Just reflecting on the widely held opinion that the next election is a cake walk what with political 'capital' built up in PM Ardern, engagement news and the kerfuffle around the leadership of National party.
Going back two and a half years, there is no way the most strident Labour fan could have envisioned this scenario.
Therefore it is quite possible the same could happen again. After a couple of leadership coups eg Collins, Woodhouse, Adams, Mitchell, a candidate like Upston, Ngaro or Dean, or my pick, someone from outside of politics currently, can come in and sweep all before them.
The coalition needs to look at their statements leading into the election and put them into action.
OMG…. if they have to resort to Dean they may as well give up and go home. Has that MP achieved anything in 4 1/2 terms. Apart from falling for a di-hydrogen monoxide hoax once.
Impressive business career. Finance Minister, maybe, but not really the right sort of charisma for political leader. Is probably on track for international roles after his current one so why would he settle for replacing Bill English or Steven Joyce?
It doesn't matter that Shane Jones is NZ First. Any good he/they achieve can be undone electorally in one brain numbingly dumb speech/spiel.
It's all about the easiest to create negative thing, perception. There is already a 'dishonourable' list with Clare Curran, Twyford, Mahuta, Jackson whose actions, words, for right or wrong, have had the affect of chopping down the tree or at least ring-barking it.
So the option of having sea transport is lessening. Our government has abandoned the domestic economy in order to export and then we can buy all the wonderful things available from the world with our export dollars. That is, those in employment at a living wage. We have stopped making things for ourselves.
But then, because of the reciprocal nature of our trading system we have an open economy, and overseas people who have bigger purses than us, can buy wonderful things here, like houses, desirable land and very desirable water.
Now we have to decide whether we are going to spend our money buying imported goods, which are no longer made here, or go without – mend and save – and try to gather a deposit to buy a shoe-box or a big car to live in as the housing market prices have been pushed up by our wealthier export customers.
Is that a wise way to run a country? Even the relatively well off people are finding that the house they can obtain loan money to buy, drains more than half of their weekly or monthly earnings. And how do we supply necessities and have a thriving economy if we can’t export our produce. We will still be able to export services. But the reciprocal system will be broken. The overseas buyers will still come here and buy us up, we will be at survival mode and be tenants in what was our own land. I think John Key was expressing concern about that at one time while facilitating the process. Was it wise to leave him to play his smirking Prime Minister role for so long?
I saw a bunch of 18 year old redwoods today far bigger than Pinus radiata at 25 years (when they cut).
Too big for today's mills, no market (here) as everything is pine. Then there's the people growing natives, too scared to try large scale in case they're not allowed to realise the crop…
So we can't sell exotic timber except pine locally, we can't grow natives that would sell because we might not be allowed to sell them. Pine pine did someone say pine.
We can grow far better trees but… crops must be clonal for markets. And you got to have a market. Assessing a stand of a couple hundred trees for the tree keepers (good clones) is a couple hundred thousand dollars…
Who's got that laying around.
The market that's supposed to help little guys (trickle trickle) has us locked out. I guess you could grow pine…
F'n travesty. No variety in the market means no resilience to vagaries in the market. A bug, a bacteria, a fungi, an oomycete, an emerging player, a reticent buyer…
I had a look through Lincoln University offerings to see what they had on tree diversity. I couldn't find stuff. Pine.. But what about growing for carbon credits. Money for keeping them in the ground?
And having a range of trees for specialist use, furniture etc, masts; picking them out by helicopter and making big $$ from the few.
Someone would have to live in the area as they would attract thieves. Guns might be appropriate for rangers in this case.
There must be markets for other trees. Reasonably fast growing and not requiring the same treatment as softwood, resinous pines.
Pine tree economy is flawed as the cost to us for the road damage from using trucks is horrendous and driving the country broke and Ports tell us that the port virtually has to give no charge to using every log shipped from their Ports now as there is no money it it.
So we taxpayers pay to maintain n the Ports that have to allow free transport overseas from their Port, and we pay to keep the roads maintained from trucking the logs to the Port.
We are being screwed every day by this mindless false economy we are in now no thanks to national setting this all up for the export potential of a false economy in pine trees.
So the tories get decimated and, instead of being the recipient of a mass of disgruntled voters wrath, labour themselves also take a hammering. Not really the look of a government in waiting.
"Have Labour gained a whole bunch of seats? No. But the media effort to conflate Labour’s minor losses with the complete trouncing the Conservatives have taken is totally dishonest."
The results aren't in dispute, are they? What is, is how labour lost big and didn't benefit from the tory backlash, casting doubt on their ability to form a government after the next general election. It doesn’t seem they are resonating well with the public.
Without a brexit agreement, the longer Farrage's brexit party and the ukip stay in the game seems to be Corbyn's only hope of sneaking in to power at present, by default. Having the lib dems bounce back will take seats off May, but then labour could well lose out in 3 way electorates, and those tactically voting where they are in 3rd place. Not that positive, and certainly not much to shout about against a most unpopular ruling party.
Lucky for labour it's first past the post and not mmp, otherwise they'd be screwed with, on current polling, only scoring in the low 30s.
Yep, shared significant losses. Consider where labour were losing hardest, take in the big picture, add context, and the story behind the numbers makes more sense.
Well I'm definitely not downplaying labours losses, nor what it potentially means for them going forward electorally as a party who can still lose on the night as the most divided tory party in a generation shart it's pants.
So in rejecting the claims of propaganda and biassed media reporting in covering this poll, looking in to the stories behind the numbers (such as why labour shed votes to the lib dems in swings of around 8%), and going deeper behind a banner headline (why the major opposition party didn't pick up conservative protest votes when it needs them in these electorates to become government), I am also happy to leave it to the readers to decide whose spinning and for why.
yes we humans are one of the first to be extinct I fear.
The planet is nearing the end as the Ross Sea ice shelf is about to disappear and our sea levels will rise dramatically.
The oxygen content in the atmosphere is sinking every month now so how long can we survive without oxygen in our air?
We daily see brand new trucks on our roads all hauling freight that used to go by rail, increasing the carbon levels as we speak, so we are a menace to ourselves alright.
Rapid melting of the world’s largest ice shelf linked to solar heat in the ocean
Date:
April 29, 2019
Source:
University of Cambridge
Summary:
An international team of scientists has found part of the world’s largest ice shelf is melting 10 times faster than the overall ice shelf average, due to solar heating of the surrounding ocean surface.
Not much hope for our children now but to flee to a “survival bunkers” like they are probably building up high on the safety of the te-ureweras up in the hills when the end comes.
This would be the third such environmental catastrophe in the Waihi area. Not only would this toxic* mound of waste cover over 178H of agricultural land rendering it useless and presenting an eyesore for generations to come, there are other considerations to be taken into account as well.
The [already existing] two tailings dams near Waihi are some of the largest structures in the country.
Size of Martha Mine Waihi tailings dam compared to Mount Eden suburbs Auckland
Should either of these dams fail in an earthquake, we could be facing potentially New Zealand’s worst ever environmental disaster, and loss of life and livelihoods on a significant scale.
Therefore it is perfectly reasonable to ask the question – would these structures withstand a large earthquake? The question is even more pertinent because –
the Kaikoura quake unleashed thousands of huge landslides
a new GNS Science report on the nearby Kerepehi fault suggests a 7.4 magnitude earthquake is possible near Waihi, and also estimates that the interval between large quakes is 1000 years rather than 6000-8000 years as previously assumed.
the catastrophic failure of a tailings dam in Brazil in 2015 was due in part to a very small 2.6Mw quake acting as a triggering mechanism for the dam collapse
Coromandel Watchdog have been fighting this crap from the miners for years now. We don't need any more fucking gold. There has been 170,000 of tonnes of the stuff mined and locked up in safes such as Fort Knox, and elsewhere already. So it's already there if ever it is needed for any useful purpose. To get enough gold for a single wedding ring you have to drill though 250 tonnes of rock, pulverize it, then chemically treat it. Such activity now is simply madness.
*Tailings are the major wastes produced from gold extraction and they contain high amounts of heavy metals (HM). These metals leach out in an uncontrolled manner into surrounding environments on exposure to water or through dispersal by wind. The presence of elevated concentrations of HM in the environment is a serious health issue worldwide due to their non-degradative nature which makes them persistent and thereby exert long-term effects on the ecosystem
Fascists peacefully swamped by large crowd, cancel planned march through Liverpool.
When only a small counter protest turn up, the fascists sensing weakness, will not hesitate to use violence to intimidate and smash them over.
What made the difference between a small counter protest and large counter protest was leadership.
A far-right group has abandoned plans to march through Liverpool after members were visibly outnumbered by counter-demonstrators, including the mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson….
….“Peaceful people power chased the fascists off our streets,” Anderson, a Labour politician, said, adding that he wanted to “show these people they are not welcome in this city”….
…..“I want it to be peaceful, but I want people to be out on the streets saying they are not welcome in our city,” Anderson told the Liverpool Echo prior to the march. “Some people on Twitter have said to me: ‘What about free speech?’ Well that comes with a responsibility not to espouse hate.
I think that National’s break-point will be when the Budget gets presented to the House. The Party’s response and its Leader’s delivery will seal their fate for the next Election. Even the opinion pieces of Political Editors are getting boringly predictable in style and substance but they still do their job as click-bait <sigh>.
Here's hoping. Nothing I'd like more than to see the current National Party crop to self-destruct.
Having just watched "The Nation", what worries me is that there's a fair few issues where Labour/the Coalition are not even picking the low hanging fruit (apologies – I'm still pivoting going forward from the other day). Simon Wilson had a point – to do with the interaction between departments (in this case IRD and MSD) and the Ministers responsible – this to do with the case of a rape victim. From what I could see, even under current legislation, this matter could at least be partially resolved even if, as Sepuloni said, there would be no retrospective compensation.
Then there are things such as worker exploitation (BOTH immigrant and citizen) which could be at LEAST improved by Ministerial and Ministry intervention.
Then there are NZTA fuckups, insurance issues, etc, etc., etc. that may start to really piss off an impatient electorate if the Coalition doesn't pick up the pace (especially where some basic resolution doesn't require law changes).
Even IF and THOUGH the gNats are in most part to blame for a lot of it all, it won't stop them from scoring a few hits if some of this 'low hanging fruit' isn't dealt with.
/agreed – even with a heavy workload. And possibly a failure of Ministerial-Department/Ministry Head interaction if and when there are roadblocks – even given all that 'impartiality of officials'.
And then there's a rabid media to contend with, many of whom will still be stirring as much shit as possible in their dying days, but I doubt whether even the likes of JC would be giving a free ride over the example(s) given above.
As we have seen in the past, when the time is right, even a very mildly lefty government can be taken down by outrage over light-bulbs. This is the world we live in – a dominion of lies ruled over by money.
But the light-bulbs are symbolic of other matters that there are doubts about; they just act as a marker, virtue-signalling.*
It could mean there are the Left looking down, fussing over every little thing while the parade passes by.
It could mean there are the Left trying to be the Knight on the White Charger saving people who didn't want that.
It could be there are the Left fulminating over something, and ready to turn our lives upside down as they did when they brought in the Free-Market and No Regulation.
It could mean there are the people who are going to make us take our medicine which they have prescribed and no-one we know considers we are even sick, but they always know best.
It could mean that Labour presses an anti-authority nerve in those who are happy to pursue their own ends and let someone else clean up any messes left. What me clean up. I employ people to do that for me, and anyway others have done it too, why pick on me/us to behave well, make changes that aren't proven 100% worthwhile.
Examples of possible effects of new light bulb changes. In myself I thought of the cost of buying two new light bulbs at possibly $7 each compared to incandescent ones at $1 each. When people are really poor they can't afford to make such forward-moving gestures. Cut out incandescents and it would be back to candles. So I hoped that Labour could cut its crusading zeal down to what was okay for the precariat working and not working classes which used to be their spine.
*Virtue-signalling:
the action or practice of publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one’s good character or the moral correctness of one’s position on a particular issue.
“it’s noticeable how often virtue signalling consists of saying you hate things”
Regulating energy-efficient lightbulbs and showers was symbolic of the fundamental changes we need to make for the climate – and we have seen in the decade since that how far many people are prepared to go to keep their heads firmly planted in the sand.
If making those small changes was never going to have any effect, you might be able to claim it was 'virtue signalling'. That's just a bad-faith phrase from the dolts of the US right.
It was what it was. As you say it was symbolic of changes we needed to make, and that they would not recognise the difficulties that very low income people faced, because they don't care to apply their minds to da little peeps. Fact – fact.
And don't forget the “Fart Tax” AB when some farmer/Nat MP drove his tractor up parliament steps. Everybody laughed. Such a good joke against the Clark government.
Not laughing now are they, although not nearly enough has been done about it.
Labour should turn all that puerile stuff back on National – and those who fell for it – simply because they deserve it.
Fair comments. I think it would be great if somebody more familiar with it does a (guest) post on the different areas of responsibility of departmental CEOs, for example, for operational matters, and the Ministers. As far as I know, Ministers don’t hire the staff in their Ministries.
If we commenters care about what is happening to people in NZ and the world then we can't walk away from a forum like this that attempts to bring matters to scrutiny. It is good if people don't get nagged at all the time, if they have a point they should be considered. But it may need altering when some of its aspects are challenged. The view as to rightness can be different depending on the perspective. If the challenger does not have a worthy point and is unrelenting there is the choice of ignoring them, or uncovering their perspective and showing it as unreasonable. Also sometimes when you disagree with someone, it is still possible to see their greater good overall.
