So Weasel Pete has pulled out of the Presidential Primary race–nice one with hundreds of thousands of early votes already cast–no chance for those voters to transfer their vote, and Buttigeig supporters second pick was substantially…Sanders.
It was not the “right” time, it was the tactical time to spoil as many potential Sanders votes as possible. He would not have lost money, his organisation was intact, he has let his supporters down.
Of course it was positive having a gay man able to stand on the platform, would not have happened even 10 years ago, but “Mayor Pete” has a sneaky pysops background that he obviously uses in politics. And Ms Warren seems to be going down, it is perhaps the “right” time for her to stop–but she is staying in for now to again herd Bernie votes, her supporters second preference too is largely Sanders.
And now Klobuchar is gone and will endorse Biden. The Democratic party establishment has decided that Biden is now viable and the donors have been giving their instructions to marginal candidates like Pete and Amy. Sh*t fight about to get double dirty.
You got any evidence for your assertion that " Buttigeig supporters second pick was substantially…Sanders "? The numbers I've seen are that Sanders was second choice for around 20% of Buttigieg supporters. While that may be a plurality due to Buttigieg supporters evenly spreading among the other candidates for their second choice, it's not "substantially" going to Sanders.
Of the polls I've seen on second choices, pretty much all second choice distributions were kinda evenly spread across the field. The only standout first choice-second choice pairings were Sanders-Warren and Biden-Bloomberg. But even among those pairings the second choice preference were only a weak pluralities, not a majority as you might expect if voters were choosing on policies and ideologies.
My brother got a cochlear implant about 8 years ago; it transformed his life. I remember sitting at lunch with him one day, and when I grabbed a biscuit from it's packet, he winces and says "I never knew a plastic bag could be so damned noisy!"
Not a lot of people know they were invented and developed here in Brisbane; one of the really good things Australia has done for the world.
There is some controversy in the deaf community about the way the cochlear implant disrupts their rather remarkably vibrant and interesting community, but on the whole most people who get one don’t hand them back in. I’m not sure if funding is the big limitation, or patient suitability around a greater uptake. They aren’t cheap and the follow up adjustments and maintenance require skill techies to get right … but it is certainly incredibly good value for money from a purely expenditure pov.
You would think that this close to Super Tuesday that candidates would make their decision after Tuesday, not a couple of days before. Buttigeig and Klobuchar must think it essential that their voters are freed to make other choices. However Buttigeig did not indicate who that person should be.
So it is fundamentally down to Sanders and Biden. Warren and Bloomberg have no chance.
Naturally Standardnistas will prefer Sanders. But I reckon Trump would beat Sanders in most circumstances. Of course Trump might also beat Biden, especially if Biden preformed badly in the debates.
As always, there's Congress to consider as well. I think it's entirely plausible that Sanders could win election to the Oval Office entirely out of disgust with Darth Drumpf, but there would also be a resurgence in split-ticket voting to ensure the Senate and maybe even the House would be in Repug hands. Specifically to tie Bernie's hands.
Not quite sure what you are talking about here pal…" Naturally Standardnistas will prefer Sanders. But I reckon Trump would beat Sanders in most circumstances. Of course Trump might also beat Biden, especially if Biden preformed badly in the debates."
1. Sanders has been showing he beats Trump in nearly all nation wide polls for at least 12 months..
2. Biden under most circumstances can't string a coherent sentence together and often looks like a deer caught in the headlights on stage..against Trump (really!) you can't deny he is a very good off the cuff debater, will in short order make Biden look lie the senile old man that he actually is.
I would put up links od Biden displaying obvious signs of senility, but why bother, anyone with even the slightest bit of self honestly would be aware of this sad fact already.
Trump – Biden would be a competition between two quite inarticulate people. Sanders can at least string an argument together, although that may not help win debates for him.
Personally I wouldn't write off trump so dismissively, have you actually watched some of his full off the cuff interviews or speeches, and not just the sound bites feed to us by our liberal media?
I have and I can tell you he can be really funny, super quick witted and play an audience like a pro.
Only a fool underestimates the strength of their enemy.
Yes, careless word, I agree. He has smart repartee honed down well. He's just so random at times when he is unscripted that you wonder if he knows what he's saying next. But for sure when there is an audience he changes gear. He's playing to his base in most of these situations. In fact in debates he's framing responses with his base in mind all the time when there are cameras present. That's what makes him so cunning. Yesterday I watched one of his 2020 election adverts, a full 5 minutes. It was chilling – very effective; railing against the same elite he’s part of, yet making himself sound like a champion for the other 99%
And that's why Bernie is the only contender who could match him in debates in my opinion. He's the legitimate caretaker of the 99% not the fake.
Yes I completely agree that Sanders is the only one who could best him in a debate, however what I am not sure about is whether the establishment DNC/Media would not rather lose to Trump than win with Sanders, the equivalent centrist liberals in the UK showed that that is an option they are prepared to take to defend their liberal ideology and power structures.
Ditching just before Super Tuesday is maximises the favours you get from the winner, especially if you endorse the candidate who wins. If you're sure you're not going to get anywhere, bowing out with grace means people still like you. Cabinet posts, party posts, funding for other campaigns, that sort of thing.
