A must read – Andrew Gunn’s brilliant satire on Mike Hosking in the Dominion Post. It’s worth reading over and over and over again. Andrew Gunn will not be on Hosking’s invitation to a barbecue at his mansion any time soon.
It's probably a good thing that Nostradumbass can't see far enough to realise he needs to not piss off the military. Especially if he's got any ideas of staying on after the voters reject him or he reaches the end of the time allowed by the constitution.
I would like to know who he did cc to on his email. Apparently it was a lot (over 10) he would have known his job was on the line and some people would not of wanted to make the hard call like he did.
Not sure if Trump will want him charged with something. Hope that Captain Crozier does not lose his military severance.
Everyone wants a hero in a time of crisis. But while Cuomo has certainly been willing to play the part (convincingly enough that a few folks even want him to run for president), what he’s done away from the cameras is telling: using $2/hour prison labor to rebottle hand sanitizer, refusing to release elderly and sick incarcerated persons from Riker’s Island, and slashing Medicaid rather than raising taxes on the 0.01 wealthiest New Yorkers. These aren’t the sorts of measures that would save lives in this crucial moment, and they certainly won’t prevent future crises from happening.
Hmmm, you have been commenting here for over 3 years.
When you viewing the content that you’re citing/quoting, go to the address bar at the top and highlight the address (AKA URL, it usually starts with “https://***** “), copy it, and paste it into your comment.
A question: for a while there was talk of a UBI being introduced – even temporarily – to ease people through this crisis. That talk seems to have subsided.
Setting aside whether people think it's a good or a bad idea, has anyone heard anything more on this? Or was it more of a twiteratti idea, floated by some and quickly lost sight of?
Nothing that I have seen. But I’d also say that there really isn’t and hasn’t been enough time to plan it even if it was on the table. To implement it would months if not years just in the software alone.
For what it happening now, you’re limited to existing channels.
Working for families is specific to a group. It has rules and a database attached to implement it.
What is the system for people who are not in working for families? Because WFF is a specific kind of tax code with a system and data store created specifically for the set of rules for that.
Remember that working for families took more than a year to implement on the old computer, and anecdotally almost as long on the new system.
They probably won’t have as much internal programming wiring to do. But they still have to get all of the other supporting systems in place. Then they have to load millions of data points into the system.
Basically plan on it taking at least a year once the policy is laid down. To do anything less is essentially guaranteed to make it fail.
Not to mention that there would have to be a pretty strong political debate. Personally I remain quite unconvinced that a UBI is a particularly good system for delivering any kind of useful outcome, and I have been reading about mutually contradictory versions here for a decade.
Sounds more like a religious slogan than something that is implementable into something useful for the whole of our society.
I’m also picking that the announcement of any specific UBI proposal will immediately trigger a war between the supporters of it because no proposal is going to satisfy any of its supporters. And that is before the skeptics get to look at it.
Supposedly START is faster to update than FIRST was, but a key difference here would be that the database is everyone or all natural persons, not an application process for a subset with specific criteria.
Agree that long term UBI needs a different debate to a short term grant. Perhaps a simpler option then is to increase benefits and other support so unemployment doesn't hurt so much.
Another option would be to hand out some one-off grants. That could be managed through income tax refunds – just make the minimum refund $1000, or $1000 for income < a figure TBD.
Agree that long term UBI needs a different debate to a short term grant. Perhaps a simpler option then is to increase benefits and other support so unemployment doesn't hurt so much.
That would be my pick – an existing channel.
That could be managed through income tax refunds..
That really isn't an existing channel.
I haven't filed a income tax statement in more than two decades. I haven't needed to. PAYE, witholding taxes, and these days even the close balance between costs and revenue on my rented out apartment haven't required me to.
Every 2-3 years I rough cut my possible tax return as an exercise and it winds up with trivial amounts that the government would have to return to me. I write it off as just another donation like – well – my taxes.
It simply isn't even worth my time to calculate or dispute or even to try to figure out how to avoid with all of the aggravating fiddling. If I want to change tax systems, I'll usually just advocate for it rather than waste the tax departments time.