Those who want to state a case and think that they are totally right, need to stay on and at least hear and have short discussions about other people's POV. Veutoviper is a concerned and informed person and could be expected to stick around not walk away.
But some I think have 20th century perceptions. These have to alter somewhat – we can't think in exactly the same mode as the past, our future is changing and our approach must also – we know that life may become extremely uncomfortable. I worry as I read stories from the holocaust, from past times; we haven't made the great strides in managing our human life, emotions and desires, goals and outcomes, as we should. Therefore we have to think more deeply, nothing is absolutely certain, judgments have to be made., sometimes interim. Kindness and practicality must be hand in hand. For everyone who gives up, there are a thousand who will never understand that particular POV, and vice versa. It is important for the thinking, to assess their own thoughts and try to understand others who haven't experience or imagination.
You might be interested in RNZ's "The House" a week or so back (31/3/2019 i THINK).
Briefly deals with various powers vested in Ministers and Departmental CEO's and down the chain – regulatory authority etc. which allows for a degree of flexibility when conditions change or in unforeseen circumstances.
Things CAN get done quite quickly when necessary – as we have just seen. For example: in the case of the Christchurch terrorist attack, visa changes to allow family members of victims to come to NZ were implemented within a couple of weeks.
And yes re Ministers and hiring of staff (which is as it should be probably), but there are ways and means – Ministers making it clear what expectations are, etc.
And let's not pretend the old nudge nudge wink wink shit hasn't been happening – especially during the gNat's last reign, OR things like abuse of the OIA system, OR the use of Thompson & Clark – clearly unacceptable behaviour for the public service to be involved in. Sanctions are available for that sort of thing BUT for political will and who has been licking who's arse (Sorry to be blunt, but that's what it amounts to).
Deliberate under-resourcing in some areas (for example) of those responsible for monitoring tertiary education, or visa compliance (James Casson aside), or monitoring the state of some of those immigration 'advisors' suited the last gNat junta very well. Priorities CAN be adjusted in many cases to ensure the sort of shit "The Nation" covered, or exploitation doesn't/didn't happen.
Thanks, I might have a look later although I’m keen to write a post (on a different topic). In any case, I don’t feel comfortable to write a meaningful post on departments and ministries, for example.
It is a most peculiar article. She starts off with acomment about the donations to National soaring while Labours were paltry.
Donations in the 12 months to December soared past $700,000, no doubt fuelled by worried business donors gearing up to fight employment law changes and a widely anticipated capital gains tax (even if it ultimately didn't happen). Labour's were a paltry $173,343 by comparison.
It's once the donations dry up that you know a leader's date with the guillotine is near.
Somehow this is meant to be interpreted as National are in trouble? Shouldn't it mean, if her remark about "donations drying up" is correct it is Labour that is in trouble?
Still it is a pretty typical Watkins piece. Bugger the facts. She loves Ardern.
An insightful view on how we used to police bad behaviour on our roads by someone who knows.
Makes me wonder whether our terrible road toll could be reduced if we returned to the old style of traffic policing, by a specialist force of dedicated officers with a passion for road safety and saving lives on the road, as their sole mission.
….More seriously, Kearns laments that the old cop-motorist dynamic was altered by the merger.
“Guys in my era joined the Ministry of Transport because we had a passion for road safety and an ideal of saving injuries and lives. That ethos wasn’t carried over at the time of the merger.”….
…… “Probably just 20% of people who were stopped were given tickets.” The rest were spoken to about what they were doing, encouraged to do better and sent on their way. According to Kearns, the police did not share that attitude, being used to dealing with criminals.
And what say you liked being a traffic cop? You’d joined up to be a traffic cop. If you’d wanted to be a regular cop, you’d have signed up for that instead.
I was told something interesting by a friend who was part of the emergency response to the Tasman forest fire and was talking to a top Tasman cop. He said the previous National government had little interest in road safety, their sole focus was on keeping traffic, and of course commerce in the form of trucking, moving as quickly as possible. He is very pleased to see the coalition government's focus firmly back on policing for safer roads.
Yes, and that is a great example of getting on with change – immediate Budget action, clear announcement by Minister, results on the ground spreading already. Glad to hear those who have to respond to safety failures are noticing improvement.
Ae! And they have this weird idea that double lanes in both directions will naturally allow it all to happen (when the average NuZillner has yet to come to terms with merging like a zip and still drives like it's all a competition, in between checking the latest beep or blip or bell sound that comes across their cell phone).
Hence we have the likes of that absolute white baby elephant fuckup between Papamoa and Paengaroa (incidentally, where some of the worst worker exploitation, immigrants and others involved in bullshit tertiary education and other little scams reside and where Cassons try to justify their race shism), but where the occasional logging truck, gNat and orchid owner roams free
That's a good 'wonder' Jenny H. The cops now seem too centred on vehicle crime, perhaps it gets their figures up to the target set; another idea stop high targets and concentrate on outcomes of projects for improvement.
Also run stats counting all reasonably serious accidents and stop concentrating on the death toll. That stat only indicates a complete failure by traffic police to show care for people and polite interaction on the roads instead a simple end-of-life statistic for the books.
(An idea – have projects like for a period ask people to drive differently coming to roundabouts by slowing by about 10 kms so allowing others to move onto the road space in the few seconds that a slower entry would provide. See if over a six month period, what might be called cautious courtesy driving would lower accidents, and facilitate traffic movement. Too many people drive at full speed into a roundabout which is unwise, and reduces others entry-openings.)
I travel the east coast highway two from Napier to Tauranga often and have seen so many large potholes on these narrow winding single lane roads caused by heavy trucks all the time now and these potholes are so large that if you don't swerve to avoid them you will damage your steering system.
I have had 6 steering repairs in two years all caused by hitting large potholes.
That is one issue. then there are speeding drivers always trying to force slow drivers to speed up, and that is another problem..
The Government cant afford to keep fixing the damages the trucks are causing now so we need to see government increase the use of the roads by those trucks, in a "user Pays" policy.
Clearly the 'heavier longer trucks' HPMV are far too heavy for our light weighted 'soft roads' now.
all those parts for repairs on your car would have quite possibly been transported by truck to your repairer.
Trucks are on the road because of customer demand for goods. If you dont consume anything, then the trucks have nothing to transport, so wont be on the road.
if we eliminate HPMV, these would be replaced by around 20% more trucks.
They’re coming from all over the world Joe, from both sides of the political divide. Nothing to do with Keefe whoever the hell that nobody is .
“Meanwhile, George, an American fighting on the Ukrainian side, described those he fought with as having “the same hatred for Russia or the same kind of sense of nationalism”.
Could be you Joe
“Anti-imperialists, anti-fascists, and those on the far left come to defend the pro-communist separatists and defend the autonomous regions from what they see as global imperialism.”
NZ rugby has dug it's own hole, & cancelled out the aspects of the game that allowed NZ's natural talent to thrive at the game in a way that summed up to the display of a national heritage like no where else in the world. The aspects of the game that gave the All Blacks a long standing distinguished dynanism are thrown away and can't come back, and the hole will avalanche in more and more, as can not be sustained.
Now a diplomatic security risk everytime run on the field for NZ i'm afraid too; an illustration being the prestige to Russia's ( a heavily armed nation) image it's overall diplomatic handling of the recent successful soccer world cup gave it, to the division and acrimony the ABs have associated to NZ on such stages in recent times in relation to the rest of the game.
Black Ferns rugby can be a new story for NZ instead.
New Zealand took the 2011 RWC not because of any "natural talent" but because of the refusal of the "referee" to penalize the home team's blatant cheating throughout that farcical final.
File it under swings and roundabouts Mozza, it balances the ledger for Barnes being overwhelmed on the '07 match were France went unpenalised for a half and scored a try with a forward pass.
File it under swings and roundabouts Mozza, it balances the ledger for Barnes being overwhelmed on the '07 match
Nonsense. On stilts. He made two errors—he missed two forward passes, one leading to a try for the All Blacks, one to a try for the Tricolors. His couple of honest errors are not in the same universe as Craig Joubert’s refusal to even warn, let alone penalize, the flagrant and systematic cheating by the All Blacks in that infamous farce four years later.
France went unpenalised for a half …
They did not infringe. That's why.
…. and scored a try with a forward pass.
So did New Zealand. Luke McAlister's try followed a forward pass. I recommend you watch the match some time.
The All Blacks were imploding due to another episode of poor management of our rugby talents in the deserved French upset, and it would have happened one way or another.
The more recent final against the Wallabies was also poor referring but by then no one was paying attention, & despite the rigged deck, the aussies were only a James O'Connor type player break away from over coming them anyway, which isn't surprising given the Georgia pool game would be the poorest AB team performance in any world cup.
poor management of our rugby talents in the deserved French upset
What do you mean by "poor management"? They simply lost a football match. The French were too good for them.
The more recent final against the Wallabies was also poor referring
???? There was nothing in that final to match the non-performance by Joubert in 2011. The only terrible refereeing in the 2015 tournament was in the Australia-Scotland match. The “referee” was…. Craig Joubert.
If things had gone the Wallabies way in terms of referring in crucial stages in that game, they could have broken the ABs, who they were otherwise clinging onto by their fingernails in staying in the match.
Heh, it's great to be the only one right eh mozza.
Try (see what I did there) this on for size…
"They did not infringe…"
The video had three different angles and featured statistical breakdowns of lineouts, scrums, penalties, tackle counts, territory and possession. On those statistics, the All Blacks dominated. They had an overwhelming 73 per cent territorial advantage, winning 166 rucks to France's 42 and making only 73 tackles compared with France's 331.
They didn't infringe. They defended grimly. It's hard to beat a French team that's really determined. Unless you've got a "referee" like Andre Watson or Craig Joubert.
Ha ha ha ha ha! Good one, M'bird! I think you meant to say "could fit in a Brobdingnabian's thimble."
Of course, a quick sashay through this writer's oeuvre will show you that I've commented on rugby and other sports at an elevated and thoughtful level* for many years now.
And let's face it: even someone who knows as little about the game as, say, a Herald rugby writer or a Radio Sports opinion-vomiter like Martin "Moron" Devlin or Tony "Boot Boy" Veitch knows that the All Blacks were beaten fair and square by the Tricolors in 2007, and that they were allowed to cheat flagrantly throughout that farcical RWC final four years later.
Otago v Waikato is not a local derby. Auckland v. Counties is a local derby.
Interesting to see how readily you resort to derogatory language: dismissing what I say as "braying." Have you considered a career in talk radio perhaps?
No it's not. A derby game is between two teams from the same town, or adjacent towns. Auckland-Counties or Auckland-North Harbour or Otago-Southland are derby games.
Similarly, Manchester United v. Man. City and AstonVilla v. Birmingham, and Arsenal v. Chelsea are derbies, but Liverpool v. Arsenal is not.
Grant Nisbett? He's certainly superior to Ian "Smithy" Smith and Justin Marshall *, but on this he's as slapdash as they are.
I'm happy to use the franchise names, but I'm not going to accept the extirpation of the provincial names. It's the Wellington Hurricanes, and the Auckland Blues, and the Waikato Chiefs.
And it's the Natal Sharks and the Johannesburg Lions, not the "South African Sharks" and "South African Lions."
And yes, you're correct, it's the Canterbury Crusaders. Need to change that vile name, of course, but whatever it is, it'll still be Christchurch's team. BTW, how come the Crusaders never played a game against the famous London team Saracens?
Yes, you're correct about the Hurricanes not being only a Wellington team. Manawatu and Hawkes Bay are important parts of the team, and so was Taranaki. And, no, I haven't forgotten the Wairarapa, Horowhenua, Whanganui, etc. But the major urban area is Wellington, and that's where most of the home games are played.
Similarly, the Boston Red Sox represent not only the Boston urban area but all of the states of New England. Only a mental pygmy such as a New Zealand Rugby boss would be persuaded to dispense with the word "Boston" however.
Opinion – The battles over welfare are in large part a dispute about whether people who find themselves relying on social security are principally in need of punishment or support….
More generally, as the report notes, there is very little evidence that sanctions achieve their claimed effects of getting people back into work. They are just as likely to force people out of the system altogether or into reliance on criminal activities or unsustainable borrowing.
In contrast to the harsh overseer model, the experts' report is an attempt to put a nurturing, caring assistant at the heart of the welfare system. It centres the system on whakamana tāngata – "restoring dignity to people so they can participate meaningfully with their families and communities"…
The experts' report does not, as some hoped, spell out a completely new and coherent plan for a 21st century welfare system. It does not sketch out a fully future-proofed welfare system. It represents big change, not transformational change.
But then, like most of this government's working groups, Cindy Kiro and her team were not given the time and resources to deliver on broader ambitions. What they have produced, though, is still immensely important.
And Jeremy Pie – On the UK State of the nation report.
Social mobility in UK has stalled. In 2010 Cameron set up Social Mobility Commission but it resigned en masse a year after Theresa May had said she would do great stuff in fixing injustices. They said that the Government was too focussed on Brexit to do anything.
Then in the USA, he decided that Trump promised change and now people have got it!
Please at least add quote marks when you use a mix of yours and someone else's words like that – better still, click the ["] button on the editor toolbar so the quoted paragraph becomes indented.
