To the MPs that come on here asking for unity or whatever so they can concentrate on the ‘real enemy’.
I’m prepared to publicly concede I had it wrong all along when you hit 40% in the polls.
At what point between now and the next election campaign when you don’t reach that number, will you be prepared to say we got it wrong, DS isn’t the right man for the job, you were spot on Al1?
Way I see it, at least 22 caucus members don’t know they arses from elbows.
What do you think you know that I don’t?
Did you hear Shearer on RNZ this morning on Waitangi and the Te Karere Digipol? Not only was he inarticulate as to explaining how Labour were working for Maori, he also could not pronounce his mps names, what they were doing, and entirely forgot to mention Nanaia. Precursor to the reshuffle?
hush minx: Well, how would you “perform”, after a night with lots of beer to “celebrate” your “overwhelming” victory of sorts? Maybe that is why he dropped in performance again? Just a thought, but he may send Annette around to answer and clarify this for us shortly.
Mr Shearer has not yet convinced the voters that he is a plausible prime minister, even if his caucus has backed him. He is desperately inarticulate, unable to deliver a sound bite without a lot of rehearsal or an auto-cue. ..He can look tough and decisive when his back is to the wall, but mostly he still just blunders.
Trevor Mallard likens Mr Shearer to Norman Kirk, which is laughable… Mr Shearer has a long way to go before he and his party look like winners.
I caught this little gem at the end of the editorial to which you linked hush minx. “Labour is exploring new ideas- on monetary policy and tax and on a tougher welfare policy – but its image remains blurred.” This is the first I’ve heard of the “tougher welfare policy” and I don’t know if its true. Can anyone shed light on this?
Maybe ask “Jacinda Dear”, or the more senior “expert” “(Marie Antoi-)Anette” ?
I have had high suspicions about Labour’s true welfare agenda for a long time now, this only adds to it!!! They have in general been FAR TOO SILENT on the reforms that NatACT with the front person Bennett are launching, so one must wonder, wonder and wonder.
As Shearer will feel reassured now, I do not rule out a “slightly more moderate” harder line welfare policy by Labour, as the public have through a totally biased, misinforming MSM been largely conditioned and turned into benefit enviers and haters. So that is the wrongly “nurtured” public sentiment now, that exists, and Shearer would be prone to exploit public sentiment to gain votes.
His “sickness benefit roofpainter story” at the start of a “Heartland Speech” in Nelson (and I believe elsewhere) may have been the first signal to the public he gave, for what he really wants Labour to stand for!
Do NOT forget, they (Labour) brought in a Dr David Bratt, a staunch “pro work ability” “Principal Health Advisor” comparing benefit dependence to drug dependence in 2007. They have never explained that man’s appointment or bizarre claims in his public presentations to GPs and others.
Shearer never apologised for – or explained his “bene roof painter” dog whistle comments.
Shearer is displaying a clean lack of imagination, kiwi voters hate capable PMs. Ever since Lange gave it such a bad name – aka – neobliberalism. Why do you think Key is so desperate to look like a spoit brat, the longer he stays in office the harder it is to not look capable. He’s got a whole horrendous history of bad policy, reshuffles, outsourcing, and dithering over the economy under his belt but its never enough,
competence capable keep dogging his legacy.
NZ is rich and its essential for NZ not to get tagged as rich, and the best way is to just hand over our assets, deregulate, gear the economy to export its profit centers and just hate the idea of productivity. Government generosity is a crime against the economy damn it.
Kiwis are
just not taught simple ethics like beware people bearing gifts, that priests who are too good to be true are diddling their wards, that men selling ponsi schemes so pander to
investors personal weaknesses, that saving the economy by laxly taxes and deregulating the commercial arena will breed world winning companies (wow lol, what, the heavy slap on the bum is only good for children).
Being nice to the private sector will not make a resilient growing prosperous NZ.
We are this way, as a Nation, because our media is so weak and subservient to Australian bankers and Australian media barons, because they all want to work in OZ eventually and so make it easy to exploit NZ to gain points in the eyes of future employers.
Hi Olwyn – there have been a small number of us on this site who’ve been talking about this for a while now, xtasy for example, but it’s really hard to show people on the Left how nasty Labour’s welfare policy has been since 1999. Nobody sees the detail and neither, I believe, does anyone on the Left want to. Labour has been asked time and time again about this but they will not say a word. bad12 had a crack at me yesterday about having a go at Annette King, rushing to her defence ahead of taking notice of the real issue, which is that Labour’s history on welfare reform since 1999 and its silence when asked if this is still its policy is clear evidence it has every intention of continuing from wherever National leaves off, just as it did from 1999. Everyone’s saying “give Labour a chance to develop its welfare policy before you slag it”, but it’s been six years now since its last attack, the 2007 amendment Act, and they said nothing to suggest things had changed leading up to the last election. The only conclusion we can arrive at is it’s going to be more of the same. We can’t keep giving Labour the benefit of the doubt when there’s nothing to suggest things have changed – just silence which we can only take as meaning nothing’s changed. We trusted Labour in 1999 and they pooed all over us. For that I say fuck them.
Labour’s approach to welfare has been pretty nasty since 1984. They brought in GST and income taxes on benefits, instantly cutting into the standard of living. They brought in the monetarist culture of greed, which ordains that it’s easy to get rich and anyone who doesn’t is beneath contempt. They’ve never said sorry or admitted the huge shift to the right and they throw anyone who tries to give a minor nudge to the left under the bus. I’m afraid I can only see them as a party which exists to give the illusion of choice and democracy, especially with Shearer as leader.
hush minx – I didn’t hear it but your description is so good I don’t need to. Tangata whenua are cannon fodder for that useless nobody and his cohorts.
What was that olde world yank tea party thing about no representation, no taxes?
How about no accountability, no sermons or lectures.
Stand by your secret votes and give a date and a poll figure when you’ll know for sure the fight can’t be won. Draw on memory from 2008-11 if you’re stuck.
Labour got in the order of 23% in a RM poll a week from the election. Result: NACT get 64 seats including three parties with 5 electorate-only seats.
To be that close to victory when labour is that low, I’m not completely certain I’d make that call if labour are at 30% a week out from the election. I wouldn’t be comfortable, but I sure wouldn’t be predicting defeat as a certainty.
It’s a simple enough couple of questions question, yet the nature of politics dictates it won’t get an answer from those it’s really asked, but in the real world away from the house, when they’re human like the rest of you, they’ll know what I’m on about, and that’s what I’m all about.
Devastating political scandal for key or the nats aside, or a last minute game changer than comes from left field (won’t be from Labour then đ ) and surprises everyone, as we are all repeatedly told by the media during campaigns that voters minds are already made up well in advance of a poll date, there’s a time when at least 22 of caucus who won’t even be aware of my challenge will sit and think, shit.
I don’t know whether it’s the night before, a week out a month or even dare I suggest those in caucus who voted for a vote for leader who can already tell this far out, but even though you probably won’t care too much (depending on your list ranking), I told you so, losers. đ
Biggest laugh at my expense is if Shearer slashes at Key’s poll rating and storms to a landslide election, winning by fighting for the NZ public on a platform of equality and opportunity for all kiwis.
Someone best make a record and post on election night to compound my ignorance. đ
It’s a fair cop, guvnor, :thumbsup:
But just like what’s the point in having a heart and a sleeve if you don’t wear one on the other?
What’s the point in having money and a mouth if you won’t/can’t put them together?
Death and taxes – Fact.
Words without action – Not.
They are putting in place charter schools, by the time National leaves office I wouldn’t be surprised if thousands more of kids come out of school with no qualifications and no future. Just the perfect slave labour for their corporate mates.
The papers show improving the system is the Treasury’s highest priority and emphasise raising the quality of teaching.
And just what the hell does Treasury know about teaching?
Oh, that’s right, absolutely nothing. That’s why we have a Ministry of Education.
Overall, they show the Treasury has a strong interest in the school system and little faith in increased competition as a way of improving performance.
Paula Bennett was interviewed by Kathryn Ryan of Radio New Zealand National yesterday morning (04 Feb., 09:05 am) on welfare numbers, the welfare reforms to be pushed through by her government, whether they were justified, correct and representative, and more.
On the nine to noon program there were also Alan Johnson, Salvation Army social policy analyst and Susan St John from Auckland Uni, elaborating on controversial figures, why the mainstream media misrepresents the truth about beneficiaries, the numbers of them, the reasons for being on benefits and rather just tends to high-light and present the extreme, bizarre, very unusual cases to the public.
It is well worth a listen and to do some good, critical thinking about it.
Bennett was again, as so often, getting a lot of figures wrong, confusing some, and naturally did “not have them before her” in too many cases. So she continues to create a lot of “mist”, uncertainties, she is distracting and full of ambiguities and misrepresentation.
Of course the program once again only scratched the very surface of a whole range of issues, that will become very clear to the many that will be very adversely and seriously affected, yes harmed, by the reforms that will be pushed through by way of the ‘Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill’, presently before the Social Services Committee of Parliament.
Also, do not forget, where Bennett comes from, and what her speech revealed, that she held to medical professionals (who will be instrumental in part, to force sick, injured and disabled into some forms of work) on 26 Sept. 2012. Read between the lines, and realise the absolute focus on the supposed UK findings, that are supposed to be the “international” evidence that work is kind of “remedial” to all people.
I have not found much of other “international” evidence though that supports the extreme, bizarre and perverted interpretation of a so-called “bio psycho-social model” for assessing and re-integrating disabled and sick into work, that a Professor Sir Mansel Aylward (from a partly private insurance financed department at Cardiff University), who also helped develop and introduced tough work ability assessments at the Department of Work and Pensions in the UK (first under Thatcher), did bring in there.
The true agenda is about these “reforms” is all about cost savings, and nothing else!!!
The UK model is seriously considered as a foundation upon the Ministry of Social Development and Work and Income are planning to change the whole medical assessment and work testing regime for sickness and invalid’s beneficiaries. THIS ALL IS COMING HERE AND DUE TO BECOME THE NORM FOR NZ.
This is a space to watch, as NZ is in danger of making serious mistakes that have been made already by following similar, draconian reforms and bizarre work-testing regimes in the UK over recent years. Already many there died through trying to work while they really could not, or were in extreme cases driven to commit suicide. Grim stuff this is.
‘Grim stuff this is.’, aye it’s what the NACT do best.
Bennett shows that’s it’s all about ideology, facts are to be dismissed if they don’t support your case or twisted if possible with a few slogans to spin and confuse.
Bennett is a hypocrite who is pulling the ladder up behind her and being applauded by that other beneficiary of welfare John Key.
As the Labour/Green/NZFirst? coalition, noticeably surpass National in popularity, (polls indicating that move now) Â Â we will see those vote gaining tactic’s of welfare/benefit attacks. Maori will cop the usual ‘what more do they want slurs.’ which is a reliable vote earner also.Â
Keep up the good work Xtasy.
I’m feeling pretty despondant about affecting positive change. I don’t know if TS will go ahead with brainstorming policy given our powerlessness in getting Labour to pay attention, but maybe someone who has some influence will pause for thought over something they read here, sometime, and that will make it worthwhile.
It’s not up to us on TS to get Labour to pay attention. It really is up to them to engage the community and so far, from what I can make out, they’re failing miserably.
Thanks for the links X, this needs much more coverage than it is getting. The system is ALREADY damaging for disabled persons and the able bodied (eg access difficulties, lack of understanding, overworked staff not informing people of their full and correct entitlement which IMHO is a key driver of poverty in this country).
Paula’s only idea is to stick with the main ideas behind the British model which caused and continues to cause such great social harm.
People with disabilities struggled under Labour, now they are denied basic human rights under National. When Labour and the Greens take over the books in 2014 they will find thousands of children that have fallen in the cracks, who if the government had just given teacher aids and sufficient resources could have been productive members of society. National doesn’t care about those with disabilities, it believes in eugenics i.e. letting the worst off members of society starve, kill themselves or end up homeless on the street.
Edit: So yeah you are right. đ
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 3.4.1.1
NO, your book is cracked, same as your mind seems to be “cracked”.
Common sense, reading real information and understanding what is behind stuff is not your strenghth, it seems. Well, to be honest, you do not really care, as you are just one of the few frequenting TS to stir up crap, but contribute little of substance.
Enjoy your little space in narrow mind, the smaller it gets.
Like some time long before Christmas (to 2 email addresses at RNZ) – again yesterday substantial information on some of what is already happening at the hands of MSD and WINZ in this regards, was sent to Kathryn Ryan at Radio NZ National yesterday afternoon.
My expectation is – it will just be put aside as too much and too complex information to bother looking at, so it will NOT be reported on.
Lead story today is the football fraud scandal exposed by Europol, that has spread world-wide and is being exposed now. So most that are interested in sports and other matters will pay attention to that, rather than what really matters.
The media (mainstream that is) does not give a damn about beneficiaries or sick and disabled, unless they are cases that can be presented as sob or pity story material – to gain in viewing and listening quotas – that will also enable to sell yet more advertising.
That is what Campbell Live and others are doing. Sorry to upset the ones that may think he is doing some “good work”. Yes, it may be for a good cause, some of it, but it never seems to be without ulterior goals.
Two very contrasting blog posts, Chris Trotter’s a sting in the tail on why Labour needs to commit to helping the poorest amongst us.
And at the opposite end of the spectrum in both compassion, understanding and comprehension Josie Pagani posts on, at least I think she is posting on, why Labour needs to be more right wing and why beneficiaries should only be tolerated and Labour needs to get tougher on crime.
