Do you have a cartoon ‘buff bernie’ poster in your bedroom? Do you find Pokemons at controversial Tama Iti protest sites? Hows life in the troll factory with the other trolls?
It is important to look at where and whom you can trust in present society Andre.
So don’t be mealy mouthed about whom you decide to criticise because you may become the object of distrust yourself. I have to watch people for a while and see their mental tendencies before I can see how far I will trust them. These days, trust is an opt-in situation, not to be given casually.
Chaos is a word that conservatives use when they survey some suggested policy or scenario that May disadvantage them somehow and May diminish their material possessions. It can destroy more than is replaced, so chaos can be a WMD on many fronts so to be regarded suspiciously and doubtfully.
Kim Hill interviewed Tim Cope who rode across Mongolia and in those hard conditions finds that you have to understand people and how they manage and still have a culture despite their hard, basic lives and appreciate them.
This includes the extent of understanding that it is a compliment if they steal your horses and realising they consider that if you can’t look after your horses well, you don’t deserve them. (Horses are their equals in a way, part of their families, and if they die, or they are sold , they will always keep a hair from their tails and attach it to a rope near the door to maintain their connection. I have photos near my door.)
It was so interesting and also adds to my thoughts on who you can trust, and how people react when there is chaos in their lives. He notes about WW2 and Stalian, and about Crimea and the Ukraine and Kadjikstan?. And his dog, who he managed to have an EU passport issued for, and got him back all the way from there to Australia. There was a TV story done, out on DVD.
11.04 Gippsland-born Tim Cope speaks fluent Russian, and has spent the best part of a decade traveling Russia, Mongolia, and Central Asia by bicycle, row boat, skis, horse, camel and many other means. His most renowned journey was a three and a half year odyssey across the Eurasian steppe from Mongolia, through Kazakhstan, Russia, and the Ukraine, to Hungary, retracing the trail of Genghis Khan on horseback.
The trip was detailed in his book On the Trail of Genghis Khan: An Epic Journey Through the Land of the Nomads. On the same subject he’s completed an award winning film series for ARTE in Europe, and ABC TV in Australia. Cope’s book, which was released in Australia, the USA, Canada, UK and Germany, won Best Adventure Travel Book and the Grand Prize at the Banff International Mountain Book and Film Festival 2013 and more recently, the Grand Prize at the NZ Mountain Festival. Since 2008, Cope has been returning to Mongolia annually to guide trips for World Expeditions.
I think lobbyists are the tools of the neoliberal mindset that we should be looking for creative ways to dismantle.
Interesting that they run 2 depts side by side. One to chew on the ears of rightwing politicians and the other dept, the left. I can see strategic advantages when meeting clients needs.
Lobbyists are in the game for money. Steering govt decisions towards generating profits for their clients. I think our law making should have a sole focus: What’s best for NZ. What’s best for Vodafone shouldn’t enter into it.
Vodafone may well have the best grid of mobile phone coverage for a Civil Defense initiative but I think we need other ways of Vodafone making the select committee aware of this fact. A sweet talking lobbyist with a little black book filled with the phone numbers and birthdays of those sitting around the decision making table has too much potential for dodgey money-driven law making.
I think lobbyists are the tools of the neoliberal mindset that we should be looking for creative ways to dismantle.
Although I agree that lobbying needs to be banned as it goes against the one person, one vote ideal of democracy to the one dollar, one vote process of corruption it’s been around a lot longer than neo-liberalism.
Vodafone may well have the best grid of mobile phone coverage for a Civil Defense initiative but I think we need other ways of Vodafone making the select committee aware of this fact.
We already have that way – submissions to the select committee along with everyone else’s.
I actually suspect lobbyists add a lot of value by making the wheels of government run more smoothly.
Without lobbyists, groups who wanted to talk to politicians would have to run round trying to find who was the right person to talk to, how do they get an appointment, making the time, then trying to put their case in words the politician would understand, then trying to understand what exactly the politican is telling them in response.
Adding the lobbyist into the equation saves everyone’s time and increases the chance that people go away with a clear understanding of what has been discussed.
They may well make the wheels of government run more smoothly but at what price? Our government should be placing their banking with Westpac because they’re the best candidate for the job. Not because the influential get invited to fabulous lunches. I don’t understand why a portion of Govt banking doesn’t get done through the banking infrastructure we all own, Kiwibank. Maybe they’ve got a rubbish lobbyist with no flash lunch budget.
As Draco says, it’s always been with us. The ancient Greek Forum had outsiders pushing causes. Outlawing it would see a rise in underhanded campaigns as revealed in Dirty Politics, black market lobbyists.
I don’t like it but I’m not sure what to do about it. If it’s unavoidable…maybe as transparent as possible is the best we can hope for.
Interesting in that the headline is completely misleading. It’s not a left wing lobbying company at all, it’s a for hire lobbying firm that has sister companies to lobby left or right.
Lobbyists aren’t the grease that oils the wheels of democracy, they are the ticks that engorge themselves on our ” democratic” process.
Antoine, further up this thread at 2.1.1 you say that “I never knew there was such a firm! So it was a learning experience for me” in relation to the Stuff article about the Australian lobbyist firm you provided a link to in your original comment at 2.
While the possible effects of lobbyists you express at 2.1.1.1.2 are positive ones, regrettably in practice there are also some very negative effects that can also result including backhanders, corruption and similar.
Lobbyist firms have been in existence for many, many decades particularly in the US political arena. They are big business and big $$$s, and usually represent big business interests.
In the NZ context, there are a number of professional lobbyist firms of this ilk that have already been working in the NZ political scene for years.
This earlier Stuff article last year sets out some of the concerns with the increasing entry of professional lobbyist firms into the NZ political scene – and the need for some form of regulation etc of these activities.
Unions as represented by Helen Kelly etc, and individuals like Morgan Godfery included in the list of NZ lobbyists with access to our NZ Parliament in the latest Stuff article usually do not have the resources, money etc that these professional lobbyist firms have.
It is far from a level playing field for competing lobbyist interests in the NZ political arena. So, I would not rush into only looking at the possible positive effects; the possible negative effects also need to be understood.
As pointed out all lobbyists are not equal. If we want to be dicks about it, when you send a letter to your local MP you are lobbying.
