The first of many. https://i.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/109110152/canteens-taranaki-branch-may-face-closure-after-proposed-restructure
Taranaki is just one of the regions, towns and cities about to lose its AYA cancer service with the majority of CanTeen’s specialist care workers facing redundancy. Regional face-to-face patient support services to be axed and replaced by an online “portal”.
Ironically, the AYA conference currently taking place in Australia stresses the importance of face-to-face support to ensure optimum outcomes for young cancer patients. Third world stuff.
Agree – it is not working for many and the solutions proposed don’t address it in relation to tangata whenua.
The chair of Suicide Prevention Australia and the Auckland District Māori Council says Māori are sick of turning up for a karakia and cup of tea and then being told to leave the table.
Matthew Tukaki says that’s his immediate response to He Ara Oranga, the report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction.
He says there was a compete disregard of the need for Māori co-design of mental health and suicide prevention initiatives, and all the power remains in the hands of the Health Ministry.
What was needed was an investigation into the failure of the health system for Māori.
“The highest suicide rate per head of population in the world is our people. The largest number of people who are filtering through the mental health system per head of population are our people. The highest number of people who are facing everything from addiction to P and alcoholism and all the rest, they’re our people so why in god’s green earth were our stories and our narratives as a first nations people overwhelmed by everybody else,” Mr Tukaki says…
You popped into my mind last Sunday Marty. I watched the final ‘The Hui’ for the year. The entire show featured Mike King addressing a Whanganui school with a predominately Maori roll.
Wow, so much of what he said rang so true for me. He led me to consider things I never had. By the end of the show I had my pick for New Zealander of the Year.
Best TV I’ve seen for some time, the medium used as it should be. If you haven’t seen it, please have a look Marty. If you did catch it, I’d like to hear your thoughts please. It’s free to watch on demand but I’m not able to provide a direct link as watching a TV 3 show on demand requires a free registration and log-in to the service…this content makes the ads worth tolerating.
Cool veuto, it changed the way I see many things. Like the futility of prohibition of the vices that harm us. Mike puts it like this: “Drugs, alcohol and bullying others weren’t a problem for me, they were a solution.”
I think it’s worthy of being at the top of your list veuto.
Hey Marty,
While I haven’t seen it yet, although I will as it is been recommended to me three times, I can’t help but feel that not feeling connected contributes.
Whether that connection is to a job, interest/hobby, community group or primarily family.
The history for Maori since WW2 is terrible.
Having lost their best in foreign wars, they were told leave your rural/marae/communal way of life, and come live in the cities. Work in the factories. Until we close them.
Do that, (leave your traditional/familiar way of being and go to an isolated way of life), to anyone they will be lost.
Yes I do this the disconnect is a real part of the problem. It’s good you bring it up because we must look multi dimensionally at this imo and consider the spiritual and other other non materialistic aspects of living a life.
These statistics are an utter tragedy and disgrace.
I work in the area. I try to do my best for all my patients and deliver evidenced based strategies……..I realize the context of colonization that is uniquely stressful and that people get triggered into mental health problems when they are under stress. One of the things I am really aware of is the negative believe about self Maori have internalized due to racism.
It’s an overwhelming problem. We need to change our social environment. But we need good treatment by skilled practitioners when people become unwell
Totally agree. There are so many converging and connecting aspects to this tragedy – we’ve got to holistically look at this and do what you and Mike king are doing – talk to people, work with them and help them and educate them. Kia kaha to you and Kia ora for your mahi.
Kia Ora Marty Mars. I feel privileged to work in the area and see people get their mental health back. If you don’t have your mental health, you have nothing.
It’s quite upsetting to think that things have got worse since I started out. They have undoubtedly got worse over the 9 years of National. Funding for mental health in primary care slashed. A training course that was world class axed, access to crisis services increasingly difficult
Just in case the sickening platitudes being spewed out for the war criminal and racist George H.W. Bush by all media including our own supposedly neutral RNZ are starting grate on your nerves, here is the balance that all our media lack the capacity to deliver…
‘The Ignored Legacy of George H.W. Bush: War Crimes, Racism, and Obstruction of Justice’
Adrian T
Thanks. At last something that’s relevant and balanced USA news. The sickening tsunami from the USA when we are supposed to be global, internationally savvy, shows us up as colonials wanting to be attached perhaps as a major territory. We seem lost and seeking a port, and in the absence of that following the nearest USA cruise ship as The Dingy Dinghy.
@greywarshark
I often wonder whether a new local media service that offered fair and balanced news might actually do quite well..imagine this scenario for a moment…
You wake up, turn on your radio to this new radio programme, they announce the funeral of HW Bush in the hourly news bulletin in a neutral way, then proceed over the next couple of hours to have one puntit who tells us all the good things Bush did, then another pundit who unpacks HW Bush’s unsavoury actions as POTUS, our hard hitting presenter grills both of them to make sure their facts and figures are in order. Then we have the daily report on Workers news and issues, ending with a comment from a reputable economist, followed by the Market update which ends (as it often does) with comments from a paid bank economist.. now that would be an interesting comparison to keep a track of…anyway I am sure you can see where I am going with this.
Email to Jim Mora this morning submitting a One Quick Question for their consideration….
Hello Jim, or Jim’s helper, I have a question for your segment.
Why does media, (including RNZ) not cover the life of the deceased former POTUS George H.W. Bush with any kind of balance?
Of course it is right to cover his good points, and the better parts of his character, but why can’t the media also cover the many negative points of his presidency which negatively impacted hundreds of thousands of humans (especially in South America and The Middle East), do they not deserve this same right of media coverage?
I understand that, but HW Bush is not a private citizen, he was leader of the most powerful country in the world, I see absolutely no reason why his record in that role can’t be commented on in a fair and balanced way during this time, other wise his legacy will (actually IS as we speak) be completely whitewashed by a compliant media, just as Regan was, and just as we have seen lately with terrorist John Mccain.
Yes, some will honour America’s youngest ever military jet pilot, others will consider the airman that fires missles into villages of innocents at age 20. The most touching thing about his passing for me was the loyalty of his Labrador. I guess I’m just saying that right or wrong, for most, the right thing to do is to wait until his corpse is cold before sledging the guy and his legacy.
We’re all snowflakes Grey. The staunchest of us melt. The easiest way to knock cage fighting legend Mark Hunt out is to lay a hand on his daughter. The frequency of the melting light varies but we’re all snowflakes
Sorry, but fuck him, do you seriously think the media will ever get around to discussing the thousands of humans who were killed, maimed, raped and destroyed as a direct result of HIS decisions? no they will leave the public with the vision of a American hero who was gentle man with a loyal dog who loved his family…the right thing to do is be honest about what he did and who he did it too…today not tomorrow, because as we know tomorrow will never comes for the MSM to present even the slightest balance around the legacy of the racist, war criminal H.W. Bush.
As far as I concerned people like him are the enemy of most humans and for that matter the future of the planet as a whole.
BTW I love my dogs, and have had dogs all my life, so I also know dogs give their loyalty pretty easily, I wouldn’t read too much into his loyal dog thing myself.
I don’t despise the individual as much as you do Adrian, I don’t think most do. You highlighted ‘HIS Decisions’. He didn’t walk into an Oval Office meeting one morning and declare ‘Gather around Generals, this week we’re bombing these bastards.’ It was a Whitehouse/Pentagon team effort.
I admired the loyalty of his dog because it prompted me to hug mine.
David Mac
Don’t stand for office for anything because I will blame you for what you do or don’t do that’s bad. That’s the rub, and having a dog doesn’t preclude you from the results of the people’s disappointment.
I get sad about parents trying to save their little children, dying in pain or running away, starving, and having their living destroyed and if their sons manage to get away, not being accepted anywhere or locked up somewhere like Manus Island.
I’ve looked at that excellent link on Bush senior you put up.
I noticed the malicious infrastructure bombing (as opposed to the necessary strategic bombing, which was also malicious) and how it was done to cause the maximum pressure and hardship on the Iraqi people and their leaders. (1991)
There seems to be a trend here looking at post WW2 to what was done in Iraq. Was Bush worse than the others – seems like BAU savagery crops up throughout.
