” The death of a bull at a Wairarapa rodeo on Friday night will add fuel to the fire in the debate on whether the sport should be banned.
….rodeo-type activities would not be tolerated on a farm or when inflicted on a pet, but they are allowed “in the name of fun” for a cruel and outdated form of entertainment.
The difference with rodeo is that the events pit humans against distressed animals in an arena with the expectation that the human will come out on top. Is this really how we want to have fun in a supposedly civilised country in the 21st century?”
I remember going to a bull fight in Spain in the late 1960’s – it was supposedly the “done thing” if you went to Spain. In a way bullfighting is a more extreme form of rodeo – it goads and angers the bull by injuring it and the entire event was very distressing for me personally. Nothing sporting about it – rodeo is the same, nothing sporting about it, legging the animals when they haven’t a chance of escape, pissing the bulls and horses of with the aggravating strap around its belly – what chance is that for the animals.
Do away with it – its enough we kill thousands of the beasts each year just for our pleasure of eating them – give them respect at least until then.
I really hope Bill stays on as National ‘s leader.
“ ‘In the middle of a historic five-day stint at Waitangi, Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern will lead a large contingent of Labour MPs at Monday’s official welcome.
National’s Steven Joyce will be among 11 National Party MPs at the powhiri with leader Bill English elsewhere in the country.”
Russell Brown lacks the energy to do his job any more. Time to give up?
past it(informal) too old to be of any use or any good at anything. synonyms: past one’s prime, not as young as one was, not as young as one used to be
After the death of Nelson Mandela in late 2013, Russell Brown suffered the indignity of having his blog hijacked by the cynical National Party provocateur Matthew Hooton, who had the effrontery to claim that Mandela was similar to Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. The thread naturally dissolved into chaos after that, and by the end of the day Brown was at the end of his tether. I satirized the imbroglio here…
Brown clearly has no stomach for robust discussions any more. After the recent attempt to smear Lorde, he wrote a thoughtful piece about the whole shameful affair, but then at the end, where the discussion should have been,we find this sad little note….
Hi folks. Normally, I’d welcome comments here, but I honestly don’t have the energy during the holiday period to oversee a discussion that would undoubtedly need pretty much constant watching. Sorry, but comments are off.
[I personally feel uncomfortable with you using The Standard comments section to smear another left wing blogger because of a long running grudge you hold towards him. I haven’t talked to the other authors about this, but given you have a history of posting misleading comments I am just going to put some boundaries in place.
If you want to reference a conversation at Public Address, you now need to link directly to the conversation *each time*. If the comments section is pages long, you need to link to the specific part of the conversation you are referring to. This is so that people reading your comment can make up their own mind by seeing the conversation itself and in context. *You need to do the work of linking.
Putting you into moderation until you supply a link for the above comment.
Others have dealt with your views on Brown’s suspending commenting – weka]
Shame on Russell Brown for wanting a little peace and quiet during the holiday period. Doesn’t he realise it’s his job, nay duty, to supervise frothing toddlers bickering on the internet 24/7? The audacity of the man!
When you set up and run a blog that lots of people find interesting and choose to spend time debating on, you too can spend your holiday time monitoring and moderating said blog.
Sorry, weka, but you have provided not one bit of evidence of my posting even one “misleading comment.”
[I count inaccurate transcripts that are presented as transcripts as ‘misleading’. And in that conversation I linked to, you appeared to accept that. – weka]
You are willfully misconstruing my rush transcripts—unlike my present ones, they weren’t always perfect, but they were far from “inaccurate”—as though I was deliberately misleading my readers. I did not do that; if I was of that cast of mind I’d be working for the National or Labour Party propaganda units, or for something even worse, like the three “news” team.
[sigh. read the links in the link. We’ve been over this ad nauseam, and the links show the inaccuracy because people went and linked to the actual audio and demonstrated the mistakes. I haven’t said it was intentional on your part, I’ve said you have a history of misleading comments – weka]
Morning Breakfast people its good that you are keeping the debate on weed going it was a good article you ran with MR Cameron that name is quite strong in
Te Taiwarhiti .
I had one quip with the article that is that know mention of all the people who get a criminal record because of the way these ancient laws are forced on us .
I will wait for the correct time for me to have more input on the subject of weed in Aotearoa there are some issues that I stay out of so as to not have a negative effect against the good cause I.E rally the neolibrals against it . I think Fair GO is a show that fights for the common peoples causes to be treated fairly Like the wealthy are one should not have to have heaps of money to expect to be treated humanly by our society but that’s the way it is .
May be I should approach Fair Go to help me fight the NZ justice system for the facial way they are treating a broke brown person/human like ECO MAORI .
Yeah Right the sandfly will shine there hypnotic object and spin anything to stop that.
You see people the follow me everywhere I go trying to break my WAIRUA but know I have to much MANA for that to ever happen. P.S ITs good to see you all Eco likes the good kiwi Karma you good people on Breakfast are displaying Ka pai.
Ka kite ano
He was a major fundraiser for the Democratic Party.
With the Republicans in the ascendancy he isn’t quite as popular anymore.
Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Warren, among others could probably tell you all about him although I expect they have probably developed very convenient selective amnesia.
Time to move on though. Nothing to see here. https://www.businessinsider.com.au/harvey-weinstein-political-donations-2017-10?r=US&IR=T
Like the time I ended pretending to be married in an attempt to put an end to the ongoing sexual harassment from my then employer. It worked due to his culture.
In reflection I should have spoken out as my actions did nada to prevent the same happening to any other women he may have employed after I eventually quit, I feel bad about that now, but young and naive I was.
Yeah, but unlike the RNC’s finance chief Steve Wynn, Weinstein wasn’t a party functionary.
And unlike the their call for Weinstein’s donations to be returned tout suite, the RNC hypocrites are touting due process before they even think about returning any of Wynn’s donations.
RNC chairwoman on Fox says RNC won’t yet return Wynn $: “Steve has denied these allegations. There is an investigation that is going to take place. He should be allowed due process. If he is found guilty of any wrongdoing, we will absolutely return 100% of the money."— Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) January 30, 2018
In an interview with CNN from October, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel praised Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Chuck Schumer for returning donations from Weinstein, but added: “The DNC should do the same thing. They’re keeping 90 percent of his donations. I don’t understand. If you stand for treating women well and you stand for the respect of women, you shouldn’t take money from somebody who treated women with the absolute highest level of disrespect.”
But in January 2018, the GOP is singing a very different tune after a Wall Street Journal investigation found that Steve Wynn, casino magnate and finance chair of the RNC, allegedly sexually harassed and assaulted dozens of women over the past two decades. The party accepted Wynn’s resignation as finance chair.
But it isn’t isn’t looking to return his donations anytime soon. “He should be allowed due process,” McDaniel said on Fox on Tuesday morning.
[…]
You don’t need “due process” or a criminal investigation to fire a private employee or return an alleged harasser’s political donations. Weinstein wasn’t investigated by the New York Police Department (at first) — he was investigated by Ronan Farrow at the New Yorker and by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey at the New York Times.
Former Today show host Matt Lauer was fired by NBC — without investigation by police. And, of course, conservatives — and the GOP — have long noted a number of allegations of harassment and sexual assault against former President Bill Clinton that never reached the courts.
That makes it alright then.
The Republican Party also has skeletons in its closet.
What is that phrase? We can ignore it. They did it too.
As I said. Nothing to see here. Time to move on.
It’s quite clear, liberals have acted decisively and removed harassers and conservative hypocrites have routinely labelled accusers liars, hidden behind due process and trotted out apologists like Sarah “Sen. Franken has admitted wrongdoing and the president hasn’t” Huckabooboo.
You know what’s so hard case Rock people it’s when I drive past a road work site the workers are looking at the ground or star gazeing. What was Jen talking about when she pulled her calf mussels that would be good to know now there is someone at a business I mowed when they are never there anther play by the sandflys Ka kite ano
The main reason workers pause when cars are going past or trains are going past, is because it’s good not to be run over and killed. So they step out of the way.
Note also: for every one person on the end of a shovel, you also have to have other people “standing around”:
– health and safety
– site engineers
– site supervisors
– client
– subcontractors waiting for another part of the job to complete
– traffic staff
– machine operators eg cranes, trucks, hi-ab, all of which wait for other epople to do their jobs
So before you do the usual thing again thinking: why is only one person working and the rest of them standing around, the simple answer is:
they are not your personal performing monkeys who jump up and down just because you and yours rolled up in a car.
Morning Jim how’s the new Moko there must be some in the water at The Rock radio station all those new mokos well all the best to you all.
Road workers what eco meant was the sandflys are going ahead of me and telling you people not to notice me they bull you people and say that they have a court order to stop any publicly for me you people on the ground work hard and all deserve a pay rise. Ka kite ano
Man can not even have a private conversations with his Whano and the sandflys spinn it up to use what I say in private as a weapon thatssssss right a poor Brown man has no rights I forgot that is accepterable in OUR society. Eco is not impressed with the talent and leadership of our Maori leaders over the last 50 years .
My problem is they let crown con them that the justice system is humane and fair mean while the jails are over flowing with Maori. They throw there hands up in the air and say we don’t know what’s wrong with the system. They have let MSM publish all the bad stories about Maori and say it ok it’s true what about all the positive thing Maori achieve .There are many things that the powerful Maori have just let happen they were just looking after there own.It’ got that bad that everyone looks down there noses look at US never give us the respect and trust . We are all tared with that same brush that is published on MSM that the neolibrels instergated ECO MAORI is going to change that disrespectful view of all MAORI like I’m doing NOW KA PAI
P.S. Many thanks for that positive article on Maori in KOREA Kimberly Downs.
ANA TO kai
Eco Maori is backing your show Hillary and Jeremy we just have to interactive a bit and your ratings will rise sharply Eco has been waiting patiently for this new show on TVNZ ON 1 at SEVEN Pm Ka kite ano
I not impressed with the Maori leaders we got now either . They know how this system works and chose to say nothing to WARN OUR Mokos It’s algood Eco Maori has told all the people about this corrupt justice systems of the western society. And crime is dropping 2 reasons 1 being informed about the bullshit systems 2 they have a swarm following me around all the time the sandflys don’t have the time to harass OUR Mokos Ka pai I can handle the sandflys heat.lol Ana to kai.
ECO MAORI has been reassing his views on Barack Obama he is m8 with shonky key who I know is a racist bigot who main goal was to destroy MAORI Mana and full his pockets and his m8 how many billions did he spend down South irragation schemes bailing out that finance company giving our money to people who are already rich WTF .
So Big No to Obama coming to Aotearoa at OUR expense just to lift AMERICA IMAGE .Shonky key would get some positive publicity out of that visit to after what key has done to Aotearoa no fucken way .ANA TO KAI
Eco Maori knows that Hillary Barry and Jeremy wells won’t caste a subliminal message to all the people of Aotearoa that it’s OK to drive a million dollar car own a million dollar’ house talk about all the bags his wife has when they go on holiday to America and kiss shonky ass whenever he can and ridicule OUR poorest people who have slipped on there ladder of life. Then give his m8 dairy dack dune a pat on the back while his son m8 is poisoning OUR people for a profit heres a person form that party he likes on this link bellow ka pai Hillary & Jeremy
Ka kite ano
Heard her speak about problems for Māori, poverty and inequality, poor housing, rangatahi suicide rate and mental health. Major, major issues that the Government plays a large part in.
You have to wonder how many times Māori have heard a politician promising change, and many of these things won’t be able to be turned around quickly either. She appears genuine, but who knows if the rest of the Labour caucus is.
Yes Ad, a speech I’m proud to listen to. A P.M. we can be proud of.
Her call for the people of the Marae and else where to hold her and the government to account each year, with face to face meetings, to discuss progress during Waitangi Week.
We can do this. We can change lives working together.
I’m thinking back, and I can’t remember an occasion where the spouse/partner of a Prime Minister played such a central role at Waitangi as it seems the Current Incumbent’s is.
Even to picking up the wero…a task that should more appropriately gone to a male colleague rather than a partner.
That was Labour giving the PM’s spouse an honour – maybe so he wouldn’t be feeling “left out” of all the proceedings. Maybe it was as simple a gesture as that.
Get over it Rosemary. It was a nice thing for him to be able to do.
Researchers at Stanford University have developed a compound that when injected into a tumor destroys it along with all the other cancerous masses present in the body.
The combination of two agents that stimulate the immune system sparked a body-wide reaction in mice, destroying cancer cells both near and very far from the initial injection point. The success of the treatment, which worked for different types of cancer, means that human trials will be starting soon.
Geez Puckish, I thought your filter was better than that. The memo doesn’t stand scrutiny, let alone the wild allegations and conclusions being spouted about it.
Meanwhile here in New Zealand, you heard of a book called Dirty Politics by Nicky Hager? It’s got all sorts of interesting bits, including stuff about the office of the incumbent head of government misusing the nation’s spy services to smear the opposition.