The trick is to maximise your benefit to them – bow out too early, you were a timewasting nobody. Bow out too late, you were an arsehole who harmed the winner by delaying the inevitable and running a damaging campaign.
Bloomberg will probably ditch after ST, if he gets pummelled enough. Sure, he's set aside $Xbillion for the campaign regardless, but I reckon even he knows he's screwed. It just needs to be spelled out for him clearly.
You could be right, it is looking a lot like the DNC party faithful are circling the wagons around Biden at the expense of Bloomberg..man the whole centrist thing has turned into a real freak show, it would be quite funny to watch if the stakes for the rest of the world weren't so high.
Biden was always the safe option – lifelong democrat, strongly associated with their previous successful president.
However, Jeb Bush started in a similar position.
Bloomberg basically makes no bones about substituting popular support for cash. I think he's discovered the limit of the hubris of wealth, and fundamentally misunderstood why dolt45 got the nom in 2016.
.."However, Jeb Bush started in a similar position." yeah and Bush wasn't obviously suffering from some sort of age related mental deterioration, which bizarrely (sort of like the kings new clothes) no one in the US media wants to tackle out right…like I said earlier, the moderate DNC runners are starting to look like a real freak show….but then I guess it's anyone but Bernie at this point for them…they would probably run a dead dog now if push came to shove!
Man what a weird reply, I mean what the fuck has that got to do with anything I said?, are you saying that you can't see that Biden is obviously suffering some sort of age related cognitive deterioration?
You should think before you type maybe, or are you like Trump..just operating straight from your lizard brain, well that is what that reply reads like anyway.
are you saying that you can't see that Biden is obviously suffering some sort of age related cognitive deterioration?
I'm saying exactly that. Is he the sharpest tack in the box? Possibly not. Is he suffering from any defect other than being in the public eye for maybe twelve hours a day during a pretty tough campaign road trip? Possibly not.
But, and let me be clear on this, even if I thought Biden were suffering from some for of long term cognitive impairment, I'd still trust Biden's recollections and perceptions over yours any day of the week.
Wow that is actually quite amazing to me that you can't see something so obvious, but maybe you haven't had much to do with old people?….anyway I can tell you this, I spend about five years travelling around New Zealand tracking down old cycle racers and interviewing them.
The age group ranged from about 65-95 yo, over that time I became very familiar with the different stages of mental deterioration in old men, and I can tell you with 100% certainty that Biden is not in good mental shape.
In fact two of my friends I made over those years have only recently passed away, both from dementia, a very sad condition thats for sure.
BTW I have no idea why you keep keep on saying "I'd still trust Biden's recollections and perceptions over yours any day of the week." grow up man, can't we have a serious conversation without dropping that kind of stupid shit into it?…why do that?
Aren't you the guy that posted just a day or two ago about how articulate and witty Don Dementia is?
Y'know, the dude that comes out with stuff like this when asked about a coronavirus response:
I think the financial markets are very upset when they look at the Democrat candidates standing on that stage make fools out of themselves, and they say, "If we ever have a president like this" — and there's always a possibility, it's an election, you know, who knows what happens? I think we're going to win, I think we're going to win by a lot — but when they look at statements made by the people standing behind those podiums, I think that has a huge effect.
You're making shit up based on media reports in a pretty hard campaign that's only going to get worse. I get that you don't like Biden, but either you know you're going out on a limb with your diagnosis or you have so much cognitive bias you genuinely can't imagine why someone might not see any basis for your assessment. Either way, I'd believe him over you.
Why make it personal? You made it personal when you chose to use something that affects many people and their families just for some interwebs pointscoring. And I'm really, really toning it down.
Edit: yeah, I say shit about dolt45. He’s a bullshitter. What I tend to avoid is diagnosing him and then finding it incomprehensible that someone might disagree with my internet reckons. That’s what you did in this thread.
"But, and let me be clear on this, even if I thought Biden were suffering from some for [sic] of long term cognitive impairment, I'd still trust Biden's recollections and perceptions over yours any day of the week."
That reply, with all it implies, is disappointingly personal. 'Smart' and 'blinkered' are not mutually exclusive.
"I confess that there are several parts of this constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them. For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information, or fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise. It is therefore that the older I grow, the more apt I am to doubt my own judgment, and to pay more respect to the judgment of others." (1787) Benjamin Franklin
Just grabbing a moment while Gosman is not hogging a hundred lines or two,
I am amazed at how many homes have been built – and are being built – between Wellington and Northland.
The normal Kiwis have set about meeting the housing crisis from the moment the present Government opened for business. Merely two years past.
Sir John Key built ONE SINGLE HOUSE in his nine years of flag mongering. Sir William English built nothing other than attending to his southland sooky staff.
During the same period of time Fletchers Ltd, have shat their britches backwards and forwards. As well as setting fire to A Convention Centre. Hopeless.
And Fonterra handed out a fabulous 8.32 Million $ for a year of slow work by a slow Dutchman.
