Donald Trump's criminal defence lawyer, admits live on Fox News, than one of the indictments is valid.
He said that Trump had asked Pence to go with "option D" (cited in the charges against Trump, that he conspired to … )
The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC
Donald Trump’s Lawyer Is Dumber Than Donald Trump
The case is made here, based on the testimony so far by John Lauro, Trump's lawyer. The freedom of speech defence ridiculed, he’s charged with organised conspiracy to commit a crime.
Trump once boasted that he could commit a crime every American knew he was guilty of and get away with it – he used the example of shooting someone in the street (or organising someone to do a crime for him like a mob boss).
That was Trump posing as a fascist political leader (his version of Putin’s cornered rat story) offering to seize power on behalf of those who supported him, to end the contest for political legitimacy through a fair democratic process – because their might was right.
He noted many Christian dominionists were little more than white race nation supremacists, and when they prayed kingdom come, they were seeking their power over other Americans. Thus control of SCOTUS etc.
This is a result of GOP adopting the southern strategy.
Before, all healthy men in Russia aged between 18 and 27 had to serve one year of compulsory military service. Conscription was carried out twice a year.
Now, all men up to 30 years of age can be called up.
About the only thing that gives me hope is the increasing reluctance of young men to go to war.The exception ,sadly, would be those young men who view the military as their only economic option.
But the imperialist needs of nations will persevere regardless.We're heading for remote controlled AI wars
In Israel there were those reluctant to serve in the IDF on the occupied West Bank and now reservists saying they will not be available (unless Israel is attacked) because of the move to negate the Basic Law (protecting the rights of citizens) and subject the nation to the rule of any government with a parliamentary majority.
The unnecessary war is now entering its stalemate phase, the lines on the map do not change no matter how many lives are placed at risk in any offensive (Haig/ Joffre reprise) – so it’s likely to be drone and missile attacks behind the lines – as per WW2).
They're letting their rapists, murderers and washing machine thieves off the hook, too. What could possibly go wrong.
@mobilizationnews
Translated from Russian by
Wagner suspected of killing 6 people In Karelia, two friends were arrested on suspicion of killing six people. One of them recently returned from the war. On the night of August 1, five men and one woman were found stabbed to death in the village of Derevyannoye. The killers set fire to two houses belonging to the dead. Security forces detained suspects in severe intoxication. They were Igor Sofonov and Maxim Bochkarev. According to journalists, the men were friends and were in prison together. They were tried on serious articles, including murder, robbery, robbery, rape and drugs. Igor Sofonov was recently pardoned. He went to fight, presumably in the Wagner PMC. During the meeting on the choice of a measure of restraint, Sofonov tried in every possible way to emphasize his belonging to the military, local media reported. To the questions of the judge, he answered "Yes, exactly." The court arrested both men for two months. In a criminal case on the murder of several people, they face life imprisonment (Part 2 of Article 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
Russian soldiers may now be able to avoid criminal prosecution if they serve on the frontline in Ukraine, the Kommersant business daily reported Wednesday, citing a recent ruling by Russia’s Supreme Court.
The new legal precedent was set in a deadly automobile accident case where Corporal Vladislav Ustinov was handed a two-year prison sentence in May 2022 for running over and killing two people.
But instead of being dismissed from the military following his conviction, Ustinov was sent to to fight in Ukraine, where Kommersant says he is still serving.
[…]
Russian courts will now be able to cite a defendant’s involvement in military operations as mitigating circumstances and grounds for reviewing sentences, according to Ustinov’s lawyer Sergei Bizyukin.
Days before the Supreme Court ruling, Russian lawmakers approved legislation allowing convicts to clear their criminal records in exchange for joining the country’s depleted military.
Legal experts told Kommersant that Russian courts could now use both the new law and the Supreme Court precedent in Ustinov’s case to free criminally convicted soldiers who serve in Ukraine.
Seems to be a Slavic thing,it happened in Ukraine very early in the piece.The harsh upside is that probably people aren't too fussed when criminals get killed
The actors seeking to be National's support partners (the nice Maori who believe in assimilation, David Seymour and Winston Peters) having been competing for attention by lying about the size of holes – parroting the lines of Steven Joyce.
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness”. As Oscar Wilde once noted.
Of course whether Steven Joyce was ever great is something for others to determine. Someone like William Birch, once Mr Think Big, then Mr No (his filibusters without extravagant language or change in tone, till people gave up and went away and never come back asking him for any money, indicated his road to damascus conversion to fiscal prudence – reminding some of the character Marvin the Paranoid Android)
The fact Moody’s credit rating agency, in its latest report, held the country’s rating at Aaa stable, saying New Zealand’s fiscal position is “healthy … compared with that of peers” ought to give pause for extreme scepticism to anyone considering the various Eeyore-ish claims.
We will have to wait until the Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU) on September 12 for Treasury’s latest view. At the same time, we will be able to judge – as has been suggested – whether Robertson and his colleagues are reacting to an early warning from Treasury of a sharper and deeper deterioration.
Normal and everyday garden variety administrative practice.
In truth, the Government’s books are under pressure, but it is extremely unlikely Treasury will suddenly forecast a “fiscal hole” as serious as this week’s shroud-waving might suggest.
There are any number of potential blunders and “fiscal holes” to be discovered among the parties’ manifestos and election promises, and that is the place to look.
External auditing of the ACT manifesto, to demonstrate best practice and readiness for government responsibility, or not?
SPC this was a reply that did not attach.
Those lies about fiscal responsibility, fit in with the "Chaos meme" of the right.
"The Government is in chaos, therefore there is a hole in the funding and planning." (Well Fitch did not find that. Aaa is a very good rating in todays shaky world.)
Lies will be repeated, and it is hoped that voters will jump from left to right.
This goes with the misleading headlines, the failure to report on completed projects except as "Too little too late
The lack of real reporting on gains by the left is amazing on one level, but on another no surprise.
Jenna Lynch, partner of Act's Andrew Ketels, is hardly a balanced reporter given her affiliations.
Thanks for showing how these lies are started and used and repeated, especially in parliament where MPs are not able to be held to account for such accusations.
It looks like the government has trumped the NAct revelation concerning alleged proposed changes to GST on fruit and vegetables with a stunning revelation of their own. As far as I can tell they kept it under wraps without anyone knowing it was coming!
I refer to the proposed new harbour crossings… one from Akoranga (almost alongside the present bridge) and a light rail tunnel system from Albany passing though Takapuna and Belmont and across the harbour. Both projects end up at Victoria Park with links to all the present motorways. The details coming.
That should send shockwaves through Nicola Willis' undies. She never saw that coming.
Its massive Patricia. Without doubt the biggest transport project ever commissioned in NZ. I recall recently some government minister (I think it was PM Hipkins) reflecting on the fact "they were mindful of the huge economic importance of Auckland to the whole country". Words to that effect anyway. He knew what was coming.
PS The good thing about it is that CC was front and centre of the decisions made – unlike the other lot who just want to build more and more roads regardless of the effects on our future weather patterns.
I'm sure I can remember a big project that the current Government were going to carry out. They were going to build a walkway/cycleway alongside the current harbour bridge at a cost of about a billion dollars weren't they? Then little Napoleon Wood blotted his copybook and got fired , having meantime managed to waste a lot of money on preparations for his brain explosion.
Doesn't that count as planning a big project? I note you only said planned. You didn't say anything about completing a project.
I used to work in the movie industry and if an art director came up with a fairly ridiculous idea for a set that the producers couldn't or didn't want to pay for, we in construction were quietly told to price it, quadruple it and double it again so that it was untenable. ( Yes, yes, all you frustrated ADs out there, that's what happened to your precious. ).
I'm pretty sure the same thing happened to the Harbour Bridge Bike Rack.
I got my comment into moderation so I’ll try a re-phrase.
Good crisp communication from Chippy. There’s a reason he’s got good numbers.
Clear distinction from the National party whose policy is to ignore climate change and shirk their responsibility, ignoring the consequences that are already with us.
Co-leader James Shaw said the government seemed to have a tendency to choose the most expensive and over-engineered plans possible.
"I don't think that six lanes of traffic are going to solve Auckland's congestion problem. Frankly, during a climate crisis it's a bit bonkers to be building more roads and inducing more traffic and more car dependency."
So I gather Belladonna. I believe they are wrong. In fact, I voted for them last time because of CC. It won’t happen this time around.
Its time the Greens re-entered the real world. There is no way you can banish petrol driven vehicles overnight so there is no way you can do without sufficient roads to accommodate them until such a time when they can be written off as an extinct inorganic species. The trick is to build the extra transport lanes required now in a manner which enables that extinction to occur sooner rather than later.
Building more roads like Nact plan to do, will do nothing to assist the transition to an almost carbon free environment. All it shows is they are tunnel-visioned when it comes to combating climate change.
What the Govt. is proposing is by far the better option imo and it is more realistic with the ultimate aim of getting people out of their cars and on to swift, trouble-free public transport.
And another positive is that it should drastically reduce the current road toll.
There is no way you can banish petrol driven vehicles overnight so there is no way you can do without sufficient roads to accommodate them until such a time when they can be written off as an extinct inorganic species. The trick is to build the extra transport lanes required now in a manner which enables that extinction to occur sooner rather than later.
What you are describing has been the pattern thus far; this leads to induced demand. It is a well-studied fact that building more roads increases congestion. Public transport that shares the road will inevitably be caught in this same congestion making it less appealing and less used. Prioritising public transport options, such as light rail, is better overall and this is the Greens preference.
A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It's where the rich use public transportation. – Gustavo Petro
As the Julie Anne Genter says:
“These road tunnels are carbon intensive to build, and they would cost tens of billions of dollars that should instead be invested in low carbon transport options like regional rail.
“At the very least, the Government should have prioritised the light rail first.
“It is maddening that on the one hand Labour can say the economic conditions aren’t right for a fair tax system that will benefit millions of people, and on the other announce unbelievably expensive and poorly thought through transport projects.
“The Prime Minister says money doesn’t grow on trees, but apparently it does grow on roads.
“Labour and National seem to be in a road race to come up with the worst possible transport plan. Induced demand is a real thing – more urban roads, equals more cars, equals more congestion. People deserve better.
“Green Ministers in Cabinet to speak up for the climate in every decision has never been more essential.
