Open Mike 04/04/2018

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 4th, 2018 - 155 comments
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155 comments on “Open Mike 04/04/2018 ”

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  1. chris73 1
    4 April 2018 at 7:31 am

    Immigration is good 🙂

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/102801375/series-win-for-the-good-guys-as-black-caps-move-in-on-australia-on-test-ranking-ladder

    J Ravel born in India
    BJ Watling born in South Africa
    C De Grandhomme born in Zimbabwe
    I Sohdi born in India
    N Wagner born in South Africa

    Booyah!

    • millsy 1.1
      4 April 2018 at 8:46 am

      Full credit to the BC’s for a series win against England, but they still played pretty poorly. Again, we seem to struggle with consistency, and have been over the past 25 years or so.

    • Draco T Bastard 1.2
      4 April 2018 at 9:16 am

      Sport is useless and so I don’t see confirmation from that list that immigration is good.

      • Stunned Mullet 1.2.1
        4 April 2018 at 9:25 am

        “Sport is useless….”

        Surely a citation needed – live by the citation die by the citation and all that…

        • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1
          4 April 2018 at 9:35 am

          Can’t say it produces anything of value. Doesn’t produce cell phones, or computers or anything that can actually be used. Ergo, useless.

          • Stunned Mullet 1.2.1.1.1
            4 April 2018 at 9:49 am

            😆 What a sad view of life.

            • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1.1.1
              4 April 2018 at 10:03 am

              I have a great view of life – it just doesn’t include the bludgers that play sport for a ‘living’ or the fat cats that get even richer from it.

              • Stunned Mullet …
                4 April 2018 at 10:07 am

                🙄

              • Enough is Enough …
                4 April 2018 at 10:59 am

                You have a great view of life?

                Really?

                Your thousands of posts predict misery and destruction. I cannot find one positive post from you, or anything which suggests you enjoy anything

              • Bearded Git …
                4 April 2018 at 1:27 pm

                I was at the game for the last 4 days Draco-just a fantastic time for me and everyone there from both countries.

                Hagley Oval is a credit to NZ.

                Surely you can manage to find something positive to say about this.

                • JohnSelway …
                  4 April 2018 at 1:48 pm

                  No he probably can’t. Draco has a genius level IQ apparently so if he doesn’t like something neither should you

                • Sanctuary …
                  4 April 2018 at 2:17 pm

                  Test match cricket is just the greatest game there has ever been. As one of the English commentators said on the radio as the match slowly drew to it’s nail biting draw, “You can’t hold your breath for this long in T20”.

          • Planet Earth 1.2.1.1.2
            4 April 2018 at 10:41 am

            So art, music, literature, drama – nothing? No joy (literally) from all of those as well? Isn’t the giving of joy a use?

            • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1.2.1
              4 April 2018 at 12:13 pm

              I do my own art and get enjoyment from seeing the art others. Same as I do my own sport – I don’t watch sport though.

              What I don’t do is expect to get rich by bludging off of everyone else for it. Watching sport is simply boring – much better to get involved.

              • Enough is Enough …
                4 April 2018 at 12:21 pm

                Yes – the thousands of people that turn up at venues around the country every weekend to watch, or watch it from the comfort of their home or local pub are clearly bored…

                And you claim RWNJs live in a fantasy world??

              • Brigid …
                4 April 2018 at 12:27 pm

                What software did you use to create your art and would it run on any Linux OS?

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  4 April 2018 at 12:47 pm

                  For the starship model I used Groboto – which seems to have stopped development with the lead developer developing leukaemia. It was only ever Windows and Mac.

                  For the rendering I used Vue. I haven’t heard of it being ported to Linux.

          • Enough is Enough 1.2.1.1.3
            4 April 2018 at 10:57 am

            What is value Draco?

            Does something have to be tangible and physically used to be of value?

            Sport brings happiness to many people. Evidently not all people – but many people.

            These immigrants brought happiness to many Kiwis over the summer through their sportsmanship and efforts on the field.

            They should be, and thankfully are, celebrated as great New Zealanders.

          • SpaceMonkey 1.2.1.1.4
            4 April 2018 at 11:43 am

            Actually no. Sport can produce an understanding of strategy, tactics, teamwork/cooperation all of which have value in the business world. And then there are the health and wellbeing benefits. Still so sure sport has no value?

            • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.1.4.1
              4 April 2018 at 12:15 pm

              Sport can produce an understanding of strategy, tactics, teamwork/cooperation all of which have value in the business world.

              If you’re engaged in it – yes. That’s not what’s happening for the majority of people though – unfortunately. They’re just watching it on the screen – and usually getting drunk and obnoxious at the same.

              • Enough is Enough …
                4 April 2018 at 12:18 pm

                But they get enjoyment from that. Just as you do from art.

                So why would you describe sport as useless?

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  4 April 2018 at 12:38 pm

                  Because it is. I see value in actually doing sport but it doesn’t produce anything of use. And for some there may be value in watching it but not to the extremes that it supports rich bludgers.

                  • JohnSelway …
                    4 April 2018 at 5:06 pm

                    That’s a very utilitarian way of looking at things.

                    What’s the value in listening to music? Reading a book? Watching a play?

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      4 April 2018 at 6:53 pm

                      I’ve said that there’s value in those – They’re also useless.

                    • JohnSelway …
                      4 April 2018 at 8:59 pm

                      Wow……inspiration, understanding, the depth of thought music and literature can bring is…. useless.

                      Wow….

              • McFlock …
                4 April 2018 at 2:01 pm

                Nah, gotta call bollocks on that, and I don’t even like sport either.

                Watching top-level sports is like watching craftsmen at work – why they do little tweaks, how they set up their opponent. In many ways, the tactics and deception in sport is more obvious when watched on telly than when in the field. And the pre-amble, the head-games between competitors, all really interesting. There’s a great video somewhere of Arnie psyching out Lou Ferrigno before the Mr Universe contest, over breakfast, in front of Ferrigno’s parents.

                Even boxing can be a thing of beauty to watch, when done by experts. Yeah, I don’t like most of the audience, but I’ve been around a few bouts before, during, and after, and it’s more than just beating the shit out of each other, it really is. It’s all a head-game. Ironic, really.

                Should theatre actors be paid? They also perform art for a live audience, inspiring passion and thought. Hamilton! apparently has minimum ticket prices of over a thousand bucks on Broadway. Shouldn’t the performers get a piece of that?

                • JohnSelway …
                  4 April 2018 at 2:19 pm

                  I agree – I’m a cricket fan and watching a captain set his field for one type of bowl the bowler is about to perform in order to trap the batter into making the exact type of shot required to get him caught is a thing of beauty and takes a huge amount of skill, planning and training.

