Open mike 06/09/2024
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6:00 am, September 6th, 2024 - 48 comments
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- Tory Whanau may have to sell Wellington mayoralty to make ends meet
Tory Whanau has revealed that she’s struggling so much financially that she may have to part with her beloved mayoralty, that of New Zealand’s capital city, if she’s to fund her ever-diminishing lifestyle. Whanau was elected to lead Wellington in 2022, winning an overwhelming victory against the incumbent mayor: the ...51 mins ago - And round we go again…
One of Labour's few achievements last term was to finally move on RMA reform. Following an independent review and a select committee review of an exposure draft, both aimed at ironing out bugs and producing a compromise most people could live with, Labour passed the Natural and Built Environments Act ...1 hour ago - The Supreme Court stands up for fairness
National is planning to breach te Tiriti o Waitangi by amending the Marine and Coastal Area Act to effectively make it impossible for the courts to recognise Māori rights over the foreshore and seabed. But its also been playing dirty in other ways. Earlier in the year it announced changes ...2 hours ago
- Today’s 10 Politics Headlines: Luxon flails and Simeon Drives
1/ Jobseeker numbers are going the opposite way of Luxon’s KPIs. Against a target of minus 50,000 by 2030, the new forecast shows the Government is looking at an increase of 24,000 jobseekers in its first term.In Thomas Coughlin’s report, Upton responds by blaming Labour: “We inherited an economy in ...7 hours ago - Kaka project: What could a revamped Entrust do with/for/to Vector?
Long story short, I interviewed transport and energy activist Patrick Reynolds this week about the bid to run Entrust by a new campaign group he’s part of called More for you; better for Auckland. There’s a lot more detail in this GreaterAuckland post and on ‘Better’s’ website.They’re campaigning to win ...8 hours ago - Missing the Feckin’ Targets
And although my eyes were openThey might just as well have been closedAnd so it was laterWhen the miller told this taleHe said that her face at first just ghostlyAnd then turned a whiter shade of paleSongwriters: Keith Reid / Gary BrookerI want to talk about two things today, subjects ...8 hours ago - Deadly floods and streams of non-solutions
Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:Central Europe is reeling from the devastating effects of Storm Boris, which has so far caused 21 deaths and ...9 hours ago
- Weekly Roundup 20-September-2024
Welcome to the end of the week, as we head towards the spring equinox. Let us brighten your week with links to stories about how to make our city a little greater. This roundup is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew. If you’d like to support our work ...10 hours ago - Three years of recession deeper than GFC
Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, September 20:New Zealand’s total GDP contracted less than expected in the June quarter, but per-capita GDP extended its three-year-long slump at a rate that is faster than ...10 hours ago - That’s Gangsta!
The gang patch legislation finally passed in the House after a long period of fanfare from National. Gangs won’t be allowed to publicly display gang insignia on the body or in vehicles, and if they’re very naughty i.e. caught thrice, police will be able to enter private homes to search.How ...11 hours ago - The Hoon around the week to Sept 20
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-host talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate news, including media coverage of extreme events and how big tech is gobbling up so much renewable power growth; ...12 hours ago
- A very healthy distrust of how this Government is handling health across the board is needed…
And alongside that, is the ultimate question for the public, and indeed Opposition Parties trying to appeal for enough of the public to support a change from this heinous direction of travel being imposed on us: how much of the damage here can even be stopped in time? Let us ...20 hours ago - Hang up on him David, just stop
There is a story I want to tell, but I'm not going to begin with it because it would be too abrupt. I'll start by telling you that I'm a big fan of the way Nicola Toki conveys her message. And Nicola Toki is a big fan of the way Jane ...1 day ago - Tax the rich!
We already know that the rich people aren't paying their fair share. But it turns out its worse than that: we're a tax-haven! Our rich people pay lower taxes here than in any comparable country: Well-off New Zealanders are paying less tax than their peers in nine similar OECD ...1 day ago
- Worse and worse
Cancer Minister Casey Costello is in trouble again over her secret, magically appearing tobacco policy document. The Ombudsman has already found that she acted contrary to law in refusing requests for it; now she has been referred to the Chief Archivist over a possible breach of the Public Records Act ...1 day ago
- NZ’s lack of a capital gains tax means the richest here pay vastly less than elsewhere
The lack of a capital gains tax means the richest Kiwis are sitting pretty compared to taxpayers overseas. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, September 19:New Zealand’s richest ...1 day ago - Verrall to Levy: “Health NZ NDAs are North Korean – Get rid of it.”
Open article. Note the video of the Health Select Committee excerpts starts at 1:22 In watching the Health Select Committee yesterday, it became clear to me why Margie Apa remains Health NZ CEO.During Levy’s testimony, Apa sat like a rock next to her boss. She nodded supportively, scribbled notes to ...1 day ago
- The Show Must Go On
Empty spaces, what are we living for?Abandoned places, I guess we know the score, on and onDoes anybody know what we are looking for?Another hero, another mindless crimeBehind the curtain, in the pantomimeHold the lineDoes anybody want to take it anymore?The show must go onSongwriters: Brian May / Freddie Mercury ...1 day ago - Managing on-street parking for local benefit
This guest post by Malcolm McCracken originally appeared on his blog Better Things Are Possible, and is republished here by kind permission. The case for Parking Benefit Districts: managing on-street parking for local benefit Parking is often the centre of debate in our cities; particularly on-street car parks, who gets ...1 day ago
- Doubling down?
