Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, selfish, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
‘One in 100 Kiwis homeless, new study shows numbers quickly rising
Homelessness in New Zealand has been skyrocketing and now a new study proves just how big the issue is.
The “severely housing deprived” had accelerated from 2006 to 2013, says a study by University of Otago, Wellington.
At least one in every 100 Kiwis were homeless in 2013, this included those living with family and friends.
This figure had increased from 2006 data which showed one in every 120 people were homeless, while in 2001, this was at one in 130 people.’
All in denial over the issue of homelessness in New Zealand.
Part of the cruel, selfish, uncaring and cruel section of the populace poisoned by the antisocial neoliberal cult.
Well here’s something… which makes me kinda angry…
Phil Goffs little plan to relocate the Ports of Auckland to other areas – including places like Murawai…not only does it pander to Keys agenda to make Auckland city council have to sell off public assets and … privatize the ports… ( to the tune of 3-5 billion dollars ) it falls all too conveniently within the tax bribe of Keys 3 billion tax bribes…
So as Goff feigns opening up of areas for ‘ housing’ he assists Key in forcing Auckland city council to raise funds by selling off assets.
I would say that for the man who was given ‘dispensation’ to agree to disagree and cross the floor to vote with National regards the TTPA he has already shown his true colours. I would suggest that Labour cut off the neo liberal darlings in order to purge the neo liberal from the MOU.
Else , in disagreeing with old seadogs and in an era of more pragmatic rationalism he is found to be wanting. It is for no small reason that the Maori named the Waitemata the ‘ feminine ‘ harbour and the Manukau the ‘ masculine ‘ harbour…
Cosmopolitans such as Goff have absolutely no clue when they speak of relocating the main ports of Auckland to such places as the Thames and Murawai. Absolutely no idea of the treacherous shifting sands and bars of these waterways. And the colossal amount of funds needed to keep those waterways free from obstruction. And even then… the total impracticality of those locations to begin with.
The Orpheus cries out from its grave as testament to Goff’s folly…and its prophetic fulfillment is thus :
I would say… that in a way it was… however… if Labour is to tolerate subversives such as Goff, and hand out special treatment as such, – with special dispensations to cross the floor to vote for the TTPA… that it would behoove Labour to monitor carefully the tightrope they are walking…
As Goff becomes a liability to the whole concept of the MOU.
They are effectively saying one thing , – yet allowing such subversives like Goff to undermine confidence in the MOU as a genuine movement away from the supply side/ starve the beast model of neo liberal economics.
The whole concept of Goff advocating selling off of the Ports of Auckland plays right into the hands of Keys govt in demanding Auckland council sell off assets to fund infrastructure.
And as for suggesting such ludicrous locations as Murawai???!!!
Good lord!!!….does the man not know his history ???…
The Ports of Auckland operation could be shifted to Tauranga and to Marsden Point.
Goff would not have to sell Ports of Auckland land to do it – instead he could turn all of that land into the next waterfront development – just as the current one is ready to go into construction. It’s the operations that would be divested.
Granted it would take quite some funding of Kiwirail to form the track to Marsden, and further hundreds of millions to upgrade the northern line. Probably also it would need the Avondale-Onehunga line paralleling SH20 to do it as well. None of them easy tasks, until you compare them to the SH1 expressway programme accelerated for Wellsford-Whangrei within NZTA.
Many of those moves would take three terms of central and local government commitment to achieve – so nothing to get too anxious about for a while.
Well I do hope your right, another poster suggested Northland if it could be done, so there’s Tauranga way as well. As for Ports needing to be sold I’m pretty sure it would. But any suggestion of major Ports anywhere on the West coast is out of the question , I’m surprised it was even looked at. There would be calamity after calamity , mark my words. An outrageous suggestion.
I remember coming into the Manukau late one night, with a skipper new to it. He had 3 crew with torches out on the whaleback and must’ve lost a kilo just in sweat getting in. Smart fellow too, he’d been pushing boats for twenty years.
Essential listening for the politicians (and probably the voting public):
Natrad Saturday with Kim Hill
Dr Dacher Keltner is the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of the 2009 book, Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life, consulted on the 2015 Pixar film Inside Out, and his new book is The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence (Penguin).
Yes …I can understand… my point is … that often at the sake of political expediency…and a little lack of convenient joining of the dots… the consequences of overlooking the pragmatics can lead to the loss of lives… I need not remind you of the loss of 29 lives at Pike River due mainly to the destruction of unions ( aka the Employment Contacts Act or the later Employment Relations Act ) and lack of union mines inspectors monitoring conditions…
And I find it quite… pertinent that the Edmond Fitzgerald also lost 29 lives… and you know as well that if integrity is to have its place in the MOU… if workers are to account for anything in this equation… then all things must therefore be considered. Not just political expediencies.
Aye…well then Weka… I guess I’ll have to run with yer… I just wish… there was more a clamp down on the devious and the insipidly dishonest. With playing with honest men and women’s lives and dressing it up as bright ideas instead of calling it the deceptive plans it is… I don’t truck that sort of forked tongued weakness. Its sickening.
Hi Paul. There’s another article in the paper today about a couple who experience for the weekend really high end luxury living. Sick-making really when so many are in real need, like rubbing their faces in it. We cancelled our Herald over two years ago because of the tripe and trivia which was being delivered each morning to our place. Bias and rigged for the Government we no longer could stand it. Since then we have been hounded by their marketing team and each time they get a barrage from me about how we do not need social gossip, health issues, travel ideas etc – that we want a “proper” newspaper. Last week we were offered a week’s free with home delivery of the newspaper, so for a bit of a laugh really we said okay.
Well I can tell you it has gone from bad to worse – I just cannot believe that New Zealanders can read this drivel every day and soak it in for real. The editorial writers are a disgrace and the only use these newspapers are going to be for us is lining for our cat’s overnight litter tray.
And, they are going to be getting a email from me addressed to the owner’s of the paper saying its an insult to the people of NZ that they have fed this crap to read every day.
Suddenly Little is smart enough to have his caucus totally under control and he has unified the opposition…meanwhile Key’s popularity is dropping…is Claire reading the runes and seeing change?
She’d be an idiot not to… if she knows what side her bread is buttered on… and like all primeval organisms … she can sniff the breeze to smell the carcass to her own advantage.
Discussing: “Housing”, “Labour Green Memorandum”, and “Economy Meltdown”
Former Labour Party Leader, current MP for New Lynn and people’s hero – David Cunliffe
Winner of best columnist at the Canon media awards – the brilliant Rachel Stewart
The best MP in the NZ First Party – Tracy Martin
Political commentator, blogger and author – Comrade Chris Trotter
And NZ First bad boy – blogger and commentator – Curwen Rolinson
That,… was a particularly good showing… the speakers articulated their opinions with clarity.
And the good will was evident. I was quite impressed with Curwen Rowlinson. Equally impressed at the general sense of unanimity among all of them. Also David Cunliffe, he showed a real power as a headperson in humility and facilitating of the collective desire to work cohesively.
Rachael Stewart was total business . Refreshing, … and was the perfect contrast to Chris Trotters more measured and pensive analysis of the events unfolding.
It was good to hear Trotter at the end saying how important it was for the Nats to lose in 2017 because they are out of ideas (they never had many) and that the ideas they have got and cannot help pursuing are making the country’s problems worse.
Great episode, all were good, even Trotter. I have always like Tracey Martin, utterly underrated in my opinion. & Curwen is great, an awesome young man.
“Seeing people sleeping in their cars breaks my heart” – totally how I feel.
Yep, and the sentiment that “this is not a New Zealand that I recognise”.
The analysis of the Nat voting mindset was particularly good.
I agree with Cunliffe, the economy is hollow & the only thing giving us the illusion of GDP growth is record immigration levels & a foreign investment bubble. We are at a tipping point
“It may even have been put on the table already if the chit chat about talks on the side between NZ First and National go-betweens is true.”
TRACY WATKINS
Last updated 05:00, June 4 2016
Tracey Watkins gives us her opinion of the chance of Winston Peters becoming Prime Minister.
Though I had not been articulated it as bluntly as Watkins has, it had been stuck in the back of my mind as well. Here and Here
But unlike Watkins I had not imagined that this would be a bauble that the Labour/Greens would be offering Peters, but instead would be a sweetener offered by the National/ACT/Peter Dunne cabal.
