What a joke ! No “deliberate” misuse. What it really means – ‘Misuse then ? Well, if you must…..but do remember, this was not my finest hour……’
“In October, she said Mr Key had a “cavalier” approach to the OIA and had shown a “disregard for the law”. Her comments were in relation to Mr Key’s admission that his office sometimes waited 20 days to release information if it was in its political interests. Asked about her comments today, she said they were “not her finest hour.”
That’s a shame. The ‘finest hour’ may come along in the course of the next sinecure.
I am fully expectant that Peter Boshier will be no ones’ poodle.
Another whitewash on the way. And if Departments don’t have the resources to deal with OIA requests, who is it that funds the departments to resource themselves?
Morning Report this morning – 17 and 18 year olds locked down in their cells for 23 out of 24 hours at Serco Mt Eden – Minister of Corrections Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga “declined to comment”.
What the hell is going on ? Are Corrections/Serco actually the Minister of Corrections here ? Peseta Sam the mute titular ?
Oh I get it…….”Responsibility Responsibility Responsibility !”…….National Party style.
That’s old news,
you need to read more foreign media, more often.
For some reason most “international” stuff & herald stories are about 2-3+ days behind the rest of the world.
He said few residents feared coalition airstrikes, although former residents of the city who have fled across the border to Turkey told the Guardian last week of civilian casualties suffered even under carefully targeted bombardment.
While children and elderly people are often startled and disturbed by the sounds of the explosions, activists say the airstrikes tend not to hit civilian areas. Most, however, fear Russian airstrikes as they tend to target civilian neighbourhoods.
Why on erath would he say that if it wasn’t true? You can check out the journo group ‘Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently’ for yourselves if you care to smear them, but good luck saying they are ‘fans’ of ISIS or in anyway supporters of them. Video of Russian helicopters dropping dumb bombs on urban areas are also not hard to find, though RT tend to prefer the snazzy pics of jest taking off and cruise missiles. The clusters of 4 heavy bombs smashing into a neighbourhood? not so much airtime on RT for some reason.
There appears to be a lot of opinion in that article, PB.
“Why on erath (earth) would he say that if it wasn’t true?”
Really? I’m gobsmacked that you would even think that.
I have a healthy distrust of the media, mainly because I’ve been working in it for the last 25+ years. (obviously I’m not a journo, my grammer sucks)
Always ask, why am I being told this and who benefits from the outcome.
Russia is going to stay in Syria, Assad will remain in power, Iranian influence in the Middle East will increase, and US/NATO complicity with ISIS and other extremist groups will become increasingly obvious.
Oh great, It’s Captain Know Nothing back with off-topic reckons for the thread.
How did you get on finding an example of a helicopter being shot down by a TOW?
And weren’t you saying just the other day that Putin agrees with you that Assad should go? Yep, you were, but you were just making shit up, coz it’s what you do.
Why would he say that “few residents feared coalition airstrikes”? Or why would he say “Most, however, fear Russian airstrikes…”?
My impression is that nothing quite gels. I mean he also says..
“Britain has a powerful intelligence service and knows where to strike and when, not like the coalition.” (Wide-eyed astonishment at that one from over here)
Who is he?
From the same article Tim Ramadan, the pseudonym of an activist and journalist working clandestinely in the city
No agenda and no line to spin then and…well, what is an activist in the context of a multi faceted war situation?
edit: one fairly reasonable reason for him spinning (if he is) would be if he’s aligned with any of the so-called moderate opposition targeted by Russia but not by ‘the coalition’, yes?
And yes, like much of rebel held Syria they hate Assad, and ISIS.
Which doesn’t make what they are saying ‘not true’, right?
But given what the coalition are doing and demanding, and what the Russians are doing and demanding, what motivation would they have to say what he said.
Why say the new strikes will be pointless in effect, and that the Russian strikes are hitting civilians more often? They want ISIS gone, they really hate ISIS. They are literally risking death doing what they are doing, these activists in Raqqa, some of them have been killed by ISIS.
So if it’s not true that the Russian attacks are more feared by the population than the wetsern attacks why say it?
Does it square with other evidence, like footage of attacks?
I’m not saying that certain claims are either true or not true. And I don’t have any reasonably informed opinion that could be applied to your questions.
Maybe the ‘Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently’ site you mention is a reasonable conduit for information – I dunno. What I mean by that is that I haven’t given it more than a cursory glance atm.
My thoughts exactly. With so much misinformation and political points scoring going on, it’s hard to work out what’s actually going on..
But then, that’s the whole idea.
Russia has only one objective in Syria, the preservation of Tartus as it’s only western hemisphere naval base outside of the Crimea. Hey wait a minute, I’m seeing a connection here between russian adventures in the Ukraine and in Syria………
The preservation of their only open water naval base in Europe/Middle East. is their primary strategic goal, everything else, including war crimes and assad’s survival is secondary to this.
Stories in the press that Turkey are delaying Russian traffic through the Bosphorus for “administrative” reasons is an unwelcome power flex by the turks…..
Because he is directly responsible for the death of many hundreds of thousands of people and has no incentive to tell the truth
We live in an age where any media production, be it written word, audio or visual can be ‘created’, and should by default be treated as suspicious, fake or lies
IRONY ALERT: Paul “Kill Them All” Henry gets all serious and
denounces “the mindless rantings of one very nasty piece of work.” Paul Henry, TV3, Thursday 3 December 2015, 7:10 a.m.
hypocriten. 1. a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs; 2. a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion.
In a supreme act of projection this morning, Paul “Kill Them All” Henry glared at the camera with his special “serious” expression and intoned: “It’s just the mindless rantings of one very nasty piece of work.”
That’s an odd thing to say for someone who just two months ago was ranting about the “political correctness” gone mad of giving a ferry a Māori name…
anyone see this? My understand of the flag wastage was that anyone could either rank as per preference, or rank as little as one.
However here they say….rank all or ‘it won’t count’
Are they now giving out invalid/false information?
From the letter accompanying the voting paper: Instructions: A: Rank the flag designs in the order that you prefer them. You can rank as few or an many as you wish, from 1 to 5. Write 1 in the box under the flag you prefer most. Write 2 in the box under your next preferred flag, if you have one, and so on. Do not write the same number more than once.
No, what they are saying (I think) is that if you want to put your most hated flag ranked last, start with making it #5, but you then have to vote for #1, #2, #3, #4 as well or your vote will be invalid. Another example would be if you wrote #2 and #3 and nothing else, that would be invalid too. Presumably.
It’s still completely stupid advice from Fair Go given that we still don’t do this kind of voting well, but I think it reflects how fucked up the whole thing is when our state broadcaster feels the need to tell people how to vote based on the most hated design.
Thanks Weka – and I agree. It says something about the whole process/project if people need to be told how to express their hatred of designs in a way that does not invalidate their vote.
Apparently that QR code on your ballot paper contains a unique number that starts out tied to your name and is used to make sure no-one votes twice.
That means it is vital you don’t mark any part of that QR code.
If you do, it won’t be logged as a protest, probably just as an unreadable slip of paper.
You’d hope the Electoral Commission makes sure the names are stripped off the QR codes before that list of numbers is used to validate your voting paper, rendering them anonymous.
I have more than hope, I have a strong certainty, but the Electoral Commission is understandably a bit coy about explaining its internal security measures, so that’s the part we need to take on trust.
That’s alright then, because we really trust this government and its computer data competency.
Every voting paper has a secret number on it. If the same name is crossed off the roll more than once the number on the voting paper is opened so that the person can be checked/interviewed to see if he has voted twice. What he voted is immaterial. Could a dishonest person find out what you voted? Possible but you have to trust the integrity of staff. Works OK so far.
I see no reason why the Electoral Commission cannot be trusted to operate the system honestly and fairly. It would be a very risky proposition for the government of the day to try and interfere with a democratically run voting system such as ours. Voters of all stripes would reject them outright.
I’ve been saying on this board for years that the government can track how people vote and now you’re surprised to find that they can?
as for this bit:
You’d hope the Electoral Commission makes sure the names are stripped off the QR codes before that list of numbers is used to validate your voting paper, rendering them anonymous.
The name wouldn’t be in the QR code itself but the QR code will relate back to the name in the database.
That’s alright then, because we really trust this government and its computer data competency.
Actually, the problem is trusting the competency of the private firm that wrote the software.
Cameron and Key use practically interchangeable slurs when cornered by their opponents. It should remove any doubt as to whether Cameron or Key are cold, calculating sociopaths or a loudmouthed bully boys, because they are obviously both.
As do the Lib/Nats in Australia. Its why we have centre-left referred to as “hard Left” whilst they call themselves “centre Right” – it creeps into the MSM in NZ, Aus and GB within a very short time. Look at the how Tony Abbot’s “Death Cult” description of ISIS is now part of their vocab.
I’ve been waiting to hear JFK start talking about “the New Zealand People”. It started in the US and is common in Australia and GB. Another little gem is “the truth is ……… this or that”.
It’s what the hard Right CT do best, and they have their little disciples like Matty Hooten and Paul Henry doing their best to propagate the spin – consciously or not (going forward).
It’s not unlike those in the banking sector – you know – those expert economists.
The sharemarket always goes up or down “on the back of …… “.
(At this point in time) BEWARE THE BULLSHIT! (going forward)
This government sure seems to be getting a reputation for enabling “modern” slavery. I wish the labour party would make more of a fuss instead of letting NZFirst turn it into an anti-immigration issue. After all it is the LABOUR party. I wonder if the police are much involved in looking into this sort of stuff. Do they have a transnational crime expert there and if so what issues is he focusing on instead… Cocaine? Whipping up fear in the Asia-Pacific over ISIS?
Yet another disgraceful, extreme ten minutes from Dame Ann Leslie.
Why is this ghastly old trout accorded the status of “U.K. correspondent”?
RNZ National, Thursday 3 September 2015, 9:50 a.m.
KATHRYN RYAN: Our U.K. correspondent is Dame Ann Leslie and she is in London. Good morning!
DAME ANN LESLIE: Good morning!
KATHRYN RYAN: Crazy old world it is. Your parliament is having an intense debate tonight on whether to commit to bombing Daesh in Syria.
DAME ANN LESLIE: It’s absolutely unbelievable that this debate is taking one whole day. As is well known, Raqaa is the nerve centre of the bloody attacks on Paris. But our planes are obliged by an earlier decision of our parliament to avoid flying over Syrian air space. Now, you may detect a slight political bias in what I say next, but Labour with its new, rather muddled, faintly loopy, hard left leader Jeremy Corbyn…. [she embarks on a rambling denunciation]… I think Cameron WILL win, but it will be nail-biting. I’ve lived long enough to know how unpredictable war is. There are some things we have to deal with, for example Turkey, which has been slightly pro-ISIL. They used to line their tanks up on the border, watching various factions fighting. Um, the thing is really, one of the main problems is Turkey, because they are aligned with Daesh, allowing Daesh’s oil across the border, which has been illegally acquired, to sell on the secret market. Then of course there is the other issue, which is sectarian basically, between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Turkey is making a mess of things, frankly.
KATHRYN RYAN: I’m looking at a comment by William Hague, saying don’t rule out British boots on the ground.
DAME ANN LESLIE:[wearily] Ohhh!
KATHRYN RYAN: Now people are talking about boots on the ground again.
DAME ANN LESLIE: Everybody agrees that this will be a long drawn out conflict. Destroying Daesh won’t work unless there are boots on the ground. The question is WHOSE boots?… I’ve worked a lot in the Middle East and it really is the MOST APPALLING MESS…
KATHRYN RYAN: All right. The question is: does the UK want to be ANYWHERE near it?
DAME ANN LESLIE: Well the thing is, we have been very stupid in the West. We had the idea that if we went into these Godforsaken countries we would be greeted with flowers from the people we had liberated. ….Then you get the appalling business of sectarianism. The Sunnis don’t want the SHIAS involved, and the Shias, especially Iran, don’t want the Sunnis involved…. I feel very depressed by the whole thing.
KATHRYN RYAN: Let’s finish with a festive note. Can festive fairy lights wreck the British Christmas?
DAME ANN LESLIE: Ofcom has said that fairy lights will wreck our traditional family Christmas, because they interfere with wi-fi. ….
Mercifully, the time pips start sounding….
KATHRYN RYAN:[with evident relief] Oh dear! Ten o’clock!
I sent the host of Nine to Noon the following email….
Dear Kathryn,
You allowed your U.K. correspondent Dame Ann Leslie to denounce Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as “rather muddled, faintly loopy, hard left”. That was an extreme and biased comment by any measure, yet you chose not to challenge it, or even to politely ask her to explain why she had used such demeaning language.
Are you not allowed to challenge anything she says? Are you obliged to simply go along with it?
Yours in concern at the standards of public broadcasting,
+100… Dame Ann Leslie is such an obvious right wing Tory toff she is entertaining…she shouldnt be taken seriously…however she shouldnt be allowed blather along unchallenged ….surely Ryan can engage more with her and challenge her monologue occasionally ?
…and why cant we have Ken Livingstone on as a commentator to give the other side?…here he is on Sophie and Co
‘West discredited itself with invasions, able to stop nothing now – ex-mayor of London’
“After Islamic State strikes in the heart of Europe, nations are ramping up their security. Now, the debate rages about whether being secure or being free is the most important. And when jihadists attack, anti-Islamic sentiment gains momentum, with hate crimes threatening to spike out of control. How do you keep heads calm? Is bulk data collection, after all, needed for peace and stability? We pose these questions to a veteran British politician, former mayor of London – Ken Livingstone is on Sophie&Co today.”
