Did you forget that Brigadier Hugh McAslan was Deputy Commanding General of the Coalition Joint Force Land Component Command Iraq , and quite prominent in the battle of Mosul – Gossy?
Up to 121 NZDF personnel are deployed to the Middle East in roles associated with the Defeat-ISIS Coalition in Iraq.
The majority of New Zealand's personnel are based at the combined New Zealand and Australian Building Partner Capacity (BPC) mission at Taji Military Complex in Iraq. The purpose of the BPC mission is to prepare Iraqi Security Forces units for combat and stabilisation operations. Training includes basic weapons skills, individual and unit military skills to prepare for combat operations as well as other skills like medical support, logistics and training on the laws of armed conflict.
True, there's no basis for the guessing the identity of the opponents faced by the Iraqi forces trained by the NZDF contribution to the "Defeat–ISIS Coalition in Iraq". /sarc
Do you genuinely try to be that dense, or is it just a causal factor of you being a tory?
A very interesting article. Though to my knowledge the UK uses drone strikes in much more restrictive circumstances than the writer says. I would note that in the war against ISIS normal rules of war apply. You can target enemy fighters even if they are not literally planning an imminent attack, provided they are generally involved in the war
"My assessment is that values in Canterbury are now down around 20 percent from the peak, or perhaps a little more, but still trending down from there.
In Southland, there have been minimal recent sales although I do know of one sale of a large high-quality farm. It has been sold to an existing farming group who have brought in additional external equity capital.
In Westland, at least half the farmers would get out if they could. My assessment is that values are now down by at least 50 percent from the 2014/15 peak but farms are still not selling."
"Below the radar, there is still some foreign investment money coming in, but limited to overseas investors purchasing a 24.9% equity stake in existing farming groups, with this not needing approval from the Overseas Investment Office. Hence, there is no public notification of the restructure, or the underlying land price. I know of multiple situations where this is occurring, and there will be many others that I am not aware of."
I think NZ First can see this shit storm coming and are trying to do something for the farmers who have been sold up the creek by banks and other sharks.
Can see NZ first doing quite well out of it, at the expense of those that facilitated the sharks.
Yes I had seen that but general opinion appears to be it will have little impact….and suspect 'the government' (including NZ First) will wear the backlash irrespective of fault
Mark Patterson may be making a bit of progress in Clutha Southland, and forcing Compost (Haymush Walker) off into Labour / populist territory. Latest off piste is coming out in support of Dunedin City being forced to re-capitalise Aurora Energy (local lines company in Central) after asset striping to pay for Dunedin Stadium.
It does not matter in the end, fact is they – the Kiwis are – are where they should not be, supporting a roque nation that illegally invaded a nation, bombed it to smithereens, killed several hundred thousands of its population, destroyed any and all infrastructure, did nothing when the looting of hte museums went on, and covered the whole country in depleted uranium dust, never mind Abu Grhaib and all of that unpleasant jazz.
Lie with dogs get up with fleas. NZ best get all its troops out of any of these fucked up adventures and bring them home.
Surely they can be put to good use here or be honorably discharged and join civilian live.
Also your enemy is my enemy so lets work together and kill our common enemy and when that is done we can go back to fighting each other. But then there is no one in the US that would ever think that far. They just think, enemy, bomb, . ………..rinse repeat.
Old white southerner says black/brown people are racists for opposing the murder of brown people.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) blasted NFL player Colin Kaepernick and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) after they criticized President Donald Trump’s handling of the assassination of Iran military leader Qasem Soleimani.
In a tweet on Saturday, Kaepernick suggested that the attack on Soleimani was part of a history of “American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people.”
What he's saying: "We've spent a lot of money in Iraq," Trump told reporters, according to a pool report.
"Iraq, was the worst decision, going into the Middle East was the worst decision ever made in the history of our country … We're not leaving unless they pay us back for it," he said of the joint air base.
On the targeting of cultural sites, Trump said, "They’re allowed to kill our people. They’re allowed to torture and maim our people; they’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we’re not allowed to touch their cultural site? It doesn’t work that way."
he said that well before the election, in 2016 'we should have gotten the oil' 'we should get paid'. Never mind that it is our society, the western society that has fucked up the middle east for the longest of time. But hey her fucking emails Joe90, her fucking emails.
