I’m not much into conspiracy theories, but something struck me the other day as – well, worth investigating further, because I know little about the subject. Perhaps someone on the Standard can amplify the matter?
This was that the USA joined the TPPA negotiations on or around 2008, at the time when Key had just become leader of the National Party/Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Are we then just part of a giant neoliberalist conspiracy funded by the corporates of the United States, and aimed at total domination of the world by the wealthy elite?
So john Key just gained at least five points after refusing to go to Waitangi (a good decision if a bit late) this will either add more to National and/or take away votes from the left
The people I saw up close with the most restraint were the New Zealand Police. I watched for half an hour as they were screamed at within centremetres of their faces, with dozens of protests’ i-phones raised waiting for someone to make the all-important first punch. All for television.
Not a word from them. Not a muscle twitched. Just ice-cool.
And from there, the protest energy at the Sky City entrance dissipated to very little.
Impressive work from the New Zealand Police there.
The ones doing the screaming were possibly the Rent-a-Mob that Gnats like to refer to at protests, no doubt knowing personally that such a thing exists because they ordered one to take-away.
Dunedin anti-TPP protester Olive McRae said yesterday’s mass protests in Auckland had been “very positive”, and emphasised she did not want what happened to her to distract from the success of the overall protest.
This was despite a badly swollen scalp, and bruising elsewhere on her body sustained during a day of protest, including an incident in which her hair was pulled by a police officer, during a motorway protest yesterday afternoon…
Ms McRae emphasised she had been engaged in a peaceful protest, and she and fellow protesters had gone to great lengths to ensure no members of the public, including motorists, were injured or put at risk.
She rejected suggestions the hair pulling was necessary to remove her from the highway for her own safety, and said police had used excessive force.
And what does it say about not only the current National government, but NZ itself, that there will be many of us whose first thought will be Dirty Politics?
How did John Key handle the bombing of Tolley’s office? In response to advice that MPs might want to close their offices meantime, Key said that the safety of people at work was paramount.
He is of course correct.
But also hypocritical as that was not an issue for him with his ongoing hair pulling of a young woman at work.
The second example of Key’s hypocrisy in just one day- this one being not going to Waitangi after his criticism of Clark back in 2007and his promises to always attend.
Here is a comment from an exporter (grundle) re the chinese FTA agreement by a manufacturer.
I will quote in full
e all (or some of us do) know what a ‘crock’ the TFA with China has been.
If the agreement with China was an FTA then explain why we have been paying an 8% tariff on all beef exported into China.
I own a manufacturing company in Auckland and supply a global company which also has suppliers in China. During a ‘bench-marking’ exercise which all manufacturers/suppliers around the globe quoted Tax paid, FIS, prices into each country.
Lordie, Lord, guess what. I had to add 28% to my FIS price into China. The Chinese would add….ZERO to their FIS Auckland price.
Free Trade agreement I think not!! What sort of muppets do we have running NZ Inc???
Clark, Prime Minister at the time, heralded this as the first Western country to achieve an FTA with China….What a load of BS!!
In the last 12 months my company has lost 3 customers to China, two of which relate to Govt. supply contracts.
Remember, every $1.0m that is spent on importing goods equates to 9.4 FTE, both direct and indirect.
If that $1.0m spent importing goods was kept in the NZ economy the Govt would see a $288k return. That $1.0m actually costs us $1.288m. Lost jobs, less PAYE, less GST, etc..
This simple economic fact seems to elude our esteemed politicians. Maybe our leaders aren’t as smart as the believe they are and besides ” it doesn’t matter, because the plebs don’t know any better themselves….”
Is the TPP going to be another Chinese FTA??
A question for John Key. Explain the reason/s for gifting government contracts to the Chinese, whilst our NZ manufacturers are complying with Aust/NZ standards and the Chinese do not comply. The adage; ” you get what you pay for” has been played out for example, in the railway electrification of Auckland. Within three years the Chinese supplied barriers and fencing are rusting out and falling over. Aust/NZ standards for galvanised structures…. what do you mean??
Correctly gauged rolled hollow section steel…All under gauged ….Hey but its cheap and we can’t upset our Chinese masters can we!!!
Stand up NZrs and demand that our government actually starts looking out for local providers of local employment. NOT sucking up to the Chinese at the cost to local businesses and employment.
Read the BERLE REPORT and learn something!!
Regards the TPP. Lets see some detail and solid evidence pointing to a real, not imagined, advantage for NZ Inc.
“Stand up NZrs and demand that our government actually starts looking out for local providers of local employment. NOT sucking up to the Chinese at the cost to local businesses and employment”
dv
So some little manufacturer doesn’t get everything he wants. He does apparently sell in China. When reading this load of complaints, remember that even Fonterra which is our biggest exporter in the sector of dairy produce is only a small player in the world Compare how much more miniscule this little exporter is.
That we managed to make arrangements with China through a trade agreement kept us in the picture, at the table able to talk and deal with this huge country. We are tiny, they are big and powerful. We can’t get just what we want in these circumstances. We just have to try for the best. And note that bigger countries than we are, get grumpy because they don’t get what they want. Sometimes they go to war about it which isn’t a good thing for them and their people really, and not for the world either.
We just have to keep dealing and trying for a better price. And not give away all our worldly goods as may be the price for belonging to the TPPA with its airy-fairy promises. We get vague promises, they get the right to sue us for airy-fairy profits they dreamed up for the future, and that haven’t come to fruition and they can blame that on us somehow. TPPA has been dreamt up by someone who used to send letters to Santa at the North Pole asking for really good stuff and got it! Such people have always expected to get what they want. Now they want to send us their wish list.
edited
Day after day – I see logging trucks laden with unsawn logs travel past on their way to Tauranga. There must be a hundred or more a week. They by-pass one of the largest saw mills in the country – now closed its doors with the loss of hundreds of jobs. Those logs are destined for …. China.
Part of the FTA is that we cannot export sawn lumber to China. Great deal!
NZ in WW2 sent a battalion of foresters to England with the express purpose to log and saw their spruce for the manufacture of the Mosquito. The Brits did not have the know how nor the capability to do it themselves fast enough.
Part of the heritage of this country was built on saw milling – now because of a FTA we are not allowed to do it!