Oh hell. Now I won't pass the adaptive test for understandability. I'm a failure at communication. I'm teetering on the edge of not commenting here and leaving it to the snobs.
Our world is coming to an end but our sentence construction, our syntax is what really catches the eye and the mind.
Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide,
No escape from reality.
Open your eyes,
Look up to the skies and see,
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy,
Because I'm easy come, easy go,
Little high, little low,
Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me.
The statue is one of three copies of a marble statue that was made for the Captain Cook Brewery in Newmarket, Auckland in the early 1880s…
He's also not wearing the correct uniform – the blog states he is "not wearing the uniform of a British naval officer, nor does his uniform resemble that of any other European naval uniforms. The uniform has been described as 'Italian' in style."
Oz Rugby has an $8B budget hole this year – (not sure when they get this years World Cup money) and face a payout of $4M on Folau's contract if their termination is seen as a breach.
They have only one option – given Cheika says he will not be selected even if still on contract, refuse to pay him a penny and drag this through the courts if they have to. Even if they still payout – better later than now. But more likely – given he would be unable to play and would have no guarantee of ever receiving any money – he would be forced to seek to leave the contract so he can be paid to play elsewhere.
The IAAF has a rule whereby women competitors must have a testosterone level below "5" (the norm is .2 to 1.5), for events between 400m and the mile, but not shorter distances or field events.
It seems as if their rule applies only to distances which only one specific athlete competes.
Given the said extra testosterone gives athletes an advantage in shorter distances and field events the most (which is why males and females have taken drugs for these events way more often than for the 800m and 1500m) their rule is inexplicable.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State University asked a judge Wednesday for permission to publicly share information about a confidential state medical board investigation involving the team doctor accused of decades-old sexual misconduct against more than 150 former students.
I notice the new self appointed elite of NZ journalism has decided to freely name the Christchurch murderer, even going so far as to promote him and his home town in backwater Australia.
What a disgraceful rag that Herald is.
Edit: I looked a bit deeper into the writer of this promotion piece, Caroline Meng-Yee, and it turns out she’s bee in trouble before for dressing as slain Sophie Elliot at a fancy dress birthday party in 2011.
Meng-Yee had fake blood on her arms and Sophie’s name tagged to her top, which had a photograph of Sophie’s killer and ex-boyfriend, Clayton Weatherston, 35, pinned to it.
I wouldn't be surprised if their reasoning is that the inevitable outrage will suck in a bunch of eyeballs. They'll come out with some freedom bullshit and that'll reel in Trotsker and co.
Reading about this Meng-Yee character made me feel sad. There are some verifiable scumbags writing for publications and the banner under which they publish legitimises their horrible nature.
She seems like one of those women who gets turned on by serial murderers. Her promotional piece on the Australian suggests that.
It's a horrible thought but I wonder if the Herald is softening the ground for a full push on trial coverage where they hope to make hundreds of thousands of dollars creating a circus based on the misery of this malevolent event.
(e) Meng-Yee is experienced, yet she dressed up as the slain victim in a case she covered presumably in order to promote herself and her agenda. I think the Herald are quite happy to have this sociopath cover the very worst terror attack in this country since the land wars.
That reporter was trusted with the coverage of the Sophie Elliot murder. A psychopathic murder by a person very similar in character to the Christchurch mass murderer and she dressed up as the victim three short years later?
I guess she'll be happy wearing a bloodied hijab to her next fancy dress ball!
No excuses for that disgusting behaviour no matter how many years ago. From the link above
"Meng-Yee did not respond to Sunday Star-Times inquiries but in 2009 she spoke to Metro about her work. The article said when Meng-Yee arrived at the newspaper she claimed her aim was to "lower the bar".
The story went on to disclose that Meng-Yee did not write many of the articles that appeared under her name, instead working closely with other writers to ready them for publication, and that she worked with TV journalist Genevieve Westcott on 60 Minutes, where the pair were nicknamed the pitbull and the pekingese."
As I have said before: As they try to escape from behind it in an effort to get noticed, the paywall will encourage a race to the bottom by NZ Herald journalists.
And as many here have posited, the Herald will the most likely only allow the most venal, (like Hosking), to be outside the paywall. This will further increase the downward pressure on Herald journalists as they compete to be more like Hosking.
The Herald will no longer be the journal of record. That task will fall to free to air and on line Public Service Broadcaster, RNZ.
In face of the climate crisis, amongst our official leaders. It almost seems, that courageous leadership is a forgotten art.
And when our official leaders shrink back from taking the lead; No matter, that they have no rank, or title, or official position the, leadership will fall to the one who leads
A Long Time Ago, In A Parallel Universe Far, Far Away: The political journalist scratched his head in confusion. Only then did he notice the name of the building: ‘The Jacinda Ardern Presidential Library and Public Resource Centre’. Making his way inside to the information desk, he asked the librarian ...
Too Much Of Nothing: In many respects it is the power of a free press to keep history’s images vivid and clear that renders it so important to the life of our democracy. It was the Czech writer, Milan Kundera, who said it best: “The struggle of man against power ...
Spark is bracing for a customer backlash as rugby fans all across the country struggle to get a picture on their wireless router. With the Rugby World Cup fast approaching, an elderly Taranaki couple are furious after being told that they still won’t be able to watch the tournament, even ...
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A new study claims to find that a mother’s exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy may decrease the IQ of male children – but is it correct? (Photo: Getty Images) Anti-fluoride campaigners are promoting ...
Yesterday the Greater Wellington Regional Council unanimously declared a climate emergency. They've also set themselves a goal of being carbon neutral by 2030, though this only applies to their direct emissions. Still, its a good step, and as usual it invites the question: where is Parliament? When are we going ...
That's the only way to describe the government's plans for a Parliamentary Budget Office to allow opposition parties to get an independent costing of their policies. When the idea was first floated back in 2016 as an office within Treasury, I thought that wasn't independent enough and argued that it ...
Today is a Member's day, and after the third reading of Hamish Walker's KiwiSaver (Oranga Tamariki Guardians) Amendment Bill, Parliament will be continuing the committee stage of David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill. The bigots have put up another pile of amendments in an effort to delay or wreck ...
Television advertising has a huge impact on our lives. Even if we don’t recognise that, we know it has to be true, since otherwise why would advertisers spend so much on it? Its significance, however, is greater than simply the influence it has on what we purchase and consume. It ...
by Jan Rivers More than 30 years ago a Commission of Inquiry was held in New Zealand to investigate, amongst other things, whether women with cervical cancer were aware that they had been part of a research project and whether they were properly informed of the treatment options ...
Everyone Wants To Be Fuhrer: When fascist groups are discussed, the image conjured-up in the minds of most New Zealanders is one of pathetic misfits. This negative impression is reinforced by the latter’s idiotic embrace of the swastika. Even in the second decade of the twenty-first century, the baleful legacy ...
by Philip Ferguson This weekend just past marks the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, the most famous of the great 1960s music festivals. It was held over the weekend (Friday-Monday) of August 15-18, 1969. Woodstock was a highpoint of the US ‘counter-culture’, and also the beginning of its end. When exploring the ...
It looks like the government has won over the public on its vehicle feebate scheme:A feebate scheme that would transfer hundreds of millions of dollars from buyers of higher-emission cars into the pockets of people buying EVs and other more fuel-efficient vehicles has been winning favour with submitters, the Government ...
When people suggest lowering the voting age, others argue that the young are too uneducated or silly to exercise the duties of citizenship. Australian John Quiggin has just blown that argument out of the water:Looking at the array of ignorant and vindictive old men attacking Greta Thunberg and other young ...
In the previous two posts, I laid out the context and set the theoretical framework to answer a question: whether indigenous economies should take the LEAP. This final part outlines ways to conceive of practicing mana motuhake within the existing legal system by carving out special jurisdictions that enable Indigenous ...
Fully Informed? Labour’s 2017 promises raised expectations that were little short of revolutionary. Unfortunately, they were never adequately shaken through the fiscal sieve. The hard economic work was not done – and it shows. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s critics have long complained that her grasp of the way the New ...
You cannot expect to pound communities into the ground day after day, year after year, decade after decade and just expect them to take it lying down. There’s a point at which the place will explode. And we’re faced with some very big ructions on both sides of the Atlantic ...
Back in May, Destiny Church leaders Brian and Hannah Tamaki launched another political party. Despite consisting entirely of followers of their religion, they grandly called it "Coalition New Zealand", in a vain effort to suggest it was something broader. But when they applied for registration, submitters opposed the name, as ...
The following article is excerpted and translated from two articles in recent issues of Lutte de Classe (Class Struggle), the magazine of Lutte Ouvrière (Workers Struggle), the revolutionary workers group active in France. We don’t necessarily agree with everything in it – for instance, the 1956-62 war for independence involved rather more revolutionary forces than ...
The Pacific is on the front line of climate change, and if we don't cut emissions quickly, some countries are literally going to be underwater. Because of this, small Pacific states had tried to use this week's Pacific Islands Forum meeting to get Pacific countries to agree to ending coal ...
To Limit Another's Rights Is To Limit One's Own: Is it too much to expect senior members of our Government to be capable of explaining that we protect the rights of human-beings precisely because not even the most depraved act can cancel-out the fact that its perpetrator is also a ...
Going Down? Once truth and propaganda become fused in the minds of one’s followers, debate and discussion become redundant. If one’s opponents are all outrageous liars, then engaging with them in any way is pointless. Rather than waste its time, a political party should, instead, target all its messages at ...
This section builds on Part 1 of this series to provide a theoretical basis for the final instalment (part 3 – to come). Self-determination: law or resurgence — or both? International law promotes the principal of equal treatment and self-determination, which includes peoples’ rights to freely pursue their social, cultural and ...
Everyone was outraged yesterday to learn that the Christchurch shooting accused had been able to send mail from prison to his Nazi fans, apparently pushing more hate. "How could this possibly happen", people asked. Simple: because New Zealand is a civilised country, and so we let prisoners send and receive ...
If we are to avoid dangerous anthropogenic climate change, we need to rapidly decarbonise our transport fleet. The good news: its starting to happen:The number of electric vehicles on New Zealand's roads have nearly tripled in the past two years. There are currently 15,453 registered electric vehicles (EVs), up ...
We need to fundamentally reframe our systems settings to address the drivers causing and underpinning inequality; structural change in systems especially financial. The Equality Network Hui was held in Wellington on 27 June 2019. The hui covered important topics such as child poverty; a living wage; taxation; public health; mental ...
The views-per-page for some of my recent postings:Depressing, isn't it? Provide thoughtful and wise commentary on the mainstream of British politics and no-one notices. Make a passing reference to Tommy DICKHEAD Robinson in a thread title and you get hundreds of views. Write something about anti-Semitism and you get another ...
The government has announced plans to move the Treaty of Waitangi and other taonga to a new site. Great news! So where are they going? Right next to the old one:The new plan will see a new 22,000-square-metre archive built on the former site of Defence House - the former ...
Back in June, StatsNZ went public about a project to track population data on an hourly level by using people's cellphones. It wasn't as bad as it initially looked - they were receiving no individual data, only counts by suburb - but there was still a huge consent problem, so ...
Most economists agree that a currently slowing economy could do with some stimulus – and they would also agree that there is no shortage of infrastructure projects which could be brought to productive fruition with help from that stimulus. In view of the current practice of sub-contracting economic policy decisions ...
I did an interview on the TVNZ Breakfast Show about the situation in Hong Kong. I tried to frame the issue as a collective action problem between two sides with very different end games. The video is here. Because of time constraints we could not discuss the fact that the ...
Image Credit: Wild Rose College A new study reporting the ranges of values for kidney and liver parameters in a healthy population is being actively misrepresented by anti-fluoride campaigners. The Fluoride Action Network’s (FAN) latest ...
Image Credit: Wild Rose College A new study reporting the ranges of values for kidney and liver parameters in a healthy population is being actively misrepresented by anti-fluoride campaigners. The Fluoride Action Network’s (FAN) latest ...
AN OPEN LETTER FOR SIGN ON BY ORGANISATIONS AND MOVEMENTS ACROSS THE WORLD, ALLIED IN THE FIGHT AGAINST INEQUALITY. This letter was released at the UN Political Forum on 9 July, where the Sustainable Development Goal on inequality was reviewed. The purpose of the letter is to call out the ...
We asked a young gay science student and critic of trans ideology and the trans activists’ assault on women’s and gay rights to outline his views on Redline. Thanks to him for his article. by Cian Ó Catháin Gender identity ideology (Gender ID) is ripping through western society at full ...
The Environment Committee is currently hearing submissions on the Zero Carbon Bill, and Stuff is reporting on the submissions. Today, they're covering yesterday they heard from "NZ" Steel:NZ Steel has told MPs it may be forced to close with the loss of thousands of jobs if changes aren't made to ...
Students are striking against climate change on September 27. And this time, they're asking everyone to join them:Students are taking to the streets, beaches and parks on 27 September, and we're inviting everyone to join us. That's right, this is an intergenerational issue, and you're all invited to put pressure ...
Peter McKenzie has a piece on Newsroom this morning about how local body politics is awash with property developer cash. 70% of all the donations in the 2016 Wellington mayoral election came from property developers. And its pretty obvious what they want in exchange:That’s particularly important in local government, according ...
