CYPS, CYFS, “I’ve just taken over your case and can’t comment on what has happened before ”
I have seen both sides of state involvement in my family. A National Women’s social worker’s report to CYPS contained an error that lead to two years of intervention by an agency that I found had “powers the Gestapo would envy”. They could arrive unannounced anytime at home, work, in the street. Their intrusive accusatory actions made the first two years of my sons life Kafkaesque.
Some years later when our family was struggling CYFS as they had become turned up again. Dread turned to gratitude as a genuinely wonderful social worker made the system work for us.
Sitting down at a cafe I read the front page of the Herald. Then I read it again, but this time reading between the lines. No one deserves to be treated like that, and it doesn’t take a 1100 page report to do something about it.
“I have just been handed your case and can’t comment on what happened before ” is the real problem something needs to be done about
Latest TPP News
“U.S. Formally Tables ‘5+3’ Years Exclusivity Period For Biologics Drugs
ATLANTA — The United States has formally tabled here to other Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries a proposal that would require parties to grant five years of data exclusivity for biologics drugs and impose an additional three years of “post-market surveillance,” in the first official sign that it is willing to drop its 12-year market exclusivity demand.”
This is virtually the 8 years it has been vying for all along. Say NO, Tim!
“Amari Sees Glimmer Of Hope As Dairy Makes Progress; Obama Calls Turnbull
ATLANTA — Akira Amari, the Japanese minister for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), said late Thursday (Oct. 1) that negotiations continue to be extremely difficult but that he is beginning to see a glimmer of hope that a deal can get done here, as negotiators opted to extend the meeting at least through Saturday amid signs of progress on dairy market access.'”
“TPP means ‘ugly compromises’
He (Tim Groser) said it was clear there was a “massive push” to do the deal.
“It’s got the smell of a situation we occasionally see which is that on the hardest core issues, there are some ugly compromises out there.
“And when we say ugly, we mean ugly from each perspective – it doesn’t mean ‘I’ve got to swallow a dead rat and you’re swallowing foie gras.’ It means both of us are swallowing dead rats on three or four issues to get this deal across the line.”
“On the issue of Helen Clark’s comments about the TPP – she said it was unthinkable New Zealand wouldn’t be part of the deal – he said she had added a crucial rider – “provided the deal was good”.
Mr Groser said he did not take Labour or its leadership for granted on TPP.
“They haven’t got a position on TPP and I fully respect that and if I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t have a position either because I would say ‘I don’t know what the deal is.’ That is a perfectly rational position to take.”
Email Audrey
@audreyNZH
Audrey Young Audrey Young is the New Zealand Herald’s political editor.
TPP means ‘ugly compromises’
5:00 AM Saturday Oct 3, 2015
Save
Like on Facebook
35
Tweet on Twitter
7
Post on LinkedIn
0
+1 on Google+
1
Politics Trade
Tim Groser says the negotiations are going round the clock. Photo / NZME
Tim Groser says the negotiations are going round the clock. Photo / NZME
Trade Minister Tim Groser says countries deeply immersed in TPP negotiations understand that dairy has to be resolved to New Zealand’s satisfaction before a deal can be done.
“At least people understand that this has got to be done and they can’t just ignore our small country because we are small,” he told the Weekend Herald.
He also extended a goodwill gesture to Labour, saying he respected the fact it had not taken a position on TPP and that was “perfectly rational”.
Mr Groser was speaking from Atlanta where ministers of the 12 countries involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership have extended their meeting for another 24 hours.
He said he had spoken to Prime Minister John Key in New York several times over the past few hours.
And I’ve got highly confidential but very clear political guidelines from the Prime Minister about what I should be doing.
Tim Groser
▾ Advertising ▾
Close ad
Play
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration Time 0:15
Loaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00
00:00
Mute
He had a team of about 15 with him “working their proverbials off” around the clock and some of the key stakeholders such as the chairman of Fonterra, John Wilson and the chairman of Dairy Companies of New Zealand. He said it was an achievement to get dairy on the list of the final three issues that had to be dealt with because it was not there at the Maui ministerial meeting at the end of July.
“I felt under as intense pressure as I have ever felt in the last 30 years as a New Zealand negotiator because I felt completely and totally isolated,” he said. “Now everyone understands that New Zealand is not going to be pushed out of this negotiation and the issues that would push New Zealand out of this negotiation, which is dairy … this has got be solved in a way that New Zealand can live with.”
He said the negotiations were going around the clock and he was just about to try and get a couple of hours’ sleep until he was called for another session.
He said it was clear there was a “massive push” to do the deal.
“It’s got the smell of a situation we occasionally see which is that on the hardest core issues, there are some ugly compromises out there.
“And when we say ugly, we mean ugly from each perspective – it doesn’t mean ‘I’ve got to swallow a dead rat and you’re swallowing foie gras.’ It means both of us are swallowing dead rats on three or four issues to get this deal across the line.”
The outstanding issues are dairy, autos, and IP on pharmaceuticals, especially biologics – medicines made from organisms.
On the issue of Helen Clark’s comments about the TPP – she said it was unthinkable New Zealand wouldn’t be part of the deal – he said she had added a crucial rider – “provided the deal was good”.
And that was the same position the Government had.
“I think it has been extremely helpful in terms of uniting New Zealand that our former Prime Minister has said what she said.”
Mr Groser said he did not take Labour or its leadership for granted on TPP.
“They haven’t got a position on TPP and I fully respect that and if I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t have a position either because I would say ‘I don’t know what the deal is.’ That is a perfectly rational position to take.”
But as a point of general principle, what Helen Clark had said was the essential truth: “Provided we can deliver what makes sense from an overall New Zealand Inc perspective, it would be a nightmare for New Zealand to be excluded from it.”
Terrifying Paul. Of course if we were not signatories we could be crushed by the multinationals. Excluded from all and everything as retaliation for not being party to TPP. Rock and hard place?
If you look to the right of the screen (I make it about level with comment 3, but that may change), you will see that very graphic that you’ve posted (just above the accumulated Atmospheric CO2 graphic). The people who regularly visit this site are not the ones who may be unaware of this.
I get that you’re passionate about this, and it is a daunting problem requiring urgent action. But you are coming off as a bit too eager, which may be counterproductive.
Hmm graphic seems to have changed (was the accumulated energy one). Can’t edit now, so disregard previous comment. Though I still contend that discussing is better than proclaiming is a better way to get your point across.
How is encouraging people to pass on message about TPP too eager? By that definition, Jane Kelsey is too eager by far!
The Labour Party is equivocal about the TPP and is not communicating its dangers enough to the people of NZ.
Still a neoliberal party, sadly.
“Of course if we were not signatories we could be crushed by the multinationals. Excluded from all and everything as retaliation for not being party to TPP. Rock and hard place?”
Ianmac, can you please give some examples of why this would be a problem?
Latest TPP News
Froman, Robb Meet On IP Ahead Of CN Meeting, Ministerial Plenary
ATLANTA — U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Australian Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb on Friday afternoon (Oct. 2) were holding a bilateral meeting to discuss the controversial issue of the exclusivity term for biologics drugs, in what could be a pivotal moment for whether a broader Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal comes together here.
Levin Says ‘May 10’ Applies To Biologics, Signals Opposition To ‘5+3’
ATLANTA — House Ways & Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) on Friday (Oct. 2) strongly signaled that he opposes the new U.S. proposal for an eight-year market exclusivity term for biologics drugs in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) because it goes beyond the so-called “May 10” agreement that he negotiated with the George W. Bush administration. http://insidetrade.com/
Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich) is Ranking Member of the Committee on Ways and Means, which has sole jurisdiction over trade policy in the House.
I don’t think nsd is a sleep hobbit. I think he is aware of the issues but don’t think they are a concern. He’s not ignorant, he’s just comfortable with the globalisation agenda.
I’ve been fairly open about my position on the TPPA.
Succinctly I believe we should only enter an agreement if it offers good access for our key horticultural/agricultural exports into North America and Japan, I’m doubtful that it will hence i wouldn’t be in a hurry to sign up.
I’ve also read a lot of pap on the internet regarding loss of sovereignty and immediate privatisation of everything from healthcare through to water which is frankly drivel.
I’ve also read a lot of pap on the internet regarding loss of sovereignty and immediate privatisation of everything from healthcare through to water which is frankly drivel
Claiming to know it is drivel is an ironic position ?
Some of the comments have been ridiculous, such as suggesting we are going to no longer have a predominantly publicly funded healthcare or education system or that PHARMAC would cease to exist under an agreement that a NZ government would enter into are absurd.
Time you woke up to the fact that this is not a free trade deal that we are being asked to sign up to. Its a “rolling out of the red carpet” for offshore corporates to come in and wreck the country, its sovereignty and its economy for their own benefit.
This is not rocket science. Read the literature that is available, including the copious ‘writings on the wall(s)”.
ISDS provisions that remove a Government’s ability to legislate for the National interest with any provisions which conflict with foreign private corporate interest.
For example, re Nationalising banks, rail or power will be forever impossible. Pretty scary when you look at what corporations are doing in the US, over similar provisions between States.
Even our current support for Dairy would be considered outside the treaty provisions.
Actually re-nationalising things would be the least impacted by the new rules. Labour re-nationalised kiwirail by buying it – and apparently paying way too much in the process. Corporates would be fine with the asset being bought fair and square for more than it’s market value.
Worth reading, dated 2 Oct 2015 from Stiglitz and Hersh
“For starters, consider what the agreement would do to expand intellectual property rights for big pharmaceutical companies, as we learned from leaked versions of the negotiating text. Economic research clearly shows the argument that such intellectual property rights promote research to be weak at best. In fact, there is evidence to the contrary: When the Supreme Court invalidated Myriad’s patent on the BRCA gene, it led to a burst of innovation that resulted in better tests at lower costs. Indeed, provisions in the TPP would restrain open competition and raise prices for consumers in the US and around the world – anathema to free trade.”
In fact, there is evidence to the contrary: When the Supreme Court invalidated Myriad’s patent on the BRCA gene, it led to a burst of innovation that resulted in better tests at lower costs.
That’s been obvious for awhile. In fact, patents are actually there to prevent competition and thus they must decrease innovation. And when you look at these types of results we can see that cooperation would lead to even more innovation but it would prevent a few people becoming rich. Of course, it’s not the people doing the innovation that are becoming rich but the shareholders in the corporations.
If the deal is so important that it is “unthinkable” that New Zealand should not be in it then it should also be “unthinkable” that the people should be left completely uninformed about it. In a democracy highly important matters are supposedly decided by an informed citizenry.
Or are we not a democracy but simply a state ruled by a paternalistic elite who are so sure that they know what is best for us – and are so scared of our ‘ignorance’ – that they ensure we, ‘the people’, play no part in forming our social and economic destiny?
All elites through history have shown, by their egregious behaviour if not by their oh-so-patronising utterances, that they disdain the capacities of ‘the masses’ to rule themselves.
While I never liked Clark she has this dead right. We elect governments to negotiate ongoing development of free trade. The FTAs were her great achievement. The idea that you could do this publicly is absurd.
Hopefully the TPPA is the dawn of a new era of globalisation.
‘Publically’ and total secrecy are two ends of a long continuum. There has been no official information provided over these negotiations – apart from vacuous comments about how ‘well’ it was going.
Hillary’s knighthoods, both of them, were of course awarded by the Brits, and had nothing at all to do with New Zealand.
That will probably make them more palatable to Anglophiles such as the commenters on this blog.
I think that Audrey Young was trying to address that misrepresentation in her article I linked to above when she wrote :
“On the issue of Helen Clark’s comments about the TPP – she said it was unthinkable New Zealand wouldn’t be part of the deal – he said she had added a crucial rider – “provided the deal was good”.
Australia’s Trade Minister, Andrew Robb says “I came to lower protection so I get frustrated if we are talking about increasing protection in the case of biologics or see no reduction in other areas,” Mr Robb told the newspaper in Atlanta. “Something has to give.”
This is NOT a FREE TRADE Agreement.
I too want to see Labour NOT compromising. TPPA No Way is my bottom line while ISDS included.
I think that posturing politicians from countries dealing with TPPA feel that their personal stature and manhood is on the line. Are they up to this tough bargaining or are they wooses? What they are bargaining away doesn’t matter it is the winning a point that gives them a buzz.
That sort of attitude is no doubt behind Oz Trade Minister Andrew Robb. Thinking of infamous Rolf Harris, his song about the man supported on three points comes to mind. Nickname for Robb – ‘Jake the Peg, with a wooden leg’?
When Groser utters “ugly compromises” he really means “ugly sacrifices”; the choice of words is, as always, very important and one needs to pay special attention to the spin that comes from our Government and that is so helpfully (!) spread through and by our MSM as we all know all too well.
Groser has also been quoted saying “… it would be a nightmare for New Zealand to be excluded from it.” This emotive and scaremongering statement offers no relevant information whatsoever either.
As with any (important) decision one needs to look at all aspects and examine the consequences of going ahead as well as of not going ahead – not making a decision is still making a decision. The fact that this either involves “ugly compromises” – that are unnamed – or “a nightmare for New Zealand” – also unspecified – should raise alarm bells with any rational person.
Please note the focus – the focus of the MSM and therefore our focus – has been directed and drawn to the issues dairy, autos, and IP on pharmaceuticals. No word on all the other areas that are possibly even more far-reaching so we have to assume that these ‘dead rats’ have already been stuffed down our throats well and truly.
BTW, IMO the ‘average Kiwi’ has very little understanding of and thus very little interest in IP on biologics and other ‘technicalities’ that are covered in the putative TPPA.
Well there has been another massacre by another lone gunman in the USA.
I’m sorry but but this type of event is no longer news for me: it’s a incredibly sad commentary. The news would be if something, other than further relaxing gun laws, was done.
“Russia has made good on its commitment to start fighting Islamic State in Syria from the air. Russia is also establishing a coalition to protect the legal government in Damascus. This has caused an uproar in Washington. Can the Kremlin and the White House fight terrorists in tandem? CrossTalking with Patrick Henningsen, James Carafano, and Marwa Osman.”
Of the over 500 candidates at the last election, maybe only 5 would have spoken about the impossibility of kiwi Saver surviving more than a few more years.
Politicians are a byproduct of an ignorant dumb down populace, we get what we deserve.
And 3 replies with no link yet ?
OPEN LETTER TO JOSIE PAGANI
Saturday 3 October 2015
Dear Josie Pagani,
Two and a half weeks ago on this forum, I asked you to answer two questions:
1.) In the light of your support for the destruction of Afghanistan, do you support the invasion of the United States and Great Britain, the bombing and obliteration of British and American schools, hospitals, power stations and churches, and the killing of hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of American and British civilians?
2.) Can you explain your statement that Hezbollah and Hamas are anti-Semitic?
Can you explain your statement that Hezbollah and Hamas are anti-Semitic?
Will mainstream ever allow open discussion about Semitic people and their origins ?
That ‘antisemitism’ became terminology which could perversely be levered against those who have Semitic DNA, is testament to the level of control held over communication, language and its primary forms
It didn’t become terminology. It became a definition which has nothing to do with DNA. In its simplest form Antisemitism means hatred of Jews. It doesn’t mean hatred of Semites.
It’s perhaps an unfortunate use of a word but that’s not exactly uncommon, a great many legal definitions don’t match the description of the word(s) used either.
It’s perhaps an unfortunate use of a word but that’s not exactly uncommon, a great many legal definitions don’t match the description of the word(s) used either
“NDP government would not adhere to a TPP deal, Mulcair says in letter”
NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair is serving notice that a New Democratic Party government would not consider itself bound by the terms of a major Pacific Rim trade deal which the ruling Conservatives are negotiating right now in Atlanta.
He says the Conservative government has no mandate to agree to the big changes that a Trans-Pacific Partnership deal would bring about.
The NDP Leader’s announcement is well timed in that it comes as a TPP deal appears increasingly likely to be reached shortly by the 12 Pacific Rim countries including Canada which are gathered in Atlanta.
