Does the government care about anything?
Not worried or I’m comfortable seems to be a stock answer from ministers nowadays.
Govt aware EU investigating NZ tax rules
The government is aware that the European Parliament is investigating New Zealand in the wake of the Panama Papers but said it is not worried.
The Panama Papers revealed how some of the world’s richest people use foreign trusts, including in New Zealand, to hide their wealth and avoid paying tax.
In June, the European Parliament set up a special committee to investigate matters that were raised by the papers and it wants to blacklist countries that are operating as tax havens.
Mr Woodhouse was aware of this because of the European Parliament’s website but did not believe the government had received official notification of any investigations or any action against New Zealand.
But the government was confident “any objective inquiry” would find New Zealand was fully compliant with OECD standards.
maybe the EU should stick with investigating the massive frauds perpetrated by Deutsche Bank, and also why the entire Italian banking system is teetering on the edge of collapse.
Is Winston Peters the only MP prepared to stand up for New Zealand’s rights regarding housing?
Are we to be tenants in our own land as Labour and National bow down to their masters in the U.S. and China?
Free trade deals signed by both parties have reduced our sovereignty and rights.
Yeah they need a proof reader “The grouping of 28 European nations has compiled a list of countries with lax tax laws, band following the release of the so-called Panama Papers it confirmed New Zealand is under investigation.”
With help from their no questions asked immigration policy, trying to get as many folks resident from Asia and overseas to support Mr Key – currently something like 1.5% per year increases in population from migration. Over the 9 year term of the Natz this can change the population over 13%.
It is already predicted that Asian will be the 2nd largest demographic in NZ and over take Maori. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11166485
Illegal Tweets from the All blacks on election day.
Changing legalisation to render people unable to vote (with high Maori demographics).
Dirty politics.
Manipulating and controlling the MSM messages.
Stopping investigative journalists by any way they can.
Burying bad news.
Corrupting and co opting the Maori party to help them in their dirty deeds.
Hi save nz,
You can add Canterbury environment crowd, Saudi sheep shenanagins and a few schools with unnecessary statutory management to the list of ‘Democratic actions’ this corrupt mob have undertaken.
I think she means line them up and shoot them.
Or perhaps just the gulag.
[This site doesn’t accept advocating violence. Suggesting that others are advocating violence without evidence is also bad form. Please tone it down in future. TRP]
accountable
əˈkaʊntəb(ə)l/Submit
adjective
1.
required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible.
“ministers are accountable to Parliament”
synonyms: responsible, liable, answerable, chargeable; More
2.
able to be explained or understood.
“the delayed introduction of characters’ names is accountable, if we consider that names have a low priority”
synonyms: explicable, explainable; More
So you want those voters to be held liable for their vote or to justify it or be answerable for it. And what then – charged? For what? And what are the penalties you have in mind?
Your helpful recourse to a dictionary raises even more questions about how you want to hold voters accountable for exercising their democratic rights.
It sounds a bit ominous so please do explain.
well the national voters coming to my shop complaining about stuff are being told by me that thy voted for this government, three times to be precises, which means they must like what they get served and as such should simply shut the fuck up or vote differently the next time.
you know, you buy it you own it.
or you break it you own it.
you know accountability.
so mate, you kids not finding a house to live any where in nz. shut the fuck up, you voted for that shit.
the road that was build with tax payers money going to be a toll road, shut the fuck up you voted for that shit.
need surgery and can’t get one cause waiting lists, you voted for that shit so shut the fuck up.
have cancer and are unemployed and the lady tells you to get a fucking job or no benefit? you voted for that shit, so shut the fuck up.
you know, you voted for that shit, now eat it. all of it. and don’t ever come around to me and complain.
Weka i make sure i remind people every day that they voted for this bastard and we are all suffering because of it.
And its like corporal punishment, kiwis must love getting a hiding because they keep voting for the cane at every election.
Then Sabine you are very lucky the Nat voters that come into your shop are so understanding of your condition*… and kept coming back to buy stuff from you.
If I knew where your shop was, I’d hang around outside as traumatised National voters emerged sobbing into their hankies. It’s nice to have it confirmed that the customer is not always right. Sometimes the customer is a whining self-absorbed git.
Hmmmm. We could make them pay a fair share of tax. Or nationalise the flogged off power companies. Or just make them look their grand kids in the eye while they explain how they voted for the young to be locked out of home ownership.
We have far too many pressing needs in the world to be blowing billions on the Olympic Games, which has morphed into a bloated corporate show, drowning in drugs and all about petty national rivalries.
It appears to be a precursor to war rather than a chance to heal the world’s divides.
It is a rich nation’s event.
The Olympics has passed its use by date.
As a career path, Olympic athlete is not a high public subsidy per person.
But the evaluative ruler for the whole event itself would be:
would the city have been better off or worse off in the long term if they hadn’t happened there?
On the negative side: Toronto, Athens.
On the meh side: Los Angeles, Moscow, Sydney
On the positive side: Barcelona, London, Beijing, Seoul
A article well worth reading.
Supports much of what cv has been posting.
“Climate Change Activism: A Post-Mortem
As I write these words, much of North America is sweltering under near-tropical heat and humidity. Parts of the Middle East have set all-time high temperatures for the Old World, coming within a few degrees of Death Valley’s global record. The melting of the Greenland ice cap has tripled in recent years, and reports from the arctic coast of Siberia describe vast swathes of tundra bubbling with methane as the permafrost underneath them melts in 80°F weather. Far to the south, seawater pours through the streets of Miami Beach whenever a high tide coincides with an onshore wind; the slowing of the Gulf Stream, as the ocean’s deep water circulation slows to a crawl, is causing seawater to pile up off the Atlantic coast of the US, amplifying the effect of sea level rise.
All these things are harbingers of a profoundly troubled future. All of them were predicted, some in extensive detail, in the print and online literature of climate change activism over the last few decades. Not that long ago, huge protest marches and well-funded advocacy organizations demanded changes that would prevent these things from happening, and politicians mouthed slogans about stopping global warming in its tracks. Somehow, though, the marchers went off to do something else with their spare time, the advocacy organizations ended up preaching to a dwindling choir, and the politicians started using other slogans to distract the electorate.”
No Paul you are a miserable cut & paste doomsayer, as Ad correctly alludes to, try going outside into that nasty climate you speak of so often, it might do you the world of good
Stop reading wrist-slitting melancholy. And stop encouraging others to do the same.
i’ll tell you what wrist slitting melancholy is, it’s the message that all human beings are born sinners.
Compared to that, the message of the Archdruid is one of outright positivity.
By the way, wasn’t the end of the world going to come through fire, floods, pestilence that kind of thing? You don’t think that climate change may have a role to play in that?
You were boots n all into Assange, and straight out accused him of rape a number of times in articles and comments, yet edit, censor and shout down any suggestion about Bill Clintons rape accusations
No inconsistency. It is not me that has accused Assange of rape, it’s the Swedish authorities. I just think he should face the charges and defend himself in court, like the rest of us have to when charged with offences. The supposed tweet does not exist. It’s made up. It is a gender based insult against Hillary Clinton, not Bill Clinton. And even if it were, Bill Clinton currently has no legal case to answer on his alleged behaviour, which is not the case for Assange, obviously. Your argument fails completely.
Failure (of the hypocrisy test) is authoring articles such as ‘Broken’ while making excuses for swinging dicks like Bill Clinton
Simultaneously claiming that Hillarys “lifetime of public service” mitigates the bribes taken from corporate america and the war crimes for which Hillary is, at best an accomplice
Hillarys crimes against humanity (man/woman/environment) deserve no excuse or cover story, yet you have done exactly that in an overt way, using this site as the medium and moderating approach as tactics
The complete bias toward Hillary is as ludicrous as your claims of “gender based insults”
The gender based insult is Hillary Clinton herself!
I’ve never made excuses for Bill Clinton. As I noted he’s not charged with anything and the one thing we do know about (Lewinsky) there is no excuse for. But that’s a moral argument, not a legal one, as far as I can tell. Two consenting adults etc. I’m in a good mood, so I’ll just point out that the current time off for lying about authors is a six week ban. And take it easy on telling me what I have or should not have written, OK?
btw. if you don’t understand what a gender based insult is, just say so. Or google the term and educate yourself.
Skolkovo Russian innovation centre flows funds to the Clinton Foundation
Speaking of facts.
As Schweizer continues, “soon, dozens of U.S. tech firms, including top Clinton Foundation donors like Google, Intel and Cisco, made major financial contributions to Skolkovo, with Cisco committing a cool $1 billion. In May 2010, the State Department facilitated a Moscow visit by 22 of the biggest names in U.S. venture capital—and weeks later the first memorandums of understanding were signed by Skolkovo and American companies…
Of the 28 “partners,” 17, or 60%, have made financial commitments to the Clinton Foundation, totaling tens of millions of dollars, or sponsored speeches by Bill Clinton…
Russians tied to Skolkovo also flowed funds to the Clinton Foundation. Andrey Vavilov, the chairman of SuperOx, which is part of Skolkovo’s nuclear-research cluster, donated between $10,000 and $25,000 (donations are reported in ranges, not exact amounts) to the Clinton’s family charity”
Apparently no charges have been laid around how Sec State Clinton used her influence to flow funds to the Clinton Foundation so by your standards TRP, nothing to see here.
(Except more of the same crony $$$ behaviour from Hillary Clinton while in office).