What, you mean we don’t have the overseas mega-wealthy with possible foreign government connections paying visits to politicians in order to acquire favourable treatment?
Good to know.
On a different note, have they repealed the hobbit employment law yet?
I love the fact the Trump wing of the Republican party still think Obama is president and Clinton is some sort of shadow president pulling the strings. Or something – it’s hard to make sense of what the fuck they actually think or are trying to infer.
Well if true, and thats still a big if, it means Trump was spied on illegally and it was endorsed by the highest office in the land so they probably think its a big deal
It said nothing about Trump, it was about Carter Page. Even leading Republicans such as Trey Gowdy say it has nothing to do with the investigation into the Trump campaign.
If the name Trey Gowdy vaguely rings a bell, it was he who decided 8 investigations into Hillary and Benghazi weren’t enough and conducted a ninth. And came up with nothing that could even be spun as culpability on Hillary’s part.
edit: although, to give him his due, that investigation did highlight the issue of her server.
Just in case you’re interested, here’s a reminder of Nunes’ previous clusterfuck of an attempt to blow a smokescreen for Hair Fuhrer to hide behind and claim vindication. He’s got form for embarrassingly inept stunts like this.
Half a dozen close members of the Trump campaign have either been indicted or disclosed their own emails detailing activities they believed to be on behalf of the Russians. The nunes memo is an attempt to poison one of the initial warrants that exposed this poisonous tree, because the one commonality all of these people have is Trump.
I doubt they have enough to nuke the investigation via court appeals – the FISA warrants against page don’t cover Flynn, for example – but they’re looking for enough PR shielding to excuse interfering in the investigation.
fuck off. Claiming to know nothing aids and abets all of the world’s ills. Better to take a stand (and be wrong once in a while) than to exercise Cartesian doubt as a dodge from moral culpability.
Oh bullshit. You’re just too much of a coward to form a reasoned belief on the world around you. If you actually believed something, you might one day actually have to commit to it.
The other thing that pisses me off about the “oh no, it’s impossible to know anything” approach is that not only are you helping corruption run rampant, you try and pretend like you’re better than people who do actually engage with their surroundings. Fuck you. People like you are part of the reason people don’t vote, which favours tories and demogogues. You are actively trying to keep the corrupt in office.
It’s ironic that the only thing you pretend to have a firm opinion on is your intellectual superiority.
And yes, the proposition that sowing apathy and encouraging political disengagement does indeed provide fertaile soil for corruption is logical:
Corruption multiplies most when out of the public view;
Saying that we can never know the truth instead of looking for it and exposing it keeps the truth out of the public view;
therefore:
Saying that we can never know the truth instead of looking for it and exposing it provides the most ideal environment for corruption to multiply.
Logical enough for you, fucko?
One thing I don’t know is why you bother commenting here – surely your extreme epistemological skepticim means that you must have overwhelmig doubt that your computer even exists? Your desire for attention betrays your arguments as a fraud: if your doubt were genuinely that extreme, there could well be no attention to be gained and any effort commenting here would be wasted.
Your pretension creates a paradox that exposes itself. You’ve been hoist by your own canard.
That’s a handy excuse that no-one will understand for me to give out when I have come out with something off the wall – sorry didn’t want to waffle with Cartesian doubt so posited that.
McFlock I enjoyed that but will try to keep out of the way when you let fly.
I was thinking the other day about people who won’t have children because they don’t want to bring little ones into such a bad world. That seems cowardly too, though I think China was trying to do the right thing, limiting to two would be best.
Funnily enough, I don’t recall ever having been irked by your comments in the slightest, so you needn’t fear me going off the handle.
I think some people are overly pessimistic about the world – especially those people who are in a position to choose their fertility based on bets about what will happen in thirty years.
The kids who really suffer will be born to parents who had no choice because healthcare wasn’t available.
China was/is in a major demographic bind, but its solution has had some unforseen negatives, like a hefty gender imbalance.
“Morgan Stanley reports having 210 subsidiaries in offshore tax havens. ”
“Citigroup reported operating 427 tax haven subsidiaries in 2008 but disclosed only 41 in 2014. Over that time period, Citigroup nearly doubled the amount of cash it reported holding offshore. ”
“Bank of America reported operating 264 tax haven subsidiaries in 2013 but disclosed only 22 in 2014. ”
If the Russians did hack the U.s elections …. It was by calling all their diplomats home on the eve of the election …. giving the impression of a war footing preparation for a Clinton win.
Whether this induced any u.s voters, specifically those afraid of nuclear war with russia ….to give their vote to Trump instead of Clinton….. is unknown and unexplored to the best of my knowledge.
I’m not that invested in the continuation of criminality that both Trump and Clinton represent ….
I think it would be good if Trump was arrested over his profiteering from criminal russian money laundering …… criminal oligarchs stealing from the poor should be prosecuted … just like war criminals should….Convictions for either are like rocking horse shit.
I’d be very surprised if ‘creative’ business structures do not provide Trump with Wayne Mapp / Bill English standards of legal plausible deniability…. and then he could quote John Key ” We observe the law”….. ” every thing is above board ” ….. ” Its all a political smear”.
I can’t recognise Disaster Capitalism and pay attention to the FBI’s investigation at the same time, eh, because I’m inattentive and stupid, and don’t know how.
Well, he did hire someone intelligence services were interested in because of their connections to Russia, so he can’t really bleat about turning up in incidental collection.
NEW: I just found this video of Carter Page in Moscow, Russia speaking in support of Vladimir Putin, while working on the Trump campaign. He calls the American international affairs strategy "hostile," then goes on to talk about the "failure of US analysts & leaders" #TrumpRussiapic.twitter.com/LE2T6mMrcC— Scott Dworkin (@funder) February 5, 2018
Carter Page, the energy industry consultant who was linked last year to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, is the unnamed man identified in a federal complaint as having met with a Russian intelligence agent four years ago, Page himself revealed on Monday.
Page confirmed his role in the 2013 FBI investigation to NBC News after ABC News and Buzzfeed identified him as a subject called “Male 1” in a criminal complaint filed in 2015 against Evgeny Buryakov, an undercover agent posing as a Russian bank executive in New York.
The GOP supported a sexual predator, Trump. an accused child sex offender, Moore, and now with a former head of American Nazi Party, white supremacist and Holocaust denier running unopposed as nominee for Congress, dollars to donuts Republicans will go for the threefer and vote for him.
“Mr. Trump may have said some bad words, but Bill Clinton raped me, and Hillary Clinton threatened me,” Broaddrick added. “I don’t think there’s any comparison.”
What they don’t say though, is that part of the problem is that there are some very wealthy people who make a lot of money from ultra-processed products. These wealthy groups fund some very good lobbyists who actively oppose laws designed to reduce the impact these non-foods
It’s how we get op-ed pieces in our major media publications extolling the virtues of individual choice & downplaying the role of obesegenic environments. These pieces work to drowning out the actual research and minimise long-term health implications on population groups
It has been a subject of conjecture for a long time – the secretive Freemasons, who must be a body of conservatives that have had antipathy to lefties over centuries and interested in protecting the status quo when it rewards them satisfactorily. A very solid union or group of self-protecting business or professional people.
The disclosure that both political journalists and politicians are Freemasons comes after the outgoing chair of the Police Federation alleged that Freemasons were blocking reforms in policing and thwarting the progress of women and officers from black and minority ethnic communities.
After three years as the chair of the Police Federation, Steve White said: “I found that there were people who were fundamentally against any kind of change and any kind of progress, and they always happened to be Freemasons.”
The charge brought an angry denial from the UGLE. In a letter to the press, Staples said: “We are quietly proud that throughout history, when people have suffered discrimination both in public and social life, Freemasonry has welcomed them into our lodges as equals.” He added that many Freemasons chose to keep their membership secret in order to avoid being discriminated against.
Sorry tracey. I just saw that item about there being three different lodges in the Commons, I think. And then that other bit with the images but hadn’t got any further.
Then I wondered about the possibility of them forming a defensive circle when one of their number got into trouble (I see that it didn’t help Oscar Wilde). I wondered about such cases as the CTV in Christchurch where inexplicably it seemed, that no fault could be found and no atonement ordered. Anne Perry who likes Victorian crime themes has written of a powerful elite group exerting authority called the Inner Circle in her books and shows them prepared to wreck people’s reputations if thwarted. Fiction, but I think she has delved into the times fairly thoroughly.
Women were not allowed to be members till lately I think. There was supposed to be a group of blokes who were in good standing in the community, and who belonged to different work sectors and could keep secrets. As women were all, well women, what else to say about them, and everyone knew they couldn’t keep secrets, I think entry for the femmes would be fairly late in the piece.
Better put sarc/ for protection.
I wonder if the inability to get satisfactory action against the engineers involved with the CTV building collapse and deaths of 115 people in the Christchurch earthquake in 2011 could be as a result of a cover-up by the ‘old boys club’.
The failures of proper procedure compound as time went on with this building. This is one paragraph about it. In 1990, major design defects were first brought to light. Holmes Consulting conducted a review of the existing structural system for a potential tenant looking to evaluate the safety of the building. They found that there was inadequate strength in the connection between the floor slab and shear walls, especially the walls at the north shear wall core. When alerted to the issue, Reay took 21 months to implement a fix. During the retrofit process, however, permit applications were never filled and the local building council was not alerted to the structural renovation that was being done. The lack of disclosure to the council prevented their involvement in the consultation and review process (Macfie, 2014).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CTV_Building The Royal Commission of Inquiry heard evidence into why the CTV Building collapsed during the 2011 earthquake from 25 June 2012, and was scheduled to run for eight weeks.[35]
Witnesses before the Commission debated whether the building was code-compliant when it was built, and whether the engineers designing and approving the building had adequate experience. Consulting firm head Alan Reay stated that the building did not meet his own standards, and he thought the engineer he employed for the design, David Harding, had adequate experience.[36] Harding had not designed buildings of more than two floors before. He said he relied on Reay for guidance, and that the developers wanted a minimum-cost design to (just) meet the code; no extra reinforcing was to be added or you “got your hand smacked”.[37]
Witness Arthur O’Leary, a structural engineer, said that a “critical eye” should have been cast over the building design.[38] The “pioneering” structural design could have been beyond the experience of council staff to evaluate, though the “pioneering” design meant that non-compliant elements in the building columns were not obvious. Panel member Barry Davidson also disagreed with an “opportunistic and legalistic” interpretation of the code that found they were compliant.[39]
The commission’s findings were released on 10 December 2012. The report found the building’s design was deficient and should not have been approved. The building’s engineer, David Harding, of Alan Reay Consultants Ltd, was found to have no experience in designing multi-storey buildings and was “working beyond his competence.” His supervisor, Alan Reay, left Harding unsupervised then pressured city officials to approve the building design even though several members had reservations about the design.[40]
The police say that current law prevents them from prosecuting the designers after 1 year of the design being complete. Even the Consumer Guarantees Act is better than that.
Lobby the new Govt to bring in restrospective legislation and stop the buck passing between designers/contractors/council/police. Fuck sometimes the NZ number 8 wire approach is shit.
Underlying that is a deeper fear that dust swept under the carpet in an effort to tidy up the balance of sheets of financial institutions in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis could resurface……
…..Greene said the proportion of New Zealand shares that were foreign-owned had increased over the past few years, so if US investors did cash in equities and switch to bonds that might have more of an impact than it once would.”
by Daphna Whitmore Last week France passed a law that equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. It is based on a definition of anti-Semitism that includes criticism of Israel such as: “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist ...
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Some people seem to want to close down any critical discussion of the current research into the relationship between water fluoride and child IQ. They appear to argue that claims made by researchers should not be open to critical review and that the claims be accepted without proper consideration ...
The government has been congratulating itself over the passage of the Zero Carbon Act, which sets out long-term emissions targets. Meanwhile, Climate Action Tracker has the shameful reality: those targets are insufficient:While New Zealand is showing leadership by having passed the world’s second-ever Zero Carbon Act in November 2019, under ...
The government introduced a Racing Industry Bill today. As an urban who horse racing as pointless-to-cruel, and gambling as a tax on stupidity and/or hope, this isn't normally a bill which would interest me in the slightest, beyond grumpiness at more government money for a dying industry. But there is ...
Check. Check. One, two, three, four. Is this thing ON? Hello readers, I logged in last night (yeah, it’s been a while) to mark THE END of the landmark legal case, Jordan Williams v Colin Craig, which (gulp) reached The Supreme Court, in which New Zealand’s most-defamed man was suing the politician he ...
Before The Birth: Israel’s most fervent supporters set their clocks ticking in Biblical times. They cite the kingdoms of David and Solomon as proof that, in the words of the Exodus movie’s theme-song: “This land is mine.” The majority of Israel’s backers, however, start their clocks in 1933 – the year Adolf ...