It's a little over two weeks since she delivered her Xmas wishes from the PM's office in the Beehive. I expect she'll be back there in about a week's time. That'll be 3 weeks to recuperate from a hectic 2019.
A darn sight less than John Key used to take. He disappeared off to Hawaii several times a year and a month over Dec/January.
Don't worry, when the therapeutics have worked their magic on her she'll be back to administer the same to those who miss her so. Sorry I can't tell you where the needy will have to queue.
Here’s a book that looks not in at China but out from China. David Daokui Li’s China’s World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict is a refreshing offering in that Li is very much ...
The New Zealand National Party has long mastered the art of crafting messaging that resonates with a large number of desperate, often white middle-class, voters. From their 2023 campaign mantra of “getting our country back on track” to promises of economic revival, safer streets, and better education, their rhetoric paints ...
A global contest of ideas is underway, and democracy as an ideal is at stake. Democracies must respond by lifting support for public service media with an international footprint. With the recent decision by the ...
It is almost six weeks since the shock announcement early on the afternoon of Wednesday 5 March that the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Adrian Orr, was resigning effective 31 March, and that in fact he had already left and an acting Governor was already in place. Orr had been ...
The PSA surveyed more than 900 of its members, with 55 percent of respondents saying AI is used at their place of work, despite most workers not being in trained in how to use the technology safely. Figures to be released on Thursday are expected to show inflation has risen ...
Be on guard for AI-powered messaging and disinformation in the campaign for Australia’s 3 May election. And be aware that parties can use AI to sharpen their campaigning, zeroing in on issues that the technology ...
Strap yourselves in, folks, it’s time for another round of Arsehole of the Week, and this week’s golden derrière trophy goes to—drumroll, please—David Seymour, the ACT Party’s resident genius who thought, “You know what we need? A shiny new Treaty Principles Bill to "fix" all that pesky Māori-Crown partnership nonsense ...
Apple Store, Shanghai. Trump wants all iPhones to be made in the USM but experts say that is impossible. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories shortist from our political economy on Monday, April 14:Donald Trump’s exemption on tariffs on phones and computers is temporary, and he wants all iPhones made in the ...
Kia ora, readers. It’s time to pull back the curtain on some uncomfortable truths about New Zealand’s political landscape. The National Party, often cloaked in the guise of "sensible centrism," has, at times, veered into territory that smells suspiciously like fascism.Now, before you roll your eyes and mutter about hyperbole, ...
Australia’s east coast is facing a gas crisis, as the country exports most of the gas it produces. Although it’s a major producer, Australia faces a risk of domestic liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply shortfalls ...
Overnight, Donald J. Trump, America’s 47th President, and only the second President since 1893 to win non-consecutive terms, rolled back more of his“no exemptions, no negotiations”&“no big deal” tariffs.Smartphones, computers, and other electronics1are now exempt from the 125% levies imposed on imports from China; they retain ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 6, 2025 thru Sat, April 12, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
Just one year of loveIs better than a lifetime aloneOne sentimental moment in your armsIs like a shooting star right through my heartIt's always a rainy day without youI'm a prisoner of love inside youI'm falling apart all around you, yeahSongwriter: John Deacon.Morena folks, it feels like it’s been quite ...
“It's a history of colonial ruin, not a history of colonial progress,”says Michele Leggott, of the Harris family.We’re talking about Groundwork: The Art and Writing of Emily Cumming Harris, in which she and Catherine Field-Dodgson recall a near-forgotten and fascinating life, thefemale speck in the history of texts.Emily’s ...
Hitherto, 2025 has not been great in terms of luck on the short story front (or on the personal front. Several acquaintances have sadly passed away in the last few days). But I can report one story acceptance today. In fact, it’s quite the impressive acceptance, being my second ‘professional ...
Six long stories short from our political economy in the week to Saturday, April 12:Donald Trump exploded a neutron bomb under 80 years of globalisation, but Nicola Willis said the Government would cut operational and capital spending even more to achieve a Budget surplus by 2027/28. That even tighter fiscal ...
On 22 May, the coalition government will release its budget for 2025, which it says will focus on "boosting economic growth, improving social outcomes, controlling government spending, and investing in long-term infrastructure.” But who, really, is this budget designed to serve? What values and visions for Aotearoa New Zealand lie ...