While I'm sure that the IRD is aware of a few of my bank accounts, they have no idea of where to place refunds. They certainly don't have a tax refund process for a whole swath of people like me who are usually reasonably well paid, don't have significiant periods of unemployment, and who haven't felt that it is worth their time wrangling fewer taxes through refunds.
There will also be a whole range of people who don’t file returns because their income is too low to make it worthwhile.
Imagine having to try to build a refund system for what will be (conservatively) half of the working population who never file returns nor receive refunds.
Kiwisaver would probably be a wider spread – but what good does sticking refunds in there do for the day-to-day.
As of last year, all taxpayers receive a personal tax summary (income statement is the legal term) if they are not IR3 filers, so the mechanism is there now to do that if government really wants to. If you didn't get a refund or a bill, either IRD don't have a current bank a/c (but Kiwisaver transfers from providers to IRD normally include a standard bank a/c number, so they might have that) or you owed them <$20 so it was written off automatically.
Couple that with an advertising campaign, and it might work. Probably the easiest method would be to increase the Independent Earner Tax Credit since that already exists, so income parameters can be adjusted, rather than having to add something new to the system.
Probably easier to just pay higher benefits/TAS though.
Considering what I view as pointed minority faux outrage over example setting, bike rides, bubble bursting and not following advice, and noting the increase of insulting bad language being used here over the past week, like calling others wankers, twats and cunts, maybe a stronger adherence to the edict of be kinder to each other may be in order.
It appears the tests have a problem with producing a lot of false negatives. Possibly especially among the asymptomatic. So while they are still resource constrained and not yet even testing all those presenting with symptoms, it's easy to see how it's not considered worthwhile testing those without symptoms.
Conventional diagnostic tests for the novel coronavirus may give false-negative results about 30% of the time, meaning people with an active COVID-19 infection still test negative for the disease, according to news reports.
…
In one scenario, the initial swab sample may not always collect enough genetic material to provide an accurate test. This problem may arise more often in patients who do not show many symptoms at the time of their test, the Globe reported. In addition, the standard nasopharyngeal swab, wherein a long instrument is wriggled and rotated to the very back of the nasal cavity, can be both difficult for clinicians to perform and uncomfortable for patients to endure, Krumholz wrote.
Yup. The tests developed in Germany ain't flash on the false negative front. But they're 100% accurate on the positive result side.
By the reasoning you present, then trace, track and test ain't gonna happen, and if there's no testing, then Shelter in Place ain't going to have the desired outcome and we'll wind up in the same place as we would have with a Social Distancing strategy. (ie – ~ 70% infection rate)
So the question comes down to whether people who are asymptomatic but worried are more likely to adequately self isolate than 30% who are asymptomatic but infected and received an all-clear.
I believe the result of a negative is relayed as "not found" (some such wording at any rate) – this from a friend who was tested. So not an unequivocal "all clear".
False negatives are a problem for screening tests because people treat it like an all-clear. False positives are a problem for diagnostic tests because they result in unnecessary treatment.
Copy that. Your friend is typical of literally every person ever tested, therefore you must be correct. Yay.
And there are very few tests with zero false positives. I'm sure you checked out the ROC charts on the German test before making that claim, though, so yay for you again.
I couldn't say whether they are typical or atypical. I can only relay their reaction to being given a test result that was worded in such a way as to preserved a measure of uncertainty in their mind.
On the German test, I'm simply repeating what Michael Osterholm (infectious disease epidemiologist, regents professor, and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. ) has said regards its sensitivity – given his field of expertise I thought it reasonable enough to take him at his word, but hey…
As for your comment about the German test, what was the good professor's exact comment? ISTR Roche was touting 95% accuracy, not perfection. Or was Osterholm talking about some other German-developed testing protocol?
So the question comes down to whether people who are asymptomatic but worried are more likely to adequately self isolate than 30% who are asymptomatic but infected and received an all-clear.
The bit I think is lacking is that people living in the same house should be physically distancing within the household if one of them has tested positive. But I don't think that is what is happening? It's a problem if any of them are going out to work.
I think there are guides on physically distancing from flatmates etc, but yeah – if someone in your house is infected, probably don't go to work would be my thinking. No matter what you do, you could well end up infecting other essential workers.
I would like to be more optimistic but I cannot be at this stage. It is the pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic cases as well as the false negative cases and the people not properly isolating who have it that bothers me.