This is a re-post from And Then There's Physics I wrote a post a little while ago commenting on a Sabine Hossenfelder video suggesting that she was now worried about climate change because the Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity (ECS) could be much higher than most estimates have suggested. I wasn’t too taken with Sabine’s arguments, and there were others ...1 day ago - Too much haste & waste in Simeon Brown’s need for speed
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong story short, the Government’s myopia of only choosing transport policies that reduce travel times means we’re missing out on the health benefits of more cycling and walking, along with the health cost savings from fewer accidents, less pollution and mentally healthier ways of getting ...1 day ago
- What seemed so simple is now so complex
The Health NZ rescue that seemed so simple back in July was presented to a Select Committee yesterday as a complex challenge that could take some years to sort out. In July, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Health NZ was on track to record a deficit of $1.4 billion for ...2 days ago
- The utterances of Shane Jones
Let us consider the utterances of Shane Jones.Let us consider the derogatory terms of abuseNow is not the time for Green Wombles, it's black and white decision making.We will stand with the energy industry and ensure they are not monstered by Green Termites nibbling away at our economic capital.The Green ...2 days ago - Ukrainian militia receives defective shipment of pagers that just send and receive messages
There’s been a major setback for one Ukrainian-backed militia on the Russian border, after the group ordered a large shipment of pagers to use as improvised explosive devices. The plan was to litter the pagers throughout abandoned homes and buildings in hopes of wounding Russian soldiers. But upon arrival of ...2 days ago - A constitutional shitshow
Last month, we learned that the government was half-arsing its anti-gang legislation, adding a significant, pre-planned, BORA-abusing amendment at the committee stage, avoiding all the usual scrutiny processes. But it gets worse. Because having done it once, they're now planning to recall the bill in order to add another such ...2 days ago
- Political Round Up
Note: An earlier version of this article noted Levy was a “party time Health NZ commissioner” - this has been updated - forgive my Freudian slip.Dr Lester Levy is charging $320,000 a year to be a part time Health NZ commissioner. Rachel Thomas reports that Levy is still teaching 2 ...2 days ago - Postcard from Sydney: Southwest and City Metro extension
This is a guest post from Sydney reader Nik Clement After 2 years in Auckland I moved back to Sydney just over a year ago. While in Auckland, I went to the opening of Puhinui station and used it a fair bit, living in Manukau Central and being able ...2 days ago
- Tolling revolt brewing in National heartland
Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, September 18:Locals gathered in Woodville last night to protest at the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s decision to toll the new road linking the Manawatu and Hawkes Bay, saying ...2 days ago - The doom spiral
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In his last post, Zeke discussed incredible warmth of 2023 and 2024 and its implications for future warming. A few readers looked at it and freaked out: This is terrifying and This update really put me in a ...3 days ago
- Government directs Te Puni Kōkiri to conduct Māori Language Week in English
The coalition government has issued a directive to Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry of Māori Development, instructing them that – in the interests of clear communication – they are to conduct this year’s Māori Language Week primarily or exclusively in English. The directive is in line with the Government’s policy ...3 days ago - Government celebrates fact that New Zealand’s healthcare is so good people are queuing up for it a...
At yesterday’s post-cabinet press conference, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, flanked by his Health Minister Shane Reti and someone we can’t independently verify was a real sign language interpreter, announced that he had some positive news for the country. “Alright team, I’m just going to hand over to uh, Dr. Shane, ...3 days ago - Heartwarming: Thoughtful driver uses indicator to tell you what they’ve just done
It’s 4:10pm in the morning, and you’re in the middle lane heading north on the great southern motorway of our nation’s capital, Auckland. There are no cars directly in front of you, but quite a few in the lane to your left. Suddenly, without warning, a black ute enters your ...3 days ago - NPC teams will now be allowed to actually use the Ranfurly Shield in play
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I arrived home with a head full of fresh ideas about mindfulness and curbing impulsive aspects in my character.On the second night home I grabbed a piece of ginger and began swiftly slicing it on our industrial strength mandolin, the one I have learned through painful experience to treat with ...3 days ago - More Notes From Stinky Town
Good morning, folks. Another wee note from a chilly Rotorua morning that looks much clearer than yesterday. As I write, the pink glow in the east is slowly growing, and soon, the palest of blue skies should become a bit more royal.A couple of people mentioned yesterday that I should ...3 days ago - Make it make sense: why axe valuable local projects?
