Roast the roots for tea. good coffee ersatz in times of hardship, but also nice tea and good for the liver. Small leaves are good in salad and bigger ones can be used in a boil up (if nothing else better is there). In Europe dandylions got patches on which they were planted for harvesting.
I am considering actually 'planting' some in a spot so that i can harvest the roots for tea.
Sugar is a natural preservative. You can not make jam/marmalade without sugar.
Unless you are happy to set it with a gelling agent such as gelatin, agar agar, quinoa seeds, yellow pectin / apple core, pear core or the skins thereof but then you have a shelf life of 3 days max, which is not what they are doing, they are stocking up the larder with preserves. Sugar binds water and thus prevents mold. Sugar and salt are the two natural preservatives that are easy to find and easy to use.
Also, it is jam, so how much would you put on a slice of toast?
A week ago John Key's opinions about Covid were all over the media. Relevant experience and expertise: none.
So this week the same media should be banging on his door and asking the tough questions about the Pandora papers and international finance. Something he actually does know about.
Our financial regulations were under the control of former money-trader Key for nearly a decade, in which time the Cook Islands finally abandoned the ghost of an independent currency and fully adopted the NZ$. I seem to recall the NZ$ was at one time during the Key regime, the 6th most traded in the world (though don't know from where to trawl out a link for that).
So it was with some interest that I read this BusinessDesk piece (unfortunately directly quoting violates their website policy). Paraphrasing; the Cook Islands, Samoa, & Vanuatu are specifically mentioned as tax havens or "soft regimes". NZ, and not Australia, is mentioned 4 times as a "venue for a country office"
A 2001 presentation for Latin American clients explored apparently legitimate ways Asiaciti could help a hypothetical Mexican businessman who held offshore assets that “have not been declared to Mexican revenue authorities” and who did not expect to need to bring the money back to Mexico.
It proposed shutting down existing structures in the Caribbean and instead setting up a trust in New Zealand that would own a company in Singapore, which would in turn hold the businessman’s offshore assets.
Asiaciti also promoted the use of a structure available in Samoa, known as “creditor controlled companies”, using legal loopholes to minimise or avoid tax in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Russia and the US.
“The Samoa CCC can be an effective entity in which to accumulate foreign source income and to defer liability to domestic taxes,” Asiaciti staff said in a technical briefing note issued in July 2014.
From a folder in the attic, so to speak, which contains things that seemed to shed a little beam upon the lean and hungry look of yonder Cassius – and still do perhaps. Article by Tom Pullar-Strecker.
No New Zealand clients of Mossack Fonseca have been named, but it would be surprising if there weren't any.
The Inland Revenue Department is trying to negotiate access to the Panama Papers and has advised anyone with dodgy dealings that may be exposed to come forward before it knocks on their door. New Zealand journalists are also seeking access to the documents.
Anything else New Zealand needs to worry about?
New Zealand features as one of the 21 "tax havens" used by Mossack Fonseca and its clients, though Prime Minister John Key has rejected that label.
The issue is that New Zealand is the only country in the OECD where foreigners (other than Australians) can set up trusts without having to register their own identity or any material details of their trust's affairs, and they don't' have to pay tax here on their overseas profits.
I find it hard to see what these Pandora papers have to do with John Key. The main point of the "businessdesk" article is that the activities are going on in New Zealand today. You may like to consider the fact that Key retired as PM about 5 years ago and that we have had a Labour led Government for the last four years.
You really should be asking why they haven't done anything about it shouldn't you?
When I followed that link I happened to notice a reference to another of their stories. This was on Little's re-organisation of the Health system to centralise everything with the abolition of the DHBs.
The author of the article, Dr Powell, regards the proposal as an unmitigated disaster as far as I can see. It is a new organisation that is being promoted without any reason for it being promulgated. Oh well, what is another shambles to add to the current Governments record?
Much better to follow the science rather than read the Herald.
Having said that Michael Plank has just been interviewed on RadioNZ's Nine to Noon. He is not an epidemiologist, but is a mathematical modeller so his views need to be looked at in that light. The key point he made was that there is a great deal of difference in the outcomes between 80% and 90% vaccinated. 80% sounds like a waste of time. (I am assuming Plank's percentages are of the population over 12 years old-Ryan did not ask).
Portugal has vaccinated 88% of its ENTIRE population, and rising.
Assuming Portugal can achieve 90% of the entire population, why can't NZ? I think NZ should look at gradually opening the borders once we have achieved this, and NOT before.
Yeah, it's the effect of each person who gets it infecting, on average, X number of other people within say 2 weeks.
Reff of 3 means that starting with 1, then 1+3, then 1+3+9, then 1+3+9+27 (total 40) can have it within a couple of months.
Reff of 6 means 1, 1+6, 1+6+36, 1+6+36+216 (total 259) in the same period.
80% isn't a waste of time as such (the people will still get lower effects and infections), but we would need to stamp it out much harder and faster than if we were at 90+ vax of total population.
" I think NZ should look at gradually opening the borders once we have achieved this, and NOT before."
Are you seriously suggesting that you want to remain locked up forever? The chance of us reaching that percentage of the population, including our Maori communities, is only infinitesimally different from zero, at least in my opinion.
How would other business cope with that? Because that would be a huge change, and it would affect anyone else too, not just tech companies.
Maybe can we just start giving these guys such as Bezos from Amazon big tax write offs and other tax gifts to come here and create nothing much? that would be a good start.
It's certainly possible, but would work better as a minimum tax e.g. tax on profits but not less than 5% of turnover (to pick a random number out of the air), than as a replacement for income tax on profits, not least because that would incentivise industries with low or no wages if labour costs couldn't be offset against income before taxes were calculated/paid.
You could look at local (NZ) turnover versus local costs and tax the difference – but it has the obvious flaw of not taking into account costs incurred outside NZ that the local operation depends on to generate turnover. These are things like IT systems, R&D, manufacturing plants, etc.
Instead you could try splitting corporate tax into two components – a tax on profits and a social infrastructure contribution. The social infrastructure contribution recognises that no business in NZ can operate without education and healthcare systems for its workers, a viable police force and justice system, roads, energy distribution, etc, etc, etc.. You could set this contribution as a percentage of turnover – then adjust the tax on profits down accordingly so that most businesses aren't paying any more. And genuine start-up businesses might be able to get relief from making this contribution for a period of a few years.
Such a scheme would at least partially catch the big cheats who have the resources to pretend they make no profit here. A name like "social infrastructure contribution" sounds naff, but is actually important, because it is a piece of truth-telling that bypasses the unpleasant connotations of the word "tax".
Don't listen to Mike Hosking, but interested to hear if he comments on his admiration for the now resigned Gladys Berijklian today. Or John Keys's defence of secret trusts.
A Stuff investigation has found more than a third of child support paid by parents to Inland Revenue, totalling more than $900m in the past five years, has been intercepted before it gets to kids.
That’s because of a law that says if a primary caregiver is on a benefit, the Government is entitled to take the child’s support money to recoup the cost of welfare.
For these women, as their wages disappear, so does their child support.
And for the fathers who pay out, it's just another tax.
………..
And they say it creates a nonsensical two-tier system where kids whose mums are in paid work are allowed to keep the money, while the kids of beneficiaries are penalised.
“It’s a flawed and misconceived adult-centric mechanism that is bad for children,” says Children’s Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft.
…….