If we were to put our foot down and demand that we only export sawn lumber – the ISDS machine would spring into action immediately.
Swings and roundabouts Macro. We have been not-value-adding to our products for yonks now. I believe that the timber industry is badly skewed, the wood may be straight but the business practices aren’t. Is it true that we have to pay overseas prices for our own timber now that it is privatised and been sold to Fletchers, which I believe was then bought by Graeme Hunt? And that we had to make special treaties with Fletchers to prevent export of all, leaving us with insufficient for our own national needs?
We got milk to China and we know that nothing else matters except dairy. Which has been in milk rush fever for yonks. So we can’t saw our own lumber, that is par for the course in this crazy global market. We do what we do best, then export it so they can do what they do best to it, and then, and so on. It is strange that this is so much like the old type British unionism where each union would only do the work that was covered by their union agreement, another union then did their bit. Much amusement was had because perhaps an electrician could instal something but someone else had to test it. It was uneconomic and inefficient so that got scrapped.
Yet the production of things being split up between nations with much unnecessary transport and handling and bug-carrying shipping, is the received wisdom of all modern business economics. Don’t argue with the wisdom of the business class Macro. They know how to rub the genie to create profit, their magic is stronger, than your practical arguments.
edited
Talking about mugs. What about a line of mugs with political faces on them, perhaps caricatured, for fund raising by the Labour Party. as time moves towards next election? Labour pollies would have to form part of the set – have their faces on them. But better to be talked about for something, than ignored.
Labour could organise a buffet diner to raise money, buying a mug would be a prerequisite along with the dinner cost and there would be a Greek style Zorba music dance, and instead of throwing plates on the floor, they would throw National mugs. That would get some interesting publicity and indicate the strength of determination to win and save the country, and the Labour Party at the same time.
edited
Just a health and safety warning on the mug throwing exercise. The mugs would fracture and there might be some flying splinters so the crowd should stand in a large circle well back from the central impact. Pollies create many dangers which can cut you up and this could be another occurrence – so beware.
Wellington’s hospitality industry is in decline. Is cheap booze being sold in supermarkets really to blame? Or does it come down to a growing lack of disposable income?
Alistair Boyce, managing director of the Backbencher pub near Parliament, wants to see legislation introduced that would set a minimum price per standard drink, across both off-licences and on-licensed premises.
A wee while ago a 500ml bottle of beer cost a little over $2nz across a Dusseldorf bar – same beer across the bar in Whanganui – $7 for a 330ml bottle. Fuck em’.
I think it is reduced disposable income for the most part. People like to go out, and would go out more if they could stretch their income that far. In Australia, the alcohol prices favour the pub over the off-license but drinks at the pub are quite a bit cheaper than they are here, relative to income. However, the pubs in the major Aussie cities do have a much bigger customer base. What might make a difference is a culture change whereby having a drink is associated with conviviality and catching up with friends, rather than drinking up large. This might broaden the pub’s customer base and allow for a price-shift favouring the pub, since they would be able to sell a few drinks to many rather than try to sell many rather expensive drinks to a few. But as things stand, I suspect that raising off-license prices will just lower people’s standards rather than send them running down to the local.
“I think it is reduced disposable income for the most part. People like to go out, and would go out more if they could stretch their income that far.”
Indeed.
“But as things stand, I suspect that raising off-license prices will just lower people’s standards rather than send them running down to the local.”
Or result in them staying home more and drinking less often.
I agree a culture change may help, but if the hospitality industry want to increase consumer demand, then they need to support and push issues that will put more money in peoples pockets while opposing those that will result in consumers having less.
…if the hospitality industry want to increase consumer demand, then they need to support and push issues that will put more money in peoples pockets while opposing those that will result in consumers having less I agree, but also suspect that the squeeze runs all the way down. I have known a bar to get pokies, for instance, not because they wanted them, but because the rent from them meant keeping afloat. Meanwhile the franchises put the squeeze on franchisees, etc. It is not just publicans supporting low wages and still wanting to sell drinks, it is each layer taking their pound of flesh, with low-paid workers and high-priced drinks as the end result.
“It is not just publicans supporting low wages and still wanting to sell drinks, it is each layer taking their pound of flesh, with low-paid workers and high-priced drinks as the end result”
And it’s that kind of structuring that requires to be opposed Even those on the top (applying the squeeze) lose out when patrons stop coming and bars close.
I think, at least for those over about 25, there is the reduced alcohol limit when driving that worries them. They don’t want to go out for a meal and not have a couple of glasses of wine with the food.
The ridiculous campaign the police are running which basically tries to tell you that you cannot safely drink anything is putting people off going out. It doesn’t apply to the younger ones who aren’t driving on their boozing nights anyway.
The person complaining is a special case of course. He lets politicians into his establishment which lowers the tone enormously. Would you want to drink in a place that let Trevor Mallard or Peter Dunne through the door?
“Is cheap booze being sold in supermarkets really to blame? Or does it come down to a growing lack of disposable income? ”
Neither, they’ve just slowly priced themselves out of the market. It’s the classic instance of diminishing returns; the more they put their prices up the less interest people had in buying their booze. No sympathy here.
Pub prices are outrageous, small wonder youngsters pre-load.
“The price of alcohol in off license establishments has always been substantially lower.”
Bollocks, you’re talking to an old public bar boozer here. A pint of tap beer used to be little more than bottle store prices, now they whack on outrageous markups of 400, 500, 600% and more.
High alcohol prices were the domain of first after-hours nightclubs and then trendy bars where the nobs would go to avoid mixing with the working class. They were justified by bar owners either for the short opening hours or low patronage.
When people pre-load it’s a pretty clear message they want to drink at their destination but can’t or won’t because the prices are too high for them.
Bollocks, you’re talking to an old public bar boozer here. A pint of tap beer used to be little more than bottle store prices, now they whack on outrageous markups of 400, 500, 600% and more.
Sorry but you just have it wrong here. At many pubs you could go from bar to bottle store and buy a flagon of tap beer for much the same price you’d pay at the bar.
Bottles cost more than tap beer largely due the cost of bottling but the difference wasn’t that great, was only the boutique beers with high prices.
