Neo-liberal New Zealand.
This will break your heart.
100%.
Axed over the Christmas break, told to be out by lunchtime after 50 years’ loyalty – this is redundancy in New Zealand, where there’s no mandatory notice period or compensation payments and little support for those searching for new work.
………..New Zealand ranks in the bottom third of the OECD for spending on what are known as active labour market policies – government interventions to help people into meaningful new work. The organisation’s report last year said Work and Income focuses largely on people receiving benefits, which only includes a minority of people made redundant. “As a result, social assistance and public employment support are reduced to a minimum and act very much as systems of last resort for displaced workers who end up in the welfare system… Displaced workers are, to a large extent, left by their own to find a new job”
…..”Once you walked out the gate, that was it – no one wanted to know you. Even WINZ didn’t want to know you, because you’ve got all that [redundancy] money. So they don’t wanna know you until all the money’s gone. They were real arseholes about it, to be frank.”
……In New Zealand, unlike Australia, Canada and several other OECD countries, there is no legal requirement to pay workers redundancy compensation, leaving unions and workers to negotiate redundancy clauses in their contracts. The payments are taxed at 33 percent, and if a business goes into receivership, employees’ back-pay and redundancy payments are capped at about $22,000 – regardless of how long they’ve worked for the company or what redundancy clause their contract contains.
There’s no guarantee that a company will pay anything at all
Neo-liberal New Zealand.
Our country has been destroyed.
100%.
The country’s highest-profile suicide prevention helpline is missing one in four phone calls because of a funding shortage.
At the same time, Lifeline is dealing with a rise in phone calls by people who are at risk of suicide.
The helpline now receives an average of six calls a day from people in severe distress – double the amount it received three years ago.
Executive director Glenda Schnell said calls from suicidal people were highly complicated and consumed much more resources from the helpline, which is staffed by a combination of paid staff and volunteers.
Neoliberal Economics removes the human element from the equation and focus’s on the almighty dollar $’s and who can acquire the most in the shortest period of time, ideological B/S from Milton Friedman and the Chicago School of Economics. This ideology was picked up early by the NZ Labour Party and Sir Roger Douglas in the 1980’s.
IMHO is has not been good for NZ and it’s naturalized citizens including te tangata whenua ?
More significant than our Prime Minister attending the South Pacific Forum, is the Prime Minister of Australia not attending the South Pacific Forum.
Morrison’s non-attendance amounts to a cowardly refusal to debate with Forum countries over the differences between Australia and the other Pacific Nations on climate change and immigration.
Morrison obviously does not want to be taken to task over these issues. And so has stayed away.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne says Australia is not snubbing the Pacific Island Forum despite Prime Minister Scott Morrison skipping the event…..
…..”We have absolutely reinforced the Pacific is a key priority of Australia’s foreign policy.”
Pacific leaders are also concerned about climate change, which has once again torn apart the Liberal party as it seeks a new energy policy.
Senator Payne said she was not surprised by the attitudes of Pacific leaders, because climate change had been raised in previous Pacific Island Forum declarations.
“We absolutely recognise it’s in our national interest to take action on climate change,” she said.
As the saying goes; “Actions speak louder than words”.
This snub must be seen for what it is.
The record shows that any Australian leader, (of either major party), who dares stand up to the powerful Australian fossil fuel lobby is immediately rolled by the conservative wings of their party.
Morrison obviously does not want to be taken to task over these issues. And so has stayed away.
Unlike Nixon, Morrison hasn’t even got the courage to issue his own denial.
This bodes ill for Australia ever doing anything meaningful to address climate change, or address the very real concerns of the Pacific Nations on the front line of climate change, facing rising sea levels and more energetic hurricanes fueled by warming seas.
Speaking at the Lowy Institute, just days before the beginning of the Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru, the Samoan prime minister seemed to take a swipe at Australia’s commitment to minimising the impact of climate change, which he called the “single greatest threat to the livelihood, security and wellbeing peoples of the Pacific”.
“While climate change may be considered a slow onset threat by some in our region, its adverse impacts are already felt by our Pacific islands peoples and communities,” said Sailele. “Greater ambition is necessary to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees centigrade and Pacific island countries continue to urge faster action by all countries.”
Sailele said addressing climate change required “political guts” from leaders. “We all know the problem, we all know the causes, we all know the solutions. All that is left would be some political courage, some political guts to get out and tell the people of your country, ‘Do this, this, this, or there is any certainty of disaster.’”
All power to our Prime Minister for fronting up.
Despite the political backlash she has attracted in this country, Prime Minister Ardern is showing the political courage and guts that Prime Minister Sailele has called for, but which is sadly missing in Australian political leaders.
I heard Jacinda, I think Monday, explaining in detail about why she decided to go to the Pacific forum and why she would or wouldn’t take her baby, the costs, the problems (something about there being no holding sites for planes on Nauru was one). They had tried to think of all possible matters and nitpickers on the Right can’t easily come up with this or that negative to wave triumphantly in the air. As is their wont.
While if the situation was reversed, the Gmats would just laugh at any questions at all.
The comparison between Morrison and Ardern. – Ardern is fronting up, despite her circumstances and Morrison is ducking for cover.
A leader’s job is to lead.
You don’t send a delegate, or deputy, (as the opposition parties and right wing media say the Prime Minister should). You don’t try to duck the responsibilities of your position like Morrison has. You make it work.
“…….she decided to go to the Pacific forum and why she would or wouldn’t take her baby, the costs, the problems (something about there being no holding sites for planes on Nauru was one). They had tried to think of all possible matters……”greywarshark
To the all the opposition Torrys and right wing media commentators:
Woman have children. Get over it.
When a world leaders conference was called in Teheran in 1943, Churchill didn’t sent a delegate, or representative, he went himself, this despite serious complications. Special arrangements and allowances had to be made to transport Churchill to Iran, to taking into account his health and age.
In the end Churchill was transported from England on a mattress in the back of special transport plane all the way to Iran and back.
Allowances were made for his health and age.
Prime Minister Ardern is a female leader of child bearing age, As a society we need to normalise and accept pregnancy, child birth and breastfeeding as part of the human condition, as unavoidable as old age and illness.
Many women have had to make similar difficult decisions and trade offs.
Prime MInister Ardern is a trend setter, but first of all she is a leader of world ranking, like all leaders she has had to make difficult decisions and personal sacrifice to carry out her job.
TBF to the new guy, given Aussies unstable politics he probably thinks if he left the country for more than a day he would be out of a job when he got back.
Scott Morrison has already been out of Australia in his first week as PM – to Indonesia to sign a free trade agreement with them. But can’t make it to Nauru for the Pacific Island Forum – and be exposed to criticism re the refugees sent there by Australia.
First he’s got to survive the Wentworth by- election, which from all accounts is getting really interesting as it’s a very diverse electorate from the big end of town to the bottom end of town. After that he has the cross bench in the upper and lower House’s of Parliament. Then the 85 knife throwers in Party room to deal with and next years budget which is also election yr.
Unless Sco Mo pull’s something out of his hat between now and year or Labour somehow falls off the cliff. Then they’re got buckles chance at getting back as they are already on life support at.
It’s been quite relaxing, not worrying or stressing about the bullshit of RAAF’s SECFOR (Training, Operations/ Op’s planning and planning) within the two NT SEC Flts. My wife and I couldn’t be bothered going the open days at Darwin and the Forward Operation Base setup down the road at Batchor Airfield to show the wife the set up at what we did on my two Timor trips.
The rest of the yr is getting house and my tank hanger (20m x9m shed) setup with my Troop SGT office up before the big wet or before first test match of the summer with all my diecast planes, britan soldiers, tanks, my 1/700 model ships and my gun safe. Looking after my little girl (Saffie cross Ozzie Cattle dog) as the wife ran her over a couple of weeks. Listening to my classical, old school country, British Classical and hymns.
As for the future, want to finish of my pilots license, my mate at my bush block wants to get involved with the Timor veterans programs in ET, the wife to go to Timor, wildlife protection feral animal control and anti poachingtravel back to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma and do some wildlife tours before its to late to Africa, sub Antarctic and Arctic Regions. Higher education in History or Strategic studies and of course further training in bush fire fighting and in fire management.
Tinker in the shed with my 50’s or 60’s yank tank with the big fins, my uncle motorcycles when I finally get them and the wife has given me permission to buy an Armoured Vehicle of some sort unless we win lotto a warbird or her uncles warbird. Setting up the garden in next yr in between fishing and hunting.
ROFL – oh so just the usual “what do I do with myself now” retirement things then!
What sort of warbird? Despite being a female civilan Kiwi, when I spent almost seven years in London in the ’70s, I worked in a civil/military organisation, NATS. For almost three years of that, I was private secretary/aide de camp to Air Marshall Sir Ivor Broom, the Controller of NATS – and a rather highly medalled RAF pilot during WW11. He was still in active service and I used to also go to the big wig RAF meetings with him- female and in civvie clothes with a very high security rating obviously. It used to raise eyebrows, which Sir Ivor loved doing. LOL. Part of my role was also to look after Sir Douglas Bader, then a part time Member of the Board of the CAA (who I officially worked for.)
Two hard cases but extreme gentlemen as well. You just did not get in a car driven by either of them if you valued your life, nerves and blood pressure! I also flew with Sir Ivor at the controls quite often in various types of planes when we went around the UK for meetings etc – and sometimes, depending on the plane,once in the air, he would hand over to me despite no formal training and tell me to follow the rail lines. My elder brothers back in NZ were so jealous of me, but I told them it was my revenge for their complaints about having to drag little sister along to the Saturday afternoon movies – many of which were, yes you guessed it, films such as the Dam Busters, etc.
We had a wonderful office set up, quite unusual for the time. As well as me in my role (which included deciding who got to meet, talk to Sir Ivor etc – up your nose bigwigs got to wait a loooonnng time) there was a male typist, a male batman who was also the tea lady (lovely older guy) and Sir Ivor’s driver was female.
Memories are wonderful things.
Ps – Funnily enough, I mentioned on here a few days ago that I worked in London with the father of Brian May of Queen fame and got to know Brian, and the rest of Queen through him. Brian’s Dad was an ex RAF avionics engineer in NATS.
What awesome company you had back then, I reminds me of some the cocktail parties I intended during the few years after Timor (INTERFET) as Airfield Defence Guard (An Aussie Rockape) especially the WW2 and Korean Fighter Pilots. Especially when the Spitfire Pilots from the Morotai Spitfire Wing/ Borneo found out I was and ADG which some them were good mates of old John Gorton en Oz PM had very close encounter with his gun sight when he panged his fighter during the Battle of Malaya.
Brian May would’ve been an interesting fella to talk too, let alone his dad.
As for the warbird, her uncle has a winjeel trainer, but there is a Ex RAAF Mk5c Spitfire in pieces that saw service in Darwin/ Arnhem area on wish list, the wife likes the Me-109G in winter camo, but having read the pilots notes they don’t like asphalt runways all that much and requires big grassy Airfields because of the torque of the big DB engines. The goal would to own a RNZAF, RAAF, RAF, or FAA Aircraft or similar A/C either a single or twin engine that saw service in the Far East or South Pacific to honour my great uncle who was in 3NZ Div, my wife’s Pop (RAN) and Nan (AIF) those veterans and those who have no known grave which to is the saddest thing I’ve seen in War cemetery’s that someone’s lost family member has no known grave.
VV
There are so many stories and paths that cross from war and defence efforts.
I was doing some volunteer counter work at local art gallery, got talking to an English woman and found that her husband had been the Squadron Leader? (in charge) of my birth father’s bomber group around north England Market Rasen area during WW2.
This was interesting. https://www.spitfireclub.co.uk/dowding—park Leigh-Mallory, already envious of Park for leading the key 11 Group while No.12 Group was left to defend airfields, repeatedly failed to support No.11 Group. Leigh-Mallory and his Big Wing (led by Douglas Bader) often ran amok through No.11 Group airspace confusing the defences. Quintin Brand’s No. 10 Group in the South West successfully supported No.11 Group when required despite having far more arduous defensive duties in its own area than No.12 Group.
Park’s subsequent objection to Leigh-Mallory’s behaviour during the Big Wing controversy may have contributed to his and Dowding’s removal from command at the end of the battle, but neither Park nor Dowding had much time for internal politics and fell easy prey to their waiting critics. Richard Saul of 13 Group on the other hand, wrote to Park on learning of his pending departure from No.11 Group, commenting on “the magnificent achievements of your group in the past six months; they have borne the brunt of the war, and undoubtedly saved England”. Park was to remain indignant however over his and Dowding’s treatment for the rest of his life. Park was posted immediately to Training Command before seeing later high ranking service in the Mediterranean and elsewhere.,,
On leaving the Royal Air Force, Park personally selected a Supermarine Spitfire to be donated to the Auckland War Memorial Museum, New Zealand. This aircraft is still on display today along with his service decorations and uniform….
While Sir Hugh Dowding controlled the Battle from day to day, it was Keith Park who controlled it hour by hour. Air Vice Marshal ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, one of the top Allied air aces of the war, said: “He was the only man who could have lost the war in a day or even an afternoon”. This was an echo of Winston Churchill’s description of Admiral Jellicoe in the First World War.
Although Park has not received widespread public recognition, either in Britain or his native New Zealand, he has a claim to be one of the greatest commanders in the history of aerial warfare.
You mention the original characters you met. Did you see or know the story of Colonel Wintle shown on TV in Heroes and Villains series?
Exkiwiforces
If you or your wife have time to read and like quirky Laoa and Tahi based mystery/detective books I recommend trying Colin Cotterill’s books. He has a couple of main characters in series Dr Siri Paiboun and his wife is one, and other Jimm Juree, super girl reporter.