She grew up in “the Punjab” dontcha know. She’s ‘very well connected’.
Whilst I admire Kathryn Ryan for much of what she does – she does like to maintain a ‘balanced portfolio’ and maintain an image of fairness and balance.
Challenging bullshit is just not the done thing dontcha know – even amongst those that consider themselves amongst the Kiwi-well-connected-elite (or the Elite Cult).
How else do you explain “The Panel’? (going forward)
Oh ….. btw, I notice The Dame hasn’t been on Dateline London for a very long, long time – perhaps Gav’s not been too kind to her, or his ‘bit of fluff’ doesn’t particularly like her condescension
Mora’s ‘The Panel’ is ghastly…I try never to listen to it!..In fact I find Dame Leslie more congenial ( dare I say it…I find her entertaining like a poncy aunty and I like the way she speaks)
Oh Morissey Darling! What a truly truly monstrous thing to say. Really! That’s horrid – really it is!
Why the Dame has a wealth of life’s experience, and Kathryn has launched a thousand carreers (including a few talking head ‘panelists’ we now hold so very very dear).
How dare you challenge them!
It really is such bad form!
/sarc (as if)
Pharmac have denied terminally ill people with melanoma a promising drug which has benefitted a third to two thirds of people with incurable melanoma. The cost is about $300,000 per person. Australia and the UK fund the drug but not stingy NZ. The cost of the drug would cost the government 30 million per year.
What upsets me the most is that the rich can afford to purchase the drug and a savvy poor person would have to fund raise, (which would require abundant energy).
It must be awful being an oncologist in NZ because of being limited when it comes to prescribing life saving drugs which Pharmac will not fund.
Pharmac, like most other government organisations, could do with a significant funding boost and no political interference (like the Herceptin campaign pledge).
It’s akin to manslaughter, allowing people to die, when they could be helped. Only the super wealthy can afford this drug. You wouldn’t even need to poor to be left to die, if you needed this drug.
There was a young man, just a teenager, with melanoma on telly the other night at yet another fundraiser for this particular drug, Keytruda I think it’s called. He said he has to raise $30K every 3 months. He has a givealittle page and he was at a fundraiser event when he being filmed.
His family and himself work full time on the fundraising. How frightening to be in his shoes, having your life depend on the kindness of strangers, and never knowing if there will be enough money. How do people fare who don’t have a supportive family and don’t have the strength to work out how to get absurd amounts of money out of thin air?
The other name is Pembrolizumab. The bro bit might be the generous people in NZ who donate to try and save a life e.g. the young 22 year old who has a give a little page.
“There is a rapidly emerging consensus that – as we discovered 80 years ago but then forgot – austerity is the wrong response to recession. We are learning that lesson all over again. Even in terms of its own stated objectives, austerity has failed; the supposedly central priority of eliminating the government’s deficit remains a long way from being achieved, while the deficit that really matters – the country’s continuing failure to pay its way – remains unattended to and is getting worse.
In the meantime, poverty and inequality increase, housing is increasingly unaffordable, net investment is virtually zero, the prospect of a revival in manufacturing is non-existent, and an unsustainable consumer boom fuelled by asset inflation underpins our rake’s progress to decline.?
Have to say, I was pretty convinced I was going to spoil my voting paper, but when it comes down to it, I really can’t be bothered even sending the thing in. And I’m a committe voter.
The clearest explanation of the evil of corporate tyranny and the death of democracy I’ve heard so far:
Democracy Sold Out To Greed
The video helps me to bring home that “Western democracy” is a sham, a total lie.
Every Western government and Washington’s Asian vassal states are totally under the control of private corporations and private interest groups. The corporations govern, and they are in the process of institutionalizing their governance with the Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Partnerships. The purpose of these “partnerships” is to make global corporations higher than the laws of the “sovereign” countries in which they do business.
Anything, whether law, rule, regulation, or moral principle that interferes with corporate profits is outlawed as “a resraint on trade.”
Western civilization is over and done with. Nothing remains except historical achievements that are no longer understood or appreciated.
..where is the NZ Labour Party on opposing this….neolib corporate fascist attempt at takeover of New Zealand democracy and sovereignty?…scarcely a peep!
Hi Comrade Rosie….yes I did see it and I didnt answer because Savenz answered for me…on the reasons why there needs to be a new Labour Mana Party
There are many reasons why the last Election was lost
1.)…Cunliffe was relentlessly attacked by the msm…and not supported by the Labour Party caucus even although he was the grassroots Labour vote….and it would seem that there has been a concerted campaign against him and his supporters on the Left of the Labour Party for some time
( here is what i asked on the Daily Blog)
“Is the ABC faction actually a fifth column?
…I mean looked at it historically, it has been going on at least as long as Shearer
2.) In a stunning move Labour turned against Hone Harawira in the TTT electorate and effectively excluded Left party Mana winning four seats and a Left coalition winning that election…gifting it to Jonkey nactional…Mana was working for the poorest of the poor in New Zealand ….this was unforgivable by the Labour party ….and it does not deserve to be called Labour
( …and it turns out that Lusk was apparently bribing Maori not to vote for Hone Harawira !….Nash has had dealings with Lusk
…”Simon Lusk also claimed on Story he had been instrumental in unseating Mana Party co-leader Hone Harawira in the last election. Unnamed “businessmen” had paid thousands for that, he said. And in conversation with his co-host last Monday, Duncan Garner said money had been paid to get Maori electors to vote in Te Tai Tokerau.
Was political operative Simon Lusk really paying people on behalf of clients to influence an election? Disappointingly, no more was said about this claim.The following day, Duncan Garner posted a statement from Simon Lusk on the websites of TV3’s Story and Radio Live. In it, Simon Lusk said:
Iwi now have extensive databases of members who they can easily mobilise. Assembling a team of 50 or 100 iwi members to get out the vote is straightforward, legal and effective if it is possible to raise some koha.
He added that “if you’re not paying for votes or offering anything in exchange for a vote, or treating,” it is not against the law. But that statement didn’t answer key questions: How much was paid? By whom? And for what purpose? …
…”Duncan Garner also revealed supporters of Labour’s Napier MP Stewart Nash paid Simon Lusk to canvas the option of a new political party…)
Now we have Little’s Labour demoting and shunning Cunliffe and Mahuta yet again….even although Mahuta brought in the Maori seats for Labour and Cunliffe was the Labour grassroots choice for leader ( Little cant even win his own seat, nor ccan Robertson and Adern)
Quite apart from all this, Labour has shown NO leadership in opposing the TPP
So yes I would support another “Labour” Mana Party which is genuinely Labour ( this Labour Party does not deserve the brand name “Labour”…It deserves to be taken off them)
“In a stunning move Labour turned against Hone Harawira in the TTT electorate and effectively excluded Left party Mana winning four seats and a Left coalition winning that election…”
Do you really believe this nonsense Chooky? I feel your heart is in the right place but this is nonsense. I like Hone Harawira very much and believe he is a good person, but he made a very stupid mistake signing up with Kim Dotcom.
He lost a lot of credibility with Māori in Northland because they felt he had sold out – unlike you I actually know many Northland Māori. He lost control of his party. He begged Dotcom not to have the “Moment of Truth” just before the election because Hone is politically astute enough to know that is would be distorted by the media and would lose the left votes, as it inevitably did. I was sitting very close to Hone that night and his unhappiness was obvious.
all Dotcoms fault then?…well Jonkey would certainly agree with you!…but it is a bit simplistic…and Dotcom was up against the corporates too …so whose side are you on?…certainly not Dotcom’s ( is this little Labour policy as well?)
…and I note you have carefully avoided any of the other points
I have been too busy with work to look at the Standard again until now – if I had I would have corrected my last line to “Davis deserved that seat.”
The reason I didn’t deal with your other “points” was that they were too ludicrous to bother with. If you really believe that Lusk had anything to do with Davis winning then you really are very foolish. You are actually doing exactly what Lusk et al want you to do – whether deliberately or through ignorance I have no idea.
If you actually read what I said a bit more carefully you would understand that I am not blaming Dotcom, I am saying when Mana signed up with Dotcom they not only lost a lot of credibility with many of their supporters, but Hone lost control of the party he had co-founded. Sue Bradford could see what would happen but Hone couldn’t.
I have been very impressed with Davis this year – why not look at what people do rather than indulge in ill-informed conspiracy theories.
Hi Chooky. Thanks for the thoughts. Have run out of time to respond in any meaningful way.
Except to say I totally get what you are saying about treatment of Mahuta and DC. I agree. I’m with you on that. I also saw the programme about Simon Lusk, his bribing of Maori voters of TTT and his connection with Nash. But, I’d say ditto to what Karen is saying below. It’s a long bow to draw a connection between Lusk and Kelvin Davis in TTT. Lusk just hated Hone. Fool that Lusk is.
Also, I still don’t think a new party will solve anything, help the left or the people that need left representation.
@ Rosie …i am not saying there is a connection between Davis and Lusk…where did I say that? ( reframing of the issues?)
I am saying Davis and Labour should NOT have stood against Hone Harawira and Mana Party …which were for the poorest of the poor
I am saying it looks as if Lusk paid Maori not to vote for Harawira
I am saying it looks as if there is a connection between Labour’s Nash and Lusk…on a different issue
( It would be very interesting to know exactly what other connections /dealings Lusk has had with New Zealand politicians…and Labour politicians…such connections would be very compromising indeed, I would imagine)
As regards a new Labour Mana Party…well it depends on how much you can stomach from the party which calls itself ‘Labour’ …and it depends on how many people feel there is a need for a new Labour Left (Mana)Party
…certainly there does seem some support for it given the treatment of Cunliffe ( the membership choice) and Mahuta (and the Maori seats)…and Harawira (and Mana)….and the Labour Party leadership non action on TPP
I don’t want to support any status quo Chooky. I’m feeling very uncomfortable /conflicted about being in Labour now. Check out my comments on the “Labour Mayor for Wellington” post if you want to see why I will not be voting for Labour Mayoral candidate Justin Lester.
Theres a shit load of stuff that may or may not happen in the next two years. We might yet be surprised. Holy moly, if David Cunliffe, in some weird twist of alternate reality become leader of the Greens then I’d party vote Green.
I am however, strongly opposed to voting for Labour ticket Justin Lester as Mayor of Wellington.
Cunliffe was born Labour and will die Labour.
He would never ever join another party.
While some Green values overlap or are complimentary to those of Labour the two parties are different.
No no no. Cunliffe is not leaving Labour. All of us should remain and make our best possible contributions to ensuring its values are protected and applied to real lives.
In many ways David Cunliffe is a better fit for the Greens….not least of all because the Greens are to the Left of Labour
( except for Greens idiotic championing of bloody Red Peak corporate flag which i blame on try hard Shaw and that other grinning baby face muggins Gareth Hughes..and a few others who i wont insult)
Just checked the ‘TransTasman’ so called ratings of Politicians.
What a laugh! Act’s noname on top rated highest. Nats good… Labour bad.
Dyson one of the hardest working MPs standing up for her constituents in Redcliffs even though they didn’t support her locally in the elections rated about lowest with the same rating as Nuk Nobody whom she thrashed and has nothing to say about Parata’s attack on the people of his pretend electorate of Port Hills.
Still we can’t expect any real information from a $500+ a year right wing rag started by national MP Hugh Templeton/s brother and bought out by another true blue right winger.
Right up Tracey Watkins alley this nonsense.
I listened to Mark Sainsbury a few times until his panel with the so-called views from the left and right consisted of 2 rightwing commentators. Happened a few times so turned off after that.
The commissioner running the Southern District Health Board will have her term extended under special legislation introduced to Parliament today, Health Minister Jonathan Coleman has announced.
It means the promised return to a democratically elected board next year will not happen…
When the team was appointed in June, Dr Coleman said their term would finish on December 2 next year, shortly after the election of a new board.
I’m not surprised; as this slow motion disaster of an underfunded public health system down south has been a long time disintegrating. Also, it was only yesterday (a year to the day before the commissioner’s term was supposed to expire) that:
Auckland District Health Board’s chief medical officer has been named as the final member of the politically appointed group guiding the Dunedin Hospital redevelopment.
Although called the ”Southern Partnership Group”, four of its five members are in the North Island – three of them in Auckland.
What’s up with Stuff.co’s infuriating new recommended stories drop down menu? Hope they get enough feedback to get rid of it asap or give us a way to disable it permanently.
. . . there’s a bit of tweaking required for New Zealand specific sites and for when new “features” are imposed. The new drop down is to encourage clicks on what is euphemistically called “partner content” but, really, is advertising.
The front page of the November 29, 1947 edition of the New York Times read “[General] Assembly Votes Palestine Partition; Margin Is 33 to 13; Arabs Walk Out; Aranha Hails Work as Session Ends.”
Why were the Arabs angry? Because, for the indigenous Palestinians, the deal was a thoroughly bad one. Palestinians comprised approximately two-thirds of the population, yet were offered just 43 percent of their land in the deal.