Whereas trump is so alien to the concept of empathy that “the simple presidential duty of comforting the families of fallen soldiers may actually be beyond his capabilities”.
considering that Mike Pence VP is the one who represents a very large swath of extremely conservative christian , yes it could.
also consider this.
what would the republican party have said if the man who fathered five children with three women would have been a Obama or b a women who had five children with three men?
So will it hurt him with the ones that look at women as objects to be replaced when to old, or to be used as a trophy who does not smile nor speak, i don’t think so.
but then there are over three hundred million in that country, It will be good fun till election time, here and there.
I think a lot of people will look at her and go “shes hot” (and sadly because of it vote Trump) and still more will think its not a good look for the NY Post and vote Trump out of sympathy
as per below the ones who look as women as a thing that has to be hot yeah, they would vote and also props like masturbating over the first lady.
however, she might be keenly aware that she can be dumped at any given moment like the previous mrs. trumps and be replaced with a 20 year younger model.
personally i don’t care, she was a model and did as models do. However, being the ‘first lady’ of the moral, christan, no sex education, abstinence only, virgin brides, no sluts evangelic party this could cause a bit of a brain freeze for some of the more ‘fundamentalist’ christian voters;
“personally i don’t care, she was a model and did as models do. However, being the ‘first lady’ of the moral, christan, no sex education, abstinence only, virgin brides, no sluts evangelic party this could cause a bit of a brain freeze for some of the more ‘fundamentalist’ christian voters;”
Sure if Trump was running as a typical GOP candidate but Trumps a bit different so I don’t think it’ll hurt him, its more likely it’ll help
i am not talking about Trump the “representative of the oval office’ i am talking about Mike Pence.
lil game the last time the republicans were in power that had the little bush and cheney. who do you think pulled the strings?
this time with trump / pence who do you think will pull the strings?
Ugly Truth. The tape really confirms our worst fears about TPPA. And now if it is ratified by all, the world will shift forever. What will happen to my grandchildren?
Funny that much of manufacturing, including that of USA and NZ, has shifted to China and yet Obama’s aim is to shut out China from the Pacific region.
The TPPA conforms to the general pattern of consolidation of political power in the hands of those with little motivation to act in the public interest. I’m optimistic that this pattern of behaviour will collapse and the future for new generations will be far brighter than what we know today.
The US is apparently still wedded to the doctrine of full spectrum dominance, the military exercises in the East China Sea signify meaningful opposition to this IMO.
Real sovereignty isn’t the same an the political supremacy that the state calls sovereignty. There’s a massive paradigm shift involved in achieving sovereignty, Brexit was a good example of how steps can be taken.
Just a quick request – would you mind just putting in a short line of context when putting up a link? I personally don’t like clicking/selecting links without some idea of what it is I’m looking at. Thanks. 🙂
I thought Nanaia Mahuta’s comments at the end of the interview were telling. She listed pieces of legislation passed by the NAct govt. which cut across the Treaty of Waitangi… yet we’ve not heard a peep out of the Maori Party.
She also reminds us we already have our own Indigenous Rights Treaty and didn’t need to sign up to another one. Very good point.
The Maori Party are being disingenuously spiteful and petty minded – as you say ianmac. They represent a small Maori elite and not the rest of the Maori populace. The sooner they’re gone the better.
Actually, BM, what’s good for maori is good for all of us. And Anne is correct to point out that the maori party have done nothing of substance for the people they claim to represent since they were formed. Indeed, given the increase in negative stats for maori, it’s easily argued that they have helped harm maori as part of the NACT government.
When I first saw the item, I did toy with the idea of writing a post. But, really, who cares what they say? Their actions (and inactions) speak louder than their words.
Along with the contentious foreshore and seabed law in 2004, Ms Fox said there were other decisions by Miss Clark’s Labour government that cast doubt on what kind of Secretary-General she would be.
“The Labour Party refused to sign the Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which is a part of the UN agenda.
“The Labour Party in its time saw the Tuhoe raids and of course also there is the Foreshore and Seabed amendment which took the rights of Māori away to go to court.”
I’d add to that ‘haters and wreckers’.
Ms Fox said someone seeking the top role at the United Nations should be able to acknowledge their past mistakes and apologise for them.
That seems to be the crix of it. If Clark still believes that she was right on all the things above, then it’s completely reasonable for Māori to not support her to the UN role.
Te Tiriti is not a replacement for the Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
I thought Nanaia Mahuta’s comments at the end of the interview were telling. She listed pieces of legislation passed by the NAct govt. which cut across the Treaty of Waitangi… yet we’ve not heard a peep out of the Maori Party.
She also reminds us we already have our own Indigenous Rights Treaty and didn’t need to sign up to another one. Very good point.
I can’t see that (they might have removed it). If it’s still visible can you please cut and paste?
“The quote has a large almost universally agreed meaning of “You should be cautious of the company you keep. Associating with those of low reputation may not only lower your own but also lead you astray by the faulty assumptions, premises and data of the unscrupulous.””
Yeah, but let’s face it, the only choices they’ve had are National or Labour, both of whom have done pretty serious negative shit to Māori.
Let’s also remember that the Māori Party may be part of forming the next left wing government. How will we deal with the shit then? Or would we prefer they went with National again?
The Māori party has a mandate from its people to be inside the tent. That is policy, so they will support who ever has a majority to get a seat at the table.
Now if the Māori party get 3-4 seats (a possibility) and Green/labour are the majority – then the Māori party will support them.
I actually think it’s quite smart of Marama to raise this as she has – it shows Māori, where labour are at. It also keeps alive the issues for Māori and keeps their issues front and centre, rather than floating in the ether.
Lots of people assume that the Māori Party are right wing, but I don’t think they are. Their primary political loyalty is to Māori. What reason is there that would stop them supporting a L/G government? Policy? History?
Why don’t you ask them*? That’s the point. In this instance, your views on how people form political allegiances are not that relevant compared to theirs.
*or failing that, just read/listen to what is in the public domain. Plenty of Māori talking about it, but you have to be willing to hear what they say.
Moreover, you wrongly assume I don’t read/listen to what’s in the public domain.
I forewarned the Party would split long before it happened, for that very reason. People of one race don’t necessarily share the same political view or desires.
Not directly. However, At 1.37pm yesterday you stated lots of people assume that the Māori Party are right wing, but you don’t think they are, stating their primary political loyalty is to Māori.
Yet, you agree race doesn’t determine ones political allegiance, but concluded loyalty to their race somehow substituted a political positioning (i.e. left, right, centre).
Therefore, the line their primary political loyalty is to Māori is little more than feel good waffle. It means little in political reality.
A political Party can’t be solely loyal to a race, people of one race don’t necessarily share the same political view or desires. Its role requires it to take a political positioning on matters. thus loyalty to a race doesn’t substitute a political Party’s positioning.
Which, in case you missed it, was the point I was making.
Well done on finally saying what you think. But let’s be very clear that very little of that is related to my own views or comments. I really don’t like my politics misrepresented and you’re pretty close to doing that here. Please don’t do it again.
Your comments can often have indirect meaning, leaving your position on certain matters unclear. Which is why I initially questioned you (to establish what your position was) and later went on to point out to you how your comments can be misconceived.
Nonetheless, I’m still unclear what your position is. Where do you see the Māori Party sitting in the political spectrum?
Just want to make it clear that I thought Helen Clark’s handling of the Seabed and Foreshore issue was appalling and easily the worst thing she ever did. I thought she had acknowledged that it was wrong and apologised but can’t remember where or when (except that it was after she was PM).
Interesting to hear Andrew Little on Checkpoint last night say that as president of the Labour Party he opposed the Act but it was a parliamentary decision.
I do think, however, Helen Clark would do more for indigenous rights than some of the other likely contenders for the post of UN Secretary-General.
Anne I’m going to call you on misrepresenting Nanaia on the issues of the Indigenous Rights Treaty. She did not say what you are saying. She was talking about caveats, which would restrain the Treaty of Waitangi.
Funny, Nanaia did almost apology for the foreshore debacle, then she is almost falling over herself to defended the hard right knee jerk legislation labour passed as better than what we have. Sad.
Dover is still bitter he lost his seat to the Maori party. So the irony is not lost on me with his bluster.
Good on Marama being the fox amongst the chickens.
“Good on Marama being the fox amongst the chickens.”
I respect those who speak out according to their principals.
But only if their principals are consistent…not changeable according to the political climate.
fox
fɒks/Submit
noun
noun: fox; plural noun: foxes
1.
a carnivorous mammal of the dog family with a pointed muzzle and bushy tail, proverbial for its cunning.
synonyms: literaryReynard
the fur of a fox.
2.
a cunning or sly person.
“a wily old fox”
3.
NORTH AMERICANinformal
a sexually attractive woman.
verbinformal
verb: fox; 3rd person present: foxes; past tense: foxed; past participle: foxed; gerund or present participle: foxing
1.
baffle or deceive (someone).
“the abbreviation foxed me completely”
dated
behave in a cunning or sly way.
“to his mind everybody was dodging and foxing” https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=fox&rlz=1C1OPRB_enNZ513NZ516&oq=fox&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.4307j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=fox+definition
Which definition fits Marama? (If we’re going to play on words.)
I did not misrepresent Nanaia and I take offence at you saying so Adam. You are being obtuse and pedantic. I don’t give a f*** about the process the govt may have adopted re- legislation/regulations. The effect is still the same – to undermine the many disadvantaged Maori living on or below the minimum wage, or having their special rights eroded. That is what I took from Nanaia’s comments and she sure knows a darn sight more about the subject than you do.