                  • In Vino …
                    4 April 2018 at 8:33 pm

                    You neglected to mention luck – an important element in all sports. Why else shape a rugby ball that way? A cricket player can easily go from hero to zero, as can a sailor or a half-back.
                    But the essential point is that sport is a luxury, and while people enjoy it, sport is vastly overrated and used as a distraction from serious issues. As a control freak, I would like to see only 5 minutes max in an hour of news given to sport, with similar limits in the press, etc.

          • crashcart 1.2.1.1.5
            4 April 2018 at 12:12 pm

            Are you against the arts then? They don’t produce anything like cell phones or computers. It does however broaden the mind and uplift the spirit. Just like sport does for some.

              • gsays …
                4 April 2018 at 12:42 pm

                I can’t let the sport is useless line pass without a challenge.

                I coached kids rugby and cricket for a few years.
                I would cite cooperation, patience, tolerance, skills improving with practice as some examples of the benefits of sport.

                I take yr point of the commercialization of sport.

                I still celebrated the cricket result especially in the aftermath of the Aussie ball tampering and our team being an example that our Tasmanian cousins could emulate.

                • Andrea …
                  4 April 2018 at 6:15 pm

                  “I would cite cooperation, patience, tolerance, skills improving with practice as some examples of the benefits of sport.”

                  Did you ever manage to convince the screechy parents on the sidelines???

                  • gsays …
                    4 April 2018 at 8:07 pm

                    The parents were beyond my brief.

                    • In Vino …
                      4 April 2018 at 8:37 pm

                      I also coached many school sports teams over the years. Sports can bring evil out of people just as often as the good that many claim… I tried to encourage the good aspects, but often got criticised for not enough emphasis on winning. Sorry gsays – Andrea raises a very good point.

                    • gsays …
                      5 April 2018 at 2:47 pm

                      I don’t disagree with Andreas point.
                      I, too, got criticized for my approach. (Played the star batsman at 8 as he was late getting to the game.)
                      I saw my role as developing players.

                      As a spectator I witnessed a parent punch a coach.
                      Then provided statement to police and parent got conviction and lifetime ban.

                      None of the bad behaviour is the fault of sport.

          • Stuart Munro 1.2.1.1.6
            5 April 2018 at 9:04 pm

            Cricket is really. But trout fishing produces smoked trout. Different kettle of fish altogether.

      • bwaghorn 1.2.2
        4 April 2018 at 12:34 pm

        Its the health benefits of kids and adults who are inspired to get of their arses that make top level sport good

        • Draco T Bastard 1.2.2.1
          4 April 2018 at 12:50 pm

          Is there any evidence that watching people play sport on TV inspires kids to do sports?

          I suspect that actually playing sport is more encouraging – just so long as they don’t get bullied out of it by others.

          • SpaceMonkey 1.2.2.1.1
            4 April 2018 at 3:48 pm

            Anecdotally yes. In my experience as a coach of a children’s football team… when they’re rocking up citing a professional player like Lionel Messi or Harry Kane as their inspiration then you know that to be the case. And they’re much more engaged to boot (excuse the pun).

          • monty 1.2.2.1.2
            4 April 2018 at 4:21 pm

            I commented in daily review about this. As a kid my brothers and I and the local nippers used to love watching the footy or Cricket then going outside and playing and pretending to be our favourite cricketer or rugby player.

            Saturday morning sport was one of my favourite times and i had a dream of playing test cricket for NZ. Sadly, didn’t happen but I could still dream about it

            • In Vino 1.2.2.1.2.1
              4 April 2018 at 8:42 pm

              No – this is wrong. Adoration of superstars works temporarily – until the kids know that they are not going to make that level themselves. Then they leave the sport in droves. This is not the way to promote anything. I think Draco has suggested that getting them to enjoy doing/playing the sport is wiser. If so, I agree.

      • Gabby 1.2.3
        4 April 2018 at 1:21 pm

        That’s Art, dear boy.

    • OncewasTim 1.3
      4 April 2018 at 7:41 pm

      Immigration is good – especially if your name is Howard Levarko
      … until it isn’t.

  2. francesca 2
    4 April 2018 at 7:34 am

    So now Porton Down can’t establish that the novichok came from Russia
    Anybody still believe that May and Boris don’t lie?

    here’s Boris , in full flight with an outright lie speaking to a German reporter
    “When I look at the evidence, the people from Porton Down, the laboratory, they were absolutely categorical. I asked the guy myself, I said: ‘Are you sure?’ And he said: ‘There’s no doubt.’ So we have very little alternative but to take the action that we have taken.”
    total lie
    So now we’re down to special intelligence that the Brits can’t possibly share, because of national security .Pretty shabby
    And Yulia?
    Will her family now be allowed to contact and visit her?

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/apr/03/porton-down-experts-unable-to-verify-precise-source-of-novichok

    • Carolyn_Nth 2.1
      4 April 2018 at 7:56 am

      Hmmm. The Guardian reports “probably”

      Gary Aitkenhead, the chief executive of the government’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), said the poison had been identified as a military-grade novichok nerve agent, which could probably be deployed only by a nation state.

      where the Independent reports something more definite:

      Gary Aitkenhead, the chief executive of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) at Porton Down, Wiltshire, told Sky News that the substance required “extremely sophisticated methods to create something only in the capabilities of a state actor. We were able to identify it as novichok, to identify that it was military-grade nerve agent.”

      • francesca 2.1.1
        4 April 2018 at 8:07 am

        The comments below the Independent piece gives a good indication of how the readership views May and Boris
        A few ups for Corbyn

      • Bill 2.1.2
        4 April 2018 at 8:36 am

        That’s “probably” a nation state, not “probably” Russia. (And is to do with deployment)

        The former suggests the possibility of non-state actors while the latter excludes them. Big difference.

        And when the head of the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory also says there is no known anti-dote to Novichok….

        I think the story may well be about to unravel very fast.

        Fighting a rearguard action, I see The Guardian is attributing stuff to Lavrov in sub-headers that he didn’t actually say- stuff that falls within the same ball park as nonsense coming from official UK government pages that OAB linked to as an example of Russia being mocked, but which staggers between mockery and self parody.

        Throw in Iran having openly synthesised Novichok and the likely unsavoury circles of an ex-spy in a country fair hoatching with dubious and powerful rip off merchants from the days when the USSR collapsed….

        • Wayne 2.1.2.1
          4 April 2018 at 11:16 am

          What possible motive would Iran have to attack an ex Russian spy?
          Absolute certainties are not possible in this area. But the totality of the evidence, the nerve agent, who it was used against, previous Russian form paints a compelling picture. All other explanations are far fetched and in some cases are the stuff of conspiracy theorists (such as Poton Downs did it).

          • Barfly 2.1.2.1.1
            4 April 2018 at 11:32 am

            ” Russian form paints a compelling picture. All other explanations are far fetched and in some cases are the stuff of conspiracy theorists ”

            Motive and form Wayne if this is your criteria I’ll happily nominate Mossad

            Form – one of the most prolific assassinator’s in modern times.

