Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right up to the mike…
“This is fast becoming the defining issue in Auckland’s election and it is a good one. It might seem trivial beside long-term population plans, housing densities and commuter rail schemes”
Is John Roughan New Zealand’s worst journalist?
“The great berm debate ”
Un.believable.
Just a comment from Penny Bright 3/10 about Auckland no doubt but quite pertinent for all. It is clear to me that private sector ‘high-flyers’ don’t transmogrify into competent ‘public servants’.
Solid Energy says it will need a three-year turnaround in international coal prices if it is to recover, as it revealed a $335.4 million loss and warned of more losses to come…..
On the very eve of latest IPCC report:
In New Zealand…..
To carry out a major act of corporate welfare,
An international treaty is broken,
A major climate crime is committed,
Hundreds of jobs in the renewable sector are held up.
Why arent freeview satelitte and UHF content identical, we have city freeview and rural so free depends on where you live as satellite has less than UHF, isnt is meant to be kiwi for tv.
Do UHF aerials not work to receive Freeview in rural areas?
Edit: OK explained here. The satellites can’t carry the same amount of channels as the UHF terrestrial system of broadcast. And UHF signals have a limited range.
This is a brilliant interview of Glenn Greenwald (NSA, GCHQ, 5 Eyes-exposing journalist, working on the Snowden material).
A good illustration of a journalist (Greenwald) being interviewed by a “journalist” (Wark). Still Wark is a million times better than anyone I’ve ever seen here in NZ 🙁
Jenny, get off your soap box. So keen to point out you know better than everyone else. There’s been too many issues and too little time for us voluntary authors.
There’s been posts of climate change, and, for me, issues of poverty and people struggling to survive NOW! need significant attention.
An author has been working on a draft of a solid energy post. Now I’ve gotta get to work.
Don’t tell us what we have to spend our hard-pressed time on. And still using your bullying tactics I see.
Jenny, if you care to look,(past the end of your nose that is), you will find that Labour’s Clayton Cosgrove had plenty to say about Solid Energy and it’s bailout…
I wouldn’t say it was plenty. But it was plenty cryptic. But I think we can safely take it as read, 12, that Clayton Cosgrove and the Labour Party would have done the same thing, if not more, to subsidise Solid Energy’s continued needless destruction of the climate.
“The Labour Party said taxpayers were footing the bill for Solid Energy’s restructure, when it was the Government’s fault that the state coal miner was in financial trouble.
Labour’s Clayton Cosgrove said National was warned time and again that Solid Energy was in trouble, and ministers refused to listen and took no action.
He said the deal announced on Tuesday was too little too late.”
Labour’s state owned enterprises spokesman, Clayton Cosgrove, says the company is a mess.
“It took a $335M hit, earnings were down 78 percent, it paid $13M in redundancy to white collar corporate staff and had to write off $150M in abandoned projects,” he said.
Ged O’Connel of the EPMU stated the obvious, and said that with out the bail out, Solid Energy “would be likely to close down.”
From this I think we can take it that Ged O’Connel and the EPMU support the bail out.
Gareth Hughes said that the National Government should “cut their losses” and the “Solid Energy workers need a just transition into more sustainable jobs – that don’t fry the planet.”
From this we can take it that Gareth Hughes and the Green party condemn the bailout.
Clayton Cosgrove said the deal “was too little too late.”*
Hmmm. What does this mean?
If you take Clayton Cosgrove’s words literally, then Labour would have given Solid Energy more, sooner.
This is probably not what Clayton Cosgrove literally meant. But I think it can be taken, that Clayton Cosgrove and the Labour Party support the bail out.
That Labour support this chilling climate crime, that Labour coldly support the flouting of both the letter and the intent of the recently signed up to Majuro Declaration, and that Labour support the moth balling of the Rauauru Ma Raki project in favour of coal.
I think I can see why the authors at The Standard might have a problem commenting on this.
*Yes I did miss this. But that is not the same as being a “fucking liar” as you continually accuse me of QoT.
Perhaps you envision yourself leading some kind of Climate Change Inquisition?
Colonial Viper
CV politics is all about pressure. To some on the receiving end of this pressure, it may feel like torture. But I assure you, it is not, it is just the psychic pain of ideologies clashing. As such it is subjective. Break on through to the other side, and you will feel much better.
You are well on the way to constructing your religion. Complete with the promise of both philosophical and ideological transformation. Congratulations.
This redoubles the arrogant, hubristic, “stroke-of-the-pen” approach employed by her predecessor in Justice Simon Power.
The formula goes like this: scandalise and blame the practitioners, cement in the uninformed public mind a ghastly culpability, open illusory “discussion” and rapidly close it, then by stroke-of-the-pen do exactly what was intended to be done in the first place.
The precedent is seen in Legal Aid: commission at God knows what cost the “well respected senior civil servant” (Dame Margaret Bazley) to lend the illustrious name to an already written fictitious report based in anecdote and gossip. This becomes The Bible. Use it to scandalise legal aid practitioners as a class. Engage sham discussion then by stoke-of-the-pen do what was always intended to be done. Cynical, manipulative, disingenuous framing of the debate.
Who suffers ? It’s the The Poor that’s whom. And in the bigger picture the very ethos of Justice in New Zealand. It’s bloody lucky for Power and Collins that the Judiciary is generally constrained to bite its tongue. Well, not all of its members –
Justice Andrew Tipping’s final sitting – speech
Retiring Supreme Court Justice Andrew Tipping has questioned whether New Zealand’s current legal aid system is consistent with the observance of fundamental rights under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
In a speech at his final Supreme Court sitting on 17 August 2012, Sir Andrew reflected on major legal developments over his 50 years as a law student, practitioner and judge, as well as issues relating to the future of the legal system and its administration.
Considering problems in the legal aid system, he suggested “re-examining how legal aid should be delivered.”
“My concern is that the solution those genuine problems received resembled the use of a sledgehammer to crack a nut,” he said.
The scope of legal aid and the rates of remuneration were now at a level that seriously risked compromising the delivery of justice, at least in some fields.
Sir Andrew asked whether the current legal aid system was consistent with the observance of these fundamental rights under section 24(d) and section 25(h) of the Bill of Rights, as well as whether the cuts to legal aid would actually save tax payer money.
“The irony is that the money saved by not granting legal aid is very often overtaken by corresponding, if not greater costs being incurred elsewhere. I refer to the extra work needed by the registry staff and the Judges themselves when an appellant is unrepresented. It is a false economy that we seem to be pursuing,” he said.
He also reflected on the relationship between the Ministry of Justice and the Judiciary and how it should be described as one of “mutual co-operation” rather than partnership. This separation was necessary to maintain separation and balance of powers.
“Judges are appointed to judge and Ministry staff are appointed to administer the Courts and provide the infrastructure necessary to enable the Judges to discharge their judicial responsibilities,” Sir Andrew said.
“The concept of partnership risks a failure to recognise the necessary separation of powers.
“I must say that in my time as a Judge I have noticed an increasing lack of understanding and appreciation of the role of the higher courts as the third branch of government.”
This from the Law Society website. Google “Justice Andrew Tipping – Final Sitting”
Sometimes I think something is important, but don’t have time to organise it into a post and/or do more background research on it, I post a comment on to Open Mike – quicker to do when I have other stuff to attend to
Comment from me on Open Mike on Friday, in the morning before I had to rush out for most of the day – critical of the NZ Herald editorial that supported the privatisation of solid energy.
And that’s why I don’t bother reading many of your comments, Jenny. You are often an unreliable commentator.
One for Tau:
‘During the second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her fifties, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.
Before the class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. ‘Absolutely,’ said the professor. ‘In your careers you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello.’
I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.’ – Joanne C. Jones
In our provincial town a UHF aerial will no longer work. A dish is compulsory. And we do not get all the channels available elsewhere on Freeview. Still. Not much to see anyway.
Paltry as it may be, it should at least be consistent across both delivery mechanisms. Im sure the rural community would appreciate the free sport and aljazerra.
As John Key’s and Nact’s only hope of winning the 2014 election would seem to be with Winston Peters ( and NZF) as a coalition partner
…the Left should be very aware that it will be of number one importance in Key and Nacts eyes that a unbridgable wedge is driven between Winston Peters( and his past and present supporters) and the Left.
What will the Nact secret spinners and strategists try and do?… given the fact that Winston hates many of their policies and has opposed them vehemently…eg.
1)..Sale of State Assets
2)..the GCSB bill
3) …sale of NZ land and housing to foreigners
4)….also Winston worked very well with Helen Clark and helped her form the last Labour govt of her term in office
I suggest that the secret planners, strategists and spinners will try and drive a huge wedge between the Greens and Winston ….and they will try and drive a wedge between Labour and Winston ….and discredit and undermine anyone on the Left who defends Winston ….as being irrational, superficial, or not on the Left….( dont fall into their traps)
Given the crucial importance of Winston (NZF) to Key in forming a coalition to win the 2014 election!…LOOK VERY CLOSELY AT HOW NACT WILL WANT TO PLAY THIS
The best option is to get your friends and family out to vote Labour and/or Green so they can govern alone without NZ first and relying on flakey minor extremist parties.
“Obviously not, but for the sake of clarity, I’d rather have a 5% Winston in a Lab/Green government than rely on the 1% extremist left wing.”
Yes, and sorry to keep banging on about it, but what makes you think that there is a choice between a 5% Winston left and a 5% Winston right?
““Yes, and shouldn’t the left be talking about this and what how it can be done?”
Off you go then. What do you suggest other than what I wrote in 11.1?”
