Bryan Bruce’s excellent documentary on Tuesday showed the consequences for our nation when we abandoned socialism for extreme neoliberal policies. It was a rare reminder of reality in our highly propagandised nation.
It demonstrated how we have destroyed our society for the benefit of the ultra rich. It’s not just the poor who are suffering now. They were thrown under the bus in the 1980s. It’s now the middle class who are being devoured by this extreme form of capitalism.
We have neoliberal managers now – not politicians. The country is owned and run by large foreign owned corporations thanks to the wretched work of Roger Douglas and Ruth Richardson.
The global environment collapses as in the pursuit of short-term growth, humanity overruns natural ecosystems including the atmosphere that make Earth habitable…..
…..Rarely in human history have so many been so fundamentally wrong about a matter of such importance as the desirability, and even the possibility, of perpetual economic growth.
Hi Ed I took your advice and endorsement of Caitlan Johnstone and clicked on the link your provided, only to discover that Caitlan Johnstone is a big supporter of Russian imperialism and war.
"Bryan Bruce’s excellent documentary on Tuesday showed the consequences for our nation when we abandoned socialism for extreme neoliberal policies……"
Following the popular people's revolt that toppled the Soviet Union, neo-liberal oligarchs formed from ex-soviet bureaucrats seizing their opportunity subjected Russia to an even more extreme form neo-liberal take over than that suffered by New Zealand.
The neo-liberal model in Russia, as in other countries, was based on two fundamental principles: privatization and financial stabilization. By the beginning of 1998 it seemed that both tasks had been achieved. The ruble was stable, and the remaining state enterprises could be counted on one’s fingers…..
The neo-liberal paradigm was forced upon the Russian people, turning the 1990s into a chaotic nightmare……
Boosted by high oil prices, Putin managed to alleviate the crisis of the 1990s and to provide a short-lived sense of prosperity in the 2000s….
…..despite the restoration of some of the Soviet symbolism, corporate capitalism engendered by the reforms of the 1990s has been consolidated.2 Putin’s economic agenda remains neo-liberal to its core.
….The structure of the economic development and the character of domestic and international economic ties are overlooked in the economic analysis. This is done intentionally to conceal the true nature of imperialist economics in general,….
Big nations will try to dominate small nations. Small nations will resist.
This is the nature of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Ed, what Caitlan Johnstone and other pro-invasion, pro-war ideologues don't acknowledge, is that Russian expansionism is also a product of the neo-liberal orthodoxy of perpetual growth on a finite planet which leads nations not just into conflict with the natural world but into conflict with each other. Just as every other major imperialist country, Russia is trying to outsource its economic crisis to other smaller subject nations if it can.
Hi Jenny are we there yet , I've been reading Caitlin Johnstone for a while now and find her take on Russia and US refreshingly free from what I assume to be propaganda. My take is that she's not taking sides, has an anti-war stance and sees what unfolds quite clearly – ie she sees through the propaganda.
Another agit-prop pundit who never saw a totalitarian regime she couldn't love. A quick scan of her website reveals a veritable potpourri of anti-Western memes and smears – that ironically enough she could only publish freely in the same western countries she hates so much.
All the while pleading a fake 'neutrality'; yet the big tell is who they do not criticise.
I have come to the conclusion that people like this are essentially attention-seekers, thriving on contrarian positions as an extended form of click-bait.
Russia was never going to transition from a communist dictatorship to democracy overnight. Boris Yeltsin tried that, and what a disaster that turned out to be; one cannot blame the Russians for being distrustful of democracy post Boris. Gorbachev seemed to have the right idea, ie to liberalise more slowly, promoting glasnost and perestroika as a start.
It's quite narrow minded to simply write off autocracy as a form of government if circumstances are not right for it. Democracy took many centuries to develop in the West.
A fair point to some degree. I would go on to add that I think the current forms of democracies we are familiar with in the west are not necessarily ideal or final either. We cannot be complacent nor smug about our own record or state of development – all politics being in a process of evolution.
For a broader perspective this interactive map gives shows the various degrees of democratic development globally.
