An excellent article, part of a longer investigation.
It’s great to see a lot more New Zealanders will learn about how they can help mitigate climate change by adopting a plant based diet or by eating less meat.
There is a lot in the passage worth reading,
Here are some highlights.
“The average Kiwi eats 20kg less meat amid concerns over sustainability of agriculture.
As environmental concerns grow, so do the number of Kiwis choosing to adopt a meat-free lifestyle. A 2016 ANZ Roy Morgan poll showed one in 10 Kiwis follow a vegetarian diet – a 27 per cent increase in just five years.
In terms of sustainability, a low-meat diet is leagues ahead of a meat-rich diet.
There’s no escaping the reality of the environmental impact of agriculture. Collectively dairy, beef and sheep generate more than 97 per cent of all agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand and almost half of the total green house emissions for the country.
Since 2002 the number of total dairy cattle has risen. As a result, the emissions created by dairy has doubled since 1990.”
It is clear from reading the article, that If you are concerned about climate change,you can do something.
A misleading piece of propaganda for vegetarianism, would be a better description.
Like you, it takes figures for the environmental impact of feeding grain crops to livestock and presents them as though they applied to New Zealand.
It also presents a graphic, again based on overseas farming practices, claiming meat uses a lot of “scarce” water, ignoring the fact that NZ livestock mostly use water that falls onto the farm as rain. And then captions it “A meat-eaters carbon footprint is much higher than that of a vegetarians,” as though that were what the graphic shows!
When you look at the article’s meat consumption figures, it’s pretty clear that rising prices and scaremongering about red meat have pushed people towards eating more chicken and pork. Whether there’s also greater enthusiasm for vegetarian diets is open to question, although it wouldn’t be surprising given the amount of propaganda for it out there.
I’d be more interested to see an article that worked out the food miles involved in a typical NZ vegan’s diet, and some assessment of what it would mean for the New Zealand environment to switch from meat to large-scale production of soy and other shit food crops. People would be able to make more informed choices then.
The days of a roast every Sunday are long gone. It’s now about once every 3 months. Mince and sausages have generally replaced the regular steak / schnitzel, chops.
To be fair things like kumara and pumpkin are also very expensive.
We’re almost back to seasonal eating again where the seasonal veges are always cheaper.
We’re definitely back to growing some of our own.
Most people I know eat less meat because of the cost.
Some of this relates to more money going out in rent. It’s great that landlord’s can use people’s hard earned money to buy their meat though. At least someone can buy it.
Ain’t got nothing to do with making veganisitic choices.
Wasn’t disputing that. It’s only gone from 8% to 10% though. Stating it as a 27% increase coming off a low base does make it seem a bit more dramatic and depending on the sample size may well be within the margin of error.
There’s no way those 2% of new vegans would be causing that volume of decrease.
I would suspect that it’s much more likely to be cost.
D’oh! I missed that one. That’s another hallmark of misleading propaganda – make a small increase sound like a big one by quoting the relative increase rather than the absolute increase.
And the irrigated water to grow pasture, and the water used to grow imported feed?
Meanwhile, the water consumption for vegan and vegetarian foodstuffs can also be hidden and enormous.
So maybe the answer is to be mindful rather than ideologically hell-bent one way or the other.
To be honest, I don’t quite get why people are hooked on beef and lamb – both increasingly expensive and out of reach for growing numbers of people – (though my understanding is that very large amounts of lamb is rustled…)
What’s wrong with wild goat, wallaby, rabbit, goose…? It isn’t that people are a bit “snobbish” and look on those meats as “shit food” by any chance?
Meanwhile supermarkets sell rabbit at $20 – $30 a kilo (bones included). That was a few years ago. Turns out it costs the same to put a rabbit through the compliance regime as it does a cow (or so a meat inspector suggested to me in conversation back then).
The fact that many poor people are reduced to eating crap (affordable, mechanically recovered “meat” etc) – is a problem that could and should be fixed.
Agreed, and it seems to me that the most practical way to do that is via increased wages and benefits. In the absence of any political will for price controls, whether or not price controls would be a sensible solution.
And the irrigated water to grow pasture, and the water used to grow imported feed?
Those are mainly features of dairy rather than meat production. But yeah, over-intensive dairy farming in inappropriate places has a huge environmental impact, and not just through water usage.
So maybe the answer is to be mindful rather than ideologically hell-bent one way or the other.
Absolutely. There aren’t any environmentally-friendly ways of feeding 9 billion people and climbing, plant-based or not.
The core message of the article was not about vegetarianism or meat consumption, but about how city liberals have fundamentally lost touch with the physical country and the entire agricultural economy of New Zealand.
If you really want to put your money where you mouth is, go buy a farm or work on it.
This is the core message.
That meat eating is under pressure because of people ‘s concerns about sustainability.
I quote….
“’Farmers just aren’t respected’ – that’s the Kiwi message to Europeans who are eating less meat. We kick off a three-week series with an investigation into how environmental sustainability concerns are putting the heat on meat.”
The article ends precisely with how farmers are reacting to foreign markets, and indeed how German farmers are respected while ours are not, which is why so many New Zealand farmers are reacting so well.
More accurately, how intensive propaganda campaigns by vegetarians are putting the heat on meat. But I guess it’s true that that’s not what the article was investigating…
News stories like this prompt responsible and caring people to reconsider their lifestyle choices.
We have a 2020 deadline to avert climate catastrophe: experts.
HUMANITY must put carbon dioxide emissions on a downward slope by 2020 to have a realistic shot at capping global warming at well under two degrees Celsius, the bedrock goal of the Paris climate accord, experts said Wednesday.
A world that heats up beyond that threshold will face a crescendo of devastating impacts ranging from deadly heatwaves to mass migration caused by rising seas, the experts warned in a commentary published in the science journal Nature.
With 1.0 degree Celsius of warming so far, ice sheets that could lift oceans by a dozen metres are melting more quickly, coral reefs are dying from heat stress, and ever more damaging storm surges are hammering coastal communities.
Er, yes. That’s relevant to this discussion how, exactly?
To avoid the parade of non sequiturs that characterise your attempts at argument, you need a means of identifying how something like the quote in the above comment is relevant to the claim you’re making. In this instance, you need to demonstrate that humans eating shite like soy instead of proper food will put carbon dioxide emissions on a downward slope – otherwise, the comment makes no sense.
15,000 scientists give catastrophic warning about the fate of the world in new ‘letter to humanity’
A new, dire “warning to humanity” about the dangers to all of us has been written by 15,000 scientists from around the world.
The message updates an original warning sent from the Union of Concerned Scientists that was backed by 1,700 signatures 25 years ago. But the experts say the picture is far, far worse than it was in 1992, and that almost all of the problems identified then have simply been exacerbated.
Mankind is still facing the existential threat of runaway consumption of limited resources by a rapidly growing population, they warn. And “scientists, media influencers and lay citizens” aren’t doing enough to fight against it, according to the letter.
If the world doesn’t act soon, there be catastrophic biodiversity loss and untold amounts of human misery, they warn.
Eat less meat to avoid dangerous global warming, scientists say.
Research led by Oxford Martin School finds widespread adoption of vegetarian diet would cut food-related emissions by 63% and make people healthier too.
Intensive livestock-rearing is a major cause of greenhouse gases, in part because of the methane produced by the animals and the massive slurry pits that accompany large farms. It also diverts water and grains to animal-rearing, which is less efficient than directing the grains towards direct human consumption.
And this one is, yet again, evidence that feeding human-edible crops to livestock is an incredibly wasteful way of farming. Stopping that would reduce food-related emissions a lot, as the study points out, but it doesn’t necessarily involve a vegetarian diet.
15,000 scientists give catastrophic warning about the fate of the world in new ‘letter to humanity’
We have a 2020 deadline to avert climate catastrophe: experts.
Eat less meat to avoid dangerous global warming, scientists say.
Scientists Make Case For Eating Less Meat In 2018.
Climate scientists at the University of California at Davis say one option is to help slow climate change by adopting a low-emissions diet.
Maya Almaraz, a postdoctoral researcher at the university, says while people may feel helpless when it comes to an issue as large as a warming planet, the data shows that personal decisions really can have a big impact.
Almaraz says the single biggest move you can make, in terms of diet to reduce methane and carbon pollution, is by putting less meat on your plate.
Changing how we grow food. Transitioning from industrial farming to regenerative agriculture and horticulture. Food forestry, polyculture systems, permaculture.
Eat seasonally and locally. Stop expecting food to be shipped from the other side of the world or the other end of the country. Support local growers and farmers who are trying to sell outside of the export market. Especially small to medium growers, and people who live on the land.
Grow what you can, if you can afford to pay someone else to grow for you. The more food we have growing in our neighbourhoods, the less we will need industrial agriculture.
Eat less meat if you eat a lot, eat the whole animal, not just the choice bits. Eat feral meat.
Eat less dairy. Eat dairy that comes from sustainable sources.
Support human animal husbandry, including free range animals (those farmers are the ones I’m talking about above, generally much closer to sustainability).
If you can’t do lots of those things, then agitate and lobby and protest to make those things happen. If you can do those things, then agitate and lobby and protest to make those things happen sooner.
Support the protest movement against Fonterra and Big Dairy, but support the farmers that are doing the right things. They’re not going to go away, so we need the people of means to start buying their produce not that of Big Farmer.
Stop wasting time and energy trying to convert everyone to being vegan. It’s not going to happen on a large scale, and you are promoting choices that support industrial agriculture. Put your energy into sustainable forms of food production.
+100
Exactly what’s happening where I am atm mostly. They even seem to know how to process cow shit properly. 40feet below the surface the most pridtine water is pumped. What the place needs tho is a ban on plastic and better disposal/recycling which causes extensive littering in places.
How Does Meat in the Diet Take an Environmental Toll?
A lifecycle analysis conducted by EWG that took into account the production and distribution of 20 common agricultural products found that red meat such as beef and lamb is responsible for 10 to 40 times as many greenhouse gas emissions as common vegetables and grains.
Our meat consumption habits also cause other environmental problems. A 2009 study found that four-fifths of the deforestation across the Amazon rainforest could be linked to cattle ranching. And the water pollution from factory farms (also called concentrated animal feeding operations or CAFOs)—whereby pigs and other livestock are contained in tight quarters—can produce as much sewage waste as a small city
How’s about you find ‘an angle’ and explore/debate/argue it, as opposed to throwing out a confetti of links?
Comment after comment of “cut/paste/link” really isn’t any different to comment after comment containing video links, and is about as worthwhile from the standpoint of anyone reading a thread – ie, it’s just not really worthwhile at all.
It also damages whatever point it is you’re trying to make around things you think of as so important or feel so passionate about when you “soap box” and “megaphone” them in this way.
‘It’s great to see a lot more New Zealanders will learn about how they can help mitigate climate change by adopting a plant based diet or by eating less meat.’
1. I see a pattern of scientists in countries where feeding human-edible crops to livestock is the norm, conflating that appallingly wasteful agricultural practice with a meat-based diet. That Scientific American article you link to is even illustrated with a photo of cows in a shed eating some kind of grain, as though that were the only way of producing meat that’s possible. “Scientists” should know better.
2. I see a pattern of Ed arguing from authority as usual.
Still, thanks for linking to that Scientific American article, because it does lay out clearly the basis for claims that eating meat is more environmentally damaging than eating plants:
Livestock are typically fed corn, soybean meal and other grains which have to first be grown using large amounts of fertilizer, fuel, pesticides, water and land.
Well, yeah, that’s pretty stupid, right? So, what about farming in New Zealand, in which sheep and beef cattle are typically fed the grass that’s growing in the paddock they live in? Gosh, somehow these American authors haven’t thought about that, America being as much of the world as a person needs to think about.
This one’s also characteristic of vegetarian propaganda:
A 2009 study found that four-fifths of the deforestation across the Amazon rainforest could be linked to cattle ranching.
Those damn cattle! If only everyone ate a vegetarian diet, no land would be being cleared for farming! Right? Amiright? Er, no, wait – I’m wrong. People in Brazil would be cutting down the rainforest for whatever agriculture was currently being practiced, because humans.
In a modern agricultural economy your argument depends on whether the cattle in question are being farmed for domestic consumption or export profit, just as our dairy farms are all about dried milk solids these days.
Not much need to cut down national parks for farming unless we can’t actually feed ourselves, eh.
No, my argument depends on whether there’s something specific about cattle that prompts people in Brazil to cut down rainforests, which there isn’t. What’s actually prompting people to cut down the rainforests is money, and if there were suddenly no money in cattle there’d be money in something else – if Ed had his way, in soy or whatever else vegans eat, for instance.
Actually science is now finding that grazing is an important factor in increasing carbon sequestration in soils. An interesting article is here:
Those who champion soil carbon for climate mitigation frequently look to grasslands, which cover more than a quarter of the world’s land. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, grasslands also hold 20 percent of the world’s soil carbon stock. Much of this land is degraded, as evidenced in the U.S. Great Plains and places like northern Mexico, Africa’s Sahel, and Mongolia.