“Aranha” refers to Osvaldo Aranha, a Brazilian diplomat. As president of the U.N. General Assembly, Aranha lobbied strongly on behalf of the Zionist movement (a settler colonialist Jewish nationalist political movement that called for the creation of the state of Israel). He delayed the vote on resolution 181 by two days in order to give the U.S. and other pro-Israel countries more time to pressure U.N. member states to vote for the plan. Scholar Fred Khouri writes that, in these two days:
“The United States and Zionists led the lobbying efforts of the pro-partition forces. The delegates, as well as the home governments, of Haiti, Liberia, Ethiopia, China, the Philippines, and Greece were swamped with telegrams, telephone calls, letters, and visitations from many sources, including the White House, congressmen, business corporations, and other fields of endeavor. As a result of these tremendous official and nonofficial pressures, Haiti, Liberia, and the Philippines finally agreed to vote for partition.”
These last-minute changes ensured that resolution 181 would have the two-thirds majority vote needed to pass.
The following is the U.N.’s map of the proposed partition. The blue areas comprising roughly 57 percent of the land were to be allotted to Jews; orange areas were to be allotted to Palestinians. Jerusalem was to be left under the governance of the international community, because of its historical and religious importance for numerous religions and cultures.
The Partition Plan was never implemented, however. The very next day after it was voted on, the 1947-1948 war broke out.
In this war, Zionist militias systematically ethnically cleansed large portions of historic Palestine, sacking hundreds of Palestinian villages and expelling more than 750,000 people — around two-thirds of the indigenous Arab population. Prominent Israeli historian Ilan Pappé notes that, in Israel’s Plan Dalet (also known simply as Plan D), “veteran Zionist leaders” created “a plan for the ethnic cleansing of Palestine.” They dispatched military orders in March 1948, Pappé explains:
“The orders came with a detailed description of the methods to be employed to forcibly evict the people: large-scale intimidation; laying siege to and bombarding villages and population centres; setting fire to homes, properties and goods; expulsion; demolition; and, finally, planting mines among the rubble to prevent any of the expelled inhabitants from returning.”
Plan D “spelled it out clearly and unambiguously: the Palestinians had to go,” writes Pappé. …..
Denouncing Kylie Jenner took up nearly five minutes on The Panel today;
But not even one second of indignation about today’s decision to bomb Syria.
RNZ National, Thursday 3 December 2015, 4:56 p.m.
Jim Mora, Tony Doe, Annah Stretton, Julie Moffett
hypocrisyn. 1. a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess. 2. a pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude. 3. an act or instance of hypocrisy.
JIM MORA: It is International Disabilities Day, which is a terrible coincidence, given the shootings in San Bernardino. And, ahhh, that has made what Kylie Jenner did, ahhh, a topic of discussion, much discussion on the internet. So Kylie Jenner from the Kardashian clan has angered disabled people by posing in a gold wheelchair for a magazine cover. And she’s got some kind of bleak, she’s aiming for a bleak sort of futuristic look, isn’t she, with her—she looks like a robot, she’s trying to look like a—
ANNAH STRETTON: Yeah she does, yeah, yeah.
JIM MORA: And the quote going around the world, seeming to come from her but not actually, she didn’t say this, people are assuming she did, is: “Wow! Being in a wheelchair is so fun and fashionable!” So that is the, that is the quote being aired in, ahh, all the reports on this. …[baffled sigh]…. Would you put one of your models in a wheelchair?
ANNAH STRETTON: Snorts to show what she thinks of Kylie Jenner.
JIM MORA: This is the interesting question here.
ANNAH STRETTON: Yeah I don’t know why we’re giving this any air time. Ummm, y’know the reality of is it’s just stupid, as perhaps this whole thing is around the Kardashians, but, uh, no, no I wouldn’t put one of my models in a wheelchair. There IS a sensitivity around disability, and you know I would sit very uncomfortably with anything like this, and I just, I think this is just bizarre.
JIM MORA: Seventeen year old Ophelia Brown posted her own image and says “I wanted to show her that being in a wheelchair is not glamorous or fashionable or fun. A wheelchair’s a big part of my life. She seemed to be sitting on it for fun, or to look more edgy and cool, and I felt overwhelmed with annoyance and jealousy that she could just get in and out of a wheelchair.” And you can completely understand this reaction. But uh, errrrrmmm, it, it’s been defended as well. Uh errrr, people are saying, Look, you know, she didn’t necessarily mean anything by it, it’s just a shot of her in a wheel—- How do YOU view it, Tony?
TONY DOE:[lengthy pause] Tut. Yeah, “not necessarily meaning anything by it” is, errrr, it’s like “I was only obeying orders” or something like that isn’t it. I mean, you’re sort of INVOLVED, whether you like it or not, and the overall impression is, um, not good and to be fair, I mean these people, the Kardashians, they must have more P.R. advisers than Heaven knows who, and umm, you’d have thought that one of them might have tapped her on the shoulder and said, Oy, that’s not a very good idea doing that. Y’know, don’t because it’s gonna make, it’s bad for your image for a start, and it’s actually a rather crass and insensitive thing to do, so don’t do it.
JIM MORA: Or is the publicity the, is that what is the most important thing now? As with that—I don’t really wanna talk about the Caitlin Jenner billboard in Auckland, I mean, goodness knows it’s on the front pages of the online newspapers anyway. But, errrr, because not necessarily because it gives it oxygen, but ahhh, because media are so reactive now, but is that part of the point? And is it just gonna get worse and worse, so you can’t ignore people making statements, ‘cos they know it’s all, it’s going to cause outrage, it’s going to be reported.
TONY DOE: Y-y-y-yeaaahhh, it, it, it is a deliberately provocative act, and the idea is to get attention, and Mission Accomplished, isn’t it. You know, I mean, it draws attention to that fashion label. This is the, there was the story in the media today, I think, about a men’s accessories place, with rings, men’s hands on naked women—
JIM MORA: Oh yes, I saw, I saw the headline there.
TONY DOE: Yeah, a very similar sort of a thing, where the man’s hand with all these rings on it is on the back of this woman, um, he’s got clothes on, she hasn’t. People are saying it’s misogynist and various other things but the line of rings has sold out.
ANNAH STRETTON:[Guffaws sardonically] Huh.
JIM MORA: That’s the thing.
ANNAH STRETTON: Reacted to it, yeah.
TONY DOE: So, whatever happened, people wanted the rings, and the fact that all that attention was given to that advert drew people to that website and drew people to that product and they actually liked it when they saw it.
JIM MORA: Yeah, and Annah, you say quite reasonably I dunno why we’re discussing this, but presumably it may have the, y’know it’s supposed to educate people and shame them into silence and have billboards taken down and so on, but it may produce a kind of cacophony of constant rudeness, as people try and get edgier and edgier and edgier. That may well be the result.
TONY DOE:
ANNAH STRETTON: I dunno, we’ve got the billboard and we’ve got the wheelchair and they’re both the Jenners, aren’t they, with the—
JIM MORA: Yeah.
ANNAH STRETTON: Yeah, um, I think a lot of it, they don’t NEED the publicity, so I don’t understand why they had to go into this space to get it, because there’s a lot of other ways that they could, um, yeah, I, I, I, I dunno, I just think that, y’know, people that are forced in to wheelchairs because of a disability, ummmm….
JIM MORA: Don’t appreciate seeing HER sitting in one.
ANNAH STRETTON: Yeah. She doesn’t need to DO this. I don’t understand it, I really don’t understand it. And I don’t, obviously you can see that I don’t have a lot of time for the Jenners either, so—
TONY DOE: Ha ha!
JIM MORA: No I got that impression—-
ANNAH STRETTON: Heh heh.
JIM MORA: —-from your general tone.
TONY DOE: Yeah.
ANNAH STRETTON: Ah, heh heh.
As Annah Stretton continued her restrained snickering, the welling sounds of “Carmina Burana” signaled that, mercifully, it was time for them all to stop talking.
Straight after that public show of concern for the disabled, I sent the host the following email….
Dear Jim,
I find you and some of your panelists (like Chris Trotter and Lisa Scott) laughing at the plight of political dissidents to be far more offensive than anything Kylie Jenner has said or done.
New Zealand has reinforced its commitment to combating corruption by ratifying the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.
The Convention is a legally binding global agreement to address corruption in the private and public spheres.
“While New Zealand already has a strong reputation for having low levels of corruption, we cannot be complacent. We have broadly complied with the Convention for a number of years, but we needed to make a limited number of law changes before we could ratify it,” says Ms Adams.
The necessary changes were made through the Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill, which amended 15 Acts and was recently passed by Parliament.
“The changes made by the Bill, along with our formal ratification of the Convention, mean New Zealand’s ability to combat corruption is now stronger than ever.
Benefits of ratifying the Convention include ensuring our domestic anti-corruption measures remain robust and meet international best practice.
“It’s also a clear demonstration that New Zealand values a fair and corruption-free international trading system.
This is important for maintaining New Zealand’s reputation as a trustworthy trading partner with zero-tolerance for corruption.
“As a member of the Convention, New Zealand will be able to better contribute to global anti-corruption efforts by providing a legal basis for extradition and mutual legal assistance between other member countries when dealing with corruption-related crimes,” says Ms Adams.
New Zealand joins 177 other countries as a State Party to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
The Convention focuses on four key areas: prevention, criminalisation, international cooperation, and recovery of the proceeds of corruption.
The specific amendments made by the Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill to enable ratification of the Convention include:
the creation of new corruption offences related to solicitation and acceptance of bribes by foreign public officials, and trading in influence over public officials
increased penalties for private sector
corruption
clarification that no bribes are tax deductible.
_________________________________
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’
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New Zealand First leader Winston Peters appears to have prompted last-minute alterations to proposed legislation for commercial landlords and their tenants. Mr Peters told reporters on Wednesday said that he was making sure the proposed bill was in step with what the parties had actually agreed to. He said he ...
Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprise and New Zealand First List MP Shane Jones attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new NZ Post "super depot" in Wellington. The state-owned postal service, which got $280 million from the Coalition Government last month, is expanding its operations to handle surging parcel volumes. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First CHECK AGAINST DELIVERYIntroduction Good afternoon. Welcome to you all here today and party supporters watching from around the country. We appreciate your hard work keeping New Zealand First strong; thank you for keeping the faith. Sixty-three days out from Election Day, ...
The diversity of conservation boards around Aotearoa is increasing with 47 appointments to 14 of the 15 conservation boards across New Zealand announced today by the Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage. ...
The Green Party is honoured to be remembering former co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today at a public memorial service in the heart of Wellington at the Cathedral of St. Paul’s. Following her passing in March, this celebration of her life brings together her friends, family and colleagues to honour her life ...
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has announced a $2.5 million boost for South Westland to help a regional alliance of local businesses and government agencies provide nature based jobs. ...
Getting low-emission trucks on the road is a step closer with investment in infrastructure to support hydrogen vehicles, the Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods has announced. The Infrastructure Reference Group has provisionally approved $20 million for New Plymouth company Hiringa Energy to establish a nationwide network of hydrogen-fuelling stations. ...
A new trades training centre to upskill the local workforce will be built in the South Waikato town of Tokoroa through funding from the Government’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. The Government will contribute $10.84 million from ...
The Government has agreed to repeal part of the Oranga Tamariki Act subsequent children provisions, Minister for Children Tracey Martin announced today. “There are times when children need to go into care for their safety – the safety and care of children must always be paramount,” Minister Martin said. “But ...
A $1.5 million boost to grow primary mental health and addiction services for Pacific peoples in Auckland, Hamilton and Canterbury will lead to better outcomes for Pacific communities, Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa says. Pasifika Futures has received funding to expand services through The Fono, Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest by ...
Twenty-two projects to boost the sustainability and climate resilience of New Zealand’s food and fibres sector have been announced today by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. The $18m funding will deliver practical knowledge to help farmers and growers use their land more sustainably, meet environmental targets, remain prosperous, and better understand ...
Employment Minister Willie Jackson welcomes an initiative that assists employers to get mature workers into New Zealand small businesses. The disadvantages that older people face in the workplace was highlighted in the whole of Government Employment Strategy. In order to address this, a Mature Workers Toolkit has been developed and ...
New Zealand and Australia reaffirmed today the need for the closest possible collaboration as they tackle a global environment shaped by COVID-19, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said. “In these challenging times, our close collaboration with Australia is more vital than ever,” said Mr Peters. Mr Peters and his Australian ...
The recovery and forensic examination of the loader driven by survivor Russell Smith means the underground team are now moving into an area of the Pike River Mine that has not been seen since the explosion, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little said. “The fifth and last robot ...
The Government has confirmed a community-wide trial of CovidCard technology as it explores options for COVID-19 contact tracing. “Effective contact tracing is a vital part of the COVID-19 response,” Minister of Health Chris Hipkins said. “While manual processes remain the critical component for contact tracing, we know digital solutions can ...
The government is proposing changes to aquaculture legislation to improve the process for allocating and transferring aquaculture assets to iwi. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash has introduced the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill to Parliament. It proposes a limited new discretionary power for Te Ohu Kaimoana Trustee Limited (ToKM). ...
The Minister of Justice has today introduced the Family Court (Supporting Children in Court) Legislation Bill – the next step in the ongoing programme of work to fix the failed 2014 Family Court reforms led by then Justice Minister Judith Collins. The Bill arises from the report of the Independent ...