Anne, I hope that you are not saying that all Māori have the same view on Clark other than the Māori Party.
How about addressing the points that adam raised?
Anne I’m going to call you on misrepresenting Nanaia on the issues of the Indigenous Rights Treaty. She did not say what you are saying. She was talking about caveats, which would restrain the Treaty of Waitangi.
Well I was hopeful you’d answer my question, but instead you came back with an ad hominem.
Ironic really, as the only media personality I see whose seething about Marama Fox and her comments is Paul Henry. Actually your comments have been pretty consistently in line with his.
Back to the question, I know I’m a sucker for punishment.
“Anne I’m going to call you on misrepresenting Nanaia on the issues of the Indigenous Rights Treaty. She did not say what you are saying. She was talking about caveats, which would restrain the Treaty of Waitangi.”
Typo aside, I retract my statements about Tariana Turia yesterday evening (I think) when this story broke. I was wrong. She has been able to move on from the F&S scandal and good on her for doing so.
Since the introduction of compulsory voting in Australia in 1924, the turnout has never fallen below 90%. Voting, like compulsory education or jury service is a civil duty that cannot simply be ignored.
Is there a brave enough political party that is prepared to insist that a referendum at the time of a General Election be held to allow voters the opportunity to decide upon compulsion versus voluntary voting?
Voting is not a civil duty. It is a civil right. Rights do not mean a duty. You have a right to stand for election, you do not have a duty to do so.
Will the Left stoop to compulsion to get the missing million to vote? Many people choose not to vote. That is not the same as ignoring. Just because the majority want a National led government does not mean that we need to force people to cast their vote. Next you’ll be enticing them with KFC.
ohhhh, don’t want disenfranchiserd people going to the poll then now?
let me put it differently,
voting is a right that was fought for people who had no rights, and opposed by people that ‘held all the rights’ . You seem to be supporting the ones that opposed the universal rights to a vote.
voting is a right and a duty. And why should it not be compulsory?
Yeah yeah yeah. Soon you’ll be saying that paying taxes is a civil right. Oh that’s right, you do.
Because voting is a matter of secrecy, there is nothing to stop the voter from invalidating their vote.
In the May 2005 UK elections, turnout varied significantly from 74.6% in Dorset West to 41.5% in Liverpool Riverside. By contrast, the turnout of all but 2 electorates in the Australian elections in October 2004 was over 90% – the exceptions were Kalgoorlie with 83.53% & Lingiari with 77.71%, both covering remote areas with transient populations -. ( Source; Tim Evans, Director Election Systems & Policy, Australian Electoral Commission 16 January 2016 ).
” There are many things that people do not wish to do and which they would not do if they were able to exercise “individual freedoms”, but which parliament has legislated to require. The role of parliament in a parliamentary democracy includes passing laws to ensure the effectiveness of that democratic system”.
Source: Submission to JSCEM by the Australian Public Interest Advocacy Centre.
“You have a right to not vote. It’s called democracy.”
Wow. I can’t believe I almost agree with you. Now if we can tie that in with the right not to be disenfranchised, civics education and fair political funding, we might have a win.
you sure are generous. but it does seem that fisiani has a thing for kfc. must be that secret spice ingredient.
I would like to see obligatory voting, but then i would also like to see the option of “none of the above” added. If ‘none of the above’ wins, all parties have to go back to the drawing board and try harder.
How much would it cost to chase all those people that can’t be bothered voting , then you fine them when you catch them, then they hate the system even more and some refuse to pay the fine so they get hounded and fined a
bit more.
Far better to make it a day off work and a and occasion .
Make the likes of starship and kidscan recipients of the donated cash, and others can have a lunch out with the family or whatever. And those on poor street get a little bonus . What’s not to love?
I would not go and fine them, nor have i advocated it.
but i do think that making it compulsory with education starting in the schools would not be too bad. You will always have those that will not play ball, but instead of fining them i would have them take say 5 lessons in school about – voting history, a world without voting, civic lessons and community politics and their importance.
i think that would be a better approach. Punitive measures do not change behavior education does.
If ‘none of the above’ wins, all parties have to go back to the drawing board and try harder.
It’s always been a concern of mine about the idea of ‘none of the above’ is what happens when a government isn’t chosen?
This idea of leaving the caretaker government in place and holding another election is a possible option but it would probably have a lot of opposition due to the cost. It may be possible to overcome some of that opposition by going to online voting but even that has its nay-sayers.
Gallup has Trump as the first nom on record whose convention actually made people less likely to support him (36/51) pic.twitter.com/ySZEpOIPVG— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) August 1, 2016
In other words CLE just magnified Trump's existing issues. Turned on white men/WWC. Turned off white women/college grads, indies, young ppl.— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) August 1, 2016
GallupMore/Less Likely to Support Trump Post-RNCWhite M +19Non-college whites +16——White F -7White BA/BS -12Indies -2618-29 -38— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) August 1, 2016
edit: According to Nate Silver Clinton now has a better than 82% probability of winning.
In Pennsylvania, Trump says amounts of mining inspections "unbelievable…It’s not gonna happen anymore, folks." pic.twitter.com/W3etPcOivw— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 2, 2016
Billionaire distressed asset investor Wilbur Ross has explained his reasons for backing Donald Trump to be the next U.S. president, highlighting the presumptive Republican nominee’s lack of political correctness and attention to middle-class America.
“Although I personally believe Richard has done a good job to date for the Council and the city…I nevertheless do not believe that any manager in a public (or private for that matter) enterprise should be paid over 11 times the salary of the lowest paid worker in that organisation,” Macpherson said.
He believed the council should prioritise a Living Wage minimum of $20 per hour for council staff, before increasing the chief executive’s take home pay by $50,000.
Bureaucratic managerial class slapping itself on the back with obscene amounts of money, deluding themselves that they are supermen who are ‘worth it’.
$50,000 to me, “thinking” about prioritising a living wage to you. Ok right can’t afford to pay the living wage but how about another pay rise for me for my efforts of thinking about you, cos we are in a democracy and all? Plus these councils have to spend a fortune on PR now, to make sure the rate payers know that the councillors are doing such a great job.
Of course pay is bench marked to what others in the same sector get, not what they actually do or should be paid. Anti performance pay – where you get a pay rise because you have to keep up with others at the same role in the trough of neoliberalism.
Rebalancing incomes is part of the required solution. Benchmarking needs to be revised to help address this.
Not only is it holding people back, the negative consequence is also the impact on consumer demand (thus, business returns) and growing household debt.
Unfortunately, National doesn’t seem to acknowledge the role they play in growing inequality, nor seemingly, does this council.
Fuck that were constantly told that paying people peanuts gets you monkeys but if you ask me the opposite is true i think you could sack a huge number of vastly overpaid ceo.s put the job back up on the notice board at a third of the pay and find plenty of people who could do the job much better .And most definately have the base rate of the lowest payed workers at at least 20 bucks an hour .
oh the hot tears at bedtime if the Mana and Māori parties co-operate in the Māori electorates and win back a few seats
there could be a Labour led government right now if Labour had not campaigned against Internet Mana (yes in unison with all the other parties, but Labour put special effort in also to assist Kelvin) and torpedoed Hone in Te Tai Tokerau
When I suggested on here that Hone should accept Labour’s open offer to join them and the Greens to overturn the Government, it was suggested to me the offer was only open to those already in parliament. Implying Labour and the Greens would rather work with the Maori Party, than with Mana. Go figure?
i have never heard of that. hmmm, personally i would like to think that anyone that wants to join should do so.
hmm, now i must ask da labour man about that.
For the sake of the country Hone and Labour need to get together and have a truce.
National have screwed Maori more than Labour!
And Labour should apologise for going against Mana. It was crazy politics, pure and simple. Who knows why they did it?? I just think there is a lot of manipulation from the Natz on Labour and Greens and clearly The Maori party is under their spell too.
Maybe Hone is hard to work with, who knows what to believe, but he has much better ideas for poverty and change for Maori than any one else.
I think the dream team is a mix of Labour, Greens, NZ First and Mana. That is who I would like to see in government with the majority. They are all better together in policy than individually as they cancel out the weird bits (spying and luke warm TPP from Labour would hopefully be cancelled out by the other three, more taxes on the middle class would hopefully be cancelled out by NZ First, etc, hopefully they start to think about creating well paid jobs internally with local people rather than shipping in cheap workers etc, education would start to be about education rather than foreign fees, they get rail working, they stop privatising everything, they have responsible relationships with China, Australia, US and EU, not losing all our rights like John Key is doing for less and cheaper milk powder sales.
there could be a Labour led government right now if Labour had not campaigned against Internet Mana (yes in unison with all the other parties, but Labour put special effort in also to assist Kelvin) and torpedoed Hone in Te Tai Tokerau
How so? Can you post the maths to demonstrate that?
We have a bloke in our community with a not so proud past of violent offending, although AFAIK not against women or children, and he’s done some quite serious time for his crimes. For many many years this bloke has stayed out of the limelight and out of trouble – until recently.
The bloke lost the plot and did something mightily stupid and potentially fatal to the public, the law responded and he did such a marvelous job of barricading himself inside his home he required assistance to get himself out and was duly carted off to the cells. Meanwhile, local dog control officers arrived supposedly to deal with the bloke’s three dogs and were told by the law to corral the animals in the back yard.
The attending plods knew the bloke well and were well aware of the part the dogs played in keeping him on the straight and narrow, knew he couldn’t afford any extra cost and knew arrangements would be made for their care until a permanent solution was found.
