It is no wonder that people are so very cynical about politics and politicians…
witness the Kiwibuild reset…
Gone from building homes to encourage a greater supply
To providing financial assistance to encourage a greater demand
Watch demand soar, house values rise again, and Labour get back into power off the back of it..
pfftt….
Labour has just kicked the entire housing issue down the road again… just like John Key… who propelled property prices (and hence electability) off the back of immigration…
The government had the chance to reboot the home ownership schemes that were in place before the 1990's but completely bottled it in favour of loading people up with more debt, and some charity run rent to own scheme for the 'poor', which is probably as expensive to them as renting.
And no, Judith, 'relaxing planning laws' will NOT make a single cheap house.
This current Labour Government would not have a f#%king clue when it comes to solving this Housing Crisis, Twitford was so out of his depth and over his head in water it was not even funny IMHO ?
Surprised you have a wall to bang your head against. Given the duopoly of westfarmers and fletchers on building supplies and the lack of government action to fix it, i would have thought the wall is more valuable than the head you bang against it
Kiwi's drowning in debt, paying for high priced rubbish houses driven by Asian House Price Speculators, John Key's Housing Ponzi Scheme funded by the Ozzie Banks ?
for the first time – i am thinking this gummint may not be re-elected.
You're thinking people will return National to power due to its proven competence in dealing with the housing crisis, maybe?
I'm not sure what "competence" people want to see here. So many voters have a vested interest in high property prices that most of the serious moves the government could make would see them thrown out of office. Understandably, the governing parties don't see being chucked out after one term as a demonstration of "competence," so they're not doing those things.
That leaves building more state houses, which they are doing. But even there, National's boxed them in with a shortage of tradespeople and the inability to borrow large sums of money. Being the government isn't a doddle.
borrow to build HNZ stock = nil net debt and as it is balance sheet has no effect on surplus.
anyway we don’t have targets anymore 😉, so there is no issue
National did not cock up kiwiwbuild, not did they make labour increase their target from an unobtainable 50,000 to 100,000. Labour’s arrogance and a poor selection of minister are the reason for this failure 🤬
Poor selection of Minister nails it. That arrogant vacuous Twyford may well be an appropriate choice for looking after the Parlimentary broom cupboard, but not as Minister for what is one of the most important portfolios of the government.
Labours blind faith in it's liberal free market ideology is in fact the reason why this Labour party can't and never could fix NZ's housing disaster, they will never be the fearless transformative progressive political party that is needed to overcome the many mountains we need to climb as a country..that is unfortunately just a fact.
And I would say that yes Labour could easily lose the next election…hard to imagine a more perverse loss…or for that matter even just scraping back into office in a run against the most unliked National leader in probably their entire history would be a humiliation…although not according to many third way Labour supporters on this forum, who seem to think that getting into power is all politics is about, at any cost, including losing the very essence of what a Labour Party should actually stand for, which bothers them not one iota.
Hate to think of a loss, as Nats offer little. BUT now we are seeing that we cannot believe what Labour promises to be delivered. Megan Woods "we are not reneging on any election promises" . I would suggest minister to read what you went to the election on and listen to the 2nd link.
9 MONTHS (wasted) in the making and there are hardly any answers or detail " as many as we can as quick as we can" – How does that install confidence for those wanting to enter the housing market ??
Megan Woods hasn't even done any modelling what income levels will apply, rent to buy scheme what equity will build up.
The ability of those that we are given to vote on, it appears to me that we vote on the lesser or 2 evils option.
We've had lots of lefter than Labour parties here. Including some that have been in Parliament, even government. Which one would you like Labour to be more like? Socialist Aotearoa? Mana? IMP? Progressive? Alliance? Communist League?
Do you notice anything those parties all have in common?
Don't worry, Jude has offered to work with Labour to sort out this absolute cluster-f**k-of-mega-proportions (she really is a selfless, giving person) so if Labour do want to fix this mess-of-thier-own-making all they have to do is accept the olive branch and let Jude take over 🙂
Remember when Jude was writing to Twyford to get builders in her electorate lined up for Kiwibuild projects…… she seems to have forgotten 'then Jude' to 'now Jude'
"Housing Minister Phil Twyford has accused his Opposition counterpart of bagging KiwiBuild in one breath, then asking for it to fund developments in her electorate the next.
Judith Collins has admitted writing a letter to Mr Twyford asking about a new Papakura apartment block's eligibility for KiwiBuild, but denies that constitutes an endorsement of the Labour-led programme."
Naturally when Jude is accusing someone of lying – shes standing in front of the mirror.
Has it ever occured to you that a political party could run on a manifesto that they actually believe in and will stand for no matter what the fallout might be?
Has it ever occurred to you that a political party can achieve more by remaining in power through several elections in order to make gains in more areas and consolidate gains made in previous terms?
It's a shitload easier for a new government to reverse something introduced a year or two ago that half the population is firmly against and a fair chunk of the rest think may be a step too far, compared to trying to reverse something introduced four or five years ago that's bedded in and didn't arouse quite such strong opposition to begin with.
Yep. It's how you get lasting change. The other lot used it to get us here, we need to use it to go back in a better direction. Going for the glorious revolution will last exactly until the next election.
If you're looking for your idea of "transformational", you're being unrealistic expecting Labour to push anywhere near as much as you would like. They are fighting for the centre voters, after all. And what looks transformational to those centre voters will look like insipid incremental centrism to you.
You'd be much better off putting your hopes and efforts into a party like the Greens – that are consciously targeted at a small part of the electorate, and try to lift them to where Greens plus Labour don't need anyone else.
Even if the manifesto, when put into practise, turns out to be unrealistically optomistic?
Besides some management issues, the kiwibuild output was managable but the model of implementation turned out to be unworkable – mostly due to the partnership with developers.
I think they should have figured out a timeline for the 100k homes (split into different types – developer partnerships, new state homes, and government developments), rather than nuking the target completely. I.e. kept the plan for the number of homes but adjusted the timeline. But sticking to the timeline and the number was unworkable.
The manifesto did offer alternatives ie reduce the demand side by flattening the curve.Far more cost effective and sustainable.
In total, these changes are estimated to reduce net migration by 20,000-30,000. Without these changes there would be up to 10,000 more houses needed and up to 20,000 more vehicles on our roads annually. Our immigration system will be regularly reviewed to ensure it is functioning well.
Well, nothing except the failure of a flagship policy, which is a pretty substantial blow to any government.
When your work involves massive high-stakes projects, your failures are very public and humiliating. But if my work experience has taught me anything, it's taught me that when people have done their best and failed you might feel like berating them for incompetence, but actually doing it isn't going to improve their productivity and it saps morale in a much wider group than the one you're addressing.
And national has . Bridges was a prosecutor – a glorified public servant.
English was a treasury analyst- for a few years- before 30 years in Parliament but they worked the 'farming adjacent' thing to cover that up.
Nick Smith didnt work in his family bridge building company after graduate school , 30 years in Parliament.
Paula's background started with the Napier Tattoo Club and the Stag Truck stop but found it too hard and stayed on the DPB. Newspapers have lawyers letters from PB telling them not to get the time lines for above 3 mixed up.
McClay worked as chief of staff for some UK EU poobah.
Goldsmith has been in beehive or MPs/Ministers offices much like Bishop , Kaye and Willis
i think that kiwibuild needs to be identified for what it is:
middle-class welfare..
in no way is it designed to help those who need it the most..
and so as a concept should be canned..
and as corin dann asked megan wood this morning:(i paraphrase..)
'why doesn't labour return to its' knitting – and forget about being in the market – and focus on building state houses..?'
to which i can only say 'hear..!..hear..!'..
and would also mention again how post ww2 10,000 houses a year were built..(surely there must be historians/theses knowing the mechanics of how that was done – surely it would e of value to at least look there..?..)
my understanding is that some 1,500 state houses have been built – and that is good..but it almost seems like it is something labour is ashamed of – they have sold that fact/success so poorly – it must be deliberate – and i see it as part of labour pandering to that tory swing-voter and trying not to offend..
so like corin dann sez – labour should proudly commit to house the homeless/poor – and to go full tilt into state house building..(and not gimcrack-hovels..!)
the rent-to-buy/shared-equity ideas look good – on the surface – the devil will be in the detail/criterea..(fingers still crossed there..)
i also feel the obvious moves are into pre-built etc..
and why not a mortgage-fund where those who want to – can present concepts of alternative/much-cheaper buildings – and get funding for them..?
(and of course councils need to be made to toe that line – their arbitrary/subjective bullshit has to be swept away…)
I wonder … actually 2 things. One, why Chris Trotter argued against a Left coalition this time? That is a story I haven't been able to understand.
Two, why is most commenting on Open Mike done before the evening? Seems as unnatural as vampires in sunlight to me. Hoary with the glory of dawn's bracing air? Relaxing contemplative does best after the day's activity, he proposes.
You can support the left and still be critical of this government. I am not all of a sudden going to break the habit of a lifetime and begin voting for National.
