We're getting reassurance that common sense is prevailing, and Marama remains onside. Leftist alignment isn't necessarily incompatible with centrist praxis!
"Jack Tautokai McDonald, number 9 on the party’s list last election, announced that he would be stepping away from his party roles because in his view there had been too much of a “centrist drift” under James Shaw, reports Radio NZ. It is a very significant move, as he was the policy co-convenor and one of the party’s leading Māori voices – here’s his full thread outlining his reasons why he’s made his decision. McDonald used to work closely with Marama Davidson, and this morning Radio NZ reported that she rejected the accusation of the party becoming too centrist." https://thespinoff.co.nz/the-bulletin/05-08-2019/the-bulletin-greens-push-policy-to-rumbling-party/
"But there was also widely reported member discontent at the conference. The NZ Herald’s Jason Walls spoke to Newstalk ZB about it, saying there were factions each pushing for the primary focus to be on environmental policy, or social policy. Many members would no doubt reject that it is a binary choice, saying both are important."
Non-binary people show the way to the future. Both/and logic applies. Activists fresh out of kindy will struggle to attain that level of sophistication – that's normal. Cruise on up that learning curve, you'll get there eventually.
"Of course James Shaw is centrist, but you don’t take a shit in the bed and then storm off in a tantrum! You stick it out and make change, and Shaw is just one person in a Party that is incredibly democratic so blaming it all on him is pretty twee."
Corin failed to explore the nuances, didn't even ask them both if they self-identified as centrists or leftists. Only interesting bit was the "lies and disinformation" James cited as the reason for his refusal to signal any future collaboration with the Nats. National could cease being the source of both, but real hard for old dogs to learn new tricks.
Among Mr McDonald's reasons for stepping down was that he believed the party was becoming more politically central under Mr Shaw.
"The Zero Carbon Act is an example, I think, of where James Shaw could have been stronger. He admittedly publicly that he gave concessions to the National Party without even getting their guaranteed support for the bill."
…
Mr Shaw told Morning Report the concessions on the bill were aimed at ensuring bipartisan support so the legislation would survive multiple changes of government.
"It passed its first reading on Tuesday afternoon 119-1, with just ACT opposing it. National's support is not needed for the bill to pass, but has been sought by the Government to signal bipartisan consensus for the country."
The wording says 'Zero NETT Carbon growth ' , but will it be like the Previous Kyoto and Paris accords which reduce 'nett carbon' which is done by buying offshore carbon credits and the taxpayers paying the farmers share?
'Biological methane is carved out of that goal, but a reduction is still mandated – at least 10 per cent by 2030, and between 24 and 47 per cent by 2050.
will it be like the Previous Kyoto and Paris accords which reduce 'nett carbon' which is done by buying offshore carbon credits and the taxpayers paying the farmers share?
Pretty sure I've heard Ministers saying No to the first question and sadly Yes to the second one. No links to hand, sorry.
"A form of climate denialism" campaign of lies and misinformation that's being spread… Bridges' claims an evolution of denial…National "attempting to virtue-signal" to lower-socio-economic groups…"I was asked if I would support Simon Bridges over Jacinda Ardern…"
Nottingham has lost his appeal against conviction and sentence.
The Crown appeal was sort of successful, with an increase\to 31 months in prison calculated by the Court of Appeal, but with home detention already served this allows him to miss prison by a whisker, with a new 12 month home detention sentence and 18 months altogether banned from internet use.
Cameron Slater also gets a mention, who supported Nottingham's claim that using an overseas based website gave them immunity from NZ law, but the courts have disagreed.
Cameron Slater and legal dimwit Nottingham – they really were and probably still are just complete time wasting arseholes with not moral compass and just born to fritter away money and resources.
That list of public judgements and decisions is just from 2015 onwards. The history goes back a lot longer than that.
'Fundamental human right': Green Party releases housing policy
We'll be offering a pathway to home ownership for people who rent and cannot afford to save for a deposit.
– Marama Davidson
This is crucial to the success of housing reform as it caters for those outside current Kiwibuild criteria.
In my view, every single person in this country should have access to healthy, stable housing no matter what their income or status. That is the way to strong communities and better outcomes.
The Greens also said:
The Green Party is also fighting for reforms to the Residential Tenancies Act, and a mandatory Warrant of Fitness to enforce proper standards for rental homes.
"We have a plan to shift New Zealand's approach to private rentals as well. We'll be reforming the Residential Tenancies Act this term, and we believe that no-cause terminations must end," Davidson said.
Any progressive government in this country today needs to "shift New Zealand's approach to the rental market"
We need to get amateur landlords out, and professional landlords in.
Hope they can work together with Labour on this in the next government. What a formidable government that would be!
Yeah, no surprise. I worked with him a few times in the '90s when I was an editor in the TVNZ newsroom. Never even thought of talking to him about interesting stuff. I know an arch-conservative when I see one, takes just a fraction of a second.
He's human though. Showed that recently when he was on Garner's show panel one morning, surprised me. People can change, but arch-cons do it real slow. Like driving a car with the hand-brake on.
How can we have mature road safety when we have so many immature idiots holding licences.
There will be no serious consequences for this type of road safety stupidity !!
Our whole approach is childish and that includes the police.
This is treated as a joke.
Many drivers take risks and refuse too follow the road rules as there is no fear of the consequences of their actions.
How many motorists would have been warned to turn on their lights in the lower south island this morning so they could be seen by other drivers and pedestrians due to the conditions.
The answer is 0
No enforcement on the basics.
It is time the ” she will be right approach ” and i will drive how i like and the ” don’t be naughty “approach of the police is given serious attention.
I remember reading that the justice system doesn't make sure that drivers before the Courts for driving offences, including drunken driving and who are required to take refresher, remedial courses or study of some sort, actually complete these courses. And that applies to repeat offenders; apparently they just turn up, get some fine, or sentence and are able to not complete a course. There should be a jail sentence with hard labour for such slithery non-compliers to bring them to their senses. And some reward for doing so, and for coming back once a year for three years to do a test. Also I would like vehicle simulators to be used, and discussions with an instructor about what they have done wrong, and how they could drive better in that situation. Everyone enjoys simulators, and they might learn something to change their possibly automatic behaviour.
Another traffic problem on Radio nz this morning, more vehicles in accidents have no wofs. The crash may not have been caused by a vehicle fault, but it seems that there is a fault in the driver or company in being careless about maintenance and wof, and no doubt the driver is not being properly looked after either!
I wonder also if the old easing of regulations meme that has caused us problems since NZ went for deregulation, is still hanging over us with its tendency for slack attitudes continuing. The change in 201q4 for some vehicles to only need wofs every 3 years or so, may have indicated that she'll-be-right is the way-to-go.
I see for new: An initial WoF inspection, another one at three years old, then one per year for the lifetime of the vehicle.
Considering that there is usually a consensus that every regulation should be as simple as possible (so even a child can understand), I can't see why the 3 year thing is there – make it one year throughout and no confusion!!
Challenging the capabilities of the average driver is taboo @ mosa. It's like 'The War'. Don't mention it!
It's everybody else's fault – always. Despite what we think, I reckon we're among the world's worst drivers – probably because of our laid back yea/nah attitude and uber competitive nature.
Certain things no longer seem to be enforced, and I guess that comes down to the idea that the slower one goes, the less the damage when it does happen.
Trouble is, not only are there now more distractions, but generally people's spatial awareness has lessened over the recent decades along with an increase in traffic, and the cult of the individual and the self.
