Yet another driver failing to stop for police with tragic consequences. Lets hope the judge uses the full extent of the law when sentencing him to keep him locked up and off the roads for as long as possible.
Oddly enough, I was in Christchurch late last week and paid about 10 cents a litre less (for diesel) than when I got back to Dorkland early this week and filled up at Glen Eden Gull (usually near the cheapest around here).
GAS never seems particularly low-priced here in Orclund, unlike Gull. Whereas the mainland has NPD and Allied which both seemed reliably low-priced. Gull and Waitomo also appear to be starting up down there.
"Apathy towards mainstream politicians has seen support for independent candidates surge by five percentage points, according to a new poll.
The Savanta ComRes poll for the Telegraph found that six per cent of British adults plan to support aspiring MPs who do not belong to any of the six main parties on December 12.
The pollster puts support for “other” parties at 6 per cent – higher than the 4 per cent planning to support the SNP, the 3 per cent behind the Brexit Party and the 2 per cent voting for the Greens.
However, the results may also reflect methodological change .."
.. one week until election day there is still time for public opinion to shift – just as it did away from Theresa May in 2017.
Labour have been steadily narrowing the gap with the Tories, in-part thanks to a relatively popular manifesto, but continue to suffer from the on-going accusations of anti-Semitism which are plaguing both party and leader.
Still some life in the old anti-Semitism canard yet. Whereas the real Islamophobia in the Tories is seldom mentioned. The closing gap can yet again be attributed to the election period rules pegging back the anti-Labour media bias from the stratospheric to the merely blatant.
I understand his personal situation to be genuine and I think he did have a case, which is why I offered to speak to his local MP," Faafoi told Newshub
From the link: "Text messages obtained by Newshub … "
Translation: "Jason Kerrison has given Tova O'Brien … "
There is no other possible source (unless you think Tova can hack into Facebook and phones).
Honest reporting would be: "Today, in an attempt to manipulate me and you, I was sent these messages, which I will now pass off as an exclusive, as if I had done the investigating myself."
Kerrison is his own worst enemy. Faafoi referred his case to Northland MP Matt King who apparently asked Kerrison to contact him. Kerrison apparently never did.
Yeah I had forgotten all about that weirdness. His is not a style of music that resonates with me so seeing his name pop up during the local elections was a surprise.
My son did have the same problems with immigration as Jason had early last year.
Where my son had met a German lady while over there in Germany for a wedding.
His girlfriend later came to NZ after my son returned home to NZ and my son and her approached immigration and requested a work permit for her as she had university certification to show high work value skills for NZ.
Shockingly she was roughly told by the immigration officials "don't bother to send in an application as we will not look at it" !!!!
So as parents both my wife and I arranged to meet with our local MP Stuart Nash and explained the situation that as disabled older folks we needed my son here to care for us.
Stuart Nash said he can't help but would allow his staff to contact the Immigration department to see what they can do, and it never came to anything,
So we lost our son who was a fully licenceed Master Electrician when he went back to Germany to live with his fiance.
Nothing now makes any sense to us when you see the Government is prepared to break up even NZ born families now.
It was bad for my son it be treated that way as my Wife and I remember when our Son told us what Immigration NZ said that they would ignore any application for his Fiance to get a work permit he was very angry.
As he had worked very hard to get his full registration/licence to become a fully fledged Master Electrician he was despondent with legitimate reasons.
Considering almost any other country would welcome a skilled tradesman into their country but not his own with the wife of his choice.
Rest assured @ Cleangreen, our Immigration policy is based on "best practice" (/sarc) – which is pretty much code for not very much of it makes any sense.
I've given up having any sympathy for any of the 'officials ' that have, and continue to make fuckup after fuckup (as a matter of record), AND for ministers/associate minister that refuse to undertake radical reform of the cistern.
Ministers are going to continue to be let down by their "officials", and NZers and immigration applicants are going to continue to be let down by the cistern until they do.
More fool them though eh! As far as I know, masochism and flagellation is legal. Not as though the whole issue of immigration policy could be the tipping point of an election given an opposition wanting to use any dirty trick at their disposal.