Lovin' you has go to be (Take me to the other side)Like the devil and the deep blue sea (Take me to the other side)Forget about your foolish pride (Take me to the other side)Oh, take me to the other side (Take me to the other side)Songwriters: Steven Tyler, Jim ...
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...
Hi,Back in 2022 I spent a year reporting on New Zealand’s then-biggest megachurch, Arise, revealing the widespread abuse of hundreds of interns.That series led to a harrowing review (leaked by Webworm) and the resignation of its founders and leaders John and Gillian Cameron, who fled to Australia where they now ...
All nation states have a right to defend themselves. But do regimes enjoy an equal right to self-defence? Is the security of a particular party-in-power a fundamental right of nations? The Chinese government is asking ...
A modest attempt to analyse Donald Trump’s tariff policies.Alfred Marshall, whose text book was still in use 40 years after he died wrote ‘every short statement about economics is misleading with the possible exception of my present one.’ (The text book is 719 pages.) It’s a timely reminder that any ...
If nothing else, we have learned that the economic and geopolitical turmoil caused by the Trump tariff see-saw raises a fundamental issue of the human condition that extends beyond trade wars and “the markets.” That issue is uncertainty and its centrality to individual and collective life. It extends further into ...
To improve its national security, South Korea must improve its ICT infrastructure. Knowing this, the government has begun to move towards cloud computing. The public and private sectors are now taking a holistic national-security approach ...
28 April 2025 Mournfor theDead FightFor theLiving Every week in New Zealand 18 workers are killed as a consequence of work. Every 15 minutes, a worker suffers ...
The world is trying to make sense of the Trump tariffs. Is there a grand design and strategy, or is it all instinct and improvisation? But much more important is the question of what will ...
OPINION:Yesterday was a triumphant moment in Parliament House.The “divisive”, “disingenous”, “unfair”, “discriminatory” and “dishonest” Treaty Principles Bill, advanced by the right wing ACT Party, failed.Spectacularly.11 MP votes for (ACT).112 MP votes against (All Other Parties).As the wonderful Te Pāti Māori MP, Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke said: We are not divided, but united.Green ...
The Pacific Response Group (PRG), a new disaster coordination organisation, has operated through its first high-risk weather season. But as representatives from each Pacific military leave Brisbane to return to their home countries for the ...
The Treaty Principles Bill has been defeated in Parliament with 112 votes in opposition and 11 in favour, but the debate about Te Tiriti and Māori rights looks set to stay high on the political agenda. Supermarket giant Woolworths has confirmed a new operating model that Workers First say will ...
1. What did Seymour say after his obnoxious bill was buried 112 to 11?a. Watch this spaceb. Mea culpac. I am not a crookd. Youse are all such dumbasses2. Which lasted longest?a. Liz Trussb. Trump’s Tariffsc. The Lettuced. Too soon to say but the smart money’s on the vegetable 3. ...
And this is what I'm gonna doI'm gonna put a call to you'Cause I feel good tonightAnd everything's gonna beRight-right-rightI'm gonna have a good time tonightRock and roll music gonna play all nightCome on, baby, it won't take longOnly take a minute just to sing my songSongwriters: Kirk Pengilly / ...
The Indonesian military has a new role in cybersecurity but, worryingly, no clear doctrine on what to do with it nor safeguards against human rights abuses. Assignment of cyber responsibility to the military is part ...
The StrategistBy Gatra Priyandita and Christian Guntur Lebang
Another Friday, another roundup. Autumn is starting to set in, certainly getting darker earlier but we hope you enjoy some of the stories we found interesting this week. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday we ran a guest post from the wonderful Darren Davis about what’s happening ...
Long stories shortest:The White House confirms Donald Trump’s total tariffs now on China are 145%, not 125%. US stocks slump again. Gold hits a record high. PM Christopher Luxon joins a push for a new rules-based trading system based around CPTPP and EU, rather than US-led WTO. Winston Peters ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s shock and (partial) backflip; and,Health Coalition Aotearoa Chair ...
USAID cuts and tariffs will harm the United States’ reputation in the Pacific more than they will harm the region itself. The resilient region will adjust to the economic challenges and other partners will fill ...
National's racist and divisive Treaty Principles Bill was just voted down by the House, 112 to 11. Good fucking riddance. The bill was not a good-faith effort at legislating, or at starting a "constitutional conversation". Instead it was a bad faith attempt to stoke division and incite racial hatred - ...
