It's a pivotal scene from the original TV series of V. Diana swallowing a hamster not realising that she is being watched. The realisation that she isn't a human!
Covid may end up slowing down Barrett getting rammed through onto the SCOTUS. But it won't stop it. Even if it's delayed the Repugs will still have plenty of time after the election in the lame duck period and every incentive to make sure it happens and zero incentive to back off.
Yep. There's no law stopping them, and even a law wouldn't stop them trying.
The only reasons for them not to do it would be respect for the will of the American people, personal integrity, or principle. They have all given plentiful proof that they have precisely zero of any of those attributes, that the only thing that animates their dead-brained zombie carcasses is the exercise of power.
The practical reality is current sitting senators hold their seats and retain all their powers until noon on January 3, 2021. So they can confirm Barrett at any time up until then.
Politically, it's arguable whether they're better off confirming Barrett before or after the election. Any backlash for underhandedly confirming Barrett after the election is two or four years away for those senators not up for election, and by then the election is over and a done deal for those running this year.
If they do it before the election, then yes, they've "delivered" for their base. But then they also have nothing left to offer to those that are otherwise disgusted with them but would nevertheless stick with them in order to get reactionary judges appointed.
What adverse rulings are you referring to that RBG stopped?
In recent 5-4 rulings, Roberts has been the deciding swing vote. But you can be damn sure that Roberts would vote in favour of throwing the election to the Repugs if there were any possible way to do it.
At 5-4, Gorsuch or Roberts could decide matters in a non partisan way.
At 5-3 they could make it a 4-4 tie.
At 6-3 they would need to agree to block the GOP/partisans.
If Breyer is replaced, then even together they could not block the conservative GOP appointees deciding matters.
The Democrat Party need a POTUS and a Democrat majority on the Senate to appoint Garland and another to make a 11 seat SCOTUS. It would have a 6-5 GOP appointed majority, equivalent to the 5-4 one it would have been if they had confirmed Garland in 2016.
But Biden says he will not do this and thus allow Mad Mitch to get his way, no wonder he has friends across the aisle.
People like Susan Collins only win their Senate seats by posing as anti-Republican conservative positions from time to time.
Fortunately for her and the GOP her vote is not required for the appointment to go ahead. So it makes no difference when the vote is held – so she will try and win the Senate seat in Nov by saying she is against another conservative pick for SCOTUS.
For mine if her vote was required they would delay until after the election to allow her vote to get Barrett through without any electoral consequences.
Had I disappeared off-grid to live in a cave 10 weeks ago – and don’t think I wasn’t tempted – then returned last night to the Newshub “powerbrokers” debate, I’d have confidently told you this: Winston Peters, perched on the far-left stool, beaming above his immaculate white-spotted tie, is heading back to parliament… Here he was relaxed, quick, funny, grinning – he appeared not to have a worry in the world https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/02-10-2020/winston-peters-looked-like-a-man-transformed-at-the-newshub-debate/
Te ao Māori was present throughout – not just because of the questions, and not just because Tamihere and Davidson worked hard to raise kaupapa at every turn, but also because every candidate on the stage was Māori. Tamihere afterwards scoffed at that characterisation, though, saying that not everyone could, like him, be called a “practising Māori”.
Between them, the warhorse pair of Peters and JT were great entertainment. It was as if they had been sitting beside each other on those stools forever. A mix of banter, back slapping…
Tamihere told Peters to his face that he was “the biggest handbrake on the Māori renaissance … of all politicians”. Peters retorted that the people who sailed the Pacific to populate Aotearoa had the wherewithal to lift themselves up without the nannying state.
Does seem significant, this evidence of Māori renaissance. How many of the four will function as powerbrokers post-election is a pertinent question. Volatility in the polls with two weeks to go suggests potential for someone to get a shift happening…
Seem clear, but volatility emanates from two sources: fluctuations in the short term amongst those who indicate an intent to pollsters yet change their mind in response to events on the campaign trail, and a separate crowd that don't respond to the pollster request for an indication because they are genuinely undecided.
This latter lot apparently make up their mind on the day of voting. Given the size of the two crowds combined (20% of the electorate according to one recent media view, and 10-15% according to another, somewhat earlier) it is evident that the margin of error gets totally obliterated if they all vote.
Statistics tells us that they are most likely to break down along the lines of the portion of the electorate who do give an intent to vote party preference to pollsters. However the nature of volatility is such that campaign events can easily shift them en masse.
Complexity now being a science, the metaphor of weather shifts due to a butterfly wing flutter in the distance does apply. The electorate is a complex system.
I see the idiot/savant has declared his voting intent: "Having the Greens in government is the only way we have a hope in hell of doing that. So, I'm going to hold my nose, and vote for them as the lesser evil – and you should too. But they need to change. Because we deserve something better to vote for than a lesser evil."
Ah, the lesser evil thesis. So much the default mass psychology of representative democracy. It's hallowed status still has everyone by the balls.
I'll be voting Green, but for the common good reason. Not with enthusiasm – just a sense of inevitability. Slow learners will get crunched by reality sufficiently to figure it out eventually. Probably after I've passed on. Faith in the Greens withstands the reducing effect of the lack of political competence of those in parliament, because the common cause has more staying power.
Nice report from the backwaters of the culture wars:
My friend and I smoked pot nearly every day of our final year of university. We both graduated with close to A-grade BAs.
Fast forward 30 years and that friend is now a fulltime naturopath who regularly consumes cannabis chocolates. She says it’s a popular form of therapy among the healthy set. In those three decades I’ve had a successful career, working for high-profile, multi-national companies abroad and running my own business at home for the last 20 years.
Marijuana has been a constant companion throughout. That said, I seldom smoke these days. After a lot of pot and a 25-year ciggie habit, I look after my health and have taken up the vaporiser instead.