There would have been no Housing crisis if Key and English and the Beautiful Paula had done a bit of work.
Nine lazy dumb years – given to us by Act and Smational.
I have seen some of the (so called) affordable home that have just been built around the corner from me here in Marewa, they are without doubt the shittest looking homes that I have ever seen built in New Zealand, squashed together like sardine cans, I would give them 12-18 months before they look like the ghetto that they will inevitably become…oh yeah and you need to pay $350,000 + interest to have the privilege to own one of those pieces of shit just to add insult to injury.
The irony is that these piece of shit homes are built right beside existing state homes from the 1950's-60's that are only just starting to have their tile roofs replaced after 70 years of service, there is no way these (so called) "affordable houses" will even still be standing in 70 years.
But that is Free market Liberalism for you…always always short-termism , no long term vision what so ever…and to think some people think these same idiots can help stem climate change, what a sad position we now find ourselves in, Labour, whom are pointless and no one really knows what they stand for or believe, but I am supposed to get excited because they are better than National…that's how low the bar is now for Labour, please just be better than the other political party of fucking psychopaths..
Class: The Little Word the Elites Want You to Forget
Chris Hedges;
"Aristotle, Niccolò Machiavelli, Alexis de Tocqueville, Adam Smith and Karl Marx grounded their philosophies in the understanding that there is a natural antagonism between the rich and the rest of us. The interests of the rich are not our interests. The truths of the rich are not our truths. The lives of the rich are not our lives. Great wealth not only breeds contempt for those who do not have it but it empowers oligarchs to pay armies of lawyers, publicists, politicians, judges, academics and journalists to censure and control public debate and stifle dissent"
David is all over the place today. You could probably count on one hand the times he has used a swear word on his forum over the past 5 years but today he said, "the fucking Prime Minister".
This was because Jacinda Ardern won't sack Shane Jones for racist comments about Indian students.
But then two posts later Farrar uses quotes from Jones with which to attack the government on light rail. He’d forgiven Jones already, or perhaps it was just convenient…
Farrar doesn't want Jones sacked for making racist comments. Farrar doesn't call Jacinda Ardern the 'fucking Prime Minister" because she won't sack Shane Jones for racist comments.
Farrar wants them all sacked and all looking bad because they are in power and National isn't. Using that particular language?
You can count on the fingers of one foot the number of times I've ever used certain language about Farrar. Farrar is just being a fucking drama queen.
Do not build Houses- Implies the great Nationalist Adrian Thornton
He knowingly promotes Act and National – who built nothing! Other than 1 house.
Absolutely nothing. – Key – English – Paula – Each of them Failures.
You are a man of great wealth Adrian – why don't You build great houses. !
Cut the F…ck- and Shit – and yuck. Thanks
[If you address a specific comment, please use the reply button. In any case, you’re barking up the wrong tree and way off the mark with your personal attack. Please tone it down and an apology wouldn’t go astray – Incognito]
It sets out some of the reasons for the problems (largely the increase in immigrants from the Key/English Government, while doing as little as possible about housing and transport), but I am concerned that the possibility is even being considered of adopting a "PPP" structure for a large project. There have been enough PPPs fall over that it should be a requirement that the government keeps on its books for any PPP a contingent liability with a realistic probability of being called to cover the costs of taking over a project. The article sets out why a PPP is effectively a means to transfer money from government to a private supplier. We have a number of large construction projects to compare; nine years of National treating everything as a means of creating private profit. The expressways have not all been unqualified successes – problems with surfaces mean that work on the Kapiti coast is still continuing. By contrast, the urgent need to restore the coastal highway from Kaikoura to Marlborough happened too quickly for such a heavy contractual process – much of the engineering was worked out as the project developed; much was on a labour and materials basis, and it was much closer to an old MoW type of project contractually; and worked better than most had expected.
If our government cannot afford a project, they can even less afford to borrow at higher cost to pay someone else large profits to do it for us. For Labour to criticise such rorts in future, it is important that they not índulge themselves – a future right wing government would see that as an endorsement by the left for subsidising overseas companies . . ..
Given that COVID-19 spread is unavoidable now & the elderly are going to be hit particularly hard (more likely to be infected / more susceptible to a severe case requiring hospitalisation / and, unfortunately, more likely to die from the disease) …
May be time to start encouraging the over-60s to voluntarily stay at home / "self-isolate" for the next 2 or so months (while ensuring in a well-organised, methodical way that they have enough food & other essential supplies available for this period).
Cut down the number of severe cases / chances of hospitals being overwhelmed / needless death.
At least wait until there is a local outbreak – 2 months in isolation then 6 months of the actual outbreak will drive people batty with cabin fever, if they're used to getting out and about.
.
Already seeing the very early stages of an outbreak here … hate to say it but we might expect the first death to occur in 3-4 weeks time (based on the average days elapsed between first confirmed case-to- first death in those Countries that have already experienced an outbreak) … will probably reach a peak somewhere between mid-April & mid-May – the point when hospitals / medical services / supplies are in greatest danger of being overwhelmed … unless we can slow its progress with far more urgent & decisive action than we've seen to date.