The next time she advertised as being “of the left” should be met with a complaint that it is misleading.
Pagani acting as the last, distant colonial outpost of Blairism would be funny, except that I suspect her thinking is close to the feeble ideology at the top of the parliamentary Labour party. As such, I think she provides a fascinating insight into the sort of arguments that seem to under pin much of Labour’s policy at the moment.
It reminds me very much of what I heard from Phil Goff, when a minister many years ago. Cracking down on crime, doing this and that, supporting the military and what else comes to mind.
Pagani is stuck in the Blairite Bubble, I must say, she will likely never get out of it, because once it pops, she will drop and hurt herself, thus ending in a personality crisis.
I heard also yesterday (on the BBC World Service that was), that the French may not just have gone to deal to “islamist extremist threats” in Mali, but perhaps also bore in mind the rich uranium and other resources found there!?
That makes it look a bit more like “a little Iraq style invasion” then.
Maybe Shearer will invest his UN and strategic thinking skills by suggesting to send NZ troops to sort out Fiji, in order to “restore democracy”?
The interesting bits on that page are to be found in the comment section at the bottom of the page,
The best that can be said for the writer of that piece is in the nature of revelation, it appears that being a ‘political contortionist’ allows Her to suck the air She breathes out of Her own anus…
if the left canât debate crime and welfare with more depth than saying âbut look over there! At the economy!â, then it is repudiating its own principles.
I don’t see anyone on the left doing that. See it plenty on the right though as they work to distract from their failed policies that come directly from their failed ideology.
Other than that, I don’t think she managed to say anything.
As compared to the absolutely fabulous concoction on the contemporary Left of Deconstructionist Intellectual Fraudsters/Feminist Man Hating/Neo Marxist mumbo jumbo.
Unenlightened people often are damned to work very, very hard, so some keep trying here, working very, very hard, repeating the same all over again, as some know no better, to get somewhere.
Whether it pays off is not relevant, as the exercise of banging the head against the brick wall sets off endless flows of adrenalin, that give some hormonal feelings of “encouragement” or stoicism, it will end up feeling quite “good” of sorts for the endless head banger. So add the dots together perhaps.
What you notice about Pagani and the whole Neo-lib tribe that currently occupies ‘the middle ground’ is that the ‘problem’ is always framed as being ‘WELFARE’,
That of course allows them to concentrate solely upon a narrow line of dialogue, and thus ‘reforms’ become acceptable in that ‘middle ground’,
It is in fact ‘the economy’ and ’employment’ where the focus should be, it is obvious to everyone except the most blatant of LIARS that there are more people available for work than there is work in the economy,
Thus continually whipping those reliant upon welfare to even ‘look’ for work is simply BULLSHIT,(as a commenter pointed out Pagani’s comments were),
As Pagani is firmly mired in the middle class when She talks of Socialism, She is talking of the Socialism of the middle classes where that class is continually pandered to by the political class…
Pagani would seem to argue that Blair invaded other countries for good reasons, while his partner in crime, Bush, was invading the same countries for bad reasons. I have a real love/hate relationship with the way these fake lefties are able to contort their ideas to suit any actions whatsoever. It’s frightening and enetertaining at the same time.
Just listened to the first part of the interview….in the first minute or so Ryan reveals the number of people on the unemployment benefit for 15 years or more? TWELVE PEOPLE.
The number of people on the dole for 20 years or more? FOUR.
Citing extreme examples to illustrate we have an issue that only they (National) have the guts to solve has been the approach to welfare.
That was the good part of the whole interview, how Bennett and the government on one hand are exposed as exploiting and abusing figures to portray a “dramatic” “crisis” kind of scenario asking for urgent action, and how especially the MSM totally mis-report, misrepresent and basically LIE to the public about what is happening in the area of benefit dependence, needs and challenges.
It is all only about headlines about selected, bizarre, totally out of the ordinary EXTREME cases, that they report on, NOT FACTS and balanced figures and details!
This must be exposed more, for sure, as the MSM appear to be complicit in the war on the welfare system and affected beneficiaries this government is leading now. That is NOT what the so-called “4th estate” is there for.
What interested me was the bloke up Gizzy way that had been on the dole for 25 years, now that man should be given a gold watch,
By being a well behaved citizen over that 25 years, he has quite heroically in my opinion given up the pursuit of more money so as to enable others to take up any work on offer,
In a province of economic decline this man has selflessly gone without on the doles meager income allowing others to earn those higher wages,
Should this man have entered the workforce at any time in those 25 years in a province with a declining economy someone else would have had to take the position previously occupied by that bloke,
While the above is a little out of left field it is in ‘fact’ the truth, in a declining economy for a person to gain employment there is every chance that someone in another part of that economy will have stopped being employed…
Jeez, KP, I thought you were keen on the entrepeneurial spirit? Why are you putting the boot into a man you believe to be running an effective small business for quarter of a century?
Y’know, in that 25 years, the bloke will have seen various welfare administrations, maybe ten Ministers of Employment, several name changes at the DOSS/Social Welfare/WINZ/MOBIE and countless case managers who would all have bounced him off the dole in a heartbeat if they could.
Presumably he has been getting the benefit for 25 years for dinkum reasons. That’s fine by me.
So is there some difference in 1 person ‘doing nothing’ for 25 years as you put it and 10 people over the same period spending 18 months each doing nothing,
i realize that your a ‘wing-nut’ so have to take into account your limited ability to actually ‘think’ but in a Gisborne type situation with an economy in continual decline someone ‘has’ to be unemployed,
Given that little ‘fact’ our ‘gold watch’ beneficiary would have to take someone else’s employment or if a newly created employment position appeared in the local economy deny someone else that employment position,
Which simply means that should that Bloke in Gizzy have ‘got a job’ someone else in Gizzy wouldn’t have one…
Engaging in sophistry there, bad12 – not that you would know what the word means without looking it up first.
The idea that the long term unemployed are taking one for the team is so self evidently absurd, I can only respond with the same question re Draco T below, why don’t any of the Left parties use your brilliant dazzling argument in their public statements on the issue?
What is exactly misleading or wrong about the above statement you sexually self-fulfilling, pathetic T thing that resides under a bridge, aint a goat, but in all probability has the odor of one,
Because you have attached to the above the label of sophism means little, nay nothing, without first having provided a narrative which proves the sophism,
Or perhaps you like Paula believe in the magic of the word ‘seeking’ and thus the more people seeking work the more people will have work which is in fact the real sophism,
Of course you also believe that the free market rules in which case the 175,000-185,000 currently seeking work are simply part of a natural market lead pool of available labour,
To believe in both tho is to simply point out that you are in all likely-hood a sufferer of Schizophrenia or some other disease of the mind a fact that none here would find surprising about you…
I don’t like her. I’m not a right winger. I’m not a neo-con.
I like old skool Left Liberalism plus any ideas that are free from too much ideological constraint.
For example, Gareth Morgan’s take on the Welfare System – Health, Pension etc. It’s in a crisis, his Big Kahuna idea deals with the issues and makes an interesting proposal for a solution.
I don’t like Feminist Man Haters/Deconstructionists/Anti-white, anti-Western Multiculturalists.
The Left has crashed and burned thanks to those idiots.
AAAAAH dummy lift your game, ”perhaps you like Paula” is obviously a reference to you being ‘alike’ in attitude even a 4 year old could have figured that,
I see no narrative which proves the sophism of your accusation and changing the subject at 100 k an hour just does not cut it,
I don’t much care what or who you are, your comments reek of SCUM, therefor you shall be known by your comments…
In fact, if he was growing dope he couldn’t possibly have been sitting on his arse and he would have been providing a service that the community wants. It’s not his fault that the laws are so stupid as to outlaw a service that the community wants forcing him to declare himself unemployed (that’s if he was growing dope which we’re only speculating upon).
Really, what it comes down to is the simple fact that you’re an idiot. You didn’t even realise that you contradicted yourself.
The idea that growing dope is necessarily a busy full time occupation is one you are assuming in order to create your straw man argument.
So you are the idiot.
‘providing a service that the community wants.’
Too bad David Shearer and the Labour Party don’t put that in their speeches, eh? Guess you think that just goes to show the Labour Party are a bunch of neo liberal sell outs and have betrayed the true Leftists like your enlightened self.
Regardless of whatever you think about cannabis use it’s self-evidently a high demand product. I don’t see how you can argue that cannabis growers are not providing a service any more than you could argue that neither do tomato growers or parsley growers or broccoli growers.
“I havenât argue he is not providing a service, you muppet.”
I realise that, you fraggle. However you did quote the phrase and then made a vague attempt to ridicule the bearer of it, so I think it’s fair to assume that you have an opinion on the matter.
I’m just trying to provide you with an opportunity to express it.
There was quite a lengthy interview with David Shearer on the Larry Williams show on Newstalk ZB yesterday, about 8 minutes. All the important questions were asked. Highly recommend it. Does it remind anyone else of overnight talkback?
In the Newstalk ZB clip, it’s interesting that Shearer brought up the reshuffle himself when asked what would happen to Cunliffe, while remaining non-committal. I wonder if he’s planning to offer Cunliffe a front-bench portfolio in exchange for a public pledge of loyalty/endorsement?
And in true talkback style, I’d like to know what others think.
That’s exactly what I thought. You have to pinch yourself and say “My God, this really is the leader of the opposition!”, not dotty Don from Dargaville at 3 a.m.
This is why Shearer’s defenders on here totally miss the point. The number of “negative” comments on the Standard is dwarfed by the audience for Newstalk ZB.
Shearer cocks up in front of millions, every week.
But if we point out his cock-ups, apparently we’re the real problem?
I’ve just read a quote from one of John Buchan’s books. He was a great Empire man, strong on duty and colonial exploration and resource hunting and became Governor General of Canada.
This from The Runagates Club published 1928.
It has relevance for today in English speaking countries with the move to the right and desire for excess and self rather than the national and people’s interest and service with good governance.
From the Bath, in its most exotic form, degenerate patrician youth passed to the coarse delights of the Circus, and thence to that parody of public duties which it was still the fashion of their class to patronise.
Von Letterbeck: Imperial Rome>/i>
The Green Party has had for quite a number of years now had ‘it’s engines running’ and this is evidenced by the number of ‘hits’ scored on the Slippery lead National Government in the House at question time, and the ‘fact’ that when seeking comment on any issue of the day the media are just as likely to ask the Green Party for comment as they are to ask Labour,
The Green Party Housing policy in content and intent shows that the Green Party is well ahead in developing policy which directly benefits those most in need in our society and i believe that in the next 18 months we will see much more of this intelligent policy released to the electorate…
Lolz, bloody good on you then, the constant flow of what i see as negativity which flows through the pages of the Standard toward Labour is in my view counter-productive,
Labour at present(this is opinion), as a party are mostly middle class people, probably in the main well educated and comfortable in their employment,
Socialism has in the main been educated out of the psyche of such people as they have embraced the newer culture of ‘what’s in it for me’,
Labour, as in the last Labour lead Government and the present Labour Opposition simply reflect this comfortable middle class and the continuous venting of anger at them hasn’t as far as i can see changed that one iota,
There may be a ‘mood’ within the Labour Party it’self to change that but my view is that such a ‘mood’ from within the Party will take 10 years to translate into a change in the attitude of the Party’s MP’s,
Given that, there are 2 choices activist member of the broad left have, the first being to become even more active within the Party, not necessarily as a means to gain immediate change in the make-up and attitude of the Labour MP’s, but as a 10 year plan to transform the Party back if you will excuse the use of the word to expressing the core of Labour values,
Option 2 of course is to simply walk away from Labour and give both our monetary and electoral support to the Party which best expresses at this point in time our political and economic values…
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 10
Comment from the Sewer that is factually incorrect, now who would have thunk that???,
Annette King was commenting on the Standard weeks befor the Leadership vote held yesterday, while Annette cannot as She is bound to support the Caucus and the Party’s policies stray far from simply stating those policies much ‘Could’ be changed by commentor’s here at the Standard putting up comments that highlight any flaws perceived in Labour Party policy while proposing well thought out alternatives…
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 10.1.1
The Gormless Fool, the name suits you and when applied to you is obviously correct, which is about the only thing you have ever got right in your brief occupation of the skin you are in,
What the f**k is that comment supposed to mean, other than a display of your abject stupidity that is???…
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 10.1.1.1.1
Folks, we are in a real crisis here. Wealthy right-wing interest groups and sectarian lobbies are waging an all-out war on public schools. They want to destroy the public school system and move to a market-driven system where taxpayers are forced to support religious and other private schools of all sorts.
