Rentiers of all stripes are always detrimental to society. This has been known for better than 2000 years which is why both main religions have rules against usury.
Capitalism and private property encourage rentier behaviour.
You’ll be interested in this quote from Noam Chomsky:
“…free enterprise, [is] a term that refers, in practice, to a system of public subsidy and private profit, with massive government intervention in the economy to maintain a welfare state for the rich.”
The Rentiers certainly are supported by the government and easy money from the banks who want to make on interest and a sure bet they can get their dough back by selling up, subsidised by the accommodation allowance from the public’s tax wealth. And no CGT of course. Most of our MPs are at this selfish game.
Our young people being turned into rent-for-life serfs. This wasn’t the kiwi way not so long ago!
“A $5 million study by a team of Wellington researchers aims to boost children’s health by improving New Zealand’s housing.”
This makes me very angry. We already know that improving housing improves children’s health. Has it really come to this that the govt has to fund research to prove that it’s not doing its job? Incompetent is the only word I can think of, although soul destroying and mindfuckery come to mind as well.
Good luck to the researchers, but I’d rather the $5m was spent on implementation.
Our government failed in it’s moral duty to legislate for sound warm housing for all, rather leaving the issue of housing up to an unregulated market. Despite that, no one will be held to account for the preventable death of the toddler.
About four years ago, I met a registered nurse who was involved in an Auckland Health Board (?) research study into housing and illness that was costing $2 million.
Dunedin flooding (I assume the last date is a typo)
“MetService meteorologist Arno Dayson said in the 23 hours until 11pm yesterday, 160.2mm of rain had fallen in Dunedin, more than double the previous record for a full day (83mm in May 2010) since records began in 2006.”
I’m guessing the water table is full. Unless that’s clay on the flat parts of the city? The fire brigade were saying there was nowhere to pump the water to last night. Hopefully we’ll see some reporting on the ground hydrology not just about how the drainage systems couldn’t handle it.
That too. But from what I remember South Dunedin is still largely suburban sections with lawns and gardens. Will be very interesting to see what comes out of this.
South Dunedin is total suburbia. A few years ago I buried a big dog in the backyard, I got about 3-4 feet deep into the lawn & it was all rocky, sandy & there were large puddles of water. We are below sea level here, in what used to be dunes & wetlands, I remember it flooding this high about 7 years ago, though it only lasted a few hours. Water is def going down, slowly, now the clean up begins.
The backyard looked a bit like the Somme last night, but otherwise I’m ok. It had drained away by this morning. I have Lindsay’s Creek right behind my house, but there’s quite a high flood wall in place. I understand it burst its banks a little further up the valley, though.
This will be difficult for the corporate vaccination industry to sweep under the carpet (but I expect they will)….because teenage girls have voices and can be quite articulate about what is ailing them…unlike vulnerable babies who can only cry
‘Thousands of teenage girls enduring debilitating illnesses after routine school cancer vaccination’
In some people HPV infections may cause benign warts or cancers of the cervix, vagina, penis, oropharynx and anus. In particular, HPV16 and HPV18 are known to cause around 70% of cervical cancer cases. A vaccine was developed which was posited to provide protection against these and the population at greatest risk of developing cervical cancers was offered free immunisation provided by the state.
As with all immunisation in NZ it is not compulsory.
It is hard to get females to attend cervical smears regularly. In fact, there have been many campaigns organised to do this.
As you know, cervical smears pick up cell anomalies, and if identification, diagnosis and treatment is done in a timely manner, result in practically 100% avoidance of development into cancer.
Gardasil literature also reinforces the need for regular smears to continue.
Human nature and personal discomfort should be taken into account. There is likely to be many women, who – after getting their vaccination – will delay or avoid getting regular smears – convincing themselves that they are safe. This is a foreseeable problem.
IIRC, the Gardasil vaccination programme cost $160 million. There were indications that a rollout for teenage boys would also take place.
In order to have a more accurate smear test, I pay an extra $25 at my GP.
I would have thought the amount spent on Gardasil could be spent on subsidising more accurate tests, or on facilitating random re-checks on smears for quality assurance. (There has been a delay in errors being picked up on smear results because of a lack of investment in this in the past).
When this campaign was running, I looked into the vaccine in order to determine whether to get my daughter vaccinated. IIRC, the effectiveness of vaccine against HPV 16, and HPV 18 was offset by the replacment of those HPVs with more virulent strains in some cases – increasing the likelihood of cancer from a different HPV.
A very quick google search on a source you may find credible shows up a letter to the NEMJ: “… Our editorial raised additional unanswered questions beyond the concerns addressed by Miller et al., including overall vaccine efficacy in women unexposed to relevant vaccine HPV types, effect on cytologic abnormalities, and effect on disease caused by HPV types not included in the vaccine. The last question is particularly important, in light of the surprising report of vulvar cancer in a 22-year-old trial participant who received the vaccine1; vulvar cancer is rare (overall incidence, 2.2 cases per 100,000 persons) and occurs at a median age of 68 years in the United States.2 This finding and the cited unanswered questions argue for a cautious approach to vaccination policy until trials have been completed and fully reported.
George F. Sawaya, M.D.
Karen Smith-McCune, M.D., Ph.D.
University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94118”
At the time, I delved into reviews of the clinical trials, and peer reviews. I’m not going to do that all again. I’m guessing you have the ability to do so yourself.
Fundamentally, the human factor of avoiding smears because of assumed vaccination protection, is the one issue that was never dealt with adequately.
“In order to have a more accurate smear test, I pay an extra $25 at my GP.”
Sidestepping the vaccination debate going on here, do you mind me asking, Molly, what makes the more expensive test different from the standard cervical smear test?
I wasn’t even aware there was two different tests and need to find out more about it. (I had an abnormal result 25 years ago when I was a young un and try to keep on top of having regular smears despite the discomfort).
There isn’t a nurse available at the surgery that I go to that do the test so you need to be charged the Dr’s fee which is $43. For that reason I go to the family planning clinic where they charge $23. The Dame Margaret Sparrow clinic in fact, who coincidentally was interviewed on Radio Active this morning, about her life’s work and the contraception collection she has donated to Te Papa and is currently being exhibited there.
You don’t have to answer but I’d be interested to know how much you are being charged, all up. Any ideas where I can find out about this more accurate test?
Should be free btw, screening for reproductive cancers. Testing should be available to all, regardless of their financial status.
Hi Rosie, there is a free test. I have a very dour, but straight talking GP, whom offered a more “accurate” test a few years ago.
When I asked about it, she said that the processing allowed for more accurate results in finding anomalies. For the cost – around $25 – I took that option and have continued to do so. In this case, I couldn’t be bothered to do the research – as it is non-invasivve.
(Northshoredoc might know about it and the name of the supplier.)
Thanks Molly. Interesting. I asked my Dr about low cost/free testing and he referred me to family planning. When I asked them about it there was only the $23 option.
I was of the understanding that the screening process became more sophisticated and more advanced quite some years ago. Now I’m wondering if the older pap smears are still around and they may be free.
It is hard to get females to attend cervical smears regularly. In fact, there have been many campaigns organised to do this.
yep, this is a behavioural disaster in the making. I can think of better ways to have spent hundreds of millions of NZ health dollars than on some drug company’s unproven drug full of unknown risks.
As with all immunisation in NZ it is not compulsory.
Oh, how reassuring, at this late stage after all the pressure has been put on parents.
@ Molly …yes there have been bad side effects reported about this vaccine from the beginning…but it doesnt seem to stop them from promoting it or continue with blanket vaccination of young girls
…thank goodness my daughter was very skeptical if not rude about it and there was no way she would have taken this vaccination
The actual facts presented in the article: 8,000 “adverse drug reactions” reported related to HPV vaccine out of “many millions” of vaccinations administered.
No detail given on the criteria for reporting, whether people are more likely to report (vs other vaccines) because of the panic-mongering hype around the HPV vaccine, or clinical confirmation that the reactions were actually *caused* by the vaccine.
Given the infamous panic around the MMR vaccine – which many, many parents of autistic children “reported” was to blame for their kids’ condition – this isn’t really the killing blow to the HPV vaccine you seem to think it is.
Well, most STDs – not sure about warts offhand, or whether face-herpes or glandular fever counts.
And there’s always the “everyone should be celibate until marriage with a person known to be similarly celibate” bullshit, which is pretty reliable in the infintesimal proportion of folk who manage to apply it correctly.
And is the term “vaccine” applicable to bacterial diseases, in the same way that antibiotics only combat bacteria?
maybe NSDoc knows – the blanket “all” usually makes me hunt for counterexamples. ’tis an affliction of mine.
But encouraging condom use is definitely the most effective way of combating most STDs, including the 100% terminal STD called “life”.
But HPV can and will be largely eradicated by a vaccine that is many, many times safer than getting HPV.
Your spouting ignorance again. An effective vaccine will largely eradicate a disease. As an example, polio has been largely and almost entirely eradicated from most Western nations since the advent of the polio vaccine.
And is the term “vaccine” applicable to bacterial diseases, in the same way that antibiotics only combat bacteria?
A vaccine works by essentially teaching the immune system about the disease so that it recognises it and generates the correct anti-bodies when/if the body is actually infected by that disease. It doesn’t matter if the disease is bacterial or viral it still works the same way.
Given the infamous panic around the MMR vaccine – which many, many parents of autistic children “reported” was to blame for their kids’ condition – this isn’t really the killing blow to the HPV vaccine you seem to think it is.