Seth Itzkan — founder of Massachusetts-based Planet-TECH Associates, a consulting firm specializing in restoration ecology — advocates Holistic Planned Grazing (HPG), a model developed by Zimbabwean wildlife biologist Allan Savory. In this practice, livestock are managed as a tool for large-scale land restoration, mimicking the herding and grazing patterns of wild ruminants that coevolved with grassland ecosystems. Animals are moved so that no plants are overgrazed, and grazing stimulates biological activity in the soil. Their waste adds fertility, and as they move in a herd their trampling aerates soil, presses in seeds, and pushes down dead plant matter so it can be acted upon by soil microorganisms. All of this generates soil carbon, plant carbon, and water retention. Savory says HPG doesn’t require more land — in fact it generally supports greater animal density — so it can be applied wherever livestock are raised.
An increase of 1 ton of soil carbon pool of degraded cropland soils may increase crop yield by 20 to 40 kilograms per hectare (kg/ha) for wheat, 10 to 20 kg/ha for maize, and 0.5 to 1 kg/ha for cowpeas. As well as enhancing food security, carbon sequestration has the potential to offset fossil fuel emissions by 0.4 to 1.2 gigatons of carbon per year, or 5 to 15% of the global fossil-fuel emissions.
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/304/5677/1623.full
However one of the major factors in the loss of soil carbon content is tillage. This is because the carbon is sequestrated firstly through photosynthesis then passed through the plants roots to the bacteria and fungi that live around the plants roots. Tillage kills these micro-organisms and the carbon they contain re-enters the atmosphere as methane and CO2.
conversion from conventional till to no-till farming reduces emission by 30 to 35 kg C/ha per season
Does the change in lamb consumption from 19kg in 2006 to 0.9kg in 2016 sound right?
Is the DP wrong? 9kg would sound more reasonable.
[How’s about you use the reply buttons so you don’t squeeze out other topics others have posted on DV? Have shifted Carloyn nths comment this time, but would rather not have to spend time extracting “meat from the sandwich” as it were] – Bill
Lamb consumption collapsed around the same time it became ridiculously expensive.
Lamb is now a luxury item for Xmas, Easter and special occasions.
It is interesting how in a decade what was once regarded as a staple can become a luxury, and a warning that living in a country with an enormous food surplus is no guarantee of security of food supply if capitalism and market are solely responsible for regulating supply, because if that remains the case you can bet your bottom dollar armed police at the wharves would beat off crowds of starving new Zealanders if Fonterra thought it could get $1 more a kg for it’s butter in Dubai.
Yes, if you know to look in the frozen food rather than the fresh meat section. Quite often it seems frozen lamb is quietly disposed of in this way – and it is usually when I buy the stuff if i need a leg of sheep (although being the owner of a mob of 24-36 ewes and lambs we usually have our own home killed mutton and lamb).
The cuts of lamb in the fresh meat section – chops, lamb steaks, etc are very expensive.
Had shoulder chops for dinner tonight, coincidentally.
Pack says $11.99/kg down from $16.99, short dated.
Countdown online store has them on special for $12.99/kg down from $16.99
I suspect there might be seasonal gluts, because nature, but I do enjoy it when our tory brethren and sistren talk about the prices of basic grocery items like bread, butter, or meat. They never check before posting, and it just shows how out of touch they really are.
Lamb chops were a weekly regular – I’ve bought them maybe twice in the last twelve months.
We used to rotate our roasts – beef, lamb, pork, chicken each week. We hardly have them now and it’s whatever is the cheapest – that’s not normally lamb.
Kai provided and transport support from Auckland CBD available (please post in the event if you need a lift from the CBD). Interpreters available for speeches. Accessible venue. Face Fatale Facepainting available to decorate kiddies (and grown ups).
Put it in your diaries now whānau mā!
Address:
Ōtara Pool and Leisure Centre
Newbury Street, Ōtara
“Oh look, it’s a major theme in Marama Davidson’s speech.”
Talking about it in a speech is one thing, but when are we going to actually see some follow-through on that talk?
Ten moths till next Christmas, still no talk from the Greens on securing a little something extra for beneficiaries to help them over Christmas.
No pressure being publicly applied on Labour (by the Greens) to bring forward Labour’s campaign promise of lower doctors fees.
No pressure being publicly applied on Labour (by the Greens) to extend winter energy payments. It’s not only winter that beneficiaries tend to struggle with soaring power bills.
Can you point me to something substantive the Greens have done (or are currently working on) to improve their (beneficiaries) fiscal plight?
My guess is that you either didn’t listen to it properly (as in all of it), or you listened with blocked ears for only the things you could use to criticise them.
It’s patently obvious that you either have no idea how government and parliament and the Greens work (no shame there, lots of people don’t), or you dismiss all that because you are dedicated to the poison pen. There’s no point in saying anything about what the Greens have done on poverty since the last election, because you are already convinced by your own internal dialogue and will just dismiss it.
You never guess right when it comes to you guessing about me.
What should be patently obvious is I’m not one for lowering the bar. Hence, I’m not one for backslapping the team when they are failing to bring their A-game.
Moreover, I point out the flaws and provide alternatives to help improve their game – not because I’m dedicated to the poison pen.
Don’t you think they should be working on the things I highlighted above?
Here’s another, what work have the Greens done on trying to secure a living wage for those employed on the Governments tree planting scheme? Don’t you think other Green supporters would support them doing this and would want to be informed about them doing this?
“All the Greens can get is something for Conservation and Climate Change.”
Labour better think twice about that, because the Greens will struggle if that’s all they get and knowing how Labour is also going to disappoint, they are both going to need each other come next election.
Labour need to give the Greens a little win on lifting the incomes of beneficiaries (whether through a Christmas bonus, core benefit increase or extended and larger energy payment) to help them (thus also themselves) maintain their party support.
The Greens are free apparently to campaign all they want on anything so long as the MP themselves is not the responsible Minister. So they can get their own support, and can campaign for the next 2.5 years. From 6% the only way is up.
The latest poll has the Greens going downwards since the election.
Something which Labour should keep in mind, unless they think they can win the next election alone.
Ponder this:
The Greens have pretty much summed up what they plan to achieve this term (20 policy goals) and yet they’ve dropped in the poll.
And with nothing more up their sleeves coupled with supporter disappointment of swallowing some dead rats along the way, there is a real chance they won’t make the cut (5% threshold) come next election.
And while Labour have gone up on this poll, National still out-polls them.
So there is no comfortable lead for Labour to start forgetting they need the Greens. And the Greens need to give supporters a little more to keep them in the game.
But, as companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon vacuumed up more of people’s private information, European lawmakers upped the ante, intent on setting a new bar for data protection worldwide.
“We want to set the global standard,” Věra Jourová, the European commissioner for justice, told POLITICO last year. “Privacy is a high priority for us.”
Most multinational companies from Google to General Electric must comply with the new standards because of their existing activities in Europe. And smaller firms, even those currently with no operations in the EU, face a tough decision to either comply with the region’s stance on privacy or risk potential sanctions if European customers eventually sign up to their services.
For governments, the choice is often one of necessity. That’s particularly true as the EU now links potential free-trade agreements with demands that other countries adopt the region’s privacy standards through so-called “adequacy decisions.”
Israel and New Zealand are among a handful of international partners that have struck deals with the EU certifying that their data protection rules are equal to those of Europe. Only under those conditions can data — and billions of euros of trade — flow freely between the parties.
FTAs aren’t actually needed. Just the setting of standards.
Looks like it to me, too. I was at a customer focus group meeting a couple of weeks back, at which the large US company involved spoke explicitly about how the GDPR is forcing them to completely review their approach to privacy and security because they can’t run a two-tier system, one for Europe and one for everyone else. They’ll have to apply the European standard to everybody, which is great news for us but also means yes a “local” standard can have international effect if the locals are a significant enough proportion of the market.
How do these standards apply to employees? For instance, a photo of some can be classified as “personal data” because it identifies a person.
So, can an employer demand that an employee upload a photo of themselves to their work contact info on the organisation’s intranet- internal online directory?
Right up there along with demanding highly personal information as back up data to activate corporate log ins (cache very attractive to DOS attacks), making staff use external web based providers after providing your name & corporate email address ( surveys & the like) whose terms of trade let the third party keep your information forever, wanting Bio’s to put on public web pages, credit checking all your financial information including the size of your utility and mortgage payments
– the whole lot needs to be outlawed
That’s the funny bit – my public-sector employer doesn’t have any online business dealings with Europeans so doesn’t give a shit about the GDPR. Only the rapacious multi-national corporations we deal with will be operating at this higher standard, while we continue to do whatever NZ’s Privacy Act and the non-enforcement thereof will let us get away with.
The approach to employees is interesting. We’re supposed to make ourselves and our skills as public as possible via the University’s web site, because the University wants media, researchers, businesspeople etc to find us when they’re looking for expertise to work with. So, my name, photo, job title, work email address and phone number, and applicable expertise is publicly available on our web site. I do get to opt out of including my photo if I want to, and some of my female colleagues did refuse for fairly obvious reasons, and what description of your skills you post is up to you, but you don’t get any choice about having your name, job title and contact details public.
My public sector employer is asking for the photo to be uploaded by everyone, onto the organisation’s intranet, via a system owned by a German Company – not publicly available, but it can be viewed by all the large number of employees within the organisation.
And it gets linked with all the emails we send – at least within the organisation – not sure if it also is viewed by emails we send to people outside the organisation.
Only the rapacious multi-national corporations we deal with will be operating at this higher standard, while we continue to do whatever NZ’s Privacy Act and the non-enforcement thereof will let us get away with.
Apparently NZ has already signed an agreement with the EU saying that ours are as good as theirs.
but you don’t get any choice about having your name, job title and contact details public.
Seems reasonable as long as those contact details go through the university switch board.
Usually direct dial extensions at my workplace, unless sensitive staffing matters.
Some even have office room numbers online. It depends on the role.
Fortunately, I have a satellite office nestled amongst departments that aren’t my own, down a banal corridor, in an office with three people and a phone I never bother answering, 6,000 emails in my inbox so I accidentally miss the annual department photo days and the requests for updated bio information, and a handy back door I can escape out of should anybody actually want to talk to me…
Because anyone who needs to talk to me knows how to get in touch with me, and them that don’t know me should talk to someone else.
On my little macbook, when I try to log into TS on Firefox at home, I get a “bad request – can’t find server” notice. Then when I try to get back TS main page (still without having logged in), I still get the bad request notice for a short time.
But, I can log into TS from Safari on my macbook, and from firefox on my windows laptop at home, I can log into TS successfully.
Different programmes that do broadly the same thing can still do some things quicker than others. Firefox has some features that safari might not, and you can think of it as adding weight to what your machines have to carry (in addition to the weight they already carry simply from their operating system).
So on your desktop, it’s carrying an operating system, a whole heap of firefox features, and then signing in puts some extra tools and stuff on top – it’s a heavy load, but the desktop can carry it.
On your macbook, it’s like a kid (macbook) trying to carry the same load as an adult (desktop) – it can handle the operating system, and firefox, but then you stack encryption and sign in protocols on top and the poor wee thing drops the tool for finding a website server in a decent time.
But because safari is a bit lighter and easier for the kid/macbook to carry, when you put encryption and signup stuff on top of Safari, the kid can still carry the load.
There might be a server timeout setting you could tweak in preferences somewhere, but go with what works.
Hopefully this is a useful general illustration of what might be happening, but it’s also probably precisely wrong, depending on the exact circumstance 🙂
Why have are these star gazing people around Papatuanuku whinging about Peter Becks and his team Humanity STAR . Its not like the Humanity Star is going to blind the Beautiful nite Sky the star is not going to be up there for ever . The Humanity Star is in my view a symbol that has a message to all Humans we are one Race the Human race.
We live in Heaven now so lets speak up now and not let other Idiots turn Papatuanuku into hell which is were we are heading rapidly. Mother Earth is a finely balanced living being as with any living thing to much of one thing IE in this case Carbo in her atmosphere is causing her to heat up . We have had a lot of extreme weather in just one year . Global Warming is the biggest threat to Humanity and everyone is just sitting on there hands letting Trump suppress The words GLOBAL WARMING /CLIMATE CHANGE from the MSM around OUR Papatuanuku .Some people are countering that farcical behavior by Trump who is drunk on his power of President. I say we should tell him to get———and use these words to tell everyone around our world that Global Warning is going to make our Mokos /grandchildren’s future a nightmare for the 99% while the 1% live in location and structures that minimize the catastrophic weather that is already starting NOW . What happens when we get 300 klm winds 50 foot sea level rise. The climate change deniers say Antarctica wont melt because it is that high in mother earths Atmosphere its to cold up there to melt .I say the Ice will melt from the bottom up and If Antarctica melts Tangaroa will rise at least 70 mts we will be like rats on a sinking waka who gets the high ground well the 1% that’s who back to Peter Beck .
