“Dotcom no longer appears on the share register for Mega, although his estranged wife Mona continues to hold some 16 percent of the company, as does an apparent associate, Wolf Dieter Ortmann. The majority shareholder today is a Hong Kong-based donor to New Zealand’s governing National Party, Shen Zhao Wu, with an 18 percent shareholding.”
A nat donor is mega’s biggest shareholder as well as having Boag on the scene. No, this doesn’t look good for the committed lefty with gifts for NZ.
Shows not only does money buy cheap politicians, but also enough wool to cover their greedy eyes.
Still, maybe some of the less gullible amongst us will start switching on any time about now.
It’s a mistake to think that people involved with technology are necessarily progressive. The liberal spectrum (which the internet party appeals to) ranges from libertarian gun nuts (Eric Raymond) to progressive lefties (Lawrence Lessig).
The youth that are getting politicised by this could go either way – and so could a party based on their platform. Involvement from the established libertarian right wing is to be expected, as this movement looks exactly like the scrappy start-up they are used to absorbing, idea-asset-stripping and eventually discarding.
I’ve no reason to agree or disagree otherwise with your first paragraph. It’s not a point I’ve ever made or laboured.
As for youth being politicised, again no argument from me, although it’s a shame for some of them their first exposure to politics will be totally disingenuous horse trading and pork barrelling, which will, I’m sure, turn many off altogether.
As for the party direction, well, it will be whatever kdc wants it to be. Left/right/center, which ever is most expedient and self serving.
But nat donor is biggest shareholder in megal, that’s a who(a)re moment for the ‘principled’ mana.
Laila Harre i have great faith in!….and also Hone Harawira.!..both would NOT sell out the Left …and it is NOT in Dotcoms interests to do so either
…if you want to win a war sometimes you have to get help from the likes of Boag who is really a mercenary up for the money from any side …if she is the best they can find, then why not? …also it will soften them in the eyes of some potential voters
…the youth so politicised to vote Internet Party do not have a beef with the Mana Party and will probably continue to vote for them if the Internet party is disestablished, which i thought it would be sometime after the Election
” … if the Internet party is disestablished, which i thought it would be sometime after the Election”
I don’t have time to check the Internet Mana alliance agreement right now, but my understanding is that the agreement provides for the alliance to be reviewed six weeks after the election. This review could lead to the continuation, or dissolution, of the alliance between the two parties – not the disestablishment of the Internet Party. If the alliance is dissolved, then the two parties would continue as separate parties.
The IMP alliance can split anytime it chooses to (with a weeks notice), but we’re hoping that we’ll be able to work together for the longterm. The; “six weeks after the 2014 General Election”, has been played-up by many as a point of instability. But it is really just a nominal deadline for a review of how the alliance has functioned after the distraction of campaigning is done with.
The most likely reason for a split at that point would be if a third party felt that it was unable to work with one of the constituent parties. But I think that we’d be reluctant to accede to such coercion unless it was an absolute necessity in changing the government. The allied IP & MANA on the crossbenches would be likely more effective together giving C&S, plus support on an issue by issue basis, than one group of (say; IP, given NZFs antiMANA stance) MPs getting minor ministerial positions as payment for repudiating their allies.
either component party may give seven days written notice of their intention to terminate this agreement. The notice must state the reasons for the party wanting to terminate the agreement and must give an opportunity for the New Party Council to meet and for the other party to respond to the initiating party’s notice at least three days before it takes effect… this agreement will remain in force until at least six weeks after the 2014 General Election polling day. The component parties will meet together within five weeks of the 2014 General Election to review the agreement.
Much clearer than my rushed attempt to point out that the Internet Party is very unlikely to be disestablished after the election – and that the alliance agreement provides for ‘review’ not ‘dissolution’ after the election.
The continual spin that the has been put out that the alliance agreement would be dissolved (rather than just reviewed) six weeks after the election has really annoyed me and has been intended to suggest instability, as you say.
Key found New Zealand to wreck its people and our country for the long haul for the primary benefit of the wealthy at tremendous price to the rest of the population. At least KDC has been transparent about his political dealings.
if you want to win a war sometimes you have to get help from the likes of Boag who is really a mercenary up for the money from any side …if she is the best they can find, then why not? …also it will soften them in the eyes of some potential voters
Neither Mega nor Boag have anything to do with the Internet Party.
the youth so politicised to vote Internet Party do not have a beef with the Mana Party and will probably continue to vote for them if the Internet party is disestablished, which i thought it would be sometime after the Election
the Internet Party will continue because of it’s inclusive decision making. IMO, That’s what makes a party survive over time.
Oops, I didn’t mean to imply you were mistaken, I was just soliloquising. I’m talking about the Internet part of Internet/Mana. I’m hoping Mana can exploit this opportunity to become a permanent part of the left, as I have more than a sneaking regard for their position. I can imagine the Internet part fracturing faster than a Trotskyist Tea party though.
Dotcom sounded eloquent and in fine form talking to Brent Edwards on Morning Report this morning explaining how Key’s secret raid on his house had brought about a change in his life and touring with the IMP roadshow had brought home to him the problems in NZ being ignored by Key who only represented the top 1% and corporate interests. KDC said he had never criticised Labour.
There was another later report from IMP’s well attended (300 people) meeting in Wellington where it was made plain IMP would not support the TPP deal.
Fantastic publicity for IMP and both reports well worth a listen.
“Shen Zhao Wu with 18.3 percent, a regular donor to the National Party through his Contue Jinwan Enterprise Group. Contue donated $49,220.18 to National in January”
Nearly as much as kim to Banks, though I doubt Shen wrote anonymous cheques, even after thinking it an insult.
“Shen and his wife, Susan Chou, were reported by the New Zealand Herald to have made a $200,000 donation in 2010.”
” … his companies biggest shareholder donates to key.”
Mega is no longer KDC’s company. IIRC KDC divested himself of his interest/shares in the company in about Oct/Nov 2013.
You yourself @ 2 above quoted from the NBR article which MS linked to @ 1 to the effect that KDC is no longer listed as a shareholder, although his estranged wife, Mona DC, still retains 16% of the shares.
So it is incorrect IMHO to still refer to Mega as KDC’s company if he no longer has any financial interest in, or control over, Mega.
Although I have seen nothing to support this, the sale of KDC’s shares in Mega may well be a source of the money that he has given to the Internet Party. Just speculation on my part.
EDIT
Here are the two Morning Report items on KDC and last night’s IM Road Show meeting in Wellington.
Actually, more recent than that as told on stuff and tvnz sites today, but yeah, still kim’s company. Happy to call it kims old company though.
“The Dotcom family’s share in Mega has fallen to 16.2 per cent and the share owned by chief technology officer Mathias Ortmann, who was understood to be in day-to-day charge of the firm, after former chief executive Stephen Hall stepped down, dropped to 16.6 per cent.”
dotcom is very believable when he talks (in that interview..) of having his eyes opened to the poverty/inequality in new zealand..
..one thing you can be sure from this roadshow all over new zealand..
..is that harwira and sykes have made sure to show him the realities of that poverty..
..and i’m guessing dotcom has also grasped that economics 101-fact..
..that the best/fastest way to stimulate/enliven an economy…
..is to increase the incomes of those who are the poorest..
..for the simple fact that money churns back into the economy straight away..
..used buying the basics/services of life…
..and this if course is one of the strongest arguments for a universal basic income..
..on the ‘moral’-level..yes..it will end poverty…
..but it will also stimulate the economy…
..(and it has long puzzled me..that mote in the rights’ eyes..
..that they think it is a good idea to have a poverty-stricken underclass..
..an underclass unable to purchase their widgets/trinkets..(!)..).
..the proof of that ec. 101 maxim was also seen in the retail-recession that followed ‘strewth’ richardsons mother-of-all-budgets/gutting of state-support…in the name/cause of rogernomics..
..’cos that money was sucked straight out of retailers/service-providers bottom-lines..
..i guess they must be blinded/eye-moted by their randian-ideological-beliefs..eh..?
It is no longer his company – as you yourself have noted; “Dotcom no longer appears on the share register for Mega”. Even Baboom has fallen a bit by the wayside as he has concentrated his energies upon the election.
If I were to sell a car which was then bought by a Boagan who promptly pranged it into the nearest lamp-post because they’d flogged off the brakes would that be my fault?
As for your relentless assault upon the IMPs; could you please change the record? Yes, I get that you don’t trust us, or the IP founder. But your time might be better spent in discussing the policies &/or advantages of voting for the party that you do support, rather than incessantly dissing a tactical ally. The one undeniable thing about KDC & the IMP alliance is that we are committed to ousting the National government.
Unless you’d rather lose with purity, than compromise with those with whom you have disagreements?
Baboom has fallen by the wayside because it’s investor shy.
“could you please change the record?”
Sorry, can’t do that. Politicians being bought my money doesn’t sit easily, and just because it’s on the left, doesn’t make it all of a sudden good.
You’re tainted by kim. You didn’t have to do a deal. Caveat emptor.
“a tactical ally”
Last cab of the rank tactical ally.
“The one undeniable thing about KDC & the IMP alliance is that we are committed to ousting the National government.”
The gullible might believe it, the self serving totally reliant on it.
Your tone would be better suited to TradeMe Message Board, Kiwiblog or Kelvin’s stillborn site The Al1en, where sticking your fingers in your ears qualifies as discussion.
Hardly fair, I’ve outlined some good points and am always open to considered opinion.
Yet the ‘leave Brittney alone’ meme is quality stuff?
Gullible and partisan it is.
Don’t worry though, If it’s to be the not done thing to criticise kim and hone, I’ll be bold texted out of here before too long.
It’s about principles and as I see it, a lack of them on the extreme left. Sue Bradford has them, and I’m pleased she never sold them or herself out, and she was forced out by the blind, greedy and gullible at mana.
I wrote ages ago that for some, kdc was their last, best hope at ousting key, which apart from being wrong, speaks volumes about the strength of their own message and conviction in their personnel, especially when you consider Harre aside (though not by much), what has come after – A singer and a list of nobodies.
mana is a really small party, less than act, less than the conservatives and maybe slightly bigger than uf. It doesn’t belittle hh’s representation of his electorate, but reached the limits of popularity vote wise is about correct.
Of all the parties shown the cash, only hone took it. It’s dirty, and I hope it backfires. 🙂
I take it you mean Chris Yong by; “a singer”, though I think of him more as guitarist/ producer. Not being from Aotearoa, I wouldn’t expect you to have much of an inkling about the local music scene; just accept that he is a respected figure.
You reluctantly concede that Laila Harré is notable, if you care at all about Kiwi culture then you have to admit the same about Yong. So, of the three IP candidates likely to make it into parliament (no meant offense to Currin, but 8 IMP MPs this election is far less likely than 6) that leaves us:
Miriam Pierard – most notable for her work as the spokesperson for Aotearoa Is Not For Sale movement, but you may also have read her posts on TDB. A committed activist, only someone entirely ignorant of the NZ left would claim that she is a part of “a list of nobodies”.
So, that’s the IP likely MPs, How about MANA? Their top 3 are; Hone Harawira, Annette Sykes, John Minto. Again, only someone entirely ignorant of the NZ left would claim that are a part of “a list of nobodies”. I’m not familiar with the 4th ranked MANA candidate (7th on joint list); James Papali’i, but as “Mangere East Labour Branch Party for the past 15 years”, he certainly has a presence in the Auckland Samoan community.
If they weren’t nobodies they wouldn’t need kim’s loot to advance them towards electability, but you have to say that, don’t you?
I surmise
The internet party, harre aside have kapisi as a ‘youth drawcard’ and no-one.
hone at mana may or may not get in depending on how well KD plays his hand. 55/45 at the moment, but could easily become to close to call.
sykes might get in if the maori party vote collapses, but after she represented the owners of the dog that savaged the rotorua child the other year, hopefully not.
minto would never get in without the dosh.
Your pathetic personal attacks deserve only this 🙄 Alien, you are simply revealing yourself as one sad, sick (expletive deleted),
Everyone has the right to be represented when charged in a court of law, guess what Annette Sykes does for a crust besides campaigning as a politician…
“revealing yourself as one sad, sick (expletive deleted),”
What? For not swallowing the mip marriage, or because I don’t respect sykes for defending the owners of a dog which savaged a child, maybe to save them having to pay out compo?
“Everyone has the right to be represented when charged in a court of law,guess what Annette Sykes does”
Ah, the latter.
Not the sort I want representing me or mine in court or in politics.
Just because you haven’t heard of them doesn’t make them nobodies. If you have a look throughout history some of the greatest leaders started off as people who weren’t well known but they worked their way through the opposition anyway. As far as I’m concerned Key is a nobody and Cunliffe isn’t much better because they both represent the height of success in a failed system.
mana is a really small party, less than act, less than the conservatives and maybe slightly bigger than uf.
Actually, it’s consistently polled higher than those others combined.
Another saddo’s comment Alien, Bradford was ‘forced out’, i again laughed out loud, naive to describe your commentary would be ‘mild’,
If you really want to get down and dirty with the ‘personal’ how bout we discuss the two free trips to China extended Sue’s way, any ‘influence’ used there and where that ‘influence’ might have come from…
I attended a few of the GCSB events in Auckland – before the Snowden revelations and before the legislation was passed when Kim Dotcom was in attendance.
On two occasions, my location put me directly in line with Kim Dotcom while the other speakers were talking. Both times I returned home to my partner, and said that watching his face during the talks was informative, as he seemed both invigorated and humbled by what was being said.
Most speakers spoke from a perspective of “equal justice” and “equal rights” for all NZ’ers – not support for Kim Dotcom as a person – but the context put his rights (along with everyone elses) front and centre, and I’m surmising here – but those kind of conversations are not likely to be found in the company of John Banks et al.
From those admittedly small glimpses of the man, I’m willing to accept the fact that he has had a political awakening of sorts. As regular readers and commentors on this site – we should at least be able to understanding how addictive that can be.
I’m just appreciative of the fact that this time his financial support went to the party he deems worthy – rather than that which would benefit him personally.
i laughs out loud, it is so funny to hear the constant whine about DotComs money, who is connected to the Mega company etc etc,
Tell us Alien who is it exactly you plan to vote for, who is it you support that is so holier than thou, so pure and pristine, unsullied by the cash of the corporates,
Which Party of the left is not sucking on the teat of corporate cash Alien???
You claim ‘some here’ should wake up, i suggest you go look in the mirror….
The blinkers, given the context of mana voters and kim, that is funny.
I’m a red/green voter not an apologist or party member, but according to the elections site, one person gave over 30k to each totalling $60,000 G and $64,999 L. Labour also had another 50k and a 430k estate plus a union donation.
I wouldn’t know how many corporates donated less than the declarable figure, and I suspect, unless told, neither would you.
Again, it comes down to whether you see kim as a corporate donor, or motive driven, agenda setting, politician buying sort of bloke, and whether hone has been played and bought.
I get why you mip sorts are pissed at the criticism, because I’m sure it’s something you’d rather see swept under the rug of denial, but it is what it is.
Final proof, if it were needed, that the ideologues of the right are shameless. And that the state runs some enterprises better than the private sector ever can:
This is Cullen and Labour back in 2007 after the sale of Poronui.
“We welcome foreign investment that has real benefits for New Zealand. Westervelt plans to expand the hunting business and market the lodge more aggressively overseas, which will help our tourism profile.
“This is further proof that the process introduced by the Overseas Investment Act in 2005 to ensure land sales benefit New Zealand is working.”
This was from one American company to another American company. I understand no Chinese involved, but still no Kiwi investment and no block from labour.
Agreed-surely parties are allowed to change their mind and reformulate policy as facts and public opinion change? This is what Cunliffe/Labour are doing.
Key/National are simply behind the 8-ball on this issue (mostly because Key supports an unfettered free market) and are now even at odds with their mates at Fed Farmers.
No DJ, not hypocrisy at all. I opposed that sale as much as this one. maybe you weren’t around then.
There is no benefit to having foreign landlords. None. That has been my position for a very long time. My vote turns on this exact issue, such is its importance to the long term strength of our society and communities.
So don’t equate me with Cullen and Labour – I helped vote them out and this was one of the main reasons. I even exchanged some correspondence with Cullen over it.
But if you wish to discuss Labour – I imagine they are slowly changing their policy around foreign ownership of our land. For three reasons… one, political parties change policies over time as the world changes around them. Two, they are beginning to understand the wisdom of not having foreign landlords. Three, they see that this is what the people of NZ actually want.
So be careful with the assumptions and accusations as now you just have mud on your face.
With the exception of Clark & Cullen – who you “voted against” everybody else on that list was a member of the last labour government, or a senior staffer for Clark, an MP now, and standing in this election.
You must have a lot of faith in the ability of tigers to change their stripes.
Politicians do that all the time though nadis. Tigers never.
Anyway, that wee comment on Labour in no way means my vote will be going their way. I am sure you are aware that the Greens and Mana have very robust policies around foreign ownership of our country.
and of course so do Winston and Colin, but they change their stripes way too often and are highly untrustworthy, especially the Winston.
DJ to give it another spin,thats partly why labour got voted out last time and is languishing at 30% in the polls Dear in the headlights John.
John Key will be their to if he carries on being hypocritical.
But unlike labour Key has put his foot in mouth big time and said we can’t become tenants in our own land then done the opposite.
The Media have had a field day (sarc farmers joke) dining out on brain fade Keys own quotes!
maybe you should write him a letter Dear leader or better still Dear John
Okay so I am trying to stay positive, and it has been great to see so many of the MPs and members starting to stick to the positive message. But can someone please punch Kelvin Davis in the throat so he cannot talk until election day? Us members on the doorsteps trying to convince the people we have a positive message are getting pretty fucking sick of self-centered MPs contradicting that.
The Davis situation is a glorious cock up and completely unnecessary. What do you expect Davis to do? Labour gives him an unwinnable place in the list and then expects him to roll over and not compete in the electorate?
For someone supposedly as brilliant at strategy as McCarten, and a self described genius like Cunliffe, this treatment of Davis is a clusterfck of epic proportions.
So simple to avoid, yet this stupid, stupid strategic decision could be the reason why the left is unable to cobble together a majority coalition. If nothing else it will continue to rip maori support – esp in Te Tai Tokerau – away from Labour.
Davis will be in parliament on the list if Labour gets about 28.5%. The most accurate of the polls now has then at 30% and rising, and this before the recent excellent policy releases on minimum wage, work for young people, Joyce’s disastrous appearance on The Nation and National getting on the wrong side of the selling farmland overseas issue.
A vote for Hone in Te Tai Tokerau will get you both Hone and Davis.
The one poll out of many is the only one that’s the least bit accurate, PR. It also, so I’m told, mirrors what both the Nats and Labours’ internal polling says. Davis is going to be an MP, one way or the other. Whether he’s going to be a good MP is the only unknown at the moment.
Morally bankrupt liar says that X is good.
1: Is the liar telling another lie in the hope that we think X is good when X is, in fact, bad?
2: Or is the liar aware of his reputation and is therefore telling the truth in the knowledge that people will think he is lying and so think that X is bad?
3: Or is the morally bankrupt liar completely disinterested and merely saying something true on the grounds that it will microscopically improve the liar’s standing for when the liar wishes to go with option 1 on another matter?
4: who gives a shit what the morally bankrupt liar says, anyway?
thats fair. I thought he needed about 34% but you are right, depending on electorate seats he could get in as low as 28% which Labour have a high chance of exceeding.
Not sure if that makes the current imbroglio more or less amusing given how unnecessary it is.
My point though is that hes dealing with his career based on a gamble on what may or may not happen whereas he can go hard and try to guarantee his win
LABOUR SELLS OUT TO NATIONAL
MANA leader and Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira
Mon 3 Aug 2014
“If there’s any truth to what I have seen today, then somebody’s head should roll” said MANA leader and Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira when told of emails suggesting Kelvin Davis’ campaign team in Tai Tokerau was planning to launch an attack campaign against him with money solicited from National.
“Changing the government is going to be tough enough – it’ll be bloody impossible if Labour does dirty deals with National” said Harawira.
“National has been directly responsible for driving up unemployment, homelessness, ill health, and poverty for Maori right across the north” said Harawira. “I’m trying to get rid of them and Kelvin Davis and his crew are doing deals with them!”
“I’m gutted, and Maori in Tai Tokerau will be seriously troubled that Davis and his mates are cozying up to the people who have caused so much damage to our communities”
“And don’t buy this rubbish about me having more money because of Kim Dotcom either” said Harawira. “You’re only allowed to spend $25,000 anyway and I’d already banked mine before MANA signed its deal with the Internet Party”
“Where does this go now?”
