Open mike 04/03/2025
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6:00 am, March 4th, 2025 - 137 comments
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- Bullying a Chess Bot: More Martinian Shenanigans
In recent months, I have garnered copious amusement playing Martin, chess.com’s infamously terrible Chess AI. Alas, it is not how it once was, when he would cheerfully ignore freely offered material. Martin has grown better since I first stumbled upon him. I still remain frustrated at his capture-happy determination to ...3 hours ago - Indian Summer
Every time that I see ya,A lightning bolt fills the room,The underbelly of Paris,She sings her favourite tune,She'll drink you under the table,She'll show you a trick or two,But every time that I left her,I missed the things she would doSongwriters: Kelly JonesThis morning, I posted - Are you excited ...9 hours ago - Bernard’s Soliloquy for the week to March 23
Long stories shortest this week in our political economy: Standard & Poor’s judged the Government’s council finance reforms a failure. Professional investors showed the Government they want it to borrow more, not less. GDP bounced out of recession by more than forecast in the December quarter, but data for the ...11 hours ago - Making sense of it all
Each day at 4:30 my brother calls in at the rest home to see Dad. My visits can be months apart. Five minutes after you've left, he’ll have forgotten you were there, but every time, his face lights up and it’s a warm happy visit.Tim takes care of almost everything ...15 hours ago - A Response to ACT’s MRA-Style Rant
On the 19th of March, ACT announced they would be running candidates in this year’s local government elections. Accompanying that call for “common-sense kiwis” was an anti-woke essay typifying the views they expect their candidates to hold. I have included that part of their mailer, Free Press, in its entirety. ...1 day ago - Spread a Little Happiness
Even when the darkest clouds are in the skyYou mustn't sigh and you mustn't crySpread a little happiness as you go byPlease tryWhat's the use of worrying and feeling blue?When days are long keep on smiling throughSpread a little happiness 'til dreams come trueSongwriters: Vivian Ellis / Clifford Grey / ...1 day ago - Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Saturday, March 22
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...2 days ago - Siding with the Right Of the Right
ACT up the game on division politicsEmmerson’s take on David Seymour’s claim Jesus would have supported ACTACT’s announcement it is moving into local politics is a logical next step for a party that is waging its battle on picking up the aggrieved.It’s a numbers game, and as long as the ...2 days ago - Jam tomorrow, butter next week
1. What will be the slogan of the next butter ad campaign?a. You’re worth itb. Once it hits $20, we can do something about the riversc. I can’t believe it’s the price of butter d. None of the above Read more ...2 days ago - Why Do Cryptocurrencies Appear to Be So Valuable?
It is said that economists know the price of everything and the value of nothing. That may be an exaggeration but an even better response is to point out economists do know the difference. They did not at first. Classical economics thought that the price of something reflected the objective ...2 days ago - Awful optics: political fighting in Taiwan stalls part of defence budget rise
Political fighting in Taiwan is delaying some of an increase in defence spending and creating an appearance of lack of national resolve that can only damage the island’s relationship with the Trump administration. The main ...2 days ago - The Independent Intelligence Review is finally out, and it’s a worthy sequel
The unclassified version of the 2024 Independent Intelligence Review (IIR) was released today. It’s a welcome and worthy sequel to its 2017 predecessor, with an ambitious set of recommendations for enhancements to Australia’s national intelligence ...2 days ago
- Law, culture, and the OIA
Yesterday outgoing Ombudsman Peter Boshier published a report, Reflections on the Official Information Act, on his way out the door. The report repeated his favoured mantra that the Act was "fundamentally sound", all problems were issues of culture, and that no legislative change was needed (and especially no changes to ...2 days ago - A new US humanitarian agency must operate without political blinders
The United States government is considering replacing USAID with a new agency, the US Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance (USIHA), according to documents published by POLITICO. Under the proposed design, the agency will fail its ...2 days ago
- Worming Through Dangerous Times
2 days ago - Why is the Govt so afraid of borrowing?
Mōrena. Long stories shortest: Professional investors who are paid a lot of money to be careful about lending to the New Zealand Government think it is wonderful place to put their money. Yet the Government itself is so afraid of borrowing more that it is happy to kill its own ...2 days ago - The future of the Combined Space Operations initiative
As space becomes more contested, Australia should play a key role with its partners in the Combined Space Operations (CSpO) initiative to safeguard the space domain. Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States signed the ...2 days ago
- Dave’s Cats
Ooh you're a cool catComing on strong with all the chit chatOoh you're alrightHanging out and stealing all the limelightOoh messing with the beat of my heart yeah!Songwriters: Freddie Mercury / John Deacon.It would be a tad ironic; I can see it now. “Yeah, I didn’t unsubscribe when he said ...2 days ago - Friday 21 March
The PSA are calling the Prime Minister a hypocrite for committing to increase defence spending while hundreds of more civilian New Zealand Defence Force jobs are set to be cut as part of a major restructure. The number of companies being investigated for people trafficking in New Zealand has skyrocketed ...2 days ago - Weekly Roundup 21-March-2025
Another Friday, hope everyone’s enjoyed their week as we head toward the autumn equinox. Here’s another roundup of stories that caught our eye on the subject of cities and what makes them even better. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Connor took a look at how Auckland ...2 days ago - A special Hoon with Michael Wolff, author of four books on Donald Trump
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking with special guest author Michael Wolff, who has just published his fourth book about Donald Trump: ‘All or Nothing’.Here’s Peter’s writeup of the interview. Hoon: Trumpism ...2 days ago - Hoon: Trumpism dies with Trump says Wolff
3 days ago
- The ADF reserve system is obsolete. We need a dramatically expanded force
Australia needs to radically reorganise its reserves system to create a latent military force that is much larger, better trained and equipped and deployable within days—not decades. Our current reserve system is not fit for ...3 days ago
- Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Friday, March 21
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...3 days ago - Against All Reason: William Blake and the Private Fantasy Mythology
I have argued before that one ought to be careful in retrospectively allocating texts into genres. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) only looks like science-fiction because a science-fiction genre subsequently developed. Without H.G. Wells, would Frankenstein be considered science-fiction? No, it probably wouldn’t. Viewed in the context of its time, Frankenstein ...3 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #12 2025
Open access notables The severe 2020 coral bleaching event in the tropical Atlantic linked to marine heatwaves, Rodrigues et al., Communications Earth & Environment: Marine heatwaves can amplify the vulnerabilities of regional marine ecosystems and jeopardise local economies and food resources. Here, we show that marine heatwaves in the tropical ...3 days ago - Elbridge Colby’s vision: blocking China
Elbridge Colby’s senate confirmation hearing in early March holds more important implications for US partners than most observers in Canberra, Wellington or Suva realise. As President Donald Trump’s nominee for under secretary of defence for ...3 days ago
- China’s military spending rises should prompt regional budget responses
China’s defence budget is rising heftily yet again. The 2025 rise will be 7.2 percent, the same as in 2024, the government said on 5 March. But the allocation, officially US$245 billion, is just the ...3 days ago
- Pressure grows for commonsense correction on safe local speeds
Concern is growing about wide-ranging local repercussions of the new Setting of Speed Limits rule, rewritten in 2024 by former transport minister Simeon Brown. In particular, there’s growing fears about what this means for children in particular. A key paradox of the new rule is that NZTA-controlled roads have the ...3 days ago
- Luxon’s Guests.
Speilmeister: Christopher Luxon’s prime-ministerial pitches notwithstanding, are institutions with billions of dollars at their disposal really going to invest them in a country so obviously in a deep funk?HAVING WOOED THE WORLD’s investors, what, if anything, has New Zealand won? Did Christopher Luxon’s guests board their private jets fizzing with enthusiasm for ...3 days ago - S&P downgrades 18 councils, blaming Govt
Christchurch City Council is one of 18 councils and three council-controlled organisations (CCOs) downgraded by ratings agency S&P. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories shortest: Standard & Poor’s has cut the credit ratings of 18 councils, blaming the new Government’s abrupt reversal of 3 Waters, cuts to capital ...3 days ago - Recession ends – Economic challenges remain
Figures released by Statistics New Zealand today showed that the economy grew by 0.7% ending the very deep recession seen over the past year, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “Even though GDP grew in the three months to December, our economy is still 1.1% smaller than it ...3 days ago
- Maybe there’s a connection?