Stay-at-home mum Nikki and her two preschool-aged children were thrown into poverty when she split with her ex-partner. He paid child support of around $300 a week, which the kids didn't receive, while she struggled to find a rental she could afford on the sole parent benefit.
“That money would have made my kids lives so much better, and it could have helped me to get back up on my feet faster,” she says. “They used to be able to have clothes … I can’t tell you how many meals I just didn’t eat so the kids could have a slightly nicer dinner, with vegetables.
“I was really lucky because I was offered a state house. I don’t even know what other people do. We lived in poverty because of it, and that doesn’t seem right.”
oh well, it is in the News, so maybe it gets discussed for a moment or two and then forgotten again.
There is a reason why our poor people, and their poor kids are poor. This is one of them.
An absolute travesty. Andrew Becroft has got to be one of the best Children's Commissioners that understands the way the State suffocates potential through abject poverty.
Oh come on!! Labour and Sepoloni, you need to remove this!! I have been a Labour supporter for Life, but that is shameful poverty caused by the State. Dickensian punitive rules for the poor and struggling need to end!! Just sent off a critical email!!
There was a bloke on the radio this morn imagining that some people might have to give the money back depending on the outcome of Peter Ellis,s appeal .Fat chance !! Alive or dead the likelihood of him getting any real justice is slim indeed .Still making legal history by appealing from the grave is something i guess .
The convictions of Peter Ellis never felt safe or convincing to me.
This was reinforced by 'A City Possessed', Lynley Hood's disturbingly good book on the subject.
The relationship between the investigation officer and a complainant's mum, the severe editing of children's evidence and the social environment the trial occurred in were all against a just trial.
I’m quite excited – or at least very pleased – that the Court has determined that a deceased person’s mana, or reputation – together with that of his whanau, continues to have standing following the death of someone who may have suffered a gross miscarriage of Justice. 🌴
Some good news on the self-contained saliva SARS-CoV-2 front!
With help from funding from the United States Government, MicroGem has developed a simple-to-use and fast saliva Covid-19 test called "Spitfire" and it could be ready for the market within weeks.
Discussions are already under way with MicroGem, University of Otago and district health boards about introducing it in New Zealand.
Users of the mobile test spit into a specially designed plastic receptacle which is then inserted into a box resembling a computer monitor and processed within 25 minutes. Usually, Covid-19 tests take two to three days…
The research and development of Spitfire was completed in the company’s Dunedin lab, with manufacturing completed overseas.
Removing the saliva testing from needing PCR lab time is a major advance, as it frees up those resources. Especially if the processing time can be shortened to 5 (theoretically, or even 10 practically) minutes as "The Boss" suggests in the accompanying South Today video.
However the need for manufactured units is a bit of of a downside, especially with NZ being near the end of the world's supply chain. SHERLOCK was announced back in August and has already gained FDA approval – miSHERLOCK can be 3D printed in reusable handheld units which are cheaper and (apart from the necessary chemicals/ biologicals) don't rely so much on international shipping. There are also two other CRISPR based tests that were announced in September; DETECTR, and FELUDA, which may also have a place in rapidly-processed SARS-CoV-2 testing. But that will come down to the cost/ effectiveness calculations after independent testing which are not yet publicly available.
As compared to the standard WHO/CDC qPCR detection method, which consumes several hours for detection, CRISPR-based SHERLOCK, DETECTR, and FELUDA have emerged as rapid diagnostic tools for the detection of the RNA genome of SARS-CoV-2 within an hour with 100% accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity… The approval of SHERLOCK as the first CRISPR-based SARS-CoV-2 test kit by the FDA, for emergency diagnosis of COVID-19 patients, has given positive hope to scientists that sooner human trials of CRISPR-based therapy will be ratified.
Would be nice to get, my essential worker at home has been getting tested once a week now for weeks on end, and he feels like his brain is shrinking. He coveres a huge territory and cold potentially by himself infect the half of the north island should he become a carrier. It would be so lovely to have these available – and affordable.
If found guilty, since he has been one of those most responsible for promoting the conspiracy theories, and undermining public health, he should be sentenced to being breathed on by a Covid patient until he gets it.
The issue here (ww.stuff.co.nz/national/300418067/the-mothers-struggling-to-feed-their-babies-while-the-state-keeps-all-their-child-support) starts with "Why is the State involved?"
Wasn't it because breadwinners left their families destitute and without any support at all. It seems those who had custody of the children became supported by the State via the DPB and that this was to be recovered from the non-custodial parent. Any the excess was then to be paid to the custodial parent. Where both parents have a financially supportive income, the State is not required to be involved but binding agreements should be reached between the relevant parties.
The next question then might be be, "Why is the State not recovering maintenance payments from so many non-custodial parents?"
Can someone please explain three waters to me in two paragraphs. No links (I know how to google), and preferably keep the satire and sarcasm until after there’s a decent explanation.
Citizens and Ratepayers loose the ability to not spend money on water and sewage infrastructure.
Done by combining Council infrastructure into regional entities with professional management and board structures but with the minimum of elected representative control
Yep, but really most of the management and control hasn’t been that flash, hence we had Havelock North and the one just north of Dunedin. Also a very bad thing in Queenstown in 80’s. And a huge wave of issues coming up from Councils that have kicked the can down the road with maintenance over the last 40 years plus
Boards will be appointed by panels comprising Council and Iwi appointees.
Under the new Water Services Act the professional boards and management will be accountable, elected representatives won’t be for some reason
Watercare is the entity that manages the 3 Waters infrastructure of the combined Auckland City
Wellington leaky pipes, Auckland's ongoing problems with shortages, and Environment Canterbury (ECan) becoming a political football, nitrates leaching into Chch water supply.
Poor management/ cost-cutting mentality/ capture by special interests, is endemic.
The main problem we have had in Wellington is that our Mayor(s) and Councillors have, since about the 1986 election, been devoted to building glamorous White Elephants rather than worrying about the infrastructure of the City.
There isn't anything glamourous about the waste water system. Let's build enormously expensive cycleways for a few lycra- clad idiots. They are much more fun to waste the ratepayers money on. Well they are all collapsing.
Although I spotted a probably leak in a water main on the road outside my neighbour’s place last week. I meant to report it but got busy at home & forgot.
Driving in from the supermarket the next day (I exit via a different driveway to the entrance by our letterboxes) I noticed that the leak had quickly progressed to a very large puddle, with water gushing up in a plume about an inch higher than the water surface, & the road surface was collapsing into a hole.
I put the groceries away, went straight online to the Council website, & reported this.
Got an acknowledgement that it had been referred to water services, & a “ticket number”, within an hour, by email, which sayeth thusly:
………………………
“Your ticket has now been passed through for the attention of our Wellington Water team.
If you need to follow up with us please reply to this email or phone us on 04 499 4444 and quote reference number “SR-123456 etc.”
……………………..
A temporary patch job was done by the end of the same day. Next morning a truck crew was back on site at 8.30am. By early afternoon the problem had been permanently fixed, the hole filled in, & a professional-looking asphalt surface laid over top.
There’s also some issues around how the change will affect Councils balance sheets. At present these are underpinned by the valuation of the Councils infrastructure ‘assets’. Take them away and Council finances could get a bit wobbly. Government has wheeled out buckets of cash to solve the problem but there’s a bit of a gap between what Government is offering and Council valuations.
