Mr Allen said his salary was set by the State Services Commission after a thorough performance review process.
“And I’ve never done a job for the money.”
Foreign Affairs:
“The increase took Mr Allen’s salary to between $620,000 and $630,000 a year.”
“”And I’ve never done a job for the money.”
“He did not think it was a bad look to take the increase, saying the changes at Mfat were necessary and beneficial for New Zealand.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/employment/news/article.cfm?c_id=11&objectid=10850797
Meridian Energy:
“Former Meridian Energy chief executive Tim Lusk was paid $1.37 million, including more than $800,000 in bonuses, during his last six months with the state-owned power company.
Mr Lusk’s pay during a period when Meridian’s profits fell sharply was disclosed in its annual report, which also revealed the company’s generous pay to other top executives.”
“Mighty River chief executive Doug Heffernan – already one of the highest-paid bosses on the Government’s payroll – is to receive a $500,000 bonus after steering the company through its partial privatisation next year.”
“Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said Dr Heffernan’s retention bonus was “incredible”.
“Who’s going to pay for it? Electricity consumers. It’s yet another cost to the Government’s privatisation programme.”
Dr Norman said the bonus came at a time when many New Zealanders were struggling.
“Dr Norman said the bonus came at a time when many New Zealanders were struggling.
“We’ve already got a problem with massive inequality, and part of that is because of the overpaying of top-end wages.” ”
In order to highlight these goings-on to the wider public the Greens should announce similar increases to the lowest paid. Announce that the minimum wage will rise by the same amount that the top paid people in NZ have received over the last ten years.
Just counting down the days myself, am leaving New Zealand fairly soon; have the air tickets booked. If things are better after the 2014 election i.e. National is out, then I will likely return. I am going to stay with family, because there are no jobs or future for me here as a young person.
I wish i could afford to leave this country with it’s Mickey Mouse Political system, and the grasping greedies in power. And it’s not going to get any better, with the stutterer, and the Fat controller, in charge of the Labour Party. No i reckon we are going to be stuck with Key and co for at least another 3 years. And that will be a disaster.
Not out of touch, so much as so bent, there is no other possible outcomes
“And I’ve never done a job for the money.
Translation – I’m being dropped into the positions I have because in my past there are *things* being used agaisnt me, which is why I am sitting at the top of MfAT – My job is to make sure the changes are rammed through, my past ensures I will implement the instructions!
I have shown a few of these articles to my friends in the states, to them the level of corruption and waste is astounding; and they live in a country where there are big lobby groups.
“The secrecy surrounding the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) has been given a resounding thumbs down in a Consumerlink poll conducted in mid-November”, according to Professor Jane Kelsey, a critic of the TPPA who commissioned the poll.
Almost two out of three New Zealanders think the contents of the latest and biggest free trade agreement should be made public before the negotiations are completed and any deal is signed.
The simplistic, to the point of being spin, analysis by the MSM of the recent polls continues.
They started trumpeting that Labour + Greens would beat National 48% to 44%, but there is no second thought given to NZ First, who slipped to just 4% in the polls. That’s sufficient for their vote to be entirely written off when considering seats, but is a rather unlikely electoral result, especially given their recent polling in Roy Morgan.
If you put NZFirst in at 5% and allocate them seats, the entire situation shifts dramatically. But nary a mention of that by the MSM. I guess they figure the public has such short attention spans that they couldn’t understand a hypothetical outcome (and yet other times they happily provide them – go figure).
I have to say it’s pretty unfair to criticise the media for reporting on the polls as they actually exist, rather than adjusting for what they might think ought to have happened instead.
Take a poll, report on the results of the poll.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if NZF has dropped below 5, and won’t be surprised if they stay there either.
Yes weka. Instead, nary anything was said about NZFirst. Nor the potential for the 4% threshold change to allow them back in.
My other point is that they just take a poll and then act like if an election was held, that’s what the results would be. They don’t look at past polls except the most recent and compare to that one. They (TV1/TV3) don’t look at other polls published by other media outfits and comment on whether they agree or not. At the end they state the margin of error, but it’s pretty clear that even the senior political editors don’t *truly* understand what it means (read Nate Silver to get an idea).
You’re kind of ignoring the constraints they are operating under. You’ve got a few minutes to report on a poll that you and a polling outfit have conducted. You ahve to pitch it at people who don’t understand stats, and get their news from 6 o’clock bulletins.
“Nate Silver” isn’t a magic spell. There is a reason he did what he did in a specialist blog (not even the print edition) on the NYT website.
The only substantive thing in that about NZ First is quotes from Key.
2. Not really sure what you mean by “Nate Silver” not being a magic spell. I simply meant that as an illustration for why I don’t believe the senior political editors truly understand what the “margin of error” is, and yet they dutifully report it at the end of every story about polls. This is evidenced by the fact that if they get a poll that shows a big shift compared to the previous poll (as has happened a couple of times this year already), they don’t try and do any analysis on it or temper with it by references to the poll’s margin of error or about the method used to generate the poll as anyone who was interested in honestly reporting on the polls would (as Nate Silver does), instead they try and justify the move with sound-bite and vapid analysis of ‘recent political events’ even if there really isn’t much of interest that had happened.
The Greens have given Labour/Shearer plenty of time and opportunity to distance themselves from Jones’ attacks. Nothing happened, so now they’re fully entitled to hit back.
Shearer (or his puppeteers) seem to think they can go through two more years just treating Green votes as a free ticket to the Treasury benches. They’d better wake up.
I’d prefer Labour to have the lions share of the left vote with the Greens making up the numbers.
The less chance of the Greens moon bat economic policies seen the light of day, the better it is for NZ.
Facts are, the Greens are considered extremist nut bars by a good proportion of the voting public, in my view it doesn’t help Labour if they’re seen as being too cosy with the Greens.
Having Jones lob a few shells into the Greens camp helps to alleviate those concerns
Problem is that Russel Norman will make such Green policy demands of Labour that cannot be acceptable to them.
Without acceeding to these demands Labour will not be able to govern.
Not as pretty picture.
It’s National and Act that are the true nutjobs. Their economics are truly delusional and require that the country impoverish itself to allow a few people to have more money in the bank. Labour aren’t much better although they, at least, seem to finally be waking up to what the scientists are saying as far as the environment goes.
Most of the Greens economic ideas seem to be geared up around the peak oil.
One thing I have learnt is that nothing is set in stone, to bet everything on some future event is foolish in the extreme.
A future event that happened 5 or 6 years ago. And, yes, I’m quite aware of fracking and unconventional oil. Suffice to say, I don’t think they’ll get the type of return that the pro-oilers expect and they will, of course, trash the environment even more. 4 degrees is catastrophe, 6 degrees is Hell. We’re on track for the former and the unconventional oils will put us on track for the latter.
Again, you show just how disconnected from reality you are.
Not the actual peak oil event , the after effects of peak oil.
Having some guy running for parliament who is so certain that the world economy is going to collapse in the near future and believes that the best way forward for NZ is detaching us from the global economy and in the process destroying the NZ economy is criminal.
If Norman takes us down that path there will be hell to pay.
Um, why would broadening the NZ economy, making it independent of oil supplies and protecting the environment (the part that the economy can’t do without) destroy the economy?
No we won’t, our dollar will be worth dirt, the only one doing well will be wheelbarrow manufacturers, every one else will be fucked.
And thus push us to develop technologies and other stuff that develops society here rather than importing. We won’t be fucked but be in a new boom times according to standard economic theory. Of course, standard economic theory is BS anyway and is just a justification for capitalism and the undermining of society.
“I’d prefer Labour to have the lions share of the left vote with the Greens making up the numbers.”
