Stories of rampant Republican-initiated voter suppression in Georgia and Arizona. Voters thrown off the rolls, forced to cast a provisional ballot if they turn up, which then isn’t counted. Haven’t heard anything about how bad it might be in Texas, but It has to be a worry.
Standard practice for Republicans every cycle sadly. Interesting to see that there’s a narrative developing that Trump is already casting around for someone to blame if next weeks results prove disappointing for Republicans. And that someone looks to be outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan who is not seeking re-election.
Greg Palast (gregpalast.com) saying it is very aggressive this year. Seems that voter suppression is the reason behind discrepancies between polls (including exit polls) and actual results. Provisional ballots cast on the day by those purged from the rolls, are not counted. Will be interesting to watch.
A Federal Judge in Georgia has just ruled that the state must allow over 3 thousand naturalised US citizens to vote in a defeat for Republicans who had sought to suspend their voter registrations.
Mentioned it in yesterdays open mike but at 4ish in the morning…
Cellphones cause cancer.
I’ve known this many years and people just treated me like a loony so I dropped the subject and stopped quoting studies. But the studies continue, and they continue to PROVE cellphones cause cancer. The science was obvious before but still these large corporations lie and deceive – controversy… you know, like global warming, tobacco, and a housing crisis.
Take those stupid damn devices off your face and from your kids now. They make you stupider, reduce concentration span, have all sorts of psychological implications, are deliberately designed to addict…
I asked about corporations.
Like the fossil fuel , pharmaceuticals, animal agriculture, alcohol industries.
The corporate powerful interests that put profit over the people and the planet.
We are on the brink of climate catastrophe thanks to neoliberal capitalism and the actions of corporations.
Kinda of funny then that the biggest contributor to global warming is not capitalist countries, but the good old communist regime of China (over 23% of all global CO2 emissions). Blows your conspiracy theories right out of the water Ed.
“A closer look reveals the industry’s sleight of hand. When Henry Lai, a professor of bioengineering at the University of Washington, analysed 326 safety-related studies completed between 1990 and 2006, he discovered that 44% of them found no biological effect from mobile phone radiation and 56% did; scientists apparently were split. But when Lai recategorised the studies according to their funding sources, a different picture emerged: 67% of the independently funded studies found a biological effect, while a mere 28% of the industry-funded studies did. Lai’s findings were replicated by a 2007 analysis in Environmental Health Perspectives, which concluded that industry-funded studies were two and a half times less likely than independent studies to find health effects.”
Putting up links from a very right wing Israeli paper from the beginning of September when the dubious crusade against UK Labour was in full swing? And suggesting it’s current? Really!?
@James. What government don’t realise is that sort of behaviour is becoming a wider spread problem of why there is going to be increasing private rental shortages in particular at the affordable end.
The government are only focusing on landlord problems, there are also issues with anti social or mentally ill tenants impacting on housing, people who can’t afford rents or just fraudsters out there.
Even the government does not want to be a landlord anymore and is selling off the state houses and land for private sale and only wants to provide middle class options for middle, upper class tenants.
What happens to the others, a pretty large group of people, some of whom seem have major social issues along with the entitlement who even when given opportunities feel or (litigate) they are the victims.
“Even the government does not want to be a landlord anymore and is selling off the state houses and land for private sale and only wants to provide middle class options for middle, upper class tenants.”
That is untrue. Try having some honour and tell the truth.
Ok $120k – $180k is the income bracket for Kiwibuy is that the middle class? Let me know the ‘true’ answer in your eyes.
The government are selling approx 2/3 of the state house land… to fund new posh housing for a few select renters instead of repairing at much less cost the existing housing and developing the land better for RENTING. (The older housing would last longer anyway judging from modern building practices and standards which is another issue we will ‘find’ out in the next few decades if the new, posh housing fails).
“Even the government does not want to be a landlord anymore and is selling off the state houses and land for private sale and only wants to provide middle class options for middle, upper class tenants.”
you said that and it is not true – if it is put the links and evidence up please.
Yip, in my example Housing Corp wouldn’t even consider “middle class options”:
Reader said residents questioned Housing New Zealand vigorously at the meeting and suggested alternatives such as buy back of houses, and affordable or retirement housing options but alleged Housing New Zealand would not consider these.
The Northern Advocate asked Housing New Zealand if it would consider affordable or retirement housing as alternatives to state housing alongside questions about the meeting and the status of the sale.
In response, Housing New Zealand asset development group general manager Patrick Dougherty provided this statement:
“Housing New Zealand appreciated the opportunity to talk to people on Saturday and explain what the next steps would be following settlement [yesterday] and confirmation that we are now the legal owner of this piece of Crown land.
“We’re now looking forward to getting on and planning what state housing we could put on the land and sharing these details with both the people in the Maunu community and the broader Whangārei community as soon as possible. “
They are taking part of an area used as a public park and owned by Ministry of Education.
Bit of a double standard as in Auckland where the land is so expensive and they need the affordable housing much more due to population growth they have created, they are worried about slums so do not want to put social housing all in one location, hence Kiwibuy, but apparently outside Auckland, no problem?
Housing corp/their private build partners must consider the Whangerei state houses are unlikely to end up as the Auckland slums they worry about as they are treating the cheaper land locations somewhat differently? Sarcasm.
Don’t think you read what i wrote in my first link below:
“Manau is one of Whangarei’s whitest and wealthiest suburbs.”
There are currently no state houses there. That is what is upsetting the nimbies so much. So same policy as in Auckland.
And we DO have a serious problem with homelessness up here now with population increase as cashed up Aucklanders move north. Great work being done on our new day centre for the homeless:
Well, if you don’t think SaveNZ is mistaken to see the private sales component of KiwiBuild as being aimed at the middle class, then how’s about you engage meaningfully with them over that point in lieu of accusatory finger pointing that only encourages boring ‘yes it is’/ ‘no it isn’t’ type exchanges that go nowhere and offer nothing?
I have asked for proof – I know there isn’t any because it is made up. You can’t provide any proof either so how about YOU put some truth up and not just your subjective and bias opinion. When we don’t have made up thinks we can engage meaningfully.
You may like unverified attack lines against labour but I don’t. There is no proof that labour have said the following … “and only wants to provide middle class options for middle, upper class tenants.”
That is an attack line and not true. You may like it or even believe it but I’m not discussing with someone who deliberately muddies the waters before the discussion has even begun.
The truth is imo you are just pissed off with me and are looking for a way to try and ban me. Own your stuff bill.
This is in open mike and not in your thing about Kiwibuild. This discussion started with James linking to an article about a bad tenant. SaveNZ responded by saying that “even the government does not want to be a landlord anymore” which is clearly false as the government is increasing state housing stock. When Marty challenged this false assertion SaveNZ came back with Kiwbuild but Kiwibuild is aimed at people who would not qualify for state housing and so would never be state tenants.
All Marty has done is ask for proof of what is clearly a false assertion. My understanding of the rules here is that making assertions “you are unable to substantiate with some proof” is not tolerated.
SaveNZ didn’t claim NZ Labour had said and only wants to provide middle class options for middle, upper class tenants
That aside, your apparent noble and tribal defense of NZ Labour against any perceived criticism is noted. I’m more in line with Rosemary, Sioban and others on that front. But hey…
I don’t want to ban you marty, and would hardly hae to “search” for a reason to do so – that’s just you projecting (again) and wrongly second guessing my thoughts and/or intentions – which is getting damned tedious if truth be told.
SaveNZ voicing their opinion is legitimate and (get this!) what the standard is intended for.
Attacking a person for expressing an opinion is not what the standard is for.
But this infantile level of exchange does my head in, so instead of trying to steer things in a healthier direction (it’s striking me as a lost cause) I’m outta here in the hope that Rosemary, Carolyn_Nth, Molly and others who make worthwhile contributions to discussion have had something to say in the meantime.
I feel i have as much skin in this game as you. Many of SaveNZ’s posts are false assertions about Labour and the Greens. I hate that, even when it is directed at Nact. I can see that there is a pattern between you and Bill but hey will i be next?
@ bill. Yeah I’m sick of you too especially for bullshit like this, “That aside, your apparent noble and tribal defense of NZ Labour against any perceived criticism is noted”
Always love the big threats you do eh bill – little man big stick syndrome imo but thanks for the LOLs.
[ 🙄 It’s your behaviour I’m finding tedious marty. Not you. Hell, I don’t know you from a bar of soap and could walk past you in the street or even pass time with you over a beer and be none the wiser. But that aside, since you’re obviously not paying any heed to what’s being written and seem determined to carry on on the same track that involves submitting comments that are just excuses for snide or direct ad homs, I’m now assuming you’re angling for self martyrdom. Which is fine. Any more comments coming from you that appear to be just wrappings for pointless abuse, or that appear to have been constructed solely or mostly as a platform from which to launch personal abuse, and I’ll help you honour that 8 week ban you said you were imposing on yourself a week or two back.] – B.
SaveNZ certainly implied intent by the government, but whether the current performance of kiwibuild is by intent or not, the perception is that kiwibuild is not reaching those genuinely in need. The couple proudly paraded by Phil Twyford and Jacinda Ardern as the first owners of a KiwiBuild home are not examples of people who need government assistance into housing. They are classic examples of middle class welfare, and given the Michael Joseph Savage imagery, Labour have to own that.
“About the only people who aren’t happy are those who believe that publicly funded social interventions on the scale of KiwiBuild should be directed first to those most in need. Tragically, however, the Coalition Government is selling the poor a pup.”
It’s interesting, shadrach, that Twyford’s response was pretty much that the poor wouldn’t be able to afford home ownsership anyway so what’s their problem.
While I agree with some concerns re building codes/building smarter, this debate has elements of ridiculous left wing identity politics.
Lower and upper middle class… more categories to divide folks up. And somehow, now, a middle class person buying a house is the ‘private sector’ like they’ve taken the form of some corporate entity upon receiving their keys. They’re people moving into their first homes, not villains.
Hey bill yesterday you challenged me re KiwiBuild homes not being fit for purpose, warm, dry, last well. I re-read your post but could find no link. Can you let me know the source of your information? Cheers
edit – okay, I think I found the comment you made. If you go through the link that was used as the source for the IEA quote, you’ll see under the heading “2. The New Zealand Building Code” further quotes from other studies pointing to the fact that NZ building codes are wanting in relation to other richer countries.
Both the OECD and the IEA point to the necessity of retrofitting in the future should NZ continue to build houses to current standards.
Beyond that, it’s just taken for granted that in a world experiencing warming, houses need (for example) to have enough thermal mass to reduce the amount of energy used for heating and cooling – we can’t construct energy supply networks fast enough to get zero carbon energy in time to avoid shooting through 2 degrees. That means we have to simultaneously reduce demand through efficiences while at the same time expanding energy supply to cater for a whole pile of stuff that’s going to have to shift from fossil and bio to non-carbon and electric.
Beyond the energy side of things, buildings that aren’t built to deal with prolonged heat waves are buildings that people will be dying in. If last year’s northern summer is an indicator of things to come, then we’re probably not looking at decades down the track – more in terms of mere years.
You might find the following of interest in relation to the current NZ building standards being behind those of other countries and maybe with an eye to the comparatively poor standard of insulation in NZ – and expected heat events.
Will read soon. I don’t doubt that our building standards are rubbish, but read (for what it’s worth, and it’s probably not worth much) that KiwiBuild would be warm dry homes… but you may be referring to other needs as our planet warms. The honest truth is that I am so pleased National aren’t in power anymore, that I tend to think well this is better, so much better than what National would have done. Appreciate people such as yourself to critique labour more rigorously.
I do support the idea of young first home buyers getting access to buying their own home though. But clearly more needs to be done for the poor. They are doing stuff eg porirua announcement but I hope they are getting the message to increase their efforts here+++++
I’ll start off with this example where “the government” is moving ahead with a state housing development in the face of strong local opposition. Manau is one of Whangarei’s whitest and wealthiest suburbs.
That is land. No houses built there just ‘paper plans’. Unlike the Kiwibuy which has already got the houses built and middle class tenants moved in there. In contrast the state house tenants have not got houses, but plans and have been evicted and in temporary housing.
And if antisocial tenants and gangs move into Whangarei, when it eventually gets built, how nice will that be for the rest of the residents living there?
And if antisocial tenants and gangs move into Whangarei, when it eventually gets built, how nice will that be for the rest of the residents living there?
You say you want to look after the most vulnerable but don’t want the wealthy to be burdened with having them in ‘their’ neighborhood. I live in a mixed neighborhood and have five direct housing corp neighbors and have never had an issue. All nice people.
“The Government will invest $100 million into tackling homelessness in this month’s Budget.
Of that total, $37m will go into providing 1500 shorter-term houses, which should be in place by the end of winter.
The other $63m will be used to significantly ramp up the Housing First Programme, which is a longer-term solution and targets the most vulnerable families in the country.
Housing First is based on the idea that people should be placed straight into permanent housing, rather than emergency shelters, before any other issues such as addiction or mental health are addressed.
There are no conditions attached for tenants, such as a requirement to be alcohol or drug-free when they come into the progtramme.
The new money will expand the programme to another 550 households outside the main centres, at a cost of $42.9m. The remainder of the $63 million will be used to sustain and expand Housing First services – such as mental health treatment.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Housing Minister Phil Twyford made the announcement at Te Puea Marae in Mangere, which took on large numbers of homeless in recent years as the problem worsened.
Speaking at the marae, Ardern said there should be no homelessness in a country like New Zealand.
“Images of children growing up in cars sits well with no one,” she said.
She said the government would be also seeking out help from other maraes and social services, who have land or the ability to offer services to homeless people.
She acknowledged the funding package would not be enough to end homelessness and said her government aimed to deliver more funding to build permanent housing in coming announcements.
Putting chronically homeless people into emergency housing did not provide them with long-term stability, she said.
“[But] this is us trying to meet the immediate need.”
Twyford said most of the new 1500-odd homes were already available for homeless people to move into.
He said the public housing waiting list in New Zealand was now over 9000 and heading for 10,000.
The minister appealed to the public to assist with finding homes and land which could be used for emergency housing.
“We can’t do this alone … If you know of properties that might be available over winter, such as seasonal worker accommodation or private rental homes, we’d like to hear about those.
“We’d also like to identify small land options suitable for temporary housing with power and water connections ready to go, such as marae and private land.”
The $37m for MSD came from underspend under the previous Government. The $63m was new money and was on top of the $300m committed by the National Government in 2016.”
Hi Marty. Managing HNZ tenants is a massive ongoing challenge with lots of potential to paint the government ugly.
eg: As per your link, providing long term chronic alcoholics with a permanent place to call home is great, the best option I feel. But geez, I wouldn’t want to be fielding the endless streams of complaints from disgruntled neighbours.
I agree Marty, these initiatives do represent movement in the right direction and most certainly is the hard way. Our previous government’s solution to the problem was to try and drop the lot into the lap of The Salvation Army.
They wisely said “No thanks Mr Key, we don’t want your 1000’s of free houses”.
Also you say “The new money will expand the programme to another 550 households outside the main centres, at a cost of $42.9m”
So that seems a ratio of $78,000 per household, per year if yearly or is that amount over how much time?
Cos $650,000 for a house for 50 years adds up to $13,000 per year and if the house lasts 100 years it’s $6,500 per year per household if the state owns the house.
Then they get state house rent from the tenant etc to cover expenses, interest etc.
Long term that’s a significant amount of money to find aka $42.9m and it might be easier just to can Kiwibuy and just pop the homeless in the Kiwibuild houses and save a shit load of tax payer money.
Demand for State Houses is unlikely to be met for generations, if ever. Places like Sweden were building them before white fellas landed in NZ. Millions of us would stick our hand up if offered a home for a third of our available income.
Housing First is not a state agency. The government are giving significant amounts of money to third party providers who then use private housing (aka private landlords) for the housing and obviously there are overheads to having 5 separate organisations who all have their own paid members etc to run all these charities and organisations.
So the money is not going into state housing. It might be going into helping homelessness but it is not going into building the actual housing via groups like Housing First.
If you have a link to an actual NEW state house built with our tax payer money in first years this government has been in power and has permanent and secure tenancy in place, I’m keen to see it.
Grenfell is an example of how things can go wrong when you put overhead over overhead into social and state housing. The money can easily go in the wrong direction and the tenants are at the mercy of organisations that are profiting from the arrangement of them managing the money. Of course it’s all great when they first get the money and full of success stories, but 5, 10, 20, 100 years time, what is going to happen with this approach over just one generation and how much money gets siphoned off the system.
Housing First should only be considered a temporary solution because of the dysfunction caused by National party. Long term it is just siphoning off housing money using third party approaches rather than investing WISELY in the actual housing itself owned by the state specifically for state housing and making housing NZ functional again.
I’m pleased for those who have now got a stable home in GI state housing tenancy. But I doubt that all those who previously resided in GI managed to withstand the continual uncertainty and overt hostility to get keys to replacement houses.
But really, seven years to be relocated? Do you understand how disruptive that is to community, children’s education and general wellbeing?
The full history of what went on previous to the handing over of the keys is relevant, and missing from your link.
The right to buy: the housing crisis that Thatcher built
Now revived by David Cameron, the right to buy social housing was a key Conservative policy in the 80s: populist, profitable, and with its disastrous effects yet to come
My last comment – I appreciate that you are trying to look after the most vulnerable in our society. I don’t agree with many of the extrapolated conclusions you reach. I also want to look after the most vulnerable in our society.
The right to buy your state house was the norm in New Zealand throughout the 50s and 60s and was a successful policy. The only reason for this, though, is because it was regarded as merely one aspect of a wider housing policy of providing low interest home loans to either buy or build, secure low cost tenancies for those who continued to rent, and actively replacing stock that was sold to tenants. The only negative aspect of that era was the shortlived or not used enough approach of pepper-potting, the consequences of which we still see today. A housing policy that has all of these things, including pepper-potting and adding full insulation, is what we need right now.
“the government offered purchasers very generous terms: 5 percent deposit, a 3 percent mortgage rate, with a maximum purchase period of 40 years”
That is the State was the lender- Sate Advances Corporation.
Trading Banks of course didnt lend much to ordinary homeowners and most housing loans were from Savings Banks who required you to have a deposit saved with them. Investors were fairly rare.
In general National wanted renters to buy houses and didnt like building more, while labour was the opposite.
In the 1990s National moved to ‘market rates’ for all state houses and allowed those not normally eligible to rent expensive state houses , often so they could buy , especially in Auckland. https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/we-call-it-home/the-state-steps-in-and-out
My concern is that when authority and management is diluted amongst three different entities, it is quite easy and often observed, that it is difficult to get anyone to take responsibility. I feel that is the perspective I share with saveNZ. I feel strongly that state housing should be administered, owned and maintained by the state. Council housing similarly.