The 2 second rule gets reduced to a 1 second rule; the right hand (passing lane) is MINE to own; indiscriminately changing lanes is my prerogative because my needs to get ahead are more important than yours; I'm considerably more accomplished at driving than you; Indicators are optional extras and you should have been able to read my mind; that bloody traffic light changed to red too quickly; etc.
It's not just immaturity either. Grey haired old blokes that've been driving for 40 years or so just KNOW that anything that happens is someone else's fault – even if they're owning the right hand lane and yakking on their cell phone telling Mrs Bloke (Mertle) to put the kettle on. And Christ! – just bloody wait till Mertle has a go behind the wheel!
And of course, it hasn't yet dawned on most that they're a bit of a hassle to others WALKING down the street in a straight line whilst trying to txt, let alone trying to be clever doing so with the cellphone in their laps – just below the windscreen/window line of the vehicle.
I'm knocking on having driven for 50 years mate! Some of it professionally – without an accident. You can't fault me (/sarc)
Speeding is a middle-class misdemeanour. (A bit like owning rentals). Attempts to police it result in outrage and claims that the 'real' issue is cellphones/poor roads/slow drivers/Asians etc. Anything except an overweening sense of entitlement and self-importance . Not to mention a refusal to own the psychological and economic truth of that Smashing Pumpkins line: "despite all my rage/I am still just a rat in a cage"
Speeding when I am travelling 100s of kms and am on a clear road in good light and go up over 100km or am passing a behemoth or a slowish van and have to go over 100 kmh to do so safely. I find it wrong that should automatically be punished. My happiest moment behind the wheel was when I was in front of a group winding down the hills and managed to stay at appropriate speeds and not be passed. No-one behind me had anything to complain about and I could see where I was going and moved along at the speed limit when possible.
But in town I think we should be driving at 40 kmh tops. I go at 50 km because I can, but often think it would be better if we all dropped a bit.
One thing I don't like is that approaching a narrowed bit of road – cars parked at sides for instance, drivers don't slow down even a bit. It's I can dodge through here and my side is clear. If you give way to them to make sure there is room, they charge forward at full legal speed and don't even look at you or raise a hand. Just a small wave would make driving more pleasant. And when it is wet, and humid and fogged up inside and out, why not slow down and be safe and give pedestrians a chance to dash over and get out of the rain.
Mosa – I note your same comment on todays The Daily Blog – 3 minutes apart. I don't think that this blog would appreciate being used as a broadcasting medium for your multiple messages.
Standing ovation for Mr Andrew Little….. way to go to make me cry, that's a good thing. THANK YOU FOR THIS !!!!
'Little is asked why he is giving the Government power to set 150-metre "safe zones" around abortion clinics. These would stop people protesting and handing literature to people seeking abortions in these zones. He says these would be created on a localised basis.
"Approaching a woman going to an abortion clinic and throwing leaflets and pamphlets in her face or chanting various dreadful epithets at them for going through with that health decision is pretty dreadful," Little said.'
Its great that abortion will be removed from the Crimes Act…hopefully this will mean that we won't need special abortion clinics. Terminations can be done like any other medical procedure at the local public hospital. Usual patient security applies, and protestors will not be able to distinguish a woman going in for an abortion from one going in for any other elective procedure.
It would be a breakthrough if this appalling case of intimidation, corruption of the law and personal rights is taken up by the MSM
If you care about journalism and the freedom to express an opinion in New Zealand with out fear of what will happen if you do then this story needs exposure.
Or have we really turned that corner and no longer value or encourage the freedom of investigative journalism and commentators like Bradbury and Hagar to do their job without the fear of harassment ?
This establishment mindset had existed for decades mosa. There have been a lot of victims over the years including me.
I still find it hard to believe that the 'powers that be' were/are willing to believe crackpots and malice driven arseholes over ordinary citizens going about their business in a lawful way but it happened time and again. In the meantime the real culprits (eg Cameron Slater and co.) were running around committing unlawful acts and slandering people right left and centre and they were allowed to get away with it. The reason is because they had the backing of influential people.
If Bradbury is successful he will set a precedence which might encourage others to come forward with their stories.
Yeah – the first week of August is when my personal weather records say that it is great time to be idle at home or having holiday with hot sun and a beach.
(I have come in here at the time and date indicated 1.40 pm – but see johnm’s two comments for 5 August 2019 with times of 7.21pm and 7.28pm. I have done a search for johnm and they come up as the same time and date and I have been taken to them but the time is not right, so a glitch here.)
Here is a chance for men with good attitudes to community and respect for people and kindness, to come to the aid of the party. A party without alcohol that is.
Men are needed to help other men over their urge to use violence when they are stressed and need to act strong to manage their life, and protect themselves from feeling inadequate. There is the funding but where are the decent men who want to put something into society and help other men? The help is needed, and it should be respected and honoured as much as firefighting is.
But there must be training for it and rules about the way it is carried out. Otherwise there can be misunderstandings leading to more problems.
Here is what seems an excellent report from Stuff reporter Harrison Christian 9/6/2019 which would give a background on the difficulties of many offenders. To read it is to understand the depressing impact of the things coming up regularly on the news about low-income existence. But the younger men needing help to break their cycle of offending may not be gang members as the media lead us to believe.
Gangs expert Jarrod Gilbert said the gang scene in New Zealand had become more subdued since the battle-worn days of the 80s, as memberships have aged.
"Those gang members in Once Were Warriors were all fairly young men," the senior lecturer at Canterbury University said.
"Nowadays if you took a snapshot of a gang, you would see guys aged in their 50s and 60s – sometimes their 70s."
Crime data shows older men are much less likely to commit violent crime and to be recidivist offenders.
"They've slowed down a bit. They don't have the overt violence; they are looking to create better lives for their members and families rather than just be hardcore, all-out violent and antisocial as they used to be in the past."
It's evident in the growing involvement of New Zealand's traditional street gangs in community initiatives, and their willingness to set aside old rivalries and co-operate with each other.
This is about a relatively recent look at the issues of violence and criminality commenting on the support and leadership by PM Jacinda Ardern and Min of Justice Andrew Little by Denis O'Reilly, 27/8/2018.
Another take on Brexit from the Irish Examiner via Yanis Varoufakis. 31/7/2019
Jeremy Corbyn must expose Boris Johnson’s no-deal Brexit as a Trump-deal Brexit and put forward Labour’s plan to end the interminable Brexit ordeal immediately, suggests Yanis Varoufakis…
Theresa May’s failure reflected an inability to distinguish between the EU’s broader interests and the specific motivation of its establishment. Given a choice between securing the profits of continental exporters and reaffirming the bureaucracy’s modus operandi, the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, and the political leaders behind him will unfailingly opt for the latter. Every proposal of significant changes to the withdrawal agreement negotiated by May’s government, even those in the EU’s long-term interests, will thus be rejected.
Johnson is unlikely to repeat May’s error. To be sure, he may be tempted to try out his rhetorical skills on German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. But Dominic Cummings, his effective chief of staff (and the cunning campaign director of Vote Leave in 2016) would undoubtedly remind Johnson that the last thing he needs is to expose the British public to another scene of their prime minister returning from the Continent empty-handed….
Corbyn’s second task is to offer an alternative for ending the humiliation of the ongoing negotiations. That means committing to revoke Article 50 to allow a Labour government time to implement a green-investment, anti-austerity policy agenda in tune with the party’s progressive internationalism, while simultaneously organizing a Citizens’ Deliberative Assembly to formulate the question(s) to be put to voters in a second Brexit referendum.