At the same time, I am not going to pretend that noting is wrong with this government. They made bold statements and promises in 2017 and should be held to account against what they were voted in on.
Simply saying 'but at least we tried' isn't good enough. That just encourages future politicians to make grand unrealistic promises without ever having to deliver on them
Does anyone have the expertise to comment on whether it is proper that the prosecutor of a case which has been "resolved" then contacts media themselves and more or less tries to publicly "relitigate" an outcome he had agreed to.
I am aware that not all is always as it seems, but now that more details of whatever occurred have been published it appears that normally such a case would not have made news or headlines without the "political" interest, that interest in fact should have no bearing on the case or its outcome.
What would be the motivation for the prosecutor himself in contacting the media and does anyone know if this is "proper"?
"But, despite the plea deal, prosecutor David Johnstone wished to outline the Crown's position in an email to the Herald and other journalists who covered the trial.
It was in response to an earlier media statement by the accused's lawyer Emma Priest."
Reading the article, I guess the prosecutor was left little alternative, after the defence lawyer had already approached the media with inflammatory and incorrect claims.
Of more interest, why does the guilty party still have name suppression? Very unusual, something usually reserved for All Blacks and other Neanderthals. Must be some politicians son eh.
I nearly mentioned the defendant's solicitor speaking to media but it looked clear that media asked for comment and got it, I'm not sure why they didn't ask for comment from the prosecutor's office he could have made a comment that was relevant to the case and the outcome in an immediate manner not in hindsight.
½ of NZ could tell you which politicians son, there have been "interesting" cases that are not specific to "All Blacks and other Neanderthals", the case may well be that they are all Neanderthals.
Anyway do you think this case would be in the media if it hadn't been a "politician's" son?
"approached the media with inflammatory and incorrect claims."
The accused was offered and pleaded to 2 x assault charges. ( the crimes have same
The sexual assault charges where all withdrawn, so that is saying there was no sexual assault as alleged by the Crown. Exactly as the lawyer claimed during ( and before ?) the trial.
I am female and over 60, not that has any bearing other than I have children and grandchildren because I am, and now they are, aware of what happens in certain settings it is my certain view that had it not been able to be made political no one would have been even aware of what happened.
How many times in people's lives has this sort of thing happened it is not excusable but it is the reality of out of control drunken behaviour, whoever his parents are they are probably really glad he was not in charge of a vehicle.
That aside is this the same sort of "fair" trial that one of his peers would have had and is the prosecutor allowed to contact media the way he did?
The sexual assault charges where all withdrawn, so that is saying there was no sexual assault as alleged by the Crown.
Yes and no.
Plea deals are a sad but important part of the process. The greatly lower the workload of the justice system. And yes, one is legally "innocent until proven guilty". But that doesn't mean there was no sexual assault (legally the complaint still was made), nor does it mean the guy is the victim his lawyer is making him out to be.
This was in the middle of a jury trial. thats a fanciful claim about lowering workload. It happens the other way too…multiple charges are 'pre-loaded' to makes the crime stats look good when a single charge will do.
Weak case , to throw in the towel by the Crown in middle of trial, after most of the witnesses called. Were the crown afraid the judge might dismiss the case , after application by the defence , before the jury retired ?
I wouldnt say I was a habitue of the courts, but isnt it the defendants who are finally convinced by their lawyers to plead guilty to trial charges
No case is 100%. Jury trials can be unpredictable. Sexual assault trials are also notoriously difficult to prosecute.
So the prosecution risk the guy walking away. The guy risks getting a sexual assault conviction. So prosecution and defence find a happy medium of the charges that are mild enough for him to wear but are at least some measure of punishment for the prosecution.
It's not ideal, but then ideally people wouldn't assault other people, sexually or otherwise.
So when was the last time the Crown took the defendants offer to settle in the middle of a jury trial. There is no saving of lawyers time and court time at that stage.
The defence opening statement was 'this isnt a sexual assault' case.
Yes I have been called for jury duty , and yes they have a second case line up if the first case settles on the 'step of the court'.
This is practically a settlement just before the judge instructs the jury .
The only possible later time is before the jury returns
Middle of the road enough probably to think "there but for the grace of . . ." on both sides of the offending behaviour and/or you let them out of you sight for five mins. There few things more reckless and sad than a young male trying to make an impression or fit in especially when drunk, something that probably needed to be in court, especially one of public opinion, is how they got access to alcohol – or was the person of age – without supervision around the younger ones.
Because he has pleaded guilty and still has name suppression. The establishment, whether National, Labour or other, ALWAYS protects ts it's own. Besides, I think by now most know the identity.
A formal criminal complaint for hate propaganda has been filed with the Ottawa Police Service against the Canadian Islamophobic news outlet Rebel News Network Ltd., and its directors Ezra Levant, Hamish Marshall and Hannah Vanderkooy, as well as former Rebel News presenter Faith Bazos (aka Faith Goldy).
[…]
The complaint alleges Rebel News Network have breached s. 319(2) of the Canadian Criminal Code by wilfully promoting hatred of the Muslim community through hate propaganda published through the Rebel News Network website and Youtube channel.
While not formally named as there is no evidence any of his activities took place in Canada, the complaint relies heavily on content created by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson) as evidence of them disseminating xenophobic anti-Muslim content. Videos produced by Faith Goldy are also highlighted in the complaint.
Not sure why this tweet provoked your frustration @marwilliamson. I simply noted that you deleted a tweet.
I did not editorialize.
With respect to your offer to have an "public dialogue," thank you but I am reserving my time to speak to candidates who qualified for the debate. https://t.co/HdrbJXwP7E
I'm confident we've got plenty that think they fully understand quantum physics. And string theory. And how those explain the interconnectedness of cosmic consciousnesses.
TBF, it takes a MAGAmoron to break the law with a weather forecast.
Per 18 U.S. Code 2074:
“Whoever knowingly issues any counterfeit weather forecast… published by (a) branch of the Government service, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ninety days, or both.”https://t.co/qq9aDyzidF
Amazing how the computer generated forecast from Thu – as shown above- essentially was as wrong as Trump as they had the centre 5 days later in middle of Florida.
and his answers are exactly like how his brain works – all over the place, repetitive, vainglorious – he's like a mirror to the monster in us all. https://play.stuff.co.nz/details/_6083525676001
Maybe it's not so obvious to everyone what he has drawn there, squint your eyes a little and it all becomes clear… (or maybe just a load of bollocks, if you know what I mean).
You can see what the world's No 1 Ignoramus originally did. He placed a ruler on the last two tracking points of the original map (not coloured in white to denote a possible track only) and figured the "hurricane" was going to end up in Alabama.
Note: hurricane in inverted commas because by then it would have been no more than a depression which still might have brought rain to the south east of Alabama but no hurricane.
Every now and then, shit like this must make some of the less-dim MAGAmorons clue in to the fact Donnie Dimbulb thinks they're all idiots. I really wonder what goes through their heads at that moment of realisation.
As someone who years ago manually drew weather maps (automated now), that second map looks like something from another planet in another dimension. Very funny though.
Who in their right mind would spend an hour scribbling in lots n' lots of squiggly lines that represent nothing but… lots n' lots of squiggly lines? POTUS. America is toast.
The Combover Con will stiff you every time. Even when you're a loyal but vulnerable Repug Senator from a swing state who's up for re-election next year.
Amazing story: the US State Department offered a multi-million dollar bribe to the captain of an Iranian oil tanker if he would divert the ship to a country where the US could seize it https://t.co/saHmp7mqCYpic.twitter.com/qEP8g7K4jj
I thought Megan Woods came across pretty well in the interview with Mike Hosking regarding the kiwi build reset. In fact, she interviews a hell of a lot better than Jacinda does on Tuesday mornings.
VANCOUVER—Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced a further $2.7 million investment in salmon conservation projects, after government officials confirmed Thursday morning that salmon stocks across British Columbia are returning in concerningly low numbers.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, also known as DFO, had previously forecast that 4,795,000 sockeye salmon would return to the Fraser River this year.
As the run starts, that number has been adjusted to 628,000 — just 13 per cent of that original forecast. The state of sockeye salmon is now so dire that some populations “face an imminent threat of extinction,” according to DFO.
This brings back memories of Robert Muldoon and the police activities destroying evidence from The Erebus Crash ?
Hopefully the wet behind the ears Andrew Little from the Labour Party will address this situation in a Royal Commission of Enquiry as Pike River is a Homicide Crime Scene ?
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These #3billboards are going round London today, organised by ex-Labour people, horrified by what their party has become. Their principles haven’t changed, they’re ...
So, there have been a bunch of bad polls out for Labour, and even the Leftie's friend, Survation, have recently given the Conservatives a rip-snorting 11% lead. You Gov's much vaunted MRP poll - which pretty much nailed the result in 2015 - is currently predicting a comfortable majority for ...
The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to declare a climate emergency:The European parliament has declared a global “climate and environmental emergency” as it urged all EU countries to commit to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The vote came as scientists warned that the world may have already crossed ...
