Could anyone give me their experience of Hospital waiting lists?
I am about to go into the system for a hip operation.
First there is the wait for an appointment for x rays, followed by a review, followed by a specialist appointment inside four months, if I get into the top points.
Apparently within another four months I may qualify hopefully for surgery.
I just wondered what the “on the ground” experience was, as I have heard people can go on and off the list depending on money available to do a number of operations.
So, do I hold my breath or plan my life anyway? 2018. A pivotal year personally at 76.
PS. pain is so bad I am now on a walker, though the inflammation has been greatly helped by rose hip oil capsules twice daily plus pain meds.
Patricia I have been waiting since 2007 for an (ACC) covered Hernia operation to be done with (only local anaesthetic administration) in either HB or Gisborne.
No surgeon in NZ will perform a ‘local anaesthetic operation on a hernia’ – even a simple inguanal hernia as mine is.
You may wonder why I have need of ‘local anaethsetic’?
I have extreme drug reations to chemicals and drugs and my medical specialists have requested only local anaestic administration be used and not use either ‘general or spinal’ administration with me as it may cause death.
We need labour coalition to fix this impass now that national are gone.
There are many still awaiting surgery as I am so we need to do better, and thanks for the question I hope this helps.
Hi Patricia – close relative (78) had her hip done under epidural and sedation. Went very well and quick recovery time. Up and about quickly and excellent long term outcome. Sadly great variation between DHBs and waiting times.
My mother, now in her mid-80s, has had a number of hip operations over the last few years, starting from when she broke her hip in a fall.
Prior to the fall, she was experiencing pain and lack of function, and was in the early stages of a hip replacement process. Immediately after the fall, hardware got put in the top of her femur to give her some mobility back in the short term (a hip replacement then and there wasn’t feasible because of the break location).
After recovery had progressed far enough, she went back into the queue for a replacement. The schedule kept shifting, so she went ahead with her life including making arrangements for overseas travel to visit family. Then shortly before departure she got scheduled for the op at a time that would have required cancelling the trip. She decided the trip was more important to her and went ahead with that, so she lost her place in the queue.
However, it was only a few months after her return that they were able to schedule her back in and she got the replacement not much later than she would have otherwise.
So it seems to me that planning her life and living it anyway worked out ok for her. Her experience also looks to me like the health authority involved (Waitemata) do recognise that people have lives to live, and it’s one of the factors they have to account for when juggling all their different priorities. No, the timeline wasn’t as fast or convenient for her as it might have been with a fully-paid private route, but it did look to me like the system did a fair job of balancing the different constraints it has to work under.
Of course, your experience may end up wildly different…
Hiya patricia…sorry to hear of your troubles…and such a pity that the option of legal medical cannabis is not available to you….I have heard that even a balm can be quite relieving for such pain. 😉
My recommendations….be available for surgery once you get to the “You do need the surgery and you’re now on the list stage.” My partner ended up on such a list a few years ago and settled in for a long wait…couple of weeks later they had a ‘gap’, he got a call, “Can you come in tomorrow morning?” and voilla!
Another guy I know was told he could have the hip surgery done nowish if he was willing to go to Rotorua Hospital rather than wait for it to be done at Waikato.
Now…I wouldn’t ever suggest that anyone manipulate the system, but, if perchance, a person had a fall or a stumble and was writhing in agony (say in the middle of a busy pedestrian crossing at rush hour) and an ambulance was called to transport said person to A&E then suddenly the situation is an ‘accident’ and an ’emergency’ and voilla (again !) operating theatres and orthopeadic surgeons miraculously become available. This happened to my ninety year old neighbour some years ago after some time languishing where you seem to be. Afterwards she commented that she should have had her fall months earlier. 🙂
And another elderly friend, then in her 75th year, needed cataract surgery. She became highly pissed off at seemingly every doctor upon the road to the surgery asking her if she had medical insurance. This was 28 years ago and she did…but that wasn’t the point…there was, even then…this herding of as many patients as possible out of the public system and into the private system. More often than not it is the same surgeons performing in both venues…and my friend knew she was being profiled…
She was getting to the stage of being unable to drive so with great reluctance went private….then the insurance company tried to rip her off.
Your are entering shark invested waters mate….
If you truly want to become depressed…google “hip surgery unmet need” and you’ll find some uplifting academic research that rather coldly calculates the odds of making it to the table.
“Firstly, replacing joints in patients who have lived with disabling arthritis for a significant period of time, and who have more co-morbidities, is likely to result in poorer outcomes with higher postoperative complications. Secondly, managing these patients in the community will require increased resources. Thirdly, operating on ‘end-stage’ osteoarthritis can be surgically demanding, resulting in the use of more expensive implants, more extensive rehabilitation and intensive nursing; all of which require added resources.”
Where you come on the public service waiting list is based on need.
The higher your perceived need the quicker you will be seen.
While I wouldn’t wish to direct you to lie I would suggest you talk up the impact it is having on your life/mobility as much as you possibly can with the help of a supportive general practitioner.
And tell them you are in severe pain most of the time. It is, or at least was, more important than whether you can get around.
The Doctor who assessed me before I had mine replaced told me that you have to tell them the pain is unbearable. It is not the Doctor who decides whether you get on the queue. It is someone working in the DHB office who only sees your responses to a questionnaire.
It is an enormous change in your circumstances though.
No more pain.
“I had depressed myself earlier with the documents you listed xx.”
Actually…that quote I put up…“Firstly, replacing joints in patients who have lived with disabling arthritis for a significant period of time, and who have more co-morbidities, is likely to result in poorer outcomes with higher postoperative complications. Secondly, managing these patients in the community will require increased resources. Thirdly, operating on ‘end-stage’ osteoarthritis can be surgically demanding, resulting in the use of more expensive implants, more extensive rehabilitation and intensive nursing; all of which require added resources.”
wasn’t supposed to depress…its a hint. 😉 😉
Also…use your previous diagnosis of polio for all its worth…seriously, its a ‘co-morbidity’ that could/has already exacerbated your dodgy hip.
The last thing they wan’t is for you to lose independence…you’ll cost ’em more in the long term.
My partner has been a full time wheelchair user since 1970. At some stage, a tumble from his chair must have broke a hip (he can’t feel the pain) and it has set a bit weird. A few years ago he suddenly got an ugly, red swollen lump on that hip. Made sitting in his w/c really difficult. Chances of a hip replacement for someone who will never walk again and is already dependent on others for support is zero. This preparation was recommended ….https://www.nz-online-pharmacy.com/products/traumitane-recovery-action-cream-75g.html…twice daily. Way more effective than the hot rubs or the anti inflammatory rubs…and very gentle on a chemically sensitive skin. Tears of relief when the ugly red lump went away…..
My theory ,for what it’s worth,is to always try and get a woman surgeon.Their success rate is better AFAIK.They seem more kind,caring and delicate in surgical matters,more finesse,nimble fingers.Its a conveyer belt system,quite efficient and impersonal.I suppose I can be accused of being sexist with my observation.Too bad.
Your theory is bullshit. It’s best to get an orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in hips and performs multiple operations per week, furthermore it’s preferable that the surgery is performed in one of the main regional centres.
I would assume that these ops are performed by specialists in that field,not by anyone who walks through the door.Anyway your condemnation of my theory as b/s moved me to find out if it had any substance. http://time.com/4975232/women-surgeon-surgery/
only as a generality, it can’t be applied to individuals. And it’s not so much about gender making someone more suited, it’s that there are broad differences that affect things. Some are biological, some are social, good luck figuring that out.
Here’s the two useful paragraphs from that Time piece:
“Even after those adjustments, patients of female surgeons were 4% less likely to die, be readmitted or experience complications 30 days after their surgery compared to patients of male surgeons.”
So if there really is a difference, and not just an artefact of torturing the data, then the difference is still very very small.
“In the meantime, he says, gender shouldn’t be a factor in deciding which surgeon should be in charge of your next operation. “You should select a surgeon based on the rapport you have with him or her, what your family physician recommends, and the research you do,” says Satkunasivam. “You should be equally confident with a male or female surgeon.” ”
Not that you’re likely to have much choice in New Zealand’s system, mind. But it still points to the value of doing what you can to build rapport with your practitioners.
I agree, and it’s a big failing of the NZ system that it’s relatively difficult to choose the specialist or surgeon you see. Not impossible, but there is little attention paid to the value of having someone you get on with.
