The response should have been to call in Wellington workplace delegates to stand and show public solidarity at the office and keep on trucking.
Back in the 80s at the sizeable Auckland Trade Union Centre in Grey Lynn, a full time front door security desk was set up following Ernie Abbott’s 1984 murder by suitcase bomb, at the Wellington Trades Hall. The open anti union threats had been escalating for years thanks to Muldoon, and further after Winston’s 1981 “Kiwis Care Tanya Harris march”. At that event signs were spotted–“kill communist union officials”…nice, but that is the dark New Zealanders for you.
The Kiwi Care march was not anything to do with Winston. It was not planned as an Anti-Union March but became hijacked in the Media as such. I spent a good portion of that day blocking Politicians from getting anywhere near the Mic.
I have said what wasn't planned as, and it wasn't anti-union. "Suits" tried to suck up to her all day and she didn't want a bar of them. What the media reported it to be is up to them.
Well, I was involved with the Northern Storeworkers and other unions at the time including retail, and the fact is all around the Auck. CBD employers granted paid time off and encouraged clerical workers too to attend the Tania Harris march with their blessing.
Bosses did not extend the same offer to staff for the two big Queen St NZFOL (NZ Federation of Labour) union marches of 1979 and 1982.
I was a member of the Clerical Union at the time. I don't recall being encouraged to attend or being given time off. Not saying it didn't happen to you though and yes it was hijacked by anti union sentiment people, but in my opinion it simply wasn't planned that way.
CBD employers granted paid time off and encouraged clerical workers too to attend the Tania Harris march with their blessing.
I can attest to that. In my case it was a Public Service department and the bosses also attended that March. I, and one other, were the only two who refused to attend so we stayed behind and ran the joint in their absence. For our pains we were ostracised by the bosses and made to feel like second grade individuals.
Tanya what's-her-name may not have intended as such, but it was hijacked by the anti -Union movement of the day.
if they had to call the police, they probably have had a credible death threat or similar. We're not in the 80s any more. We're post-Ashburton where a man walked into a WINZ office, murdered two staff and injured two others, unions take that shit very seriously. We're also in the age where the leader of a political party has been assaulted on the street while walking to work. And this election in particular is a point of tension where we don't know if we are going to tip into crazy or stronger democracy.
It’s not like the 80s were some placid time weka, we got door security at the TUC because someone had died in a clear attack on Unions. Sure if Police advise to do whatever, that has to be considered, but not at the risk of looking weak under anonymous threat.
Unions act in public and under great scrutiny–just doing a bargaining process agreement before you can even negotiate with an employer, is an example of the complexities faced by union members and organising staff.
In contrast the fruitcakes and would be fascists operate largely undercover and need to be outed where ever possible. Unions should publicly send them a message.
I was in the Wellington Trades Hall just a day before the bombing, working on a union newspaper. It was just fate that I was not there at the wrong time because I finished my duties that day.
I remember that a certain man had come by the place a few days before and had made some undisclosed threats to people in the building. The police were called, given a good description of the man but police apparently did not make much effort to locate him.
This was the time of the Muldoon government, there was a lot of industrial unrest in the country and there had been a recent bus drivers strike. The general consensus around Trades Hall was that police had been told by the Muldoon government not to pursue the matter and the culprit was never apprehended.
Poor old Ernie Abbot was the caretaker there, simply going about his job.
A bunch of commie unionists were not considered worthy of police protection, you know!
The general consensus around Trades Hall was that police had been told by the Muldoon government not to pursue the matter and the culprit was never apprehended.
Mike the Lefty that is of special interest to me.
I knew a small group of people (one in particular) who I later discovered had been up to all manner of under-the-radar political activities – including criminal deeds – in the 1970s and part of the 1980s. There was a close link between Muldoon and at least one of that group. I ended up also being targeted by them.
I was unaware of the extent of their activities nor the link to Muldoon until a number of years later. One of the principle figures fled to Aussie in strange circumstances and spent two years moving around the country – as if he was in hiding. That was, from memory, shortly before the 1984 snap election called by Muldoon.
I did eventually pluck up the courage to inform the police of my knowledge and experiences. The police to my knowledge conducted no investigation.
Just a brief encounter of my experience and I have to say my respect for, and faith in the police took a rapid spiral downward as a result and has never fully recovered.
Thanks for that information Anne. There did seem to be a gang operating under the implicit direction of Muldoon to seek out suspected communist political infiltrators. Bill Such was perhaps its best known target but Ken Douglas and Tom Skinner were also repeatedly harrassed. It was very covert but possibly had links to the SIS. Muldoon had few limits to the extent he would go for political gains.
Not only can I name a couple of the culprits, but I can also name one or two high profile individuals of the day who were involved. I can also name a newspaper that was in on the game. Yes, The Truth newspaper – a misnomer if ever there was one. And yes, there were innocent people caught up in the sting. I was one of them. An untold story thus far but I have in the past hinted at some of my experiences.
The criminal offences committed in the name of the former prime minister, RD Muldoon were numerous and affected a lot of people. Colin Moyle was another well publicised target. There were a few other major events of the period that were subjected to the same behaviour. The fallout from the 1979 Erebus tragedy was one of them. I'll leave it there.
The problem MtL there was a major cover-up. It has taken me almost 30 years to ferret out what really happened.
I would need assistance – someone with journalistic experience perhaps – to help me put it together in an acceptable form. I'm not sure after all these years whether there would be much appetite for the story.
Suffice to say it was tied up with the antics of the Cold War era and the paranoia that accompanied it.
It has crossed my mind but I think Hagar's interests lie in more recent events. 20 years ago he would have been intrigued I am sure, but unfortunately back then I didn't have the knowledge and understanding that I have now.
There is a book that might be of interest Anne, if you are not aware of it already, called “Seeing Red–Undercover in 1950s New Zealand”
By George Fraser. 1995 The Dunmore Press Ltd.
ISBN 0 86469 255 2
George was a jazz musician who also worked at NZBC with a relative of mine, and was recruited by special branch NZ Police who were the precursors of the NZ SIS, to be a plant in the NZ Communist Party and pass on information to them. Many adventures followed as can be imagined.
Interesting TM. I will check out my local library.
I researched the 1960s era for some background knowledge and it is clear there was a period between the hand-over to the newly minted SIS and the Police special branch when there were two spy agenciesa breaking into properties and conducting surveillance activity. My reasonably well informed conclusion is: it was the Police special branch crowd who were active in my case.
The police also put plants in the Labour Party during those decades. As a LP activist in the 1970s and part of the 1980s, I was befriended by one of them. She did a great job pretending to be a good friend and confidant. Imagine my shock and anger when I eventually discovered the truth about her.
Those types did a lot of irreversible damage to innocent people and were never brought to account. To my way of thinking, that is a big stain on the NZ body politic.
I would certainly love to read your story in a book Anne.I suspect the same stuff is happening today, not at the behest of a politician necessarily, but for eg entrenched secretive civil servants at GCSB,SIS and the multifarious intelligence agencies.For that reason your experience is absolutely relevant
I'm 90% sure that at least some of the activity linked to my case was related to the Police and not the SIS. The reason had its genesis in a former cabinet minister who checked out a particular incident at the time it occurred and it was not carried out by the SIS. They are the professionals in the game and there are limits beyond which they cannot go – and I don't believe would want to go. The bunch who were targeting me and others, including some politicians, were amateurs. They were almost certainly acting on behalf of Muldoon, but far enough removed to allow him to deny any direct association had anything come to light.