A depiction of a silly person showing their economic model doesn't work. It works how it's supposed to work, how the market has determined it works.
Somewhere down the line when she finds it's not working in the way she wants it to be working she's demanding it change to operate in a different way. Of course in the current awful situation no-one's going to tell her to get off the grass especially the guy she's interviewing. She doesn't get it and even if she were told she probably still wouldn't get it.
For his trouble of doing what life has taught him to do, make money, he's called a traitor. Apparently though patriotism is a big thing, the most important thing. How did that go for career civil servants in the impeachment thing when patriotism had them coming forward looking after their country? This silly woman was probably calling them traitors too.
They don't want globalisation, they want to be self-sufficient. They want American companies operating off-shore making millions through cheap labour and also want to export stuff to other countries. Why don't they put a wall around the whole place? That'll stop masks escaping.
Never been one for Bill Maher. But it has been interesting watching chat shows without the studio audience, and the subtle changes to delivery that entails. The Daily Show is doing some interesting stuff, and John Oliver is largely doing the usual lol.
Not sure what 'NZ widlife' could be road kill, except possibly kiwi in parts of Northland where the numbers have increased with effective predator control recently. The only roadkill on NZ roads are introduced mammals like possums, rabbits and hedgehogs. That means they are probably surviving more and with probably next to no predator control being done, could be an environmental disaster in the making. Noticed the seagulls were looking hungry up at Waitangi the last week with no tourists chucking them chips or sandwichs to eat. The one place that will definitely benefit by hugely reduced traffic will be in Oz where some roads are normally splattered by dead wombats, wallabies, echidnas etc.!
Yes,I did. It's somewhat of a hodgepodge of an article, but the general message is that nature is getting a bit of a reprieve in may places in varied ways, even the climate. NZ's a bit of a outlier because of the pressure from non-native species. I would have thought that marine life generally will benefit from far fewer amateur fishers and boaties out on the water.
Ok, I couldn’t quite tell from your previous comment @ 19.1 if you had read it.
For example, the opening paragraph of the article is:
Scientists are expecting subtle changes in New Zealand wildlife behaviour during these extraordinary times but are frustrated that fieldwork is banned and they can only observe within their bubbles. [my italics]
See the connection to what I quoted @ 19?
In national parks and other conservation areas, human presence is usually low, not including the Great Walks and the like. But 1080 operations have reportedly ceased and there will be knock-on effects from this.
This relates to the “predator control” and the “environmental disaster in the making” in NZ that you mentioned @ 19.1.
The piece also touches on the balance between native and non-native species here in NZ in the last two paragraphs.
Taken together, it is a large-scale ‘experiment’ without observers in the field. I think this could be a missed opportunity to learn from because the ‘experiment’ will hopefully be short-lived.
Having spoken to the culpability of the CCP frequently, I'm going to balance the books with Joe Rogan talking with Eric Weinstein on what is happening in the USA. I've started the link at 14:22 and the next 40 min is probably the guts of it:
These are obviously concerning reports but it also poses the question…why do countries like the US, France Germany and Canada need to import masks from China?
indeed…i can understand that cost may be a factor in using chinese supply but find it difficult to believe that advanced economies arnt capable of their own production especially given we appear to have the capability here
Grateful here in NZ small businesses actually got the govt subsidies. This didn't happen in the US for the most part which all but guarantees widespread failures.
We don't know how lucky we are.
Does the disclosure of what companies received money breach privacy?
World count of approximately 10,000,000 cases by mid April. We are blessed to have a government that acted comparatively early, although there is a desperate need for harsh consequences.
I am trying to not look forward more than a day about the distress Covid-19 is causing. Some governments are just not prepared. The situation has become cruel in Ecuador, dead left out in the street and dead in the homes. I knew this would occur in countries with few resources.
I personally would have chosen Nandy. Maybe next time.
Already those who rage-quit the party when Corbyn was leader are starting to come crawling back, expecting to just pick up where they left off in 2015.
I just remembered your good links ecomaori and I will remember to keep checking to see what music you have heard lately. So I hope you will keep putting it up. Thanks. Kia ora ongoing.
You are reporting positives – gives me a lift, so thanks for telling about the good.