But no, the fucking arsehole control officers took the blokes dogs, impounded them and three days later and off their own bat, euthanised all three.
The bloke is distraught, the attending plods on the day knowing how the death of his dogs will affect the bloke are incensed and locals and other dog owners who know the bloke are infuriated. Added to the mix is the sneaking suspicion the fucking jobsworth who ordered the dogs be killed acted with malice toward the bloke. And they’ll get away with their actions because law and order and the bloke has neither the wherewithal nor skills to follow up.
there is an fb page where people are happy to raise funds to help release impounded dogs. https://www.facebook.com/fundraisingforimpoundeddogs/?fref=ts
Usually dogs are held for seven days before being put to sleep or given up for adoption.
three days is not on order.
Have you thought of putting through an official complaint to the council, and also it may help going public.
The pound workers are already having a hard time, what with homeless dogs everywhere cause their peeps can not find pet friendly rentals, and the pound workers that i encountered (i iz a serial adopter of old pooches) absolutely hate putting down healthy friendly dogs.
this sucks. Lodge a protests with the council together with the others on his behalf.
Dogs sometimes escape or run away and get impounded, the least we want to know for sure is how long a pound would hold the animal before either killing it or giving it up for adoption.
Long stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 13 are:The coalition Government’s early 2024 ‘fiscal emergency’ freeze on funding, planning and building houses, schools, local roads and hospitals helped extend and deepen the economic and jobs recession through calendar ...
A new season of White Lotus is nearly upon us: more murder mystery, more sumptuous surroundings, more rich people behaving badly.Once more we get to identify with the experience of the pampered tourist or perhaps the poorly paid help; there's something in White Lotus for all New Zealanders.And unlike the ...
In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...
1. You’ve started ranking your politicians on how much they respect the rule of law2. You’ve stopped paying attention to those news publications3. You’ve developed a sudden interest in a particular period of history4. More and more people are sounding like your racist, conspiracist uncle.5. Someone just pulled a Nazi ...
Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
Stuff’s Political Editor Luke Malpass - A Fellow at New Zealand IniativeLast week I half-joked that Stuff / The Post’s Luke Malpass1 always sounded like he was auditioning for a job at the New Zealand Initiative.Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. For a limited time, subscriptions are 20% off. Thanks ...
At a funeral on Friday, there were A4-sized photos covering every wall of the Dil’s reception lounge. There must have been 200 of them, telling the story in the usual way of the video reel but also, by enlargement, making it more possible to linger and step in.Our friend Nicky ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is methane the ...
The Government’s idea is that the private sector and Community Housing Providers will fund, build and operate new affordable housing to address our housing crisis. Meanwhile, the Government does not know where almost half of the 1,700 children who left emergency housing actually went. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong ...
Oh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youOh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youSongwriters: Alexander Ebert / Jade Allyson CastrinosMorena,I’m on a tight time frame this morning. In about an hour and a half, I’ll need to pack up and hit the road ...
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
This transcript of a recent conversation between the Prime Minister and his chief economic adviser has not been verified.We’ve announced we are the ‘Yes Government’. Do you like it?Yes, Prime Minister.Dreamed up by the PR team. It’s about being committed to growth. Not that the PR team know anything about ...
The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
Hi,This week’s Flightless Bird episode was about “fake seizure guy” — a Melbourne man who fakes seizures in order to get members of the public to sit on him.The audio documentary (which I have included in this newsletter in case you don’t listen to Flightless Bird) built on reporting first ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The 119th Congress comes with a price tag. The oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in January 3, 2025, according to a ...
Early morning, the shadows still long, but you can already feel the warmth building. Our motel was across the road from the historic homestead where Henry Williams' family lived. The evening before, we wandered around the gardens, reading the plaques and enjoying the close proximity to the history of the ...
Thanks folks for your feedback, votes and comments this week. I’ll be making the changes soon. Appreciate all your emails, comments and subscriptions too. I know your time is valuable - muchas gracias.A lot is happening both here and around the world - so I want to provide a snippets ...
Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “The latest data shows that employment fell in Aotearoa at its fastest rate since the GFC. Unemployment rose in 8 ...
The December labour market statistics have been released, showing yet another increase in unemployment. There are now 156,000 unemployed - 34,000 more than when National took office. And having thrown all these people out of work, National is doubling down on cruelty. Because being vicious will somehow magically create the ...
Boarded up homes in Kilbirnie, where work on a planned development was halted. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 5 are;Housing Minister Chris Bishop yesterday announcedKāinga Ora would be stripped of ...
This week Kiwirail and Auckland Transport were celebrating the completion of the summer rail works that had the network shut or for over a month and the start of electric trains to Pukekohe. First up, here’s parts of the press release about the shutdown works. Passengers boarding trains in Auckland ...
Through its austerity measures, the coalition government has engineered a rise in unemployment in order to reduce inflation while – simultaneously – cracking down harder and harder on the people thrown out of work by its own policies. To that end, Social Development Minister Louise Upston this week added two ...
This year, we've seen a radical, white supremacist government ignoring its Tiriti obligations, refusing to consult with Māori, and even trying to legislatively abrogate te Tiriti o Waitangi. When it was criticised by the Waitangi Tribunal, the government sabotaged that body, replacing its legal and historical experts with corporate shills, ...
Poor old democracy, it really is in a sorry state. It would be easy to put all the blame on the vandals and tyrants presently trashing the White House, but this has been years in the making. It begins with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan and the spirit of Gordon ...
The new school lunches came in this week, and they were absolutely scrumptious.I had some, and even though Connor said his tasted like “stodge” and gave him a sore tummy, I myself loved it!Look at the photos - I knew Mr Seymour wouldn’t lie when he told us last year:"It ...
The tighter sanctions are modelled on ones used in Britain, which did push people off ‘the dole’, but didn’t increase the number of workers, and which evidence has repeatedly shown don’t work. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, ...
Catching you up on the morning’s global news and a quick look at the parallels -GLOBALTariffs are backSharemarkets in the US, UK and Europe have “plunged” in response to Trump’s tariffs. And while Mexico has won a one month reprieve, Canada and China will see their respective 25% and 10% ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. Gondolas are often in the news, with manufacturers of ropeway systems proposing them as a modern option for mass transit systems in New Zealand. However, like every next big thing in transport, it’s hard ...
This is a re-post from The Climate BrinkBoth 2023 and 2024 were exceptionally warm years, at just below and above 1.5C relative to preindustrial in the WMO composite of surface temperature records, respectively. While we are still working to assess the full set of drivers of this warmth, it is clear that ...
Hi,I woke up feeling nervous this morning, realising that this weekend Flightless Bird is going to do it’s first ever live show. We’re heading to a sold out (!) show in Seattle to test the format out in front of an audience. If it works, we’ll do more. I want ...
From the United-For-Now States of America comes the thrilling news that a New Zealander may be at the very heart of the current coup. Punching above our weight on the world stage once more! Wait, you may be asking, what New Zealander? I speak of Peter Thiel, made street legal ...
Even Stevens: Over the 33 years between 1990 and 2023 (and allowing for the aberrant 2020 result) the average level of support enjoyed by the Left and Right blocs, at roughly 44.5 percent each, turns out to be, as near as dammit, identical.WORLDWIDE, THE PARTIES of the Left are presented ...
Back in 2023, a "prominent political figure" went on trial for historic sex offences. But we weren't allowed to know who they were or what political party they were "prominent" in, because it might affect the way we voted. At the time, I said that this was untenable; it was ...
I'm going, I'm goingWhere the water tastes like wineI'm going where the water tastes like wineWe can jump in the waterStay drunk all the timeI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayAll this fussing and fighting, man, you know I sure ...
Waitangi Day is a time to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and stand together for a just and fair Aotearoa. Across the motu, communities are gathering to reflect, kōrero, and take action for a future built on equity and tino rangatiratanga. From dawn ceremonies to whānau-friendly events, there are ...
Subscribe to Mountain Tūī ! Where you too can learn about exciting things from a flying bird! Tweet.Yes - I absolutely suck at marketing. It’s a fact.But first -My question to all readers is:How should I set up the Substack model?It’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask since November ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
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Does the government care about anything?
Not worried or I’m comfortable seems to be a stock answer from ministers nowadays.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/309922/govt-aware-eu-investigating-nz-tax-rules
According to the Herald http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11685355 “That was why the Government had agreed to act on all of the recommendations from the Shewan Inquiry to ensure New Zealand’s disclosure rules were fit for purpose.” All? Well ‘most’ http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/81497014/Shewan-report-recommends-greater-disclosure-annual-returns-by-foreign-trusts
You missed an important piece:
Mr Woodhouse was aware of this because of the European Parliament’s website but did not believe the government had received official notification of any investigations or any action against New Zealand.
But the government was confident “any objective inquiry” would find New Zealand was fully compliant with OECD standards.
Mr Woodhouse said the EU should look elsewhere.
His assurances are of great value. No, really, they are. Honest.
Everything is fine. National says so.
There are no sheep on our farms
“We have no SIS, we have no secrets,
We have no rebellion; we have no valium, valium, no, no…”
Study exposes BBC’s anti-Corbyn bias
http://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2016-07-29/study-exposes-bbcs-deep-anti-corbyn-bias/
“Mr Woodhouse said the EU should look elsewhere.”
And I’m sure the EU hold Mr Woodhouse’s opinion in high esteem. “Nothing to see here. Move along.”
maybe the EU should stick with investigating the massive frauds perpetrated by Deutsche Bank, and also why the entire Italian banking system is teetering on the edge of collapse.
