While our health ministry has announced a review on puberty blockers (but not yet produced a brief AFAIK), Channel 7 broke the silence in Australia last night.
The Spotlight programme "Detransitioners" was shown at 7 pm.
At present there is no link to the full programme, but some of the interviews have been posted on their YouTube channel.
Snip starting at 6m, mostly the Australian paediatrician speaking,
Dr: The problem is when the issues of harm and the stories of harm come about and people still do nothing, that’s when the true scandal is here.
Journo: Do you think we’ve reached that stage now?
Dr: Yes, it’s been here for a few years. There’s been clear stories of medical harm, regretting their treatments, the true realities of what the treatment is causing for children, the lack of any discussion around sexual function and fertility, what that does to children in the long term. These are all stories and information that’s been freely available, but we still in this country fail to acknowledge that… we’ve done nothing in this country to move the discussion forward.
He goes on to say that he won't refer any of his patients to gender clinics. When has asked them how many of the clinic patients aren't deemed suitable for medical (hormonal and surgical) treatment, the clinic refused to say.
For those still not getting it, as an example from my reading, a young lesbian struggling with her sexed body because she is a sexual abuse survivor and whose friends are telling her she is really a boy, won't be treated for trauma but instead will have her gender identity as a boy affirmed and be put on a transition pathway that includes blocking puberty, eventual removal of breasts, and possible reconstruction of genitals (imo this is still experimental surgery). Lifelong effects include dependence on medication, pain, physical dysfunction, impacts on fertility and sexual function. No treatment for the trauma, or affirmation that it's really ok for women to love women.
Tens of thousands of people gathered for the Burning Man festival remained stranded in the Nevada desert on Sunday after storms that swept through the area, as authorities investigated a possible death and worked to open exit paths by the end of the Labor Day weekend.
The ACT party has called for Pharmac to take a “productivity perspective” to decisions on who gets funded medicine – full interview with candidate Todd Stephenson: https://youtube.com/watch?v=_HvwIDwAsGc
Went to the pharmacy to day to pick up a prescription. The young man handed smiled and said "I trust you have been economically productive today sir – it is a Monday and you are out and about. You seem to be an older gentleman but otherwise fit and sprightly. Do you have a timesheet or authorisation from your employer to be idle on a Monday morning? Your lingering painful death would be regrettable at a personal level, but makes sense economically".
The add was not from a political party but the Union who spend 20k of fees for that. To which Chris Hipkins said it has nothing to do with Labour. Really?
And herein lies the character flaw. The add is in itself very questionable if an organisation who lives of the money of wage earners is openly electioneering and takes sides in political terms to influence the public.
We want to hear what the vision for NZ is but all we see is what it ought not to be.
First you say the CTU/trade unions should not be involved in politics, despite their affiliation to the Labour Party. The Taxpayers Union is registered as a trade union and clearly aligned to the National Party. Not an issue?
Second in some paradox then say Labour is to blame for what the union did, because of the affiliation to the Labour Party ….unions not being involved in politics …
Does National not take donations from businesses?
The idea that the union movements and workers have no political interest in the removal of the Fair Pay Agreement – which is akin to that in Oz, where wages are higher and working conditions better is absurd.
You never were going to vote Labour. I called Luxon a phony just now in that he pretends to be somebody he isn't. I call you out as a phony pretending to be an honest citizen when in reality you just make things up to suit some pitiful, personal little agenda.
OMG. How almost spiteful that comment is. I wasn't aware that the standard of discussion is dropping that low. But this seems to fit the issue at hand. For the record, I have been a fan of Helen Clark and Michael Cullen in years past. But this government is incapable of showing a vision, uniting people and providing some firm direction. So lets just look at some of the facts lately, shall we? For example, Immigration. What kind of policy is that where criminals are allowed to enter the county and NZ is now open to the underworld of other nations? Ok, Education. Why is it that we still have an issue with kids going back to school? No, I do not accept any more of this softly softly something. 40% functional illiteracy is unacceptable. Who will pay for their upkeep in 20 years time? Lets move to finance. The amount of money that is wasted on consultants is mind boggling. Meanwhile the infrastructure falls apart. No one talks anymore about the sewer and water pipes that fall into disrepair. To confronting? It must be election time. I will not go to the cost of living issue because this would take too long. Suffice to say that the decisions of this government has got us way beyond what was necessary, i.e. printing money like confetti. These points are wort a discussion and I want to know what the practical and real plans are to get a far better outcome than what we see. This is not for hobby professionals, we need the real McCoy here.