Very good advice I thought. I was meaning that the left also needs to get to grips with a 5% Winston and what that means at and after the next election. Mostly I see people either hoping that L/GP have enough to govern without NZF (or that NZF fails the 5%), or they just ignore the problem – see most posts and comments on Roy Morgan polls. In the first instance getting past the denial would be good 😉
Sure there’s a chance Winston could go Nat, so I agree his seats and support shouldn’t be taken for granted, not that I’ve read anyone on here doing that.
I also don’t know anyone who votes for him, but if I did, and knew they wanted out from this key Government, I’d advise them to vote Labour and/or Green, just in case. There’s not really much else one can do about it, and certainly not until much closer to election time.
Gut feeling if they break the threshold, he’s getting a ministerial BMW whatever, so I reckon it’s down to who he dislikes most, Key or the Greens. At this time, I’d say Key, but like the poll result, it’d only be a guess.
I don’t fear him being in a Lab/Green cabinet because I think DC is capable of keeping him in check like HC did, plus he’ll be far too busy fighting off the ‘investigative’ journos from Campbell live. 😀
I’m not assuming that Key will be PM this time next year. And I would like to see some indication of how Labour and the GP will negotiate with him. In the meantime, some considered speculation would be go.
Such as,
“I don’t fear him being in a Lab/Green cabinet because I think DC is capable of keeping him in check like HC did, plus he’ll be far too busy fighting off the ‘investigative’ journos from Campbell live. :grin:”
Norman, Turei, Cunliffe, Parker and Peters are going to have to sit in a room and knock their heads together. That’s about what it is going to boil down to trying to get a deal together IMO.
“Norman, Turei, Cunliffe, Parker and Peters are going to have to sit in a room and knock their heads together. That’s about what it is going to boil down to trying to get a deal together IMO.”
Ok, we should just sit back and let them get on with it then.
Not sure if you are being facetious or not. I will say that at this level of politics, work is done via a mix of the quality of personal relationships between the leaders, and the political realities presented by the voters.
+1 Allen……I am a Green voter by inclination ( despite Weka also being there lol)….but I have voted for Winston strategically, when I thought Labour and the Left couldn’t get in without him in coalition
Winston is entering the retirement era of his career…I don’t think he is going to want to go down with the public odium as a BETRAYER of everything he has stood for in this term ….in opposition to John Key’s NAct policies(….ie. sale of Sate Assets, GCSB Bill, foreign ownership of NZ land and houses etc)…He has been here before with a coalition with National which he destroyed and brought down the Nat govt , and it almost destroyed him politically
If Labour and the Greens can not win alone (which I hope they do)…..I think if Peters makes the threshold for NZF there is a good chance he would be amenable to coalition with the ‘Left’ ( rather than with NAct) if he was offered Foreign Affairs (a position inwhich he excelled under Helen Clark)…..however he would have to agree to not interfere with the Greens in coalition with Labour and in cabinet ( I wonder if some agreement on this cant be reached beforehand)
I could be quite wrong on this…he may choose National …but it would be at considerable cost to his mana…..and legacy….and would probably be ruinous to National
As the election gets closer …it remains to be seen 1)what Winston’s attitude is towards the Greens ( they are now an established party and are mainstream internationally)….2) who is going to make what overtures between Labour and NZF in the event of the Left needing him …. and 3) what Key’s spinners and strategists are going to do about this in the meantime…my guess is that they will be getting DESPERATE
Compared to the last foregone conclusion, this election, despite media vested interests, is going to be worth watching all the way to the wire, unless of course the racist paul henry is a panelist again.
Weka. You’re taking on the same undemocratic attitude as National did in deciding that Winston was history and needed to be pushed out of Parliament at any cost.
The problem isn’t Winston. It’s Key and it is National.
“You’re taking on the same undemocratic attitude as National did in deciding that Winston was history and needed to be pushed out of Parliament at any cost”
Actually, I’d like you to point to comments where I have said something like that. Or even where you think I’ve said something that.
“The problem isn’t Winston. It’s Key and it is National.”
Even if that were true*, I probably don’t care. As long as Peters remains untrustworthy and unreliable, he’s unreliable and untrustworthy, and a risk. If people who support Peters want to take the conversation further (about how to deal with that) all the good. But at the moment I see alot of denial or wishful thinking, and not much smart analysis or discussion of strategy.
*which it’s not. If Key goes, and NZF support the formation of a third term NACT govt, how is Peters not part of the problem? Seriously, I’ve love to understand how you see that.
If people who support Peters want to take the conversation further (about how to deal with that) all the good. But at the moment I see alot of denial or wishful thinking, and not much smart analysis or discussion of strategy.
I’m all for smart electoral strategy, but the way I figure it, you’re just one step from intellectually green lighting an organised campaign to take Winston Peters/NZF down. Which is of course exactly what National decided to do, going into 2008.
Is LAB/GR having to rely on an unreliable Winston a real risk. Yes it is. I don’t see how alienating him now is any smarter a strategy for Labour/Greens, as that would guarantee him going with the National Party post 2014.
“I’m all for smart electoral strategy, but the way I figure it, you’re just one step from intellectually green lighting an organised campaign to take Winston Peters/NZF down.”
I’d still like you to post a link to where I have said that. Chooky thinks the same about me, but at the least you could actually ask, instead of assuming.
I think when I say “Peters is untrustworthy and unreliable” or “I think the country would be better off without him in parliament*”, you follow a logical line that exists in your head, but not in mine. I also think the left has a problem if I am right: how to reconcile Peters’ unreliability with a strategy other than trying to get rid of him. That’s complex and I don’t see much, if any, discussion on this yet. That’s what I’m getting at. It’s like everyone is just happy to sit and wait and see what happens (and it’s possible that that is the only thing that can be done). I’d like to see at least an attempt to solve the problem.
*which is an expression of my personal antipathy towards the man, not a statement of intent. If/when we get to having a conversation about how it would work, I’ll try an reign in my distaste.
“Norman, Turei, Cunliffe, Parker and Peters are going to have to sit in a room and knock their heads together. That’s about what it is going to boil down to trying to get a deal together IMO.”
To keep expressing antipathy towards Winston Peters (as Weka is doing… and therefore trying to pre-exclude him from any possible but necessary inclusion in a Left coalition ) leading up to the 2014 election, is counterproductive in the extreme.
….It only plays into the hands of John Key’s desperate strategists ….whose only chance of winning the 2014 election is if Peters crosses the electoral threshold and joins Nact in coalition
…it is in Key’s interests if Weka’s strategy pre-excludes Winston and NZF from a Left coalition ( however Weka does not speak for all the Greens or all NZers)
How does my antipathy towards Peters preclude L/GP going into coalition with NZF? That’s just daft, in the extreme. Are you suggesting that people on the left that have valid critique of Peters/NZF should shut the fuck up? Because that’s what your comment sounded like.
And please don’t go down the track of trying to marginalise by comments by stating that I don’t speak for all GP members. Of course I fucking don’t, and nothing I’ve said comes even close to suggesting that. I’m just going to put this down to more of your unusual debating style, but I don’t take kindly to that kind of shit.
Anyhoo… here’s how I see it. Peters IS problematic for the left. It’s better if we are honest about what that means and I think it bears discussing at the strategic level. The other options presented in this discussion are CVs, who reckons we can trust Turei/Norman, Cunliffe and Peters to sort it out. Or your view, which is a confusing mix of Peters is great and trustworthy and you really hope he doesn’t go with NACT and you would prefer a L/GP coalition without him, but you think he is essential to the left too and if needed he would be happy to just be foreign affairs minister and leave L/GP to get on with it, so we should…. not sure what exactly, other than trust Peters with all that.
Myself, I think the best thing for NZ would be a clean, NZF-free coalition govt. It will be interesting to see if the NZF left wing swing voters switch to Labour or not. But it’s likely (30% was CV’s bet) that L/GP will have to negotiate with NZF to form govt, and that presents complexities. I’d like to see those discussed before the next election, not least because a whole bunch of people vote strategically and Peters would be a crucial factor in that decision. I also note that Peters is well known for NOT stating before an election what he will do after an election, and this makes it even more complex.
Good try.
The extremists are actually on the right.
Labour is barely left of centre if you enter their policies on the political compass website. http://www.politicalcompass.org/
No doubt you and Attila would share similar right wing authoritarian views on this site.
I’m not right wing, far from it, so prove I am or piss off with the Atilla bullshit. 😉
I’m sure this site can accommodate both the ultras and the mainstream.
There are extremists on all sides of the political spectrum. Only a fool would deny there isn’t, or an extremist who resents the tag.
Is it the left extremists that are extreme or is it that society has become right extreme and that the so called left extremists only appear extreme to those that sit in the so called centre?
Go on the political website and you’ll see where the British Labour Party and the US Democrats are.
Both notably right wing and authoritarian.
My views would have been quite centrist – left of centre – in the 1970s and are now considered extreme left by Messrs Key and Joyce..
“No doubt you and Attila would share similar right wing authoritarian views on this site.”
No, I’m happy to quote from the site ‘about’ link.
“We come from a variety of backgrounds and our political views don’t always match up but it’d be fair to say that all of us share a commitment to the values and principles that underpin the broad labour movement and we hope that perspective will come through strongly as you read the blog.”
Indeed, there’s no disputing that the Snowdon revelations have done us all a favour by reminding us that as users our expectations of privacy have been hopelessly naive but again, where’s the line in the sand – you and I – we’re thoroughly decent fellows so we’re entitled to privacy?
Civil liberties are a brake on the powers exercised by government and its agents. Privacy is not just a nice to have, it is critical to the function of a democracy and a society.
The law has many protocols in place to safeguard privacy yet balance the need for law enforcement and investigation. These protocols have been developed over many decades.