Professional lobbyists are a blight on democratic process. They should be banned from private mp meetings and parliament period. Yes I would include unions in that despite the fact I do see a big difference between them and most of the others. The field must be level.
Political influence should be through a party of anyone’s choosing and be fully transparent.
Level playing field. This also would apply to the employers federation or whatever that union calls itself these days , the farmers union federated farmers and so on not just employee unions. Meetings can still occur but all goings on made public.
Bryan Gaynor wonders what New Zealand would have been like if Labour’s 1974 superannuation scheme had continued into now, and had continued to invest in New Zealand:
I’ve been waiting for that update. Gaynor wrote about around 2009.
People believed Muldoon was strong. people believed Muldoon was right. They were allowed to, but getting rid of that super scheme was the biggest calamity to ever hit our economy. Hindsight and all that but the scare tactics worked and we shat in our own nest. That’s okay too, you’re allowed to do that.
But between then and now I have kept hearing some of the same people, the ones who supported Muldoon, telling me the National Party’s right, they know best about finances and economies. What? They fucked up our country and they still want me to believe them?
The irony is that as a young worker I was in a super scheme which was similar to the one wiped. I stayed in it. Not only would the country be benefitting unimaginably from the scheme had it been continued but there would be generations so dramatically more comfortably off now. My personal situation is proof of that.
Gaynor says, ” …the aborted Labour Government compulsory scheme would be worth substantially more than $500b after 42 years of existence.” He talks of how that could have been available to help with our diabolical infrastructure problems.
His article should be printed on big posters and put on the office walls of all National MPs. Instead they’ll probably adorn them with newspaper copies bearing headlines about $11 billion holes.
Thanks repateet & Ad I agree this is a very powerful and informative article by Brian Gaynor.I am saddened however that only three of us have taken the time to comment.
I am not sure that Brian would like to be described as a fading star.
Maltese journalist’s funeral held after politicians told to stay away
“Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family objects to presence of government and opposition leaders as day of mourning declared.”
Murdered Maltese journalist / anti-corruption ‘whistle-blower’ Daphne Caruana Galizia TWICE ‘blew the whistle’ exposing how NZ Foreign Trusts were used for money-laundering by Maltese ‘Politically Exposed Persons’ (PEPs).
Well when I was in my 20 we managed to save enough money for a 25 % deposit on a house by living with my mother for 2 years. I went into the ANZ bank and asked for a loan to buy a house got turn down they made many excuses but I no why they turned me down. So I though that i will buy a business as I wanted to stay on land to look after my family going to sea for 7 days at a time was not ideal One uncredabl person gave me the idea of a food caravan so I found one for sale it was parked outside The warehouse in Napier so I brought it as the site was ideal for foot traffic they just had hot chips and burgers on there menu and I new we could improve on that. So my friend that I lost whom was like a brother to me and I decided to put a mister whippy machine in the caravan another freezer and two deep fryers and a exhaust fan to ventilat the caravan.
My friend did most of the alterations as my carpentry skills are limited to my main tool being a chainsaw so he was a good carpenter and a perfectionists so I left him to it. He did a good job of the refit we take the caravan to the site and start serving custom well not me my wife and I get a call the fuse at the site keeps blowing we are drawing 40 amps and the fuse box was only 20 amps. The warehouse was realy help full and put in the required wiring and fuse for us at no charge. We were working long hours my wife was getting sore swollen feet from the long hours and I was still scrubbing dishes at 9 pm. So after the Christmas new year rush I decided to get a accountant a asses the business and he said to me your profit is only going to be the same as the dole. Well one person said put it in a charitable trust and work it that way he did not explain why I could do this. So I asked the accountant he said no you cannot do this so I took his word for it. But he should have said your poor so you can use a charitable trust for the relief of poverty but no I no why he gave me the wrong advice now with a few grayhairs under my cap.
So I lost with that enterprise I cut my losses and flicked it my children loved it lol heaps of i cream and burgers an fish and chips.
Now to my point I should have had a plan at the start an researched the hole enterprise before I wasted my money. So we need to spend more money on research and science I say to need a plan for all the new carbon free energy technology that we are about to get a plan for new charging out let’s for electric cars a plan for how solar power wind power is going to be implemented into our power grid plan plan research research all the information is out there we just have to look for it And we dont want to make costly mistakes when we can avoid it with research and planing this should be minimised Ka pai
Not sure I would trust those in charge of those industry’s as national have still got strings attached to management thats what key did put his m8 in all the CEO rolls they could they could throw a spanner in the works. I would do my own research so there can be a comparison to keep them honest I can see a lot of bullshit still going on.
Ka pai
Have you heard about the left’s evil plans on Nov. 4?
According to some online conservative circles, anti-fascist activists — or “antifa supersoldiers,” depending who you ask — have plans to “behead all white parents” and attack “small-business owners,” “kill every single Trump voter,” team up with violent gangs and go on a rampage, killing every conservative they can find.
[…]
Let me guess: Right-wing media started to take that seriously, too.
Oh, yes. Gateway Pundit’s D.C. Bureau Chief and White House Coordinate Lucian Wintrich responded to these satirical responses with this post: “Tom Bloke,” aka @21logician above, is “considered to be one of the leaders of the domestic terrorist group antifa,” the report reads. “[He] took to Twitter today to threaten violence against ‘white parents’ and ‘small-business owners.’”
Here’s one explanation for why the list of charges against Manafort is so short: Mueller is leaving out offences state authorities can pursue. That way even if the pumpkin Pinochet pardons Manafort, he’s still on the hook for states to go after him.
How “good guys with guns” actually make it much harder for cops to do their job and find the bad guy, even when it doesn’t degenerate into a free-for-all shootout.
Please keep writing in to TS thoughtful left writers! Looking at the recent comments at times is like looking at the sports ground after the game and it’s littered with empty snack bags and cans.
incognito
A bit of sun and time in the garden will regenerate you as well as the green things and you’ll be busting out with a spring, sprong. Looking forward to it.
Aljazeera just reporting the ICC(J) wants an investigation into war crimes in Afganistan.
Oh Dear! Maybe time for Nicky Hager and Jon Stevenson to make a submission
It turns out Donna Brazile’s allegations were either outright lies or she didn’t have a clue about the documents she was talking about.
The notion that they prove the primaries were rigged is nonsense.
