Interesting story from the Intercept about the use of special ' portals ' in use by both Twitter and Facebook to facilitate manipulation of media by agents of DHS and other agencies .
Fun phrases such as " need to regulate the cognitive infrastructure " are enthusiastically bandied about by the agents involved but its just called censorship in layman's language
I guess there will be quite a few supporters here for this sort of ' intervention 'as our own PM is championing the cause ?
Amazing that some consider "disinformation (false information spread intentionally)" could be harmful – simply amazing. After all, disinformation is in the eye of the beholder ("Perception is Reality") – what possible harm could it actually do?
Imho, the preferred method of countering anyone spreading false information is to provide true information – whether this is always an effective method is up for debate.
Btw, to whoever is putting VFF disinformation flyers in my letterbox – please stop.
Now, folks, let us remind you of some things. We don’t like LPD. We don’t particularly like Democrats. While we support Adam Morfeld in this race, we would be more than happy to slice off his balls with a rusty bread knife if he sexually assaulted someone. And we believe that women should be heard.
Heard, that is, until you realize that this accuser is a Notorious Local Psychopath (NLP) with a years-long track record of trying to shit on anyone who in her own demented mind has crossed her in some way—real or imagined.
One of NLP’s recent targets is a middle school age girl who lives in her apartment building. She claims the middle schooler has threatened to rape her and murder her baby with a sword, but witnesses say it was NLP who threatened the girl. Another target is a man in Wyoming who NLP developed some kind of Fatal Attraction/Single White Female hate boner for. The man runs a YouTube channel about home schooling and frugal living that was started by his wife. He took over after his wife died of cancer. NLP allegedly called and texted him and his children repeatedly. She allegedly claimed to have been in their house when they were not home, and asked whether his wife lost control of her bowels when she died.
I guess there will be quite a few supporters here for this sort of ' intervention 'as our own PM is championing the cause ?
Is this the Christchurch Call you are meaning? This was set in motion by the killing of 51 defenceless people here in NZ. In this she was joined by Macron whose country had suffered from terrorists as well. What on earth is the problem with asking agencies making money from people thoughts to institute basic speech 'hygiene' roles.
Some free speech proponents seem to think free speech means being able to say the most ghastly things about other people, possibly inciting others. Free speech does not mean freedom from consequences.
Have not watched the Intercept. The earlier Youtube link gave me such a fright I have vowed not to watch any other possible RW dribble.
I followed the anti vax agenda from very, very early on and it meant having to read lots of unhinged, anti people media. While I did this dis/mis- information investigation for my own interest and with a purpose I am far from wanting to see it in everyday life.
I also don't think you have introduced it (Intercept) well enough and you certainly have not discussed the topic well enough so people don't have to watch the film to be able to participate.
Yes I did see it. Companion piece to the one about the the 'protest/riot' at parliament
Tory Whanau is head down and bottom up as far as I can see/hear. Which is what I want. Can't bear the 'rah, rah looka me looka me', I have to be in your face every five minutes like her counterpart in Auckland but I guess 'horses for courses'.
Her connections into our community will be invaluable.
I was very impressed that she has chosen one of our local ward councillors as her deputy, Laurie Foon. Laurie is a former owner/designer of a fashion shop in Wellington that used sustainable methods in its fashion long before the slow fashion etc movement became popular. Our ward also elected Nureddin Adurahman who came from Ethiopia as a refugee, to the Council.
Somali and Ethiopian immigrants settled in my community and meet for coffee and 'changing the world' at one of our cafes here in Newtown. So face recognition I am sure for Nureddin will have been a help as he is out and about. .
Tory Whanau is head down and bottom up as far as I can see/hear. Which is what I want. Can't bear the 'rah, rah looka me looka me', I have to be in your face every five minutes like her counterpart in Auckland but I guess 'horses for courses'.
Sorry, but what Planet are you living on ?
Deeply narcissistic Corporate Lobbyist …
… but then that’s precisely your kind of “Left” (LOL) isn’t it . Affluent, power-hungry, highly performative virtue-signaling … inherently, ruthlessly self-interested.
So the personal negativity against me continues. To be frank I am mighty sick of you making up things about me that are so wide of the mark is not funny. I'm still laughing about your All Black comment from the last bout of negativity. So far off the mark it was crazy.
I am sure you do not live in Wellington as I have not heard the terms you are using. Most of the people I have spoken to where I have mentioned this bad so called lobbyist have felt that knowing one's way around the corporate scene is an asset. But then that is Wellington for you.