What form this would take would be hard to say. The most likely would be a power sharing arrangement where for the first half of the next government’s term John Key would remain Prime Minister to be replaced by the premiership of Sir Winston for the second half.
Given the venom exuded by the Key Government to de-seat Winston in 2008, it is hard to imagine National welcoming him back into the fold let alone as PM. But Politics is a weird pit. Have him in or loose the election. Mmmm.
Surely this is much more likely with a left based govt.
It is credible for the PM to come from a party on say 15%, with Labour on say 30%. But it would look ridiculous if the larger party was on 45%.
The idea of WP being the PM for say the first 18 months has been widely mooted, but almost invariably on a NZF/Labour coalition. I guess the Greens would get something, but nothing too substantial in such a deal.
Paul
+1
In all the media in all the world, those items have to walk into ours. When can we concentrate on our learning about our own interesting little country.?
People internationally do, but we can’t think about our own lives and nation and analyse what to do, too much dull cultural cringe, and cargo culting waiting for the more advanced nations, we think, to bring us news from their home and to teach us their advanced ways.
But home is where the heart is. Media bring us news from our heart-land. Or get out of the country back to your owners in your corporate headquarters you bunch of toadies, mercenaries and confidence tricksters.
edited
bwaghorn
I seem to remember that you are sheep oriented = a shepherd?
This was on Radionz this morning.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201803333
Philip Armstrong: sheep
9:05 AM.Kim Hill talks to the Head of the Department of English at the University of Canterbury, and co-director of New Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies about his new book, Sheep.
There was interesting stuff about whether sheep are bright and if not why not. The clever ones are a problem and get put down. They have been seen rolling on their backs to get under an electric fence to better grazing.
Or lifting the bar on the gate to get in with the rest of the flock to the tasty vegetable garden. And I think rolling across a cattle stop.
On the road at the mo will listen if I get a chance.
My view is sheep and cattle are bright in their own way but easily panicked but as you say being overly clever/cheeky is likely to shorten their lives
Dell XPS models always get good reviews. Never owned one myself.
They are both $799 refurbs. The first one has 256GB SSD (making it v. speedy), the other has a big 500GB HDD & a larger screen.
Gangnam Style
Thanks for comments on mine 2/6/16 on callous disdaining attitude to a young mother becoming pregnant a second time and being in dire conditions Very good comment greywarshark, whenever I see this kind of comment from our less emphatic compatriots (“why do they have babies if they are poor/homeless/not me?”) I am reminded of this little clip from 30 Rock. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCYPqrmLwqs
That’s a cutting piece of social comment from 30 Rock. You may have heard the interview on Radionz today Saturday, about studies on how the effects of having much money and power distorts or demolishes the human connections between classes.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201803328 29.12 m Dacher Keltner: power and corruption
8:12 AM.Kim Hill talks to the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, whose new book is The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence.
Then there was a description of how the bullying, callous attitudes of Australian politicians is formed, in special self-funded college within at one, (perhaps more), university which the institution can’t control. I thought of the recent hooligan behaviour at a NZ airport, of some boys from a sports team of an eminent education institution here where parents challenged its right to control their children’s behaviour to an accepted civil standard.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201803330 15.54 m. Van Badham: privilege in Australia
8:45 AM.Kim Hill talks the Australian theatre-maker, novelist, social commentator, and columnist for Guardian Australia, who has written widely about privilege and politics.
The rise of the rich, the bowing to and encouraging of individualistic, self-centred, hedonism or simplistic narrow self-interest is behind the lack of concern by both men and women about others’ suffering here in NZ. And it is being taught and reinforced in elite educational establishments, and I expect soon, military schools. The lack of socialisation of these children shows up in the lack of respect for others and condoning assaults, sexual violations, stealing through fraud, corruption becoming common amongst the better-off.
(And can I ask that more people put a bracket in front of their youtube offerings. The posts being filled with black boxes, some without any comment or explanation is destructive to the worth of a discussion site.
edited
I was hoping the ‘joke’ wasn’t too black…Slightly off topic but I can’t recommend Tina Feys book enough, I actually heard the audio book read by her, amazingly funny & political & fascinating & so, so honest.
I say the ‘jump back up your mother’, whenever I hear the ‘poor people shouldn’t have babies’ vacuous bile, simple pleasures are the best.
The New Bapsae
I haven’t read you before. I hope your comment at 15.2 is heartfelt, and not sarky – the quote would be my ideal for a social welfare system.
JFK responds: “Look! At the end of the day, what is a million bucks? How many kids would that sort of chicken feed, feed? Ok! so it might buy 10 2 bedroom relocatable cabins with showers and full kitchen and stuff – enough to house the 8 carloads of people in one carpark sleeping in cars who don’t want to be helped. But think of the money my mates will make hosting a golf tournament. AND the photo ops! I could be famous shaking hands with a famous winner. It’s good to be seen with winners. And let’s face it – Hungry kids and homeless people are losers – no votes there.”
by The Council of Disobedient Women In a press release today Massey University announced it has decided to rebrand and reorientate after struggling to be a University for grown-ups. For some time the University has wanted to be a safe play space for wee-woke-misogynists who have been really badly triggered ...
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The Royal Commission on abuse in care is very significant for the disability community. For many decades last century, thousands of disabled children, and adults who managed to survive, were locked away from families and communities. This was not for anything they had done, but for the perceived threat their ...
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Local body election results were released over the weekend, to joy or despair depending on where you live. In Auckland, Phil Goff trounced John Tamihere, who is muttering darkly about running for Parliament again (but which party would want him?) Wellington is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Weta Workshop, except ...
How could government evolve over the next decades? Reports of democracy’s imminent demise are greatly exaggerated. However, satisfaction with political systems in many countries is low, so there is much to do for governments of all political stripes to improve relevance and trust. Digital technologies are seen as one ...
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More than double the number of people who will vote in this year’s local body elections have tried marijuana or urinated somewhere they shouldn’t have. As local elections look set for the lowest turnout in decades, with many regions falling well short of 40%, the Government is exploring a number ...
A Statement on Abortion Law Reform by the Council of Disobedient Women On the eve of bringing an end to antiquated, anti-women abortion laws Green MP Jan Logie intends to write women out of the Bill. With a stroke of the pen, the woke are aiming for total erasure ...
Musings continue apace about “the experienced businessman!” soon to be taking up a National Party MP position. Or to be more accurate, being parachuted into a seat to shut down their former MP Jamie-Lee Ross, who despite his own shortcomings shed at least some more light on the inner workings ...
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Freedom Of Speech? The Säuberung (cleansing by fire) was the work of the German Student Union which, on 10 May 1933, under the watchful eye of the Nazi Reichminister for Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, consigned 25,000 books to the flames in a ritual exorcism of “un-German thought”. According to the logic of the ...
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First, almost a score of Labour MPs seem to have sent a letter to the EU basically begging them to accept a deal - any deal - just so Britain can get the Heck on with Brexiting instead of being trapped in limbo:
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Ivory Folly? The University of Auckland’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart McCutcheon, upheld the right of the radical nationalist group, Action Zealandia to exercise their freedom of speech – not matter how distasteful that speech might be. A wiser community of students and scholars would have nodded their agreement and moved on. ...
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New Zealand likes to think of itself as not a racist country (despite being founded on the racist dispossession and subjugation of Maori). But for years, we've had a racist refugee policy, which basicly excludes refugees from Africa and the Middle East unless they already have relatives here. Now, the ...
Several people have asked me whether a particular repeat litigant could be declared a vexatious litigant, in light of their recent decision to appeal an adverse High Court ruling. My nascent tweet thread was getting ridiculously long, so it became this blog post instead.The short answer is: no. The particular ...
Appealing To The Past: Action Zealandia, like so many of the organisations springing up on the far-Right, across what they call the “Anglosphere”, is born out of the profound confusion over what a man is supposed to be in the twenty-first century and, more importantly, what he is supposed to do.THE STATUE OF ...
The attempts of anti-democratic transactivists to (often violently) disrupt women’s rights organising is largely ignored by those sections of the left most prone to misogyny and authoritarianism in New Zealand. In Britain, however, scores of trade union and left activists added their names to a letter in July, defending ...