Prices are considered high because they are high. You can’t load on a huge 500% markup and expect to maintain your sales numbers. Too many bar owners are just plain greedy. You don’t see the popular bars dropping their prices, they’re more than happy to rake it in when the going’s good.
Back in the day you could swap an empty flagon for a pre-filled one at minimal cost. However, it still cost more to drink in a bar and far more in a nightclub when they came about. Yet, they still use to pull the crowds in.
People would queue down Courtenay Place to get into Serepisos’s place. And before that, Ray Johns had them queuing up the stairs at Spats.
IMO, people just don’t have the disposable income to blow on partying as they used too.
Prices have increased but have bar margins, thus return? Overheads such as rent/lease and power increases would have had an impact.
Wages have also increased. But have they kept up?
We also have an aging population.
If bars were making a good return, (and going off closures, a number don’t) we wouldn’t hear gripes like this (link above) coming from within the industry.
However, in saying that, it could be a ploy to reduce competition.
The mind boggles.
I think you’d probably collapse about 2 hours after the bar opened.
On the other hand I do remember many years ago in my University days there were people who would go and have an 8 ounce beer in every pub in Wellington between 9am and 6pm. There were about 45 I think. Never tried it myself. I was foolish occasionally but never that foolish.
The late great Whanganui bicycle crawl was jug a pub jobbie, handles for ladies, starting at The Castlecliff ,all the way across town to The Aramaho, back down the river to The Riverside, Fosters, Rutland, Imperial, Railway, Criterion, Masonic, Federal, Commercial and then over the river to The Red lion Inn.
Face plants and heatstroke etc made for a big day thin on finishers.
Fond memories of Hammond Gamble in particular, swimming in the indoor pool in the bar while the bands played, the guys in the pool team the occasional brawl over the table, the flat upstairs and the Aussie receptionist.
Good times.
I remember the bicycle run and yeah beer was much cheaper and there was a good wine-shop in the main street, opposite Dowsetts, which closed down like many not long after supermarkets were allowed to sell alcohol.
Crawled out a window at the Rutland to avoid the coppers when I was 16 or 17. I have a vague memory of seeing Hammond Gamble and Midge Marsden there, possibly after the bikes on Boxing Day. I also did a couple of crawls, but as most of my mates were Eastsiders, we’d start at the Aramoho, then do the run to the ‘cliff and back into town via the Red. We’d park up there and walk over the bridge to do the town pubs.
Sadly, most of the other pubs mentioned above are long gone. However, the Station lives on as a sports club over by Peat park. It’s a top joint. As luck would have it, I’ll be in the river city tomorrow. Might check out the ‘new’ Riverside bar, see if it’s any chop.
Same thing applied at the Wellington 7’s, only 13k attendance, I wondered about the reasons and if it was economic, what a shame for a great comp if people simply can’t afford to go, and an indictment of the economic policies of this govt.
Waitangi
Key does not attend because he may give power to the unelected opposition reps to enhance their profile on nat tv
Sorry John you dont get to play political bias as PM. You have an obligation and if your security needs to be cranked up for your so called safety that you feel you dont need, well PUT YOUR BALLS WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND PROVE IT
Gandhi fronted all sorts of violence and threats to his political profile to the point of being assassinated but knowing it would come, did not give up his principles and actions to achieve independence and democracy for India
On Keys stance he is not addressing the fact that Waitangi is a commemoration of the Treaty and protests are protests .If the protest are illegal and a danger to the govt to be there, Then use the law, you had no trouble at Tetoki bringing a hit squad .
Key is playing the Yank public opinion game of the FDR era, he aint called Slippery for nothing .
Key is trying to sidestep the fact that Maori do have a right to demand clarity over the TPPA and any other crown agreements will be affected by the statutes of the Treaty and why not address it at Waitangi .Key wont do that because of the law and he has already sold out the treaty and NZ in te TPPA and the only way out for NZ is to get rid of the TPPA by electing a govt that will do so .
The TPPA is a mobile ponzi where America gets to take over the sovereignty of the Pacific countries and as we know the real gains to NZ are minimal but isnt interesting to note that the great highs in milk prices have decreased as this TPPA has gained traction and from that you could easily follow that to the drop in currency value and the fact that oil will bottom right out as recent finds in Europe have completely changed the game .And as for the 2008 Crash hoax well Johnny saviour we know we know you are dangerous BS
Key got his TPPA mates in AK to sign the starter for one world govt without full disclosure to the people of NZ. 605 corporations in the states have had the full text since its drafting, why not the people of NZ ?
So Johnny stop pullin our ponytail/chain and face it you have been caught by the Chaser Game Over lets hope 2017
This would be good scheme for a the Green or Labour Party to propose in this country. Might get some of the missing million back to the ballot boxes:
Under a law passed unanimously by the French senate, as of Wednesday large shops will no longer bin good quality food approaching its best-before date. Charities will be able to give out millions more free meals each year to people struggling to afford to eat… Supermarkets will also be barred from deliberately spoiling food in order to stop it being eaten by people foraging in stores’ bins…
Crucially the law will also make it simpler for the food industry to give some excess products directly to food banks from factories. Until now, if a dairy factory made yoghurts carrying the brand name of a supermarket, it had been a long, complex process to donate any excess to charity. Now it would be faster and easier…
Of the 7.1m tonnes of food wasted in France annually, 67% is binned by consumers, 15% by restaurants and 11% by shops. Each year 1.3bn tonnes of food are wasted worldwide.
@Chairman of course it will but that’s too reasonable, sensible and logical. Besides, Labour hate us as much as the Nats, that’s been an established fact since 1999. They have no intention of increasing benefits. They won’t even talk about it.
And here’s an interesting example. On the surface young lad made good and then you see stuff like this and see the dependency on the right connections and where the money comes from.
“Crimson immediately found a market: Beaton’s old high school, King’s College. “We had a very quick client base from people who knew of my experience going through. Parents talk, and they all want the best for their kids.” He adds: “We’ve been cash-flow positive since day one.”
“The Motivational Corner was one of four businesses Beaton bought last year. There was also UniTutor, a university tutoring service; MedView, a company that prepares students wanting admission to New Zealand’s medical schools; and Play Atlantic, which helps student athletes win scholarships to overseas universities (Max Key, the prime minister’s son, is a Play Atlantic consultant).”