Unfortunately the wife goes by the stars with accommodation IRT SEA travels as I tend to sleep under the stars where I go in SEA. As tend to follow J P Cross an eccentric British Army Officer base in Laos during the war in between stints with Gurkhas or at famous British Jungle Warfare School in Borneo, Graham Greene’s travels through Indo- China, and another eccentric British Army Officer from that era called Arthur George Trevor- Wilson who the French booted out in 1950 as he was good Mates with Ho Chin Minh.
The other three I want to follow is Johnny Cooper the SAS fellow not the boxer, Fitzroy McLean travels in Asia Minor and his time with Tito and old mate T.E Lawrence.
Then a little unknown Kiwi lady called Iris a friend of my NZ grandmother who was with SOE in Western Europe as a courier, spy, and escorted escaped or downed RAF aircrew to freedom via Spain and Portugal. She was a bluebell dancer in Paris before the war and she could Fench and German. A 6ft blond with blue eyes and she was petty handily a pistol from all accounts, just as she was with a Croquet mallet.
I’ll take a look at that website.
That bit about Dowding and Park is so true that they not recognise in the wider public and the thing about Park was that was head hunted by old Winnie to be the RAF CInC for Defence of Malta and again he could’ve lose the war in the British Pond (the med) for the first time since 1746.
I find those stories about resistance from SOE fascinating.
Nancy Wake for one. Looking at Violette Szabo the other day. Her little girl was presented with a cross by King George VI and she said she would keep it for Mummy for when she came home.
I think the Gestapo had tortured her and executed her by that time. Apparently she did not give away anybody. It is all very hard to think about and especially it didn’t teach us to be better.
Thinking of JP Cross I see there is a book called Operation janus by him about the Ghurkas on TradeMe here for $23.50NZ with free shipping. It actually comes from booktopia located in Australia.
When Alan Hinlea, a British Gurkha captain with a hatred of a class system that has always kept him down, deserts to the guerillas and is spirited away to the jungle Communist HQ, Chin Peng, the leader of the Malayan Communist Party gloats at what he hopes will be a major propaganda victory.
A fellow British Gurkha officer is despatched with five Gurkhas to hunt Hinlea down and the chase through pathless jungle becomes a race against time and a contest of deadly jungle warfare skills. Operation Janus is the first in a trilogy of books involving Gurkha milita…
I have the upmost respect to my grandparents generation and in your case your late father going through the Great Depression then followed by WW2 and then building a society where everyone had an equal share in the nations wealth alongside a equally caring society as they knew what the alternative was especially with invent of the “bomb”. When everyone kept their word or handshake and prepared to get stuck in when it was need in times of stress or disaster.
Over the last couple of weeks I’ve reading about Luftwaffe’s Aces under the heading “The German Aces Speak” series by Colin D. Heaton and Anne- Marie Lewis also is on British and German Night Fighters. I’ve the last paragraph in each chapter quite somber on their thoughts for the future. Just like as I was brought up with grandparents in the Nelson region many moons weather about the war, the depression or working class fights with bosses or in case of grandparents turning to the 81 protests in Nelson with helmets etc as it was a worthy battle that needed to be fought. But needless to say they were force to take back seat and how they managed to talk my grandmother out of it, I do not know.
Just like those young kids/ man like your late father climbing into their bomber/ fighter every day/ night or in case of Mike Simths relative in Singers climbing into that elderly biplane knowing what odds were at returning or those on the convoys or facing Rommel tanks or Herr Hitlers paras or the likes of Iris in the SOE or the PoW’s to incredible brave. Compared with what I’ve done and seen in my last 15yrs.
Three quotes, I want to share two from JP Cross and the old bulldog Winnie
Fighting in privacy seem to a relic of the past. Propaganda- that branch of the art of lying which consists of nearly deceiving your friends without quite deceiving your enemies- has been become more acute. Now rallies, chiefly negative because they have organised by people leaping to unwarranted conclusions without adequate examination of the evidence, are a feature of modern life now.
The other JP quote,
At the beginning of the 21st century, was no longer worldwide and all- embracing Communism. Instead, an unhealthy mixture of religious bigotry, lust of oil and over educated idiots with no sense of history rising to the top of the political tree have broken the pattern which has created a new type of situation for which no lasting answer has yet been found.
The further back you look, the further for you can see
They are unlikely to have another coup.
Early federal elections are a problem as Victoria has its state election on 24th Nov 2018 and NSW is 23 rd march 2019
Theres really ‘no space’ to do a 6 week federal campaign till after NSW is done next year. Technicalities about Senators terms also mean that it wont happen till after may 2019.
Yes, the Libs have really shot them selves in foot since the last couple of wks. The federal election is really Labour’s to grab unless they do something really stupid before the polls.
to which we should add boo hoo wah wah wah wah wah.
and if the only way business can be conducted is by using slave labour and forcing costs onto others (such as by supposedly ‘independant contractors – couriers, food delivery people, exploitation of immigrants, a series of ticlet clippers in the chain, and so on), then your business isn’t viable,
btw, I post the above having looked at some comments on TDB that are akin to the
“boo hoo hoo wah wah wah – YOU try running a business and see how you get on” bullshit
So far, all I’ve seen from ‘bizzniss’ leaders is that the reason for poor bizzniss confdinse is “uncertaintay”.
Bizzniss doesn’t like ‘uncertainty”
Well fellas, welcome to the whurl of the precariat. Uncertainty is the precariat class’ biggest characteristic, yet it’s something they’re expected to swallow whilst their bizzniss counterparts expect to be able to cut costs, diminish the rights of their greates asset (their worker bees), take on greater risk from the bizzniss they work for, and basically prop up the fortunes (or otherwise) of their masters.
Whether now, or a few more steps down the road – it ain’t gonna last.
Again, if the only way your bizzniss can survice is by imposing slave-like conditions, then your bizzniiss ain’t viable.
(Maybe fuck off to Straya and try your hand there)
Oh how history repeats (or at least echoes)
boo hoo wah wah wah
Perhaps good journalism is not yet quite dead in NZ when the Southland Times can come up with this editorial this morning. Perhaps we should be looking past the biggies and looking more to news sources such as this or ODT.
The subject is Chelsea Manning and her appearance at the Sydney Antidote Festival on Sunday via satellite from Los Angeles in conversation with Peter Greste, the Australian Aljazeera journalist imprisoned by Egypt for over a year.
Yesterday I also read a related article of particular interest in exploring the dubious nature of character by Dr Binoy Kampmark, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, teaching within the Bachelor of Social Science (Legal and Dispute Studies) programme at RMIT in Melbourne. Unfortunately the link to the article at abandonhope. net is currently broken but if it comes up again I will try to post the link, as I think some here would find it worth reading.
As of this morning, the Australian govt has still not made a final decision whether to ban Manning from entry to Australia for the two remaining events in Melbourne on Friday 7 Sept and Tues 11 Sept. It remains to be seen whether they will make a decision one way or another or just procrastinate… Some Australian articles are suggesting that they are not wishing to upset their US friends …
Tickets are still on sale for her two events here next weekend in Auckland and Wellington (Embassy Theatre not St James as I think I said in early posts) and supposedly the issue of her visa will just be a matter of rubber stamping with the decision last Friday to give her a special direction to apply for the visa.
Just for the hell of it because I am just plain nosey, I checked ticket availability.
In Auckland (Q theatre) ticket seem to be about 2/3 booked for the floor A reserve seats, and the same for the B reserve Gods seats. the other two options (VIP Meet and Greet) and Balcony seats are shown as “Not available right now” so whether sold out or quite what is not clear.
In Wellington the Embassy seat plan is showing about half booked in total.
Another slight update – John Pilger has thrown his hat in the ring in joining the petitioners to the Australian govt to allow Manning into Australia for the two remaining events in Melbourne and Brisbane, according to this Australian Green Party report two hours ago,
For those who do not click on links when they don’t know the who or what, this is an interesting take by David Cormack on “What if National had actually retained power?”
Mickysavage or lprent – Possibly good for a post by itself given it is almost a year since the general election?
“By way of a bribe payment, a price was agreed upon which was typically $400 if the applicant attended and sat their IR or IF driving test, and up to $550 if the applicant did not attend and between $1500 and $2500 for a class two to five truck licence.”
The scheme had the potential to allow people to drive heavy trucks on the open roads without having to sit the required test….
Brar was involved in at least 107 corrupt transactions between 2014 and 2016. He received over $56,000 in bribes. More bribe money was passed on to his co-defendants….
Lovepreet Brar, or Love Brar has he is known in online Punjabi pop videos, has been sentenced to 11 months home detention for taking bribes for driver licences.
In some cases people who did not even sit the test were able to buy a New Zealand drivers licence and get behind the wheel.
In the video for his song ‘Jail’, Brar depicts a character who lives in a showy house, owns expensive cars, carries guns and has just been shot in the shoulder. It has had more than 4.3 million hits on Youtube.
His video promotion shows him with a large gun standing staunchly. Hardly something to encourage positive reactions in the public. However it may have appealed to the dairy owners, and the liquor store owners who have suffered menace and death. This young man is a symptom of problems that need to be fixed in our society. There will become a growing division with immigrants from Asia, with NZrs becoming warier and Indians feeling grief and anger, and resentment.
Chinese have been connected with an active and open drug market and imports, and I think this possibility is based on known facts. I have respect for Chinese and Indian, but I think some find us easy pickings and some NZrs are very ready to enlarge established criminal activities.
There may be racism involved when people are refused employment, but often there is a question in the employers’ minds based on known facts of tendencies. If Ia large enough number of Indian people end up in Court or under investigation, any bias against them will increase.
Then we too have to watch that our own dealings with immigrants are of an equitable nature. There is a twisted approach to respect and fair dealings to them in immigration, and in other departments too.
What a ridiculously low sentence. Not even being made to pay the money back. certainly the judiciary seems to be sending a message to migrants that they can just break NZ laws and get away with a slap on the wrist, no jail time for dishonest migrants endangering lives and NZ reputation. Unlike if Kiwi’s do it.
Look at these sentences clearly very light ones, given to migrants who are dishonest and corrupt.
In this a Chinese business man received $33,000 worth of stolen honey and was repackaging it, but only fined $17,500 – sounds like he was still $15,500 better off after being caught. Funny enough endangering our food reputation for quality export honey is fine apparently but less so if you just send a hoax and not even do the crime aka the nearly 9 years jail Jeremy Kerr got for sending a hoax letter to Fonterra about 1080.
“A Chinese businessman has been fined for receiving 480kg of stolen mānuka honey after a well-planned heist targeting a ready-for-export shipment at an Auckland warehouse.”
“Judge Singh convicted and sentenced Sun to pay a $17,500 fine, $15,000 of which would be a reparation payment to Azurelife.
Sun said he was able to pay the fine by week’s end.”
… so they made more than a million in profit but only fined $847k…. that’s certainly sending the message to ignore OIA if you can make a buck, you still get to make a profit even if you are caught.
Come to NZ and poison the locals with drugs, no need to pay an taxes or declare any income and you will become a citizen no questions asked!
“According to Inland Revenue records neither Yim nor Wu, who arrived in New Zealand in 1991 and 1994, have ever declared their income nor paid any tax.”
“As part of the raids on Yim, police also seized 12 luxury sports cars valued at more than $1.3m, including a Ferrari worth more than $500,000 and a Lamborghini Gallardo. More than $1.8m in cash was seized and a further 1kg of methamphetamine found.
Watches, jewellery, electronics, and 48 bottles of vintage French wine valued at about $42,000 were also seized.”
“Yim was sentenced this month in the High Court at Auckland to 11 and a half years in prison for possession of a class A drug for supply.
During sentencing he was described by Justice Geoffrey Venning as being vital to the drug scheme which imported the equivalent of 30kg of pure methamphetamine with a street value of $40m.”
Yim, who came to New Zealand from Hong Kong on a resident visa before gaining citizenship in 1995, has previously been convicted on three unrelated charges.
In July 2006 he was convicted at the Auckland District Court for drink-driving and on a dangerous driving charge, while in April 1997 he was convicted of shoplifting.”
I can only hope that the ird investiagtes this man and taxes him on any undisclosed income. My understanding, even illegal earnings are subject to tax, penalties and use of money interest 🤑
I thought we could seize criminals’ stuff or is it just Maori ganga. I meant gangs (I think Freudian slip.) Spoiler – racist thoughts occurring here. Why do some foreign people get treated so badly, and others get jailed for a long time at our expense and if they are in drugs, they will get a whole new set of traders there. Daft.
Dunno about “redeemed”, but it’d be awkward if they didn’t figure out how to get along at the very least – they get seated next to each other all the time lol
GW will never live down starting the “forever war” (as I saw it called somewhere).
But people who run into each other regularly build relationships.
Very good article on Radio NZ site about redundancy in NZ. However rather than expecting the government to pay for training etc, maybe it should be time in NZ where businesses are regulated to not constantly being making people redundant willy nilly and then often hiring people back later as contractors. This is creating a precriat class not just at the bottom end but through the whole NZ work culture. Part of the reason it is so common, is that it is so easy for an employer to do make employees redundant at little cost to themselves while the costs to the workers are huge. Not easy to find replacement work if they have kids and morgages and so forth and can go from being relatively well off to losing their homes and no guarantee in next job it does not happen again.
“In New Zealand, unlike Australia, Canada and several other OECD countries, there is no legal requirement to pay workers redundancy compensation, leaving unions and workers to negotiate redundancy clauses in their contracts. The payments are taxed at 33 percent, and if a business goes into receivership, employees’ back-pay and redundancy payments are capped at about $22,000 – regardless of how long they’ve worked for the company or what redundancy clause their contract contains.