Source: Unknown, twitter user Recently, I wrote a (relatively) short paper titled as above, to explore what self-determination could like in a practical sense. Maybe I’m a bit of an international trade truther or something, but I absolutely believe trade is at the heart of achieving peace and self-determination. Since ...
In the 1960s, after I had graduated with a first-class Oxford postgraduate law degree, I joined the British Foreign Office as the top entrant of my year. There, I worked for a couple of years on European affairs and was eventually posted to the Embassy in Brussels. After this exposure ...
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I heard a 45 minute interview with Monica Lewinsky talking to TED’s Chris Anderson on BBC Radio 4 over the weekend, and have listened to it another two times out walking. I recommend it. Highly. Man, I am so impressed with how this woman has integrated her life experiences and ...
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When the Justice Committee reported back on the Administration of Justice (Reform of Contempt of Court) Bill, free speech advocates breathed a sigh of relief. As originally introduced, the Bill reitered the ancient offence of "scandalising the court" - basicly, a special sedition law protecting judges from criticism. The select ...
Eighteen months ago, the government promised to strengthen the Bill of Rights Act, by explicitly affirming the power of the courts to issue declarations of inconsistency and requiring Parliament to formally respond to them. Since then - crickets. Which raises the obvious question: are they actually going to do this, ...
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This handy Queer Theory Glossary is from thetranswidow.com In case you’ve had trouble keeping up with the spate of new queer theory terms, here’s a handy glossary for your reference. Queer – A straight person with an interesting haircut. Non-binary/genderqueer – A chubby young female, typically 16-28, who has ...
by Daphna Whitmore US social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt spoke on 1 August in Auckland to a crowd of around one thousand people. He is best known for his bookThe Coddling of the American Mind which examines the new climate of trigger warnings and acute sensitivity of Gen Z. ...
What an extraordinarily depressing experience it is to be compelled to watch, at 12,000 miles distance, the contortions and machinations of the British political class as they set about their determined attempt to overturn the decision taken by the British people that they wish to leave the European Union. The ...
The winter grazing issue is becoming a highly sensitised one that I hope will not become so politicised that it delays solutions and results in the suicides of some very stressed farmers.Winter grazing has hit the headlines after a determined campaign, including the release of a video of some very ...
by Don Franks Way back when British guitar virtuoso Joe Brown was a beginning session guy he got to back a visiting American artist. Young Joe was an able technician but had yet to learn some points of professionalism. Part way through “Five foot high and rising” Joe tired of ...
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The Justice Committee has called for submissions on the Referendums Framework Bill. The Bill does what it says on the label - establishes a framework for referenda. Things you may want to address in your submission: Whether the bill should apply only at the 2020 election, or whether it should ...
The Thompson and Clark / MBIE spying scandal continues to result in fallout, this time in the form of a report on the implementation of MBIE's "Operation Exploration", its internal operation to enforce the infamous Anadarko Amendment which criminalised protests against the oil industry. MBIE's enforcement operation was tainted by ...
So, Winston Peters is defending his last-minute demand for a referendum on abortion by claiming he was "blindsided" by the bill. Really? The bill is a government bill. It has been working through the cabinet approval process since December last year. As part of that process, NZ First was consulted, ...
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The Green Part has been accused of lack of transparency in two recent situations. The first was the claimed media lockdown during Green's annual conference and the second was Julie Ann Genter's refusal to release a letter she had sent to Phil Twyford.I do get frustrated when journalist's succumb to ...
Last week, the ongoing democracy protests in Hong Kong saw a pro-Hong Kong student assaulted at the University of Auckland. The Chinese consulate in Auckland followed this up with a press release "express[ing] its appreciation to the students for their spontaneous patriotism" - effectively condoning the assault and inciting further ...
Only those who close their eyes and minds to the evidence can still be in any doubt that we are facing a climate change crisis. The evidence is conclusive that the world is not only getting inexorably hotter, but also that the rising temperatures are creating a number of other ...
Opportunities to dodge tax are shrinking with the completion of a new tax agreement with Switzerland, Revenue Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Mr Nash and the Swiss Ambassador David Vogelsanger have today signed documents to update the double tax agreement (DTA). The previous DTA was signed in 1980. “Double tax ...
Heart-warming images of House Speaker Trevor Mallard cradling a baby in Parliament have been welcomed around New Zealand, but the Public Service Association warns most families can only dream of such support in the workplace. ...
Applying New Zealand’s international human rights commitments, particularly those in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, can help in resolving the situation at Ihumātao, Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt says. ...
Climate campaigners impersonating bank staff have taken to the streets this week to expose ANZ Bank’s sponsorship of the fossil fuel industry. In the series of satirical actions in Wellington, Dunedin, and Auckland, the ‘bank staff’ promoted ...
Auckland Action Against Poverty joins the Children’s Commissioner , The Green Party , The New Zealand Drugs Foundation , Child Poverty Action Group and other organisations in the calls for an immediate end to the drug testing benefit sanctions. ...
Negotiations between Port Otago workers represented by the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) and the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) and management failed today and the unions have issued notice of an overtime ban from Saturday 7th September. ...
Queenstown Lakes District Council’s comments that it has applied for a consent to pollute waterways to avoid 'prosecutions by the Otago Regional Council' are unacceptable,’ Fish & Game New Zealand Chief Executive Martin Taylor says. ...
On March 15, the real world impact of online hate became abundantly, horrifically clear. As a shooter opened fire at two Christchurch mosques, the online image board 8chan anticipated, celebrated and amplified his killing spree. ...
Friday, 23 August: Government delegates from around the world, including New Zealand, are meeting in New York for the third of four meetings at the United Nations to agree a Global Oceans Treaty that could help to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030. Greenpeace ...
The excuses about a reportedly unwanted $57,000 payrise for Dunedin City Council CEO Sue Bidrose are laughable, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. ...
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance has launched the “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” committing to no more than 2% annual rate hikes over the next Council term, and has written to all Mayoral and Council candidates asking them to sign. The pledge will ...
This Saturday, Pakuranga Hunt Day at the Ellerslie Racecourse will see anti-horse racing protesters demonstrating at the corner of Ascot Avenue and Greenlane East. ...
Mayoral candidate John Tamihere will meet with Pacific Island leaders and community elders today at Puhunui Reserve in South Auckland to commit to a Pasefika Cultural Centre. ...
Cruel and invalid Forced Swim Tests carried out at Victoria University of Wellington, will be exposed at the University Open Day today, so prospective students can be warned about the flawed and unethical research being conducted at the institute. ...
The organiser of the annual YWCA Equal Pay Awards has expressed her disappointment with the latest Gender Pay Gap figure for New Zealand workers. The figure rose slightly from 9.2% in 2018 to 9.3% for the quarter ended 30 June 2019. ...
The Council of Licenced Firearm Owners (COLFO) is urging firearms owners to pass on information to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Attack on Christchurch Mosques now that the period for submissions has been extended to 27 September. ...
An application was filed in the Employment Relations Authority in Wellington today, seeking an injunction to prevent the Board of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation from removing the President from office. ...
The Government’s commitment to support literacy and numeracy training in the workplace is a strong signal from Government on recognising the importance of upskilling, reskilling and increasing productivity alongside their commitment to address the challenges ...
“The infrastructure sector sees a major role for the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga in lifting the nation’s sagging infrastructure performance,” says Paul Blair, incoming CEO of Infrastructure NZ. ...
The AA is calling on the Government to bring forward critical highway projects while time is spent properly developing the plans for a rapid transit system in Auckland. ...
Between 2015/16 and 2017/18, DHBs spent $280 million treating patients due to adverse drug reactions, reveals the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union in its latest briefing paper on health productivity . ...
The Pay Equity Coalition Auckland (PECA) is pleased the gender pay gap has decreased slightly. Statistics released today show the gap is now 11.9%, nearly 2 percent less than last year. ...
The Council of Licenced Firearm Owners (COLFO) is urging firearms owners to make sure they pass on any information they have to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Attack on Christchurch Mosques before submissions close tomorrow (Friday). ...
The big electricity companies consider solar energy “disruptive” and want pricing to suppress it. In contrast, advocates of local energy say that solar, energy efficiency, and other local energy solutions are the cheapest ways to reduce carbon emissions. ...
The Earthquake Commission and Shine Lawyers are delighted to announce that EQC has reached an agreement with the Gibling family, agreeing to cover the cost of repairs of remaining earthquake damage on their property. ...
Four months into the inquiry, the Royal Commission is gathering significant information and continues to receive valuable submissions from the public, from current and former State servants, experts and community groups. ...
While Fish & Game New Zealand is pleased to see Federated Farmers Environment Spokesperson Chris Allen say that 'we all want good, fresh water', he conveniently overlooks some key facts. ...
What: Wellington demo “Save the Amazon Forest/Salve a Amazônia!” When: Friday, 6 September 2019 from 12:30-13:30 Where: Embassy of Brazil in Wellingtona ...
Rt Hon Trevor Mallard, Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, welcomes the visit of His Excellency Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal. ...
A cross political Mental Health and Addictions Wellbeing group will be launched on Wednesday 28 August hosted by Sir John Kirwan and Moe Milne (ONZM) who have both been at the forefront of our country’s often difficult conversations about mental ...
Confirmation that the government will be progressing an independent Parliamentary Budget Office is great news for democracy and transparency, Federated Farmers says. ...
At first glance, Simon Bridges’ strident opposition to the government’s proposal to establish an independent office to cost political parties’ election spending plans looks childish and petty. ...
Euthanasia-Free NZ is appalled that Parliament spent so little time debating Part 2 of the End of Life Choice Bill and voted to leave it full of holes. ...
Jordan Williams, a spokesman for the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance and its nationwide sister group the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is slamming Auckland Mayor Phil Goff for his comments today that John Tamihere would need the Government’s support to ...
A ‘one size fits all’, inflexible and punitive regulatory regime for water quality just gets backs - and costs - up and most importantly will not work, Federated Farmers says. ...
Mediation yesterday between secondary principals and the government has resulted in a deal that the principals' negotiating team is recommending to its members. ...
Clubs New Zealand welcomes the decision of Justice Minister Andrew Little to put forward a bill amending the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act to allow all licensed premises to remain open for Rugby World Cup matches. ...
The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation has ordered a review looking at labelling of added sugars in food and drinks. An option under investigation is ‘a pictorial approach applied to sugary beverages / sugar-sweetened beverages’ ...
Labour market data released by Statistics New Zealand today indicates that a gender pay gap persists in New Zealand, despite improvement in some areas. ...
In the midst of the 6th Great Extinction Event the coalition, STOP Trashing Our Planet is urging voters to take full responsibility for the legacy we are leaving our children. ...
LGNZ will carefully consider the proposed National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) to assess if it meets the Government’s aim of enabling urban development or simply adds more red tape to the planning process. ...
Statistics out today from the Government show that the gender wage imbalance, or gap, in the average wage is 11.9%, a strong 2 percentage point improvement from 13.9% last year. The gender pay imbalance in the median wage is 9.3%. ...
Newstalk ZB Drive host and Herald on Sunday columnist Heather du Plessis-Allan is taking on the challenge of keeping 2019 Auckland Mayoral contenders Phil Goff and John Tamihere in line and on point in tonight’s live NZ Herald Newstalk ZB debate. ...
After twenty years Napier residents have endured heavy sleep and health disruptive noise and air pollution from freight trucks gridlock operations to and from the Napier port and other regions. ...
The EMA says much is riding on the board and chief executive of the new National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) announced by Infrastructure Minister Hon Shane Jones today, with a difficult task ahead to deliver on its purpose. ...
Combatting internet-related harm is being stymied by inter-industry disagreement and a lack of information about the extent and nature of the problem, a new report says. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, J.W. Nevile Fellow in Economics and host of The Airport Economist, UNSW Amid the tributes to former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer and the stories of his authenticity, courage and quirky interests – like trains and military history – what ...
Current leader of the National Party, Simon Bridges.Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Is Simon Bridges really trying to channel Donald Trump? Or is he taking his cue from Scott Morrison? Or is he looking to emulate Boris Johnson? Whatever the inspiration, there’s been a clear change in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra [embedded content]Michelle Grattan talks about the sad news of the passing of former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer with University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Professor Deep Saini. They also discuss Scott Morrison’s recent announcement about joining ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabriel Crowley, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, James Cook University In February, about 600,000 cattle were killed by catastrophic flooding across north Queensland’s Carpentaria Gulf plains. The flood waters rose suddenly, forming a wall of water up to 70km wide. Record depths were ...
Simon Day dined alone at Monique Fiso’s Wellington restaurant Hiakai, and discovered it was the perfect way to appreciate the meaning of this special food. “Would you like a few more minutes with your phone?” the waitress at Hiakai asked sympathetically as I mashed a final goodbye text to my wife ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Willamson, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Australia’s gender pay gap is diminishing, says a new report, but some contributors to it seem harder to overcome than others. For me, the finding hit close to home. The report, by KPMG for ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Te Tiriti o Waitangi: The Treaty of Waitangi by Toby Morris with Ross Calman, Mark Derby, and ...
Honey producer Comvita has confirmed a full year net loss of $27.7m with China market access restrictions and tougher regulations locally affecting the company's sales. ...
James Elliott realises John Tamihere's uncosted bridge proposal wasn't actually a metaphor, but a fine example of 'folks is mighty generous with money what they ain’t got'. ...