Where we are, and where we are heading, using all the modern day apps and the internet, via smart phone, tablets, laptops or whatever. This ‘News Hour Extra’ program offered by the BBC World Service (from yesterday) offers some insight.
I am very concerned how so many blindly trust the technology we almost all use daily now, the future looks more Orwellian than I ever dreaded to think before.
Indigenous woman speaks truth to sociopaths and refuses them entry onto ancestral lands to frack. Sociopath speaks with forked tongue.
“I’m not protesting, I’m not demonstrating, I’m occupying our homelands”
“Meaningful consultation and consent is when you’ve sat down and got our permission and you’ve never done that”.
“You’re pushing, pushing for all that money, but you’re not going to be able to eat that money. You have all that money in your bank account and you’re destroying the planet”
Auckland property is not driven by overseas buyers,
Yet “Chinese property investors are rapidly disappearing from the auction room, says the boss of Auckland’s biggest real estate agency”
And “Thompson did not believe the drop off was related to the Labour-sparked row over foreign ownership and predicted Chinese investors would return to the market within the next couple of months.” http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11519706
id this the same man who only a few months was quoted as saying
Barfoot & Thompson chief Peter Thompson acknowledged that there were many Chinese buyers but disagreed with Labour’s analysis.
“We know there’s been a large portion of Asians buying property but there’s no way to tell if they’re one of three categories: NZ born, foreign-born NZ citizens or foreign-born foreign citizens. If you asked me about Asian non-residents, I’d probably say between 5 and 8 per cent.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11478719
Funny how in just over 2 months mr Thompson can now say that the lack of these buyers IS now affecting the market 😜
Who is the more violent and despicable character: Bill Clinton or Chris Brown?
It’s a no-brainer, of course, but for some reason Kim Hill seems confused.
Radio NZ National, Saturday 3 October 2015
During her interview this morning with the chattery writer and “theatre-maker” Stella Duffy, Kim Hill brought up the vexed question of our brave and principled government’s refusal to let Chris Brown into New Zealand. Both of them seemed to think this little exercise in highly selective morality was acceptable. I sent Kim the following email….
The Chris Brown hypocrisy
Dear Kim,
We gave Bill Clinton a state reception and lionized him. Next to Clinton, Chris Brown is Albert Schweitzer.
Yours sincerely,
Morrissey Breen
Northcote Point
After the 11 o’clock news, Kim Hill read out my email and then replied on air: “D’ya think, Morrissey? When did Bill Clinton whack a woman, or anybody else?”
As she spoke, her voice took on a hard-edged and imperious tone, to underline how irritated she was at my impugning of the reputation of the saintly former president.
I replied thusly….
Dear Kim,
While Clinton’s predatory behaviour toward women is notorious and well documented, he has not to my knowledge ever “whacked” a woman. So, in that respect, he has the advantage over Chris Brown.
However, Chris Brown was not involved in the bombing of pharmaceutical plants and television stations; neither did he preside over a “sanctions” regime that led to the deaths of more than half a million Iraqi children.
And Chris Brown did not write in apparent high seriousness that unarmed Palestinian protestors executed by the IDF were “killed in crossfire”.
So, yes, Chris Brown hit at least one woman, and his rap lyrics are despicable, but there is simply no comparison between him and a major criminal like Bill Clinton.
Good point.
There was a certain tone of derision in Kim’s voice.
Think she didn’t realise the crimes Clinton committed.
He’s the equivalent of Tony Balir in the UK.
Latest TPP News
TPP Countries Set Deadlines For Final Tariff, NCM Offers; Plenary Pushed Back
ATLANTA — Amid an intense push to complete the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), negotiators have set deadlines for final offers on tariffs and non-conforming measures of 4 a.m. and 10 a.m., respectively, on Saturday (Oct. 3), according to informed sources. http://insidetrade.com/ paywalled
“For the 11 countries besides the U.S. that are involved in the TPP, current data exclusivity protections range from zero (Brunei) to eight years (Japan). Under the Obama Administration’s current proposal, participating countries would increase those periods to match the US standard of 12 years.
Curiously, this proposal directly contradicts the administration’s ongoing domestic efforts to lower the period of data exclusivity. Since the ACA passed, the Obama administration has repeatedly proposed reducing it to seven, arguing that this would save Medicare $4.4 billion over the next decade. Some have noted that, once the 12-year period is enshrined in the TPP, it will become significantly more difficult to change it through the US legislative process.
Furthermore, imposing US standards on the 11 member countries would inevitably restrict competition at the global level, and many patient advocacy and international humanitarian organizations have argued that doing so would undermine the efforts of US global health initiatives like the Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which rely on price competition to manage program costs.”
The latest publicised offer was 5+3 = 8 years (reduced from the 12 in the article.
Sigh, this has been discussed on this blog a number of times now.
Firstly the biological drugs make up a small percentage of the medicines that are used, secondly the biological medicines that are currently funded by PHARMAC are contracted and the prices will not change, thirdly whether the eight years of data exclusivity will impact on the patents, thirdly funding or availability of any of the new medicines that haven’t yet got to NZ is open to debate, but on PHARMAC’s previous success rate in getting these medicines at a very good deal even when under patent I’m not overly concerned.
Again, I believe the biggest issue will be access for our agricultural/horticultural products into North America and Japan which I would be amazed if there’s anything worthwhile.
@northshoredoc I have been under the impression that biological drugs would be used increasingly in the future but I am prepared to be proven wrong. I agree with your view on the minimal access improvements however.
The most commonly used biologic is GE insulin, followed by the TNFs and certain cancer meds we have excellent access to insulin at present and to TNFs both at very competitive prices despite in the case of TNFs still being under patent.
Access to cancer biologics could be better but the current prices preclude them being easily available.
Given the veil of secrecy surrounding the TPP negotiations, it is not clear whether tobacco will be excluded from some aspects of ISDS. Either way, the broader issue remains: Such provisions make it hard for governments to conduct their basic functions – protecting their citizens’ health and safety, ensuring economic stability, and safeguarding the environment.
Imagine what would have happened if these provisions had been in place when the lethal effects of asbestos were discovered. Rather than shutting down manufacturers and forcing them to compensate those who had been harmed, under ISDS, governments would have had to pay the manufacturers not to kill their citizens. Taxpayers would have been hit twice – first to pay for the health damage caused by asbestos, and then to compensate manufacturers for their lost profits when the government stepped in to regulate a dangerous product.
It should surprise no one that America’s international agreements produce managed rather than free trade. That is what happens when the policymaking process is closed to non-business stakeholders – not to mention the people’s elected representatives in Congress.
An interesting aside – there has been talk and action taken to exclude high sugar drinks from being sold in hospitals around the country, and perhaps in taxing these drinks, like tobacco, to make them less palatable to the general public. Under the ISDS provisions of TPPA, who’d put money against the idea of Cocoa Cola or Pepsi taking our government to an overseas judicial process to – a) get any legislation reversed or b) to claim compensation for restraint of trade?
Your scenario is hypothetical. The New Zealand Government has ruled out such a tax. But that aside, it is no bad thing to have an international judiciary enforcing free trade. You should applaud it.
The tax on tobacco in New Zealand simply hurts the poor, including the children of the poor. Uneducated people smoke more. They also have lower incomes. When I see fat people and their fat kids at the supermarket buying 12 litres of coke, they don’t look too bright or wealthy. Why penalise them more by taxing them?
Latest TPP News
Guajardo Hopeful Of Deal After Australia, U.S. Report IP Progress At Plenary
ATLANTA – Mexican Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal here on Friday evening (Oct. 2) expressed hope that a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal can be reached by Saturday, but said the United States and Australia were still working to overcome the key hurdle of the monopoly period for biologic drugs.
NDP Leader Says Harper TPP Deal Not Binding On New Government
Tom Mulcair, the leader of Canada’s New Democrat Party (NDP), on Friday (Oct. 2) warned that any new government he may form if he wins the Oct. 19 federal election will not consider itself bound by a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal that that current Prime Minister Stephen Harper may strike before then. http://insidetrade.com/
Thanks very much for the ongoing updates. The situation is very much worrying me but have a lot of other things to do at present which prevent me from researching myself. So, really appreciate your comments here with useful links.
Is there anybody out there who can help me – we don’t have a Sky subscription and are missing some of the key games of the RWC – we did manage to get BBC Wales on the internet the other day and listened to a wonderful live radio commentary on the Wales/England game and are now trying to find a TV/radio station in the UK who may give a radio commentary live on the England/Australia game tomorrow – so far we are having no luck cruising through the UK TV/Radio stations – is there a geek out there who can help us – my partner is pretty good at finding stuff on the net – I think NZ are mean as hell not putting on free to air TV or even radio for that matter, games which are crucial or just going to be down to the wire games in the competition for folk who, for reasons of their own, don’t want the crap Sky puts on and hate the way they deny us the fun of seeing some of the more important games. Not everybody wants to go to a pub and try to watch the game through the noise etc.
As an aside the AB’s are looking sluggish and flat – and, other than Argentina haven’t even had a real top side to slug it out with – fun and games ahead.
Thanks Nadis – just logged on – 25 minutes to go for the England/Australia game – my partner and I will endeavour to to download hola – I knew there would be somewhere out there in the ether who would come to our assistance. Enjoy the game.
Back again Nadis – thanks so much, mission accomplished, the geek in my household got us on line and the two of us sat back and watched the game – the English coach looked sick as a dog at the end, can’t help but feel sorry for the team – with the Australian kicker I think Dan Carter might not feel so good either – Foley I think his name was – my can he kick goals. I knew somebody out there would help us!!! Enjoy the rest of the tournament – I know we will.
Opposition teams were nervous about the prospect of facing an All Blacks haiku.
England coach Stuart Lancaster said his team were perfectly relaxed when the All Blacks perform their blood curling, throat slitting haka, but the thought of facing Richie McCaw, Ma’a Nonu, and co reciting Japanese poetry was absolutely terrifying.
I’m sure it does. But I’m also fairly sure that you don’t understand the various complexities that lead to some people being larger than others, and that your sense of fairness is also based on prejudice (how is it fair for a smaller boned, short person to pay less for travel than a larger boned, tall person?).
While it might be “fair” that someone who requires more av-gas to transport them pays more, I expect the extra effort required to implement such a Naki-system would be uber-stupid.
“That system is done for every trademe parcel sent through the post. Honestly, its not that much effort.”
Except that NZPost changed their system a few years ago to volumetric so now it’s laborious and complicated. Plus, isn’t it NZPost that’s bleeding profit because it does stupid shit like this? Not a good example.
“(how is it fair for a smaller boned, short person to pay less for travel than a larger boned, tall person?).”
It costs the airline more in fuel to carry bigger people.
So it is fair that they pay more for their flight
Yes, it’s “fair”, and uber-stupid. Anyone with half a brain would think to themselves about how the booking system would work and how the check-in procedure would have to change, and conclude that only a right wing nut job could be responsible for such stupidity.
It’s a signal from the market: right wing policy shills make terrible economic decisions, and you can make a buck concealing their incompetence, S Rylands.
A couple of twitter feeds from Atlanta TPP talks for anyone interested.
1. Burcu Kilic@burcuno
Patent geek, digital rights advocate, IP scholar, lawyer, globetrotter and wannabe photographer; Public Citizen’s Global Access to Medicines Program
From newstalk zb
“Recent comments made by Trade Minister Tim Groser have concerned the Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Ian Powell.
“Well when Tim Groser as trade minister began talking about having to swallow a dead rat and knowing that medicines is still one of the big contentious issues still outstanding in the trade negotiations, we became extremely alarmed.”
Shameless State Department propaganda masquerading as news;
Poor old Simon Shepherd doesn’t even bat an eyelid as he reads the tripe he’s handed.
TV3 News, Saturday 3 October 2015
They try to maintain those poker faces, but occasionally television news readers will register their discomfort at having to read out some offensive or ludicrous item. Last year, at the height of the Gaza massacre, Peter Williams grimaced and looked unhappy after reading out a piece of low propaganda that might have been written by someone at the Israeli consulate. At other times, Simon Dallow, Hillary Barry, Wendy Petrie and even Susan Wood have frowned, averted their eyes or paused meaningfully to indicate what they think of their scripts. I’ve even seen newsreaders from that cartoonishly bad Murdoch outlet Fox News blanch at some of the crap they’re expected to read.
However, I have never seen any such redeeming signs of conscience from TV3’s owlish, ineffably pompous Simon Shepherd. He doesn’t seem to have a skeptical bone in his body. Nothing fazes him, apparently—not even the preposterous State Department talking points (i.e., lies) he was handed to read out this evening.
At 6:20 p.m. Shepherd furrowed his brow, narrowed his eyes, pursed his lips and attempted to look REALLY serious….
SIMON SHEPHERD:[speaking in an ominous tone, summoning up all the gravitas he can manage] President Putin says he’s bombing ISIL targets but, as ITV’s Jack Fisher reports, NOBODY believes him….
It turns out that “ITV’s Jack Fisher” is trying even harder than Simon Shepherd to show how serious he is—unfortunately for his viewers, however, he’s not serious about being a journalist.
What Fisher is serious about is parroting the official talking points of the Obama regime. He speaks gravely of “President Obama’s DAMNING assessment of Russia’s actions”, before cutting to a ludicrously brief edited comment from Dr. Domitilla Sagramoso of Kings College London. The purpose of showing Dr Sagramoso has nothing to do with analysis; rather, it is to provide at least the appearance of authority to what even the hapless slaves at ITV will know perfectly well is nothing more than a crude piece of propaganda. After Dr Sagramoso’s eight seconds of input, it’s back to Jack Fisher for the almost comically ironic peroration, once again in that faux sérieux style…
JACK FISHER, ITV:[sombrely, to convey how serious he is] People will remember Russia’s protracted wars in Chechnya and Afghanistan and wonder: WHERE will it all end?”
Then it’s back to Simon Shepherd, still trying to look as though he’s serious.
‘We are told they may be close to reaching a final deal on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in Atlanta, and longer monopolies for Big Pharma over biologic medicines is the final sticking point’, according to Professor Jane Kelsey, who is in touch with people on the ground in Atlanta.
The US is insisting on eight years total monopoly protection. Several countries are holding firm. But there are real fears New Zealand could cave.
Trade Minister Tim Groser.
Trade Minister Groser is quoted in this morning’s Herald as saying every country will have to swallow multiple dead rats to finalise the deal in an ‘ugly compromise’.
‘In New Zealand’s case, the dead rat seems to be a dairy for medicines deal’, said Professor Kelsey. ‘If this happens, we can expect the Minister to hail the “net benefits” of the TPPA to New Zealand, playing up supposed gains to dairy exports that remain to be seen, and playing down New Zealand’s agreement to longer monopoly protection for biologics.’
‘But the stark reality is that any such deal to close the TPPA would cost New Zealander’s lives.’
Health economists calculate that every added year of protection for biologics would cost New Zealand many tens of millions of dollars in current spending, and much more in the future as more biologics come on stream.
‘Future New Zealand governments would have to stump up hundreds of millions of dollars more to Pharmac.
Yet this year the National government refused to fund even the modest budget increase Pharmac sought to meet rising costs.’
‘Cancer sufferers in Atlanta described the biologics provision as a “death sentence clause”.
Do Prime Minister Key and Minister Groser want that recorded as their legacy?’
URGENT! Attention NZ Prime Minister John Key!
Scanned petition forms re: TPPA
Prime Minister
John Key
Please be advised that attached are nearly 300 signatures of people who have signed the following petition:
“To Prime Minister John Key
MP for Helensville
We, the undersigned:
Are deeply concerned that as a key advocate for the ‘Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), you are a shareholder in the Bank of America, as detailed in the 2015 MPs Register of Financial Interests
(Pg 29)
“Rt Hon John Key (National, Helensville)
2 Other companies and business entities
……………………………………………………….
Bank of America – banking”
We see this as a serious ‘conflict of interest’, given that big banks like the Bank of America, stand to benefit, and profit from this pro-corporate TPPA.