No question he’s bright and works hard but I wouldn’t think there’s anyone in my neighborhood paying for his services – or even able to.
And before the righties get stuck in – nope I’m not jealous it just seems to me to quietly reinforce the whole plutonomy service the rich, have the right connections concept.
as an aside, this is why the rhetoric about GE/Monsanto feeding the world is bullshit. We have plenty of non-GE capacity to grow food for everyone, it’s just that some of us don’t want to share.
Did anyone else notice the large drones piggybacked on transport planes flying into Whenupai airbase on tuesday evening?
Seemed quite ominous to me considering the TPP signing coming up.
Maybe it’s a regular thing apparently we build them here but these things looked really big like the U.S ones.
Labour leader Andrew Little and Labour MPs are standing outside the Te Tii Marae gates in the rain after the Green Party went on ahead of them.
The Opposition parties were to be welcomed on at the same time, but instead the Greens have been taken on for a separate powhiri. That has left Labour standing in the rain for an hour.
Although they are not supposed to talk politics on the marae, they are apparently happy to show their colours – the Labour group is a blaze of Labour branded umbrellas and flags.
TPPA
It may have been explained already, but why the rush to get it through parliament now.
Most parties appear to have 2 years to ratify the agreement.
Why not open it to clause by clause scrutiny in our parliament over the next 18 months.
What’s the Key government’s rush?
Kiwis are unaccustomed to having to remove worthless governments – unlike the Poms, who rioted in the streets over Maggie’s poll tax.
We expect better governments than we get, and the governments in turn have lost their respect and loyalty to the people. There will be tears before bedtime one of these days, as either the people or a despotic regime assert power.
Mike “Contra” Hosking clearly intends his “aspirational” heroes to
be a standing reproach to protestors and other “dicks”. Seven Sharp, Television One, Friday 5 February 2016
That brilliantined, preening, self-aggrandizing [1] National Party placeman and SkyCity Casino shill Mike “Contra” Hosking likes to keep repeating that, like the National Party, he’s all about “aspiration”. On tonight’s program, he pushed this message with a vengeance, and his grinning, giggling underling Toni Street followed along obediently….
Item no. 1: An interesting report about young people who learn to fly, and who build and launch rockets for a hobby. This of course provides the thoughtful and serious host with an opportunity for a pointed little homily….
MIKE “CONTRA” HOSKING: What a contrast with some of the people we’ve seen on the streets yesterday, [speaking through closed lips, through the side of his mouth] who are not involved in launching rockets, shall we say?
TONI STREET:[grinning nervously] Yeeeees.
Item no. 2: World Bike Polo championships in Timaru. The organizer says the key message for all Bike Polo players is “Don’t be a dick.” After some quite interesting bike polo action, it’s back to the studio….
MIKE “CONTRA” HOSKING: Words to live by. Words to live by—“Don’t be a dick.” TONI STREET:[still grinning nervously] Ha ha ha ha!
Item no. 3: A Super Bowl commercial, featuring Dame Helen Mirren scolding drink-drivers, labeling them as “a short-sighted waste of space” and “a Darwin Award contender”, amongst other things. At the end of it, there is a brief moment of awe-struck silence, then there is this….
MIKE “CONTRA” HOSKING: Wonderful, eh!
Item no. 4: After noting that Joseph Parker is the number one contender for the world title, Hosking purrs, “Amazing, eh!”
To hear Hosking utter such fervent endorsements will not have surprised long-time Hosking monitors, many of whom will have recalled his endorsement, a couple of years ago on his NewstalkZB radio program, of another right wing ranter. After playing several minutes of his hero loudly and offensively excoriating black men in the United States, Hosking ascended to full worship mode, panting with excitement: “Good, eh!”
The right wing ranter that Hosking commended to his beleaguered listeners was Bill Cosby.
“UN panel has ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been ‘arbitrarily detained’ in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, calling upon the UK and Sweden to end Assange’s deprivation of liberty.
“The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) … considered that Mr. Julian Assange was arbitrarily detained by the Governments of Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,” the statement said.
The group concluded that the WikiLeaks founder “is entitled to his freedom of movement and to compensation.”
…”On Thursday, an official from OHCHR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner) Christophe Peschoux said if UN panel concludes that a person’s rights have been violated then “the decision is indirectly, but still legally binding on the relevant authorities and states.” ”
“The opinions of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention are legally-binding to the extent that they are based on international human rights law, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The binding nature of its opinions derives from the collaboration by states in the procedure, the adversarial nature of is findings and also by the authority given to the WGAD by the UN Human Rights Council.”
‘Assange sex case: Five things you may not know about it’
“Government departments produce draft documents for consideration all the time. This is a draft document which has not been seen by the Minister or his staff – nothing more,” a spokesperson for the Minister said in a statement.”
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In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
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I’m not much into conspiracy theories, but something struck me the other day as – well, worth investigating further, because I know little about the subject. Perhaps someone on the Standard can amplify the matter?
This was that the USA joined the TPPA negotiations on or around 2008, at the time when Key had just become leader of the National Party/Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Are we then just part of a giant neoliberalist conspiracy funded by the corporates of the United States, and aimed at total domination of the world by the wealthy elite?
Conspiracy is the wrong word, it’s actually the way the system works with politicians tools of the uber wealthy controllers.
Key is the tool placed briefed and ready in a blue seat for when the brash model imploded. They had to act fast after blinglish eroding their base.
Radio New Zealand disseminating misinformation about the numbers at the TPPA protest.
Look at the aerial photos, Mr Griffin.
It is a little known fact that Richard Griffin, in addition to his other responsibilities at RNZ, is the sole person in charge of crowd estimates.
Working for the Fuerher.
Heard of that expression.
The office of Anne Tolley has been firebombed.
It will be a real measure of Key how he handles this. Particularly in this confluence of Waitangi Day and TPPA protests.
He could easily go gung-ho with the Police and security services.
I pray he chooses the path of restraint and peace.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/76601668/government-minister-anne-tolleys-office-firebombed–reports
So john Key just gained at least five points after refusing to go to Waitangi (a good decision if a bit late) this will either add more to National and/or take away votes from the left
The left just make it far too easy for National
The people I saw up close with the most restraint were the New Zealand Police. I watched for half an hour as they were screamed at within centremetres of their faces, with dozens of protests’ i-phones raised waiting for someone to make the all-important first punch. All for television.
