Todays article about the Greens proposal of a guaranteed minimum income has been commented on by Rod Oram and I agree with him.
I am disappointed in labour. Despite all their fanfare to focus on poverty all they produced was an increase in the minimum wage. That did nothing for the very vulnerable on the bottom of the heap depended on a benefit that is too much to die of not enough to live on. The increase was good as long as it lasted, actual food inflation measured on price increases is at 3.5% for the last 3 months but this hasn't got the fuel tax increase of recent included.
Void of any ideas, we get to hear that the tax system is fair. Of cause it is for those who have a disproportionate slice of the pie, courtesy by the taxpayer no less.
BTW, what ever happened to the announced reduction of wages by 20% for the parliamentarians? Lets not talk about snout in the trough shall we. They think the public has forgotten. No they didn't.
…what ever happened to the announced reduction of wages by 20% for the parliamentarians?
Sorry to disappoint you Fw, but Parliamentary Services are still processing the change. Bureaucrats like to take their time with these things. Jacinda Ardern – or someone – expressed mild frustration about two weeks ago, so imagine its started or is about to start.
They will process this as long as it takes to get it out of the collective memory. Its like the story with reducing the number of seats from 120 to 100. Yeah Right.
Meanwhile, the Australian private "partner" skins the NZ taxpayer to get millions of our hard earned money as this government has not even read the fine print of the contract and they are now putting the dumb screws onto NZTA with the mega blow out of the Transmission gully, Water issues in Auckland that haven't been addressed for years (any political party) and they wont be the last to experience this, millions of taxpayer money syphoned by fraud from Americas cup team (IT is an issue for a millionaires cup?) and the stories keep going…
Walking the talk BS and it does not matter where you look, no wonder people take to the streets. It maybe for isolated issues but really there is an underlying (lying?? ok pun intended) issue.
Very helpful, lets see whether its implemented. People have taken a cut in hours(pay) or have lost their job since May I may point out. Meanwhile 200 000 are on a benefit.
This is what was achieved in health when David Clark was Minister. I wish the likes of Tova and Heather et al would inform themselves better………..this is from who is being described as an incompetent minister. And Yes I absolutely acknowledge his errors with the lockdown breach and taking ministerial responsibility
NZ’s largest ever investment in frontline mental health services
– Hiring 1600 new mental health workers which will result in 325,000 Kiwis a year receiving free access to improved mental health services
– NZ’s largest ever increase to DHB funding
– 3x the increases to health funding compared to what National delivered in 9 years
– Significant additional funding for disability support services
– Made GP visits $30 cheaper for 600,000 New Zealanders
– Brought in NZ’s long overdue medicinal cannabis regulations
– Free counselling for under 25’s
– Expanding telehealth and digital supports for mental wellbeing
– Delivered 80 new mental health workers in Canterbury schools (18 months earlier than promised)
– Extended free GP visits to under 14s
– Rolled out national bowel screening
– Opened Suicide Prevention Office
– Increased suicide prevention funding
– Established a national suicide bereavement counselling fund providing free counselling for people bereaved by suicide
– Tailored Māori and Pacific suicide prevention initiatives addressing New Zealand's persistently high suicide rates
– An expanded family and whānau suicide prevention information service
– More suicide prevention services in District Health Boards, including increased post-discharge support
– An improved suicide media response service, supporting responsible discussion about suicide across all media and social media.
– New research on improving health outcomes for Māori and Pacific peoples.
– Increased investment to develop innovative Pacific community health initiatives
– Established National Cancer Control Agency
– Developed Cancer Action Plan
– New Rheumatic fever prevention funding
– Largest ever investment in radiation therapy
– Extended the nurses in schools programme
– Expansion of mental health and addiction services for offenders
– $70 million investment for the building of mental health facilities at Hillmorton Hospital
– Significant hospital upgrades and funding increases to capital projects
– Fast-tracked new Dunedin hospital
– Large funding boosts to Pharmac
– Reimbursements for midwives working through Covid-19 response
– Boosted air ambulance network
– Rural locum relief for rural midwives
– More GP training placements in rural and regional areas
– New funding for AIDS research
– New funding for gender reassignment surgeries
– Strengthened NZ’s immunisation system
– Pay increases of between 12-15.9% for nurses, midwives, practitioners, community nurses, health care assistants & hospital aides
– Pay equity for mental health & addiction workers
– Initiated a wide-ranging review of our health & disability services
Would this have all happened without him? Not necessarily. He was the Associate Minister of Finance for the first 2 budgets and actively lobbied to ensure that funding was made in these areas.
Some of those are plans rather than results, which just plays into the opposition line about Labour's delivery. Also overplays the Minister's involvement. Just let him go.
If this list exaggerates health gains made during the two-and-a-half years that Dr David Clark was the Minister of Health, IMHO it's still a useful rebuttal to the frankly ludicious assertions made by some on this site that he was a do-nothing, MIA minister. Now I'll "let him go."
You left out the huge job getting the hospitals up to speed and accessing new equipment for the Covid response, thats why he was keep on because he did a bloody good job there, but look over there , fuck me he's riding a bike! Yeah like 5 million other Kiwis did.
Thanks anker for relisting this info from yesterday, many don't want to believe he achieved anything at all, and FACTs don't matter, sounds like I'm describing a Nat MP, but many here made that decision to ignore facts and portray their own misbeliefs.
Hi Gsays, just seen you question. To be honest, I did't compile this list. A very reliable contact of mine did. It sounds like you have some good information to say the pay rise was 6% over three years. That doesn't sound that great. I seem to remember there was a lot of toing and froing over it, so I will look into it.
I am not wanting to be a cheerleader for David Clark as such, but I think there was a witch hunt going on and its a little unfair. Just wanted to present a balanced picture.
Article in the Herald. today saying America are interested in hiring him
Unusual to see a judge advising a minister on how to do politics! The nexus where environment meets public interest and the economy will always produce allegations of bias when someone with a track record of partisan advocacy is given the power to decide who wins in a conflict situation.
Sage and Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods rejected Rangitira Development Ltd's application in June 2018 to mine a 12-hectare patch of conservation land at Te Kuha, near Westport.
Justice Clark said the coal mining company had alleged Sage was biased because of her "strong voice against coal mining generally".Sage opposed the mine while employed by Forest and Bird and had drafted submissions opposing it in the 1990s.
Since general principles are involved, this is a space to watch. Industry capture by means of lobbyists has been institutionalised in the USA for a long time and the public have been held to ransome. Now the boot's on the other foot, here.
Interesting to see that there's some part of this you don't understand: "A judge has advised Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage to handover future decisions on some mining projects after being accused of bias."
Could it be the relation between advised and advising? Third form English classes got taught they derive from the same root word when I was young – but maybe that was no longer standard practice by the time you entered college? Linguistic basics by then deemed too hard for English teachers to comprehend let alone students…
Back when I attended school in a cardboard box in middle of road, people did not even need to be taught that "a judge has advised Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage to handover future decisions on some mining projects" is not the same statement as "a judge advising a minister on how to do politics".
One is about being a Minister, the other about being a politician. Exercising a specific regulatory authority is far narrower than 'politics' as most humans understand the term.
Ok, Grasshopper. This would be a good headline “Judge advises Minister on how to do politics!”. As with many headlines nowadays, they are inaccurate and misleading, often deliberately and grossly. Your view reads like a headline.
Given that your premise is wrong, your comment becomes mostly nonsensical. My education and the foundation of my lacking language skills are not the reason for your nonsense. You are illogical.