So, with that said I doubt that a recovery out of this is in sight. Prove me wrong.
Three cheers for the CTU. I'd donate serious money if they did same for Seymour.
One wonders what that lot are planning to wrap up into a nice little package of govt departments that they can sell off. Pharmac and the hospitals springs to mind. We've seen a precursor of this by the brown skid mark and the auckland airport shares.
What is the higher ground of which you speak? And, am I correct that you seem to be ascribing it to the Nats, those of the bottom feeder mentality.
Pretty low ground I would have thought to call any fellow human being 'a bottom feeder'. Especially from one who ostensibly espouses a Christian ethos, even allowing for the fact that churches of the type he attends are ones called prosperity churches. .
Saw this poster on a street in Wellington's Taranaki Street last night, Luxon looking like a cross between Muldoon and Mussolini. Too much risk is right, considering the likes of who would be in cabinet, ref. Joe90 at #3 above.
You have to be very careful what sort of pictures you use on posters, billboards.
I remember way back in 1975 there was a rather bad picture of Bill Rowling used on posters that when a small moustache was drawn on it made him look uncomfortably close to Hitler, and of course the Rugby Men for Rob did exactly that thinking it was a huge joke.
Luxon's roadmap for foreign buyers is building yet another cliff up to foreign super-elites to own us all. That's reminiscent of neither Mussolini nor Muldoon but I fundamentally object to policies of deliberate wealth disparity.
It's amazing they can run a whole article without bothering to ask if there's any truth to the statements. Not that Nats would admit that there is, but it would be journalistic to get them to deny it. Surely?
This is an excellent and crucial watch. The doctor in question argues only facts. The scariest bit is that these clinics place the onus of medical knowledge on the confused child. It's a vicious ploy for money.
The National party was such a cringeworthy affair. Goes to show that money cannot buy class.
I felt second hand embarrassment for the Luxon family of the glorious locks. ‘Didn’t get them from dad’ It was flat out hilarious. Only in 🇺🇸 America…. oh,wait… Manukau. Ok then. Still hilarious.
Just needed pom poms, ra ra skirts, swinging blonde ponytails (just for key) and seventy six trombones.
Does Luxon think deep down that he will be President of the Worlds newest tax haven to be. Just joking.
Instead ,if there is no justice in this world, he will be elected just a lowly Prime Minister.
Apparently there were no policies, no costing and a sprinkling of fairy dust from the ever so dim Willis, who is confident that everything will add up because she says so.
The whole show was just plain tacky. I did feel sorry for the kids however. Not so much for the wife who made me gag. Although that could have been the glass of wine I had just consumed…….The wine was the best bit by far.
Good on her for trying. I think authentic and ethical were the ones she mentioned. My partner immediately commented that the opposite of those attributes must have been very prominent in the word clouds generated from focus groups.
Claire Trevett usually backs the right but today she said this:
It was a different experience watching National’s launch on-screen to being there in person. It was very slickly produced and clearly produced to look and sound good on television. Those who watched it on screen said it did indeed look and sound high-energy.
From the back of the theatre, however, it seemed surprisingly subdued and low on energy.
That could have been down to the venue – a large theatre which National did not manage to fill, or to the differences in the party base: Labour’s supporters chant and whoop, while National’s are more prone to polite clapping and save the whoops for special occasions.
So as usual National has all the expensive glossy bells and whistles but lacks substance.
I thought it was pretty unauthentic to have American-accented kids banging on about how "kiwi" they were. Piss off, you haven't bothered to live here long enough to make an attempt at the accent, you have no idea what you're talking about.
(And no, this doesn't apply to adult immigrants, who are net contributors. Their kids are millions of times more kiwi than these Yankee phonies.)
Observations from yesterday's Sunday programme. The PM came over as completely natural, genuine, with a quirky sense of humour, likeable, and dedicated to do his best for NZ.
Luxon came over as pompous, self-important, and as if he had pre-scripted everything he said (as if he had been PR advised). Tried too hard to be likeable.
Even more so, when talking to the press about the CTU page of Luxon, and Bishop's bleat about nastiness. Chris Hipkins laughed and explained that is what happens when you put yourself up for office with dodgy numbers.
He said if Labour had called a press conference for each attack ad there would have been many, and he produced NP member ad, Tax grp ads and a National Party one, and laughingly commented about them and attacks by Ground Swell Tax payers Union and the Thompson Group, all offshoots of the National Party.
