Open mike 03/08/2013

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 3rd, 2013 - 148 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner).

Step right up to the mike…

148 comments on “Open mike 03/08/2013 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Jenny 1
    3 August 2013 at 6:14 am

    John Key goes soft on Terror.

    So suddenly, Soft on Terror John Key can’t bring himself to detain or even name the terrorists, who he says are at large in NZ or in terrorist training camps in Yemen.
    (Something the security services had no problems with in the Ururewa, with even less alleged cause. What was the explanation then? “We have to act before they do, do something.” What did leading police officers say? “The public would never forgive us is something did occur and we had not acted” Blah, blah, blah.).

    If he feels he can’t bring himself to arrest these “terrorists”. There is nothing stopping John Key from acting to name and shame them. It is the very least he could do.

    What is he worried about?

    Is he worried that these “terrorists” might sue him for defamation?

    That in fact they aren’t terrorists at all?

    More likely they are government opponents like TPPA activists and environmentalists acting quite legally within the law to oppose government policies they disagree with.

    If they really are terrorists, (which I doubt). If we all knew who they were. These “terrorists” would be so constrained as to be unable to act or go anywhere without being recognised.

    Probably the worst thing about John Key raising these fear mongering allegations of terrorists being at large in New Zealand without naming them. Is that he is putting many innocent Islamic and Middle Eastern residents and citizens in this country under a cloud of suspicion.

    Come on John Key stop protecting terrorists in our midst. Name Them!

    • Jenny 1.1
      3 August 2013 at 6:32 am

      It is a shame that the concern that John Key has for the civil liberties of Terrorists does not extend to the rest of us. The suppression of the right to protest at sea. The plan to allow the collection of Metadata on all New Zealanders exposes a contempt for civil liberties. Contempt for everyone’s civil liberties, except of course for his touching concern for the civil liberties of terrorists.

      • Jenny 1.1.1
        3 August 2013 at 6:37 am

        Talking about being soft on terror. David Shearer goes soft on John Key.

        With John Key’s allegations of terrorists in our midst. Here was David Shearer’s chance to skewer John Key but he refused to do it.

        The Labour Leader who could be privy to information on whether John Key is lying or not. Refuses to tell.

        Labour leader David Shearer would not confirm whether he had been briefed about an al-Qaeda presence in New Zealand,…..

        Rebecca Quillam, Claire Trevett NZ Herald

        A simple question. It deserves a simple answer.

        What’s with this David Shearer?

        Why is he protecting John Key’s credibility?

        Depending on what he had, or had not been told in briefings, the number of possible options that David Shearer could give to this question, taking into account security matters, are limited.

        No, I have not been briefed on this matter.

        Yes, I have been briefed on this matter, and can tell the public that the Prime Minister is correct there are terrorists at large in New Zealand.

        Yes, I have been briefed on this matter, and can tell the public that the Prime Minister is wrong in saying that there are terrorists at large in New Zealand.

        David Shearer explained his refusal to answer the question, saying his talks with the security services are in confidence and he would not break that.

        What a dereliction of duty as an opposition MP.

        Shearer’s excuse for not answering the question, is so weak as to be no excuse at all.

        None of the three possible answers breach national security. (Though they might breach National’s security)

        If David Shearer has been briefed by the security services, that there are Al Qaeda operatives at large in New Zealand, he would not be revealing anything that the Prime Minister had not already publicly divulged.

        So why can’t he answer the question?

        The only other possible reason apart from national security is, that David Shearer can’t answer. He is incapable of answering.

        This inability to answer even simple questions under pressure, will prove to be disastrous if David Shearer is ever to go head to head in an election debate with John Key.

        • JK 1.1.1.1
          3 August 2013 at 9:03 am

          Jenny – can you put up the link, or URL, to the comments from David Shearer about ………

          ” John Key’s allegations of terrorists in our midst. Here was David Shearer’s chance to skewer John Key but he refused to do it.
          The Labour Leader who could be privy to information on whether John Key is lying or not. Refuses to tell.
          Labour leader David Shearer would not confirm whether he had been briefed about an al-Qaeda presence in New Zealand,…..”

        • blue leopard 1.1.1.2
          3 August 2013 at 12:39 pm

          @ Jenny
          Read the parliamentary debate for Wednesday (I think it was), better yet watch it and you will see why Mr Shearer has responded the way he has in the article you link to.

          He stated with a great deal of passion, (that is often sorely missing from his presentations), that if there really were people doing what Key said there was in NZ, that he considered it downright dangerous and irresponsible for Key to have said so. He considered Key’s actions as creating a threat to security to speak, because if such ‘elements’ exist it is giving them information that they are known by the intelligence agencies and being spied on. He said it was an incredibly ‘dumb’ thing to do.

          It is clear, therefore, the Mr Shearer would play down any opportunity to do the same by confirming such threats.

          I agree with a lot of what you have expressed in your comments above, however, take care to be accurate in your accusations, otherwise your position, which I consider to be expressing valid concerns over the motivation of our politicians, can be seriously weakened/discredited by the ‘elements’ in our society that wish to leave us all in a fearful and unquestioning state so that their interests are met and ours aren’t.

          • Jenny 1.1.1.2.1
            4 August 2013 at 12:13 am

            He stated with a great deal of passion, (that is often sorely missing from his presentations), that ifthere really were people doing what Key said there was in NZ, that he considered it downright dangerous and irresponsible for Key to have said so. He considered Key’s actions as creating a threat to security to speak, because if such ‘elements’ exist it is giving them information that they are known by the intelligence agencies and being spied on. He said it was an incredibly ‘dumb’ thing to do.

            It is clear, therefore, the Mr Shearer would play down any opportunity to do the same by confirming such threats.

            blue leopard

            So David Shearer gets passionate about the need to hide the secret identities of terrorists alleged to be at large in our country. And he would do much the same as Key and play down confirming their identities with the public.

            Ask yourself, Why?

            It doesn’t surprise me that David Shearer supports John Key and the GCSB keeping the identity of alleged terrorists secret. It also doesn’t surprise me that David Shearer gets passionate about this, whereas he has never revealed passion or even joined up thinking about anything else.

            Pardon me Blue but just as Colonel Jessup, played by Jack Nicholson gets passionate about keeping the truth away from the people he claims to be protecting, reveals his contempt for ordinary people. Similarly, so do Shearer and Key.

            They may patronisingly claim that they are the only ones who can handle the truth.

            But the arrogance and contempt they display for the public, the people they are paid to represent is encapsulated in the view ‘that we can’t handle the truth’ and that it best left to them to secretly decide who is a terrorist and who is not.

            Personally I think it should be up to the public and the legal system. Not some secret unacountable bunch of spooks who seem to owe more loyalty to Washington than Wellington.

            Any evidence of terrorism needs to be exposed and rooted out. Not kept hidden.

            Most probably the real truth is that, the epithet of terrorist that they bestow on the people they have been illegally spying on would not stand up to any public scrutiny.
            And that is the truth of why they seek to hide from us, the identities of those they have been spying on.

            John Key and David Shearer may claim that we can’t handle the truth. But from what we have seen, the public could do a darn sight better job of handling the truth than they have shown.

            • blue leopard 1.1.1.2.1.1
              4 August 2013 at 12:35 am

              @ Jenny
              I don’t need to ask myself why; I can see the two possibilities for why this information isn’t shared. a. it doesn’t exist b. doing so blows the cover of any surveillance being conducted on such groups.

              And due to the nature of your comments I was under the impression that perhaps you hadn’t heard the more indepth response from Shearer, in which I believe Shearer provided a reasonable explanation for why he wouldn’t discuss such things via the media.