Pure Fear: Worse than Heroin, this drug’s addictive power was terrifying. People under its influence didn’t drift off to Elysium. Nor did it persuade inadequate individuals that they could conquer the world. No, this drug – pure crystal methamphetamine, “P” for short – unlocked the gates of Hell itself. It ...
As the rate of measles infection, and of deaths, continues to climb in Samoa, antivaccination activists infectious disease proponents seem intent on doubling down on their claims about vaccination. (Check pretty much any news-media FB post about measles & you’ll see exactly what I mean.) Unfortunately, some of them have ...
Samoa are experiencing a devastating measles epidemic. It is possible that 2-3% of the population will ultimately be infected by the time it is over. Hopefully the mass immunisation campaign currently under way can mitigate some of this, for many it is too late. The first question many people ask ...
Meghan Murphy is a Canadian writer and journalist She runs the Feminist Current website which she founded in 2012. She was a keynote speaker for the Feminism2020 conference in Wellington this month. When Massey University cancelled the original venue booking Feminism2020 was hosted in Parliament by MP David Seymour. Meghan ...
Text and photos by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh Colombia has lived through one week of protests against the economic measures taken by president Duque. What looked like a protest that would fizzle out after its first day on November 21st is still going strong. Part of the reason for the continuance ...
Around a million billion pass through you each second, almost all originating from our sun, but few of them are likely to interact with you enroute. I was reading in a physics magazine earlier in the week about the nature of neutrinos. These are extremely numerous elementary particles, but only ...
By Pallab GhoshThere’s value in covering new research advances, even when the underlying science is unsettled. But there are also risks.The recent announcement that scientists discovered water on the planet K2-18b, 110 light years away, prompted a media swoon. News stories, including a piece written by me, billed ...
I wrote this review a couple of years ago when I was still in the process of getting my head around the politics of transgenderism, and specifically the claim that intersex conditions lend support to the notion that sex is ‘socially constructed’. Since writing this review I have come across ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzHow much does our use of air travel contribute to the ...
Minor planet/asteroid (2309) Mr. Spock is named not for the character in Star Trek, but for a cat that was itself imperturbable, logical, intelligent and had pointed ears. In a preceding blog post I introduced one of my favourite asteroids, (2472) Bradman, and also mentioned (6581) Sobers amongst a few ...
Today the death toll from measles in Samoa rose to 32. All but four of the dead were less than 5 years old. Absolutely terrible, heartbreaking, news. That statistic alone should be enough to give the lie to the common claim by antivaccination activists plague enthusiasts that “measles is a ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh It is late here in Bogotá, almost 11.30pm on Monday the 25th of November as I write this. The day began full of hope with yet more massive marches throughout the country, a mix of the International Day of Non-Violence Against Women and the National Strike. ...
Anti-fluoride activists are rubbing their hands in glee over what they claim is “yet another study” showing fluoride harms the brains of children. But their promotion relies on IQ relationships which the paper’s authors acknowledge disappearing when outliers or other factors are considered. And they completely ignore other relationships ...
The feature below is the conclusion of A History of Economic Thought, whose author was a leading Marxist economist in Russia in the early 20th century, Isaac Ilyich Rubin. The book arose from a course he ran at Moscow University following the Russian Revolution. First published in Russian in 1929, ...
There are many thousands of asteroids with formal names, some humdrum but other more noteworthy (depending on your predilections). One of my favourites, the name of which I was involved in suggesting, is (2472) Bradman, named for the Australian cricketing great. As a minor planet (synonym: asteroid) spotter, I have ...
Tory manifesto: big on austerity, low on promise, non-existent on delivery. The Tories: the party so big on ambition they couldn't be arsed writing a manifesto. MLK: "I have a dream!"BJ: "I'll just have a nap." Labour: Broadband!Tories: Narrow minds! Labour have hope, dreams and ambition. The Tories will save ...
The Ministry of Health has announced that “people under the age of 50 travelling from New Zealand to Samoa, Tonga, Philippines and Fiji” are now on the list of national priorities for MMR vaccination. Given the outbreaks of measles in Samoa, Tonga, Philippines and Fiji, the Ministry of Health is ...
Hong Kong has been protesting for six months for, demanding democracy, human rights, and an end to police violence. Today, they went to the polls in district council elections - a low-level of government with virtually no power, similar to community boards in New Zealand. But while the positions themselves ...
Text and photos by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh On Friday 22nd of November a curfew came into effect and troops were deployed on the streets, here in Bogota. It was the first time since September 1977 that a curfew had been imposed on the city. The decision was a cynical pre-planned ...
Meanwhile, while the government is planning to restore voting rights to prisoners, National is promising to turn our prisons into US-style slave-labour camps:The Opposition is proposing compulsory education, training or employment for prisoners who are serving sentences of two years or more. [...] On Sunday, National Party Leader Simon Bridges ...
Excerpts from Being and Being Bought, by Kajsa Ekis Ekman Spinifex Press, 2013. Ekman, a Swedish journalist and critic, brings together a Marxist and feminist analysis of prostitution and surrogacy in this groundbreaking book. This is the second part of a synopsis and brief commentary of the book by Daphna ...
Dalmeet Singh ChawlaIn 2008, psychologists proposed that when humans are shown an unfamiliar face, they judge it on two main dimensions: trustworthiness and physical strength. These form the basis of first impressions, which may help people make important social decisions, from who to vote for to how long a ...
Claas Kirchhelle, University of Oxford; Adam Roberts, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and Andrew Singer, Centre for Ecology & HydrologyAntibiotics are among the most important medicines known to humankind, but we are running out of this crucial resource. Decisive action is needed if we are to retain access to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that New Zealand's Cook Islands High Commissioner, Tessa Temata, has died over the weekend. Ms Temata, 52, died in Palmerston North and had returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. She was the first New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands of Cook Island ...
A new defence report has mapped out how New Zealand's soldiers will navigate rising seas, and a year after the Defence Force announced its need to prepare for climate change. In the “Responding to the Climate Crisis” report, the Force restates its operational plan and sets goals to tackle climate ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, has called for awareness to be raised and more stringent biosecurity checks to be put in place for African Swine Fever (ASF), a widespread virus that is uncontrolled in most of Asia and a serious ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Human Rights A critical step has been taken to end gender based violence against women and girls in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Human Rights Jenny Marcroft MP has welcomed the passing of the first reading of the Crimes (Definition of Female ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says it's time to recognise market forces haven't led to the expected reduction in Māori smoking rates and try a new approach. The Party had recently invoked the agree to disagree clause in their Coalition Agreement with the Labour Party, and will not support ...
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...
The Coalition Government will be banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, ahead of next year’s general elections. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament and passed under urgency – emphasising the need for such restrictions to safeguard our democracy. The bill introduces a new requirement that party secretaries and ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones opened Taipā's $19 million bridge recently, improving transport infrastructure in the Northland region. The two-lane bridge is 107m long with a 2.5m-wide shared walking and cycling path, and will reduce the congestion that the old one-lane bridge was notorious for. The project had also included ...
The Overseas Investment Office have rejected the application of Mercury Agriculture LP, which is 92 per cent controlled by Canadian interests, to purchase more than 2000 hectares of South Canterbury and Otago land. Mercury wanted to buy 2000ha at Rangitata, 1494ha near Ashburton, 816ha near Cromwell and 212ha near Temuka. ...
This weekend was Labour's 103rd Party Conference! We welcomed over 500 of our Labour whānau in red to Whanganui, where we reflected on the last two years in Government, and looked ahead to 2020 and beyond. We know the long-term challenges facing New Zealand won't be tackled overnight, but we're making ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced that the Provincial Growth Fund will invest $9.6 million to seal the final unsealed section of State Highway 43 from Stratford to Taumarunui. The Minister said sealing the 12-kilometre gravel section of the highway – also called the “Forgotten World Highway” - through ...
Former Finance Minister and former chair of the Tax Working Group, Sir Michael Cullen, has voiced his support for New Zealand First’s decision to oppose the planned increase in tobacco excise tax. In an interview with The Weekend Collective, he said that increasing the price was no longer effective in ...
Māori are natural storytellers. On the marae we use stories to tell our history, to teach the next generation life lessons and to let people know, in our most creative of ways, who we are and where we have come from. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First has invoked the ‘Agree to Disagree’ provisions of the Coalition Agreement because it cannot support the announced 11.46 percent increase in the tobacco excise from 1 January 2020. “Studies show that the automatic tobacco excise increases are having less effect ...
Taupō-based company Geo40 has made a breakthrough in extracting near battery-grade lithium from geothermal fluid which its says could be a gamechanger. Its chief executive John Worth said the earth mineral was highly prized, with battery-grade lithium selling for US$10,000 (NZ$15,600) a tonne. Geo40 was founded in 2010 to find ...
Crown research institute AgResearch Ltd, as part of its Future Footprint plan, had intended to relocate top scientists and support staff — particularly those focused on sheep genetics and genomics — from Invermay to Lincoln. However, those plans seem to have been shelved at the request of the Coalition Government. ...
