Open mike 05/12/2013

Written By: - Date published: 6:54 am, December 5th, 2013 - 229 comments
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openmike

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Step right up to the mike …

229 comments on “Open mike 05/12/2013 ”

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  1. phillip ure 1
    5 December 2013 at 7:00 am

    an idea for a political ‘joke’..

    ..hire an astronauts’ suit..

    ..and take a selfie standing in front of colon craigs’ office..

    ..holding a sign saying:..

    ..’yes i did..!’..

    phillip ure..

  2. amirite 2
    5 December 2013 at 7:22 am

    “Let the little kids suffer” is Nats’ mantra:

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9477622/Children-suffering-say-benefit-cut-critics

    Where are your ghost jobs, John?

  3. vto 3
    5 December 2013 at 7:46 am

    Silly old dearie Rosemary McLeod needs to get off her sexist ageist and racist ranting. She doesn’t even seem to realise that her bigotry and stereotyping is exposing her lack of insight and wisdom. This morning in the Press she has the second column in two weeks which rants on about naughty old men. She is obsessed.

    She is an ageing old doris. A silly old white woman. Although I suppose non-white women can be just as silly – aint noticed any difference between them myself.

    She is joining the ranks of other bigots of the same mould – Eleanor catton (who is a silly young white woman), michelle a’court, beck eleven and others who take a few people who do dumb shit and highlight their gender, age and race as if it somehow material to the dumb shit.

    It is becoming an obsession right across the country – witness the finger-pointing around the roast busters. Did any white mothers stand up and take responsibility for raising these sons? Any white sisters? Any non-white sisters? Any women at all? There were plenty pointing fingers at men (always white and older, despite evidence that offenders are usually non-white and younger), despite men not being responsible, as a group. Maybe we should start looking at the actions of white women a little more closely instead of just assuming that everything is the responsibility of that white man driving to work this morning in the car next to you…… It is becoming a joke.

    There is something yucky going on in this country. There is a witch hunt going on.

    I give it the finger.

    • grumpy 3.1
      5 December 2013 at 12:34 pm

      Nice rant vto.
      I take your point (I think). Perhaps just a bit less coffee so early in the morning………

    • Rogue Trooper 3.2
      5 December 2013 at 2:32 pm

      he he (some believe that you are ‘under-rated’ vto 😉 )

    • Crunchtime 3.3
      5 December 2013 at 5:25 pm

      Grumpy old man grumps about silly old woman. More news at 11.

      • vto 3.3.1
        6 December 2013 at 12:34 pm

        he he, crunchtime, RT and grumpy,… been outa the hood since punching that out

        It was a bit of a rant, but there are usually currents of reality underlying rants of all who rant.

        right, now, back to the honest tranquility of the tui and the flowering harakeke, the kahawai and the hurrying inanga, the sandy bank and the sheltering rock…

  4. phillip ure 4
    5 December 2013 at 8:05 am

    michelle boag to stand for act in epsom..?

    ..national to do a double-stand aside deal..?

    ..in epsom for act..

    ..and in east coast bays for colon ‘moon-landing-denier’ craig..?

    phillip ure..

    • bad12 4.1
      5 December 2013 at 9:12 am

      Lolz the ACTors will leave no stone unturned in their quest to find someone, anyone, who might attract more than a handful of votes,

      i would have thunk Hooten would have been high on the list but the rumor there is that Slippery is spewing on wee Matty for being involved in the Chorus broadband roll-out fiasco and has told ACT no way,

      The other rumor doing the rounds is that Hooten doesn’t want a bar of ACT either as He is planning the launch of a ‘new’ Liberal Party and is simply waiting for the ACT Party to be declared legally dead befor doing so,

      My pick for wee Matty’s new party name would be the ‘If You Thought The Last Lot Were All Flakes,Hypocrites, and Criminals, Wait till You See Us Lot In Government Party’….

      • Ake ake ake 4.1.1
        5 December 2013 at 1:40 pm

        Hooton very effectively contributing to John Key’s shipwrecked Ultra Fiasco Broadband project. An own goal. And quite appropriate too.

    • phillip ure 4.2
      5 December 2013 at 9:55 am

      new colon craig theme-songs:

      ..’fly me to the moon’..

      ..moon river’..

      ..’there’s a bad moon rising’..?

      phillip ure..

      • BLiP 4.2.1
        5 December 2013 at 10:04 am

        ‘

        I seldom fully get what you’re on about most of the time, but on this ocassion, hahahahaha!!! Nice one.

        http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video.cfm?c_id=1&gal_objectid=11167073&gallery_id=139517

        • phillip ure 4.2.1.1
          5 December 2013 at 10:54 am

          @ blip..thank you..i think..(oh tautological-one..)

          ..actually..those three moon songs mark/relate the arc of craigs’ short-lived political-career..

          ..’fly me to the moon’..being that saucer-eyed/over-egged one first hoving into our view..

          ..’moon river’..seemingly his easy route to parliament unfolding before him..

          ..and then..?

          ..uh-oh..!

          ..then that ‘bad-walking’ moon rose

          ..and it was all over..

          ..from ‘i coulda been a contendor!’..

          ..to a (very funny) joke..’

          ..and i dunno about you..

          ..but i am jonesing for the ‘tooth-fairy’-question..

          ..what further delights has colon ‘i’m no expert on that’ craig in store for us..?

          ..eh..?

          ..and isn’t the world of local politics so much funnier since the arrival of the colon..?

          ..bless him..!..eh..?

          ..phillip ure..

          • yeshe 4.2.1.1.1
            5 December 2013 at 1:27 pm

            … can hardly wait for his hysterical (womb affected) and lunatic ( moon affected) comments on evolution .. must be coming soon ! thx for smiles this morning phillip ..

            but you missed one:

            Blue moon, you saw me standing alone ….. ( also to be known as Sunset over East Coast Bays) …

            • phillip ure 4.2.1.1.1.1
              5 December 2013 at 1:41 pm

              to vid of craig staring at the empty room that is his next party-meeting..

              “..everyone’s gone to the moon..”

              ..and the soundtrack for colon ‘i’m no expert on that’ craigs first celestial/moon-walking-lesson..?

              ‘There’s a moon in the sky – The B52’s ‘

              phillip ure..

        • mac1 4.2.1.2
          5 December 2013 at 1:39 pm

          Listened to this audio. Craig sounds like he has learned to have a bob both ways. The ‘sorta believe it’ nonsense is designed to not alienate his crazy supporters.

          I spoke to one moon doubter last night. I just said that the moon broadcast was screened live for hours and it would have been bloody hard for an actor to mime moon walking for hours faultlessly. He’d didn’t appreciate my miming a moon walk slow leaping style around the car park where we were.

          His response? “They could have had a cable attached to him…..”

          • phillip ure 4.2.1.2.1
            5 December 2013 at 1:56 pm

            to have to patiently explain this one to these moonbats..is to lower oneself..

            ..but the definitive answer/putdown/laugh-out-loud for them can be summed up in two words..

            ..’cold war’..

            ..these fucktards don’t seem to realise that not only was anyone on earth with a telescope tracking the fucken whole saga ..minute by minute..

            ..but that this was the height of the cold war..

            ..and the russians and the chinese were also watching like hawks..

            ..(or were they ‘in on it too’..?..morons..!..)

            ..tell them this..and then tell them to go and have a long cold shower..

            ..and to never ever utter an opinion on anything else ever again..

            ..’cos they have proven beyond any doubt..

            ..that they are drooling idjits..

            ..unworthy of speaking/being listened to..ever again.

            ..their roles in life – proven to be.. figures of fun..

            ..which brings us back to colon..

            ..phillip ure..

            • mac1 4.2.1.2.1.1
              5 December 2013 at 5:37 pm

              I don’t feel at all ‘lowered’, thanks, Phillip. But you’re right about the ‘cold war”. The same had occurred to me. This ‘moonbat,’ as you called him, has been a soldier and a policeman, which is even more scary…………..

              Another song for such sky gazers is “Blue Smoke”.

            • Naturesong 4.2.1.2.1.2
              5 December 2013 at 7:50 pm

              You know that moonbat is generally accepted as an epithet for someone on the left side of the political spectrum.

              I believe that wingnut is the correct term of abuse.

            • joe90 4.2.1.2.1.3
              5 December 2013 at 8:08 pm

              And when moonbattery converges with wingnuttery the circle of derp is created.

              • Rogue Trooper …
                5 December 2013 at 8:12 pm

                bit of the old moonbat / wingnut convergence around this laboratory, from time-to-time 😀

    • phillip ure 5.1
      5 December 2013 at 8:26 am

      i agree..why the fuck isn’t parker out there touting/selling a financial transaction tax on the banksters..

      ..instead of promising business they will be screwing over the workers even more..?..again..

      ..(and especially galling having this ‘super-austerity’ preaching from politicians who voted themselves the gold-plated super-scheme..eh..?..)

      ..and electorally stoopid…to boot..

      ..asking working nz’ers to vote for two more years of their life-long chores/tasks..to age 67..

      ..is like asking turkeys to vote for thanksgiving..

      ..stoopid..stoopid..stoopid..

      ..phillip ure..

      • Crunchtime 5.1.1
        5 December 2013 at 5:35 pm

        I have sudden rather intense dislike for Parker. He’s undermining the party and the leader.

    • Arfamo 5.2
      5 December 2013 at 8:38 am

      I agree. Raising the superannuation age to 67 is a vote loser not a vote winner.

      What’s happened to The Civilian? Doesn’t seem to have resumed on 25 November as promised. I miss its witty insights.

    • Tat Loo (CV) 5.3
      5 December 2013 at 8:48 am

      Very disappointing, and plays completely into orthodox monetary and economic theory. The point I made at Conference stands: access to real resources for the elderly is key (are there enough doctors, aged care facilities, home care staff etc); but money is not a constraint – the govt always has money for super (if it is considered important enough) because it can act as the monopoly supplier of NZD.

      • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 5.3.1
        5 December 2013 at 9:20 am

        “plays completely into orthodox monetary and economic theory”

        |Yeah. I thought they were moving away form that.

      • Draco T Bastard 5.3.2
        5 December 2013 at 12:21 pm

        The point I made at Conference stands:

        That’s interesting because what you say would indicate that the majority at the Labour conference voted to raise retirement. The question is: Is this the will of the members or the will of the representatives at the conference?

        Either way, it’s a vote killer. If Labour want National in next term then they will keep this policy.

        • Colonial Viper 5.3.2.1
          5 December 2013 at 12:23 pm

          Conference voted to give caucus the discretion to make the decision on the retirement age. Stuck in ” we can’t afford super” and “we need to make it financially sustainable” modes of thinking.

          • Ake ake ake 5.3.2.1.1
            5 December 2013 at 12:30 pm

            Ah. Thanks for that. The membership’s goose is cooked.

            Incidentally, was the Cunliffe leadership meant to help TINA pack up and move out or is the membership about to discover that TINA is a permanent resident in Labour’s broad church?

          • Draco T Bastard 5.3.2.1.2
            5 December 2013 at 1:16 pm

            Conference voted to give caucus the discretion to make the decision on the retirement age.

            Ah, so it’s actually the third option – the will of caucus. Like that worked so well last time 🙄

      • greywarbler 5.3.3
        5 December 2013 at 2:00 pm

        Operations etc done in NZ can actually act as multipliers in the economy. I know this goes against established wisdom but if work can be carried out in depressions that provide needed things in the community, to keep circulation of money and jobs and skills going, why can we not afford needed, reasonable health care?

        The money earned goes back into the community. It keeps the nurses in employment, many are in the older age group, very skilled and experienced. All that is needed is to keep those able in the retired putting something into society that is helpful to it and a lot of our present problems would be minimised from the extra personpower available to help overcome it. And they would still be able to go away for their holidays, fishing, family visits, garden tours etc. Those who couldn’t afford those could get opportunities to be volunteers at events where they could apply what skills they have.

        • Draco T Bastard 5.3.3.1
          5 December 2013 at 3:42 pm

          What you’re actually seeing is part of the major problem with a monetary system especially when that monetary system has been designed to get most of the money into the hands of the few as a capitalist system is designed to do. Society has been conditioned to believe that we need money to do anything but that we don’t have enough money and so we can’t afford to do everything despite having the resources available to do it.

          This is where the government being able to create money would fix things. We would have enough money, no matter what, to utilise our own resources.

    • RedBaronCV 5.4
      5 December 2013 at 8:10 pm

      Yeh I saw this too. Vote loser.
      My complaints are:
      Why don’t the self employed have to join. They can pay along with their taxes and then they too have a stake in the ultimate outcomes.
      Lots of women vote on the left and also do that wonderful non earning job called looking after the kids for no pay while they are abused by the state and the other parent contributes sweet FA for the kids and is never bothered by the state.
      What are they going to do about that? Nothing it seems so that low or non earners will be poor all their lives and in retirement too while the rest of the community bludges off them. Some one has to care for future taxpayers after all
      The more there is in kiwisaver the less incentive there is for a decent state retirement amount for those who have never made the cut.

      Rules by the rich for the poor and rules by the boys for the boys.

    • Murray Olsen 5.5
      5 December 2013 at 10:45 pm

      Still far too much of ACT in there for my liking, Risildo. At a time of massive youth unemployment, and when anyone over 50 without a job already is basically unemployable, Parker’s ideas are about as anti-worker as you can get. I’ll add him to my list of Rogernomes that Labour still has to free itself of – Duckface McDuck, Sealord Jones, Phil Lawnorder Goff, David ACT Parker, David Roofman Shearer,…….. They still need a bloody good purge.

  6. Lefty 6
    5 December 2013 at 8:21 am

    David Parker has just proved Labour is still hardwired to neoliberalism with his announcement they will lift the age for National Super to 67.

    He seems completely oblivious to the fact there may be choices in how we deal with the bump in older people resulting from the ageing of the boomers.

    We are also still waiting for any signal from Labour that they intend to do anything about reversing the disgusting welfare reforms of the Key and Clark governments.

    • bad12 6.1
      5 December 2013 at 8:58 am

      Lolz, Labour appear to have taken the ‘vows of silence’ when it comes to things like Welfare and State Housing,(although David Cunliffe did make mention at the recent Conference that the ‘middle class’ were having trouble paying their rent),

      Face it people, with the advent of MMP Labour no longer needed to represent ‘the poor’,(after all they do not donate lots to the Party),

      In my opinion Labour have been for some time, if Socialist at all, the Socialists of, for and by the middle class,

      You only have to see what occurred surrounding the ‘Working for Families tax credits’ to understand who they truly represent, when this little scheme was dreamed up there was still 400 and 50 odd million dollars in the budget, there was a choice of letting the children of beneficiaries into ‘Working for Families’ or giving ‘Business’ a tax cut,

      We all know what the ‘choice’ Labour took was…

      • phillip ure 6.1.1
        5 December 2013 at 9:15 am

        “..You only have to see what occurred surrounding the ‘Working for Families tax credits’ to understand who they truly represent, when this little scheme was dreamed up there was still 400 and 50 odd million dollars in the budget, there was a choice of letting the children of beneficiaries into ‘Working for Families’ or giving ‘Business’ a tax cut,

        We all know what the ‘choice’ Labour took was…”

        ditto..ditto..ditto..

        ..the leopards’ spots still haven’t gone..

        ..this foot-shot from labour is the proof they just have pancake-makeup plastered all over them..

        ..parkers’ toxic-pail..

        phillip ure..

    • BM 6.2
      5 December 2013 at 9:00 am

      Crazy, I can’t believe Labour thinks it’s a good idea.

      According to the last census, there’s around 300,000 people within the 55 -65 age group all counting down to when they retire.

      From what I’ve seen of people within this age group is that they all vote and take voting very seriously.

      You tell me who are these people going to vote for, the party that lets them retire at 65 or the party that boots them in the private parts and tells them they have to work for another two years.

      Unbelievably dumb and arrogant, especially going into an election as tight as the 2014 election will be.

      • Tat Loo (CV) 6.2.1
        5 December 2013 at 9:04 am

        It is basically a kamikaze policy electorally, as you point out BM. And a completely unnecessary one. Foisted on us by people with very good govt Kiwi Saver schemes.

        • bad12 6.2.1.1
          5 December 2013 at 9:15 am

          Lolz, can you see the connection CV, what did you think was the ‘plan’ after the introduction of personal retirement schemes???…

        • BM 6.2.1.2
          5 December 2013 at 9:17 am

          Yeah, I struggle sometimes with the reality disconnect.

          What sort of political party goes into an election with a punishment as one of their selling points?
          “Vote for Labour and you get to work for another two years!!”, ummmm I don’t think so.

          Do Labour actually think people give a shit about the aging population and are concerned about how NZ is going to pay for super?, people only care about what’s in it for them selves.

          This is a sort of policy that an out going government pushes through when they know their time is up, not one that’s trying to win power.

          • bad12 6.2.1.2.1
            5 December 2013 at 9:28 am

            i hate agreeing with you BM, but your comment is pretty much correct, if Slippery’s current National Government can get away with being ‘good financial managers’ by totting up 70-80 billion dollars of government debt by the time they are thankfully kicked from the Treasury Benches then Labour could simply do the same,

            Not that i am an advocate of that, as other’s have pointed out Government need simply ‘produce’ the needed monies to cruise through the retirement bump, the figures are not that great that doing such will alter any of the monetary indicators…

        • Tiger Mountain 6.2.1.3
          5 December 2013 at 9:20 am

          Whilst BMs comments must generally be considered with considerable suspicion he is certainly correct on this issue.

          • Ake ake ake 6.2.1.3.1
            5 December 2013 at 12:11 pm

            The beauty of Parker’s latest announcement …… which actually surprisingly unites a number of otherwise usually opposing commentators here. And the votes are not really in Labour’s favour.

      • Lanthanide 6.2.2
        5 December 2013 at 9:06 am

        The last census also showed a drop in the proportion of people under the age of 15.

        Expecting the young generation to pay for the oldie’s retirements, when they’ve also hoovered up all of the resources over the last 40 years, is delusional.

        • Tat Loo (CV) 6.2.2.1
          5 December 2013 at 9:08 am

          And a recipe for intergenerational conflict. Wait until climate change and resource depletion starts biting hard in the next 10-20 years.

          • Lanthanide 6.2.2.1.1
            5 December 2013 at 9:24 am

            Yet another reason why we can’t afford to keep super at 67.

            Note that it’s those 15 year olds that’ll be paying for *my* super. You lot will have shuffled off by then.

            • s y d 6.2.2.1.1.1
              5 December 2013 at 10:49 am

              Labour WTF! don’t raise the age, just limit eligiblity – universality is BS…if you don’t need it don’t take it.

              It’s a benefit like them all. Means test the old fuckers.

              i now expect the usual crapola of ‘I paid my taxes etc etc’ will be rolled out.

              as for kiwisaver, what a scam that is, tax rise for the workers in ordeer to provide a huge fund for financial speculation….

              • Ron …
                5 December 2013 at 1:37 pm

                It is not a benefit at all. It is a pension which is promised to every citizen. Calling it a benefit helps to demean it in the eyes of all those not receiving it.

                • s y d …
                  5 December 2013 at 2:10 pm

                  OK Ron, I agree, perhaps benefit isn’t the right term. It is though, I think, a form of social security, which if you don’t need it, you shouldn’t take it, regardless of whether it was promised or not.

        • karol 6.2.2.2
          5 December 2013 at 9:38 am

          I see plenty of fairly young people hoovering up loads more resources than many older people.

          I’d favour moving older people to part time work – with maybe a smaller super payment. Works for me with my modest pensions from the UK. I’m also fine with earning a lower rate of pay than when I was younger, although for others, it’d depend on the amount of their previous income.