WW2 Roosevelt dies and Harry Truman takes over. He wants to finish the war quickly so after a couple of days of conference and planning, drops two atom bombs on Japan (because they have got them, cuts any Japanese resistance, and is opportunity to trial the bombs and indicate to Germany their prowess). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidency_of_Harry_S._Truman
(1945)
And I remembered about North Korea where the US Air Force bombed North Korean (against UN? agreements) irrigation infrastructure so affecting their food growing ability causing hardship. (1950+) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_North_Korea_1950-1953
“seems like BAU savagery crops up throughout” exactly right, and great point, so by letting the media just eulogize HW Bush, with no reference to the devastation, destruction and misery HIS orders/policies and decisions have caused, just normalizes this type of brutal leadership.. it’s like, well you know he did some fucked up things, you know, lied out in the open, ran an openly racist political campaign, rained bombs on innocent humans etc etc..but you know, they all do it.
But it is not normal to do these things to other human beings, that should be the message our media delivers today, well they could at least even hint at it FFS.
How are we ever going to evolve to be better humans, when these idiots in the media don’t at least help a little to shine a path to a better more fair and just humanity? and worse, it seems a lot of the time our media is actually dragging us backwards.
Yes Adrian T
My own thoughts. Won’t say more but it is interesting to be gently reminded to be nice because he’s dead and wait before criticising.
There is a guidebook of etiquette on how long to extend the period of mourning and sanctity before acknowledging the truth, in a country of free speech?
I know I won’t get a response, no it more of a therapeutic action for me, helps release a bit of tension so I can get on with my day, which reminds me…
A quick shout out to the good people of Blenheim. I accidentally left my phone on a bench in the main street. I went to the Police station, mainly to get a report recorded for the insurance claim, and was gobsmacked to find that some good citizen had handed it in a few minutes earlier.
So thanks, Blenheim, you rock. For any readers who visit the town, my recommendation for coffee and eats is the truly wonderful Ritual Cafe, Maxwell Rd. If readers fancy a beer, the Waterfront (the old Royal) and the Yard Bar are the go. And if you lose anything, the local Police are definitely there to help.
And while we are lauding Blenheim’s good points – a plug for Turkish restaurant Akbabas at 2 Maxwell Road, Blenheim. Good people and good food. https://www.akbabaskebabs.co.nz/our-story/
The good people of Blenheim thank you. There is a bit more to the town and the eateries and bars mentioned.
There are craft breweries and bars, wineries, the PM has announced a year round version of the Coastal Express with upgraded train stations, great walks, tramps, fishing, hunting, and theatre.
Just like the rest of NZ, really……..
The main advantage though is a population of 45,000 in an area the size of Israel.
Great weather and lifestyle attracts senior citizens and Marlborough has the highest numbers of senior citizens in the country per capita. With 1% of the country’s population Grey Power Marlborough has 9% of the nation-wide Grey Power membership.
So 9% of the voices of boomer generation who owe the rest of us many thanks for being able to retire in sunny climes, while younger generations toil away unable to afford a decent house in colder and damper areas to pay for your retirement.
Good to know what areas to be suspect of when the super issue is raised
I think, in your penny’s worth, that you may just have not realised that today’s seniors have paid taxes all their lives, I can recall 60% top rate being paid, and willingly, to pay for the generation that went before us who came out of the Depression era and were supported properly in their turn by us.
So enough of the intergenerational rivalry crap, Tuppence. Envy will consume you, narcissism will afflict you, entitlement and consumerism eat at your very vitals.
Respect your elders, Tuppence. After all, they reared you, taught you what you know, changed your nappies, tolerated your tantrums and excused your ignorance.
As did my parents in their turn.
If I didn’t think you were trolling, I’d pity you………
Thank you mac1 – husband and I are certainly part of that cohort – paid plenty of pretty high tax in our working life and still pay tax on our superannuation payments, withholding tax (however modest) and GST on day to day purchases.
“Generation Snowflake, or Snowflake Generation, is a neologistic term used to characterize the young adults of the 2010s as being more prone to taking offense and less resilient than previous generations, or as being too emotionally vulnerable to cope with views that challenge their own.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Snowflake
Growing up insulated by technology, this new generation gets traumatised by differences between people. Humans learn to socialise by living in communal environments. Gen Snowflake has matured without that learning, apparently. Now we are beginning to see political consequences of their tech-warp effect.
“The term “Generation Snowflake”, or its variant “Snowflake Generation”, probably originated in the United States and came into wider use in the United Kingdom in 2016 following the publication of Claire Fox’s book I Find That Offensive!. In it she wrote about a confrontation between Yale University students and faculty Head of College, Nicholas Christakis. The confrontation arose after Christakis’s wife, Erika Christakis, a lecturer at the university, had suggested students should “relax a bit rather than labeling fancy dress Halloween costumes as culturally insensitive”, according to Fox. Fox described the video showing the students’ reaction as a “screaming, almost hysterical mob of students”. Fox said the backlash to the viral video led to the disparaging moniker “generation snowflake” for the students.”
“Snowflake generation” was recognised as one of Collins Dictionary’s 2016 words of the year. Collins defines the term as “the young adults of the 2010s, viewed as being less resilient and more prone to taking Offense than previous generations”.
“Similarly, in 2016 the Financial Times included snowflake in their annual Year in a Word list, defining it as “a derogatory term for someone deemed too emotionally vulnerable to cope with views that challenge their own, particularly in universities and other forums once known for robust debate” and noting that the insult had been aimed at an entire generation.”
“The term snowflake has been used to refer to children raised by their parents in ways that give them an inflated sense of their own uniqueness. This usage of snowflake has been attributed to Chuck Palahniuk’s 1996 novel Fight Club, and its 1999 film adaptation. Both the novel and the film include the line “You are not special. You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake.” In January 2017, Palahniuk claimed credit for coining snowflake, adding that the young adults of the 2010s exhibit “a kind of new Victorianism”. An article published by Merriam-Webster stated that Palahniuk was not the first person to use snowflake metaphorically, saying, “It’s the stuff of self-help books and inspirational posters and elementary school assurances. The imagery before negation is lovely; we are each unique snowflakes, each worth treasuring because each is uniquely beautiful.”
So there’s a positive side, but. Everyone is unique. Just a question of acceptance being more sensible than self-promotion. And, given that Lasch’s diagnosis of the culture of narcissism (1979) applies to all generations born since WWII, this positive side isn’t really the point. Politics is a team sport, and those who play must conform to team rules. Gen Snowflake doesn’t want to play. Will they grow old apolitical? Or will their strident self-assertion constellate a common ground?
The people who complain about snowflakes are the real snowflakes. They just need to realise that they have had enough and are not taking any crap anymore.
Totally – and the ones who sneer at supposed snowflakes are usually the ones imposing or benefiting from the crappy conditions that the snowflakes are complaining about.
Just the usual human dynamic of power and domination by one person over another.
“By setting up more roadblocks and hurdles for landlords, and raising compliance costs, many landlords have decided not to rent out their properties. As a result more people are forced to rely on publicly funded social housing.”
Nothing to do with the fact that so many people are now priced out of the private market, and the social housing waiting list is now the longest it has ever been due the combination of a)this and b)the systematic sell-off of State Housing under the last regime? Simon O’Conner, your sudden concern for the vulnerable is touching.
I think the quote and your thoughts are 2 edges of the same sword Kay.
One of the reasons people are being priced out of the private rental market is because landlords are considering “For it to be worth my while, I’ll need to up the rent $150 on my place.”
Our current government rest on: ‘It’s a supply and demand thing, we’re in this mess because the other jokers did nothing for a decade’. This does absolutely nothing about addressing the problem and is entirely about ‘Don’t blame me, it’s his fault.’
I try hard to be an optimist, but I’m struggling with our housing outlook. National passed a law requiring all landlords in NZ to insulate their rentals by July 31st next year. Those that don’t can expect heavy fines and if called out, required to pay exemplary damages to tenants that take their non complying landlord to the tribunal. For some tenants, the largest cash sum they’ve ever had in their lives.
Up in the Far North where the landscape is rich and job prospects poor, many families live in older simple baches that the owners were using less for holidays as their kids found other things to do. Rather than sell many hang on to them for the next generation of kids, for 3 generations to spend Christmases there. In the meantime, many have become low cost housing for those of us that live up here on tight budgets.
I’m concerned for the many people up here in the sub-tropical Far North that come next July, will be living in illegal houses.
https://www.labour.org.nz/housing
“KiwiBuild homes will only be sold to first home buyers. To avoid buyers reaping windfall gains, a condition of sale will require them to hand back any capital gain if sold on within 5 years.”
So a Labour election pledge was broken by 2 labour ministers (Tywford & Robertson) and then re instated by the PM.
When should an election promise be kept and when is it ok to break a promise ??
