Great news for dunners and future proofing for us all
The Government announced last week it was dedicating $19.97million of provincial growth funding to re-establish the workshop as a mechanical hub and heavy engineering facility to service KiwiRail's trains.
Most work at Hillside ended in 2012, after KiwiRail awarded an estimated $29million manufacturing contract to a Chinese company, in what was seen at the time as a terminal blow to the workshops.
The new investment meant KiwiRail would be able to earthquake-proof ageing buildings, get rid of asbestos, overhaul equipment at the site and more.
"…we know that the Wellington Twitteratti operate blacklists on secret Facebook pages naming anyone who has breached woke mantra (those screenshots will be embarrassing if released before the election), but the recent wins of censorship at Massey University and the Pride Parade abortion seem to have emboldened woke theology to new heights of dangerously alienating self importance."
In the mid 1970s, NZ saw one of the most shameful acts of politically motivated racist bashing in modern history. South Pacific islanders – who had been encouraged to come to NZ as cheap labour by a previous National govt. – were rounded up at dawn and iirc taken to Mt Eden prison to be interrogated. It went down as one of the darkest hours of our political history.
The idiots who put the story together claimed Norman Kirk was the architect of the policy when it was, of course, Rob Muldoon:
I'm sorry Anne but I don't think you will find your claim to be true.
The raids started in 1974 when we had a Kirk Labour Government. They certainly continued, and increased in scale when Muldoon was PM but they did start in Kirk's time.
Actually @ BG, it reminds me of an incident I encountered only a couple of years ago when one of those 'old school' type coppers came up to me in a supermarket (somewhere in NuZull up north from where I am) to tell me how embarrassed he felt having to witness what was going on at the time. I now realise he was probably on the 'force' at the time of those 'dawn raids'. We'd both witnessed the same thing.
Effectively dawn raids on a different demographic, and not at dawn. I wish to Christ now that we'd swapped details.
Kirk died in August 1974. Yes, there would have been an immigration led investigation to ascertain the extent of visa over-staying, but I doubt it had much to do with the Kirk government. It would have been part and parcel of the Immigration Department's normal work processes.
To infer as the TV item seemed to infer that the policy of targeting Pacific Islanders and introducing mass dawn raids was the work of Norman Kirk (who was a strong supporter of indigenous peoples around the world) showed gross ignorance on the part of TV1 news.
What's more it was TVNZ who produced the documentary linked to… which describes the entire episode in detail. They have no excuses.
‘Three-month visas were in place from 1964, and annual quotas were set in 1967. But because the 1960s and early 1970s were years of economic expansion and labour shortages, the temporary visas and quotas were not strictly enforced. While the demand for unskilled labour remained high, the government in effect turned a blind eye to Samoans and other Pacific Islanders arriving on temporary visas and staying on, or arriving in greater numbers than the quotas allowed.
Pacific Island migration in the 1970s
The 1974 immigration policy review reaffirmed the free access to New Zealand of those born in the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau. It also stated that Western Samoa, as a territory formerly administered by New Zealand, ‘holds a special place in the policy’.
By the mid-1970s, demand for Pacific Island labour had diminished. The tolerance towards migrant workers on temporary permits from Western Samoa, Tonga and Fiji came to an end.
The 1974 review sought to make a clear distinction between migrants with a legal right to remain permanently in New Zealand and those who had overstayed after entering on visitor or temporary permits. Enforcing the distinction led to dawn raids on Pacific Island households in Auckland, and other measures.’
.
but The statistics of prejudice A study carried out in 1985–86 was revealing: it showed that whereas Pacific Island people comprised only a third of overstayers, they made up 86% of all prosecutions for overstaying.
Citizens from the United States and the United Kingdom who also made up almost a third of those overstaying, represented only 5% of prosecutions.
Yes. The doco I linked to @4 and Bearded Git @ 4.2.1 does cover most of your points. What, in essence, happened: Muldoon took advantage of a situation to have a particular group of people targeted for party political purposes, and it was not the only time he did that sort of thing.
I recall the "list of 100" names of people he released to the press who were supposed to have been "Communists". It included people who were not – and never had been – members of communist organisations but their reputations were permanently damaged. If I remember correctly he was taken to court by a few of them and was forced to pay them a few bob in damages. Well, I expect the tax payer paid them. People in high places could almost commit murder and never be brought to account.
Don't get too bitter about it all though @ Anne. These master of the universe 'types' eventually fuck themselves up one way or another. The more you comment, the more I realise we've probably witnessed many of the same sort of shit going on. (why the 4.2.1.1 above).
The more you comment, the more I realise we've probably witnessed many of the same sort of shit going on. (why the 4.2.1.1 above).
It was 4.2.1. Yes I think we have. There are some seriously bad stories to tell from that period – stories that should be brought out into the open now that 40 years have passed.
There are actually a couple of things that could lead to positive change (as that history is starting to rhyme).
One is that people who've been part of it all. and don't like what they've seen, and who've taken it on…….. never EVER agree to any sort of confidentiality agreement. (In a way, it's a shame Hager did with his settlement, but you can understand why).