If this National Government, which you lead, does not ‘walk away’ from the secretive, undemocratic, ‘Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement’ (TPPA), then we pledge to campaign vigorously amongst our friends, families, neighbours and workmates, for the voting public to ‘walk away’ from National.”
Increasing numbers of the voting public are becoming aware of your shareholding in the Bank of America, and are wondering just whose ‘national interest’ are you serving?
The ‘national (public) interest’ of New Zealand, or the ‘national (corporate) interest’ of the United States of America?
If the Bank of America benefits from the TPPA – then how will this not serve your personal self-interest. as a shareholder in the Bank of America?
Yours sincerely,
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’
Burcu Kilic @burcuno 13m13 minutes ago
Biologics is now the only potential deal-breaker, #TPP Ministerial may be extended again. Stay strong Australia, Chile, Peru & Malaysia!
Latest TPP News
TPP Ministerial May Be Extended Again As U.S., Australia Still At Odds On Biologics
ATLANTA – Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries are on the verge of extending the ministerial meeting here at least into Saturday evening (Oct. 3), after the United States and Australia overnight were unable to reach a deal on the monopoly protection period for biologics drugs, according to informed sources. http://insidetrade.com/
An absolute must read about biologics and the TPP. Why has Tim Groser folded on this fight? You need to read the whole article because it is excellent. It is outrageous that US are pushing this extension. Greed!
Is TPP the Most Progressive Trade Agreement in History? Not If You Need Access to Affordable Medicines
The May 10th Agreement struck the right balance between the need to promote innovation and the need to protect public health. TPP must meet the standards set in the May 10th Agreement. Right now it does not. It should not be loaded up with new anticompetitive provisions when governments struggle to manage health care costs.
Richard Madan @RichardMadan 8m8 minutes ago
The 12 trade ministers just agreed to stay longer in Atlanta if required; unlikely #TPP deal will be signed today at this point #cdnpoli
Only this
chard Madan @RichardMadan 22h22 hours ago
Trade Min @HonEdFast: Canada “pushing back” against efforts to open up dairy industry to foreign competition #TPP
I think that US are not letting the dairy be sorted until the biological dead rat is swallowed.
“Australia, along with others such as New Zealand and Chile, have been unwilling to offer more than five years protection for the medicines since longer terms will push up the cost of state-subsidized medical programs.
The impasse is holding up a deal on dairy trade, the main other sticking point in the talks”. http://au.investing.com/news/commodities-news/pacific-trade-talks-bogged-down-over-pharmaceuticals-9335
The right of employees to strike is an internationally recognised employment right that has been a feature of New Zealand’s industrial relations system for over a century, albeit with different constraints and limitations at different times. Although more restricted, this right even continued under the anti-union Employment Contracts Act (1993-2000). ...
Bernard Hickey is one of New Zealand’s leading financial journalists. His latest article, published by Newsroom, lays bare the cruel treatment of hundreds of thousands of workers stranded since the lockdown. Our Prime Minister is lauded overseas for her compassion, but her Cabinet is refusing to properly support tens of ...
For a good part of my adult life I have studied civil-military relations. I have studied authoritarian and democratic variants, and I have studied them across countries and regions. I have also worked in and with several US security agencies and have lectured on the theme at a number of ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzIf we stopped oil, gas and coal extraction immediately – ...
by The Spark “The system is broken”—the words of a young black man in Minneapolis watching flames destroy a police precinct demonstrators had torched. Broken? Yes, it is! What else could you say about a system whose police for nine minutes casually knelt on a black man’s neck, watching until ...
The latest opinion poll is out, and it’s more bad news for the National Party, with Roy Morgan putting them on only 26.5% support, against Labour’s 56.5%. You can see the details here: Roy Morgan May opinion poll. Roy Morgan is regarded as less accurate than other polling companies, and the ...
When miners pillage conservation land, they are typically required to "rehabilitate" it afterwards. Its not much compared to the damage they do, but its something. But apparently even that is now too much to expect. NZG Limited, a company owned by Oravida directors James Blackwell, Julia Jiyan Xu, Stone Shi, ...
Like everyone else, I've spent too much of the weekend watching the protests in America, and the increasingly brutal response to them. The overwhelming impression is of a nationwide police riot, as people speaking out against a murder and demanding change are beaten, gassed and shot by racist, militarised thugs ...
In mid-April, as New Zealand entered its fourth week of alert level 4, the Prime Minister warned us not to make comparisons with other countries over our Covid-19 pandemic response. This extraordinary advice came after Simon Bridges had urged the government to adopt a less-stringent lockdown similar to those in ...
Wales has lowered the voting age to 16: 16 and 17 year olds can now officially vote in Wales for Senedd elections. Votes at 16 & 17 come into force on Monday, as part of the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020. Next year’s Senedd elections will ...
The government announced more changes to the ETS today, including to the emissions budget for 2021 - 2025. The overall budget for that period will stay at 354 million tons of CO2-equivalent. But the ETS component of that - stockpile reduction, free allocation, and credits to be auctioned - budget ...
The new National Party leader, Todd Muller, had been at pains to portray himself as a solid, serious, safe pair of hands, in contrast to the increasingly Trumpian leanings of Simon Bridges, who Muller deposed in a leadership coup last Friday. But after an uneventful, if uninspiring, first press conference, ...
Minneapolis Police StationIf you’ve been keeping an eye on recent events in the United States, you’ll likely understand why there’s so much anger on the streets at the moment. Not only did police officers murder another black man; it is patently obvious that authorities initially attempted to cover up George ...
Becoming the leader of a political party is a bit like having a baby. Not so much the screaming and sleepless nights, as the fact that you’ve waited and hope and planned for something and it’s finally here. And when that wonderful gift finally arrives, you want to be ready, ...
The US appears to be headed towards what Antonio Gramsci and other Italian political theorists call an “organic crisis of the State.” It involves the simultaneous and compounded fractures of economy, society and politics, which together constitute a tipping point in a nation’s history. Social contradictions are exacerbated, class and ...
Like the rest of the world, I have been aghast at what I have seen of, and read and heard about, what is happening currently in the United States. It seems incredible that a once great country should be suffering the worst effects and the highest number of deaths worldwide ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week...
Climate concerns as Siberia experiences record-breaking heatHeat wave sparks concerns about devastating wildfire season and melting permafrost.Satellite ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, May 24 through Sat, May 30, 2020Editor's ChoiceAntarctic Ocean Reveals New Signs of Rapid Melt of Ancient Ice, Clues About Future Sea Level RiseA study of seafloor ripples ...
It’s almost painful to watch. Let’s be honest, maybe a pleasure too, in some quarters, but painful nonetheless. Because the fact is, for a democracy to function properly, any sitting Government does need honest and proper Opposition so that it doesn’t get ahead of itself. That’s what we should ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk A banner on the International Energy Agency website spells it out in bold font: “The global oil industry is experiencing a shock like no other in its history.” As the response to the coronavirus pandemic upends the lives of billions of ...
The ownership of newspapers and televison channels is in turmoil, and they want to redisorganise public broadcasting. *Three years ago, I expressed concern in a column about the future of the (traditional) media. Nothing has happened since to reduce the concern. It was based on an earlier column which ...
Australia's High Court has ruled that the "palace letters" between the queen and then-Governor-General John Kerr are public records rather than private papers: Historian Jenny Hocking has won her High Court bid to access the letters exchanged between then governor-general Sir John Kerr and the Queen around the time of ...
SATURDAY MAY 30Six60: Live at Western Springs 2020 (TVNZ 1, 8.45pm). Remember live concerts? The day will come again, friends, when we will be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in an uncomfortable sweaty venue with people we don’t know. It will happen. Sometimes the sound of concerts drifts over to the ...
New Zealand and its prime minister Jacinda Ardern have received international attention and praise, rightly so, for decisive leadership, clear communication and scientific management of the coronavirus pandemic. Observers point out that the nation has been through multiple crises under Ardern’s leadership – such as the Christchurch terrorist attack and ...
…a lot of things unrelated to the pandemic were happening. Relatively little attention was given to some major events on the global stage, so I thought I would do a quick recap of some of the high (or low) -lights, starting with something familiar. The common theme throughout is human ...
Labour's talk of gutting the RMA to push through "shovel ready" projects to boost employment after the pandemic predictably has every half-arsed pipe-dream crawling out of the woodwork demanding special treatment. Today, it's the West Coast inbreds, who are demanding a host of laws be rescinded so they can dig ...
"I can't breathe, Mama. I'm dying." - Last words of George Floyd.LOOK HARD at this image. Think about what it depicts. Ask yourself how one human-being could behave so brutally when so many eye-witnesses – and very soon millions of people online around the world – were there to watch ...
Since the government announced its pandemic wage subsidy, there have been regular stories about companies taking it and then sacking or refusing to pay their workers - essentially committing fraud. But how often does this happen? The Minister just doesn't want to know: Government ministers are not receiving up to ...
"You call that a conservative?Nah, this is a conservative!" New Zealanders are in the market for a quiet and reassuring small-c conservative political centrist. The critical question, however, is which politician is currently playing that role? Who has mastered the art of relaxed, informal and intimate political communication? Who ...
I’VE OFTEN WONDERED if South African immigrants passing through towns like Kerikeri and Kaikohe ever wonder how we do it. In their homeland, through the bitter years of Apartheid, keeping the races segregated required pass laws, Alsatian dogs, tear gas, rubber bullets and, all-too-often, live rounds. Not here. Not in ...
Below is the list of gender-critical material which appeared on Redline from July 31, 2019 to September 30, 2019. Sports categories must be by sex, not gender identity Queer theory glossary Woke misogyny and homophobia: a gay critique of trans ideology Another unfortunate experiment? New Zealand’s transgender health policy and ...
Smart Energy Europe: A Plan to provide 100% of ALL ENERGY using Renewable Energy to EuropeIntroductionAll Energy renewable energy systems are often commented on here at Skeptical Science. Many comments suggest that it will be difficult, expensive or impossible to use renewable energy to power the world. To ...
The government released its Action for Healthy Waterways package today, ostensibly with the goal of cleaning up our rivers and making them swimmable within a generation. Doing that, of course, requires confronting the cow in the room: the dairy industry which causes most of the pollution. But while they've imposed ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzI would like to know if New Zealand’s carbon emissions ...
Simon Lamb, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington and Timothy Stern, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of WellingtonBack in the 1970s, scientists came up with a revolutionary idea about how Earth’s deep interior works. They proposed it is slowly churning like a lava lamp, with buoyant ...
Remember KiwiBuild? Previously the government's flagship policy, it was supposed to build thousands of new homes every year for kiwi families. But instead of flooding the market, we've got a pathetic dribble: The Government's former flagship housing policy is so far behind schedule it will take more than 400 years ...
Don Franks Now Covid-19 restrictions allow gatherings of a hundred, an urgent hui needs calling. A special conference of the Council of Trade Unions. Today, workers face the greatest attack on employment, pay and conditions since the depression, we need a strong united union voice. As it stands now, organised ...
George Henderson New Zealand schools have introduced a climate change resource that suggests children “eat less meat and dairy”, even though teachers will not know how much meat or dairy any child in their care has eaten. Opinion pieces in the papers have called for the reduction of meat and ...
Questioning the number of district health boards in New Zealand has got to the extent that “too many DHBs” has become a perceived truth requiring no further elaboration. It is rarely challenged by policy advisers, academics, and journalists. But when one drills down further it becomes clear that the number ...
The emergence of a new National party leader, seemingly out of nowhere, has – not surprisingly – raised a number of questions as to who Todd Mulller actually is and what makes him tick. He has been an MP for some time but seems to have hidden his light under ...
Costa Rica has become the first country in Central America to recognise same-sex marriage: The first same-sex weddings have taken place in Costa Rica, the first Central American country to equalise its marriage legislation. A lesbian couple became the first to tie the knot in a ceremony that took ...
There's a new twist in the Winston Peters secret donation story. It appears that a significant chunk of NZ First's secret laundered donations goes straight into the pockets of the people administering the scheme: Tens of thousands in donor's funds given to the New Zealand First Foundation were spent paying ...
Is Todd Muller the Ned Flanders of the National Party? This is how he’s been characterised by political commentator Gordon Campbell, who suggests the change in leadership is, in Simpsons terms, akin to swapping the scary and cruel Monty Burns for Homer Simpson’s compassionate but conservative neighbour. There’s almost a ...
We all know that many so-called journalists and political commentators in New Zealand work directly or indirectly for political parties or for certain political factions. This was obviously the case when pundit for hire Matthew Hooton launched a campaign against then National Party leader, Simon Bridges, over their numerous polling ...
Let's Roll! The easy victory over a Bridges-led National Party which the Left had every cause to anticipate just a few days ago is no longer in the offing. Our enemy’s position has changed. His numbers are swelling. A rapid thrust to the left, followed by an audacious outflanking manoeuvre ...
New National Party leader Todd Muller has been interviewed about his policies, and has promised to restart offshore fossil fuel exploration if elected: The Bay of Plenty MP rolled former leader Simon Bridges last week, but says the party has not changed its stance on previous promises. "That is ...
Anyone who keeps an eye on evidence around cannabis and public health will be familiar with the Christchurch Health and Development Study. It's one of two local longitudinal studies frequently cited with respect to cannabis and youth development. But in a new article in the New Zealand Medical Journal, it is ...
In the age of covid we are Jacinda’s team of five million, except for some. There has rarely been a more blatant case of discrimination against beneficiaries than Grant Robertson’s announcement yesterday that people who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus will receive weekly payments of $490 per week for 12 weeks and $250 per week for part time ...
It was 75 years ago this month that Germany surrendered and the Allies celebrated VE (Victory in Europe) Day. Millions of people around the world had been killed and many more injured or captured. It was an end to war not just for Europeans, but their allies too, in countries across Africa. But its impact is ...
Well, we are out of lockdown, essentially. I did end up getting the wage subsidy while we were on levels 3 and 4 but I would have been fine if we didn’t. The first day of level 2, the Thursday, the office opened again for the people who weren’t able ...
Watching Todd Muller make his first speech as the newly minted Leader of the Opposition after Simon Bridges’ defenestration on Friday brought to mind a headmaster addressing a school assembly. He showed no particular desire to ingratiate himself with his audience although the occasional flash of self-deprecating humour indicated a ...
The government has announced another income support scheme for people affected by the economic aftershocks of the pandemic: a $490 a week tax-free payment for the newly unemployed, which you can get even if you have a working partner. Which is great, because its supporting people who need help, but ...
The Greens have released their party list, and it contains a few surprises. The one that's getting all the news is that the membership are clearly fans of Chlöe Swarbrick, and she has worked hard to earn that. But they've also favoured incumbent protection over new blood, and in the ...
age credit:Science and Politics – Skeptically.org It seems impossible to keep politics out of science. It’s a pity because politics can end up forcing science to produce the results desired by ...
Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Matthew Parry, Dr Ayesha Verrall, Prof Michael Baker, Prof Martin Eichner (author details*)This blog details a recent modelling study we conducted. In it we estimated that it would take between 27 and 33 days of no new detected cases of COVID-19 for there to be ...
The 2015 Schol Bio paper included a question about a group of birds known as honeycreepers, specifically, the 56 species endemic to the Hawaiian islands. (Or, were endemic: 18, or perhaps 19, are still living; the others are extinct.) Students who’ve already had a look at this paper as part of ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Climate Feedback Article Review... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... What a Week’s Disasters Tell Us About Climate and the PandemicExtreme weather presents an even bigger threat ...
Todd Muller has made a good start to his leadership, though it would obviously be pretty stupid to extrapolate too much from the first couple of days. Nevertheless, as a matter of speculation, it is interesting to think what success on his part might say about the preferences of the ...
A guest post by Hamish Price.“A leader is a dealer in hope.”— Napoléon BonaparteCatholics have a name for potential successors to a dead pope. Papabile. The small coterie of distinguished cardinals who have what it takes to step up. Todd Muller has always been one.I first met Muller at a National ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, May 17 through Sat, May 23, 2020Editor's ChoiceMore than 80 killed in India and Bangladesh as Cyclone Amphan heaps misery on coronavirus-hit areasA man salvages items from ...