People with the virus are highly infectious during the initial 1-2 week pre-symptomatic stage + 80% go on to experience relatively mild symptoms (a segment will be completely asymptomatic) = silent spread going on as we speak. Look at the experience of other Countries … the idea that we only have one or two people infected and that this thing has been fully contained in New Zealand … borders on the ludicrous.
It's the 20% who experience a more severe / acute illness that we need to worry about … and they are disproportionately older & (or) have co-morbidities like diabetes, chronic lung disease, hypertension & heart disease. It could be that the outbreak only becomes fully visible when unusually large numbers of (mainly older) people start presenting to hospitals with acute respiratory distress syndrome. It won't take much for hospitals to be overwhelmed & unable to cope with demand … & then we'll see much greater mortality.
Western Countries in general have been far too lackadaisical … reactive rather than proactive. The complete lack of foresight & urgency has been astonishing to witness.
That medical services would be easily overwhelmed is apparent but the question remains what is the alternative expectation?
There is no realistic chance of excluding this new virus from NZ even if we attempted a full lockdown of the border, which would itself cause far more social and health problems than the virus….it will run its course. we will do what we can and yes, some will likely die…as happens every day.
Governments (or the human race) are (is) not omnipotent despite what we like to believe.
Thanks, joe90. The age range and the comorbidity factors make more sense than a blanket elderly prognosis. More males die as they smoke more. Comorbidity factors of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, acute respiratory problems, hypertension, all are at play. And age has its weight, but then I wonder how many of these factors also are more prevalent with age. So, thanks again.
High Risk COVID-19 Demographics (for infection / severe or acute form / death):
Older (over 60 … & esp over 80)
Co-morbidities like diabetes, chronic lung disease, hypertension & heart disease.
Male (not for initial infection but possibly for severe form & death … appears to be roughly 60/40 M vs F)
Smoker (possibly)
I mean, the odds are still clearly in favour of a good outcome for those in these demographics infected with the virus – I don't want to alarm anyone – but, as you might expect, a larger minority will experience poorer outcomes compared to younger / healthier cohorts.
Note: By "needless death" … I simply meant lives that would otherwise be saved if hospitals (under the potential scenario discussed) weren't suddenly overwhelmed with demand.
All things considered, the M/F population is remarkably balanced for over 50s in China. It's the younger generations that got unbalanced by their vicious policies.
It has been suggested that I should apologise to you for my comment in which I raised the big rise in Housing in the past two years.
You were of the view that the new houses where you have been and seen are "Fucking Shit" and will not survive for very long.
I do apolologise for offending you in any way that I did. I did draw attention to the fact that the National Government did not build but one house in nine years of Office.
I withdraw my idea that you might care to build a really good house. I apologise for that too.
Finally, I was Banned by Incognito for a whole six months and I am out of touch. Prior to that Ban my record was not perfect, but well enough received.
As I see it – Building Houses now is much more imperative right now – than chatting about Housing built many decades ago.
Please advise me if that is wrongful. May I repeat my Apology and withdraw any thing that offended you.
I appreciate your "here and now" sense of reality.
As for me, I did try to practice walking on egg shells during my Banning, while the Standard flew across the Seven Oceans, and across every Nation of the Globe – as well as the great Great possessions of the Trump Organ.
For me – I like The Standard to work through the "here and now" of New Zealand needs and Targets.
Weka – seems to me to keep close to what we can do – and how we might better achieve our Targets. A recent NZ Farming Article was very good.
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Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
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So Weasel Pete has pulled out of the Presidential Primary race–nice one with hundreds of thousands of early votes already cast–no chance for those voters to transfer their vote, and Buttigeig supporters second pick was substantially…Sanders.
It was not the “right” time, it was the tactical time to spoil as many potential Sanders votes as possible. He would not have lost money, his organisation was intact, he has let his supporters down.
Of course it was positive having a gay man able to stand on the platform, would not have happened even 10 years ago, but “Mayor Pete” has a sneaky pysops background that he obviously uses in politics. And Ms Warren seems to be going down, it is perhaps the “right” time for her to stop–but she is staying in for now to again herd Bernie votes, her supporters second preference too is largely Sanders.
What a contest.
And now Klobuchar is gone and will endorse Biden. The Democratic party establishment has decided that Biden is now viable and the donors have been giving their instructions to marginal candidates like Pete and Amy. Sh*t fight about to get double dirty.
You got any evidence for your assertion that " Buttigeig supporters second pick was substantially…Sanders "? The numbers I've seen are that Sanders was second choice for around 20% of Buttigieg supporters. While that may be a plurality due to Buttigieg supporters evenly spreading among the other candidates for their second choice, it's not "substantially" going to Sanders.
Of the polls I've seen on second choices, pretty much all second choice distributions were kinda evenly spread across the field. The only standout first choice-second choice pairings were Sanders-Warren and Biden-Bloomberg. But even among those pairings the second choice preference were only a weak pluralities, not a majority as you might expect if voters were choosing on policies and ideologies.
https://morningconsult.com/2020-democratic-primary/
Ricky got his implant! So happy for him :_
And BIG thank you to the anonymous donor x
https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2020/03/living-in-silence/
My brother got a cochlear implant about 8 years ago; it transformed his life. I remember sitting at lunch with him one day, and when I grabbed a biscuit from it's packet, he winces and says "I never knew a plastic bag could be so damned noisy!"