A new poem by Oamaru-born poet Nick Ascroft.SupermanHalfway up the ascent zigzagging from Royal Terrace to upper Stuart Street carrying four too-heavy grocery bags I begin to understand that I will not make it. My huffing personage – from the fingers, white with the strain, to a face the colour of rhubarb – will ooze into the pavement and roll slowly ...
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in reality television and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s.Sound the alarm, because it’s time for another absolute chaos pod. We’re talking haunted dolls in Waipu, we’re talking giant hands taking over Wellington, we’re talking soft serve cones dipped in powdered Milo. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Press, Adjunct Professor, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania This week, the ABC revealed that the Australian Defence Force wants to roll out military technology in Antarctica. The article raises the issue of what is, or is not, ...
New Zealand teacher aides say their pay reflects an outdated idea of what they do. Elizabeth McLeod hears from four TAs, and one parent, about the classroom realities they face every dayCleaning up poo, defusing violent situations, copping physical and verbal abuse: these are the realities of a teacher aide’s ...
The lanky sidekick from Jono and Ben journeys around New Zealand trying to solve small town problems. Does he succeed?Guy Williams, hardly a shy, retiring type, has been screaming out for his own vehicle for years. A loud, lanky, fearless comic, he’s spent nearly a decade in MediaWorks purgatory, sat ...
Ballot Box.Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – The nature of New Zealand general election campaigns could be significantly changed with the proposed establishment of an “umpire” to adjudicate over political party manifesto policies. A suggestion has been put forward by the Government for the establishment of a parliamentary watchdog ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Ihumātao Delphine Herbert and Dan Satherley (Newshub): Tainui to buy Ihumātao land – sources Danielle ...
Extinction Rebellion takes a tour of downtown Wellington to point out the coal industry stalwarts and ask why they’re still there in the face of a climate emergency. “There are coal companies in Wellington??”That’s the incredulous response every single time we mention taking the public on a tour of the biggest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel A. Ankeny, Professor of History and Philosophy, and Deputy Dean Research (Faculty of Arts), University of Adelaide The South Australian government recently announced its intention to lift the long-standing statewide moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops, following a statutory six-week consultation ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vicki Sentas, Senior Lecturer, UNSW Law, UNSW Being strip searched by the police can be intrusive, humiliating and harmful. Typically, strip searches involve being required to strip naked in front of police officers, who often give the direction to “squat and cough”, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Remond, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Hi, I was just wondering if something’s wrong with me because I’m never happy and never want to do anything and I’m getting really lazy and I really hate school. Thanks – Anonymous ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Zaphir, Researcher for the University of Queensland Critical Thinking Project; and Online Teacher at Education Queensland’s IMPACT Centre, The University of Queensland From as early as Grade 3 teachers start teaching children how to put across their own points of view. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW It’s four years since then Prime Minister Tony Abbott warned Australia had been heading to “a Greek-style economic future”. He was referring to what he said had been happening under the previous Labor government. When Labor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samia Khatun, Senior Lecturer, SOAS, University of London Some 1,000 kilometres inland from Sydney, over the Blue Mountains, past the trees that drink the tributaries of the Darling River, there stands a little, red mosque. It marks where the desert begins. The ...
Online gambling is growing fast in New Zealand, but critics say new government ideas for regulating websites focus on what's good for the industry, rather than protecting people from harm. ...
An "extreme pro-Beijing" writer has caused controversy in the Chinese community and awkwardness for the Labour Party by standing for political office in Auckland. ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Concern about slow progress for major transport projects, smoking researcher under pressure over funding, and hikoi marches from Ihumātao to Ardern’s office.NZTA is struggling to get spending out the door, so the money isn’t flowing through the economy, reports Thomas Coughlan ...
Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard will look at whether people making submissions on proposed law changes should be forced to disclose conflicts of interest. ...
Rugby and league legend Honey Hireme has put all her careers on hold - including her Warriors debut - to take care of her mum, who has terminal cancer. ...
In the ongoing battle to prevent 480 houses being built on ancestral land, a petition with more than 26,000 signatures was delivered to the Prime Minister’s Mt Albert office yesterday. Leonie Hayden was there.Lead by the inimitable Pania Newton, about 100 kaitiaki set off from Ihumātao near Māngere yesterday morning ...
Every scholarship exam and approximately every two external assessments are wrapped in their own single-use plastic bag. We’re asking the NZQA to cut it out, writes year-13 student Sophia HoneyEvery year after an exam, I see the same conversation happen. Friends turn to each other, talk about how difficult that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Even Scott Morrison, with his abundant self-belief, couldn’t have imagined that on Saturday’s first anniversary of his seizing the prime ministership, he’d be winging his way to France for a G7 meeting, where Australia has ...
A group of students, including some Youth MPs, have been banned from Parliament for a year, after singing a waiata in the public gallery in support of the Ihumātao hīkoi. ...
National MP Nick Smith has lodged a serious accusation against Parliament's Speaker calling him "biased" after once again being booted out of the debating chamber. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sunanda Creagh, Head of Digital Storytelling Last weekend, hundreds of thousands of people again took to the streets in Hong Kong to protest against the government – the 11th straight weekend of demonstrations that began in June over a proposed extradition bill. ...
Open mike 04/05/2019 
A Long Time Ago, In A Parallel Universe Far, Far Away: The political journalist scratched his head in confusion. Only then did he notice the name of the building: ‘The Jacinda Ardern Presidential Library and Public Resource Centre’. Making his way inside to the information desk, he asked the librarian ...5 hours ago
6 hours ago
Nothing from me tody - I'm off to Christchurch to pretend to be other people for a weekend. Normal bloggage should resume on Tuesday. ...7 hours ago
Spark is bracing for a customer backlash as rugby fans all across the country struggle to get a picture on their wireless router. With the Rugby World Cup fast approaching, an elderly Taranaki couple are furious after being told that they still won’t be able to watch the tournament, even ...19 hours ago
Several explosions have been reported across Auckland, as well-meaning environmentalists have already begun purchasing too much petrol Starting from next week, customers will no longer need a car to purchase petrol directly from the pump, a development that two major fuel providers are billing as an opportunity to help fight ...20 hours ago
A new study claims to find that a mother’s exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy may decrease the IQ of male children – but is it correct? (Photo: Getty Images) Anti-fluoride campaigners are promoting ... 22 hours ago
Television advertising has a huge impact on our lives. Even if we don’t recognise that, we know it has to be true, since otherwise why would advertisers spend so much on it? Its significance, however, is greater than simply the influence it has on what we purchase and consume. It ...2 days ago
by Jan Rivers More than 30 years ago a Commission of Inquiry was held in New Zealand to investigate, amongst other things, whether women with cervical cancer were aware that they had been part of a research project and whether they were properly informed of the treatment options ...3 days ago
Everyone Wants To Be Fuhrer: When fascist groups are discussed, the image conjured-up in the minds of most New Zealanders is one of pathetic misfits. This negative impression is reinforced by the latter’s idiotic embrace of the swastika. Even in the second decade of the twenty-first century, the baleful legacy ...3 days ago
In the previous two posts, I laid out the context and set the theoretical framework to answer a question: whether indigenous economies should take the LEAP. This final part outlines ways to conceive of practicing mana motuhake within the existing legal system by carving out special jurisdictions that enable Indigenous ...5 days ago
Fully Informed? Labour’s 2017 promises raised expectations that were little short of revolutionary. Unfortunately, they were never adequately shaken through the fiscal sieve. The hard economic work was not done – and it shows. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s critics have long complained that her grasp of the way the New ...5 days ago
You cannot expect to pound communities into the ground day after day, year after year, decade after decade and just expect them to take it lying down. There’s a point at which the place will explode. And we’re faced with some very big ructions on both sides of the Atlantic ...7 days ago
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Going Down? Once truth and propaganda become fused in the minds of one’s followers, debate and discussion become redundant. If one’s opponents are all outrageous liars, then engaging with them in any way is pointless. Rather than waste its time, a political party should, instead, target all its messages at ...1 week ago
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The government has announced plans to move the Treaty of Waitangi and other taonga to a new site. Great news! So where are they going? Right next to the old one:The new plan will see a new 22,000-square-metre archive built on the former site of Defence House - the former ...1 week ago
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I did an interview on the TVNZ Breakfast Show about the situation in Hong Kong. I tried to frame the issue as a collective action problem between two sides with very different end games. The video is here. Because of time constraints we could not discuss the fact that the ...1 week ago
Image Credit: Wild Rose College A new study reporting the ranges of values for kidney and liver parameters in a healthy population is being actively misrepresented by anti-fluoride campaigners. The Fluoride Action Network’s (FAN) latest ... 1 week ago
Alone, Alone. All, All Alone: Will it be a good or a bad thing, when humanity’s bright blue spacecraft is stricken by the civilisation-destroying problem of Climate Change, that no Huston Control will be standing-by to rescue the crew?“WE HAVE A PROBLEM, HUSTON.” These were the words used by the ...1 week ago
Divided Loyalties: Can the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, be relied upon? That’s what the boys and girls at Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon needed to be reassured about. Because, from the perspective of Washington, it’s looking more and more like Jacinda Ardern and her Labour Party comrades are getting ready ...2 weeks ago
This handy Queer Theory Glossary is from thetranswidow.com In case you’ve had trouble keeping up with the spate of new queer theory terms, here’s a handy glossary for your reference. Queer – A straight person with an interesting haircut. Non-binary/genderqueer – A chubby young female, typically 16-28, who has ...2 weeks ago
The winter grazing issue is becoming a highly sensitised one that I hope will not become so politicised that it delays solutions and results in the suicides of some very stressed farmers.Winter grazing has hit the headlines after a determined campaign, including the release of a video of some very ...2 weeks ago
The Green Part has been accused of lack of transparency in two recent situations. The first was the claimed media lockdown during Green's annual conference and the second was Julie Ann Genter's refusal to release a letter she had sent to Phil Twyford.I do get frustrated when journalist's succumb to ...2 weeks ago
Opportunities to dodge tax are shrinking with the completion of a new tax agreement with Switzerland, Revenue Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Mr Nash and the Swiss Ambassador David Vogelsanger have today signed documents to update the double tax agreement (DTA). The previous DTA was signed in 1980. “Double tax ...2 weeks ago
Heart-warming images of House Speaker Trevor Mallard cradling a baby in Parliament have been welcomed around New Zealand, but the Public Service Association warns most families can only dream of such support in the workplace. ...2 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, J.W. Nevile Fellow in Economics and host of The Airport Economist, UNSW Amid the tributes to former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer and the stories of his authenticity, courage and quirky interests – like trains and military history – what ...55 mins ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra [embedded content]Michelle Grattan talks about the sad news of the passing of former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer with University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Professor Deep Saini. They also discuss Scott Morrison’s recent announcement about joining ...2 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabriel Crowley, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, James Cook University In February, about 600,000 cattle were killed by catastrophic flooding across north Queensland’s Carpentaria Gulf plains. The flood waters rose suddenly, forming a wall of water up to 70km wide. Record depths were ...2 hours ago
Simon Day dined alone at Monique Fiso’s Wellington restaurant Hiakai, and discovered it was the perfect way to appreciate the meaning of this special food. “Would you like a few more minutes with your phone?” the waitress at Hiakai asked sympathetically as I mashed a final goodbye text to my wife ...2 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Willamson, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Australia’s gender pay gap is diminishing, says a new report, but some contributors to it seem harder to overcome than others. For me, the finding hit close to home. The report, by KPMG for ...3 hours ago
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Te Tiriti o Waitangi: The Treaty of Waitangi by Toby Morris with Ross Calman, Mark Derby, and ...3 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vicki Sentas, Senior Lecturer, UNSW Law, UNSW Being strip searched by the police can be intrusive, humiliating and harmful. Typically, strip searches involve being required to strip naked in front of police officers, who often give the direction to “squat and cough”, ...9 hours ago
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Every scholarship exam and approximately every two external assessments are wrapped in their own single-use plastic bag. We’re asking the NZQA to cut it out, writes year-13 student Sophia HoneyEvery year after an exam, I see the same conversation happen. Friends turn to each other, talk about how difficult that ...12 hours ago
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ANALYSIS: By Camellia Webb-Gannon of the University of Wollongong Last weekend, the Indonesian police took 43 West Papuan students into custody for allegedly disrespecting the Indonesian flag during an independence day celebration (an allegation the students deny). Police stormed the students’ dorm and used teargas to force them out, ...20 hours ago
Just reflecting on the widely held opinion that the next election is a cake walk what with political 'capital' built up in PM Ardern, engagement news and the kerfuffle around the leadership of National party.
Going back two and a half years, there is no way the most strident Labour fan could have envisioned this scenario.
Therefore it is quite possible the same could happen again. After a couple of leadership coups eg Collins, Woodhouse, Adams, Mitchell, a candidate like Upston, Ngaro or Dean, or my pick, someone from outside of politics currently, can come in and sweep all before them.
The coalition needs to look at their statements leading into the election and put them into action.
OMG…. if they have to resort to Dean they may as well give up and go home. Has that MP achieved anything in 4 1/2 terms. Apart from falling for a di-hydrogen monoxide hoax once.
Di-hydrogen monoxide reminds me of when microwaves were a new thing.
Some larrikin sold a microwave cleaner concentrate.
Put in a bowl, run microwave until liquid boils, wipe out oven.