A general election fought over these two unequivocal alternatives, Johnson’s and Corbyn’s, would empower the UK’s people, at last, to determine their country’s future.
Amazing that a message board like 8chan could still operate after Christchurch but there does seem to finally be some movement in the capital of the free world to face up to their addiction to violence and hatred.
"When it goes into trees that's it; dead, done – gone forever. "
"There's a psychological shift happening, Worsnop says. Rural people face a permanent change in land use, and in their way of life. "When it goes into trees that's it; dead, done – gone forever. "
I wonder if…over time, plantations of pine, neglected because of climate or economic difficulties, could become valuable nurseries for native trees…pasture doesn't do this, as sheep keep eating …and eating….everything that tries to sprout and grow.
That's a really fabulous story, Poission, thanks for recommending it. My daughter and her partner bake sourdough bread every morning; I get up to the lovely smell and a warm kitchen and get to eat some warm sourdough bread with my porridge; lucky me! I'd like to try that ancient bread, just for the novelty of it.
Edit:
An interesting piece from last Sunday Radionz on how UK politicians are de-formed at their upper class boarding schools. Dr Nick Duffell, talks about the conditions as 'privileged abandonment and has written two books on the subject about which he has had personal experience.'
These schools perpetuate an entrenched English class system, he says.
“What they do is they develop a very strong esprit de corps for their class.
“This is what you've seen in Britain with the Brexit situation, that here is a class who will do anything to save the Tory party, and the wider global implications of what they're doing is completely cut off for them, they don't even see it.”
(I have also put it in How to Get There on Sunday 4/8/2019. I was interested in the development of the personality, and the deprivation of affection and family life affecting many of these boys and teenagers at boarding schools.)
Tom Sharpe satirised a Cambridge college in his book Porterhouse Blue, and there was a second called Grantchester Grind.
Stop trying to talk the house market down I though that to the housing market slows in winter the great phenomenon about the smaller cities housing prices riseing is that more Maori own homes there so they will be better off.
simon the Greens party is Green on the outside and intelligent on the inside they no national will shaft them in a Coalition government.
Crap if the employer followed due process the fine would not have stuck. Employers have the wellbeing of employees in their hands so they need to respect that if they fire people at a wim they are putting them in hardship.
Good on That young fella for donating his money from the sale of his paintings to charity.
Off to cut wood whanau look for new wood selling being advertised on trademe and small news papers and the Saturday paper for us our wood is tested with moisture meters so complying with councils law less than 25 % moisture and because we have heaps of wood from the forests harvest we give HUGE cords of wood like the size of the old days everyone who has bought our wood is smiling when we leave.
Any person in power whom denies Human Caused Climate Change is putting the 99.9 % of us lives at great risk as some people believe the lies hence they don't plan or prepare for Global Warming next minute they are in a disaster unprepared that is not a good place to be. With a little bit of changes on can minimize the effects Global warming will have on them .I am doing my small bit my carbon foot print has dropped dramatically now I live off grid with solar power and composting TOILET solar power water supplies to .
Australia’s climate stance is inflicting criminal damage on humanity
The government opts for conflict rather than change, while suppressing details on the implications of its climate
The top priority of government is security of the people. Yet on the greatest threat of all, most governments are failing abysmally.
As the global influence of western democracies wanes with the ascendancy of China, India and other emerging countries, the resulting power struggle is diverting attention from the great issues the world faces, to their symptoms
The neoliberal market economy, with its unregulated consumption and rapacious short-term outlook, is destroying modern civilisation. The warning signs are obvious, not least burgeoning high-consuming populations, massive biodiversity loss and multiple resource scarcities. Yet rather than reform an unsustainable system, political leaders scramble to prop it up and compound the problem. The result is Brexit, Trump’s Mexican wall, escalating Middle East tension, the US-China trade standoff, a global arms and space race, Amazon deforestation and much more
The ORC interest rate has been cut thats cool it will save a lot of money for mortgages on housing etc. I no someone who won't be happy.
Negative interest rates is not good the banks could end up changing for holding savers money like they did in Japan.
That's cool Pharmac is looking at funding more drugs for cancer sufferers.
Cleo that gives Me a sore face PEE dealer's getting snapped by the Police ka pai that stuff is wrecking some Maori whanau.
Mike I know that coffee hypes me up.
Cool Rocket Lab is going to try and recover and recycle there Electron rocket that is going to save Peter money and lower his carbon footprint maybe one day I will get a CHANCE to have a look at his operation.
Condolences to Toni Morrison whanau.
A huge parrot was discovered in Otago that is awesome 1 meter tall what a cool find.
Taina having a meeting with Wally quite a long meeting to Mana Wahine.
Travis gone bush back to the whenua hunting fishing like te tipuna did in the old days awesome its good that he is advocating for mental illness Maori is doing a similar thing living with a small carbon footprint.
Ka pai te hippe for getting heaps of signatures to help stop the building of a jettie on Waiheki Island we need to be wize with new developments especially when it involves Tangaroa.
Ka kite ano P.S what happened to the captions I could guess.
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A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 9, 2025 thru Sat, March 15, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. We are still interested ...
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...
The Government dominated the political agenda this week with its two-day conference pitching all manner of public infrastructure projects for Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories shortest in our political economy this week: The Government ploughed ahead with offers of PPPs to pension fund managers ...
You know that it's a snake eat snake worldWe slither and serpentine throughWe all took a bite, and six thousand years laterThese apples getting harder to chewSongwriters: Shawn Mavrides.“Please be Jack Tame”, I thought when I saw it was Seymour appearing on Q&A. I’d had a guts full of the ...
So here we are at the wedding of Alexandra Vincent Martelli and David Seymour.Look at all the happy prosperous guests! How proud Nick Mowbray looks of the gift he has made of a mountain of crap plastic toys stuffed into a Cybertruck.How they drink, how they laugh, how they mug ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is waste heat from industrial activity the reason the planet is warming? Waste heat’s contribution to global warming is a small fraction of ...
Some continue to defend David Seymour on school lunches, sidestepping his errors to say:“Well the parents should pack their lunch” and/or “Kids should be grateful for free food.”One of these people is the sitting Prime Minister.So I put together a quick list of why complaint is not only appropriate - ...
“Bugger the pollsters!”WHEN EVERYBODY LIVED in villages, and every village had a graveyard, the expression “whistling past the graveyard” made more sense. Even so, it’s hard to describe the Coalition Government’s response to the latest Taxpayers’ Union/Curia Research poll any better. Regardless of whether they wanted to go there, or ...
Prof Jane Kelsey examines what the ACT party and the NZ Initiative are up to as they seek to impose on the country their hardline, right wing, neoliberal ideology. A progressive government elected in 2026 would have a huge job putting Humpty Dumpty together again and rebuilding a state that ...
See I try to make a differenceBut the heads of the high keep turning awayThere ain't no useWhen the world that you love has goneOoh, gotta make a changeSongwriters: Arapekanga Adams-Tamatea / Brad Kora / Hiriini Kora / Joel Shadbolt.Aotearoa for Sale.This week saw the much-heralded and somewhat alarming sight ...
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom3, NZ Herald, Stuff, BusinessDesk-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT-$, WSJ-$, Bloomberg-$, New York Times-$, The Atlantic-$, The Economist-$ ...
By international standards the New Zealand healthcare system appears satisfactory – certainly no worse generally than average. Yet it is undergoing another redisorganisation.While doing some unrelated work, I came across some international data on the healthcare sector which seemed to contradict my – and the conventional wisdom’s – view of ...
When Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he knew that he was upending Europe’s security order. But this was more of a tactical gambit than a calculated strategy ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Over the last year, I’ve been warning about Luxon’s pitch to privatise our public assets.He had told reporters in October that nothing was off the cards:Schools, hospitals, prisons, and ...
When ASPI’s Cyclone Tracy: 50 Years On was published last year, it wasn’t just a historical reflection; it was a warning. Just months later, we are already watching history repeat itself. We need to bake ...
1. Why was school lunch provider The Libelle Group in the news this week?a. Grand Winner in Pie of The Yearb. Scored a record 108% on YELP c. Bought by Oravida d. Went into liquidation2. What did our Prime Minister offer prospective investors at his infrastructure investment jamboree?a. The Libelle ...
South Korea has suspended new downloads of DeepSeek, and it was were right to do so. Chinese tech firms operate under the shadow of state influence, misusing data for surveillance and geopolitical advantage. Any country ...
Previous big infrastructure PPPs such as Transmission Gully were fiendishly complicated to negotiate, generated massive litigation and were eventually rewritten anyway. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesLong stories shortest: The Government’s international investment conference ignores the facts that PPPs cost twice as much as vanilla debt-funded public infrastructure, often take ...
Woolworths has proposed a major restructure of its New Zealand store operating model, leaving workers worried their hours and pay could be cut. Public servants are being asked how productive their office is, how much they use AI, and whether they’re overloaded with meetings as part of a “census”. An ...
Robert Kaplan’s book Waste Land: A World in Permanent Crisis paints a portrait of civilisation in flux. Drawing insights from history, literature and art, he examines the effect of modern technology, globalisation and urbanisation on ...
Sexuality - Strong and warm and wild and freeSexuality - Your laws do not apply to meSexuality - Don't threaten me with miserySexuality - I demand equalitySong: Billy Bragg.First, thank you to everyone who took part in yesterday’s survey. Some questions worked better than others, but I found them interesting, ...
Hi,I just got back from a week in Japan thanks to the power of cheap flights and years of accumulated credit card points.The last time I was in Japan the government held a press conference saying they might take legal action against me and Netflix, so there was a little ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: on the week in geopolitics, including Donald Trump’s wrecking of the post-WW II political landscape; andHealth Coalition Aotearoa co-chair Lisa ...
Hi,I just got back from a short trip to Japan, mostly spending time in Tokyo.I haven’t been there since we shot Dark Tourist back in 2017 — and that landed us in a bit of hot water with the Japanese government.I am glad to report I was not thrown into ...
I’ve been on Substack for almost 8 months now.It’s been good in terms of the many great individuals that populate its space. So much variety and intelligence and humour and depth.I joined because someone suggested I should ‘start a Substack,’ whatever that meant.So I did.Turning on payments seemed like the ...
Open access notables Would Adding the Anthropocene to the Geologic Time Scale Matter?, McCarthy et al., AGU Advances:The extraordinary fossil fuel-driven outburst of consumption and production since the mid-twentieth century has fundamentally altered the way the Earth System works. Although humans have impacted their environment for millennia, justification for ...
Australia should buy equipment to cheaply and temporarily convert military transport aircraft into waterbombers. On current planning, the Australian Defence Force will have a total of 34 Chinook helicopters and Hercules airlifters. They should be ...
Photo by Gareth Davies on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guest , and special ...
Indonesia’s government has slashed its counterterrorism (CT) budgets, despite the persistent and evolving threat of violent extremism. Australia can support regional CT efforts by filling this funding void. Reducing funding to the National Counterterrorism Agency ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Resource Management (Prohibition on Extraction of Freshwater for On-selling) Amendment Bill (Debbie Ngarewa-Packer) The bill does exactly what it says on the label, and would effectively end the rapacious water-bottling industry ...
Twilight Time Lighthouse Cuba, Wigan Street, Wellington, Sunday 6 April, 5:30pm for 6pm start. Twilight Time looks at the life and work of Desmond Ball, (1947-2016), a barefooted academic from ‘down under’ who was hailed by Jimmy Carter as “the man who saved the world”, as he proved the fallacy ...
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...
Labour does not support the private ownership of core infrastructure like schools, hospitals and prisons, which will only see worse outcomes for Kiwis. ...
The Green Party is disappointed the Government voted down Hūhana Lyndon’s member’s Bill, which would have prevented further alienation of Māori land through the Public Works Act. ...
The Labour Party will support Chloe Swarbrick’s member’s bill which would allow sanctions against Israel for its illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories. ...
The Government’s new procurement rules are a blatant attack on workers and the environment, showing once again that National’s priorities are completely out of touch with everyday Kiwis. ...
With Labour and Te Pāti Māori’s official support, Opposition parties are officially aligned to progress Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in Palestine. ...
Te Pāti Māori extends our deepest aroha to the 500 plus Whānau Ora workers who have been advised today that the govt will be dismantling their contracts. For twenty years , Whānau Ora has been helping families, delivering life-changing support through a kaupapa Māori approach. It has built trust where ...
Labour welcomes Simeon Brown’s move to reinstate a board at Health New Zealand, bringing the destructive and secretive tenure of commissioner Lester Levy to an end. ...
This morning’s announcement by the Health Minister regarding a major overhaul of the public health sector levels yet another blow to the country’s essential services. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will ensure employment decisions in the public service are based on merit and not on forced woke ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ targets. “This Bill would put an end to the woke left-wing social engineering and diversity targets in the public sector. ...
Police have referred 20 offenders to Destiny Church-affiliated programmes Man Up and Legacy as ‘wellness providers’ in the last year, raising concerns that those seeking help are being recruited into a harmful organisation. ...
Te Pāti Māori welcomes the resignation of Richard Prebble from the Waitangi Tribunal. His appointment in October 2024 was a disgrace- another example of this government undermining Te Tiriti o Waitangi by appointing a former ACT leader who has spent his career attacking Māori rights. “Regardless of the reason for ...
Police Minister Mark Mitchell is avoiding accountability by refusing to answer key questions in the House as his Government faces criticism over their dangerous citizen’s arrest policy, firearm reform, and broken promises to recruit more police. ...
The number of building consents issued under this Government continues to spiral, taking a toll on the infrastructure sector, tradies, and future generations of Kiwi homeowners. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Prime Minister to rule out joining the AUKUS military pact in any capacity following the scenes in the White House over the weekend. ...
The Green Party is appalled by the Government’s plan to disestablish Resource Teachers of Māori (RTM) roles, a move that takes another swing at kaupapa Māori education. ...
The Government’s levies announcement is a step in the right direction, but they must be upfront about who will pay its new infrastructure levies and ensure that first-home buyers are protected from hidden costs. ...
The Government’s levies announcement is a step in the right direction, but they must be upfront about who will pay its new infrastructure levies and ensure that first-home buyers are protected from hidden costs. ...
Asia Pacific Report At least 400 people have been killed after a surprise Israeli attack on Gaza in the early hours of Tuesday. The Israeli government vows to continue escalating these military attacks, claiming it is in response to Hamas’ refusal to extend the ceasefire, which has been in place ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Richardson, Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Studies, Australian National University US President Donald Trump’s phone call with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, didn’t take a tangible step towards ending the hostilities in Ukraine, let alone finding an enduring peace. Rather, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Associate Professor and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University Popovo Bros/Shutterstock You might’ve heard too many eggs make you constipated. Influencers on Instagram claim it too. The United Kingdom has slang for it – being “egg bound”. Eggs were ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew King, Associate Professor in Climate Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, The University of Melbourne Climate change is the most pressing problem humanity will face this century. Tracking how the climate is actually changing has never been more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anne Tiedemann, Professor of Physical Activity and Health, University of Sydney shurkin_son/Shutterstock We all recognise the benefits of regular aerobic or cardiovascular exercise to support our heart and lung health. Being active is also good for our social and mental health. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Moran, Lecturer in the Department of English, Creative Writing and Film, University of Adelaide MK2 Films Chinese independent director Jia Zhangke’s new film Caught by the Tides, now in select Australian cinemas, provides a unique vision of China’s rapid social ...