Last week, Matt looked at how the government wants to pour a huge chunk of civic infrastructure funding for a generation into one mega-road up North, at huge cost and huge opportunity cost. A smaller but no less important feature of the National Land Transport Plan devised by Minister of Transport ...3 days ago
- Driving blind at higher speeds
An open letter by experts about plans to raise speed limits warns the “tragic consequence will be more New Zealanders losing their lives or suffering severe injury, along with a substantial burden on the nation's healthcare and rehabilitation services”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s ...3 days ago - 2024’s unusually persistent warmth
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink My inaugural post on The Climate Brink 18 months ago looked at the year 2024, and found that it was likely to be the warmest year on record on the back of a (than forecast) El Nino event. I suggested “there is a real chance ...3 days ago
- National plan for 2000 more Kiwis a year in prison
Open for allYesterday, Luxon congratulated his government on a job well done with emergency housing numbers, but advocates have been saying it‘s likely many are on the streets and sleeping in cars.Q&A featured some of the folks this weekend - homeless and in cars. Yes.The government’s also confirmed they stopped ...3 days ago
- I Found a Note in a Tree
Hi,On most days I try to go on a walk through nature to clear my head from the horrors of life. Because as much as I like people, I also think it’s incredibly important to get very far away from them. To be reminded that there are also birds, lizards, ...3 days ago - Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Politicians need to lift their game
Declining trust in New Zealand politicians should be a warning to them to lift their game. Results from the New Zealand Election Study for the 2023 election show that the level of trust in politicians has once again declined. Perhaps it is not surprising that the results, shared as part ...4 days ago - Police say they won’t respond to bomb threats anymore as ‘it’s never anything’
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says that New Zealand’s police force will no longer respond to bomb threats, in an attempt to cut costs and redirect police resources to less boring activities. Coster said that threat response and bomb disposal was a “fairly obvious” area for downsizing, as bomb threats are ...4 days ago - A dysfunctional watchdog
The reality of any right depends on how well it is enforced. But as The Post points out this morning, our right to official information isn't being enforced very well at all: More than a quarter of complaints about access to official information languish for more than a year, ...4 days ago
- Climate Change: The threat of a good example
Since taking office, the climate-denier National government has gutted agricultural emissions pricing, ended the clean car discount, repealed water quality standards which would have reduced agricultural emissions, gutted the clean car standard, killed the GIDI scheme, and reversed efforts to reduce pollution subsidies in the ETS - basically every significant ...4 days ago
- Vegas Baby
Good morning, lovely people. Don’t worry. This isn’t really a newsletter, just a quick note. I’m sitting in our lounge, looking out over a gloomy sky. Although being Rotorua, the view is periodically interrupted by steam bursting from pipes and dispersing—like an Eastern European industrial hellscape during the Cold War.Drinking ...4 days ago - Why Entrust Needs New Leadership
I am part of a new team running in the Entrust election in October. Entrust is a community electricity trust representing a significant part of Auckland, set up to serve the community. It is governed by five trustees are elected every three years in an election the trust itself oversees. ...4 days ago
- London Bridge is falling down
In the UK, London is the latest of council groups to signal potential bankruptcy.That’s after Birmingham, Britain’s second largest city, went bankrupt in June, resulting in reduced sanitation services, libraries cut, and dimmed streetlights.Some in the city described things as “Dickens” like.Please, Sir, Can I have some more?For families with ...4 days ago - Govt may kick elderly out of hospitals
The Government is considering how to shunt elderly people out of hospitals, and also how to cut their access to other support. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, ...4 days ago - Getting the nephs off the couch
The so-called “Prince of the Provinces”, Shane Jones, went home last Friday. Perhaps not quite literally home, more like 20 kilometres down the road from his house on the outskirts of Kerikeri. With its airport, its rapidly growing (mostly retired) population, and a commercial centre with all the big retail ...5 days ago
- De moralibus orcorum: Sargon of Akkad, Rings of Power, Evil, and George R.R. Martin
I have noted before that The Rings of Power has attracted its unfortunate share of culture war obsessives. Essentially, for a certain type of individual, railing on about the Wokery of Modern Media is a means of making themselves a online livelihood. Clicks and views and advertising revenue, and all ...5 days ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #37
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 8, 2024 thru Sat, September 14, 2024. Story of the week From time to time we like to make our Story of the Week all about us— and ...5 days ago
- Salvation For Us All
Yesterday, I ruminated about the effects of being a political follower.And, within politics, David Seymour was smart enough on Friday to divert attention from “race blind” policies [what about gender blind I thought - thinking of maternity wards] and cutting school lunches by throwing meat to the media. Teachers were ...5 days ago - A warm embrace
Far, far away from here lives our King. Some of his subjects can be quite the forelock tuggers, but plenty of us are not like that, and why don't I wheel out my favourite old story once more about Kiwi soldiers in the North African desert?Field Marshal Montgomery takes offence ...5 days ago - Literal clowns are running the place, we must put a timeout on this stupidity… right Aotearoa?
These people are inept on every level. They’re inept to the detriment of our internal politics, cohesion and increasingly our international reputation. And they are reveling in the fact they are getting away with it. We cannot even have “respectful debate” with a government that clearly rejects the very ...6 days ago - Fact brief – Does manmade CO2 have any detectable fingerprint?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Does manmade CO2 have any ...6 days ago
- Judge Not.
6 days ago - Managed Democracy: Letting The People Decide, But Only When They Can Be Relied Upon To Give the Righ...
Uh-uh! Not So Fast, Citizens! The power to initiate systemic change remains where it has always been in New Zealand’s representative democracy – in Parliament. To order a binding referendum, the House of Representatives must first to be persuaded that, on the question proposed, sharing its decision-making power with the people ...6 days ago
- Looking For Labour’s Vital Signs.