There’s no guarantee that a company will pay anything at all, as Rob Dempsey found out.”
“The Statistics NZ paper, along with two more follow-up Motu reports, and the OECD report, found people who lose their jobs earn between 12 and 22 percent less than comparable workers four to five years afterward, even if they find other work.
“Income and especially wage effects upon displacement can be considerable, even for those who successfully return to work, and seem to be more pronounced in New Zealand than in most other OECD countries,” the OECD authors wrote.”
Great article about how much money Mondelez has made from NZ as they created debts sent profits to offshore companies in return for ‘intellectual property’ until they destroyed the local business and the factory closes down and they make those workers redundant.
Will she or won’t she? That is, will Jacinda Ardern appear in the House this afternoon for Question Time to parry with Simon Bridges on Question 1, her only question for the day – Does she have confidence in all her Ministers?
The PM has not appeared on her usual Tuesday media slots on RNZ Morning Report, the AM Show etc. Presumably getting ready for her trip to Nauru without Neve for the first time, as Neve is too young for the vaccinations needed to go there.
Neither the PM nor Winston Peters will be in the House tomorrow as Peters is already in Nauru for the Pacific Islands Forum and Ardern is flying up this afternoon or tonight on the RNZAF Boeing 757 for a quick one day /36 hour visit for the Leaders Retreat tomorrow, before everyone (Peters, Ardern, other government attendees and the press contingent) return together on the Boeing 757 leaving about midnight Weds. (Flight time to/from Nauru is about 5 – 6 hours; and Nauru is in exactly the same time/day zone as NZ.)
The PM hardly ever attends Question Time on Thursday and it is highly unlikely that Peters will this week after a busy few days in Nauru.
and in other news,
Credlin TV (13:00 bulletin today) has just reported (to paraphase) Winston Peters as saying that if the only reason Straya (which is in breach of its U.N obligations) is worried that Nauru detainees might hop across the deetch once PR/Citizenship was obtained, then NZ could accommodate – even if legislation is necessary.
There is actually no reason for either the Nauru or the Manus Island atrocities other than the trio of Dutton, Corman and Morrisons, and their hanger’s on.
Guys, nothing has been saved from Linguistics. We lost the entire collection of Indigenous Languages: the recordings since 1958, the songs in many languages without live speakers, the Curt Nimuendaju archive: papers, photos, negatives, the original ethnic-historical-linguistic map with the location of all ethnic groups in Brazil , the only record we had dating back to 1945. The ethnological and archaeological references of the Brazilian ethnic groups since the 16th century … In short, an irreparable loss to our Historical Memory.
Which kiwi journo seems tired of life as a right-winger, making a play to reinvent himself on the radical left? Barry Soper: “Chelsea Manning has courage and integrity, and should be welcomed here”. [https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12117259]
“National’s immigration spokesman Michael Woodhouse was frothing at the mouth at the prospect of the former US Army intelligence analyst coming here saying her criminal record should have seen her banned, and if he was still the minister, that’s most certainly what would have happened.”
“we let in the real Wolf of Wall Street in 2014 to tell sell out audiences here how he ripped off investors to the tune of US$200 million through a fake bond scheme. Jordan Belfort charged Kiwis up to $860 a head to hear how he did it. So who was the Immigration Minister then? Michael Woodhouse!”
I posted a update re Chelsea Manning at 7 above with some other links you may be interested in. They cover reviews etc from her appearance via satellite link at the Sydney Antidote Festival on Sunday, the still no decision from Australian authorities on her visa, and sales etc of tickets here in NZ.
Nah, much more simple. He has always tried to butter his bread on both sides. I am also presuming that he is probably up in Nauru thanks to the RNZAF Boeing 757 and will be coming back tomorrow night on it with Peters and Ardern.
By the way, I have drafted up something re the waka jumping bill and why it will probably not be back in the House this week. Includes a little primer on how to work out what may make it into the House in any week. Will try to post it in Daily Review tonight as now off sleepy drugs after last week.
As you are seem to be a similar age to me, you may be amused at some memories I probably stupidly revealed in a thread under 4 above. LOL
Interesting memories. At age 13, I mostly bought SF at the local 2nd-hand bookshop in 1963 (usual question: “What’s science fiction?”) but I did also get Bader’s famous “Reach for the Sky” and resonated with his struggle with adversity & heroic recovery after losing his legs. Awaiting the reason for delay of the waka bill with interest too!
Jim Mora’s chat show continues to scrape the bottom of the barrel. The Panel, RNZ National, Tuesday 4 September 2018, 4:47 p.m.
Jim Mora, Niki Bezzant, Neil Miller, Caitlin Cherry
Even for this dog of a show, this was a particularly inane exchange of inane inanities. First the host Jim Mora read out, in an evident tone of approval, a gobsmackingly depraved Nigel Farage quote praising Australia’s brutal mistreatment of refugees, claiming it “has saved lives.”
NIKI BEZZANT: I note that his website says he’s the world’s most charismatic politician!
NEIL MILLER: Pshaw! I think Barack Obama might have something to say about that! Not to mention Bill Clinton.
More—if you can bear it—of Neil Miller being vile and fatuous….
“The last election unlocked a new voice born of the quiet revolution of more Māori in Parliament. The number of Māori MPs had grown from 13 in 1996 to 29 after election 2017. Twenty are in the Labour, NZ First and Green Party governing arrangement. Ten have executive portfolios. MPs of Māori descent lead National, NZ First, Act and the Greens and Kelvin Davis is deputy leader of Labour.”
“Factoring all new enrolments, the net gain of 61,000 Māori to the general roll since 2006, compared to 25,000 to the Māori roll, exactly matches the earlier 70 per cent swing to the Māori roll.” “The percentage of Māori on the Māori roll is at its lowest, at 52 per cent, since MMP began. The percentage of Māori on the general roll, 48 per cent, is at its highest.” [Rawiri Taonui] https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12118287
Oh wow – this is so, so relevant to what I will hopefully post not just re the waka jumping bill but also about a member’s bill that will probably be debated in the House tomorrow as per my 18.3.1.1. to you above. Must feed the menagerie and me. and then will get to it.
Good morning The Am Show Condolences to Japan for the people lost in that Typhoon that is raging there at the minute .
The police get $70 k for a 40 hour week=$30.00 a hour I think that’s fine for a young person the question is how much do they get in year 2 .3 ,4, 5
I know that some have it hard dealing with some public but not all are on that roster
that has to be the highest pay rate for a first year for most industry’s $1400 extra every year for 3 years is much better than other people..Dairy farm workers have not even had a %1 rise in pay over ten years and they work hard.
trump is causing this Nike gear burning hight light and these intelligent people YEA RIGHT are falling for his lies?????? he is going to keep his deceit going it will get louder as the American President elections get closer . Many thanks to NIKE for making a stand for EQUAL RIGHT’S.
Girls out perform boys at school so why do we not have more in management .
Because these old fossils have bias systems in place that keep wahine out of management .
Segregated schools who paid for this study some old fashion religious group.
Boys have to learn to respect girls how is that going to happen if they are separated at school,s
James Shaw is a good man he has highlighted that National is cooperating on the carbon neutral policy. The polls are showing that a lot of Kiwi voter’s are taking there mokopuna’s future and Climate change seriously our Ausse cousin’s need to take Climate Change seriously . Ka pai enough said
What process do they have in place to stop cheating in harness racing ??????? I see this behavior all through out sport’s .
It’s a BIG KNOW TO SELLING OUR TAB TO AUSTRALIA we have $5 billion going there from the banks and now some fool wants to sell our Tab that would just under mine our sports franchises WAKE UP.
Duncan I see you think that it is your job to hold the government accountable .The
problem Eco Maori has is YOU did not do that to national .
There you go the Duncan that man Tony who is champion single sex is a chauvinistic person and if we let people like his spread his fossilized view’s on us it’s all about the boys in his world and we need more voices championing equal right’s for wahine .
That’s the reason this study has landed on your desk Duncan the old fossil are feeling insecure with the Big Equal right movement that is sweeping across Papatuanuku at the minute .
Its a fine balancing act to keep a coalition government in line I say Jacinda is doing that job well.
Stop calling for her to do thing you know she won’t do .
Ka kite ano
The big computer multi nation soft ware company’s have being milking Aotearoa public sector for many decades they bid low get the contract for the job and then ask for more money 2x the original bid and more .
There actions have kept Aotearoa company’s out of this market they are to big for NZ government to hold to account for there soft ware not preforming the task set out to achieve. NOVA Pay Now Acc has the same plans with Oracle these company will bleed NZ dry they don’t care that there action’s will cause harm to NZ people or anyone it’s all about the money .
The consequences of this is they are actually stunting Aotearoa TEC sector’s we have the coding expertise here what do you think Iprent well I think so .
Conclusion ban foreign company’s from bidding for these soft ware up date jobs for our public services sector.
I have a link to back my claim of the talent we have in Aotearoa
sure we mite have to import a few coders but that will ad to OUR IT service sector.
Wow the sandflys are highly sensitive about there money they had a bunch of young people harresment me at a set of lights and a marked cop car was waiting around the corner how do I know it was a set up because the boys keep perusing me right next to the cops now they have some on on a big road bike following me around muppets the want to get me in there cells and beat me muppets. Ka kite ano
Freedom of the PRESS reporter’s who put there safety on the line to broadcast the fact’s that the powerful are suppressing all the killing and un humane practices that these people are doing in there grab or clinging ont to power Eco Maori Applauds all you great people who are doing this great service for Humanity NEED to be defended .
So the powerful left people of the world need to stand up and defend these great people . I see one of OUR Kiwi reporters was held in custody on Naru
Barbara Dreaver is a Mana Wahine Journalist who is not going to give up Ka pai E hoa .Ka kite ano
Good evening Newshub That’s a strong Typhoon in Japan blowing houses boat’s and truck’s around Tangaroa and Tawhirimatea are a real power full force of Papatuanuku.
There you go Mike Eco Maori has not been barking up the wrong tree pointing out trump’s flaws . May all his fans please stand up
The housing catastrophe is a gift to Aotearoa from shonky and national to Aotearoa’ people and what do you know some of his biggest fans just cashed in there capital gains WOHO I ignore anything they have to say this is the best way to handle that.
Phenomenon.
Eco Maori think’s its ok for Nike to highlight discrimination and get some exposure for there support by using a picture to speak a thousand word they are not dumb.
Ka kite ano
The Crowd Goes Wild James & Mulls I agree with the Kiwi’s new Coach Aotearoa has had a positive effect on the International League seen .
Anna is in her element on te maunga there is plenty of snow .
Sore face jame’s NZ net ball had that phenomenon that phenomenon happen to one of our best coaches a couple of decades ago
Ka kite ano P.S electric race cars are the way of the future they are faster and cleaner less noise than there carbon gulpers cousins ka pai
Good morning The Am Show Rua Moko has been going hard all over Papatuanuku .
You no what’s a joke all this spin about the ANZ business poll showing a lack of business confidence yesterday polls show that consumer spending is up ???? and what top’s it off is whos on the ANZ board well no other than shonky so don’t take any notice of the ANZ business poll’s better still change bank’s if you bank with them in protest for the bankers cheating common people once again.
There you go Duncan alcohol is the root of the problem and you champion longer jail terms you don’t want to hurt your capitalist m8 profts .
The problem is what if the person who accidentally dies in the fight was the aggressor and the other person was just defending them selves . I have seen aggressor pick on someone next minute.
I agree with Lowe Jonson had heaps of presser on him he handled it and stayed loyal to the Warriors ka pai. IT,s a exciting weeked for sports the wahine league and Rugby Playing this week to NO People.
BUY a electric car everyone that will sort out your high fuel bill.
collins if the role were reversed ( never going to happen) would you do what you are telling someone else to do total I think not.
trump was a Democrat supporter it was bill influence on trump that gave him the hunger for the President of America trump new Democrats would not stand for his —- so he changed wakas . Ka kite ano c why I don’t like the word crack
Here you go there is a small group of farmers who don’t have the correct effluent systems in place and this tars the rest of farmers link below Ka kite ano.
Typical national neo liberals playing the lets stir up the crime subject about crime to get a lift in there polls .First why don’t they come up with Idears to benefit OUR society O NO they only come up with policys to line there pockets ITS beneath them to think about the common person in a positvey we are just sheep to these people wating to be shorn .Ana to kai ka kite ano P.S
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Mayoral candidate John Tamihere will meet with Pacific Island leaders and community elders today at Puhunui Reserve in South Auckland to commit to a Pasefika Cultural Centre. ...
Cruel and invalid Forced Swim Tests carried out at Victoria University of Wellington, will be exposed at the University Open Day today, so prospective students can be warned about the flawed and unethical research being conducted at the institute. ...
The organiser of the annual YWCA Equal Pay Awards has expressed her disappointment with the latest Gender Pay Gap figure for New Zealand workers. The figure rose slightly from 9.2% in 2018 to 9.3% for the quarter ended 30 June 2019. ...
The Council of Licenced Firearm Owners (COLFO) is urging firearms owners to pass on information to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Attack on Christchurch Mosques now that the period for submissions has been extended to 27 September. ...
An application was filed in the Employment Relations Authority in Wellington today, seeking an injunction to prevent the Board of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation from removing the President from office. ...
The Government’s commitment to support literacy and numeracy training in the workplace is a strong signal from Government on recognising the importance of upskilling, reskilling and increasing productivity alongside their commitment to address the challenges ...