And Aucklanders have elected a person that so stunningly represents the stereotype …….
“Variety's the very spice [and a fact] of life, that gives it all its flavour.” – Cowper
I like the sound of my own voice – but does that make me a narcissist?
I was on the phone to a friend recently, blathering away as usual, when I realised that there was no one on the other end of the line. How long ago had this happened? I checked my phone and discovered, to my horror, that the call had ended almost five minutes ago.
…
Everyone has some narcissistic traits, he says, but a narcissist is someone who lets it govern their personality. When it tips over into a problem, he says, is when you have narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). These people exhibit what Malkin calls the triple E: they are so driven to feel special that they will exploit other people; they are so entitled they think other people should bend to their will; and empathy impairment can make them blind to the feelings of others, usually to the detriment of personal relationships.
Good on you Shanreagh. And Yea I think Tory Whanau will be the Change for the better that Wellington badly needed.
And try to ignore the quite sad, albeit negative commenter.
If you feel possible, I'd like you to keep giving some updates on how you think Wellington is going ? I value your Input. Cheers : )
I'm still smiling & chuffed at Tory getting in, at her deputy being one of our ward councillors and the other ward councillor being Nureddin Abdurahman.
Shanreagh : What is DHS ? Department of Homeland Security set up after 911
This article i neglected to say , my bad ,is called Truth Cops and is by two journalists called Lee Fang and Ken Kippelstein both of whom afaik work for The Intercept .They look fairly credible to me but doubtless the morality police will inform us if it is otherwise !!
The article has nothing to do with the terror attack in CC or terror attacks in the US but rather attempts by gov agencies in the US , putting it in simple terms , to influence and ' shape perspectives '.Obviously and ominously ! these would include ' political perspectives '
Personally for the record i have no axes to grind as far as the anti vax movement in nz goes having got all the requisite jabs myself and far from holding any serious grudges against JA i have regarded anti signage of the aforementioned with a kind of disattached bemusement as ive travelled about although in saying that i'd have to add that fairly serious divisions in our society in general are evident and are of concern .
All of a sudden or so it seems to me there is an unreasonable fear by people that exposure to some information is gonna herald or usher in some sort of breakdown of normal functioning cognitive reasoning which i think is both sad and chickenshit .
Well there you go…..had you included all the stuff about the link first off I may have watched it.
I found though that the previous piece you linked to and I unwittingly read, was of the same ilk ie slightly unhinged as was the anti vax stuff that I did not/could not watch it. I drew an analogy about the vax to show that the last link from you was crazy and I did not need/want to expose myself to any more. My para was not to query whether you or anyone else was anti vax??
The whole thing about perception is slightly naive.
Isn't that what every advertisement, every leader-writer, every editor, every politician, every government works in?
For instance in Wellington last year we were invited to give comments on intensification of residential use. The fact that this was obviously and clearly approved as a concept by Govt and then conveyed to local authorities meant that someone in the intro to the comments had already made up their minds that this was OK and we got this perception loud and clear in the information given.
The whole atmosphere about how people had got some things so wrong around the anti vax/protest time renewed calls for schools syllabuses to include topics about propaganda, information management/perception management and how to fact check etc.
Perception management is widespread. Mostly benign, if you know how to deal with it.
I am not sure if you are referring to social media Shanreigh, but as Gordon Campbell says much has been made of the threat posed by social media. He's not convinced. Interesting coming from a leftie.
One of the problems about shutting down free speech is it forces people underground. Personally I think marginalizing people in this way will more likely lead to radicalization. Yes there should be consequences for free speech and the consequences should be that people get called out, challenged and debated. When I say called out, I don't mean the current propensity to label someone (which in this climate often means de platforming them). First you label them (some popular labels being transphobe, racist, mysogynist) then you don't engage in debate. I think this is highly polarizing.
If you think controlling what people say is going to fix say racism I am going to have to say I very much disagree. Do you think Bluebird foods, who sacked a worker for saying (on their private FB page) in response to Whittakers Te Reo chocolate that she was sick to death of Maori language everywhere she went (not a direct quote) is going to promote race relations? Because I don't think it will.
Besides, who gets to decide what is acceptable or not.
We currently have laws that put limits on free speech. Defamation laws and inciting violence laws. One of the problems with trying to restrict free speech that doesn't mean this criteria, but expresses hatred is that is endemic. This website is not immune.
I hope you are right about Tory W. Time will tell as it will with Wayne B. I wish them both well, god knows both Wellington and Auckland have some pretty big issues that need fixing.
I am not talking about social media. I've got no real views on it.
