Open mike 04/10/2013

Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, October 4th, 2013 - 152 comments
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right up to the mike…

152 comments on “Open mike 04/10/2013 ”

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  1. phillip ure 1
    4 October 2013 at 7:57 am

    coffee heads-up for ya..

    http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/are-you-drinking-one-cup-coffee-too-many-study-says-overconsumption-could-send-you

    “..Over the years, there has been an extensive health debate over whether coffee is really good or bad for our bodies – with strong arguments and research coming from both sides of the fence.

    Some research suggests that coffee can prevent strokes – delay the onset of diabetes and heart disease.

    Other findings indicate it might lead to some forms of cancer – and adversely affect the metabolism.

    The most recent study from the Mayo Clinic published on August 15 reveals that drinking more than 28 cups a week can harm your health considerably –

    – with those consuming more than four cups a day twice as likely to die than those who are non-drinkers..”

    whoar..!

    ..eh..?

    phillip ure..

    • Sanctuary 1.1
      4 October 2013 at 8:33 am

      “…with those consuming more than four cups a day twice as likely to die than those who are non-drinkers..”

      Dude, with one possible exception everyone who has ever been born has died so I am not sure what this sentence even means.

      Since we are all gonna die of something someday, I’ll take my chances with the coffee. Probably better to live a fun life and die at 80 than be petrified of an expresso and live to be 102 when you are blind, deaf and the only thing you have to look forward to in your life is getting your nappies changed.

      • Colonial Viper 1.1.1
        4 October 2013 at 9:05 am

        Its the probability of dying within the set period of time studied, not a timeline which stretches forward to infinity.

    • Rogue Trooper 1.2
      4 October 2013 at 10:25 am

      Hungarian creamer with that latte?
      NZ 250M export infant baby formula market in China nearly wiped out; many exporters orders halved, some cancelled. China preferring infant formula sourced from Hungary for now.
      -RNZ (interview with an industry Exporter) Checkpoint.

    • David H 1.3
      4 October 2013 at 11:50 am

      28 a week? Oh am I in trouble. When I was younger back in the BBS days I existed on Coffee and Nicotine (As did Most Sysops Back Then) Now I am older, I have given up the Nicotine. But give up Coffee Now thats a whole nother story.

      • Naturesong 1.3.1
        4 October 2013 at 2:13 pm

        Breakfast of champions!

        Ahh, the memories.

        Although I have also given up tobacco, caffeine is still my very good friend and companion.

    • McFlock 1.4
      4 October 2013 at 12:16 pm

      Drinkers <55 years mortality from any cause of death over a 17 year period.

      Seems to me that would include a lot of folks who use it as a sleep substitute in stressful or extended-duration workplaces.

  2. karol 2
    4 October 2013 at 8:05 am

    Damn had just settled down with my first cup of coffee for the day, and about to take a sip….

  3. karol 3
    4 October 2013 at 8:07 am

    Another National Party political broadcast courtesy of an anonymous author at the NZ Herald: “Solid energy shows pitfalls of public ownership”.

    A real stretch that one!

  4. amirite 4
    4 October 2013 at 8:20 am

    Anyone else feeling slight queasiness with the collective sympathy-fest around the Team NZ homecoming? Isn’t that strange how the government and the middle classes are happy to throw millions at rich yachtsmen but very reluctant to fund food for schoolchildren? And I dont think that the rest of our not-so-well pampered and funded sportspeople are feeling happy right now either.

    • The Al1en 4.1
      4 October 2013 at 8:27 am

      Someone somewhere needed a feel good parade, and by the looks, Team New Zealand lucked in.
      That they lost with what can arguably be called the biggest choke in sporting history appears to be totally beside the point.
      A precedent setting paradigm shift in NZ culture in rewarding humiliating failure?

      • andy (the other one) 4.1.1
        4 October 2013 at 8:33 am

        Its local body election time. Nuff said.

        • phillip ure 4.1.1.1
          4 October 2013 at 11:12 am

          @ andy..plus national is dropping in the polls..

          ..and one of the most disturbing outcomes for me from nationals’ drop..

          ..is that joyce has gone from five years of being an arrogant/crowing/get-fucked! kinda person..

          ..to a form of cloying ‘niceness’..

          ..it is downright spooky to behold…

          ..and it is so obviously fake..

          ..it just brings into focus how hideous he is..

          ..phillip ure..

      • phillip ure 4.1.2
        4 October 2013 at 9:45 am

        will there be a choke-medallion struck for them..?

        ..maybe showing the nz boat trailing far behind..?

        ..and wasn’t it such a ‘choke’ in slow-motion..?

        ..philllip ure..

    • ak 4.2
      4 October 2013 at 9:57 am

      Don’t know old boy….certain je ne sais about any chap that can be on top eight times and still not come first…..

    • Puckish Rogue 4.3
      4 October 2013 at 10:02 am

      I agree, theres better things to spend money on

    • bad12 4.4
      4 October 2013 at 10:13 am

      But we funded the winner too, apparently Larry the billionaire ‘owns’ the NZ boatyard in which the ‘American’ boat was built, the tax breaks so far given are said to have Larry wanting to do it all over again…

  5. tc 5
    4 October 2013 at 8:31 am

    The opposition should be going hard on solid energy. It sums up the NACT, profit stripping via debt, hobbling its business model, ignoring its board then tossing jobs and ownership away.

  6. ianmac 6
    4 October 2013 at 8:43 am

    This Horizon exit Poll has Mr Palino only 4% behind Mr Brown. North Shore and Franklin strongest support for Palino. However the numbers counted seem pretty low.
    http://www.horizonpoll.co.nz/page/332/auckland-mayoralty-race-close-in-mid-voting-exit-poll?gtid=6829475094243EYF

  7. just saying 7
    4 October 2013 at 8:54 am

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/10/04/the-goal-and-the-movement-the-debate-between-john-moore-and-chris-trotter-continues/

    An interesting blog from Chris Trotter on a matter much discussed within these pages.