            Motive – Russia working with Iran, Hezbollah and Assad’s Syrian government

            • SpaceMonkey 2.1.2.1.1.1
              4 April 2018 at 11:45 am

              My thoughts too.

            • McFlock 2.1.2.1.1.2
              4 April 2018 at 4:39 pm

              Shooting’s more Mossad’s style, but true, they’d be up for it.

              So how does this drive a wedge between Russia and Iran (strange bedfellows at the best of times) or Russia and Assad/Hezbollah? If anything it would reinforce any alliances along those lines.

              • Barfly …
                4 April 2018 at 10:07 pm

                It’s not about driving a wedge it would be about “punishing” Russia for their temerity to support Assad along with Iran and Hezbollah.

                • McFlock …
                  4 April 2018 at 10:30 pm

                  So why would Russia connect the sanctions resulting from this incident with their support for Assad etc?

                  Bit of a useless punishment if the punished person doesn’t connect it with a transgression they can avoid repeating.

                • Ed …
                  4 April 2018 at 10:36 pm

                  And its temerity for preventing the coup d’état by Ukraine reaching the Donbass and Crimea.

          • francesca 2.1.2.1.2
            4 April 2018 at 11:44 am

            Wayne!!
            Nobody is suggesting that Iran would want to attack an ex British spy!!!
            Bill is pointing out positive proof that other states are perfectly capable of producing Novichok type chemicals.I find the whole Russia did it narrative utterly far fetched. Most of all it depended on Russia being the only country capable.Novichok=Russia
            In case you missed my many postings of this , and in answer to your demand that someone give evidence of the UK lying about the Salisbury events, here is Boris, the foreign secretary of the UK lying his arse off about what Porton Down told him

            So now we are down to all the murky”past form” and endless propaganda
            In case you have not noticed,western media treatment of all things Russia has become even more decidedly partisan since Putin took over from the supine Yeltsin , reversed the decline of living standards and put a stop to the general rape and pillage of state owned assets
            The propaganda has become so transparent in its desperate nature, that even I, a total apolitical hermit , started to notice about 5 years ago
            For a lot of people now, it is simply not working.
            so pardon me if I dont accept innuendo and propaganda as evidence, we’re meant to be more civilised than that

          • Bill 2.1.2.1.3
            4 April 2018 at 12:10 pm

            I didn’t remotely suggest Iran attacked an ex-British spy.

            You’re right enough that absolute certainties aren’t possible – which beggars the question as to why May’s previous pronouncements?

            The totality of the evidence is that two people were admitted to hospital.

            There are UK Government claims a certain nerve agent was used, but no verifiable evidence so far.

            Previous form schmorm.

            The bullshit of western propaganda leveled at anyone or any country “the west” disapproves of, has such an obvious stink that I’m left somewhat speechless by the fact so many liberal conservatives smell nothing but roses when they sniff around it.

            If and when it becomes established that the Russian state had diddly squat to do with this, you gonna jump up and scream “conspiracy!” on the grounds that “all other explanations are far fetched”?

            Or will you do the fall back mambo and point to something that just “cropped up” to explain any volte face on your part?

            • McFlock 2.1.2.1.3.1
              4 April 2018 at 5:16 pm

              Three people hospitalised. Not two.

              The thing is, if it’s demonstrated that some other party launched a massively convoluted plot to kill two people in a way that almost everyone with any knowledge of the mortality rate amongst Putin’s opponents would simply say “oh, it’d be him again”, then that would be pretty spectacular.

              But that’s the thing about additional information: it should change opinions if those opinions are inconsistent with actual information (vs bullshit). This isn’t actually somethig to mock, it’s how an information-based opinion system should work.

              • Bill …
                4 April 2018 at 6:31 pm

                You talk of an “information based opinion system”. but it’s fairly clear from your comment. that only gets to kick in when the ideological perspective you’re holding to is no longer tenable.

                There has been no demonstration that any party tried to murder the Skripals. And yet “Russia!”

                • McFlock …
                  4 April 2018 at 9:50 pm

                  Yes, the hypothesis (to avoid the word “theory” which has dual use, I’m using hypothesis to be clear that this is what I’d mean if I used the word “theory”) has to fit the facts.

                  But if my assessment of the most likely (by a mile) scenario is affected by my ideological perspective, what do you think the most likely scenario is: Two people, one a traitor to Russia, are found in an English town frothing from the mouth and with pinpoint pupils. Are English gastropubs known for their shoddy fugu preparations, perchance? What do you think are the most likely causes of this event?

                  • Bill …
                    4 April 2018 at 10:22 pm

                    I have no “most likely”.

                    But I’m fully aware that what’s being touted as the “most likely” is being fueled by long running ideological antagonism that runs very deep in what I’ll call “the corridors of power” in western society.

                    So what emanates from there ought to be treated with due caution and skepticism. Obviously.

                    And non-political actors (the scientific community at Porton Down) are finally getting the message out that no, they haven’t fingered Russia with their chemical analysis, contradicting what politicians have been so keen to insinuate and have “taken as read”.

                    People can figure for themselves the likely road we’re on with all this if they just take a second to step back.

                    • McFlock …
                      4 April 2018 at 10:46 pm

                      The likely road is some ineffectual sanctions and putin and may continue kleptocracy as usual. No elite on either side is going to risk losing money over this, and any real confrontation here will lose them money.

                      And your geopolitical agnosticism becomes pretty farcical when we look at the mortality rate of putin’s opponents, the reported symptoms of the five injured (three hospitalised) people, and the record of one of the victims. The refusal to acknowledge that something even looks like a duck eventually becomes a sign of one’s own ideological blinkering rather than intellectual integrity.

                    • Ed …
                      4 April 2018 at 10:49 pm

                      Breaking news.
                      The lie has unraveled.

                      Craig Murray explains.

                      “The government has attempted to control the narrative by finally admitting, as they have known for three weeks and just ahead of the OPCW experts coming out and saying so, that there is no evidence the substance used in the Salisbury attack was made in Russia.”

                      https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2018/04/johnson-and-may-hide-as-their-lies-dissolve/

                    • McFlock …
                      4 April 2018 at 10:55 pm

                      breaking news: not every opinion piece you agree with counts as “news”.

                      We’ll see, anyway.

          • AB 2.1.2.1.4
            4 April 2018 at 3:05 pm

            Wayne demands obeisance to the status quo. This must take the form of condemning the crimes (real and sometimes imagined) of our official enemies. Meanwhile the crimes of our official friends (US drone programme) and our own crimes (Operation Burnham) must pass without remark.
            He comes across like a star-performing, Brezhnev-era ideological worker.

        • joe90 2.1.2.2
          4 April 2018 at 4:45 pm

          And when the head of the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory also says there is no known anti-dote to Novichok

          Really?