The quiet reflection of the reporters when he said he thought the complaint was actually running a diversion over their failed numbers spoke volumes.
Is it possible for some skilled body to put that stand up on here?
Having just listened for a second time to this session, the difference between Chris Hipkins and Chris Luxon is so stark. Hipkins is laid back, natural, friendly and easy to listen to. He knows exactly how to handle the media without alienating them.
Chris Luxon on the other hand comes across to me as lacking truly natural qualities. It is as though he is pretending to be someone he isn't in reality and plays cat and mouse games with his audience. In short he is a phony.
There is much talk about the "squeezed middle" (right wing/NAct talk mostly).
I remember there was this from..2020.
The number of New Zealand retirees getting their superannuation while earning more than $100,000 has topped 30,000 – costing taxpayers more than half a billion dollars each year.
Oh sorry. I had better say..I am definitely not going on at Superannuitants in general !
Its just the whole "squeezed middle", entitled "Retired" set…who are also on… quite a good income, even over a $100 K and claiming "their" Super… while as I say..punching down on the "bottom feeders."
And..they would not ever see the Irony of any of that.
The number of New Zealand retirees getting their superannuation while earning more than $100,000 has topped 30,000 – costing taxpayers more than half a billion dollars each year.
It doesn't matter how much you earn, the super amount remains the same.
Its why I am a fan of income testing (not asset testing) with superannuation paid by IRD as they can easily verify whether in any one fortnight your income will break the threshold of say, $150k p.a. ($5769 gross per fortnight).
If it's good enough to penalise low paid beneficiaries for any dollar over $150 a week they earn, it's good enough to penalise those over 65 for every dollar over $2,884.50 they earn.
Not a fan of asset testing otherwise the single widow that doesn't work living in a mortgage free home will not receive pension, therefore no way to pay their bills, and being forced to sell their own home just generates additional poverty.
You do know that max tax applies? Yes? Essentially, those who have gained an education, worked and contributed are taxed at max rate once 48K pre tax is reached. 8 hrs at living wage rate per week is still ok before the jump to max tax happens. So before you go on with those 100K earners (which cant be many) it is those who still can work and do so – not by choice but necessity -to make end meet with an inflation rate of averaging 18% who are immensely affected. Interestingly, as a tax payer you get treated as an individual, as a pensioner you are a herd animal.
2020, there were 792000 pensioners, 30000 would comprise 3.79%.
40% of retirees live off the pension only. This is where the focus ought to be in my view. What kind of country does NZ want to be? How will the future look like with 40% leaving school and unable to read comprehensively and AI being introduced. How will this impact on the living standard? Where are the discussions about how this will affect the future of all people in NZ.
Relating to my comment prior:
How much can a pensioner earn before it affects the pension NZ?
the first $160 of combined income a week (before tax) doesn't affect your payments. for every $1 you get over $160, your total NZ Super or Veteran's Pension payment is reduced by 70 cents.
I don't know what "punch down" types are. All I know is that many older people are scared that they cannot meet their rates, rent, electricity and food bills. Many actually don't if they wouldn't continue working.
"And New Zealand has one of the highest rates of people aged 65+ still working 24%. This compares to the UK rate of 10%, Australia 12%, USA 19%, Japan 20% and Iceland 35%"
Well then string me up .I’m on the pension and I also earn well over $160 a week .This affects my tax, but not my pension This goes through an old school type accountant, who is absolutely by the book , and all information goes to IRD.You are talking nonsense.
The pension only becomes abated when there is a non qualifying partner included
Facts 2023 Francesca. Fact. I posted links to the IRD website and stats above, these are not interpretations of the current tax law. But I appreciate that a person on their own gets more pension. The tax – and I can reassure you that is a FACT – after earning more than 48K including the pension is the top rate like someone earning 180K. It wont hurt if you earn 100K but it sure does on 50K.
The links supplied are official links and not an interpretation. Facts and not "I want this to be true". But hey, you live with what you belief, its all good.
National’s finance spokesperson Nicola Willis @NicolaWillisMP says their tax on foreign buyers will not be inflationary if New Zealanders “choose to save” that new money in the economy.
Chris the Lesser appears to have a very short memory. He just needs to look back at Keys days where our politics descended into the gutter. Dirty Politics. David Cunliffe. Paula Bennett gleefully publicising the benefit details of two young women who dared to stand up to her. Totally humiliating them. And the list goes on if you care to look. Verbal abuse was common from the braying national asses. So he needs to go back and do a bit of revision and see keys time in Parliament for what it truly was. Thugs mentality. Then he can put his dummy back in. He looks like he needs a good sleep.