BM, I addressed this already. You’re a right winger. Of course you want the more-right-wing party to have more say than the less-right-wing party.
This site, on the other hand, is run for the benefit of the (small “l”) labour movement. It’s for people who want to promote left-wing ideas. It’s for people who’s interests are the opposite of your interests.
I’m starting to like the look of Shearer,the way he eviscerated Cunliffe was indeed pleasing, once he brings back Tamahere and shit cans all the liberals, I may be tempted to vote Labour.
I’m starting to like the look of National. I like the way Key dealt with that fucking grasshopper.
As soon as he gets rid of all the right-wingers, corporate crooks, dirty fed farmers, authoritarians, populist lightweights, neoliberals, neocons, religious extremists, homophobes, racists, misogynists and enablers, I’ll totes think about giving them a tick.
I never thought I would see the day arrive so soon when I would be in broad agreement with Russel Norman’s comments.
He has indeed been gracious in giving the Shearer-Robertson leadership time to respond. There should have been more than enough hours, days and weeks for them to receive internal polling and focus groups from left, right & centre.
“Deafening silence” is generous and charitable. Comatose or persistent vegetative state would be more apt.
What say thee Shane Jones? Or are your clear conflicts and compromised positions too great for someone like you to overcome? Perhaps Labour needs a bigger man instead of wee man Jones.
The mistreatment of crews working on foreign chartered vessels has been well documented; they are essentially slave labour. The National Government has taken far too long to start to address this and Mr Jones played a part in allowing this disgrace to happen in the first place.
The Greens Strike Back
Now, we need all the parties on the left to say what they’re going to do about this slavery.
Pollies and technocrats whinge about ‘boohoo not enough time to do the things that really need to be done’ and all I hear is ‘whah whah no one agrees with me that these things actually do need to be done, and I can’t be arsed convincing them, or my convincing attempts have all failed’
Pollies in NZ have a very easy time of it. No executive veto, no second house, a court system that is respectful of parliamentary sovereignty.
The only thing holding them back from doing things is the threat of not being re-elected, the arg’s for a 4 year term mostly revolve around diluting that.
Yep p’s b and that equates to accreting more power to their offices. Such a move is in the completely wrong direction. The power needs to be heading back to the people, not away from the people. As such, I advocate for 2 year terms.
You might want to read up on the US congress and how the 2 year terms pretty much deadlock their system and prevent any real work from being done, since they’re effectively permanently campaigning and fundraising.
That’s not the electoral system’s fault. If it was, it would have always been thus.
Senators have a six year term, and lo and behold, they have become more and more obstructive and partisan over the last couple of decades. Perhaps we should give them a ten year term?
“Senators have a six year term, and lo and behold, they have become more and more obstructive and partisan over the last couple of decades. Perhaps we should give them a ten year term?”
Or perhaps, 6 years is too long, 2 years is too short, and they should split the difference and make it 4? Much like the presidency already is?
I suspect the problem in the US is that the congress has largely given up its role as being a check on the presidency; the system has become parliamentary in reality with the President’s party doing what it can to support the Presidency, and the other party opposing.
The constitution is basically 100 years or so out of date. If you look back, for most of its history the US parties have not been ideological, you had conservatives and reformers in both parties. Getting things done meant forming cross-party coalitions, rather then getting party based majorities.
Starting in the late sixties, and accelerating after Reagan, the parties have become more homogenised and internally coherent, and thus, partisan in their dealings with the presidency.
There is very little of their supposed “real work” that I rate.
Alternatively, longer terms on the sole proviso that referendums are held and followed on all main planks of change.
The power must be driven back to the people, not towards the politicians and their paymasters. Why on earth would anyone want to give the politicians more power?
I would easily and willingly agree to a 4 year term if there were improved provisions for binding referenda.
Failing that, 3 years vs 4 years term, I’m mostly undecided although slightly leaning toward 4 years. One big difference between us and the rest of the world (which largely has longer terms) is our unicameral system, so there’s that.
So TVNZ screened the documentary about a *concerned jurer* from the Bain trial, and raised *questions* around the topic of compenation about 8/9 days ago, now we see This from Stuff
HERE is some angles about the TVNZ *documentary* from LF.
Moral of the Hobbit fiasco. When the high dollar, and Movie company financial troubles set to destroy your movie, and you go to the tax payer to bail youself out, remember that your brand, in a time of global depression could be hurt by the anti-union-low-wages attack of the government of the day.
Unless of course, here’s the moral, you lead characters have big hairy feet and pointed ears.
Without further ado, here are this years Tumeke NZ Blogger Alignment Awards 2012, with much referencing to Wiki for the Dungeons & Dragons alignment descriptions.
As Gareth Morgan and Susan Guthrie the other day pointed out in another outstanding missive, farmers who rely on irrigation to support stock, who grow crops or vegetables, or practice dairy farming with industrial intensity… “reap private benefit from their activity but pay very little to cover the environmental damage they cause, some of it irreversible, the rest requiring clean-up which the general public has to pay for. The natural injustice in this is a no-brainer”.
There’s really not much to say about it – you really can’t pick and choose your facts.
Not only do WE have to pay to clean up the shit from their business…
WE also have to pay for them to create it in the first instance. For example, taxpayers are forking out $400million to help with irrigation projects. Another for example, Central Plains Water gets locans form old lady ratepayers in the Selwyn District to forward their private irrigation schemes.
It is simply disgusting.
How about some farmers out there step up and explain …………….
Who needs to bring Paul Henry back from across the ditch when Labour has opened its doors, taken in a talking disaster and given him party membership ?
John Key says the government will not rule out using legislation to overrule Commerce Commission recommendations for wholesale broadband pricing.
Yep, the government seems to be more concerned with a private companies profit than the best interests of the country.
And just think, if we hadn’t deregulated and sold off Telecom then we would a) be several billion dollars better off, b) have most of the country already on FttH c) not having these regulatory issues and d) not have a government more concerned with the interests of a private company over the interests of the country.
Dr Wright, a 52-year old Christchurch GP who has been working as locum GP in Rangiora, was sentenced to 150 hours of community work on October 25 for receiving $18,300 from ACC that he was not entitled to.
In the dual meaning of the initials G.C, this guy has the negative nicely covered off!
Read Colonial vipers item at 8 and lots of 1’s at 2.19 pm on the USA direction.
This reminded me of a future talker on 9toNoon this morning:
09:40 Trends shaping the future of the world economy and what this will mean for NZ
The executive editor of The Economist, Dr Daniel Franklin. He is in New Zealand as a guest of Massey University and is delivering the keynote address at the new New Zealand Forum, which will discuss New Zealand’s future. Daniel is also the editor of Megachange: The World in 2050, a book published this year about the mega-trends shaping the future of the globe.
Don’t know what I think about him – have to listen again.
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Richard Edwards, Janet Hoek, Anaru Waa, George Thomson, Nick Wilson (author details*) We congratulate the NZ Government on its proposed Action Plan for the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal. Here we examine the evidence for three key ideas outlined in the plan: permitting tobacco products to be sold in only ...
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The travel bubble with Australia has not brought room for others to come into the MIQ system from overseas. Instead, spaces are being decommissioned. Why? The system is leaky. The government cannot afford to let riskier people into those spaces, because the system can’t handle them. My column in Insights ...
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Anna Källén, Stockholm University and Daniel Strand, Uppsala University A middle-aged white man raises his sword to the skies and roars to the gods. The results of his genetic ancestry test have just arrived in his suburban mailbox. His eyes fill with tears as he learns that he is “0.012% ...