Not a word from them. Not a muscle twitched. Just ice-cool.
And from there, the protest energy at the Sky City entrance dissipated to very little.
Impressive work from the New Zealand Police there.
Umm… I think the police learned a thing or two in 1981 too.
I think the police learned a thing or two in 1981 too.
The police on the streets yesterday weren’t even BORN in 1981.
lolz. Another Nat. simpleton.
Checkmate atheists
Hi Anne
Isn’t it funny how these RWNJ’s can’t even add 2 and 2 together to get the obvious answer, no wonder they vote the way they do.
Thanks Obama
The ones doing the screaming were possibly the Rent-a-Mob that Gnats like to refer to at protests, no doubt knowing personally that such a thing exists because they ordered one to take-away.
Speaking of restraint:
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/372065/protester-bruised-still-upbeat
Thanks, I was wondering if we would hear her story. Good on her for being so reasonable.
When I saw the pic, I couldn’t help thinking of the Key connection, you know, the pony tail thing, I bet it crossed the mind of Olive at the time.
He cant be in Waitangi and Bluff at the same time, He is going to Bluff to pull down all the nasty flags
Perhaps Yek is going to Bluff hoping to eat some good oysters to boost his morale.
What are the flags in Bluff?
He cant be at Waitangi . He has bigger fish to fry. Key is going down to Bluff to pull down all the nasty blue flags
Yeah, although your mob are way better at sinister.
/
Second time this week. Some idiot tried the same thing to Gerry Brownlee’s office on Monday night. I wonder if they have caught the fool.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/76446286/vandals-attack-mp-gerry-brownlees-christchurch-office.html
What makes you think it was a leftie?
And what does it say about not only the current National government, but NZ itself, that there will be many of us whose first thought will be Dirty Politics?
Thing about the TPPA is that opposition also might come from the rabid right nationalists.
And I thought the Tuhoe raids were because lefties were being trained how to throw molotovs properly /sarc
Why Tolley’s office? Why Brownlee’s? (although tbh, I’m surprised that someone in Chch hasn’t firebombed Brownlee’s office long ago).
They don’t seem like the targets of the left TPP protest.
How did John Key handle the bombing of Tolley’s office? In response to advice that MPs might want to close their offices meantime, Key said that the safety of people at work was paramount.
He is of course correct.
But also hypocritical as that was not an issue for him with his ongoing hair pulling of a young woman at work.
The second example of Key’s hypocrisy in just one day- this one being not going to Waitangi after his criticism of Clark back in 2007and his promises to always attend.
John Key- hypocrite.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/tpp-support-high-deal-signed-auckland-ns-184337#comment-position
Here is a comment from an exporter (grundle) re the chinese FTA agreement by a manufacturer.
I will quote in full
“Stand up NZrs and demand that our government actually starts looking out for local providers of local employment. NOT sucking up to the Chinese at the cost to local businesses and employment”
100% spot on.
dv
So some little manufacturer doesn’t get everything he wants. He does apparently sell in China. When reading this load of complaints, remember that even Fonterra which is our biggest exporter in the sector of dairy produce is only a small player in the world Compare how much more miniscule this little exporter is.
That we managed to make arrangements with China through a trade agreement kept us in the picture, at the table able to talk and deal with this huge country. We are tiny, they are big and powerful. We can’t get just what we want in these circumstances. We just have to try for the best. And note that bigger countries than we are, get grumpy because they don’t get what they want. Sometimes they go to war about it which isn’t a good thing for them and their people really, and not for the world either.
We just have to keep dealing and trying for a better price. And not give away all our worldly goods as may be the price for belonging to the TPPA with its airy-fairy promises. We get vague promises, they get the right to sue us for airy-fairy profits they dreamed up for the future, and that haven’t come to fruition and they can blame that on us somehow. TPPA has been dreamt up by someone who used to send letters to Santa at the North Pole asking for really good stuff and got it! Such people have always expected to get what they want. Now they want to send us their wish list.
edited
Are you serious???
Day after day – I see logging trucks laden with unsawn logs travel past on their way to Tauranga. There must be a hundred or more a week. They by-pass one of the largest saw mills in the country – now closed its doors with the loss of hundreds of jobs. Those logs are destined for …. China.
Part of the FTA is that we cannot export sawn lumber to China. Great deal!
NZ in WW2 sent a battalion of foresters to England with the express purpose to log and saw their spruce for the manufacture of the Mosquito. The Brits did not have the know how nor the capability to do it themselves fast enough.
Part of the heritage of this country was built on saw milling – now because of a FTA we are not allowed to do it!
If we were to put our foot down and demand that we only export sawn lumber – the ISDS machine would spring into action immediately.
Swings and roundabouts Macro. We have been not-value-adding to our products for yonks now. I believe that the timber industry is badly skewed, the wood may be straight but the business practices aren’t. Is it true that we have to pay overseas prices for our own timber now that it is privatised and been sold to Fletchers, which I believe was then bought by Graeme Hunt? And that we had to make special treaties with Fletchers to prevent export of all, leaving us with insufficient for our own national needs?
We got milk to China and we know that nothing else matters except dairy. Which has been in milk rush fever for yonks. So we can’t saw our own lumber, that is par for the course in this crazy global market. We do what we do best, then export it so they can do what they do best to it, and then, and so on. It is strange that this is so much like the old type British unionism where each union would only do the work that was covered by their union agreement, another union then did their bit. Much amusement was had because perhaps an electrician could instal something but someone else had to test it. It was uneconomic and inefficient so that got scrapped.
Yet the production of things being split up between nations with much unnecessary transport and handling and bug-carrying shipping, is the received wisdom of all modern business economics. Don’t argue with the wisdom of the business class Macro. They know how to rub the genie to create profit, their magic is stronger, than your practical arguments.
edited
+1 DV – these trade agreements are emperors new clothes agreements. Most Kiwis are not benefiting.
An expected $1.3million SuperGold Card funding shortfall looming?
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/367830/free-bus-funding-cap-worries-remain
Will Government force ratepayers to meet the shortfall?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/75971220/mike-yardley-leave-the-free-public-transport-scheme-for-over-65s-alone.html
Thoughts?