As far as racism, sexism and all the other isms. We surely don't need to debate whether these have a place in our world. They don't. We have the Human Rights legislation, the role of human rights flowing from the UN, and brought about by the great distaste and hope the human race never has/had to fight another ware like the world did against the Nazis where their war was against people of a different religion. These are supposed to recognise that it is never Ok to discriminate. Un regulated so-called free speech can do just this.
Clearly though people do slip up or test the boundaries. That does not mean that we need to debate the concept of human rights as a result. We look at the why, why have such views come about, Do we need to care more for the teaching of critical thinking…
Free speech can exist in a world where human rights exist. We do not have to give voice to every distasteful though we have against someone who is different from us. Neither do we need to engage with someone who does as if they had a point worth debating, they don't. We can engage on the basis of trying to correct a misapprehension though.
Good parenting, good education also has an important role.
I don't have a view on the Bluebird person except to say that ill conceived views can cause a lessening of views about the reputation of a corporate. Reputation management ie a subset of perception management, is greatly cared for by corporates. Israel Folau was another who felt his views on homosexuality were worth sharing with the world, his sponsor did not.
There have been employment law cases (that I used to have my finger on) that said this much. Unless the person had tied their FB setting down tightly then a post on FB is a post to the world.
No I am not debating whether racism or sexism has a role in our world. But the reality as you expressed on this site a couple of days back is that NZ is racist. I think it is less racist than what you may think, although I can’t know this for sure, and part of my evidence is the health service and the outpouring of support for the Musleim community after the outrage.
So what do we do about racism? May people criminals? Who defines what exactly is racism? Sexism? I know the woke definition of transphobia and I think it is just a way to shut people down.
"My suggestion was that we call it out, challenge it, question why people have their views (for example why was the bluebird employee sick of Te Reo). Because the hate speech laws will/could make it a crime to say racist or sexist things (who knows how they will define it, when the PM couldn't define it when she said "you know it when you see it").
The first I heard of the Bluebird employee was when Bluebird said they were investigating the worker (she claims she grew up in Northland and doesn’t consider herself racist). Bluebird had a complaint about it from someone who went out of thir way to find out where the woman worked and then complained. So if BB hadn’t have drawn attention to it, it would likely have gone unnoticed. Do you think the woman should have lost her job for what she said? I don’t. And I think BB would be hard pressed to prove reputational damage.
I have only just begun to research CRT, but from what I have read, it doesn’t decrease racism and perhaps may backfire (this intuitively makes sense to me). If anyone can provide me with some links that show otherwise, I would open to reading it.
I think it [NZ] is less racist than what you may think, although I can’t know this for sure…
It's not essential to be a target of racism to perceive racism, but it can help. Of course we can’t shut all racists down, but where’s the harm in making examples of a few high-profile cases? Maybe ask the target(s).
sorry / he said / I've hurt my family / I may have hurt yours /
yes / we scrapped in the car over it / there was yelling / by the time we got to the end of the Mangere motorway / I was crying / who is this redneck with the big brown shoulders sitting next to me / anti PC /darker than me / defending freedom of speech / but I don't want it to be all right /
/ I don't want my kids to have stanzas of darkie memories /
sorry / Paul Holmes said / I could see that he meant it / I felt sad for him / and happy / I signed the petition to say he should get sacked / I am a manager in a govt. department / not Matlock / not the PM / just a member of the chocolate soldier movement / melting in the middle
As Waititi said – "a cheeky giggle" – or, indeed, a "cheeky darkie" – "gives others the message that it's okay."
Holmes 'cheeky darkie' complaints dismissed
The authority did not uphold complaints about Holmes' comments on female journalists. Holmes had asked whether the number of female journalists was making journalism "ignorant and bitchy" and if newspapers were particularly judgmental at certain times of the month.
there will be quite a few supporters here for this sort of ' intervention '
No – not really. People on the left are wary of surveillance, because historically most of it has been directed against people like us. However, to not acknowledge that the US has a problem with domestic terrorism and random shooters, and that the State has an obligation to protect its people, is delusional extremism in itself – often smuggled in under the false flag of 'free speech'. Some sort of difficult balance has to be found.
And people on the left believe that the best counter to misinformation is not censorship, but a well-funded, well-regulated public broadcaster with strong firewalls in place against government interference. But as we have seen National opposes the attempt to create such a thing via the TVNZ-RNZ merger. And clearly, that's because the tide of misinformation in NZ mostly flows in National's favour via the Herald-ZB-Newshub nexus.