March 2021 The housing crisis right now in New Zealand is one of our biggest contributors to income and wealth inequality. “With the explosive increase in sales and prices, those with houses have their income and/or wealth rapidly increasing, and those who are not on the property ladder are falling ...
Samoans went to the polls on Friday, and delivered a stinging blow to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi one-party state. Pre-election Malielegaoi's Human Rights Protection Party had controlled 44 of 49 seats in Parliament, while using restrictive standing orders to prevent there from even being a recognised opposition in ...
Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Jennifer Summers, Prof Michael BakerIn this blog we briefly consider a new Report from a European think tank that aims to identify an optimal COVID-19 response strategy. It considers mortality data, GDP impacts, and mobility data and suggests that COVID-19 elimination appears to be superior ...
Something I missed on Friday: the Māori Party has been referred to police over failure to disclose donations over $30,000. Looking at the updated return of large donations, this is about $320,000 donated to them by three donors - John Tamihere, the National Urban Māori Authority, and Aotearoa Te Kahu ...
Stormy Seas: Will Jacinda Ardern's Labour Government stand behind the revolutionary proposals contained in He Puapua – the 20-year plan devised by a government appointed working group to realise the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Aotearoa/New Zealand?“GETTING AHEAD of the story” is one of the most ...
We have not been fans of the Climate Change Commission’s draft report. New Zealand has an Emissions Trading Scheme with a binding cap, and a declining path for net emissions in the covered sector. Measures taken within the covered sector cannot reduce net emissions. NZU not purchased by one sector get ...
For several decades under Labour and National-led governments New Zealand has claimed to have an independent (and sometimes autonomous) foreign policy. This foreign policy independence is said to be gained by having a “principled but pragmatic” approach to international relations: principled when possible, pragmatic when necessary. More recently NZ foreign ...
The Green Party welcomes the major healthcare reforms announced today by the Minister of Health, including the creation of a Māori Health Authority – Manatū Hauora Māori as we call it. ...
We’re committed to ensuring that our health system works for all New Zealanders – so we’re taking big steps to improve health outcomes, support our frontline workers, and promote equitable access to healthcare across the country and across communities. ...
I tēnei tau i Waitangi, I whakahua ake te Tira o Te Mātāwaka o te Pātī Kākāriki i tā rātau aronga matua, ki te waihanga I tētahi Manatū Hauora Māori, mā Māori te kawe, mā Māori ngā whakahaere. Ko tā te tira; Kua rongohia ngā karanga a ngā Tangata Whenua, ...
During Waitangi this year the Green Party’s Te Mātāwaka caucus announced their priority for an independent Māori Health Authority. We have heard the call from Tangata Whenua wanting any authority to be independent, and properly resourced. ...
The Greens welcome $6.6 million from the Government’s $455 million programme to increase access to mental health and addiction services for our Pasifika communities in Auckland and Wellington. ...
The Green Party is putting a Member’s Bill into the ballot today which will be a significant step towards overhauling the Social Security Act by embedding a tikanga Māori framework into the welfare system. ...
The Green Party have reaffirmed their strong commitment to the union movement in Aotearoa New Zealand by renewing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with E Tū. ...
Soon, more kids in Aotearoa will have access to the in-school mental health support that has boosted the resilience of tamariki and whānau in Canterbury. ...
The Green Party supports the open letter released today by a cross-sector coalition calling for the Government to treat all drug use as a health issue, to repeal and replace the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. ...
Small businesses are not only the heart of our economy – they’re also the heart of our communities. They provide important goods and services, as well as great employment opportunities. They know and love their locals. And after a tough year, they need our support! ...
Green Party spokesperson for Pacific Peoples Teanau Tuiono MP, supports the demand from Pasifika communities fighting for climate action as their homelands are more at risk in the Pacific region. ...
The Green Party supports the six demands for climate action put forward by School Strike for Climate NZ, who are striking across the country today. ...
The Ministry of Justice Māori victimisation report, released today, reinforces what we already know about the impact of systemic racism in Aotearoa and that urgent action is needed. ...
Ricardo Menéndez March’s Members Bill to ensure that disabled New Zealanders do not face discrimination for having a disability assist dog was today pulled from the biscuit tin to be debated in Parliament. ...
New Zealand will open a new Trade Commission in Fiji later this year, Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor has announced. “Fiji is New Zealand’s largest trading partner in the Pacific region”, Damien O’Connor said. “Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, annual two-way trade between New Zealand and Fiji was ...
HON ANDREW LITTLE SPEECH Morena tātau katoa. Tēnā tātau kua karahuihui mai nei i tēnei ata, Ki te whakarewa te rautaki hauora matua o Aotearoa, Kia hua ko te oranga pai o te motu. Tena tatau katoa. INTRODUCTION Welcome. Today, I am laying out for you a plan to ...
All DHBs will be replaced by one national organisation, Health New Zealand A new Māori Health Authority will have the power to commission health services, monitor the state of Māori health and develop policy New Public Health Agency will be created Strengthened Ministry of Health will monitor performance and advise ...
We talk a lot about being a transformational Government. Some imagine this statement means big infrastructure builds, massive policy commitments all leading up to a single grand reveal. But this is what I see as transformation. Something quite simply and yet so very complex. Māori feeling comfortable and able to ...
On Wednesday morning, Minister of Health Andrew Little and Associate Minister of Health (Māori) Peeni Henare are announcing major health reforms. You can watch the announcement live here from 8am Wednesday. ...
New research into the probability of an Alpine Fault rupture reinforces the importance of taking action to plan and prepare for earthquakes, Acting Minister for Emergency Management Kris Faafoi says. Research published by Dr Jamie Howarth of Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington today, shows there is a ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Defence Minister Peeni Henare today announced that New Zealand is deploying a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 Orion maritime patrol aircraft in support of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions on North Korea. The Resolutions, adopted unanimously by the UNSC between 2006 and 2017, ...
The Transmission Gully Interim Review has found serious flaws at the planning stage of the project, undermining the successful completion of the four-lane motor north of Wellington Infrastructure Minister Grant Robertson and Transport Minister Michael Wood said. Grant Robertson said the review found the public-private partnership (PPP) established under the ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today that Australian Foreign Minister Hon Marise Payne will visit Aotearoa New Zealand for the first face-to-face Foreign Ministers’ Consulations since the COVID-19 pandemic began. “Australia is New Zealand’s closest and most important international partner. I’m very pleased to be able to welcome Hon Marise ...
Hundreds more families who were separated by the border closure will be reunited under new border exceptions announced today, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi said. “The Government closed the border to everyone but New Zealand citizens and residents, in order to keep COVID-19 out, keep our economy open and keep New ...
Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Foreign Minister 8.30am, 19 April 2021 [CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY] Speech to the NZCC Korihi Pō, Korihi Ao E rongo e turia no Matahau Nō Tū te winiwini, Nō Tū te wanawana Tū Hikitia rā, Tū Hapainga mai Ki te Whai Ao, Ki te Ao Mārama Tihei Mauri ...
The Government is supporting a new project with all-wool New Zealand carpet company, Bremworth, which has its sights on developing more sustainable all-wool carpets and rugs, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced. The Ministry for Primary Industries is contributing $1.9 million towards Bremworth’s $4.9 million sustainability project through its Sustainable Food ...
New Zealand is providing further support to Timor-Leste following severe flooding and the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “Our thoughts are with the people of Timor-Leste who have been impacted by the severe flooding and landslides at a time when the country is ...
A ceremony has been held today in Gisborne where the unclaimed medals of 28 (Māori) Battalion C Company soldiers were presented to their families. After the Second World War, returning service personnel needed to apply for their medals and then they would be posted out to them. While most medals ...