The problem after all these years is… the evidence has long since disappeared.
Yes, I know a couple of people that looked at the suitcase and left it undisturbed, and another that was meant to be at Trades Hall that day but changed plans.
Coincidentally, Mrs Mac1 and I visited the Trades Hall today and paid our respects to Ernie Abbot in the foyer there. I also found there two other paintings of union people killed. Lest we forget!
Yes, Tiger Mountain, those are they. You have not forgotten. You know, we have met and seen some very decent kiwis on our little travels to Wellington. Some great parents on the ferry, staff as well, and then here in the city. We read of dodgy people in the news and grotesque views in the social media, and we can get a different view of where Kiwis are. Kiwis like Ernie Abbot, Evans and Clarke. Decent folk. Good values. A world away from the sociopaths, the angry misfits and the greedy.
Our political campaigns should be aimed there- to get back the votes of decent ordinary folks, the true heart of our country.
They abound in all walks of life and it amazes me how well informed they are too. But you never hear from them. No clickbait to be had from normal, decent people.
I have to say Mike the Lefty…reading your stories, I have much Respect for you…Tiger Mountain, Anne and others. I did know about the Trades Hall bombing..but all of you have given me real Insight into the level of hate against the Left then.
You …were, and are now, only standing up for our rights.
Does the leader of a political party need real life experience.You know the trials and tribulations of the working class,family life,obligations to children and an understanding of the financial realities facing ordinary people.
Can't see how flying…virgin would be a qualification.
I still don’t know what you’re on about. Is this an exercise in hypotheticals or do you have anything specific you’d like to discuss here? Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Would they have said that about Christ, Mother Theresa and Mother Aubert? Heartless thing to say, especially as a good proportion of our population never will have been parents.
"More than one-quarter of the adults (27 percent) were childfree. More than half of the adults were parents (54 percent). Another 12 percent planned to have biological or adopted children in the future. The remaining 8 percent were childless—they didn't have children, but they wish they could."
We are told that Jacinda Ardern is to write a book about leadership.
Just one problem: Dan Carter has got his book out ahead of hers (see "The Art of Winning: Lessons in Leadership, Purpose and Potential", released in July).
As you well know gsays, winning an electorate is largely about the prevailing mood in the country and the political make up of the electorate-it is never ever a straight fight between two people.
I did so enjoy Chloe taking out Akl Central at the last election though
The mean Canadians find out that unilever/unilateral interpreting of the rules the way they want is not without arbitration/legal clarification.
New Zealand has just won a major trade dispute with Canada over restrictions on diary goods ….
… a CPTPP panel has publishing a ruling this morning in New Zealand's favour.
Hundreds of millions of potential trade for New Zealand dairy diary exporters was being restricted by Canada through a system of import tariffs and quotas, in breach of CPTPP rules, the panel determined.
Canada will now have to comply with the ruling to allow for diary imports, including from New Zealand.
The dispute has been a serious undertaking by the Government – Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern raised the issue in a face-to-face meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Clearly the Canadians weren't 'pretty solid' in their interpretation of the agreement. 'Pretty solid' seems like a close cousin of 'pretty legal'. It does look like a fair chunk of the blokey part of the electorate finds over-confident, ignorant, opinionated chest-puffing to be pretty appealing though. Probably because it matches their own default methods for navigating the world.
Unfortunately the most flippant came across the best while the earnest two (Greens and NZ 1st) were less convincing. Hands down Seymour appeared the most on to it. He was what made me turn it off, his crime rhetoric.
I thought Willie Jackson did quite well (especially with a reasonably hostile audience – audible heckling). Jenny Marcroft was quite simply outweighted in the debate.
Jeez, you are a kinder judge than I. He has been told off by his boss for his outburst about National getting rid of the minimum wage then when challenged said they would lower it.
I agree it was surprisingly hostile towards Labour.
Hipkins did say Jackson got the "getting rid of MW" wrong, but said that Jackson himself admitted this during the debate.
Hipkins said Jackson was right about ACT's policy being to reduce the MW because it's policy is to freeze it which when inflation is taken into account is a reduction.
Got an email today from Nicola Willis complaining Labour spent billions in 6 years with little to show for it. Wonder what they would've said if Labour had let all businesses go to the wall over Covid instead of propping them up with unprecedented levels of welfare payments.
"Hi Chris,
Yesterday Chris Hipkins said that New Zealand's "economic fundamentals are in good shape."
What a shocker.
Despite Hipkins' assertion about New Zealand's economic fundamentals, the reality is very different.
After six years of wasting billions of extra dollars with little to show for it, New Zealand's economy has fallen into recession.
There are Kiwis struggling to pay their bills every single day and whose mortgages are simply becoming too much to handle.
Inflation is running at 6% driving a prolonged cost of living crisis. Wages aren’t keeping up with inflation and mortgage repayments are too much for many Kiwis to handle
New Zealand is the only country in the Asia-Pacific region in recession.
IMF forecasts indicate we’ll have one of the worst economic growth rates in the world next year – putting jobs and incomes at risk.
Every Kiwi in the country knows these are not sound economic fundamentals, except apparently Chris Hipkins who has shown just how out of touch he is with the lives of every day Kiwis.
New Zealanders deserve competent economic management.
This election the choice is clear – a strong, stable National-led Government that will rebuild the economy to reduce the cost of living and help Kiwis get ahead, including with well-deserved tax relief for the squeezed middle.
Or three more years of a high taxing, high spending Labour-led government that is out of touch with reality and lacks the plans and ideas needed to address the issues facing New Zealanders.
Let’s get our country back on track.
Nicola Willis
National Party Deputy Leader and Spokesperson for Finance"
He [Our PM] also outlined some economic headlines:
Under Labour
The economy is 6.7% larger than before Covid. Since the depths of the Covid recession, New Zealand’s economy has grown by 10.2% compared to 8.8% for Australia, 7.6% for the US, 7.1% for the Euro Area and 6.1% for the UK, according to the IMF.
Unemployment below 4% for eight consecutive quarters
Strong Government finances: Affirmed last week by Fitch. Net debt of 18.9% of GDP, below Australia, the US, and the UK according to the IMF.
Seven trade agreements singed or upgraded; FTAs now cover almost three quarters of New Zealand’s export.
Hahaha… good one. She really said that? It's a little bit like Australia in the last year where the LNP suddenly finds a voice for the "not so well off" after screwing them for years, every year (ROBODEBT anyone?).
It's always a little hypothetical to look back and imagine what would have happened with another party in government. But two things I'm relatively certain of:
The minimum wage today would be lower under National / Act and
The living wage today would be lower under National / Act
With similar inflation / mortgage figures.
Wasn't it Bill English who admitted the National Party wants to keep wages low?
The idea this Govt is more wasteful than others is not supported by evidence. Govts spend more in crisis periods, and the Sixth Labour Govt has faced a few expensive ones. Total Govt spending hit 48.1% of GDP in 2011 under a National Govt with (C&S from Act, UF and TPM).
Just wondering… are posts being blocked on this site due to political affiliation?
[lprent: Typically you’ll be stuck in moderation if the system hasn’t seen you before under your current ‘e-mail’. You have to have one comment approved by a moderator under a e-mail or handle before further comments appear automatically. That reduces the amount of spam we have to clean up.