Ten engineering firms in Southland are receiving a total of $2.13 million in Provincial Growth Fund funding to lift productivity and create new jobs. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced in Invercargill that the 10 engineering and manufacturing firms would receive funding to assist them with buying equipment that ...
The number of new residents to New Zealand is the lowest it has been in nearly two decades and it has earned the ire of the immigration industry. The industry alleges that 'Trump-style extreme vetting' is being put in place aimed at keeping a lid on immigration numbers. June Ranson, ...
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is one step closer to modernising its fleet after the United States State Department recently approved the sale of five new C-130J Hercules aircraft to New Zealand. Arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in Fort Worth, Texas, will provide the aircraft, but as a "foreign military ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones wants to create a log barging facility at Hicks Bay and turn the area into a Special Economic Zone. The move would be part of protecting New Zealand's forests from being depleted by India and China, he said. It follows his announcement last week to strengthen ...
New Zealand First supports the changes recommended by the Winter Grazing Taskforce to improve animal welfare outcomes through the winter months, and the establishment of a pan-sector action group to implement them. New Zealand First Primary Industries Spokesperson Mark Patterson says the report highlights areas of concern about the animal ...
Former prime ministers Helen Clark and Sir John Key, formerly from the Labour and National parties respectively, have joined forces in support of New Zealand First’s plan to relocate Auckland's port to Whangārei. While Ms Clark and Sir John spent their political careers on opposite sides of the political divide, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in Japan for the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the G20 grouping of countries as one of nine "invited" countries. He has used the opportunity to cast a spotlight on the plight of Pacific countries, calling out countries which still offered subsidies or Government assistance to ...
It's been a great week of progress: we've celebrated Children's Day, we've made communities safer with 1800 new police, and we've seen almost 90% of eligible schools take up Government funding to scrap school donations - taking pressure off the families of more than 416,000 students. ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Forestry The Government will further strengthen New Zealand’s wood processing sector as part of our focus on ‘value over volume’ in our forestry industry, Forestry Minister Shane Jones says. Minister Jones will today meet with forestry representatives in Northland to signal new measures to help the ...
New Zealand First are celebrating the announcement of an investment of $3.5 million into five new trapping devices. These are a range of bait and trap devices, all designed to be left unattended for long periods of time. NZ First conservation spokesperson Jenny Marcroft says that this latest development will ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Police New Zealand First is proud to have delivered on a key Coalition Agreement commitment to adding 1800 new frontline police, with the graduation of Recruit Wing 332 in Porirua today. Law and Order Spokesperson Darroch Ball says increasing police numbers and boosting their resources was one ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Conservation New Zealand First is proud to announce the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) has allocated $3.5 million to develop innovative predator control approaches which will reduce the need for repeated 1080 use. $19.5 million of PGF funding was announced for Predator Free 2050 Limited in February ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the first reading of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 2021 (APEC 2021) Bill in Parliament today. The temporary bill supports New Zealand’s security preparations for hosting the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum ...
The Government will fund the bulk of the cost of a rural water supply for the Ohakea community affected by PFAS contamination, Environment Minister David Parker announced today at a meeting of local residents. This new water scheme will provide a reliable and clean source of drinking water to the ...
I have had the opportunity to be briefed on the details of the volcanic eruption of Whakaari/White Island, off the coast of Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty. The eruption happened at 2.11pm today. It continues to be an evolving situation. We know that there were a number of tourists ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare have today confirmed initial Government support of $100,000 for communities affected by the severe weather that swept across the South Island and lower North Island over the weekend. The contribution will be made to Mayoral relief funds across the ...
New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, Tessa Temata, died in Palmerston North over the weekend, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said today. Ms Temata, 52, had recently returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. "On behalf of the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, we extend ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today announced construction is underway on Wellington commuter rail upgrades which will mean more frequent services and fewer breakdowns. The upgrades include converting the Trentham to Upper Hutt single track section to a double track, with a new signalling system, upgraded stations and level crossings, and ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark and Minister for Climate Change James Shaw have announced the release of a Defence Climate Change Implementation Work Plan, titled Responding to the Climate Crisis: An Implementation Plan. The plan sets out a series of recommendations based on the 2018 New Zealand Defence Assessment, The ...
A medium-scale adverse event has been declared for the South Canterbury district, which will see up to $50,000 in funding made available to support farming communities which have been significantly affected by recent heavy rain and flooding in the area, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Two weeks of solid rain ...
Thank you Professor Juliet Gerrard and your team for the comprehensive and extremely helpful report and recommendations. Thank you too to all the stakeholders and interested parties who have contributed ideas and thinking to it. “Making best practice, standard practice” is a great framework for change and the action plan ...
The Government will phase out more single-use plastics following the success of its single-use plastic bag ban earlier this year and the release today of a pivotal report for dealing with waste. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed the Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealandreport, released by her Chief Science Advisor ...
International education continues to thrive as the Government focuses on quality over quantity, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. The tuition revenue from international education increased to $1.16 billion last year with the average tuition fee per student increasing by $960. The total number of international students enrolled in New Zealand ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says new appointments to DHBs represent a significant changing of the guard, with 13 new chairs including four Māori chairs. Today 76 appointments have been announced to complement elected board members, as well as eight elected members appointed as either chair or deputy chair. Four ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Fletcher Tabuteau, is travelling to Germany, Poland, Austria, and Spain next week to bolster New Zealand’s political and trade relationships in Europe. While in Spain, Mr Tabuteau will represent New Zealand at the 14th Asia-Europe (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Madrid. “New Zealand strongly supports ...
“I’ve spoken to Minister Faafoi, who has apologised for his poor handling of this issue,” Jacinda Ardern said. “I have confidence in Kris as a hardworking and effective Minister, but this should have been dealt with in a much clearer manner, and I’ve made my views on that very clear ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters met with Tongan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa in Wellington today. The pair signed a Statement of Partnership setting out joint priorities for cooperation out to 2023. “We welcomed Prime Minister Tu'i'onetoa on his first visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister. Tonga ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash says his sympathies are with the family of a man who died after being shot by Police in Kurow. “Initial reports are that Police were called by a family member to help the man who was threatening to harm himself,” Mr Nash says. “However ...
Ethnic communities will be able to plan and deliver more community initiatives thanks to an increase in Government funding, Minister for Ethnic Communities Hon Jenny Salesa said today. “Ensuring Aotearoa New Zealand is a place we can all be proud to call home has been a key priority of our ...
Healthier waterways, better productivity and farmer wellbeing are front and centre in a new project involving more than 1000 Southland farmers and growers. Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor today announced that the Thriving Southland Change and Innovation Project is the first region-wide extension programme supported by the $229 million Sustainable ...
Work to look after nature and restore freshwater quality in Te Hoiere/Pelorus River catchment is getting a significant boost, thanks to new Government funding support Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage announced in Canvastown today. “Every New Zealander should be able to swim in their local river without getting sick, and ...
Eight Queen’s Counsel have been appointed under a process that includes the new criterion of a commitment to improving access to justice, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. “The new criterion was included this year. It emphasises that excellence and leadership in the profession can be seen through a wider, community ...
Onslow College in Wellington will get 20 new classrooms for more than 400 students, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The much-needed investment will relieve growth pressure the school has been experiencing for some time. Seven existing classrooms which have deteriorated over time will also be replaced, bringing the total ...
More than 250 young New Zealanders will add international experience to their education, thanks to the latest Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA) and Latin America (PMSLA), Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. This round of scholarships supports 252 recent graduates or current students to undertake study, research or internships ...
Consumers will benefit from a more competitive, transparent retail fuel market as a result of changes the Government will be making in response to the findings of the Commerce Commission’s study of the fuel sector. “We accept the Commission’s findings and, as the Prime Minister has said, we’re ready to ...
Five new cancer medicines have now been funded this year, meaning thousands of people have more treatment options PHARMAC has today announced that it has approved two new medicines for funding – fulvestrant for breast cancer and olaparib for ovarian cancer. This follows earlier decisions on advanced lung cancer treatment alectinib, ...
The Minister of Local Government, Hon Nanaia Mahuta says the Government will consider making changes to local electoral legislation before the 2022 elections to fix the problems that have arisen where elections are settled by a coin toss. The Minister says the recount process in the Murupara- Galatea ward at ...
New Zealand will sign up to new international maritime regulations to reduce ship emissions and lift air quality around ports and harbours, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today. Subject to completion of the Parliamentary treaty examination process, New Zealand will sign up to Annex VI of MARPOL, an ...
New legislation to transform our urban areas and create sustainable, inclusive and thriving communities will tomorrow be introduced to Parliament, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said. “The Urban Development Bill gives Kāinga Ora-Homes and Communities the tools it needs to partner with councils, communities, mana whenua and private developers to ...
Today’s launch of He taonga te Tamaiti: Every child a taonga: The Early Learning Action Plan 2019-2029 provides the foundation for long-lasting changes to early learning, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. “Early learning will be one of the Government’s top education priorities going into 2020,” Chris Hipkins said. ...