To my mind, it's all a bit sad that this coalition have, and are making unnecessary work for themselves, and as a result, have to waste so much time playing catch-up
A couple of things I'm keeping an eye on at the mo' are the growing number of allegations of bullying in the Federales (and there are more elsewhere); Maori 'versus' govt. relations re OT and elsewhere; and the RCEP negotiations.
Whilst Damian O'C might find he can grovel enough to strike a deal over the "2 cow" farmer in India (if he doesn't get choked to death on the way through pollution – and even that's going to be a hard ask), he might just find that down the track, the 2 cow farmer doesn't want a bar of it after what Shane said, and after how manyfamily members have been royally ripped by a 'lil 'ole NuZull experience
The problem with the Muldoon era is that he and his mates (not all of them were in parliament btw) used information gathered by Public Service departments to score political points and to conduct vengeful acts against those he/they perceived to be enemies. The fault did not lie with the agencies who gathered the information, but rather the way Muldoon and his lackeys chose to use them.
We saw similar behaviour by the Key government although as far as I know that government didn't target individuals to the extent the Muldoon govt. did.
It should not be any surprise to anyone that it is always National governments who behave in this way. It's in their DNA to be deceitful and act in a spiteful manner when it suits them. Example… the Winston Peters court case which started in the High Court today.
Was at the folks place on sunday who insist on listening to red neck radio. Sure enough on comes Rimmer whining about the proposal the govt has to monitor the cyber world over mis-information.
He stated the govt can't be trusted to do this so and offered no alternatives…my there's a surprise that old self regulated approach that's worked so well.
Also we're 'legalising' MJ in a referendum next year they said, you could almost hear the knuckles being dragged around the studio floor dog whistling up a storm.
I heard today that in Queenstown dealers are now lacing tinnies ($20 of cannabis wrapped in foil) with P!!!! Apparently it's an easy way to introduce and get kids hooked on P.
Yet another demonstration on why we need to regulate and legalise cannabis.
If a Queenstown tinnie is laced with P that’s probably the safest thing it’s got in it. Last tinnie I saw here was some unidentifiable combustible matter that may have been vegetative, with a strange chemical smell. When it was lit up it smelled like a burning gumboot. I politely excused myself.
That’s why we need to legalise and regulate cannabis
Maybe it's also a reason why we also need to think about the sad state of the world and life that causes us to need to keep swallowing, smoking or sucking on something to make it bearable or provide pleasure.
Fact is, folk get on the fries because they want to and because the shit is so popular, no one need bother lacing weed to attract new customers.
In the seventies moral hysteria had dealers lacing buddha sticks with smack and in 2006, TVNZ breathlessly speculated that marijuana was being laced with P, too.
Those moral outrages were arrant nonsense then and they're arrant nonsense today.
Julie Anne Genter wrote the members bill already before parliament. Outlined here:
Cannabis (including medicinal cannabis)
Make cannabis legal for personal use, including possession and cultivation.
Introduce a legal age limit for personal use.
Assess evidence from overseas jurisdictions with legal cannabis markets to determine the best model for New Zealand.
While waiting for broader law change for cannabis, remove penalties for any person with a terminal illness, chronic or debilitating condition to cultivate, possess or use cannabis and/or cannabis products for therapeutic purposes, with the support of a registered medical practitioner.
Accelerate the process by which medical cannabis products are licensed for use.
Lower barriers for manufacturers to submit new cannabis products for funding applications to PHARMAC.
I agree in regards to legalisation and regulation however I highly doubt that the economics of drug dealing allow the lacing of marijuana with a much more expensive substance such as methamphetamine.
A better argument, in my opinion, is that any regulations, specifically age restrictions, are not possible to implement in a black market.
however I highly doubt that the economics of drug dealing allow the lacing of marijuana with a much more expensive substance such as methamphetamine.
Yes, thought the same so I asked and the reply was…. P is cheaper than Pot.
I asked how.. response was… From a manufacturing/economic/labour intensive angle, weed takes 90 days to grow and maintain (power, water, security) and another two weeks to dry. Compared with hours to make P.
Except that marijuana is far far less expensive than P in pure monetary terms, that really is the be-all-end-all in these situations, unless we're talking about industrial-scale producers instead of the type of dealer who sells $20 worth a time.
You must have missed the consistent raids by Police to snare those serving to minors. You also missed the license renewal hearings in which alcohol sellers get grilled for really bad behaviour. Get out more.
Bad regulation amounts to just bullying by the state.
I was involved in a sting against alcohol retailers in my youth. The actions you are describing are because of a regulated market. They are actions enforcing the regulation.
I must have missed when the police raided the tinny houses to make sure they weren’t selling to minors. And when the gangs had to renew their license to sell marijuana and they got grilled for it. You’re coming across a little condescending.
Is your argument that current alcohol regulation is bullying by the state?
currently both are banned and thus adults as much as kids and their dogs don't have access.