The Justice Committee has reported back on the Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill. The Bill would establish an independent, quasi-judicial body to investigate and review potential miscarriages of justice, and refer them back to the Court of appeal if required. It would be a vital backstop to our judiciary, help ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is predicting a hard Brexit for the United Kingdom, as he believes British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won’t be able to negotiate terms before the October 30 deadline. The Minister, who was one of the first to publicly come out and predict British voters would leave ...
Speaking at the Council of Trade Unions' (CTU) biennial conference, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters told unionists that any future attacks on the Government won't work. "Now, we are being attacked by the union movement in this country. You can have your views but I'm here to say standing ...
We want every New Zealander to be happy, safe, and healthy. To do this, we need to support strong, safe communities, and a robust and efficient health system. ...
Defence Minister Ron Mark has used his powers to overrule a noise complaint ruling against Whenuapai airbase on the grounds of "national security". The Environment Court last month released a ruling in favour of a private developer, declaring the Auckland airbase had to comply with noise restrictions when it performs ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has opened fire against "unreconstructed morons" after NZ First MP Shane Jones was photographed on holiday holding an AR-15 rifle. Mr Peters is defending Mr Jones, telling Magic Talk host Peter Williams that his MP was just having fun "like most people do". "The ...
New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau was in attendance during the morning blessing of the Rotorua Lakefront development project. Around 60 people gathered on the shores of Lake Rotorua, including city mayor Steve Chadwick and deputy Dave Donaldson. The Lakefront development is a ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones is considering reining in on conversions of farmland to forestry, and also issued a warning to foreign-owned forestry companies that make up nearly 75 per cent of the industry. He said too many foreign companies had not provided enough access for domestic processors to get timber. ...
Speaking to Radio NZ, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the tightening of the parental category visa is a direct result of the Party’s coalition negotiations with the Labour Party. He said the new changes switch the financial onus from the parent moving to New Zealand to the child ...
The Coalition Government is set to cut red tape in the building and construction sector in an effort to allow more houses to be built, including prefabricated houses. The changes will enable the mass factory production of "high quality" buildings, slash the likely number of building inspections for factory produced ...
Since coming into Government, we’ve worked hard to tackle homelessness and make sure everyone has a warm, dry home. And today, on World Homeless Day, we want to report back and update you on our progress so far. ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has hit back at National Party leader Simon Bridges who criticized the Coalition Government’s approach to crime, and said that the latter isn't credible in his attack on the Government over gang recruitment. "We've got as massive drug problem in this country. It is ...
New Zealand Mānuka honey exporters have welcomed an initiative by the Coalition Government to help secure the term “mānuka honey” to be used exclusively by Kiwi exporters, ensuring that our multimillion-dollar industry is protected. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones had recently announced that a Provincial Growth Funding of $5.7 ...
Political commentator Mike Hosking has labelled New Zealand First leader Winston Peters as “the voice of reason in a government soft on drugs”, for the Party’s stance on drug testing at music festivals. “If common sense is worth a vote, Winston Peters is quids in,” Mr Hosking said. The Labour ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau has announced Provincial Growth Funding to ensure work opportunities in Turangi and Whanganui, through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi. A fund of $500,000 will go to Rafting NZ in Turangi for a 16-week river guide training course to train ...
Treasury has shown that the Coalition Government has a $7.5 billion surplus, which is $4 billion higher than what was expected in the 2019 Budget unveiled last May. It is also $2 billion higher than the actual surplus unveiled this time last year, and at a size that has not ...
Official Information Act figures released to NZME show there were 350 assaults on officers in the year to the end of June, 79 more than the year before. The increase in attacks have sparked calls for more legal protection for first responders to be enacted. The assaults included officers being ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
We're making progress on tackling the long-term challenges: from homelessness, to strengthening border security, to bringing banking back New Zealand's small towns. ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones has backed the ambitious plan to move Auckland’s port to Northport, at Whangarei harbour, which he says will be the “King Kong of infrastructure”. The plan is part of the recommendations of a six-person independent working group, which has recommended the Ports of Auckland be ...
A six-member independent working group selected the option of moving Auckland’s port to Northport, in Whangarei, ahead of other options. In what could be New Zealand’s most ambitious infrastructure project yet, a major expansion of the Marsden Point port could happen within 15 years. The project, officially called the “Upper ...
The final Electricity Price Review recommended prohibiting prompt payment discounts but allowing “reasonable” late fees. The findings of this review was welcomed by the Coalition Government, but they hope companies will follow through with its recommendations without regulations needed to be passed. Meridian Energy had already stopped prompt payment discounts, ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi,will invest nearly $600,000 to ensure work opportunities for locals in Turangia and Whanganui, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “I’m pleased to announce the PGF ...
An export-led economy is one of New Zealand First’s key principles, and our commitment to achieving this is shown by the continuing skyrocketing demand for our beef and sheep meat exports. Beef + Lamb New Zealand's New Season Outlook 2019-20 report forecasts beef, lamb and mutton prices to lift from ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today in Gisborne an investment of $17.27m into bringing “world-leading” food-growing technology and the creation of more than 100 new jobs in the East Coast city. The funding comes from the Provincial Growth Fund, and included a $15 million loan to LeaderBrand, a ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development More than 100 people in Tairāwhiti’s Tolaga Bay will benefit from two employment initiatives supported by the Provincial Growth Fund, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Employment Minister Willie Jackson announced today. “Tolaga Bay is an incredibly tight-knit community, but one in ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is supporting Gisborne business Leaderbrand to produce salad vegetables year round and create more jobs in the Tairāwhiti region, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Our support for Leaderbrand will help them build large greenhouses ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has praised the promise by New Zealand’s biggest banks not to close any provincial branches while the Coalition Government trials regional banking hubs across the country. The Minister said the announce was the “first sign of hope for regional communities”, many of which have ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have delivered an upgrade of the SuperGold Card website and a new smartphone app, which will help unlock the full benefits of the SuperGold Card for 750,000 New Zealand seniors.Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters, ...
Delivering a key election campaign promise, New Zealand First is proud to have accomplished a long overdue upgrade of the SuperGold Card today. At an event in Auckland, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters joined Minister for Seniors Hon. Tracey Martin in unveiling the new website and smartphone app which ...
Another busy week, from speaking with world leaders on the world stage about climate change, to equipping our school leavers with everything they need to get ahead in life. ...
The future for New Zealand’s threatened indigenous freshwater fish looks brighter with the passing of the Conservation (Indigenous Freshwater Fish) Amendment Bill in Parliament today said Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage. “Until now, our freshwater fish legislation has been 20 years out of date. We have lacked effective tools to ...
At 1.30pm tomorrow, hundreds of thousands of Kiwis will join about 65 million people around the globe in ShakeOut, the world’s biggest earthquake drill. The annual drill is to remind people of the right action to take during an earthquake which is to Drop, Cover, Hold, and to practise their ...
Kiwis are benefiting from higher wage growth and low inflation under the Coalition Government. Stats NZ data out today shows the rise in the cost of living remains low, as annual Consumers Price Index (CPI) inflation fell to 1.5% in September from 1.7% in June. “The low inflation comes as ...
New Zealand’s economic strength and resilience has been recognised in a major update on the state of the global economy. The IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook released overnight shows a reduced global growth forecast over the next two years as issues like the US-China trade war and Brexit take hold. ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little has today introduced a new Bill to prevent terrorism and support the de-radicalisation of New Zealanders returning from overseas. The Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill gives the New Zealand Police the ability to apply to the High Court to impose control orders on New Zealanders who ...
A Bill that proposes targeted changes to simplify the processes for Māori land owners when engaging with the Māori Land Court has had its First Reading today. “The approach taken by the Government is to ensure that the protection of Māori land remains a priority as we seek to improve ...
Let me first thank all the new unionists and members in the room. There is nothing more important to improving people’s working lives than people making the decision to care, to get on board and help, to take up the reins and get involved. Congratulations to you. You bring the ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark has signed a certificate exempting the activity of engine testing at Whenuapai Airbase from the Resource Management Act 1991. The Act gives the Minister of Defence the power to exempt activities for the purposes of national security. The certificate will mean the recent Environment Court ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson has announced New Zealand will join the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action while attending APEC meetings in Chile. The objective of the 39 member Coalition is to share information and promote action to tackle climate change. It was formed in April this year, in ...