“The infrastructure sector sees a major role for the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga in lifting the nation’s sagging infrastructure performance,” says Paul Blair, incoming CEO of Infrastructure NZ. ...
The AA is calling on the Government to bring forward critical highway projects while time is spent properly developing the plans for a rapid transit system in Auckland. ...
Between 2015/16 and 2017/18, DHBs spent $280 million treating patients due to adverse drug reactions, reveals the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union in its latest briefing paper on health productivity . ...
The Pay Equity Coalition Auckland (PECA) is pleased the gender pay gap has decreased slightly. Statistics released today show the gap is now 11.9%, nearly 2 percent less than last year. ...
The Council of Licenced Firearm Owners (COLFO) is urging firearms owners to make sure they pass on any information they have to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Attack on Christchurch Mosques before submissions close tomorrow (Friday). ...
The big electricity companies consider solar energy “disruptive” and want pricing to suppress it. In contrast, advocates of local energy say that solar, energy efficiency, and other local energy solutions are the cheapest ways to reduce carbon emissions. ...
The Earthquake Commission and Shine Lawyers are delighted to announce that EQC has reached an agreement with the Gibling family, agreeing to cover the cost of repairs of remaining earthquake damage on their property. ...
Four months into the inquiry, the Royal Commission is gathering significant information and continues to receive valuable submissions from the public, from current and former State servants, experts and community groups. ...
While Fish & Game New Zealand is pleased to see Federated Farmers Environment Spokesperson Chris Allen say that 'we all want good, fresh water', he conveniently overlooks some key facts. ...
What: Wellington demo “Save the Amazon Forest/Salve a Amazônia!” When: Friday, 6 September 2019 from 12:30-13:30 Where: Embassy of Brazil in Wellingtona ...
Rt Hon Trevor Mallard, Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, welcomes the visit of His Excellency Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal. ...
A cross political Mental Health and Addictions Wellbeing group will be launched on Wednesday 28 August hosted by Sir John Kirwan and Moe Milne (ONZM) who have both been at the forefront of our country’s often difficult conversations about mental ...
Confirmation that the government will be progressing an independent Parliamentary Budget Office is great news for democracy and transparency, Federated Farmers says. ...
At first glance, Simon Bridges’ strident opposition to the government’s proposal to establish an independent office to cost political parties’ election spending plans looks childish and petty. ...
Euthanasia-Free NZ is appalled that Parliament spent so little time debating Part 2 of the End of Life Choice Bill and voted to leave it full of holes. ...
Jordan Williams, a spokesman for the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance and its nationwide sister group the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is slamming Auckland Mayor Phil Goff for his comments today that John Tamihere would need the Government’s support to ...
A ‘one size fits all’, inflexible and punitive regulatory regime for water quality just gets backs - and costs - up and most importantly will not work, Federated Farmers says. ...
Mediation yesterday between secondary principals and the government has resulted in a deal that the principals' negotiating team is recommending to its members. ...
Clubs New Zealand welcomes the decision of Justice Minister Andrew Little to put forward a bill amending the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act to allow all licensed premises to remain open for Rugby World Cup matches. ...
The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation has ordered a review looking at labelling of added sugars in food and drinks. An option under investigation is ‘a pictorial approach applied to sugary beverages / sugar-sweetened beverages’ ...
Labour market data released by Statistics New Zealand today indicates that a gender pay gap persists in New Zealand, despite improvement in some areas. ...
In the midst of the 6th Great Extinction Event the coalition, STOP Trashing Our Planet is urging voters to take full responsibility for the legacy we are leaving our children. ...
ANALYSIS:By David Robie Indonesia’s harsh policies towards West Papua ought to be scrapped. Whatever happened to the brief window of enlightenment ushered in by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in 2015 with promises of a more “open door” policy towards foreign journalists and human rights groups? They were supposed ...
The House - The grammar of being an MP is harder than you might think. MPs in Parliament choose their words with care, and it just got more complicated. ...
As a format it predates almost all reality TV, and that’s precisely why it works in 2019, writes Duncan Greive.There’s something deeply comforting about watching Celebrity Treasure Island. It is a very pure form of escapism, largely because it explicitly recalls a world without the internet, and before everything started ...
Residents in Los Angeles and Orange County warned to check for symptoms after an infected NZ teen visited theme parks including Disneyland and Universal Studios earlier this month.Californian health authorities have issued warnings to residents and visitors after a New Zealand teenager was found to have spent five days in ...
When you crave fresh, bright flavours but summer veges seem far away, throw together this simple salad.Growing up we often ate this salad, or one very similar to it. My mum is a fantastic cook and this dish is one she still makes to this day – though I must ...
Analysis of New Zealand media headlines reveals a lot of people slamming a lot of other people.Slamming is at epidemic levels in New Zealand news. Drawn from just the last month, we present a selection of slamming.On July 27A union boss slammed David ClarkOn July 29Police slammed a dangerous photographerOn ...
Vana Manasiadis wrote a collection of poetry in the wake of her mother’s death. In this essay, ahead of her appearance at the Going West festival, she argues that as a nation Aotearoa needs to learn to make space for mourning. When Mum died in Athens, I cried loudly and publicly ...
The giant hand that captivated, delighted and disgusted the nation is now settling into its new Wellington home. For City Gallery Wellington’s blog, Spinoff arts editor Megan Dunn talked to Ronnie van Hout, the man who made Quasi.“Quasi is in the wrong place,” wrote art critic Warren Feeney in 2016, ...
At school camp, the children are banned from having phones, laptops, lollies, chocolate, money, cotton clothing or independent thoughts. They, are, however, allowed home baking – but it’s gotta be hearty. How hearty are you? We are packing for a school camp. If you’re thinking that the middle of winter is ...
Phil Goff’s rival has already pledged an 0800-Jacinda homeless hotline and an 18-lane harbour bridge. What’s next? The two most important people in the 2019 campaign for the Auckland mayoralty faced each other down on Wednesday night across the desk in the NZME debate: Bernard Orsman and Simon Wilson. Correction: it ...
Split Level View Finder: Theo Schoon and New Zealand Art is the exhibition that sparked a protest over issues of cultural appropriation and institutional representation. Theo Schoon is a divisive historical figure. But is his art any good? Martin Patrick reviews.British novelist L.P. Hartley once wrote that “the past is ...
Ahead of debuting her solo show at New Zealand Fashion Week, Korean-NZ couture designer Cecilia Kang talks about growing up ‘feminine’, being influenced by the LGBTQ+ community, and why an ‘administrative error’ at Fashion Week left her so shaken up. ‘I like something big,” says Cecilia Kang, gesturing to the giant ...
The Labour Party is distancing itself from one of its members who is strongly pro-Beijing and has caused controversy in the Chinese community by standing for local office in Auckland. ...
Faced with staff shortages, equipment failures, cancer risks, and a jump in critical calls that can leave them traumatised, some firefighters are wondering if it’s time to hang up the hose. Gareth Shute reports on the dissatisfaction inside Fire and Emergency New Zealand.The state of our nation’s fire service is ...
“She comes over. You’re my mother, she says. Yes, I say. I don’t know you, she says”: a mother and child seaside story by Wellington author Jan Pryor. Photo by Peter Black. ...
On Monday the government announced its new five-year strategy to reduce the Māori prison population. Emilie Rākete looks at another ‘kaupapa Māori’ prison initiative that degrades prisoners and asks if Corrections are capable of seeing it through.On August 19th, the Department of Corrections announced Hōkai Rangi, its new strategy intended ...
By Michael Andrew The Indonesian media is contributing to resentment and racism toward Papuans, according to a human rights researcher and former journalist. Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch Jakarta told Pacific Media Watch many Indonesian journalists either view Papuans as enemy “separatists” or deviants and their reporting tends to convey these ...
Analysis - The prime minister puts a stake in the ground over petrol prices, National balks at having its election promises costed and the government puts millions into helping the homeless. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danilo Ignacio de Urzedo, PhD candidate, University of Sydney Record fires are raging in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, with more than 2,500 fires currently burning. They are collectively emitting huge amounts of carbon, with smoke plumes visible thousands of kilometres away. Fires in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Docking, Post-doctoral researcher, La Trobe University Basketball fans around the world were recently sickened by the footage of NBA star Kevin Durant’s Achilles tendon rupturing during a game. But while many think it’s only elite athletes who suffer from Achilles tendon ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University The possibility of blackouts affecting half of Victoria has attracted plenty of attention to a document once read only by industry insiders and policy wonks: the Electricity Statement of Opportunities. The Statement, updated ...
George Clooney sold his tequila company for a billion dollars – but is the stuff any good? The Spinoff finds out. Imagine being so stupidly sexy you sneeze and sell a billion-dollar booze company. That’s what George Clooney did last year, flicking off the tequila business he started accidentally with an ...
The departure of "two Pākehā men" from the government's justice reform group will not hurt the quality of its final report, another member of the team says. ...
Combatting internet-related harm is being stymied by inter-industry disagreement and a lack of information about the extent and nature of the problem, a new report says. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, J.W. Nevile Fellow in Economics and host of The Airport Economist, UNSW Amid the tributes to former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer and the stories of his authenticity, courage and quirky interests – like trains and military history – what ...
Current leader of the National Party, Simon Bridges.Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Is Simon Bridges really trying to channel Donald Trump? Or is he taking his cue from Scott Morrison? Or is he looking to emulate Boris Johnson? Whatever the inspiration, there’s been a clear change in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra [embedded content]Michelle Grattan talks about the sad news of the passing of former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer with University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Professor Deep Saini. They also discuss Scott Morrison’s recent announcement about joining ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabriel Crowley, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, James Cook University In February, about 600,000 cattle were killed by catastrophic flooding across north Queensland’s Carpentaria Gulf plains. The flood waters rose suddenly, forming a wall of water up to 70km wide. Record depths were ...
Simon Day dined alone at Monique Fiso’s Wellington restaurant Hiakai, and discovered it was the perfect way to appreciate the meaning of this special food. “Would you like a few more minutes with your phone?” the waitress at Hiakai asked sympathetically as I mashed a final goodbye text to my wife ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Willamson, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Australia’s gender pay gap is diminishing, says a new report, but some contributors to it seem harder to overcome than others. For me, the finding hit close to home. The report, by KPMG for ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Te Tiriti o Waitangi: The Treaty of Waitangi by Toby Morris with Ross Calman, Mark Derby, and ...
Honey producer Comvita has confirmed a full year net loss of $27.7m with China market access restrictions and tougher regulations locally affecting the company's sales. ...
James Elliott realises John Tamihere's uncosted bridge proposal wasn't actually a metaphor, but a fine example of 'folks is mighty generous with money what they ain’t got'. ...
A new poem by Oamaru-born poet Nick Ascroft.SupermanHalfway up the ascent zigzagging from Royal Terrace to upper Stuart Street carrying four too-heavy grocery bags I begin to understand that I will not make it. My huffing personage – from the fingers, white with the strain, to a face the colour of rhubarb – will ooze into the pavement and roll slowly ...
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in reality television and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s.Sound the alarm, because it’s time for another absolute chaos pod. We’re talking haunted dolls in Waipu, we’re talking giant hands taking over Wellington, we’re talking soft serve cones dipped in powdered Milo. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Press, Adjunct Professor, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania This week, the ABC revealed that the Australian Defence Force wants to roll out military technology in Antarctica. The article raises the issue of what is, or is not, ...
New Zealand teacher aides say their pay reflects an outdated idea of what they do. Elizabeth McLeod hears from four TAs, and one parent, about the classroom realities they face every dayCleaning up poo, defusing violent situations, copping physical and verbal abuse: these are the realities of a teacher aide’s ...
The lanky sidekick from Jono and Ben journeys around New Zealand trying to solve small town problems. Does he succeed?Guy Williams, hardly a shy, retiring type, has been screaming out for his own vehicle for years. A loud, lanky, fearless comic, he’s spent nearly a decade in MediaWorks purgatory, sat ...
Ballot Box.Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – The nature of New Zealand general election campaigns could be significantly changed with the proposed establishment of an “umpire” to adjudicate over political party manifesto policies. A suggestion has been put forward by the Government for the establishment of a parliamentary watchdog ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Ihumātao Delphine Herbert and Dan Satherley (Newshub): Tainui to buy Ihumātao land – sources Danielle ...