When he launched the Humanity star into our space this action in my view has achieved 2 very Great things one is the message To Human’s we are all humans so start behaving like intelligent Humane Beings the other is he saves cost on another test flight to prove that he can put a object in space now they can launch Satellites into space and start off a billion dollar industry in little old Aoteaora/New Zealand Ka pai Peter and your team . PS all the NAY SAYERS are in reality help the Humanity Star get the message out there I loved fishing off Mahia Coast when I was younger beautiful views Nga mihi nui koutou ka kite ano
With regard to Peter Beck, Rocketlabs and the Humanity star.
I’m personally not that exited about Rocketlabs. The company is partly funded by Lockheed Martin, the USA largest defence contractor. They’re also funded by DARPA, a USA government agency involved in military research.
Rocketlabs is also now a USA registered company.
Is it possible Rocketlabs is testing this new rocket technology for possible future military applications? So much for the ” Humanity Star”.
Astronomical photos are long exposure, which increases the chance the disco ball will pass through the shot. And it’ll add to the light fuckage of whatever observation it passes through.
It’s in a very low orbit, so it will only ever be visible close to the horizon, and just after sunset or just before sunrise. Not many serious observations happen then. I’d be surprised if it reflected enough city lights to interfere with proper dark-night observations. Still, it’s a particularly wanky bit of wankery, although not quite in the league of Elon Musk putting one of his cars into orbit.
I forgot to post this link for my post P.S everyone has a different view on reality some people are just jealous shonky and bill could have help fund Peter Ka pai
While the “Me Too” divas and Harpo Windy made grand Obama-esque speeches at the Golden Globes the other week, they for some reason completely ignored the plight of this young woman….
Everything wrong with the reaction to Ahed Tamimi’s prosecution for slapping an Israeli soldier
Where were the international calls for compassion, the reminders that this was a potentially traumatised child?
by HIBA KHAN, Tuesday 2 January 2018 16:00 GMT
Everyone now knows that 16-year-old Ahed Tamimi slapped an Israeli soldier. How many of us know about the events that led up to this? Telling half of a story can be more of an injustice than fabricating the entirety, and in this instance, it most certainly is.
The viral video of Tamimi attempting to hit Israeli soldiers was reportedly the reason for her subsequent arrest and detention. Now let’s consider the background context to this video: Soldiers had apparently parked themselves on Tamimi’s family’s land shortly after their colleagues shot her 14-year-old cousin in the face with a rubber bullet and fired tear gas at their house, smashing windows. Her family says she was merely expressing legitimate protest at this treatment.
Living in fear of this sort of treatment remains the reality for 21st century Palestinians, without whose freedom Nelson Mandela observed that all of humanity’s freedom is incomplete. The UN Security Council deems Israeli settlements “a flagrant violation under international law”, and the sad reality for Palestinians is a life deprived of healthcare, an economy, a justice system, living in abject poverty with no food or water security and military violence against them and their children.
What we see in the widely circulated video of Ahed Tamimi slapping a soldier is the response of a bereaved, oppressed child – a child who is now being condemned and abused across social media. Context is important. A little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing.
Take a moment to picture a 16-year-old you know being raised in a country where violence and military occupation is the norm, where she is sometimes unable to access food, water and healthcare. Would they not be in pain, and frustrated and angry with the unfairness of the situation? Now picture their home being raided and them witnessing a younger cousin being shot in the head by a soldier. Would they not attempt to remove the soldiers from their front lawn as Tamimi did? Would they not become even more distraught when the soldiers refuse? Would they not, perhaps, lash out?
When an unarmed child is prosecuted for slapping a larger grown man in army gear equipped with a gun, it’s time to ask questions.
I saw no #IAmAhed. No uproar from feminist groups or international political recognition as there was for Malala, another child who lived in a country where oppression is often the norm. Instead of Nobel prizes and invitations to meet presidents, Ahed Tamimi remains in Israeli detention, having been labelled “dangerous”.
Our compassion and humanity for children growing up with the psychological wounds of living in a conflict zone apparently do not stretch so far as to accommodate girls like Ahed. Apparently, the brutality that Palestinians face is too politically complex and messy to render this strong beautiful girl fully human. But it’s more important than ever that, when we look at the pictures of this teenager in handcuffs, we see her for the child she really is. Don’t tell me the courthouse is where she belongs, and don’t tell me that international condemnation rather than understanding and compassion is what she deserves.
Concur with your sentiments wholeheartedly @ Morrissey (8).
Something is definitely not right about international response to the unjust incarceration of Ahed. The only conclusion I can come to is that the world is too uncaring to be concerned about the plight of a 17 year old Palestinian girl, for fear of repercussions from tyrannical Israel and its supporters. If that is the case, then ignoring the situation, is giving Israel more power to continue its atrocities against Palestinians, which in the end, comes down to absolute shame on the rest of the world.
I doubt anyone will be surprised by Marama Davidson’s announcement that she’s standing for co-leader. Whoever gets the job will be well qualified. Go the Greens!
In her announcement, Davidson is speaking about the struggles of low income people, inequalities, our poor prison system, homelessness, against underemployment, the working poor, etc…for state housing, for providing more opportunities for young people, for fairness and income equality…. etc
There are 119 other politicians in Parliament who ‘speak’ to these issues on a predictably regular basis, and particularly around election time, but not all of them are as genuine and authentic as Marama Davidson. I’m sure the DP brigade is trying to find & dig up dirt on her …
It is the wellbeing of our living systems and our people that will sustain us. For the many, not just for the few.
Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
“To deliver on all of those visions and policies that our people and our environment so desperately need, we must return to Parliament in 2020 with much greater numbers”
Sounds like she telling us not to expect much from them this term. Sad.
And isn’t she meant to be one of the fighters within the party?
No. it’s just acknowledging they dropped in the numbers of MPs in the last election.So, part of their aims should be to increase their numbers next election.
It’s a speech to launch her campaign to be selected as co-leader of the Greens. It’s not a speech to meet the incessant and child-like needs of some dude on the internet who doesn’t understand how things work.
“The fact you failed to come back with something constructive, opting instead to take a potshot at me, is disappointing and a worry.”
No, it’s really not. I write whole posts on this kind of thing. Other people write whole posts in this kind of thing. The Greens write whole posts on this kind of thing. They also have multiple twitter accounts, press releases, and a whole website full of policy.
You on the other hand, almost never go and do your homework and find out about the things you are complaining about, and instead sit in the comments section of The Standard and take pot shots at the Greens for not doing what you want to them to do. When people do respond with analysis and evidence, you usually dismiss it.
There is no way I am going to respond proactively to any alleged points you raise because your whole point here is to undermine the Greens. It’s a waste of my time, and other peoples imo, to engage with you as if your comments are meaningful. This doesn’t mean you don’t have good ideas, I’m commenting here on *how you choose to present them.
After reading yet another story about meth/P addiction I am beginning to wonder just why NZ appears to be making virtually no progress on this insipid drug over the last decade.
For all the meth busts reported, nothing seems to change or make a dent in the market. Why could that be? Just going to put this out there….. are police paid a decent wage these days? Are some of them supplementing their income by turning a blind eye?
I really feel something is very off with the big picture, are those in positions of power keeping the meth/P market going, am not talking about gangs, I’m talking about white collars. Something doesn’t sit well with the whole situation.
“There is a rise and it’s right across the board. There are 700,000 people in New Zealand with addiction-related problems.
“The meth dealer is targeting families with money in Hamilton and that’s no different to anywhere else, ranging in age from 19 to 42.
Articles say importation is done a lot by gangs and organised crime, while it’s also easy to make it in NZ.
A few articles are blaming Guangdong province in China as being a major centre exporting world wide. Others blame importation to NZ on stuff coming from various Sth East Asian countries. Don’t know how accurate that is.
The Guangdong province, in mainland China, has been known as being home to China’s “Breaking Bad” for several years and plays a major role in Australia’s growing meth, or ice crisis.
One hotspot, Lufeng, an industrial city of 1.7 million people in Guangdong, is so notorious for drug manufacturing it has become known as the “city of ice” by many social media users.
They say it’s easier to slip drugs through customs when there are a lot of legitimate imported products coming from the same countries.
Meanwhile, the Nat government was blamed for focusing more on imprisoning addicts than prevention. Plus, the under funding of police is being blamed. Some are also complaining the police are spending too much time and resources on targeting cannabis use.
I have to agree, Cinny that something is definitely not ok – they seem to have an infinite amount of money/staff to fly around the north spraying marijuana crops which are doing no harm, but are not interested when people ‘dob in’ meth producers. I hear tell of such responses as ‘yes we know about them’ and all of a sudden nothing happens!
Am so hearing you Jan, it’s the same around the top of the south.
I feel someone/something is propping up and continuing to enable the P trade in NZ, gangs are just small fry in the bigger picture and make a palatable scape goat for the public. Am not putting down the police but unfortunately there are rotten people in all facets of society. The gangs aren’t innocent but they are little fish in this picture. The police have been underfunded for so very long, but there’s more to it than that me thinks.
Precursors for the P appear to come via asia, makes one reflect on rich asian donators for various entities.
Where is the anti P advertising/messages/help etc? Should have be all over the telly and social media etc, a long time ago.
Something really stinks about the whole situation, am hoping our new government are brave enough to make a real difference.
Yes we need to be aware of where things are ourselves, and not have tourist maps published, and get in ourselves and pick the stuff. Pool resources and get a vehicle to travel together and pick for instance.
I found when involved in community that beneficiaries, who have a big need for good fresh food, were unable to go to the sites and get it, and when it was brought in to a central point couldn’t manage to get in and collect it there even when it was very accessible. People need support from helpful agencies as they are not able to take up every opportunity that presents.
Because we are rather tired of concern trolls masquerading as real lefties, then constantly nagging about how Labour or the Greens aren’t left enough. Just as Weka and Robert Guyton pointed out above.
The actor is still present next door she has changed her behaviour instead of parking her car on the lawn close to my house she is parking it on the other side of a tree she is now wearing long baggie track suite pants instead of revealing shorts .At least my neighbors are looking down there noses at her and thanks to thestandard site I have checked this cowardly move played by the sandflys .
My problem is what about the people that are getting set up by other sandflys they don’t have a site like thestandard to save there asses ECO MAORI feels sorrows for all these people whom will be mostly Brown.
But let’s all just keep all OUR heads in the sand and pretend that OUR justice systems are all good after shonky has given the sandflys all the power to use and abuse against mostly Brown people. You see people they Don t see US Brown people as there equal in there reality I’m just a Brown savage that deserves to be locked up in a cell for life.We don’t deserves to live in the same Neighborhood as them. ANA TO KAI
Ka kite ano
Uncalled for rudeness – and if you can’t work out what he’s talking about then you either have some huge gaps in your knowledge or you’re not ‘listening’
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Ten engineering firms in Southland are receiving a total of $2.13 million in Provincial Growth Fund funding to lift productivity and create new jobs. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced in Invercargill that the 10 engineering and manufacturing firms would receive funding to assist them with buying equipment that ...
The number of new residents to New Zealand is the lowest it has been in nearly two decades and it has earned the ire of the immigration industry. The industry alleges that 'Trump-style extreme vetting' is being put in place aimed at keeping a lid on immigration numbers. June Ranson, ...
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is one step closer to modernising its fleet after the United States State Department recently approved the sale of five new C-130J Hercules aircraft to New Zealand. Arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in Fort Worth, Texas, will provide the aircraft, but as a "foreign military ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones wants to create a log barging facility at Hicks Bay and turn the area into a Special Economic Zone. The move would be part of protecting New Zealand's forests from being depleted by India and China, he said. It follows his announcement last week to strengthen ...
New Zealand First supports the changes recommended by the Winter Grazing Taskforce to improve animal welfare outcomes through the winter months, and the establishment of a pan-sector action group to implement them. New Zealand First Primary Industries Spokesperson Mark Patterson says the report highlights areas of concern about the animal ...
Former prime ministers Helen Clark and Sir John Key, formerly from the Labour and National parties respectively, have joined forces in support of New Zealand First’s plan to relocate Auckland's port to Whangārei. While Ms Clark and Sir John spent their political careers on opposite sides of the political divide, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in Japan for the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the G20 grouping of countries as one of nine "invited" countries. He has used the opportunity to cast a spotlight on the plight of Pacific countries, calling out countries which still offered subsidies or Government assistance to ...
It's been a great week of progress: we've celebrated Children's Day, we've made communities safer with 1800 new police, and we've seen almost 90% of eligible schools take up Government funding to scrap school donations - taking pressure off the families of more than 416,000 students. ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Forestry The Government will further strengthen New Zealand’s wood processing sector as part of our focus on ‘value over volume’ in our forestry industry, Forestry Minister Shane Jones says. Minister Jones will today meet with forestry representatives in Northland to signal new measures to help the ...
