Open mike 03/09/2022
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6:00 am, September 3rd, 2022 - 152 comments
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- Climate Adam: How to visualise Climate Change (ft. Katharine Hayhoe)
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...5 hours ago - The wrong direction
Some good news on climate change today: the energy transition away from fossil fuels is picking up speed, and renewables now make up 30% of global electricity supply. Meanwhile, in Aotearoa, we're moving in the opposite direction, with Genesis Energy announcing that it will resume importing Indonesian coal. Their official ...9 hours ago - National hates democracyIts a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...10 hours ago
- No Tikanga Please, We're Lawyers.
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...11 hours ago - Member’s DayToday is a Member's Day, and it seems we've entered the slowdown as things emerge from select committee. First up is the committee stage of Greg O'Connor's Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) (Overseas Travel Reporting) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the second readings of Stuart ...12 hours ago
- Hurrah for coal – Shane Jones welcomes Genesis Energy’s import plans as natural gas production s...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...12 hours ago - Bryce Edwards: Following the political money
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...12 hours ago - A Left-Right ranking of universities in NZ: a practical guide for students and parents
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim. Extreme Left Auckland University of Technology Evidence The ...14 hours ago - Inflation and GST thresholdsEric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...14 hours ago
- Green Party grapples with persistent scandalsJacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...14 hours ago
- A law school to be avoided – Auckland University of TechnologyGary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...14 hours ago
- 17 people in Malaita stand in way of China’s takeover of the SolomonsCleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...15 hours ago
- Gordon Campbell on the Hamas Ceasefire Offer, and Mark Mitchell’s Incompetence
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...16 hours ago - Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Wednesday May 8
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...16 hours ago - A few PT announcements
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...16 hours ago - Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Green Party grapples with persistent scandalsParliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...16 hours ago
- At a glance – Tree ring proxies and the divergence problemOn February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...1 day ago
- Nothing to sneer at
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...1 day ago - Still on their bullshitWhen in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...1 day ago
- DrawnA ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...1 day ago
- A nod and a wink that will unnecessarily cost Aucklanders tens of millions per yearSimeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...1 day ago
- Correcting the Corrections announcement – a fiscal farce that should bother the OECDBuzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...2 days ago
- Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into ‘Pillar 2’ – or they are going to ChinaChris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...2 days ago
- A balanced and an unbalanced articleDavid Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...2 days ago
- Deeply unserious countryEvery bit of this seems insane. And people wonder why productivity is falling through the floor. Energy News reports that the Environment Court finally threw out Allan Crafar’s appeal against a solar farm. From the story: Consent was granted in 2022. Crafar appealed November 2022. On what grounds? That ...2 days ago
- Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law studentsThe tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied… Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...2 days ago
- https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/?p=77196The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...2 days ago
- Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, May 7
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...2 days ago - HM Prison Aotearoa.
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...2 days ago - Get Your Webworm Merch!
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...2 days ago - Top OECD economist puts Willis between a rock and a hard placeThe OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...2 days ago
- Media Link: “A View from Afar” on the moment of friction, and more.
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading ...2 days ago - Preposterous priorities – politicians preferred pastryNewsroom writer Aaron Smale, in an article triggered by the High Court’s ruling on whether a sitting MP must respond to a summons to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal, reports on issues underpinning the tribunal’s urgent inquiry into the Government’s intention to remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki ...2 days ago
- Climate Change: Forcing accountability in the UKIn 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...2 days ago
- Other councils are keen to be next to strike a water deal with govtBuzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report: District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...2 days ago
- Why India is key to heading off climate catastropheThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections A farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...2 days ago
- Meanwhile “… the disturbing trend of increasing violence towards children continues to worsen”Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...3 days ago
- New Zealand’s geopolitical friendly fire has its limitsGeoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...3 days ago
- The post-Covid economy: is it in another long stagnation – and if so, why?Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...3 days ago
- On the LTP 2024 FeedbackA few weeks ago Auckland Council released the results of consultation on the Long Term Plan (LTP) that occurred in March. With almost 28,000 submissions, it received the most feedback of any LTP in Auckland. It covered a wide range of topics soliciting feedback on different areas of council funded ...3 days ago
- Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, May 6
TL;DR: Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...3 days ago - Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s geopolitical friendly fire has its limitsThe gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...3 days ago
- I could be a Florist.
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...3 days ago - The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 12 and beyond
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...3 days ago - Willis on defenceThe price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...3 days ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #18A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...3 days ago
- A prerequisite for Vulture Capitalism.
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...4 days ago - Early evening, April 30
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...4 days ago - Do Newsroom’s staff think they’re culturally superior to the rest of us? Are they arguing that A...Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...4 days ago
- Fun minor grudgesEric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...5 days ago
- Bernard’s dawn chorus for Saturday, May 4 and pick ‘n’ mix for the weekendA new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...5 days ago
- The Dark Side and the Rebel Alliance.
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...5 days ago - Imaginary mandate, imaginary leadership
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.ShareVerity, Ilfracombe ...5 days ago - Winston Peters delivers a speech about NZ’s relationship with China but media focus on Bob Carr’...Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...5 days ago
- The Post-Covid Economy
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...5 days ago - An awkward coincidence!The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...5 days ago
- The Israel/Palestinian metastasis.In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading ...5 days ago
- 27,000That's the number of submissions received on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track legislation. Except its higher than that, because the number doesn't include form submissions, such as the 15,000 people who supported Forest & Bird's submission, or the 14,000 who supported Greenpeace. And so many people want to appear in person ...5 days ago
- MPs’ salaries – when is the best time to increase them?Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...5 days ago
- Genter under fireDavid Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...5 days ago
- New Treasury paper on the productivity slowdown supports the downgrading of forecastsThe Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...6 days ago
- Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Friday, May 3
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 9:26 am on Friday, May 3:Climate 'Ministerial override must go' - Hearings begin over fast-track bill RNZ Kate GreenPopulation: Labour hire firm struggling to find staff as Australia lures away workers. HireStaff ...6 days ago - Weekly Roundup 3-May-2024Here we are in May already! And here are a few of the stories that caught our eye this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted that it’s been a decade since Auckland’s rail system was electrified. On Wednesday, Matt looked at AT’s rollout of new ways ...6 days ago
- The Hoon around the week to May 36 days ago
- Pamphlets at Ten Paces.
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...6 days ago - A land without pier
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...6 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #18 2024Open access notables Generative AI tools can enhance climate literacy but must be checked for biases and inaccuracies, Atkins et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the face of climate change, climate literacy is becoming increasingly important. With wide access to generative AI tools, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, we explore the potential ...6 days ago
- Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live
Photo by Jari Hytönen on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...6 days ago - Ruckus over AUKUS – Labour demands Peters step down as Foreign Minister, but he still had the job ...Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...6 days ago
- Secrecy undermines participationThe Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...6 days ago
- Agribusiness following oil and gas playbookAs pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...6 days ago
- Here’s hoping they aren’t counting on a 100 per cent acceptance…The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...6 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on unemployment, Winston Peters’ low boiling point and music criticismOn Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events: The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...6 days ago
- TVNZ and poll results6 days ago
- Mana or MoneyMuriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...6 days ago
- A win for Wellington – Greens welcome more housing
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...10 hours ago - Release: Backtrack on school lunches a win for Kiwi kids
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...12 hours ago - Release: Hon Willie Jackson to debate at the Prestigious Oxford UnionHon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...15 hours ago
- Members Bill will prevent Māori land confiscationsGreen Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...1 day ago
- TIKANGA IS NOT LAW. IT IS CULTURAL INDOCTRINATION.