From this it can be seen that across the Asia land mass, the Middle East and the northern swathe of Africa, democracy is either nascent, fragile or downright missing in action. It is not an original geopolitical observation to note the nations with good access to maritime trade and securable borders tend to be further down the democracy path; while the land locked powers are frequently stalled in authoritarianism. (Why this should be so would make for another interesting thread.)
Nonetheless it is a matter of profound regret to see Putin and Xi Xinping actively driving their regimes away from the modest progress they had made – regressing deeper into authoritarianism and tyranny. Comparing countries on a scale of democratic accountability is fraught because there are so many historic and geopolitical variables to account for – but you can ask 'what direction are they heading in?'
Are any of the so called "democracies" providing Russia and China with suitable role models? Certainly not the USA or GB, or even the EU. Russia and China are at least not embracing neoliberalism. Neo liberalism seems to have been introduced into Russia under Yeltsin. Putin is struggling to stamp it out.
Well about 20 years ago I did live there. There was a moment in my life when I was single, I had employment and friends. After working for four months I found myself very much at home with the people, although initially I had found public life grim and foreboding. I almost stayed; there was a moment getting on a train to leave when my life could have easily taken a completely different path.
In private the people I was with were intelligent, well read and good company. But there was almost no trust in the public domain. Generations of trauma have left a terrible mark on them, and I think part of the casual brutality we are seeing in Ukraine now is a manifestation of this. Life is tough, especially for the men. I would not want to romanticise it, but a hard country that produces a tough people capable of surviving it. An along with this has come a culture imbued with paranoia, and a sense of always being second best to the West.
There is no single factor to blame. They live in a crap geography, with a relatively poor agriculture, transport and climate. They have been historically invaded over 50 times, from the Mongol hordes onward. And the horrors of the Stalinist era they did to themselves; as they did the collapse of the 90's. Yes an ill-conceived lurch toward unconstrained market economy was a bad start, but the Soviet system had collapsed under it's own contradictions, and only the security services capable of holding the empire together. With no democratic accountability it all folded in on itself in a kleptocratic collapse.
The city I was living in was still very much a Soviet one, and it reeked of that terrible failure. Poverty in a hot country is one thing, in a cold country it is terrible to see.
Until about 2008 I was hopeful Putin might lead Russia into the modern world, but the wounds of the past remain unhealed, unreconciled. His was a historic opportunity and he failed it. And here we are tragically at war with them again.
Do not imagine for a second I do not feel the grievous waste of life and treasure in the Ukraine. On both sides. But a sick, wounded Russian empire is in it's violent, dangerous death throes and the rest of us are involved whether we like it or not.
The main lesson learned from WWI was that in future wars the countries with oil, or with access to oil, would have an enormous advantage over those that lacked that resource. I think WWII started because, with Germany lacking oil, Hitler wanted access to a source he could be sure of: hence the launch of Barbarossa to capture Russian oil fields, and possibly Rommel's activities in the Middle East
Since then, with oil being traded in US dollars, oil has underpinned the status of the dollar as the world's reserve currency. The US is determined to keep things that way and sees Russia, a major oil producer, as threatening the dollar's status, so they see a need to hobble Russia. I think the war in Ukraine has been fomented by the US for that purpose. Putin I think has played into their hands. Still, the outcome is not yet certain.
The irony of it all is that the "oil age" may shortly be coming to an end – being killed by global warming.
The fall of the Soviet system was brought about by a collapse of oil prices – there was, at the time, a world wide oil glut. This caused such great hardship that Gorbachev had little choice but to dismantle Sovietism, though I think Yeltsin may have forced his hand.
Russian expansionism is also a product of the neo-liberal orthodoxy of perpetual growth on a finite planet which leads nations not just into conflict with the natural world but into conflict with each other. Just as every other major imperialist country, Russia is trying to outsource its economic crisis to other smaller subject nations if it can.
Russian expansionism is a myth. What Russia is trying achieve in Ukraine is reestablish the status quo ante 2014 when they had the use of Crimea with access by land through the (ostensively) friendly Ukraine. Though of course they would like to stop Ukraine joining NATO as well.