“The Green Party is 100% committed to transforming rail in Auckland with a new Harbour connection, and making space for walking and cycling over the current Harbour bridge immediately. This will save billions of dollars which can be used to upgrade other rail links in the region and beyond. The time is now for real transport solutions.
I'm a bit divided on it , in an ideal world yes rail should come first, but it would be a disaster for Auckland if the bridge failed before the tunnel was built,
National and Labour will likely agree on the 6 lanes of traffic tunnels. This has been in advanced planning since 2014 and has strong momentum within NZTA.
My hesitancy of launching this without any idea of how to pay for it is that it gets to precisely the same place Labour were in prior to the 2017 election when they announced light rail for Auckland going to both the airport and up to Westgate. I know we can remember what happened through 2018 to that.
To pay for it I'd put a toll on the bridge today for personal vehicles, 6 years of revenue in the bank for those that will enjoy the bridge most, might get a few of them on the bus to😉
To pay for it I'd put a toll on the bridge today for personal vehicles, 6 years of revenue in the bank for those that will enjoy the bridge most, might get a few of them on the bus to
No, it won't. Anyone who can (i.e. they are going to the CBD, and can afford the time out of their working day for PT) – is already taking the bus (or, rarely, the ferry) – train isn't an option from the North Shore. The Shore bus transit lane is the envy of Auckland – it's the only one which has any level of effectiveness at all (although, we all hope the NW motorway will be as effective once it finally becomes operational)
Note, the majority of the traffic headed over the Harbour Bridge in the morning isn't going to the CBD – it's heading on South.
Penalizing people who have no alternative (the buses don't take them where they need to go within a reasonable timeframe) – doesn't get people on side – it antagonizes and alienates them.
The people who have carparks in the CBD – and therefore drive – (what I think of as the high-priced lawyer brigade) – are entirely unmoved by tolls or congestion charging – it's simply a business expense for them. The only thing which might be remotely effective is a very high FBT on carparks, and daily parking fees ($80+). And, of course, these are entirely independent of any toll on a bridge crossing.
Still waiting for the tolls to be applied to the new motorway in Wellington (after all, why shouldn't "those who enjoy it most" pay for it). Politicians seem to be reluctant to trial these things in their own back-yard, for some reason….
Andrew Little wants to increase our defense forces and uses, as an example, the need to protect our $20B of trade through the South China Sea. He didn't mention China by name.
Can anyone else see the elephant in the room. If this trade is threatened by a war, then on which side should our forces side with? Giving military support to a nation attacking China in a conflict is going to help protect this trade?
How about you include the fact that the increase in spending amounts to no more than a maximum of 1% of GDP. That is, it will be closer to 2% of GDP – well below other comparable countries.
How about you include the major factors at play? I refer to the poor retention rates within the Defence Services, the rapid spread of disinformation and the effects it has on society and most important of all, the effects of CC related cataclysmic events requiring immediate action in order to save lives and property.
Something in the order of 80% of Defence Service activity is tied up with disasters and potentially dangerous situations – plus search and rescue operations – within NZ and the wider South Pacific. In order to properly carry out all of its functions it requires sufficient personnel and up to date equipment. You know, a bit like when a person runs their car into the ground and has to replace it with a newer and more reliable model so it can continue to be of service.
Yes. It's funny and there is a healthy grain of truth to it. 😀
But to be fair. We do have to think about out trade routes – all of them. We rely more heavily than most countries on our food exports so it is essential we have a way of getting them to our major markets.
As for China. Its an enigma that seems impossible to resolve.
Professor Davis joins Hayden Donnel in saying F this lazy media pile on campaigning for the Nacts.
Whereas Hayden points out that Australia has award wages and a whole bunch more tax than us, and is much more unionised. IE the rich are screwing us in NZ and the complaining is to keep the bill low. The Spin-off- linked yesterday.
Professor Davis says actually we don’t know how lucky we are: we’re doing quite well in the grand scheme of things. It might be miserable with all Paula Bennett’s buddies, but not universally. On Newsroom.
Everyone will be rushing to get their contracts renewed, projects passed through Boards and procurement teams, as Act seeks BIMs that explicitly state how much they can cut in MBUE staff, Three Waters, He Waka Eke Noa, Auckland Light Rail, Fees-Free and the Provincial Growth Fund.
Act wants its BIMs to contain three key details:
The teams that sit within ministries and departments.
The activities the teams do and the outputs they produce.
A breakdown of expenditure on the teams and activities.
Seymour said ministers would use that information to “identify teams and activities they require departments to cut because they aren’t providing value for taxpayers or because they overlap with functions that exist elsewhere in the bureaucracy”.
I am particularly worried for the funding for the Transport Recovery East Coast Alliance, which National wants to raid for pothole funding.
TREC is the largest state investment the East Coast peoples will ever receive and they need every dollar of it.
Seymore will dress this up as collecting wasteful spending. It is Dog eat Dog spiral to the bottom, all MBIE staff looking over their shoulder, waiting to be fingered, wondering who will have their lives wrecked next, while the money "saved" after redundancies, will go to tax cuts? He is a dangerous little man, and I agree with Jacinda's description!!
“Act are definitely worth fighting against. ” 100% He has delusions of Grandeur .
We all know that the huge savings ACT say will happen, won't actually happen. We know because they didn't happen before (and don't happen elsewhere with right wing governments). If National/ACT are in government, then in 3 years' time there will be stories about more private consultants and minimal savings. "Red tape" will be cut, and then stuck together again with sellotape, making for false economies.
National say they will "invest" in so many projects it's hard to keep count, all of which will require more spending on those bureaucrats they despise. Or … cut costs on oversight, and bring back Leaky Homes Part Two. Real cost to taxpayers … billions.
So as its Monday tomorrow get ready for the latest revelation from the rights Disinformation Project, we have been warned that there will be one a week until the election. Maybe the first was the anynomous More Yelled At Staffers in the ministers office, leaked through who knows, and last Monday's leaking $20 billion hole initially through Winston Peters. What's up tomorrow, can't wait, whatever it is it will be fantastic, and then rubbished by reason and proven to be lies a few days later.
Suzie Fergusson project on Disinformation and misinformation, and recovered bodies who ended up looking where they had been and deciding who they would in future talk to online. Very revealing and shows how family and friends influenced people who were already anti in some way. It is worth a listen… Could someone kind link for me after 7am Sun news on RNZ.
You're welcome Patricia, and thanks for asking for the link and saying when/where it was 👍 This is so much better than someone just saying they can't find the link or whatever.
“Dental care for adults in Aotearoa is now among the most expensive in the world. Unbelievably, we have a higher rate of unmet dental care in Aotearoa because of cost than even the United States.
“Seventeen years ago, the former Prime Minister Helen Clark expanded dental care from our youngest children to everyone aged 18 and under. The time is now to finish the job.
“Free dental will be fully funded through fair and simple changes to the tax system that will unlock the resources we need. Every dollar will come from those most able to contribute.
“Our fully costed plan will give everyone the peace of mind that no matter what, they can visit the dentist when they need to,” says James Shaw.
The plan would include free annual check-ups; mobile dental vans and funding for community clinics, including on marae; specialist care for people needing oral surgery and "complex treatment"; Māori-run community and whānau oral health services; and "a plan to train the next generation of dentists", with increased caps on training placements (from 60 to 80) and support for encouraging more Māori and Pasifika into dentistry.
A poll earlier this year found three-quarters of voters back free dental care.
Earlier this year, then-Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it would be "enormously expensive".
The Greens estimated it would cost $1.41 billion in the first year, rising to $1.71b in the 2025 and 2026. Buying a few hundred more dental vans would cost $150 million.
"We anticipate that costs will decrease long-term as a greater focus on preventative care improves oral health outcomes for all New Zealanders," the party said.
Have the Greens said where they are going to find the dentists to implement this policy?
Increasing the training cap from 60 to 80 is a drop in the bucket – won't even reach replacement for current dentists retiring; and, most importantly – won't even kick in for 5 years (takes 5 years to train a dentist at Otago)
Dentists are in just as short-supply in NZ as GPs are; and dental nurses (or dental hygienists) aren't much better.
We can see this, by the immense pressure the school dental service (with the free treatment) is – many, many children are not seen within 3 years, let alone annually, as they are supposed to be. And, while it's free to have the dentist check your child's teeth out – most practices (certainly in Auckland) won't enrol children or teens (they don't get enough in payments from the government to even cover their costs).
Announcing a policy, with no practical idea of how to staff it – does not incline people to take you seriously.
Not surprising that a NZ Labour government expanded dental care from our youngest children to everyone aged 18 and under.
Announcing a policy, with no practical idea of how to staff it – does not incline people to take you seriously.
Gosh, sounds as if the Green's policy of a 33% increase in the training cap for dentists could be worse than nothing – a respectful ‘centrist's’ work is never done.
Will NAct favour voters with a reaction – perhaps even a policy of their own?
Or maybe NAct have faith that the invisible hand of the market will provide.
The Guardian view on the dentist shortage: a gap that needs filling
[2 May 2022]
As with healthcare in general, prevention is infinitely preferable to cure. So areas lacking dentists must have them. Like the NHS’s wider staffing problems, this one cannot be fixed overnight.
8. RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH (Green) to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Do special needs grants for dental treatment adequately meet need for dental care, considering 40 percent of adult New Zealanders are unable to afford treatment?
Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development and Employment): This Government has shown that it is committed to ensuring New Zealanders have access to dental care when they need it. For the first time in 25 years, we increased the maximum special needs grants for dental treatment from $300 to $1,000 in Budget 2022. This has seen the number of non-recoverable dental grants nearly doubling from 23,025 to 43,479 and the total amount of support provided through the grant increasing nearly five-fold from $6,395,819 to $30,773,018. Previously, you could only receive one dental grant per year, even if it did not reach the $300 limit; now clients can access the grant multiple times in one year up to the value of $1,000. This is making a difference for whānau, but we certainly know there is more to do.
"More to do." What more might Labour do? Or NAct for that matter – vouchers?
An increase of 20 places a year – which will – at the very best – start to have an impact in 5 years time, does not incline anyone other than the most one-eyed of lefties to believe this is a well-thought-through policy – let alone a priority for the Green Party.
I note that you have carefully avoided answering the question of where the dentists are going to come from – for at least the next 5 years.
I'm on record as supporting a whole new dental school (I'd suggested Waikato) – in order to actually deal with the gap between the numbers being trained and the evident need.
Centrists are placed to see the policy benefits of all sides of the political spectrum – not being constrained to support 'my party, right or wrong'.
