism (more and more as her popularity waned, or so it seemed).
forget politics, life can either be cruel or kind, because it may give you false hope
as soon as the exact moment in life that you thought there was no hope.
Yesterday I did a blog post, detailing the end of my childhood and the very next day, this
was in time magazine.
Looks good Brett Dale
What fun and I like the floating hoverboard in the promotion.
What I would like is an investigation into the possible use of hovercraft for disaster and emergency situations. We’re going to get more disasters. Could hovercraft get to areas where there are low hills with food supplies and water when helicopters can’t operate or are over-stretched? Or what about clever and robust small robots that could explore through rubble looking for people with inbuilt cameras and direction finders.
Also what about new technology that can increase the number of mines etc. that are found and made safe. Now that should have millions spent on it. Then people won’t need to hover above the ground. I wonder if there was a hoverboard above a mine , whether some of them are so fiendishly made that the movement or some air pressure effect would set them off anyway?
Brett D
Didn;t know they are using hovercraft regularly. I guess they are doing the job okay but don’t hear them mentioned often. Usually helicopters.
And of course there is the car that will become a buoyant boat that Alan Gibbs developed.
Aquada speedster – Alan Gibbs
New Zealand inventor Alan Gibbs conceived the world’s first high speed amphibian. The Gibbs Aquada transforms from car to boat at the touch of a button.
Powerful enough to tow a water-skier, the Aquada combines the thrill of an open-top sports car with the exhilaration of a high performance speedboat. http://www.newzealand.com/travel/media/features/kiwi_innovation/kiwi-innovation_great-kiwi-inventions_feature.cfm
(I like the way that this link lists clever Kiwis, first Alan Gibbs then Ernest Rutherford.)
Folk are working on the robots, but the problem is range (comms&physical) and terrain.
Hovercraft – not so much keen on those. Helicopters can already go where trucks can’t, and many places where hovercraft can’t. Although hovercraft are good for fast littoral transit with no need for shore facilities.
Mines – they basically go off at a certain pressure, and don’t care whether that pressure comes from a foot, a helicopter/hoverboard downblast, or a child’s hand. Which is why they’re a bugger.
More polls going against this dictatorial government:
Nearly seven out of 10 Aucklanders think their council should decide where new housing development in Auckland takes place, not central Government, according to a new survey.
56.2% also believe the Government should not have special powers, provided for in a bill introduced under urgency to Parliament after the May Budget, to override the role of councils in deciding where housing development should take place.
That’s just Auckland but I’m sure that if other areas were polled they’d think the same. Central government should not be able to tell a community how it will develop.
Government politicians hurrying down to Christchurch to tell them off for their planners being slow on the job. One of the reasons is that they are working in an unstable earthquake environment, they are having to make decisions over a wide area of rebuilding not just to examine an individual building in an existing block, another is that haste to push through jobs by past Council building and planning employees has led to disaster. But central government wants to push things along faster, but will decisions be made that are safe and well-thought-through?
It would be good for Christchurch residents as a whole to have a chance to attend a meeting with the planning department so they can hear the problems and together work out a way to have quick decisions on the straightforward ones, and have indications of which will need closer scrutiny and civil engineering advice for instance. Perhaps a triage type system should be set up, perhaps a special division just to deal with houses, another just to deal with businesses, and an area designated in Christchurch that is regarded as stable for buildings up to seven stories or whatever. Anyway people should hear what the difficulties are instead of bland, PR by the Mayor and febrile frenzy from Wellington and King Henry the 9th.
And this is really a result of trying to promote efficiency by targeting. If a things to be done properly it may take time. I think developers have a reasonable point about wanting to get their money to work and get buildings started. Dealing with the bottlenecks for businesses is different from excoriating the whole department of Council and taking away its licence because of some phony, unreasonable time schedule.
Had to laugh at Mathew Hootn claiming that John Key is a master politician yesterday on 9-noon.
Key only got there because the media in New Zealand is privately owned and they set up a shrill harangue that went on for over a year and precisely fits the defintion of a nazi.
i.e. using word that are not defined. repeating the same thing over and over. shouting everyone else down.
That may be poltics for some but in no way is it democracy.
He does the same thing by constantly reciting selective positive economic data to support National. Even Katherine Ryan is taking the piss out of him for this now. And of course the only positive stats are caused by an earthquake rebuild, an unsustainable housing boom in Auckland (mortgage loans are rocketing up again-see interest.co.nz) and an historically high price for milk products.
It will be interesting to see the nature of Slippery’s press coverage when the media finally wake up to the much touted ‘government surplus’ to be declared in election year,
Bill from Dipton and the Slippery little Shyster have most bamboozled by this ‘surplus’, for an explanation of how such a surplus will be possible you have to go back to financial years 2011/2012 when this Government announced it was borrowing 100 million dollars a week more than it’s current needs,
Citing ‘cheap money’ as the reason National have stashed this money with the Reserve Bank and it is these reserves of borrowed monies that will allow National to show in 2014 ‘no borrowing’ when the reality is that they will still be using borrowed monies from 2011/12 to prop up the Government accounts…
“Key only got there because the media in New Zealand is privately owned and they set up a shrill harangue that went on for over a year and precisely fits the defintion of a nazi.”
– Thats part of the problem for the left, the constant underestimating of John Key plus the excuses given is why the left won’t be in power until at least 2017
so i understand this is a website of the labour party.
today four out of four posts (excluding open mike) feature the national party.
three out of four have pictures of key. (the one that doesnt have his photo has his name in the title)
of the 31 posts on the first page 6 are open mike, 1 weekend social, and only one positive labour party story (ikaroa rawhiti by election result)
perhaps this is part of the malaise of the party.
yes people enjoy putting the boot in however is there such a thing as bad publicity.
i think we would be better served by some more positive stories coming out of the labour party.
i think we would be better served by some more positive stories coming out of the labour party.
If there were more positive stories about Labour then they might get more positive stories on this site from those authors who decide to write about them.
Perhaps Dr Pita Sharples could make fine use of some of his ‘spare’ time and give lessons in Te Reo pronunciation to Speaker of the House David Carter. Carter’s attempts today were an absolute embarrassment. And he knew it as he struggled through it. Dr Sharples .. help the man, please.
the reason for mistaking this as a labour party site is the red standard (flag) and some of the diatribe.
(who reads all that behind the scenes stuff- kinda like instructions, just get into it.)
maybe it is time for the labour party to rebrand itself. i have been bought up (grandson of a senior union man ) to understand that labour is for the working man, sky corporate box anyone?
[lprent: You read like a dumb troll from ~2008. I would suggest you read the policy and up the intelligence in your comments. Also read the about rather than wasting everyone’s time explaining stuff that is written down. They are links at the top of the site. And if you use the usual faux concern at being spoken to like this, you will receive a ban for stupidity. ]
Right now, your concern is being noted, and people are coming to the conclusion that it’s completely insincere, like its author. Yours faithfully, the Billy Goats Gruff.
No worries, gsays. The Standard was the original Labour newspaper, hence the borrowing of the red flag symbol. Authors and commenters here represents all kinds of left, leftish and green strands of thought. There are a few regular rightwing commenters here too, who put some, ahem, alternative viewpoints.
If you are keen to contribute your thoughts, I’d be interested to read them. Regarding the LP, your re-branding idea has been sort of hashed and re-hashed many times here. The upshot appears to be most of us agree that the best LP brand would be one that didn’t have David Shearer standing in front of it 😉
I disagree with that, David Shearer is the best choice for leader of the Labour party (it’d be nice to know how many labour MPs agree with me :)) and he’ll lead Labour to victory when he gets used to being a politician…2017 seems reasonable
I don’t think the NZF result means much, Roy Morgan is very dodgy on minor parties. Hard to see how Winston has suddenly lost half his supporters (for no reason, unless they died of old age?).
Of course, Labour should be talking up L/G, but they cling to the old fraud, for no gain.
I think it’ll come down to National’s preference, CV. And given that they are too chicken to actually debate anything in the media now, I can’t see them wanting to be locked in a room with Winston et al in the future.
Pretty much. the Greens won’t be in a position to ‘demand’ anything. the debates are arranged by negotiations between parties and TV co’s.
Neither Labour nor National will want the Greens in on ‘their’ debate, and the TV co’s, who probably wouldn’t care either way, aren;t going to force them. So how are the Greens going to demand their spot?
Make the case through public pressure as a party expected to get 20 or so MPs, and in doing so being far closer in nature to the mainstream parties than ACT, Mana, Maori, NZF etc.
I don’t think so this time.. They have tended to drop 3% from polling as a max and that hasn’t been increasing as their numbers go up over the decades. I suspect that their solid voting support had been rising as people have started to find them to be more credible.
Depending on how it goes heading into the election, I suspect that they’re going to be close to 15% on election day than 10%. It wouldn’t surprise me if they are well over 15% in the event that Labour does poorly in their messaging. Especially if the right keeps helping to push their green profile as being ‘dangerous’ – I know that attracts many.