In an unreliable, strange and confusing world, Public Address is proud to present a measure of comfort and stability by annually asking everyone what words or phrases sum up the year that's been – and then giving some of them consumer goods as prizes for being clever or simply lucky.Well, ...
Both my parents are pretty handy – and they seem to have the right tools for most jobs in the garage and they know how to fix practically anything. A similar story could be told about their generation’s experience in the workforce – being a generalist was not unusual and ...
When it was revealed that NZ First had tried to enrich itself from public office via the Provoncial Growth Fund, the Prime Minister assured us that everything was OK as Shane Jones, the Minister responsible for the fund, had recused himself. Except it seems that that recusal came very late ...
Today is a Member's Day, and probably the last one of the year. After the marathon of the End of Life Choice Act, most of the bills up for debate today are uncontentious. First up is the second reading of Chlöe Swarbrick's Election Access Fund Bill. This will be followed ...
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has reported back on the government's odious and tyrannical control orders bill. As expected, the fraudulent select committee process has made no significant changes (partly because they couldn't agree, but mostly because it was a stitch-up from the start, with no intention of ...
Yesterday, the government released its draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, which will be put to a non-binding referendum at the next election. I'm not a drug policy expert, but Russell Brown is, and he thinks its pretty good. And pretty obviously, it will be a massive improvement on the ...
As you're probably aware, the draft bill outlining the proposed legal cannabis regime to be put to a referendum late next year was published yesterday, and has already attracted a flurry of comment. It's notable that a good deal of the comment is about proposals that aren't actually new.A minimum ...
One of the big problems in New Zealand climate change policy is the government working at cross-purposes with itself. It wants to reduce fossil fuel use, but encourages oil and gas exploration. It wants to reduce transport emissions, but then builds enormous new roads. The problem could be avoided if ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzAccording to the United Nations, food shortages are a threat ...
Last year, the government announced it was ending offshore oil exploration by no longer issuing new permits. The idea was that the industry would then die off as permits expired. Except almost immediately the government revealed its bad faith, by saying they would extend permits and alter conditions to keep ...
The government introduced the Education and Training Bill to Parliament yesterday. Its a massive bill, which replaces both existing Education Acts, as well as various other bits of legislation (including some which are still proceeding through the House). I'll leave the serious analysis to teachers and people who actually know ...
Amelia SharmanThere’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to micro-credentials, those bits of bite-sized learning that can help workers stay on top of technological change. What’s a micro-credential? While definitions vary, micro-credentials can be understood as short courses that allow people to learn new skills or have an existing competency recognised. ...
All Smiles Now: Claire Szabo is taking up her presidential role after serving as the CEO of Habitat For Humanity. Which is absolutely perfect! After KiwiBuild was so comprehensively mismanaged by Phil Twyford, the party has not only elected a new president from a thoroughly respectable not-for-profit, but one who ...
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...
by Daphna Whitmore At Golden Oaks, a luxurious country retreat in the Hudson Valley, pregnant women have the best care money can buy. From the organic food, personalised exercise programmes, private yoga instruction and daily massages Golden Oaks looks like a country lodge for the upper class. Set some time ...
When Labour was running for election in 2017, it felt it needed to demonstrate "fiscal responsibility" and signed itself up to masochistic "budget responsibility rules". It was a fool's errand: the sorts of voters who demand fiscal responsibility are also the sorts of voters who believe that labour can never ...
Writing in Stuff, Joel MacManus looks at what we need to do to meet the Zero Carbon Act's targets. The core of it:1. Convert 85 per cent of vehicles on the road to electric. 2. Eliminate fossil fuels from all industrial heating up to 300 degrees Celsius. 3. Double our ...
Professors Janet Hoek and Richard Edwards, Emeritus Professor Phil Gendall, Jude Ball, Dr Judith McCool, Anaru Waa, Dr Becky FreemanRecent media reports have presented conflicting evidence on youth vaping in NZ. While some NZ school principals report concerns about increasing vaping on school grounds and confiscating vapes, ASH Year ...
“America the Beautiful!”, staunch defender of democracy, freedom and… a whole lot of despotic tyrants that play nice with what is called “the Washington Consensus.” America is indeed capable of immense good, but like any Nation, and most assuredly any aspirant to the mantle of Empire, great, immense evil. All ...
Image credit:The beginner’s guide to blogging I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is ...
1080 is used to control pests in NZ. Its use is contested by a noisy few. A new report claims high levels of 1080 in rats washed up on a beach. Flora and Fauna of Aotearoa (F&F) won’t name the laboratory that did their testing. It has sparked a hunt ...
What Kind Of Empire? The thing for Kiwis to decide is what kind of empire they want to belong to. The kind that, while offering its own citizens democratic rights, demands absolute obedience from its “friends”? Or, the kind that, while authoritarian at home, takes a relaxed attitude to the ...
It hasn't been a good week for the Conservatives, pollwise. All major recent polls are showing their lead shrinking.Comparing each pollster's current (between 29/11 and 22/11) and previous most recent poll.Com Res - Conservative lead down 3 points.You Gov - Conservative lead down 1 point.Kantar - Conservative lead down 4 ...
Within quick succession, Countdown maths wizard and twitterer Rachel Riley, alleged comedian David Baddiel and prominent lawyer Andrew Julius have all expressed very similar opinions / ideas:
These #3billboards are going round London today, organised by ex-Labour people, horrified by what their party has become. Their principles haven’t changed, they’re ...
So, there have been a bunch of bad polls out for Labour, and even the Leftie's friend, Survation, have recently given the Conservatives a rip-snorting 11% lead. You Gov's much vaunted MRP poll - which pretty much nailed the result in 2015 - is currently predicting a comfortable majority for ...
The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to declare a climate emergency:The European parliament has declared a global “climate and environmental emergency” as it urged all EU countries to commit to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The vote came as scientists warned that the world may have already crossed ...
Pure Fear: Worse than Heroin, this drug’s addictive power was terrifying. People under its influence didn’t drift off to Elysium. Nor did it persuade inadequate individuals that they could conquer the world. No, this drug – pure crystal methamphetamine, “P” for short – unlocked the gates of Hell itself. It ...
As the rate of measles infection, and of deaths, continues to climb in Samoa, antivaccination activists infectious disease proponents seem intent on doubling down on their claims about vaccination. (Check pretty much any news-media FB post about measles & you’ll see exactly what I mean.) Unfortunately, some of them have ...
Samoa are experiencing a devastating measles epidemic. It is possible that 2-3% of the population will ultimately be infected by the time it is over. Hopefully the mass immunisation campaign currently under way can mitigate some of this, for many it is too late. The first question many people ask ...
Meghan Murphy is a Canadian writer and journalist She runs the Feminist Current website which she founded in 2012. She was a keynote speaker for the Feminism2020 conference in Wellington this month. When Massey University cancelled the original venue booking Feminism2020 was hosted in Parliament by MP David Seymour. Meghan ...
Text and photos by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh Colombia has lived through one week of protests against the economic measures taken by president Duque. What looked like a protest that would fizzle out after its first day on November 21st is still going strong. Part of the reason for the continuance ...
Around a million billion pass through you each second, almost all originating from our sun, but few of them are likely to interact with you enroute. I was reading in a physics magazine earlier in the week about the nature of neutrinos. These are extremely numerous elementary particles, but only ...
By Pallab GhoshThere’s value in covering new research advances, even when the underlying science is unsettled. But there are also risks.The recent announcement that scientists discovered water on the planet K2-18b, 110 light years away, prompted a media swoon. News stories, including a piece written by me, billed ...
I wrote this review a couple of years ago when I was still in the process of getting my head around the politics of transgenderism, and specifically the claim that intersex conditions lend support to the notion that sex is ‘socially constructed’. Since writing this review I have come across ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzHow much does our use of air travel contribute to the ...
Minor planet/asteroid (2309) Mr. Spock is named not for the character in Star Trek, but for a cat that was itself imperturbable, logical, intelligent and had pointed ears. In a preceding blog post I introduced one of my favourite asteroids, (2472) Bradman, and also mentioned (6581) Sobers amongst a few ...
Today the death toll from measles in Samoa rose to 32. All but four of the dead were less than 5 years old. Absolutely terrible, heartbreaking, news. That statistic alone should be enough to give the lie to the common claim by antivaccination activists plague enthusiasts that “measles is a ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh It is late here in Bogotá, almost 11.30pm on Monday the 25th of November as I write this. The day began full of hope with yet more massive marches throughout the country, a mix of the International Day of Non-Violence Against Women and the National Strike. ...
Anti-fluoride activists are rubbing their hands in glee over what they claim is “yet another study” showing fluoride harms the brains of children. But their promotion relies on IQ relationships which the paper’s authors acknowledge disappearing when outliers or other factors are considered. And they completely ignore other relationships ...
The feature below is the conclusion of A History of Economic Thought, whose author was a leading Marxist economist in Russia in the early 20th century, Isaac Ilyich Rubin. The book arose from a course he ran at Moscow University following the Russian Revolution. First published in Russian in 1929, ...
There are many thousands of asteroids with formal names, some humdrum but other more noteworthy (depending on your predilections). One of my favourites, the name of which I was involved in suggesting, is (2472) Bradman, named for the Australian cricketing great. As a minor planet (synonym: asteroid) spotter, I have ...
Tory manifesto: big on austerity, low on promise, non-existent on delivery. The Tories: the party so big on ambition they couldn't be arsed writing a manifesto. MLK: "I have a dream!"BJ: "I'll just have a nap." Labour: Broadband!Tories: Narrow minds! Labour have hope, dreams and ambition. The Tories will save ...
The Ministry of Health has announced that “people under the age of 50 travelling from New Zealand to Samoa, Tonga, Philippines and Fiji” are now on the list of national priorities for MMR vaccination. Given the outbreaks of measles in Samoa, Tonga, Philippines and Fiji, the Ministry of Health is ...
Hong Kong has been protesting for six months for, demanding democracy, human rights, and an end to police violence. Today, they went to the polls in district council elections - a low-level of government with virtually no power, similar to community boards in New Zealand. But while the positions themselves ...
Text and photos by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh On Friday 22nd of November a curfew came into effect and troops were deployed on the streets, here in Bogota. It was the first time since September 1977 that a curfew had been imposed on the city. The decision was a cynical pre-planned ...
Meanwhile, while the government is planning to restore voting rights to prisoners, National is promising to turn our prisons into US-style slave-labour camps:The Opposition is proposing compulsory education, training or employment for prisoners who are serving sentences of two years or more. [...] On Sunday, National Party Leader Simon Bridges ...
Excerpts from Being and Being Bought, by Kajsa Ekis Ekman Spinifex Press, 2013. Ekman, a Swedish journalist and critic, brings together a Marxist and feminist analysis of prostitution and surrogacy in this groundbreaking book. This is the second part of a synopsis and brief commentary of the book by Daphna ...
Dalmeet Singh ChawlaIn 2008, psychologists proposed that when humans are shown an unfamiliar face, they judge it on two main dimensions: trustworthiness and physical strength. These form the basis of first impressions, which may help people make important social decisions, from who to vote for to how long a ...
Claas Kirchhelle, University of Oxford; Adam Roberts, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and Andrew Singer, Centre for Ecology & HydrologyAntibiotics are among the most important medicines known to humankind, but we are running out of this crucial resource. Decisive action is needed if we are to retain access to ...
Things That Make You Go - Hmmmm: “All right. Let me come at this another way. I’m guessing that what you’ve got in that box contains names, dates, bank account numbers – all the details you need to put Winston Peters and Jacinda Ardern squarely in the cross-hairs. So, the first ...
A new defence report has mapped out how New Zealand's soldiers will navigate rising seas, and a year after the Defence Force announced its need to prepare for climate change. In the “Responding to the Climate Crisis” report, the Force restates its operational plan and sets goals to tackle climate ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, has called for awareness to be raised and more stringent biosecurity checks to be put in place for African Swine Fever (ASF), a widespread virus that is uncontrolled in most of Asia and a serious ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Human Rights A critical step has been taken to end gender based violence against women and girls in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Human Rights Jenny Marcroft MP has welcomed the passing of the first reading of the Crimes (Definition of Female ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says it's time to recognise market forces haven't led to the expected reduction in Māori smoking rates and try a new approach. The Party had recently invoked the agree to disagree clause in their Coalition Agreement with the Labour Party, and will not support ...
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...
The Coalition Government will be banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, ahead of next year’s general elections. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament and passed under urgency – emphasising the need for such restrictions to safeguard our democracy. The bill introduces a new requirement that party secretaries and ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones opened Taipā's $19 million bridge recently, improving transport infrastructure in the Northland region. The two-lane bridge is 107m long with a 2.5m-wide shared walking and cycling path, and will reduce the congestion that the old one-lane bridge was notorious for. The project had also included ...