That Westworld article was written in 2019. I predict that some 'urine therapy' advocates will have claimed it can ward off 'the Covid' – well whaddayaknow.
Good move by Grant Robertson at the Labour Party conference to raise "Liz" Luxon's plan to give generous tax relief to the well off and $2-3 a week to those not earning a high income. Robertson gets his point across very well and with humour. Keep it up highlighting the inequity of National's intentions!
Luxon should be embarrassed, but of course is not and appears very smug about his intentions, should National win next year.
Maybe Luxon had introduced a new gender identity i.e lizard. Afterall Bristol University put out a statement for staff about using pro nouns that included Cat gender. I kid you not.
There is a significant decrease in the asset value of the government since the update on the June year,with ACC,NZSF and housing assets depreciating as well as debt increases and higher interest payments coming into the bond tenders.
Party conferences are quite revealing, as they are entirely presented by the parties themselves, not distorted through the media lens.
At every National conference, the leader will be joined on stage by an adoring spouse (usually wife) and children. Whereas Ardern is joined by the Cabinet, and her daughter is nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps the most baseless of all the attacks on the PM is that she parades her family for photo ops and votes. The opposite is true, and always has been. The lie is projection.
Observer not sure I have seen Luxon's wife or kids, but maybe that's because you wouldn't see me at a National Party conference…..
do remember 2017 with Bill English bringing out the family (one who sung some opera) and some wit drew a paralel to the Sound of Music………….
I am not sure voters care too much about families and kids except their own.
The child care subsidy is clever, because likely not to be inflationary. but the rest of us still have to cope with rising food and housing costs. Good to know the middle class aren't overlooked. What about beneficiaries who don't work? Oh well, maybe another time.
ps I may be mistaken here as I haven't read all the details.
Newshub poll at 6 pm. Given the overall trend, probably bad for Labour. But it's the outsiders that are more interesting, are the "plague on both your houses" voters gravitating towards any particular party?
Labour have about a year to turn things around. Judging by the policy announcements made today, doesn't really look like it's making much of an effort.
Waiting for the Budget I suspect. Waste of time putting out the good announcements a year out when in government, runs into the problem of "But what have you done for me lately" at the actual election.
Im not expecting anything big, but the childcare subsidy sounds like something that National could have annonced, and will just end up adding to the profit margins of the likes of Kidicorp, etc.
Disagree with your opinion and National didn't believe in giving people a choice.
"The Minister of Social Development says that as of next July, beneficiaries who fail to take reasonable steps to keep their children in certified early childhood care for at least 15 hours a week, from age 3 until they go to school, will have their benefits halved"
Very grateful to see that sanity has prevailed – and that NZF are well back behind the 5% threshold.
Making the Horizon poll look very much like a rogue result.
NZF is a tick up from polling earlier this year – but certainly doesn't seem to be attracting significant support from any of the 4 larger parties (Lab/Nat/Grn/ACT)
The 'plague on all your houses' vote appears to be staying home….
Random polls this year have given them up to 4% – setting aside the nearly 7% from the Horizon outlier poll.
I'd say their current poll result puts them well within the rest of the polling this year – crucially under 5%.
Do you really want Winston back in parliament? Or is that just a cross you'd be prepared to bear in order to get a Labour/Green coalition over the line?
Yes its a cross I would bear to get Lab/green over the line.
And you ? would you rather a Nat/ Act government just to keep NZF out of parliament? or do you just see NZF as an impediment to Act/Nat forming a government.
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TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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https://theintercept.com/2022/10/31/social-media-disinformation-dhs/
Interesting story from the Intercept about the use of special ' portals ' in use by both Twitter and Facebook to facilitate manipulation of media by agents of DHS and other agencies .
Fun phrases such as " need to regulate the cognitive infrastructure " are enthusiastically bandied about by the agents involved but its just called censorship in layman's language
I guess there will be quite a few supporters here for this sort of ' intervention 'as our own PM is championing the cause ?
Amazing that some consider "disinformation (false information spread intentionally)" could be harmful – simply amazing. After all, disinformation is in the eye of the beholder ("Perception is Reality") – what possible harm could it actually do?
Imho, the preferred method of countering anyone spreading false information is to provide true information – whether this is always an effective method is up for debate.
Btw, to whoever is putting VFF disinformation flyers in my letterbox – please stop.
Gosh, there's a panel designed to police misinformation.