Or you do certain behaviors like having too many links, or words and phrases that look like trolling to the automatic mechanisms. Again a spam reduction technique.
Or a moderator picked out some previous bad behavior under either you current alias or a previous one and put you into moderation. Read the policy if you wish to avoid that. Basically say something that makes it appear that you thought about what you were saying and explain why. Don’t be a dimwitted parrot – because we consider that to be trolling spam.
In this case it is the first because you’re using different e-mail handles. Pretty obvious if you look at your previous comments in search. The gravators change frequently.
I suggest that stop being such a dickhead and just stick to a single ‘e-mail’. Don’t whine to the moderators because you are too irresponsible to control your own behaviour. ]
You’ve been in Pre-Moderation for almost a month (see https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11-08-2023/#comment-1963798). You haven’t responded and continued making unnecessary work for the Mods here, also by including too many links. This and the piss-poor quality of your comments suggests that you’re heading for the Exit. I’d suggest you respond to the outstanding Mod note and lift your game if you wish to keep your commenting privilege here – pissing off Mods & SYSOP is not smart.
“New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has the audacity to claim his government never mandated vaccines:
“In terms of the vaccine mandates, I acknowledge that it was a challenging time for people but they ultimately made their own choices. There was no compulsory vaccination. People made their own choices.”
Hipkins was the country's minister when New Zealand instituted mandatory vaccinations for health workers, military, teachers, university students, police officers, travel, many sports, and small businesses.”
[lprent: I also trashed your 2-3 previous versions of this comment. Moderators will get around to freeing up comments in moderation when they get some time.
You also left more than 10 links in the comment. This is a automatic moderation as well because it is a astroturfing technique beloved by dumbarse machines and parrots. While you’re mostly astroturfing a dictionary, it still looks like astroturfing which I disapprove of. You may notice that don’t run any other kinds of advertising on the site. Why should we run yours?
I count two small paragraphs that appear to be your own words (maybe). So I’ve damaged all links.
Use no more than about 2-3 links in comment in future, and write about why people should click into them rather than leaving meaningless clickbait comeons that read like a pimp in front of New Orleans brothel.
Otherwise I’ll start assuming that you’re just a stupid parrot or a autobot and act accordingly. ]
They weren’t coercive measures. They were public health measures exactly like stopping people crapping on a footpath, street, public place, or into a waterway used for drinking water. Or for that matter, on the floor in a office.
Do you approve of people crapping street? If so, could you please explain why?
Similarly restricting people with potentially carrying a notifiable disease from entering an office is no different from requiring that people don’t crap on the floor in a workspace. Both are health risks to the other people in the same location. So we have laws and regulations about health orders to minimize the spread of disease.
They don’t involve coercion as in dragging people away and locking them up. We do have those as well. But they were used in the first part of the lockdowns before we had widespread vaccines and medical treatments, and at the border. Again to slow the spread of the disease the Director of Health ordered most places to be closed and restrictions on travel. Worked too.
The rules about masking and unvaccinated after vaccines became widespread weren’t so much the government as the property owners and managers, employers, retailers could be charged if they allowed violations of a health order. Now that does include the government as a property owner, manager, funder and employer of most health facilities, all military, most teachers, all universities, and all police officers. They are just as bound by health orders as anyone else. The Director of Health who issues those orders is just as bound by the legislation. They are required to act in certain ways under pandemic or epidemic situations.
Frankly you’re an idiot if you haven’t read the relevant legislation. Which as far as I can tell you have not.
The choice of being liable to the consequences of enabling behavior that violates those health orders is left to businesses large and small and organizations. Their response was usually to conform, because the alternative would have been for the health ministry to direct the police to prosecute those organisations.
Now personally I would be all in favour of repealing those restrictions from the health and pandemic response acts /sarc. Provided they also repealed the restrictions on other citizens about beating disease carriers to prevent them from entering our public and work spaces. Shutting them in ghettos. Lynchings. Because that used to be the standard behavior during pandemics during pre-vaccine history. The health legislation is a tradeoff between two forms of ‘freedom’
I would have had a murderous response to having unvaccinated, unmasked medical staff while I was in hospital for emergency care during the lockdown. If not to the individuals, then certainly to those who employed them to endanger me. It is exactly the same degree of reckless behavior as having a medical people do child births with dirty hands.
The ‘coercion’ in the health laws is two way process. You should be extremely wary of unleashing the freedom to remove perceived existential threats in a free manner.
But I guess you just like crapping out bacteria and virus loads wherever you like eh?
Really I suspect that you are simply a selfish arsehole crapping on this site probably as you express your ‘freedom’ to defecate in the street in real life.
Yes I appreciate that SPC
I;m not necessarily backing KS,just wishing for a bit more civility in life .We don’t always agree for instance ,but you never descend to ugly emotive language or abuse
Then again you don’t have a privileged position here
After being on social networks since 1980 while I was using the Waikato uni internal messaging. Since then I have been on local and global BBSes, usenet, blogs, work networks, and the current social media. It has always been my opinion that 'civility' is vastly overrated on social media.
The pattern of people on social media who call for civility are usually that don't have a history of using sites and haven't seen exactly how they deteriorate from trolls uninterested in discussion using them as point scoring toilet.
Or are trolls who are uninterested in discussion and long on wanting to express their opinions without dealing with responses. They use it as an victim excuse to avoid discussion on a topic that they raised. As student of online behaviour it is a pattern that comes up over and over again.
You may not agree with that assessment. I simply don't care because, as usual, you haven't provided any argument to back your ill-informed opinion. You haven't explained the origin of the experience that forms your opinion. Haven't explained why you think more civility is a good idea. Nor have you suggested any other strategies for dealing with the obnoxious who are less interested in listening to other than they are in crapping on a 'free' pavement without dealing with the consequences. (this analogy may be a somewhat too subtle for you as you don't appear to have picked up on why I specifically used it in responding to KS).
There must be a way to get your message across without playground bullying. A smart fellow like you would have many resources at hand
Yes there are many. But the absolute best one for dealing with someone repeating childish and offensive behaviour on a social site is to personally tear one of their comments apart in public and make it about them and their behaviour. That tends to be memorable to them even as they try to sneer at it. It makes them cautious about repeating similar online behaviour. It is a step that is less destructive of their ability to comment and usually less work for a moderators long term than alternatives.
KS came to my attention this time because they made a complaint that I read while I was doing a moderation sweep. They had 4 comments in auto-moderation. 3 were duplicated astroturfs and the other one was a victim statement from a incompetent troll spammer.
They had used a different 'email' yet again.
They'd put more than 10 unnecessary links into a comment.
It was clearly an attempt to astroturf a spam comment on this site.
Claimed victim status when they ran into anti-spam code.
Didn't bother to look for alternate explanations.
Unlike you. I did some work before taking any action.
I read their comments in moderation.
Looked up their previous comments and several changes in identity.
I looked up their previous interactions on the site and found that they had done this kind of behaviour many times before. Not only under this handle and variants of it. But also under other ones. Saw that they had been warned about the behaviour before.
Scanned the web and found the same lines parroted across multiple sites by multiple handles.
There was no personal opinion or thought in what they said, it was just something that they'd copied. They'd dumped it onsite here to try to get a rise
Why should I respect or treat with civility someone who has a history of dropping crap comments here, who wastes our time, and who never engages with replies with discussion or argument, but who always either just makes Trumpian proclamations of their own infallibility or the Trumpian persecution and victim statements, and who is apparently puppet of a spam factory.