Ladies and gentlemen, NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff, members of respective unions – thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. This might be preaching to the choir, but the importance of trade unions in New Zealand’s historical arch is difficult to understate. And it is my belief that ...
"Let’s start by acknowledging that it has been a huge year. " Police Association Annual Conference James Cook Grand Chancellor Hotel Wellington Nau mai, haere mai. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, ka nui te mihi, ki a koutou katoa. President of the Police Association, Chris Cahill; Members of the Association and ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Minister of Defence Ron Mark have announced the New Zealand Government’s decision to again deploy a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 (P-3) maritime patrol aircraft to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions imposing sanctions against North Korea. New ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand continues to have serious concerns for peace and stability in north-east Syria. “Recent reports that hundreds of ISIS-affiliated families have fled from a camp are deeply concerning from a humanitarian and security perspective”, Mr Peters says. “While we acknowledge Turkey’s domestic security ...
Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor is warning travelling Kiwis to be vigilant as the high-season for the crop-eating brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is under way. “We’re on high alert to stop BMSB arriving in NZ. The high season runs until April 30 and we’ve strengthened our measures to stop stink ...
The Government is moving swiftly to change the law to improve the welfare and pastoral care of students living in university halls of residence and other tertiary hostels. Cabinet has agreed to several changes, including creating a new mandatory Code of Practice that sets out the duty of pastoral care ...
The Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage has launched a new comprehensive trapping guide for community trappers to help them protect our native birds, plants and other wildlife, at Zealandia in Wellington today. ‘A practical guide to trapping’, has been developed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), and was launched during ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter welcomes PHARMAC’s move to improve access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs). PHARMAC has today announced it will fund the full cost of Mirena and Jaydess for anyone seeking long term contraception, lifting previous restrictions on access to Mirena. “I welcome women having greater choices ...
The Government has approved the next stage of a major redevelopment of Taranaki Base Hospital, which will deliver new and improved facilities for patients. Health Minister Dr David Clark has announced details of a $300 million dollar project to build a new East Wing at the New Plymouth hospital. It ...
Extra funding will allow Rural Support Trusts to help farming families, says Minister for Rural Communities and Agriculture Damien O’Connor. “I know that rural families are worried about some of the challenges facing them, including the ongoing uncertainty created by the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak. “Those concerns sit alongside ongoing worries ...
Thank you for the opportunity to be here to present certificates to the 16 graduates who have completed a beekeeping course delivered by the Howard League. Let us start by acknowledging Auckland Prison’s Deputy Prison Director Tom Sherlock, and Acting Assistant Regional Commissioner of Corrections Northern Region Scott Walker - ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson leaves this weekend to attend the APEC Finance Ministers meeting in Santiago, Chile. Discussions between APEC Finance Ministers at the meeting will include the effects of the current global economic uncertainty, risks for APEC economies and sustainable development of the region. While at APEC Grant Robertson ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says for Pacific people, language can be a source of strength. It can help ground us and give us confidence. When we speak them, our languages provide us with an immediate and intimate access to our identity and our story - and ...
The Coalition Government has announced an action plan to improve the wellbeing of disabled New Zealanders by addressing inequalities in play, active recreation and sport. The initiative includes training to develop a workforce that understands the needs of children and young people with a range of impairments, advocacy for fit ...
The construction sector is being freed up to allow more homes to be built more quickly as the Government cuts through some of the red tape of the Building Act. “Every New Zealander deserves a warm, dry, safe home and old inefficiencies in the Building Act make building slow and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed further details on the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s visit to New Zealand next month. Their Royal Highnesses will visit New Zealand from 17-23 November – their third joint visit to New Zealand and first in four years. They arrive in Auckland ...
Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth and Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor, heads to Thailand today to attend the final Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministerial meeting, as negotiations enter their final stages. “The RCEP Agreement would anchor New Zealand in a regional agreement that covers 16 countries, ...
Pacific young people living in the Hawke’s Bay, Southland and Otago regions will have access to support services that have proved successful in helping young people find new earning and learning opportunities. “Tupu Aotearoa is about changing Pacific young peoples’ lives. Our young people are talented, they are smart, they ...
Introduction As the Minister for ACC I thank you all for the work that you do supporting New Zealanders in their literally most vulnerable moments. From those who hold people’s lives in their hands, to the people who research technique, technology and trends, your work is highly valued. A special ...
Notes prepared for speeches in Christchurch – Wednesday 9 October 2019 Today’s topic, “trends and opportunities for the New Zealand economy,” is certainly one getting a great deal of commentary at the moment. Looking across the media landscape lately you’ll notice we aren’t the only ones having this discussion. There ...
Minister of Health Dr David Clark and Associate Minister of Health Peeni Henare say this year’s World Mental Health Day theme is a reminder of why the Government’s work on mental health is so important. “This year the World Federation for Mental Health has made suicide prevention the main theme ...
Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni will represent the government at Australia’s Meeting of Cultural Ministers in Adelaide this week. “This year’s meeting is special because New Zealand is expected to become an International Member of the Meeting of Cultural Ministers at this Australian forum,” Carmel Sepuloni said. “The meeting is an opportunity to ...
The Greater Christchurch Claims Resolution Service has resolved 608 insurance and EQC claims in its first year in operation, Minister Megan Woods has announced. The government service, which celebrates its first birthday today, provides a one stop shop to help Cantabrians still battling to get their homes repaired or rebuilt ...
Today’s topic, “trends and opportunities for the New Zealand economy,” is certainly one getting a great deal of commentary at the moment. Looking across the media landscape lately you’ll notice we aren’t the only ones having this discussion. There has been an increasing amount of attention paid to the outlook ...
The Government is acting swiftly to strengthen NZTA’s regulatory role following a review into the Transport Agency, and Ministry of Transport’s performance as its monitor, Transport Minister Phil Twyford said today. An independent review by Martin Jenkins has found NZTA failed to properly regulate the transport sector under the previous ...
The Netherlands and New Zealand have a long-standing and close relationship based on many shared interests and values. We value the rule of law, our democracies, and multilateralism. And we value our environment – at home and globally. Right now there are major global challenges in all of these areas – ...
The Government is putting right a decade’s worth of underpayment to nurses, doctors and other health workers, says Health Minister Dr David Clark. Initial sampling of District Health Boards payroll records has found that around $550-$650 million is owed to DHB staff to comply with the Holidays Act. It’s expected ...
A strong surplus and low debt show the economy is performing well, and means the Government is in a good position to meet the challenges of global economic uncertainty. “The surplus and low levels of debt show the economy is in good shape. This allows the Government to spend more ...
New applications from mining company OceanaGold to purchase land in Waihi for new tailings ponds associated with its gold mines have been approved. Minister of Finance Grant Robertson and Associate Minister of Finance David Parker considered the applications under the Overseas Investment Act. Earlier this year, applications from OceanaGold to ...
New Zealanders in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa / Poverty Bay will witness Māori, Pākehā and Pacific voyaging traditions come together today as the Tuia 250 Voyage flotilla assembles for the first time, Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti Minister Kelvin Davis says. “Tuia 250 is a national commemoration and an opportunity for honest conversations ...
Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker leaves tomorrow for Dubai, London and Berlin for a series of meetings to advance New Zealand’s trade interests. In Dubai he will visit New Zealand’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 where construction is underway. There he will meet Minister of State for International Cooperation, Her ...
Alex Casey talks to Henessey Griffiths, a 22 year-old Dunedin student who just finished her dissertation about one of Youtube’s most controversial stars. Content warning: this article contains mention of suicide, please take careYesterday afternoon in Dunedin, honours student Henessey Griffiths sent a tweet that was a year (or rather, five ...
The Transport Minister has released almost all of the letters he's received from Green MPs, but still refuses to release the letter from Julie Anne Genter that is now at the centre of an Ombudsman complaint. ...
Court documents have confirmed Winston Peters was sent a letter by officials four years into his seven-year overpayment of national superannuation asking him to check details he had supplied, including that he was 'single'. ...
Olympic sailors Blair Tuke and Peter Burling are throwing their weight behind a campaign encouraging New Zealander consumers and businesses to reduce their plastic pollution. ...
National Party leader Simon Bridges says his MP Agnes Loheni let him know she'd be contesting the candidacy for Botany, adding it's a "free world". ...