/
https://twitter.com/SeeingRedNE/status/1588980116272467968
Now, folks, let us remind you of some things. We don’t like LPD. We don’t particularly like Democrats. While we support Adam Morfeld in this race, we would be more than happy to slice off his balls with a rusty bread knife if he sexually assaulted someone. And we believe that women should be heard.
Heard, that is, until you realize that this accuser is a Notorious Local Psychopath (NLP) with a years-long track record of trying to shit on anyone who in her own demented mind has crossed her in some way—real or imagined.
One of NLP’s recent targets is a middle school age girl who lives in her apartment building. She claims the middle schooler has threatened to rape her and murder her baby with a sword, but witnesses say it was NLP who threatened the girl. Another target is a man in Wyoming who NLP developed some kind of Fatal Attraction/Single White Female hate boner for. The man runs a YouTube channel about home schooling and frugal living that was started by his wife. He took over after his wife died of cancer. NLP allegedly called and texted him and his children repeatedly. She allegedly claimed to have been in their house when they were not home, and asked whether his wife lost control of her bowels when she died.
https://seeingrednebraska.com/fascism/klin-broadcasts-scurrilous-rape-accusation-to-benefit-republican-incumbent-pat-condon/
Is this the Christchurch Call you are meaning? This was set in motion by the killing of 51 defenceless people here in NZ. In this she was joined by Macron whose country had suffered from terrorists as well. What on earth is the problem with asking agencies making money from people thoughts to institute basic speech 'hygiene' roles.
Some free speech proponents seem to think free speech means being able to say the most ghastly things about other people, possibly inciting others. Free speech does not mean freedom from consequences.
Have not watched the Intercept. The earlier Youtube link gave me such a fright I have vowed not to watch any other possible RW dribble.
I followed the anti vax agenda from very, very early on and it meant having to read lots of unhinged, anti people media. While I did this dis/mis- information investigation for my own interest and with a purpose I am far from wanting to see it in everyday life.
I also don't think you have introduced it (Intercept) well enough and you certainly have not discussed the topic well enough so people don't have to watch the film to be able to participate.
PS who is DHS, who are the ‘other agencies’?
Hi Shanreagh. How are things with new Mayor Tory ? Hope she gets a good go at it : ) Re your comment #2 did you see the NZ Doco about…Haters in nz ?
Was some I did not know…good to see exposed. And see the Investigative Reporters/Researchers (and quite brave actually with threats against them)
Yes I did see it. Companion piece to the one about the the 'protest/riot' at parliament
Tory Whanau is head down and bottom up as far as I can see/hear. Which is what I want. Can't bear the 'rah, rah looka me looka me', I have to be in your face every five minutes like her counterpart in Auckland but I guess 'horses for courses'.
Her connections into our community will be invaluable.
I was very impressed that she has chosen one of our local ward councillors as her deputy, Laurie Foon. Laurie is a former owner/designer of a fashion shop in Wellington that used sustainable methods in its fashion long before the slow fashion etc movement became popular. Our ward also elected Nureddin Adurahman who came from Ethiopia as a refugee, to the Council.
Somali and Ethiopian immigrants settled in my community and meet for coffee and 'changing the world' at one of our cafes here in Newtown. So face recognition I am sure for Nureddin will have been a help as he is out and about. .
https://policy.nz/2022/wellington-city-council-paekawakawa-southern-general-ward/candidates/nureddin-abdurahman.
.
Sorry, but what Planet are you living on ?
Deeply narcissistic Corporate Lobbyist …
… but then that’s precisely your kind of “Left” (LOL) isn’t it . Affluent, power-hungry, highly performative virtue-signaling … inherently, ruthlessly self-interested.
So the personal negativity against me continues. To be frank I am mighty sick of you making up things about me that are so wide of the mark is not funny. I'm still laughing about your All Black comment from the last bout of negativity. So far off the mark it was crazy.
I am sure you do not live in Wellington as I have not heard the terms you are using. Most of the people I have spoken to where I have mentioned this bad so called lobbyist have felt that knowing one's way around the corporate scene is an asset. But then that is Wellington for you.
And Aucklanders have elected a person that so stunningly represents the stereotype …….
give it a rest mate. Taking potshots at commenters crosses a line.
“Variety's the very spice [and a fact] of life, that gives it all its flavour.” – Cowper
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-disorders/narcissistic-personality-disorder.htm
Good on you Shanreagh. And Yea I think Tory Whanau will be the Change for the better that Wellington badly needed.
And try to ignore the quite sad, albeit negative commenter.
If you feel possible, I'd like you to keep giving some updates on how you think Wellington is going ? I value your Input. Cheers : )
Will do, though not much to report lately.