What does “the killing blow” have to do with it?
The point is young women receiving damaging medical treatment paid for by tax payers and promoted by male dominated authorities. Parents have once again been pressured by authorities into giving children a vaccination for which they were not aware of potential awful side effects and the very minimal benefits. That’s unethical. That’s inexcusable.
Let’s be realistic, CV:
If gardasil was found to cause cancer at a lower rate than the current incidence HPV causes the same cancer, you’d still use the exact phrase “potential awful side effects and the very minimal benefits”. But it gardasil isn’t even that bad compared to getting HPV.
You’re patently unqualified and inadequate to discuss the science, efficacy, ethics, or medical effects of decisions to vaccinate or not. But that doesn’t stop you being a bigger medical propagandist than anything you claim about the MoH and ‘big pharma’ combined.
CV …
are you suggesting that humans should “get along” with hpv???
Did you not read the article in the Independent?
“In the UK, about 3,000 women a year are diagnosed with cervical cancer and it is estimated that about 400 lives could be saved every year as a result of vaccinating girls before they are infected with the human papilloma virus.”
The only issue here is that ‘big pharma’ must improve the vaccine so there are no, or very minor, side effects and that the improved vaccine ensures fewer people experience side effects
I read “gotten along” as co-existing as part of ecological history.
As for the statement “HPV kills people”, isn’t the current medical evidence showing that there are more than hundreds of HPV types and, from those, approximately 10 percent are cancer-causing ?
Whether the statement was delusonal (existed happily together and cooperated) or meaningless (simply existed at the same time) is a distinction about which I do not particularly care.
“In the unusual vaccine court, the government acts on behalf of pharmaceutical companies rather than the public, defending vaccine makers against alleged victims. Money damages are not paid by vaccine companies, but through fees collected from patients on every dose of vaccine.”
“Every visit to a doctor was met with rolled eyes,” said Mrs Ryalls. “Every mention of the HPV vaccination was met with hostility and ridicule. We were eventually referred to a local paediatrician who told her to push herself to get back to normal – ‘We all feel tired in the mornings, Emily’ was one of the remarks regarding her complete exhaustion.”
Health news: in pictures
Two years after falling ill, Emily was eventually referred to Dr Pradip Thakker at Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham; he used a tilt table test to diagnose PoTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), a condition where moving from lying down to standing up causes an abnormally high heart rate. By this time Emily was able to manage only three to four hours of school a week. Mrs Ryalls, who had built up a small publishing company from scratch, was forced to close it and become Emily’s full-time carer.
That adverse reaction reporting is still treated like this is very poor practice by health authorities and medical practitioners (although it does fit the pattern of chronic illness in general).
and the bit futher down where a health authority basically says too fucking bad people with chronic illness, we saved lives.
There’s actually no need for health systems or even pro-vaccine advocates to keep throwing people under the bus like this. Nor is it necessary to characterise adverse reporting as somehow hysterical.
I’d like to see a pubilc debate about the relative value of how lives are being saved and why those are used to invalidate the suffering of people still alive but whose lives and health have been destroyed. We already know that people with chronic illness are treated badly by society and the health system, esp people with illnesses that aren’t easily managed or treated by mainstream medical science., so it’s not surprisind that many related to vaccinations are going to farebadly. We can do much better.
The pro-vaccination lobby like to promote themselves as being rational, not evangelical. As evidence based, not dogmatic. As scientific, not belief driven.
Anti-vaccination is dogmatic, emotional and rejects medical science. FIFY
The ***behaviour*** of medical scientists is to constantly look for ways to prevent ill-health, and this includes to care about and try to remove the risk of side effects of medicines, vaccines…
Somehow on the basis of one person’s story about an unsympathetic perhaps arrogant doctor, you have invented a notion that ‘all’ those who trust in medical science are unconcerned about pain and side effects..
…if you are “offended” then maybe it is displaced…it may surprise you that many doctors also have reservations about some vaccines and they DO care about their clients and their own children and DON’T have them vaccinated with everything the drug companies push
…these doctors also RESPECT the opinions and experiences of their clients and the general public
…my advice to parents and girls is to shop around until you find a doctor who respects you , one that does NOT offend you or your intelligence and experience … or violate your wellbeing by pushing on you vaccines and drugs that could be harmful to your health…it should be informed and shared decision making , ultimately with the final decision up to you
Big Pharma and vaccinations are a billion dollar industry….not purely altruistic as you make out ….and there have been many mishaps and drugs withdrawn only under public pressure…after much harm has been done
“In her 2009 article “Drug Companies & Doctors: A Story of Corruption”, published in The New York Review of Books magazine, Angell wrote :[7]
…Similar conflicts of interest and biases exist in virtually every field of medicine, particularly those that rely heavily on drugs or devices. It is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published, or to rely on the judgment of trusted physicians or authoritative medical guidelines. I take no pleasure in this conclusion, which I reached slowly and reluctantly over my two decades as an editor of The New England Journal of Medicine …
( just one of many reservations from the medical profession)
Cheers, Chooky. I’m only slowly catching up with the HPV discussion here. I wondered, when I first starting reading this page this morning, if the discussion yesterday was sparked off by having something to do with the following …?
The ***behaviour*** of medical scientists is to constantly look for ways to prevent ill-health, and this includes to care about and try to remove the risk of side effects of medicines, vaccines…
Do you have a problem with that?
And the reason I’m offended is because CV chose to label all all those who know the value and importance of vaccination as somehow represented by the doctors who showed little sympathy to an obviously suffering person….
I remain offended – not just by CV’s insinuation, but now also by your outburst suggesting that somehow you think you know me well enough to suggest i’d be surprised that many doctors may have reservations about some vaccines.
As for your view that ‘doctors who are skeptical of vaccines really care about their patients..’ .(.oops you used the word “clients” which tells me more about your views than you profess to know about mine), is a stunning revelation – thank you.
And your quote from Angell …. spare me – this has nothing to do with the value and importance of vaccination, which is what I thought we were discussing on this thread.
Does anyone know why Labour aren’t catching the disgusting leakers? is there no desire to catch the traitors in their midst or are they just not organised enough?
It’s not that hard to catch leakers, just requires a bit of patience and discipline at HQ. These reports, and anything in print which is circulated, should always be created in batches with each batch subtly different to the rest.
With the wide use of spell checkers it’s easy to insert subtle spelling differences that wouldn’t be picked up, for example you could create a code of American/Englishisms. There’s all sorts of tricks that will eventually fool even the cautious; slightly varied phrases, using steganography etc. Over time you can narrow down the source of leaks and then start feeding a defined group even more doctored information until you catch them red-handed.
Maybe they did it on purpose to guage public reaction. change it and call the leaked doc a first draft… afterall there is a comment in the margin… now who would do that?
According to Reuters, an FBI official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Fifa’s decision to award the World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively are part of an inquiry that is looking beyond the allegations in an indictment published last week that alleged endemic corruption at the world governing body.
Q. Who nominated the FBI as World Police ?
Q. Will the FBI investigate Israel running an open air prison and illegally occupying lands against International law rulings ?
Q. Why did the FBI not arrest the heads of Wells Fargo / HSBC et al for their role in the biggest money laundering racquets in history ?
Q. Why did the FBI not arrest the heads of those same banks for rigging the LIBOR / FX rates globally ?
The FBI are charged with investigating crime that involves American citizens and companies. They are looking for evidence that bribes were paid to win those bids and others. Fair enough, I would have thought.
It’s hardly surprising that the FBI enquiry will go wider than the first indictment. Not the least because that’s normal procedure in every police enquiry ever. As more evidence is found, more charges are laid. But also because there’s going to be a lot of crooks who are going to grass up their FIFA colleagues to avoid long jail sentences. Chuck Blazer was just the first of many who will roll over.
I’m asking agencies to focus on the political corruption of their governments and hold others to account through international organisations… corruption which impacts the lives of the poor and oppressed… which doesn’t include football players, employees and hosts of fifa events.
Try this one where it’s suggested that the corruption at FIFA would never have been caught if the Americans hadn’t got involved. This despite the author pointing out all the corruption in American sports.
“And another technique of indoctrination is to cut back faculty-student contact: large classes, temporary teachers who are overburdened, who can barely survive on an adjunct salary. And since you don’t have any job security, you can’t build up a career, you can’t move on and get more. These are all techniques of discipline, indoctrination, and control.” (Noam Chomsky) http://voxpopulisphere.com/2014/08/10/noam-chomsky-the-death-of-the-american-university/
Does anyone know who is sending these Flag cards that have ben sent by post to most households.?. it looks very much like the same sort of requiest that we recieved from The League of Rights , anyone know.
National MP Judith Collins tonight released emails that show a $30,000 door that will separate Labour MPs from National MPs sharing a floor in Parliament House was opposed by the National Party.
Mr Hipkins confirmed tonight that he also received the letter from Mr Robb, that he had he canvassed his MPs and that they wanted the door.
@nzherald: Maori TV’s star broadcaster Mihingarangi Forbes has quit the company after complaining of management interference in the Native Affairs show
The Herald has been told Forbes’ resignation came after the Native Affairs team were told they were not to run a story on Te Kohanga Reo National Trust, planned for Monday.
How deep into our MSM does the corruption and protection of the privileged go?
As predicted by some The Standard commentators last year, the outstanding journalist Mihi Forbes is now gone. It’s all very much like a McCarthy purge.