“As a matter of principle, Davis should either admit that he knew what was going on here and resign, or state categorically that he didn’t and sack his campaign team”
“Either way, he owes the people of the north an apology”
I hope this story is incorrect.
The move comes after it was revealed a smear campaign was being planned against the incumbent.
A series of emails leaked to 3 News showed Davis’ campaign team had designed a website to attack Harawira and his financial backer, Internet Party founder Kim Dotcom.
In a message to Labour Party general secretary Tim Barnett, a member of Davis’ campaign team, Kaye Taylor said the fight in the northern electorate was “unique”.
“We are fighting against Hone who is being funded by a multi-millionaire, who is frankly trying to buy his way into parliament,” she wrote.
“The website is confrontational, as it is a wake-up call, it’s not aimed at traditional supporters. Honestly, I think National supporters may contribute.”
Your second quote proves that Hone was lying when he said it was a dirty deal with National, Marty. No deal, just wishful thinking from someone on the LEC team hoping that some Nat supporters might contribute financially. Despite all the rhetoric, I think Hone knows he is in trouble in the seat and Davis has the edge. Hence the bluster and bullshit.
Hone said as his first line, “If there’s any truth to what I have seen today, then somebody’s head should roll…” I think that disproves the lie aspect. Does it disturb you that someone on the LEC team was hoping that? Oh and got the website underway.
I’ll also add that framing the statement that way is good politics, 101 even – it lets you say what you want to say and still have an escape clause and everyone knows it so quite transparent yet effective.
Not quite. The lie is in the headline (Labour sells out to National) and this line: “I’m trying to get rid of them and Kelvin Davis and his crew are doing deals with them!”
Both are bullshit.
As to the proposed website, the party leadership was right to knock it on the head as soon as they knew about it. What I take from the whole thing is that an LEC member got carried away, the would be MP didn’t spot the problem quickly enough, but the internal party apparatus worked as it should to stop it in its tracks.
Just to clarify the latter part, all LEC’s and candidates have to have ads/hoardings/websites etc vetted before they go live. And this shows why. Vote Positive! 😉
In the past, there has been the odd L.P. member doing or saying idiotic things and nearly bringing the party into disrepute.
Back in the 1970s and 80s there was a former Mt.Albert member who had a habit of ringing various journos making statements of fiction about Labour personnel. Fortunately only one newspaper listened to her and no prizes for guessing it was The Truth newspaper.
If I could have a minute of my life back for every time some Labour MP/Activist/Member said something silly over the past 40 years I could become a very old man …
As you know I’m a National voter so this is good news but what I don’t get is why K. Davis wasn’t offered a decent place on the list?
If Labour get 28.5% of the vote he might get in but then if a couple of electorates go Labours way (Gosgrove anyone?) then hes a gonner so why didn’t Labour place him highly on the list and avoid all this?
+1
Hey, at least they can say they have a higher % of female MP’s when they loose the next election due to the in-fighting caused by needing more females ahead of Kelvin Davis on the list.
Winning isn’t everything and they will still get a certificate of participation.
“National’s pollster David Farrar and Whaleoil blogger Cam Slater both donated about $100 to Mr Davis’ campaign after a Facebook post Mr Davis wrote criticising Kim Dotcom and the deal with Internet Mana, and asking for donations.”
Opportunistic media grabbing by them. $200 bucks and they get a major article in the Herald. Kelvin’s response, to give the money to Women’s Refuge, was very good.
Yep his response, when he found himself in the corner of his own making, was quite good – I don’t mind a bit of rope-a-dope but less dope more rope would be good from him. Frankly the whole mess is an embarrassment and doesn’t bode well for his time in parliament if he gets in that is.
I have a bad feeling that Kelvin Davies will be a liability for Labour in the long run just as John Tamihere and Shane Jones were.
I hope I will be proved wrong.
Pity he was given a fairly high place on the list. I wonder why the wise selection committee put him lower at the last election!
He has demeaned Labour by his tactics, bringing Labour into disrepute and on the back foot. We can do without this sort of crap.
May be in the future, the party members should have a more significant say in the selection of candidates. I can think of hundreds of citizens who would be more worthy of place on the Labour list.
Your got that right Phil he is in trouble of holding out Davis. Plenty of people have seen Kelvin and his team helping out with the flood relief during the bad weather up North. Meanwhile Hone & Dotcom are on the road together giving the impression of living it up. Mega rich Dotcom with his up market euro helicopter and his flash limo is too far removed from sticking to the kopapa of his rohe. I hope for Mana they have plan C in Sykes as a back up to plan B of getting over 5%.
”’Living it up” what a frigging load, did it take you days/weeks to think that one up, have you seen the ‘roadshow bus’ Pfft, ”living it up” in an old 80’s diesel bus, suuu-uure…
I find it hard to believe that Armstrong himself wrote it – in fact, the style of writing somehow doesn’t ‘compute’. imo. But maybe. perhaps, some of the hard hitting comments he has had to his articles over recent months have finally penetrated.
Remember how Donghua Liu could speak no English according to Williamson?
“I want to focus on transforming that awful paddock of long grass and weeds that you can see when coming into the city from the Newmarket Viaduct into a first-class residential development,” Liu told the Herald in June.
It is a direct quote according to the Herald re Liu being in court for offences in his building program. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11303946 (by Jared Savage by the way. Remember the $90,000 bottle of wine?)
Chris Barton: Joining the dots in the Dotcom conspiracy. Today 5 August.
“The Kiwi Connection conspiracy has the hallmarks of abuse of process everywhere you look.
We have to consider the likelihood the conspiracy is real because of the sterling investigative work of David Fisher, who has uncovered some hitherto unseen documents which indicate murkiness beyond the pale.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11303736
Watching the new last night during the ad break did you notice Genesis Energy ad which appears to be a dirty rotten endoresment that I feel boarders on breeching the electoral rules.
The ad promotes a $300 discount for signing up to both power & gas with the slogan mirroring something similar to ‘working for you’ It come across as a ringing endorsement for the National sale of this power asset. If you saw it you will know what i mean, if you haven’t have a look. Looks like a ‘snake oil’ PR stunt.
Haven’t seen it but if it’s coming across that way to you then I suggest you complain to the Electoral Commission about it. What you describe sounds eerily similar to what the Exclusive Brethren did.
Vandalising other peoples property is a crime.
Why do the Greens supporters believe they have a right to vandalise National hoardings up and down the country?
They are just criminals.
Freedom of speech does not allow you to alter National hoardings in any way.
have you any proof of who is vandalising the hoardings maybe you could get the GSCB and theSIS or the Police to investigate.
otherwise you are defaming!
While we know who is vandalising our environment egalitarian society freedoms our democracy and formerly independent media!
you don’t complain about that or who is doing it!
Roman times when the peasants aren’t happy read the graffitti.
poor we fisitantrum.
Oh come on fisiani it happens to all party hoardings. I noticed God Botherer Col Craig got one of his hoardings absolutely smashed to bits over night Saturday. Both National and Conservatives have the dough & Brethren’s to go out and replace, usually in the early morning or dusk time.
Just might have to go out and get in their face with a camera and reignite the sketchy underground connection between National-Conservative moonie sect.
It does NOT happen to all party hoardings and you well know that. There is a concerted regular vandalism campaign against National billboards nationwide. This is criminal damage, not a bit of fun.
Oh bugger off fizzyanus.. You pick the weirdest things to get your nose out of joint about and quite frankly, you have not a skerrick of evidence to support your assertion.
but national are so popular that it would be impossible to vandalise the image of our lord john key without immediately being set upon by an angry mob who would restrain the miscreant until the police arrived. Neighbourhood watch schemes have been set up across the country to protect that glorious visage from being sullied by the three remaining far-left (i.e. thought twice before voting national) zealots in NZ… /sarc
Labour’s signs tend to be ripped down rather than vandalised (that’s the case in my electorate, at least). It’s less noticeable, since the signs simply disappear, but the hit rate is similar. The effect is similar though, and Labour doesn’t have the funding from multimillionaire backers for large numbers of replacement signs.
A tale of two New Zealands, i limped past Te Papa, the national museum, last night on my way to Wellington leg of the InternetMana roadshow,
Hekia’s gas guzzling 4×4 was on show out front as along with the brass bands and uniforms from the era the National Party celebrated the 1914-1918 war, its causes deeply rooted in inequality, of peoples, of nations, of fear from the masters that the wave of Socialism sweeping Europe would remove these Lords, Ladies, and Barons from their wealth, from their centuries of privilege,
The reggae beat next door at Macs events center is a welcome contrast as a warm up to the main event as out of Wellingtons Winter darkness came 400–500 of us with one thing on our minds, the removal of those cavorting in their customary regalia in a celebration of the death/mutilation of 5% of the New Zealand population at the time, from the levers of power who with deliberation fuel the very inequalities that lead directly to the atrocity that is such wars,
InternetMana what can i say, i am not there for the political speeches, and, there were some rousing words from the cast of characters all of whom have obviously been pushing themselves as the ‘roadshow’ snaked its way down the country to Wellington, some look and sound like they could do with a rest,(i hope they pace themselves theirs still 8 weeks of this organized mayhem),
In the background, its where i like to be, there’s talk of New Branches, that’s what i like to hear,hurried swapping of email addy’s and plans for later meetings are made both befor and after the main event, my ears are not used to such a muted roar of conversation, my psyche equally unused to the human energy, the wairua,mauri, flowing around the packed events center,
The meeting flyer says it all, ”A Message from the Future”, in the background, Annette Sykes confronts me as i try to sneak, into the background, i get to plant a big kiss on the cheek of the next MP for Waiariki, there’s way to much action happening here to say anything any other way,
It’s another day and my waking thought is that the only other politician i planted such a kiss upon was Helen Clark not long befor she became the Prime Minister,
There’s work to be done, lots of it, there’s not enough time, but the real fun will be in the doing, InternetMana has packed every venue so far, 4–5–600 people at them all, there’s a sniff of 5% in the air and i am already looking ahead to 2017, the fun has just begun,
this has been, of course, ”A Message from the Future” InternetMana, be there….
Indeed Karol, from the applause given i would say the loudest was for both Annette and Lailla, Hone, obviously with deliberation was way laid back letting the 2 Internet candidates and the 2 from Mana do most of the talking,
The Wellington turnout was pretty much a cross section of New Zealand, so where Winston Peters gets His ‘race based party’ bullshit from is beyond me,
Georgina Beyer, the candidate for Te Tai Tonga made a good speech, spoiled somewhat i would suggest by Her ‘version’ of events surrounding the foreshore and seabed Legislation when She was a Labour MP,
DotCom’s references to what happened after the Mansion raids where the plods asset stripped Him of everything sounded a bit jaded obviously because we all already knew this aspect of the raid, perhaps He needs to refresh the delivery a bit,
i can relate to what happened there, in the ‘hood’ the stripping of everything, bank cards, cars,(in one case the car taken had a stuffed gearbox and hadn’t moved for a year), happens weekly as the plods conduct their version of the ‘war on drugs’ and like DotCom found, when this does occur someone will step in to gift the basics, its the way we roll….
2014:
This time around, some previous votes cast for Goldsmith and Seymour, (I am assuming 4%+4%), may shift to Rankin and the result may look like this: (Of course there may be larger shift from ACT to CONs in this electorate given that ACT is practically dead and the CONS may yet be born again somewhat here which may actually work in Goldsmith’s favour)
The only way for the progressives to be more sure of defeating ACT and NATIONAL would be for MOST, if not all, of Labour and Greens voters to give their candidate vote to GOLDSMITH.
Assuming there is a 50% improvement in the Labour and Green strategic voting tactics, (5% and 3% rather than the previous election’s 10% and 6% ) the result could look like this:
For those who commented about it yesterday on handles disappearing at the client side.
There does appear to be a problem with the time for the cookies used for putting handles, emails, and websites in for the non-loggedin comments.
It is set for a day and resets every time that a comment is made. It is meant to be at least a week. But it doesn’t sound like the problem people reported.
Could I have some details about browsers and if you have anything constraining javascript. It fills in those fields from javascript because that has been the most reusable option.
Not sure what exactly you need in the way of info LPrent, i am using Firefox, and the prob with the info disappearing out of the name required etc box has been apparent since the major outage the other week,
My opinion, its not such a biggy, it simply means that everyone has to LOOK to ensure the name is there befor ‘submit comment’ is hit,
Having said that i am still NOT looking at every comment to make sure the required details are there, it amazes me just how long it has taken to learn to do this,
i can actually go right off the Standard by loading another page, then re-access the Standard using my ‘most visited’ icon and the username/email are still there, at other times just travelling around pages within the Standard removes it,
Kind of a lottery, there’s a logical explanation for it doing this, but, the primitive lurking in the recesses of my mind has now given to the Standard ‘mauri’, a life force, as it ‘chooses’ to have the username/email either there or not at its own whim…
@bad12, could be firefox addons causing the problem. Adblock, noscript, ghostery will screw around with javascript and cookies. Try whitelisting this site
Could be addons I guess, have used Safari, Mavericks OSX, ‘disconnect’ and ‘ad blocker’ for months but only have had to fill in name and email the last two weeks.
Lolz ropata thanks for the tip, now for the really dumb question, what is ‘white-listing this site’,
i doubt that will do much as my internet connection is so tenuous any changes i make cannot be saved, that’s a long story better left for some other less busy time,
i don’t actually mind how the username/email thing has shape up, its gone from giving me a major case of the shits at myself to now being a major source of self depreciation, seriously how hard can it be to re-wire the brain to perform a simple task like looking to see if the information is there or not befor pressing ”submit comment”??
Pretty frigging hard if you have a nut like mine i must say, i am about half way there but still havn’t quite formed the habit or broken the one where the small function was performed for me,
Note: just for info, most of the time after the username/email has been inserted when it does the ‘disappear’ it only takes one letter of both the username/email to refill the blank spaces, while you remain online for that session it seems to be there in that format? until an actual logging off the net occurs…
When the username/email disappear they don’t really, now i am trying to confuse you as much as i manage to confuse me,
Its still there in a drop down, as in when i slap the B for bad in the username box the drop down appears with the bad12 in it, same for the email,
Don’t ask me about cookies i am an accidental ungenius too fearful to go anywhere near such things in my laptop in case i completely total my tenuous connection to the net altogether…
Ok, the ‘B’ is from a different ‘level’. That is the browser itself remembering. Problem is that is specific to each browser (although it is getting a lot more standardised these days).
When I implemented the system that is meant to be in use, it attempted to stop as much of that as was possible because in 2007 it was freaking unreliable.
Running Firefox 31.0 with Adblock Plus, on Windows 7 Professional Service Pack 1.
I don’t think I’ve set Adblock to block anything at the Standard, but I do have pop-ups blocked (which intermittently works).
I’ve noticed other shenanigans as well recently – e.g. when downloading a .pdf document it no longer opens automatically – it just goes straight into downloads.
The first bit is your recurring nightmare. All that mip trollerising for nothing.
The second your wet dream pu, and probably far removed from reality of a Lab/Green/Winston government, but do tell me, in ’17, does mana get 51% of the party vote? 😆
Cunliffe knows that IMP have nowhere to go other than to support him on confidence and supply. So he can rule them out of government and avoid the coat-tailing/hypocrisy tag being thrown at him by National while still becoming PM with IMP’s support.
Bearded Git, only if you truly believe that a), Winston Peters and NZFirst will be back in the next Parliament, and b), that Winston will not take the side of National in a coalition,
Neither of the above propositions are a certainty, with Colon’s conservatives going after NZFirst’s votes deliberately targeting Grey-Power meetings and the ‘tactical voters’ having walked away from that Party there’s a 50/50 of Winston not being able to secure His Party the needed 5%,
It’s obviously a 50/50 also as to who can buy NZFirst support in forming a coalition, His first demand will be to be made Prime Minister, when that ambit fails the demand will be Minister of Finance as well as Deputy PM,
Toss a coin, will Slippery the Prime Minister push His Finance Minister under the bus, could He do so without Ripping the National Caucus apart,
Toss the coin again, ask the same question of David Cunliffe,
Who in the left ‘really’ wants another Government of ‘business as usual’ because that’s what i see a coalition that involves NZFirst becoming again…
Nope Bearded git, i didn’t miss your earlier prediction my point being that i have strong doubts that NZFirst will attain 5% of the vote on September 20,
i don’t agree with the prediction, but, its not a point i will spend all day haggling about, as within those numbers there can be a three % point movement among the 3 parties that still spells out a Government of the left,
My pick is Labour 33%, Greens 12%, Internet Mana 5%,
i am also picking NZFirst 4.5% and Colons conservatives 3.2%,
IF, such numbers on the night of September 20 are what occurs i hope that David Parker has factored into His first budget a comprehensive ‘food in schools program’ as the first part of a confidence and supply agreement from InternetMana…
I guess now that IMP doesn’t have a chance of being in Govt. the Greens will gain some votes and anti-IMP swing voters have the option of Labour again and Winston has the option of going with Lab/Greens.
Link Please? Nothing on; Stuff, Scoop, or even NZH.
Has Cunliffe ruled out accepting IMP votes on confidence & supply? Or is it simply that he sees no place for them in a Labour-led coalition? Does this apply to both individual parties, or just the combined IMP alliance?
[edit] It seems it was on TVNZ (no clip obvious yet):
[Cunliffe] saying on Breakfast this morning that he had ruled them out completely. “I’ve said yesterday, I’ve said before Mana will not be part of a government I lead, fullstop.”
It sounds like what he has been saying previously re no ministerial post for Mana – no coalition with Mana…doesn’t sound like a ruling out on confidence and supply.
I accept the reasoning that Labour may need to distance themselves from Mana due to certain perceptions about criminal behaviour and KDC* but this is starting to grate – I don’t really like Cunliffe sounding so bloody sure that he won’t give Hone or Laila a cabinet position – it would seen that Labour could do with a few members in caucus that are experienced, level-headed and can deal with the media excellently too.
*The biggest criminals in the world are in the financial industry – they have been consistently ripping off millions of people and destroying lives and last time I checked John Phillip Key was part of that industry (has it ever been confirmed whether he ever left it – last photo I saw of JPK, he was in a black shirt promoting AIG?). If it came to criminal dodgy behaviour who really would win that race: KDC or JPK? Double standards abound in this fucked up country of ours.
And KDC has been very upfront with his German convictions has a teenager. The German Government eventually invested money in his first IT business after the court concluded that he was an extraordinary young technology talent – albeit somewhat misguided.
The latest stoush with Hollywood – well – that’ still very much in the works, and as we have seen, has been full of political interference from the get-go of his immigration approval to NZ.
As to your main point: ruling out experienced Parliamentarians from your Cabinet is definitely a move which limits very many future options.
I agree, but we don’t really know the political reasoning behind this strategy.
My own guess, worth 2c is this:
Obviously Labour does not want to disadvantage itself before the election by losing some of its own potential support from their traditional Labour voters or from the soft non-commited voters of National, NZF, Maori and other progressive parties, especially as there is a substantial constituency of voters who are anti KDC, anti Hone or ambiguous about them.
I think their legitimate fear is that if they unconditionally endorse any other progressive party, especially IMP, before the election, then their own votes may siphon out to National or other minor parties.
Also, ruling IMP out of government will cripple/handicap National’s potential attack weapon against Labour, based on present and past histories of
KDC and Harawira.
Labour’s stand may also calm fears of some of the Labour caucus members in terms of cabinet positions etc and it would also be easier to manage if NZF are the king makers after the election.
So, for Labour, politically and electorally it makes more sense not to be too pally with IMP.
As I said, that is just my 2c worth opinion, which may of course be far out.
I just read that article you linked to and some of the comments Kelvin has made on his facebook page.
Kelvin sounds as dodgy as hell. I would prefer if people want to join forces with the likes of Farrar and Slater that they do it as an independent candidate and not under Labour’s umbrella.
I wonder if Kelvin was the ‘insider’ criticising Cunliffe’s holiday? (or did he openly refute that?).
…And doesn’t that Kelvin dude stop and think for even a moment about why that Nat sycophant Farrar would be supporting him??
The problem is that Cunliffe makes so many stuff ups its difficult to break them down into specific flip flops vs brain farts but theres a quick three flip flops for you to digest
Cunliffe has previously said that IMP would not get Ministerial positions. Has he ruled them out of being in coalition altogether? How about a Confidence and Supply agreement?
Most of the socialist left in Mana as opposed to Internet Mana strategic alliance don’t feel Mana should be officially part of a government anyway. Cunliffe has to placate his party people and potential voters but if it shakes out that Internet Mana MPs are needed for a change of government an arrangement will surely be reached particularly if it does not involve NZ First.