I'm still smiling & chuffed at Tory getting in, at her deputy being one of our ward councillors and the other ward councillor being Nureddin Abdurahman.
Shanreagh : What is DHS ? Department of Homeland Security set up after 911
This article i neglected to say , my bad ,is called Truth Cops and is by two journalists called Lee Fang and Ken Kippelstein both of whom afaik work for The Intercept .They look fairly credible to me but doubtless the morality police will inform us if it is otherwise !!
The article has nothing to do with the terror attack in CC or terror attacks in the US but rather attempts by gov agencies in the US , putting it in simple terms , to influence and ' shape perspectives '.Obviously and ominously ! these would include ' political perspectives '
Personally for the record i have no axes to grind as far as the anti vax movement in nz goes having got all the requisite jabs myself and far from holding any serious grudges against JA i have regarded anti signage of the aforementioned with a kind of disattached bemusement as ive travelled about although in saying that i'd have to add that fairly serious divisions in our society in general are evident and are of concern .
All of a sudden or so it seems to me there is an unreasonable fear by people that exposure to some information is gonna herald or usher in some sort of breakdown of normal functioning cognitive reasoning which i think is both sad and chickenshit .
I prefer my info UNpasturised !!
t
Well there you go…..had you included all the stuff about the link first off I may have watched it.
I found though that the previous piece you linked to and I unwittingly read, was of the same ilk ie slightly unhinged as was the anti vax stuff that I did not/could not watch it. I drew an analogy about the vax to show that the last link from you was crazy and I did not need/want to expose myself to any more. My para was not to query whether you or anyone else was anti vax??
The whole thing about perception is
slightlynaive.Isn't that what every advertisement, every leader-writer, every editor, every politician, every government works in?
For instance in Wellington last year we were invited to give comments on intensification of residential use. The fact that this was obviously and clearly approved as a concept by Govt and then conveyed to local authorities meant that someone in the intro to the comments had already made up their minds that this was OK and we got this perception loud and clear in the information given.
The whole atmosphere about how people had got some things so wrong around the anti vax/protest time renewed calls for schools syllabuses to include topics about propaganda, information management/perception management and how to fact check etc.
Perception management is widespread. Mostly benign, if you know how to deal with it.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL2211/S00004/on-inflating-the-threat-posed-by-social-media.htm
I am not sure if you are referring to social media Shanreigh, but as Gordon Campbell says much has been made of the threat posed by social media. He's not convinced. Interesting coming from a leftie.
One of the problems about shutting down free speech is it forces people underground. Personally I think marginalizing people in this way will more likely lead to radicalization. Yes there should be consequences for free speech and the consequences should be that people get called out, challenged and debated. When I say called out, I don't mean the current propensity to label someone (which in this climate often means de platforming them). First you label them (some popular labels being transphobe, racist, mysogynist) then you don't engage in debate. I think this is highly polarizing.
If you think controlling what people say is going to fix say racism I am going to have to say I very much disagree. Do you think Bluebird foods, who sacked a worker for saying (on their private FB page) in response to Whittakers Te Reo chocolate that she was sick to death of Maori language everywhere she went (not a direct quote) is going to promote race relations? Because I don't think it will.
Besides, who gets to decide what is acceptable or not.
We currently have laws that put limits on free speech. Defamation laws and inciting violence laws. One of the problems with trying to restrict free speech that doesn't mean this criteria, but expresses hatred is that is endemic. This website is not immune.
I hope you are right about Tory W. Time will tell as it will with Wayne B. I wish them both well, god knows both Wellington and Auckland have some pretty big issues that need fixing.
I am not talking about social media. I've got no real views on it.
As far as racism, sexism and all the other isms. We surely don't need to debate whether these have a place in our world. They don't. We have the Human Rights legislation, the role of human rights flowing from the UN, and brought about by the great distaste and hope the human race never has/had to fight another ware like the world did against the Nazis where their war was against people of a different religion. These are supposed to recognise that it is never Ok to discriminate. Un regulated so-called free speech can do just this.
Clearly though people do slip up or test the boundaries. That does not mean that we need to debate the concept of human rights as a result. We look at the why, why have such views come about, Do we need to care more for the teaching of critical thinking…
Free speech can exist in a world where human rights exist. We do not have to give voice to every distasteful though we have against someone who is different from us. Neither do we need to engage with someone who does as if they had a point worth debating, they don't. We can engage on the basis of trying to correct a misapprehension though.
Good parenting, good education also has an important role.