IF there existed a media company in New Zealand where journalism still mattered, the lucky owners would be grinning from ear to ear. They would be skipping down the hallways after every meeting as they planned the creation of what could be the most powerful current affairs show ever to grace the screens of Aotearoa.
Not that many years ago, networks would have been clamouring over each other to seal the deal.
Mihingarangi Forbes & John Campbell are apparently both available, at the same time. The scope of content such a pairing could carry is rare indeed. An added bonus of course is how they could design a completely new show from the ground up. It’s akin to a rare celestial event, but the opportunity will no doubt be ignored because who wants to go to all the hassle of lifting their heads to look at the sky.
Needless to say I don’t expect to see this show on our screens anytime soon 🙁
( btw, i really hope I am wrong)
No, it needs to be a much bigger and much more collective/collaborative idea than that. It needs to be an idea which can raise $10M plus in start up funds, and which changes the landscape of independent news and journalism in NZ, permanently.
Not sure what is happening with scoop. There was another online initiative that someone was trying to do last year, something with different pay for service levels, can’t remember what it was.
all these existing players, including some big names, need to come together collectively to seek major donors who will contribute to something which will last a generation.
Don’t need major donors, just lots of small ones. It’s the chasing after major donors while ignoring all the small ones that is killing the Left in general as major donors tend to have a right-wing tilt to them.
completely agree Draco (and Tracey). What’s missing is organising. There is a huge amount of support to do something, just needs someone to step up and do it (some people, plural).
But it should be online content shouldn’t it? TV is last century and the net is where people are finding their info. If you had a video blog site with Campbell presenting a 5-10 minute clip on a regional issue/political issue and these uploaded throughout the day. You could have regional reporters working remotely and filing stories and then with the Campbell presentation providing the polish. That could be a reduced cost approach anyway.
I agree maui. I may not have explicitly mentioned online content but took it as read, in the environment of the discussion taking place, that designing a new show would/could/should be centred around online media.
TV, as you say, is so last century. It cannot be denied however it still has an ‘authority of legitimacy’, albeit undeserved. Even in these supposedly enlightened times, many people still suffer the delusion that if it is not broadcast on TV it is not ‘proper news’.
Crowd-funded think tank, campaign/advocacy group, networking facilitator and news outlet in Scotland.
What is Common Weal?
Common Weal is a ‘think and do tank’ campaigning for social and economic equality in Scotland.
We are a think tank, a campaigning and advocacy organisation, a news service, a social media hub, a network of local groups and more. We are also a philosophy of a different kind of Scotland and how we can achieve it.
Our goal is to achieve a Scotland of social and economic equality and environmental sustainability with a vibrant community and cultural life, widespread democratic participation, a high quality of life and cooperative working. We believe there are a series of key ideas which can explain how we achieve that kind of Scotland. These are all linked to a vision of what a better Scotland could be.
Common Weal is a non-profit company with a Board drawn from Scotland’s leading activists and campaigners. It emerged during the Scottish independence referendum campaign and began operating as an independent organisation in October 2014.
We have a team of 13 staff who are divided into four units. The Policy Unit develops carefully thought-through policy proposals, carries our research, engages a wide community in policy discussions and seeks to make policy engaging and easy to understand. The Parliament and Campaigns Unit then campaigns in the Scottish Parliament and beyond to make those policies happen. The Common Weal Local team support and coordinate a series of local Common Weal groups. Each is autonomous and pursues its own priorities but all share the Common Weal philosophy and seek to make it a reality in their own communities. And CommonSpace is a news service and social media hub which seeks to bring people together, help them to organise and provide them with the news they want to read.
Common Weal is entirely funded through lots of small regular donations from our supporters, and from some merchandising and events income. Every penny is used to support all the activities above, overwhelmingly by enabling us to employ our staff.
I’m just reading through the Food document (in the Library) which is impressive. They’ve merged socioeconomics with the need for localising food production and going smaller scale and resilient/sustainable, and tied in AGW as well.
More sexual abuse breaches of confidentiality by this Government. I suppose when the leader thinks constantly pulling a stranger’s pony tale is funny, that a paedophile loose in Chile is funny that attempted rape isn’t serious enough to warrant an apology, we shouldnt be surprised.
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Yesterday, Trump pardoned the founder of Silk Road - a criminal website designed to anonymously trade illicit drugs, weapons and services. The individual had been jailed for life in 2015 after an FBI sting.But libertarian interest groups had lobbied Donald Trump, saying it was “government overreach” to imprison the man, ...
The Prime Minister will unveil more of his economic growth plan today as it becomes clear that the plan is central to National’s election pitch in 2026. Christopher Luxon will address an Auckland Chamber of Commerce meeting with what is being billed a “State of the Nation” speech. Ironically, after ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). 2025 has only just begun, but already climate scientists are working hard to unpick what could be in ...
The NZCTU’s view is that “New Zealand’s future productivity to 2050” is a worthwhile topic for the upcoming long-term insights briefing. It is important that Ministers, social partners, and the New Zealand public are aware of the current and potential productivity challenges and opportunities we face and the potential ...
The NZCTU supports a strengthening of the Commerce Act 1986. We have seen a general trend of market consolidation across multiple sectors of the New Zealand economy. Concentrated market power is evident across sectors such as banking, energy generation and supply, groceries, telecommunications, building materials, fuel retail, and some digital ...
The maxim is as true as it ever was: give a small boy and a pig everything they want, and you will get a good pig and a terrible boy.Elon Musk the child was given everything he could ever want. He has more than any one person or for that ...
A food rescue organisation has had to resort to an emergency plea for donations via givealittle because of uncertainty about whether Government funding will continue after the end of June. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Wednesday, January 22: Kairos Food ...
Leo Molloy's recent "shoplifting" smear against former MP Golriz Ghahraman has finally drawn public attention to Auror and its database. And from what's been disclosed so far, it does not look good: The massive privately-owned retail surveillance network which recorded the shopping incident involving former MP Golriz Ghahraman is ...
The defence of common law qualified privilege applies (to cut short a lot of legal jargon) when someone tells someone something in good faith, believing they need to know it. Think: telling the police that the neighbour is running methlab or dobbing in a colleague to the boss for stealing. ...
NZME plans to cut 38 jobs as it reorganises its news operations, including the NZ Herald, BusinessDesk, and Newstalk ZB. It said it planned to publish and produce fewer stories, to focus on those that engage audience. E tū are calling on the Government to step in and support the ...
Data released by Statistics New Zealand today showed that inflation remains unchanged at 2.2%, defying expectations of further declines, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “While inflation holding steady might sound like good news, the reality is that prices for the basics—like rent, energy, and insurance—are still rising. ...
I never mentioned anythingAbout the songs that I would singOver the summer, when we'd go on tourAnd sleep on floors and drink the bad beerI think I left it unclearSong: Bad Beer.Songwriter: Jacob Starnes Ewald.Last night, I was watching a movie with Fi and the kids when I glanced ...
Last night I spoke about the second inauguration of Donald Trump with in a ‘pop-up’ Hoon live video chat on the Substack app on phones.Here’s the summary of the lightly edited video above:Trump's actions signify a shift away from international law.The imposition of tariffs could lead to increased inflation ...
An interesting article in Stuff a few weeks ago asked a couple of interesting questions in it’s headline, “How big can Auckland get? And how big is too big?“. Unfortunately, the article doesn’t really answer those questions, instead focusing on current growth projections, but there were a few aspects to ...
Today is Donald J Trump’s second inauguration ceremony.I try not to follow too much US news, and yet these developments are noteworthy and somehow relevant to us here.Only hours in, parts of their Project 2025 ‘think/junk tank’ policies — long planned and signalled — are already live:And Elon Musk, who ...
How long is it going to take for the MAGA faithful to realise that those titans of Big Tech and venture capital sitting up close to Donald Trump this week are not their allies, but The Enemy? After all, the MAGA crowd are the angry victims left behind by the ...
California Burning: The veteran firefighters of California and Los Angeles called it “a perfect storm”. The hillsides and canyons were full of “fuel”. The LA Fire Department was underfunded, below-strength, and inadequately-equipped. A key reservoir was empty, leaving fire-hydrants without the water pressure needed for fire hoses. The power companies had ...
The Waitangi Tribunal has been one of the most effective critics of the government, pointing out repeatedly that its racist, colonialist policies breach te Tiriti o Waitangi. While it has no powers beyond those of recommendation, its truth-telling has clearly gotten under the government's skin. They had already begun to ...
I don't mind where you come fromAs long as you come to meBut I don't like illusionsI can't see them clearlyI don't care, no I wouldn't dareTo fix the twist in youYou've shown me eventually what you'll doSong: Shimon Moore, Emma Anzai, Antonina Armato, and Tim James.National Hugging Day.Today, January ...
Is Rwanda turning into a country that seeks regional dominance and exterminates its rivals? This is a contention examined by Dr Michela Wrong, and Dr Maria Armoudian. Dr Wrong is a journalist who has written best-selling books on Africa. Her latest, Do Not Disturb. The story of a political murder ...
The economy isn’t cooperating with the Government’s bet that lower interest rates will solve everything, with most metrics indicating per-capita GDP is still contracting faster and further than at any time since the 1990-96 series of government spending and welfare cuts. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short in ...
Hi,Today is the day sexual assaulter and alleged rapist Donald Trump officially became president (again).I was in a meeting for three hours this morning, so I am going to summarise what happened by sharing my friend’s text messages:So there you go.Welcome to American hell — which includes all of America’s ...