Major decisions made by the Government will now be considered under a climate change lens, Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. “Cabinet routinely considers the effects of its decisions on human rights, the Treaty of Waitangi, rural communities, the disability community, and gender – now climate change will ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced the appointment of Māori education specialist Dr Wayne Ngata and Business NZ head Kirk Hope to the Board of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). Dr Alastair MacCormick has been reappointed for another term. “Wayne Ngata, Kirk Hope and Alastair MacCormick bring a great deal ...
The next phase of the Pike River Re-entry project is underway, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little says. “Fresh air will be pumped into the Pike River Mine drift this week, following acceptance of the plan for re-entry beyond the 170m barrier by New Zealand’s independent health and ...
New Zealand consumers will have greater certainty about their insurance cover when they need to make claims as a result of proposed government changes. “Insurance is vitally important in supporting consumers and businesses to be financially resilient when unexpected events happen,” Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Kris Faafoi said. ...
The Crown is providing an opportunity for the hapu of Ngāpuhi to rebuild its framework from the ground up for collective negotiations to deal with its historical Treaty claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little and Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The Crown is also ...
A Bill enabling referendums to be held with the 2020 General Election has passed its third reading. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Act is important for upholding the integrity of New Zealand’s electoral process. “The Government has committed to holding a referendum on legalising recreational cannabis at the next ...
The first release of public information on the two referendums to be held at next year’s General Election was made today with an informative new Government website going live. Additionally, the draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill has been released, showing the strict controls on cannabis that will apply if ...
The Government is taking action to protect New Zealand from foreign interference in our elections by banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced today. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament this afternoon and passed under urgency. “There’s no need for anyone other than New ...
Governments and tech companies are holding a two-day workshop, hosted by YouTube/Google in Wellington, to test the Christchurch Call Shared Crisis Response Protocol. The workshop aims to refine and strengthen the response in the event of a terrorist attack with online implications. Companies, governments, civil society experts and NGOs will ...
The new independent Cancer Control Agency has formally opened today, delivering on the Government’s plan to improve cancer care in New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Health David Clark marked the occasion by announcing the membership of the Advisory Council that will be supporting ...
Small businesses who deal with government departments are set to be paid faster and have improved cash flow as a result, under a new strategy released today. The Government is backing recommendations from the Small Business Council (SBC) and has agreed to implement three initiatives immediately to support business and ...
The Education and Training Bill 2019, introduced in Parliament today, proposes the biggest education changes in decades and is an important step towards improving success for all our learners, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. “The Bill’s rewrite of education legislation is long overdue. Indeed one Education Act, parts of which ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio will travel to Bali to represent New Zealand at the 12th Bali Democracy Forum that will be held on the 5-6 December. “The Forum is a valuable opportunity for Asia-Pacific countries to share experiences and best practice in building home-grown democracy and fostering ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Celine Boehm, Head of School for Physics, University of Sydney A team of scientists in Hungary recently published a paper that hints at the existence of a previously unknown subatomic particle. The team first reported finding traces of the particle in 2016, ...
At the request of the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern, the New Zealand Flag is to be flown at half-mast on all Government and public buildings with immediate effect as a mark of mourning and respect for the victims of the Whakaari/White ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Connell, Research Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University When farmers descended on Parliament House in Canberra this month to demand the Murray Darling Basin Plan be dumped, they reserved sharp words for Nationals leader Michael McCormack. “The National ...
From tennis champions to dance craze inventors, Scratched celebrates New Zealand sporting heroes who never got their due – but whose legacies deserve to be in lights. This month, Barbara Cox, the matriarch of New Zealand football.New Zealand’s first women’s football team wasn’t formed until 1975. Barbara Cox was the ...
White Island tour operators say the eruption risk level on the island yesterday was within their guidelines to keep operating. Yet when tragedy strikes, it’s natural to question whether the powers that be made the right decisions. ...
The roll of drums sounded for many months — but the Reserve Bank’s call on how the country’s banks could withstand a one-in-200-year financial crisis landed with less of a bang, more like a whimper, last week. At least, that’s how the markets interpreted the decision of the Governor, Adrian ...
Looking back on 10 years of wild, weird and wonderful food stories in Aotearoa.It’s been a hell of a decade for food here in New Zealand. Sure, there have been tedious trends aplenty – the rise of bloody kale, bloody coconut oil, bloody poké bowls – but the following list ...
What the hell are you meant to give the person who has everything? Don’t worry, Sam Brooks has you covered with the gift guide for that person in your life.It’s that time of year again – that time of the year when you have to think about your sociopathic friend. ...
Wellbeing may be at the centre of government strategy, but too many children and whānau are remaining on the outer, cautions The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP). In a series of report cards released today, the RACP’s Aotearoa NZ President, ...
"You get this sudden depressurisation, same as sort of taking the top off of a soft drink bottle or pulling the cork out of a bottle of champagne. It depressurises and the materials underneath rise very, very quickly." ...
Looking back on 10 years which saw New Zealand’s media transform from a position of near-limitless power and influence to the deeply humbled reality of today. At the end of 2009 I had resigned from my first good job, convinced that print media was finished. The good job was as editor ...
Sending in armed police is exactly how not to defuse a situation where a person is highly distressed and suicidal, writes someone who has been in a similar situation herself.Last week a man was shot by police. There’d been a call for help – he was suicidal, had a weapon ...
Report into 2017 general election tipped to be published shortly; and higher benefits, more state housing needed to combat child poverty - Children's Commissioner. ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed that her Cabinet is in agreement that it "is not viable" for the North Island's main port to remain in Auckland. ...
Anyone watching the news coverage of the debate over Auckland's port would think a move to Northland is a real prospect. It's not, writes Bernard Hickey, who sees it purely as a political oxygen machine for NZ First. ...
Local party members have today selected Jake Bezzant as National’s candidate in Upper Harbour for the 2020 Election. Mr Bezzant is replacing Paula Bennett, National’s Campaign Chair, who isn’t seeking re-election in Upper Harbour but will stand as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jean-Philippe Deranty, Professor, Macquarie University Hardly a week goes by without a report announcing the end of work as we know it. In 2013, Oxford University academics Carl Frey and Michael Osborne were the first to capture this anxiety in a paper ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Asha Bowen, Head, Skin Health, Telethon Kids Institute Antibiotic-resistant infections already cause at least 700,000 deaths globally every year. Although the phenomenon is most concerning for serious infections people are admitted to hospital with, antibiotic resistance means common bacterial infections could one ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Holly Thorpe, Professor in Sociology of Sport and Physical Culture, University of Waikato Recently, several elite sportswomen have spoken out about toxic sport culture and the damage it does to their long-term health. Mary Cain went from being the fastest and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Reid, Professor Emeritus of Education, University of South Australia Since the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) began in 2000, published results have sent commentators and politicians in some countries into meltdown. The release of the 2018 test results last ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Keys, PhD Researcher, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University This is the second article in a series to mark the 50th anniversary of the landmark Melbourne Transportation Plan. Transport models are often singled out as a barrier to providing more sustainable ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Toohey, Professor of Law, University of Newcastle An important part of the World Trade Organization will cease to function from midnight. December 10 is when the terms of two of the remaining three members of its Appellate Body expire. It is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron Burton, Lecturer in Media Arts, University of Wollongong Fans of Ridley Scott’s 1982 masterpiece Blade Runner returned to cinemas last month for an unusual milestone: history catching up with science fiction. Blade Runner opens in Los Angeles, in November 2019. Furnaces ...
Welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Death toll from Whakaari eruption likely to rise, cabinet agrees Auckland port must move, and expensive Christchurch stadium details released.A tragic death toll from the eruption of Whakaari/White Island is likely to rise. The number of those killed is currently five at the time ...
Aerial reconnaissance missions have flown over Whakaari-White Island since the eruption on Monday afternoon and there are no signs of any survivors, police say. ...
The British people have a chance to stop the new age of hostility and belligerence before it is fully unleashed in the country's most significant election in 40 years, writes Neal Curtis. ...
The world number one in long drive golf, Kiwi Phillis Meti, wants to see equal pay for women, and more Maori and Polynesian girls striking the ball ...
How can we protect our privacy online in the face of increasingly clever marketing and retailing ploys? Victoria University of Wellington's Dr Marcin Betkier has some thoughts. ...
Commercial media, a business that requires public trust and goodwill, is in a tough financial position right now. Gaurav Sharma says that’s in part because of its poor job of reaching immigrant communities, in the first of a new monthly column for The Spinoff.Let’s start with a test, about references ...
We don’t normally see these eruptions coming, no matter how much we would like to. Many systems are already ‘primed’ for such events, but the triggers are poorly understood, writes Shane Cronin of the University of Auckland.As of Monday night five people have been confirmed dead, 18 had been rescued ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shane Cronin, Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Auckland Five people have been confirmed dead, 23 have been rescued and several remain unaccounted for after a sudden volcanic eruption on Whakaari/White Island off the east coast of New Zealand. The island is ...