The moves to override local government regulations in order to provide housing, would quite rightly be criticised on this forum, if it had been proposed by National. Aligned with PPP models, this is a complete disregard for considered planning, and will most likely result in long-term negative outcomes for those residing in resulting communities, and possibly for the neighbourhoods surrounding. Local government planning and regulations should be putting in place guidelines and rules to improve the wellbeing of residents and communities for years to come – and Phil Twyford is suggesting to ignore all that?
There is a register James. She targets soft touch private landlords who have decided to save 8% of the rent and manage their properties themselves. A landlord that hands over the keys before a tenancy agreement is signed or photo ID sighted deserves their fate. Miniscule savings that can easily cost much more than the rent due.
Tracy’s form is freely and quickly available by tapping her name into the Tenancy Tribunal Orders search facility.
Hi Gabby, not sure I understand your point. Tracy appears to be a chronic liar. As I say, the landlord that rents to anyone without sighting a drivers license or passport does so at their peril.
Does James have the guts to challenge these powerful organisations ?
The US and UK arms industries.
The US and UK governments.
All complicit in mass murder in Yemen.
“Since Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies launched a bombing campaign to oust the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the spring of 2015, the UK has sold and estimated $5 billion worth of arms to Riyadh.”
“Plastic – unlike glass or metal – cannot be recycled infinitely, and after a handful of times it will be discarded, where it will take centuries to degrade. One single water bottle will remain on the planet in some form for a minimum of 450 years.
Even if plastic were easily and infinitely recyclable, it is still manufactured from crude oil often obtained by methods such as fracking, one of the most environmentally damaging processes in existence, which produces carbon emissions and contaminates the surrounding areas, putting people’s health at immediate risk.
It’s clear that something needs to change, and it’s not about recycling. If we want to truly address the devastating impact of single-use plastic the answer is simple: governments must focus on stopping its production entirely.
Single-use plastics should be immediately banned, or at the very least heavily taxed. ”
(Personally I am for a ban on single use plastic, but we are so far gone now that is not enough, we need to create a system where the manufacturers are responsible for the recycling of every type of plastic post use, and that will ensure that they start to eliminate unnecessary plastic through their supply chains. )
“A plan to turn a huge tract of pristine Antarctic ocean into the world’s biggest sanctuary has been rejected, throwing the future of one of the Earth’s most important ecosystems into doubt.
Environmental groups said Russia, China and Norway had played a part in blocking the proposal, with the other 22 members of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, the organisation set up to protect Antarctic waters, backing the proposal.
The 1.8m sq km reserve – five times the size of Germany – would have banned all fishing in a vast area of the Weddell Sea and parts of the Antarctic peninsula, safeguarding species including penguins, killer whales, leopard seals and blue whales.
Experts said it would also have played a key role in tackling climate change, as the seas around the Antarctic soak up huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. ”
When areas of ocean are protected, allowing marine life to thrive, it creates a spill over effect. The result being increased marine life in adjoining unprotected oceans.
China had previously supported conservation efforts, but now flexing power of where it is going for the future aka not the worldwide, collaborative conservation path… but instead going backwards for short term profits at the expense of future generations and holistic conservation measures…
the world should be increasing conservation, as biodiversity is in major decline, but instead the superpowers and countries of the world seems to be turning a blind eye and making things worse.
Since the rise of the middle class in China’s booming economy seafood has become major staple food source, as where as before the economic boom in China either the rich or those living by sea could afford seafood. The Chinese Fishing Fleet is heavily subsidised to a point in SEA it’s now regarded as the fifth arm of the PLA behind the Chinese Coast Guard due to its illegal conduct against other nations fishing boats on the high seas or in other nations EEZ’s. This aggressive approach by the Chinese Fishing Fleet has lead a number problems such over fishing, collapse of local fishing communities with host nations and possibly long term effects in these host nations will total collapse of the fisheries leading to a total collapse of the economy of that host nation, armed conflict on the high seas which has already happened to the Chinese Fishing Fleet in Southern South America just a couple of yrs ago and that’s before we add the effects of CC.
Having followed Anne Marie Brady research since her break in. In her latest paper on the Antarctic Treaty she has noticed a total lack of disclosure on Chinese and Russia research and military involvement in the Antarctic Region. All other nations that signed the Antarctic Treaty all those years ago have been fully upfront with disclosure in Antarctic Region, but neither Russia or China are compiling to the rules of the Antarctic atm especially over the last 10yrs it seems. We’re already seen land/ water grab by Russia and China over the last 5-10 yrs in the Arctic and in the South China Sea, so they going to do the same thing when the Antarctic Treaty comes up for renewal in the coming yrs?
My guess is they are getting ready to do it. As there is an awful lot fish in those Southern waters, natural resources, oil and gas in the Antarctic Regions ripe exploration.
Susi Pudjiastuti, Indonesia’s minister for fisheries and maritime affairs, has a strong message for China, owner of the world’s largest fishing fleet.
“The Indonesian fisheries minister – known for her penchant for blowing up wayward vessels – sets her sights on Chinese habits ahead of an international conference that will tackle overfishing”
“Ministers and heads of state from 35 nations are to attend this month’s Our Oceans Conference along with 200 non-governmental and private sector organisations. Maritime security, climate change and pollution of the seas will be on the agenda as well as overfishing.”
And you’ve probably seen this paper… By Anne-Marie Brady that highlights some of China’s interests and activities in the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT), which include undeclared military activities and mineral exploration …
Yes, I tend too agree with the Indonesian minister on that, as the Chileans or Arge’s sunk a few fishing boats when the refuse to stop when they were caught illegally fishing inside whoever’s EEZ at the time. The Chinese Fishing Fleet hasn’t been back to those waters since the sinking of it Fishing Boats.
NZ once did the same thing back in the late 70’s using a pair of Skyhawk’s as poor RNZN patrol boat (HDML of WW2 vintage) was struggling to chase them down. NZ didn’t have many problems for a number of yrs/ decades onwards as every Foreign Fishing Boat knew the NZG was prepared to use lethal deadly force to enforce it EEZ rules.
Just before I left work in Jul this yr, I remember reading an article in Janes Defence, that the Chinese were thinking or in the process of upgrading a number of Coast Guard Ships with new Sensor Suite, Weapon Suite IRT mounting a 3’ (76mm) automatic gun with whole host of lethal and non lethal weapons. The big ocean going Chinese Guard vessels which roughly the same size as the ANZAC Frigates, could quite easily mount a 3’ auto gun along with the other upgraded weapon and sensor systems.
But in the footnotes of the Janes Defence Article, they asked the question would you embark on turning your Coast Guard Ships into a De Facto Naval vessel to escort your fishing fleet unless you going to illegally fish in other nations EEZ.
The two OPV’s currently in service with the RNZN are somewhat now under gunned, not having the ideal weapon or mission/ sensor support systems because of the over weight issues with the ice belt added on to the OPV’s. If the Chinese Fishing Fleet does pop up in the Southern Ocean, inside NZ’s EEZ or somewhere else. If going to make an interesting question of enforcement of the rules etc?
Yes I did see Anne-Marie Brady’s paper and it was in the Oz newspaper a couple of weeks ago. It was a very interesting read btw, to a point an ex boss of mine rang up as few questions and my POV on the article.
I heard rumours (backed up by the ODT as well) of the MOD/RNZN scoping out facilities around Port Chambers and Bluff for a possible Southern Naval Base either in the first half of yr or last yr as the RNZN are after a 3rd OPV that’s capable of patrolling the Southern Ocean all yr round, can embark a Sea Sprite and have stern launch and recovery system for the RiB IOT conduct broading parties in all sea states.
This is the effects of CC 101 and it’s only going to get worse.
Ahead of next week’s elections, US President Trump said he will sign an order to bar anyone who illegally entered the US from claiming asylum. He also hinted he would let the military shoot at people throwing stones…..
……On Thursday, the US president said he had told the US military mobilizing at the border to treat rock-throwing by migrants as equivalent to gun usage.
“They want to throw rocks at our military, our military fights back. We’re going to consider, and I told them to consider it a rifle. When they throw rocks like they did at the Mexico military police, I say: Consider it a rifle,” Trump said.
Trump’s violent rhetoric echoes that of Benjamin Netanyahu to his military about Gazans who approach the Israeli border.
The atrocities committed by the Israeli army against protesters at the border, crimes labeled by some as a genocide, are outweighed by the even greater genocide being carried out in Syria by Bashar Assad a comparison the Israeli’s don’t hesitate to make.
‘But there is now a spring in the step of Labour insiders whose polling suggests National is taking a much bigger hit from the disarray created by Jami-Lee Ross than the Colmar Brunton poll indicates.’ A.Young
The expert pollsters do say that negatives take a while to filter through to the poll. Maybe that is why National seems a bit down in the House in spite of the Immigration problem.
You shoot yourself and now its called a hit job ??
And his tweet “I want more facts!!! That’s what it’s all about. Why the wall of silence from Govt?” I see that this has since been deleted, but from the thread I gather it was regarding Peter Thiel.
Remember that ILG used absolute discretion of the minister
“Ardern would not discuss further details of the case, such as whether Sroubek’s life might be in danger, but said “you can draw a fair conclusion on why the Minister made his decision”. https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/read-between-lines-drug-smuggler-pm
And then we are told during Question time that “This is not in the public interest” if not then what would be ???
Funny the timing of this ???
Bridesmaid sister gets visa offer following Immigration NZ decision review https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12153884
note the last Min of Imm (M Woodhouse) has questions to be answered as well https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11837608
This should have been cauterised, but has been left to fester, That IMO is where the real damage has been incurred.
Did you hear Woodhouse gleefully telling Lisa Owen on checkpoint last night, “but wait, there’s more!” when she asked him if National had more to throw at Lees-Galloway?
Lees-Galloway has obviously made a hash of the case but Nats have been quietly holding this for a rainy day and, in the wake of the JLR shitfight, it’s been pouring on the National Party.
People get demonised all the time in the media. So many (even here) love to put the boot into those struggling.
Good to read another side of this young mans life not just the sensationalised rubbish used to sell papers.
James Fleet was a P addict – but a meth cook and drug dealer who got what was coming to him? No. His mother, Bron Fleet, reveals publicly for the first time who her son James Fleet was – a deep thinker who was kind, caring, quirky, loyal, intelligent and loved.
“People who are antagonistic resonate more with populist messages”
interesting article in Scientific American
There are many divides in the world right now. But there’s one divide, deeply embedded into the core of human nature, that helps explain many other divides. What I’m referring to is a source of human personality variation that is built right into our DNA: antagonism.
And Stringer had the nerve to say he didn’t have the means to pay off Colin Craig for defamation. The Court clearly should have instructed Stringer to put together a book of his awesome cartoons to raise the money.
But seriously, Siobhan: how on earth could that utterly incompetent fifth-rate cartoonist defame anyone? I imagine it would be something akin to being savaged by a dead sheep, or by our witless friend “James” who sits forlornly just above you in this thread.
A great low cost opportunity for the govt to be seen and acting that would achieve 100% support of the country … And without having to say why did not any previous govt find this organisation deserving !!!
JA make an executive decision and grant NZLS $2-5m annually ? Timing would be almost perfect
We can change. Get your youth into this – it may help a lot of people
“Youth Advisory Group
If you’re aged between 14 and 18 on 1 January 2019, find out how you can have your say about education in New Zealand.
Applications are now open and will close on Sunday 18 November.
To be considered for the Youth Advisory Group you’ll need to:
be aged between 14 and 18 years on the 1 January 2019
live in New Zealand
be respectful of other people’s opinions
get parental, caregiver or legal guardian consent if you are not an independent youth.
You can sign up online, or download and complete the PDF version of the registration form, and email to youth.voice@education.govt.nz. ”
A couple of moral pygmies discuss military matters.
(Where the F**K does Mora’s producer find these people?) The Panel, RNZ National, Thursday 1 November 2018
Jim Mora, Susan Hornsby-Geluk, Mike Rehu
vacuousadj.1. having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; mindless. 2.(archaic) empty
Protests at Defence Forum
Protestors target the representation of US weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin at Palmerston North’s Defence, Industry and National Security Forum. But, NZ First MP Darroch Ball says many other business are taking part which supply “apples, toilet paper, spare parts, electronics, steel and clothing to the Defence Force” and which have a presence in the city. https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thepanel/audio/2018669360/protests-at-defence-forum
MORA:[speaking over intro. music] W-w-what do you think, both of you, about the vigorous protests in Palmerston North at the Defence Industry Expo? Do you have a view?
SUSAN HORNSBY-GELUK:[inhales and clicks tongue to indicate how thoughtful she is] I think it’s kind of IRONIC that, um, an anti-violence campaign results in a couple of people being assaulted, ahhh, a couple of people assaulting THE police, but, um, I think the point here is it’s not a GUNS expo, it’s really important that this is, like, a defense procurement exercise, and if we’re going to have an army and we’re going to invest millions of, uh, dollars in the army, we clearly need to understand, y’ow, what the best equipment is, so, yeah, I support the right of people to engage in, ahhhmm, peaceful protest but, ah, I do think it might be slightly misGUIDED in this instance.
MORA:[inhales loudly to indicate moral seriousness] What do YOU think?
MIKE REHU: Yeah, I, I, I’m the SAME actually. I, I do feel as though we, [baffled sigh] y’know, the industryyyy, y’know in EVERY industry they HAVE these conferences, they HAVE these exhibitions, this is, and ironically in SOME countries yooouu, you SAY “defense” and it’s not defense, it’s OFFENSE, but I think New Zealand HAS to have a DE-fense, and I, I personally worry that, that we-e-e-e, we don’t. I mean, I was just looking at some numbers earlier today, we spend four hundred and twenty-six dollars a PERSON on our DE-fense compared to Australia’s fifteen HUNDRED, which is over four times, and the U.S.has three point one per cent of their G.D.P. spent on defense, ours is like one point one—
MORA: Yeah.
MIKE REHU: So we spend a MINUSCULE amount, and you can TELL in the quality of aircraft, boats, and blah-blah-blah that we have. But in these days of, y’know, what they’re calling the sharp POWER where we saw, y’know, ahhmm, the Saudi Arabian fella get, ahhh, get assassinated pretty much, allegedly, in Turkey, ahhh, we’ve seen the North Koreans come down and hit somebody. We’ve seen the Russian spies come in. Now, w-w-we’re pretty harmless down here but we’ve got a lotta things that people WANT in the world, especially our natural resources like water. And we’ve seen, we’ve played NICELY with people, we’ve almost GIVEN [snickers] away some of our resources. But when, now that we’re wising UP a little bit, what if people WAN’ our resources and things down here and, and what’re we gonna do—
MORA: Is that—
MIKE REHU: —if somebody comes in?
MORA: Is that push ever gonna come to shove though?
MIKE REHU: Well. I mean, surely we should have some sort of sturdy defense anyway, at least SOME capability, I mean, otherwise we WILL have to turn to bigger powers and, and then we’d, we have to, obviously, sign some kind of compromise deals with people and—-
MORA: Which is what we do now, don’t we. We, we lend them a frigate, or we lend them a, a batch of the S.A.S. and we play our part among a group of nations.
MIKE REHU:[inhales loudly to indicate how serious he is] Yeah, and, but even with AUSTRALIA, y’know, the relationship we have with Australia, apparently, y’know, a lot of our kit is massively inFERIOR, and we get by with our good soft skills, our good people skills when we’re overseas representing our country in part of these United Nations, ahhhm, combinations. So, y’know, again, coming back to your first question about the expo, ahhhmm, it IS a worry that there MAY be some weapons of OFFense, ahhhm, being shown at this exhibition, but I think if it’s about DE-fense then we should play a part.
MORA: Here’s Andy Hickman from Peace Action Manawatu, talking about Lockheed Martin’s presence at the expo, and its manufacture of a laser-guided bomb that destroyed a school bus in Yemen in August.
RECORDED VOICE OF ANDY HICKMAN: Forty schoolboys were killed by that particular bomb, ahhh, Lockheed Martin takes ownership, that WAS their bomb, but they claim no responsibility ‘cos it was fired by the Saudi Arabians, and we say that no, actually, they have a moral and ethical responsibility to take ownership for that.
MORA: And this is a moral dilemma that in LIVING history goes back to the burden of guilt felt by the men who built the atom bomb. But we also know that everybody sells weapons to the Saudi regime. And, the world of realpolitik, this is a very hard one, isn’t it. And are there any easy answers, and is the, I mean, does New Zealand need to take the clear-cut stand that people like Andy Hickman would like? Or do we have to sidle our way through the world as you’re suggesting?
MIKE REHU: And I know that these expos and exhibitions have been held in different cities over the years, but for Palmerston North as well, um, that is very close to where a lot of our military happens, and a lot of the economy is, is DRIVEN by the military as well, so I guess we have to be a bit careful that we kill ALL industry around that.
MORA: Yeah, aah, and New Zealand First M.P. Darroch Ball says a lot of the businesses have a PRESENCE in Palmerston North, actually, and they employ thousands of people right across the country, and it’s as much about apples, toilet paper, spare parts, electronics, steel and clothing as it is about anything else. But just before we leave the topic, ahh, to give the opposite poi-i-innnt, Golriz Ghahraman, writing today, ahhh, talks about the self-steering bullets, tiny killer drones from Israel: “I’ve seen what that looks like on the ground,” she says, referring to her childhood in Iran, “a sea of amputees poured into Iranian cities from the frontlines during the 1980s. Half the world feels like second class citizens, as we did in Iran. Our lives and misery are not as important as the profit being made from war.” So she’s saying, can New Zealand really, with a clear conscience, take part in any of that?
SUSAN HORNSBY-GELUK: There’s, there’s two different issues in tha-a-a-a-at. One is the, ahhhh, equipment itself, and two is, who’s making a profit from it? But in terms of the equipment itself, IF we’re gonna send guyyyys, aah, to Afghanistan or wherever it is, they need to have whatever the other people have got, otherwise, ahhh, we’re sending them into an unsafe environment. Um, that means they need to have, y’ow, technologically the very best that we ca-a-a-an, uh, possibly provide for them. As to who makes the profit from it, I think that’s a different issue, and I think she’s BLENDING the, um, the MORAL judgement about what war CAN result in, with, aah, the issue of who might make a profit and who might not.
MORA:[inhaling loudly] These are not easy answers to find, are they not, but I’m, um, pleased to have had your opinions on it.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Later in the program, we were treated to the following classic comment:
SUSAN HORNSBY-GELUK: I hear the Governor General is a vegan. That’s really cool.