An increase of 20 places a year – which will – at the very best – start to have an impact in 5 years time, does not incline anyone other than the most one-eyed of lefties to believe this is a well-thought-through policy – let alone a priority for the Green Party.
This policy clearly indicates that providing free dental care to all Kiwis is a priority for the Green Party – only the most one-eyed NAct enthusiast would be pushing a different line, imho.
Your chief moans seem to be that it takes 5 years to train a dentist (what, precisely, do you expect the Greens to do about that?), and that they should be increasing the dentistry training cap by more than 33%.
Do NAct even have a policy? Maybe it's not their priority, and why would it be.
The shortage of dentists in NZ didn’t happen overnight, and will take years to fix – think less ‘a filling’, and more ‘orthodontic correction.’ Not doubt NAct will rubbish the Greens policy for free dental care in due course, without suggesting any alternative solutions.
Nope – it's an election bribe that they devoutly hope they'll never be called upon to deliver – because they literally can't.
A true attempt to resolve the issue would be to have pushed for a substantial increase in training places for dentists (and other dental professionals) – sometime in the last 2.5 years (when they were actually part of the government). Not as a last-minute election promise.
Trying to pretend that NZ has the capacity to provide this level of service – is frankly disingenuous. It doesn't matter how much money you're prepared to throw at the issue – if there aren't the people there to deliver the service.
Only the most one-eyed of lefties doesn't recognise an election bribe, just because it comes from his party.
It may be news to you – but dental practices have already been heavily recruiting immigrant dentists. The problem is that they can get better money elsewhere – and NZ's lifestyle bonus isn't holding up so well (floods, etc.)
The reductionist branded firms are the problem. The owners make the money not the dentists. The owners set them quotas.
Starting to see the same thing with GP's.
The businesses providing public dentistry must be state owned and profit taken out of the picture. Maybe time for a rethink on public medical services overall.
Yes agree BD. I initially read that the policy will be funded by the so-called wealthy again per wealth tax. As Labour has ruled out a wealth tax following the Greens etc publicity before, despite working on a a very fair & reasonable version itself, this indeed is pie in the sky.
I guess the reason for publishing is so that a potential coalition partner can look at what they may have to agree to……..oh I forgot,,,,,,the Greens have ruled out several potential coalition partners.
In my view The Greens have a potential partner in Labour, with whom they have been 'mates' with for sometime. Were any of these policies raised at the time ie when there was a chance they could be implemented?
When are the Greens going to say what their plans are for when they are faced with a potential coalition? I guess not.
What are the Greens plans for combatting inflation, breaking up the supermarket duopoly, breaking down the energy costs for households ie pushing back the Bradford reforms, Bank profits, …….rail/coastal shipping
As the Greens may be in an important place after the next election I would like to know how/when/if etc they will support Labour in the deep issues we are facing. Surely we have grown up a little and don't need election bribes any more…or perhaps election bribes that rely on being funded by something that has already been ruled out by a potential coalition partner.
Excuse my cynicism.
(Waits for the 'RW'/'incrementalist'/ or whatever the insult du jour is.)
What are the Greens plans for combatting inflation, breaking up the supermarket duopoly, breaking down the energy costs for households ie pushing back the Bradford reforms, Bank profits, …….rail/coastal shipping
The answers exist if you actually look for them
Inflation:
“Last year the Reserve Bank admitted in response to my questioning that they are engineering a recession to try and rein in inflation.
“We know this will disproportionately impact low income people in Aotearoa. It doesn’t have to be like this. This is only happening because the Government isn't acting.
“Reducing government spending on essential public services would be a mistake at a time when we know our crucial infrastructure across health, housing, education, the environment, and transport desperately needs investment.
“Instead of relying on the Reserve Bank to use blunt monetary policy like raising the OCR, or manufacturing a recession, the Government can tax the super wealthy.
“Instead of allowing trickle-down economic thinking to drive economic policy that perversely pushes people out of work, the Government can tax the rich and build a fairer society,” says Chlöe Swarbrick.
“A report released today says that the Government’s proposed reforms will not be enough to address the high cost of groceries,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for commerce and consumer affairs, Ricardo Menéndez March.
“The report agrees with what the Green Party has been saying for a really long time: that the time is now to break up the supermarket duopoly.
“Not only that but the government can take immediate action with a tax on excessively high supermarket profit and use the money to help people.
Fundamentally reform the electricity market structure and ensure that the market works in the public interest. (1.2)
Ensure a national integrated energy transition strategy that includes: phasing out the use of fossil fuels while maintaining energy security for households and essential public services. (2.6.3)
Establish Tiriti-based energy legislation that provides an enabling framework for Māori and Community involvement, ownership and leadership in energy projects. (3.1)
Prioritise maintaining, strengthening and/or transforming existing energy infrastructures so they better withstand extreme weather events and can manage mass electrification and increase distributed energy resources. (3.9)
Set an ambitious goal, consistent with our commitments to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees, to increase the share of renewable energy in the total primary energy supply, taking a strategic whole-of-system approach. (5.1)
With calls growing for inquiries and action on bank profits, the Greens say the Government has all the information it needs to act now and put a levy on banks.
“Four Australian banks made $180 a second in the past year while lower income New Zealanders spent ever more of their income on essentials,” says Green Party revenue spokesperson, Chlöe Swarbrick.
“These banks make, on average, adjusted for income, 20% more from New Zealand customers than their Australian counterparts.
“There’s a clear and immediate solution and that’s an excess profits tax. A 10% tax on those excess billions would raise more than half a billion and go a very long way to supporting flood and cyclone impacted New Zealanders.
“When the Reserve Bank and Monopoly Watch argue there’s something far more sinister under the hood of these banks, politicians of course should take a deeper look. That’s why we also support an inquiry, of whatever form we can get across the line, to look at far more fundamental problems.
“The bottom line remains: the big banks are fleecing New Zealanders and should be taxed to help pay for the cyclone clean up. The only thing standing in the way is political willpower,” says Chlöe Swarbrick.
“The Green Party would transform public transport networks, build light rail in Auckland and Wellington, and provide comprehensive bus lanes in all cities. We will invest in nationwide rapid rail for passengers, and rail and coastal shipping for freight, to connect regions and major cities, and contribute to economic development, and decarbonisation.
“Plus, we’d create safe walking and biking routes for every school with more pedestrian crossings, and lower speed limits near schools.
“The Greens are the only party with a plan that shows how we can make things better for everyone in Aotearoa. With more Green MPs we will invest in a transport system that gives people real affordable options that protect the climate,” says Julie Anne Genter.
And all these have been announced with a big fanfare 'rah rah' with special individual threads on TS?
Pardon my cynicism.
I know Labour's poilicies are light on the ground so far but I feel we waste our time on Green policies that
1) can only come into force if there is a left- leaning group holding seats and courage enough to beat off other comers, and
2) can only come into force if they are picked up as part of a coalition, and
3) rely on being funded by forms of taxes or other regimes that the possible majority left leaning partner has ruled out
It is for those reasons and noting those constraints that I would go along with the notion that they are election bribes and bribes put up with a degree of cynicism as The Greens, failing an absoloute miracle, have no ability to grab enough seats to hold a majority and this be assured of the ability to bring these policies into fruition.
Labour has actually worked on this and has increased the amount available via grants substantially since 2022.
What you call bribes are election promises, just like every other party. They are seeking the votes of people who want action on these issues. That you think they are cynical about it indicates your cynicism towards the Greens seems to be boundless. I can't help you with that.
A vote for Labour is an endorsement of their current approach. For all those who want a aspirational left party, the Greens and TPM are the only options. With a larger share of the vote they will be able to demand more of any future government. The idea that a majority is required to enact policy is an oversimplification of MMP.
The argument against the Greens policies is only 'we can't do anything that upsets the status quo.'
Trying to pretend that NZ has the capacity to provide this level of service…
Belladonna, who (apart from you) is pretending “that NZ has the capacity“?
It's clear you find the Green Party's policy to provide free dental care for all Kiwis galling, and with ~40% of Kiwis unable to access affordable dental services, it may prove particularly popular among those less likely to vote.
Building the capacity to providing free dental care for all Kiwis will take time – better to start sooner rather than later (or never), imho.
Well, indeed, apparently the Green Party is pretending that "NZ has the capacity" to deliver on this promised service. Otherwise, why have they released the policy?
Several commenters here have repeated the GP announcement about training, as an absolute answer to questions about dental workforce capacity for 2024. [Hint: Not at all the same thing]
I don't find the policy galling – I find the … misinformation …. about being able to deliver on it disingenuous.
Aspirational is fine. Putting in place policies to seriously and (hopefully) rapidly increase the dental workforce, excellent. Building health workforce capacity – I'm going to cheer that on, regardless of the political party championing it.
Implying that people will be getting free dental from 2024? A disingenuous election bribe at the most blatant, as you seem to be acknowledging. "it may prove particularly popular among those less likely to vote."
I don't find this kind of pork-barrel electioneering any more palatable from the left side of politics than I do from the right.
Well, indeed, apparently the Green Party is pretending that "NZ has the capacity" to deliver on this promised service. Otherwise, why have they released the policy?
Isn't the Green's policy on providing free dental care to all Kiwis partly about building capacity in the dental services sector? See @14.3.2.
If "the Green Party is pretending that "NZ has the capacity" to deliver", then why would their policy include details about how to “deliver a public dentistry workforce“?
Implying that people will be getting free dental from 2024?
That's what you're implying. You're not thick, so what does that leave?
For the many, not the few
I don’t find this kind of pork-barrel electioneering any more palatable from the left side of politics than I do from the right.
What are some examples of “pork-barrel electioneering” “from the right“, in your opinion?
Oh, and just to make you happy – here's an example of pure pork-barrelling from National
"To support Kiwi families bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis, National will introduce FamilyBoost – a childcare tax rebate of up to $75 per week on the costs of childcare."
I'm aware of and acknowledge my political biases – "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs", nuff said.
But "perhaps you might look at your biases", as evinced by your furious barrage of 'centrist' comments dissing the Green's detailed and costed policy on free dental care for all Kiwis.
Still, fairs fair – with about two months until the general election, you deserve the benefit of the doubt. After all, you could be making equally prolific and disparging comments about ACT's policies on a right-leaning political blog – only you can know for sure.
Btw, are there any broadly centrist parties that appeal to you this election – perchance TOP, or New Zealand First?