          I can see that many people approaching 65 are ready for withdrawal from full time employment.

          But really, I would have thought it was a priority for any “Labour” government to be looking at decreasing the inequality gap, improving social security, raising wages, improving employment legislation, increasing the amount of jobs, apprenticeships, etc.

          • Colonial Viper 6.2.2.2.1
            5 December 2013 at 1:39 pm

            I see plenty of fairly young people hoovering up loads more resources than many older people.

            A couple of for-instances please?

            • karol 6.2.2.2.1.1
              5 December 2013 at 1:54 pm

              I see younger people who take for granted that they have cars, the newest technology, – basically far more consumerist than many of us oldies have ever been.

              Also, I see some children of boomers (in my own wider whanau) who get access to more resources than some of my boomer colleagues ever had – and have good jobs and prospects, sometimes from the networks their parents operate in.

              It’s true that economically, and with respect to jobs, more young people are struggling than back when us boomers were young. Although it’s hard to compare. More jobs were available, and they paid well enough for the smaller amount of consumer items and services that were considered necessary compared with today. It was often a struggle from payday to payday for me and my mates in our late teens and early twenties.

              There have always been socio-economic differences within all generations – this is glossed over by the blanket claims about what the older generations have done or benefited from.

              I also think the period when it seemed very good for a lot of young (mostly upper working class to and above) was those that grew up in the late 1970s and in the 1980s. It wasn’t such an easy ride for many youngsters in the late 60s and 70s.

              One of the biggest complaints from younger people is being shut out of the housing market. This is something that is starting to impact on the middle class young more than ever before. But it was always a struggle to get on the housing ladder for many on the lowest incomes.

              And me, as a life time renter I just don’t get all this obsessing over home buying – was never such an obsession in many parts of Europe.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                5 December 2013 at 2:02 pm

                And me, as a life time renter I just don’t get all this obsessing of=ver home buying

                Can’t say that owning a house has been of major concern to me either but I’m against rentals as it encourages rentier behaviour from the rich. The private persons who own the homes that are rented out effectively get to live on the hard work of the renters and a few of them get to live a hell of a lot better than the people supplying their income while working far less.

                The only way I support rentals is state owned rentals set at a low percentage of household income.

                • karol …
                  5 December 2013 at 2:12 pm

                  Well, I am OK because I have/had a reasonable income, no dependents and am happy to live in a studio with limited material possessions.

                  On the issue of rentier landlords/ladies making money on the back of my (boomer) work. My last 2 landlords have been younger than me (one was definitely too young to be a boomer, the other may be on the cusp or slightly younger than the youngest boomers).

      • Puddleglum 6.2.3
        5 December 2013 at 9:17 pm

        Hi BM,

        I’m not in favour of the policy but the group you mention (55 to 65 year olds) will barely be affected by it. By 2020 today’s 55 year olds will be about 62. Given that it will be phased in even they will be working only for an extra year.

        The irony in terms of the argument about ‘inter-generational fairness’ is that the baby boomers will just sneak under this bar.

        It would be interesting to see the percentage of GDP spent on education and children’s health (and the family benefit, etc.) in the post-war decades to see how we could afford the baby boomers then but apparently not when they retire. I suspect they were pretty expensive then, too, yet apparently as a society we afforded it without so much as an economic twinge, let alone pain.

        • karol 6.2.3.1
          5 December 2013 at 9:30 pm

          Back then, I think the gap between rich and poor wasn’t so great. There wasn’t so much siphoning off of profits to enrich the top 10%.

          And yes, it seemed to me odd that the talk was about the boomers, but most won’t be impacted by Labour’s raising the super age. It will impact more on younger ages (given NZ boomers are meant to be those born between about 1946 & 1961).

          The youngest will be 65 in 2026.

    • Lanthanide 6.3
      5 December 2013 at 9:03 am

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11167081

      Labour would raise the age of eligibility for New Zealand Superannuation to 67, make KiwiSaver compulsory for employees and increase the KiwiSaver contribution rate if voted into power.

    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 6.4
      5 December 2013 at 10:39 am

      There is another issue being ignored with the policy of raising the Super age. High unemployment is being ignored. Jobs for younger people need freeing up. This won’t happen with raising the retirement age.

      It might be better to focus on developing a healthy functioning society that can afford to pay people to retire rather than wringing more work out of older people at the expense of and ignoring other serious issues.

      I think this is a real mistake for Labour to pursue raising the retirement age.

      • s y d 6.4.1
        5 December 2013 at 10:55 am

        david parker, treasury mouthpiece in opposition

        “Labour understands the importance of universal superannuation to people. That’s why we are committed to keeping it in a way that is fair across generations. If we don’t steadily raise the age, Treasury says we will have to lift GST to 17 per cent.

        “Polls show that New Zealanders support our policy.

        the only other option is to raise GST???? for fucks sake get a grip you tards…TINA once again.

        what is this 1987?

        • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 6.4.1.1
          5 December 2013 at 11:06 am

          +1 Syd especially the bit about getting a grip you tards

        • Draco T Bastard 6.4.1.2
          5 December 2013 at 12:27 pm

          +1

          Bloody stupid economists. It’s time to stop listening to them because they happen to be wrong about pretty much everything.

        • bad12 6.4.1.3
          5 December 2013 at 12:55 pm

          s y d, nail,hammer,head, a really good question= what is this 1987?, way way down inside you know it is…

          • s y d 6.4.1.3.1
            5 December 2013 at 2:18 pm

            Sold my omnicorp shares and doubled my money…made about $120…my first ever vote, a sunny Saturday, strolled to the booth with my mate, me labour, him nat….both realised we could’ve stayed at home and saved the bother. Hamilton West. 1987. Mallard. Jesus wept. 1987. I know it is.

      • amirite 6.4.2
        5 December 2013 at 1:14 pm

        I Agree. Unless there aren’t more jobs for young people, the policy is pointless.

    • greywarbler 6.5
      5 December 2013 at 2:06 pm

      Lefty
      Your point is very important. I want to know too without further delay.
      We are also still waiting for any signal from Labour that they intend to do anything about reversing the disgusting welfare reforms of the Key and Clark governments.

      But more, ‘what they are going to do in reversing’ We need firm commitment, not any of those PC airy fairy comments about those with the poster features of poverty, mostly the cute children and the grey-haired. Get sentimental if you must but don’t forget that adults are cute too, and great, and needy, and deserving, single or parents.

      • Ake ake ake 6.5.1
        5 December 2013 at 2:10 pm

        Maybe the next Labour conference should happily vote to give caucus the discretion to decide on welfare policy?

        🙂

      • greywarbler 6.5.2
        5 December 2013 at 5:11 pm

        I didn’t place this reply to Lefty very strategically! Lefty is up at No.6 if you’re interested to know.

  7. Garbage man 7
    5 December 2013 at 8:25 am

    WOW VTO

    Back on your medication there, that would rate as the most sexist, racist, ignorant rant i have read for some time although i did have a chuckle and thats always a good way to start a Thursday

    • Tat Loo (CV) 7.1
      5 December 2013 at 9:06 am

      If you have a point, please make your argument for it.

      • Garbage man 7.1.1
        5 December 2013 at 9:57 am

        Calling someone like Eleanor Catton (that just won an international prize) a silly young white woman ??? Why ? maybe VTO could elaborate a bit more as to why she and others in her post deserve this
        Sorry there was no reply button when i posted the original msg

        • Colonial Viper 7.1.1.1
          5 December 2013 at 10:03 am

          I thought that was a bit rough too. But I get his point: communities raised these young men into what they are, and communities aren’t made up of just men.

          • karol 7.1.1.1.1
            5 December 2013 at 10:32 am

            I tried looking at the McCleod articles published this week, and, as far as I can see, they have little to do with VTO’s rant. They are idiosyncratic op eds – and yes they do have a pretty middle class focus. They don’t really make majorly sweeping statements about differences between men and women, but focus on a small number of news items. Basically they are light weight pieces – superficial, but she makes one or two good points on the way.

            Earlier this week: “Placenta-eating not for this mammal”

            She’s pretty scathing about the activities of some middle class new age pretenders, particularly some female celebs

            The justification for this revolting new-age practice is that all other mammals do it, so it must be good for you.

            Well, my cats have brought two dead rats into the house this week, but I don’t see myself tracking vermin on all fours and snapping their necks with my teeth. There’s a reason why humans walk on two legs, not four: We find better things to eat.
            [..]
            When feminists crossbred with hippies some curious beliefs arose, and I am surprised that in Jones’ case they survive, if only in California.

            Rebirthing was one of those beliefs, and my placenta friend tried it. It involved people holding her down firmly under tightly packed blankets, and making her wriggle out of them a new person, her former bad birth experience as an actual baby put to rights. Anyone who has been involved in real births will immediately see the humour in that. She did, too, I’m glad to say.
            […]
            Friends who went that way all came from middle-class homes with lots of books and no lack of parental money, but they felt the need to turn their back on luxury and live the way my family had for lack of choice. Only the happy parts of subsistence living appealed – they could ignore the nasty bits – and so they lived, as a brave experiment, a lifestyle they didn’t have to, and could opt out of, and felt superior and smug.

            Which brings me to the terrible gang-rape and murder of a young Indian medical student, which has led to mass demonstrations against the Indian Government and police, and turned her into a martyr.

            Totally weird segue. It goes on:

            Feminists protest that a woman is raped in India every 20 minutes, but their complaints are not taken seriously by police or by lawmakers.

            Protesters spoke of misogyny and sexual abuse of women in everyday life – as they faced tear gas, police batons and water cannons.

            Hopefully, good will come of this shocking crime; it seems the government there may change the law. But I’m thinking of the people I knew who thought India was all about patchouli, gurus and spangly clothing, and were happy to overlook the lives of grinding poverty they saw there. I wonder if they ever came to understand that those people had no choice.