"An election-year halt on co-governance work is the likely outcome when Cabinet meets this month to decide the next steps to fulfil commitments under the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples."
disappointing but this is probably sensible for two reasons. One is I want Labour to be able to form government again at the end of next year. Two is that I want us as a country to take the time to work through the issues and bring people along. There's some chance of the former, I don't hold a huge amount of hope for the latter, but expect that there will be many people working away in the background and in communities on that.
"Driving EVs could be banned in Switzerland unless in cases of “absolutely necessary journeys” in stage three of the power conservation plans. The country also plans a stricter speed limit on highways in the recently proposed action plan, which has yet to be adopted."
Switzerland is on Eurogrid,they import from Germany,France,and Austria (reexporting some to Italy) 2022 car registration rules require 15% of new cars to be electric this year,increasing to 50% by 2025.
The absurdity is they are at present importing around 27% ( of capacity) from Germany with a co2 content of 625g /kw/h .
They are also paying 8 euro a megawatt for the euro certificate to say they are using high carbon electricity.
Here with EV there will be increased load constraints for Auckland,and there will be increased limits on when charging will be available,as the project for charging constraints starts to rollout (similar to ripple control) with smart metering and time windows>
Yes saw their power imports and the fact that over 20% of current vehicle sales are plug in….capacity problems in a wealthy country with less than 4% of the fleet demonstrates the scale of the problems ahead for all of us.
Energy is the basis of our productivity and we will have to apportion it by mechanisms other than solely relying on markets.
The projected costs for NZ to 2030 are 33 billion$,to bring us to 98% renewable electricity and enable electrification of the Vehicle fleet to around 50%.
The pricing is around 1/3 each for generation,transmission,and distribution.One emerging problem is the increase of generation from overseas actors,where profits will go off shore (to reward investment),which is somewhat dampened by industry looking to increase its distributed generation lessening both grid reliance,and transmission and distribution costs and losses.
Europe in more trouble with coal shortages in Germany and Poland ( causing spike in Australian newcastle index to 400 a ton),drawdowns of gas inventory underway as demand increases with severe cold forecasts.
Those numbers look very aspirational….from memory our average vehicle lifespan is something like 14 years….and probably just as well if we are relying on generation/distribution investment….8 years might just about get it signed off.
Well the reviewers when they kicked the renewable policy into the future,suggested that the government objectives were aspirational,whilst a number of companies are just getting on with efficiency gains and installations that do not need RMA or consultation or even worse for the politicians a ribbon cutting event.
This year demand will be down around 1500 gwh,around the lowest for 15 years,and with record hydro storage at present,reduced need for irrigation,there will be good reserves till the winter high risk period.
Australia has shown their colours and this piece of administration has to go. Kiwis should have to apply for visas to Australia just like citizens from any other country. That way Australia could vet who they wanted to accept and we would not have them dumping their highly trained criminals on our doorstep.
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles and that ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],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, Tuesday 19 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rachael Potter, Research Associate and Lecturer in Work and Organisational Psychology, University of South Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Pregnant women and workers with children are often unfairly treated by their bosses and colleagues, despite laws to protect against workplace discrimination ...
Reacting to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s refusal to rule out introducing new taxes at the budget, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “Today’s refusal to rule out new taxes suggests the Government is nothing more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne Aila Images/Shutterstock Aged-care workers will receive a significant pay increase after the Fair Work Commission ruled they ...
He’s bringing ‘Sophie’ back, yeah. Goodshirt’s ‘Sophie’ music video is one of the most instantly recognisable New Zealand music videos of all time. Featuring a woman listening to the song on headphones while her entire house is burgled behind her, the video won the New Zealand music award for Best ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University A year ago, the AUKUS agreement was formally announced between Australian and UK Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden. The agreement mapped out the “optimal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andreas Helwig, Associate Professor, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern Queensland SmartS/Shutterstock Steam locomotives clattering along railway tracks. Paddle steamers churning down the Murray. Dreadnought battleships powered by steam engines. Many of us think the age of steam has ended. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carrie Leonetti, Associate Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Victims who experience family violence in Aotearoa New Zealand are treated differently, depending on which part of the justice system they turn to for help. But a new member’s bill ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Tesch, Visiting Fellow at the ANU Centre for European Studies, Australian National University In perhaps the least surprising news of the year, Vladimir Putin has triumphed at the Russian ballot box and been enthroned for the fifth time as president. He ...