Given that reports written to claim there’s a difference between A and B usually find a way to maximise the apparent size of that difference, I interpret that reported 4% difference to mean that the rate of post-operative adverse events for female surgeons is say 4.85% and the rate for male surgeons is 5.05%, to end up with an average rate of 5% for all surgeons.
Yes it’s possible the rates are of the order of 2% and 6% respectively (allowing for there being a lot more male surgeons than female surgeons, to get a mean of around 5%). But if that were the case, I would expect the headline to be something like “Post-operative adverse events are 3 times higher for male surgeons than for female surgeons”
Thanks Zorb6 I will re-apply for my ACC operation now asking for a Woman for my operation too, as as a man while in Canada I underwent several medical proceedures and in several cases my experiences with women specialists/surgeons I recieved a full careful treatment and recovery that was provided was excellent there, so I agree with you there.
Bottom line, to qualify for hip or knee replacement there has to be “bone on bone” – if there is any padding inbetween they will make you wait that bit longer. Then you wait for the operation which is usually within 4 months. I don’t know about knee reconstructions or partial knees. I have had a knee replaced and it has worked wonders for me. I kept off pain killers and just used plenty of athletic strapping and local pain rubs like Deep Heat. Hips are a bit more difficult to keep the pain under control. Fish Oil and Glucosomine with Chondroitin also are great for hips and knees.
“Fish Oil and Glucosomine with Chondroitin also are great for hips and knees.”
Thanks for the info Kate, I am beginning to get hip problems and I have told my JP surgery is out. At my age, it would be a complete waste of time and money. Sooner they did it on younger persons or spent the money on some poor unfortunate kid.
My hip plays up at night keeping me awake I take the occasional Panadol as I am not a pill popper but have stayed away from those other products as I was not sure how they would work. Was about to visit my JP for his advice but now I will visit the chemist and buy some of those products
I hope my hip joint does not get too bad as we do a lot of photography, well, the photography is a means to an end it to get us out in the wild to appreciate this country of ours before it is well and truly stuffed.
Take the fish oil and glucosomine morning and night – I use quite high doses of the fish oil and what ever the glucosomine says on the label you can up the dose on that as well. It made all the difference to me when I started taking it twice daily instead of just the once. I presume you are using a walking stick. Also swing both legs out of the car when you get out and when getting up off dining chairs swing both legs around as well – try and keep the hips and legs together when sitting – no crossing legs or letting your legs lay apart when sitting.
As for your age – if it means you are going to have a better quality of life and you have over all general good health, then I think you should get it done and I am sure your doctor will agree.. We are all entitled to health care in this country.
Thank you for the tips. I invested in a swivel seat for the car. My problem is I have to lift my left leg now because of polio as a child…. adds to the woes.
Thanks for your reply Kate. No, I am fortunate that I can walk with no problems and have no need for a walking stick, I feel it has only just started, well been like this for the last 2 years about and only get pain when I lie down in bed or drive for long stretches.
Thanks for the general tips about getting up off chairs etc.,
Yeah, I agree with your last sentence Kate, but I have been fortunate had several hand ups along the way that has given me a successful life. I know we are all entitled to health care but after the Tories have destroyed the public system. and now with the limited health care and money available I feel in my very late years I don’t need expensive procedures just for a few years before I kick the bucket.
My GP (not JP as written in my first response. that is known as an SOS Silly Old Sod Syndrome) would agree with you.
Halfcrown, I mentioned Vital rosehip GOPO It has been clinically tested in 15 trials. (I could not use anti inflammatory aids other than this as they depressed my kidney function.) My hip to knee was hot and inflamed and within a week it had improved and a month later I realised I was able to sleep and sit a great deal longer and my hip was hot at one point only.
I have just started Glocosamine and chondroitin. It is not cheap, but will help as the tablet has Vit D etc. I don’t get out much currently as I had polio as a child and this is my “good” leg and I’m prone to falls.
I blessed the election, as we were in Australia when my hip was suddenly totally bad. The internet and this site gave me something else to focus on at 3.a.m.
Christmas and New Year are a “slow time” for progress with hips etc. (possibly car accidents, holiday period in general). Good luck with the treatment.
We have ordered the next lot of rosehip and await it from Chemist Wharehouse Auckland. An Australian crowd just starting up here. Norm got his glucosamine
from Go Healthy online. Cheers.
I too have a knee injury and am awaiting an operation on it to but no light at the end of the tunnel yet as there is a very slow rate of surgery of knee replacement now during 2017 so 2018 may be better.
My knee surgery Specialist comes from Hamilton to Gisborne and can only book twice on (two wednesdays) a month and he said last time that he is booked for six months ahead.
My knee injury was an ACC claim as it was pinned and crushed by a boat against a reef while fishing.
My inside left knee meniculus was ‘torn’ so it now feels like bone on bone and aches occassinally too.
The emergency doctor only gave me an opiate last year in may, (which I didn’t take)
I have used your treatment of fish oils and Glocosamine and chondroitin and use a floor cycle to excercise with now.
Now I have two small bottles of “Vital 3” I just recieved from my wife as she sent an order to ‘Vital3.com’ in NY for some as she saw it on the website.
Before I try three drops with water every morning do you know about the product?
Cleangreen, no not that one. I hadn’t seen that before. Just read about the USA trials and patent online now.. Try it, as it doesn’t affect other meds. Nothing ventured nothing gained. I’ll be interested to hear of your progress. Please let us know. Good luck.
From people I know who’ve been through this, keeping the pressure on helps. The people managing the lists are working in a stressful situation (not enough funding), but I think polite but firm persistence, especially if you are being given the run around, can keep them focussed. It’s work, but if you’re not getting your medical needs attended to, go back to your GP, get a letter, give it to the hospital, phone them, talk to the manager etc. Yes there are processes and rules, but people get dropped out because of the limits of the system, and reminding them of your rights can get you back in and reprioritised.
(and yes, that means someone else will get dropped off. If this is manageable for you, start hassling your local MP as well).
Hah! I know another guy, in his seventies, who still blames Labour for all the failings in the Public Health system. His usual MO when told to wait his ‘turn’ for hip, knee, shoulder surgery (he has had all of these) is to visit his local MP (always National) and proceed to rant and rave with promises to return if they don’t sort it. Seems to work. Alternatively, it could be the fact that he has a rather well developed sense of entitlement and conveys such to whichever health professional has the misfortune to suggest that there might be a wait.
I had surgery in 2013 at Waikato Hospital. To speed the process up, my GP referred me to a private specialist surgeon who also worked in the public system.
After the consultation, the surgeon put me on the waiting list, advising it was urgent case. I had to pay for the private specialist and an MRI.
Five months later I had the operation. If I didn’t go private for the specialist surgeon consult and MRI, it would have added another six months to the process.
It seems wrong that I had to pay around $1,500 myself because the system is so slow.
Maybe you could do something similar to speed things up, if possible?
I hope things go well for you and you have a speedy recovery.
Thank you all for your responses. In your head you know you are not alone with this, but at 3.a.m it can feel like that!
I am cheered by your suggestions, I guess I worry they may not be very quick, as my doctor said possibly Nov, and I thought “well I’m going to live my life.”
I wonder why Greenwald never appears on New Zealand television….
…the centerpiece of U.S. foreign policy, really in the wake of World War II through the Cold War, and then even with the fall of the Soviet Union, has been to align with and to embrace and to support dictators, tyrants and repressive regimes, as long as they serve the interests of the United States. So, anybody in their right mind who ever takes seriously pronouncements from official Washington that they’re motivated by anger over repression or a defense of the political rights of people in other countries is incredibly naive at best, to put that generously.
Just this week, Juan, there was an amazing leak that Politico published, which was a State Department memo written to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that explicitly said what has been long obvious, but usually isn’t put into words so clear, that human rights is not actually something the U.S. government believes in; it is a cudgel that it uses to undermine and bash countries that don’t serve its interests. They use denunciations of human rights abuses to undermine and weaken governments that are contrary to their agenda, like in Iran, while at the same time, this memo said—this isn’t me saying this, this is the State Department memo saying—they overlook and even sanction repressive behavior on the part of their allies.