            The op ed article today: “Charmers fool even the mighty”

            Also rather a strange take on the issues, focusing on Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Charles Saatchi. She seems to take heart from the fact that mysogyny and sexism is a great equaliser for women, providing other women with the same kinds of experience as the likes of Nigella Lawson:

            I am perhaps shamefully heartened by the thought that the wives of Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Charles Saatchi, such worldly, sophisticated and intelligent charmers, may have had as crappy a time in the end as any of us who don’t have credit cards with unlimited spending, and are not ourselves both beautiful and independently rich.

            The article ends with a comment, not about all men, or even about al aging white men, but a certain sub species who are bullies.

            Giving evidence in court last week over another matter, Mr Saatchi explained, “I was holding her head by the neck to make her focus, can we be clear?”

            We are all so much clearer, about how a bully thinks, at any rate, no matter how charming, sophisticated, brilliant and urbane.

            At least he has taken back his temper-tantrum claim that Ms Lawson is a cokehead. If this were true, I wouldn’t blame her. You’d have to have an unnaturally bovine disposition to cope serenely with the infantile tantrums and misdemeanours of ageing men who, in the midst of worldly success beyond anyone’s dreams, forget to grow up

            McCleod – not a great thinker or at the forefront of (white middle class) feminism: more a proponent of superficial chatter for the dinner party circuit, with a bit of a feminist slant. She does make some good points along the way, but fails to present them in any kind of coherent, in-depth or useful argument.

            • Garbageman 7.1.1.1.1.1
              5 December 2013 at 11:01 am

              Thank you Karol that goes someway to understanding the original post

            • grumpy 7.1.1.1.1.2
              5 December 2013 at 12:31 pm

              I think Rosemary is brilliant, easily the most readable contributor to what is a pathetic excuse for a newspaper.

              • lprent …
                5 December 2013 at 1:01 pm

                I gave up reading her a decade ago. Doesn’t know how to say anything straight out. Has to try and hide her actual meaning behind a pile of waffle.

                Ummmm so you like her writing. Well it is “polite” stupid bigotry I guess.

                • karol …
                  5 December 2013 at 1:16 pm

                  Yes – those articles above were a collection of loosely linked points without a strong connecting argument.

                  • phillip ure …
                    5 December 2013 at 4:09 pm

                    like edwards the elder..mcleod lost the plot a while back..

                    ..reduced to reactionary rants about first world issues..

                    ..he should just focus on watching his talent-shows..

                    ..and mcleod has her tapestry..

                    ..they had their moments in the sun..

                    ..but relevance is something neither of them have..

                    ..any more..

                    ..and far too often – basic coherence seems to desert them..

                    ..(like so many of the old neo-lib labour mp’s..eh..?

                    …yoo-hoo..!..trevor..!..phil..!..annette..!

                    ..their time is done..)

                    ..maybe they should all move to a gated-community together..?

                    ..somewhere..?

                    phillip ure..

                • swordfish …
                  5 December 2013 at 9:46 pm

                  Yep, the woman’s been writing utterly meaningless gibberish for quite some time now.

                  Not so much “brilliant”, grumpy, as god-awful !!! Little general knowledge, little principle, little common-sense. Exemplifies the way our dear old ex-boarding school elite seem to effortlessly move into these high-profile positions despite zero talent.

                  To illustrate her uncaring, self-absorbed, inherently glib brand of doziness, McLeod’s response (Afternoons with Jim Mora) to the anti-democratic army coup in Egypt, was something along the lines of “Yeah, it’s a shame. They’re obviously not ready for democracy yet.”

          • weka 7.1.1.1.2
            5 December 2013 at 11:06 pm

            CV,

            “I thought that was a bit rough too. But I get his point: communities raised these young men into what they are, and communities aren’t made up of just men.”

            If you think those few weeks of focus on the rape club were about blaming men and holding them solely responsible, then sorry, but you have majorly missed the point.

            Most feminists I’ve known who have raised boys are acutely aware of what that means. Likewise, when feminists talk about rape culture and men’s responsibility in that, they’re not saying it’s all men’s fault. What they are doing is pointing out to men, now that we are finally allowed to, that we’ve been working on solving rape all this time and now it’s time you lot stepped up and sorted your shit out around this issue (we can’t do that part of it). Women generally know where they fit in the scheme of things. It’s men like vto who project their own insecurities onto the politics.

            If I say that men have a responsibility in resolving the high rates of sexual assualt in this country, and vto hears that as “men are solely to blame and women are completely blameless”, that’s actually about vto, not me.

            I agree with Garbage man, the racism and misogyny in vto’s comment was breathtaking. It was also nasty, and serves to muddy the issues (although I fail to see how saying women are just as bad if not worse than men helps).

        • grumpy 7.1.1.2
          5 December 2013 at 12:37 pm

          You need to make allowances for vto. He started off on here as a bit of a rightie, caught Stockholm Syndrome and headed left.
          He’s a bit confused but should come out of the closet any day now……….

          • karol 7.1.1.2.1
            5 December 2013 at 1:39 pm

            Well, McCleod can be criticised heavily. But VTO seems to have done a very selective reading of her columns then headed off on his own tangent. McLeod was also scathing about young middle class new agers who fail to understand what poverty is really about, and about various male and female celebs.

          • Rogue Trooper 7.1.1.2.2
            5 December 2013 at 2:46 pm

            lol; very turned out, today. 😀

        • greywarbler 7.1.1.3
          5 December 2013 at 12:42 pm

          Garbage men don’t read Eleanor Catton.
          Yes they do they just don’t understand it.
          It seems that there is a sensitive guy emerging from the corpse of a ranter who wants to attack the bastion of society, the caring parent who works hard at raising children well to the best of her ability.

          Could this be a RW troll?

          • Garbageman 7.1.1.3.1
            6 December 2013 at 10:31 am

            Actually im a middle wing non troll that enjoys many blog sites and is entitled to his opinion as much as you are and FYI i enjoyed The Luminaries, and once again nothing to do with the topic at hand …so whos the troll then

  8. Molly 8
    5 December 2013 at 9:05 am

    Participating in a focus group, and the questions are surprisingly political.

    Looked up the company – essential media – and it seems neutral, but I don’t want to be contributing to a PR strategy for anyone.

    Does anyone know anything about this research company?

  9. jcuknz 9
    5 December 2013 at 9:10 am

    I suppose I vote National becuase Muldoon gave me Super at Sixty and Labour want to make it SixtySeven 🙂

    • bad12 9.1
      5 December 2013 at 9:18 am

      Oh well i will look on the bright side of the coin then, if Muldoon gave it too you when you hit sixty you wont be voting National for too many more elections will you,

      (unsmiley face)…

      • alwyn 9.1.1
        5 December 2013 at 11:25 am

        He (or she) wouldn’t have to be that old actually. Muldoon introduced it in 1977 and it stayed at 60 until 1991 whan it was increased to 61 as the age of eligibility with a phased rise to 65.
        Anyone therefore who turned 60 in late 1990 would therefore have started receiving super at that age.
        They would only be 82, as of today, which is not really that old by today’s standards. Not young, perhaps, but you would probably have, if you were a female of 82 at least another 10 years of life expectancy. Might out-live you bad12. After all unsmiley people don’t live as long as those who are cheerful.

        • bad12 9.1.1.1
          5 December 2013 at 12:49 pm

          Lolz, and where are most of these 82= year olds to be found, being not looked after in some cruddy ‘nursing home’ perhaps???,

          The amusement for me is watching this orgy of ‘save save save’ for your retirement, what exactly are the old uns,(and i am not far off it),going to do with hundreds of thousands of dollars at age 79+ when the fact is that the older you get the less you actually spend,(in my experience),

          If 82 is to mean that i will be spoon fed and have to have someone wipe it off of the other end i think i will pass on that anyway, (other than that i want to live forever and rule the world)…

          • alwyn 9.1.1.1.1
            5 December 2013 at 1:43 pm

            On this matter we are clearly in agreement, and also in agreement with Robert Mortimer and Kingsley Amis.
            As Mortimer said “There is no pleasure worth foregoing just for an extra three years in a geriatric ward”.
            Amis’ version was “No pleasure is worth giving up for the sake of two more years in a geriatric home at Weston-super-mare”.
            I wonder who said it first or did they both plagiarise it from a third, earliar author?

            • bad12 9.1.1.1.1.1
              5 December 2013 at 3:07 pm

              i dunno, but calling the Earl a liar could construe defamation…

              • Rogue Trooper …
                5 December 2013 at 3:45 pm

                is that you Earl?

                • jcuknz …
                  8 December 2013 at 8:06 am

                  It is running my computer and engineering equipment that keeps me young, just got my licence to drive until 84 …. but I had an easy life and didn’t work my guts out for the capitalists. Drove a five tonne truck from Wanaka to Dunedin and back when I was 80, I’m the only one in my family with an HT licence , did the same this year with my SUV…. but I’m just a youngster with too many projects for a rest home or the grave as yet.:)
                  That 90yo is an inspiration as are the youngsters I know celebrating their 80ths this year.. I am afraid Laabour-Greens would have to do, not promise, something special to beat what National are doing for the older person.
                  I shouldn’t really wave the red flag but the comments prompt me 🙂

          • greywarbler 9.1.1.1.2
            5 December 2013 at 4:52 pm

            cheer up bad 12 the volunteer place where I work has a brnch of 80 year olds that make some 60 years look decrepit. One of our oldest insisted on being at work until she died over 90, she was getting shaky but still feisty. I guess you will be the same from reading your comments.

  10. BLiP 10
    5 December 2013 at 9:26 am

    ‘

    Heh!

    A sheet of talking points for employees of the National Security Agency and Central Security Services, was sent out ahead of Thanksgiving to help guide conversations with family and friends during the holiday season . . .