One person is dead, 23 have been rescued and potentially two dozen people are unaccounted for on Whakaari/White Island, after it erupted on Monday. ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters are to be commended for their leadership on the Upper North Island port issue, Waterfront 2029 Spokesperson Michael Goldwater said today. The Prime Minister today announced that ...
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It is no wonder that people are so very cynical about politics and politicians…
witness the Kiwibuild reset…
Gone from building homes to encourage a greater supply
To providing financial assistance to encourage a greater demand
Watch demand soar, house values rise again, and Labour get back into power off the back of it..
pfftt….
Labour has just kicked the entire housing issue down the road again… just like John Key… who propelled property prices (and hence electability) off the back of immigration…
no cred
The government had the chance to reboot the home ownership schemes that were in place before the 1990's but completely bottled it in favour of loading people up with more debt, and some charity run rent to own scheme for the 'poor', which is probably as expensive to them as renting.
And no, Judith, 'relaxing planning laws' will NOT make a single cheap house.
"home ownership schemes that were in place before the 1990's but completely bottled it in favour of loading people up with more debt"
What did you think State Advances was ' pixie dust' ?. You had to pay it back.
Then like now there are various grants to bridge the deposit gap etc
This current Labour Government would not have a f#%king clue when it comes to solving this Housing Crisis, Twitford was so out of his depth and over his head in water it was not even funny IMHO ?
Colmar Brunton just the other month found 60% support for the Kiwibuild scheme to continue…
NZFnearly extinct also Duke of F ?
listening to housing minister megan wood on rnz..
oh dear..!
oh fucken dear..!
(walks over to wall – starts banging forehead against it..)
Surprised you have a wall to bang your head against. Given the duopoly of westfarmers and fletchers on building supplies and the lack of government action to fix it, i would have thought the wall is more valuable than the head you bang against it
Been like that since Adam was a Cowboy, neither Labour or National have the balls to do anything about it ?
i love it how defenders(?) of this mess – are pointing the finger at the useless bastards in the last gummint..
i don't see how they can get past the fact it is 2 yrs into this gummint..
and this is where we are…
f.f.s..!
blaming the tories still – just has people rolling their eyes/turning away..
a new tagline for kiwibuild:..?
'kiwibuild – not waving – drowning'…
Kiwi's drowning in debt, paying for high priced rubbish houses driven by Asian House Price Speculators, John Key's Housing Ponzi Scheme funded by the Ozzie Banks ?
The Tories often leave a mess for the left wing to tidy up. History always appears to repeat itself IMHO ?
tories make a mess..
labour don't fix it up..
tories make even more mess…
labour (again) fail to fix it up..
(repeat…)
which brings us to now…
100% Correct I Agree
Voters when asked disagree….meanwhile in various bubbles they continue in their not knowing what they dont know
are you talking about yr nz first bubble there..?…d of f..?
you are right – they really 'don't know what they don't know'…
Kirk's Labour would have addressed it. Something wrong constitutionally with the wiring since ACT founder Roge.
for the first time – i am thinking this gummint may not be re-elected..
(this degree of incompetence is fucken mind-blowing..)
and if that happens – it will be all their own doing…
Cleangreen thinks it’s all national 5th columnists in the public sector though? Surely they can take some blame
for the first time – i am thinking this gummint may not be re-elected.
You're thinking people will return National to power due to its proven competence in dealing with the housing crisis, maybe?
I'm not sure what "competence" people want to see here. So many voters have a vested interest in high property prices that most of the serious moves the government could make would see them thrown out of office. Understandably, the governing parties don't see being chucked out after one term as a demonstration of "competence," so they're not doing those things.
That leaves building more state houses, which they are doing. But even there, National's boxed them in with a shortage of tradespeople and the inability to borrow large sums of money. Being the government isn't a doddle.
borrow to build HNZ stock = nil net debt and as it is balance sheet has no effect on surplus.
anyway we don’t have targets anymore 😉, so there is no issue
National did not cock up kiwiwbuild, not did they make labour increase their target from an unobtainable 50,000 to 100,000. Labour’s arrogance and a poor selection of minister are the reason for this failure 🤬
Poor selection of Minister nails it. That arrogant vacuous Twyford may well be an appropriate choice for looking after the Parlimentary broom cupboard, but not as Minister for what is one of the most important portfolios of the government.
Twitford didn't have a clue and still doesn't.
Labours blind faith in it's liberal free market ideology is in fact the reason why this Labour party can't and never could fix NZ's housing disaster, they will never be the fearless transformative progressive political party that is needed to overcome the many mountains we need to climb as a country..that is unfortunately just a fact.
And I would say that yes Labour could easily lose the next election…hard to imagine a more perverse loss…or for that matter even just scraping back into office in a run against the most unliked National leader in probably their entire history would be a humiliation…although not according to many third way Labour supporters on this forum, who seem to think that getting into power is all politics is about, at any cost, including losing the very essence of what a Labour Party should actually stand for, which bothers them not one iota.
Turn Labour Left!
Hate to think of a loss, as Nats offer little. BUT now we are seeing that we cannot believe what Labour promises to be delivered. Megan Woods "we are not reneging on any election promises" . I would suggest minister to read what you went to the election on and listen to the 2nd link.
9 MONTHS (wasted) in the making and there are hardly any answers or detail " as many as we can as quick as we can" – How does that install confidence for those wanting to enter the housing market ??
Megan Woods hasn't even done any modelling what income levels will apply, rent to buy scheme what equity will build up.
The ability of those that we are given to vote on, it appears to me that we vote on the lesser or 2 evils option.
@ a. thornton..
agreed..!
"Turn Labour Left"
Join the party and help them.
Turn Labour Left!
We've had lots of lefter than Labour parties here. Including some that have been in Parliament, even government. Which one would you like Labour to be more like? Socialist Aotearoa? Mana? IMP? Progressive? Alliance? Communist League?
Do you notice anything those parties all have in common?
"as it is balance sheet has no effect on surplus."
Thats correct as 'surplus' is operating expenditure not capital – such as houses.
Don't worry, Jude has offered to work with Labour to sort out this absolute cluster-f**k-of-mega-proportions (she really is a selfless, giving person) so if Labour do want to fix this mess-of-thier-own-making all they have to do is accept the olive branch and let Jude take over 🙂
Remember when Jude was writing to Twyford to get builders in her electorate lined up for Kiwibuild projects…… she seems to have forgotten 'then Jude' to 'now Jude'
I remember that Dukefurl.
Nope don't recall anything like that, sounds like fake news to me
"Housing Minister Phil Twyford has accused his Opposition counterpart of bagging KiwiBuild in one breath, then asking for it to fund developments in her electorate the next.
Judith Collins has admitted writing a letter to Mr Twyford asking about a new Papakura apartment block's eligibility for KiwiBuild, but denies that constitutes an endorsement of the Labour-led programme."
Naturally when Jude is accusing someone of lying – shes standing in front of the mirror.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/06/judith-collins-accused-phil-twyford-of-lying-about-her-kiwibuild-letter.html
She once sued Little and Mallard and yet it was resolved by her written admission they were correct.
Labour need Judith Collins skills to get Kiwi Build back on track IMHO.
um..!..no…
Has it ever occured to you that a political party could run on a manifesto that they actually believe in and will stand for no matter what the fallout might be?
Has it ever occurred to you that a political party can achieve more by remaining in power through several elections in order to make gains in more areas and consolidate gains made in previous terms?
It's a shitload easier for a new government to reverse something introduced a year or two ago that half the population is firmly against and a fair chunk of the rest think may be a step too far, compared to trying to reverse something introduced four or five years ago that's bedded in and didn't arouse quite such strong opposition to begin with.
oh..!..the incrementalist-argument..!..
what a refreshing change..!
Don't hear it much among the people you hang out with?
post-douglas neoliberal-incrementalism from clark through 'till now…
is what has got us into this unholy mess..
you seriously defend it..?
Yep. It's how you get lasting change. The other lot used it to get us here, we need to use it to go back in a better direction. Going for the glorious revolution will last exactly until the next election.
i for one am not expecting 'glorious revolution'…
i am just expecting that 'transformational'-stuff we were promised pre-election..
all in their own words….
is that too much to ask..?
If you're looking for your idea of "transformational", you're being unrealistic expecting Labour to push anywhere near as much as you would like. They are fighting for the centre voters, after all. And what looks transformational to those centre voters will look like insipid incremental centrism to you.
You'd be much better off putting your hopes and efforts into a party like the Greens – that are consciously targeted at a small part of the electorate, and try to lift them to where Greens plus Labour don't need anyone else.
+1 Andre
Even if the manifesto, when put into practise, turns out to be unrealistically optomistic?
Besides some management issues, the kiwibuild output was managable but the model of implementation turned out to be unworkable – mostly due to the partnership with developers.
I think they should have figured out a timeline for the 100k homes (split into different types – developer partnerships, new state homes, and government developments), rather than nuking the target completely. I.e. kept the plan for the number of homes but adjusted the timeline. But sticking to the timeline and the number was unworkable.