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...1 day ago - Release: National won’t commit to full Nelson Hospital upgradeThe Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...2 days ago
- Release: Labour calls for fast track list to be releasedMinisters must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...3 days ago
- Release: National gaslights women fighting for equal payNational has scrapped the pay equity taskforce that fights for equal pay for women and looks at ethnic pay gaps. ...6 days ago
- Release: More job cuts, fewer houses under NationalThe Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...6 days ago
- Release: Children fall deeper through the cracks in Govt cutsWith Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...6 days ago
- Release: Labour honours memory of Sir Robert MartinThe Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...7 days ago
- Release: 130,000 cattle saved from live exportLabour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...1 week ago
- Central Bank makes clear Government is pouring fuel on housing crisis fireToday’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...1 week ago
- New unemployment figures paint bleak pictureThe Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...1 week ago
- Release: National’s job cuts already starting to bite as unemployment risesUnemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...1 week ago
- Release: National hiking transport costs for families and young New ZealandersWeekly expenses will grow for more than 1.6 million New Zealanders as the Government ends free and half price public transport fares tomorrow. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour welcomes EU free trade agreementThe New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...1 week ago
- Surprise: Landlord tax cuts don’t trickle downThe Green Party is renewing its call for rent controls following reports of rental prices hitting an all-time high. ...1 week ago
- Release: $1.7b for no increase in access to medicineThe National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...1 week ago
- Release: National should heed Tribunal warning and scrap coalition commitment with ACTThis afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...1 week ago
- Release: More accountability for preventable workplace deaths this Workers’ Memorial DayLabour is calling for more accountability for preventable workplace deaths because everybody who goes to work deserves to come home safely. ...1 week ago
- Gaza: Aotearoa Must Support Independent Investigation into Mass GravesTe Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Working together on consistent support for veterans this Anzac DayOur two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Penny drops – but what about Seymour and Peters?Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...2 weeks ago
- Another ‘Stolen Generation’ enabled by court ruling on Waitangi Tribunal summonsTonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Budget blunder shows Nicola Willis could cut recovery fundingIt appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...2 weeks ago
- Further environmental mismanagement on the cardsThe Government’s resource management reforms will add to the heavy and ever-growing burden this Government is loading on to our environment. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: RMA changes will be a disaster for environmentThe Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management systemLabour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for New Zealand to recognise PalestineThe Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kindThe Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...2 weeks ago
- Three strikes has failed before and will fail againResurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Ferris – Three Strikes targets those ‘too brown to be white’The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt cuts doctors and nurses in hiring freezeCuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...3 weeks ago
- Fast-track submissions period must be extendedThe Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Progress on climate will be undone by GovtNew Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...3 weeks ago
- NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...6 hours ago - Therapeutic Products Act to be repealedThe Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...9 hours ago
- Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District PlanThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...11 hours ago
- Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violenceRape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...11 hours ago
- Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs lessAssociate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...12 hours ago
- Report provides insights into marine recoveryNew research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...14 hours ago
- NZ to send political delegation to the PacificDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...14 hours ago
- Low gas production threatens energy securityThere has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...19 hours ago
- Defence industry talent, commitment recognisedDefence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...1 day ago
- Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for IndustryWelcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...1 day ago
- Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data SummitIt is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...1 day ago
- Ceasefire agreement needed now: PetersNew Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...1 day ago
- Daily school attendance data now availableA new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...1 day ago
- Ambassador to United States appointedForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...2 days ago
- New permit proposed for recreational gold miningThe Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...2 days ago
- NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiationsMinister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...2 days ago
- New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to signNew Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...2 days ago
- Next stop NASA for New Zealand studentsSix tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...2 days ago
- $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crimeNew Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...2 days ago
- OECD reinforces need to control spendingThe OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...2 days ago
- Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for AucklandThe Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...3 days ago
- Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with GermanyForeign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...4 days ago
- Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of PlentyThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...5 days ago
- Speech to New Zealand China CouncilThank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...6 days ago
- Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi householdsThe Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...6 days ago
- Government recommits to equal payThe coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...6 days ago
- Transforming how our children learn to readStructured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...6 days ago
- NZ not backing down in Canada dairy disputeTrade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...7 days ago
- Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable childrenThe rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...7 days ago
- Streamlining Building Consent ChangesThe Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...7 days ago
- Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...1 week ago
- Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...1 week ago
- Accelerating airport security linesFrom today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...1 week ago
- Community hui to talk about kina barrensPeople with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...1 week ago
- Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into forceKiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...1 week ago
- Mining resurgence a welcome signThere are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...1 week ago
- Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first readingThe return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...1 week ago
- Government to boost public EV charging networkEnergy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...1 week ago
- Residential Property Managers Bill to not progressThe coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...1 week ago
- Independent review into disability support servicesThe Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...1 week ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: James Paterson on prospects for passage of the government’s deport...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...4 hours ago - NZCTU Launch Project To Set Out Alternative Vision For Aotearoa
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...6 hours ago - Yes, Australia’s big supermarkets have been price gouging. But fixing the problem won’t be easySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...6 hours ago
- The government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its deportation bill. Given the findings, it’s easy...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...6 hours ago
- Senate report on lobbying passes the buck on improving transparency or legislationSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...6 hours ago
- Ngāti Toa rallies against Fast Track Approvals Bill
Iwi would not allow the government to degrade its whenua, moana or awa for the purpose of urban development, ministers were told. ...7 hours ago - Free school lunches: Labour MP apologises over 'offensive' Hamas tweet to SeymourDuncan Webb had queried if the ACT leader did not like hummus because it is too close to Hamas. ...7 hours ago
- Australia’s Eurovision entry this year is the first to sing in First Nations language: meet Electr...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...8 hours ago
- Labour claims win as govt commits to new free school lunches modelThe Labour Party is claiming a win for its campaign that the government commit to keeping and funding free school lunches. ...8 hours ago
- A definitive list of woke and non-woke foods
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...9 hours ago - Future of the planet more important than the Greens survival, former co-leader James Shaw saysFormer Green Party co-leader James Shaw calls out tribalism and hyper-partisanship - including in his own party. ...9 hours ago
- Fourth urgent inquiry by the Waitangi Tribunal, this time on Māori wardsThe Tribunal is conducting another urgent inquiry into plans to require councils to hold a binding referendum on Māori wards. ...9 hours ago
- NCSC Briefs IPAC Representatives On Response To Malicious Cyber ActivityThe Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...9 hours ago
- How is China being taught at Australian universities? And why does this matter? Here’s what our re...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...9 hours ago
- Saving the Mary River turtle: how the people of Tiaro rallied behind an iconic speciesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...9 hours ago