Flatlining: With no evidence of a genuine policy disruptor at work in Labour’s ranks, New Zealand’s wealthiest citizens can sleep easy.PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN has walked a picket-line. Presidential candidate Kamala Harris has threatened “price-gauging” grocery retailers with price control. The Democratic Party’s 2024 platform situates it well to the left of Sir ...6 days ago
- Forty Years Of Remembering To Forget.
The Beginning of the End: Rogernomics became the short-hand descriptor for all the radical changes that swept away New Zealand’s social-democratic economy and society between 1984 and 1990. In the bitterest of ironies, those changes were introduced by the very same party which had entrenched New Zealand social-democracy 50 years earlier. ...6 days ago
- Kōrero Mai – Speak to Me.
Good morning all you lovely people. 🙂I woke up this morning, and it felt a bit like the last day of school. You might recall from earlier in the week that I’m heading home to Rotorua to see an old friend who doesn’t have much time. A sad journey, but ...6 days ago - Winning ways
6 days ago - 48 seconds on a plan that would reverberate for a million years
Despite fears that Trump presidency would be disastrous for progress on climate change, the topic barely rated a mention in the Presidential debate. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey ...6 days ago
- Using blunt instruments and magical thinking to ignore evidence of harm
The abrupt cancellations and suspensions of Government spending also caused private sector hiring, spending, and investment to freeze up for the first six months of the year. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāThis week we learned:The new National/ACT/NZ First Coalition Government ignored advice from Treasury that it didn’t have to ...6 days ago - Is This A Dagger Which I See Before Me: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power Episode 5 (Seaso...
Another week of The Rings of Power, season two, and another confirmation that things are definitely coming together for the show. The fifth Episode of season one represented the nadir of the series. Now? Amid the firmer footing of 2024, Episode Five represents further a further step towards excellent Tolkien ...7 days ago - In Open Seas; A Book
The background to In Open Seas: How the New Zealand Labour Government Went Wrong:2017-2023Not in Narrow Seas: The Economic History of Aotearoa New Zealand, published in 2020, proved more successful than either I or the publisher (VUP, now Te Herenga Waka University Press) expected. I had expected that it would ...7 days ago - The Hoon around the week to Sept 13
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the climate implications of the US Presidential elections; and special guests Janet ...1 week ago
- Do or do not. There is no try
1. Upon receiving evidence that school lunches were doing a marvellous job of improving outcomes for students, David Seymour did what?a. Declared we need much more of this sort of good news and poured extra resources and funding into them b. Emailed Atlas network to ask what to do next c. Cut ...1 week ago - Dangerous ground
The Waitangi Tribunal has reported back on National's proposed changes to gut the Marine and Coastal Area Act and steal the foreshore and seabed for its greedy fishing-industry donors, and declared it to be another huge violation of ti Tiriti: The Waitangi Tribunal has found government changes to the ...1 week ago
- Climate Change: National wants to cheat on Paris
In 2016, the then-National government signed the Paris Agreement, committing Aotearoa to a 30 (later 50) percent reduction in emissions by 2030. When questioned about how they intended to meet that target with their complete absence of effective climate policy, they made a lot of noise about how it was ...1 week ago
- Treasury warned Govt lower debt limits meant less ‘productivity-enhancing investment’
1 week ago - Is the Media Complicit?
This is a long read. Open to all.SYNOPSIS: Traditional media is at a cross roads. There is a need for those in the media landscape, as it stands, to earn enough to stay afloat, but also come across as balanced and neutral to keep its audiences.In America, NYT’s liberal leaning ...1 week ago - Black Friday
It's Black Friday, the end of the weekYou take my hand and hold it gently up against your cheekIt's all in my head, it's all in my mindI see the darkness where you see the lightSong by Tom OdellFriday the 13th, don’t be afraid.No, really, don’t. Everything has felt a ...1 week ago - Weekly Roundup 13-September-2024
Ooh, Friday the thirteenth. Spooky! Is that why certain zombie ideas have been stalking the landscape this week, like the Mayor’s brainwave for a motorway bridge from Kauri Point to Point Chev? Read on and find out. This roundup, like all our coverage, is brought to you by the Greater ...1 week ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #37 2024
Open access notables Early knowledge but delays in climate actions: An ecocide case against both transnational oil corporations and national governments, Hauser et al., Environmental Science & Policy: Cast within the wide context of investigating the collusion at play between powerful political-economic actors and decision-makers as monopolists and debates about ‘the modern ...1 week ago
- What it is
I liked what Kieran McAnulty had to say about the Treaty Principles bill this morning so much I've written it down and copied it out for you. He was saying that rather than let this piece of ordure spend six months in Select Committee, the Prime Minister could stop making such ...1 week ago
- Release: Coalition cooking up costly RMA replacement
National continues to dismantle environmental protections in the interests of rushing through unsustainable development that will ultimately cost communities. ...3 hours ago - Release: National red-faced as benefit numbers skyrocket
The economy has stagnated and the National Government is having to face the consequences of its atrocious lawmaking, as beneficiary numbers skyrocket past even Treasury’s predictions. ...8 hours ago
- Release: National allocating police officers not hired yet
There are 104 fewer police officers now than there were when National came into Government. ...8 hours ago