On Friday, NBC News published the agreement between the Clinton campaign and the DNC. The Clinton campaign agreed to donate a minimum of $1.2 million per month to the DNC:
HFA is prepared to raise and invest funds into the DNC via the Victory. In return for this financial support, HFA requires the appropriate influence over the financial, strategic, and operational use of these JFA-raised funds.
(“JFA” means the joint-fundraising agreement.) The memo does describe the campaign having input into hiring decisions at the committee:
With respect to the hiring of future DNC senior staff in the communications, technology, and research departments, in the case of vacancy, the DNC will maintain the authority to make the final decision as between candidates acceptable to HFA.
The agreement stipulated, for instance, that the DNC would hire a new communications director in the fall of 2015 from a list of candidates that the Clinton campaign had “previously identified as acceptable.”
On the other hand, the agreement also came with a caveat: The DNC could enter into agreements like this with other candidates:
Nothing in this agreement shall be construed to violate the DNC’s obligation of impartiality and neutrality through the Nominating process. All activities performed under this agreement will be focused exclusively on preparations for the General Election and not the Democratic Primary. Further we understand you may enter into similar agreements with other candidates.
An expected choice for science adviser of the US Environmental Protection Agency believes the air is too clean – another indication that Donald Trump’s head of the EPA appears to be stacking the group in charge of trying to protect the environment with climate sceptics.
Robert Phalen, who currently directs the Air Pollution Health Effects Laboratory at the University of California Irvine, has research that would support the deregulation of policies aimed at preventing air pollution.
[…]
Mr Phalen has asserted that air is currently too clean, because children’s lungs need to breathe irritants so their bodies can learn how to fight them. “Modern air,” he said in 2012, “is a little too clean for optimum health.”
Trumps war against our climate has made the a lot of Americans step up there efforts to minimise climate change. My point about our new coalition government getting there own research is that America energy security Steven Chu got one investment wrong and the Solyndra company went broke costing $700 million and he end up resigning now this is a very intelligent man who in my view was lead down the wrong path Ka pai.
Dog forbid a women expresses frustration with the UE dragging the chain on whether or not they’ll take a more active role in supporting Ukrainian opposition to Russia.
Yes – Crimea was Autonomous but chose to have a constitution synchronous with Ukraine. This constitution allowed the right of referendum.
The Autonomous Republic of Crimea exercised their right of referendum
ascribed in their constitution.
95.5% of voters elected re-unification with Russia.
That does not equate “Russian aggression”
DPR / LPR continue to suffer Ukraine violations of the Minsk accords.
There is no manifest proof of Russian aggression in these regions.
I challenge Joe90 to assert otherwise. https://dninews.com/
Viktor was 3 of 4 years into his democratic tenure. He did not have a mandate to aver from the status-quo. Multi billion gas (16) subsidy and support from Russia. The EU offered nothing comparable. Maiden was a made-in (insert Capitals here) Coup-dT.
Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Are we heading ...
So the Solstice has arrived – Summer in this part of the world, Winter for the Northern Hemisphere. And with it, the publication my new Norse dark-fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens at Eternal Haunted Summer: https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/issues/winter-solstice-2024/as-our-power-lessens/ As previously noted, this one is very ‘wyrd’, and Northern Theory of Courage. ...
The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on UnsplashEvery morning I get up at 3am to go around the traps of news sites in Aotearoa and globally. I pick out the top ones from my point of view and have been putting them into my Dawn Chorus email, which goes out with a podcast. ...
Over on Kikorangi Newsroom's Marc Daalder has published his annual OIA stats. So I thought I'd do mine: 82 OIA requests sent in 2024 7 posts based on those requests 20 average working days to receive a response Ministry of Justice was my most-requested entity, ...
Welcome to the December 2024 Economic Bulletin. We have two monthly features in this edition. In the first, we discuss what the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update from Treasury and the Budget Policy Statement from the Minister of Finance tell us about the fiscal position and what to ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have submitted against the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, slamming the Bill as a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and an attack on tino rangatiratanga and the collective rights of Tangata Whenua. “This Bill seeks to legislate for Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles that are ...
I don't knowHow to say what's got to be saidI don't know if it's black or whiteThere's others see it redI don't get the answers rightI'll leave that to youIs this love out of fashionOr is it the time of yearAre these words distraction?To the words you want to hearSongwriters: ...
Our economy has experienced its worst recession since 1991. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, December 20 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above and the daily Pick ‘n’ Mix below ...
Twas the Friday before Christmas and all through the week we’ve been collecting stories for our final roundup of the year. As we start to wind down for the year we hope you all have a safe and happy Christmas and new year. If you’re travelling please be safe on ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the year’s news with: on climate. Her book of the year was Tim Winton’s cli-fi novel Juice and she also mentioned Mike Joy’s memoir The Fight for Fresh Water. ...
The Government can head off to the holidays, entitled to assure itself that it has done more or less what it said it would do. The campaign last year promised to “get New Zealand back on track.” When you look at the basic promises—to trim back Government expenditure, toughen up ...
Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment:Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guests and , ...
“Like you said, I’m an unreconstructed socialist. Everybody deserves to get something for Christmas.”“ONE OF THOSE had better be for me!” Hannah grinned, fascinated, as Laurie made his way, gingerly, to the bar, his arms full of gift-wrapped packages.“Of course!”, beamed Laurie. Depositing his armful on the bar-top and selecting ...
Data released by Statistics New Zealand today showed a significant slowdown in the economy over the past six months, with GDP falling by 1% in September, and 1.1% in June said CTU Economist Craig Renney. “The data shows that the size of the economy in GDP terms is now smaller ...
One last thing before I quitI never wanted any moreThan I could fit into my headI still remember every single word you saidAnd all the shit that somehow came along with itStill, there's one thing that comforts meSince I was always caged and now I'm freeSongwriters: David Grohl / Georg ...
Sparse offerings outside a Te Kauwhata church. Meanwhile, the Government is cutting spending in ways that make thousands of hungry children even hungrier, while also cutting funding for the charities that help them. It’s also doing that while winding back new building of affordable housing that would allow parents to ...
It is difficult to make sense of the Luxon Coalition Government’s economic management.This end-of-year review about the state of economic management – the state of the economy was last week – is not going to cover the National Party contribution. Frankly, like every other careful observer, I cannot make up ...