New Zealand First are celebrating the announcement of an investment of $3.5 million into five new trapping devices. These are a range of bait and trap devices, all designed to be left unattended for long periods of time. NZ First conservation spokesperson Jenny Marcroft says that this latest development will ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Conservation New Zealand First is proud to announce the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) has allocated $3.5 million to develop innovative predator control approaches which will reduce the need for repeated 1080 use. $19.5 million of PGF funding was announced for Predator Free 2050 Limited in February ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Police New Zealand First is proud to have delivered on a key Coalition Agreement commitment to adding 1800 new frontline police, with the graduation of Recruit Wing 332 in Porirua today. Law and Order Spokesperson Darroch Ball says increasing police numbers and boosting their resources was one ...
Clayton Mitchell, Spokesperson for Consumer Affairs The ‘wheel clamping’ Bill that will cap clamper fees to $100 passed its third readinginParliament today. New Zealand First welcomes The Land Transport (Wheel Clamping) Amendment Bill to combat predatory wheel clamping behaviour in what is currently a largely unregulated business. Cowboy clampers are: gouging ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First welcomes the passage of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill through its first reading in Parliament. “Today’s progress takes serious action on the mental health and addiction crisis the country is facing,” says New Zealand First Health Spokesperson Jenny Marcroft. “The re-establishment ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries Today the Government announced the delivery of the promise to protect New Zealand interests by applying a new National Interest Test to the sales of our most sensitive and high risk assets to overseas buyers. This further strengthening of the Overseas Investment Act will ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced further support as the Government of Samoa responds to a serious measles outbreak. “New Zealand will deploy a further 18 vaccination nurses, bringing the total to 30 working in Samoa over the next ...
The Coalition Government is delivering on its promise to protect New Zealanders’ interests by applying a new national interest test to the sales of our most sensitive and high-risk assets to overseas buyers. Under current Overseas Investment Act (OIA) rules, assets such as ports and airports, telecommunications infrastructure, electricity and ...
Rt Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First Allegations raised this morning by Stuff Limited / Fairfax concern a party matter but I am confident that New Zealand First has operated within electoral laws, now and for the last 27 years. Declarable donations were declared to the Electoral Commission. Our ...
The chairman of the Upper North Island Supply Chain Strategy (UNISCS) working group, Wayne Brown, has hit back at critics of his group’s recommendations to relocate the Ports of Auckland cargo operations to Whangarei’s deepwater port of Northport. The working group's recommendation to close Auckland waterfront to all but cruise ...
International education continues to thrive as the Government focuses on quality over quantity, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. The tuition revenue from international education increased to $1.16 billion last year with the average tuition fee per student increasing by $960. The total number of international students enrolled in New Zealand ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says new appointments to DHBs represent a significant changing of the guard, with 13 new chairs including four Māori chairs. Today 76 appointments have been announced to complement elected board members, as well as eight elected members appointed as either chair or deputy chair. Four ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Fletcher Tabuteau, is travelling to Germany, Poland, Austria, and Spain next week to bolster New Zealand’s political and trade relationships in Europe. While in Spain, Mr Tabuteau will represent New Zealand at the 14th Asia-Europe (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Madrid. “New Zealand strongly supports ...
“I’ve spoken to Minister Faafoi, who has apologised for his poor handling of this issue,” Jacinda Ardern said. “I have confidence in Kris as a hardworking and effective Minister, but this should have been dealt with in a much clearer manner, and I’ve made my views on that very clear ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters met with Tongan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa in Wellington today. The pair signed a Statement of Partnership setting out joint priorities for cooperation out to 2023. “We welcomed Prime Minister Tu'i'onetoa on his first visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister. Tonga ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash says his sympathies are with the family of a man who died after being shot by Police in Kurow. “Initial reports are that Police were called by a family member to help the man who was threatening to harm himself,” Mr Nash says. “However ...
Healthier waterways, better productivity and farmer wellbeing are front and centre in a new project involving more than 1000 Southland farmers and growers. Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor today announced that the Thriving Southland Change and Innovation Project is the first region-wide extension programme supported by the $229 million Sustainable ...
Work to look after nature and restore freshwater quality in Te Hoiere/Pelorus River catchment is getting a significant boost, thanks to new Government funding support Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage announced in Canvastown today. “Every New Zealander should be able to swim in their local river without getting sick, and ...
Eight Queen’s Counsel have been appointed under a process that includes the new criterion of a commitment to improving access to justice, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. “The new criterion was included this year. It emphasises that excellence and leadership in the profession can be seen through a wider, community ...
Onslow College in Wellington will get 20 new classrooms for more than 400 students, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The much-needed investment will relieve growth pressure the school has been experiencing for some time. Seven existing classrooms which have deteriorated over time will also be replaced, bringing the total ...
More than 250 young New Zealanders will add international experience to their education, thanks to the latest Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA) and Latin America (PMSLA), Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. This round of scholarships supports 252 recent graduates or current students to undertake study, research or internships ...
Consumers will benefit from a more competitive, transparent retail fuel market as a result of changes the Government will be making in response to the findings of the Commerce Commission’s study of the fuel sector. “We accept the Commission’s findings and, as the Prime Minister has said, we’re ready to ...
Five new cancer medicines have now been funded this year, meaning thousands of people have more treatment options PHARMAC has today announced that it has approved two new medicines for funding – fulvestrant for breast cancer and olaparib for ovarian cancer. This follows earlier decisions on advanced lung cancer treatment alectinib, ...
The Minister of Local Government, Hon Nanaia Mahuta says the Government will consider making changes to local electoral legislation before the 2022 elections to fix the problems that have arisen where elections are settled by a coin toss. The Minister says the recount process in the Murupara- Galatea ward at ...
New Zealand will sign up to new international maritime regulations to reduce ship emissions and lift air quality around ports and harbours, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today. Subject to completion of the Parliamentary treaty examination process, New Zealand will sign up to Annex VI of MARPOL, an ...
New legislation to transform our urban areas and create sustainable, inclusive and thriving communities will tomorrow be introduced to Parliament, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said. “The Urban Development Bill gives Kāinga Ora-Homes and Communities the tools it needs to partner with councils, communities, mana whenua and private developers to ...
Today’s launch of He taonga te Tamaiti: Every child a taonga: The Early Learning Action Plan 2019-2029 provides the foundation for long-lasting changes to early learning, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. “Early learning will be one of the Government’s top education priorities going into 2020,” Chris Hipkins said. ...
Major decisions made by the Government will now be considered under a climate change lens, Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. “Cabinet routinely considers the effects of its decisions on human rights, the Treaty of Waitangi, rural communities, the disability community, and gender – now climate change will ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced the appointment of Māori education specialist Dr Wayne Ngata and Business NZ head Kirk Hope to the Board of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). Dr Alastair MacCormick has been reappointed for another term. “Wayne Ngata, Kirk Hope and Alastair MacCormick bring a great deal ...
The next phase of the Pike River Re-entry project is underway, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little says. “Fresh air will be pumped into the Pike River Mine drift this week, following acceptance of the plan for re-entry beyond the 170m barrier by New Zealand’s independent health and ...
New Zealand consumers will have greater certainty about their insurance cover when they need to make claims as a result of proposed government changes. “Insurance is vitally important in supporting consumers and businesses to be financially resilient when unexpected events happen,” Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Kris Faafoi said. ...
The Crown is providing an opportunity for the hapu of Ngāpuhi to rebuild its framework from the ground up for collective negotiations to deal with its historical Treaty claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little and Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The Crown is also ...
A Bill enabling referendums to be held with the 2020 General Election has passed its third reading. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Act is important for upholding the integrity of New Zealand’s electoral process. “The Government has committed to holding a referendum on legalising recreational cannabis at the next ...
The first release of public information on the two referendums to be held at next year’s General Election was made today with an informative new Government website going live. Additionally, the draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill has been released, showing the strict controls on cannabis that will apply if ...
The Government is taking action to protect New Zealand from foreign interference in our elections by banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced today. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament this afternoon and passed under urgency. “There’s no need for anyone other than New ...
Governments and tech companies are holding a two-day workshop, hosted by YouTube/Google in Wellington, to test the Christchurch Call Shared Crisis Response Protocol. The workshop aims to refine and strengthen the response in the event of a terrorist attack with online implications. Companies, governments, civil society experts and NGOs will ...
The new independent Cancer Control Agency has formally opened today, delivering on the Government’s plan to improve cancer care in New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Health David Clark marked the occasion by announcing the membership of the Advisory Council that will be supporting ...
Small businesses who deal with government departments are set to be paid faster and have improved cash flow as a result, under a new strategy released today. The Government is backing recommendations from the Small Business Council (SBC) and has agreed to implement three initiatives immediately to support business and ...
The Education and Training Bill 2019, introduced in Parliament today, proposes the biggest education changes in decades and is an important step towards improving success for all our learners, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. “The Bill’s rewrite of education legislation is long overdue. Indeed one Education Act, parts of which ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio will travel to Bali to represent New Zealand at the 12th Bali Democracy Forum that will be held on the 5-6 December. “The Forum is a valuable opportunity for Asia-Pacific countries to share experiences and best practice in building home-grown democracy and fostering ...
A package of new and expanded technology and other tools will encourage responsible camping and help communities and local councils better manage freedom camping this summer, Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. “Our Government has been investing to improve the freedom camping experience for everyone because we want to support ...
The government is laying the groundwork to understanding our genes – work that can help us tackle some of our biggest health challenges, like heart disease and diabetes, says Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods. $4.7 million has been invested in the Genomics Aotearoa Rakeiora programme. The programme will ...
Nearly every state schools will receive a capital injection next year valued at $693 per student to bring forward urgent school property improvements, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The one-off cash injection is the first project to be announced from the Government’s infrastructure package ...
The Government has decided to bring forward major investments in New Zealand’s infrastructure to future proof the economy. “Cabinet has agreed to a significant boost to infrastructure investment. I have directed the Treasury to help bring together a package of projects that can be brought into the Government’s short and ...
It is a great pleasure to be with you today in Whanganui. Like the Prime Minister I grew up with the TV clip of Selwyn Toogood booming “What do you say Whanganui, the money or the bag?” to an unsuspecting ‘It’s in the Bag’ audience. For those under the age ...
New Zealand’s newest Great Walk, the Paparoa Track, was officially opened in Blackball today by the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage alongside the family members of the Pike 29 and Ngāti Waewae. Local mayors and MP for the West Coast Hon Damien O’Connor were also in attendance. “Paparoa National Park ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark turned the first sod of earth on the infrastructure works for the new P-8A Poseidon fleet at RNZAF Base Ohakea today. “The Coalition Government’s investment in Ohakea will ensure the Royal New Zealand Air Force can manage, maintain and task the new fleet efficiently ahead ...
Civil Defence Minister Hon Peeni Henare today announced the establishment of the new National Emergency Management Agency from 1 December 2019. The National Emergency Management Agency will replace the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management. It will be an autonomous departmental agency, hosted by the Department of the Prime ...
New Zealand tertiary students with top grades and a passion for space will once again be offered the opportunity to work with the world’s best and brightest at NASA, Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford announced today. Recipients of the New Zealand Space Scholarship are nominated by the Ministry of Business, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further support to Samoa in the wake of an ongoing measles outbreak in the country. Additional medical supplies and personnel, including a third rotation of New Zealand’s emergency medical assistance team (NZMAT), further nurse vaccinators, intensive care (ICU) specialists and Samoan-speaking medical professionals, will ...
ASMS message to DHB Chairs and appointees The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) welcomes the District Health Board Chairs and board appointees announced by Health Minister David Clark. ...
Eight Queen’s Counsel have been appointed under a process that includes the new criterion of a commitment to improving access to justice, Attorney-General David Parker announced this week. The new criterion, he explained, ” … emphasises that excellence and leadership in the profession can be seen through a wider, community ...
“CEAC – University of Auckland asks ‘Can democracy survive’? Subject; Can democracy survive? https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2019/12/03/can-democracy-survive-.html Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre Incorporated (CEAC) Press release 8th December ...
The Minister of Health’s announcement to appoint a new chair to the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board has come as a surprise and with some disappointment, especially given he had personally asked me to stand again with his confidence to continue in ...
Hell’s bells it’s Gone By Lunchtime, with Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire shooting the breeze on Kris Faafoi, Jason Kerrison, Winston Peters, NZ First donations, a cannabis referendum, and the year to come.Just when you thought politics was tucking under the duvet for Christmas, along comes the guy ...
Tis the season for hangovers, so we convinced some of New Zealand’s most experienced consumers of food and/or drink (OK, Spinoff staff and a bunch of chefs/hospo people) to share their tried-and-true culinary remedies.A hangover is a very individual thing. For some, it manifests as a splitting headache and extreme ...