What is going on with the price of butter?, RNZ, 19 march 2025: If you have bought butter recently you might have noticed something - it is a lot more expensive. Stats NZ said last week that the price of butter was up 60 percent in February compared to ...3 days ago
- I, too, got a few things wrong
I agree with Will Leben, who wrote in The Strategist about his mistakes, that an important element of being a commentator is being accountable and taking responsibility for things you got wrong. In that spirit, ...3 days ago
- Commandments & Cures
You’d beDrunk by noon, no one would knowJust like the pandemicWithout the sourdoughIf I were there, I’d find a wayTo get treated for hysteriaEvery dayLyrics Riki Lindhome.A varied selection today in Nick’s Kōrero:Thou shalt have no other gods - with Christopher Luxon.Doctors should be seen and not heard - with ...3 days ago - Australia needs greater defence self-reliance, and extra funding
Two recent foreign challenges suggest that Australia needs urgently to increase its level of defence self-reliance and to ensure that the increased funding that this would require is available. First, the circumnavigation of our continent ...4 days ago
- Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Thursday, March 20
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, The Atlantic-$, The ...4 days ago - Gordon Campbell on Winston Peters’ bad trip, and the return of the PPPs zombie
According to RNZ’s embedded reporter, the importance of Winston Peters’ talks in Washington this week “cannot be overstated.” Right. “Exceptionally important.” said the maestro himself. This epic importance doesn’t seem to have culminated in anything more than us expressing our “concern” to the Americans about a series of issues that ...4 days ago - Climate Fresk – a neat way to make the complexity of climate change less puzzling
Up until a few weeks ago, I had never heard of "Climate Fresk" and at a guess, this will also be the case for many of you. I stumbled upon it in the self-service training catalog for employees at the company I work at in Germany where it was announced ...4 days ago
- Japan and Australia can fill each other’s defence gaps
Japan and Australia talk of ‘collective deterrence,’ but they don’t seem to have specific objectives. The relationship needs a clearer direction. The two countries should identify how they complement each other. Each country has two ...4 days ago
- Submission on the Draft Biometric Processing Privacy Code
The NZCTU strongly supports the OPC’s decision to issue a code of practice for biometric processing. Our view is that the draft code currently being consulted on is stronger and will be more effective than the exposure code released in early 2024. We are pleased that some of the revisions ...4 days ago
- Eggs in more baskets: diversify Australian agricultural exports away from US
Australia’s export-oriented industries, particularly agriculture, need to diversify their markets, with a focus on Southeast Asia. This could strengthen economic security and resilience while deepening regional relationships. The Trump administration’s decision to impose tariffs on ...4 days ago
- The Fisheries Reform Scam – Sam Woolford
Minister Shane Jones is introducing fastrack ‘reforms’ to the our fishing industry that will ensure the big players squeeze out the small fishers and entrench an already bankrupt quota system. Our fisheries are under severe stress: the recent decision by the High Court ruling that the ...4 days ago - Climate Change: Failed again
In what has become regular news, the quarterly ETS auction has failed, with nobody even bothering to bid. The immediate reason is that the carbon price has fallen to around $60, below the auction minimum of $68. And the cause of that is a government which has basically given up ...4 days ago
- Trump’s tariffs challenge India’s economic balance
US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats have dominated headlines in India in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Trump announced that his reciprocal tariffs—matching other countries’ tariffs on American goods—will go into effect on 2 April, ...4 days ago
- NZ’s First #MeToo Case Wants To Practise Law Again
Hi,Back in June of 2021, James Gardner-Hopkins — a former partner at law firm Russell McVeagh — was found guilty of misconduct over sexually inappropriate behaviour with interns.The events all related to law students working as summer interns at Russell McVeagh:As well as intimate touching with a student at his ...4 days ago - Climate sceptic ACT MP attacks National
Climate sceptic MP Mark Cameron has slammed National for being ‘out of touch’ by sticking to our climate commitments. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories shortest: ACT’s renowned climate sceptic MP Mark Cameron has accused National of being 'out of touch' with farmers by sticking with New Zealand’s Paris accord pledges ...4 days ago - Libertarian Jesus
Now I've heard there was a secret chordThat David played, and it pleased the LordBut you don't really care for music, do you?It goes like this, the fourth, the fifthThe minor falls, the major liftsThe baffled king composing HallelujahSongwriter: Leonard CohenI always thought the lyrics of that great song by ...5 days ago - People matter—especially when frigate crews are too small
People are getting carried away with the virtues of small warship crews. We need to remember the great vice of having few people to run a ship: they’ll quickly tire. Yes, the navy is struggling ...5 days ago
- Auckland’s Western Line: Walking and cycling catchments
This is a guest post by Peter Bisley. It previously appeared on his substack, and is republished here by kind permisison. How can active transport connections maximise City Rail Link benefits City Rail Link successfully ran a test train last month on the 3.45km line under central Auckland, ahead ...5 days ago
- Bernard’s Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Wednesday, March 19
Mōrena. Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, The Atlantic-$, ...5 days ago - Unity is the answer to Europe’s defence woes
US President Donald Trump’s hostile regime has finally forced Europe to wake up. With US officials calling into question the transatlantic alliance, Germany’s incoming chancellor, Friedrich Merz, recently persuaded lawmakers to revise the country’s debt ...5 days ago
- Australian politics needs clearer national security boundaries
We need to establish clearer political boundaries around national security to avoid politicising ongoing security issues and to better manage secondary effects. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) revealed on 10 March that the Dural caravan ...5 days ago
- Government must act decisively and ban engineered stone
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have reiterated their call for Government to protect workers by banning engineered stone in a submission on MBIE’s silica dust consultation. “If Brooke van Velden is genuine when she calls for an evidence-based approach to this issue, then she must support a full ban on ...5 days ago
- Tuesday 18 March
The Labour Inspectorate could soon be knocking on the door of hundreds of businesses nation-wide, as it launches a major crackdown on those not abiding by the law. NorthTec staff are on edge as Northland’s leading polytechnic proposes to stop 11 programmes across primary industries, forestry, and construction. Union coverage ...5 days ago
- First-person view drones: transitioning from sport to battle
It’s one thing for military personnel to hone skills with first-person view (FPV) drones in racing competitions. It’s quite another for them to transition to the complexities of the battlefield. Drone racing has become a ...5 days ago
- ‘There are no exemptions. Just eat it.’
Seymour says there will be no other exemptions granted to schools wanting to opt out of the Compass contract. Photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories shortest: David Seymour has denied a request from a Christchurch school and any other schools to be exempted from the Compass school lunch programme, saying the contract ...5 days ago - Nuclear Ukraine: Budapest Memorandum – what it says and is it relevant?
Russian President Boris Yeltsin, U.S. President Bill Clinton, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, and British Prime Minister John Major signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in ... 5 days ago- A Palate Cleanser
Edit: The original story said “Palette Cleanser” in both the story, and the headline. I am never, ever going to live this down. Chain me up, throw me into the pit.Hi,With the world burning — literally and figuratively — I felt like Webworm needed a little palate cleanser at the ...6 days ago- Do Americans really want urban sprawl?