I've been entirely clear that I dislike Winston Peters – and feel that his only priority in power is 'what's in it for Winston'.
I do wonder if you understand that the Left needs to persuade Centrists to vote for their parties/polices. If so, you're, personally, doing a really poor job of persuading anyone who isn't already on board with your declared biases.
But, perhaps, as someone with a self-declared Marxist philosophy – the opinions of the bourgeoisie are irrelevant – after all – what value is democracy….
But, perhaps, as someone with a self-declared Marxist philosophy – the opinions of the bourgeoisie are irrelevant
You're middle class too? I'd be interested in your opinion about the value of "for the many, not the few", given spaceship Earth's inability to support our overshoot civilisation.
Zen and the art of motorway maintenance [7 August 2023]
In this sense the pothole is a good symbol how of this election is proceeding. There are itches all around the body politic that demand scratching. In the moment we are far more aware of them than we are of the tumour quietly growing inside, the virus caught but not yet symptomatic, the vehicle crash that awaits around the corner, the fire about to engulf our home. The snake oil retailers draw attention to the easy solutions to the surface and immediate issues and we are often only too willing to reward them for it.
As for "what value is democracy", it's easy voting Green. You have my sympathy for the trickier choices that political centrists face.
There has been a notable increase in migrants from Sth America in the last decade.Perhaps Brazil can help NZ with the shortage of dentists.
'Dentistry is the area of health that has expanded the most in recent years in Brazil, with more than 264,000 dentists. That is equivalent to almost 20% of the dentists in the entire world, according to Dentistry Federative Counsel, in 2015. Dentistry, along with medicine and nursing, constitutes the basic nucleus of professionals of higher level of health in Brazil (IPEA 2015; Morita, Haddad, & Araujo, 2010). The rate of dentists to population in Brazil is about 737 habitants per dentist.
That's your reasoning for the status quo? From the policy document:
To deliver a public dentistry workforce, the Green Party will:
Increase domestic placements for dentistry
Despite the clear need for more dentists, successive governments have capped the number of training places at just 60 per year. The Green Party will fund an additional 20 placements from 2024. We’ll review training pipelines and placement numbers in subsequent years to ensure we’re meeting demand for dentists. This will start to close workforce gaps and ensure the increased demand for public dental services can be met.
Boost the Māori and Pasifika Workforce
When whānau visit the dentist, it is important they feel safe and comfortable accessing the services they are entitled to. A key part of this is making sure the dentistry workforce reflects our communities. Right now, only 5 percent of dentists are Māori or Pasifika. The Green Party will support Māori and Pasifika pursue careers in dentistry by:
Introducing scholarships.
Ensuring Māori and Pasifika are supported to access domestic placements and complete their dentistry studies.
Ensuring the Health Workforce Plan 2023/24 actions to boost the Māori and Pasifika workforce apply to dentistry
Training and upskilling Oral Health Therapists
The Green Party will provide pathways for oral health therapists to treat adults through community providers. We will make sure licensing and workforce training reflects this and lift the cap on the domestic placements for oral health therapists.
Recruitment
In addition to providing more training and career opportunities for people currently in Aotearoa, the Green Party will also maintain recruitment of internationally qualified dentists and specialists. We will develop recruitment actions in the Health Workforce 2023/24 Plan to apply to oral health professionals.
I don't have a problem with increasing denistry places. Although this is far too little, far too late. I'm a firm believer that we need another dentistry school – my suggestion would be Waikato.
The part I have issue with, is that – at the very earliest- this will result in an extra 20 dentists a year in 2029. Note: this will not even make up for the numbers retiring.
It is entirely disingenuous, then, to announce free dental care for all. The GP have no idea how they would be able to staff such a system.
It reminds one of the Labour promise of 100,000 houses – when it was clear that they had zero idea of how it could be carried out (and, indeed, all of the people who said that it was not actually possible, were right)
Your criticism is that there isn't sufficient staffing so therefore this policy is not possible to institute? That is 100% accepting the status quo. If we want to improve outcomes for everyone increased funding for services is one of the only ways to achieve it.
It's very easy to point out what's wrong with a plan; for instance your plan for a new dentistry school also wouldn't increase the number of dentists until 2029 either, so by your own standards it is a non-starter. Are you expecting to be taken seriously?
Opening a new dental school would increase the supply of dentists long-term and provide redundancy and flexibility in the training of this speciality (one-source of supply is never a safe option).
It has nothing to do with provision of free dental care.
However, a promise to deliver free-dental care is worthless without the dentists to deliver it. It doesn't matter how much money you are (theoretically) able to throw at it. Pointing out that, appears to be incurring the wrath of the lefties blinded by the bling of political promises.
Oh I see, current dentist cease to exist once free dental care is promised.
What you are pointing out is that you think there are insufficient dentists now and that means, according to you, the policy is completely unworkable. Clearly we need to run everything past you so that we can be 'taken seriously'. Trying to increase the provision of dental care is not worth attempting unless Belladonna has personally deemed the policy to be perfect from the outset, we can't possibly have goals that aren't immediately achievable, we can’t build capacity over time it must already be there before any action can be taken.
Gosh, if you have no answers – just say so.
Making personal attacks because you don't like people pointing out the flaws in policies – is both trite and trivial.
Personal attack? Lol. Can't see it, but I guess you did say I'm a 'blinded leftie'.
You have ignored any post pointing out the Greens are aware of the shortage and have a plan to increase dentist numbers. You have declared it won't work and is unserious. This is your opinion not a fact.
From the existing pool of dentists initially and from the increased training numbers eventually, as well as by immigration and upskilling. As has been pointed out to you repeatedly.
You don't think this will work, you advocate for another dental school, which also doesn't immediately solve the dentist shortage problem, this also would have at the very least a 5 year gap.
What you are arguing is that it is unrealistic but you don't have a better solution, you just have an alternative priority that doesn't include doing anything initially to help with the current crisis of provision of oral health.
I like my politics to be aspirational, with a vision, a goal, even if it may take a lot of work to get there. This is what the Greens are proposing.
Arkie, This whole board works on opinions and views provided these are arguments are made in a careful referenced manner.
You are making your opinion known and so is BD.
In the persistance you are showing about someone else's very reasonable opinions I am reminded of the statement 'you can't make someone love you'.
We want and need people who can see the flaws, who make us think.
As you say we also want/need aspirational policies. Some of us would agree.
There is a time and a place for these too. With the ruling out of a wealth tax and the big problems we are facing as we try to pull the country out of a 'slough of despair' we do not need 'pie in the sky' (which is a meaning from me for 'aspirational' applied incorrectly, naively or with eyes closed).
And Belladonna isn't also being persistent in their 'reasonable' assertions? The ‘flaws’ they point out are already acknowledged and planned for in the Greens policy, which is all I have been reiterating. I have not expressed an opinion on it other than praising the attempt to address the current inequity of oral health provision.
It is interesting to me that "Growing up/being realistic" means suppressing empathy/insisting society can't provide for all.
It is better to try, and fail, than it is to not try at all.
Estimate is that there are 40% of NZers who cannot afford to go to the dentist now. I think that's an under-representation – but even taking those figures. You'd need 40% more dentists than we have now to accommodate this demand.
In 2024. Not in some future far-off time.
NZ is already trying to recruit overseas dentists to work here – it's going about as well as trying to recruit any of the other medical specialities that we're short of. Not, very.
The GP policy is to train and recruit internationally – neither of which will be producing effective numbers in 2024.
As I've pointed out, and you've repeatedly ignored. Having a plan to increase numbers is not the same as having a plan to have the numbers in place in 2024.
Aspiration is all very well. But pretending that your aspirational goals are concrete political reality is profoundly disingenuous.
pretending that your aspirational goals are concrete political reality
Who is doing this? It's a policy proposal to take to post-election negotiations.
You are insisting that because the policy is not perfectly setup from it's proposed beginning it is somehow disingenuous and therefore no action should be taken. It's letting impossible perfection be the enemy of a good proposal.
This is such an important point. People don’t seem to understand how electioneering happens. In truth, if the Greens got day 20 MPs and had the power to get this policy near the top of the post-election coalition building list, it’s going to be revamped and more detail worked out.
What we could be doing in this debate is looking at how to make the policy work, instead of naysaying. We could be starting with the principle of dental health care for all, and seeing how it could come about now. Not in some vague hand wave future. This is the brilliance of this year’s Green campaign, they pointing repeatedly to how we don’t have these things because of political choices (not because of dentist shortages), and that we can make different choices.
One practical thing I’m wondering is how many dental practitioners who aren’t dentists can do initial checks.
Tl;dw – the US is going to freeze the conflict in order to give themselves and the UK the time to use their experiences with the Taliban, ISIS, and modern neurolinguistic programming, aided by pagan sectarians and a fake pseudo orthodox church, to create a shop-till-you-drop kamikaze making nation of zombies unified by their homosexuality. Or something.
Putin's former advisor Sergei Markov claimed to know America's plans for Ukraine and laid them out on state TV. He demanded that Saudi-hosted talks in Jeddah ensure the participation of Viktor Yanukovych and Viktor Medvedchuk in future Ukrainian elections.
Dollars to donuts the AfD isn't the only Western party getting Poots' cash.
/
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Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
Hi,This week’s Flightless Bird episode was about “fake seizure guy” — a Melbourne man who fakes seizures in order to get members of the public to sit on him.The audio documentary (which I have included in this newsletter in case you don’t listen to Flightless Bird) built on reporting first ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The 119th Congress comes with a price tag. The oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in January 3, 2025, according to a ...
Early morning, the shadows still long, but you can already feel the warmth building. Our motel was across the road from the historic homestead where Henry Williams' family lived. The evening before, we wandered around the gardens, reading the plaques and enjoying the close proximity to the history of the ...
Thanks folks for your feedback, votes and comments this week. I’ll be making the changes soon. Appreciate all your emails, comments and subscriptions too. I know your time is valuable - muchas gracias.A lot is happening both here and around the world - so I want to provide a snippets ...
Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “The latest data shows that employment fell in Aotearoa at its fastest rate since the GFC. Unemployment rose in 8 ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
By bringing these global voices to the fight for free expression in New Zealand, we’ll continue to protect and expand our culture of free speech, says Nathan Seiuli, the Free Speech Union's Events Manager. ...