One problem with local democracy is chronic shortage of funds. There was a small Council somewhere north of Auckland that buried itself in debt with water supply problems. And the tales of council incompetence are endless
I think you are referring to Mangawhai WW "… the Mangawhai wastewater system with an estimated cost in October 2005 of $26.26 million that ballooned to a total cost of $63.2 million in July 2009."
"But there are plenty of successful variants of this in operation already."
What would be some examples?
Yes, improvement for Māori, this is really good. Still doesn't fix the LGA or sort out the wider democratic issues there including what happens when there is poor management. Local govt really is the lowest form of democracy.
Just off the top of my head some successfully corporatised entities are:
– All of Christchurch Holdings and its entities
– All of Dunedin Holdings and its entities
– Auckland Airport
– Auckland Film Studios
– Kainga Ora's development entities
– Airports which are half Crown and half local Government owned eg Dunedin.
And yes they have all had major dramas in their 20+year existence. And there are also plenty of failues.
You may not know that Watercare's remit already looks after northern Waikato's water beyond Auckland. It's made plenty of mistakes but since metering and regular pricing tweaks we are far more efficient users of water than we used to be. They are required by law only to charge what is required to produce safe water services.
To me what is missing from the reforms is a national water price regulator. They are after all forming a system at least as powerful as the supermarket duopoly or as powerful as AIAL and CIAL.
Indeed. The super-city model in Auckland is deeply flawed, and it has been made so much worse by the way some of the elected officers operate., however I refuse to believe it cannot be improved.
You are always going to have those people, and their values on councils, and dominating councils.
No one gets elected to local government saying they are going to put the rates up and dig up the streets for the next 10 years. Even an infrastructure focus is hard, voters want things they cam see, like street works and rec centres, not pipes in the ground
that's two failures of democracy. That needs fixing and centralising water infrastructure won't do that. Wasted opportunity. We could be improving democracy.
The last local government reform we had nationwide was in 2002, which softened the terrible 1989 reforms with tonnes of democratic consultative requirements resulting in lots of promises and no funding to do them.
The last regional reform we had was in Auckland in 2010 which under Labour promised better representation for Maori but under National-Act was turned into a deeply undemocratic beast.
We had a little reform last year which made it easier for Councils to make Maori wards
We are also due for very large reform by proxy with the three replacement acts to the Resource Management Act. Coming to a Parliament near you.
None of the above is going to rescue our rivers, guarantee well priced and quality drinking water, or stop it being wasted by agribusiness on its astonishing scale. Just check out the mess in Otago Regional Council.
It cost around $80m to fix those issues, which is not that much considering the government is claiming we need to spend $185Bn on water infrastructure over the next 30 years.
Most councils wouldn't be able to afford it without massive rates increases and asset sales, which they won't do.
I did hear of a council that needs almost zero infrastructure upgrades because they did a deal with fonterra who did it for them (guesses as to what the return side of that non-transaction might be), but this isn't like power poles where you can red-tag the worst and replace them one by one over years.
There's infrastructure that has been ignored because it was buried, infrastructure that should have been expanded with population and surface development but wasn't, and almost all of it is buried under other infrastructure so that you have to dig through/past/around them to reach what you want to repair/upgrade. And half the time it only comes to light with a burst or a sinkhole.
We’re not to bad in Queenstown now, there’s a long line of developers Council can bend over and rape and pillage.
A quite recent occurrence, 30 years ago some really scary shit going down. Generally into the lake or rivers. Arrowtown came close to being shut down in early 90’s. Untreated sewage being discharged from sewage ponds (not working at all) into river
Dr Te Maire Tau is chair of Te Kura Taka Pini (the Ngāi Tahu freshwater group)
"OPINION: When you get past the noise on all sides around the Government’s proposed reform of Three Waters services (drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater) the issues are simple. How do we ensure equitable, affordable, high-quality water services for everyone, while protecting human health and community assets?”
Government is proposing to take a huge future liability off councils.
Hardly an ,"assets grab".
But the storm of bad faith right wing opposition will prevent that, and we will end up with another, camel. “Ask yourself why National is so against the three waters policy. It is not to keep three waters under public control. National don’t even agree with public ownership. It is because with central Government under much greater scrutiny than council’s, makes future privatisation, subcontracting to their mates, polluting rivers and dodgy irrigation schemes much harder in future”.
Something that has arisen because so many councils, run by inept old boys clubs, have stuffed it up.
Not sure if the structure proposed is the answer, but business as usual is not working.
National's objections mostly consist of inaccurate memes and Mis information as usual.
As they cannot state their real reasons without the public seeing right through them.
Two minor additions which have caused some complaining – technically the infrastructure counts as assets, so removing them from the books may affect a council's borrowing ability, and the few places that arguably don't need to chlorinate e.g. Christchurch will lose the ability to make that decision themselves.
Longer term, there is always the possibility that National will change the deal and just sell the new entities.
On the other hand, professionally-managed water and funding and removing the arguments from long term planning.
Yeah, I dont get this big rush to centralization of public assets more localization with a firm govt structure to work within and ability to apply for and recieve funding from a fund for infrastructure is a far better answer better answer in my opinion…
Making these big entities is all fun and games until one day the National/Act partly or fully privatize it perhaps on the pretense of 'paying for covid' or decide to monetize it some other way.
Could see the Nats for example do something similar to Bradford reforms… keep the 'three waters' intact but then add another layer of 'retailers' who then charge for water at a local level and sell those off like the power companies.
Due to years of local government failures and resultant illness in their communities, central government is proposing removing council control of these three water systems. Instead, four regional authorities will be developed. Ownership/ control of these is being discussed with some heat and little light. Details are a bit thin on the ground. Ownership of the water itself rather than the distribution systems is a particularly fraught issue, but not directly part of the proposal as I understand it, at this time.
It is one of those hypocritical things that right wing politicians say and then act otherwise. Councils should only do drinking water, sewerage, stormwater and roads.
Libraries, gardens, pensioner housing, electricity, holiday parks etc all should be done by the private sector.
Yet as these assets got sold off by those right wing politicians and businessmen who got themselves elected to councils did they move the money from selling those assets or from revenue generated if they kept them into maintaining and upgrading those essential systems.
Lots of projects to support private businesses – Hamilton's motor racing cost tens of millions of dollars, Napier Art Deco buses 1.3 million, sister sister projects to encourage trade such as Invercargills Chinese Gardens. I've never ever seen any of these projects that were actually originally instigated by councils themselves – they have always been proposed and driven by "business people" (sometimes elected and sometimes not) and the councils have to implement them.
So the councils have sold off many of their assets previously – or been forced to by wanky governments in the interests of privatisation) and don't have many assets left or income streams other than rates.
Meanwhile their under-investment in infrastructure – and often the removal of the more highly paid infrastructure knowing staff for lower paid newbies) is bringing them problems that they had every chance to prevent occurring but chose not to – despite saying that that is all councils should do.
I find it difficult to blame the council staff who fought many of these things and pointed out the need for them. Quite a few lost their jobs for standing up for this stuff.
3 Waters is about transferring control of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater (the 3 waters) from the democratically elected councils to four regional water entities.
It's essentially based on the 'economies of scale' argument, and is being promoted via a multi-million dollar advertising campaign and a $2.5bn compensation offer to Councils.
The plan has been roundly rejected by the vast majority of Councils (only 7 of he 67 are in support), and as the plan has failed to gain support, the government funded hyperbole has grown to a point of misinformation.
Councils elected by the minority of people who vote. Three waters reminds me of the Priorities piece earlier today.