Before Britain’s Got Talent: Champions hits our screens tonight, let’s take a fond look back at some of the show’s weirdest and most wonderful acts.Place your hands on your Golden Buzzer, because Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions kicks off this weekend. Champions is BGT bigger and better than it’s been before, ...
Following the raging success of the 2018 non-goat ethical Christmas gift guide, here for you today – responsibly wrapped in reusable gift wrap – is the 2019 list of ethical, sustainable, socially conscious, or charitable gift ideas to satisfy all kinds of family members and budgets.Budget Category: ‘Can we pay ...
Lime brought e-scooters to Auckland and changed the way we travel in less than a year. Now, the council is replacing it and Wave with three new contenders. Josie Adams goes to the Lime warehouse to say goodbye to the original scooters.In a warehouse in Eden Terrace, almost a thousand ...
Analysis - The government's first crack at cannabis legislation runs into trouble, a foreign donations bill is rammed through Parliament and a select committee refuses to listen to former NZ First officeholders. ...
Dr Ben Jansen is Oceania's leading prescriber of cannabis medicines, and a co-founder of the Hemp Foundation.org.nz “I’d like to thank the Labour Party and Chris Woodney. Thanks to his policy remit at Labours national conference, and Labours full support, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Soong, Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education Practice, School of Education, University of South Australia Australian 15 year olds were around three and a half years behind their counterparts in China in maths, according to the OECD’s latest results for education systems ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dimitri Perrin, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology More than a year ago, the world was shocked by Chinese biophysicist He Jiankui’s attempt to use CRISPR technology to modify human embryos and make them resistant to HIV, which led to the birth ...
Cabinet minister Kris Faafoi has apologised to the Prime Minister for his messages to Jason Kerrison regarding an immigration case, but will not lose his job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julian Meyrick, Professor of Creative Arts, Flinders University The decision to merge the Department of Communications and the Arts with Transport, Infrastructure and Regional development (dropping the “Arts” entirely) ends a year in which Australian politics has been deeply confused over its ...
A historic referendum on independence has been completed in Bougainville. Johnny Blades of RNZ was there. People in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville have voted in an historic independence referendum. The long-anticipated referendum is the ultimate provision of 2001’s Bougainville Peace Agreement, which followed a brutal, protracted ...
Dairy farmers had some Xmas cheer this week, as dairy giant Fonterra told them the forecast payout would be the fourth-highest-ever, at the mid-point of its farmgate milk price range. The $7.30kg/ms means the cash payout for the season will reach $11.2bn, a rise of about $400m from the earlier forecast. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlin Syme, PhD in Vertebrate Palaeontology, The University of Queensland When you find dinosaur skeletons, how can you tell how old the dinosaur was? Like, if the skeleton is from a child dinosaur or an adult dinosaur? – Henry, aged 8. ...
The Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) has had to clarify the law with Police and receive their reassurance that while the amnesty for ammunition was not extended to 20 December, Police will act as if it has been. ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 We Are Here: An Atlas of Aotearoa by Chris McDowall & Tim Denee (Massey University Press, $70)Superlative ...
This week a petition with more than 15,000 signatures was presented at parliament to Nicola Willis, MP and opposition spokesperson for Early Childhood Education. Also attending were Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick and Hon Nikki Kaye. ...
It’s that time of year again when, for the third year running, a new A Christmas Prince movie is released. Sam Brooks was in front of a TV screen for the latest instalment’s debut on Netflix last night, and here catalogues the many stupid, wild, and wildly stupid things he ...
One of the most highly rated members of Jacinda Ardern’s Cabinet is under pressure over assurances given in relation to an immigration case. How bad could it get, asks Toby Manhire.There has never been a New Zealand prime minister more engaged with contemporary homegrown music than Jacinda Ardern. She’s forever ...
Kris Faafoi, Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media; Minister ofCommerce and Consumer Affairs;Minister of Government Digital Services; Associate Minister forHousing; MP for Mana.The latest allegations of a corruption scandal involving a Cabinet minister suggests this government is far too loose when it comes to providing access to power ...
The National Party cannot credibly critique the Government’s hikes to fuel tax while it refuses to commit to reversing these hikes, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Simon Bridges has lambasted ...
Newspaper staff were among those to express dismay and fury during the frenzy of denunciations that followed publication of an ill-considered cartoon about Samoa and the measles epidemic. The Spinoffrecorded their reactions under the heading ODT cartoonist infuriates his colleagues with Sāmoa measles epidemic ‘joke’. It also reproduced the ...
New Zealand Police Association condemns comments made by People Against Prisons Aotearoa following the fatal police shooting of an armed man who had made threats of suicide. ...
A new poem by Harry Ricketts. The Writing Life You want to write.You want to be published.You want to be read. You want to be a cult figure.You want to be reviewed.You want to write. You want to win prizes.You want to be anthologised.You want to be read. You want to be taught in schools ...
As Christmas is near, it’s time to set the record straight on some of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of employment law that apply to the festive season. ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Kris Faafoi immigration case Fiona Connor and Tova O’Brien (Newshub): ‘I’m on it bro’: Messages show Kris Faafoi offering help to ...
The Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta has announced changes to prevent Māori wards being voted down by referendums are off the table, saying she believes such a change is not possible within the coalition. ...
It’s officially the festive season, and what does that mean? An office Secret Santa with a budget of $20 and you’ve picked your boss. Instead of settling for a bottle of average wine and a ribbon, follow our essential guide on what to get those unique workmates.At last year’s Secret ...
The shooting of a suicidal man in Southland shows that police armament is dangerous, says criminal justice group People Against Prisons Aotearoa. The shooting comes just over a month into the controversial trial of heavily armed police teams in 3 regions ...
The Prime Minister should deal urgently with reports Cabinet Minister Kris Faafoi offered to help a friend over an immigration case, National Party leader Simon Bridges says. ...
The families of top former All Blacks are likely to donate their loved ones’ brains to research so the effect of head impacts in sport can be studied. ...
A woman who went on a Tinder date with the man who murdered Grace Millane tells her story, and issues a warning to other women to trust their instincts when something doesn’t feel right.First published on Newshub.co.nzI went on a date with Grace Millane’s killer while her body lay in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gottfried Lechner, Associate Professor and Director of the Institute for Telecommunications Research, University of South Australia, University of South Australia Satellites are becoming increasingly important in our lives, as they help us meet a demand for more data, exchanged at higher speeds. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Terry Goldsworthy, Associate Professor in Criminology, Bond University According to the latest figures, homicides in Australia are at historic lows and compare well against international trends. So what do the trends tell us and why is the homicide rate in Australia declining? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy O’Rourke, Senior Lecturer, School of Architecture, The University of Queensland Welcome to the next article in our Designing Hospitals series, where we explore how architecture and design shape our hospitals and medical centres. Today, we look at what Indigenous people tell ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results are bad news for Australian students, parents, employers and policymakers. Pretty much everyone. Australian 15-year-olds are now below the OECD average in mathematics, and our results in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Clode, Senior Research Fellow in Creative Writing, Flinders University It is only mid-November but we have to walk early to avoid the heat. A northerly wind picks up clouds of dust and pollen, sending dirty billows across the paddocks. The long ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Changes coming to fuel market, anti-vaxxer arrested in Samoa, and banks told to hold more capital.New recommendations to increase competition in the fuel market have been made by the Commerce Commission, reports the NZ Herald. Their conclusion is that it isn’t competitive ...
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by ReadingRoom literary editor Steve Braunias. ...
An alliance of top researchers is trying to keep New Zealand ahead of complex health challenges from overuse of antibiotics, threats to freshwater quality and emerging infectious diseases. ...
The birthplace of the Labour Party is once again at the forefront of a new movement, this time harnessing the power of the collective to step away from coal towards a low carbon future.Blackball is a small place with a huge history. This week the town, 29 kilometres from Greymouth, ...
Life expectancy is increasing all the time, and now actuaries and retirement experts say young people need far more information on what they’ll need to do with their money if they live to 100. Don’t worry, we’re here to help. The message from the Retirement Income Interest Group of the New ...
German politician Joschka Fischer has had a remarkable career. From street violence and helping to set up the Green party, he matured into the foreign minister and vice-chancellor of a united Germany, serving until 2005. His understanding of power politics led him to support the use of force in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison said it with a straight face, and repetition for emphasis. “I’m very pleased, very pleased, with the performance of all of my ministers,” he declared on Thursday. This ringing if unconvincing universal endorsement ...
PARENTS AROUND THE WORLD PLEA FOR URGENT CLIMATE ACTION 222 parents groups from 27 countries have released a heartfelt joint plea calling on negotiators at this year’s UN climate summit – COP25 – in Madrid to push for ambitious and urgent ...
Government proposals to overhaul insurance contract laws should make the whole process of taking out insurance easier and simpler to understand for consumers, says Financial Advice New Zealand. ...
Despite New Zealand First lobbying hard at the Cabinet table, the Finance Minister says the case to move Auckland's port operations north has not yet been made. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Tomnay, Assoc. Professor / Director of Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health, University of Melbourne Around one in six Australian women have had an abortion by their mid-30s. These women come from all age groups and demographics: some are mothers ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roslyn Petelin, Course coordinator, The University of Queensland Reports this week about the demise of the Apostrophe Protection Society may have been greatly exaggerated. The Apostrophe Protection Society was set up in 2001 in the UK by retired journalist John Richards with ...
Open Mike 04/02/2018 
The state of the United Kingdom is fractured, torn up, shredded. The Empire is gone, it died a long time ago. And yet, the country is still tracking with a lead in favour of the ones who play to the ingrained, class-bound division for political gain. It is a disgrace ...8 hours ago
It should be obvious by now but let’s be clear: The same folk who regularly traffic in disinformation, misinformation and “fake news” are also those who most strongly claim that their freedom of expression rights are being violated when moves are made to curb hate speech (as opposed to protected ...10 hours ago
Michael Schulson When Shane Burcaw flies on an airplane, he brings along a customized gel cushion, a car seat, and about 10 pieces of memory foam. The whole arsenal costs around $1,000, but for Burcaw it’s a necessity. The 27-year-old author and speaker — who, alongside his fiancée, Hannah ...18 hours ago
We are very pleased to publish this submission is from Lucinda Stoan. She is a social justice activist, mother, and educator, based in Washington State in the US. This detailed and comprehensive source-linked overview of trans issues and what is at stake will be useful for many people, especially in ...1 day ago
Newshub last night reported that Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi had apparently promised to help out a mate with an immigration issue. While its normal for people to approach MPs for assistance in this area, when you're a Minister, the rules are different: as the Cabinet Manual says, Ministers must "at ...2 days ago
New Zealand's Underarm Banker: It bears recalling that the “independence” of the Reserve Bank Governor was for decades held up by neoliberal capitalists as the most compelling justification for passing the Reserve Bank Act. Interesting, is it not, how the ruling class’s support for the Bank’s independence lasted no longer than ...2 days ago
“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. A long and bitter court feud between former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig and Jordan Williams has been settled, with an apology and compensation from Williams. On Tuesday, Craig sent out ...2 days ago
Some people seem to want to close down any critical discussion of the current research into the relationship between water fluoride and child IQ. They appear to argue that claims made by researchers should not be open to critical review and that the claims be accepted without proper consideration ...2 days ago
In an unreliable, strange and confusing world, Public Address is proud to present a measure of comfort and stability by annually asking everyone what words or phrases sum up the year that's been – and then giving some of them consumer goods as prizes for being clever or simply lucky.Well, ...3 days ago
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...5 days ago
“America the Beautiful!”, staunch defender of democracy, freedom and… a whole lot of despotic tyrants that play nice with what is called “the Washington Consensus.” America is indeed capable of immense good, but like any Nation, and most assuredly any aspirant to the mantle of Empire, great, immense evil. All ...6 days ago
Image credit: The beginner’s guide to blogging I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is ... 7 days ago
It hasn't been a good week for the Conservatives, pollwise. All major recent polls are showing their lead shrinking.Comparing each pollster's current (between 29/11 and 22/11) and previous most recent poll.Com Res - Conservative lead down 3 points.You Gov - Conservative lead down 1 point.Kantar - Conservative lead down 4 ...1 week ago
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An excellent article, part of a longer investigation.
It’s great to see a lot more New Zealanders will learn about how they can help mitigate climate change by adopting a plant based diet or by eating less meat.
There is a lot in the passage worth reading,
Here are some highlights.
“The average Kiwi eats 20kg less meat amid concerns over sustainability of agriculture.
As environmental concerns grow, so do the number of Kiwis choosing to adopt a meat-free lifestyle. A 2016 ANZ Roy Morgan poll showed one in 10 Kiwis follow a vegetarian diet – a 27 per cent increase in just five years.
In terms of sustainability, a low-meat diet is leagues ahead of a meat-rich diet.