What that min Tywford announces that there would be a reduced 3 year cap gain time limit, that he had no authority to make, that was also in conflict with an election promise. That our PM also was not aware of.
Not sure what else anyone needs to know but I am open to hear alternative views 🤔 https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12156833
Here is a link to the changes that the govt made.
“But speaking to media this afternoon, Twyford said the Government had changed the rules.“ so who is this government that had changed the rules ??
But the link I supplied ex nzherald had a quote from min Tywford. “But speaking to media this afternoon, Twyford said the Government had changed the rules.”
The GOVERNMENT (my bold not shouting” so the government is at odds with he PM ??🤔I am confused, does the PM not agree with her government?
But the link I supplied ex nzherald had a quote from min Tywford. “But speaking to media this afternoon, Twyford said the Government had changed the rules.”
The GOVERNMENT (my bold not shouting” so the government is at odds with he PM ??🤔I am confused, does the PM not agree with her government?
“but with unsubstantiated allegations about how the PM feels about it.” not sure how I can assist. I imagine our PM is unimpressed as
How can a minister change the rules which was in breach of the Labour manifesto
How can we, the voter trust Labour to keep their promises ?
But I imagine any lack of justification will be taken as Labour lied to us. 🤥
You are being quite unfair to Ms Ardern by suggesting that she wasn’t involved in the decision.
She was going to consider the matter as soon as she had settled the most important thing on her agenda. https://spy.nzherald.co.nz/spy-news/pm-reveals-plans-for-baby-neves-first-xmas/
I’m sure that as soon this is sorted out, which shouldn’t take more than a couple of weeks, she will look at what Twyford has been up too.
What do trivial things like Kiwibuild matter anyway? After all, when people see the places they don’t buy them and refuse to go through with the purchase.
Perhaps someone can explain to me how studio apartments can really be affordable at $380,000 or one bedroom places at $500,000 are “affordable for first home buyers” anyway?
Is that really meant to get young families into homes, as Twyford promised?
With all the Santa hood ha of late I though some here would be interested to know that little old reatihi lead the way with last years Santa being a Maori woman. Not a ripple was made . Good a?
There has been a couple of cases here in Australia, where the Unions and various State and Federal Government Departments have gone in to bat for the Chinese workers and have come down hard the companies/ firms that have employed the Chinese workers over wages and entitlements. Further investigations by the Unions involve and the relevant Government Dept’s have also found that the worker are here illegally because of breaches in their Visas obtained by the companies that the poor workers are working for.
During the last mining boom and the current up lift in mining atm, a number of companies are trying to bring Chinese workers to help construct the various mining projects to keeps cost downs aka wages and WHS etc. But the Unions have kept this in check so far.
So without strong Unions and strong Government Departments in NZ this is going to happen in a regular basis unless the Unions and Government isn’t prepared to step up enforce or strengthen the various laws and ensure that the NZ workers get a fair go/ deal. The same could be said IRT to training future NZ workers in whatever trade discipline he or she chooses as would also further erode pay and conditions and WHS which quite possibly lead to further outcomes like these Chinese workers atm.
“Wanzhou Meng, the deputy chair of Huawei’s board and the daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Vancouver, the Globe and Mail reported. The arrest was at the request of US authorities. “Wanzhou Meng was arrested in Vancouver on December 1. She is sought for extradition by the United States, and a bail hearing has been set for Friday,” US Justice department spokesperson Ian McLeod said.” https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/109139920/huaweis-chief-financial-officer-arrested-in-canada
Interesting that they sat on the news for five days. Maybe China threatened Canada with feng shui if they didn’t release her & Canadian experts took a while to evaluate the threat.
Not for CC reasons unfortunately, but because it was cheaper to heavily subsidise the service than try and increase network capacity. There’s a few places (Frankton Road is one) where that’s not possible.
One line I heard was that the $2.00 charge is only there because NZTA didn’t have a way of doing it for free. $2.00 would hardly cover the costs of handling the money anyway.
The comments are the first dozen or so messages of support on the petition page in support of Julian Assange and free speech and journalism. Sorry, I should have tidied up all the little admin. odds and ends, but the message is clear, I think: a lot of people want to see the Grauniad face consequences for its fraudulent reporting, i.e. its flagrant disinformation campaign against someone who is, in stark contrast to the likes of Emma Brockes and Luke Harding and James Ball, a real journalist.
Yes you’re right, I don’t understand what criminal libel is….If it’s criminal I’m thinking it’s a matter for the Police to look into and I already make a regular donation to them.
A student, ahhh that explains it, I’ve not seen anyone else use the term ‘Grauniad’.
I would certainly like to see the Guardian taken to account for publishing unverifiable tabloid bullshit that suits the aims of those who want to take Assange down
Take Assange down and all journalists worth the name are in the firing line.
For those who still can’t get it past their faulty belief system, Assange is a journalist
“Extraneous”? I would have thought that the supportive comments of those democratically minded lovers of journalism was the very heart of this matter. The attempt to destroy Assange is an attempt to silence all of us.
And please look up the definition of journalist. It’s not what you think it is.
Crikey, you had to go all the way back to 2014 for that zinger? I’m impressed I haven’t said anything more recent you could have used. btw, shutting down a media organisation is not what “democratically minded lovers of democracy” do.
Meanwhile, in real journalist news, here’s some dead people:
The Grauniad is, sadly, a propaganda arm of the British state.
I don’t think it should be closed down, but I certainly think that liars like Luke Harding should be fired, and also that rubbish editor. Rubbisher’s his name, isn’t it.
“The International Energy Agency’s data also shows rising emissions in 2018. Its executive director, Fatih Birol, said: “This turnaround should be another warning to governments as they meet in Katowice this week.””
Why bother giving govts more warnings? Since when has that ever worked? “The “dark news” of rising emissions is merging with two other alarming trends, according to Prof David Victor, at the University of California, San Diego, in an article with colleagues also published in Nature on Wednesday.”
“Falling air pollution is enabling more of the sun’s warmth to reach the Earth’s surface, as aerosol pollutants reflect sunlight, while a long-term natural climate cycle in the Pacific is entering a warm phase. Victor said: “Global warming is accelerating. [These] three trends will combine over the next 20 years to make climate change faster and more furious than anticipated.””
“The Global Carbon Budget, produced by 76 scientists from 57 research institutions in 15 countries, found the major drivers of the 2018 increase were more coal-burning in China and India as their economies grew, and more oil used in more transport. Industry also used more gas. Renewable energy grew rapidly, but not enough to offset the increased use of fossil fuel.”
A couple of interesting reports IRT to CC, one on the ice melt in Greenland and the other the NZDF and likely CC effects they NZDF is now likely to in counter as the science starts to firm up its evidence IRT CC.
Awa’ an’ bile yer heid ‘n’ pick a windae, yer leavin’ wi’ yer foodbank, ye piece o’ tory jobby . *
. ANGRY protestors chased Scotland’s only Conservative MP out of town after he turned up to open a food bank.
Protestors shouted “Shame on you” and screamed at Scottish Secretary David Mundell after he sneaked out the back door of the Trussell Trust-operated facility in the Dumfries and Galloway town.
They surrounded the white Ford Focus motor he was in, which had to slowly edge its way through the raging mob with the help of a police escort.
People banged on the windows and at first refused to let the vehicle move, until four uniformed police officers arrived to part the crowd.
sounds just like the film I Daniel Blake. Privileged idiots creating hell on earth for those without an influential voice.
Lucky for english and key that those living in cars and recorded as having a roof over their heads didn’t turn up at parliament in protest, but the first rule of destroying opposition to poverty fightback is to remove the means, so they could not afford the petrol. Unlike the tractors and the trucks, all backed by big money to attack Labour Governments.
Funny atmosphere in QT today. Subdued? Quiet? Questions delivered and answers polite and full. Though the Paula Bennett attack about “leaking” the address of the estranged wife, the Opposition were told repeatedly that the said women did not seek or accept secrecy. So Bennett and Woodhouse were chasing a non target.
With any Parliamentary opposition dead until at least 2020,
a popular government,
really low unemployment,
lots and lots of money to spend,
and the most progressive legislative agenda New Zealand has had in 50 years, well ……………………………………..
……………………. maybe we’re running out of things to complain about!
“Protecting the Umpire
by Andrew Geddis
Did you know that Parliament could imprison you for saying that Trevor Mallard is biased in favour of Jacinda Ardern over Simon Bridges? But it (almost certainly) won’t….