On the weekend a finance/property commentator on radio or maybe TV,( QandA ? ), as I recall, said the value to a landlord of the return of tax deductible interest should be worth about an 8k on average to an owner. Its essentially a tax cut. Now I have a COI here as we own a renter, a house we physicly built on my own for my mother in law, which is now rented within the whanau at a below average rate, but I do not believe mortgages for leverage should be tax deductible.
Now nowhere have I heard commentary that this means that in Luxon's scheme Willis has theoreticly given him a $56,000 tax advantage and herself who apparently has 5 houses, gets $40.000.
100K for just the 2 of them. Now that's what corruption looks like boys and girls.
P.s. not sure about the Willis 5 houses, only heard about that a few days ago. Can anyone confirm please.
Care to explain, how taxpayers pay money to overseas shareholders? Shareholders are paid out of company/corporate revenues (occasionally via debt finance).
From moneys paid under good will (LOL, yeah right… hop and skip in the world of the free und honest in lala land) from the government to corporates during covid.
Weka. Apologies. New to this. Was referring to Chris Bishop spitting the dummy and accusing Chris Hipkins of dirty politics by being behind the publishing of Chris Luxons rather large photo in the Herald with accompanying article. He offered no proof relating to his accusation which in itself could be seen as libellous.
Best way to ensure readers know who or what you are referring to, is to respond to someone involved in the subject matter by hitting the 'reply' button first. For instance , I knew who you were referring to because I posted the link in the first place.
Its easy to forget to hit 'reply', in which case you end up out of the conversation and risk no-one knowing what you're talking about. 😉
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Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.‘It didn’t start out like, ‘This is a show about Nina,’” says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. I’m another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
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 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
While our health ministry has announced a review on puberty blockers (but not yet produced a brief AFAIK), Channel 7 broke the silence in Australia last night.
The Spotlight programme "Detransitioners" was shown at 7 pm.
At present there is no link to the full programme, but some of the interviews have been posted on their YouTube channel.
Here is one (9min):
https://youtu.be/nTHw6a8bbLE?feature=shared
that's a very good interview.
Snip starting at 6m, mostly the Australian paediatrician speaking,
He goes on to say that he won't refer any of his patients to gender clinics. When has asked them how many of the clinic patients aren't deemed suitable for medical (hormonal and surgical) treatment, the clinic refused to say.
For those still not getting it, as an example from my reading, a young lesbian struggling with her sexed body because she is a sexual abuse survivor and whose friends are telling her she is really a boy, won't be treated for trauma but instead will have her gender identity as a boy affirmed and be put on a transition pathway that includes blocking puberty, eventual removal of breasts, and possible reconstruction of genitals (imo this is still experimental surgery). Lifelong effects include dependence on medication, pain, physical dysfunction, impacts on fertility and sexual function. No treatment for the trauma, or affirmation that it's really ok for women to love women.
Shouty dude nails it.
(nsfw language)
@DeeAngryScot
My favourite take on Burning Man Festival so far
Check out his TikTok for the full thing, bc fuk twitter blue
https://twitter.com/DeeAngryScot/status/1698301288503496842
Tens of thousands of people gathered for the Burning Man festival remained stranded in the Nevada desert on Sunday after storms that swept through the area, as authorities investigated a possible death and worked to open exit paths by the end of the Labor Day weekend.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/celebrities-flee-burning-man-mud-dj-diplo-and-chris-rock-hike-out/RPTKHMBX6JEZVO3GVGH4L5ODKA/
grifting on the grifters
cannibalising the cannibals
professionally angry(well you have to make a buck in the crowded social media world)
Useless eaters, huh.
/
@NZQandA
The ACT party has called for Pharmac to take a “productivity perspective” to decisions on who gets funded medicine – full interview with candidate Todd Stephenson: https://youtube.com/watch?v=_HvwIDwAsGc
https://twitter.com/NZQandA/status/1698209741896389005
Went to the pharmacy to day to pick up a prescription. The young man handed smiled and said "I trust you have been economically productive today sir – it is a Monday and you are out and about. You seem to be an older gentleman but otherwise fit and sprightly. Do you have a timesheet or authorisation from your employer to be idle on a Monday morning? Your lingering painful death would be regrettable at a personal level, but makes sense economically".