- Economic decline further cause for tax transformation
Today’s GDP figures combined with the injustice of our tax system will mean more pain for our lowest-income households while those at the top remain relatively unscathed. ...1 day ago - Release: No growth under National, just cuts
The National Government’s decisions have hindered, not helped the economy. ...1 day ago
- Govt must act to avoid the worst of NIWA’s climate projections
New climate projections from NIWA underscore how urgently climate action is needed. ...2 days ago
- Release: More job losses as Government fails on manufacturing
The Government is failing the manufacturing sector with no plan for its future. ...2 days ago
- Tāmaki-Makaurau MP Urges Immediate Support for Families Impacted by Mill Closure
Te Pāti Māori Member of Parliament for Tāmaki Makaurau is urging a full wraparound of services to intervene quickly with families affected by today's announced closure of the Penrose Mill. Seventy-five people are set to lose their jobs right on the eve of Christmas. "I want to extend my thoughts ...2 days ago
- Release: Sentencing package misses the mark by a mile
Sentencing policy announced by Minister Paul Goldsmith today is anything but new, merely window dressing to make up for backwards violent crime statistics under the National Government. ...3 days ago
- Release: Seymour’s Ministry of Double Standards
David Seymour doesn’t stick to his own standards of good regulation despite having a multimillion-dollar vanity ministry set up to do so. ...3 days ago
- Release: Labour Leader to travel to UK
Labour Leader Chris Hipkins will travel to the United Kingdom this week to attend the annual UK Labour Party conference in Liverpool and meet with members of the new Labour Government. ...3 days ago
- Govt Warned – Increasing Snapper Quota Breaches Fisheries Settlement
An imminent decision to increase the total allowable commercial catch (TACC) for snapper would be a direct violation of the first-ever Treaty Settlement and inevitably breach Te Tiriti o Waitangi, says Te Pāti Māori. Te Ohu Kaimoana has sought a High Court declaration to prevent the Minister of Oceans and ...4 days ago
- Govt attacks workers’ rights once again
Today’s announcement from the Minister of Workplace Relations emphasises how deep in the pocket of big business this Government really is. ...5 days ago
- Release: Māori business not a priority for this Govt
Scrapping the Progressive Procurement programme designed to support and grow Māori businesses is a missed opportunity. ...5 days ago
- Release: March 15 inquiry grants cut by Government
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has cut grants helping overseas family of victims to attend the next phase of the Coronial Inquiry into the 15 March 2019 Christchurch Masjidain Attack. ...5 days ago
- Minister of Injustice seeks to Entrench largest land confiscation in History
The Waitangi Tribunal has released an Urgent Report on the Government’s proposed amendments to the Takutai Moana Act 2011. The report calls out Paul Goldsmith’s proposal for what it is: a “gross breach of the Treaty” and an “illegitimate exercise of kāwanatanga”. The Tribunal is recommending the Crown step down ...1 week ago
- Takutai Moana changes another assault on Te Tiriti
The Government must abandon its Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act interventions after the Waitangi Tribunal found it was committing gross breaches of the Treaty. ...1 week ago
- Greens call on Govt to leave Te Reo in schools alone
As Te Wiki o te Reo Māori approaches, the Government is considering deprioritising teaching Te Reo Māori in our schools. ...1 week ago
- Govt cannot ignore racism
The Government’s directive to the public service to ignore race is nothing more than a dog whistle and distraction from the structural racism we need to address. ...1 week ago
- Release: Lemauga Lydia Sosene to take medical leave
Labour’s Mangere MP Lemauga Lydia Sosene has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will shortly take medical leave. ...1 week ago
- Potential intelligence sharing with Israel must be investigated
Concerns have been raised that our spy arrangements may mean that intelligence is being shared between Aotearoa and Israel. An urgent inquiry must be launched in response to this. ...1 week ago
- Release: Charter schools undermine our education system
The Government is taking a wrecking ball to our public education system by reinstating charter schools. ...1 week ago
- Youngest MP to travel to Canada to accept Politician of the Year Award
Aotearoa’s Youngest Member of Parliament, and Te Pāti Māori MP, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, will travel to Montreal to accept the One Young World Politician of the Year Award next week. The One Young World Politician of the Year Award was created in 2018 to recognise the most promising young politicians between ...1 week ago
- Greens celebrate huge step forward for ADHD community
The Greens welcome today’s long-coming announcement by Pharmac of consultation to remove the special authority renewal criteria for methylphenidate, dexamfetamine and modafinil and to fund lisdexamfetamine. ...1 week ago
- Release: Millions to be spent dividing NZ for no reason
The National Party is wasting millions of dollars allowing David Seymour’s Treaty Principals Bill to be drafted and go to Select Committee. ...1 week ago
- Release: New Zealanders departing our shores at a record rate
The Migration figures released by Stats NZ today show National is continuing to drive Kiwis away from New Zealand in record numbers. ...1 week ago
- Te Tai Tokerau MP Slams Govt Overreach in Scrapping Māori Wards
Mema Paremata for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, has reflected on the decisions made by the councils of the North amidst the government’s push to remove Māori Wards and weaken mana whenua representation. “Actions taken by the Kaipara District Council to remove Māori Wards are the embodiment of the eradication ...1 week ago
- Govt already seeking advice on Treaty referendum
On one hand, the Prime Minister has assured Aotearoa that his party will not support the Treaty Principles Bill beyond first reading, but on the other, his Government has already sought advice on holding a referendum on our founding document. ...1 week ago