The concentrate?…di-hydrogen monoxide
Chris Liddell might be one to watch. High flying business career overseas, currently serving the Fraud from Fifth Avenue.
Impressive business career. Finance Minister, maybe, but not really the right sort of charisma for political leader. Is probably on track for international roles after his current one so why would he settle for replacing Bill English or Steven Joyce?
That's exactly the kind of comment I would have made about John Key in 2001.
Key was always a self-promoter in a way Liddell does not seem to be. Liddell leans backwards rather than forwards in interviews.
It doesn't matter that Shane Jones is NZ First. Any good he/they achieve can be undone electorally in one brain numbingly dumb speech/spiel.
It's all about the easiest to create negative thing, perception. There is already a 'dishonourable' list with Clare Curran, Twyford, Mahuta, Jackson whose actions, words, for right or wrong, have had the affect of chopping down the tree or at least ring-barking it.
Yeah, nothing is a given.
National might even figure out how to make friends.
The downfall of our ridiculous food system begins. Extreme waves, some > 20m being recorded. Overall wave action increasing.
Soon the shipping will only be seasonal. Then, uninsurable…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/112447503/extreme-waves-are-getting-higher-in-the-antarctic-ocean-study-finds
Off to a tree cropping workshop today. EXCITED!
So the option of having sea transport is lessening. Our government has abandoned the domestic economy in order to export and then we can buy all the wonderful things available from the world with our export dollars. That is, those in employment at a living wage. We have stopped making things for ourselves.
But then, because of the reciprocal nature of our trading system we have an open economy, and overseas people who have bigger purses than us, can buy wonderful things here, like houses, desirable land and very desirable water.
Now we have to decide whether we are going to spend our money buying imported goods, which are no longer made here, or go without – mend and save – and try to gather a deposit to buy a shoe-box or a big car to live in as the housing market prices have been pushed up by our wealthier export customers.
Is that a wise way to run a country? Even the relatively well off people are finding that the house they can obtain loan money to buy, drains more than half of their weekly or monthly earnings. And how do we supply necessities and have a thriving economy if we can’t export our produce. We will still be able to export services. But the reciprocal system will be broken. The overseas buyers will still come here and buy us up, we will be at survival mode and be tenants in what was our own land. I think John Key was expressing concern about that at one time while facilitating the process. Was it wise to leave him to play his smirking Prime Minister role for so long?
Greywarshark
We are being lead down the path to oblivion.
Holy Balls Batman
I saw a bunch of 18 year old redwoods today far bigger than Pinus radiata at 25 years (when they cut).
Too big for today's mills, no market (here) as everything is pine. Then there's the people growing natives, too scared to try large scale in case they're not allowed to realise the crop…
So we can't sell exotic timber except pine locally, we can't grow natives that would sell because we might not be allowed to sell them. Pine pine did someone say pine.
We can grow far better trees but… crops must be clonal for markets. And you got to have a market. Assessing a stand of a couple hundred trees for the tree keepers (good clones) is a couple hundred thousand dollars…
Who's got that laying around.
The market that's supposed to help little guys (trickle trickle) has us locked out. I guess you could grow pine…
F'n travesty. No variety in the market means no resilience to vagaries in the market. A bug, a bacteria, a fungi, an oomycete, an emerging player, a reticent buyer…
NZ forestry has all its eggs in one basket.
I had a look through Lincoln University offerings to see what they had on tree diversity. I couldn't find stuff. Pine.. But what about growing for carbon credits. Money for keeping them in the ground?
And having a range of trees for specialist use, furniture etc, masts; picking them out by helicopter and making big $$ from the few.
Someone would have to live in the area as they would attract thieves. Guns might be appropriate for rangers in this case.
There must be markets for other trees. Reasonably fast growing and not requiring the same treatment as softwood, resinous pines.
Page 6
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/28461-nefd-2017-report-pdf
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news-and-resources/open-data-and-forecasting/forestry/new-zealands-forests/
"The number of owners with less than 40 hectares is difficult to estimate, but is likely to be over 10,000"
And there's a pie graph. A fucking pie graph. Go NZ Govt.
Yes WTB.
Pine tree economy is flawed as the cost to us for the road damage from using trucks is horrendous and driving the country broke and Ports tell us that the port virtually has to give no charge to using every log shipped from their Ports now as there is no money it it.
So we taxpayers pay to maintain n the Ports that have to allow free transport overseas from their Port, and we pay to keep the roads maintained from trucking the logs to the Port.
We are being screwed every day by this mindless false economy we are in now no thanks to national setting this all up for the export potential of a false economy in pine trees.
The reply function is still very hit and miss . I'm on a samsung xcover4.
Hey wags, I have the same problem on my huawei, however when using Brave rather than Chrome I have no problem.
I thought there was there an election in the UK recently. Cant find any results.
Or was I imaging it?
HA L ocal sections. Found it!!!
https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/ceeqy0e9894t/england-local-elections-2019
Final Councils Conservative 93 Labour 60 | Councillors similar proportions
Note Change on last election: Conservative Councils -44 Councillors -1334
Labour Councils -6 Councillors -82.
Residents Association Councils 2 Greens 0
Councillors RA 119 (+49) Greens 265 (+194)
So Greens are accepted at grass roots level
Lib dems gained 700 councillors – basically doubled their representation.
Ran on an exit the brexit campaign.
I jumped right over the Lib Dems – meant to put them in.
They just about doubled. Seemed to have mopped up Tory disdain. Liberal Democrat:
Councils: Total18 +/-+10
Councillors: Total1350 +/-+703
Thanks BBC for nice clear chart.
Thanks BBC for nice clear chart.
You really are a True Believer.
https://off-guardian.org/2019/05/03/uk-local-election-propaganda-significant-losses-for-both-sides/
So the tories get decimated and, instead of being the recipient of a mass of disgruntled voters wrath, labour themselves also take a hammering. Not really the look of a government in waiting.
And you say true believer lol
For every seat Labour lost, the Tories lost 14.
"Have Labour gained a whole bunch of seats? No. But the media effort to conflate Labour’s minor losses with the complete trouncing the Conservatives have taken is totally dishonest."
The results aren't in dispute, are they? What is, is how labour lost big and didn't benefit from the tory backlash, casting doubt on their ability to form a government after the next general election. It doesn’t seem they are resonating well with the public.
Without a brexit agreement, the longer Farrage's brexit party and the ukip stay in the game seems to be Corbyn's only hope of sneaking in to power at present, by default. Having the lib dems bounce back will take seats off May, but then labour could well lose out in 3 way electorates, and those tactically voting where they are in 3rd place. Not that positive, and certainly not much to shout about against a most unpopular ruling party.
Lucky for labour it's first past the post and not mmp, otherwise they'd be screwed with, on current polling, only scoring in the low 30s.
Agreed, the results are indisputable.
If, as you say, "Labour lost big",
then the Tories lost big big big big big big big big big big big big big big.
Decimated,I wrote.
And if labour have lost councils and councillors during that time, then the reports of shared significant losses are indeed accurate.
If 14-to-1 is your idea of "shared" losses, then bags I get first choice after you've cut the cake.
Carry on spinning.
Yep, shared significant losses. Consider where labour were losing hardest, take in the big picture, add context, and the story behind the numbers makes more sense.
And spinning, for who?
Seems you're talking up Labour losses – that’s your focus, no?
I’m attempting to provide a quantitative representation of (relative) losses which might form the basis for objective analyses.
Labour: Losers
Tories: Losers Losers Losers Losers Losers Losers Losers Losers Losers Losers Losers Losers Losers Losers
Regarding the beneficiaries of 'spin', happy for readers to judge.
libdems: winners winners winners winners winners winners winners
Well I'm definitely not downplaying labours losses, nor what it potentially means for them going forward electorally as a party who can still lose on the night as the most divided tory party in a generation shart it's pants.
So in rejecting the claims of propaganda and biassed media reporting in covering this poll, looking in to the stories behind the numbers (such as why labour shed votes to the lib dems in swings of around 8%), and going deeper behind a banner headline (why the major opposition party didn't pick up conservative protest votes when it needs them in these electorates to become government), I am also happy to leave it to the readers to decide whose spinning and for why.
Great to see Minister Sage push back successfully on the Waihi Oceania Gold tailing dam investment.
That will have taken political hard work within this government.
Given Labour's history in Waihi it would be hard not to support mining in a mining town.
Tough decision for a government, but great standup Minister Sage.
Yes Ad but the big issue is this.
yes we humans are one of the first to be extinct I fear.
The planet is nearing the end as the Ross Sea ice shelf is about to disappear and our sea levels will rise dramatically.
The oxygen content in the atmosphere is sinking every month now so how long can we survive without oxygen in our air?
We daily see brand new trucks on our roads all hauling freight that used to go by rail, increasing the carbon levels as we speak, so we are a menace to ourselves alright.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190429111835.htm
Rapid melting of the world’s largest ice shelf linked to solar heat in the ocean
Date:
April 29, 2019
Source:
University of Cambridge
Summary:
An international team of scientists has found part of the world’s largest ice shelf is melting 10 times faster than the overall ice shelf average, due to solar heating of the surrounding ocean surface.
Not much hope for our children now but to flee to a “survival bunkers” like they are probably building up high on the safety of the te-ureweras up in the hills when the end comes.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1705/S00487/te-kawa-o-te-ureweras-draft-released.htm
Sounds like it's a problem that's going to solve itself cleany.
This would be the third such environmental catastrophe in the Waihi area. Not only would this toxic* mound of waste cover over 178H of agricultural land rendering it useless and presenting an eyesore for generations to come, there are other considerations to be taken into account as well.
https://teggtalk.wordpress.com/2016/11/30/how-earthquake-safe-are-the-mine-tailings-dams-at-waihi/
Coromandel Watchdog have been fighting this crap from the miners for years now. We don't need any more fucking gold. There has been 170,000 of tonnes of the stuff mined and locked up in safes such as Fort Knox, and elsewhere already. So it's already there if ever it is needed for any useful purpose. To get enough gold for a single wedding ring you have to drill though 250 tonnes of rock, pulverize it, then chemically treat it. Such activity now is simply madness.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5129257/
This is the way to do it.
The key was leadership
Fascists peacefully swamped by large crowd, cancel planned march through Liverpool.
When only a small counter protest turn up, the fascists sensing weakness, will not hesitate to use violence to intimidate and smash them over.
What made the difference between a small counter protest and large counter protest was leadership.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/nov/03/liverpool-runs-far-right-marchers-out-of-town
Ha! I heard, "Bye bye".
Love it! Thank-you Jenny.
I think that National’s break-point will be when the Budget gets presented to the House. The Party’s response and its Leader’s delivery will seal their fate for the next Election. Even the opinion pieces of Political Editors are getting boringly predictable in style and substance but they still do their job as click-bait <sigh>.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/112458922/nationals-sinking-feeling-after-jacinda-ardern-springs-engagement-news
Here's hoping. Nothing I'd like more than to see the current National Party crop to self-destruct.
Having just watched "The Nation", what worries me is that there's a fair few issues where Labour/the Coalition are not even picking the low hanging fruit (apologies – I'm still pivoting going forward from the other day). Simon Wilson had a point – to do with the interaction between departments (in this case IRD and MSD) and the Ministers responsible – this to do with the case of a rape victim. From what I could see, even under current legislation, this matter could at least be partially resolved even if, as Sepuloni said, there would be no retrospective compensation.
Then there are things such as worker exploitation (BOTH immigrant and citizen) which could be at LEAST improved by Ministerial and Ministry intervention.
Then there are NZTA fuckups, insurance issues, etc, etc., etc. that may start to really piss off an impatient electorate if the Coalition doesn't pick up the pace (especially where some basic resolution doesn't require law changes).
Even IF and THOUGH the gNats are in most part to blame for a lot of it all, it won't stop them from scoring a few hits if some of this 'low hanging fruit' isn't dealt with.
It's a failure of cabinet leadership to not make immediate fixes because you are waiting to implement longer-term change.
/agreed – even with a heavy workload. And possibly a failure of Ministerial-Department/Ministry Head interaction if and when there are roadblocks – even given all that 'impartiality of officials'.
And then there's a rabid media to contend with, many of whom will still be stirring as much shit as possible in their dying days, but I doubt whether even the likes of JC would be giving a free ride over the example(s) given above.
They may get beyond Christ-levels of forgiveness, yes. 🙂
As we have seen in the past, when the time is right, even a very mildly lefty government can be taken down by outrage over light-bulbs. This is the world we live in – a dominion of lies ruled over by money.
But the light-bulbs are symbolic of other matters that there are doubts about; they just act as a marker, virtue-signalling.*
It could mean there are the Left looking down, fussing over every little thing while the parade passes by.
It could mean there are the Left trying to be the Knight on the White Charger saving people who didn't want that.
It could be there are the Left fulminating over something, and ready to turn our lives upside down as they did when they brought in the Free-Market and No Regulation.
It could mean there are the people who are going to make us take our medicine which they have prescribed and no-one we know considers we are even sick, but they always know best.
It could mean that Labour presses an anti-authority nerve in those who are happy to pursue their own ends and let someone else clean up any messes left. What me clean up. I employ people to do that for me, and anyway others have done it too, why pick on me/us to behave well, make changes that aren't proven 100% worthwhile.