It’s called the Mighty, made in Germany. Precision engineered, rapid heat-up, variable temperature settings to get the most out of your weed, clear LCD display, excellent battery life, and pocket sized with discrete aesthetics. I’d been off the pot for several years because I was wrangling anxiety, and smoking weed wasn’t helping. But the vaporiser brought the good times back. The Mighty high is lighter, more uplifting. It makes me feel relaxed, cheery and open.
There is a higher level of THC in the blood if one vapes, rather than smokes.
Perception is just that.
It's easier on the lungs than smoking – unless its not.
There have been deaths amongst those vaping – leading to suspicion about the harmful impact of other ingredients (such as Vit E acetate) used on lungs.
You could be in Texas, where you might have to drive over a hundred miles to drop off your ballot at the one ballot-drop location that serves the hundreds of thousands of people in your county.
It's completely intentional – it was an explicit order by Texas' Repug governor, Greg Abbott. A lot of already installed drop-boxes had to be removed to comply with the order.
Vote suppression tactics last because they work. They're targeted in ways that don't really inconvenience the supporters of those that benefit from them. Repugs are quite open about the fact that their only chance of remaining widely in power is through successful vote-suppression, so they have to keep doing and their supporters continue to reward them for it.
However, undeterred from our quest to exercise our right to an early vote, off we went.
There are three potential public entrances to the voting room in Te Ahu in Kaitaia and the only one open and guarded by security was the one with the steep steps.
One of the other possible entrances was accessible by a ramp that would be easily doable by a paralegic…bit of a mission for a quad. That was completely out of bounds.
The other was a set of double fire exit doors that opened outwards and access involved negotiating a 50 mm edge on the frame. Totally unnecessary as there was already a aluminum ramp fitted…for want of a couple of seconds thought it could have been level entry.
However. We were admitted into the Inner Sanctum with way too much fuss and bother and with much 'oh, its no trouble really" s (which of course it was) an did our thing. (Social Credit candidate, Green Party vote and a no and a yes…FWIW) (With very little in the way conferring, as couples are wont to do.)
Repeat of the fuss and bother to get us and the wheelchair out of the room.
Sadly for the lady struggling with a single crutch…the Keepers of the Inner Sanctum had shut the fire doors and turned their backs and Security made her take the steps.
Sorry, there are no voting places that match that set of filters.
However.
Of the eleven polling booths between Kaitaia and Te Rerenga Wairua only two rather proudly declare " Independent access to and within this building." Both are primary schools and unfortunately not available for early voting.
The others all rather sheepishly admit "Accessible with assistance. May have step, steep ramp etc. "
Understandable for Te Hapua perhaps, and maybe Te Kao, but totally unacceptable for a busy metropolis like Kaitaia.
Of course the wee help elves are more than happy to rush over and give assistance…they are the Guardians of Democracy, right? But they shouldn't have to. Not in 2020 and certainly not in a relatively new and rather awesome community building like Te Ahu.
I've always had a soft spot for Social Credit, and young Brad is a solid , bright and enthusiastic candidate. I met him at a NZ Outdoors Party do, and after we chatted over washing the dishes I was not surprised that he chose a different waka. The Green Party seems to be always on the verge of self-destructing and I very nearly gave another tick to Social Credit. However Darlene Tana Hoff-Nielsen has taken considerable interest in local issues and did attend and support activists at the consent hearings for the most recent water grab from the Te Aupouri aquifer.
There needs to be a Ministry of Employment/Micro Business which helps people get skills and jobs, helps small entrepreneurs, and gets people doing useful stuff onto a payroll so they can keep on doing it.
The tall lean Southlander has been living on and off in the bush around the furthest reaches of the inlet in the Marlborough Sounds for about five years now, setting traps and living off the land… Apart from a few labouring jobs around about, Gary earns an income by selling possum fur, but lately, that’s been down because of Covid, he says. The price was about 25 percent down last time he went in but it hasn't put him off the job because "it's still for a cause."
Gary feels there should be a bounty for getting all the other pests he gets, like the feral cats, rats and stoats.
And the last time that was tried the country ended up with people spreading possums around so they wouldn't have to leave home to get the bounty. Trying a failed system again isn't going to make it work any better than the last time it failed.
"The first large-scale attempt to control possums was a bounty scheme which ran from 1951 to 1961. Eight million bounties of two shillings and sixpence were paid out for ‘possum tokens’ – the ears and a strip of fur. However, more than 75% of these animals were taken from near farms, picked off roads or caught in other easily accessible places. In the forests, possum numbers continued to grow."
How did they determined that those for whom the bounty was paid were taken from road kill? Even if possum numbers in forests continued to grow, it's hardly insignificant that numbers from other environments did decrease. I suspect there were other reasons for ceasing the bounty payments.
A bounty places a value on the existence of possums. They have been tried before in New Zealand but failed to reduce possum numbers. During the era when bounties were in existence, possum populations continued to expand in Coromandel and Northland as hunters deliberately introduced the pest to those areas in order to have a local population to 'farm'.
My bold.
Besides the bloody things are everywhere and even if the most accessible are only caught and the bounty claimed it's worth it.
I don't think it is. It's simply too labour intensive to be effective at anything other than short range.
From your link:
In more accessible areas, hunting reduced possum numbers.
Traditionally possum fur has been valued for trimming clothes, but since the 1990s prices have been low, forcing hunters out of the industry.
How did they determined that those for whom the bounty was paid were taken from road kill?
I suspect listening at the pub as people talked about getting easy money from the government.
I argued in a Waatea column back in 2014 about how NZs wider political framework could work alongside a Māori Parliament to fulfil our Treaty obligations. I imagine a NZ Parliament Upper House that has 50-50 representation between Maori and Pakeha.
Having a 50-50 Upper House with the power to delay legislation that was not in the best interests of the Nation when it comes to Treaty issues would stop Government’s from fire sales of national assets and prevent things like the Foreshore and Seabed legislation from becoming law.
