Imagine, – Tiwai Aluminium Smelter has been repurposed to recharge iron powder, the iron powder is being shipped to Huntly and burnt in modified coal fired boilers. As well as being burnt in other industrial heat applications around the Motu.
Principal of conservation of energy, the potential energy of fine iron powder turned into heat then requires as much or more energy to convert back from Ferrous oxide ( rust) to iron again, using, you guessed it, copious quantities of heat
eg' Mesh Belt Furnace: In the mesh belt furnace the iron oxide is transported by a conveyor belt through a furnace in which hydrogen is added at 800-1000°C. The iron oxide is reduced to iron, which sticks together because of the heat, resulting in a layer of iron. This can then be ground up to obtain iron powder.'
The only reason they are looking at this at all is the 'heat' required by many industrial processes cant be efficently supplied from (renewable) electricity.
Thanks for this, I hadn't heard of it and it is very interesting – exciting even.
Potentially, it is a safe and convenient way to store and transport large amounts of energy collected from intermittent renewable sources (solar, wind), allowing high intensity energy use at distant locations at any time. Potential to replace fossil fuels in industry as well as shipping – and shipping has looked very difficult to decarbonise.
A lot easier to transport metal / rust, than hydrogen or batteries!
We are told to never doubt our scientists and experts in this pandemic environment who are wheeled out constantly.
Those same experts know that Māori generally contract cancer 10 years in advance of their fellow New Zealanders. Are those Māori screened for these cancers early to ensure that they get a better shot at recovery or longevity?
The answer is no.
Someone who is not a Māori has clearly made a decision that Māori people will be consigned to a more gory death by blocking access to early cancer testing.
If the shoe was on the other foot, it would mean non-Māori would not be screened for cancer until they were 70. Can you imagine the storming of Parliament by those folk if they had that visited upon them?
"Someone who is not a Māori has clearly made a decision that Māori people will be consigned to a more gory death by blocking access to early cancer testing."
The daily smoking rate for Māori adults is 28.7%. Māori were 2.77 times as likely to be current smokers, and Māori women were 3.6 times as likely to be current smokers, than their non-Māori counterparts, after adjusting for age, and gender
Someone who is a Maori has clearly made a decision that will result in a more gory death by engaging in riskier health addictions.
The issue is more complex than a one cause (smoking) answer.
Cancer impacts more heavily on Māori, with large inequalities in the experience and quality of care from diagnosis to treatment to outcomes.
Māori have a higher incidence and higher mortality from for all cancers compared to non-Māori.
Inequalities in cancer death rates are increasing, which is a major reason for the 8 year gap in life expectancy for Māori compared to non-Māori.
Survival rates for Māori are poorer, with disparities in access to all cancer services.
Māori are nearly twice as likely to die from cancer, even though they are only 18% more likely to have cancer. One reason may be that diagnosis comes when the cancer has reached a more advanced stage.
Māori have the highest rate of lung cancer in the world with three times the mortality rate and a 7 year gap in life expectancy compared to non-Māori. This high mortality stems mostly from late presentation, delays in treatment and low surgical rates for early stage disease.
The emergency department is the most common method of entry to secondary care. This suggests that access barriers (e.g. financial, cultural, geographic) may still exist in the primary care sector along with other factors influencing late presentation such as patient fear.
Māori were more likely to have delays in receiving treatment, four times less likely than Europeans to receive curative treatment. Treatment for Māori was aimed at relieving symptoms.
The differences in types of treatment received may reflect the stage of cancer at presentation and higher rates of comorbidity (e.g. renal disease, cardiovascular disease) for Māori, which would preclude the use of curative treatments.
Could be that new Maori initiatives starting will make a great difference. A factor that hasn't been foremost I think, is that Maori influence each other and also that many have been getting along, making do, as well as they can for many decades, but without a clear belief and path to follow for a brighter future.
If a hapu got together and set themselves achievable goals, health, fitness, housing, education, regular jobs, tome for cultural and family entertainment and sport, and were financed reasonably so that these aspirations could be achieved, there would be a group rise. And this would ratchet up on the success of each, and they also could institute a buddy system with a plan that the pair drew up and they would help each other to stick to it with a reward for themselves at the end.
That could be a winning system, which may already be under way in different areas, but then there needs to be communication about it to others and what is succeeding and what needs tweaking.
Contribution of smoking to the life expectancy gap—Māori Among Māori men, 2.1 years (28.4%) of the 7.4 year gap in life expectancy was attributable to the higher mortality rates from smoking attributable deaths. Among Māori women, the contribution from smoking attributable deaths was 2.3 years (32.9%) of the 7.0 year gap.
Drivers of inequity Factors contributing to the pervasive and persisting ethnic health inequities are multifaceted and complex. Three main pathways have been identified: (i) differential access to the determinants of health or exposures leading to differences in disease incidence, (ii) differential access to healthcare and (iii) differences in quality of care received. These pathways are driven by different levels of racism, particularly institutionalised and personally mediated or interpersonal racism.
I have to agree with JT – a separatist health system.
But it already exists in another form – the private health system. If you have a few bucks you can always get treatment in the private system, whereas you might wait weeks for similar treatment in public.
Socialise the whole bloody lot – which certainly shouldn't preclude a specialist section devoted to Maori health.
Actually if you care to read fully, you would see that the last time we got comprehensive unemployment numbers is Dec 20 for the last quater of 2020. We are now in may and so far have not been given the numbers for first quater 2021.
Unemployment
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in the December 2020 quarter, down from 5.3 percent in the September quarter.
For men, the unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, down from 4.8 percent last quarter.
For women, the unemployment rate was 5.4 percent, down from 5.8 percent
In the year to the December 2020 quarter, there were 25,000 more unemployed people:
11,000 more men were unemployed.
15,000 more women were unemployed.
The unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) for the following ethnic groups in the December 2020 quarter was:
3.7 percent for European (no statistically significant change since the December 2019 quarter)
9.0 percent for Māori (no statistically significant change since the December 2019 quarter)
9.6 percent for Pacific people, up from 7.2 percent in the December 2019 quarter
5.2 percent for Asian, up from 3.4 percent in the December 2019 quarter.
The unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) for following age groups in the December 2020 quarter was:
10.1 percent for 15–29-year-olds (up from 8.4 percent in the December 2019 quarter)
3.3 percent for 30–54-year-olds (up from 2.6 percent in the December 2019 quarter)
2.5 percent for 55 and over (no statistically significant change since the December 2019 quarter).
If you care to look at the unemloyment numbers in detail, you will see that the only group that fits that unemployment number in fact is below is men and caucasians as a group. That is where the shovel ready jobs really did some good, albeit 8000 jobs short, and that could be due to the fact that the shovel ready jobs or the Provincial Growth fund was axed by the now majority government.
Not sure if it was done, but then i would not put it past them.
So i would really not sprout some numbers that are literally 5 month old now, while we still wait for the government massage its current numbers into something that they are happy to show and people are happy to swallow.