…So, for example, consider political editor Audrey Young’s published account of Thursday’s events in the Herald: “Parliament’s Speaker, Trevor Mallard, has an inbuilt bias against National Party leader Simon Bridges and a soft spot for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.” Such a public accusation of overt favouritism on the part of the Speaker likely could be punished as a contempt, if Parliament wanted to do so….”
Would love to see that happen now and again to certain individuals, just to keep everyone on their toes and just the GG the Speaker does some awesome/ powerful rules/ powers in their playbook that a lot of people don’t know unless you are like old mate Andrew Geddis..
Suppose a clever lawman like Young Simon or for that matter Old A Young would know the rules, unless their aim is the Dead Cat thing.
Audrey is pretty biased herself isn’t she?
Now I am wondering if, behind the scenes today, something is happening to the Leadership. After all, Simon did declare Jamie as the Leaker in spite of his denial and now Simon’s judgement must be in further question. Might explain the deflated National Caucus today? No histrionics and few interjections
Certainly some-one should have! The Speaker also showed firm control again today, and with the double dismissals yesterday, the bullies of the opposition
got shown the consequences of thoughtless, undisciplined and self-centred behaviour.
It raises the question, though, who would be counselling Bridges and Brownlee, the opposition leader and shadow leader of the House? The National Party president? English? Key? Shipley? Bulger? The Business Round Table? Australian bankers? American oil interests? Insert your national/international conspiracy theory here?
So Gracie managed to make it through South America, yet she’s missing in NZ. This is seriously a very nasty place for women. Hopefully, all women are looking for her. Hoping for a good outcome.
The Public servants had predicted that there m8 would win big boxes of tissues were required after the election .Ka pai Jacinda .
Public servants responsible for the transition between governments failed to support new ministers as no-one had planned for a full scale, new administration.Officials were caught on the hop after last year’s general election, having planned for change no greater than a Cabinet reshuffle – that caused problems like being unable to supply laptops and mobile phones and a lack of experienced staff for incoming ministers
I see it been 2 years since the BANKERS MAN shonky got pushed out of our Parliament .links below ka kite ano
Kia ora Newshub I say that the education systems needs a big shake up for the money invested we are not getting very good results for the lower classes of students minority cultures are not even getting a 30% pass rate into a higher paying jobs we have to import those skills and in the process the lower classes youth are ending on the scrap heap.
The Westpac Helicopter serves is run by retired WHO guess and you will be correct Eco Maori nemeses they have the same raciest attitude to because he is out of the force he has lost his suppression cover .
We must keep our bio security up and keep the threats out of Aotearoa it will destroy our farming and horticulture.
I say Lady Ga Ga and Bradleys movie A Star Is Born is a awesome move you know the old saying silence about a problem is like rot it just keep’s snowballing into a big mess if you watch the movie you will get what I getting at.
Mann I see how the justice system works I will be doing a post on this subject later Hollie .
There you go trump spraying wai on the rest of the World the good Chinese lady from Huawei being arrested in Canada wtf trump and his admin does not give a stuff about Aotearoa’s well being they just want to cling to power weather .
The Yemen crises has more string attached than that it is a big proxy war Mess and the poor children are dieing in there tens of thousands probley hundreds of thousands as they cover up the facts idiots.
Lloyd that will be a good movie he must not have been looking in the correct place A .
lol E hoa Ka kite ano
Kia ora from Storm & Anna The Crowd Goes Wild .
Wai it should be a good boxing match .
The Gypsies did have a very good come back fight when one thinks of the time he had off boxing is a sport were one needs to be quite fit to go the distance .
Ka pai to the Black sticks.
Storm the preseason training seams quite strenuous .
Brad Weber had a good season I have had a couple in the club .
I was hoping you did a story on Shawn I gave him a bit of Eco tau toko and he pihau one with any intelligence knows it takes two to have a problem enough said.
Ka kite ano
I had to got to Auckland on Whano duties and the sandflies know exactly why and the still swarm around us endangering my mokopunas they don’t give a stuff . They get there m8 to play cat and mouse with me —-me off trying to get my license taken off me the PEE heads ano to kai ka kite ano P.S only the wealthy get justice us poor people just get shit on by this system
Buzz from the Beehive Transport Minister Simeon Brown dutifully issued advice to all road users to keep safe on our roads during the Easter weekend. He encouraged them to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her government’s ...
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As we’ve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. 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 ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
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:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
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 ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
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. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
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 A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
The first of many.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/109110152/canteens-taranaki-branch-may-face-closure-after-proposed-restructure
Taranaki is just one of the regions, towns and cities about to lose its AYA cancer service with the majority of CanTeen’s specialist care workers facing redundancy. Regional face-to-face patient support services to be axed and replaced by an online “portal”.
Ironically, the AYA conference currently taking place in Australia stresses the importance of face-to-face support to ensure optimum outcomes for young cancer patients. Third world stuff.
According to out mate James, it’s just cutting the fat.
Why start trolling FOR James? You have plenty of your own opinions millsy. Let’s hear your thunks.
repost from last night
Agree – it is not working for many and the solutions proposed don’t address it in relation to tangata whenua.
https://www.waateanews.com/waateanews/x_news/MjA3MzU/He-Ara-Oranga-overwhelmed-by-mainstream
You popped into my mind last Sunday Marty. I watched the final ‘The Hui’ for the year. The entire show featured Mike King addressing a Whanganui school with a predominately Maori roll.
Wow, so much of what he said rang so true for me. He led me to consider things I never had. By the end of the show I had my pick for New Zealander of the Year.
Best TV I’ve seen for some time, the medium used as it should be. If you haven’t seen it, please have a look Marty. If you did catch it, I’d like to hear your thoughts please. It’s free to watch on demand but I’m not able to provide a direct link as watching a TV 3 show on demand requires a free registration and log-in to the service…this content makes the ads worth tolerating.
https://www.threenow.co.nz/shows/the-hui/125685
Ha, I wrote this an hour ago, I started watching it again and couldn’t stop. Powerful stuff.
Thanks for that, David Mac.
I was thinking the other day about making a list of reading/watching over the slow Summer break.
Your comment prompted me to create a Word doc for the list and your comment plus link in now first on the list.
Cool veuto, it changed the way I see many things. Like the futility of prohibition of the vices that harm us. Mike puts it like this: “Drugs, alcohol and bullying others weren’t a problem for me, they were a solution.”
I think it’s worthy of being at the top of your list veuto.
Powerful as, brought me to tears. Best piece on NZ TV for 2018
Me too Cinny, his honesty made mine tears of hope. Hope that more of us can learn to cook with Mike’s simple recipe.
Wow Kia ora David Mac. Awesome, so needed, so much aroha. I probably wouldn’t have watched it without your recommendation so thanks again.
Sweet Marty. Before watching I wondered why Mike King walked away from his comedic fame. I wonder no more.
Hey Marty,
While I haven’t seen it yet, although I will as it is been recommended to me three times, I can’t help but feel that not feeling connected contributes.
Whether that connection is to a job, interest/hobby, community group or primarily family.
The history for Maori since WW2 is terrible.
Having lost their best in foreign wars, they were told leave your rural/marae/communal way of life, and come live in the cities. Work in the factories. Until we close them.
Do that, (leave your traditional/familiar way of being and go to an isolated way of life), to anyone they will be lost.
Yes I do this the disconnect is a real part of the problem. It’s good you bring it up because we must look multi dimensionally at this imo and consider the spiritual and other other non materialistic aspects of living a life.
These statistics are an utter tragedy and disgrace.
I work in the area. I try to do my best for all my patients and deliver evidenced based strategies……..I realize the context of colonization that is uniquely stressful and that people get triggered into mental health problems when they are under stress. One of the things I am really aware of is the negative believe about self Maori have internalized due to racism.
It’s an overwhelming problem. We need to change our social environment. But we need good treatment by skilled practitioners when people become unwell
Totally agree. There are so many converging and connecting aspects to this tragedy – we’ve got to holistically look at this and do what you and Mike king are doing – talk to people, work with them and help them and educate them. Kia kaha to you and Kia ora for your mahi.
Kia Ora Marty Mars. I feel privileged to work in the area and see people get their mental health back. If you don’t have your mental health, you have nothing.