The Papua New Guinea Supreme Court has stopped a byelection for the Madang Open seat being held until an appeal filed by former MP Bryan Kramer is concluded. Kramer had appealed to the Supreme Court over a National Court decision not to review his application of the Leadership Tribunal decision ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Despite a “historic” ceasefire agreement in Papua New Guinea between Enga authorities and tribal leaders after months of bitter warfare, a young woman has been found brutally killed near Kaekin village, Wapenamanda. Despite the peace agreement and signing concluded in Port Moresby last Thursday ...
The second season of Ryan Murphy’s Feud is a sadder and slower entry into his canon of true story-telling, leaning heavily on a verdict about the cost of a single work of art. Hollywood heavyweight Ryan Murphy has had a bit of “ick” about him in the last few years. ...
Are you deeply passionate about sharing Māori stories? We’re on the hunt for an experienced writer/editor to lead coverage in our Ātea section.Ātea is a deeply valued section of The Spinoff site, offering Māori perspectives and insights across politics, current affairs and culture. We are thrilled to be looking ...
By Aisha Azeemah in Suva With the lights on one of his sneakers blinking as he ran through the gallery, a little boy looked up at several works of art. One of them was a sculpture of his grandfather: the man who changed how we see the Pacific — Epeli ...
WHAT: Uber drivers are holding a rally outside the Court of Appeal in Wellington tomorrow, as the company begins its appeal against 2022’s Employment Court verdict (in a case taken jointly by FIRST Union and E tū) that four drivers were permanent ...
RNZ Pacific The Fiji Meteorological Service has a heavy rain warning still in place for the whole of the country after a weekend of flooding, although some floodwaters have receded. Flood and flash flood warnings and alerts are also in place, including a warning for all flash flood-prone areas, small ...
Responding to Grant Robertson’s recent admission on a Q+A with Jack Tame that his only regret from his time in office was that he didn’t take on more debt, Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson, Alex Murphy, said: “Grant Robertson has now admitted that he ...
Bryan Bruce’s excellent documentary on Tuesday showed the consequences for our nation when we abandoned socialism for extreme neoliberal policies. It was a rare reminder of reality in our highly propagandised nation.
It demonstrated how we have destroyed our society for the benefit of the ultra rich. It’s not just the poor who are suffering now. They were thrown under the bus in the 1980s. It’s now the middle class who are being devoured by this extreme form of capitalism.
We have neoliberal managers now – not politicians. The country is owned and run by large foreign owned corporations thanks to the wretched work of Roger Douglas and Ruth Richardson.
Sounds interesting, what documentary was that? (and where was it shown?)
Yes it does sound interesting.
Hopefully if it was shown on TV it will be available through 'On Demand'.
This one?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/130486685/inside-child-poverty-revisited-bryan-bruces-sequel-documentary
Yes – that's the one!
"…..It’s now the middle class who are being devoured by this extreme form of capitalism." Ed
Not to mention that the biosphere is also being devoured by this extreme form of capitalism.
Enough is never enough
And Labour still cannot bring themselves to break with neoliberal orthodoxy of perpetual growth on a finite planet.
Any surprise that the Douglas, Richardson, Act camps have the loudest voices about the social breakdown, ram raids, etc?
Caitlin Johnstone is another important voice to be heard in our increasingly propagandised world.
An Australian writer with real insight and style, she offers a refreshing alternative to the 24/7 neocon world view we are subjected to.
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/
Hi Ed I took your advice and endorsement of Caitlan Johnstone and clicked on the link your provided, only to discover that Caitlan Johnstone is a big supporter of Russian imperialism and war.