Great cartoon in today’s Herald.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11584687
Someone should knock up a few variants, including one with Key’s arrogant mug on it.
Talking about mugs. What about a line of mugs with political faces on them, perhaps caricatured, for fund raising by the Labour Party. as time moves towards next election? Labour pollies would have to form part of the set – have their faces on them. But better to be talked about for something, than ignored.
Labour could organise a buffet diner to raise money, buying a mug would be a prerequisite along with the dinner cost and there would be a Greek style Zorba music dance, and instead of throwing plates on the floor, they would throw National mugs. That would get some interesting publicity and indicate the strength of determination to win and save the country, and the Labour Party at the same time.
edited
Just a health and safety warning on the mug throwing exercise. The mugs would fracture and there might be some flying splinters so the crowd should stand in a large circle well back from the central impact. Pollies create many dangers which can cut you up and this could be another occurrence – so beware.
@ Cogito (6) – You say “Someone should knock up a few variants, including one with Key’s arrogant mug on it.”
That might come soon enough, only with the great dictator’s face staring out at us from our money, as well as the flag!
Wellington’s hospitality industry is in decline. Is cheap booze being sold in supermarkets really to blame? Or does it come down to a growing lack of disposable income?
Alistair Boyce, managing director of the Backbencher pub near Parliament, wants to see legislation introduced that would set a minimum price per standard drink, across both off-licences and on-licensed premises.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/76578943/Cheap-booze-damaging-Wellingtons-hospitality-industry-says-pub-boss
Is putting an end to cheap booze the solution? Or will that merely lead to those priming up at home remaining at home?
Thoughts?
A wee while ago a 500ml bottle of beer cost a little over $2nz across a Dusseldorf bar – same beer across the bar in Whanganui – $7 for a 330ml bottle. Fuck em’.
$7 would be considered on the cheaper side compared to what some places charge.
I think it is reduced disposable income for the most part. People like to go out, and would go out more if they could stretch their income that far. In Australia, the alcohol prices favour the pub over the off-license but drinks at the pub are quite a bit cheaper than they are here, relative to income. However, the pubs in the major Aussie cities do have a much bigger customer base. What might make a difference is a culture change whereby having a drink is associated with conviviality and catching up with friends, rather than drinking up large. This might broaden the pub’s customer base and allow for a price-shift favouring the pub, since they would be able to sell a few drinks to many rather than try to sell many rather expensive drinks to a few. But as things stand, I suspect that raising off-license prices will just lower people’s standards rather than send them running down to the local.
“I think it is reduced disposable income for the most part. People like to go out, and would go out more if they could stretch their income that far.”
Indeed.
“But as things stand, I suspect that raising off-license prices will just lower people’s standards rather than send them running down to the local.”
Or result in them staying home more and drinking less often.
I agree a culture change may help, but if the hospitality industry want to increase consumer demand, then they need to support and push issues that will put more money in peoples pockets while opposing those that will result in consumers having less.
…if the hospitality industry want to increase consumer demand, then they need to support and push issues that will put more money in peoples pockets while opposing those that will result in consumers having less I agree, but also suspect that the squeeze runs all the way down. I have known a bar to get pokies, for instance, not because they wanted them, but because the rent from them meant keeping afloat. Meanwhile the franchises put the squeeze on franchisees, etc. It is not just publicans supporting low wages and still wanting to sell drinks, it is each layer taking their pound of flesh, with low-paid workers and high-priced drinks as the end result.
“It is not just publicans supporting low wages and still wanting to sell drinks, it is each layer taking their pound of flesh, with low-paid workers and high-priced drinks as the end result”
And it’s that kind of structuring that requires to be opposed Even those on the top (applying the squeeze) lose out when patrons stop coming and bars close.
+1000. Couldn’t agree more.
I think, at least for those over about 25, there is the reduced alcohol limit when driving that worries them. They don’t want to go out for a meal and not have a couple of glasses of wine with the food.
The ridiculous campaign the police are running which basically tries to tell you that you cannot safely drink anything is putting people off going out. It doesn’t apply to the younger ones who aren’t driving on their boozing nights anyway.
The person complaining is a special case of course. He lets politicians into his establishment which lowers the tone enormously. Would you want to drink in a place that let Trevor Mallard or Peter Dunne through the door?
Reducing the alcohol limit would have had an impact.
“Would you want to drink in a place that let Trevor Mallard or Peter Dunne through the door?”
lol. They do seem to pull a crowd when they are filming the show though.
“Is cheap booze being sold in supermarkets really to blame? Or does it come down to a growing lack of disposable income? ”
Neither, they’ve just slowly priced themselves out of the market. It’s the classic instance of diminishing returns; the more they put their prices up the less interest people had in buying their booze. No sympathy here.
Pub prices are outrageous, small wonder youngsters pre-load.
I don’t believe so. There has always been a discrepancy. The price of alcohol in off license establishments has always been substantially lower.
“The price of alcohol in off license establishments has always been substantially lower.”
Bollocks, you’re talking to an old public bar boozer here. A pint of tap beer used to be little more than bottle store prices, now they whack on outrageous markups of 400, 500, 600% and more.
High alcohol prices were the domain of first after-hours nightclubs and then trendy bars where the nobs would go to avoid mixing with the working class. They were justified by bar owners either for the short opening hours or low patronage.
When people pre-load it’s a pretty clear message they want to drink at their destination but can’t or won’t because the prices are too high for them.
Bollocks, you’re talking to an old public bar boozer here. A pint of tap beer used to be little more than bottle store prices, now they whack on outrageous markups of 400, 500, 600% and more.
+1
I was talking generally. As for public bars, they still charged more.
Prices are considered high because incomes are low.
Sorry but you just have it wrong here. At many pubs you could go from bar to bottle store and buy a flagon of tap beer for much the same price you’d pay at the bar.
Bottles cost more than tap beer largely due the cost of bottling but the difference wasn’t that great, was only the boutique beers with high prices.
Prices are considered high because they are high. You can’t load on a huge 500% markup and expect to maintain your sales numbers. Too many bar owners are just plain greedy. You don’t see the popular bars dropping their prices, they’re more than happy to rake it in when the going’s good.