Last election, it was the Rena that got people thinking about environmental issues, that boost their numbers, I dont see how they can get close to 15%, too many other parties, if labour supporters think its going to be close, labour supporters will vote labour, then you have the maori party and temana, too many parties for them to get 15% or close to it. Then you have nzfirst, you never know what winnie will get up too, that could sway people.
Even if that means what I think you’re trying to say, I’m not sure that the point I think you may be trying to make naturally follows from what I know I just wrte.
Russell Norman is trying to prove how hard is he, so he may get
a point or two, unfortunately he is starting to get carried away with it,
and people dont like that. 10% for The Greens.
Just been looking at your reasons – oh wait – there aren’t any. Found the revelation in some navel fluff perhaps? Seems to be about your usual level of “thinking”.
Perhaps you should explain your rationale rather than simply jerking off an unsupported assertion with no argument in it. Makes you look rather dorkish. 😈
That’s not very fair 1prent, haven’t you heard about the “Stale Bread Rena Theory” ?
Apparently there’s only one event that will ever get people thinking about the environment, and that’s pretty much over now.
Also, it’s best not to assume someone has made a spelling mistake when they accuse one of living in a pikie fairly land 🙂
Out right majority beckons for National especially with the the collapse of the Maori party
Once it’s pointed out to the sheeple that a vote for Labour is a vote for the Melons and the Hone the racist mofo, expect Nationals percentage to sky rocket.
No one except the seriously deranged wants that terrible trio running the country.
Except that when you add up their support according to current polling almost half the country wants exactly that, and there’s plenty of time for the fact that John Key is going to contest the next election then bail to sink in. That’s just the way things are. It’s time you got over it.
Poor Old John (“my namesake has gravitas”) Armstrong simply cannot countenance that the Mana Movement is growing and the NationalMaori Party is dying. If one is to die he’d rather they both die.
His Herald article of 1 July – half way through he remarks (grudgingly) – “(At first glance) Mana would seem to be the real byelection winner, having lifted its vote from 14 per cent to close to 25 per cent.”
By the end of the article, after I daresay a furious spat with his keyboard (he won), he’s satisfied that the guts of matters is this – “On their current course, the Maori Party and Mana are locked together in what amounts to a suicide pact.”
Oh really John Armstrong ?
You, the can’t see/won’t see eurocentric dork, you may be frantic that the NationalMaori Party has cut it’s own carpetbagging throat but I’ll wager handsomely that with 25% of the byelection vote Mana is far from that sadness.
It’s alarming that one who pretends to seniority in political commentary in New Zealand should betray (at the least offensive) the subliminal sense that Maori are only any good if they suck on ShonKey Python’s tit. Deserving of summary dismissal if they do not.
Bryce Edwards also in the Herald suffers no mad-making sadness and gets it right (sorry can’t get the link) –
“As the narrative deepens about the Mana Party having usurped the Maori Party, the notion wlll become more convincing and Flavell and Sharples could come to see that their continued political survival depends on working with Harawira. “
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The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Henry, Professor & Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University Shutterstock Following an emergency meeting of the National Cabinet this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a raft of measures to tackle the problem ...
Analysis - A poll showing the opposition is more popular than the government raises questions, politicians go through their 'trial by pay rise' and a Green MP loses her cool in the debating chamber. ...
The entire stretch of Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast will be subject to a joint customary marine title for two hapū, and extending up to four miles out to sea. A High Court judge has found the two groups, who during the case settled a dispute over boundaries for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Hall, Lecturer, Media & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University A longstanding feud between TikTok and Universal Music Group seems to have finally reached an end, with both parties signing a deal that will see Universal-backed music returned to the social media ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney After several highly publicised alleged murders of women in Australia, the Albanese government this week pledged more than A$925 million over five years ...
Political parties have now fully disclosed the donations they received last year - with National getting more than double the cash of any other party. ...
A Pacific regionalism expert has called out New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS military pact. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard de Grijs, Professor of Astrophysics, Macquarie University Bruno Scramgnon/Pexels All systems are “go” for tonight’s launch of China’s next step in a carefully planned lunar exploration program. Placed on top of a powerful Long March 5 rocket, the Chang’e 6 ...
National returned a massive donation the day after a Newsroom story linked the donors to a property being investigated for operating unlawfully as a migrant workers’ hostel. The party’s 2023 donation filings, released on Friday, show it returned a $200,000 donation from Buen Holdings on August 23. That was the ...
Pacific Media Watch New Zealand has slumped to an unprecedented 19th place in the annual Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index survey released today on World Press Freedom Day — May 3. This was a drop of six places from 13th last year when it slipped out of its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Political Historian and Administrator Officer, Australian Historical Association, Australian National University Australia has had its fair share of public record-keeping controversies in recent years. Some have been mere farce, as in the case of two formerly government-owned filing cabinets (containing ...
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated organization dedicated to fostering peace through civilian-led initiatives, has issued a statement in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
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.AUCKLAND1 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. Key facts Marriages and civil unions In ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lennon Y.C. Chang, Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety ...
In this excerpt from her new memoir, Dame Susan Devoy remembers her turn as star contestant on the 2022 season of Celebrity Treasure Island. The most anxious time of every day was pre-elimination, when you knew this could be your final day on the show. I felt such contradictory emotions, ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
What’s to blame for the coalition’s choppy start? Six months in, and the mojo meter is in the doldrums. A new poll would put National out of power and sees its leader, Chris Luxon, sliding in popularity. How much is it about policy, how much coalition management and a perception ...
The striking report goes far beyond the proposed repeal of the Oranga Tamariki Act’s Treaty of Waitangi provision, and its impact should be felt far beyond the unique circumstances of the claim it addresses. Earlier this week, the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report on the government’s proposed repeal of ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Monash University Ken stocker/Shutterstock In the wake of numerous killings of women allegedly by men’s violence in 2024, thousands of Australians have joined rallies across the country to demand action ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Cutler, Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University Oleg Ivanov IL/Shutterstock Waiting times for public hospital elective surgery have been in the news ahead of this year’s federal budget. That’s the type of non-emergency surgery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Amna Artist/Shutterstock One of the earliest descriptions of someone with cancer comes from the fourth century BC. Satyrus, tyrant of the city of Heracleia on the Black Sea, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Rose, Professor of Sustainable Future Transport, University of Sydney LanaElcova/Shutterstock Electric vehicles are often seen as the panacea to cutting emissions – and air pollution – from transport. Is this view correct? Yes – but only once uptake accelerates. Despite the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giselle Natassia Woodley, Researcher and Phd Candidate, Edith Cowan University There is widespread agreement Australia needs to do better when it comes to gender-based violence. Anger and frustration at the numbers of women being killed saw national rallies over the weekend and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Graham, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney Mark and Anna Photography/Shutterstock As home ownership moves further out of reach for many Australians, “rentvesting” is being touted as a lifesaver. Rentvesting is the practice of renting one property to live ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sukhmani Khorana, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, UNSW Sydney Netflix The new season of Heartbreak High is garnering mixed reviews. Critics are writing about the racy story lines, comparing it to other coming-of-age series about teenage relationships and ...
Bob Carr intends to launch legal action against Winston Peters and Julie Anne Genter is facing a second allegation of bullying. Both sucked the air out of an announcement on education, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
In 1995, Sally Clark went out on her own in a bold and unorthodox attempt to join an illustrious group of equestrian riders conquering the world. In the days of glovebox road maps, brick cell phones, and the hit song How Bizarre, Clark refused to follow Sir Mark Todd, Blyth ...
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LIARS OF OUR TIME
No. 25: Margaret Thatcher
“I confirm that there is no British government involvement of any kind in training, equipping or co-operating with Khmer Rouge forces or those allied to them.”
—British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, official written answer to Neil Kinnock, October, 1990.
http://www.newstatesman.com/node/137397
See also….
No.24 John Key: “…at the end of the day I, like most New Zealanders, value the role of the fourth estate…”
No. 23 Jay Carney: “…expel Mr Snowden back to the U.S. to face justice…”
No. 22 Mike Bush: “Bruce Hutton had integrity beyond reproach.”
No. 21 Tim Groser: “I think the relationship is genuinely in outstanding form.”
No. 20 John Key: “But if the question is do we use the United States or one of our other partners to circumvent New Zealand law then the answer is categorically no.”
No. 19 Matthew Hooton: “It is ridiculous to say that unions deliver higher wages! They DON’T!” No. 18 Ant Strachan: “The All Blacks won the RWC 2011 because of outstanding defence!”
No. 17 Stephen Franks: “Peter has been such a level-headed, safe pair of hands.”
No. 16 Phil Kafcaloudes: “Tony Abbott…hasn’t made any mistakes over the past eighteen months.”