Only if he's poor though, if he's a trust fund baby he's all good cause he's just beterer
Is that real???
Yep, front page of The Herald. Imagine National Party HQ this morning…
A paid ad for the CTU.
One can only imagine how much they had to pay for that on the front page.
Still, I'm surprised the Granny Herald actually did it.
I suppose money from your political enemies is still money.
Holy heck, that's huge. And yes, I'm surprised the Herald ran it. Imagine the risk of lost revenue for them.
20K and The Herald gladly took it. As for my take, I am not voting for labour. Underhand bowling moves, a character flaw.
why didn't you complain about all the underhand National/Act cartoons ads etc? Chris Hipkins showed half a dozen today.
The add was not from a political party but the Union who spend 20k of fees for that. To which Chris Hipkins said it has nothing to do with Labour. Really?
And herein lies the character flaw. The add is in itself very questionable if an organisation who lives of the money of wage earners is openly electioneering and takes sides in political terms to influence the public.
We want to hear what the vision for NZ is but all we see is what it ought not to be.
First you say the CTU/trade unions should not be involved in politics, despite their affiliation to the Labour Party. The Taxpayers Union is registered as a trade union and clearly aligned to the National Party. Not an issue?
Second in some paradox then say Labour is to blame for what the union did, because of the affiliation to the Labour Party ….unions not being involved in politics …
Does National not take donations from businesses?
The idea that the union movements and workers have no political interest in the removal of the Fair Pay Agreement – which is akin to that in Oz, where wages are higher and working conditions better is absurd.
You never were going to vote Labour. I called Luxon a phony just now in that he pretends to be somebody he isn't. I call you out as a phony pretending to be an honest citizen when in reality you just make things up to suit some pitiful, personal little agenda.
OMG. How almost spiteful that comment is. I wasn't aware that the standard of discussion is dropping that low. But this seems to fit the issue at hand. For the record, I have been a fan of Helen Clark and Michael Cullen in years past. But this government is incapable of showing a vision, uniting people and providing some firm direction. So lets just look at some of the facts lately, shall we? For example, Immigration. What kind of policy is that where criminals are allowed to enter the county and NZ is now open to the underworld of other nations? Ok, Education. Why is it that we still have an issue with kids going back to school? No, I do not accept any more of this softly softly something. 40% functional illiteracy is unacceptable. Who will pay for their upkeep in 20 years time? Lets move to finance. The amount of money that is wasted on consultants is mind boggling. Meanwhile the infrastructure falls apart. No one talks anymore about the sewer and water pipes that fall into disrepair. To confronting? It must be election time. I will not go to the cost of living issue because this would take too long. Suffice to say that the decisions of this government has got us way beyond what was necessary, i.e. printing money like confetti. These points are wort a discussion and I want to know what the practical and real plans are to get a far better outcome than what we see. This is not for hobby professionals, we need the real McCoy here.
So, with that said I doubt that a recovery out of this is in sight. Prove me wrong.
So you believe right talking points about everything, and now the ad.
Stupendous demonstration of herd thinking.
Thank-you for proving my point fw. 🙂
I think you should ask your favourite party to drop off a supply of paragraphs to you.
Then you can rewrite your stream of consciousness post above.
Three cheers for the CTU. I'd donate serious money if they did same for Seymour.
One wonders what that lot are planning to wrap up into a nice little package of govt departments that they can sell off. Pharmac and the hospitals springs to mind. We've seen a precursor of this by the brown skid mark and the auckland airport shares.
National are already whinging about dirty Labour party tactics.
Yeah that's right!
National.
The party that in 2005 hired the Exclusive Bretheren to run a smear campaign against Labour and the Greens in Auckland suburbs.
The pot calling the kettle black.
And two wrongs do not make one right. If someone takes the higher ground, better not show the character flaw.
However, what's sauce for the goose IS sauce for the gander. The Nats love them some sauce.
What is the higher ground of which you speak? And, am I correct that you seem to be ascribing it to the Nats, those of the bottom feeder mentality.
Pretty low ground I would have thought to call any fellow human being 'a bottom feeder'. Especially from one who ostensibly espouses a Christian ethos, even allowing for the fact that churches of the type he attends are ones called prosperity churches. .
Saw this poster on a street in Wellington's Taranaki Street last night, Luxon looking like a cross between Muldoon and Mussolini. Too much risk is right, considering the likes of who would be in cabinet, ref. Joe90 at #3 above.
You have to be very careful what sort of pictures you use on posters, billboards.