Unemployment is this- Having cut the civil service to the bare minimum needed to operate such a service the present Slippery lead National Government has ‘defined’ for us what a market lead economy will deliver to us as a nation in terms of the number of actual jobs in the economy,
So given that there are currently 175,000-185,000 unemployed in this country we can ‘see’ that this is a ‘true’ reflection of the market economies ability to employ people,
OK, another given is that we are currently in the midst of a economic depression we can also ‘see’ that given an ‘upturn’ the actual number of those the market economy has the ability to employ would still leave us with 125,000-135,000 souls who that market does not have the ability to employ,
It then also becomes obvious to us all that to continually require those who the market economy has FAILED to find an economic use for to seek work which does not exist and prove that they have actually been seeking this non-existent employment would at the least require a belief in ‘magic’ in that anyone who believes that a person simply seeking such employment will radically alter what is a ‘fact’ of that market economy,
The truth of the little ‘fact’ above is to be found in the numbers of those who are unemployed and currently receiving the unemployment benefit attached to which is the requirement to seek work,
Obviously if the act of simply ‘seeking’ work radically changed the ‘market economy’ there would be a radical decline in the numbers of those receiving that particular benefit,
Until such time as Politicians begin to tell the truth about how many of us can be employed by the market economy unemployment is always going to be addressed from the narrow confines of dialogue where the reality is ignored in favor of a belief in magic solutions and further denigration of those the market economy has FAILED to be capable of employing,
I would suggest that as a first step that those politicians which have shown a propensity to believe in such magic solutions to the ‘problem’ of unemployment while claiming the ‘market economy’ is working as it should be should be examined by a medical professional for signs of Schizophrenia as any belief in both is in fact a belief in 2 propositions at the same point on the same subject that are diametrically opposed to each other…
There is a cartoon on the herald which it tags ‘Next time,Mr Shearer’
‘Just appoint yourself to the roll and they will take it on the chin,works
for me every time’
Eludes to Titewhai Harawira at Te tii Marae happenings.
The Wit of Graham Bell
The Panel, National Radio, Tuesday 5 February 2013
Jim Mora, Graham Bell, David Slack
JIM MORA: Noelle, what is the world talking about?
NOELLE McCARTHY: Well, a story that has caught our attention is one from right here in New Zealand, about a kea in the South Island. It stole one thousand dollars from a Scottish tourist who left the money on the front seat of his car.
GRAHAM BELL: That’s unusual for a Scotsman! A ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
According to the Waikato Times today, the Waikato town of Pokeno will be home to the first Chinese milk processing plant in New Zealand if Chinese company Yashili International, is given the green light (by the Overseas Investment Office) to buy land for its planned $210 million baby formula operation – creating 100 local jobs. Yashili International, one of China’s biggest baby formula and soymilk powder makers, has a conditional agreement to buy land in Pokeno’s Gateway business park.
Here we go again! NZ is becoming a soft touch for this type of deal and it appears it is now open season to all comers to establish this type of operation in one of our key industries on land we are prepared to sell for this purpose.
It appears that Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin (buyer of the Crafar Farms), may have been the pathfinder in setting a template for this operation currently under consideration. It goes something like this – establish a NZ registered company and then appoint a New Zealander to front it to legitimise it. It appears these moves into NZ are being encouraged by the Chinese government’s decision to substantially reduce import tariffs on finished milk formula.
What are we doing in this country? We must not continue to sell our land to allow major overseas players to establish in our key industries and compete against us.
That just highlights a major failure of Fonterra’s business model, while making adult milk formula and milk formula for small children other than babies Fonterra has failed it’s share-holders by it’s lax attitude to the baby milk formula market in the Asian economies,
Fonterra chose instead to simply supply the raw product to another company i have forgotten the name of under contract which has lad in turn to Fonterra supplying a major competitor, Nestle, as that company has now purchased that company and the supply contracts,
My belief is that the ‘internationalists’ in control of Fonterra will at some stage have removed from the farmer share-holders enough ‘power’ to be able to on-sell Fonterra on the global market,
That as the Chinese are at present seriously building what will eventually become a huge dairy herd will be at a heavily discounted price…
PREPARE for the influx of “specially skilled” employees under the China NZ FTA, as in that plant, it will be likely that Mandarin and/or Cantonese will at least be the “official” language of instructions, so any staff working there, will naturally require sufficient language skills, to be able to understand such instructions and to communicate.
NZ Immigration is always very helpful and works together with other agencies and stakeholders and employers to find the most suitable solutions to help everyone involved.
Take it then, there will be the clause used, to get as many Mainland Chinese workers in as they can, to also work “efficiently” and according to “cultural” and other just economic, social and scientific requirements, that are specific to meeting the very needs of the Mainland Chinese consumer. Particular recipes, mixtures and whatever, to get the end product, will be highly commercially sensitive, and this will only be able to be entrusted to, and handled by, competent, knowledgeable, suitably skilled and qualified, also Mandarin or Cantonese literate employees.
And to think that peoples from Arab countries now living in New Zealand have anything to do with such destruction a world away makes you-(search for big word), just scum..
What are you on about, got a problem? Arabs, non arabs, all other nationalities get on with their lives, you just start arguing about something I cannot even decipher. It is nonsensical what you last wrote.
Your really ‘on’ the ball tonight X, read, take a deep breath and read again, yes my habit of not naming the persona i am replying to could be confusing…
Let me get someone from “Anonymous” onto you while you wait, we will soon find out, who you are, what you do, where you live and the rest of it. That will make you feel very trusting, I am sure, as I trust you fully, and as you can trust me fully, that is if that can all work, aye?!
The demise of Western civilization, perlease!!!, that nearly fucking got my heart to stop, the laughter at you for inserting such a phrase into a comment that is,
Can you please, please, please expand upon this destruction of western civilization for me, fuck i love a laugh and your a hoot, the biggest one in town,
It’s all a Muslim conspiracy right KP, out of 20 households in my small street there are 2 that are definitely from the Arab countries, do you think i should bar the windows and put extra locks on the door against the time they break out screaming Allah Akbar whilst mowing down the neighborhood cats with the un-stashed AK47’s,
Actually you useless piece of cum-stain they just do normal things the same as what everyone else in the street does, they pretty much keep to themselves which shock-horror the white folks majority of the street does as well…
bad12: You do NOT understand that you must forthwith conform and convert to ISLAM. That is the ONLY “true” religion. I fyou cannot convert, the devil will get you! That is the truth about religion. Get a fear of the devil now, I tell, you for Jesus Muhammed and others.
So the massive flood of Muslims into Western Europe hasnât brought their problems with them?
Yes, Muslims didn’t bring their problems with them…Muslim problems in Western Europe developed in Western Europe and also involve a Western Europeans…as well as economic, social and political inequality.
Multiculturalism has been a resounding success in Europe has it?
No, there are multiple reasons for this, including: the incoming culture, the existing culture, economic issues, political issues etc
And you think we can look forward to the same wondrous effects in NZ, right?
Yes, if we continue to deal with it in the same way that Europe has.
You are in self denial or maybe you welcome the erosion of Western Civilization.
Yes, but not complete erosion. Just until one civilisation is no longer dominant to the point that it oppresses another cilivilisation.
Doug JohnsonThe alien-like blooms and putrid stench of Amorphophallus titanum, better known as the corpse flower, draw big crowds and media coverage to botanical gardens each year. In 2015, for instance, around 75,000 people visited the Chicago Botanic Garden to see one of their corpse flowers bloom. More than ...
Getting to Browser Tab Zero so I can reboot the computer is awfully hard when the one open tab is a Table of Contents for the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, and every issue has more stuff I want to read. A few highlights: Gugler et al demonstrating ...
Timothy Ford, University of Massachusetts Lowell and Charles M. Schweik, University of Massachusetts AmherstTo mitigate health inequities and promote social justice, coronavirus vaccines need to get to underserved populations and hard-to-reach communities. There are few places in the U.S. that are unreachable by road, but other factors â many ...
Israel chose to pay a bit over the odds for the Pfizer vaccine to get earlier access. Here’s The Times of Israel from 16 November. American government will be charged $39 for each two-shot dose, and the European bloc even less, but Jerusalem said to agree to pay $56. Israel ...
Orla is a gender critical Marxist in Ireland. She gave a presentation on 15 January 2021 on the connection between postmodern/transgender identity politics and the current attacks on democratic and free speech rights. Orla has been active previously in the Irish Socialist Workers Party and the People Before Profit electoral ...
. . America: The Empire Strikes Back (at itself) Further to my comments in the first part of 2020: The History That Was, the following should be considered regarding the current state of the US. They most likely will be by future historians pondering the critical decades of ...
Nathaniel ScharpingIn March, as the Covid-19 pandemic began to shut down major cities in the U.S., researchers were thinking about blood. In particular, they were worried about the U.S. blood supply â the millions of donations every year that help keep hospital patients alive when they need a transfusion. ...
Sarah L Caddy, University of CambridgeVaccines are a marvel of medicine. Few interventions can claim to have saved as many lives. But it may surprise you to know that not all vaccines provide the same level of protection. Some vaccines stop you getting symptomatic disease, but others stop you ...
Back in 2016, the Portuguese government announced plans to stop burning coal by 2030. But progress has come much quicker, and they're now scheduled to close their last coal plant by the end of this year: The Sines coal plant in Portugal went offline at midnight yesterday evening (14 ...
The Sincerest Form Of Flattery: As anybody with the intestinal fortitude to brave the commentary threads of local news-sites, large and small, will attest, the number of Trump-supporting New Zealanders is really quite astounding. ITâS SO DIFFICULT to resist the temptation to be smug. From the distant perspective of New Zealand, ...
RNZ reports on continued arbitrariness on decisions at the border. British comedian Russell Howard is about to tour New Zealand and other acts allowed in through managed isolation this summer include drag queen RuPaul and musicians at Northern Bass in Mangawhai and the Bay Dreams festival. The vice-president of the ...
As families around the world mourn more than two million people dead from Covid-19, the Plan B academics and their PR industry collaborator continue to argue that the New Zealand government should stop focusing on our managed isolation and quarantine system and instead protect the elderly so that they can ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 10, 2021 through Sat, Jan 16, 2021Editor's ChoiceNASA says 2020 tied for hottest year on record — here’s what you can do to helpPhoto by Michael Held on Unsplash ...
Health authorities in Norway are reporting some concerns about deaths in frail elderly after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine. Is this causally related to the vaccine? Probably not but here are the things to consider. According to the news there have been 23 deaths in Norway shortly after vaccine administration and ...
Happy New Year! No, experts are not concerned that â…one of New Zealandâs COIVD-1( vaccines will fail to protect the countryâ Here is why. But first I wish to issue an expletive about this journalism (First in Australia and then in NZ). It exhibits utter failure to actually truly consult ...
All nations have shadows; some acknowledge them. For others they shape their image in uncomfortable ways.The staunch Labour supporter was in despair at what her Rogernomics Government was doing. But she finished âat least, we got rid of Muldoonâ, a response which tells us that then, and today, oneâs views ...
Grigori GuitchountsIn November, Springer Nature, one of the world’s largest publishers of scientific journals, made an attention-grabbing announcement:Â More than 30 of its most prestigious journals, including the flagship Nature, will now allow authors to pay a fee of US$11,390 to make their papers freely available for anyone to read ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gary Yohe, Henry Jacoby, Richard Richels, and Benjamin Santer Imagine a major climate change law passing the U.S. Congress unanimously? Don’t bother. It turns out that you don’t need to imagine it. Get this: The Global Change Research Act of 1990 was passed ...
âTheyâre here already! Youâre next! Youâre next! Youâre next!âWHO CAN FORGET the penultimate scene of the 1956 movie classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers? The wild-eyed doctor, stumbling down the highway, trying desperately to warn his fellow citizens: âTheyâre here already! Youâre next! Youâre next! Youâre next!âOstensibly science-fiction, the movie ...
TheOneRing.Net has got its paws on the official synopsis of the upcoming Amazon Tolkien TV series. It’s a development that brings to mind the line about Sauron deliberately releasing Gollum from the dungeons of Barad-dĂ»r. Amazon knew exactly what they were doing here, in terms of drumming up publicity: ...
Since Dwight Eisenhowerâs inauguration in 1953, US presidents have joined an informal club intended to provide support - and occasionally rivalry - between those few who have been âleaders of the free worldâ. Donald Trump, elected on a promise to âdrain the swampâ and a constant mocker of his predecessors, ...
For over a decade commentators have noted the rise of a new brand of explicitly ideological politics throughout the world. By this they usually refer to the re-emergence of national populism and avowedly illiberal approaches to governance throughout the “advanced” democratic community, but they also extend the thought to the ...
The US House of Representatives has just impeached Donald Trump, giving him the dubious honour of being the only US President to be impeached twice. Ten Republicans voted for impeachement, making it the most bipartisan impeachment ever. The question now is whether the Senate will rise to the occasion, and ...
Tide of tidal data rises Having cast our own fate to include rising sea level, there's a degree of urgency in learning the history of mean sea level in any given spot, beyond idle curiosity. Sea level rise (SLR) isn't equal from one place to another and even at a particular ...
Well, some of those chickens sure came home bigly, didn’t they… and proceeded to shit all over the nice carpet in the Capitol. What we were seeing here are societal forces that have long had difficulty trying to reconcile people to the “idea” of America and the reality of ...
In the wake of Donald Trump's incitement of an assault on the US capitol, Twitter finally enforced its terms of service and suspended his account. They've since followed that up with action against prominent QAnon accounts and Trumpers, including in New Zealand. I'm not unhappy with this: Trump regularly violated ...
Peter S. Ross, University of British ColumbiaThe Arctic has long proven to be a barometer of the health of our planet. This remote part of the world faces unprecedented environmental assaults, as climate change and industrial chemicals threaten a way of life for Inuit and other Indigenous and northern ...
Susan St John makes the case for taxing a deemed rate of return on excessive real estate holdings (after a family home exemption), to redirect scarce housing resources to where they are needed most. Read the full article here ...
I’m less than convinced by arguments that platforms like Twitter should be subject to common carrier regulation preventing them from being able to decide who to keep on as clients of their free services, and who they would not like to serve. It’s much easier to create competition for the ...
The hypocritical actions of political leaders throughout the global Covid pandemic have damaged public faith in institutions and governance. Liam Hehir chronicles the way in which contemporary politicians have let down the public, and explains how real leadership means walking the talk. During the Blitz, when German bombs were ...