No. 15 Donald Rumsfeld: “I did not lie… Colin Powell did not lie.”
No. 14 Colin Powell: “a post-9/11 nexus between Iraq and terrorist organizations…connections are now emerging…”
No.13 Barack Obama: “Simply put, these strikes have saved lives.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-27052013/#comment-638881
No. 12 U.K. Ministry of Defence: “Protecting the Afghan civilian population is one of ISAF and the UK’s top priorities.”
No. 11 Brendan O’Connor: “Australia’s approach to refugees is compassionate and generous.”
No. 10 Boris Johnson: “Londoners have… the best police in the world to look after us and keep us safe.”
No. 9 NewstalkZB PR dept: “News you NEED! Fast, fair, accurate!”
No. 8 Simon Bridges: “I don’t mean to duck the question….”
No. 7 Nigel Morrison: “Quite frankly, they’ve been VERY tough.” http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-15052013/#comment-633295
No. 6 Herald PR dept: “Congratulations—you’re reading New Zealand’s best newspaper.” No. 5 Rawdon Christie: “…a FORMIDABLE replacement, it seems, is Claudette Hauiti.” http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-13052013/#comment-632594
No. 4 Willie and J.T.: “The X-Factor. Nah, nah, there’s some GREAT talent there!”
No. 3 John Key: “Yeah we hold MPs to a higher standard.”
No. 2 Colin Craig: “Oh, I have a GREAT sense of humour.”
No. 1 Barack Obama: “Margaret Thatcher was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty.”
The biggest protests in human history in Egypt.
Military source claims that as many as 14 million could have mobilized across the country, which would constitute the largest protest in world history.
How does this fit with Liar of our time Colonial Viper’s racist dismissal of the whole Arab Spring phenomenon as a Western/US plot?
Or indeed CV’s support for the bloody suppression of the Arab Spring in Syria by the Assad regime, in which CV claimed that the use of nerve gas wouldn’t be a war crime?
Views all quite acceptable to be promulgated on The Standard without any censure.
In his continuing racist attack on the legitimacy of the Arab Spring, CV’s latest outrageous claim. Is that the Syrian insurgents have “used” sarin.’ Without any substantiation at all CV claims that the rebels stole the sarin from Assad. “And used it, yes”
I would have liked to ask Colonial Viper would he consider the use of deadly nerve gas a war crime if it was used against his hero Bashar Assad?
how would you know if chemical weapons have been used jenny?
And by which side.
However, such details are irrelevant to Jenny. Her popular uprising Arab Spring in Syria happens to be staffed by…Islamist fighters from Qatar, Turkey, Europe, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. For some reason this particular “popular uprising” needs a heck of a lot of foreign fighters and foreign firepower just to keep going. Odd that.
Funny how she didn’t manage the “Arab Spring” in Egypt. Seems like the people think that the new Boss was exactly like the old Boss, except with an Islamic Brotherhood tinge. (Oh dear I just read that a popular uprising just burnt down their HQ.)
Jenny, in Egypt, is it now the Arab Summer? Because they already had their “Spring” I guess it must be the next season.
Despite increasing wheat production by 350% since 1960 Egypt is now the world’s largest importer of wheat – imported wheat which it admitted recently it can no longer afford to pay for – http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-06/egypt-seen-asking-france-for-delayed-payment-for-grain-imports.html. The political implications of subsequently rising grain prices in a country where over a quarter of the population live in abject poverty is obvious, and the initial protests of the “Arab Spring” were really more bread riots than democracy riots.
Most of the Arab spring is simply Malthusian expressions of human over-population. Egypt’s population a hundred years ago was around twelve millions. At the turn of this century, it was 63 millions. Today it stands at 83 millions, and is projected to hit 100 millions in a decade. Almost all of these people live within twenty miles of the Nile river or Nile Delta. Encouraged by religion, population growth in Egypt is out of control at over 2% pr annum and out-stripping the available resources of the largely desert state that is Egypt. You have got a seething mass of young people, that the the state cannot provide jobs or opportunities or even bread for, becoming hungry, bored, angry and agitated.
The Arab Spring in Egypt is less a democratic upwelling than a manifestation of too many rats in a cage. It may be starting in the third world but it is a warning of what awaits us all as human numbers combined with climate change leads to a faltering ability of governments to provide even the basics for seething populations.
Not so much to do with increasing population as much as the mis/non use of resources.
The Egyptians have one of the biggest rivers in the world plus the two Aswan dams.
Combining a massive fresh water resource with a hot middle eastern climate should mean that Egypt (via modern irrigation techniques) should be the bread basket of the middle east.
For them to be importing massive amounts of grain reflects on their collective lack of leadership over the last 100 years.
And that would solve the problem that Sanctuary listed how?
Oh, that’s right, it won’t.
the world is over-populated by between 5 and 6 billion people. Sooner or later, especially with ACC coming, most of that population will starve to death and there’s nothing that can be done about it.
I would say the Egyptians have actually managed their water resources well.
Coal and oil delayed the Malthusian predictions. For Egypt oil was a resource boon which enabled them to keep feeding and financing an expanding population. However, their peak oil was 15 or more years ago.
Now its a nasty slide down the other side of the slope.
As the Egyptian military issue threats and mobilise to suppress the protests….
Will Colonial Viper be supporting the drowning in blood of the Arab Spring in Egypt, as he has in Syria?
These countries are basket cases and they are none of our business. If religious zealots straight out of the dark ages and brutal militarists decide to massacre each other in sectarian violence, then neither side deserves our sympathy and we should leave them to their barbarian slaughter. The curse of religion is upon them, they have only got themselves to blame for getting into this sectarian mess, they can sort it out amongst themselves with their very own Thirty Years War and get back to the rest of us when some sort of sanity prevails.
That is an incredibly superficial view, Sanctuary.
To paraphrase Edmonds: though the collusion with radical Islam had been going on for decades, it wasn’t until 1996 that a formal decision was made by NATO to abandon their previous secret relationship with neo-Fascists and arch-Nationalists and replace them with Islamists.
http://wideshut.co.uk/gladio-b-the-origins-of-natos-secret-islamic-terrorist-proxies/
“Does this source often make similar claims?… Watch out for a pattern of fringe thinking that consistently ignores or distorts data.”
Baloney detection 101. Again. For the nth time.
“Baloney detection 101”
How about the ability to recognize for vague and unsubstantiated criticisms as simple smearing?
How about figuring out how to spot dubious claims rather than sucking them up and blowing them out like a cross between a parrot and a sponge?
They can’t help it, probably have over active agency+pattern recognition detection* issues judging from their posts and the site they linked to, combined with an inability to recognise serious incoherence in their belief structure(s). It’s mostly a learned set of behaviours though that can be unlearned, but leads to them being a royal pain in the arse at social gatherings as they blather about free-energy and freemasons to anyone and everyone who hasn’t told them to fuck off.
___________________________________________
*translation – sees links where there are none or weighs what links there are to heavily and sees agency where there is none.
I have got no doubt that the sudden desire of the West to arm the barbarian Syrian rebels to stop their defeat at the hands of the savage Assad forces is driven purely by a wicked and cynical desire to keep the region destabilised. A fractured Syria and a fragile Lebanon and Iraq acting as hosts for a internecine religious war between Sunni and Shi’ite is is music to the ears of Whitehall and Washington – nothing like getting that oil money back in the form of weapons purchases from a Saudi Arabia petrified of Iran. I also have little doubt that a large part of the reason for the rise of religious fundamentalism in the Middle East can be sheeted home to the disgraceful policies of the United States and it’s client state Israel. That is why I suggest we should leave them alone – because at least leaving them alone will not constitute actively encouraging sectarian slaughter, which is what we are doing at the moment.
While I agree with what you’ve posted, leaving them alone implies not supporting the Anglo-American empire by way of tax to the Crown.
🙄
🙄
Yep – to assume intervention to bring down a dictator, even if the prick really deserves it, will bring about an Arab Spring, is to fall into the same well meaning fallacy that Christopher Hitchens did regarding Iraq. Of course there is a vague possibility that an educated middle class will rise to establish a democracy – but there is also a vague possibility winged monkeys will fly out of my arse. The actual result is anarchy and infighting between cliques who are more than likely as bad as each other, and even if you do suceed in creating a democracy, by and large it is the conservative theocrats who get popularly voted in. It’s a Catch 22 and best kept at arms length unless the clusterfuck is right on your border.
Actually, leaving them to their own devices usually isn’t the best idea due to the knock on effects that can destabilise surrounding regions and lead unto swarms of refugees and pissed off young people. However the UN is pretty much useless for dealing with large scale civil wars due to colonialism 2.0* power plays by state actors, including the EU, so actually intervening in a zero-sum game way, in which only the fuck-monsters loose, is sadly rather fucking impossible.
And the situation in Syria, much like Iraq and Afghanistan, is only going to create more fuck-monsters, aka fanatical young males with bad cases of anti-sociality and a score to settle with what ever out-group of the month they dislike. Causing all sorts of direct and indirect negative effects.