And never mind underutilasation, or the people that are not even in Winz books because they rather go prostitute or participate in the black economy then subject themselves to the kindness and gentleness that is Jacinda Arderns and the Labour Parties Ministry of Social Bullshittery.
The numbers are from the government, they do the story telling. I just copy paste the numbers so that people don't believe that the 'unemployment is down' is not mistaken for a one fits all. Unemployment is indeed down, for men and caucasians. All others seem to be stuck or getting worse.
But as i said, these are not my numbers they are the one provided by the current government of NZ. Any issue with the story these numbers tell should be taken up with the ones that compiled and formatted them.
And yes, i actually can't wait for the numbers. if anything i owuld like to get them monthly as that would maybe provide some more nuance.
It’s worse than that. Under capitalist dogma, all employment is good employment, which is why the focus is always on the ‘desirable’ or ‘good’ aspect and why people must be forced toiling their lives away earning a living at all cost. Those who cannot or do not want to be meaningfully employed shall be penalized and punished by the State. The State has indoctrinated the people and co-opted the Media to ensure Society at large does most of the penalizing and punishing and to avoid the people turning against the State when it applies sanctions on the ‘undesirables’ under the umbrella excuse of Social License (AKA mandate). Such is the power of capitalism that many people not only are ok with this but they actually actively advocate and vote for the harsh coercion of their fellow humans. This we call Democracy and Freedom. And for the China lovers here, State Capitalism is even worse, IMHO.
Dismissing me as being difficult is an easy way out but employment is paid work and not all work is paid or a necessity; work can be for pleasure as well and there’s even such a thing as a voluntary work and a volunteer worker; ever heard of a volunteer employee? Neither have I; it is an oxymoron. Sloppy thinking leads to sloppy language and vice versa.
I dont dismiss you at all…indeed the fact I said you were being difficult indicates the complexity of the problem…suggesting sloppy thinking IS the easy way out….answering 'who' does the work required is the difficult question to be answered
fair enough..it is broad. however the fact remains that there is a certain amount of work required to support the life of our population, and that 'work' is necessary…..who does it?
As someone getting close to the age of being unable to do much of it I ask myself (and , on this occasion , you) how do we ensure we are capable of carrying it out?
Neither and both….the original post was about employment (unspecified) so employment (work) unspecified is my point…and that would include health and elderly care I would expect.
As stated, any society only survives with the labour of its members (how that labour is allocated can vary) ….we seem to be failing to the extent that we need to import that labour from without,
We can ‘import’ doctors and nurses from elsewhere but this may create a gap/need there, where they may be needed even more urgently. The global employment market is competitive, wich means the lowest bidders miss out. If we, as a country, are prepared to pay the price, then we should be ok. I just have a feeling this is not exactly what you’re asking though …
It could be…if we believe we can remain able to match the bid…I doubt that is realistic…if that is so then we need to ensure we can provide from within…and that means we need to maximise the capability of those here.
We, it seems to me at least, fail to come close to that, indeed we appear to have written off a significant proportion of our community.
If you agree that we are unlikely to win a bidding war then what option remains?
sorry ad, but poverty is expensive and we don't have the money to tackle it. We need the money for Americas Cup rich listers entertainment, a few million bucks for the richest man of the world the sell him the beauty of nZ and keep a movie legacy, and so one and so forth.
Just don't ask for funding to self test for cancer, or feed all the hungry kiwi kids, or make the heating supplement not a filler benefit but a permanent one for all beneficiaries.
This government has priorities, and poverty is not one of them, unless to many people yell about it and the Polls tell dear Leader that people in the country are getting testy, and then the kindness fairy appears and will tinkle down a few dollar (fully taxed) to a deserving few.
Ah yes, shovel ready projects. Most of us knew this was wishful thinking at best. Now we know. Those 11 000 jobs (part, casual, full anything goes) will disappear with the finishing of the projects and then its back to square one. But now a new highly paid entity is being established. This can only mean that those 140K earners in parliament are there to have ideas, not that these need to be feasible. No no no, we need a reality check department, speak implementation unit to make sure those folks get going in the right direction, whatever that is. This is like a comedy. When are we going to build houses, get people enough paid that they can make a living? I mean that is basics really. Roof over the head, food on the table, clothes on the back. Civilizations are build on this.
I wonder how the kids to in NZ that currently do online learning cause their school was not rewarded with some funding – but i guess they were not green enough 🙂 They were just educating Kiwis from non rich families.
As i said, this government and the one before had and still have their priorities.
heck its all good, the kids returned to their not warm, mouldy leaking school. I guess someone stuck some duct tape over the leaks and considers it good now. Or go to other buildings all over town. Heck maybe they need to put a grant towards the government and call it the ‘green school’, and then maybe someone will get real exited and get them some cash.
So Robert, have you got anything to say about the Kids in lower Hutt with their school that has mold everywhere, 13 rooms that need to be demolished, and that they are now going back to ?
Or do you only reflexivly defend something because it grew on the manure pile the Green Party? Or is that something that you like so many others seems to fall under ,sucks to be them, happy it ain't me, and besides its not a nice and green school, also i am not poor so i am not affected. As that is literally what come across.
A nice article from last year, and of course the child of the dear leader will never go to that school. That school is for the undeserving poor. Dear Leaders child might go to a very fine very expensive private school, that may or may not be green. But it will be without leaks and food for all. That is for sure.
The problem is not what i said, Robert, the problem may be what you read.
This school was part of that scheme, and i would like to know if they put that money to good use, and if people are still employed to build it. After all that money they got is coming from us. The taxpayers. So yeah, we should be told how these investments are going, and if these investments will bring a benefit to all of us, or just a wee tiny small group of people.
Oh, you want to know details of the school's progress – have you tried searching for articles in the various media? That'd be a good place to start. I thought you were wanting opinions from commenters here on TS, about how the green school is going.
You know it was a loan in full, yes? It is in the link I gave. Was your question about the Green School in good faith or were you just angling for an excuse to flip your lid again and piss on somebody else’s success stoking envy and divisiveness?
Yes, i know that it got changed into a loan after a whole lot of brouhahah, and as i said, this government will change its tune to the Polls.
The point is not that his school got a grant or a loan, the point is that we have hundreds of schools that actually have a need, now, for kids going to school now, and that 40 odd million that was given to these rich listers for their private school should have been spend on the schools in NZ that have mold, leaking roofs and room so bad that they must be destroyed.
And then give money to some rich listers for their private enterprise under the guise of shovel ready jobs and not a moment before .
So, you just grab any excuse, even manufacture one here, to piss on things. You cannot let escape any opportunity to drag the PM (AKA Dear Leader, FFS) down and even drag her child down into it.
You know the famous movie scene:
I’ll have what she’s having!
Well, to me your comments are the exact opposite of that.
I have said exactly the same last year – namely that there are schools that have a greater need, in some cases even an urgent immediate need, and that they should get first dibs on any money the government hast to throw about.
Government has a responsability towards our children, be that to assure they have enough to eat, live in decent housing or go to safe, warm, non mouldy schools fully equipped with the tools that are needed to educate them and give them a chance for a future.