The Government is committed to increasing the number of mothers who breastfeed for longer to give babies born in New Zealand the best start in life. The Ministry of Health recommends that babies are exclusively breastfed for the first six month but only about 20 percent of children at this ...
New Zealand has today added its voice to the international condemnation of the malicious compromise and exploitation of the SolarWinds Orion platform. The Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau, Andrew Little, says that New Zealand's international partners have analysed the compromise of the SolarWinds Orion platform and attributed ...
An expert consenting panel has approved the Queenstown Arterials Project, which will significantly improve transport links and reduce congestion for locals and visitors in the tourism hotspot. Environment Minister David Parker welcomed the approval for the project that will construct, operate and maintain a new urban road around Queenstown’s town ...
Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash says a landmark deal has been agreed with Amazon for The Lord of the Rings TV series, currently being filmed in New Zealand. Mr Nash says the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) secures multi-year economic and tourism benefits to New Zealand, outside the screen ...
The Government welcomes the findings from a rapid review into the health system response to lead contamination in Waikouaiti’s drinking water supply. Sample results from the town’s drinking-water supply showed intermittent spikes in lead levels above the maximum acceptable value. The source of the contamination is still under investigation by ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood today marked the start of construction on the New Zealand Upgrade Programme’s Papakura to Drury South project on Auckland’s Southern Motorway, which will create hundreds of jobs and support Auckland’s economic recovery. The SH1 Papakura to Drury South project will give more transport choices by providing ...
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karanga maha o te wa, tēnā koutou, tēna koutou, tēna tātou katoa. Ki ngā mana whenua, ko Ngāi Tahu, ko Waitaha, ko Kāti Māmoe anō nei aku mihi ki a koutou. Nōku te hōnore kia haere mai ki te ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood today marked the completion of upgrades to State Highway 20B which will give Aucklanders quick electric bus trips to and from the airport. The State Highway 20B Early Improvements project has added new lanes in each direction between Pukaki Creek Bridge and SH20 for buses and ...
The Government is putting in place a review of the work being done on animal welfare and safety in the greyhound racing industry, Grant Robertson announced today. “While Greyhound Racing NZ has reported some progress in implementing the recommendations of the Hansen Report, recent incidents show the industry still has ...
The infringement fee for using a mobile phone while driving will increase from $80 to $150 from 30 April 2021 to encourage safer driving, Transport Minister Michael Wood announced today. Michael Wood said too many people are still picking up the phone while driving. “Police issued over 40,000 infringement notices ...
Pacific people in New Zealand will be better supported with new mental health and addiction services rolling out across the Auckland and Wellington regions, says Aupito William Sio. “One size does not fit all when it comes to supporting the mental wellbeing of our Pacific peoples. We need a by ...
New measures are being proposed to accelerate progress towards becoming a smokefree nation by 2025, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced. “Smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke kills around 12 people a day in New Zealand. Recent data tells us New Zealand’s smoking rates continue to decrease, but ...
More children will be able to access mental wellbeing support with the Government expansion of Mana Ake services to five new District Health Board areas, Health Minister Andrew Little says. The Health Minister made the announcement while visiting Homai School in Counties Manukau alongside Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate ...
The Government’s COVID-19 response has meant a record number of people moved off a Benefit and into employment in the March Quarter, with 32,880 moving into work in the first three months of 2021. “More people moved into work last quarter than any time since the Ministry of Social Development ...
A stocktake undertaken by France and New Zealand shows significant global progress under the Christchurch Call towards its goal to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The findings of the report released today reinforce the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach, with countries, companies and civil society working together to ...
Racing Minister Grant Robertson has announced he is appointing Elizabeth Dawson (Liz) as the Chair of the interim TAB NZ Board. Liz Dawson is an existing Board Director of the interim TAB NZ Board and Chair of the TAB NZ Board Selection Panel and will continue in her role as ...
The Government has announced that the export of livestock by sea will cease following a transition period of up to two years, said Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “At the heart of our decision is upholding New Zealand’s reputation for high standards of animal welfare. We must stay ahead of the ...
WORKSHOP ON LETHAL AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS SYSTEMS Wednesday 14 April 2021 MINISTER FOR DISARMAMENT AND ARMS CONTROL OPENING REMARKS Good morning, I am so pleased to be able to join you for part of this workshop, which I’m confident will help us along the path to developing New Zealand’s national policy on ...
For the first time, all 18 prisons in New Zealand will be invited to participate in an inter-prison kapa haka competition, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. The 2021 Hōkai Rangi Whakataetae Kapa Haka will see groups prepare and perform kapa haka for experienced judges who visit each prison and ...
The Government has introduced the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Bill, designed to boost New Zealand's ability to respond to a wider range of terrorist activities. The Bill strengthens New Zealand’s counter-terrorism legislation and ensures that the right legislative tools are available to intervene early and prevent harm. “This is the Government’s first ...
Coal boiler replacements at a further ten schools, saving an estimated 7,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next ten years Fossil fuel boiler replacements at Southern Institute of Technology and Taranaki DHB, saving nearly 14,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next ten years Projects to achieve a total ...
Attorney-General David Parker today announced the appointment of Cassie Nicholson as Chief Parliamentary Counsel for a term of five years. The Chief Parliamentary Counsel is the principal advisor and Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO). She is responsible for ensuring PCO, which drafts most of New Zealand’s legislation, provides ...
Every part of Government will need to take urgent action to bring down emissions, the Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw said today in response to the recent rise in New Zealand’s greenhouse emissions. The latest annual inventory of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions shows that both gross and net ...
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark says Aotearoa New Zealand has become the first country in the world to introduce a law that requires the financial sector to disclose the impacts of climate change on their business and explain how they will manage climate-related risks and opportunities. The Financial ...
Exceptional employment practices in the primary industries have been celebrated at the Good Employer Awards, held this evening at Parliament. “Tonight’s awards provided the opportunity to celebrate and thank those employers in the food and fibres sector who have gone beyond business-as-usual in creating productive, safe, supportive, and healthy work ...
Applications are now invited from all councils for a slice of government funding aimed at improving tourism infrastructure, especially in areas under pressure given the size of their rating bases. Tourism Minister Stuart Nash has already signalled that five South Island regions will be given priority to reflect that jobs ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Morrison government has cancelled the belt and road agreements Victoria has with China. In the first decisions under the government’s new foreign arrangements scheme allowing it to quash arrangements states, territories and public universities ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison says he hopes to focus the conversation at this week’s Biden climate summit on the question of how to achieve net-zero emissions, declaring there has been enough conversation about the timing. Ahead of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Sunday is ANZAC day – and this year it comes at a particularly important time for Australia’s military image. Last week, Scott Morrison announced Australia’s remaining troops will leave Afghanistan by September, following President Biden’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan James Enriquez, PhD Student, University of New England Tyrannosaurus rex is perhaps the most famous of all dinosaurs. It and its closest kin, a group referred to as “tyrannosaurs”, have been embedded in popular culture as powerful and mobile predators. Consider ...