So I did a comment that was absolutely bound to offend them personally. I sneered at them. Made references to their real and imaged disgusting behaviour. Wove in an appropriate analogy to their behaviour on this site.
It succeeded in its intent. As you can see it got an offended response in a way that previous moderation had not. Was almost certainly memorable to KS and will help educate them about how others view them. It will also probably give them bragging rights on Kiwiblog or BFH or whatever echo chamber that they parroted their comment from. It will also discourage them from doing the same behaviour here when they come back under that handle or another.
That is the role of a sysop on a social site. They are the BOFH and can do things that others cannot do as easily. It takes time and effort to do that effectively – something that you clearly do not understand. It is about a clinical as any other kind of potty training.
Now perhaps you'd now like to look at your comments, and consider how they would appear to this veteran of social media. I suspect you may have some difficulties with having to look at anything from a perspective other than your own constrained worldview.
You'll note that aside from a few snarky asides, this comment was 'civil'. It is also probably just as offensive to you as my comment was to KS.
Consider that it was meant to be and see if you can figure out why.
Seems to be set to NZ. But I seldom use the dictionary functions, and really don't care what spelling I use. I'm a programmer. So functional legibility and being able to compile /link are about the limits of what I get concerned about whilst writing.
However I can't see any particular Americanisms in the comment you responded to.
So I suspect that you should have been born French and taken a job at the Académie Française at the worlds premier idiotic language police (they appear to recruit heavily from the anally retentive). It doesn't really suit English as the premier bastard sticky language of the world.
There was no forced vaccination. The freedom from forced medical treatment by the state was maintained. However, it was balanced against the freedom of other people to use state-run healthcare facilities in the expectation that they would not be exposed to avoidable (possibly fatal) risks. Why do libertarian nutters not understand that freedom is is dynamic network of reciprocated obligations?
We (NZ) had this out at the time about the vaccines. Make your choice but be aware of the consequences of any choice you make. Certain people, many of whom ended up at the protest at Parliament, had great difficulty, as you indicate, understanding this then and the passage of time hasn't improved their understanding.
Same as any moral dilemma – I am sure those who opposed conscription made the decision not to go to war in the knowledge that there would be consequences.
It just seems to be recently that we have the notion of consequence-free decisions such as these. I guess another name for it is entitlement. I am not talking about those who physically could not have an injection, allergies, having chemo etc etc. These are the people we were trying to protect by halting the spread so their risk could be lessened.
I am not talking about those who physically could not have an injection, allergies, having chemo etc etc.
It became obligatory for anyone who tried to stand -up to the naysayers (remember Rosemary McDonald) to finish up with this proviso because if we didn't, we were accused by said naysayers of "not caring about the immuno compromised" when the opposite was true.
One of my friends was immuno compromised at the time and wanted to have an injection/protection and the lengths that her medical people went to to make sure she was able to have protection. She had access to the alternative and had several boosters before we were being urged to have ours. So immuno compromised plus wanting to be protected did not mean a person could not have the injection.
I think some home 'Drs' and conspiracy theorists made out that just because you were immuno compromised or allergic you couldn't be protected.
Now they seem to be rerunning the force/coercion argument instead of the choice argument. I know if I had felt strongly about the vaccination I would have chosen not to and accepted any consequences of my decisions including whether I kept my job.
If National get in, Upton should remain exactly where he is.
As the Minister who got the RMA through, and with big EU specialist credentials, when Upton speaks National listen. Believe it or not there are earnest blue-greens in there.
Upton will be particularly important if Act get the Environment portfolio and really start burning regulations.
Statistically, yes. As there were pacifists and those who cared for the plight of the working class Tommy amongst the officers at Passchendaele. And there wouldn’t have been those without the Victorian fashion for younger daughters and 4th sons to have a care for charity and the moral education of the less seemly parts of town.
But action didn’t happen until the Tories were turfed out. And here the Tories are those denialists and shoe draggers of all colours of rosette. Yep, right there if the Nats win. Sure.
I’m living in some kind of retconable world where he could drop in at 10 on the list and perhaps even pick up a teal seat somewhere. And really ramp up the electoral urgency for climate action.
C and Cs climate credentials leave a lot to be desired.
And f- me I hadn’t considered a world where those to the right of groundswell get any input into this…The fire at those ‘protests’ is their literal platform.
Don’t worry Ad, Chippy is a riding into town. It’s far from over just yet. Just watching how much the TPU polls continue to say exactly what the Nats want…
This is a positive sign for future lowering of NZ emissions. Apparently might make the Treasury forecast off by $900 million but really who cares. The budget typically misses by a few billion within 6 month anyway.
I’ve been receiving an escalating stream of panicked emails from people telling me their longtime physician was retiring, was no longer taking their insurance or had gone concierge and would no longer see them unless they ponied up a hefty annual fee. They said they couldn’t find another primary-care doctor who could take them on or who offered a new-patient appointment sooner than months away.
Their individual stories reflect a larger reality: American physicians have been abandoning traditional primary-care practice — internal and family medicine — in large numbers. Those who remain are working fewer hours. And fewer medical students are choosing a field that once attracted some of the best and brightest because of its diagnostic challenges and the emotional gratification of deep relationships with patients.
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Oliver Hartwich writes – Cast your mind back to mid-December. A new Prime Minister had just been sworn in, the new Government started its 100-day programme, and Christmas was only days away.Amid all the haste, a report landed that would have deserved our attention.I am talking about the ...
TL;DR: An unseasonally early icy blast at the same time as some long-overdue maintenance almost caused Aotearoa-NZ’s electricity system to black out this week. That’s because a quadropoly of gentailers1 have prioritised paying dividends from their rising profits and adding debt over investing in 1.5 GigaWatts of new wind farms ...
Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveReporting on defence spending late last year, RNZ said the coalition government will have to make some tough calls this term to help the force address staff shortages and ageing infrastructure. “These are huge, huge amounts of government spending. It’s a significant proportion of the government’s ...
Peter Dunne writes – I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos Chris Trotter writes – TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction? Gary Judd writes – Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result?As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and ...
Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
Almost all of the Wellington City Council’s recommended zoning changes to allow many more apartments and townhouses in its inner-suburbs have been approved.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guest on geopolitics, ...
Open access notablesA Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future:Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
Alwyn Poole writes – After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
Eric Crampton writes – A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
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National vs Labour yes. But also ACT vs Greens. Cue Seymour/Rimmer with yet more mouthdrain..
And on the back of his "reckons" of historical icons who woulda voted ACT (Nelson Mandela ! ) He also "reckons" Kate Sheppard !?
And….a bit of
Who seriously thinks he is worthy of a vote?
Those who value money above all else.
Really CTU…retreat? Mr Wagstaff–please stand up to the thugs.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/09/election-2023-council-of-trade-unions-closes-doors-to-public-calls-cops-after-concerning-response-to-christoper-luxon-attack-ad.html
The response should have been to call in Wellington workplace delegates to stand and show public solidarity at the office and keep on trucking.
Back in the 80s at the sizeable Auckland Trade Union Centre in Grey Lynn, a full time front door security desk was set up following Ernie Abbott’s 1984 murder by suitcase bomb, at the Wellington Trades Hall. The open anti union threats had been escalating for years thanks to Muldoon, and further after Winston’s 1981 “Kiwis Care Tanya Harris march”. At that event signs were spotted–“kill communist union officials”…nice, but that is the dark New Zealanders for you.