And once they have fulfilled that obligation and then if there is money left in the kitty they can then go and distribute that money to the greatest benefit of all. I do not change my opinion like underwear. And in this case I still believe that it was not a good decision. Full stop there.
Why do some (…) commenters here insist on being and staying ignorant yet think that they ride the moral high-road and know it all?
“Just to be clear, never, ever was this a 100 per cent grant – not at all,” Chris Edwards, Green School New Zealand chief executive, said on Wednesday. “The application was for a 25 per cent grant – the rest was a series of loans.”
…and yet, confusingly, James Shaw is quoted thus just the day before.
“As a politician, admitting you were wrong is one of the hardest things to do. We’re expected to be infallible. So much so that we can forget that people prefer their leaders to be honest and compassionate.
“Becoming a Minister means being willing to question your decisions in public and, if necessary, correct them,” Shaw said.
But it looks like correcting the decision will be difficult.
Shaw said the Green School had approached the Government to find a solution, but he was staying out of any negotiations because it would be in appropriate for a Minister to intervene.
“These discussions can take time, and whatever you think of the process, Ministers cannot insert themselves in commercial negotiations,” Shaw said.
He said that the best thing to happen now would be for the funding to be converted into a loan.
“My personal view is that the best way to do this is that support for the Green School to come in the form of a loan, rather than a grant. That would ensure the money is paid back in full,” Shaw said.
Seriously…hats off to anyone who has managed to sort the fact from the fantasy and the double-handed butt-covering surrounding that embarrassing little shit show.
I didn't realise the original principal resigned after the $11.7m grant / loan fiasco. I guess its not surprising given the bad publicity received. I have to agree with Sabine on this one, would be nice if the government could find a few million for either a grant (or even a loan) for the Hutt Valley school.
so we can assume that the Lower Hutt School is still waiting for some of that 1.9 billion to tinkle down.
3 JULY 2020
Four new projects announced as part of the biggest ever national school rebuild programme
Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern
Hon Chris Hipkins
Prime MinisterEducation
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced significant funding for Auckland’s Northcote College as part of the first wave of a new nationwide school redevelopment programme to upgrade schools over the next 10 years.
The $48.5 million project brings the total investment in Northcote College to $60 million since 2018. The additional funding will be used to refurbish two of Northcote College’s heritage buildings, and relocate a third to a better location on the site. A new gym will be built, and 20 ageing classrooms rebuilt or upgraded.
Jacinda Ardern said Northcote College is one of four projects announced today, worth $126 million, which will need hundreds of skilled workers. Design work at Northcote will start shortly, and construction is on track to start early next year.
“Critically, this funding and our approach to look 10 years ahead sends a strong signal to the construction sector that we’ve got a full book of work lined up, and we’ll need a skilled workforce to do it.
“These five projects alone will need hundreds of workers. We’re working on that too by offering free apprenticeships and training courses and providing support to firms to keep on their apprentices through Covid.
“In August, we’ll make information available for the remaining schools in the programme, which is funded from a mix of depreciation funding and future roll growth.
“It adds to the $400 million Schools Investment Package, which we announced late last year and brings forward support for schools to carry out smaller scale building and upgrade projects,” Chris Hipkins said.
'Great chain of being' existed across all cultures , the Inka was total ruler in an hierarchical system.
Just the other the day the Queen of the Zulus died and thats a paramount chieftan role thats existed for many centuries and similar existed through out Africa
Somehow Open Mike has become very much a focus for a few constant daily commenters who never ever see any joy or positivity in anything at all. They cannot see while many things may not be ideal, there is much to be reasonably content about in NZ. Interesting discussions involving many people's views are unfortunately not happening.
The 'word' came from the OHRP. Concerned that Pharmac would react to a claim of discrimination against kids with SMA by cutting funding for paediatric cancer drugs, they decided not to represent the claim at the HRRT.
There is the risk that the answer to any discrimination claim would be to normalise the situation by decreasing paediatric cancer patients' access to treatment funding. That would be a very disappointing outcome but it is one Pharmac has suggested it is willing to do."
What Tolich didn't know was Pharmac had been considering for some time ending its blanket coverage for child cancer drugs – a situation that developed by historical accident.
They had said it was something previously they had looked at , not some thing they will do in response for the court case, which is bogus discrimination grounds.
You make the mistake of the 'reporting' suggesting something as though its a fact
edit
Other sites have interesting discussions and cover what some are 'reasonably content about in NZ'. The Standard's purpose is largely to discuss what the left is thinking, doing and not doing in this country and the world. And why thinking people cannot be reasonably content. Those that are, aren't thinking about the reality of what is happening, what will happen if the right things are not done, what will happen whatever is done, how we can get ready for the future catastrophes, how we can awaken enough people to the situation and to act together with goodwill to ameliorate the process. That is The Standard's proper function, and if it doesn't do that it fails the thinking people trying to live fulfilling, happy lives, but caters for the sheeple, sweet people a lot of them, but with their heads in the sand. And we are also providing intelligence to each other about the people who are not sweet, not kind, not caring citizens and who will step over those with preventable illnesses physical and mental, to get where and what they want.
Reality, if you are thinking of Sabine, she raises good points but doesn't take enough time to relax her mind, ready for the next onslaught of bad news and stress. For a whole day Sabine stop, don't let any bad news come into your wonderful mind, and don't go on-line. Listen, read, take in what I and other people are saying for your own good, don't try and take everything stubbornly on your own shoulders. These are friendly suggestions not combative ones. Stop argufying for a while. Give yourself a break, and us, we all can only take so much before we cry or go catatonic.
Is that the best you can do? Instead of addressing comments, you simply fob off others by posting video clips!? This is the second one here in OM and you’re derailing the threads of others who raise salient and valid points.
I (like many others who used to comment here regularly up to about two years ago) rarely do so now with many good people complete no shows. I just cannot be bothered with the power imbalances, delusions of superiority, personal insults and targeting etc.
I admire your fortitude and that of others such as Rosemary, Adrian Thornton to mention just a few – even Morrissey and Gosman. Kia kaha!
PS – totally with you and Rosemary on the Green School "loan" issue. In fact having read the thread above, rechecked with a couple of former work colleagues in the Wellington State Sector/Parliamentary Precinct who confirmed the transformation from full grant to full loan once it became public … Obviously cannot provide links!
As someone said at 11.32am above in this thread "Why do some (…) commenters here insist on being and staying ignorant yet think that they ride the moral high-road and know it all?"
A Queen song just came to mind – something about hammers, but won't post a link.
Hearsay doesn’t count for anything here. Please put up your evidence and I will stand corrected, like many others. Or leak it to the media so that you can cite it here.
I’ve also observed how tribalism is rife here on TS; sub-groups gang up and then band together when one of them is challenged. Quite unfortunate, as it creates a polarising and divisive forum where robust debate is impossible and dies a sudden death 🙁
As such, your comment only added fuel to the fire and did not (re)solve anything, which is most disappointing and quite unexpected coming from you.