              I agree re legal system needs to decide re terrorists* or not; Do they not?

              *I really don’t consider ‘terrorist’ a useful term at all; it has been well over-used and should have been made obsolete 10 years ago.

              I don’t buy into the whole ‘terrorist’ thing, considering it largely an attempt to keep us all in fear. If there are people out there furious with Western interests, it isn’t surprising; what is more surprising is that there aren’t more of them.

    • Draco T Bastard 1.2
      3 August 2013 at 1:08 pm

      If he feels he can’t bring himself to arrest these “terrorists”. There is nothing stopping John Key from acting to name and shame them. It is the very least he could do.

      Ever heard of innocent until proven guilty?

      Is he worried that these “terrorists” might sue him for defamation?

      That and the fact that he’d be made to look a fool.

      Is that he is putting many innocent Islamic and Middle Eastern residents and citizens in this country under a cloud of suspicion.

      Divide and conquer – the normal National Party tactic. Pity it works so well.

      • Jenny 1.2.1
        4 August 2013 at 12:35 am

        Ever heard of innocent until proven guilty?

        Draco T Bastard

        They are finding these people guilty in secret with no right of response.

        And if they really are terrorists, (which I suspect they are not), they are endangering us all, by hiding them from the public gaze.

        If they had any real evidence that they were terrorists they would charge them. New Zealand’s Suppression of Terrorism law is very wide ranging and comprehensive, with a very low threshold of proof, even allowing “secret evidence” to be produced.

        And by not naming them you admit that they are throwing a cloud of doubt over many innocent people, but you don’t make any point about this, other than it “works so well”. Do you support this or oppose it?

        If you opposed it. You would be calling for the guilty to be named to let the innocent live without being suspects just because of their ethnicity or origin.

  2. Red Rosa 2
    3 August 2013 at 6:21 am

    Shearer is the gift to the Nats who just keeps on giving.

    Every time his name is mentioned, Key’s grin just gets wider.

  3. Jenny 3
    3 August 2013 at 7:33 am

    Is this a good idea?

    http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21929286.100-steer-me-sideways-icebreaker-attacks-pack-ice-sideon.html#.UfwAEypXv6k

    In an age when the icepack is thinning and shrinking due to climate change and opening up large swathes of dark open water where there used to be reflective ice starting a feedback effect. Is it that wise to try and speed up that process, by also physically attacking and breaking up the ice pack as well, exposing even more of the Arctic Ocean’s surface to the feedback effect of dark water over that of reflective ice?

    Surely this is crazy.

    No doubt the dozens of these long lanes of open water pathways cut across the pole, will be widened even further through the actions of storms .

    That this is being done to help the passage of oil tankers seems even more crazy.

    And that’s without even an oil spill. But what if there was an oil spill?

    Would an oil slick stop the ice forming in the first place? And will all that dark oil also attract even more solar heating to the icepack?

    It is like these people are deliberately out to wreck the planet.

    • srylands 3.1
      3 August 2013 at 10:57 am

      I would see it more optimistically. Climate change is happening. Attempts to reduce emissions have failed abysmally, which was predictable. We should put more efforts into adapting. Opening up new sea lanes is one of the few positives.

      Luckily NZ is one of the countries set to enjoy some benefits from climate change. Our emissions are tiny. We should do enough cosmetic things to stay sweet with trading partners, and then put our efforts into adapting. The Government has moved in the right direction with the ETS – it is there but it imposes almost no costs on the economy but we can still say to the rest of the world that we are doing something.

      Next step should be more research on impacts on NZ and how we are going to cope. If we can start planning now the costs will be lower. Problem is people are short sighted.

      • red rattler 3.1.1
        3 August 2013 at 12:09 pm

        Srylands are you going to be the one with the technical fix for humans so they can survive without oxygen?
        You are several hot years behind the endgame. We are headed for extinction, not just in Kiwiland but Earthwise.
        http://guymcpherson.com/2013/01/climate-change-summary-and-update/

        • weka 3.1.1.1
          3 August 2013 at 12:53 pm

          rr, I think srylands responding well to McPherson is about as likely as NZ choosing to do something useful about AGW 😉

      • tricledrown 3.1.2
        3 August 2013 at 12:10 pm

        Srylands its about time you went to specsavers

      • johnm 3.1.3
        3 August 2013 at 12:23 pm

        Hi Srylands

        Your comment: ‘Luckily NZ is one of the countries set to enjoy some benefits from climate change.’ is completely out of touch with reality! 🙁

        “This is not “climate change”… that phrase is the innocuous little euphemism devised by the M$M to make the deadly threat sound as harmless as possible.
        The name that accurately applies is “climate damage” – as Jeremy Grantham, the British manager of billions in funds has pointed out.
        Remember – “damage” not “change”… this is not a shift in the weather, it’s a vicious disruption in the earth’s climate that is a severe existential threat to civilization as we know it.”

      • Draco T Bastard 3.1.4
        3 August 2013 at 1:34 pm

        Luckily NZ is one of the countries set to enjoy some benefits from climate change.

        Yeah, more drought is such a Good Thing.

        it is there but it imposes almost no costs on the economy

        Except for the few hundred million per year of tax payer dollars that it’s costing us.

        Next step should be more research on impacts on NZ and how we are going to cope.

        Simple, we’re going to cut farming down to the point that we have enough solely to provide for NZers in NZ.

        Problem is people are short sighted.

        Says the person going for short term profits and long term collapse.

        • Jenny 3.1.4.1
          3 August 2013 at 10:18 pm

          “Stronger winter winds, heavier rainfall and more droughts, they’re just some of the effects of climate change the Prime Minister’s chief science adviser is predicting by the turn of the next century.

          The report by Sir Peter Gluckman also projects greater acidification of the seas, average temperatures to rise by 2 degrees by 2090 and at least two more droughts a year.

          Now the report doesn’t suggest what should be done to tackle climate change….

          Simon Mercep interviews Sir Peter Gluckman, Morning Report, Radio New Zealand

          Listen to the full audio of the Simon Mercep’s interview with Sir Peter Here

          Peter Gluckman is a public servant. People close to him have told me that he would say a lot more if he could. Specifically; As well as calling for the country to prepare to get ready to adapt to climate change, Gluckman would call for a extreme claw back in emissions.

          Something which his parliamentary masters are deathly opposed to.

          As we all know, both Labour and National are in support of more oil drilling, fracking and coal mining.

          The last thing these political parties would allow, is for their top science adviser to publicly oppose their current policy direction.

          But what Gluckman says on the government website is that New Zealand’s greatest contribution to fighting climate change will be symbolic.

          “New Zealand is a small emitter by world standards – only emitting some 0.2% of global greenhouse gases. So anything we do as a nation will in itself have little impact on the climate – our impact will be symbolic, moral and political.”

          Professor Sir Peter Gluckman http://www.pmcsa.org.nz/climate-change/

          That “symbolic” impact, needs to be something big, something great, something that will grab the world’s attention.

          The most dangerous of all fossil fuels is coal. Worldwide coal contributes the largest percentage of anthropogenic carbon dioxide into the atmosphere NASA scientist and climatologist James Hansen famously said; “If we can’t stop coal it is all over for the climate”.

          As both an example and a warning. New Zealand needs to completely shut down the coal industry. Not in ten years not in 5 years. But Now.

          Our biggest contribution to fighting climate change will be to show the world that a modern industrial country can completely rid itself of coal from its economy and still maintain a decent standard of living.