Too conservative, I reckon. However the principle is validated by the racial partnership ethos, eh? Those for whom Te Tiriti is a handy device for shackling progress will be persuaded.
Note Bomber's subtle way of demonstrating class solidarity: stop Government’s from fire sales. Signalling that he couldn't pass School C English exhibits solidarity with the working class. Effective tacit psychology and totally pc. Full marks.
Yeah I agree, upper houses are an out of date idea. They can and have provided some useful balance of representation and scrutiny of legislation in countries where they exist, but very few (no?) countries are creating them if they don't have an historic one. It would presumably require a referendum to create and I think the idea of adding more politicians would be hard to sell. And what are the chances of selling an upper house of 50-50 ethnicity via a referendum?
I’m not convinced by binding citizens referenda – too often reduces complex problems to binary choices. A better answer would possibly be more democracy at local levels?
They can and have provided some useful balance of representation and scrutiny of legislation in countries where they exist
True but they've also done the opposite and rushed through bad legislation that the people didn't want. This has been especially true when both houses have been controlled by the same party.
And what are the chances of selling an upper house of 50-50 ethnicity via a referendum?
Non-existent.
I’m not convinced by binding citizens referenda – too often reduces complex problems to binary choices.
Depends upon how its done. It could be done in a way so that it's not just a binary choice.
A better answer would possibly be more democracy at local levels?
One of the reasons why I want to get rid of electorates is so that people have to get involved in local politics. No more running off to the local MP and thus immediately bypassing the local council who could probably do what needs to be done.
Not sure how well they work – but Korea routinely prosecutes members of outgoing administrations – and they are imprisoned while the investigation proceeds, to stop them covering things up. Such an investigation into Brownlee's performance in Christchurch would have ended very badly for him.
Probably not…at least in legal terms…and probably not even in political terms either.
That which occurred was widely recognised though probably not criminal and he remained supported in his electorate and party….dosnt make it right but such is life.
It was criminal – whether the law recognizes that or not. And healthy societies find ways to deal with such malefactors, either judicially or by mechanisms such as ostracism. That NZ has not augurs poorly for our future.
Yes ,I considered that when I wrote it, but technically is wasnt criminal (going on the information available)…and that is the point. The gutting thing about it is the lack of will by the opposition, the media and the public to fdorce the issue over a period of years….essentially he was given a free pass to behave as he did.
It was criminal – whether the law recognizes that or not.
There is a major problem when law fails to recognise immoral behaviour. It's an even bigger problem when the government then fails to adjust the law so that it will recognise and prosecute that same immoral behaviour.
next showdown between Judith Collins and Jacinda Ardern will be in front of a packed Christchurch audience and two staunchly Cantabrian moderators, next Tuesday.
The Press Leaders Debate has been held since 2011 and is the only town hall-style debate of the election campaign season. It will be in front of a live audience of 750 and the topics will be informed by The Press and Stuff readers.
Which leader can play a big crowd well, live? Does it matter? It does, inasmuch as floating voters can still flip the election outcome. Reef fish? Yeah, they can spin on a dime if something spooks them.
The Press Leaders Debate will be moderated by The Press editor Kamala Hayman and Stuff political editor Luke Malpass.
Having co-moderators is good, and one of each sex creates a good balance.
Hayman, who has held the editor’s chair of The Press since 2017, said… Christchurch voters would expect genuine, honest answers from the leaders, not political slogans or point scoring.
Let's hope the crowd provides a voice of unison on that basis, to loudly object when Collins tries to get away with talking over Ardern. Campbell & Gower were utter wimps, totally ineffective in moderating that behaviour!
Malpass worked at The Australian Financial Review where he was an editorial writer, opinion and editorial page editor and features editor, and spent time as acting foreign editor. He also worked at The Sydney Morning Herald. “The great thing about live town hall-style debates is that they test a different set of skills. The leaders get an immediate response from the crowd, who will decide which issues they care about, which answers are good and which are duds."
Non-floaters like you & me are irrelevant to the reef fish scenario. Will be interesting to see if the debate flushes out an issue or, more likely, a stance that could then go viral on social media & change the outcome (as per chaos theory).
Nigel Roberts once said that all election predictions are safe as long as you start your sentence with 'I'd be very surprised if …'
Well I'd be very surprised if the voting blocs revealed in the last dozen or so mainstream polls (and especially the last 3 or so) did not translate more-or-less into the election night result. That suggests Lab 45-50%, Nats 29-33%, Greens and Act each on 6-7%, NZFirst c 3%, quite a few smaller parties c 1%. A tightening of the race between the two leading parties and/or the major blocs often tends to happen in elections, though, as for example happened with National's results in 2011 and 2014.
Me neither. But that wasn't what I was writing about, eh? Remember how Nixon's 5 o'clock shadow changed the course of history? Well, maybe you weren't around then. Only took that trigger to shift the mass perception of a swathe of voters, turned him into a swarthy, shifty loser in their minds.
That showed how a leaders tv debate can transform politics. Overturned mass bias too, got the first catholic president in after three centuries of hard-line anti-papist sentiment.
Oh, the election you say. Labour following the 'art of the possible' when that doesn't reach what is necessary. No one shouting, only Yertle quivering far below.
‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveReporting on defence spending late last year, RNZ said the coalition government will have to make some tough calls this term to help the force address staff shortages and ageing infrastructure. “These are huge, huge amounts of government spending. It’s a significant proportion of the government’s ...
Peter Dunne writes – I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos Chris Trotter writes – TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction? Gary Judd writes – Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result?As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and ...
Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
Almost all of the Wellington City Council’s recommended zoning changes to allow many more apartments and townhouses in its inner-suburbs have been approved.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guest on geopolitics, ...
Open access notablesA Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future:Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “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 ...
Alwyn Poole writes – After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
Eric Crampton writes – A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
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 ...
Its 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
“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 ...
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 TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric 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 ...
Jacqui 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 ...