"For this term of Government we have three core goals. In addition to keeping New Zealanders safe from COVID-19, we are focused on accelerating our economic recovery and addressing the big three foundational challenges, housing affordability, climate change and child wellbeing.
The Government is determined that we will deliver on these core priorities. To that end the Prime Minister has asked me to lead the establishment an Implementation Unit based in her department.
The Unit will be funded through Budget 2021 and will monitor and support implementation of a small number of critical initiatives, particularly where multiple agencies are involved in the work. This includes areas such as mental health, infrastructure, housing and climate change mitigation. The Unit will report to me as Deputy Prime Minister, and will engage closely with Minister’s offices."
What do you do when you have placed your best options in positions of authority and they dont perform?….you can 'crack as many heads' as you like but ultimately even replacing them dosnt ensure improved performance.
Its been suggested that this is a vote of no confidence in the public service but while there may be little confidence in the PS (id suggest with good reason) this appears more to be a vote of little confidence in ministerial ability.
The quandary of this government is that the Ministers are performing fine but their sum totality is underwhelming. To me that bespeaks a Prime Minister with out the muscle to get the most out of her team. They need head-kickers to shift major entities: you can do the list of the poor performing state entites.
Subbing the job out from Cabinet and PM's office to DPMC and SSC then to this new one is an illustration of brittle leadership at the top.
Muldoonism is long gone , but seems its still lamented.
Virtually no ministers have any powers you suggest, only a few exceptions allow them to 'direct' the relevant department ( thanks for your opinion mInister !) and in some cases its proscribed to even give an opinion.
No one is suggesting doing away with the Policy/Executive split.
But as you can see from the actions some Ministers have taken in this second term across Health, Public Health, Customs, Housing, Reserve Bank, Tertiary Education, Water regulation, and more, Ministers very much have powers to cajole, force, bully, remove, shame, defund, and merge entities to do their bidding to achieve policy aims are still strong … and under this government getting much stronger.
Since it needs spelling out to you: the entities that I see the government is finding real and sustained resistance to their policies are:
NZTA, Airways, MPI, NZPolice, parts of MBIE particularly Energy and Immigration, TVNZ, multiple DHB's, Corrections, MoJ esp Courts, Electricity Authority, and Commerce Commission.
So if you ranked Ministers, and then ranked their respective Departments, you'd find quite different scores often.
By your own comment it is obvious the Ministers performance is anything but 'fine'….if it were fine there would be no need to invent another layer of oversight
Great. So now we need another department to blame when things don't get done. Why are we paying these ministers so much? They are obviously not getting things implemented as why else would we need this unit. What happened to the year of delivery?
Id agree they are failing to implement change (and failing badly) however I would suggest that is a better problem to have than the previous administration who were comfortable to oversee a public service not required to administer change
Greywarshark – thank you for your thoughtful response. I readily agree we must always be ready to challenge what is not right or fair. But the sun often shines, the sky is a lovely blue, there are lovely flowers and trees to enjoy looking at, we get pleasure from meeting up with friends and family. So sometimes we can be happy and/or reasonably content, surely? And smile about something amusing. But still have concern for those who struggle. People who are positive and can enjoy themselves, even when things may be difficult, are those who I prefer to interact with.
I look for the best in things Reality. But think of this period as a phony war. Can we prevent it? Sure as eggs we will have climate change and if we don't start now the authorities will end up pushing us round with army bodily removing us to …where? and prison terms for protest etc. So don't sit around having tea and cakes too long will you. I have that once a week, go to music nights, occasional beer and wine. You don't need to become an ascetic just a well-rounded person coping with the thoughts of likely dystopia, and finding some answers that are good for us all. Kia kaha.
From a man who was a 9 year old child that Social Welfare put into Cherry Farm Hospital against the experienced doctor's advice.
The patients were very disturbed and mentally ill, he said. "They were making noises, wailing and making unusual movements with their bodies and faces. I remember thinking to myself what the hell is this and I was still wondering where the cherries were.
"I went into a foetal position and the patients starting coming at me in every direction." He was constantly medicated at Cherry Farm to keep him quiet and then discharged six weeks later without there ever being a mental illness diagnosis
He first went to the Epuni Boys' Home and then Hokio Beach School. At Hokio he was raped at least hundreds of times by older boys.
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Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
COMMENTARY:By Ronny Kareni Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia’s army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding. Nowhere is this more evident ...
Analysis - Nicola Willis is holding firm on tax cuts despite the economic outlook being worse than forecast and critics urging her to wait, writes Peter Wilson for The Week In Politics. ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
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 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
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Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
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Matt McCarten is spearheading a campaign against worker abuse in the wake of the pandemic.
https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/end-workplace-exploitation-and-abuse
[tidied up link; anything after question mark (mark included) can usually be deleted]
What is wrong with this idea?
Imagine, – Tiwai Aluminium Smelter has been repurposed to recharge iron powder, the iron powder is being shipped to Huntly and burnt in modified coal fired boilers. As well as being burnt in other industrial heat applications around the Motu.
Why aren't we doing this, can anyone tell me?
https://newatlas.com/energy/bavarian-brewery-carbon-free-renewable-iron-fuel/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKVj1CwAmmk
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Because we have renewable electricity instead, I'm guessing.
Principal of conservation of energy, the potential energy of fine iron powder turned into heat then requires as much or more energy to convert back from Ferrous oxide ( rust) to iron again, using, you guessed it, copious quantities of heat
eg' Mesh Belt Furnace: In the mesh belt furnace the iron oxide is transported by a conveyor belt through a furnace in which hydrogen is added at 800-1000°C. The iron oxide is reduced to iron, which sticks together because of the heat, resulting in a layer of iron. This can then be ground up to obtain iron powder.'
The only reason they are looking at this at all is the 'heat' required by many industrial processes cant be efficently supplied from (renewable) electricity.
So no beer in a carbon neutral future
By 'efficiently' do you mean 'cheaply'?
Thanks for this, I hadn't heard of it and it is very interesting – exciting even.
Potentially, it is a safe and convenient way to store and transport large amounts of energy collected from intermittent renewable sources (solar, wind), allowing high intensity energy use at distant locations at any time. Potential to replace fossil fuels in industry as well as shipping – and shipping has looked very difficult to decarbonise.
A lot easier to transport metal / rust, than hydrogen or batteries!
How we already have a segregated health system, Nats. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/300290195/john-tamihere-we-already-have-a-separatist-healthcare-system
"Someone who is not a Māori has clearly made a decision that Māori people will be consigned to a more gory death by blocking access to early cancer testing."
The daily smoking rate for Māori adults is 28.7%. Māori were 2.77 times as likely to be current smokers, and Māori women were 3.6 times as likely to be current smokers, than their non-Māori counterparts, after adjusting for age, and gender
Someone who is a Maori has clearly made a decision that will result in a more gory death by engaging in riskier health addictions.
The issue is more complex than a one cause (smoking) answer.