This is a re-post from the Climate BrinkI have a new paper out today in the journal Dialogues on Climate Change exploring both the range of end-of-century climate outcomes in the literature under current policies and the broader move away from high-end emissions scenarios. Current policies are defined broadly as policies in ...
Long story short: I chatted last night with ’s on the substack app about the appointment of Chris Bishop to replace Simeon Brown as Transport Minister. We talked through their different approaches and whether there’s much room for Bishop to reverse many of the anti-cycling measures Brown adopted.Our chat ...
Last night I chatted with Northland emergency doctor on the substack app for subscribers about whether the appointment of Simeon Brown to replace Shane Reti as Health Minister. We discussed whether the new minister can turn around decades of under-funding in real and per-capita terms. Our chat followed his ...
Christopher Luxon is every dismal boss who ever made you wince, or roll your eyes, or think to yourself I have absolutely got to get the hell out of this place.Get a load of what he shared with us at his cabinet reshuffle, trying to be all sensitive and gracious.Dr ...
The text of my submission to the Ministry of Health's unnecessary and politicised review of the use of puberty blockers for young trans and nonbinary people in Aotearoa. ...
Hi,Last night one of the world’s biggest social media platforms, TikTok, became inaccessible in the United States.Then, today, it came back online.Why should we care about a social network that deals in dance trends and cute babies? Well — TikTok represents a lot more than that.And its ban and subsequent ...
Sometimes I wake in the middle of the nightAnd rub my achin' old eyesIs that a voice from inside-a my headOr does it come down from the skies?"There's a time to laugh butThere's a time to weepAnd a time to make a big change"Wake-up you-bum-the-time has-comeTo arrange and re-arrange and ...
Former Health Minister Shane Reti was the main target of Luxon’s reshuffle. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short to start the year in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate: Christopher Luxon fired Shane Reti as Health Minister and replaced him with Simeon Brown, who Luxon sees ...
Yesterday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced a cabinet reshuffle, which saw Simeon Brown picking up the Health portfolio as it’s been taken off Dr Shane Reti, and Transport has been given to Chris Bishop. Additionally, Simeon’s energy and local government portfolios now sit with Simon Watts. This is very good ...
The sacking of Health Minister Shane Reti yesterday had an air of panic about it. A media advisory inviting journalists to a Sunday afternoon press conference at Premier House went out on Saturday night. Caucus members did not learn that even that was happening until yesterday morning. Reti’s fate was ...
Yesterday’s demotion of Shane Reti was inevitable. Reti’s attempt at a re-assuring bedside manner always did have a limited shelf life, and he would have been a poor and apologetic salesman on the campaign trail next year. As a trained doctor, he had every reason to be looking embarrassed about ...
A listing of 25 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, January 12, 2025 thru Sat, January 18, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
After another substantial hiatus from online Chess, I’ve been taking it up again. I am genuinely terrible at five-minute Blitz, what with the tight time constraints, though I periodically con myself into thinking that I have been improving. But seeing as my past foray into Chess led to me having ...
Rise up o children wont you dance with meRise up little children come and set me freeRise little ones riseNo shame no fearDon't you know who I amSongwriter: Rebecca Laurel FountainI’m sure you know the go with this format. Some memories, some questions, letsss go…2015A decade ago, I made the ...
In 2017, when Ghahraman was elected to Parliament as a Green MP, she recounted both the highlights and challenges of her role -There was love, support, and encouragement.And on the flipside, there was intense, visceral and unchecked hate.That came with violent threats - many of them. More on that later.People ...
It gives me the biggest kick to learn that something I’ve enthused about has been enough to make you say Go on then, I'm going to do it. The e-bikes, the hearing aids, the prostate health, the cheese puffs. And now the solar power. Yes! Happy to share the details.We ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Can CO2 be ...
The old bastard left his ties and his suitA brown box, mothballs and bowling shoesAnd his opinion so you'd never have to choosePretty soon, you'll be an old bastard tooYou get smaller as the world gets bigThe more you know you know you don't know shit"The whiz man" will never ...
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.The Numbers2024 could easily have been National’s “Annus Horribilis” and 2025 shows no signs of a reprieve for our Landlord PM Chris Luxon and his inept Finance Minister Nikki “Noboats” Willis.Several polls last year ...
This Friday afternoon, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced an overhaul of the Waitangi Tribunal.The government has effectively cleared house - appointing 8 new members - and combined with October’s appointment of former ACT leader Richard Prebble, that’s 9 appointees.[I am not certain, but can only presume, Prebble went in ...
The state of the current economy may be similar to when National left office in 2017.In December, a couple of days after the Treasury released its 2024 Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update (HEYFU24), Statistics New Zealand reported its estimate for volume GDP for the previous September 24 quarter. Instead ...
So what becomes of you, my love?When they have finally stripped you ofThe handbags and the gladragsThat your poor old granddadHad to sweat to buy you, babySongwriter: Mike D'aboIn yesterday’s newsletter, I expressed sadness at seeing Golriz Ghahraman back on the front pages for shoplifting. As someone who is no ...
It’s Friday and time for another roundup of things that caught our attention this week. This post, like all our work, is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew and made possible by generous donations from our readers and fans. If you’d like to support our work, you can join ...
Note: This Webworm discusses sexual assault and rape. Please read with care.Hi,A few weeks ago I reported on how one of New Zealand’s richest men, Nick Mowbray (he and his brother own Zuru and are worth an estimated $20 billion), had taken to sharing posts by a British man called ...
The final Atlas Network playbook puzzle piece is here, and it slipped in to Aotearoa New Zealand with little fan fare or attention. The implications are stark.Today, writes Dr Bex, the submission for the Crimes (Countering Foreign Interference) Amendment Bill closes: 11:59pm January 16, 2025.As usual, the language of the ...
Excitement in the seaside village! Look what might be coming! 400 million dollars worth of investment! In the very beating heart of the village! Are we excited and eager to see this happen, what with every last bank branch gone and shops sitting forlornly quiet awaiting a customer?Yes please, apply ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to stand firm and work with allies to progress climate action as Donald Trump signals his intent to pull out of the Paris Climate Accords once again. ...
The Green Party has welcomed the provisional ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, and reiterated its call for New Zealand to push for an end to the unlawful occupation of Palestine. ...
The Green Party welcomes the extension of the deadline for Treaty Principles Bill submissions but continues to call on the Government to abandon the Bill. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced three new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ...
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. The Government has achieved its target to reduce the number of households in emergency housing motels by 75 per cent five years early, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The number of households ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the new membership of the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC), who will serve for a three-year term. “The Committee brings together wide-ranging expertise relevant to disarmament. We have made six new appointments to the Committee and reappointed two existing members ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora, good morning, talofa, malo e lelei, bula vinaka, da jia hao, namaste, sat sri akal, assalamu alaikum. It’s so great to be here and I’m ready and pumped for 2025. Can I start by acknowledging: Simon Bridges – CEO of the Auckland ...
The Government has unveiled a bold new initiative to position New Zealand as a premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy. “Invest New Zealand will streamline the investment process and provide tailored support to foreign investors, to increase capital investment ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced the largest reset of the New Zealand science system in more than 30 years with reforms which will boost the economy and benefit the sector. “The reforms will maximise the value of the $1.2 billion in government funding that goes into ...
Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead for all Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. In the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Speech in Auckland today, Christopher Luxon laid out the path to the prosperity that will affect all aspects of New Zealanders’ lives. ...
The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year. “That is completely ...
The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months. “There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don't fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job ...
Jon Kroll and Aimee McCammon have been appointed to the New Zealand Film Commission Board, Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “I am delighted to appoint these two new board members who will bring a wealth of industry, governance, and commercial experience to the Film Commission. “Jon Kroll has been an ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hailed a drop in the domestic component of inflation, saying it increases the prospect of mortgage rate reductions and a lower cost of living for Kiwi households. Stats NZ reported today that inflation was 2.2 per cent in the year to December, the second consecutive ...
Two new appointed members and one reappointed member of the Employment Relations Authority have been announced by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today. “I’m pleased to announce the new appointed members Helen van Druten and Matthew Piper to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) and welcome them to ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has delivered a refreshed team focused on unleashing economic growth to make people better off, create more opportunities for business and help us afford the world-class health and education Kiwis deserve. “Last year, we made solid progress on the economy. Inflation has fallen significantly and now ...
Veterans’ Affairs and a pan-iwi charitable trust have teamed up to extend the reach and range of support available to veterans in the Bay of Plenty, Veterans Minister Chris Penk says. “A major issue we face is identifying veterans who are eligible for support,” Mr Penk says. “Incredibly, we do ...
A host of new appointments will strengthen the Waitangi Tribunal and help ensure it remains fit for purpose, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says. “As the Tribunal nears its fiftieth anniversary, the appointments coming on board will give it the right balance of skills to continue its important mahi hearing ...
Almost 22,000 FamilyBoost claims have been paid in the first 15 days of the year, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The ability to claim for FamilyBoost’s second quarter opened on January 1, and since then 21,936 claims have been paid. “I’m delighted people have made claiming FamilyBoost a priority on ...
The Government has delivered a funding boost to upgrade critical communication networks for Maritime New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand, ensuring frontline search and rescue services can save lives and keep Kiwis safe on the water, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “New Zealand has ...
Mahi has begun that will see dozens of affordable rental homes developed in Gisborne - a sign the Government’s partnership with Iwi is enabling more homes where they’re needed most, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. Mr Potaka attended a sod-turning ceremony to mark the start of earthworks for 48 ...