Open Mike 04/09/2018 
My wife and I have had dogs for the whole of our 52 years of married life – and that has meant sharing our lives with our little furry friends. Because we usually spend a good part of our evenings watching television, it also means that our dogs have learned ...12 hours ago
. . Former Police, Corrections, and Justice Minister in the previous John Key government, Judith Collins, has been ridiculed on social media after posting a comment on Twitter that was patently untrue; . Wrong!! National did not remove Prisoners’ ability to vote. Parliament voted through a Private Member’s Bill ...2 days ago
Speaker Trevor Mallard was left to look after Jones, while his usual caretaker, Winston Peters, underwent surgery. A truly adorable scene from Parliament yesterday has gone viral, after Speaker Trevor Mallard cradled an extremely drunk Shane Jones in his arms while the House was in session. Loud “awwww”s could be ...2 days ago
Western media have defended their decision not to cover the fires so as not to give them any oxygen. Social media outrage continues to grow around the sentiment that mainstream western media is devoting too little coverage to an ongoing series of fires in the Amazon rainforest, and in doing ...2 days ago
A Long Time Ago, In A Parallel Universe Far, Far Away: The political journalist scratched his head in confusion. Only then did he notice the name of the building: ‘The Jacinda Ardern Presidential Library and Public Resource Centre’. Making his way inside to the information desk, he asked the librarian ...2 days ago
2 days ago
Nothing from me tody - I'm off to Christchurch to pretend to be other people for a weekend. Normal bloggage should resume on Tuesday. ...2 days ago
Spark is bracing for a customer backlash as rugby fans all across the country struggle to get a picture on their wireless router. With the Rugby World Cup fast approaching, an elderly Taranaki couple are furious after being told that they still won’t be able to watch the tournament, even ...3 days ago
Several explosions have been reported across Auckland, as well-meaning environmentalists have already begun purchasing too much petrol Starting from next week, customers will no longer need a car to purchase petrol directly from the pump, a development that two major fuel providers are billing as an opportunity to help fight ...3 days ago
A new study claims to find that a mother’s exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy may decrease the IQ of male children – but is it correct? (Photo: Getty Images) Anti-fluoride campaigners are promoting ... 3 days ago
by Jan Rivers More than 30 years ago a Commission of Inquiry was held in New Zealand to investigate, amongst other things, whether women with cervical cancer were aware that they had been part of a research project and whether they were properly informed of the treatment options ...5 days ago
Everyone Wants To Be Fuhrer: When fascist groups are discussed, the image conjured-up in the minds of most New Zealanders is one of pathetic misfits. This negative impression is reinforced by the latter’s idiotic embrace of the swastika. Even in the second decade of the twenty-first century, the baleful legacy ...5 days ago
In the previous two posts, I laid out the context and set the theoretical framework to answer a question: whether indigenous economies should take the LEAP. This final part outlines ways to conceive of practicing mana motuhake within the existing legal system by carving out special jurisdictions that enable Indigenous ...1 week ago
Fully Informed? Labour’s 2017 promises raised expectations that were little short of revolutionary. Unfortunately, they were never adequately shaken through the fiscal sieve. The hard economic work was not done – and it shows. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s critics have long complained that her grasp of the way the New ...1 week ago
You cannot expect to pound communities into the ground day after day, year after year, decade after decade and just expect them to take it lying down. There’s a point at which the place will explode. And we’re faced with some very big ructions on both sides of the Atlantic ...1 week ago
1 week ago
Going Down? Once truth and propaganda become fused in the minds of one’s followers, debate and discussion become redundant. If one’s opponents are all outrageous liars, then engaging with them in any way is pointless. Rather than waste its time, a political party should, instead, target all its messages at ...1 week ago
We need to fundamentally reframe our systems settings to address the drivers causing and underpinning inequality; structural change in systems especially financial. The Equality Network Hui was held in Wellington on 27 June 2019. The hui covered important topics such as child poverty; a living wage; taxation; public health; mental ...2 weeks ago
The views-per-page for some of my recent postings:Depressing, isn't it? Provide thoughtful and wise commentary on the mainstream of British politics and no-one notices. Make a passing reference to Tommy DICKHEAD Robinson in a thread title and you get hundreds of views. Write something about anti-Semitism and you get another ...2 weeks ago
The government has announced plans to move the Treaty of Waitangi and other taonga to a new site. Great news! So where are they going? Right next to the old one:The new plan will see a new 22,000-square-metre archive built on the former site of Defence House - the former ...2 weeks ago
Back in June, StatsNZ went public about a project to track population data on an hourly level by using people's cellphones. It wasn't as bad as it initially looked - they were receiving no individual data, only counts by suburb - but there was still a huge consent problem, so ...2 weeks ago
I did an interview on the TVNZ Breakfast Show about the situation in Hong Kong. I tried to frame the issue as a collective action problem between two sides with very different end games. The video is here. Because of time constraints we could not discuss the fact that the ...2 weeks ago
Image Credit: Wild Rose College A new study reporting the ranges of values for kidney and liver parameters in a healthy population is being actively misrepresented by anti-fluoride campaigners. The Fluoride Action Network’s (FAN) latest ... 2 weeks ago
Alone, Alone. All, All Alone: Will it be a good or a bad thing, when humanity’s bright blue spacecraft is stricken by the civilisation-destroying problem of Climate Change, that no Huston Control will be standing-by to rescue the crew?“WE HAVE A PROBLEM, HUSTON.” These were the words used by the ...2 weeks ago
Divided Loyalties: Can the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, be relied upon? That’s what the boys and girls at Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon needed to be reassured about. Because, from the perspective of Washington, it’s looking more and more like Jacinda Ardern and her Labour Party comrades are getting ready ...2 weeks ago
This handy Queer Theory Glossary is from thetranswidow.com In case you’ve had trouble keeping up with the spate of new queer theory terms, here’s a handy glossary for your reference. Queer – A straight person with an interesting haircut. Non-binary/genderqueer – A chubby young female, typically 16-28, who has ...2 weeks ago
The winter grazing issue is becoming a highly sensitised one that I hope will not become so politicised that it delays solutions and results in the suicides of some very stressed farmers.Winter grazing has hit the headlines after a determined campaign, including the release of a video of some very ...2 weeks ago
Opportunities to dodge tax are shrinking with the completion of a new tax agreement with Switzerland, Revenue Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Mr Nash and the Swiss Ambassador David Vogelsanger have today signed documents to update the double tax agreement (DTA). The previous DTA was signed in 1980. “Double tax ...2 weeks ago
West Papua solidarity activists met yesterday and resolved to call on the Prime Minister to step up to help resolve the escalating crisis in West Papua. ...5 hours ago
ANALYSIS: By David Robie Indonesia’s harsh policies towards West Papua ought to be scrapped. Whatever happened to the brief window of enlightenment ushered in by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in 2015 with promises of a more “open door” policy towards foreign journalists and human rights groups? They were supposed ...4 hours ago
The House - The grammar of being an MP is harder than you might think. MPs in Parliament choose their words with care, and it just got more complicated. ...5 hours ago
As a format it predates almost all reality TV, and that’s precisely why it works in 2019, writes Duncan Greive.There’s something deeply comforting about watching Celebrity Treasure Island. It is a very pure form of escapism, largely because it explicitly recalls a world without the internet, and before everything started ...7 hours ago
Residents in Los Angeles and Orange County warned to check for symptoms after an infected NZ teen visited theme parks including Disneyland and Universal Studios earlier this month.Californian health authorities have issued warnings to residents and visitors after a New Zealand teenager was found to have spent five days in ...10 hours ago
When you crave fresh, bright flavours but summer veges seem far away, throw together this simple salad.Growing up we often ate this salad, or one very similar to it. My mum is a fantastic cook and this dish is one she still makes to this day – though I must ...12 hours ago
Vana Manasiadis wrote a collection of poetry in the wake of her mother’s death. In this essay, ahead of her appearance at the Going West festival, she argues that as a nation Aotearoa needs to learn to make space for mourning. When Mum died in Athens, I cried loudly and publicly ...14 hours ago
The giant hand that captivated, delighted and disgusted the nation is now settling into its new Wellington home. For City Gallery Wellington’s blog, Spinoff arts editor Megan Dunn talked to Ronnie van Hout, the man who made Quasi.“Quasi is in the wrong place,” wrote art critic Warren Feeney in 2016, ...22 hours ago
At school camp, the children are banned from having phones, laptops, lollies, chocolate, money, cotton clothing or independent thoughts. They, are, however, allowed home baking – but it’s gotta be hearty. How hearty are you? We are packing for a school camp. If you’re thinking that the middle of winter is ...2 days ago
Phil Goff’s rival has already pledged an 0800-Jacinda homeless hotline and an 18-lane harbour bridge. What’s next? The two most important people in the 2019 campaign for the Auckland mayoralty faced each other down on Wednesday night across the desk in the NZME debate: Bernard Orsman and Simon Wilson. Correction: it ...2 days ago
Split Level View Finder: Theo Schoon and New Zealand Art is the exhibition that sparked a protest over issues of cultural appropriation and institutional representation. Theo Schoon is a divisive historical figure. But is his art any good? Martin Patrick reviews.British novelist L.P. Hartley once wrote that “the past is ...2 days ago
Ahead of debuting her solo show at New Zealand Fashion Week, Korean-NZ couture designer Cecilia Kang talks about growing up ‘feminine’, being influenced by the LGBTQ+ community, and why an ‘administrative error’ at Fashion Week left her so shaken up. ‘I like something big,” says Cecilia Kang, gesturing to the giant ...2 days ago
The Labour Party is distancing itself from one of its members who is strongly pro-Beijing and has caused controversy in the Chinese community by standing for local office in Auckland. ...2 days ago
Faced with staff shortages, equipment failures, cancer risks, and a jump in critical calls that can leave them traumatised, some firefighters are wondering if it’s time to hang up the hose. Gareth Shute reports on the dissatisfaction inside Fire and Emergency New Zealand.The state of our nation’s fire service is ...2 days ago
“She comes over. You’re my mother, she says. Yes, I say. I don’t know you, she says”: a mother and child seaside story by Wellington author Jan Pryor. Photo by Peter Black. ...2 days ago
On Monday the government announced its new five-year strategy to reduce the Māori prison population. Emilie Rākete looks at another ‘kaupapa Māori’ prison initiative that degrades prisoners and asks if Corrections are capable of seeing it through.On August 19th, the Department of Corrections announced Hōkai Rangi, its new strategy intended ...2 days ago
By Michael Andrew The Indonesian media is contributing to resentment and racism toward Papuans, according to a human rights researcher and former journalist. Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch Jakarta told Pacific Media Watch many Indonesian journalists either view Papuans as enemy “separatists” or deviants and their reporting tends to convey these ...2 days ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danilo Ignacio de Urzedo, PhD candidate, University of Sydney Record fires are raging in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, with more than 2,500 fires currently burning. They are collectively emitting huge amounts of carbon, with smoke plumes visible thousands of kilometres away. Fires in ...2 days ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Docking, Post-doctoral researcher, La Trobe University Basketball fans around the world were recently sickened by the footage of NBA star Kevin Durant’s Achilles tendon rupturing during a game. But while many think it’s only elite athletes who suffer from Achilles tendon ...2 days ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University The possibility of blackouts affecting half of Victoria has attracted plenty of attention to a document once read only by industry insiders and policy wonks: the Electricity Statement of Opportunities. The Statement, updated ...2 days ago
Internet freedom advocates have slammed the Government for proposing censorship of online gambling sites. ...2 days ago
George Clooney sold his tequila company for a billion dollars – but is the stuff any good? The Spinoff finds out. Imagine being so stupidly sexy you sneeze and sell a billion-dollar booze company. That’s what George Clooney did last year, flicking off the tequila business he started accidentally with an ...2 days ago
As Indonesia cracks down on protests in the disputed West Papua territory, the Government has declined to condemn the violence. ...2 days ago
Combatting internet-related harm is being stymied by inter-industry disagreement and a lack of information about the extent and nature of the problem, a new report says. ...2 days ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, J.W. Nevile Fellow in Economics and host of The Airport Economist, UNSW Amid the tributes to former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer and the stories of his authenticity, courage and quirky interests – like trains and military history – what ...2 days ago
2 days ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabriel Crowley, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, James Cook University In February, about 600,000 cattle were killed by catastrophic flooding across north Queensland’s Carpentaria Gulf plains. The flood waters rose suddenly, forming a wall of water up to 70km wide. Record depths were ...2 days ago
Simon Day dined alone at Monique Fiso’s Wellington restaurant Hiakai, and discovered it was the perfect way to appreciate the meaning of this special food. “Would you like a few more minutes with your phone?” the waitress at Hiakai asked sympathetically as I mashed a final goodbye text to my wife ...2 days ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Willamson, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Australia’s gender pay gap is diminishing, says a new report, but some contributors to it seem harder to overcome than others. For me, the finding hit close to home. The report, by KPMG for ...2 days ago
Honey producer Comvita has confirmed a full year net loss of $27.7m with China market access restrictions and tougher regulations locally affecting the company's sales. ...2 days ago
James Elliott realises John Tamihere's uncosted bridge proposal wasn't actually a metaphor, but a fine example of 'folks is mighty generous with money what they ain’t got'. ...2 days ago
Fees for company directors are not keeping pace with their rising workload, according to a new survey. ...2 days ago
New Zealand teacher aides say their pay reflects an outdated idea of what they do. Elizabeth McLeod hears from four TAs, and one parent, about the classroom realities they face every dayCleaning up poo, defusing violent situations, copping physical and verbal abuse: these are the realities of a teacher aide’s ...2 days ago
The Warehouse Group has upgraded its full year profit expectations again. ...2 days ago
New Zealand-owned Kiwibank says it is winning more customers, demonstrated by a strong increase in deposits and lending. ...2 days ago
Neo-liberal New Zealand.
This will break your heart.
100%.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/in-depth/365540/why-being-made-redundant-in-nz-is-so-tough
100% Pure… scum.
Neo-liberal New Zealand.
Our country has been destroyed.
100%.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12118028
Neoliberal Economics removes the human element from the equation and focus’s on the almighty dollar $’s and who can acquire the most in the shortest period of time, ideological B/S from Milton Friedman and the Chicago School of Economics. This ideology was picked up early by the NZ Labour Party and Sir Roger Douglas in the 1980’s.
IMHO is has not been good for NZ and it’s naturalized citizens including te tangata whenua ?
No it hasn’t but could we expect anything else from an ideology based upon one of the Seven Deadly Sins?
More significant than our Prime Minister attending the South Pacific Forum, is the Prime Minister of Australia not attending the South Pacific Forum.
Morrison’s non-attendance amounts to a cowardly refusal to debate with Forum countries over the differences between Australia and the other Pacific Nations on climate change and immigration.
Morrison obviously does not want to be taken to task over these issues. And so has stayed away.
“I am not a crook”
Richard Nixon – November 17, 1973
“We absolutely recognise it’s in our national interest to take action on climate change,”
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne – AAP, September 3, 2018
As the saying goes; “Actions speak louder than words”.