A new Department of Conservation (DOC) action plan tackles the impacts of climate change on New Zealand’s biodiversity and DOC managed infrastructure including tracks, huts and cultural heritage. Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage says extreme weather events around the country have really brought home our vulnerability to changing weather patterns. ...
A heavily scaled back international Antarctic season will commence this week, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods have confirmed. “Antarctica is the only continent that is COVID-19 free,” Mr Peters said. “Throughout the global pandemic, essential operations and long-term science have continued at ...
The Government is providing up to $30 million to help fund the NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport in Upper Hutt - an investment that will create 244 jobs. “The sports hub is designed to be a world-leading shared service for a range of sports, offering the level of facilities ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford announced today transport projects currently in construction will continue at pace due to extra Government support for transport projects to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. To keep the $16.9 billion 2018-21 National Land Transport Programme going the Government has allocated funding from the COVID Response and ...
$50 million for further rural broadband digital connectivity has been allocated from the $3 billion infrastructure fund in the COVID Response and Recovery Fund has been announced by Shane Jones, Minister for Infrastructure and Kris Faafoi, Minister for Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media. The investment will go to boosting broadband ...
The Minister for Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media has congratulated the Ultra-fast Broadband (UFB) programme on its major milestone of connecting more than 1 million New Zealand households and businesses to UFB. “This milestone has been 10 years in the making and demonstrates the popularity of the UFB network. “Uptake ...
Landmark legislation passed today puts New Zealand on track to saving thousands of lives and having a smokefree generation sooner rather than later, Associate Health Minister, Jenny Salesa says. The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Bill regulates vaping products and heated tobacco devices. “There has long been concern ...
A discriminatory law that has been a symbol of frustration for many people needing and providing care and support, has been scrapped by the Government. “Part 4A of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill (No 2) was introduced under urgency in 2013 by a National Government,” Associate ...
Kiwi motorists are set to reap the benefits of a more competitive fuel market following the passing of the Fuel Industry Bill tonight, Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods says. “This Act is where the rubber meets the road in terms of our response to the recommendations made in the ...
The Government has delivered on its promise to New Zealanders to modernise tenancy laws with the passing of the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill 2020 today, says Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing), Kris Faafoi. “The Residential Tenancies Act 1986 was out-dated and the reforms in the RTA modernise our ...
New rules to protect and restore New Zealand’s freshwater passed into law today. Environment Minister David Parker and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor welcomed the gazetting of the new national direction on freshwater management. “These regulations deliver on the Government’s commitment to stop further degradation, show material improvements within five years and ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced the appointment of Jeremy Clarke-Watson as New Zealand’s new Consul-General in Los Angeles. “New Zealand and the United States share a close and dynamic partnership, based on a long history of shared values and democratic traditions,” Mr Peters said. “Mr Clarke-Watson is a ...
Victims of family violence can end a tenancy with two days’ notice Landlords can terminate tenancies with 14 days’ notice if tenants assault them Timeframe brought forward for limiting rent increases to once every 12 months Extension of time Tenancy Tribunal can hear cases via phone/video conference Reform of New ...
Two employment schemes – one new and one expanded – going live today will help tens of thousands of people continue training on the job and support thousands more into work, the Government has announced. Apprenticeship Boost, a subsidy of up to $12,000 per annum for first year apprentices and ...
The Government is funding a significant infrastructure package at Omokoroa which will create 150 new jobs and help transform the Western Bay of Plenty peninsula, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford announced today. Phil Twyford says the Government is investing $14 million towards the $28 million roading and water package. This ...
The Bill allowing the Government to recover some costs for managed isolation and quarantine passed its third reading today, with charges coming into force as soon as regulations are finalised. Putting regulations into force is the next step. “The COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill and its supporting regulations will ...
Today’s unemployment data shows the Government’s plan to protect jobs and cushion the blow for businesses and households against the economic impact of COVID-19 was the right decision, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. Stats NZ said today that New Zealand’s unemployment rate in the June quarter – which includes the ...
A new role of New Zealand Reading Ambassador for children and young people is being established, Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Jacinda Ardern and Minister for Internal Affairs and for Children, Tracey Martin announced today. The Reading Ambassador, announced at a Celebration of Reading event at ...
Community Law Centres will receive a funding boost to meet the increased need for free legal services due to COVID-19, Justice Minister Andrew Little said. The $3.5m funding is for the next three financial years and is additional to the almost $8 million for Community Law Centres announced in Budget ...
New Zealand has joined Canada and Chile in a new trade initiative aimed at increasing women’s participation in global trade. Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker, together with Canada’s Minister for Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade Mary Ng, Chile’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrés Allamand, and Chile’s Vice ...
Building owners around New Zealand have benefited from the latest round of Heritage EQUIP funding with grants totalling $2,230,166. “The Heritage EQUIP grants for seismic strengthening assist private building owners to get the professional advice they need to go ahead with their projects or support them to carry out the ...
• New paediatric facilities, including a Special Baby Care Unit • Up to 50 extra inpatient beds • New lab facilities Northland babies and their whānau will soon have access to improved hospital care when they need it with Health Minister Chris Hipkins today confirming new paediatric facilities and more ...
People walking and cycling between Featherston and Greytown, or along Wellington’s Eastern Bays will soon have a safe shared path, as part of a $220 million shovel-ready cycleways package announced by Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter. “During lockdown we saw many more families and kids out on their bikes, ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today extended New Zealand’s condolences following the death of Vanuatu’s High Commissioner to New Zealand, Johnson Naviti, who passed away yesterday afternoon in Wellington. “Our thoughts are with the High Commissioner’s family and colleagues during this difficult time. This is a terrible loss both to ...
The Government has today set out the regional allocations of the $761 million Three Waters stimulus and reform funding for councils announced by Prime Minister Hon Jacinda Ardern this month. "I want to thank Councils around the country for engaging with the Central Local Government Steering Group who have been ...
Students with high and complex learning needs, as well as their teachers and parents, will benefit from a substantial increase to Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) funding, Associate Education Minister Martin announced today. “Nearly $160 million will go towards helping these students by lifting their base support over the next four ...
Funding for innovative projects to connect Kiwis with affordable, safe and wholesome food, reduce food waste, and help our food producers recover from COVID-19 has been announced today by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “COVID-19 has seen an increasing number of families facing unprecedented financial pressure. Foodbanks and community food service ...
Eight shovel-ready projects within Kāinga Ora large-scale developments, and the Unitec residential development in Auckland have been given the go-ahead, Minister for Housing Dr Megan Woods announced today. Megan Woods says these significant infrastructure upgrades will ensure that the provision of homes in Auckland can continue apace. “The funding announced ...
The Government is funding a new separated walking and cycleway path along Napier’s Chambers and Ellison streets to provide safer access for local students and residents across Marine Parade and State Highway 51, Transport Minister Phil Twyford and Police Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Funding of $2.7 million has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra COVID-19 has now made us two Australias. There’s Victoria – most specifically Melbourne – and then there’s the rest of the country. Melbourne’s extraordinary lockdown complete with curfew is an act of desperation by Daniel ...
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – The Hiroshima devastation 75 years ago today. Image: ICAN By David Robie While the globe struggles to cope with the deadly onslaught of the covid-19 pandemic, communicators, historians, journalists and activists ...
Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk Indonesia’s West Papua province has again been recorded as having the worst democracy index in the republic, reports CNN Indonesia. This year (2019), the West Papuan Democracy Index (IDI) was 57.62, even dropping lower from 2018 when it was 58.29 points. Based on data from the ...
This week’s 75th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with 250,000 killed and many more suffering terrible effects on their health, is a sombre reminder of the appalling destruction of nuclear weapons and should spur international efforts ...
Analysis - Can we postpone this year's election? We've ended up with a campaign focused on scandal, personality and leadership, with a policy void that's worse than usual. ...
We seek the indulgence of readers of a delicate disposition to bear with us for a moment as we dip into what some call crude soldiery and examine some important aspects revealed in the Arnold-Palmer report into Operation Burnham. We know this concerned the NZ Special Air Service in actions ...
At an event at the controversial Cloud Ocean bottling plant in Christchurch today, The Opportunities Party said governance of water could not be any worse than how it is now. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Odette Best, Professor, Nursing, University of Southern Queensland Recently announced Closing the Gap targets aim to improve the health and well-being of Indigenous people. But if that’s to happen, we need to provide health advice suitable for First Nations Australians. That includes ...
The Ombudsman's report to Parliament on the children's ministry's taking of babies is scathing of its misuse of the law and treatment of families caught in its routine use of 'uplifts'. Tim Murphy reports. The latest damning inquiry into Oranga Tamariki finds that in 100 percent of cases investigated by the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Giuffre, Senior Lecturer in Communication, University of Technology Sydney Review: Paul Kelly: The Man, the Music and Life in Between (Hatchette) Stuart Coupe’s new biography of Paul Kelly takes many known elements of Kelly’s story and rouses them again. Paul Kelly: ...
This was the last week of Parliament before the election and departing politicians had the opportunity to offer final thoughts in their valedictory speech. The stark contrast between the careers and speeches of two Labour ex-Ministers, Hon Ruth Dyson ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Money as an Unfortunate Metaphor for CostKeith Rankin. Especially but not only in election years, when any new policy is proposed by a major party, a ubiquitous refrain follows: “what will it cost?”; “where will the money come from?”. The context is that cost ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Can we postpone this year’s election? Quite frankly, the political parties don’t seem ready for it, and aren’t about to offer voters the necessary policy choices for the unprecedented times we’re in. We’ve ended up with a campaign focused ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip Gibbons, Professor, Australian National University Most people probably associate the Australian Alps with skiing and snow. Others might think of the Man from Snowy River legend or the engineering feats of the Snowy Hydro-Electric Scheme. But few people know the region’s ...
The Serious Fraud Office has welcomed a court decision confirming the confidentiality of material that was inadvertently disclosed by the agency to the defendants in the National Party donations case. The material was disclosed recently during the course ...
The Cancer Society is pleased to see the new vaping legislation passed with general cross-party support as it will help protect people from the harms of e-cigarettes and nicotine addiction while also supporting those who use vaping to quit smoking. ...
Imperial Brands says it is excited that a new law will allow it to sell vapes but is disappointed that the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Bill has made vapes harder to get than cigarettes. Imperial Brands spokesperson Kirsten ...
A loader driven by former miner Russell Smith at the time of the Pike River Mine explosion has now been recovered from 1581m up the 2.3km drift access tunnel. The recovery of the loader went smoothly and to plan. Pike River families were able to ...
The removal of a 20 tonne loader that has blocked the Pike River drift since the day the mine exploded marks the start of the forensic recovery of a crime scene that has been locked away for ten years. Russell Smith was driving the loader when the ...
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Mitchell Pham, founder of Augen Software Group.If the last century was the American ...
At this year's general election, the public will also be asked to cast a referendum vote on the End of Life Choice Act 2019. Here is an explainer on the Act, who is eligible and how we got here. ...
Ngāti Tūwharetoa has just become the first iwi to be approved under the Resource Management Act to take over certain council duties. Here’s why that matters.In 1991, the Resource Management Act (RMA) allowed councils to transfer any of their functions to local iwi. Now, almost 30 years after that act ...
The Public Service Association strongly opposes allowing privately-run quarantine facilities to open for international travelers, and the union says it would put all New Zealanders in danger. PSA members work in the government agencies spearheading ...
Catherine Woulfe reviews Upstream on the Mataura, a memoir by Gore flyfisherman Dougal Rillstone chronicling his journey along the Southland river.Dougal Rillstone is some guy you’ve never heard of, who grew up in Gore and is in love with a river. He also loves to fish for trout. He’s in ...
Oranga Tamariki-Ministry for Children has been using its powers to remove newborn pēpi from their parents under a without notice Court order more by routine than exception, says Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier. Mr Boshier today released He Take ...
A hairdressers casual approach to conversation allows for a story to be told in an authentic fashion. This approach allows Political Cutz to create unique discussions with the intent of communicating important subjects. We have been producing pop up ...
Oranga Tamariki-Ministry for Children has been using its powers to remove newborn pēpi from their parents under a without notice Court order more by routine than exception, says Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier. Mr Boshier today released He Take ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Gray, Associate professor, Jumbunna Insitute for Indigenous Education and Research, University of Technology Sydney The Conversation is running a series of explainers on key figures in Australian political history, looking at the way they changed the nature of debate, its impact ...
This Town is being billed as 2020’s feel good Kiwi comedy movie, but Amanda Thompson finds it a gentle romcom with a heart of surprisingly confronting darkness.Movies about rural New Zealand are going to be funny, either intentionally or unintentionally. It’s a funny place and we’re funny people, and New ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Aroney, Professor of Constitutional Law, The University of Queensland There is a theory that despite all the commotion, religious freedom faces no significant threat in Western democracies like Australia. Therefore, the argument goes, we do not need a federal Religious Discrimination ...
The Government has announced it will test run the CovidCard contact tracing system in Rotorua, Marc Daalder reports The plan to give every New Zealander a Bluetooth-enabled CovidCard for contact tracing is one step closer to fruition. On Thursday, Health Minister Chris Hipkins and Government Digital Services Minister Kris Faafoi ...
The joint campaign to push the Government to commit to safer staffing levels in aged care continues around the country with two North Island actions. E tū members and delegates will be holding two photo opportunities in Gisborne on Thursday to ...