Labour (minus the rogernomes) wants a change of government as does Internet Mana and Mana and Internet Party and of course quiet achiever the Greens. If the left is fortunate enough to be be in the position of forming a government it will be done even if Internet Mana was just formally represented by say Internet Party MPs.
He hasn’t ruled out the Internet Party, the words were very specific; “Mana will not be part of a government I lead”. But the immediate precursor statement was that “coalition [with NZF] has always been on the cards” (2:22 in Blue Leopard link above).
Personally I think that the IP should stay in alliance with MANA even if it costs them ministerial seats (which won’t be highly placed in any case) in this next parliamentary term. The point is to get rid of the current corrupt tory regime. And even on the crossbenches; their votes will still count just as much. Also, they won’t be bound by cabinet collectivity restrictions, can bargain for support on individual bills, introduce private member’s bills to the lottery, and generally position themselves for 2017 when they will have a clear track record and comprehensive policies.
I think your analysis is spot on. IMP need some freedom to continue to establish and distinguish themselves as a separate party outside of Labour’s shadow.
Puckish, dumb by accident or design???, i have money Puckish, not the supposed millions that Kim DotCom is said to have at His disposal,
But,
Enough to supply the paper and the printing to put an A4 sized pamphlet in every letterbox in the electorate i reside in, and, guess what, that’s exactly what i plan on doing,
i plan on doing this Puckish you ‘accident’ not because DotCom has or doesn’t have money, not because DotCom is a crook or is not a crook, but, because i believe very strongly in two planks of the Mana policy that’s also now part of the InternetMana Alliance, the food in schools program, and, a proper robust State House rebuilding program,i also agree with a hell of a lot more of the policy platform,
What exactly do you believe in Puckish, Dribbling Shit seems to be about the extent of your commenting ability, and, that appears to me to be the extent of the total election policies of the right leading into election 2014, A Dribble of Shit, full stop…
Good on you Bad12, Key’s final flight to Hawaii is going to be booked vote by hard won vote. It is ‘hand to hand combat’ that will do it. Like Rosie’s mates campaigning for Hairdo to move on and my partner running workshops on “get out and vote” for unionists to spread the word about enrolment and early voting. There may be locals who will donate to your costs?
This is as Mickysav I believe called it the ‘phoney war’ period, once the Nats have effectively run out of time on August 26 to pull candidates, names will appear on the ballot papers regardless. Then the rubber meets the road.
Lolz Tiger, those ‘locals’ they already have, i will say no more, i have a budget, it aint huge,
Take out the cost of labour, specially at a commercial printing organization,(sorry printers union),and, my budget as far as i can calculate will cover at least 1 electorate…
Sam is a young guy from rural NZ who thinks voting matters and hosts a web show about Dctor Who. He wanted some fuller answers about the internet and education in New Zealand, so he decided to do an interview.
Published on 4 Aug 2014
The latest 0800 Tardis News Hosted by Sam Somers interviewing Laila Harre and Callum Valentine from the Internet Party, talking about Internet Party Policies in a less formal situation,
I actually thoroughly enjoyed it after the initial few moments of serious doubt.
What a novel way of bringing politics, politicians, parties and policies from a simple private living room to the world at large!
The questions asked and the answers were very good with lots of fun in a relaxed friendly
setting. Both Laila Harre and Callum Valentine were excellent. One can easily sense that Harre is such a lovely, pleasant, caring and very intelligent person. Callum Valentine came across as a smart, nice cool dude too!
I felt that the host Somers needs some more practice and training to make his presentation clearer and better.
This is the type of format that modern political parties and campaigners of good causes should use to spread their message. No ads, no rubbish, no spin, no scandals, no controversies! Just good questions and answers about policies. Let the viewer take in the message and decide one way or the other.
Good news from the Greens for tertiary students and apprentices travelling. They are introducing a Green card for travel – free off-peak public transport. That will be a transport of delight!
The unemployed could use one of them, a green card, it costs to ‘look’ for employment and it costs to trot off to the local WINZ office to fulfill the same obligations that were ‘filled’ in eaxactly the same way the week befor and the week befor that,
A missed opportunity???, or a deliberate move away from what used to be the bread and butter representation of the Green Party???…
ACT leader Jamie “Socrates” Whyte obviously gets all his ideas from Fox News, as do the likes of Leighton Smith and Larry “Lackwit” Williams. So do a few of the right wing provocateurs that infest this site. They all need to watch the following…..
80% of scientists surveyed didn’t like the government’s 133 million dollar project to find and fund the most urgent areas for research. Joyce says that this is not the views of most scientists.
“Do they land in Gaza? Ha!”
The laughs just keep coming on The Panel
Radio NZ National, Monday 4 August 2014
Jim Mora, Virginia Larson, Tainui Stephens, Zara Potts
Consider the following selection of gruesome twosomes. Barry Corbett and Ali Jones. Chris Wikaira and Linda Clark. Christine Spankin’ Rankin and Jock Anderson. Dita Di Boni and Sam Pease. Lindsey Dawson and Stephen Franks. And last but not least, the nastiest, smuggest, gruesomest twosome of all—Boag and Edwards. I could, but for the sake of readers’ sensibilities will not, go on.
Long time sufferers of Jim Mora’s godawful, moribund radio light chat show The Panel will have recognized these dreadful duos immediately—they are regular guests, recycled every few weeks, carefully selected to pretty much agree with one another and to pass comment on various matters in a manner that will not piss off anyone that matters. So criticism of the prime minister—someone who matters—has been pretty much kiboshed. So has criticism of racist juries in the Deep South, at least when someone like Chris Trotter is on the program to learnedly admonish those foolish enough to speak out against the jury who acquitted the vigilante who killed Trayvon Martin.
But criticism of, or more accurately, rancorous denunciation of and sneering at, people who do not matter—like political dissidents and fugitives of state vengeance, or the victims of knife attacks in South Auckland or mass murder in Gaza—is quite acceptable. All of these outcast groups have been ridiculed, joked about and pompously denounced on The Panel.
Clearly the producers of The Panel think seriousness is boring, compassion is an irritation and knowledge is intolerable. So it’s out with the likes of Anna Chinn, Gordon Campbell and Bomber Bradbury, and in with the likes of Graham Bell, Jeremy Elwood and Rosemary McLeod.
And, as noted above, clearly the producers of The Panel make a point of getting two really shallow, reactionary people on the show whenever possible. Today, however, they only got it half right. Someone slipped up and made the mistake of inviting Tainui Stephens, who is NOT a moral imbecile, onto the show. The pre-show segment started at 3:45 p.m. ….
JIM MORA: Zara Potts with what the world’s talking about. Qantas changes its flight path at last? ZARA POTTS: Yes, Qantas has announced it’s not going to fly over Iraqi air space any more. However, the extra time is only ten minutes. MORA: Is the extra time only ten minutes? ZARA POTTS: Yes it is. VIRGINIA LARSON:
A little later….
MORA: And what’s this about a secret Qatari airline? ZARA POTTS: The airline’s full name is Qatar Amiri Flight. It’s an airline for both the royal family and high ranked government staff of Qatar. Its fleet is reportedly eleven to thirteen strong and consists of Airbus planes, except for a few 747s. It staffs about a hundred cabin crew and only hires Captains. First Officers need not apply. MORA: Do they land in Gaza? Ha! ZARA POTTS: Ha ha. No they don’t. MORA: There’s a lot of money in Qatar. ….
After the 4 o’clock news, it was time for the introductions of today’s Panelists. Usually this is a dire, teeth-grindingly dull seven or eight minutes of inane breezy nothingness. Not today, however. Tainui Stephens talked about his eleven-year-old daughter, who has been deeply affected by the suffering of the people of Gaza during the latest ramping up of Israel’s violence. She and her friends accompanied him on the recent protest march in Wellington, and Tainui expressed how he was deeply moved by these young people, and everyone else at the march. Of course, Jim Mora could not leave alone a provocation as brazen as that statement of solidarity with the Palestinians. He felt it incumbent on himself to play Devil’s Advocate….
MORA: Ahhhh. We hear from a lot of people who say that there is killing in Ukraine, on both sides probably, and killing in Syria, and killing in Egypt, ahhh, but we don’t hear much or anything about them. Ahhhh. But we hear about Gaza, don’t we….
I’m sure Tainui Stephens replied to that, but if so, I missed it as my friend B_______ screamed for a considerable amount of time about the wretched state of radio commentary in this country.
A little later, Mora was back at his tricks, fishing for bigoted right wing comments….
MORA: Now what do we make of THIS? The Labour Party wants a Ministry of Disarmament.
Virginia Larson scoffed at the idea, which she reckons is a luxury: “After all, we haven’t got two hundred and fifty million Indonesians on our doorstep.” After that rather mystifying remark, she embarked on a wandery rant against Vladimir Putin, calling him a “sabre-rattler” and an aggressor.
MORA:[speaking very slowly, with exaggerated enunciation, to emphasize deep seriousness] I was reading about the bright young people in Gaza who are just as bright as the young people in Israel. But they haven’t been able to stop what’s going on there, have they? Can we EVER stop war?
Tainui Stephens, who is clearly a serious and intelligent person, must have felt like walking out of the studio. But he somehow found it in himself to respond to this idiocy by fobbing him off with a Mora-style bromide…..
TAINUI STEPHENS: I guess we have to appeal to the better angels of our nature. MORA:[sighs deeply, then speaks with reverent intensity] Here’s to the better angels of our nature.
Nat MP McIndoe always stares fixedly/longingly at the back of English’s neck in the House which may have caused him to get things wrong.
“National’s Hamilton West MP Tim Macindoe has been referred to police along with Free FM in Hamilton for allegedly airing an election advertisement outside the proper period……”
How sad.
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Funnily enough, my thought as I start this post is whether it will be well written enough. Or should that be well enough written? Because so much of what I know about good writing came from my two stints at The Listener, which this morning was shut down due to ...
With normal democratic procedures in abeyance, there were two ways to go. First, it was open for the government to dissolve itself and invite the National Party to join a ministry of national salvation. That would have lessened the democratic deficit of the times by having a team of rivals without ...
Dr Kirsty Ross Children and young people can respond differently in times of distress. This also varies by age and developmental stage, with younger children having more magical and imaginative thinking, and older children having more awareness and knowledge of the issues our communities are facing (which brings up ...
Hungary has been a virtual dictatorship for a decade now, as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has gradually eroded its democracy. But now, its official, with the passage of an indefinite emergency law allowing rule by decree:Hungary’s parliament has passed a new set of coronavirus measures that includes jail terms for ...
While the economy is on pause under lockdown, the government is beginning to plan how to cope with the post-lockdown, post-tourism, post-export education world we will eventually find ourselves in. They're planning a lot of infrastructure spending as economic stimulus, and have asked for proposals which can start the moment ...
It's my distraction, setting up tiny scenes to photograph. I've got stuck on the Babushka dolls for now. Something about their bubble shape. Something about their never changing, smiling features, suggesting persistent equanimity. Can we get through everything that is being thrown at us and keep at least a tiny ...
. . March 31: Day six of living in lock-down… This time I managed to sleep a little longer and the alarm woke me at the pre-set time: 6.55am. Then remembered I was working a later shift and could’ve slept in. Oh well, there are things to do at home. ...
Image credit:Diamond Harbour School Blogs I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is unexpectedly missing or ...
Yesterday's Horizon poll showing support for a "Yes" vote in this year's cannabis referendum sliding into the majority for the first time in a year looked like good news for reformers – and it probably is. But the result warrants some scrutiny.The poll is the fifth in a series commissioned ...
For almost a week now, every one of us who isn’t an essential worker has been confined to their bubble. We are allowed to go shopping for groceries, to visit the doctor, and to get a bit of exercise if we stay local. The reason we are doing this is ...
The Covid-19 saga will no doubt produce many twists and turns for us before it is finally brought to an end. But one thing it has shown us – and what comfort it should bring us – is that our country’s government is in good hands. I am not thinking ...
In the absence of a vaccine or a cure for a deadly disease, staying home in your bubble is what you do, the concept is not new. To the best of my knowledge last time we did this in NZ was for polio, in the years before a vaccine came ...
The following statement was released on March 28 by the National Network on Cuba, a coalition of 40 groups, based in the United States. In recent weeks, Cuba has deployed hundreds of medical providers to over a dozen countries in Europe, Asia, as well as to their neighbors in Latin ...
This has been a terrible summer for Hector’s dolphins. The first indication was very low numbers of dolphin sightings during late spring and early summer. The Otago University Marine Mammal Research Team has carried out routine dolphin surveys at Banks Peninsula for more than 30 years. In all that time, ...
On March 17, Finance Minister Grant Robertson was quick out of the blocks with an economic rescue package to help businesses through the inevitable recession resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. Robertson had pulled together a scheme in short order that so far seems to have saved many jobs. In his ...
The purpose of the lockdown is to save lives, by reducing the spread of covid-19. We won't know if its really working for another week, but given the devastation that will result if it doesn't - 14,000 dead is the optimistic scenario - its definitely worth trying. But pausing the ...
. . March 30: Day five of living in lock-down… Woke up still in darkness. Alarm hadn’t gone off. Turn to radio clock; it’s a few minutes after 6am… I lie there in the dark, waiting to drift off to sleep… but it ain’t happening. Clock ticks over to 6.55 ...
The story of Les Gray, the public sector psychologist who told the truth about his use of cannabis and set off a storm, has a special place in the lore of cannabis reform in New Zealand.When Paul Shannon interviewed Gray for the 'Dope and Hope' issue of Planet magazine in ...
by Phil Duncan For Marxists, a key concern about social trends is their context – not just their causes, but why they happen when they do. Events and phenomena have causes, but they also are time or period-specific. While much of the left have capitulated recently to postmodernism, most notably ...
Since the lockdown began, we've all suddenly been reminded who the actually essential workers in our society are: not the people at the top who pay themselves the big bucks and rort the perks, but the people at the bottom they screw over and squeeze: cleaners, warehouse staff, truck drivers ...
Kia ora! As I've watched nearly all my remaining work vanish over the past couple of days, it has occured to me that one good way to keep me away from arguing with fools on Twitter all the time (in the knowledge that all we're really doing is processing our ...
Aotearoa New Zealand has committed to trying to extirpate the virus that causes COVID-19 from its shores. To do that, as a society we’ve moved to “Level 4”. That means adapting to unprecedented restrictions on our personal freedoms, particularly to our rights to move freely and associate with friends and ...
When the Prime Minister declared a state of emergency last week, she handed the police powers to enforce it. And almost immediately, we started hearing about heavy-handed, arbitrary "enforcement" by police who (at best) cared more about order than law, or (more likely) had no idea what the rules were ...
. . Lock Down: Day 4 – A photo essay with observations . March 29: Usual wake up routine as RNZ snaps on my radio-clock. Jim Mora’s voice slowly enters my conciousness; there’s talk of a second wave of covid19 taking hold in South Korea; the week in Parliament – ...
Yesterday, New Zealand recorded its first Covid-19 related death on the West Coast. Unfortunately this is unlikely to be the only fatality, with the virus now being found in every region of the country.However despite the significant danger, people are still unfortunately breaching lockdown rules.There’s really only one main very ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... ‘Misinformation kills’: The link between coronavirus conspiracies and climate denialGrist / Rob Kim / Stringer / CSA Images Scientific ...
The kids did surprisingly well today – meltdown count was about 3, and mostly fairly short ones. (And a fourth while I was writing.) Game-wise I had a go at Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark. It’s a fairly standard RPG with turn-based combat and what they call a “mature storyline” (it ...
by Don Franks Hi David, Nice hearing from you, I’m glad to hear you’re getting by okay in these grim times. You asked how’s it going for us back here in New Zealand. You would have heard that the whole country is locked down and with breaks for exercise and ...
. . Lock Down: Day 3 – A photo essay with observations . March 28: First day of the first weekend in Lock Down. It feels like it’s been weeks since only Level 3 was declared last Tuesday, only four days ago. Woke up this morning to RNZ; coffee; toast, ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Mar 22, 2020 through Sat, Mar 28, 2020Articles Linked to on FacebookSun, Mar 22, 2020In Just 10 Years, Warming Has Increased the Odds of Disasters by Chelsea Harvey, ...
I’m here in lockdown with my flatmate and her two girls (6 and 2) and it. is. a time. They’re usually really active so to start with the only boardgame in the house is the copy of Guess Who that the 6 year old got for her birthday. Flatmate commented ...
The CV-19 (COVID) pandemic has seen the imposition of a government ordered national quarantine and the promulgation of a series of measures designed to spread the burden of pain and soften the economic blow on the most strategically important and most vulnerable sectors of society. The national narrative is framed ...
. . Lock Down: Day 2 – A photo essay with observations . March 27 – Day 2 of our Strange New World. The Park and Ride near my suburb, usually filled with hundreds of vehicles, had just… four; . . Another drive into Wellington City on a highway nearly ...
Fortune's Children: Under extraordinary pressure, the leader of the Government and the leader of the Opposition will each show us what they are made of. Have they been blessed with intelligence, grace, wit, poise, toughness, empathy and humour – and in what measure? More importantly, to what extent have they ...
If you’ve ever had the misfortune of having to rent a property on the open market in New Zealand, which is one of the most expensive in the entire world, you’ll likely be keenly aware of just how arrogant and entitled landlords and their real estate agents can be.Unfortunately for ...
Society-wise, aside from the specific morbidity shall we say of the medically-oriented aspects of this COVID-19 crisis, what is unfolding before the world is in more than one way an instructive study of humanity and reactions to a high intensity, high stress environment in real time. Friends, we are at ...
Right now low waged and insecure workers are feeling the economic brunt of the looming #Covid19 Recession. In response legal advocate Toby Cooper* and hospitality and worker’s rights advocate Chloe Ann-King, are putting together a series of legal blogs about your employment rights:In this legal blog we outline some ...
by Equipo Jurídico Pueblos and Gearóid Ó Loingsigh (25/03/2020) An escape plan in question On the night of March 21st and the early morning of the 22nd, the forces of the Colombian state stormed into the Modelo prison in Bogotá, murdering 23 prisoners and injuring 83, in response to the ...
When the government banned semi-automatic weapons in response to a terrorist atrocity, gun-nuts were outraged. Mired in toxic American gun culture, they thought owning weapons whose sole purpose was killing people was some sort of "constitutional right", a necessity for "defending themselves" against the government. Now, the Court of Appeal ...
Just before midnight on Wednesday March 25, Aotearoa New Zealand entered a countrywide alert level four lockdown. For at least the next four weeks, everyone who isn’t an essential worker is confined to their bubble. We are doing this to stop the explosive growth in people contracting and dying from ...
. . Lock Down: Day 1 – A photo essay with observations . Day one of the Level 4 nationwide lock-down (or, DefCon 4 as I sometimes cheekily call it) started at 11.59PM on 25 March. For a moment, most of the nation held it’s collective breath. In that brief ...
Broad, Sunlit Uplands: How those words fired my young imagination! Or, perhaps, it is more accurate to say: how those words fused, in my young mind, with the image printed on every packet of Fielder’s Cornflour. Always fascinated by history, especially modern history, I cannot hear Churchill’s wonderfully evocative words, even ...
. . 24 March 2020 9.46AM Number of covid19 cases in Aotearoa New Zealand: 102 . As of 11.59 on Thursday, most of New Zealand will go into “lock down”. People will be expected not to travel to work; not to socialise; and to stay home. I will not be ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections A respected research group, Project Drawdown, finds that deploying solutions consistent with meeting the Paris climate targets would cost tens of trillions of dollars globally. But crucially, those outlays would also yield long-term savings many times larger than the up-front costs. The new 2020 Drawdown ...
It will pass. What happens next? Not immediately, but longer term. There are many opinions, fewer certainties. Will it “change everything!” as many confidently, and contradictorily predict? In this post I look at how foresight can help bound some of the uncertainties so you can more objectively consider the future. ...
We’ve been meaning t write something on Cuba and the coronavirus but have just discovered a very good article on the subject in the US left publication Jacobin. The article looks at how Cuba, a poor country but one where capitalism has been done away with, is leading the way ...
In 2018, El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey - two British citizens who had purportedly been stripped of their citizenship by the British government - were captured while fighting for Isis in Syria. The British government then conspired to hand them over to the US, and agreed to provide evidence ...
Transformers: The disaster of the Great Depression was transformed into a new and fairer society by the democratic socialism of the First Labour Government. The disaster of the Covid-19 Pandemic offers a similar transformative possibility to the Labour-NZ First-Green Government. Seize the time, Jacinda! You will never have a better ...