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Wesseler (Image credit: Antonio Huerta) Growing up in suburban Ohio, I was used to seeing farmland and woods disappear to make room for new subdivisions, strip malls, and big box stores. I didn’t usually welcome the changes, but I assumed others ...6 days ago- Myanmar’s desperate condition: fragmentation, drugs, money-laundering and more
Myanmar was a key global site for criminal activity well before the 2021 military coup. Today, illicit industry, especially heroin and methamphetamine production, still defines much of the economy. Nowhere, not even the leafiest districts ...6 days ago- The Hardest Word
What've I gotta do to make you love me?What've I gotta do to make you care?What do I do when lightning strikes me?And I wake up and find that you're not thereWhat've I gotta do to make you want me?Mmm hmm, what've I gotta do to be heard?What do I ...6 days ago- Bernard’s Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Tuesday, March 18
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom3, NZ Herald, Stuff, BusinessDesk-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT-$, WSJ-$, Bloomberg-$, New York Times-$, The Atlantic-$, The Economist-$ ...6 days ago- Gordon Campbell On Luxon’s Survival Chances, And The India FTA
Whenever Christopher Luxon drops a classically fatuous clanger or whenever the government has a bad poll – i.e. every week – the talk resumes that he is about to be rolled. This is unlikely for several reasons. For starters, there is no successor. Nicola Willis? Chris Bishop? Simeon Brown? Mark ...6 days ago- It’s been done before: pay for more defence spending with debt
Australia, Britain and European countries should loosen budget rules to allow borrowing to fund higher defence spending, a new study by the Kiel Institute suggests. Currently, budget debt rules are forcing governments to finance increases ...6 days ago- Feedback on work with engineered stone and materials containing crystalline silica
The NZCTU remains strongly committed to banning engineered stone in New Zealand and implementing better occupational health protections for all workers working with silica-containing materials. In this submission to MBIE, the NZCTU outlines that we have an opportunity to learn from Australia’s experience by implementing a full ban of engineered ...6 days ago- Big deal
The Prime Minister has announced a big win in trade negotiations with India.It’s huge, he told reporters. We didn't get everything we came for but we were able to agree on free trade in clothing, fabrics, car components, software, IT consulting, spices, tea, rice, and leather goods.He said that for ...6 days ago- A Return to a US Gilded Age?
I have been trying to figure out the logic of Trump’s tariff policies and apparent desire for a global trade war. Although he does not appear to comprehend that tariffs are a tax on consumers in the country doing the tariffing, I can (sort of) understand that he may think ...6 days ago- France is prominent in efforts to shape Syria’s future, again
As Syria and international partners negotiate the country’s future, France has sought to be a convening power. While France has a history of influence in the Middle East, it will have to balance competing Syrian ...6 days ago- “Capital poor”
One of the eternal truths about Aotearoa's economy is that we are "capital poor": there's not enough money sloshing around here to fund the expansion of local businesses, or to build the things we want to. Which gets used as an excuse for all sorts of things, like setting up ...6 days ago- Pictures Tell The Story
National held its ground until late 2023 Verion, Talbot Mills & Curia Polls (Red = Labour, Blue = National)If we remove outlier results from Curia (National Party November 2023) National started trending down in October 2024.Verion Polls (Red = Labour, Blue = National)Verian alone shows a clearer deterioration in early ...6 days ago- High-impact climate risks, low-probability? Think again
In a recent presentation, I recommended, quite unoriginally, that governments should have a greater focus on higher-impact, lower-probability climate risks. My reasoning was that current climate model projections have blind spots, meaning we are betting ...6 days ago- Daddy
Daddy, are you out there?Daddy, won't you come and play?Daddy, do you not care?Is there nothing that you want to say?Songwriters: Mark Batson / Beyonce Giselle Knowles.This morning, a look at the much-maligned NZ Herald. Despised by many on the left as little more than a mouthpiece for the National ...6 days ago- Monday 17 March
Employers, unions and health and safety advocates are calling for engineered stone to be banned, a day before consultation on regulations closes. On Friday the PSA lodged a pay equity claim for library assistants with the Employment Relations Authority, after the stalling of a claim lodged with six councils in ...6 days ago- Luxon announces start of India trade deal talks
Long stories shortest in Aotearoa’s political economy: Christopher Luxon surprises by announcing trade deal talks with India will start next month, and include beef and dairy. Napier is set to join Whakatane, Dunedin and Westport in staging a protest march against health spending restraints hitting their hospital services. Winston Peters ...6 days ago - A Palate Cleanser
- Release: Govt’s continued lack of action on Gaza condemned
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...2 days ago - Release: National at sea over Defence jobs
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...3 days ago
- Release: National standards returning by stealth
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...3 days ago
- Release: Kiwis still struggling as economy stumbles along
Kiwis aren’t feeling any better off despite figures showing a very slight growth in GDP in the December quarter. ...3 days ago
- Greens call for compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...4 days ago - Another failed ETS auction, another indictment on the Govt’s climate credibility
The ETS auction’s failure today is yet another clear sign that the Government is failing us all on climate action. ...4 days ago
- Release: Luxon quick to give away principled position on nukes
Christopher Luxon seems to have thrown New Zealand’s principled anti-nuclear advocacy under a bus. ...4 days ago
- NZ must act on Israel’s slaughter of children
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...4 days ago
- Release: Still no certainty for disability communities
One year on from the Government’s abrupt and callous changes to disability funding, the community still has no idea what the future holds. ...5 days ago
- Green Party backs volunteer firefighters in their call for ACC recognition
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...5 days ago
- Stand Up for Palestine: A Call to Action Against Israels Treacherous Attack
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...5 days ago
- MP Views: Living Strong, The Economy, Servicing Our Nation, The Golden Egg, and 4 Year Terms
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...6 days ago - Shane Jones has no shame
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...1 week ago
- Release: National botches health funding numbers
Health Minister Simeon Brown’s claim that the Government has put $16.68 billion into the health system over three years is wrong. ...1 week ago
- Government tramples on the rights of disabled migrant children
The Green Party is condemning the Government’s move to tighten access to visas for disabled children. ...1 week ago
- Release: Auckland needs second harbour crossing
Labour supports Minister Chris Bishop’s call for input on the second Waitematā Harbour crossing. ...1 week ago
- Speech: Barbara Edmonds’ speech to NZ Investment Summit 2025
I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak to you today about how we make overseas investment work for all New Zealanders. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour does not support PPPs for prisons
Labour does not support the private ownership of core infrastructure like schools, hospitals and prisons, which will only see worse outcomes for Kiwis. ...1 week ago
- Dunedin Futures report should be a wake-up call
The newly released report on the South Dunedin Future Programme must be a wake-up call for our Government. ...1 week ago
- Release: Members’ Bill makes wage theft a crime
Workers will now be able to go to the Police and report their employer if they are not being paid wages they’re owed. ...1 week ago
- Missed opportunity to stop the stealing of Māori land
The Green Party is disappointed the Government voted down Hūhana Lyndon’s member’s Bill, which would have prevented further alienation of Māori land through the Public Works Act. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports sanctions against Israel’s illegal occupation
The Labour Party will support Chloe Swarbrick’s member’s bill which would allow sanctions against Israel for its illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt procurement plan cuts wages and trashes the environment
The Government’s new procurement rules are a blatant attack on workers and the environment, showing once again that National’s priorities are completely out of touch with everyday Kiwis. ...2 weeks ago
- Procurement proposals pose risk to people and planet
The Green Party is concerned by the impact the Government’s proposed changes to procurement processes could have on people and planet. ...2 weeks ago
- Just six Government MPs needed to pass Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill
With Labour and Te Pāti Māori’s official support, Opposition parties are officially aligned to progress Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in Palestine. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour’s approach to Māori economy benefits all
Under Labour, the Māori economy went from strength to strength according to the latest report released by MBIE. ...2 weeks ago
- 20 Years of Success Down the Drain: Govt Gut Whānau Ora
Te Pāti Māori extends our deepest aroha to the 500 plus Whānau Ora workers who have been advised today that the govt will be dismantling their contracts. For twenty years , Whānau Ora has been helping families, delivering life-changing support through a kaupapa Māori approach. It has built trust where ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party launches petition to allow Pacific whānau visa-free access
The Green Party is launching a petition calling on the Government to extend visa-free travel to visitors from Pacific Island nations. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour welcomes reinstatement of Heath NZ board
Labour welcomes Simeon Brown’s move to reinstate a board at Health New Zealand, bringing the destructive and secretive tenure of commissioner Lester Levy to an end. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ’s Public Health system dealt yet another blow
This morning’s announcement by the Health Minister regarding a major overhaul of the public health sector levels yet another blow to the country’s essential services. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Chris Hipkins’ State of the Nation address
Ngā mihi ki a koutou katoa It is a great pleasure to be here with you this morning. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ First Introduces Bill to Remove Woke ‘DEI’ Regulations from Public Service
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will ensure employment decisions in the public service are based on merit and not on forced woke ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ targets. “This Bill would put an end to the woke left-wing social engineering and diversity targets in the public sector. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour outlines priorities of next Govt
The next Labour Government will prioritise jobs, health and homes so Kiwis and Kiwi businesses have the opportunity to thrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Refreshed team to drive Labour’s 2026 priorities
Labour leader Chris Hipkins has unveiled a new economic team as part of a caucus reshuffle. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for end to police referrals to Destiny programmes
Police have referred 20 offenders to Destiny Church-affiliated programmes Man Up and Legacy as ‘wellness providers’ in the last year, raising concerns that those seeking help are being recruited into a harmful organisation. ...2 weeks ago
- Good Riddance: Prebble Resigns from Waitangi Tribunal
Te Pāti Māori welcomes the resignation of Richard Prebble from the Waitangi Tribunal. His appointment in October 2024 was a disgrace- another example of this government undermining Te Tiriti o Waitangi by appointing a former ACT leader who has spent his career attacking Māori rights. “Regardless of the reason for ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls on Govt to condemn Israel’s aid blockade
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https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360600851/frances-prime-minister-tears-trumps-attack-zelenskyy-staggering-show-brutality
Excellent show of spirit from the French,
trumps attempted theft of Ukraines minerals is akin to pinching the wallet of an assault victim while they try defend themselves.