- Release: Aged care will be worse off if redesign rushed
New Zealanders needing aged care support and the people who care for them will be worse off if the Government pushes through a flawed and rushed redesign of dementia and aged care. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt fails hundreds of workers as mills close
Labour is devastated at news hundreds of workers are set to lose their jobs following the closure of Winstone Pulp mills. ...1 week ago
- Job losses from mill closures consequence of Govt inaction
Hundreds of jobs lost as a result of pulp mill closures in the Ruapehu District are a consequence of government inaction in addressing the shortfalls of our electricity network. ...1 week ago
- Ngarewa-Packer devastated for Ruapehu following WPI closure
Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader and MP for Te Tai Hauāuru is devastated for the Ruapehu community following today’s decision to close two Winstone Pulp mills. “My heart goes out to all the workers, their whānau, and the wider Ruapehu community affected by the closure of Winstone Pulp International,” said Ngarewa-Packer. ...1 week ago
- Release: Cabinet should stop the Treaty Principles Bill
National Party Ministers have a majority in Cabinet and can stop David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill, which even the Prime Minister has described as “divisive and unhelpful.” ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Staff gagged to keep fast track list secret
The National Government is so determined to hide the list of potential projects that will avoid environmental scrutiny it has gagged Ministry for the Environment staff from talking about it. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour challenges Te Whatu Ora gag orders
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Heard on the radio yesterday that Far North District Council is going ahead with implementing local speed restrictions that are bound to clash with Simeon Brown's pathological desire for speed.
We have seen most councils openly challenging central government by deciding to keep their Maori wards (although ironically not the Far North) and now another comes another challenge to Brown's petrol head king of the road ego.
Good Morn. there was also this (which I had been going to put up : ) Its paywalled at mo, but you get the picture…
Well, he must be conflicted much ? Embarrassing for him and his fellow NACT1's. But really…why the fck wouldnt you want Children, Pedestrians, and All to be ..safer?
IMO. Speed bumps are a good for the community type of thing that National idealogically opposes.They prefer the 'rugged individualism' of solo speeding which reflects their 'me me me' attitude and promotes selfishness which is of political benefit to them.
Indeed, which makes Nat MP Tim and his concern for school children (I could say..his school and his children, but surely not?) all the more incongruous…with his NACT1 crew?
Anyway….I hope it gets more, much more, viewing. If at the very least for the..discomfort feeling for a Govt that thinks Children’s (and others) safety…is not worth it !
After the Paris Olympics and onya to our competing NZ Athletes , notwithstanding the dissing of some, by some (easy to criticise from a seat ?)… is the Paralympics.
I have an interest in this, and a great respect and admiration for same. I was watching the swimming….unbelievable. Some with one arm,disabled legs and still going for it, faster than most fully able swimmers !
also amongst others, Cycling…
Much admiration for you, and all….
Agree. I'm also enjoying being able to watch said paralymics on TVNZ streaming. As opposed to the Olympics that are still stuck behind a paywall (or highlights with ads every 5 minutes). One has to wonder why Sky doesn't care about hogging the rights for this- not enough money to be made?
Many countries screen the Olympics for free, including Australia, UK, USA but of course we don't. Can we assume that TVNZ can't afford the rights, or are major sporting events now the preserve of the rich?
Hi, well, I dont have Sky (never have)..and yea its about the massive money. I watched some on Internet or the TV sport recaps…(admittedly not Live)
Re the other countries you mentioned..they also have Public Broadcasting service….which NZ has lacked and…lagged. IMO much needed !
Anyway, the Kiwis were going for it Live last night. Long jump, kayak, Swimming…was great seeing all Paralympians, esp NZ : )
I again, have huge Admiration for them
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/olympics-2024/527127/paralympics-new-zealand-s-medal-tally-so-far-in-paris
Luxon and Co paint the NZ economy as the only one faltering in the world and relentlessly point the finger at Labour, but anyone with half a brain and an ear to the ground knows that most western governments are struggling with similar issues.
One only has to look across the ditch and see that Dutton's liberal party has a real chance at toppling the Albanese government. Wouldn't have picked that a couple of years ago.
https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/federal-voting-intention-alp-50-5-now-marginally-ahead-of-the-coalition-49-5-after-albanese-governments-strong-stance-on-putting-the-cfmeu-into-administration
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-04/gdp-june-quarter-2024-australia-economic-growth/104305324
Most western governments from the right and the left followed the same monetary policies during and post COVID. Almost without exception governments implemented large fiscal stimulus packages to support businesses and individuals. That increased money supply and spending in the economy, was a major contribution to high inflation which resulted in high interest rates that have caused recessions across the globe.
But which government, in the history of the world, didn't blame the previous government for all the issues they were dealing with?
Its hardly a new attack line that Luxon is using.
Actually, most inflation was caused by covid related bottlenecks and delays not increased gvmt spending. Supply side caused not demand side. The idea it was all or mostly due to gvmt spending is a tired right wing myth.