Is Winston Peters the only MP prepared to stand up for New Zealand’s rights regarding housing?
Are we to be tenants in our own land as Labour and National bow down to their masters in the U.S. and China?
Free trade deals signed by both parties have reduced our sovereignty and rights.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/309923/foreign-home-buyers-data-release-'politicised‘
The Herald cannot spell.
Their online headline presently reads as follows……
Has Auckland property lost it’s shine?
This is what happens when you cut back on quality staff.
Too much time spent on Instasham and Fakebook.
Yeah they need a proof reader “The grouping of 28 European nations has compiled a list of countries with lax tax laws, band following the release of the so-called Panama Papers it confirmed New Zealand is under investigation.”
It’s actually Dave Dobbin and the Lax Tax Laws. Great entertainment. At the end of the day New Zealanders would rather listen to some music.
we sleep in a well made bed…etc?
syd
Ah; I see your previous phrase (at comment 1.2.2.1) wasn’t accidental then.
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/no-depression-in-new-zealand
Hi Paul (3) … I see it’s been corrected now, from it’s to its. Someone at NZH must be reading the comments on alternative news media.
We need a catchy phrase to describe the shaky coalition that is in power currently.
National: no idealogues, stack it high sell it cheap, heartless ladder pullers (education (night schools), housing, health).
Maori party: some knights and dames of the brown table, happy for some crumbs.
Act: hard right, margin of error flunkies.
United future… Pious bouffant who will lay down for anyone with a few baubles.
What term encapsulates this mob that governs us?
Corrupt.
Hi paul, corrupt is a great start.
Democratically elected majority.
Suck on that.
Classy BM.
Hi BMW, perhaps “with some poor mannered supporters” could be added to the description.
@ BM – elected majority
With help from their no questions asked immigration policy, trying to get as many folks resident from Asia and overseas to support Mr Key – currently something like 1.5% per year increases in population from migration. Over the 9 year term of the Natz this can change the population over 13%.
It is already predicted that Asian will be the 2nd largest demographic in NZ and over take Maori. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11166485
Illegal Tweets from the All blacks on election day.
Changing legalisation to render people unable to vote (with high Maori demographics).
Dirty politics.
Manipulating and controlling the MSM messages.
Stopping investigative journalists by any way they can.
Burying bad news.
Corrupting and co opting the Maori party to help them in their dirty deeds.
Hi save nz,
You can add Canterbury environment crowd, Saudi sheep shenanagins and a few schools with unnecessary statutory management to the list of ‘Democratic actions’ this corrupt mob have undertaken.
Says who – mass disenfranchisements right left and center. If you didn’t get to vote you have an absolute right to oust the Key junta.
“Democratically elected majority.”
Are you sure?
Looked more like a subset of the minority who vote… We don’t do ‘democracy’ here.
no
the question should be
What term encapsulates this group that voted for this.
Cause at some stage the people that voted for this need to be held accountable.
Majority?
What do you mean by held accountable?
I think she means line them up and shoot them.
Or perhaps just the gulag.
[This site doesn’t accept advocating violence. Suggesting that others are advocating violence without evidence is also bad form. Please tone it down in future. TRP]
are you advocating violence? Or are you just bored and like to put your hands into shit and fling it about?
accountable
əˈkaʊntəb(ə)l/Submit
adjective
1.
required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible.
“ministers are accountable to Parliament”
synonyms: responsible, liable, answerable, chargeable; More
2.
able to be explained or understood.
“the delayed introduction of characters’ names is accountable, if we consider that names have a low priority”
synonyms: explicable, explainable; More
So you want those voters to be held liable for their vote or to justify it or be answerable for it. And what then – charged? For what? And what are the penalties you have in mind?
Your helpful recourse to a dictionary raises even more questions about how you want to hold voters accountable for exercising their democratic rights.
It sounds a bit ominous so please do explain.
here honey, have a some tissues to wipe away your crocodile tears.
poor misunderstood thing you.
How are National voters going to get held accountable?
well the national voters coming to my shop complaining about stuff are being told by me that thy voted for this government, three times to be precises, which means they must like what they get served and as such should simply shut the fuck up or vote differently the next time.
you know, you buy it you own it.
or you break it you own it.
you know accountability.
so mate, you kids not finding a house to live any where in nz. shut the fuck up, you voted for that shit.
the road that was build with tax payers money going to be a toll road, shut the fuck up you voted for that shit.
need surgery and can’t get one cause waiting lists, you voted for that shit so shut the fuck up.
have cancer and are unemployed and the lady tells you to get a fucking job or no benefit? you voted for that shit, so shut the fuck up.
you know, you voted for that shit, now eat it. all of it. and don’t ever come around to me and complain.
so there? happy mate?
god, I so hope that you really do do that.
i do.
🙂
Weka i make sure i remind people every day that they voted for this bastard and we are all suffering because of it.
And its like corporal punishment, kiwis must love getting a hiding because they keep voting for the cane at every election.
Your shop sounds like wonderful comic relief, do we get the swearing with an accent
Then Sabine you are very lucky the Nat voters that come into your shop are so understanding of your condition*… and kept coming back to buy stuff from you.
Even after slagging them off each time they do 🙂
*Leftism.
SABINE i love your shit … dont stop.
Give them hell.
If I knew where your shop was, I’d hang around outside as traumatised National voters emerged sobbing into their hankies. It’s nice to have it confirmed that the customer is not always right. Sometimes the customer is a whining self-absorbed git.
Hmmmm. We could make them pay a fair share of tax. Or nationalise the flogged off power companies. Or just make them look their grand kids in the eye while they explain how they voted for the young to be locked out of home ownership.
Nationalise their investment properties as state houses too.
Sorry I hadn’t realised you were just spraying.
oh honey, you are not having a good day. chocolate?
Please explain how you defend this government’s housing policy.
We have far too many pressing needs in the world to be blowing billions on the Olympic Games, which has morphed into a bloated corporate show, drowning in drugs and all about petty national rivalries.
It appears to be a precursor to war rather than a chance to heal the world’s divides.
It is a rich nation’s event.
The Olympics has passed its use by date.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11685549
As a career path, Olympic athlete is not a high public subsidy per person.
But the evaluative ruler for the whole event itself would be:
would the city have been better off or worse off in the long term if they hadn’t happened there?
On the negative side: Toronto, Athens.
On the meh side: Los Angeles, Moscow, Sydney
On the positive side: Barcelona, London, Beijing, Seoul
A article well worth reading.
Supports much of what cv has been posting.
“Climate Change Activism: A Post-Mortem
As I write these words, much of North America is sweltering under near-tropical heat and humidity. Parts of the Middle East have set all-time high temperatures for the Old World, coming within a few degrees of Death Valley’s global record. The melting of the Greenland ice cap has tripled in recent years, and reports from the arctic coast of Siberia describe vast swathes of tundra bubbling with methane as the permafrost underneath them melts in 80°F weather. Far to the south, seawater pours through the streets of Miami Beach whenever a high tide coincides with an onshore wind; the slowing of the Gulf Stream, as the ocean’s deep water circulation slows to a crawl, is causing seawater to pile up off the Atlantic coast of the US, amplifying the effect of sea level rise.
All these things are harbingers of a profoundly troubled future. All of them were predicted, some in extensive detail, in the print and online literature of climate change activism over the last few decades. Not that long ago, huge protest marches and well-funded advocacy organizations demanded changes that would prevent these things from happening, and politicians mouthed slogans about stopping global warming in its tracks. Somehow, though, the marchers went off to do something else with their spare time, the advocacy organizations ended up preaching to a dwindling choir, and the politicians started using other slogans to distract the electorate.”
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/2016/07/climate-change-activism-post-mortem.html
Stop reading wrist-slitting melancholy. And stop encouraging others to do the same.
Accept the world is going to end, as are we all, and still do good in the world.
It’ll do wonders for your complexion.
Yeah the sun is going to explode eventually, we should give up now.
I do good for other
Yet I am not prepared to buy into the line that NZ is a paradise, as propagated by Hosking, Henry and you.
No Paul you are a miserable cut & paste doomsayer, as Ad correctly alludes to, try going outside into that nasty climate you speak of so often, it might do you the world of good
Ad Hom much? Explain the suicide rate asshole.
+100
Isn’t the point of Open Mike to broach topics worthy of conversation?
…. and Mainlander comes from a long line of village idiots ….. giving stupid advice like a useless Dr Dill……
Dr Ad is also sad …….. his advice …………. ignore whats bad.
And sing ……………. sing …………. Always look on the bright side of life, de do de do de do………. “Life’s a Piece of Shit, When You Look at It.”
It helped Brian…… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo
It is the opposite of melancholy – as you’d know if you bothered to read the article.
i’ll tell you what wrist slitting melancholy is, it’s the message that all human beings are born sinners.
Compared to that, the message of the Archdruid is one of outright positivity.
By the way, wasn’t the end of the world going to come through fire, floods, pestilence that kind of thing? You don’t think that climate change may have a role to play in that?
lprent the replies aren’t working on my laptop its windows 10 but set up with google . I get them on the smarter than me phone though.
Likewise. I can see them on my iphone but not on my mac (Firefox, OS10.9)
Working now cheers
Oops replies only appear after I’ve commented each time I log on.
“Hitlery” news today. (Think FACTA, but for blogs…I guess that would include this one given the US propensity for jumping geographic boundaries)
http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/madame-president-clintons-coming-war-on-the-blogosphere-and-your-countermeasures_08012016
Best you organise your bug-out pack, freeze dried tucker and gold so you’re good to go.