The issue is no longer a hypothetical one. US President Donald Trump will not explicitly suggest death camps, but he has already consented to Israel’s continuing a war that is not a war but rather a barbaric assault on a desolate stretch of land. From there, the road to annihilation is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cecelia Cmielewski, Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University To be selected as the artist and curator team to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale is considered the ultimate exhibition for an artistic team. To have your selection rescinded, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is bearing down on the northwest coast of Australia and is likely to make landfall early Friday evening. It’s a monster storm of great concern to Western Australia. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Ireland-Piper, Associate Professor, ANU National Security College, Australian National University A Victorian government decision to allow dingo culling in the state’s east until 2028 has reignited debate over what has been dubbed Australia’s most controversial animal. Animals Australia, an animal welfare ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University Overnight, Robert F. Kennedy Jr was confirmed as the secretary of the US Health and Human Services Department. Put simply, this makes him the most influential figure in overseeing the health and wellbeing of more ...
Everything you missed from day five of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard eight hours of submissions.Read our recaps of the previous hearings here.It was another work from home day for the Justice Committee, the only people in Room 3 being security guards, committee ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne Juris Teivans/Shutterstock In Australia, fatal road crashes are climbing again, especially since the pandemic, and despite years of attempts to reduce road trauma, the numbers ...
In its eagerness to appease supporters of Israel, the media is happy to ride roughshod over due process and basic rights. It’s damaging Australia’s (and New Zealand’s?) democracy.COMMENTARY:By Bernard Keane Two moments stand out so far from the Federal Court hearings relating to Antoinette Lattouf’s sacking by the ...
“The reality is we’re getting poorer. The government this year is leaning heavy on chasing economic growth, which is absolutely the right thing to do.” ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 The Vegetarian by Han Kang (Granta, $28) Han Kang’s astounding novel was based on an ...
This new docuseries about two single comedians looking for love is also a joyful celebration of female friendship. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. “How many people do you think are boning right now?” Kura Forrester asks Brynley Stent as the bright ...
A new poem by Freya Turnbull. Hunger Song – After Kaveh Akbar (Untitled With Hunger And Matcheads) I hold my age in ripped fishnet hold an empty vessel oldyoung body cracks like gunshot like killa i was a father ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominik Koll, Honorary Lecturer, Australian National University View of the Pacific Ocean from the International Space Station.NASA Earth must have experienced something exceptional 10 million years ago. Our study of rock samples from the floor of the Pacific Ocean has found ...
Troy Rawhiti-Connell reviews Kia Tupu Te Ara, a documentary chronicling the meteoric rise of Aotearoa’s groundbreaking metal band. “Two brothers attempt to storm the world of thrash metal with the Māori language, despite the fact they’re both still teenagers,” reads the synopsis of Kent Belcher’s documentary, Kia Tupu Te Ara. ...
Three freelance writers have been awarded grants to work on their ambitious journalism projects. In January, The Spinoff announced the Vince Geddes In-Depth Journalism Fund, supported by the Auckland Radio Trust (ART). The fund was established to provide much-needed financial and editorial support to talented freelance journalists, empowering them to ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist in Avarua, Rarotonga China has confirmed details of its meeting with Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown for the first time, saying Beijing “stands ready to have an in-depth exchange” with the island nation. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters during his ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ 2023 strategic foreign policy assessment, “Navigating a shifting world”, accurately foresaw a more uncertain and complex time ahead for New Zealand. But already it feels out of date. The ...
Our parliamentary throuple may be the longest running in the country, but cracks are showing. Gabi Lardies wonders if differing attachment styles may be to blame. Though no one ever anticipated happiness or roses in the three-way coalition, the relationship has wobbled on for over a year without breaking up. ...
As Mike White’s dark satire returns for a third season, we look back on some of The White Lotus’s most memorable characters. The White Lotus looks like a dream holiday, but this resort is anything but paradise. Set in an exclusive five star hotel resort, HBO’s award-winning series is a ...
Analysis: Would the last scientist to leave the building please turn out the lights? Because the confirmation of Robert F Kennedy Jr as US Secretary of Health suggests we’re heading back to the dark ages.It’s a sad irony that President John F Kennedy propelled America into the space age; now his nephew ...
The crux of my message today is that New Zealand needs to bend two curves. One is the long-term economic growth trajectory, which needs to bend upwards to expand our productive capacity and national real incomes. The second is our net public debt ...
Away from the tense scenes on the paepae, under a closely guarded canvas tent, te iwi Māori do the real work of Waitangi: talking. We were invited inside to listen. ...
The Jono & Ben star is self-aware and surrounded by extraordinary women in Three’s latest local comedy series. The first episode of Vince, written by and starring Jono Pryor, opens with intrigue, a loincloth and a man in the middle of some kind of breakdown. As the titular character, a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Barclay, ARC Future Fellow and Professor, Macquarie University Wikimedia “1,000 Letters and 15,000 Kisses” screamed the headline in an 1898 edition of the English newspaper, the Halifax Evening Courier. Harriet Ann McLean, a 32-year-old laundry maid, was suing Francis ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lena Wang, Associate Professor in Management, RMIT University Supplied/AppleTV+ The highly anticipated season two of Severance, released in weekly instalments, has continued to draw interest among viewers around the world. A gripping psychological thriller, this TV series provides an extreme ...
Donald Trump's criminal defence lawyer, admits live on Fox News, than one of the indictments is valid.
He said that Trump had asked Pence to go with "option D" (cited in the charges against Trump, that he conspired to … )
The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC
The case is made here, based on the testimony so far by John Lauro, Trump's lawyer. The freedom of speech defence ridiculed, he’s charged with organised conspiracy to commit a crime.
https://newrepublic.com/article/174847/donald-trump-lawyer-john-lauro-dumber-donald-trump
As in “The Apprentice”, the real ability of a CEO is to identify talent.
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-lawyer-john-lauro-charges-interview-1817439
Trump once boasted that he could commit a crime every American knew he was guilty of and get away with it – he used the example of shooting someone in the street (or organising someone to do a crime for him like a mob boss).
That was Trump posing as a fascist political leader (his version of Putin’s cornered rat story) offering to seize power on behalf of those who supported him, to end the contest for political legitimacy through a fair democratic process – because their might was right.
He noted many Christian dominionists were little more than white race nation supremacists, and when they prayed kingdom come, they were seeking their power over other Americans. Thus control of SCOTUS etc.
This is a result of GOP adopting the southern strategy.
More Russians are facing conscription. Younger singles have emigrated and now those young couples planning on starting a family are impacted.
This is a nation with a declining birth rate, and if these people leave and have children abroad will they return?
Even married men with young children are facing the risk of conscription or prison (will they leave or sign up to Wagner once in prison)?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66388422
About the only thing that gives me hope is the increasing reluctance of young men to go to war.The exception ,sadly, would be those young men who view the military as their only economic option.
But the imperialist needs of nations will persevere regardless.We're heading for remote controlled AI wars
In Israel there were those reluctant to serve in the IDF on the occupied West Bank and now reservists saying they will not be available (unless Israel is attacked) because of the move to negate the Basic Law (protecting the rights of citizens) and subject the nation to the rule of any government with a parliamentary majority.
The unnecessary war is now entering its stalemate phase, the lines on the map do not change no matter how many lives are placed at risk in any offensive (Haig/ Joffre reprise) – so it’s likely to be drone and missile attacks behind the lines – as per WW2).
They're letting their rapists, murderers and washing machine thieves off the hook, too. What could possibly go wrong.
https://twitter.com/mobilizationews/status/1686800372864610312
Russian soldiers may now be able to avoid criminal prosecution if they serve on the frontline in Ukraine, the Kommersant business daily reported Wednesday, citing a recent ruling by Russia’s Supreme Court.
The new legal precedent was set in a deadly automobile accident case where Corporal Vladislav Ustinov was handed a two-year prison sentence in May 2022 for running over and killing two people.
But instead of being dismissed from the military following his conviction, Ustinov was sent to to fight in Ukraine, where Kommersant says he is still serving.
[…]
Russian courts will now be able to cite a defendant’s involvement in military operations as mitigating circumstances and grounds for reviewing sentences, according to Ustinov’s lawyer Sergei Bizyukin.
Days before the Supreme Court ruling, Russian lawmakers approved legislation allowing convicts to clear their criminal records in exchange for joining the country’s depleted military.
Legal experts told Kommersant that Russian courts could now use both the new law and the Supreme Court precedent in Ustinov’s case to free criminally convicted soldiers who serve in Ukraine.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/07/26/russian-supreme-court-exempts-soldiers-fighting-in-ukraine-from-criminal-prosecution-a81968
Seems to be a Slavic thing,it happened in Ukraine very early in the piece.The harsh upside is that probably people aren't too fussed when criminals get killed
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10559879/Zelensky-reveals-prisoners-combat-experience-RELEASED-help-defend-Ukraine.html
The actors seeking to be National's support partners (the nice Maori who believe in assimilation, David Seymour and Winston Peters) having been competing for attention by lying about the size of holes – parroting the lines of Steven Joyce.
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness”. As Oscar Wilde once noted.
Of course whether Steven Joyce was ever great is something for others to determine. Someone like William Birch, once Mr Think Big, then Mr No (his filibusters without extravagant language or change in tone, till people gave up and went away and never come back asking him for any money, indicated his road to damascus conversion to fiscal prudence – reminding some of the character Marvin the Paranoid Android)
Marvin the Paranoid Android is a fictional character in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy_characters
Normal and everyday garden variety administrative practice.
External auditing of the ACT manifesto, to demonstrate best practice and readiness for government responsibility, or not?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/300943760/the-truth-about-the-governments-fiscal-hole
SPC this was a reply that did not attach.
Those lies about fiscal responsibility, fit in with the "Chaos meme" of the right.
"The Government is in chaos, therefore there is a hole in the funding and planning." (Well Fitch did not find that. Aaa is a very good rating in todays shaky world.)
Lies will be repeated, and it is hoped that voters will jump from left to right.
This goes with the misleading headlines, the failure to report on completed projects except as "Too little too late
The lack of real reporting on gains by the left is amazing on one level, but on another no surprise.
Jenna Lynch, partner of Act's Andrew Ketels, is hardly a balanced reporter given her affiliations.
Thanks for showing how these lies are started and used and repeated, especially in parliament where MPs are not able to be held to account for such accusations.