The Kiwi Care march was not anything to do with Winston. It was not planned as an Anti-Union March but became hijacked in the Media as such. I spent a good portion of that day blocking Politicians from getting anywhere near the Mic.
Of course it was anti-union. Harris and the suits marched in response to rolling- strikes by engineers, wharfies, meat workers and firemen.
I have said what wasn't planned as, and it wasn't anti-union. "Suits" tried to suck up to her all day and she didn't want a bar of them. What the media reported it to be is up to them.
Well, I was involved with the Northern Storeworkers and other unions at the time including retail, and the fact is all around the Auck. CBD employers granted paid time off and encouraged clerical workers too to attend the Tania Harris march with their blessing.
Bosses did not extend the same offer to staff for the two big Queen St NZFOL (NZ Federation of Labour) union marches of 1979 and 1982.
I was a member of the Clerical Union at the time. I don't recall being encouraged to attend or being given time off. Not saying it didn't happen to you though and yes it was hijacked by anti union sentiment people, but in my opinion it simply wasn't planned that way.
I can attest to that. In my case it was a Public Service department and the bosses also attended that March. I, and one other, were the only two who refused to attend so we stayed behind and ran the joint in their absence. For our pains we were ostracised by the bosses and made to feel like second grade individuals.
Tanya what's-her-name may not have intended as such, but it was hijacked by the anti -Union movement of the day.
if they had to call the police, they probably have had a credible death threat or similar. We're not in the 80s any more. We're post-Ashburton where a man walked into a WINZ office, murdered two staff and injured two others, unions take that shit very seriously. We're also in the age where the leader of a political party has been assaulted on the street while walking to work. And this election in particular is a point of tension where we don't know if we are going to tip into crazy or stronger democracy.
It’s not like the 80s were some placid time weka, we got door security at the TUC because someone had died in a clear attack on Unions. Sure if Police advise to do whatever, that has to be considered, but not at the risk of looking weak under anonymous threat.
Unions act in public and under great scrutiny–just doing a bargaining process agreement before you can even negotiate with an employer, is an example of the complexities faced by union members and organising staff.
In contrast the fruitcakes and would be fascists operate largely undercover and need to be outed where ever possible. Unions should publicly send them a message.
I was in the Wellington Trades Hall just a day before the bombing, working on a union newspaper. It was just fate that I was not there at the wrong time because I finished my duties that day.
I remember that a certain man had come by the place a few days before and had made some undisclosed threats to people in the building. The police were called, given a good description of the man but police apparently did not make much effort to locate him.
This was the time of the Muldoon government, there was a lot of industrial unrest in the country and there had been a recent bus drivers strike. The general consensus around Trades Hall was that police had been told by the Muldoon government not to pursue the matter and the culprit was never apprehended.
Poor old Ernie Abbot was the caretaker there, simply going about his job.
A bunch of commie unionists were not considered worthy of police protection, you know!
Mike the Lefty that is of special interest to me.
I knew a small group of people (one in particular) who I later discovered had been up to all manner of under-the-radar political activities – including criminal deeds – in the 1970s and part of the 1980s. There was a close link between Muldoon and at least one of that group. I ended up also being targeted by them.
I was unaware of the extent of their activities nor the link to Muldoon until a number of years later. One of the principle figures fled to Aussie in strange circumstances and spent two years moving around the country – as if he was in hiding. That was, from memory, shortly before the 1984 snap election called by Muldoon.
I did eventually pluck up the courage to inform the police of my knowledge and experiences. The police to my knowledge conducted no investigation.
Just a brief encounter of my experience and I have to say my respect for, and faith in the police took a rapid spiral downward as a result and has never fully recovered.
Thanks for that information Anne. There did seem to be a gang operating under the implicit direction of Muldoon to seek out suspected communist political infiltrators. Bill Such was perhaps its best known target but Ken Douglas and Tom Skinner were also repeatedly harrassed. It was very covert but possibly had links to the SIS. Muldoon had few limits to the extent he would go for political gains.
Not only can I name a couple of the culprits, but I can also name one or two high profile individuals of the day who were involved. I can also name a newspaper that was in on the game. Yes, The Truth newspaper – a misnomer if ever there was one. And yes, there were innocent people caught up in the sting. I was one of them. An untold story thus far but I have in the past hinted at some of my experiences.
The criminal offences committed in the name of the former prime minister, RD Muldoon were numerous and affected a lot of people. Colin Moyle was another well publicised target. There were a few other major events of the period that were subjected to the same behaviour. The fallout from the 1979 Erebus tragedy was one of them. I'll leave it there.
I love to see all this in a book, have you considered writing one?
The problem MtL there was a major cover-up. It has taken me almost 30 years to ferret out what really happened.
I would need assistance – someone with journalistic experience perhaps – to help me put it together in an acceptable form. I'm not sure after all these years whether there would be much appetite for the story.
Suffice to say it was tied up with the antics of the Cold War era and the paranoia that accompanied it.
Hi Anne,
I value your experiences and a book would of infinite value. Have you thought to contact Nicky Hagar
It has crossed my mind but I think Hagar's interests lie in more recent events. 20 years ago he would have been intrigued I am sure, but unfortunately back then I didn't have the knowledge and understanding that I have now.
There is a book that might be of interest Anne, if you are not aware of it already, called “Seeing Red–Undercover in 1950s New Zealand”
By George Fraser. 1995 The Dunmore Press Ltd.
ISBN 0 86469 255 2
George was a jazz musician who also worked at NZBC with a relative of mine, and was recruited by special branch NZ Police who were the precursors of the NZ SIS, to be a plant in the NZ Communist Party and pass on information to them. Many adventures followed as can be imagined.
Interesting TM. I will check out my local library.
I researched the 1960s era for some background knowledge and it is clear there was a period between the hand-over to the newly minted SIS and the Police special branch when there were two spy agenciesa breaking into properties and conducting surveillance activity. My reasonably well informed conclusion is: it was the Police special branch crowd who were active in my case.
The police also put plants in the Labour Party during those decades. As a LP activist in the 1970s and part of the 1980s, I was befriended by one of them. She did a great job pretending to be a good friend and confidant. Imagine my shock and anger when I eventually discovered the truth about her.
Those types did a lot of irreversible damage to innocent people and were never brought to account. To my way of thinking, that is a big stain on the NZ body politic.
I would certainly love to read your story in a book Anne.I suspect the same stuff is happening today, not at the behest of a politician necessarily, but for eg entrenched secretive civil servants at GCSB,SIS and the multifarious intelligence agencies.For that reason your experience is absolutely relevant
@ Francesca.
I'm 90% sure that at least some of the activity linked to my case was related to the Police and not the SIS. The reason had its genesis in a former cabinet minister who checked out a particular incident at the time it occurred and it was not carried out by the SIS. They are the professionals in the game and there are limits beyond which they cannot go – and I don't believe would want to go. The bunch who were targeting me and others, including some politicians, were amateurs. They were almost certainly acting on behalf of Muldoon, but far enough removed to allow him to deny any direct association had anything come to light.
The problem after all these years is… the evidence has long since disappeared.
Yes, I know a couple of people that looked at the suitcase and left it undisturbed, and another that was meant to be at Trades Hall that day but changed plans.
Coincidentally, Mrs Mac1 and I visited the Trades Hall today and paid our respects to Ernie Abbot in the foyer there. I also found there two other paintings of union people killed. Lest we forget!