Tamper with The System? Well, we already are. But there's a difference between accidentally trickling sand into a precision gearbox versus formulating a plan to alter it on the fly with improvements in mind. One action is more or less innocently unscrupulous, the other amenable to earning an easy ...
Associate Prof George Thomson, Louise Delany, Prof Nick WilsonWhile it is possible that New Zealand can use intense public health controls to eradicate COVID-19 from the country – we must also plan for other scenarios where thousands of New Zealanders are sick – including many urgently hospitalised.1 Better resilience ...
Kia ora my name is Chloe Ann-King* and I am the founder of Raise the Bar, a campaign and non-profit that gives free legal aid, advocacy and tautoko to hospitality workers in Aotearoa. Right now all over our country hospo workers are being fired at will, having shifts cut or being ...
We're about to do something unprecedented as a nation. We hope that by taking this extraordinary action before a single life in New Zealand has been lost to the deadly novel virus we will save tens of thousands of lives. Our lives. We'll do it together, in households, in isolation ...
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”So writes the author of Ecclesiastes, a book in the Old Testament that’s counted as a ‘wisdom’ book and written as if by an unnamed king of Jerusalem. But who would have thought there would be a time ...
I was surprised when the prime minister described the Economic Response to Covid-19 package as the ‘largest peacetime government spend in New Zealand's history’. Reflecting – checking through history – I realised that the term ‘spend’ was crucial and the package had no income tax cuts. Even so, it has ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says getting New Zealanders back home and other travellers out of the country is "a nightmare for our embassies, consuls, and staff around the world".Speaking to NewstalkZB's Mike Hosking, the Foreign Minister said that he gave a clear message to people travelling overseas that they ...
The domestic travel ban has been lifted for stranded foreign tourists trying to get to international airports to fly home, after the Coalition Government announced a plan to help the tens of thousands of foreigners stranded here. Foreign Minister Rt. Hon. Winston Peters spoke with RNZ's Susie Ferguson said foreign ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters believes the country is rediscovering its resilience and self-reliance through its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.He says he is heartened that the mass majority of New Zealanders are following lockdown rules and that the government looking at the future, including paying to keep much ...
New Zealand can emulate the success of the US after the Great Depression by exploiting our own resources to turn the economy around quickly, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says. Mr. Peters told Magic Talk that New Zealand has an opportunity to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic a "superior, ...
All 45 New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel are either on their way back to New Zealand, or already in the country, according to Defence Minister Ron Mark."Twenty-eight personnel arrived back in New Zealand last week and are in isolation at the Royal New Zealand Air Force base in ...
The COVID-19 situation in New Zealand is moving fast - and to avoid what we've seen overseas - the Government's response must be to move fast too. We're committed to keeping New Zealanders safe and well-informed every step of the way. ...
We know people are feeling anxious about COVID-19. While the situation is serious, New Zealand has a world-class health system and we’re well-prepared to keep New Zealanders safe. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is encouraging New Zealanders overseas to stay where they are amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are reaching a point where the best option for most New Zealanders offshore is to shelter in place, by preparing to safely stay where they are.” "This includes following the instructions ...
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters is encouraging the tens of thousands of New Zealanders travelling overseas to consider sheltering in place, in light of COVID-19. “Since 18 March, we have been warning New Zealanders offshore that the window for flying ...
Ground-breaking law has passed that will decriminalise abortion and ensure women and pregnant people seeking abortions have compassionate healthcare. ...
The Green Party says that the measures announced by the Government today will help families and businesses to prioritise our collective health and wellbeing in the response to COVID-19. ...
As New Zealanders brace for a global downturn due to Covid-19, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says his Coalition Government’s rescue package "more significant" than any other he's seen around the world. The Coalition is to reveal a multi-billion-dollar stimulus plan on Tuesday afternoon designed to cushion the economic blow ...
The Government’s plan to cushion the blow of COVID-19 by supporting incomes, jobs and businesses, and position the economy to recover has been backed by another international report. International credit rating agency Moody’s today reaffirmed its highest Aaa credit rating on New Zealand, saying the economy is expected to remain ...
National sports organisations have been given certainty of funding to ensure they can remain viable through the COVID-19 pandemic, Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson announced today. “The global spread of COVID-19 has had a significant impact on sport and recreation in New Zealand, including the cancellation or postponement of ...
Changes have been made to allow butchers to process pork, only for supply to supermarkets or other processors or retailers that are open, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has announced. “We carefully weighed the risk of allowing butchers to open their shops for retail customers, but the risk of spreading COVID-19 ...
Essential workers who take leave from work to comply with public health guidance are being supported with a leave scheme to ensure they will continue to receive income, say the Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Iain Lees-Galloway and Minister for Social Development, Carmel Sepuloni. A number of essential businesses ...
A Government WhatsApp channel has been launched to help make information more easily accessible and shareable in the fight against COVID-19. Govt.NZ, which is free to use on any mobile device, will carry information and news for the public, businesses, healthcare providers, not for profits and local government. It can ...
The Government has announced a plan to enable the safe, orderly exit of tens of thousands of stranded foreign nationals from New Zealand during the current COVID-19 Alert Level 4 restrictions, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters has said. “When we moved into lockdown a week ago, the ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says the Government is delivering on its commitment to support general practice doctors and nurses, and pharmacies on the front-line of our fight against COVID-19. "For us to overcome COVID-19, we need community health services such as general practice and community pharmacy to step up ...
Justice Susan Thomas has been appointed Chief High Court Judge, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. She replaces Justice Geoffrey Venning who has resigned from the position. David Parker paid tribute to Justice Venning, who he said had stewarded the High Court very capably over the last five years. “On behalf ...
Businesses can start applying to their banks for loans under the Business Finance Guarantee Scheme set up to support the New Zealand economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re moving quickly to protect New Zealand businesses, jobs and the economy during this unprecedented global economic shock,” Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. ...
Work is underway looking at measures to speed up consents for development and infrastructure projects during the recovery from COVID 19, to provide jobs and stimulate our economy. Environment Minister David Parker said the COVID-19 pandemic is a serious global crisis that will have a wide ranging and lasting impact ...
Advance payments will be made to transport construction industry contractors to retain the workforce and ensure it is ready to quickly gear up to build projects which will be vital to New Zealand’s COVID-19 economic recovery, Transport Minister Phil Twyford announced today. He said keeping the workforce required to build ...
The Government has tasked a group of industry leaders to seek out infrastructure projects that are ready to start as soon as the construction industry returns to normal to reduce the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford and Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones say. The Infrastructure ...
Work to scale up the health system in preparation for COVID-19 was today outlined by Health Minister David Clark, as he reported back to the new Epidemic Response Committee. “We are well placed to contain the spread of COVID-19. We have taken early and decisive action at our borders, and ...
The Government is refining its COVID-19 essential business guidance to include the distribution of news publications for communities which are hard to reach. The Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media, Kris Faafoi, said the move was in recognition of the importance for New Zealanders who might be harder to ...
The Government is ensuring supermarkets can open on Easter Sunday so we can buy groceries, but stay closed on Good Friday allowing workers to take a break. This provides a balanced approach and ensures we avoid large queues that two days closure may cause. “Supermarkets will be able to open ...
Following the successful conclusion of the Building Partner Capacity (BPC) mission at Taji, New Zealand defence personnel are returning to New Zealand from Iraq, in accordance with the Cabinet decision made in June 2019, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Ron Mark announced today. “New Zealand is very ...
The State of National Emergency to help stop the spread of COVID-19 has been extended for a further seven days, Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare said. The initial declaration on March 25 lasted seven days and can be extended as many times as necessary. “Since we went into isolation ...
New Zealand’s ability to go hard and go early in the fight against COVID-19 has been underpinned by strong Government finances and the growing economy heading into this global pandemic, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. The Treasury today released the Crown financial statements for the eight months to the end ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says 36 new intensive care beds at Christchurch Hospital’s new Hagley building are being fast tracked so they are available for treatment of COVID-19 patients. The Ministry of Health is working with contractor CPB and Canterbury DHB to enable access to the hospital’s ICU, ...
The Government has fast-tracked up to $1 million to help Air New Zealand move urgent freight to and from New Zealand, with the first flight to Shanghai leaving tonight, Transport Minister Phil Twyford announced today. Phil Twyford says it’s crucial that trade in vital goods such as medical supplies and ...
New Zealand will temporarily remove tariffs on all medical and hygiene imports needed for the COVID-19 response. Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said today that the New Zealand Customs Service will apply tariff concessions to all diagnostic reagents and testing ...
Minister of Finance Grant Robertson has clarified that the changes to the wage subsidy scheme announced yesterday mean that employers should be passing on the full subsidy to workers, except in the case where the person’s normal income is less than the level of the subsidy. “We still want employers ...
Medical face masks from the national reserve supply are now being distributed to District Health Boards, while at the same time local production is being ramped up. Yesterday more than 640,000 masks were sent to DHBS – that is an immediate two week supply, with more to follow in coming ...
The Government has made modifications to the wage subsidy scheme to ensure people don’t lose their jobs during the national lockdown. These changes will soften the impact of COVID-19 on workers, families and businesses, and position them to exit the lockdown and look to recovery, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. ...
Farmers whose herds were culled in response to the outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis will be able to minimise the tax treatment of their income in some circumstances. Revenue Minister Stuart Nash says Cabinet has agreed to change the law. It means farmers may be eligible to spread their income over ...
A $27 million dollar package, effective immediately, is being provided to social sector services and community groups to ensure they can continue to provide essential support to communities as we stay at home as a nation to stop the spread of COVID-19, Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni announced. “At ...
“The guilty plea today will provide some relief to the many people whose lives were shattered by what happened on March 15,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. “These guilty pleas and conviction bring accountability for what happened and also save the families who lost loved ones, those who were injured, ...
The Prime Minister is holding daily press conferences to update New Zealanders on the Government's response to COVID-19. Links to videos and transcripts of these updates below. These transcripts also include All of Government press conferences led by Director Ministry of Health's Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield. 25 March: Live update from the Prime ...
Frontline Police numbers have broken through the 10,000 mark for the first time in history as officers step forward to keep the community safe during the COVID19 lockdown. “Two Police graduations in Auckland and Wellington in the past week have been conducted in unprecedented circumstances,” Police Minister Stuart Nash said. ...
Urgent legislation has been passed to support the package of economic and social measures needed to recover from the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. “The COVID-19 Response (Taxation and Social Assistance Urgent Measures) Bill will cushion New Zealanders from the worst economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Revenue Minister ...
From tomorrow, Government support for farmers and growers affected by drought will be expanded and extended across the country, with access to Rural Assistance Payments (RAPS) available throughout the North Island, parts of the South Island and the Chatham Islands, Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced. “These challenging conditions have ...
Parliament has passed amendments to legislation that give the Secretary of Education stronger powers to act in the fight to limit the spread of COVID-19, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “They are part of a suite of changes passed under the COVID-19 Response (Urgent Management Measures) Legislation Bill,” Chris ...
Canada, Australia, Chile, Brunei and Myanmar have joined forces with New Zealand and Singapore by committing to keep supply chains open and remove any existing trade restrictive measures on essential goods, especially medical supplies, in the face of the Covid-19 crisis. Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker today welcomed ...
Immediate freeze on rent increases Tenancies will not be terminated during the lock-down period, unless the parties agree, or in limited circumstances Tenants who had previously given notice can stay in their if they need to stay in the tenancy during the lock-down period Tenants will still be able to ...
As New Zealand unites to lock-down in the fight against COVID-19, the Finance Minister is urging all businesses and workers to stay connected over the next four weeks. “We understand the extreme pressure many businesses are under right now. I know most business owners think of their workers as family ...
A State of National Emergency has been declared across the country as the Government pulls out all the stops to curtail the spread of COVID-19. “Today we put in place our country’s second ever State of National Emergency as we fight a global pandemic, save New Zealanders’ lives and prevent ...
Mr Speaker I wish to make a Ministerial Statement under Standing Order 347 in relation to the recent declaration of a State of National Emergency. Having considered the advice of the Director Civil Defence Emergency Management, the Minister of Civil Defence declared a State of National Emergency for the whole of ...
People needing to travel on domestic flights, trains and Cook Strait ferries to get home before the country moves into level 4 lock-down tomorrow night will be able to continue using the passenger services until midnight on Friday, Transport Minister Phil Twyford said today. Domestic passenger services, particularly ferries, have ...
The Government, retail banks and the Reserve Bank are today announcing a major financial support package for home owners and businesses affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19. The package will include a six month principal and interest payment holiday for mortgage holders and SME customers whose incomes have been ...
Minister of Transport Phil Twyford has today announced details of the Government’s support package to keep key air freight moving and ensure New Zealanders retain access to essential goods during the four-week level 4 lockdown. “The Government is working with airlines and air freight operators to ensure New Zealand’s key ...
Journalist and Great Barrier Island resident Lindsay Wright reflects on outer gulf pandemic preparedness. Hardy locals can tough it out but Auckland bach owners and boaties should keep their distance. Aotea Great Barrier, the easternmost island in the Hauraki Gulf, are undergoing a Covid-19-inspired population flood. Great Barrier has scenery that makes ...
The Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand is delighted that the government has moved quickly to provide an initial financial support package for pharmacy. The $15 million package was paid this week to pharmacy contract holders. Pharmaceutical Society president ...
How is Covid-19 spreading within the country? Newsroom is collating information as it's available to paint a picture of what's happening.The following charts are based on numbers shared at the daily press conference and are "as of 9am" of the day. There were 71 new cases of Covid-19 in ...
A new poem by Wellington poet and bookseller Ash Davida Jane. washed up! it gets tiring pushing the fire alarm every nightbut things keep catching on fireor sometimes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Foster, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Sydney Our earliest vertebrate (animals with backbones) ancestors laid eggs, but over millions of years of evolution, some species began to give birth to live young. There is a traditional dichotomy in vertebrate reproduction: species ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Foster, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Sydney Our earliest vertebrate (animals with backbones) ancestors laid eggs, but over millions of years of evolution, some species began to give birth to live young. There is a traditional dichotomy in vertebrate reproduction: species ...
Welcome to the second edition of our lockdown Top 10s. A reminder that this chart has nothing to do with sales or launches or the publishing cycle; these are just books the Unity team love – and this week it’s westerns, full of big skies and long rides and showdowns.AUCKLANDAll ...
Wellington Mayor Andy Foster’s plan to cover revenue shortfalls through borrowing without cutting low priority spending is immoral, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . “Businesses and households across the country are meeting financial challenges ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin John Brophy, Emeritus Professor of Creative writing, University of Melbourne “Katrina, I had in mind a prayer, but only this came,” Bruce Dawe wrote to his infant daughter, new-born, in intensive care, her life in the balance, declaring as poets must ...
The shock closure of Bauer NZ – and with it all of the country’s current affairs magazines – is a stark reminder of the fragile state of local media, writes Mel Bunce, the author of a book on the subject.It is a dark week for journalism in New Zealand, with ...
Join Leonie Hayden as she works through the first four weeks of Scotty Morrison’s Māori Made Easy.Rāmere/FridayWe made it to the end of week one e te whānau. It wasn’t that hard! In fact it was… Māori made easy.To end our week of pronunciation practice we’re going to revisit everything we ...
India faces more challenges battling Covid-19 than any other country in the world. With 1.3 billion inhabitants, hundreds of different languages spoken, and an estimated 80% of the workforce daily wage earners currently without jobs, it could be a recipe for disaster.I’ve been living in India for more than three ...
By Sri Krishnamurthi of Pacific Media Watch The Vanuatu government is using the Covid-19 to impose draconian measures and authoritarian rule by end of last month. Wholesale censorship of all Covid-19 related content has been instituted. Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) took the extraordinary step to ...
People with lower credit scores increased their borrowing upon news of the lockdown, while those with higher scores dropped away. March data from the credit-reporting agency Centrix, which runs credit checks on behalf of banks, finance companies, online lenders, and buy now pay later schemes, showed credit inquiries dropped sharply ...
Small business owners say commercial rent relief is desperately needed if they are to survive past the Covid-19 disruptions. While the wage subsidy helped with staff costs, there is currently no government assistance for commercial rent - which typically accounts for 40 percent of a firm's fixed costs. Landlords and ...
SkyCity is making 200 staff redundant as part of cost cutting because of the Covid-19 virus. The casino operator said it had no choice but to cut the size of the workforce given that once business resumes it will be at much reduced level. Chief executive Graeme Stephens said it's ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Glikson, Earth and paleo-climate scientist, Australian National University At several points in the history of our planet, increasing amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have caused extreme global warming, prompting the majority of species on Earth to die out. In ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand. Today’s contentMedia Henry Cooke (Stuff): There’s no easy way for Government to save media drowning. But a fast fix is ...
Just after midday a cyclist was killed on a straight road on a clear day, after being hit by a van in North Canterbury. Lucinda Rees from NZ School Speeds is asking for the mandatory cyclist/vulnerable road user passing gap, which is in consultation, ...
By Indra Singh in Suva Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says that if Fijians continue to disregard the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic directives from authorities, a nationwide 24-hour curfew could be imposed. His comments come as Fiji yesterday recorded its two latest coronavirus cases, taking the total to seven. Bainimarama said ...
In our new series The Lockdown Letters, some of New Zealand’s best writers tell us what they’ve been up to in the days of Covid-19 alert level four. Today, Ōtaki author Renée.Yes, a few cyclists out and about. I remember my first bike bought from Farmers around 1942, five shillings a ...
Internal memos from NZ’s biggest magazine company, which announced its sudden closure yesterday, state they were lobbying to change a ban on publication. But the minister responsible, Kris Faafoi, has doubled down on rejecting that position, calling those internal communications ‘contradictory’ to what they said to him directly.Magazine publishing giant ...
Up to 100,000 foreigners could be seeking to leave the country in coming weeks, now the Government has relaxed domestic travel restrictions for them. ...
The loss of a loved one can be difficult in the best of times. But it’s even more painful when the planes are grounded.Late on Saturday night, three days into New Zealand’s level four lockdown, Harish got a call from his sister in India telling him that his father had ...
Health Minister David Clark has flouted the Government's advice to exercise locally after confirming he drove to a park to go mountain biking on Thursday. ...
Covid-19 cases top 1m; Trump brags he's #1 on Facebook and says he knows about the virus because a 'friend' got it; UK testing scandal grows; Cats more vulnerable to virus than dogsTicking up to a million cases: A gruesome landmark was passed today when we go over one million ...
“So do not fear, I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” Isaiah 41:10 COVID-19 - Lock down: one week on Welcome to the latest Policy Watch ...
Workers at the Port of Lyttelton are resisting the introduction of casual cargo handlers due to concerns about COVID19. RMTU South Island Organizer John Kerr says there is concern about a Lyttelton Port Company (LPC) proposal to "bring in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Strangio, Associate Professor of Politics, Monash University One of Australia’s preeminent historians, Stuart Macintyre, once observed of John Curtin, the Labor Party leader revered for navigating this nation through the dangers of the second world war, that he would have ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Geoff Hanmer, Adjunct Professor of Architecture, University of Adelaide New research the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that SARS CoV 2, which causes the disease known as COVID-19 coronavirus, is more stable on plastic and stainless steel than on cardboard or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW The Australian government’s JobKeeper wage subsidy, estimated to cost A$130 billion, is a crucial measure to help keep the economy from completely cratering. But, even if COVID-19 is sufficiently under control for the economy to return ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gordon Menzies, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Technology Sydney During this pandemic, our twin health and economic crises require two different types of concern, and they operate differently. For the health crisis, a high level of concern is necessary. Saving lives ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Harriette Richards, University of Melbourne Times of instability and crisis produce increased nostalgia for the past. We long for a time that no longer exists, or never existed. Like melancholy, nostalgia is a sentiment of loss – one that’s particularly familiar to ...
RBNZ bans bank dividends; Who is next after Bauer's shock closure? Vital plan blocked; Commission wins in real estate price fixing case; Softbank walks out WeWorkNo you won’t: The Reserve Bank took the unprecedented step of prohibiting the banks from paying dividends during the coronavirus crisis or redeeming any ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Media reels after horror week, Wellington Council facing massive budget crunch, and highest single day of new Covid-19 cases.It had always been clear that this was going to be a difficult time for the media, with the Covid-19 downturn hitting ...
Former National Finance Ministers Steven Joyce and Bill English question the severity of the Covid-19 lockdown and ask whether the Government has an exit strategy. Andrew Patterson reports. Steven Joyce and Bill English have seen their fair share of financial crises and natural disasters as the last National Government's finance ...