Not a lot of people know they were invented and developed here in Brisbane; one of the really good things Australia has done for the world.
There is some controversy in the deaf community about the way the cochlear implant disrupts their rather remarkably vibrant and interesting community, but on the whole most people who get one don’t hand them back in. I’m not sure if funding is the big limitation, or patient suitability around a greater uptake. They aren’t cheap and the follow up adjustments and maintenance require skill techies to get right … but it is certainly incredibly good value for money from a purely expenditure pov.
Funding. And our thanks to Aus for wi-fi as well.
You would think that this close to Super Tuesday that candidates would make their decision after Tuesday, not a couple of days before. Buttigeig and Klobuchar must think it essential that their voters are freed to make other choices. However Buttigeig did not indicate who that person should be.
So it is fundamentally down to Sanders and Biden. Warren and Bloomberg have no chance.
Naturally Standardnistas will prefer Sanders. But I reckon Trump would beat Sanders in most circumstances. Of course Trump might also beat Biden, especially if Biden preformed badly in the debates.
As always, there's Congress to consider as well. I think it's entirely plausible that Sanders could win election to the Oval Office entirely out of disgust with Darth Drumpf, but there would also be a resurgence in split-ticket voting to ensure the Senate and maybe even the House would be in Repug hands. Specifically to tie Bernie's hands.
Not quite sure what you are talking about here pal…" Naturally Standardnistas will prefer Sanders. But I reckon Trump would beat Sanders in most circumstances. Of course Trump might also beat Biden, especially if Biden preformed badly in the debates."
1. Sanders has been showing he beats Trump in nearly all nation wide polls for at least 12 months..
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_sanders-6250.html
2. Biden under most circumstances can't string a coherent sentence together and often looks like a deer caught in the headlights on stage..against Trump (really!) you can't deny he is a very good off the cuff debater, will in short order make Biden look lie the senile old man that he actually is.
I would put up links od Biden displaying obvious signs of senility, but why bother, anyone with even the slightest bit of self honestly would be aware of this sad fact already.
Trump – Biden would be a competition between two quite inarticulate people. Sanders can at least string an argument together, although that may not help win debates for him.
Personally I wouldn't write off trump so dismissively, have you actually watched some of his full off the cuff interviews or speeches, and not just the sound bites feed to us by our liberal media?
I have and I can tell you he can be really funny, super quick witted and play an audience like a pro.
Only a fool underestimates the strength of their enemy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfl13QyQZKc
Yes, careless word, I agree. He has smart repartee honed down well. He's just so random at times when he is unscripted that you wonder if he knows what he's saying next. But for sure when there is an audience he changes gear. He's playing to his base in most of these situations. In fact in debates he's framing responses with his base in mind all the time when there are cameras present. That's what makes him so cunning. Yesterday I watched one of his 2020 election adverts, a full 5 minutes. It was chilling – very effective; railing against the same elite he’s part of, yet making himself sound like a champion for the other 99%
And that's why Bernie is the only contender who could match him in debates in my opinion. He's the legitimate caretaker of the 99% not the fake.
Yes I completely agree that Sanders is the only one who could best him in a debate, however what I am not sure about is whether the establishment DNC/Media would not rather lose to Trump than win with Sanders, the equivalent centrist liberals in the UK showed that that is an option they are prepared to take to defend their liberal ideology and power structures.
How great that the American President is really funny, super quick witted and plays an audience like a pro.
How sad the qualities a country and the world needs from an American President are not those ones.
Of course, that goes without saying.
Ditching just before Super Tuesday is maximises the favours you get from the winner, especially if you endorse the candidate who wins. If you're sure you're not going to get anywhere, bowing out with grace means people still like you. Cabinet posts, party posts, funding for other campaigns, that sort of thing.
The trick is to maximise your benefit to them – bow out too early, you were a timewasting nobody. Bow out too late, you were an arsehole who harmed the winner by delaying the inevitable and running a damaging campaign.
Bloomberg will probably ditch after ST, if he gets pummelled enough. Sure, he's set aside $Xbillion for the campaign regardless, but I reckon even he knows he's screwed. It just needs to be spelled out for him clearly.
You could be right, it is looking a lot like the DNC party faithful are circling the wagons around Biden at the expense of Bloomberg..man the whole centrist thing has turned into a real freak show, it would be quite funny to watch if the stakes for the rest of the world weren't so high.
Biden was always the safe option – lifelong democrat, strongly associated with their previous successful president.
However, Jeb Bush started in a similar position.
Bloomberg basically makes no bones about substituting popular support for cash. I think he's discovered the limit of the hubris of wealth, and fundamentally misunderstood why dolt45 got the nom in 2016.