          Of all the industrialised countries we are already the least reliant on coal. If we can’t do it no one can.

          New Zealand needs to be a test bed to show that with the right political will it can be done.

          We once had a large and thriving asbestos mining and manufacturing industry. We successfully closed it down. We need to do the same for coal.

          We led the world on votes for women. We led the world on anti-nuclear and anti-aparthied.

          We need to lead the world on this.

          Coal Kills. Kill Coal.

    • karol 4.1
      3 August 2013 at 8:02 am

      So this is how Armstrong explains the way journalists like him have spent a long time cheerleading Key and his government:

      Thrown together in the rabbit warren which passes for the parliamentary complex – a veritable hothouse fuelled by rampant ego, unrequited ambition, never-ending rumour and constant intrigue – MPs and media nevertheless have to establish a degree of trust for their mutually parasitic relationship to function effectively.

      That trust works on many levels, be it MPs feeling they can talk off-the-record confident they will not be shopped to their superiors, to journalists respecting embargoes, to Cabinet ministers not blocking the release of sensitive documents sought by media under the Official Information Act.

      That trust can take a long time to establish. It can be destroyed in a matter of seconds.

      Gotta laugh at the self-serving delusions.

      • Colonial Viper 4.1.1
        3 August 2013 at 8:43 am

        Helping the Nats play the country like a fiddle, not realising that you’re being played too.

      • wyndham 4.1.2
        3 August 2013 at 8:46 am

        Nevertheless Karol, an amazing criticism of the Key Party from John Armstrong, don’t you think? Even to the point of saying that Key is not ‘off the hook’ and has been treating matters less than seriously.
        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10907488

        • JK 4.1.2.1
          3 August 2013 at 8:52 am

          Yeah – I thought so too, Wyndham. When John A gets critical of Key, that is really something !

          • Paul 4.1.2.1.1
            3 August 2013 at 9:41 am

            But Mike Hosking is still a shill for the government.
            His analysis..it’s Dotcom’s fault. Does he have a brain or a conscience?
            Or just an ego?
            http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/shows/breakfast/highlights/mhb-mikes-editorial-2aug2013

            • North 4.1.2.1.1.1
              3 August 2013 at 10:31 am

              Hosking is a joke…….a made man of class and elegance and mutton dressed up as lamb. Dork !

            • Saarbo 4.1.2.1.1.2
              3 August 2013 at 11:46 am

              Yes, regarding Mike Hosking, in his early days on ZB (could be 15 to 20 years ago), he was having a conversation with Paul Holmes and he high lighted the fact that he didn’t believe in reading widely, he simply didn’t believe in reading. I remember Holmes being disgusted by this admission. For me it explained everything about Hosking, I have never wasted my time listening to him, he is as thick as 2 short planks.

              • tricledrown …
                3 August 2013 at 12:09 pm

                hosking is just a snobby egotistical narcissist.

              • Hami Shearlie …
                3 August 2013 at 1:26 pm

                But so overwhelmingly fastidious with his clothes and coiffure, Saarbo – You’re overlooking the important stuff! LOL

            • muzza 4.1.2.1.1.3
              3 August 2013 at 3:02 pm

              Hosking is married to Hawksby, whose brother is married to the step-daughter of Graham Hart!

              Hosking is playing a role, alright!

      • Blue 4.1.3
        3 August 2013 at 12:39 pm

        From Armstrong’s article:

        It goes without saying that journalists are by nature deeply suspicious of politicians and the motives which drive them – and vice versa.

        It’s funny, I’ve never seen a NZ journalist who was at all suspicious of John Key. On the contrary, they tend to ascribe the best possible motives to him and cheerfully gush about what a great bloke and talented politician he is.

        I think Armstrong lives in a fantasy-land of his own making where he is a journalist rather than a shill.

        • Draco T Bastard 4.1.3.1
          3 August 2013 at 2:07 pm

          I think Armstrong lives in a fantasy-land of his own making where he is a journalist rather than a shill.

          Planet Key.

    • Paul 4.2
      3 August 2013 at 8:27 am

      John Armstrong only concerned about the governement when it affects him personally.

      • North 4.2.1
        3 August 2013 at 8:41 am

        We can tick them off on our fingers……..the Fart Estate.

        Caught only a bit of it on TV3 News last night but got the sense that even Potty@Gower had the teeth out. The hands were pretty animated too which doesn’t look good for the emperor sans vetements.

        Any impressions from those who watched the whole thing ?

      • marty mars 4.2.2
        3 August 2013 at 9:25 am

        He sounds frightened in that article

        to always leave just the tiniest question lurking at the back of everyone’s mind as to who else might be listening, reading or watching.

        There must be a few in the press gallery sweating on this I think

    • Draco T Bastard 4.3
      3 August 2013 at 2:03 pm

      It goes without saying that journalists are by nature deeply suspicious of politicians and the motives which drive them

      Says the John Key apologist and National Party spin-meister.

      His reward from Key for making a more than reasonable fist of a job he never wanted…

      Fist? Doesn’t he mean fuckup?

      A head had to roll. The resignation of Geoff Thorn, the general manager of the Parliamentary Service, was deemed necessary to restore confidence in an administrative body which had long ago relinquished any confidence that both journalists and MPs might have placed in it.

      More of the Blame Labour meme. After all, it couldn’t possibly be 5 years of National’s corruption and posting of their mates that could have caused the degradation of the public service.

  5. muzza 5
    3 August 2013 at 8:50 am

    How Reuters and AP control global, news/fears on the lates global terror warning

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/02/us-usa-embassies-idUSBRE9710V320130802 – Reuters

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10907672 – AP

    http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/us-issues-global-travel-alert-cites-al-qaeda-threat-5525775 – Reuters

    http://www.cnbc.com/id/100935417 – AP

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/10219346/US-issues-global-travel-alert-amid-al-Qaeda-terror-fears.html – Chris Irvive – But AP quoted

    http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/08/02/us-issues-global-travel-alert-over-al-qaida-threat/2611999/ – Natalie DiBlasio – But an AP quoted

    Just a quick search revels the reach, which extends around the globe via Reuters/AP releases, who now control the narratives globally. Links above simply a brief selection, but the same was seen in OZ, Japan, Canadian press et al!

    • muzza 5.1
      3 August 2013 at 8:57 am

      But wait on, what’s all this about, rebels with Imperialist supplied weapons preceding a dog whistle about AQ, regionally linked terror warnings !!! – Oh, I see how this works, and the more it happens, the greater the numbers who also see through this charade of BS!

      CIA to arm, train Syrian rebels;

      http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/25/us-syria-crisis-usa-idUSBRE96O1H020130725 – Reuters

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10893712 – Daily Telegraph UK

      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10120064/Syria-US-to-arm-rebels-live.html

      http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/06/15/cia-will-lead-us-effort-to-arm-train-syrian-rebel-forces-fox-confirms/ – AP

      Did key have a heads up about this latest, warning, which lead to his comments about AQ less than 48 hours ago?

      • Colonial Viper 5.1.1
        3 August 2013 at 9:22 am

        Ahhhh very good question.

      • bad12 5.1.2
        3 August 2013 at 9:55 am

        It’s taken the mainstream a while to catch up then, i remember a few bitter little exchanges which took place in the pages of the Standard where some of us pointed out that US armed and funded ”rebels” were being poured into the Syrian conflict from surrounding Gulf states…

    • marty mars 5.2
      3 August 2013 at 9:31 am

      Of course you are correct – it is ‘good’ to see the machine in action if only to reconfirm the truth of their manipulation and creation of global narratives – thanks muzza.