Sacha's point above yours is good, since it addresses governance responsibilities – which then enables anyone else to see it as addressing a technical issue rather than being political. Rather than beating all around the bush, if you were sensing that relevance you ought to have said so. Simply pushing your subjective view of what is or is not politics achieves nothing, so long as you don't explain why you feel that the premise is wrong.
Finally, we agree that your premise was wrong, phew! It has taken you all day for the penny to drop; Sacha @ 9:59 am got it in one. I felt you were wrong, relatively speaking, but had to overcome subjective hurdles before it could crystallise in the subconscious and come to the fore to become the idea that you could see as your own.
Ah, not so fast to that conclusion! I don't agree my premise was wrong – I was simply acknowledging merit in Sacha's point. Thus there are two valid interpretations (corresponding to whether one prefers a wide take on politics that includes governance (the commonly-held perspective, and mine) or prefers a narrow view of it that excludes governance). Me, I've always been broadminded… 😇
How come you now are noncommittal and evasive? You enthusiastically asserted that the judge had advised the Minister how to do politics @ 3. Were you projecting again? Or simply trying to squeeze conform her advice into your own narrow but valid interpretation of politics without governance? Not a good verdict by the learned judge if it is open to such wide range of valid interpretations, IMHO.
Come now, I was honest in what I wrote. If you feel that is "noncommittal and evasive" that's your problem. Own your subjective reactions & feelings, why don't you?
I simply called it how I saw it. I see no point in your sustained effort to psychoanalyse me. It's not as if psychoanalysis were trendy: it lost its place as a predominant fashion trend in psychology long ago! And anyway, trying to make it all about the personality of commentators is not an appropriate way to conduct a political blog.
In other words you ascribed something to the judge’s advice that was never there? Because that’s how you saw it and that’s you called it? I’d call that making things up to suit your thinking AKA confirmation bias. Last time I checked, this was still very much en vogue so you are still trendy.
Personality comes through in behaviour and motivation, doesn’t it? I always wonder why people twist reality and what their motivation is. Often it is because they have an agenda, e.g. politicians, and sometimes it is ego-tripping. To label that “psychoanalysis” is fascinating but flawed. I don’t smoke cigars and don’t have a beard if that’s any consolation; your mind is safe. Newtonian mechanics is still very useful and taught at schools. As a Physics graduate you will appreciate the irony of that.
BTW, I’m not conducting a political blog, merely commenting and responding here and occasionally cleaning up 😉
Some people like defining words to suit themselves. Fine in their own back yard but rather useless in the public square. Villagers tended to shun them after a while.
A 20+ year 'conflicts of interest tail' must be both long and thin!
Third question: When judges 'advise' or 'suggest' (as opposed to instruct/direct) a course of action, are Ministers bound to follow? In any event, good that the application for a judicial review of Sage's decision has been dismissed, IMHO, and thanks for bringing this "win for conservation" to my attention.
Fourth question:
"Industry capture by means of lobbyists has been institutionalised in the USA for a long time and the public have been held to ransome. Now the boot's on the other foot, here."
So who/what is being "held to ransome" here? Arthur?
Btw, that fourth question was genuine. I’m easily confused by business/financial/legal matters – were you suggesting that this decision represents the public (via its 'ministerial lobbyist' Sage?) holding industry to ransom? If so then that's great – good example of our government acting in the longer-term public interest.
No no just pointing out the analogy – capture by interest groups. I agree the judge seems to be acting in the public interest & wish commenters would focus on the things that matter: setting a precedent (?) and constitutionality of that. I get that idle chit-chat passes time, but would prefer blog commentary to elucidate…
Regarding the racist Nat mp and returnees being sent to Queenstown. He should be so lucky they're not coming back from China, as every one in national knows Chinese count two more than Indians.
When push comes to shove, how many colleagues does it take to force a minister out? Heather du Plessis-Allan believes enough is enough:
the reason I don't believe it is because on Monday I was told there were moves afoot to force David Clark to resign. I was told more senior members of government and former senior MPs were involved in a bid to strike a deal with him. I'm told they realised the damage his snafu was doing to them in the polls, and decided to cut him loose.
And if you want to know what a political deal looks like, read Judith Collins' book where she tells how John Key forced her to quit and maybe come back as a minister in a year. What did the PM say today? Clark might be allowed back as a minister after the election.
I can see why she's baffled. Could it be that Ardern made a team play? You know, like a rugby scrum where all bind to drive forward. She could have just secured agreement that Clark needed to be shown how to be a team player. Having all those other top ministers gang up on him to push him out would have made it clear that it wasn't personal animus from the PM. Smart thinking!
Does it really require that much imagining to believe Ardern is that smart?? I'm troubled by your pessimism. Maybe there will have to be more prosetylising in the Labour ranks, huh? O ye of little faith!
Irrelevant. The court's judgment is the issue. "In law, a judgment, also spelled judgement, is a decision of a court" according to Wikipedia. The judge decided to advise the minister. Perhaps our resident lawyer will opine upon the issue. Good question: is it unprecedented? Another: is it unconstitutional?
Nice diversion and thus irrelevant. I’m really starting to doubt your judgement. You are commenting and opining here, the judge isn’t. This could apply equally to your comments @ 3 and @ 5.
You are opining here. I can see it with even one eye closed, day in day out. Why deny it? Why cloud your judgement to suit your narrative? I’m losing faith in your opinion as well as judgement but you write good headlines.
Do you know what a judge’s professional opinion is called?
Dennis Frank you seem to be putting some of the topics in your own salt-grinder and turning and turning until the letters start dropping individually. Actually leaving them a bit chunky for someone else to chew on would be good. Is that possible?
My ‘needs’ haven’t changed all of a sudden but my faith in your judgement and opinion has been rocked severely. Why would I go on about somebody else’s opinion to you? It makes no sense and I wasn’t but for some reason you pretended I was. I don’t think you’re particularly ‘slow’ and I can only speculate on your reticence acknowledging the issue I was referring to all along.
why not, after all the Black Hills, sacred to the Lakota (if anyone cares about the things the first nations of the US thought sacred) were exploded to carve out the presidents that stole the land from the Lakota.
Todd Muller on Checkpoint last challenged by Lisa on his policies. Not very convincing?
Muller batted away questions over a perceived lack of policies.
"It's not that nothing has come out, I've made a number of announcements – particularly in terms of supporting business to get them back up on their feet … there's a lot in the can but we're 10 weeks out and I want to make sure we sequence it in the right way. I've got a speech next week which I'm sure you'll be interested in and a number, a series of announcements."
He said the party had a mixture of policies that were complete, and some which were still being worked on.
"A bit of both … there are certainly some that have been finalised and some that haven't been finalised … I'm not going to go through that with you on afternoon radio."
How many elections have we seen where National had NO policies to announce, just more of the same and their response is "look over there at the opposition policies" and then deliberately misinterpret them with usual slant of higher taxes or don't have the experience or Just Outright LIES.
Yes Just Us. Seemed amazing that the Key lot could get away with that. This time might be different because they will have to come up with a compelling counter argument to manage Covid19 aftermath. Questions are already being asked and just saying that this Government is a shambles won't wash – I hope.
Anybody arguing that this Govt is a Shambles has their head in the sand and are seriously politically biased.
NZ is the luckiest country in the world today, because of the Govts response to the virus, there is no room for criticism fron anyone who values their credibility.