And it goes beyond the Trump administration. I mean, if you look at how official Washington works in terms of, say, the leading think tanks in Washington, the Brookings Institution, for example, which has become incredibly popular among liberals in the Trump era, is funded with tens of millions of dollars by the government of Qatar, one of the most repressive regimes on the planet. The Center for American Progress, which is probably the leading Democratic Party think tank in the United States, is funded in—one of their biggest funders is the government of the United Arab Emirates.
Destroy a county’s economy via sanctions. Sit back and wait for things to hopefully boil over. Give a further nudge, a push or a shove if possible. If and when country disintegrates, point out it was a basket case of a place and ride in on a white horse of humanitarianism to rip it wide open for “free market” exploitation democracy …to be governed by western friendly administrations.
Okay. Now I’ll watch the vid and be very surprised if Greenwald is deviating from that basic line that repeats in country after country that the west has a dim view of.
What will 2018 bring for Donald Trump? Senator Mitt Romney of Utah. One more Republican that won’t be afraid to criticise him. And even, if it ever gets that far, vote for conviction in an impeachment proceeding.
The vacuous Megan Whelan said nothing this morning when her guest said that
boycotting Israel “reminds some people of the Nazi boycotts of the Jews”.
RNZ National, Wednesday 3 January 2018, 9:30 a.m.
I tuned in to this outrageous little piece of propaganda masquerading as analysis toward the end, so I wasn’t sure who was speaking. I assumed he was someone from the Israeli Consulate, because he made several sleazy insinuations against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign, and talked condescendingly and dishonestly about Lorde’s decision to boycott Israel. I thought it might be the infamous Dr David Cumin, who reared his head in late 2016 in order to denounce Marama Davidson….
But this voice was different to Cumin’s. I knew I’d heard him before, but who WAS it? He spoke as smoothly and with the same nerveless dishonesty as Dr Cumin. It might have been the Wellington dentist David Zwarz, who used to be the go-to man whenever the media needed a local comment supportive of a massacre in Gaza, or the shooting of unarmed Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank or East Jerusalem. But it wasn’t David Zwarz.
Who WAS it?
Finally, at the end of the interview, his patsy Megan Whelan identified him: “That was Professor Robert Ayson, from Victoria University’s School of Strategic Studies.”
Of course! Robert Ayson!!! This bloke has form. A couple of years ago, he insisted to me by email that U.S. troops kill civilians with the best intentions….
…in seeking to target people and groups they believe to be in particular locations they sometimes make poor judgements about the wider consequences.
regards
Rob
I replied:
The United States military was repeatedly given the coordinates of Kunduz Hospital. They didn’t get their targeting wrong. When they “conquered” Fallujah General Hospital in November 2004, U.S. troops tied up doctors and nurses, and forced patients out of their beds, before also tying them up. Again, that doesn’t seem like getting their targeting wrong.
There is something I find even more disturbing than the malicious propaganda these people routinely dispense: the silence, bordering on approval and complicity, of the person supposed to be interviewing them. David Cumin’s patsy was Jesse Mulligan, who like the others in the studio remained silent as Cumin poured scorn on Marama Davidson and the rest of the protestors who broke through Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza in 2016. I suspect this was a condition insisted on by Cumin before he spoke.
Robert Ayson’s patsy this morning was Megan Whelan, who seems to have no knowledge whatsoever of the situation in Palestine, or of the movement to boycott Israel. On such ignorant and compliant accomplices do Israeli apologists depend.
Yes. Megan and Jim are both extremely ‘nice’.
I think possibly RNZ are using the holiday period to train the next generation of personalities and presenters.
At times I think they must also be using it to train the new breed of panel operators (or whatever they call them these days) too.
Well worth the read about the actions of twitter and facebook. Happy to promote the violence of the state. But God help you if you say “F%^k off” to rapist or their apologists, you will get banned.
The more Washington lashes out in anger at those who will not bow to the unipolar world order, the more the rest of the world fights back. As the launch of its Yuan/Gold-settled oil futures looms, China is escalating its de-dollarization scheme further by seeking a bilateral rial-yuan agreement with Iran.
Once the US dollar loses its place as the Reserve Currency of the world, which should have happened when they dropped the Gold Standard under Nixon, the US economy will crash and burn as the world stops using the US$ for trade.
According to a VICE News special investigation, US troops are now conducting 3,500 exercises and military engagements throughout Africa per year, an average of 10 per day. US mainstream media rarely discusses this ongoing war, thus giving the military ample space to destabilize any of the continent’s 54 countries as it pleases.
“Today’s figure of 3,500 marks an astounding 1,900 percent increase since the command was activated less than a decade ago, and suggests a major expansion of US military activities on the African continent,” VICE reported.
Following the death of four US Special Forces soldiers in Niger on October 4, US Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, made an ominous declaration to a Senate committee: these numbers are likely to increase as the US is expanding its military activities in Africa.
But wait, there’s more…
The old colonial ‘Scramble for Africa’ is being reinvented by global powers that fully fathom the extent of the untapped economic largesse of the continent. While China, India and Russia are each developing a unique approach to wooing Africa, the US is invested mostly in the military option, which promises to inflict untold harm and destabilize many nations.
It’s not just the US that is trying to grab all of the remaining resources of the world for themselves.
And people still think that we don’t need a defence force.
People might want to check out this article (https://www.villagevoice.com/2018/01/02/the-10-dumbest-rightblogger-writings-of-2017/) – a review of the 10 most ridiculous set of excuses and obsfucations used by far right commentators when trying to spin dumb comments and decisions from Trump. It’s informative and entertaining and there are lot of links.
It’s not the 10 worst comments or decisions (that would be a hard list to compile – imagine having to decide what to leave out), the focus is more on how media commentators, bloggers, spin docs etc aligned with Trump try to find or manufacture some sense in what he’s saying and doing.
The “Italian Job” is a great English movie that Fintan O’Toole sees as a metaphor for their Brexit mess.
“Which brings us to The English Job of 2018. The British government is currently like Croker’s gang – immobilised by an impossible choice while their grand project teeters over the abyss. They can keep moving towards the fool’s gold of hard Brexit, but if they do their economy will go over the cliff. Or they can keep the bus from falling by moving away from their dreams towards the far end.”
You mean the O’Toole piece? It seems to be a question of how many times you can use one movie reference in a single opinion piece.
I suspect ‘hard Brexit’ (what ever that means) will be about as terrible for the UK economy as Brexit was in fact. Remind me wasn’t a Brexit outcome going to cause the UK economy to enter recession?
The supporters of Brexit I suspect didnt want it. They were hoping that there was a no vote so they could have the continued luxury of moaning about the EU without having to do anything. Now they have to back their words up with actions and they have no idea what to do except bumble along. They are probably waiting for someone to say, “let’s not do this’.
Mega-mergers have been happening since the 1980s when deregulation set in – and we’ve been told of the consequences for poorer services, higher prices and other forms of monopoly powers since.
I reckon it’s been quite some time since either has seen his own button in the flesh.
North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018
For a second I thought you said ‘his most irresistible tweet ‘. It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. I do hope the North Korean leader has a sense of humour. Good luck to possible talks that the North and South might have which I heard about on RadioNZ today.
There is a crash coming.
And it will be bigger than 2008.
‘Global instability appears to be the big risk for NZ economy
This year could see a geopolitical crisis on the scale of the financial crash a decade ago, a New York-based political risk consultancy is warning.
Citing “daunting” global political challenges, Eurasia Group said that “if we had to pick one year for a big unexpected crisis – the geopolitical equivalent of the 2008 financial meltdown – it feels like 2018”.
Now look at them yo-yos, that’s the way you do it
You play the [odds on the casino see]
That ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Money for nothin’ and your chicks for free
Now that ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Lemme tell ya them guys ain’t dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb
Agriculture is killing us.
And the article doesn’t mention the damage agriculture does to our environment.
‘Agriculture remains New Zealand’s most dangerous industry to work in, according to WorkSafe New Zealand.
As of November 2017, nine people lost their lives working in the industry last year – with three of those people dying as a result of quad bike accidents.
With a total of 124 deaths in the past six years, the sector is New Zealand’s deadliest. ’
Thanks for the link draco – I remember the table being tweeted – and good that the Royal Society of Statistics has chosen this (or rather the 69 lawnmower deaths per year) to be the most significant statistic of the year – and one that is on the increase.
Reminds me of the story about the guy who was driving home from work and saw someone cutting their hedge with a rotary mower. Wow that’s a great idea he thought! On his subsequent trip into the hospital with all his fingers chopped off – the doc in emergency says: “Don’t tell me – but you were driving home and saw this guy cutting his hedge with a rotary mower – right?