6 August 2020: We have written to the chief executives of public organisations with 30 June balance dates about the extended reporting time frames for 2020. Kia ora koutou katoa As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the amount of work that will be ...
On the Rag meets two women advocating for the legalisation of cannabis to hear why they’re voting yes in this year’s referendum.The prevailing image of weed users in the media might be Seth Rogen and men who look like Seth Rogen ripping epic bong hits in front of a Bob ...
The Motor Trade Association says the Government has failed independent service station operators and missed the opportunity to create to truly competitive fuel market. “Sadly for New Zealand motorists, the Bill passed last night is not going to make ...
Evening Report Live: This week in A View from Afar with Paul G. Buchanan and Selwyn Manning, we examine the Beirut explosion and what is going on behind the headlines. We also debate how leaders around the world are using authoritarianism as a mask to cover their weak handling of ...
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has been the death knell of New Zealand immigration as we know it, it also presents a much-needed opportunity for improvement. What might the new immigration system look like? Aaron Martin , principal lawyer at New Zealand ...
When they weren’t distributing money to an array of projects and programmes that met with their approval, our ministers were busy braying about the new laws they have promoted to improve – we hope – our wellbeing. Megan Woods was chuffed about two news laws passed into law on her ...
Over lockdown, mental health hotlines saw a massive spike in calls and texts from distressed New Zealanders. Their numbers still haven’t returned to normal, and growing research suggests demand won’t be going away anytime soon. In April and May, Lifeline experienced a 25% increase in calls and texts from people in ...
The Smokefree Environments (Vaping) Amendment Bill passed into law last night will help keep people smoking cigarettes, and caves into big tobacco interests, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, “The vaping ...
Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk A medical authority has warned that the spike in covid-19 cases in Papua New Guinea is to be expected and could reach thousands between September and December, reports The National today. Professor Glen Mola had predicted early last month, when the number of cases of infection ...
The government’s new freshwater laws, signed off this week, have the potential to create significant unnecessary costs for ratepayers, farmers and entire communities, Federated Farmers says. "We all want good water quality, that’s why farmers ...
Roughly 11,000 people lost their jobs from Covid-19, and 10,000 of them were women. But as Leonie Morris from Auckland’s Womens Centre writes, this shows the need to address industrial patriarchy and create opportunities for women where they’re needed most.Just as predicted, Covid-19 has affected unemployment and under-employment rates for ...
The Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner says the government needs to do more to ensure women aren't left behind after employment figures showed they were disproportionately affected. ...
Political heavyweights took the immediate headlines, but Auckland's economic summit was broad and deep with business and community leaders predicting the return of good things from some time between late 2021 and 2024. Tim Murphy reports The call that 'we need to have a conversation' about almost anything in public ...
Disabled people and their families have been returned the right to complain to the Human Rights Commission or seek redress through the Courts about discriminatory family funding policies they may face. Disability Rights Commissioner Paula Tesoriero said ...
Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk The Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom (AJF) has called on the Malaysian government to desist its current investigation of Al Jazeera English as the current methods of investigation are an attack on free, independent journalism. If the Malaysian government takes issue with Al Jazeera’s work – or ...
Whānau and families will sleep better at night knowing their homes can’t be taken away from them without good reason thanks to the new residential tenancies law, says the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG). "Worry about keeping a roof over their ...
The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Bill introduces a range of regulations that will be phased in over the next two years. ...
The Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill is now law. Mark Todd, long-time landlord and founder of Ockham Residential, welcomes the new legislation – and says hysterical critics need to get a grip.Hell hath no fury like the landlord lobby trying to thwart some fairly innocuous legislation that’ll help tenants feel a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Huaiyu Yuan, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University Far beneath the city of Dongshen in northern China, we have discovered what may be the 2 billion-year-old birthmarks of Earth’s first supercontinent. An ancient dipping structure in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liam Smith, Director, BehaviourWorks, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University With new rules restricting Victorians’ activities and movements to try and stem the second wave of coronavirus cases comes the question of whether people will actually stick to them. There are at ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elin Charles-Edwards, Senior Lecturer in Population Geography, The University of Queensland In the early stages of COVID-19, much of the focus of demographers – who study populations – has understandably been on mortality and morbidity. But as the pandemic rolls on, attention ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Breen, Professor of Law, University of Waikato With COVID-19 vaccine developers reporting promising results, it is probable we will one day face a major public health question: can the government compel New Zealanders to be vaccinated? Just as inevitably, some people ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Smith, Associate Professor in Disaster and Emergency Response, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University Melburnians have now been wearing mandatory face coverings in public for two weeks. Yet Premier Daniel Andrews yesterday announced another grim milestone in Victoria’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Russell McGregor, Adjunct Professor of History, James Cook University Under the first coronavirus lockdowns, birdwatching increased tenfold in Australia, with much of it done in and near the watchers’ own backyards. And as Melbourne settles into stage 4 restrictions, we’ll likely see ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Garcia, Lecturer in Student Learning and Communication Development, University of Sydney University life comes with its share of challenges. One of these is writing longer assignments that require higher information, communication and critical thinking skills than what you might have been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Theodore Connell-Variy, Lecturer, School of Property, RMIT University We’ve heard a lot about what the present crisis will do to homeprices, less about what it will do to commercial property prices. Commercial properties include office buildings, shopping centres, hotels and warehouses. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dawn LaValle Norman, Research Fellow, Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry, Australian Catholic University Phil: What would you do if you were stuck in one place, and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered? Stage ...
Welcome to Election Live for August 6, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other breaking news. For key dates in the election season click here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Policy launching soon. Get in touch ...
Open mike 03/12/2015 
Open mike is your post.
Hello all. Judith here to talk about how National are going to take the election in September. The National Party prides itself its unity and cohesion. We are working together to deliver for New Zealanders. First of all, ee are a strong team. We are a very strong team. Our ...7 hours ago
Parliament has just begun the adjournment debate, signalling the effective end of this Parliament. So it seems like an appropriate time to assess Labour's term in office. Unfortunately, its a pretty dismal assessment. Labour campaigned on one thing: change. Not just a change in who got the top jobs and ...10 hours ago
That was clearly a huge explosion. Just after the explosion, we see a cloud of ‘fog’ moving outwards at high speed. This is a shockwave, rather similar to that which causes a sonic boom. The ‘fog’ is caused by water condensing from the atmosphere in areas of intense low pressure ...12 hours ago
Can we postpone this year’s election? Quite frankly, the political parties don’t seem ready for it, and aren’t about to offer voters the necessary policy choices for the unprecedented times we’re in. We’ve ended up with a campaign focused on scandal, personality and leadership, with a policy void that’s worse ...13 hours ago
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by Don Franks This talk was given to the Wellington Anti Capitalist Alliance, fifteen years ago. The ultimate weapons of mass destruction so far seen on this planet have been used just twice, 60 years ago this month. August 6 and August 9 1945 witnessed the US atomic bombing ...20 hours ago
100 Articles Physical science of global warming & effects Analyzing the Arctic Feedback Mechanism between Sea Ice and Low-Level Clouds Using 34 Years of Satellite Observations Observations of global warming & effects Sea‐Level Rise Driving Increasingly Predictable Coastal Inundation in Sydney, Australia (open access) The recent state and variability ...22 hours ago
After I noticed that my name had been taken yet again in vain by my friendly antagonist Tom Hunter over at No Minister, I went over to see what the fuss was about. Nothing much, but then I discovered a post about the Operation Burnham Inquiry by Psycho Milt. I ...1 day ago
As polling day in the American presidential election draws closer, things are looking bad for Donald Trump. The polls show that he is tracking well behind his Democrat rival. Most people assume that the President will be striving might and main to avoid what looks increasingly likely to be a ...4 days ago
Our health professionals do an amazing job. Image credit: Wikipedia – Cardiac surgery. Finally, I have got back to these rankings. A long period in hospital and computer problems meant the June 2020 rankings were abandoned. Now, with a new personal defibrillator implanted in my chest and a new hard ...5 days ago
We are failing to think though the interdependencies in an economy. We miss economist Bryan Philpott (1921-2000). I miss him personally – we used to have such great discussions – but this column is about how the nation misses his economic experience and wisdom. We tend to ...6 days ago
TUESDAY AUGUST 4Grand Designs UK (Three, 7.30pm). ...1 week ago
Most of the claims made by anti-fluoride propagandists are simply wrong. Image source: Fluoridation and the ‘sciency’ facts of critics Anti-fluoride propagandists continually cite studies from areas of endemic fluorosis in their arguments against ... 1 week ago
. . For the mainstream media, today (22 July) was even a better day than yesterday. More Sex. More Politics. More Sex AND Politics. Yesterday, the msm dealt with Andrew Falloon. The obscure backbench MP had been found to have sent pornographic images to at least four women. The woman’s ...1 week ago
Kia orana and kia ora koutou katoa. It is a privilege to be able to speak in this adjournment debate and to mark and acknowledge the fact that we are now two years and 10 months into the conclusion of a parliamentary term that has been extraordinary in so many ...9 hours ago
The Green Party is celebrating the passing of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill, calling it a win for people who rent. ...1 day ago
New Zealand needs to be more aggressive in pursuing economic opportunities and resist the short-term thinking affecting some of its major industry, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says. Mr Peters told Wellington Chamber of Commerce members this morning that the planned closure of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter will have ...2 weeks ago
Getting low-emission trucks on the road is a step closer with investment in infrastructure to support hydrogen vehicles, the Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods has announced. The Infrastructure Reference Group has provisionally approved $20 million for New Plymouth company Hiringa Energy to establish a nationwide network of hydrogen-fuelling stations. ...8 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra COVID-19 has now made us two Australias. There’s Victoria – most specifically Melbourne – and then there’s the rest of the country. Melbourne’s extraordinary lockdown complete with curfew is an act of desperation by Daniel ...38 mins ago
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The government is spending over a billion dollars from its Covid-19 recovery fund on the Transport Agency, to make up for a drop in revenue. ...5 hours ago
We seek the indulgence of readers of a delicate disposition to bear with us for a moment as we dip into what some call crude soldiery and examine some important aspects revealed in the Arnold-Palmer report into Operation Burnham. We know this concerned the NZ Special Air Service in actions ...7 hours ago
The Ombudsman's report to Parliament on the children's ministry's taking of babies is scathing of its misuse of the law and treatment of families caught in its routine use of 'uplifts'. Tim Murphy reports. The latest damning inquiry into Oranga Tamariki finds that in 100 percent of cases investigated by the ...8 hours ago
Ngāti Tūwharetoa has just become the first iwi to be approved under the Resource Management Act to take over certain council duties. Here’s why that matters.In 1991, the Resource Management Act (RMA) allowed councils to transfer any of their functions to local iwi. Now, almost 30 years after that act ...10 hours ago
The Government has announced it will test run the CovidCard contact tracing system in Rotorua, Marc Daalder reports The plan to give every New Zealander a Bluetooth-enabled CovidCard for contact tracing is one step closer to fruition. On Thursday, Health Minister Chris Hipkins and Government Digital Services Minister Kris Faafoi ...13 hours ago
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11554715
What a joke ! No “deliberate” misuse. What it really means – ‘Misuse then ? Well, if you must…..but do remember, this was not my finest hour……’
“In October, she said Mr Key had a “cavalier” approach to the OIA and had shown a “disregard for the law”. Her comments were in relation to Mr Key’s admission that his office sometimes waited 20 days to release information if it was in its political interests. Asked about her comments today, she said they were “not her finest hour.”
That’s a shame. The ‘finest hour’ may come along in the course of the next sinecure.
I am fully expectant that Peter Boshier will be no ones’ poodle.
Personal responsibility on display again: It’s all the media’s fault.
I see the word “deliberate” has changed its meaning …
Another whitewash on the way. And if Departments don’t have the resources to deal with OIA requests, who is it that funds the departments to resource themselves?
Morning Report this morning – 17 and 18 year olds locked down in their cells for 23 out of 24 hours at Serco Mt Eden – Minister of Corrections Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga “declined to comment”.
What the hell is going on ? Are Corrections/Serco actually the Minister of Corrections here ? Peseta Sam the mute titular ?
Oh I get it…….”Responsibility Responsibility Responsibility !”…….National Party style.
Wtf have the opoosition been on this as Sam is a very weak puppett in this cabal.
@ North (2) neither the minister, nor Corrections will comment on this matter! Not good enough!
Another big fail for NatzKEY!
Obama admits Turkey is responsible for oil, weapons, and extremist smuggling through its borders to IS controlled areas.
http://i.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/74678756/Russia-says-it-has-proof-Turkey-involved-in-Islamic-State-oil-trade
That’s old news,
you need to read more foreign media, more often.
For some reason most “international” stuff & herald stories are about 2-3+ days behind the rest of the world.
A bit like Farrar then.
Everytime I hear or read his name I think of the penguin from batman..
Here’s a data point:
He said few residents feared coalition airstrikes, although former residents of the city who have fled across the border to Turkey told the Guardian last week of civilian casualties suffered even under carefully targeted bombardment.