Which leaves us with the utter crap, but less monstrous option of backing semi-secular and less insane muslim jihadi groups in the hope they kill off most of the fuck monsters.
Worst case scenario for non-intervention – Israel uses it nuclear assets offensively, on mostly civilian targets, thus potentially drawing in all the external powers (US, EU, Russia and China) into a hot war. There’s others, but the shear toll in human life from each one is pretty much the same.
____________________________________
*who cares about ruling when you can just force the locals into selling you every natural and human resource they own for crazy low prices?
New Zealand governments supported the Khmer Rouge from 1978 to 1990
John Key “can’t remember” if he supported the Khmer Rouge or not
Under the cloak of parliamentary privilege, Phil Goff and Winston Peters, who both obeyed this U.S. policy of supporting the Khmer Rouge, brutally slandered Keith Locke, who was opposed to it.
Page 1
New Zealand Journal of History, 33,2 (1999)
The Devil You Know: NEW ZEALAND’S RECOGNITION POLICY TOWARDS CAMBODIA
FROM 1978-1990 [1]
by ANTHONY SMITH
THIS ARTICLE looks at New Zealand’s policy of recognition towards Cambodia (or Kampuchea [2]) between 1978 and 1990. New Zealand policymakers had to make the difficult decision as to which political entity to recognize, if any at all, after the Vietnamese invaded and installed a puppet government in Kampuchea in 1978. The Vietnamese army’s removal of the genocidal Khmer Rouge, or Democratic Kampuchea (DK), led by Pol Pot, provoked mixed reactions from the international community. There was universal relief at Pol Pot’s removal, but the Association of South East AsianNations (ASEAN), China and the United States expressed the concern that a Soviet-sponsored Vietnam was attempting to achieve sub-regional hegemony.These nations all
supported the anti-Vietnamese resistance forces. Controversially, New Zealand also opted to give diplomatic recognition to the ousted Khmer Rouge regime-in-exile as the legitimate representatives of the Cambodian people.
What emerges about New Zealand foreign-policy decision-making over this issue is that it contained a great deal of ambivalence. ……
Read the rest of this apologetic and biased, but revealing, article HERE…
http://www.nzjh.auckland.ac.nz/docs/1999/NZJH_33_2_05.pdf
Australia Post stamp issue demeans New Zealand and Palestine
1 July 2013
The 60-cent joint Australia Post/Israel Post stamp (one of a two-stamp commemorative issue) with its Tel el Saba inscription implies that the 1st Australian Light Horse Brigade took the Turkish hill position. In fact, an attack planned for the Australian Light Horse was being held up until the threat from the Turkish machine-guns on Tel el Saba could be eliminated. It was actually the Auckland Mounted Rifles that took the hill and a photo of them can be seen on top of Tel el Saba after its capture from the Turks. The caption explains that the “hill was the key to taking the outpost township of Beersheba – with Turko-German weaponry dug in overlooking all the approaches to the township and its trench defences, it had to be in the hands of the Anzacs before a frontal attack on the town could take place.”
http://www.nzmr.org/beersheba.htm
The re-writing of history to suit Israel and its Australia Post propagandists went far beyond implying that it was Australian, not New Zealand, forces that took Tel el Saba. An Australia Post website article referring to the collaboration of Israel and Australia in the stamp issue states: “The Battle of Beersheba is a significant event in the history of both countries and one of Australia’s greatest and least-known military triumphs.” The battle took place over 30 years before Israel came to establish itself in Palestine and to imply that the battle was a part of Israel’s history is a slap in the face for Palestinians whose forbears fought with ANZAC forces in Palestine. The Palestinians were led to believe that fighting for victory with the allies would help to ensure their independence when the war was over. Australia Post’s tribute to the (at the time) non-existent Israel in the fighting is absurd. As Ali Kazak has pointed out, “Jews did not fight with the Australian forces, they were merely 6.8 per cent of the population in Palestine, according to British statistics.” Instead of gaining independence with the defeat of the Turkish empire, the Palestinian people were subjected to merciless terrorism with the Palestinian residents of Beersheba being ethnically cleansed from their city by Zionist forces.
Australia Post’s reference to the Battle of Beersheba as being a part of Israel’s history implies that the organisation regards Beersheba to be an Israeli town. If Australia Post had any respect for international law it would give due recognition to the indisputable fact that Beersheba is still a part of Palestine and that it is illegally occupied by a foreign power. Israel continues to defy international law by denying the refugees their United Nations-recognised right of return.
Australia Post could have made a more honest stamp issue, jointly with Palestine Post, that recognised the true participants and with the Arabic language included. It is cause for alarm when a government agency (Australia Post describes itself as a ‘Government Business Enterprise’) allows itself to become involved with a foreign government in such an exercise. It is easy to understand that Israel must, of necessity, attempt to deny history in the promotion of its ideology but the Zionist state should not be allowed to subvert our democratic institutions or undermine respect for international law.
Leslie Bravery
Palestine Human Rights Campaign Aotearoa/New Zealand
http://www.palestine.org.nz
Christchurch City Council loses its stamp for issuing building consents and the government is set to take over. So we will now get the same treatment for consents as we do for our damaged homes – EQC, the most fucked-up delayed bullshit govt organisation ever.
John Key gets all uppity over leak of email, electronic parliament entry and other correspondence. If you got nothing to hide John then you got nothing to fear.
Government sets aside $80million to help irrigation schemes get underway where private business is too fearful to tread. Duh.
Primary Industries Minister, the deceitful Nathan Guy, claims dry areas of the country need irrigation, seen by the recent “extreme drought”. One, the land is dry because the dumb farmers stripped all the vegetation off – duh. Two, the “extreme drought” was nothing but a normal dry spell exacerbated by farmers stripping bare the land. Witness hapless North Canterbury farmer crying “the rivers haven’t been this low in five years!” – duh.
Nothing but lies lies lies. The place has gone to shit.
Thanks to lying shitheads.
And their lying shithead voters.
Indeed, watching Bob Parker on Campbell Live last night gave me the distinct impression of a mouse facing an oncoming 20 tonne road roller,
What is going on with Christchurch building consents, according to Mayor Parker they have fulfilled the legal obligation to process these within the 20 day period and are now being told they have lost the consenting rights because they do not have the ‘technical ability’,
A sneaking suspicion has formed in my mind that the move by Slippery’s National Government to strip Christchurch Council of it’s consenting rights is in fact the first move in an attempt by these Shysters to ‘privatize’ the building consent process first in Christchurch and if they can get away with that then ‘privatization’ of building consents nationwide,
i might be way wrong with my suspicion but there is something not quite right going on here…
Exactly bad12. Something is up. I wonder if they have been lovestruck by the awesomeness of their Ecan coup and the wondrous feelings it brings them that they have developed an addiction for big government interference and picking winners and corporate handouts. This addiction has blinded them, yet they remain undeterred. They blunder on charging at a great rate of knots, ignoring the full face frontal reality of the exodus of private investment in their most beautiful CBD Blueprint.
They are indeed a 20 tonne road roller. Ever followed behind a road roller to see what happens to everything it passes over? Ever seen a seat after fat arse Brownlee has sat on it?
interesting development that i noticed re: CHCH building consent
1, ministers claimed it was wrong to point the finger at the govt as IANZ was an independant body
2, bob parker came on news and radio last night claiming that as IANZ was an accreditation body and not a licensing body, the CHCH council could still process consents
3, this morning, news reports about the govt considering legal measures to prevent CHCH council processing permits
so yet more blatant utter BS from the govt – something is very very rotten in CHCH and it has the crooked hands of the national and act parties all over it
Something’s very rotten in NZ and it happens to be this lying, dictatorial government.
It is never the governments fault and they will find a way of blaming anyone but them for the unaffordable and unhealthy state that housing is in.
“A sneaking suspicion has formed in my mind that the move by Slippery’s National Government to strip Christchurch Council of it’s consenting rights is in fact the first move in an attempt by these Shysters to ‘privatize’ the building consent process first in Christchurch and if they can get away with that then ‘privatization’ of building consents nationwide”
Yep, textbook “disaster capitalism”.
and extrapolate all of this to Auckland and past and present Nact interferences .. we should all be afraid, very afraid — or just become so bloody angry we do something about it, right ??
I think it’s more a long the lines of Christchurch being full of Labour types who will purposely fight National about the way the city is being rebuilt, causing endless holdups and frustration.
You don’t wont this sort of bullshit going on especially, going into an election, by removing the sabutours, National can finally get on with the rebuild providing heaps of great photo shoots and rah rah, go national stories.
National has once again trumped the socialists.
so “shut and get in line” then?
always thought you hated democracy
Well there are definitely pluses and minus when it comes to democracy.
Won’t argue with you there.
Just to put on my conspiracy hat for a second.