FG Evans (Waihi miner 1912) and Christine Clarke (Lyttleton Port picket 1999)?
Yes, Tiger Mountain, those are they. You have not forgotten. You know, we have met and seen some very decent kiwis on our little travels to Wellington. Some great parents on the ferry, staff as well, and then here in the city. We read of dodgy people in the news and grotesque views in the social media, and we can get a different view of where Kiwis are. Kiwis like Ernie Abbot, Evans and Clarke. Decent folk. Good values. A world away from the sociopaths, the angry misfits and the greedy.
Our political campaigns should be aimed there- to get back the votes of decent ordinary folks, the true heart of our country.
They abound in all walks of life and it amazes me how well informed they are too. But you never hear from them. No clickbait to be had from normal, decent people.
I have to say Mike the Lefty…reading your stories, I have much Respect for you…Tiger Mountain, Anne and others. I did know about the Trades Hall bombing..but all of you have given me real Insight into the level of hate against the Left then.
You …were, and are now, only standing up for our rights.
Which NAct will be only too keen to take away.
Yep – nobody got past the stalwarts who staffed that desk.
Does the leader of a political party need real life experience.You know the trials and tribulations of the working class,family life,obligations to children and an understanding of the financial realities facing ordinary people.
Can't see how flying…virgin would be a qualification.
Was this comment meant for
TwitterX orFacebookMeta? It sure reads like it.No.I'm quite genuine .
Should political leaders have a grounding in real life experience.
The so called squeezed middle is about families coping with everyday life.
A single,celibate person would not have much voter appeal,I would suggest.
I still don’t know what you’re on about. Is this an exercise in hypotheticals or do you have anything specific you’d like to discuss here? Say what you mean and mean what you say.
I remember that some media outlets accused Helen Clark of having no empathy for families because she herself had no children.
Would they have said that about Christ, Mother Theresa and Mother Aubert? Heartless thing to say, especially as a good proportion of our population never will have been parents.
Just looked it up on Google! https://www.psychologytoday.com/nz/blog/living-single/202107/the-truth-about-people-who-remain-childfree
"More than one-quarter of the adults (27 percent) were childfree. More than half of the adults were parents (54 percent). Another 12 percent planned to have biological or adopted children in the future. The remaining 8 percent were childless—they didn't have children, but they wish they could."
We are told that Jacinda Ardern is to write a book about leadership.
Just one problem: Dan Carter has got his book out ahead of hers (see "The Art of Winning: Lessons in Leadership, Purpose and Potential", released in July).
And Carter knew how to win, of course.
I know Ardern was the P.M of NZ,thats leadership.
Not sure if Carter even captained the AB's.He was a brilliant rugby player,no doubt.
She won. Twice. Never lost.
Tell that to Nikki Kaye.
“Ardern and Kaye have been political rivals for years.
They ran against each other in Auckland Central in 2011 and 2014 – Kaye winning both times.”
https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-national/i-wish-her-all-best-arderns-tribute-nikki-kaye
As you well know gsays, winning an electorate is largely about the prevailing mood in the country and the political make up of the electorate-it is never ever a straight fight between two people.
I did so enjoy Chloe taking out Akl Central at the last election though
Yeah, Chloe is one Green MP who seems to keep a lot better grounded than some of her colleagues. Says what she thinks and is smart in a low-key style.
Martyn Bradbury thinks Chloe is the best thing since sliced bread.
Winner on the rugby field .
Not so much in business ,
https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/3977187/Last-of-Carters-Gas-fashion-stores-closes-leaving-1m-debt
Also backed a failed NFT 'business' last year .
The mean Canadians find out that unilever/
unilateralinterpreting of the rules the way they want is not without arbitration/legal clarification.Reporting by Thomas
ManchMnachSome should take note.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300964832/election-2023-live-new-zealand-wins-trade-dispute-with-canada
Clearly the Canadians weren't 'pretty solid' in their interpretation of the agreement. 'Pretty solid' seems like a close cousin of 'pretty legal'. It does look like a fair chunk of the blokey part of the electorate finds over-confident, ignorant, opinionated chest-puffing to be pretty appealing though. Probably because it matches their own default methods for navigating the world.
So was this ruling undertaken by one of those secret arbitration panels we all opposed during TPPA protests
Was Canada trying to protect its own farmers?
Or was there some other reason?
Amazing, I didn't realize that NZ had a significant "diary" export business to Canada.
Must be all of those trees we grow….. /sarc/
I wouldn't have thought that the trade in "diary" goods was a major part of NZ's economy.
I enjoyed the … robust … exchange of views at the Taxpayers Union debate last night.
Hosted (I won't say moderated) by Martyn Bradbury and Damien Grant.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/09/election-2023-willie-jackson-david-seymour-trade-barbs-over-justice-policies.html
While I doubt any views will have been changed in the course of the evening – it was interesting to see the clash of views.
It wasn't until nearly the end of the article that you knew that National's Paul Goldsmith was there as well.
That guy is such a non-entity that if he failed to show up for his own birthday party nobody would notice.
I managed about 3/4 of an hour.
Unfortunately the most flippant came across the best while the earnest two (Greens and NZ 1st) were less convincing. Hands down Seymour appeared the most on to it. He was what made me turn it off, his crime rhetoric.
I thought Willie Jackson did quite well (especially with a reasonably hostile audience – audible heckling). Jenny Marcroft was quite simply outweighted in the debate.
Jeez, you are a kinder judge than I. He has been told off by his boss for his outburst about National getting rid of the minimum wage then when challenged said they would lower it.
I agree it was surprisingly hostile towards Labour.
Get the facts right gsays.
Hipkins did say Jackson got the "getting rid of MW" wrong, but said that Jackson himself admitted this during the debate.
Hipkins said Jackson was right about ACT's policy being to reduce the MW because it's policy is to freeze it which when inflation is taken into account is a reduction.
I was describing what I saw.
You are talking about what Hipkins said about it.
Got an email today from Nicola Willis complaining Labour spent billions in 6 years with little to show for it. Wonder what they would've said if Labour had let all businesses go to the wall over Covid instead of propping them up with unprecedented levels of welfare payments.
"Hi Chris,
Yesterday Chris Hipkins said that New Zealand's "economic fundamentals are in good shape."
What a shocker.
Despite Hipkins' assertion about New Zealand's economic fundamentals, the reality is very different.
After six years of wasting billions of extra dollars with little to show for it, New Zealand's economy has fallen into recession.
There are Kiwis struggling to pay their bills every single day and whose mortgages are simply becoming too much to handle.
Inflation is running at 6% driving a prolonged cost of living crisis. Wages aren’t keeping up with inflation and mortgage repayments are too much for many Kiwis to handle
New Zealand is the only country in the Asia-Pacific region in recession.
IMF forecasts indicate we’ll have one of the worst economic growth rates in the world next year – putting jobs and incomes at risk.
Every Kiwi in the country knows these are not sound economic fundamentals, except apparently Chris Hipkins who has shown just how out of touch he is with the lives of every day Kiwis.
New Zealanders deserve competent economic management.
This election the choice is clear – a strong, stable National-led Government that will rebuild the economy to reduce the cost of living and help Kiwis get ahead, including with well-deserved tax relief for the squeezed middle.
Or three more years of a high taxing, high spending Labour-led government that is out of touch with reality and lacks the plans and ideas needed to address the issues facing New Zealanders.