Two poor political polls within the same week had seen National for the first time in over a decade dropping major support in the face of a competent and assured COVID-19 health response from the Coalition government. Step forward the relatively unknown Todd Muller, who by Friday afternoon had secured ...
SUNDAY MAY 24The Luminaries (TVNZ 1, 8.30pm). There are an awful lot of indeterminate accents in The Luminaries; even lead Eve Hewson seems undecided about being Irish, and she is Irish. Fair play, accents can go badly wrong, so perhaps not over-egging was a consideration. Marton Csokas, always impeccable, and Himesh Patel ...
SUNDAY MAY 24The Luminaries (TVNZ 1, 8.30pm). There are an awful lot of indeterminate accents in The Luminaries; even lead Eve Hewson seems undecided about being Irish, and she is Irish. Fair play, accents can go badly wrong, so perhaps not over-egging was a consideration. Marton Csokas, always impeccable, and Himesh Patel ...
Let’s be honest; Simon Bridges was a disaster of a political leader. If he wasn’t attempting to criticise the Government’s perfectly good policy initiatives that the public generally supported, he was fudging his lines after getting caught out in yet another lie. When Jami-Lee Ross said Bridges “is a flawed individual ...
The media treat budgets as bit of a circus: lots of theatre and soon forgotten. For a serious economist they show how a team of economists is thinking about the wider economy. The 2020 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) was the most difficult forecasting exercise in the history of ...
Air NZ shed 1,300 workers, Fletchers about to sack 1000. Economists Strateg.Ease predict over 12,400 jobs gone by March next year in central Auckland alone. Here’s Don Franks during the 2008 election campaign when he stood for the Workers Party. He’s talking about fightback strategies, ideas that he believes are ...
One of these MPs is the new leader of the National party. Can you pick which? (Source: Office of the Clerk/Parliamentary Service) National has chosen its new leader, and as expected, it is an old bald white man. Totally representative of modern New Zealand, then. But its not ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First is disappointed that the removal of the spousal deductions has had to be delayed by the Ministry fo Social Development, due to COVID19 workload pressures. “New Zealand First has always stood for fairness when it comes to superannuation ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First On the steps of Parliament today the Leader of New Zealand First, Rt Hon Winston Peters received a petition from registered nurse Anna Maria Coervers, requesting an amendment to the Protection for First Responders Bill which will ensure the legislation also include registered ...
It's been a busy seven days as we start to rebuild New Zealand together. From delivering extra support for small businesses, to investing in our artists and arts organisations, to cutting red tape on home DIY projects, we're rolling out our plan to get the economy and New Zealand moving ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says alert level 2 restrictions have to be discussed during today's Cabinet meeting. Thousands gathered across the country, including at Parliament, yesterday forBlack Lives Matter marcheswhere social distancing and mass gathering rules were flouted. Mr Peters said the breaching of Alert Level 2 rules at ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of State Owned Enterprises KiwiRail’s Northland rail upgrade steps up another gear today and will help Northland recover from the impacts of COVID-19, State Owned Enterprises Minister Winston Peters says. The Government is investing $204.5 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to ...
“Today and every day we stand in solidarity with George Floyd’s family, friends and community who feel pain and fear about his untimely death at the hands of Minneapolis police”, said Green Party Co-leader and Māori Development spokesperson Marama Davidson. ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Hon Eugenie Sage, Minister of Conservation The West Coast forests of Mount Te Kinga at Kotuku Whakaoho/Lake Brunner are the latest predator free project to receive Government funding, announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher ...
The Green Party says major freshwater reforms announced today provide the strongest ever protections of our waterways, to help ensure the next generation can swim in the rivers of Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party has begun the process for a Select Committee inquiry into student accommodation, which has been exposed during COVID-19 as an under-regulated sector that straddles students with unfair debt. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon Megan Woods, Minister of Research, Science and Innovation Hon Dr David Clark, Minister of Health Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods, and Health Minister David Clark today announced a COVID-19 vaccine strategy, ...
Budget 2020 is about rebuilding together, supporting jobs, getting business moving and the books back into the black. It’s an integral part of our COVID-19 economic response, and our plan to grow our economy and get New Zealand moving again.Here’s a quick look at the five top things you ...
The Coalition Government has approved $206 million in essential upgrades at Ōhakea Air Base. Defence Minister Ron Mark said the money would be spent on improving old infrastructure. He said safety issues would be addressed, as well as upgrades to taxiways, accommodation and fresh, storm and waste water systems. "This ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First “I am not persisting with this case just for myself, but for all people who have had their privacy breached. Privacy of information is a cornerstone of our country’s democracy. Without it our society truly faces a bleak future. We now ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones has introduced a Bill to Parliament that he says will "force more transparency, integrity and respect" for the domestic wood-processing sector through the registration of log traders and practice standards. The Forests (Regulation of Log Traders and Forestry Advisers) Amendment Bill had its first reading in ...
Green MP Golriz Ghahraman is joining over 300 lawmakers from around the world in calling on the big banks and the IMF to forgive the debt of developing countries, in the wake of the COVID crisis. ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones says concerns that carbon foresters are planting pine trees that will never be harvested are the result of "misinformation". "The billion tree strategy is an excellent idea, unfortunately from time to time it's tainted by misinformation spread by the National Party or their grandees, hiding in scattered ...
The Green Party welcomes funding in the budget to reunite more refugees with their families, ensuring they have the best chance at a new life in Aotearoa New Zealand. ...
This year’s Budget is about rebuilding New Zealand together in the face of COVID-19. Jobs are central to how we’re going to do that.There’s a lot of targeted investment for employment in this year’s Budget, with announcements on creating new jobs, training people for the jobs we have, and supporting ...
Young people in Waikato will be the first to have free access to period products in schools in another step to support children and young people in poverty,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. During term 3, the Ministry of Education will begin providing free period products to schools following the ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash has issued the following statement in response to charges filed against three Police officers this morning in the New Plymouth District Court. “Any incident involving a loss of life in Police custody is taken very seriously. The charges today reflect the gravity of the ...
Further temporary changes to NCEA and University Entrance (UE) will support senior secondary school students whose teaching and learning have been disrupted by COVID-19. “The wellbeing of students and teachers is a priority. As we are all aware, COVID-19 has created massive disruption to the school system, and the Government ...
Minister for Racing Winston Peters today announced that the terms for the directors of the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) have been extended to 30 June 2021. Due to the COVID-19 crisis the transition period has been extended to ensure that the Racing Industry Bill can complete its progress through ...
The deadline for landlords to include detailed information in their tenancy agreements about how their property meets the Healthy Homes Standards, so tenants can see the home they are renting is compliant, has been extended from 1 July 2020 to 1 December 2020. The Healthy Homes Standards became law on 1 July 2019. The Standards are ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little today announced details of further appointments to the Criminal Cases Review Commission. “I am pleased to announce Paula Rose QSO OStJ as Deputy Chief Commissioner for a term of five years commencing on 15 June 2020,” said Andrew Little. “I am also pleased to announce the ...
The Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund (TTAF) will pay costs of learners of all ages to undertake vocational education and training The fund will target support for areas of study and training that will give learners better employment prospects as New Zealand recovers from COVID-19 Apprentices working in all industries ...
The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will finally start to cut New Zealand’s greenhouse gas pollution as it was originally intended to, because of changes announced today by the Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw. The changes include a limit on the total emissions allowed within the ETS, rules to ensure ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says the Queen’s Birthday 2020 Honours List provides an abundance of examples that Pacific people’s leadership capability is unquestionable in Aotearoa. “The work and the individuals we acknowledge this year highlights the kind of visionary examples and dedicated community leadership that we need ...
The Government is backing a new $27 million project aimed at boosting sustainable horticulture production and New Zealand’s COVID-19 recovery efforts, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Our horticulture sector has long been one of New Zealand’s export star performers, contributing around $6 billion a year to our economy. During and ...
Applications have opened for 2021 Ngā Karahipi Uru Rākau – Forestry Scholarships, which will support more Māori and women to pursue careers in forestry science, says Forestry Minister Shane Jones. “I’m delighted Te Uru Rākau is offering Ngā Karahipi Uru Rākau – Forestry Scholarships for the third year running. These ...
The Queen’s Birthday 2020 Honours List once again highlights the dedication by many to looking after our native plants and wildlife, including incredible work to restore the populations of critically endangered birds says Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. Anne Richardson of Hororata has been made an Officer of the New ...
The Government will invest $10 million from the One Billion Trees Fund for large-scale planting to provide jobs in communities and improve the environment, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and Forestry Minister Shane Jones have announced. New, more flexible funding criteria for applications will help up to 10 catchment groups plant ...
Organisations that support women are invited to apply to a new $1,000,000 fund as part of the Government’s COVID-19 response. “We know women, and organisations that support women, have been affected by COVID-19. This new money will ensure funding for groups that support women and women’s rights,” said Minister for ...
Healthier waterways are front and centre in a new project involving more than 300 King Country sheep, beef and dairy farmers. The Government is investing $844,000 in King Country River Care, a group that helps farmers to lift freshwater quality and farming practice, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. “Yesterday ...
A major funding package for libraries will allow them to play a far greater role in supporting their communities and people seeking jobs as part of the economic recovery from COVID-19. “Budget 2020 contains over $60 million of funding to protect library services and to protect jobs,” says Internal Affairs ...
A jobseekers programme for the creative sector and four new funds have been set up by the Government to help our arts and music industry recover from the blow of COVID-19. Thousands of jobs will be supported through today’s $175 million package in a crucial economic boost to support the ...
Minister for Veterans Ron Mark has welcomed the First Reading of a Bill that will make legislative changes to further improve the veterans’ support system. The Veterans’ Support Amendment Bill No 2, which will amend the Veterans’ Support Act 2014, passed First Reading today. The bill addresses a number of ...
Views sought on Order in Council to help fast track the reinstatement of the Christ Church Cathedral The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Hon Poto Williams, will be seeking public written comment, following Cabinet approving the drafting of an Order in Council aimed at fast-tracking the reinstatement of the ...
The law setting out New Zealanders’ basic civil and human rights is today one step towards being strengthened following the first reading of a Bill that requires Parliament to take action if a court says a statute undermines those rights. At present, a senior court can issue a ‘declaration of ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today reiterated the deep concern of the New Zealand Government following confirmation by China’s National People’s Congress of national security legislation relating to Hong Kong. “New Zealand shares the international community’s significant and long-standing stake in Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability,” Mr Peters said. “New Zealand ...
Thousands of artists and creatives at hundreds of cultural and heritage organisations have been given much-needed support to recover from the impact of COVID-19, Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Jacinda Ardern announced today. “The cultural sector was amongst the worst hit by the global pandemic,” Jacinda ...
Key New Zealand assets will be better protected from being sold to overseas owners in a way contrary to the national interest, with the passage of the Overseas Investment (Urgent Measures) Bill. The Bill, which passed its third reading in Parliament today, also cuts unnecessary red tape to help attract ...
Setting higher health standards at swimming spots Requiring urban waterways to be cleaned up and new protections for urban streams Putting controls on higher-risk farm practices such as winter grazing and feed lots Setting stricter controls on nitrogen pollution and new bottom lines on other measures of waterway health Ensuring ...
The Government is on the verge of reaching its target of state sector boards and committees made up of at least 50 percent women, says Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter and Minister for Ethnic Communities Jenny Salesa. For the first time, the Government stocktake measures the number of Māori, ...
The Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister and Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister, Kris Faafoi, has today announced the appointment of Tristan Gilbertson as the new Telecommunications Commissioner and member of the Commerce Commission. “Mr Gilbertson has considerable experience in the telecommunications industry and a strong reputation amongst his peers,” ...
The Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Riu Roa have agreed to settle the pay equity claim for teacher aides, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. This will see more than 22,000 teacher aides, mostly women, being valued and paid fairly for the work they do. “Teacher aides are frontline ...
Subcontractors will have greater certainty, more cashflow support and job security with new changes to retention payments under the Construction Contracts Act says Minister for Building and Construction, Jenny Salesa. A recent review of the retentions money regime showed that most of the building and construction sector is complying with ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have marked the first anniversary of the New Zealand-Singapore Enhanced Partnership with a virtual Leaders’ Meeting today. The Enhanced Partnership, signed on 17 May 2019, provides the framework for cooperation across the four main areas of trade, defence and ...
On 17 May 2019, New Zealand and Singapore established an Enhanced Partnership to elevate our relations. The Enhanced Partnership – based on the four pillars of trade and economics, security and defence, science, technology and innovation, and people-to-people links – has seen the long-standing relationship between our countries strengthen over the ...
State-Owned Enterprises Minister Winston Peters has welcomed KiwiRail’s announcement that it is seeking a preferred shipyard to build two new rail-enabled ferries for the Cook Strait crossing. “This Government is committed to restoring rail to its rightful place in New Zealand. Bigger, better ships, with new technology are yet another ...
Better protection for seabirds is being put in place with a new National Plan of Action to reduce fishing-related captures, Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. The National Plan of Action for Seabirds 2020 outlines our commitment to reduce fishing-related captures and associated seabird ...
Almost $1 billion in interest-free loans for small businesses More than 55,000 businesses have applied; 95% approved Average loan approx. $17,300 90% of applications from firms with ten or fewer staff A wide cross-section of businesses have applied, the most common are the construction industry, accommodation providers, professional firms, and ...
Thousands of children will have healthier lungs after the Government’s ban on smoking in cars with kids becomes law, says Associate Minister of Health Jenny Salesa. This comes after the third reading of Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill earlier today. “This law makes it ...
The special Epidemic Response Committee (ERC) has successfully concluded its role, Leader of the House Chris Hipkins said today. The committee was set up on 25 March by the agreement of Parliament to scrutinise the Government and its actions while keeping people safe during levels 4 and 3 of lockdown. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced four diplomatic appointments: New Zealand’s Ambassador to Belgium, High Commissioners to Nauru and Niue, and Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism. “As the world seeks to manage and then recover from COVID-19, our diplomatic and trade networks are more important than ever,” Mr Peters said. “The ...
New Zealanders will be better protected from online harm through a Bill introduced to Parliament today, says Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin. “The internet brings many benefits to society but can also be used as a weapon to spread harmful and illegal content and that is what this legislation targets,” ...
New Zealand’s world-first plan to eradicate the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis is on track the latest technical data shows, says Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor. “Two years ago the Government, DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand and industry partners made a bold decision to go hard and commit ...
Further support for New Zealanders affected by 1-in-100 year global economic shock 12-week payment will support people searching for new work or retraining Work programme on employment insurance to support workers and businesses The Government today announced a new temporary payment to support New Zealanders who lose their jobs due ...
The Provincial Growth Fund will play a vital role in New Zealand’s post-COVID-19 recovery by creating jobs in shorter timeframes through at least $600 million being refocused on projects with more immediate economic benefits, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The funding is comprised of repurposed Provincial Growth ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Purnendra Jain, Adjunct Professor, Asian Studies, University of Adelaide Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will finally hold a virtual summit this week after efforts to meet in person were scuttled by the bushfires and coronavirus. The meeting ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna-Sophie Jürgens, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Popular Entertainment Studies and Science in Fiction Studies, Australian National University Bloodsucker, leech, tick – few things have a reputation worse than parasites. But these biological hangers-on also have a comic cultural history. In biology, a ...
By RNZ News The organisers of Black Lives Matter protests in several main centres will not be prosecuted. On Monday, thousands gathered at several events around the country for Black Lives Matter marches in solidarity with protesters in the United States after the police killing of George Floyd. The protests ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Fletcher, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Governance and Policy Studies, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington One of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s favourite exhortations is that we all “be kind” to one another. It’s part of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University A go-slow on spending sent the economy backwards 0.3% in the first three months of this year, only the fourth such decline since Australia was last in recession in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Zimmer, Research associate, Southern Cross University As bushfires blackened forests last summer, one tree species was protected by a specialist team of firefighters: the Wollemi pine. These trees have a deeply ancient lineage dating back to when dinosaurs walked Gondwana 100 ...