    My own recent experience of trying to do things differently in a group – to be genuinely democratic, consensual, non-hierarchical…even with lashings of goodwill – makes me feel like running for the hills (once I’ve finished tearing my hair out, that is).

  8. dv 8
    4 October 2013 at 9:04 am

    Re Domost print edition
    Headline
    The Maid, the Kiwi and the stolen sperm

    A salacious little story – NOT front page new.

    BUT what I found absolutely disgraceful was the publication of the a large photo of the 3 year old child with the by line of Unwanted child

  9. redfred 9
    4 October 2013 at 9:11 am

    Has Bill English ceded his Job to Governor of the Reserve Bank of Auckland.

    The OCR mechanism is a blunt tool unsuited to the extraordinary times we still find ourselves in. I hope David and David are going to follow through with rhetoric on the Reserve Bank and not become captured by orthodox lobby of the self interested

    http://blog.labour.org.nz/2012/10/18/ostrich-economics/

    http://blog.labour.org.nz/2012/09/19/today-theyre-terrified/

    http://blog.labour.org.nz/2012/09/12/meeting-with-joseph-stiglitz/

    http://blog.labour.org.nz/2012/09/10/olivier-blanchard-putting-a-twist-in-monetary-policy/

    Hope we hear more from David and David on their alternative vision for our monetary and fiscal future, because the system we have is broken.

    • Sanctuary 9.1
      4 October 2013 at 9:29 am

      I don’t see why we shouldn’t make the job of governor of the reserve bank an elected one. After all, he has an important role in setting policy for OUR economy.

  10. Puckish Rogue 10
    4 October 2013 at 10:13 am

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11133827

    “Nearly 45 per cent of respondents supported charter schools because they felt they would provide a different approach to education.”

    – Thats surprising given the amount of lies the PPTA have spread, I’d have thought the support would have been much lower

    – Choice: PPTA don’t like it

  11. remo 11
    4 October 2013 at 10:13 am

    Review of fourth annual RightsWatch Conference of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), presented this year in partnership with Ryerson University.

    “Civil Liberties and Democracy in the Digital Age: Privacy, Media and Free Expression” held in Toronto on Friday and Saturday, September 20th and 21st.

    http://truthandshadows.wordpress.com/2013/10/03/months-remain-to-stop-global-surveillance-machine/#more-1615

  12. Jenny 12
    4 October 2013 at 10:19 am

    After signing New Zealand up. John Key says that he does not expect that the major emitters who are dialogue partners to the Pacific Islands Forum, the US, China, India, (or as it turned out, even full member Australia), to sign up to the Majuro Declaration on climate change.

    Maybe the political leaders of these nations feel that if they did sign this international agreement, they might be bound to honour it?

    John Key has no such qualms.

    Honour the Majuro Declaration

    Cancel the Bail Out

    Shut Down Solid Energy

    Restart Rauauru Ma Raki

  13. Pete 13
    4 October 2013 at 11:22 am

    Good to see an update of the NZ on Screen playlist in the sidebar. There are some interesting looking titles there that I haven’t yet seen.

    • lprent 13.1
      4 October 2013 at 3:06 pm

      I call that the ghost of Lyn. That is why they’re all docos or near docos. I’ll extend the list and put in a weekly randomiser.

  14. Brett Dale 14
    4 October 2013 at 11:40 am

    Oh my, just been given a link to a webpage that is more left than here, (didnt think it was possible) The Daily Blog?

    Such disgusting items, such as the USA was behind the Kenyan Mall attacks,and it would appear its great that America has shut down, because millions of babies wont be killed world wide?

    Does the left in NZ really believe that BS, are you that precious about the USA?

    Surly not even Temana or the green party supporters are on this level.

    Totally repugnant page.

    [lprent: I’m surprised that you’re been able to miss TDB? Have you ever looked at the Feed on the right of this site which amongst everything from No Minister to some really really local left sites (and the odd science site as well because I like them). The Daily Blog makes up a good quarter of the feed on most days. ]

    • Pascal's bookie 14.1
      4 October 2013 at 11:56 am

      “the USA was behind the Kenyan Mall attacks”

      link?

        • Colonial Viper 14.1.1.1
          4 October 2013 at 1:52 pm

          I don’t know about the Kenyan Mall, but the Americans have definitely been providing infantry training and weapons to islamist Al Qaeda fighters in Syria.

          • Jenny 14.1.1.1.1
            4 October 2013 at 3:09 pm

            I don’t know about the Kenyan Mall, but the Americans have definitely been providing infantry training and weapons to islamist Al Qaeda fighters in Syria.

            Colonial Viper

            Citation, video, evidence, testimony?

            • Colonial Viper 14.1.1.1.1.1
              4 October 2013 at 4:15 pm

              Time to get over the fact that you have been supporting a foreign invasion of Syria and a Qatari/Saudi regime change programme targetting the Syrian government, Jenny.

              • Jenny …
                4 October 2013 at 10:33 pm

                I have trouble getting over the fact that you have publicly advocated the use of sarin against the rebels on this site and haven’t been banned.

        • Draco T Bastard 14.1.1.2
          4 October 2013 at 2:21 pm

          Yes, what you said there is vile and disgusting.

          • Brett Dale 14.1.1.2.1
            4 October 2013 at 2:27 pm

            Draco:

            No what the writers and the people in the comment section is vile and disgusting.

            • Colonial Viper 14.1.1.2.1.1
              4 October 2013 at 2:29 pm

              You’re really funny. Get used to it mate, the US Gov cannot govern itself let alone the homeland.

              • Rogue Trooper …
                4 October 2013 at 3:39 pm

                and the organised criminal extremes their society (might is right) have bred: Mob, Irish, Hispanics, Russians, Crips, Bloods, Aryans and NLR, Central and South American gangs and so on, and that’s not including their own internal terrorists, the Patriot-aligned and their NGO / Defense Contract private mercenary armies. Gee, that sure worked out well.