      • muzza 5.2.1
        3 August 2013 at 9:44 am

        Hey Marty,

        While I appreciate that giving it oxygen repeatedly might not be seen as the best approach, it can cause some folk to shrink away and take a defeatist attitude, while others simply shrug it off, as if there is is nothing they can do, and get on with, getting on. Both of these are understandable response mechanisms, but it’s another response which I am hoping will eventuate..

        Myself, I feel its best to keep such blatant activity front and center an often as required to reach as many people as is possible, based on my, still alive optimism in the human condition of “survival”, which will eventually lead to people rising up (peacefully but forcefully), and making it very clear, they will not tolerate the way the world/NZ is being run, we will not tolerate it, and will take back what has been stolen, from all of us!

        That’s the primary reason I post the style of content that I regularly do!

        Have a good one!

    • Populuxe1 5.3
      4 August 2013 at 2:54 pm

      Goodness me, you mean when the US issues a worldwide terror alert it isn’t world news – or are you really that daft and parochial?

  6. tc 6
    3 August 2013 at 9:40 am

    Unrelared techy question. How do you stop mobile devices like my android pad from using the mobile theme as its painful and crashes chrome and samsungs built in browser.

  8. Rosetinted 8
    3 August 2013 at 10:08 am

    I had a wonder this morning – what if a whole lot of once-Labour supporters pulled away at the next election and voted for Winston Peters to get someone who is as centre as present Labour and is a a better and more forceful speaker. Whether Labour won or lost wouldn’t matter, as the end would be the same as they would go into coalition. And it would be an option for those who don’t feel drawn to the Greens.

    Labour is so damned complacent at the top with a reliable bunch of supporters who at present won’t go anywhere else. But Winston is better than what they have now, and No Worse despite any convolutions he may have been involved in. We’ll get as many from Labour elite.

    • Colonial Viper 8.1
      3 August 2013 at 10:14 am

      I had a wonder this morning – what if a whole lot of once-Labour supporters pulled away at the next election and voted for Winston Peters

      Analysis of booth by booth data show that is precisely what many thousands of (usually) Labour voters did in 2011. Those voters thought it through and did not want to see Winston coming in just under 5% again. Hopefully next time around he will have a more solid, less dick head party list behind him.

      • weka 8.1.1
        3 August 2013 at 10:34 am

        Labour voters supporting formation of a NACT govt. It’s a bloody weird world we live in.

        • Colonial Viper 8.1.1.1
          3 August 2013 at 10:40 am

          I think the more politically savvy are starting to use MMP in interesting ways. Wait until the threshold gets lowered to 2.5% or 3%. That’s when things are going to get bloody weird 🙂

          • weka 8.1.1.1.1
            3 August 2013 at 10:54 am

            How so? People that would otherwise vote Labour, but see NZF potentially dropping below 5%, who then vote NZF to keep them above the 5%, because they want NZF to keep Labour inline, but knowing that NZF might form govt with NACT. Bit of a crap shoot isn’t it?

            • Rosetinted 8.1.1.1.1.1
              3 August 2013 at 11:01 am

              Don’t like playing with crap weka. But often get that feeling of mixing with the real stuff when reading politicians guff. So if I’m to be covered in it when they follow their preferred routes mixing them up and giving them a scare would be no worse. Getting an agreement from Winston to go to Labour would be necessary. He would consider it because he is politically centrist, doesn’t have to go to NACT.

              • weka …
                3 August 2013 at 11:59 am

                “Getting an agreement from Winston to go to Labour would be necessary”

                Rt, Peters has categorically stated at every election that he won’t say before the election who he will go with. It’s his special thing. Why would he change now?

            • Colonial Viper 8.1.1.1.1.2
              3 August 2013 at 11:03 am

              Brand new players in the political party eco-system (or perhaps ressurection of old ones like the Alliance or Democrats for Social Credit).

              When MMP was first introduced some detractors said that voters would be confused if there were more than two or three parties to vote on. In fact, its now been proven that NZers cope very well with the situation.

              • weka …
                3 August 2013 at 11:57 am

                Not sure about the CV. Some do, others don’t. I still hear people confused about how their list vote affects things compared to their electorate vote.

                • Rosetinted …
                  3 August 2013 at 12:29 pm

                  Someone’s saying – Don’t get lost in the shuffle, shuffle along with the lost. It has to be accepted that a good percentage of people never understand what systems drive the parameters of their lives, and that there are alternatives. A small percentage have little idea at all, just feelings that something’s wrong somewhere and the loudest voice saying the most negative things about some recognisable, and unpopular people is what penetrates their minds.

                  Some vote for National, some for Labour, some dither about who to vote for – of those some genuinely apply their minds to trying to understand what’s best, and some just can’t get their heads around it all and make a snap decision based on their last snap decision, some freeze and stare into the headlights. Some just get on with things as everyday life is something they feel they have agency over, and if they haven’t then they are fully occupied in coping with the consequences.

                  I think that is a masterful summation of the mind of the population if I may say so, and I do!

          • bad12 8.1.1.1.2
            3 August 2013 at 11:06 am

            Definitely, i would not have described myself as a floating voter until last election, but now that is exactly what i am,

            Mana is the party of interest to me for the 2014 election whereas last time seeing that a very weak Opposition was the likely result of a Parliament without NZFirst, and to a certain extent wanting to give the ‘govern alone’ and ‘a vote for NZFirst is wasted’ crowd a fright, i spent my energy promoting the fact that NZFirst would be in the Parliament after that election,

            Lolz, i think the choice of NZFirst’s List was carefully thought through, by Winston alone or Winston with help, with Brendon Who gone there’s little chance of a leadership coup happening within that Party this side of a government funded walking frame,

            Mana tho has fired my imagination to a certain extent via a couple of simple policy’s which in effect would have in my opinion a relatively large positive effect upon society,

            Of course the ‘numbers’ surrounding Mana’s chances are of definite interest to a floating voter, 1940 votes will get Annette Sykes into the Parliament and Te Ururoa Flavell out should She stand in 2014,

            A few thousand party votes will add a list MP to Mana’s Parliamentary MP’s which isn’t a bad prospect for a floating voter like me,

            Lolz, i like the idea of the the party vote needed to gain MP’s being lowered, the lower that needed party vote is in my opinion translates to a more democratic Parliament from a wider cross section of New Zealand society…

            • idlegus 8.1.1.1.2.1
              3 August 2013 at 11:28 am

              yes, i have been a floating voter, but always left parties (labour, greens, alliance, mana & the maori party once when i thought they were left before they joined national & others), but last election i gave my vote to mana & i probably will again next election. they have some great policies, i was drawn to the one that encourages community work as a good way to connect with your community, work for the young unemployed, its just so simple. i was genuinely shocked when i saw the results & only 62 ppl in my electorate voted mana, im right in the middle of south dunedin & i know for a fact there would be more support than that here, so for the next election im going to get way more involved & encourage ppl round here to vote.

              also, a bunch of us have some other ideas, trying to get an guerilla ad campaign down here, got an idea along fo the lines of ‘want to give john key the fingers? then vote!’ kinda thing. but one thing to say about all these govt f*k ups, its certainly waking a few ppl up on the importance of voting (going by social media & the like)

              • bad12 …
                3 August 2013 at 12:13 pm

                Yes even in Wellington Mana only has a small ‘presence’, only having one small branch in the City, the Green Party is where the more ‘radical’ in Wellington have gathered,

                My view is that Mana only needing those few thousand votes to gain an MP off of it’s list is also to a certain extent good news for Labour and the Green party as gaining those votes is likely to come from the continuing disembowelment of the Maori Party as their reward for having supported National in two terms of Government,