          This is completely absurd. The antidotes for nerve agent exposure are atropine and oximes. You do not need Novichok to produce atropine and oximes. This is insipid idiot-fodder designed to appeal to morons. https://t.co/GAUGFrwkjR— Dan Kaszeta (@DanKaszeta) April 3, 2018

          Specific treatment

          Antidotes to nerve agent poisoning must be given immediately (see below). It should be noted that some Novichok agents have been specifically designed to be resistant to standard nerve agent antidote therapy.
          Antidotes

          •

          Atropine repeated as required – page 322.
          •

          Pralidoxime – page 323.
          •

          Diazepam – page 325.
          •

          ‘Combi-pens’ – page 326.

          https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/novichok-agent

          • Bill 2.1.2.2.1
            4 April 2018 at 5:07 pm

            Yup. Really.

            Aitkenhead said Porton Down was continuing to work on the substance to try to provide additional information that might help.

            He also said there was no known antidote to novichok but said Porton Down had advised Salisbury district hospital on how to treat the Skripals.

            https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/apr/03/porton-down-experts-unable-to-verify-precise-source-of-novichok

          • Incognito 2.1.2.2.2
            4 April 2018 at 10:11 pm

            Atropine is only a useful antidote if the mechanism of poisoning is through irrveresible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) but only when given early on after exposure.

            The toxicity of these binary agents does not rely primarily on the inhibition of AChE, but it is thought that it causes permanent neuropathy. Consequently, conventional nerve agent antidotes may not work. Reactive oximes such as potassium 2,3-butanedione monoximate may be useful in detoxification.

            …

            Novichok agents are reported to produce more permanent injury, even following appropriate nerve agent antidote treatment.

            …

            Inhibition of NTE, aging, and the process of following the OP binding to an active esterase site that prevents the reactivation of the site are important for selection of an antidote against certain OP nerve agents. It is of primary concern for the Novichok agent.

            Taken from your link.

      • Draco T Bastard 2.1.3
        4 April 2018 at 9:47 am

        told Sky News that the substance required “extremely sophisticated methods to create something only in the capabilities of a state actor.

        Which is, of course, a load of bollocks. Almost all drugs we consume, which also have “extremely sophisticated methods to create’ are made by the private sector. It may be somewhat unlikely that the private sector would produce it as there just isn’t that much demand for it but the private sector could most definitely produce it.

        And we have plenty of experience of the private sector doing dodgy stuff for profit.

      • mauī 2.1.4
        4 April 2018 at 9:56 am

        So a “military-grade” substance which one of the victims makes a miraculous recovery from.

        A substance that doesn’t seem to be classified by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) due to it’s murky nature.

        What type of “novichok” did they identify it as? From the layperson perspective, this isn’t just one chemical but more a grouping of chemicals. It would be good to see some detail on that.

        Not good when the explanation means more questions than answers.

        • Stuart Munro 2.1.4.1
          5 April 2018 at 9:12 pm

          It’s not the murky nature but the development date that excludes novichok from OPCW literature.

          But it is still covered by the agreement, it was developed (illegally) after it was made, and thus not specified, though it is covered by the definitions.

    • veutoviper 2.2
      4 April 2018 at 7:59 am

      According to this Herald article this morning, a cousin is being issued a visa to visit Yulia and her father in hospital in Salisbury.
      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12025321

      • francesca 2.2.1
        4 April 2018 at 8:08 am

        Yes, thats great.In a BBC interview some days ago she said she was getting nowhere with the hospital or the British authorities
        And later it was said the Brits were “considering” her visa .
        Glad if its now gone through
        It must be absolute hell for them

  3. Ffloyd 3
    4 April 2018 at 7:39 am

    Awesome. Guyon on a hiding to nothing from Jacinda. Elegantly done Jacinda. My day is looking better after that little whipping of the Esp.

    • Cinny 3.1
      4 April 2018 at 7:42 am

      Hehe….. just heard that interview too 🙂

    • veutoviper 3.2
      4 April 2018 at 7:51 am

      Here is the video. Guyon really did not like it and ended the interview abruptly!

      http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/354047/watch-pm-stands-by-minister-people-will-make-mistakes

      • Sanctuary 3.2.1
        4 April 2018 at 8:17 am

        Espiner’s “gotcha!” Interviewing style gets old real quick. He also does the public a disservice, because he spends his whole time trying to foot trip his interview subject rather than getting information out of them for voters.

        • OncewasTim 3.2.1.1
          4 April 2018 at 8:03 pm

          But but but…. he’s almost as gorgeous as his former mentor (at least as far as a boyz nite out on the town) Garner.

        • Ed 3.2.1.2
          4 April 2018 at 9:06 pm

          Espiner is just another paid puppet for the establishment.

      • Anne 3.2.2
        4 April 2018 at 8:48 am

        For all Jacinda’s defence of her, there’s a problem with Clare Curran. She seems to be one of those people who never learns from mistakes and goes on to commit more. She has past form in this regard, and I was surprised the caucus elected her to be a cabinet minister. Looks like some in caucus have some learning to do as well.

        • veutoviper 3.2.2.1
          4 April 2018 at 9:11 am

          I agree, Anne. I had a little hope after watching her Q & A interview at the weekend, but then head hit desk again yesterday when I heard she had contacted Griffin directly re the Select Committee appearance. That is exactly the type of situation/action Griffin will play for all its worth from my experience of him.

          JA is in a quandary timing wise with the Budget coming up and the Chairman contact running out in a few weeks, and because Curran’s mistakes are not individually sacking issues. But the ongoing lack of nous makes Curran increasingly a liability not an asset. Curran needs to be put on a very tight lease in the meantime – with a minder checking her every move before she makes it.

          • Anne 3.2.2.1.1
            4 April 2018 at 9:44 am

            That is exactly the type of situation/action Griffin will play for all its worth from my experience of him.

            And from my understanding it is exactly what he did… contacted that venal old hack, Barry Soper and told him all about it.

            • veutoviper 3.2.2.1.1.1
              4 April 2018 at 10:13 am

              Old friends and compatriots – and drinking buddies and partners in related/resultant “activities” – for many decades, if my memory is correct.

          • Reality 3.2.2.1.2
            4 April 2018 at 9:45 am

            Mike Jaspers’ move to a strategic role overseeing all ministers may help situations like this.

            • veutoviper 3.2.2.1.2.1
              4 April 2018 at 11:34 am

              Hopefully, but they need that Chief Press Officer position filled asap by someone very competent. Any rumours?

          • patricia bremner 3.2.2.1.3
            4 April 2018 at 9:56 am

            Veutoviper, Funny you should say Griffin is like that. It went through my mind that Claire Curran would be desperate to get the record straight quickly, and as he has nothing to gain or lose Griffin perhaps was “letting her sweat”.