In the first two essays in this sequence, I sketched out the framework of Oswald Spengler’s vision of the process by which great cultures rise, work through their possibilities, and fossilize once those possibilities have been pushed as far as they can go. That vision of history pretty reliably generates a profound unease among people raised in Western industrial societies, for those societies—the heirs of what Spengler named Faustian culture, the great culture that emerged in western and central Europe starting around the year 1000, and holds temporary dominion over the globe—prefer to see history in a different and far more simplistic way.
In the Faustian worldview, it’s inconceivable that the world’s cultures each have their own possibilities, their own values and insights and ways of understanding the world, which cannot be reduced to any single trajectory. In the Faustian worldview, there is only one range of possibilities open to human beings, the one set out by Faustian culture; all other cultures can be seen only as inadequate attempts to attain the Faustian model. There can be no different but equally valid sets of values and insights and ways of understanding the world; there is simply the Faustian way, which is self-evidently true, and every other way, which is superstitious, benighted, and obviously wrong.
I’m so scared I’m having difficulties sleeping,” said André Karipuna, a young indigenous community leader of a protected area in the Brazilian Amazon. According to satellite data from fly-overs commissioned by All Eyes on the Amazon in June and October 2018, his fears are very real. And now after the election of Brazil’s new president, Jair Bolsonaro, even more so.
Hard evidence of vast deforestation
They show that forest destruction is four times greater than official data suggests. Over 10,000 hectares of the Karipuna territory have already been destroyed – 80 percent in the last three years alone. This deforestation is not only devastating to the Karipuna community. It also forms a major threat to our climate.
Photos of staff at an elementary school in Middleton who were dressed for Halloween as Mexicans, while others posed behind a cardboard cutout of a border wall that says “Make America Great Again,” have gone viral.
ta – so good to read good news. In some ways I really wish I was in Dunners – visiting mum in south dunedin, visiting my mates around the traps and seeing all the Labour people feeling great about this country and where we are going now. So much more to do and we are at last DOING it. That is the way forward – proud to be a left lingering Kiwi. Proud to call this country home.
Seymour goes off half baked and trys to take on the plastic bag ban in supermarkets
hes says he has some ‘research’
“Mr Seymour said the government’s decision to ban single use plastic bags could be killing up to 20 New Zealanders a year.
He said research in the US showed that people using reusable bags were susceptible to diseases such as campylobacter from chicken.
However, Professor Siouxsie Wiles at Auckland University told Checkpoint this research had already been debunked.
“So it’s written by two professors of Law and Economics who are not microbiologists or public health experts.
“They’ve taken a data set around people who are hospitalised or deaths in San Francisco and looked at before plastic bags were banned and then afterwards. They’ve then drawn a bunch of conclusions which if anybody in public health looked at would say no, not true at all.”
Flint isnt backing Seymours crazy claim based on US research by law professors.
Meanwhile the safety of the food itself is ignored !
Ive washed my resuable bag a number of times, and hung it out in the sun- a great sanitiser
Its a super sized one from a hardware store, it probably needs little wheels like luggage does.!
“So far, governments have been slow to react to the human rights disaster in China’s far western Xinjiang region. Its sheer scale demands immediate international action. An estimated one million Uighurs and other Muslims minorities are believed to be held in extra-legal detention centres in Xinjiang because of their ethno-religious identity, with torture and ill-treatment rife in the camps. Authorities in partnership with tech companies have developed and deployed dystopian surveillance technologies to turn the rest of Xinjiang into an open-air prison.
In August, the UN committee on racial discrimination described Xinjiang as a “massive internment camp shrouded in secrecy”. The US congressional-executive commission on China said the Chinese government’s policies in Xinjiang might amount to crimes against humanity. The UK government recently confirmed reports of internment camps for Uighur Muslims following a visit to the region by British diplomats.
Step-by-step the Xi Jinping regime has crossed thresholds unthinkable years ago, with little repercussion. The government detained nearly every single human rights lawyer over a single weekend in July 2015, imprisoned China’s only Nobel peace prize laureate until he died in custody in July 2017, and earlier this year, abolished presidential terms limits, paving the way for Xi to become dictator for life. The Han-dominated Chinese Communist party is now confident that the only way to govern Xinjiang is to eradicate the distinct Uighur identity in the name of countering terrorism. This cannot continue.”
Happy to do that, marty! I’ve got some issues accessing the back end of the site, though I hope to have a post up later today or early tomorrow.
In short, it’s been gloriously upbeat. There have been some rousing standing ovations for the PM, Grant Robertson, and Kristine Bartlett. This arvo is policy amendments (nothing controversial). Then it’s various elections, some of which are tightly contested.
To be fair, the lack of negative issues has meant its been tough on the media. I can see Audrey Young at the back of the room, absentmindedly chewing on the roast limb of a small child, desperately hoping for David Cunliffe to announce a new tilt at the leadership.*
I really hope we get serious about this. So many people are suffering and struggling. I am hoping that it is true and that it will be delivered. Everything is crossed.
Absolutely it’s a priority, marty. I was talking to a minister about homelessness and they made the point that its a health issue, not just about housing. And others have talked about the links between suicide, depression and violence and mental health. This party cares.
I don’t think it’s come up so far, though the policy part of conference is yet to come. From memory, I think Labour have already said they will regularly lift rates.
They’re required by statute to raise benefits according to the CPI. I was referring to raising basic benefits so that people weren’t expected to be forced into debt, either to Work and Income or loan sharks or whomever, just to get by. Wonder what the odds are of that coming up in the “policy” section.
There is one policy proposal that directly affects beneficiaries and that’s to lift the earning threshold and to lower the abatement. This would allow beneficiaries to earn more as part time workers and not lose the benefit at 70 cents in the dollar as it is now.
That can only be good, but is kind of the same as Kiwibuild – aimed at mid-range of the target group. The poorest, those without part-time employment, generally speaking, are again excluded. Let’s see if basic benefit rates come up at tomorrow’s “policy” session. It’s a pity ipredict has shut down – could’ve made a killing.
I’m sure the Labour Party cares a lot more about homelessness than it did in 1984, when in the run-up to the Snap Election it staged a mock soup kitchen in Auckland’s Upper Queen Street to draw attention to the failure of the Muldoon government’s housing policies. Dozens of news media and wellwishers turned up for the event, and were ladled out helpings of soup.
Unfortunately, a couple of real homeless people also turned up and tried to get a plate of soup for their worthless selves—but were swiftly hustled away by Labour Party “security” before their shabbiness and unkemptness could lower the tone.
The Labour Party of 1984 was dominated by such caring people as Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble, Mike Moore, Geoffrey “Footstool” Palmer, and Trevor De Cleene. I hope it’s slightly more caring these days.
Excuse me? When have I “spread lies” here or anywhere else?
prove it or remove it.
It was reported in the New Zealand Herald in June 1984, and quite possibly in the Auckland Star as well. Why don’t you get off your useless asssss and find it for yourself?
Those of lower socioeconomic status are more likely to suffer mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Depression being a leading cause of suicide.
Therefore, it would be good to see this coalition Government do more to address low incomes and benefits, thus improving mental health and our high rate of suicide via this avenue.
Depression is in every group , its rubbish to suggest the poor ore far more adversely affected.
eg medicine has a higher depression rate than some professions as it attracts the ‘ perfect’ type.
Moreover, it’s borne out in our suicide stats (see the following below).
For the majority of the 10-year period 2006-2015, the rate of suicide for those living in the most deprived areas was significantly higher (around twice as high) than for those living in the least deprived areas.
“The whole point of this is that for too long we’ve measured ourselves on a very narrow basis…so not having every single data point shouldn’t stop us from saying the health of our environment, our people and our communities is as important as our financial wealth.”
At first I thought he was channelling the Greens but this was at the Labour Party annual conference so I clicked on the link and read the article.
There was a nod to sceptics however, with Robertson saying the Government knew it had to strike a balance between “careful management of the economy and making significant investments in our social progress”.
“Previous Labour governments have done it, this coalition Government is doing it, and I know that we can keep doing it.”
He told media afterwards there was “a tricky balance to strike” between maintaining a robust economy and making the investment that was required around the country.
I read it several times to make sure I got it right but I can’t tell.
To me it seems he (and Labour) are framing it as two targets that oppose one another or are perhaps even mutually exclusive. And if they’re on an equal footing, which one would a true Labour Party stand for?
Is Robertson framing it this way to avoid frightening the horses or is he simply showing his personal (and/or his party’s) beliefs on these matters?
Perceptions matter a lot in politics (and in life) but any decisions (or lack thereof) speak volumes no matter how you frame (spin) things – are we on the cusp of something special?
” the big driver of future costs: long-term invalids and sickness beneficiaries, a group he describes as “this big hard lump of long-term waste of human potential”. ”
….was to replicate ACC’s tactics…
” If they were ACC customers, we would be spending a lot of money on trying to move them. They cost a bit less on sickness and invalids [benefits], not a hell of a lot less(bullshit), but we do nothing and we are actually doing nothing to reduce this very large long-term liability.” ”
And that sure worked well…with how many shifted from ACC to SLP and Jobseekers?
So far….I’m certainly not seeing how this government attitude towards those whose health and disability needs prevent them from being in paid work differ from National’s.
Policy change to encourage those on benefits to participate in paid employment ( https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-03-11-2018/#comment-1546092) without increasing the base rate for the SLP for those who simply can’t work sounds like more arbeit macht frei to me.
“His plan for the sick and disabled folk… was to replicate ACC’s tactics”
And with Labour apparently just passing a remit (extending ACC to include illness) can we assume they plan to do the same (replicate ACC’s tactics) albeit a little softer?
When people are (badly) haemorrhaging you don’t because you can’t wait, you must act there & then. So, I reject that we should sit & wait for ‘something special’ or even for a budget surplus, a healthy economy or what have you.
This is how I see the main political parties in NZ framing their view [singular] of our society: A is as important as B, but B is conditional on A.
Craig H…sorry, can you explain your remit? What exactly does it entail? ‘extending ACC to cover illness’…is this the ACC weekly compensation? ACC level treatment, rehab, ongoing support? Heavens forbid to be able to have a resident family member as your paid carer? Only ‘illness’, or would the extension cover those born with disabilities?
That Labour could entertain the possibility of extending the scheme to cover those born with disabilities seems too far-fetched. Up there with raising basic benefit levels.
“Even the pro-Government blogsite, The Standard, is publishing criticisms of the scheme – see: KiwiBuild doesn’t fly. According to this critique, the Government is effectively privatising “state housing land”, to be used by private developers and the KiwiBuild scheme, meaning that most of the land will be for privately-owned houses. It says John Tamihere is correct in his call that development on state housing land in Mangere is akin to “social engineering”…..
Didn’t know that Kiwibuild was ever meant for low earners. So Kiwibuild becomes fodder for the Edwards with his mates in the Opposition.
Yeah, this has come up at conference. More explanation about state housing improvements is needed. Kiwibuild is about intervention in a buggered market. Building new state houses is complimentary, but different. Both are good policies.
So many lies spread by some well known names on Standard
.
State housing land is being ‘gifted’ to private buyers.
Kiwibuild homes have a big subsidy.
No new State houses are being built.
That ultra high insulation/glazing is required to make them ‘warm and dry’
Those who don’t qualify for state housing and would get laughed out of the bank if they tried to get a $650K mortgage for a Kiwibuild loan. Some of these households don’t even qualify for WFF, FFS. They are hard working families which for a variety of reasons haven’t been able to be stable enough to be seen as good loan material. They have young kids and instead of subjecting them to years of austerity have decided to give them what opportunities they can now instead of scrimping for an ever increasing deposit. Dad slogs his guts out and mum works part time around the kids.
Building new State Houses is urgent. Demolishing existing State Houses and using any of the land they were built on for Kiwibuild houses is uncomplimentary.
The East Porirua scheme is very like the Glen Innes one – building fewer state houses on the land; some Kiwibuild homes there and some homes on the general market.
The promise is for 150 more state houses than before. But the 2000 state homes being replaced in East Porirua, may not be on that land as far as I can see.
Basically, it looks like many state home tenants will be moved elsewhere in Porirua – uprooted from their existing community to make way for more homes in the area on the market for the middle classes.
Why? Why not build the new Kiwibuild and general market homes elsewhere in Porirua, rather than shift the state homes there?
TBH Carolyn_Nth, my usual talent for being able to seek out the nitty gritty on Government work appears to be failing me. For the life of me I can’t seem to find a one stop website that tells everything a citizen would ever want to know about Government’s plans and schemes for housing. Slogans…yes. But actual hard core nitty gritty from an actual government website (not a ‘partner’ website) is proving a challenge.
Must be because I’m closer to 86 than 16 and am tuning out. 🙁 🙁
The announcement by the government is not totally clear. But, to me ot looks like there will be 150 new state homes on top of the ones already in East Porirua.
The East Porirua land that currently has 2000 state homes, will be regenerated – ie the existing state homes will be rebuilt, and also on the same land will be Kiwibuild homes, plus homes built by developers for the general market.
it’s not totally clear to me whether the current 2000 state homes will all be rebuilt on the existing land, or whether some will be rebuilt elsewhere in the wider area.
Lots of pretty images, but I’m not seeing any more detail there and it says:
In Eastern Porirua, we expect physical works to start in 2019. This is a 25-year project, and it is very early days, so the detail is still to come. But we expect the first public housing to be delivered in 2019 and the first KiwiBuild homes in 2020.
““For instance, in Māngere – just one of many projects that the Government is working on at the moment – 2700 state homes are going to be demolished and 3000 state homes are going to be rebuilt, but in a third of the land area.
“The other two-thirds are going to be KiwiBuild and affordable.
“By my estimations, in 2700 homes there now, there’s probably 12,000 to 15,000 people in those homes. Multiply that to be 10,000 homes [on the site in total] and we’re looking at 25,000 to 30,000 people living on the same land mass.
“That’s 30,000 human beings of different cultures, different religions, differing values and life, living in the same space as 12,000 people used to.”
I do think Labour have learned somewhat from the debacle of Glen Innes. however, the vagueness about some details is concerning.
I do get the idea that people might be rehoused in greater Porirua, rather than in the area of Porirua where they currently live. But that still might be a disruption for many.
“Kiwibuild is about intervention in a buggered market”
I wish people would see that. In previous times people would rent and build up an asset base to move into home ownership. Now, due to a combination of factors that step has become impossible for most people in Auckland and many other areas, and they are trapped in the rental market. KiwiBuild is about moving the people who would otherwise have left the rental market into ownership by “de-risking” the building of lower spec homes for developers (4 bed, 2 bath and office appeals to more buyers, so more are built) and using the power / guarantee of government to drive the cost down. The resulting churn in rental market then helps those further down.
Probably a poor choice of words there using “down”, but it will allow people to leave the rental market and provide opportunities for others to enter the same limited market.
But KiwiBuild is really only targeting a very limited group, and it’s an easy and cheap intervention. The targets are, or were, potential National voters being the aspirational young things striving for their first homes. They will be ensuring the Coalition’s second and maybe third term. That’s why 101st keyboard brigade is loosing it’s shit over it.
There’s a big difference between this and completely rebuilding our social housing infrastructure, it’s been fucked by being run like a hire centre. That will require a much stronger government, with say 75 or 80 seats in the house and the corresponding public support to undertake bold projects. KiwiBuild is a step on that path, both physically and politically.
Pretty sure they’ll enjoy their foray into the centre having hoovered up all those soft right wing votes. I don’t have any confidence they’ll do much at all for long term tenants in the face of that.
Last Saturday was a watershed moment for me because I saw where Labour were going for their survival. I feel they have abandoned a lot of the people who voted for them in the hope they’d get a fairer crack.
Not to be so far.
It’s not too late though. They just need to rethink eligibility and support for Kiwibuild accessibility, fast.
Nope. You don’t get to comment on this, sorry. You are from the other side. Those who don’t believe in any support for families who find the equation of modern life difficult to comprehend. Families who work super hard but have had mistakes hang around their neck for years.
I hear the criticisms of the current version of Kiwibuild from the Nats and the right wing but they are criticisms born of simple and automatic opposition to the government, rather than support of low income families finding peace and security in their communities.
We see simple calls from the low regulation right wing for more housing – ‘just build them’ – but whenever a house is built there are wider, 100 year factors to be taken into account.
I don’t have any issue with Auckland City putting the brakes on wild-west developments because you cannot move these people to work without the right long term strategy.
Yep. Although I believe she said, ‘I’m not going to carry a table’ or words to that effect, the cosying up to Savage while standing next to a portrait of white upper middle class privilege was a huge mistake from JA.
“”If I can hark back to some Labour tradition,” said Ardern, going on to remember the “great father of the Labour Party” Michael Joseph Savage and Norman Kirk, who had one of her favourite sayings: “All one really needs is something to do, somewhere to live, someone to love and something to hope for.””
Yeah. This government removed hope for tens of thousands of families last Saturday.
If the Greens could stop navel gazing for five seconds and ramp up their already strong housing policy they could really teach Labour a lesson on this.
I’d be very happy with a Labour/Green government next term with the Greens making sure Labour didn’t slop down in the centre, fat dumb and happy.
“If the Greens could stop navel gazing for five seconds and ramp up their already strong housing policy they could really teach Labour a lesson on this.”
Yes. I voted for the Greens. Two ticks. Hoping they’d put on their steel toe-caps and do some proper social advocacy.
Speaking of the Greens and their inaction. Remember the glimmer of hope shown by Marama re her bold stance taken in support of the disabled grandmother who was offered a free solar setup but was declined approval by HNZ to install it? Winter has come and gone and it has still yet to be resolved.
I had my suspicions about the Lange government from before it was elected. Two things in particular concerned me:
1) LABOUR’S CRASS, BOORISH, DULL CAMPAIGN
The choice of the egregious Jennifer Warnes/Joe Cocker song “Up Where We Belong” made me cringe every time I heard it, and pointed to a dire lack of imagination and creativity in the party. Funnily enough, the New Zealand Labour Party’s use of that virtually unlistenable pop song in 1984 was echoed by the Democratic Party eight years later, when Slick Willie’s campaign song was Fleetwood Mac’s equally awful “Don’t Stop Thinkin’ About Tomorrow”.
2) THE SOUP KITCHEN INCIDENT
Shortly before the 1984 election, the Labour Party organised a brilliant media event to draw attention to the plight of the poor and homeless under the heartless National government. They organised a mock soup kitchen, to be held at Myers Park. Overtones of the Great Depression, unemployment, sugarbag years….
The media was invited, and all the Labour candidates they could muster would be there. Talking about poverty, of course. It was a MOCK soup kitchen, of course, but the soup was real, and prepared by one of Auckland’s most renowned chefs, and everyone would of course be served some of this top-grade soup after the speeches.