Think you’ve got your KiwiSaver sorted? Try Kōura’s ‘robo-advice’ questionnaire and you might be surprised.If a person who looks like they know about finance asks you whether your appetite for risk is low, medium or high, what do you say? The problem is most Kiwis don’t understand what the question ...
The Social Services and Community Committee is seeking submissions on the Rates Rebate (Statutory Declarations) Amendment Bill. This bill aims to improve the process of applying for rates rebates. It proposes: • Removing the requirement to make a statutory ...
The Māori Affairs Committee is calling for submissions on the Te Ture Whenua Maori (Succession, Dispute Resolution, and Related Matters) Amendment Bill. ...
The New Zealand Police have been used as a political pawn which is stretching their resources and seriously affecting their ability to address the real causes of crime, such as gang related supply of illicit drugs. ...
Alex Casey yarns to Karen O’Leary, early childhood teacher by day and star of Wellington Paranormal and What We Do in The Shadows by night. Two of the funniest moments in New Zealand television last year were entirely fence-based. First up there was Agni on The Block NZ, who packed a ...
NZ Police wish to clarify that cartridges filled with steel or lead shot are not prohibited. They may still be used under the Arms (Prohibited Ammunition) Order 2019 as shotgun cartridges are specifically excluded from the prohibition order. ...
NZ Police wish to clarify that cartridges filled with steel or lead shot are not prohibited. They may still be used under the Arms (Prohibited Ammunition) Order 2019 as shotgun cartridges are specifically excluded from the prohibition order. ...
Josie Adams is in tonight’s episode of Have You Been Paying Attention. Specifically, she is in the audience.When you watch Have You Been Paying Attention? tonight, please consider the bladders of audience members watching it live. They offer beverages, but my God it’s a dangerous offer. As I found out ...
Despite comments from Auckland City Council CCOs Board Chairs re pay and performance bonuses for top managers—Herald Newspaper Tuesday Oct 15th--there is very little evidence that says high pay and bonuses improve the performance of a company. Most ...
By Michael Andrew Pacific diplomats, academics and youth leaders will gather in Auckland this week to discuss security, economic development and other pressing issues shaping the region’s future. Pacific Futures will be held on October 18 and will feature speakers from across the region, including Samoa’s Deputy Prime Minister ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hutchinson, PhD Candidate, Australian National University It has been more than two years since “clearance operations” by Myanmar’s security forces, the Tatmadaw, forced more than 700,000 Rohingya across the border to neighbouring Bangladesh. During this time, the UN Security Council has ...
Fast food company Restaurant Brands has made a smaller half year profit largely because of accounting changes as it prepares to invest heavily in the launch of Taco Bell in New Zealand. ...
Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk Papua New Guinea police have issued a warrant for the arrest of former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill. According to EMTV News, the Waigana district court issued the warrant which was based on evidence previously compiled by police investigators. Acting Police Commissioner David Manning said he ...
Patient Voice Aotearoa welcomes the comments made by the Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters on ‘The Project’ on Friday last week. Peters stated “Right now…we know we are not spending nearly enough on pharmaceuticals and first world drugs…the ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on outgoing Porirua Mayor Mike Tana to repay money clocked up on his ratepayer-funded fuel card for personal travel. The Ernst and Young report released yesterday reveals that, within less than three ...
Barely a month after the Solomon Islands switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China, the country’s Central Province has signed an agreement with the Beijing-based Sam Group to develop Tulagi Island, across Ironbottom Sound from the capital Honiara. Tulagi was the pre-war base of the British ...
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, a new hole-in-the-wall eatery in Auckland dedicated to New Zealand’s favourite snack.Cheese On Toast has unsavoury connotations for a lot of New Zealand music fans, but now you can wash that bad taste out ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Md Arif Hasan, PhD candidate, Victoria University of Wellington CC BY-NDClimate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert ...
There’s an innovation renaissance brewing in post-earthquake Christchurch as multicultural entrepreneurship replaces the old boys’ network. This required a new name, writes Steven Moe.An unusual name that evokes images from Harry Potter is fine by the Ministry of Awesome, because it immediately sets it apart. Founded in the aftermath of ...
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and Ngā Tāngata Microfinance endorse the Salvation Army’s call for tougher regulations on debt collectors and mechanisms to provide forgiveness or waivers for debts to private lenders and Government that are "effectively ...
Cotton On members are currently negotiating a new Collective Agreement with their employer, but despite the company’s repeated claims that they will provide “a pathway to the living wage”, a “people first focus” and a “commitment to ...
Today the Wellington Howard League releases the results of its fourth annual Wellington Howard League prison survey. The survey suggests a variation in the conditions experienced across prisons in New Zealand and an overall decline in most aspects surveyed. This ...
Some people go for a run to let off steam after work, while others try their hand at ballroom dancing or hit up a pub quiz. And some, as Greta Yeoman discovers, throw sharp objects at walls. She gives it a go.An uncoordinated, anxious journalist with terrible aim is probably ...
A move by Australia's financial regulator could be enough to turn the big banks' threat to ditch New Zealand into a reality - or at least see them charge customers more. ...
A staffing survey carried out by the senior doctors’ union, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, has found a gaping shortfall of hospital specialists at the Northland DHB. ...
Iain Lees-Galloway has defended granting residency to a man with multiple drink-driving convictions saying the person had been in the country for 20 years and had kept out of trouble for a long time. ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Industrial relations Luke Malpass (Stuff): Winston Peters holds the keys to new union laws. Will ...
Not the impeachment investigation. Nor Ukraine. Syrian Kurds.Last week, Turkey invaded the bit of Syria controlled by America’s Kurdish hitherto-allies, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he only wants to occupy a border strip to resettle Syrian refugees and create a buffer zone between ...
Yes we fully support Minister of transport plan to use special speed cameras finally catching all speeding trucks, and other vehicles on our narrow single lane roads that are not fit to use as a speedway by any vehicle. ...
This afternoon Fish & Game posted a public statement responding to my email to supporters this morning – specifically rejecting our claim that steel shot is now deemed "enhanced penetration ammunition" and therefore possession of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mandie Shean, Lecturer, School of Education, Edith Cowan University Two-thirds of young people experience levels of exam stress that mental health organisation ReachOut describes as “worrying”. Research shows high levels of exam stress can interfere with attention and reduce working memory, leading ...
The National Party's outrage that the Immigration Minister granted residency to a protected person and recidivist drink driver, entitling them to the same benefits as New Zealanders, has backfired. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Beckett, Lecturer in Media and Communications, University of Melbourne Reports of Facebook moderators’ appalling working conditions have been making headlines worldwide. Workers say they are burning out as they moderate vast flows of violent content under pressure, with vague, ever-changing guidelines. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Lycett, Senior Research Officer, Deakin University; Honorary Fellow, The University of Melbourne, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Three simple factors can predict whether a child is likely to be overweight or obese by the time they reach adolescence: the child’s body mass ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Marshall, Lecturer, Landscape Architecture and Urban Ecology, University of Melbourne You may mock the national anthem by singing “Our land abounds in nature strips” but what you might not know is how true that is. In Melbourne, for example, more than ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keith Rathbone, Lecturer, Modern European History and Sports History, Macquarie University It’s unlikely Daryl Morey, general manager of the Houston Rockets basketball team, realised he’d be sparking an international diplomatic incident when, on October 4, he tweeted the following Stand with Hong ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Pressure on government from unions, mosque attack victim widows turned down for residency, and another Nat eyes safe Botany seat nomination.Pressure is being put on the government to deliver on one of their major promises to the union movement, reports the NZ ...
It’s the end of an era at Three as MAFS NZ and Guy Williams’ new show canceled and 7 Days cut to bone, writes Duncan Greive.A trio of shows which have been amongst Three’s most important local productions are either being canceled or severely cut back, as the channel’s agonising ...
'Joker' expects viewers not only to understand its cruelty, but to understand the justified violence of a white man when the protests of black men and women in the US are regularly met with condemnation, vilification and exclusion. ...
She runs the women's Aussie Rules and netball programmes at one of Australia's oldest sports clubs, so why is Jane Woodlands-Thompson sitting on the Silver Ferns bench? ...