So what makes you think that the last of our legal protections as citizens should be stripped? Do you trust this government and all future governments that much?
The Swiss are going for a referendum on a universal income. Interesting in the Euro Zone where so many will applaud this as a rethink of what is perceived as work especially with the ever increasing “outsourcing” to automated processes. Of cause there are also many will not agree calling it an invitation to be lazy. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/04/us-swiss-pay-idUSBRE9930O620131004
Universal Income!
That is what Gareth Morgan was advocating. Every adult would receive about $2,000 per month. This would end all Social Welfare payments and in NZ it would put Paula Bennett out of a job. Well worth exploring Foreign Waka!
It seems that many people havent received their voting papers for Local Body Elections. I havent received mine yet and time is rapidly running out. This is just not good enough and seems a little strange to me. Hopefully there are a few blips in the system not thousands!
I haven’t received mine either. When I contacted them they said I was unenrolled as they sent me a letter and I didn’t respond. Is strange as the only letter I received was about whether I wanted to be on the general or Maori roll which I responded to as I changed roll.
I have resolved to make my way to the Council offices on Monday and make my vote there.
I imagine that due to poor media coverage of these elections plus the general public disinterest in local body politics, most people who don’t receive their papers won’t go to this trouble.
The early mentions of the term hasbara in English mainstream print media[12] date from the late 1970s and describe hasbara as “overseas image-building.”[13] According to The Washington Post, this work “is called hasbara when the purpose is to reshape public opinion abroad.”[14] In the early 1980s, hasbara was defined as a “public relations campaign,”[15] In Newsweek it was described as “explaining.”[16] In 1986, the New York Times reported that a program for “communicating defense goals” was started in the late 1970s, and a 1984 implementation of a “Hasbara Project” to “train foreign-service officers in communications by placing them with American companies
The Israel Citizens Information Council (ICIC) says its purpose is “to assist efforts to explain Israeli life from the vantage point of the average Israeli citizen. Towards that end, the ICIC enlists Israelis from all walks of life to participate in its various projects
The passion with which the state of Israel is defended in the media and the number of fervent internet defenders certainly make it look as if something organised is happening.
The National Government of NZ has spent the last 5 years predominantly doing little more than attacking and destroying your freedom and rights.
From the TransPacific Partnership deals, Deep Sea Oil Drilling/Fracking and the anti-protest laws, the Privatisation of our State Assets including State Housing Sales, the Punitive Welfare Reforms, and the divestment in public health.
Education Reform including the introduction of National Standards, and the creation of Charter Schools. Removal of Employment Rights, regressive tax and banking, a lack of investment in public transport and renewable energy sources and giving over more power to the GCSB to be allowed to spy on us all indiscriminately
… The neo-liberalist, right-wing National Government is not serving the best interests of the people and needs to go! This Nationwide Day of Action Against the National Government is to let them known we want them gone!
The speakers are confirmed for the Nationwide Day of Action Against The National Governernment!
1pm Aotea Square in Auckland MC’d by Talk Show host and NZ Alternative Media man Vinny Eastwood
6 speakers with 5 mins each to lay out some hard hitting facts.
Paul Carruthers: Exposing corruption in The National Government during the Alan Hubbard Saga (background here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT1bevgQ1gM) Paul has the flu and will not be able to attend but a statement from him will be read out on the day
Penny Bright: Teaching us about the corrupt Council for Auckland and The National Govt Agenda to privatize and sell out the city and nation to corporate interests with the TPPA (background here:http://youtu.be/ccw_1SngVlM?t=2m51s)
Sue Henry: Covering the privatization of state housing and the massive corruption amid Glen Innes trying to prevent their community being demolished (background here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fCJBsQXtYI)
Russell Malcolm: 10 years ago he got the whole rodney council (indluding the mayor) fired for corruption! He recently tried to do it again and was arrested without charge (5 weeks till the 2008 election) and had his bail conditions (including prohibited from contacting any NZ minister or using the internet) by John Key himself! (background here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov_kXEU6vkc)
Kiri Campbell: Mother of 8 who made an incredible withdrawal of $15 million from TSB bank just to prove the banking system is so corrupt that it can be manipulated and money made up from nothing! She was tried inside a shut down police station and 3 cops tried to break her arm, they weren’t wearing badge numbers, secret police! (Background here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6eaaOB91VM)
Vincent Ross Siemer: The countries most credible judicial watchdog who is going to reveal that the National Government is trying to prevent investigation into court corruption during their term! (full story here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY4ip9kGMwg)
Marama Davidson: Speaking to the Welfare reforms under National how the government is attacking our most vulnerable and disadvantaged. (back story http://youtu.be/1JcZmSmDoLY?t=1h1m18s)
Ross Ulbricht and his ” Randian yawp” – beautiful.
Now, my goals have shifted. I want to use economic theory as a means to abolish the use of coercion and agression (sic) amongst mankind. Just as slavery has been abolished most everywhere, I believe violence, coercion and all forms of force by one person over another can come to an end. The most widespread and systemic use of force is amongst institutions and governments, so this is my current point of effort. The best way to change a government is to change the minds of the governed, however. To that end, I am creating an economic simulation to give people a first-hand experience of what it would be like to live in a world without the systemic use of force.
That passage would be familiar to anyone who’s ever participated in the online forums where the Internet’s seemingly endless supply of techno-libertarians roam free. A young, technically-competent young man with a hard science or engineering background, issuing his digital Randian yawp: “I’m going Galt, and I’m going to reshape the world!”
Thanks flor the link. A brilliant and sobering commentary.
I’ve just watched ‘American History X’ and it’s frightening to see how closely the current ‘primal scream’ of the evangelicals and tea partyists echoes Edward Norton’s brilliant and passionate portrayal of Derek Vinyard’s views on the threat of immigrants and blacks to white society
btw, a week out from the LBE and there is a record low turnout -3Newz, ranging from 14% of eligible in Auckland to 32% in CHB , yet Colin James identifies the rise of a new localism (parochialism, yet, it has it’s benefits) in response to “the worst central government (power-grab) centralization since the 30’s, or even the change from Provincial Government in the 1800’s”.
Oh well, Excellent to see the Living Wage movement gaining further traction; if the right, and the wealthy can just get over their sense if entitlement, they’d realize more equity flowing would benefit them as well.
Like so often, late at night, I come across much, and some real “educational” and “informative” stuff. This is worth noting and perhaps looking at by all WINZ clients, especially those worried about medical and work ability assessments:
It seems to be getting damned serious what is going on, and this happened even before the last, new absolutely draconian changes came in in mid July this year.
You better prepare and be aware of what may hit you!!!
Tomorrow afternoon, if things go really really badly, I may find myself down to one eye. People who used to sneer at me on Twitter will no doubt say So what's changed? Nothing, that's what, you one-eyed lefty.I don’t mean to be dramatic, it’s just a routine bit of cataract ...
A few weeks ago an invitation dropped into my email inbox to attend a joint Treasury/Motu seminar on recent, rather major, changes that had apparently been made to the discount rates used by The Treasury to evaluate proposals from government agencies. It was all news to me, but when ...
All your life is Time magazineI read it tooWhat does it mean?PressureI'm sure you'll have some cosmic rationaleBut here you are with your faithAnd your Peter Pan adviceYou have no scars on your faceAnd you cannot handle pressureSongwriter: Billy Joel.Christopher Luxon is under pressure from all sides. The reviews are ...
After seeing yet-more-months of political debate and policy decisions to ‘go for growth’ by pulling the same old cheap migration and cheap tourism levers without nearly-enough infrastructure, or any attempt to address the same old lack of globally conventional tax incentives for investment, I thought it would be worth issuing ...
The plans for the buildings that will replace the downtown carpark have been publicly notified giving us the first detailed glance at what is proposed for one of the biggest and best development sites in the city centre. The council agreed to sell the site to Precinct Properties for $122 ...
With the Reserve Bank expected today to return the Official Cash Rate to where it was in mid-2022 comes a measure of how much of a psychological impact the rate has. Federated Farmers has published its latest six-monthly farm confidence survey, which shows that profit expectations have fallen and risen ...
Kiwis Disallowed From Waiting Lists Based on Arbitrary MeasuresWellington hospital are now rejecting patients from specialist waiting lists due to BMI (body mass index).This article from Rachel Thomas for The Post says it all (emphasis mine):A group of Porirua GPs are sounding alarm bells after patients with body mass indexes ...
The Prime Minister says he's really comfortable with us not knowing the reoffending rate for his boot camp programme.They asked him for it at yesterday’s press conference, and he said, nah, not telling, have to respect people's privacy.Okay I'll bite. Let's say they release this information to us:The rate of ...
Warning 1: There is a Nazi theme at the end of this article related to the disabled community. Warning 2: This article could be boring!One day, last year, I excitedly opened up a Substack post that was about how to fight back, and the answer at the end was disappointing ...
This may be rhetorical but here goes: did any of you invest in the $Libra memecoin endorsed and backed by Argentine president and darling of the global Right Javier Milei (who admitted to being paid a fee for his promotion of the token)? You know, the one that soared above ...
Last week various of the great and good of New Zealand economics and public policy trooped off to Hamilton (of all places) for the annual Waikato Economics Forum, one of the successful marketing drives of university’s Vice-Chancellor. My interest was in the speeches delivered by the Minister of Finance and ...