New Zealand welcomes the ceasefire deal to end hostilities in Gaza, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Over the past 15 months, this conflict has caused incomprehensible human suffering. We acknowledge the efforts of all those involved in the negotiations to bring an end to the misery, particularly the US, Qatar ...
The Associate Minster of Transport has this week told the community that work is progressing to ensure they have a secure and suitable shipping solution in place to give the Island certainty for its future. “I was pleased with the level of engagement the Request for Information process the Ministry ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he is proud of the Government’s commitment to increasing medicines access for New Zealanders, resulting in a big uptick in the number of medicines being funded. “The Government is putting patients first. In the first half of the current financial year there were more ...
New Zealand's first-class free trade deal and investment treaty with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been signed. In Abu Dhabi, together with UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, New Zealand Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, witnessed the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and accompanying investment treaty ...
The latest NZIER Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion, which shows the highest level of general business confidence since 2021, is a sign the economy is moving in the right direction, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “When businesses have the confidence to invest and grow, it means more jobs and higher ...
Events over the last few weeks have highlighted the importance of strong biosecurity to New Zealand. Our staff at the border are increasingly vigilant after German authorities confirmed the country's first outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in nearly 40 years on Friday in a herd of water buffalo ...
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee reminds the public that they now have an opportunity to have their say on the rewrite of the Arms Act 1983. “As flagged prior to Christmas, the consultation period for the Arms Act rewrite has opened today and will run through until 28 February 2025,” ...
Complaints about disruptive behaviour now handled in around 13 days (down from around 60 days a year ago) 553 Section 55A notices issued by Kāinga Ora since July 2024, up from 41 issued during the same period in the previous year. Of that 553, first notices made up around 83 ...
The time it takes to process building determinations has improved significantly over the last year which means fewer delays in homes being built, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “New Zealand has a persistent shortage of houses. Making it easier and quicker for new homes to be built will ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is pleased to announce the annual list of New Zealand’s most popular baby names for 2024. “For the second consecutive year, Noah has claimed the top spot for boys with 250 babies sharing the name, while Isla has returned to the most popular ...
Work is set to get underway on a new bus station at Westgate this week. A contract has been awarded to HEB Construction to start a package of enabling works to get the site ready in advance of main construction beginning in mid-2025, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“A new Westgate ...
Minister for Children and for Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour is encouraging people to use the resources available to them to get help, and to report instances of family and sexual violence amongst their friends, families, and loved ones who are in need. “The death of a ...
Opinion: Architecture has the power to shape our lives, not only in our homes and workplaces but in the public spaces that we all share. Civic architecture – our public libraries, train stations, swimming pools, schools, and other community facilities – is more than just functional infrastructure.These buildings are the ...
Asia Pacific Report A co-founder of a national Palestinian solidarity network in Aotearoa New Zealand today praised the “heroic” resilience and sacrifice of the people of Gaza in the face of Israel’s ruthless attempt to destroy the besieged enclave of more than 2 million people. Speaking at the first solidarity ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Neale Daniher, a campaigner in the fight against motor neurone disease and a former champion Essendon footballer, is the 2025 Australian of the Year, Himself a sufferer from the deadly disease Daniher, 63, who ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Peter Dutton has chosen a dark horse in naming David Coleman for the key shadow foreign affairs portfolio, in a reshuffle that also seeks to boost the opposition’s credentials with women. Coleman has been ...
By Harry Pearl of BenarNews Vanuatu’s top lawyer has called out the United States for “bad behavior” after newly inaugurated President Donald Trump withdrew the world’s biggest historic emitter of greenhouse gasses from the Paris Agreement for a second time. The Pacific nation’s Attorney-General Arnold Loughman, who led Vanuatu’s landmark ...
ACT leader David Seymour is being slammed for his "extreme right-wing policies" after saying Aotearoa needs to get past its "squeamishness" about privatisation. ...
By Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor, RNZ Pacific manager RNZ International (RNZI) began broadcasting to the Pacific region 35 years ago — on 24 January 1990, the same day the Auckland Commonwealth Games opened. Its news bulletins and programmes were carried by a brand new 100kW transmitter. The service was rebranded as RNZ ...
If you believe Prime Minister Chris Luxon economic growth will solve our problems and, if this is not just around the corner, it is at least on the horizon. It won’t be too long before things are “awesome” again. If you believe David Seymour the country is beset by much greater ...
Opinion: New Zealand’s universities are failing to prepare students for the entrepreneurial realities of the modern economy. That is a key finding of the Science System Advisory Group report released Thursday as part of the Government’s major science sector overhaul.The report highlights major gaps in entrepreneurship and industry-focused training. PhD ...
I first met Neve at a house party in Mount Maunganui. She was tall, blonde and tanned. An influencer typecast. She wore a string of pearls and a shell necklace that sat around her collarbones, and a silk dress that barely passed her crotch. Her hair was in tight curls—I ...
The Angry LeftSummer in New Zealand, and what does Christopher Luxon do about it? He goes fishing. Unbelievable.And worse, he does it in a boat. How tone-deaf is that? There he is, fishing, at sea, in a boat that would be better put to some practical use, like housing. How ...
A Complete Unknown may be fictionalised but it gets the key parts right. What is biography for? Especially the biopic, in which years and people and facts must be compressed into a mass-audience-friendly, sub-three-hour format. And what does biography do with an artist as immortal, inimitable and unwilling as Bob ...
The pool is a summery delight for swimmers and a smart move from the mayor. Last week I walked through Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter, commando and braless. After smugly setting off that morning for my second swim at the Karanga Plaza pool, dubbed Browny’s Pool by mayor Wayne Brown, I realised ...
Following his headline act in the Christchurch Buskers Festival, Alex Casey chats to Sam Wills about spending two decades as the elusive Tape Face. It’s a Thursday night at The Isaac Theatre Royal in Ōtautahi, and the fly swats, rubbish bags, and coat hangers littered across the stage make it ...
In my late 50s, I discovered long-distance hiking – and woke up to a new life infused with the rhythms of nature. The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous support of our members.It began innocuously, just before my ...
The comedian and actor takes us through his life in television, including the British sitcom that changed his life and the trauma of 80s Telethons. You may know him best as Murray from Flight of the Conchords, or Stede Bonnet from Our Flag Means Death, but Rhys Darby is taking ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. Nearly every piece of advice or social trend can be boiled down to encouraging people to say “yes” more or “no” more. Dating advice has a foundation of saying yes, putting yourself out there, being open to new people and possibilities. The ...
Asia Pacific Report The Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network (FPSN) and its allies have called for “justice and accountability” over Israel’s 15 months of genocide and war crimes. The Pacific-based network met in a solidarity gathering last night in the capital Suva hosted by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and ...
Analysis - There needs to be recognition of the significant risks associated with focusing on mining and tourism, Glenn Banks and Regina Scheyvens write. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Andriana Syvanych/Shutterstock Most of us are fortunate that, when we turn on the tap, clean, safe and high-quality water comes out. But a senate inquiry ...
Analysis: Try as they might, Christopher Luxon and his partners in NZ First have been unable to distance themselves from the division caused by the Treaty Principles Bill, hampering the potential for further progress in areas where the Prime Minister believes the Crown and tangata whenua can collaborate.While the celebration ...
The Treaty Principles Bill continues to dog the National Party despite Luxon's repeated efforts to communicate the legislation will not go beyond second reading. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julia Richardson, Professor of Human Resource Management, Head of School of Management, Curtin University Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock US President Donald Trump has called time on working from home. An executive order signed on the first day of his presidency this week requires all ...
The prime minister says he can mend the relationship with Māori after the bill is voted down, and he would refuse a future referendum in the next election's coalition negotiations. ...
Forest & Bird will continue to support New Zealanders to oppose these destructive activities and reminds the Prime Minister that in 2010, 40,000 people marched down Queen Street, demanding that high-value conservation land be protected from mining. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Glenn Banks, Professor of Geography, School of People, Environment and Planning, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University Getty Images Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s state-of-the-nation address yesterday focused on growth above all else. We shouldn’t rush to judgement, but at least ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Minister for Health and Medical Services has declared an HIV outbreak. Dr Ratu Atonio Rabici Lalabalavu announced 1093 new HIV cases from the period of January to September 2024. “This declaration reflects the alarming reality that HIV is evolving faster than our current services can cater for,” ...
Acting PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says the ACT proposals would take money from public services and funnel it towards private providers. Privatisation will inevitably mean syphoning money off from providing services for all to pay profits ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudio Bozzi, Lecturer in Law, Deakin University Shutterstock On his way to the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro in November, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte to officially open a new US$3.6 billion (A$5.8 billion) deepwater ...
http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2015/06/martin_weitzman.html
An interesting discussion from the right on climate change apropos James Shaw’s position.
From Wikipedia.
‘Weitzman serves as a consultant to The World Bank, Stanford Research Institute, International Monetary Fund’
So a pillar of the neoliberal system, then….
The Herald’s editorial saying Key should accept Shaw’s CC offer,
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/climate-change/news/article.cfm?c_id=26&objectid=11459348
Yes, and if you think that’s bad look up Russ Roberts the interviewer.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/69058217/new-5-million-study-to-boost-childrens-health-by-improving-housing.html
Landlords….providing a valuable service, or exploiting both the NZ tax and benefit system to the detriment of the community?
Rentiers of all stripes are always detrimental to society. This has been known for better than 2000 years which is why both main religions have rules against usury.
Capitalism and private property encourage rentier behaviour.