The manifesto did offer alternatives ie reduce the demand side by flattening the curve.Far more cost effective and sustainable.
In total, these changes are estimated to reduce net migration by 20,000-30,000. Without these changes there would be up to 10,000 more houses needed and up to 20,000 more vehicles on our roads annually. Our immigration system will be regularly reviewed to ensure it is functioning well.
https://www.labour.org.nz/immigration
how's that going?
@ pm..
'You're thinking people will return National to power due to its proven competence in dealing with the housing crisis, maybe?'
no…
'I'm not sure what "competence" people want to see here.'
oh..i dunno..maybe a bit more than has been displayed to date..?
and – it's all nationals' fault – and being in gummint is hard..
well that's all ok then..nothing to see here..eh..?
Well, nothing except the failure of a flagship policy, which is a pretty substantial blow to any government.
When your work involves massive high-stakes projects, your failures are very public and humiliating. But if my work experience has taught me anything, it's taught me that when people have done their best and failed you might feel like berating them for incompetence, but actually doing it isn't going to improve their productivity and it saps morale in a much wider group than the one you're addressing.
just don't feel like holding their hands – and going: 'there there – everything'll be ok – just try a bit harder next time'..
i'll leave that task to/for you – you seem to be up for it..
I hope no-one ever gives you a job in management
heh..!..that's quite clever/funny…
(and it seems so heartfelt – to boot..)
Agree, PM.. Negative feedback can make people dislike something, but it very rarely helps them to like something and feel motivated.
Labour primarily is Ideologically Driven, they have very few MP's with real life experiences IMHO ?
Really ?
And national has . Bridges was a prosecutor – a glorified public servant.
English was a treasury analyst- for a few years- before 30 years in Parliament but they worked the 'farming adjacent' thing to cover that up.
Nick Smith didnt work in his family bridge building company after graduate school , 30 years in Parliament.
Paula's background started with the Napier Tattoo Club and the Stag Truck stop but found it too hard and stayed on the DPB. Newspapers have lawyers letters from PB telling them not to get the time lines for above 3 mixed up.
McClay worked as chief of staff for some UK EU poobah.
Goldsmith has been in beehive or MPs/Ministers offices much like Bishop , Kaye and Willis
"real life experiences"
So, their MPs have fake life experiences? What would that consist of?
IMHO? I would emphasise the H for that one.
The government doesn't have to borrow large sums of money for KiwiBuild, or what ever the fuck they call it now.
The government can create whatever capital it needs. I believe they call it Quantitative Easing these days.
I dont think there is a single person reading that who thinks you know better in any shape or form
"listening to housing minister megan wood on rnz."
trying to think of ways out of this mess:
i think that kiwibuild needs to be identified for what it is:
middle-class welfare..
in no way is it designed to help those who need it the most..
and so as a concept should be canned..
and as corin dann asked megan wood this morning:(i paraphrase..)
'why doesn't labour return to its' knitting – and forget about being in the market – and focus on building state houses..?'
to which i can only say 'hear..!..hear..!'..
and would also mention again how post ww2 10,000 houses a year were built..(surely there must be historians/theses knowing the mechanics of how that was done – surely it would e of value to at least look there..?..)
my understanding is that some 1,500 state houses have been built – and that is good..but it almost seems like it is something labour is ashamed of – they have sold that fact/success so poorly – it must be deliberate – and i see it as part of labour pandering to that tory swing-voter and trying not to offend..
so like corin dann sez – labour should proudly commit to house the homeless/poor – and to go full tilt into state house building..(and not gimcrack-hovels..!)
the rent-to-buy/shared-equity ideas look good – on the surface – the devil will be in the detail/criterea..(fingers still crossed there..)
i also feel the obvious moves are into pre-built etc..
and why not a mortgage-fund where those who want to – can present concepts of alternative/much-cheaper buildings – and get funding for them..?
(and of course councils need to be made to toe that line – their arbitrary/subjective bullshit has to be swept away…)
oh dear..!..megan woods just confirming that shared-equity will be for people earning over $87,000…
they have learnt sweet fuck all from their epic failure…
and once again – those who need it the most – can just go rot…
hang yr fucken heads..!..labour supporters..
how the fuck can you defend that..?
Duke will be along any minute now to do just that
is that 87K household or individual income?
household…
the point being that is still 'a joke' – as far as those who need such a scheme are concerned..
i.e. the poor can just continue to rot..under this labour government..
2 x minimum wage (40 hours pw) is 73k…87k aint far off
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/98194980/small-businesses-may-struggle-to-pay-higher-minimum-wage-businessnz
Are you rotting under this labour government?
I wonder … actually 2 things. One, why Chris Trotter argued against a Left coalition this time? That is a story I haven't been able to understand.
Two, why is most commenting on Open Mike done before the evening? Seems as unnatural as vampires in sunlight to me. Hoary with the glory of dawn's bracing air? Relaxing contemplative does best after the day's activity, he proposes.
Kiwibuild houses in Wanaka too… ffs what were they thinking… apart from dishing out lollies to the elite.
Shame no one told them it wasn't going to work…🤣
I don't think there has ever been a more predictable failure of any government policy.
Everyone other than Labour, and some of the media who failed to critically review the policy, knew it would never fly.
National can rightly say, "told you so" now
Which of Nationals 'increase the supply' policies do you want to citique
Remember when Nick Smith went around various ' sites' in Auckland saying they are public owned and houses can go there. How many houses did go there.
Remember the Special Housing Areas, how many extra low cost houses did that build.
Guess who at the last election promised 'more more more' houses.
+1 Dukeofurl. The Ihumātao dispute is a result of the National government's SHA's.
There are more more more houses. We are in the middle of a construction boom.
The point is Kiwibuild was doomed for failure as predicted by everyone other than Labour.
Three little letters
S H A
How did that go……not
I think you are arguing with yourself.
Not sure why you are rabbtting on about the previous government. They failed and we kicked them out of office.
Because too many still believe and parrot their talking points
No-one here is and certainly not me.
You can support the left and still be critical of this government. I am not all of a sudden going to break the habit of a lifetime and begin voting for National.
At the same time, I am not going to pretend that noting is wrong with this government. They made bold statements and promises in 2017 and should be held to account against what they were voted in on.
Simply saying 'but at least we tried' isn't good enough. That just encourages future politicians to make grand unrealistic promises without ever having to deliver on them
it could quite possibly have 'flown' if done correctly –
remembering that post ww2 10,000 houses a yr were built..
(and that was before nail-guns were invented – every nail hammered in using a hammer..)
whereas this clown-clusterfuck can't come within a bulls' roar of that number – (nail-guns notwithstanding)..
Is that your extent of your knowledge, a hammer hand from 1960
build time for the average 3 bedroom house up until the 90s was 12 weeks…care to compare that with today?
you just like flinging insults..eh..?
that's all ya got…?
carry on..!
and with that in mind – i’ll treat your drivel with the contempt it deserves..eh..?
Every community has a range of people living there in terms of wealth. The elite of Wanaka still need workers, teachers, clerical staff etc etc.
I'd venture to say that affordable housing is more difficult to find in wealthy communities than in poorer communities.
+1 mac1
The elite will happily make do with third world workers who can sleep under bridges for all they care.
When what suits is presented to you at waist level it's hard to refuse.
Everyone needs a ski chalet
the poor ski..?…don't they..?
they really just want some servants quarters' – in wanaka..
and the middle-class find it very difficult to get good help while on their ski-hols..
how about showing them a bit of sympathy..?
I was mocking kiwi build for building the wrong type of houses in the wrong area. They may well end up as holiday homes for the wealthy.
yes i know you were..
as was i…
Does anyone have the expertise to comment on whether it is proper that the prosecutor of a case which has been "resolved" then contacts media themselves and more or less tries to publicly "relitigate" an outcome he had agreed to.
I am aware that not all is always as it seems, but now that more details of whatever occurred have been published it appears that normally such a case would not have made news or headlines without the "political" interest, that interest in fact should have no bearing on the case or its outcome.
What would be the motivation for the prosecutor himself in contacting the media and does anyone know if this is "proper"?
"But, despite the plea deal, prosecutor David Johnstone wished to outline the Crown's position in an email to the Herald and other journalists who covered the trial.
It was in response to an earlier media statement by the accused's lawyer Emma Priest."
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12264837
Reading the article, I guess the prosecutor was left little alternative, after the defence lawyer had already approached the media with inflammatory and incorrect claims.
Of more interest, why does the guilty party still have name suppression? Very unusual, something usually reserved for All Blacks and other Neanderthals. Must be some politicians son eh.
I nearly mentioned the defendant's solicitor speaking to media but it looked clear that media asked for comment and got it, I'm not sure why they didn't ask for comment from the prosecutor's office he could have made a comment that was relevant to the case and the outcome in an immediate manner not in hindsight.
½ of NZ could tell you which politicians son, there have been "interesting" cases that are not specific to "All Blacks and other Neanderthals", the case may well be that they are all Neanderthals.
Anyway do you think this case would be in the media if it hadn't been a "politician's" son?