* "………..let down by their "officials", and NZers and immigration applicants are going to continue to be let down by the cistern until they do." = " ……….let down by their "officials", and NZers and immigration applicants are going to continue to be let down by the cistern until they (a gummint) do undertake radical reform".
I feel for Kris Faaoi having worked so hard to do so much for NZ to be badgered like that, and then possibly see that work jeopardised by someone you felt that close to. In the interests of NZ the Coalition need to stop trusting that others are as honourable & honest as they are, it looks like many media – certain ones in particular are basing their entire careers on it – some govt employees & those who will call you friend are driven by self interest. It's actually a very sad and undeserved day that Mr Faafoi is facing.
pffffft to all above and below. (I'm desperate to know when we can apply for funding for a series of Border Force NZ. The dogs are in training, some Shortland Street star is rehearsing the smart-arse voice-overs, Julie Christie's bidding for the rights, and NuZullOn Ear are considering funding applications)
By the way …. Does anyone know if that queue jumper Dawn Baxendale's visa has been sorted?
Edit
China attempted to control its projected population growth by decree and brute force. The culture elevates males to carry the family line and fortunes down the generations. One child only was allowed to most people. So males took precedence often. Some people drowned their girl baby in a bucket.
It was a traumatic decree with consequences with now a vastly skewed gender balance which will have the affect of females being greatly prized but also being objects to be controlled and guarded, not free, and likely to be traded in a commercial way for advantage.
Chinese men are looking to Pakistan and women trafficking with 629 victims of a people smuggling ring being accused. But Pakistan wants to obtain agreements 'to cement business with its ally' so witnesses are being told to stay schtum.
To lessen birth numbers the MIT in USA is working on a contraceptive pill that will give a month's protection from only one taken each month. That may be good if it passes trials for safety and effectiveness.
(Items – p.16 Nelson Mail World section Dec 6 2019 Fairfax).
But I think there must be an effort to limit the population burden on countries and the planet. We could allow people to choose their time of death after the age of 75, and ensure that this was properly planned for, with respect and effectively achieved according to the wishes of the person.
He said they were wrong to back the Conservatives and “don’t understand” what is happening in the Labour seats being contested by the Brexit Party. The BBC's Andrew Neil told Mr Farage that links that the MEPs had to the Tories were well known when he “paraded” them as Brexit Party candidates.
(Farage reminds me of pictures of Toad in Wind and the Willows. Anyone else see a likeness?) Confusion in Labour about Brexit – why would they be disturbed at having another Brexit vote? Which must first have a legally raised majority level to ensure it's a widely and firmly supported decision.)
.
In Hartlepool, in northeast England, most people voted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum. Now they are threatening to switch to pro-Brexit parties. Al Jazeera's Emma Hayward reports from Hartlepool.
.
EU's Donald Tusk (Polish politician) is not confused, he has considered and pronounces: Brexit has been “one of the most spectacular mistakes” in the history of the EU and followed a campaign marked by “an unprecedented readiness to lie”, Donald Tusk has said….
The unabashed anglophile, who recently said he would “in my heart always be a remainer”, put himself at odds with other EU leaders by declaring it would still be better for both sides if Brexit did not happen. Many EU diplomats fear any second referendum leading to a remain result would mean festering divisions in the UK that would block the EU from making decisions – a view Tusk strongly rejected.
A little slow with my Israel Folau comment, but here's my penny's worth:
A satisfactory result for him, all considered it would seem.
He walks away smiling and they, Rugby Australia (RA), get rid of a social media zealot.
But in a way, Folau has won on two counts;
1. He ends up with a settlement in his back pocket with only a relatively small amount having to be spent on legal "mouthpieces" (paid for by others in any case) and he will probably do well elsewhere in relation to recreational sport as a money making venture.
2. He walks off with the satisfaction of knowing that he has sent RA into a tail spin as it pertains to employment contracts and fine print.
Of course, few ever suggested that RA were anti-Christian and it should be evident that they were, more or less, trying to stay compliant in relation to almost global anti-discrimination laws pertaining to religion, race, gender etc.
But in fact, that which he expressed on social media didn’t appear to break any of those laws.