                Yes leafleting with a message that is starkly different than the normal ‘stuffed shirt party line’ is an excellent means of attempting to ‘switch on’ those who might not otherwise vote,

                Having been engaged in ‘guerilla politics’ befor there is sure as hell a lot of joy in operating outside of the ‘square’ and half a dozen people can cover an electorates letter boxes in a day with a simple message using cheap second hand photocopiers as the printing medium,

                Lolz, i even become quite adept at pulling those machines apart and putting them back together with no previous experience in that field whatsoever,

                If you are going to get your crew together and leaflet whole electorates a good tip is to study the map and use your vehicle to take the crew to the top of all the hills so that they are always walking downhill and never trudging up them,

                Makes the job that much easier and a lot quicker…

      • Chooky 8.1.2
        3 August 2013 at 11:38 am

        +1 Colonial Viper… I suspect many voted for Winston last time strategically…because they saw him as possibly winning the election for the Left or Labour in coalition….however ….Winstons MPs are a liability….once people woke up as to who they were and what they stood for ….it could be a reason many may not vote for him again

        • Colonial Viper 8.1.2.1
          3 August 2013 at 11:40 am

          he’ll get access to much better candidates this time around, as a sitting party in Parliament. Well, one hopes.

          • Jackal 8.1.2.1.1
            3 August 2013 at 12:23 pm

            In some respects he couldn’t do much worse if he tried.

            • Chooky 8.1.2.1.1.1
              3 August 2013 at 1:08 pm

              @ Jackel….agreed…They are shockers ….Lets hope he does better.next time ..ie turfs them for some Greenies ( ha ha)…Can you imagine Winston as a Greenie?!

              • Rosetinted …
                3 August 2013 at 1:47 pm

                Chooky
                Are all the NACT and Labour MPs good ones? What about just the ones at the top of both larger parties? Don’t rate Winston’s against an exemplar standard, cf them to the sitting ducks now in gubmint. Or the carnival heads with big open mouths that have been used as pictures on TS to illustrate Pura Banefit items.

      • Chooky 8.1.3
        3 August 2013 at 3:37 pm

        @ Colonial Viper …..still doesn account for the approx 800,000 who didnt vote at all for Labour

    • weka 8.2
      3 August 2013 at 10:21 am

      “Whether Labour won or lost wouldn’t matter, as the end would be the same as they would go into coalition”

      What?

      Peters already gets disaffected Labour voters everytime NZF bounces at election time. And he is likely to go with NACT. How will that help?

      I’d like to know how you see NZF and the GP working in coalition together.

      • Rosetinted 8.2.1
        3 August 2013 at 10:53 am

        What’s the GP? Winston could be wooed to the remnants of Labour if he was offered the Prime Minister position. It goes against everything that I have once considered, but what is happening now does also. So going along with what has been done in the past is not the only way – keeping on keeping on over the cliff. Time to consider changing paths. At least scare the smug and self-serving Labour types, by looking at other options.

        • weka 8.2.1.1
          3 August 2013 at 10:57 am

          Green Party.

          Peters ain’t going to live forever, and there is no way in hell that the left would support him as PM. There is a good reason why NZF sits around the 5% mark – Peters betrayed his leftwing voters in the election where he lead them to believe he would go with Labour and then he went with National. Don’t think he ever got those voters back. He can’t be trusted by people on the left.

          • Rosetinted 8.2.1.1.1
            3 August 2013 at 11:05 am

            weka
            All the present leaders are unreliable. Don’t pick on Winston. Make it worth his while to join Labour and shake off all the incumbents sitting on the sheep’s back, or now the dairy one. Mooove them.

            • weka 8.2.1.1.1.1
              3 August 2013 at 11:14 am

              If you can’t understand the specific traits that make Peters unreliable compared to other politicians, then you will fail to understand why your suggestion doesn’t really make sense.

              You could list examples where Shearer, Norman and Turei have each betrayed their core voters.

              • bad12 …
                3 August 2013 at 11:24 am

                A list of where Turei and Norman have betrayed their core voters, yes please, please produce said list of betrayals…

            • Draco T Bastard 8.2.1.1.1.2
              3 August 2013 at 2:46 pm

              Really, you’re better off voting Mana or Greens.

          • Chooky 8.2.1.1.2
            3 August 2013 at 11:53 am

            @ Weka …I thought that for long time too..(.ie I was duped by Winston because i thought my vote for him was to the left of the Labour Party and against State Asset sales etc)…when he went into coalition with National after the first MMP election I was gutted.

            ….But if you watched the Helen Clark documentary you would realise he didnt go choose Labour to go into coalition with because New Labour under Jim Anderton refused coalition…. and NZ Labour Party didnt have the numbers for leadership….

            Also Winston brought down that first MMP coalition with National by refusing to go along with more asset sales…..so the Nats hate him even more than certain Lefties like yourself.

            He is a brilliant debater and thorn in the side of National….go on admit it!

            • weka 8.2.1.1.2.1
              3 August 2013 at 12:03 pm

              To be honest, I think politics in NZ will improve when Peters is off the scene (only a matter of time).

              “….But if you watched the Helen Clark documentary you would realise he didnt go choose Labour to go into coalition with because New Labour under Jim Anderton refused coalition…. and NZ Labour Party didnt have the numbers for leadership….”

              Someone with a better political memory than me can correct this, but afaik, Peters wanted power and so chose the deal that suited him best. He could have supported a leftwing govt, but didn’t get the baubles he thought he deserved, so he went right.

              • yeshe …
                3 August 2013 at 12:31 pm

                That’s not what the doco explained for the first time … Labour could not get the numbers to rule when Jim Anderton refused coalition. Peters then went to National. WP always said he would go where the numbers were to create a secure government. IMHO, he only did what he said he would do, though I hated it at the time.

                Also, worth noting Peters’ comments about Helen Clark in Part 2 this week … he openly admitted his admiration of her ethics and abilities and how easy it was to do his work at Foreign Minister. He grew to trust her 100% it seems. Oh, those were the days when we really had a PM !!

                • weka …
                  3 August 2013 at 12:41 pm

                  “Labour could not get the numbers to rule when Jim Anderton refused coalition. Peters then went to National.”

                  Would like to see others back up that perspective before I take it as truth.

                  • yeshe …
                    3 August 2013 at 12:47 pm

                    weka — I understand that — you could try going to TV3 on demand and watching Part 1 .. and I would think the programme’s producer and/or director would have other footage … most certainly it was presented clearly and as fact in an otherwise careful programme.

                    Actually, both parts are worth viewing .. but here is link Part 1 for you ..

                    http://www.tv3.co.nz/DOCUMENTARY-Helen-Clark-Part-1/tabid/3692/articleID/94222/Default.aspx

                    And I seem to remember ( but not 100% on this) that Jim Anderton said elsewhere in the doco that he had refused to go into coalition …

                    • weka …
                      3 August 2013 at 12:55 pm

                      Don’t have the data to watch that, but even if I did, I’d still want to hear some other credible opinions. You seem to be saying that Peters had no choice. I’m saying he did, and he chose for his own political expediency and this betrayed many of his voters.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      3 August 2013 at 12:59 pm

                      Peters is similar, but not the same man today. He has a legacy to think about, and unlike Dunne, that is a thing which actually means something to Peters.

                    • yeshe …
                      3 August 2013 at 1:40 pm

                      weka .. maybe write to jim anderton ?