        • Pascal's bookie 14.1.1.3
          4 October 2013 at 2:53 pm

          I think ‘ANT’ is off in a couple of things in that comment, but you completely misrepresent what is said.

          ‘Complicit in’ is not the same as ‘was behind’.

          I know that you hate people criticising the US, it’s the weird little chip you carry on your own shoulder Brett, but it is simply a fact that they work with all sorts of unsavoury people around the world, and do all sorts of awful things. They really do.

          Now that doesn’t mean that they are behind every bad thing that happens, but it does mean that it isn’t ‘vile’ to talk about things they are doing, and ask questions and what not.

          It isn’t ‘out of the question’ that US actions in Africa are inflaming things. It isn’t ‘out of the question’ that the US funds and trains people who go on to do very bad things.

          • weka 14.1.1.3.1
            4 October 2013 at 5:26 pm

            hmm, don’t know why this turned up here, will move it down thread.

            • Pascal's bookie 14.1.1.3.1.1
              4 October 2013 at 5:53 pm

              It’s a reply to Brett at 14.1.1

              • weka …
                4 October 2013 at 6:36 pm

                Yeah, but I thought I was posting at the bottom of the thread. Something funny about when the name/mail fields drop out…

                I was originally going to post in this conversation with Brett, and then I thought better of it 😉

    • Morrissey 14.2
      4 October 2013 at 12:06 pm

      Oh my, just been given a link to a webpage that is more left than here

      ….SNIP…

      You are out of your depth. You know nothing. Why are you here?

    • richard 14.3
      4 October 2013 at 12:10 pm

      Sounds like bollocks to me. Never seen those articles on tdb and I have a look most days.

      So that leaves 2 options: either you’re making shit up or blindly repeating shit that other people have made up.

    • fender 14.4
      4 October 2013 at 1:35 pm

      Yeah I can’t see any article suggesting the US were behind the Kenyan Mall attacks, you better link to it Brett. I gave your stupid comment a thumbs down too.

      With you using the word repugnant, I think you must be talking about the whale-snot website, silly boy.

        • fender 14.4.1.1
          4 October 2013 at 1:40 pm

          If it is a comment by a reader it doesn’t mean it was written by the blog, you egg head.

          • fender 14.4.1.1.1
            4 October 2013 at 1:50 pm

            “Ant” wrote: “There was a recent story on globalresearch.ca that says western intelligence agencies were complicit in the Kenya mall attacks. According to the story, the attacks may be a part of a geopolitical strategy to counter the rising influence of China in Africa.”

            SO, you are a fucking liar Brett.

            You should know by now that people here are not as stupid as you would like them to be. Only someone as stupid as you will swallow the garbage you throw around.

            • Brett Dale 14.4.1.1.1.1
              4 October 2013 at 1:55 pm

              Fender:

              Scroll down and read the other comments.

              Again the site moderates the comments, so be quick, but normally
              is something vile is written about the usa, they stay up.

              • fender …
                4 October 2013 at 1:59 pm

                But you said: “Oh my, just been given a link to a webpage that is more left than here……”

                So that means: “…. but normally is something vile is written about the usa, they stay up.” is yet another lie.

                Better watch it, you may get nicknamed Hooton#2.

              • Naturesong …
                4 October 2013 at 2:22 pm

                This site is moderated too.

                Yet the lies you regurgitate here are not removed.

                Whats your point?

              • Pascal's bookie …
                4 October 2013 at 3:02 pm

                Are there any examples of anything ‘vile’ that has been left up?

                The commment from ‘Ant’ is abit wrong headed in a few respects from my point of view (it’s a bit simplistic about Saudi Arabia and AQ), but what is vile about it?

                the rest of the comments, what’s wrong with them?

                If there are ‘vile’ tweets that have been moderated, that kind of suggests that your idea about TDB being a vile cesspit is wrong, doesn’t it?

                Or are you saying that if they leave them up, that’s awful, but if they take them down, why, that’s awful too!

          • richard 14.4.1.1.2
            4 October 2013 at 1:58 pm

            Yep, Brett’s face is runny with rotten egg on this one.

            • Brett Dale 14.4.1.1.2.1
              4 October 2013 at 2:20 pm

              Go to the link, its right there, western governments behind kenya mall attacks,
              Martyn is celebrating the usa government shutdown because it means no drone
              attacks against thousands and thousands and thousands of children.

              How is that not completely vile.

              • Colonial Viper …
                4 October 2013 at 2:27 pm

                What’s wrong with a ceasation of drone attacks in civilian areas? Seems ok to me.

                • Brett Dale …
                  4 October 2013 at 2:38 pm

                  Because drone attacks have nothing to do with the usa shutting down, and im guessing if there was a tragic event in the states like an earthquake or another massacre, someone would write….

                  What about iraq?

                  or

                  What about drones??

                  What of course has nothing to do with the actual incident that took place.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    4 October 2013 at 2:51 pm

                    So what is wrong with the ceasation of drone attacks on civilian areas? Seems like a good thing to have happen, even if it is simply due to running out of budget.

                  • Pascal's bookie …
                    4 October 2013 at 3:08 pm

                    Ok.

                    So it’s ‘vile’ to oppose drone strikes.

                    And you imagine that there would be all sorts of vile things said about things that haven’t happened.

                    Well I think that in a hypothetical universe where the US launched a nuclear strike in response to a cyber attack on their power grid, (which is something they have not taken off the table), you would criticise anyone who objected to it.

                    What a vile disgusting monster you are Brett.

                    • Brett Dale …
                      4 October 2013 at 3:44 pm

                      Pascal:

                      Again your ideology is not letting you see my point, go back to my post where I mention James Robinson post on stuff, he totally sums it up perfectly.