And this – lazing weed with a stronger drug to create addicts is one of the scare stories that might have a bit of truth to it – is a reason, one of many, as to why cannabis should be liberated, legalized, regulated and taxed in the same way as is booze.
Depends whether mining ore or alluvial gold. Alluvial gold doesn't need chemicals like cyanide as separation is done on density. No problems with acid leaching either as everything has been well rolled down a river.
Tailings dams: got to wonder how well engineered they are, been spectacular failures of some for various reasons. Waihi is not that far from active faults & Coromandel has been known to get heavy rain.
Helen Kelly RIP – two years on, what Dylan has to say is fresh and shoulg be bright in our minds. This remaining bit and a full year coming, the pace needs to intensify, the moves be co-ordinated. Another term of Labour Coalition is essential.
The Smithsonian had a great image. What about some of the resorts in the Pacific sponsoring underwater statues that shelter the fish when the coral reefs are dead or suffering from heat? They could charge for trips in little submersibles and ask for donations for ongoing remediation of the reef.
This image was in a 2014 article – five years later why isn't this top news with massive projects?
Climate change and the Gulf stream with maps and coloured pictures. Almost as good as tv. I hadn't seen this explanation so here it is from the Beeb if you didn't see it in 2018.
During my youth I was fortunate enough to enjoy all that Motiti offered.
This decision has made my day.
Environmentalists and residents of a small island are celebrating a "significant" court win in their bid to protect fish and seabirds.
Six elderly kuia and kaumātua from Motiti Island took on the combined might of the Crown, local government, powerful iwi and the commercial fishing industry.
The tiny hapū won, backed by Forest and Bird "groundbreaking" rulings in the Environment and High courts in 2017 that gave local councils powers to regulate fishing to protect native species. But the Government appealed the decision.
Now the Court of Appeal has ruled regional councils can use the Resource Management Act to control fishing to protect biodiversity.
I'm just coming on interesting stuff – not trying to take over the blog! The weather is good, everyone spring planting?
Here is a great example of the overbearing attitudes to morality with an inability to decide what is perversion, what counts as prurience, and what is just simple pride of body or privately sexual. This teacher had an image of the privately sexual between her and her male adult friend who was also a teacher at the school; it was broadcast to the swine, and the school rubbished the pearls. Naked bodies are not bad, and we are not in Victorian times, and the uptight, prurient people who would sack a teacher and spoil her career have got dirty minds.
I think that part of sexual education for teenagers, should include full naked body pictures of both sexes and then discussions on having respect for each other, and what the teenagers need to know and want to know about growing up and the sexualisation seen regularly.
However there is a woman teacher, or was, who liked to fiddle with her Marlborough teenage pupil's penises. Now that is inappropriate, and has gone before the Courts.
So, what would you do as a fresh Green Mayor with a territory that encloses a mine permit on a massive trove of fossils, and wanting to make your mark?
And here it is Rosemary – I hadn't seen it before, very instructional. I think that it should be used by all secondary schools that want to turn out well-informed young adults. But as it contains material some will find of objectionable nature and against the mores of society, I place it here at the bottom of yesterday's post. So all the naughty boys and girls who make the effort to seek it out can enjoy it away from the main thrust of political argument that perverts our minds and limits our endeavours to make a better life.
This is sad. And the news piece is good because it fills in the background somewhat so we know what's behind it.
Over-production of racehorses and dealing with them brutally, tomorrow the wealthy callous will do it to us. Falun Gong and Uighur for instance. How do we get change?
Why don't they change the date for guy fawkes to a winter date move if forward 2 months less fire risk and more night hours.
That's awesome that the Koala Bears that were caught in a Australia Bush fire are being treated for their burns.
Money needs to be changed to a system that rewards good behaviour and does not reward bad behaviour.
Innovation to Create Equitable Neighbourhood is a great idea you app will be a great secess.
Yes it all comes down to the design if one puts enough effort into the design so everything can live in harmony in the Neighbourhood. Papatuanuku has been perfecting her creature design for billions of years.
What up set me is all the alcohol shops gambling bars all placed around low social economics places I smell something bad going down there.
Here we are this is a great idea installing a huge Solar farm to save carbon and putea. Congratulations on making the correct move for your business and Aotearoa.
The country's largest solar farm is to be built at Marsden Pt after Refining NZ decided to go ahead with the $37m project.
The solar farm will cover 31ha and is intended to reduce the cost of electricity for Refining NZ's operations at the Marsden Pt Refinery.
The solar farm will supply 26.7 MW – about 10 per cent of the refinery's electricity needs. The project was mooted earlier this year but has just received the approval of its board.
I say the opposite that mass migration in Aotearoa is designed to take Mana away from Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa.
How well if we only had 4 million people the percentage of Maori and our Pacific Cousin would be 40 % and that is when we can truly have a say on what happens on the political screen in Aotearoa. What I see is what is good for Māori is also good for our Pacific Cousin.
Its good that fireworks is being banned from the Taramaki Makaru volcano cones.
I tau toko tangata whenua advocateing a ban on driving on the beach in Taramaki Makaru the vehicle are making a mess of our shellfish living in that environment.