Over the years, we've published many rebuttals, blog posts and graphics which came about due to direct interactions with the scientists actually carrying out the underlying research or being knowledgable about a topic in general. We'll highlight some of these interactions in this blog post. We'll start with two memorable ...
Yesterday we had the unseemly sight of a landleech threatening to keep his houses empty in response to better tenancy laws. Meanwhile in Catalonia they have a solution for that: nationalisation: Barcelona is deploying a new weapon in its quest to increase the cityâs available rental housing: the power ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters, PhD The 2020 global wildfire season brought extreme fire activity to the western U.S., Australia, the Arctic, and Brazil, making it the fifth most expensive year for wildfire losses on record. The year began with an unprecedented fire event ...
NOTE: This is an excerpt from a digital story â read the full story here.Tess TuxfordKo te Kauri Ko Au, Ko te Au ko Kauri I am the kauri, the kauri is me Te Roroa proverb In Waipoua Forest, at the top of the North Island, New ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Coming attraction: IPCC's upcoming major climate assessmentLook for more emphasis on 'solutions,' efforts by cities, climate equity ... and outlook for emissions cuts in ...
Ringing A Clear Historical Bell: The extraordinary images captured in and around the US Capitol Building on 6 January 2021 mirror some of the worst images of America's past.THERE IS A SCENE in the 1982 movie Missing which has remained with me for nearly 40 years. Directed by the Greek-French ...
To impact or not to impeach? I understand why some of those who are justifiably aghast at Trumpâs behaviour over recent days might still counsel against impeaching him for a second time. To impeach him, they argue, would run the risk of making him a martyr in the eyes of ...
The Capitol Building, Washington DC, Wednesday, 6 January 2021. Oh come, my little one, come.The day is almost done.Be at my side, behold the sightOf evening on the land.The life, my love, is hardAnd heavy is my heart.How should I live if you should leaveAnd we should be apart?Come, let me ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 3, 2021 through Sat, Jan 9, 2021Editor's ChoiceAfter the Insurrection: Accountability, Reform, and the Science of Democracy The poisonous lies and enablers of sedition--including Senator Hawley, pictured ...
This article, guest authored by Prof. Angela Gallego-Sala & Dr. Julie Loisel, was originally published on the Carbon Brief website on Dec 21, 2020. It is reposted below in its entirety. Click here to access the original article and comments. Peatlands Peatlands are ecosystems unlike any other. Perpetually saturated, their ...
The assault on the US Capitol and constitutional crisis that it has caused was telegraphed, predictable and yet unexpected and confusing. There are several subplots involved: whether the occupation of the Michigan State House in May was a trial run for the attacks on Congress; whether people involved in the ...
On Christmas Eve, child number 1 spotted a crack in a window. Itâs a double-glazed window, and inspection showed that the small, horizontal crack was in the outermost pane. It was perpendicular to the frame, about three-quarters of the way up one side. The origins are a mystery. It MIGHT ...
Does the US need to strike a grand bargain with like-minded countries to pool their efforts? What does this tell us about todayâs global politics? Perhaps the most remarkable editorial of last year was the cover leader of the London Economist on 19 November 2020. Shortly after Joe Biden was ...
Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato and Valmaine Toki, University of WaikatoAotearoa New Zealand likes to think it punches above its weight internationally, but there is one area where we are conspicuously falling behind â the number of sites recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Globally, there are 1,121 ...
An event organised by the Auckland PhilippinesSolidarity group Have a three-course lunch at Nanam Eatery with us! Help support the organic farming of our Lumad communities through the Mindanao Community School Agricultural Foundation. Each ticket is $50. Food will be served on shared plates. To purchase, please email phsolidarity@gmail.com or ...
"Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here." Prisons are places of unceasing emotional and physical violence, unrelieved despair and unforgivable human waste.IT WAS NATIONALâS Bill English who accurately described New Zealandâs prisons as âfiscal and moral failuresâ. On the same subject, Labourâs Dr Martyn Findlay memorably suggested that no prison ...
This is a re-post from Inside Climate News by Ilana Cohen. Inside Climate News is a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for the ICN newsletter here. Whether or not people accept the science on Covid-19 and climate change, both global crises will have lasting impacts on health and ...
. . American Burlesque As I write this (Wednesday evening, 6 January), the US Presidential election is all but resolved, confirming Joe Biden as the next President of the (Dis-)United State of America. Trump’s turbulent political career has lasted just four years – one of the few single-term US presidents ...
The session started off so well. Annalax – suitably chastised – spent a pleasant morning with his new girlfriend (he would say paramour, of course, but for our purposes, girlfriend is easier*). He told her about Waking World Drow, and their worship of Her Ladyship. And he started ...
In a recent column I wrote for local newspapers, I ventured to suggest that Donald Trump – in addition to being a liar and a cheat, and sexist and racist – was a fascist in the making and would probably try, if he were to lose the election, to defy ...
When I was preparing for my School C English exam I knew I needed some quotes to splash through my essays. But remembering lines was never my strong point, so I tended to look for the low-hanging fruit. Weâd studied Shakespeareâs King Lear that year and perhaps the lowest hanging ...
When I went to bed last night, I was expecting today to be eventful. A lot of pouting in Congress as last-ditch Trumpers staged bad-faith "objections" to a democratic election, maybe some rioting on the streets of Washington DC from angry Trump supporters. But I wasn't expecting anything like an ...
Melted ice of the past answers question today? Kate Ashley and a large crew of coauthors wind back the clock to look at Antarctic sea ice behavior in times gone by, in Mid-Holocene Antarctic sea-ice increase driven by marine ice sheet retreat. For armchair scientists following the Antarctic sea ice situation, something jumps out in ...
Christina SzalinskiWhen Martha Field became pregnant in 2005, a singular fear weighed on her mind. Not long before, as a Cornell University graduate student researching how genes and nutrients interact to cause disease, she had seen images of unborn mouse pups smaller than her pinkie nail, some with ...
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidates for President and Vice President respectively for the US 2020 Election, may have dispensed with the erstwhile nemesis, Trump the candidate – but there are numerous critical openings through which much, much worse many out there may yet see fit to ...
I donât know TaupĆ well. Even though I stop off there from time to time, Iâm always on the way to somewhere else. Usually TaupĆ means making a hot water puddle in the gritty sand followed by a swim in the lake, noticing with bemusement and resignation the traffic, the ...
Frances Williams, King’s College LondonFor most people, infection with SARS-CoV-2 â the virus that causes COVID-19 â leads to mild, short-term symptoms, acute respiratory illness, or possibly no symptoms at all. But some people have long-lasting symptoms after their infection â this has been dubbed âlong COVIDâ. Scientists are ...
As we welcome in the new year, our focus is on continuing to keep New Zealanders safe and moving forward with our economic recovery. Thereâs a lot to get on with, but before we say a final goodbye to 2020, hereâs a quick look back at some of the milestones ...
A major investment to tackle wilding pines in Mt Richmond will create jobs and help protect the areaâs unique ecosystems, Biosecurity Minister Damien OâConnor says. The Mt Richmond Forest Park has unique ecosystems developed on mineral-rich geology, including taonga plant species found nowhere else in the country. âThese special plant ...
To further protect New Zealand from COVID-19, the Government is extending pre-departure testing to all passengers to New Zealand except from Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific Islands, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. âThe change will come into force for all flights arriving in New Zealand after 11:59pm (NZT) on Monday ...
Bay Conservation Cadets launched with first intake Supported with $3.5 million grant Part of $1.245b Jobs for Nature programme to accelerate recover from Covid Cadets will learn skills to protect and enhance environment Environment Minister David Parker today welcomed the first intake of cadets at the launch of the Bay ...
The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown have announced passengers from the Cook Islands can resume quarantine-free travel into New Zealand from 21 January, enabling access to essential services such as health. âFollowing confirmation of the Cook Islandsâ COVID ...
Jobs for Nature funding is being made available to conservation groups and landowners to employ staff and contractors in a move aimed at boosting local biodiversity-focused projects, Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan has announced. It is estimated some 400-plus jobs will be created with employment opportunities in ecology, restoration, trapping, ...
The Government has approved an exception class for 1000 international tertiary students, degree level and above, who began their study in New Zealand but were caught offshore when border restrictions began. The exception will allow students to return to New Zealand in stages from April 2021. âOur top priority continues ...
Todayâs deal between Meridian and Rio Tinto for the Tiwai smelter to remain open another four years provides time for a managed transition for Southland. âThe deal provides welcome certainty to the Southland community by protecting jobs and incomes as the region plans for the future. The Government is committed ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has appointed Anna Curzon to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). The leader of each APEC economy appoints three private sector representatives to ABAC. ABAC provides advice to leaders annually on business priorities. âABAC helps ensure that APECâs work programme is informed by business community perspectives ...
The Governmentâs prudent fiscal management and strong policy programme in the face of the COVID-19 global pandemic have been acknowledged by the credit rating agency Fitch. Fitch has today affirmed New Zealandâs local currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook and foreign currency rating at AA with a positive ...
The Government is putting in place a suite of additional actions to protect New Zealand from COVID-19, including new emerging variants, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. âGiven the high rates of infection in many countries and evidence of the global spread of more transmissible variants, itâs clear that ...
$36 million of Government funding alongside councils and others for 19 projects Investment will clean up and protect waterways and create local jobs Boots on the ground expected in Q2 of 2021 Funding part of the Jobs for Nature policy package A package of 19 projects will help clean up ...
The commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the Battle of Ruapekapeka represents an opportunity for all New Zealanders to reflect on the role these conflicts have had in creating our modern nation, says Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Kiri Allan. âThe Battle at Te Ruapekapeka PÄ, which took ...
Babies born with tongue-tie will be assessed and treated consistently under new guidelines released by the Ministry of Health, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Around 5% to 10% of babies are born with a tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia, in New Zealand each year. At least half can ...
The prisoner disorder event at Waikeria Prison is over, with all remaining prisoners now safely and securely detained, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says. The majority of those involved in the event are members of the Mongols and Comancheros. Five of the men are deportees from Australia, with three subject to ...
Travellers from the United Kingdom or the United States bound for New Zealand will be required to get a negative test result for COVID-19 before departing, and work is underway to extend the requirement to other long haul flights to New Zealand, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today. âThe new PCR test requirement, foreshadowed last ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has added her warm congratulations to the New Zealanders recognised for their contributions to their communities and the country in the New Year 2021 Honours List. âThe past year has been one that few of us could have imagined. In spite of all the things that ...
Attorney-General and Minister for the Environment David Parker has congratulated two retired judges who have had their contributions to the country and their communities recognised in the New Year 2021 Honours list. The Hon Tony Randerson QC has been appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for ...
Care is at the centre of Auckland Zoo’s mandate, and it’s clear to see when you witness the staff doing their day-to-day jobs up close. Leonie Hayden went behind the scenes to talk to two people who would do anything for the animals they look after. “We were having this ...
The Game Animal Council (GAC) is applying its expertise in the use of firearms for hunting to work alongside Police, other agencies and stakeholder groups to improve the compliance provisions for hunters and other firearms users. The GAC has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Verica Rupar, Professor, Auckland University of Technology âThe lie outlasts the liar,â writes historian Timothy Snyder, referring to outgoing president Donald Trump and his contribution to the âpost-truthâ era in the US. Indeed, the mass rejection of reason that erupted in a ...
The internet ain’t what it used to be, thanks to privacy issues, data leaks, censorship and hate speech. But a group of New Zealanders are working on a way to give power back to the people. A flood of headlines over the last week made it clear: the internet has become ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Brooks, Scientia Professor of Evolutionary Ecology; Academic Lead of UNSW’s Grand Challenges Program, UNSW The views of women and men can differ on important gendered issues such as abortion, gender equity and government spending priorities. Surprisingly, however, average differences in sex ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer S. Hunt, Lecturer in National Security, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Every four years on January 20, the US exercises a key tenant of democratic government: the peaceful transfer of power. This year, the scene looks a bit ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle In Australia and around the world, research is showing changes in body weight, cooking, eating and drinking patterns associated with COVID lockdowns. Some changes have been positive, such as people cooking ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hao Tan, Associate professor, University of Newcastle Australian coal exports to China plummeted last year. While this is due in part to recent trade tensions between Australia and China, our research suggests coal plant closures are a bigger threat to Australiaâs export ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Asha Bowen, Head, Skin Health, Telethon Kids Institute A year ago, in late January 2020, Australia reported its first cases of COVID-19. Since then, we have seen almost 29,000 confirmed cases and 909 deaths. As cases climbed in Australian cities in 2020, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin Davis, Emeritus Professor of Finance, University of Melbourne Political pressure forced the federal government in 2017 â when Scott Morrison was treasurer â to call the royal commission into misconduct in the banking, superannuation and financial services sector. Commissioner Kenneth Hayne ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Ellis, Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Newcastle, University of Newcastle The Rise and Fall of Saint George is a story about place, belonging and community that taps into universal tensions of identity and faith in multicultural societies. Playing for ...
An in-depth analysis of media coverage of the euthanasia and cannabis referendums has found that while both sides of the euthanasia referendum were given reasonably fair and balanced coverage, the YES position in the cannabis debate received a heavily ...
*This article was originally published on RNZ and is republished with permission Auckland has no plans to hand over the ownership of it assets under the government's planned water reforms, with Auckland Mayor Phil Goff saying his top priority is to ensure it stacks up for the city. Despite ...
Summer reissue: Join Michèle A’Court, Alex Casey and Leonie Hayden as they find out exactly what we’re voting on in the cannabis referendum, and discover how legalising weed is a women’s issue.First published August 4, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is ...