For example, if I were to take some obscure interpreted verse from the Quran and I were to state that this book of joy suggested death and damnation to the infidel, my advice is that I would not be breaking the law either.
I may seriously have an issue with the comments made by Folau, (and hey, I'm not even homosexual, nor am I a Muslim), but I do congratulate him for his entrepreneurial spirit in relation to the use of contractual law and sport to profit from.
He has proven something that is clearly apparent, people can make oodles of money from virtually doing nothing.
Translation : Someone skilled at playing with balls and his equally skillful ball handling squeeze are cunning as shit-house rats and can now go back into their circle-jerk pretend religion family and spout as many knuckle dragging opinions as they like on the dime of poor innocent rugby players.
Now maybe they'll start doing what their god wishes and start punching out babies instead of focusing on their illustrious careers.
May a God bless them and heal their hurt feelings.
well, contract law or a bit of litigious extortion: you can pay me X to settle, or you'll pay your lawyers X+Y to fight the case in court.
He was allowed to say what he said, I don't think anyone's said it crossed legal lines. He just shat on the brand that was paying him by advertising the brand that's the family business.
Edit
This is really interesting. On Radionz details about a building firm that has put up a new building in Christchurch which a junior structural engineer blew the whistle about. Just as well or probably no-one would have known until there was a disaster. What a story, the young engineer walking past the building, looked past the construction fence, and saw some unnerving evidence of poor construction and reported it. Good on that person, and on his firm to which he first reported.
Then…bad. The building was allowed to be continued. And now sits vacant and pending dangerous.
A full two years of wrangling later – during which time the building was completed, as was one next door – experts have confirmed there are 10 significant weaknesses in the design or construction of columns, bracing, the calculation of seismic loads, hold-down bolts, the pile design and the stairs.
The building consent team at the city council said it was "gutted" the eight-storey design got through its checking systems.
This from another developer who has background on the people and company behind the building.
"Two or three years ago, they approached us, were aware that we wanted to build a carparking building in Hereford Street. They said that they felt that Christchurch was being overcharged for buildings and that they could do it so much better," Mr Gough said.
He looked into Rockwell, he said.
Companies office records show it was set up in 2014 and 2015 by business interests originally from Korea, and in online posts says it offers seismic engineering and specialised construction.
"They had a company that was only about $100 shareholding, was less than a month old and had no experience in New Zealand or Christchurch whatsoever," Mr Gough said.
Don't we check on integrity of people, company, experience, materials etc before approving projects and their formation? Have NZ and particularly, Christchurch planners and regulators, been overcome by some virus that has over-ridden their normal desire to do their jobs well? What sort of background credentials have they, to even get into their jobs? What are they being taught during the time they are studying for their qualifications?
We have so many botches in NZ and it is time for a revolution as all–embracing as that of Douglas & Co, and old worn-out Labour. We can't let this country be run by cowboys with the rodeo running on a national scale. Those who specialise in looking after animal welfare have got rodeos banned. We humans consider ourselves so intelligent, and on a higher level above animals, yet we can't trust our trained and well-paid managers to look after our welfare, and ultimately, their own. We are the animals being spurred and kicked. God help us!
One of the downsides not considered in NZ's unseemly haste to embrace globalization is the issue of enforcement across language barriers. Council inspectors are fairly taxed assuring compliance even among builders from our own culture, and moreso in Christchurch, where large numbers of substandard earthquake repairs seem to have slid through without the inspectorate so much as clearing it's throat. Throw in language and cultural issues and they are more likely to avoid the job than demonstrate the extra vigilance and communication skills required.
Ideally you'd have a surplus & cycle them through the construction sector & polytechs & WEAs during low build times, to upskill and spread the knowledge. Kindof at odds with the black economy model of exploited foreign workers building McMansions though.
"$100 shareholding", more at "$100 company". An old phrase or terminology but still widely used and used most legitimately as a description for a company which might only be worth the cost of the original company registration set up cost, and then even less when the company is being pursued by creditors or other irate individuals or groups.
Indeed the safety and quality assurance concerns are one issue, and also the other issue pertaining to the many who'd have assisted with the construction in good faith and had supplied materials, only to find that as creditors, they may never get paid anything close to their costs, let alone getting paid adequately for their supply and trade.