    Moar here – http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2013/12/02/nsa-sent-home-talking-points-for-employees-to-use-in-conversations-with-family-friends-during-holidays/

    Meanwhile, Rupert’s empire turns on the ABC for daring to speak truth while over in the UK, editor of The Guardian is hauled before a Parliamentary Committee which sets about attacking the freedom of the press. Can’t be much longer before we see some revelations of New Zealand’s involvement in the mass spying on its citizens . . . or maybe there will be something of a delay until Kim Dotcom’s case gets back to court.

    Worried much, John?

  11. Morrissey 11
    5 December 2013 at 9:32 am

    EPSOM CANDIDATES GUIDE
    No. 1: Jamie White

    Who will the sheep of Epsom be instructed to vote for next year?

    JOHN BOSCAWEN: We have a number of high quality potential candidates.

    SIMON SHEPHERD: Such as?

    JOHN BOSCAWEN: Jamie White. [Awkward pause] He’s a philosopher—

    SIMON SHEPHERD: Nobody’s HEARD of Jamie White!

    JOHN BOSCAWEN: Oooooh, he’s a very very smart individual….

    ——TV3 Firstline, Thursday 5 December 2013, 7:15 a.m.

    • karol 11.1
      5 December 2013 at 9:45 am

      Well the first google hit for Jamie White gives me this:

      For NZ, take your pick.

      Me – I haven’t a clue.

      • freedom 11.1.1
        5 December 2013 at 10:38 am

        Perhaps it’s this guy ?? Born in kiwiland but (till recently?) based in the UK.
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Whyte

        He seems to tick all the right boxes. He is a Senior Fellow with the Adam Smith Institute and writes lots of stuff tailor made for and celebrated by the addled nutters who think profits are more important than people.

        eg: here is an extract from a paper he wrote for the IEA
        from- Quack Policy
        Abusing Science in the Cause of Paternalism
        http://www.iea.org.uk/sites/default/files/in-the-media/files/IEA%20Quack%20Policy.pdf

        These seven goods are health, security, friendship, leisure, personality, respect, and Savile Row suits. No, only joking: not Savile Row suits, harmony with nature.

        But, joking aside, why are Savile Row suits less important than harmony with nature or leisure or all the other things on the Skidelskys’ list? The Skidelskys provide no empirical evidence that leisure is objectively more valuable than a nice suit (how could they?) nor any valid argument for this conclusion from obviously true premises (again, how could they?). Their list is compiled simply from their own judgements about what really matters in life – judgements that they ask us to believe are a more reliable guide to the true, objective values than are the judgements of us dissenters.

        If this is the philosopher economist they have in mind, he appears to be a perfect nactoid, primed and ready for the TPPA era.

        • Morrissey 11.1.1.1
          5 December 2013 at 10:44 am

          Jamie Whyte is a philosopher—if by “philosopher” you mean someone hanging around the extreme right-wing think tanks of England trying to get laid.

          • grumpy 11.1.1.1.1
            5 December 2013 at 12:40 pm

            I hear those right wing think tanks have some of the best really hot political groupies…..could do worse.

            • Morrissey 11.1.1.1.1.1
              5 December 2013 at 8:18 pm

              Hmmmm…. I suspect you might be a bit of a philosopher as well, grumpy.

            • Murray Olsen 11.1.1.1.1.2
              5 December 2013 at 11:37 pm

              Nah, they don’t. They have a few unbalanced nutters waiting for an invitation to the fox hunt with Montague. I’ve seen what hangs around posing as right wing thinkers inside universities – 14 virgins, all after the same girl, and planing to be at the Ayn Rand statue unveiling in 2018, because they’re pretty sure Wendy or Jennifer will be there. They are very sad people.

      • Rogue Trooper 11.1.2
        5 December 2013 at 2:51 pm

        WKRP in Cincinnati, Kid. 😀

    • Lanthanide 11.2
      5 December 2013 at 9:54 am

      Actually it’s spelled Whyte:

      Jamie Whyte: The formerly British-based journalist made an appearance at ACT’s conference. He now lives in New Zealand and has confirmed he is in the running.

    • Not a PS Staffer 11.3
      5 December 2013 at 10:01 am

      Who is Boscawen’s wet dream, Jamie Whyte?

      Jamie Whyte is a management consultant. He was formerly a philosopher who wrote on philosophy for a general audience. Born in New Zealand, he now lives in the United Kingdom. He was formerly a lecturer in Philosophy at Cambridge University.

      He has written numerous articles for The Times newspaper, and books including Bad Thoughts (whose US edition is called Crimes Against Logic ), A Load of Blair) Free Thoughts (a collection of various articles) and Quack Policy. His style attempts to dissect confused logic and nonsensical arguments, specifically the public pronouncements of modern politicians.
      In Bad Thoughts Whyte identifies and provides examples of the most common devices used to present flawed arguments, and encourages the reader to develop the ability to spot flawed reasoning.
      Whyte is a committed defender of the free market economist Friedrich Hayek and he supports right wing politics.

      Whyte has defended the morality and the right of wealthy individuals to use tax avoidance schemes to massively reduce their tax, following criticism by British Prime Minister David Cameron of the comedian Jimmy Carr, who had been accused of reducing his tax liability through using such a scheme to about 1% of his £3.3 million income.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Whyte

  12. ianmac 12
    5 December 2013 at 9:34 am

    Oops. On National Radio this morning it was said that if David Cunliffe is not prosecuted for his call for people to vote in Christchurch East, then Mr Mcready has vowed to do so. A bit tough?

    • bad12 12.1
      5 December 2013 at 9:46 am

      Yeah Graham Mac seems to be a bit long in the tooth to be clothing Himself in the lycra of the caped crusader,

      Listening to that bloke Andrew Geddis a legal eagle at Otago University this morning, He seems to think that ‘Tweeting’ is a grey area of the Law surrounding publicly advocating that people vote for a certain candidate,

      Are ‘tweets’ public as they are sent to ‘selected’ individuals seems to be His question,

      Lolz i wont be donating to Graham Macs ‘legals’ against Cunliffe if it gets that far, i think the bloke has a bit of an addiction to the ‘fame’ that comes with this particular game…

      • weka 12.1.1
        5 December 2013 at 11:10 pm

        “Are ‘tweets’ public as they are sent to ‘selected’ individuals seems to be His question,”

        If I put a poster up in town that is specifically addressed to you, is it public?

        If I put an ad in the personal columns, specifically addressed to you, is it public?

        I can’t see how tweeting can’t be public to be honest (or is there private tweeting too?).

    • karol 12.2
      5 December 2013 at 9:53 am

      My prediction – Cunliffe will be found guilty of violating the law, but without malicious intent, by police and fined.

      • Lanthanide 12.2.1
        5 December 2013 at 9:55 am

        If the police were being consistent, they should find it wasn’t with intent and therefore not do anything.

      • Te Reo Putake 12.2.2
        5 December 2013 at 10:06 am

        I imagine he’d be eligible for diversion, karol, if the police bothered with it all.

        The question would be whether a prosecution would be in the public interest. That, as well as the legal niceties of whether it’s an offence anyway and the fact that only a small percentage of his twitter followers would be Chch East voters (and presumably all of them already committed labour voters) suggest to me that this will peter out to nothing.

        • Morrissey 12.2.2.1
          5 December 2013 at 10:48 am

          Next up, they’ll be busting Labour politicians for jaywalking.

          Don’t underestimate the determination of the right wing to make an issue of this non-issue, however: Cunliffe’s tweet has the potential to be the next (utterly spurious) cause célèbre for the National Party and its media outlets.

          • Draco T Bastard 12.2.2.1.1
            5 December 2013 at 12:43 pm

            +1

          • Ron 12.2.2.1.2
            5 December 2013 at 1:50 pm

            I heard on news that someone was calling for Cunliffe to resign. Wow that would create a problem sticking with the leader has to be called David that only leaves Parker left

        • Draco T Bastard 12.2.2.2
          5 December 2013 at 12:43 pm

          (and presumably all of them already committed labour voters)

          Nope, National Party Research will follow him as well as other parties. So will journalists.

          BTW, the law doesn’t say anything about it being restricted to locality.

      • Puckish Rogue 12.2.3
        5 December 2013 at 10:09 am

        My prediction – Nothing will happen

      • alwyn 12.2.4
        5 December 2013 at 4:58 pm

        Now you really are starting to scare me.”Cunliffe will be found guilty by police and fined”
        Do you really want the police to be prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner?

      • Arfamo 12.2.5
        5 December 2013 at 6:12 pm

        Exactly Alwyn. I don’t think our police are yet at the point where the law allows them to find someone guilty of such an offence and fine them. Are they? They quite often aren’t even capable of mounting a successful prosecution of the obviously guilty.

        • Naturesong 12.2.5.1
          5 December 2013 at 7:52 pm

          Instant fines for minor offences?

          • Arfamo 12.2.5.1.1
            5 December 2013 at 8:27 pm

            Doesn’t apply in this case does it? Cunners is already pleading guilty in the media to a brief fit of stupidity in the commission of an offence against the electoral act. The nature of the offence is trivial, the tweet would have reached a tiny audience all of whose minds would’ve already been made up on who to vote for (either supporters or RWNJs looking for a chance to “get” him, and the “publication” was so short-lived the worst that should happen should be a teensy fine.

            RWNJs can have a field day making hyperbolic twits of themselves over it.

            • Naturesong 12.2.5.1.1.1
              6 December 2013 at 1:36 am

              No, I’m not even sure we still have instant fines for traffic offences anymore.

              It would make politics more fun though, if instant fines were leveled at polititions for minor offences like David Cunliffes recent untimely endorcement of Poto Williams.

              You could extend it to things like crimes against the internet (Judith Collins on twitter), or bad puns (though I suspect this would unfairly target David Cunliffe).
              … perhaps everytime a politition says “I can’t recall”.

              Very much like a swear jar, but for polititions
              The penalty doesn’t need to be a fine. Vodka shot for every member of cabinet (or shadow cabinet for the opposition) per offence would be fine.

              • Arfamo …
                6 December 2013 at 2:06 pm

                Most of the people who use Twitter should probably be banned from doing anything else at all :). Never has a social medium been so aptly named. I regard it as an idiot detector.