Let’s get our country back on track.
Nicola Willis
National Party Deputy Leader and Spokesperson for Finance"
Labour… the Horror, I tell ya
Here we go (Stuff – Election 2023 live stream):
He [Our PM] also outlined some economic headlines:
Under Labour
I like this from Willis:
"Wages aren’t keeping up with inflation and mortgage repayments are too much for many Kiwis to handle"
Pure fcuking gold.
Hahaha… good one. She really said that? It's a little bit like Australia in the last year where the LNP suddenly finds a voice for the "not so well off" after screwing them for years, every year (ROBODEBT anyone?).
It's always a little hypothetical to look back and imagine what would have happened with another party in government. But two things I'm relatively certain of:
With similar inflation / mortgage figures.
Wasn't it Bill English who admitted the National Party wants to keep wages low?
No contradiction there then.
Reckless spending..
/
Edward Miller
@labourcartel
The idea this Govt is more wasteful than others is not supported by evidence. Govts spend more in crisis periods, and the Sixth Labour Govt has faced a few expensive ones. Total Govt spending hit 48.1% of GDP in 2011 under a National Govt with (C&S from Act, UF and TPM).
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F5TEeonbMAAHF8M?format=png&name=small
https://twitter.com/labourcartel/status/1699200448639684716
And Scotty makes four.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/09/06/fourth-act-candidate-resigns-in-lead-up-to-election/
I shared that to FB Joe. It is going to be a sad day if Seymour and his fellow nutters form part of the next government.
Just wondering… are posts being blocked on this site due to political affiliation?
[lprent: Typically you’ll be stuck in moderation if the system hasn’t seen you before under your current ‘e-mail’. You have to have one comment approved by a moderator under a e-mail or handle before further comments appear automatically. That reduces the amount of spam we have to clean up.
Or you do certain behaviors like having too many links, or words and phrases that look like trolling to the automatic mechanisms. Again a spam reduction technique.
Or a moderator picked out some previous bad behavior under either you current alias or a previous one and put you into moderation. Read the policy if you wish to avoid that. Basically say something that makes it appear that you thought about what you were saying and explain why. Don’t be a dimwitted parrot – because we consider that to be trolling spam.
In this case it is the first because you’re using different e-mail handles. Pretty obvious if you look at your previous comments in search. The gravators change frequently.
https://thestandard.org.nz/search/%40author+%22Karl+Sinclair%22/?search_comments=true&search_posts=true&search_sortby=date
I suggest that stop being such a dickhead and just stick to a single ‘e-mail’. Don’t whine to the moderators because you are too irresponsible to control your own behaviour. ]
You’ve been in Pre-Moderation for almost a month (see https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11-08-2023/#comment-1963798). You haven’t responded and continued making unnecessary work for the Mods here, also by including too many links. This and the piss-poor quality of your comments suggests that you’re heading for the Exit. I’d suggest you respond to the outstanding Mod note and lift your game if you wish to keep your commenting privilege here – pissing off Mods & SYSOP is not smart.
Kiwis are meant to be straight up no bs people…What the hell has happened to us…1984 protocols!
This is sadly why I’m ditching labour. Playing Orwellian semantics it’s not ok…. (Be straight up)
https://x.com/charliekirk11/status/1698860930644504790?s=46&t=Mb3vWtlQ9iVITzFN3xvWAQ
“Unbelievable.
“New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has the audacity to claim his government never mandated vaccines:
“In terms of the vaccine mandates, I acknowledge that it was a challenging time for people but they ultimately made their own choices. There was no compulsory vaccination. People made their own choices.”
Hipkins was the country's minister when New Zealand instituted mandatory vaccinations for health workers, military, teachers, university students, police officers, travel, many sports, and small businesses.”
Definition coercion
the use of force to persuade someone to do something that they are unwilling to do:
He claimed the police had used coercion, threats, and promises to obtain the statement illegally.
Check out also the Canadian Government’s Justin T bs
https://youtu.be/gS2OeHbO1Yk?si=Sxrz015CZIbGaeHG
[lprent: I also trashed your 2-3 previous versions of this comment. Moderators will get around to freeing up comments in moderation when they get some time.
You also left more than 10 links in the comment. This is a automatic moderation as well because it is a astroturfing technique beloved by dumbarse machines and parrots. While you’re mostly astroturfing a dictionary, it still looks like astroturfing which I disapprove of. You may notice that don’t run any other kinds of advertising on the site. Why should we run yours?
I count two small paragraphs that appear to be your own words (maybe). So I’ve damaged all links.
Use no more than about 2-3 links in comment in future, and write about why people should click into them rather than leaving meaningless clickbait comeons that read like a pimp in front of New Orleans brothel.
Otherwise I’ll start assuming that you’re just a stupid parrot or a autobot and act accordingly. ]
They weren’t coercive measures. They were public health measures exactly like stopping people crapping on a footpath, street, public place, or into a waterway used for drinking water. Or for that matter, on the floor in a office.
Do you approve of people crapping street? If so, could you please explain why?
Similarly restricting people with potentially carrying a notifiable disease from entering an office is no different from requiring that people don’t crap on the floor in a workspace. Both are health risks to the other people in the same location. So we have laws and regulations about health orders to minimize the spread of disease.
They don’t involve coercion as in dragging people away and locking them up. We do have those as well. But they were used in the first part of the lockdowns before we had widespread vaccines and medical treatments, and at the border. Again to slow the spread of the disease the Director of Health ordered most places to be closed and restrictions on travel. Worked too.
The rules about masking and unvaccinated after vaccines became widespread weren’t so much the government as the property owners and managers, employers, retailers could be charged if they allowed violations of a health order. Now that does include the government as a property owner, manager, funder and employer of most health facilities, all military, most teachers, all universities, and all police officers. They are just as bound by health orders as anyone else. The Director of Health who issues those orders is just as bound by the legislation. They are required to act in certain ways under pandemic or epidemic situations.
Frankly you’re an idiot if you haven’t read the relevant legislation. Which as far as I can tell you have not.
The choice of being liable to the consequences of enabling behavior that violates those health orders is left to businesses large and small and organizations. Their response was usually to conform, because the alternative would have been for the health ministry to direct the police to prosecute those organisations.
Now personally I would be all in favour of repealing those restrictions from the health and pandemic response acts /sarc. Provided they also repealed the restrictions on other citizens about beating disease carriers to prevent them from entering our public and work spaces. Shutting them in ghettos. Lynchings. Because that used to be the standard behavior during pandemics during pre-vaccine history. The health legislation is a tradeoff between two forms of ‘freedom’
I would have had a murderous response to having unvaccinated, unmasked medical staff while I was in hospital for emergency care during the lockdown. If not to the individuals, then certainly to those who employed them to endanger me. It is exactly the same degree of reckless behavior as having a medical people do child births with dirty hands.
The ‘coercion’ in the health laws is two way process. You should be extremely wary of unleashing the freedom to remove perceived existential threats in a free manner.
But I guess you just like crapping out bacteria and virus loads wherever you like eh?
Really I suspect that you are simply a selfish arsehole crapping on this site probably as you express your ‘freedom’ to defecate in the street in real life.
Your site so you can be as unpleasant as you like
There must be a way to get your message across without playground bullying.A smart fellow like you would have many resources at hand
I can only assume you enjoy throwing your weight around
Anyone else would be chucked out for starting a "flame war"
I do realize this is a sackable offense speaking out and I'll take whatever punishment happily
KS has been ditching Labour again and again via posts on this site …. This is why … who on the left follows Charlie Kirk?