Gary 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 ...
Cleo 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
On 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 ...
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 ...
When 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 ...
A 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 ...
Simeon 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 ...
Buzz 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 ...
Chris 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 ...
David 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 ...
The 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 ...
The 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
The 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 ...
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 → ...
In 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 ...
Buzz 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 ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA 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 ...
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 ...
Geoffrey 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. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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. Carr had made highly ...
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 ...
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 ...
The 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 ...
A 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
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. ...
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. ...
Hon 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. ...
Green 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. ...
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 ...
The 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. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The 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. ...
With 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. ...
The 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. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’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. ...
The 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. ...
Unemployment 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 ...
The 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 ...
The 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 ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
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. ...
The 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 ...
The 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 ...
Rape 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 ...
Associate 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 ...
New 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 ...
Deputy 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 ...
There 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 ...
Defence 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, ...
Welcome 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 ...
It 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 ...
New 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 ...
A 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 ...
Foreign 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 ...
The 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. ...
Minister 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 ...
New 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 ...
Six 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 ...
New 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, ...
The 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. ...
The 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 ...
Foreign 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 ...
The 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 ...
Thank 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 ...
The 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. ...
The 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 ...
Structured 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 ...
Trade 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’ ...
The 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 ...
The 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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
From 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 ...
People 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 ...
Pacific Media Watch Television New Zealand Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to investigative journalism and Pacific communities in a ceremony at Government House, reports 1News. She has been the Pacific correspondent for 1News since 2002, breaking many ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Tuesday’s budget will respond to the deepening public agitation over Australia’s housing shortages by pouring new money into crisis accommodation for women and children, social housing and infrastructure. A specially-convened national cabinet late Friday ticked ...
By Kaneta Naimatu in Suva Journalists in the Pacific region play an important role as the “eyes and ears on the ground” when it comes to reporting the climate crisis, says the European Union’s Pacific Ambassador Barbara Plinkert. Speaking at The University of the South Pacific (USP) on World Press ...
Aldora Itunu is back in the Black Ferns squad after a three-year absence. The last of her 24 internationals was an underwhelming loss to France (7-29) in Castres to conclude the disastrous 2021 Northern Tour. The powerhouse prop won a Rugby World Cup in 2017 and thought she was done. ...
The fight to control major transport policy and projects in Auckland has burst into the open again, with councillors rejecting Mayor Wayne Brown’s latest attempt to steer things more under his influence. Councillors from the left and right broke ranks on the mayor’s bid to control Auckland Transport more directly ...
Exhausted by the general election campaign, horrified by the twilight zone of coalition negotiations, distracted by the silly season and waiting for the honeymoon to begin, Raw Politics has been in hibernation since October. From today, we’re back. Our weekly political video show and podcast returns for ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Authorities in the small town of Boulouparis have commemorated Armistice Day on May 8 with a new memorial honouring New Zealand soldiers who were stationed in New Caledonia during World War II. The ceremony took place in the township on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior lecturer, international migration and refugee law, University of Technology Sydney The High Court unanimously ruled today that the Australian government can keep asylum seekers in immigration detention indefinitely in cases where they do not “voluntarily” cooperate with their own ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Munro, Lecturer, Creative Industries and Digital Media, University of South Australia Twenty-four hours after the release of Macklemore’s pro-Palestine protest song Hind’s Hall on social media on May 7, the video had already notched up over 24 million views. In ...
Failing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...
350 Aotearoa is calling the Environment Select Committee’s decision to allow oral submissions from just 40% of individual, unique submitters who asked to speak to the committee ‘a disgraceful blight to democracy’. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Helal, Assistant Dean (Sustainability), The University of Melbourne Dubai skylineAleksandarPasaric/Pexels Since ancient times, people have built structures that reach for the skies – from the steep spires of medieval towers to the grand domes of ancient cathedrals and mosques. Today ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Musole, PhD Law Student, University of New England Girts Ragelis/ShutterstockRecent trends show Australians are increasingly buying wearables such as smartwatches and fitness trackers. These electronics track our body movements or vital signs to provide data throughout the day, with ...
Papua New Guinea experienced a significant earthquake on 24 March in East Sepik and there has also been recent flooding there and in surrounding provinces. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yousuf Mohammed, Dermatology researcher, The University of Queensland Maridav/Shutterstock You wake up, stagger to the bathroom and gaze into the mirror. No, you’re not imagining it. You’ve developed face wrinkles overnight. They’re sleep wrinkles. Sleep wrinkles are temporary. But as your ...
The Environment Select Committee has just announced that 60 percent of individuals who asked to speak at the hearings will not be heard. This equates to almost 700 people who made individual submissions and more than 1000 more who made a form submission. ...
The Royal New Zealand Ballet is performing Swan Lake around the country. What kind of dream does the ballet sell?Before going to see the Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Swan Lake, I had about as much familiarity with the plot of this ballet as could be expected from having ...
A new poem by Auckland poet Eamonn Tee. High Tide at Local Maxima It is only going to get worse. The streams will be narrow and fickle. The week will bend and buckle like a pot-bellied waist. You will make it to the weekend with one ...
The New Zealand entrepreneur behind beauty business Ethique is gearing up to launch a new eco-venture. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Our thirst for a tasty bevvy is insatiable, but it comes with a hefty plastic price for the planet: 580 billion ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 James by Percival Everett (Mantle, $38) A retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from ...
By Kamna Kumar in Suva Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna stressed the importance of media freedom and its link to the climate and environmental crisis at the 2024 World Press Freedom Day event organised by the University of the South Pacific’s journalism programme. Under the theme “A Planet for ...
Tara Ward previews a new local TV series offering alternative visions of motherhood. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. A woman is clambering up the side of her two-story house, clinging desperately to a drainpipe. Nearby, her child is perched on the ...
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is supportive of the cross-party approach to climate adaptation announced by the Minister of Climate Change today. ...