RNZ News New Zealand opposition Labour leader Chris Hipkins is accusing the prime minister of reversing a long-held foreign policy during his current trip to India to help secure a free trade agreement between the two countries. “It seems our foreign policy is up for grabs at the moment,” he ...
A fortnight of mixed fortunes for the prime minister. After a drum beat of conjecture about his job security, the prime minister enjoyed something of an elixir in the investment summit and a trip to India that began with a breakthrough announcement: the launch of talks on a comprehensive ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Beck, Professor of Constitutional Law, Monash University Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has floated the idea of amending the Australian Constitution to allow government ministers to strip dual citizens of their Australian citizenship if they commit serious crimes related to terrorism. Almost ...
Alex Casey talks to James Ashcroft about making his new rest home chiller The Rule of Jenny Pen, and finding an early fan in Stephen King. James Ashcroft was browsing the horror section of a Hollywood bookshop when he got the email from Stephen King. He’d sent the godfather of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Gaviglio, Lecturer Strength and Conditioning, University of Southern Queensland Dziurek/Shutterstock During Australia’s winter sports seasons, hundreds of thousands of children will take to the field in contact sports like rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules and soccer. With ...
Israel says President Donald Trump green lit a scorched-earth bombing of Gaza that wiped out entire families and killed dozens of infants and other children.By Abubaker Abed in Deil Al-Balah, Gaza, and Jeremy Scahill of Drop Site News The US-backed Israeli government resumed its intense genocidal attacks on Gaza ...
Each of the past eight years has set a new record for ocean heat and ice cover is shrinking to new lows, the State of the Global Climate Report says. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yuhao Dai, Research Fellow in Earth Sciences, Australian National University N-2-s/Shutterstock Between 18,000 and 11,000 years ago, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere suddenly shot up. This caused rapid global warming, the mass melting of glaciers, and the end ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Toone, Lecturer in Social Work, University of South Australia Nine Married at First Sight Australia (colloquially known as “MAFS”) is one of Australia’s most popular reality TV shows, averaging two million viewers an episode. But this year’s season has come ...
Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan liberation advocacy group has condemned the arrest of 12 activists by Indonesian police and demanded their immediate release. The West Papuan activists from the West Papua People’s Liberation Movement (GR-PWP) were arrested for handing out pamphlets supporting the new “Boycott Indonesia” campaign. The GR-PWP ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits of Aotearoa writers, and guests. This week: the minister of finance, Nicola Willis. This week’s confessional is slightly different in that books editor Claire Mabey interviewed Willis via phone and took the opportunity to expand ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Marie Brennan, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Waikato Getty Images Now back on Earth thanks to Space X’s Dragon capsule, astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore will be breathing fresh air again after a gruelling nine months onboard the ...
Lots of councils find reasons to stop construction. Few do it with as much panache as Auckland.When the developer James Kirkpatrick Group ordered a design for an 11-storey building on Karangahape Road, it probably believed resource consent would be a formality. The commercial building, with offices up top and ...
The anniversary of New Zealand’s worst mass shooting—which the United Nations designated in 2022 as an International Day to Combat Islamophobia—attracted minimal media coverage. ...
Voters who find themselves disappointed in the current government should realise that these parties are actually delivering what they promised – for all the talk of efficiency, they never promised real change. ...
While zoomers are skewering millennials online, the results of market research are damning: copious amounts of optimism, superfanning and fairy smut define Gen Z. Hello. It’s a 1991 baby here, a millennial. I’ve been happily scrolling on Instagram, trying to dodge algorithmic exposure to cortisol bellies, body transformations and how-to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharha Sharha, PhD Candidate in Kamasutra Feminism, Cardiff Metropolitan University A carved erotic scene on the outer wall of temple in Khajuraho complex, India.Cortyn/Shutterstock For some people, the Kamasutra is little more than a name associated with condom brands, scented oils ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Cantrell, Senior Lecturer – Writing, Editing, and Publishing, University of Southern Queensland Netflix Filmed in a one-take style, Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham’s new crime drama Adolescence is being hailed by critics as a technical masterpiece. Out now on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yucong Wang, Lecturer, School of Law and Justice, University of Newcastle In the first few months of 2025, there’s been a flurry of private venture space missions. Some have been successful, such as American company Firefly Aerospace landing its spacecraft Blue Ghost ...
Comment: It was all going so well. Then Christopher Luxon threatened to get in his own way.Luxon went into his India trip hoping to accumulate a few singles and keep the scoreboard ticking over, but ended up clearing the boundary.Launching free trade negotiations, deepening his leader-to-leader ties with Indian Prime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Duncan, Teaching Fellow in Politics and International Relations, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images We’re roughly half way through this parliamentary term, and it looks as though the 2026 election could deliver “Christopher vs Chris: the sequel”. Neither ...
After months of bad headlines, Chris Luxon’s trip to India seems to be reaping dividends – and not just economically, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. PM puts wins on the board Christopher Luxon is having a ...
We're getting reassurance that common sense is prevailing, and Marama remains onside. Leftist alignment isn't necessarily incompatible with centrist praxis!
"Jack Tautokai McDonald, number 9 on the party’s list last election, announced that he would be stepping away from his party roles because in his view there had been too much of a “centrist drift” under James Shaw, reports Radio NZ. It is a very significant move, as he was the policy co-convenor and one of the party’s leading Māori voices – here’s his full thread outlining his reasons why he’s made his decision. McDonald used to work closely with Marama Davidson, and this morning Radio NZ reported that she rejected the accusation of the party becoming too centrist." https://thespinoff.co.nz/the-bulletin/05-08-2019/the-bulletin-greens-push-policy-to-rumbling-party/
"But there was also widely reported member discontent at the conference. The NZ Herald’s Jason Walls spoke to Newstalk ZB about it, saying there were factions each pushing for the primary focus to be on environmental policy, or social policy. Many members would no doubt reject that it is a binary choice, saying both are important."
Non-binary people show the way to the future. Both/and logic applies. Activists fresh out of kindy will struggle to attain that level of sophistication – that's normal. Cruise on up that learning curve, you'll get there eventually.
You're either non-binary, or you're not.
Dad jokes rule!
I would have counted myself amongst the folk who are upset the Greens aren't radical enough (bring back Bradford).
I have come to the conclusion that if we are to have a meaningful governmental approach to CC, we need key communities at the table i.e. farmers.
James Shaw and Green leadership have done well to get our rural cousins involved in finding consensus.
James Shaw on RadioNZ live now, addressing Jack McDonald's accusations now. Sounding secure and intelligent. Looking at the long-term.
Thanks Robert, I'll try to catch the podcast. The bomber gives it all a heavy sigh: https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/08/04/sigh-green-party-meltdown-at-agm/
"Of course James Shaw is centrist, but you don’t take a shit in the bed and then storm off in a tantrum! You stick it out and make change, and Shaw is just one person in a Party that is incredibly democratic so blaming it all on him is pretty twee."