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/covid-19-inflation-was-a-supply-shock/
Which is probably why I didn't use the words "all" or "mostly due to"
Remember the "Nine years of neglect" phrase trotted out at every opportunity….
It's rhetoric. And all political parties do it, in order to serve their own narrative.
The difference is that one narrative has a strong basis in fact, the RW narrative, as Chris76 points out, is bullshit.
And today's example is:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/shane-retis-office-admits-chart-used-to-justify-14b-health-cuts-does-not-exist/NHCTZ3SOVFF6TBGISEXD36L5EA/
seems there are 14 layers between the truth and a National Government statement
Well, left wing blog, and all — of course you'd think that one example of rhetoric has a strong basis of fact.
The fact is that all political parties do it.
Right now, the government could claim that the grass is green – and they'd be decried on TS.
Imho, what our commentariat needs is a 'respectful centrist' – someone who could occasionally bring themselves to critique the claims of our CoC govt.
And so my watch begins
Well, it's hardly needed. The pile on on TS is overwhelming.
Is there nothing in the "pile on" (critiques) that you agree with?
Yes. However, there is little point to 'me too' posts. If you don't have a different perspective to share, you're just wasting bandwidth.
"Yes", critiques of our CoC govt here are overwhelming to centrists?
Or "Yes", there's nothing in those critiques that you agree with?
Consider the possiblity that your main objection to "'me too' posts" here is less about a waste of bandwidth (?), and more to do with the fact that the consensus of these (left-ish) "'me too' posts" is very often at odds with your 'respectful centrist' perspective.
So 6 years of the right wing coalition and then what?
Luxon will be replaced soon after the 2026 election . By who I wonder.
When does Labour let Hippy go and who will replace him?
Is Chloe a candidate for PM in 2029?
Ideas on a postcard please.
McNulty will replace Hipkins but it's all in the timing.
I think Luxon is unpopular, Seymour is becoming even more hated, Winston is past it and the economy will still be weak in late 2026.
Cue a win for Lab/Gr/TPM.
As I said yesterday, a Land or Wealth Tax where ALL of the proceeds are committed towards fixing the major issues faced by the public health system would be a good policy to run on.
Luxon is chronically weak on health because he doesn't know anybody who uses the public health system.
Baldrick Luxon, Toy Boy Seymour and Gerry Winston are not very appealing in the general public's eyes, however obviously the white right wing property owing anti Maaori voters are clapping their hands with glee.
Sadly for your analysis – the coalition government has roughly the same popularity as in 2023, when they were elected.
There is currently no sign that their approval ratings are sinking like a stone. The voters can't *all* be "white right wing property owing anti Maaori"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_New_Zealand_general_election
After the historic events of the last week, will this government continue to divide, degrade, and belittle any Māori focussed legislation as they have been doing for the last 10 months? The absolutely amazing thousands and thousands who made the journey to the Waikato will surely not stand by and let Luxon/Peters/Jones/Seymour continue as they have been doing. I felt there was an underlying demonstration of "mess with us at your peril".
Ha, what meds is Mike Hosking on now – he really is a piece of work.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/newstalk-zb-host-mike-hosking-tourism-minister-matt-doocey-and-a-wayward-phone-call-to-rnz-i-have-uncovered-a-scandal/UUEGE3BE5JAJBMLAVLX3OCCIOU/
It's a beat up by Shayne Currie.
Do I (Doocey) have an interview with you tomorrow?
No.
The Minister (and staff) made a mistake and this was an effort to direct blame to RNZ (for one of those things that happen).
Sure the RNZ staffer could have said – you were on here yesterday and were not that interesting. But was too polite.
Bernard Hickey calls the CoC's bullshit.
@bernardchickey
FYI in the article linked below, I challenge all the Government's talk about the need for spending cuts because 'the money has run out' and 'times are tough' and we need to 'tighten our belts'.
Actually, the professionals who judge our Government's finances day in and day out think there is no crisis at all. Actually, they tried to lend the Government $22.7 billion last month at an interest rate of 4.25% when our Treasury had only asked to borrow $3 billion.
The wisdom of the crowds in financial markets is literally screaming out to our leaders of both major parties to borrow money from banks and fund managers fir a decade or two to solve our glaringly obvious infrastructure deficits.
https://thekaka.substack.com/p/the-professionals-actually-think
https://x.com/bernardchickey/status/1831836057366884591
Only 2 more years left for this lot to prove they really are the swaggering dealmakers of the top end of town they claim to be.
Where is this much-vaunted deal pipeline?
Here's a line for Hipkins:
Show Me The Money.
Money lenders wanting to lend more money because they judge the interest payments will be met, quell suprise.
Just because you can doesnt mean you should.
The only reason the country issues bonds is to price market confidence in its borrowing. If that confidence is meaningless we may as well just have treasury borrow directly from the RBNZ and save on paying interest to non government institutions. The RBNZ is after all the only originator of $NZ, anyway. As Hickey points out, money markets are not in anyway calling for an austerity program, its just that the govt arrived with many wrong pre-conceptions about what it should do.
First it was the Lincoln Project, but the exodus from the GOP continues.
Naturally there is concern about the emerging consequence of the GOP southern strategy (post Democratic Party move to affirm civil rights in the 1950's-1970's).