“Yeah! How did you know?
” because I’ve just treated him.”
President Trump is threatening to suspend the US$400 million a year it spends in the Palestine Authority areas, if the Palestinians don’t get to the peace negotiating table:
The owners of Fusion GPS, the outfit who commissioned Steele to investigate and report on Trump, have penned an op-ed saying Trump’s operation is nothing more than a money laundering front.
A very interesting piece – thanks for the link Joe. Pretty much confirms what I have been thinking and saying for the past year. Interestingly Steele chose on his own bat to go to the FBI with the results of his investigation, independently of who had commissioned him, it was that serious. This confirmed with the FBI what they had been hearing from different sources.
The fact that Trump is shunned by every major bank in the US and has used Deutsche Bank for all his business activity, and that he has so many dealings with Russian Oligarchs (who are only oligarchs because of their intimate relationship with the Kremlin) it is hardly surprising that there was something fishy going on. And the twitter outburst today merely confirms it. “He doth protest too much”.
It is beyond my comprehension that so many nation’s leaders including Australia, Britain and maybe even NZ are prepared to do business with such a corrupt regime as the Trump administration. Link:
Congress should release transcripts of our firm’s testimony, so that the American people can learn the truth about our work and most important, what happened to our democracy.
Why don’t Fusion GPS leak their own testimony then?
Close, I reckon. The material would have legal privilege if released by the committee – but not if leaked by the submitters, who could then be arrested or sued for defamation etc by interested parties.
I suspected as much. But they could still release an ‘overview’ without revealing the actual content of the testimony. That should be enough to point people in the right direction and set a dialogue going.
Actually I think they have done that already in the piece that joe links to above. It’s pretty clear that the Testimony they gave would be along those lines that the Steele investigation revealed a great number of questionable relationships between Trump, his organisation, and the campaign, and Russians with links to the Kremlin. Trump has already been convicted via his casinos of money laundering. http://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/22/politics/trump-taj-mahal/index.html
The deal wrt to Florida Mansion sale to a Russian Oligarch reeks of money laundering as well. https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/why-did-a-russian-pay-95m-to-buy-trumps-palm-beach-mansion/
to name but two examples.
These people have Trump in their pocket.
‘Google has moved more than £14 billion ($26.8b) into a tax haven in a controversial bid to slash its bills.
The internet search giant funnelled the cash through low-tax European countries and then into Bermuda, in a switch thought to have saved it £2.7b ($5.1b) in 2016.
To reduce its bills, Google books most of its international advertising revenues – including those from the UK – in low-tax Ireland.
It then passes this on to a company in the Netherlands, where there are also generous tax laws, in a strategy known as “the Double Irish with Dutch Sandwich”.
From there the money is sent to Bermuda, where the corporate tax rate is zero.
The Internal Revenue Service is demanding a whopping $7 billion or more in back taxes from the world’s most profitable hedge fund, whose boss’s wealth and cyber savvy helped Donald Trump pole-vault into the White House.
Suddenly, the government’s seven-year pursuit of Renaissance Technologies LLC is blanketed in political intrigue, now that the hedge fund’s reclusive, anti-establishment co-chief executive, Robert Mercer, has morphed into a political force who might be owed a big presidential favor.
The American New Deal of Franklin Roosevelt’s first two terms combined the goals of financial stabilization, reconstruction, conservation, and employment—jobs for the jobless; public works; power systems and new industries, especially in the South; soil conservation and reforestation to battle the Dust Bowl; and a potent mix of regulations and insurance to assert public power over high finance.
Doesn’t that sound like the sort of thing we should be doing. It might save us big grief if we could batten down the hatches, borrow some money while it is still cheap and do something about our infrastructure. Alternatively we could continue on back to the glory days of previous laissez faire approaches and use child labour down mines, women naked to the waist etc. Men working in bare feet building roads. Old people in workhouses. The RW haven’t got any ideas about governing for the people, when push comes to shove it’s them at the front of the queue for any benefits, advantages to be handed out.
I’m sick of us paying pollies to drive the mammoth vehicle straight into a blinding disaster. They are trying to bring us back to where we should have been ten years ago. But now times are different and upskilling the problem solving to practical, rather than theory based would be good.
Talking about miserly sods who make mega bucks. This morning I was listening on RNZ to the back story of the Scandanavian flat pack empire Ikea. The guy who owns it has spent his life cost cutting, dodging tax and making it his life ambition to shave costs from the day of its inception. Now I have no truck with shaving costs, but to have all his well earned profit going into tax havens makes me feel a bit dirty as if I need a shower.
It must be a miserable existence to spend your entire life just wanting more and more and never giving a little to make life better for his employees and to support his country with the largesse of his good life – taxes to help the country to be a decent place to live. This skinflint is worth millions and is in the world’s top rich list. Good for him for being so successful but a really black score for being such a miserable shit. We have many more like him in this world and what a sorry state the world is in for it.
I put the arsehole Peter Thiel in the same bracket. Pops down to NZ. Ingratiates himself with wannabe billionaires like John Key. Spreads a bit of largesse around to make it look like he’s generous. Buys a swanky mansion down Queenstown way. Rumoured to have purchased other properties – probably for tax avoidance/evasion purposes. Finally signs a deal with the Key government… does the dirty on them and skives off with all the profits… fleecing the NZ taxpayers in the process.
‘He said it was the worst conditions the area had seen in decades.
“This is my first year where I’ve had to make the decisions, which has been a baptism by fire. My father has been on the farm 44 years, running it, born and bred on the farm, he’s never seen anything like this.”
The muppets sandflys were at it again today were ever I go the sandflys are following me playing with them selves I see there moves and lol.
I have told stories about when I was young and I said when he tried to hit me I ran away some people have enterpered that as I was badly beaten well know I had fights with people a couple of years older than me but because cause of my grate grandmother Mana everyone treated me really well after she died it changed but not totally. I figure out that it was them knowing that my mama will and the money in my accounts you see at the time of the incident of taking me to the bank I did not know it was to draw out my money. It wasn’t until one of my favourite aunties asked what happened to the money and her will and that mama told her that she was leaving everything to me that I came to that conclusion of being used for the money my MAMA has a lot of Mana. My wife had a hard life when she was young what I don’t get is intelligent people around her when she was young would have known what was going on and chose to do nothing WTF.
Alcohol was used to destroy Maori Mana.
Alcohol and a deceit full society.
Ana to kai
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
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Could anyone give me their experience of Hospital waiting lists?
I am about to go into the system for a hip operation.
First there is the wait for an appointment for x rays, followed by a review, followed by a specialist appointment inside four months, if I get into the top points.
Apparently within another four months I may qualify hopefully for surgery.
I just wondered what the “on the ground” experience was, as I have heard people can go on and off the list depending on money available to do a number of operations.
So, do I hold my breath or plan my life anyway? 2018. A pivotal year personally at 76.
PS. pain is so bad I am now on a walker, though the inflammation has been greatly helped by rose hip oil capsules twice daily plus pain meds.
I can help with this.
My mum needed a hip replacement which was completed about 2 weeks before Christmas in the Waikato.
Was all done under public health. Total time from docs to surgery was under 2 months.
Edit Mum is about the same age as you also.
Thanks James. I’m in Rotorua. I believe it varies.
Patricia I have been waiting since 2007 for an (ACC) covered Hernia operation to be done with (only local anaesthetic administration) in either HB or Gisborne.
No surgeon in NZ will perform a ‘local anaesthetic operation on a hernia’ – even a simple inguanal hernia as mine is.
You may wonder why I have need of ‘local anaethsetic’?
I have extreme drug reations to chemicals and drugs and my medical specialists have requested only local anaestic administration be used and not use either ‘general or spinal’ administration with me as it may cause death.
We need labour coalition to fix this impass now that national are gone.
There are many still awaiting surgery as I am so we need to do better, and thanks for the question I hope this helps.
Yes, I also have issues being an asthmatic and ex polio. LOL never really “ex” as the effects are life long.
I have heard of a hip op done as you describe. I’ll ask my friend where her surgery was done 5 years ago.
I hope things improve for you as that is a painful situation, and limiting.
Hi Patricia – close relative (78) had her hip done under epidural and sedation. Went very well and quick recovery time. Up and about quickly and excellent long term outcome. Sadly great variation between DHBs and waiting times.