That, and when we've run out of undies and decide to go jocks "commando style".
Then he can be likened to some used and soggy tea leaves in tea cup, probably only fit to be placed at the window side of a Newmarket cafe on Carlton Gore Road, so as to be mishandled or reused for an even weaker, pallid, lackluster brew and then abused or consumed by any and sundry, in and around the national political set.
"Farm environment plans can be the one thing that you know you need to follow and work to," Ms Ardern told the conference."But then, how do we know those have relevant at the level of each catchment. "So there are things we would like your views on…
Farmers have already fenced off around 25,000 kilometres of riverbank under earlier agreements with the Crown. But most of them were built closer to a river than the five metre setback required under September's Action Plan for Healthy Waterways….
Ms Ardern said the Minister for the Environment, David Parker, would offer farmers a temporary reprieve. "He (Mr Parker) has said there could be a 10-year period (to do this) or a five-year period, so he is being very pragmatic about this."
I have a small creek running through the bottom of my 10 acre mini-farm and wonder what we need to do as the sheep all 40 of them don't go near the creek that we see.
We wonder where to for us now? – do we need to fence that small creek, will Gov’t help fund it?
If not do we just de-stock to keep just a few pet sheep like we had at the beginning of our organic farm?
There are councils/developers that are looking for land to assist in protecting water courses from stock, by providing offsetting mitigation that has resulted from effects of development. You could ask someone at your local authority/council for information as to the suitability of your land, the mitigation can be fencing, riparian planting
If the Pharmac apologists are still floating around here I would be very interested in hearing your views on these latest developments. Just be warned, I'm still recovering from a seizure last night and I'm very stroppy and argumentative(a very common after effect) but I'll do my best to manage it.
I hope you are all right now Kay. Have you got the treatment that you want?
Why can't people be asked to trial it, while they still have their previous medication. And if it doesn't suit, they can change back again. Those with the condition will understand their condition and know when it is suitable to try anything new, and have their other medication handy if there is a reaction.
@grey, thank you, I actually managed to fluke funding to stay on my long-standing brand some months ago before the Pharmac back down, but it could've gone the other way. Had I not, I would've been paying to stay on it and starving in the process, and probably dropping my dose to afford it.
I've been helping out with the fight behind the scenes and in the process have seen so many documents and OIA requests etc, and it's bloody scary what goes on. This fight is not over because Logem is still the sole funded brand and the other 2 brands are only still available here by the grace of the drug companies, ie supply not guaranteed. So we're not out of the woods.
Remember this isn't just a fight over a drug used for a few people with epilepsy and bipolar- this has happened before and will continue to happen, and people will continue to be harmed if this practice is not severely scrutinised and reigned in. And the people who want to back Pharmac blindly are welcome to, but they might want to remember they could be next to be affected.
It is amazing to see how things work out. We are talking about a drug for people who will be ill without it. There is a right dose, neither too little and certainly not too much will give the required effect.
The government has to be careful with its health budget and we all know that. So they try to be careful with expenditure, and yet need to keep the right amount of health treatment available. They want to take a balanced approach.
Then they allow their agent Pharmac to go OTT in a type of experiment, as it cannot be predicted just how many people will not be able to utilise the new type of the old drug. So they are prepared for them to underdose on the budget availability for epilepsy drugs and take a risk in the process, with your life. No wonder you are angry. They are virtually taking a guinea pig approach (sorry for any guinea pigs that have been hurt in the process).
If you wanted to boost support for the PM, it would go something like this:
"Stage a gun protest outside a primary school. Have no connection at all with the location, the event, the people. Involve ultra-fringe groups like the New Conservatives. Make sure you get on telly. Antagonise the public as much as possible."
Perhaps people who are agitated and excited seem silly and journalists only respect cold-blooded types like the March gunman who apparently remained detached while he created mayhem. He wasn't highly agitated although others were. Journos need to look for the cool one, at the eye of the storm.
Whenever there is a protest by lefties/greenies/Maori, especially during weekday work hours, they are immediately labelled "rentamob". (Disclosure: nobody has ever paid me rent to go and protest, but my rates are available on request).