Democracy watch Indonesia’s parliament passed revisions to the country’s military law, which pro-democracy and human rights groups view as a threat to the country’s democracy. One of the revisions seeks to expand the number of ...
The StrategistBy Linus Cohen, Astrid Young and Alice Wai
Australia should follow international examples and develop a civilian cyber reserve as part of a whole-of-society approach to national defence. By setting up such a reserve, the federal government can overcome a shortage of expertise ...
A ballot for three Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill (Cameron Brewer) Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Restrictions on Issue of Off-Licences and Low and No Alcohol Products) Amendment Bill (Mike Butterick) Crown ...
Te Whatu Ora is proposing to slash jobs from a department that brings in millions of dollars a year and ensures safety in hospitals, rest homes and other community health providers. The Treaty Principles Bill is back in Parliament this evening and is expected to be voted down by all parties, ...
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has repeatedly asserted the country’s commitment to a non-aligned foreign policy. But can Indonesia still credibly claim neutrality while tacitly engaging with Russia? Holding an unprecedented bilateral naval drills with Moscow ...
The NZCTU have launched a new policy programme and are calling on political parties to adopt bold policies in the lead up to the next election. The Government is scrapping the 30-day rule that automatically signs an employee up to the collective agreement when they sign on to a new ...
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te must have been on his toes. The island’s trade and defence policy has snapped into a new direction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. The government was almost ...
Auckland’s ongoing rail pain will intensify again from this weekend as Kiwirail shut down the network for two weeks as part of their push to get the network ready for the City Rail Link. KiwiRail will progress upgrade and renewal projects across Auckland’s rail network over the Easter holiday period ...
This is a re-post from The Electrotech Revolution by Daan Walter Last week, UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch took the stage to advocate for slowing the rollout of renewables, arguing that they ultimately lead to higher costs: “Huge amounts are being spent on switching round how we distribute electricity ...
That there, that's not meI go where I pleaseI walk through wallsI float down the LiffeyI'm not hereThis isn't happeningI'm not hereI'm not hereSongwriters: Philip James Selway / Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood / Edward John O'Brien / Thomas Edward Yorke / Colin Charles Greenwood.I had mixed views when the first ...
(A note to subscribers:I’m going to keep these daily curated news updates shorter in future to ensure an earlier and more regular delivery.Expect this format and delivery around 7 am Monday to Friday from now on. My apologies for not delivering yesterday. There was too much news… This ...
As Donald Trump zigs and zags on tariffs and trashes America’s reputation as a safe and stable place to invest, China has a big gun that it could bring to this tariff knife fight. Behind Japan, China has the world’s second largest holdings of American debt. As a huge US ...
Civilian exploration may be the official mission of a Chinese deep-sea research ship that sailed clockwise around Australia over the past week and is now loitering west of the continent. But maybe it’s also attending ...
South Korea’s internal political instability leaves it vulnerable to rising security threats including North Korea’s military alliance with Russia, China’s growing regional influence and the United States’ unpredictability under President Donald Trump. South Korea needs ...
Here are 5 updates that you may be interested in today:Speed kills and costs - so why does National want more of it?James (Jim) Grenon Board Takeover Gets Shaky - As Canadian Calls An Australian Shareholder a “Flake” Billionaire Bust-ups -The World’s Richest Men Are UncomfortableOver 3,500 Australian doctors on ...
Australia is in a race against time. Cyber adversaries are exploiting vulnerabilities faster than we can identify and patch them. Both national security and economic considerations demand policy action. According to IBM’s Data Breach Report, ...
The ever brilliant Kate Nicholls has kindly agreed to allow me to re-publish her substack offering some under-examined backdrop to Trump’s tariff madness. The essay is not meant to be a full scholarly article but instead an insight into the thinking (if that is the correct word) behind the current ...
In the Pacific, the rush among partner countries to be seen as the first to assist after disasters has become heated as part of ongoing geopolitical contest. As partners compete for strategic influence in the ...
The StrategistBy Miranda Booth, Henrietta McNeill and Genevieve Quirk
We’ve seen this morning the latest step up in the Trump-initiated trade war, with the additional 50 per cent tariffs imposed on imports from China. If the tariff madness persists – but in fact even if were wound back in some places (eg some of the particularly absurd tariffs on ...