I think that the road sight in Te Taitokerau should be examined by archaeological people before any roads are built. Why are they doing that while the lock down is in place Shady.
I think that the parents should not stress to much if there tamariki are not receiving education resources.
Water problems in Auckland That's part of global warming predictions.
If a business person was running the country he would have waited till the Rinos had run Aotearoa over before making big moves that has big financial effects there way of thinking is money before humanity.
You can't help but try and politicise the virus issue. We have to put people's lives first.
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
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Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
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Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
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Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
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I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
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New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
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Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
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The virus may scear you – but capitalism's latest round of failure and ever growing monopolies should make you mad.
Do you mean 'scare' or 'scar'?
And by 'mad' to you mean insane, or angry?
And which monopolies are you speaking of?
My poor spelling skills again – scare.
angry
🙂
all of the meanings work, though, in that context. 🙂
Which failures and monopolies are you thinking of in particular ?
Have you got your head in the clouds Stunned Mullet?
No one is unemployed.
There is no bailout
Everything is fine
You must have misunderstood my question… or I misunderstood what you were trying to say.
I thought there were some particular monopolies you were concerned about ?
…and not sure how capitalism or indeed any particular 'ism' is to blame for the current crisis.
Nothing is wrong in Stunned Mullets world.
I never pointed our particulars.
You seem to be avoiding the economic crisis for some odd reason, you know 600 people lost their jobs today.
That had nothing to do with the economic structure we live under ah Stunned Mullet??!?
A must read – Andrew Gunn’s brilliant satire on Mike Hosking in the Dominion Post. It’s worth reading over and over and over again. Andrew Gunn will not be on Hosking’s invitation to a barbecue at his mansion any time soon.
Link?
The Mike Hoskin satire-its actually David Slack if this is the same one. I love the way they find it necessary to tell you it is satire at the end.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/inspire-me/120717536/mike-hosking-loves-a-bath-bomb?fbclid=IwAR0Dh-oBmWmBooW9sQiXC95uoK57d8dLDELtYgA8wmzkfDQEsPV0bKtHuyY
This is probably the one Reality meant: https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-dominion-post/20200404/281904480286046 Was on Stuff this morning but must have been too hot for them.
Even better than the one I posted. Superb
Probably show up on Stuff later.
Mutiny in the mking.
https://twitter.com/AmberSmithUSA/status/1246052144115077120
It's probably a good thing that Nostradumbass can't see far enough to realise he needs to not piss off the military. Especially if he's got any ideas of staying on after the voters reject him or he reaches the end of the time allowed by the constitution.
Yep and US has just passed 30k new cases today!!!
I would like to know who he did cc to on his email. Apparently it was a lot (over 10) he would have known his job was on the line and some people would not of wanted to make the hard call like he did.
Not sure if Trump will want him charged with something. Hope that Captain Crozier does not lose his military severance.
Fighting for every life.
/
Everyone wants a hero in a time of crisis. But while Cuomo has certainly been willing to play the part (convincingly enough that a few folks even want him to run for president), what he’s done away from the cameras is telling: using $2/hour prison labor to rebottle hand sanitizer, refusing to release elderly and sick incarcerated persons from Riker’s Island, and slashing Medicaid rather than raising taxes on the 0.01 wealthiest New Yorkers. These aren’t the sorts of measures that would save lives in this crucial moment, and they certainly won’t prevent future crises from happening.
But hey, the PowerPoints are great.
https://www.theroot.com/andrew-cuomo-is-trash-1842641091?
I believe that I pointed out Coumo's austerity policies not long after he was first elected as New York governor about a decade ago.
Bearded Git – not the same one. I don’t know if Andrew Gunn’s is on Stuff and I don’t know how to do a link.
Just google it that's how I found it
No worries Reality-see above.
Hmmm, you have been commenting here for over 3 years.
When you viewing the content that you’re citing/quoting, go to the address bar at the top and highlight the address (AKA URL, it usually starts with “https://***** “), copy it, and paste it into your comment.
Kinsley gaffe: when a politician tells the truth – some obvious truth he isn't supposed to say.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ted2j6KxMf0
A question: for a while there was talk of a UBI being introduced – even temporarily – to ease people through this crisis. That talk seems to have subsided.