Why is "rentamob" never used for right wing protests?
I've my digs, a billy and some te secured in a fag end wrap, attached to the end of a broomstick handle, and I’m off to seek my fortune in marketing and script writing.
No more the philosophical journeys (imposed or otherwise) down a path of hand to mouth monk hood if I can help it.
It's been a pleasure, am sure. One to one, to many and a chance to deliberate the wherefores and y's.
Don't leave us – now we have learned to appreciate your sterling qualities and ideas. If you have an idea why not drop it in – just takes a moment and then leave it to us to note it or thrash it out. Something of interest that intrigues you. Maybe just give us a link and a steer – this for the USA political watchers or Climate Change findings etc. Set a time limit for yourself which I have to do now. I confess I have to have a wind up device that ticks off the minutes. It's quirky, shaped like a tomato and dings when my time is up.
Nearly all family visitors start to grind on each other after a while. I love my beautiful ol Dad to bits but gee after 2 days of sharing the same space together…
The true and divine pleasure lives in the anticipation of being together again Clean and you're rolling in clover.
I was thinking today about protesting and if there could be a better way.
Traditionally, it is about getting in the face of perpetrators or influencers and harping 'We don't like what you're doing, stop it.'
It's a very basic strategy, rudimentary.
I wonder if we could be doing more with the same energy if we got in Twyford's face and demanded free rego and a rebate on the sticker price for electric vehicles as opposed to inhibiting OMV vessels from leaving port.
Creative protesting. Abseiling up the beehive will draw popular media coverage to a cause.
I don't know about you but I'm a long way from Wellington and a first-time abseiler…should that be absailor? If not, it should be.
Anyway, creative protesting. making the most effective noise possible with the least energy.
There must be better ways than standing outside Rio Tinto's head office chanting 'Stop all Mining you bastards'.
Traditional protesting is about 'Stop doing that'. I think protesting stands a much better chance of attracting a groundswell of popular support if it's focused on 'Lets do this instead'. Like hassling Twyford to make owning an electric car so easy and attractive you'd be a mug not to.
Imagine the kudos if an energy minister could declare '3 new geothermal generators are coming on line. There will be 30 fewer tankers tying up to the Marsden Point refinery this year. 300,000 more Kiwis will be getting around courtesy of the steam escaping from our beautiful country.'
Politicians with stories like that don't get voted out.
Early Nissan Leafs with gasping batteries are worthless.
If I had a burning desire to make money, I'd be looking for a way to give a worthless Leaf a new lease on life on a tight budget.
I could keep my Princess as she is accustomed rebirthing orthodox Leafs but if I could convince Mr Twyford to go absolutely loopy over electric cars I think I could make serious money with a competition range.
The Nissan Bud with the sticky head handling package.
How much dope do you reckon Phil Twyford has smoked? That Kiwibuild thing was a bit of a stoner's FU hey.
Great thoughts David Mac. Your idea of positive protesting is wise. We can whine about what is being done wrong and be accused of being airy-fairy theoretical types. But practical ideas are springing out of this blog like shoots from a creeper. Can we use this place as a central post to grow round and stick out individual shoots, carry them out and report we did it? Not sure about too much info. We will have to consider, sooner or later we will be annoying enough to the uncouth pollies and their dainty wealthy friends who will find us uncouth in turn.
There are groups around NZ who can see NZ is on the decline and doing something about it. When I mentioned decline here the other day a regular said What? explain yourself. Hollow laughter from me. The thinking and practical need to keep in touch off the big screen in a way that does not make them vulnerable.
That's the way Opotiki tangata 5000 signed petition to take to the Bop health board to keep the birth unit open you will have fresh taringa now that should listen.
Alcohol and hard drugs is making a big mess of Maori and Pacific tangata lives That's the way let all the people know the stuff is rotten with your march .
I sports is a great way for tangata Stars to shine Bright.
For some rural ports along the East Coast, this is the closest birthing Uni, which is up to an hours drive to opotiki! And yes this affects Hapū Māmā, but they are also effecting changes to emergency services, so it actually affects all whānau.