Back in the day you could swap an empty flagon for a pre-filled one at minimal cost. However, it still cost more to drink in a bar and far more in a nightclub when they came about. Yet, they still use to pull the crowds in.
People would queue down Courtenay Place to get into Serepisos’s place. And before that, Ray Johns had them queuing up the stairs at Spats.
IMO, people just don’t have the disposable income to blow on partying as they used too.
Prices have increased but have bar margins, thus return? Overheads such as rent/lease and power increases would have had an impact.
Wages have also increased. But have they kept up?
We also have an aging population.
If bars were making a good return, (and going off closures, a number don’t) we wouldn’t hear gripes like this (link above) coming from within the industry.
However, in saying that, it could be a ploy to reduce competition.
Anecdata ahead – 35 years ago if I spent my entire nett wage in the boozer I could buy 112 jugs of beer. Same job today would buy me 62 jugs of beer.
Wages failing to keep up.
The mind boggles.
I think you’d probably collapse about 2 hours after the bar opened.
On the other hand I do remember many years ago in my University days there were people who would go and have an 8 ounce beer in every pub in Wellington between 9am and 6pm. There were about 45 I think. Never tried it myself. I was foolish occasionally but never that foolish.
The late great Whanganui bicycle crawl was jug a pub jobbie, handles for ladies, starting at The Castlecliff ,all the way across town to The Aramaho, back down the river to The Riverside, Fosters, Rutland, Imperial, Railway, Criterion, Masonic, Federal, Commercial and then over the river to The Red lion Inn.
Face plants and heatstroke etc made for a big day thin on finishers.
God. That sounds even worse. A jug was about 35 ounces wasn’t it?
I think I’ll just go and have a lie down.
lol.
Filling up a jug with a nip of everything in the top shelf and then drinking it was probably worse.
God knows what it would cost to do that now.
It probably tasted awful but for some reason the memories are quite hazy in regards to those sessions.
Many hours spent at the Rutland.
Fond memories of Hammond Gamble in particular, swimming in the indoor pool in the bar while the bands played, the guys in the pool team the occasional brawl over the table, the flat upstairs and the Aussie receptionist.
Good times.
I remember the bicycle run and yeah beer was much cheaper and there was a good wine-shop in the main street, opposite Dowsetts, which closed down like many not long after supermarkets were allowed to sell alcohol.
Crawled out a window at the Rutland to avoid the coppers when I was 16 or 17. I have a vague memory of seeing Hammond Gamble and Midge Marsden there, possibly after the bikes on Boxing Day. I also did a couple of crawls, but as most of my mates were Eastsiders, we’d start at the Aramoho, then do the run to the ‘cliff and back into town via the Red. We’d park up there and walk over the bridge to do the town pubs.
Sadly, most of the other pubs mentioned above are long gone. However, the Station lives on as a sports club over by Peat park. It’s a top joint. As luck would have it, I’ll be in the river city tomorrow. Might check out the ‘new’ Riverside bar, see if it’s any chop.
Same thing applied at the Wellington 7’s, only 13k attendance, I wondered about the reasons and if it was economic, what a shame for a great comp if people simply can’t afford to go, and an indictment of the economic policies of this govt.
Waitangi
Key does not attend because he may give power to the unelected opposition reps to enhance their profile on nat tv
Sorry John you dont get to play political bias as PM. You have an obligation and if your security needs to be cranked up for your so called safety that you feel you dont need, well PUT YOUR BALLS WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND PROVE IT
Gandhi fronted all sorts of violence and threats to his political profile to the point of being assassinated but knowing it would come, did not give up his principles and actions to achieve independence and democracy for India
On Keys stance he is not addressing the fact that Waitangi is a commemoration of the Treaty and protests are protests .If the protest are illegal and a danger to the govt to be there, Then use the law, you had no trouble at Tetoki bringing a hit squad .
Key is playing the Yank public opinion game of the FDR era, he aint called Slippery for nothing .
Key is trying to sidestep the fact that Maori do have a right to demand clarity over the TPPA and any other crown agreements will be affected by the statutes of the Treaty and why not address it at Waitangi .Key wont do that because of the law and he has already sold out the treaty and NZ in te TPPA and the only way out for NZ is to get rid of the TPPA by electing a govt that will do so .
The TPPA is a mobile ponzi where America gets to take over the sovereignty of the Pacific countries and as we know the real gains to NZ are minimal but isnt interesting to note that the great highs in milk prices have decreased as this TPPA has gained traction and from that you could easily follow that to the drop in currency value and the fact that oil will bottom right out as recent finds in Europe have completely changed the game .And as for the 2008 Crash hoax well Johnny saviour we know we know you are dangerous BS
Key got his TPPA mates in AK to sign the starter for one world govt without full disclosure to the people of NZ. 605 corporations in the states have had the full text since its drafting, why not the people of NZ ?
So Johnny stop pullin our ponytail/chain and face it you have been caught by the Chaser Game Over lets hope 2017
Of course Key would think Gandhi was just another left wing rent a mobster
Have a listen to HOOTEN’S bs on radio this morning not quite awake I would say
I hear chicken is off the menu at Waitangi as it has clucked off and can’t be found.
This would be good scheme for a the Green or Labour Party to propose in this country. Might get some of the missing million back to the ballot boxes:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/04/french-law-forbids-food-waste-by-supermarkets
A policy to restore/increase benefits would get the attention and support of a number
@Chairman of course it will but that’s too reasonable, sensible and logical. Besides, Labour hate us as much as the Nats, that’s been an established fact since 1999. They have no intention of increasing benefits. They won’t even talk about it.
It’s a move a number have been waiting sometime for Labour to make.
The more beneficiaries receive, the more they spend, the more they boost business and tax returns.
Aye but the real money to be made is in servicing the rich.
The more money the rich have, the more you can make providing them shit at high prices.
Remember this was all forecast in the Citibank plutonomy advice they gave to investors:
http://politicalgates.blogspot.co.nz/2011/12/citigroup-plutonomy-memos-two-bombshell.html:
And here’s an interesting example. On the surface young lad made good and then you see stuff like this and see the dependency on the right connections and where the money comes from.
“Crimson immediately found a market: Beaton’s old high school, King’s College. “We had a very quick client base from people who knew of my experience going through. Parents talk, and they all want the best for their kids.” He adds: “We’ve been cash-flow positive since day one.”