My mother, now in her mid-80s, has had a number of hip operations over the last few years, starting from when she broke her hip in a fall.
Prior to the fall, she was experiencing pain and lack of function, and was in the early stages of a hip replacement process. Immediately after the fall, hardware got put in the top of her femur to give her some mobility back in the short term (a hip replacement then and there wasn’t feasible because of the break location).
After recovery had progressed far enough, she went back into the queue for a replacement. The schedule kept shifting, so she went ahead with her life including making arrangements for overseas travel to visit family. Then shortly before departure she got scheduled for the op at a time that would have required cancelling the trip. She decided the trip was more important to her and went ahead with that, so she lost her place in the queue.
However, it was only a few months after her return that they were able to schedule her back in and she got the replacement not much later than she would have otherwise.
So it seems to me that planning her life and living it anyway worked out ok for her. Her experience also looks to me like the health authority involved (Waitemata) do recognise that people have lives to live, and it’s one of the factors they have to account for when juggling all their different priorities. No, the timeline wasn’t as fast or convenient for her as it might have been with a fully-paid private route, but it did look to me like the system did a fair job of balancing the different constraints it has to work under.
Of course, your experience may end up wildly different…
I too have family in Australia. That is part of the equation at my age .
Hiya patricia…sorry to hear of your troubles…and such a pity that the option of legal medical cannabis is not available to you….I have heard that even a balm can be quite relieving for such pain. 😉
My recommendations….be available for surgery once you get to the “You do need the surgery and you’re now on the list stage.” My partner ended up on such a list a few years ago and settled in for a long wait…couple of weeks later they had a ‘gap’, he got a call, “Can you come in tomorrow morning?” and voilla!
Another guy I know was told he could have the hip surgery done nowish if he was willing to go to Rotorua Hospital rather than wait for it to be done at Waikato.
Now…I wouldn’t ever suggest that anyone manipulate the system, but, if perchance, a person had a fall or a stumble and was writhing in agony (say in the middle of a busy pedestrian crossing at rush hour) and an ambulance was called to transport said person to A&E then suddenly the situation is an ‘accident’ and an ’emergency’ and voilla (again !) operating theatres and orthopeadic surgeons miraculously become available. This happened to my ninety year old neighbour some years ago after some time languishing where you seem to be. Afterwards she commented that she should have had her fall months earlier. 🙂
And another elderly friend, then in her 75th year, needed cataract surgery. She became highly pissed off at seemingly every doctor upon the road to the surgery asking her if she had medical insurance. This was 28 years ago and she did…but that wasn’t the point…there was, even then…this herding of as many patients as possible out of the public system and into the private system. More often than not it is the same surgeons performing in both venues…and my friend knew she was being profiled…
She was getting to the stage of being unable to drive so with great reluctance went private….then the insurance company tried to rip her off.
Your are entering shark invested waters mate….
If you truly want to become depressed…google “hip surgery unmet need” and you’ll find some uplifting academic research that rather coldly calculates the odds of making it to the table.
https://nzoa.org.nz/system/files/Quantifying%20the%20demand%20for%20hip%20and%20knee%20replacement.pdf
https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/read-the-journal/all-issues/2010-2019/2016/vol-129-no-1432-1-april-2016/6861
“Firstly, replacing joints in patients who have lived with disabling arthritis for a significant period of time, and who have more co-morbidities, is likely to result in poorer outcomes with higher postoperative complications. Secondly, managing these patients in the community will require increased resources. Thirdly, operating on ‘end-stage’ osteoarthritis can be surgically demanding, resulting in the use of more expensive implants, more extensive rehabilitation and intensive nursing; all of which require added resources.”
The very best of luck patricia….
Where you come on the public service waiting list is based on need.
The higher your perceived need the quicker you will be seen.
While I wouldn’t wish to direct you to lie I would suggest you talk up the impact it is having on your life/mobility as much as you possibly can with the help of a supportive general practitioner.
And tell them you are in severe pain most of the time. It is, or at least was, more important than whether you can get around.
The Doctor who assessed me before I had mine replaced told me that you have to tell them the pain is unbearable. It is not the Doctor who decides whether you get on the queue. It is someone working in the DHB office who only sees your responses to a questionnaire.
It is an enormous change in your circumstances though.
No more pain.
Rosemary, this is as I thought. Thanks for your good wishes.
Rosemary that has been the experience of friends in the past. I had depressed myself earlier with the documents you listed xx.
“I had depressed myself earlier with the documents you listed xx.”
Actually…that quote I put up…“Firstly, replacing joints in patients who have lived with disabling arthritis for a significant period of time, and who have more co-morbidities, is likely to result in poorer outcomes with higher postoperative complications. Secondly, managing these patients in the community will require increased resources. Thirdly, operating on ‘end-stage’ osteoarthritis can be surgically demanding, resulting in the use of more expensive implants, more extensive rehabilitation and intensive nursing; all of which require added resources.”
wasn’t supposed to depress…its a hint. 😉 😉
Also…use your previous diagnosis of polio for all its worth…seriously, its a ‘co-morbidity’ that could/has already exacerbated your dodgy hip.
The last thing they wan’t is for you to lose independence…you’ll cost ’em more in the long term.
My partner has been a full time wheelchair user since 1970. At some stage, a tumble from his chair must have broke a hip (he can’t feel the pain) and it has set a bit weird. A few years ago he suddenly got an ugly, red swollen lump on that hip. Made sitting in his w/c really difficult. Chances of a hip replacement for someone who will never walk again and is already dependent on others for support is zero. This preparation was recommended ….https://www.nz-online-pharmacy.com/products/traumitane-recovery-action-cream-75g.html…twice daily. Way more effective than the hot rubs or the anti inflammatory rubs…and very gentle on a chemically sensitive skin. Tears of relief when the ugly red lump went away…..
Rosemary thanks. I use painaway from Aus. It will be good to find a helpful thing here. You both deserve a good New Year xx
My theory ,for what it’s worth,is to always try and get a woman surgeon.Their success rate is better AFAIK.They seem more kind,caring and delicate in surgical matters,more finesse,nimble fingers.Its a conveyer belt system,quite efficient and impersonal.I suppose I can be accused of being sexist with my observation.Too bad.
Are you saying that someone could be better at a job simply because of their physical sex ?
Your theory is bullshit. It’s best to get an orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in hips and performs multiple operations per week, furthermore it’s preferable that the surgery is performed in one of the main regional centres.
I would assume that these ops are performed by specialists in that field,not by anyone who walks through the door.Anyway your condemnation of my theory as b/s moved me to find out if it had any substance.
http://time.com/4975232/women-surgeon-surgery/
So you agree that a persons physical sex can make them more suited to a particular job or task ?
only as a generality, it can’t be applied to individuals. And it’s not so much about gender making someone more suited, it’s that there are broad differences that affect things. Some are biological, some are social, good luck figuring that out.
Here’s the two useful paragraphs from that Time piece:
“Even after those adjustments, patients of female surgeons were 4% less likely to die, be readmitted or experience complications 30 days after their surgery compared to patients of male surgeons.”
So if there really is a difference, and not just an artefact of torturing the data, then the difference is still very very small.
“In the meantime, he says, gender shouldn’t be a factor in deciding which surgeon should be in charge of your next operation. “You should select a surgeon based on the rapport you have with him or her, what your family physician recommends, and the research you do,” says Satkunasivam. “You should be equally confident with a male or female surgeon.” ”
Not that you’re likely to have much choice in New Zealand’s system, mind. But it still points to the value of doing what you can to build rapport with your practitioners.
I agree, and it’s a big failing of the NZ system that it’s relatively difficult to choose the specialist or surgeon you see. Not impossible, but there is little attention paid to the value of having someone you get on with.
Supposedly the chance of extreme adverse effects after surgery are 5%..i.e 1/20.On those odds ,even a 4% better success rate is a big plus imo.
Given that reports written to claim there’s a difference between A and B usually find a way to maximise the apparent size of that difference, I interpret that reported 4% difference to mean that the rate of post-operative adverse events for female surgeons is say 4.85% and the rate for male surgeons is 5.05%, to end up with an average rate of 5% for all surgeons.