This snub must be seen for what it is.
The record shows that any Australian leader, (of either major party), who dares stand up to the powerful Australian fossil fuel lobby is immediately rolled by the conservative wings of their party.
Morrison obviously does not want to be taken to task over these issues. And so has stayed away.
Unlike Nixon, Morrison hasn’t even got the courage to issue his own denial.
This bodes ill for Australia ever doing anything meaningful to address climate change, or address the very real concerns of the Pacific Nations on the front line of climate change, facing rising sea levels and more energetic hurricanes fueled by warming seas.
Related Posts and comments:
A taste of the Island Nations’ bitterness that Morrison does not want to have to face up to.
“World leaders who deny climate change should go to mental hospital”
Samoan Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele – The Guardian, August 31, 2018
All power to our Prime Minister for fronting up.
Despite the political backlash she has attracted in this country, Prime Minister Ardern is showing the political courage and guts that Prime Minister Sailele has called for, but which is sadly missing in Australian political leaders.
I heard Jacinda, I think Monday, explaining in detail about why she decided to go to the Pacific forum and why she would or wouldn’t take her baby, the costs, the problems (something about there being no holding sites for planes on Nauru was one). They had tried to think of all possible matters and nitpickers on the Right can’t easily come up with this or that negative to wave triumphantly in the air. As is their wont.
While if the situation was reversed, the Gmats would just laugh at any questions at all.
The comparison between Morrison and Ardern. – Ardern is fronting up, despite her circumstances and Morrison is ducking for cover.
A leader’s job is to lead.
You don’t send a delegate, or deputy, (as the opposition parties and right wing media say the Prime Minister should). You don’t try to duck the responsibilities of your position like Morrison has. You make it work.
To the all the opposition Torrys and right wing media commentators:
Woman have children. Get over it.
When a world leaders conference was called in Teheran in 1943, Churchill didn’t sent a delegate, or representative, he went himself, this despite serious complications. Special arrangements and allowances had to be made to transport Churchill to Iran, to taking into account his health and age.
In the end Churchill was transported from England on a mattress in the back of special transport plane all the way to Iran and back.
Allowances were made for his health and age.
Prime Minister Ardern is a female leader of child bearing age, As a society we need to normalise and accept pregnancy, child birth and breastfeeding as part of the human condition, as unavoidable as old age and illness.
Many women have had to make similar difficult decisions and trade offs.
Prime MInister Ardern is a trend setter, but first of all she is a leader of world ranking, like all leaders she has had to make difficult decisions and personal sacrifice to carry out her job.
All power to her.
TBF to the new guy, given Aussies unstable politics he probably thinks if he left the country for more than a day he would be out of a job when he got back.
How long will Morrison last and who will be the next PM ?
Could be an early Election in Australia ?
Scott Morrison has already been out of Australia in his first week as PM – to Indonesia to sign a free trade agreement with them. But can’t make it to Nauru for the Pacific Island Forum – and be exposed to criticism re the refugees sent there by Australia.
And Climate Change.
Exactly.
How long do you think Morrison will last? I always value your take on things Australian.
First he’s got to survive the Wentworth by- election, which from all accounts is getting really interesting as it’s a very diverse electorate from the big end of town to the bottom end of town. After that he has the cross bench in the upper and lower House’s of Parliament. Then the 85 knife throwers in Party room to deal with and next years budget which is also election yr.
Unless Sco Mo pull’s something out of his hat between now and year or Labour somehow falls off the cliff. Then they’re got buckles chance at getting back as they are already on life support at.
So a shoe in then! LOL.
How are you enjoying your ‘separation’ in July? Any firm plans for the future?
It’s been quite relaxing, not worrying or stressing about the bullshit of RAAF’s SECFOR (Training, Operations/ Op’s planning and planning) within the two NT SEC Flts. My wife and I couldn’t be bothered going the open days at Darwin and the Forward Operation Base setup down the road at Batchor Airfield to show the wife the set up at what we did on my two Timor trips.
The rest of the yr is getting house and my tank hanger (20m x9m shed) setup with my Troop SGT office up before the big wet or before first test match of the summer with all my diecast planes, britan soldiers, tanks, my 1/700 model ships and my gun safe. Looking after my little girl (Saffie cross Ozzie Cattle dog) as the wife ran her over a couple of weeks. Listening to my classical, old school country, British Classical and hymns.
As for the future, want to finish of my pilots license, my mate at my bush block wants to get involved with the Timor veterans programs in ET, the wife to go to Timor, wildlife protection feral animal control and anti poachingtravel back to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma and do some wildlife tours before its to late to Africa, sub Antarctic and Arctic Regions. Higher education in History or Strategic studies and of course further training in bush fire fighting and in fire management.
Tinker in the shed with my 50’s or 60’s yank tank with the big fins, my uncle motorcycles when I finally get them and the wife has given me permission to buy an Armoured Vehicle of some sort unless we win lotto a warbird or her uncles warbird. Setting up the garden in next yr in between fishing and hunting.
So I’ve got a lot to keep me busy atm.
ROFL – oh so just the usual “what do I do with myself now” retirement things then!
What sort of warbird? Despite being a female civilan Kiwi, when I spent almost seven years in London in the ’70s, I worked in a civil/military organisation, NATS. For almost three years of that, I was private secretary/aide de camp to Air Marshall Sir Ivor Broom, the Controller of NATS – and a rather highly medalled RAF pilot during WW11. He was still in active service and I used to also go to the big wig RAF meetings with him- female and in civvie clothes with a very high security rating obviously. It used to raise eyebrows, which Sir Ivor loved doing. LOL. Part of my role was also to look after Sir Douglas Bader, then a part time Member of the Board of the CAA (who I officially worked for.)
Two hard cases but extreme gentlemen as well. You just did not get in a car driven by either of them if you valued your life, nerves and blood pressure! I also flew with Sir Ivor at the controls quite often in various types of planes when we went around the UK for meetings etc – and sometimes, depending on the plane,once in the air, he would hand over to me despite no formal training and tell me to follow the rail lines. My elder brothers back in NZ were so jealous of me, but I told them it was my revenge for their complaints about having to drag little sister along to the Saturday afternoon movies – many of which were, yes you guessed it, films such as the Dam Busters, etc.
We had a wonderful office set up, quite unusual for the time. As well as me in my role (which included deciding who got to meet, talk to Sir Ivor etc – up your nose bigwigs got to wait a loooonnng time) there was a male typist, a male batman who was also the tea lady (lovely older guy) and Sir Ivor’s driver was female.
Memories are wonderful things.
Ps – Funnily enough, I mentioned on here a few days ago that I worked in London with the father of Brian May of Queen fame and got to know Brian, and the rest of Queen through him. Brian’s Dad was an ex RAF avionics engineer in NATS.
What awesome company you had back then, I reminds me of some the cocktail parties I intended during the few years after Timor (INTERFET) as Airfield Defence Guard (An Aussie Rockape) especially the WW2 and Korean Fighter Pilots. Especially when the Spitfire Pilots from the Morotai Spitfire Wing/ Borneo found out I was and ADG which some them were good mates of old John Gorton en Oz PM had very close encounter with his gun sight when he panged his fighter during the Battle of Malaya.
Brian May would’ve been an interesting fella to talk too, let alone his dad.
As for the warbird, her uncle has a winjeel trainer, but there is a Ex RAAF Mk5c Spitfire in pieces that saw service in Darwin/ Arnhem area on wish list, the wife likes the Me-109G in winter camo, but having read the pilots notes they don’t like asphalt runways all that much and requires big grassy Airfields because of the torque of the big DB engines. The goal would to own a RNZAF, RAAF, RAF, or FAA Aircraft or similar A/C either a single or twin engine that saw service in the Far East or South Pacific to honour my great uncle who was in 3NZ Div, my wife’s Pop (RAN) and Nan (AIF) those veterans and those who have no known grave which to is the saddest thing I’ve seen in War cemetery’s that someone’s lost family member has no known grave.
VV
There are so many stories and paths that cross from war and defence efforts.
I was doing some volunteer counter work at local art gallery, got talking to an English woman and found that her husband had been the Squadron Leader? (in charge) of my birth father’s bomber group around north England Market Rasen area during WW2.
I have read a bit about Baron Dowding. Did Bader ever talk about him and that time?
Here is a This is your Life on Douglas Bader.
https://www.bigredbook.info/douglas_bader.html
This was interesting.
https://www.spitfireclub.co.uk/dowding—park
Leigh-Mallory, already envious of Park for leading the key 11 Group while No.12 Group was left to defend airfields, repeatedly failed to support No.11 Group. Leigh-Mallory and his Big Wing (led by Douglas Bader) often ran amok through No.11 Group airspace confusing the defences. Quintin Brand’s No. 10 Group in the South West successfully supported No.11 Group when required despite having far more arduous defensive duties in its own area than No.12 Group.
Park’s subsequent objection to Leigh-Mallory’s behaviour during the Big Wing controversy may have contributed to his and Dowding’s removal from command at the end of the battle, but neither Park nor Dowding had much time for internal politics and fell easy prey to their waiting critics. Richard Saul of 13 Group on the other hand, wrote to Park on learning of his pending departure from No.11 Group, commenting on “the magnificent achievements of your group in the past six months; they have borne the brunt of the war, and undoubtedly saved England”. Park was to remain indignant however over his and Dowding’s treatment for the rest of his life. Park was posted immediately to Training Command before seeing later high ranking service in the Mediterranean and elsewhere.,,
On leaving the Royal Air Force, Park personally selected a Supermarine Spitfire to be donated to the Auckland War Memorial Museum, New Zealand. This aircraft is still on display today along with his service decorations and uniform….
While Sir Hugh Dowding controlled the Battle from day to day, it was Keith Park who controlled it hour by hour. Air Vice Marshal ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, one of the top Allied air aces of the war, said: “He was the only man who could have lost the war in a day or even an afternoon”. This was an echo of Winston Churchill’s description of Admiral Jellicoe in the First World War.
Although Park has not received widespread public recognition, either in Britain or his native New Zealand, he has a claim to be one of the greatest commanders in the history of aerial warfare.
You mention the original characters you met. Did you see or know the story of Colonel Wintle shown on TV in Heroes and Villains series?
(Radio Desert Island requests)
You might enjoy the whole written story.
https://www.headstuff.org/culture/history/terrible-people-from-history/alfred-daniel-wintle-english-rascal-hero/
Exkiwiforces
If you or your wife have time to read and like quirky Laoa and Tahi based mystery/detective books I recommend trying Colin Cotterill’s books. He has a couple of main characters in series Dr Siri Paiboun and his wife is one, and other Jimm Juree, super girl reporter.
If you can handle wacky stuff here is Colin’s blog.
http://www.colincotterill.com/home_new.html
I did mean Laos and Thai, but letters crossed somehow.
Unfortunately the wife goes by the stars with accommodation IRT SEA travels as I tend to sleep under the stars where I go in SEA. As tend to follow J P Cross an eccentric British Army Officer base in Laos during the war in between stints with Gurkhas or at famous British Jungle Warfare School in Borneo, Graham Greene’s travels through Indo- China, and another eccentric British Army Officer from that era called Arthur George Trevor- Wilson who the French booted out in 1950 as he was good Mates with Ho Chin Minh.
The other three I want to follow is Johnny Cooper the SAS fellow not the boxer, Fitzroy McLean travels in Asia Minor and his time with Tito and old mate T.E Lawrence.
Then a little unknown Kiwi lady called Iris a friend of my NZ grandmother who was with SOE in Western Europe as a courier, spy, and escorted escaped or downed RAF aircrew to freedom via Spain and Portugal. She was a bluebell dancer in Paris before the war and she could Fench and German. A 6ft blond with blue eyes and she was petty handily a pistol from all accounts, just as she was with a Croquet mallet.
I’ll take a look at that website.
That bit about Dowding and Park is so true that they not recognise in the wider public and the thing about Park was that was head hunted by old Winnie to be the RAF CInC for Defence of Malta and again he could’ve lose the war in the British Pond (the med) for the first time since 1746.
I find those stories about resistance from SOE fascinating.
Nancy Wake for one. Looking at Violette Szabo the other day. Her little girl was presented with a cross by King George VI and she said she would keep it for Mummy for when she came home.
I think the Gestapo had tortured her and executed her by that time. Apparently she did not give away anybody. It is all very hard to think about and especially it didn’t teach us to be better.
Thinking of JP Cross I see there is a book called Operation janus by him about the Ghurkas on TradeMe here for $23.50NZ with free shipping. It actually comes from booktopia located in Australia.
When Alan Hinlea, a British Gurkha captain with a hatred of a class system that has always kept him down, deserts to the guerillas and is spirited away to the jungle Communist HQ, Chin Peng, the leader of the Malayan Communist Party gloats at what he hopes will be a major propaganda victory.
A fellow British Gurkha officer is despatched with five Gurkhas to hunt Hinlea down and the chase through pathless jungle becomes a race against time and a contest of deadly jungle warfare skills. Operation Janus is the first in a trilogy of books involving Gurkha milita…
I have the upmost respect to my grandparents generation and in your case your late father going through the Great Depression then followed by WW2 and then building a society where everyone had an equal share in the nations wealth alongside a equally caring society as they knew what the alternative was especially with invent of the “bomb”. When everyone kept their word or handshake and prepared to get stuck in when it was need in times of stress or disaster.