.."However, Jeb Bush started in a similar position." yeah and Bush wasn't obviously suffering from some sort of age related mental deterioration, which bizarrely (sort of like the kings new clothes) no one in the US media wants to tackle out right…like I said earlier, the moderate DNC runners are starting to look like a real freak show….but then I guess it's anyone but Bernie at this point for them…they would probably run a dead dog now if push came to shove!
I'd never vote for him in a primary, but I'd trust Biden's recollections and perceptions over yours any day of the week.
Man what a weird reply, I mean what the fuck has that got to do with anything I said?, are you saying that you can't see that Biden is obviously suffering some sort of age related cognitive deterioration?
You should think before you type maybe, or are you like Trump..just operating straight from your lizard brain, well that is what that reply reads like anyway.
I'm saying exactly that. Is he the sharpest tack in the box? Possibly not. Is he suffering from any defect other than being in the public eye for maybe twelve hours a day during a pretty tough campaign road trip? Possibly not.
But, and let me be clear on this, even if I thought Biden were suffering from some for of long term cognitive impairment, I'd still trust Biden's recollections and perceptions over yours any day of the week.
Wow that is actually quite amazing to me that you can't see something so obvious, but maybe you haven't had much to do with old people?….anyway I can tell you this, I spend about five years travelling around New Zealand tracking down old cycle racers and interviewing them.
The age group ranged from about 65-95 yo, over that time I became very familiar with the different stages of mental deterioration in old men, and I can tell you with 100% certainty that Biden is not in good mental shape.
In fact two of my friends I made over those years have only recently passed away, both from dementia, a very sad condition thats for sure.
BTW I have no idea why you keep keep on saying "I'd still trust Biden's recollections and perceptions over yours any day of the week." grow up man, can't we have a serious conversation without dropping that kind of stupid shit into it?…why do that?
Aren't you the guy that posted just a day or two ago about how articulate and witty Don Dementia is?
Y'know, the dude that comes out with stuff like this when asked about a coronavirus response:
edit: also https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/sep/20/as-a-foreign-reporter-visiting-the-us-i-was-stunned-by-trumps-press-conference
I don't care what experience you think you have.
You're making shit up based on media reports in a pretty hard campaign that's only going to get worse. I get that you don't like Biden, but either you know you're going out on a limb with your diagnosis or you have so much cognitive bias you genuinely can't imagine why someone might not see any basis for your assessment. Either way, I'd believe him over you.
Why make it personal? You made it personal when you chose to use something that affects many people and their families just for some interwebs pointscoring. And I'm really, really toning it down.
Edit: yeah, I say shit about dolt45. He’s a bullshitter. What I tend to avoid is diagnosing him and then finding it incomprehensible that someone might disagree with my internet reckons. That’s what you did in this thread.
That reply, with all it implies, is disappointingly personal. 'Smart' and 'blinkered' are not mutually exclusive.
OK, change "Biden" to "Sanders" in the previous few comments and then look at who is "blinkered".
"Blinkered is as blinkered does."
I certainly can see Buttigeig being Secretary of State in a Biden administration. And that could position him well in a future presidential contest.
Buttigieg as Secretary of State? What do you see in his background and qualifications that would make him suitable for that?
About the only thing even vaguely foreign-policy related I'm aware of is his tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Getting the Job Done
Just grabbing a moment while Gosman is not hogging a hundred lines or two,
I am amazed at how many homes have been built – and are being built – between Wellington and Northland.
The normal Kiwis have set about meeting the housing crisis from the moment the present Government opened for business. Merely two years past.
Sir John Key built ONE SINGLE HOUSE in his nine years of flag mongering. Sir William English built nothing other than attending to his southland sooky staff.
During the same period of time Fletchers Ltd, have shat their britches backwards and forwards. As well as setting fire to A Convention Centre. Hopeless.
And Fonterra handed out a fabulous 8.32 Million $ for a year of slow work by a slow Dutchman.
There would have been no Housing crisis if Key and English and the Beautiful Paula had done a bit of work.
Nine lazy dumb years – given to us by Act and Smational.
I have seen some of the (so called) affordable home that have just been built around the corner from me here in Marewa, they are without doubt the shittest looking homes that I have ever seen built in New Zealand, squashed together like sardine cans, I would give them 12-18 months before they look like the ghetto that they will inevitably become…oh yeah and you need to pay $350,000 + interest to have the privilege to own one of those pieces of shit just to add insult to injury.
The irony is that these piece of shit homes are built right beside existing state homes from the 1950's-60's that are only just starting to have their tile roofs replaced after 70 years of service, there is no way these (so called) "affordable houses" will even still be standing in 70 years.
But that is Free market Liberalism for you…always always short-termism , no long term vision what so ever…and to think some people think these same idiots can help stem climate change, what a sad position we now find ourselves in, Labour, whom are pointless and no one really knows what they stand for or believe, but I am supposed to get excited because they are better than National…that's how low the bar is now for Labour, please just be better than the other political party of fucking psychopaths..
Yes, this race-to-the-bottom, market driven, housing shenanagins is the best argument for a reboot of Ministry of Works.
Have the state build and manage housing stock.
Makes so much sense, unless there were a bunch of landlords overseeing things…..