I great to see heaps of Te tamariki joining Te Kapa Haka roopu.
I say $26 million should have been spent on rooftop solar subsidies at 20 % that would could draw in $130 million private putea total investment in solar $156 million. We don’t need a satellite to tell us what we already know their is to much carbon being pumped into our atmosphere.
The way I see it national is the cause of these social security problems rents are spiking. Who kept making those statements there is know housing shortage who also flooded Aotearoa with new people. The Coalition government has made live much easier for the lower class look at what happen to Winz under a national government national prioritie is to line there own pockets.
Look a the garden lady do you think it's a coincidence that she is stepping down with what Winston is occupied with at the minute I think not.
The climate change deniers have bagged Solar and Wind power for decades now we can see that the combination of solar wind and batteries can be used as base load power. We have some back seats warmers who will not do the correct thing and back Aotearoa new climate laws I bet they will vote no.
Wind turbines at Kennedy Energy Park in Queensland.
The answer to the renewable energy industry’s biggest challenge is emerging in the Australian outback.
Early next year, one of the first power projects that combine solar and wind generation with battery storage is planning to start up in northern Queensland state. The Kennedy Energy Park, just outside the sleepy town of Hughendon, will combine 43 megawatts of wind and 20 megawatts of solar with a 2-megawatt Tesla Inc. lithium-ion battery
How do you end up with a person running a organisation that clearly knows nothing about the cultures of the people they have to interact with the most.
Its a good start to our journey to a zero-carbon future for our Mokopuna.
Mr Titi its OK for tangata whenua who are doing great in this system to cast judgement but your views are biest if only you could see what Eco Maori see you would soon change your mind.
Hine sue get people to donate start a give a little page. I think a bit of cheating has gone down.
That's awesome to see 3 Wahine Maori becoming lawyers.
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
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Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
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Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
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It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles and that ...
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 ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
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Great news for dunners and future proofing for us all
I am just about to post on that one.
Great news Marty.
Demolition work in and around Mercury Lane starts today for the K Rd underground station.
Have the Greens moved out of their office there?
Is Bradbury approaching peak self-parody??
"…we know that the Wellington Twitteratti operate blacklists on secret Facebook pages naming anyone who has breached woke mantra (those screenshots will be embarrassing if released before the election), but the recent wins of censorship at Massey University and the Pride Parade abortion seem to have emboldened woke theology to new heights of dangerously alienating self importance."
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/11/03/the-woke-cancellation-of-cindy-sheehan-helen-steel-plus-what-happens-when-the-wellington-woke-find-out-the-new-feminism-conference-venue/
If ever there was a 'best example' of the sheer ignorance among the media of today this one has to take the cake:
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/our-biggest-tv-moments-50-years-since-first-network-news-bulletin-aired-in-nz
In the mid 1970s, NZ saw one of the most shameful acts of politically motivated racist bashing in modern history. South Pacific islanders – who had been encouraged to come to NZ as cheap labour by a previous National govt. – were rounded up at dawn and iirc taken to Mt Eden prison to be interrogated. It went down as one of the darkest hours of our political history.
The idiots who put the story together claimed Norman Kirk was the architect of the policy when it was, of course, Rob Muldoon:
https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/dawn-raids-2005
The item starts at 1:42 mins. Sorry, forgot to include.
You mean at 1.12 Anne……thanks for the post btw.
Oops: that's what happens when you're doing two things at once.
I'm sorry Anne but I don't think you will find your claim to be true.
The raids started in 1974 when we had a Kirk Labour Government. They certainly continued, and increased in scale when Muldoon was PM but they did start in Kirk's time.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/ethnic-and-religious-intolerance/page-4
"Raids on the homes of alleged overstayers – usually at dawn, to catch people before they woke – began in 1974."
Most of the over-stayers of the time were not, in fact, from the Pacific Islands. There were more from Britain I believe.
Rubbish Alwyn it was all Muldoon…watch this video from 6.15 onwards
https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/dawn-raids-2005
+1
Oh how history rhymes. Turns out it isn't just one damn thing after another.
And these days, there hasn't seemed to be many "learnings going forwards"
But "ultimately"……the latest f'up is more likely to blow up in our faces
Actually @ BG, it reminds me of an incident I encountered only a couple of years ago when one of those 'old school' type coppers came up to me in a supermarket (somewhere in NuZull up north from where I am) to tell me how embarrassed he felt having to witness what was going on at the time. I now realise he was probably on the 'force' at the time of those 'dawn raids'. We'd both witnessed the same thing.
Effectively dawn raids on a different demographic, and not at dawn. I wish to Christ now that we'd swapped details.
I'm sure many of the police hated the whole thing…they are probably haunted by it to this day.
I'm sure many of the police hated the anti-Springbok tour thing in 1981 too.
I wish someone would thoroughly research that era. Nicky Hager perhaps. So many hushed up stories to tell.
Kirk died in August 1974. Yes, there would have been an immigration led investigation to ascertain the extent of visa over-staying, but I doubt it had much to do with the Kirk government. It would have been part and parcel of the Immigration Department's normal work processes.