Setting aside whether people think it's a good or a bad idea, has anyone heard anything more on this? Or was it more of a twiteratti idea, floated by some and quickly lost sight of?
It already has been to a large extent.
To all the contractors sole traders, business employees and at risk people who cannot work at present.
Nothing that I have seen. But I’d also say that there really isn’t and hasn’t been enough time to plan it even if it was on the table. To implement it would months if not years just in the software alone.
For what it happening now, you’re limited to existing channels.
To implement it would months if not years just in the software alone.
Especially when software designers forget they have an edit function,to resolve mostly duplicated posts.
IRD could pay it easily – they already pay working for families, so they have the system for it
Yep , where theres a will theres a way …. so it appears no will.
Not the same… And rather too simplistic.
Working for families is specific to a group. It has rules and a database attached to implement it.
What is the system for people who are not in working for families? Because WFF is a specific kind of tax code with a system and data store created specifically for the set of rules for that.
Remember that working for families took more than a year to implement on the old computer, and anecdotally almost as long on the new system.
They probably won’t have as much internal programming wiring to do. But they still have to get all of the other supporting systems in place. Then they have to load millions of data points into the system.
Basically plan on it taking at least a year once the policy is laid down. To do anything less is essentially guaranteed to make it fail.
Not to mention that there would have to be a pretty strong political debate. Personally I remain quite unconvinced that a UBI is a particularly good system for delivering any kind of useful outcome, and I have been reading about mutually contradictory versions here for a decade.
Sounds more like a religious slogan than something that is implementable into something useful for the whole of our society.
I’m also picking that the announcement of any specific UBI proposal will immediately trigger a war between the supporters of it because no proposal is going to satisfy any of its supporters. And that is before the skeptics get to look at it.
Supposedly START is faster to update than FIRST was, but a key difference here would be that the database is everyone or all natural persons, not an application process for a subset with specific criteria.
Agree that long term UBI needs a different debate to a short term grant. Perhaps a simpler option then is to increase benefits and other support so unemployment doesn't hurt so much.
Another option would be to hand out some one-off grants. That could be managed through income tax refunds – just make the minimum refund $1000, or $1000 for income < a figure TBD.
That would be my pick – an existing channel.
That really isn't an existing channel.
I haven't filed a income tax statement in more than two decades. I haven't needed to. PAYE, witholding taxes, and these days even the close balance between costs and revenue on my rented out apartment haven't required me to.
Every 2-3 years I rough cut my possible tax return as an exercise and it winds up with trivial amounts that the government would have to return to me. I write it off as just another donation like – well – my taxes.
It simply isn't even worth my time to calculate or dispute or even to try to figure out how to avoid with all of the aggravating fiddling. If I want to change tax systems, I'll usually just advocate for it rather than waste the tax departments time.
While I'm sure that the IRD is aware of a few of my bank accounts, they have no idea of where to place refunds. They certainly don't have a tax refund process for a whole swath of people like me who are usually reasonably well paid, don't have significiant periods of unemployment, and who haven't felt that it is worth their time wrangling fewer taxes through refunds.
There will also be a whole range of people who don’t file returns because their income is too low to make it worthwhile.
Imagine having to try to build a refund system for what will be (conservatively) half of the working population who never file returns nor receive refunds.
Kiwisaver would probably be a wider spread – but what good does sticking refunds in there do for the day-to-day.
As of last year, all taxpayers receive a personal tax summary (income statement is the legal term) if they are not IR3 filers, so the mechanism is there now to do that if government really wants to. If you didn't get a refund or a bill, either IRD don't have a current bank a/c (but Kiwisaver transfers from providers to IRD normally include a standard bank a/c number, so they might have that) or you owed them <$20 so it was written off automatically.
Couple that with an advertising campaign, and it might work. Probably the easiest method would be to increase the Independent Earner Tax Credit since that already exists, so income parameters can be adjusted, rather than having to add something new to the system.
Probably easier to just pay higher benefits/TAS though.
Robertson said that it was being considered. I'm picking that we will hear more about it later on.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__4_fCgjI74&feature=youtu.be
RIP Bill Withers, he had an incredible story. If you haven’t watched this doc yet It's well worth the watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdizl63aols
Considering what I view as pointed minority faux outrage over example setting, bike rides, bubble bursting and not following advice, and noting the increase of insulting bad language being used here over the past week, like calling others wankers, twats and cunts, maybe a stronger adherence to the edict of be kinder to each other may be in order.