Oh dearie me,
It looks like the government has trumped the NAct revelation concerning alleged proposed changes to GST on fruit and vegetables with a stunning revelation of their own. As far as I can tell they kept it under wraps without anyone knowing it was coming!
I refer to the proposed new harbour crossings… one from Akoranga (almost alongside the present bridge) and a light rail tunnel system from Albany passing though Takapuna and Belmont and across the harbour. Both projects end up at Victoria Park with links to all the present motorways. The details coming.
That should send shockwaves through Nicola Willis' undies. She never saw that coming.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/495241/tunnels-light-rail-cycling-and-bus-lanes-govt-unveils-ambitious-45b-new-harbour-crossing-plan
I will be interested to hear from Ad.
According to him, it is National that plan big projects!!
Its massive Patricia. Without doubt the biggest transport project ever commissioned in NZ. I recall recently some government minister (I think it was PM Hipkins) reflecting on the fact "they were mindful of the huge economic importance of Auckland to the whole country". Words to that effect anyway. He knew what was coming.
PS The good thing about it is that CC was front and centre of the decisions made – unlike the other lot who just want to build more and more roads regardless of the effects on our future weather patterns.
"it is National that plan big projects"
I'm sure I can remember a big project that the current Government were going to carry out. They were going to build a walkway/cycleway alongside the current harbour bridge at a cost of about a billion dollars weren't they? Then little Napoleon Wood blotted his copybook and got fired , having meantime managed to waste a lot of money on preparations for his brain explosion.
Doesn't that count as planning a big project? I note you only said planned. You didn't say anything about completing a project.
They canned it quickly Alwyn…..do try to get over it.
I used to work in the movie industry and if an art director came up with a fairly ridiculous idea for a set that the producers couldn't or didn't want to pay for, we in construction were quietly told to price it, quadruple it and double it again so that it was untenable. ( Yes, yes, all you frustrated ADs out there, that's what happened to your precious. ).
I'm pretty sure the same thing happened to the Harbour Bridge Bike Rack.
Well fronted by Hipkins too. Good messages. Clear distinction between National who are going to let it flood.
I got my comment into moderation so I’ll try a re-phrase.
Good crisp communication from Chippy. There’s a reason he’s got good numbers.
Clear distinction from the National party whose policy is to ignore climate change and shirk their responsibility, ignoring the consequences that are already with us.
I can’t see why your comment was held back. Maybe a glitch.
Put the email incorrectly perhaps?
dunno, looked ok to me, but pays to check.
Green Party not happy (from your link)
I think Labour will be happy if they can get criticised by the Greens on this. It means the PT derangement syndrome troops get undercut.
Two potential rapid transit modes created or enhanced sets their values clearly in comparison to National.
Just what the fuck do the Green Party think all the electric cars and buses and trucks are going to move around on? They still jam up like ICE ones.
So I gather Belladonna. I believe they are wrong. In fact, I voted for them last time because of CC. It won’t happen this time around.
Its time the Greens re-entered the real world. There is no way you can banish petrol driven vehicles overnight so there is no way you can do without sufficient roads to accommodate them until such a time when they can be written off as an extinct inorganic species. The trick is to build the extra transport lanes required now in a manner which enables that extinction to occur sooner rather than later.
Building more roads like Nact plan to do, will do nothing to assist the transition to an almost carbon free environment. All it shows is they are tunnel-visioned when it comes to combating climate change.
What the Govt. is proposing is by far the better option imo and it is more realistic with the ultimate aim of getting people out of their cars and on to swift, trouble-free public transport.
And another positive is that it should drastically reduce the current road toll.
What you are describing has been the pattern thus far; this leads to induced demand. It is a well-studied fact that building more roads increases congestion. Public transport that shares the road will inevitably be caught in this same congestion making it less appealing and less used. Prioritising public transport options, such as light rail, is better overall and this is the Greens preference.
As the Julie Anne Genter says:
https://www.greens.org.nz/irresponsible_auckland_harbour_crossing_bad_for_climate_and_bad_for_congestion
Greater Auckland on induced demand: https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2018/09/13/induced-demand-101/
I'm a bit divided on it , in an ideal world yes rail should come first, but it would be a disaster for Auckland if the bridge failed before the tunnel was built,
National and Labour will likely agree on the 6 lanes of traffic tunnels. This has been in advanced planning since 2014 and has strong momentum within NZTA.
My hesitancy of launching this without any idea of how to pay for it is that it gets to precisely the same place Labour were in prior to the 2017 election when they announced light rail for Auckland going to both the airport and up to Westgate. I know we can remember what happened through 2018 to that.
You forgot the high speed rail between Auckland and Tauranga! Was looking forward to hopping a train to the beach with a beer at 4:45pm…
To pay for it I'd put a toll on the bridge today for personal vehicles, 6 years of revenue in the bank for those that will enjoy the bridge most, might get a few of them on the bus to😉
+1 bwaghorn
No, it won't. Anyone who can (i.e. they are going to the CBD, and can afford the time out of their working day for PT) – is already taking the bus (or, rarely, the ferry) – train isn't an option from the North Shore. The Shore bus transit lane is the envy of Auckland – it's the only one which has any level of effectiveness at all (although, we all hope the NW motorway will be as effective once it finally becomes operational)
Note, the majority of the traffic headed over the Harbour Bridge in the morning isn't going to the CBD – it's heading on South.
Penalizing people who have no alternative (the buses don't take them where they need to go within a reasonable timeframe) – doesn't get people on side – it antagonizes and alienates them.
The people who have carparks in the CBD – and therefore drive – (what I think of as the high-priced lawyer brigade) – are entirely unmoved by tolls or congestion charging – it's simply a business expense for them. The only thing which might be remotely effective is a very high FBT on carparks, and daily parking fees ($80+). And, of course, these are entirely independent of any toll on a bridge crossing.
Still waiting for the tolls to be applied to the new motorway in Wellington (after all, why shouldn't "those who enjoy it most" pay for it). Politicians seem to be reluctant to trial these things in their own back-yard, for some reason….
The original bridge was paid by tolls.
In Australia you set up a digital account and it charges your number. Tauranga has this.
It was indeed. And the tolls went on for long after the bridge was actually paid for (and were only stopped by public outcry).
If tolls are such a wonderful idea – then I'm waiting to see them applied to Transmission Gully (probably only take 20 years to pay it off).
And behind the scenes…Angela Strange: Waikato Regional Councillor
We need more like…in our Councils and Govt Depts.
Onya !
Andrew Little wants to increase our defense forces and uses, as an example, the need to protect our $20B of trade through the South China Sea. He didn't mention China by name.
Can anyone else see the elephant in the room. If this trade is threatened by a war, then on which side should our forces side with? Giving military support to a nation attacking China in a conflict is going to help protect this trade?
How about you include the fact that the increase in spending amounts to no more than a maximum of 1% of GDP. That is, it will be closer to 2% of GDP – well below other comparable countries.
How about you include the major factors at play? I refer to the poor retention rates within the Defence Services, the rapid spread of disinformation and the effects it has on society and most important of all, the effects of CC related cataclysmic events requiring immediate action in order to save lives and property.
Something in the order of 80% of Defence Service activity is tied up with disasters and potentially dangerous situations – plus search and rescue operations – within NZ and the wider South Pacific. In order to properly carry out all of its functions it requires sufficient personnel and up to date equipment. You know, a bit like when a person runs their car into the ground and has to replace it with a newer and more reliable model so it can continue to be of service.
That is all that is happening.
I didn't criticise increased defense spending, just one of his reasons. Perhaps this is just a sop to to the USA.
I agree with all your reasons especially the final paragraph.
That's fair enough aj. Might have been better of you had made that clear. 🙂
Reminds me of this Utopia episode:
Utopia – Australia's Defence Policy
Thanks Satty. I laughed, but last time we were bombed it was France remember.
So know telling who we are protecting ourselves from.
We do need a standing Army and Reserves. Our region is not as stable as it used to be. Politically geographically and weather wise
Yes. It's funny and there is a healthy grain of truth to it. 😀
But to be fair. We do have to think about out trade routes – all of them. We rely more heavily than most countries on our food exports so it is essential we have a way of getting them to our major markets.
As for China. Its an enigma that seems impossible to resolve.
So. We need the defense force, to fight against China, to keep our trade routes to/from China in the South China sea open????
Understood!
Professor Davis joins Hayden Donnel in saying F this lazy media pile on campaigning for the Nacts.
Whereas Hayden points out that Australia has award wages and a whole bunch more tax than us, and is much more unionised. IE the rich are screwing us in NZ and the complaining is to keep the bill low. The Spin-off- linked yesterday.
Professor Davis says actually we don’t know how lucky we are: we’re doing quite well in the grand scheme of things. It might be miserable with all Paula Bennett’s buddies, but not universally. On Newsroom.
Very interesting to see Minister Little say that a National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) is a "priority task" that "is not too far away'.
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/overarching-national-spy-agency-not-far-govt
Presumably it folds together the acronym soup of SIS, GCSB, NSG and many more.
I would at least like to see Labour inviting public debate on this before it is just implemented.
Everyone will be rushing to get their contracts renewed, projects passed through Boards and procurement teams, as Act seeks BIMs that explicitly state how much they can cut in MBUE staff, Three Waters, He Waka Eke Noa, Auckland Light Rail, Fees-Free and the Provincial Growth Fund.
Act wants its BIMs to contain three key details:
Seymour said ministers would use that information to “identify teams and activities they require departments to cut because they aren’t providing value for taxpayers or because they overlap with functions that exist elsewhere in the bureaucracy”.
I am particularly worried for the funding for the Transport Recovery East Coast Alliance, which National wants to raid for pothole funding.
TREC is the largest state investment the East Coast peoples will ever receive and they need every dollar of it.
Act are definitely worth fighting against.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2023-seymour-act-will-stop-work-on-wasteful-projects-cut-public-service-jobs/RER2ISDBEZDPBBUWTBZNLSKBZI/
Seymore will dress this up as collecting wasteful spending. It is Dog eat Dog spiral to the bottom, all MBIE staff looking over their shoulder, waiting to be fingered, wondering who will have their lives wrecked next, while the money "saved" after redundancies, will go to tax cuts? He is a dangerous little man, and I agree with Jacinda's description!!
“Act are definitely worth fighting against. ” 100% He has delusions of Grandeur .
Act are dangerous and would be damaging.
But it's worse than that. It's a fraud.