The Overseas Investment Office have rejected the application of Mercury Agriculture LP, which is 92 per cent controlled by Canadian interests, to purchase more than 2000 hectares of South Canterbury and Otago land. Mercury wanted to buy 2000ha at Rangitata, 1494ha near Ashburton, 816ha near Cromwell and 212ha near Temuka. ...
This weekend was Labour's 103rd Party Conference! We welcomed over 500 of our Labour whānau in red to Whanganui, where we reflected on the last two years in Government, and looked ahead to 2020 and beyond. We know the long-term challenges facing New Zealand won't be tackled overnight, but we're making ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced that the Provincial Growth Fund will invest $9.6 million to seal the final unsealed section of State Highway 43 from Stratford to Taumarunui. The Minister said sealing the 12-kilometre gravel section of the highway – also called the “Forgotten World Highway” - through ...
Former Finance Minister and former chair of the Tax Working Group, Sir Michael Cullen, has voiced his support for New Zealand First’s decision to oppose the planned increase in tobacco excise tax. In an interview with The Weekend Collective, he said that increasing the price was no longer effective in ...
Māori are natural storytellers. On the marae we use stories to tell our history, to teach the next generation life lessons and to let people know, in our most creative of ways, who we are and where we have come from. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First has invoked the ‘Agree to Disagree’ provisions of the Coalition Agreement because it cannot support the announced 11.46 percent increase in the tobacco excise from 1 January 2020. “Studies show that the automatic tobacco excise increases are having less effect ...
Taupō-based company Geo40 has made a breakthrough in extracting near battery-grade lithium from geothermal fluid which its says could be a gamechanger. Its chief executive John Worth said the earth mineral was highly prized, with battery-grade lithium selling for US$10,000 (NZ$15,600) a tonne. Geo40 was founded in 2010 to find ...
Crown research institute AgResearch Ltd, as part of its Future Footprint plan, had intended to relocate top scientists and support staff — particularly those focused on sheep genetics and genomics — from Invermay to Lincoln. However, those plans seem to have been shelved at the request of the Coalition Government. ...
Ten engineering firms in Southland are receiving a total of $2.13 million in Provincial Growth Fund funding to lift productivity and create new jobs. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced in Invercargill that the 10 engineering and manufacturing firms would receive funding to assist them with buying equipment that ...
The number of new residents to New Zealand is the lowest it has been in nearly two decades and it has earned the ire of the immigration industry. The industry alleges that 'Trump-style extreme vetting' is being put in place aimed at keeping a lid on immigration numbers. June Ranson, ...
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is one step closer to modernising its fleet after the United States State Department recently approved the sale of five new C-130J Hercules aircraft to New Zealand. Arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in Fort Worth, Texas, will provide the aircraft, but as a "foreign military ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones wants to create a log barging facility at Hicks Bay and turn the area into a Special Economic Zone. The move would be part of protecting New Zealand's forests from being depleted by India and China, he said. It follows his announcement last week to strengthen ...
New Zealand First supports the changes recommended by the Winter Grazing Taskforce to improve animal welfare outcomes through the winter months, and the establishment of a pan-sector action group to implement them. New Zealand First Primary Industries Spokesperson Mark Patterson says the report highlights areas of concern about the animal ...
Former prime ministers Helen Clark and Sir John Key, formerly from the Labour and National parties respectively, have joined forces in support of New Zealand First’s plan to relocate Auckland's port to Whangārei. While Ms Clark and Sir John spent their political careers on opposite sides of the political divide, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in Japan for the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the G20 grouping of countries as one of nine "invited" countries. He has used the opportunity to cast a spotlight on the plight of Pacific countries, calling out countries which still offered subsidies or Government assistance to ...
It's been a great week of progress: we've celebrated Children's Day, we've made communities safer with 1800 new police, and we've seen almost 90% of eligible schools take up Government funding to scrap school donations - taking pressure off the families of more than 416,000 students. ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Forestry The Government will further strengthen New Zealand’s wood processing sector as part of our focus on ‘value over volume’ in our forestry industry, Forestry Minister Shane Jones says. Minister Jones will today meet with forestry representatives in Northland to signal new measures to help the ...
New Zealand First are celebrating the announcement of an investment of $3.5 million into five new trapping devices. These are a range of bait and trap devices, all designed to be left unattended for long periods of time. NZ First conservation spokesperson Jenny Marcroft says that this latest development will ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Police New Zealand First is proud to have delivered on a key Coalition Agreement commitment to adding 1800 new frontline police, with the graduation of Recruit Wing 332 in Porirua today. Law and Order Spokesperson Darroch Ball says increasing police numbers and boosting their resources was one ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Conservation New Zealand First is proud to announce the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) has allocated $3.5 million to develop innovative predator control approaches which will reduce the need for repeated 1080 use. $19.5 million of PGF funding was announced for Predator Free 2050 Limited in February ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the first reading of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 2021 (APEC 2021) Bill in Parliament today. The temporary bill supports New Zealand’s security preparations for hosting the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum ...
Clayton Mitchell, Spokesperson for Consumer Affairs The ‘wheel clamping’ Bill that will cap clamper fees to $100 passed its third readinginParliament today. New Zealand First welcomes The Land Transport (Wheel Clamping) Amendment Bill to combat predatory wheel clamping behaviour in what is currently a largely unregulated business. Cowboy clampers are: gouging ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First welcomes the passage of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill through its first reading in Parliament. “Today’s progress takes serious action on the mental health and addiction crisis the country is facing,” says New Zealand First Health Spokesperson Jenny Marcroft. “The re-establishment ...
The Government will fund the bulk of the cost of a rural water supply for the Ohakea community affected by PFAS contamination, Environment Minister David Parker announced today at a meeting of local residents. This new water scheme will provide a reliable and clean source of drinking water to the ...
I have had the opportunity to be briefed on the details of the volcanic eruption of Whakaari/White Island, off the coast of Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty. The eruption happened at 2.11pm today. It continues to be an evolving situation. We know that there were a number of tourists ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare have today confirmed initial Government support of $100,000 for communities affected by the severe weather that swept across the South Island and lower North Island over the weekend. The contribution will be made to Mayoral relief funds across the ...
New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, Tessa Temata, died in Palmerston North over the weekend, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said today. Ms Temata, 52, had recently returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. "On behalf of the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, we extend ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today announced construction is underway on Wellington commuter rail upgrades which will mean more frequent services and fewer breakdowns. The upgrades include converting the Trentham to Upper Hutt single track section to a double track, with a new signalling system, upgraded stations and level crossings, and ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark and Minister for Climate Change James Shaw have announced the release of a Defence Climate Change Implementation Work Plan, titled Responding to the Climate Crisis: An Implementation Plan. The plan sets out a series of recommendations based on the 2018 New Zealand Defence Assessment, The ...
A medium-scale adverse event has been declared for the South Canterbury district, which will see up to $50,000 in funding made available to support farming communities which have been significantly affected by recent heavy rain and flooding in the area, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Two weeks of solid rain ...
Thank you Professor Juliet Gerrard and your team for the comprehensive and extremely helpful report and recommendations. Thank you too to all the stakeholders and interested parties who have contributed ideas and thinking to it. “Making best practice, standard practice” is a great framework for change and the action plan ...
The Government will phase out more single-use plastics following the success of its single-use plastic bag ban earlier this year and the release today of a pivotal report for dealing with waste. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed the Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealandreport, released by her Chief Science Advisor ...
International education continues to thrive as the Government focuses on quality over quantity, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. The tuition revenue from international education increased to $1.16 billion last year with the average tuition fee per student increasing by $960. The total number of international students enrolled in New Zealand ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says new appointments to DHBs represent a significant changing of the guard, with 13 new chairs including four Māori chairs. Today 76 appointments have been announced to complement elected board members, as well as eight elected members appointed as either chair or deputy chair. Four ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Fletcher Tabuteau, is travelling to Germany, Poland, Austria, and Spain next week to bolster New Zealand’s political and trade relationships in Europe. While in Spain, Mr Tabuteau will represent New Zealand at the 14th Asia-Europe (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Madrid. “New Zealand strongly supports ...
“I’ve spoken to Minister Faafoi, who has apologised for his poor handling of this issue,” Jacinda Ardern said. “I have confidence in Kris as a hardworking and effective Minister, but this should have been dealt with in a much clearer manner, and I’ve made my views on that very clear ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters met with Tongan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa in Wellington today. The pair signed a Statement of Partnership setting out joint priorities for cooperation out to 2023. “We welcomed Prime Minister Tu'i'onetoa on his first visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister. Tonga ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash says his sympathies are with the family of a man who died after being shot by Police in Kurow. “Initial reports are that Police were called by a family member to help the man who was threatening to harm himself,” Mr Nash says. “However ...
Ethnic communities will be able to plan and deliver more community initiatives thanks to an increase in Government funding, Minister for Ethnic Communities Hon Jenny Salesa said today. “Ensuring Aotearoa New Zealand is a place we can all be proud to call home has been a key priority of our ...
Healthier waterways, better productivity and farmer wellbeing are front and centre in a new project involving more than 1000 Southland farmers and growers. Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor today announced that the Thriving Southland Change and Innovation Project is the first region-wide extension programme supported by the $229 million Sustainable ...
Work to look after nature and restore freshwater quality in Te Hoiere/Pelorus River catchment is getting a significant boost, thanks to new Government funding support Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage announced in Canvastown today. “Every New Zealander should be able to swim in their local river without getting sick, and ...
Eight Queen’s Counsel have been appointed under a process that includes the new criterion of a commitment to improving access to justice, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. “The new criterion was included this year. It emphasises that excellence and leadership in the profession can be seen through a wider, community ...
Onslow College in Wellington will get 20 new classrooms for more than 400 students, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The much-needed investment will relieve growth pressure the school has been experiencing for some time. Seven existing classrooms which have deteriorated over time will also be replaced, bringing the total ...
More than 250 young New Zealanders will add international experience to their education, thanks to the latest Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA) and Latin America (PMSLA), Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. This round of scholarships supports 252 recent graduates or current students to undertake study, research or internships ...
Consumers will benefit from a more competitive, transparent retail fuel market as a result of changes the Government will be making in response to the findings of the Commerce Commission’s study of the fuel sector. “We accept the Commission’s findings and, as the Prime Minister has said, we’re ready to ...
Five new cancer medicines have now been funded this year, meaning thousands of people have more treatment options PHARMAC has today announced that it has approved two new medicines for funding – fulvestrant for breast cancer and olaparib for ovarian cancer. This follows earlier decisions on advanced lung cancer treatment alectinib, ...
The Minister of Local Government, Hon Nanaia Mahuta says the Government will consider making changes to local electoral legislation before the 2022 elections to fix the problems that have arisen where elections are settled by a coin toss. The Minister says the recount process in the Murupara- Galatea ward at ...
New Zealand will sign up to new international maritime regulations to reduce ship emissions and lift air quality around ports and harbours, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today. Subject to completion of the Parliamentary treaty examination process, New Zealand will sign up to Annex VI of MARPOL, an ...
New legislation to transform our urban areas and create sustainable, inclusive and thriving communities will tomorrow be introduced to Parliament, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said. “The Urban Development Bill gives Kāinga Ora-Homes and Communities the tools it needs to partner with councils, communities, mana whenua and private developers to ...
Today’s launch of He taonga te Tamaiti: Every child a taonga: The Early Learning Action Plan 2019-2029 provides the foundation for long-lasting changes to early learning, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. “Early learning will be one of the Government’s top education priorities going into 2020,” Chris Hipkins said. ...
Major decisions made by the Government will now be considered under a climate change lens, Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. “Cabinet routinely considers the effects of its decisions on human rights, the Treaty of Waitangi, rural communities, the disability community, and gender – now climate change will ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced the appointment of Māori education specialist Dr Wayne Ngata and Business NZ head Kirk Hope to the Board of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). Dr Alastair MacCormick has been reappointed for another term. “Wayne Ngata, Kirk Hope and Alastair MacCormick bring a great deal ...
The next phase of the Pike River Re-entry project is underway, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little says. “Fresh air will be pumped into the Pike River Mine drift this week, following acceptance of the plan for re-entry beyond the 170m barrier by New Zealand’s independent health and ...
New Zealand consumers will have greater certainty about their insurance cover when they need to make claims as a result of proposed government changes. “Insurance is vitally important in supporting consumers and businesses to be financially resilient when unexpected events happen,” Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Kris Faafoi said. ...
The Crown is providing an opportunity for the hapu of Ngāpuhi to rebuild its framework from the ground up for collective negotiations to deal with its historical Treaty claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little and Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The Crown is also ...