And Marama rejects Jack’s key point: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/395961/marama-davidson-rejects-accusation-greens-becoming-too-centrist
11 minute audio: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018707216/greens-leaders-james-shaw-marama-davidson-talk-policy
Corin failed to explore the nuances, didn't even ask them both if they self-identified as centrists or leftists. Only interesting bit was the "lies and disinformation" James cited as the reason for his refusal to signal any future collaboration with the Nats. National could cease being the source of both, but real hard for old dogs to learn new tricks.
Greens becoming too 'centrist'?: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/395961/marama-davidson-rejects-accusation-greens-becoming-too-centrist
"It passed its first reading on Tuesday afternoon 119-1, with just ACT opposing it. National's support is not needed for the bill to pass, but has been sought by the Government to signal bipartisan consensus for the country."
The wording says 'Zero NETT Carbon growth ' , but will it be like the Previous Kyoto and Paris accords which reduce 'nett carbon' which is done by buying offshore carbon credits and the taxpayers paying the farmers share?
'Biological methane is carved out of that goal, but a reduction is still mandated – at least 10 per cent by 2030, and between 24 and 47 per cent by 2050.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/112890233/national-supports-climate-change-bill-through-first-reading
Pretty sure I've heard Ministers saying No to the first question and sadly Yes to the second one. No links to hand, sorry.
"A form of climate denialism" campaign of lies and misinformation that's being spread… Bridges' claims an evolution of denial…National "attempting to virtue-signal" to lower-socio-economic groups…"I was asked if I would support Simon Bridges over Jacinda Ardern…"
Nottingham has lost his appeal against conviction and sentence.
The Crown appeal was sort of successful, with an increase\to 31 months in prison calculated by the Court of Appeal, but with home detention already served this allows him to miss prison by a whisker, with a new 12 month home detention sentence and 18 months altogether banned from internet use.
Paywall: Blogger’s convictions for ‘malicious and misogynistic attacks’ on former MP, business people stick
Cameron Slater also gets a mention, who supported Nottingham's claim that using an overseas based website gave them immunity from NZ law, but the courts have disagreed.
More details: Dermot Nottingham appeal fails, sentence increased
Impressive listing of court rulings in your post, thank you.
Thanks for that.
Cameron Slater and legal dimwit Nottingham – they really were and probably still are just complete time wasting arseholes with not moral compass and just born to fritter away money and resources.
That list of public judgements and decisions is just from 2015 onwards. The history goes back a lot longer than that.
Repost from yesterday's How To Get There:
'Fundamental human right': Green Party releases housing policy
– Marama Davidson
This is crucial to the success of housing reform as it caters for those outside current Kiwibuild criteria.
In my view, every single person in this country should have access to healthy, stable housing no matter what their income or status. That is the way to strong communities and better outcomes.
The Greens also said:
We need to get amateur landlords out, and professional landlords in.
Hope they can work together with Labour on this in the next government. What a formidable government that would be!
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/08/fundamental-human-right-green-party-releases-housing-policy.html
I thought I would have a go at listening to Peter Williams on Radio live last week and today, as he has always come across as a good bloke.
Far out.
He comes across so conservative, he makes Sean Plunket seem liberal.
Pretty funny though.
Yeah, no surprise. I worked with him a few times in the '90s when I was an editor in the TVNZ newsroom. Never even thought of talking to him about interesting stuff. I know an arch-conservative when I see one, takes just a fraction of a second.
He's human though. Showed that recently when he was on Garner's show panel one morning, surprised me. People can change, but arch-cons do it real slow. Like driving a car with the hand-brake on.
Mass Surveillance update.
Unionist crusader Andrew Little will always protect out rights!
Yeah right.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/08/02/guest-blog-ross-meurant-oh-how-the-worm-turns/
Andy's Establishment to the core.
Ross M was a bully and has no standing in my eyes. Andrew is a good man in a bad system.
How can we have mature road safety when we have so many immature idiots holding licences.
There will be no serious consequences for this type of road safety stupidity !!
Our whole approach is childish and that includes the police.
This is treated as a joke.
Many drivers take risks and refuse too follow the road rules as there is no fear of the consequences of their actions.
How many motorists would have been warned to turn on their lights in the lower south island this morning so they could be seen by other drivers and pedestrians due to the conditions.
The answer is 0
No enforcement on the basics.
It is time the ” she will be right approach ” and i will drive how i like and the ” don’t be naughty “approach of the police is given serious attention.
That would be a start.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/114753778/hot-cakes-warning-dont-eat-and-drive
I remember reading that the justice system doesn't make sure that drivers before the Courts for driving offences, including drunken driving and who are required to take refresher, remedial courses or study of some sort, actually complete these courses. And that applies to repeat offenders; apparently they just turn up, get some fine, or sentence and are able to not complete a course. There should be a jail sentence with hard labour for such slithery non-compliers to bring them to their senses. And some reward for doing so, and for coming back once a year for three years to do a test. Also I would like vehicle simulators to be used, and discussions with an instructor about what they have done wrong, and how they could drive better in that situation. Everyone enjoys simulators, and they might learn something to change their possibly automatic behaviour.
Another traffic problem on Radio nz this morning, more vehicles in accidents have no wofs. The crash may not have been caused by a vehicle fault, but it seems that there is a fault in the driver or company in being careless about maintenance and wof, and no doubt the driver is not being properly looked after either!
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/395973/increase-in-unwarranted-vehicles-involved-in-serious-crashes-concerning
I wonder also if the old easing of regulations meme that has caused us problems since NZ went for deregulation, is still hanging over us with its tendency for slack attitudes continuing. The change in 201q4 for some vehicles to only need wofs every 3 years or so, may have indicated that she'll-be-right is the way-to-go.
I see for new: An initial WoF inspection, another one at three years old, then one per year for the lifetime of the vehicle.
Considering that there is usually a consensus that every regulation should be as simple as possible (so even a child can understand), I can't see why the 3 year thing is there – make it one year throughout and no confusion!!
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/vehicle/warrants-certifications/docs/wof-changes.pdf
Sure, of course, if the problem is the rising cost of everything, then raising the cost is bound to work like a charm.
But there is no lucky charm Gabby. Just doing what seems practical. No magic to that but it would likely work, and that might be its charm.
Challenging the capabilities of the average driver is taboo @ mosa. It's like 'The War'. Don't mention it!
It's everybody else's fault – always. Despite what we think, I reckon we're among the world's worst drivers – probably because of our laid back yea/nah attitude and uber competitive nature.
Certain things no longer seem to be enforced, and I guess that comes down to the idea that the slower one goes, the less the damage when it does happen.
Trouble is, not only are there now more distractions, but generally people's spatial awareness has lessened over the recent decades along with an increase in traffic, and the cult of the individual and the self.
The 2 second rule gets reduced to a 1 second rule; the right hand (passing lane) is MINE to own; indiscriminately changing lanes is my prerogative because my needs to get ahead are more important than yours; I'm considerably more accomplished at driving than you; Indicators are optional extras and you should have been able to read my mind; that bloody traffic light changed to red too quickly; etc.
It's not just immaturity either. Grey haired old blokes that've been driving for 40 years or so just KNOW that anything that happens is someone else's fault – even if they're owning the right hand lane and yakking on their cell phone telling Mrs Bloke (Mertle) to put the kettle on. And Christ! – just bloody wait till Mertle has a go behind the wheel!
And of course, it hasn't yet dawned on most that they're a bit of a hassle to others WALKING down the street in a straight line whilst trying to txt, let alone trying to be clever doing so with the cellphone in their laps – just below the windscreen/window line of the vehicle.