It’s quite upsetting to think that things have got worse since I started out. They have undoubtedly got worse over the 9 years of National. Funding for mental health in primary care slashed. A training course that was world class axed, access to crisis services increasingly difficult
Just in case the sickening platitudes being spewed out for the war criminal and racist George H.W. Bush by all media including our own supposedly neutral RNZ are starting grate on your nerves, here is the balance that all our media lack the capacity to deliver…
‘The Ignored Legacy of George H.W. Bush: War Crimes, Racism, and Obstruction of Justice’
https://theintercept.com/2018/12/01/the-ignored-legacy-of-george-h-w-bush-war-crimes-racism-and-obstruction-of-justice/
Adrian T
Thanks. At last something that’s relevant and balanced USA news. The sickening tsunami from the USA when we are supposed to be global, internationally savvy, shows us up as colonials wanting to be attached perhaps as a major territory. We seem lost and seeking a port, and in the absence of that following the nearest USA cruise ship as The Dingy Dinghy.
@greywarshark
I often wonder whether a new local media service that offered fair and balanced news might actually do quite well..imagine this scenario for a moment…
You wake up, turn on your radio to this new radio programme, they announce the funeral of HW Bush in the hourly news bulletin in a neutral way, then proceed over the next couple of hours to have one puntit who tells us all the good things Bush did, then another pundit who unpacks HW Bush’s unsavoury actions as POTUS, our hard hitting presenter grills both of them to make sure their facts and figures are in order. Then we have the daily report on Workers news and issues, ending with a comment from a reputable economist, followed by the Market update which ends (as it often does) with comments from a paid bank economist.. now that would be an interesting comparison to keep a track of…anyway I am sure you can see where I am going with this.
If only!
Scoop.
Email to Jim Mora this morning submitting a One Quick Question for their consideration….
Hello Jim, or Jim’s helper, I have a question for your segment.
Why does media, (including RNZ) not cover the life of the deceased former POTUS George H.W. Bush with any kind of balance?
Of course it is right to cover his good points, and the better parts of his character, but why can’t the media also cover the many negative points of his presidency which negatively impacted hundreds of thousands of humans (especially in South America and The Middle East), do they not deserve this same right of media coverage?
Just wondering?
Best
Adrian Thornton.
I think it’s a social construct Adrian. Mora approaches it the way he does for the same reason nobody starts a eulogy with ‘George was an arsehole’.
I understand that, but HW Bush is not a private citizen, he was leader of the most powerful country in the world, I see absolutely no reason why his record in that role can’t be commented on in a fair and balanced way during this time, other wise his legacy will (actually IS as we speak) be completely whitewashed by a compliant media, just as Regan was, and just as we have seen lately with terrorist John Mccain.
Yes, some will honour America’s youngest ever military jet pilot, others will consider the airman that fires missles into villages of innocents at age 20. The most touching thing about his passing for me was the loyalty of his Labrador. I guess I’m just saying that right or wrong, for most, the right thing to do is to wait until his corpse is cold before sledging the guy and his legacy.
David Mac
You old softy eh.
We’re all snowflakes Grey. The staunchest of us melt. The easiest way to knock cage fighting legend Mark Hunt out is to lay a hand on his daughter. The frequency of the melting light varies but we’re all snowflakes
Sorry, but fuck him, do you seriously think the media will ever get around to discussing the thousands of humans who were killed, maimed, raped and destroyed as a direct result of HIS decisions? no they will leave the public with the vision of a American hero who was gentle man with a loyal dog who loved his family…the right thing to do is be honest about what he did and who he did it too…today not tomorrow, because as we know tomorrow will never comes for the MSM to present even the slightest balance around the legacy of the racist, war criminal H.W. Bush.
As far as I concerned people like him are the enemy of most humans and for that matter the future of the planet as a whole.
BTW I love my dogs, and have had dogs all my life, so I also know dogs give their loyalty pretty easily, I wouldn’t read too much into his loyal dog thing myself.
I don’t despise the individual as much as you do Adrian, I don’t think most do. You highlighted ‘HIS Decisions’. He didn’t walk into an Oval Office meeting one morning and declare ‘Gather around Generals, this week we’re bombing these bastards.’ It was a Whitehouse/Pentagon team effort.
I admired the loyalty of his dog because it prompted me to hug mine.
David Mac
Don’t stand for office for anything because I will blame you for what you do or don’t do that’s bad. That’s the rub, and having a dog doesn’t preclude you from the results of the people’s disappointment.
I get sad about parents trying to save their little children, dying in pain or running away, starving, and having their living destroyed and if their sons manage to get away, not being accepted anywhere or locked up somewhere like Manus Island.
@David Mac
Here you go pal, here’s another guy who was just part of a team effort that might prompt you to go and hug your dog…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC9XfcJFeOM
I’ve looked at that excellent link on Bush senior you put up.
I noticed the malicious infrastructure bombing (as opposed to the necessary strategic bombing, which was also malicious) and how it was done to cause the maximum pressure and hardship on the Iraqi people and their leaders. (1991)
There seems to be a trend here looking at post WW2 to what was done in Iraq. Was Bush worse than the others – seems like BAU savagery crops up throughout.
WW2 Roosevelt dies and Harry Truman takes over. He wants to finish the war quickly so after a couple of days of conference and planning, drops two atom bombs on Japan (because they have got them, cuts any Japanese resistance, and is opportunity to trial the bombs and indicate to Germany their prowess). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidency_of_Harry_S._Truman
(1945)
And I remembered about North Korea where the US Air Force bombed North Korean (against UN? agreements) irrigation infrastructure so affecting their food growing ability causing hardship. (1950+)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_North_Korea_1950-1953
1955-1975
Vietnam War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War
“seems like BAU savagery crops up throughout” exactly right, and great point, so by letting the media just eulogize HW Bush, with no reference to the devastation, destruction and misery HIS orders/policies and decisions have caused, just normalizes this type of brutal leadership.. it’s like, well you know he did some fucked up things, you know, lied out in the open, ran an openly racist political campaign, rained bombs on innocent humans etc etc..but you know, they all do it.
But it is not normal to do these things to other human beings, that should be the message our media delivers today, well they could at least even hint at it FFS.
How are we ever going to evolve to be better humans, when these idiots in the media don’t at least help a little to shine a path to a better more fair and just humanity? and worse, it seems a lot of the time our media is actually dragging us backwards.
Yes Adrian T
My own thoughts. Won’t say more but it is interesting to be gently reminded to be nice because he’s dead and wait before criticising.
There is a guidebook of etiquette on how long to extend the period of mourning and sanctity before acknowledging the truth, in a country of free speech?
No doubt you understand the mirage ‘must’ be maintained and carefully managed…
Part of an obvious, and in recent times faltering, psychological operation…
CIA Director GHW Bush…Strong family legacy of crimes against humanity…
‘Pappy Bush’
Good luck with getting a response to that.
We forget that Moras Panel should be classed as light entertainment.
If you’ve heard Moras wife on the radio you will realise that wee Jimmy hasnt been allowed to have an original thought for many years.
Cherchez la femme. again!
I know I won’t get a response, no it more of a therapeutic action for me, helps release a bit of tension so I can get on with my day, which reminds me…
A quick shout out to the good people of Blenheim. I accidentally left my phone on a bench in the main street. I went to the Police station, mainly to get a report recorded for the insurance claim, and was gobsmacked to find that some good citizen had handed it in a few minutes earlier.
So thanks, Blenheim, you rock. For any readers who visit the town, my recommendation for coffee and eats is the truly wonderful Ritual Cafe, Maxwell Rd. If readers fancy a beer, the Waterfront (the old Royal) and the Yard Bar are the go. And if you lose anything, the local Police are definitely there to help.
Better living, NZ!
And while we are lauding Blenheim’s good points – a plug for Turkish restaurant Akbabas at 2 Maxwell Road, Blenheim. Good people and good food.
https://www.akbabaskebabs.co.nz/our-story/
The good people of Blenheim thank you. There is a bit more to the town and the eateries and bars mentioned.
There are craft breweries and bars, wineries, the PM has announced a year round version of the Coastal Express with upgraded train stations, great walks, tramps, fishing, hunting, and theatre.
Just like the rest of NZ, really……..
The main advantage though is a population of 45,000 in an area the size of Israel.
Great weather and lifestyle attracts senior citizens and Marlborough has the highest numbers of senior citizens in the country per capita. With 1% of the country’s population Grey Power Marlborough has 9% of the nation-wide Grey Power membership.
And no traffic lights!
So 9% of the voices of boomer generation who owe the rest of us many thanks for being able to retire in sunny climes, while younger generations toil away unable to afford a decent house in colder and damper areas to pay for your retirement.
Good to know what areas to be suspect of when the super issue is raised
I think, in your penny’s worth, that you may just have not realised that today’s seniors have paid taxes all their lives, I can recall 60% top rate being paid, and willingly, to pay for the generation that went before us who came out of the Depression era and were supported properly in their turn by us.