The Prime Minister says the Government would be open to sending peacekeepers to Ukraine if a ceasefire was reached. The government has announced a $30 million spend on tourism infrastructure and biodiversity projects, including $11m spent to improve popular visitor sites and further $19m towards biodiversity efforts. A New Zealand-born ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler “But what about when the sun doesn't shine?!” Ah yes, the energy debate’s equivalent of “The Earth is flat!” Every time someone mentions solar or wind power, some self-proclaimed energy expert emerges from the woodwork to drop this supposedly devastating truth bomb: ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article I look into data on how well the rail network serve New Zealanders, and how many people might be able to travel by train… if we ran more than a ...
Hi,Before we get into Hayden Donnell’s new column about how yes, Donald Trump is definitely the Antichrist, I wanted to touch on something feral that happened in New Zealand last week.Members of Destiny Church pushed and punched their way into an Auckland library, apparently angry it was part of Pride ...
Despite delays, logjams and overcrowding in our emergency departments, funding constraints are limiting the numbers of nurses and doctors being trained. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, February 18 are:A NZ Herald investigation ...
Now that the US has ripped up the Atlantic alliance, Europe is more vulnerable now than at any time since the mid-1930s. Apparently, Europe and Ukraine itself will not have a seat at the table in the talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin that will ...
Olivia and Noah and Hana are going to the library!It is fun to go to the library. It has books and songs and mat time and people who smile at you and say, Hello Olivia, what have you been doing this morning?The library is more fun than the mall. At ...
New World Orders: The challenge facing Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins is how to keep their small and vulnerable nation safe and stable in a world whose economic and political climate the forty-seventh American president is changing so profoundly.IT IS, SURELY, the ultimate Millennial revenge fantasy. Calling senior Baby-Boomer and Gen-X ...
“This might surprise you, Laurie, but I reckon Trump’s putting on a bloody impressive performance.”“GOODNESS ME, HANNAH, just look at all those Valentine’s Day cards!”“Occupational hazard, Laurie, the more beer I serve, the more my customers declare their undying love!”“Crikey! I had no idea business was so good.” Laurie squinted ...
In 2005, Labour repealed the long-standing principle of birthright citizenship in Aotearoa. Why? As with everything else Labour does, it all came down to austerity: "foreign mothers" were supposedly "coming to this country to give birth", and this was "put[ting] pressure on hospitals". Then-Immigration Minister George Hawkins explicitly gave this ...
And I just hope that you can forgive usBut everything must goAnd if you need an explanation, nationThen everything must goSongwriters: James Dean Bradfield / Sean Anthony Moore / Nicholas Allen Jones.Today, I’d like to talk about a couple of things that happened over the weekend:Brian Tamaki’s Library Invasion and ...
New reporting highlights how Brooke van Velden refuses to meet with the CTU but is happy to meet with fringe Australian-based unions. Van Velden is pursuing reckless changes to undermine the personal grievance system against the advice of her own officials. Engineering New Zealand are saying that hundreds of engineers ...
The NZCTU strongly supports the Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill. This Bill represents a positive step towards addressing serious issues around unlawful disparities in pay by protecting workers’ rights to discuss their pay and conditions. This Bill also provides welcome support for helping tackle the prevalent gender and ...
Years of hard work finally paid off last week as the country’s biggest and most important transport project, the City Rail Link reached a major milestone with the first test train making its way slowly though the tunnels for the first time. This is a fantastic achievement and it is ...
Engineers are pleading for the Government to free up funds to restart stalled projects. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, February 17 are:Engineering New Zealand CEO Richard Templer said yesterday hundreds of ...
It’s one of New Zealand’s great sustaining myths: the spirit of ANZAC, our mates across the ditch, the spirit of Earl’s Court, Antipodeans united against the world. It is also a myth; it is not reality. That much was clear from a series of speakers, including a former Australian Prime ...
Many people have been unsatisfied for years that things have not improved for them, some as individuals, many more however because their families are clearly putting in more work, for less money – and certainly far less purchase on society. This general discontent has grown exponentially since the GFC. ...
A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 9, 2025 thru Sat, February 15, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report shows worsening food poverty and housing shortages mean more than 400,000 people now need welfare support, the highest level since the 1990s. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and ...
You're just too too obscure for meOh you don't really get through to meAnd there's no need for you to talk that wayIs there any less pessimistic things to say?Songwriters: Graeme DownesToday, I thought we’d take a look at some of the most cringe-inducing moments from last week, but don’t ...
Please note: I’ve delayed my “What can we do?” article for this video.The video above shows Destiny Church members assaulting staff and librarians as they pushed through to a room of terrified parents and young children.It was posted to social media last night.But if you read Sinead Boucher’s Stuff, you ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is sea level rise exaggerated? Sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, not stagnating or decreasing. Warming global temperatures cause land ice ...
Here is a scenario, but first a historical parallel. Hitler and the Nazis could well have accomplished everything that they wanted to do within German borders, including exterminating Jews, so long as they confined their ambitious to Germany itself. After all, the world pretty much sat and watched as the ...
I’ve spent the last couple of days in Hamilton covering Waikato University’s annual NZ Economics Forum, where (arguably) three of the most influential people in our political economy right now laid out their thinking in major speeches about the size and role of Government, their views on for spending, tax ...
Simeon Brown’s Ideology BentSimeon Brown once told Kiwis he tries to represent his deep sense of faith by interacting “with integrity”.“It’s important that there’s Christians in Parliament…and from my perspective, it’s great to be a Christian in Parliament and to bring that perspective to [laws, conversations and policies].”And with ...
Severe geological and financial earthquakes are inevitable. We just don’t know how soon and how they will play out. Are we putting the right effort into preparing for them?Every decade or so the international economy has a major financial crisis. We cannot predict exactly when or exactly how it will ...
Questions1. How did Old Mate Grabaseat describe his soon-to-be-Deputy-PM’s letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne?a.Ill-advisedb.A perfect letterc.A letter that will live in infamyd.He had me at hello2. What did Seymour say in response?a.What’s ill-advised is commenting when you don’t know all the facts and ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff has called on OJI Fibre Solutions to work with the government, unions, and the community before closing the Kinleith Paper Mill. “OJI has today announced 230 job losses in what will be a devastating blow for the community. OJI needs to work with ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is sounding the alarm about the latest attack on workers from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, who is ignoring her own officials to pursue reckless changes that would completely undermine the personal grievance system. “Brooke van Velden’s changes will ...
Hi,When I started writing Webworm in 2020, I wrote a lot about the conspiracy theories that were suddenly invading our Twitter timelines and Facebook feeds. Four years ago a reader, John, left this feedback under one of my essays:It’s a never ending labyrinth of lunacy which, as you have pointed ...
And if you said this life ain't good enoughI would give my world to lift you upI could change my life to better suit your moodBecause you're so smoothAnd it's just like the ocean under the moonOh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from youYou got the ...
Aotearoa remains the minority’s birthright, New Zealand the majority’s possession. WAITANGI DAY commentary see-saws manically between the warmly positive and the coldly negative. Many New Zealanders consider this a good thing. They point to the unexamined patriotism of July Fourth and Bastille Day celebrations, and applaud the fact that the ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine; on the ...
Up until now, the prevailing coalition view of public servants was that there were simply too many of them. But yesterday the new Public Service Commissioner, handpicked by the Luxon Government, said it was not so much numbers but what they did and the value they produced that mattered. Sir ...
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guests and ...
In a moment we explore the question: What is Andrew Bayly wanting to tell ACC, and will it involve enjoying a small wine tasting and then telling someone to fuck off? But first, for context, a broader one: What do we look for in a government?Imagine for a moment, you ...
As expected, Donald Trump just threw Ukraine under the bus, demanding that it accept Russia's illegal theft of land, while ruling out any future membership of NATO. Its a colossal betrayal, which effectively legitimises Russia's invasion, while laying the groundwork for the next one. But Trump is apparently fine with ...
A ballot for a single member's bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Employment Relations (Collective Agreements in Triangular Relationships) Amendment Bill (Adrian Rurawhe) The bill would extend union rights to employees in triangular relationships, where they are (nominally) employed by one party, but ...
This is a guest post by George Weeks, reviewing a book called ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin AshtonBook review: ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton (2015) – and what it means for Auckland. The title of this article might unnerve any Greater Auckland ...
This story was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Within just a week, the sheer devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires has pushed to the fore fundamental questions about the impact of the climate crisis that have been ...
In this world, it's just usYou know it's not the same as it wasSongwriters: Harry Edward Styles / Thomas Edward Percy Hull / Tyler Sam JohnsonYesterday, I received a lovely message from Caty, a reader of Nick’s Kōrero, that got me thinking. So I thought I’d share it with you, ...
In past times a person was considered “unserious” or “not a serious” person if they failed to grasp, behave and speak according to the solemnity of the context in which they were located. For example a serious person does not audibly pass gas at Church, or yell “gun” at a ...
Long stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 13 are:The coalition Government’s early 2024 ‘fiscal emergency’ freeze on funding, planning and building houses, schools, local roads and hospitals helped extend and deepen the economic and jobs recession through calendar ...
For obvious reasons, people feel uneasy when the right to be a citizen is sold off to wealthy foreigners. Even selling the right to residency seems a bit dubious, when so many migrants who are not millionaires get turned away or are made to jump through innumerable hoops – simply ...
A new season of White Lotus is nearly upon us: more murder mystery, more sumptuous surroundings, more rich people behaving badly.Once more we get to identify with the experience of the pampered tourist or perhaps the poorly paid help; there's something in White Lotus for all New Zealanders.And unlike the ...
In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...
1. You’ve started ranking your politicians on how much they respect the rule of law2. You’ve stopped paying attention to those news publications3. You’ve developed a sudden interest in a particular period of history4. More and more people are sounding like your racist, conspiracist uncle.5. Someone just pulled a Nazi ...
Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
“The ACT Party can’t be bothered putting an MP on one of the Justice subcommittees hearing submissions on their own Treaty Principles Bill,” Labour Justice Spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
The Government’s newly announced funding for biodiversity and tourism of $30-million over three years is a small fraction of what is required for conservation in this country. ...
The Government's sudden cancellation of the tertiary education funding increase is a reckless move that risks widespread job losses and service reductions across New Zealand's universities. ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
There is certainly plenty of room for better police training for dealing with protest activity that starts with a rights-based approach to ensuring people can fully exercise their human rights. ...
“We are thrilled that this Bill is making its way through the House and looks set to become law,” said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isaac Gross, Lecturer in Economics, Monash University Gumbariya/Shutterstock The Reserve Bank’s decision to cut interest rates for the first time in four years has triggered a round of celebration. Mortgage holders are cheering the fact their monthly repayments are now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Housing supply in Australia will be a key battleground in the election campaign. With home ownership more and more out of reach for young and not so young Australians, red tape and low productivity are ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Korolev, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, UNSW Sydney The United States and Russia agreed to work on a plan to end the war in Ukraine at high-level talks in Saudi Arabia this week. Ukrainian and European representatives were pointedly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karleen Gribble, Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University BaLL LunLa/Shutterstock Sleep is the holy grail for new parents. So no wonder many tired parents are looking for something to help their babies sleep. A TikTok trend claims ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ranjana Gupta, Senior Lecturer, Accounting Department, Auckland University of Technology Jirsak/Shutterstock The profit made on every breakfast bowl of weet-bix is tax exempt, giving Sanitarium Health Food Company, owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, an advantage over other breakfast food companies. ...
A closer look at some of the homegrown talent currently commanding television screens around the globe. The new season of The White Lotus hit our screens this week, and with it a familiar face in New Zealand actor Morgana O’Reilly. To secure a role in one of the world’s most ...
"This is a crisis of the Government’s own making and the unit is another sign of desperation," said PSA acting national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Francesca Perugia, Senior Lecturer, School of Design and the Built Environment, Curtin University Australia’s housing crisis has created a push for fast-tracked construction. Federal, state and territory governments have set a target of 1.2 million new homes over five years. Increasing housing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ash Watson, Scientia Fellow and Senior Lecturer, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock When we’re uncomfortable we say the “vibe is off”. When we’re having a good time we’re “vibing”. To assess the mood we do a “vibe check”. And when the atmosphere in ...
What’s up with the man from Epsom? The leader of the Act Party has been in plenty of headlines in the last two weeks, ranging from a controversial letter to police on behalf of constituent Philip Polkinghorne (written before David Seymour was a minister) to an attempt to drive ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Stephenson, Deputy Director, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, Australian National University Newly published research has found clear evidence that openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer+ (LGBTIQ+) Australian politicians were disproportionately targeted with personal abuse on social media at the ...
Gilmore Girls, Schitt’s Creek, even The Vampire Diaries – they’re all set in tight-knit neighbourhoods where everyone knows everyone. So what is it like to actually know your neighbours? My favourite television shows are set in tight-knit neighbourhoods where everyone knows everyone. Characters attend town meetings where they debate local ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yanyan Hong, PhD Candidate in Communication and Media Studies, University of Adelaide IMDB On the surface, Ne Zha 2: The Sea’s Fury (2025), the sequel to the 2019 Chinese blockbuster Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child, is a high-octane, action-packed and ...
Wellington travellers say their buses are so hot they’re often forced to get off early and walk. Shanti Mathias explores the impact of non-functioning air conditioning on public transport. When Bella, a young professional living in Wellington, thinks about taking the bus, her first thought is “Ugh”. The bus might ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Annette Kroen, Research Fellow Planning and Transport, RMIT University The cleanup is underway in northern Queensland following the latest flooding catastrophe to hit the state. More than 7,000 insurance claims have already been lodged, most of them for inundated homes and other ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Subha Parida, Lecturer in Property, University of South Australia Carl Oberg/Shutterstock Houses and fire do not mix. The firestorm which hit Los Angeles in January destroyed nearly 2,000 buildings and forced 130,000 people to evacuate. The 2019–20 Australian megafires destroyed ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Bowman, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, University of Tasmania Tasmania has been burning for more than two weeks, with no end in sight. Almost 100,000 hectares of bushland in the northwest has burned to date. This includes the Tarkine rainforest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Loosemore, Professor of Construction Management, University of Technology Sydney This week, the Productivity Commission released its much-awaited report into productivity growth in Australia’s housing construction sector. It wasn’t a glowing appraisal. The commission found physical productivity – the total number ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pascale Lubbe, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Molecular Ecology, University of Otago Royal spoonbills are among several new species that have crossed the Tasman and naturalised in New Zealand. JJ Harrison/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA When people arrived on the shores of Aotearoa ...
Stats NZ’s head is stepping down over the agency’s failure to safeguard census data, and more officials may soon be in the firing line, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. An ‘absolutely unacceptable’ failure Stats NZ chief ...
Health NZ is under greater government scrutiny, with the new health minister setting up a unit he says will "drive greater accountability and performance". ...
Manurewa Marae acknowledges should have done better at handling completed census forms, following an inquiry into steps government agencies took to protect data. ...
Police failed to protect people from protesters at a high-profile rally and made unlawful arrests at another, the Independent Police Conduct Authority says. ...
Comment: Crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are making it easier for people to invest in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum without having to handle digital wallets or private keys. These allow investors to buy and sell cryptocurrency through their regular brokerage accounts.This has opened the door for billions of dollars ...
“This is fast becoming the defining issue in Auckland’s election and it is a good one. It might seem trivial beside long-term population plans, housing densities and commuter rail schemes”
Is John Roughan New Zealand’s worst journalist?
“The great berm debate ”
Un.believable.
The Herald is shite.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11134937
Further evidence of a very poor paper.
Inaccuracy.
“I was at school with my cousin [Tony Aiuta] and brother [Maungakiekie Labour MP Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga],” says the new Fletcher Residential general manager.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11134971
He’s a National M.P.
Does the Herald research its topics?!
Looks like the “Labour” reference has been edited out now.
Proof Reading is a dying art. As everyone relies on spell checkers these days.
who needs a subeditor when you can blame microsoft.
Just a comment from Penny Bright 3/10 about Auckland no doubt but quite pertinent for all.
It is clear to me that private sector ‘high-flyers’ don’t transmogrify into competent ‘public servants’.
Kiss your/our money goodbye.
On the very eve of latest IPCC report:
In New Zealand…..
To carry out a major act of corporate welfare,
An international treaty is broken,
A major climate crime is committed,
Hundreds of jobs in the renewable sector are held up.
Honour the Majuro Declaration
Cancel the Bail Out
Shut Down Solid Energy
Restart Rauauru Ma Raki
Why arent freeview satelitte and UHF content identical, we have city freeview and rural so free depends on where you live as satellite has less than UHF, isnt is meant to be kiwi for tv.
Do UHF aerials not work to receive Freeview in rural areas?
Edit: OK explained here. The satellites can’t carry the same amount of channels as the UHF terrestrial system of broadcast. And UHF signals have a limited range.
Not just rural areas; half of Karori can’t get UHF.
This is a brilliant interview of Glenn Greenwald (NSA, GCHQ, 5 Eyes-exposing journalist, working on the Snowden material).
A good illustration of a journalist (Greenwald) being interviewed by a “journalist” (Wark). Still Wark is a million times better than anyone I’ve ever seen here in NZ 🙁
‘
Greens slam Solid Energy Bail Out
(Labour stays silent)*
*As does every single Standard author to date
Good of you to point out what you think The Standard authors should be writing about.
Jenny, get off your soap box. So keen to point out you know better than everyone else. There’s been too many issues and too little time for us voluntary authors.
There’s been posts of climate change, and, for me, issues of poverty and people struggling to survive NOW! need significant attention.
An author has been working on a draft of a solid energy post. Now I’ve gotta get to work.
Don’t tell us what we have to spend our hard-pressed time on. And still using your bullying tactics I see.
+100
Great stuff karol, I can’t wait to see it. I imagine that they will not be having an easy time.
Will they be for it Like Labour, or against it like the Greens?
US draws ahead of Russia and Saudi Arabia
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/oct/04/us-oil-natural-gas-production-russia-saudi-arabia?
as worlds top FOSSIL FUEL extractor
Jenny, if you care to look,(past the end of your nose that is), you will find that Labour’s Clayton Cosgrove had plenty to say about Solid Energy and it’s bailout…
I wouldn’t say it was plenty. But it was plenty cryptic. But I think we can safely take it as read, 12, that Clayton Cosgrove and the Labour Party would have done the same thing, if not more, to subsidise Solid Energy’s continued needless destruction of the climate.
You are a fucking liar, Jenny.
Clayton Cosgrove quoted in Radio NZ on 1 October:
“The Labour Party said taxpayers were footing the bill for Solid Energy’s restructure, when it was the Government’s fault that the state coal miner was in financial trouble.
Labour’s Clayton Cosgrove said National was warned time and again that Solid Energy was in trouble, and ministers refused to listen and took no action.
He said the deal announced on Tuesday was too little too late.”
And on TV3’s website today:
Labour’s state owned enterprises spokesman, Clayton Cosgrove, says the company is a mess.
“It took a $335M hit, earnings were down 78 percent, it paid $13M in redundancy to white collar corporate staff and had to write off $150M in abandoned projects,” he said.
“The public needs answers to how that happened.”
Interesting switch from slandering the Green Party to slandering Labour.