100% DTB
You’ll be interested in this quote from Noam Chomsky:
“…free enterprise, [is] a term that refers, in practice, to a system of public subsidy and private profit, with massive government intervention in the economy to maintain a welfare state for the rich.”
The Rentiers certainly are supported by the government and easy money from the banks who want to make on interest and a sure bet they can get their dough back by selling up, subsidised by the accommodation allowance from the public’s tax wealth. And no CGT of course. Most of our MPs are at this selfish game.
Our young people being turned into rent-for-life serfs. This wasn’t the kiwi way not so long ago!
“A $5 million study by a team of Wellington researchers aims to boost children’s health by improving New Zealand’s housing.”
This makes me very angry. We already know that improving housing improves children’s health. Has it really come to this that the govt has to fund research to prove that it’s not doing its job? Incompetent is the only word I can think of, although soul destroying and mindfuckery come to mind as well.
Good luck to the researchers, but I’d rather the $5m was spent on implementation.
Good housing was known in the 1930s to be critical to good health. All the rest of this is just for the appearance of doing something.
Correct:
This death is a direct result of the poverty that capitalism produces.
A good pro bono lawyer needs to step up on that one.
+1 weka, CR and Draco.
Our government failed in it’s moral duty to legislate for sound warm housing for all, rather leaving the issue of housing up to an unregulated market. Despite that, no one will be held to account for the preventable death of the toddler.
About four years ago, I met a registered nurse who was involved in an Auckland Health Board (?) research study into housing and illness that was costing $2 million.
All this research and no effective responses…
I suggest follow up studies
🙂
Anyone seen this?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/69061635/chocolate-weightloss-study-was-a-fake-research-troll-reveals
Great example of how people and media get manipulated.
Just substitute any number of National’s policies, and it becomes frighteningly clear how easily people get taken in.
Dunedin flooding (I assume the last date is a typo)
“MetService meteorologist Arno Dayson said in the 23 hours until 11pm yesterday, 160.2mm of rain had fallen in Dunedin, more than double the previous record for a full day (83mm in May 2010) since records began in 2006.”
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/344634/record-rainfall-city-awash
Quite a few standardistas in Dunedin, hope you are all well.
Street still flooded, houses on corners of st where the road is deepest have been flooded, water has maybe gone down a couple inches, but very slowly.
I’m guessing the water table is full. Unless that’s clay on the flat parts of the city? The fire brigade were saying there was nowhere to pump the water to last night. Hopefully we’ll see some reporting on the ground hydrology not just about how the drainage systems couldn’t handle it.
I’m guessing that the land is covered in concrete, tar-seal and buildings.
That too. But from what I remember South Dunedin is still largely suburban sections with lawns and gardens. Will be very interesting to see what comes out of this.
South Dunedin is total suburbia. A few years ago I buried a big dog in the backyard, I got about 3-4 feet deep into the lawn & it was all rocky, sandy & there were large puddles of water. We are below sea level here, in what used to be dunes & wetlands, I remember it flooding this high about 7 years ago, though it only lasted a few hours. Water is def going down, slowly, now the clean up begins.
ok, that makes sense.
Do you remember what time of year the last flood was?
The backyard looked a bit like the Somme last night, but otherwise I’m ok. It had drained away by this morning. I have Lindsay’s Creek right behind my house, but there’s quite a high flood wall in place. I understand it burst its banks a little further up the valley, though.
Given that FIFA events seem to be allocated by bribe who paid who to have the Under Twenty held here?
charlie dempsey but with his votes over the years
Ask TRP
Its not a bribe its a facilitation payment
haha. talley could be a facilitation payer and the national party could be a facilitation payee. brilliant.
This will be difficult for the corporate vaccination industry to sweep under the carpet (but I expect they will)….because teenage girls have voices and can be quite articulate about what is ailing them…unlike vulnerable babies who can only cry
‘Thousands of teenage girls enduring debilitating illnesses after routine school cancer vaccination’
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/thousands-of-teenage-girls-enduring-debilitating-illnesses-after-routine-school-cancer-vaccination-10286876.html?origi
The Gardasil programme was always ill conceived.
Why was it ill conceived Molly ?
Seems a fairly sound concept to me.
In some people HPV infections may cause benign warts or cancers of the cervix, vagina, penis, oropharynx and anus. In particular, HPV16 and HPV18 are known to cause around 70% of cervical cancer cases. A vaccine was developed which was posited to provide protection against these and the population at greatest risk of developing cervical cancers was offered free immunisation provided by the state.
As with all immunisation in NZ it is not compulsory.
It is hard to get females to attend cervical smears regularly. In fact, there have been many campaigns organised to do this.
As you know, cervical smears pick up cell anomalies, and if identification, diagnosis and treatment is done in a timely manner, result in practically 100% avoidance of development into cancer.
Gardasil literature also reinforces the need for regular smears to continue.
Human nature and personal discomfort should be taken into account. There is likely to be many women, who – after getting their vaccination – will delay or avoid getting regular smears – convincing themselves that they are safe. This is a foreseeable problem.
IIRC, the Gardasil vaccination programme cost $160 million. There were indications that a rollout for teenage boys would also take place.
In order to have a more accurate smear test, I pay an extra $25 at my GP.
I would have thought the amount spent on Gardasil could be spent on subsidising more accurate tests, or on facilitating random re-checks on smears for quality assurance. (There has been a delay in errors being picked up on smear results because of a lack of investment in this in the past).
When this campaign was running, I looked into the vaccine in order to determine whether to get my daughter vaccinated. IIRC, the effectiveness of vaccine against HPV 16, and HPV 18 was offset by the replacment of those HPVs with more virulent strains in some cases – increasing the likelihood of cancer from a different HPV.
A very quick google search on a source you may find credible shows up a letter to the NEMJ:
“… Our editorial raised additional unanswered questions beyond the concerns addressed by Miller et al., including overall vaccine efficacy in women unexposed to relevant vaccine HPV types, effect on cytologic abnormalities, and effect on disease caused by HPV types not included in the vaccine. The last question is particularly important, in light of the surprising report of vulvar cancer in a 22-year-old trial participant who received the vaccine1; vulvar cancer is rare (overall incidence, 2.2 cases per 100,000 persons) and occurs at a median age of 68 years in the United States.2 This finding and the cited unanswered questions argue for a cautious approach to vaccination policy until trials have been completed and fully reported.
George F. Sawaya, M.D.
Karen Smith-McCune, M.D., Ph.D.
University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94118”
At the time, I delved into reviews of the clinical trials, and peer reviews. I’m not going to do that all again. I’m guessing you have the ability to do so yourself.
Fundamentally, the human factor of avoiding smears because of assumed vaccination protection, is the one issue that was never dealt with adequately.
“In order to have a more accurate smear test, I pay an extra $25 at my GP.”
Sidestepping the vaccination debate going on here, do you mind me asking, Molly, what makes the more expensive test different from the standard cervical smear test?
I wasn’t even aware there was two different tests and need to find out more about it. (I had an abnormal result 25 years ago when I was a young un and try to keep on top of having regular smears despite the discomfort).
There isn’t a nurse available at the surgery that I go to that do the test so you need to be charged the Dr’s fee which is $43. For that reason I go to the family planning clinic where they charge $23. The Dame Margaret Sparrow clinic in fact, who coincidentally was interviewed on Radio Active this morning, about her life’s work and the contraception collection she has donated to Te Papa and is currently being exhibited there.
You don’t have to answer but I’d be interested to know how much you are being charged, all up. Any ideas where I can find out about this more accurate test?
Should be free btw, screening for reproductive cancers. Testing should be available to all, regardless of their financial status.
Hi Rosie, there is a free test. I have a very dour, but straight talking GP, whom offered a more “accurate” test a few years ago.
When I asked about it, she said that the processing allowed for more accurate results in finding anomalies. For the cost – around $25 – I took that option and have continued to do so. In this case, I couldn’t be bothered to do the research – as it is non-invasivve.
(Northshoredoc might know about it and the name of the supplier.)
Thanks Molly. Interesting. I asked my Dr about low cost/free testing and he referred me to family planning. When I asked them about it there was only the $23 option.
I was of the understanding that the screening process became more sophisticated and more advanced quite some years ago. Now I’m wondering if the older pap smears are still around and they may be free.
yep, this is a behavioural disaster in the making. I can think of better ways to have spent hundreds of millions of NZ health dollars than on some drug company’s unproven drug full of unknown risks.
Oh, how reassuring, at this late stage after all the pressure has been put on parents.
@ Molly …yes there have been bad side effects reported about this vaccine from the beginning…but it doesnt seem to stop them from promoting it or continue with blanket vaccination of young girls
…thank goodness my daughter was very skeptical if not rude about it and there was no way she would have taken this vaccination
There are many stories about the assumption of consent being made at schools over the implementation of this vaccine.
And other personal stories about coercion and pressure being used on students that declined.
It did seem a little weird to vaccinate against one STD and not others.
We do vaccinate against other STDs where there are vaccines available Rosemary.
Unfortunately for most there are no vaccines available.
doc
is there a gender divide in std stats or does it afflict close to 50/50
Around 50/50 I believe with the longer term adverse outcomes being down to the differences in plumbing.
I’ll ask one go the O&Gs at tea and get back to you.
thanks doc. much appreciated.
As above Tracey, apparently almost all of us will be exposed as adults.
Thanks Doc, I wondered if more women than men (or vice versa) contract STD’s but ow to your access to that knowledge.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/06/14/editorials/hpv-vaccine-raises-questions/#.VVk2nEZF0q_
Japan
The actual facts presented in the article: 8,000 “adverse drug reactions” reported related to HPV vaccine out of “many millions” of vaccinations administered.