Children's Minister Tracey Martin says she was never officially asked to do anything about the Māori-led inquiry into Oranga Tamariki commissioned by Whanau Ora. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Whittaker, Research Fellow, University of Technology Sydney You probably know the details of the death of George Floyd. He was a doting father and musician. He was killed when a police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for nearly nine ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Greste, Professor of Journalism and Communications, The University of Queensland Here is a line from the latest safety advisory for reporters issued by the US-based Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ): Taking into account the increased levels of violence ...
Aaron Ironside is the new spokesperson for the Say Nope To Dope campaign. Aaron Ironside rose to prominence in the 1990’s as the anchor of Radio Hauraki’s popular Morning Pirates breakfast show. The young rock DJ fully embraced the Sex, Drugs and ...
AgResearch chairman Dr Paul Reynolds said the Government’s capital contribution of $45 million towards a new education, science and innovation precinct in Lincoln is a huge boost for New Zealand’s COVID 19 recovery plan and the contribution to ...
Dunedin writer Victor Billot on America's "President Cheezel". Go Big or Go Home Prezident Cheezel deletes lockdown, deletes the World Health Organization, deletes the memory of George Floyd, then hunkers in his hunker bunker, hunkers with freedom fries at midnight, a lights out party at the House of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Locke, Research Associate, LCT Centre for Knowledge-Building, Department of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Sydney Prime Scott Morrison last week outlined a plan to create jobs and revitalise the economy post COVID-19. Part of this so-called Jobmaker plan includes an ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Willand, Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Stay-at-home orders and the economic crisis have increased the burden of energy costs on lower-income Australians. Poor housing quality and unequal access to home energy efficiency are hurting our most ...
Jacinda Ardern has unveiled details of the changes New Zealanders can expect when we move from level two to level one. What will it mean for businesses, hospitality and day-to-day life? Level one! At last, life is finally back to normal.Not so fast. We’re still in level two, and will be ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kantha Dayaram, Associate Professor, Curtin University The number of Australians working from home has soared during the COVID-19 crisis. Latest data from the Australian Bureau of Stastistics shows 46% of the workforce worked from home in late April and early May. By ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Economic Life, Economics and EconomismKeith Rankin. When things go wrong with economic life, it’s easy to blame economics; that is, the academic discipline called ‘economics’. We all live economic lives, and use metaphors to give meaning to that amorphous thing we call ‘the economy’ ...
National survey asks New Zealanders If They Support Recognition For the Contribution of Our Service Personnel and their Families The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association (RSA) said today that it supports the proposal for a Kawenata which is ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says there will still be strict controls on the border, but all current rules and restrictions on businesses and services will be "essentially lifted" under alert level 1. ...
ANALYSIS:By Philip Russo of Monash University The death of African-American man George Floyd at the hands of police has sparked protests across the United States and inspired many people to reflect on our own history of police violence against Indigenous people in Australia and New Zealand. After thousands marched ...
The New Zealand Police Association is supporting the three officers who are now facing manslaughter charges in relation to the death of a man in the Hawera Police Station cells in June last year. Association President Chris Cahill says the officers ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Associate Professor, Criminology and Justice Studies, RMIT University As we have been cooped up at home during coronavirus lockdown, reports of image-based abuse have skyrocketed. According to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, it received more than 1,000 reports of image-based abuse between ...
In the third part of our series with Kiwibank answering your questions about Covid-19’s impact on New Zealanders’ finances, two readers at different ends of their saving journeys ask what to do with their KiwiSaver account. Melissa Vasta, Kiwi Wealth GM retail and product, responds.Hi Melissa, My KiwiSaver ‘growth’ fund has ...
Landlords have been given a break – well, a bit of a break – according to the latest bunch of Beehive pronouncements. Other announcements by the Beehive Bugle Brigade tell us: People wanting to train for employment– or retrain – will be given a helping hand. But funding “will ...
“The Government’s bill to regulate vaping won’t bring New Zealand any closer to its smokefree ambition, unless MPs now get in behind the many submitters and intervene to drive down the country’s smoking rates,” says Jonathan Devery, spokesperson ...
Covid-19 has not stopped a North Island Iwi from continuing to ready itself for a vote this year, that if ratified will be one of the largest Treaty settlement to date. Whakatōhea is located in the eastern Bay of Plenty region centred around ...
New Zealand ranks first in a new global food security index produced by multinational real estate company Savills. The company has compiled its Food Security Index as part of its latest global Impacts research, which looks at the factors shaping the ...
“A huge opportunity has been missed to make risk-reduced vaping products more accessible to smokers in order to reach the SmokeFree 2025 goal set by government,” says Nancy Loucas, Director of the Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA). Her ...
Noel Edmonds is a British TV legend with a 50 year career in broadcasting. So why did he move to Matakana and launch a radio station? Like an over-excited Mr Blobby, Tara Ward gave him a call to find out. When Noel Edmonds answers the phone from his home north ...
New statistics released by the New Zealand Police show Māori were disproportionately subject to police proceedings - including court proceedings and receiving warnings - during March and April, Marc Daalder reports As a debate heats up over racial bias in New Zealand policing, new statistics show that Māori were more ...
The Matariki and Puanga stars are due to rise this month, signalling the Māori New Year. Rehua will set in the west at the exact time Puanga rises. So how do we see them and what are the best dates? With thanks to Matua Rereata Mākiha for We often hear about Matariki ...
Here’s The Spinoff’s weekly round-up of data tracking the effects and response of Covid-19 around the world – and how New Zealand stacks up.Our weekly summaries of data and visualisations use Our World in Data’s work on the Covid-19 pandemic, which is freely available for re-use. Not all data is ...
Pacific Media Centre The Vanuatu Council of Ministers has agreed at its meeting held in Luganville, Santo, to postpone the hosting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting due in August 2020, reports the Vanuatu Daily Post. The decision followed the recommendations of the National Task Force based on ...
The National Party leader says the Black Lives Matter protests were a mockery of Covid-19 alert levels, but thinks the country should move to alert level 1 now. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wayne Hope, Professor of Communication Studies, Auckland University of Technology How many media analysts predicted it? In 2018 Australia’s Nine Entertainment absorbed Fairfax Media and its New Zealand subsidiary Stuff. Just under two years later chief executive Sinead Boucher bought Stuff from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Abby Mellick Lopes, Associate Professor, Design Studies, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology Sydney Home cooks have been trying out their skills during isolation. But the way food tastes depends on more than your ability to follow a recipe. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeremy Moss, Professor of Political Philosophy, UNSW Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan on Monday night denied suggestions the government subsidises Australia’s fossil fuel industry. The comments prompted a swift response from some social media users, who cited evidence to the contrary. Canavan ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ralph Sims, Professor, School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Massey University CC BY-NDClimate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Marshman, Honorary Principal Fellow, Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education, University of Melbourne Most of Australia’s universities have adequate cash and investment reserves to deal with the immediate impact of a downturn in international student revenue in 2020. But ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sameer Hasija, Associate Professor of Technology and Operations Management, INSEAD “This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities and this virus may never go away.”– WHO executive director Mike Ryan, May 13 Vaccine or not, we have to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Assistant Professor, School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Later today we’ll know what the bushfires and the coronavirus did to the economy in the three months to March: whether gross domestic product grew (as is usual) or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dawson, Professor and Chair of Anthropology, University of Melbourne June, 1980, Laibach was formed. Soon, they became the musical wing of the Slovenian arts collective Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK), or New Slovenian Art. Comprising visual artists, theatre companies and a unit ...
"George Floyd was not the first, nor will he be the last, to have been denied his human rights as the police officers murdered him. Their names, overseas and in New Zealand are so many, over so many years, and their stories are all so different ...
The National Party is surprised New Zealand immigration officials didn't consult their Australian counterparts before granting a visa to refugee author Behrouz Boochani. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Strotz, Professor, Northwest University, Xi’an The COVID-19 outbreak has put into stark relief the disruption parasites can cause, both in human society and ecosystems. Researchers have long sought to better understand the evolutionary importance of parasites, to help lessen their impact. ...
More than half of a $30 million emergency welfare fund has been spent in just over a month, and many of those in need are foreigners and migrant workers who can't get a home. ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level two – read The Spinoff’s giant explainer about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Significant new support announced for trainees and apprenticeships, more level one detail coming, and long-delayed changes made to ETS.Significant new support has been announced for trainees and apprentices, with thousands of dollars worth of costs being removed for each student. The ...
A Government okay for foreign crews to come here to train is likely shortly, Auckland's Mayor says America's Cup teams' hopes of winning border exemptions to get their crews to Auckland to prepare for next summer's big event should be met soon - with applications under consideration by officials and ...
Can anything stave off 'highly undesirable' cuts to services and projects in Auckland caused by the economic crisis? Will Wellington step in? Tim Murphy reports. For the second time in a year, Auckland Council needs to find half a billion dollars in a hurry to meet its financial commitments. After ...
Sewage fungus, bad smells and insinuations of ignored good faith clauses swirl in a dairy processing wastewater consent application heard in Hamilton last week New Zealand’s second largest dairy processor wants to discharge wastewater into the polluted Waitoa River, including during summer when flows are low. Open Country Dairy’s application for ...
Bubbles, tails, embers, mountains: The PM's deft use of metaphors has helped guide us in the battle to eradicate Covid-19 New Zealand’s success at containing the coronavirus has benefitted from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s clear communication during her daily media briefings. One aspect of what made this effective was her ...
Medical scientist Anona Pak won't let coronavirus wipe out her chances of playing badminton at the Tokyo Olympics, and an innovative national league will keep her on her toes. Two years ago, Anona Pak was playing badminton purely for the love of the game. The thought of representing New Zealand at ...
Former Woman’s Weekly editor Jenny Lynch on the Bauer-exterminated magazine that may yet rise again. It was born in 1932 at the height of the Depression and laid to rest in 2020 the middle of a global pandemic. In the intervening years the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly became a national ...
The country’s coronavirus restrictions might be coming to an end sooner than you think. Justin Giovannetti looks at what level one rules mean for you.Crowded stadiums and restaurants filled to capacity could be reality in New Zealand as soon as next Wednesday as the government eyes an early move to ...
Waitomo is a town built on tourism. But as overseas visitors, who have been flocking to its spectacular network of glow-worm caves for over a century, dry up, the future looks uncertain.More than 130 years ago, the eruption of Mount Tarawera killed an estimated 153 people and buried Te Otukapuarangi ...
Our Prime Minister is lauded overseas for her compassion, but her Cabinet is refusing to properly support tens of thousands of jobless migrants and beneficiaries struggling through the Covid-19 crisis, Bernard Hickey argues Over the last year since the March 15 attacks, our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has become a paragon of virtue for many ...
There's the law; then there's what's right. Our national carrier has been battered with complaints that it's hanging on to customer cash for flights it grounded. Jon Duffy's first week as head of Consumer New Zealand is a memorable one - the consumer watchdog was swamped with complaints from Air ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards The latest opinion poll is out, and it’s more bad news for the National Party, with Roy Morgan putting them on only 26.5% support, against Labour’s 56.5%. You can see the details here: Roy Morgan May opinion poll. Roy Morgan is regarded as less accurate than ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip Russo, Associate Professor, Director Cabrini Monash University Department of Nursing Research, Monash University The death of African-American man George Floyd at the hands of police has sparked protests across the United States and inspired many people to reflect on our own ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney I can’t breathe, please! Let me up, please! I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe! These words are not the words of George Floyd or Eric Garner. They weren’t uttered on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roberto Musotto, Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre Postdoctoral Fellow, Edith Cowan University Alongside growing concerns over a possible resurgence of the coronavirus during winter, the pandemic is now creating even more victims as cybercriminals aim to capitalise on the economic upheaval. According ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison has asked the Australian embassy to investigate the assault by police of an Australian Channel 7 news crew during the Washington demonstrations. The embassy, which is headed by ambassador Arthur Sinodinos, is to ...
Open mike 03/10/2015 
Open mike is your post.
The right of employees to strike is an internationally recognised employment right that has been a feature of New Zealand’s industrial relations system for over a century, albeit with different constraints and limitations at different times. Although more restricted, this right even continued under the anti-union Employment Contracts Act (1993-2000). ...5 hours ago
Bernard Hickey is one of New Zealand’s leading financial journalists. His latest article, published by Newsroom, lays bare the cruel treatment of hundreds of thousands of workers stranded since the lockdown. Our Prime Minister is lauded overseas for her compassion, but her Cabinet is refusing to properly support tens of ...5 hours ago
For a good part of my adult life I have studied civil-military relations. I have studied authoritarian and democratic variants, and I have studied them across countries and regions. I have also worked in and with several US security agencies and have lectured on the theme at a number of ...7 hours ago
The CTU is planning to mount a campaign to double sick leave, from 5 to 10 days a year. Good. We've all just had an extremely strong reminder of the need to stay at home when sick, and of the effectiveness of doing so (the lockdown, social distancing, and responsible ...8 hours ago
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nz If we stopped oil, gas and coal extraction immediately – ...12 hours ago
by The Spark “The system is broken”—the words of a young black man in Minneapolis watching flames destroy a police precinct demonstrators had torched. Broken? Yes, it is! What else could you say about a system whose police for nine minutes casually knelt on a black man’s neck, watching until ...22 hours ago
Minneapolis Police StationIf you’ve been keeping an eye on recent events in the United States, you’ll likely understand why there’s so much anger on the streets at the moment. Not only did police officers murder another black man; it is patently obvious that authorities initially attempted to cover up George ...2 days ago
Becoming the leader of a political party is a bit like having a baby. Not so much the screaming and sleepless nights, as the fact that you’ve waited and hope and planned for something and it’s finally here. And when that wonderful gift finally arrives, you want to be ready, ...2 days ago
Like the rest of the world, I have been aghast at what I have seen of, and read and heard about, what is happening currently in the United States. It seems incredible that a once great country should be suffering the worst effects and the highest number of deaths worldwide ...2 days ago
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week...
