Counterspin Media had planned to hold an event in Dunedin as part of a tour, but had its bookings cancelled at the South Dunedin Community Hall and at Burns Hall.
Despite its claims to be an apolitical platform, many of the organisation’s values align closely with far right beliefs and conspiracy theories, such as Covid-19 denialism.
The organisation was a vocal agitator in the Wellington mandate protests.
The fuckwits…….fuckwit. Big ups for the rational, good People of Dunedin who called the Church and hall to alert, as to what the intent and who the scum bags were behind the bookings. Meanwhile…Henley. Wonder who will attend ?
Alp was an agitating force at the Convoy 2022 New Zealand protest, calling for the protestors to storm parliament and arrest MPs, while making multiple references to killing them.[9][10]
Well I suppose “gullible” is charitable of you. However any one who isnt aware of who counterspin are, and what they represent…or have leanings toward…..are something else.
I am still kinda amazed that Alp is still able to promulgate his shit…after the Death Threats an all…..
There are less charitable descriptions I could have used, but "gullible" still applies to people who are taken-in by the sorts of ideas promulgated by Counterspin.
I'm keen to hear what words you'd choose to describe the potential Henly audience 🙂
Oops! Just re-read you original comment and I see you already have labeled them 🙂
Those who took the Pfizer Product and have had their health severely negatively impacted and have found little to no sympathy from the ensorcelled masses who still hang onto the belief that it is indeed "Safe and Effective".
And the friends and family of the above.
If we talk about this we are labelled "anti-vaxxers" and "conspiracy theorists" by mainstream media and so called Lefties.
And those of us who exercised our right to not partake of the Pfizer Product, after having watched very carefully how the data collected from overseas indicated that the Pfizer Product's level of Safety and Effectiveness is not high enough to justify it being mandated for anyone. We lost our paid employment. That is a big hit to take when times are getting even tougher.
If we talk about this we are labelled "anti-vaxxers" and "conspiracy theorists" by mainstream media and so called Lefties.
And then there's the folk (like some here on TS) who feel this Transparent and Transformative Government have blindsided the general population with the done deal that is Three Waters.
From very early on, any and all queries or concerns copped an accusation of racism…even if the concerns had nothing to do with iwi co-governance.
Many of the New Zealanders (and like it or not that is what we are) who gathered in Wellington on Waitangi weekend (or supported those who did) were personally impacted by the first two issues and had significant concerns about the other. Some of us took great umbrage at our purportedly kind Prime Minister quite happily driving a fucking great big wedge between groups New Zealanders based on their uptake of a medicinal product that she knew did not stop transmission of SARS Cov2. "Save the health system…!!!" we were told. (How has that plan worked out?)
All the usual avenues of inquiry and discussion and debate have been vigorously shut down since early 2020 under the pretext of quelling misinformation and disinformation and the new-on-the-block 'malinformation'.
Our Prime Minister's wee speech on the 2nd March following the violent removal of the overwhelmingly peaceful protesters from what we used to consider was our parliament grounds was quite possibly the Final Straw.
It was incredibly dishonest, but I guess politically expedient, to tar all of the protesters with the same brush based on the actions and words of a tiny, minuscule minority.
That's what she did…and despite taking a hit in recent polls…she is not backing down.
The folk with vaccine injuries and their families, the ones who lost their jobs because of the unjustified mandates, the ones with valid concerns over the very hurried Three Waters and those of us who lose sleep at the level of censorship and deplatforming of those with ideas and opinions that differ from the accepted narrative…where will we find safe zones to talk about the issues that matter?
Toxic waste dumps like Counterspin Media are filling a void deliberately created by Government (all Parties) and their stenographers in mainstream media.
It's a appropriate time, methinks, to remind the Good Lefties here on The Standard of the political leanings of the Freedom Villagers.
…29.8% backing Labour in 2020, roughly 16% of surveyed protesters identified as Green voters, while 15.9% voted National and 11.9% voted Act.