Profiles in Leadership. If a self-culling base is what you're after.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-coronavirus-social-distancing-golf_n_5e87c167c5b6cc1e47754e1a
Yeah…
Her son, who lives in a flat with five others, has been self-isolating in a unit next door since he fell sick.
To her shock, none of his flatmates were required to be tested as no one had shown any flu-like symptoms, she said.
"I was just surprised [that's the advice] when he's been living with them all this time and especially when they keep saying: 'Test, test, test'.
But you know what?
"There is no point testing people who don't have symptoms, who are unlikely to have the illness." – David Clark.
It appears the tests have a problem with producing a lot of false negatives. Possibly especially among the asymptomatic. So while they are still resource constrained and not yet even testing all those presenting with symptoms, it's easy to see how it's not considered worthwhile testing those without symptoms.
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/false-negative-coronavirus-test-accuracy-rates-worry-experts-report-2020-4?r=US&IR=T
Yup. The tests developed in Germany ain't flash on the false negative front. But they're 100% accurate on the positive result side.
By the reasoning you present, then trace, track and test ain't gonna happen, and if there's no testing, then Shelter in Place ain't going to have the desired outcome and we'll wind up in the same place as we would have with a Social Distancing strategy. (ie – ~ 70% infection rate)
So the question comes down to whether people who are asymptomatic but worried are more likely to adequately self isolate than 30% who are asymptomatic but infected and received an all-clear.
I believe the result of a negative is relayed as "not found" (some such wording at any rate) – this from a friend who was tested. So not an unequivocal "all clear".
Point still stands.
False negatives are a problem for screening tests because people treat it like an all-clear. False positives are a problem for diagnostic tests because they result in unnecessary treatment.
No. My friend isn't treating it as an "all clear". And there are no false positives with the tests being used that were developed in Germany.
Copy that. Your friend is typical of literally every person ever tested, therefore you must be correct. Yay.
And there are very few tests with zero false positives. I'm sure you checked out the ROC charts on the German test before making that claim, though, so yay for you again.
I couldn't say whether they are typical or atypical. I can only relay their reaction to being given a test result that was worded in such a way as to preserved a measure of uncertainty in their mind.
On the German test, I'm simply repeating what Michael Osterholm (infectious disease epidemiologist, regents professor, and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. ) has said regards its sensitivity – given his field of expertise I thought it reasonable enough to take him at his word, but hey…
So your anecdata is irrelevant.
As for your comment about the German test, what was the good professor's exact comment? ISTR Roche was touting 95% accuracy, not perfection. Or was Osterholm talking about some other German-developed testing protocol?
The bit I think is lacking is that people living in the same house should be physically distancing within the household if one of them has tested positive. But I don't think that is what is happening? It's a problem if any of them are going out to work.
I think there are guides on physically distancing from flatmates etc, but yeah – if someone in your house is infected, probably don't go to work would be my thinking. No matter what you do, you could well end up infecting other essential workers.
Screening test vs diagnostic test.
Which also explains why the govt was saying they have sufficient tests, but people are complaining they didn't get tested.
Evidence that the lockdown is working:
1) As per the latest Bloomfield Briefing, the curve is flattening. Very early signs, but that's what we're aiming for, and it's starting to happen.
2) The Spin-Off reports on our reduced contact
Well done New Zealand. Let's keep it up.
And Australia…
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/2020/apr/01/is-australia-flattening-the-coronavirus-curve-look-at-the-charts-
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-australia/australia-gives-free-childcare-as-coronavirus-case-curve-flattens-idUSKBN21J73M
I would like to be more optimistic but I cannot be at this stage. It is the pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic cases as well as the false negative cases and the people not properly isolating who have it that bothers me.
Indeed, neither the room nor the time for complacency!
A depiction of a silly person showing their economic model doesn't work. It works how it's supposed to work, how the market has determined it works.
Somewhere down the line when she finds it's not working in the way she wants it to be working she's demanding it change to operate in a different way. Of course in the current awful situation no-one's going to tell her to get off the grass especially the guy she's interviewing. She doesn't get it and even if she were told she probably still wouldn't get it.