                    • yeshe …
                      3 August 2013 at 8:03 pm

                      weka .. it is covered in the first four minutes of pt 2 if you have that much data … it is very clearly stated .. and not in ref to winston, but to anderton.

                    • weka …
                      4 August 2013 at 12:13 am

                      “And I seem to remember ( but not 100% on this) that Jim Anderton said elsewhere in the doco that he had refused to go into coalition …”

                      The bit you refered me to (first 4 mins of part two) says almost in passing that Anderton had refused to go into coalition in the 1996 election. It’s not Anderton saying that, and I’d still like to see some back up for it from another (credible) source that says that it wasn’t down to Peters.

                    • weka …
                      4 August 2013 at 12:18 am

                      In the 1996 elections, the Alliance gained 10% of the vote. Under the new electoral system, this secured the party thirteen MPs. New Zealand First, however, had obtained seventeen MPs, and held the balance of power between Labour and National. Eventually, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters opted to form a coalition with National, leaving both Labour and the Alliance in opposition.

                      The Labour Party, now led by Helen Clark, had moved away from the policies of Roger Douglas – both Douglas and his strongest supporter, Richard Prebble, had left Labour to found the ACT party, and Clark’s more traditional faction had taken over. This allowed a gradual reconciliation between Labour and the Alliance, a process assisted by the impression that lack of cooperation had cost both parties support. Eventually, this led to an agreement between the two parties, with both sides agreeing to cooperate in forming a government should election results allow it.

                      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliance_%28New_Zealand_political_party%29#Under_MMP

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      4 August 2013 at 1:18 am

                      But with Anderton, McCarten, Harre et al in the mix, of course it was going to blow into smithereens unnecessarily. As a nation we are much worse off that they didn’t choose to hold the Alliance ship together.

                    • weka …
                      4 August 2013 at 10:37 am

                      “of course it was going to blow into smithereens unnecessarily.”

                      ‘it’ being what? Didn’t the Alliance split happened later after the GP had left.

          • Rosetinted 8.2.1.1.3
            3 August 2013 at 1:51 pm

            Thanks weka my brain couldn’t think of that simple thing – GP Green Party. I was thinking of the USA GOP and couldn’t get past that somehow. I guess they always get called greens for short and I’m not used to GP. Still WGOUH?

  9. weka 9
    3 August 2013 at 10:10 am

    Bomber upgrades the Labour Party Coup Watch

    My gut tells me it is left wing because i just don’t think Matthew Hooten, Cameron Slater or David Farrar would know who Billy Brag was. Textor-Crosby maybe, but not our local Death Star residents.

    For the first time in NZ Political history, someone has launched the first social media coup attempt of a Political Party.

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/08/02/breaking-labour-party-coup-watch-upgrade/

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUArGWZ3A7w

    • Colonial Viper 10.1
      3 August 2013 at 10:28 am

      Fonterra said it first identified a potential quality issue in March, when a product tested positive for Clostridium. There were hundreds of different strains of Clostridium, most of which were harmless.

      “Product samples were put through intensive testing over the following months.

      This is very odd. 4-5 months to get to this result after first noting there may be a problem?

      • weka 10.1.1
        3 August 2013 at 10:32 am

        See my comment below. I think the risk was judged relatively low, otherwise they would have been going hard out with the recall.

        • Colonial Viper 10.1.1.1
          3 August 2013 at 10:36 am

          Ahhh I see. Journalists these days simply don’t have enough time and contacts to write a thorough article. Ideally, a food microbiologist from a university etc would also have been asked for a view.

      • Rosetinted 10.1.2
        3 August 2013 at 10:47 am

        Botulism is an unpleasant word to hear in the same sentence as dairy and Fonterra. Leaping into fast action would be the best action – red alert straight away. Four months is too long and could lead to concerns about carelessness especially when the stuff has been exported and has to be traced.

        There was something on Radionz the other day about laxness in our bio security and a list of the things that have slipped through. These business-maximisation, regulation-cutting, cost-saving, less-government bozos are ruining our countries natural resources and advantages, one of which is isolation from diseases and organisms.

        The palm kernel remainder that is being imported was mentioned as an important one. The drive to profit from dairy, which may not even be a credit in the nation’s accounts if it is owned by overseas entities, has over-ridden our long, big selling point of natural pastures. Our butter quality has been queried because its yellowness was thought to have been caused by dye, but no. I think it is a result of the type of cow breed, but also I think more vitamins from the green fresh feed. Which is now sullied by this environment destroying palm-feed industry.

        The rabbit calci virus was imported illegally and spread at the wrong time so that immunity was able to build.

        • weka 10.1.2.1
          3 August 2013 at 11:15 am

          Botulism is an unpleasant word to hear in the same sentence as dairy and Fonterra. Leaping into fast action would be the best action – red alert straight away. Four months is too long and could lead to concerns about carelessness especially when the stuff has been exported and has to be traced.

          Only if you don’t know what botulism is. Did you read my comment below?

          When the bacteria are under stress, they develop spores, which are inert. Their natural habitats are in the soil, in the silt that comprises the bottom sediment of streams, lakes and coastal waters and in the ocean, while some types are natural inhabitants of mammalian (e.g., human, cattle, horses) intestinal tracts, and are present in their excreta. The spores can survive in their inert form for many years.[6]

          Toxin is produced by the bacteria when environmental conditions are favourable for the spores to replicate and grow,….

          The spores require warm temperatures, a protein source and an anaerobic (no oxygen) environment and moisture in order to become active and produce toxin.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botulism

          Fonterra are talking about whey powder as far as I can tell. So, no moisture and no anaerobic conditions until the whey powder gets made into something else. If we’re talking about infant formula and sports drinks that you make up at home, then I’m guessing that the risk comes from those foods once in liquid form being stored at warm room temperature for a period of time.

          Someone who knows more microbiology than me can comment, but I’d guess that it needs more than a day or so for the spores to become active and toxic. So yes, there is a risk to people who are making up the whey powder and not taking good care of that food (eg drinking it straight away or keeping it in the fridge), but it’s low.

          There is also the issue of how long it takes for the powder to get to other companies to be processed into a product that then goes through the supply lines to supermarkets etc.

          I am guessing here a lot, but it looks like Fonterra assessed the risk as pretty low, hence the length of time. Infants would be most at risk from botulism, so it’s extremely unlikely that Fonterra would not be rushing things if the risk was in any way serious. Had the bacteria been in liquid milk I’m guessing they would have moved fast.

          Is Nick our resident biologist?

          • Rosetinted 10.1.2.1.1
            3 August 2013 at 2:05 pm

            weka
            I repeat “Botulism is an unpleasant word to hear in the same sentence as dairy and Fonterra.”

            That is a fact, and the buying public, the consumers and their suppliers, won’t like it and the connection with Fonterra’s name will not be good. Surely you can understand that. No amount of scientific or knowledgable information can stop negative bells ringing in consumer’s heads.

            • weka 10.1.2.1.1.1
              3 August 2013 at 4:59 pm

              Here’s what you said

              Botulism is an unpleasant word to hear in the same sentence as dairy and Fonterra. Leaping into fast action would be the best action – red alert straight away. Four months is too long and could lead to concerns about carelessness especially when the stuff has been exported and has to be traced.

              Are you suggesting that Fonterra should have leaped into action fastly, because the public are ignorant? Wouldn’t it be better to follow proper proceedure, and to educate people about what the problems are instead of pretending they are much worse?

              The media could quite easily have informed the public about the actual risks (as opposed to perception of risk).

              • Rosetinted …
                4 August 2013 at 9:37 am

                You haven’t put your mind to the realities of marketing and consumer reaction.