There’s no escaping the reality of the environmental impact of agriculture. Collectively dairy, beef and sheep generate more than 97 per cent of all agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand and almost half of the total green house emissions for the country.
Since 2002 the number of total dairy cattle has risen. As a result, the emissions created by dairy has doubled since 1990.”
It is clear from reading the article, that If you are concerned about climate change,you can do something.
Adopt a plant based diet.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/100735629/the-average-kiwi-eats-20kg-less-meat-amid-concerns-over-sustainability-of-agriculture
A misleading piece of propaganda for vegetarianism, would be a better description.
Like you, it takes figures for the environmental impact of feeding grain crops to livestock and presents them as though they applied to New Zealand.
It also presents a graphic, again based on overseas farming practices, claiming meat uses a lot of “scarce” water, ignoring the fact that NZ livestock mostly use water that falls onto the farm as rain. And then captions it “A meat-eaters carbon footprint is much higher than that of a vegetarians,” as though that were what the graphic shows!
When you look at the article’s meat consumption figures, it’s pretty clear that rising prices and scaremongering about red meat have pushed people towards eating more chicken and pork. Whether there’s also greater enthusiasm for vegetarian diets is open to question, although it wouldn’t be surprising given the amount of propaganda for it out there.
I’d be more interested to see an article that worked out the food miles involved in a typical NZ vegan’s diet, and some assessment of what it would mean for the New Zealand environment to switch from meat to large-scale production of soy and other shit food crops. People would be able to make more informed choices then.
I eat less meat now cause it’s so expensive.
The days of a roast every Sunday are long gone. It’s now about once every 3 months. Mince and sausages have generally replaced the regular steak / schnitzel, chops.
To be fair things like kumara and pumpkin are also very expensive.
We’re almost back to seasonal eating again where the seasonal veges are always cheaper.
We’re definitely back to growing some of our own.
Most people I know eat less meat because of the cost.
Some of this relates to more money going out in rent. It’s great that landlord’s can use people’s hard earned money to buy their meat though. At least someone can buy it.
Ain’t got nothing to do with making veganisitic choices.
For you.
But, as the article states, for others yes.
Wasn’t disputing that. It’s only gone from 8% to 10% though. Stating it as a 27% increase coming off a low base does make it seem a bit more dramatic and depending on the sample size may well be within the margin of error.
There’s no way those 2% of new vegans would be causing that volume of decrease.
I would suspect that it’s much more likely to be cost.
It’s only gone from 8% to 10% though.
D’oh! I missed that one. That’s another hallmark of misleading propaganda – make a small increase sound like a big one by quoting the relative increase rather than the absolute increase.
Whatever
And the irrigated water to grow pasture, and the water used to grow imported feed?
Meanwhile, the water consumption for vegan and vegetarian foodstuffs can also be hidden and enormous.
So maybe the answer is to be mindful rather than ideologically hell-bent one way or the other.
To be honest, I don’t quite get why people are hooked on beef and lamb – both increasingly expensive and out of reach for growing numbers of people – (though my understanding is that very large amounts of lamb is rustled…)
What’s wrong with wild goat, wallaby, rabbit, goose…? It isn’t that people are a bit “snobbish” and look on those meats as “shit food” by any chance?
All the hunters I know supply their friends and neighbours with eg: goat, venison etc.
I have a large chunk of venison in the freezer at the moment, though I won’t be eating it myself 🙂
Meanwhile supermarkets sell rabbit at $20 – $30 a kilo (bones included). That was a few years ago. Turns out it costs the same to put a rabbit through the compliance regime as it does a cow (or so a meat inspector suggested to me in conversation back then).
The fact that many poor people are reduced to eating crap (affordable, mechanically recovered “meat” etc) – is a problem that could and should be fixed.
Agreed, and it seems to me that the most practical way to do that is via increased wages and benefits. In the absence of any political will for price controls, whether or not price controls would be a sensible solution.
The courier is already on its way to bring that good thing over to my place.
And the irrigated water to grow pasture, and the water used to grow imported feed?
Those are mainly features of dairy rather than meat production. But yeah, over-intensive dairy farming in inappropriate places has a huge environmental impact, and not just through water usage.
So maybe the answer is to be mindful rather than ideologically hell-bent one way or the other.
Absolutely. There aren’t any environmentally-friendly ways of feeding 9 billion people and climbing, plant-based or not.
MMMMMM crickets.
The core message of the article was not about vegetarianism or meat consumption, but about how city liberals have fundamentally lost touch with the physical country and the entire agricultural economy of New Zealand.
If you really want to put your money where you mouth is, go buy a farm or work on it.
This is the core message.
That meat eating is under pressure because of people ‘s concerns about sustainability.
I quote….
“’Farmers just aren’t respected’ – that’s the Kiwi message to Europeans who are eating less meat. We kick off a three-week series with an investigation into how environmental sustainability concerns are putting the heat on meat.”
The quote starts with “Farmers aren’t respected”.
Not vegetarianism.
Start there and try to find some understanding.
The article ends precisely with how farmers are reacting to foreign markets, and indeed how German farmers are respected while ours are not, which is why so many New Zealand farmers are reacting so well.
‘an investigation into how environmental sustainability concerns are putting the heat on meat’
More accurately, how intensive propaganda campaigns by vegetarians are putting the heat on meat. But I guess it’s true that that’s not what the article was investigating…
Concern for the environment I’d say.
News stories like this prompt responsible and caring people to reconsider their lifestyle choices.
http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/climate-change/we-have-a-2020-deadline-to-avert-climate-catastrophe-experts/news-story/bcbe18fd8f96efba3ae411f53a12de93
Er, yes. That’s relevant to this discussion how, exactly?
To avoid the parade of non sequiturs that characterise your attempts at argument, you need a means of identifying how something like the quote in the above comment is relevant to the claim you’re making. In this instance, you need to demonstrate that humans eating shite like soy instead of proper food will put carbon dioxide emissions on a downward slope – otherwise, the comment makes no sense.
Are you a fatalist, Ed?
No.
And I am not an ostrich with my head in the sand.
Or news stories like this
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/letter-to-humanity-warning-climate-change-global-warming-scientists-union-concerned-a8052481.html
Ditto.
and then they read this……
and then they act…..
What are you waiting for?
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/21/eat-less-meat-vegetarianism-dangerous-global-warming
And this one is, yet again, evidence that feeding human-edible crops to livestock is an incredibly wasteful way of farming. Stopping that would reduce food-related emissions a lot, as the study points out, but it doesn’t necessarily involve a vegetarian diet.
15,000 scientists give catastrophic warning about the fate of the world in new ‘letter to humanity’
We have a 2020 deadline to avert climate catastrophe: experts.
Eat less meat to avoid dangerous global warming, scientists say.
http://upr.org/post/scientists-make-case-eating-less-meat-2018
Spot a pattern?
What do you think needs to happen to save us from more severe effects of climate change, as you do not think changing our diet is relevant?
Changing how we grow food. Transitioning from industrial farming to regenerative agriculture and horticulture. Food forestry, polyculture systems, permaculture.
Eat seasonally and locally. Stop expecting food to be shipped from the other side of the world or the other end of the country. Support local growers and farmers who are trying to sell outside of the export market. Especially small to medium growers, and people who live on the land.
Grow what you can, if you can afford to pay someone else to grow for you. The more food we have growing in our neighbourhoods, the less we will need industrial agriculture.
Eat less meat if you eat a lot, eat the whole animal, not just the choice bits. Eat feral meat.
Eat less dairy. Eat dairy that comes from sustainable sources.
Support human animal husbandry, including free range animals (those farmers are the ones I’m talking about above, generally much closer to sustainability).
If you can’t do lots of those things, then agitate and lobby and protest to make those things happen. If you can do those things, then agitate and lobby and protest to make those things happen sooner.
Support the protest movement against Fonterra and Big Dairy, but support the farmers that are doing the right things. They’re not going to go away, so we need the people of means to start buying their produce not that of Big Farmer.
Stop wasting time and energy trying to convert everyone to being vegan. It’s not going to happen on a large scale, and you are promoting choices that support industrial agriculture. Put your energy into sustainable forms of food production.
+100
Exactly what’s happening where I am atm mostly. They even seem to know how to process cow shit properly. 40feet below the surface the most pridtine water is pumped. What the place needs tho is a ban on plastic and better disposal/recycling which causes extensive littering in places.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/meat-and-environment/
Ed.
How’s about you find ‘an angle’ and explore/debate/argue it, as opposed to throwing out a confetti of links?
Comment after comment of “cut/paste/link” really isn’t any different to comment after comment containing video links, and is about as worthwhile from the standpoint of anyone reading a thread – ie, it’s just not really worthwhile at all.
It also damages whatever point it is you’re trying to make around things you think of as so important or feel so passionate about when you “soap box” and “megaphone” them in this way.
My angle was this
‘It’s great to see a lot more New Zealanders will learn about how they can help mitigate climate change by adopting a plant based diet or by eating less meat.’
Spot a pattern?
I do. Actually, I see two patterns:
1. I see a pattern of scientists in countries where feeding human-edible crops to livestock is the norm, conflating that appallingly wasteful agricultural practice with a meat-based diet. That Scientific American article you link to is even illustrated with a photo of cows in a shed eating some kind of grain, as though that were the only way of producing meat that’s possible. “Scientists” should know better.
2. I see a pattern of Ed arguing from authority as usual.
Still, thanks for linking to that Scientific American article, because it does lay out clearly the basis for claims that eating meat is more environmentally damaging than eating plants:
Livestock are typically fed corn, soybean meal and other grains which have to first be grown using large amounts of fertilizer, fuel, pesticides, water and land.
Well, yeah, that’s pretty stupid, right? So, what about farming in New Zealand, in which sheep and beef cattle are typically fed the grass that’s growing in the paddock they live in? Gosh, somehow these American authors haven’t thought about that, America being as much of the world as a person needs to think about.
This one’s also characteristic of vegetarian propaganda:
A 2009 study found that four-fifths of the deforestation across the Amazon rainforest could be linked to cattle ranching.
Those damn cattle! If only everyone ate a vegetarian diet, no land would be being cleared for farming! Right? Amiright? Er, no, wait – I’m wrong. People in Brazil would be cutting down the rainforest for whatever agriculture was currently being practiced, because humans.
…rainforest…Those damn cattle! …
In a modern agricultural economy your argument depends on whether the cattle in question are being farmed for domestic consumption or export profit, just as our dairy farms are all about dried milk solids these days.
Not much need to cut down national parks for farming unless we can’t actually feed ourselves, eh.
No, my argument depends on whether there’s something specific about cattle that prompts people in Brazil to cut down rainforests, which there isn’t. What’s actually prompting people to cut down the rainforests is money, and if there were suddenly no money in cattle there’d be money in something else – if Ed had his way, in soy or whatever else vegans eat, for instance.
Actually science is now finding that grazing is an important factor in increasing carbon sequestration in soils. An interesting article is here:
https://e360.yale.edu/features/soil_as_carbon_storehouse_new_weapon_in_climate_fight
Indeed Carbon sequestration in soil could have a major impact of the reduction of atmospheric CO2.
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/304/5677/1623.full
However one of the major factors in the loss of soil carbon content is tillage. This is because the carbon is sequestrated firstly through photosynthesis then passed through the plants roots to the bacteria and fungi that live around the plants roots. Tillage kills these micro-organisms and the carbon they contain re-enters the atmosphere as methane and CO2.
Thank you Ed, I admire your tenacity on this tricky topic.
Thank you for your support.
There is a lot of resistance to this important message.
Either we adapt or die.
Does the change in lamb consumption from 19kg in 2006 to 0.9kg in 2016 sound right?
Is the DP wrong? 9kg would sound more reasonable.
[How’s about you use the reply buttons so you don’t squeeze out other topics others have posted on DV? Have shifted Carloyn nths comment this time, but would rather not have to spend time extracting “meat from the sandwich” as it were] – Bill
It does seem dramatic.
The increase in chicken is a worry.
No wonder people’s defences against antibiotics is declining.
In the text the article say its 1 kg of Lamb AND Mutton!!
I don’t believe it!!
Bloody hell, I’m eating a lot of other people’s share in that case…
Lamb consumption collapsed around the same time it became ridiculously expensive.
Lamb is now a luxury item for Xmas, Easter and special occasions.
It is interesting how in a decade what was once regarded as a staple can become a luxury, and a warning that living in a country with an enormous food surplus is no guarantee of security of food supply if capitalism and market are solely responsible for regulating supply, because if that remains the case you can bet your bottom dollar armed police at the wharves would beat off crowds of starving new Zealanders if Fonterra thought it could get $1 more a kg for it’s butter in Dubai.
But the figure included mutton.
Price is a factor, but the figure still seems too low. (Especially with Psycho eating so much!!)