Yes I appreciate that SPC
I;m not necessarily backing KS,just wishing for a bit more civility in life .We don’t always agree for instance ,but you never descend to ugly emotive language or abuse
Then again you don’t have a privileged position here
This is how I look at it…
Yes there are many. But the absolute best one for dealing with someone repeating childish and offensive behaviour on a social site is to personally tear one of their comments apart in public and make it about them and their behaviour. That tends to be memorable to them even as they try to sneer at it. It makes them cautious about repeating similar online behaviour. It is a step that is less destructive of their ability to comment and usually less work for a moderators long term than alternatives.
Unlike you. I did some work before taking any action.
Why should I respect or treat with civility someone who has a history of dropping crap comments here, who wastes our time, and who never engages with replies with discussion or argument, but who always either just makes Trumpian proclamations of their own infallibility or the Trumpian persecution and victim statements, and who is apparently puppet of a spam factory.
So I did a comment that was absolutely bound to offend them personally. I sneered at them. Made references to their real and imaged disgusting behaviour. Wove in an appropriate analogy to their behaviour on this site.
It succeeded in its intent. As you can see it got an offended response in a way that previous moderation had not. Was almost certainly memorable to KS and will help educate them about how others view them. It will also probably give them bragging rights on Kiwiblog or BFH or whatever echo chamber that they parroted their comment from. It will also discourage them from doing the same behaviour here when they come back under that handle or another.
That is the role of a sysop on a social site. They are the BOFH and can do things that others cannot do as easily. It takes time and effort to do that effectively – something that you clearly do not understand. It is about a clinical as any other kind of potty training.
Now perhaps you'd now like to look at your comments, and consider how they would appear to this veteran of social media. I suspect you may have some difficulties with having to look at anything from a perspective other than your own constrained worldview.
You'll note that aside from a few snarky asides, this comment was 'civil'. It is also probably just as offensive to you as my comment was to KS.
Consider that it was meant to be and see if you can figure out why.
Er umm…"dissing"?
Reason No. xyt.
OK. I didn’t read the KS. comment. Apols.
Lprent- Any chance you could set your setting to English-NZ or English-UK, unless of course you are an American ?
Seems to be set to NZ. But I seldom use the dictionary functions, and really don't care what spelling I use. I'm a programmer. So functional legibility and being able to compile /link are about the limits of what I get concerned about whilst writing.
However I can't see any particular Americanisms in the comment you responded to.
So I suspect that you should have been born French and taken a job at the Académie Française at the worlds premier idiotic language police (they appear to recruit heavily from the anally retentive). It doesn't really suit English as the premier bastard sticky language of the world.
You follow Charlie Kirk on X?
The same stuff floats around on Rebel News … Ani O'Brien reposts that locally and Eva McTin.
There was no forced vaccination. The freedom from forced medical treatment by the state was maintained. However, it was balanced against the freedom of other people to use state-run healthcare facilities in the expectation that they would not be exposed to avoidable (possibly fatal) risks. Why do libertarian nutters not understand that freedom is is dynamic network of reciprocated obligations?
Because being part of a dynamic network of reciprocated obligations is way beyond their ability to comprehend – if I may be so bold.
And I'll boldly agree with you Anne.
We (NZ) had this out at the time about the vaccines. Make your choice but be aware of the consequences of any choice you make. Certain people, many of whom ended up at the protest at Parliament, had great difficulty, as you indicate, understanding this then and the passage of time hasn't improved their understanding.
Same as any moral dilemma – I am sure those who opposed conscription made the decision not to go to war in the knowledge that there would be consequences.
It just seems to be recently that we have the notion of consequence-free decisions such as these. I guess another name for it is entitlement. I am not talking about those who physically could not have an injection, allergies, having chemo etc etc. These are the people we were trying to protect by halting the spread so their risk could be lessened.
It became obligatory for anyone who tried to stand -up to the naysayers (remember Rosemary McDonald) to finish up with this proviso because if we didn't, we were accused by said naysayers of "not caring about the immuno compromised" when the opposite was true.
Yes old habits die hard.
One of my friends was immuno compromised at the time and wanted to have an injection/protection and the lengths that her medical people went to to make sure she was able to have protection. She had access to the alternative and had several boosters before we were being urged to have ours. So immuno compromised plus wanting to be protected did not mean a person could not have the injection.
I think some home 'Drs' and conspiracy theorists made out that just because you were immuno compromised or allergic you couldn't be protected.
Now they seem to be rerunning the force/coercion argument instead of the choice argument. I know if I had felt strongly about the vaccination I would have chosen not to and accepted any consequences of my decisions including whether I kept my job.
Wonder if the Greens had ever considered approaching Simon Upton to get back into politics for them?
No point heckling either Luxon or Chippy as they have minimal environmental action credibility.
Should have stood for the Greens and tried to take teal votes from the Nats.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/497384/next-prime-minister-must-lead-emissions-cuts-simon-upton-report
If National get in, Upton should remain exactly where he is.
As the Minister who got the RMA through, and with big EU specialist credentials, when Upton speaks National listen. Believe it or not there are earnest blue-greens in there.
Upton will be particularly important if Act get the Environment portfolio and really start burning regulations.
Statistically, yes. As there were pacifists and those who cared for the plight of the working class Tommy amongst the officers at Passchendaele. And there wouldn’t have been those without the Victorian fashion for younger daughters and 4th sons to have a care for charity and the moral education of the less seemly parts of town.
But action didn’t happen until the Tories were turfed out. And here the Tories are those denialists and shoe draggers of all colours of rosette. Yep, right there if the Nats win. Sure.
I’m living in some kind of retconable world where he could drop in at 10 on the list and perhaps even pick up a teal seat somewhere. And really ramp up the electoral urgency for climate action.
C and Cs climate credentials leave a lot to be desired.
And f- me I hadn’t considered a world where those to the right of groundswell get any input into this…The fire at those ‘protests’ is their literal platform.
Don’t worry Ad, Chippy is a riding into town. It’s far from over just yet. Just watching how much the TPU polls continue to say exactly what the Nats want…
One Voice confronts the reality of the Oz electorate.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-66470376
Meanwhile here in New Zealand, Peters says NZF would withdraw from UNDRIP.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/132885845/carbon-credit-auction-fails-again-depriving-treasury-of-about-900-million
Carbin credit scheme failure,
Nationals ghost money ain't gonna materialize!! For tax cuts.
This is a positive sign for future lowering of NZ emissions. Apparently might make the Treasury forecast off by $900 million but really who cares. The budget typically misses by a few billion within 6 month anyway.
Thanks, Labour.
.
I’ve been receiving an escalating stream of panicked emails from people telling me their longtime physician was retiring, was no longer taking their insurance or had gone concierge and would no longer see them unless they ponied up a hefty annual fee. They said they couldn’t find another primary-care doctor who could take them on or who offered a new-patient appointment sooner than months away.
Their individual stories reflect a larger reality: American physicians have been abandoning traditional primary-care practice — internal and family medicine — in large numbers. Those who remain are working fewer hours. And fewer medical students are choosing a field that once attracted some of the best and brightest because of its diagnostic challenges and the emotional gratification of deep relationships with patients.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/09/05/lack-primary-care-tipping-point/