There is no sign the government will tighten quarantine controls for those arriving at the border, in response to calls from the Opposition to quarantine and test everyone. ...
Two new cases of Covid-19 have been identified in Fiji, prompting a lockdown of its capital. Teuila Fuatai reports. Fijian health authorities are scrambling to identify close contacts of its latest two Covid-19 cases. The couple, from Nabua, Suva, appear unrelated to the country’s previous five. Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama ...
Christchurch is a city of contrasts, as some stretch their legs with smiles and others with suspicion. David Williams reports It was no surprise it happened in Christchurch’s student quarter. The smiles of those standing at their gates in Ilam Road broadened as a baby kayak strapped to a skateboard ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level four. The country is shut down, apart from essential services. For updated official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by The Spinoff Members. To support this work, join The ...
Suzanne McFadden speaks to two Kiwi 'bubbles' who have unanticipated - but serendipitous - housemates. Sue Bremner has found a silver lining to the brooding cloud of lockdown – it’s meant getting to know the sister who never knew she existed for almost 65 years. Englishwoman Bremner has found herself holed ...
As the walls go up around the world, global trade is feeling the effects. But beyond the short-term pain, what systemic change might we see? Sam Sachdeva reports. International trade was already facing headwinds before the spread of coronavirus - but the pandemic has knocked it well and truly off-course. ...
The decisions by German media giant Bauer to shut its New Zealand magazine operation and NZME’s axing of Radio Sport have been precipitated by the coronavirus. But, as Mark Jennings and Tim Murphy write, the closures are also due to the deeper problems of the local media industry. The sudden announcement ...
How long does it take to recover, how do you know you’ve recovered and can you catch Covid-19 twice? If you’ve had Covid-19 when are you officially recovered? Turns out there’s no test in New Zealand. It's judged by time of onset and last symptoms. How do I tick the ...
The first thing to note about the partying Queenstown backpackers is these acts of youthful rebellion are not an isolated phenomenon. As I write this on April 1, The Guardian is reporting on a group of people in their 20s who took the opportunity to celebrate Spring Break in the ...
Every Friday of lockdown, LockerRoom will share posts from Kiwi sportswomen who've caught our eye with novel ways of keeping on top of their game at home. This week we have Black Ferns making their own training equipment, a Kiwi professional cyclist virtually racing against riders around the world, and ANZ Premiership netballers calling their ...
Steve Braunias pays tribute to the Listener, closed yesterday in the wake of Covid-19's devastation of the economy. This piece to mark the end of the Listener is exactly how I started writing for the Listener: late at night, with instant coffee, in a state of shock. The shock then ...
The shockingly fast collapse of Bauer presents the government with a momentous choice, says Duncan Greive. Will it save the media industry, or concentrate on its own?This moment was always coming. The long, steady flow of advertising revenue to the tech giants has left the private sector media gaunt, much ...
A new app unveiled by the Government to dispense information about Covid-19 can be scaled up to help with pandemic tracking and diagnosing the illness, Marc Daalder reportsA Government WhatsApp channel revealed today will help carry information pertinent to the Covid-19 pandemic to the nation's smartphones - but that's ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As the COVID-19 transforms our individual lives, we are learning a few new things about ourselves as a society. We’ve known Australians suspect authority and, like other Western countries, have come to trust government less ...
About those handles and rails and communal areas …The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 crisis is only possible because of the support of members. If you can, please consider joining Spinoff Members here.As Aotearoa enters week two of lockdown, it’s clear we’re all still working out what our “bubbles” look ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie Quinn, Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is changing how we live. With a rapid increase in cases, we are now isolating in our homes to “flatten the curve”. However, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In this special hour long podcast presented by Mark Evans, professor of governance and director of Democracy 2025, the panel discusses Australian democracy with Emeritus Professor Ian Chubb and Michelle Grattan. The panel dissects the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The government will provide free child care in a move aimed at ensuring parents, especially in essential services, are able to keep working. More than 945,000 families with 1.3 million children will benefit. The new ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Jackson, Education Policy Lead, Mitchell Institute, Victoria University Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced free childcare for more than one million families, with a funding boost that aims to keep more than 13,000 childcare services across Australia open. In doing so, ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin What is Money?Keith Rankin.Money is a mystery. To most of us we receive it, we spend it, we save it, we borrow it. And if we don’t have enough, we are in trouble. Many of us think of money as if it is tangible, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, La Trobe University To control the spread of COVID-19 we need to identify as many people with the virus as possible. If we know who has it, we can isolate them so they can’t infect others and quarantine ...
By RNZ News New Zealand has had its biggest increase in one day as the Health Ministry confirms 89 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of cases to 797. Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said today 92 people had now recovered from the coronavirus. Thirteen people ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bhiamie Williamson, Research Associate & PhD Candidate, Australian National University The catastrophic bushfire season is officially over, but governments, agencies and communities have failed to recognise the specific and disproportionate impact the fires have had on Aboriginal peoples. Addressing this in bushfire ...
PACIFIC UPDATE:By Barbara Dreaver of TVNZ There are now 147 positive cases across seven countries in the Pacific region and four deaths. In Guam, cases continue to grow, with the count now at 77, five of them health workers. The island nation is facing its own crisis on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Jin Kang, Lecturer, Edith Cowan University With #StayAtHome and social distancing now becoming a way of life, an increasing number of people are relying on the internet for work, education and entertainment. This has placed greater demand on our network infrastructure, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natalie Klein, Professor, UNSW The spectre of large ships with people desperate to come ashore is not a new sight in Australia. In 2001, the MV Tampa infamously sought to enter Australian waters off Christmas Island to discharge more than 400 asylum ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Holden, Senior Lecturer in Dental Ethics, Law and Professionalism, University of Sydney The coronavirus pandemic is changing the way we access health care, and dental care is no exception. Dentists are no longer allowed to provide a raft of care, such ...
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Kirstin Mead from the Regional Business Partners’ Network.Business owners around the country will ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip Roberts, Associate professor (Curriculum Inquiry / Rural Education), University of Canberra Schools have been progressively moving classes online due to the COVID-19 pandemic and there is uncertainty over what the next months may bring. This has thrown many year 12 students’ ...
The fourth in our new series of charts, graphics and data visualisations by Chris McDowall, covering the Covid-19 epidemic within New Zealand. We’ll publish the latest set each day on The Spinoff.This work is entirely funded by the generosity of The Spinoff MembersInformation about confirmed and probable cases of Covid-19 ...
Employers in essential services and foreigners trying to leave New Zealand were the targets of Government announcements on Thursday afternoon Essential services who employ workers who can't go to work due to Covid-19 will be able to access the Government's funds to pay them. The scheme would allow employers in "essential services" ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Stephens, ARC Future Fellow and Associate Professor of Cultural Studies, The University of Queensland Australia’s coronavirus public health messaging has been criticisedasconfusing during a time when health guidelines and regulations are changing rapidly, and educating the public about health ...
The longer we wait to restore broader economic activity, the greater the long-term loss of economic capability. We need to start thinking about 'virus-proof' workplaces and practices, says Rod Oram So far our physical economy is holding up remarkably well considering the stunning shocks we and the virus are hurling ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chelsea Bond, Senior Research Fellow, School of Social Science, The University of Queensland Among the latest coronavirus advice from the prime minister was an age-based self-isolation strategy designed to protect those considered most vulnerable in the global health crisis. The directive was ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Donna Maree Cooper, Senior Lecturer QUT Law Faculty, Queensland University of Technology Separated parents are facing a range of new challenges in the wake of COVID-19. To contain the spread, the government has directed people to stay at home except when carrying ...
Today came the shocking news that Bauer Media is closing its New Zealand operation, with the loss of scores of jobs. Bauer was the publisher of most of NZ’s magazines, among them Metro, Woman’s Day, North & South, Next, Home, the Listener, Kia Ora and the NZ Women’s Weekly. Here ...
The Government’s call for infrastructure projects that are ‘ready to go’ is welcome news for Wellington, given the stalled progress to date of ‘Let’s Get Wellington Moving’, says the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. "The whole ‘Let’s ...
Open mike 05/08/2014 
Open mike is your post.
In order to meet our 2050 carbon target and do our bit to avoid making the Earth uninhabitable, New Zealand needs to decarbonise our economy, replacing fossil fuels with electricity in the energy, industrial and transport sectors. The good news is that it will mean cheaper power for all of ...2 hours ago
For those folk who find my other Lock-Down Diary versions too “negative” or otherwise unpalatable… Here’s a photo of a pretty flower, . . Better? Tomorrow’s Sanitised Version: a cute animal video. . . . =fs= ...3 hours ago
As Aotearoa enters week two of lockdown, it’s clear we’re all still working out what our “bubbles” look like and how to stay in them to stop the spread of Covid-19. New to the government’s Covid-19 website is some good guidance for people living in apartment blocks. Recent decades have ...5 hours ago
Yesterday was the day the consequences of the lockdown suddenly got very real for many. Firms have been closing and laying people off since the outset of the quarantine but this has mostly been happening out of the public eye. The mass closure of a number of iconic New Zealand ...6 hours ago
Resuming Normal Service: The Republican Party's nominee for in 1920, Warren Harding, promised the American people: “not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy; not revolution, but restoration”. If she wishes to remain our prime minister, then Jacinda Ardern will offer New Zealanders the same.HOW EDUCATED AMERICA snickered when the ...8 hours ago
by Daphna Whitmore A third of the world is under lockdown and a clear assessment of this measure to curb the spread of COVID-19 is urgently needed. With any high-stakes decisions it has to be asked what are we dealing with here? Are the measures warranted? Will they achieve their ...14 hours ago
I haven’t done a huge amount in the last few days. I’m reading The Poppy War and I’ve sort of poked at a couple of games – I started SOMA but I’m a wimp and I quit while in the first room after the brain scan. I might try it ...18 hours ago
Much has been written about the importance of discretion in an emergency situation, and the concerns raised by the potential for it to be exercised arbitrarily. Given the quality of the discussion, there seemed little point in adding to it at any length. In particular, I point to the evidence ...20 hours ago
46 Articles Physical science of global warming & effects Global response of evapotranspiration ratio to climate conditions and watershed characteristics in a changing environment Greenhouse effect: the relative contributions of emission height and total absorption Observations & observational methods of global warming & effects Climate change induced a ...2 days ago
Image credit: Diamond Harbour School Blogs I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is unexpectedly missing or ... 2 days ago
The Covid-19 saga will no doubt produce many twists and turns for us before it is finally brought to an end. But one thing it has shown us – and what comfort it should bring us – is that our country’s government is in good hands. I am not thinking ...2 days ago
The following statement was released on March 28 by the National Network on Cuba, a coalition of 40 groups, based in the United States. In recent weeks, Cuba has deployed hundreds of medical providers to over a dozen countries in Europe, Asia, as well as to their neighbors in Latin ...3 days ago
Yesterday, New Zealand recorded its first Covid-19 related death on the West Coast. Unfortunately this is unlikely to be the only fatality, with the virus now being found in every region of the country.However despite the significant danger, people are still unfortunately breaching lockdown rules.There’s really only one main very ...4 days ago
The CV-19 (COVID) pandemic has seen the imposition of a government ordered national quarantine and the promulgation of a series of measures designed to spread the burden of pain and soften the economic blow on the most strategically important and most vulnerable sectors of society. The national narrative is framed ...6 days ago
Society-wise, aside from the specific morbidity shall we say of the medically-oriented aspects of this COVID-19 crisis, what is unfolding before the world is in more than one way an instructive study of humanity and reactions to a high intensity, high stress environment in real time. Friends, we are at ...7 days ago
Right now low waged and insecure workers are feeling the economic brunt of the looming #Covid19 Recession. In response legal advocate Toby Cooper* and hospitality and worker’s rights advocate Chloe Ann-King, are putting together a series of legal blogs about your employment rights: In this legal blog we outline some ...7 days ago
Kia ora my name is Chloe Ann-King* and I am the founder of Raise the Bar, a campaign and non-profit that gives free legal aid, advocacy and tautoko to hospitality workers in Aotearoa. Right now all over our country hospo workers are being fired at will, having shifts cut or being ...1 week ago
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says getting New Zealanders back home and other travellers out of the country is "a nightmare for our embassies, consuls, and staff around the world". Speaking to NewstalkZB's Mike Hosking, the Foreign Minister said that he gave a clear message to people travelling overseas that they ...51 mins ago
The COVID-19 situation in New Zealand is moving fast - and to avoid what we've seen overseas - the Government's response must be to move fast too. We're committed to keeping New Zealanders safe and well-informed every step of the way. ...6 days ago
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The scale of what we face right now is unlike anything we have ever seen before. Overcoming it is our common purpose. ...1 week ago
The Government’s plan to cushion the blow of COVID-19 by supporting incomes, jobs and businesses, and position the economy to recover has been backed by another international report. International credit rating agency Moody’s today reaffirmed its highest Aaa credit rating on New Zealand, saying the economy is expected to remain ...3 hours ago
Journalist and Great Barrier Island resident Lindsay Wright reflects on outer gulf pandemic preparedness. Hardy locals can tough it out but Auckland bach owners and boaties should keep their distance. Aotea Great Barrier, the easternmost island in the Hauraki Gulf, are undergoing a Covid-19-inspired population flood. Great Barrier has scenery that makes ...17 mins ago
The Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand is delighted that the government has moved quickly to provide an initial financial support package for pharmacy. The $15 million package was paid this week to pharmacy contract holders. Pharmaceutical Society president ...36 mins ago
How is Covid-19 spreading within the country? Newsroom is collating information as it's available to paint a picture of what's happening. The following charts are based on numbers shared at the daily press conference and are "as of 9am" of the day. There were 71 new cases of Covid-19 in ...1 hour ago
A new poem by Wellington poet and bookseller Ash Davida Jane. washed up! it gets tiring pushing the fire alarm every night but things keep catching on fireor sometimes ...1 hour ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Foster, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Sydney Our earliest vertebrate (animals with backbones) ancestors laid eggs, but over millions of years of evolution, some species began to give birth to live young. There is a traditional dichotomy in vertebrate reproduction: species ...1 hour ago
Vodafone says its continuing to see significant increases in calls and data on its networks after the first week of level 4 lockdown. ...2 hours ago
The Opposition says the government should be more generous with its wage and business subsidies to help companies survive the economic shutdown. ...3 hours ago
People with lower credit scores increased their borrowing upon news of the lockdown, while those with higher scores dropped away. March data from the credit-reporting agency Centrix, which runs credit checks on behalf of banks, finance companies, online lenders, and buy now pay later schemes, showed credit inquiries dropped sharply ...4 hours ago
Small business owners say commercial rent relief is desperately needed if they are to survive past the Covid-19 disruptions. While the wage subsidy helped with staff costs, there is currently no government assistance for commercial rent - which typically accounts for 40 percent of a firm's fixed costs. Landlords and ...4 hours ago
SkyCity is making 200 staff redundant as part of cost cutting because of the Covid-19 virus. The casino operator said it had no choice but to cut the size of the workforce given that once business resumes it will be at much reduced level. Chief executive Graeme Stephens said it's ...4 hours ago
Up to 100,000 foreigners could be seeking to leave the country in coming weeks, now the Government has relaxed domestic travel restrictions for them. ...6 hours ago
Health Minister David Clark has flouted the Government's advice to exercise locally after confirming he drove to a park to go mountain biking on Thursday. ...6 hours ago
Covid-19 cases top 1m; Trump brags he's #1 on Facebook and says he knows about the virus because a 'friend' got it; UK testing scandal grows; Cats more vulnerable to virus than dogs Ticking up to a million cases: A gruesome landmark was passed today when we go over one million ...6 hours ago
RBNZ bans bank dividends; Who is next after Bauer's shock closure? Vital plan blocked; Commission wins in real estate price fixing case; Softbank walks out WeWork No you won’t: The Reserve Bank took the unprecedented step of prohibiting the banks from paying dividends during the coronavirus crisis or redeeming any ...7 hours ago
Former National Finance Ministers Steven Joyce and Bill English question the severity of the Covid-19 lockdown and ask whether the Government has an exit strategy. Andrew Patterson reports. Steven Joyce and Bill English have seen their fair share of financial crises and natural disasters as the last National Government's finance ...8 hours ago
Two new cases of Covid-19 have been identified in Fiji, prompting a lockdown of its capital. Teuila Fuatai reports. Fijian health authorities are scrambling to identify close contacts of its latest two Covid-19 cases. The couple, from Nabua, Suva, appear unrelated to the country’s previous five. Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama ...8 hours ago
Christchurch is a city of contrasts, as some stretch their legs with smiles and others with suspicion. David Williams reports It was no surprise it happened in Christchurch’s student quarter. The smiles of those standing at their gates in Ilam Road broadened as a baby kayak strapped to a skateboard ...9 hours ago
Suzanne McFadden speaks to two Kiwi 'bubbles' who have unanticipated - but serendipitous - housemates. Sue Bremner has found a silver lining to the brooding cloud of lockdown – it’s meant getting to know the sister who never knew she existed for almost 65 years. Englishwoman Bremner has found herself holed ...9 hours ago
As the walls go up around the world, global trade is feeling the effects. But beyond the short-term pain, what systemic change might we see? Sam Sachdeva reports. International trade was already facing headwinds before the spread of coronavirus - but the pandemic has knocked it well and truly off-course. ...9 hours ago
The decisions by German media giant Bauer to shut its New Zealand magazine operation and NZME’s axing of Radio Sport have been precipitated by the coronavirus. But, as Mark Jennings and Tim Murphy write, the closures are also due to the deeper problems of the local media industry. The sudden announcement ...9 hours ago
How long does it take to recover, how do you know you’ve recovered and can you catch Covid-19 twice? If you’ve had Covid-19 when are you officially recovered? Turns out there’s no test in New Zealand. It's judged by time of onset and last symptoms. How do I tick the ...9 hours ago
The first thing to note about the partying Queenstown backpackers is these acts of youthful rebellion are not an isolated phenomenon. As I write this on April 1, The Guardian is reporting on a group of people in their 20s who took the opportunity to celebrate Spring Break in the ...9 hours ago
Every Friday of lockdown, LockerRoom will share posts from Kiwi sportswomen who've caught our eye with novel ways of keeping on top of their game at home. This week we have Black Ferns making their own training equipment, a Kiwi professional cyclist virtually racing against riders around the world, and ANZ Premiership netballers calling their ...9 hours ago
Steve Braunias pays tribute to the Listener, closed yesterday in the wake of Covid-19's devastation of the economy. This piece to mark the end of the Listener is exactly how I started writing for the Listener: late at night, with instant coffee, in a state of shock. The shock then ...9 hours ago
A new app unveiled by the Government to dispense information about Covid-19 can be scaled up to help with pandemic tracking and diagnosing the illness, Marc Daalder reports A Government WhatsApp channel revealed today will help carry information pertinent to the Covid-19 pandemic to the nation's smartphones - but that's ...10 hours ago
Employers in essential services and foreigners trying to leave New Zealand were the targets of Government announcements on Thursday afternoon Essential services who employ workers who can't go to work due to Covid-19 will be able to access the Government's funds to pay them. The scheme would allow employers in "essential services" ...21 hours ago
The longer we wait to restore broader economic activity, the greater the long-term loss of economic capability. We need to start thinking about 'virus-proof' workplaces and practices, says Rod Oram So far our physical economy is holding up remarkably well considering the stunning shocks we and the virus are hurling ...21 hours ago
So Michelle Boag is doing work for Kim Dotcom’s Mega. I guess if the price is right …
http://m.nbr.co.nz/article/graham-gaylard-named-megas-fourth-ceo-ck-160310#bmb=1
“Dotcom no longer appears on the share register for Mega, although his estranged wife Mona continues to hold some 16 percent of the company, as does an apparent associate, Wolf Dieter Ortmann. The majority shareholder today is a Hong Kong-based donor to New Zealand’s governing National Party, Shen Zhao Wu, with an 18 percent shareholding.”
A nat donor is mega’s biggest shareholder as well as having Boag on the scene. No, this doesn’t look good for the committed lefty with gifts for NZ.
Shows not only does money buy cheap politicians, but also enough wool to cover their greedy eyes.
Still, maybe some of the less gullible amongst us will start switching on any time about now.
It’s a mistake to think that people involved with technology are necessarily progressive. The liberal spectrum (which the internet party appeals to) ranges from libertarian gun nuts (Eric Raymond) to progressive lefties (Lawrence Lessig).