A short time before the event was about to get under way, as the assembled guests and dignitaries were arriving, the organisers were annoyed to see that a couple of real homeless men had arrived. They’d seen the mock-up Depression-style “Soup Kitchen” sign and assumed….
Assumed WRONGLY, it turned out. Labour’s hired muscle for the day escorted the horrible, tatty, unwashed tramps away from the “Soup Kitchen” quick smart, and the Labour Party Soup Kitchen event got under way. There was no further trouble from lowlifes that day.
Fair point, Ad. I do indeed support Labour, though not uncritically. We need always to be vigilant about what is happening in our party, who is calling the shots, and whether or not they should be entrusted with leading us. It’s worth remembering that a small clique of ideologues took over the Labour Party in 1984 and nearly destroyed it. It’s no coincidence that that Soup Kitchen debacle and that rotten advertising campaign ushered in the regime of Douglas, Moore, Palmer, and Prebble.
“One of the women who accused Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault has apparently admitted she lied and used the allegations as a “ploy” to get attention.”
But the saga of Jacob Wohl took a turn this week, when he was unexpectedly implicated in a bizarre plot to smear special counsel Robert Mueller as a sexual predator. The exact nature of the scheme, and Wohl’s involvement, is somewhat unclear. On October 17, a number of journalists reportedly received an e-mail from “Lorraine Parsons,” alleging that she had been contacted by a man claiming to work for a firm called Surefire Intelligence, on behalf of G.O.P. operative Jack Burkman, who had offered her substantial sums of money to make false accusations about Mueller. Yet no reporters were able to verify that Lorraine is a real person. Surefire Intelligence, too, appeared to be fake. When NBC News investigated, they found the Web site was registered to Wohl’s e-mail; a phone number on the site went to a voice mail that provided another number listed as belonging to Wohl’s mother. (Wohl stopped responding to NBC after they asked why his mother’s phone number was in that voice mail.) In perhaps the most amateurish element of the whole sordid episode, Internet sleuths quickly discovered that headshots of Surefire’s purported employees actually belonged to celebrities including Israeli model Bar Refaeli and Austrian actor Christoph Waltz. A photograph of “Matthew Cohen,” allegedly a managing partner at Surefire Intelligence, is simply a darkened image of Wohl himself.
Note: This woman was not one of the women to make solid accusations against Kavanaugh. Those accusations still stand. The letter she forwarded was a copy of a letter from an anonymous accuser – Jane Doe – which may or may not be false.
rimmer from act just called for plastic bags to be brought back and people caught littering for the third time should be jailed . Boys lost the plot.🤣🤣🤣🤣
the hui Kia ora Its tricky I think its cool Jacinda’s on your show Its best that all common poor people are lifted up there ladders of life together . Just targeting maori we need unity and targeting maori will just divide Aotearoa society .
The Labour Party has done a awesome job in there first 12 month’s in the New Coalition
Government. Ka kite ano P.S I see
All Americana Wahine and minority cultures should houner your Children and Ancestors buy getting up and voting for a better brighter healthy future for all HUMAN KIND. That’s how big a ISSUE The mid term elections in America is at this point in time if you don’t vote that’s a vote for trump and we can not have him letting people think that behaving like a ASS is OK we need and want PEACE and Harmony not War and lies.
Ka kite ano Eco Maori Music For The Minute.
Now All The Latino people in America We Have a link Its a well known fact that Aotearoa New Zealand Ngati Porou iwi has a great Ancestor Jose Manuel .I have a direct link through my Grate-grand mother there was talk about a African link to .
Don’t let the go oil party or trump rain over our moko /Grand childrens future and your mana/ power get up and vote there people out of power. link to Jose Manuel site below
Ka kite ano. P.S Don’t let them rain ruin over the WORLD.
Native American cultures have a lot in common with Native Aotearoa /New Zealand.
In the way we see and treat most thing’s .Respect for our Ancestors respect for our whenua/land respect for our decedents. ka kite ano vote for your childrens future
The Navajo, like tribes across the country, have bristled at Trump’s suggestion that tribes should be reclassified as races rather than separate governments, a legal shift that would mean that tribal members were no longer exempt from Medicaid work requirements. Trump’s downsizing of Bears Ears national monument, which was done at the urging of Utah Republicans, has also been a key rallying point for Native Americans link below https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/01/navajo-nation-utah-midterm-election-gerrymandering
American Wahine / Ladies of all cultures step up and vote so there is no illusion in thoughts of man that you want your daughters treated Equally in all aspects of our Worlds society
Jordan is part of a blue wave of candidates pushing to change the face of US politics, with record-breaking numbers of women and history-making women of color and Native Americans on the ballot. With progressive stars like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stunning pundits with victories, there’s a sense among some non-traditional Democratic campaigns that anything is possible. Ka kite ano Link below https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/31/paulette-jones-idaho-governor-native-american-democrat
Syria need’s peace or million’s will suffer starve and DIE War should be in OUR history books in the year 2018. I have figured out why war has not been left behind GREED
The White Helmets risked life and limb to save over 115,000 lives during the Syrian conflict, despite attacks at the hands of the Syrian regime and the Russian military,” Hunt said. “The UK is proud to stand behind them.”Raed al-Saleh said Moscow’s record of broken promises meant he had little confidence in a ceasefire brokered between Russia and Turkey in September. The agreement halted a planned advance on Idlib, one of the last parts of Syria still outside the control of President Bashar al-Assad, and currently home to more than 3 million people.Ana to kai ka kite ano links below.
Eco Maori has a good grasp of the situation in the Middle East and around the World.
I’m not laying blame on one side or thee other you are both to blame clean this mess
UP in Syria and the World. Ka kite ano.
I know the big company’s are manipulating the market’s and push out the new smaller company’s
“The big retailers are rigging the market to stop smaller players competing and getting bigger prices to the public.In a current situation where there’s a squeeze on gas and lakes are bit a lower, these are the perfect conditions for them to exercise market power. I would expect it the big business all ways cheat to squeezes out the small company’s
But Marc England, chief executive at gentailer Genesis Energy, said while there was “something unusual” going on, there was no gaming of the system. “There’s no big versus small plot here.” this man is lieing through his teeth.ka kite ano link below.
Kia ora Newshub Its not the fire works its the idiots using them wrong deliberately
With the 2 hedge fires in South Island .?????????????? hope its not to bad this year for fires caused by idiots
The new support staff for teachers is cool the Labour party had a good event in Dunedin in the South Island this weekend.
That will be cool to have a pest free Banks peninsula that’s more logical than trying to eliminate all pest in Aotearoa.
The wind is going hard in Itlay at the moment I hope no one was injured global warming no
There was a Black out in Chicago & Japan this weekend and the Green Irish won to .
I bet that guy will be wishing his horse does not win the Melbourne Cup lol.
Good win Israel at your fight in UFC Ka kite ano
. Alex I have experienced the wind Castle point and Turn again it sure get the Boat rolling thats why its called turn again we would get there and turn for shelter .
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 ...
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 ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
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. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
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 ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
An objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney ShutterstockThis article contains information on deaths in custody and the names of deceased people, and describes ongoing colonial violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. First Nations people in Australia ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University Netflix Baby Reindeer’s phenomenal success has much to do with its writer and lead, Richard Gadd, who plays Donny in a tender semi-autobiographical account of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking. Gadd’s story has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle KarolinaGrabowska/Pexels If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Ans Westra, self-portrait, c. 1963. National Library ref AWM-0705-F They try but invariably fail – those writers who believe they are capable of encapsulating in prose or verse the essence of ...
Stewart Sowman-Lund looks at the growing concern around the world in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. What’s all this? When Covid-19 arrived on our shores in early 2020, some argued we were too slow, or crucially, ill-prepared for a pandemic. So ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Franco Montalto, Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and Director, Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University Water runs into a storm drain in a Los Angeles alley on Aug. 19, 2023, during Tropical Storm Hilary.Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images ...
The inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones has turned up a new witness who says he saw two teenagers and a small child in a high vis vest in the area where the boy’s body was found the day he died. Lachie’s body was discovered face up ...
Stories from the tenancy trenches, featuring spider infestations, cupboard rats and same-sex discrimination. Lucy’s brother was living in a damp 1930s building in Mt Eden where “he had to tie the cupboard doors closed so the rats didn’t get in”. Although he shared custody of his six-year-old son, his property ...
Simeon Brown, Chris Luxon, and Wayne Brown climbed into a hole and announced a plan to solve Auckland’s water woes. This is how it’ll work. New Zealand’s pipes are munted. They’re cracked and leaking, and struggling to handle all the extra poos excreted by our rising population. It’s a big, ...
I knew Taika Waititi quite well when he was a kid. His mother lived in a tall narrow house in Aro St, and my youngest sister had a similar house two doors along. They were both single mums, they each had a son aged seven. Taika and my nephew Stepan ...
Opinion: “As time passes, knowledge of the circumstances of the August 2016 outbreak will fade and its immediate impact will be lost.” This statement is from the 2017 report of the Official Inquiry into the Havelock North campylobacteriosis outbreak. The then National-led government established the inquiry after the outbreak left ...
Opinion: Nicholas Khoo looks at two key points in the high-stakes foreign policy pact debate – and asks if NZ can engage with as little drama as possible. The post Where to next for the Aukus ruckus? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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, Wednesday 8 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: ‘Reference-class forecasting’ is at the heart of improving pricing a project and identifying the expected timeframe but it doesn’t appear to be in use here The post ‘Think fast and act slowly’ is failing big projects appeared first on Newsroom. ...
What do a sombrero in Argentina and cognitive driving tests have in common? Don’t worry, we’re not setting up a bad joke. Hinengaro Clinic dementia clinician Gregory Winkelman has the answer on today’s episode of The Detail. “We ask a patient’s spouse or son or daughter: If you went to ...
Wellington long jumper Phoebe Edwards is back and she’s having fun again. Until this year, Edwards, a top athlete in her teens, had never competed as a senior athlete in New Zealand. In March, the 26-year-old won a national long jump title in a lifetime best of 6.28m after ...
After replacing a fifth of their caucus in just four months, the Greens’ opportunity to reset, reshuffle and refocus on the Government is quickly slipping away The post Persistent Green Party scandals delay caucus reset appeared first on Newsroom. ...
ANALYSIS:By Olli Hellmann, University of Waikato When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day today on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also to mark a defining event for national identity. The battle of Gallipoli against ...
By Robin Martin, RNZ News reporter A New Zealand local authority, Whanganui District Council, has passed a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, condemnation of all acts of violence and terror against civilians on both sides of the conflict and the immediate return of hostages. It comes as ...
Asia Pacific Report The Aotearoa chapter of the Women’s International league for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has appealed to the New Zealand government to call out Israel over the “cruel and barbaric use of force” in Gaza and demand a permanent ceasefire. The league’s open letter was sent to Prime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government will invest $566 million over a decade on data, maps and other tools to promote exploration and development in Australia’s resources industry. The project will fund “the first comprehensive map of what’s ...
Asia Pacific Report Following an open letter by Auckland University academics speaking out in support of their students’ right to protest against the genocidal Israeli war on Gaza, a group of academics at Otago University have today also called on New Zealand academic institutions to “repair colonial violence” and end ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda J. Graham, Professor and Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology Ryan Tauss/ Unsplash, CC BY Two male students have been expelled from a Melbourne private school for their involvement in a list ranking female students. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The Reserve Bank is now assuming Australians will see no interest rate cuts this year – and quite possibly none before the next federal election, due next May. That’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University The Victorian budget offered more of the same on Tuesday, with the only change being how the budget papers were packaged. The usual shrink wrap was gone, hinting at savings in the pages ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Coalition is demanding extensive amendments to the government’s legislation targeting non-citizens who refuse to co-operate with their removal. In a dissenting report to the senate inquiry into the legislation, the Coalition says it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanita Yadav, Senior Research Fellow, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Brett Boardman/Belvoir The complex and grappling issue of violence against women takes centre stage in the soul-stirring solo dance drama Nayika: A Dancing Girl. During a dinner conversation ...
Disruption to patient care from a nationwide junior doctors strike is bordering on unsafe, a senior doctor claims, despite what health officials say. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Ground Picture/Shutterstock The anti-cancer drug abemaciclib (also known as Vernezio) has this month been added to the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to treat certain ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic McAfee, Postdoctoral researcher, marine ecology, University of Adelaide Robbie Porter, OzFish Unlimited Around Australia, hundreds of people are coming together to help a once-prized, but decimated and largely forgotten marine ecosystem. They’re busy restoring Australia’s native oyster and mussel reefs. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Austin Human/Unsplash How does Earth stop meteors from hitting Earth and hurting people? –Asher, 6 years 11 months, New South Wales Alright, let’s embark on a meteor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rory Mulcahy, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of the Sunshine Coast Professional sports organisations regularly promote and develop initiatives to support diversity, equity and inclusion. While sport has the power to change attitudes by sparking conversations about political issues and social ...
Comment: The weekly Monday post-Cabinet press conference is a useful forum for observing Christopher Luxon and how he is developing into the job of Prime Minister. He attempts to convey the impression of a man of action, speaking fast, delivering memorised National Party strategies in a connect-the-slogans kind of way, ...
Double votes, missing ballot boxes, tired tech and stressed staff: how tick-tallying went astray at last year’s election. Cast your mind back to November 2023, that bleary-eyed post-election period duringwhichwewaited, andwaited, for a coalition deal to be hammered out. A distraction from the hotel-hopping of our ...
International audiences are starting to discover what New Zealand already knew about After the Party.When After the Party aired in New Zealand last year, the response was fast and furious. In his preview for Rec Room, Duncan Greive said it was a “gritty, wrenching and highly confronting” series. By ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Convenor of the Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), and Acting Director the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Iran’s leadership has been a direct beneficiary of the months-long war in Gaza. With every missile that Israel fires ...
Claire Mabey reviews the haunting and sexy debut novel from Sinéad Gleeson, who is about to touch down in Aotearoa for a string of live events.When Irish writer Sinéad Gleeson was in Aotearoa in 2018 with her spectacular collection of essays, Constellations, she told me she was working on ...
PNG Post-Courier Bougainville Affairs Minister Manasseh Makiba has described the Post-Courier’s front page story yesterday regarding a meeting between Bougainville and national government leaders as “sensationalised” and without substance. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (AGB) had warned it might use “other avenues to gain its independence” should the PNG government “continue ...
Where some saw the worst press conference given by the government to date, Anna Rawhiti-Connell recognised girl maths game.Nicola Willis, recently exasperated by comparisons to Ruth Richardson, said she was “a bit sick of being compared with every female finance minister that’s ever been out there.”Some think that’s ...
The March results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2023 (HYEFU 2023), published on 20 December 2023 and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Jamie Arbuckle, the district councillor who became an MP but decided to keep getting paid for both roles, will instead donate one salary to charity. ...
Adding gender to the Human Rights Act would simply make the implicit explicit. So why is it so controversial? Paul Thistoll explain. At present, Aotearoa’s 1993 Human Rights Act (HRA) includes sex, marital status, religious belief, ethical belief (meaning a lack of religious belief), colour, race, ethnicity or national origin, ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, an 18-year-old who’s studying and working in hospo shares their approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Transmasc Age: 18 Ethnicity: Pākehā/Māori Role: Student, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Resources Minister Shane Jones has reportedly asked officials for advice on whether oil and gas companies could be offered “bonds” as compensation if drilling rights offered by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Gleeson, Associate Professor of Law, Macquarie University Shutterstock The Albanese government is weighing up the costs of delivering an election promise to protect religious people from discrimination in Commonwealth law. Such protections were relatively uncontroversial when included in state anti-discrimination ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yen Ying Lim, Associate Professor, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio Dementia is often described as “the long goodbye”. Although the person is still alive, dementia slowly and irreversibly chips away at their memories and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Judy Bush, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Adam Calaitzis/Shutterstock I met with a friend for a walk beside Merri Creek, in inner Melbourne. She had lived in the area for a few years, and as we walked ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Throsby, Distinguished Professor of Economics, Macquarie University Arts companies and individual artists in Australia are supported by government arts agencies, philanthropists, industry bodies, private donors and patrons. However, it is frequently overlooked that a major source of support for the arts ...
Harm Reduction Coalition Aotearoa, a new incorporated society dedicated to ending harmful drug policies, officially launched today, seeks a new fit-for-purpose drug law for Aotearoa New Zealand, rooted in science, experience and evidence. ...
The Corrections Minister admits he "muddied the water" after he and the Prime Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about a $1.9 billion prison spend-up. ...
It took a post-post-cabinet statement to confirm that 810 new beds will be built at Waikeria, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
Lili Tokaduadua was only 15 when she left her family in Fiji to pursue her netball dream in New Zealand. She’d been playing the sport for 10 years and was offered a netball scholarship at Auckland’s Howick College. Now, in her first year out of high school, the 19-year-old defender ...
Cruz by 3 polling points.
C’mon Beto!
The Cook Political Report has moved that race to toss-up. And there’s record early voting turnout for key Democrat voters.
Stories of rampant Republican-initiated voter suppression in Georgia and Arizona. Voters thrown off the rolls, forced to cast a provisional ballot if they turn up, which then isn’t counted. Haven’t heard anything about how bad it might be in Texas, but It has to be a worry.
Standard practice for Republicans every cycle sadly. Interesting to see that there’s a narrative developing that Trump is already casting around for someone to blame if next weeks results prove disappointing for Republicans. And that someone looks to be outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan who is not seeking re-election.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/31/trump-rips-paul-ryan-over-birthright-citizenship-comments-with-days-to-go-before-midterms.html
Greg Palast (gregpalast.com) saying it is very aggressive this year. Seems that voter suppression is the reason behind discrepancies between polls (including exit polls) and actual results. Provisional ballots cast on the day by those purged from the rolls, are not counted. Will be interesting to watch.
Widespread early voting may help to ameliorate some of these voter suppression tactics I suppose?
A Federal Judge in Georgia has just ruled that the state must allow over 3 thousand naturalised US citizens to vote in a defeat for Republicans who had sought to suspend their voter registrations.
Mentioned it in yesterdays open mike but at 4ish in the morning…
Cellphones cause cancer.
I’ve known this many years and people just treated me like a loony so I dropped the subject and stopped quoting studies. But the studies continue, and they continue to PROVE cellphones cause cancer. The science was obvious before but still these large corporations lie and deceive – controversy… you know, like global warming, tobacco, and a housing crisis.
Take those stupid damn devices off your face and from your kids now. They make you stupider, reduce concentration span, have all sorts of psychological implications, are deliberately designed to addict…
And cancer.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/14/mobile-phones-cancer-inconvenient-truths
What, you think the biggest companies in the world tell the truth? You and your children mean nothing except to bolster their profits.