I remember way back in 1975 there was a rather bad picture of Bill Rowling used on posters that when a small moustache was drawn on it made him look uncomfortably close to Hitler, and of course the Rugby Men for Rob did exactly that thinking it was a huge joke.
And 24 hours later, the message at the bottom of the poster on Taranaki Street has been torn away.
So much for some people's idea of Freedom.
That'll be the Free-dumb crowd. They only like their own freedom – not anyone else's.
+1000
Luxon's roadmap for foreign buyers is building yet another cliff up to foreign super-elites to own us all. That's reminiscent of neither Mussolini nor Muldoon but I fundamentally object to policies of deliberate wealth disparity.
National responds:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/gloves-off-national-party-unleashes-at-nasty-chris-hipkins-and-union-advertisement-in-the-herald/BQSJXF7ABNGFPPORVWIM35C57Q/
It's amazing they can run a whole article without bothering to ask if there's any truth to the statements. Not that Nats would admit that there is, but it would be journalistic to get them to deny it. Surely?
Viva Il Dope!
Viva Il Luce
This is an excellent and crucial watch. The doctor in question argues only facts. The scariest bit is that these clinics place the onus of medical knowledge on the confused child. It's a vicious ploy for money.
-meant to reply to comment 1 –
The National party was such a cringeworthy affair. Goes to show that money cannot buy class.
I felt second hand embarrassment for the Luxon family of the glorious locks. ‘Didn’t get them from dad’ It was flat out hilarious. Only in 🇺🇸 America…. oh,wait… Manukau. Ok then. Still hilarious.
Just needed pom poms, ra ra skirts, swinging blonde ponytails (just for key) and seventy six trombones.
Does Luxon think deep down that he will be President of the Worlds newest tax haven to be. Just joking.
Instead ,if there is no justice in this world, he will be elected just a lowly Prime Minister.
Apparently there were no policies, no costing and a sprinkling of fairy dust from the ever so dim Willis, who is confident that everything will add up because she says so.
The whole show was just plain tacky. I did feel sorry for the kids however. Not so much for the wife who made me gag. Although that could have been the glass of wine I had just consumed…….The wine was the best bit by far.
Did you see John Campbell interviewing Luxon's wife and kids?
The wifes nose grew as she spoke about Christophers compelling attribute…..'authenticity'!
Good on her for trying. I think authentic and ethical were the ones she mentioned. My partner immediately commented that the opposite of those attributes must have been very prominent in the word clouds generated from focus groups.
Claire Trevett usually backs the right but today she said this:
So as usual National has all the expensive glossy bells and whistles but lacks substance.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2023-christopher-luxons-campaign-launch-mission-to-look-like-a-prime-minister-in-waiting/RCSBWNDML5FHNG5PSAGU6KYN2Q/
I thought it was pretty unauthentic to have American-accented kids banging on about how "kiwi" they were. Piss off, you haven't bothered to live here long enough to make an attempt at the accent, you have no idea what you're talking about.
(And no, this doesn't apply to adult immigrants, who are net contributors. Their kids are millions of times more kiwi than these Yankee phonies.)
Canadian ,Taxon…worked at Unilever Canada.
Observations from yesterday's Sunday programme. The PM came over as completely natural, genuine, with a quirky sense of humour, likeable, and dedicated to do his best for NZ.
Luxon came over as pompous, self-important, and as if he had pre-scripted everything he said (as if he had been PR advised). Tried too hard to be likeable.
"Likeable". Jesus wept.
Even more so, when talking to the press about the CTU page of Luxon, and Bishop's bleat about nastiness. Chris Hipkins laughed and explained that is what happens when you put yourself up for office with dodgy numbers.
He said if Labour had called a press conference for each attack ad there would have been many, and he produced NP member ad, Tax grp ads and a National Party one, and laughingly commented about them and attacks by Ground Swell Tax payers Union and the Thompson Group, all offshoots of the National Party.
The quiet reflection of the reporters when he said he thought the complaint was actually running a diversion over their failed numbers spoke volumes.
Is it possible for some skilled body to put that stand up on here?
Here's a question and answer session from Hipkins this morning. CTU Ad question starts at 2:05 mins. The whole 12 mins is worth listening to:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/497236/watch-labour-leader-chris-hipkins-speaks-to-media
Bless
Having just listened for a second time to this session, the difference between Chris Hipkins and Chris Luxon is so stark. Hipkins is laid back, natural, friendly and easy to listen to. He knows exactly how to handle the media without alienating them.