Over the last couple of weeks I’ve reading about Luftwaffe’s Aces under the heading “The German Aces Speak” series by Colin D. Heaton and Anne- Marie Lewis also is on British and German Night Fighters. I’ve the last paragraph in each chapter quite somber on their thoughts for the future. Just like as I was brought up with grandparents in the Nelson region many moons weather about the war, the depression or working class fights with bosses or in case of grandparents turning to the 81 protests in Nelson with helmets etc as it was a worthy battle that needed to be fought. But needless to say they were force to take back seat and how they managed to talk my grandmother out of it, I do not know.
Just like those young kids/ man like your late father climbing into their bomber/ fighter every day/ night or in case of Mike Simths relative in Singers climbing into that elderly biplane knowing what odds were at returning or those on the convoys or facing Rommel tanks or Herr Hitlers paras or the likes of Iris in the SOE or the PoW’s to incredible brave. Compared with what I’ve done and seen in my last 15yrs.
Three quotes, I want to share two from JP Cross and the old bulldog Winnie
Fighting in privacy seem to a relic of the past. Propaganda- that branch of the art of lying which consists of nearly deceiving your friends without quite deceiving your enemies- has been become more acute. Now rallies, chiefly negative because they have organised by people leaping to unwarranted conclusions without adequate examination of the evidence, are a feature of modern life now.
The other JP quote,
At the beginning of the 21st century, was no longer worldwide and all- embracing Communism. Instead, an unhealthy mixture of religious bigotry, lust of oil and over educated idiots with no sense of history rising to the top of the political tree have broken the pattern which has created a new type of situation for which no lasting answer has yet been found.
The further back you look, the further for you can see
Busier than ever but not stressed. Hope your wee girl recovers ok.
It’s nice and quite for the moment, but I’ll slowly ramp up next yr.
They are unlikely to have another coup.
Early federal elections are a problem as Victoria has its state election on 24th Nov 2018 and NSW is 23 rd march 2019
Theres really ‘no space’ to do a 6 week federal campaign till after NSW is done next year. Technicalities about Senators terms also mean that it wont happen till after may 2019.
Yes, the Libs have really shot them selves in foot since the last couple of wks. The federal election is really Labour’s to grab unless they do something really stupid before the polls.
Reading between the lines and perhaps the letters of pollies speeches.
When they say too many absolutely-s – perhaps one is okay but then b-wary.
Which can be added to the usuals ‘At the end of the day’ etc.
Another gem from Campbell:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1809/S00004/gordon-campbell-on-trying-to-cheer-up-the-business-sector.htm
to which we should add boo hoo wah wah wah wah wah.
and if the only way business can be conducted is by using slave labour and forcing costs onto others (such as by supposedly ‘independant contractors – couriers, food delivery people, exploitation of immigrants, a series of ticlet clippers in the chain, and so on), then your business isn’t viable,
btw, I post the above having looked at some comments on TDB that are akin to the
“boo hoo hoo wah wah wah – YOU try running a business and see how you get on” bullshit
So far, all I’ve seen from ‘bizzniss’ leaders is that the reason for poor bizzniss confdinse is “uncertaintay”.
Bizzniss doesn’t like ‘uncertainty”
Well fellas, welcome to the whurl of the precariat. Uncertainty is the precariat class’ biggest characteristic, yet it’s something they’re expected to swallow whilst their bizzniss counterparts expect to be able to cut costs, diminish the rights of their greates asset (their worker bees), take on greater risk from the bizzniss they work for, and basically prop up the fortunes (or otherwise) of their masters.
Whether now, or a few more steps down the road – it ain’t gonna last.
Again, if the only way your bizzniss can survice is by imposing slave-like conditions, then your bizzniiss ain’t viable.
(Maybe fuck off to Straya and try your hand there)
Oh how history repeats (or at least echoes)
boo hoo wah wah wah
Holy heck. This is one hell of a story of a crash landing. Its a miracle nobody died.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=12118594
Perhaps good journalism is not yet quite dead in NZ when the Southland Times can come up with this editorial this morning. Perhaps we should be looking past the biggies and looking more to news sources such as this or ODT.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/106771151/she-didnt-come-hardly-saw-but-kind-of-conquered
The subject is Chelsea Manning and her appearance at the Sydney Antidote Festival on Sunday via satellite from Los Angeles in conversation with Peter Greste, the Australian Aljazeera journalist imprisoned by Egypt for over a year.
From all accounts, the session went very well with Manning receiving a standing ovation at the end. A fuller report from the Guardian – https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/sep/03/chelsea-manning-ronan-farrow-and-ta-nehisi-coates-on-terror-and-bravery-at-antidote
Stuff also had a reasonable article yesterday by Alexander Gillespie – https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/106772001/manning-leaked-info-to-break-secrecy-and-privacy-governments-work-under
IMO two of the NZ best on Manning were by Gordon Campbell on Werewolf. If you missed them here are links:
29 Aug – http://werewolf.co.nz/2018/08/gordon-campbell-on-nationals-crusade-against-chelsea-manning/
30 Aug – http://werewolf.co.nz/2018/08/gordon-campbell-on-the-continuing-saga-of-the-chelsea-manning-visit-and-bts/
Yesterday I also read a related article of particular interest in exploring the dubious nature of character by Dr Binoy Kampmark, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, teaching within the Bachelor of Social Science (Legal and Dispute Studies) programme at RMIT in Melbourne. Unfortunately the link to the article at abandonhope. net is currently broken but if it comes up again I will try to post the link, as I think some here would find it worth reading.
As of this morning, the Australian govt has still not made a final decision whether to ban Manning from entry to Australia for the two remaining events in Melbourne on Friday 7 Sept and Tues 11 Sept. It remains to be seen whether they will make a decision one way or another or just procrastinate… Some Australian articles are suggesting that they are not wishing to upset their US friends …
Tickets are still on sale for her two events here next weekend in Auckland and Wellington (Embassy Theatre not St James as I think I said in early posts) and supposedly the issue of her visa will just be a matter of rubber stamping with the decision last Friday to give her a special direction to apply for the visa.
Just for the hell of it because I am just plain nosey, I checked ticket availability.
In Auckland (Q theatre) ticket seem to be about 2/3 booked for the floor A reserve seats, and the same for the B reserve Gods seats. the other two options (VIP Meet and Greet) and Balcony seats are shown as “Not available right now” so whether sold out or quite what is not clear.
In Wellington the Embassy seat plan is showing about half booked in total.
Another slight update – John Pilger has thrown his hat in the ring in joining the petitioners to the Australian govt to allow Manning into Australia for the two remaining events in Melbourne and Brisbane, according to this Australian Green Party report two hours ago,
https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/australia-government-wants-ban-chelsea-manning-they-will-not-silence-her
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12118587
What if national were still in government?
For those who do not click on links when they don’t know the who or what, this is an interesting take by David Cormack on “What if National had actually retained power?”
Mickysavage or lprent – Possibly good for a post by itself given it is almost a year since the general election?
Thanks bwaghorn
I was sorry to see this young Indian guy in this scam about issuing drivers licences.
From what i have heard there seems a lot of corruption in India. If immigrants come here and want to be accepted, they need to keep their noses clean and not just rip off our systems.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/365583/punjabi-singer-gets-home-detention-for-drivers-licences-bribes
“By way of a bribe payment, a price was agreed upon which was typically $400 if the applicant attended and sat their IR or IF driving test, and up to $550 if the applicant did not attend and between $1500 and $2500 for a class two to five truck licence.”
The scheme had the potential to allow people to drive heavy trucks on the open roads without having to sit the required test….
Brar was involved in at least 107 corrupt transactions between 2014 and 2016. He received over $56,000 in bribes. More bribe money was passed on to his co-defendants….
Lovepreet Brar, or Love Brar has he is known in online Punjabi pop videos, has been sentenced to 11 months home detention for taking bribes for driver licences.
In some cases people who did not even sit the test were able to buy a New Zealand drivers licence and get behind the wheel.
In the video for his song ‘Jail’, Brar depicts a character who lives in a showy house, owns expensive cars, carries guns and has just been shot in the shoulder. It has had more than 4.3 million hits on Youtube.
His video promotion shows him with a large gun standing staunchly. Hardly something to encourage positive reactions in the public. However it may have appealed to the dairy owners, and the liquor store owners who have suffered menace and death. This young man is a symptom of problems that need to be fixed in our society. There will become a growing division with immigrants from Asia, with NZrs becoming warier and Indians feeling grief and anger, and resentment.
Chinese have been connected with an active and open drug market and imports, and I think this possibility is based on known facts. I have respect for Chinese and Indian, but I think some find us easy pickings and some NZrs are very ready to enlarge established criminal activities.
There may be racism involved when people are refused employment, but often there is a question in the employers’ minds based on known facts of tendencies. If Ia large enough number of Indian people end up in Court or under investigation, any bias against them will increase.
Then we too have to watch that our own dealings with immigrants are of an equitable nature. There is a twisted approach to respect and fair dealings to them in immigration, and in other departments too.
What a ridiculously low sentence. Not even being made to pay the money back. certainly the judiciary seems to be sending a message to migrants that they can just break NZ laws and get away with a slap on the wrist, no jail time for dishonest migrants endangering lives and NZ reputation. Unlike if Kiwi’s do it.
Look at these sentences clearly very light ones, given to migrants who are dishonest and corrupt.
In this a Chinese business man received $33,000 worth of stolen honey and was repackaging it, but only fined $17,500 – sounds like he was still $15,500 better off after being caught. Funny enough endangering our food reputation for quality export honey is fine apparently but less so if you just send a hoax and not even do the crime aka the nearly 9 years jail Jeremy Kerr got for sending a hoax letter to Fonterra about 1080.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12077932
“A Chinese businessman has been fined for receiving 480kg of stolen mānuka honey after a well-planned heist targeting a ready-for-export shipment at an Auckland warehouse.”
“Judge Singh convicted and sentenced Sun to pay a $17,500 fine, $15,000 of which would be a reparation payment to Azurelife.
Sun said he was able to pay the fine by week’s end.”
only 4 months home detention in palatial mansion for this money launderer.
William Yan AKA Bill Liu to keep NZ citizenship despite money laundering conviction
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11905478
Compare to what happens if you live with a partner and claim a bit more benefit.
$93k fraud: beneficiary jailed for six months
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10806187
Chinese buyers fined $847k after failing to get consent to buy $5m cliff-top Auckland mansion
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12011961
… so they made more than a million in profit but only fined $847k…. that’s certainly sending the message to ignore OIA if you can make a buck, you still get to make a profit even if you are caught.
Come to NZ and poison the locals with drugs, no need to pay an taxes or declare any income and you will become a citizen no questions asked!
“According to Inland Revenue records neither Yim nor Wu, who arrived in New Zealand in 1991 and 1994, have ever declared their income nor paid any tax.”
“As part of the raids on Yim, police also seized 12 luxury sports cars valued at more than $1.3m, including a Ferrari worth more than $500,000 and a Lamborghini Gallardo. More than $1.8m in cash was seized and a further 1kg of methamphetamine found.
Watches, jewellery, electronics, and 48 bottles of vintage French wine valued at about $42,000 were also seized.”
“Yim was sentenced this month in the High Court at Auckland to 11 and a half years in prison for possession of a class A drug for supply.
During sentencing he was described by Justice Geoffrey Venning as being vital to the drug scheme which imported the equivalent of 30kg of pure methamphetamine with a street value of $40m.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11842563
Yim, who came to New Zealand from Hong Kong on a resident visa before gaining citizenship in 1995, has previously been convicted on three unrelated charges.
In July 2006 he was convicted at the Auckland District Court for drink-driving and on a dangerous driving charge, while in April 1997 he was convicted of shoplifting.”
He sounds lovely. Wonder if he qualified as highflying entreprenurial gnatzdonator or economic refugee.
It is such a shame, if we didn’t let these people into the country we would have no crime at all.
I can only hope that the ird investiagtes this man and taxes him on any undisclosed income. My understanding, even illegal earnings are subject to tax, penalties and use of money interest 🤑
I thought we could seize criminals’ stuff or is it just Maori ganga. I meant gangs (I think Freudian slip.) Spoiler – racist thoughts occurring here. Why do some foreign people get treated so badly, and others get jailed for a long time at our expense and if they are in drugs, they will get a whole new set of traders there. Daft.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/106760801/did-george-w-bush-give-michelle-obama-candy-at-john-mccains-funeral
Anyone can be redeemed in the USA it seems, wonder how long it’ll take Trump 🙂
Dunno about “redeemed”, but it’d be awkward if they didn’t figure out how to get along at the very least – they get seated next to each other all the time lol
GW will never live down starting the “forever war” (as I saw it called somewhere).
But people who run into each other regularly build relationships.
Very good article on Radio NZ site about redundancy in NZ. However rather than expecting the government to pay for training etc, maybe it should be time in NZ where businesses are regulated to not constantly being making people redundant willy nilly and then often hiring people back later as contractors. This is creating a precriat class not just at the bottom end but through the whole NZ work culture. Part of the reason it is so common, is that it is so easy for an employer to do make employees redundant at little cost to themselves while the costs to the workers are huge. Not easy to find replacement work if they have kids and morgages and so forth and can go from being relatively well off to losing their homes and no guarantee in next job it does not happen again.
“In New Zealand, unlike Australia, Canada and several other OECD countries, there is no legal requirement to pay workers redundancy compensation, leaving unions and workers to negotiate redundancy clauses in their contracts. The payments are taxed at 33 percent, and if a business goes into receivership, employees’ back-pay and redundancy payments are capped at about $22,000 – regardless of how long they’ve worked for the company or what redundancy clause their contract contains.
There’s no guarantee that a company will pay anything at all, as Rob Dempsey found out.”
“The Statistics NZ paper, along with two more follow-up Motu reports, and the OECD report, found people who lose their jobs earn between 12 and 22 percent less than comparable workers four to five years afterward, even if they find other work.