I'm knocking on having driven for 50 years mate! Some of it professionally – without an accident. You can't fault me (/sarc)
Speeding is a middle-class misdemeanour. (A bit like owning rentals). Attempts to police it result in outrage and claims that the 'real' issue is cellphones/poor roads/slow drivers/Asians etc. Anything except an overweening sense of entitlement and self-importance . Not to mention a refusal to own the psychological and economic truth of that Smashing Pumpkins line: "despite all my rage/I am still just a rat in a cage"
Speeding when I am travelling 100s of kms and am on a clear road in good light and go up over 100km or am passing a behemoth or a slowish van and have to go over 100 kmh to do so safely. I find it wrong that should automatically be punished. My happiest moment behind the wheel was when I was in front of a group winding down the hills and managed to stay at appropriate speeds and not be passed. No-one behind me had anything to complain about and I could see where I was going and moved along at the speed limit when possible.
But in town I think we should be driving at 40 kmh tops. I go at 50 km because I can, but often think it would be better if we all dropped a bit.
One thing I don't like is that approaching a narrowed bit of road – cars parked at sides for instance, drivers don't slow down even a bit. It's I can dodge through here and my side is clear. If you give way to them to make sure there is room, they charge forward at full legal speed and don't even look at you or raise a hand. Just a small wave would make driving more pleasant. And when it is wet, and humid and fogged up inside and out, why not slow down and be safe and give pedestrians a chance to dash over and get out of the rain.
Excellent points.
Mosa – I note your same comment on todays The Daily Blog – 3 minutes apart. I don't think that this blog would appreciate being used as a broadcasting medium for your multiple messages.
Noted greywarshark.
I was multi tasking.
Standing ovation for Mr Andrew Little….. way to go to make me cry, that's a good thing. THANK YOU FOR THIS !!!!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/114751896/live-government-announces-abortion-reform
Cinny – Mr Little +100
Its great that abortion will be removed from the Crimes Act…hopefully this will mean that we won't need special abortion clinics. Terminations can be done like any other medical procedure at the local public hospital. Usual patient security applies, and protestors will not be able to distinguish a woman going in for an abortion from one going in for any other elective procedure.
Stand by for Bob McCoskrie and friends to crank up the outrage generator.
Fantastic news!
+1 Andrew is a good man, Cinny.
It would be a breakthrough if this appalling case of intimidation, corruption of the law and personal rights is taken up by the MSM
If you care about journalism and the freedom to express an opinion in New Zealand with out fear of what will happen if you do then this story needs exposure.
Or have we really turned that corner and no longer value or encourage the freedom of investigative journalism and commentators like Bradbury and Hagar to do their job without the fear of harassment ?
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/08/05/my-trial-against-the-nz-police-starts-this-month-in-wellington-an-invitation-to-nz-media/
This establishment mindset had existed for decades mosa. There have been a lot of victims over the years including me.
I still find it hard to believe that the 'powers that be' were/are willing to believe crackpots and malice driven arseholes over ordinary citizens going about their business in a lawful way but it happened time and again. In the meantime the real culprits (eg Cameron Slater and co.) were running around committing unlawful acts and slandering people right left and centre and they were allowed to get away with it. The reason is because they had the backing of influential people.
If Bradbury is successful he will set a precedence which might encourage others to come forward with their stories.
" If Bradbury is successful he will set a precedence which might encourage others to come forward with their stories "
Let's hope so Anne.
Kind regards
Testing comment.
Just about to update the RSS feed tool.
Needless to say, there are several problems.
Muppets.. Oh well that is why I go on holiday. That and to make sure I don't have to bike to work in the really bad weather.
You picked a great day for the latter.
Yeah – the first week of August is when my personal weather records say that it is great time to be idle at home or having holiday with hot sun and a beach.
NZ and Biodiversity. Scoops Hivemind invite you to watch the vid and read the details and send your thoughts about it.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1908/S00012/the-nz-biodiversity-strategy-discussion-document-explained.htm
then
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1908/S00014/scoop-hivemind-restoring-and-protecting-biodiversity.htm
(I have come in here at the time and date indicated 1.40 pm – but see johnm’s two comments for 5 August 2019 with times of 7.21pm and 7.28pm. I have done a search for johnm and they come up as the same time and date and I have been taken to them but the time is not right, so a glitch here.)
Here is a chance for men with good attitudes to community and respect for people and kindness, to come to the aid of the party. A party without alcohol that is.
Men are needed to help other men over their urge to use violence when they are stressed and need to act strong to manage their life, and protect themselves from feeling inadequate. There is the funding but where are the decent men who want to put something into society and help other men? The help is needed, and it should be respected and honoured as much as firefighting is.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/395998/more-men-needed-to-help-combat-domestic-violence
But there must be training for it and rules about the way it is carried out. Otherwise there can be misunderstandings leading to more problems.
Here is what seems an excellent report from Stuff reporter Harrison Christian 9/6/2019 which would give a background on the difficulties of many offenders. To read it is to understand the depressing impact of the things coming up regularly on the news about low-income existence. But the younger men needing help to break their cycle of offending may not be gang members as the media lead us to believe.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/111969648/once-were-warriors-25-years-on-gangs-and-being-poor-then-and-now
Gangs expert Jarrod Gilbert said the gang scene in New Zealand had become more subdued since the battle-worn days of the 80s, as memberships have aged.
"Those gang members in Once Were Warriors were all fairly young men," the senior lecturer at Canterbury University said.
"Nowadays if you took a snapshot of a gang, you would see guys aged in their 50s and 60s – sometimes their 70s."
Crime data shows older men are much less likely to commit violent crime and to be recidivist offenders.
"They've slowed down a bit. They don't have the overt violence; they are looking to create better lives for their members and families rather than just be hardcore, all-out violent and antisocial as they used to be in the past."
It's evident in the growing involvement of New Zealand's traditional street gangs in community initiatives, and their willingness to set aside old rivalries and co-operate with each other.
This is about a relatively recent look at the issues of violence and criminality commenting on the support and leadership by PM Jacinda Ardern and Min of Justice Andrew Little by Denis O'Reilly, 27/8/2018.
https://e-tangata.co.nz/comment-and-analysis/the-justice-summit-and-the-road-from-populism-to-principle/
Another take on Brexit from the Irish Examiner via Yanis Varoufakis. 31/7/2019
Jeremy Corbyn must expose Boris Johnson’s no-deal Brexit as a Trump-deal Brexit and put forward Labour’s plan to end the interminable Brexit ordeal immediately, suggests Yanis Varoufakis…
Theresa May’s failure reflected an inability to distinguish between the EU’s broader interests and the specific motivation of its establishment. Given a choice between securing the profits of continental exporters and reaffirming the bureaucracy’s modus operandi, the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, and the political leaders behind him will unfailingly opt for the latter. Every proposal of significant changes to the withdrawal agreement negotiated by May’s government, even those in the EU’s long-term interests, will thus be rejected.
Johnson is unlikely to repeat May’s error. To be sure, he may be tempted to try out his rhetorical skills on German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. But Dominic Cummings, his effective chief of staff (and the cunning campaign director of Vote Leave in 2016) would undoubtedly remind Johnson that the last thing he needs is to expose the British public to another scene of their prime minister returning from the Continent empty-handed….
Corbyn’s second task is to offer an alternative for ending the humiliation of the ongoing negotiations.
That means committing to revoke Article 50 to allow a Labour government time to implement a green-investment, anti-austerity policy agenda in tune with the party’s progressive internationalism, while simultaneously organizing a Citizens’ Deliberative Assembly to formulate the question(s) to be put to voters in a second Brexit referendum.