A principal analyst for the Climate Change Commission says more needs to be done to reduce agricultural emissions or the country will miss its methane targets. ...
New Zealand needs to be bold in making developers enhance the environment - not just limit its degradation, writes Stephen Knight-Lenihan All human activity should help restore the natural world. This is a concept that may resonate following the upheavals of 2020 and one which is beginning to appear in law. Imagine ...
Derek Challis, son of the legendary author Robin Hyde, died last Thursday. Michelle Leggott pays tribute He opens a suitcase and there they are, the precious manuscript notebooks written by his poet mother Iris Wilkinson aka Robin Hyde. We are in Dunedin for a Hyde conference. Yes, says Derek Arden ...
Former New Zealand gymnast Katya Nosova is now a champion bodybuilder, who was prepared to spend Christmas alone in quarantine to compete in the 'Olympics' of her sport. Katya Nosova was willing to do everything she could to pose on the world stage in her third Ms Olympia. Despite a ...
Concerts and some sports look likely to be on the move in Auckland after a big win for Eden Park â and politicians and officials may now want to win the public some control over the independent stadium. The advent of big concerts at Eden Park will, in all likelihood, mean ...
Despite promises of improvement, questions remain about colonoscopy services in Otago and Southland.David Williams reports The apology, when it came, was fulsome. âOn behalf of the Southern DHB, I offer a sincere apology for lapses and inadequacies in colonoscopy services over the past several years,â district health board chair ...
The issues political editor Justin Giovannetti will be keeping an eye on in 2021 (that have nothing to do with Covid-19).New Zealand will be busy in 2021. The border will remain closed to nearly all travellers and Covid-19 will continue to lead the news, but the country has a packed ...
A former case manager says that his experience working with beneficiaries suggests claims of a ‘complete shift’ in the service’s approach are laughable.A former Work and Income case manager who now works with beneficiaries engaging with the service has spoken out on a “toxic” culture which he says denies beneficiaries ...
ACC Minister Carmel Sepuloni must confirm whether the Government supports ACCâs apparent policy to make payouts for illegal overstayers , says the New Zealand Taxpayersâ Union . Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, âSince when was it ACC policy to ...
By RNZ News An independent panel says Chinese officials could have applied public health measures more forcefully in January to curb the initial covid-19 outbreak, and criticised the World Health Organisation (WHO) for not declaring an international emergency until 30 January. The experts reviewing the global handling of the pandemic, ...
Pacific Media Watch newsdesk Fijiâs NGO Coalition on Human Rights has called for stronger accountability and commitment to human rights at home in response to the country taking the world stage as the head of a UN body. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHCR) elected Fijiâs ambassador Nazhat Shameem as ...
Danyl McLauchlan reviews Stuart Ritchie’s Science Fictions, which outlines the staggering systemic flaws in the funding and publication of scientific papers. Back in August of 2006 a number of New Zealand scientists were caught up in a media controversy about whether Māori had a genetic predisposition towards violent crime. It kicked ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago America is currently experiencing its worst political and constitutional crisis since the civil war when the very survival of Abraham Lincolnâs government âof, by and for the peopleâ was at stake. On ...
Manaaki Rangatahi report that young people experiencing homelessness are being further traumatized within the emergency accommodation where they have sought safety. Often these environments are unsafe, and unsuitable for young people to live in, and rangatahi ...
Can you figure out which of the above is the real Jacinda Ardern? Probably! But one day, that might not be true.There are many reasons to believe the internet shouldn’t exist. Social media empires exerting, intentionally or not, their control over sovereign governments. Baby Shark. Your aunt on Facebook.It pains ...
The Point of Order Ministers on a Mission Monitor has flickered only fleetingly for much of the month. Â More than once, the minister to trigger it has been David Parker, who set it off again yesterday with an announcement that shows how he has been spending our money. He welcomed ...
Ban Bomb Day event at the New Brighton Pier, 9am, on January 22nd, 2021 January 22nd, 2021, marks the first day the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) Enters into Force and becomes international law. Aotearoa NZ is one of the ...
Why are New Zealand’s 2 Minute Noodles called 3 Minute Noodles in the UK? It’s a puzzle that has taken hold of Dylan Reeve and refuses to let go.I’m a child of the 80s and 90s. I watched a lot of TV and was a big fan of aggressively marketed ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonatan A Lassa, Senior Lecturer, Humanitarian Emergency and Disaster Management, College of Indigenous Futures, Arts and Society, Charles Darwin University News of storms battering parts of Queensland and the threat posed by Cyclone Kimi reminded me of a recent experience Iâd had. ...
The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that the use of force to effect the arrest of a wanted offender in Auckland was justified and proportionate to the risk he posed. A man, who was well known to Police, was wanted by Police for an aggravated ...
A distinctly colonial institution, banking has long ignored te ao Māori. Teaho Pihama believes investment in tikanga Māori at Kiwibank can have significant, positive outcomes for Māori.In early 90s Tāmaki Makaurau, when Teahooterangi (Teaho) Pihama was growing up riding his bike around the streets of Kingsland until the streetlights came ...
Donald Trumpâs awful presidency expires at midday on Wednesday [US time] when Air Force One will have deposited him in Florida. He retreats to his Mar-a-Lago resort and Joseph R Biden Junior takes command of the White House. Trump’s has been an unpleasant presidency, brought about largely by his own ...
The New Zealand Union of Studentsâ Associations (NZUSA) has elected its National President for 2021. The election took place last Friday at an NZUSA Special General Meeting (SGM) in Wellington. Andrew Lessells, 22, was elected to serve as the National ...
Think twice before you accept that surprise school reunion invite, writes Chris Schulz.It started with a Facebook notification. A school reunion was being organised. It sounded fun, with a fancy dress party set to be held in the city where I grew up, Whanganui. I hadn’t seen some of my ...
Unlike the US, there is very little NZ precedent for politicians to issue discretionary pardons â creating a challenge for those like Prof Sean Davison who might have a humanitarian claim to mercy. ...
Schools have told the Education Review Office that some children lost 10 weeks of learning in last year's lockdowns, but the overall impact of the pandemic is still unclear. In a report based on surveys of thousand of students, teachers and principals during and after last year's national and Auckland ...
The government seems to still be in holiday mode when in the past two weeks alone we have had six homicides, countless firearms incidents, and police needing to arm themselves against gangs almost every second day," says Sensible Sentencing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Crawford, Associate Professor in Construction and Environmental Assessment, University of Melbourne Over the past few years, Australians have embraced online food delivery services such as UberEats, Deliveroo and Menulog. But home-delivered food comes with a climate cost, and single-use packaging is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland When the coronavirus pandemic hit Australia in March 2020, the Morrison government took bold and imaginative action. The most notable examples were its income support programs â JobKeeper, paying a A$750 weekly ...
Ocean Ute, which arrived at Port Taranaki yesterday, is the second live export ship to arrive in New Zealand this year. Taranaki Animal Rights Group has two demonstrations planned for today. A protest at midday and a vigil at 6.30pm tonight . The number ...
The Department of Corrections is well within its rights to refuse Jared Savageâs âGanglandâ book from being read by inmates and it is outrageous that resources and time are now potentially going to be wasted in court about it, says Sensible ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Cowling, Associate Professor – Information & Communication Technology (ICT), CQUniversity Australia Weâve probably all been there. We buy some new smart gadget and when we plug it in for the first time it requires an update to work. So we end ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Walker, Vice-chancellor’s fellow, La Trobe University The new trade minister, Dan Tehan, has been handed one of the Morrison governmentâs most demanding roles. Despite a lot of chest-thumping in government circles about the need to stand up to âChinese bullyingâ, Tehanâs ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip Weinstein, Professorial Research Fellow, University of Adelaide Thereâs no question the rising rate of unemployment is one of the worst consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of Australians seeking work is heading towards 10%, almost double the pre-pandemic Australian average ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Munro, Professor, Faculty of Education and Arts, Australian Catholic University Research during the first phase of remote teaching in Victoria reported some students found the workload âtoo highâ, missed interactions with peers, felt their thinking ability was impaired, and reported a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Keating, Visiting Fellow, College of Business & Economics, Australian National University It is tempting to think the Australian governmentâs decision to spend big â bigger than ever before, an unprecedented 33% of GDP this financial year according to the budget update ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Maguire-Rosier, Honorary Associate, Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, School of Literature, Art, and Media, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Sydney Review: Humans 2.0, directed by Yaron Lifschitz, Circa at Sydney Festival The black circular stage is lit ...
Summer reissue: Greens MP Chlöe Swarbrick joins Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire to pick over the remains of election night in a special Sunday edition of Gone By Lunchtime.First published October 18, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded ...
Summer reissue: Our feminist webseries On the Rag returns to dissect representation in the media and who is still being left behind when you turn on the telly. First published July 22, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members ...
Applaud the social media silencing of Donald Trump if you must, but be careful what you wish for, writes Matt Bartlett of the University of Auckland. The sighs of relief from all around the world were almost palpable when Donald Trumpâs Twitter account was permanently banned this month. Twitter, Facebook, ...
Matteo Di Maio investigates what MPs have been filling their heads with over the summer holidays What have our lords and masters been reading on the beach during the summer holidays? What books have filled their heads, given them ideas, expanded their horizons? Eight prominent politicians have revealed their choice ...
From white-collar crims to famous rappers, President Trump is to issue about 100 pardons on his final full day in office, buying protection from incriminating revelations. ...
Are the continent’s coronavirus statistics as good as they appear? Felix Geiringer looks at the numbers, and why whether they reflect the reality matters. Living in Africa during Covid times, one of the questions I am asked most often is this: how has Africa done so well?At the start of September, ...
With new strains of Covid-19 bearing down on our shores, Pattrick Smellie of BusinessDesk looks at the challenges 2021 has in store, and what can be done to prepare.In the three weeks that New Zealanders have been at the beach and ignoring Covid tracer app sign-ins, the threat of Covid-19 ...
Pacific Media Watch newsdesk Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticised the Indonesian government of President Joko âJokowiâ Widodo for its weak health response to covid-19 which has brought Indonesia to its knees since March 2020, reports CNN Indonesia. The assessment is based on Indonesiaâs poor rates of testing and tracing ...
By The National in Port Moresby An expatriate who tested positive for the covid-19 coronavirus last week has been admitted to a private hospital in the Papua New Guinea capital of Port Moresby, an official has confirmed. Pacific International Hospital (PIH) chief executive officer Colonel Sandeep Shaligram toldThe National the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Bartlett, Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle Reports of about 30 deaths among elderly nursing home residents who received the Pfizer vaccine have made international headlines. With Australiaâs Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) expected to approve the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Culum Brown, Professor, Macquarie University How do gills work? Tully, aged 7 Great question, Tully! Animals on land breathe air, which is made up of different gasses. Oxygen is one of these gases, and is made by plants (hug ...
Dairy prices increased by 3.9% across the board at the latest Fonterra global auction. The lift followed rises of 1.3% and 4.3% in the December auctions which took dairy prices to their highest level in 11 months, defying those analysts who believed Covid-19 had disrupted dairy markets. In the latest ...
America's Cup team American Magic has spoken publicly after their boat Patriot capsized when on its way to their first win of the Challenger Selection Series yesterday. Patriot dramatically capsized yesterday, becoming temporarily airborne before crashing back into the water and tipping. The boat, helmed by New Zealander Dean Barker, could not be ...
It’s a seemingly age old question: why do Auckland’s beaches become unswimmable after every single downpour? Stewart Sowman-Lund investigates.Ah, the beach. A staple of the New Zealand summer. Unless, of course, you’re based in Auckland and it’s raining. The start of 2021 has been a lot like every other New ...
We have opened a book, among members of the Point of Order team, on how long it will be before the PM offers to sort out the land dispute at Wellingtonâs Shelly Bay and (to win the double) how much the settlement will cost taxpayers. Just a few weeks ago ...
Breakfast TV news is back for 2021, and Tara Ward got up early to watch. “Thank god it’s almost Christmas,” John Campbell said during the opening minutes of Breakfast’s premiere episode of the year. “2021’s been rough so far. I’m buggered”. We’re all buggered, to be fair, but I’m worried that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Pearson, Professor of Journalism and Social Media, Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Griffith University, Griffith University The blame for the recent assault on the US Capitol and President Donald Trumpâs broader dismantling of democratic institutions and norms can be ...
To the MPs that come on here asking for unity or whatever so they can concentrate on the ‘real enemy’.
I’m prepared to publicly concede I had it wrong all along when you hit 40% in the polls.
At what point between now and the next election campaign when you don’t reach that number, will you be prepared to say we got it wrong, DS isn’t the right man for the job, you were spot on Al1?
Way I see it, at least 22 caucus members don’t know they arses from elbows.
What do you think you know that I don’t?
Did you hear Shearer on RNZ this morning on Waitangi and the Te Karere Digipol? Not only was he inarticulate as to explaining how Labour were working for Maori, he also could not pronounce his mps names, what they were doing, and entirely forgot to mention Nanaia. Precursor to the reshuffle?
hush minx: Well, how would you “perform”, after a night with lots of beer to “celebrate” your “overwhelming” victory of sorts? Maybe that is why he dropped in performance again? Just a thought, but he may send Annette around to answer and clarify this for us shortly.
Hmmm – and then I saw this in today’s Dom post:
Mr Shearer has not yet convinced the voters that he is a plausible prime minister, even if his caucus has backed him. He is desperately inarticulate, unable to deliver a sound bite without a lot of rehearsal or an auto-cue. ..He can look tough and decisive when his back is to the wall, but mostly he still just blunders.