As someone with a severe chronic illness, Hannah McGowan has a vested interest in getting to the bottom of what cannabis can and can’t do for her health. The reality, she discovers, is complicated.Woo [colloq.]: Mystical, supernatural or pseudo-scientific beliefs not backed up by evidence. I crave a well informed, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The last PM shock jock Alan Jones slapped down was Jacinda Ardern. His language was particularly offensive, advertisers deserted his program and he apologised to New Zealand’s leader. But at least Ardern didn’t have to ...
By Michael Andrew and Sri Krishnamurthi The true story of one of the Pacific’s great waka builders and sailor has been captured in a stirring and visually gripping documentary. Loimata: The Sweetest Tears follows the final years of Ema Siope, a Samoan born kiwi who endured a tumultuous past ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Cowie, Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity Around one-third of Australians living with hepatitis C have been cured in the last four years. Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis C is ...
New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern. Image AsiaPacificReport.nz/RNZ.Commentators across the political spectrum seem to agree – the Labour-led Government’s popularity is being damaged by its failure to deliver in Jacinda Ardern’s self-proclaimed “Year of Delivery”. Instead, the delivery of bad news to Labour and the Government has come in ...
Internet Service Providers have cautiously greeted the news that the Government is exploring an internet filter for violent extremist and terrorist content. ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Polls Richard Harman (Politik): Ardern now dependent on Peters Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Ardern still standing, but ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Greg Austin, Professor UNSW Canberra Cyber, UNSW This is part of a new series looking at the national security challenges facing Australia, how our leaders are responding to them and how these measures are impacting society. Read other stories in the series ...
Open mike 04/06/2016 
Open mike is your post.
After a brief dalliance with 'hard Revoke' it looks like the Lib Dems are changing ground on on Brexit, with leader Jo Swinson reverting to calling for a second referendum on Johnson's deal.The party has tabled an amendment to the Queen’s speech requesting that any deal brought back from Brussels ...10 hours ago
The government has decided that someone has done Something Bad. But despite their belief, there seems to be no evidence that they have actually broken the law. So the government's solution is to pass a retrospective law allowing them to be punished anyway, on a lower standard of proof. If ...13 hours ago
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nz There is a lot of discussion on the benefits of ...16 hours ago
I came across this song quite by accident. If it isn't one of Greta Thunberg's favourites - it should be.Video courtesy of YouTube.This post is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...16 hours ago
Thanks to a report from the Acting Inspector General of Intelligence and Security following a complaint by Nicky Hager, we have come to find out that the SIS illegally spied on Mr. Hager on behalf of the NZDF after publication of Hager’s 2011 book, Other People’s Wars. The NZDF justified ...1 day ago
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING MYTH 1: Global temperatures are rising at a rapid, unprecedented rate. FACT: The HadCRUT3 surface temperature index, produced by the Hadley Centre of the UK Met Office and the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia, shows warming to 1878, cooling to 1911, ...2 days ago
The Royal Commission on abuse in care is very significant for the disability community. For many decades last century, thousands of disabled children, and adults who managed to survive, were locked away from families and communities. This was not for anything they had done, but for the perceived threat their ...2 days ago
More than double the number of people who will vote in this year’s local body elections have tried marijuana or urinated somewhere they shouldn’t have. As local elections look set for the lowest turnout in decades, with many regions falling well short of 40%, the Government is exploring a number ...5 days ago
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https://mailchi.mp/7d9133add053/closing-the-gap-october-2019-newsletter ...7 days ago
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is predicting a hard Brexit for the United Kingdom, as he believes British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won’t be able to negotiate terms before the October 30 deadline. The Minister, who was one of the first to publicly come out and predict British voters would leave ...11 hours ago
We want every New Zealander to be happy, safe, and healthy. To do this, we need to support strong, safe communities, and a robust and efficient health system. ...2 days ago
The future for New Zealand’s threatened indigenous freshwater fish looks brighter with the passing of the Conservation (Indigenous Freshwater Fish) Amendment Bill in Parliament today said Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage. “Until now, our freshwater fish legislation has been 20 years out of date. We have lacked effective tools to ...6 hours ago
Alex Casey talks to Henessey Griffiths, a 22 year-old Dunedin student who just finished her dissertation about one of Youtube’s most controversial stars. Content warning: this article contains mention of suicide, please take careYesterday afternoon in Dunedin, honours student Henessey Griffiths sent a tweet that was a year (or rather, five ...8 hours ago
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Court documents have confirmed Winston Peters was sent a letter by officials four years into his seven-year overpayment of national superannuation asking him to check details he had supplied, including that he was 'single'. ...10 hours ago
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Olympic sailors Blair Tuke and Peter Burling are throwing their weight behind a campaign encouraging New Zealander consumers and businesses to reduce their plastic pollution. ...10 hours ago
The Social Services and Community Committee is seeking submissions on the Rates Rebate (Statutory Declarations) Amendment Bill. This bill aims to improve the process of applying for rates rebates. It proposes: • Removing the requirement to make a statutory ...11 hours ago
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Higher household costs helped to push consumer prices higher in the past three months, beating expectations. ...14 hours ago
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In the 1980s, 78 percent of New Zealanders owned the home they lived in. Fast forward to today, and that's dropped to just 55 percent. ...14 hours ago
Principals nervously wait for the final outcomes of the biggest education system review in 30 years. ...15 hours ago
Dairy prices rose slightly in the latest global auction overnight. ...18 hours ago
New Zealand's light is still glowing bright on the international investment stage despite a pause of caution from investors this year. ...18 hours ago
A move by Australia's financial regulator could be enough to turn the big banks' threat to ditch New Zealand into a reality - or at least see them charge customers more. ...18 hours ago
Zhang Jun looks at how China can move beyond imitating its more developed counterparts to leading the world in innovation. ...23 hours ago
After two bad polls, Jacinda Ardern was greeted by a friendly crowd of unionists - but one eager for faster and greater progress. ...23 hours ago
'Joker' expects viewers not only to understand its cruelty, but to understand the justified violence of a white man when the protests of black men and women in the US are regularly met with condemnation, vilification and exclusion. ...23 hours ago
She runs the women's Aussie Rules and netball programmes at one of Australia's oldest sports clubs, so why is Jane Woodlands-Thompson sitting on the Silver Ferns bench? ...23 hours ago
Is the Government going soft on its so-called Electric Vehicles pledge? The University of Auckland's Basil Sharp doesn't think so. ...23 hours ago
A preview of the public lecture to be given at the National Library in Wellington this week by distinguished playwright Dean Parker. ...23 hours ago
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Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, selfish, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
‘One in 100 Kiwis homeless, new study shows numbers quickly rising
Homelessness in New Zealand has been skyrocketing and now a new study proves just how big the issue is.
The “severely housing deprived” had accelerated from 2006 to 2013, says a study by University of Otago, Wellington.
At least one in every 100 Kiwis were homeless in 2013, this included those living with family and friends.
This figure had increased from 2006 data which showed one in every 120 people were homeless, while in 2001, this was at one in 130 people.’
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/80719962/one-in-100-kiwis-homeless-new-study-shows-numbers-quickly-rising
Of that 1/100 derived from census returns aren’t 70% or so living with friends or family ?
Paula Bennett, John Key, stunned mullet……
All in denial over the issue of homelessness in New Zealand.
Part of the cruel, selfish, uncaring and cruel section of the populace poisoned by the antisocial neoliberal cult.
Thank you for your considered response Marvin.
Have you not been to the CBD of Auckland or Wellington, Stunned Mullet?
Probably is driven through it in his SUV with the tinted windows up while staring at his IPhone.
Look up
tha’ts right sm, and the rest don’t want help, dear leader told us.
A song for sm.
Well here’s something… which makes me kinda angry…
Phil Goffs little plan to relocate the Ports of Auckland to other areas – including places like Murawai…not only does it pander to Keys agenda to make Auckland city council have to sell off public assets and … privatize the ports… ( to the tune of 3-5 billion dollars ) it falls all too conveniently within the tax bribe of Keys 3 billion tax bribes…
So as Goff feigns opening up of areas for ‘ housing’ he assists Key in forcing Auckland city council to raise funds by selling off assets.
I would say that for the man who was given ‘dispensation’ to agree to disagree and cross the floor to vote with National regards the TTPA he has already shown his true colours. I would suggest that Labour cut off the neo liberal darlings in order to purge the neo liberal from the MOU.