In the old days, the Beforetimes, such a result would serve as a wake up call to the Ruling Parties that they ought to engage with at least a little less contempt with those who voted for them.
Former Maori Party MP Marama Fox has a wee bit to say on the topic. Highly recommend folks listen to this discussion.
Rosemary – you label Counterspin Media a "toxic waste dump", then say that those who will attend their meetings are :
"Those who took the Pfizer Product and have had their health severely negatively impacted and have found little to no sympathy from the ensorcelled masses who still hang onto the belief that it is indeed "Safe and Effective".
And the friends and family of the above."
This seems incongruous. Why would those people support a toxic waste dump?
It was Ardern and her MSM stenographers who lumped all of us in with CounterspinMedia and their ilk. Literally. The fact that nearly half…if not more… of the Freedom Villagers were Labour/Green voters and hence "Leftish" meant nothing. We were all disposed of down the same oubliette.
The groups that I kept track of during the protest…those who took up the cause of the vaccine injured and mandated have largely disappeared from Faceache…possibly to Telegram. They have been driven underground…by this government and their lapdog MSM. (I cannot bear Facebook, nevermind other platforms so I will not follow)
Some…some will go to the CounterspinMedia events…because, tribe. And the fact that the past two PMs of note have capitalised on the Cult of Personality tactic and the political climate of late has encouraged fans and followers.
Some of us are content to have loose and informal associations of likeminded dissidents, and many of us will never vote again. We don't follow a leader and we don't follow a brand and we don't subscribe to a particular ideology. We have been pushed irrevocably into the margins, and there we will stay.
I did listen to Marama Fox, Rosemary, when she arrived at the camp to extricate her whanau, against their wishes. There's a whole story in that circumstance.
The question was around how attendees at the present Counterspin meetings might be categorised. I said, "gullible" – I might have just as easily written, "naive".
You wrote,
"Some…some will go to the CounterspinMedia events…because, tribe. ”
That seems to support my view, given that you have already described Counterspin Media as "a toxic waste dump". Anyone attending a meeting called by "a toxic waste dump" or who considers "a toxic waste dump" to be representative of their tribe, is gullible and naive, in my opinion.
Those who took the Pfizer Product and have had their health severely negatively impacted and have found little to no sympathy from the ensorcelled masses who still hang onto the belief that it is indeed "Safe and Effective".
It was and still is safer/more effective than being unvaxxed. It is peddling fake news to say otherwise.
based on their uptake of a medicinal product that she knew did not stop transmission of SARS Cov2
Stop lying about the position of others.
The vaccine did stop transmission. It did however require a booster at/by 6 months to to this with the delta variant (one occurring post vaccine development).
This only changed this year with omicron (late 2021 South Africa). But even with this variant outcomes are still better for those vaccinated (less likely to be hospitalised). Given what is happening in our hospitals at the moment, it’s fairly clear it would be much worse without vaccination.
Thank you Rosemary, you nailed it. Those people who keep holding onto the idea that the injections worked are not looking at the science or the data. This life long leftie despairs at the division this government has caused and no longer has any faith in them. Again thank you for speaking uncomfortable truths.
Thank you, Fran. I was wondering if perhaps I had failed totally to make my position clear. Some folk just can't stray away from the binary. It is not the case that supporting the Freedom Villagers automatically makes one an Alp apostle.
I believe the wedge driving was deliberate and intentional. If Bloomfield and hence Ardern were not aware of this….
During July 2021, 469 cases of COVID-19 associated with multiple summer events and large public gatherings in a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, were identified among Massachusetts residents; vaccination coverage among eligible Massachusetts residents was 69%. Approximately three quarters (346; 74%) of cases occurred in fully vaccinated persons (those who had completed a 2-dose course of mRNA vaccine [Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna] or had received a single dose of Janssen [Johnson & Johnson] vaccine ≥14 days before exposure). Genomic sequencing of specimens from 133 patients identified the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in 119 (89%) and the Delta AY.3 sublineage in one (1%). Overall, 274 (79%) vaccinated patients with breakthrough infection were symptomatic. Among five COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized, four were fully vaccinated;
…then they are totally incompetent and should not be allowed out without minders.