"Indeed, the Māori way of viewing things is to see the inter-relationships, i.e. the links rather than the nodes of networks. An integrated way of mātauranga Māori and Western science and of seeing both together could be the way forward"
If this is what Mahuta is up to I'll stay interested.
That's a terrific sentiment. But a number of aspects of 3 Waters rings alarm bells with me, including the 'we know best' approach being adopted by Mahuta etc to public opposition, the propaganda and misinformation campaign, and the idea that somehow centralising the management of these services will deliver a better result.
Three waters could cost individual households heaps a new tax outside rates and income tax.
Councils who have already got high quality water will subsidise those councils who haven't invested in good water care.
Labour are now in big trouble with Covid not brought under control Labour's honeymoon is over.If National find a new leader who connects with people the next election is going to be a close run thing.
So now Labour's under real pressure this 3 waters has been widely rejected as unworkable.
Seems just about everyday there's another case popping up with someone going to hospital for unrelated reasons… seems Covid is pretty well embedded in some parts of Auckland seem to be asymptomatic or cases with minor symptoms for the most part.
Must be some much sickier people floating around surely… some of the negative quarantine hotel stories have probably made some very reluctant to seek help or get a test…
Anyone living on the proceeds of crime has to keep on getting out there and doing the crime.No wage subsidies for them .And along with that they would be very averse to getting tested and being questioned about their movements and contacts.
Yeah, I read that apperently he had a gun because he had suffered a 'home invasion' fucking ridiculous the guy is unhinged enough to carry it around in his car… take the time to assemble and load it then lean out the window and fire it at a car to 'scare' them… I'll bet P is involved somewhere along the line…
“Simpson appealed, saying his jail sentence was not the least restrictive outcome in the circumstances and he also should have received home detention.”
…
“Justice Gault said Judge Wharepouri … gave too much priority, when sentencing the brothers, to the fact Dekota Simpson fired the shot. ‘In the circumstances, and having regard to the further evidence on appeal, I consider that was an error’…”
“The actions of Mr Simpson and his brother put the victims and public in considerable danger, and had significant victim impact,” Justice Gault added. “But the Judge accepted that Mr Simpson did not intend to hurt the victims. The lead charge was commission of intentional damage.”
Justice Gault said Simpson’s firing of the shot was not the only relevant factor, but there was a marked difference in sentences for the Simpson brothers. “The further evidence on appeal adds weight to the importance of Mr Simpson’s rehabilitation and reintegration, and of avoiding imprisonment as far as possible.”
He said 19 months’ imprisonment was manifestly excessive. “A sentence of home detention also better reflects parity between Mr Simpson and his brother.”
………………………………
What could have gone wrong? He hit the car’s bumper. He could have disabled the driver & caused the family to crash. I think this sounds like a case where “the least restrictive outcome” perhaps shouldn’t be available as grounds for an appeal.
My pick was 25-50 a day in Auckland at Level 3, after last weeks decision.
By the time it goes to 100 a day later this month it will have spread around New Zealand and thus Auckland borders will end. And we will all have community spread at Level 2.
When hospitals cannot cope (sometime in Nov/Dec) we will go to Level 3 nationwide in December and allow Kiwis to come in for Christmas (as Victoria and NSW are doing from November 1).
Another day, another press conference, another whole lot of nothing about what the government is going to do to get through to the reluctants that are making it difficult to get to 90% vaccination among the eligibles (or even 95% plus of eligibles like Portugal has achieved).
Hardly, let it spread (and maxed out ICU capacity) is more effective than gift tokens and vaccine passports (if they can be obtained without proof of vaccination).
If the strategy is going to be let it rip goin' fowwud, I'm actually not hugely bothered about the effect that's going to have on the unvaccinated.
But it's going to awesomely fkn brutal on our medical staff, and on anyone in need of medical care while the letting it rip is actually ripping. So if that's the plan, I'd like to know what is going to be done to protect the staff and the other patients over that brutal time.
The only thing I can think of for that situation is the government issuing legislative instructions that when triaging needs to happen, unvaccinated covid patients are first on the list be triaged out.
Unfortunate news on your good cop/bad cop strategy for revitalising National. Gareth Morgan was contacted about proposing a vaccine segregated health system during the next election. But he said he doesn't want such an unpopular idea cast beside with his most logical proposal to euthanise everybodies household feline.
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The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – 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 is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
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. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
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 ...
Genterwocky After a hard days marching, Sir Doocey calls in at the Village Tavern For a pint of ale and a pork pie. The grim villagers stare at him. “Do not be travelling on the forest road,” warns a crusty old beak. “And why is that, antique peasant?” Grins Sir ...
Political conferences after a party returns to power are usually a chance for some healthy, even unhealthy backslapping. Yet National Party president Sylvia Wood’s address to its mainland representatives on Saturday hardly contained the unalloyed delight that one might have expected following National’s escape from the wilderness of opposition. Yes, ...
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New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
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Tip one: let yourself be nurtured by this big old man. Tip two: don’t ask him to adopt you. So, you’ve arrived at your first session with a new therapist. He tells you to make yourself comfortable and you opt for the tweed armchair, hoping it makes you look like ...
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Former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has already started training for the Enhanced games, though says he won’t start taking performance enhancing substances until about nine months out from the competition. The Australian world champion was the first athlete to be announced by Enhanced, but he says the organisation has had ...
Everyone thinks he’s dead. Every day they expect his body to be washed up along the coast. Most likely up Karitane way, the way the tide’s running. But nobody’ll be too surprised if his body’s never found. Even in death he wouldn’t have wished for such attention. He would have ...
Council members voted 21 to 4 in favour of Ahluwalia returning to the Laucala campus following a much-awaited meeting in Vanuatu this week. It comes as USP and its two unions — the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) and the Administration and Support Staff Union ...
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Light but steady rain at Pookden Manor when this was taken. A Flight of the local Sparrow Squadron flies in for lunch.
https://i.imgur.com/huFd7ZM.gif
More of a Sunday morning post (20 min long).
But my kind of influencers…
https://youtu.be/MgKugytvhk8
Roast the roots for tea. good coffee ersatz in times of hardship, but also nice tea and good for the liver. Small leaves are good in salad and bigger ones can be used in a boil up (if nothing else better is there). In Europe dandylions got patches on which they were planted for harvesting.
I am considering actually 'planting' some in a spot so that i can harvest the roots for tea.
I've always loved the cheeriness of dandelions, even when as a child we were digging out of the lawn with a butter knife.
My partner and I are more relaxed in our own. On the list to plant is chicory – the blue dandelion.
(But oh, the amount of sugar going in @ 5.10!)
Sugar is a natural preservative. You can not make jam/marmalade without sugar.
Unless you are happy to set it with a gelling agent such as gelatin, agar agar, quinoa seeds, yellow pectin / apple core, pear core or the skins thereof but then you have a shelf life of 3 days max, which is not what they are doing, they are stocking up the larder with preserves. Sugar binds water and thus prevents mold. Sugar and salt are the two natural preservatives that are easy to find and easy to use.
Also, it is jam, so how much would you put on a slice of toast?
I know. It's just been a while since I made jam, or cooked with sugar.
Also, have been without an oven for three years. Very impressed by all the cooking equipment shown, and somewhat envious.
One day, you come to the shop and we make jam 🙂
Whereabouts is this Molly?
looks east European or Turkey
I would think it is Turkey.
Sent by a friend, watched with my first coffee before hitting the news sites.