No detail given on the criteria for reporting, whether people are more likely to report (vs other vaccines) because of the panic-mongering hype around the HPV vaccine, or clinical confirmation that the reactions were actually *caused* by the vaccine.
Given the infamous panic around the MMR vaccine – which many, many parents of autistic children “reported” was to blame for their kids’ condition – this isn’t really the killing blow to the HPV vaccine you seem to think it is.
Whether one is pro or anti vaccination is immaterial when it comes to this particular vaccine.
A vaccine to give protection against one sexually transmitted disease when there are so many other STDs one can be exposed to seems illogical.
And those other STDs are getting harder to manage due to antibiotic resistance.
The only protection against the other diseases is the use of condoms.
No it doesn’t. If you only have a vaccine for one then you apply it. You don’t wait until you’ve got a vaccine for all of them before doing so.
A condom is the only protection against the spread of all STDs.
what?
Nope, can’t see what your problem is.
Well, most STDs – not sure about warts offhand, or whether face-herpes or glandular fever counts.
And there’s always the “everyone should be celibate until marriage with a person known to be similarly celibate” bullshit, which is pretty reliable in the infintesimal proportion of folk who manage to apply it correctly.
And is the term “vaccine” applicable to bacterial diseases, in the same way that antibiotics only combat bacteria?
maybe NSDoc knows – the blanket “all” usually makes me hunt for counterexamples. ’tis an affliction of mine.
But encouraging condom use is definitely the most effective way of combating most STDs, including the 100% terminal STD called “life”.
But HPV can and will be largely eradicated by a vaccine that is many, many times safer than getting HPV.
the vaccine has zero chance of “largely eradicating” hpv. not even at the global cost of $100B gifted to big pharma.
hell, talk about human hubris; hpv and its close relations are very likely to outlast homo sapiens full stop.
Your spouting ignorance again. An effective vaccine will largely eradicate a disease. As an example, polio has been largely and almost entirely eradicated from most Western nations since the advent of the polio vaccine.
ooooh, my smallpox has been acting up something wicked lately.
A vaccine works by essentially teaching the immune system about the disease so that it recognises it and generates the correct anti-bodies when/if the body is actually infected by that disease. It doesn’t matter if the disease is bacterial or viral it still works the same way.
one of several questions I’d like to look into further before saying “condoms prevent all STDs”.
What does “the killing blow” have to do with it?
The point is young women receiving damaging medical treatment paid for by tax payers and promoted by male dominated authorities. Parents have once again been pressured by authorities into giving children a vaccination for which they were not aware of potential awful side effects and the very minimal benefits. That’s unethical. That’s inexcusable.
+100 CR
Let’s be realistic, CV:
If gardasil was found to cause cancer at a lower rate than the current incidence HPV causes the same cancer, you’d still use the exact phrase “potential awful side effects and the very minimal benefits”. But it gardasil isn’t even that bad compared to getting HPV.
You’re patently unqualified and inadequate to discuss the science, efficacy, ethics, or medical effects of decisions to vaccinate or not. But that doesn’t stop you being a bigger medical propagandist than anything you claim about the MoH and ‘big pharma’ combined.
humans and hpv have gotten along for a very long time. humans and gardasil – hardly any time whatsoever. and it shows.
lol
“gotten along”?
HPV kills people.
CV …
are you suggesting that humans should “get along” with hpv???
Did you not read the article in the Independent?
“In the UK, about 3,000 women a year are diagnosed with cervical cancer and it is estimated that about 400 lives could be saved every year as a result of vaccinating girls before they are infected with the human papilloma virus.”
The only issue here is that ‘big pharma’ must improve the vaccine so there are no, or very minor, side effects and that the improved vaccine ensures fewer people experience side effects
I read “gotten along” as co-existing as part of ecological history.
As for the statement “HPV kills people”, isn’t the current medical evidence showing that there are more than hundreds of HPV types and, from those, approximately 10 percent are cancer-causing ?
Whether the statement was delusonal (existed happily together and cooperated) or meaningless (simply existed at the same time) is a distinction about which I do not particularly care.
And yes, “HPV types 16 and 18 cause an estimated 70% of cervical cancers“. Those and the wart strains are what gardasil is targetted at (interesting – didn’t know it did genital warts as well).
https://sharylattkisson.com/
Various subjects covered ….
“In the unusual vaccine court, the government acts on behalf of pharmaceutical companies rather than the public, defending vaccine makers against alleged victims. Money damages are not paid by vaccine companies, but through fees collected from patients on every dose of vaccine.”
https://sharylattkisson.com/
Definitely in the WTF category.
Vaccine court injury payouts are seen as a simple cost of doing business
RWNJ Benghazi truther says shit.
/
http://www.mediaite.com/online/cbs-news-sharyl-attkisson-also-presented-invented-benghazi-emails-as-authentic/
http://www.salon.com/2015/02/02/a_right_wing_hack_undone_sharyl_attkissons_white_house_hacking_allegation_takes_a_hit/
So you went looking for dirt on the journalist as opposed to reading the material and commenting on it
Clever boy
Any chance of you making a comment on the analyses of the vaccination injury court?
That’s a good solid article, thanks.
This bit jumps out at me,
That adverse reaction reporting is still treated like this is very poor practice by health authorities and medical practitioners (although it does fit the pattern of chronic illness in general).
and the bit futher down where a health authority basically says too fucking bad people with chronic illness, we saved lives.
There’s actually no need for health systems or even pro-vaccine advocates to keep throwing people under the bus like this. Nor is it necessary to characterise adverse reporting as somehow hysterical.
I’d like to see a pubilc debate about the relative value of how lives are being saved and why those are used to invalidate the suffering of people still alive but whose lives and health have been destroyed. We already know that people with chronic illness are treated badly by society and the health system, esp people with illnesses that aren’t easily managed or treated by mainstream medical science., so it’s not surprisind that many related to vaccinations are going to farebadly. We can do much better.
The pro-vaccination lobby like to promote themselves as being rational, not evangelical. As evidence based, not dogmatic. As scientific, not belief driven.
But what does their ***behaviour*** tell you.
+100 CR
Anti-vaccination is dogmatic, emotional and rejects medical science. FIFY
The ***behaviour*** of medical scientists is to constantly look for ways to prevent ill-health, and this includes to care about and try to remove the risk of side effects of medicines, vaccines…
Somehow on the basis of one person’s story about an unsympathetic perhaps arrogant doctor, you have invented a notion that ‘all’ those who trust in medical science are unconcerned about pain and side effects..
i’m offended
…if you are “offended” then maybe it is displaced…it may surprise you that many doctors also have reservations about some vaccines and they DO care about their clients and their own children and DON’T have them vaccinated with everything the drug companies push
…these doctors also RESPECT the opinions and experiences of their clients and the general public
…my advice to parents and girls is to shop around until you find a doctor who respects you , one that does NOT offend you or your intelligence and experience … or violate your wellbeing by pushing on you vaccines and drugs that could be harmful to your health…it should be informed and shared decision making , ultimately with the final decision up to you
Big Pharma and vaccinations are a billion dollar industry….not purely altruistic as you make out ….and there have been many mishaps and drugs withdrawn only under public pressure…after much harm has been done
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcia_Angell
“In her 2009 article “Drug Companies & Doctors: A Story of Corruption”, published in The New York Review of Books magazine, Angell wrote :[7]
…Similar conflicts of interest and biases exist in virtually every field of medicine, particularly those that rely heavily on drugs or devices. It is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published, or to rely on the judgment of trusted physicians or authoritative medical guidelines. I take no pleasure in this conclusion, which I reached slowly and reluctantly over my two decades as an editor of The New England Journal of Medicine …
( just one of many reservations from the medical profession)
Cheers, Chooky. I’m only slowly catching up with the HPV discussion here. I wondered, when I first starting reading this page this morning, if the discussion yesterday was sparked off by having something to do with the following …?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/69091525/hpv-vaccination-report-should-not-scare-parents-health-professionals-say
chooky re-read what I wrote:
The ***behaviour*** of medical scientists is to constantly look for ways to prevent ill-health, and this includes to care about and try to remove the risk of side effects of medicines, vaccines…
Do you have a problem with that?
And the reason I’m offended is because CV chose to label all all those who know the value and importance of vaccination as somehow represented by the doctors who showed little sympathy to an obviously suffering person….
I remain offended – not just by CV’s insinuation, but now also by your outburst suggesting that somehow you think you know me well enough to suggest i’d be surprised that many doctors may have reservations about some vaccines.
As for your view that ‘doctors who are skeptical of vaccines really care about their patients..’ .(.oops you used the word “clients” which tells me more about your views than you profess to know about mine), is a stunning revelation – thank you.
And your quote from Angell …. spare me – this has nothing to do with the value and importance of vaccination, which is what I thought we were discussing on this thread.
If you want to talk about the judgement of trusted physicians please direct your attention to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Wakefield
More disturbing news from the UK
‘Threat to scrap Human Rights Act could see UK follow Nazi example, warns UN official’
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/threat-to-scrap-human-rights-act-could-see-uk-follow-nazi-example-warns-un-official-10287557.html
Well, a few of people have been saying that the West has been becoming fascist for quite a while now. This is just one more example.
Does anyone know why Labour aren’t catching the disgusting leakers? is there no desire to catch the traitors in their midst or are they just not organised enough?