Examples of possible effects of new light bulb changes. In myself I thought of the cost of buying two new light bulbs at possibly $7 each compared to incandescent ones at $1 each. When people are really poor they can't afford to make such forward-moving gestures. Cut out incandescents and it would be back to candles. So I hoped that Labour could cut its crusading zeal down to what was okay for the precariat working and not working classes which used to be their spine.
*Virtue-signalling:
the action or practice of publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one’s good character or the moral correctness of one’s position on a particular issue.
“it’s noticeable how often virtue signalling consists of saying you hate things”
Regulating energy-efficient lightbulbs and showers was symbolic of the fundamental changes we need to make for the climate – and we have seen in the decade since that how far many people are prepared to go to keep their heads firmly planted in the sand.
If making those small changes was never going to have any effect, you might be able to claim it was 'virtue signalling'. That's just a bad-faith phrase from the dolts of the US right.
It was what it was. As you say it was symbolic of changes we needed to make, and that they would not recognise the difficulties that very low income people faced, because they don't care to apply their minds to da little peeps. Fact – fact.
And don't forget the “Fart Tax” AB when some farmer/Nat MP drove his tractor up parliament steps. Everybody laughed. Such a good joke against the Clark government.
Not laughing now are they, although not nearly enough has been done about it.
Labour should turn all that puerile stuff back on National – and those who fell for it – simply because they deserve it.
Fair comments. I think it would be great if somebody more familiar with it does a (guest) post on the different areas of responsibility of departmental CEOs, for example, for operational matters, and the Ministers. As far as I know, Ministers don’t hire the staff in their Ministries.
Where’s veutoviper?
She walked Incognito. I don't know why but suspect someone or some people here offended her.
There are a tiny handful of commenters on this site who make a career out of trying to offend regulars.
If we commenters care about what is happening to people in NZ and the world then we can't walk away from a forum like this that attempts to bring matters to scrutiny. It is good if people don't get nagged at all the time, if they have a point they should be considered. But it may need altering when some of its aspects are challenged. The view as to rightness can be different depending on the perspective. If the challenger does not have a worthy point and is unrelenting there is the choice of ignoring them, or uncovering their perspective and showing it as unreasonable. Also sometimes when you disagree with someone, it is still possible to see their greater good overall.
Those who want to state a case and think that they are totally right, need to stay on and at least hear and have short discussions about other people's POV. Veutoviper is a concerned and informed person and could be expected to stick around not walk away.
But some I think have 20th century perceptions. These have to alter somewhat – we can't think in exactly the same mode as the past, our future is changing and our approach must also – we know that life may become extremely uncomfortable. I worry as I read stories from the holocaust, from past times; we haven't made the great strides in managing our human life, emotions and desires, goals and outcomes, as we should. Therefore we have to think more deeply, nothing is absolutely certain, judgments have to be made., sometimes interim. Kindness and practicality must be hand in hand. For everyone who gives up, there are a thousand who will never understand that particular POV, and vice versa. It is important for the thinking, to assess their own thoughts and try to understand others who haven't experience or imagination.
FYI @ Incognito.
You might be interested in RNZ's "The House" a week or so back (31/3/2019 i THINK).
Briefly deals with various powers vested in Ministers and Departmental CEO's and down the chain – regulatory authority etc. which allows for a degree of flexibility when conditions change or in unforeseen circumstances.
Things CAN get done quite quickly when necessary – as we have just seen. For example: in the case of the Christchurch terrorist attack, visa changes to allow family members of victims to come to NZ were implemented within a couple of weeks.
And yes re Ministers and hiring of staff (which is as it should be probably), but there are ways and means – Ministers making it clear what expectations are, etc.
And let's not pretend the old nudge nudge wink wink shit hasn't been happening – especially during the gNat's last reign, OR things like abuse of the OIA system, OR the use of Thompson & Clark – clearly unacceptable behaviour for the public service to be involved in. Sanctions are available for that sort of thing BUT for political will and who has been licking who's arse (Sorry to be blunt, but that's what it amounts to).
Deliberate under-resourcing in some areas (for example) of those responsible for monitoring tertiary education, or visa compliance (James Casson aside), or monitoring the state of some of those immigration 'advisors' suited the last gNat junta very well. Priorities CAN be adjusted in many cases to ensure the sort of shit "The Nation" covered, or exploitation doesn't/didn't happen.
Thanks, I might have a look later although I’m keen to write a post (on a different topic). In any case, I don’t feel comfortable to write a meaningful post on departments and ministries, for example.
That thing by Watkins was a snore-fest. Could have been written a year ago and no-one would know the difference.
Exactly! It still managed to attract 480 comments!? Comments have now been closed on the article, but this is why they keep writing these snore fests.
It is a most peculiar article. She starts off with acomment about the donations to National soaring while Labours were paltry.
Somehow this is meant to be interpreted as National are in trouble? Shouldn't it mean, if her remark about "donations drying up" is correct it is Labour that is in trouble?
Still it is a pretty typical Watkins piece. Bugger the facts. She loves Ardern.
Harp music 🙂
An insightful view on how we used to police bad behaviour on our roads by someone who knows.
Makes me wonder whether our terrible road toll could be reduced if we returned to the old style of traffic policing, by a specialist force of dedicated officers with a passion for road safety and saving lives on the road, as their sole mission.
https://www.noted.co.nz/life/life-in-nz/when-traffic-cops-used-to-rule-new-zealand-roads/
Food for thought at least.
I was told something interesting by a friend who was part of the emergency response to the Tasman forest fire and was talking to a top Tasman cop. He said the previous National government had little interest in road safety, their sole focus was on keeping traffic, and of course commerce in the form of trucking, moving as quickly as possible. He is very pleased to see the coalition government's focus firmly back on policing for safer roads.
Yes, and that is a great example of getting on with change – immediate Budget action, clear announcement by Minister, results on the ground spreading already. Glad to hear those who have to respond to safety failures are noticing improvement.
Ae! And they have this weird idea that double lanes in both directions will naturally allow it all to happen (when the average NuZillner has yet to come to terms with merging like a zip and still drives like it's all a competition, in between checking the latest beep or blip or bell sound that comes across their cell phone).
Hence we have the likes of that absolute white baby elephant fuckup between Papamoa and Paengaroa (incidentally, where some of the worst worker exploitation, immigrants and others involved in bullshit tertiary education and other little scams reside and where Cassons try to justify their race shism), but where the occasional logging truck, gNat and orchid owner roams free
That's a good 'wonder' Jenny H. The cops now seem too centred on vehicle crime, perhaps it gets their figures up to the target set; another idea stop high targets and concentrate on outcomes of projects for improvement.
Also run stats counting all reasonably serious accidents and stop concentrating on the death toll. That stat only indicates a complete failure by traffic police to show care for people and polite interaction on the roads instead a simple end-of-life statistic for the books.
(An idea – have projects like for a period ask people to drive differently coming to roundabouts by slowing by about 10 kms so allowing others to move onto the road space in the few seconds that a slower entry would provide. See if over a six month period, what might be called cautious courtesy driving would lower accidents, and facilitate traffic movement. Too many people drive at full speed into a roundabout which is unwise, and reduces others entry-openings.)
Speed bumps at roundabout entries grazy. That'll slow the funkers down.
Immediately effective – and cheaper than "asking" people.
Fair comment Jenny.
I travel the east coast highway two from Napier to Tauranga often and have seen so many large potholes on these narrow winding single lane roads caused by heavy trucks all the time now and these potholes are so large that if you don't swerve to avoid them you will damage your steering system.
I have had 6 steering repairs in two years all caused by hitting large potholes.
That is one issue. then there are speeding drivers always trying to force slow drivers to speed up, and that is another problem..
The Government cant afford to keep fixing the damages the trucks are causing now so we need to see government increase the use of the roads by those trucks, in a "user Pays" policy.
Clearly the 'heavier longer trucks' HPMV are far too heavy for our light weighted 'soft roads' now.
.
all those parts for repairs on your car would have quite possibly been transported by truck to your repairer.
Trucks are on the road because of customer demand for goods. If you dont consume anything, then the trucks have nothing to transport, so wont be on the road.
if we eliminate HPMV, these would be replaced by around 20% more trucks.
Erik Prince tried to train James O’Keefe’s undercover ninnies, but the instructor threw in the towel because the group wasn’t capable of learning.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/erik-prince-set-up-intel-training-for-project-veritas-james-okeefe-report
Thwarted young men seeking extreme adventure learn the hard way in trouble spots like Ukraine.
They don't want to be bossed round by warlord oligarchs like Prince
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-04/ukraine-foreign-fighters-meger/11054728
Then they come back home…
Thwarted young men my arse. These fuckers are aboard the wingnut welfare train with O'keefe himself reportedly raking in an estimated $300k in 2017.
They’re coming from all over the world Joe, from both sides of the political divide. Nothing to do with Keefe whoever the hell that nobody is .
“Meanwhile, George, an American fighting on the Ukrainian side, described those he fought with as having “the same hatred for Russia or the same kind of sense of nationalism”.
Could be you Joe
“Anti-imperialists, anti-fascists, and those on the far left come to defend the pro-communist separatists and defend the autonomous regions from what they see as global imperialism.”
Then why the fuck did you bother replying to a comment about O’Keefe?
a career opportunity for you.
Put your money where your mouth is
Weak sauce, dope.
Send those chickenhawks Bolton, Pence, and brave, brave Marco Rubio down to Caracas. Let's see how long they last!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/rugby-world-cup/rwc-2019-japan/112452503/revealed-how-the-all-blacks-coaches-deal-with-injury-setbacks-in-world-cup-year
NZ rugby has dug it's own hole, & cancelled out the aspects of the game that allowed NZ's natural talent to thrive at the game in a way that summed up to the display of a national heritage like no where else in the world. The aspects of the game that gave the All Blacks a long standing distinguished dynanism are thrown away and can't come back, and the hole will avalanche in more and more, as can not be sustained.
Now a diplomatic security risk everytime run on the field for NZ i'm afraid too; an illustration being the prestige to Russia's ( a heavily armed nation) image it's overall diplomatic handling of the recent successful soccer world cup gave it, to the division and acrimony the ABs have associated to NZ on such stages in recent times in relation to the rest of the game.
Black Ferns rugby can be a new story for NZ instead.
New Zealand took the 2011 RWC not because of any "natural talent" but because of the refusal of the "referee" to penalize the home team's blatant cheating throughout that farcical final.
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/mark-reason-new-zealand-deserved-to.html
File it under swings and roundabouts Mozza, it balances the ledger for Barnes being overwhelmed on the '07 match were France went unpenalised for a half and scored a try with a forward pass.
File it under swings and roundabouts Mozza, it balances the ledger for Barnes being overwhelmed on the '07 match
Nonsense. On stilts. He made two errors—he missed two forward passes, one leading to a try for the All Blacks, one to a try for the Tricolors. His couple of honest errors are not in the same universe as Craig Joubert’s refusal to even warn, let alone penalize, the flagrant and systematic cheating by the All Blacks in that infamous farce four years later.
France went unpenalised for a half …
They did not infringe. That's why.
…. and scored a try with a forward pass.
So did New Zealand. Luke McAlister's try followed a forward pass. I recommend you watch the match some time.
The All Blacks were imploding due to another episode of poor management of our rugby talents in the deserved French upset, and it would have happened one way or another.
The more recent final against the Wallabies was also poor referring but by then no one was paying attention, & despite the rigged deck, the aussies were only a James O'Connor type player break away from over coming them anyway, which isn't surprising given the Georgia pool game would be the poorest AB team performance in any world cup.
poor management of our rugby talents in the deserved French upset
What do you mean by "poor management"? They simply lost a football match. The French were too good for them.
The more recent final against the Wallabies was also poor referring
???? There was nothing in that final to match the non-performance by Joubert in 2011. The only terrible refereeing in the 2015 tournament was in the Australia-Scotland match. The “referee” was…. Craig Joubert.
Upset…..deserved
If things had gone the Wallabies way in terms of referring in crucial stages in that game, they could have broken the ABs, who they were otherwise clinging onto by their fingernails in staying in the match.
Fair call, my friend. However, the Wallabies were not the victims of orchestrated cheating.
That's the beauty of the game, 2 folk can watch it and see two totally different games.
I see way more ruck penalties when the team from Canterbury plays than my red and black jerseyed friends.
You clearly haven't watched either the 2007 match or the 2011 travesty.
Heh, it's great to be the only one right eh mozza.
Try (see what I did there) this on for size…
"They did not infringe…"
The video had three different angles and featured statistical breakdowns of lineouts, scrums, penalties, tackle counts, territory and possession. On those statistics, the All Blacks dominated. They had an overwhelming 73 per cent territorial advantage, winning 166 rucks to France's 42 and making only 73 tackles compared with France's 331.
….
To clarify, I got that from Wikipedia, wanting to confirm we we're talking about the same game.
They didn't infringe. They defended grimly. It's hard to beat a French team that's really determined. Unless you've got a "referee" like Andre Watson or Craig Joubert.
I imagine what Morrissey knows about rugby you could fit in a Lilliputian's thimble.
Ha ha ha ha ha! Good one, M'bird! I think you meant to say "could fit in a Brobdingnabian's thimble."
Of course, a quick sashay through this writer's oeuvre will show you that I've commented on rugby and other sports at an elevated and thoughtful level* for many years now.