    • Murray Olsen 12.3
      5 December 2013 at 11:43 pm

      I think McCready has stopped clock syndrome. I’m as happy that he prosecuted Banks as I am that a German capitalist may expose Key in court as a serial liar. Every now and then, you need a toilet plunger, but not for fine dining.

  13. bad12 13
    5 December 2013 at 9:37 am

    Is the noted NZ National Party NZ Herald jonolist John Armstrong suffering from a disease of the mind,

    Today Armstrong devotes His whole column in the Herald to trying to convince us all that John Banks was leaving the Parliament at the end of the year anyway,(and not because He got told by Boscowan ”don’t bother re-applying”),

    i could spend a lot of pixels and time venting anger at such spurious and utter trash,(i refuse to call That journalism),

    Better tho to just say ”what a load of S**t” and move on…

  14. Tracey 14
    5 December 2013 at 9:44 am

    Bm

    maybe labour understand that a graduating extension to retirement age recognises the enormous cost of super and that 65 isnt “old” anymore. You could be construed as saying why suggest something for the greater good if you wont win votes. The corollary of which is do anything to get votes no matter how bad it is for the greater good. Oh wait a minute you support national.

    • bad12 14.1
      5 December 2013 at 9:50 am

      Yeah you could say 65 aint old for the people that sit around all day tapping on computer keys for a living but what of those who provide the ‘real ergs of work’ in the economy, those who labour physically for their daily bread???,

      Most such people have worn out their bodies by the time 50 comes around and does not Labour feel that they are due some recognition…

      • karol 14.1.1
        5 December 2013 at 9:55 am

        Actually, I also know one or two businessmen who work at a pretty intense pace, who are approaching 65 and looking forward to the relief of retirement – or maybe semi-retirement in a less stressful, less time consuming job.

      • Rogue Trooper 14.1.2
        5 December 2013 at 2:56 pm

        well, they’ll be waiting longer for hips and knees; recognition…has Treasury costed that…

      • Flip 14.1.3
        6 December 2013 at 5:45 am

        +65

        Agree bad12. Perhaps they need to look at the universality of super or make it needs tested to continue to supply it. The suggestion to up retirement age to 67 from a Labour politician is really dumb. Perhaps he needs to retire or go work for ACT. I hear they need a new leader and it would not be the first time someone from Labour has been there. It starts to look like a well worn path and I wonder how they get to be representing Labour. Any wonder voters are confused.

      • jcuknz 14.1.4
        8 December 2013 at 8:23 am

        +100% on that Bad12 …. though I am not sure how and with any honesty a retirement age, and pension, based on what one had done in ones working life could work.

    • BM 14.2
      5 December 2013 at 9:58 am

      The most important parts of being a successful political party

      1.Getting yourself elected

      2.Nothing else because you haven’t been elected

      Greater good policies don’t get you elected.

      • Ake ake ake 14.2.1
        5 December 2013 at 11:49 am

        Goodness me, what did I have for breakfast today. You are even starting to sound persuasive. When I saw the David Parker announcement, I went WTF. You are quite right about (2) and the subsequent statement. All that reminds me of a conversation I once had with Rodney Hide a long time ago.

        Btw, what is the story with Parker’s stand-alone announcement about super. Is that the party policy after membership support and caucus agreement?

        Does Labour now think it is in an invincible position to begin announcing unpopular policies on their own? I take it that Cunliffe is still alive and well and he approved Parker’s announcement, i.e. this super policy is also supported by Cunliffe?

    • Colonial Viper 14.3
      5 December 2013 at 10:00 am

      Bloody hell, Labour should reduce super age to 63 on the condition that peeps do 20 hours community and social volunteer work a week. I mean, come on, let’s change society.

      How to afford it? Print an additional $25M pw into the Cullen Fund starting right now. Easy as. The key is ensuring that when those payments are made, the real economy is healthy enough to provide the resources and services that people are expecting to be able to purchase with the money.

      This is new economic thinking.

      • Olwyn 14.3.1
        5 December 2013 at 10:39 am

        That is the most important issue I think, with David Parker’s announcement. I am not sure whether or not printing money is the answer, but attending to the health of the real economy seems central to anything that could be termed real change. If a rise in the retirement age, with penalty-free allowances for those longer able to work, was embedded within a range of policies aimed at the health of the real economy, I do not think it would raise alarm bells. But by itself, it looks like more of the same old fakery, designed to reduce the poor to wretched, and more slowly and surreptitiously, the middle class to poor, under the cloak of “balancing the books.”

        The other problem is, this policy, along with the TPP, was shelved at the conference for further consideration, due to disagreement between the membership and the caucus. Now it looks as if “further consideration” means “what the caucus decides once dissenters are out of the way.” I hope this not going to apply to the TPP as well.

        • just saying 14.3.1.1
          5 December 2013 at 10:48 am

          No to mention the other policy announced today about extending passports. Again by itself maybe not so serious, but as one of the few policies annonunced, it’s looking like the Labour Party continuing along the path of representing the interests of the comfy and ignoring those with less cushy lives (and the wishes of their members).

          Same old same old….

          • s y d 14.3.1.1.1
            5 December 2013 at 11:00 am

            nailed it. you don’t (as yet) require a passport to walk from Putaruru to the WINZ office in Tokoroa.

            • bad12 14.3.1.1.1.1
              5 December 2013 at 12:33 pm

              While all the while having an office in Putaruru which is open part-time 2 days a week, what a miserable bunch of Arse-wipes WINZ and Slippery’s National government are,

              i have to wonder how many people are being put through this unnecessary expense who live in Putaruru or other small towns with the same ‘part-time WINZ office’,

              The ‘efficient’ means of having all the beneficiaries fulfill their ‘obligations’,(no matter how stupid and a waste of time they are), would be for them all to go to the Putaruru office on the same day of the month with that office remaining open all day…

              • lprent …
                5 December 2013 at 12:59 pm

                That was my thought. Closely followed by the words caravan and bus. Basically the WINZ people in areas without public transport should be kicked off the arses and and setup at local shopping centres in the villages and smaller towns.

                But of course under Paula Bennett they aren’t there to help in any respect from finding jobs to making and effort to do their jobs. It is National’s policy to be stupidly punitively stupid with people..

                • RedBaronCV …
                  5 December 2013 at 8:36 pm

                  Caravan , bus what are you thinking. The WINZ staffers could ride a push bike over Putararu. If it’s good enough for a beneficiary…..

                  And while we are at it:
                  How about our politicians catch the airport flyer in to Parliament.
                  In the morning it runs about every 10 minutes and takes about 25 minutes .
                  They could keep costs down, mix with the voters, get there just as fast
                  reduce the need to drill for oil
                  What’s not to like

                  and I would not be tempted to make gestures at Gerry Brownlee passing in the crown limo

              • yeshe …
                5 December 2013 at 1:43 pm

                1+1 =2 .. so why not give this fit and able walking beneficiary a job serving in the not-open-enough Putaruru office ?? She’s been told she has to find work under their new rules which is why she needed to show for the WINZ appointment.

                Nah .. too simple.

                And ‘caravan’ .. yes LPrent.

        • Ake ake ake 14.3.1.2
          5 December 2013 at 12:23 pm

          “The other problem is, this policy, along with the TPP, was shelved at the conference for further consideration, due to disagreement between the membership and the caucus. Now it looks as if “further consideration” means “what the caucus decides once dissenters are out of the way.” I hope this not going to apply to the TPP as well.”

          And by the time the nationwide membership meets again, it will be too close to the election and too late for the membership to do much (and, hey membership, don’t rock the boat). Haha. I am wondering now how transparent and honest the Labour caucus is.

        • Rogue Trooper 14.3.1.3
          5 December 2013 at 3:01 pm

          +1 Olwyn

      • Draco T Bastard 14.3.2
        5 December 2013 at 12:51 pm

        How to afford it? Print an additional $25M pw into the Cullen Fund starting right now.

        If the government is creating money then we don’t need the Cullen Fund either. Nor do we need retirement schemes. All we need to do is plan so that the economy can provide the goods and services that will be needed but it seems that the political parties are still wedded to the neo-liberal BS of not planning and leaving it all to that mythical beast the “free-market”.

      • North 14.3.3
        5 December 2013 at 10:23 pm

        Attractive concept there CV @ 14.3

        I’ve got no links to cite or statistics to ply but engagement in one’s community especially when it’s pursued on a notionally voluntary basis MUST be good.

        One thing is sure. Moral and social isolation is the killer of a decent society. Selfishness and lust for exclusively personal gain are the very planks of it. Pity that we’re encouraged in it by the false smiles and weasel words of charlatans.

    • KJT 14.4
      6 December 2013 at 4:53 pm

      Only if you accept the neo-liberal rights wings meme that transfer payments for welfare, including super are solely a “cost”. As if transfer payments to the old simply disappear without trace, like tax cuts to the wealthy for Hawaii holidays.

      On the other hand, you could say that universal super has been so successful in ensuring less than 3% of the elderly live in poverty, at a relatively cheap net cost to the economy, that rather than reducing it, we should extend the concept to all ages. Especially children!

  15. Tracey 15
    5 December 2013 at 9:48 am

    Molly

    australian based I think.

    We provide a ‘one stop shop’ for communications, media and public affairs services, including:strategic communications  & campaign planningpublic, member and social researchadvertising and creative developmentcommunication audits & reviewmedia relations & media trainingpublic relations and media managementissues management, crisis management and reputation protectionadvocacy & lobbying supportcopywriting, design & productiononline & social media strategyonline content design and productionmember communications and community managementfundraising and member recruitmentwebsite builds & maintenance.These tools allow us to plan and execute strategic communications that:strengthen organisational capacityshift public opinionchange government policygrow audiences and membership

    • Molly 15.1
      5 December 2013 at 10:02 am

      Thanks Tracey. Found that, but also saw their previous work which seems different from the run of the mill PR companies. Which makes me want to continue if this is the case, have only two days to go.