So enough of the intergenerational rivalry crap, Tuppence. Envy will consume you, narcissism will afflict you, entitlement and consumerism eat at your very vitals.
Respect your elders, Tuppence. After all, they reared you, taught you what you know, changed your nappies, tolerated your tantrums and excused your ignorance.
As did my parents in their turn.
If I didn’t think you were trolling, I’d pity you………
Thank you mac1 – husband and I are certainly part of that cohort – paid plenty of pretty high tax in our working life and still pay tax on our superannuation payments, withholding tax (however modest) and GST on day to day purchases.
Fuck off Tuppence
If youre worried about your retirement, get off your lazy arse and start saving
And I dont even come from Blenheim
A.
“Generation Snowflake, or Snowflake Generation, is a neologistic term used to characterize the young adults of the 2010s as being more prone to taking offense and less resilient than previous generations, or as being too emotionally vulnerable to cope with views that challenge their own.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Snowflake
Growing up insulated by technology, this new generation gets traumatised by differences between people. Humans learn to socialise by living in communal environments. Gen Snowflake has matured without that learning, apparently. Now we are beginning to see political consequences of their tech-warp effect.
“The term “Generation Snowflake”, or its variant “Snowflake Generation”, probably originated in the United States and came into wider use in the United Kingdom in 2016 following the publication of Claire Fox’s book I Find That Offensive!. In it she wrote about a confrontation between Yale University students and faculty Head of College, Nicholas Christakis. The confrontation arose after Christakis’s wife, Erika Christakis, a lecturer at the university, had suggested students should “relax a bit rather than labeling fancy dress Halloween costumes as culturally insensitive”, according to Fox. Fox described the video showing the students’ reaction as a “screaming, almost hysterical mob of students”. Fox said the backlash to the viral video led to the disparaging moniker “generation snowflake” for the students.”
“Snowflake generation” was recognised as one of Collins Dictionary’s 2016 words of the year. Collins defines the term as “the young adults of the 2010s, viewed as being less resilient and more prone to taking Offense than previous generations”.
“Similarly, in 2016 the Financial Times included snowflake in their annual Year in a Word list, defining it as “a derogatory term for someone deemed too emotionally vulnerable to cope with views that challenge their own, particularly in universities and other forums once known for robust debate” and noting that the insult had been aimed at an entire generation.”
“The term snowflake has been used to refer to children raised by their parents in ways that give them an inflated sense of their own uniqueness. This usage of snowflake has been attributed to Chuck Palahniuk’s 1996 novel Fight Club, and its 1999 film adaptation. Both the novel and the film include the line “You are not special. You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake.” In January 2017, Palahniuk claimed credit for coining snowflake, adding that the young adults of the 2010s exhibit “a kind of new Victorianism”. An article published by Merriam-Webster stated that Palahniuk was not the first person to use snowflake metaphorically, saying, “It’s the stuff of self-help books and inspirational posters and elementary school assurances. The imagery before negation is lovely; we are each unique snowflakes, each worth treasuring because each is uniquely beautiful.”
So there’s a positive side, but. Everyone is unique. Just a question of acceptance being more sensible than self-promotion. And, given that Lasch’s diagnosis of the culture of narcissism (1979) applies to all generations born since WWII, this positive side isn’t really the point. Politics is a team sport, and those who play must conform to team rules. Gen Snowflake doesn’t want to play. Will they grow old apolitical? Or will their strident self-assertion constellate a common ground?
The people who complain about snowflakes are the real snowflakes. They just need to realise that they have had enough and are not taking any crap anymore.
Yep, the most powerful force known to man, our attitude, our inner critic, our feelings.
It’s easy to dismiss a trans person’s desire to be referred to as ‘she’. To them, it’s the foundation stone of their life.
Snowflakes do tend to coalesce into a hard ball, soft individually but in your face, quite painful when they are in a mass.
You mean like this…
https://www.news.com.au/world/french-government-caves-to-pressure-after-worst-riots-in-decades/news-story/91fe1eeb0f444b3efe87fff4742e714c
Pretty painful individually too
Totally – and the ones who sneer at supposed snowflakes are usually the ones imposing or benefiting from the crappy conditions that the snowflakes are complaining about.
Just the usual human dynamic of power and domination by one person over another.
Most of us arnt complaining about them – we are laughing at them.
Why laugh at them, James?
Does it make you feel ‘big’ around the bbq to ridiculing others ?….
Why laugh at them?
Because they are very funny.
I prefer soy boys as a classification to snow flake for the male variety
Apparently people being “forced” into social housing is all about the burden placed on private landlords by this current government:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1812/S00056/govt-forcing-more-people-into-social-housing.htm
“By setting up more roadblocks and hurdles for landlords, and raising compliance costs, many landlords have decided not to rent out their properties. As a result more people are forced to rely on publicly funded social housing.”
Nothing to do with the fact that so many people are now priced out of the private market, and the social housing waiting list is now the longest it has ever been due the combination of a)this and b)the systematic sell-off of State Housing under the last regime? Simon O’Conner, your sudden concern for the vulnerable is touching.
I think the quote and your thoughts are 2 edges of the same sword Kay.
One of the reasons people are being priced out of the private rental market is because landlords are considering “For it to be worth my while, I’ll need to up the rent $150 on my place.”
Our current government rest on: ‘It’s a supply and demand thing, we’re in this mess because the other jokers did nothing for a decade’. This does absolutely nothing about addressing the problem and is entirely about ‘Don’t blame me, it’s his fault.’
I try hard to be an optimist, but I’m struggling with our housing outlook. National passed a law requiring all landlords in NZ to insulate their rentals by July 31st next year. Those that don’t can expect heavy fines and if called out, required to pay exemplary damages to tenants that take their non complying landlord to the tribunal. For some tenants, the largest cash sum they’ve ever had in their lives.
Up in the Far North where the landscape is rich and job prospects poor, many families live in older simple baches that the owners were using less for holidays as their kids found other things to do. Rather than sell many hang on to them for the next generation of kids, for 3 generations to spend Christmases there. In the meantime, many have become low cost housing for those of us that live up here on tight budgets.
I’m concerned for the many people up here in the sub-tropical Far North that come next July, will be living in illegal houses.
really …
Newshub can reveal he didn’t even run that past the Prime Minister, and understands she only found out about it while watching our TV story.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/12/exclusive-pm-jacinda-ardern-to-review-housing-minister-s-kiwibuild-house-flipping-penalty
https://www.labour.org.nz/housing
“KiwiBuild homes will only be sold to first home buyers. To avoid buyers reaping windfall gains, a condition of sale will require them to hand back any capital gain if sold on within 5 years.”
So a Labour election pledge was broken by 2 labour ministers (Tywford & Robertson) and then re instated by the PM.
When should an election promise be kept and when is it ok to break a promise ??
“Newshub can reveal .. ”
An awful lot of opining in that story but not much evidence.
What that min Tywford announces that there would be a reduced 3 year cap gain time limit, that he had no authority to make, that was also in conflict with an election promise. That our PM also was not aware of.
Not sure what else anyone needs to know but I am open to hear alternative views 🤔
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12156833
Here is a link to the changes that the govt made.
“But speaking to media this afternoon, Twyford said the Government had changed the rules.“ so who is this government that had changed the rules ??
The reporter’s statements like these have only her reckons to support them:
“Ms Ardern is unimpressed”
“The public didn’t like Mr Twyford’s rorters rule, but he probably didn’t realise his boss agreed.”
But the link I supplied ex nzherald had a quote from min Tywford. “But speaking to media this afternoon, Twyford said the Government had changed the rules.”
The GOVERNMENT (my bold not shouting” so the government is at odds with he PM ??🤔I am confused, does the PM not agree with her government?
But the link I supplied ex nzherald had a quote from min Tywford. “But speaking to media this afternoon, Twyford said the Government had changed the rules.”
The GOVERNMENT (my bold not shouting” so the government is at odds with he PM ??🤔I am confused, does the PM not agree with her government?
My problem is not whether several Ministers changed a policy, but with unsubstantiated allegations about how the PM feels about it.
Newshub has deleted my link here is their latest link
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/12/exclusive-pm-jacinda-ardern-to-review-housing-minister-s-kiwibuild-house-flipping-penalty.
Not to sure why my initial link doesn’t work.