- Why are algorithms called algorithms? A brief history of the Persian polymath you’ve likely never ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...10 hours ago
- Neuroaffirming care values the strengths and differences of autistic people, those with ADHD or othe...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...10 hours ago
- ‘Reckless’ kina devaluation spells disaster for PNG, says NomanePNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...10 hours ago
- Modernising Census – Stats NZFrom today, members of the public can have their say on what Aotearoa New Zealand’s census could look like in the future. ...10 hours ago
- ‘I do love a good funnysad novel’: Jane Arthur on her favourite booksWelcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books. The book I wish I’d written I have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...10 hours ago
- RMA Minister rejects Wellington council's bid to remove heritage protections from buildingsCouncil did not provide sufficient evidence to support its reasons for removing the 10 buildings from the Heritage schedule, Chris Bishop says. ...10 hours ago
- War for Wellington: Minister approves sweeping upzoning, rejects heritage changesThe final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington. Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses ...11 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards Analysis – Following the political moneyAnalysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz) Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...11 hours ago
- Free school lunches: Year 7 students and above to shift to alternative modelA new interim delivery model will kick in next year to allow time for a full redesign of the scheme before any more money is dedicated. ...12 hours ago
- Rafah ‘last place of safety’ in Gaza, UN aid boss warnsRNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...12 hours ago
- Foreign Affairs minister to lead Pacific delegationThe Foreign Affairs minister is heading on a five-stop Pacific tour, which he says will strengthen New Zealand's engagement in the region. ...12 hours ago
- Why we’re fighting to save Te Huia, the Hamilton-Auckland trainWith funding set to be scrapped for the Hamilton-Auckland commuter train, Te Huia enthusiast Georgie Dansey argues for it to be thrown a lifeline. It’s 5.45am and the chain of my crappy old bike falls off slugging up the one hill in Hamilton. I contemplate yeeting the bike into the ...12 hours ago
- Greens Call On Government To Keep Same-day Election Enrolment And VotingOn Radio New Zealand this morning, the Justice Minister stated the Government was considering ending election day enrolments. ...12 hours ago
- Many people are feeling ecological grief. How can we help those whose work puts them at risk?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Cooke, Honorary Fellow, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland We feel ecological grief when we lose places, species or ecosystems we value and love. These losses are a growing threat to mental health and wellbeing globally. We all see ...12 hours ago
- Revitalizing Toronto’s downtown core after COVID-19 greatly benefits the city and the regionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shauna Brail, Associate Professor, Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto A shift to hybrid and remote work continues to affect worker presence in Toronto’s downtown. (Shutterstock) Downtown Toronto, the core of Canada’s largest city, continues to reel from the lingering ...12 hours ago
- Government quiet on costs, building plan for Waikato prison expansionThe extra beds would take longer than the four-years covered in this week's budget announcement to deliver, the Corrections Minister told RNZ. ...13 hours ago
- Chief Electoral Officer Needs To Fall On His SwordResponding to an Auditor-General's report slamming failures in the administration of the 2023 General Election, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ...13 hours ago
- How many productivity apps do I have to use to become more productive?Productivity apps now make up a big chunk of the software market. But do they work? And why do they all have AI integrations? Despite being firmly on the record as a physical planner fan, I sometimes dream of something better than my pretty diary and its scrawled, ugly, interior ...13 hours ago
- Government considers removing election day voter enrolmentJustice Minister Paul Goldsmith says very few countries allow it, and New Zealand should consider changing the rules. ...14 hours ago
- Beehive Need To Lead By ExampleThe Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...14 hours ago
- The Spinoff Power List: 50 New Zealanders you need to knowAn objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...15 hours ago
- First Nations imprisonment is already at a record high. Unless government policy changes, it will on...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock This article contains information on deaths in custody and the names of deceased people, and describes ongoing colonial violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. First Nations people in Australia ...15 hours ago
- Martha isn’t Baby Reindeer’s biggest villain. So why is she painted as such?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University Netflix Baby Reindeer’s phenomenal success has much to do with its writer and lead, Richard Gadd, who plays Donny in a tender semi-autobiographical account of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking. Gadd’s story has ...15 hours ago
- Yes, adults can develop food allergies. Here are 4 types you need to know aboutSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle KarolinaGrabowska/Pexels If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much ...16 hours ago
- An outsider on the inside: how Ans Westra created New Zealand’s ‘national photo album’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Ans Westra, self-portrait, c. 1963. National Library ref AWM-0705-F They try but invariably fail – those writers who believe they are capable of encapsulating in prose or verse the essence of ...16 hours ago
- How the lessons from Covid-19 could help us prepare for bird fluStewart Sowman-Lund looks at the growing concern around the world in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. What’s all this? When Covid-19 arrived on our shores in early 2020, some argued we were too slow, or crucially, ill-prepared for a pandemic. So ...17 hours ago
- As climate change amplifies urban flooding, here’s how communities can become ‘sponge cities’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Franco Montalto, Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and Director, Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University Water runs into a storm drain in a Los Angeles alley on Aug. 19, 2023, during Tropical Storm Hilary. Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images ...17 hours ago
- Genesis Energy to fire up coal imports, citing increased demand, dwindling gas supplyGenesis Energy is to resume importing coal, as reduced gas supplies and increased demand add to the problems of keeping the lights on. ...17 hours ago
- The Boy in the Water: ‘Someone was struggling at a fence’
The inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones has turned up a new witness who says he saw two teenagers and a small child in a high vis vest in the area where the boy’s body was found the day he died. Lachie’s body was discovered face up ...17 hours ago - Te Pāti Māori comments: 'That kind of language isn't helpful'Political parties have roundly criticised Te Pāti Māori for using words like 'extermination' and 'white supremacy' in the House. ...18 hours ago
- Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey sought advice on ‘social impact bonds’ to fund servicesMinisters have sought advice on 'social impact bonds', which offer a potential return on private investment in public services. ...19 hours ago
- Managed retreat: How do we get out of the way of climate change?"Ad hoc" house buyouts after major disasters cannot continue, the Climate Change Minister says. ...19 hours ago
- Rules for property managers are scrapped. But what’s the worst that could happen?Stories from the tenancy trenches, featuring spider infestations, cupboard rats and same-sex discrimination. Lucy’s brother was living in a damp 1930s building in Mt Eden where “he had to tie the cupboard doors closed so the rats didn’t get in”. Although he shared custody of his six-year-old son, his property ...19 hours ago
- Explainer: What’s the deal with Auckland’s new water deal?Simeon Brown, Chris Luxon, and Wayne Brown climbed into a hole and announced a plan to solve Auckland’s water woes. This is how it’ll work. New Zealand’s pipes are munted. They’re cracked and leaking, and struggling to handle all the extra poos excreted by our rising population. It’s a big, ...19 hours ago
- Coutts’ call prompts urgent board meeting over SailGPDespite Sir Russell Coutts vowing SailGP wouldn’t return to Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour, negotiations over 2025 are ongoing The post Coutts’ call prompts urgent board meeting over SailGP appeared first on Newsroom. ...19 hours ago
- Meet the man behind the Government’s education policyThe parallels between the Government’s education policy and those put forward by researcher Michael Johnston, is raising questions The post Meet the man behind the Government’s education policy appeared first on Newsroom. ...19 hours ago
- ‘We didn’t behave very well in NZ’, says Wakefield heirI knew Taika Waititi quite well when he was a kid. His mother lived in a tall narrow house in Aro St, and my youngest sister had a similar house two doors along. They were both single mums, they each had a son aged seven. Taika and my nephew Stepan ...19 hours ago
- Govt risks another Havelock North by undoing water protectionsOpinion: “As time passes, knowledge of the circumstances of the August 2016 outbreak will fade and its immediate impact will be lost.” This statement is from the 2017 report of the Official Inquiry into the Havelock North campylobacteriosis outbreak. The then National-led government established the inquiry after the outbreak left ...19 hours ago
- Where to next for the Aukus ruckus?Opinion: Nicholas Khoo looks at two key points in the high-stakes foreign policy pact debate – and asks if NZ can engage with as little drama as possible. The post Where to next for the Aukus ruckus? appeared first on Newsroom. ...19 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 8 MayLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 8 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...19 hours ago
- ‘Think fast and act slowly’ is failing big projectsOpinion: ‘Reference-class forecasting’ is at the heart of improving pricing a project and identifying the expected timeframe but it doesn’t appear to be in use here The post ‘Think fast and act slowly’ is failing big projects appeared first on Newsroom. ...19 hours ago
- A controversial driving exam – put to the testWhat do a sombrero in Argentina and cognitive driving tests have in common? Don’t worry, we’re not setting up a bad joke. Hinengaro Clinic dementia clinician Gregory Winkelman has the answer on today’s episode of The Detail. “We ask a patient’s spouse or son or daughter: If you went to ...19 hours ago
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These people…are not rational. And support/supported by people who are Definitely dangerous. Counterspin….Alp, white supremacist Arps etc etc.