A post HUAC move via Moral Majority, Christian Coalition, Promise Keepers to a full on Christian dominionism (nation identity) Project 2025 (political management by the Heritage Foundation policy agenda).
A threat to the March 4 1789 constitutional republic.
The old GOP was a champion of this non democratic regime. They resisted populism, and developed a deep state that would protect this republic from democracy, anarchy and secession and the social democracy of the secular left (the FBI is still dedicated to defend the republic from such threats to capitalism).
But some would now rather support the alternative to Trump.
They have learnt from history (the elite right of Germany went populist to defeat the left using a "strongmans/champion of the people" nativist pseudo religious heritage defence of civilisation playbook – MGGA) which has been reprised by Trump (MAGA). Germany became a tyranny.
PS A few genuinely left wing Germans got caught up in that nationalism, and now a few once on the left, now posing as of an independent media, like Trump's isolationism and are attracted to the dismantling of the "neo-liberal" western regime – calling it "peace" – the Neville Nigel Oswald's of our times).
The Daily Show covered the DNC.
Dodge elmo's site by replacing x dot com with xcancel dot com and you get a clean link that doesn’t go to X and includes the whole thread:
eg; https://xcancel.com/Acyn
https://xcancel.com/about
Methane reducing drench gun on its way.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/527216/australian-farmers-to-get-fix-for-methane-laced-cow-burps-before-nz
Related to
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/520877/new-zealand-s-new-look-approach-to-methane-problematic-top-climate-scientist-says
Interesting cheers .
Random thoughts are, it's not that easy bolusing large cattle , 3 and a half times a year is a big ask .
It'll need to be policed if there's financial gain from using it as not all farmers are honest ,😉
I see they're looking at a development to stretch it to 6 months (i.e. twice a year). I wonder how supplementary feeding (e.g. feeding out in winter) would affect the results.
Agree that drenching is a big physical job – but being able to integrate with a more general drenching schedule (frequency) would make it more manageable for farmers.
No indication on costs.
Should be relatively easy to police – requirement to purchase the number of doses needed for the size of the herd. That will be the largest part of the cost (if the methane bolus can be administered on the same routine farm drenching schedule). If the farmer has already bought it, there's no cash incentive to not use it.
Unless there's a fart tax applied at some point and treating cows cuts your bill.
Most cattle arnt drenched after about 18 months , in the beef world
In the mouth drenching isn’t every 6 month for adults. Depends on what is being targeted.
Most frequent drenching is in food usually about 28 days. And then pour on at about 42 days. Mostly frequently done on calves, especially early weaned calves
More like 12-24 months for squirt drenches for adult cows and steers for the in the back of the mouth squirt. It is also done for stock moving between farms.
It is a a herd health measure – just like a public health measure to keep the parasite load on paddocks low. Specific to particular encysted parasites.
By the sound of the bolus, this is larger ‘calibre’ than what happens in drenching with a requirement to go down the gullet rather than just in the back of the mouth.
It sounds way harder than a drenching. I can’t any incentive for farmers to either do the extra work or to pay for the bolus and gear.
It will be available by 2027.
Charging for methane will be the incentive. An adjustment to the farm regime by c2030.
I doubt it will be done by the farmers themsleves, teams will be hired to do it (and verify).
It would if everything worked perfectly. As a person with a science degree and a lot of time working as a engineer, I am extremely sceptical.
This is a trial of a methane reducing technique. So far the past trialling on methane reduction (at least three that I know of) in pasture fed populations of ruminants have been abject failures for NZ conditions. I don't expect this one to be any different.
But even if the trials in Australia succeed, they still won't constitute validation for NZ. The environmental conditions and types of animals used in Aussie aren't that similar. Before anyone, especially farmers, would want to commit themselves to.
However the probability that National will actually do start charging is about 0%. The gutless wonders that are National party MPs haven't managed to stand-up to even mild pressure from farmers once in the last 30 years. That is despite the science on climate changes being well known to even National MPs back to the early 1990s.
What makes you think that these cowards could actually make a decision that affects a noisy part of their own constituency. They only like attacking the weak, ideally the ones on the bread lines who can't fight back.
To do teams would require a significiant workforce wandering around the countryside doing and enforcing the task. This is exactly the kind of organisation that National fucks up on routinely.
Think of it as factory inspectors, or water quality testing or possum control or anything that National tries or is meant to try to organise teams of people to do over decades. That isn't something that National governments are notable for doing. Especially for an industry that is increasingly unprofitable.
A 'fix' for methane-laced cow burps could be a 'game changer' (urgggh) – plenty of researchers/companies in the mix, but who will foot the bill(s)? Gotta stay hopeful.
There was an interesting (and reasonably informative, with NZ local) about Red seaweed for cow Methane on the recent Patrick Gower doco episode 2
And apparently there was a green light..4 years ago ?
And Sweden too….
Australia
No time like the present aye, and seems to make sense…But, those spanners at NACT1.
Mind boggling
Must be a nutcase
“A game changer” “to hasten action” – in NZ?
“Hasten action” vs “slower to go faster” – time will tell.
What happened to the planned $500Mpa less in baseline spending savings with the change in government.
It was used to afford National's tax cuts.
https://archive.li/cLC04#selection-3949.0-3949.201