            When I heard about the letter, I thought, I wonder if he already knew that and let her walk into the second situation, knowing she is going away shortly she would tell him of the other method, which would “suggest” she didn’t want him to appear.

            I watched Richard Griffin on past Political discussion panels, and he played “gotcha” tactics quite often, rather like someone I worked with at that time. I had to be constantly thinking “How could he use this to undermine me.?”

            I think Claire Curran has to realise they may be in the same field but they are not wanting the same things. To deal with him use someone else to forward information, as that makes it impersonal. IMO

            • veutoviper 3.2.2.1.3.1
              4 April 2018 at 10:24 am

              Past personal experience, patricia, which I have mentioned here a couple of times in recent days. https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-28-03-2018/#comment-1467180 And that has a link back to an earlier one.

              It all came to a massive -but very funny end – which I would love to recount but can’t for confidentiality reasons. When I am feeling down, I remember it and roar with laughter. Nothing like playing someone like him at his own game. And I know I am not the only one who has done so and won.

              To be fair though, I have to say that over the years, he has actually admitted to his own failures from time to time. But it does not stop him continuing to operate the way he does and play the ‘no holds barred’ game, nor expecting others to do the same.

          • OncewasTim 3.2.2.1.4
            4 April 2018 at 8:26 pm

            I agree, ditto. Her intentions are good, but I’m not sure she’s actually up to the task in reforming one of the most important roadblocks this coalition faces.
            Indeed, i just got through a discussion with my sister who was hob nobbing and taking blue-haired selfies at that Wairarapa retreat Labour held post election. That’s CC.
            As much as I tried, i couldn’t seem to get her to understand the second bigest roadblock (our public/civil service) senior and muddle management.
            Admittedly the Chardonnay, and whatever other vintner’s ecstacy was probably flowing.
            I had to listen to her relating to me how she was assured with the charge and the reform agenda. An I L-G for example told her of the horrific stories affecting immigrants and generally the dealings had with our gNatsed Public Service.
            The problem I had with her blind faith (as a comfortably off Labour stalwart)…..not unlike a Stace, was that example after example I gave, she (and I FEAR the Jacinda) whose combined selfie I was sent whilst overseas) still do not understand the shit they face.
            Still….I’m prepared to give it a little longer but the clock is tikking.

    • tc 3.3
      4 April 2018 at 9:02 am

      Curran was meant to be whipping that neolib echo chamber into shape and Gluon’s behaviour shows he’s pretty confident of his tenure or got plan B sorted IMO.

      If Curran’s the ‘fixer’ who can blame him.

    • Venezia 3.4
      4 April 2018 at 9:56 am

      Jacinda was brilliant.

  4. Cinny 4
    4 April 2018 at 7:41 am

    Media appear to be burying Tim Keatings resignation….. why is that??

    How many resignations have there been now by those who called the shots for Operation Burnham? john key, bill english, johnathan coleman and now keating. Special mention for spin doctor joyce.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/102798309/tim-keating-to-stand-down-as-head-of-the-new-zealand-defence-force

    • Freddo 4.1
      4 April 2018 at 8:43 am

      No one is “burying” Keating stepping down. Three to four years is the normal term for a NZ CDF in recent decades, and that is how long Keating has now served in that role Wikipedia CDF NZ. It is just a completely normal end of term for Keating, nothing more.

      Also in my opinion, if we waste our time getting falsely excited over things like the routine end of term of a Defence Force commander rather than concentrating on real problems for the government and NZ , like reducing homelessness, or the risks of having people like Clare Curran and Shane Jones as Ministers, we are just improving the chances of a Tory government in 2020.

    • mac1 4.2
      4 April 2018 at 8:56 am

      I am on the present information appalled at Operation Burnham. But Keating’s resignation is for the end of his first but renewable term as Defence Chief. He has had the role for four years. His term is not out of the ordinary and does not seem to have been cut short. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_of_Defence_Force_(New_Zealand)

      So, connections being made are based on timing. How many Defence Chiefs took up a second term? They all did 2-4 years in the job.

      All, the same, I’d bet he knew not to go seeking a second term because of Operation Burnham’s fallout. Less embarrassing to retire than not be offered the second term. But that, too, is conjecture.

      What is more useful to know is what affect will his tenure end have upon further investigations into Operation Burnham? Will he still be able to be questioned, records examined, sanctions imposed if needed? Will his going affect the true carriage of justice?

    • veutoviper 4.3
      4 April 2018 at 10:37 am

      Quite a few out there, Cinny.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12025340

      http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/04/defence-force-chief-tim-keating-standing-down.html

      Question is whether it is an actual “resignation” or a case of him announcing that he is not seeking/wanting reappointment when his current appointment runs out on 30 June. The Herald is running with the latter.

      [Different subject – did you get to the bottom of the bible pushers at your daughter’s school tuck shop? ]

      • Cinny 4.3.1
        5 April 2018 at 7:25 am

        Hey VV, school was fine with it as it’s the Gideons (new testaments in the motels outfit). Lmao, yeah ok then. Bit of a waste many ended up in the rubbish bin.

        Oh wells, at least my girls know that Easter has been around since before Jesus was born 🙂

  5. Sanctuary 5
    4 April 2018 at 8:34 am

    The irony of the right wing British press accusing Jeremy Corbyn of being anti-semitic by going to a seder because they were the wrong sort of Jews…

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1
      4 April 2018 at 9:24 am

      Um, what?

    • Siobhan 5.2
      4 April 2018 at 12:28 pm

      Indeed…a sense of irony is something missing from all the coverage of all the major news stories these days, not to mention all the ‘major’ news stories that are, infact, not all that ‘major’ to anyone other than the owners of the MSM and their friends…

  6. adam 6
    4 April 2018 at 8:50 am

    So theater – political theater is the main game in town. How about we act in the interests of the labour movement, ignore the theater and talk about economics.

    Here if you have half an hour free, On Contact with Richard Wolff.

  7. dukeofurl 7
    4 April 2018 at 9:03 am

    Guess where the location of the UKs chemical research centre ,Porton Down is located?

    just under 6km from the outskirts of Salisbury. Yes the same city where the Skripals lived.
    Oops

    • james 7.1
      4 April 2018 at 9:20 am

      Are you trying to imply it was from the UK?

    • francesca 7.2
      4 April 2018 at 10:08 am

      Duke of URL
      I suppose the OPCW will of course compare samples from the Skripals with samples from Porton Down’s own catalogue
      Why do I suggest Porton Down has novichoks of its own ?