I have a sneaking suspicion one of the main reasons Lianne Dalziel has decided to run for Christchurch mayor is so she can purposely spike the rebuild process thus creating bad publicity for the National government.
You can just see it , she’d be endlessly in the news wailing about what a terrible job National are doing and how the poor, poor people have suffered under the incompetence of National, etc ……, not what you want going into an election.
The chances of her getting elected are quite high especially with Parker being so hopeless, so National have decided they’ve got to neuter the council and get it in their control before Dalziel gets elected.
So, your position is that they are as uncomfortable with democracy as you are. Good to know.
Well BM. How have the nats done? Eh? How is that beautiful central bity Blusprint coming along? Do you know?
And what about the people going through a third winter right now out east? Have you been here? Have you slept here? Is it ok that they suffer a third winter so the national voters in Ilam and Fendalton can get their easy houses repairs done quickly to make up EQC repair numbers?
wake up and open your eyes fool.
Perhaps Dalziel will call it as it actually is. Perhaps she is actually concerned for people.
Tell us – do you know how it is?
Hey, I’m not saying it’s easy or I agree with whats going on.
I do think in these sort of situations you need to take a bit of a Chairman Mao sort of approach.
Endless discussion and community involvement = glacial progress.
Some one has to step in and just get it done
“a bit of a Chairman Mao sort of approach”
holy shit
“It” being the operative word.
So, from my point of view, “it” would be enabling a process whereby Cantabrians could direct their own rebuild, mediate between opposing interests, etc., whereas for you “it” means dictating “solutions” bereft of community buy-in.
As you rightly point out, Cantabrians don’t like being told how to live. Nor do you, I suspect. Pot, kettle, lightbulb?
Your view there lines up exactly with the nats, unsurprisingly.
It may surprise you to learn that “just get on and do it” on the ground reads “just get on and do anything, something,…”. The warped speed which much has been done has resulted in too much of the very underlying base fabric of the city being ripped apart. It has torn the city to shreds. It has gone too quickly, too much. We are now left with a barren landscape with nothing for the people to reference. When locals wander the CBD they are adrift. The link through generations and history has been torn up and tossed in the bin.
The speed has been the wrong approach.
Who said anything about “endless discussion”? You just made that up.
Your view on the entire situation lacks facts, base knowledge and also personal knowledge. Your understanding is pretty worthless actually.
The history of the Christchurch recovery has already been written. Check it in ten years BM and see how this government’s actions are seen. You will be surprised at how wrong they have got it.
We must do something! This is something, therefore we must do this!
That’s it.
Nothing more and nothing less.
Zero
Empty
Thoughtless
Even if it leaves us with nothing but a wasteland of Mc’Offices, empty and barren with dusk like every other office park…
The National Party vs. Christchurch will end badly for the National Party.
NickS why on earth would it leave us with an empty barren wasteland? Why do you think that?
Imo if it had been left to fly by the seat of the people and their needs and desires i.e. the free market (you know it surely), there would be significantly more building and activity going on in the central city. As well as all the government and council work and building.
Why can’t you righties see that?
…. sheesh, i despair..
“The National Party vs. Christchurch will end badly for the National Party.”
What makes you say that?
What makes me say that? Optimism.
Well it would end badly for at least one of them …….. aint it grand
@vto – wha?…
Sarcasm, detect it you cannot…
Actually, that’s exactly what you were saying:
You agree with what National are doing (removing democracy and making life worse for Chch) and that you want them to continue doing it.
We’re getting the glacial speed from government interference because they don’t want to let the community have their say or to do things their way.
Well, what the government should be doing is supplying Chch with the resources needed for the Cantabrians to do it their way. Instead the government is trying very hard to prevent the Cantabrians from doing anything and are, instead, dictating from on high.
so your cool with national trampling all over the wishes and democracy of locals?
but youve got a conspiracy with a labour pollie running for local office?
your a strange character BM
Except BM that doesn’t fit the reality.
Go have a look at how the central city rebuild is getting on. It aint. Although I do agree that that is what the arsehole Nats and their arsehole voters are trying to do.
Another example is the bullshit claim that EQC are halfway through their claims – ha ha ha ha ha ha ha lying pricks again. They may be halfway through the number of claims but that is because they fixed up all the pathetic claims in Ilam and Fendalton where people had a wee bit of torn gib and left all the other claims in Aranui and Brighton where each claim is each massive. The number may be halfway but the work is about 20% max. Lying arseholes. I don’t know why you support them – maybe you lack a brain.
Yes, god forbid that the people who have gotten the short end of the stick, ie homeless, those on low incomes, etc have their needs taken into consideration and their concerns heard, rather than just be shouted down as moaners.
The CHC rebuild is nothing more than a dogs breakfast, with the government seeming to think that all a city needs is a convention centre and a stadium,and all sorts of other tomfoolery.
The best thing to do with regards to Christchurch is for central government to focus on rebuilding central government things, local government to focus on rebuilding local government things and private sector to rebuild private sector things, with EQC just paying out homeowners and policy holders in cash for them to spend as they see fit.
🙄
What’s to bet you thought the government’s over-ruling of the original inner city plan was right to? Despite it following the same plans that have helped keep the inner cities of many modern EU nations vibrant, liveable and economically productive. Instead of the hollow office park we’re now going to get…
I don’t think you are wrong, Bad12, you’re spot on. This Govt and its mates would dearly like to privatise local govt – it has huge infrastructure to bring in big profits for them. Privatising building consents could well be the start to privatising the whole local govt scene.
But building consents WERE put out to private contractors in the early 1990s ….. and resulted in ….. leaky homes ! Not that the private contractors were totally responsible for leaky homes …….
shonky fly-by-nite developers, untreated timber played a part, windows without eaves, etc. etc
And if this whole Ch’ch building consents scenario is not about privatisation, then how on earth is the Govt and Brownlee going to make sure the Ch’ch building consent process is improved ?
Stinks to high fucking heaven.
And for fucks sake, the CCC should tell them to get fucked and take this and the government to the courts.
yes !
!
Bingo!!!
Why doesn’t Bob Parker grow some balls and stand up for himself and his Council. I have never seen him do that. Never stood up to Brownlee and his bull boy ways. Never fired back a missile. Never stood up to this government.
He just stands there and offers a useless white tissue of appeasement – each and every single bloody time. Weak.
Stand up man. Say something you really want to. Stand up for your ratepayers and citizens. What’s the worst that can happen? Eh? Seriously, what is the worst that can happen?
Stand up and grow up.
VTO – Surely you understand the levels involved, right.
These people operate in a structure, they answer to someone with a higher ranking, they know this. They are also prevented from speaking out, due to their allegiances laying elsewhere, i.e, not with NZ!
There is no speaking out, they’re on the *same team*!
so who exactly isn’t in this global conspiracy to fuck up the planet?
Any of the chch councillors?
Any councillors anywhere else in the country?
Or just you?
McFlock, the *planet*,as you put it, is going terribly for billions of its inhabitants, not to mention other animal species, and the environment….that aside, it’s not what I was referring.
Where is the outrage, where is the public airing, of the dirty dealings which are leading to such actions, which are happening in Christchurch, re consents etc.
Parker, as a minimum, will be well aware what’s going on, well aware of the dirty, filthy undercurrent, which is creating these situations, so where is the outrage, the very public transfer of this information.
None of these events/actions are an accident, McFlock!
just you then. Got that.
Here is something not surprising I’m sure. I loathe this government as much as I did the last one at this end stage of its life.
What a bunch of low-level dishonourable people government politicians always turn out to be…
How does this happen? Is it the system? Or is it the nature of the people it attracts? Is it the addicitive lure of the beehive’s honey? The lust for power and the end-game excessive power always brings about?
Is it the system? Or is it the nature of the people it attracts? Is it the addicitive lure of the beehive’s honey? The lust for power and the end-game excessive power always brings about?
– Yes
yes vto. Changing the culture of parliament would do a great deal for this country.
vto says “is it the nature of the people it attracts?”
This is an outcome of the type of a elected democracy, regardless of the party.
From a 4M population, you are looking for someone to stand for parliament as a backbencher, and depending where we are in the political cycle maybe a couple of terms in opposition. So who do we select from?
…. take out children and most of the >60 age groups
…. take out those adults that have a past that they do wish to become public
…. take out those adults who do not have the public (speaking) or social (engagement) skills to be a politician – I expect this number would be high. There are so many people that can operate quite efficiently in their own social or political group but would die in a public role.
…. take out those adults who do not wish to give up existing lifestyle of family, location, career/small business interest etc. The lifestyle choice of having a significant part of downtime (weekends) time on spent on political events against the demands of your children and/or partner is a big ask, and for a lot people sometime not prepared to sacrifice
… take out those adults who have no interest in joining political parties but are voters, and maybe their energy is directed at a specific community of national group
…. Take out those that do not vote in a democracy – at guess this would be at least a 25% of the voting population (you may vote but in a democracy others have a right not to vote or participate)
… take out those – add your own
We do elect our politicians from a very small group of of people, and by default cabinet is selected from at best 60 odd candidates.