Yep you hit the nail right on the head there…."Makes so much sense, unless there were a bunch of landlords overseeing things….."
Klobuchar out and endorsing Biden.
Class: The Little Word the Elites Want You to Forget
Chris Hedges;
"Aristotle, Niccolò Machiavelli, Alexis de Tocqueville, Adam Smith and Karl Marx grounded their philosophies in the understanding that there is a natural antagonism between the rich and the rest of us. The interests of the rich are not our interests. The truths of the rich are not our truths. The lives of the rich are not our lives. Great wealth not only breeds contempt for those who do not have it but it empowers oligarchs to pay armies of lawyers, publicists, politicians, judges, academics and journalists to censure and control public debate and stifle dissent"
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/class-the-little-word-the-elites-want-you-to-forget/
Farrar watch:
David is all over the place today. You could probably count on one hand the times he has used a swear word on his forum over the past 5 years but today he said, "the fucking Prime Minister".
This was because Jacinda Ardern won't sack Shane Jones for racist comments about Indian students.
But then two posts later Farrar uses quotes from Jones with which to attack the government on light rail. He’d forgiven Jones already, or perhaps it was just convenient…
You can't have it both ways, David!
Farrar doesn't want Jones sacked for making racist comments. Farrar doesn't call Jacinda Ardern the 'fucking Prime Minister" because she won't sack Shane Jones for racist comments.
Farrar wants them all sacked and all looking bad because they are in power and National isn't. Using that particular language?
You can count on the fingers of one foot the number of times I've ever used certain language about Farrar. Farrar is just being a fucking drama queen.
Professional gymnast. Whichever way the money and power flow..
Do not build Houses- Implies the great Nationalist Adrian Thornton
He knowingly promotes Act and National – who built nothing! Other than 1 house.
Absolutely nothing. – Key – English – Paula – Each of them Failures.
You are a man of great wealth Adrian – why don't You build great houses. !
Cut the F…ck- and Shit – and yuck. Thanks
[If you address a specific comment, please use the reply button. In any case, you’re barking up the wrong tree and way off the mark with your personal attack. Please tone it down and an apology wouldn’t go astray – Incognito]
Settle down. Adrian is nothing of the sort. Just read his comments better.
See my Moderation note @ 11:38 AM.
Auckland public transport has been a problem for years, and options for 'solving' the problems are not easy to resolve. This is a good article:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/119863249/government-splits-three-ways-on-light-rail-as-more-details-emerge-of-dramatic-super-fund-plan
It sets out some of the reasons for the problems (largely the increase in immigrants from the Key/English Government, while doing as little as possible about housing and transport), but I am concerned that the possibility is even being considered of adopting a "PPP" structure for a large project. There have been enough PPPs fall over that it should be a requirement that the government keeps on its books for any PPP a contingent liability with a realistic probability of being called to cover the costs of taking over a project. The article sets out why a PPP is effectively a means to transfer money from government to a private supplier. We have a number of large construction projects to compare; nine years of National treating everything as a means of creating private profit. The expressways have not all been unqualified successes – problems with surfaces mean that work on the Kapiti coast is still continuing. By contrast, the urgent need to restore the coastal highway from Kaikoura to Marlborough happened too quickly for such a heavy contractual process – much of the engineering was worked out as the project developed; much was on a labour and materials basis, and it was much closer to an old MoW type of project contractually; and worked better than most had expected.
If our government cannot afford a project, they can even less afford to borrow at higher cost to pay someone else large profits to do it for us. For Labour to criticise such rorts in future, it is important that they not índulge themselves – a future right wing government would see that as an endorsement by the left for subsidising overseas companies . . ..
Given that COVID-19 spread is unavoidable now & the elderly are going to be hit particularly hard (more likely to be infected / more susceptible to a severe case requiring hospitalisation / and, unfortunately, more likely to die from the disease) …
May be time to start encouraging the over-60s to voluntarily stay at home / "self-isolate" for the next 2 or so months (while ensuring in a well-organised, methodical way that they have enough food & other essential supplies available for this period).
Cut down the number of severe cases / chances of hospitals being overwhelmed / needless death.
At least wait until there is a local outbreak – 2 months in isolation then 6 months of the actual outbreak will drive people batty with cabin fever, if they're used to getting out and about.
.
Already seeing the very early stages of an outbreak here … hate to say it but we might expect the first death to occur in 3-4 weeks time (based on the average days elapsed between first confirmed case-to- first death in those Countries that have already experienced an outbreak) … will probably reach a peak somewhere between mid-April & mid-May – the point when hospitals / medical services / supplies are in greatest danger of being overwhelmed … unless we can slow its progress with far more urgent & decisive action than we've seen to date.
People with the virus are highly infectious during the initial 1-2 week pre-symptomatic stage + 80% go on to experience relatively mild symptoms (a segment will be completely asymptomatic) = silent spread going on as we speak. Look at the experience of other Countries … the idea that we only have one or two people infected and that this thing has been fully contained in New Zealand … borders on the ludicrous.