Xi seems hellbent on destroying all the gains China has made over the last 30 years, and he is intent on war to preserve his power, just like every other failing dictator.
Not content with trying to (unsuccessfully) bully the rest of the world, they are once again trying to bully us. No more. Boycott their products.
Trump may be an idiot, but he is right when he says the UN and WHO are largely funded by the west yet whose interests do they represent? The UN is nowhere to be seen on the virus China unleashed on the world due to its lies and secrecy. About tome they suggested that the evil communist government starts making reparations, particularly to the developing world. But of course, as always it will be the nasty old west that does that.
The single biggest disaster of our time is China C19, yet all posters on here seem concerned about os that isiot Trump.
Not true. India will eclipse China economically within the next 20 years, and they are a well educated, democratic society that we have a long and strong relationship with.
It's not about 'going back', it's more about managing the evil influence of China going forward. Following the UK approach of accepting large scale immigration from Hong Kong would be economically and socially beneficial for NZ and send a clear message of which side of the line we stand.
Edit
China. We should start studying some of their sage's thoughts on how to conduct oneself so as to win the war before it even starts. I don't know whether it will succeed, but we should try to do something better than throwing our arms up in the air despairingly, or letting people just walk over us without a move to lessen the pressure. Sun Tzu has a lot to say and if only one out of a 100 is a good, new idea, the study time won't be wasted.
“If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected .”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
“Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment — that which they cannot anticipate.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of Warhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1771.Sun_Tzu
And don't forget that Australia is not our friend yet we still find ways of interacting with them. China is on a path that is not good, is there some way we could change their course, using chaos theory? Some small variable that we could introduce at a time that's a tipping-point? Perhaps plan it out like tactics in a rugby game, seeing that has become our special interest. Rugby isn't just about being a boof-head though sometimes it seems so.
And just wonder whether we are the subject of some of Sun-Tzu’s moves ourselves. ‘..appear where you are unexpected’ – I didn’t expect the MP among our politicians?
Today's idiot decision makers in our tertiary education sector.Southern Technical Institute
This makes absolutely no sense at all.
Looks like government has provided money for a training course – heavy machinery driving 120 people funded
Minister says " his first priority is helping find work for New Zealanders who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19"
Course has been over subscribed
Half the course are people on temporary work permits ( need a status change or work placement to be allowed to stay)
Why on earth is the course not giving priority to unemployed New Zealanders. If there aren't enough living in the area then shift the course location or fund temporary relocation through WINZ..
It's absolutely barking mad. The taxpayer is paying for a course but not taking people who would otherwise be on a taxpayer funded benefit.
The organisation Rural Contractors New Zealand say they will be short of 1000 skilled tractor and heavy machinery drivers this summer and it is calling on the Minister of Agriculture to allow overseas workers in under the essential worker category.
Fuck em. Time for some industries to invest in training locals and increase their pay rates to attract and keep employees. Or go out of business if they are incapable of renegotiating their arrangements accordingly. Why should the rest of us prop up their profits?
Yes, longer term industries should fund their own training. Short term – with the crisis -it's probably a reasonable investment in changing work skills.
But STI must be brain dead – they should be required to take people who are eligible to work here, New Zealanders who have lost their jobs( or maybe who want to upgrade) rather than people who are on a short term cannot be used work permit. I'd like to think a "please explain" is already winging it's way from the ministers office.
nah, surely that can't be it. But maybe low pay, cold houses and the expense of moving is what is keeping people from not going for it.
usually when businesses complain of lack of skilled workers its code for 'our wages are so crap that we can only get people from countries were the wages are even crappier. please provide visas".
Alot of them are young fallas and fulesss one oe. Young kiwis chase the harvesting ,shearing seasons around the globe and foreign ones come here for the same . Most arnt full time jobs and are quit skilled . Any one can drive tractors ,even me , but operateing them with some of the gear they tow and on some of the terrain they they travel over is a another thing .
Did you tell james Cameron to get fucked and hire kiwis,
The courses are actually oversubscribed according to the story. How hard would it be to actually teach people who live here long term and would otherwise be on unemployment benefits.
Yep at the top end some of it is pretty skilled but that is not the object of this course – creating entry level people who can then move up or enable others already in the industry to move up. And some of the trainees are ex pilots – I'm sure an ex 747 pilot has the spatial skills to move up fairly rapidly … we just haven't previously trained any.
And james Cameron should also be pushed to have a training programme for locals rather than just a great big taxpayer funded bung.
It may come down to experience in the working world, with that I mean real work not carrier politics. It seems that a crisis shows shortcomings more pronounced.
Perhaps it can be treated like a vaccination. There is a dis-ease in NZ and to stop it becoming more advanced, give it a bit of a shot in the arm from education. Then perhaps we can concentrate on coping with the chronic illness we have of persisting in over-fattening ourselves on imported matter, and use home-grown product wherever possible. Have I been able to express this in a kindly but practical manner?
I thought this was a thoughtful message to people in general.
“We all commit our crimes. The thing is to not lie about them — to try to understand what you have done, why you have done it. That way, you can begin to forgive yourself. That's very important. If you don't forgive yourself you'll never be able to forgive anybody else and you'll go on committing the same crimes forever.”
― James Baldwin, Another Country
Well Florida's problem is just nature at work. There's a saying about Florida being where the retired 'snowbirds' go for the winter. And another 'Birds of same feather flock together'. So all the oldies go and mingle there and they must have a large proportion of older ages.
Now they have had 169,000 confirmed cases and 3,505 deaths. On 4 June new cases registered at 1419. On 18 June 3207, more than double new cases two weeks. The largest number of new cases registered was on 27 June 9,585 and then there was a drop which indicates a break in testing because it is so sharp. Latest confirmed new cases – (25/6-1/7 – 5004, 8942, 9585, 9530, 5266, 6093, 6563 = 50,983 in week. There is a potential for deaths in five figures from Florida alone. There won't be the room to bury such numbers, smoking chimneys common. RIP.
And Florida is a laid-back place about doing government honestly and properly. Carl Hiaasen has made his living from writing about their zeitgeist. If they cared about their visitors the government would have taken the oldies particularly, under their wing. They are worth billions to the state.
(To look at Florida and other state daily figures look up google and keywords – Florida covid-19 cases so far – which is shorter than the link address)
Note Idaho is shooting up percentagewise looking at chart further up – 467% new in last two weeks, but base numbers were low so at 1 July there were only 253 new confirmed cases. (6593 cases 91 deaths – recovered 4073)
Figures can differ between different reports. But the trend is the important thing, is it going sharply up, or plateauing, sloping down?
How did this idiot ever get elected, is the avg IQ in the US so low its not measurable
It is, IMO, the problem with telling people that their opinions are just as valid as everyone else's even when those opinions are not based upon fact or even logic.
Layers of irony here – someone in Seminole County saying "my body my choice". Not a choice given to members of the Seminole tribe forced out of Florida to exile in "Indian Territory" (Oklahoma) in the late 1850's.
Why would google have a 2020 date on a Herald article from 2001? I was looking up Laila Harre and came on a piece about smacking which I knew was historical stuff.
May 7, 2020 – Youth Affairs Minister Laila Harre has condemned the law allowing children to be smacked, calling it 'legalised violence. ' Under the Crimes Act, pa.
I don't know if you remember the 2008 election where this issue was quite possibly the reason Clark was not returned.
The level of hyperbole and misinformation from Key and the media was relentless, the Anti Smacking Bill, right idea, wrong time, a Green Bill that was attached to the Govt, should have been left till after the election.