And let's face it: even someone who knows as little about the game as, say, a Herald rugby writer or a Radio Sports opinion-vomiter like Martin "Moron" Devlin or Tony "Boot Boy" Veitch knows that the All Blacks were beaten fair and square by the Tricolors in 2007, and that they were allowed to cheat flagrantly throughout that farcical RWC final four years later.
* At the risk of being immodest.
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/daisycutter-sports-rugby-world-cup.html
You don't know shit from clay on this subject.
That's no argument, my friend. My record speaks for itself. Yours?
Gotta say mozza, I'm with the short tailed shear water on this.
I did watch, let alone live both games.
Currently I am watching the local derby, come half time and find you are still braying.
I reckon it will not stop you having an opinion on this match though.
Otago v Waikato is not a local derby. Auckland v. Counties is a local derby.
Interesting to see how readily you resort to derogatory language: dismissing what I say as "braying." Have you considered a career in talk radio perhaps?
In regards to being derogatory, I acknowledge, withdraw and apologise.
As to blatant cheating, I maintain two people can watch the same game and see two different spectacles. Evidence being this exchange.
In regards to being derogatory, I acknowledge, withdraw and apologise.
Good man, g!
https://media1.tenor.com/images/b54ca60562cd613dfc43bca55a15a3b4/tenor.gif?itemid=7298734
As to blatant cheating, I maintain two people can watch the same game and see two different spectacles. Evidence being this exchange.
You saw the blatant, orchestrated cheating by the All Black forwards in that farcical 2011 RWC Final just as well as everyone else did.
Ha! Were you at kids' sport this morning? Or ever?
What difference does it make?
And now Ben Smith is helped from the field after a sickening collision in a very willing local Derry.
Knee hyper-extended and a chin on shoulder contact…
Otago v Waikato is not a local Derry. Nor is it a local derby. It's a game between two teams separated by several hundred kilometres.
In a competition that spans tens of thousands of kilometeres, chiefs vs highlanders is a local derby.
No it's not. A derby game is between two teams from the same town, or adjacent towns. Auckland-Counties or Auckland-North Harbour or Otago-Southland are derby games.
Similarly, Manchester United v. Man. City and AstonVilla v. Birmingham, and Arsenal v. Chelsea are derbies, but Liverpool v. Arsenal is not.
Yes it is. I will follow the example of Grant Nisbett MNZM and caller of 300 test matches rather than yours.
I note you refuse to use the franchise names. Perhaps a sign of a fondness for a bygone era?
My exception is the team from Canterbury, until they change their name that is what they shall remain.
Grant Nisbett? He's certainly superior to Ian "Smithy" Smith and Justin Marshall *, but on this he's as slapdash as they are.
I'm happy to use the franchise names, but I'm not going to accept the extirpation of the provincial names. It's the Wellington Hurricanes, and the Auckland Blues, and the Waikato Chiefs.
And it's the Natal Sharks and the Johannesburg Lions, not the "South African Sharks" and "South African Lions."
And yes, you're correct, it's the Canterbury Crusaders. Need to change that vile name, of course, but whatever it is, it'll still be Christchurch's team. BTW, how come the Crusaders never played a game against the famous London team Saracens?
* I tangled with that numbskull fifteen years ago….
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/bernadine-or-hell-hath-no-fury-aug-29.html
Gotta say for me its the Hurricanes as Wellington isn't the extent of the catchment area.
I am in the Manawatu and struggled to cheer for the Highlanders because of the large number of local players in that team.
Tad churlish perhaps but I am sure I am not the only grumpy one in this discussion.
Yes, you're correct about the Hurricanes not being only a Wellington team. Manawatu and Hawkes Bay are important parts of the team, and so was Taranaki. And, no, I haven't forgotten the Wairarapa, Horowhenua, Whanganui, etc. But the major urban area is Wellington, and that's where most of the home games are played.
Similarly, the Boston Red Sox represent not only the Boston urban area but all of the states of New England. Only a mental pygmy such as a New Zealand Rugby boss would be persuaded to dispense with the word "Boston" however.
Welfare reforms and Max Rashbrooke.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/388468/at-last-welfare-emphasis-will-move-from-punishment-to-support
Opinion – The battles over welfare are in large part a dispute about whether people who find themselves relying on social security are principally in need of punishment or support….
More generally, as the report notes, there is very little evidence that sanctions achieve their claimed effects of getting people back into work. They are just as likely to force people out of the system altogether or into reliance on criminal activities or unsustainable borrowing.
In contrast to the harsh overseer model, the experts' report is an attempt to put a nurturing, caring assistant at the heart of the welfare system. It centres the system on whakamana tāngata – "restoring dignity to people so they can participate meaningfully with their families and communities"…
The experts' report does not, as some hoped, spell out a completely new and coherent plan for a 21st century welfare system. It does not sketch out a fully future-proofed welfare system. It represents big change, not transformational change.
But then, like most of this government's working groups, Cindy Kiro and her team were not given the time and resources to deliver on broader ambitions. What they have produced, though, is still immensely important.
And Jeremy Pie – On the UK State of the nation report.
Social mobility in UK has stalled. In 2010 Cameron set up Social Mobility Commission but it resigned en masse a year after Theresa May had said she would do great stuff in fixing injustices. They said that the Government was too focussed on Brexit to do anything.
Then in the USA, he decided that Trump promised change and now people have got it!
Please at least add quote marks when you use a mix of yours and someone else's words like that – better still, click the ["] button on the editor toolbar so the quoted paragraph becomes indented.
Oh hell. Now I won't pass the adaptive test for understandability. I'm a failure at communication. I'm teetering on the edge of not commenting here and leaving it to the snobs.
Our world is coming to an end but our sentence construction, our syntax is what really catches the eye and the mind.
Passive? Or Aggressive? Passive or aggressive? We just don't know.
Sorry, I have just noticed that the whole thing was a quote, not your words at all.
Good. Let's get the history correct – surely truth is important.
Moderator
Any chance of a confirmation that my contribution and a separate email have been received and if it's okay, middling, passing bad, not okay?
I’ll make an enquiry at the back-end.
Ta.
I haven't seen anything. I'll have a look.
Thanks if I haven't done right, I'll do a printout on what I should do next time so I get in the current.
Oz Rugby has an $8B budget hole this year – (not sure when they get this years World Cup money) and face a payout of $4M on Folau's contract if their termination is seen as a breach.
They have only one option – given Cheika says he will not be selected even if still on contract, refuse to pay him a penny and drag this through the courts if they have to. Even if they still payout – better later than now. But more likely – given he would be unable to play and would have no guarantee of ever receiving any money – he would be forced to seek to leave the contract so he can be paid to play elsewhere.
The IAAF has a rule whereby women competitors must have a testosterone level below "5" (the norm is .2 to 1.5), for events between 400m and the mile, but not shorter distances or field events.
It seems as if their rule applies only to distances which only one specific athlete competes.
Given the said extra testosterone gives athletes an advantage in shorter distances and field events the most (which is why males and females have taken drugs for these events way more often than for the 800m and 1500m) their rule is inexplicable.
Labour's Bill Shorten won 'narrowly in last nights leaders debate in Brisbane.
Gym Jordan's in for a rough ride.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State University asked a judge Wednesday for permission to publicly share information about a confidential state medical board investigation involving the team doctor accused of decades-old sexual misconduct against more than 150 former students.
http://www.startribune.com/ohio-state-wants-info-on-96-doc-investigation-made-public/509334551/
I notice the new self appointed elite of NZ journalism has decided to freely name the Christchurch murderer, even going so far as to promote him and his home town in backwater Australia.
What a disgraceful rag that Herald is.
Edit: I looked a bit deeper into the writer of this promotion piece, Caroline Meng-Yee, and it turns out she’s bee in trouble before for dressing as slain Sophie Elliot at a fancy dress birthday party in 2011.
I wouldn't be surprised if their reasoning is that the inevitable outrage will suck in a bunch of eyeballs. They'll come out with some freedom bullshit and that'll reel in Trotsker and co.
Reading about this Meng-Yee character made me feel sad. There are some verifiable scumbags writing for publications and the banner under which they publish legitimises their horrible nature.
She seems like one of those women who gets turned on by serial murderers. Her promotional piece on the Australian suggests that.
sad and sick for me
It's a horrible thought but I wonder if the Herald is softening the ground for a full push on trial coverage where they hope to make hundreds of thousands of dollars creating a circus based on the misery of this malevolent event.
Can't see how that would fit with this: https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/chch-terror/388166/christchurch-mosque-shootings-media-agree-on-trial-coverage-protocols
(e) Meng-Yee is experienced, yet she dressed up as the slain victim in a case she covered presumably in order to promote herself and her agenda. I think the Herald are quite happy to have this sociopath cover the very worst terror attack in this country since the land wars.
It suits them!
That's 8 years ago.
Wow. What an apologist you are. I'm really surprised.
Sense of proportion.
8 years ago..
Are you serious?
Excuse me?
That reporter was trusted with the coverage of the Sophie Elliot murder. A psychopathic murder by a person very similar in character to the Christchurch mass murderer and she dressed up as the victim three short years later?
I guess she'll be happy wearing a bloodied hijab to her next fancy dress ball!
No excuses for that disgusting behaviour no matter how many years ago. From the link above
Makes me give thanks for a paywall.
Hopefully the amount of times that fishwrap (thanks Patricia (I think)), gets quoted.
Awful Auckland centric rag that it is.
As I have said before: As they try to escape from behind it in an effort to get noticed, the paywall will encourage a race to the bottom by NZ Herald journalists.
And as many here have posited, the Herald will the most likely only allow the most venal, (like Hosking), to be outside the paywall. This will further increase the downward pressure on Herald journalists as they compete to be more like Hosking.
The Herald will no longer be the journal of record. That task will fall to free to air and on line Public Service Broadcaster, RNZ.
UK local election results was a case of a plague on both your houses. Looks like Corbyn is not doing as good a job as some might like to paint it.
Nice comment, idiot. Why be such an air-head when you are capable of more?
??????
The fact is that the Conservative Party has been humiliated. Labour, the biggest and most popular party in Europe, has performed far better.
https://off-guardian.org/2019/05/03/uk-local-election-propaganda-significant-losses-for-both-sides/
Looks like Maybot is doing n even shittier job than everyone thought gozzer.
Forty nine years ago.
In face of the climate crisis, amongst our official leaders. It almost seems, that courageous leadership is a forgotten art.
And when our official leaders shrink back from taking the lead; No matter, that they have no rank, or title, or official position the, leadership will fall to the one who leads
Success!
The Democratic Party succeed in finding a candidate worse than Clinton.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/05/01/biden-sides-trump-bolton-and-pompeo-backing-coup-effort-venezuela?cd-origin=rss&utm_term=Biden%20Sides%20With%20Trump%2C%20Bolton%2C%20and%20Pompeo%20in%20Backing%20Coup%20Effort%20in%20Venezuela&utm_campaign=%27Beautiful%20Trouble%27%20in%20World%20That%20Needs%20It%20Badly%20%7C%20Your%20Week%20in%20Review&utm_content=email&utm_source=Weekly%20Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&cm_mmc=Act-On%20Software-_-email-_-%27Beautiful%20Trouble%27%20in%20World%20That%20Needs%20It%20Badly%20%7C%20Your%20Week%20in%20Review-_-Biden%20Sides%20With%20Trump%2C%20Bolton%2C%20and%20Pompeo%20in%20Backing%20Coup%20Effort%20in%20Venezuela'>Biden Sides With Trump, Bolton, and Pompeo in Backing Coup Effort in Venezuela
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/05/that-time-joe-biden-lied-about-his-academic-credentials/?utm_source=mj-newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=in-the-mix-2019-05-04Nobody does alternative facts like Donald Trump, except Joe Biden
<a href='https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/04/30/more-90-democratic-voters-want-2020-candidate-make-climate-action-and-medicare-all?cd-origin=rss&utm_term=More%20Than%2090%2525%20of%20Democratic%20Voters%20Want%202020%20Candidate%20to%20Make%20Climate%20Action%20and%20Medicare%20for%20All%20Top%20Priorities%3A%20Poll&utm_campaign=%27Beautiful%20Trouble%27%20in%20World%20That%20Needs%20It%20Badly%20%7C%20Your%20Week%20in%20Review&utm_content=email&utm_source=Weekly%20Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&cm_mmc=Act-On%20Software-_-email-_-%27Beautiful%20Trouble%27%20in%20World%20That%20Needs%20It%20Badly%20%7C%20Your%20Week%20in%20Review-_-More%20Than%2090%2525%20of%20Democratic%20Voters%20Want%202020%20Candidate%20to%20Make%20Climate%20Action%20and%20Medicare%20for%20All%20Top%20Priorities%3A%20Poll'>More Than 90% of Democratic Voters Want 2020 Candidate to Make Climate Action and Medicare for All Top Priorities: Poll</a>
<a href='https://www.philly.com/news/joe-biden-2020-campaign-fundraising-democratic-party-20190426.html'>Within hours of announcing his nomination, Joe Biden attends a fund raiser with internet and private health insurer billionaires opposed to 'Net Neutrality, and 'Medicare'</a>
Doesn't the system that puts that long link address under one linked word work any more?
Let me try it out:
<a href=”https://www.elections.org.nz/”>Elections</a>
<a href=’https://www.elections.org.nz/>Elections</a>
<a href=’https://www.elections.org.nz>Elections</a>
Edit: it seems not.
Use the link symbol in the Editor.
Elections