Cancer impacts more heavily on Māori, with large inequalities in the experience and quality of care from diagnosis to treatment to outcomes.
Māori have a higher incidence and higher mortality from for all cancers compared to non-Māori.
Inequalities in cancer death rates are increasing, which is a major reason for the 8 year gap in life expectancy for Māori compared to non-Māori.
Survival rates for Māori are poorer, with disparities in access to all cancer services.
Māori are nearly twice as likely to die from cancer, even though they are only 18% more likely to have cancer. One reason may be that diagnosis comes when the cancer has reached a more advanced stage.
Māori have the highest rate of lung cancer in the world with three times the mortality rate and a 7 year gap in life expectancy compared to non-Māori. This high mortality stems mostly from late presentation, delays in treatment and low surgical rates for early stage disease.
The emergency department is the most common method of entry to secondary care. This suggests that access barriers (e.g. financial, cultural, geographic) may still exist in the primary care sector along with other factors influencing late presentation such as patient fear.
Māori were more likely to have delays in receiving treatment, four times less likely than Europeans to receive curative treatment. Treatment for Māori was aimed at relieving symptoms.
The differences in types of treatment received may reflect the stage of cancer at presentation and higher rates of comorbidity (e.g. renal disease, cardiovascular disease) for Māori, which would preclude the use of curative treatments.
Could be that new Maori initiatives starting will make a great difference. A factor that hasn't been foremost I think, is that Maori influence each other and also that many have been getting along, making do, as well as they can for many decades, but without a clear belief and path to follow for a brighter future.
If a hapu got together and set themselves achievable goals, health, fitness, housing, education, regular jobs, tome for cultural and family entertainment and sport, and were financed reasonably so that these aspirations could be achieved, there would be a group rise. And this would ratchet up on the success of each, and they also could institute a buddy system with a plan that the pair drew up and they would help each other to stick to it with a reward for themselves at the end.
That could be a winning system, which may already be under way in different areas, but then there needs to be communication about it to others and what is succeeding and what needs tweaking.
Yep. That is pretty much a description of Whānau Ora.
Right with you there mac1. Could you add links to some of where you get your information.
Here's a 2020 report.
https://teaho.govt.nz/reports/cancer-state
Being non-Māori is definitely the healthy 'choice' in NZ, and that’s not choice, imho.
I have to agree with JT – a separatist health system.
But it already exists in another form – the private health system. If you have a few bucks you can always get treatment in the private system, whereas you might wait weeks for similar treatment in public.
Socialise the whole bloody lot – which certainly shouldn't preclude a specialist section devoted to Maori health.
Unemployment is so low, were the extra jobs for shovel ready projects actually needed?
Only half promised shovel-ready jobs will be delivered | Stuff.co.nz
Construction industry provides few jobs per dollar. Who knew?
Jester Do you know and can you explain to us what criteria the Stats Dept uses to count employed and unemployed?
Actually if you care to read fully, you would see that the last time we got comprehensive unemployment numbers is Dec 20 for the last quater of 2020. We are now in may and so far have not been given the numbers for first quater 2021.
In the year to the December 2020 quarter, there were 25,000 more unemployed people:
If you care to look at the unemloyment numbers in detail, you will see that the only group that fits that unemployment number in fact is below is men and caucasians as a group. That is where the shovel ready jobs really did some good, albeit 8000 jobs short, and that could be due to the fact that the shovel ready jobs or the Provincial Growth fund was axed by the now majority government.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300110872/labour-would-axe-provincial-growth-fund-promising-focused-evolution-of-regional-development
Not sure if it was done, but then i would not put it past them.
So i would really not sprout some numbers that are literally 5 month old now, while we still wait for the government massage its current numbers into something that they are happy to show and people are happy to swallow.
And never mind underutilasation, or the people that are not even in Winz books because they rather go prostitute or participate in the black economy then subject themselves to the kindness and gentleness that is Jacinda Arderns and the Labour Parties Ministry of Social Bullshittery.
Only one more day to wait.
https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/unemployment-rate
Great! i personally can't wait.
And then it is even more dumb by anyone to sprout numbers that are neither here nor there.
Of course, numbers mean nothing on their own, as they tell a story. However, which story depends on the story teller.
The numbers are from the government, they do the story telling. I just copy paste the numbers so that people don't believe that the 'unemployment is down' is not mistaken for a one fits all. Unemployment is indeed down, for men and caucasians. All others seem to be stuck or getting worse.
But as i said, these are not my numbers they are the one provided by the current government of NZ. Any issue with the story these numbers tell should be taken up with the ones that compiled and formatted them.
And yes, i actually can't wait for the numbers. if anything i owuld like to get them monthly as that would maybe provide some more nuance.
Did I read the word 'nuance', theres hope after all
Under-employment is a huge trend disguised by our ongoing official/media fixation on only one of the numbers.
It’s worse than that. Under capitalist dogma, all employment is good employment, which is why the focus is always on the ‘desirable’ or ‘good’ aspect and why people must be forced toiling their lives away earning a living at all cost. Those who cannot or do not want to be meaningfully employed shall be penalized and punished by the State. The State has indoctrinated the people and co-opted the Media to ensure Society at large does most of the penalizing and punishing and to avoid the people turning against the State when it applies sanctions on the ‘undesirables’ under the umbrella excuse of Social License (AKA mandate). Such is the power of capitalism that many people not only are ok with this but they actually actively advocate and vote for the harsh coercion of their fellow humans. This we call Democracy and Freedom. And for the China lovers here, State Capitalism is even worse, IMHO.
Work shall make us free.
Ah, yes, but work and employment are two different things, aren’t they?
Slave labour is its own reward.
Funny that you said that, I’ve recently been reading about slavery (in the US of A) and Stockholm Syndrome. Not light reading, I might add.
you are being difficult Incognito…..what is employment ?. Work is a necessity, who does it however is open to politics
Dismissing me as being difficult is an easy way out but employment is paid work and not all work is paid or a necessity; work can be for pleasure as well and there’s even such a thing as a voluntary work and a volunteer worker; ever heard of a volunteer employee? Neither have I; it is an oxymoron. Sloppy thinking leads to sloppy language and vice versa.
https://www.employment.govt.nz/starting-employment/who-is-an-employee/volunteers/
I dont dismiss you at all…indeed the fact I said you were being difficult indicates the complexity of the problem…suggesting sloppy thinking IS the easy way out….answering 'who' does the work required is the difficult question to be answered
Ah, in that case, sorry.
and the difficult question remains unanswered
As posed, it is unanswerable.
fair enough..it is broad. however the fact remains that there is a certain amount of work required to support the life of our population, and that 'work' is necessary…..who does it?
As someone getting close to the age of being unable to do much of it I ask myself (and , on this occasion , you) how do we ensure we are capable of carrying it out?
Are you talking about health and elderly care?
Neither and both….the original post was about employment (unspecified) so employment (work) unspecified is my point…and that would include health and elderly care I would expect.