Nope you are still acting like a looney.
https://www.livescience.com/63996-cellphones-cancer-rats-ntp-study.html
When have you ever had the guts to question the motivations of large corporations?
You just want a simple life.
See no evil, hear no evil.
So you shill for the powerful.
It dosnt take guys – it take a strange view on life to think everyone is a dr evil.
And I was simply pointing out he was wrong.
See post below about labour UK and their anti-Semitism below.
I question the motivations of this large organisation. I see evil in this.
Happy now Ed ?
I asked about corporations.
Like the fossil fuel , pharmaceuticals, animal agriculture, alcohol industries.
The corporate powerful interests that put profit over the people and the planet.
We are on the brink of climate catastrophe thanks to neoliberal capitalism and the actions of corporations.
Interesting that you ignore the anti-Semitism comments also.
Just sayin
Ed has no time for your propaganda.
Yes you are so right there. Ed has so much propaganda of his own that he can’t keep up with even that.
Whilst it would be great to be so powerful- it’s not owned by me.
Reported in numerous reputable news outlets and is actually being investigated by the police.
That’s facts not propaganda
Kinda of funny then that the biggest contributor to global warming is not capitalist countries, but the good old communist regime of China (over 23% of all global CO2 emissions). Blows your conspiracy theories right out of the water Ed.
They even say that “the findings do not apply to people”.
So what they are pointing out is what you have “known” for years is proven wrong by a huge study.
Did you read the article?
I highly doubt it.
Says the guy who recommends movies having only seen the trailer.
I read the abstract.
It is very funny how you jump back to prove my point.
I watch the film.
I share the trailer.
Interesting article.
This bit stood out.
“A closer look reveals the industry’s sleight of hand. When Henry Lai, a professor of bioengineering at the University of Washington, analysed 326 safety-related studies completed between 1990 and 2006, he discovered that 44% of them found no biological effect from mobile phone radiation and 56% did; scientists apparently were split. But when Lai recategorised the studies according to their funding sources, a different picture emerged: 67% of the independently funded studies found a biological effect, while a mere 28% of the industry-funded studies did. Lai’s findings were replicated by a 2007 analysis in Environmental Health Perspectives, which concluded that industry-funded studies were two and a half times less likely than independent studies to find health effects.”
2011 – WHO – EMF – Possible Carcinogen
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BwyDCHf5iCY
Listen to some people who actually know what they’re talking about
LOL. Why we have no need for concern:
“You are not a male rat.”
This calls for the cone of silence.
Labout (UK). Hate speech enablers:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/cancer-jew-boy-uk-police-probing-dozens-of-labour-anti-semitism-allegations/
Of course only against Jews. Use the wrong pronoun and they will be all over it.
That is horrid if true.
But one has to point out that what Israel has done to the Palestinians hasn’t exactly helped with Jewish PR.
Are you allowed to say that cindy?
Who would one ask for permission to say it?
Hi james, You might be interested in this petition..
https://www.change.org/p/theresa-may-mp-tory-links-to-antisemitism-in-eu-politics
Putting up links from a very right wing Israeli paper from the beginning of September when the dubious crusade against UK Labour was in full swing? And suggesting it’s current? Really!?
Here is a link from the BBC dated November 2nd.
Hope that is independent and current (dated nov 2).
Perhaps now you will be happy to discuss labour (uk) anti-Semitism?
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-politics-46073470/labour-anti-semitism-claims-investigated
There should be a register to stop people like this ever being able to rip off landlords.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/108223999/a-tenant-from-hell-facing-her-16th-tribunal-hearing
@James. What government don’t realise is that sort of behaviour is becoming a wider spread problem of why there is going to be increasing private rental shortages in particular at the affordable end.
The government are only focusing on landlord problems, there are also issues with anti social or mentally ill tenants impacting on housing, people who can’t afford rents or just fraudsters out there.
Even the government does not want to be a landlord anymore and is selling off the state houses and land for private sale and only wants to provide middle class options for middle, upper class tenants.
What happens to the others, a pretty large group of people, some of whom seem have major social issues along with the entitlement who even when given opportunities feel or (litigate) they are the victims.
“Even the government does not want to be a landlord anymore and is selling off the state houses and land for private sale and only wants to provide middle class options for middle, upper class tenants.”
That is untrue. Try having some honour and tell the truth.
Ok $120k – $180k is the income bracket for Kiwibuy is that the middle class? Let me know the ‘true’ answer in your eyes.
The government are selling approx 2/3 of the state house land… to fund new posh housing for a few select renters instead of repairing at much less cost the existing housing and developing the land better for RENTING. (The older housing would last longer anyway judging from modern building practices and standards which is another issue we will ‘find’ out in the next few decades if the new, posh housing fails).
“Even the government does not want to be a landlord anymore and is selling off the state houses and land for private sale and only wants to provide middle class options for middle, upper class tenants.”
you said that and it is not true – if it is put the links and evidence up please.
How is it not true marty?
Isn’t “right to buy” the government selling housing stock into the private sector? How else might that be seen?
And public land has been transferred to the private sector as a part of KiwiBuild.
“… and only wants to provide middle class options for middle, upper class tenants.” ”
That is not true.
Yip, in my example Housing Corp wouldn’t even consider “middle class options”:
Reader said residents questioned Housing New Zealand vigorously at the meeting and suggested alternatives such as buy back of houses, and affordable or retirement housing options but alleged Housing New Zealand would not consider these.
The Northern Advocate asked Housing New Zealand if it would consider affordable or retirement housing as alternatives to state housing alongside questions about the meeting and the status of the sale.
In response, Housing New Zealand asset development group general manager Patrick Dougherty provided this statement:
“Housing New Zealand appreciated the opportunity to talk to people on Saturday and explain what the next steps would be following settlement [yesterday] and confirmation that we are now the legal owner of this piece of Crown land.
“We’re now looking forward to getting on and planning what state housing we could put on the land and sharing these details with both the people in the Maunu community and the broader Whangārei community as soon as possible. “
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/property/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503439&objectid=12068423
They are taking part of an area used as a public park and owned by Ministry of Education.
Bit of a double standard as in Auckland where the land is so expensive and they need the affordable housing much more due to population growth they have created, they are worried about slums so do not want to put social housing all in one location, hence Kiwibuy, but apparently outside Auckland, no problem?
Housing corp/their private build partners must consider the Whangerei state houses are unlikely to end up as the Auckland slums they worry about as they are treating the cheaper land locations somewhat differently? Sarcasm.
Don’t think you read what i wrote in my first link below:
“Manau is one of Whangarei’s whitest and wealthiest suburbs.”
There are currently no state houses there. That is what is upsetting the nimbies so much. So same policy as in Auckland.
And we DO have a serious problem with homelessness up here now with population increase as cashed up Aucklanders move north. Great work being done on our new day centre for the homeless:
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/362943/crazy-response-to-whangarei-homeless-centre
Well, if you don’t think SaveNZ is mistaken to see the private sales component of KiwiBuild as being aimed at the middle class, then how’s about you engage meaningfully with them over that point in lieu of accusatory finger pointing that only encourages boring ‘yes it is’/ ‘no it isn’t’ type exchanges that go nowhere and offer nothing?
I have asked for proof – I know there isn’t any because it is made up. You can’t provide any proof either so how about YOU put some truth up and not just your subjective and bias opinion. When we don’t have made up thinks we can engage meaningfully.
In asking for proof, you’re lazily (and again) “having a go” instead of engaging around the ideas and opinions people hold or promote.
What proof can there possibly be that would back up an ostensibly subjective notion of what is and isn’t middle class?
If you think it’s a financial thing and that the finances are within reach of non-middle class peeps, then have that debate with SaveNZ.
Truth is, that would make for better reading than the shouty ad homs you’re pinging up.
You may like unverified attack lines against labour but I don’t. There is no proof that labour have said the following … “and only wants to provide middle class options for middle, upper class tenants.”
That is an attack line and not true. You may like it or even believe it but I’m not discussing with someone who deliberately muddies the waters before the discussion has even begun.
The truth is imo you are just pissed off with me and are looking for a way to try and ban me. Own your stuff bill.
@Bill
This is in open mike and not in your thing about Kiwibuild. This discussion started with James linking to an article about a bad tenant. SaveNZ responded by saying that “even the government does not want to be a landlord anymore” which is clearly false as the government is increasing state housing stock. When Marty challenged this false assertion SaveNZ came back with Kiwbuild but Kiwibuild is aimed at people who would not qualify for state housing and so would never be state tenants.
All Marty has done is ask for proof of what is clearly a false assertion. My understanding of the rules here is that making assertions “you are unable to substantiate with some proof” is not tolerated.
@ solkta
It’s alright. Appreciate the support and this is an old pattern between bill and I and I accept some responsibility for it.
Truth is I know there is no proof – I just get sick of these dim attacks on Labour.
Actually it is up to Marty and Solka to provide proof of the ‘lies’.
So please link to how many state houses have been built this year and moved into by state house tenants?
No, the burden of proof is on you SaveNZ. You made the statement yet can’t back it up.
SaveNZ didn’t claim NZ Labour had said and only wants to provide middle class options for middle, upper class tenants
That aside, your apparent noble and tribal defense of NZ Labour against any perceived criticism is noted. I’m more in line with Rosemary, Sioban and others on that front. But hey…
I don’t want to ban you marty, and would hardly hae to “search” for a reason to do so – that’s just you projecting (again) and wrongly second guessing my thoughts and/or intentions – which is getting damned tedious if truth be told.
@ solka.
SaveNZ voicing their opinion is legitimate and (get this!) what the standard is intended for.
Attacking a person for expressing an opinion is not what the standard is for.
But this infantile level of exchange does my head in, so instead of trying to steer things in a healthier direction (it’s striking me as a lost cause) I’m outta here in the hope that Rosemary, Carolyn_Nth, Molly and others who make worthwhile contributions to discussion have had something to say in the meantime.
Chow.
@Marty
I feel i have as much skin in this game as you. Many of SaveNZ’s posts are false assertions about Labour and the Greens. I hate that, even when it is directed at Nact. I can see that there is a pattern between you and Bill but hey will i be next?
@ solkta
Yeah I get it. Hard to deal with spin sometimes.
@ bill. Yeah I’m sick of you too especially for bullshit like this, “That aside, your apparent noble and tribal defense of NZ Labour against any perceived criticism is noted”
Always love the big threats you do eh bill – little man big stick syndrome imo but thanks for the LOLs.
[ 🙄 It’s your behaviour I’m finding tedious marty. Not you. Hell, I don’t know you from a bar of soap and could walk past you in the street or even pass time with you over a beer and be none the wiser. But that aside, since you’re obviously not paying any heed to what’s being written and seem determined to carry on on the same track that involves submitting comments that are just excuses for snide or direct ad homs, I’m now assuming you’re angling for self martyrdom. Which is fine. Any more comments coming from you that appear to be just wrappings for pointless abuse, or that appear to have been constructed solely or mostly as a platform from which to launch personal abuse, and I’ll help you honour that 8 week ban you said you were imposing on yourself a week or two back.] – B.
Hi Marty
SaveNZ certainly implied intent by the government, but whether the current performance of kiwibuild is by intent or not, the perception is that kiwibuild is not reaching those genuinely in need. The couple proudly paraded by Phil Twyford and Jacinda Ardern as the first owners of a KiwiBuild home are not examples of people who need government assistance into housing. They are classic examples of middle class welfare, and given the Michael Joseph Savage imagery, Labour have to own that.
If you are interested, Chris trotter has written on Kiwibuild at https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2018/11/kiwibuild-should-be-targeting-poor.html. I’ll finish with his closing quote:
“About the only people who aren’t happy are those who believe that publicly funded social interventions on the scale of KiwiBuild should be directed first to those most in need. Tragically, however, the Coalition Government is selling the poor a pup.”
It’s interesting, shadrach, that Twyford’s response was pretty much that the poor wouldn’t be able to afford home ownsership anyway so what’s their problem.
While I agree with some concerns re building codes/building smarter, this debate has elements of ridiculous left wing identity politics.
Lower and upper middle class… more categories to divide folks up. And somehow, now, a middle class person buying a house is the ‘private sector’ like they’ve taken the form of some corporate entity upon receiving their keys. They’re people moving into their first homes, not villains.
Hey bill yesterday you challenged me re KiwiBuild homes not being fit for purpose, warm, dry, last well. I re-read your post but could find no link. Can you let me know the source of your information? Cheers
You mean in relation to AGW?
edit – okay, I think I found the comment you made. If you go through the link that was used as the source for the IEA quote, you’ll see under the heading “2. The New Zealand Building Code” further quotes from other studies pointing to the fact that NZ building codes are wanting in relation to other richer countries.
Both the OECD and the IEA point to the necessity of retrofitting in the future should NZ continue to build houses to current standards.
Beyond that, it’s just taken for granted that in a world experiencing warming, houses need (for example) to have enough thermal mass to reduce the amount of energy used for heating and cooling – we can’t construct energy supply networks fast enough to get zero carbon energy in time to avoid shooting through 2 degrees. That means we have to simultaneously reduce demand through efficiences while at the same time expanding energy supply to cater for a whole pile of stuff that’s going to have to shift from fossil and bio to non-carbon and electric.
Beyond the energy side of things, buildings that aren’t built to deal with prolonged heat waves are buildings that people will be dying in. If last year’s northern summer is an indicator of things to come, then we’re probably not looking at decades down the track – more in terms of mere years.
You might find the following of interest in relation to the current NZ building standards being behind those of other countries and maybe with an eye to the comparatively poor standard of insulation in NZ – and expected heat events.
From pp36 onwards in Your Home in a Changing Climate retrofitting existing homes for climate change impacts (for policy makers)
and
Impact of climate change on the domestic indoor environment and associated health risks in the UK
Thanks for replying Bill.
Will read soon. I don’t doubt that our building standards are rubbish, but read (for what it’s worth, and it’s probably not worth much) that KiwiBuild would be warm dry homes… but you may be referring to other needs as our planet warms. The honest truth is that I am so pleased National aren’t in power anymore, that I tend to think well this is better, so much better than what National would have done. Appreciate people such as yourself to critique labour more rigorously.
I do support the idea of young first home buyers getting access to buying their own home though. But clearly more needs to be done for the poor. They are doing stuff eg porirua announcement but I hope they are getting the message to increase their efforts here+++++
I’ll start off with this example where “the government” is moving ahead with a state housing development in the face of strong local opposition. Manau is one of Whangarei’s whitest and wealthiest suburbs.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=12152740
That is land. No houses built there just ‘paper plans’. Unlike the Kiwibuy which has already got the houses built and middle class tenants moved in there. In contrast the state house tenants have not got houses, but plans and have been evicted and in temporary housing.
And if antisocial tenants and gangs move into Whangarei, when it eventually gets built, how nice will that be for the rest of the residents living there?
Right, so you are all for the state providing rental housing but only if it contains low income people in slums well segregated from the well to do.
Time for your private room there Solka. Even I can’t make out what you are on about, which is apparently being annoyed about what I am on about.
PS Did you bother to post on the Labour conference any ideas of your own?
This is supposed to be a site for comments and ideas not what you are using it for, aka to derail debate.
You said:
And if antisocial tenants and gangs move into Whangarei, when it eventually gets built, how nice will that be for the rest of the residents living there?
You say you want to look after the most vulnerable but don’t want the wealthy to be burdened with having them in ‘their’ neighborhood. I live in a mixed neighborhood and have five direct housing corp neighbors and have never had an issue. All nice people.
https://www.labour.org.nz/kiwibuild
Multiple initiatives to tackle the housing issue.
“The Government will invest $100 million into tackling homelessness in this month’s Budget.
Of that total, $37m will go into providing 1500 shorter-term houses, which should be in place by the end of winter.
The other $63m will be used to significantly ramp up the Housing First Programme, which is a longer-term solution and targets the most vulnerable families in the country.
Housing First is based on the idea that people should be placed straight into permanent housing, rather than emergency shelters, before any other issues such as addiction or mental health are addressed.
There are no conditions attached for tenants, such as a requirement to be alcohol or drug-free when they come into the progtramme.
The new money will expand the programme to another 550 households outside the main centres, at a cost of $42.9m. The remainder of the $63 million will be used to sustain and expand Housing First services – such as mental health treatment.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Housing Minister Phil Twyford made the announcement at Te Puea Marae in Mangere, which took on large numbers of homeless in recent years as the problem worsened.
Speaking at the marae, Ardern said there should be no homelessness in a country like New Zealand.
“Images of children growing up in cars sits well with no one,” she said.
She said the government would be also seeking out help from other maraes and social services, who have land or the ability to offer services to homeless people.
She acknowledged the funding package would not be enough to end homelessness and said her government aimed to deliver more funding to build permanent housing in coming announcements.
Putting chronically homeless people into emergency housing did not provide them with long-term stability, she said.
“[But] this is us trying to meet the immediate need.”
Twyford said most of the new 1500-odd homes were already available for homeless people to move into.
He said the public housing waiting list in New Zealand was now over 9000 and heading for 10,000.
The minister appealed to the public to assist with finding homes and land which could be used for emergency housing.
“We can’t do this alone … If you know of properties that might be available over winter, such as seasonal worker accommodation or private rental homes, we’d like to hear about those.
“We’d also like to identify small land options suitable for temporary housing with power and water connections ready to go, such as marae and private land.”
The $37m for MSD came from underspend under the previous Government. The $63m was new money and was on top of the $300m committed by the National Government in 2016.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12044775
Hi Marty. Managing HNZ tenants is a massive ongoing challenge with lots of potential to paint the government ugly.
eg: As per your link, providing long term chronic alcoholics with a permanent place to call home is great, the best option I feel. But geez, I wouldn’t want to be fielding the endless streams of complaints from disgruntled neighbours.
I agree Marty, these initiatives do represent movement in the right direction and most certainly is the hard way. Our previous government’s solution to the problem was to try and drop the lot into the lap of The Salvation Army.
They wisely said “No thanks Mr Key, we don’t want your 1000’s of free houses”.
Also you say “The new money will expand the programme to another 550 households outside the main centres, at a cost of $42.9m”
So that seems a ratio of $78,000 per household, per year if yearly or is that amount over how much time?
Cos $650,000 for a house for 50 years adds up to $13,000 per year and if the house lasts 100 years it’s $6,500 per year per household if the state owns the house.
Then they get state house rent from the tenant etc to cover expenses, interest etc.
Long term that’s a significant amount of money to find aka $42.9m and it might be easier just to can Kiwibuy and just pop the homeless in the Kiwibuild houses and save a shit load of tax payer money.
Demand for State Houses is unlikely to be met for generations, if ever. Places like Sweden were building them before white fellas landed in NZ. Millions of us would stick our hand up if offered a home for a third of our available income.