        • srylands 10.1.2.2
          3 August 2013 at 11:21 am

          “The drive to profit from dairy, which may not even be a credit in the nation’s accounts”

          lol

          • Colonial Viper 10.1.2.2.1
            3 August 2013 at 11:27 am

            What’s lol about it?

            The dairy money comes into NZ, and the farm mortgage payments flow straight back out to Australia.

            Grow a brain will ya.

        • Molly 10.1.2.3
          3 August 2013 at 11:29 am

          The PKE/biosecurity issue was also highlighted for me in the June 25th issue of Straight Furrow.
          Front page article “PKE discovery as ‘low’ biosecurity risk claim”.

          Reading past the convoluted headline we find:
          An entire shipment of PKE (Palm Kernel Expeller) should have been recalled after a limb of an exotic animal was found in it, Federated Farmers seed and grain vice-chairman, Dave Clark says.

          The cloven limb, believed to be that of a deer or goat, was spotted on May 12 by a dairy farmer, who immediately contacted biosecurity officials.

          Mr Clark said it had taken the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) until June 17 to confirm the limb was of exotic origin.

          “There should have been an immediate recall of all of that shipment of PKE, but the MPI decided to get it tested… Now that is negligence” the Canterbury farmer said….”

          Article follows on with likely number of dairy farms affected (100) and with the current (and full of holes) procedure for importing PKE.

          Didn’t hear this on any news items or mainstream media over the following weeks, but since I don’t read the print Herald much anymore and avoid the television news, more than likely I missed it. But does make me wonder about the ability of biosecurity to deal with actual potential breaches, rather than the normal standard operating practices.

          • Colonial Viper 10.1.2.3.1
            3 August 2013 at 11:38 am

            It was also reported on National Radio.

          • Rosetinted 10.1.2.3.2
            3 August 2013 at 5:04 pm

            Molly
            I think that it was found to be part of a sheep. If so that doesn’t mean that Palm Kernel Extract PKE or whatever the acronym stands for is something that isn’t extremely hazardous. Even worse than falling from the jungle jim at school. Strange how some hazards are to dangerous to contemplate an injury, yet when it’s our national commerce at stake – well for a betting man it’s one in five or something. The casino culture of the RWNJs.

            Samples of recent to months old news. on Radionz.

            Ship crawling with exotic beetles seized – New Zealand biosecurity officials have discovered an infestation of plague soldier beetles on a vessel arriving at Port Wellington from Australia this week.
            Updated at 6:03 am on 24 November 2012
            and more recently
            Signs of resistance to varroa bee mite treatments – assoc
            The National Beekeepers Association says the battle against the varroa mite may cost almost $1 billion over the next three decades.
            and
            http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/rural/215815/labour-calls-for-new-thinking-on-palm-kernel
            Labour calls for new thinking on palm kernel
            The Labour Party says there is now clear evidence that the palm kernel expeller supply chain is broken and that foreign organisms are making it to New Zealand.

    • weka 10.2
      3 August 2013 at 10:31 am

      WORKING FAST

      Fonterra said it first identified a potential quality issue in March, when a product tested positive for Clostridium. There were hundreds of different strains of Clostridium, most of which were harmless.

      “Product samples were put through intensive testing over the following months. On Wednesday 31 July 2013, tests indicated the potential presence of a strain of Clostridium (Clostridium botulinum) in a sample, which can cause botulism.”

      “We are doing everything we can to assist our customers in ensuring any product containing this ingredient is removed from the marketplace and that the public is made aware,” Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings said.

      “Our focus is to get information out about potentially affected product as fast as possible so that it can be taken off supermarket shelves and, where it has already been purchased, can be returned.”

      Working fast? Seriously? It took them over four months to test the bacteria strains.

      I”m guessing the risk is relatively low. I think Clostridium botulinum spores are not uncommon, but you need specific conditions for them to grow into something that harms humans (anaerobic conditions and warmth I think). Would it have been too much to ask Stuff to report on that rather than just regurgitating Fonterra’s press release?

      • bad12 10.2.1
        3 August 2013 at 11:15 am

        Ah that explains why the local supermarket is selling a certain brand of Yoghurt 12 at a time for the price of 6,

        i should flush the lot down the drain but think i might save it for a while to see where this story develops to so i can take it back to said supermarket and throw it all in the Managers face…

        • Rosetinted 10.2.1.1
          3 August 2013 at 5:07 pm

          That would be bad12 – why not do it to the checkout operator? But both are not responsible.
          Save your ire for the right person. Yoghurt is good, pie in the face is bad.

  11. aerobubble 11
    3 August 2013 at 10:33 am

    So just after the govt backs down on using animals
    to test recreational drugs, and backs off
    recreational limits on snapper, we will have an election.

  12. yeshe 12
    3 August 2013 at 10:38 am

    So it can be done … Angela Merkel cancels spying pact with US with power of Germany’s privacy laws …

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10907537

    Thought .. is the new GCSB bill in breach of our privacy laws in any way ?

    • Colonial Viper 12.1
      3 August 2013 at 10:42 am

      It’s amazing how an upcoming election concentrates politicans’ minds.

    • weka 12.2
      3 August 2013 at 11:18 am

      “Thought .. is the new GCSB bill in breach of our privacy laws in any way ?”

      Unlikely. Privacy doesn’t apply when the state grants law enforcement certain rights. That’s why the police can search your bank or phone records, under certain circumstances. The new GCSB law gives spies more circumstances in which it’s acceptable to access information. At least that’s how I understand it.

      • Colonial Viper 12.2.1
        3 August 2013 at 11:24 am

        That’s why the police can search your bank or phone records, under certain circumstances

        That’s the key. It’s a vital protection from sliding into a police/surveillance state.

  13. phillip ure 13
    3 August 2013 at 11:00 am

    http://whoar.co.nz/2013/the-nation-a-review-you-cant-have-it-both-ways/

    (excerpt..)

    “….and what came from that..

    ..is that either peter dunne or the inquiry-head henry are lying..

    ..both of them cannot be telling the truth..

    (ed:..and to be honest..tho’ having a high level of contempt for the man..the facts seem to favour dunne as the truth-teller on this particular aspect of this clusterfuck..)..”

    phillip ure..

  14. Rosetinted 14
    3 August 2013 at 11:18 am

    Hadn’t heard much about Helen Clark’s lectures.
    Neslon Mail report –
    The pulling power of former prime minister Helen Clark is so strong a 700-seat venue in Nelson has been booked out within a day.
    It is the second time the full-up sign has gone up, first at the Nelson School of Music and now at the Rutherford hotel conference centre…

    Miss Clark is to give the Thomas Cawthron Memorial Lecture on August 21. The Cawthron Institute Trust Board booked the Nelson School of Music, which can seat 380. However, within 24 hours of a Nelson Mail story about the free lecture it was oversubscribed by 200…

    Nelsonians will also be able to join Miss Clark for a brunch the next day, to hear how the UN Development Programme is making a difference to people’s lives and support the charity “In the Business of Hope”.
    The charity was formed by Nelson business people and is raising funds for simple mechanisation for the people of Polesgo in Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in the world. Visit http://www.inthebusinessofhope.org

    The brunch will be held at Trailways, Trafalgar St, from 9 to 10.30am, on Thursday, August 22. Tickets cost $60 + GST with $40 going direct to the charity, contact commerce.org.nz or phone 5481363 or email support@commerce.org.nz

    Looked on google and can’t find anything about this charity In the Business of Hope.

    • Molly 14.1
      3 August 2013 at 11:44 am

      Purely NZ charity(?), set up last year by the Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce after Helen Clark’s last speech in 2012.