“Income and especially wage effects upon displacement can be considerable, even for those who successfully return to work, and seem to be more pronounced in New Zealand than in most other OECD countries,” the OECD authors wrote.”
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/in-depth/365540/why-being-made-redundant-in-nz-is-so-tough
Great article about how much money Mondelez has made from NZ as they created debts sent profits to offshore companies in return for ‘intellectual property’ until they destroyed the local business and the factory closes down and they make those workers redundant.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201843153/business-commentator-rod-oram
DONT buy Cadbury chocolate.
Will she or won’t she? That is, will Jacinda Ardern appear in the House this afternoon for Question Time to parry with Simon Bridges on Question 1, her only question for the day – Does she have confidence in all her Ministers?
http://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/order-paper-questions/list-of-oral-questions/oral-questions-4-september-2018/
The PM has not appeared on her usual Tuesday media slots on RNZ Morning Report, the AM Show etc. Presumably getting ready for her trip to Nauru without Neve for the first time, as Neve is too young for the vaccinations needed to go there.
Neither the PM nor Winston Peters will be in the House tomorrow as Peters is already in Nauru for the Pacific Islands Forum and Ardern is flying up this afternoon or tonight on the RNZAF Boeing 757 for a quick one day /36 hour visit for the Leaders Retreat tomorrow, before everyone (Peters, Ardern, other government attendees and the press contingent) return together on the Boeing 757 leaving about midnight Weds. (Flight time to/from Nauru is about 5 – 6 hours; and Nauru is in exactly the same time/day zone as NZ.)
The PM hardly ever attends Question Time on Thursday and it is highly unlikely that Peters will this week after a busy few days in Nauru.
Latest on the costs of flying the 757 back to NZ to pick up the PM from Grant Robertson
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/09/grant-robertson-defends-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-s-separate-nauru-flight.html
One thing you may have missed with all the change of leadership in Aussie was this frightening piece of legislation. The Assistance and Access bill.
authorised by the dept of home au pairs….lmao
Thanks, Adam. Great link.
Colin Kaepernick is Nike’s new just do it, face.
Conniptions galore.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/sep/03/colin-kaepernick-nike-just-do-it-campaign-nfl
and in other news,
Credlin TV (13:00 bulletin today) has just reported (to paraphase) Winston Peters as saying that if the only reason Straya (which is in breach of its U.N obligations) is worried that Nauru detainees might hop across the deetch once PR/Citizenship was obtained, then NZ could accommodate – even if legislation is necessary.
There is actually no reason for either the Nauru or the Manus Island atrocities other than the trio of Dutton, Corman and Morrisons, and their hanger’s on.
Tragic.
google translate –
RIP Brazilian history. Anyone who has something Brazilian don’t throw it out till you know they don’t want it.
Estamos tristes pela sua perda.
Which kiwi journo seems tired of life as a right-winger, making a play to reinvent himself on the radical left? Barry Soper: “Chelsea Manning has courage and integrity, and should be welcomed here”. [https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12117259]
“National’s immigration spokesman Michael Woodhouse was frothing at the mouth at the prospect of the former US Army intelligence analyst coming here saying her criminal record should have seen her banned, and if he was still the minister, that’s most certainly what would have happened.”
“we let in the real Wolf of Wall Street in 2014 to tell sell out audiences here how he ripped off investors to the tune of US$200 million through a fake bond scheme. Jordan Belfort charged Kiwis up to $860 a head to hear how he did it. So who was the Immigration Minister then? Michael Woodhouse!”
Hoop-la.
You can’t have loose cannons running around telling folk what the government’s been getting up to denny.
Link doesn’t work because of the brackets around it. Here it is.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12117259
I posted a update re Chelsea Manning at 7 above with some other links you may be interested in. They cover reviews etc from her appearance via satellite link at the Sydney Antidote Festival on Sunday, the still no decision from Australian authorities on her visa, and sales etc of tickets here in NZ.
I updated that with a couple of additions under it.
Ok, thanks. Wonder if someone dropped a tab into his coffee?? Induced a light-bulb switching on inside the head kind of moment?
Nah, much more simple. He has always tried to butter his bread on both sides. I am also presuming that he is probably up in Nauru thanks to the RNZAF Boeing 757 and will be coming back tomorrow night on it with Peters and Ardern.
Hence his latest about 11 hours ago – https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12118650
By the way, I have drafted up something re the waka jumping bill and why it will probably not be back in the House this week. Includes a little primer on how to work out what may make it into the House in any week. Will try to post it in Daily Review tonight as now off sleepy drugs after last week.
As you are seem to be a similar age to me, you may be amused at some memories I probably stupidly revealed in a thread under 4 above. LOL
Soper’s been reading that some have thought he was soft-soaping lately and has to redress that mistake.
Interesting memories. At age 13, I mostly bought SF at the local 2nd-hand bookshop in 1963 (usual question: “What’s science fiction?”) but I did also get Bader’s famous “Reach for the Sky” and resonated with his struggle with adversity & heroic recovery after losing his legs. Awaiting the reason for delay of the waka bill with interest too!
Test
Yay thanks Lynn
Jim Mora’s chat show continues to scrape the bottom of the barrel.
The Panel, RNZ National, Tuesday 4 September 2018, 4:47 p.m.
Jim Mora, Niki Bezzant, Neil Miller, Caitlin Cherry
Even for this dog of a show, this was a particularly inane exchange of inane inanities. First the host Jim Mora read out, in an evident tone of approval, a gobsmackingly depraved Nigel Farage quote praising Australia’s brutal mistreatment of refugees, claiming it “has saved lives.”
NIKI BEZZANT: I note that his website says he’s the world’s most charismatic politician!
NEIL MILLER: Pshaw! I think Barack Obama might have something to say about that! Not to mention Bill Clinton.
More—if you can bear it—of Neil Miller being vile and fatuous….
Neil Miller has repulsive views.
“The last election unlocked a new voice born of the quiet revolution of more Māori in Parliament. The number of Māori MPs had grown from 13 in 1996 to 29 after election 2017. Twenty are in the Labour, NZ First and Green Party governing arrangement. Ten have executive portfolios. MPs of Māori descent lead National, NZ First, Act and the Greens and Kelvin Davis is deputy leader of Labour.”
“Factoring all new enrolments, the net gain of 61,000 Māori to the general roll since 2006, compared to 25,000 to the Māori roll, exactly matches the earlier 70 per cent swing to the Māori roll.” “The percentage of Māori on the Māori roll is at its lowest, at 52 per cent, since MMP began. The percentage of Māori on the general roll, 48 per cent, is at its highest.” [Rawiri Taonui] https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12118287
Oh wow – this is so, so relevant to what I will hopefully post not just re the waka jumping bill but also about a member’s bill that will probably be debated in the House tomorrow as per my 18.3.1.1. to you above. Must feed the menagerie and me. and then will get to it.
Good morning The Am Show Condolences to Japan for the people lost in that Typhoon that is raging there at the minute .
The police get $70 k for a 40 hour week=$30.00 a hour I think that’s fine for a young person the question is how much do they get in year 2 .3 ,4, 5
I know that some have it hard dealing with some public but not all are on that roster
that has to be the highest pay rate for a first year for most industry’s $1400 extra every year for 3 years is much better than other people..Dairy farm workers have not even had a %1 rise in pay over ten years and they work hard.
trump is causing this Nike gear burning hight light and these intelligent people YEA RIGHT are falling for his lies?????? he is going to keep his deceit going it will get louder as the American President elections get closer . Many thanks to NIKE for making a stand for EQUAL RIGHT’S.
Girls out perform boys at school so why do we not have more in management .
Because these old fossils have bias systems in place that keep wahine out of management .
Segregated schools who paid for this study some old fashion religious group.
Boys have to learn to respect girls how is that going to happen if they are separated at school,s
James Shaw is a good man he has highlighted that National is cooperating on the carbon neutral policy. The polls are showing that a lot of Kiwi voter’s are taking there mokopuna’s future and Climate change seriously our Ausse cousin’s need to take Climate Change seriously . Ka pai enough said
What process do they have in place to stop cheating in harness racing ??????? I see this behavior all through out sport’s .
It’s a BIG KNOW TO SELLING OUR TAB TO AUSTRALIA we have $5 billion going there from the banks and now some fool wants to sell our Tab that would just under mine our sports franchises WAKE UP.
Duncan I see you think that it is your job to hold the government accountable .The
problem Eco Maori has is YOU did not do that to national .
There you go the Duncan that man Tony who is champion single sex is a chauvinistic person and if we let people like his spread his fossilized view’s on us it’s all about the boys in his world and we need more voices championing equal right’s for wahine .
That’s the reason this study has landed on your desk Duncan the old fossil are feeling insecure with the Big Equal right movement that is sweeping across Papatuanuku at the minute .
Its a fine balancing act to keep a coalition government in line I say Jacinda is doing that job well.
Stop calling for her to do thing you know she won’t do .
Ka kite ano
The big computer multi nation soft ware company’s have being milking Aotearoa public sector for many decades they bid low get the contract for the job and then ask for more money 2x the original bid and more .
There actions have kept Aotearoa company’s out of this market they are to big for NZ government to hold to account for there soft ware not preforming the task set out to achieve. NOVA Pay Now Acc has the same plans with Oracle these company will bleed NZ dry they don’t care that there action’s will cause harm to NZ people or anyone it’s all about the money .
The consequences of this is they are actually stunting Aotearoa TEC sector’s we have the coding expertise here what do you think Iprent well I think so .
Conclusion ban foreign company’s from bidding for these soft ware up date jobs for our public services sector.
I have a link to back my claim of the talent we have in Aotearoa
sure we mite have to import a few coders but that will ad to OUR IT service sector.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/106809754/designer-keen-to-scrap-plastic-3d-printing-waste ka kite ano P.S I would not be advocating such drastic action’s if they did not stuff there job’s up
Wow the sandflys are highly sensitive about there money they had a bunch of young people harresment me at a set of lights and a marked cop car was waiting around the corner how do I know it was a set up because the boys keep perusing me right next to the cops now they have some on on a big road bike following me around muppets the want to get me in there cells and beat me muppets. Ka kite ano
Some music from Eco Maori.
Freedom of the PRESS reporter’s who put there safety on the line to broadcast the fact’s that the powerful are suppressing all the killing and un humane practices that these people are doing in there grab or clinging ont to power Eco Maori Applauds all you great people who are doing this great service for Humanity NEED to be defended .
So the powerful left people of the world need to stand up and defend these great people . I see one of OUR Kiwi reporters was held in custody on Naru
Barbara Dreaver is a Mana Wahine Journalist who is not going to give up Ka pai E hoa .Ka kite ano
https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/365662/nz-reporter-released-after-being-detained-in-nauru
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/04/myanmar-journalists-jail-press-freedom-attack
Good evening Newshub That’s a strong Typhoon in Japan blowing houses boat’s and truck’s around Tangaroa and Tawhirimatea are a real power full force of Papatuanuku.
There you go Mike Eco Maori has not been barking up the wrong tree pointing out trump’s flaws . May all his fans please stand up
The housing catastrophe is a gift to Aotearoa from shonky and national to Aotearoa’ people and what do you know some of his biggest fans just cashed in there capital gains WOHO I ignore anything they have to say this is the best way to handle that.
Phenomenon.
Eco Maori think’s its ok for Nike to highlight discrimination and get some exposure for there support by using a picture to speak a thousand word they are not dumb.
Ka kite ano
The Crowd Goes Wild James & Mulls I agree with the Kiwi’s new Coach Aotearoa has had a positive effect on the International League seen .
Anna is in her element on te maunga there is plenty of snow .
Sore face jame’s NZ net ball had that phenomenon that phenomenon happen to one of our best coaches a couple of decades ago
Ka kite ano P.S electric race cars are the way of the future they are faster and cleaner less noise than there carbon gulpers cousins ka pai
Good morning The Am Show Rua Moko has been going hard all over Papatuanuku .
You no what’s a joke all this spin about the ANZ business poll showing a lack of business confidence yesterday polls show that consumer spending is up ???? and what top’s it off is whos on the ANZ board well no other than shonky so don’t take any notice of the ANZ business poll’s better still change bank’s if you bank with them in protest for the bankers cheating common people once again.
There you go Duncan alcohol is the root of the problem and you champion longer jail terms you don’t want to hurt your capitalist m8 profts .
The problem is what if the person who accidentally dies in the fight was the aggressor and the other person was just defending them selves . I have seen aggressor pick on someone next minute.
I agree with Lowe Jonson had heaps of presser on him he handled it and stayed loyal to the Warriors ka pai. IT,s a exciting weeked for sports the wahine league and Rugby Playing this week to NO People.
BUY a electric car everyone that will sort out your high fuel bill.
collins if the role were reversed ( never going to happen) would you do what you are telling someone else to do total I think not.
trump was a Democrat supporter it was bill influence on trump that gave him the hunger for the President of America trump new Democrats would not stand for his —- so he changed wakas . Ka kite ano c why I don’t like the word crack
Here you go there is a small group of farmers who don’t have the correct effluent systems in place and this tars the rest of farmers link below Ka kite ano.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/106838318/small-group-of-dirty-farmers-still-causing-profound-harm-to-environment-and-industry
Typical national neo liberals playing the lets stir up the crime subject about crime to get a lift in there polls .First why don’t they come up with Idears to benefit OUR society O NO they only come up with policys to line there pockets ITS beneath them to think about the common person in a positvey we are just sheep to these people wating to be shorn .Ana to kai ka kite ano P.S
I warned you people not to stuff with Eco Maori