                    • Pascal's bookie …
                      4 October 2013 at 3:49 pm

                      Perhaps you could explain your point then Brett. I’ve read the thing from stuff a few times now. Perhaps you could explain it’s relevance?

                      What is so vile about saying that a side benefit of the shutdown might be that a few bombs don’t get dropped.

                      That may or may not be true, but what is ‘vile’ about saying it?

                    • McFlock …
                      4 October 2013 at 4:34 pm

                      Brett’s point is that it’s morally wrong to discuss violence done by the US in other places while recognising violence in places other than the US, and that it is morally wrong to discuss violence done by the US while recognising violence or unfortunate events that take place in the US.

                      Which drastically limits the morally acceptable opportunities to discuss violence committed by the US, but I’m sure that such an outcome is completely inadvertent.

                    • Rogue Trooper …
                      4 October 2013 at 4:38 pm

                      lol

              • joe90 …
                4 October 2013 at 2:35 pm

                Commentator refers to wingnut web site = vile attack on the US must make you the stupidest man on the internets today – congratulations fella.

                btw, bomber is correct.

                The study by Stanford Law School and New York University’s School of Law calls for a re-evaluation of the practice, saying the number of “high-level” targets killed as a percentage of total casualties is extremely low — about 2%.

                […]

                TBIJ reports that from June 2004 through mid-September 2012, available data indicate that drone strikes killed 2,562 – 3,325 people in Pakistan, of whom 474 – 881 were civilians, including 176 children. TBIJ reports that these strikes also injured an additional 1,228 – 1,362 individuals,” according to the Stanford/NYU study.

                http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/25/world/asia/pakistan-us-drone-strikes/index.html

                edit: Stanford/NYU study.

                http://www.livingunderdrones.org/report/

              • bad12 …
                4 October 2013 at 2:39 pm

                So Pratt Dale, you support the use of ‘drone attack’ against children then…

                • Brett Dale …
                  4 October 2013 at 2:44 pm

                  FFS, Okay I posted this at my blog and here once I think, this is blogger james robinson response to someone who wrote..

                  “what about Iraq” In response to James writing about the boston bombing.

                  It sums up my whole feeling…

                  JAMES ROBINSON

                  “The “what-about-Iraq” comments here miss the point.
                  I stewed on them for a couple of days and what I have to say is this.

                  If you grieve a friend of yours dying, are you being
                  disrespectful to everyone else that died that day? No.

                  I lived in Boston. I live in America. This was big news to me.
                  I’m well versed in Iraqi policy and America’s failings there.
                  And don’t just zero in on Iraq because its in the news.
                  People are dying in huge numbers in places that America
                  didn’t invade too. There’s a lot of bad stuff out there, always
                  happening. That doesn’t mean that seeing bombs going off in
                  my former home isn’t somewhat traumatic. I hope I never have
                  to sit next to you guys at a dinner party.”

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    4 October 2013 at 2:57 pm

                    So it’s just your personal feelings then? And you’re not saying anything about anybody else’s feelings and attitudes, just your own?

                    Well in that case, that’s fine.

                    For a second there I thought you were being a busybody about what other people thought of the issues.

                  • Pascal's bookie …
                    4 October 2013 at 3:11 pm

                    That makes no sense at all Brett.

                    That guy is justified to be upset, but what does it have to with the drone strike strategy, or anything else?

                    • Brett Dale …
                      4 October 2013 at 3:46 pm

                      Pascal

                      Because whenever there is a major disaster in the usa or a tragic event, people bring up other international issues, that have nothing to so with what has just happened.

                      The left seems to have a rage in them if people dare give sympathy to the people of the usa.

                    • Pascal's bookie …
                      4 October 2013 at 3:52 pm

                      So why don’t you give actual examples of them doing that, instead of imagining it would happen?

                      And why do you say it’s ‘the left’ that do it? Does everyone on the left do it? Does no one on the right do it? Or does it only concern you when it is from the left, or about the US.

                      And does no one on the left give sympathy to the US, ever/ Pretty sure that’s a pile of bullshit. So what the hell are you talking about.

                      It looks like you just hate to see the US criticised. Why is that?

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      4 October 2013 at 4:07 pm

                      Brett Dale,

                      2,500 people die a month in the US from guns. Each month, every month.

                      The person being selective is you.

    • Brett Dale 14.5
      4 October 2013 at 3:39 pm

      Iprent:

      I dont look at feeds or ads on webpages, i find them annoying, so TDB is not new then?

  15. Rogue Trooper 15
    4 October 2013 at 11:41 am

    Martin Heidegger prepared the ground for his major work, Sein und Zeit (1927; tr.Oxford 1962) with a series of lucid and solid, if unremarkable writings which anticipated the themes of his mature work.
    In “The Problem of Reality in Modern Philosophy (1912) he argues against various versions of idealism, including Kant’s critical idealism, in favour of critical realism. “New Investigations of Logic (1912) assessed recent works on logic, including those of Russell, Whitehead and Frege through Husserl’s critique of psychologism. In keeping with his doctrine of truth as unconcealment , H. had little truck with ‘logic of assertion’ traditions; Analogous to the later Wittgenstein, H. was more inclined to base arithmetic on everyday activities like counting and measurement.His doctoral dissertation The Doctrine of the Judgement in Psychologism (1914) continued this opposition to the reduction of logic to psychological processes; his habilitation thesis Dun Scotus’s Doctrine of Categories and Meaning demonstrates a respect for metaphysics, history, and subjectivity that flows through his later work.

    ( His initial support for Naz1sm was due to his abhorence of technological and industrialized mass society, which he associated with the USA and the USSR. Although recently elected Rector of Freiberg in 1933, he resigned in 1934, and in 1945 was forbidden to teach until 1951, due to his associations with Naz1sm ) .