This sounds similar to Southland's situation. The country being run like a factory business – there must be a certain volume of units going through to be efficient.
Get those machine-minds out of their comfy chairs! Including those of Parliament. Big sale – must clear – comfy chairs from Parliament, each one personally signed by its previous owner. Great souveniers and talking points at parties. Can be used as fund raisers along with cake stalls – a koha per minute of sitting in The Chair and addressing the audience about the things that you would do for the country if you were elected.
Now that is a great idea don't you all think? Making fun and frolic with the empty pomposity and cunning conversation that we hear from the powers-that-be.
Andy Te Tangata Whenua all know that the treaty settlement putea is only 1 cent in the dollar of the Whenua that was stolen from us stop playing hard ball a pony up more putea. That's what it is some are settling for bugger all while we watch the fat cats who got our whenua cheap going on holiday with flash waka boats while our whano struggle to keep our whanau afloat.
Hine brand looks great that is needed encouragement for our Tangata to keep fit and keep Wahine heads held up.
We need to protect our beautiful wildlife from being over exploitatived.
Measures to arrest nature's decline must be passed into law, say MEPs
Officials call for global targets on protection of land, oceans and wildlife to be subject to Paris-style legal framework.
If humanity wants to reverse the widespread destruction of the natural world, biodiversity needs legal protection like the Paris agreement on climate change, members of the European parliament have said.
Action to halt biodiversity decline is based on voluntary commitments but, less than a year before a crucial UN biodiversity conference in China, MEPs pointed to the destruction of precious ecosystems and the more than 1m species facing extinction as evidence that the approach is failing
The global biomass of wild animals has fallen by 82% since records began and 25% of plant and animal species are threatened with extinction. The IPBES report also found there was a strong link between climate change and loss of biodiversity and one could not be solved without the other.
“The dual emergency of nature decline alongside climate breakdown means transformational action is needed,” said Sandra Bell from Friends of the Earth.
“We seem to have lost sight of the fact that nature provides us with healthy soils, water and air. In the UK, and across the EU, existing targets haven’t worked because they have lacked action, so it’s up to the EU commission and national governments to enforce nature laws
Global Warming is creating huge problems we have to minimise our use of green house gases ASAP.
1.9 billion people at risk from mountain water shortages, study shows
Rising demand and climate crisis threaten entire mountain ecosystem, say scientists
A quarter of the world’s population are at risk of water supply problems as mountain glaciers, snow-packs and alpine lakes are run down by global heating and rising demand, according to an international study.
The first inventory of high-altitude sources finds the Indus is the most important and vulnerable “water tower” due to run-off from the Karakoram, Hindu Kush, Ladakh, and Himalayan mountain ranges, which flow downstream to a densely populated and intensively irrigated basin in Pakistan, India, China and Afghanistan.
The world has a third pole – and it's melting quickly
Read more
The authors warn this vast water tower – a term they use to describe the role of water storage and supply that mountain ranges play to sustain environmental and human water demands downstream – is unlikely to sustain growing pressure by the middle of the century when temperatures are projected to rise by 1.9C (35.4F), rainfall to increase by less than 2%, but the population to grow by 50% and generate eight times more GDP
Its not looking good for New Zealand's toursim flooding down south roads washed out desaster in the north a earthquake in Te Tairawhiti that was felt in Whakatane what next.
I remember reading stories from the deniers that Wind power and Solar power ie Green energy can never replace coal. Well in your face Global warming deniers no only is Wind and Solar replacing Coal its cheaper and cleaner they use a fraction of the water that is need to burn coal. This tells me one thing the World is corupt for these lieing fools being able to get away with their lies for 40 years.
Windfarms drive fall in wholesale energy price with lower bills forecast for 2020
Australian Energy Market Commission says prices will begin to fall next year and by 2022 will be $97 a year lower
The price of residential electricity is estimated to start falling next year and continue to fall until 2022, the Australian Energy Market Commission says.
The AEMC’s annual report on electricity price trends shows an overall falling price outlook over the next few years, mostly due to decreases in the wholesale cost from increased generation capacity, particularly from windfarms.