Housing First is not a state agency. The government are giving significant amounts of money to third party providers who then use private housing (aka private landlords) for the housing and obviously there are overheads to having 5 separate organisations who all have their own paid members etc to run all these charities and organisations.
So the money is not going into state housing. It might be going into helping homelessness but it is not going into building the actual housing via groups like Housing First.
If you have a link to an actual NEW state house built with our tax payer money in first years this government has been in power and has permanent and secure tenancy in place, I’m keen to see it.
Grenfell is an example of how things can go wrong when you put overhead over overhead into social and state housing. The money can easily go in the wrong direction and the tenants are at the mercy of organisations that are profiting from the arrangement of them managing the money. Of course it’s all great when they first get the money and full of success stories, but 5, 10, 20, 100 years time, what is going to happen with this approach over just one generation and how much money gets siphoned off the system.
Housing First should only be considered a temporary solution because of the dysfunction caused by National party. Long term it is just siphoning off housing money using third party approaches rather than investing WISELY in the actual housing itself owned by the state specifically for state housing and making housing NZ functional again.
New state house built – heres it is, as part of ongoing Tamaki Regeneration
https://www.tamakiregeneration.co.nz/our-community/news/new-residents-enjoying-show-home
They also have homes for sale under shared equity arrangements
And another Auckland suburb
https://www.hnzc.co.nz/news/latest-news/monk-mackenzie-award-winning-state-housing-should-be-the-norm/
And New State flats in Wellington
https://www.hnzc.co.nz/news/latest-news/te-maru-o-tawatawa-homes-open-in-the-capital/
New state houses Timaru
https://www.hnzc.co.nz/news/latest-news/regenerating-regional-nz-housing/
The TRC link does not tell the full history of what went on in Glen Innes, which started way back in 2011 with evictions of existing tenants.
The transfer of state housing to Auckland Council and the TRC is still a transfer, and a shirking of responsibility.
A Facebook link to some of the tactics used in 2012 to get people to move gives an indication of the failure to negotiate with the existing community in good faith.
I’m pleased for those who have now got a stable home in GI state housing tenancy. But I doubt that all those who previously resided in GI managed to withstand the continual uncertainty and overt hostility to get keys to replacement houses.
But really, seven years to be relocated? Do you understand how disruptive that is to community, children’s education and general wellbeing?
The full history of what went on previous to the handing over of the keys is relevant, and missing from your link.
Corrections, the Tamaki Reboot started in 2008 under Labour, according to John Minto (who has been following this process from the start).
Ten years… great.
The right to buy: the housing crisis that Thatcher built
Now revived by David Cameron, the right to buy social housing was a key Conservative policy in the 80s: populist, profitable, and with its disastrous effects yet to come
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/aug/26/right-to-buy-margaret-thatcher-david-cameron-housing-crisis
My last comment – I appreciate that you are trying to look after the most vulnerable in our society. I don’t agree with many of the extrapolated conclusions you reach. I also want to look after the most vulnerable in our society.
The right to buy your state house was the norm in New Zealand throughout the 50s and 60s and was a successful policy. The only reason for this, though, is because it was regarded as merely one aspect of a wider housing policy of providing low interest home loans to either buy or build, secure low cost tenancies for those who continued to rent, and actively replacing stock that was sold to tenants. The only negative aspect of that era was the shortlived or not used enough approach of pepper-potting, the consequences of which we still see today. A housing policy that has all of these things, including pepper-potting and adding full insulation, is what we need right now.
National introduced right buy in the mid 50s
“the government offered purchasers very generous terms: 5 percent deposit, a 3 percent mortgage rate, with a maximum purchase period of 40 years”
That is the State was the lender- Sate Advances Corporation.
Trading Banks of course didnt lend much to ordinary homeowners and most housing loans were from Savings Banks who required you to have a deposit saved with them. Investors were fairly rare.
In general National wanted renters to buy houses and didnt like building more, while labour was the opposite.
In the 1990s National moved to ‘market rates’ for all state houses and allowed those not normally eligible to rent expensive state houses , often so they could buy , especially in Auckland.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/we-call-it-home/the-state-steps-in-and-out
Even though it was the previous government, HNZ did hand over half the equity and the management of HNZ stock to Auckland Council, and the Tāmaki Regeneration Company. And that model is currently being used as validation for other proposals along similar lines.
My concern is that when authority and management is diluted amongst three different entities, it is quite easy and often observed, that it is difficult to get anyone to take responsibility. I feel that is the perspective I share with saveNZ. I feel strongly that state housing should be administered, owned and maintained by the state. Council housing similarly.
The moves to override local government regulations in order to provide housing, would quite rightly be criticised on this forum, if it had been proposed by National. Aligned with PPP models, this is a complete disregard for considered planning, and will most likely result in long-term negative outcomes for those residing in resulting communities, and possibly for the neighbourhoods surrounding. Local government planning and regulations should be putting in place guidelines and rules to improve the wellbeing of residents and communities for years to come – and Phil Twyford is suggesting to ignore all that?
Why is that seen a reasonable thing to do?
There is a register James. She targets soft touch private landlords who have decided to save 8% of the rent and manage their properties themselves. A landlord that hands over the keys before a tenancy agreement is signed or photo ID sighted deserves their fate. Miniscule savings that can easily cost much more than the rent due.
Tracy’s form is freely and quickly available by tapping her name into the Tenancy Tribunal Orders search facility.
https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/TT/
Just as well she always uses her real name isn’t it davy. Crikey, imagine what she could get away with if she told fibs about stuff.
Hi Gabby, not sure I understand your point. Tracy appears to be a chronic liar. As I say, the landlord that rents to anyone without sighting a drivers license or passport does so at their peril.
You know, i wouldn’t put it past her to be less than 100% accurate in providing a driver’s licence.
Does James have the guts to challenge these powerful organisations ?
The US and UK arms industries.
The US and UK governments.
All complicit in mass murder in Yemen.
“Since Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies launched a bombing campaign to oust the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the spring of 2015, the UK has sold and estimated $5 billion worth of arms to Riyadh.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/yemen-saudi-arabia-oxfam-aid-air-strikes-civilian-casualties-a8615081.html
“UK government ‘has blood on its hands’ over Yemen conflict but poll shows 42% of British public do not know war exists”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/yemen-war-saudi-arabia-bombing-british-uk-arms-exports-public-poll-keith-vaz-blood-hands-a8604521.html
Switzerland has now halted arm sales to the Saudi’s.
Sure do Ed.
I’ve stopped eating broad beans.
Makes as much impact as the stands you make.
“Plastic – unlike glass or metal – cannot be recycled infinitely, and after a handful of times it will be discarded, where it will take centuries to degrade. One single water bottle will remain on the planet in some form for a minimum of 450 years.
Even if plastic were easily and infinitely recyclable, it is still manufactured from crude oil often obtained by methods such as fracking, one of the most environmentally damaging processes in existence, which produces carbon emissions and contaminates the surrounding areas, putting people’s health at immediate risk.
It’s clear that something needs to change, and it’s not about recycling. If we want to truly address the devastating impact of single-use plastic the answer is simple: governments must focus on stopping its production entirely.
Single-use plastics should be immediately banned, or at the very least heavily taxed. ”
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/plastic-waste-wish-recycling-bins-black-environment-green-shopping-a8548736.html?fbclid=IwAR1lkdImgBHjdQyiVV_YeB2jZmcRUgxjKO4MWB7xye-hemUQHQkhcmZFdzo
(Personally I am for a ban on single use plastic, but we are so far gone now that is not enough, we need to create a system where the manufacturers are responsible for the recycling of every type of plastic post use, and that will ensure that they start to eliminate unnecessary plastic through their supply chains. )
Completely disgusting.
“A plan to turn a huge tract of pristine Antarctic ocean into the world’s biggest sanctuary has been rejected, throwing the future of one of the Earth’s most important ecosystems into doubt.
Environmental groups said Russia, China and Norway had played a part in blocking the proposal, with the other 22 members of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, the organisation set up to protect Antarctic waters, backing the proposal.
The 1.8m sq km reserve – five times the size of Germany – would have banned all fishing in a vast area of the Weddell Sea and parts of the Antarctic peninsula, safeguarding species including penguins, killer whales, leopard seals and blue whales.
Experts said it would also have played a key role in tackling climate change, as the seas around the Antarctic soak up huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. ”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/02/plan-create-worlds-biggest-nature-reserve-antarctic-rejected
As blocking the nature reserve in Antartica with Russia and Norway apparently China is now allowing the sale of endangered animal parts.
Agree 100%
When areas of ocean are protected, allowing marine life to thrive, it creates a spill over effect. The result being increased marine life in adjoining unprotected oceans.
Short clip under 3mins
China Lifts The Ban On Endangered Animal Parts To Promote Medicine
http://medicaldailytimes.com/news/china-lifts-ban-endangered-animal-parts-promote-medicine/4246/
China had previously supported conservation efforts, but now flexing power of where it is going for the future aka not the worldwide, collaborative conservation path… but instead going backwards for short term profits at the expense of future generations and holistic conservation measures…
the world should be increasing conservation, as biodiversity is in major decline, but instead the superpowers and countries of the world seems to be turning a blind eye and making things worse.
This will finish the rhinos off….more than a 1000 are poached from just South Africa alone each year, and these are the official figures.
China should hang its head in shame.
Terrible news.
The article reads like a beat-up, without any substance…
Read it slowly, and look for the signs, of which there are many
This is an interesting article from the Oz ABC News website,
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-03/fish-wars-likely/10459584
Since the rise of the middle class in China’s booming economy seafood has become major staple food source, as where as before the economic boom in China either the rich or those living by sea could afford seafood. The Chinese Fishing Fleet is heavily subsidised to a point in SEA it’s now regarded as the fifth arm of the PLA behind the Chinese Coast Guard due to its illegal conduct against other nations fishing boats on the high seas or in other nations EEZ’s. This aggressive approach by the Chinese Fishing Fleet has lead a number problems such over fishing, collapse of local fishing communities with host nations and possibly long term effects in these host nations will total collapse of the fisheries leading to a total collapse of the economy of that host nation, armed conflict on the high seas which has already happened to the Chinese Fishing Fleet in Southern South America just a couple of yrs ago and that’s before we add the effects of CC.
Having followed Anne Marie Brady research since her break in. In her latest paper on the Antarctic Treaty she has noticed a total lack of disclosure on Chinese and Russia research and military involvement in the Antarctic Region. All other nations that signed the Antarctic Treaty all those years ago have been fully upfront with disclosure in Antarctic Region, but neither Russia or China are compiling to the rules of the Antarctic atm especially over the last 10yrs it seems. We’re already seen land/ water grab by Russia and China over the last 5-10 yrs in the Arctic and in the South China Sea, so they going to do the same thing when the Antarctic Treaty comes up for renewal in the coming yrs?
My guess is they are getting ready to do it. As there is an awful lot fish in those Southern waters, natural resources, oil and gas in the Antarctic Regions ripe exploration.
One option …
Susi Pudjiastuti, Indonesia’s minister for fisheries and maritime affairs, has a strong message for China, owner of the world’s largest fishing fleet.
“The Indonesian fisheries minister – known for her penchant for blowing up wayward vessels – sets her sights on Chinese habits ahead of an international conference that will tackle overfishing”
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2169153/china-calls-it-fishing-indonesia-calls-it-crime-pudjiastuti
“Ministers and heads of state from 35 nations are to attend this month’s Our Oceans Conference along with 200 non-governmental and private sector organisations. Maritime security, climate change and pollution of the seas will be on the agenda as well as overfishing.”
https://ourocean2018.org/
And you’ve probably seen this paper… By Anne-Marie Brady that highlights some of China’s interests and activities in the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT), which include undeclared military activities and mineral exploration …
https://www.aspi.org.au/report/chinas-expanding-interests-antarctica
Yes, I tend too agree with the Indonesian minister on that, as the Chileans or Arge’s sunk a few fishing boats when the refuse to stop when they were caught illegally fishing inside whoever’s EEZ at the time. The Chinese Fishing Fleet hasn’t been back to those waters since the sinking of it Fishing Boats.
NZ once did the same thing back in the late 70’s using a pair of Skyhawk’s as poor RNZN patrol boat (HDML of WW2 vintage) was struggling to chase them down. NZ didn’t have many problems for a number of yrs/ decades onwards as every Foreign Fishing Boat knew the NZG was prepared to use lethal deadly force to enforce it EEZ rules.
Just before I left work in Jul this yr, I remember reading an article in Janes Defence, that the Chinese were thinking or in the process of upgrading a number of Coast Guard Ships with new Sensor Suite, Weapon Suite IRT mounting a 3’ (76mm) automatic gun with whole host of lethal and non lethal weapons. The big ocean going Chinese Guard vessels which roughly the same size as the ANZAC Frigates, could quite easily mount a 3’ auto gun along with the other upgraded weapon and sensor systems.
But in the footnotes of the Janes Defence Article, they asked the question would you embark on turning your Coast Guard Ships into a De Facto Naval vessel to escort your fishing fleet unless you going to illegally fish in other nations EEZ.
The two OPV’s currently in service with the RNZN are somewhat now under gunned, not having the ideal weapon or mission/ sensor support systems because of the over weight issues with the ice belt added on to the OPV’s. If the Chinese Fishing Fleet does pop up in the Southern Ocean, inside NZ’s EEZ or somewhere else. If going to make an interesting question of enforcement of the rules etc?
Yes I did see Anne-Marie Brady’s paper and it was in the Oz newspaper a couple of weeks ago. It was a very interesting read btw, to a point an ex boss of mine rang up as few questions and my POV on the article.
I heard rumours (backed up by the ODT as well) of the MOD/RNZN scoping out facilities around Port Chambers and Bluff for a possible Southern Naval Base either in the first half of yr or last yr as the RNZN are after a 3rd OPV that’s capable of patrolling the Southern Ocean all yr round, can embark a Sea Sprite and have stern launch and recovery system for the RiB IOT conduct broading parties in all sea states.
This is the effects of CC 101 and it’s only going to get worse.
The Syrianisation of the World.
Trump threatens to shoot stone-throwing migrants
Trump’s violent rhetoric echoes that of Benjamin Netanyahu to his military about Gazans who approach the Israeli border.
The atrocities committed by the Israeli army against protesters at the border, crimes labeled by some as a genocide, are outweighed by the even greater genocide being carried out in Syria by Bashar Assad a comparison the Israeli’s don’t hesitate to make.
‘But there is now a spring in the step of Labour insiders whose polling suggests National is taking a much bigger hit from the disarray created by Jami-Lee Ross than the Colmar Brunton poll indicates.’ A.Young
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12153414
The expert pollsters do say that negatives take a while to filter through to the poll. Maybe that is why National seems a bit down in the House in spite of the Immigration problem.
And that goes some way to explaining the timing this week of the Sroubek hit-job on Lee’s-Galloway.
You shoot yourself and now its called a hit job ??
And his tweet “I want more facts!!! That’s what it’s all about. Why the wall of silence from Govt?” I see that this has since been deleted, but from the thread I gather it was regarding Peter Thiel.
Remember that ILG used absolute discretion of the minister
“Ardern would not discuss further details of the case, such as whether Sroubek’s life might be in danger, but said “you can draw a fair conclusion on why the Minister made his decision”.
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/read-between-lines-drug-smuggler-pm
And then we are told during Question time that “This is not in the public interest” if not then what would be ???
Funny the timing of this ???
Bridesmaid sister gets visa offer following Immigration NZ decision review
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12153884
note the last Min of Imm (M Woodhouse) has questions to be answered as well
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11837608
This should have been cauterised, but has been left to fester, That IMO is where the real damage has been incurred.
Did you hear Woodhouse gleefully telling Lisa Owen on checkpoint last night, “but wait, there’s more!” when she asked him if National had more to throw at Lees-Galloway?
Lees-Galloway has obviously made a hash of the case but Nats have been quietly holding this for a rainy day and, in the wake of the JLR shitfight, it’s been pouring on the National Party.
When I have a spring in my step it is because I feel good about myself.
People get demonised all the time in the media. So many (even here) love to put the boot into those struggling.
Good to read another side of this young mans life not just the sensationalised rubbish used to sell papers.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12151856
Trump tells 83 lies in ONE day!
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/02/politics/donald-trump-lies/index.html
Gosh that’s Key-like, or even worse. Another thing where NZ is not the world leader we naively imagine we are.
Its getting busier in here. 43 comments and only 9:46 am
Go Helen!
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12153899
“People who are antagonistic resonate more with populist messages”
interesting article in Scientific American
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/the-personality-trait-that-is-ripping-america-and-the-world-apart/
We’ve found him! The world’s most useless cartoonist.
This guy makes Rod Emmerson look like Gerald Scarfe.
https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2018/11/cartoon-3.html/comment-page-1#comment-2350120
Lol. The fact that you link to a comment by yourself and refer to yourself as “we’ve”
Explains a lot.
And Stringer had the nerve to say he didn’t have the means to pay off Colin Craig for defamation. The Court clearly should have instructed Stringer to put together a book of his awesome cartoons to raise the money.
But seriously, Siobhan: how on earth could that utterly incompetent fifth-rate cartoonist defame anyone? I imagine it would be something akin to being savaged by a dead sheep, or by our witless friend “James” who sits forlornly just above you in this thread.
A great low cost opportunity for the govt to be seen and acting that would achieve 100% support of the country … And without having to say why did not any previous govt find this organisation deserving !!!
JA make an executive decision and grant NZLS $2-5m annually ? Timing would be almost perfect
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/surf-lifesaving-struggling-traditional-funding-sources-dry-up
Beach Tax!
Gfoffoloffle would come to that partee!
We can change. Get your youth into this – it may help a lot of people
“Youth Advisory Group
If you’re aged between 14 and 18 on 1 January 2019, find out how you can have your say about education in New Zealand.
Applications are now open and will close on Sunday 18 November.
To be considered for the Youth Advisory Group you’ll need to:
be aged between 14 and 18 years on the 1 January 2019
live in New Zealand
be respectful of other people’s opinions
get parental, caregiver or legal guardian consent if you are not an independent youth.
You can sign up online, or download and complete the PDF version of the registration form, and email to youth.voice@education.govt.nz. ”
http://www.education.govt.nz/school/student-support/youth-advisory-group/?fbclid=IwAR3Sfb8edmqQHeslWkh21V5rUDaEYZ8FG7wSgAG4Yg9QBYHfAlGZmfbsYEQ
A couple of moral pygmies discuss military matters.
(Where the F**K does Mora’s producer find these people?)
The Panel, RNZ National, Thursday 1 November 2018
Jim Mora, Susan Hornsby-Geluk, Mike Rehu
vacuous adj. 1. having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; mindless. 2. (archaic) empty
MORA: [speaking over intro. music] W-w-what do you think, both of you, about the vigorous protests in Palmerston North at the Defence Industry Expo? Do you have a view?