I don't have a view on the Bluebird person except to say that ill conceived views can cause a lessening of views about the reputation of a corporate. Reputation management ie a subset of perception management, is greatly cared for by corporates. Israel Folau was another who felt his views on homosexuality were worth sharing with the world, his sponsor did not.
There have been employment law cases (that I used to have my finger on) that said this much. Unless the person had tied their FB setting down tightly then a post on FB is a post to the world.
No I am not debating whether racism or sexism has a role in our world. But the reality as you expressed on this site a couple of days back is that NZ is racist. I think it is less racist than what you may think, although I can’t know this for sure, and part of my evidence is the health service and the outpouring of support for the Musleim community after the outrage.
So what do we do about racism? May people criminals? Who defines what exactly is racism? Sexism? I know the woke definition of transphobia and I think it is just a way to shut people down.
"My suggestion was that we call it out, challenge it, question why people have their views (for example why was the bluebird employee sick of Te Reo). Because the hate speech laws will/could make it a crime to say racist or sexist things (who knows how they will define it, when the PM couldn't define it when she said "you know it when you see it").
The first I heard of the Bluebird employee was when Bluebird said they were investigating the worker (she claims she grew up in Northland and doesn’t consider herself racist). Bluebird had a complaint about it from someone who went out of thir way to find out where the woman worked and then complained. So if BB hadn’t have drawn attention to it, it would likely have gone unnoticed. Do you think the woman should have lost her job for what she said? I don’t. And I think BB would be hard pressed to prove reputational damage.
I have only just begun to research CRT, but from what I have read, it doesn’t decrease racism and perhaps may backfire (this intuitively makes sense to me). If anyone can provide me with some links that show otherwise, I would open to reading it.
It's not essential to be a target of racism to perceive racism, but it can help. Of course we can’t shut all racists down, but where’s the harm in making examples of a few high-profile cases? Maybe ask the target(s).
https://divyaiwrites.home.blog/2019/06/07/critical-response-to-eating-dark-chocolate-and-watching-paul-holmes-apology-by-karlo-mila/
As Waititi said – "a cheeky giggle" – or, indeed, a "cheeky darkie" – "gives others the message that it's okay."
No – not really. People on the left are wary of surveillance, because historically most of it has been directed against people like us. However, to not acknowledge that the US has a problem with domestic terrorism and random shooters, and that the State has an obligation to protect its people, is delusional extremism in itself – often smuggled in under the false flag of 'free speech'. Some sort of difficult balance has to be found.
And people on the left believe that the best counter to misinformation is not censorship, but a well-funded, well-regulated public broadcaster with strong firewalls in place against government interference. But as we have seen National opposes the attempt to create such a thing via the TVNZ-RNZ merger. And clearly, that's because the tide of misinformation in NZ mostly flows in National's favour via the Herald-ZB-Newshub nexus.
Owning Twitter has led to some surprisingly revelatory tweets from the big man
/
Just a bit of fun, and without wanting to lower the tone:
That Westworld article was written in 2019. I predict that some 'urine therapy' advocates will have claimed it can ward off 'the Covid' – well whaddayaknow.
Thank goodness Wikipeedia isn't for sale – yet.
Good move by Grant Robertson at the Labour Party conference to raise "Liz" Luxon's plan to give generous tax relief to the well off and $2-3 a week to those not earning a high income. Robertson gets his point across very well and with humour. Keep it up highlighting the inequity of National's intentions!
Luxon should be embarrassed, but of course is not and appears very smug about his intentions, should National win next year.
Liz Luxon…….Has Grant Robertson just misgendered Christopher luxon???????
Where's Elizabeth Kerekere when you need her?
Liz can be short for Lizard you know!
Visubversa LOL!
Visubversa Quite Clever that!!
Maybe Luxon had introduced a new gender identity i.e lizard. Afterall Bristol University put out a statement for staff about using pro nouns that included Cat gender. I kid you not.
It's a Liz Truss lite Luxon (shared love of tax cuts) thing.
Yes, boringly, that was the way I took it! But Liz short for lizard, and misgendering are much more creative.
Labour to address cost of living catastrophe with policy announcements.
Will the announcements be targeted so as not to increases inflation?
Will the announcements be debt funded (increasing fiscal risk and debt inflation)?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/130388925/live-jacinda-ardern-set-to-announce-cost-of-living-policy-as-labour-conference-closes
There is a significant decrease in the asset value of the government since the update on the June year,with ACC,NZSF and housing assets depreciating as well as debt increases and higher interest payments coming into the bond tenders.