/
HILLARY CLINTON
@ real DonaldTrump thinks that democrats care about his opinion, how does it feel putting your stuff where it doesn’t belong ?
DONALD J TRUMP
@Hillary Clinton. Ask Bill.
Fake. Better right wing memes needed. #wrathofkhan
Bill Clintons sexual ‘indescretions’ are no, meme
They are a matter of record!
You were boots n all into Assange, and straight out accused him of rape a number of times in articles and comments, yet edit, censor and shout down any suggestion about Bill Clintons rape accusations
Why the glaring inconsistency?
No inconsistency. It is not me that has accused Assange of rape, it’s the Swedish authorities. I just think he should face the charges and defend himself in court, like the rest of us have to when charged with offences. The supposed tweet does not exist. It’s made up. It is a gender based insult against Hillary Clinton, not Bill Clinton. And even if it were, Bill Clinton currently has no legal case to answer on his alleged behaviour, which is not the case for Assange, obviously. Your argument fails completely.
Failure (of the hypocrisy test) is authoring articles such as ‘Broken’ while making excuses for swinging dicks like Bill Clinton
Simultaneously claiming that Hillarys “lifetime of public service” mitigates the bribes taken from corporate america and the war crimes for which Hillary is, at best an accomplice
Hillarys crimes against humanity (man/woman/environment) deserve no excuse or cover story, yet you have done exactly that in an overt way, using this site as the medium and moderating approach as tactics
The complete bias toward Hillary is as ludicrous as your claims of “gender based insults”
The gender based insult is Hillary Clinton herself!
I’ve never made excuses for Bill Clinton. As I noted he’s not charged with anything and the one thing we do know about (Lewinsky) there is no excuse for. But that’s a moral argument, not a legal one, as far as I can tell. Two consenting adults etc. I’m in a good mood, so I’ll just point out that the current time off for lying about authors is a six week ban. And take it easy on telling me what I have or should not have written, OK?
btw. if you don’t understand what a gender based insult is, just say so. Or google the term and educate yourself.
Skolkovo Russian innovation centre flows funds to the Clinton Foundation
Speaking of facts.
Apparently no charges have been laid around how Sec State Clinton used her influence to flow funds to the Clinton Foundation so by your standards TRP, nothing to see here.
(Except more of the same crony $$$ behaviour from Hillary Clinton while in office).
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-08-01/hillary%E2%80%99s-latest-headache-skolkovo
The gender based insult is Hillary Clinton herself
You can add Slick Willy and his pedo friends to the same list!
John Oliver speaks the truth.
Damaged, sociopathic, narcissist.
Speaking of sociopathic, did you see how Hillary Clinton leaped for joy on TV at Qaddafi’s brutalising and mob killing?
That’s actual sociopathic, btw.
No, I did not see that, because you made it up.
Whereas trump is so alien to the concept of empathy that “the simple presidential duty of comforting the families of fallen soldiers may actually be beyond his capabilities”.
You people are damaged goods bro
So very damaged and with such low levels of consciousnes
And yet all you had to do to demonstrate it was link to video of her “leaping for joy”.
You don’t operate at any higher level of consciousness than I do. Your pretension is no substitute for intelligence.
Thats Brilliant SFA.
Bill still brings so much joy to a troubled world.
http://nypost.com/2016/08/01/melania-trumps-girl-on-girl-photos-from-racy-shoot-revealed/
Does the NY Post want Trump to win because this is only going to increase his popularity
The Murdoch owned NY Post supports Trump. These are desperate days for the Donald.
Yes PR. The Democrats should retaliate by publishing nudies of Hilary.
Lets not…
I mean do they really think showing pictures of his hot wife from 20 years ago is going to hurt him?
considering that Mike Pence VP is the one who represents a very large swath of extremely conservative christian , yes it could.
also consider this.
what would the republican party have said if the man who fathered five children with three women would have been a Obama or b a women who had five children with three men?
So will it hurt him with the ones that look at women as objects to be replaced when to old, or to be used as a trophy who does not smile nor speak, i don’t think so.
but then there are over three hundred million in that country, It will be good fun till election time, here and there.
I think a lot of people will look at her and go “shes hot” (and sadly because of it vote Trump) and still more will think its not a good look for the NY Post and vote Trump out of sympathy
Or not
as per below the ones who look as women as a thing that has to be hot yeah, they would vote and also props like masturbating over the first lady.
however, she might be keenly aware that she can be dumped at any given moment like the previous mrs. trumps and be replaced with a 20 year younger model.
personally i don’t care, she was a model and did as models do. However, being the ‘first lady’ of the moral, christan, no sex education, abstinence only, virgin brides, no sluts evangelic party this could cause a bit of a brain freeze for some of the more ‘fundamentalist’ christian voters;
popcorn and vodka required for this season.
“personally i don’t care, she was a model and did as models do. However, being the ‘first lady’ of the moral, christan, no sex education, abstinence only, virgin brides, no sluts evangelic party this could cause a bit of a brain freeze for some of the more ‘fundamentalist’ christian voters;”
Sure if Trump was running as a typical GOP candidate but Trumps a bit different so I don’t think it’ll hurt him, its more likely it’ll help
Whatever happens at least it’ll be entertaining
i am not talking about Trump the “representative of the oval office’ i am talking about Mike Pence.
lil game the last time the republicans were in power that had the little bush and cheney. who do you think pulled the strings?
this time with trump / pence who do you think will pull the strings?
Could this be true? http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/07/john-kasich-donald-trump-vice-president
Or just a fight in the playpen…
Was Pence offered anything similar? If ‘yes’ then that grey-beige bland gent is really the one to watch.
https://youtu.be/Rw7P0RGZQxQ
Ugly Truth. The tape really confirms our worst fears about TPPA. And now if it is ratified by all, the world will shift forever. What will happen to my grandchildren?
Funny that much of manufacturing, including that of USA and NZ, has shifted to China and yet Obama’s aim is to shut out China from the Pacific region.
The TPPA conforms to the general pattern of consolidation of political power in the hands of those with little motivation to act in the public interest. I’m optimistic that this pattern of behaviour will collapse and the future for new generations will be far brighter than what we know today.
The US is apparently still wedded to the doctrine of full spectrum dominance, the military exercises in the East China Sea signify meaningful opposition to this IMO.
I want to see the Labour Party reject the TPPA outright. Imo if this is not done then there is no hope for us as a sovereign nation.
Real sovereignty isn’t the same an the political supremacy that the state calls sovereignty. There’s a massive paradigm shift involved in achieving sovereignty, Brexit was a good example of how steps can be taken.
@UglyTruth
Just a quick request – would you mind just putting in a short line of context when putting up a link? I personally don’t like clicking/selecting links without some idea of what it is I’m looking at. Thanks. 🙂
Fair enough, I’ll do that next time.
Thanks! 🙂
[Edited to say] Good video BTW!
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/309937/maori-party-stance-on-helen-clark-is-'political-utu‘
Seems just petty to me.
I thought Nanaia Mahuta’s comments at the end of the interview were telling. She listed pieces of legislation passed by the NAct govt. which cut across the Treaty of Waitangi… yet we’ve not heard a peep out of the Maori Party.
She also reminds us we already have our own Indigenous Rights Treaty and didn’t need to sign up to another one. Very good point.
The Maori Party are being disingenuously spiteful and petty minded – as you say ianmac. They represent a small Maori elite and not the rest of the Maori populace. The sooner they’re gone the better.
Very colonialist of you Anne, knowing whats best for Maori.
Actually, BM, what’s good for maori is good for all of us. And Anne is correct to point out that the maori party have done nothing of substance for the people they claim to represent since they were formed. Indeed, given the increase in negative stats for maori, it’s easily argued that they have helped harm maori as part of the NACT government.
When I first saw the item, I did toy with the idea of writing a post. But, really, who cares what they say? Their actions (and inactions) speak louder than their words.
It’s not like you support Māori to define their own reality BM. The neoliberal agenda is beyong that.
Seems like legitimate reasons to me,
Along with the contentious foreshore and seabed law in 2004, Ms Fox said there were other decisions by Miss Clark’s Labour government that cast doubt on what kind of Secretary-General she would be.
“The Labour Party refused to sign the Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which is a part of the UN agenda.
“The Labour Party in its time saw the Tuhoe raids and of course also there is the Foreshore and Seabed amendment which took the rights of Māori away to go to court.”
I’d add to that ‘haters and wreckers’.
Ms Fox said someone seeking the top role at the United Nations should be able to acknowledge their past mistakes and apologise for them.
That seems to be the crix of it. If Clark still believes that she was right on all the things above, then it’s completely reasonable for Māori to not support her to the UN role.
Te Tiriti is not a replacement for the Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Seems it was Winston who stopped Labour signing the declaration.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11685387
Yeah, but it’s Peters making that claim, so I’ll take it with a grain of salt.
I thought Nanaia Mahuta’s comments at the end of the interview were telling. She listed pieces of legislation passed by the NAct govt. which cut across the Treaty of Waitangi… yet we’ve not heard a peep out of the Maori Party.
She also reminds us we already have our own Indigenous Rights Treaty and didn’t need to sign up to another one. Very good point.
I can’t see that (they might have removed it). If it’s still visible can you please cut and paste?
Marama Fox had a very different view back in April when she backed Helen Clark.
http://www.waateanews.com/Waatea+News.html?story_id=MTMyNjY=&v=605
“But Maori party co-leader Marama Fox says that’s what happens when politicians have to choose between what’s right and what’s popular.”