It's the 20% who experience a more severe / acute illness that we need to worry about … and they are disproportionately older & (or) have co-morbidities like diabetes, chronic lung disease, hypertension & heart disease. It could be that the outbreak only becomes fully visible when unusually large numbers of (mainly older) people start presenting to hospitals with acute respiratory distress syndrome. It won't take much for hospitals to be overwhelmed & unable to cope with demand … & then we'll see much greater mortality.
Western Countries in general have been far too lackadaisical … reactive rather than proactive. The complete lack of foresight & urgency has been astonishing to witness.
That medical services would be easily overwhelmed is apparent but the question remains what is the alternative expectation?
There is no realistic chance of excluding this new virus from NZ even if we attempted a full lockdown of the border, which would itself cause far more social and health problems than the virus….it will run its course. we will do what we can and yes, some will likely die…as happens every day.
Governments (or the human race) are (is) not omnipotent despite what we like to believe.
The concern has to be more than just age, surely?
What are the factors that put some people at more risk of 'needless death' from this virus?
"More likely". How much more? And why?
Has Grey Power responded to these recent events?
Have gerontologists or geriatricians pronounced?
Medical scientist with a background in developing anti-viral drugs.
https://twitter.com/DrDenaGrayson/status/1234119990128893953
This is a 30 minute video. Any written responses which can be re-read, excerpted, and are edited for unnecessary wording?
In 30 minutes I can read chapters of books. Videos are a less than satisfactory source of information.
Thanks, though.
I've been following this site.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Thanks, joe90. The age range and the comorbidity factors make more sense than a blanket elderly prognosis. More males die as they smoke more. Comorbidity factors of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, acute respiratory problems, hypertension, all are at play. And age has its weight, but then I wonder how many of these factors also are more prevalent with age. So, thanks again.
High Risk COVID-19 Demographics (for infection / severe or acute form / death):
Older (over 60 … & esp over 80)
Co-morbidities like diabetes, chronic lung disease, hypertension & heart disease.
Male (not for initial infection but possibly for severe form & death … appears to be roughly 60/40 M vs F)
Smoker (possibly)
I mean, the odds are still clearly in favour of a good outcome for those in these demographics infected with the virus – I don't want to alarm anyone – but, as you might expect, a larger minority will experience poorer outcomes compared to younger / healthier cohorts.
Note: By "needless death" … I simply meant lives that would otherwise be saved if hospitals (under the potential scenario discussed) weren't suddenly overwhelmed with demand.
Bear in mind that gender ratio might be skewed by Chinese population demographics.
All things considered, the M/F population is remarkably balanced for over 50s in China. It's the younger generations that got unbalanced by their vicious policies.
https://www.populationpyramid.net/china/2019/
Yet another example of why the change of government really mattered …
Pregnant women no longer criminals in NZ – another step closer
It's not only about votes in Parliament. It's about setting the agenda.
PMs English and Bridges would never have gone there.
Yeah, compared to them Key was bold. He was inspirational, he was a true leader. He went to the flag.
Well I hope this guy gets a hefty sentence. What a cruel bastard.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12313564
To: Adrian Thornton
It has been suggested that I should apologise to you for my comment in which I raised the big rise in Housing in the past two years.
You were of the view that the new houses where you have been and seen are "Fucking Shit" and will not survive for very long.
I do apolologise for offending you in any way that I did. I did draw attention to the fact that the National Government did not build but one house in nine years of Office.
I withdraw my idea that you might care to build a really good house. I apologise for that too.
Finally, I was Banned by Incognito for a whole six months and I am out of touch. Prior to that Ban my record was not perfect, but well enough received.
As I see it – Building Houses now is much more imperative right now – than chatting about Housing built many decades ago.
Please advise me if that is wrongful. May I repeat my Apology and withdraw any thing that offended you.
Nice work, OT.
I'm not much of an apologiser so you've done better than I would have been able to.
Thanks Muttonbird.
I appreciate your "here and now" sense of reality.
As for me, I did try to practice walking on egg shells during my Banning, while the Standard flew across the Seven Oceans, and across every Nation of the Globe – as well as the great Great possessions of the Trump Organ.
For me – I like The Standard to work through the "here and now" of New Zealand needs and Targets.
Weka – seems to me to keep close to what we can do – and how we might better achieve our Targets. A recent NZ Farming Article was very good.
Doing something for the sake of it….the markets further demonstrate their irrationality
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/03/reserve-bank-of-australia-cuts-interest-rates-to-record-low-05-amid-coronavirus-concerns
Covid 19 impacts will not be addressed by a rate cut….it is a supply issue
Inquiry into the Treasury’s Budget related Information Security Systems
Finding summary: the 2019 Budget leak was 100% Treasury's fault.
"When what has occurred is revealed, Grant Robertson will need to resign." (Simon Bridges, May 28).
Hello? Simon? Still there? Hello? Why the silence now?
Opposition 101: If you shout "Resign", you should really mean it. Otherwise you just spend your credibility for no gain.
Simon's homework: read Boy Who Cried Wolf.
You're right, Grant Robertson looks bloody silly now
So why aren't National demanding he resign?
Stupid then, or wrong now, take your pick.