I think the outcome would have been a lot different.
I was thinking if Trump has a hiccup one morning and decided he wants to send armed forces here and we have to accept them, they might do a Guam on us bringing their nasty bugs with them along with their warmongering. In the old historic days the crafties knew how to use germs. They would chuck infected bandages etc over the walls to spread disease. They mightn't have known all the science but they knew what havoc it would create. We don't want that do we!
I know your suggestion is an almighty piss take- but if if happened who would be in our corner?? It wouldn't be Aussie UK France Canada The EU ..such irony the only ones likely to complain would be China and Russia.
But those 131,000 people enjoyed their 'freedom'. Albeit a totally insane conception of freedom – the freedom to not give a flying f*ck about anyone else, and have them not give a flying f*ck about you.
Has anyone else come across an 'app' called 'Logmate'? I'm just curious because for what its ekshully doing, it really should be capable of running on the most back-level "smartfone" device anyone ever invented. NZTA requires it, or something like it.
But as you were….there are far more pressing matters for people to discuss (oops have a conversation with)
anyone who is engaged in, or thinking of engaging in the g-g-g-gig economy, and if we don't know already, NZTA has a spectacular record.
I had a runout rego payment to make to NZTA. I phoned up to make the payment and got put through to some system that asked me to use the the phone buttons & tones to put all the payment data in from cards etc. Absolutely no indication of what the system was or the level of security or anything else. The only other way to make the payment was by cheque- which was what they got. The nice very practical person that I spoke to at NZTA did say that an on the ground payment option (other NZTA fees can be paid at the NZPO) would be a good idea but it appears to have been squashed further up.
As a matter of principal I believe there should be a whole of government /local body answer to being able to pay these and other obligatory charges without the payer having to incur excessive fees or costs charged by banking systems rather than every little department having its own system..
Logmate looks like a system that records commercial drivers approved hours.
That's exactly what it is. Not that complicated one would have thought. Inputting small amounts of data to a database to ensure drivers are compliant with the regs.
I guess Logmate's developer is probably making a killing these days removing all references to "Master" and "Slave" from code.
Nah they are worried that quarantine will kill the locals coming there. And as far as I am concerned they are dead right – I wouldn't go near the place any more than I would catch a flight on the local plague airline.
Queenstown is a freezing cold, overpriced sh*thole contaminated by sleazy money-obsessed Tories. Fifty years ago it was one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
True I agree and Eichardts was a pub with a public bar where no woman would feel comfortable but dogs were allowed. Those were the days.It's always been on the shady side of the lake though.
Fifty years ago it was a freezing cold, overpriced sh*thole contaminated by sleazy money obsessed Tories too. Whakatipu is still one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
I did wonder if the ppl letting Boult know they'd be staying away are the owners of the flash houses up on the hills. Never mind Jim, they'll still pay their rates.
Queenstown would be a bit silly for a plane load of people straight from LA, London or Delhi. The risk to the returnee, and the Queenstown health system and population would be too great. We've got a 20 – 30 bed third level hospital here and it's a 1 – 2 hour helicopter ride to better care depending on what's required. Not to say we didn't get through the initial bit in March without too much drama. And yes it was ALL on here for a few weeks.
That's not to say that some Queenstown hotels couldn't be set up to take lower risk people in their second week. This would take the pressure off Auckland facilities and put some much needed cashflow into into hotels that are at present effectively shut and their staff unemployed. There's several large hotels that are seperate from the rest of town that would be easily set up and controlled.
If part charging becomes a thing there's quite a few higher end places that could do a quite nice couple of weeks for a price, This is probably how our tourism industry will operate in medium term so would be a good way of setting that up and learning how to do it.
Why on earth are we even taking "expressions of interest" from potential migrants when we have a queue of half a million and 200,000 registered as unemployed plus those who would like more work but who don't register? Don't we need to quash the endless expectation that there will be endless migration.
The article is by a black Muslim immigrant woman so I can fully understand why she would like her family to be in NZ and her kids to grow up here (despite our faults) rather than the States.
I wasn't commenting on that individual, rather on the number of people looking.
Although if they are from the UK and looking they could have voted to put in MMP when they had the referendum, told the lib dems to back Jeremy Corban for #10 with a very limited agenda to move brexit along, rather than voting for Boris and giving him a landslide. Stop voting for the tories and Farage. Then maybe they would have what we have . The US is more complex but there will be some similar levers.
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Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
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 Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Todays article about the Greens proposal of a guaranteed minimum income has been commented on by Rod Oram and I agree with him.
I am disappointed in labour. Despite all their fanfare to focus on poverty all they produced was an increase in the minimum wage. That did nothing for the very vulnerable on the bottom of the heap depended on a benefit that is too much to die of not enough to live on. The increase was good as long as it lasted, actual food inflation measured on price increases is at 3.5% for the last 3 months but this hasn't got the fuel tax increase of recent included.
Void of any ideas, we get to hear that the tax system is fair. Of cause it is for those who have a disproportionate slice of the pie, courtesy by the taxpayer no less.
BTW, what ever happened to the announced reduction of wages by 20% for the parliamentarians? Lets not talk about snout in the trough shall we. They think the public has forgotten. No they didn't.
Link?
For any comment that starts with "Todays article" it seems essential, yes.
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/finance/personalfinance/greens-poverty-plan-welcome-and-essential/ar-BB16guae
Thank you. Interestingly still (temporarily for 24 hours) paywalled on the Newsroom site itself: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/pro/greens-poverty-plan-welcome-and-essential
Sorry to disappoint you Fw, but Parliamentary Services are still processing the change. Bureaucrats like to take their time with these things. Jacinda Ardern – or someone – expressed mild frustration about two weeks ago, so imagine its started or is about to start.
Hi Anne
They will process this as long as it takes to get it out of the collective memory. Its like the story with reducing the number of seats from 120 to 100. Yeah Right.
Meanwhile, the Australian private "partner" skins the NZ taxpayer to get millions of our hard earned money as this government has not even read the fine print of the contract and they are now putting the dumb screws onto NZTA with the mega blow out of the Transmission gully, Water issues in Auckland that haven't been addressed for years (any political party) and they wont be the last to experience this, millions of taxpayer money syphoned by fraud from Americas cup team (IT is an issue for a millionaires cup?) and the stories keep going…
Walking the talk BS and it does not matter where you look, no wonder people take to the streets. It maybe for isolated issues but really there is an underlying (lying?? ok pun intended) issue.
https://www.twitter.com/FoxyLustyGrover/status/1278407800817766401
Very helpful, lets see whether its implemented. People have taken a cut in hours(pay) or have lost their job since May I may point out. Meanwhile 200 000 are on a benefit.
Labour:
I Preferred Their Early Work
Tova on TV3 loves a scalp. I find it painful to watch her glee. She has had a great few weeks with David Clark and Simon Bridges.
She certainly can make a big deal out of SFA, she has a good nose for dirt.