Bear in mind that this was a full three months before announcing the 'vaccine' mandates. They knew the 'vaccines' did not stop transmission or symptomatic disease. For Delta.
When Omicron arrived and it was clear it laughed at the Pfizer product all mandates should have been lifted immediately. Getting those doctors, nurses, caregivers, paramedics and fire fighters back to work.
Because if this is true, and reflects the situation around the country, shit is about to get very, very real.
Yes it became known in 2021, that by 6 months boosters were required to maintain immunity. Which is why these began in 2021 for nations who began vaccinations before us.
This had no impact on vaccine mandate policy up north, or down here in the south. Nations just began to provide boosters at/by 6 months.
With omicron the situation is different. Providing immunity at the workplace is no longer possible.
All vaccination can do now is to reduce the number of hospitalisations. Which is still useful in preventing the health system from being overwhelmed with community infection.
The question for the essential workplace is whether staff should be laid if they are contacts, with the onset of symptoms, or only if testing positive. With hospitals the key (deciding) determinant would be patient safety.
Perhaps it would be useful for you to look at the actual NZ data for hospitalisations with covid. Rnz publish these regularly. You are more likely to need hospital care if you have had all the shots. The rationale for pushing these shots is very broken and not supported by the data.
Why don’t you point to the exact data on the RNZ website and explain to us what you think you see? Bold claims require bold evidence and you’ve provided zilch.
I note you are someone suspicious as to big pharma's track record on vaccines. And I am presuming here, your claim is based on the relative value of vaccination since omicron, not before.
The thing is, most adults are already vaccinated (risk of death or long covid). So the pertinent detail now, is whether those still unvaccinated are still better off getting vaccinated or not.
If you have found some evidence in the current data to support your contention that those still unvaccinated (some adults some children) are better off remaining so – simply cite it (and link).
The department (IR) warns efforts to dodge the new 39% tax by diverting income through companies (where they can be taxed at a maximum of 28%) and trusts (which can be taxed at a maximum of 33%) is likely to contribute to a $2.89 billion fall in revenues from high earners in the 2022 tax year.
I see loftier goals than making them pay 6% more tax on future income….I dream of wealth distribution such that capital is reallocated in a manner where we end up with a fairer society.
Unless the Greens get a lot of votes next election it will remain a dream.
Not if the trust accounts being located overseas. Rich people always knew how to escape tax. It was always the middle class that had to pay double and trice. Gst on Gst, Gst on Tax, taxed income being taxed again and again.
The next 5 years will be interesting with a steady decline of the middle class. There will be very little cash to splash around. But don't despair, our parliamentarians will be well cared for. That trough will never run dry.
Meanwhile, I have learned another two couples of NZlanders heading offshore. Better housing, cheaper leaving, greener pastures….in the true sense of the word.
So long as they've been in NZ within the last 3 years (of the election date), and are otherwise qualified to vote (over 18, NZ citizen, registered to vote), then yes, they can vote.
Anyone who is operating multiple businesses, will indeed have complex tax affairs (and almost certainly an accountant to keep it all straight).
The whole concept of limited liability is intended to ring-fence assets and liabilities, so they don't affect the rest of your financial situation.
Tax law is a huge legal field (and minefield). Any change to 'overarching principles' is going to result in decades of legislation while the courts figure out exactly what the parliament intended (or didn't intend). Jam for tax lawerys – on both sides!
I would agree, but with some opt out provisions, at the discretion of the IRD.
For example, some parents have set up a trust for the benefit of a disabled (usually intellectually disabled) adult child.
This is to protect the intellectually disabled person (from pressure to give away the money/assets), and to ensure that the money is used appropriately (e.g. for the benefit of the person, rather than wasted).
A good trustee (some are private, some Public Trust) will be working closely with the disabled person and/or their appointed caregivers, to ensure that the money is used in the best possible way. It's really not possible or appropriate to legislate exactly what it will be used for – it's totally dependent on the individual circumstances.