Good the journalists asking them questions. Revealing for sure. !
I like that you are putting up topics of interest most days. Can you please make sure your copy and pastes aren't so long as today? It makes it harder for people on a phone, and we prefer copypasta to be supporting arguments and commentary rather than being the main thing. Not an absolute, but something to be aware of. Thanks.
Oh allgood. Looking at it afterwards ..Todays was maybe long. Re Interest…at times I wonder WHO is interested. (and I am def not a One Interest person , So thanks : )
it's tricky in the FB/twitter age with no like button, but often people read without commenting 👍
Interesting post thank you
from a digitally challenged 80 year old.
Thankyou and Wow Patricia. I would never have known. You have my Respect, and for your always active Leftness : ) (and I..dont give that lightly ! )
Keep True : )
I find your comments very interesting to read and give thought to Patricia, for which I thank you. Digitally challenged or not, you always get your message across concisely.
I am deaf so alternative media such as TS and other (left leaning) sites with contributors such as yourself, give me a lot of pleasure, as well as keeping my 76 year old brain exercised hee hee.
Take good care.
Thank you, likewise.
PLA and Mary_a
Stuff is doing great work highlighting the odd ones running for councils.
Hi Stephen D. Odd. Thats a bit of an understatement…. But yea Stuff has been doing good coverage. Keep watching !
I couldn’t think of another adjective, without being offensive.
Indeed matey…and thanks for being interested. Too many possibly apathetic ..and that maybe will allow these characters to ?
the mind boggles
Peoples' Choice (in Christchurch, I don't know how widespread they are through the rest of NZ) is Labour aligned, and seems a safe bet.
Committing to making Christchurch a world leading environmental city
Securing an affordable Mass Rapid Transit system for Christchurch
Hi Tony V . well they sure tick some boxes here ! thanks for that Input : )
Thanks for that info Tony (2.1.2), I shall keep it in mind for election time.
It seems quite a few fruit nuts are weedling their oddball way into local body politics at present. Unsettling to say the least. Even worse, there are those who will vote for them!
Peoples Choice please…..so much better than this ChCh Mayoral candidate Carl Bromley. Complete Scumbag. Please read.
It should be concerning to anyone that a major media org is running a concerted smear campaign against candidates putting themselves up for democratic election.
Never thought I would see it in new zealand, but here we are.
Yes, the "smear campaign" against Labour/Greens, including the latest outright lies, is disturbing.
However making the real views of candidates, like VFF, who are deliberately trying to hide them, clear, is a public service to Democracy.
This is local government we're talking about, Green candidates are often supported by large media, and the outside influence on them is ignored? case in point: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/456020/ex-green-chief-of-staff-tory-whanau-to-run-for-wellington-s-mayoralty
While on the other hand freedom candidates are demonised. The double standard is obvious.
But not a smear campaign, as you have now tacitly acknowledged.
If a statement about any of these candidates is false, let us know. Otherwise, your accusation is the smear.
Publishing their actual views, is "demonising"?
Maui any group who wants to "Make NZ ungovernable" should be examined for their beliefs and who they support. No smear there at all.
Before a full investigation is launched, did anyone apart from the media actually use the words "Make NZ ungovernable"? Or are we just going along with whatever the sensational headline was, with little to no context around what was being said.
Maui Voices for Freedom asked their 100 000 members to do that.
[deleted]
[You’ll need to address your unresolved moderation first before you can come back here and pick up where you left – Incognito]
Mod note
Remind me …what am I in moderation for again?
[deleted]
[There have been a few Mod notes for you, none of which you responded to in a way that could close it off so that you could continue commenting freely here. Every time you choose to ignore, deflect, and obfuscate. You’re wasting moderator time. Since you asked, here’s the most recent Mod note in the trail that led you into Pre-Mod where you still are until we can resolve this or until you end up in the Black List for a while to save us all more time: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-18-08-2022/#comment-1906481 – Incognito]
Mod note
The thing about "a concerted smear campaign" is its meaning- "2. damage the reputation of (someone) by false accusations; slander."
The opposite to that is hopefully what the media do in a democracy. Are these candidates being slandered, i.e. having false and damaging statements made about them)?
If they are, they have remedies in law and via the Press Council.
I'm not an expert on smear campaigns Mac, but this seems to fit the bill. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-body-elections/129677583/antimandate-doctor-running-for-wellington-city-council
A doctor for 30+ years with her own charity, one might draw the conclusion from that, that she is therefore respected in the community and cares a lot for people and their health.
But the media ignores anything positive, and paints the picture of someone angry, into conspiracies, with far right views.
Stuff is simply seeking to crush alternative media competition.
Only a small and old minority now get their news from msm sites, so they know they are losing.
This may not be a democratic renewal for the old left, but renewal it is.
And Trump can say he has been a businessman for 50 years and even had a charitable foundation – but I am confident that he is absolutely
"the picture of someone angry, into conspiracies, with far right views."
They aren't mutually exclusive
I read the article. What was written seems fair journalism.
As for the question as to whether good people can go down rabbit holes- I've seen it happen with people I know.
Indeed, I once gave a lift in a car to a pleasant, courteous hitch-hiker who laughed at my pleasantries and called me sir. He seemed to be a good man- in a hurry, but a good man.
I found him in the paper next day as to why he was in a hurry- to get back to the Picton anti-mandate demonstration. He is now standing for a school board in Christchurch. He attended the recent protest in Christchurch whee the reporter in the Press described his actions in trying to destroy a counter-demonstration placard, and directing racist and homophobic insults at them.
A good man, though, seemingly………
An associate of ?
Not according to Bromley.
“When asked about Philip Arps, Bromley described him as "a man who has a story" but did not consider him someone he knew well or a close friend."