Trevor Mallard likens Mr Shearer to Norman Kirk, which is laughable… Mr Shearer has a long way to go before he and his party look like winners.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/editorials/8261563/Editorial-Faltering-leader-versus-government-in-rut
Sigh
I caught this little gem at the end of the editorial to which you linked hush minx. “Labour is exploring new ideas- on monetary policy and tax and on a tougher welfare policy – but its image remains blurred.” This is the first I’ve heard of the “tougher welfare policy” and I don’t know if its true. Can anyone shed light on this?
Maybe ask “Jacinda Dear”, or the more senior “expert” “(Marie Antoi-)Anette” ?
I have had high suspicions about Labour’s true welfare agenda for a long time now, this only adds to it!!! They have in general been FAR TOO SILENT on the reforms that NatACT with the front person Bennett are launching, so one must wonder, wonder and wonder.
As Shearer will feel reassured now, I do not rule out a “slightly more moderate” harder line welfare policy by Labour, as the public have through a totally biased, misinforming MSM been largely conditioned and turned into benefit enviers and haters. So that is the wrongly “nurtured” public sentiment now, that exists, and Shearer would be prone to exploit public sentiment to gain votes.
His “sickness benefit roofpainter story” at the start of a “Heartland Speech” in Nelson (and I believe elsewhere) may have been the first signal to the public he gave, for what he really wants Labour to stand for!
Do NOT forget, they (Labour) brought in a Dr David Bratt, a staunch “pro work ability” “Principal Health Advisor” comparing benefit dependence to drug dependence in 2007. They have never explained that man’s appointment or bizarre claims in his public presentations to GPs and others.
Shearer never apologised for – or explained his “bene roof painter” dog whistle comments.
Shearer is displaying a clean lack of imagination, kiwi voters hate capable PMs. Ever since Lange gave it such a bad name – aka – neobliberalism. Why do you think Key is so desperate to look like a spoit brat, the longer he stays in office the harder it is to not look capable. He’s got a whole horrendous history of bad policy, reshuffles, outsourcing, and dithering over the economy under his belt but its never enough,
competence capable keep dogging his legacy.
NZ is rich and its essential for NZ not to get tagged as rich, and the best way is to just hand over our assets, deregulate, gear the economy to export its profit centers and just hate the idea of productivity. Government generosity is a crime against the economy damn it.
Kiwis are
just not taught simple ethics like beware people bearing gifts, that priests who are too good to be true are diddling their wards, that men selling ponsi schemes so pander to
investors personal weaknesses, that saving the economy by laxly taxes and deregulating the commercial arena will breed world winning companies (wow lol, what, the heavy slap on the bum is only good for children).
Being nice to the private sector will not make a resilient growing prosperous NZ.
We are this way, as a Nation, because our media is so weak and subservient to Australian bankers and Australian media barons, because they all want to work in OZ eventually and so make it easy to exploit NZ to gain points in the eyes of future employers.
Hi Olwyn – there have been a small number of us on this site who’ve been talking about this for a while now, xtasy for example, but it’s really hard to show people on the Left how nasty Labour’s welfare policy has been since 1999. Nobody sees the detail and neither, I believe, does anyone on the Left want to. Labour has been asked time and time again about this but they will not say a word. bad12 had a crack at me yesterday about having a go at Annette King, rushing to her defence ahead of taking notice of the real issue, which is that Labour’s history on welfare reform since 1999 and its silence when asked if this is still its policy is clear evidence it has every intention of continuing from wherever National leaves off, just as it did from 1999. Everyone’s saying “give Labour a chance to develop its welfare policy before you slag it”, but it’s been six years now since its last attack, the 2007 amendment Act, and they said nothing to suggest things had changed leading up to the last election. The only conclusion we can arrive at is it’s going to be more of the same. We can’t keep giving Labour the benefit of the doubt when there’s nothing to suggest things have changed – just silence which we can only take as meaning nothing’s changed. We trusted Labour in 1999 and they pooed all over us. For that I say fuck them.
Yes Mary I too have mistrusted that silence, which is what drew my attention to that short sentence in the first place.
Labour’s approach to welfare has been pretty nasty since 1984. They brought in GST and income taxes on benefits, instantly cutting into the standard of living. They brought in the monetarist culture of greed, which ordains that it’s easy to get rich and anyone who doesn’t is beneath contempt. They’ve never said sorry or admitted the huge shift to the right and they throw anyone who tries to give a minor nudge to the left under the bus. I’m afraid I can only see them as a party which exists to give the illusion of choice and democracy, especially with Shearer as leader.
@hush minx. I’m just waiting for TS to be blamed for this as well
Yep the replacement for Mike Smith.
Probably celebrated round at Hooton’s place.
hush minx – I didn’t hear it but your description is so good I don’t need to. Tangata whenua are cannon fodder for that useless nobody and his cohorts.
What was that olde world yank tea party thing about no representation, no taxes?
How about no accountability, no sermons or lectures.
Stand by your secret votes and give a date and a poll figure when you’ll know for sure the fight can’t be won. Draw on memory from 2008-11 if you’re stuck.
lol
Labour got in the order of 23% in a RM poll a week from the election. Result: NACT get 64 seats including three parties with 5 electorate-only seats.
To be that close to victory when labour is that low, I’m not completely certain I’d make that call if labour are at 30% a week out from the election. I wouldn’t be comfortable, but I sure wouldn’t be predicting defeat as a certainty.
It’s a simple enough couple of questions question, yet the nature of politics dictates it won’t get an answer from those it’s really asked, but in the real world away from the house, when they’re human like the rest of you, they’ll know what I’m on about, and that’s what I’m all about.
Devastating political scandal for key or the nats aside, or a last minute game changer than comes from left field (won’t be from Labour then đ ) and surprises everyone, as we are all repeatedly told by the media during campaigns that voters minds are already made up well in advance of a poll date, there’s a time when at least 22 of caucus who won’t even be aware of my challenge will sit and think, shit.
I don’t know whether it’s the night before, a week out a month or even dare I suggest those in caucus who voted for a vote for leader who can already tell this far out, but even though you probably won’t care too much (depending on your list ranking), I told you so, losers. đ
Biggest laugh at my expense is if Shearer slashes at Key’s poll rating and storms to a landslide election, winning by fighting for the NZ public on a platform of equality and opportunity for all kiwis.
Someone best make a record and post on election night to compound my ignorance. đ
hah – I’ve lost the link where I gave a timeframe for when I’d expect labour to get a 35% poll or two, before calling it another goff term.
But I reckon your penultimate sentence wouldn’t be so much of at the expense of yourself, or the country. đ
It’s a fair cop, guvnor, :thumbsup:
But just like what’s the point in having a heart and a sleeve if you don’t wear one on the other?
What’s the point in having money and a mouth if you won’t/can’t put them together?
Death and taxes – Fact.
Words without action – Not.
Maybe this is why Key wants to hang onto Parata a bit longer, she’s got to be the fall-guy
a bit longer:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/127323/govt-poised-to-make-big-school-reforms,-papers-show
Yep
“Treasury documents indicate that the Government is considering major reforms of the school system.
The papers show improving the system is the Treasury’s highest priority and emphasise raising the quality of teaching.”
The highest priority is creating more upheaval in the school system? Not housing, not child poverty, not the chronic shortage of doctors.
They are putting in place charter schools, by the time National leaves office I wouldn’t be surprised if thousands more of kids come out of school with no qualifications and no future. Just the perfect slave labour for their corporate mates.
but they’ll have certificates in “bible knowledge” or “burger dynamics”.
And just what the hell does Treasury know about teaching?
Oh, that’s right, absolutely nothing. That’s why we have a Ministry of Education.
Now will they apply that to the economy as well?
Not bloody likely.
Paula Bennett was interviewed by Kathryn Ryan of Radio New Zealand National yesterday morning (04 Feb., 09:05 am) on welfare numbers, the welfare reforms to be pushed through by her government, whether they were justified, correct and representative, and more.
On the nine to noon program there were also Alan Johnson, Salvation Army social policy analyst and Susan St John from Auckland Uni, elaborating on controversial figures, why the mainstream media misrepresents the truth about beneficiaries, the numbers of them, the reasons for being on benefits and rather just tends to high-light and present the extreme, bizarre, very unusual cases to the public.
It is well worth a listen and to do some good, critical thinking about it.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/20130204
Bennett was again, as so often, getting a lot of figures wrong, confusing some, and naturally did “not have them before her” in too many cases. So she continues to create a lot of “mist”, uncertainties, she is distracting and full of ambiguities and misrepresentation.
Of course the program once again only scratched the very surface of a whole range of issues, that will become very clear to the many that will be very adversely and seriously affected, yes harmed, by the reforms that will be pushed through by way of the ‘Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill’, presently before the Social Services Committee of Parliament.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/20130204
Also, do not forget, where Bennett comes from, and what her speech revealed, that she held to medical professionals (who will be instrumental in part, to force sick, injured and disabled into some forms of work) on 26 Sept. 2012. Read between the lines, and realise the absolute focus on the supposed UK findings, that are supposed to be the “international” evidence that work is kind of “remedial” to all people.
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/speech-medical-professionals
I have not found much of other “international” evidence though that supports the extreme, bizarre and perverted interpretation of a so-called “bio psycho-social model” for assessing and re-integrating disabled and sick into work, that a Professor Sir Mansel Aylward (from a partly private insurance financed department at Cardiff University), who also helped develop and introduced tough work ability assessments at the Department of Work and Pensions in the UK (first under Thatcher), did bring in there.
http://blacktrianglecampaign.org/2013/01/11/new-zealand-british-style-work-tests-concern-tests-were-developed-by-disability-expert-prof-sir-mansel-aylward/
http://blacktrianglecampaign.org/2012/05/31/a-tale-of-two-models-disabled-people-vs-unum-atos-government-and-disability-charities-by-debbie-jolly-dpac/
http://blacktrianglecampaign.org/2012/10/31/government-use-might-of-american-insurance-giant-to-destroy-uk-safety-net-by-mo-stewart-update/
The true agenda is about these “reforms” is all about cost savings, and nothing else!!!
The UK model is seriously considered as a foundation upon the Ministry of Social Development and Work and Income are planning to change the whole medical assessment and work testing regime for sickness and invalid’s beneficiaries. THIS ALL IS COMING HERE AND DUE TO BECOME THE NORM FOR NZ.
This is a space to watch, as NZ is in danger of making serious mistakes that have been made already by following similar, draconian reforms and bizarre work-testing regimes in the UK over recent years. Already many there died through trying to work while they really could not, or were in extreme cases driven to commit suicide. Grim stuff this is.
‘Grim stuff this is.’, aye it’s what the NACT do best.
Bennett shows that’s it’s all about ideology, facts are to be dismissed if they don’t support your case or twisted if possible with a few slogans to spin and confuse.
Bennett is a hypocrite who is pulling the ladder up behind her and being applauded by that other beneficiary of welfare John Key.
Ryan’s too lightweight, that’s why they go on.
As the Labour/Green/NZFirst? coalition, noticeably surpass National in popularity, (polls indicating that move now) Â Â we will see those vote gaining tactic’s of welfare/benefit attacks. Maori will cop the usual ‘what more do they want slurs.’ which is a reliable vote earner also.Â
Xl you make some good points. Â Â Â Â
Keep up the good work Xtasy.
I’m feeling pretty despondant about affecting positive change. I don’t know if TS will go ahead with brainstorming policy given our powerlessness in getting Labour to pay attention, but maybe someone who has some influence will pause for thought over something they read here, sometime, and that will make it worthwhile.
It’s not up to us on TS to get Labour to pay attention. It really is up to them to engage the community and so far, from what I can make out, they’re failing miserably.
Thanks for the links X, this needs much more coverage than it is getting. The system is ALREADY damaging for disabled persons and the able bodied (eg access difficulties, lack of understanding, overworked staff not informing people of their full and correct entitlement which IMHO is a key driver of poverty in this country).
Paula’s only idea is to stick with the main ideas behind the British model which caused and continues to cause such great social harm.
It’s almost a form of eugenics/social cleansing.
People with disabilities struggled under Labour, now they are denied basic human rights under National. When Labour and the Greens take over the books in 2014 they will find thousands of children that have fallen in the cracks, who if the government had just given teacher aids and sufficient resources could have been productive members of society. National doesn’t care about those with disabilities, it believes in eugenics i.e. letting the worst off members of society starve, kill themselves or end up homeless on the street.
Edit: So yeah you are right. đ
When Labour and the Greens take over the books in 2014 they will find thousands of children that have fallen in the cracks…
There will be children in the cracks of the books?
You’re a book crack.
Good one.
NO, your book is cracked, same as your mind seems to be “cracked”.
Common sense, reading real information and understanding what is behind stuff is not your strenghth, it seems. Well, to be honest, you do not really care, as you are just one of the few frequenting TS to stir up crap, but contribute little of substance.
Enjoy your little space in narrow mind, the smaller it gets.
Like some time long before Christmas (to 2 email addresses at RNZ) – again yesterday substantial information on some of what is already happening at the hands of MSD and WINZ in this regards, was sent to Kathryn Ryan at Radio NZ National yesterday afternoon.
My expectation is – it will just be put aside as too much and too complex information to bother looking at, so it will NOT be reported on.
Lead story today is the football fraud scandal exposed by Europol, that has spread world-wide and is being exposed now. So most that are interested in sports and other matters will pay attention to that, rather than what really matters.