Yes it’s possible the rates are of the order of 2% and 6% respectively (allowing for there being a lot more male surgeons than female surgeons, to get a mean of around 5%). But if that were the case, I would expect the headline to be something like “Post-operative adverse events are 3 times higher for male surgeons than for female surgeons”
Thanks Zorb6 I will re-apply for my ACC operation now asking for a Woman for my operation too, as as a man while in Canada I underwent several medical proceedures and in several cases my experiences with women specialists/surgeons I recieved a full careful treatment and recovery that was provided was excellent there, so I agree with you there.
Bottom line, to qualify for hip or knee replacement there has to be “bone on bone” – if there is any padding inbetween they will make you wait that bit longer. Then you wait for the operation which is usually within 4 months. I don’t know about knee reconstructions or partial knees. I have had a knee replaced and it has worked wonders for me. I kept off pain killers and just used plenty of athletic strapping and local pain rubs like Deep Heat. Hips are a bit more difficult to keep the pain under control. Fish Oil and Glucosomine with Chondroitin also are great for hips and knees.
“Fish Oil and Glucosomine with Chondroitin also are great for hips and knees.”
Thanks for the info Kate, I am beginning to get hip problems and I have told my JP surgery is out. At my age, it would be a complete waste of time and money. Sooner they did it on younger persons or spent the money on some poor unfortunate kid.
My hip plays up at night keeping me awake I take the occasional Panadol as I am not a pill popper but have stayed away from those other products as I was not sure how they would work. Was about to visit my JP for his advice but now I will visit the chemist and buy some of those products
I hope my hip joint does not get too bad as we do a lot of photography, well, the photography is a means to an end it to get us out in the wild to appreciate this country of ours before it is well and truly stuffed.
Take the fish oil and glucosomine morning and night – I use quite high doses of the fish oil and what ever the glucosomine says on the label you can up the dose on that as well. It made all the difference to me when I started taking it twice daily instead of just the once. I presume you are using a walking stick. Also swing both legs out of the car when you get out and when getting up off dining chairs swing both legs around as well – try and keep the hips and legs together when sitting – no crossing legs or letting your legs lay apart when sitting.
As for your age – if it means you are going to have a better quality of life and you have over all general good health, then I think you should get it done and I am sure your doctor will agree.. We are all entitled to health care in this country.
Thank you for the tips. I invested in a swivel seat for the car. My problem is I have to lift my left leg now because of polio as a child…. adds to the woes.
Thanks for your reply Kate. No, I am fortunate that I can walk with no problems and have no need for a walking stick, I feel it has only just started, well been like this for the last 2 years about and only get pain when I lie down in bed or drive for long stretches.
Thanks for the general tips about getting up off chairs etc.,
Yeah, I agree with your last sentence Kate, but I have been fortunate had several hand ups along the way that has given me a successful life. I know we are all entitled to health care but after the Tories have destroyed the public system. and now with the limited health care and money available I feel in my very late years I don’t need expensive procedures just for a few years before I kick the bucket.
My GP (not JP as written in my first response. that is known as an SOS Silly Old Sod Syndrome) would agree with you.
100% Half crown
I too am 73yrs old and feel the same here too.
Halfcrown, I mentioned Vital rosehip GOPO It has been clinically tested in 15 trials. (I could not use anti inflammatory aids other than this as they depressed my kidney function.) My hip to knee was hot and inflamed and within a week it had improved and a month later I realised I was able to sleep and sit a great deal longer and my hip was hot at one point only.
I have just started Glocosamine and chondroitin. It is not cheap, but will help as the tablet has Vit D etc. I don’t get out much currently as I had polio as a child and this is my “good” leg and I’m prone to falls.
I blessed the election, as we were in Australia when my hip was suddenly totally bad. The internet and this site gave me something else to focus on at 3.a.m.
Christmas and New Year are a “slow time” for progress with hips etc. (possibly car accidents, holiday period in general). Good luck with the treatment.
We have ordered the next lot of rosehip and await it from Chemist Wharehouse Auckland. An Australian crowd just starting up here. Norm got his glucosamine
from Go Healthy online. Cheers.
Patricia,
I too have a knee injury and am awaiting an operation on it to but no light at the end of the tunnel yet as there is a very slow rate of surgery of knee replacement now during 2017 so 2018 may be better.
My knee surgery Specialist comes from Hamilton to Gisborne and can only book twice on (two wednesdays) a month and he said last time that he is booked for six months ahead.
My knee injury was an ACC claim as it was pinned and crushed by a boat against a reef while fishing.
My inside left knee meniculus was ‘torn’ so it now feels like bone on bone and aches occassinally too.
The emergency doctor only gave me an opiate last year in may, (which I didn’t take)
I have used your treatment of fish oils and Glocosamine and chondroitin and use a floor cycle to excercise with now.
Now I have two small bottles of “Vital 3” I just recieved from my wife as she sent an order to ‘Vital3.com’ in NY for some as she saw it on the website.
Before I try three drops with water every morning do you know about the product?
Cleangreen, no not that one. I hadn’t seen that before. Just read about the USA trials and patent online now.. Try it, as it doesn’t affect other meds. Nothing ventured nothing gained. I’ll be interested to hear of your progress. Please let us know. Good luck.
Thanks for that Patrica I will be going ahead with the advice and suggestions from both you and Kate.
Thank you very much Kate very good advise.
I think it depends on what DHB you are in too.
From people I know who’ve been through this, keeping the pressure on helps. The people managing the lists are working in a stressful situation (not enough funding), but I think polite but firm persistence, especially if you are being given the run around, can keep them focussed. It’s work, but if you’re not getting your medical needs attended to, go back to your GP, get a letter, give it to the hospital, phone them, talk to the manager etc. Yes there are processes and rules, but people get dropped out because of the limits of the system, and reminding them of your rights can get you back in and reprioritised.
(and yes, that means someone else will get dropped off. If this is manageable for you, start hassling your local MP as well).
“…keeping the pressure on helps.”
Hah! I know another guy, in his seventies, who still blames Labour for all the failings in the Public Health system. His usual MO when told to wait his ‘turn’ for hip, knee, shoulder surgery (he has had all of these) is to visit his local MP (always National) and proceed to rant and rave with promises to return if they don’t sort it. Seems to work. Alternatively, it could be the fact that he has a rather well developed sense of entitlement and conveys such to whichever health professional has the misfortune to suggest that there might be a wait.
And fuck me…it really seems to do the trick…
Yes!!! xx May be I should bother Tamati Coffey LOL Ta Rosemary.
I had surgery in 2013 at Waikato Hospital. To speed the process up, my GP referred me to a private specialist surgeon who also worked in the public system.
After the consultation, the surgeon put me on the waiting list, advising it was urgent case. I had to pay for the private specialist and an MRI.
Five months later I had the operation. If I didn’t go private for the specialist surgeon consult and MRI, it would have added another six months to the process.
It seems wrong that I had to pay around $1,500 myself because the system is so slow.
Maybe you could do something similar to speed things up, if possible?
I hope things go well for you and you have a speedy recovery.
Thank you all for your responses. In your head you know you are not alone with this, but at 3.a.m it can feel like that!
I am cheered by your suggestions, I guess I worry they may not be very quick, as my doctor said possibly Nov, and I thought “well I’m going to live my life.”
Hoping the best for you
Good commentary by Glenn Greenwald about Iran.
I wonder why Greenwald never appears on New Zealand television….
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/1/2/glenn_greenwald_on_iran_protests_trump
That was his best comment.
Greenwald will never appear on NZ TV, they are corporate lap dogs barking the truth they want you to hear.
“Liberalism is good for you, why even question it – go back to your barbque, and look they changed government, so everything is fine.”
Never! Not even once. Well maybe a little bit.
I should have said, he will never appear again. As he did a few times in 2014 – remember ‘the moment of truth’?
No, I can’t remember it 🙄
I expect the probability he’ll appear on TVNZ again soon just went up. Murphy’s Law.
Destroy a county’s economy via sanctions. Sit back and wait for things to hopefully boil over. Give a further nudge, a push or a shove if possible. If and when country disintegrates, point out it was a basket case of a place and ride in on a white horse of humanitarianism to rip it wide open for
“free market” exploitationdemocracy …to be governed by western friendly administrations.Okay. Now I’ll watch the vid and be very surprised if Greenwald is deviating from that basic line that repeats in country after country that the west has a dim view of.