This morning I awoke to the lovely news that we are firmly back on track, that is if the scale was reversed.NZ ranks low in global economic comparisonsNew Zealand's economy has been ranked 33rd out of 37 in an international comparison of which have done best in 2024.Economies were ranked ...
Remember those silent movies where the heroine is tied to the railway tracks or going over the waterfall in a barrel? Finance Minister Nicola Willis seems intent on portraying herself as that damsel in distress. According to Willis, this country’s current economic problems have all been caused by the spending ...
Similar to the cuts and the austerity drive imposed by Ruth Richardson in the 1990’s, an era which to all intents and purposes we’ve largely fiddled around the edges with fixing in the time since – over, to be fair, several administrations – whilst trying our best it seems to ...
String-Pulling in the Dark: For the democratic process to be meaningful it must also be public. WITH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE in New Zealand’s politicians and journalists steadily declining, restoring those virtues poses a daunting challenge. Just how daunting is made clear by comparing the way politicians and journalists treated New Zealanders ...
Dear Nicola Willis, thank you for letting us know in so many words that the swingeing austerity hasn't worked.By in so many words I mean the bit where you said, Here is a sea of red ink in which we are drowning after twelve months of savage cost cutting and ...
The Open Government Partnership is a multilateral organisation committed to advancing open government. Countries which join are supposed to co-create regular action plans with civil society, committing to making verifiable improvements in transparency, accountability, participation, or technology and innovation for the above. And they're held to account through an Independent ...
Today I tuned into something strange: a press conference that didn’t make my stomach churn or the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Which was strange, because it was about the torture of children. It was the announcement by Erica Stanford — on her own, unusually ...
This is a must watch, and puts on brilliant and practical display the implications and mechanics of fast-track law corruption and weakness.CLICK HERE: LINK TO WATCH VIDEOOur news media as it is set up is simply not equipped to deal with the brazen disinformation and corruption under this right wing ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Acting Secretary Erin Polaczuk is welcoming the announcement from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden that she is opening consultation on engineered stone and is calling on her to listen to the evidence and implement a total ban of the product. “We need ...
The Government has announced a 1.5% increase in the minimum wage from 1 April 2025, well below forecast inflation of 2.5%. Unions have reacted strongly and denounced it as a real terms cut. PSA and the CTU are opposing a new round of staff cuts at WorkSafe, which they say ...
The decision to unilaterally repudiate the contract for new Cook Strait ferries is beginning to look like one of the stupidest decisions a New Zealand government ever made. While cancelling the ferries and their associated port infrastructure may have made this year's books look good, it means higher costs later, ...
Hi there! I’ve been overseas recently, looking after a situation with a family member. So apologies if there any less than focused posts! Vanuatu has just had a significant 7.3 earthquake. Two MFAT staff are unaccounted for with local fatalities.It’s always sad to hear of such things happening.I think of ...
Today is a special member's morning, scheduled to make up for the government's theft of member's days throughout the year. First up was the first reading of Greg Fleming's Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill, which was passed unanimously. Currently the House is debating the third reading of ...
We're going backwardsIgnoring the realitiesGoing backwardsAre you counting all the casualties?We are not there yetWhere we need to beWe are still in debtTo our insanitiesSongwriter: Martin Gore Read more ...
Willis blamed Treasury for changing its productivity assumptions and Labour’s spending increases since Covid for the worsening Budget outlook. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, December 18 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above ...
Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...
Hi,If you’re a New Zealander — you know who Mike King is. He is the face of New Zealand’s battle against mental health problems. He can be loud and brash. He raises, and is entrusted with, a lot of cash. Last year his “I Am Hope” charity reported a revenue ...
Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...
The right have a stupid saying that is only occasionally true:When is democracy not democracy? When it hasn’t been voted on.While not true in regards to branches of government such as the judiciary, it’s a philosophy that probably should apply to recently-elected local government councillors. Nevertheless, this concept seemed to ...
Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...
Come and join myself and CTU Chief Economist for a pop-up ‘Hoon’ webinar on the Government’s Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) with paying subscribers to The Kākā for 30 minutes at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream to watch our chat. Don’t worry if ...
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...
New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...
At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob HensonIn this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...
In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...
On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...
The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...
This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition government’s approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after you’ve cut the funding to where they could get vaccinated. This has been the case all year with public ...
And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...
Here’s a quick round up of today’s political news:1. MORE FOOD BANKS, CHARITIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS AND YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES SET TO CLOSE OR SCALE BACK AROUND THE COUNTRY AS GOVT CUTS FUNDINGSome of Auckland's largest foodbanks are warning they may need to close or significantly reduce food parcels after ...
Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...
This is a guest post by Tim Adriaansen, a community, climate, and accessibility advocate.I won’t shut up about climate breakdown, and whenever possible I try to shift the focus of a climate conversation towards solutions. But you’ll almost never hear me give more than a passing nod to ...
A grassroots backlash has forced a backdown from Brown, but he is still eyeing up plenty of tolls for other new roads. And the pressure is on Willis to ramp up the Government’s austerity strategy. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 8, 2024 thru Sat, December 14, 2024. Listing by Category Like last week's summary this one contains the list of articles twice: based on categories and based on ...
I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...
Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...
The collective right have a problem.The entire foundation for their world view is antiscientific. Their preferred economic strategies have been disproven. Their whole neoliberal model faces accusations of corporate corruption and worsening inequality. Climate change not only definitely exists, its rapid progression demands an immediate and expensive response in order ...
Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...
Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...
What Chris Penk has granted holocaust-denier and equal-opportunity-bigot Candace Owens is not “freedom of speech”. It’s not even really freedom of movement, though that technically is the right she has been granted. What he has given her is permission to perform. Freedom of SpeechIn New Zealand, the right to freedom ...
All those tears on your cheeksJust like deja vu flow nowWhen grandmother speaksSo tell me a story (I'll tell you a story)Spell it out, I can't hear (What do you want to hear?)Why you wear black in the morning?Why there's smoke in the air? Songwriter: Greg Johnson.Mōrena all ☀️Something a ...