The youth that are getting politicised by this could go either way – and so could a party based on their platform. Involvement from the established libertarian right wing is to be expected, as this movement looks exactly like the scrappy start-up they are used to absorbing, idea-asset-stripping and eventually discarding.
I’ve no reason to agree or disagree otherwise with your first paragraph. It’s not a point I’ve ever made or laboured.
As for youth being politicised, again no argument from me, although it’s a shame for some of them their first exposure to politics will be totally disingenuous horse trading and pork barrelling, which will, I’m sure, turn many off altogether.
As for the party direction, well, it will be whatever kdc wants it to be. Left/right/center, which ever is most expedient and self serving.
But nat donor is biggest shareholder in megal, that’s a who(a)re moment for the ‘principled’ mana.
Laila Harre i have great faith in!….and also Hone Harawira.!..both would NOT sell out the Left …and it is NOT in Dotcoms interests to do so either
…if you want to win a war sometimes you have to get help from the likes of Boag who is really a mercenary up for the money from any side …if she is the best they can find, then why not? …also it will soften them in the eyes of some potential voters
…the youth so politicised to vote Internet Party do not have a beef with the Mana Party and will probably continue to vote for them if the Internet party is disestablished, which i thought it would be sometime after the Election
” … if the Internet party is disestablished, which i thought it would be sometime after the Election”
I don’t have time to check the Internet Mana alliance agreement right now, but my understanding is that the agreement provides for the alliance to be reviewed six weeks after the election. This review could lead to the continuation, or dissolution, of the alliance between the two parties – not the disestablishment of the Internet Party. If the alliance is dissolved, then the two parties would continue as separate parties.
VV
The IMP alliance can split anytime it chooses to (with a weeks notice), but we’re hoping that we’ll be able to work together for the longterm. The; “six weeks after the 2014 General Election”, has been played-up by many as a point of instability. But it is really just a nominal deadline for a review of how the alliance has functioned after the distraction of campaigning is done with.
The most likely reason for a split at that point would be if a third party felt that it was unable to work with one of the constituent parties. But I think that we’d be reluctant to accede to such coercion unless it was an absolute necessity in changing the government. The allied IP & MANA on the crossbenches would be likely more effective together giving C&S, plus support on an issue by issue basis, than one group of (say; IP, given NZFs antiMANA stance) MPs getting minor ministerial positions as payment for repudiating their allies.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1405/S00428/internet-party-mana-partnership-a-win-for-digital-generation.htm
given the dynamics/shared goals between mana and the internet party..
(..and the rapport both party leaders/members enjoy with each other..)
..i wd be very surprised if that six week post-election escape-clause was activated..
..i for one have supported this proposed coming-together since day one..
..and am working to support/help them with the expectation that working together will continue/flourish in the next parliament..
..not end post-election..
An excellent comment, Pasupial. Thanks.
Much clearer than my rushed attempt to point out that the Internet Party is very unlikely to be disestablished after the election – and that the alliance agreement provides for ‘review’ not ‘dissolution’ after the election.
The continual spin that the has been put out that the alliance agreement would be dissolved (rather than just reviewed) six weeks after the election has really annoyed me and has been intended to suggest instability, as you say.
To paraphrase Ted Dibiase: “Everybodys got a price for the Million Dollar Man” and KDC found the price for Hone, Laila and Michelle
pr..how do you feel about those who contribute large monies to the right..?
..do you also scorn them..and those politicians who accept..?
..or are you saving it all up for internet/mana..?
..and have you never before come across the syndrome of wealth being directed the way of progressive political parties..?
..not every wealthy person is a greedy/uncaring-scum-sack…eh..?
Its good to know that politicians on the left are as open to being bought and paid for as politicians on the right
Everyones the same which is nice 🙂
@ pr..
..r u really as dim as yr words make you appear..?
..so..in yr simplified world..any politician who accepts financial donations to their party is inherently corrupt..?..
..and ‘bought’..?..beholden to the donor..?
..what a bleak/cynical world you inhabit there..p.r..
Key found New Zealand to wreck its people and our country for the long haul for the primary benefit of the wealthy at tremendous price to the rest of the population. At least KDC has been transparent about his political dealings.
Did you miss the part where Hone already sold out?
Neither Mega nor Boag have anything to do with the Internet Party.
the Internet Party will continue because of it’s inclusive decision making. IMO, That’s what makes a party survive over time.
Oops, I didn’t mean to imply you were mistaken, I was just soliloquising. I’m talking about the Internet part of Internet/Mana. I’m hoping Mana can exploit this opportunity to become a permanent part of the left, as I have more than a sneaking regard for their position. I can imagine the Internet part fracturing faster than a Trotskyist Tea party though.
The party will go the way the party decides. It has a very open and democratic process of discussing and deciding upon policies.
Dotcom sounded eloquent and in fine form talking to Brent Edwards on Morning Report this morning explaining how Key’s secret raid on his house had brought about a change in his life and touring with the IMP roadshow had brought home to him the problems in NZ being ignored by Key who only represented the top 1% and corporate interests. KDC said he had never criticised Labour.
There was another later report from IMP’s well attended (300 people) meeting in Wellington where it was made plain IMP would not support the TPP deal.
Fantastic publicity for IMP and both reports well worth a listen.
Cool story bro, but hardly relevant. He’s sucked up the gullible left while his companies biggest shareholder donates to key.
I’m not surprised you’re having to spin for kim.
“Shen Zhao Wu with 18.3 percent, a regular donor to the National Party through his Contue Jinwan Enterprise Group. Contue donated $49,220.18 to National in January”
Nearly as much as kim to Banks, though I doubt Shen wrote anonymous cheques, even after thinking it an insult.
“Shen and his wife, Susan Chou, were reported by the New Zealand Herald to have made a $200,000 donation in 2010.”
Tories and their donations, eh!
” … his companies biggest shareholder donates to key.”
Mega is no longer KDC’s company. IIRC KDC divested himself of his interest/shares in the company in about Oct/Nov 2013.
You yourself @ 2 above quoted from the NBR article which MS linked to @ 1 to the effect that KDC is no longer listed as a shareholder, although his estranged wife, Mona DC, still retains 16% of the shares.
So it is incorrect IMHO to still refer to Mega as KDC’s company if he no longer has any financial interest in, or control over, Mega.
Although I have seen nothing to support this, the sale of KDC’s shares in Mega may well be a source of the money that he has given to the Internet Party. Just speculation on my part.
EDIT
Here are the two Morning Report items on KDC and last night’s IM Road Show meeting in Wellington.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/20144326/dotcom-says-he-would-never-have-started-party-if-there-had-been-no-raid
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/20144344/internet-mana-pulls-no-punches-at-labour
Actually, more recent than that as told on stuff and tvnz sites today, but yeah, still kim’s company. Happy to call it kims old company though.
“The Dotcom family’s share in Mega has fallen to 16.2 per cent and the share owned by chief technology officer Mathias Ortmann, who was understood to be in day-to-day charge of the firm, after former chief executive Stephen Hall stepped down, dropped to 16.6 per cent.”
Way I see it, that’s 33% control.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/10347280/Mega-ditches-Dotcom
http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/mega-sheds-dotcom-in-favour-kiwi-connections-6046493
dotcom is very believable when he talks (in that interview..) of having his eyes opened to the poverty/inequality in new zealand..
..one thing you can be sure from this roadshow all over new zealand..
..is that harwira and sykes have made sure to show him the realities of that poverty..
..and i’m guessing dotcom has also grasped that economics 101-fact..
..that the best/fastest way to stimulate/enliven an economy…
..is to increase the incomes of those who are the poorest..
..for the simple fact that money churns back into the economy straight away..
..used buying the basics/services of life…
..and this if course is one of the strongest arguments for a universal basic income..
..on the ‘moral’-level..yes..it will end poverty…
..but it will also stimulate the economy…
..(and it has long puzzled me..that mote in the rights’ eyes..
..that they think it is a good idea to have a poverty-stricken underclass..
..an underclass unable to purchase their widgets/trinkets..(!)..).
..the proof of that ec. 101 maxim was also seen in the retail-recession that followed ‘strewth’ richardsons mother-of-all-budgets/gutting of state-support…in the name/cause of rogernomics..
..’cos that money was sucked straight out of retailers/service-providers bottom-lines..
..i guess they must be blinded/eye-moted by their randian-ideological-beliefs..eh..?
..those dumbarse rightwingers..
In English or don’t bother me with it, there’s a luv.
T Allen
It is no longer his company – as you yourself have noted; “Dotcom no longer appears on the share register for Mega”. Even Baboom has fallen a bit by the wayside as he has concentrated his energies upon the election.
If I were to sell a car which was then bought by a Boagan who promptly pranged it into the nearest lamp-post because they’d flogged off the brakes would that be my fault?
As for your relentless assault upon the IMPs; could you please change the record? Yes, I get that you don’t trust us, or the IP founder. But your time might be better spent in discussing the policies &/or advantages of voting for the party that you do support, rather than incessantly dissing a tactical ally. The one undeniable thing about KDC & the IMP alliance is that we are committed to ousting the National government.
Unless you’d rather lose with purity, than compromise with those with whom you have disagreements?
+1 Pasupial
Baboom has fallen by the wayside because it’s investor shy.
“could you please change the record?”
Sorry, can’t do that. Politicians being bought my money doesn’t sit easily, and just because it’s on the left, doesn’t make it all of a sudden good.
You’re tainted by kim. You didn’t have to do a deal. Caveat emptor.
“a tactical ally”
Last cab of the rank tactical ally.
“The one undeniable thing about KDC & the IMP alliance is that we are committed to ousting the National government.”
The gullible might believe it, the self serving totally reliant on it.
🙄
Quality comment mars, I expected less, but you delivered again. 😆
you t 🙄 I 🙄
Your tone would be better suited to TradeMe Message Board, Kiwiblog or Kelvin’s stillborn site The Al1en, where sticking your fingers in your ears qualifies as discussion.
Hardly fair, I’ve outlined some good points and am always open to considered opinion.
Yet the ‘leave Brittney alone’ meme is quality stuff?
Gullible and partisan it is.
Don’t worry though, If it’s to be the not done thing to criticise kim and hone, I’ll be bold texted out of here before too long.
“..I’ve outlined some good points and am always open to considered opinion..’
funniest one-liner of the thread..so far..
Show me a considered opinion and I’ll take it on board.
All I see so far are fanbois.
@Pasupial
It’s about principles and as I see it, a lack of them on the extreme left. Sue Bradford has them, and I’m pleased she never sold them or herself out, and she was forced out by the blind, greedy and gullible at mana.
I wrote ages ago that for some, kdc was their last, best hope at ousting key, which apart from being wrong, speaks volumes about the strength of their own message and conviction in their personnel, especially when you consider Harre aside (though not by much), what has come after – A singer and a list of nobodies.
mana is a really small party, less than act, less than the conservatives and maybe slightly bigger than uf. It doesn’t belittle hh’s representation of his electorate, but reached the limits of popularity vote wise is about correct.
Of all the parties shown the cash, only hone took it. It’s dirty, and I hope it backfires. 🙂
T Allen
I take it you mean Chris Yong by; “a singer”, though I think of him more as guitarist/ producer. Not being from Aotearoa, I wouldn’t expect you to have much of an inkling about the local music scene; just accept that he is a respected figure.
You reluctantly concede that Laila Harré is notable, if you care at all about Kiwi culture then you have to admit the same about Yong. So, of the three IP candidates likely to make it into parliament (no meant offense to Currin, but 8 IMP MPs this election is far less likely than 6) that leaves us:
Miriam Pierard – most notable for her work as the spokesperson for Aotearoa Is Not For Sale movement, but you may also have read her posts on TDB. A committed activist, only someone entirely ignorant of the NZ left would claim that she is a part of “a list of nobodies”.
https://internet.org.nz/candidates
So, that’s the IP likely MPs, How about MANA? Their top 3 are; Hone Harawira, Annette Sykes, John Minto. Again, only someone entirely ignorant of the NZ left would claim that are a part of “a list of nobodies”. I’m not familiar with the 4th ranked MANA candidate (7th on joint list); James Papali’i, but as “Mangere East Labour Branch Party for the past 15 years”, he certainly has a presence in the Auckland Samoan community.
http://mana.net.nz/2011/10/mangere-james-papali%e2%80%99i/#sthash.JbODKUXr.dpuf
+1 again, Parsupial.
I am particularly impressed with Miriam Pierard.
Her posts on TDB are well worth reading for their depth for one so young. Her speech to Women’s Refuge at the same synposium as Cunliffe’s well discussed speech, is a must read
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/07/05/guest-blog-miriam-pierard-dreams-become-reality-when-we-take-action-a-response-to-the-nz-womens-refuge-symposium-and-the-attacks-on-david-cunliffe/
Miriam also gave a very good interview on Sunday Mornings with Wallace Chapman last Sunday.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/20144108/internet-party-candidate-miriam-pierard
If they weren’t nobodies they wouldn’t need kim’s loot to advance them towards electability, but you have to say that, don’t you?
I surmise
The internet party, harre aside have kapisi as a ‘youth drawcard’ and no-one.
hone at mana may or may not get in depending on how well KD plays his hand. 55/45 at the moment, but could easily become to close to call.
sykes might get in if the maori party vote collapses, but after she represented the owners of the dog that savaged the rotorua child the other year, hopefully not.
minto would never get in without the dosh.
Your pathetic personal attacks deserve only this 🙄 Alien, you are simply revealing yourself as one sad, sick (expletive deleted),
Everyone has the right to be represented when charged in a court of law, guess what Annette Sykes does for a crust besides campaigning as a politician…
“revealing yourself as one sad, sick (expletive deleted),”
What? For not swallowing the mip marriage, or because I don’t respect sykes for defending the owners of a dog which savaged a child, maybe to save them having to pay out compo?
“Everyone has the right to be represented when charged in a court of law,guess what Annette Sykes does”
Ah, the latter.
Not the sort I want representing me or mine in court or in politics.
Just because you haven’t heard of them doesn’t make them nobodies. If you have a look throughout history some of the greatest leaders started off as people who weren’t well known but they worked their way through the opposition anyway. As far as I’m concerned Key is a nobody and Cunliffe isn’t much better because they both represent the height of success in a failed system.
Actually, it’s consistently polled higher than those others combined.
Yes, mana, powerhouses they are, consistently polled 0.5 – 1.5%
Another saddo’s comment Alien, Bradford was ‘forced out’, i again laughed out loud, naive to describe your commentary would be ‘mild’,
If you really want to get down and dirty with the ‘personal’ how bout we discuss the two free trips to China extended Sue’s way, any ‘influence’ used there and where that ‘influence’ might have come from…
Sue’s record speaks for itself, I don’t have to defend her.
I used the word “personnel”, but if you want to go with “personal”, fire away to yourself.
I attended a few of the GCSB events in Auckland – before the Snowden revelations and before the legislation was passed when Kim Dotcom was in attendance.
On two occasions, my location put me directly in line with Kim Dotcom while the other speakers were talking. Both times I returned home to my partner, and said that watching his face during the talks was informative, as he seemed both invigorated and humbled by what was being said.
Most speakers spoke from a perspective of “equal justice” and “equal rights” for all NZ’ers – not support for Kim Dotcom as a person – but the context put his rights (along with everyone elses) front and centre, and I’m surmising here – but those kind of conversations are not likely to be found in the company of John Banks et al.
From those admittedly small glimpses of the man, I’m willing to accept the fact that he has had a political awakening of sorts. As regular readers and commentors on this site – we should at least be able to understanding how addictive that can be.
I’m just appreciative of the fact that this time his financial support went to the party he deems worthy – rather than that which would benefit him personally.
i laughs out loud, it is so funny to hear the constant whine about DotComs money, who is connected to the Mega company etc etc,
Tell us Alien who is it exactly you plan to vote for, who is it you support that is so holier than thou, so pure and pristine, unsullied by the cash of the corporates,
Which Party of the left is not sucking on the teat of corporate cash Alien???
You claim ‘some here’ should wake up, i suggest you go look in the mirror….
“Tell us Alien who is it exactly you plan to vote for”
I’ve said it many times before, Moroney electorate, party vote Green.
“Which Party of the left is not sucking on the teat of corporate cash Alien”
If you see kdc’s money as simply “corporate cash” and not the blatant attempt at buying politicians it is.
Right Alien, and you do not see of course the Green Party taking big money off of the corporates as anything but corporate altruism right,
Take off the blinkers, Green and Labour have their hands in the same pockets for the same reasons…
The blinkers, given the context of mana voters and kim, that is funny.
I’m a red/green voter not an apologist or party member, but according to the elections site, one person gave over 30k to each totalling $60,000 G and $64,999 L. Labour also had another 50k and a 430k estate plus a union donation.
I wouldn’t know how many corporates donated less than the declarable figure, and I suspect, unless told, neither would you.
Again, it comes down to whether you see kim as a corporate donor, or motive driven, agenda setting, politician buying sort of bloke, and whether hone has been played and bought.
I get why you mip sorts are pissed at the criticism, because I’m sure it’s something you’d rather see swept under the rug of denial, but it is what it is.
RETURNS OF PARTY DONATIONS EXCEEDING $30,000
http://www.elections.org.nz/parties-candidates/registered-political-parties/party-donations/donations-exceeding-30000/returns
@ m.s..
“..So Michelle Boag is doing work for Kim Dotcom’s (former company) Mega..”
..there ya go..!..corrected that for ya..
..so that proves boag will work for (professed) enemies..
..and what else..?..exactly..?
and election nite is going to be a big disappointment for those here who have long sneered at the very idea of internet/mana..having any success..
..even that voice-of-the-right..’hoots’..is now saying 4-5 internet/mana mp’s is pretty much a given..
..i think it will be more..
Agreed on IMP Phillip-they will surprise. 7% I reckon’
Talking of election night, voting actually starts on 3rd September-that is 29 days away.
Good idea to help any Left voters who might not be able to get along on the 20th to get to an Advanced Vote polling place between 3/9 and 19/9.
Final proof, if it were needed, that the ideologues of the right are shameless. And that the state runs some enterprises better than the private sector ever can:
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/aug/04/east-coast-mainline-fury-reprivatisation-plan
Well spotted stever.
Signs of insanity in the British government.
Funny how Key says we don’t need to own assets…
when his entire personal wealth position is owning assets ….
the far right
hypocrites and liars
they don’t want the people to own assets because that removes the people from the power and control of the rich.
Funny how Key says he doesn’t want to see us as tenants in our own land
then allows transactions which result in us becoming tenants in our own land
the far right
hypocrites and liars
This is Cullen and Labour back in 2007 after the sale of Poronui.
“We welcome foreign investment that has real benefits for New Zealand. Westervelt plans to expand the hunting business and market the lodge more aggressively overseas, which will help our tourism profile.
“This is further proof that the process introduced by the Overseas Investment Act in 2005 to ensure land sales benefit New Zealand is working.”
This was from one American company to another American company. I understand no Chinese involved, but still no Kiwi investment and no block from labour.
Hypocrisy much?
@ dj..
..roberston..during that brawl with joyce..said that labour has recognised they were wrong..(on allowing wholesale land-sales..)
..and cunnliffe has noted that he is running a different labour to the last labour govt..
..so yr quote from cullen (circa 2007)..is kinda irrelevant..eh..?
..bullshit..?..much..?
Agreed-surely parties are allowed to change their mind and reformulate policy as facts and public opinion change? This is what Cunliffe/Labour are doing.
Key/National are simply behind the 8-ball on this issue (mostly because Key supports an unfettered free market) and are now even at odds with their mates at Fed Farmers.
this (what is recycled green/nz first) policy will be a winner for labour..
..and a big loser for national/key..
..the public mood has moved from indifference on this..
..and this is the peril for key/national/the right..
yep phillip-see Armstrong article I just posted below
Labour have agreed (now that they’re out of power) they were wrong
“but labour did it too” is no excuse dickwad
No DJ, not hypocrisy at all. I opposed that sale as much as this one. maybe you weren’t around then.
There is no benefit to having foreign landlords. None. That has been my position for a very long time. My vote turns on this exact issue, such is its importance to the long term strength of our society and communities.
So don’t equate me with Cullen and Labour – I helped vote them out and this was one of the main reasons. I even exchanged some correspondence with Cullen over it.
But if you wish to discuss Labour – I imagine they are slowly changing their policy around foreign ownership of our land. For three reasons… one, political parties change policies over time as the world changes around them. Two, they are beginning to understand the wisdom of not having foreign landlords. Three, they see that this is what the people of NZ actually want.
So be careful with the assumptions and accusations as now you just have mud on your face.