“Lamb is now a luxury item for Xmas, Easter and special occasions”
Lamb is often on special in countdown for around $10 a kilo, its cheap compared with beef. Luxury item, you have to be joking.
Yes, if you know to look in the frozen food rather than the fresh meat section. Quite often it seems frozen lamb is quietly disposed of in this way – and it is usually when I buy the stuff if i need a leg of sheep (although being the owner of a mob of 24-36 ewes and lambs we usually have our own home killed mutton and lamb).
The cuts of lamb in the fresh meat section – chops, lamb steaks, etc are very expensive.
” Lamb is often on special at Countdown for $10 kg”. Not so where I live. It has been years since that was the case.
Had shoulder chops for dinner tonight, coincidentally.
Pack says $11.99/kg down from $16.99, short dated.
Countdown online store has them on special for $12.99/kg down from $16.99
I suspect there might be seasonal gluts, because nature, but I do enjoy it when our tory brethren and sistren talk about the prices of basic grocery items like bread, butter, or meat. They never check before posting, and it just shows how out of touch they really are.
Personally I would fit those numbers.
Lamb chops were a weekly regular – I’ve bought them maybe twice in the last twelve months.
We used to rotate our roasts – beef, lamb, pork, chicken each week. We hardly have them now and it’s whatever is the cheapest – that’s not normally lamb.
So yeah my lamb consumption drop is massive.
snap
Actually, now you mention it I haven’t torn into a chop since forever.
Sorry thought i did.
It’s Marama’s announcement day today.
11am-2pm
Livestream for Marama’s announcement starts at 12.10pm today:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2097993280422412/permalink/2107403859481354/
With all this extravaganza, it seems the Greens have forgotten about the fight to improve the plight of beneficiaries.
I’m sorry to hear that you are unable to walk and chew gum at the same time, but you really shouldn’t assume that everyone else is equally incapable.
Oh look, it’s a major theme in Marama Davidson’s speech. “It seems” your credibility could diminish even further after all.
Yep. It’s the main part of the platform she is standing on for co-leader.
“Oh look, it’s a major theme in Marama Davidson’s speech.”
Talking about it in a speech is one thing, but when are we going to actually see some follow-through on that talk?
Ten moths till next Christmas, still no talk from the Greens on securing a little something extra for beneficiaries to help them over Christmas.
No pressure being publicly applied on Labour (by the Greens) to bring forward Labour’s campaign promise of lower doctors fees.
No pressure being publicly applied on Labour (by the Greens) to extend winter energy payments. It’s not only winter that beneficiaries tend to struggle with soaring power bills.
Can you point me to something substantive the Greens have done (or are currently working on) to improve their (beneficiaries) fiscal plight?
What did you think of Keira O’Regan’s speech?
What did you think of Marama Davidson’s speech?
“What did you think of Marama Davidson’s speech?”
See my comment at 9.1.1.1.2
“What did you think of Keira O’Regan’s speech?”
Haven’t had time to look at that one yet.
My guess is that you either didn’t listen to it properly (as in all of it), or you listened with blocked ears for only the things you could use to criticise them.
It’s patently obvious that you either have no idea how government and parliament and the Greens work (no shame there, lots of people don’t), or you dismiss all that because you are dedicated to the poison pen. There’s no point in saying anything about what the Greens have done on poverty since the last election, because you are already convinced by your own internal dialogue and will just dismiss it.
You never guess right when it comes to you guessing about me.
What should be patently obvious is I’m not one for lowering the bar. Hence, I’m not one for backslapping the team when they are failing to bring their A-game.
Moreover, I point out the flaws and provide alternatives to help improve their game – not because I’m dedicated to the poison pen.
Don’t you think they should be working on the things I highlighted above?
Here’s another, what work have the Greens done on trying to secure a living wage for those employed on the Governments tree planting scheme? Don’t you think other Green supporters would support them doing this and would want to be informed about them doing this?
Not going to happen.
All the Greens can get is something for Conservation and Climate Change.
I was guessing about what you did, but the rest is observation. If you don’t want to be perceived as a poison pen, then up your own game.
From your observation, what do you perceive to be wrong with highlighting things we think the Greens should be doing but don’t seem to be?
I’ve already said. It’s *how you do it.
Take my comment at 3.1.1.2.2 and point out what you perceived was wrong with how it was done?
Beneficiaries aren’t Green portfolios.
Beneficiaries can get nothing from the Greens in this term.
Wrong target.
But they promised to continue on the fight, thus supporters (speaking for myself, but am aware of others) expect them too.
“All the Greens can get is something for Conservation and Climate Change.”
Labour better think twice about that, because the Greens will struggle if that’s all they get and knowing how Labour is also going to disappoint, they are both going to need each other come next election.
Labour need to give the Greens a little win on lifting the incomes of beneficiaries (whether through a Christmas bonus, core benefit increase or extended and larger energy payment) to help them (thus also themselves) maintain their party support.
They really don’t.
The Greens are free apparently to campaign all they want on anything so long as the MP themselves is not the responsible Minister. So they can get their own support, and can campaign for the next 2.5 years. From 6% the only way is up.
The latest poll has the Greens going downwards since the election.
Something which Labour should keep in mind, unless they think they can win the next election alone.
Ponder this:
The Greens have pretty much summed up what they plan to achieve this term (20 policy goals) and yet they’ve dropped in the poll.
And with nothing more up their sleeves coupled with supporter disappointment of swallowing some dead rats along the way, there is a real chance they won’t make the cut (5% threshold) come next election.
And while Labour have gone up on this poll, National still out-polls them.
So there is no comfortable lead for Labour to start forgetting they need the Greens. And the Greens need to give supporters a little more to keep them in the game.
PS
I can’t see NZF making the threshold.
The event is now live streaming on Facebook, with one of the pre-Marama speakers.
Marama has just announced she has put herself forward for position of GP co-leader and is speaking to that.
As I’ve said:
FTAs aren’t actually needed. Just the setting of standards.
Looks like it to me, too. I was at a customer focus group meeting a couple of weeks back, at which the large US company involved spoke explicitly about how the GDPR is forcing them to completely review their approach to privacy and security because they can’t run a two-tier system, one for Europe and one for everyone else. They’ll have to apply the European standard to everybody, which is great news for us but also means yes a “local” standard can have international effect if the locals are a significant enough proportion of the market.
How do these standards apply to employees? For instance, a photo of some can be classified as “personal data” because it identifies a person.
So, can an employer demand that an employee upload a photo of themselves to their work contact info on the organisation’s intranet- internal online directory?
Right up there along with demanding highly personal information as back up data to activate corporate log ins (cache very attractive to DOS attacks), making staff use external web based providers after providing your name & corporate email address ( surveys & the like) whose terms of trade let the third party keep your information forever, wanting Bio’s to put on public web pages, credit checking all your financial information including the size of your utility and mortgage payments
– the whole lot needs to be outlawed
Hah! Thanks. That’s very helpful.
Just venting a little there – employers often don’t get to even first base on the respect employee privacy theme
That’s the funny bit – my public-sector employer doesn’t have any online business dealings with Europeans so doesn’t give a shit about the GDPR. Only the rapacious multi-national corporations we deal with will be operating at this higher standard, while we continue to do whatever NZ’s Privacy Act and the non-enforcement thereof will let us get away with.
The approach to employees is interesting. We’re supposed to make ourselves and our skills as public as possible via the University’s web site, because the University wants media, researchers, businesspeople etc to find us when they’re looking for expertise to work with. So, my name, photo, job title, work email address and phone number, and applicable expertise is publicly available on our web site. I do get to opt out of including my photo if I want to, and some of my female colleagues did refuse for fairly obvious reasons, and what description of your skills you post is up to you, but you don’t get any choice about having your name, job title and contact details public.
My public sector employer is asking for the photo to be uploaded by everyone, onto the organisation’s intranet, via a system owned by a German Company – not publicly available, but it can be viewed by all the large number of employees within the organisation.
And it gets linked with all the emails we send – at least within the organisation – not sure if it also is viewed by emails we send to people outside the organisation.
Wear a wig and have your old owl-sized spectacles on. Look okay just a bit different from usual.
Yeah. Some people use old photos, which isn’t that representative, but the admins who check it don’t know the difference, I think.
Apparently NZ has already signed an agreement with the EU saying that ours are as good as theirs.
Seems reasonable as long as those contact details go through the university switch board.
The PABX switchboard, not an operator.
Usually direct dial extensions at my workplace, unless sensitive staffing matters.
Some even have office room numbers online. It depends on the role.
Fortunately, I have a satellite office nestled amongst departments that aren’t my own, down a banal corridor, in an office with three people and a phone I never bother answering, 6,000 emails in my inbox so I accidentally miss the annual department photo days and the requests for updated bio information, and a handy back door I can escape out of should anybody actually want to talk to me…
Because anyone who needs to talk to me knows how to get in touch with me, and them that don’t know me should talk to someone else.
Scientists compare climate change impacts at 1.5C and 2C
Scary stuff.
https://www.carbonbrief.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/1.5C-vs-2C-final-843×1024.jpg
https://www.carbonbrief.org/scientists-compare-climate-change-impacts-at-1-5c-and-2c
Something strange recently when accessing TS.
On my little macbook, when I try to log into TS on Firefox at home, I get a “bad request – can’t find server” notice. Then when I try to get back TS main page (still without having logged in), I still get the bad request notice for a short time.
But, I can log into TS from Safari on my macbook, and from firefox on my windows laptop at home, I can log into TS successfully.
Different programmes that do broadly the same thing can still do some things quicker than others. Firefox has some features that safari might not, and you can think of it as adding weight to what your machines have to carry (in addition to the weight they already carry simply from their operating system).
So on your desktop, it’s carrying an operating system, a whole heap of firefox features, and then signing in puts some extra tools and stuff on top – it’s a heavy load, but the desktop can carry it.
On your macbook, it’s like a kid (macbook) trying to carry the same load as an adult (desktop) – it can handle the operating system, and firefox, but then you stack encryption and sign in protocols on top and the poor wee thing drops the tool for finding a website server in a decent time.
But because safari is a bit lighter and easier for the kid/macbook to carry, when you put encryption and signup stuff on top of Safari, the kid can still carry the load.
There might be a server timeout setting you could tweak in preferences somewhere, but go with what works.
Hopefully this is a useful general illustration of what might be happening, but it’s also probably precisely wrong, depending on the exact circumstance 🙂
Why have are these star gazing people around Papatuanuku whinging about Peter Becks and his team Humanity STAR . Its not like the Humanity Star is going to blind the Beautiful nite Sky the star is not going to be up there for ever . The Humanity Star is in my view a symbol that has a message to all Humans we are one Race the Human race.
We live in Heaven now so lets speak up now and not let other Idiots turn Papatuanuku into hell which is were we are heading rapidly. Mother Earth is a finely balanced living being as with any living thing to much of one thing IE in this case Carbo in her atmosphere is causing her to heat up . We have had a lot of extreme weather in just one year . Global Warming is the biggest threat to Humanity and everyone is just sitting on there hands letting Trump suppress The words GLOBAL WARMING /CLIMATE CHANGE from the MSM around OUR Papatuanuku .Some people are countering that farcical behavior by Trump who is drunk on his power of President. I say we should tell him to get———and use these words to tell everyone around our world that Global Warning is going to make our Mokos /grandchildren’s future a nightmare for the 99% while the 1% live in location and structures that minimize the catastrophic weather that is already starting NOW . What happens when we get 300 klm winds 50 foot sea level rise. The climate change deniers say Antarctica wont melt because it is that high in mother earths Atmosphere its to cold up there to melt .I say the Ice will melt from the bottom up and If Antarctica melts Tangaroa will rise at least 70 mts we will be like rats on a sinking waka who gets the high ground well the 1% that’s who back to Peter Beck .
When he launched the Humanity star into our space this action in my view has achieved 2 very Great things one is the message To Human’s we are all humans so start behaving like intelligent Humane Beings the other is he saves cost on another test flight to prove that he can put a object in space now they can launch Satellites into space and start off a billion dollar industry in little old Aoteaora/New Zealand Ka pai Peter and your team . PS all the NAY SAYERS are in reality help the Humanity Star get the message out there I loved fishing off Mahia Coast when I was younger beautiful views Nga mihi nui koutou ka kite ano
With regard to Peter Beck, Rocketlabs and the Humanity star.
I’m personally not that exited about Rocketlabs. The company is partly funded by Lockheed Martin, the USA largest defence contractor. They’re also funded by DARPA, a USA government agency involved in military research.
Rocketlabs is also now a USA registered company.
Is it possible Rocketlabs is testing this new rocket technology for possible future military applications? So much for the ” Humanity Star”.
Astronomical photos are long exposure, which increases the chance the disco ball will pass through the shot. And it’ll add to the light fuckage of whatever observation it passes through.