Thank you for this QoT I followed your links:
Ged O’Connel of the EPMU stated the obvious, and said that with out the bail out, Solid Energy “would be likely to close down.”
From this I think we can take it that Ged O’Connel and the EPMU support the bail out.
Gareth Hughes said that the National Government should “cut their losses” and the “Solid Energy workers need a just transition into more sustainable jobs – that don’t fry the planet.”
From this we can take it that Gareth Hughes and the Green party condemn the bailout.
Clayton Cosgrove said the deal “was too little too late.”*
Hmmm. What does this mean?
If you take Clayton Cosgrove’s words literally, then Labour would have given Solid Energy more, sooner.
This is probably not what Clayton Cosgrove literally meant. But I think it can be taken, that Clayton Cosgrove and the Labour Party support the bail out.
That Labour support this chilling climate crime, that Labour coldly support the flouting of both the letter and the intent of the recently signed up to Majuro Declaration, and that Labour support the moth balling of the Rauauru Ma Raki project in favour of coal.
I think I can see why the authors at The Standard might have a problem commenting on this.
*Yes I did miss this. But that is not the same as being a “fucking liar” as you continually accuse me of QoT.
Being a religious fundamentalist and fanatic suits you. Perhaps you envision yourself leading some kind of Climate Change Inquisition?
Ah colonial this is how you work abuse and yell the loudest to get your way. Rhetoric not your strong point – so you just a bully.
I thought my point was very clear and succinct, actually.
CV politics is all about pressure. To some on the receiving end of this pressure, it may feel like torture. But I assure you, it is not, it is just the psychic pain of ideologies clashing. As such it is subjective. Break on through to the other side, and you will feel much better.
You are well on the way to constructing your religion. Complete with the promise of both philosophical and ideological transformation. Congratulations.
I don’t think it counts as a religion if I am the only one it. That is unless you are willing to confess your sins and convert.
Judith Collins is not happy to listen to submissions as to cause and effect:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11135045
This redoubles the arrogant, hubristic, “stroke-of-the-pen” approach employed by her predecessor in Justice Simon Power.
The formula goes like this: scandalise and blame the practitioners, cement in the uninformed public mind a ghastly culpability, open illusory “discussion” and rapidly close it, then by stroke-of-the-pen do exactly what was intended to be done in the first place.
The precedent is seen in Legal Aid: commission at God knows what cost the “well respected senior civil servant” (Dame Margaret Bazley) to lend the illustrious name to an already written fictitious report based in anecdote and gossip. This becomes The Bible. Use it to scandalise legal aid practitioners as a class. Engage sham discussion then by stoke-of-the-pen do what was always intended to be done. Cynical, manipulative, disingenuous framing of the debate.
Who suffers ? It’s the The Poor that’s whom. And in the bigger picture the very ethos of Justice in New Zealand. It’s bloody lucky for Power and Collins that the Judiciary is generally constrained to bite its tongue. Well, not all of its members –
Justice Andrew Tipping’s final sitting – speech
Retiring Supreme Court Justice Andrew Tipping has questioned whether New Zealand’s current legal aid system is consistent with the observance of fundamental rights under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
In a speech at his final Supreme Court sitting on 17 August 2012, Sir Andrew reflected on major legal developments over his 50 years as a law student, practitioner and judge, as well as issues relating to the future of the legal system and its administration.
Considering problems in the legal aid system, he suggested “re-examining how legal aid should be delivered.”
“My concern is that the solution those genuine problems received resembled the use of a sledgehammer to crack a nut,” he said.
The scope of legal aid and the rates of remuneration were now at a level that seriously risked compromising the delivery of justice, at least in some fields.
Sir Andrew asked whether the current legal aid system was consistent with the observance of these fundamental rights under section 24(d) and section 25(h) of the Bill of Rights, as well as whether the cuts to legal aid would actually save tax payer money.
“The irony is that the money saved by not granting legal aid is very often overtaken by corresponding, if not greater costs being incurred elsewhere. I refer to the extra work needed by the registry staff and the Judges themselves when an appellant is unrepresented. It is a false economy that we seem to be pursuing,” he said.
He also reflected on the relationship between the Ministry of Justice and the Judiciary and how it should be described as one of “mutual co-operation” rather than partnership. This separation was necessary to maintain separation and balance of powers.
“Judges are appointed to judge and Ministry staff are appointed to administer the Courts and provide the infrastructure necessary to enable the Judges to discharge their judicial responsibilities,” Sir Andrew said.
“The concept of partnership risks a failure to recognise the necessary separation of powers.
“I must say that in my time as a Judge I have noticed an increasing lack of understanding and appreciation of the role of the higher courts as the third branch of government.”
This from the Law Society website. Google “Justice Andrew Tipping – Final Sitting”
A week in politics is a long time. (Especially, if you are ignoring climate change).
Uf it’s all you want to talk about, the either talk about it, or go and read a blog that focuses on it.
Whinging that no one is talking about it here at the moment is pure trolling.
From TS author James Henderson last Sunday (that’s within the last week), on climate change.
Post from Lynn the day before (last Saturday) on the IPCC AR5 report.
Comment from me on open mike last Wednesday, on Gareth Hughes comment on the government’s privatisation by stealth of Solid Energy.
Sometimes I think something is important, but don’t have time to organise it into a post and/or do more background research on it, I post a comment on to Open Mike – quicker to do when I have other stuff to attend to
Comment from me on Open Mike on Friday, in the morning before I had to rush out for most of the day – critical of the NZ Herald editorial that supported the privatisation of solid energy.
And that’s why I don’t bother reading many of your comments, Jenny. You are often an unreliable commentator.
+1
Somebody needs to tell this government to get with the times. Fascism is so last century.
One for Tau:
‘During the second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her fifties, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.
Before the class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. ‘Absolutely,’ said the professor. ‘In your careers you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello.’
I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.’ – Joanne C. Jones
+1
I like that teacher, but who is Tau? Is he really significant?
Thanks karol, so 18 channels available, 6 each to tvnz, mediawonks neither being fully used. 6 for the rest, one of which is sky owned prime.
A wasted allocation and aljazerra will stay UHF, what a craptacular outcome and no prizes for guessing how the VHF spectrum sellout will pan out.
Free sports channell only to those who can receive a UHF signal, west coast and major rural sectors pretty much screwed.
In our provincial town a UHF aerial will no longer work. A dish is compulsory. And we do not get all the channels available elsewhere on Freeview. Still. Not much to see anyway.
Paltry as it may be, it should at least be consistent across both delivery mechanisms. Im sure the rural community would appreciate the free sport and aljazerra.
As John Key’s and Nact’s only hope of winning the 2014 election would seem to be with Winston Peters ( and NZF) as a coalition partner
…the Left should be very aware that it will be of number one importance in Key and Nacts eyes that a unbridgable wedge is driven between Winston Peters( and his past and present supporters) and the Left.
What will the Nact secret spinners and strategists try and do?… given the fact that Winston hates many of their policies and has opposed them vehemently…eg.
1)..Sale of State Assets
2)..the GCSB bill
3) …sale of NZ land and housing to foreigners
4)….also Winston worked very well with Helen Clark and helped her form the last Labour govt of her term in office
I suggest that the secret planners, strategists and spinners will try and drive a huge wedge between the Greens and Winston ….and they will try and drive a wedge between Labour and Winston ….and discredit and undermine anyone on the Left who defends Winston ….as being irrational, superficial, or not on the Left….( dont fall into their traps)
Given the crucial importance of Winston (NZF) to Key in forming a coalition to win the 2014 election!…LOOK VERY CLOSELY AT HOW NACT WILL WANT TO PLAY THIS
The best option is to get your friends and family out to vote Labour and/or Green so they can govern alone without NZ first and relying on flakey minor extremist parties.
True, but I think that a back up plan is needed, as Winston’s ability to engage the electorate is not to be underestimated.
There is a pretty good chance (say 1/3 or higher) that LAB/GR will need NZF next year.
As I’ve said before, I’d rather have a 5% Winston in government than the 1% extremists left wing.
Still, fingers crossed Labour and the Greens can get a working majority and can choose to leave all the cabs on the rank.
Even if that 5% Winston supports the formation of a third term NACT govt? Seriously?
“There is a pretty good chance (say 1/3 or higher) that LAB/GR will need NZF next year.”
Yes, and shouldn’t the left be talking about this and what how it can be done?
“Even if that 5% Winston supports the formation of a third term NACT govt? Seriously?”
Obviously not, but for the sake of clarity, I’d rather have a 5% Winston in a Lab/Green government than rely on the 1% extremist left wing.
“Yes, and shouldn’t the left be talking about this and what how it can be done?”
Off you go then. What do you suggest other than what I wrote in 11.1?
“Obviously not, but for the sake of clarity, I’d rather have a 5% Winston in a Lab/Green government than rely on the 1% extremist left wing.”
Yes, and sorry to keep banging on about it, but what makes you think that there is a choice between a 5% Winston left and a 5% Winston right?
““Yes, and shouldn’t the left be talking about this and what how it can be done?”
Off you go then. What do you suggest other than what I wrote in 11.1?”
Very good advice I thought. I was meaning that the left also needs to get to grips with a 5% Winston and what that means at and after the next election. Mostly I see people either hoping that L/GP have enough to govern without NZF (or that NZF fails the 5%), or they just ignore the problem – see most posts and comments on Roy Morgan polls. In the first instance getting past the denial would be good 😉
Sure there’s a chance Winston could go Nat, so I agree his seats and support shouldn’t be taken for granted, not that I’ve read anyone on here doing that.