2024 is now officially my best-ever year for short stories. My 1,850-word dark fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens, has been accepted for the upcoming solstice edition of Eternal Haunted Summer (https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/), thereby making that six published short stories for the calendar year. As always, see the Bibliography page for ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
Legislation to enable new water service delivery models that will drive critical investment in infrastructure has passed its first reading in Parliament, marking a significant step towards the delivery of Local Water Done Well, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly say.“Councils and voters ...
New Zealand is one step closer to reaping the benefits of gene technology with the passing of the first reading of the Gene Technology Bill, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. "This legislation will end New Zealand's near 30-year ban on gene technology outside the lab and is ...
Cosmic CatastropheThe year draws to a close.King Luxon has grown tired of the long eveningsListening to the dreary squabbling of his Triumvirate.He strolls up to the top floor of the PalaceTo consult with his Astronomer Royal.The Royal Telescope scans the skies,And King Luxon stares up into the heavensFrom the terrestrial ...
Spinoff editor Mad Chapman and books editor Claire Mabey debate Carl Shuker’s new novel about… an editor. Claire: Hello Mad, you just finished The Royal Free – overall impressions? Mad: Hi Claire, I literally just put the book down and I would have to say my immediate impression is ...
Christmas and its buildup are often lonely, hard and full of unreasonable expectations. Here’s how to make it to Jesus’s birthday and find the little bit of joy we all deserve. Have you found this year relentless? Has the latest Apple update “fucked up your life”? Have you lost two ...
Despite overwhelming public and corporate support, the government has stalled progress on a modern day slavery law. That puts us behind other countries – and makes Christmas a time of tragedy rather than joy, argues Shanti Mathias. Picture the scene on Christmas Day. Everyone replete with nice things to eat, ...
Asia Pacific Report “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two,” says an Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University about the horrifying reality of Gaza. Professor Omer Bartov, has described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an ...
The New Zealand government coalition is tweaking university regulations to curb what it says is an increasingly “risk-averse approach” to free speech. The proposed changes will set clear expectations on how universities should approach freedom of speech issues. Each university will then have to adopt a “freedom of speech statement” ...
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – COMMENTARY: By Caitlin Johnstone New York prosecutors have charged Luigi Mangione with “murder as an act of terrorism” in his alleged shooting of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month. This news comes out at the same time as ...
Pacific Media Watch The union for Australian journalists has welcomed the delivery by the federal government of more than $150 million to support the sustainability of public interest journalism over the next four years. Combined with the announcement of the revamped News Bargaining Initiative, this could result in up to ...
Piracy is a reality of modern life – but copyright law has struggled to play catch-up for as long as the entertainment industry has existed. As far back as 1988, the House of Lords criticised copyright law’s conflict with the reality of human behaviour in the context of burning cassette ...
MONDAY“Merry Xmas, and praise the Lord,” said Sheriff Luxon, and smiled for the camera. There was a flash of smoke when the shutter pressed down on the magnesium powder. The sheriff had arranged for a photographer from the Dodge Gazette to attend a ceremony where he handed out food parcels to ...
It’s a little under two months since the White Ferns shocked the cricketing world, deservedly taking home the T20 World Cup. Since then the trophy has had a tour around the country, five of the squad have played in the WBBL in Australia while most others have returned to domestic ...
Comment: If we say the word ‘dementia’, many will picture an older person struggling to remember the names of their loved ones, maybe a grandparent living out their final years in an aged care facility. Dementia can also occur in people younger than 65, but it can take time before ...
As he makes a surprise return to Shortland Street, actor Craig Parker takes us through his life in television. Craig Parker has been a fixture on television in Aotearoa for nearly four decades. He had starring roles in iconic local series like Gloss, Mercy Peak and Diplomatic Immunity, featured in ...
The Ōtautahi musician shares the 10 tracks he loves to spin, including the folk classic that cured him of a ‘case of the give-ups’. When singer-songwriter Adam McGrath returns to Kumeu’s Auckland Folk Festival from January 24-27, he’s not planning on simply idling his way through – he wants the late ...
Alex Casey spends an afternoon on the job with River, the rescue dog on a mission to spread joy to Ōtautahi rest homes.Almost everyone says it is never enough time. But River the rescue dog, a jet black huntaway border collie cross, has to keep a tight pace to ...
Asia Pacific Report Fiji activists have recreated the nativity scene at a solidarity for Palestine gathering in Fiji’s capital Suva just days before Christmas. The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network recreated the scene at the FWCC compound — a baby Jesus figurine lies amidst the ...
By 1News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver and 1News reporters A number of Kiwis have been successfully evacuated from Vanuatu after a devastating earthquake shook the Pacific island nation earlier this week. The death toll was still unclear, though at least 14 people were killed according to an earlier statement from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Scully, Professor in Modern History, University of New England Bunker.Image courtesy of Michael Leunig, CC BY-NC-SA Michael Leunig – who died in the early hours of Thursday December 19, surrounded by “his children, loved ones, and sunflowers” – was the ...
The House - On Parliament's last day of the year, there was the rare occurrence of a personal (conscience) vote on selling booze over the Easter weekend. While it didn't have the numbers to pass, it was a chance to get a rare glimpse of the fact ...
A new poem by Holly Fletcher. bejeweled log i was dreaming about wasps / wee darlings that followed me / ducking under objects / that i was fated to pickup / my fingers seeking / and meeting with tiny proboscis’s / but instead / i wake up / roll sideways ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne Versta/Shutterstock Australians are exposed to some of the highest levels of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world. While we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Terry, Professor of Business Regulation, University of Sydney Michael von Aichberger/Shutterstock Even if you’ve no idea how the business model underpinning franchises works, there’s a good chance you’ve spent money at one. Franchising is essentially a strategy for cloning ...
If something big is going to happen in Ferndale, it’s going to happen at Christmas. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If there’s one episode of Shortland Street you should watch each year, it’s the annual Christmas cliffhanger. The final episode of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William A. Stoltz, Lecturer and expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University US President-elect Donald Trump has named most of the members of his proposed cabinet. However, he’s yet to reveal key appointees to America’s powerful cyber warfare and intelligence institutions. ...
Announcing the top 10 books of the the year at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber, $37) The phenomenal Irish writer is the unsurprising chart topper for 2024 with her fourth novel that, much like her first ...
The government has confirmed its plan to break up Te Pūkenga / New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology and re-establish independent polytechnics. ...