“The Motivational Corner was one of four businesses Beaton bought last year. There was also UniTutor, a university tutoring service; MedView, a company that prepares students wanting admission to New Zealand’s medical schools; and Play Atlantic, which helps student athletes win scholarships to overseas universities (Max Key, the prime minister’s son, is a Play Atlantic consultant).”
No question he’s bright and works hard but I wouldn’t think there’s anyone in my neighborhood paying for his services – or even able to.
And before the righties get stuck in – nope I’m not jealous it just seems to me to quietly reinforce the whole plutonomy service the rich, have the right connections concept.
as an aside, this is why the rhetoric about GE/Monsanto feeding the world is bullshit. We have plenty of non-GE capacity to grow food for everyone, it’s just that some of us don’t want to share.
Did anyone else notice the large drones piggybacked on transport planes flying into Whenupai airbase on tuesday evening?
Seemed quite ominous to me considering the TPP signing coming up.
Maybe it’s a regular thing apparently we build them here but these things looked really big like the U.S ones.
anyone important at the signing?
@McFlock – I doubt it – even those signing know this deal is a croc and don’t want the publicity to be associated with it!
Anyone know?? My guess is, nobodies present. They send their 4th assistant to the trade minister in disguise.
You don’t seem to get it, the hearald does not report the news.
Expat +1
I prefer to wait until Checkpoint is on, and hear what actually happened thanks Magisterarse
TPPA
It may have been explained already, but why the rush to get it through parliament now.
Most parties appear to have 2 years to ratify the agreement.
Why not open it to clause by clause scrutiny in our parliament over the next 18 months.
What’s the Key government’s rush?
Steven Joyce has had a dildo thrown at him at Waitangi. For a LOL moment look at the footage from TVNZ
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/tpp-protester-boldly-chucks-dildo-at-steven-joyce-waitangi
The people throwing sex toys are acting like adults? I guess.
I enjoy a good game of ‘toss the dildo’.
Are sex toys made for children?
That’s what I meant. Adult in the Adult Shop sense.
Kiwis are unaccustomed to having to remove worthless governments – unlike the Poms, who rioted in the streets over Maggie’s poll tax.
We expect better governments than we get, and the governments in turn have lost their respect and loyalty to the people. There will be tears before bedtime one of these days, as either the people or a despotic regime assert power.
“This is for raping our sovereignty”
Because rape jokes are funny
Or, you know, not
It wasn’t a joke.
It wasn’t a joke.
She is accusing Steven Joyce of literally placing his penis into an orifice of a principle of jurisprudence without its consent?
That’s either totally confusing or HAHAHA RAPE JOKES ARE TEH FUNNY!!1
There’s certainly some confusion from you, but the rest of us understand.
Mike “Contra” Hosking clearly intends his “aspirational” heroes to
be a standing reproach to protestors and other “dicks”.
Seven Sharp, Television One, Friday 5 February 2016
That brilliantined, preening, self-aggrandizing [1] National Party placeman and SkyCity Casino shill Mike “Contra” Hosking likes to keep repeating that, like the National Party, he’s all about “aspiration”. On tonight’s program, he pushed this message with a vengeance, and his grinning, giggling underling Toni Street followed along obediently….
Item no. 1: An interesting report about young people who learn to fly, and who build and launch rockets for a hobby. This of course provides the thoughtful and serious host with an opportunity for a pointed little homily….
MIKE “CONTRA” HOSKING: What a contrast with some of the people we’ve seen on the streets yesterday, [speaking through closed lips, through the side of his mouth] who are not involved in launching rockets, shall we say?
TONI STREET: [grinning nervously] Yeeeees.
Item no. 2: World Bike Polo championships in Timaru. The organizer says the key message for all Bike Polo players is “Don’t be a dick.” After some quite interesting bike polo action, it’s back to the studio….
MIKE “CONTRA” HOSKING: Words to live by. Words to live by—“Don’t be a dick.”
TONI STREET: [still grinning nervously] Ha ha ha ha!
Item no. 3: A Super Bowl commercial, featuring Dame Helen Mirren scolding drink-drivers, labeling them as “a short-sighted waste of space” and “a Darwin Award contender”, amongst other things. At the end of it, there is a brief moment of awe-struck silence, then there is this….
MIKE “CONTRA” HOSKING: Wonderful, eh!
Item no. 4: After noting that Joseph Parker is the number one contender for the world title, Hosking purrs, “Amazing, eh!”
To hear Hosking utter such fervent endorsements will not have surprised long-time Hosking monitors, many of whom will have recalled his endorsement, a couple of years ago on his NewstalkZB radio program, of another right wing ranter. After playing several minutes of his hero loudly and offensively excoriating black men in the United States, Hosking ascended to full worship mode, panting with excitement: “Good, eh!”
The right wing ranter that Hosking commended to his beleaguered listeners was Bill Cosby.
[1] http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-15032015/#comment-985614
‘UN panel rules Julian Assange arbitrarily detained, entitled to liberty & compensation’
https://www.rt.com/news/331371-assange-arbitrarily-detained-un/
“UN panel has ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been ‘arbitrarily detained’ in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, calling upon the UK and Sweden to end Assange’s deprivation of liberty.
“The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) … considered that Mr. Julian Assange was arbitrarily detained by the Governments of Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,” the statement said.
The group concluded that the WikiLeaks founder “is entitled to his freedom of movement and to compensation.”
…”On Thursday, an official from OHCHR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner) Christophe Peschoux said if UN panel concludes that a person’s rights have been violated then “the decision is indirectly, but still legally binding on the relevant authorities and states.” ”
“The opinions of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention are legally-binding to the extent that they are based on international human rights law, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The binding nature of its opinions derives from the collaboration by states in the procedure, the adversarial nature of is findings and also by the authority given to the WGAD by the UN Human Rights Council.”
‘Assange sex case: Five things you may not know about it’
https://www.rt.com/news/331361-assange-case-five-facts/
“Government departments produce draft documents for consideration all the time. This is a draft document which has not been seen by the Minister or his staff – nothing more,” a spokesperson for the Minister said in a statement.”
sound familiar? CT strikes again
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-35499012