A Bill enabling referendums to be held with the 2020 General Election has passed its third reading. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Act is important for upholding the integrity of New Zealand’s electoral process. “The Government has committed to holding a referendum on legalising recreational cannabis at the next ...
The first release of public information on the two referendums to be held at next year’s General Election was made today with an informative new Government website going live. Additionally, the draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill has been released, showing the strict controls on cannabis that will apply if ...
The Government is taking action to protect New Zealand from foreign interference in our elections by banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced today. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament this afternoon and passed under urgency. “There’s no need for anyone other than New ...
Governments and tech companies are holding a two-day workshop, hosted by YouTube/Google in Wellington, to test the Christchurch Call Shared Crisis Response Protocol. The workshop aims to refine and strengthen the response in the event of a terrorist attack with online implications. Companies, governments, civil society experts and NGOs will ...
The new independent Cancer Control Agency has formally opened today, delivering on the Government’s plan to improve cancer care in New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Health David Clark marked the occasion by announcing the membership of the Advisory Council that will be supporting ...
Small businesses who deal with government departments are set to be paid faster and have improved cash flow as a result, under a new strategy released today. The Government is backing recommendations from the Small Business Council (SBC) and has agreed to implement three initiatives immediately to support business and ...
The Education and Training Bill 2019, introduced in Parliament today, proposes the biggest education changes in decades and is an important step towards improving success for all our learners, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. “The Bill’s rewrite of education legislation is long overdue. Indeed one Education Act, parts of which ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio will travel to Bali to represent New Zealand at the 12th Bali Democracy Forum that will be held on the 5-6 December. “The Forum is a valuable opportunity for Asia-Pacific countries to share experiences and best practice in building home-grown democracy and fostering ...
Welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Death toll from Whakaari eruption likely to rise, cabinet agrees Auckland port must move, and expensive Christchurch stadium details released.A tragic death toll from the eruption of Whakaari/White Island is likely to rise. The number of those killed is currently five at the time ...
Aerial reconnaissance missions have flown over Whakaari-White Island since the eruption on Monday afternoon and there are no signs of any survivors, police say. ...
The world number one in long drive golf, Kiwi Phillis Meti, wants to see equal pay for women, and more Maori and Polynesian girls striking the ball ...
How can we protect our privacy online in the face of increasingly clever marketing and retailing ploys? Victoria University of Wellington's Dr Marcin Betkier has some thoughts. ...
The British people have a chance to stop the new age of hostility and belligerence before it is fully unleashed in the country's most significant election in 40 years, writes Neal Curtis. ...
Commercial media, a business that requires public trust and goodwill, is in a tough financial position right now. Gaurav Sharma says that’s in part because of its poor job of reaching immigrant communities, in the first of a new monthly column for The Spinoff.Let’s start with a test, about references ...
We don’t normally see these eruptions coming, no matter how much we would like to. Many systems are already ‘primed’ for such events, but the triggers are poorly understood, writes Shane Cronin of the University of Auckland.As of Monday night five people have been confirmed dead, 18 had been rescued ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shane Cronin, Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Auckland Five people have been confirmed dead, 23 have been rescued and several remain unaccounted for after a sudden volcanic eruption on Whakaari/White Island off the east coast of New Zealand. The island is ...
One person is dead, 23 have been rescued and potentially two dozen people are unaccounted for on Whakaari/White Island, after it erupted on Monday. ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters are to be commended for their leadership on the Upper North Island port issue, Waterfront 2029 Spokesperson Michael Goldwater said today. The Prime Minister today announced that ...
In partnership with the JR McKenzie Trust and University of Otago, Children’s Commissioner Andrew Becroft has today released the annual Child Poverty Monitor at childpoverty.org.nz which shows more bold and sustainable action is needed. ...
Today’s child poverty figures , revealing that nearly 150,000 children are living in material hardship in New Zealand, show the need for tax relief says the Taxpayers’ Union . ...
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) welcomes the 2019 Child Poverty Monitor report , and says more can be done to help families who have need of welfare assistance. ...
A rescue operation is under way on Whakaari/White Island in the Bay of Plenty, with reports of up to 20 people injured, some critical.What’s going on?Whakaari/White Island, New Zealand’s most active cone volcano, located 48km off the eastern coast of the Bay of Plenty, is erupting. Large plumes of steam ...
Auckland bus operators are enraged at the inconvenience to passengers affected by continued bus driver strike action. Even those operators not directly affected by strikes are appalled at the behaviour of First Union and Tramways Union and their ...
The publication of the Child Poverty Monitor 2019, released today, is a reminder of the need to accelerate efforts to lift our children / tamariki out of poverty. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniela Kaleva, Associate Head Research and Scholarship, Australian Institute of Music Review: Farnace, composed by Vivaldi, Pinchgut Opera When a performance of Farnace was cancelled at the theatre of Ferrara after the artistic failure of Vivaldi’s opera Siroe re di Persia in ...
OPINION: In the fifth part of the series with our partners at Flick Electric Co to help you make better energy choices, Flick’s Nikki Cockburn breaks down the sources of our electricity.So we know that regardless of which power company we’re with, the electricity we use is at the mercy ...
The recent accident near Kaikoura, where two Malaysian children and their parents were killed in a head-on collision with a truck, was easily preventable, says the car review website dogandlemon.com . ...
Former Auditor-General Martin Matthews is petitioning Parliament to reopen his case, claiming MPs "held a gun to his head" to force his resignation. ...
Auckland Council recently announced a citywide food scrap collection scheme that will be kicking off in 2021. Most of us already know the main gist of composting, but what’s happening to this waste? What will I have to pay? And can I opt out if I don’t need it?New Zealanders ...
Central and local government, including Auckland Council, have been debating the future of the Ports of Auckland but there seems to be something missing in the debate - how much more greenhouse gases will Aotearoa emit if we move the port from the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Humphery-Jenner, Associate Professor of Finance, UNSW Westpac can expect a bumper turnout of shareholders at its annual general meeting in Sydney on Thursday, many of them angry at its alleged role in facilitating child exploitation in the Philippines, its 23 million ...
More than a billion dollars has wiped off the value of New Zealand's biggest company this morning following the surprise resignation of A2 Milk's chief executive. ...
Cindy Baxter is at COP25 – her 17th climate change conference – and for the first time, New Zealand is one of the good guys. But are we?As we head into the second week of the climate talks in Madrid, I’ve been reflecting over the first week, and the strange ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David King, Senior Lecturer, The University of Queensland Growing up, no one ever gave me the rundown on how or what I should do to keep my penis clean […] I’ve never read any reliable answer beyond washing it with water. ...
You’ve probably never heard of him, but an artist called Cavetown is coming to Auckland in January for a show that’s already sold out. We explain where he came from, how this happened, and why you should be listening.What, pray tell, is a Cavetown?Cavetown is the stage name of Robin ...
Three glaze recipes to take your festive feast from ho-hum to ham-azing.In the middle of November, my aunt suggested in our family WhatsApp group that Christmas lunch should go meat-free in acknowledgement of climate change. I froze at my desk where I’d taken a moment to procrastinate. While I support ...
The Climate Change Minister James Shaw says he is hopeful the final hurdles can be cleared for fixing the final rules of Paris Agreement before it kicks in next year. ...
"Youllbefine, Rockmaster, Cossack Warrior and now Valtteri are the four horses who have been killed on New Zealand race tracks in just three weeks" said Frances Baker, Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) spokesperson. ...
Former finance minister Steve Joyce says an NBR journalist told him its columnist Matthew Hooton had ‘gone completely troppo’ in a column about to be published by the business website about the MP. ...
A truly ambitious solution would keep jobs in Southland, delivering on the promise of the Zero Carbon Act to make NZ all but carbon neutral by 2050, writes Nicola Gaston in a post co-authored with Sally Brooker, Justin Hodgkiss and David Williams of The MacDiarmid Institute.Tiwai Point is in the ...
The housing market is heating up ahead of the holidays, with positive signs of growth, according to ASB's latest quarterly housing confidence survey. ...
The New Zealand Maori Council has called the latest childhood poverty statistics released by the Children’s Commissioner as appalling for a first world nation and has called upon the Government to do more. Matthew Tukaki, the Councils Executive ...
The next phase in the Democrats’ plan to impeach US President Donald Trump begins at 9am Monday morning Washington DC when the House judiciary committee meets to consider a report from the intelligence committee – and hear academic argument on the way forward. The judiciary committee is expected to draft ...
It’s been a Sunday morning staple for Kiwi kids for decades, but What Now may be facing new challenges in the era of social media. New Zealand children’s show What Now has utilised many different ways of engaging with its young audience over the past 38 years. Whether it was getting ...
New Zealand Police has taken delivery of three Armoured Special Purpose Vehicles. The vehicles are unmarked and look like standard Toyota Land cruisers. ...
Polystyrene meat trays, cups and takeaway food containers are the next targets in the battle to phase out single-use plastics, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced. ...
All workers contracted by InterGroup to carry out street cleaning and litter control for Hutt City Council are now receiving the living wage as a minimum. ...
Kris Faafoi apologises to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, does not offer to resign; and Government moves to ban plastic fruit stickers, cutlery, and cotton buds. ...
We may be called fuckwits. We may be called idiots. But the optimism keeps on, writes Chris Cessford.As spring lurches into summer, Wellington wakes up to another day of a crazy-making gusty northerly gale. Or, as we cyclists in the southern suburbs call it, a head wind.I fasten my helmet ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Kewley, Director, ARC Centre for Excellence in All-Sky Astrophysics in 3D, Australian National University Australian astronomy punches well above its weight, in terms of the research it leads and the facilities it houses. We have made remarkable discoveries in the past ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vicki Lowik, PhD candidate, CQUniversity Australia This article is the first in a series exploring gender and Christianity. Jane* was a member of Australia’s evangelical Christian community, and throughout her marriage she heard many sermons on honouring a husband’s authority. These sermons ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yousuf Mohammed, Dermatology researcher, The University of Queensland If you’ve ever Googled the causes of a skin complaint or damaged hair, chances are someone on the internet has pointed the finger at SLS, or sodium lauryl (or laureth) sulfate, a common ingredient ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Nelson, Associate Professor of Economics, Griffith University Household electricity bills in Australia have increased sharply in the past decade. But new official figures show they are projected to fall markedly – in some cases by 20%. In-house modelling we conducted at ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Goss, School Education Program Director, Grattan Institute Education news in Australia last week was dominated by Australia’s worst ever showing in the OECD’s PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) tests. The mathematical literacy of our students has fallen to the OECD ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liam Davies, PhD Candidate, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University This is the first article in a series to mark the 50th anniversary of the landmark Melbourne Transportation Plan. —- The 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan was perhaps the most influential planning policy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Backhouse, Research Fellow, Learning Environments Applied Research Network (LEaRN), University of Melbourne Public libraries embody the values of democracy by offering free access to knowledge. But the role of contemporary public libraries extends far beyond access to books. Libraries are places ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Long term consequences from heavy weekend weather, hospitality giant apologises for many mishandled complaints, and Auckland traffic chaos looms.There will be long term consequences from the weather that hammered the country over the weekend. Chief among them is a massive slip ...
A new report from the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Adviser envisages a future with much less plastic, all of it recycled or dealt with responsibly within New Zealand borders. ...
America's Cup defenders Emirates Team New Zealand have done things differently by building their own boats for the first time, and so far, it's paying off ...
Liam Hehir makes a plea to education minister Chris Hipkins not to discriminate against integrated schools when it comes to school funding.The government’s announcement of a big maintenance funding boost for schools was greetedwarmly by many principals, teachers and parents. Excluded ...