      Considering that Porton Down has significant collaboration with the Pentagon on experimenting with chemical warfare agents

      https://southfront.org/salisbury-nerve-agent-attack-reveals-70-million-pentagon-program-porton/

      and that the US had inimpeded access, indeed control over exSoviet novichok facilities, plus Soviet novichok chemists like Mirzayanov,… links provided on request…
      I find it implausible that the US would not develop and share its own novichok program, with Porton Down chemists
      Note that Porton Down has not outright denied it has novichok samples of its own,rather denying that novichoks could escape from its 4 walls

  8. patricia bremner 8
    4 April 2018 at 9:35 am

    I hear on RNZ news Shane Jones has approved funding towards the Napier Wairoa Rail line saying it will remove 5000 trucks from the roads. Some on the Standard were asking for this.

    • veutoviper 8.1
      4 April 2018 at 10:04 am

      Cleangreen, but he and others want it extended to Gisborne, and not just to Wairoa. There are apparently reasons for not doing so, but I am not familiar enough with those issues. I am sure we will see more on the issues in due course.

      Kia kaha patricia.

  10. Pete 10
    4 April 2018 at 12:09 pm

    The problems of Clare Curran from another perspective:

    1 Clare Curran makes a ‘mistake’ every time she does something which someone doesn’t like.

    2 Clare Curran does things which don’t fit traditional protocols she’s guilty of heinous crimes and she should be hung – or at least sacked. Steven Joyce and John Key doing things which didn’t fit traditional approaches and protocols was showing refreshing approaches demonstrating their ‘hands on’ interest.

    3 Richard Griffin is longer in the tooth than Jason Ede and knows how to play the game to suit himself.

    4 Is Richard Griffin appointed to the board with an expectation to enact Government policy or is Richard Griffin appointed to the board to keep everyone in the picture when something happens which he thinks is political?

    5 Does Richard Griffin have a direct link to Kiwiblog so he can keep them in the loop? If not why not? He may as well have.

    • veutoviper 10.1
      4 April 2018 at 12:30 pm

      Pete Griffin has been Chair of the RNZ Board since 2010. His latest two year contract signed by the National Govt in 2016 expires on 30 April 2018 – ie in only 4 weeks time. It is not expected that he will be reappointed by this government.

      So he is out of the picture in a few weeks – and has nothing to lose.

      He doesn’t need Kiwiblog. IMHO all signs suggest that he has just been going direct to Melissa Lee with information allowing her to keep the anti-Curran meme going in Question Time in the House. And also IMHO probably to his old mates like Barry Soper to keep things going in the MSM.

  11. veutoviper 11
    4 April 2018 at 12:52 pm

    For anyone interested, today is a Members Day in Parliament, which means they will be considering Members’ Bills, not Government Bills.

    As I/S has kindly pointed out on his NRT blog, today two National Bills come back from Select Committee consideration.
    http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2018/04/members-day.html

    As it is relatively short, here is what I/S says as he says it better than I would:

    Today is a Members’ Day, and after the flood of first readings we’ve had recently, we’re now into the boring bit. First up are two National Party bills which have come back from select committee – Alastair Scott’s Crimes (Increased Penalty for Providing Explosive to Commit Crime) Amendment Bill and Brett Hudson’s Social Security (Stopping Benefit Payments for Offenders who Repeatedly Fail to Comply with Community Sentences) Amendment Bill. (Note Para break is mine, VV)

    In both cases the select committee has gone “yeah, nah”, pointing at significant flaws in the bills. Whether they pass or not is going to depend on New Zealand First, and how much stupidity they’re willing to indulge in to appear “tough on crime” and appeal to elderly arseholes.

    Once they’re out of the way, the House should move on to Denise Lee’s misnamed Employment (Pay Equity and Equal Pay) Bill (which is intended to make it harder for women to get equal pay) and Harete Hipango’s Health and Safety at Work (Volunteer Associations) Amendment Bill. (Again para break is mine, VV)

    If the House moves really quickly, it may make a start on Chlöe Swarbrick’s Election Access Fund Bill, but it really depends on how much time they waste on those second readings. There should be a ballot for at least one bill tomorrow.

  12. Penny Bright 12
    4 April 2018 at 1:15 pm

    NZ ANTI-CORRUPTION WHISTLE-BLOWER ALERT!

    (Wednesday 4 April 2018)

    A ‘malicious prosecution’ to force the rating sale of my home?

    Information, facts and evidence which support my considered opinion that the forced rating sale proceedings against my home, authorised by Auckland Council CEO Stephen Town are a ‘malicious prosecution’.

    http://www.kiwisfirst.com/whats-wrong-picture/

    What’s Wrong With This Picture?
    By Vince Siemer / April 3, 2018

    She is an unpaid, full-time public advocate who Transparency International New Zealand recognised as instrumental in advancing transparency into how billions of dollars of ratepayers’ monies are spent in Auckland.

    She has an unrelenting, brash and uncomfortably in-your-face style – and she prolifically spouts facts and figures as her first line of attack and defence.

    He is a local public servant who earns almost a quarter million dollars a year morethan the New Zealand Prime Minister. $690,000 per year.

    He is the distinguished bureaucrat who manages how Auckland ratepayers’ monies are spent; a position which brings many potential suitors to his door.

    Perhaps tellingly, the ratepayers pay his exorbitant legal bills which he would doubtfully authorise if it was his own money.

    More on this in a bit.

    Penny Bright, whistleblower v Stephen Town, Chief Executive of Auckland Council.

    The battleground is now Ms Bright’s house which Auckland Council last week published it intended to tender sale by 24 April 2018.

    Ms Bright owes Auckland Council over $20,000 in rates on her freehold Kingsland house.

    She says she is refusing to pay the deficit until Auckland Council “opens the books” on what Auckland Council is paying independent contractors.

    In addition to asserting ratepayers are entitled to know where their money is spent, she believes the existing model is rife with conflicts of interest and backhanders.

    With legal costs her outstanding bill stands at $47,000, and Auckland Council is now seeking to force sale of her home to collect the debt.

    Mr Town on the other hand has long considered information on what private contractors are paid to be proprietary, alleging any financial disclosure on how ratepayers’ monies are spent would compromise the business relationships Auckland Council enjoy with private contractors.

    As to her forced house sale, Town says it is unfair to other Auckland ratepayers if Bright is not forced to pay her back rates – which have skyrocketed to the equivalent of 1 ½ weeks of Mr Town’s salary.

    Ms Bright cannot help believe there is some bad blood acting out, having sued Mr Town for defamation in a case which never went to trial.

    The catalyst was an Auckland Council-funded October 2014 press release in which Town claimed “Ms Bright has made wild and inaccurate accusations about the Council and it’s probity”

    ……

    • Stunned Mullet 12.1
      4 April 2018 at 2:40 pm

      Look on the bright side Penny, the media scrum surrounding the sale of your house will give you an excellent opportunity for exposure of your opinions.