As stated, any society only survives with the labour of its members (how that labour is allocated can vary) ….we seem to be failing to the extent that we need to import that labour from without,
We can ‘import’ doctors and nurses from elsewhere but this may create a gap/need there, where they may be needed even more urgently. The global employment market is competitive, wich means the lowest bidders miss out. If we, as a country, are prepared to pay the price, then we should be ok. I just have a feeling this is not exactly what you’re asking though …
It could be…if we believe we can remain able to match the bid…I doubt that is realistic…if that is so then we need to ensure we can provide from within…and that means we need to maximise the capability of those here.
We, it seems to me at least, fail to come close to that, indeed we appear to have written off a significant proportion of our community.
If you agree that we are unlikely to win a bidding war then what option remains?
As you've been pointing out for a while, headline unemployment is one thing: underlying rapid growth in poverty is where the country is at.
sorry ad, but poverty is expensive and we don't have the money to tackle it. We need the money for Americas Cup rich listers entertainment, a few million bucks for the richest man of the world the sell him the beauty of nZ and keep a movie legacy, and so one and so forth.
Just don't ask for funding to self test for cancer, or feed all the hungry kiwi kids, or make the heating supplement not a filler benefit but a permanent one for all beneficiaries.
This government has priorities, and poverty is not one of them, unless to many people yell about it and the Polls tell dear Leader that people in the country are getting testy, and then the kindness fairy appears and will tinkle down a few dollar (fully taxed) to a deserving few.
Ah yes, shovel ready projects. Most of us knew this was wishful thinking at best. Now we know. Those 11 000 jobs (part, casual, full anything goes) will disappear with the finishing of the projects and then its back to square one. But now a new highly paid entity is being established. This can only mean that those 140K earners in parliament are there to have ideas, not that these need to be feasible. No no no, we need a reality check department, speak implementation unit to make sure those folks get going in the right direction, whatever that is. This is like a comedy. When are we going to build houses, get people enough paid that they can make a living? I mean that is basics really. Roof over the head, food on the table, clothes on the back. Civilizations are build on this.
i wonder how the green school is doing, have fee paying schoolchildren and their parents already received their visas?
The Green School seems to be doing fine.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/124916624/new-green-school-nz-principal-came-across-her-dream-job-by-chance
I wonder how the kids to in NZ that currently do online learning cause their school was not rewarded with some funding – but i guess they were not green enough 🙂 They were just educating Kiwis from non rich families.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/124814172/ministry-ignored-leaking-buildings-as-school-for-years–hutt-valley-high-principal
As i said, this government and the one before had and still have their priorities.
heck its all good, the kids returned to their not warm, mouldy leaking school. I guess someone stuck some duct tape over the leaks and considers it good now. Or go to other buildings all over town. Heck maybe they need to put a grant towards the government and call it the ‘green school’, and then maybe someone will get real exited and get them some cash.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/441628/students-to-return-to-mould-stricken-hutt-valley-school
This country is really good at wasting money for the shiny bauble and its kids are paying the price.
Damn those children learning to think in a "green" way!
Curse them and their life-enhancing curriculum (probably exploring Anne Salmond's latest offer as we speak, the brats!)
Deport them, I say, those virus carriers and super spreaders with too much money in their pockets. Or lock them up in “distant farms”. Oh, wait …
So Robert, have you got anything to say about the Kids in lower Hutt with their school that has mold everywhere, 13 rooms that need to be demolished, and that they are now going back to ?
Or do you only reflexivly defend something because it grew on the manure pile the Green Party? Or is that something that you like so many others seems to fall under ,sucks to be them, happy it ain't me, and besides its not a nice and green school, also i am not poor so i am not affected. As that is literally what come across.
A nice article from last year, and of course the child of the dear leader will never go to that school. That school is for the undeserving poor. Dear Leaders child might go to a very fine very expensive private school, that may or may not be green. But it will be without leaks and food for all. That is for sure.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/122644266/would-the-pm-send-neve-herethe-sodden-horror-of-a-decile-1-school
So yeah, i guess the poor kids of NZ don't need nice schools unless their parents can afford a years salary in payment. So very green.
Sabine – I was certain that the topic was the green school, as you began your comment with,
"i wonder how the green school is doing"
The problem is not what i said, Robert, the problem may be what you read.
This school was part of that scheme, and i would like to know if they put that money to good use, and if people are still employed to build it. After all that money they got is coming from us. The taxpayers. So yeah, we should be told how these investments are going, and if these investments will bring a benefit to all of us, or just a wee tiny small group of people.
So how is that school doing?
Oh, you want to know details of the school's progress – have you tried searching for articles in the various media? That'd be a good place to start. I thought you were wanting opinions from commenters here on TS, about how the green school is going.
Already answered that <sigh>
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-04-05-2021/#comment-1790862
You know it was a loan in full, yes? It is in the link I gave. Was your question about the Green School in good faith or were you just angling for an excuse to flip your lid again and piss on somebody else’s success stoking envy and divisiveness?
Yes, i know that it got changed into a loan after a whole lot of brouhahah, and as i said, this government will change its tune to the Polls.
The point is not that his school got a grant or a loan, the point is that we have hundreds of schools that actually have a need, now, for kids going to school now, and that 40 odd million that was given to these rich listers for their private school should have been spend on the schools in NZ that have mold, leaking roofs and room so bad that they must be destroyed.
And then give money to some rich listers for their private enterprise under the guise of shovel ready jobs and not a moment before .
So, you just grab any excuse, even manufacture one here, to piss on things. You cannot let escape any opportunity to drag the PM (AKA Dear Leader, FFS) down and even drag her child down into it.
You know the famous movie scene:
Well, to me your comments are the exact opposite of that.
I have said exactly the same last year – namely that there are schools that have a greater need, in some cases even an urgent immediate need, and that they should get first dibs on any money the government hast to throw about.
Government has a responsability towards our children, be that to assure they have enough to eat, live in decent housing or go to safe, warm, non mouldy schools fully equipped with the tools that are needed to educate them and give them a chance for a future.
And once they have fulfilled that obligation and then if there is money left in the kitty they can then go and distribute that money to the greatest benefit of all. I do not change my opinion like underwear. And in this case I still believe that it was not a good decision. Full stop there.
But feel free to take my comments as you like.
You know it was a loan in full, yes?
It miraculously morphed into said loan only because of the very loud thoroughly righteous public outrage.
Why do some (…) commenters here insist on being and staying ignorant yet think that they ride the moral high-road and know it all?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/122640790/green-schools-117m-from-govt-never-ever-been-a-100-per-cent-grant-ce-says
So many 'everses'…
…and yet, confusingly, James Shaw is quoted thus just the day before.
“As a politician, admitting you were wrong is one of the hardest things to do. We’re expected to be infallible. So much so that we can forget that people prefer their leaders to be honest and compassionate.
“Becoming a Minister means being willing to question your decisions in public and, if necessary, correct them,” Shaw said.
But it looks like correcting the decision will be difficult.