While children and elderly people are often startled and disturbed by the sounds of the explosions, activists say the airstrikes tend not to hit civilian areas. Most, however, fear Russian airstrikes as they tend to target civilian neighbourhoods.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/02/airstrikes-routine-people-raqqa-syria-says-activist?CMP=edit_2221
Why on erath would he say that if it wasn’t true? You can check out the journo group ‘Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently’ for yourselves if you care to smear them, but good luck saying they are ‘fans’ of ISIS or in anyway supporters of them. Video of Russian helicopters dropping dumb bombs on urban areas are also not hard to find, though RT tend to prefer the snazzy pics of jest taking off and cruise missiles. The clusters of 4 heavy bombs smashing into a neighbourhood? not so much airtime on RT for some reason.
Whenever you post on the issue it’s jest taking off.
Good one. I’ve always cared more about logic than typos myself, but takes all sorts eh.
There appears to be a lot of opinion in that article, PB.
“Why on erath (earth) would he say that if it wasn’t true?”
Really? I’m gobsmacked that you would even think that.
I have a healthy distrust of the media, mainly because I’ve been working in it for the last 25+ years. (obviously I’m not a journo, my grammer sucks)
Always ask, why am I being told this and who benefits from the outcome.
Good. Me too.
So come on, speculate away, what are your answers to your sceptical questions about that piece?
Or do you mean question in the sense of just throwing up your hands and saying ‘oh noes I can’t know anything’.
Seriously, that group’s work can be found online, really easily, you can make judgements, it’s a data point.
Fill your boots, tell me your reckons.
Russia is going to stay in Syria, Assad will remain in power, Iranian influence in the Middle East will increase, and US/NATO complicity with ISIS and other extremist groups will become increasingly obvious.
Oh great, It’s Captain Know Nothing back with off-topic reckons for the thread.
How did you get on finding an example of a helicopter being shot down by a TOW?
And weren’t you saying just the other day that Putin agrees with you that Assad should go? Yep, you were, but you were just making shit up, coz it’s what you do.
Why would he say what?
Why would he say that “few residents feared coalition airstrikes”? Or why would he say “Most, however, fear Russian airstrikes…”?
My impression is that nothing quite gels. I mean he also says..
“Britain has a powerful intelligence service and knows where to strike and when, not like the coalition.” (Wide-eyed astonishment at that one from over here)
Who is he?
From the same article Tim Ramadan, the pseudonym of an activist and journalist working clandestinely in the city
No agenda and no line to spin then and…well, what is an activist in the context of a multi faceted war situation?
edit: one fairly reasonable reason for him spinning (if he is) would be if he’s aligned with any of the so-called moderate opposition targeted by Russia but not by ‘the coalition’, yes?
Like I said, you can check out ‘Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently’ for yourself to find out.
Do I wish all the tv stations and wire services were fully operating in IS controlled territory?
Yes.
Is that a resonable expectation?
No.
Shall we discount everything to zero?
If you want, I’ll get the data points I can and make the best of them.
Sorry. I see you replied before my edit.
He doesn’t have to be a supporter of the daesh to be saying those things.
No he wouldn’t.
And yes, like much of rebel held Syria they hate Assad, and ISIS.
Which doesn’t make what they are saying ‘not true’, right?
But given what the coalition are doing and demanding, and what the Russians are doing and demanding, what motivation would they have to say what he said.
Why say the new strikes will be pointless in effect, and that the Russian strikes are hitting civilians more often? They want ISIS gone, they really hate ISIS. They are literally risking death doing what they are doing, these activists in Raqqa, some of them have been killed by ISIS.
So if it’s not true that the Russian attacks are more feared by the population than the wetsern attacks why say it?
Does it square with other evidence, like footage of attacks?
I’m not being rhetorical here.
Actual questions.
I’m not saying that certain claims are either true or not true. And I don’t have any reasonably informed opinion that could be applied to your questions.
Maybe the ‘Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently’ site you mention is a reasonable conduit for information – I dunno. What I mean by that is that I haven’t given it more than a cursory glance atm.
“My impression is that nothing quite gels.”
My thoughts exactly. With so much misinformation and political points scoring going on, it’s hard to work out what’s actually going on..
But then, that’s the whole idea.
+1
Russia has only one objective in Syria, the preservation of Tartus as it’s only western hemisphere naval base outside of the Crimea. Hey wait a minute, I’m seeing a connection here between russian adventures in the Ukraine and in Syria………
The preservation of their only open water naval base in Europe/Middle East. is their primary strategic goal, everything else, including war crimes and assad’s survival is secondary to this.
Stories in the press that Turkey are delaying Russian traffic through the Bosphorus for “administrative” reasons is an unwelcome power flex by the turks…..
The Dardanelles are suddenly a global focus point again.
Why on earth would he say that if it wasn’t true?
Because he is directly responsible for the death of many hundreds of thousands of people and has no incentive to tell the truth
We live in an age where any media production, be it written word, audio or visual can be ‘created’, and should by default be treated as suspicious, fake or lies
IRONY ALERT: Paul “Kill Them All” Henry gets all serious and
denounces “the mindless rantings of one very nasty piece of work.”
Paul Henry, TV3, Thursday 3 December 2015, 7:10 a.m.
hypocrite n. 1. a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs; 2. a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion.
It appears that the malignant spirit of “Sir” Paul Holmes descended on the North Shore Events Centre last night….
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/30256384/perth-wildcat-nate-jawai-allegedly-abused-in-defeat-to-new-zealand/
In a supreme act of projection this morning, Paul “Kill Them All” Henry glared at the camera with his special “serious” expression and intoned: “It’s just the mindless rantings of one very nasty piece of work.”
That’s an odd thing to say for someone who just two months ago was ranting about the “political correctness” gone mad of giving a ferry a Māori name…
More mindless rantings of one very nasty piece of work….
anyone see this? My understand of the flag wastage was that anyone could either rank as per preference, or rank as little as one.
However here they say….rank all or ‘it won’t count’
Are they now giving out invalid/false information?
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/can-john-key-find-out-how-i-voted-in-the-flag-referendum
quote:
If there is one flag you hate a lot, give that a five then rank the rest backwards, but make sure you do all the way to one, or again it won’t count.
From the letter accompanying the voting paper: Instructions: A: Rank the flag designs in the order that you prefer them. You can rank as few or an many as you wish, from 1 to 5. Write 1 in the box under the flag you prefer most. Write 2 in the box under your next preferred flag, if you have one, and so on. Do not write the same number more than once.
So we can safely assume than that TVNZ has just misled the public with the statement that I posted above?
It does look like that. Surely we haven’t descended so low that the voting instructions themselves are intended to mislead.
No, what they are saying (I think) is that if you want to put your most hated flag ranked last, start with making it #5, but you then have to vote for #1, #2, #3, #4 as well or your vote will be invalid. Another example would be if you wrote #2 and #3 and nothing else, that would be invalid too. Presumably.
It’s still completely stupid advice from Fair Go given that we still don’t do this kind of voting well, but I think it reflects how fucked up the whole thing is when our state broadcaster feels the need to tell people how to vote based on the most hated design.
Thanks Weka – and I agree. It says something about the whole process/project if people need to be told how to express their hatred of designs in a way that does not invalidate their vote.
Then there’s this,
That’s alright then, because we really trust this government and its computer data competency.
Of course we trust Dear Leaders Government, after all he is the most trusted Dear Leader, most accomplished and such.
Every voting paper has a secret number on it. If the same name is crossed off the roll more than once the number on the voting paper is opened so that the person can be checked/interviewed to see if he has voted twice. What he voted is immaterial. Could a dishonest person find out what you voted? Possible but you have to trust the integrity of staff. Works OK so far.
I see no reason why the Electoral Commission cannot be trusted to operate the system honestly and fairly. It would be a very risky proposition for the government of the day to try and interfere with a democratically run voting system such as ours. Voters of all stripes would reject them outright.
How about WINZ? The Education department? Do we have a BLiP list of all the government departments that have mangled such tech?
LOL
I’ve been saying on this board for years that the government can track how people vote and now you’re surprised to find that they can?
as for this bit:
The name wouldn’t be in the QR code itself but the QR code will relate back to the name in the database.
Actually, the problem is trusting the competency of the private firm that wrote the software.
No, I’m not surprised at that (if it’s happening). I’m surprised at Fair Go saying ‘let’s trust the government’.
The Crosby-Textor playbook is so predictable.
Cameron and Key use practically interchangeable slurs when cornered by their opponents. It should remove any doubt as to whether Cameron or Key are cold, calculating sociopaths or a loudmouthed bully boys, because they are obviously both.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/dec/01/cameron-accuses-corbyn-of-being-terrorist-sympathiser
As do the Lib/Nats in Australia. Its why we have centre-left referred to as “hard Left” whilst they call themselves “centre Right” – it creeps into the MSM in NZ, Aus and GB within a very short time. Look at the how Tony Abbot’s “Death Cult” description of ISIS is now part of their vocab.
I’ve been waiting to hear JFK start talking about “the New Zealand People”. It started in the US and is common in Australia and GB. Another little gem is “the truth is ……… this or that”.
It’s what the hard Right CT do best, and they have their little disciples like Matty Hooten and Paul Henry doing their best to propagate the spin – consciously or not (going forward).
It’s not unlike those in the banking sector – you know – those expert economists.
The sharemarket always goes up or down “on the back of …… “.
(At this point in time) BEWARE THE BULLSHIT! (going forward)
My thoughts too, same style/tactics, dead cat slapped on the table. Pathetic.
This government sure seems to be getting a reputation for enabling “modern” slavery. I wish the labour party would make more of a fuss instead of letting NZFirst turn it into an anti-immigration issue. After all it is the LABOUR party. I wonder if the police are much involved in looking into this sort of stuff. Do they have a transnational crime expert there and if so what issues is he focusing on instead… Cocaine? Whipping up fear in the Asia-Pacific over ISIS?
https://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/peters-immigrant-healthcare-bill-defeated-2015120219
I hate to say it (I mean its Winston) but it sounds like a reasonable idea and I’m not even that fussed about the rebate for the pensioners
Yet another disgraceful, extreme ten minutes from Dame Ann Leslie.
Why is this ghastly old trout accorded the status of “U.K. correspondent”?
RNZ National, Thursday 3 September 2015, 9:50 a.m.
KATHRYN RYAN: Our U.K. correspondent is Dame Ann Leslie and she is in London. Good morning!
DAME ANN LESLIE: Good morning!
KATHRYN RYAN: Crazy old world it is. Your parliament is having an intense debate tonight on whether to commit to bombing Daesh in Syria.
DAME ANN LESLIE: It’s absolutely unbelievable that this debate is taking one whole day. As is well known, Raqaa is the nerve centre of the bloody attacks on Paris. But our planes are obliged by an earlier decision of our parliament to avoid flying over Syrian air space. Now, you may detect a slight political bias in what I say next, but Labour with its new, rather muddled, faintly loopy, hard left leader Jeremy Corbyn…. [she embarks on a rambling denunciation]… I think Cameron WILL win, but it will be nail-biting. I’ve lived long enough to know how unpredictable war is. There are some things we have to deal with, for example Turkey, which has been slightly pro-ISIL. They used to line their tanks up on the border, watching various factions fighting. Um, the thing is really, one of the main problems is Turkey, because they are aligned with Daesh, allowing Daesh’s oil across the border, which has been illegally acquired, to sell on the secret market. Then of course there is the other issue, which is sectarian basically, between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Turkey is making a mess of things, frankly.
KATHRYN RYAN: I’m looking at a comment by William Hague, saying don’t rule out British boots on the ground.
DAME ANN LESLIE: [wearily] Ohhh!
KATHRYN RYAN: Now people are talking about boots on the ground again.
DAME ANN LESLIE: Everybody agrees that this will be a long drawn out conflict. Destroying Daesh won’t work unless there are boots on the ground. The question is WHOSE boots?… I’ve worked a lot in the Middle East and it really is the MOST APPALLING MESS…
KATHRYN RYAN: All right. The question is: does the UK want to be ANYWHERE near it?
DAME ANN LESLIE: Well the thing is, we have been very stupid in the West. We had the idea that if we went into these Godforsaken countries we would be greeted with flowers from the people we had liberated. ….Then you get the appalling business of sectarianism. The Sunnis don’t want the SHIAS involved, and the Shias, especially Iran, don’t want the Sunnis involved…. I feel very depressed by the whole thing.
KATHRYN RYAN: Let’s finish with a festive note. Can festive fairy lights wreck the British Christmas?
DAME ANN LESLIE: Ofcom has said that fairy lights will wreck our traditional family Christmas, because they interfere with wi-fi. ….
Mercifully, the time pips start sounding….
KATHRYN RYAN: [with evident relief] Oh dear! Ten o’clock!
More of Dame Ann Leslie’s wit and wisdom….
I sent the host of Nine to Noon the following email….
Dear Kathryn,
You allowed your U.K. correspondent Dame Ann Leslie to denounce Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as “rather muddled, faintly loopy, hard left”. That was an extreme and biased comment by any measure, yet you chose not to challenge it, or even to politely ask her to explain why she had used such demeaning language.
Are you not allowed to challenge anything she says? Are you obliged to simply go along with it?
Yours in concern at the standards of public broadcasting,
Morrissey Breen
Northcote Point
+100… Dame Ann Leslie is such an obvious right wing Tory toff she is entertaining…she shouldnt be taken seriously…however she shouldnt be allowed blather along unchallenged ….surely Ryan can engage more with her and challenge her monologue occasionally ?