Azerbaijan appears at the beginning...I had to look it up on Wikipedia. More closely aligned with Turkey, as Sabine suggests.
Azerbaijan
The Pandora Papers:
A week ago John Key's opinions about Covid were all over the media. Relevant experience and expertise: none.
So this week the same media should be banging on his door and asking the tough questions about the Pandora papers and international finance. Something he actually does know about.
They won't, of course.
John Key was mentioned in the Panama Papers, a simlar huge leak of the criminal activities of wealthy politicians and financiers. (John Key is both).
I wouldn't be surprised if John Key's name pops up in the Pandora Papers, as well.
Even if the newshounds do try to sniff him out, they will probably find he has gone to ground.
John Key only politician directly named in Panama Papers …
https://thestandard.org.nz/why-was-john-key-singled-out-by-panama-papers-hacker/
Our financial regulations were under the control of former money-trader Key for nearly a decade, in which time the Cook Islands finally abandoned the ghost of an independent currency and fully adopted the NZ$. I seem to recall the NZ$ was at one time during the Key regime, the 6th most traded in the world (though don't know from where to trawl out a link for that).
http://www.paclii.org/ck/legis/num_act/caa2005200/
So it was with some interest that I read this BusinessDesk piece (unfortunately directly quoting violates their website policy). Paraphrasing; the Cook Islands, Samoa, & Vanuatu are specifically mentioned as tax havens or "soft regimes". NZ, and not Australia, is mentioned 4 times as a "venue for a country office"
https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/policy/nz-in-a-rogues-gallery-in-pandora-papers-disclosures
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2021/oct/03/offshore-provider-accused-of-failing-to-follow-money-laundering-rules
Being PM of NZ would be a great opportunity for some insider trading (via suitable untraceable third parties of course)
Depending on the character of the incumbent.
From a folder in the attic, so to speak, which contains things that seemed to shed a little beam upon the lean and hungry look of yonder Cassius – and still do perhaps. Article by Tom Pullar-Strecker.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/78614536/qa-panama-papers-fallout-has-only-just-begun?rm=m
I find it hard to see what these Pandora papers have to do with John Key. The main point of the "businessdesk" article is that the activities are going on in New Zealand today. You may like to consider the fact that Key retired as PM about 5 years ago and that we have had a Labour led Government for the last four years.
You really should be asking why they haven't done anything about it shouldn't you?
When I followed that link I happened to notice a reference to another of their stories. This was on Little's re-organisation of the Health system to centralise everything with the abolition of the DHBs.
https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/health/health-systems-ships-passing-in-the-night
The author of the article, Dr Powell, regards the proposal as an unmitigated disaster as far as I can see. It is a new organisation that is being promoted without any reason for it being promulgated. Oh well, what is another shambles to add to the current Governments record?
"You may like to consider the fact that Key retired as PM about 5 years ago"
This was also true a week ago.
The Herald appears to be paying a price for encouraging its columnists to white-ant the Covid response.
The sooner it goes belly-up and is replaced by something with a soupçon of actual journalism, the better.
Much better to follow the science rather than read the Herald.
Having said that Michael Plank has just been interviewed on RadioNZ's Nine to Noon. He is not an epidemiologist, but is a mathematical modeller so his views need to be looked at in that light. The key point he made was that there is a great deal of difference in the outcomes between 80% and 90% vaccinated. 80% sounds like a waste of time. (I am assuming Plank's percentages are of the population over 12 years old-Ryan did not ask).
Portugal has vaccinated 88% of its ENTIRE population, and rising.
Assuming Portugal can achieve 90% of the entire population, why can't NZ? I think NZ should look at gradually opening the borders once we have achieved this, and NOT before.
https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon
Yeah, it's the effect of each person who gets it infecting, on average, X number of other people within say 2 weeks.
Reff of 3 means that starting with 1, then 1+3, then 1+3+9, then 1+3+9+27 (total 40) can have it within a couple of months.
Reff of 6 means 1, 1+6, 1+6+36, 1+6+36+216 (total 259) in the same period.
80% isn't a waste of time as such (the people will still get lower effects and infections), but we would need to stamp it out much harder and faster than if we were at 90+ vax of total population.
" I think NZ should look at gradually opening the borders once we have achieved this, and NOT before."
Are you seriously suggesting that you want to remain locked up forever? The chance of us reaching that percentage of the population, including our Maori communities, is only infinitesimally different from zero, at least in my opinion.
Opening up means thousands of deaths. Unless you want thousands of deaths, we must remain closed. It's really that simple.
Closed borders are not the same as lockdowns, of course.
NZ has had arguably the world's best Covid response to date.
I think we can get over 90% using carrot and stick.
A must read on the Spinoff.
Time to do something about the tech giants.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/business/03-10-2021/we-regulate-big-oil-and-big-tobacco-its-time-to-do-the-same-for-big-tech/
Is it legally possible to tax turnover, not profit?
How would other business cope with that? Because that would be a huge change, and it would affect anyone else too, not just tech companies.
Maybe can we just start giving these guys such as Bezos from Amazon big tax write offs and other tax gifts to come here and create nothing much? that would be a good start.
of course, not give them free money or rebates. 🙂
need moar coffee.
It's certainly possible, but would work better as a minimum tax e.g. tax on profits but not less than 5% of turnover (to pick a random number out of the air), than as a replacement for income tax on profits, not least because that would incentivise industries with low or no wages if labour costs couldn't be offset against income before taxes were calculated/paid.
We do, its called GST.
You could look at local (NZ) turnover versus local costs and tax the difference – but it has the obvious flaw of not taking into account costs incurred outside NZ that the local operation depends on to generate turnover. These are things like IT systems, R&D, manufacturing plants, etc.
Instead you could try splitting corporate tax into two components – a tax on profits and a social infrastructure contribution. The social infrastructure contribution recognises that no business in NZ can operate without education and healthcare systems for its workers, a viable police force and justice system, roads, energy distribution, etc, etc, etc.. You could set this contribution as a percentage of turnover – then adjust the tax on profits down accordingly so that most businesses aren't paying any more. And genuine start-up businesses might be able to get relief from making this contribution for a period of a few years.
Such a scheme would at least partially catch the big cheats who have the resources to pretend they make no profit here. A name like "social infrastructure contribution" sounds naff, but is actually important, because it is a piece of truth-telling that bypasses the unpleasant connotations of the word "tax".
Not really workable. There are huge variations in turnover/profit ratio with different businesses.
For example, a law firm will have most of their turnover going to earnings, while a building company could have less than 10%.
It works for comparing diferent businesses, in the same industry to detect tax evasion, however
Don't listen to Mike Hosking, but interested to hear if he comments on his admiration for the now resigned Gladys Berijklian today. Or John Keys's defence of secret trusts.
Unlikely, that's what a journalist would do not captain rant.
He's on holiday this week. The guy standing in for him is much better to listen to.
More importantly, same ads though, I would assume.
“Hoskins on holiday this week.”
A planned holiday, or a "managed retreat?"
I think from memory he usually has the school holidays off.
Oh shit ,does that mean that him and her have kids, ??
Shouldn't be allowed
Mustn’t visit the sins of the parents on the offspring.
Sometimes kids turn out ok no matter what their parents are like.
Neve, for example, many NEVER crash a tractor.
And this shameful practice is still happening.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300418067/the-mothers-struggling-to-feed-their-babies-while-the-state-keeps-all-their-child-support
oh well, it is in the News, so maybe it gets discussed for a moment or two and then forgotten again.