SUSAN HORNSBY-GELUK: [inhales and clicks tongue to indicate how thoughtful she is] I think it’s kind of IRONIC that, um, an anti-violence campaign results in a couple of people being assaulted, ahhh, a couple of people assaulting THE police, but, um, I think the point here is it’s not a GUNS expo, it’s really important that this is, like, a defense procurement exercise, and if we’re going to have an army and we’re going to invest millions of, uh, dollars in the army, we clearly need to understand, y’ow, what the best equipment is, so, yeah, I support the right of people to engage in, ahhhmm, peaceful protest but, ah, I do think it might be slightly misGUIDED in this instance.
MORA: [inhales loudly to indicate moral seriousness] What do YOU think?
MIKE REHU: Yeah, I, I, I’m the SAME actually. I, I do feel as though we, [baffled sigh] y’know, the industryyyy, y’know in EVERY industry they HAVE these conferences, they HAVE these exhibitions, this is, and ironically in SOME countries yooouu, you SAY “defense” and it’s not defense, it’s OFFENSE, but I think New Zealand HAS to have a DE-fense, and I, I personally worry that, that we-e-e-e, we don’t. I mean, I was just looking at some numbers earlier today, we spend four hundred and twenty-six dollars a PERSON on our DE-fense compared to Australia’s fifteen HUNDRED, which is over four times, and the U.S.has three point one per cent of their G.D.P. spent on defense, ours is like one point one—
MORA: Yeah.
MIKE REHU: So we spend a MINUSCULE amount, and you can TELL in the quality of aircraft, boats, and blah-blah-blah that we have. But in these days of, y’know, what they’re calling the sharp POWER where we saw, y’know, ahhmm, the Saudi Arabian fella get, ahhh, get assassinated pretty much, allegedly, in Turkey, ahhh, we’ve seen the North Koreans come down and hit somebody. We’ve seen the Russian spies come in. Now, w-w-we’re pretty harmless down here but we’ve got a lotta things that people WANT in the world, especially our natural resources like water. And we’ve seen, we’ve played NICELY with people, we’ve almost GIVEN [snickers] away some of our resources. But when, now that we’re wising UP a little bit, what if people WAN’ our resources and things down here and, and what’re we gonna do—
MORA: Is that—
MIKE REHU: —if somebody comes in?
MORA: Is that push ever gonna come to shove though?
MIKE REHU: Well. I mean, surely we should have some sort of sturdy defense anyway, at least SOME capability, I mean, otherwise we WILL have to turn to bigger powers and, and then we’d, we have to, obviously, sign some kind of compromise deals with people and—-
MORA: Which is what we do now, don’t we. We, we lend them a frigate, or we lend them a, a batch of the S.A.S. and we play our part among a group of nations.
MIKE REHU: [inhales loudly to indicate how serious he is] Yeah, and, but even with AUSTRALIA, y’know, the relationship we have with Australia, apparently, y’know, a lot of our kit is massively inFERIOR, and we get by with our good soft skills, our good people skills when we’re overseas representing our country in part of these United Nations, ahhhm, combinations. So, y’know, again, coming back to your first question about the expo, ahhhmm, it IS a worry that there MAY be some weapons of OFFense, ahhhm, being shown at this exhibition, but I think if it’s about DE-fense then we should play a part.
MORA: Here’s Andy Hickman from Peace Action Manawatu, talking about Lockheed Martin’s presence at the expo, and its manufacture of a laser-guided bomb that destroyed a school bus in Yemen in August.
RECORDED VOICE OF ANDY HICKMAN: Forty schoolboys were killed by that particular bomb, ahhh, Lockheed Martin takes ownership, that WAS their bomb, but they claim no responsibility ‘cos it was fired by the Saudi Arabians, and we say that no, actually, they have a moral and ethical responsibility to take ownership for that.
MORA: And this is a moral dilemma that in LIVING history goes back to the burden of guilt felt by the men who built the atom bomb. But we also know that everybody sells weapons to the Saudi regime. And, the world of realpolitik, this is a very hard one, isn’t it. And are there any easy answers, and is the, I mean, does New Zealand need to take the clear-cut stand that people like Andy Hickman would like? Or do we have to sidle our way through the world as you’re suggesting?
MIKE REHU: And I know that these expos and exhibitions have been held in different cities over the years, but for Palmerston North as well, um, that is very close to where a lot of our military happens, and a lot of the economy is, is DRIVEN by the military as well, so I guess we have to be a bit careful that we kill ALL industry around that.
MORA: Yeah, aah, and New Zealand First M.P. Darroch Ball says a lot of the businesses have a PRESENCE in Palmerston North, actually, and they employ thousands of people right across the country, and it’s as much about apples, toilet paper, spare parts, electronics, steel and clothing as it is about anything else. But just before we leave the topic, ahh, to give the opposite poi-i-innnt, Golriz Ghahraman, writing today, ahhh, talks about the self-steering bullets, tiny killer drones from Israel: “I’ve seen what that looks like on the ground,” she says, referring to her childhood in Iran, “a sea of amputees poured into Iranian cities from the frontlines during the 1980s. Half the world feels like second class citizens, as we did in Iran. Our lives and misery are not as important as the profit being made from war.” So she’s saying, can New Zealand really, with a clear conscience, take part in any of that?
SUSAN HORNSBY-GELUK: There’s, there’s two different issues in tha-a-a-a-at. One is the, ahhhh, equipment itself, and two is, who’s making a profit from it? But in terms of the equipment itself, IF we’re gonna send guyyyys, aah, to Afghanistan or wherever it is, they need to have whatever the other people have got, otherwise, ahhh, we’re sending them into an unsafe environment. Um, that means they need to have, y’ow, technologically the very best that we ca-a-a-an, uh, possibly provide for them. As to who makes the profit from it, I think that’s a different issue, and I think she’s BLENDING the, um, the MORAL judgement about what war CAN result in, with, aah, the issue of who might make a profit and who might not.
MORA: [inhaling loudly] These are not easy answers to find, are they not, but I’m, um, pleased to have had your opinions on it.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Later in the program, we were treated to the following classic comment:
SUSAN HORNSBY-GELUK: I hear the Governor General is a vegan. That’s really cool.
Susy would totally get those arms dealers off.
A bigger, deeper read – well worth it imo
https://www.ecosophia.net/america-and-russia-tamanous-and-sobornost/
Evidence.
What day is it today? asked Pooh.
Making ‘Murica, the place where feeding a live puppy to a snapping turtle in front of the kids is regarded as a teaching moment, great.
Photos of staff at an elementary school in Middleton who were dressed for Halloween as Mexicans, while others posed behind a cardboard cutout of a border wall that says “Make America Great Again,” have gone viral.
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/education/article221015995.html
Test!
yay – give us some good news from the conference about this awesome government and leader please!!!
See below, comrade!
ta – so good to read good news. In some ways I really wish I was in Dunners – visiting mum in south dunedin, visiting my mates around the traps and seeing all the Labour people feeling great about this country and where we are going now. So much more to do and we are at last DOING it. That is the way forward – proud to be a left lingering Kiwi. Proud to call this country home.
Hi te reo putake. Ad has sent some info .. give us your take.
Seymour goes off half baked and trys to take on the plastic bag ban in supermarkets
hes says he has some ‘research’
“Mr Seymour said the government’s decision to ban single use plastic bags could be killing up to 20 New Zealanders a year.
He said research in the US showed that people using reusable bags were susceptible to diseases such as campylobacter from chicken.
However, Professor Siouxsie Wiles at Auckland University told Checkpoint this research had already been debunked.
“So it’s written by two professors of Law and Economics who are not microbiologists or public health experts.
“They’ve taken a data set around people who are hospitalised or deaths in San Francisco and looked at before plastic bags were banned and then afterwards. They’ve then drawn a bunch of conclusions which if anybody in public health looked at would say no, not true at all.”
Food safety expert Steve Flint said it was a valid concern.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/108270526/reusable-bags-could-kill-about-20-people-a-year-claims-politician
Seemore will be ok as long as he doesn’t put his raw Coq in his reusable bag. Stick to frozen Coq Seemore.
I hope that is going to be Coq au Vin..
Flint isnt backing Seymours crazy claim based on US research by law professors.
Meanwhile the safety of the food itself is ignored !
Ive washed my resuable bag a number of times, and hung it out in the sun- a great sanitiser
Its a super sized one from a hardware store, it probably needs little wheels like luggage does.!
Time to stand up to this atrocious oppression
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/03/china-is-committing-ethnic-cleansing-in-xinjiang-its-time-for-the-world-to-stand-up
Happy to do that, marty! I’ve got some issues accessing the back end of the site, though I hope to have a post up later today or early tomorrow.
In short, it’s been gloriously upbeat. There have been some rousing standing ovations for the PM, Grant Robertson, and Kristine Bartlett. This arvo is policy amendments (nothing controversial). Then it’s various elections, some of which are tightly contested.
To be fair, the lack of negative issues has meant its been tough on the media. I can see Audrey Young at the back of the room, absentmindedly chewing on the roast limb of a small child, desperately hoping for David Cunliffe to announce a new tilt at the leadership.*
*may not be 100% accurate.
I’m loving this
“Mental health is likely to get a significant funding boost, the Finance Minister has indicated in his address to Labour party members.”
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/370139/wellbeing-budget-to-give-mental-health-the-priority-and-focus-it-deserves
I really hope we get serious about this. So many people are suffering and struggling. I am hoping that it is true and that it will be delivered. Everything is crossed.
Absolutely it’s a priority, marty. I was talking to a minister about homelessness and they made the point that its a health issue, not just about housing. And others have talked about the links between suicide, depression and violence and mental health. This party cares.
Good one – so good you get to talk to the ministers – feel a wee bit envious tbh – but pleased it’s you talking to them.
Anything about social welfare? Raising basic benefit rates?
I don’t think it’s come up so far, though the policy part of conference is yet to come. From memory, I think Labour have already said they will regularly lift rates.
Every blue moon. like clockwork.
They’re required by statute to raise benefits according to the CPI. I was referring to raising basic benefits so that people weren’t expected to be forced into debt, either to Work and Income or loan sharks or whomever, just to get by. Wonder what the odds are of that coming up in the “policy” section.
Raising basic benefits would also be of benefit to mental health. See my post at 25.1.1.4.
There is one policy proposal that directly affects beneficiaries and that’s to lift the earning threshold and to lower the abatement. This would allow beneficiaries to earn more as part time workers and not lose the benefit at 70 cents in the dollar as it is now.
“There is one policy proposal that directly affects beneficiaries and that’s to lift the earning threshold and to lower the abatement.”
So…nothing for Tui then? https://thestandard.org.nz/poverty-and-disability/
Or Kay? https://thestandard.org.nz/beneficiary-for-life-the-joys-of-permanent-disability-in-present-day-nz/
Maybe you could ask them TRP….in between standing ovations?
Give them one more chance. Perhaps 2020 will be different?
That can only be good, but is kind of the same as Kiwibuild – aimed at mid-range of the target group. The poorest, those without part-time employment, generally speaking, are again excluded. Let’s see if basic benefit rates come up at tomorrow’s “policy” session. It’s a pity ipredict has shut down – could’ve made a killing.
So no mention of raising basic benefit rates in the “policy” section? Bugger. you had me quite excited there for a while.
Make it happen, Chris: https://www.labour.org.nz/join
Be easier to just join a party that already has that policy.
Will that make it happen?
Nice.
This party cares.
I’m sure the Labour Party cares a lot more about homelessness than it did in 1984, when in the run-up to the Snap Election it staged a mock soup kitchen in Auckland’s Upper Queen Street to draw attention to the failure of the Muldoon government’s housing policies. Dozens of news media and wellwishers turned up for the event, and were ladled out helpings of soup.
Unfortunately, a couple of real homeless people also turned up and tried to get a plate of soup for their worthless selves—but were swiftly hustled away by Labour Party “security” before their shabbiness and unkemptness could lower the tone.
The Labour Party of 1984 was dominated by such caring people as Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble, Mike Moore, Geoffrey “Footstool” Palmer, and Trevor De Cleene. I hope it’s slightly more caring these days.
Monty Python-esque. Probably still happen today.
I wouldn’t trust Palmer or Moore to look after a dog, let alone have any say in a welfare policy for people.
Spreading lies again Moronissey ?
prove it or remove it.
Spreading lies again Moronissey ?
Excuse me? When have I “spread lies” here or anywhere else?
prove it or remove it.
It was reported in the New Zealand Herald in June 1984, and quite possibly in the Auckland Star as well. Why don’t you get off your useless asssss and find it for yourself?
Papers past doesn’t go past 1948.
Online herald site doesn’t mention it.
If you have it , give a link. But you don’t do you.
And no Muldoon telling fibs doesn’t count
Those of lower socioeconomic status are more likely to suffer mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Depression being a leading cause of suicide.
Therefore, it would be good to see this coalition Government do more to address low incomes and benefits, thus improving mental health and our high rate of suicide via this avenue.
Depression is in every group , its rubbish to suggest the poor ore far more adversely affected.
eg medicine has a higher depression rate than some professions as it attracts the ‘ perfect’ type.
Numerous studies acknowledge the correlation. The Childrens’ Commissioner acknowledges the correlation (see link below).
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12050722
Moreover, it’s borne out in our suicide stats (see the following below).
For the majority of the 10-year period 2006-2015, the rate of suicide for those living in the most deprived areas was significantly higher (around twice as high) than for those living in the least deprived areas.
https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/suicide-facts-data-tables-19962015
“Finance Minister Grant Robertson has confirmed mental health will be one of the Government’s five priorities in its first Wellbeing Budget,….”
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/11/03/304816/wellbeing-budget-to-prioritise-mental-health
“The whole point of this is that for too long we’ve measured ourselves on a very narrow basis…so not having every single data point shouldn’t stop us from saying the health of our environment, our people and our communities is as important as our financial wealth.”
At first I thought he was channelling the Greens but this was at the Labour Party annual conference so I clicked on the link and read the article.
I read it several times to make sure I got it right but I can’t tell.
To me it seems he (and Labour) are framing it as two targets that oppose one another or are perhaps even mutually exclusive. And if they’re on an equal footing, which one would a true Labour Party stand for?
Is Robertson framing it this way to avoid frightening the horses or is he simply showing his personal (and/or his party’s) beliefs on these matters?
Perceptions matter a lot in politics (and in life) but any decisions (or lack thereof) speak volumes no matter how you frame (spin) things – are we on the cusp of something special?
An earlier newsroom piece….https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/09/05/224294/what-will-the-wellbeing-budget-change
…and yes!!!! There’s Uncle Bill ‘if there’s a loophole you’d be a fool not to exploit it’ English’s Social Investment plan….https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10644993
His plan for the sick and disabled folk…
” the big driver of future costs: long-term invalids and sickness beneficiaries, a group he describes as “this big hard lump of long-term waste of human potential”. ”
….was to replicate ACC’s tactics…
” If they were ACC customers, we would be spending a lot of money on trying to move them. They cost a bit less on sickness and invalids [benefits], not a hell of a lot less(bullshit), but we do nothing and we are actually doing nothing to reduce this very large long-term liability.” ”
And that sure worked well…with how many shifted from ACC to SLP and Jobseekers?
So far….I’m certainly not seeing how this government attitude towards those whose health and disability needs prevent them from being in paid work differ from National’s.
Policy change to encourage those on benefits to participate in paid employment ( https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-03-11-2018/#comment-1546092) without increasing the base rate for the SLP for those who simply can’t work sounds like more arbeit macht frei to me.
Prove me wrong.
“His plan for the sick and disabled folk… was to replicate ACC’s tactics”
And with Labour apparently just passing a remit (extending ACC to include illness) can we assume they plan to do the same (replicate ACC’s tactics) albeit a little softer?
Here’s the entire speech here;
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1811/S00028/grant-robertson-speech-to-labour-party-conference.htm
But as Ad says we may have to wait … https://thestandard.org.nz/labour-conference-random-notes/#comment-1546345
Would prefer to believe we may be on the cusp of something special myself ….
Thanks for the link to the speech.
When people are (badly) haemorrhaging you don’t because you can’t wait, you must act there & then. So, I reject that we should sit & wait for ‘something special’ or even for a budget surplus, a healthy economy or what have you.
This is how I see the main political parties in NZ framing their view [singular] of our society: A is as important as B, but B is conditional on A.
A logical flaw? Bad framing? Or something else?
I couldn’t make it due to family reasons (attending a 50th birthday party!) but I hear our policy remit (extending ACC to include illness) passed!
“I couldn’t make it due to family reasons (attending a 50th birthday party!) but I hear our policy remit (extending ACC to include illness) passed!”
?????
Craig H…sorry, can you explain your remit? What exactly does it entail? ‘extending ACC to cover illness’…is this the ACC weekly compensation? ACC level treatment, rehab, ongoing support? Heavens forbid to be able to have a resident family member as your paid carer? Only ‘illness’, or would the extension cover those born with disabilities?
That Labour could entertain the possibility of extending the scheme to cover those born with disabilities seems too far-fetched. Up there with raising basic benefit levels.
The remit encompassed both.
Don’t worry te reo Putake, Audrey has already had a little snide dig and grudging praise for Jacinda “Becoming a PM of substance” So you never know.
Who loves Bryce Edwards? Not me.
“Even the pro-Government blogsite, The Standard, is publishing criticisms of the scheme – see: KiwiBuild doesn’t fly. According to this critique, the Government is effectively privatising “state housing land”, to be used by private developers and the KiwiBuild scheme, meaning that most of the land will be for privately-owned houses. It says John Tamihere is correct in his call that development on state housing land in Mangere is akin to “social engineering”…..
Didn’t know that Kiwibuild was ever meant for low earners. So Kiwibuild becomes fodder for the Edwards with his mates in the Opposition.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12154010
Yeah, this has come up at conference. More explanation about state housing improvements is needed. Kiwibuild is about intervention in a buggered market. Building new state houses is complimentary, but different. Both are good policies.
So many lies spread by some well known names on Standard
.
State housing land is being ‘gifted’ to private buyers.
Kiwibuild homes have a big subsidy.
No new State houses are being built.
That ultra high insulation/glazing is required to make them ‘warm and dry’
All falsehoods.
+ 1
Saw that coming. Sour grapes is the MO for some.
And what of the missing middle?
Those who don’t qualify for state housing and would get laughed out of the bank if they tried to get a $650K mortgage for a Kiwibuild loan. Some of these households don’t even qualify for WFF, FFS. They are hard working families which for a variety of reasons haven’t been able to be stable enough to be seen as good loan material. They have young kids and instead of subjecting them to years of austerity have decided to give them what opportunities they can now instead of scrimping for an ever increasing deposit. Dad slogs his guts out and mum works part time around the kids.