…and why cant we have Ken Livingstone on as a commentator to give the other side?…here he is on Sophie and Co
‘West discredited itself with invasions, able to stop nothing now – ex-mayor of London’
https://www.rt.com/shows/sophieco/323903-jihadists-attack-crime-control/
“After Islamic State strikes in the heart of Europe, nations are ramping up their security. Now, the debate rages about whether being secure or being free is the most important. And when jihadists attack, anti-Islamic sentiment gains momentum, with hate crimes threatening to spike out of control. How do you keep heads calm? Is bulk data collection, after all, needed for peace and stability? We pose these questions to a veteran British politician, former mayor of London – Ken Livingstone is on Sophie&Co today.”
She grew up in “the Punjab” dontcha know. She’s ‘very well connected’.
Whilst I admire Kathryn Ryan for much of what she does – she does like to maintain a ‘balanced portfolio’ and maintain an image of fairness and balance.
Challenging bullshit is just not the done thing dontcha know – even amongst those that consider themselves amongst the Kiwi-well-connected-elite (or the Elite Cult).
How else do you explain “The Panel’? (going forward)
Oh ….. btw, I notice The Dame hasn’t been on Dateline London for a very long, long time – perhaps Gav’s not been too kind to her, or his ‘bit of fluff’ doesn’t particularly like her condescension
Mora’s ‘The Panel’ is ghastly…I try never to listen to it!..In fact I find Dame Leslie more congenial ( dare I say it…I find her entertaining like a poncy aunty and I like the way she speaks)
Did you get a reply to your email Morrissey?
No. She seems impervious to criticism.
Oh Morissey Darling! What a truly truly monstrous thing to say. Really! That’s horrid – really it is!
Why the Dame has a wealth of life’s experience, and Kathryn has launched a thousand carreers (including a few talking head ‘panelists’ we now hold so very very dear).
How dare you challenge them!
It really is such bad form!
/sarc (as if)
Pharmac have denied terminally ill people with melanoma a promising drug which has benefitted a third to two thirds of people with incurable melanoma. The cost is about $300,000 per person. Australia and the UK fund the drug but not stingy NZ. The cost of the drug would cost the government 30 million per year.
What upsets me the most is that the rich can afford to purchase the drug and a savvy poor person would have to fund raise, (which would require abundant energy).
It must be awful being an oncologist in NZ because of being limited when it comes to prescribing life saving drugs which Pharmac will not fund.
Pharmac, like most other government organisations, could do with a significant funding boost and no political interference (like the Herceptin campaign pledge).
It’s akin to manslaughter, allowing people to die, when they could be helped. Only the super wealthy can afford this drug. You wouldn’t even need to poor to be left to die, if you needed this drug.
There was a young man, just a teenager, with melanoma on telly the other night at yet another fundraiser for this particular drug, Keytruda I think it’s called. He said he has to raise $30K every 3 months. He has a givealittle page and he was at a fundraiser event when he being filmed.
His family and himself work full time on the fundraising. How frightening to be in his shoes, having your life depend on the kindness of strangers, and never knowing if there will be enough money. How do people fare who don’t have a supportive family and don’t have the strength to work out how to get absurd amounts of money out of thin air?
This drug is fully funded in Australia.
Keytruda, is that when the National government breaks in and steals anything it can lay its hands on that’s worth something?
sorry, couldn’t resist.
I know! What a name! Your thoughts were my thoughts when I first heard of it. The drug goes by another name but I can’t remember what it is.
The other name is Pembrolizumab. The bro bit might be the generous people in NZ who donate to try and save a life e.g. the young 22 year old who has a give a little page.
Bryan Gould on the money as always. Writing about The UK, but equally applicable here.
http://www.bryangould.com/what-really-matters/
“There is a rapidly emerging consensus that – as we discovered 80 years ago but then forgot – austerity is the wrong response to recession. We are learning that lesson all over again. Even in terms of its own stated objectives, austerity has failed; the supposedly central priority of eliminating the government’s deficit remains a long way from being achieved, while the deficit that really matters – the country’s continuing failure to pay its way – remains unattended to and is getting worse.
In the meantime, poverty and inequality increase, housing is increasingly unaffordable, net investment is virtually zero, the prospect of a revival in manufacturing is non-existent, and an unsustainable consumer boom fuelled by asset inflation underpins our rake’s progress to decline.?
Just on 1,000,000 people have posted their flag ballot papers up till 2 December. About the same as the 2013 referendum at the same number of days.
Have to say, I was pretty convinced I was going to spoil my voting paper, but when it comes down to it, I really can’t be bothered even sending the thing in. And I’m a committe voter.
interesting read on rising sea levels.
maybe someone who runs a country or a city with a lot of habitat on coastal areas wants to have a look at it.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/12/02/world/The-Marshall-Islands-Are-Disappearing.html?_r=1
The clearest explanation of the evil of corporate tyranny and the death of democracy I’ve heard so far:
Democracy Sold Out To Greed
The video helps me to bring home that “Western democracy” is a sham, a total lie.
Every Western government and Washington’s Asian vassal states are totally under the control of private corporations and private interest groups. The corporations govern, and they are in the process of institutionalizing their governance with the Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Partnerships. The purpose of these “partnerships” is to make global corporations higher than the laws of the “sovereign” countries in which they do business.
Anything, whether law, rule, regulation, or moral principle that interferes with corporate profits is outlawed as “a resraint on trade.”
Western civilization is over and done with. Nothing remains except historical achievements that are no longer understood or appreciated.
(http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2015/12/01/democracy-sold-out-to-greed/)
+100 Johnm…a MUST WATCH!
..where is the NZ Labour Party on opposing this….neolib corporate fascist attempt at takeover of New Zealand democracy and sovereignty?…scarcely a peep!
…time for a new Labour Mana Party
Comrade Chooky did you see my response and question to you on yesterdays open mike re a new party?
Hi Comrade Rosie….yes I did see it and I didnt answer because Savenz answered for me…on the reasons why there needs to be a new Labour Mana Party
There are many reasons why the last Election was lost
1.)…Cunliffe was relentlessly attacked by the msm…and not supported by the Labour Party caucus even although he was the grassroots Labour vote….and it would seem that there has been a concerted campaign against him and his supporters on the Left of the Labour Party for some time
( here is what i asked on the Daily Blog)
“Is the ABC faction actually a fifth column?
…I mean looked at it historically, it has been going on at least as long as Shearer
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8348590/Dalziel-dropped-from-Labours-top-20
Has the Labour Party been kidnapped?”
– See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/11/30/puppet-on-a-string-has-andrew-little-become-the-plaything-of-labours-dominant-factions/#sthash.jayVFy3W.dpuf )
2.) In a stunning move Labour turned against Hone Harawira in the TTT electorate and effectively excluded Left party Mana winning four seats and a Left coalition winning that election…gifting it to Jonkey nactional…Mana was working for the poorest of the poor in New Zealand ….this was unforgivable by the Labour party ….and it does not deserve to be called Labour
( …and it turns out that Lusk was apparently bribing Maori not to vote for Hone Harawira !….Nash has had dealings with Lusk
‘Dirty Politics players back in the frame’
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/201779410/dirty-politics-players-back-in-the-frame
…”Simon Lusk also claimed on Story he had been instrumental in unseating Mana Party co-leader Hone Harawira in the last election. Unnamed “businessmen” had paid thousands for that, he said. And in conversation with his co-host last Monday, Duncan Garner said money had been paid to get Maori electors to vote in Te Tai Tokerau.
Was political operative Simon Lusk really paying people on behalf of clients to influence an election? Disappointingly, no more was said about this claim.The following day, Duncan Garner posted a statement from Simon Lusk on the websites of TV3’s Story and Radio Live. In it, Simon Lusk said:
Iwi now have extensive databases of members who they can easily mobilise. Assembling a team of 50 or 100 iwi members to get out the vote is straightforward, legal and effective if it is possible to raise some koha.
He added that “if you’re not paying for votes or offering anything in exchange for a vote, or treating,” it is not against the law. But that statement didn’t answer key questions: How much was paid? By whom? And for what purpose? …
…”Duncan Garner also revealed supporters of Labour’s Napier MP Stewart Nash paid Simon Lusk to canvas the option of a new political party…)
Now we have Little’s Labour demoting and shunning Cunliffe and Mahuta yet again….even although Mahuta brought in the Maori seats for Labour and Cunliffe was the Labour grassroots choice for leader ( Little cant even win his own seat, nor ccan Robertson and Adern)
Quite apart from all this, Labour has shown NO leadership in opposing the TPP
So yes I would support another “Labour” Mana Party which is genuinely Labour ( this Labour Party does not deserve the brand name “Labour”…It deserves to be taken off them)
“In a stunning move Labour turned against Hone Harawira in the TTT electorate and effectively excluded Left party Mana winning four seats and a Left coalition winning that election…”
Do you really believe this nonsense Chooky? I feel your heart is in the right place but this is nonsense. I like Hone Harawira very much and believe he is a good person, but he made a very stupid mistake signing up with Kim Dotcom.
He lost a lot of credibility with Māori in Northland because they felt he had sold out – unlike you I actually know many Northland Māori. He lost control of his party. He begged Dotcom not to have the “Moment of Truth” just before the election because Hone is politically astute enough to know that is would be distorted by the media and would lose the left votes, as it inevitably did. I was sitting very close to Hone that night and his unhappiness was obvious.
Mana actually deserved that seat.
all Dotcoms fault then?…well Jonkey would certainly agree with you!…but it is a bit simplistic…and Dotcom was up against the corporates too …so whose side are you on?…certainly not Dotcom’s ( is this little Labour policy as well?)
…and I note you have carefully avoided any of the other points
I have been too busy with work to look at the Standard again until now – if I had I would have corrected my last line to “Davis deserved that seat.”
The reason I didn’t deal with your other “points” was that they were too ludicrous to bother with. If you really believe that Lusk had anything to do with Davis winning then you really are very foolish. You are actually doing exactly what Lusk et al want you to do – whether deliberately or through ignorance I have no idea.
If you actually read what I said a bit more carefully you would understand that I am not blaming Dotcom, I am saying when Mana signed up with Dotcom they not only lost a lot of credibility with many of their supporters, but Hone lost control of the party he had co-founded. Sue Bradford could see what would happen but Hone couldn’t.
I have been very impressed with Davis this year – why not look at what people do rather than indulge in ill-informed conspiracy theories.
National HQ cheered the most loudly when Davis beat Harawira.
Hi Chooky. Thanks for the thoughts. Have run out of time to respond in any meaningful way.
Except to say I totally get what you are saying about treatment of Mahuta and DC. I agree. I’m with you on that. I also saw the programme about Simon Lusk, his bribing of Maori voters of TTT and his connection with Nash. But, I’d say ditto to what Karen is saying below. It’s a long bow to draw a connection between Lusk and Kelvin Davis in TTT. Lusk just hated Hone. Fool that Lusk is.
Also, I still don’t think a new party will solve anything, help the left or the people that need left representation.
@ Rosie …i am not saying there is a connection between Davis and Lusk…where did I say that? ( reframing of the issues?)
I am saying Davis and Labour should NOT have stood against Hone Harawira and Mana Party …which were for the poorest of the poor
I am saying it looks as if Lusk paid Maori not to vote for Harawira
I am saying it looks as if there is a connection between Labour’s Nash and Lusk…on a different issue
( It would be very interesting to know exactly what other connections /dealings Lusk has had with New Zealand politicians…and Labour politicians…such connections would be very compromising indeed, I would imagine)
As regards a new Labour Mana Party…well it depends on how much you can stomach from the party which calls itself ‘Labour’ …and it depends on how many people feel there is a need for a new Labour Left (Mana)Party
…certainly there does seem some support for it given the treatment of Cunliffe ( the membership choice) and Mahuta (and the Maori seats)…and Harawira (and Mana)….and the Labour Party leadership non action on TPP
You want to support the status quo…others dont
I don’t want to support any status quo Chooky. I’m feeling very uncomfortable /conflicted about being in Labour now. Check out my comments on the “Labour Mayor for Wellington” post if you want to see why I will not be voting for Labour Mayoral candidate Justin Lester.
Theres a shit load of stuff that may or may not happen in the next two years. We might yet be surprised. Holy moly, if David Cunliffe, in some weird twist of alternate reality become leader of the Greens then I’d party vote Green.
I am however, strongly opposed to voting for Labour ticket Justin Lester as Mayor of Wellington.
+100 Rosie…yes if he were to become leader of the Greens…I too would vote Green
Cunliffe was born Labour and will die Labour.
He would never ever join another party.
While some Green values overlap or are complimentary to those of Labour the two parties are different.
No no no. Cunliffe is not leaving Labour. All of us should remain and make our best possible contributions to ensuring its values are protected and applied to real lives.
well that is the problem with the Labour Party…”was born Labour and will die Labour”…even when Labour is no longer Labour and turns fascist
(John Pilger has some trenchant things to say about the British Labour Party
https://www.rt.com/shows/going-underground/323420-paris-isis-daesh-uk/ )
In many ways David Cunliffe is a better fit for the Greens….not least of all because the Greens are to the Left of Labour
( except for Greens idiotic championing of bloody Red Peak corporate flag which i blame on try hard Shaw and that other grinning baby face muggins Gareth Hughes..and a few others who i wont insult)
🙄
+1
Must listen.
Just checked the ‘TransTasman’ so called ratings of Politicians.
What a laugh! Act’s noname on top rated highest. Nats good… Labour bad.