  13. Beatie 13
    4 April 2018 at 2:19 pm

    Excellent article from Stuff about the reality of having a chronic illness and having to rely on Winz. I was heartened by the mostly positive comments and also by the offers of financial help.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/102790885/my-illnesses-make-it-hard-to-live–winz-makes-it-impossible

  14. Kay 14
    4 April 2018 at 3:26 pm

    Hey Weka (and anyone else interested) following on from yesterday’s comments.
    I just came home after meeting with my MPs staffer who is now VERY well informed about the Accommodation supplement/TAS issue. And several other issues around dealing with WINZ while I was there (might as well!)
    I wrote up all my numbers to give her an idea of how the punishment works, but emphasised this is happening to a hell of a lot of people, especially those in private rental and it’s not like we even have the option of moving to Social housing anymore.

    She was very good to talk to, end result is she’s going to send a letter to our lovely Minister. I was just about to include details but I won’t given this is a public forum and don’t want to sabotage anything. While obviously no miracles are expected- and I let her know that- she stands a much better chance of getting a reply from Carmen than a mere beneficiary ever would.

    She also encouraged me to get the people I know having WINZ concerns to go to the office in person if they could; they get a lot of phone call and emails but personal visits can make a bigger impact (words to that effect). So something to think about for people easily able to access electorate/list offices of Government MPs?

    • weka 14.1
      4 April 2018 at 3:37 pm

      Very good Kay!!

      I have been thinking about pushing this with the Greens too. I can’t get to an office so am thinking through other options. I would really like to know how aware they are of the issue too.

      What kind of figures did you give the staffer?

      • Kay 14.1.1
        4 April 2018 at 3:50 pm

        Old and new SLP rate
        Old and new AS rate
        Breakdown of my full payment (SLP/DS/AS/TAS) old and new
        What I’d be getting with the increase if I wasn’t getting TAS
        How much my TAS was cut
        Total increase (a whole $2.18!!)

        • weka 14.1.1.1
          4 April 2018 at 7:23 pm

          Did you put those through the full formulas?

          • Chris 14.1.1.1.1
            4 April 2018 at 7:44 pm

            I’ve just seen this now so am coming in cold, but I suspect the issue you’re talking about is how the annual CPI increase to main benefits means a drop in the rate of accommodation supplement, and then in turn a drop in TAS? I couldn’t find the comments from yesterday.

            • weka 14.1.1.1.1.1
              4 April 2018 at 11:45 pm

              Pretty much. Also, landlords thinking beneficiaries are all getting a $35/wk rise and putting rents up, but some benes are getting bugger all rise, so do they end up with a net decrease?

              • Chris …
                5 April 2018 at 9:46 am

                I’m not sure if it can result in a net decrease, but it does mean that a person’s overall payment does not increase by anywhere near the touted CPI increase. This is because that while main benefits are purported to increase according to the CPI, the accommodation supplement is calculated on the basis of 25% of the main benefit i.e. a person is meant to put the first 25% of their income towards accommodation before any other help kicks in. That’s the theory behind the calculation. So if the main benefit increases, the 25% figure used to calculate the accommodation supplement increases.

                For example, if the main benefit is $100 a week, the “entry threshold” is $25 (25%). Accommodation supplement is calculated by subtracting the entry threshold from the rent. If rent is $50 this comes to $25. The final amount of accommodation supplement is arrived at by taking 70% of this, which comes to $17.50, rounded up to $18 a week accommodation supplement, subject to the caps based on region and family size.

                Do this again on the basis of an increase of main benefit to, say, $110 a week, means an increased entry threshold to 27.50, rounded up (I think from memory, although it might be rounded down unless it’s over .5, can’t remember) to $28. $28 from $50 rent is $22, and 70% of this is $15.40, rounded up to $16 accommodation supplement a week.

                So the upshot is that main benefits being increased by the CPI (or for any reason) will mean a drop in accommodation supplement, therefore a person’s total income does not go up by the CPI percentage. It’s built in so any change will require change to the legislation.

                Further anomalies include the accommodation supplement for people under 25 being calculated on the basis of the 25 and over benefit rate, in other words according to income that’s higher than what’s received, and the calculation of the entry thresholds for people with children including the family tax credits. The latter never used to be the case and was introduced by the 1999-2008 Labour government and amounted to a benefit cut, all done totally under the radar, of course.

                (I needed to edit this version from the one originally put up because I forgot to include the rent amounts in the examples.)

                • weka …
                  5 April 2018 at 12:29 pm

                  Thanks, I didn’t know that was how the AS was set.

                  By net decrease I meant that if someone was at their maximum AS because of the Area cap, and the landlord thought she was getting an extra $35/wk and put her rent up $35 a week, but the cap only went up $5/week then she would have an overall decrease in her income after accommodation costs even with the CPI increase to the base benefit. More complicated with TAS, but if a beneficiary’s total increase this year on April 1, after recalculating AS and TAS and taking into account the CPI increase, is only a few dollars but their rent goes up by $25 or $35, then they are substantially worse off.

                  (I haven’t run this through the various formulas yet, so am not 100% certain about what I have just said).

                  Adam talked about this in one of the other threads. His rent went up $25 recently, presumably because the landlord knew about the govt’s announcement.

                  I have no idea how common that scenario will be, but I can already see that many long term people with disabilities will be particularly at risk because they have no way of earning other income.

                  • Chris …
                    5 April 2018 at 3:03 pm

                    You can be 100% certain that this is the case for a lot of people who are either relatively close to the cap or who have accommodation costs that mean they’ve hit the cap i.e. that there will be a net decrease of income after rent is paid. And things do get complicated further by the disability allowance and temporary additional support, particularly for those with disability costs either at or over the maximum. There’s also a particular group who have assets that still allow entitlement to an accommodation supplement but which knock out entitlement to temporary additional support, so there’s no leveling out at all. This is a different issue, though, to the CPI increases and how the accommodation supplement is calculated: it’s about landlords lifting rents in a belief, rightly or wrongly that the tenant’s income has increased.

                    • weka …
                      5 April 2018 at 3:15 pm

                      This is what I thought 🙁

                      “This is a different issue, though, to the CPI increases and how the accommodation supplement is calculated: it’s about landlords lifting rents in a belief, rightly or wrongly that the tenant’s income has increased.”

                      I see them all part of the same thing. Labour wanting to do something, but being hampered by their unwillingness to view welfare as a good thing. They knew about the landlord issue and not only went ahead anyway but skited about the increase on social media. That’s what fucked me off. I get that it will take time to fix WINZ but I just don’t see Labour getting it yet, what the real problems are. Hence Kay’s comments about talking to her local MP who had no idea about their own party’s welfare policy impacted on people in real life.