A View from Afar: Midday Thursday (NZST, Wednesday 7pm US EDST) – Join this LIVE recording of this week’s podcast where Selwyn Manning and Paul Buchanan will debate: How this week, New Zealand’s minister of foreign affairs, Nanaia Mahuta, delivered a significant speech detailing how this Labour-led Government defines its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Stokes, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Deakin University In the 1840s, a series of strange books started to appear in Copenhagen. The books were credited to outlandish pseudonyms: Victor Eremita (“victorious hermit”), Hilarious Bookbinder, Vigilius Haufniensis (“the watcher in the marketplace”), and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Evangeline Mantzioris, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of South Australia A drink with your breakfast, lunch or dinner can make your meal more enjoyable. But have you considered whether your drink of choice may affect the way your body ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan University Prime Minister Scott Morrison has highlighted workforce skills as the “single biggest challenge facing the Australian economy” in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Employer surveys also show it’s a top concern. Adding ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University The unprecedented conviction of police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder and manslaughter of George Floyd is testament to the hard work of Black Lives Matter organisers and protesters. It might seem ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ana Manero, Research Fellow, Australian National University Recent flooding in the Sydney Basin pushed thousands from their homes and left others facing enormous insurance costs. These events show how traumatic and costly it can be to live in areas vulnerable to disaster. ...
The NZ Alcohol Beverages Council (NZABC) supports the Government’s targeted approach to primary and community healthcare announced today by the Minister of Health, Hon. Andrew Little, in response to the Health and Disability System Review. “The majority ...
ProCare, New Zealand’s largest network of independent general practices, welcomes the Government’s Health reforms acknowledging they have the potential to significantly transform the future of healthcare to achieve a less complicated and fairer system ...
The EMA says if the goals of the health reforms announced today are realised, productivity will increase as people will have a better base level of wellness which will enable them to work. Chief Executive Brett O’Riley says the consistency of access to and ...
Pacific Media Watch newsdesk Fiji has dropped three places in the latest Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index and been condemned for its treatment of “overly critical” journalists who are often subjected to intimidation or even imprisonment. The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog has criticised many governments in the ...
This morning the Government announced a proposal for a suite of changes to the composition of the New Zealand Health Sector These changes are an extension of those announced in June 2020, and look at the reformation of a health system which includes: - A ...
In a set of sweeping health reforms announced today, district health boards will be abolished and a new Māori Health Authority will be established. Here, doctors and experts react to news of the biggest change to the health system in a generation. David Galler, intensive care specialist at Middlemore Hospital ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is consulting on outstanding aspects of the upcoming regime governing conduct in the financial sector. “We are consulting on regulations covering matters such as requirements for claims handling ...
Reporters Without Borders The Asia-Pacific region’s authoritarian regimes have used the covid-19 pandemic to perfect their methods of totalitarian control of information, while the “dictatorial democracies” have used it as a pretext for imposing especially repressive legislation with provisions combining propaganda and suppression of dissent. The behaviour of the region’s ...
Announcements today by the Government on the first steps towards a major restructure of the health and disability system have been broadly welcomed by the Disability Rights Commissioner Paula Tesoriero. Minister of Health Andrew Little outlined plans ...
Government procurement practices should not be skewed towards political targets, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union in response to new calls for indigenous procurement policies . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Government procurement should ...
An essay published by The Spinoff Ātea editor Leonie Hayden on the new drama series Vegas, and Māori representation on screen, prompted an overwhelming response from Māori working in the sector. Here, the Vegas co-creator, writer, showrunner and executive producer Michael Bennett (Te Arawa) defends the series and his authorship ...
Although global trading patterns are still recovering from the Covid pandemic, the positive outcome for New Zealand is that it has strengthened demand for the kind of foodstuffs we produce. In particular the dairy trade is booming and though the current production season is beginning to tail off, Fonterra’s latest ...
Health, health and health were the subjects of three ministerial posts – two of them were speeches – on the Beehive website this morning. They spell out the government’s plans for comprehensively overhauling the country’s health system. They also step up the pace in the government’s perturbing programme of creating ...
Covid-19 has created both challenges and opportunities for small businesses – that’s why online business advice platform Manaaki has partnered with Kiwibank to offer mentorship and grants for SMEs.If there’s one element that has linked every small business across New Zealand (and much of the world) over the past year, ...
Actor, protestor and overall blimmin’ legend, Rawiri Paratene is about to retire from the stage. Sam Brooks spoke to him as he prepares to say goodbye. Before our interview, Rawiri Paratene ONZM (Ngā Puhi, Te Rarawa) said, through a publicist, that he would be a better interviewee if I brought ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Walker, Vice-chancellor’s fellow, La Trobe University Chinese President Xi Jinping’s muscular speech to the Boao Forum Asia annual conference was clearly designed to send a signal to the United States that China regarded the change of administration as an opportunity for ...
General Practice New Zealand (GPNZ) has welcomed today’s announcement of major reforms designed to create a more equitable and fit for purpose national health system. GPNZ Chair and Karori GP Dr Jeff Lowe said: ‘There are no surprises in the overall ...
The New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) has welcomed the health sector reforms announced today by Minister of Health Andrew Little, and the bold systemic and legislative changes they involve. NZMA Chair Dr Kate Baddock said “the announcements are what ...
E tū, one of the largest unions for DHB-employed and contracted health workers, aged care, community, and disability support service workers, welcomes the Government’s announcement to reform and centralise health services to achieve consistency in conditions ...
The union representing ambulance officers has called on the Government to include national ambulance services under the newly-announced Health NZ to ensure the service is fully-funded and free to all. "We strongly support the proposed changes to ...
The Veils singer talks us through his first big onstage disaster, first musical hero and more in our new video and podcast interview series.The list of past winners of the Smokefree Rockquest is stacked with the familiar names of artists who’ve since gone on to enjoy successful music careers. One ...
The Council of Trade Unions is concerned that today's consumer price index (CPI) data shows that for the poorest New Zealanders the cost of living continues to rise well ahead of the official headline increase rate of 1.5%. CTU Economist Craig Renney ...
The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Toi Mata Hauora says the Government has chosen a bold path of health reform, but increased health funding and investment must sit alongside. The Health Minister Andrew Little has announced a generational ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Steyn, Research assistant, University of Auckland With the opening of a quarantine-free travel corridor between New Zealand and Australia this week, it’s easy to forget COVID-19 is still spreading globally, faster than ever, with more than three million deaths recorded worldwide. ...
Australia Week: With the trans-Tasman travel bubble finally open, no one would blame you for jumping on a plane straight to the outback. But if airfares aren’t in your budget, here’s how to do a tour of Australia, New Zealand.To mark the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble, The Spinoff is ...
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of the second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter of George Floyd this morning, New Zealand time. Chauvin stands to spend up to 40 years in prison for second-degree murder, up to 25 years for third-degree murder and up to 10 years ...
Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu is encouraged by this morning’s announcement of major reforms to the healthcare system, including the establishment of a long-awaited Māori Health Authority, and calls for Government to look to Whānau Ora as a model. ...
District health boards will be abolished, and a new Māori Health Authority will be established, in a set of sweeping health system reforms announced by the government today. Alex Braae explains what it’s all about. What’s all this then?A massive new level of centralisation is coming to the health system, after ...
The Council of Trade Unions is broadly supportive of the bold reforms to our health sector as announced today. "What will be imperative is the inclusion of working peoples voices and perspectives though this period of upheaval and change," ...
Amalgamation of DHBs is necessary, but going from 20 DHBs to just one authority takes centralisation too far, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . The Union ’s 2019 report Productivity in the Health Sector: Issues and Pressures argued in ...
In what is described as a big win for New Zealand health research the Productivity Commission’s latest report recommends that “the Government should use its intended major health system reform to improve the mandate, funding and incentives for DHBs ...
National Urban Māori Authority chair Lady Tureiti Moxon and CEO John Tamihere have applauded Health Minister Andrew Little for having the courage to finally set Māori health on a long overdue road to recovery. This morning’s announcement that a stand-alone ...