Did that come up at the conference?
Building new state houses is complimentary, [sic] but different.
complementary.
” Building new state houses is complimentary,…”
Building new State Houses is urgent. Demolishing existing State Houses and using any of the land they were built on for Kiwibuild houses is uncomplimentary.
The East Porirua scheme is very like the Glen Innes one – building fewer state houses on the land; some Kiwibuild homes there and some homes on the general market.
The promise is for 150 more state houses than before. But the 2000 state homes being replaced in East Porirua, may not be on that land as far as I can see.
Basically, it looks like many state home tenants will be moved elsewhere in Porirua – uprooted from their existing community to make way for more homes in the area on the market for the middle classes.
Why? Why not build the new Kiwibuild and general market homes elsewhere in Porirua, rather than shift the state homes there?
TBH Carolyn_Nth, my usual talent for being able to seek out the nitty gritty on Government work appears to be failing me. For the life of me I can’t seem to find a one stop website that tells everything a citizen would ever want to know about Government’s plans and schemes for housing. Slogans…yes. But actual hard core nitty gritty from an actual government website (not a ‘partner’ website) is proving a challenge.
Must be because I’m closer to 86 than 16 and am tuning out. 🙁 🙁
https://thestandard.org.nz/labour-conference-random-notes/#comment-1546142
The announcement by the government is not totally clear. But, to me ot looks like there will be 150 new state homes on top of the ones already in East Porirua.
The East Porirua land that currently has 2000 state homes, will be regenerated – ie the existing state homes will be rebuilt, and also on the same land will be Kiwibuild homes, plus homes built by developers for the general market.
it’s not totally clear to me whether the current 2000 state homes will all be rebuilt on the existing land, or whether some will be rebuilt elsewhere in the wider area.
The government announcement.
It links to the Porirua development led by HLC (a subsidiary of HNZ), saying more details there.
Lots of pretty images, but I’m not seeing any more detail there and it says:
I’m all for 16 year olds getting the vote.
State Housing Action (includes John Minto) – is sceptical.
Report on it on Stuff
HCNZ is one another is kiwibuild.co.nz
Who says there will be fewer state houses on the redeveloped land.
It doesn’t say whether or not there will be fewer or the same amount of state homes on the land – a bit vague.
But, given they are also going to build kiwibuild and general market homes there – will they all fit?
“… a bit vague.” That’s what I was getting at. Nothing crystal clear.
“… will they all fit?”
Yep, they’ll rack ’em and stack ’em.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/10/25/291004/kiwibuild-a-community-trainwreck
““For instance, in Māngere – just one of many projects that the Government is working on at the moment – 2700 state homes are going to be demolished and 3000 state homes are going to be rebuilt, but in a third of the land area.
“The other two-thirds are going to be KiwiBuild and affordable.
“By my estimations, in 2700 homes there now, there’s probably 12,000 to 15,000 people in those homes. Multiply that to be 10,000 homes [on the site in total] and we’re looking at 25,000 to 30,000 people living on the same land mass.
“That’s 30,000 human beings of different cultures, different religions, differing values and life, living in the same space as 12,000 people used to.”
Carolyn look at the video of the speeches… there was a definite statement that locals would be in the communities they loved and had helped form.
Which video? What speeches?
I do think Labour have learned somewhat from the debacle of Glen Innes. however, the vagueness about some details is concerning.
I do get the idea that people might be rehoused in greater Porirua, rather than in the area of Porirua where they currently live. But that still might be a disruption for many.
“Kiwibuild is about intervention in a buggered market”
I wish people would see that. In previous times people would rent and build up an asset base to move into home ownership. Now, due to a combination of factors that step has become impossible for most people in Auckland and many other areas, and they are trapped in the rental market. KiwiBuild is about moving the people who would otherwise have left the rental market into ownership by “de-risking” the building of lower spec homes for developers (4 bed, 2 bath and office appeals to more buyers, so more are built) and using the power / guarantee of government to drive the cost down. The resulting churn in rental market then helps those further down.
“The resulting churn in rental market then helps those further down.”
Ah! The ‘trickle-down effect’ , I’ve heard about that.
Yep. Everyone else wait while we look after the already privileged.
Me too.
How did that work out again in terms of financial wellbeing?….
Probably a poor choice of words there using “down”, but it will allow people to leave the rental market and provide opportunities for others to enter the same limited market.
But KiwiBuild is really only targeting a very limited group, and it’s an easy and cheap intervention. The targets are, or were, potential National voters being the aspirational young things striving for their first homes. They will be ensuring the Coalition’s second and maybe third term. That’s why 101st keyboard brigade is loosing it’s shit over it.
There’s a big difference between this and completely rebuilding our social housing infrastructure, it’s been fucked by being run like a hire centre. That will require a much stronger government, with say 75 or 80 seats in the house and the corresponding public support to undertake bold projects. KiwiBuild is a step on that path, both physically and politically.
How? The people buying Kiwi Build houses wouldn’t be living in some shit box rental in South Auckland.
They’d be renting out some new place in the better parts of Auckland.
No need for an opposition party when labours in power . There own side fucks them daily .
Wouldn’t happen if they hadn’t made a hard right turn, bwag. It’s like 1984 all over again.
Maybe we should give them a couple more years before deliver a verdict
That’s been happening since 1999 – first time back in government since Rogernomics. Trouble is a verdict is never given, just more chances.
Pretty sure they’ll enjoy their foray into the centre having hoovered up all those soft right wing votes. I don’t have any confidence they’ll do much at all for long term tenants in the face of that.
Last Saturday was a watershed moment for me because I saw where Labour were going for their survival. I feel they have abandoned a lot of the people who voted for them in the hope they’d get a fairer crack.
Not to be so far.
It’s not too late though. They just need to rethink eligibility and support for Kiwibuild accessibility, fast.
It’s not like it should come as a surprise.
Nope. You don’t get to comment on this, sorry. You are from the other side. Those who don’t believe in any support for families who find the equation of modern life difficult to comprehend. Families who work super hard but have had mistakes hang around their neck for years.
I hear the criticisms of the current version of Kiwibuild from the Nats and the right wing but they are criticisms born of simple and automatic opposition to the government, rather than support of low income families finding peace and security in their communities.
So, GTFO.
Let’s see what the well being budget does next year a??
You do realise there’s no money in the budget for any extra expenditure.
The 5 billion dollar surplus was an illusion, Labour borrowed 6.5 billion dollars through Crown entities so it wouldn’t appear on the balance sheet.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12104552
Also, the roading network got revalued which added another 7 billion dollars to the total.
Any extra expenditure has to either come through more borrowing or higher taxes.
Famous RW Blogger miraculous discovery of Stephen Joyce’s “Missing Hole” likening to Dr Orbell….
https://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/tag/steven-joyce/
I always prefered Winstons Kiwiland idea, free up and develop land for housing and then get out of the way.
Not enough photo ops, feel-good marketing stories in that sort of policy for Labour so it was never considered.
We’ve seen what problems occur without planning.
We see simple calls from the low regulation right wing for more housing – ‘just build them’ – but whenever a house is built there are wider, 100 year factors to be taken into account.
I don’t have any issue with Auckland City putting the brakes on wild-west developments because you cannot move these people to work without the right long term strategy.
Hey look at this – I can comment – yaaaay!!!!
But hey you were stupid enough to drink the Kiwibuild cool aid when this was so obvious from the outset.
You kinda deserve what you get.
Careful bwaghorn, you’ll be accused of bias.
Now, about Ardern referencing Savage and the 1937 launch of State Housing at the Kiwibuild launch.
Yep. Although I believe she said, ‘I’m not going to carry a table’ or words to that effect, the cosying up to Savage while standing next to a portrait of white upper middle class privilege was a huge mistake from JA.
She should have gone nowhere near Savage.
“”If I can hark back to some Labour tradition,” said Ardern, going on to remember the “great father of the Labour Party” Michael Joseph Savage and Norman Kirk, who had one of her favourite sayings: “All one really needs is something to do, somewhere to live, someone to love and something to hope for.””
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12149888
Yeah. This government removed hope for tens of thousands of families last Saturday.
If the Greens could stop navel gazing for five seconds and ramp up their already strong housing policy they could really teach Labour a lesson on this.
I’d be very happy with a Labour/Green government next term with the Greens making sure Labour didn’t slop down in the centre, fat dumb and happy.
“If the Greens could stop navel gazing for five seconds and ramp up their already strong housing policy they could really teach Labour a lesson on this.”
Yes. I voted for the Greens. Two ticks. Hoping they’d put on their steel toe-caps and do some proper social advocacy.
Speaking of the Greens and their inaction. Remember the glimmer of hope shown by Marama re her bold stance taken in support of the disabled grandmother who was offered a free solar setup but was declined approval by HNZ to install it? Winter has come and gone and it has still yet to be resolved.
The story can be seen in the link below from about 19 mins in. https://www.threenow.co.nz/shows/the-hui/season-3%3A-sunday-6-may-2018/125685/M21250-300
If I recall, there was something not quite right about that particular scheme. It set my bullshit antennae quivering.
We can do better.
The rot goes back to that infamous year 1984….
I had my suspicions about the Lange government from before it was elected. Two things in particular concerned me:
1) LABOUR’S CRASS, BOORISH, DULL CAMPAIGN
The choice of the egregious Jennifer Warnes/Joe Cocker song “Up Where We Belong” made me cringe every time I heard it, and pointed to a dire lack of imagination and creativity in the party. Funnily enough, the New Zealand Labour Party’s use of that virtually unlistenable pop song in 1984 was echoed by the Democratic Party eight years later, when Slick Willie’s campaign song was Fleetwood Mac’s equally awful “Don’t Stop Thinkin’ About Tomorrow”.
2) THE SOUP KITCHEN INCIDENT
Shortly before the 1984 election, the Labour Party organised a brilliant media event to draw attention to the plight of the poor and homeless under the heartless National government. They organised a mock soup kitchen, to be held at Myers Park. Overtones of the Great Depression, unemployment, sugarbag years….
The media was invited, and all the Labour candidates they could muster would be there. Talking about poverty, of course. It was a MOCK soup kitchen, of course, but the soup was real, and prepared by one of Auckland’s most renowned chefs, and everyone would of course be served some of this top-grade soup after the speeches.
A short time before the event was about to get under way, as the assembled guests and dignitaries were arriving, the organisers were annoyed to see that a couple of real homeless men had arrived. They’d seen the mock-up Depression-style “Soup Kitchen” sign and assumed….
Assumed WRONGLY, it turned out. Labour’s hired muscle for the day escorted the horrible, tatty, unwashed tramps away from the “Soup Kitchen” quick smart, and the Labour Party Soup Kitchen event got under way. There was no further trouble from lowlifes that day.
Bullshit about the lowlife escorted from the fake soup kitchen….
Join Labour and engage in actual stuff Morrissey. Whole bunch more fun than an anecdotal whine 35 years old.
Fair point, Ad. I do indeed support Labour, though not uncritically. We need always to be vigilant about what is happening in our party, who is calling the shots, and whether or not they should be entrusted with leading us. It’s worth remembering that a small clique of ideologues took over the Labour Party in 1984 and nearly destroyed it. It’s no coincidence that that Soup Kitchen debacle and that rotten advertising campaign ushered in the regime of Douglas, Moore, Palmer, and Prebble.
Absolutely.
So, Weeple, what’s your take on the right’s hijacking of the party in the 1980s?
How disgusting is this.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2018/11/judge-kavanaugh-s-sexual-assault-accuser-allegedly-admits-she-lied-wanted-attention.html
“One of the women who accused Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault has apparently admitted she lied and used the allegations as a “ploy” to get attention.”
Hope she goes to jail for a long time.
If she lied, yes, she should be tried.
But what about all the other women who testified against this weasel?
Sadly a his word against hers.
But glad we agree that this woman should be in front of a court.
She should be. He is not fit to judge her, or anyone else.
Got nothing on this shit.
But the saga of Jacob Wohl took a turn this week, when he was unexpectedly implicated in a bizarre plot to smear special counsel Robert Mueller as a sexual predator. The exact nature of the scheme, and Wohl’s involvement, is somewhat unclear. On October 17, a number of journalists reportedly received an e-mail from “Lorraine Parsons,” alleging that she had been contacted by a man claiming to work for a firm called Surefire Intelligence, on behalf of G.O.P. operative Jack Burkman, who had offered her substantial sums of money to make false accusations about Mueller. Yet no reporters were able to verify that Lorraine is a real person. Surefire Intelligence, too, appeared to be fake. When NBC News investigated, they found the Web site was registered to Wohl’s e-mail; a phone number on the site went to a voice mail that provided another number listed as belonging to Wohl’s mother. (Wohl stopped responding to NBC after they asked why his mother’s phone number was in that voice mail.) In perhaps the most amateurish element of the whole sordid episode, Internet sleuths quickly discovered that headshots of Surefire’s purported employees actually belonged to celebrities including Israeli model Bar Refaeli and Austrian actor Christoph Waltz. A photograph of “Matthew Cohen,” allegedly a managing partner at Surefire Intelligence, is simply a darkened image of Wohl himself.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/10/jacob-wohl-robert-mueller-sexual-assault-allegations
I would think most people would find one just as bad as the other.
In both cases it’s a bloke who has been smeared unjustly
For a more nuanced take on this article I recommend the following:
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/11/3/18058832/judy-munro-leighton-brett-kavanaugh-trump-tweet.
Note: This woman was not one of the women to make solid accusations against Kavanaugh. Those accusations still stand. The letter she forwarded was a copy of a letter from an anonymous accuser – Jane Doe – which may or may not be false.
rimmer from act just called for plastic bags to be brought back and people caught littering for the third time should be jailed . Boys lost the plot.🤣🤣🤣🤣
I doubt he had a plot to loose unfortunately….
Oumuamua (the messenger) and its sail?”
https://arxiv.org/abs/1810.11490
Oumuamua … Mind blowing in its possibilities.
As heinous was Clinton apparently……are Deplorables a thing ?
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/existential-anxiety-not-poverty-motivates-trump-support/558674/
the hui Kia ora Its tricky I think its cool Jacinda’s on your show Its best that all common poor people are lifted up there ladders of life together . Just targeting maori we need unity and targeting maori will just divide Aotearoa society .
The Labour Party has done a awesome job in there first 12 month’s in the New Coalition
Government. Ka kite ano P.S I see
All Americana Wahine and minority cultures should houner your Children and Ancestors buy getting up and voting for a better brighter healthy future for all HUMAN KIND. That’s how big a ISSUE The mid term elections in America is at this point in time if you don’t vote that’s a vote for trump and we can not have him letting people think that behaving like a ASS is OK we need and want PEACE and Harmony not War and lies.
Ka kite ano Eco Maori Music For The Minute.
Now All The Latino people in America We Have a link Its a well known fact that Aotearoa New Zealand Ngati Porou iwi has a great Ancestor Jose Manuel .I have a direct link through my Grate-grand mother there was talk about a African link to .
Don’t let the go oil party or trump rain over our moko /Grand childrens future and your mana/ power get up and vote there people out of power. link to Jose Manuel site below
Ka kite ano. P.S Don’t let them rain ruin over the WORLD.
https://www.manueljose.org.nz/whakapapa-233/
Native American cultures have a lot in common with Native Aotearoa /New Zealand.
In the way we see and treat most thing’s .Respect for our Ancestors respect for our whenua/land respect for our decedents. ka kite ano vote for your childrens future
The Navajo, like tribes across the country, have bristled at Trump’s suggestion that tribes should be reclassified as races rather than separate governments, a legal shift that would mean that tribal members were no longer exempt from Medicaid work requirements. Trump’s downsizing of Bears Ears national monument, which was done at the urging of Utah Republicans, has also been a key rallying point for Native Americans link below
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/01/navajo-nation-utah-midterm-election-gerrymandering
American Wahine / Ladies of all cultures step up and vote so there is no illusion in thoughts of man that you want your daughters treated Equally in all aspects of our Worlds society
Jordan is part of a blue wave of candidates pushing to change the face of US politics, with record-breaking numbers of women and history-making women of color and Native Americans on the ballot. With progressive stars like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stunning pundits with victories, there’s a sense among some non-traditional Democratic campaigns that anything is possible. Ka kite ano Link below
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/31/paulette-jones-idaho-governor-native-american-democrat
Syria need’s peace or million’s will suffer starve and DIE War should be in OUR history books in the year 2018. I have figured out why war has not been left behind GREED
The White Helmets risked life and limb to save over 115,000 lives during the Syrian conflict, despite attacks at the hands of the Syrian regime and the Russian military,” Hunt said. “The UK is proud to stand behind them.”Raed al-Saleh said Moscow’s record of broken promises meant he had little confidence in a ceasefire brokered between Russia and Turkey in September. The agreement halted a planned advance on Idlib, one of the last parts of Syria still outside the control of President Bashar al-Assad, and currently home to more than 3 million people.Ana to kai ka kite ano links below.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/03/idlib-jeremy-hunt-syria-russia-turkey
Eco Maori has a good grasp of the situation in the Middle East and around the World.
I’m not laying blame on one side or thee other you are both to blame clean this mess
UP in Syria and the World. Ka kite ano.
I know the big company’s are manipulating the market’s and push out the new smaller company’s
“The big retailers are rigging the market to stop smaller players competing and getting bigger prices to the public.In a current situation where there’s a squeeze on gas and lakes are bit a lower, these are the perfect conditions for them to exercise market power. I would expect it the big business all ways cheat to squeezes out the small company’s
But Marc England, chief executive at gentailer Genesis Energy, said while there was “something unusual” going on, there was no gaming of the system. “There’s no big versus small plot here.” this man is lieing through his teeth.ka kite ano link below.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/108312588/whats-gone-wrong-with-new-zealands-electricity-market
Kia ora Newshub Its not the fire works its the idiots using them wrong deliberately
With the 2 hedge fires in South Island .?????????????? hope its not to bad this year for fires caused by idiots
The new support staff for teachers is cool the Labour party had a good event in Dunedin in the South Island this weekend.
That will be cool to have a pest free Banks peninsula that’s more logical than trying to eliminate all pest in Aotearoa.
The wind is going hard in Itlay at the moment I hope no one was injured global warming no
There was a Black out in Chicago & Japan this weekend and the Green Irish won to .
I bet that guy will be wishing his horse does not win the Melbourne Cup lol.
Good win Israel at your fight in UFC Ka kite ano
. Alex I have experienced the wind Castle point and Turn again it sure get the Boat rolling thats why its called turn again we would get there and turn for shelter .