Open Mike 05/02/2018 
by Daphna Whitmore Last week France passed a law that equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. It is based on a definition of anti-Semitism that includes criticism of Israel such as: “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist ...15 hours ago
Over the past year we've seen major bus problems in Hamilton and Wellington, as drivers have sought better wages and an end to the bullshit of split shifts, which basicly see them "married to the job". And now its Auckland's turn. When NZBus's drivers planned low-level strike action of not ...16 hours ago
The state of the United Kingdom is fractured, torn up, shredded. The Empire is gone, it died a long time ago. And yet, the country is still tracking with a lead in favour of the ones who play to the ingrained, class-bound division for political gain. It is a disgrace ...3 days ago
On 27 September, Greta Thunberg addressed a crowd of 500,000 at the School Strike for Climate in Montreal, saying: “You are a nation that is allegedly a climate leader. And Sweden is also a nation that is allegedly a climate leader. And in both cases, it means absolutely nothing. Because ...3 days ago
It should be obvious by now but let’s be clear: The same folk who regularly traffic in disinformation, misinformation and “fake news” are also those who most strongly claim that their freedom of expression rights are being violated when moves are made to curb hate speech (as opposed to protected ...3 days ago
New Zealand's Underarm Banker: It bears recalling that the “independence” of the Reserve Bank Governor was for decades held up by neoliberal capitalists as the most compelling justification for passing the Reserve Bank Act. Interesting, is it not, how the ruling class’s support for the Bank’s independence lasted no longer than ...4 days ago
“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. A long and bitter court feud between former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig and Jordan Williams has been settled, with an apology and compensation from Williams. On Tuesday, Craig sent out ...4 days ago
Some people seem to want to close down any critical discussion of the current research into the relationship between water fluoride and child IQ. They appear to argue that claims made by researchers should not be open to critical review and that the claims be accepted without proper consideration ...5 days ago
In an unreliable, strange and confusing world, Public Address is proud to present a measure of comfort and stability by annually asking everyone what words or phrases sum up the year that's been – and then giving some of them consumer goods as prizes for being clever or simply lucky.Well, ...5 days ago
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...1 week ago
“America the Beautiful!”, staunch defender of democracy, freedom and… a whole lot of despotic tyrants that play nice with what is called “the Washington Consensus.” America is indeed capable of immense good, but like any Nation, and most assuredly any aspirant to the mantle of Empire, great, immense evil. All ...1 week ago
Image credit: The beginner’s guide to blogging I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is ... 1 week ago
It hasn't been a good week for the Conservatives, pollwise. All major recent polls are showing their lead shrinking.Comparing each pollster's current (between 29/11 and 22/11) and previous most recent poll.Com Res - Conservative lead down 3 points.You Gov - Conservative lead down 1 point.Kantar - Conservative lead down 4 ...1 week ago
A new defence report has mapped out how New Zealand's soldiers will navigate rising seas, and a year after the Defence Force announced its need to prepare for climate change. In the “Responding to the Climate Crisis” report, the Force restates its operational plan and sets goals to tackle climate ...20 hours ago
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...7 days ago
The Government will fund the bulk of the cost of a rural water supply for the Ohakea community affected by PFAS contamination, Environment Minister David Parker announced today at a meeting of local residents. This new water scheme will provide a reliable and clean source of drinking water to the ...12 hours ago
Welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Death toll from Whakaari eruption likely to rise, cabinet agrees Auckland port must move, and expensive Christchurch stadium details released.A tragic death toll from the eruption of Whakaari/White Island is likely to rise. The number of those killed is currently five at the time ...36 mins ago
Aerial reconnaissance missions have flown over Whakaari-White Island since the eruption on Monday afternoon and there are no signs of any survivors, police say. ...2 hours ago
The world number one in long drive golf, Kiwi Phillis Meti, wants to see equal pay for women, and more Maori and Polynesian girls striking the ball ...2 hours ago
A critical part of the global trading system may fail this week - what does that mean for NZ? ...2 hours ago
How can we protect our privacy online in the face of increasingly clever marketing and retailing ploys? Victoria University of Wellington's Dr Marcin Betkier has some thoughts. ...2 hours ago
The High Court is told three tweets by a publisher repeated his paper and website's defamation against former National minister Steven Joyce. ...2 hours ago
The British people have a chance to stop the new age of hostility and belligerence before it is fully unleashed in the country's most significant election in 40 years, writes Neal Curtis. ...2 hours ago
An exhibition by Rarotonga-based artist Sam Thomas uses patu to explore questions of cultural exchange. Pat Baskett reviews 'Pakeha Gifts'. ...2 hours ago
Bougainville's path to a referendum on independence has been described as NZ's foreign policy success you've never heard of. ...3 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shane Cronin, Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Auckland Five people have been confirmed dead, 23 have been rescued and several remain unaccounted for after a sudden volcanic eruption on Whakaari/White Island off the east coast of New Zealand. The island is ...9 hours ago
Ports of Auckland needs to control and run its port operations if it moves to Northport, just as it does now in Auckland. ...10 hours ago
Official advice may not be so hot on moving the port, Shane Jones says. ...12 hours ago
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters are to be commended for their leadership on the Upper North Island port issue, Waterfront 2029 Spokesperson Michael Goldwater said today. The Prime Minister today announced that ...14 hours ago
The European Central Bank’s activism on climate change is leading it into uncharted territory. ...15 hours ago
Former Auditor-General Martin Matthews is petitioning Parliament to reopen his case, claiming MPs "held a gun to his head" to force his resignation. ...16 hours ago
More than a billion dollars has wiped off the value of New Zealand's biggest company this morning following the surprise resignation of A2 Milk's chief executive. ...17 hours ago
The Climate Change Minister James Shaw says he is hopeful the final hurdles can be cleared for fixing the final rules of Paris Agreement before it kicks in next year. ...19 hours ago
Former finance minister Steve Joyce says an NBR journalist told him its columnist Matthew Hooton had ‘gone completely troppo’ in a column about to be published by the business website about the MP. ...19 hours ago
The housing market is heating up ahead of the holidays, with positive signs of growth, according to ASB's latest quarterly housing confidence survey. ...20 hours ago
The next phase in the Democrats’ plan to impeach US President Donald Trump begins at 9am Monday morning Washington DC when the House judiciary committee meets to consider a report from the intelligence committee – and hear academic argument on the way forward. The judiciary committee is expected to draft ...21 hours ago
Polystyrene meat trays, cups and takeaway food containers are the next targets in the battle to phase out single-use plastics, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced. ...22 hours ago
Kris Faafoi apologises to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, does not offer to resign; and Government moves to ban plastic fruit stickers, cutlery, and cotton buds. ...22 hours ago
The long-awaited and much-delayed Parliamentary report into the 2017 general election is expected to be published in the coming days. ...22 hours ago
A new report from the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Adviser envisages a future with much less plastic, all of it recycled or dealt with responsibly within New Zealand borders. ...1 day ago
The Islamic Women’s Council spent five years trying to get their concerns heard. David Williams tells their story ...1 day ago
Just three months into her comeback from knee surgery, Bronwyn Dibb jumps to silver at the world trampoline championships ...1 day ago
America's Cup defenders Emirates Team New Zealand have done things differently by building their own boats for the first time, and so far, it's paying off ...1 day ago
Every day, City Mission employee Helen Robinson sees the depth of poverty in Auckland. But at no time is that more visible than at Christmas. ...1 day ago
Debt is deep in the heart of our heart and our society, but we have an odd relationship with it. Bernard Hickey asks why we both love and fear it. ...1 day ago
Cancer treatment could be in for a paradigm shift with genomic profiling opening the door to personalised tumour therapy. ...1 day ago
With penguins dropping of the perch left, right and centre, Dunedin ranger Ben Goldsworthy must step up the search-and-rescue effort. ...1 day ago
Whatever political party we support, we either respect human rights or we don’t, writes Dr Jonathan Barrett of Victoria University of Wellington. ...1 day ago
Rodeo has no place in a civilised country.
” The death of a bull at a Wairarapa rodeo on Friday night will add fuel to the fire in the debate on whether the sport should be banned.
….rodeo-type activities would not be tolerated on a farm or when inflicted on a pet, but they are allowed “in the name of fun” for a cruel and outdated form of entertainment.
The difference with rodeo is that the events pit humans against distressed animals in an arena with the expectation that the human will come out on top. Is this really how we want to have fun in a supposedly civilised country in the 21st century?”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/101161365/rodeo-pitting-humans-versus-animals-belongs-to-the-past
I remember going to a bull fight in Spain in the late 1960’s – it was supposedly the “done thing” if you went to Spain. In a way bullfighting is a more extreme form of rodeo – it goads and angers the bull by injuring it and the entire event was very distressing for me personally. Nothing sporting about it – rodeo is the same, nothing sporting about it, legging the animals when they haven’t a chance of escape, pissing the bulls and horses of with the aggravating strap around its belly – what chance is that for the animals.
Do away with it – its enough we kill thousands of the beasts each year just for our pleasure of eating them – give them respect at least until then.
I remember going to a bull fight in Spain in the late 1960’s – it was supposedly the “done thing” if you went to Spain.
Been there done that – lasted less than 15 minutes. Wholeheartedly concur with your sentiments.
Jacinda 5 days at Waitangi
Bill. ‘elsewhere in the country.’
One historic
One elsewhere
Bomber writes well on this on the Daily Blog.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/02/05/waitangi-day-2018-the-joy-of-a-leader-who-understands-the-treaty-maori-will-vote-jacinda-forever-how-iwi-leaders-have-to-acknowledge-the-political-rise-of-urban-maori/
I really hope Bill stays on as National ‘s leader.
“ ‘In the middle of a historic five-day stint at Waitangi, Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern will lead a large contingent of Labour MPs at Monday’s official welcome.
National’s Steven Joyce will be among 11 National Party MPs at the powhiri with leader Bill English elsewhere in the country.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11988199
Russell Brown lacks the energy to do his job any more. Time to give up?
past it (informal) too old to be of any use or any good at anything.
synonyms: past one’s prime, not as young as one was, not as young as one used to be
After the death of Nelson Mandela in late 2013, Russell Brown suffered the indignity of having his blog hijacked by the cynical National Party provocateur Matthew Hooton, who had the effrontery to claim that Mandela was similar to Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. The thread naturally dissolved into chaos after that, and by the end of the day Brown was at the end of his tether. I satirized the imbroglio here…
Brown clearly has no stomach for robust discussions any more. After the recent attempt to smear Lorde, he wrote a thoughtful piece about the whole shameful affair, but then at the end, where the discussion should have been,we find this sad little note….
https://publicaddress.net/hardnews/lordes-call/
[I personally feel uncomfortable with you using The Standard comments section to smear another left wing blogger because of a long running grudge you hold towards him. I haven’t talked to the other authors about this, but given you have a history of posting misleading comments I am just going to put some boundaries in place.
If you want to reference a conversation at Public Address, you now need to link directly to the conversation *each time*. If the comments section is pages long, you need to link to the specific part of the conversation you are referring to. This is so that people reading your comment can make up their own mind by seeing the conversation itself and in context. *You need to do the work of linking.
Putting you into moderation until you supply a link for the above comment.
Others have dealt with your views on Brown’s suspending commenting – weka]
Russel Brown is an excellent commentator.
Note it was a public holiday.
Which is where people are entitled by law not to work.
Shame on Russell Brown for wanting a little peace and quiet during the holiday period. Doesn’t he realise it’s his job, nay duty, to supervise frothing toddlers bickering on the internet 24/7? The audacity of the man!
When you set up and run a blog that lots of people find interesting and choose to spend time debating on, you too can spend your holiday time monitoring and moderating said blog.
Or not.
+1
+2.
It should be noted Russell Brown was a close friend of musician Grant Fell, who died last week.
The post that had its comments closed was from Jan 3rd.
I know, I was just noting he might have other things on his mind than posting new stuff right now.
oh right, that makes sense.
weka, the direct link to the conversation is here….
https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-mandela/?i=200#replies
…you have a history of posting misleading comments…
Really? Could you support that claim with at least one example, please?
[thanks. And sure, try this /open-mike-14112017/#comment-1414280 (which funnily enough also involves your beef with Russell Brown) – weka
Sorry, weka, but you have provided not one bit of evidence of my posting even one “misleading comment.”
[I count inaccurate transcripts that are presented as transcripts as ‘misleading’. And in that conversation I linked to, you appeared to accept that. – weka]
You are willfully misconstruing my rush transcripts—unlike my present ones, they weren’t always perfect, but they were far from “inaccurate”—as though I was deliberately misleading my readers. I did not do that; if I was of that cast of mind I’d be working for the National or Labour Party propaganda units, or for something even worse, like the three “news” team.
[sigh. read the links in the link. We’ve been over this ad nauseam, and the links show the inaccuracy because people went and linked to the actual audio and demonstrated the mistakes. I haven’t said it was intentional on your part, I’ve said you have a history of misleading comments – weka]
Morning Breakfast people its good that you are keeping the debate on weed going it was a good article you ran with MR Cameron that name is quite strong in
Te Taiwarhiti .
I had one quip with the article that is that know mention of all the people who get a criminal record because of the way these ancient laws are forced on us .
I will wait for the correct time for me to have more input on the subject of weed in Aotearoa there are some issues that I stay out of so as to not have a negative effect against the good cause I.E rally the neolibrals against it . I think Fair GO is a show that fights for the common peoples causes to be treated fairly Like the wealthy are one should not have to have heaps of money to expect to be treated humanly by our society but that’s the way it is .
May be I should approach Fair Go to help me fight the NZ justice system for the facial way they are treating a broke brown person/human like ECO MAORI .
Yeah Right the sandfly will shine there hypnotic object and spin anything to stop that.
You see people the follow me everywhere I go trying to break my WAIRUA but know I have to much MANA for that to ever happen. P.S ITs good to see you all Eco likes the good kiwi Karma you good people on Breakfast are displaying Ka pai.
Ka kite ano
Morning Rock radio people give us a sore face please Ka pai
Who is this Harvey Weinstein everyone keeps talking about ?