Not quite sure of the meaning here? Do you maybe think your hitcher was…. Arps !? (that would be a worry to have found out ! )
My Link was purely to show…the connectivity between all those within. Associates. Whether Mr Bromley does not consider him as such (maybe ..) Notwithstanding, he still Friends white supremacists Kyle Chapman…and Lee Williams.
Whose beliefs/actions are known.
I know he was Arps. It wasn't a worry but I found the two faces of the man interesting. That one seeks 'freedom' within the ranks of the far -right is also an interesting view of freedom.
The article you cited gives enough of Bromley's conservative views and opinions, especially the last paragraph. We have a member of VFF up here standing for counsel and her views were elaborated at length by a reporter. She wrote to the paper trying to dispute the paper's version of her views but the Editor stuck by the reporter saying the original account was sound.
Mac 1, And was Arps ! Well thats good that you were not worried. And yea the 2 Faces. Psychopaths often present as that. (On that, there was a prison officer used to comment here …and found him quiet and no trouble. All very situational of course ! )
And yes re the Journalists. Some fantastic Investigative Reporters. On that… I can never understand the vitriol directed at MSM in general. The Rightwing think its all Lefty and Socialist…. and of course the Leftwing think its right biased and conservative. ."Some" are…but laughable really.
Anyway keep looking. And being Active : )
Wow! She cannot be bad or wrong, can she? It isn’t binary, B & W, but being selective often originates in and perpetuates binary attitudes and thinking and bias, of course.
When people start using ‘their’ charities as political platform they should be de-registered as charities, as has happened with Family First NZ – it doesn’t mean that they have done ‘bad’ things and nothing ‘good’, but it means that they no longer meet the requirements and responsibilities of a charitable organisation.
"When people start using ‘their’ charities as political platform they should be de-registered as charities".
Does that apply to the "Charity" that is the Helen Clark Foundation? I cannot see anything about it that makes it a charity rather than a political platform. Some of what they produce is interesting but it certainly isn't related to charitable purposes.
It is, none the less, on the Charities Register.
Still wasting precious time with silly biased questions, I see. To me, you’re becoming more and more of a diversion troll every time you comment here and make that sound of an old yappy snappy dog barking at birds & butterflies buzzing around that that tiny little head of yours.
There’s your answer.
Have a nice day.
Oh dear. What a beautiful example of circular reasoning you offer.
I tried it on Family First NZ. It is apparently impossible to remove them as a charity by your reasoning.
I want to remove them from the Charities Register.
But you can't remove them. They are a charity. The proof is that they are on the Charities Register and are therefore a charity and cannot be removed.
Put them back. Their removal was wrong.
Bzzzz …
Private charities and being a Dr can never override the possibility that we may elect an angry person who is into conspiracies and with far right views onto our local body. Why would we need to have such people around, except to keep an eye on them so we can stop them fomenting evil with wild and wacky ideas? I'd rather the SIS or similar did that rather than the people of Wellington having to do this.
We just want our potholes dealt to and our city competently managed. We don't need a 'side' of making the place ungovernable* which is apparently in their riding instructions.
** I'm sorry I'll read that again…apparently the word is not ungovernable it is 'resilient' – yeah right.
It's not a smear if it's true.
Re candidates for councils
Would it be useful to a post the an additive list of candidates with 'odd' views as they are discovered?
Great idea.
In the analysis I would like a ranking for all candidates as to their adherence to neo-liberal, market driven politics.
The 'race to the bottom', cheapest tender wins the contract is causing everyday damage to our communities.
Those ones usually out themselves.
Claims that they will "cut rates, while providing more efficient services" are a dead giveaway.
It ain't the Actoids I am worried about.
It's the reasonable, moderate sounding ones that still want to sub-contract everything rather than build local capability and resilience.
completely agree.
We could have a thread where all of the investigations can be collected so we get to know all the weirdos. Even if we can't vote everywhere many of us have friends and relatives who might be interested…though mine are probably already sleuthing.
https://policy.nz/2022
This link does that. Enter your address to get your area.
Stuff coverage on Tasman District Candidates with 'odd' views:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/129640451/former-principal-and-current-councillor-among-seven-tasman-candidates-with-links-to-conspiracies-and-disinformation
I link with trepidation – since this is an opinion piece by Joyce – and therefore shines his own National Party focus on the recent Kiwi-Saver legislative u-turn.
However, I did think that it contained useful information on the mechanics of the legislative process before a bill is introduced – especially over the duty of officials to highlight potential sore points (stakeholders who are impacted) – in the Regulatory Impact Statement.
This was info that I didn't have about the review process which goes into legislation before it is introduced into the House – and thought it was worth sharing.
Joyce's opinions about why this failed in this instance ('fail' being defined as the legislation being reversed 24 hours later, due to popular outcry) – are, as always, slanted by his political perceptions – consume at your own risk.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/steven-joyce-what-kiwisaver-stuff-up-says-about-the-state-of-the-government/JEJMRAWHAFVIG74P2QBR5YUQE4/?c_id=3&objectid=12549390&ref=rss
It's paywalled, thank goodness…I have had quite enough of “rons” Joyce.
This is the first time I hear it mentioned here, and AFAIK so far only one commenter (that would be me) has linked to one of the items covered in the RIS package. It beggars belief that nobody seems to have bothered to read the technical reasoning for the Bill as introduced in Parliament and it shows that the storm of protest had nothing to do with reason or evidence, for that matter.
https://taxpolicy.ird.govt.nz/publications/2022/2022-ris-perm-bill
Point 69, in the RIS under the Managed Funds section is the one which should have had political antennae twitching. Not as a reason not to do it (if it was determined to be the best outcome), but that political management and control of the message would be needed.
Sorry, didn't realize it was paywalled…
Relevent quote
I think it’s safe to say that this wasn’t your typical run-of-the-mill paper, it was a highly technical (aren’t all things related to Tax highly technical?) omnibus bill.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/BILL_125954/taxation-annual-rates-for-2022-23-platform-economy-and
It never even made it to its First Reading!
Yes, I freely admit that the technicalities and financial implications of the various options are well over my head (luckily no one is about to appoint me Revenue Minister [joke])
However, the impact on KS investors (and therefore political implications) was clearly signalled
"resulting in reduced returns for savers and consequently reduce the future balances in KiwiSaver"
That's the bit which needed political management and a clearly articulated message.
At worst, it was a political misjudgement. Government seems easily rattled and spooked and they are not prepared to die in a ditch when someone screams ‘guppy attack!’. Sadly, though, the preferred option (by IRD) will never receive the due consideration and democratic debate it rightly deserved; it was judged, sentenced, and executed in and by the kangaroo court of public outcry where facts and reason are stopped at the door. It is so typical of National’s MO of political opposition, which is no different from their MO when in government.
Key would have fired Parker by now.
Labour could certainly do with the risk aerials of Joyce right now.
He's the guy who made MBIE, broadband fibre rollout, and Crown Infrastructure Partners. All three the biggest and longest lasting reforms of their day.
"Key would have fired Parker by now." – Yes but Ardern does not have the luxury of a deep talent pool. In fact, isn't Parker one of their most experienced ministers, and one of the few Labour ministers with actual real world experience outside of politics.
Agree.
Nonsense. MPs like Barbara Edmonds and Deborah Russell are tax experts, more than qualified to be Revenue Minister.