It’s in a very low orbit, so it will only ever be visible close to the horizon, and just after sunset or just before sunrise. Not many serious observations happen then. I’d be surprised if it reflected enough city lights to interfere with proper dark-night observations. Still, it’s a particularly wanky bit of wankery, although not quite in the league of Elon Musk putting one of his cars into orbit.
I forgot to post this link for my post P.S everyone has a different view on reality some people are just jealous shonky and bill could have help fund Peter Ka pai
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11986005
While the “Me Too” divas and Harpo Windy made grand Obama-esque speeches at the Golden Globes the other week, they for some reason completely ignored the plight of this young woman….
Everything wrong with the reaction to Ahed Tamimi’s prosecution for slapping an Israeli soldier
Where were the international calls for compassion, the reminders that this was a potentially traumatised child?
by HIBA KHAN, Tuesday 2 January 2018 16:00 GMT
Everyone now knows that 16-year-old Ahed Tamimi slapped an Israeli soldier. How many of us know about the events that led up to this? Telling half of a story can be more of an injustice than fabricating the entirety, and in this instance, it most certainly is.
The viral video of Tamimi attempting to hit Israeli soldiers was reportedly the reason for her subsequent arrest and detention. Now let’s consider the background context to this video: Soldiers had apparently parked themselves on Tamimi’s family’s land shortly after their colleagues shot her 14-year-old cousin in the face with a rubber bullet and fired tear gas at their house, smashing windows. Her family says she was merely expressing legitimate protest at this treatment.
Living in fear of this sort of treatment remains the reality for 21st century Palestinians, without whose freedom Nelson Mandela observed that all of humanity’s freedom is incomplete. The UN Security Council deems Israeli settlements “a flagrant violation under international law”, and the sad reality for Palestinians is a life deprived of healthcare, an economy, a justice system, living in abject poverty with no food or water security and military violence against them and their children.
What we see in the widely circulated video of Ahed Tamimi slapping a soldier is the response of a bereaved, oppressed child – a child who is now being condemned and abused across social media. Context is important. A little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing.
Take a moment to picture a 16-year-old you know being raised in a country where violence and military occupation is the norm, where she is sometimes unable to access food, water and healthcare. Would they not be in pain, and frustrated and angry with the unfairness of the situation? Now picture their home being raided and them witnessing a younger cousin being shot in the head by a soldier. Would they not attempt to remove the soldiers from their front lawn as Tamimi did? Would they not become even more distraught when the soldiers refuse? Would they not, perhaps, lash out?
When an unarmed child is prosecuted for slapping a larger grown man in army gear equipped with a gun, it’s time to ask questions.
I saw no #IAmAhed. No uproar from feminist groups or international political recognition as there was for Malala, another child who lived in a country where oppression is often the norm. Instead of Nobel prizes and invitations to meet presidents, Ahed Tamimi remains in Israeli detention, having been labelled “dangerous”.
Our compassion and humanity for children growing up with the psychological wounds of living in a conflict zone apparently do not stretch so far as to accommodate girls like Ahed. Apparently, the brutality that Palestinians face is too politically complex and messy to render this strong beautiful girl fully human. But it’s more important than ever that, when we look at the pictures of this teenager in handcuffs, we see her for the child she really is. Don’t tell me the courthouse is where she belongs, and don’t tell me that international condemnation rather than understanding and compassion is what she deserves.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/ahed-tamimi-soldier-slap-israel-charges-court-everything-wrong-response-a8138276.html
Great post morrissey.
Concur with your sentiments wholeheartedly @ Morrissey (8).
Something is definitely not right about international response to the unjust incarceration of Ahed. The only conclusion I can come to is that the world is too uncaring to be concerned about the plight of a 17 year old Palestinian girl, for fear of repercussions from tyrannical Israel and its supporters. If that is the case, then ignoring the situation, is giving Israel more power to continue its atrocities against Palestinians, which in the end, comes down to absolute shame on the rest of the world.
#I’mwithAhed.
I doubt anyone will be surprised by Marama Davidson’s announcement that she’s standing for co-leader. Whoever gets the job will be well qualified. Go the Greens!
In her announcement, Davidson is speaking about the struggles of low income people, inequalities, our poor prison system, homelessness, against underemployment, the working poor, etc…for state housing, for providing more opportunities for young people, for fairness and income equality…. etc
There are 119 other politicians in Parliament who ‘speak’ to these issues on a predictably regular basis, and particularly around election time, but not all of them are as genuine and authentic as Marama Davidson. I’m sure the DP brigade is trying to find & dig up dirt on her …
Yep.
Full text of Marama’s speech today via Scoop
Ends:
This sentence alone makes me want Marama to win.
Apart from talking about it, what have the Greens done that has been bold and brave since the election?
Fair point.
Davidson will make a difference.
When do you expect Davidson will do something bold and brave?
Soon
Why are you asking all these picky questions?
“Why are you asking all these picky questions?”
To help clear the air between the lip service being touted and action taken.
“To deliver on all of those visions and policies that our people and our environment so desperately need, we must return to Parliament in 2020 with much greater numbers”
Sounds like she telling us not to expect much from them this term. Sad.
And isn’t she meant to be one of the fighters within the party?
No. it’s just acknowledging they dropped in the numbers of MPs in the last election.So, part of their aims should be to increase their numbers next election.
It’s called realism – you sure are nit picking.
To deliver on all of those visions and policies was her wording.
To further deliver would have been a better choice of words if she was only implying to requiring more support.
It’s called listening to what’s been said.
It’s a speech to launch her campaign to be selected as co-leader of the Greens. It’s not a speech to meet the incessant and child-like needs of some dude on the internet who doesn’t understand how things work.
“It’s not a speech to meet the incessant and child-like needs of some dude on the internet who doesn’t understand how things work.”
The fact you failed to come back with something constructive, opting instead to take a potshot at me, is disappointing and a worry.
To me, your response (a potshot) merely reinforces my point, as, evidently, you had no better counter.
“The fact you failed to come back with something constructive, opting instead to take a potshot at me, is disappointing and a worry.”
No, it’s really not. I write whole posts on this kind of thing. Other people write whole posts in this kind of thing. The Greens write whole posts on this kind of thing. They also have multiple twitter accounts, press releases, and a whole website full of policy.
You on the other hand, almost never go and do your homework and find out about the things you are complaining about, and instead sit in the comments section of The Standard and take pot shots at the Greens for not doing what you want to them to do. When people do respond with analysis and evidence, you usually dismiss it.
There is no way I am going to respond proactively to any alleged points you raise because your whole point here is to undermine the Greens. It’s a waste of my time, and other peoples imo, to engage with you as if your comments are meaningful. This doesn’t mean you don’t have good ideas, I’m commenting here on *how you choose to present them.
^^^^^
THIS
See my comment above (at 3:43 pm). You are way off.
The nit-picking Chairman selects snippets to create an atmosphere of insecurity and doubt; modus operandi.
Oh. Sounds like despite any suggestion I make it is BAU.
So what’s wrong with the revised TPP that Labour are happy to sign?
Jane Kelsey eloquently lays it all out:
https://itsourfuture.org.nz/te-tiriti-o-waitangi-tino-rangatiratanga-tppa-jane-kelsey/
Must read.
MomentumVerified account @PeoplesMomentum
Shock horror, Momentum members engage with Labour democracy review to make the party more democratic.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/momentum-plots-to-hijack-democracy-review-and-purge-moderate-councillors-5nk3jc078
After reading yet another story about meth/P addiction I am beginning to wonder just why NZ appears to be making virtually no progress on this insipid drug over the last decade.
For all the meth busts reported, nothing seems to change or make a dent in the market. Why could that be? Just going to put this out there….. are police paid a decent wage these days? Are some of them supplementing their income by turning a blind eye?
I really feel something is very off with the big picture, are those in positions of power keeping the meth/P market going, am not talking about gangs, I’m talking about white collars. Something doesn’t sit well with the whole situation.
None of the above: it’s because our level of inequality drives demand.
Totally agree.
Not entirely. I’ve looked at a few articles on it this arvo. There’s a world wide glut which is driving down prices.
There’s a significant number of middle class meth users (Feb 2017 article).
Articles say importation is done a lot by gangs and organised crime, while it’s also easy to make it in NZ.
A few articles are blaming Guangdong province in China as being a major centre exporting world wide. Others blame importation to NZ on stuff coming from various Sth East Asian countries. Don’t know how accurate that is.
An Aussie article from April 2017, saying they have the same problem:
They say it’s easier to slip drugs through customs when there are a lot of legitimate imported products coming from the same countries.
Meanwhile, the Nat government was blamed for focusing more on imprisoning addicts than prevention. Plus, the under funding of police is being blamed. Some are also complaining the police are spending too much time and resources on targeting cannabis use.
I have to agree, Cinny that something is definitely not ok – they seem to have an infinite amount of money/staff to fly around the north spraying marijuana crops which are doing no harm, but are not interested when people ‘dob in’ meth producers. I hear tell of such responses as ‘yes we know about them’ and all of a sudden nothing happens!
Am so hearing you Jan, it’s the same around the top of the south.
I feel someone/something is propping up and continuing to enable the P trade in NZ, gangs are just small fry in the bigger picture and make a palatable scape goat for the public. Am not putting down the police but unfortunately there are rotten people in all facets of society. The gangs aren’t innocent but they are little fish in this picture. The police have been underfunded for so very long, but there’s more to it than that me thinks.
Precursors for the P appear to come via asia, makes one reflect on rich asian donators for various entities.
Where is the anti P advertising/messages/help etc? Should have be all over the telly and social media etc, a long time ago.
Something really stinks about the whole situation, am hoping our new government are brave enough to make a real difference.
“am hoping our new government are brave enough to make a real difference”. Me too!
Did you see that link I put up about the spy???????????????????????????????????????? Cinny
Vegans make death threats against dairy farming couple for celebrating the birthdays of calves:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11987913
Result:
Their sales of home made dairy products go through the roof.
The relationship between the urbane liberals and the agricultural economy won’t be improved with death threats.
None of the threats were quoted or substantiated, nor were the identities of the on-line posters confirmed; were they vegans, or something else?
It read like a marketing exercise to me.
“Result:
Their sales of home made dairy products go through the roof.”
But then I’m just a cynical bored retailer…..
It’s a very poorly written article.
Who is eating what?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/101071529/foraging-foreigners–new-zealands-milk-and-honey-is-providing-for-our-tourists
Perhaps we should follow along and learn about our edibles in the wild.
Sorry, plenty of people already foraging in NZ and the last thing we need is to put places on a map so tourists can take it instead.
Yes we need to be aware of where things are ourselves, and not have tourist maps published, and get in ourselves and pick the stuff. Pool resources and get a vehicle to travel together and pick for instance.
I found when involved in community that beneficiaries, who have a big need for good fresh food, were unable to go to the sites and get it, and when it was brought in to a central point couldn’t manage to get in and collect it there even when it was very accessible. People need support from helpful agencies as they are not able to take up every opportunity that presents.
Are the Greens publicly supporting the call (see links below) to Pay the full Working for Families package to all low-income families on April 1?
If so, can anyone point me to it? And if not, why not?
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/02/02/pay-the-full-working-for-families-package-to-all-low-income-families-on-apil-1/
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/02/01/child-poverty-targets-realistic-but-income-needs-urgent-child-poverty-action-group/
Because we are rather tired of concern trolls masquerading as real lefties, then constantly nagging about how Labour or the Greens aren’t left enough. Just as Weka and Robert Guyton pointed out above.
I’m not masquerading as a lefty.
The things (living wage, benefit increases, etc) I advocate for are things I genuinely want to see come about.
If you were a genuine lefty, you’d be advocating for these things too.
The actor is still present next door she has changed her behaviour instead of parking her car on the lawn close to my house she is parking it on the other side of a tree she is now wearing long baggie track suite pants instead of revealing shorts .At least my neighbors are looking down there noses at her and thanks to thestandard site I have checked this cowardly move played by the sandflys .
My problem is what about the people that are getting set up by other sandflys they don’t have a site like thestandard to save there asses ECO MAORI feels sorrows for all these people whom will be mostly Brown.
But let’s all just keep all OUR heads in the sand and pretend that OUR justice systems are all good after shonky has given the sandflys all the power to use and abuse against mostly Brown people. You see people they Don t see US Brown people as there equal in there reality I’m just a Brown savage that deserves to be locked up in a cell for life.We don’t deserves to live in the same Neighborhood as them. ANA TO KAI
Ka kite ano
I forgot to post this link for my post
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11986005
I really enjoy your good sorts Peter that is a good way to keep our kaumatua and the new mokos Ka pai one news
Ka kite ano
This isn’t facebook dude, no one has a clue what the fuck you’re rambling on about.
Same could be said to you BM 🙂
Uncalled for rudeness – and if you can’t work out what he’s talking about then you either have some huge gaps in your knowledge or you’re not ‘listening’
How unpleasant
BM is just irritated that he can’t quickly find some point that’s important to the writer that BM can rubbish.