The media (mainstream that is) does not give a damn about beneficiaries or sick and disabled, unless they are cases that can be presented as sob or pity story material – to gain in viewing and listening quotas – that will also enable to sell yet more advertising.
That is what Campbell Live and others are doing. Sorry to upset the ones that may think he is doing some “good work”. Yes, it may be for a good cause, some of it, but it never seems to be without ulterior goals.
Two very contrasting blog posts, Chris Trotter’s a sting in the tail on why Labour needs to commit to helping the poorest amongst us.
And at the opposite end of the spectrum in both compassion, understanding and comprehension Josie Pagani posts on, at least I think she is posting on, why Labour needs to be more right wing and why beneficiaries should only be tolerated and Labour needs to get tougher on crime.
The next time she advertised as being “of the left” should be met with a complaint that it is misleading.
Pagani acting as the last, distant colonial outpost of Blairism would be funny, except that I suspect her thinking is close to the feeble ideology at the top of the parliamentary Labour party. As such, I think she provides a fascinating insight into the sort of arguments that seem to under pin much of Labour’s policy at the moment.
MS – I saw Trotter’s story last night, but did not yet read it in detail.
That link works, but the other hyperlink you put in for Pagani does not lead to the story.
# xtasy
http://www.pundit.co.nz/content/how-political-parties-get-stuck-in-opposition
Thanks Joe90. Apologies for rushing it.
Thanks for that.
It reminds me very much of what I heard from Phil Goff, when a minister many years ago. Cracking down on crime, doing this and that, supporting the military and what else comes to mind.
Pagani is stuck in the Blairite Bubble, I must say, she will likely never get out of it, because once it pops, she will drop and hurt herself, thus ending in a personality crisis.
I heard also yesterday (on the BBC World Service that was), that the French may not just have gone to deal to “islamist extremist threats” in Mali, but perhaps also bore in mind the rich uranium and other resources found there!?
That makes it look a bit more like “a little Iraq style invasion” then.
Maybe Shearer will invest his UN and strategic thinking skills by suggesting to send NZ troops to sort out Fiji, in order to “restore democracy”?
The interesting bits on that page are to be found in the comment section at the bottom of the page,
The best that can be said for the writer of that piece is in the nature of revelation, it appears that being a ‘political contortionist’ allows Her to suck the air She breathes out of Her own anus…
Quoting Article:
I don’t see anyone on the left doing that. See it plenty on the right though as they work to distract from their failed policies that come directly from their failed ideology.
Other than that, I don’t think she managed to say anything.
What drivel – whatever point she was trying to make was lost in a sea of dross. She must be Special Adviser to Shearer.
” their failed ideology”
As compared to the absolutely fabulous concoction on the contemporary Left of Deconstructionist Intellectual Fraudsters/Feminist Man Hating/Neo Marxist mumbo jumbo.
Yep, k_p still fails to make any sense whatsoever.
Tell, were you born that stupid or did you have to work at it?
Unenlightened people often are damned to work very, very hard, so some keep trying here, working very, very hard, repeating the same all over again, as some know no better, to get somewhere.
Whether it pays off is not relevant, as the exercise of banging the head against the brick wall sets off endless flows of adrenalin, that give some hormonal feelings of “encouragement” or stoicism, it will end up feeling quite “good” of sorts for the endless head banger. So add the dots together perhaps.
“The next time she advertised as being âof the leftâ should be met with a complaint that it is misleading.”
She was on Larry Williams’ show last night with Cameron Slater. She agreed with everything he said.
Well, she does work for him.
What you notice about Pagani and the whole Neo-lib tribe that currently occupies ‘the middle ground’ is that the ‘problem’ is always framed as being ‘WELFARE’,
That of course allows them to concentrate solely upon a narrow line of dialogue, and thus ‘reforms’ become acceptable in that ‘middle ground’,
It is in fact ‘the economy’ and ’employment’ where the focus should be, it is obvious to everyone except the most blatant of LIARS that there are more people available for work than there is work in the economy,
Thus continually whipping those reliant upon welfare to even ‘look’ for work is simply BULLSHIT,(as a commenter pointed out Pagani’s comments were),
As Pagani is firmly mired in the middle class when She talks of Socialism, She is talking of the Socialism of the middle classes where that class is continually pandered to by the political class…
Pagani would seem to argue that Blair invaded other countries for good reasons, while his partner in crime, Bush, was invading the same countries for bad reasons. I have a real love/hate relationship with the way these fake lefties are able to contort their ideas to suit any actions whatsoever. It’s frightening and enetertaining at the same time.
Just listened to the first part of the interview….in the first minute or so Ryan reveals the number of people on the unemployment benefit for 15 years or more? TWELVE PEOPLE.
The number of people on the dole for 20 years or more? FOUR.
Citing extreme examples to illustrate we have an issue that only they (National) have the guts to solve has been the approach to welfare.
That was the good part of the whole interview, how Bennett and the government on one hand are exposed as exploiting and abusing figures to portray a “dramatic” “crisis” kind of scenario asking for urgent action, and how especially the MSM totally mis-report, misrepresent and basically LIE to the public about what is happening in the area of benefit dependence, needs and challenges.
It is all only about headlines about selected, bizarre, totally out of the ordinary EXTREME cases, that they report on, NOT FACTS and balanced figures and details!
This must be exposed more, for sure, as the MSM appear to be complicit in the war on the welfare system and affected beneficiaries this government is leading now. That is NOT what the so-called “4th estate” is there for.
What interested me was the bloke up Gizzy way that had been on the dole for 25 years, now that man should be given a gold watch,
By being a well behaved citizen over that 25 years, he has quite heroically in my opinion given up the pursuit of more money so as to enable others to take up any work on offer,
In a province of economic decline this man has selflessly gone without on the doles meager income allowing others to earn those higher wages,
Should this man have entered the workforce at any time in those 25 years in a province with a declining economy someone else would have had to take the position previously occupied by that bloke,
While the above is a little out of left field it is in ‘fact’ the truth, in a declining economy for a person to gain employment there is every chance that someone in another part of that economy will have stopped being employed…
He’s a lazy good for nothing.
Probably grows dope, deals and sits on his fat bum, stoned most of the time.
A quarter century doing nothing?
Jeez, KP, I thought you were keen on the entrepeneurial spirit? Why are you putting the boot into a man you believe to be running an effective small business for quarter of a century?
Y’know, in that 25 years, the bloke will have seen various welfare administrations, maybe ten Ministers of Employment, several name changes at the DOSS/Social Welfare/WINZ/MOBIE and countless case managers who would all have bounced him off the dole in a heartbeat if they could.
Presumably he has been getting the benefit for 25 years for dinkum reasons. That’s fine by me.
“…countless case managers who would all have bounced him off the dole in a heartbeat if they could. ”
As you well know the stories of incompetency are endless coming out of the welfare system.
Maybe he’s got a few “cussie brews” in that little country town branch.
Pathetic use of a popularism of language you dick-head, even a 5 year old knows that its cuzzy-bro…
Yeah but the way you spell it isn’t phonetic, lol.
I can’t even understand half what most Maoris say their English pronunciation is so poor.
So is there some difference in 1 person ‘doing nothing’ for 25 years as you put it and 10 people over the same period spending 18 months each doing nothing,
i realize that your a ‘wing-nut’ so have to take into account your limited ability to actually ‘think’ but in a Gisborne type situation with an economy in continual decline someone ‘has’ to be unemployed,
Given that little ‘fact’ our ‘gold watch’ beneficiary would have to take someone else’s employment or if a newly created employment position appeared in the local economy deny someone else that employment position,
Which simply means that should that Bloke in Gizzy have ‘got a job’ someone else in Gizzy wouldn’t have one…
Engaging in sophistry there, bad12 – not that you would know what the word means without looking it up first.
The idea that the long term unemployed are taking one for the team is so self evidently absurd, I can only respond with the same question re Draco T below, why don’t any of the Left parties use your brilliant dazzling argument in their public statements on the issue?
because of bigoted voters like you?
What is exactly misleading or wrong about the above statement you sexually self-fulfilling, pathetic T thing that resides under a bridge, aint a goat, but in all probability has the odor of one,
Because you have attached to the above the label of sophism means little, nay nothing, without first having provided a narrative which proves the sophism,
Or perhaps you like Paula believe in the magic of the word ‘seeking’ and thus the more people seeking work the more people will have work which is in fact the real sophism,
Of course you also believe that the free market rules in which case the 175,000-185,000 currently seeking work are simply part of a natural market lead pool of available labour,
To believe in both tho is to simply point out that you are in all likely-hood a sufferer of Schizophrenia or some other disease of the mind a fact that none here would find surprising about you…
Paula?
I don’t like her. I’m not a right winger. I’m not a neo-con.
I like old skool Left Liberalism plus any ideas that are free from too much ideological constraint.
For example, Gareth Morgan’s take on the Welfare System – Health, Pension etc. It’s in a crisis, his Big Kahuna idea deals with the issues and makes an interesting proposal for a solution.
I don’t like Feminist Man Haters/Deconstructionists/Anti-white, anti-Western Multiculturalists.
The Left has crashed and burned thanks to those idiots.
AAAAAH dummy lift your game, ”perhaps you like Paula” is obviously a reference to you being ‘alike’ in attitude even a 4 year old could have figured that,
I see no narrative which proves the sophism of your accusation and changing the subject at 100 k an hour just does not cut it,
I don’t much care what or who you are, your comments reek of SCUM, therefor you shall be known by your comments…
plus any ideas that are free from too much ideological constraint.
Lol…your ‘white is right’ is the most powerful ideology we’ve ever had…shame for you it went out of fashion in the 80s
How do you know he was doing nothing?
In fact, if he was growing dope he couldn’t possibly have been sitting on his arse and he would have been providing a service that the community wants. It’s not his fault that the laws are so stupid as to outlaw a service that the community wants forcing him to declare himself unemployed (that’s if he was growing dope which we’re only speculating upon).
Really, what it comes down to is the simple fact that you’re an idiot. You didn’t even realise that you contradicted yourself.
There is no contradiction.
The idea that growing dope is necessarily a busy full time occupation is one you are assuming in order to create your straw man argument.
So you are the idiot.
‘providing a service that the community wants.’
Too bad David Shearer and the Labour Party don’t put that in their speeches, eh? Guess you think that just goes to show the Labour Party are a bunch of neo liberal sell outs and have betrayed the true Leftists like your enlightened self.
Sigh.
Regardless of whatever you think about cannabis use it’s self-evidently a high demand product. I don’t see how you can argue that cannabis growers are not providing a service any more than you could argue that neither do tomato growers or parsley growers or broccoli growers.
I suppose that’s why you didn’t bother.
I haven’t argue he is not providing a service, you muppet.
Fish fingers or chicken nuggets? And get off the computer or you can’t watch Glee :nob:
“I havenât argue he is not providing a service, you muppet.”
I realise that, you fraggle. However you did quote the phrase and then made a vague attempt to ridicule the bearer of it, so I think it’s fair to assume that you have an opinion on the matter.
I’m just trying to provide you with an opportunity to express it.
“I donât see how you can argue that cannabis growers are not providing a service”
You are contradicting yourself, are you are Deconstructionist Feminist?
Please show the contradiction.
“Deconstructionist Feminist?”
đ
If it’s a labelling contest, beat Elephantine phallustistic and I’ll let you watch Glee afterall.
So, according to you, farmers aren’t busy full time workers?
So you are trying to equate some useless bum doing some small time growing or dealing to supplement his indolent lifestyle with a farmer.
Well done. Are you a Deconstructionist?
Useless bum? That’s no way to address the entrepreneurial spirit. Shame on you, falling for the tall poppy (hemp) syndrome.
Wow KP, is that the lifestyle you’d choose if you could?
You sound kind of bitter for a hippy.
Maybe on planet McFlock it works that way, but back in the real world, yeah there are plenty of slackers.
most of them are slack in thought, rather than industry.
Well you are definitely guilty of the first.
See? No creativity, man.
You took the obvious gimme and added nothing.
Did you write for Melody Rules?
“Did you write for Melody Rules?”
Is that your idea of creative is it, lol?
you’re almost there. Wake up those lazy neurons…
If he’s the same bloke I read a story about in the paper a while ago then he gets about $10 a week because his earnings don’t reach the cut off point.
There was quite a lengthy interview with David Shearer on the Larry Williams show on Newstalk ZB yesterday, about 8 minutes. All the important questions were asked. Highly recommend it. Does it remind anyone else of overnight talkback?
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/player/ondemand/1540088868-david-shearer-to-prove-he-can-lead-the-nation
Also for anyone who hasn’t seen it: Matthew Hooton’s NBR piece which suggests that Shearer should freeze Cunliffe out completely: http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/cunliffes-throat-must-now-be-cut-ck-135370
In the Newstalk ZB clip, it’s interesting that Shearer brought up the reshuffle himself when asked what would happen to Cunliffe, while remaining non-committal. I wonder if he’s planning to offer Cunliffe a front-bench portfolio in exchange for a public pledge of loyalty/endorsement?
And in true talkback style, I’d like to know what others think.
Does it remind anyone else of overnight talkback?
That’s exactly what I thought. You have to pinch yourself and say “My God, this really is the leader of the opposition!”, not dotty Don from Dargaville at 3 a.m.
This is why Shearer’s defenders on here totally miss the point. The number of “negative” comments on the Standard is dwarfed by the audience for Newstalk ZB.
Shearer cocks up in front of millions, every week.