Weak as I am, no tears for youWeak as I am, no tears for youDeep as I am, I'm no one's foolWeak as I amSongwriters: Deborah Ann Dyer / Richard Keith Lewis / Martin Ivor Kent / Robert Arnold FranceMorena. This morning, I couldn’t settle on a single topic. Too ...
Australian policy makers are vastly underestimating how climate change will disrupt national security and regional stability across the Indo-Pacific. A new ASPI report assesses the ways climate impacts could threaten Indonesia’s economic and security interests ...
So here we are in London again because we’re now at the do-it-while-you-still-can stage of life. More warm wide-armed hugs, more long talks and long walks and drinks in lovely old pubs with our lovely daughter.And meanwhile the world is once more in one of its assume-the-brace-position stages.We turned on ...
Hi,Back in September of 2023, I got pitched an interview:David -Thanks for the quick response to the DM! Means the world. Re-stating some of the DM below for your team’s reference -I run a business called Animal Capital - we are a venture capital fund advised by Noah Beck, Paris ...
I didn’t want to write about this – but, alas, the 2020s have forced my hand. I am going to talk about the Trump Tariffs… and in the process probably irritate nearly everyone. You see, alone on the Internet, I am one of those people who think we need a ...
Maybe people are only just beginning to notice the close alignment of Russia and China. It’s discussed as a sudden new phenomenon in world affairs, but in fact it’s not new at all. The two ...
The High Court has just ruled that the government has been violating one of the oldest Treaty settlements, the Sealord deal: The High Court has found the Crown has breached one of New Zealand's oldest Treaty Settlements by appropriating Māori fishing quota without compensation. It relates to the 1992 ...
Darwin’s proposed Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct is set to be the heart of a new integrated infrastructure network in the Northern Territory, larger and better than what currently exists in northern Australia. However, the ...
Local body elections are in October, and so like a lot of people, I received the usual pre-election enrolment confirmation from the Orange Man in the post. And I was horrified to see that it included the following: Why horrified? After all, surely using email, rather ...
Australia needs to deliver its commitment under the Seoul Declaration to create an Australian AI safety, or security, institute. Australia is the only signatory to the declaration that has yet to meet its commitments. Given ...
Ko kōpū ka rere i te paeMe ko Hine RuhiTīaho mai tō arohaMe ko Hine RuhiDa da da ba du da da ba du da da da ba du da da da da da daDa da da ba du da da ba du da da da ba du da da ...
Army, Navy and AirForce personnel in ceremonial dress: an ongoing staffing exodus means we may get more ships, drones and planes but not have enough ‘boots on the ground’ to use them. Photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories short in Aotearoa’s political economy this morning:PM Christopher Luxon says the Government can ...
If you’re a qualified individual looking to join the Australian Army, prepare for a world of frustration over the next 12 to 18 months. While thorough vetting is essential, the inefficiency of the Australian Defence ...
I’ve inserted a tidbit and rumours section1. Colonoscopy wait times increase, procedures drop under NationalWait times for urgent, non-urgent and surveillance colonoscopies all progressively worsened last year. Health NZ data shows the total number of publicly-funded colonoscopies dropped by more than 7 percent.Health NZ chief medical officer Helen Stokes-Lampard blamed ...
More people could be harmed if Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey does not guarantee to protect patients and workers as the Police withdraw from supporting mental health call outs. ...
The Green Party recognises the extension of visa allowances for our Pacific whānau as a step in the right direction but continues to call for a Pacific Visa Waiver. ...
The Government yesterday released its annual child poverty statistics, and by its own admission, more tamariki across Aotearoa are now living in material hardship. ...
Today, Te Pāti Māori join the motu in celebration as the Treaty Principles Bill is voted down at its second reading. “From the beginning, this Bill was never welcome in this House,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Rawiri Waititi. “Our response to the first reading was one of protest: protesting ...
The Green Party is proud to have voted down the Coalition Government’s Treaty Principles Bill, an archaic piece of legislation that sought to attack the nation’s founding agreement. ...
A Member’s Bill in the name of Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter which aims to stop coal mining, the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill, has been pulled from Parliament’s ‘biscuit tin’ today. ...
Labour MP Kieran McAnulty’s Members Bill to make the law simpler and fairer for businesses operating on Easter, Anzac and Christmas Days has passed its first reading after a conscience vote in Parliament. ...