An IT Manager role would have more applicants that those Labour party members applying to replace Dalziel or Roberston in a couple of Labour winnable seats.
You could ask why doesn’t karol. vto, bad12, cv, jenny, iprent, millsy, BM, winston etc stand. They have their reasons and we return to vto original questions, and my conclusion as stated by vto “is the nature of the people it attracts?”
Hmmmm, interesting. And counter to what a lot of people would like to think……..
interesting analysis, but it’s missing some bits. vto asks if it’s the nature of the people that are attracted to politics. Assuming the pool of people is small (as above), why is it that of those people we get the ones we do? Is it because the whole of the pool is made up of certain kinds of people (why?), or is it that there is a subset of that pool that will make it through? I reckon it’s the latter – parliament, and politics, are brutal so you get the subset of hardarses, including the people at the sociopathic end of the spectrum. If parliament had a different culture, we would be getting a better range of people making it through.
Perhaps he could be the consul in Monaco instead. No, wait…
Now here we go another stick that they can beat the beneficiary with, personally I cant remember the last time I went to a takeaway shop. We find it easier and better tasting to make ours ourselves and we only have fish is we catch it ( or my mate does). And the same with Pizza Meat ends and bases from supermarket. Mcvomits and bugyaking I’s rather eat the box (probably better for me)
Amazing to see what 10 bucks can buy a poor family in Mangare. But what of the health risks from eating this stuff everyday? Obesity and Diabete’s among others.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10894207
F and C is of varying quality depending on the establishment. There is only one place where the stuff isnt overcooked in the city I live in.
McVomits — feels heavy in your stomach for ages afterwards, also it blew out a friends gallbladder and she was in hospital for 4 days.
KFC — dont get me started on that, its like eating chicken flavoured grease.
Subway is nice, but horrendusly expensive.
Tut tut Mz Wallace
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/residential-property/8864917/Lawyer-ordered-to-refund-tenants
So people on here like to say how pro-right the MSM is…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10894202
Maybe they shouldn’t interview failed green candidates, candidates that work for APN news and media
No doubt you lefties will rush to condemn this blatant left-wing propaganda
Bro, do you think the decline of this country is some sort of game?
“So people on here like to say how pro-right the MSM is…”
usually when talking about the owners and editorial staff
as for the rest of you comment – whats your problem with the article?
Oh I don’t know…hes tried it on before, hes a green candidate, he works for the parent company so maybe theres a slight conflict of interest maybe
Ad hominem: they don’t call it a fallacy for nothing.
who? the journalist?
Live under a bridge do you….
And right there is the right-wing spin.
Around 75% of people don’t earn the average income (note: graph missing on that page)
Those people most powerless have seen their incomes decline
LOL, My nephew is paid $5 per hour less today than he was paid in 2008 in nominal terms. Take into account inflation and that gap increases.
Other than that, it’s not too bad. Now, if every article was like that then you might be able to claim that the MSM is left-biased but most articles are the exact opposite of that having lots of right-wing spin and little or no facts.
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/mp/17824953/neglectful-parents-werent-victims-of-poverty-say-police/
How does the cop know that the situation has nothing to do with poverty? This is the sort of worthlessly simplistic pseudo-analysis that that stupid debate on TV3 was always guaranteed to encourage, playing straight into the blame-the-victim claptrap and which is the right’s social policy bread and butter. Disgraceful journalism.
Well of course this might be horribly bigoted of me, but it did occur to me that if the parents could afford the regular boozing and parties their neighbours, CYPS and the police say they did, then they might possibly have put that money toward food and treating their children’s open sores. While I’m sure that their relative poverty might be said to encourage them in the pursuit of escapist hedonism, it doesn’t actually negate the fact that they had resources that should have been directed at the children. Thankfully the state has intervened.
It’s good the state has intervened, but what gives the cops the right to assume they’re an authority on the subject? That television programme has helped reinforce some “poverty versus parenting” explanation where the two are mutually exclusive. What made the cop even want to refer talk about poverty in the first place?
Probably because the police are often the ones at the coal face in cases of domestic abuse and child neglect, which would give them some insights. I don’t think it was so much poverty versus parenting as one exacerbated by the other, but maybe they wanted to draw a distinction between this scum and poor families that are still struggling but are trying to do the right thing by their kids. The police are human, they see a lot of shit no one would find easy to articulate.
Yes, because being at the coal face gives you deep insights into macro-economic factors, especially after graduating from police college.
Nice one.
Yeah, right, because Economists have a deep understanding of the real social and human impact their entirely theoretical models have, because they have to deal with ordinary people on the edge every day rather than take tea and biscuits in the ivory towers of academia and bureaucracy. That was sarcasm by the way – I though I’d better lampshade it for you.
Nobody’s questioning the severity of the abuse, just the reasons for it. The greater the severity doesn’t increase the chances that what’s observable is the culprit. Just because the cops see a lot of things most of us don’t doesn’t make them experts on causes. Your analysis falls into the same trap of being way too simplistic.
I didn’t say the police were experts, I said they had were human and had a pool of experience to draw on. But I’m damned sure that people do in fact become pretty expert in situations by physically intervening in them day in and day out and dealing with the associated beuracracy rather than interviewing their computers from the comfort of an armchair.
And I’m pretty sure that they don’t as they’ll be missing the most important stuff. The stuff that can only be revealed by prolonged questioning. Questioning that would involve asking the police.
Um, you do realise that police proceedure involves prolongued questioning, right – and they’re not all mindless drones with moustaches anymore?
“I didn’t say the police were experts”
Ok then, they’re not experts.
“I’m damned sure that people do in fact become pretty expert in situations by physically intervening in them day in and day out and dealing with the associated beuracracy “
Oh, ok then, they are experts.
“rather than interviewing their computers from the comfort of an armchair.”
Speak for yourself. You know nothing about what anyone here does or doesn’t do.
Felix, you’re doing it again – not really contributing or critiquing, and instead choosing to attack my wording, and actually you can work out to an extent how involved people are in an area by what they say about it – but whatever, go back to being shrill and pointless. Yawn.
I have thought about this family and the assistance that was available to them.
1. They were in a HNZ home.
2. CYFs did not know where the family was residing and the family were known to them.
3. Free GP visits, (not sure if prescriptions are free for under age 6).
4. The children had nits and open sores from scabbies, (whole family has to be treated and a lot of hot washes of bedding/clothing is required). I have had scabbies and you itch like mad.
5. Young children roaming on the road and near a creek.
6. The caboards were sparse with food and alcohol had been purchased.
It is clear that there was neglect of the children.
I praise the neighbours for being a voice for the children. I think that CYFs need to employ at least 100 extra social workers to handle the heavy case load of notifications and some social workers/mentors who specialise in intensive parenting skills/financial management.
w00t:
http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/france-aims-allow-euthanasia-despite-ethics-doubts-5484055
Now if only NZ would hurry up and finish legalising it, since adults can already legally refuse life-saving medical treatment or starve themselves to death, but neither way is particularly a nice way to go.
Oh yeah:
Peter Singer has covered this better than I, but basically severe mental illness and it’s impacts on quality of life are just as significant as terminal illness, which I know all to well through my own depression.
Then there’s progressive mental illnesses like dementia and alzheimers that rob a person of what makes them that person, and for some sufferers they don’t want to end up like that and would much rather die with their faculties intact(ish).
What it comes down to frankly is the ethics of forcing someone to suffer when there are alternatives, along with bodily autonomy, i.e. what right does the state/culture have to say what I can do to my own body?
Which brings us to the rather difficult to understand (for most) concept of people ending their lives at the same time as their partner and the ethics of that. Which I get, but is not easy to describe :/
And of course, there needs to be some sort of monitoring system in place to prevent elder abuse, or manipulation of mental states and to make sure euthanasia methods are humane, but such things are not impossible to implement.
It’s interesting that government that often seems to care nothing about people during their life suddenly becomes besotted with them when they want to make a choice for their own passing from this life.
Oh dear every reasonable and practical thought such people might give to their last period of living and how it should be, is to be ignored in favour of a belief that you have no rights in this regard. If you have considerations about much money you want to spend on your care, or that family might be interested in when death will occur are matters that completely block off any rational thought about euthanasia and how it can be allowed and governed. The state can have the right to take life but your own is not your property. Response to that – get the police or the SAS to shoot you then. That would be legal.
Waiting for your body which is your automatic servant, to shut down its devoted efforts to keep you alive though shutting down bits at a time until it loses its ability to function can be a long, wearisome and painful business. Just living and being presented with the constant trauma of human life, your own and the news of the world’s, can cause an ennui in an older person that can ready them to choose to leave this world.