Donald, the same, with much more justification, can be said of Netanyahu!
looks like the Trump is setting up zelensky for a wee exercise in regime change. That would do a good job of upsetting the european union.
They're going murder Zelenskyy.
US President Donald Trump stepped up his threats against Volodymyr Zelensky Monday after a blow-up row in the Oval Office, suggesting the Ukrainian leader "won't be around very long" without a ceasefire deal with Russia.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-says-not-put-zelensky-171737440.html
U.S.-instigated regime change—the 2014 coup against the elected government—is what caused all of these unfortunate events, as well as the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians.
https://x.com/ricwe123/status/1895742688689033616
The history of it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Yanukovych
Wikipedia.
As trustworthy as your ADL link earlier.
That facts seem to be a problem for your narrative is not my problem.
"Facts." You haven't got a clue. And I'd bet that you didn't read that Wikipedia thing you cited.
It ends when someone has nothing to say, except to claim to be the one who knows.
.
The problem with Wikipedia articles is that they are mostly compiled from previously published news articles .Newspapers and magazines which are largely western centric.We don't seem to have much exposure to the interpretations and analysis from non western sources.No doubt this is because we in the west are infallible,, pure of purpose, the others just peddle in blatant propaganda …sarc
For instance the WIKI article on the Russo Ukraine war is predominantly made up of citations derived from western sources , The Kyiv Post, CBS, der Spiegel, Interfax Ukraine BBC,Encyclopedia Brittanica online ,Radio Free Europe etc .All singing from the same song sheet .Yes , I want to hear all that , but I want also to hear the other side's voice
Wikipedia is not going to give me that.
A balanced approach would include maybe Tass at the least
Folks, it’s not Appeasement that the Donald is practising, it’s Alignment!
The US and Russia are, by James O’Brian’s reckonings, now aligned! Which is so much worse!
Imagine if Chamberlain had returned from Munich in 1938 and said, not ‘Peace in our time,’ but “Adolf and I now think alike on Europe.”
O’Brian expresses the incredulity and disgust I, and I suspect, so many many others felt, at the wretched performance in the Oval Office the other day! 16 mins long.
Trump, Vance, Putin, Netanyahu….that is a dinner party I don't want to attend.
The Guardian reported yesterday that Trump's polling is tanking. Roll- on the mid terms.
I'm predicting those mid-terms won't matter a fartful.
Could be gerrymandering, voter suppression and/or intimidation, spurious disqualifications of candidates, dismissal of any anti-Trump result as "fake" – or even outright suspension of the elections for "security" reasons. Whatever, they simply won't get held in any meaningful sense, or allowed to generate a result which diminishes the Trump gang's hold on power.
Aye..!…
..a mid-term debacle will trigger widespread protests ..which trump could use as a reason to declare martial law..
…and to suspend elections…
..backed by his compliant military/supreme court…
(..any american constitutional experts present who can confirm this is an option trump has..?
..a 'card' he has to play..)
Agree, millions were purged from rolls this last US election on spurious grounds, even long time voters, voter suppression was harsh in some states too. The mid terms even ten years ago would have been a chance to sit Trump on his arse, but after Jan 6 and the MAGAs behaviour since makes it more doubtful.
They cannot gerrymander much more. They did purge rolls in 2024 so people had to re-enroll.
The (House 2024) SAFE Act (will go Senate this year now the GOP has a majority) requires require birth certificate ID to match the name on their photo ID (state drivers license/state ID in lieu of having a licence). Or to provide a marriage certificate to show a change of name.
The current moves are a takeover of election oversight (to make it partisan) and US Post (address verification etc – to run it down).
The Grauniad? Now there's a trustworthy source. Not.
https://www.medialens.org/2021/two-centuries-of-the-imperialist-warmongering-hate-filled-guardian/
https://www.medialens.org/2021/shocking-omissions-capitalisms-conscience-200-years-of-the-guardian-john-pilger-and-jonathan-cook-respond/
I know it's not the Graun of old….very pro Starmer.
But in this case they were quoting a presumably reliable polling company.
And to its credit it does publish articles by Owen Jones and John Harris that are highly critical of the UK Labour government.
I know it's not the Graun of old….
Sadly, it's very much the Graun of old. For a short time, however, it was the decent paper that some people still, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, still believe it is. The Guardian was one of the mainstream outlets that, just over a decade ago, published the world-shaking revelations, by Edward Snowden and Julian Assange, of massive U.S. crimes against not only other countries, but against its own citizens. In addition to the renowned Assange, it employed Glenn Greenwald, without question the brightest and most respected journalist in the United States. The British and U.S. establishment was momentarily taken aback, suffering the indignity of having some of its most unpleasant operatives being made to look foolish; aficionados of evil people getting their comeuppance still relish Greenwald's dispatch of Baroness Pauline Neville Jones live on the BBC in October 2013…
However, the British establishment rallied, and it soon exacted a brutal revenge: it orchestrated, using as its weapons the harried and fearful Swedish prosecutor Marianne Ny and the corporate media, absurd and completely discredited sexual allegations against Julian Assange, which set in train years of persecution, turning Assange into the punchline for a million dismally unfunny jokes and wild allegations, one of which was recycled by someone on this forum a few days ago. The Guardian, along with the BBC, was the principal purveyor of this stream of filth; they imparted respectability to the scurrilous tabloid-level lies concocted by the propaganda units of British intelligence. Guardian writers like James Ball and Marina Warner ridiculed Assange relentlessly, and wrote jokes about his suffering. The Guardian campaign against him didn't stop at mirthless ridicule and character assassination: Luke Harding lied that Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort visited Assange in his place of diplomatic refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in 2016.
So, unfortunately, my friend, that brief moment of journalistic excellence at the paper is a memory only.
very pro Starmer.
Very anti-Corbyn. Again in concert with the state broadcaster, the Guardian was the principal weapon in the Israeli regime's campaign of lies and paranoid fantasy against Corbyn.
But in this case they were quoting a presumably reliable polling company.
And to its credit it does publish articles by Owen Jones and John Harris that are highly critical of the UK Labour government.