Or what fits the agenda of your political bedmates.
Well spotted Karen.
Marama, (and the rest of the Maori Party past and present)
….https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:If_you_lie_down_with_dogs,_you_get_up_with_fleas
Lie down with dogs you get up with fleas.
“The quote has a large almost universally agreed meaning of “You should be cautious of the company you keep. Associating with those of low reputation may not only lower your own but also lead you astray by the faulty assumptions, premises and data of the unscrupulous.””
I’d also add…shit sticks.
Yeah, but let’s face it, the only choices they’ve had are National or Labour, both of whom have done pretty serious negative shit to Māori.
Let’s also remember that the Māori Party may be part of forming the next left wing government. How will we deal with the shit then? Or would we prefer they went with National again?
“Māori Party may be part of forming the next left wing government.”
On what do you base that statement?
I’m not being argumentative here….but I just can’t ever see this happening.
The Māori party has a mandate from its people to be inside the tent. That is policy, so they will support who ever has a majority to get a seat at the table.
Now if the Māori party get 3-4 seats (a possibility) and Green/labour are the majority – then the Māori party will support them.
I actually think it’s quite smart of Marama to raise this as she has – it shows Māori, where labour are at. It also keeps alive the issues for Māori and keeps their issues front and centre, rather than floating in the ether.
Lots of people assume that the Māori Party are right wing, but I don’t think they are. Their primary political loyalty is to Māori. What reason is there that would stop them supporting a L/G government? Policy? History?
Plus what adam said.
“Their primary political loyalty is to Māori”
Yet, race doesn’t determine ones political allegiance.
Therefore, how can political loyalty to a race represent their vast and varying political desires?
Why don’t you ask them*? That’s the point. In this instance, your views on how people form political allegiances are not that relevant compared to theirs.
*or failing that, just read/listen to what is in the public domain. Plenty of Māori talking about it, but you have to be willing to hear what they say.
No, the point was I was asking you.
Moreover, you wrongly assume I don’t read/listen to what’s in the public domain.
I forewarned the Party would split long before it happened, for that very reason. People of one race don’t necessarily share the same political view or desires.
“People of one race don’t necessarily share the same political view or desires.”
Of course not, I haven’t said they did.
“Of course not”
Indeed. Therefore, I’ll ask you again. How can political loyalty to a race genuinely represent the vast and varying political desires of said race?
I haven’t said that either, but feel free to have that conversation with yourself.
“I haven’t said that either”
Not directly. However, At 1.37pm yesterday you stated lots of people assume that the Māori Party are right wing, but you don’t think they are, stating their primary political loyalty is to Māori.
Yet, you agree race doesn’t determine ones political allegiance, but concluded loyalty to their race somehow substituted a political positioning (i.e. left, right, centre).
Therefore, the line their primary political loyalty is to Māori is little more than feel good waffle. It means little in political reality.
A political Party can’t be solely loyal to a race, people of one race don’t necessarily share the same political view or desires. Its role requires it to take a political positioning on matters. thus loyalty to a race doesn’t substitute a political Party’s positioning.
Which, in case you missed it, was the point I was making.
Well done on finally saying what you think. But let’s be very clear that very little of that is related to my own views or comments. I really don’t like my politics misrepresented and you’re pretty close to doing that here. Please don’t do it again.
Crikey! Settle down weka.
Your comments can often have indirect meaning, leaving your position on certain matters unclear. Which is why I initially questioned you (to establish what your position was) and later went on to point out to you how your comments can be misconceived.
Nonetheless, I’m still unclear what your position is. Where do you see the Māori Party sitting in the political spectrum?
Any chance John Key had anything to do with this?
Oh dear… she doesn’t know whether she’s Arthur or Martha. 😀
Just want to make it clear that I thought Helen Clark’s handling of the Seabed and Foreshore issue was appalling and easily the worst thing she ever did. I thought she had acknowledged that it was wrong and apologised but can’t remember where or when (except that it was after she was PM).
Interesting to hear Andrew Little on Checkpoint last night say that as president of the Labour Party he opposed the Act but it was a parliamentary decision.
I do think, however, Helen Clark would do more for indigenous rights than some of the other likely contenders for the post of UN Secretary-General.
And it seems Tariana Turia supports Helen for the job!!!
http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/politics/maori-party-co-founder-endorses-helen-clark-top-un-job
“And it seems Tariana Turia supports Helen for the job!!!””
Oh my, my, my.
What contortions these people go through to get through another day in politics.
“these people” = all Members (past, present and future) of Parliament.
Can’t trust any of them to hold a line.
No wonder we’re in so much trouble.
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1975/0114/latest/DLM435368.html
Why did you post that link?
weka @ 12.1.1.3
Sorry, weka I misread your comment. Nanaia made the remarks at the end of the embedded interview on RNZ – not the item itself.
Anne I’m going to call you on misrepresenting Nanaia on the issues of the Indigenous Rights Treaty. She did not say what you are saying. She was talking about caveats, which would restrain the Treaty of Waitangi.
Funny, Nanaia did almost apology for the foreshore debacle, then she is almost falling over herself to defended the hard right knee jerk legislation labour passed as better than what we have. Sad.
Dover is still bitter he lost his seat to the Maori party. So the irony is not lost on me with his bluster.
Good on Marama being the fox amongst the chickens.
“Good on Marama being the fox amongst the chickens.”
I respect those who speak out according to their principals.
But only if their principals are consistent…not changeable according to the political climate.
fox
fɒks/Submit
noun
noun: fox; plural noun: foxes
1.
a carnivorous mammal of the dog family with a pointed muzzle and bushy tail, proverbial for its cunning.
synonyms: literaryReynard
the fur of a fox.
2.
a cunning or sly person.
“a wily old fox”
3.
NORTH AMERICANinformal
a sexually attractive woman.
verbinformal
verb: fox; 3rd person present: foxes; past tense: foxed; past participle: foxed; gerund or present participle: foxing
1.
baffle or deceive (someone).
“the abbreviation foxed me completely”
dated
behave in a cunning or sly way.
“to his mind everybody was dodging and foxing”
https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=fox&rlz=1C1OPRB_enNZ513NZ516&oq=fox&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.4307j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=fox+definition
Which definition fits Marama? (If we’re going to play on words.)
I’d say all of the above.
If you are going to follow the wishes of your people, and be inside the tent. Then I’d hope she is/has a bit of each.
But as for chickens – was my use a verb, or a noun? Or indeed both?
I did not misrepresent Nanaia and I take offence at you saying so Adam. You are being obtuse and pedantic. I don’t give a f*** about the process the govt may have adopted re- legislation/regulations. The effect is still the same – to undermine the many disadvantaged Maori living on or below the minimum wage, or having their special rights eroded. That is what I took from Nanaia’s comments and she sure knows a darn sight more about the subject than you do.
You brought up the point to discredit Marama, I’m saying you got it wrong. If that is being obtuse and pedantic, then guilty as charged.
This debate has nothing to do with the position of Māori, except that Māori have a differing opinion on Helen Clark.
I mean claims of utu to treachery. Far out, from a few comments about the Treaty, and the foreshore.
Nothing quite like those in the centre, and their ability to make a storm in a tea cup.
Māori have a differing opinion on Helen Clark.
Wrong. The “Maori Party” have a differing opinion, and its based on spite and petty political posturing.
Can’t understand why you’re standing up for them. They’re Nats in Maori guise. Have you changed you allegience and become a roaring Tory? 😮
Anne, I hope that you are not saying that all Māori have the same view on Clark other than the Māori Party.
How about addressing the points that adam raised?
Anne I’m going to call you on misrepresenting Nanaia on the issues of the Indigenous Rights Treaty. She did not say what you are saying. She was talking about caveats, which would restrain the Treaty of Waitangi.
How about addressing the points that adam raised?
I have. @ 12.1.1.3.3.2
That comment doesn’t address what adam raised.
Well I was hopeful you’d answer my question, but instead you came back with an ad hominem.
Ironic really, as the only media personality I see whose seething about Marama Fox and her comments is Paul Henry. Actually your comments have been pretty consistently in line with his.
Back to the question, I know I’m a sucker for punishment.
“Anne I’m going to call you on misrepresenting Nanaia on the issues of the Indigenous Rights Treaty. She did not say what you are saying. She was talking about caveats, which would restrain the Treaty of Waitangi.”
Typo of the day from a Herald headline:
Dame Tariana Turia supports Helen Clark in her big to be United Nations Secretary General
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11685672
Typo aside, I retract my statements about Tariana Turia yesterday evening (I think) when this story broke. I was wrong. She has been able to move on from the F&S scandal and good on her for doing so.
No surprise at all. It’s not without reason that I call that bunch the Kūpapa Party.
Since the introduction of compulsory voting in Australia in 1924, the turnout has never fallen below 90%. Voting, like compulsory education or jury service is a civil duty that cannot simply be ignored.
Is there a brave enough political party that is prepared to insist that a referendum at the time of a General Election be held to allow voters the opportunity to decide upon compulsion versus voluntary voting?
Voting is not a civil duty. It is a civil right. Rights do not mean a duty. You have a right to stand for election, you do not have a duty to do so.
Will the Left stoop to compulsion to get the missing million to vote? Many people choose not to vote. That is not the same as ignoring. Just because the majority want a National led government does not mean that we need to force people to cast their vote. Next you’ll be enticing them with KFC.
ohhhh, don’t want disenfranchiserd people going to the poll then now?
let me put it differently,
voting is a right that was fought for people who had no rights, and opposed by people that ‘held all the rights’ . You seem to be supporting the ones that opposed the universal rights to a vote.
voting is a right and a duty. And why should it not be compulsory?