On other occasions, money may be left, on the death of a parent or grandparent, in trust for a minor child.
I wouldn't like to see those trusts caught up in the 'tax them at the highest rate 'scenario.
Mourners in several cities are scheduled on Saturday to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown, when China’s military killed hundreds and perhaps thousands of protesters in Beijing. But for the first time, commemorations in Hong Kong are set to be largely muted.
[…]
Over the past two years, authorities armed with the Beijing-imposed national security law and citing Covid curbs have made dozens of arrests related to banned vigils and have erased physical mementos of Tiananmen. HKFP examines key moments.
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Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara Solomon Islands’ incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has been re-elected in the East Choiseul constituency. It is the opening move in the political chess match to form the country’s next government. Returning officer Christopher Makoni made the declaration late last night after ...
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
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Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/not-wanted-city-event-shifts-henley
Counterspin Media director Kelvyn Alp
The fuckwits…….fuckwit. Big ups for the rational, good People of Dunedin who called the Church and hall to alert, as to what the intent and who the scum bags were behind the bookings. Meanwhile…Henley. Wonder who will attend ?
The gullible.
Well I suppose “gullible” is charitable of you. However any one who isnt aware of who counterspin are, and what they represent…or have leanings toward…..are something else.
I am still kinda amazed that Alp is still able to promulgate his shit…after the Death Threats an all…..
There are less charitable descriptions I could have used, but "gullible" still applies to people who are taken-in by the sorts of ideas promulgated by Counterspin.
I'm keen to hear what words you'd choose to describe the potential Henly audience 🙂
Oops! Just re-read you original comment and I see you already have labeled them 🙂
Too kind.
I would have said, blithering idiots, or prime examples of the Dunning-Kruger effect.
From the sort of people who slept through science and math at school.
They've been booted out of Invercargill as well, and Wallacetown.
…who will attend ?
Those who took the Pfizer Product and have had their health severely negatively impacted and have found little to no sympathy from the ensorcelled masses who still hang onto the belief that it is indeed "Safe and Effective".
And the friends and family of the above.
If we talk about this we are labelled "anti-vaxxers" and "conspiracy theorists" by mainstream media and so called Lefties.
And those of us who exercised our right to not partake of the Pfizer Product, after having watched very carefully how the data collected from overseas indicated that the Pfizer Product's level of Safety and Effectiveness is not high enough to justify it being mandated for anyone. We lost our paid employment. That is a big hit to take when times are getting even tougher.
If we talk about this we are labelled "anti-vaxxers" and "conspiracy theorists" by mainstream media and so called Lefties.
And then there's the folk (like some here on TS) who feel this Transparent and Transformative Government have blindsided the general population with the done deal that is Three Waters.
From very early on, any and all queries or concerns copped an accusation of racism…even if the concerns had nothing to do with iwi co-governance.
Many of the New Zealanders (and like it or not that is what we are) who gathered in Wellington on Waitangi weekend (or supported those who did) were personally impacted by the first two issues and had significant concerns about the other. Some of us took great umbrage at our purportedly kind Prime Minister quite happily driving a fucking great big wedge between groups New Zealanders based on their uptake of a medicinal product that she knew did not stop transmission of SARS Cov2. "Save the health system…!!!" we were told. (How has that plan worked out?)
All the usual avenues of inquiry and discussion and debate have been vigorously shut down since early 2020 under the pretext of quelling misinformation and disinformation and the new-on-the-block 'malinformation'.
Our Prime Minister's wee speech on the 2nd March following the violent removal of the overwhelmingly peaceful protesters from what we used to consider was our parliament grounds was quite possibly the Final Straw.
It was incredibly dishonest, but I guess politically expedient, to tar all of the protesters with the same brush based on the actions and words of a tiny, minuscule minority.
That's what she did…and despite taking a hit in recent polls…she is not backing down.