The "talent pool" jibe is a favourite attack line from the Right, and doesn't stand up to any serious analysis. National's "talent pool" delivered Bridges, Muller, Collins and Luxon – they all had CVs, only the talent was lacking.
Deborah Russell may have the financial and tax expertise, but comes across as just as much of an ivory tower intellectual as Parker.
I admit that I hadn't heard of Barbara Edmonds until now (local Wellington MP & I'm up in Auckland). Her CV looks impressive, and I'd certainly like to see more of her in Government. Given that she's in the fairly safe Labour seat of Mana – Labour should be actively fostering her parliamentary career.
She's currently Junior Whip (which is fairly impressive for someone who was only elected in 2020) – but appears not to be on any select committees (or, at least, I couldn't see any).
She'd be a perfect junior partner for Parker in his Revenue Ministry – both with the technical knowledge and as someone who looks as though she has both feet firmly on the ground, politically speaking.
Maybe it’s only me, but "ivory tower intellectual" jibes come across as just lazy. Anti-intellectualism is alive and well in Aotearoa – where’s it taking us?
The point I'm trying to make is that she doesn't come across as well-connected to the concerns of ordinary Kiwis.
Nor does Parker.
Geeks may be valuable (and essential) to any business-delivery process, but you don't put them out front to sell the product (Steve Jobs aside).
You can rail at anti-intellectualism (and I may well agree with you) – but your and my opinions aren't relevant, when it comes to selling policy to the vast majority of NZers.
Russell was elected MP for New Lynn in 2017 (2,825 majority), and re-elected in 2020 with a "vast majority" of 13,134. If (as you posit @3:21 pm) "she doesn't come across as well-connected to the concerns of ordinary Kiwis", then presumably either "ordinary Kiwis" don't have much electoral clout in the New Lynn electorate, or they're not bothered that Russell (in your words) "doesn't come across… [etc.]"
"Sell the product" and "Selling policy" is intriguing (business?) framing – one would have thought that "tax cuts" would be an easy sell, but maybe not all tax cuts. She's a hard road finding the perfect tax cut policy. Still, no hurry eh?
Anti-intellectuals – never around when you need them
Someone around here and there must have pulled themselves up by their bootstraps.
It is not a matter of the comms response per se but of controlling the narrative. An omnibus tax bill makes it difficult but then usually it was understood or a convention that you did not include potentially 'controversial' matters in the tax washing up bill or other omnibus or washing up bills.
So someone right down at IRD level has not actually really turned their mind to the implications of a malevolent view being taken. This has gone right through all the levels including the legislation cabinet committee right up to and through the House sub committees (Whips & the like) where egg spplatering stuff is usually able to be weeded out.
It has the feel of tiredness and over reliance on checks & balances.
I disagree. IRD went through the appropriate consultation process:
https://taxpolicy.ird.govt.nz/-/media/project/ir/tp/publications/2022/2022-ria-perm-bill/2022-ria-3-gst-managed-funds.pdf?modified=20220828034214 [finalised 25 May 2022]
As stated by Government, support suddenly evaporated, presumably because they got rattled after National decided to wage a campaign of fear. The big players – after all, we are still a FIRE economy – were never really in favour, obviously. Fairness considerations went out of the window.
If you're going to argue that you need to have popular appeal to get elected into a safe Labour seat – then we'll just have to agree to disagree.
New Lynn has been staunch Labour since before the days of Jonathan Hunt (i.e before I was born).
Surely you can see the difference in popular appeal between Russell and Kiri Allen, for example.
That's not to say that they don't both add value to the Government – but that they have very different talents.
You can sneer at 'selling' all you please. But all Governments know they have to sell policies to the electorate. And, have to do a better sales job than the opposition, come election time.
One of the greatest of challenges to democracy, is that the skill-set required to get elected, has little to do with the skill-set required to govern.
@Incognito.
Yes you are quite correct. It did go out for consultation.
Perhaps the step about 'what would be the most malevolent or hostile connotation we can think of and let's build the answer to that in our publications' was missed.
In one workplace (Health sector) we always had fun grilling our CEO before public policy announcements and before public meetings finding these off the wall and wrong interpretations and questioning him on them. That admittedly is the big picture but you soon get into the habit of looking for them in everything…..
Belladonna (@5:35 pm) – indeed we will just have to agree to disagree, as not too many Labour MPs increased their electoral majority by more than 10,000 votes in the 2020 general election. Think Chris Hipkins (an engaging, high-profile MP – hope you will agree) was the only one.
Imho, the "vast increase" in electorate votes for Russell suggests that your image of her (or at least your assumptions regarding the image of her that is prevalent amongst voters) as an "ivory tower intellectual" who isn't "well-connected to the concerns of ordinary Kiwis" isn't realistic.
Tbh, I'm not seeing any basis in fact for the above comments/memes about Russell's defects as a politician – seems to be a paucity of commentary to that that effect, which really make me wonder.
Really, you can't judge by majorities in safe seats – the opposition frequently puts up less-than-stellar candidates – since there's no chance of winning. And particularly not in 2020, due to the Jacinda bounce.
A better indicator is the difference between their electorate vote and the party vote – which is around 1K for Russell (virtually identical margin in 2017 & 2020). It was notably better for David Cunliffe – the previous MP – throughout the entire time he held the seat. Which says to me that she's not particularly personally popular in the seat.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Lynn_(New_Zealand_electorate)#2020_election
It's difficult to find other Labour politicians in safe seats, who don't also have a high national (and therefore local) profile – it's not realistic to compare her to Ardern, Robertson, or Woods.
Having heard Russell in person, and in the debating chamber, she doesn't come across to me as a warm, relatable character.
Now, YMMV – and you are entitled to your own opinion (as am I).
Having looked her up on the parliamentary website, it turns out that she is the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Revenue – who knew? – so is (apparently) part of Parker's team. And, clearly didn't see the political implications of the bill, any more than he did. Which doesn't argue for someone well in touch with political realities (as opposed to financial theory)
So, what about Barbara Edmonds, then?
Thanks for your evaluation Belladonna, believe it or not I do now understand that to you, Russell:
and is comparatively lacking in
Comes across to me as a well-intentioned hit job, tbh, apart from "geek."
Can you elaborate – does Edmonds also come across to you as someone lacking a warm, relatable character?
No. You named Edmonds as a potential revenue minister. I said I knew nothing about her (she's Wellington, I'm Auckland), but her CV looked impressive.
I'm assuming that you have more knowledge than I do.
And, what evidence can you provide – apart from 'popularity' in a safe Labour seat – and I've demonstrated that the stats show she's not particularly popular, even there – that Russell is a popularly relatable figure. I used Kiri Allen as a benchmark.
I can imagine why Russell's popularity relative to Kiri Allan might be your benchmark – thank goodness they're on the same team.
Despite Russell's multiple perceived political handicaps (an "ivory tower intellectual" who lacks "popular appeal" and doesn't come across as a warm, relatable character "well-connected to the concerns of ordinary Kiwis"), in 2020 she was re-elected as MP for New Lynn with a 13,134 majority, the largest in the history of the seat – well done that woman.