Nicola Willis continues to sit on her hands amid a global economic crisis, leaving the Reserve Bank to act for New Zealanders who are worried about their jobs, mortgages, and KiwiSaver. ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
Alex Casey farewells a truly confounding season of the reality television juggernaut. (To be read aloud in traditional Married at First Sight final vows style, aka with the cadence and confidence of an eight-year-old doing a school speech about the invention of the telephone.)Married at First Sight Australia, From ...
Winston Peters called the previous guideline "woke" and "out of touch" but the Education Minister says Peters has had no influence over the new framework. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dylan Irvine, Outstanding Future Researcher – Northern Water Futures, Charles Darwin University Lizzie Lamont/Shutterstock If you scoop a bucket of water out of the ocean, does it get lower? –Ellis, 6 and a half, Hobart This is a great ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heather Douglas, Professor of Law and Deputy Director of the Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW), The University of Melbourne Shutterstock The family law system is crucial for protecting women and children nationwide. With its combination ...
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. Āku Hapa (Whakaata Māori, April 14) If you like mouthwatering kai and choice kōrero, the bite-sized Āku Hapa! is tailor-made for you and the whole whānau. Join the ...
The response confirms the incidents occurred across multiple months in 2024, with a particularly high concentration in May (5), June (4), and July (7) — suggesting a consistent pattern of misuse rather than one-off mistakes. ...
“Replacing the full licence test with a ‘good behaviour’ period and increasing penalties by reducing the demerit threshold does not build safer roads or better drivers,” says Wendy Robertson, National Director of the Driving Change Network. ...
The school was successful in receiving all four grants it applied for, including a lump sum of $120,000 for leasing obligations, and aims to reimagine 'the current Eurocentric language of circus into a voice that has a deeper resonance in Aotearoa'. ...
Writer and theatre maker Jo Randerson on getting a diagnosis in their 40s. How do you distinguish which parts of your personality are a “condition”, and what is genetic inheritance? Which aspects of self come from who you grow up with, and what parts do you make up yourself? My ...
Whether you rent or own, knowing your property’s flood risk is a smart way to stay safe. But how can you find out before it’s too late?Historically, much of Wairau Valley has been a swamp. It wasn’t until the 20th century that the area – a natural valley with ...
While there’s broad agreement that the RMA needs fixing, there’s growing unease about what its replacement will prioritise – and who it will leave out.Since 1991, the Resource Management Act has underpinned how we protect and use the whenua. It’s been the legal backbone of everything from subdivisions to ...
Labour has accused the prime minister and his deputy of immaturity, after Winston Peters criticised Christopher Luxon for calling world leaders to discuss the US tariffs without consulting him in advance. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne A wave of restrictions on protesting has been rippling through Australia’s top universities. Over the past year, all of Australia’s eight top research universities (the Group of Eight) have individually increased restrictions ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Judy Bush, Senior DECRA Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Unshaded cycling paths mean heat exposure on hot days, particularly for the afternoon commute.Judy Bush, CC BY Walking and cycling is good for people and the planet. But hot sunny days ...
Two members of Peace Action Ōtautahi, an activist group, were taken into custody after police requested CCTV footage from the University of Canterbury showing them briefly interacting, which contravened their bail conditions. At the start of March, two protesters from activist group Peace Action Ōtautahi chained themselves to the building ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Blair Williams, Lecturer in Australian Politics, Monash University Australian politics has historically been a male domain with an overwhelmingly masculine culture. Manhood and a certain kind of masculinity are still considered integral to a leader’s political legitimacy. Yet leadership masculinity changes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Helen Hodgson, Professor, Curtin Law School and Curtin Business School, Curtin University Federal elections always offer the opportunity for a reset. Whoever wins the May 3 election should consider a much needed revamp of the tax system, which is no longer fit ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lachlan Vass, Fellow, Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University National licensing of electricians has been one of the few productivity reforms of recent years.Shutterstock The federal election leaders’ and treasurers’ debates last week covered ...
With Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs rattling global markets, the PM is vowing to fight for free trade – and not everyone’s happy about it, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.Tech spared from worst of tariffs – ...
Labour has accused the prime minister and his deputy of immaturity, after Winston Peters criticised Christopher Luxon for calling world leaders to discuss the US tariffs without consulting him in advance. ...