Image credit: Writing an Article vs. Writing a Blog Post: What’s the Difference? I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is ... 2 days ago
It’s almost painful to watch. Let’s be honest, maybe a pleasure too, in some quarters, but painful nonetheless. Because the fact is, for a democracy to function properly, any sitting Government does need honest and proper Opposition so that it doesn’t get ahead of itself. That’s what we should ...4 days ago
SATURDAY MAY 30Six60: Live at Western Springs 2020 (TVNZ 1, 8.45pm). Remember live concerts? The day will come again, friends, when we will be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in an uncomfortable sweaty venue with people we don’t know. It will happen. Sometimes the sound of concerts drifts over to the ...5 days ago
5 days ago
Well, we are out of lockdown, essentially. I did end up getting the wage subsidy while we were on levels 3 and 4 but I would have been fine if we didn’t. The first day of level 2, the Thursday, the office opened again for the people who weren’t able ...1 week ago
age credit: Science and Politics – Skeptically.org It seems impossible to keep politics out of science. It’s a pity because politics can end up forcing science to produce the results desired by ... 1 week ago
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First is disappointed that the removal of the spousal deductions has had to be delayed by the Ministry fo Social Development, due to COVID19 workload pressures. “New Zealand First has always stood for fairness when it comes to superannuation ...1 day ago
It's been a busy seven days as we start to rebuild New Zealand together. From delivering extra support for small businesses, to investing in our artists and arts organisations, to cutting red tape on home DIY projects, we're rolling out our plan to get the economy and New Zealand moving ...1 day ago
“Today and every day we stand in solidarity with George Floyd’s family, friends and community who feel pain and fear about his untimely death at the hands of Minneapolis police”, said Green Party Co-leader and Māori Development spokesperson Marama Davidson. ...2 days ago
Young people in Waikato will be the first to have free access to period products in schools in another step to support children and young people in poverty,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. During term 3, the Ministry of Education will begin providing free period products to schools following the ...6 hours ago
A new bill has forest owners fuming, but it could be the tip of the iceberg for them if NZ First are re-elected to Government ...27 mins ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Purnendra Jain, Adjunct Professor, Asian Studies, University of Adelaide Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will finally hold a virtual summit this week after efforts to meet in person were scuttled by the bushfires and coronavirus. The meeting ...2 hours ago
Children's Minister Tracey Martin says she was never officially asked to do anything about the Māori-led inquiry into Oranga Tamariki commissioned by Whanau Ora. ...3 hours ago
...5 hours ago
The mantra for economic and social change in the wake of Covid-19 is strong, but it is not yet clear whether it will amount to much ...6 hours ago
Dunedin writer Victor Billot on America's "President Cheezel". Go Big or Go Home Prezident Cheezel deletes lockdown, deletes the World Health Organization, deletes the memory of George Floyd, then hunkers in his hunker bunker, hunkers with freedom fries at midnight, a lights out party at the House of ...6 hours ago
Jacinda Ardern has unveiled details of the changes New Zealanders can expect when we move from level two to level one. What will it mean for businesses, hospitality and day-to-day life? Level one! At last, life is finally back to normal.Not so fast. We’re still in level two, and will be ...6 hours ago
Landlords have been given a break – well, a bit of a break – according to the latest bunch of Beehive pronouncements. Other announcements by the Beehive Bugle Brigade tell us: People wanting to train for employment– or retrain – will be given a helping hand. But funding “will ...9 hours ago
New statistics released by the New Zealand Police show Māori were disproportionately subject to police proceedings - including court proceedings and receiving warnings - during March and April, Marc Daalder reports As a debate heats up over racial bias in New Zealand policing, new statistics show that Māori were more ...11 hours ago
After dodging HNA's bullet from China thanks to an OIO block, ANZ finally sells UDC for $762m to Japan's BBB+-rated Shinsei Bank ...15 hours ago
A Government okay for foreign crews to come here to train is likely shortly, Auckland's Mayor says America's Cup teams' hopes of winning border exemptions to get their crews to Auckland to prepare for next summer's big event should be met soon - with applications under consideration by officials and ...15 hours ago
Can anything stave off 'highly undesirable' cuts to services and projects in Auckland caused by the economic crisis? Will Wellington step in? Tim Murphy reports. For the second time in a year, Auckland Council needs to find half a billion dollars in a hurry to meet its financial commitments. After ...15 hours ago
Sewage fungus, bad smells and insinuations of ignored good faith clauses swirl in a dairy processing wastewater consent application heard in Hamilton last week New Zealand’s second largest dairy processor wants to discharge wastewater into the polluted Waitoa River, including during summer when flows are low. Open Country Dairy’s application for ...16 hours ago
Bubbles, tails, embers, mountains: The PM's deft use of metaphors has helped guide us in the battle to eradicate Covid-19 New Zealand’s success at containing the coronavirus has benefitted from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s clear communication during her daily media briefings. One aspect of what made this effective was her ...16 hours ago
Medical scientist Anona Pak won't let coronavirus wipe out her chances of playing badminton at the Tokyo Olympics, and an innovative national league will keep her on her toes. Two years ago, Anona Pak was playing badminton purely for the love of the game. The thought of representing New Zealand at ...16 hours ago
Former Woman’s Weekly editor Jenny Lynch on the Bauer-exterminated magazine that may yet rise again. It was born in 1932 at the height of the Depression and laid to rest in 2020 the middle of a global pandemic. In the intervening years the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly became a national ...16 hours ago
Our Prime Minister is lauded overseas for her compassion, but her Cabinet is refusing to properly support tens of thousands of jobless migrants and beneficiaries struggling through the Covid-19 crisis, Bernard Hickey argues Over the last year since the March 15 attacks, our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has become a paragon of virtue for many ...16 hours ago
There's the law; then there's what's right. Our national carrier has been battered with complaints that it's hanging on to customer cash for flights it grounded. Jon Duffy's first week as head of Consumer New Zealand is a memorable one - the consumer watchdog was swamped with complaints from Air ...16 hours ago
CYPS, CYFS, “I’ve just taken over your case and can’t comment on what has happened before ”
I have seen both sides of state involvement in my family. A National Women’s social worker’s report to CYPS contained an error that lead to two years of intervention by an agency that I found had “powers the Gestapo would envy”. They could arrive unannounced anytime at home, work, in the street. Their intrusive accusatory actions made the first two years of my sons life Kafkaesque.
Some years later when our family was struggling CYFS as they had become turned up again. Dread turned to gratitude as a genuinely wonderful social worker made the system work for us.
Sitting down at a cafe I read the front page of the Herald. Then I read it again, but this time reading between the lines. No one deserves to be treated like that, and it doesn’t take a 1100 page report to do something about it.
“I have just been handed your case and can’t comment on what happened before ” is the real problem something needs to be done about
Latest TPP News
“U.S. Formally Tables ‘5+3’ Years Exclusivity Period For Biologics Drugs
ATLANTA — The United States has formally tabled here to other Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries a proposal that would require parties to grant five years of data exclusivity for biologics drugs and impose an additional three years of “post-market surveillance,” in the first official sign that it is willing to drop its 12-year market exclusivity demand.”
This is virtually the 8 years it has been vying for all along. Say NO, Tim!
“Amari Sees Glimmer Of Hope As Dairy Makes Progress; Obama Calls Turnbull
ATLANTA — Akira Amari, the Japanese minister for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), said late Thursday (Oct. 1) that negotiations continue to be extremely difficult but that he is beginning to see a glimmer of hope that a deal can get done here, as negotiators opted to extend the meeting at least through Saturday amid signs of progress on dairy market access.'”
http://insidetrade.com/ paywalled
“TPP means ‘ugly compromises’
He (Tim Groser) said it was clear there was a “massive push” to do the deal.
“It’s got the smell of a situation we occasionally see which is that on the hardest core issues, there are some ugly compromises out there.
“And when we say ugly, we mean ugly from each perspective – it doesn’t mean ‘I’ve got to swallow a dead rat and you’re swallowing foie gras.’ It means both of us are swallowing dead rats on three or four issues to get this deal across the line.”
“On the issue of Helen Clark’s comments about the TPP – she said it was unthinkable New Zealand wouldn’t be part of the deal – he said she had added a crucial rider – “provided the deal was good”.
Mr Groser said he did not take Labour or its leadership for granted on TPP.
“They haven’t got a position on TPP and I fully respect that and if I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t have a position either because I would say ‘I don’t know what the deal is.’ That is a perfectly rational position to take.”
Email Audrey
@audreyNZH
Audrey Young Audrey Young is the New Zealand Herald’s political editor.
TPP means ‘ugly compromises’
5:00 AM Saturday Oct 3, 2015
Save
Like on Facebook
35
Tweet on Twitter
7
Post on LinkedIn
0
+1 on Google+
1
Politics Trade
Tim Groser says the negotiations are going round the clock. Photo / NZME
Tim Groser says the negotiations are going round the clock. Photo / NZME
Trade Minister Tim Groser says countries deeply immersed in TPP negotiations understand that dairy has to be resolved to New Zealand’s satisfaction before a deal can be done.
“At least people understand that this has got to be done and they can’t just ignore our small country because we are small,” he told the Weekend Herald.
He also extended a goodwill gesture to Labour, saying he respected the fact it had not taken a position on TPP and that was “perfectly rational”.
Mr Groser was speaking from Atlanta where ministers of the 12 countries involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership have extended their meeting for another 24 hours.
He said he had spoken to Prime Minister John Key in New York several times over the past few hours.
And I’ve got highly confidential but very clear political guidelines from the Prime Minister about what I should be doing.
Tim Groser
▾ Advertising ▾
Close ad
Play
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration Time 0:15
Loaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00
00:00
Mute
He had a team of about 15 with him “working their proverbials off” around the clock and some of the key stakeholders such as the chairman of Fonterra, John Wilson and the chairman of Dairy Companies of New Zealand. He said it was an achievement to get dairy on the list of the final three issues that had to be dealt with because it was not there at the Maui ministerial meeting at the end of July.
“I felt under as intense pressure as I have ever felt in the last 30 years as a New Zealand negotiator because I felt completely and totally isolated,” he said. “Now everyone understands that New Zealand is not going to be pushed out of this negotiation and the issues that would push New Zealand out of this negotiation, which is dairy … this has got be solved in a way that New Zealand can live with.”
He said the negotiations were going around the clock and he was just about to try and get a couple of hours’ sleep until he was called for another session.
He said it was clear there was a “massive push” to do the deal.
“It’s got the smell of a situation we occasionally see which is that on the hardest core issues, there are some ugly compromises out there.
“And when we say ugly, we mean ugly from each perspective – it doesn’t mean ‘I’ve got to swallow a dead rat and you’re swallowing foie gras.’ It means both of us are swallowing dead rats on three or four issues to get this deal across the line.”
The outstanding issues are dairy, autos, and IP on pharmaceuticals, especially biologics – medicines made from organisms.
On the issue of Helen Clark’s comments about the TPP – she said it was unthinkable New Zealand wouldn’t be part of the deal – he said she had added a crucial rider – “provided the deal was good”.
And that was the same position the Government had.
“I think it has been extremely helpful in terms of uniting New Zealand that our former Prime Minister has said what she said.”
Mr Groser said he did not take Labour or its leadership for granted on TPP.
“They haven’t got a position on TPP and I fully respect that and if I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t have a position either because I would say ‘I don’t know what the deal is.’ That is a perfectly rational position to take.”
But as a point of general principle, what Helen Clark had said was the essential truth: “Provided we can deliver what makes sense from an overall New Zealand Inc perspective, it would be a nightmare for New Zealand to be excluded from it.”
If the deal is not done tomorrow, there will be one last chance, at Apec in the Philippines in November.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11522953
‘TPP on verge of breakthrough’
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11523161
As Gordon Campbell predicted.
A sad day for NZ people if this happens.
We won’t know whether it is a sad day, happy day or a meh day until the final deal is tabled.
We have been softened up for a shoddy deal that removes our sovereignty.
Sounds like you’re an apologist for the 0.001%.
🙄
Some education for those with rolling eyes.
Terrifying Paul. Of course if we were not signatories we could be crushed by the multinationals. Excluded from all and everything as retaliation for not being party to TPP. Rock and hard place?
So may people are unaware of this.
Please pass on to everyone you know.
Paul
If you look to the right of the screen (I make it about level with comment 3, but that may change), you will see that very graphic that you’ve posted (just above the accumulated Atmospheric CO2 graphic). The people who regularly visit this site are not the ones who may be unaware of this.
I get that you’re passionate about this, and it is a daunting problem requiring urgent action. But you are coming off as a bit too eager, which may be counterproductive.
Hmm graphic seems to have changed (was the accumulated energy one). Can’t edit now, so disregard previous comment. Though I still contend that discussing is better than proclaiming is a better way to get your point across.
How is encouraging people to pass on message about TPP too eager? By that definition, Jane Kelsey is too eager by far!
The Labour Party is equivocal about the TPP and is not communicating its dangers enough to the people of NZ.
Still a neoliberal party, sadly.
@ ianmac
The difference is, signing the deal will give multinationals the international legal authority, thus strengthening their ability too.
“Of course if we were not signatories we could be crushed by the multinationals. Excluded from all and everything as retaliation for not being party to TPP. Rock and hard place?”
Ianmac, can you please give some examples of why this would be a problem?
Latest TPP News
Froman, Robb Meet On IP Ahead Of CN Meeting, Ministerial Plenary
ATLANTA — U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Australian Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb on Friday afternoon (Oct. 2) were holding a bilateral meeting to discuss the controversial issue of the exclusivity term for biologics drugs, in what could be a pivotal moment for whether a broader Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal comes together here.
Levin Says ‘May 10’ Applies To Biologics, Signals Opposition To ‘5+3’
ATLANTA — House Ways & Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) on Friday (Oct. 2) strongly signaled that he opposes the new U.S. proposal for an eight-year market exclusivity term for biologics drugs in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) because it goes beyond the so-called “May 10” agreement that he negotiated with the George W. Bush administration.
http://insidetrade.com/
Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich) is Ranking Member of the Committee on Ways and Means, which has sole jurisdiction over trade policy in the House.
On previous form its a shitty deal, and we won’t know how shitty for a while.
But north shore doc is too much of a sleepy hobbit to care.
As long as we get a panda.
Or change the flag.
Who cares about sovereignty!
I don’t think nsd is a sleep hobbit. I think he is aware of the issues but don’t think they are a concern. He’s not ignorant, he’s just comfortable with the globalisation agenda.
I’ve been fairly open about my position on the TPPA.
Succinctly I believe we should only enter an agreement if it offers good access for our key horticultural/agricultural exports into North America and Japan, I’m doubtful that it will hence i wouldn’t be in a hurry to sign up.
I’ve also read a lot of pap on the internet regarding loss of sovereignty and immediate privatisation of everything from healthcare through to water which is frankly drivel.
What do you think about Jane Kelsey’s work on this?
I think Jane’s done some sterling work but see comes from a different ideological perspective on trade than myself.
that’s pretty much what I meant above.
I’ve also read a lot of pap on the internet regarding loss of sovereignty and immediate privatisation of everything from healthcare through to water which is frankly drivel
Claiming to know it is drivel is an ironic position ?
Hardly.
Some of the comments have been ridiculous, such as suggesting we are going to no longer have a predominantly publicly funded healthcare or education system or that PHARMAC would cease to exist under an agreement that a NZ government would enter into are absurd.
northshoredoc:
Time you woke up to the fact that this is not a free trade deal that we are being asked to sign up to. Its a “rolling out of the red carpet” for offshore corporates to come in and wreck the country, its sovereignty and its economy for their own benefit.
This is not rocket science. Read the literature that is available, including the copious ‘writings on the wall(s)”.
🙄 instead of writing silly bombast Murray why don’t you offer concrete examples of how that will occur
ISDS provisions that remove a Government’s ability to legislate for the National interest with any provisions which conflict with foreign private corporate interest.
For example, re Nationalising banks, rail or power will be forever impossible. Pretty scary when you look at what corporations are doing in the US, over similar provisions between States.
Even our current support for Dairy would be considered outside the treaty provisions.
“for example, re Nationalising banks, rail or power will be forever impossible.”
Excellent.
Hope you like paying the power bills, when they are all owned by one US utilities corporation..
How much of a rise since Bradford, again.
The reality disconnect on the right wing is now almost total.
Fucklands is master of his own destiny, so no misfortune will ever befall him.
A conceit common amongst tories.
re Nationalising banks, rail or power will be forever impossible..
Rubbish – and S Rylands can choke on it – you just have to decide whether to compensate for losses or withdraw from the TPPA.
Actually re-nationalising things would be the least impacted by the new rules. Labour re-nationalised kiwirail by buying it – and apparently paying way too much in the process. Corporates would be fine with the asset being bought fair and square for more than it’s market value.
Worth reading, dated 2 Oct 2015 from Stiglitz and Hersh
“For starters, consider what the agreement would do to expand intellectual property rights for big pharmaceutical companies, as we learned from leaked versions of the negotiating text. Economic research clearly shows the argument that such intellectual property rights promote research to be weak at best. In fact, there is evidence to the contrary: When the Supreme Court invalidated Myriad’s patent on the BRCA gene, it led to a burst of innovation that resulted in better tests at lower costs. Indeed, provisions in the TPP would restrain open competition and raise prices for consumers in the US and around the world – anathema to free trade.”
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/trans-pacific-partnership-charade-by-joseph-e–stiglitz-and-adam-s–hersh-2015-10#KuP0YYzqc5LgOZ7M.01
TTP is anti free trade in crucial areas.
That’s been obvious for awhile. In fact, patents are actually there to prevent competition and thus they must decrease innovation. And when you look at these types of results we can see that cooperation would lead to even more innovation but it would prevent a few people becoming rich. Of course, it’s not the people doing the innovation that are becoming rich but the shareholders in the corporations.
“We won’t know whether it is a sad day, happy day or a meh day until the final deal is tabled.”
That this kind of trade deal can be done in secret without telling the people makes it a sad day irrespective of what the final deal is.