I agree with you. But it must not be forgotten that, for all his recent excellent work, Jones was one of the most pitiless repeaters of the absurd "anti-Semitism" fantasies that ruined the Labour Party in 2019.
The problem is, that the only sources you regard as trustworthy, are the ones that many of us regard as highly biased – and anything but neutral.
It makes it very difficult to debate anything – as there is apparently no middle ground – but rather the scorched earth of mutual intolerance.
So…which media publications would you suggest those reading the guardian should also read..?
..to achieve this 'balance' you seek..?
(..and there is ‘balance’…and then there is invasion (Putin)..and mafia-standover (trump..
..eh..?..)
I have no suggestions of reading material.
Just commenting that Morrissey appears to regard any sources which counter their narrative as being untrustworthy.
Trump was advocating detente with Russia in his 2016 campaigne. So his present stance should come as no surprise.
Detente is very different from alignment!
An unwillingness to spend money on a particular cause does not indicate an "alignment". The fact that that decision could help Putin is circumstantial.
A circumstance Putin is delighted with – but, hey, nothing to see here!
Where are we heading? Monitored and surveilled. Everywhere ?
Suspicious persons? Who exactly defines that? And run by private companies? Ah well, nothing to hide etc…..
Who watches these watchers? Thank fuck there are some.
Not like some Police would ever misuse it..(to say nothing about a Govt)
And yea..the Surveilled Society. Was creeping…now becoming insidious.
I have been Aware (of this and many other erosions of our NZ Society) for many years. Pays to be….
Except the NZ road death toll for 2024 was below 300 for the first time since 2014.
Great if we all drove well, but if we're going to get our death rate under 250 a year, we need mass network surveillance, tickets, arrests, court appearances, and loss of licence minimum.
We should extend it to jaywalkers too…!
There are pedestrian crossings .!
..make them use them…!
..even more 'mass-surveillance'…!
..it's the only answer .!
..eh..?
I probably don't need to tell you then of the multiple injuries and deaths caused by people on scooters and bikes.
Just in Auckland last year, there were 3 million cycle movements, recorded across 24 sites, which is an increase of 2% from 2023.
Don't hesitate to give wellington Council the benefit of your footpath and cycleway wisdom.
And 'mass surveillance' will solve those two-wheels issues too..?
..pray tell how…?
..cameras everywhere..?
Yes. Cameras, charges, Court hearings, and fines. New regulations better enforced.
Suck it up cupcake.
Safety to life and limb is more important than your feelings.
Heh…!..'cupcake'….
Would you self-describe as an old school left authoritarian…?
Your urgent urgings for 'mass surveillance' certainly smack of that…
And yr thoughts on the lowered speed limits explaining the lowered deaths on the road…?
Nothing to see there…?
You seem to be assuming that lowered speed limits, in the absence of any form of monitoring, would result in lower deaths.
Manifestly untrue. In the absence of enforcement, speed limits are routinely ignored.
We see this every year, when the police enforce speed limits more closely over the holiday period. The number of enforcement notices rises.
Without enforcement – both laws and limits are pointless.
Not true..I drive a formerly 100 k rural road on outskirts of Auckland….
100 used to be the speed I and others drove at…
..since the 80 drop…that is the speed we now drive at..
..it also makes for a much safer/more pleasant driving experience…
I am actually dreading going up again…and it returning to race-track status..
..and re 'enforcement': there is one fixed/signposted radar …and I have seen cops running speed trap once ..in all this time…
So really… pretty much everything you said/claimed…
..is incorrect…eh..?
(..just your 'opinion'..?..no facts/evidence to support that 'opinion'..?..)
And there is zero speed limit enforcement (either implicit or overt) on this road?
Clearly there is – since you comment that you've seen this happening. Not to mention that you aren't posted there 24/7, so you have no idea what happens when you're not present.
If people think that they'll get fines, etc for speeding, they reduce their speed, so they are inside the limit.
Yes, of course, my opinion.
Oh, evidence supporting my opinion….
Of course, those who don't care about speed limits (23% of people in the last MoT survey I could find) – presumably won't care if the limit is 80 or 100 – they'll just travel at whatever speed they want to.
https://www.transport.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Report/Speed-survey-results-2015-v2.pdf
So 77% of people will pay attention to a posted speed limit (if there is some possibility of enforcement).
We don't have any evidence of the number of people who will pay attention to a posted speed limit, if there is no possibility of enforcement.
Perhaps you'd like to find some evidence to support your opinion….
My evidence is my experiences…no I am not there 24 hrs…and of course some people will speed..
..I would just note that I have been surprised at how that lower speed seems to be accepted by most…
I don’t have vehicles trying to overtake me on my regular use of this road..
I've forgotten….what is it you are arguing…with your 'opinion'….
(I will see yr 'opinion'…and raise you with an anecdotal)
Yeah, anecdata is all you've got.
Guess my opinion, supported by actual evidence is worth more.
If you’ve forgotten the points being discussed, you should feel free to read the thread again….
Meh…!
How eloquent…..
You mean, caused TO people on scooters and bikes, of course.
Could the lower road death rate have anything to do with lower speed limits?
Nah..!
.that's far too logical/rational..!
It mst be'cos of 'mass surveillance'…!
And look..!…what everyone isn't facing up to…
..is that people break the law all the time..in their own homes ..and they get away with it..!
..we need 'mass surveillance' everywhere .!
OIly if the speed limits are enforced, which requires that nasty 'surveillance state'
I read recently on the Guardian I think, that blanket lower speeds in built up areas in the UK has resulted in fewer insurance claims and subsequently lower premiums. Motor insurance is mandatory there.
No the lower speed limits are only in a few select areas, not necessarily in high accident areas.
Check out our road toll back in the late 70’s through the 80’s, with a population of about 3m our road toll was about 600 to 800 per year.
They were in for too short a time before being reversed. It's possible, but now we'll probably never know.
The road toll on the Blenheim-Nelson SH6 makes your point, ianmac. Between 2007-2017 19 deaths and 90 injuries. Since then, far fewer especially since the road speed lowered in 2020.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/127315811/zero-deaths-following-speed-lowering-on-blenheim-to-nelson-highway?rm=a
lol. Troll on.
Mostly, we should keep the road speed reductions put in place by the last government.
[image resized – Incognito]
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360600922/luxon-school-lunches-make-marmite-sandwich
Yep, it's just so simple in his sorted universe.
The state wouldn't need to if the state ensured that everybody could earn enough to adequately feed their children. Like paying not a minimum wage but a living wage!
Aye..!
I would add extending working for families to all families..
..and fuck luxon..!
..the nerve of him blaming parents trapped in poverty..
..for the outcomes of/from that poverty…
It's always the poor's fault for being poor.
The recent salvation army report has one in four nz children suffering from food poverty..
…they don't have enough food…what does luxon not get about that…?
..and does he feel no responsibility to put that right…?
(..the stats for pacific island are almost unbelievably bad .
…one in two pacific island children are experiencing food poverty…!..)
..and all of this in a rich country…that lives off exporting food to the rest of the world..
..and one whose political leader blames those suffering food poverty…for that misery ..
..and who clearly plans to do nothing about it…
…who just doesn't care…
..about all of that child poverty/families suffering..
..that he has the power to fix…
[Please be more careful next time when typing your user name, thanks – Incognito]
Mod note
Quite – if it's not the State's responsibility to feed children, then it must be the State's responsibility to ensure that parents/guardians have both the income and the time to do so.
The State cannot have no responsibilities in this area, because if there is no right to food then there is no right to life, which would be a violation of the Bill of Rights. But it does make clear the foundational ideology of the Right – that essentially, the only rights you have are what you can earn for yourself (or your children) in a labour market that is largely controlled by other people.
LOL
Luxon: "If they don't like what's put into the school lunches, maybe they should make a marmite sandwich and add a piece of fruit"
Hipkins: "But that's what was in the school lunches before you meddled with them"
😆😆😆
Well, then Hipkins should be delighted with a reversion to the status quo ante.