We all know that the huge savings ACT say will happen, won't actually happen. We know because they didn't happen before (and don't happen elsewhere with right wing governments). If National/ACT are in government, then in 3 years' time there will be stories about more private consultants and minimal savings. "Red tape" will be cut, and then stuck together again with sellotape, making for false economies.
National say they will "invest" in so many projects it's hard to keep count, all of which will require more spending on those bureaucrats they despise. Or … cut costs on oversight, and bring back Leaky Homes Part Two. Real cost to taxpayers … billions.
agree Observer 100%
So as its Monday tomorrow get ready for the latest revelation from the rights Disinformation Project, we have been warned that there will be one a week until the election. Maybe the first was the anynomous More Yelled At Staffers in the ministers office, leaked through who knows, and last Monday's leaking $20 billion hole initially through Winston Peters. What's up tomorrow, can't wait, whatever it is it will be fantastic, and then rubbished by reason and proven to be lies a few days later.
Suzie Fergusson project on Disinformation and misinformation, and recovered bodies who ended up looking where they had been and deciding who they would in future talk to online. Very revealing and shows how family and friends influenced people who were already anti in some way. It is worth a listen… Could someone kind link for me after 7am Sun news on RNZ.
RNZ haven't made it easy to find specific Undercurrent episodes, but I think today's might have been one of these.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/undercurrent/story/2018900008/undercurrent-episodes-5-6-and-7
Thank you Weka.
A link to the full podcast from episode 1 to 7.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/undercurrent-podcast
I found the early episodes the most interesting.
Suzie Ferguson deserves accolades for the podcast series.
Thank you
You're welcome Patricia, and thanks for asking for the link and saying when/where it was 👍 This is so much better than someone just saying they can't find the link or whatever.
Greens will fund free dental care:
https://www.greens.org.nz/green_party_promises_free_dental_for_all
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/495244/greens-promise-free-dental-for-all-paid-for-by-fair-and-simple-tax-changes
That will be a popular Policy.
Have the Greens said where they are going to find the dentists to implement this policy?
Increasing the training cap from 60 to 80 is a drop in the bucket – won't even reach replacement for current dentists retiring; and, most importantly – won't even kick in for 5 years (takes 5 years to train a dentist at Otago)
Dentists are in just as short-supply in NZ as GPs are; and dental nurses (or dental hygienists) aren't much better.
We can see this, by the immense pressure the school dental service (with the free treatment) is – many, many children are not seen within 3 years, let alone annually, as they are supposed to be. And, while it's free to have the dentist check your child's teeth out – most practices (certainly in Auckland) won't enrol children or teens (they don't get enough in payments from the government to even cover their costs).
Announcing a policy, with no practical idea of how to staff it – does not incline people to take you seriously.
Not surprising that a NZ Labour government expanded dental care from our youngest children to everyone aged 18 and under.
Gosh, sounds as if the Green's policy of a 33% increase in the training cap for dentists could be worse than nothing – a respectful ‘centrist's’ work is never done.
Will NAct favour voters with a reaction – perhaps even a policy of their own?
Or maybe NAct have faith that the invisible hand of the market will provide.
"More to do." What more might Labour do? Or NAct for that matter – vouchers?
An increase of 20 places a year – which will – at the very best – start to have an impact in 5 years time, does not incline anyone other than the most one-eyed of lefties to believe this is a well-thought-through policy – let alone a priority for the Green Party.
I note that you have carefully avoided answering the question of where the dentists are going to come from – for at least the next 5 years.
I'm on record as supporting a whole new dental school (I'd suggested Waikato) – in order to actually deal with the gap between the numbers being trained and the evident need.
Centrists are placed to see the policy benefits of all sides of the political spectrum – not being constrained to support 'my party, right or wrong'.
This policy clearly indicates that providing free dental care to all Kiwis is a priority for the Green Party – only the most one-eyed NAct enthusiast would be pushing a different line, imho.
Your chief moans seem to be that it takes 5 years to train a dentist (what, precisely, do you expect the Greens to do about that?), and that they should be increasing the dentistry training cap by more than 33%.
Do NAct even have a policy? Maybe it's not their priority, and why would it be.
The shortage of dentists in NZ didn’t happen overnight, and will take years to fix – think less ‘a filling’, and more ‘orthodontic correction.’ Not doubt NAct will rubbish the Greens policy for free dental care in due course, without suggesting any alternative solutions.
Nope – it's an election bribe that they devoutly hope they'll never be called upon to deliver – because they literally can't.
A true attempt to resolve the issue would be to have pushed for a substantial increase in training places for dentists (and other dental professionals) – sometime in the last 2.5 years (when they were actually part of the government). Not as a last-minute election promise.
Trying to pretend that NZ has the capacity to provide this level of service – is frankly disingenuous. It doesn't matter how much money you're prepared to throw at the issue – if there aren't the people there to deliver the service.
Only the most one-eyed of lefties doesn't recognise an election bribe, just because it comes from his party.
The demand for new dentists would create pathways for foreign skilled workers to come here.
That our horticulture sector has been dependent on foreign tourists and the Pacific migrant workers does not mean it should not exist.
It may be news to you – but dental practices have already been heavily recruiting immigrant dentists. The problem is that they can get better money elsewhere – and NZ's lifestyle bonus isn't holding up so well (floods, etc.)
https://www.new-zealand-immigration.com/dentists-wanted-in-new-zealand
The reductionist branded firms are the problem. The owners make the money not the dentists. The owners set them quotas.
Starting to see the same thing with GP's.
The businesses providing public dentistry must be state owned and profit taken out of the picture. Maybe time for a rethink on public medical services overall.
Heavily recruiting … from overseas – Labour has yet to add them to the Green list of occupations.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2303/S00168/govt-needs-to-brush-up-on-dentistry-workforce-woes.htm
Yes agree BD. I initially read that the policy will be funded by the so-called wealthy again per wealth tax. As Labour has ruled out a wealth tax following the Greens etc publicity before, despite working on a a very fair & reasonable version itself, this indeed is pie in the sky.
I guess the reason for publishing is so that a potential coalition partner can look at what they may have to agree to……..oh I forgot,,,,,,the Greens have ruled out several potential coalition partners.
In my view The Greens have a potential partner in Labour, with whom they have been 'mates' with for sometime. Were any of these policies raised at the time ie when there was a chance they could be implemented?
When are the Greens going to say what their plans are for when they are faced with a potential coalition? I guess not.
What are the Greens plans for combatting inflation, breaking up the supermarket duopoly, breaking down the energy costs for households ie pushing back the Bradford reforms, Bank profits, …….rail/coastal shipping
As the Greens may be in an important place after the next election I would like to know how/when/if etc they will support Labour in the deep issues we are facing. Surely we have grown up a little and don't need election bribes any more…or perhaps election bribes that rely on being funded by something that has already been ruled out by a potential coalition partner.
Excuse my cynicism.
(Waits for the 'RW'/'incrementalist'/ or whatever the insult du jour is.)
The answers exist if you actually look for them
Inflation:
https://www.greens.org.nz/persistent_inflation_shows_urgent_need_to_tax_wealth
Supermarket duopoly:
https://www.greens.org.nz/govt_must_break_up_supermarkets
Energy:
https://www.greens.org.nz/energy_policy
Banks:
https://www.greens.org.nz/when_even_the_nats_agree_bank_profits_are_out_of_control_it_s_time_for_an_excess_profits_tax
Coastal shipping:
https://www.greens.org.nz/national_s_transport_policy_rehash_of_failed_ideas
And all these have been announced with a big fanfare 'rah rah' with special individual threads on TS?
Pardon my cynicism.
I know Labour's poilicies are light on the ground so far but I feel we waste our time on Green policies that
1) can only come into force if there is a left- leaning group holding seats and courage enough to beat off other comers, and
2) can only come into force if they are picked up as part of a coalition, and
3) rely on being funded by forms of taxes or other regimes that the possible majority left leaning partner has ruled out
It is for those reasons and noting those constraints that I would go along with the notion that they are election bribes and bribes put up with a degree of cynicism as The Greens, failing an absoloute miracle, have no ability to grab enough seats to hold a majority and this be assured of the ability to bring these policies into fruition.
Labour has actually worked on this and has increased the amount available via grants substantially since 2022.
What you call bribes are election promises, just like every other party. They are seeking the votes of people who want action on these issues. That you think they are cynical about it indicates your cynicism towards the Greens seems to be boundless. I can't help you with that.
A vote for Labour is an endorsement of their current approach. For all those who want a aspirational left party, the Greens and TPM are the only options. With a larger share of the vote they will be able to demand more of any future government. The idea that a majority is required to enact policy is an oversimplification of MMP.
The argument against the Greens policies is only 'we can't do anything that upsets the status quo.'
The first step in combating inflation was a rent freeze.
Belladonna, who (apart from you) is pretending “that NZ has the capacity“?
It's clear you find the Green Party's policy to provide free dental care for all Kiwis galling, and with ~40% of Kiwis unable to access affordable dental services, it may prove particularly popular among those less likely to vote.
Building the capacity to providing free dental care for all Kiwis will take time – better to start sooner rather than later (or never), imho.
Well, indeed, apparently the Green Party is pretending that "NZ has the capacity" to deliver on this promised service. Otherwise, why have they released the policy?
Several commenters here have repeated the GP announcement about training, as an absolute answer to questions about dental workforce capacity for 2024. [Hint: Not at all the same thing]
I don't find the policy galling – I find the … misinformation …. about being able to deliver on it disingenuous.
Aspirational is fine. Putting in place policies to seriously and (hopefully) rapidly increase the dental workforce, excellent. Building health workforce capacity – I'm going to cheer that on, regardless of the political party championing it.
Implying that people will be getting free dental from 2024? A disingenuous election bribe at the most blatant, as you seem to be acknowledging. "it may prove particularly popular among those less likely to vote."
I don't find this kind of pork-barrel electioneering any more palatable from the left side of politics than I do from the right.
Isn't the Green's policy on providing free dental care to all Kiwis partly about building capacity in the dental services sector? See @14.3.2.
If "the Green Party is pretending that "NZ has the capacity" to deliver", then why would their policy include details about how to “deliver a public dentistry workforce“?
That's what you're implying. You're not thick, so what does that leave?
For the many, not the few
What are some examples of “pork-barrel electioneering” “from the right“, in your opinion?
No point in discussing further. We're simply rehashing the ground.
If the GP want to convince the Centrists that this is serious policy, then they need to address the serious questions.