He was a major fundraiser for the Democratic Party.
With the Republicans in the ascendancy he isn’t quite as popular anymore.
Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Warren, among others could probably tell you all about him although I expect they have probably developed very convenient selective amnesia.
Time to move on though. Nothing to see here.
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/harvey-weinstein-political-donations-2017-10?r=US&IR=T
Heard of METO alwyn?
Many Democrats are now giving their ‘harvey’ donations to charities since the sexual harassment stories broke. At least they are trying to right a wrong.
METO?
Like the time I ended pretending to be married in an attempt to put an end to the ongoing sexual harassment from my then employer. It worked due to his culture.
In reflection I should have spoken out as my actions did nada to prevent the same happening to any other women he may have employed after I eventually quit, I feel bad about that now, but young and naive I was.
And Cinny, not supported by the “mores” of the day.
You were fighting back on the only terms they would respond to. Very understandable … don’t beat yourself.
🙂
Yeah, but unlike the RNC’s finance chief Steve Wynn, Weinstein wasn’t a party functionary.
And unlike the their call for Weinstein’s donations to be returned tout suite, the RNC hypocrites are touting due process before they even think about returning any of Wynn’s donations.
In an interview with CNN from October, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel praised Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Chuck Schumer for returning donations from Weinstein, but added: “The DNC should do the same thing. They’re keeping 90 percent of his donations. I don’t understand. If you stand for treating women well and you stand for the respect of women, you shouldn’t take money from somebody who treated women with the absolute highest level of disrespect.”
But in January 2018, the GOP is singing a very different tune after a Wall Street Journal investigation found that Steve Wynn, casino magnate and finance chair of the RNC, allegedly sexually harassed and assaulted dozens of women over the past two decades. The party accepted Wynn’s resignation as finance chair.
But it isn’t isn’t looking to return his donations anytime soon. “He should be allowed due process,” McDaniel said on Fox on Tuesday morning.
[…]
You don’t need “due process” or a criminal investigation to fire a private employee or return an alleged harasser’s political donations. Weinstein wasn’t investigated by the New York Police Department (at first) — he was investigated by Ronan Farrow at the New Yorker and by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey at the New York Times.
Former Today show host Matt Lauer was fired by NBC — without investigation by police. And, of course, conservatives — and the GOP — have long noted a number of allegations of harassment and sexual assault against former President Bill Clinton that never reached the courts.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/30/16950296/rnc-steve-wynn-donations
That makes it alright then.
The Republican Party also has skeletons in its closet.
What is that phrase? We can ignore it. They did it too.
As I said. Nothing to see here. Time to move on.
It’s quite clear, liberals have acted decisively and removed harassers and conservative hypocrites have routinely labelled accusers liars, hidden behind due process and trotted out apologists like Sarah “Sen. Franken has admitted wrongdoing and the president hasn’t” Huckabooboo.
Cheers for the links and info Joe
How does it go…. want to know what people are really like, wait until money is involved.
Alwyn re 6.1.2.1 Well said, Alwyn, well said.
You know what’s so hard case Rock people it’s when I drive past a road work site the workers are looking at the ground or star gazeing. What was Jen talking about when she pulled her calf mussels that would be good to know now there is someone at a business I mowed when they are never there anther play by the sandflys Ka kite ano
The main reason workers pause when cars are going past or trains are going past, is because it’s good not to be run over and killed. So they step out of the way.
Note also: for every one person on the end of a shovel, you also have to have other people “standing around”:
– health and safety
– site engineers
– site supervisors
– client
– subcontractors waiting for another part of the job to complete
– traffic staff
– machine operators eg cranes, trucks, hi-ab, all of which wait for other epople to do their jobs
So before you do the usual thing again thinking: why is only one person working and the rest of them standing around, the simple answer is:
they are not your personal performing monkeys who jump up and down just because you and yours rolled up in a car.
They are a team.
Morning Jim how’s the new Moko there must be some in the water at The Rock radio station all those new mokos well all the best to you all.
Road workers what eco meant was the sandflys are going ahead of me and telling you people not to notice me they bull you people and say that they have a court order to stop any publicly for me you people on the ground work hard and all deserve a pay rise. Ka kite ano
Man can not even have a private conversations with his Whano and the sandflys spinn it up to use what I say in private as a weapon thatssssss right a poor Brown man has no rights I forgot that is accepterable in OUR society. Eco is not impressed with the talent and leadership of our Maori leaders over the last 50 years .
My problem is they let crown con them that the justice system is humane and fair mean while the jails are over flowing with Maori. They throw there hands up in the air and say we don’t know what’s wrong with the system. They have let MSM publish all the bad stories about Maori and say it ok it’s true what about all the positive thing Maori achieve .There are many things that the powerful Maori have just let happen they were just looking after there own.It’ got that bad that everyone looks down there noses look at US never give us the respect and trust . We are all tared with that same brush that is published on MSM that the neolibrels instergated ECO MAORI is going to change that disrespectful view of all MAORI like I’m doing NOW KA PAI
P.S. Many thanks for that positive article on Maori in KOREA Kimberly Downs.
ANA TO kai
Eco Maori is backing your show Hillary and Jeremy we just have to interactive a bit and your ratings will rise sharply Eco has been waiting patiently for this new show on TVNZ ON 1 at SEVEN Pm Ka kite ano
I not impressed with the Maori leaders we got now either . They know how this system works and chose to say nothing to WARN OUR Mokos It’s algood Eco Maori has told all the people about this corrupt justice systems of the western society. And crime is dropping 2 reasons 1 being informed about the bullshit systems 2 they have a swarm following me around all the time the sandflys don’t have the time to harass OUR Mokos Ka pai I can handle the sandflys heat.lol Ana to kai.
ECO MAORI has been reassing his views on Barack Obama he is m8 with shonky key who I know is a racist bigot who main goal was to destroy MAORI Mana and full his pockets and his m8 how many billions did he spend down South irragation schemes bailing out that finance company giving our money to people who are already rich WTF .
So Big No to Obama coming to Aotearoa at OUR expense just to lift AMERICA IMAGE .Shonky key would get some positive publicity out of that visit to after what key has done to Aotearoa no fucken way .ANA TO KAI
Eco Maori knows that Hillary Barry and Jeremy wells won’t caste a subliminal message to all the people of Aotearoa that it’s OK to drive a million dollar car own a million dollar’ house talk about all the bags his wife has when they go on holiday to America and kiss shonky ass whenever he can and ridicule OUR poorest people who have slipped on there ladder of life. Then give his m8 dairy dack dune a pat on the back while his son m8 is poisoning OUR people for a profit heres a person form that party he likes on this link bellow ka pai Hillary & Jeremy
Ka kite ano
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/feb/04/paul-ryan-tweet-school-secretary-tax-bill
Seriously outstanding coverage for Prime Minister Ardern coming through TV1 news from Waitangi:
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news
Great to see her rise to this – a real Big Norm moment.
Heard her speak about problems for Māori, poverty and inequality, poor housing, rangatahi suicide rate and mental health. Major, major issues that the Government plays a large part in.
You have to wonder how many times Māori have heard a politician promising change, and many of these things won’t be able to be turned around quickly either. She appears genuine, but who knows if the rest of the Labour caucus is.
Well at Waitangi just now she told them to hold her to account when she comes back next year. You can bet they will do just that.
Yes Ad, a speech I’m proud to listen to. A P.M. we can be proud of.
Her call for the people of the Marae and else where to hold her and the government to account each year, with face to face meetings, to discuss progress during Waitangi Week.
We can do this. We can change lives working together.
I’m thinking back, and I can’t remember an occasion where the spouse/partner of a Prime Minister played such a central role at Waitangi as it seems the Current Incumbent’s is.
Even to picking up the wero…a task that should more appropriately gone to a male colleague rather than a partner.
Do you know something we don’t? You are obviously exercised about this because it is the second time you have mentioned it!
That was Labour giving the PM’s spouse an honour – maybe so he wouldn’t be feeling “left out” of all the proceedings. Maybe it was as simple a gesture as that.
Get over it Rosemary. It was a nice thing for him to be able to do.
Cancer “Vaccine” That Wipes out Tumors Ready for Human Trial
Sounds promising.
Here is hoping for this to be a breakthrough, and it is priced right!!
Thanks; interesting. Fingers crossed.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03410901
Makes me glad i live in NZ however whether its true or not its damn interesting…as long as it happens in someone elses country
https://www.truthrevolt.org/commentary/greenfield-memo-reveals-coup-against-america
Geez Puckish, I thought your filter was better than that. The memo doesn’t stand scrutiny, let alone the wild allegations and conclusions being spouted about it.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/02/02/the-nunes-memo-makes-no-sense-216928
Meanwhile here in New Zealand, you heard of a book called Dirty Politics by Nicky Hager? It’s got all sorts of interesting bits, including stuff about the office of the incumbent head of government misusing the nation’s spy services to smear the opposition.
My take on it is that both sides are probably right in some respects and both sides are probably wrong in others
Its more I’m glad we don;t have anything like that going on here and we’re all the better for it
What, you mean we don’t have the overseas mega-wealthy with possible foreign government connections paying visits to politicians in order to acquire favourable treatment?
Good to know.
On a different note, have they repealed the hobbit employment law yet?
We don’t have anything like that, to the degree that the USA has 🙂
I agree it’s to a lesser degree here: the National Party just doesn’t cost that much.
Rick Blaine: I don’t mind a parasite. I object to a cut-rate one.
I love the fact the Trump wing of the Republican party still think Obama is president and Clinton is some sort of shadow president pulling the strings. Or something – it’s hard to make sense of what the fuck they actually think or are trying to infer.
Well if true, and thats still a big if, it means Trump was spied on illegally and it was endorsed by the highest office in the land so they probably think its a big deal
It said nothing about Trump, it was about Carter Page. Even leading Republicans such as Trey Gowdy say it has nothing to do with the investigation into the Trump campaign.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/03/trey-gowdy-nunes-memo-russia-probe-389083
If the name Trey Gowdy vaguely rings a bell, it was he who decided 8 investigations into Hillary and Benghazi weren’t enough and conducted a ninth. And came up with nothing that could even be spun as culpability on Hillary’s part.
edit: although, to give him his due, that investigation did highlight the issue of her server.
The issue has been that muddied that I don’t think anyone can honestly (or truthfully) state what did or didn’t happen
🙄
Wouldn’t that be convenient for your white supremacist leader.
Hes as much your leader as he is mine
…and yet you’re the one trying (and failing) to make excuses for him.
Nope sorry you’re wrong
Just in case you’re interested, here’s a reminder of Nunes’ previous clusterfuck of an attempt to blow a smokescreen for Hair Fuhrer to hide behind and claim vindication. He’s got form for embarrassingly inept stunts like this.
https://www.wired.com/2017/04/devin-nunes-white-house-trump-surveillance/
Bullshit.
It’s not muddy at all.
Half a dozen close members of the Trump campaign have either been indicted or disclosed their own emails detailing activities they believed to be on behalf of the Russians. The nunes memo is an attempt to poison one of the initial warrants that exposed this poisonous tree, because the one commonality all of these people have is Trump.
I doubt they have enough to nuke the investigation via court appeals – the FISA warrants against page don’t cover Flynn, for example – but they’re looking for enough PR shielding to excuse interfering in the investigation.
“Not muddy at all”
None of those who comment on this have a clue what’s actually going on or why…
The propaganda behind ‘russiagate’ is outrageously blatant…trying to decifer it is a waste of time…
Claiming to understand what’s going on or taking a position….Schoolboy mistake…
fuck off. Claiming to know nothing aids and abets all of the world’s ills. Better to take a stand (and be wrong once in a while) than to exercise Cartesian doubt as a dodge from moral culpability.
Taking a stand…
Against what, exactly…
Wrong once and a while = 100% of the time with the volume of propaganda and deceit involved
I get that folks like to feel they have some understanding of what’s going on…they need to feel involved…empowered…
But that’s not realistic…
Oh bullshit. You’re just too much of a coward to form a reasoned belief on the world around you. If you actually believed something, you might one day actually have to commit to it.
The other thing that pisses me off about the “oh no, it’s impossible to know anything” approach is that not only are you helping corruption run rampant, you try and pretend like you’re better than people who do actually engage with their surroundings. Fuck you. People like you are part of the reason people don’t vote, which favours tories and demogogues. You are actively trying to keep the corrupt in office.
That you can’t read my ‘opinions’ in my comments is your limitation…
So you reach for the abusive comments…how very base…
Picking ‘a side’ by believing your opinion is somehow ‘preventing/fighting’ corruption is the purest form of illogical and irrational…
Your opinions, energy and position are part of the problem…you can’t be part of the solution…
Not with that primitive level of ‘thinking’…
It’s ironic that the only thing you pretend to have a firm opinion on is your intellectual superiority.