A couple of sarnies and an apple would enable the current budget to be cut by at least 2/3. /sarc/
Somehow, I don't think that either Hipkins or Labour would be delighted with your characterization of the previous school lunch programme.
Some school principals are expressing concern that the NZQA requires literacy and numeracy NCEA tests to be done online.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/top/543511/new-ncea-tests-failing-students-in-low-income-schools-principals 03.03.25 John Gerritsen
"Principals from schools in the country's poorest communities united to call for an end to new NCEA reading, writing and maths tests. They warn the online tests will create a generation of school-leavers with no qualifications and most will be Māori or Pacific.
After two rounds of reading, writing and maths tests last year, the failure rate for teens from low-income schools was through the roof.
More than half failed the reading and writing tests and nearly three-quarters failed the numeracy test.
None of those students can get an NCEA qualification until they pass the tests or complete up to 20 extra credits in literacy and numeracy – an option that is available only until the end of 2027.
Simon Craggs from Papakura High School said 50 principals from schools with an equity index number of 500 or greater – indicating their students face many socio-economic barriers to learning – wanted it to stop.
"We believe that there's an equity crisis approaching in education, or is already here actually. If you look at the results from 2024 you'll see that the results particularly at level 1 for students in the lowest socio-economic band have dropped off a cliff," he said.
He said the fall in achievement was due to the literacy and numeracy requirements and the schools wanted an end to the online tests.
They also wanted the alternative 20-credit option for meeting the literacy and numeracy requirement to become permanent instead of ending in December 2027, and they want it to count toward the 60 credits students' need for an NCEA certificate……
Craggs said literacy and numeracy standards needed to improve, but the online tests were the worst possible way of enforcing it….
Mākoura College principal Simon Fuller …..said the schools were facing a 70 percent failure rate once the common assessment activities or CAAs became the only route to achieving the literacy and numeracy requirements.
"Our NCEA results are really good but that's not due to the CAAs, that's due to the alternative pathway, which I believe is just as a robust as a CAA….
Fuller said teenagers had not had the benefit of the latest changes to literacy teaching in primary schools and the online tests were not a fair test of their abilities.
"It's not that they can't necessarily read, write and do maths, they just can't do it in that form of exam…."
Jim Hay-Mackenzie from Flaxmere College said students who the school assessed as having the necessary level of literacy and numeracy still failed the online tests.
"The issue…is the way it's being assessed, which is through the online test of reading and writing and numeracy. Many of our students aren't very good at tests and exams, and our data's shown that students that have met the requirements through our testing have not been able to handle the pressure of a 60-minute test," he said.
Hay-Mackenzie said many of the school's students …would do better with hard copy, paper-based tests.
He said he would prefer a literacy and numeracy assessment via a portfolio of work, but failing that, a hard-copy test…".
Rather than acknowledge the concerns expressed by the principals about online tests, ACT's Laura McClure makes insulting comments about their motives for wanting alternative ways that students can acquire NCEA.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/543585/act-accuses-principals-of-lowering-expectations-after-call-to-scrap-new-ncea-tests
"The ACT Party is pushing back on calls for new online literacy and numeracy exams to be scaled back….
…..ACT's education spokesperson Laura McClure said the principals were wanting to get rid of tests that exposed what the problem was.
"What kind of leadership are kids getting when the message from their principals is, 'this is too hard for you and we need to make the test easier?'," she said in a statement.
"As a country we cannot afford to lower expectations and create a workforce defined by mediocrity. We must aim higher and empower every student to reach their potential."
She said NCEA exists to offer real knowledge and skills, and set real standards – not to give qualifications to everyone….
"We need to lift our aspirations and ensure school leavers have basic competencies – such as being able to understand the employment contracts they're signing."
McClure said as a parent she was "really disappointed to hear principals discussing our children's education in this way".
"When you're a kid ……from your principals you really need that strong leadership…..".
She said the principals' worries were real, "but what I would say to that is if we have low pass rates with a specific demographic then we should actually be thinking what can we do to get them to where they need to be? …
"I do think there is merit in having the old pencil and paper, however an online test is not that uncommon, and in fact a lot of employers will be asking you to fill in applications online with basic literacy skills, , so I think it's really relevant for today's world.
I don't think we should ever be lowering the bar in order for more people to pass … it sets ourselves up to the next working class coming through with potentially not the skills to thrive."….
The principals are not suggesting "lowering the bar"; they are advising of other options to online NCEA tests.
McClure's comment "the next working class" is condescending, generalising and reflects her stereotypical expectations for students from low-income schools.
The problem is that their other methods don't work to ensure that NCEA graduates have minimum levels of literacy and numeracy (which is why the mandatory exam was put in place to begin with).
Suggest that those schools need to review their teaching, if their Y13 students are (repeatedly, over several years) unable to meet a test designed to be passed with Y10 knowledge.
Yes, there is a problem (that they're dealing with now) with kids leaving primary/intermediate unable to read, write or do basic arithmetic. How have they re-adjusted their teaching practice to do intensive basic skills tuition for those teens? The article is remarkably silent on this.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/543511/new-ncea-tests-failing-students-in-low-income-schools-principals
The suggestions they make:
Where are the statements that they are instituting practice exams (to get kids used to the exam environment and producing results under 'pressure' (Really, a 60 minute test is too much for them?). Practicing online tests – again to get students used to the format/environment. Intensive teaching/coaching of students who either have or are likely to fail the tests?
All of which have been put in place in many other schools (personal knowledge).
The quoted schools seem to be more concerned over the 'reduction' in their NCEA pass rate, than they are concerned over graduating functionally illiterate teens.
Funny how hungry kids that have to shift schools every few months because their parents lose a tenancy, or jobs, who have both parents working to keep rent paid, or are single parents because they lose help if they find a partner, or cannot afford food because rents are too high, or didn't get reading recovery at seven because of lack of funding, don't leave school with good grades!
More tests, to quantify the problem, AFTER the damage has occurred doesn't solve anything!
Currently most of the children at my Grandkids primary who require help are not getting it. Those who need medical or remedial help are on year long waitlists. It has become notably much worse since the Coalition of cockups cut funding for"non-frontline staff".
Teachers know which children need more help, long before they reach NCEA level.
The will to provide solutions to the real causes. Underlaying poverty and lack of funding for those falling behind at early primary, is in the too hard basket for this bunch of ideological clowns.
BTW. Summative testing too often tests the “how to pass the tests” skills. Not underlying problem solving skills and general competence in a subject.
None of which was addressed by the teachers in the above articles.
If kids are functionally illiterate and innumerate when they leave secondary school, do you think that pretending the problem doesn't exist, by giving them NCEA qualifications solves the problem?
In this case, teaching to 'pass the test' seems like an entirely valid approach. If (and, I'd say it's a big if), the teachers are entirely convinced that their students have the basic literacy and numeracy knowledge, but are struggling to express it in a formal testing environment (which is what they claimed in the article) – then teaching to the test is *exactly* the way to go.
Of course, it seems much more likely that this is not the case (as you've outlined above – for a whole variety of reasons) and these teens are functionally illiterate and innumerate when they reach secondary school, and do not substantially improve over the NCEA years.
What actions are the teachers in the article taking to address this issue? It would surely be better to address the problem, rather than try to camouflage it.
How to deliberately mis-understand, eh?
Teachers know there are problems.
We know how they need to be addressed.
And. It is not by tests after the fact.
The COC'up has no interest or plans to address them. They are happy with poverty, underfunding and the resulting lack of achievement of a long tail.
A tail which evidence shows is caused by the sort of policies the COC'up is putting in place.
Perhaps you can point to evidence in the linked articles that teachers have any other plan to deal with the problem, apart from finding some way to pretend it doesn't exist.
Please note, this NCEA numeracy and literacy test was put in place by the previous government – rather than the current coalition.
Hoe about responding to what I actually say.
Teachers know what the problems are. Hardly "denying it".
