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!!!
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Where some saw the worst press conference given by the government to date, Anna Rawhiti-Connell recognised girl maths game.Nicola Willis, recently exasperated by comparisons to Ruth Richardson, said she was “a bit sick of being compared with every female finance minister that’s ever been out there.”Some think that’s ...
The March results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2023 (HYEFU 2023), published on 20 December 2023 and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Jamie Arbuckle, the district councillor who became an MP but decided to keep getting paid for both roles, will instead donate one salary to charity. ...
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“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!