The folk with vaccine injuries and their families, the ones who lost their jobs because of the unjustified mandates, the ones with valid concerns over the very hurried Three Waters and those of us who lose sleep at the level of censorship and deplatforming of those with ideas and opinions that differ from the accepted narrative…where will we find safe zones to talk about the issues that matter?
Toxic waste dumps like Counterspin Media are filling a void deliberately created by Government (all Parties) and their stenographers in mainstream media.
It's a appropriate time, methinks, to remind the Good Lefties here on The Standard of the political leanings of the Freedom Villagers.
…29.8% backing Labour in 2020, roughly 16% of surveyed protesters identified as Green voters, while 15.9% voted National and 11.9% voted Act.
In the old days, the Beforetimes, such a result would serve as a wake up call to the Ruling Parties that they ought to engage with at least a little less contempt with those who voted for them.
Former Maori Party MP Marama Fox has a wee bit to say on the topic. Highly recommend folks listen to this discussion.
Rosemary – you label Counterspin Media a "toxic waste dump", then say that those who will attend their meetings are :
"Those who took the Pfizer Product and have had their health severely negatively impacted and have found little to no sympathy from the ensorcelled masses who still hang onto the belief that it is indeed "Safe and Effective".
And the friends and family of the above."
This seems incongruous. Why would those people support a toxic waste dump?
"Toxic waste dumps like Counterspin Media"
Perhaps I didn't make myself clear.
It was Ardern and her MSM stenographers who lumped all of us in with CounterspinMedia and their ilk. Literally. The fact that nearly half…if not more… of the Freedom Villagers were Labour/Green voters and hence "Leftish" meant nothing. We were all disposed of down the same oubliette.
The groups that I kept track of during the protest…those who took up the cause of the vaccine injured and mandated have largely disappeared from Faceache…possibly to Telegram. They have been driven underground…by this government and their lapdog MSM. (I cannot bear Facebook, nevermind other platforms so I will not follow)
Some…some will go to the CounterspinMedia events…because, tribe. And the fact that the past two PMs of note have capitalised on the Cult of Personality tactic and the political climate of late has encouraged fans and followers.
Some of us are content to have loose and informal associations of likeminded dissidents, and many of us will never vote again. We don't follow a leader and we don't follow a brand and we don't subscribe to a particular ideology. We have been pushed irrevocably into the margins, and there we will stay.
Did you perhaps listen to Marama Fox Mr Guyton?
I did listen to Marama Fox, Rosemary, when she arrived at the camp to extricate her whanau, against their wishes. There's a whole story in that circumstance.
The question was around how attendees at the present Counterspin meetings might be categorised. I said, "gullible" – I might have just as easily written, "naive".
You wrote,
"Some…some will go to the CounterspinMedia events…because, tribe. ”
That seems to support my view, given that you have already described Counterspin Media as "a toxic waste dump". Anyone attending a meeting called by "a toxic waste dump" or who considers "a toxic waste dump" to be representative of their tribe, is gullible and naive, in my opinion.
If that's all it takes for you to cozy up to a far right psychopath like Kelvyn Alp you're not much of a "Lefty" yourself.
Where did I say I was cozying up to Alp?
And a "Lefty"? Maybe once. Can't say I'm inclined to remain in that tribe anymore.
Those who attend his meetings are.
(Cozying up to Alp (sic)).
It was and still is safer/more effective than being unvaxxed. It is peddling fake news to say otherwise.
Stop lying about the position of others.
The vaccine did stop transmission. It did however require a booster at/by 6 months to to this with the delta variant (one occurring post vaccine development).
This only changed this year with omicron (late 2021 South Africa). But even with this variant outcomes are still better for those vaccinated (less likely to be hospitalised). Given what is happening in our hospitals at the moment, it’s fairly clear it would be much worse without vaccination.
Thank you Rosemary, you nailed it. Those people who keep holding onto the idea that the injections worked are not looking at the science or the data. This life long leftie despairs at the division this government has caused and no longer has any faith in them. Again thank you for speaking uncomfortable truths.