      Will probably ask the researcher off-line for clarity on who is funding the research.

  16. greywarbler 16
    5 December 2013 at 10:10 am

    Commentator from Brit saying David Cameron is holding himself apart from Boris Johnson opinion expressed that ‘Greed is good’. Apparently Cameron believes in social mobility and that there is too much inequality. Oh if only politicians had to eat their words. He would be holding his bowl out for more gruel like Oliver, sent to the school for chronic degenerates for being a lying fibbing sly little s.d.

    And Graham Edgler Graham McCready – what’s with this little husk of a person. In his retirement setting himself up to be Don Quixote as a hobby. Can’t tell the difference between taking the equivalent of a married beneficiary annual payment for personal support and the mistake of putting out a ten minute tweet to supporters. Not the letter of the law, but a response of strong criticism would be appropriate for that, even a fine of $1000 would indicate a serious response, more than a slap on the wrist which might leave RW with fodder for their endless litany of lies about the ‘other side of politicians’.

    These RW they don’t care about society. They want to pick at bits of it that don’t suit and they don’t like until it hasn’t a fabric, just a lot of holes separated by threads thinner than human hairs. Which have probably been torn out by anguished citizens who support democracy for all.

    [lprent: Fixed the misname. ]

    • greywarbler 16.1
      5 December 2013 at 12:07 pm

      I’m confused easily apparently. Too many Grahams. I said Graeme Edgler when I actually was thinking of Graham McCready.

      • yeshe 16.1.1
        5 December 2013 at 1:48 pm

        maybe LPrent can fix that for you … wouldn’t want to be seen saying those things about Mr Edgler ! very big oops and shd be removed imho …

  17. ianmac 17
    5 December 2013 at 10:33 am

    This comment by Dr Ell struck me as very apt given the concern we have about constant testing. I totally agree.

    Dr Fiona Ell is a lecturer in primary teacher education in the School of Learning, Development and Professional Practice at the Faculty of Education, University of Auckland.

    Focus on the Pisa “score” and the Pisa “rank” have led other countries to narrow their education agenda, effectively “teach to the test” and increase accountability and surveillance of teaching. There’s plenty of evidence that this doesn’t work.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11167033

    • karol 17.1
      5 December 2013 at 10:52 am

      When I was teaching back in the 80s and the UK government started on the foregrounding of testing – we all knew that too much testing takes the focus away from teaching to encourage real and significant learning. The evidence was there back then, but the “neolibs” just ignored it and wrote their own arguments/polices.

      • ianmac 17.1.1
        5 December 2013 at 11:27 am

        Actually to design a test pre-supposes that there are only right/wrong answers which rather defeats the purpose of discovery learning and self directed enquiry. There is of course a place for right/wrong answers (eg basic facts), but kids interested in their own enquiries will have a variety of answers to problem solving. Not easy to test.

        • karol 17.1.1.1
          5 December 2013 at 11:31 am

          exactly, ianmac.

          But also, the righties aren’t interested in the masses developing real learning and critical skills, only learning what they are told to learn for the tasks TPTB want them to do: authoritarian approach to “education” for the masses/workers, who must just learn to jump through the right hoops.

        • greywarbler 17.1.1.2
          5 December 2013 at 12:10 pm

          ianmac
          I remember a question about the humourous point in a cartoon by Murray Ball on The Dog.
          I got a wrong answer. And thought how could that be. It is a personal response and there could be dozens of those depending on the main lines of culture the viewer came from.

  18. Tracey 18
    5 December 2013 at 10:38 am

    Molly they probably wont tell you on the basis it might influence yoyr answers

    bad

    I agree @ manual workers. But I dont subscribe to bms tell the punters what they want to hear and then consider the public good if you get elected. That is about spin and consealment and assumes punters are ignorant. Bms way treats it like a game. Its more important to win at all costs. Its why so many bms hate consultation and consensus cos they need to know who “won”.

    • BM 18.1
      5 December 2013 at 10:55 am

      I’m sorry, but the punters are complete fucking idiots.

      Go read the trade me general boards for a while, it’s a real eye opener on what Joe and Joanne Average consider important.

      Be warned though you may start to lose faith in humanity and suffer from intense urges of violence towards your fellow Man/Women.

      • captain hook 18.1.1
        5 December 2013 at 11:41 am

        the trade me boards are ameeting place for the scum of new zealand to air their bigotry and prejudices.
        any body who takes them seriously needs their head examined.

      • greywarbler 18.1.2
        5 December 2013 at 12:12 pm

        BM
        +1

      • North 18.1.3
        5 December 2013 at 9:51 pm

        BM – hangin’ out with the good folks on TS has improved your social/moral/emotional IQ outa sight ! We’ll travel to the voting booth together to cast two party votes for Mana then aye ?

  19. Tracey 19
    5 December 2013 at 11:14 am

    But not you aye bm

  20. Draco T Bastard 20
    5 December 2013 at 12:09 pm

    Government awards more oil permits

    “The government is committed to developing our oil, gas and mineral resources in a sensible, safe and environmentally responsible way. Block Offer 2013 is delivering on that,” Mr Bridges said.

    Just doesn’t get it does he? There is no way to develop oil in an environmentally responsible way, not when the plan is to dig it up and burn it.

    • s y d 20.1
      5 December 2013 at 3:46 pm

      A Radio New Zealand political reporter said the ceremony at Parliament was like an awards ceremony, with each successful company getting a round of applause from the 100 or so representatives from the petroleum industry there.

      Surpised they didn’t get Mark Richardson in to compere…

  21. phillip ure 21
    5 December 2013 at 12:18 pm

    i found this site where normal english is translated into death-metal english..

    sample:..

    “..Normal English: “You have to mow the lawn”

    Death Metal English:

    “BRING DOWN THE SCYTHE OF GODS UPON THE NECKS OF THE GREEN-RIBBED LEGIONS –

    – AND SWEEP AWAY THEIR WRETCHED BODIES;

    – THOU ART IMPLORED BY ME”..”

    phillip ure..

    • greywarbler 21.1
      5 December 2013 at 12:30 pm

      A primer for Mothers (and Fathers) attempting to establish communication channels with their young adults in the family so as to inspire enthusiasm for simple tasks around the home. Recommended by the Oxford Dictionary of Tomorrow’s In-Words and Phrases.

  22. greywarbler 22
    5 December 2013 at 12:24 pm

    Just looking at The Daily Blog which is crowing about beating the standard after only 8 months.
    It has outstanding presentation but as I prefer limited hyperbole and exaggeration and less emotionally charged description, I find it a bit much.

    Reading Tim Selwyn is like watching a large boy trying to take over the school playground. Unpleasant in his rant about RadioNZ, and Chris Laidlaw was unreasonably flagged, not being Tim’s style. So therefore only 5 plus half people in Auckland could be interested.

    Too much regurgitation on that blog I think. I don’t want my news pecked out of the eyes of passing individuals and then fed into my open brain. Give me some facts and help me form a reasoned opinion rather than throw a full bladder at me that bursts leaving an unpleasant taste. How’s that for hyperbole and mixed metaphors and colourful description.

    • lprent 22.1
      5 December 2013 at 1:09 pm

      It is “visits” that Open Parachute uses for ordering for some obscure reason. The problem is that “visits” are entirely variable depending on which measuring program is used and how the site is laid out.

      I run 3 different page and visit trackers here. One had last month at ~130k visits, one was at ~170k visits, one was at ~220k visits. That is just on the basis of how much time each “visit” is set to. For that matter you can set that time in two of these as well, which makes it a bit hard to do comparisons.

      They all roughly agree on numbers of page views. So that is what I tend to look at as well. The TDB is way behind on that. Looking at the PV/visit ratio I suspect that they are also way way behind the minutes per “visit” as well and I suspect that get a lot more quick browsers.

      It was a sluggish month last month. Lower numbers of posts posted after the Labour leadership stuff at the start of the month. Lower numbers of comments. And it is leading into xmas which in non-election years causes comments to drop.

      But it does give me a good reason to consider that the TDB startup time is over. I’ll put in the code for tabbing their feed into their own sections. Far too many repeats of other people’s press releases that I can’t seperate. Same for scoop. That will leave the smaller blogs with more real estate to be noticed in.

      • karol 22.1.1
        5 December 2013 at 1:14 pm

        TDB also boosts it’s page views by re-posting various things including press releases from Labour & Green parties

        It’s not comparing like with like.

        Another difference is the lack of/limited amount of front page links to the latest comments on TDB. So one has to keep clicking back on posts to see if there are any more comments.

        • Draco T Bastard 22.1.1.1
          5 December 2013 at 2:09 pm

          DTB also boosts it’s page views…

          It’s TDB and not DTB 😛

          Another difference is the lack of/limited amount of front page links to the latest comments on DTB. So one has to keep clicking back on posts to see if there are any more comments.

          /agreed

          It’s their bloody horrible layout and navigation that has pretty much stopped me going there.

          • karol 22.1.1.1.1
            5 December 2013 at 3:23 pm

            🙂 I regularly reverse letters when typing – always need to properly proof read.

          • Murray Olsen 22.1.1.1.2
            5 December 2013 at 11:53 pm

            Bomber’s unstated moderation policy and opinion that he is above criticism are coming close to stopping me. The layout also sucks. They do, however, have some good contributors.

            • Draco T Bastard 22.1.1.1.2.1
              6 December 2013 at 1:05 am

              They do have some good contributors but that isn’t really enough to keep me going back.

        • Naturesong 22.1.1.2
          5 December 2013 at 2:24 pm

          There is the occasional article thats good on TDB, but the layout does not encourage feedback or any sort of critical discussion.

          It’s more like a notice board where if something interests you, you read it.
          I imagine that most of the views on any one page, are only viewed once by a visitor.
          There’s a fair amount of clickbait on there as well, copying WOBH modus operandi.