This is what was achieved in health when David Clark was Minister. I wish the likes of Tova and Heather et al would inform themselves better………..this is from who is being described as an incompetent minister. And Yes I absolutely acknowledge his errors with the lockdown breach and taking ministerial responsibility
NZ’s largest ever investment in frontline mental health services
– Hiring 1600 new mental health workers which will result in 325,000 Kiwis a year receiving free access to improved mental health services
– NZ’s largest ever increase to DHB funding
– 3x the increases to health funding compared to what National delivered in 9 years
– Significant additional funding for disability support services
– Made GP visits $30 cheaper for 600,000 New Zealanders
– Brought in NZ’s long overdue medicinal cannabis regulations
– Free counselling for under 25’s
– Expanding telehealth and digital supports for mental wellbeing
– Delivered 80 new mental health workers in Canterbury schools (18 months earlier than promised)
– Extended free GP visits to under 14s
– Rolled out national bowel screening
– Opened Suicide Prevention Office
– Increased suicide prevention funding
– Established a national suicide bereavement counselling fund providing free counselling for people bereaved by suicide
– Tailored Māori and Pacific suicide prevention initiatives addressing New Zealand's persistently high suicide rates
– An expanded family and whānau suicide prevention information service
– More suicide prevention services in District Health Boards, including increased post-discharge support
– An improved suicide media response service, supporting responsible discussion about suicide across all media and social media.
– New research on improving health outcomes for Māori and Pacific peoples.
– Increased investment to develop innovative Pacific community health initiatives
– Established National Cancer Control Agency
– Developed Cancer Action Plan
– New Rheumatic fever prevention funding
– Largest ever investment in radiation therapy
– Extended the nurses in schools programme
– Expansion of mental health and addiction services for offenders
– $70 million investment for the building of mental health facilities at Hillmorton Hospital
– Significant hospital upgrades and funding increases to capital projects
– Fast-tracked new Dunedin hospital
– Large funding boosts to Pharmac
– Reimbursements for midwives working through Covid-19 response
– Boosted air ambulance network
– Rural locum relief for rural midwives
– More GP training placements in rural and regional areas
– New funding for AIDS research
– New funding for gender reassignment surgeries
– Strengthened NZ’s immunisation system
– Pay increases of between 12-15.9% for nurses, midwives, practitioners, community nurses, health care assistants & hospital aides
– Pay equity for mental health & addiction workers
– Initiated a wide-ranging review of our health & disability services
Would this have all happened without him? Not necessarily. He was the Associate Minister of Finance for the first 2 budgets and actively lobbied to ensure that funding was made in these areas.
Some of those are plans rather than results, which just plays into the opposition line about Labour's delivery. Also overplays the Minister's involvement. Just let him go.
If this list exaggerates health gains made during the two-and-a-half years that Dr David Clark was the Minister of Health, IMHO it's still a useful rebuttal to the frankly ludicious assertions made by some on this site that he was a do-nothing, MIA minister. Now I'll "let him go."
You left out the huge job getting the hospitals up to speed and accessing new equipment for the Covid response, thats why he was keep on because he did a bloody good job there, but look over there , fuck me he's riding a bike! Yeah like 5 million other Kiwis did.
Yep, hyperbole, deliberate character assassination.
Disappointing to see so many yesterday putting the BOOT in cos the media says so.
Thanks anker for relisting this info from yesterday, many don't want to believe he achieved anything at all, and FACTs don't matter, sounds like I'm describing a Nat MP, but many here made that decision to ignore facts and portray their own misbeliefs.
Hi anker, I am not taking issue with yr larger point, that Clark did get some stuff done.
I do dispute the 12 -15.9% payrise for nurses etc. Closer to 6% over three years.
What gives?
Hi Gsays, just seen you question. To be honest, I did't compile this list. A very reliable contact of mine did. It sounds like you have some good information to say the pay rise was 6% over three years. That doesn't sound that great. I seem to remember there was a lot of toing and froing over it, so I will look into it.
I am not wanting to be a cheerleader for David Clark as such, but I think there was a witch hunt going on and its a little unfair. Just wanted to present a balanced picture.
Article in the Herald. today saying America are interested in hiring him
I was really disappointed with his two lockdown breaches. I didn't buy into the bus throwing BS.
As an aside, the NZNO is in disarray, seemingly stuck between being a union and being a professional body. And not doing either to well.
It appears there are some high up in the Union who's loyalties lie close to the Ministry.
She's a grinning sadist with no apparent commitment to anything other than her own advancement.
Unusual to see a judge advising a minister on how to do politics! The nexus where environment meets public interest and the economy will always produce allegations of bias when someone with a track record of partisan advocacy is given the power to decide who wins in a conflict situation.
Since general principles are involved, this is a space to watch. Industry capture by means of lobbyists has been institutionalised in the USA for a long time and the public have been held to ransome. Now the boot's on the other foot, here.
It would be helpful if West Coasters came up with new industries rather than trying to resurrect mining.
Mining, milling, milking, managing, and moving. The NZ economy in a nutshell.
It would have been unusual if the judge had done that. Just as well she hadn’t, eh?
Interesting to see that there's some part of this you don't understand: "A judge has advised Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage to handover future decisions on some mining projects after being accused of bias."
Could it be the relation between advised and advising? Third form English classes got taught they derive from the same root word when I was young – but maybe that was no longer standard practice by the time you entered college? Linguistic basics by then deemed too hard for English teachers to comprehend let alone students…
Back when I attended school in a cardboard box in middle of road, people did not even need to be taught that "a judge has advised Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage to handover future decisions on some mining projects" is not the same statement as "a judge advising a minister on how to do politics".
One is about being a Minister, the other about being a politician. Exercising a specific regulatory authority is far narrower than 'politics' as most humans understand the term.
Whose interests does it serve to conflate them?
Ok, Grasshopper. This would be a good headline “Judge advises Minister on how to do politics!”. As with many headlines nowadays, they are inaccurate and misleading, often deliberately and grossly. Your view reads like a headline.
Given that your premise is wrong, your comment becomes mostly nonsensical. My education and the foundation of my lacking language skills are not the reason for your nonsense. You are illogical.
Sacha's point above yours is good, since it addresses governance responsibilities – which then enables anyone else to see it as addressing a technical issue rather than being political. Rather than beating all around the bush, if you were sensing that relevance you ought to have said so. Simply pushing your subjective view of what is or is not politics achieves nothing, so long as you don't explain why you feel that the premise is wrong.
Finally, we agree that your premise was wrong, phew! It has taken you all day for the penny to drop; Sacha @ 9:59 am got it in one. I felt you were wrong, relatively speaking, but had to overcome subjective hurdles before it could crystallise in the subconscious and come to the fore to become the idea that you could see as your own.
Ah, not so fast to that conclusion! I don't agree my premise was wrong – I was simply acknowledging merit in Sacha's point. Thus there are two valid interpretations (corresponding to whether one prefers a wide take on politics that includes governance (the commonly-held perspective, and mine) or prefers a narrow view of it that excludes governance). Me, I've always been broadminded… 😇
Of course, you disagree! Going back to the judge, which interpretation of politics did she use in her judgement?
Sorry, can't read her mind. Even if I could, would be presumptuous to try & interpret it. Trespassing in interior worlds is uncool. 😇
How come you now are noncommittal and evasive? You enthusiastically asserted that the judge had advised the Minister how to do politics @ 3. Were you projecting again? Or simply trying to
squeezeconform her advice into your own narrow but valid interpretation of politics without governance? Not a good verdict by the learned judge if it is open to such wide range of valid interpretations, IMHO.Come now, I was honest in what I wrote. If you feel that is "noncommittal and evasive" that's your problem. Own your subjective reactions & feelings, why don't you?
I simply called it how I saw it. I see no point in your sustained effort to psychoanalyse me. It's not as if psychoanalysis were trendy: it lost its place as a predominant fashion trend in psychology long ago! And anyway, trying to make it all about the personality of commentators is not an appropriate way to conduct a political blog.