Party conferences are quite revealing, as they are entirely presented by the parties themselves, not distorted through the media lens.
At every National conference, the leader will be joined on stage by an adoring spouse (usually wife) and children. Whereas Ardern is joined by the Cabinet, and her daughter is nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps the most baseless of all the attacks on the PM is that she parades her family for photo ops and votes. The opposite is true, and always has been. The lie is projection.
Observer not sure I have seen Luxon's wife or kids, but maybe that's because you wouldn't see me at a National Party conference…..
do remember 2017 with Bill English bringing out the family (one who sung some opera) and some wit drew a paralel to the Sound of Music………….
I am not sure voters care too much about families and kids except their own.
The child care subsidy is clever, because likely not to be inflationary. but the rest of us still have to cope with rising food and housing costs. Good to know the middle class aren't overlooked. What about beneficiaries who don't work? Oh well, maybe another time.
ps I may be mistaken here as I haven't read all the details.
I thought she said all preschool children whose parents pay let them qualify.? I too may have been mistaken.
A copy of her speech would be good .
Newshub poll at 6 pm. Given the overall trend, probably bad for Labour. But it's the outsiders that are more interesting, are the "plague on both your houses" voters gravitating towards any particular party?
Labour have about a year to turn things around. Judging by the policy announcements made today, doesn't really look like it's making much of an effort.
Waiting for the Budget I suspect. Waste of time putting out the good announcements a year out when in government, runs into the problem of "But what have you done for me lately" at the actual election.
You cant make such a judgement though. Don't recall the party's conference ever being a platform to announce a slew of big policies.
Im not expecting anything big, but the childcare subsidy sounds like something that National could have annonced, and will just end up adding to the profit margins of the likes of Kidicorp, etc.
Disagree with your opinion and National didn't believe in giving people a choice.
"The Minister of Social Development says that as of next July, beneficiaries who fail to take reasonable steps to keep their children in certified early childhood care for at least 15 hours a week, from age 3 until they go to school, will have their benefits halved"
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/single-mums-slam-plan-to-enforce-childcare/Q7VV7P7RB5DJ5GSWK3ET46PHCI/
National do not think that parents should stay home and look after their children, unless they are super wealthy.
True that. Often wondered how many within the National party are proponents of eugenics.
Very grateful to see that sanity has prevailed – and that NZF are well back behind the 5% threshold.
Making the Horizon poll look very much like a rogue result.
NZF is a tick up from polling earlier this year – but certainly doesn't seem to be attracting significant support from any of the 4 larger parties (Lab/Nat/Grn/ACT)
The 'plague on all your houses' vote appears to be staying home….
Unfortunately, under National, most workers can forget about getting any decent form of payrise until after 2030.
NZF support has doubled 3.3 up from 1.6 – so is on track to feature in 2023.
A National and Act government is not the sort of sanity Im looking for. – each to their own.
Random polls this year have given them up to 4% – setting aside the nearly 7% from the Horizon outlier poll.
I'd say their current poll result puts them well within the rest of the polling this year – crucially under 5%.
Do you really want Winston back in parliament? Or is that just a cross you'd be prepared to bear in order to get a Labour/Green coalition over the line?
Yes its a cross I would bear to get Lab/green over the line.
And you ? would you rather a Nat/ Act government just to keep NZF out of parliament? or do you just see NZF as an impediment to Act/Nat forming a government.
Just can't stand 'what's in it for Winston' – with his dodgy ethics and pork-barrel politics.
But comfortable with National's dodgy ethics and pork barrel politics.
I understand
No more than with Labour's dodgy ethics and pork barrel politics.
I used to think that the Greens were the only ethical party in parliament – but then James Shaw supported the 'Green' private school….
But Winston is several levels ahead of any of his contemporaries in the fine art /sarc/ of wheeler-dealing.
The shape of things to come?
Collapse of snow crab fisheries not saved by quota style management.
Marine Biologist: Why 11 Billion Snow Crabs Disappeared – YouTube
https://twitter.com/rorybremner/status/1588955381061111808?cxt=HHwWgMC-wYOgjY0sAAAA
https://twitter.com/NoContextBrits/status/1588631974121730048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1588631974121730048%7Ctwgr%5E8f22c8de2a4bfe5d0482e74e61535386d73d1098%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theforum365.com%2Findex.php%3Fapp%3Dcoremodule%3Dsystemcontroller%3Dembedurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FNoContextBrits%2Fstatus%2F1588631974121730048%3Ft%3D7RjsF4_FFmHEDTJ2jqL3vA26s%3D19