Chris Luxon on the other hand comes across to me as lacking truly natural qualities. It is as though he is pretending to be someone he isn't in reality and plays cat and mouse games with his audience. In short he is a phony.
There is much talk about the "squeezed middle" (right wing/NAct talk mostly).
I remember there was this from..2020.
I have had, the, IMO Misfortune… to work with a range of these. (Maybe not on $100 K? )
Anyway…NAct supporter/voters to a man (and woman)
Also…mostly inveterate haters of : Bene's, (the Irony ! ) Maori, Socialists, Greenies etc; etc;
IMO total self interest and selfish…jerks.
And quite keen to "punch down"….
Oh and FYI for those who “reckon” Im in some kind of “echo chamber” I sure as fuck push back…..
I want to agree… Somewhere… But I can't seem to find the point you're making. Can you clarify? (Genuine q)
Oh sorry. I had better say..I am definitely not going on at Superannuitants in general !
Its just the whole "squeezed middle", entitled "Retired" set…who are also on… quite a good income, even over a $100 K and claiming "their" Super… while as I say..punching down on the "bottom feeders."
And..they would not ever see the Irony of any of that.
If they are earning over $100.000 their pension amount will be minimal.
First paragraph in the link….
No.
It doesn't matter how much you earn, the super amount remains the same.
Its why I am a fan of income testing (not asset testing) with superannuation paid by IRD as they can easily verify whether in any one fortnight your income will break the threshold of say, $150k p.a. ($5769 gross per fortnight).
If it's good enough to penalise low paid beneficiaries for any dollar over $150 a week they earn, it's good enough to penalise those over 65 for every dollar over $2,884.50 they earn.
Not a fan of asset testing otherwise the single widow that doesn't work living in a mortgage free home will not receive pension, therefore no way to pay their bills, and being forced to sell their own home just generates additional poverty.
You do know that max tax applies? Yes? Essentially, those who have gained an education, worked and contributed are taxed at max rate once 48K pre tax is reached. 8 hrs at living wage rate per week is still ok before the jump to max tax happens. So before you go on with those 100K earners (which cant be many) it is those who still can work and do so – not by choice but necessity -to make end meet with an inflation rate of averaging 18% who are immensely affected. Interestingly, as a tax payer you get treated as an individual, as a pensioner you are a herd animal.
Hello ? In the link….In 2020 it was 30,000. Maybe re read it all…and my comments.
I repeat..its those "punch down" types…you know who.
Anti all : Bene's, (the Irony ! ) Maori, Socialists, Greenies etc; etc;
But quite OK… with their own Super Bene…..
2020, there were 792000 pensioners, 30000 would comprise 3.79%.
40% of retirees live off the pension only. This is where the focus ought to be in my view. What kind of country does NZ want to be? How will the future look like with 40% leaving school and unable to read comprehensively and AI being introduced. How will this impact on the living standard? Where are the discussions about how this will affect the future of all people in NZ.
Relating to my comment prior:
How much can a pensioner earn before it affects the pension NZ?
the first $160 of combined income a week (before tax) doesn't affect your payments. for every $1 you get over $160, your total NZ Super or Veteran's Pension payment is reduced by 70 cents.
I don't know what "punch down" types are. All I know is that many older people are scared that they cannot meet their rates, rent, electricity and food bills. Many actually don't if they wouldn't continue working.
"And New Zealand has one of the highest rates of people aged 65+ still working 24%. This compares to the UK rate of 10%, Australia 12%, USA 19%, Japan 20% and Iceland 35%"
https://retirement.govt.nz/policy-and-research/retirement-income-policy-review/
There is every chance those on $100,000 a year plus already own their homes and maybe a rental and have some super savings.
Well then string me up .I’m on the pension and I also earn well over $160 a week .This affects my tax, but not my pension This goes through an old school type accountant, who is absolutely by the book , and all information goes to IRD.You are talking nonsense.
The pension only becomes abated when there is a non qualifying partner included
Facts 2023 Francesca. Fact. I posted links to the IRD website and stats above, these are not interpretations of the current tax law. But I appreciate that a person on their own gets more pension. The tax – and I can reassure you that is a FACT – after earning more than 48K including the pension is the top rate like someone earning 180K. It wont hurt if you earn 100K but it sure does on 50K.
You have not linked to any page on the site saying that.
Fact check
Untrue.
No, coz it aint so.
The top rate kicks in at over $180,000. Income tax applies at the marginal rate – super + interest/dividends/rent + work income ….