Shaw said the Green School had approached the Government to find a solution, but he was staying out of any negotiations because it would be in appropriate for a Minister to intervene.
“These discussions can take time, and whatever you think of the process, Ministers cannot insert themselves in commercial negotiations,” Shaw said.
He said that the best thing to happen now would be for the funding to be converted into a loan.
“My personal view is that the best way to do this is that support for the Green School to come in the form of a loan, rather than a grant. That would ensure the money is paid back in full,” Shaw said.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300096758/james-shaw-calls-green-school-funding-an-error-of-judgment-as-he-searches-for-a-solution?rm=a
Seriously…hats off to anyone who has managed to sort the fact from the fantasy and the double-handed butt-covering surrounding that embarrassing little shit show.
I’m not confused; are you? Part was a grant and part was a loan. Which part confuses you? I’m aiming for clarity; are you?
Anyway, this thread is not about the Green School, never was. It is just a hook put up by Sabine.
Hang on a minute Sunshine…you threw out the old "ignorant" slur…
Part was a grant and part was a loan. Link, please?
Take it up with James Shaw…he's the one who appears confused.
If the shoe fits …
Which bit did you miss in the quoted text plus link here: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-04-05-2021/#comment-1790914?
I believe James Shaw is not confused and has moved on. Please let me know if you need any further assistance with clearing up your confusion.
Have a nice day or, as you prefer, SSDD.
I didn't realise the original principal resigned after the $11.7m grant / loan fiasco. I guess its not surprising given the bad publicity received. I have to agree with Sabine on this one, would be nice if the government could find a few million for either a grant (or even a loan) for the Hutt Valley school.
Rebuilds/repairs for all state schools are $100s millions per year, but after 9 years of neglect the backlog is huge
'“The first wave includes around 40 schools and has a budget of up to $1.3 billion'
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/four-new-projects-announced-part-biggest-ever-national-school-rebuild-programme
yei!
the link dates to July 2020
so we can assume that the Lower Hutt School is still waiting for some of that 1.9 billion to tinkle down.
Your level of catastrophising has me really worried
You've got the wrong end of the stick; he was headhunted and offered a job he couldn't refuse.
https://greenschool.nz/news/gsnz-principal-heading-to-lego-foundation/
An excellent piece by Anne Salmond, which I won’t spoil or pre-empt with my own views as there’s much, i.e. almost everything, to take in from it.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/dame-anne-salmond-iwi-and-kiwi-beyond-the-binary
+1
Stunningly well thought-through and presented piece, Dame Anne!
The final 4 paragraphs are all questions to which the answers are yes, yes, yes & yes!
The following quote describes the present circumstance beautifully,
"Current debates that seek to revive animosities between ‘iwi’ vs ‘Kiwi,’ for example, are classic Cartesian devices…"
'Great chain of being' existed across all cultures , the Inka was total ruler in an hierarchical system.
Just the other the day the Queen of the Zulus died and thats a paramount chieftan role thats existed for many centuries and similar existed through out Africa
This fragment, however, was of the greatest interest to me 🙂
"a first burst of energy in the cosmos generated thought, memory and desire; followed by knowledge;"
I cannot do it justice, definitely not now 🙁
Somehow Open Mike has become very much a focus for a few constant daily commenters who never ever see any joy or positivity in anything at all. They cannot see while many things may not be ideal, there is much to be reasonably content about in NZ. Interesting discussions involving many people's views are unfortunately not happening.
Not only beautiful, but uplifting. Hope it makes your day.
https://www.facebook.com/TeMangaiPaho/videos/2680614895531616
…never ever see any joy or positivity in anything at all.
I have a good news story….
Public Servant does their job!!!
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/441704/don-t-play-sick-children-off-against-each-other-children-s-commissioner-tells-pharmac
Unfortunately, (and not unexpectedly)…
Minister Responsible criticizes hard working Public Servant.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/441731/andrew-little-not-pleased-with-children-s-commissioner-comments-on-potential-pharmac-move
SSDD
Pharmac wasnt doing what they suggested it shouldnt do.
'Potential move '
Pharmac wasnt doing what they suggested it shouldnt do.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/441649/pharmac-likely-to-end-blanket-funding-for-kids-cancer-drugs
The 'word' came from the OHRP. Concerned that Pharmac would react to a claim of discrimination against kids with SMA by cutting funding for paediatric cancer drugs, they decided not to represent the claim at the HRRT.
There is the risk that the answer to any discrimination claim would be to normalise the situation by decreasing paediatric cancer patients' access to treatment funding. That would be a very disappointing outcome but it is one Pharmac has suggested it is willing to do."
What Tolich didn't know was Pharmac had been considering for some time ending its blanket coverage for child cancer drugs – a situation that developed by historical accident.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/441649/pharmac-likely-to-end-blanket-funding-for-kids-cancer-drugs
What is it about some here and Pharmac? It is up for scrutiny and criticism just like any other taxpayer funded organisation.
(And considering Spinraza, started early, has 75% efficacy at preventing symptoms of SMA…)
They had said it was something previously they had looked at , not some thing they will do in response for the court case, which is bogus discrimination grounds.
You make the mistake of the 'reporting' suggesting something as though its a fact
edit
Other sites have interesting discussions and cover what some are 'reasonably content about in NZ'. The Standard's purpose is largely to discuss what the left is thinking, doing and not doing in this country and the world. And why thinking people cannot be reasonably content. Those that are, aren't thinking about the reality of what is happening, what will happen if the right things are not done, what will happen whatever is done, how we can get ready for the future catastrophes, how we can awaken enough people to the situation and to act together with goodwill to ameliorate the process. That is The Standard's proper function, and if it doesn't do that it fails the thinking people trying to live fulfilling, happy lives, but caters for the sheeple, sweet people a lot of them, but with their heads in the sand. And we are also providing intelligence to each other about the people who are not sweet, not kind, not caring citizens and who will step over those with preventable illnesses physical and mental, to get where and what they want.
Reality, if you are thinking of Sabine, she raises good points but doesn't take enough time to relax her mind, ready for the next onslaught of bad news and stress. For a whole day Sabine stop, don't let any bad news come into your wonderful mind, and don't go on-line. Listen, read, take in what I and other people are saying for your own good, don't try and take everything stubbornly on your own shoulders. These are friendly suggestions not combative ones. Stop argufying for a while. Give yourself a break, and us, we all can only take so much before we cry or go catatonic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Okt0-Y38Pc
its really uplifting. 🙂
Is that the best you can do? Instead of addressing comments, you simply fob off others by posting video clips!? This is the second one here in OM and you’re derailing the threads of others who raise salient and valid points.
Good choice, Sabine!
And Grey seems to have missed that you do take days (or longer) off from time to time, including just two days ago – on Sunday May 2. LOL
https://thestandard.org.nz/search/%40author+%22Sabine%22/page/2/?search_comments=true&search_posts=true&search_sortby=date
I (like many others who used to comment here regularly up to about two years ago) rarely do so now with many good people complete no shows. I just cannot be bothered with the power imbalances, delusions of superiority, personal insults and targeting etc.