The COC'up is the one ignoring the real causes.
How about you respond to what I actually said, as well as what was in the article.
The teachers didn't outline *any* strategy in the article, to address either of the potential issues (unfamiliarity with online testing; or illiteracy/innumeracy). Their 'solution' was to move to paper-based testing (without addressing any of the issues that paper-based testing has), or to stop testing altogether (without addressing the fact that the kids couldn't read, write, do basic mathematics).
If you think that anything in the linked articles indicates that they have a plan to deal with the issues – you should feel free to quote that.
Teachers have been highlighting the issues of underfunding and poverty.
What the hell are Teachers expected to do about issues, that only the Government can fix.
At present, child poverty worse than 2018.
https://www.cpag.org.nz/media-releases/for-the-second-year-in-a-row-more-children-are-growing-up-in-poverty-new-zealanders-call-for-action-while-leaders-talk-economic-growth
What you are talking about is just ineffectual bandaids. Typical of National pretending to "fix" something while doing everything else in their power to make it worse.
Like the, no food, for schools.
In these articles, teachers had nothing to say about the causes of the inability of their students to pass exams. Their only solution was to pretend the problem doesn't exist, and waive the literacy/numeracy requirements for them.
If you can find any solutions in the articles – as I said above, please highlight them.
The cause of our big tail of illiteracy and numeracy in schools is poverty and underfunding.
NOT something schools can change.
The COC’up are currently engaged in actively destroying one of the “fixes” that is proven to work. https://www.cpag.org.nz/media-releases/cpag-urges-government-to-reverse-school-lunches-cuts-as-an-achievable-way-to-alleviate-rising-child-poverty-levels
There will be an even bigger tail after this bunch of inumerate and illiterate crooks are voted out.
Unfortunately the cost of repair will reverbarate for decades. Just like the costs of the unfortunate experiments of Richardson and Douglas.
The issue is illiterate and inumerate kids due to lack of funding and the effects of poverty.
Not! tests.
Well, if it's not something that schools can change, what is the purpose of sending kids to school? You might as well warehouse them in daycare, with no need for teacher qualified staff.
What a remarkably silly attitude.
We pay teachers *to* teach kids.
If they need to go back to basics in Year 9 – and teach kids how to read, write and do maths, rather than the details of WW2 in social studies – then that would be a much better outcome. If they then need those kids to repeat Year 9, so they can do the actual course content – then that would be an even better outcome. Sadly, none of this appears to fit their agenda.
Certainly much better than the proposed one in the articles – of pretending these kids are functionally literate – which seems the approach that you and the teachers prefer.
Please note that we've just had 6 years of centre-left government, which did funnel money to feeding kids in schools, and into education in general. Only to have yet another tranche of illiterate, innumerate kids graduate to secondary school.
Perhaps it's time to change the teaching model….
My next door neighbour says her (white 8yo) granddaughter has started to hate school after the new testing system.
UK Professor Frances Maratos in 2020: 'Too often in the UK education system we create environments that can lead to feelings of shame, criticism, guilt and threat; factors that contribute to poor mental health and increase vulnerability to psychological disorders.
'Too little in the UK education system do we create the opposite. That is, environments that are safe, secure and allow children to learn from failure without negative repercussions. This is secure competition.'
The Tory 'test, test, test' system we have imported wholesale from the UK has been proven to have a negative effect on schooling, particularly at primary school age.
Link to quote, not to Prof
Having lots of kids leaving school without any formal qualification might be quite a good way of suppressing wages.
Probably not, you need that basic NCEA qualification for just about any entry level job. Employers need to know that you can read safety signs, for example. Kids who are functionally illiterate may luck out and find an employment niche – but more likely to be permanently unemployed (and at high risk of being involved in criminal activity).
But they wouldn't be functionally illiterate, or unable to do any job, or be beyond training into a job, or be functionally hopeless in any way, they just won't have an NCEA qualification – which would become a nice justification for paying a perfectly useful human being next to nothing.
The giving, and especially the witholding, of credentials can be used to drive and justify a system of stratification – if that is what you want to do.
What evidence to you have that they can read, write and do basic maths, but can't pass the NCEA test?
The only people who can't be helped to do basic arithmetic, reading and writing are those with congenital (or acquired) intellectual disabilities or neurological disorders. That's provided the right environment is created around them from birth by society as a whole. I see no evidence that all the kids now at risk of having no NCEA qualifications fall into these categories.
If one regards blunt instruments like NCEA tests as anything other than broadly indicative (rather than definitive) then it shows a naive faith in systems of measurement outside the physical sciences.
This is a pincer movement: cut government spending to shrink the economy and turn the labour market into a hyper-competitive hell-hole, then into that environment pump out kids who have no formal credentials but are actually employable with a bit of time and effort.
However, waving a magic wand, and pretending that kids who are currently functionally illiterate (for whatever reason), can pass these tests – is pointless.
The last Labour government introduced these tests because kids who were unable to read, write or do basic mathematics were gaining NCEA qualifications – but were unemployable.
That problem hasn't gone away.
Also, if these kids are “actually employable with a bit of time and effort.” – what the heck have the teachers been doing over their years in school? Perhaps they should be the ones putting in the time and effort, during their schooling. After all – that’s what teachers are paid to do, teach.
If they can learn to read, write, do maths – how come their entire education has been a failure?
While Luxon waits for his request for Seymour to focus his attention on sorting out the centralisation of food in schools programme, he provides advice on how families can cope.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360600922/luxon-school-lunches-make-marmite-sandwich
"Make Marmite sandwiches" So CLuxon suggests a Tax Dodging Food Manufacturer for his attack on school lunches. What a ****.
I'm looking for the obvious cartoon with Luxon dressed up as Marie Antoinette whining "let them eat marmie sannies"
Oh yes exactly, his face photoshopped onto Marie Antoinette's body. 👍
Already on Facebook. LOL.
Luxon is right – parents could give them a rendered down bones (w/colouring and flavouring) sandwich, except that marmite is actually not a very good food product being extremely high in sodium.
The point is that National promised they would continue the school lunch scheme, albeit with alterations. The CoC promised that halving the cost of the scheme would result in better quality – which they knew they couldn't achieve thus was a lie, the lie has played out and all the red herrings like Luxon's latest cynical sneer won't change that.
My guess is that they will ditch it entirely before the end of the year and buy out the contracts. It is much too much like hard work for the CoC and we have seen that they don't like hard work – they like the easy jobs like filling potholes and putting up speed limits and sacking civil servants with the stroke of a digital ID.
Luxon is right, but far too nice. Let's stop the whiny culture of 'no' and say 'yes' to cannibalism. If that skinny year 9 boy is the first to keel over with hunger, then onto the barbie with him. It would be a perfectly apt mirroring of how our economy works.
No far better just tp mount a weekly raid on the government subsidized private school up the rd , grab a porky little toff more feeds per carcass, the right will love as survival of the fittest is their belief system.
Ah, Jonathan Swift, where are you when we need you?
Making jokes about killing people isn't particularly funny, and IIRC is specifically against site policy.
That's true. I apologise.
Perfect food for "bottom feeders" : )
Luxon is playing this wrong: he's protecting the political rival of his party and his own leadership. Political mumpty, like Putin with Trump, Seymour's got Luxon fighting his battles for him.
If Luxon had any political nous, he'd let Seymour hang himself on this issue.
Yip because act will not lose votes on this there voters will mostly hate poor people, whereas national could definitely leak a few more voters
"he just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich"
That marmite vs vegemite was a thing in the 1970s when we were swapping lunches at primary school, in those halcyon days where even the poorest families could afford food, and that the nasty commenters think is still reality out there. You couldn't pay me enough to eat vegemite, and plenty of other kids wouldn't go near my marmite.
Wasn't there also a religious marmite/Vegemite schism..?
Didn't Catholics eat Vegemite..?
..and Protestant's eat marmite..?
The vegemite/marmite schism is like the proddy/catholic shism.