Dyson one of the hardest working MPs standing up for her constituents in Redcliffs even though they didn’t support her locally in the elections rated about lowest with the same rating as Nuk Nobody whom she thrashed and has nothing to say about Parata’s attack on the people of his pretend electorate of Port Hills.
Still we can’t expect any real information from a $500+ a year right wing rag started by national MP Hugh Templeton/s brother and bought out by another true blue right winger.
Right up Tracey Watkins alley this nonsense.
Old news I know but really really glad that the bitter and graceless right-wing stooge Sean Plunkett has been given his marching orders.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/74697011/mark-sainsbury-replaces-sean-plunket-at-radio-live
Good luck to Mark Sainsbury – at least he has a soul.
+100 Muttonbird …Plunkett did his best to roll David Cunlifffe
They need a differentiator from the rabid rightwing shock jocks and sainsbury has good recognition to boot. Still a race to the bottom though.
I listened to Mark Sainsbury a few times until his panel with the so-called views from the left and right consisted of 2 rightwing commentators. Happened a few times so turned off after that.
Tories have gone ECan on the SDHB:
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/365644/commissioner-stay-sdhb
I’m not surprised; as this slow motion disaster of an underfunded public health system down south has been a long time disintegrating. Also, it was only yesterday (a year to the day before the commissioner’s term was supposed to expire) that:
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/365445/criticism-over-city-hospital-role
Predictable, appoint your cronies and control the message.
What’s up with Stuff.co’s infuriating new recommended stories drop down menu? Hope they get enough feedback to get rid of it asap or give us a way to disable it permanently.
‘
I’ll just leave these here . . .
http://adblock-pro.en.softonic.com/
https://www.ghostery.com/
. . . there’s a bit of tweaking required for New Zealand specific sites and for when new “features” are imposed. The new drop down is to encourage clicks on what is euphemistically called “partner content” but, really, is advertising.
Cheers BLiP will check out.
Drop down menu has disappeared today. Maybe too many complaints.
The U.N. voted to partition Palestine 68 years ago, in
an unfair plan made even worse by Israel’s ethnic cleansing
Palestinians were 2/3rds of the population but offered 43% of land. Then, Israel ethnically cleansed it & took more
by BEN NORTON, Salon, Tuesday Dec. 1, 2015
68 years ago yesterday, the United Nations voted to partition Palestine, with General Assembly Resolution 181.
http://media.salon.com/2015/11/nyt-partition-plan.png
The front page of the November 29, 1947 edition of the New York Times read “[General] Assembly Votes Palestine Partition; Margin Is 33 to 13; Arabs Walk Out; Aranha Hails Work as Session Ends.”
Why were the Arabs angry? Because, for the indigenous Palestinians, the deal was a thoroughly bad one. Palestinians comprised approximately two-thirds of the population, yet were offered just 43 percent of their land in the deal.
“Aranha” refers to Osvaldo Aranha, a Brazilian diplomat. As president of the U.N. General Assembly, Aranha lobbied strongly on behalf of the Zionist movement (a settler colonialist Jewish nationalist political movement that called for the creation of the state of Israel). He delayed the vote on resolution 181 by two days in order to give the U.S. and other pro-Israel countries more time to pressure U.N. member states to vote for the plan. Scholar Fred Khouri writes that, in these two days:
“The United States and Zionists led the lobbying efforts of the pro-partition forces. The delegates, as well as the home governments, of Haiti, Liberia, Ethiopia, China, the Philippines, and Greece were swamped with telegrams, telephone calls, letters, and visitations from many sources, including the White House, congressmen, business corporations, and other fields of endeavor. As a result of these tremendous official and nonofficial pressures, Haiti, Liberia, and the Philippines finally agreed to vote for partition.”
These last-minute changes ensured that resolution 181 would have the two-thirds majority vote needed to pass.
The following is the U.N.’s map of the proposed partition. The blue areas comprising roughly 57 percent of the land were to be allotted to Jews; orange areas were to be allotted to Palestinians. Jerusalem was to be left under the governance of the international community, because of its historical and religious importance for numerous religions and cultures.
http://media.salon.com/2015/11/partition-plan-un-map-small.jpg
The Partition Plan was never implemented, however. The very next day after it was voted on, the 1947-1948 war broke out.
In this war, Zionist militias systematically ethnically cleansed large portions of historic Palestine, sacking hundreds of Palestinian villages and expelling more than 750,000 people — around two-thirds of the indigenous Arab population. Prominent Israeli historian Ilan Pappé notes that, in Israel’s Plan Dalet (also known simply as Plan D), “veteran Zionist leaders” created “a plan for the ethnic cleansing of Palestine.” They dispatched military orders in March 1948, Pappé explains:
“The orders came with a detailed description of the methods to be employed to forcibly evict the people: large-scale intimidation; laying siege to and bombarding villages and population centres; setting fire to homes, properties and goods; expulsion; demolition; and, finally, planting mines among the rubble to prevent any of the expelled inhabitants from returning.”
Plan D “spelled it out clearly and unambiguously: the Palestinians had to go,” writes Pappé. …..
Read more….
http://www.salon.com/2015/11/30/u_n_voted_to_partition_palestine_68_years_ago_in_an_unfair_plan_made_even_worse_by_israels_ethnic_cleansing/
https://syria360.wordpress.com/globalist-agenda/
Nothing happens in a vacuum
+100 Morrissey…thanks for reminding us…crimes against the Palestinians and crimes against humanity
Denouncing Kylie Jenner took up nearly five minutes on The Panel today;
But not even one second of indignation about today’s decision to bomb Syria.
RNZ National, Thursday 3 December 2015, 4:56 p.m.
Jim Mora, Tony Doe, Annah Stretton, Julie Moffett
hypocrisy n. 1. a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess. 2. a pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude. 3. an act or instance of hypocrisy.
JIM MORA: It is International Disabilities Day, which is a terrible coincidence, given the shootings in San Bernardino. And, ahhh, that has made what Kylie Jenner did, ahhh, a topic of discussion, much discussion on the internet. So Kylie Jenner from the Kardashian clan has angered disabled people by posing in a gold wheelchair for a magazine cover. And she’s got some kind of bleak, she’s aiming for a bleak sort of futuristic look, isn’t she, with her—she looks like a robot, she’s trying to look like a—
ANNAH STRETTON: Yeah she does, yeah, yeah.
JIM MORA: And the quote going around the world, seeming to come from her but not actually, she didn’t say this, people are assuming she did, is: “Wow! Being in a wheelchair is so fun and fashionable!” So that is the, that is the quote being aired in, ahh, all the reports on this. …[baffled sigh]…. Would you put one of your models in a wheelchair?
ANNAH STRETTON: Snorts to show what she thinks of Kylie Jenner.
JIM MORA: This is the interesting question here.
ANNAH STRETTON: Yeah I don’t know why we’re giving this any air time. Ummm, y’know the reality of is it’s just stupid, as perhaps this whole thing is around the Kardashians, but, uh, no, no I wouldn’t put one of my models in a wheelchair. There IS a sensitivity around disability, and you know I would sit very uncomfortably with anything like this, and I just, I think this is just bizarre.
JIM MORA: Seventeen year old Ophelia Brown posted her own image and says “I wanted to show her that being in a wheelchair is not glamorous or fashionable or fun. A wheelchair’s a big part of my life. She seemed to be sitting on it for fun, or to look more edgy and cool, and I felt overwhelmed with annoyance and jealousy that she could just get in and out of a wheelchair.” And you can completely understand this reaction. But uh, errrrrmmm, it, it’s been defended as well. Uh errrr, people are saying, Look, you know, she didn’t necessarily mean anything by it, it’s just a shot of her in a wheel—- How do YOU view it, Tony?
TONY DOE: [lengthy pause] Tut. Yeah, “not necessarily meaning anything by it” is, errrr, it’s like “I was only obeying orders” or something like that isn’t it. I mean, you’re sort of INVOLVED, whether you like it or not, and the overall impression is, um, not good and to be fair, I mean these people, the Kardashians, they must have more P.R. advisers than Heaven knows who, and umm, you’d have thought that one of them might have tapped her on the shoulder and said, Oy, that’s not a very good idea doing that. Y’know, don’t because it’s gonna make, it’s bad for your image for a start, and it’s actually a rather crass and insensitive thing to do, so don’t do it.
JIM MORA: Or is the publicity the, is that what is the most important thing now? As with that—I don’t really wanna talk about the Caitlin Jenner billboard in Auckland, I mean, goodness knows it’s on the front pages of the online newspapers anyway. But, errrr, because not necessarily because it gives it oxygen, but ahhh, because media are so reactive now, but is that part of the point? And is it just gonna get worse and worse, so you can’t ignore people making statements, ‘cos they know it’s all, it’s going to cause outrage, it’s going to be reported.
TONY DOE: Y-y-y-yeaaahhh, it, it, it is a deliberately provocative act, and the idea is to get attention, and Mission Accomplished, isn’t it. You know, I mean, it draws attention to that fashion label. This is the, there was the story in the media today, I think, about a men’s accessories place, with rings, men’s hands on naked women—
JIM MORA: Oh yes, I saw, I saw the headline there.
TONY DOE: Yeah, a very similar sort of a thing, where the man’s hand with all these rings on it is on the back of this woman, um, he’s got clothes on, she hasn’t. People are saying it’s misogynist and various other things but the line of rings has sold out.
ANNAH STRETTON: [Guffaws sardonically] Huh.
JIM MORA: That’s the thing.
ANNAH STRETTON: Reacted to it, yeah.
TONY DOE: So, whatever happened, people wanted the rings, and the fact that all that attention was given to that advert drew people to that website and drew people to that product and they actually liked it when they saw it.
JIM MORA: Yeah, and Annah, you say quite reasonably I dunno why we’re discussing this, but presumably it may have the, y’know it’s supposed to educate people and shame them into silence and have billboards taken down and so on, but it may produce a kind of cacophony of constant rudeness, as people try and get edgier and edgier and edgier. That may well be the result.
TONY DOE:
ANNAH STRETTON: I dunno, we’ve got the billboard and we’ve got the wheelchair and they’re both the Jenners, aren’t they, with the—
JIM MORA: Yeah.
ANNAH STRETTON: Yeah, um, I think a lot of it, they don’t NEED the publicity, so I don’t understand why they had to go into this space to get it, because there’s a lot of other ways that they could, um, yeah, I, I, I, I dunno, I just think that, y’know, people that are forced in to wheelchairs because of a disability, ummmm….
JIM MORA: Don’t appreciate seeing HER sitting in one.
ANNAH STRETTON: Yeah. She doesn’t need to DO this. I don’t understand it, I really don’t understand it. And I don’t, obviously you can see that I don’t have a lot of time for the Jenners either, so—
TONY DOE: Ha ha!
JIM MORA: No I got that impression—-
ANNAH STRETTON: Heh heh.
JIM MORA: —-from your general tone.
TONY DOE: Yeah.
ANNAH STRETTON: Ah, heh heh.
As Annah Stretton continued her restrained snickering, the welling sounds of “Carmina Burana” signaled that, mercifully, it was time for them all to stop talking.
Straight after that public show of concern for the disabled, I sent the host the following email….
Dear Jim,
I find you and some of your panelists (like Chris Trotter and Lisa Scott) laughing at the plight of political dissidents to be far more offensive than anything Kylie Jenner has said or done.
Yours sincerely,
Morrissey Breen
Northcote Point
At LONG last.
New Zealand FINALLY ratifies the UN Convention Against Corruption.
‘Whistle-blowing’ works?
________________________________
Amy Adams 2 DECEMBER, 2015
NZ ratifies UN Convention Against Corruption
New Zealand has reinforced its commitment to combating corruption by ratifying the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, says Justice Minister Amy Adams.
The Convention is a legally binding global agreement to address corruption in the private and public spheres.
“While New Zealand already has a strong reputation for having low levels of corruption, we cannot be complacent. We have broadly complied with the Convention for a number of years, but we needed to make a limited number of law changes before we could ratify it,” says Ms Adams.
The necessary changes were made through the Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill, which amended 15 Acts and was recently passed by Parliament.
“The changes made by the Bill, along with our formal ratification of the Convention, mean New Zealand’s ability to combat corruption is now stronger than ever.
Benefits of ratifying the Convention include ensuring our domestic anti-corruption measures remain robust and meet international best practice.
“It’s also a clear demonstration that New Zealand values a fair and corruption-free international trading system.
This is important for maintaining New Zealand’s reputation as a trustworthy trading partner with zero-tolerance for corruption.
“As a member of the Convention, New Zealand will be able to better contribute to global anti-corruption efforts by providing a legal basis for extradition and mutual legal assistance between other member countries when dealing with corruption-related crimes,” says Ms Adams.
New Zealand joins 177 other countries as a State Party to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
The Convention focuses on four key areas: prevention, criminalisation, international cooperation, and recovery of the proceeds of corruption.
The specific amendments made by the Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill to enable ratification of the Convention include:
the creation of new corruption offences related to solicitation and acceptance of bribes by foreign public officials, and trading in influence over public officials
increased penalties for private sector
corruption
clarification that no bribes are tax deductible.
_________________________________
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’
2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
What a joke. Kinda rich isn’t it when the Key National government is the most corrupt government this country has ever had.
<a href="http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1512/S00052/another-26m-for-more-saudi-sheep-barbaric.htm