Belladonna, like you (@5.3.2.1.2.1), I had next to no idea about Edmonds (a new MP) – perhaps you are confused.
Nope. Not confused. You named her as a potential revenue minister – in your original comment.
"Nonsense. MPs like Barbara Edmonds and Deborah Russell are tax experts, more than qualified to be Revenue Minister."
I assumed that you had more knowledge of her than a cursory glance at her CV. As we all know from the Sharma drama – a CV doesn't necessarily reflect political ability.
"in 2020 she was re-elected as MP for New Lynn with a 13,134 majority, the largest in the history of the seat – well done that woman."
Hope you're prepared to eat your words when she plunges – as she inevitably will – in 2023.
I note you haven't engaged with the points I made about safe Labour seats, and the difference between personal and party vote, being significantly reduced in comparison to the previous New Lynn MP.
Continuing to re-state that a healthy majority in a safe seat makes an MP ‘popular’ fails to convince.
Not suggesting that Russell was/is a popular MP; my ‘engagement’ consists of suggesting that Russell is not an unpopular MP, all the more remarkable given that some choose to characterise her as an “ivory tower intellectual” who lacks “popular appeal” and doesn’t come across as a warm, relatable character “well-connected to the concerns of ordinary Kiwis“,
You may have to eat your words Belladonna – unless of course you can provide a relevant quote to substantiate your assertion.
I just gave you the quote.
Here it is again
Thank you; I did read the quote you gave me. Can you please do me the courtesy of reading who wrote it?
Apologies – you had engaged so consistently on this issue – I'd conflated you with the original poster.
We'll leave it at the fact that neither of us knows anything about Barbara Edmonds, apart from her CV.
Those Labour tax experts have only been delegated IRD makework projects and taking near nothing off Parker's load. Parker's failure to properly delegate is as dog-in-a-manger.
Is Joyce still looking for his $11,000,000,000 hole?
NZ net Crown debt is $127 billion and rising in billions weekly, heading from 15-20% of GDP to 50% of GDP.
Ardern is digging a hole for us 10 times larger than anything Joyce forecast.
With a few more global pandemics and a few more foreign invasions of sovereign nations you could be right, but otherwise not so much.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/crown-accounts-reflect-government%E2%80%99s-balanced-fiscal-management
Every small state government faces headwinds.
Only a few hold course.
I agree that this Government appears to have lost its course, but not (yet) its (social democratic) compass and/or captain. We need all hands on deck, working together, not shouting at each other and blaming the captain for steering into a shit storm.
As I point out below, evaluating your successes and failures is the basic of leadership. You often confuse criticism with disloyalty and it makes for really bad writing.
The question Labour as the government is: what do you focus on now to improve? They have far fewer options than one might think.
Thanks, Ad. I really appreciate your honest and constructive criticism of my bad writing, which is one reason why I’ve stopped writing Posts here (the other main ones being time & energy).
However, you’re way off the mark with your comment about conflating criticism and disloyalty. Personally, the two are inextricably linked in that I cannot be loyal if I cannot criticise – anybody who is versed in being his/her own worst critic would know what I mean here.
Have a nice day.
The weather may deliver us a curve ball of comparable proportions.
This is evidently the warmest & wettest NZ winter on record.
When we reach summer, if it is in any way comparable to Europe's it is going to kill a good few businesses.
You can count on Mother Nature being unpredictable …
You aversion to truth would make Joyce proud.
Of course debt has increased, and of course you know why, and of course you know how it is forecast to track in future. But you have to play this game, where you constantly mistake being contrarian for being clever, It really isn't.
If you support major cuts in spending, say so. Then join ACT.
Any Labour tax policy would be great right now.
Certainly removed the operating balance fast from 16.1 billion yr end 21 to a forecast 27.76 b deficit in 22, those rainbows and butterflies are very unsustainable.There is a good reason why the south pacific peso has depreciated 6% in the last month,one being finger pointing by investors.
Headline unemployment and interest rates are still good here, sheltered by Australia. With the June figure so flat, the 15 September GDP announcement better be good.
Our 10 year yield on the secondary market is over 4% (worse then italy ) which shows currency risk,and increasing yields are a measure of fewer buyers.
Unemployment is low everywhere,its a good measure of the constraint on travel,and emigration from constrained economies.Australia has a property and construction crash (fewer permits in July) along with double figure electricity and gas increases (which have not showed up in the data) Iron ore prices have collapsed (as have most intensive conversion production centres both across Europe and China shut down.
There are a few chickens starting to arise now,with transports say treasury in the budget update flagged the increase in RUC and fuel levy in next budget to repay the 2.4b loan due in April 24,since then there is an obvious problem.
24-25 there are significant refinancing (debt roll over ) at higher rates,blowouts on capital imports due to $ going south etc.
It's at the non-brain end of brain-stem.
The only thing Joyce got wrong in the end was that he underestimated.
wtf ? ! Who else couda/woulda Key have "fired" from.. national? And didnt…
And now…apart from continually bagging Jacinda Ardern ..youre praising up Steven …Joyce ?
I really dont know what angle you are running here …..
When you spin, the angle changes all the time, from left to right, from up to down, and round and round it goes.
Yes and as the RW is constantly vomiting garbage and filth while they spin you end up with a hell of a mess all over the place.
Joyce just set out clear Cabinet paper decisionmaking processes, so I pointed out that Joyce has the credibility to state that. No angle.
The harder question to answer now is:
In what policy field can Labour make a plan convincing enough to turn its current car-crash around?
The policy fields Labour have politically ruined are:
health, tertiary education, tax, debt management, violent crime, local government, water, electricity, housing, banking, poverty alleviation, transport, broadcasting, public information access, firefighting, and democratic strength.
They remain strong in: foreign policy, disaster management, social security, and employment.
Much of that balance is in poor political management, some in legislative design, the rest is simple inexperience and failure to execute. All well-forecast problems in 2017.
But they still have a year to run.
What should they do now?
Sort out the bollocks around tiny houses.
The climate crisis is going to hit us much sooner and much harder than we are prepared for. A more ascetic lifestyle, which also reduces pressure on conventional housing will offend only property speculators and slumlords (who would not vote Labour on a bet).
Labour should have been building for the lower income quartile all along.
Interesting opinion. Key (8+ years as PM) removed Worth, whereas Ardern (<5 years as PM) has dismissed Curran and Lees-Galloway. Others fell (or were pushed) on their swords, albeit temporarily.
Let's remember the gst changes proposed were actually a good idea, where foreign owned banks had to pay 225 million dollars a year to the government and which should have come out of their profits and not charged to their customers. So Parker thought people would favourable to the change. The media, including RNZ's Checkpoint (WTF) portrayed the reforms as a wealth tax or a tax on Kiwisaver which was wrong, shallow and pathetic. The standard of journalism on RNZ's Checkpoint is atrocious. FACTS AND BALANCE are often missing.
Couldawouldashoulda doesn't work.
The question for Ardern is what specifically does she do to turn this around, enough to have a shot at 2023?
Interesting reforms there Ad.
Going line by line' through MBIE's expenditures is quite ..telling.
How much was pumped into Chorus by the Govt to keep it afloat?
Crown Infrastructure Partners…does that work where Crown carries the risk?Usually it does.
Good news!