Delving into the operations of a russian twitter troll.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/jenna-abrams-russias-clown-troll-princess-duped-the-mainstream-media-and-the-world
When I see commenters who only ever seem to be attempting to sow distrust and chaos, I can’t help wondering …
I swear I’m not a russian troll comrade 🙂
Do you have a cartoon ‘buff bernie’ poster in your bedroom? Do you find Pokemons at controversial Tama Iti protest sites? Hows life in the troll factory with the other trolls?
It is important to look at where and whom you can trust in present society Andre.
So don’t be mealy mouthed about whom you decide to criticise because you may become the object of distrust yourself. I have to watch people for a while and see their mental tendencies before I can see how far I will trust them. These days, trust is an opt-in situation, not to be given casually.
Chaos is a word that conservatives use when they survey some suggested policy or scenario that May disadvantage them somehow and May diminish their material possessions. It can destroy more than is replaced, so chaos can be a WMD on many fronts so to be regarded suspiciously and doubtfully.
Kim Hill interviewed Tim Cope who rode across Mongolia and in those hard conditions finds that you have to understand people and how they manage and still have a culture despite their hard, basic lives and appreciate them.
This includes the extent of understanding that it is a compliment if they steal your horses and realising they consider that if you can’t look after your horses well, you don’t deserve them. (Horses are their equals in a way, part of their families, and if they die, or they are sold , they will always keep a hair from their tails and attach it to a rope near the door to maintain their connection. I have photos near my door.)
It was so interesting and also adds to my thoughts on who you can trust, and how people react when there is chaos in their lives. He notes about WW2 and Stalian, and about Crimea and the Ukraine and Kadjikstan?. And his dog, who he managed to have an EU passport issued for, and got him back all the way from there to Australia. There was a TV story done, out on DVD.
RadioNz summary – also go to the page and see images.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday
and
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018620423/tim-cope-on-the-trail-of-genghis-khan
11.04 Gippsland-born Tim Cope speaks fluent Russian, and has spent the best part of a decade traveling Russia, Mongolia, and Central Asia by bicycle, row boat, skis, horse, camel and many other means. His most renowned journey was a three and a half year odyssey across the Eurasian steppe from Mongolia, through Kazakhstan, Russia, and the Ukraine, to Hungary, retracing the trail of Genghis Khan on horseback.
The trip was detailed in his book On the Trail of Genghis Khan: An Epic Journey Through the Land of the Nomads. On the same subject he’s completed an award winning film series for ARTE in Europe, and ABC TV in Australia. Cope’s book, which was released in Australia, the USA, Canada, UK and Germany, won Best Adventure Travel Book and the Grand Prize at the Banff International Mountain Book and Film Festival 2013 and more recently, the Grand Prize at the NZ Mountain Festival. Since 2008, Cope has been returning to Mongolia annually to guide trips for World Expeditions.
‘Wondering’ versus thinking..
Try more ‘thinking’, Andre!
Read a book on techniques first though..seems you need a steer…
“Hidden meaning results from reckless destiny”
Interesting article on Stuff: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/98512144/australian-leftwing-lobby-firm-hawker-britton-hiring-in-new-zealand
It’s good practice to make a statement so people know where you are coming from. So, what do you find interesting about it?
I never knew there was such a firm! So it was a learning experience for me
I think lobbyists are the tools of the neoliberal mindset that we should be looking for creative ways to dismantle.
Interesting that they run 2 depts side by side. One to chew on the ears of rightwing politicians and the other dept, the left. I can see strategic advantages when meeting clients needs.
Lobbyists are in the game for money. Steering govt decisions towards generating profits for their clients. I think our law making should have a sole focus: What’s best for NZ. What’s best for Vodafone shouldn’t enter into it.
Vodafone may well have the best grid of mobile phone coverage for a Civil Defense initiative but I think we need other ways of Vodafone making the select committee aware of this fact. A sweet talking lobbyist with a little black book filled with the phone numbers and birthdays of those sitting around the decision making table has too much potential for dodgey money-driven law making.
Although I agree that lobbying needs to be banned as it goes against the one person, one vote ideal of democracy to the one dollar, one vote process of corruption it’s been around a lot longer than neo-liberalism.
We already have that way – submissions to the select committee along with everyone else’s.
I actually suspect lobbyists add a lot of value by making the wheels of government run more smoothly.
Without lobbyists, groups who wanted to talk to politicians would have to run round trying to find who was the right person to talk to, how do they get an appointment, making the time, then trying to put their case in words the politician would understand, then trying to understand what exactly the politican is telling them in response.
Adding the lobbyist into the equation saves everyone’s time and increases the chance that people go away with a clear understanding of what has been discussed.
A.
They may well make the wheels of government run more smoothly but at what price? Our government should be placing their banking with Westpac because they’re the best candidate for the job. Not because the influential get invited to fabulous lunches. I don’t understand why a portion of Govt banking doesn’t get done through the banking infrastructure we all own, Kiwibank. Maybe they’ve got a rubbish lobbyist with no flash lunch budget.
As Draco says, it’s always been with us. The ancient Greek Forum had outsiders pushing causes. Outlawing it would see a rise in underhanded campaigns as revealed in Dirty Politics, black market lobbyists.
I don’t like it but I’m not sure what to do about it. If it’s unavoidable…maybe as transparent as possible is the best we can hope for.
Indeed, everything should be in the public domain without any OIA requests, no exceptions, no redacting, and no secrecy. Lobby away, I say.
Interesting in that the headline is completely misleading. It’s not a left wing lobbying company at all, it’s a for hire lobbying firm that has sister companies to lobby left or right.
Lobbyists aren’t the grease that oils the wheels of democracy, they are the ticks that engorge themselves on our ” democratic” process.
> Lobbyists aren’t the grease that oils the wheels of democracy, they are the ticks that engorge themselves on our ” democratic” process.
Dude, Helen Kelly was a lobbyist.
A.
Note the context:
… it’s a for hire lobbying firm that has sister companies to lobby left or right.
I don’t recall Helen Kelly ever running or working for such a firm.
Antoine, further up this thread at 2.1.1 you say that “I never knew there was such a firm! So it was a learning experience for me” in relation to the Stuff article about the Australian lobbyist firm you provided a link to in your original comment at 2.