What will 2018 bring for Donald Trump? Senator Mitt Romney of Utah. One more Republican that won’t be afraid to criticise him. And even, if it ever gets that far, vote for conviction in an impeachment proceeding.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trumps-drive-to-block-mitt-romney-from-senate-stumbles?ref=home
The vacuous Megan Whelan said nothing this morning when her guest said that
boycotting Israel “reminds some people of the Nazi boycotts of the Jews”.
RNZ National, Wednesday 3 January 2018, 9:30 a.m.
I tuned in to this outrageous little piece of propaganda masquerading as analysis toward the end, so I wasn’t sure who was speaking. I assumed he was someone from the Israeli Consulate, because he made several sleazy insinuations against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign, and talked condescendingly and dishonestly about Lorde’s decision to boycott Israel. I thought it might be the infamous Dr David Cumin, who reared his head in late 2016 in order to denounce Marama Davidson….
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-08102016/#comment-1241801
But this voice was different to Cumin’s. I knew I’d heard him before, but who WAS it? He spoke as smoothly and with the same nerveless dishonesty as Dr Cumin. It might have been the Wellington dentist David Zwarz, who used to be the go-to man whenever the media needed a local comment supportive of a massacre in Gaza, or the shooting of unarmed Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank or East Jerusalem. But it wasn’t David Zwarz.
Who WAS it?
Finally, at the end of the interview, his patsy Megan Whelan identified him: “That was Professor Robert Ayson, from Victoria University’s School of Strategic Studies.”
Of course! Robert Ayson!!! This bloke has form. A couple of years ago, he insisted to me by email that U.S. troops kill civilians with the best intentions….
I replied:
He did not reply to that.
http://morrisseybreen.blogspot.co.nz/2018/01/prof-robert-ayson-explains-why-mass.html
—————————————-
There is something I find even more disturbing than the malicious propaganda these people routinely dispense: the silence, bordering on approval and complicity, of the person supposed to be interviewing them. David Cumin’s patsy was Jesse Mulligan, who like the others in the studio remained silent as Cumin poured scorn on Marama Davidson and the rest of the protestors who broke through Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza in 2016. I suspect this was a condition insisted on by Cumin before he spoke.
Robert Ayson’s patsy this morning was Megan Whelan, who seems to have no knowledge whatsoever of the situation in Palestine, or of the movement to boycott Israel. On such ignorant and compliant accomplices do Israeli apologists depend.
Aw you are awful @ Morrisey! But I like you
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJmg-879j5o )
Being vacuous these days can apparently be an asset amongst those that are aspirational members of the 4th Estate
Megan Whelan is one of the producers for Jim Mora’s light chat show. Today’s hapless non-performance was not unusual….
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06092017/#comment-1379646
This transcript sums up what is wrong with the chattering classes.
Mora never discusses the profound issues and delights in trivia.
Yes. Megan and Jim are both extremely ‘nice’.
I think possibly RNZ are using the holiday period to train the next generation of personalities and presenters.
At times I think they must also be using it to train the new breed of panel operators (or whatever they call them these days) too.
Brilliant Morrissey
Well worth the read about the actions of twitter and facebook. Happy to promote the violence of the state. But God help you if you say “F%^k off” to rapist or their apologists, you will get banned.
https://leecamp.com/twitters-new-rules-reward-military-violence-small-time-threats-facebook/?mc_cid=465790d481&mc_eid=524e48683c
The US is fucked:
Once the US dollar loses its place as the Reserve Currency of the world, which should have happened when they dropped the Gold Standard under Nixon, the US economy will crash and burn as the world stops using the US$ for trade.
Shadow armies: The unseen, but real US war in Africa
But wait, there’s more…
It’s not just the US that is trying to grab all of the remaining resources of the world for themselves.
And people still think that we don’t need a defence force.
100% Draco I lived there in Africa for a year and you are right on there.
As I witnessed then there is a real power play of ‘international’ corporates as they scramble for Africa’s resources as you show there is again now.
People might want to check out this article (https://www.villagevoice.com/2018/01/02/the-10-dumbest-rightblogger-writings-of-2017/) – a review of the 10 most ridiculous set of excuses and obsfucations used by far right commentators when trying to spin dumb comments and decisions from Trump. It’s informative and entertaining and there are lot of links.
It’s not the 10 worst comments or decisions (that would be a hard list to compile – imagine having to decide what to leave out), the focus is more on how media commentators, bloggers, spin docs etc aligned with Trump try to find or manufacture some sense in what he’s saying and doing.
There are no political solutions. When people can lie to themselves, and other with this sort of ease.
Thoroughly depressing reading. No wonder right wingers are happy, with this level of self delusion.
The “Italian Job” is a great English movie that Fintan O’Toole sees as a metaphor for their Brexit mess.
“Which brings us to The English Job of 2018. The British government is currently like Croker’s gang – immobilised by an impossible choice while their grand project teeters over the abyss. They can keep moving towards the fool’s gold of hard Brexit, but if they do their economy will go over the cliff. Or they can keep the bus from falling by moving away from their dreams towards the far end.”
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-brexit-was-only-supposed-to-blow-the-bloody-doors-off-1.3342337
Smart writing!
You mean the O’Toole piece? It seems to be a question of how many times you can use one movie reference in a single opinion piece.
I suspect ‘hard Brexit’ (what ever that means) will be about as terrible for the UK economy as Brexit was in fact. Remind me wasn’t a Brexit outcome going to cause the UK economy to enter recession?
The supporters of Brexit I suspect didnt want it. They were hoping that there was a no vote so they could have the continued luxury of moaning about the EU without having to do anything. Now they have to back their words up with actions and they have no idea what to do except bumble along. They are probably waiting for someone to say, “let’s not do this’.
That is my theory anyway.
2017, The 4th year of super mergers.
Just thought of a slogan to keep repeating each time that Gnational gnashes it’s teeth again at the Labour coalition.
Think RATIONAL
Not National
Support LABOUR>>>
1000%
Think rational – direct action – take it back.
4th Year?
Mega-mergers have been happening since the 1980s when deregulation set in – and we’ve been told of the consequences for poorer services, higher prices and other forms of monopoly powers since.
I reckon it’s been quite some time since either has seen his own button in the flesh.
That must be his most irresponsible tweet yet.
America …decline and fall.
He’s watching the box.
https://twitter.com/MattGertz/status/948358498462650369
That is very scary.
President watches Fox News and repeats their lines.
For a second I thought you said ‘his most irresistible tweet ‘. It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. I do hope the North Korean leader has a sense of humour. Good luck to possible talks that the North and South might have which I heard about on RadioNZ today.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DSlMHArVMAARO3A.jpg
Health warning should have been attached.
Auuughhhh!!!@! My eyes!!!!!
Remind me to never click on one of your links ever again.
There is a crash coming.
And it will be bigger than 2008.
‘Global instability appears to be the big risk for NZ economy
This year could see a geopolitical crisis on the scale of the financial crash a decade ago, a New York-based political risk consultancy is warning.
Citing “daunting” global political challenges, Eurasia Group said that “if we had to pick one year for a big unexpected crisis – the geopolitical equivalent of the 2008 financial meltdown – it feels like 2018”.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/world/100298745/2018-feels-ripe-for-a-big-unexpected-crisis-eurasia-says
They are just guessing, they had a sweep at work on whether there will be a crash and most thought it would be in a year with 8 in it.
No wonder New Zealand has a problem with alcoholism.
The consumption of this class B drug is glorified.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11968990
New Zealanders told to conserve water.
Meanwhile, rich foreign corporations takes money for free and make mega bucks.
Why is New Zealand so stupid?
https://mobile.twitter.com/MPD_NZ/status/947972622804848640
We are likely to be in Dire Straits paying for not enough water for us with all this Money for Nothing. Just a bunch of yo-yos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcFFqGjz0_c
Now look at them yo-yos, that’s the way you do it
You play the [odds on the casino see]
That ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Money for nothin’ and your chicks for free
Now that ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Lemme tell ya them guys ain’t dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb
Agriculture is killing us.
And the article doesn’t mention the damage agriculture does to our environment.
‘Agriculture remains New Zealand’s most dangerous industry to work in, according to WorkSafe New Zealand.
As of November 2017, nine people lost their lives working in the industry last year – with three of those people dying as a result of quad bike accidents.
With a total of 124 deaths in the past six years, the sector is New Zealand’s deadliest. ’
https://t.co/Jrt6A6kQcv?amp=1
Thank you. Links appreciated.
Great article.