Else , in disagreeing with old seadogs and in an era of more pragmatic rationalism he is found to be wanting. It is for no small reason that the Maori named the Waitemata the ‘ feminine ‘ harbour and the Manukau the ‘ masculine ‘ harbour…
Cosmopolitans such as Goff have absolutely no clue when they speak of relocating the main ports of Auckland to such places as the Thames and Murawai. Absolutely no idea of the treacherous shifting sands and bars of these waterways. And the colossal amount of funds needed to keep those waterways free from obstruction. And even then… the total impracticality of those locations to begin with.
The Orpheus cries out from its grave as testament to Goff’s folly…and its prophetic fulfillment is thus :
good points Katipo. I moved your comment to Open Mike as it was too off topic for the Green AGM thread.
I would say… that in a way it was… however… if Labour is to tolerate subversives such as Goff, and hand out special treatment as such, – with special dispensations to cross the floor to vote for the TTPA… that it would behoove Labour to monitor carefully the tightrope they are walking…
As Goff becomes a liability to the whole concept of the MOU.
They are effectively saying one thing , – yet allowing such subversives like Goff to undermine confidence in the MOU as a genuine movement away from the supply side/ starve the beast model of neo liberal economics.
The whole concept of Goff advocating selling off of the Ports of Auckland plays right into the hands of Keys govt in demanding Auckland council sell off assets to fund infrastructure.
And as for suggesting such ludicrous locations as Murawai???!!!
Good lord!!!….does the man not know his history ???…
Has he not heard of the Orpheus ???
The mans mad!
The Ports of Auckland operation could be shifted to Tauranga and to Marsden Point.
Goff would not have to sell Ports of Auckland land to do it – instead he could turn all of that land into the next waterfront development – just as the current one is ready to go into construction. It’s the operations that would be divested.
Granted it would take quite some funding of Kiwirail to form the track to Marsden, and further hundreds of millions to upgrade the northern line. Probably also it would need the Avondale-Onehunga line paralleling SH20 to do it as well. None of them easy tasks, until you compare them to the SH1 expressway programme accelerated for Wellsford-Whangrei within NZTA.
Many of those moves would take three terms of central and local government commitment to achieve – so nothing to get too anxious about for a while.
Well I do hope your right, another poster suggested Northland if it could be done, so there’s Tauranga way as well. As for Ports needing to be sold I’m pretty sure it would. But any suggestion of major Ports anywhere on the West coast is out of the question , I’m surprised it was even looked at. There would be calamity after calamity , mark my words. An outrageous suggestion.
Tauranga would take the exports, Marsden the imports.
Way it rolls.
I remember coming into the Manukau late one night, with a skipper new to it. He had 3 crew with torches out on the whaleback and must’ve lost a kilo just in sweat getting in. Smart fellow too, he’d been pushing boats for twenty years.
Essential listening for the politicians (and probably the voting public):
Natrad Saturday with Kim Hill
Dr Dacher Keltner is the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of the 2009 book, Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life, consulted on the 2015 Pixar film Inside Out, and his new book is The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence (Penguin).
Podcast not up yet
Com’on , chap post what needs to be posted.
Its not only shifting the ports…. its lives as well.
[Good points, but off topic, moved to Open Mike] – weka
I moved it to Open Mike. Good points but too off topic.
Yes …I can understand… my point is … that often at the sake of political expediency…and a little lack of convenient joining of the dots… the consequences of overlooking the pragmatics can lead to the loss of lives… I need not remind you of the loss of 29 lives at Pike River due mainly to the destruction of unions ( aka the Employment Contacts Act or the later Employment Relations Act ) and lack of union mines inspectors monitoring conditions…
And I find it quite… pertinent that the Edmond Fitzgerald also lost 29 lives… and you know as well that if integrity is to have its place in the MOU… if workers are to account for anything in this equation… then all things must therefore be considered. Not just political expediencies.
Aye…well then Weka… I guess I’ll have to run with yer… I just wish… there was more a clamp down on the devious and the insipidly dishonest. With playing with honest men and women’s lives and dressing it up as bright ideas instead of calling it the deceptive plans it is… I don’t truck that sort of forked tongued weakness. Its sickening.
The Herald fawns over the rich. My, don’t they have a tough life?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11648864
Hi Paul. There’s another article in the paper today about a couple who experience for the weekend really high end luxury living. Sick-making really when so many are in real need, like rubbing their faces in it. We cancelled our Herald over two years ago because of the tripe and trivia which was being delivered each morning to our place. Bias and rigged for the Government we no longer could stand it. Since then we have been hounded by their marketing team and each time they get a barrage from me about how we do not need social gossip, health issues, travel ideas etc – that we want a “proper” newspaper. Last week we were offered a week’s free with home delivery of the newspaper, so for a bit of a laugh really we said okay.
Well I can tell you it has gone from bad to worse – I just cannot believe that New Zealanders can read this drivel every day and soak it in for real. The editorial writers are a disgrace and the only use these newspapers are going to be for us is lining for our cat’s overnight litter tray.
And, they are going to be getting a email from me addressed to the owner’s of the paper saying its an insult to the people of NZ that they have fed this crap to read every day.
And another article about a fight over $20 million Waiheke Island farm.
The adventures of the rich and famous.
Go back to sleep New Zealand.
Actually, for a change, Claire Trevett’s piece in the Herald today is almost fair, and I mean almost. Worth a read.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11650364
Suddenly Little is smart enough to have his caucus totally under control and he has unified the opposition…meanwhile Key’s popularity is dropping…is Claire reading the runes and seeing change?
She’d be an idiot not to… if she knows what side her bread is buttered on… and like all primeval organisms … she can sniff the breeze to smell the carcass to her own advantage.
Yes maybe she’s seen penguins polling otherwise she’d be putting the boot in like earlier in the week.
Someone else probably drew the dogwhistle round this cycle like soper and wifey who have been busy.
Searing edition of Waatea 5th estate last night
Discussing: “Housing”, “Labour Green Memorandum”, and “Economy Meltdown”
Former Labour Party Leader, current MP for New Lynn and people’s hero – David Cunliffe
Winner of best columnist at the Canon media awards – the brilliant Rachel Stewart
The best MP in the NZ First Party – Tracy Martin
Political commentator, blogger and author – Comrade Chris Trotter
And NZ First bad boy – blogger and commentator – Curwen Rolinson
That,… was a particularly good showing… the speakers articulated their opinions with clarity.
And the good will was evident. I was quite impressed with Curwen Rowlinson. Equally impressed at the general sense of unanimity among all of them. Also David Cunliffe, he showed a real power as a headperson in humility and facilitating of the collective desire to work cohesively.
Rachael Stewart was total business . Refreshing, … and was the perfect contrast to Chris Trotters more measured and pensive analysis of the events unfolding.
Excellent stuff.
Pretty good Ropata. Worth the listen. Upbeat for the Left.
Thanks for posting that Ropata-brilliant.
It was good to hear Trotter at the end saying how important it was for the Nats to lose in 2017 because they are out of ideas (they never had many) and that the ideas they have got and cannot help pursuing are making the country’s problems worse.
Great episode, all were good, even Trotter. I have always like Tracey Martin, utterly underrated in my opinion. & Curwen is great, an awesome young man.
“Seeing people sleeping in their cars breaks my heart” – totally how I feel.
Yep, and the sentiment that “this is not a New Zealand that I recognise”.
The analysis of the Nat voting mindset was particularly good.
I agree with Cunliffe, the economy is hollow & the only thing giving us the illusion of GDP growth is record immigration levels & a foreign investment bubble. We are at a tipping point
Understanding white privilege
Deconstructing White Privilege with Dr. Robin Di Angelo
Tracey Watkins gives us her opinion of the chance of Winston Peters becoming Prime Minister.
Though I had not been articulated it as bluntly as Watkins has, it had been stuck in the back of my mind as well. Here and Here
But unlike Watkins I had not imagined that this would be a bauble that the Labour/Greens would be offering Peters, but instead would be a sweetener offered by the National/ACT/Peter Dunne cabal.