    Being and Time crystallized his study of virtually the entire breadth of past and contemporary philosophy at that time, it’s central concern being the ‘question of being’. Since the Greeks, being ( Sein ) had not been well-integrated into Time; it had been insulated from change as presence , excluding past and future. This exclusion embraced not only temporal presence, but also the atemporal, eternal presence of , for example, Plato’s Forms
    H. revived investigation of the ‘sense of being’ through engagement in a ‘fundamental ontology’ underpinning the ‘regional’ ontologies dealing with the being of particular realms of entity ; nature and history for example.
    This examination requires consideration of the entity , Dasein (literally, ‘to be there’ ). H. uses this term for several reasons: it does not require commitment to a view of humans as biological entities, as consciousness, or as essentially rational; Dasein has no determinate essence, hmmm, ; it’s being consists in it’s possibilities, “To be or not to be, that is the question”. It is there in the world, yet not confined to a particular place (or time). It is the entity that asks “What is being?” and whose understanding of being is itself, an essential feature of it’s being.
    Although Dasein is essentially ontological, the philosopher cannot simply adopt Dasein’s own understanding of itself and other entities. For Dasein tends to systematically misinterpret itself and it’s world, for example, regarding itself as a thing equivalent to other things leading to much of the vocabulary of traditional philosophy- ‘consciousness’, ‘subject-object’ to be infected with such misunderstandings. Thus H. , like analytical philosophers such as Wittgenstein, J.L. Austin and Ryle avoids such terminology, preferring more grounded terms such as ‘care’ ( Sorge ) which carry no burden of philosophical assumptions. (Bear in mind that H. holds that silence is an ‘essential possibility of discourse’). Like Husserl, he attempts to describe ‘the things themselves’ without the help of theories and preconceptions, yet unlike Husserl, he holds that this requires a determined rethinking of philosophical language.

    cuppa time.

    • Ad 15.1
      4 October 2013 at 3:59 pm

      You’re letting Head-Gear off far too lightly in 1933. He never gave up his membership, and never repudiated them despite the length entreaties of many especially Marcuse.

  16. Penny Bright 16
    4 October 2013 at 12:47 pm

    FYI

    Auckland Councillor Penny Webster (Chair of the Auckland Council Strategy and Finance Committee) is standing again as a candidate in this election.

    http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/HowCouncilWorks/Elections/Documents/rodneywardcandidateprofiles.pdf

    Should Penny Webster be disqualified under the Local Authorities (Members’ Interests) Act 1968, because she and her husband have entered into transactions with the Auckland Council Group, totalling $32,189 during 2012, for services provided by their jointly-owned private company, All Rural Fencing Limited ?

    http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/planspoliciesprojects/reports/annual_report/Documents/annualreport20122013volume3.pdf (Pg 80 ) ]

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    All Rural Fencing Limited (NZ Companies Office)
    http://www.business.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/1512665/directors

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1968/0147/latest/DLM390003.html#DLM390021

    Disqualifying contracts between local authorities and their members

    (1) Except as provided in subsection (3), no person shall be capable of being elected as or appointed to be or of being a member of a local authority or of any committee of a local authority, if the total of all payments made or to be made by or on behalf of the local authority in respect of all contracts made by it in which that person is concerned or interested exceeds $25,000 in any financial year.

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    SHOULD PENNY WEBSTER BE ELIGIBLE TO STAND AS AN AUCKLAND COUNCIL CANDIDATE?

    I have just rung the OAG (PA to Lynn Provost ) and asked if Penny Webster had applied for and received any dispensation, given that in 2012 All Rural Fencing Ltd had ‘entered into transactions with the Auckland Council Group totaling $32,189 for services provided by their jointly-owned private company, All Rural Fencing Limited .

    The question that also needs to be asked is why Penny Webster, and ONLY Penny Webster was mentioned in the Auckland Council 2012 – 2013 Annual Report – 32 RELATED PARTIES ?
    [ http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/planspoliciesprojects/reports/annual_report/Documents/annualreport20122013volume3.pdf (Pg 80 ) ]

    32 RELATED PARTIES
    Related parties
    Related parties are defined in the group’s accounting policies.

    The group enters into numerous transactions such as rates, water charges and the sale of goods or services with related parties in the ordinary course of business and on an arm’s length basis.
    No disclosure has been made for these transactions.

    Certain related parties have directorships and trustee positions in a number of entities to which the group transacts in the normal course of business, on standard terms. No disclosure is made for these relationships as the related parties do not have a controlling interest in the council or the entity that they are a director or trustee. The group transacts with entities that are related by virtue of related parties having a controlling interest in the related entity as detailed below:

    The group entered into transactions totalling $32,189 with All Rural Fencing Limited during the year
    (2012: $920). An amount of $4,313 was payable at balance date (2012: $nil).
    The council entered into transactions totalling $4,313 with All Rural Fencing Limited during the year
    (2012: $920). An amount of $4,313 was payable at balance date (2012: $nil)
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    “Rodney councillor Penny Webster says that at a time when household budgets are tight, the council cannot afford the $12 million to $15 million cost of mowing berms for the whole region. ..”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11133160
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    The blinding hypocrisy of Auckland Councillor Penny Webster sickens me. Councillor Penny Webster, (Chair of the Auckland Council Strategy and Finance Committee), wants citizens and ratepayers to provide their lawn-mowing services free of charge, although there is no legal requirement to so do, while she and her husband have their snouts in the public through transactions with the Auckland Council Group, totalling $32,189 during 2012, for services provided by their jointly-owned private company, All Rural Fencing Limited.

    In my considered opinion, this is a clear ‘conflict of interest’.

    As an anti-corruption /anti-privatisation ‘Public Watchdog’, I am totally opposed to any elected representatives personally profiting from contracts with Council or Council-Controlled-Organisations (CCOs) .

    I believe in the ‘public service model’, where people seek public office to look after the public and the public interest, not to ‘feather their own nests’, and enrich themselves from the public purse.