A general election fought over these two unequivocal alternatives, Johnson’s and Corbyn’s, would empower the UK’s people, at last, to determine their country’s future.
https://www.yanisvaroufakis.eu/2019/07/31/jeremy-corbyns-finest-hour-irish-examiner-project-syndicate/
Amazing that a message board like 8chan could still operate after Christchurch but there does seem to finally be some movement in the capital of the free world to face up to their addiction to violence and hatred.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/396011/cloud-site-terminates-8chan-after-el-paso-shooting
"When it goes into trees that's it; dead, done – gone forever. "
"There's a psychological shift happening, Worsnop says. Rural people face a permanent change in land use, and in their way of life. "When it goes into trees that's it; dead, done – gone forever. "
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/114010655/rural-life-under-threat-as-forestrys-canopy-grows
""But now you're starting to see quality properties for sheep and beef going into trees, and that's a real shame.""
Who're selling the farms??
that's what the forests said when the man came along with his fire and his sheep… "there's a psycho shift happening" they said…
it will transpire that the anomaly will be the sheep
and plants will rule… after all, horticulture is far more productive
dead ground that grows trees?….odd
Primal fear of the forest; it's Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham!
I wonder if…over time, plantations of pine, neglected because of climate or economic difficulties, could become valuable nurseries for native trees…pasture doesn't do this, as sheep keep eating …and eating….everything that tries to sprout and grow.
Ski fields would be an option in your location for the future.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156470100712913&set=p.10156470100712913&type=3&theater
perhaps you could scoop it up and deliver it to Mt Hutt
Long way by bicycle from Riverton (above) to Mt Hutt.
Riverton a little flat for a ski field…and you could always use an e bike
Sending too much electricty north so the wheezy boys can get up the hills on theirs.
BTW demand is around a GW above normal and spot prices have risen.
https://www.transpower.co.nz/power-system-live-data
https://www.electricityinfo.co.nz/
sending it north?…Tiwai must be south of Riverton
Yesterday and today were pretty chilly alright! I still got outside to prune though; we're tough enough down here
Good weather for baking bread (great story)
https://twitter.com/SeamusBlackley/status/1155602321918705664
That's a really fabulous story, Poission, thanks for recommending it. My daughter and her partner bake sourdough bread every morning; I get up to the lovely smell and a warm kitchen and get to eat some warm sourdough bread with my porridge; lucky me! I'd like to try that ancient bread, just for the novelty of it.
You sure are Robert,
Geez it sounds like some in Labour think they're owed access to whatever body they want
They're not too impressed with the Labour bigwigs either…cue concerned frown and head tilt combo
Might be time for another cover magazine shoot…
We're now in non linear exponential climate change. Michael Mann's hockey stick curve upwards. What is the outlook for the future?
Guy McPherson @ Mother Foucault's Bookstore in Portland 3 May 2019
In the Crosshairs of History: Michael E. Mann and the Denial Industry
Edit:
An interesting piece from last Sunday Radionz on how UK politicians are de-formed at their upper class boarding schools. Dr Nick Duffell, talks about the conditions as 'privileged abandonment and has written two books on the subject about which he has had personal experience.'
These schools perpetuate an entrenched English class system, he says.
“What they do is they develop a very strong esprit de corps for their class.
“This is what you've seen in Britain with the Brexit situation, that here is a class who will do anything to save the Tory party, and the wider global implications of what they're doing is completely cut off for them, they don't even see it.”
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018707127/dr-nick-duffell-why-boarding-schools-produce-bad-leaders
(I have also put it in How to Get There on Sunday 4/8/2019. I was interested in the development of the personality, and the deprivation of affection and family life affecting many of these boys and teenagers at boarding schools.)
Tom Sharpe satirised a Cambridge college in his book Porterhouse Blue, and there was a second called Grantchester Grind.
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/tom-sharpe/porterhouse-blue.htm
Massive police action at Ihumatao underway.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/08/05/breaking-police-assault-ihumatao-leader-kettle-protestors-using-phone-blockers-threading-mass-arrests/
Kia ora The Am Show.
Stop trying to talk the house market down I though that to the housing market slows in winter the great phenomenon about the smaller cities housing prices riseing is that more Maori own homes there so they will be better off.
simon the Greens party is Green on the outside and intelligent on the inside they no national will shaft them in a Coalition government.
Crap if the employer followed due process the fine would not have stuck. Employers have the wellbeing of employees in their hands so they need to respect that if they fire people at a wim they are putting them in hardship.
Good on That young fella for donating his money from the sale of his paintings to charity.
Off to cut wood whanau look for new wood selling being advertised on trademe and small news papers and the Saturday paper for us our wood is tested with moisture meters so complying with councils law less than 25 % moisture and because we have heaps of wood from the forests harvest we give HUGE cords of wood like the size of the old days everyone who has bought our wood is smiling when we leave.
Ka kite ano
Any person in power whom denies Human Caused Climate Change is putting the 99.9 % of us lives at great risk as some people believe the lies hence they don't plan or prepare for Global Warming next minute they are in a disaster unprepared that is not a good place to be. With a little bit of changes on can minimize the effects Global warming will have on them .I am doing my small bit my carbon foot print has dropped dramatically now I live off grid with solar power and composting TOILET solar power water supplies to .
Australia’s climate stance is inflicting criminal damage on humanity
The government opts for conflict rather than change, while suppressing details on the implications of its climate
The top priority of government is security of the people. Yet on the greatest threat of all, most governments are failing abysmally.
As the global influence of western democracies wanes with the ascendancy of China, India and other emerging countries, the resulting power struggle is diverting attention from the great issues the world faces, to their symptoms
The neoliberal market economy, with its unregulated consumption and rapacious short-term outlook, is destroying modern civilisation. The warning signs are obvious, not least burgeoning high-consuming populations, massive biodiversity loss and multiple resource scarcities. Yet rather than reform an unsustainable system, political leaders scramble to prop it up and compound the problem. The result is Brexit, Trump’s Mexican wall, escalating Middle East tension, the US-China trade standoff, a global arms and space race, Amazon deforestation and much more
Ka kite ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/03/australias-climate-stance-is-inflicting-criminal-damage-on-humanity
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/v2AC41dglnM
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/hdfzbt1hM04
T
Kia Ora Newshub.
The ORC interest rate has been cut thats cool it will save a lot of money for mortgages on housing etc. I no someone who won't be happy.
Negative interest rates is not good the banks could end up changing for holding savers money like they did in Japan.
That's cool Pharmac is looking at funding more drugs for cancer sufferers.
Cleo that gives Me a sore face PEE dealer's getting snapped by the Police ka pai that stuff is wrecking some Maori whanau.
Mike I know that coffee hypes me up.
Cool Rocket Lab is going to try and recover and recycle there Electron rocket that is going to save Peter money and lower his carbon footprint maybe one day I will get a CHANCE to have a look at his operation.
Condolences to Toni Morrison whanau.
A huge parrot was discovered in Otago that is awesome 1 meter tall what a cool find.
Ka kite ano
Kia Ora Te Maori News.
Taina having a meeting with Wally quite a long meeting to Mana Wahine.
Travis gone bush back to the whenua hunting fishing like te tipuna did in the old days awesome its good that he is advocating for mental illness Maori is doing a similar thing living with a small carbon footprint.
Ka pai te hippe for getting heaps of signatures to help stop the building of a jettie on Waiheki Island we need to be wize with new developments especially when it involves Tangaroa.
Ka kite ano P.S what happened to the captions I could guess.
https://youtu.be/QAB6aXOfUmU