Exactly.
If the deal is so important that it is “unthinkable” that New Zealand should not be in it then it should also be “unthinkable” that the people should be left completely uninformed about it. In a democracy highly important matters are supposedly decided by an informed citizenry.
Or are we not a democracy but simply a state ruled by a paternalistic elite who are so sure that they know what is best for us – and are so scared of our ‘ignorance’ – that they ensure we, ‘the people’, play no part in forming our social and economic destiny?
All elites through history have shown, by their egregious behaviour if not by their oh-so-patronising utterances, that they disdain the capacities of ‘the masses’ to rule themselves.
It is no different now.
+1
The actions of the governments over the TPPA are the actions of dictators.
While I never liked Clark she has this dead right. We elect governments to negotiate ongoing development of free trade. The FTAs were her great achievement. The idea that you could do this publicly is absurd.
Hopefully the TPPA is the dawn of a new era of globalisation.
The idea that you could do this publicly is absurd.
Translation: add integrative negotiation to the list of things of which S Rylands is utterly ignorant.
‘Publically’ and total secrecy are two ends of a long continuum. There has been no official information provided over these negotiations – apart from vacuous comments about how ‘well’ it was going.
Groser can practically smell that knighthood now.
lets hope the sword slips
To be fair, knighthoods and damehoods are generally pretty smelly things – probably ‘whiffable’ from quite some distance.
There are, of course, exceptions to that rule in order to keep the general practice acceptable in the public mind (e.g., Sir Ed Hillary, etc.).
Hillary’s knighthoods, both of them, were of course awarded by the Brits, and had nothing at all to do with New Zealand.
That will probably make them more palatable to Anglophiles such as the commenters on this blog.
Interesting facts about Hillary’s knighthoods though I’m not sure what relevance they have for the point I was making.
@ Tautoko Mangō Mata re-…”On the issue of Helen Clark’s comments about the TPP”…
Helen Clark misrepresented !
‘BREAKING: Helen Clark misrepresented on TPPA & why Groser is now sucking up to Labour’
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/10/03/breaking-helen-clark-misrepresented-on-tppa-why-groser-is-now-sucking-up-to-labour/
( why doesn’t this surprise me ?!…the jonkley nacts are desperate creeps)
Labour had better NOT compromise with them!
Chooky
When I saw the byline; Claire Trevett in New York, I suspected something similar in the line of selective quotation. Good to have that confirmed.
Labour would be fools to compromise with the TPPA. Clear resistance to this is a major point of policy difference with NAct.
I think that Audrey Young was trying to address that misrepresentation in her article I linked to above when she wrote :
“On the issue of Helen Clark’s comments about the TPP – she said it was unthinkable New Zealand wouldn’t be part of the deal – he said she had added a crucial rider – “provided the deal was good”.
Australia’s Trade Minister, Andrew Robb says “I came to lower protection so I get frustrated if we are talking about increasing protection in the case of biologics or see no reduction in other areas,” Mr Robb told the newspaper in Atlanta. “Something has to give.”
This is NOT a FREE TRADE Agreement.
I too want to see Labour NOT compromising. TPPA No Way is my bottom line while ISDS included.
I think that posturing politicians from countries dealing with TPPA feel that their personal stature and manhood is on the line. Are they up to this tough bargaining or are they wooses? What they are bargaining away doesn’t matter it is the winning a point that gives them a buzz.
That sort of attitude is no doubt behind Oz Trade Minister Andrew Robb. Thinking of infamous Rolf Harris, his song about the man supported on three points comes to mind. Nickname for Robb – ‘Jake the Peg, with a wooden leg’?
When Groser utters “ugly compromises” he really means “ugly sacrifices”; the choice of words is, as always, very important and one needs to pay special attention to the spin that comes from our Government and that is so helpfully (!) spread through and by our MSM as we all know all too well.
Groser has also been quoted saying “… it would be a nightmare for New Zealand to be excluded from it.” This emotive and scaremongering statement offers no relevant information whatsoever either.
As with any (important) decision one needs to look at all aspects and examine the consequences of going ahead as well as of not going ahead – not making a decision is still making a decision. The fact that this either involves “ugly compromises” – that are unnamed – or “a nightmare for New Zealand” – also unspecified – should raise alarm bells with any rational person.
Please note the focus – the focus of the MSM and therefore our focus – has been directed and drawn to the issues dairy, autos, and IP on pharmaceuticals. No word on all the other areas that are possibly even more far-reaching so we have to assume that these ‘dead rats’ have already been stuffed down our throats well and truly.
BTW, IMO the ‘average Kiwi’ has very little understanding of and thus very little interest in IP on biologics and other ‘technicalities’ that are covered in the putative TPPA.
This comment is already getting too long but I’d like to mention a nice recent article in the Washington Post Why do drug companies charge so much? Because they can.
Well there has been another massacre by another lone gunman in the USA.
I’m sorry but but this type of event is no longer news for me: it’s a incredibly sad commentary. The news would be if something, other than further relaxing gun laws, was done.
The other side of the story:
Mideast alliances
https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/317348-is-syria-russia-us/
“Russia has made good on its commitment to start fighting Islamic State in Syria from the air. Russia is also establishing a coalition to protect the legal government in Damascus. This has caused an uproar in Washington. Can the Kremlin and the White House fight terrorists in tandem? CrossTalking with Patrick Henningsen, James Carafano, and Marwa Osman.”
And why no mention of Saudi’s crimes in Yemen, Mr Key?
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/02/us-yemen-rights-idUSKCN0RW1ES20151002
Of the over 500 candidates at the last election, maybe only 5 would have spoken about the impossibility of kiwi Saver surviving more than a few more years.
Politicians are a byproduct of an ignorant dumb down populace, we get what we deserve.
And 3 replies with no link yet ?
[Moved here for being way off topic.] – Bill
OPEN LETTER TO JOSIE PAGANI
Saturday 3 October 2015
Dear Josie Pagani,
Two and a half weeks ago on this forum, I asked you to answer two questions:
1.) In the light of your support for the destruction of Afghanistan, do you support the invasion of the United States and Great Britain, the bombing and obliteration of British and American schools, hospitals, power stations and churches, and the killing of hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of American and British civilians?
2.) Can you explain your statement that Hezbollah and Hamas are anti-Semitic?
Could you please answer them?
Can you explain your statement that Hezbollah and Hamas are anti-Semitic?
Will mainstream ever allow open discussion about Semitic people and their origins ?
That ‘antisemitism’ became terminology which could perversely be levered against those who have Semitic DNA, is testament to the level of control held over communication, language and its primary forms
+1
“That ‘antisemitism’ became terminology”….
It didn’t become terminology. It became a definition which has nothing to do with DNA. In its simplest form Antisemitism means hatred of Jews. It doesn’t mean hatred of Semites.
It’s perhaps an unfortunate use of a word but that’s not exactly uncommon, a great many legal definitions don’t match the description of the word(s) used either.
It’s perhaps an unfortunate use of a word but that’s not exactly uncommon, a great many legal definitions don’t match the description of the word(s) used either
Legal ‘definitions’, are deliberate
The Chris Brown hypocrisy
We gave Bill Clinton a state reception and lionized him. Next to Clinton, Chris Brown is Albert Schweitzer.
Kim Hill laughed that comment off on Saturday this morning.
I sent her this
—–Original Message—–
From: Robert [mailto:p………………….
Sent: Saturday, 3 October 2015 11:14 a.m.
To: Saturday
Subject: Bill Clinton
Come on Kim you know Clinton oversaw the death of 500,000 Iraqi children, not to mention Waco ??
But don’t tell the truth.
Robert Atack
Thanks, Robert! You’re a champion.
More TPPA new- from Canada
“NDP government would not adhere to a TPP deal, Mulcair says in letter”
NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair is serving notice that a New Democratic Party government would not consider itself bound by the terms of a major Pacific Rim trade deal which the ruling Conservatives are negotiating right now in Atlanta.
He says the Conservative government has no mandate to agree to the big changes that a Trans-Pacific Partnership deal would bring about.
The NDP Leader’s announcement is well timed in that it comes as a TPP deal appears increasingly likely to be reached shortly by the 12 Pacific Rim countries including Canada which are gathered in Atlanta.
The bombshell declaration on Friday promises to make the massive trade agreement a bigger factor in Canada’s 42nd federal election, which is two and a half weeks away. It comes as polls suggest the NDP has dropped to third place in the national race.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ndp-government-would-not-adhere-to-a-tpp-deal-mulcair-says-in-letter/article26631467/
That is the news of the year Tautoko. Thanks for putting up – everybody should note.
Interesting that the only people who want the TPP are those in power.
Where we are, and where we are heading, using all the modern day apps and the internet, via smart phone, tablets, laptops or whatever. This ‘News Hour Extra’ program offered by the BBC World Service (from yesterday) offers some insight.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p033l4k6#play
I am very concerned how so many blindly trust the technology we almost all use daily now, the future looks more Orwellian than I ever dreaded to think before.
Indigenous woman speaks truth to sociopaths and refuses them entry onto ancestral lands to frack. Sociopath speaks with forked tongue.
“I’m not protesting, I’m not demonstrating, I’m occupying our homelands”
“Meaningful consultation and consent is when you’ve sat down and got our permission and you’ve never done that”.
“You’re pushing, pushing for all that money, but you’re not going to be able to eat that money. You have all that money in your bank account and you’re destroying the planet”
Auckland property is not driven by overseas buyers,
Yet “Chinese property investors are rapidly disappearing from the auction room, says the boss of Auckland’s biggest real estate agency”
And “Thompson did not believe the drop off was related to the Labour-sparked row over foreign ownership and predicted Chinese investors would return to the market within the next couple of months.”
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11519706
id this the same man who only a few months was quoted as saying
Barfoot & Thompson chief Peter Thompson acknowledged that there were many Chinese buyers but disagreed with Labour’s analysis.
“We know there’s been a large portion of Asians buying property but there’s no way to tell if they’re one of three categories: NZ born, foreign-born NZ citizens or foreign-born foreign citizens. If you asked me about Asian non-residents, I’d probably say between 5 and 8 per cent.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11478719
Funny how in just over 2 months mr Thompson can now say that the lack of these buyers IS now affecting the market 😜
Who is the more violent and despicable character: Bill Clinton or Chris Brown?
It’s a no-brainer, of course, but for some reason Kim Hill seems confused.
Radio NZ National, Saturday 3 October 2015
During her interview this morning with the chattery writer and “theatre-maker” Stella Duffy, Kim Hill brought up the vexed question of our brave and principled government’s refusal to let Chris Brown into New Zealand. Both of them seemed to think this little exercise in highly selective morality was acceptable. I sent Kim the following email….
The Chris Brown hypocrisy
Dear Kim,
We gave Bill Clinton a state reception and lionized him. Next to Clinton, Chris Brown is Albert Schweitzer.
Yours sincerely,
Morrissey Breen
Northcote Point
After the 11 o’clock news, Kim Hill read out my email and then replied on air: “D’ya think, Morrissey? When did Bill Clinton whack a woman, or anybody else?”
As she spoke, her voice took on a hard-edged and imperious tone, to underline how irritated she was at my impugning of the reputation of the saintly former president.
I replied thusly….
Dear Kim,
While Clinton’s predatory behaviour toward women is notorious and well documented, he has not to my knowledge ever “whacked” a woman. So, in that respect, he has the advantage over Chris Brown.
However, Chris Brown was not involved in the bombing of pharmaceutical plants and television stations; neither did he preside over a “sanctions” regime that led to the deaths of more than half a million Iraqi children.
And Chris Brown did not write in apparent high seriousness that unarmed Palestinian protestors executed by the IDF were “killed in crossfire”.
So, yes, Chris Brown hit at least one woman, and his rap lyrics are despicable, but there is simply no comparison between him and a major criminal like Bill Clinton.
Yours sincerely,
Morrissey Breen
Northcote Point
Good point.
There was a certain tone of derision in Kim’s voice.
Think she didn’t realise the crimes Clinton committed.
He’s the equivalent of Tony Balir in the UK.
—–Original Message—–
From: Robert [mailto:pet
Sent: Saturday, 3 October 2015 11:14 a.m.
To: Saturday
Subject: Bill Clinton
Come on Kim you now Clinton oversaw the death of 500,000 Iraqi children, not to mention Waco ??
But don’t tell the truth.
Robert Atack
Think she didn’t realise the crimes Clinton committed.
She knows perfectly well, actually.
It seems to be part and parcel of the framing – national ‘leaders’ crimes just aren’t remarked upon no matter how much damage has been done.
Latest TPP News
TPP Countries Set Deadlines For Final Tariff, NCM Offers; Plenary Pushed Back
ATLANTA — Amid an intense push to complete the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), negotiators have set deadlines for final offers on tariffs and non-conforming measures of 4 a.m. and 10 a.m., respectively, on Saturday (Oct. 3), according to informed sources.
http://insidetrade.com/ paywalled
@ Morrisey – lets not also forget the thousands of women financially brutalised by Bill Clinton’s welfare reforms…
Peters hits back at Helen Clark’s TPP comment
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11522701
5am tomorrow. The first day of the rest of our lives. When we will be financially crippled by the high prices TPP will bring.
Which high prices are these ?
I think Millsy is referring to the the fact that should the exclusivity term for biological drugs be increased in the TPPA, then the resultant increased medical costs over the years will put a big strain on our health budget. Here is an excerpt from
http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/health360/posts/2015/05/19-trans-pacific-partnership-prescription-drugs
“How would the TPP affect data exclusivity?”
“For the 11 countries besides the U.S. that are involved in the TPP, current data exclusivity protections range from zero (Brunei) to eight years (Japan). Under the Obama Administration’s current proposal, participating countries would increase those periods to match the US standard of 12 years.
Curiously, this proposal directly contradicts the administration’s ongoing domestic efforts to lower the period of data exclusivity. Since the ACA passed, the Obama administration has repeatedly proposed reducing it to seven, arguing that this would save Medicare $4.4 billion over the next decade. Some have noted that, once the 12-year period is enshrined in the TPP, it will become significantly more difficult to change it through the US legislative process.
Furthermore, imposing US standards on the 11 member countries would inevitably restrict competition at the global level, and many patient advocacy and international humanitarian organizations have argued that doing so would undermine the efforts of US global health initiatives like the Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which rely on price competition to manage program costs.”
The latest publicised offer was 5+3 = 8 years (reduced from the 12 in the article.
Sigh, this has been discussed on this blog a number of times now.
Firstly the biological drugs make up a small percentage of the medicines that are used, secondly the biological medicines that are currently funded by PHARMAC are contracted and the prices will not change, thirdly whether the eight years of data exclusivity will impact on the patents, thirdly funding or availability of any of the new medicines that haven’t yet got to NZ is open to debate, but on PHARMAC’s previous success rate in getting these medicines at a very good deal even when under patent I’m not overly concerned.
Again, I believe the biggest issue will be access for our agricultural/horticultural products into North America and Japan which I would be amazed if there’s anything worthwhile.
@northshoredoc I have been under the impression that biological drugs would be used increasingly in the future but I am prepared to be proven wrong. I agree with your view on the minimal access improvements however.
The most commonly used biologic is GE insulin, followed by the TNFs and certain cancer meds we have excellent access to insulin at present and to TNFs both at very competitive prices despite in the case of TNFs still being under patent.
Access to cancer biologics could be better but the current prices preclude them being easily available.
“I believe”
We’re trying to deal with facts, not your blind faith.
😆
Right and/or wrong, NSD’s opinion is clearly based on facts.
Read the links provided
“5am tomorrow. The first day of the rest of our lives. When we will be financially crippled by the high prices TPP will bring.”
Chicken little you really should give up the magic mushrooms.
You need to talk to the doc.
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/trans-pacific-partnership-charade-by-joseph-e–stiglitz-and-adam-s–hersh-2015-10#KuP0YYzqc5LgOZ7M.01
Given the veil of secrecy surrounding the TPP negotiations, it is not clear whether tobacco will be excluded from some aspects of ISDS. Either way, the broader issue remains: Such provisions make it hard for governments to conduct their basic functions – protecting their citizens’ health and safety, ensuring economic stability, and safeguarding the environment.