The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) and Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) welcome today’s announcement from Government around a bipartisan inquiry into an enduring climate adaptation framework for New Zealand. ...
The Free Speech Union welcomes the decision by the Department of Internal Affairs, and Minister Brooke Van Velden, to abandon proposals to further regulate online speech. ...
Its new building in Wellington will not be nearly big enough for all its records, and it has also run out of money to build its new storage facility in Levin. ...
BusinessNZ is congratulating the Minister of Climate Change for his work in achieving cross-party consensus for a way forward on climate adaptation. ...
Recent research reveals the repeal of smokefree measures is not only bad for our health, but also the economy. The Government has repealed various smokefree measures to ensure it keeps collecting $1.2 billion a year in tobacco taxes, in order to pay for tax cuts already being delivered to ...
The club’s surprisingly good season is built on the desire to prove a random A-League YouTuber wrong… and a few other factors.“There’s no way that Wellington Phoenix play finals this year. I can’t see it happening at all.” Those are the words of Lachlan Raeside, an Australian football content ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By César Albarrán-Torres, Senior Lecturer, Department of Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology Apple TV+ As one of billions of bilingual individuals in the world, it disappoints me when a film or TV show with characters of a non-English-speaking background is ...
The under-utilised course is a waste of space, and with a little political will, it could be turned into something better. For the duration of her stay in Wellington, my long-suffering cousin listened to me rant about golf courses. They’re bad for the environment: water intensive and pesticide heavy. They ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Ruppanner, Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of The Future of Work Lab, Podcast at MissPerceived, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock A recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows US fertility rates dropped 2% in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Corderoy, Medical doctor and PhD candidate studying involuntary psychiatric treatment, School of Psychiatry, UNSW Sydney shop_py/Shutterstock Picture two people, both suffering from a serious mental illness requiring hospital admission. One was born in Australia, the other in Asia. Hopefully, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Treby, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, RMIT University P.j.Hickox, Shutterstock Peatlands store more carbon per square metre than any other ecosystem on Earth. These waterlogged, mossy bogs beat even dense rainforests for their ability to act as carbon reservoirs. Under the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Goss, Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra Government spending on health has been growing so rapidly that a decade ago the then health minister Peter Dutton called it “unmanageable” and “unsustainable”. Health spending grew in real terms by ...
New Zealand's largest electricity distributor is warning the country to hurry up with controls around charging electric vehicles or face unnecessary bills running into the billions. ...
New Zealanders have been asked to conserve energy this morning to combat a possible electricity shortfall, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A call to conserve power New Zealand is facing a possible electricity shortfall, with people up ...
Writer Rebecca K Reilly breaks down the national book awards. What are the Ockhams?The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are our annual national awards for books published for adults, and have existed in this form since 2016. There are four categories: Fiction, Poetry, General Non-fiction and Illustrated Non-fiction. There ...
Wellington City Council should keep its 34% ownership share in Wellington International Airport, argue Unions Wellington spokespeople Finn Cordwell and Ashok Jacob. Insanity, as the saying goes, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Wellington City Council (WCC) is yet again proposing to dispose ...
New Zealand’s largest book publisher has undergone drastic changes this week, leaving its future role in local publishing uncertain. Two of the most recognisable local publishers in New Zealand are among those restructured out of Penguin Random House, it was announced this week. Head of publishing Claire Murdoch will leave ...
In 2021 the Public Interest Journalism Fund launched the Te Rito Journalism project, a $2.4 million initiative to boost diversity in New Zealand’s newsrooms. The initiative was in response to the decades-long shortage of Māori and Pacific journalists in the media industry. It was billed as New Zealand’s ...
The Black Ferns Sevens appeared to be a mile behind Australia at the halfway point of the 2023-24 SVNS international circuit. Winless in three tournaments, a cup quarter-final exit in Perth was one of their worst results. To add insult to injury, talismanic skipper Sarah Hirini had been ruled out ...
Loading…(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, Friday 10 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Successive governments have tried, and failed, to count Māori. But with the return of social investment, it’s more important than ever to get good data. The post Government looks for a better way to count Māori appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Experts in financing social investment initiatives say New Zealand is in a prime position to tackle social issues via a social investment approach The post What will Willis’ social investment fund look like? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist A former Tuvalu prime minister says while the New Zealand government’s oil and gas plans show it is concerned about its economy, he is more concerned about the livelihoods and survival of the Tuvalu people. Enele Sopoaga — who still serves as an MP ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Many people who follow federal budgets know about the magnificent “budget tree” in a parliamentary courtyard, which turns a glorious red in time for the May event. This week Treasurer Jim Chalmers posed by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Bennett, Professor of Music, Australian National University Richard P J Lambert/flickr, CC BY The future belongs to the analogue loyalists. Fuck digital. As a tsunami of CDs, DAT tapes and samplers swept the recording industry in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate professor, Music Industry, RMIT University This week American rapper Macklemore released a new track, Hind’s Hall, which has gained a lot of attention because of its explicitly political nature. The track is unapologetically pro-Palestine. It declares the artist’s ...
Explainer - The government from 2025 is mandating how state schools teach children to read. But what is structured literacy and how does it compare to other teaching methods? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danica Jenkins, Lecturer in European Studies, University of Sydney On a freezing spring night in March, Georgia’s national soccer team beat Greece in a nail-biter penalty shootout to qualify for the Euro 2024 championships. The atmosphere on the streets of the capital ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam G. Arian, Lecturer (Accounting & Finance), Australian Catholic University Loic Manegarium/Pexels Imagine every ton of carbon dioxide a company emits is slowly inflating its costs — not just in terms of potential fines or fees but in the capital it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Somwrita Sarkar, Senior Lecturer in Design and Computation, University of Sydney The “latte line” is the infamous, invisible boundary that divides Sydney between the more affluent north-east and the south-west. Historically, people north of the line enjoy better access to jobs and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dowdy, Principal Research Scientist in Extreme Weather, The University of Melbourne Nomad_Soul/Shutterstock In media articles about unprecedented flooding, you’ll often come across the statement that for every 1°C of warming, the atmosphere can hold about 7% more moisture. This ...