To infer as the TV item seemed to infer that the policy of targeting Pacific Islanders and introducing mass dawn raids was the work of Norman Kirk (who was a strong supporter of indigenous peoples around the world) showed gross ignorance on the part of TV1 news.
What's more it was TVNZ who produced the documentary linked to… which describes the entire episode in detail. They have no excuses.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/immigration-regulation/page-6
‘Three-month visas were in place from 1964, and annual quotas were set in 1967. But because the 1960s and early 1970s were years of economic expansion and labour shortages, the temporary visas and quotas were not strictly enforced. While the demand for unskilled labour remained high, the government in effect turned a blind eye to Samoans and other Pacific Islanders arriving on temporary visas and staying on, or arriving in greater numbers than the quotas allowed.
Pacific Island migration in the 1970s
The 1974 immigration policy review reaffirmed the free access to New Zealand of those born in the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau. It also stated that Western Samoa, as a territory formerly administered by New Zealand, ‘holds a special place in the policy’.
By the mid-1970s, demand for Pacific Island labour had diminished. The tolerance towards migrant workers on temporary permits from Western Samoa, Tonga and Fiji came to an end.
The 1974 review sought to make a clear distinction between migrants with a legal right to remain permanently in New Zealand and those who had overstayed after entering on visitor or temporary permits. Enforcing the distinction led to dawn raids on Pacific Island households in Auckland, and other measures.’
.
but
The statistics of prejudice
A study carried out in 1985–86 was revealing: it showed that whereas Pacific Island people comprised only a third of overstayers, they made up 86% of all prosecutions for overstaying.
Citizens from the United States and the United Kingdom who also made up almost a third of those overstaying, represented only 5% of prosecutions.
Yes. The doco I linked to @4 and Bearded Git @ 4.2.1 does cover most of your points. What, in essence, happened: Muldoon took advantage of a situation to have a particular group of people targeted for party political purposes, and it was not the only time he did that sort of thing.
I recall the "list of 100" names of people he released to the press who were supposed to have been "Communists". It included people who were not – and never had been – members of communist organisations but their reputations were permanently damaged. If I remember correctly he was taken to court by a few of them and was forced to pay them a few bob in damages. Well, I expect the tax payer paid them. People in high places could almost commit murder and never be brought to account.
Don't get too bitter about it all though @ Anne. These master of the universe 'types' eventually fuck themselves up one way or another. The more you comment, the more I realise we've probably witnessed many of the same sort of shit going on. (why the 4.2.1.1 above).
It was 4.2.1. Yes I think we have. There are some seriously bad stories to tell from that period – stories that should be brought out into the open now that 40 years have passed.
There are actually a couple of things that could lead to positive change (as that history is starting to rhyme).
One is that people who've been part of it all. and don't like what they've seen, and who've taken it on…….. never EVER agree to any sort of confidentiality agreement. (In a way, it's a shame Hager did with his settlement, but you can understand why).
To my mind, it's all a bit sad that this coalition have, and are making unnecessary work for themselves, and as a result, have to waste so much time playing catch-up
A couple of things I'm keeping an eye on at the mo' are the growing number of allegations of bullying in the Federales (and there are more elsewhere); Maori 'versus' govt. relations re OT and elsewhere; and the RCEP negotiations.
Whilst Damian O'C might find he can grovel enough to strike a deal over the "2 cow" farmer in India (if he doesn't get choked to death on the way through pollution – and even that's going to be a hard ask), he might just find that down the track, the 2 cow farmer doesn't want a bar of it after what Shane said, and after how manyfamily members have been royally ripped by a 'lil 'ole NuZull experience
The problem with the Muldoon era is that he and his mates (not all of them were in parliament btw) used information gathered by Public Service departments to score political points and to conduct vengeful acts against those he/they perceived to be enemies. The fault did not lie with the agencies who gathered the information, but rather the way Muldoon and his lackeys chose to use them.
We saw similar behaviour by the Key government although as far as I know that government didn't target individuals to the extent the Muldoon govt. did.
It should not be any surprise to anyone that it is always National governments who behave in this way. It's in their DNA to be deceitful and act in a spiteful manner when it suits them. Example… the Winston Peters court case which started in the High Court today.
Yes – thought I was hearing things 😣
Was at the folks place on sunday who insist on listening to red neck radio. Sure enough on comes Rimmer whining about the proposal the govt has to monitor the cyber world over mis-information.
He stated the govt can't be trusted to do this so and offered no alternatives…my there's a surprise that old self regulated approach that's worked so well.
Also we're 'legalising' MJ in a referendum next year they said, you could almost hear the knuckles being dragged around the studio floor dog whistling up a storm.
I heard today that in Queenstown dealers are now lacing tinnies ($20 of cannabis wrapped in foil) with P!!!! Apparently it's an easy way to introduce and get kids hooked on P.
Yet another demonstration on why we need to regulate and legalise cannabis.
Indeed yes.