I also don’t know anyone who votes for him, but if I did, and knew they wanted out from this key Government, I’d advise them to vote Labour and/or Green, just in case. There’s not really much else one can do about it, and certainly not until much closer to election time.
Gut feeling if they break the threshold, he’s getting a ministerial BMW whatever, so I reckon it’s down to who he dislikes most, Key or the Greens. At this time, I’d say Key, but like the poll result, it’d only be a guess.
I don’t fear him being in a Lab/Green cabinet because I think DC is capable of keeping him in check like HC did, plus he’ll be far too busy fighting off the ‘investigative’ journos from Campbell live. 😀
I’m not assuming that Key will be PM this time next year. And I would like to see some indication of how Labour and the GP will negotiate with him. In the meantime, some considered speculation would be go.
Such as,
“I don’t fear him being in a Lab/Green cabinet because I think DC is capable of keeping him in check like HC did, plus he’ll be far too busy fighting off the ‘investigative’ journos from Campbell live. :grin:”
🙂
Norman, Turei, Cunliffe, Parker and Peters are going to have to sit in a room and knock their heads together. That’s about what it is going to boil down to trying to get a deal together IMO.
“Norman, Turei, Cunliffe, Parker and Peters are going to have to sit in a room and knock their heads together. That’s about what it is going to boil down to trying to get a deal together IMO.”
Ok, we should just sit back and let them get on with it then.
Not sure if you are being facetious or not. I will say that at this level of politics, work is done via a mix of the quality of personal relationships between the leaders, and the political realities presented by the voters.
I was being sarcastic.
Are you saying that there is no necessity to talk about it?
I think that talk about maximising the LAB/GR vote is the most productive topic.
+1 Allen……I am a Green voter by inclination ( despite Weka also being there lol)….but I have voted for Winston strategically, when I thought Labour and the Left couldn’t get in without him in coalition
Winston is entering the retirement era of his career…I don’t think he is going to want to go down with the public odium as a BETRAYER of everything he has stood for in this term ….in opposition to John Key’s NAct policies(….ie. sale of Sate Assets, GCSB Bill, foreign ownership of NZ land and houses etc)…He has been here before with a coalition with National which he destroyed and brought down the Nat govt , and it almost destroyed him politically
If Labour and the Greens can not win alone (which I hope they do)…..I think if Peters makes the threshold for NZF there is a good chance he would be amenable to coalition with the ‘Left’ ( rather than with NAct) if he was offered Foreign Affairs (a position inwhich he excelled under Helen Clark)…..however he would have to agree to not interfere with the Greens in coalition with Labour and in cabinet ( I wonder if some agreement on this cant be reached beforehand)
I could be quite wrong on this…he may choose National …but it would be at considerable cost to his mana…..and legacy….and would probably be ruinous to National
As the election gets closer …it remains to be seen 1)what Winston’s attitude is towards the Greens ( they are now an established party and are mainstream internationally)….2) who is going to make what overtures between Labour and NZF in the event of the Left needing him …. and 3) what Key’s spinners and strategists are going to do about this in the meantime…my guess is that they will be getting DESPERATE
Compared to the last foregone conclusion, this election, despite media vested interests, is going to be worth watching all the way to the wire, unless of course the racist paul henry is a panelist again.
Weka. You’re taking on the same undemocratic attitude as National did in deciding that Winston was history and needed to be pushed out of Parliament at any cost.
The problem isn’t Winston. It’s Key and it is National.
“You’re taking on the same undemocratic attitude as National did in deciding that Winston was history and needed to be pushed out of Parliament at any cost”
Actually, I’d like you to point to comments where I have said something like that. Or even where you think I’ve said something that.
“The problem isn’t Winston. It’s Key and it is National.”
Even if that were true*, I probably don’t care. As long as Peters remains untrustworthy and unreliable, he’s unreliable and untrustworthy, and a risk. If people who support Peters want to take the conversation further (about how to deal with that) all the good. But at the moment I see alot of denial or wishful thinking, and not much smart analysis or discussion of strategy.
*which it’s not. If Key goes, and NZF support the formation of a third term NACT govt, how is Peters not part of the problem? Seriously, I’ve love to understand how you see that.
I’m all for smart electoral strategy, but the way I figure it, you’re just one step from intellectually green lighting an organised campaign to take Winston Peters/NZF down. Which is of course exactly what National decided to do, going into 2008.
Is LAB/GR having to rely on an unreliable Winston a real risk. Yes it is. I don’t see how alienating him now is any smarter a strategy for Labour/Greens, as that would guarantee him going with the National Party post 2014.
“I’m all for smart electoral strategy, but the way I figure it, you’re just one step from intellectually green lighting an organised campaign to take Winston Peters/NZF down.”
I’d still like you to post a link to where I have said that. Chooky thinks the same about me, but at the least you could actually ask, instead of assuming.
I think when I say “Peters is untrustworthy and unreliable” or “I think the country would be better off without him in parliament*”, you follow a logical line that exists in your head, but not in mine. I also think the left has a problem if I am right: how to reconcile Peters’ unreliability with a strategy other than trying to get rid of him. That’s complex and I don’t see much, if any, discussion on this yet. That’s what I’m getting at. It’s like everyone is just happy to sit and wait and see what happens (and it’s possible that that is the only thing that can be done). I’d like to see at least an attempt to solve the problem.
*which is an expression of my personal antipathy towards the man, not a statement of intent. If/when we get to having a conversation about how it would work, I’ll try an reign in my distaste.
@ CV…+100%
“Norman, Turei, Cunliffe, Parker and Peters are going to have to sit in a room and knock their heads together. That’s about what it is going to boil down to trying to get a deal together IMO.”
To keep expressing antipathy towards Winston Peters (as Weka is doing… and therefore trying to pre-exclude him from any possible but necessary inclusion in a Left coalition ) leading up to the 2014 election, is counterproductive in the extreme.
….It only plays into the hands of John Key’s desperate strategists ….whose only chance of winning the 2014 election is if Peters crosses the electoral threshold and joins Nact in coalition
…it is in Key’s interests if Weka’s strategy pre-excludes Winston and NZF from a Left coalition ( however Weka does not speak for all the Greens or all NZers)
How does my antipathy towards Peters preclude L/GP going into coalition with NZF? That’s just daft, in the extreme. Are you suggesting that people on the left that have valid critique of Peters/NZF should shut the fuck up? Because that’s what your comment sounded like.
And please don’t go down the track of trying to marginalise by comments by stating that I don’t speak for all GP members. Of course I fucking don’t, and nothing I’ve said comes even close to suggesting that. I’m just going to put this down to more of your unusual debating style, but I don’t take kindly to that kind of shit.
Anyhoo… here’s how I see it. Peters IS problematic for the left. It’s better if we are honest about what that means and I think it bears discussing at the strategic level. The other options presented in this discussion are CVs, who reckons we can trust Turei/Norman, Cunliffe and Peters to sort it out. Or your view, which is a confusing mix of Peters is great and trustworthy and you really hope he doesn’t go with NACT and you would prefer a L/GP coalition without him, but you think he is essential to the left too and if needed he would be happy to just be foreign affairs minister and leave L/GP to get on with it, so we should…. not sure what exactly, other than trust Peters with all that.
Myself, I think the best thing for NZ would be a clean, NZF-free coalition govt. It will be interesting to see if the NZF left wing swing voters switch to Labour or not. But it’s likely (30% was CV’s bet) that L/GP will have to negotiate with NZF to form govt, and that presents complexities. I’d like to see those discussed before the next election, not least because a whole bunch of people vote strategically and Peters would be a crucial factor in that decision. I also note that Peters is well known for NOT stating before an election what he will do after an election, and this makes it even more complex.
Good try.
The extremists are actually on the right.
Labour is barely left of centre if you enter their policies on the political compass website.
http://www.politicalcompass.org/
No doubt you and Attila would share similar right wing authoritarian views on this site.
I’m not right wing, far from it, so prove I am or piss off with the Atilla bullshit. 😉
I’m sure this site can accommodate both the ultras and the mainstream.
There are extremists on all sides of the political spectrum. Only a fool would deny there isn’t, or an extremist who resents the tag.
Is it the left extremists that are extreme or is it that society has become right extreme and that the so called left extremists only appear extreme to those that sit in the so called centre?
Go on the political website and you’ll see where the British Labour Party and the US Democrats are.
Both notably right wing and authoritarian.
My views would have been quite centrist – left of centre – in the 1970s and are now considered extreme left by Messrs Key and Joyce..
“No doubt you and Attila would share similar right wing authoritarian views on this site.”
No, I’m happy to quote from the site ‘about’ link.
“We come from a variety of backgrounds and our political views don’t always match up but it’d be fair to say that all of us share a commitment to the values and principles that underpin the broad labour movement and we hope that perspective will come through strongly as you read the blog.”
Running on iOS 7 on a iPhone.
How am I able to make a response to a comment, as all that happens is that the comment falls to the bottom ?
FYI anyone who thought Tor was a safe bet:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/04/nsa-gchq-attack-tor-network-encryption
So organised crime and terrorists and sexual predators are allowed be as anonymous as they want because TOR users have an absolute right to privacy?.
So organised crime, terrorists and sexual predators are good excuses for use in stripping back all our privacy protections and civil liberties?
Does your right to privacy trump all?
That’s an odd question to ask, given that the last 5 months of Edward Snowden revelations have shown that the right to privacy is a 99% joke.
Indeed, there’s no disputing that the Snowdon revelations have done us all a favour by reminding us that as users our expectations of privacy have been hopelessly naive but again, where’s the line in the sand – you and I – we’re thoroughly decent fellows so we’re entitled to privacy?