There is a reason why our poor people, and their poor kids are poor. This is one of them.
That policy is shameful and needs to be removed faster than "medium term work programme".
Bloody with you on this one.
It's why back in the day people used to make private child support arrangements if they could, although I'd imagine they've cracked down on these.
The entire family break-up industry is a disgrace, it rips everyone off and leaves the kids vulnerable and worse off as a rule.
An absolute travesty. Andrew Becroft has got to be one of the best Children's Commissioners that understands the way the State suffocates potential through abject poverty.
Oh come on!! Labour and Sepoloni, you need to remove this!! I have been a Labour supporter for Life, but that is shameful poverty caused by the State. Dickensian punitive rules for the poor and struggling need to end!! Just sent off a critical email!!
There was a bloke on the radio this morn imagining that some people might have to give the money back depending on the outcome of Peter Ellis,s appeal .Fat chance !! Alive or dead the likelihood of him getting any real justice is slim indeed .Still making legal history by appealing from the grave is something i guess .
The convictions of Peter Ellis never felt safe or convincing to me.
This was reinforced by 'A City Possessed', Lynley Hood's disturbingly good book on the subject.
The relationship between the investigation officer and a complainant's mum, the severe editing of children's evidence and the social environment the trial occurred in were all against a just trial.
I’m quite excited – or at least very pleased – that the Court has determined that a deceased person’s mana, or reputation – together with that of his whanau, continues to have standing following the death of someone who may have suffered a gross miscarriage of Justice. 🌴
Some good news on the self-contained saliva SARS-CoV-2 front!
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/saliva-test-developed-dunedin-quick-and-simple-use
Removing the saliva testing from needing PCR lab time is a major advance, as it frees up those resources. Especially if the processing time can be shortened to 5 (theoretically, or even 10 practically) minutes as "The Boss" suggests in the accompanying South Today video.
However the need for manufactured units is a bit of of a downside, especially with NZ being near the end of the world's supply chain. SHERLOCK was announced back in August and has already gained FDA approval – miSHERLOCK can be 3D printed in reusable handheld units which are cheaper and (apart from the necessary chemicals/ biologicals) don't rely so much on international shipping. There are also two other CRISPR based tests that were announced in September; DETECTR, and FELUDA, which may also have a place in rapidly-processed SARS-CoV-2 testing. But that will come down to the cost/ effectiveness calculations after independent testing which are not yet publicly available.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8450312/
Thanks – very encouraging developments for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.
My sinuses say thankyou
Would be nice to get, my essential worker at home has been getting tested once a week now for weeks on end, and he feels like his brain is shrinking. He coveres a huge territory and cold potentially by himself infect the half of the north island should he become a carrier. It would be so lovely to have these available – and affordable.
September 1: "A man has been charged with filing false candidate donations and obtaining a total of $15,000 by deception.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300396557/man-accused-of-filing-false-electoral-donations-obtaining-by-deception
October 4: Billy Te Kahika Jr to have jury trial for fraud, Electoral Act charges
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/billy-te-kahika-jr-to-have-jury-trial-for-fraud-electoral-act-charges/NYIIR5KZGAXB6VRO2QAEBWXRJI/
If found guilty, since he has been one of those most responsible for promoting the conspiracy theories, and undermining public health, he should be sentenced to being breathed on by a Covid patient until he gets it.
"until he gets it."
I don't think he'll ever "get it". He's too impervious to logic……….. Is that what you meant?
The issue here (ww.stuff.co.nz/national/300418067/the-mothers-struggling-to-feed-their-babies-while-the-state-keeps-all-their-child-support) starts with "Why is the State involved?"
Wasn't it because breadwinners left their families destitute and without any support at all. It seems those who had custody of the children became supported by the State via the DPB and that this was to be recovered from the non-custodial parent. Any the excess was then to be paid to the custodial parent. Where both parents have a financially supportive income, the State is not required to be involved but binding agreements should be reached between the relevant parties.
The next question then might be be, "Why is the State not recovering maintenance payments from so many non-custodial parents?"
Ode to FJK.
https://twitter.com/NewsroomNZ/status/1444376929239511044?s=20
😀 👍🏼
Can someone please explain three waters to me in two paragraphs. No links (I know how to google), and preferably keep the satire and sarcasm until after there’s a decent explanation.
Citizens and Ratepayers loose the ability to not spend money on water and sewage infrastructure.
Done by combining Council infrastructure into regional entities with professional management and board structures but with the minimum of elected representative control
Kind of like Watercare in Auckland
so they're taking management and infrastructure out of council control? Who is appointing managers and boards?
Don't know what Watercare is.
Yep, but really most of the management and control hasn’t been that flash, hence we had Havelock North and the one just north of Dunedin. Also a very bad thing in Queenstown in 80’s. And a huge wave of issues coming up from Councils that have kicked the can down the road with maintenance over the last 40 years plus
Boards will be appointed by panels comprising Council and Iwi appointees.
Under the new Water Services Act the professional boards and management will be accountable, elected representatives won’t be for some reason
Watercare is the entity that manages the 3 Waters infrastructure of the combined Auckland City
Wellington leaky pipes, Auckland's ongoing problems with shortages, and Environment Canterbury (ECan) becoming a political football, nitrates leaching into Chch water supply.
Poor management/ cost-cutting mentality/ capture by special interests, is endemic.
The main problem we have had in Wellington is that our Mayor(s) and Councillors have, since about the 1986 election, been devoted to building glamorous White Elephants rather than worrying about the infrastructure of the City.
There isn't anything glamourous about the waste water system. Let's build enormously expensive cycleways for a few lycra- clad idiots. They are much more fun to waste the ratepayers money on. Well they are all collapsing.
Same in Auckland.
same everywhere.
Got it in one there, alwyn.
Although I spotted a probably leak in a water main on the road outside my neighbour’s place last week. I meant to report it but got busy at home & forgot.
Driving in from the supermarket the next day (I exit via a different driveway to the entrance by our letterboxes) I noticed that the leak had quickly progressed to a very large puddle, with water gushing up in a plume about an inch higher than the water surface, & the road surface was collapsing into a hole.
I put the groceries away, went straight online to the Council website, & reported this.
Got an acknowledgement that it had been referred to water services, & a “ticket number”, within an hour, by email, which sayeth thusly:
………………………
“Your ticket has now been passed through for the attention of our Wellington Water team.
If you need to follow up with us please reply to this email or phone us on 04 499 4444 and quote reference number “SR-123456 etc.”
……………………..
A temporary patch job was done by the end of the same day. Next morning a truck crew was back on site at 8.30am. By early afternoon the problem had been permanently fixed, the hole filled in, & a professional-looking asphalt surface laid over top.
So, big ups WCC Water Team. 👍🏼 🐧
There’s also some issues around how the change will affect Councils balance sheets. At present these are underpinned by the valuation of the Councils infrastructure ‘assets’. Take them away and Council finances could get a bit wobbly. Government has wheeled out buckets of cash to solve the problem but there’s a bit of a gap between what Government is offering and Council valuations.
why not instead fix the Local Government Act so that local authorities are required to meet specific standards and be responsive to local needs?
What are the regional boundaries being proposed?
I mean, isn't the Havelock North fuck up a function of values and who was on council?
Labour's response is to centralise and semi-privatise, instead of taking the opportunity to improve democracy.