If a Queenstown tinnie is laced with P that’s probably the safest thing it’s got in it. Last tinnie I saw here was some unidentifiable combustible matter that may have been vegetative, with a strange chemical smell. When it was lit up it smelled like a burning gumboot. I politely excused myself.
That’s why we need to legalise and regulate cannabis
Maybe it's also a reason why we also need to think about the sad state of the world and life that causes us to need to keep swallowing, smoking or sucking on something to make it bearable or provide pleasure.
In the meantime, a P laced tinny for a recovering P addict would be akin to giving an alcoholic a beverage laced with booze and not telling them.
Cannabis needs to be regulated and legalized.
Thinking about the state of the world re swallowing, smoking or whatever, won't stop gangs lacing tinnies with P.
Peter That's just part of human society – people are always looking for something to make them out of themselves. Too far, too often though.
I think Homo sapiens have been swallowing, smoking or sucking on something for whatever reason since we dragged ourselves upright.
It's part of the condition.
So it would help that the substances we consume could be properly identified.
Let the people grow
Fact is, folk get on the fries because they want to and because the shit is so popular, no one need bother lacing weed to attract new customers.
In the seventies moral hysteria had dealers lacing buddha sticks with smack and in 2006, TVNZ breathlessly speculated that marijuana was being laced with P, too.
Those moral outrages were arrant nonsense then and they're arrant nonsense today.
Kids should be banned from cannabis full stop.
Lacing it with P not an argument for regulation.
Yes kids should be banned from it.
Lacing it with P is one of many arguments for regulation, but it needs to be legalised before it can be regulated.
At least next year we all get a choice. Now that’s a good thing for sure.
How?
What are your legislative measures?
From the performance of this government, following the referendum, there's a further term dicking around before we get to the legislating it.
Julie Anne Genter wrote the members bill already before parliament. Outlined here:
https://www.greens.org.nz/page/drug-law-reform-policy
The Greens wanted to have legislation ready to go following the referendum but you can thank NZ First for the ‘dicking around’.
No government policy then, and no government bill either.
The bullet points are just a set of questions without definitions or edges at all.
We don't even have a medicinal cannabis regulation regime yet.
Nothing will change next year – in fact there's a good chance the referendum question will be too hard to actually frame as well.
On this policy area I would rather see both sides of the house agree.
I'm sure both sides of the house will gladly agree to do nothing. Happy?
Really enjoying your input Arkie, thanks for your valuable insight, it's much appreciated.
There's plenty of info, measures, legislation from other countries to draw on.
No doubt many such questions will be answered next year, including what happens when the people vote yes, timeline etc.
No doubt? Really?
No one should seek to find truth in election year.
My bet is after the Parliamentary debacle of the euthanasia bill, Ardern will 'captain's call' it and dump the whole idea.
Plenty more useful things to burn your political capital on.
I bet you she won't.
Chocolate fish time?
It is part of the Greens coalition agreement. Ardern is not going to 'captain call' herself out of another term in gummint. You just talk twaddle.
I agree in regards to legalisation and regulation however I highly doubt that the economics of drug dealing allow the lacing of marijuana with a much more expensive substance such as methamphetamine.
A better argument, in my opinion, is that any regulations, specifically age restrictions, are not possible to implement in a black market.
Cannabis needs to be regulated and legalised.
Yes, thought the same so I asked and the reply was…. P is cheaper than Pot.
I asked how.. response was… From a manufacturing/economic/labour intensive angle, weed takes 90 days to grow and maintain (power, water, security) and another two weeks to dry. Compared with hours to make P.
Except that marijuana is far far less expensive than P in pure monetary terms, that really is the be-all-end-all in these situations, unless we're talking about industrial-scale producers instead of the type of dealer who sells $20 worth a time.
Stranger things have happened.
Every age restriction generates a black market.
Where you place that limit is a major instrument in the size of the black market.
There is a black market for alcohol? This is news to me.
Any regulation is superior to no regulation.
You must have missed the consistent raids by Police to snare those serving to minors. You also missed the license renewal hearings in which alcohol sellers get grilled for really bad behaviour. Get out more.
Bad regulation amounts to just bullying by the state.
I was involved in a sting against alcohol retailers in my youth. The actions you are describing are because of a regulated market. They are actions enforcing the regulation.
I must have missed when the police raided the tinny houses to make sure they weren’t selling to minors. And when the gangs had to renew their license to sell marijuana and they got grilled for it. You’re coming across a little condescending.
Is your argument that current alcohol regulation is bullying by the state?
I'm just waiting for anyone to put up a regulatory framework that will be good for New Zealand.
As I noted above, every age limit regulation generates a criminalizing line, which is what such stings achieve.
Plenty of people talk about a limit for personal use, but that's already in operation by the Police anyway in who they choose to prosecute.
I just can't see what the point of decriminalization is.
When things are up to police discretion there is an over-enforcement based on racial lines.
'Good for New Zealand' appears to be a nebulous concept also. If the framework provide above is flawed in any way, please point it out.
currently both are banned and thus adults as much as kids and their dogs don't have access.