But if we point out his cock-ups, apparently we’re the real problem?
heh
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-04/economic-forecasts-no-better-than-a-random-walk/4499098
yep. That’s why economists are so dangerous.
I’ve just read a quote from one of John Buchan’s books. He was a great Empire man, strong on duty and colonial exploration and resource hunting and became Governor General of Canada.
This from The Runagates Club published 1928.
It has relevance for today in English speaking countries with the move to the right and desire for excess and self rather than the national and people’s interest and service with good governance.
From the Bath, in its most exotic form, degenerate patrician youth passed to the coarse delights of the Circus, and thence to that parody of public duties which it was still the fashion of their class to patronise.
Von Letterbeck: Imperial Rome>/i>
The Greens should get their engines running and all their ducks in a row,because i
am picking there will be an influx of left wing voters in 2014.
The Green Party has had for quite a number of years now had ‘it’s engines running’ and this is evidenced by the number of ‘hits’ scored on the Slippery lead National Government in the House at question time, and the ‘fact’ that when seeking comment on any issue of the day the media are just as likely to ask the Green Party for comment as they are to ask Labour,
The Green Party Housing policy in content and intent shows that the Green Party is well ahead in developing policy which directly benefits those most in need in our society and i believe that in the next 18 months we will see much more of this intelligent policy released to the electorate…
Agreed bad12,that’s why i am now getting their e-mails, i have seen the light.
Lolz, bloody good on you then, the constant flow of what i see as negativity which flows through the pages of the Standard toward Labour is in my view counter-productive,
Labour at present(this is opinion), as a party are mostly middle class people, probably in the main well educated and comfortable in their employment,
Socialism has in the main been educated out of the psyche of such people as they have embraced the newer culture of ‘what’s in it for me’,
Labour, as in the last Labour lead Government and the present Labour Opposition simply reflect this comfortable middle class and the continuous venting of anger at them hasn’t as far as i can see changed that one iota,
There may be a ‘mood’ within the Labour Party it’self to change that but my view is that such a ‘mood’ from within the Party will take 10 years to translate into a change in the attitude of the Party’s MP’s,
Given that, there are 2 choices activist member of the broad left have, the first being to become even more active within the Party, not necessarily as a means to gain immediate change in the make-up and attitude of the Labour MP’s, but as a 10 year plan to transform the Party back if you will excuse the use of the word to expressing the core of Labour values,
Option 2 of course is to simply walk away from Labour and give both our monetary and electoral support to the Party which best expresses at this point in time our political and economic values…
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/02/a_standard_strategy.html
Comment from the Sewer that is factually incorrect, now who would have thunk that???,
Annette King was commenting on the Standard weeks befor the Leadership vote held yesterday, while Annette cannot as She is bound to support the Caucus and the Party’s policies stray far from simply stating those policies much ‘Could’ be changed by commentor’s here at the Standard putting up comments that highlight any flaws perceived in Labour Party policy while proposing well thought out alternatives…
…Annette cannot as She is bound…
Is she divine?
The Gormless Fool, the name suits you and when applied to you is obviously correct, which is about the only thing you have ever got right in your brief occupation of the skin you are in,
What the f**k is that comment supposed to mean, other than a display of your abject stupidity that is???…
Why don’t you explain the system, as you understand it, for the capitalisation of nouns. Let’s then see who is gormless.
I profess to having not an iota of adherence to any such system as you inquire about,
Gormless we all already know who is gormless around here the fact of which you continually prove beyond a doubt…
Well done on title case. Punctuation still needs work, however.
That comment is as limp as every appendage attached to you torso…
Cause I have a small penis. Geddit?
The long game,
Folks, we are in a real crisis here. Wealthy right-wing interest groups and sectarian lobbies are waging an all-out war on public schools. They want to destroy the public school system and move to a market-driven system where taxpayers are forced to support religious and other private schools of all sorts.
http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2013/02/seven-days-of-deception-school-choice-week-is-over/
lol – wonder if anyone will take up shearers idea of saying, “Happy Waitangi Day” – what a fuckwit he is.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8262156/Shearer-urges-honours-on-Waitangi-Day
He may as well say “happy wankers day”, referring to the day he “won” over Carcass Caucus.
Unemployment is this- Having cut the civil service to the bare minimum needed to operate such a service the present Slippery lead National Government has ‘defined’ for us what a market lead economy will deliver to us as a nation in terms of the number of actual jobs in the economy,
So given that there are currently 175,000-185,000 unemployed in this country we can ‘see’ that this is a ‘true’ reflection of the market economies ability to employ people,
OK, another given is that we are currently in the midst of a economic depression we can also ‘see’ that given an ‘upturn’ the actual number of those the market economy has the ability to employ would still leave us with 125,000-135,000 souls who that market does not have the ability to employ,
It then also becomes obvious to us all that to continually require those who the market economy has FAILED to find an economic use for to seek work which does not exist and prove that they have actually been seeking this non-existent employment would at the least require a belief in ‘magic’ in that anyone who believes that a person simply seeking such employment will radically alter what is a ‘fact’ of that market economy,
The truth of the little ‘fact’ above is to be found in the numbers of those who are unemployed and currently receiving the unemployment benefit attached to which is the requirement to seek work,
Obviously if the act of simply ‘seeking’ work radically changed the ‘market economy’ there would be a radical decline in the numbers of those receiving that particular benefit,
Until such time as Politicians begin to tell the truth about how many of us can be employed by the market economy unemployment is always going to be addressed from the narrow confines of dialogue where the reality is ignored in favor of a belief in magic solutions and further denigration of those the market economy has FAILED to be capable of employing,
I would suggest that as a first step that those politicians which have shown a propensity to believe in such magic solutions to the ‘problem’ of unemployment while claiming the ‘market economy’ is working as it should be should be examined by a medical professional for signs of Schizophrenia as any belief in both is in fact a belief in 2 propositions at the same point on the same subject that are diametrically opposed to each other…
There is a cartoon on the herald which it tags ‘Next time,Mr Shearer’
‘Just appoint yourself to the roll and they will take it on the chin,works
for me every time’
Eludes to Titewhai Harawira at Te tii Marae happenings.
The Wit of Graham Bell
The Panel, National Radio, Tuesday 5 February 2013
Jim Mora, Graham Bell, David Slack
JIM MORA: Noelle, what is the world talking about?
NOELLE McCARTHY: Well, a story that has caught our attention is one from right here in New Zealand, about a kea in the South Island. It stole one thousand dollars from a Scottish tourist who left the money on the front seat of his car.
GRAHAM BELL: That’s unusual for a Scotsman! A ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
[Long, awkward silence. Nobody else laughs. Nobody.]
Just before the news, an item about gender-based driving aptitude leads to another unleashing of the finely honed Bell wit….
GRAHAM BELL: That will be good news for men, because women are always teaching us how to drive.
[Long silence]
GRAHAM BELL: A ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
[Awkward silence]
JIM MORA: Oh! I see what you mean. Ha.
DAVID SLACK: [uneasily] Hur hur hur.
[Awkward silence]
MORA: Okay, time for the four o’clock news.
Brain disease is slow and gradual, Alzheimers is one of them, hardly noticed at first.
According to the Waikato Times today, the Waikato town of Pokeno will be home to the first Chinese milk processing plant in New Zealand if Chinese company Yashili International, is given the green light (by the Overseas Investment Office) to buy land for its planned $210 million baby formula operation – creating 100 local jobs. Yashili International, one of China’s biggest baby formula and soymilk powder makers, has a conditional agreement to buy land in Pokeno’s Gateway business park.
Here we go again! NZ is becoming a soft touch for this type of deal and it appears it is now open season to all comers to establish this type of operation in one of our key industries on land we are prepared to sell for this purpose.
It appears that Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin (buyer of the Crafar Farms), may have been the pathfinder in setting a template for this operation currently under consideration. It goes something like this – establish a NZ registered company and then appoint a New Zealander to front it to legitimise it. It appears these moves into NZ are being encouraged by the Chinese government’s decision to substantially reduce import tariffs on finished milk formula.
What are we doing in this country? We must not continue to sell our land to allow major overseas players to establish in our key industries and compete against us.
That just highlights a major failure of Fonterra’s business model, while making adult milk formula and milk formula for small children other than babies Fonterra has failed it’s share-holders by it’s lax attitude to the baby milk formula market in the Asian economies,
Fonterra chose instead to simply supply the raw product to another company i have forgotten the name of under contract which has lad in turn to Fonterra supplying a major competitor, Nestle, as that company has now purchased that company and the supply contracts,
My belief is that the ‘internationalists’ in control of Fonterra will at some stage have removed from the farmer share-holders enough ‘power’ to be able to on-sell Fonterra on the global market,
That as the Chinese are at present seriously building what will eventually become a huge dairy herd will be at a heavily discounted price…
Chinese majority owned Synlait already have more than one milk plant planned/up and running.
PREPARE for the influx of “specially skilled” employees under the China NZ FTA, as in that plant, it will be likely that Mandarin and/or Cantonese will at least be the “official” language of instructions, so any staff working there, will naturally require sufficient language skills, to be able to understand such instructions and to communicate.
NZ Immigration is always very helpful and works together with other agencies and stakeholders and employers to find the most suitable solutions to help everyone involved.
Take it then, there will be the clause used, to get as many Mainland Chinese workers in as they can, to also work “efficiently” and according to “cultural” and other just economic, social and scientific requirements, that are specific to meeting the very needs of the Mainland Chinese consumer. Particular recipes, mixtures and whatever, to get the end product, will be highly commercially sensitive, and this will only be able to be entrusted to, and handled by, competent, knowledgeable, suitably skilled and qualified, also Mandarin or Cantonese literate employees.
Permits granted!
HOOTON, and Fran O Sullivan, now you come!
But…but..NZ is multicultural!
Multiculturalism will only make NZ culture richer!
You are just privileged, white male, heteronormative, cisgender, rape culture promoting, racist, colonialist, imperialistic, essentialist scumbags!!!
If you have any economic points to make in-between your irrelevant ranting, please feel free.
The world owes an awful lot to Abba Alhadi and his friends.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/people-timbuktu-save-manuscripts-invaders
And to think the multiculturalists are happy to let as many Muslims into New Zealander as want to come.
That may be “multiculturalist muslims” though. KPee
And to think that peoples from Arab countries now living in New Zealand have anything to do with such destruction a world away makes you-(search for big word), just scum..
What are you on about, got a problem? Arabs, non arabs, all other nationalities get on with their lives, you just start arguing about something I cannot even decipher. It is nonsensical what you last wrote.
I probably misuderstood you in a wrong way, as you may have been more worked up with commenter “above”, sorry.
Your really ‘on’ the ball tonight X, read, take a deep breath and read again, yes my habit of not naming the persona i am replying to could be confusing…
But I got one more bone to pick with you on the other thread!
Oh good, chewing up bones is one of my favorite occupations…
Got it chewed now, got da message?
Yeah, the problem being that the message i get from you is that you are a childish simpleton prone to paranoid delusions..
Really?
So the massive flood of Muslims into Western Europe hasn’t brought their problems with them?
Multiculturalism has been a resounding success in Europe has it?
And you think we can look forward to the same wondrous effects in NZ, right?
You are in self denial or maybe you welcome the erosion of Western Civilization.
KPee – you love Breivik, it seems, or at least agree with his “philosophy”, right, yeah right, I should say and ask?!
KPee I am perhaps also a JIHADEE, so what are you going to do about it, hypothetically???
Let me get someone from “Anonymous” onto you while you wait, we will soon find out, who you are, what you do, where you live and the rest of it. That will make you feel very trusting, I am sure, as I trust you fully, and as you can trust me fully, that is if that can all work, aye?!
So that’s how it works around here, you threaten and intimidate anyone who doesn’t go along with your nonsense.
You are just as crazy as any ideologue of Left or Right
KPee Have thou any fear???
The demise of Western civilization, perlease!!!, that nearly fucking got my heart to stop, the laughter at you for inserting such a phrase into a comment that is,
Can you please, please, please expand upon this destruction of western civilization for me, fuck i love a laugh and your a hoot, the biggest one in town,
It’s all a Muslim conspiracy right KP, out of 20 households in my small street there are 2 that are definitely from the Arab countries, do you think i should bar the windows and put extra locks on the door against the time they break out screaming Allah Akbar whilst mowing down the neighborhood cats with the un-stashed AK47’s,
Actually you useless piece of cum-stain they just do normal things the same as what everyone else in the street does, they pretty much keep to themselves which shock-horror the white folks majority of the street does as well…
bad12: You do NOT understand that you must forthwith conform and convert to ISLAM. That is the ONLY “true” religion. I fyou cannot convert, the devil will get you! That is the truth about religion. Get a fear of the devil now, I tell, you for Jesus Muhammed and others.
So the massive flood of Muslims into Western Europe hasnât brought their problems with them?
Yes, Muslims didn’t bring their problems with them…Muslim problems in Western Europe developed in Western Europe and also involve a Western Europeans…as well as economic, social and political inequality.
Multiculturalism has been a resounding success in Europe has it?
No, there are multiple reasons for this, including: the incoming culture, the existing culture, economic issues, political issues etc
And you think we can look forward to the same wondrous effects in NZ, right?
Yes, if we continue to deal with it in the same way that Europe has.
You are in self denial or maybe you welcome the erosion of Western Civilization.
Yes, but not complete erosion. Just until one civilisation is no longer dominant to the point that it oppresses another cilivilisation.
Yes, so did say, the master before, to warn of vermin, Adolfus Hitlerius.
Are email notifications likely to ever work for me again?