“but with unsubstantiated allegations about how the PM feels about it.” not sure how I can assist. I imagine our PM is unimpressed as
How can a minister change the rules which was in breach of the Labour manifesto
How can we, the voter trust Labour to keep their promises ?
But I imagine any lack of justification will be taken as Labour lied to us. 🤥
“*I imagine* our PM is unimpressed as”
which is a much more honest way of putting it.
👍🏾 Glad I was able to work that out
A future in journalism beckons. 🙂
You are being quite unfair to Ms Ardern by suggesting that she wasn’t involved in the decision.
She was going to consider the matter as soon as she had settled the most important thing on her agenda.
https://spy.nzherald.co.nz/spy-news/pm-reveals-plans-for-baby-neves-first-xmas/
I’m sure that as soon this is sorted out, which shouldn’t take more than a couple of weeks, she will look at what Twyford has been up too.
What do trivial things like Kiwibuild matter anyway? After all, when people see the places they don’t buy them and refuse to go through with the purchase.
Perhaps someone can explain to me how studio apartments can really be affordable at $380,000 or one bedroom places at $500,000 are “affordable for first home buyers” anyway?
Is that really meant to get young families into homes, as Twyford promised?
With all the Santa hood ha of late I though some here would be interested to know that little old reatihi lead the way with last years Santa being a Maori woman. Not a ripple was made . Good a?
Tonight I asked my kid “What race is Santa?”
He immediately responded “A dwarf”
A.
Curious about the context of that peculiar ‘father-to-son’ question.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/17/santa-claus-black-white-christmas-race-debate-fox-news
Poor kid!
Well, I was curious what he would say, and I thought it was a very good answer.
A.
Figures. It sounded dodgy from the start….lots of Chinese needed desperately to built high rise. Whatever.
One thing I can’t stand is these people who think themselves about the law saying things like, “there’s nothing you can do”. Nothing? Nothing at all?
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/377614/chinese-construction-workers-brought-to-nz-believe-they-ve-been-conned
There has been a couple of cases here in Australia, where the Unions and various State and Federal Government Departments have gone in to bat for the Chinese workers and have come down hard the companies/ firms that have employed the Chinese workers over wages and entitlements. Further investigations by the Unions involve and the relevant Government Dept’s have also found that the worker are here illegally because of breaches in their Visas obtained by the companies that the poor workers are working for.
During the last mining boom and the current up lift in mining atm, a number of companies are trying to bring Chinese workers to help construct the various mining projects to keeps cost downs aka wages and WHS etc. But the Unions have kept this in check so far.
So without strong Unions and strong Government Departments in NZ this is going to happen in a regular basis unless the Unions and Government isn’t prepared to step up enforce or strengthen the various laws and ensure that the NZ workers get a fair go/ deal. The same could be said IRT to training future NZ workers in whatever trade discipline he or she chooses as would also further erode pay and conditions and WHS which quite possibly lead to further outcomes like these Chinese workers atm.
Great to see Canada acting on Huawei by arresting their CFO Meng Wanzou, for extradition to the US.
now can they please arrest Zuckerberg for distorting global democracy itself.
Ideally China should do that arrest to make it all even.
Await a major diplomatic war.
“Wanzhou Meng, the deputy chair of Huawei’s board and the daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Vancouver, the Globe and Mail reported. The arrest was at the request of US authorities. “Wanzhou Meng was arrested in Vancouver on December 1. She is sought for extradition by the United States, and a bail hearing has been set for Friday,” US Justice department spokesperson Ian McLeod said.” https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/109139920/huaweis-chief-financial-officer-arrested-in-canada
Interesting that they sat on the news for five days. Maybe China threatened Canada with feng shui if they didn’t release her & Canadian experts took a while to evaluate the threat.
Arresting her for what the EU is planning to do , trade with Iran and get around the sanctions
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/dec/05/meng-wanzhou-huawei-cfo-arrested-vancouver
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/05/european-union-dependence-on-dollar-to-be-reduced-under-new-proposals
Luxembourg is about to make all public transport free.
What actions did NZ declare at the climate conference this week?
A little investment fund worth $100m?
FFS
Close to free in Queenstown, $2.00 anywhere with a GO Card.
https://www.orc.govt.nz/public-transport/queenstown-buses/fares-and-gocards
Not for CC reasons unfortunately, but because it was cheaper to heavily subsidise the service than try and increase network capacity. There’s a few places (Frankton Road is one) where that’s not possible.
One line I heard was that the $2.00 charge is only there because NZTA didn’t have a way of doing it for free. $2.00 would hardly cover the costs of handling the money anyway.
I guess Queenstown is to New Zealand what Luxembourg is to Europe.
Got to start somewhere; you gave a good example.
Help Wikileaks sue the Grauniad
for publishing that slander by Luke “Fuckwit” Harding.
https://www.gofundme.com/wikileaks-suing-the-guardian-over-manafort-story
[Removed the extraneous guff, Moz. And please look up the definition of journalist. It’s not what you think it is. TRP]
What the h*ll is this comment supposed to be?
A.
The comments are the first dozen or so messages of support on the petition page in support of Julian Assange and free speech and journalism. Sorry, I should have tidied up all the little admin. odds and ends, but the message is clear, I think: a lot of people want to see the Grauniad face consequences for its fraudulent reporting, i.e. its flagrant disinformation campaign against someone who is, in stark contrast to the likes of Emma Brockes and Luke Harding and James Ball, a real journalist.
Do you want me to donate money towards a threat to freedom of speech by prosecuting someone for speaking freely?
Are you Morrissey?
Do you want me to donate money towards a threat to freedom of speech by prosecuting someone for speaking freely?
You don’t understand what criminal libel is.
Are you Morrissey?
Morrissey Breen was a student of mine some years ago.
no longer part of UK law?
noice
“Morrissey Breen was a student of mine some years ago.”
That explains a lot.
Yes you’re right, I don’t understand what criminal libel is….If it’s criminal I’m thinking it’s a matter for the Police to look into and I already make a regular donation to them.
A student, ahhh that explains it, I’ve not seen anyone else use the term ‘Grauniad’.
I think he’s referring to a bit of self-tutelage.
Finds it refreshing to have someone to agree with, even if only a sock.
> I think he’s referring to a bit of self-tutelage.
Self abuse more like
If it’s a sock it’s a sticky one
A.
I’ve not seen anyone else use the term ‘Grauniad’.
That’s because you don’t read Private Eye.
I would certainly like to see the Guardian taken to account for publishing unverifiable tabloid bullshit that suits the aims of those who want to take Assange down
Take Assange down and all journalists worth the name are in the firing line.
For those who still can’t get it past their faulty belief system, Assange is a journalist
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/jun/02/julian-assange-martha-gelhorn-prize
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-28/assange-accepts-journalism-award/3698076
https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2017/04/indexawards2008-wikileaks-economist-new-media-award/
and of course played a pivotal part in the publication of the Wikileaks Files
He’s still an honorary member of the Australian Journalist’s union
Removed the extraneous guff…
“Extraneous”? I would have thought that the supportive comments of those democratically minded lovers of journalism was the very heart of this matter. The attempt to destroy Assange is an attempt to silence all of us.
And please look up the definition of journalist. It’s not what you think it is.
Ha! We know what your idea of a journalist is.
Crikey, you had to go all the way back to 2014 for that zinger? I’m impressed I haven’t said anything more recent you could have used. btw, shutting down a media organisation is not what “democratically minded lovers of democracy” do.
Meanwhile, in real journalist news, here’s some dead people:
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/dec/05/journalists-murdered-khashoggi-kuciak-panama-papers
The Grauniad is, sadly, a propaganda arm of the British state.
I don’t think it should be closed down, but I certainly think that liars like Luke Harding should be fired, and also that rubbish editor. Rubbisher’s his name, isn’t it.
I Agee with your “ I don’t think “ Mozz after that you lost me
Just a reminder that democracy is just as much part of the problem as capitalism: “The report estimates CO2 emissions will rise by 2.7% in 2018, sharply up on the plateau from 2014-16 and 1.6% rise in 2017.” https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/dec/05/brutal-news-global-carbon-emissions-jump-to-all-time-high-in-2018
“The International Energy Agency’s data also shows rising emissions in 2018. Its executive director, Fatih Birol, said: “This turnaround should be another warning to governments as they meet in Katowice this week.””
Why bother giving govts more warnings? Since when has that ever worked? “The “dark news” of rising emissions is merging with two other alarming trends, according to Prof David Victor, at the University of California, San Diego, in an article with colleagues also published in Nature on Wednesday.”