And this – lazing weed with a stronger drug to create addicts is one of the scare stories that might have a bit of truth to it – is a reason, one of many, as to why cannabis should be liberated, legalized, regulated and taxed in the same way as is booze.
Yikes – environmental damage we do while we are looking for our 'precious'
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/environmental-disaster-gold-industry-180949762/
Gold mining = bird deaths. Tailings dams are full of nasty toxins and you better hope it's structurally sound Te Aroha.
I heard from a waihi local that the martha mine will be filled with water so the tunnels under the town don't collapse when it's finally all over.
Gold's like oil, valuable with many takers so the plunder continues.
Depends whether mining ore or alluvial gold. Alluvial gold doesn't need chemicals like cyanide as separation is done on density. No problems with acid leaching either as everything has been well rolled down a river.
Tailings dams: got to wonder how well engineered they are, been spectacular failures of some for various reasons. Waihi is not that far from active faults & Coromandel has been known to get heavy rain.
Helen Kelly RIP – two years on, what Dylan has to say is fresh and shoulg be bright in our minds. This remaining bit and a full year coming, the pace needs to intensify, the moves be co-ordinated. Another term of Labour Coalition is essential.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/01-11-2017/on-a-new-government-kindness-and-the-unfinished-legacy-of-my-mother-helen-kelly/
The Smithsonian had a great image. What about some of the resorts in the Pacific sponsoring underwater statues that shelter the fish when the coral reefs are dead or suffering from heat? They could charge for trips in little submersibles and ask for donations for ongoing remediation of the reef.
This image was in a 2014 article – five years later why isn't this top news with massive projects?
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/underwater-museum-180951559/
Climate change and the Gulf stream with maps and coloured pictures. Almost as good as tv. I hadn't seen this explanation so here it is from the Beeb if you didn't see it in 2018.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44875508
During my youth I was fortunate enough to enjoy all that Motiti offered.
This decision has made my day.
Environmentalists and residents of a small island are celebrating a "significant" court win in their bid to protect fish and seabirds.
Six elderly kuia and kaumātua from Motiti Island took on the combined might of the Crown, local government, powerful iwi and the commercial fishing industry.
The tiny hapū won, backed by Forest and Bird "groundbreaking" rulings in the Environment and High courts in 2017 that gave local councils powers to regulate fishing to protect native species. But the Government appealed the decision.
Now the Court of Appeal has ruled regional councils can use the Resource Management Act to control fishing to protect biodiversity.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/117140184/motiti-residents-win-significant-battle-to-protect-the-waters-around-their-island
+1
Oh great now the QMS is going to be managed by those inbred morons running tiny tinpot coastal councils.
Those MPI hardasses will serve them up like sushi.
The QMS is so bad any change cannot help but improve it.
I'm just coming on interesting stuff – not trying to take over the blog! The weather is good, everyone spring planting?
Here is a great example of the overbearing attitudes to morality with an inability to decide what is perversion, what counts as prurience, and what is just simple pride of body or privately sexual. This teacher had an image of the privately sexual between her and her male adult friend who was also a teacher at the school; it was broadcast to the swine, and the school rubbished the pearls. Naked bodies are not bad, and we are not in Victorian times, and the uptight, prurient people who would sack a teacher and spoil her career have got dirty minds.
I think that part of sexual education for teenagers, should include full naked body pictures of both sexes and then discussions on having respect for each other, and what the teenagers need to know and want to know about growing up and the sexualisation seen regularly.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/apr/19/lauren-miranda-teacher-topless-photo-speaks-out
However there is a woman teacher, or was, who liked to fiddle with her Marlborough teenage pupil's penises. Now that is inappropriate, and has gone before the Courts.
Didn't the Python lads do this already???
I'd link, but phone. Meaning of Life if memory serves…jolly good scene.
I'll have a look for that Rosemary. I can do with a laugh.
So, what would you do as a fresh Green Mayor with a territory that encloses a mine permit on a massive trove of fossils, and wanting to make your mark?
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/dunedin-council-wants-buy-foulden-maar
Well, if you're Mayor Arron Perkins from Dunedin, you slap a Public Works Act notice on its ass.
Boom, Mr Perkins.
Didn't the Python lads do this already???
I'd link, but phone. Meaning of Life if memory serves…jolly good scene.
And here it is Rosemary – I hadn't seen it before, very instructional. I think that it should be used by all secondary schools that want to turn out well-informed young adults. But as it contains material some will find of objectionable nature and against the mores of society, I place it here at the bottom of yesterday's post. So all the naughty boys and girls who make the effort to seek it out can enjoy it away from the main thrust of political argument that perverts our minds and limits our endeavours to make a better life.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDoQFcQEpOQ
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018720667/melbourne-cup-marred-by-footage-of-horrific-horse-killings
This is sad. And the news piece is good because it fills in the background somewhat so we know what's behind it.
Over-production of racehorses and dealing with them brutally, tomorrow the wealthy callous will do it to us. Falun Gong and Uighur for instance. How do we get change?