If you have lived your life, and wish to make a time for it to finish there should be a procedure to follow till the state and the law agree that all care and consideration has been given to your decision and plan. This would be ensuring that you have a will, that you have notified family or nominated a responsible person who has written notification similar to a power of attorney, but specially worded for this purpose, that you have expressed this wish in an interview, and in writing, to a person from a registered group made up of lawyers, and others who are responsible and aware of the importance and solemnity of their task. This should be free so as not to make a financial burden for the service. Such person would check that family have been notified, wills made, dispositions of property organised, and then require that person to come back in a month and briefly discuss the matter and confirm that their resolve is the same.
Family and supporters should not have to suffer the increased sorrow and grief of being dragged through police procedures and the Courts for assisting any death. Proper well-thought-out, compassionate and practical legislation would avoid this.
Lots of interesting things going on in the political blogosphere lately. I’ll never keep up.
Still, Giovani Tiso is always worth a look, if you have a minute:
http://bat-bean-beam.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/a-womans-place.html
Which got me thinking that maybe Gillard was at a disadvantage in being the first woman Prime Minister and Labour. Tory leaders like Shipley and Thatcher were never undermined for being women leaders anywhere near as overtly, viciously or relentlessly as Gillard was. I wonder if Clark wasn’t hugely fortunate in having Shipley break the some of the icebergs ahead of her. Which isn’t to imply that Clark didn’t herself have to battle against sexism (more and more as her popularity waned, or so it seemed).
On a related matter, some good analysis on the prospects of Abbott and Rudd from Tim Colebatch in the Age:
http://www.theage.com.au/comment/voterland-rougher-terrain-for-abbott-20130701-2p7dx.html
http://wikileaks.org/Statement-from-Edward-Snowden-in.html
http://reuters.tumblr.com/post/54376749658/edward-snowdens-letter-to-ecuadorean-president-rafael
forget politics, life can either be cruel or kind, because it may give you false hope
as soon as the exact moment in life that you thought there was no hope.
Yesterday I did a blog post, detailing the end of my childhood and the very next day, this
was in time magazine.
http://techland.time.com/2013/07/01/today-in-longshots-hoverboards-proposed-by-2015/
http://haltekindustries.com/
Looks good Brett Dale
What fun and I like the floating hoverboard in the promotion.
What I would like is an investigation into the possible use of hovercraft for disaster and emergency situations. We’re going to get more disasters. Could hovercraft get to areas where there are low hills with food supplies and water when helicopters can’t operate or are over-stretched? Or what about clever and robust small robots that could explore through rubble looking for people with inbuilt cameras and direction finders.
Also what about new technology that can increase the number of mines etc. that are found and made safe. Now that should have millions spent on it. Then people won’t need to hover above the ground. I wonder if there was a hoverboard above a mine , whether some of them are so fiendishly made that the movement or some air pressure effect would set them off anyway?
Rose:
They already use hovercraft in flood hit areas.
Hoverboards dont work on water, unless you have powa.
Brett D
Didn;t know they are using hovercraft regularly. I guess they are doing the job okay but don’t hear them mentioned often. Usually helicopters.
And of course there is the car that will become a buoyant boat that Alan Gibbs developed.
Aquada speedster – Alan Gibbs
New Zealand inventor Alan Gibbs conceived the world’s first high speed amphibian. The Gibbs Aquada transforms from car to boat at the touch of a button.
Powerful enough to tow a water-skier, the Aquada combines the thrill of an open-top sports car with the exhilaration of a high performance speedboat.
http://www.newzealand.com/travel/media/features/kiwi_innovation/kiwi-innovation_great-kiwi-inventions_feature.cfm
(I like the way that this link lists clever Kiwis, first Alan Gibbs then Ernest Rutherford.)
McFlock
Yes well, double buggers.
Folk are working on the robots, but the problem is range (comms&physical) and terrain.
Hovercraft – not so much keen on those. Helicopters can already go where trucks can’t, and many places where hovercraft can’t. Although hovercraft are good for fast littoral transit with no need for shore facilities.
Mines – they basically go off at a certain pressure, and don’t care whether that pressure comes from a foot, a helicopter/hoverboard downblast, or a child’s hand. Which is why they’re a bugger.
More polls going against this dictatorial government:
That’s just Auckland but I’m sure that if other areas were polled they’d think the same. Central government should not be able to tell a community how it will develop.
” Central government should not be able to tell a community how it will develop.”
Well you know Draco, this government is more interventionist than a Soviet-era 5-year plan maestro.
This government is more socialist than Hugo Chavez.
This government picks more winner than Jim Anderton ever dreamed.
This government is about bigger government than ……..
……. M U L D O O N … ! !
They are thick. Or evil.
Or both… https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=s-pWoVSrKXo#t=32s
Government politicians hurrying down to Christchurch to tell them off for their planners being slow on the job. One of the reasons is that they are working in an unstable earthquake environment, they are having to make decisions over a wide area of rebuilding not just to examine an individual building in an existing block, another is that haste to push through jobs by past Council building and planning employees has led to disaster. But central government wants to push things along faster, but will decisions be made that are safe and well-thought-through?
It would be good for Christchurch residents as a whole to have a chance to attend a meeting with the planning department so they can hear the problems and together work out a way to have quick decisions on the straightforward ones, and have indications of which will need closer scrutiny and civil engineering advice for instance. Perhaps a triage type system should be set up, perhaps a special division just to deal with houses, another just to deal with businesses, and an area designated in Christchurch that is regarded as stable for buildings up to seven stories or whatever. Anyway people should hear what the difficulties are instead of bland, PR by the Mayor and febrile frenzy from Wellington and King Henry the 9th.
And this is really a result of trying to promote efficiency by targeting. If a things to be done properly it may take time. I think developers have a reasonable point about wanting to get their money to work and get buildings started. Dealing with the bottlenecks for businesses is different from excoriating the whole department of Council and taking away its licence because of some phony, unreasonable time schedule.
Had to laugh at Mathew Hootn claiming that John Key is a master politician yesterday on 9-noon.
Key only got there because the media in New Zealand is privately owned and they set up a shrill harangue that went on for over a year and precisely fits the defintion of a nazi.
i.e. using word that are not defined. repeating the same thing over and over. shouting everyone else down.
That may be poltics for some but in no way is it democracy.
He does the same thing by constantly reciting selective positive economic data to support National. Even Katherine Ryan is taking the piss out of him for this now. And of course the only positive stats are caused by an earthquake rebuild, an unsustainable housing boom in Auckland (mortgage loans are rocketing up again-see interest.co.nz) and an historically high price for milk products.
I wonder what Hannibal Lecter would do if he killed him? Dump the meat at McDonalds and make whoopee cushions out of the skin.
Origami toys for Happy meals
+1
It will be interesting to see the nature of Slippery’s press coverage when the media finally wake up to the much touted ‘government surplus’ to be declared in election year,
Bill from Dipton and the Slippery little Shyster have most bamboozled by this ‘surplus’, for an explanation of how such a surplus will be possible you have to go back to financial years 2011/2012 when this Government announced it was borrowing 100 million dollars a week more than it’s current needs,
Citing ‘cheap money’ as the reason National have stashed this money with the Reserve Bank and it is these reserves of borrowed monies that will allow National to show in 2014 ‘no borrowing’ when the reality is that they will still be using borrowed monies from 2011/12 to prop up the Government accounts…
“Key only got there because the media in New Zealand is privately owned and they set up a shrill harangue that went on for over a year and precisely fits the defintion of a nazi.”
– Thats part of the problem for the left, the constant underestimating of John Key plus the excuses given is why the left won’t be in power until at least 2017
youve partly got a point re: underestimating key
but to ignore the very blatant role the media played in the switch from a labour lead govt to a national one is quite strange.
so i understand this is a website of the labour party.
today four out of four posts (excluding open mike) feature the national party.
three out of four have pictures of key. (the one that doesnt have his photo has his name in the title)
of the 31 posts on the first page 6 are open mike, 1 weekend social, and only one positive labour party story (ikaroa rawhiti by election result)
perhaps this is part of the malaise of the party.
yes people enjoy putting the boot in however is there such a thing as bad publicity.
i think we would be better served by some more positive stories coming out of the labour party.
Waiting, waiting, waiting ……… LOL
Is LPrent in the house?
Don’t be cruel, veuto! We were all newbies once!
Something tells me “g” isn’t as green as he is cabbage-looking.
Lol
And wearing a g-string back to front I suspect.
Then you understand wrong, read the about.
If there were more positive stories about Labour then they might get more positive stories on this site from those authors who decide to write about them.
You might also want to bear in mind that telling the standard authors what to write about goes down badly.
I am curious though, why do you think this is a Labour Party website?
Weak grip on reality? Or just a feeble tr*ll?
We need better wingnuts.
gsays
i think we would be better served by some more positive stories coming out of the labour party.
You sing them, we’ll play them.