"approached the media with inflammatory and incorrect claims."
The accused was offered and pleaded to 2 x assault charges. ( the crimes have same
The sexual assault charges where all withdrawn, so that is saying there was no sexual assault as alleged by the Crown. Exactly as the lawyer claimed during ( and before ?) the trial.
I am female and over 60, not that has any bearing other than I have children and grandchildren because I am, and now they are, aware of what happens in certain settings it is my certain view that had it not been able to be made political no one would have been even aware of what happened.
How many times in people's lives has this sort of thing happened it is not excusable but it is the reality of out of control drunken behaviour, whoever his parents are they are probably really glad he was not in charge of a vehicle.
That aside is this the same sort of "fair" trial that one of his peers would have had and is the prosecutor allowed to contact media the way he did?
Yes and no.
Plea deals are a sad but important part of the process. The greatly lower the workload of the justice system. And yes, one is legally "innocent until proven guilty". But that doesn't mean there was no sexual assault (legally the complaint still was made), nor does it mean the guy is the victim his lawyer is making him out to be.
Lower the workload ?
This was in the middle of a jury trial. thats a fanciful claim about lowering workload. It happens the other way too…multiple charges are 'pre-loaded' to makes the crime stats look good when a single charge will do.
Lawyer I was talking to a few years back reckoned something like 80% of cases were plea agreements.
Sure, they left it late in this case, but it probably saved a few days off the schedule.
Weak case , to throw in the towel by the Crown in middle of trial, after most of the witnesses called. Were the crown afraid the judge might dismiss the case , after application by the defence , before the jury retired ?
I wouldnt say I was a habitue of the courts, but isnt it the defendants who are finally convinced by their lawyers to plead guilty to trial charges
No case is 100%. Jury trials can be unpredictable. Sexual assault trials are also notoriously difficult to prosecute.
So the prosecution risk the guy walking away. The guy risks getting a sexual assault conviction. So prosecution and defence find a happy medium of the charges that are mild enough for him to wear but are at least some measure of punishment for the prosecution.
It's not ideal, but then ideally people wouldn't assault other people, sexually or otherwise.
You must live in a cave Duke, McFlock is 100% correct.
You only have to be on jury service at a busy court to see all the "horse trading"
So when was the last time the Crown took the defendants offer to settle in the middle of a jury trial. There is no saving of lawyers time and court time at that stage.
The defence opening statement was 'this isnt a sexual assault' case.
Yes I have been called for jury duty , and yes they have a second case line up if the first case settles on the 'step of the court'.
This is practically a settlement just before the judge instructs the jury .
The only possible later time is before the jury returns
Except the jury is immediately dismissed and zero witnesses are called to argue the case cbecause the charges either have guilty pleas or withdrawals.
Middle of the road enough probably to think "there but for the grace of . . ." on both sides of the offending behaviour and/or you let them out of you sight for five mins. There few things more reckless and sad than a young male trying to make an impression or fit in especially when drunk, something that probably needed to be in court, especially one of public opinion, is how they got access to alcohol – or was the person of age – without supervision around the younger ones.
The accused was a guest at the camp.So what makes you think he's a politician's son?
Because he has pleaded guilty and still has name suppression. The establishment, whether National, Labour or other, ALWAYS protects ts it's own. Besides, I think by now most know the identity.
True, five minutes on google will tell you who his mother is.
Wasnt a member of Young labour at all….and friend of a friend it seems.
Not even close, Try son of an MP
That could be anyone.
Well I don't Peter. Can you give me a clue?
I dont know, can you be more specific?
Here are a couple of good pieces on Sanders (or maybe we should just say The Progressive Left) vs corporate media…
Bernie Sanders Is Coming to American Journalism's Rescue
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/bernie-sanders-is-coming-to-american-journalisms-rescue/
Corporate Media Bias Against Sanders Is Structural, Not a Conspiracy
Ms Southern is/was a significant contributor to Levant's hate rag, too.
A formal criminal complaint for hate propaganda has been filed with the Ottawa Police Service against the Canadian Islamophobic news outlet Rebel News Network Ltd., and its directors Ezra Levant, Hamish Marshall and Hannah Vanderkooy, as well as former Rebel News presenter Faith Bazos (aka Faith Goldy).
[…]
The complaint alleges Rebel News Network have breached s. 319(2) of the Canadian Criminal Code by wilfully promoting hatred of the Muslim community through hate propaganda published through the Rebel News Network website and Youtube channel.
While not formally named as there is no evidence any of his activities took place in Canada, the complaint relies heavily on content created by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson) as evidence of them disseminating xenophobic anti-Muslim content. Videos produced by Faith Goldy are also highlighted in the complaint.
https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/2019/09/03/formal-criminal-complaint-made-against-rebel-media-for-hate-propaganda/
Barking.
Well she claims she's not crazy so I guess she isn't.
She'd fit right in here in Titirangi.
You have quantum physicists in Titirangi ?
I'm confident we've got plenty that think they fully understand quantum physics. And string theory. And how those explain the interconnectedness of cosmic consciousnesses.
She cant lose . If it turns away she was right if it doesn't its because not enough believers tried.
Riligon is good that way.
The liar extraordinaire falsifies and over simplifies an outdated weather map for Hurricane Dorian. Can't even tell the truth about a weather event:
https://www.newsandguts.com/video/hurricane-map-displayed-in-oval-office-was-altered-to-include-alabama/
What's the problem? That wobbly lump drawn with a black marker pen is totes believable.
Tough when you have to use last week's forecasted track to make it work.
But how many MAGAmorons would know that?
TBF, it takes a MAGAmoron to break the law with a weather forecast.
Amazing how the computer generated forecast from Thu – as shown above- essentially was as wrong as Trump as they had the centre 5 days later in middle of Florida.
and his answers are exactly like how his brain works – all over the place, repetitive, vainglorious – he's like a mirror to the monster in us all.
https://play.stuff.co.nz/details/_6083525676001
Maybe it's not so obvious to everyone what he has drawn there, squint your eyes a little and it all becomes clear… (or maybe just a load of bollocks, if you know what I mean).
Another day. Another weather map. Another box of coloured marker pens.
https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/09/donald-trump-goes-full-queeg-over-alabama/
Unbelievable!
You can see what the world's No 1 Ignoramus originally did. He placed a ruler on the last two tracking points of the original map (not coloured in white to denote a possible track only) and figured the "hurricane" was going to end up in Alabama.
Note: hurricane in inverted commas because by then it would have been no more than a depression which still might have brought rain to the south east of Alabama but no hurricane.
Every now and then, shit like this must make some of the less-dim MAGAmorons clue in to the fact Donnie Dimbulb thinks they're all idiots. I really wonder what goes through their heads at that moment of realisation.
It's still going …
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-ninth-alabama-tweet-error-twitter_n_5d7190dde4b0fd4168e7da5f
As someone who years ago manually drew weather maps (automated now), that second map looks like something from another planet in another dimension. Very funny though.
Who in their right mind would spend an hour scribbling in lots n' lots of squiggly lines that represent nothing but… lots n' lots of squiggly lines? POTUS. America is toast.
The Combover Con will stiff you every time. Even when you're a loyal but vulnerable Repug Senator from a swing state who's up for re-election next year.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-border-wall-military-funds-senators_n_5d6fff9ce4b0cdfe0579f881
Old mobster habits never die.
I thought Megan Woods came across pretty well in the interview with Mike Hosking regarding the kiwi build reset. In fact, she interviews a hell of a lot better than Jacinda does on Tuesday mornings.
Lord Kerslake at 1:45 on today's goings on.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_five_live
The canaries are trying to tell us something.
VANCOUVER—Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced a further $2.7 million investment in salmon conservation projects, after government officials confirmed Thursday morning that salmon stocks across British Columbia are returning in concerningly low numbers.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, also known as DFO, had previously forecast that 4,795,000 sockeye salmon would return to the Fraser River this year.
As the run starts, that number has been adjusted to 628,000 — just 13 per cent of that original forecast. The state of sockeye salmon is now so dire that some populations “face an imminent threat of extinction,” according to DFO.
https://www.thestar.com/vancouver/2019/08/22/48-million-sockeye-salmon-were-expected-at-bcs-fraser-river-but-just-628000-showed-up.html
Police Destroy Evidence From Pike River Mine ?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/115559773/police-say-pike-river-evidence-destroyed-in-2015-held-no-value-but-families-want-answers
This brings back memories of Robert Muldoon and the police activities destroying evidence from The Erebus Crash ?
Hopefully the wet behind the ears Andrew Little from the Labour Party will address this situation in a Royal Commission of Enquiry as Pike River is a Homicide Crime Scene ?
If it is a homicide crime scene, it became so under a National Government whose PM made a solemn promise to get the bodies out, then changed his mind…
The art of the possible aside, reality says we need a commanding demo-cratist government in control. The whole bloody lesson of the rich's takeover of government in the early 80s from Keynesian social-democracy. Yet reality also says that 's not possible — division of needed ends and impossible(?) means.