“So don’t equate me with Cullen and Labour”
I think you really mean:
Clark, Cullen, Cunliffe, Parker, Robertson, King, Mahuta, Cosgrove, Hipkins, Moroney, Sio, Street, Goff, Mackey, Huo, O’Connor, Mallard, Dyson, etc.
With the exception of Clark & Cullen – who you “voted against” everybody else on that list was a member of the last labour government, or a senior staffer for Clark, an MP now, and standing in this election.
You must have a lot of faith in the ability of tigers to change their stripes.
Politicians do that all the time though nadis. Tigers never.
Anyway, that wee comment on Labour in no way means my vote will be going their way. I am sure you are aware that the Greens and Mana have very robust policies around foreign ownership of our country.
and of course so do Winston and Colin, but they change their stripes way too often and are highly untrustworthy, especially the Winston.
true that vto
DJ to give it another spin,thats partly why labour got voted out last time and is languishing at 30% in the polls Dear in the headlights John.
John Key will be their to if he carries on being hypocritical.
But unlike labour Key has put his foot in mouth big time and said we can’t become tenants in our own land then done the opposite.
The Media have had a field day (sarc farmers joke) dining out on brain fade Keys own quotes!
maybe you should write him a letter Dear leader or better still Dear John
Okay so I am trying to stay positive, and it has been great to see so many of the MPs and members starting to stick to the positive message. But can someone please punch Kelvin Davis in the throat so he cannot talk until election day? Us members on the doorsteps trying to convince the people we have a positive message are getting pretty fucking sick of self-centered MPs contradicting that.
Cunliffe said on Morning Report today that Labour head office has “given Davis some guidance”.
preferably to go and do serial-laps of ninety mile beach..
..between now and sept. 20th..
The Davis situation is a glorious cock up and completely unnecessary. What do you expect Davis to do? Labour gives him an unwinnable place in the list and then expects him to roll over and not compete in the electorate?
For someone supposedly as brilliant at strategy as McCarten, and a self described genius like Cunliffe, this treatment of Davis is a clusterfck of epic proportions.
So simple to avoid, yet this stupid, stupid strategic decision could be the reason why the left is unable to cobble together a majority coalition. If nothing else it will continue to rip maori support – esp in Te Tai Tokerau – away from Labour.
Nadis don’t make things up.
Davis will be in parliament on the list if Labour gets about 28.5%. The most accurate of the polls now has then at 30% and rising, and this before the recent excellent policy releases on minimum wage, work for young people, Joyce’s disastrous appearance on The Nation and National getting on the wrong side of the selling farmland overseas issue.
A vote for Hone in Te Tai Tokerau will get you both Hone and Davis.
That’s correct Kelvin does not have a subterranean list position, if Labour performs as it needs to he will easily be in parliament.
If Labour gets 28.5% and one poll (out of many) has Labour on 30% whereas the rest of the polls have Labour below 28.5%
So if you’re K. Davis and you want to be in parliament its a helluva gamble to make when its your job on the line
The one poll out of many is the only one that’s the least bit accurate, PR. It also, so I’m told, mirrors what both the Nats and Labours’ internal polling says. Davis is going to be an MP, one way or the other. Whether he’s going to be a good MP is the only unknown at the moment.
He seems to be a good man
That would be one of them conundrae, I guess:
Morally bankrupt liar says that X is good.
1: Is the liar telling another lie in the hope that we think X is good when X is, in fact, bad?
2: Or is the liar aware of his reputation and is therefore telling the truth in the knowledge that people will think he is lying and so think that X is bad?
3: Or is the morally bankrupt liar completely disinterested and merely saying something true on the grounds that it will microscopically improve the liar’s standing for when the liar wishes to go with option 1 on another matter?
4: who gives a shit what the morally bankrupt liar says, anyway?
You were referring to Key, right?
thats fair. I thought he needed about 34% but you are right, depending on electorate seats he could get in as low as 28% which Labour have a high chance of exceeding.
Not sure if that makes the current imbroglio more or less amusing given how unnecessary it is.
My point though is that hes dealing with his career based on a gamble on what may or may not happen whereas he can go hard and try to guarantee his win
That’s the risk of going into politics as such it shouldn’t make him act like an idiot.
His real career is being a school teacher.
Thanks nadis- much appreciated.
By the way my theory is that Davis has been told to act like a prat so that Labour voters will be happy to candidate vote Hone.
IMHO this clever strategy is working really well.
@ b.g..
..he didn’t need to be told…
lol
Guidance from the school of Malcolm Tucker, maybe.
From Hone
I hope this story is incorrect.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10348888/Te-Tai-Tokerau-candidates-square-off
Dirty deeds done dirt cheap.
Your second quote proves that Hone was lying when he said it was a dirty deal with National, Marty. No deal, just wishful thinking from someone on the LEC team hoping that some Nat supporters might contribute financially. Despite all the rhetoric, I think Hone knows he is in trouble in the seat and Davis has the edge. Hence the bluster and bullshit.
Hone said as his first line, “If there’s any truth to what I have seen today, then somebody’s head should roll…” I think that disproves the lie aspect. Does it disturb you that someone on the LEC team was hoping that? Oh and got the website underway.
I’ll also add that framing the statement that way is good politics, 101 even – it lets you say what you want to say and still have an escape clause and everyone knows it so quite transparent yet effective.
Not quite. The lie is in the headline (Labour sells out to National) and this line: “I’m trying to get rid of them and Kelvin Davis and his crew are doing deals with them!”
Both are bullshit.
As to the proposed website, the party leadership was right to knock it on the head as soon as they knew about it. What I take from the whole thing is that an LEC member got carried away, the would be MP didn’t spot the problem quickly enough, but the internal party apparatus worked as it should to stop it in its tracks.
Just to clarify the latter part, all LEC’s and candidates have to have ads/hoardings/websites etc vetted before they go live. And this shows why. Vote Positive! 😉
I suppose it shows that it is now the time of the patu – a pity.
In the past, there has been the odd L.P. member doing or saying idiotic things and nearly bringing the party into disrepute.
Back in the 1970s and 80s there was a former Mt.Albert member who had a habit of ringing various journos making statements of fiction about Labour personnel. Fortunately only one newspaper listened to her and no prizes for guessing it was The Truth newspaper.
If I could have a minute of my life back for every time some Labour MP/Activist/Member said something silly over the past 40 years I could become a very old man …
On that basis I would live until I was 150 at least.
🙂
As you know I’m a National voter so this is good news but what I don’t get is why K. Davis wasn’t offered a decent place on the list?
If Labour get 28.5% of the vote he might get in but then if a couple of electorates go Labours way (Gosgrove anyone?) then hes a gonner so why didn’t Labour place him highly on the list and avoid all this?
External genitalia.
+1
Hey, at least they can say they have a higher % of female MP’s when they loose the next election due to the in-fighting caused by needing more females ahead of Kelvin Davis on the list.
Winning isn’t everything and they will still get a certificate of participation.
It’s clear Davis is, in the Shane Jones mould, not a team player.
Maybe they don’t trust him? I know I don’t.
+1
I don’t trust him either –
“National’s pollster David Farrar and Whaleoil blogger Cam Slater both donated about $100 to Mr Davis’ campaign after a Facebook post Mr Davis wrote criticising Kim Dotcom and the deal with Internet Mana, and asking for donations.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11304222
he is a liability inducing loose cannon
plus + 2 to Weepu’s Beard and Marty Mars 🙁
Dear Mr McCully,
About those jobs you create for Labour party politicians. I have another who would be just excellent for one of those positions.
Please would you jack one up for him too?
Please
Thank you so much
Opportunistic media grabbing by them. $200 bucks and they get a major article in the Herald. Kelvin’s response, to give the money to Women’s Refuge, was very good.
Yep his response, when he found himself in the corner of his own making, was quite good – I don’t mind a bit of rope-a-dope but less dope more rope would be good from him. Frankly the whole mess is an embarrassment and doesn’t bode well for his time in parliament if he gets in that is.
I have a bad feeling that Kelvin Davies will be a liability for Labour in the long run just as John Tamihere and Shane Jones were.
I hope I will be proved wrong.
Pity he was given a fairly high place on the list. I wonder why the wise selection committee put him lower at the last election!
He has demeaned Labour by his tactics, bringing Labour into disrepute and on the back foot. We can do without this sort of crap.
May be in the future, the party members should have a more significant say in the selection of candidates. I can think of hundreds of citizens who would be more worthy of place on the Labour list.
“.. I think Hone knows he is in trouble in the seat and Davis has the edge..”
dream on trp..eh..?
.got any facts/stats to back that..?
..or just a random orifice-pluck..?
Your got that right Phil he is in trouble of holding out Davis. Plenty of people have seen Kelvin and his team helping out with the flood relief during the bad weather up North. Meanwhile Hone & Dotcom are on the road together giving the impression of living it up. Mega rich Dotcom with his up market euro helicopter and his flash limo is too far removed from sticking to the kopapa of his rohe. I hope for Mana they have plan C in Sykes as a back up to plan B of getting over 5%.
u seem confused about my meaning..there..skinny..
”’Living it up” what a frigging load, did it take you days/weeks to think that one up, have you seen the ‘roadshow bus’ Pfft, ”living it up” in an old 80’s diesel bus, suuu-uure…
“Dirty deeds done dirt cheap.”
You gotta be kidding me, right? 😆
Kelvin Davis – Self Interest is #1!
Kelvin needs to pull his head in, Labour needs Shane Jones Mk.II like it needs a hole in the head.
(heh..!..)
“..How to Date a Vegan..
..Dating a vegan isn’t any more difficult than dating anyone else –
(cont..)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zoe-eisenberg/diet-and-nutrition_b_5631354.html
Are the Condoms to pull over head when you kiss
nah..!..to carry snacks in..
A fair article from Armstrong in the Tory-Herald today. Hard to believe I know but here it is:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11303914
It is a fair article, and worth reading.
I find it hard to believe that Armstrong himself wrote it – in fact, the style of writing somehow doesn’t ‘compute’. imo. But maybe. perhaps, some of the hard hitting comments he has had to his articles over recent months have finally penetrated.
john oliver unpacks sponsored-content..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/04/john-oliver-advertising-news-last-week-tonight_n_5647255.html
Remember how Donghua Liu could speak no English according to Williamson?
“I want to focus on transforming that awful paddock of long grass and weeds that you can see when coming into the city from the Newmarket Viaduct into a first-class residential development,” Liu told the Herald in June.
It is a direct quote according to the Herald re Liu being in court for offences in his building program.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11303946 (by Jared Savage by the way. Remember the $90,000 bottle of wine?)
Good spot ianmac.
So the NAct government is still running youth boot camps?!!! Who knew?! Why do we never hear about them and their (supposed) wonderful successes?
Chris Barton: Joining the dots in the Dotcom conspiracy. Today 5 August.
“The Kiwi Connection conspiracy has the hallmarks of abuse of process everywhere you look.
We have to consider the likelihood the conspiracy is real because of the sterling investigative work of David Fisher, who has uncovered some hitherto unseen documents which indicate murkiness beyond the pale.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11303736
OMG! And from the Herald, no less.
A space worth watching, this one.
Our esteemed PM may yet be totally skewered….;)
Watching the new last night during the ad break did you notice Genesis Energy ad which appears to be a dirty rotten endoresment that I feel boarders on breeching the electoral rules.
The ad promotes a $300 discount for signing up to both power & gas with the slogan mirroring something similar to ‘working for you’ It come across as a ringing endorsement for the National sale of this power asset. If you saw it you will know what i mean, if you haven’t have a look. Looks like a ‘snake oil’ PR stunt.
Haven’t seen it but if it’s coming across that way to you then I suggest you complain to the Electoral Commission about it. What you describe sounds eerily similar to what the Exclusive Brethren did.
Vandalising other peoples property is a crime.
Why do the Greens supporters believe they have a right to vandalise National hoardings up and down the country?
They are just criminals.
Freedom of speech does not allow you to alter National hoardings in any way.
have you any proof of who is vandalising the hoardings maybe you could get the GSCB and theSIS or the Police to investigate.
otherwise you are defaming!
While we know who is vandalising our environment egalitarian society freedoms our democracy and formerly independent media!
you don’t complain about that or who is doing it!
Roman times when the peasants aren’t happy read the graffitti.
poor we fisitantrum.
Oh come on fisiani it happens to all party hoardings. I noticed God Botherer Col Craig got one of his hoardings absolutely smashed to bits over night Saturday. Both National and Conservatives have the dough & Brethren’s to go out and replace, usually in the early morning or dusk time.
Just might have to go out and get in their face with a camera and reignite the sketchy underground connection between National-Conservative moonie sect.
It does NOT happen to all party hoardings and you well know that. There is a concerted regular vandalism campaign against National billboards nationwide. This is criminal damage, not a bit of fun.
Oh bugger off fizzyanus.. You pick the weirdest things to get your nose out of joint about and quite frankly, you have not a skerrick of evidence to support your assertion.
but national are so popular that it would be impossible to vandalise the image of our lord john key without immediately being set upon by an angry mob who would restrain the miscreant until the police arrived. Neighbourhood watch schemes have been set up across the country to protect that glorious visage from being sullied by the three remaining far-left (i.e. thought twice before voting national) zealots in NZ… /sarc
That would be a conspiracy theory fisiani.
The truth is that the majority of people are really pissed off by being screwed over by National.
Labour’s signs tend to be ripped down rather than vandalised (that’s the case in my electorate, at least). It’s less noticeable, since the signs simply disappear, but the hit rate is similar. The effect is similar though, and Labour doesn’t have the funding from multimillionaire backers for large numbers of replacement signs.
A tale of two New Zealands, i limped past Te Papa, the national museum, last night on my way to Wellington leg of the InternetMana roadshow,
Hekia’s gas guzzling 4×4 was on show out front as along with the brass bands and uniforms from the era the National Party celebrated the 1914-1918 war, its causes deeply rooted in inequality, of peoples, of nations, of fear from the masters that the wave of Socialism sweeping Europe would remove these Lords, Ladies, and Barons from their wealth, from their centuries of privilege,
The reggae beat next door at Macs events center is a welcome contrast as a warm up to the main event as out of Wellingtons Winter darkness came 400–500 of us with one thing on our minds, the removal of those cavorting in their customary regalia in a celebration of the death/mutilation of 5% of the New Zealand population at the time, from the levers of power who with deliberation fuel the very inequalities that lead directly to the atrocity that is such wars,
InternetMana what can i say, i am not there for the political speeches, and, there were some rousing words from the cast of characters all of whom have obviously been pushing themselves as the ‘roadshow’ snaked its way down the country to Wellington, some look and sound like they could do with a rest,(i hope they pace themselves theirs still 8 weeks of this organized mayhem),
In the background, its where i like to be, there’s talk of New Branches, that’s what i like to hear,hurried swapping of email addy’s and plans for later meetings are made both befor and after the main event, my ears are not used to such a muted roar of conversation, my psyche equally unused to the human energy, the wairua,mauri, flowing around the packed events center,
The meeting flyer says it all, ”A Message from the Future”, in the background, Annette Sykes confronts me as i try to sneak, into the background, i get to plant a big kiss on the cheek of the next MP for Waiariki, there’s way to much action happening here to say anything any other way,
It’s another day and my waking thought is that the only other politician i planted such a kiss upon was Helen Clark not long befor she became the Prime Minister,
There’s work to be done, lots of it, there’s not enough time, but the real fun will be in the doing, InternetMana has packed every venue so far, 4–5–600 people at them all, there’s a sniff of 5% in the air and i am already looking ahead to 2017, the fun has just begun,
this has been, of course, ”A Message from the Future” InternetMana, be there….
It’ll be good to see Annette Sykes in the House.
Indeed Karol, from the applause given i would say the loudest was for both Annette and Lailla, Hone, obviously with deliberation was way laid back letting the 2 Internet candidates and the 2 from Mana do most of the talking,
The Wellington turnout was pretty much a cross section of New Zealand, so where Winston Peters gets His ‘race based party’ bullshit from is beyond me,
Georgina Beyer, the candidate for Te Tai Tonga made a good speech, spoiled somewhat i would suggest by Her ‘version’ of events surrounding the foreshore and seabed Legislation when She was a Labour MP,
DotCom’s references to what happened after the Mansion raids where the plods asset stripped Him of everything sounded a bit jaded obviously because we all already knew this aspect of the raid, perhaps He needs to refresh the delivery a bit,
i can relate to what happened there, in the ‘hood’ the stripping of everything, bank cards, cars,(in one case the car taken had a stuffed gearbox and hadn’t moved for a year), happens weekly as the plods conduct their version of the ‘war on drugs’ and like DotCom found, when this does occur someone will step in to gift the basics, its the way we roll….
I posted this in the Rankin topic earlier, but may be better here for any discussions.
EPSOM: ACT’s SEYMOUR CAN SNEAK THROUGH…..unless…..MOST OF LABOUR and GREEN votes go to Goldsmith. Here is why:
2011 Election
BANKS(ACT)=44%
GOLDSMITH(NAT)=38%
PARKER(LAB)=10%
HAY(GP)=6%
REST=2%
RESULT=ACT’s BANKS won!
2014:
This time around, some previous votes cast for Goldsmith and Seymour, (I am assuming 4%+4%), may shift to Rankin and the result may look like this: (Of course there may be larger shift from ACT to CONs in this electorate given that ACT is practically dead and the CONS may yet be born again somewhat here which may actually work in Goldsmith’s favour)
SEYMOUR(ACT)=44-4=40%
GOLDSMITH(NAT)=38-4=34%
RANKIN(CONS)=8%
WOOD(LAB)=10%
GENTER(GP)=6%
REST=2%
RESULT=ACT’s Seymour wins!
The only way for the progressives to be more sure of defeating ACT and NATIONAL would be for MOST, if not all, of Labour and Greens voters to give their candidate vote to GOLDSMITH.
Assuming there is a 50% improvement in the Labour and Green strategic voting tactics, (5% and 3% rather than the previous election’s 10% and 6% ) the result could look like this:
SEYMOUR(ACT)=40%
GOLDSMITH(NAT)=34+5%+3%=42%
RANKIN(CONS)=8%
WOOD(LAB)=5%
GENTER(GP)=3%
REST=2%
RESULT=NATIONAL’S Mr PAUL GOLDSMITH MP RELUCTANTLY WINS!…Now, who wouldn’t want such a lovely result!
Yep Clemengeopin although Seymour is no Banks. I suspect many National voters will not hold their noses as they vote …
did you mean to say, ‘will not’ or ‘will’ hold their noses as they vote…?
For those who commented about it yesterday on handles disappearing at the client side.
There does appear to be a problem with the time for the cookies used for putting handles, emails, and websites in for the non-loggedin comments.
It is set for a day and resets every time that a comment is made. It is meant to be at least a week. But it doesn’t sound like the problem people reported.
Could I have some details about browsers and if you have anything constraining javascript. It fills in those fields from javascript because that has been the most reusable option.
It happens to me on Firefox, LP. No java issues that I know of. I’m going to try on Chrome and see if it does the same.
Not sure what exactly you need in the way of info LPrent, i am using Firefox, and the prob with the info disappearing out of the name required etc box has been apparent since the major outage the other week,
My opinion, its not such a biggy, it simply means that everyone has to LOOK to ensure the name is there befor ‘submit comment’ is hit,
Having said that i am still NOT looking at every comment to make sure the required details are there, it amazes me just how long it has taken to learn to do this,
i can actually go right off the Standard by loading another page, then re-access the Standard using my ‘most visited’ icon and the username/email are still there, at other times just travelling around pages within the Standard removes it,
Kind of a lottery, there’s a logical explanation for it doing this, but, the primitive lurking in the recesses of my mind has now given to the Standard ‘mauri’, a life force, as it ‘chooses’ to have the username/email either there or not at its own whim…
@bad12, could be firefox addons causing the problem. Adblock, noscript, ghostery will screw around with javascript and cookies. Try whitelisting this site
Could be addons I guess, have used Safari, Mavericks OSX, ‘disconnect’ and ‘ad blocker’ for months but only have had to fill in name and email the last two weeks.
Lolz ropata thanks for the tip, now for the really dumb question, what is ‘white-listing this site’,
i doubt that will do much as my internet connection is so tenuous any changes i make cannot be saved, that’s a long story better left for some other less busy time,
i don’t actually mind how the username/email thing has shape up, its gone from giving me a major case of the shits at myself to now being a major source of self depreciation, seriously how hard can it be to re-wire the brain to perform a simple task like looking to see if the information is there or not befor pressing ”submit comment”??