In other words you ascribed something to the judge’s advice that was never there? Because that’s how you saw it and that’s you called it? I’d call that making things up to suit your thinking AKA confirmation bias. Last time I checked, this was still very much en vogue so you are still trendy.
Personality comes through in behaviour and motivation, doesn’t it? I always wonder why people twist reality and what their motivation is. Often it is because they have an agenda, e.g. politicians, and sometimes it is ego-tripping. To label that “psychoanalysis” is fascinating but flawed. I don’t smoke cigars and don’t have a beard if that’s any consolation; your mind is safe. Newtonian mechanics is still very useful and taught at schools. As a Physics graduate you will appreciate the irony of that.
BTW, I’m not conducting a political blog, merely commenting and responding here and occasionally cleaning up 😉
I’m bored now so TTFN.
Are you being honest when you claim to be honest?
Some people like defining words to suit themselves. Fine in their own back yard but rather useless in the public square. Villagers tended to shun them after a while.
Shamans tend to make weird sounds and speak in strange languages. The tribesmen are in awe. Until they realise it is just mostly ritualised BS.
Every village also has its idiot.
Is this the nexus where snarx meets slynex in praxis?
Yes, very good, I prefer to call it sparing
A 20+ year 'conflicts of interest tail' must be both long and thin!
Third question: When judges 'advise' or 'suggest' (as opposed to instruct/direct) a course of action, are Ministers bound to follow? In any event, good that the application for a judicial review of Sage's decision has been dismissed, IMHO, and thanks for bringing this "win for conservation" to my attention.
Fourth question:
So who/what is being "held to ransome" here? Arthur?
http://hull-awe.org.uk/index.php/Ransom_-_Ransome
Yeah I did spot that one, but too late to edit. Comes of gardening when frost is on the ground. Even the beanie didn't prevent brain-freeze. 😒
Good way to weed out the pedants. 🙂
Sorry Dennis, couldn't help it
Btw, that fourth question was genuine. I’m easily confused by business/financial/legal matters – were you suggesting that this decision represents the public (via its 'ministerial lobbyist' Sage?) holding industry to ransom? If so then that's great – good example of our government acting in the longer-term public interest.
No no just pointing out the analogy – capture by interest groups. I agree the judge seems to be acting in the public interest & wish commenters would focus on the things that matter: setting a precedent (?) and constitutionality of that. I get that idle chit-chat passes time, but would prefer blog commentary to elucidate…
Back to 3rd form Englix for you.
Regarding the racist Nat mp and returnees being sent to Queenstown. He should be so lucky they're not coming back from China, as every one in national knows Chinese count two more than Indians.
When push comes to shove, how many colleagues does it take to force a minister out? Heather du Plessis-Allan believes enough is enough:
I can see why she's baffled. Could it be that Ardern made a team play? You know, like a rugby scrum where all bind to drive forward. She could have just secured agreement that Clark needed to be shown how to be a team player. Having all those other top ministers gang up on him to push him out would have made it clear that it wasn't personal animus from the PM. Smart thinking!
Too much imagination, this time.
Does it really require that much imagining to believe Ardern is that smart?? I'm troubled by your pessimism. Maybe there will have to be more prosetylising in the Labour ranks, huh? O ye of little faith!
My faith in your judgement is wavering.
Irrelevant. The court's judgment is the issue. "In law, a judgment, also spelled judgement, is a decision of a court" according to Wikipedia. The judge decided to advise the minister. Perhaps our resident lawyer will opine upon the issue. Good question: is it unprecedented? Another: is it unconstitutional?
This seems to be a reply to #3.
Oh yes, thanks. Mental wires got crossed. 🙄
Nice diversion and thus irrelevant. I’m really starting to doubt your judgement. You are commenting and opining here, the judge isn’t. This could apply equally to your comments @ 3 and @ 5.
Anyone can see the judge isn't opining here! The judgment was made in court. Why try to cloud the issue? Facing the fact works better. 🙄
You are opining here. I can see it with even one eye closed, day in day out. Why deny it? Why cloud your judgement to suit your narrative? I’m losing faith in your opinion as well as judgement but you write good headlines.
Do you know what a judge’s professional opinion is called?
Of course I'm opining here, just like most commentators who post here. What's with this sudden need of yours to keep stating the obvious??
Dennis Frank you seem to be putting some of the topics in your own salt-grinder and turning and turning until the letters start dropping individually. Actually leaving them a bit chunky for someone else to chew on would be good. Is that possible?
My ‘needs’ haven’t changed all of a sudden but my faith in your judgement and opinion has been rocked severely. Why would I go on about somebody else’s opinion to you? It makes no sense and I wasn’t but for some reason you pretended I was. I don’t think you’re particularly ‘slow’ and I can only speculate on your reticence acknowledging the issue I was referring to all along.
Let the voters decide in Clark's Dunedin electorate, that is what an election is for.
Micky's never been the same since Auntie Maxine brushed him off.
/
https://twitter.com/mtracey/status/1278513333675659264
Can I have some of what he is smoking?
why not, after all the Black Hills, sacred to the Lakota (if anyone cares about the things the first nations of the US thought sacred) were exploded to carve out the presidents that stole the land from the Lakota.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/rushmore-sioux/
Oh poor lil man, whats he to do with his white working male class economic anxiety.
Cain's since been hospitalised with COVID so perhaps Lakota will get the last laugh.
https://twitter.com/THEHermanCain/status/1278444266881273856
https://twitter.com/THEHermanCain/status/1274489632886075398
btw, some names to watch.
https://okcfox.com/news/local/trump-campaign-announces-top-surrogates-for-tulsa-rally
btw, some
Good idea not wearing masks to the political rally. Let them be hoist by their own petard.
Todd Muller on Checkpoint last challenged by Lisa on his policies. Not very convincing?
Especially from 4:40
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018753281/muller-on-rebuilding-bridges-we-ve-a-professional-relationship
ianmac 7
How many elections have we seen where National had NO policies to announce, just more of the same and their response is "look over there at the opposition policies" and then deliberately misinterpret them with usual slant of higher taxes or don't have the experience or Just Outright LIES.
Yes Just Us. Seemed amazing that the Key lot could get away with that. This time might be different because they will have to come up with a compelling counter argument to manage Covid19 aftermath. Questions are already being asked and just saying that this Government is a shambles won't wash – I hope.
Anybody arguing that this Govt is a Shambles has their head in the sand and are seriously politically biased.
NZ is the luckiest country in the world today, because of the Govts response to the virus, there is no room for criticism fron anyone who values their credibility.
Maybe Muller will be up to speed after the election.
Time to call time on China.
Xi seems hellbent on destroying all the gains China has made over the last 30 years, and he is intent on war to preserve his power, just like every other failing dictator.
Not content with trying to (unsuccessfully) bully the rest of the world, they are once again trying to bully us. No more. Boycott their products.
Trump may be an idiot, but he is right when he says the UN and WHO are largely funded by the west yet whose interests do they represent? The UN is nowhere to be seen on the virus China unleashed on the world due to its lies and secrecy. About tome they suggested that the evil communist government starts making reparations, particularly to the developing world. But of course, as always it will be the nasty old west that does that.
The single biggest disaster of our time is China C19, yet all posters on here seem concerned about os that isiot Trump.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12345158
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12345066
We brought them into world trade.
We utterly depend on them.
And there's no turning back.
Not true. India will eclipse China economically within the next 20 years, and they are a well educated, democratic society that we have a long and strong relationship with.