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    I also asked why the statutory requirements of the Public Records Act 2005, (s.17) had not been met in the Auckland Council 2012 -2013 Annual Report, because there are no ‘devilish details’ provided regarding contracts with the private sector.

    http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2005/0040/latest/DLM345729.html

    Recordkeeping requirements
    Subpart 1—Key duties
    17 Requirement to create and maintain records

    (1)Every public office and local authority must create and maintain full and accurate records of its affairs, in accordance with normal, prudent business practice, including the records of any matter that is contracted out to an independent contractor.
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    Here’s the 2012 – 2013 Auckland Council Annual Report:

    http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/planspoliciesprojects/reports/annual_report/Documents/annualreport20122013volume3.pdf

    See if you can find the NAMES of the consultants/contractors ; SCOPE / TERM VALUE of contracts between Auckland Council / Auckland Council CCOs / Auckland Council Local Boards?

    I couldn’t.

    In my considered opinion, the problem with Auckland Council, as proven by this 2012- 2013 Annual Report – is that ‘the books’ are NOT open – and we are NOT given the ‘devilish detail’ which explains exactly where our public monies are being spent, invested or borrowed.

    This is why, if and when I am elected Mayor pf Auckland Council, I will establish an Auckland Mayoral ‘Commission Against Corruption’, and will ‘open the books’, in order to find out where every dollar of citizen and ratepayer’s monies are being spent, invested and borrowed.

    This Auckland Mayoral ‘Commission Against Corruption’ will be staffed by a small team of forensic investigators, (whom I shall appoint, and who will report directly to me), funded directly from the Mayoral Office, using the budget which is set aside in order to help achieve the Auckland ‘Mayoral Vision.’

    My Auckland Mayoral Vision is – to stop the corrupt corporate control of the Auckland region.

    Here is my ‘Action Plan’ to stop ‘white collar’ crime, corruption and ‘corporate welfare’:

    http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ANTI-CORRUPTION-WHITE-COLLAR-CRIME-CORPORATE-WELFARE-ACTION-PLAN-Ak-Mayoral-campaign-19-July-2013-2.pdf

    For those who really want to know who is running the Auckland region, ‘like a business, by business, for business’ – check for yourselves http://www.committeeforauckland.co.nz (membership).

    Penny Bright

    • Ad 16.1
      4 October 2013 at 3:56 pm

      What have you been paid for in the last term, working either for or against Council, in $$?

      • Ad 16.1.1
        4 October 2013 at 6:42 pm

        Also, what assets do you own, including addresses of properties?

      • Penny Bright 16.1.2
        4 October 2013 at 8:45 pm

        I don’t get paid Ad.

        I’m lucky enough to own a freehold home, from which I receive income from flatmates.

        No pay – no benefit – effectively a ‘self-funded’ Public Watchdog, who CHOOSES to do what I do – full time.

        Puts me in a rather unusual position.

        Kind regards,

        Penny Bright

  17. Rogue Trooper 17
    4 October 2013 at 1:02 pm

    It is essential to his procedure that H. in providing a correct or authentic term for, or account of, a phenomena (such as man, time or truth) he does not simply counterpose it to the degenerate term or account current, but attempts to explain why the degeneration occurred, for example, in demonstrating that Descartes was mistaken to regard man as res cogitans one must show, n the correct account of man, how the mistake arose.For misinterpretation is not sheer, unaccountable error, but a ‘possibility’ to which Dasein is essentially prone.
    For Heidegger, unlike Descartes, Dasein is essentially in the world and is inseparable from it: In understanding the world, Being-in is always understood along with it, while understanding of existence ( Existenz like the movie ) as such is always an understanding of the world. The world is not primarily the world of the sciences, but the everyday lifeworld (Husserl).It is disclosed to us not by scientific knowledge per se, but by pre-scientific experiences, by care and by emotions. Entities in the world are not primarily objects of theoretical cognition, but tools that are ‘ready to hand’ ( zuhanden ) such as a hammer ,to be used rather than studied and observed. Theoretical cognition, like when observing a hammer disinterestedly (or a RWNJ) is a secondary phenomenon, which occurs more readily when a tool fails to give satisfaction. Tools are not independent of each other but belong to ‘context of significance’ in which items such as hammers, nails and IT ‘refer’ to each other and ultimately to Dasein and it’s purposes.
    Just as Dasein is in the world, so it essentially ‘with’ others of the same type as itself. It does not first exist as an isolated subject and then subsequently acquire knowledge of and relations to others; it is with others from the start. However, it’s integrity is threatened by others, as being together with others Dasein is ‘captured’ by others. Itself, it is not; others usurp it’s being. The self of everyday Dasein is the ‘they-self’, as distinct from the authentic self, the self that possesses itself. ‘They’ is the German man (one, you: we ) :the they-self does and believes what one does and believes rather than what it has independently and authentically decided upon.(This theory of the ‘they’ or ‘one’ is influenced by Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Illyich : Ivan’s carefully redecorated house seems quite exceptional to him, yet it contains “all the things people of a certain class have in order to resemble other people of that class’ ). To summarize, thus far, the account of everyday life that H. first presented as a neutral account of the bedrock condition of man, becomes an account of man’s fallenness’ and inauthenticity.
    The primary form of discourse, for H. is not explicit assertion, for example, “This hammer is heavy” but such utterances as “Too Heavy! Give me a lighter one” made in a work situation. Truth too, is not a primarily the correspondence between an assertion or proposition and a state of the world but the disclosure of the world to and by Dasein , unmediated by concepts, propositions or inner mental sates; ultimately, truth is ‘ Dasein’s disclosedness (supported by an appeal to the Greek word for truth aletheia which he claimed means ‘unconcealment’.) Meaning, like truth, is extruded from the mind- “Mill’s verbal propositions cannot be completely severed from the beings they intend.Names, words in their broadest sense , have no a priori fixed measure in their significative content. Names, or again, their meanings, change with transformations in our knowledge of things, and the meanings of names and words always change according to the predominance of a specific line of vision toward the the thing somehow named by the name. All significations, including those that appear mere verbal meanings, arise from reference to things”. ( The basic Problems of Phenomenology : 1927; tr, Bloomington, 1982).