      Their website is here.

      Looks pretty ad-hoc at the moment, one small project. Can’t find the name registered at the Companies Office, Charities Register or Incorporated Societies in NZ.

      • Rosetinted 14.1.1
        3 August 2013 at 12:45 pm

        Thanks Molly. Thanks for the link. I am curious about charities, like to know about them. If they sound religious inspired, whose? Business inspired who? Why? I think Tindall and Sustainable Business are going in right direction. But good helpful development and charity to the people is not always what is the end result. So I just wondered.

        I like this piece from the Nelson Tasman CofC –
        Throughout the world many families and communities struggle to make ends meet. One such village is Polesgo, in Burina Faso, ranked 191st place out of 197 countries with over 82% of the population living in poverty. Simple mechanisation will transform their lives, freeing up hours of manual labour for education and other economic opportunities.

        Love that bit of fluff, freeing up hours of manual labour for education and other economic opportunities. Might as well sing together “Just a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down”.
        Just sounds like snake oil to me. Basic education yes, economic opportunities good, but don’t give up the manual labour folks. And keep your vegetable beds and cows and goats that are your basic providers.

        NZ doing development work in the Pacific, has often had money coming from the country but the materials being bought from us, so nicely balanced so that we did all right. Which was a bit self-interested and may not have resulted in the most useful, suitable assistance.

    • Chooky 14.2
      3 August 2013 at 2:26 pm

      Re Helen Clark popularity now.
      ….. Remember the “Helengrad”, “Nanny State” and “Time for a Change ” slogans and campaigning ….directed against Helen Clark, as well as the Exclusive Brethren stalking……and the even nastier misogynist ,sexist innuendos……

      I always thought Labour did not value their best asset enough….There was a concerted and disgraceful attempt by the right wing ( and even some notable left wing journalists) to down Helen Clark .

      …well they got their wish….and look what we have now

      …on the positive side …if we had David Cunliffe as leader there is obviously an electorate out there wanting a good left leader of the Labour Party

  15. gobsmacked 15
    3 August 2013 at 12:12 pm

    TVNZ are releasing their poll results tomorrow, but in a new way.

    The “preferred PM” results will be on Q & A in the morning. Usually they are part of the 6 pm bulletin.

    Presumably they’re doing this to pep up Q & A. which makes you wonder if the results are … interesting.

  16. jaymam 16
    3 August 2013 at 12:59 pm

    John Key’s artwork needs many captions:
    http://i39.tinypic.com/219qg7s.jpg

    How many finger joints does he have?

  17. Tigger 17
    3 August 2013 at 1:58 pm

    Who’s tiny hand is that?

    Clearly he thinks gummint should be small. Problem is it also looks deformed.

  18. jaymam 18
    3 August 2013 at 2:18 pm

    Does anyone know about the economics of cement production in NZ? How come they can make cement cheaper overseas? Is it perhaps because of a carbon tax that is not payable overseas? (Cement manufacture is one of the largest commercial emitters of CO2).

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1308/S00030/holcim-invests-in-cement-import-terminal.htm

    Holcim (New Zealand) Ltd will spend more than NZD 100M over the next three years constructing an import terminal and related infrastructure that will allow it to import and distribute bulk cement for supply to the New Zealand market.
    …
    Once operational, cement imported through the new terminal will replace local production at the company’s Westport cement plant. Holcim New Zealand has signaled for some years that the Westport plant was not sustainable long term. The decision also means that the proposal for a new cement plant at Weston, near Oamaru, is on hold for the foreseeable future …

    • NickS 18.1
      3 August 2013 at 3:09 pm

      Cement requires cheap raw materials (clay + limestone) + cheap power (and often coal) to bake (dehydration + chemically alters) and grind the cement feedstocks, and lax pollution regs also help as cement production is pretty environmentally dirty.

      So given the costs of power here in NZ + lack of cheap coal (most of the stuff here is high grade), plus decent pollution regulations and the RMA act, it’s quite possible Holcim thinks it can increase it’s margins significantly by importing from overseas. Though with longterm projections on the costs of marine diesel not looking good, this may come to bite them on the arse, even if they’re importing it from Australia, or more likely China.

      It also doesn’t help that the Westport facility is pretty damn old and sited at one of the more “interesting” harbours in NZ to get into for large ships.

    • Draco T Bastard 18.2
      3 August 2013 at 3:15 pm

      Is it perhaps because of a carbon tax that is not payable overseas?

      There’s so many variables that it’s hard to say. That may be one of those variables, another will probably be lower wages and then there’s probably less environmental protection as well. Wouldn’t be surprised if worse working conditions also contributed – keeping the workers safe costs money.

  19. Foreign Waka 19
    3 August 2013 at 4:18 pm

    I have been asked on a number of occasion’s over the years whether I know why the fascists were able to come to power in Europe as it all was so obvious what is happening (being of European descent seems to provoke this question). By what I see on the news I don’t belief that any thinking person needs to ask me anymore.

    • weka 19.1
      3 August 2013 at 6:05 pm

      Comment of the month.

    • joe90 19.2
      3 August 2013 at 6:30 pm

      Same as it ever was:

      A clique of U.S. industrialists is hell-bent to bring a fascist state to supplant our democratic government, and is working closely with the fascist regime in Germany and Italy. Aboard ship a prominent executive of one of America’s largest financial corporations told me point-blank that if the progressive trend of the Roosevelt administration continued, he would be ready to take definite action to bring Fascism to America.

      William E. Dodd.

      http://www.traces.org/williamdodd.html

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Dodd_(ambassador)

      • Draco T Bastard 19.2.1
        3 August 2013 at 8:53 pm

        I find it amazing that people don’t realize that the people at the top don’t like democracy and will do pretty much anything to stop it. The first that they did to prevent it was to put in place representative democracy.

  20. Pascal's bookie 20
    4 August 2013 at 12:42 am

    And now this:

    https://twitter.com/HeraldonSunday/status/363638081670230017

    “Herald on Sunday ‏@HeraldonSunday 11m
    First Jon Stephenson, then Andrea Vance. Now, we reveal a third journalist who has had an entire dossier of text messages seized by police.”

    • Colonial Viper 20.1
      4 August 2013 at 1:11 am

      Fuck. The rot has really set in. On the Fourth Estate’s watch. Looks like they are finally standing up.

Recent Posts

  • What is the Hardest Sport in the World?
    Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 hours ago

  • What is the Most Expensive Sport?
    The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 hours ago

  • Pickleball On the Cusp of Olympic Glory
    Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 hours ago

  • The Origin and Evolution of Soccer Unveiling the Genius Behind the World’s Most Popular Sport
    Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 hours ago

  • How Much to Tint Car Windows A Comprehensive Guide
    Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 hours ago

  • Why Does My Car Smell Like Gas? A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing and Fixing the Issue
    The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 hours ago

  • How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
    Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 hours ago

  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
    The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 hours ago

  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
    Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 hours ago

  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
    Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    9 hours ago

  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
    Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
    Skeptical Science
    11 hours ago

  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
    The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    12 hours ago

  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
    One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    13 hours ago

  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
    Submissions on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law are due today (have you submitted?), and just hours before they close, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has been forced to release the list of companies he invited to apply. I've spent the last hour going through it in an epic thread of bleats, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    14 hours ago

  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
    Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    15 hours ago

  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
    1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    16 hours ago

  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    19 hours ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    20 hours ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    21 hours ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    21 hours ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    22 hours ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    23 hours ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    1 day ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-04-19T19:02:58+00:00