It's not about 'going back', it's more about managing the evil influence of China going forward. Following the UK approach of accepting large scale immigration from Hong Kong would be economically and socially beneficial for NZ and send a clear message of which side of the line we stand.
India might be a democratic society, but corruption is now institutionalised, no real difference between them and China.
why? finding it hard to buy somewhat more expensive goods made by us?
NZ goods you mean that last 10 times as long and not made of shit metal and spit.
pretty much yes. Made by us.
Edit
China. We should start studying some of their sage's thoughts on how to conduct oneself so as to win the war before it even starts. I don't know whether it will succeed, but we should try to do something better than throwing our arms up in the air despairingly, or letting people just walk over us without a move to lessen the pressure. Sun Tzu has a lot to say and if only one out of a 100 is a good, new idea, the study time won't be wasted.
“If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected .”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
“Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment — that which they cannot anticipate.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1771.Sun_Tzu
And don't forget that Australia is not our friend yet we still find ways of interacting with them. China is on a path that is not good, is there some way we could change their course, using chaos theory? Some small variable that we could introduce at a time that's a tipping-point? Perhaps plan it out like tactics in a rugby game, seeing that has become our special interest. Rugby isn't just about being a boof-head though sometimes it seems so.
And just wonder whether we are the subject of some of Sun-Tzu’s moves ourselves. ‘..appear where you are unexpected’ – I didn’t expect the MP among our politicians?
Today's idiot decision makers in our tertiary education sector.Southern Technical Institute
This makes absolutely no sense at all.
Looks like government has provided money for a training course – heavy machinery driving 120 people funded
Minister says " his first priority is helping find work for New Zealanders who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19"
Course has been over subscribed
Half the course are people on temporary work permits ( need a status change or work placement to be allowed to stay)
Why on earth is the course not giving priority to unemployed New Zealanders. If there aren't enough living in the area then shift the course location or fund temporary relocation through WINZ..
It's absolutely barking mad. The taxpayer is paying for a course but not taking people who would otherwise be on a taxpayer funded benefit.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/country/419923/heavy-machinery-driver-shortage-leads-to-plea-for-overseas-workers-to-be-allowed
Fuck em. Time for some industries to invest in training locals and increase their pay rates to attract and keep employees. Or go out of business if they are incapable of renegotiating their arrangements accordingly. Why should the rest of us prop up their profits?
Yes, longer term industries should fund their own training. Short term – with the crisis -it's probably a reasonable investment in changing work skills.
But STI must be brain dead – they should be required to take people who are eligible to work here, New Zealanders who have lost their jobs( or maybe who want to upgrade) rather than people who are on a short term cannot be used work permit. I'd like to think a "please explain" is already winging it's way from the ministers office.
Down below I see we have hit 200,000 unemployed
They may have found a lack of eagerness among hardworking kiwi families to subject themselves to a cheery southern winter.
nah, surely that can't be it. But maybe low pay, cold houses and the expense of moving is what is keeping people from not going for it.
usually when businesses complain of lack of skilled workers its code for 'our wages are so crap that we can only get people from countries were the wages are even crappier. please provide visas".
Alot of them are young fallas and fulesss one oe. Young kiwis chase the harvesting ,shearing seasons around the globe and foreign ones come here for the same . Most arnt full time jobs and are quit skilled . Any one can drive tractors ,even me , but operateing them with some of the gear they tow and on some of the terrain they they travel over is a another thing .
Did you tell james Cameron to get fucked and hire kiwis,
Senior digital screen production expertise is a limited pool. Most of the industry here are New Zealanders.
Driving tractors, on the other hand..
Pull your skirt down your ignorance is showing.
Classy.
I believe it’s called a kilt.
Ssshh. I wanted it to be a surprise.
😀
The courses are actually oversubscribed according to the story. How hard would it be to actually teach people who live here long term and would otherwise be on unemployment benefits.
Yep at the top end some of it is pretty skilled but that is not the object of this course – creating entry level people who can then move up or enable others already in the industry to move up. And some of the trainees are ex pilots – I'm sure an ex 747 pilot has the spatial skills to move up fairly rapidly … we just haven't previously trained any.
And james Cameron should also be pushed to have a training programme for locals rather than just a great big taxpayer funded bung.
It may come down to experience in the working world, with that I mean real work not carrier politics. It seems that a crisis shows shortcomings more pronounced.
Perhaps it can be treated like a vaccination. There is a dis-ease in NZ and to stop it becoming more advanced, give it a bit of a shot in the arm from education. Then perhaps we can concentrate on coping with the chronic illness we have of persisting in over-fattening ourselves on imported matter, and use home-grown product wherever possible. Have I been able to express this in a kindly but practical manner?
I thought this was a thoughtful message to people in general.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Baldwin (1924-1987)
Unemployment has reached 200 000 – this is double digit unemployment figures, and no end in sight.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/300048558/more-than-200000-new-zealanders-now-on-unemployment-benefits
https://tradingeconomics.com/new-zealand/employed-persons
The number of Covid 19 cases is just about to clock over to 11 million, a new record for new daily cases with US recording 56980 new cases on its own.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
The stats indicate 92% recover and 8% don't
So much winning.
https://twitter.com/ObsoleteDogma/status/1278710192608247813
https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1278764469540265985
USA USA USA USA .
WORLD LEADERS
TRUMP IS GREAT.
Well Florida's problem is just nature at work. There's a saying about Florida being where the retired 'snowbirds' go for the winter. And another 'Birds of same feather flock together'. So all the oldies go and mingle there and they must have a large proportion of older ages.
It seems they had in 2010 about 5.5 million people over 55 years, which is when Covid-19 starts to weigh in. http://edr.state.fl.us/Content/population-demographics/data/Pop_Census_Day.pdf
Now they have had 169,000 confirmed cases and 3,505 deaths. On 4 June new cases registered at 1419. On 18 June 3207, more than double new cases two weeks. The largest number of new cases registered was on 27 June 9,585 and then there was a drop which indicates a break in testing because it is so sharp. Latest confirmed new cases – (25/6-1/7 – 5004, 8942, 9585, 9530, 5266, 6093, 6563 = 50,983 in week. There is a potential for deaths in five figures from Florida alone. There won't be the room to bury such numbers, smoking chimneys common. RIP.
And Florida is a laid-back place about doing government honestly and properly. Carl Hiaasen has made his living from writing about their zeitgeist. If they cared about their visitors the government would have taken the oldies particularly, under their wing. They are worth billions to the state.
(To look at Florida and other state daily figures look up google and keywords – Florida covid-19 cases so far – which is shorter than the link address)
Note Idaho is shooting up percentagewise looking at chart further up – 467% new in last two weeks, but base numbers were low so at 1 July there were only 253 new confirmed cases. (6593 cases 91 deaths – recovered 4073)
Figures can differ between different reports. But the trend is the important thing, is it going sharply up, or plateauing, sloping down?
Ahh, Carl Hiaasen, the best hours you can have between the covers!
STOP TESTING GODDAMMIT!!
Trump honestly believes the only reason the US has so many cases is cos they carry out more tests than any other country.
How did this idiot ever get elected, is the avg IQ in the US so low its not measurable
It is, IMO, the problem with telling people that their opinions are just as valid as everyone else's even when those opinions are not based upon fact or even logic.
Quick, someone find these lemmings a cliff.
https://twitter.com/StephBuffamonte/status/1278424931798331395
Yep, the good oll US of A, we have the right to behave stupidly, why do think we voted in Trump.