    Time, for a shower and some exercise.

    • Ad 17.1
      4 October 2013 at 4:03 pm

      Turn yourself more to the post WWII works; more relevant, less wilfully obscurantist, more suitably damaged in response to worlding.

      • Rogue Trooper 17.1.1
        4 October 2013 at 4:35 pm

        I like the way you put that, “worlding”.
        Will just finish with some reference, death, the wonderful Time , decline , Holderlin and some thought (not on Friday afternoon though, took most of the morning as I had not been back to the highlighting for about two weeks 😉 ) Highlighting is then blended with the overlooked carefully.

        Man, it’s 20C today, the same predicted for the next week, although with some rain. The forecast for temperature is generally consistent, however the rainfall can vary widely from that predicted. Some of us are anticipating another warmer summer.

        Anyway, Ad, many of these “obscurantist” suggestions may well capture the lived experience of pre-technological peoples arisng at present. Many are essentially narratives of the decline or return of Western civilization.

        grounded narratives : Gotta love them., very helpful. 😀

      • Rogue Trooper 17.1.2
        4 October 2013 at 5:32 pm

        furthermore, building upon McFlock’s suggestion and evidence of the roles of traders, pirates and brigands (my terms) in the expansion and establishment of nation-states, there may be an analogy at present , in a period of continued globalization, mercantile expansion , particularly by China , information-connectivity and flows under threat from piracy (and the authoritarian State ) the world-wide web of organised crime and the amorality of many of the wealthy… through to corporate rapacity ,establishing pan-continental entities.

        • McFlock 17.1.2.1
          4 October 2013 at 6:58 pm

          Hmmmm.

          If we reduce the possible Harrison/Gibson mega-corp into its component parts (capitalist shareholders), and those parts become beholden to patronage and nepotism, it might be regarded as a social devolution back to hereditary monarchies. After all, it was loyalty to one’s lord and liege that preceded cohesive “national” identity, by and large. Different brand on the armour, but the game stays the same (preservation of personal and hereditary power).

          Personally, I reckon that the main way to avert that dystopia is to strengthen international structures that have a democratic foundation – e.g. give the UN more power and self-determination, remove the veto, and then start looking at ways to have as few representative tiers between an individual and the top of the UN as possible.

  19. Tracey 19
    4 October 2013 at 1:33 pm

    Anyone know how i can find out a list of major lenders to the USA?

  20. Enough is Enough 20
    4 October 2013 at 1:39 pm

    More Corporate Welfare from this corrupt Government.

    Joyce has just promised to borrow more money today to bankroll a team of 3-peat losers in the next instalment of the Billionaires Piss-up on San Francisco Bay.

    Can someone please bring some reality to this outrageous waste of our money.

    The America’s Cup does absolutley nothing for the hungry kids in this country.

    Can someone in Wellington please stand up and scream NO MORE CORPORATE WELFARE.

    Fuck off Team New Zealand. Stop crying and go fund your own rich boys wank-fest.

    • amirite 20.1
      4 October 2013 at 3:08 pm

      +1
      Vote the fuckers out!

    • Dumrse 20.2
      4 October 2013 at 5:23 pm

      And you feed your own fucking kids.

      • amirite 20.2.1
        4 October 2013 at 5:26 pm

        and you go fuck yourself. No one else will. 🙂

        • Dumrse 20.2.1.1
          4 October 2013 at 6:39 pm

          That’s cool, I will do that. You and your ilk just make sure as parents you feed your fucking kids. Don’t send them to school hoping I will pay to feed them.

          • fender 20.2.1.1.1
            4 October 2013 at 6:53 pm

            I , I , I , me , me, me, blah fucking blah blah blah me, me me……..dumbest arse

          • McFlock 20.2.1.1.2
            4 October 2013 at 7:19 pm

            Yacht race for millionaires ≈ feeding hungry children.

            Sigh.

            Here’s a hint: a normal human being does not feel compelled to help a millionaire win a yacht race.

  21. Naturesong 21
    4 October 2013 at 2:31 pm

    Lprent,

    The feed headings on the right of the page appear to be out of whack.

    The field denoting which blog the feed is from appears below the .

    Makes it look like “Statistics show Government action needed on gender pay gap” is from the Skeptical Science blog.

    I’m viewing the page on Chrome Version 29.0.1547.76 m

    • lprent 21.1
      4 October 2013 at 2:51 pm

      Yes. There is meant to be a thumbnail image in there that has the required sizing. Unfortunately the generation of the thumbnail has a bug in it that makes the CPU usage at the server go up dramatically when the site is under load. So it is currently turned off and waiting for either the plugin author to fix, or me to find some unencumbered time to debug and recode.

      I suppose I could patch the CSS with a min-height. But at present it is a nice reminder for me to fix it.

      min-height: 8am seems to work ok.

  22. Puckish Rogue 22
    4 October 2013 at 3:21 pm

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11134352

    Phil Goff and Helen Clarks finest moment (the Greens and NZfirst didn’t want it to happen)

    • Pascal's bookie 22.1
      4 October 2013 at 3:24 pm

      Nah. Their finest moment was when they kept us out of that stupid invasion of Iraq, (National and Act didn’t want it to happen).