Because Covid denial and medical misinformation are rife at wellness festivals, the upcoming NZ Spirit Festival, featuring Rachel Hunter, had help from anti-conspiracy campaigners to send a clear message to its presenters. Anke Richter explains.This autumn equinox, Earth Beat – “Aotearoa’s most innovative and earth-friendly music and arts festival” – ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. Click here to subscribe to Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup and New Zealand Politics Daily. Today’s contentIhumātao unlawful government spend Henry Cooke (Stuff): Auditor-General rules the $29.9m the Government used to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Mintrom, Professor, Monash University On Monday, Scott Morrison announced a royal commission into veteran suicides — the fourth royal commission set up under his prime ministership. But while Morrison says he hopes this will be a “healing process” and it comes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Senior Lecturer and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University On Monday, Victorian health authorities released figures showing they’d received 389 reports of “gastro” outbreaks so far in 2021. The health department said this was four times higher than the average. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pauline Lenancker, Research scientist, James Cook University The invasive ant world is a competitive one, rife with territorial battles and colony raids. And yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes), one of the world’s worst invasive species, have an especially interesting trait: they’re the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Romain Fathi, Senior Lecturer, History, Flinders University The number of Australians attending Anzac Day dawn services has fallen by about 70% between 2015 — the centenary of the Anzacs’ landing at Gallipoli — and 2019. Last year, Anzac Day dawn services were ...
The Government will consolidate all 20 District Health Boards into a single, national health service and create a new Māori Health Authority with commissioning powers, Marc Daalder reports New Zealand will have a single government organisation running its hospitals and other health services, similar to the United Kingdom's National Health ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for April 21, bringing you the latest news updated throughout the day. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz8.00am: New Covid-19 case is UK variant, linked to recent arrivalGenomic testing has confirmed a direct link between the latest case of Covid-19 – a worker at Auckland ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Transmission Gully puts unrealistic PPPs on notice, new Covid case in the community, and major health reform announcements coming this morning.A scathing review has outlined how the budget blew out for major Wellington road Transmission Gully. As Stuff’s Thomas Coughlan reports, the contract ...
Distressing revelations about life in emergency housing continue to emerge, including a woman being punched unconscious by another motel resident, putting her in hospital. ...
Aotearoa Solidarity Aotearoa NZ will be joined by members of the public and the peace community in gathering outside the Chinese Consulate in Auckland, to protest the persecution of Uyghurs, on Wednesday 21st April, from 4:45 pm to 6 pm. ...
The blown out cost of Transmission Gully is pushing up over $3.5 billion, and it's still not complete. Commuters and truckies could now be driving 27km down Transmission Gully into Wellington this morning, if it weren’t for fundamental flaws in tendering out the project. But after the publication of an uncompromising project ...
As pioneering Kiwi trampolinist Maddie Davidson endures an agonising wait to make the Tokyo Olympics, she's learning new tricks - including the unusual Half Triffus. It’s rare to see a basketballer who isn’t tall, or a sprinter who isn’t muscular. But surprisingly, trampolinists come in all shapes and sizes, according to ...
A new report offers counter-narratives to deploy against New Zealand's far right, Marc Daalder reports A European Union-funded study has praised Jacinda Ardern's response to the March 15 terror attack and offered suggestions for how New Zealand can counter far-right narratives in the future. The report surveyed 12 far-right groups, ...
Bruce Ansley on a publication which seeks to educate journalists on firearms In March 1961 Keith Holyoake’s National government demanded that all 20-year-old men enter a lottery. Their birthday dates would go into a barrel and if their names were drawn, why, they’d score three years in the army, off ...
With Joe Biden in office, a serious plan to combat climate change is finally in sight — but the clock is ticking, and there is no more room for error, writes Jeff Goodell for Rolling Stone magazine The Earth’s climate has always been a work in progress. In the 4.5 ...
Electric vehicles are much hyped but bring their own problems when it comes to cutting carbon emissions, writes Victoria University of Wellington’s Ralph Chapman One of the authors of a recent paper comparing the costs and emissions of electric and petrol-powered cars in Aotearoa New Zealand, Associate Professor Ralph Chapman, says ...
New Zealand needs to change its approach to housing completely, and treat it as a public right, like health and education, property developer Mark Todd tells Eleanor Black Mark Todd doesn’t want to talk about the housing crisis, although that’s ostensibly what we met to discuss. Topics of greater interest ...
The key to vibrant and sustainable cities is mixed-use development in main activity centres, yet New Zealand has taken the path towards American suburbia. Urban systems expert Dr Tom Logan calls for an integrated response to the climate and housing crises which could rejuvenate our downtowns. The news often covers the housing ...
Forest & Bird supports Save Kennedy Point (SKP) and others who have filed an injunction and judicial review aimed at halting marina construction activity on Waiheke Island, until Kennedy Point Boat Harbour Limited (KPBL) has properly set ...
Peace Action Wellington is hosting an Anzac-weekend peace event called The Climate of War: white supremacy, climate justice and militarism that challenges the meaning and purpose of Anzac Day. The free, public event will be held on Saturday, 24 April ...
Australia Week: Alex Casey has a chat with Egg Boy, aka Will Connolly, the Aussie teen who went viral after egging Fraser Anning in 2019. To mark the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble, The Spinoff is casting an eye across the ditch all week – read our Australia Week content here. It ...
It’s a region known for its breathtaking natural beauty and vilified primary industries. So where does Buller’s acclaimed innovation hub fit into it all? Michael Andrew went to find out.In May 2018, a Japanese businessman named Hiroki Koga stepped off a plane at Westport airport and blinked in the West ...
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING, VIETNAM!!! Hey, this is not a test! This is rock-‘n’-roll! Time to rock it from the Delta to the DMZ!
Out of touch political elite raise their own salaries, while forcing the rest of us to suffer austerity measures and job cuts: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/employment/news/article.cfm?c_id=11&objectid=10850797
Yeah, right.
Just putting together a few articles:
Foreign Affairs:
“The increase took Mr Allen’s salary to between $620,000 and $630,000 a year.”
“”And I’ve never done a job for the money.”
“He did not think it was a bad look to take the increase, saying the changes at Mfat were necessary and beneficial for New Zealand.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/employment/news/article.cfm?c_id=11&objectid=10850797
Meridian Energy:
“Former Meridian Energy chief executive Tim Lusk was paid $1.37 million, including more than $800,000 in bonuses, during his last six months with the state-owned power company.
Mr Lusk’s pay during a period when Meridian’s profits fell sharply was disclosed in its annual report, which also revealed the company’s generous pay to other top executives.”
“But the year to June was not a good one for Meridian, New Zealand’s largest power company. Its net profit fell from $303.1 million to $74.6 million.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wages-and-salaries/news/article.cfm?c_id=277&objectid=10844284
Mighty River Power:
“Mighty River chief executive Doug Heffernan – already one of the highest-paid bosses on the Government’s payroll – is to receive a $500,000 bonus after steering the company through its partial privatisation next year.”
“Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said Dr Heffernan’s retention bonus was “incredible”.
“Who’s going to pay for it? Electricity consumers. It’s yet another cost to the Government’s privatisation programme.”
Dr Norman said the bonus came at a time when many New Zealanders were struggling.
“We’ve already got a problem with massive inequality, and part of that is because of the overpaying of top-end wages.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wages-and-salaries/news/article.cfm?c_id=277&objectid=10841749
“Dr Norman said the bonus came at a time when many New Zealanders were struggling.
“We’ve already got a problem with massive inequality, and part of that is because of the overpaying of top-end wages.” ”
In order to highlight these goings-on to the wider public the Greens should announce similar increases to the lowest paid. Announce that the minimum wage will rise by the same amount that the top paid people in NZ have received over the last ten years.
These are the times we live in kiwicommie.