Long form article on the Pacific orchard workers, the so-called RSEs.
Oddly, they never become eligible for residence, unlike 4th tier "language students". It's not blackbirding of course – plus ca change 🙁 .
Jaeezzzusss, around America's Number One Crime Family, even women are nasty-ass sexual predators.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8796579/Kimberly-Guilfoyle-left-Fox-News-female-assistant-accused-host-sexual-misconduct.html
That sums it up nicely Joe90
I find this absolutely revolting. Normally I block images out but how do I do it for this.
I do too RedBaronCV, but what an image to recall when someone or media says that a politician has swallowed a dead rat.
It's a pivotal scene from the original TV series of V. Diana swallowing a hamster not realising that she is being watched. The realisation that she isn't a human!
Diana played by Jane Badler.
Covid may end up slowing down Barrett getting rammed through onto the SCOTUS. But it won't stop it. Even if it's delayed the Repugs will still have plenty of time after the election in the lame duck period and every incentive to make sure it happens and zero incentive to back off.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-lee-covid-supreme-court-hearing-amy-coney-barrett_n_5f775beec5b6d4e948b523fb
even if the Dems win?
Yep. There's no law stopping them, and even a law wouldn't stop them trying.
The only reasons for them not to do it would be respect for the will of the American people, personal integrity, or principle. They have all given plentiful proof that they have precisely zero of any of those attributes, that the only thing that animates their dead-brained zombie carcasses is the exercise of power.
Don't they want it before the election as insurance?
The practical reality is current sitting senators hold their seats and retain all their powers until noon on January 3, 2021. So they can confirm Barrett at any time up until then.
Politically, it's arguable whether they're better off confirming Barrett before or after the election. Any backlash for underhandedly confirming Barrett after the election is two or four years away for those senators not up for election, and by then the election is over and a done deal for those running this year.
If they do it before the election, then yes, they've "delivered" for their base. But then they also have nothing left to offer to those that are otherwise disgusted with them but would nevertheless stick with them in order to get reactionary judges appointed.
Don't they need her in place beforehand to help throw the election? Hanging chads and all that..
They've already got 5-3 for that. Going to 6-3 is just gilding the lily.
How was RBG stopping adverse rulings then?
What adverse rulings are you referring to that RBG stopped?
In recent 5-4 rulings, Roberts has been the deciding swing vote. But you can be damn sure that Roberts would vote in favour of throwing the election to the Repugs if there were any possible way to do it.
At 5-4, Gorsuch or Roberts could decide matters in a non partisan way.
At 5-3 they could make it a 4-4 tie.
At 6-3 they would need to agree to block the GOP/partisans.
If Breyer is replaced, then even together they could not block the conservative GOP appointees deciding matters.
The Democrat Party need a POTUS and a Democrat majority on the Senate to appoint Garland and another to make a 11 seat SCOTUS. It would have a 6-5 GOP appointed majority, equivalent to the 5-4 one it would have been if they had confirmed Garland in 2016.
But Biden says he will not do this and thus allow Mad Mitch to get his way, no wonder he has friends across the aisle.
People like Susan Collins only win their Senate seats by posing as anti-Republican conservative positions from time to time.
Fortunately for her and the GOP her vote is not required for the appointment to go ahead. So it makes no difference when the vote is held – so she will try and win the Senate seat in Nov by saying she is against another conservative pick for SCOTUS.
For mine if her vote was required they would delay until after the election to allow her vote to get Barrett through without any electoral consequences.
So the powerbrokers are all Maori, eh?
Does seem significant, this evidence of Māori renaissance. How many of the four will function as powerbrokers post-election is a pertinent question. Volatility in the polls with two weeks to go suggests potential for someone to get a shift happening…
Polling trends are pretty clear. Nobody is going to be a powerbroker.
Seem clear, but volatility emanates from two sources: fluctuations in the short term amongst those who indicate an intent to pollsters yet change their mind in response to events on the campaign trail, and a separate crowd that don't respond to the pollster request for an indication because they are genuinely undecided.
This latter lot apparently make up their mind on the day of voting. Given the size of the two crowds combined (20% of the electorate according to one recent media view, and 10-15% according to another, somewhat earlier) it is evident that the margin of error gets totally obliterated if they all vote.
Statistics tells us that they are most likely to break down along the lines of the portion of the electorate who do give an intent to vote party preference to pollsters. However the nature of volatility is such that campaign events can easily shift them en masse.
Complexity now being a science, the metaphor of weather shifts due to a butterfly wing flutter in the distance does apply. The electorate is a complex system.
I see the idiot/savant has declared his voting intent: "Having the Greens in government is the only way we have a hope in hell of doing that. So, I'm going to hold my nose, and vote for them as the lesser evil – and you should too. But they need to change. Because we deserve something better to vote for than a lesser evil."
Ah, the lesser evil thesis. So much the default mass psychology of representative democracy. It's hallowed status still has everyone by the balls.
I'll be voting Green, but for the common good reason. Not with enthusiasm – just a sense of inevitability. Slow learners will get crunched by reality sufficiently to figure it out eventually. Probably after I've passed on. Faith in the Greens withstands the reducing effect of the lack of political competence of those in parliament, because the common cause has more staying power.
Please provide a link.
Sorry, here it is: http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2020/10/an-unenthusiastic-endorsement.html
Ta
Nice report from the backwaters of the culture wars:
FYI.
There is a higher level of THC in the blood if one vapes, rather than smokes.
Perception is just that.
It's easier on the lungs than smoking – unless its not.
There have been deaths amongst those vaping – leading to suspicion about the harmful impact of other ingredients (such as Vit E acetate) used on lungs.