While the possible effects of lobbyists you express at 2.1.1.1.2 are positive ones, regrettably in practice there are also some very negative effects that can also result including backhanders, corruption and similar.
Lobbyist firms have been in existence for many, many decades particularly in the US political arena. They are big business and big $$$s, and usually represent big business interests.
In the NZ context, there are a number of professional lobbyist firms of this ilk that have already been working in the NZ political scene for years.
Sanders Unsworth is an example. http://sul.co.nz/page/home.aspx
This earlier Stuff article last year sets out some of the concerns with the increasing entry of professional lobbyist firms into the NZ political scene – and the need for some form of regulation etc of these activities.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/78650109/arrival-of-australian-political-lobbying-firm-in-nz-raises-questions-about-oversight
Here is another earlier Stuff article in 2011 also expressing concerns etc.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5099703/The-rise-and-rise-of-lobbyists
Unions as represented by Helen Kelly etc, and individuals like Morgan Godfery included in the list of NZ lobbyists with access to our NZ Parliament in the latest Stuff article usually do not have the resources, money etc that these professional lobbyist firms have.
It is far from a level playing field for competing lobbyist interests in the NZ political arena. So, I would not rush into only looking at the possible positive effects; the possible negative effects also need to be understood.
Yes, I can see that a malign lobbyist could cause harm
As pointed out all lobbyists are not equal. If we want to be dicks about it, when you send a letter to your local MP you are lobbying.
Professional lobbyists are a blight on democratic process. They should be banned from private mp meetings and parliament period. Yes I would include unions in that despite the fact I do see a big difference between them and most of the others. The field must be level.
Political influence should be through a party of anyone’s choosing and be fully transparent.
Unionists should be banned from privately meeting with MPs?
I don’t think there’d be many people here who would subscribe to that idea!
A.
Level playing field. This also would apply to the employers federation or whatever that union calls itself these days , the farmers union federated farmers and so on not just employee unions. Meetings can still occur but all goings on made public.
Agreed.
Bryan Gaynor wonders what New Zealand would have been like if Labour’s 1974 superannuation scheme had continued into now, and had continued to invest in New Zealand:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11940232
I’ve been waiting for that update. Gaynor wrote about around 2009.
People believed Muldoon was strong. people believed Muldoon was right. They were allowed to, but getting rid of that super scheme was the biggest calamity to ever hit our economy. Hindsight and all that but the scare tactics worked and we shat in our own nest. That’s okay too, you’re allowed to do that.
But between then and now I have kept hearing some of the same people, the ones who supported Muldoon, telling me the National Party’s right, they know best about finances and economies. What? They fucked up our country and they still want me to believe them?
The irony is that as a young worker I was in a super scheme which was similar to the one wiped. I stayed in it. Not only would the country be benefitting unimaginably from the scheme had it been continued but there would be generations so dramatically more comfortably off now. My personal situation is proof of that.
Gaynor says, ” …the aborted Labour Government compulsory scheme would be worth substantially more than $500b after 42 years of existence.” He talks of how that could have been available to help with our diabolical infrastructure problems.
His article should be printed on big posters and put on the office walls of all National MPs. Instead they’ll probably adorn them with newspaper copies bearing headlines about $11 billion holes.
He’s the only commentator I know who consistently covers this stuff, other than maybe Brian Easton. Both now fading stars in our firmament.
Thanks repateet & Ad I agree this is a very powerful and informative article by Brian Gaynor.I am saddened however that only three of us have taken the time to comment.
I am not sure that Brian would like to be described as a fading star.
https://www.google.co.nz/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/03/maltese-journalists-funeral-held-after-politicians-told-to-stay-away
Maltese journalist’s funeral held after politicians told to stay away
“Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family objects to presence of government and opposition leaders as day of mourning declared.”
Murdered Maltese journalist / anti-corruption ‘whistle-blower’ Daphne Caruana Galizia TWICE ‘blew the whistle’ exposing how NZ Foreign Trusts were used for money-laundering by Maltese ‘Politically Exposed Persons’ (PEPs).
Penny Bright
Anti-corruption whistle-blower.
John Key’s legacy is = NZ is good place to setup a Foreign Trust and use it for money-laundering.
Thanks John Key for that very toxic bad mark against us in NZ for that dirty money laundering.
Well when I was in my 20 we managed to save enough money for a 25 % deposit on a house by living with my mother for 2 years. I went into the ANZ bank and asked for a loan to buy a house got turn down they made many excuses but I no why they turned me down. So I though that i will buy a business as I wanted to stay on land to look after my family going to sea for 7 days at a time was not ideal One uncredabl person gave me the idea of a food caravan so I found one for sale it was parked outside The warehouse in Napier so I brought it as the site was ideal for foot traffic they just had hot chips and burgers on there menu and I new we could improve on that. So my friend that I lost whom was like a brother to me and I decided to put a mister whippy machine in the caravan another freezer and two deep fryers and a exhaust fan to ventilat the caravan.
My friend did most of the alterations as my carpentry skills are limited to my main tool being a chainsaw so he was a good carpenter and a perfectionists so I left him to it. He did a good job of the refit we take the caravan to the site and start serving custom well not me my wife and I get a call the fuse at the site keeps blowing we are drawing 40 amps and the fuse box was only 20 amps. The warehouse was realy help full and put in the required wiring and fuse for us at no charge. We were working long hours my wife was getting sore swollen feet from the long hours and I was still scrubbing dishes at 9 pm. So after the Christmas new year rush I decided to get a accountant a asses the business and he said to me your profit is only going to be the same as the dole. Well one person said put it in a charitable trust and work it that way he did not explain why I could do this. So I asked the accountant he said no you cannot do this so I took his word for it. But he should have said your poor so you can use a charitable trust for the relief of poverty but no I no why he gave me the wrong advice now with a few grayhairs under my cap.
So I lost with that enterprise I cut my losses and flicked it my children loved it lol heaps of i cream and burgers an fish and chips.
Now to my point I should have had a plan at the start an researched the hole enterprise before I wasted my money. So we need to spend more money on research and science I say to need a plan for all the new carbon free energy technology that we are about to get a plan for new charging out let’s for electric cars a plan for how solar power wind power is going to be implemented into our power grid plan plan research research all the information is out there we just have to look for it And we dont want to make costly mistakes when we can avoid it with research and planing this should be minimised Ka pai
Well told story.