Perhaps Dr Pita Sharples could make fine use of some of his ‘spare’ time and give lessons in Te Reo pronunciation to Speaker of the House David Carter. Carter’s attempts today were an absolute embarrassment. And he knew it as he struggled through it. Dr Sharples .. help the man, please.
ok oops and sorry.
the reason for mistaking this as a labour party site is the red standard (flag) and some of the diatribe.
(who reads all that behind the scenes stuff- kinda like instructions, just get into it.)
maybe it is time for the labour party to rebrand itself. i have been bought up (grandson of a senior union man ) to understand that labour is for the working man, sky corporate box anyone?
[lprent: You read like a dumb troll from ~2008. I would suggest you read the policy and up the intelligence in your comments. Also read the about rather than wasting everyone’s time explaining stuff that is written down. They are links at the top of the site. And if you use the usual faux concern at being spoken to like this, you will receive a ban for stupidity. ]
Right now, your concern is being noted, and people are coming to the conclusion that it’s completely insincere, like its author. Yours faithfully, the Billy Goats Gruff.
🙂
No worries, gsays. The Standard was the original Labour newspaper, hence the borrowing of the red flag symbol. Authors and commenters here represents all kinds of left, leftish and green strands of thought. There are a few regular rightwing commenters here too, who put some, ahem, alternative viewpoints.
If you are keen to contribute your thoughts, I’d be interested to read them. Regarding the LP, your re-branding idea has been sort of hashed and re-hashed many times here. The upshot appears to be most of us agree that the best LP brand would be one that didn’t have David Shearer standing in front of it 😉
I disagree with that, David Shearer is the best choice for leader of the Labour party (it’d be nice to know how many labour MPs agree with me :)) and he’ll lead Labour to victory when he gets used to being a politician…2017 seems reasonable
More facile go nowhere rubbish from Winston. Thinks he’s a bit of a clown. Is.
Which bit though?
Uh, about 61% at last count
Two more gone from the Glenn inquiry.
Spectacular attrition rate.
Morsi has rejected the Egyptian military ultimatum.
http://madamasr.com/content/armed-forces-warns-intervention-48-hours
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23140212
Yeah, I don’t think the Morsi Government is going to last tomorrow.
Hey Jenny, hows the “Spring” going in Egypt so far?
Latest poll:
http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/roy-morgan-new-zealand-poll-july-2-2013-201307020549
Margin of error changes, not significant. But still no traction for Labour.
Bad poll for NZF. That leaves LP/Greens a couple of points shy of an outright win, which would be nice.
I don’t think the NZF result means much, Roy Morgan is very dodgy on minor parties. Hard to see how Winston has suddenly lost half his supporters (for no reason, unless they died of old age?).
Of course, Labour should be talking up L/G, but they cling to the old fraud, for no gain.
Remember Winston knows how to ramp up a finale like no one else. NZF is still polling far higher than they were a month before the last election.
Plus I think the TV debates are going to be all party ones. Total game changer.
‘Plus I think the TV debates are going to be all party ones.’
I doubt this very much.
If the Greens are polling around 15%-16%, and Labour is polling at 30%-32%, that is what the Greens will demand.
I think it’ll come down to National’s preference, CV. And given that they are too chicken to actually debate anything in the media now, I can’t see them wanting to be locked in a room with Winston et al in the future.
Pretty much. the Greens won’t be in a position to ‘demand’ anything. the debates are arranged by negotiations between parties and TV co’s.
Neither Labour nor National will want the Greens in on ‘their’ debate, and the TV co’s, who probably wouldn’t care either way, aren;t going to force them. So how are the Greens going to demand their spot?
Make the case through public pressure as a party expected to get 20 or so MPs, and in doing so being far closer in nature to the mainstream parties than ACT, Mana, Maori, NZF etc.
But the argument will be:
“These debates are between the potential Prime Ministers, that’s not you Greens, so stop being silly”
The counter would have to be in terms of public pressure – “the dinosaur days of FPP are over, and its time that Labour and National accept taht”
Colonial Viper.
Greens at 15-16%? They may do that in the odd poll, but come election time, they will be at 10%
I reckon a final election result of 13% to 14%.
I don’t think so this time.. They have tended to drop 3% from polling as a max and that hasn’t been increasing as their numbers go up over the decades. I suspect that their solid voting support had been rising as people have started to find them to be more credible.
Depending on how it goes heading into the election, I suspect that they’re going to be close to 15% on election day than 10%. It wouldn’t surprise me if they are well over 15% in the event that Labour does poorly in their messaging. Especially if the right keeps helping to push their green profile as being ‘dangerous’ – I know that attracts many.
Iprent:
Last election, it was the Rena that got people thinking about environmental issues, that boost their numbers, I dont see how they can get close to 15%, too many other parties, if labour supporters think its going to be close, labour supporters will vote labour, then you have the maori party and temana, too many parties for them to get 15% or close to it. Then you have nzfirst, you never know what winnie will get up too, that could sway people.
I dunno.
Greens are an excellent campaigning party.
But like every person on earth, they’re not as smart as they’re and their opponents aren’t as dumb as they’re think they’re.
Even if that means what I think you’re trying to say, I’m not sure that the point I think you may be trying to make naturally follows from what I know I just wrte.
Lolz brett, last time you predicted 7% and they got what?
I find your prediction of 10% very encouraging in this context.
felix
10%
Russell Norman is trying to prove how hard is he, so he may get
a point or two, unfortunately he is starting to get carried away with it,
and people dont like that. 10% for The Greens.
The Greens got 10% only three days ago. In an actual election.
That was starting from zero. Next time they start from 10.
But Bread Stale the Great has spoken, and it’s non-negotiable.
He said “and people don’t like that”, and he speaks for “the people.”
Your living in some sort of pikie fairly land if you think the greens are going to
go way over 10% in a general election.
See my rationale here http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-02072013/#comment-656915 why I think that they’re more likely to get closer to 15% than 10% in the coming election.
Just been looking at your reasons – oh wait – there aren’t any. Found the revelation in some navel fluff perhaps? Seems to be about your usual level of “thinking”.
Perhaps you should explain your rationale rather than simply jerking off an unsupported assertion with no argument in it. Makes you look rather dorkish. 😈
*You’re living in a fairy tale if you think your opinion on this matter is worth anything.
That’s not very fair 1prent, haven’t you heard about the “Stale Bread Rena Theory” ?
Apparently there’s only one event that will ever get people thinking about the environment, and that’s pretty much over now.
Also, it’s best not to assume someone has made a spelling mistake when they accuse one of living in a pikie fairly land 🙂
TRP I keep thinking that this Government is that appalling there will be rioting in the streets any time soon. But an increase in support?
No rioting; the landlords I speak to are pleased that they have been able to keep increasing their rents and renters and leaseholders keep paying.
All is well.
Well, we are famously stoic, micky! Perhaps we’re just bottling it up?
Or just plain bottling it.
Get a grip presland.
Oh look a stalker!
Out right majority beckons for National especially with the the collapse of the Maori party
Once it’s pointed out to the sheeple that a vote for Labour is a vote for the Melons and the Hone the racist mofo, expect Nationals percentage to sky rocket.
No one except the seriously deranged wants that terrible trio running the country.
Except that when you add up their support according to current polling almost half the country wants exactly that, and there’s plenty of time for the fact that John Key is going to contest the next election then bail to sink in. That’s just the way things are. It’s time you got over it.
Poor Old John (“my namesake has gravitas”) Armstrong simply cannot countenance that the Mana Movement is growing and the NationalMaori Party is dying. If one is to die he’d rather they both die.
His Herald article of 1 July – half way through he remarks (grudgingly) – “(At first glance) Mana would seem to be the real byelection winner, having lifted its vote from 14 per cent to close to 25 per cent.”
By the end of the article, after I daresay a furious spat with his keyboard (he won), he’s satisfied that the guts of matters is this – “On their current course, the Maori Party and Mana are locked together in what amounts to a suicide pact.”
Oh really John Armstrong ?
You, the can’t see/won’t see eurocentric dork, you may be frantic that the NationalMaori Party has cut it’s own carpetbagging throat but I’ll wager handsomely that with 25% of the byelection vote Mana is far from that sadness.
It’s alarming that one who pretends to seniority in political commentary in New Zealand should betray (at the least offensive) the subliminal sense that Maori are only any good if they suck on ShonKey Python’s tit. Deserving of summary dismissal if they do not.
Give your keyboard its head John.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/john-armstrong-on-politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502865&objectid=10893984
Bryce Edwards also in the Herald suffers no mad-making sadness and gets it right (sorry can’t get the link) –
“As the narrative deepens about the Mana Party having usurped the Maori Party, the notion wlll become more convincing and Flavell and Sharples could come to see that their continued political survival depends on working with Harawira. “
These pricks – again.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/07/the-kochs-and-the-action-on-global-warming.html