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2019/11/11/20959198/vaping-vitamin-e-acetate
That's not vaping cannabis though, is it.
Yes it is.
Not the real thing. Only prepared liquids.
So if the THC is inhaled as vapour rather than as smoke its not cannabis …
Cannabis inhaled as vapour is cannabis. Some liquid with THC and other additives in it, not so much.
OK. This covers it.
https://bedrocan.com/vaping-vs-vaporization/
So I'm talking about vapourising cannabis, not vaping it? OK then.
Went to find the location of my most convenient polling booth…..
Oh well, scrolled through the map and off to vote…
You could be in Texas, where you might have to drive over a hundred miles to drop off your ballot at the one ballot-drop location that serves the hundreds of thousands of people in your county.
how is that anything other than intentional, and why do people put up with it?
It's completely intentional – it was an explicit order by Texas' Repug governor, Greg Abbott. A lot of already installed drop-boxes had to be removed to comply with the order.
Vote suppression tactics last because they work. They're targeted in ways that don't really inconvenience the supporters of those that benefit from them. Repugs are quite open about the fact that their only chance of remaining widely in power is through successful vote-suppression, so they have to keep doing and their supporters continue to reward them for it.
Damn these first world problems…
Fortunately you can also find a polling place old styles by typing: https://vote.nz/voting/ways-you-can-vote/find-a-voting-place-from-a-list/
Try applying few filters…say, Northland Electorate, in Kaitaia and accessible venues only…https://vote.nz/voting/ways-you-can-vote/find-a-voting-place-from-a-list/?ElectorateType=General+electorates&Electorate=Northland&Suburb=Kaitaia&isAccessible=1&action_filter=View+voting+places
Big zero.
However, undeterred from our quest to exercise our right to an early vote, off we went.
There are three potential public entrances to the voting room in Te Ahu in Kaitaia and the only one open and guarded by security was the one with the steep steps.
One of the other possible entrances was accessible by a ramp that would be easily doable by a paralegic…bit of a mission for a quad. That was completely out of bounds.
The other was a set of double fire exit doors that opened outwards and access involved negotiating a 50 mm edge on the frame. Totally unnecessary as there was already a aluminum ramp fitted…for want of a couple of seconds thought it could have been level entry.
However. We were admitted into the Inner Sanctum with way too much fuss and bother and with much 'oh, its no trouble really" s (which of course it was) an did our thing. (Social Credit candidate, Green Party vote and a no and a yes…FWIW) (With very little in the way conferring, as couples are wont to do.)
Repeat of the fuss and bother to get us and the wheelchair out of the room.
Sadly for the lady struggling with a single crutch…the Keepers of the Inner Sanctum had shut the fire doors and turned their backs and Security made her take the steps.
I did nae lose it, but I said my piece.
...and why do people put up with it indeed.
What did the 'Accessible voting place' filter produce?
Sorry, there are no voting places that match that set of filters.
However.
Of the eleven polling booths between Kaitaia and Te Rerenga Wairua only two rather proudly declare " Independent access to and within this building." Both are primary schools and unfortunately not available for early voting.
The others all rather sheepishly admit "Accessible with assistance. May have step, steep ramp etc. "
Understandable for Te Hapua perhaps, and maybe Te Kao, but totally unacceptable for a busy metropolis like Kaitaia.
Of course the wee help elves are more than happy to rush over and give assistance…they are the Guardians of Democracy, right? But they shouldn't have to. Not in 2020 and certainly not in a relatively new and rather awesome community building like Te Ahu.
http://www.kaitaianz.co.nz/
"Social Credit candidate, Green Party vote.." 🙂 Yup
I've always had a soft spot for Social Credit, and young Brad is a solid , bright and enthusiastic candidate. I met him at a NZ Outdoors Party do, and after we chatted over washing the dishes I was not surprised that he chose a different waka. The Green Party seems to be always on the verge of self-destructing and I very nearly gave another tick to Social Credit. However Darlene Tana Hoff-Nielsen has taken considerable interest in local issues and did attend and support activists at the consent hearings for the most recent water grab from the Te Aupouri aquifer.
There needs to be a Ministry of Employment/Micro Business which helps people get skills and jobs, helps small entrepreneurs, and gets people doing useful stuff onto a payroll so they can keep on doing it.
Like this:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/countrylife/audio/2018766647/a-precious-endeavour
The tall lean Southlander has been living on and off in the bush around the furthest reaches of the inlet in the Marlborough Sounds for about five years now, setting traps and living off the land…
Apart from a few labouring jobs around about, Gary earns an income by selling possum fur, but lately, that’s been down because of Covid, he says.
The price was about 25 percent down last time he went in but it hasn't put him off the job because "it's still for a cause."
Gary feels there should be a bounty for getting all the other pests he gets, like the feral cats, rats and stoats.
edit
Here's an enterprising business outside the cafe and bar trade for a change.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/countrylife/audio/2018766640/meet-the-farming-couple-breeding-leeches-for-nz-hospitals
And this is one of the diverse directions that will be valuable to the individual learning and the society in terms of balanced interaction on a civilised and friendly level with others.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018765486/top-mma-fighter-starts-mentorship-to-train-young-talent
[Removed hyperlink that had somehow (?) sneaked into the middle of the word “bar”.]
And the last time that was tried the country ended up with people spreading possums around so they wouldn't have to leave home to get the bounty. Trying a failed system again isn't going to make it work any better than the last time it failed.
Pretty sure I've told you that before.
So you're saying they caught the possums from the bush then let them go again so they could catch them closer to home?
If breeding them is the aim, considering it takes a year from conception to maturity it's hardly worth the trouble.
Besides the bloody things are everywhere and even if the most accessible are only caught and the bounty claimed it's worth it.
At present any attempt at growing fruit, vegetables, roses even in any semi rural area is impossible without both fencing and trapping.