(jar of each in our household)
The only time I touch the stuff is after I have recovered from flu or the like and my tastebuds are all shot, its the only thing I can taste.
"Keeps you feeling healthy and strong…."
Spread the good word….
I remember this TV ad from the 70s.
Of course you do get the Marmite/Vegemite…and Avocado cult : ).
toasted vogels, of course..
Natch : )
I'm a signed up life member of the vegemite/avo cult…
I have had both pretty much every day..for decades..
(I have a seven avos a week habit..it can get quite expensive in the off-season..)
This whole school lunch debacle is getting worse. Personally I’m appalled that the country I grew up in, is now in a position where we need to feed children in schools. we now need to provide lunch. As such we shouldn’t be so niggardly about the cost.
Seymour, as “Catering Minister”, certainly needs to up his game. My suggestion is to put him in charge of the army’s catering for the mid winter live fire exercises, he can then explain to cold, hungry and fully armed SAS troopers why they should eat his crappy food…
Luxon could do with going back to Sunday school, preferably with the Wellington city mission and learn some humility.
There were kids going hungry when you & I were at school back in the day (70s/80s for me), I remember sharing my lunch many times with other kids. Great comment David.
If you dont want to give extra income to parents to feed kids because you think "useless parents' will spend it on 'ciggys and booze' then school lunches are a good way of ensuring the hungry get a decent meal each day. If Seymour was so concerned with the costs then simple – freeze funding for 3 years but leave it intact. Instead he has ripped apart of functioning school lunch system and replaced it with a dogs breakfast
And as it often happens …… the words I've been singing to Men at Work 'Land Down Under' for the last 40 or so years are not actually the real words.
OK…. I've got to ask… what was your version?
How much more mean spirited can Luxon get with his marmite sandwich/apple rant? This from the man who was "entitled" to a $56,000 tax payer payment to live in his own mortgage free apartment. Each week this government without fail does or says something ever more ghastly.
I recently had a brief discussion with an ardent Nat supporter. Was nicely able to rebut that person by quoting some of the horrible things Luxon has said.
You mean it's even possible to hold a discussion with a Nat supporter? My attempts were so traumatic I avoid them like the plague!
They probably have the same reaction to you.
And, that right there in a nutshell, is why social/political divides grow in our society.
I would love to sit down with any RW supporter and be able to have a civilised conversation. Find out where their views stem from, why they have their particular views. And I'd be more than happy to answer any questions they have about my beliefs. I'd like for both parties to be able to politely challenge each others beliefs, and most likely find that there are ideas we have in common.
Occasionaly I've read RW opinion pieces that contain some things I agree with, or am at least prepared to give some consideration to. But when all the other party can do is spout talking points and is convinced their way of thinking is the only correct one, what's the point of even engaging? It's very sad we've come to this.
I'm sure I heard him blaspheme on the radio snippet too.
Getting frustrated…
I think all nz children should be 'entitled' to not suffer from food poverty ..
Over to you…luxon…
Cracking story from Te Ao with Moana about the waka emerging from the Chatham Island sand.
Until now, the archaeological dig and key personalities involved have been kept under wraps. Much remains unknown about the true provenance of the waka – who built it, when and where it came from.
What began as a routine search for wood by a Rēkohu (Chatham Island) father and son has led to one of New Zealand’s most significant discoveries, possibly even in Polynesian archaeological history.
Vincent Dix and his son Nikau, said they had no idea the ‘strange-looking stick’ they found on their local beach last August would uncover an ocean-voyaging waka.
Nikau, who first spotted the ‘fence baton-like’ wood, said he initially thought little of the timber protruding from the sand.
https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2025/03/03/ocean-waka-most-important-discovery-in-new-zealand-archaeology/
A really great read. I'm looking forward to the rush of scholarly papers this will generate, and the increased knowledge about early seafaring/migration. Absolutely fascinating.
superb watch, thanks. What a great story.
I'm curious how many ratepayers (that aren't lawyers) are keen to fund court action over the neo-liberal clusterf#@k that is Wellington Water.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/call-for-wellington-water-chairman-nick-leggett-to-resign-a-capital-letter/3PJ55TLSAFBUTMYFCBMQPW4UGY/
Same old names, same old spun talking points and same old neo-liberal 'efficiences'.
A group of councils form a body to oversee another body that (apparently) doesn't oversee sub-contractors.
All involved have no accountability.
Such a long way from how the councils used to be when they paid the wages of those that maintained and cared for our water.
No surprise that chairman Nick Leggat is a National Party stalwart. He would have been given the heave ho if Labour's 3 waters programme had gone ahead.
A great excuse to privatise it, but perhaps that was the intention of this government all along since they have failed to come up with any substantial alternatives to three waters, despite the promises.
I can recall the Nick Legget name..from that Transport Industry lobby group. Interestingly he used to be a species of Labour.
True colours and all though…now being revealed.
Like Winston Peters – always moves with the prevailing wind.
They're a worry !
I'd be a bit careful about that '3x the cost of other local body contracters' figure. I personally think that the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake greatly exacerbated the leakage problem in Wellington meaning that what is a simple repair for other councils may need more work and resource to fix.
The Dodgy Duopoly. Cam surveillance, Facial recognition, now with added fascism? Answer the questions !!
After the full pak n save grilling (not sure if interrogation lights were used?) she walked out . Awesome. Stand Up !
Previous….wonderful super market over reach.
First I've heard of retailers having to get customer details for sales over $1000 for tax purposes. We've been in retail for 40 years with sales at that level quite common and never come across that.
More likely explanation is looking out for trade buying at P & S rather than Foodie's wholesale / providore arm. P &S is often considerably cheaper, but domestic pack sizes rather than commercial sizes. They'd have a $1000 flag in the POS which would have rarely been triggered by domestic buyers, until inflation rated it's head, now might be common especially in rural areas.
PS Up until a couple of years ago most fuel cards had $150 limit on them, worked fine when fuel was under $2.00 / litre, fuel went up to $3.00 and everyone's fuel card declined.
Oh thanks for input. I'm sure there will be more to come. (well hopefully not more grilling ! )
Seymour showing National who the boss really is.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360601185/erica-stanford-calls-david-seymour-school-lunches-explanation
”Associate Education Minister David Seymour did not show up for a meeting with Education Minister Erica Stanford, after she called for reassurance and an explanation about his changes to the free school lunches programme.”
Even the language used is so despicably tory.
Free lunch in schools.
As opposed to Food in schools.
Yes.
And the real , no, the ONLY purpose of literacy is to read your employer's contracts and instructions.
…And the only point of education is to churn out pliant workers, rather than educate and empower fledgling citizens.
So they reckon $300M is enough to cover the port and ferry building break fees.
If the financial maestero Willis is involved, I'm sure that figure will be 'revisited'.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/543699/government-s-irex-ferry-cancellation-costed-at-300-million
"Willis, as recently as Tuesday morning, insisted the new cost – including the break-fee and the two new ships – would be less than what the previous government negotiated."
It would be funny if it weren't key infrastructure.
BHN thrash out the Trump-Zelenskyy conversation; the reason for posting it is the discussion from 16 min on over Luxon's response.
Meanwhile, not content with making life more miserable for millions world wide by cutting Aid, cutting support for the vulnerable, the demented occupant of the oval office ..
I might be reading chicken entrails here, but is Erica Stanford being hung out to dry?
“That leaves schools some mixed messages about the future of school lunches. Seymour says it’s all going well, Luxon says he’s trusts Seymour, and Stanford – who appeared to show some concern – has been left on her own.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360601709/prime-minister-sides-david-seymour-while-erica-stanford-shows-concern-over-school-lunches
It's still early at this stage, but it's pretty clear that there's some careful distancing from Seymour going on. When National replace Luxon the message to the swing voters will be "new management, not beholden to Seymour, centre-right, nice Nats, you can trust us now".
Bishop-Stanford ticket in place by election year. The conservative Nat caucus won't love them but they love losing after one term even less.