‘Jamie-Lee Ross eventually had a very nice meal.’
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/01/03/2017-parting-shots-from-the-right-tantrums-bloated-entitlements-and-low-low-expectations-for-our-youth-toru/
And the statistic of the year is…
11737 – 2
That’s not a statistic.
Thanks for the link draco – I remember the table being tweeted – and good that the Royal Society of Statistics has chosen this (or rather the 69 lawnmower deaths per year) to be the most significant statistic of the year – and one that is on the increase.
Reminds me of the story about the guy who was driving home from work and saw someone cutting their hedge with a rotary mower. Wow that’s a great idea he thought! On his subsequent trip into the hospital with all his fingers chopped off – the doc in emergency says: “Don’t tell me – but you were driving home and saw this guy cutting his hedge with a rotary mower – right?
“Yeah! How did you know?
” because I’ve just treated him.”
President Trump is threatening to suspend the US$400 million a year it spends in the Palestine Authority areas, if the Palestinians don’t get to the peace negotiating table:
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RS22967.pdf
Kinda puts the Lorde thing in the shade.
You can guarantee Iran will be ready with the cash to substitute-out the (massive) US aid contribution.
Chinese might be interested, too
The owners of Fusion GPS, the outfit who commissioned Steele to investigate and report on Trump, have penned an op-ed saying Trump’s operation is nothing more than a money laundering front.
Explains today’s twitter outburst.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/02/opinion/republicans-investigation-fusion-gps.html
A very interesting piece – thanks for the link Joe. Pretty much confirms what I have been thinking and saying for the past year. Interestingly Steele chose on his own bat to go to the FBI with the results of his investigation, independently of who had commissioned him, it was that serious. This confirmed with the FBI what they had been hearing from different sources.
The fact that Trump is shunned by every major bank in the US and has used Deutsche Bank for all his business activity, and that he has so many dealings with Russian Oligarchs (who are only oligarchs because of their intimate relationship with the Kremlin) it is hardly surprising that there was something fishy going on. And the twitter outburst today merely confirms it. “He doth protest too much”.
Interesting piece on how the oligarchs came to be.
(you’ll have to cough up an email address)
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/putin-oligarchs-children-by-anders-aslund-2017-06
yep! Public Private Partnerships have got nothing on these guys.
You mean Putin is a stinking capitalist, who would have thought…
Thanks for that joe90 @ 19
It is beyond my comprehension that so many nation’s leaders including Australia, Britain and maybe even NZ are prepared to do business with such a corrupt regime as the Trump administration. Link:
Why don’t Fusion GPS leak their own testimony then?
I guess such Testimony to Congress would be classified – and would be a breech of official information were it to be leaked.
Close, I reckon. The material would have legal privilege if released by the committee – but not if leaked by the submitters, who could then be arrested or sued for defamation etc by interested parties.
I suspected as much. But they could still release an ‘overview’ without revealing the actual content of the testimony. That should be enough to point people in the right direction and set a dialogue going.
Actually I think they have done that already in the piece that joe links to above. It’s pretty clear that the Testimony they gave would be along those lines that the Steele investigation revealed a great number of questionable relationships between Trump, his organisation, and the campaign, and Russians with links to the Kremlin. Trump has already been convicted via his casinos of money laundering.
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/22/politics/trump-taj-mahal/index.html
The deal wrt to Florida Mansion sale to a Russian Oligarch reeks of money laundering as well.
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/why-did-a-russian-pay-95m-to-buy-trumps-palm-beach-mansion/
to name but two examples.
These people have Trump in their pocket.
We should deal with these tax dodgers.
‘Google has moved more than £14 billion ($26.8b) into a tax haven in a controversial bid to slash its bills.
The internet search giant funnelled the cash through low-tax European countries and then into Bermuda, in a switch thought to have saved it £2.7b ($5.1b) in 2016.
To reduce its bills, Google books most of its international advertising revenues – including those from the UK – in low-tax Ireland.
It then passes this on to a company in the Netherlands, where there are also generous tax laws, in a strategy known as “the Double Irish with Dutch Sandwich”.
From there the money is sent to Bermuda, where the corporate tax rate is zero.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11969108
Just a thought….
The Scarlet Pimpernel – Madame Guillotine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mJYrRYfre0
The Internal Revenue Service is demanding a whopping $7 billion or more in back taxes from the world’s most profitable hedge fund, whose boss’s wealth and cyber savvy helped Donald Trump pole-vault into the White House.
Suddenly, the government’s seven-year pursuit of Renaissance Technologies LLC is blanketed in political intrigue, now that the hedge fund’s reclusive, anti-establishment co-chief executive, Robert Mercer, has morphed into a political force who might be owed a big presidential favor.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article147454324.html
To add a different flavour to the discourse on paranoid money men JK Galbraith:
https://www.yanisvaroufakis.eu/2017/10/07/why-europe-needs-a-new-deal-not-breakup-op-ed-in-the-nation-with-james-k-galbraith/
Doesn’t that sound like the sort of thing we should be doing. It might save us big grief if we could batten down the hatches, borrow some money while it is still cheap and do something about our infrastructure. Alternatively we could continue on back to the glory days of previous laissez faire approaches and use child labour down mines, women naked to the waist etc. Men working in bare feet building roads. Old people in workhouses. The RW haven’t got any ideas about governing for the people, when push comes to shove it’s them at the front of the queue for any benefits, advantages to be handed out.
I’m sick of us paying pollies to drive the mammoth vehicle straight into a blinding disaster. They are trying to bring us back to where we should have been ten years ago. But now times are different and upskilling the problem solving to practical, rather than theory based would be good.
Talking about miserly sods who make mega bucks. This morning I was listening on RNZ to the back story of the Scandanavian flat pack empire Ikea. The guy who owns it has spent his life cost cutting, dodging tax and making it his life ambition to shave costs from the day of its inception. Now I have no truck with shaving costs, but to have all his well earned profit going into tax havens makes me feel a bit dirty as if I need a shower.
It must be a miserable existence to spend your entire life just wanting more and more and never giving a little to make life better for his employees and to support his country with the largesse of his good life – taxes to help the country to be a decent place to live. This skinflint is worth millions and is in the world’s top rich list. Good for him for being so successful but a really black score for being such a miserable shit. We have many more like him in this world and what a sorry state the world is in for it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04nmxy2
I put the arsehole Peter Thiel in the same bracket. Pops down to NZ. Ingratiates himself with wannabe billionaires like John Key. Spreads a bit of largesse around to make it look like he’s generous. Buys a swanky mansion down Queenstown way. Rumoured to have purchased other properties – probably for tax avoidance/evasion purposes. Finally signs a deal with the Key government… does the dirty on them and skives off with all the profits… fleecing the NZ taxpayers in the process.
And that’s just his NZ pursuits. What a skunk!
“It must be a miserable existence to spend your entire life just wanting more and more …”
https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/dec/27/worlds-richest-500-see-increased-their-wealth-by-1tn-this-year?CMP=share_btn_tw
Pity RNZ can’t say the 2 words.
Climate change.
‘He said it was the worst conditions the area had seen in decades.
“This is my first year where I’ve had to make the decisions, which has been a baptism by fire. My father has been on the farm 44 years, running it, born and bred on the farm, he’s never seen anything like this.”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/country/347422/storm-too-little-too-late-for-drought-ravaged-farms
Are you kidding me.
What the &*&^^%%^!!! this really gets my angry.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/100310666/alltime-low-28-barrels-of-oil-dumped-in-west-aucklands-waitkere-ranges
The muppets sandflys were at it again today were ever I go the sandflys are following me playing with them selves I see there moves and lol.
I have told stories about when I was young and I said when he tried to hit me I ran away some people have enterpered that as I was badly beaten well know I had fights with people a couple of years older than me but because cause of my grate grandmother Mana everyone treated me really well after she died it changed but not totally. I figure out that it was them knowing that my mama will and the money in my accounts you see at the time of the incident of taking me to the bank I did not know it was to draw out my money. It wasn’t until one of my favourite aunties asked what happened to the money and her will and that mama told her that she was leaving everything to me that I came to that conclusion of being used for the money my MAMA has a lot of Mana. My wife had a hard life when she was young what I don’t get is intelligent people around her when she was young would have known what was going on and chose to do nothing WTF.
Alcohol was used to destroy Maori Mana.
Alcohol and a deceit full society.
Ana to kai