"Bryan Bruce’s excellent documentary on Tuesday showed the consequences for our nation when we abandoned socialism for extreme neoliberal policies……"
Following the popular people's revolt that toppled the Soviet Union, neo-liberal oligarchs formed from ex-soviet bureaucrats seizing their opportunity subjected Russia to an even more extreme form neo-liberal take over than that suffered by New Zealand.
Big nations will try to dominate small nations. Small nations will resist.
This is the nature of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Ed, what Caitlan Johnstone and other pro-invasion, pro-war ideologues don't acknowledge, is that Russian expansionism is also a product of the neo-liberal orthodoxy of perpetual growth on a finite planet which leads nations not just into conflict with the natural world but into conflict with each other. Just as every other major imperialist country, Russia is trying to outsource its economic crisis to other smaller subject nations if it can.
Hi Jenny are we there yet , I've been reading Caitlin Johnstone for a while now and find her take on Russia and US refreshingly free from what I assume to be propaganda. My take is that she's not taking sides, has an anti-war stance and sees what unfolds quite clearly – ie she sees through the propaganda.
On both her site and twitter account Johnston fails to dislose her position as an OP Ed columnist for Russia Today.
She's taken a side.
https://www.google.com/search?q=caitlin+johnstone+site%3Art.com&oq=&aqs=chrome.2.69i176j35i39i362l2j46i39i199i362i465j35i39i362l11.-1j0j7&client=tablet-android-samsung-nf-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8
Another agit-prop pundit who never saw a totalitarian regime she couldn't love. A quick scan of her website reveals a veritable potpourri of anti-Western memes and smears – that ironically enough she could only publish freely in the same western countries she hates so much.
All the while pleading a fake 'neutrality'; yet the big tell is who they do not criticise.
I have come to the conclusion that people like this are essentially attention-seekers, thriving on contrarian positions as an extended form of click-bait.
Russia was never going to transition from a communist dictatorship to democracy overnight. Boris Yeltsin tried that, and what a disaster that turned out to be; one cannot blame the Russians for being distrustful of democracy post Boris. Gorbachev seemed to have the right idea, ie to liberalise more slowly, promoting glasnost and perestroika as a start.
It's quite narrow minded to simply write off autocracy as a form of government if circumstances are not right for it. Democracy took many centuries to develop in the West.
A fair point to some degree. I would go on to add that I think the current forms of democracies we are familiar with in the west are not necessarily ideal or final either. We cannot be complacent nor smug about our own record or state of development – all politics being in a process of evolution.
For a broader perspective this interactive map gives shows the various degrees of democratic development globally.
From this it can be seen that across the Asia land mass, the Middle East and the northern swathe of Africa, democracy is either nascent, fragile or downright missing in action. It is not an original geopolitical observation to note the nations with good access to maritime trade and securable borders tend to be further down the democracy path; while the land locked powers are frequently stalled in authoritarianism. (Why this should be so would make for another interesting thread.)
Nonetheless it is a matter of profound regret to see Putin and Xi Xinping actively driving their regimes away from the modest progress they had made – regressing deeper into authoritarianism and tyranny. Comparing countries on a scale of democratic accountability is fraught because there are so many historic and geopolitical variables to account for – but you can ask 'what direction are they heading in?'
Are any of the so called "democracies" providing Russia and China with suitable role models? Certainly not the USA or GB, or even the EU. Russia and China are at least not embracing neoliberalism. Neo liberalism seems to have been introduced into Russia under Yeltsin. Putin is struggling to stamp it out.
Let me know if you can spot any of your favorite authoritarian non-neoliberal countries on this list:
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-50-best-countries-to-live-in.html
(There a lots of such lists online – Russia does not appear on any of them.)
I wouldn't want to live in Russia. Did I ever claim hat I would.
Well about 20 years ago I did live there. There was a moment in my life when I was single, I had employment and friends. After working for four months I found myself very much at home with the people, although initially I had found public life grim and foreboding. I almost stayed; there was a moment getting on a train to leave when my life could have easily taken a completely different path.