For his trouble of doing what life has taught him to do, make money, he's called a traitor. Apparently though patriotism is a big thing, the most important thing. How did that go for career civil servants in the impeachment thing when patriotism had them coming forward looking after their country? This silly woman was probably calling them traitors too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-Wi4yWltXs
They don't want globalisation, they want to be self-sufficient. They want American companies operating off-shore making millions through cheap labour and also want to export stuff to other countries. Why don't they put a wall around the whole place? That'll stop masks escaping.
Good to know Bill Maher will be back on screen tonight (our time).
Looks like a good remote panel line up.
Guests will include Willie Nelson, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti, author Max Brooks, Seth MacFarlane and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
Never been one for Bill Maher. But it has been interesting watching chat shows without the studio audience, and the subtle changes to delivery that entails. The Daily Show is doing some interesting stuff, and John Oliver is largely doing the usual lol.
Just remember when you buy from Amazon they get to do this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyLT_NUFJN8&ab_channel=TheJimmyDoreShow
heh
https://twitter.com/TheDailyShow/status/1246146713523453957
Some mothers do have em:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12322473
Coronavirus: What's happening to NZ wildlife when humans locked down
https://www.stuff.co.nz/science/120759079/coronavirus-whats-happening-to-nz-wildlife-when-humans-locked-down
Not sure what 'NZ widlife' could be road kill, except possibly kiwi in parts of Northland where the numbers have increased with effective predator control recently. The only roadkill on NZ roads are introduced mammals like possums, rabbits and hedgehogs. That means they are probably surviving more and with probably next to no predator control being done, could be an environmental disaster in the making. Noticed the seagulls were looking hungry up at Waitangi the last week with no tourists chucking them chips or sandwichs to eat. The one place that will definitely benefit by hugely reduced traffic will be in Oz where some roads are normally splattered by dead wombats, wallabies, echidnas etc.!
You didn’t read the link, did you?
Yes,I did. It's somewhat of a hodgepodge of an article, but the general message is that nature is getting a bit of a reprieve in may places in varied ways, even the climate. NZ's a bit of a outlier because of the pressure from non-native species. I would have thought that marine life generally will benefit from far fewer amateur fishers and boaties out on the water.
Ok, I couldn’t quite tell from your previous comment @ 19.1 if you had read it.
For example, the opening paragraph of the article is:
See the connection to what I quoted @ 19?
This relates to the “predator control” and the “environmental disaster in the making” in NZ that you mentioned @ 19.1.
The piece also touches on the balance between native and non-native species here in NZ in the last two paragraphs.
Taken together, it is a large-scale ‘experiment’ without observers in the field. I think this could be a missed opportunity to learn from because the ‘experiment’ will hopefully be short-lived.
Having spoken to the culpability of the CCP frequently, I'm going to balance the books with Joe Rogan talking with Eric Weinstein on what is happening in the USA. I've started the link at 14:22 and the next 40 min is probably the guts of it:
https://youtu.be/wf0_nMaQ6tA?t=852
It is high time the rest of the western world got together and stood up to this f*****g fascist bully president and his team of thugs:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-52161995
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has started the ball rolling by threatening the current American Administration with threats of his own. [see link]
These are obviously concerning reports but it also poses the question…why do countries like the US, France Germany and Canada need to import masks from China?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bird-flu/news/article.cfm?c_id=560&objectid=12321143
They may want to think twice and run QCs or they may end up with a lemon.
China's coronavirus supplies are being rejected — how do we ensure quality in a pandemic?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-04/china-coronavirus-covid-19-medical-supplies-recalled-regulation/12105110
indeed…i can understand that cost may be a factor in using chinese supply but find it difficult to believe that advanced economies arnt capable of their own production especially given we appear to have the capability here
Grateful here in NZ small businesses actually got the govt subsidies. This didn't happen in the US for the most part which all but guarantees widespread failures.
We don't know how lucky we are.
Does the disclosure of what companies received money breach privacy?
World count of approximately 10,000,000 cases by mid April. We are blessed to have a government that acted comparatively early, although there is a desperate need for harsh consequences.