It’s not that hard to catch leakers, just requires a bit of patience and discipline at HQ. These reports, and anything in print which is circulated, should always be created in batches with each batch subtly different to the rest.
With the wide use of spell checkers it’s easy to insert subtle spelling differences that wouldn’t be picked up, for example you could create a code of American/Englishisms. There’s all sorts of tricks that will eventually fool even the cautious; slightly varied phrases, using steganography etc. Over time you can narrow down the source of leaks and then start feeding a defined group even more doctored information until you catch them red-handed.
Maybe they did it on purpose to guage public reaction. change it and call the leaked doc a first draft… afterall there is a comment in the margin… now who would do that?
You don’t even have to do visible spelling changes.
Punctuation changes – from , to -. or from : to – are impossible to detect when reading a single copy.
Invisible characters that will get picked up from a “cut and paste” are also possible.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jun/03/fbi-investigating-fifa-2018-2022-world-cup
According to Reuters, an FBI official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Fifa’s decision to award the World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively are part of an inquiry that is looking beyond the allegations in an indictment published last week that alleged endemic corruption at the world governing body.
Q. Who nominated the FBI as World Police ?
Q. Will the FBI investigate Israel running an open air prison and illegally occupying lands against International law rulings ?
Q. Why did the FBI not arrest the heads of Wells Fargo / HSBC et al for their role in the biggest money laundering racquets in history ?
Q. Why did the FBI not arrest the heads of those same banks for rigging the LIBOR / FX rates globally ?
SHAM / FARCE
The FBI are charged with investigating crime that involves American citizens and companies. They are looking for evidence that bribes were paid to win those bids and others. Fair enough, I would have thought.
It’s hardly surprising that the FBI enquiry will go wider than the first indictment. Not the least because that’s normal procedure in every police enquiry ever. As more evidence is found, more charges are laid. But also because there’s going to be a lot of crooks who are going to grass up their FIFA colleagues to avoid long jail sentences. Chuck Blazer was just the first of many who will roll over.
The FBI are charged with investigating crime that involves American citizens and companies.
The FBI are instructed as to who/what they can investigate and when they are to investigate
FIFY
Chuck Blazer – ‘ I waited xx years before saying anything at all’ – A stand up bloke
Bed wetters of the world come together
SHAME / FARCE
Meaningless dribble, Murphey. Are you Gareth Bale in disguise?
Leaving aside the ‘I won’t be playing’ response – Are you Darren Anderton in disguise ?
The FBI are a sham / farce / joke / for hire agency parading around on behalf of whoever has instructed them to act
How dare you impugn a good Tottenham boy.
more importantly why arent they coming down harder on various corrupt acts by govts around the world. i love the beautiful game …..but
Q. Are you asking for the FBI to be acting against world governments ?
nope.
I’m asking agencies to focus on the political corruption of their governments and hold others to account through international organisations… corruption which impacts the lives of the poor and oppressed… which doesn’t include football players, employees and hosts of fifa events.
Understand and agree
Is it just me, or does anyone else get the feeling that Blatter is the spitting image of Key, just a few years older?
Just you
Not in looks but in MO definatly , I would imagine key idolizes the likes of Blatter .
Try this one where it’s suggested that the corruption at FIFA would never have been caught if the Americans hadn’t got involved. This despite the author pointing out all the corruption in American sports.
The record rainfall in Dunedin was a record for the last 9 years
And hardly compares with the 12 inches that fell in 1923
Nice bit of info there Ray (12″ = 305mm)
TPPA relevations:
http://rt.com/news/264745-wikileaks-secret-tisa-documents/
“And another technique of indoctrination is to cut back faculty-student contact: large classes, temporary teachers who are overburdened, who can barely survive on an adjunct salary. And since you don’t have any job security, you can’t build up a career, you can’t move on and get more. These are all techniques of discipline, indoctrination, and control.” (Noam Chomsky)
http://voxpopulisphere.com/2014/08/10/noam-chomsky-the-death-of-the-american-university/
Does anyone know who is sending these Flag cards that have ben sent by post to most households.?. it looks very much like the same sort of requiest that we recieved from The League of Rights , anyone know.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11459417
National MP Judith Collins tonight released emails that show a $30,000 door that will separate Labour MPs from National MPs sharing a floor in Parliament House was opposed by the National Party.
Mr Hipkins confirmed tonight that he also received the letter from Mr Robb, that he had he canvassed his MPs and that they wanted the door.
Yep
but she deleted her own emails rather than give them to an enquiry, this ‘nothing to fear nothing to hide” person of the public purse you write of.
Audrey Young is on the ball, isn’t she. In fact she was so quick to pimp for Collins that she lost the ability to write English
“Mr Macindoe’s reply her and the six other MPs he consulted says:…”
To hard to admit Collins dealt to Hipkins? (although Hipkins made it pretty easy for her)
Just pointing out the hypocrisy PR, sorry if I was too subtle.
Hipkins, he is in the Labour Party right?
Another one bites the dust,
@nzherald: Maori TV’s star broadcaster Mihingarangi Forbes has quit the company after complaining of management interference in the Native Affairs show
Star Maori TV broadcaster Mihingarangi Forbes quits
How deep into our MSM does the corruption and protection of the privileged go?
What has the Maori Party had to say, about the resignation and the story not being run?
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/275358/charter-schools-report-top-marks
The models looking good so far
can you confirm their total funding per student compared to public school funding per student? Thanks in advance.
As predicted by some The Standard commentators last year, the outstanding journalist Mihi Forbes is now gone. It’s all very much like a McCarthy purge.
Karen and Rawshark-yeshe were prescient
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-22102014/#comment-915334
John Campbell and Mihinragi Forbes two top reporters needing a vehicle for there reporting. Surely there’s a way ?
IF there existed a media company in New Zealand where journalism still mattered, the lucky owners would be grinning from ear to ear. They would be skipping down the hallways after every meeting as they planned the creation of what could be the most powerful current affairs show ever to grace the screens of Aotearoa.
Not that many years ago, networks would have been clamouring over each other to seal the deal.
Mihingarangi Forbes & John Campbell are apparently both available, at the same time. The scope of content such a pairing could carry is rare indeed. An added bonus of course is how they could design a completely new show from the ground up. It’s akin to a rare celestial event, but the opportunity will no doubt be ignored because who wants to go to all the hassle of lifting their heads to look at the sky.
Needless to say I don’t expect to see this show on our screens anytime soon 🙁
( btw, i really hope I am wrong)
crowdfunding for SCOOP to take on mihingarani Forbes
No, it needs to be a much bigger and much more collective/collaborative idea than that. It needs to be an idea which can raise $10M plus in start up funds, and which changes the landscape of independent news and journalism in NZ, permanently.
i was looking at an idea to employ 1 great journalist with resources.
but you go ahead with your idea instead. i will donate. let me know when you are open for donations.
I’ve already written to a few people about the concept. Thank you for your support tracey.
thers alot of disgruntled cl supporters out there.
this is a one time opportunity to change the face of independent media in nz.
Have invited Scoop’s business development manager to join this thread
These people are doing a kind of news outlet via crowdfunding
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-04062015/#comment-1025143
i saw that.i like the notion of utlising scoop. they have existing networks. cv also is putting irons in the fire.
Not sure what is happening with scoop. There was another online initiative that someone was trying to do last year, something with different pay for service levels, can’t remember what it was.
all these existing players, including some big names, need to come together collectively to seek major donors who will contribute to something which will last a generation.
I was thinking that too. Lots of people are talking about it, which is good, and so far it’s all dispersed.
ditto
Don’t need major donors, just lots of small ones. It’s the chasing after major donors while ignoring all the small ones that is killing the Left in general as major donors tend to have a right-wing tilt to them.
and/or subscribers…
completely agree Draco (and Tracey). What’s missing is organising. There is a huge amount of support to do something, just needs someone to step up and do it (some people, plural).
But it should be online content shouldn’t it? TV is last century and the net is where people are finding their info. If you had a video blog site with Campbell presenting a 5-10 minute clip on a regional issue/political issue and these uploaded throughout the day. You could have regional reporters working remotely and filing stories and then with the Campbell presentation providing the polish. That could be a reduced cost approach anyway.
I agree maui. I may not have explicitly mentioned online content but took it as read, in the environment of the discussion taking place, that designing a new show would/could/should be centred around online media.
TV, as you say, is so last century. It cannot be denied however it still has an ‘authority of legitimacy’, albeit undeserved. Even in these supposedly enlightened times, many people still suffer the delusion that if it is not broadcast on TV it is not ‘proper news’.
yes, that is why I think scoop needs to be involved…
Campbell himself would take a huge chunk out of the budget. It doesn’t reuire him, it requires people focussing on the stuff that CL offered.
Crowd-funded think tank, campaign/advocacy group, networking facilitator and news outlet in Scotland.
http://allofusfirst.org/what-is-common-weal/
a very good model to pivot off
I’m just reading through the Food document (in the Library) which is impressive. They’ve merged socioeconomics with the need for localising food production and going smaller scale and resilient/sustainable, and tied in AGW as well.
More sexual abuse breaches of confidentiality by this Government. I suppose when the leader thinks constantly pulling a stranger’s pony tale is funny, that a paedophile loose in Chile is funny that attempted rape isn’t serious enough to warrant an apology, we shouldnt be surprised.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/275279/child-abuse-details-sent-to-wrong-personit's not a serious topic for an apology
Still, keeping TPP clauses from the people… THATs crucial.