In private the people I was with were intelligent, well read and good company. But there was almost no trust in the public domain. Generations of trauma have left a terrible mark on them, and I think part of the casual brutality we are seeing in Ukraine now is a manifestation of this. Life is tough, especially for the men. I would not want to romanticise it, but a hard country that produces a tough people capable of surviving it. An along with this has come a culture imbued with paranoia, and a sense of always being second best to the West.
There is no single factor to blame. They live in a crap geography, with a relatively poor agriculture, transport and climate. They have been historically invaded over 50 times, from the Mongol hordes onward. And the horrors of the Stalinist era they did to themselves; as they did the collapse of the 90's. Yes an ill-conceived lurch toward unconstrained market economy was a bad start, but the Soviet system had collapsed under it's own contradictions, and only the security services capable of holding the empire together. With no democratic accountability it all folded in on itself in a kleptocratic collapse.
The city I was living in was still very much a Soviet one, and it reeked of that terrible failure. Poverty in a hot country is one thing, in a cold country it is terrible to see.
Until about 2008 I was hopeful Putin might lead Russia into the modern world, but the wounds of the past remain unhealed, unreconciled. His was a historic opportunity and he failed it. And here we are tragically at war with them again.
Do not imagine for a second I do not feel the grievous waste of life and treasure in the Ukraine. On both sides. But a sick, wounded Russian empire is in it's violent, dangerous death throes and the rest of us are involved whether we like it or not.
The main lesson learned from WWI was that in future wars the countries with oil, or with access to oil, would have an enormous advantage over those that lacked that resource. I think WWII started because, with Germany lacking oil, Hitler wanted access to a source he could be sure of: hence the launch of Barbarossa to capture Russian oil fields, and possibly Rommel's activities in the Middle East
Since then, with oil being traded in US dollars, oil has underpinned the status of the dollar as the world's reserve currency. The US is determined to keep things that way and sees Russia, a major oil producer, as threatening the dollar's status, so they see a need to hobble Russia. I think the war in Ukraine has been fomented by the US for that purpose. Putin I think has played into their hands. Still, the outcome is not yet certain.
The irony of it all is that the "oil age" may shortly be coming to an end – being killed by global warming.
The fall of the Soviet system was brought about by a collapse of oil prices – there was, at the time, a world wide oil glut. This caused such great hardship that Gorbachev had little choice but to dismantle Sovietism, though I think Yeltsin may have forced his hand.
Russian expansionism is also a product of the neo-liberal orthodoxy of perpetual growth on a finite planet which leads nations not just into conflict with the natural world but into conflict with each other. Just as every other major imperialist country, Russia is trying to outsource its economic crisis to other smaller subject nations if it can.
Russian expansionism is a myth. What Russia is trying achieve in Ukraine is reestablish the status quo ante 2014 when they had the use of Crimea with access by land through the (ostensively) friendly Ukraine. Though of course they would like to stop Ukraine joining NATO as well.
That Russian expansionism is a myth, is a myth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUdW3ss7NIU
Co-governance work set to be put on hold
"An election-year halt on co-governance work is the likely outcome when Cabinet meets this month to decide the next steps to fulfil commitments under the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples."
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/co-governance-work-looks-set-to-be-put-on-hold
disappointing but this is probably sensible for two reasons. One is I want Labour to be able to form government again at the end of next year. Two is that I want us as a country to take the time to work through the issues and bring people along. There's some chance of the former, I don't hold a huge amount of hope for the latter, but expect that there will be many people working away in the background and in communities on that.
Agreed Weka.
I think I agree with Bradley and would not have awarded the point.
Watch: The Chase viewers angry after ‘unfair’ Jacinda Ardern New Zealand question blunder – NZ Herald
same.
https://twitter.com/alisondesu/status/1598185690466250753
Same. If Jacinda Ardern's parents had wanted her name to be Jacinta they would have registered this name.
But they did not.
Case closed.
Imagine the furore if he had allowed 'Jacinta'! Between Scylla and Charybdis on that one.
If they allowed "Jacinta", they also have to give the nod to "Jabcinda" and "Taxcinda".
A conundrum of Homeric proportions.