According to this https://teara.govt.nz/en/possums/page-2
"The first large-scale attempt to control possums was a bounty scheme which ran from 1951 to 1961. Eight million bounties of two shillings and sixpence were paid out for ‘possum tokens’ – the ears and a strip of fur. However, more than 75% of these animals were taken from near farms, picked off roads or caught in other easily accessible places. In the forests, possum numbers continued to grow."
How did they determined that those for whom the bounty was paid were taken from road kill? Even if possum numbers in forests continued to grow, it's hardly insignificant that numbers from other environments did decrease. I suspect there were other reasons for ceasing the bounty payments.
Yes:
My bold.
I don't think it is. It's simply too labour intensive to be effective at anything other than short range.
From your link:
I suspect listening at the pub as people talked about getting easy money from the government.
Bomber was prescient:
Too conservative, I reckon. However the principle is validated by the racial partnership ethos, eh? Those for whom Te Tiriti is a handy device for shackling progress will be persuaded.
Note Bomber's subtle way of demonstrating class solidarity: stop Government’s from fire sales. Signalling that he couldn't pass School C English exhibits solidarity with the working class. Effective tacit psychology and totally pc. Full marks.
I get so irritated by people who say an upper house is the solution to our political troubles.
All the evidence from around the world shows that upper houses don't work the way that they want them to work.
Really want to stop the government from doing stupid stuff? Then go for binding citizens referenda.
Yeah I agree, upper houses are an out of date idea. They can and have provided some useful balance of representation and scrutiny of legislation in countries where they exist, but very few (no?) countries are creating them if they don't have an historic one. It would presumably require a referendum to create and I think the idea of adding more politicians would be hard to sell. And what are the chances of selling an upper house of 50-50 ethnicity via a referendum?
I’m not convinced by binding citizens referenda – too often reduces complex problems to binary choices. A better answer would possibly be more democracy at local levels?
True but they've also done the opposite and rushed through bad legislation that the people didn't want. This has been especially true when both houses have been controlled by the same party.
Non-existent.
Depends upon how its done. It could be done in a way so that it's not just a binary choice.
One of the reasons why I want to get rid of electorates is so that people have to get involved in local politics. No more running off to the local MP and thus immediately bypassing the local council who could probably do what needs to be done.
Not sure how well they work – but Korea routinely prosecutes members of outgoing administrations – and they are imprisoned while the investigation proceeds, to stop them covering things up. Such an investigation into Brownlee's performance in Christchurch would have ended very badly for him.
Probably not…at least in legal terms…and probably not even in political terms either.
That which occurred was widely recognised though probably not criminal and he remained supported in his electorate and party….dosnt make it right but such is life.
It was criminal – whether the law recognizes that or not. And healthy societies find ways to deal with such malefactors, either judicially or by mechanisms such as ostracism. That NZ has not augurs poorly for our future.
Yes ,I considered that when I wrote it, but technically is wasnt criminal (going on the information available)…and that is the point. The gutting thing about it is the lack of will by the opposition, the media and the public to fdorce the issue over a period of years….essentially he was given a free pass to behave as he did.
There is a major problem when law fails to recognise immoral behaviour. It's an even bigger problem when the government then fails to adjust the law so that it will recognise and prosecute that same immoral behaviour.
So the
Which leader can play a big crowd well, live? Does it matter? It does, inasmuch as floating voters can still flip the election outcome. Reef fish? Yeah, they can spin on a dime if something spooks them.
Having co-moderators is good, and one of each sex creates a good balance.
Let's hope the crowd provides a voice of unison on that basis, to loudly object when Collins tries to get away with talking over Ardern. Campbell & Gower were utter wimps, totally ineffective in moderating that behaviour!
Too late to be relevant. I've already voted.
Non-floaters like you & me are irrelevant to the reef fish scenario. Will be interesting to see if the debate flushes out an issue or, more likely, a stance that could then go viral on social media & change the outcome (as per chaos theory).
Well they'll probably call it off, now that you've voted.
They may as well.
You and many others from the reports
Funny how the journalists who get these gigs seem to be the most excited by them. The voters, not so much?
Cui bono?
You seem really stuck on this. Not going to happen given the really big gap between left and right blocs.
Nigel Roberts once said that all election predictions are safe as long as you start your sentence with 'I'd be very surprised if …'
Well I'd be very surprised if the voting blocs revealed in the last dozen or so mainstream polls (and especially the last 3 or so) did not translate more-or-less into the election night result. That suggests Lab 45-50%, Nats 29-33%, Greens and Act each on 6-7%, NZFirst c 3%, quite a few smaller parties c 1%. A tightening of the race between the two leading parties and/or the major blocs often tends to happen in elections, though, as for example happened with National's results in 2011 and 2014.
Yep. Not seeing any conditions at all that suggest a big shift.
Me neither. But that wasn't what I was writing about, eh? Remember how Nixon's 5 o'clock shadow changed the course of history? Well, maybe you weren't around then. Only took that trigger to shift the mass perception of a swathe of voters, turned him into a swarthy, shifty loser in their minds.
That showed how a leaders tv debate can transform politics. Overturned mass bias too, got the first catholic president in after three centuries of hard-line anti-papist sentiment.
This is not one of the first televised elections. Nor is Ardern a comms lightweight. Sorry it is all less interesting than you want it to be.
I'm sure Codger will give herself a going over with the triple blade beforehand.
Hey I think Billy T K has a new candidate
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12370079
Oh, the election you say. Labour following the 'art of the possible' when that doesn't reach what is necessary. No one shouting, only Yertle quivering far below.
Trumpty Dumpty and his team have really spread the love across the states.
The contract tracing overnight is now an enormous task.
Who he met and who's tested positive.
https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54386681
Footage on overnight tv shows the rose garden ceremony on 26 September is set to be the super spreader event.
Kelly Conway positive and shown in footage mixing close and Senator Lee just announced as positive shared the hugs
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-54401069