Semi-privatise?! I hope not.
One problem with local democracy is chronic shortage of funds. There was a small Council somewhere north of Auckland that buried itself in debt with water supply problems. And the tales of council incompetence are endless
those problems still need solving.
I think you are referring to Mangawhai WW "… the Mangawhai wastewater system with an estimated cost in October 2005 of $26.26 million that ballooned to a total cost of $63.2 million in July 2009."
https://www.interest.co.nz/bonds/60974/heavily-indebted-and-disgraced-kaipara-district-council-raises-fears-over-bailing-out
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/council-takes-former-ceo-to-court-over-wastewater-scheme-6064764
They are improving democracy by proposing getting Maori represented to 50% on water for the first time in NZ.
It’s certainly looking like corporatisation. But there are plenty of successful variants of this in operation already.
Long way to go on this one, but status quo isn't an option.
"But there are plenty of successful variants of this in operation already."
What would be some examples?
Yes, improvement for Māori, this is really good. Still doesn't fix the LGA or sort out the wider democratic issues there including what happens when there is poor management. Local govt really is the lowest form of democracy.
Just off the top of my head some successfully corporatised entities are:
– All of Christchurch Holdings and its entities
– All of Dunedin Holdings and its entities
– Auckland Airport
– Auckland Film Studios
– Kainga Ora's development entities
– Airports which are half Crown and half local Government owned eg Dunedin.
And yes they have all had major dramas in their 20+year existence. And there are also plenty of failues.
You may not know that Watercare's remit already looks after northern Waikato's water beyond Auckland. It's made plenty of mistakes but since metering and regular pricing tweaks we are far more efficient users of water than we used to be. They are required by law only to charge what is required to produce safe water services.
To me what is missing from the reforms is a national water price regulator. They are after all forming a system at least as powerful as the supermarket duopoly or as powerful as AIAL and CIAL.
Indeed. The super-city model in Auckland is deeply flawed, and it has been made so much worse by the way some of the elected officers operate., however I refuse to believe it cannot be improved.
No, that wasn't what caused it. There was a long government investigtion.
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/environmental-health/drinking-water/government-inquiry-havelock-north-drinking-water-outbreak/government-inquiry-havelock-north-drinking-water-outbreak-implemented-recommendations
are you saying it was on the MoH?
The reports, and resultant reform and legislative actions are available to you. No need to speculate.
You are always going to have those people, and their values on councils, and dominating councils.
No one gets elected to local government saying they are going to put the rates up and dig up the streets for the next 10 years. Even an infrastructure focus is hard, voters want things they cam see, like street works and rec centres, not pipes in the ground
that's two failures of democracy. That needs fixing and centralising water infrastructure won't do that. Wasted opportunity. We could be improving democracy.
The last local government reform we had nationwide was in 2002, which softened the terrible 1989 reforms with tonnes of democratic consultative requirements resulting in lots of promises and no funding to do them.
The last regional reform we had was in Auckland in 2010 which under Labour promised better representation for Maori but under National-Act was turned into a deeply undemocratic beast.
We had a little reform last year which made it easier for Councils to make Maori wards
We are also due for very large reform by proxy with the three replacement acts to the Resource Management Act. Coming to a Parliament near you.
None of the above is going to rescue our rivers, guarantee well priced and quality drinking water, or stop it being wasted by agribusiness on its astonishing scale. Just check out the mess in Otago Regional Council.
It cost around $80m to fix those issues, which is not that much considering the government is claiming we need to spend $185Bn on water infrastructure over the next 30 years.
Most councils wouldn't be able to afford it without massive rates increases and asset sales, which they won't do.
I did hear of a council that needs almost zero infrastructure upgrades because they did a deal with fonterra who did it for them (guesses as to what the return side of that non-transaction might be), but this isn't like power poles where you can red-tag the worst and replace them one by one over years.
There's infrastructure that has been ignored because it was buried, infrastructure that should have been expanded with population and surface development but wasn't, and almost all of it is buried under other infrastructure so that you have to dig through/past/around them to reach what you want to repair/upgrade. And half the time it only comes to light with a burst or a sinkhole.
if the money is there via three waters why can't that money be there via another system?
Funnelling central govt money to the councils who neglected their water supplies for decades?
Watch that lolly scramble.
We’re not to bad in Queenstown now, there’s a long line of developers Council can bend over and rape and pillage.
A quite recent occurrence, 30 years ago some really scary shit going down. Generally into the lake or rivers. Arrowtown came close to being shut down in early 90’s. Untreated sewage being discharged from sewage ponds (not working at all) into river
bonusses to having a huge tourist industry on your waterways, I guess. Chamber of commerce incentive to sort it.
Na. Ngai Tahu sitting across the table with arms folded and a stern look
🙂
Dr Te Maire Tau is chair of Te Kura Taka Pini (the Ngāi Tahu freshwater group)
"OPINION: When you get past the noise on all sides around the Government’s proposed reform of Three Waters services (drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater) the issues are simple. How do we ensure equitable, affordable, high-quality water services for everyone, while protecting human health and community assets?”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/126548058/three-waters-reforms-are-an-opportunity-to-share-our-strengths-working-together
Government is proposing to take a huge future liability off councils.
Hardly an ,"assets grab".
But the storm of bad faith right wing opposition will prevent that, and we will end up with another, camel. “Ask yourself why National is so against the three waters policy. It is not to keep three waters under public control. National don’t even agree with public ownership. It is because with central Government under much greater scrutiny than council’s, makes future privatisation, subcontracting to their mates, polluting rivers and dodgy irrigation schemes much harder in future”.
Something that has arisen because so many councils, run by inept old boys clubs, have stuffed it up.
Not sure if the structure proposed is the answer, but business as usual is not working.
National's objections mostly consist of inaccurate memes and Mis information as usual.
As they cannot state their real reasons without the public seeing right through them.
+1
This is an excellent summary.
Two minor additions which have caused some complaining – technically the infrastructure counts as assets, so removing them from the books may affect a council's borrowing ability, and the few places that arguably don't need to chlorinate e.g. Christchurch will lose the ability to make that decision themselves.
Longer term, there is always the possibility that National will change the deal and just sell the new entities.
On the other hand, professionally-managed water and funding and removing the arguments from long term planning.
jfc. Longer term as in next time National are in power? So short term really if we are talking about water.
Yeah, I dont get this big rush to centralization of public assets more localization with a firm govt structure to work within and ability to apply for and recieve funding from a fund for infrastructure is a far better answer better answer in my opinion…
Making these big entities is all fun and games until one day the National/Act partly or fully privatize it perhaps on the pretense of 'paying for covid' or decide to monetize it some other way.
Its a daft idea for a bunch of reasons.
Could see the Nats for example do something similar to Bradford reforms… keep the 'three waters' intact but then add another layer of 'retailers' who then charge for water at a local level and sell those off like the power companies.
The three waters are:
Due to years of local government failures and resultant illness in their communities, central government is proposing removing council control of these three water systems. Instead, four regional authorities will be developed. Ownership/ control of these is being discussed with some heat and little light. Details are a bit thin on the ground. Ownership of the water itself rather than the distribution systems is a particularly fraught issue, but not directly part of the proposal as I understand it, at this time.
Everyone wants brilliant drinking water and great systems for dealing with storm and waste water so they don't impact on waterways, lakes and ocean.
But no-one wants to pay.