The links supplied are official links and not an interpretation. Facts and not "I want this to be true". But hey, you live with what you belief, its all good.
The links supplied are official links. I referred to facts and not "I want this to be true". But hey, you live with what you belief, its all good.
Then provide one which says an 18% inflation rate. And stop pretending that you have already.
Pot calling the kettle black….Chris Bishop rails against CTU ads featuring Luxon.Americanised,attack ads,nasty …he says.
Election 2023: Council of Trade Unions rolls out attack ads targeting Christopher Luxon, National hits back | Newshub
National relentlessly negative for 6 years, ctu points out that millionaire cei is out of touch with kiwis , and they start crying,
No matter how the opposition is described, this was a dirty move. Full stop. And it shows a serious character flaw.
'a serious character flaw'!Are you serious ?
These are politicians ffs.
No, this was the Union living off contributions from wage earners doing electioneering.
Only from union members (and unions affiliated to the Labour Party) not all "wage earners"
And why, to retain the Fair Pay Agreement.
Apparently there's a cost of living crisis but don't spend your tax relief pittance on easing your cost of living crisis.
/
Q+A
@NZQandA
National’s finance spokesperson Nicola Willis @NicolaWillisMP says their tax on foreign buyers will not be inflationary if New Zealanders “choose to save” that new money in the economy.
https://twitter.com/NZQandA/status/1698086315835949466
I thought it was for icecream and dad's??
Chris the Lesser appears to have a very short memory. He just needs to look back at Keys days where our politics descended into the gutter. Dirty Politics. David Cunliffe. Paula Bennett gleefully publicising the benefit details of two young women who dared to stand up to her. Totally humiliating them. And the list goes on if you care to look. Verbal abuse was common from the braying national asses. So he needs to go back and do a bit of revision and see keys time in Parliament for what it truly was. Thugs mentality. Then he can put his dummy back in. He looks like he needs a good sleep.
Please explain what you are referring to rather than treating TS like twitter or FB.
On the weekend a finance/property commentator on radio or maybe TV,( QandA ? ), as I recall, said the value to a landlord of the return of tax deductible interest should be worth about an 8k on average to an owner. Its essentially a tax cut. Now I have a COI here as we own a renter, a house we physicly built on my own for my mother in law, which is now rented within the whanau at a below average rate, but I do not believe mortgages for leverage should be tax deductible.
Now nowhere have I heard commentary that this means that in Luxon's scheme Willis has theoreticly given him a $56,000 tax advantage and herself who apparently has 5 houses, gets $40.000.
100K for just the 2 of them. Now that's what corruption looks like boys and girls.
P.s. not sure about the Willis 5 houses, only heard about that a few days ago. Can anyone confirm please.
The Register of Pecuniary Interest 2023 lists four houses:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-financial-interests/mps-financial-interests/2023-register-of-pecuniary-and-other-specified-interests-of-members-of-parliament-and-amendments/
Micky Savage wrote yesterday that has a rental and the tax plan will net him about $8,000pa. or about %153pw. He said he didn't need it.
Imagine the return for the three Willis rentals, $461pw. Robbery!
Or Luxon's seven!!
No-one mention conflict of interest.
Corruption is when you pay 16 billion of taxpayer money to overseas shareholders. We have yet to see any action to get these large amounts back.
Care to explain, how taxpayers pay money to overseas shareholders? Shareholders are paid out of company/corporate revenues (occasionally via debt finance).
From moneys paid under good will (LOL, yeah right… hop and skip in the world of the free und honest in lala land) from the government to corporates during covid.
The money was paid to companies to maintain the wages of their New Zealand workers, instead of direct to the workers.
Weka. Apologies. New to this. Was referring to Chris Bishop spitting the dummy and accusing Chris Hipkins of dirty politics by being behind the publishing of Chris Luxons rather large photo in the Herald with accompanying article. He offered no proof relating to his accusation which in itself could be seen as libellous.
You say that you’re “New to this” but as far as I can tell you’ve made 982 comments on this blog site since 29 Nov 2011!?
Best way to ensure readers know who or what you are referring to, is to respond to someone involved in the subject matter by hitting the 'reply' button first. For instance , I knew who you were referring to because I posted the link in the first place.
Its easy to forget to hit 'reply', in which case you end up out of the conversation and risk no-one knowing what you're talking about. 😉
Point taken. If I hit reply my device doesn’t let me use text so I can’t continue from that point.