    • Rogue Trooper 22.2
      4 October 2013 at 4:08 pm

      Good Article
      When China Rules The World

      couple a points:
      -7.9B exports, year to August, dominated by commodities not ‘value-added’.
      – China Exports to NZ have grown to 8.2B
      -“worry SMEs may have all their eggs in one basket”- Finny

      whereas, as any critic of corporate globalization might argue, The TPPA is Corporate Protectionism before Sovereignty Protectionism

  23. Tracey 23
    4 October 2013 at 4:00 pm

    Thanks for the link cv. Brett far from having a chip I was looking for facts about who holds the us debts. You have spent half a thread complaining about what a poster on a blog said. On the evidence of this thread it is you who needs to get some perspective.

  24. Draco T Bastard 24
    4 October 2013 at 4:58 pm

    15,000 litres of diesel flowed into town’s water supply

    Turoa ski field today confirmed 15,000 litres was spilled after a pipe disconnected from a diesel storage tank.

    A spokesperson said the company was first aware there had been a spill on Monday, but due to heavy rain did not realise the extent of the spill right away.

    Although the company says it complied with its safety and resource consent requirements, it will be doing an independent audit to make sure such an accident does not happen again.

    Yes, but are they going to be charged the millions of dollars to clean it up or is it going to be another example of socialised loss and privatised profits?

  25. Rogue Trooper 25
    4 October 2013 at 5:20 pm

    From the ABC
    US Treasury warns debt stoush could spark Financial Crisis
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-04/us-treasury-warns-debt-ceiling-stoush-could-spark-financial-cri/4998370
    If no Safe haven in US Treasury Bills.

    The inmates are running the asylum
    and that’s Cronkite turning over tonight. 😀

    • ghostrider888 25.1
      4 October 2013 at 5:47 pm

      “Glorh-reee , Glorh-ree , Hal-ley-looo -yah…Glorh-ree , Glorh-ree Hal-ley-looo -yah…” 😀

      time for the garden now. Cooler!

  26. weka 26
    4 October 2013 at 5:27 pm

    Lynn, my name and email keeps dropping out of the Name/Mail boxes when I go to make a post. Intermittently (sometimes it seems to retain them). You are probably aware of this, but thought it worth mentioning again just in case.

    • lprent 26.1
      4 October 2013 at 7:12 pm

      They come via cookies from your browser. Try another browser and see if it does the same thing. I will look at it later.

      • weka 26.1.1
        4 October 2013 at 9:35 pm

        Doing a few tests now. Before I was posting in Firefox…

      • miravox 26.1.2
        4 October 2013 at 9:56 pm

        I have a similar problem, using Chrome – but once I enter name/email details they remain – even if I close the browser or logout of windows and come back. But if I power off the computer the name/email details have disappeared next time I come back.

        • lprent 26.1.2.1
          4 October 2013 at 11:35 pm

          What browser? It sounds like a setting….

          Sounds like I should figure out how to handle the loghin registration problem—-

          • miravox 26.1.2.1.1
            5 October 2013 at 12:04 am

            Browser is Chrome…
            Yeah, I thought it might be a setting too, which is why I’ve not bothered about it until others have been saying about disappearing formfill, but I can’t figure out which setting it might be…

            • lprent 26.1.2.1.1.1
              5 October 2013 at 7:00 am

              Probably an chrome update. But I will check the cookie timeouts after I recover my car. Too many beers to drive last night.

              • miravox …
                7 October 2013 at 12:38 am

                A walk after a night out is a good thing….

                Seems that if I leave The Standard open for awhile the name/email disappears too – could be cookie-related.

  27. ghostrider888 27
    4 October 2013 at 5:39 pm

    poltergeist

  28. xtasy 28
    4 October 2013 at 11:01 pm

    The Health and Disability Commissioner and unresolved “mental health” complaints – a desperate protester:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7nBukTQcDA

    I was not sure if I should post this comment here, but since this “protest” by an apparently desperate, aggrieved complainant in the foyer of the HDC Office in Wellington is freely available via You Tube, it should be OK to do so.

    There seem to be a fair number of complaints the office is not addressing to the satisfaction of the affected.

    Not long ago there was also a brief news article on the 1ZB website on 24 July, stating that HDC face funding issues, are having too high a workload, and would face deficits for years to come.

    Annette King then appealed to Minister of Health Tony Ryall to listen to the HDC Office and provide the funding they need.

    I have heard nothing more on that.

    So we seem to be having a shocking state of affairs, getting worse by the day under this horrible government, leaving sick and disabled with incapacity not only exposed to biased WINZ doctors, who assist in throwing them off benefits and forcing them into insecure, often unsuitable jobs, we also have mentally ill not getting treatment they need, and getting bumped off by HDC.

    Mr Ryall, you are facing a “state of emergency” soon!

  29. xtasy 29
    4 October 2013 at 11:29 pm

    “The Health and Disability (Complaints) Concealer” –

    using the police to trespass a disgruntled complainant and protester, You Tube video with “part 2”:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgrXLbAWt2I

    Welcome to supposedly “transparent”, “just” and “uncorrupted” New Zealand, where your rights are claimed to be “respected”, and where your concerns are meant to be “listened” to by such offices!?

    Shame, shame, shame on you – HDC Office!

  30. xtasy 30
    5 October 2013 at 3:17 am

    Highest ALERT!!!

    To ALL sick, disabled and with incapacity for work – on WINZ benefits: Download and read the PDF submission to be found via this link, and READ IT, please!

    http://www.nzma.org.nz/sites/all/files/sub-WorkAbilityAssessments-Providers.pdf

    MSD’s Principal Health Advisor Dr Bratt and his team seem to be preparing new ways of outsourcing Work Capability Assessments, to be done by selected professionals!

    This smells too much like the “stench” that has been attached to the involvement of Atos Healthcare as the private assessor for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) in the UK.
    I have not heard or read anything about MSD’s plans in this direction yet, but it sounds extremely worrying, hence the serious concerns also, the New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) expresses.

    Something is being prepared to involve people to make assessments for WINZ, who are not even proper medical experts.

    I will try to keep you posted, but this is a must read, and must be taken very seriously!

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    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

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