I admire your fortitude and that of others such as Rosemary, Adrian Thornton to mention just a few – even Morrissey and Gosman. Kia kaha!
PS – totally with you and Rosemary on the Green School "loan" issue. In fact having read the thread above, rechecked with a couple of former work colleagues in the Wellington State Sector/Parliamentary Precinct who confirmed the transformation from full grant to full loan once it became public … Obviously cannot provide links!
As someone said at 11.32am above in this thread "Why do some (…) commenters here insist on being and staying ignorant yet think that they ride the moral high-road and know it all?"
A Queen song just came to mind – something about hammers, but won't post a link.
Hearsay doesn’t count for anything here. Please put up your evidence and I will stand corrected, like many others. Or leak it to the media so that you can cite it here.
I’ve also observed how tribalism is rife here on TS; sub-groups gang up and then band together when one of them is challenged. Quite unfortunate, as it creates a polarising and divisive forum where robust debate is impossible and dies a sudden death 🙁
As such, your comment only added fuel to the fire and did not (re)solve anything, which is most disappointing and quite unexpected coming from you.
I just cannot be bothered with the power imbalances, delusions of superiority, personal insults and targeting etc.
That's what I noticed too veutoviper. Snap!
A great clip sabine…and a valid/potent reply to the demand to cheer up…
And I would like to second what veutoviper says below..
Couldn't have said it better myself..
Correction:..what veutoviper said above..
Sabine is the Leader of the Opposition that we should have.
It's a very debilitating being a politician though. Will she make it through the electoral term?
She would be an infinite improvement.
Doers she think that MPs shouldn't talk to gangs?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/national-mp-simeon-brown-ties-death-threats-to-marama-davidsons-visit-to-mongrel-mob/RGXMLADLR5I42MUYX6DCN2JU2E/
If you don't talk to gang members because it's a waste of time because they cause problems for our society, should we talk to National MPs?
lol…apparently not
Department to ensure that actions match words?
"For this term of Government we have three core goals. In addition to keeping New Zealanders safe from COVID-19, we are focused on accelerating our economic recovery and addressing the big three foundational challenges, housing affordability, climate change and child wellbeing.
The Government is determined that we will deliver on these core priorities. To that end the Prime Minister has asked me to lead the establishment an Implementation Unit based in her department.
The Unit will be funded through Budget 2021 and will monitor and support implementation of a small number of critical initiatives, particularly where multiple agencies are involved in the work. This includes areas such as mental health, infrastructure, housing and climate change mitigation. The Unit will report to me as Deputy Prime Minister, and will engage closely with Minister’s offices."
https://www.interest.co.nz/news/110227/robertson-oversee-implementation-unit-be-set-monitor-and-support-implementation-key
WTF is DPMC for then?
This is a pisspoor substitute for Ministers cracking heads.
What do you do when you have placed your best options in positions of authority and they dont perform?….you can 'crack as many heads' as you like but ultimately even replacing them dosnt ensure improved performance.
Its been suggested that this is a vote of no confidence in the public service but while there may be little confidence in the PS (id suggest with good reason) this appears more to be a vote of little confidence in ministerial ability.
The quandary of this government is that the Ministers are performing fine but their sum totality is underwhelming. To me that bespeaks a Prime Minister with out the muscle to get the most out of her team. They need head-kickers to shift major entities: you can do the list of the poor performing state entites.
Subbing the job out from Cabinet and PM's office to DPMC and SSC then to this new one is an illustration of brittle leadership at the top.
Muldoonism is long gone , but seems its still lamented.
Virtually no ministers have any powers you suggest, only a few exceptions allow them to 'direct' the relevant department ( thanks for your opinion mInister !) and in some cases its proscribed to even give an opinion.
No one is suggesting doing away with the Policy/Executive split.
But as you can see from the actions some Ministers have taken in this second term across Health, Public Health, Customs, Housing, Reserve Bank, Tertiary Education, Water regulation, and more, Ministers very much have powers to cajole, force, bully, remove, shame, defund, and merge entities to do their bidding to achieve policy aims are still strong … and under this government getting much stronger.
Since it needs spelling out to you: the entities that I see the government is finding real and sustained resistance to their policies are:
So if you ranked Ministers, and then ranked their respective Departments, you'd find quite different scores often.
No one is suggesting doing away with the Policy/Executive split.
Why? The alternative that we have is not working well either. Oh constipated Again! I suggest we need a different diet, before we die of it.
What exactly is "Muldoonism"?…..please elaborate
By your own comment it is obvious the Ministers performance is anything but 'fine'….if it were fine there would be no need to invent another layer of oversight
Great. So now we need another department to blame when things don't get done. Why are we paying these ministers so much? They are obviously not getting things implemented as why else would we need this unit. What happened to the year of delivery?
Id agree they are failing to implement change (and failing badly) however I would suggest that is a better problem to have than the previous administration who were comfortable to oversee a public service not required to administer change
Greywarshark – thank you for your thoughtful response. I readily agree we must always be ready to challenge what is not right or fair. But the sun often shines, the sky is a lovely blue, there are lovely flowers and trees to enjoy looking at, we get pleasure from meeting up with friends and family. So sometimes we can be happy and/or reasonably content, surely? And smile about something amusing. But still have concern for those who struggle. People who are positive and can enjoy themselves, even when things may be difficult, are those who I prefer to interact with.
Yes, your second paragraph was spot on.
I look for the best in things Reality. But think of this period as a phony war. Can we prevent it? Sure as eggs we will have climate change and if we don't start now the authorities will end up pushing us round with army bodily removing us to …where? and prison terms for protest etc. So don't sit around having tea and cakes too long will you. I have that once a week, go to music nights, occasional beer and wine. You don't need to become an ascetic just a well-rounded person coping with the thoughts of likely dystopia, and finding some answers that are good for us all. Kia kaha.
Rest In Peace Brian Corban.
NZ rail owes you a lot.
Initial govt response: https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2105/S00010/minister-for-state-owned-enterprises-saddened-by-passing-of-kiwirail-chair.htm
From a man who was a 9 year old child that Social Welfare put into Cherry Farm Hospital against the experienced doctor's advice.
The patients were very disturbed and mentally ill, he said.
"They were making noises, wailing and making unusual movements with their bodies and faces. I remember thinking to myself what the hell is this and I was still wondering where the cherries were.
"I went into a foetal position and the patients starting coming at me in every direction."
He was constantly medicated at Cherry Farm to keep him quiet and then discharged six weeks later without there ever being a mental illness diagnosis
He first went to the Epuni Boys' Home and then Hokio Beach School.
At Hokio he was raped at least hundreds of times by older boys.
"I can't exactly say how many times I was raped while I was there but my guess is 200 times based on my experience of being raped every day and every night and the amount of boys who were doing it and, as I stand here today, how would anybody like to be raped 200 times in just one place."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/441732/child-put-into-adult-pyschatric-hospital-royal-commission-hears
(What is happening in our prisons at present I wonder and fear?)