Auckland Council, the Crown and tangata whenua are proposing a formal deed of acknowledgement to help guide the protection of Te Wao Nui a Tiriwa.For many West Aucklanders, growing up meant having the Waitākere Ranges – also known as Te Wao Nui o Tiriwa – at your back door. ...
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Life imitates art.
What did you do to the snow. Shit on it?
Just one more horror': Iconic South Island glaciers stained by Aussie bushfires
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/118563496/just-one-more-horror-iconic-south-island-glaciers-stained-by-aussie-bushfires
If God came back.
On Chump's mob money connections. Click on the tweet below to see the rest of the brief thread.
https://twitter.com/blakesmustache/status/1213486665139937282
Time for our troops to come home from Iraq right now instead of waiting for June
https://www.dw.com/en/iraqi-parliament-votes-to-expel-us-troops-awaits-government-approval/a-51892888
And Afghanistan
Indeed and here is the fig leaf that makes legal state sanctioned murder.
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2020/01/lies-the-bethlehem-doctrine-and-the-illegal-murder-of-soleimani/
Shouldn't we wait for the Iraqis to state they want us to go before we pull out prematurely?
Maybe we should take the hint…
NZ is not the US or have you not noticed?
Your intelligence is impressive, you are aware two nations are separate. Well done!
Here's a slightly more difficult one: Have you noticed that is NZ part of the "US-led military coalition in Iraq"?
Actually the Iraqi government invited us to help with the training of their military. We were not invited by the US.
And?
How does that affect our involvement in the US-led coalition?
Did you forget that Brigadier Hugh McAslan was Deputy Commanding General of the Coalition Joint Force Land Component Command Iraq , and quite prominent in the battle of Mosul – Gossy?
Dunno if you're too lazy to bother with your own research, or if it's just a delaying tactic to bog down discussions.
and:
Yeah was just going to link to that – it is a call for all foreign troops to go.
Gossy, as usual, too lazy to do his own research.
We aren't there fighting Islamic State. We are there to train the Iraqi military.
…to fight Islamic State.
No. Our remit is to help train the Iraqi military. Who they fight is up to them.
Got evidence of that there big guy?
lol
True, there's no basis for the guessing the identity of the opponents faced by the Iraqi forces trained by the NZDF contribution to the "Defeat–ISIS Coalition in Iraq". /sarc
Do you genuinely try to be that dense, or is it just a causal factor of you being a tory?
No we shouldn't Gosman!
A very interesting article. Though to my knowledge the UK uses drone strikes in much more restrictive circumstances than the writer says. I would note that in the war against ISIS normal rules of war apply. You can target enemy fighters even if they are not literally planning an imminent attack, provided they are generally involved in the war
The trick is to define the conflict as a 'war', even if it against a noun like terrorism.
Justification for war is always in the eye of the beholder and the US is the epitome of that.
Can't have anyone defusing the tension, either.
https://twitter.com/janearraf/status/1213823941321592834
'normal rules of war apply. '
The reality is that in war ,no rules apply…that are adhered to ..at least.
"My assessment is that values in Canterbury are now down around 20 percent from the peak, or perhaps a little more, but still trending down from there.
In Southland, there have been minimal recent sales although I do know of one sale of a large high-quality farm. It has been sold to an existing farming group who have brought in additional external equity capital.
In Westland, at least half the farmers would get out if they could. My assessment is that values are now down by at least 50 percent from the 2014/15 peak but farms are still not selling."
"Below the radar, there is still some foreign investment money coming in, but limited to overseas investors purchasing a 24.9% equity stake in existing farming groups, with this not needing approval from the Overseas Investment Office. Hence, there is no public notification of the restructure, or the underlying land price. I know of multiple situations where this is occurring, and there will be many others that I am not aware of."
https://www.interest.co.nz/rural-news/103163/ten-years-banks-incentivised-staff-help-farmers-grow-their-business-led-over
A rural downturn that may impact NZ First support …..Winston will have everything crossed
NZ First have this bill working through the house at present
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/BILL_78205/farm-debt-mediation-bill
I think NZ First can see this shit storm coming and are trying to do something for the farmers who have been sold up the creek by banks and other sharks.
Can see NZ first doing quite well out of it, at the expense of those that facilitated the sharks.