                    • Chris …
                      5 April 2018 at 3:48 pm

                      The wider problem began with the 1991 benefit cuts which made the add-ons so much more important in terms of overall income. The difficulty with relying on the add-ons is that they’re harder to get because they’re either asset or income tested or discretionary or dependent on tightly prescribed criteria. One of the first things that needs to happen is acknowledgement that the balance between main benefits and add-ons are way out of whack and that main benefits need to be raised. This won’t stop greedy landlords who think it’s their right to take that off tenants who’re poor, though. A real shame when incomes are already way behind anywhere near liveable in the first place.

                  • Chris …
                    5 April 2018 at 4:07 pm

                    There’s also the issue for people who’re not at the accommodation supplement cap but who receive temporary additional support. The accommodation supplement goes up but the temporary additional support goes down because the accommodation supplement is income when assessing the level of temporary afdditional support. So landlords put the rent up, again based on a perceived increase in overal income. Theoretically the beneficiary tenant’s temporary additional support then goes up because costs (rent) have increased, but there are so many variables like precise costs an individual has, the various caps, asset tests etc that it’s seldom a simple matter of increasing temporary additional support by the same increase in costs.

            • weka 14.1.1.1.1.3
              4 April 2018 at 11:53 pm

              btw, have you come across this before? Disability Exception amount,

              https://thestandard.org.nz/the-largesse/#comment-1469574

    • McFlock 14.2
      4 April 2018 at 3:53 pm

      Outstanding!

      Good call about not including details – not because sabotaging anything, but tories will try to make your life hell.

      MP offices list is this excel workbook, available from the bottom of this parliament page here. Lots of them have just post boxes though – maybe the, er, phone book? Old school? Or phone the office and make an appointment and they’ll give the address? Weird.

      • Kay 14.2.1
        4 April 2018 at 5:06 pm

        Yeah that is weird McFlock. Maybe some of them don’t want the great unwashed masses to find them?
        My guy was easy to find- electorate MP and the office has been there for years, but I wouldn’t know how to find a Wellington based Green/NZ1 MPs office (if they even have one) , or if there even is one. So emailing @parliament would have to be the initial approach.

        • McFlock 14.2.1.1
          4 April 2018 at 5:29 pm

          Well, that list is from december, so maybe some hadn’t leased places yet? Or maybe they work out of party offices so there’s some issue along those lines.

          I’d call – immediate communication once you finally talk to a human being. Maybe even in the same town.

      • Anne 14.2.2
        4 April 2018 at 8:31 pm

        No not weird McFlock. There’s been several incidents over the years where staff at electorate offices have been threatened. To my knowledge no-one has been hurt but I know Parliamentary Services (who fund the electorate offices) take security measures very seriously. One of them could well be… don’t advertise your electorate office address.

        I have a faint recollection of threats being made to Helen Clark’s office staff when she was PM. I think they ended up having a security guy present during working hours.

  15. Ed 15
    4 April 2018 at 5:26 pm

    Good to see John Campbell shaming Brownlee, National and EQC over Canterbury.
    Brownlee hasn’t accepted an interview on Checkpoint for 2 years.
    His and National ‘s contempt for democracy and the citizens of this country beggars belief.

    • Pat 15.1
      4 April 2018 at 6:44 pm

      Still continues to miss the point that it was a deliberate policy designed to reduce costs…..that is the most galling aspect of the whole sorry affair. None of this is news and the ample evidence provided over the years that was ignored or minimised by Brownlee, Simpson et al is the key.We can but hope and expect that with better access to records the truth will out….It will only take one to break ranks.

  16. Tony Veitch (not etc) 16
    4 April 2018 at 5:34 pm

    Great viewing – the Ex-Nat government got a real hiding on Checkpoint from 5pm to about 25 past –

    First Megan Wood saying Brownlee made a real botch of re-repairs after the ChCh earthquake.

    Then Brownlee hanging up on John Campbell on the same issue.

    And last Chris Faafoi slammed the last government for doing f-all about a possibly fatal airbag problem.

    • Chris 16.1
      4 April 2018 at 9:24 pm

      Surfing around looking up Tim Selwyn lead me to this.

      https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/03/26/bureaucratic-torture-its-time-to-get-angry-about-this-governments-welfare-policies/

      Is more apt than ever now given what’s now happening at local MSD offices, that is, they’re empty, nobody’s going there anymore because of the army of thugs they’ve plonked in every office. Goes hand-in-hand with the decades-old practice of gatekeeping. Two sides of the same coin. The only exception to empty offices is every Friday when the AAAP set up camp outside two or three offices in Auckland to assist people access entitlements. What happens there is that people sleep outside the office and in cars to get a place in the queue.

  17. eco maori 17
    5 April 2018 at 7:56 am

    Good morning The AM Show those were my thoughts to if we held the Common Wealth Games we could spread the competition in 3 or 4 Citys being so close.
    Amanda that’s the way don’t be shy to mention climate change it will cost us billions more in the future if we don’t Act now I
    planning and changing the way we do things goods made to last 20 years. I agree with Sefton we need to balance this change so we don’t make any changes that the negative effect out way the benefits. Ka kite ano

    • eco maori 17.1
      5 April 2018 at 8:41 am

      The AM Show Mark S. There is nothing wrong with being nice Mark Richardson is Ka pai in ECO MAORI book so Ka kite ano

  18. eco maori 18
    5 April 2018 at 2:35 pm

    I see one man crying and string the human emotions pot saying they are going to take his ferrari off him I would say retire him and his elite idealistic views but he is only a few years older than me. Another saying crowing that the steps that the new coalition government is taking to mitigate climate change will hurt the poor the most. Lets get this straight the real effect of Global warming will hurt the poor common people the most look at Fiji and Tonga they are not wealthy countries they cannot afford to rebuild every 2 years or build houses that can with stand hurricanes they need help. The poor common people will end up paying the most cost in loss of habitat and lives that’s a fact We need to combat climate change immediately to save lives enough said Ka kite ano

  19. eco maori 19
    5 April 2018 at 6:42 pm

    Newshub starting a trade war with Tariffs are a fools game one would think that some had figured that out.
    Martin Luther King was a great passive man fighting passively for equality for all coloured Americans his shooting turned him into a Martyr Kia kaha.
    Racially profiling people is a act of racism and should be shunned as we have good and bad in all cultures bad people are not exclusively just in minority culture. Kia kaha to all our athletes at the Gold Coast Common Wealth Games.
    Ka kite ano

    • eco maori 19.1
      5 April 2018 at 7:19 pm

      The Crowd goes Wild TV 4 James and Makere it good to see Sir Richard Hadley give the award to our fast bowler Trent boult.
      Mulls you lucky bugger that’s a good view of the basketball V I P Box a good on you e hoa. Surfing is a great sport you have to be fit for that sport some good breaks in Te tairawhiti.Kia kaha Ka kite ano

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  • Stories of varying weight

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    17 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    23 hours ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
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    19 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
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    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
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    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
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    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
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    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
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    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
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    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
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    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
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    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
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    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
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    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
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    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
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    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
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    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
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    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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