Meanwhile there are over 40 million unemployed right now.
You can see those protesters are all wet! Perhaps the devil made them do it.
Layers of irony here – someone in Seminole County saying "my body my choice". Not a choice given to members of the Seminole tribe forced out of Florida to exile in "Indian Territory" (Oklahoma) in the late 1850's.
Reopen the schools….what could possibly go wrong?
https://twitter.com/sfchronicle/status/1278543840367050757
University experiment confirms reopening problem.
https://twitter.com/WSJ/status/1278822040095645696
They got clued in that Keep America Great might not be the most effective slogan right now. So they went back to Make America Great Again. Oops.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-make-america-great-again-slogan-returns_n_5efe8471c5b6ca97091b9dd4
And dear Eric tried to have a crack at the Clintons over Ghislaine's arrest, bless his heart. Somebody get a Participation Trophy for that boy.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/eric-trump-ghislaine-maxwell_n_5efe9858c5b612083c5992da
The most reliable aspect of Covid-19 is more cases. A breakthrough, even a small one would be welcomed.
Why would google have a 2020 date on a Herald article from 2001? I was looking up Laila Harre and came on a piece about smacking which I knew was historical stuff.
Ban the smacks, says Laila Harre – NZ Herald
http://www.nzherald.co.nz › news › article
May 7, 2020 – Youth Affairs Minister Laila Harre has condemned the law allowing children to be smacked, calling it 'legalised violence. ' Under the Crimes Act, pa.
I don't know if you remember the 2008 election where this issue was quite possibly the reason Clark was not returned.
The level of hyperbole and misinformation from Key and the media was relentless, the Anti Smacking Bill, right idea, wrong time, a Green Bill that was attached to the Govt, should have been left till after the election.
I think the outcome would have been a lot different.
Breaking News
WHO is changing the name of Covid-19 to Trumpvirus-2020.
Cases: 2,837,189
Deaths: 131,485
Making America Great Again.
Certainly leading from the front.
I was thinking if Trump has a hiccup one morning and decided he wants to send armed forces here and we have to accept them, they might do a Guam on us bringing their nasty bugs with them along with their warmongering. In the old historic days the crafties knew how to use germs. They would chuck infected bandages etc over the walls to spread disease. They mightn't have known all the science but they knew what havoc it would create. We don't want that do we!
I know your suggestion is an almighty piss take- but if if happened who would be in our corner?? It wouldn't be Aussie UK France Canada The EU ..such irony the only ones likely to complain would be China and Russia.
But those 131,000 people enjoyed their 'freedom'. Albeit a totally insane conception of freedom – the freedom to not give a flying f*ck about anyone else, and have them not give a flying f*ck about you.
This item by Chris Trotter in Interest.co. from Jun.15/20
https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/105493/chris-trotter-assesses-national-leader-todd-mullers-weekend-speech-suggesting-he-has
I was looking for Laila Harre's latest and she is mentioned here I think.
Just for some light relief …..
Has anyone else come across an 'app' called 'Logmate'? I'm just curious because for what its ekshully doing, it really should be capable of running on the most back-level "smartfone" device anyone ever invented. NZTA requires it, or something like it.
But as you were….there are far more pressing matters for people to discuss (oops have a conversation with)
anyone who is engaged in, or thinking of engaging in the g-g-g-gig economy, and if we don't know already, NZTA has a spectacular record.
I had a runout rego payment to make to NZTA. I phoned up to make the payment and got put through to some system that asked me to use the the phone buttons & tones to put all the payment data in from cards etc. Absolutely no indication of what the system was or the level of security or anything else. The only other way to make the payment was by cheque- which was what they got. The nice very practical person that I spoke to at NZTA did say that an on the ground payment option (other NZTA fees can be paid at the NZPO) would be a good idea but it appears to have been squashed further up.
As a matter of principal I believe there should be a whole of government /local body answer to being able to pay these and other obligatory charges without the payer having to incur excessive fees or costs charged by banking systems rather than every little department having its own system..
Logmate looks like a system that records commercial drivers approved hours.
That's exactly what it is. Not that complicated one would have thought. Inputting small amounts of data to a database to ensure drivers are compliant with the regs.
I guess Logmate's developer is probably making a killing these days removing all references to "Master" and "Slave" from code.
Thank your God I'm well out of it these days.
Why Queenstown for quarantine – I know it has hotels but the main hospital if needed is way over in Dunedin.
So Qtown don't want to be a quarantine centre but want their tourists back? Seems a tad inconsistent.
Nah they are worried that quarantine will kill the locals coming there. And as far as I am concerned they are dead right – I wouldn't go near the place any more than I would catch a flight on the local plague airline.
well then, don't go to Auckland, nor Rotorua. But i guess Queenstown is a little less NZ then the rest of NZ.
They are pretty low on my list as well. Gisborne here I come.
Queenstown is a freezing cold, overpriced sh*thole contaminated by sleazy money-obsessed Tories. Fifty years ago it was one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
True I agree and Eichardts was a pub with a public bar where no woman would feel comfortable but dogs were allowed. Those were the days.It's always been on the shady side of the lake though.
Hang on, the sheilas in the clean Swannies were nice girls.
Down memory lane here. The swannies, the dogs and the hunting , shooting fishing gear all part of that.
Fifty years ago it was a freezing cold, overpriced sh*thole contaminated by sleazy money obsessed Tories too. Whakatipu is still one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
I did wonder if the ppl letting Boult know they'd be staying away are the owners of the flash houses up on the hills. Never mind Jim, they'll still pay their rates.
I guess they don't get the concept of quarantine. They must be expecting to socialise with the returnees.
or with their wallets, at least.
But they think tourists won't? Fukcwits.
Queenstown would be a bit silly for a plane load of people straight from LA, London or Delhi. The risk to the returnee, and the Queenstown health system and population would be too great. We've got a 20 – 30 bed third level hospital here and it's a 1 – 2 hour helicopter ride to better care depending on what's required. Not to say we didn't get through the initial bit in March without too much drama. And yes it was ALL on here for a few weeks.
That's not to say that some Queenstown hotels couldn't be set up to take lower risk people in their second week. This would take the pressure off Auckland facilities and put some much needed cashflow into into hotels that are at present effectively shut and their staff unemployed. There's several large hotels that are seperate from the rest of town that would be easily set up and controlled.
If part charging becomes a thing there's quite a few higher end places that could do a quite nice couple of weeks for a price, This is probably how our tourism industry will operate in medium term so would be a good way of setting that up and learning how to do it.
theyve got their gov bailout…no need to play the game any more…it would be laughable if it wasnt so serious…Boult atypical
Why on earth are we even taking "expressions of interest" from potential migrants when we have a queue of half a million and 200,000 registered as unemployed plus those who would like more work but who don't register? Don't we need to quash the endless expectation that there will be endless migration.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/300047408/we-no-longer-feel-safe-in-the-us-new-zealand-presents-a-safe-haven-for-wouldbe-migrants
The article is by a black Muslim immigrant woman so I can fully understand why she would like her family to be in NZ and her kids to grow up here (despite our faults) rather than the States.
I wasn't commenting on that individual, rather on the number of people looking.
Although if they are from the UK and looking they could have voted to put in MMP when they had the referendum, told the lib dems to back Jeremy Corban for #10 with a very limited agenda to move brexit along, rather than voting for Boris and giving him a landslide. Stop voting for the tories and Farage. Then maybe they would have what we have . The US is more complex but there will be some similar levers.