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/apr/11/china-hi-tech-war-on-muslim-minority-xinjiang-uighurs-surveillance-face-recognition
Kia Ora Breakfast.
Why don't they change the date for guy fawkes to a winter date move if forward 2 months less fire risk and more night hours.
That's awesome that the Koala Bears that were caught in a Australia Bush fire are being treated for their burns.
Money needs to be changed to a system that rewards good behaviour and does not reward bad behaviour.
Innovation to Create Equitable Neighbourhood is a great idea you app will be a great secess.
Yes it all comes down to the design if one puts enough effort into the design so everything can live in harmony in the Neighbourhood. Papatuanuku has been perfecting her creature design for billions of years.
What up set me is all the alcohol shops gambling bars all placed around low social economics places I smell something bad going down there.
Ka kite Ano
Here we are this is a great idea installing a huge Solar farm to save carbon and putea. Congratulations on making the correct move for your business and Aotearoa.
The country's largest solar farm is to be built at Marsden Pt after Refining NZ decided to go ahead with the $37m project.
The solar farm will cover 31ha and is intended to reduce the cost of electricity for Refining NZ's operations at the Marsden Pt Refinery.
The solar farm will supply 26.7 MW – about 10 per cent of the refinery's electricity needs. The project was mooted earlier this year but has just received the approval of its board.
Ka kite Ano link below.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=12282426
I say the opposite that mass migration in Aotearoa is designed to take Mana away from Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa.
How well if we only had 4 million people the percentage of Maori and our Pacific Cousin would be 40 % and that is when we can truly have a say on what happens on the political screen in Aotearoa. What I see is what is good for Māori is also good for our Pacific Cousin.
New Zealand at 5 million
New Zealand's migrant boom is good news for Māori. It empowers us.
In April 2003, the year New Zealand’s population hit 4 million, statisticians were predicting the country would hit at 4.8 million people in 2046.
Ka kite Ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/05/new-zealands-migrant-boom-is-good-news-for-maori-it-empowers-us
Kia Ora 1 News
I think that we should keep cash going some people like using cash.
I thank the 11000 scientists and Sir David Attenborough for letting Te Papatuanuku know we have to act now to minimise and mitigate Global Warming.
The Papatuanuku rarest Sea Gulls thriving in Christchurch the Black beaked Gull that's cool.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Its good that fireworks is being banned from the Taramaki Makaru volcano cones.
I tau toko tangata whenua advocateing a ban on driving on the beach in Taramaki Makaru the vehicle are making a mess of our shellfish living in that environment.
I great to see heaps of Te tamariki joining Te Kapa Haka roopu.
Ka kite Ano.
Nukutaimemeha is the WAKA my Tupuna sailed to Aotearoa on.
Kia Ora Breakfast.
I say $26 million should have been spent on rooftop solar subsidies at 20 % that would could draw in $130 million private putea total investment in solar $156 million. We don’t need a satellite to tell us what we already know their is to much carbon being pumped into our atmosphere.
Ka kite Ano
The way I see it national is the cause of these social security problems rents are spiking. Who kept making those statements there is know housing shortage who also flooded Aotearoa with new people. The Coalition government has made live much easier for the lower class look at what happen to Winz under a national government national prioritie is to line there own pockets.
Look a the garden lady do you think it's a coincidence that she is stepping down with what Winston is occupied with at the minute I think not.
Ka kite Ano
The biggest gang in New Zealand is cheating again they are sending the council down to stuff with me
The climate change deniers have bagged Solar and Wind power for decades now we can see that the combination of solar wind and batteries can be used as base load power. We have some back seats warmers who will not do the correct thing and back Aotearoa new climate laws I bet they will vote no.
Wind turbines at Kennedy Energy Park in Queensland.
The answer to the renewable energy industry’s biggest challenge is emerging in the Australian outback.
Early next year, one of the first power projects that combine solar and wind generation with battery storage is planning to start up in northern Queensland state. The Kennedy Energy Park, just outside the sleepy town of Hughendon, will combine 43 megawatts of wind and 20 megawatts of solar with a 2-megawatt Tesla Inc. lithium-ion battery
Ka kite Ano link below.
https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2019-11-05/answer-to-green-power-s-top-problem-emerges-from-sleepy-outback
Kia Ora 1 News.
That's good that Oranga tamariki is apologising to that young Wahine for their big mistakes.
Condolences to the people who died in the Remarkable in Queens Town family.
That's was shocking the family being shot by the New Mexico border.
That's sad that the study on Orcas in Antarctica has been cancelled. Why did the Canterbury University cancel it. A.
The Bear in the dumpster is qute.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
How do you end up with a person running a organisation that clearly knows nothing about the cultures of the people they have to interact with the most.
Its a good start to our journey to a zero-carbon future for our Mokopuna.
Mr Titi its OK for tangata whenua who are doing great in this system to cast judgement but your views are biest if only you could see what Eco Maori see you would soon change your mind.
Hine sue get people to donate start a give a little page. I think a bit of cheating has gone down.
That's awesome to see 3 Wahine Maori becoming lawyers.
Ka kite Ano.