“Falling air pollution is enabling more of the sun’s warmth to reach the Earth’s surface, as aerosol pollutants reflect sunlight, while a long-term natural climate cycle in the Pacific is entering a warm phase. Victor said: “Global warming is accelerating. [These] three trends will combine over the next 20 years to make climate change faster and more furious than anticipated.””
“The Global Carbon Budget, produced by 76 scientists from 57 research institutions in 15 countries, found the major drivers of the 2018 increase were more coal-burning in China and India as their economies grew, and more oil used in more transport. Industry also used more gas. Renewable energy grew rapidly, but not enough to offset the increased use of fossil fuel.”
“Democracy” is NOT the problem. Over 80% want action on Anthropogenic global warming.
It is the lack of Democracy!
A couple of interesting reports IRT to CC, one on the ice melt in Greenland and the other the NZDF and likely CC effects they NZDF is now likely to in counter as the science starts to firm up its evidence IRT CC.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/109130891/climate-reality-check-greenland-ice-melt-speeds-up
https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-12-06/greenland-ice-sheet-melting-accelerating/10581980
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/109067137/defence-force-we-need-to-prepare-for-climate-change
P.S I’ve just noticed that old mate from No Right Turn has posted the same thing.
http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2018/12/climate-change-threat-to-our-security.html
Here is an article from Scoop and has a PDF link I haven’t gone over yet.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1812/S00063/defence-assessment-on-climate-change-and-security-released.htm
Awa’ an’ bile yer heid ‘n’ pick a windae, yer leavin’ wi’ yer foodbank, ye piece o’ tory jobby . *
.
ANGRY protestors chased Scotland’s only Conservative MP out of town after he turned up to open a food bank.
Protestors shouted “Shame on you” and screamed at Scottish Secretary David Mundell after he sneaked out the back door of the Trussell Trust-operated facility in the Dumfries and Galloway town.
They surrounded the white Ford Focus motor he was in, which had to slowly edge its way through the raging mob with the help of a police escort.
People banged on the windows and at first refused to let the vehicle move, until four uniformed police officers arrived to part the crowd.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/watch-angry-protesters-chase-scotlands-6130021?
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-33612612
sounds just like the film I Daniel Blake. Privileged idiots creating hell on earth for those without an influential voice.
Lucky for english and key that those living in cars and recorded as having a roof over their heads didn’t turn up at parliament in protest, but the first rule of destroying opposition to poverty fightback is to remove the means, so they could not afford the petrol. Unlike the tractors and the trucks, all backed by big money to attack Labour Governments.
Funny atmosphere in QT today. Subdued? Quiet? Questions delivered and answers polite and full. Though the Paula Bennett attack about “leaking” the address of the estranged wife, the Opposition were told repeatedly that the said women did not seek or accept secrecy. So Bennett and Woodhouse were chasing a non target.
With any Parliamentary opposition dead until at least 2020,
a popular government,
really low unemployment,
lots and lots of money to spend,
and the most progressive legislative agenda New Zealand has had in 50 years, well ……………………………………..
……………………. maybe we’re running out of things to complain about!
Great that the housing crisis is over, a relief
A.
It was a good show by Peters and Hipkins in Q1 and 2. Bennett was left suitably put in her place.
Links to the videos and more re what was said in my comment here.
https://thestandard.org.nz/double-down-protect-parliament-ban-bridges-for-a-month/#comment-1559140
“Protecting the Umpire
by Andrew Geddis
Did you know that Parliament could imprison you for saying that Trevor Mallard is biased in favour of Jacinda Ardern over Simon Bridges? But it (almost certainly) won’t….
…So, for example, consider political editor Audrey Young’s published account of Thursday’s events in the Herald: “Parliament’s Speaker, Trevor Mallard, has an inbuilt bias against National Party leader Simon Bridges and a soft spot for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.” Such a public accusation of overt favouritism on the part of the Speaker likely could be punished as a contempt, if Parliament wanted to do so….”
The MPs who flout the rules cannot expect to get away with it though.
https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/protecting-the-umpire
Would love to see that happen now and again to certain individuals, just to keep everyone on their toes and just the GG the Speaker does some awesome/ powerful rules/ powers in their playbook that a lot of people don’t know unless you are like old mate Andrew Geddis..
Suppose a clever lawman like Young Simon or for that matter Old A Young would know the rules, unless their aim is the Dead Cat thing.
Audrey is pretty biased herself isn’t she?
Now I am wondering if, behind the scenes today, something is happening to the Leadership. After all, Simon did declare Jamie as the Leaker in spite of his denial and now Simon’s judgement must be in further question. Might explain the deflated National Caucus today? No histrionics and few interjections
Yes it was very quite today and it does make you wonder if someone had a very quite word to the”No Mates Party” members about yesterday’s antics?
Certainly some-one should have! The Speaker also showed firm control again today, and with the double dismissals yesterday, the bullies of the opposition
got shown the consequences of thoughtless, undisciplined and self-centred behaviour.
It raises the question, though, who would be counselling Bridges and Brownlee, the opposition leader and shadow leader of the House? The National Party president? English? Key? Shipley? Bulger? The Business Round Table? Australian bankers? American oil interests? Insert your national/international conspiracy theory here?
So Gracie managed to make it through South America, yet she’s missing in NZ. This is seriously a very nasty place for women. Hopefully, all women are looking for her. Hoping for a good outcome.
I think we all wish for a happy outcome for this.
I don’t think you can back your stat up and I am sure all good nz men which are by far the majority are praying for a good outcome here as well
> Hopefully, all women are looking for her
Seems vaguely unlikely
A.
Seating arrangement.
https://screenshotscdn.firefoxusercontent.com/images/3cce83d8-b882-4ad5-8e33-0364b8d10b0d.png
On a whano duties to busy to post opinions Ka kite ano
The Public servants had predicted that there m8 would win big boxes of tissues were required after the election .Ka pai Jacinda .
Public servants responsible for the transition between governments failed to support new ministers as no-one had planned for a full scale, new administration.Officials were caught on the hop after last year’s general election, having planned for change no greater than a Cabinet reshuffle – that caused problems like being unable to supply laptops and mobile phones and a lack of experienced staff for incoming ministers
I see it been 2 years since the BANKERS MAN shonky got pushed out of our Parliament .links below ka kite ano
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/377521/beehive-caught-off-guard-by-change-of-government
P.S Thanks to NZFirst & The Greens to for flipping out the neo liberals capitalists party Ka pai ka kite ano
Kia ora Newshub I say that the education systems needs a big shake up for the money invested we are not getting very good results for the lower classes of students minority cultures are not even getting a 30% pass rate into a higher paying jobs we have to import those skills and in the process the lower classes youth are ending on the scrap heap.
The Westpac Helicopter serves is run by retired WHO guess and you will be correct Eco Maori nemeses they have the same raciest attitude to because he is out of the force he has lost his suppression cover .
We must keep our bio security up and keep the threats out of Aotearoa it will destroy our farming and horticulture.
I say Lady Ga Ga and Bradleys movie A Star Is Born is a awesome move you know the old saying silence about a problem is like rot it just keep’s snowballing into a big mess if you watch the movie you will get what I getting at.
Mann I see how the justice system works I will be doing a post on this subject later Hollie .
There you go trump spraying wai on the rest of the World the good Chinese lady from Huawei being arrested in Canada wtf trump and his admin does not give a stuff about Aotearoa’s well being they just want to cling to power weather .
The Yemen crises has more string attached than that it is a big proxy war Mess and the poor children are dieing in there tens of thousands probley hundreds of thousands as they cover up the facts idiots.
Lloyd that will be a good movie he must not have been looking in the correct place A .
lol E hoa Ka kite ano
Kia ora from Storm & Anna The Crowd Goes Wild .
Wai it should be a good boxing match .
The Gypsies did have a very good come back fight when one thinks of the time he had off boxing is a sport were one needs to be quite fit to go the distance .
Ka pai to the Black sticks.
Storm the preseason training seams quite strenuous .
Brad Weber had a good season I have had a couple in the club .
I was hoping you did a story on Shawn I gave him a bit of Eco tau toko and he pihau one with any intelligence knows it takes two to have a problem enough said.
Ka kite ano
I had to got to Auckland on Whano duties and the sandflies know exactly why and the still swarm around us endangering my mokopunas they don’t give a stuff . They get there m8 to play cat and mouse with me —-me off trying to get my license taken off me the PEE heads ano to kai ka kite ano P.S only the wealthy get justice us poor people just get shit on by this system