What form this would take would be hard to say. The most likely would be a power sharing arrangement where for the first half of the next government’s term John Key would remain Prime Minister to be replaced by the premiership of Sir Winston for the second half.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/80719055/arise-sir-winston-prime-minister-of-new-zealand
Given the venom exuded by the Key Government to de-seat Winston in 2008, it is hard to imagine National welcoming him back into the fold let alone as PM. But Politics is a weird pit. Have him in or loose the election. Mmmm.
When a week in politics is a long time, 2008 is somewhere in the Jurassic period.
Sure the Nats were sore at losing their previously safest of safe National electorates to Winston Peters.
But I am not aware of much venom coming from National toward Winston Peters these days.
Never-they might offer Peters deputy PM though.
Surely this is much more likely with a left based govt.
It is credible for the PM to come from a party on say 15%, with Labour on say 30%. But it would look ridiculous if the larger party was on 45%.
The idea of WP being the PM for say the first 18 months has been widely mooted, but almost invariably on a NZF/Labour coalition. I guess the Greens would get something, but nothing too substantial in such a deal.
If you are told not to report the pressing social issues in John Key’s New Zealand, this is what the corporate press finds to distract you.
‘US woman finds human remains in secondhand freezer’
‘Distinctive Porsche stolen from Sydney home”
‘The Bachelor’s Naz apologises to the nation video’
Go back to sleep New Zealand………
Let us not forget.
The media puppets are complicit in the crimes being perpetuated on the vulnerable of New Zealand today.
Paul
+1
In all the media in all the world, those items have to walk into ours. When can we concentrate on our learning about our own interesting little country.?
People internationally do, but we can’t think about our own lives and nation and analyse what to do, too much dull cultural cringe, and cargo culting waiting for the more advanced nations, we think, to bring us news from their home and to teach us their advanced ways.
But home is where the heart is. Media bring us news from our heart-land. Or get out of the country back to your owners in your corporate headquarters you bunch of toadies, mercenaries and confidence tricksters.
edited
Labour and the Greens say this (the MoU) is not a monogamous relationship.
Little said he would welcome any other party committed to changing the government.
Should the Mana Party accept this invitation?
Would Labour now be willing to work with Mana to ensure Hone wins Te Tai Tokerau?
Thoughts?
They didn’t help Hone last time, if he dumps the internet party he might get my vote.
If … and this may be the case…one of the motivations for the MoU was to effectively neuter the right wing within Labour’s caucus, then sure, why not?
This open invitation has put Labour in an interesting predicament.
As highlighted by b waghorn, Labour weren’t prepared to assist Hone last time, therefore, has this open invitation now changed that?
If so, then it could be an attempt to neuter the right within.
I’m surprised Hone hasn’t accepted this open invitation. It would get him and his Party back in the media spotlight while allowing him policy input.
I’m surprised Hone hasn’t accepted this open invitation.
Thing is – Hone isn’t a part of any parliamentary presence. And the ‘invitation’ would appear to extend no further than parliament.
”The ‘invitation’ would appear to extend no further than parliament.”
How did you come to that conclusion, Bill?
There has been a mention of non-parliamentary parties (NGOs or such like) being invited on board? If there has been, I missed it.
Little saying he would welcome any other party committed to changing the government sounds like an open invitation to me.
Any techies out there got advice on a cheapish basic laptop brand that would suit a cave man who only does basic stuff on it.
Cheers
get one with SSD. forget touch screen. try a second hand Macbook…
Ssd ?
SSD.
Cheers
My source says that SSD tends to be on the more expensive ones, but not always. Thought that would help
This looked packed with information. too much?
http://www.storagereview.com/ssd_vs_hdd
bwaghorn
I seem to remember that you are sheep oriented = a shepherd?
This was on Radionz this morning.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201803333
Philip Armstrong: sheep
9:05 AM.Kim Hill talks to the Head of the Department of English at the University of Canterbury, and co-director of New Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies about his new book, Sheep.
There was interesting stuff about whether sheep are bright and if not why not. The clever ones are a problem and get put down. They have been seen rolling on their backs to get under an electric fence to better grazing.
Or lifting the bar on the gate to get in with the rest of the flock to the tasty vegetable garden. And I think rolling across a cattle stop.
On the road at the mo will listen if I get a chance.
My view is sheep and cattle are bright in their own way but easily panicked but as you say being overly clever/cheeky is likely to shorten their lives
Cheer’s for those who gave a few computer tips
These 2 look pretty good.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/1098036671
http://www.trademe.co.nz/1096885684
Dell XPS models always get good reviews. Never owned one myself.
They are both $799 refurbs. The first one has 256GB SSD (making it v. speedy), the other has a big 500GB HDD & a larger screen.
Can Mana be trusted not to fuck up mightily this time around?
I’m sure we can trust Mana are committed to changing the Government.
Bernie Sanders.
Live feed.
Gangnam Style
Thanks for comments on mine 2/6/16 on callous disdaining attitude to a young mother becoming pregnant a second time and being in dire conditions
Very good comment greywarshark, whenever I see this kind of comment from our less emphatic compatriots (“why do they have babies if they are poor/homeless/not me?”) I am reminded of this little clip from 30 Rock. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCYPqrmLwqs
That’s a cutting piece of social comment from 30 Rock. You may have heard the interview on Radionz today Saturday, about studies on how the effects of having much money and power distorts or demolishes the human connections between classes.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201803328 29.12 m
Dacher Keltner: power and corruption
8:12 AM.Kim Hill talks to the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center and professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, whose new book is The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence.
Then there was a description of how the bullying, callous attitudes of Australian politicians is formed, in special self-funded college within at one, (perhaps more), university which the institution can’t control. I thought of the recent hooligan behaviour at a NZ airport, of some boys from a sports team of an eminent education institution here where parents challenged its right to control their children’s behaviour to an accepted civil standard.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201803330 15.54 m.
Van Badham: privilege in Australia
8:45 AM.Kim Hill talks the Australian theatre-maker, novelist, social commentator, and columnist for Guardian Australia, who has written widely about privilege and politics.
The rise of the rich, the bowing to and encouraging of individualistic, self-centred, hedonism or simplistic narrow self-interest is behind the lack of concern by both men and women about others’ suffering here in NZ. And it is being taught and reinforced in elite educational establishments, and I expect soon, military schools. The lack of socialisation of these children shows up in the lack of respect for others and condoning assaults, sexual violations, stealing through fraud, corruption becoming common amongst the better-off.
(And can I ask that more people put a bracket in front of their youtube offerings. The posts being filled with black boxes, some without any comment or explanation is destructive to the worth of a discussion site.
edited
Thank you, interesting stuff.
I was hoping the ‘joke’ wasn’t too black…Slightly off topic but I can’t recommend Tina Feys book enough, I actually heard the audio book read by her, amazingly funny & political & fascinating & so, so honest.
I say the ‘jump back up your mother’, whenever I hear the ‘poor people shouldn’t have babies’ vacuous bile, simple pleasures are the best.
“…a really strong social welfare system that didn’t limit how high you could climb, but it did certainly stop how far you could fall”
I almost wept.
The New Bapsae
I haven’t read you before. I hope your comment at 15.2 is heartfelt, and not sarky – the quote would be my ideal for a social welfare system.
Teehee, God this is Brilliant.
He was a great athlete and anti war activist
RIP
59 Seconds of sound advise to win any argument for a Social democrat, Socialist or anarchist against any Tory.
OMG I’m at the Warriors game and they’re winning against the Broncos! Bookies getting wrinsed tonight.
We did them like dinner.
I think Labour are like the Warriors. A confidence team.
Amazing game tonight.
The Warriors are also energised by the Laboureen MOU 🙂
They is Playas tonight.
Meanwhile on Planet Key:
https://t.co/GLK7RH1ZeR, I can’t even be bothered to think, “FFS”
Mmm, the homeless should choose to play golf
But they might spoil the fun, and we can’t have that
JFK responds: “Look! At the end of the day, what is a million bucks? How many kids would that sort of chicken feed, feed? Ok! so it might buy 10 2 bedroom relocatable cabins with showers and full kitchen and stuff – enough to house the 8 carloads of people in one carpark sleeping in cars who don’t want to be helped. But think of the money my mates will make hosting a golf tournament. AND the photo ops! I could be famous shaking hands with a famous winner. It’s good to be seen with winners. And let’s face it – Hungry kids and homeless people are losers – no votes there.”