Just counting down the days myself, am leaving New Zealand fairly soon; have the air tickets booked. If things are better after the 2014 election i.e. National is out, then I will likely return. I am going to stay with family, because there are no jobs or future for me here as a young person.
I wish i could afford to leave this country with it’s Mickey Mouse Political system, and the grasping greedies in power. And it’s not going to get any better, with the stutterer, and the Fat controller, in charge of the Labour Party. No i reckon we are going to be stuck with Key and co for at least another 3 years. And that will be a disaster.
Its called hush money in old language.
Not out of touch, so much as so bent, there is no other possible outcomes
Translation – I’m being dropped into the positions I have because in my past there are *things* being used agaisnt me, which is why I am sitting at the top of MfAT – My job is to make sure the changes are rammed through, my past ensures I will implement the instructions!
I have shown a few of these articles to my friends in the states, to them the level of corruption and waste is astounding; and they live in a country where there are big lobby groups.
Yeah its reached staggeringly obvious, decades back.
NZ – *Perceived* least corrupt country/100% Pure, and so on!
Come join the revolution. Contributers required for free web-based paper on the Northshore.
http://northshorefreepress.wordpress.com/
Worth a read:
The simplistic, to the point of being spin, analysis by the MSM of the recent polls continues.
They started trumpeting that Labour + Greens would beat National 48% to 44%, but there is no second thought given to NZ First, who slipped to just 4% in the polls. That’s sufficient for their vote to be entirely written off when considering seats, but is a rather unlikely electoral result, especially given their recent polling in Roy Morgan.
If you put NZFirst in at 5% and allocate them seats, the entire situation shifts dramatically. But nary a mention of that by the MSM. I guess they figure the public has such short attention spans that they couldn’t understand a hypothetical outcome (and yet other times they happily provide them – go figure).
I have to say it’s pretty unfair to criticise the media for reporting on the polls as they actually exist, rather than adjusting for what they might think ought to have happened instead.
Take a poll, report on the results of the poll.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if NZF has dropped below 5, and won’t be surprised if they stay there either.
They could report on the NZF drop and what its implications are.
Yes weka. Instead, nary anything was said about NZFirst. Nor the potential for the 4% threshold change to allow them back in.
My other point is that they just take a poll and then act like if an election was held, that’s what the results would be. They don’t look at past polls except the most recent and compare to that one. They (TV1/TV3) don’t look at other polls published by other media outfits and comment on whether they agree or not. At the end they state the margin of error, but it’s pretty clear that even the senior political editors don’t *truly* understand what it means (read Nate Silver to get an idea).
Simplistic analysis that borders on spin.
You’re kind of ignoring the constraints they are operating under. You’ve got a few minutes to report on a poll that you and a polling outfit have conducted. You ahve to pitch it at people who don’t understand stats, and get their news from 6 o’clock bulletins.
“Nate Silver” isn’t a magic spell. There is a reason he did what he did in a specialist blog (not even the print edition) on the NYT website.
1. Fairfax has no such time constraints on their articles: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8025925/Polls-have-Labour-closing-in-on-Nats
The only substantive thing in that about NZ First is quotes from Key.
2. Not really sure what you mean by “Nate Silver” not being a magic spell. I simply meant that as an illustration for why I don’t believe the senior political editors truly understand what the “margin of error” is, and yet they dutifully report it at the end of every story about polls. This is evidenced by the fact that if they get a poll that shows a big shift compared to the previous poll (as has happened a couple of times this year already), they don’t try and do any analysis on it or temper with it by references to the poll’s margin of error or about the method used to generate the poll as anyone who was interested in honestly reporting on the polls would (as Nate Silver does), instead they try and justify the move with sound-bite and vapid analysis of ‘recent political events’ even if there really isn’t much of interest that had happened.
See this analysis, which is much more informative than anything I’ve seen offered by MSM so far: http://www.pundit.co.nz/content/left-and-right-neck-and-neck-in-poll-of-polls
Andrew Geddis nit-picks the 4% threshold prediction in the comments below and gets a sensible reply from the author.
Norman smack bang whallop:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10851514
Nice. 🙂
Good on Russel.
The Greens have given Labour/Shearer plenty of time and opportunity to distance themselves from Jones’ attacks. Nothing happened, so now they’re fully entitled to hit back.
Shearer (or his puppeteers) seem to think they can go through two more years just treating Green votes as a free ticket to the Treasury benches. They’d better wake up.
I don’t see an issue with Shane Jones having a go at the Greens.
Labour != Greens.
You may not but Labour should do. From what I’ve seen on here the Labour members certainly understand.
Who gives a fuck whether you see it, BM.
You don’t support Labour OR the Greens. You don’t want EITHER to succeed.
I’d prefer Labour to have the lions share of the left vote with the Greens making up the numbers.
The less chance of the Greens moon bat economic policies seen the light of day, the better it is for NZ.
Facts are, the Greens are considered extremist nut bars by a good proportion of the voting public, in my view it doesn’t help Labour if they’re seen as being too cosy with the Greens.
Having Jones lob a few shells into the Greens camp helps to alleviate those concerns
Funny, I always thought the “extremist” nutbars were the ones who think that infinite economic growth on a finite planet is the way to go.
And that letting the very wealthy hoard even more money and resources while others go without, is a good idea.
BM
Problem is that Russel Norman will make such Green policy demands of Labour that cannot be acceptable to them.
Without acceeding to these demands Labour will not be able to govern.
Not as pretty picture.
And what makes you think that Labour can govern with Shearer at any time??
I reckon Porky Pig and Elmer Fudd, could govern better than Shearer or Key.
It’s National and Act that are the true nutjobs. Their economics are truly delusional and require that the country impoverish itself to allow a few people to have more money in the bank. Labour aren’t much better although they, at least, seem to finally be waking up to what the scientists are saying as far as the environment goes.
The Greens are going to bet the house on peak oil, that’s the problem.
So, planning for the downturn in available fossil fuels is bad?
Yeah, I’d say that proves that you RWNJs are completely divorced from reality.
Most of the Greens economic ideas seem to be geared up around the peak oil.
One thing I have learnt is that nothing is set in stone, to bet everything on some future event is foolish in the extreme.
What, like returning to surplus by 2014-15?
A future event that happened 5 or 6 years ago. And, yes, I’m quite aware of fracking and unconventional oil. Suffice to say, I don’t think they’ll get the type of return that the pro-oilers expect and they will, of course, trash the environment even more. 4 degrees is catastrophe, 6 degrees is Hell. We’re on track for the former and the unconventional oils will put us on track for the latter.
Again, you show just how disconnected from reality you are.
Not the actual peak oil event , the after effects of peak oil.
Having some guy running for parliament who is so certain that the world economy is going to collapse in the near future and believes that the best way forward for NZ is detaching us from the global economy and in the process destroying the NZ economy is criminal.
If Norman takes us down that path there will be hell to pay.
Um, why would broadening the NZ economy, making it independent of oil supplies and protecting the environment (the part that the economy can’t do without) destroy the economy?
Most everything of ‘getting ready for the effects of peak oil’ is about using energy more efficiently.
If it never happens, you’re still better off.
No we won’t, our dollar will be worth dirt, the only one doing well will be wheelbarrow manufacturers, every one else will be fucked.
I guess Norman can always escape back to Oz if his theory turns out to be shit, tough luck for any one else.
You’re demented old chap. Have a lie down.
And thus push us to develop technologies and other stuff that develops society here rather than importing. We won’t be fucked but be in a new boom times according to standard economic theory. Of course, standard economic theory is BS anyway and is just a justification for capitalism and the undermining of society.
“I’d prefer Labour to have the lions share of the left vote with the Greens making up the numbers.”