I am trying to not look forward more than a day about the distress Covid-19 is causing. Some governments are just not prepared. The situation has become cruel in Ecuador, dead left out in the street and dead in the homes. I knew this would occur in countries with few resources.
Yes NZ is blessed.
Sir Keir Starmer has been elected as leader of the British Labour Party. Good luck to him, hopefully they can rebuild for the 2024 election.
I personally would have chosen Nandy. Maybe next time.
Already those who rage-quit the party when Corbyn was leader are starting to come crawling back, expecting to just pick up where they left off in 2015.
https://youtu.be/qQfetkoGrpU
I just remembered your good links ecomaori and I will remember to keep checking to see what music you have heard lately. So I hope you will keep putting it up. Thanks. Kia ora ongoing.
You are reporting positives – gives me a lift, so thanks for telling about the good.
Kia Ora Newshub.
There are idiots everywhere.
Good on that teacher helping people out during these times.
The Internet is a great way for people to carry on making money.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
I think that the road sight in Te Taitokerau should be examined by archaeological people before any roads are built. Why are they doing that while the lock down is in place Shady.
I think that the parents should not stress to much if there tamariki are not receiving education resources.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora The Am Show.
Water problems in Auckland That's part of global warming predictions.
If a business person was running the country he would have waited till the Rinos had run Aotearoa over before making big moves that has big financial effects there way of thinking is money before humanity.
You can't help but try and politicise the virus issue. We have to put people's lives first.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Newshub.
Its impossible to keep everyone happy during the virus isolation times.
Hope no one is lost in the Cyclone in Vanuatu.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Cool that Iwi checking to make sure there Kaumatua are OK during there weeks of isolation.
Good move starting up there own online Kai delivery service.
I say our government is handling this virus situation well.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora The Am Show.
Aotearoa is lucky that we are a food produceing nation we can feed our Tangata.
What I can believe that you are a cracked record.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Newshub.
Its cool weather these days .
There will be unscrupulous people ripping off people and the government . Kia Kaha.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Someone ripping off the pepe things from a kohanga reo is not on.
Condolences to Jimmy's whanau for their loss.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Newshub.
I think it's great that The Warehouse is going to donate Easter eggs to familys.
Cool that councils are helping feed their poor people we no who to thank for that phenomenon.
That's the way turn all those logs into timber and other stuff to create local employment just don't ruin our environment in the process.
Ka kite Ano P. S The gloves will come off after isolation
Kia Ora Newshub.
That's good two new channels and laptops being sent out to teach our students and tamariki.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Our government is doing it best to carry on our youth education during isolation.
Its good to see Kiwis working in the horticultural industry like they use to 20 years ago.
A 3rd of Kiwis in Australia could be in harder times kia kaha Whanau.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora The Am Show.
Hope no lives are lost in Fiji from the Cyclone hitting them.
I remember that incident well it was on the news as well on The Crowd goes wild.
I enjoyed living in my off grid camp till I was under arm bowled by you know who.
😇
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Newshub.
That's is cool everyone person coming into Aotearoa is going into quarantine.
We know who caused the EQC mess.
I don't think 4 week of UN attended of a golf course will ruin it.???. in Autumn /winter
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Condolences to Huirangi whanau for their loss.
Plenty of vegetables growing on Turanga Nui A Kiwa whenua.
Ka pai to the Iwi koha kia to te tangata.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Newshub.
It would be good to find symptoms to aid in early detection of the virus.
That's good online church services you can reach a lot of people online.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
5G protest I was baffled when I found out that some people believe that 5G caused the virus how can A radio wave influence A biological virus.??????.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Newshub.
Yes we are mear mortals on the Mother Earth.
Aotearoa is lucky of our location in the middle of the Pacific.
Awsome our government sending supplies and helping to Vanuatu.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Its good to see our Kaumatua being given groceries during isolation.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Newshub.
Yes our mokopuna enjoyed their Easter.
That's is awesome those Kiwis being aloud to come home into quarantine.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Good on the Cook Islands government for supporting that golden oldies Netball team.
That's is cool neighbours meeting each other and keeping safe inside there isolation bubble in Rotorua.
Great seeing the regions with a lot tangata whenua getting tested for the virus.
Now is a good time to use the Internet to teach Te reo Maori. Kia kaha Te reo Maori.
Ka kite Ano