And yes, the proposition that sowing apathy and encouraging political disengagement does indeed provide fertaile soil for corruption is logical:
Corruption multiplies most when out of the public view;
Saying that we can never know the truth instead of looking for it and exposing it keeps the truth out of the public view;
therefore:
Saying that we can never know the truth instead of looking for it and exposing it provides the most ideal environment for corruption to multiply.
Logical enough for you, fucko?
One thing I don’t know is why you bother commenting here – surely your extreme epistemological skepticim means that you must have overwhelmig doubt that your computer even exists? Your desire for attention betrays your arguments as a fraud: if your doubt were genuinely that extreme, there could well be no attention to be gained and any effort commenting here would be wasted.
Your pretension creates a paradox that exposes itself. You’ve been hoist by your own canard.
That’s a handy excuse that no-one will understand for me to give out when I have come out with something off the wall – sorry didn’t want to waffle with Cartesian doubt so posited that.
McFlock I enjoyed that but will try to keep out of the way when you let fly.
I was thinking the other day about people who won’t have children because they don’t want to bring little ones into such a bad world. That seems cowardly too, though I think China was trying to do the right thing, limiting to two would be best.
Funnily enough, I don’t recall ever having been irked by your comments in the slightest, so you needn’t fear me going off the handle.
I think some people are overly pessimistic about the world – especially those people who are in a position to choose their fertility based on bets about what will happen in thirty years.
The kids who really suffer will be born to parents who had no choice because healthcare wasn’t available.
China was/is in a major demographic bind, but its solution has had some unforseen negatives, like a hefty gender imbalance.
I doubt they will go after Trump on dodgy Russian money flows …. Given the extent of involvement by u.s.a firms in the world wide laundry business ….https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-probe-of-malaysian-fund-looks-at-rap-stars-political-donations-1511951401
Glass houses every where …..
“Morgan Stanley reports having 210 subsidiaries in offshore tax havens. ”
“Citigroup reported operating 427 tax haven subsidiaries in 2008 but disclosed only 41 in 2014. Over that time period, Citigroup nearly doubled the amount of cash it reported holding offshore. ”
“Bank of America reported operating 264 tax haven subsidiaries in 2013 but disclosed only 22 in 2014. ”
If the Russians did hack the U.s elections …. It was by calling all their diplomats home on the eve of the election …. giving the impression of a war footing preparation for a Clinton win.
Whether this induced any u.s voters, specifically those afraid of nuclear war with russia ….to give their vote to Trump instead of Clinton….. is unknown and unexplored to the best of my knowledge.
There are more obvious reasons she lost …
The Trump investigation has nothing to do with But But But Hillary. Nor Morgan Stanley, nor Citigroup, nor anyone else who might have “done it too”.
And if money laundering isn’t an issue, why have formal charges of money laundering been laid?
Please try and live up to your handle.
I’m not that invested in the continuation of criminality that both Trump and Clinton represent ….
I think it would be good if Trump was arrested over his profiteering from criminal russian money laundering …… criminal oligarchs stealing from the poor should be prosecuted … just like war criminals should….Convictions for either are like rocking horse shit.
I’d be very surprised if ‘creative’ business structures do not provide Trump with Wayne Mapp / Bill English standards of legal plausible deniability…. and then he could quote John Key ” We observe the law”….. ” every thing is above board ” ….. ” Its all a political smear”.
When watching an American circus you’d be silly to spend all your time on the russian clowns …. you’ll miss the main events https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w44lApffH30
you’ll miss the main events
I can’t recognise Disaster Capitalism and pay attention to the FBI’s investigation at the same time, eh, because I’m inattentive and stupid, and don’t know how.
Thanks for clearing that up.
Good for you OAB …..
You’ll no doubt be aware of the NZ shell company connections to the russian laundromat …. if not just ask cathy odgers … https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2014/08/new-zealand-companies-offices-612mn-money-laundering-snooze.html
Given that your up with the play …… what fraction of influence over u.s politics do you think the russians wield …..compared to Israel ??
Israel own u.s politics ….. Hacked it with money.
Well, he did hire someone intelligence services were interested in because of their connections to Russia, so he can’t really bleat about turning up in incidental collection.
Carter Page, the energy industry consultant who was linked last year to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, is the unnamed man identified in a federal complaint as having met with a Russian intelligence agent four years ago, Page himself revealed on Monday.
Page confirmed his role in the 2013 FBI investigation to NBC News after ABC News and Buzzfeed identified him as a subject called “Male 1” in a criminal complaint filed in 2015 against Evgeny Buryakov, an undercover agent posing as a Russian bank executive in New York.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-campaign-associate-carter-page-revealed-target-russian-spies-n742356
I s’pose calling yourself an adviser to the Kremlin might spark a wee bit of curiosity from intelligence agencies.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/carter-page-reportedly-bragged-about-being-an-informal-adviser-to-the-kremlin-in-2013.html
The GOP supported a sexual predator, Trump. an accused child sex offender, Moore, and now with a former head of American Nazi Party, white supremacist and Holocaust denier running unopposed as nominee for Congress, dollars to donuts Republicans will go for the threefer and vote for him.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/holocaust-denier-arthur-jones-republican-3rd-congressional-district-lipinski-newman/#.Wnd7_R4X1CI.twitter
Just for a bit of balance:
http://www.newsweek.com/did-hillary-clinton-help-bill-clinton-intimidate-and-discredit-his-accusers-714636
“Mr. Trump may have said some bad words, but Bill Clinton raped me, and Hillary Clinton threatened me,” Broaddrick added. “I don’t think there’s any comparison.”
Appalling behaviour which only makes me ask again…
Why oh why didnt the Dems nominate bernie sanders
Interesting Twitter thread by @BexGraham:
It has been a subject of conjecture for a long time – the secretive Freemasons, who must be a body of conservatives that have had antipathy to lefties over centuries and interested in protecting the status quo when it rewards them satisfactorily. A very solid union or group of self-protecting business or professional people.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/feb/04/two-freemasons-lodges-operating-secretly-at-westminster
The disclosure that both political journalists and politicians are Freemasons comes after the outgoing chair of the Police Federation alleged that Freemasons were blocking reforms in policing and thwarting the progress of women and officers from black and minority ethnic communities.
After three years as the chair of the Police Federation, Steve White said: “I found that there were people who were fundamentally against any kind of change and any kind of progress, and they always happened to be Freemasons.”
The charge brought an angry denial from the UGLE. In a letter to the press, Staples said: “We are quietly proud that throughout history, when people have suffered discrimination both in public and social life, Freemasonry has welcomed them into our lodges as equals.” He added that many Freemasons chose to keep their membership secret in order to avoid being discriminated against.
This Mirror article below is interesting as it lists many famous men and has photo portraits of those who have been just names in history books.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/how-secret-group-freemasons-kept-6886802
” when people have suffered discrimination both in public and social life, Freemasonry has welcomed them into our lodges as equals.”
Grey do you know when they began admitting women to their lodges?
Sorry tracey. I just saw that item about there being three different lodges in the Commons, I think. And then that other bit with the images but hadn’t got any further.
Then I wondered about the possibility of them forming a defensive circle when one of their number got into trouble (I see that it didn’t help Oscar Wilde). I wondered about such cases as the CTV in Christchurch where inexplicably it seemed, that no fault could be found and no atonement ordered. Anne Perry who likes Victorian crime themes has written of a powerful elite group exerting authority called the Inner Circle in her books and shows them prepared to wreck people’s reputations if thwarted. Fiction, but I think she has delved into the times fairly thoroughly.
Women were not allowed to be members till lately I think. There was supposed to be a group of blokes who were in good standing in the community, and who belonged to different work sectors and could keep secrets. As women were all, well women, what else to say about them, and everyone knew they couldn’t keep secrets, I think entry for the femmes would be fairly late in the piece.
Better put sarc/ for protection.
tracey
I think you saw something ironic in that quote hah!
Yeah. Finally the Eagles won the Superbowl. Can’t wait to hear what Adolf Twitler has to say about his buds Tom Brady and Bill Belichick being losers.
I am sure this information is interesting to many around the world.
However you appear to be posting the information in the wrong place.
This is New Zealand.
This not a sports blog.
Don’t be so rude.
This is Open Mike, we even get veganism fanatics trying to convert others posting here!
Climate change is the number 1 political issue facing the world.
Sports isn’t even a political issue.
There is quite a difference.
Oh OK Ed, I missed the announcement from LPrent that this is now Climate Mike.
Obviously you haven’t a clue how obnoxious many of your comments are.
yeah dude, sport isn’t political. Go “take a knee” while Ed arbitrates what other topics are worthy enough to discuss 😉
LOL
“Adolf Twitler” 😂
Cracker fumble by wee Tommy.
Maybe if his diet included a bit more easily digestible protein, iron and B12, he might have been able to hang on to the ball.
This expert doctor disagrees with you.
A vegan doctor believes a vegan diet is all good. In any other context you’d be decrying his “Big Pharma” conflict of interest.
I suggest you watch the documentary “Alphago”.
I wonder if the inability to get satisfactory action against the engineers involved with the CTV building collapse and deaths of 115 people in the Christchurch earthquake in 2011 could be as a result of a cover-up by the ‘old boys club’.
This article is very thorough and contains information on the CTV building that appears more solid than the structure itself for those who are interested in the background!
https://failures.wikispaces.com/CTV+Building+Collapse+%E2%80%93+Christchurch+NZ+Earthquake
The failures of proper procedure compound as time went on with this building. This is one paragraph about it.
In 1990, major design defects were first brought to light. Holmes Consulting conducted a review of the existing structural system for a potential tenant looking to evaluate the safety of the building. They found that there was inadequate strength in the connection between the floor slab and shear walls, especially the walls at the north shear wall core. When alerted to the issue, Reay took 21 months to implement a fix. During the retrofit process, however, permit applications were never filled and the local building council was not alerted to the structural renovation that was being done. The lack of disclosure to the council prevented their involvement in the consultation and review process (Macfie, 2014).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CTV_Building
The Royal Commission of Inquiry heard evidence into why the CTV Building collapsed during the 2011 earthquake from 25 June 2012, and was scheduled to run for eight weeks.[35]
Witnesses before the Commission debated whether the building was code-compliant when it was built, and whether the engineers designing and approving the building had adequate experience. Consulting firm head Alan Reay stated that the building did not meet his own standards, and he thought the engineer he employed for the design, David Harding, had adequate experience.[36] Harding had not designed buildings of more than two floors before. He said he relied on Reay for guidance, and that the developers wanted a minimum-cost design to (just) meet the code; no extra reinforcing was to be added or you “got your hand smacked”.[37]
Witness Arthur O’Leary, a structural engineer, said that a “critical eye” should have been cast over the building design.[38] The “pioneering” structural design could have been beyond the experience of council staff to evaluate, though the “pioneering” design meant that non-compliant elements in the building columns were not obvious. Panel member Barry Davidson also disagreed with an “opportunistic and legalistic” interpretation of the code that found they were compliant.[39]
The commission’s findings were released on 10 December 2012. The report found the building’s design was deficient and should not have been approved. The building’s engineer, David Harding, of Alan Reay Consultants Ltd, was found to have no experience in designing multi-storey buildings and was “working beyond his competence.” His supervisor, Alan Reay, left Harding unsupervised then pressured city officials to approve the building design even though several members had reservations about the design.[40]
We are a cowboy country without laws to protect us and without regulators with decent teeth
Alan Reay and his litigious arse should be nailed to the wall. http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9590396/Stigma-behind-CTV-firms-rebrand-father
The police say that current law prevents them from prosecuting the designers after 1 year of the design being complete. Even the Consumer Guarantees Act is better than that.
Lobby the new Govt to bring in restrospective legislation and stop the buck passing between designers/contractors/council/police. Fuck sometimes the NZ number 8 wire approach is shit.
Add your voice to those opposed to the CP-TPP before its too late:
https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/open-letter-to-jacinda-ardern-put-people-before-planet-in-tppa11?bucket
Global economic crisis on its way.
“Sharemarket declines in sympathy with US nerves.
Underlying that is a deeper fear that dust swept under the carpet in an effort to tidy up the balance of sheets of financial institutions in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis could resurface……
…..Greene said the proportion of New Zealand shares that were foreign-owned had increased over the past few years, so if US investors did cash in equities and switch to bonds that might have more of an impact than it once would.”
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/101171629/sharemarket-declines-in-sympathy-with-us-nerves
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/101064349/crash-warnings-intensify-heres-what-you-should-do-when-it-happens
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/100831022/it-is-frankly-scary-world-financial-system-as-stretched-as-before-2008-crash
Here is what trumps getting up to
http://www.euronews.com/2018/02/03/how-the-us-plans-make-nuclear-weapons-easier-to-use