BM, I addressed this already. You’re a right winger. Of course you want the more-right-wing party to have more say than the less-right-wing party.
This site, on the other hand, is run for the benefit of the (small “l”) labour movement. It’s for people who want to promote left-wing ideas. It’s for people who’s interests are the opposite of your interests.
So why should anyone here care what you think?
Is Labour not left wing?
🙄
Hey BM
If you want to reduce the say of the Greens in the Government after the next election party vote Labour.
I’m starting to like the look of Shearer,the way he eviscerated Cunliffe was indeed pleasing, once he brings back Tamahere and shit cans all the liberals, I may be tempted to vote Labour.
Once he does that, and it looks like he will, then the true name of Labour will be National.
I’m starting to like the look of National. I like the way Key dealt with that fucking grasshopper.
As soon as he gets rid of all the right-wingers, corporate crooks, dirty fed farmers, authoritarians, populist lightweights, neoliberals, neocons, religious extremists, homophobes, racists, misogynists and enablers, I’ll totes think about giving them a tick.
Aye especially if he commits to doing something about poverty and global warming.
Labour’s not National either, but Shane Jones might as well be.
+1. Indeed.
I never thought I would see the day arrive so soon when I would be in broad agreement with Russel Norman’s comments.
He has indeed been gracious in giving the Shearer-Robertson leadership time to respond. There should have been more than enough hours, days and weeks for them to receive internal polling and focus groups from left, right & centre.
“Deafening silence” is generous and charitable. Comatose or persistent vegetative state would be more apt.
+1
Good work Russel.
What say thee Shane Jones? Or are your clear conflicts and compromised positions too great for someone like you to overcome? Perhaps Labour needs a bigger man instead of wee man Jones.
+1 Gob. I find Norman unbearable but even I’m behind him on this.
Quoting article:
The Greens Strike Back
Now, we need all the parties on the left to say what they’re going to do about this slavery.
People who do not know history are destined to repeat it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyUagbsg-HI
4 year term?
Discuss.
I’m unconvinced it’s necessary.
Pollies and technocrats whinge about ‘boohoo not enough time to do the things that really need to be done’ and all I hear is ‘whah whah no one agrees with me that these things actually do need to be done, and I can’t be arsed convincing them, or my convincing attempts have all failed’
Pollies in NZ have a very easy time of it. No executive veto, no second house, a court system that is respectful of parliamentary sovereignty.
The only thing holding them back from doing things is the threat of not being re-elected, the arg’s for a 4 year term mostly revolve around diluting that.
Yep p’s b and that equates to accreting more power to their offices. Such a move is in the completely wrong direction. The power needs to be heading back to the people, not away from the people. As such, I advocate for 2 year terms.
You might want to read up on the US congress and how the 2 year terms pretty much deadlock their system and prevent any real work from being done, since they’re effectively permanently campaigning and fundraising.
That’s not the electoral system’s fault. If it was, it would have always been thus.
Senators have a six year term, and lo and behold, they have become more and more obstructive and partisan over the last couple of decades. Perhaps we should give them a ten year term?
“Senators have a six year term, and lo and behold, they have become more and more obstructive and partisan over the last couple of decades. Perhaps we should give them a ten year term?”
Or perhaps, 6 years is too long, 2 years is too short, and they should split the difference and make it 4? Much like the presidency already is?
I suspect the problem in the US is that the congress has largely given up its role as being a check on the presidency; the system has become parliamentary in reality with the President’s party doing what it can to support the Presidency, and the other party opposing.
The constitution is basically 100 years or so out of date. If you look back, for most of its history the US parties have not been ideological, you had conservatives and reformers in both parties. Getting things done meant forming cross-party coalitions, rather then getting party based majorities.
Starting in the late sixties, and accelerating after Reagan, the parties have become more homogenised and internally coherent, and thus, partisan in their dealings with the presidency.
A scenario for the break up of the USA – John Michael Greer
These posts of his have been very instructive in this general area.
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/how-it-could-happen-part-one-hubris.html
There is very little of their supposed “real work” that I rate.
Alternatively, longer terms on the sole proviso that referendums are held and followed on all main planks of change.
The power must be driven back to the people, not towards the politicians and their paymasters. Why on earth would anyone want to give the politicians more power?
Concentrated power leads directly to this, amongst much more…… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyUagbsg-HI …. lest we forget
I would easily and willingly agree to a 4 year term if there were improved provisions for binding referenda.
Failing that, 3 years vs 4 years term, I’m mostly undecided although slightly leaning toward 4 years. One big difference between us and the rest of the world (which largely has longer terms) is our unicameral system, so there’s that.
50 000 people can trigger a binding referendum in Switzerland.
Despite twice our population.
Time we had democracy also.
So TVNZ screened the documentary about a *concerned jurer* from the Bain trial, and raised *questions* around the topic of compenation about 8/9 days ago, now we see This from Stuff
HERE is some angles about the TVNZ *documentary* from LF.
We need to work out robust ways of working together and managing a future coalition, and not giving free rein to bullying mavericks. http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/greens-want-more-disciplined-labour.html
Moral of the Hobbit fiasco. When the high dollar, and Movie company financial troubles set to destroy your movie, and you go to the tax payer to bail youself out, remember that your brand, in a time of global depression could be hurt by the anti-union-low-wages attack of the government of the day.
Unless of course, here’s the moral, you lead characters have big hairy feet and pointed ears.
The Tumeke NZ Blogger Alignment Awards 2012
Opinion divided on ‘100% Pure’
There’s really not much to say about it – you really can’t pick and choose your facts.
It is in fact worse than that Draco…
Not only do WE have to pay to clean up the shit from their business…
WE also have to pay for them to create it in the first instance. For example, taxpayers are forking out $400million to help with irrigation projects. Another for example, Central Plains Water gets locans form old lady ratepayers in the Selwyn District to forward their private irrigation schemes.
It is simply disgusting.
How about some farmers out there step up and explain …………….
And Tamihere proves that a leopard can’t change its spots.
Yep, just the same old bigoted git – and now a member of Labour and likely to become a candidate.
Don’t you especially love how he waited till she was gone and he was safely ensconced behind his microphone to insult her? That’s very brave.
Who needs to bring Paul Henry back from across the ditch when Labour has opened its doors, taken in a talking disaster and given him party membership ?
John Tamihere = Labour’s in-house Paul Henry.
John Key and Natz are lovin’ it.
Not if Nanaia has her way!
Govt might overrule broadband pricing advice:
Yep, the government seems to be more concerned with a private companies profit than the best interests of the country.
And just think, if we hadn’t deregulated and sold off Telecom then we would a) be several billion dollars better off, b) have most of the country already on FttH c) not having these regulatory issues and d) not have a government more concerned with the interests of a private company over the interests of the country.
Just shows who Key is really working for…
Christchurch GP earned $750,00 for compo assessment work but falsely claimed further $18,300 for expenses.
In the dual meaning of the initials G.C, this guy has the negative nicely covered off!
Read Colonial vipers item at 8 and lots of 1’s at 2.19 pm on the USA direction.
This reminded me of a future talker on 9toNoon this morning:
09:40 Trends shaping the future of the world economy and what this will mean for NZ
The executive editor of The Economist, Dr Daniel Franklin. He is in New Zealand as a guest of Massey University and is delivering the keynote address at the new New Zealand Forum, which will discuss New Zealand’s future. Daniel is also the editor of Megachange: The World in 2050, a book published this year about the mega-trends shaping the future of the globe.
Don’t know what I think about him – have to listen again.
David Cunliffe is attending. Hopefully he will tell us more about it on his facebook site