Are you saying we should take away peoples rights to not vote in protest?
no i am saying that if voting would be compulsory it should include the option of
NONE OF THE ABOVE
cause protest.
Yeah yeah yeah. Soon you’ll be saying that paying taxes is a civil right. Oh that’s right, you do.
Because voting is a matter of secrecy, there is nothing to stop the voter from invalidating their vote.
In the May 2005 UK elections, turnout varied significantly from 74.6% in Dorset West to 41.5% in Liverpool Riverside. By contrast, the turnout of all but 2 electorates in the Australian elections in October 2004 was over 90% – the exceptions were Kalgoorlie with 83.53% & Lingiari with 77.71%, both covering remote areas with transient populations -. ( Source; Tim Evans, Director Election Systems & Policy, Australian Electoral Commission 16 January 2016 ).
You have a right to not vote. It’s called democracy.
” There are many things that people do not wish to do and which they would not do if they were able to exercise “individual freedoms”, but which parliament has legislated to require. The role of parliament in a parliamentary democracy includes passing laws to ensure the effectiveness of that democratic system”.
Source: Submission to JSCEM by the Australian Public Interest Advocacy Centre.
“You have a right to not vote. It’s called democracy.”
Wow. I can’t believe I almost agree with you. Now if we can tie that in with the right not to be disenfranchised, civics education and fair political funding, we might have a win.
Oh, look at that, a RWNJ arguing against personal responsibility.
It’s a privilege not a responsibility, that’s where you are getting confused
No, it’s a responsibility. That’s how democracy works – people taking full responsibility for their governance.
$50 to every one as they vote , with the option to either decline accepting it or donating it to one of 3 or 4 designated charities .
$50 KFC voucher surely.
I would of thought one for the local bdsm club would be more to your taste, i’m sure if you’re nice they might even let you stroke a pony tail or two.
you sure are generous. but it does seem that fisiani has a thing for kfc. must be that secret spice ingredient.
I would like to see obligatory voting, but then i would also like to see the option of “none of the above” added. If ‘none of the above’ wins, all parties have to go back to the drawing board and try harder.
How much would it cost to chase all those people that can’t be bothered voting , then you fine them when you catch them, then they hate the system even more and some refuse to pay the fine so they get hounded and fined a
bit more.
Far better to make it a day off work and a and occasion .
Make the likes of starship and kidscan recipients of the donated cash, and others can have a lunch out with the family or whatever. And those on poor street get a little bonus . What’s not to love?
I would not go and fine them, nor have i advocated it.
but i do think that making it compulsory with education starting in the schools would not be too bad. You will always have those that will not play ball, but instead of fining them i would have them take say 5 lessons in school about – voting history, a world without voting, civic lessons and community politics and their importance.
i think that would be a better approach. Punitive measures do not change behavior education does.
Slip sliding away….
edit: According to Nate Silver Clinton now has a better than 82% probability of winning.
So sad.
http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-election-forecast/#now
Yeah, mine inspections, who needs ’em.
/
Not the owners, as long as you don’t mind a little blood in your coal.
What’s a little blood between billionaires
Billionaire distressed asset investor Wilbur Ross has explained his reasons for backing Donald Trump to be the next U.S. president, highlighting the presumptive Republican nominee’s lack of political correctness and attention to middle-class America.
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/15/wilbur-ross-says-us-needs-a-new-radical-approach-to-government.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilbur_Ross#Sago_Mine_disaster
“Although I personally believe Richard has done a good job to date for the Council and the city…I nevertheless do not believe that any manager in a public (or private for that matter) enterprise should be paid over 11 times the salary of the lowest paid worker in that organisation,” Macpherson said.
He believed the council should prioritise a Living Wage minimum of $20 per hour for council staff, before increasing the chief executive’s take home pay by $50,000.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/82704161/hamilton-city-councils-top-job-receives-50000-top-up
Thoughts?
Bureaucratic managerial class slapping itself on the back with obscene amounts of money, deluding themselves that they are supermen who are ‘worth it’.
While robbing low income workers of the ability to own a home.
With house prices skyrocketing, one would assume increasing low incomes would be part of the solution.
Oh, that’s just trickle down, there Chairman.
$50,000 to me, “thinking” about prioritising a living wage to you. Ok right can’t afford to pay the living wage but how about another pay rise for me for my efforts of thinking about you, cos we are in a democracy and all? Plus these councils have to spend a fortune on PR now, to make sure the rate payers know that the councillors are doing such a great job.
Of course pay is bench marked to what others in the same sector get, not what they actually do or should be paid. Anti performance pay – where you get a pay rise because you have to keep up with others at the same role in the trough of neoliberalism.
Rebalancing incomes is part of the required solution. Benchmarking needs to be revised to help address this.
Not only is it holding people back, the negative consequence is also the impact on consumer demand (thus, business returns) and growing household debt.
Unfortunately, National doesn’t seem to acknowledge the role they play in growing inequality, nor seemingly, does this council.
Fuck that were constantly told that paying people peanuts gets you monkeys but if you ask me the opposite is true i think you could sack a huge number of vastly overpaid ceo.s put the job back up on the notice board at a third of the pay and find plenty of people who could do the job much better .And most definately have the base rate of the lowest payed workers at at least 20 bucks an hour .
oh the hot tears at bedtime if the Mana and Māori parties co-operate in the Māori electorates and win back a few seats
there could be a Labour led government right now if Labour had not campaigned against Internet Mana (yes in unison with all the other parties, but Labour put special effort in also to assist Kelvin) and torpedoed Hone in Te Tai Tokerau
When I suggested on here that Hone should accept Labour’s open offer to join them and the Greens to overturn the Government, it was suggested to me the offer was only open to those already in parliament. Implying Labour and the Greens would rather work with the Maori Party, than with Mana. Go figure?
i have never heard of that. hmmm, personally i would like to think that anyone that wants to join should do so.
hmm, now i must ask da labour man about that.
For the sake of the country Hone and Labour need to get together and have a truce.
National have screwed Maori more than Labour!
And Labour should apologise for going against Mana. It was crazy politics, pure and simple. Who knows why they did it?? I just think there is a lot of manipulation from the Natz on Labour and Greens and clearly The Maori party is under their spell too.
Maybe Hone is hard to work with, who knows what to believe, but he has much better ideas for poverty and change for Maori than any one else.
I think the dream team is a mix of Labour, Greens, NZ First and Mana. That is who I would like to see in government with the majority. They are all better together in policy than individually as they cancel out the weird bits (spying and luke warm TPP from Labour would hopefully be cancelled out by the other three, more taxes on the middle class would hopefully be cancelled out by NZ First, etc, hopefully they start to think about creating well paid jobs internally with local people rather than shipping in cheap workers etc, education would start to be about education rather than foreign fees, they get rail working, they stop privatising everything, they have responsible relationships with China, Australia, US and EU, not losing all our rights like John Key is doing for less and cheaper milk powder sales.
there could be a Labour led government right now if Labour had not campaigned against Internet Mana (yes in unison with all the other parties, but Labour put special effort in also to assist Kelvin) and torpedoed Hone in Te Tai Tokerau
How so? Can you post the maths to demonstrate that?
[rant on]
We have a bloke in our community with a not so proud past of violent offending, although AFAIK not against women or children, and he’s done some quite serious time for his crimes. For many many years this bloke has stayed out of the limelight and out of trouble – until recently.
The bloke lost the plot and did something mightily stupid and potentially fatal to the public, the law responded and he did such a marvelous job of barricading himself inside his home he required assistance to get himself out and was duly carted off to the cells. Meanwhile, local dog control officers arrived supposedly to deal with the bloke’s three dogs and were told by the law to corral the animals in the back yard.
The attending plods knew the bloke well and were well aware of the part the dogs played in keeping him on the straight and narrow, knew he couldn’t afford any extra cost and knew arrangements would be made for their care until a permanent solution was found.
But no, the fucking arsehole control officers took the blokes dogs, impounded them and three days later and off their own bat, euthanised all three.
The bloke is distraught, the attending plods on the day knowing how the death of his dogs will affect the bloke are incensed and locals and other dog owners who know the bloke are infuriated. Added to the mix is the sneaking suspicion the fucking jobsworth who ordered the dogs be killed acted with malice toward the bloke. And they’ll get away with their actions because law and order and the bloke has neither the wherewithal nor skills to follow up.
Pricks!.
[rant off]
there is an fb page where people are happy to raise funds to help release impounded dogs. https://www.facebook.com/fundraisingforimpoundeddogs/?fref=ts
Usually dogs are held for seven days before being put to sleep or given up for adoption.
three days is not on order.
Have you thought of putting through an official complaint to the council, and also it may help going public.
The pound workers are already having a hard time, what with homeless dogs everywhere cause their peeps can not find pet friendly rentals, and the pound workers that i encountered (i iz a serial adopter of old pooches) absolutely hate putting down healthy friendly dogs.
this sucks. Lodge a protests with the council together with the others on his behalf.
Dogs sometimes escape or run away and get impounded, the least we want to know for sure is how long a pound would hold the animal before either killing it or giving it up for adoption.
Which council was this joe90 ?
Whanganui
were they just ordinary dogs or could they be type cast ie pit bulls or menacing or whateva ?
heh
#DonaldTrumpTheMovie