Thank you, Fran. I was wondering if perhaps I had failed totally to make my position clear. Some folk just can't stray away from the binary. It is not the case that supporting the Freedom Villagers automatically makes one an Alp apostle.
I believe the wedge driving was deliberate and intentional. If Bloomfield and hence Ardern were not aware of this….
Statement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH on Today’s MMWR Media Statement For Immediate Release: Friday, July 30, 2021
in relation to this data….
Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Infections, Including COVID-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Infections, Associated with Large Public Gatherings — Barnstable County, Massachusetts, July 2021 Weekly / August 6,
which showed that…
During July 2021, 469 cases of COVID-19 associated with multiple summer events and large public gatherings in a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, were identified among Massachusetts residents; vaccination coverage among eligible Massachusetts residents was 69%. Approximately three quarters (346; 74%) of cases occurred in fully vaccinated persons (those who had completed a 2-dose course of mRNA vaccine [Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna] or had received a single dose of Janssen [Johnson & Johnson] vaccine ≥14 days before exposure). Genomic sequencing of specimens from 133 patients identified the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in 119 (89%) and the Delta AY.3 sublineage in one (1%). Overall, 274 (79%) vaccinated patients with breakthrough infection were symptomatic. Among five COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized, four were fully vaccinated;
…then they are totally incompetent and should not be allowed out without minders.
Bear in mind that this was a full three months before announcing the 'vaccine' mandates. They knew the 'vaccines' did not stop transmission or symptomatic disease. For Delta.
When Omicron arrived and it was clear it laughed at the Pfizer product all mandates should have been lifted immediately. Getting those doctors, nurses, caregivers, paramedics and fire fighters back to work.
Because if this is true, and reflects the situation around the country, shit is about to get very, very real.
https://twitter.com/blairdrysdale77/status/1532824956870197248?cxt=HHwWgIDQkaqL2MUqAAAA
Yes it became known in 2021, that by 6 months boosters were required to maintain immunity. Which is why these began in 2021 for nations who began vaccinations before us.
This had no impact on vaccine mandate policy up north, or down here in the south. Nations just began to provide boosters at/by 6 months.
With omicron the situation is different. Providing immunity at the workplace is no longer possible.
All vaccination can do now is to reduce the number of hospitalisations. Which is still useful in preventing the health system from being overwhelmed with community infection.
The question for the essential workplace is whether staff should be laid if they are contacts, with the onset of symptoms, or only if testing positive. With hospitals the key (deciding) determinant would be patient safety.
Perhaps it would be useful for you to look at the actual NZ data for hospitalisations with covid. Rnz publish these regularly. You are more likely to need hospital care if you have had all the shots. The rationale for pushing these shots is very broken and not supported by the data.
If you understand the data. And statistic/ probability you would have a different opinion.
It is obvious that Rosemary and yourself, and most of the antivaccers haven't got a clue. Which is why I cannot take them seriously.
Why don’t you point to the exact data on the RNZ website and explain to us what you think you see? Bold claims require bold evidence and you’ve provided zilch.
In fact, this absolutely contradicts you: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/450874/covid-19-data-visualisations-nz-in-numbers [scroll down to Booster effectiveness against Omicron over time, which links to this: https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/10072414/?utm_source=showcase&utm_campaign=visualisation/10072414].
You’re spreading misinformation here about Covid vaccination, which I don’t take lightly.
I note you are someone suspicious as to big pharma's track record on vaccines. And I am presuming here, your claim is based on the relative value of vaccination since omicron, not before.
The thing is, most adults are already vaccinated (risk of death or long covid). So the pertinent detail now, is whether those still unvaccinated are still better off getting vaccinated or not.
If you have found some evidence in the current data to support your contention that those still unvaccinated (some adults some children) are better off remaining so – simply cite it (and link).