Civil liberties are a brake on the powers exercised by government and its agents. Privacy is not just a nice to have, it is critical to the function of a democracy and a society.
The law has many protocols in place to safeguard privacy yet balance the need for law enforcement and investigation. These protocols have been developed over many decades.
So what makes you think that the last of our legal protections as citizens should be stripped? Do you trust this government and all future governments that much?
A Meander Down The New Silk Road
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11135008
John Roughan : Kicks the Berms along the Road
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11134937
NZ University Rankings (slip)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/education/news/article.cfm?c_id=35&objectid=11133829
75 Years of Social Security…and then it dried up
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/element-magazine/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503340&objectid=11134858
UN Advocates higher-density cities key to better life
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11135297
US at risk, of not sustaining Iran sanctions
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11135265
and for afters:
Mass Starvation Likely in Syria
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/middle-east/news/article.cfm?l_id=8&objectid=11129485
The Swiss are going for a referendum on a universal income. Interesting in the Euro Zone where so many will applaud this as a rethink of what is perceived as work especially with the ever increasing “outsourcing” to automated processes. Of cause there are also many will not agree calling it an invitation to be lazy.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/04/us-swiss-pay-idUSBRE9930O620131004
Universal Income!
That is what Gareth Morgan was advocating. Every adult would receive about $2,000 per month. This would end all Social Welfare payments and in NZ it would put Paula Bennett out of a job. Well worth exploring Foreign Waka!
Was there not some comment that NZ should become the Swiss of the south? Wouldn’t it be something?
This has been one of Social Credit’s policies for decades.
It seems that many people havent received their voting papers for Local Body Elections. I havent received mine yet and time is rapidly running out. This is just not good enough and seems a little strange to me. Hopefully there are a few blips in the system not thousands!
I haven’t received mine either. When I contacted them they said I was unenrolled as they sent me a letter and I didn’t respond. Is strange as the only letter I received was about whether I wanted to be on the general or Maori roll which I responded to as I changed roll.
My voting papers haven’t arrived yet either. This is causing me real concern. My partner’s voting papers arrived in our letter box over a week ago.
How many other people has this happened too?
If it is a large figure, then no wonder the voter turn out so far has been at a record low level, which has caused some angst for the left.
http://www.interest.co.nz/news/66667/less-13-aucklanders-have-yet-vote-local-body-elections-below-figures-wellington-and-chris
I have resolved to make my way to the Council offices on Monday and make my vote there.
I imagine that due to poor media coverage of these elections plus the general public disinterest in local body politics, most people who don’t receive their papers won’t go to this trouble.
Shades of US style voter disqualification and vote suppression?
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/08/26/vote-a26.html
http://people.howstuffworks.com/voter-suppression.htm
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_diplomacy_(Israel)
No chance of psy-op scope creep, eh!
The passion with which the state of Israel is defended in the media and the number of fervent internet defenders certainly make it look as if something organised is happening.
Israel is smaller than the Waikato. And a whole lot of it is arid or outright desert.
A nuclear arsenal in the Waikato then ?
WIth Ngatea as the Gaza Strip?
China Invests 50B (in three months) in Energy and Infrastructure
http://www.energytribune.com/79382/china-invests-billions-in-asia-energy-deals?#sthash.cuNEEAnN.dpbs
In the ‘Stans
US Shutdown
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-politics/10357619/US-government-shutdown-the-key-figures.html
The ‘Key’ Figures
(and Lockheed Martin to furlough 3000 employees). and Five further unintended consequences
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/oct/04/us-shutdown-jobs-debt-borders?
and
FUKUSHIMA
that’s
Fukushima
FYI
PROTEST AGAINST THIS NATIONAL GOVERNMENT!
TODAY: Saturday 5 October 2013
Auckland: 1pm
Aotea Square
https://www.facebook.com/events/166849763502101/permalink/184675151719562/
The National Government of NZ has spent the last 5 years predominantly doing little more than attacking and destroying your freedom and rights.
From the TransPacific Partnership deals, Deep Sea Oil Drilling/Fracking and the anti-protest laws, the Privatisation of our State Assets including State Housing Sales, the Punitive Welfare Reforms, and the divestment in public health.
Education Reform including the introduction of National Standards, and the creation of Charter Schools. Removal of Employment Rights, regressive tax and banking, a lack of investment in public transport and renewable energy sources and giving over more power to the GCSB to be allowed to spy on us all indiscriminately
… The neo-liberalist, right-wing National Government is not serving the best interests of the people and needs to go! This Nationwide Day of Action Against the National Government is to let them known we want them gone!
_______________________________________________________
The speakers are confirmed for the Nationwide Day of Action Against The National Governernment!
1pm Aotea Square in Auckland MC’d by Talk Show host and NZ Alternative Media man Vinny Eastwood
https://www.facebook.com/events/166849763502101/
6 speakers with 5 mins each to lay out some hard hitting facts.
Paul Carruthers: Exposing corruption in The National Government during the Alan Hubbard Saga (background here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT1bevgQ1gM) Paul has the flu and will not be able to attend but a statement from him will be read out on the day
Penny Bright: Teaching us about the corrupt Council for Auckland and The National Govt Agenda to privatize and sell out the city and nation to corporate interests with the TPPA (background here:http://youtu.be/ccw_1SngVlM?t=2m51s)
Sue Henry: Covering the privatization of state housing and the massive corruption amid Glen Innes trying to prevent their community being demolished (background here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fCJBsQXtYI)
Russell Malcolm: 10 years ago he got the whole rodney council (indluding the mayor) fired for corruption! He recently tried to do it again and was arrested without charge (5 weeks till the 2008 election) and had his bail conditions (including prohibited from contacting any NZ minister or using the internet) by John Key himself! (background here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov_kXEU6vkc)
Kiri Campbell: Mother of 8 who made an incredible withdrawal of $15 million from TSB bank just to prove the banking system is so corrupt that it can be manipulated and money made up from nothing! She was tried inside a shut down police station and 3 cops tried to break her arm, they weren’t wearing badge numbers, secret police! (Background here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6eaaOB91VM)
Vincent Ross Siemer: The countries most credible judicial watchdog who is going to reveal that the National Government is trying to prevent investigation into court corruption during their term! (full story here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY4ip9kGMwg)
Marama Davidson: Speaking to the Welfare reforms under National how the government is attacking our most vulnerable and disadvantaged. (back story http://youtu.be/1JcZmSmDoLY?t=1h1m18s)
Do not be surprised , brother, that the world hates you. -1 John 3:13
http://www.ibtimes.com/here-are-two-reasons-why-ongoing-global-persecution-christians-not-trending-1414566
And…10 Easy things to make life happier (backed by science)
http://www.altering-perspectives.com/2013/10/10-easy-things-that-will-make-you.html
There’s some good things on that list 🙂 but I had to laugh at this
“5. Go outside – happiness is maximized at 13.9°C”
I think my happiness maximises at about 20C+ 😉
That’s strange, NZ Power hasn’t been introduced yet. Key said it was NZ Power that would cause blackouts…
Ross Ulbricht and his ” Randian yawp” – beautiful.
That passage would be familiar to anyone who’s ever participated in the online forums where the Internet’s seemingly endless supply of techno-libertarians roam free. A young, technically-competent young man with a hard science or engineering background, issuing his digital Randian yawp: “I’m going Galt, and I’m going to reshape the world!”
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Security-Watch/Backchannels/2013/1004/A-Silk-Road-to-total-freedom
Yeah, as soon as I read that on his LinkedIn page it was: Ah, a libertarian, nope, not surprised that he contracted a couple of hits.
Sullivan explains.
http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2013/10/04/why-theyll-die-on-this-hill/
Thanks flor the link. A brilliant and sobering commentary.
I’ve just watched ‘American History X’ and it’s frightening to see how closely the current ‘primal scream’ of the evangelicals and tea partyists echoes Edward Norton’s brilliant and passionate portrayal of Derek Vinyard’s views on the threat of immigrants and blacks to white society
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_history_x/
American History X is a very moving, memorable, and sobering movie. (I see Kyle Chapman is a mayoral candidate, for some light relief).
An amazing movie. With scenes in it which make me still wince when I recall them.
I will never forget the jaw ‘biting’ the ‘berm’ 😎 Crunch-time. (sometimes ya’ gotta do the business).
Yeah that’s the bit of dental work I was thinking of specifically.
btw, a week out from the LBE and there is a record low turnout -3Newz, ranging from 14% of eligible in Auckland to 32% in CHB , yet Colin James identifies the rise of a new localism (parochialism, yet, it has it’s benefits) in response to “the worst central government (power-grab) centralization since the 30’s, or even the change from Provincial Government in the 1800’s”.
Oh well, Excellent to see the Living Wage movement gaining further traction; if the right, and the wealthy can just get over their sense if entitlement, they’d realize more equity flowing would benefit them as well.
Where I am the turnout numbers are shit too. Ah well.
Like so often, late at night, I come across much, and some real “educational” and “informative” stuff. This is worth noting and perhaps looking at by all WINZ clients, especially those worried about medical and work ability assessments:
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/15326-hatchet-doctor-exposed-winz-acc-alert-hdc-office-do-cop-out/
It seems to be getting damned serious what is going on, and this happened even before the last, new absolutely draconian changes came in in mid July this year.
You better prepare and be aware of what may hit you!!!
Viva Camilla, la Socialista:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q84DTTsKHrs
El interview interesta, Argentina.
Viva la republica, viva, la libertad, viva nosotros:
El conservativo Paulsen speaks against the shit Chilean Private Education Failure!
More neo-libs waking up and talking the walk, wow!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2vGW2UH8io
Progress is here, only el stupidito stick to shit!