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/pro/lower-voting-age-and-longer-terms-for-local-councils-govt-review
Make it 16 petition here
https://twitter.com/NZGreens/status/1565525824081575936
Thats great now they can face their full responsibilities as adults in court.
What are you talking about? Current law allows children as young as 10 being charged in court:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/126848630/law-change-wanted-to-prevent-children-ending-up-in-adult-courts
Thats indictable offences,presently the ram raiders ,car lifters etc appear in youth court.
And according to youth justice experts that just where they should be appearing.
What more would you like to see 'achieved' by the use of the adult court system regarding this criminal menace?
So they are not mature intellectually or morally to appear as an adult in court,but they can vote fucken hilarious.
How do we currently test voters intellectual and moral maturity other than to have lived past their 18th birthday? I know plenty older that fail to exhibit this maturity, and they’re in the Parliament! Under such thinking surely those who are of age but do not vote should have it revoked henceforth, for not exhibiting the requisite maturity?
Universal suffrage means just that, and encouraging youth involvement and engagement with politics by lowering the age to 16 is social good. They will only have one election to vote in while they are below 18 anyway, after that they’re intellectually and morally mature right?
if the issue is maturity, why 16 and not 15? Or 14? or 12?
Very good point, the line is arbitrary. I think the reasoning behind 16 is because the education of registering and engaging with the process could be part of the year 11 curriculum, the last year of schooling that is mandatory.
do they teach those things already?
I'm not certain. From a cursory look online the beginning of educating around of the NZ political process begins around year 10 / level 6.
I can't see the problem with teaching it in the last year of school and then them voting at 18. Unless they're intending to register students while still at school.
Not every student continues High School after Year 11, they'll miss out on learning an important civic process. Apparently the social studies class is elective past year 10 and how teachers approach the curriculum is left up to individual educators more than other subjects. If schools are to teach the next generations what is needed for our society then surely civics should be a mandatory topic.
I quite agree. One of my main objections to lowering the age at this time is the lack of civics education.
Let's say it's made compulsory in the last two mandatory years of school. Then they still can't vote until 18. How is that a problem?
It's not necessarily a problem, other than that it may be against the Bill of Rights. In the Newsroom article Dr Bronwyn Wood, Senior Lecturer at the School of Education at VIC says:
A mandatory education program accompanying any change seems to be common across those making the recommendation.
The inheriting policies argument takes us back to why 16 and not 14. Or 5 (I asked about the rationale on twitter once and someone I respect said they think all children should have the right to vote 😳)
Yeah that's not a sensible argument and not one I'd support.
I guess an idea why 16 could be that it is the next age threshold below 18, that society already uses for a variety of rights, it's not 14 because that seems a lot younger to society. All these thresholds aren't static, as we've seen with alcohol purchasing laws, it takes society to think it makes sense, and I think the argument that 16 is too immature to vote is not particularly strong. But we shall see what happens.
Regarding what is possible at different age thresholds, this is informative: https://www.cab.org.nz/article/KB00001126
Why not 25 that is when the Brain is fully developed.
is that a serious suggestion?
It has better rational arguments then bottom trawling for voters here and abroad (the latter being those with nz residents living abroad) if you cannot attract more the 1 in 12 voters with your policies,maybe the wisdom of the masses holds.
fuck sake, it's like pulling teeth trying to get people to state their position clearly.
Asking if 16 y.o's can exercise good judgement….whatabout the 'Ufindell effect'?
Well in that particular example the lack of good judgement by all involved, seems to extend to the present day!
So here's the energy crash course for Europe: Russia has now permanently shut down NordStream.
Nord Stream 1: Gazprom announces indefinite shutdown of pipeline | Gazprom | The Guardian
How will 'leader' v 'fast follower' v 'petrostate to the South play out now?
And will it be enough of an effect to stabilise its climate shock?
Search for alternatives perhaps?
https://thecradle.co/Article/news/14486
The G7 also placed a cap on Russian oil (the nordstream event was likely a reaction as the maintenance was timed for the meeting) as Europe controls 90% of the insurance,a no sail requirement is now in place.
https://twitter.com/AsstSecEcon/status/1565738230154231808?cxt=HHwWgIC8uf2nz7orAAAA
It excludes Oil to Japan from its Sakhalin field.
Nordstream2 is available ,a more modern ..option!
It is almost too depressing to report but Heather Stupidity-Allen yesterday came out with two unhinged clangers:
I get that Stupidity-Allen has to say dumb shit to appeal to her audience of racists and crystal-clutchers in order to keep her job, but it must hurt bad when she reflects at the end of each day on the monumental garbage just spouted.
If you want to vote to spite HDPA here's a tool for finding your local government candidates with the Greens endorsement or alternatively a list.
Well said, but too generous (imho.)
P.S. Thanks for the Green candidate links arkie – worked well for my local.
Link?
It was just me yesterday listening in the car while I was heading to Sylvia Park Pak'nSave.
The first was when she was interviewing her own husband, you know the one, while pretending he was an independent commenter.
The second as I said was a promo run to drive further traffic to her show, although I do not like to think about what sort of traffic that is!
Ta
Driving the car is quiet time for me.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
Problem is HADP is not low ability, expertise, or experience. She is working to a specific agenda and steadily heading down the rabbit hole.
With some of the highest covid case rates in the world back in March and then again in July, think how bad it would have been if we weren't wearing masks!
France announces that the 32 nuclear reactors idled for maintenance and parts,will be operating by winter,decreasing some generation risk in Eurozone.
https://twitter.com/quakes99/status/1565697494373527553
Boris Johnston outlines one of the UK policy response to the energy shortage.
https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1565327392868106249?cxt=HHwWkoC8kY2-lLkrAAAA
Which is not as silly as it sounds,large savings to be made by replacement of more efficient appliances b4 winter.
It is extremely silly.
How is it not silly to spend £20 on a kettle to save £10 in the first winter, a winter of 250% increases in energy prices? You are immediately £20 worse off and still £10 worse off a year after purchase.
More than that, it is out of touch in the face of household energy bills rising by hundreds of pounds in the coming winter. He is rightly being ridiculed for it.
Hi Muttonbird. Concerning stuff!..but what would the tory's care? Their rich voters…safe and insulated (literally) …and the poor/stupid who also vote for them…will blame "Greenies"
Note the second link re Spain. (I realise Spain is EU…but reckon UK will be same…and tory directed hate on Greenies)
Looking at the opex not the capex,where a more efficient appliance will reduce costs,which is similar to demand destruction,if you start replacing inefficient appliances on a large scale,it equates to a generator very quickly.
https://www.eeca.govt.nz/regulations/equipment-energy-efficiency/about-the-e3-programme/efficient-appliance-calculator/
I mentioned Boris's 'get a new kettle' idea on my Sunday morning walk to some men of scientific bent. They laughed, saying kettles boil water at the same rate converting electricity into heated water. More powerful kettles use more power but for a lessee time. Slower kettles use less power for a longer time. I googled it.
http://www.canstarblue.com.au/electricity/boiling-kettle-costs/
The article states, "How can I reduce the cost of my kettle?
There is no such thing as an energy efficient kettle, meaning the only way to save money on your kettle is to adjust your habits."
The article has charts for all sorts of kettles.