A lot of this work is actually happening although you may not realise it if you don’t keep in close touch with the energy and transport industries.
A.
Not sure I would trust those in charge of those industry’s as national have still got strings attached to management thats what key did put his m8 in all the CEO rolls they could they could throw a spanner in the works. I would do my own research so there can be a comparison to keep them honest I can see a lot of bullshit still going on.
Ka pai
> I would do my own research
Feel free
A.
think I smell something Ka pai
Absurder by the day.
Have you heard about the left’s evil plans on Nov. 4?
According to some online conservative circles, anti-fascist activists — or “antifa supersoldiers,” depending who you ask — have plans to “behead all white parents” and attack “small-business owners,” “kill every single Trump voter,” team up with violent gangs and go on a rampage, killing every conservative they can find.
[…]
Let me guess: Right-wing media started to take that seriously, too.
Oh, yes. Gateway Pundit’s D.C. Bureau Chief and White House Coordinate Lucian Wintrich responded to these satirical responses with this post: “Tom Bloke,” aka @21logician above, is “considered to be one of the leaders of the domestic terrorist group antifa,” the report reads. “[He] took to Twitter today to threaten violence against ‘white parents’ and ‘small-business owners.’”
https://mic.com/articles/185689/november-4-conspiracy-alt-right-krang-t-nelson-antifa-supersoldiers-meme#.bMK2CnMzY
edit: heh
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/11/03/antifa-apocalypse-anarchist-groups-plan-to-overthrow-trump-regime-starts-saturday.html
Here’s one explanation for why the list of charges against Manafort is so short: Mueller is leaving out offences state authorities can pursue. That way even if the pumpkin Pinochet pardons Manafort, he’s still on the hook for states to go after him.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/11/robert_mueller_s_brilliant_strategy_for_outmaneuvering_trump_pardons.html
How “good guys with guns” actually make it much harder for cops to do their job and find the bad guy, even when it doesn’t degenerate into a free-for-all shootout.
https://thinkprogress.org/the-walmart-shooting-guns-75933af8cb92/
Please keep writing in to TS thoughtful left writers! Looking at the recent comments at times is like looking at the sports ground after the game and it’s littered with empty snack bags and cans.
I’ve got an advanced draft for a Guest Post but have no time & energy finish it 🙁
incognito
A bit of sun and time in the garden will regenerate you as well as the green things and you’ll be busting out with a spring, sprong. Looking forward to it.
Aljazeera just reporting the ICC(J) wants an investigation into war crimes in Afganistan.
Oh Dear! Maybe time for Nicky Hager and Jon Stevenson to make a submission
It turns out Donna Brazile’s allegations were either outright lies or she didn’t have a clue about the documents she was talking about.
The notion that they prove the primaries were rigged is nonsense.
On Friday, NBC News published the agreement between the Clinton campaign and the DNC. The Clinton campaign agreed to donate a minimum of $1.2 million per month to the DNC:
(“JFA” means the joint-fundraising agreement.) The memo does describe the campaign having input into hiring decisions at the committee:
The agreement stipulated, for instance, that the DNC would hire a new communications director in the fall of 2015 from a list of candidates that the Clinton campaign had “previously identified as acceptable.”
On the other hand, the agreement also came with a caveat: The DNC could enter into agreements like this with other candidates:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/katherinemiller/here-are-the-details-about-that-dnc-clinton-memo?utm_term=.eyoMMM307x#.kev555LQp7
Brazile doubles down on her lies, goes full ratfucker.
Stupid fascist pizza billionaire
https://deadspin.com/did-crybaby-loser-papa-john-also-lose-our-chain-pizza-r-1820051012
Oh dear.
An expected choice for science adviser of the US Environmental Protection Agency believes the air is too clean – another indication that Donald Trump’s head of the EPA appears to be stacking the group in charge of trying to protect the environment with climate sceptics.
Robert Phalen, who currently directs the Air Pollution Health Effects Laboratory at the University of California Irvine, has research that would support the deregulation of policies aimed at preventing air pollution.
[…]
Mr Phalen has asserted that air is currently too clean, because children’s lungs need to breathe irritants so their bodies can learn how to fight them. “Modern air,” he said in 2012, “is a little too clean for optimum health.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-environment-adviser-air-too-clean-pollution-good-health-pruitt-phalen-a8033881.html
Trumps war against our climate has made the a lot of Americans step up there efforts to minimise climate change. My point about our new coalition government getting there own research is that America energy security Steven Chu got one investment wrong and the Solyndra company went broke costing $700 million and he end up resigning now this is a very intelligent man who in my view was lead down the wrong path Ka pai.
Timely insight into the expletive thoughts of Victoria Nuland in support of Winston.
Dog forbid a women expresses frustration with the UE dragging the chain on whether or not they’ll take a more active role in supporting Ukrainian opposition to Russia.
Yes we should forbid a woman who offers cake – as she Meddles.
Oh that’s right, Ukrainians only resist Russian imperialism because America,
/
Tell me about recent Russian imperialism.
Russia’s annexation of the Crimea and their invasion of eastern Ukraine.
You are aware the vast majority of Crimeans wanted the Russians?
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26606097
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2015/03/20/one-year-after-russia-annexed-crimea-locals-prefer-moscow-to-kiev/
Yes – Crimea was Autonomous but chose to have a constitution synchronous with Ukraine. This constitution allowed the right of referendum.
The Autonomous Republic of Crimea exercised their right of referendum
ascribed in their constitution.
95.5% of voters elected re-unification with Russia.
That does not equate “Russian aggression”
DPR / LPR continue to suffer Ukraine violations of the Minsk accords.
There is no manifest proof of Russian aggression in these regions.
I challenge Joe90 to assert otherwise.
https://dninews.com/
Joe90
You saying Americans only resist Clinton-ism cos of Russia ?
Viktor was 3 of 4 years into his democratic tenure. He did not have a mandate to aver from the status-quo. Multi billion gas (16) subsidy and support from Russia. The EU offered nothing comparable. Maiden was a made-in (insert Capitals here) Coup-dT.
You are spot on.
Many people just don’t bother to read and research beyoun the corporate media’s agenda.
Latest on Manus: https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/98562366/malcolm-turnbull-set-to-reject-jacinda-arderns-manus-island-refugee-offer