Pretty frigging hard if you have a nut like mine i must say, i am about half way there but still havn’t quite formed the habit or broken the one where the small function was performed for me,
Note: just for info, most of the time after the username/email has been inserted when it does the ‘disappear’ it only takes one letter of both the username/email to refill the blank spaces, while you remain online for that session it seems to be there in that format? until an actual logging off the net occurs…
It does sound like a cookie timeout.
I wonder if it is not refreshing the cookie timestamp.
When the username/email disappear they don’t really, now i am trying to confuse you as much as i manage to confuse me,
Its still there in a drop down, as in when i slap the B for bad in the username box the drop down appears with the bad12 in it, same for the email,
Don’t ask me about cookies i am an accidental ungenius too fearful to go anywhere near such things in my laptop in case i completely total my tenuous connection to the net altogether…
Ok, the ‘B’ is from a different ‘level’. That is the browser itself remembering. Problem is that is specific to each browser (although it is getting a lot more standardised these days).
When I implemented the system that is meant to be in use, it attempted to stop as much of that as was possible because in 2007 it was freaking unreliable.
Hi Lynn. Using Chrome. Java needs updating I’ve been told……………
Java shouldn’t matter. We don’t do anything with it.
Javascript is a completely different beast.
Note – must look at this again. But after I finish crunching the roll.
Running Firefox 31.0 with Adblock Plus, on Windows 7 Professional Service Pack 1.
I don’t think I’ve set Adblock to block anything at the Standard, but I do have pop-ups blocked (which intermittently works).
I’ve noticed other shenanigans as well recently – e.g. when downloading a .pdf document it no longer opens automatically – it just goes straight into downloads.
Ok. Across all major browsers. I’ll assume it is a site problem.
First time I will have to deal with it is at the weekend.
Billboard images – John Key’s lies.
A great job there by archiedarival. A cherry on top would be a link and credit to Blip’s List
Seriously, a good show in putting up these electronic billboards.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11304222
hilarious; now lets hope Rape Crisis refuses Whaleboil’s ‘donation’.
should anyone encounter colin (moon-landing-denier) craig on their travels..
..they should catch his gaze..then automatically point to the sky..
..and say:..’look out..!..chem-trails..!’..
..and see if he does the duck ‘n cover..
Cunliffe has just ruled out working with Internet Mana.
That’s it then. Three more years of National, guys, three more years.
And bye -bye David after this election.
should labour limp over the line..and get what they seem to want..winston peters..
..and then should they do pretty much nothing very much at all..
..for three yrs..(being in power being ‘all’..)
..and with int/mana holding them to account all the way..
..labour will be decimated in ’17..
The first bit is your recurring nightmare. All that mip trollerising for nothing.
The second your wet dream pu, and probably far removed from reality of a Lab/Green/Winston government, but do tell me, in ’17, does mana get 51% of the party vote? 😆
No phillip wrong.
Cunliffe knows that IMP have nowhere to go other than to support him on confidence and supply. So he can rule them out of government and avoid the coat-tailing/hypocrisy tag being thrown at him by National while still becoming PM with IMP’s support.
It’s a clever stance to take.
Bearded Git, only if you truly believe that a), Winston Peters and NZFirst will be back in the next Parliament, and b), that Winston will not take the side of National in a coalition,
Neither of the above propositions are a certainty, with Colon’s conservatives going after NZFirst’s votes deliberately targeting Grey-Power meetings and the ‘tactical voters’ having walked away from that Party there’s a 50/50 of Winston not being able to secure His Party the needed 5%,
It’s obviously a 50/50 also as to who can buy NZFirst support in forming a coalition, His first demand will be to be made Prime Minister, when that ambit fails the demand will be Minister of Finance as well as Deputy PM,
Toss a coin, will Slippery the Prime Minister push His Finance Minister under the bus, could He do so without Ripping the National Caucus apart,
Toss the coin again, ask the same question of David Cunliffe,
Who in the left ‘really’ wants another Government of ‘business as usual’ because that’s what i see a coalition that involves NZFirst becoming again…
bad-you missed my earlier prediction which I still hold to: 31+11+7=Cunliffe.
NZF are not needed in this scenario.
Nope Bearded git, i didn’t miss your earlier prediction my point being that i have strong doubts that NZFirst will attain 5% of the vote on September 20,
i don’t agree with the prediction, but, its not a point i will spend all day haggling about, as within those numbers there can be a three % point movement among the 3 parties that still spells out a Government of the left,
My pick is Labour 33%, Greens 12%, Internet Mana 5%,
i am also picking NZFirst 4.5% and Colons conservatives 3.2%,
IF, such numbers on the night of September 20 are what occurs i hope that David Parker has factored into His first budget a comprehensive ‘food in schools program’ as the first part of a confidence and supply agreement from InternetMana…
Well, that’s fucked it.
Actually I think it’ll be OK. Until confirmed otherwise its just another iteration of Cunliffe saying no IMP Ministers in Cabinet.
+1 Colonial
I guess now that IMP doesn’t have a chance of being in Govt. the Greens will gain some votes and anti-IMP swing voters have the option of Labour again and Winston has the option of going with Lab/Greens.
amirite
Link Please? Nothing on; Stuff, Scoop, or even NZH.
Has Cunliffe ruled out accepting IMP votes on confidence & supply? Or is it simply that he sees no place for them in a Labour-led coalition? Does this apply to both individual parties, or just the combined IMP alliance?
[edit] It seems it was on TVNZ (no clip obvious yet):
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/election-2014/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503581&objectid=11304222
An article about DPF & Slater donating to Davis’ campaign wasn’t the most obvious place to look.
I think it is this:
http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news/david-cunliffe-we-don-t-want-become-tenants-in-our-own-country-video-6046681
‘Won’t be part of the government’
It sounds like what he has been saying previously re no ministerial post for Mana – no coalition with Mana…doesn’t sound like a ruling out on confidence and supply.
[edit: Ah! I see you found reference to it]
Yep. No Cabinet positions.
I accept the reasoning that Labour may need to distance themselves from Mana due to certain perceptions about criminal behaviour and KDC* but this is starting to grate – I don’t really like Cunliffe sounding so bloody sure that he won’t give Hone or Laila a cabinet position – it would seen that Labour could do with a few members in caucus that are experienced, level-headed and can deal with the media excellently too.
*The biggest criminals in the world are in the financial industry – they have been consistently ripping off millions of people and destroying lives and last time I checked John Phillip Key was part of that industry (has it ever been confirmed whether he ever left it – last photo I saw of JPK, he was in a black shirt promoting AIG?). If it came to criminal dodgy behaviour who really would win that race: KDC or JPK? Double standards abound in this fucked up country of ours.
And KDC has been very upfront with his German convictions has a teenager. The German Government eventually invested money in his first IT business after the court concluded that he was an extraordinary young technology talent – albeit somewhat misguided.
The latest stoush with Hollywood – well – that’ still very much in the works, and as we have seen, has been full of political interference from the get-go of his immigration approval to NZ.
As to your main point: ruling out experienced Parliamentarians from your Cabinet is definitely a move which limits very many future options.
I agree, but we don’t really know the political reasoning behind this strategy.
My own guess, worth 2c is this:
Obviously Labour does not want to disadvantage itself before the election by losing some of its own potential support from their traditional Labour voters or from the soft non-commited voters of National, NZF, Maori and other progressive parties, especially as there is a substantial constituency of voters who are anti KDC, anti Hone or ambiguous about them.
I think their legitimate fear is that if they unconditionally endorse any other progressive party, especially IMP, before the election, then their own votes may siphon out to National or other minor parties.
Also, ruling IMP out of government will cripple/handicap National’s potential attack weapon against Labour, based on present and past histories of
KDC and Harawira.
Labour’s stand may also calm fears of some of the Labour caucus members in terms of cabinet positions etc and it would also be easier to manage if NZF are the king makers after the election.
So, for Labour, politically and electorally it makes more sense not to be too pally with IMP.
As I said, that is just my 2c worth opinion, which may of course be far out.
@ Parsupial
I just read that article you linked to and some of the comments Kelvin has made on his facebook page.
Kelvin sounds as dodgy as hell. I would prefer if people want to join forces with the likes of Farrar and Slater that they do it as an independent candidate and not under Labour’s umbrella.
I wonder if Kelvin was the ‘insider’ criticising Cunliffe’s holiday? (or did he openly refute that?).
…And doesn’t that Kelvin dude stop and think for even a moment about why that Nat sycophant Farrar would be supporting him??
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2014/08/kelvin_davis_on_dotcom_and_mana.html
Farrar says Hipkins has ‘liked’ Kelvin’s comments
WTF LABOUR PARTY????????????????????
Where do you get that info from Amrite?
Being that its Cunliffe he’ll probably change his position on it tomorrow
so the CT line is to tar him with key’s brush, eh?
Direct hit.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Labour-U-turns-over-dolphin-sanctuary-drilling/tabid/1607/articleID/350010/Default.aspx
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11300818
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/david-cunliffe-we-don-t-want-become-tenants-in-our-own-country-6046694
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/250643/tvnz-assures-labour-over-debate
http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2014/07/cowardly-cunliffe-caught-another-lie/#more-146734 (this ones a link to an audio from NewstalkZB
The problem is that Cunliffe makes so many stuff ups its difficult to break them down into specific flip flops vs brain farts but theres a quick three flip flops for you to digest
Even if I bothered to read those links and not be aghast at how you, the media, and’or the slug abused the English language to make that list, it would be the merest and most delicate sigh before the thunderstorm that is Dunnokeyo.
Cunliffe has previously said that IMP would not get Ministerial positions. Has he ruled them out of being in coalition altogether? How about a Confidence and Supply agreement?
Most of the socialist left in Mana as opposed to Internet Mana strategic alliance don’t feel Mana should be officially part of a government anyway. Cunliffe has to placate his party people and potential voters but if it shakes out that Internet Mana MPs are needed for a change of government an arrangement will surely be reached particularly if it does not involve NZ First.
Labour (minus the rogernomes) wants a change of government as does Internet Mana and Mana and Internet Party and of course quiet achiever the Greens. If the left is fortunate enough to be be in the position of forming a government it will be done even if Internet Mana was just formally represented by say Internet Party MPs.
Thanks TM
CV
He hasn’t ruled out the Internet Party, the words were very specific; “Mana will not be part of a government I lead”. But the immediate precursor statement was that “coalition [with NZF] has always been on the cards” (2:22 in Blue Leopard link above).
Personally I think that the IP should stay in alliance with MANA even if it costs them ministerial seats (which won’t be highly placed in any case) in this next parliamentary term. The point is to get rid of the current corrupt tory regime. And even on the crossbenches; their votes will still count just as much. Also, they won’t be bound by cabinet collectivity restrictions, can bargain for support on individual bills, introduce private member’s bills to the lottery, and generally position themselves for 2017 when they will have a clear track record and comprehensive policies.
I think your analysis is spot on. IMP need some freedom to continue to establish and distinguish themselves as a separate party outside of Labour’s shadow.
The IMP will fold as quickly as every other two-bit political party has after this election, no KDC no money
Puckish, dumb by accident or design???, i have money Puckish, not the supposed millions that Kim DotCom is said to have at His disposal,
But,
Enough to supply the paper and the printing to put an A4 sized pamphlet in every letterbox in the electorate i reside in, and, guess what, that’s exactly what i plan on doing,
i plan on doing this Puckish you ‘accident’ not because DotCom has or doesn’t have money, not because DotCom is a crook or is not a crook, but, because i believe very strongly in two planks of the Mana policy that’s also now part of the InternetMana Alliance, the food in schools program, and, a proper robust State House rebuilding program,i also agree with a hell of a lot more of the policy platform,
What exactly do you believe in Puckish, Dribbling Shit seems to be about the extent of your commenting ability, and, that appears to me to be the extent of the total election policies of the right leading into election 2014, A Dribble of Shit, full stop…
Good on you Bad12, Key’s final flight to Hawaii is going to be booked vote by hard won vote. It is ‘hand to hand combat’ that will do it. Like Rosie’s mates campaigning for Hairdo to move on and my partner running workshops on “get out and vote” for unionists to spread the word about enrolment and early voting. There may be locals who will donate to your costs?
This is as Mickysav I believe called it the ‘phoney war’ period, once the Nats have effectively run out of time on August 26 to pull candidates, names will appear on the ballot papers regardless. Then the rubber meets the road.
Lolz Tiger, those ‘locals’ they already have, i will say no more, i have a budget, it aint huge,
Take out the cost of labour, specially at a commercial printing organization,(sorry printers union),and, my budget as far as i can calculate will cover at least 1 electorate…
Grass roots as it gets
Sam is a young guy from rural NZ who thinks voting matters and hosts a web show about Dctor Who. He wanted some fuller answers about the internet and education in New Zealand, so he decided to do an interview.
Published on 4 Aug 2014
The latest 0800 Tardis News Hosted by Sam Somers interviewing Laila Harre and Callum Valentine from the Internet Party, talking about Internet Party Policies in a less formal situation,
Thanks freedom for that link.
I actually thoroughly enjoyed it after the initial few moments of serious doubt.
What a novel way of bringing politics, politicians, parties and policies from a simple private living room to the world at large!
The questions asked and the answers were very good with lots of fun in a relaxed friendly
setting. Both Laila Harre and Callum Valentine were excellent. One can easily sense that Harre is such a lovely, pleasant, caring and very intelligent person. Callum Valentine came across as a smart, nice cool dude too!
I felt that the host Somers needs some more practice and training to make his presentation clearer and better.
This is the type of format that modern political parties and campaigners of good causes should use to spread their message. No ads, no rubbish, no spin, no scandals, no controversies! Just good questions and answers about policies. Let the viewer take in the message and decide one way or the other.
Not perfect, but early days!
I liked it!
Good news from the Greens for tertiary students and apprentices travelling. They are introducing a Green card for travel – free off-peak public transport. That will be a transport of delight!
that is a clever policy from the greens..
..and i have no problems with int/mana not being in cabinet/bound by cabinet muzzling-rules..
..for one thing..labour support a tpp..
..int/mana want to rip it up…
..and a weak/do nothing lab/nz first coalition..will just weaken labour further..
..and a potent int/mana on the cross-benches..free to argue etc..
..is fine with me..
..i wd just like there to be a lot of them..
..and then..in 2017…
The unemployed could use one of them, a green card, it costs to ‘look’ for employment and it costs to trot off to the local WINZ office to fulfill the same obligations that were ‘filled’ in eaxactly the same way the week befor and the week befor that,
A missed opportunity???, or a deliberate move away from what used to be the bread and butter representation of the Green Party???…
Is Fox News More Dangerous Than Isis?
ACT leader Jamie “Socrates” Whyte obviously gets all his ideas from Fox News, as do the likes of Leighton Smith and Larry “Lackwit” Williams. So do a few of the right wing provocateurs that infest this site. They all need to watch the following…..
Campbell Live poll.
16 000 votes.
Should we sell our farms to overseas owners ?
6% in favour.
The Nats should be afraid.
50 cents to vote so only this poll doesn’t even include the less affluent in society.
I just listened to this RNZ brilliant interview of Kim Dot Com by Brent Edwards.
A great interview. KDC comes across as excellent and very sincere.
Have a listen here:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/20144326/dotcom-says-he-would-never-have-started-party-if-there-had-been-no-raid
80% of scientists surveyed didn’t like the government’s 133 million dollar project to find and fund the most urgent areas for research. Joyce says that this is not the views of most scientists.
Sayeeda Warsi’s resignation letter.
“Do they land in Gaza? Ha!”
The laughs just keep coming on The Panel
Radio NZ National, Monday 4 August 2014
Jim Mora, Virginia Larson, Tainui Stephens, Zara Potts
Consider the following selection of gruesome twosomes. Barry Corbett and Ali Jones. Chris Wikaira and Linda Clark. Christine Spankin’ Rankin and Jock Anderson. Dita Di Boni and Sam Pease. Lindsey Dawson and Stephen Franks. And last but not least, the nastiest, smuggest, gruesomest twosome of all—Boag and Edwards. I could, but for the sake of readers’ sensibilities will not, go on.
Long time sufferers of Jim Mora’s godawful, moribund radio light chat show The Panel will have recognized these dreadful duos immediately—they are regular guests, recycled every few weeks, carefully selected to pretty much agree with one another and to pass comment on various matters in a manner that will not piss off anyone that matters. So criticism of the prime minister—someone who matters—has been pretty much kiboshed. So has criticism of racist juries in the Deep South, at least when someone like Chris Trotter is on the program to learnedly admonish those foolish enough to speak out against the jury who acquitted the vigilante who killed Trayvon Martin.
But criticism of, or more accurately, rancorous denunciation of and sneering at, people who do not matter—like political dissidents and fugitives of state vengeance, or the victims of knife attacks in South Auckland or mass murder in Gaza—is quite acceptable. All of these outcast groups have been ridiculed, joked about and pompously denounced on The Panel.
Clearly the producers of The Panel think seriousness is boring, compassion is an irritation and knowledge is intolerable. So it’s out with the likes of Anna Chinn, Gordon Campbell and Bomber Bradbury, and in with the likes of Graham Bell, Jeremy Elwood and Rosemary McLeod.
And, as noted above, clearly the producers of The Panel make a point of getting two really shallow, reactionary people on the show whenever possible. Today, however, they only got it half right. Someone slipped up and made the mistake of inviting Tainui Stephens, who is NOT a moral imbecile, onto the show. The pre-show segment started at 3:45 p.m. ….
JIM MORA: Zara Potts with what the world’s talking about. Qantas changes its flight path at last?
ZARA POTTS: Yes, Qantas has announced it’s not going to fly over Iraqi air space any more. However, the extra time is only ten minutes.
MORA: Is the extra time only ten minutes?
ZARA POTTS: Yes it is.
VIRGINIA LARSON:
A little later….
MORA: And what’s this about a secret Qatari airline?
ZARA POTTS: The airline’s full name is Qatar Amiri Flight. It’s an airline for both the royal family and high ranked government staff of Qatar. Its fleet is reportedly eleven to thirteen strong and consists of Airbus planes, except for a few 747s. It staffs about a hundred cabin crew and only hires Captains. First Officers need not apply.
MORA: Do they land in Gaza? Ha!
ZARA POTTS: Ha ha. No they don’t.
MORA: There’s a lot of money in Qatar. ….
After the 4 o’clock news, it was time for the introductions of today’s Panelists. Usually this is a dire, teeth-grindingly dull seven or eight minutes of inane breezy nothingness. Not today, however. Tainui Stephens talked about his eleven-year-old daughter, who has been deeply affected by the suffering of the people of Gaza during the latest ramping up of Israel’s violence. She and her friends accompanied him on the recent protest march in Wellington, and Tainui expressed how he was deeply moved by these young people, and everyone else at the march. Of course, Jim Mora could not leave alone a provocation as brazen as that statement of solidarity with the Palestinians. He felt it incumbent on himself to play Devil’s Advocate….
MORA: Ahhhh. We hear from a lot of people who say that there is killing in Ukraine, on both sides probably, and killing in Syria, and killing in Egypt, ahhh, but we don’t hear much or anything about them. Ahhhh. But we hear about Gaza, don’t we….
I’m sure Tainui Stephens replied to that, but if so, I missed it as my friend B_______ screamed for a considerable amount of time about the wretched state of radio commentary in this country.
A little later, Mora was back at his tricks, fishing for bigoted right wing comments….
MORA: Now what do we make of THIS? The Labour Party wants a Ministry of Disarmament.
Virginia Larson scoffed at the idea, which she reckons is a luxury: “After all, we haven’t got two hundred and fifty million Indonesians on our doorstep.” After that rather mystifying remark, she embarked on a wandery rant against Vladimir Putin, calling him a “sabre-rattler” and an aggressor.
MORA: [speaking very slowly, with exaggerated enunciation, to emphasize deep seriousness] I was reading about the bright young people in Gaza who are just as bright as the young people in Israel. But they haven’t been able to stop what’s going on there, have they? Can we EVER stop war?
Tainui Stephens, who is clearly a serious and intelligent person, must have felt like walking out of the studio. But he somehow found it in himself to respond to this idiocy by fobbing him off with a Mora-style bromide…..
TAINUI STEPHENS: I guess we have to appeal to the better angels of our nature.
MORA: [sighs deeply, then speaks with reverent intensity] Here’s to the better angels of our nature.
Nat MP McIndoe always stares fixedly/longingly at the back of English’s neck in the House which may have caused him to get things wrong.
“National’s Hamilton West MP Tim Macindoe has been referred to police along with Free FM in Hamilton for allegedly airing an election advertisement outside the proper period……”
How sad.
I don’t mean to waste everyone’s time but is this not hoskings writ large in his brain?