Imagine what would have happened if these provisions had been in place when the lethal effects of asbestos were discovered. Rather than shutting down manufacturers and forcing them to compensate those who had been harmed, under ISDS, governments would have had to pay the manufacturers not to kill their citizens. Taxpayers would have been hit twice – first to pay for the health damage caused by asbestos, and then to compensate manufacturers for their lost profits when the government stepped in to regulate a dangerous product.
It should surprise no one that America’s international agreements produce managed rather than free trade. That is what happens when the policymaking process is closed to non-business stakeholders – not to mention the people’s elected representatives in Congress.
An interesting aside – there has been talk and action taken to exclude high sugar drinks from being sold in hospitals around the country, and perhaps in taxing these drinks, like tobacco, to make them less palatable to the general public. Under the ISDS provisions of TPPA, who’d put money against the idea of Cocoa Cola or Pepsi taking our government to an overseas judicial process to – a) get any legislation reversed or b) to claim compensation for restraint of trade?
Your scenario is hypothetical. The New Zealand Government has ruled out such a tax. But that aside, it is no bad thing to have an international judiciary enforcing free trade. You should applaud it.
The tax on tobacco in New Zealand simply hurts the poor, including the children of the poor. Uneducated people smoke more. They also have lower incomes. When I see fat people and their fat kids at the supermarket buying 12 litres of coke, they don’t look too bright or wealthy. Why penalise them more by taxing them?
…judiciary…
Is that what you’ve convinced yourself it is? Or are you aware of the differences between ISDS and a justice system and lying anyway?
Why penalise them more by taxing them?
On the one hand S Rylands loves market signals, and on the other, S Rylands hates market signals.
It’s almost as though S Rylands has a career inventing glib gibberish or something.
You can’t enforce free-trade – if you did then it wouldn’t be free-trade.
And it’s not a judiciary – it’s a very small clique of corporate lawyers getting paid to screw over entire countries.
Latest TPP News
Guajardo Hopeful Of Deal After Australia, U.S. Report IP Progress At Plenary
ATLANTA – Mexican Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal here on Friday evening (Oct. 2) expressed hope that a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal can be reached by Saturday, but said the United States and Australia were still working to overcome the key hurdle of the monopoly period for biologic drugs.
NDP Leader Says Harper TPP Deal Not Binding On New Government
Tom Mulcair, the leader of Canada’s New Democrat Party (NDP), on Friday (Oct. 2) warned that any new government he may form if he wins the Oct. 19 federal election will not consider itself bound by a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal that that current Prime Minister Stephen Harper may strike before then.
http://insidetrade.com/
Thanks very much for the ongoing updates. The situation is very much worrying me but have a lot of other things to do at present which prevent me from researching myself. So, really appreciate your comments here with useful links.
Is there anybody out there who can help me – we don’t have a Sky subscription and are missing some of the key games of the RWC – we did manage to get BBC Wales on the internet the other day and listened to a wonderful live radio commentary on the Wales/England game and are now trying to find a TV/radio station in the UK who may give a radio commentary live on the England/Australia game tomorrow – so far we are having no luck cruising through the UK TV/Radio stations – is there a geek out there who can help us – my partner is pretty good at finding stuff on the net – I think NZ are mean as hell not putting on free to air TV or even radio for that matter, games which are crucial or just going to be down to the wire games in the competition for folk who, for reasons of their own, don’t want the crap Sky puts on and hate the way they deny us the fun of seeing some of the more important games. Not everybody wants to go to a pub and try to watch the game through the noise etc.
As an aside the AB’s are looking sluggish and flat – and, other than Argentina haven’t even had a real top side to slug it out with – fun and games ahead.
download hola from http://www.hola.org
open hola, click on the itv icon which takes you to http://www.itv.co.uk – watch every game live.
Thanks Nadis – just logged on – 25 minutes to go for the England/Australia game – my partner and I will endeavour to to download hola – I knew there would be somewhere out there in the ether who would come to our assistance. Enjoy the game.
Back again Nadis – thanks so much, mission accomplished, the geek in my household got us on line and the two of us sat back and watched the game – the English coach looked sick as a dog at the end, can’t help but feel sorry for the team – with the Australian kicker I think Dan Carter might not feel so good either – Foley I think his name was – my can he kick goals. I knew somebody out there would help us!!! Enjoy the rest of the tournament – I know we will.
Hmmmmm could be all over for the AB’s tho
http://eveningharold.com/2015/09/30/typing-error-means-all-blacks-will-perform-pre-game-haiku/
However:
I am an All-Black,
That much is self-evident,
What is a haiku?
I think you know 🙂
Professor Dame Sally Davies has a plan…..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3258092/Put-fat-tax-flying-Britain-s-doctor-provokes-fury-outrageous-plan-make-obese-pay-plane-tickets.html
Please…..the Daily Mail is not a reliable source.
It is hate speech.
Professor Dame Sally Davies has a prejudice (and a professionally ignorant one at that).
fify.
Samoa Air are already selling tickets based on the combined weight of the passenger and their luggage. Sounds fair to me.
I’m sure it does. But I’m also fairly sure that you don’t understand the various complexities that lead to some people being larger than others, and that your sense of fairness is also based on prejudice (how is it fair for a smaller boned, short person to pay less for travel than a larger boned, tall person?).
While it might be “fair” that someone who requires more av-gas to transport them pays more, I expect the extra effort required to implement such a Naki-system would be uber-stupid.
That system is done for every trademe parcel sent through the post. Honestly, its not that much effort.
Yes, because passengers are exactly the same as parcels.
🙄
“That system is done for every trademe parcel sent through the post. Honestly, its not that much effort.”
Except that NZPost changed their system a few years ago to volumetric so now it’s laborious and complicated. Plus, isn’t it NZPost that’s bleeding profit because it does stupid shit like this? Not a good example.
“(how is it fair for a smaller boned, short person to pay less for travel than a larger boned, tall person?).”
It costs the airline more in fuel to carry bigger people.
So it is fair that they pay more for their flight
stock units.
Yes, it’s “fair”, and uber-stupid. Anyone with half a brain would think to themselves about how the booking system would work and how the check-in procedure would have to change, and conclude that only a right wing nut job could be responsible for such stupidity.
It is rational. How childish to refer to anyone as a “nut job”!
It’s a signal from the market: right wing policy shills make terrible economic decisions, and you can make a buck concealing their incompetence, S Rylands.
A couple of twitter feeds from Atlanta TPP talks for anyone interested.
1. Burcu Kilic@burcuno
Patent geek, digital rights advocate, IP scholar, lawyer, globetrotter and wannabe photographer; Public Citizen’s Global Access to Medicines Program
https://twitter.com/burcuno?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
2. A trade Reporter, Doug Palmer- has photos of the meetings
https://twitter.com/tradereporter?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Doug Palmer (@tradereporter0
From newstalk zb
“Recent comments made by Trade Minister Tim Groser have concerned the Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Ian Powell.
“Well when Tim Groser as trade minister began talking about having to swallow a dead rat and knowing that medicines is still one of the big contentious issues still outstanding in the trade negotiations, we became extremely alarmed.”
He says leaked documents show the Government hasn’t done enough to protect the cost of our medicines.”
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/medical-specialists-extremely-concerned-about-tpp-risk-to-health-system/
Shameless State Department propaganda masquerading as news;
Poor old Simon Shepherd doesn’t even bat an eyelid as he reads the tripe he’s handed.
TV3 News, Saturday 3 October 2015
They try to maintain those poker faces, but occasionally television news readers will register their discomfort at having to read out some offensive or ludicrous item. Last year, at the height of the Gaza massacre, Peter Williams grimaced and looked unhappy after reading out a piece of low propaganda that might have been written by someone at the Israeli consulate. At other times, Simon Dallow, Hillary Barry, Wendy Petrie and even Susan Wood have frowned, averted their eyes or paused meaningfully to indicate what they think of their scripts. I’ve even seen newsreaders from that cartoonishly bad Murdoch outlet Fox News blanch at some of the crap they’re expected to read.
However, I have never seen any such redeeming signs of conscience from TV3’s owlish, ineffably pompous Simon Shepherd. He doesn’t seem to have a skeptical bone in his body. Nothing fazes him, apparently—not even the preposterous State Department talking points (i.e., lies) he was handed to read out this evening.
At 6:20 p.m. Shepherd furrowed his brow, narrowed his eyes, pursed his lips and attempted to look REALLY serious….
SIMON SHEPHERD: [speaking in an ominous tone, summoning up all the gravitas he can manage] President Putin says he’s bombing ISIL targets but, as ITV’s Jack Fisher reports, NOBODY believes him….
It turns out that “ITV’s Jack Fisher” is trying even harder than Simon Shepherd to show how serious he is—unfortunately for his viewers, however, he’s not serious about being a journalist.
What Fisher is serious about is parroting the official talking points of the Obama regime. He speaks gravely of “President Obama’s DAMNING assessment of Russia’s actions”, before cutting to a ludicrously brief edited comment from Dr. Domitilla Sagramoso of Kings College London. The purpose of showing Dr Sagramoso has nothing to do with analysis; rather, it is to provide at least the appearance of authority to what even the hapless slaves at ITV will know perfectly well is nothing more than a crude piece of propaganda. After Dr Sagramoso’s eight seconds of input, it’s back to Jack Fisher for the almost comically ironic peroration, once again in that faux sérieux style…
JACK FISHER, ITV: [sombrely, to convey how serious he is] People will remember Russia’s protracted wars in Chechnya and Afghanistan and wonder: WHERE will it all end?”
Then it’s back to Simon Shepherd, still trying to look as though he’s serious.
….ad nauseam….
TPPA update! Seen this?
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
Source: Professor Jane Kelsey.
Professor Jane Kelsey.
‘We are told they may be close to reaching a final deal on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in Atlanta, and longer monopolies for Big Pharma over biologic medicines is the final sticking point’, according to Professor Jane Kelsey, who is in touch with people on the ground in Atlanta.
The US is insisting on eight years total monopoly protection. Several countries are holding firm. But there are real fears New Zealand could cave.
Trade Minister Tim Groser.
Trade Minister Groser is quoted in this morning’s Herald as saying every country will have to swallow multiple dead rats to finalise the deal in an ‘ugly compromise’.
‘In New Zealand’s case, the dead rat seems to be a dairy for medicines deal’, said Professor Kelsey. ‘If this happens, we can expect the Minister to hail the “net benefits” of the TPPA to New Zealand, playing up supposed gains to dairy exports that remain to be seen, and playing down New Zealand’s agreement to longer monopoly protection for biologics.’
‘But the stark reality is that any such deal to close the TPPA would cost New Zealander’s lives.’
Health economists calculate that every added year of protection for biologics would cost New Zealand many tens of millions of dollars in current spending, and much more in the future as more biologics come on stream.
‘Future New Zealand governments would have to stump up hundreds of millions of dollars more to Pharmac.
Yet this year the National government refused to fund even the modest budget increase Pharmac sought to meet rising costs.’
‘Cancer sufferers in Atlanta described the biologics provision as a “death sentence clause”.
Do Prime Minister Key and Minister Groser want that recorded as their legacy?’
– See more at: http://foreignaffairs.co.nz/2015/10/03/jane-kelsey-grosers-ugly-compromise-in-tppa-could-cost-new-zealanders-lives/#.dpuf
Hmmm,…LOL
4 October 2015 – FYI
Please be advised that the following correspondence has just been emailed (together with scanned copies of signed petition sheets) to PM John Key:
________________________________________________________________________________
3 October 2015
URGENT! Attention NZ Prime Minister John Key!
Scanned petition forms re: TPPA
Prime Minister
John Key
Please be advised that attached are nearly 300 signatures of people who have signed the following petition:
“To Prime Minister John Key
MP for Helensville
We, the undersigned:
Are deeply concerned that as a key advocate for the ‘Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), you are a shareholder in the Bank of America, as detailed in the 2015 MPs Register of Financial Interests
(Pg 29)
( http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/mpp/mps/fin-interests/00CLOOCMPPFinInterests20151/register-of-pecuniary-and-other-specified-interests-of )
“Rt Hon John Key (National, Helensville)
2 Other companies and business entities
……………………………………………………….
Bank of America – banking”
We see this as a serious ‘conflict of interest’, given that big banks like the Bank of America, stand to benefit, and profit from this pro-corporate TPPA.
If this National Government, which you lead, does not ‘walk away’ from the secretive, undemocratic, ‘Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement’ (TPPA), then we pledge to campaign vigorously amongst our friends, families, neighbours and workmates, for the voting public to ‘walk away’ from National.”
______________________________________________________________
Please be advised that this is just the start.
Increasing numbers of the voting public are becoming aware of your shareholding in the Bank of America, and are wondering just whose ‘national interest’ are you serving?
The ‘national (public) interest’ of New Zealand, or the ‘national (corporate) interest’ of the United States of America?
If the Bank of America benefits from the TPPA – then how will this not serve your personal self-interest. as a shareholder in the Bank of America?
Yours sincerely,
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’
Member Auckland TPPA ‘Call to action’
(ENDS)
______________________________________________________________
………
PS: Here is a new, VERY revealing clip from Wikileaks:
WikiLeaks – The US strategy to create a new global legal and economic system: TPP, TTIP, TISA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw7P0RGZQxQ
TPP update
Burcu Kilic @burcuno 13m13 minutes ago
Biologics is now the only potential deal-breaker, #TPP Ministerial may be extended again. Stay strong Australia, Chile, Peru & Malaysia!
Great summary of US-Australia fight over biologics
http://www.afr.com/news/economy/trade/australia-and-us-battle-over-ip-rights-for-top-selling-drugs-20151002-gjzol2?stb=twt
Latest TPP News
TPP Ministerial May Be Extended Again As U.S., Australia Still At Odds On Biologics
ATLANTA – Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries are on the verge of extending the ministerial meeting here at least into Saturday evening (Oct. 3), after the United States and Australia overnight were unable to reach a deal on the monopoly protection period for biologics drugs, according to informed sources.
http://insidetrade.com/
Also US generic drugmakers body urges USTR to adhere to spirit of TPP accord signed in May
The GPhA says it shares the health cost concerns of the current administration and strongly agrees in principle with proposed exclusivity reductions – extending monopolies on biologic medicines is simply not sustainable.
http://www.thepharmaletter.com/article/us-generic-drugmakers-body-urges-ustr-to-adhere-to-spirit-of-tpp-agreement-signed-in-may
https://twitter.com/simenon for constant update on TPP battle (in Spanish)
An absolute must read about biologics and the TPP. Why has Tim Groser folded on this fight? You need to read the whole article because it is excellent. It is outrageous that US are pushing this extension. Greed!
Is TPP the Most Progressive Trade Agreement in History? Not If You Need Access to Affordable Medicines
The May 10th Agreement struck the right balance between the need to promote innovation and the need to protect public health. TPP must meet the standards set in the May 10th Agreement. Right now it does not. It should not be loaded up with new anticompetitive provisions when governments struggle to manage health care costs.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-sander-/is-tpp-the-most-progressive-trade-agreement-in-history-_b_7461734.html
Richard Madan @RichardMadan 8m8 minutes ago
The 12 trade ministers just agreed to stay longer in Atlanta if required; unlikely #TPP deal will be signed today at this point #cdnpoli
Any word on dairy access?
Only this
chard Madan @RichardMadan 22h22 hours ago
Trade Min @HonEdFast: Canada “pushing back” against efforts to open up dairy industry to foreign competition #TPP
I think that US are not letting the dairy be sorted until the biological dead rat is swallowed.
“Australia, along with others such as New Zealand and Chile, have been unwilling to offer more than five years protection for the medicines since longer terms will push up the cost of state-subsidized medical programs.
The impasse is holding up a deal on dairy trade, the main other sticking point in the talks”.
http://au.investing.com/news/commodities-news/pacific-trade-talks-bogged-down-over-pharmaceuticals-9335