          The more time I’ve spent reading thestandard, the more impressed I am with the layout and functionality of the site. Particularly the ease with which you can read and engage in ongoing conversations.
          It presents as nice and clean, but theres a ton of functionality lurking just under the surface.

      • greywarbler 22.1.2
        5 December 2013 at 2:28 pm

        Repeats of others comments. I was looking on google and went to NBR to look up their piece on the subject and all I found was links, no content to read that had their particular findings.
        Very strange. Not what I expect for a publication like the NBR newspaper.

        I think we are probabably wired to think, put DTB now. Pavlovian acshually.

    • Tracey 22.2
      5 December 2013 at 3:54 pm

      I didnt know it was a competition

      • fender 22.2.1
        5 December 2013 at 4:07 pm

        “Life is a competition… Not with others, but with ourselves. We should seek each day to live stronger, better, truer lives. Each to master some weakness of yesterday. Each day to repair a mistake; Each day to surpass ourselves.”

        -David B. Haight

    • Penny Bright 22.3
      5 December 2013 at 4:24 pm

      Just checking to see whether I’m still banned from Martyn Bradbury’s ‘Daily Blog’ because he didn’t agree with my standing against Mana’s John Minto as a Mayoral candidate.

      PENNY BRIGHT says:
      Your comment is awaiting moderation.
      DECEMBER 5, 2013 AT 3:57 PM
      TESTING …… am I still banned / blocked?
      Penny Bright
      – See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/12/02/november-2013-blog-stats-the-daily-blog-now-largest-left-wing-blog-in-nz/#comment-151946

      (Checked, and this comment still appears to be ‘awaiting moderation’ …..)

      Having been a political activist since I was 18 years old (I’m now in my 59th year), I find this hypocrisy regarding purported ‘freedom of expression’, quite disturbing.

      And – I WILL ‘blow the whistle’ – when and where I see fit.

      So be it.

      Cheers!

      Penny Bright

  23. amirite 23
    5 December 2013 at 1:17 pm

    Has anyone asked Colin Cray about his views on vaccination? Just for the lulz..

  24. dv 24
    5 December 2013 at 1:18 pm

    From the oh shit files
    HT Interest.co
    http://gizmodo.com/for-20-years-the-nuclear-launch-code-at-us-minuteman-si-1473483587

    Today I found out that during the height of the Cold War, the US military put such an emphasis on a rapid response to an attack on American soil, that to minimize any foreseeable delay in launching a nuclear missile, for nearly two decades they intentionally set the launch codes at every silo in the US to 8 zeroes.

    ie 00000000 !!!

  25. Ake ake ake 25
    5 December 2013 at 1:59 pm

    A comment from this side of the ditch to people back home –

    Labour was looking pretty on the ball after the leadership selection just recently.

    Now, with only a brief period to go before Christmas and before people switch off for the holidays, what is Labour’s narrative?

    Is Labour powerfully leading a clear and strong narrative, in a week that has been slightly distracted by what seems like an honest mistake over a tweet and then this morning’s eye-rolling policy announcement?

    Is Cunliffe well supported by his deputy and caucus and can his chief of staff and his chief press secretary/media director help craft something tactical as well as strategic before we knock off for the festive and holiday season?

    • greywarbler 25.1
      5 December 2013 at 6:41 pm

      Has anyone thoughts about what ake asked? Before the holiday season?

      It definitely would be wise to make a plan as to releases and policy. The news is always hungry for content over the holiday season and will repeat stuff over and over again. Give them something good to repeat eh!

  26. Rogue Trooper 26
    5 December 2013 at 3:22 pm

    Paper! Paper! Read all out about It! .

  27. s y d 27
    5 December 2013 at 4:07 pm

    “New Zealanders expect sport to be played fairly and they expect sports men and women to perform – in a way which upholds the ethics of their sport and not to be doing it to make money in an underhand way. It would be a very, very serious issue indeed if it is proved to be correct.”

    if we replaced ‘sport’ and ‘sportsmen and women’ with ministers of the crown would it make any difference?

  28. ScottGN 28
    5 December 2013 at 4:14 pm

    Questioning from NZFirst MP Tracey Martin to Hekia Parata today has revealed that the Minister doesn’t even know if contractual arrangements around the Charter Schools programme allows the Ministry of Education to seize assets (paid for by the taxpayer) in the event that the charter school goes broke or collapses.

    • JK 28.1
      5 December 2013 at 5:27 pm

      The part I found most fascinating ScottGN in those questions was the possibility that the charter school given the funds has bought 81 hectares of Northland farm land with it, and has no money left to build proper school buildings so is putting up portloos and portacoms. Parata didn’t know the answers to questions about this by Tracey Martin …. so either its happened, or it hasn’t …. and we’ll have to wait until someone else questions Parata for further details.

    • greywarbler 28.2
      5 December 2013 at 6:31 pm

      Just shows that NZ First have got something to offer. Unlike the other individuals in the sack race, lost their cloth, lost the ashes.

  29. ScottGN 29
    5 December 2013 at 4:48 pm

    Oh dear. Apparently NORAD has decided that Santa needs a fighter escort, in spite of the fact that he must be going faster than any fighter plane currently in service.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/9480904/Santa-tracker-under-fire-for-jet-escort

  30. Morrissey 30
    5 December 2013 at 5:11 pm

    “That Prince Harry is one TOUGH customer!”
    Uttering inane platitudes is not always an easy task
    Television One Breakfast, Thursday 5 December 2013, 8:08 a.m.

    Last item on the news ends with a dramatic long shot of human figures walking across an icy landscape. It’s a PR piece about Prince Harry racing to the South Pole with injured servicemen to raise money for the charity Walking with the Wounded. Apparently, just as Nero used to win the chariot races at the Olympics, this modern-day Milo of Croton is coming first in this icy race.

    However, far from being impressed, the Television One Breakfast crew are, to put it charitably, lukewarm in their response to this royal hero….

    NADINE CHALMERS-ROSS: That Prince Harry is one TOUGH customer!

    ….[Awkward extended silence]….

    TONI STREET: He sure is.

    ….[Further awkward silence]….

    SAM WALLACE: Do you think they’re all letting him win because he’s royal?

    TONI STREET: Oh no no no! He’s a very fit soldier!

    RAWDON CHRISTIE: He’s a VERY fit man!

    TONI STREET: He’s got a bit of MONGREL in him!

    NADINE CHALMERS-ROSS: Oh yes, yes, yes.

    ….[More dutiful murmuring, followed by further awkward silence]….

    RAWDON CHRISTIE: Okay, it’s time for the weather, Sam….

    • greywarbler 30.1
      5 December 2013 at 5:23 pm

      Morrisey why do you do it? I know after reading that I never want to watch Breakfast Television as it might be bad for the television and costly for me – break fast…..
      What puerile stuff. Your brain must be turning to raspberry spaghetti.

      Of course it is so cool for today’s free-thinking young people to scorn royalty. Just like the funny ones on Oz radio ringing about Kate’s condition, and ending up besmirching a high achiever’s reputation so that the nurse concerned couldn’t face the shame of being made to look ridiculous in that way and killed herself. The young people of today…. The comfortably off, who have never had to sweat their guts out to get on, don’t take anything too seriously.

    • Ake ake ake 30.2
      5 December 2013 at 6:24 pm

      Family members, lovers or flatmates who are having breakfast would do considerably better to spend their precious time by having a conversation among themselves, with the tv OFF.

  31. fender 31
    5 December 2013 at 5:41 pm

    Charter School Scam :

    “Ms Martin asked Ms Parata whether she knew the charter school being set up by Nga Parirau Matauranga Trust had spent its more than $1.6 million from the Government on 81 hectares of farmland and now didn’t have enough money to build the school.”

  33. Plan B 33
    5 December 2013 at 6:49 pm

    http://www.interest.co.nz/property/67683/labour-has-introduced-members-bill-would-allow-only-new-zealand-citizens-and-resident#comment-759759

    interest.co.nz is not usually known for its leftward leanings but the comment stream on this one is worth reading to see what i think could be called a real swing to the left

  34. greywarbler 34
    5 December 2013 at 7:47 pm

    I’ve just been listening to Bryan Crump interview Nigel Turvey from Charles Darwin University which i feel is probably in Queensland. I think he has written a book on cane toads. There is a rich history behind their introduction around the world and particularly in queensland.

    Some trivia. The sugar cane industry was introduced by two ex army men one called Hope and the other Wish. (Spelling?) The releasing of toads was resisted by the head of the entomology of the then CSIRO whose name was Froggett. But disagreeing with him was a Mr Ribbett. Quite amusing connections there.

    The scientist who dissected 300 toads found some cane beetles in their stomachs and concluded they would be a suitable control on the beetles. Which only come out of the ground for a day mate and then go back underground where they live in their thousands and eat the roots of the cane. They have only been researched in 1995 by the government, 60 years after they were introduced. Gardeners loved them because they were so good at keeping slugs and snails down.

    He made the point that when there is such a groundswell of acceptance of anything it is hard to give proper consideration to the overview of whatever.

    • exkiwiforces 34.1
      5 December 2013 at 11:44 pm

      Charles Darwin University is located in Darwin NT not Queensland and those bloody Cane Toads are moving south and west ie Northern Western Australia. The F-ing Toads around where I work and are at our friends cattle Station just out of Katherine.
      They are making a mess along with the feral cats in Armhem land just the ferrets/cats and bunnies do back home in NZ.

  35. karol 35
    5 December 2013 at 9:11 pm

    Simon Bridges website hacked simulated by green activists;

    http://simon-bridges.co.nz/

    Going up in smoke 4 oil.

    PS; That’s a pretty cool effect.

    Go Greenpeace!

    The real Simon Bridges site.

    http://www.simonbridges.co.nz/

  37. tricledrown 37
    5 December 2013 at 11:20 pm

    BM
    You may want to consider a name change BM
    British Movement far right facist
    gang .

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    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    22 hours ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    24 hours ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
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