It is one of those hypocritical things that right wing politicians say and then act otherwise. Councils should only do drinking water, sewerage, stormwater and roads.
Libraries, gardens, pensioner housing, electricity, holiday parks etc all should be done by the private sector.
Yet as these assets got sold off by those right wing politicians and businessmen who got themselves elected to councils did they move the money from selling those assets or from revenue generated if they kept them into maintaining and upgrading those essential systems.
Lots of projects to support private businesses – Hamilton's motor racing cost tens of millions of dollars, Napier Art Deco buses 1.3 million, sister sister projects to encourage trade such as Invercargills Chinese Gardens. I've never ever seen any of these projects that were actually originally instigated by councils themselves – they have always been proposed and driven by "business people" (sometimes elected and sometimes not) and the councils have to implement them.
So the councils have sold off many of their assets previously – or been forced to by wanky governments in the interests of privatisation) and don't have many assets left or income streams other than rates.
Meanwhile their under-investment in infrastructure – and often the removal of the more highly paid infrastructure knowing staff for lower paid newbies) is bringing them problems that they had every chance to prevent occurring but chose not to – despite saying that that is all councils should do.
I find it difficult to blame the council staff who fought many of these things and pointed out the need for them. Quite a few lost their jobs for standing up for this stuff.
3 Waters is about transferring control of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater (the 3 waters) from the democratically elected councils to four regional water entities.
It's essentially based on the 'economies of scale' argument, and is being promoted via a multi-million dollar advertising campaign and a $2.5bn compensation offer to Councils.
The plan has been roundly rejected by the vast majority of Councils (only 7 of he 67 are in support), and as the plan has failed to gain support, the government funded hyperbole has grown to a point of misinformation.
It's a dog of an idea.
Councils elected by the minority of people who vote. Three waters reminds me of the Priorities piece earlier today.
"Indeed, the Māori way of viewing things is to see the inter-relationships, i.e. the links rather than the nodes of networks. An integrated way of mātauranga Māori and Western science and of seeing both together could be the way forward"
If this is what Mahuta is up to I'll stay interested.
That's a terrific sentiment. But a number of aspects of 3 Waters rings alarm bells with me, including the 'we know best' approach being adopted by Mahuta etc to public opposition, the propaganda and misinformation campaign, and the idea that somehow centralising the management of these services will deliver a better result.
Three waters could cost individual households heaps a new tax outside rates and income tax.
Councils who have already got high quality water will subsidise those councils who haven't invested in good water care.
Labour are now in big trouble with Covid not brought under control Labour's honeymoon is over.If National find a new leader who connects with people the next election is going to be a close run thing.
So now Labour's under real pressure this 3 waters has been widely rejected as unworkable.
The Charge Brian Tamaki petition at https://www.change.org/p/nz-police-commissioner-charge-brian-tamaki-over-the-illegal-protest?redirect=false has topped 40,000 signatures.
Signatures pouring in. With a bit of luck they will be at 100,000 by end of day.
97,444 by 7pm tonight.
The prejudice and fear of people who can count beyond ten will decide the final number, not "luck".
Freedom, Freedom, Freedom,
Shout the angry anti vacs',
Sick of signs of Freedom fools,
With misinformation cracks.
Well here's a Freedom sign,
It will help you for your breath,
Go you and get vaccinated,
That is Freedom from your death.
Seems just about everyday there's another case popping up with someone going to hospital for unrelated reasons… seems Covid is pretty well embedded in some parts of Auckland seem to be asymptomatic or cases with minor symptoms for the most part.
Must be some much sickier people floating around surely… some of the negative quarantine hotel stories have probably made some very reluctant to seek help or get a test…
Gang members and transients find it hard to participate in "civilised" society. Contact tracers and cops have their work cut out for sure.
Anyone living on the proceeds of crime has to keep on getting out there and doing the crime.No wage subsidies for them .And along with that they would be very averse to getting tested and being questioned about their movements and contacts.
What the hell is going on in the heads of our judges? A guy fires a shotgun at a family in a car and gets home detention?
NZ is going to get like that movie "The Purge" shortly.
Auckland motorway road rage shooter's jail term thrown out, gets home detention instead – NZ Herald
Yeah, I read that apperently he had a gun because he had suffered a 'home invasion' fucking ridiculous the guy is unhinged enough to carry it around in his car… take the time to assemble and load it then lean out the window and fire it at a car to 'scare' them… I'll bet P is involved somewhere along the line…
“Simpson appealed, saying his jail sentence was not the least restrictive outcome in the circumstances and he also should have received home detention.”
…
“Justice Gault said Judge Wharepouri … gave too much priority, when sentencing the brothers, to the fact Dekota Simpson fired the shot. ‘In the circumstances, and having regard to the further evidence on appeal, I consider that was an error’…”
“The actions of Mr Simpson and his brother put the victims and public in considerable danger, and had significant victim impact,” Justice Gault added. “But the Judge accepted that Mr Simpson did not intend to hurt the victims. The lead charge was commission of intentional damage.”
Justice Gault said Simpson’s firing of the shot was not the only relevant factor, but there was a marked difference in sentences for the Simpson brothers. “The further evidence on appeal adds weight to the importance of Mr Simpson’s rehabilitation and reintegration, and of avoiding imprisonment as far as possible.”
He said 19 months’ imprisonment was manifestly excessive. “A sentence of home detention also better reflects parity between Mr Simpson and his brother.”
………………………………
What could have gone wrong? He hit the car’s bumper. He could have disabled the driver & caused the family to crash. I think this sounds like a case where “the least restrictive outcome” perhaps shouldn’t be available as grounds for an appeal.
My pick was 25-50 a day in Auckland at Level 3, after last weeks decision.
By the time it goes to 100 a day later this month it will have spread around New Zealand and thus Auckland borders will end. And we will all have community spread at Level 2.
When hospitals cannot cope (sometime in Nov/Dec) we will go to Level 3 nationwide in December and allow Kiwis to come in for Christmas (as Victoria and NSW are doing from November 1).
Key has got his way.
pardon? Key has not been in power fora very long time, the current government has made this determination.
Elimination was important.
Sounds to me like like the government's thrown in the towel.
Another day, another press conference, another whole lot of nothing about what the government is going to do to get through to the reluctants that are making it difficult to get to 90% vaccination among the eligibles (or even 95% plus of eligibles like Portugal has achieved).
Suggestion: Don't watch the press conferences.
I don't. I just check the written live blogs every now and then in between doing other stuff on my confuser.
Hardly, let it spread (and maxed out ICU capacity) is more effective than gift tokens and vaccine passports (if they can be obtained without proof of vaccination).
If the strategy is going to be let it rip goin' fowwud, I'm actually not hugely bothered about the effect that's going to have on the unvaccinated.
But it's going to awesomely fkn brutal on our medical staff, and on anyone in need of medical care while the letting it rip is actually ripping. So if that's the plan, I'd like to know what is going to be done to protect the staff and the other patients over that brutal time.
The only thing I can think of for that situation is the government issuing legislative instructions that when triaging needs to happen, unvaccinated covid patients are first on the list be triaged out.
Unfortunate news on your good cop/bad cop strategy for revitalising National. Gareth Morgan was contacted about proposing a vaccine segregated health system during the next election. But he said he doesn't want such an unpopular idea cast beside with his most logical proposal to euthanise everybodies household feline.
Thankfully New Zealand hasn't instituted an apartheid system yet, but the ugly way some smart people are talking, perhaps we're not far off..