Seems to me the easy way to fix is same 39% rate for all.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/128814781/signs-suggest-the-rich-are-trying-to-dodge-new-tax–heres-whats-being-done-about-it
The department (IR) warns efforts to dodge the new 39% tax by diverting income through companies (where they can be taxed at a maximum of 28%) and trusts (which can be taxed at a maximum of 33%) is likely to contribute to a $2.89 billion fall in revenues from high earners in the 2022 tax year.
A Wealth Tax would fix it.
True, but the tax rate change would be easier.
I see loftier goals than making them pay 6% more tax on future income….I dream of wealth distribution such that capital is reallocated in a manner where we end up with a fairer society.
Unless the Greens get a lot of votes next election it will remain a dream.
The concentration of wealth in fewer and fewer hands is both socially and economically unsustainable Sunday Essay: The chain across the river | The Spinoff .
It has destroyed many States. Rome's Fall Reconsidered on JSTOR "The large estates ….. were… ruining Rome".
If we don't reverse it, NZ, will join them!
Not if the trust accounts being located overseas. Rich people always knew how to escape tax. It was always the middle class that had to pay double and trice. Gst on Gst, Gst on Tax, taxed income being taxed again and again.
The next 5 years will be interesting with a steady decline of the middle class. There will be very little cash to splash around. But don't despair, our parliamentarians will be well cared for. That trough will never run dry.
Meanwhile, I have learned another two couples of NZlanders heading offshore. Better housing, cheaper leaving, greener pastures….in the true sense of the word.
Do the NZ couples heading offshore get to vote? I hope not.
So long as they've been in NZ within the last 3 years (of the election date), and are otherwise qualified to vote (over 18, NZ citizen, registered to vote), then yes, they can vote.
Greens always do well out of the overseas vote.
Whether they'll bother, is another question:
https://vote.nz/voting/how-to-vote/vote-from-overseas/
What about an overarching principle in the tax code – that the mere existence of complexity in tax affairs constitutes evidence of evasion?
Like that
Depends on what you mean by 'complexity'
Anyone who is operating multiple businesses, will indeed have complex tax affairs (and almost certainly an accountant to keep it all straight).
The whole concept of limited liability is intended to ring-fence assets and liabilities, so they don't affect the rest of your financial situation.
Tax law is a huge legal field (and minefield). Any change to 'overarching principles' is going to result in decades of legislation while the courts figure out exactly what the parliament intended (or didn't intend). Jam for tax lawerys – on both sides!
I would agree, but with some opt out provisions, at the discretion of the IRD.
For example, some parents have set up a trust for the benefit of a disabled (usually intellectually disabled) adult child.
This is to protect the intellectually disabled person (from pressure to give away the money/assets), and to ensure that the money is used appropriately (e.g. for the benefit of the person, rather than wasted).
A good trustee (some are private, some Public Trust) will be working closely with the disabled person and/or their appointed caregivers, to ensure that the money is used in the best possible way. It's really not possible or appropriate to legislate exactly what it will be used for – it's totally dependent on the individual circumstances.
On other occasions, money may be left, on the death of a parent or grandparent, in trust for a minor child.
I wouldn't like to see those trusts caught up in the 'tax them at the highest rate 'scenario.
The CCP has gone for the threefer and shut down Tiannaman Square remembrances in Hong Kong.
https://twitter.com/hkfp/status/1532648550546427909
Mourners in several cities are scheduled on Saturday to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown, when China’s military killed hundreds and perhaps thousands of protesters in Beijing. But for the first time, commemorations in Hong Kong are set to be largely muted.
[…]
Over the past two years, authorities armed with the Beijing-imposed national security law and citing Covid curbs have made dozens of arrests related to banned vigils and have erased physical mementos of Tiananmen. HKFP examines key moments.
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/06/03/how-hongkongers-were-silenced-after-three-decades-of-commemorating-the-1989-tiananmen-crackdown/
Pretty funny
The Queen and Paddington Bear open up for the Queen gig for the Jubilee.
As much as am not a royalist, you can't deny she is a funny chick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjFl6lsFaNA&t
Better still, the Poms have outdone the Americans for putting on a extravaganza. No usual staid and reserved fare here.