Yes I had seen that but general opinion appears to be it will have little impact….and suspect 'the government' (including NZ First) will wear the backlash irrespective of fault
Mark Patterson may be making a bit of progress in Clutha Southland, and forcing Compost (Haymush Walker) off into Labour / populist territory. Latest off piste is coming out in support of Dunedin City being forced to re-capitalise Aurora Energy (local lines company in Central) after asset striping to pay for Dunedin Stadium.
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/dcc/walker-joins-call-dcc-invest-network
The day before it was toilets at Ben Lomond Saddle (in the mountains about 600m above Queenstown).
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/queenstown/calls-toilet-ben-lomond-saddle
That both issues were the result of previous National government's policies seems to have escaped the lad.
and so it begins – tit for tat until we are all dead.
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/01/terrorist-attack-on-military-base-in-kenya-kills-3-americans/
Not sure Al-Shabaab are supported by / connected to the Iranians?
But who knows, politics in ME/North Africa makes for strange bedfellows sometimes.
It would be like the UDF and IRA having a joint operation
Yeah, but then the yanks were fighting ISIL with the Iranians were doing the same, while helping bomb the Houthis who the Iranians were supporting.
as strange befellows as NZ having forces in Iraq for not other reason then ……..something something something.
And yet, here we are with Troops in all the theaters of wars started by the US under false pretenses and outright lies.
Bit stranger than NZ's lego army clipping on to someone else's effort, as Poisson alluded to.
It does not matter in the end, fact is they – the Kiwis are – are where they should not be, supporting a roque nation that illegally invaded a nation, bombed it to smithereens, killed several hundred thousands of its population, destroyed any and all infrastructure, did nothing when the looting of hte museums went on, and covered the whole country in depleted uranium dust, never mind Abu Grhaib and all of that unpleasant jazz.
Lie with dogs get up with fleas. NZ best get all its troops out of any of these fucked up adventures and bring them home.
Surely they can be put to good use here or be honorably discharged and join civilian live.
Also your enemy is my enemy so lets work together and kill our common enemy and when that is done we can go back to fighting each other. But then there is no one in the US that would ever think that far. They just think, enemy, bomb, . ………..rinse repeat.
‘
Old white southerner says black/brown people are racists for opposing the murder of brown people.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) blasted NFL player Colin Kaepernick and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) after they criticized President Donald Trump’s handling of the assassination of Iran military leader Qasem Soleimani.
In a tweet on Saturday, Kaepernick suggested that the attack on Soleimani was part of a history of “American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people.”
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/01/look-in-the-mirror-lindsey-graham-calls-colin-kaepernick-a-racist-for-opposing-murder-of-brown-people/
I guess this is why they're scuttling out of Iraq.
https://twitter.com/kaitlancollins/status/1213834724889767936
The military adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader has stated that Iran will retaliate directly against US military sites.
"He told CNN that reprisals would come from Iran itself, not its allied militia in the region".
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/05/middleeast/iran-soleimani-khamenei-adviser-intl/index.html
Gott mit uns
https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1213660137673486337
Mark Twain, the war prayer.
*shakes head*
What he's saying: "We've spent a lot of money in Iraq," Trump told reporters, according to a pool report.
https://www.axios.com/trump-threatens-iraq-iran-sanctions-sites-06abb035-1eaf-42ec-8135-b9f82269529c.html
he said that well before the election, in 2016 'we should have gotten the oil' 'we should get paid'. Never mind that it is our society, the western society that has fucked up the middle east for the longest of time. But hey her fucking emails Joe90, her fucking emails.
Scomo's social media strategy during the bush fires is coming under huge criticism.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/118599660/scott-morrison-mocked-for-video-message-showcasing-wildfire-aid
Could it be that Topham Guerin's silly videos will bring down the man they built up?
so trumpian of him, right.
Haven't heard from the Prime Minister for a long while.I trust she is finding the long holidays relaxing and therapeutic.
It's a little over two weeks since she delivered her Xmas wishes from the PM's office in the Beehive. I expect she'll be back there in about a week's time. That'll be 3 weeks to recuperate from a hectic 2019.
A darn sight less than John Key used to take. He disappeared off to Hawaii several times a year and a month over Dec/January.
What a mean-spirited little polluter you are.
To deny the Prime Minister a couple of weeks to spend with her brand new family, like most other Kiwis, is truely evil.
A National voter for sure.
Don't worry, when the therapeutics have worked their magic on her she'll be back to administer the same to those who miss her so. Sorry I can't tell you where the needy will have to queue.
Behind this guy.