Implying that we're 'thick' for asking them – doesn't exactly get us on side.
Oh, and just to make you happy – here's an example of pure pork-barrelling from National
https://www.national.org.nz/familyboost
This is a direct subsidy to the childcare centre industry. Little, if any, will stay in the pockets of 'Kiwi families'.
Perhaps re-read @5:12 pm – your intelligence isn’t in question.
Just to make me happy?! Wouldn't a true centrist make an effort to highlight pork-barrelling from the left and the right? Time will tell
The true Centrist has just done precisely that.
Even though it has nothing to do with the discussion in hand – and is actually an example of whaddaboutism.
Perhaps you might look at your biases – continually slinging off at me about being a true Centrist is getting pretty old.
I'm aware of and acknowledge my political biases – "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs", nuff said.
But "perhaps you might look at your biases", as evinced by your furious barrage of 'centrist' comments dissing the Green's detailed and costed policy on free dental care for all Kiwis.
Still, fairs fair – with about two months until the general election, you deserve the benefit of the doubt. After all, you could be making equally prolific and disparging comments about ACT's policies on a right-leaning political blog – only you can know for sure.
Btw, are there any broadly centrist parties that appeal to you this election – perchance TOP, or New Zealand First?
I've been entirely clear that I dislike Winston Peters – and feel that his only priority in power is 'what's in it for Winston'.
I do wonder if you understand that the Left needs to persuade Centrists to vote for their parties/polices. If so, you're, personally, doing a really poor job of persuading anyone who isn't already on board with your declared biases.
But, perhaps, as someone with a self-declared Marxist philosophy – the opinions of the bourgeoisie are irrelevant – after all – what value is democracy….
You're middle class too? I'd be interested in your opinion about the value of "for the many, not the few", given spaceship Earth's inability to support our overshoot civilisation.
https://www.overshootday.org/newsroom/country-overshoot-days/
As for "what value is democracy", it's easy voting Green. You have my sympathy for the trickier choices that political centrists face.
There has been a notable increase in migrants from Sth America in the last decade.Perhaps Brazil can help NZ with the shortage of dentists.
'Dentistry is the area of health that has expanded the most in recent years in Brazil, with more than 264,000 dentists. That is equivalent to almost 20% of the dentists in the entire world, according to Dentistry Federative Counsel, in 2015. Dentistry, along with medicine and nursing, constitutes the basic nucleus of professionals of higher level of health in Brazil (IPEA 2015; Morita, Haddad, & Araujo, 2010). The rate of dentists to population in Brazil is about 737 habitants per dentist.
Dental genetics in Brazil: Where we are – PMC (nih.gov)
That's your reasoning for the status quo? From the policy document:
https://assets.nationbuilder.com/beachheroes/pages/18276/attachments/original/1691273205/Health_Full_Policy_Document.pdf
No. That's your assumption.
I don't have a problem with increasing denistry places. Although this is far too little, far too late. I'm a firm believer that we need another dentistry school – my suggestion would be Waikato.
The part I have issue with, is that – at the very earliest- this will result in an extra 20 dentists a year in 2029. Note: this will not even make up for the numbers retiring.
It is entirely disingenuous, then, to announce free dental care for all. The GP have no idea how they would be able to staff such a system.
It reminds one of the Labour promise of 100,000 houses – when it was clear that they had zero idea of how it could be carried out (and, indeed, all of the people who said that it was not actually possible, were right)
Your criticism is that there isn't sufficient staffing so therefore this policy is not possible to institute? That is 100% accepting the status quo. If we want to improve outcomes for everyone increased funding for services is one of the only ways to achieve it.
It's very easy to point out what's wrong with a plan; for instance your plan for a new dentistry school also wouldn't increase the number of dentists until 2029 either, so by your own standards it is a non-starter. Are you expecting to be taken seriously?
there's a post up now https://thestandard.org.nz/greens-free-dental-care-for-all/
Are the current posts here going to be migrated to the new thread?
Opening a new dental school would increase the supply of dentists long-term and provide redundancy and flexibility in the training of this speciality (one-source of supply is never a safe option).
It has nothing to do with provision of free dental care.
However, a promise to deliver free-dental care is worthless without the dentists to deliver it. It doesn't matter how much money you are (theoretically) able to throw at it. Pointing out that, appears to be incurring the wrath of the lefties blinded by the bling of political promises.
Oh I see, current dentist cease to exist once free dental care is promised.
What you are pointing out is that you think there are insufficient dentists now and that means, according to you, the policy is completely unworkable. Clearly we need to run everything past you so that we can be 'taken seriously'. Trying to increase the provision of dental care is not worth attempting unless Belladonna has personally deemed the policy to be perfect from the outset, we can't possibly have goals that aren't immediately achievable, we can’t build capacity over time it must already be there before any action can be taken.
That is you argument.
Gosh, if you have no answers – just say so.
Making personal attacks because you don't like people pointing out the flaws in policies – is both trite and trivial.
Personal attack? Lol. Can't see it, but I guess you did say I'm a 'blinded leftie'.
You have ignored any post pointing out the Greens are aware of the shortage and have a plan to increase dentist numbers. You have declared it won't work and is unserious. This is your opinion not a fact.
So, explain
The GP's 'plan to increase dentist numbers' can only come into effect from 2029?
Even the most blinded leftie should be able to see a 5 year gap.
From the existing pool of dentists initially and from the increased training numbers eventually, as well as by immigration and upskilling. As has been pointed out to you repeatedly.
You don't think this will work, you advocate for another dental school, which also doesn't immediately solve the dentist shortage problem, this also would have at the very least a 5 year gap.
What you are arguing is that it is unrealistic but you don't have a better solution, you just have an alternative priority that doesn't include doing anything initially to help with the current crisis of provision of oral health.
I like my politics to be aspirational, with a vision, a goal, even if it may take a lot of work to get there. This is what the Greens are proposing.
Arkie, This whole board works on opinions and views provided these are arguments are made in a careful referenced manner.
You are making your opinion known and so is BD.
In the persistance you are showing about someone else's very reasonable opinions I am reminded of the statement 'you can't make someone love you'.
We want and need people who can see the flaws, who make us think.
As you say we also want/need aspirational policies. Some of us would agree.
There is a time and a place for these too. With the ruling out of a wealth tax and the big problems we are facing as we try to pull the country out of a 'slough of despair' we do not need 'pie in the sky' (which is a meaning from me for 'aspirational' applied incorrectly, naively or with eyes closed).
And Belladonna isn't also being persistent in their 'reasonable' assertions? The ‘flaws’ they point out are already acknowledged and planned for in the Greens policy, which is all I have been reiterating. I have not expressed an opinion on it other than praising the attempt to address the current inequity of oral health provision.
It is interesting to me that "Growing up/being realistic" means suppressing empathy/insisting society can't provide for all.
It is better to try, and fail, than it is to not try at all.
Estimate is that there are 40% of NZers who cannot afford to go to the dentist now. I think that's an under-representation – but even taking those figures. You'd need 40% more dentists than we have now to accommodate this demand.
In 2024. Not in some future far-off time.
NZ is already trying to recruit overseas dentists to work here – it's going about as well as trying to recruit any of the other medical specialities that we're short of. Not, very.
The GP policy is to train and recruit internationally – neither of which will be producing effective numbers in 2024.
As I've pointed out, and you've repeatedly ignored. Having a plan to increase numbers is not the same as having a plan to have the numbers in place in 2024.
Aspiration is all very well. But pretending that your aspirational goals are concrete political reality is profoundly disingenuous.
Who is doing this? It's a policy proposal to take to post-election negotiations.
You are insisting that because the policy is not perfectly setup from it's proposed beginning it is somehow disingenuous and therefore no action should be taken. It's letting impossible perfection be the enemy of a good proposal.
This is such an important point. People don’t seem to understand how electioneering happens. In truth, if the Greens got day 20 MPs and had the power to get this policy near the top of the post-election coalition building list, it’s going to be revamped and more detail worked out.
What we could be doing in this debate is looking at how to make the policy work, instead of naysaying. We could be starting with the principle of dental health care for all, and seeing how it could come about now. Not in some vague hand wave future. This is the brilliance of this year’s Green campaign, they pointing repeatedly to how we don’t have these things because of political choices (not because of dentist shortages), and that we can make different choices.
One practical thing I’m wondering is how many dental practitioners who aren’t dentists can do initial checks.
Some might be induced to change from doing cosmetic surgery for the well off to actual dentistry.
Likely not they are a mercenary bunch.
The demand for new dentists would create pathways for foreign skilled workers to come here.
Tl;dw – the US is going to freeze the conflict in order to give themselves and the UK the time to use their experiences with the Taliban, ISIS, and modern neurolinguistic programming, aided by pagan sectarians and a fake pseudo orthodox church, to create a shop-till-you-drop kamikaze making nation of zombies unified by their homosexuality. Or something.
And Niger.
fwiw, transcript translation
Julia Davis
@JuliaDavisNews
·4h
Putin's former advisor Sergei Markov claimed to know America's plans for Ukraine and laid them out on state TV. He demanded that Saudi-hosted talks in Jeddah ensure the participation of Viktor Yanukovych and Viktor Medvedchuk in future Ukrainian elections.
https://twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews/status/1688020442873749504
Dollars to donuts the AfD isn't the only Western party getting Poots' cash.
/
Leaked communications between Vladimir Sergienko, a naturalized German citizen, and “Alexei,” a suspected FSB operative, show the extent of Russia’s infiltration of the Alternative for Germany party. Their “active measures” included a plan to stop or slow delivery of German main battle tanks to Ukraine using frivolous litigation against the German government. It would only cost $93,000.
Vladimir Sergienko, an aide to a Bundestag deputy, has been acting as an intermediary between the Kremlin and German lawmakers in the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, a joint investigation between The Insider and Der Spiegel can reveal. Sergienko, a staff member of AfD parliamentarian Eugen Schmidt, has helped coordinate AfD speeches, lobby for pro-Russian initiatives, and even helped trigger a lawsuit against his own government aimed at halting or slowing German weapons transfers to Ukraine – all at the instruction of a suspected Russian intelligence officer. Moreover, Sergienko personally shuttled cash between Moscow and Berlin and directed wire transfers to a German NGO sympathetic to the Kremlin to facilitate his efforts.
https://theins.info/en/politics/264014
Easy to see why he's a former advisor