Wilful ignorance (and this Jacinta thing is exactly that) should never be rewarded.
Easy enough to manage, all he needed to do given they got the right person is to accept the answer with a note and correction of the spelling.
They are Brits so the NZ PM is not front and centre for them every day.
Those people should be celebrated. The Chaser, who had zero idea, not so much.
"Well I feel very indigenous – how Māori are you?’”
Kaipara mayor asks Māori ward councillor: 'How Māori are you?'
Worth checking the article out just to see the photo of the mayor (warning: it will solidify your prejudice 🙂
The spelling in the link is another 🙂
https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/300755547/kaipara-mayor-asks-mori-ward-councillor-how-mori-are-you?fbclid=IwAR0ZO-ZH_jBiunBy4OrsBLPBQy-U8VIHEb3_RLpN9ZefQGDEsfRx-K_ClH4
Isn't it the mayors natural role to wind all the councilors up and prevent the council from actually achieving anything?
Perhaps in Kaipara.
I expect he has people whispering in his ear.
"Driving EVs could be banned in Switzerland unless in cases of “absolutely necessary journeys” in stage three of the power conservation plans. The country also plans a stricter speed limit on highways in the recently proposed action plan, which has yet to be adopted."
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Switzerland-Considers-Electric-Vehicle-Ban-To-Avoid-Blackouts.html
Less than 4% of the Swiss fleet is currently plug in.
https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home/statistics/mobility-transport/transport-infrastructure-vehicles/vehicles/road-vehicles-stock-level-motorisation.html
Switzerland is on Eurogrid,they import from Germany,France,and Austria (reexporting some to Italy) 2022 car registration rules require 15% of new cars to be electric this year,increasing to 50% by 2025.
The absurdity is they are at present importing around 27% ( of capacity) from Germany with a co2 content of 625g /kw/h .
They are also paying 8 euro a megawatt for the euro certificate to say they are using high carbon electricity.
Here with EV there will be increased load constraints for Auckland,and there will be increased limits on when charging will be available,as the project for charging constraints starts to rollout (similar to ripple control) with smart metering and time windows>
Yes saw their power imports and the fact that over 20% of current vehicle sales are plug in….capacity problems in a wealthy country with less than 4% of the fleet demonstrates the scale of the problems ahead for all of us.
Energy is the basis of our productivity and we will have to apportion it by mechanisms other than solely relying on markets.
The projected costs for NZ to 2030 are 33 billion$,to bring us to 98% renewable electricity and enable electrification of the Vehicle fleet to around 50%.
The pricing is around 1/3 each for generation,transmission,and distribution.One emerging problem is the increase of generation from overseas actors,where profits will go off shore (to reward investment),which is somewhat dampened by industry looking to increase its distributed generation lessening both grid reliance,and transmission and distribution costs and losses.
Europe in more trouble with coal shortages in Germany and Poland ( causing spike in Australian newcastle index to 400 a ton),drawdowns of gas inventory underway as demand increases with severe cold forecasts.
https://twitter.com/welt/status/1598585003801206789
Those numbers look very aspirational….from memory our average vehicle lifespan is something like 14 years….and probably just as well if we are relying on generation/distribution investment….8 years might just about get it signed off.
Well the reviewers when they kicked the renewable policy into the future,suggested that the government objectives were aspirational,whilst a number of companies are just getting on with efficiency gains and installations that do not need RMA or consultation or even worse for the politicians a ribbon cutting event.
This year demand will be down around 1500 gwh,around the lowest for 15 years,and with record hydro storage at present,reduced need for irrigation,there will be good reserves till the winter high risk period.
boom
https://twitter.com/colbertlateshow/status/1597825250028306433
Subclass 444 Special Category visa. It's all in the name.
Australia has shown their colours and this piece of administration has to go. Kiwis should have to apply for visas to Australia just like citizens from any other country. That way Australia could vet who they wanted to accept and we would not have them dumping their highly trained criminals on our doorstep.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/12/revealed-where-australian-501-deportees-blamed-for-spike-in-crime-across-new-zealand-are-living.html