By the end of 2022, almost all Australians are expected to spend an average $97 less on their annual power bills after prices start falling in 2020, the Australian Energy Market Commission says.
Annual bills during the financial year 2018-19 reached $1,370 and have been calculated to fall to $1,273 by June 2022.
This drop is not expected for Western Australia, where annual bills are estimated to be $100 more expensive
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
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Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
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Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
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Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
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In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
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Yet another driver failing to stop for police with tragic consequences. Lets hope the judge uses the full extent of the law when sentencing him to keep him locked up and off the roads for as long as possible.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12291153
Sad eh; right before Xmas I feel for the family left behind, as much as the father who will never spend time with a loving family. Very sad..
I agree, the driver and their supervising officer should be in the dock facing charges.
I lack trust in the evidence the police would bring.
Do we remember when petrol was priced the same no matter where we bought it? A remote country store, a petrol pump and same price as in the city.
If so, why was it changed?
Oddly, last year we found a remote country town has petrol 30c cheaper that the local city price!!!!!
dv – probably the price to lease land out in the country is cheaper so less overhead cost.
We saw this effect of lower prices outside the US cities to for the 10 yrs we spent over there,
Yeah, the Gulls at Atiamuri and Te Kuiti are reliably way lower price than just about anywhere else.
And why is petrol so expensive in Christchurch (more than Auckland I think) as they do not have the Auckland extra tax?
I am guessing because higher transport costs from Marsden Point, and maybe higher distribution costs within ChCh.
Could also be because ChCh has less fuel station chains (eg GAS etc in Auckland maybe undermines the old Big Four cosy cartel) .
Oddly enough, I was in Christchurch late last week and paid about 10 cents a litre less (for diesel) than when I got back to Dorkland early this week and filled up at Glen Eden Gull (usually near the cheapest around here).
GAS never seems particularly low-priced here in Orclund, unlike Gull. Whereas the mainland has NPD and Allied which both seemed reliably low-priced. Gull and Waitomo also appear to be starting up down there.
"Apathy towards mainstream politicians has seen support for independent candidates surge by five percentage points, according to a new poll.
The Savanta ComRes poll for the Telegraph found that six per cent of British adults plan to support aspiring MPs who do not belong to any of the six main parties on December 12.
The pollster puts support for “other” parties at 6 per cent – higher than the 4 per cent planning to support the SNP, the 3 per cent behind the Brexit Party and the 2 per cent voting for the Greens.
However, the results may also reflect methodological change .."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/04/surge-independents-poll-finds-voters-set-boycott-main-parties/
More from Ashcroft’s Conservative Home ..
https://www.conservativehome.com/frontpage/2019/12/newslinks-for-thursday-5th-december-2019.html
Tory lead slips to single figures
.. one week until election day there is still time for public opinion to shift – just as it did away from Theresa May in 2017.
Labour have been steadily narrowing the gap with the Tories, in-part thanks to a relatively popular manifesto, but continue to suffer from the on-going accusations of anti-Semitism which are plaguing both party and leader.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/05/general-election-2019-opinion-polls-latest-odds-uk-labour-conservative/?li_source=LI&li_medium=li-recommendation-widget
Still some life in the old anti-Semitism canard yet. Whereas the real Islamophobia in the Tories is seldom mentioned. The closing gap can yet again be attributed to the election period rules pegging back the anti-Labour media bias from the stratospheric to the merely blatant.
not a good look….'bro'
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/12/i-m-on-it-bro-messages-show-kris-faafoi-offering-help-to-friend-jason-kerrison-over-immigration-case.html
Mountain, molehill.
As long as he just passed it on to the local MP then no problem.
From the link: "Text messages obtained by Newshub … "
Translation: "Jason Kerrison has given Tova O'Brien … "
There is no other possible source (unless you think Tova can hack into Facebook and phones).
Honest reporting would be: "Today, in an attempt to manipulate me and you, I was sent these messages, which I will now pass off as an exclusive, as if I had done the investigating myself."
Being used isn't journalism, it's laziness.
I do not get what would be in it for Kerrison to leak this stuff to the media. Won't help his family's case.
"I'm angry so I'll screw you even if it screws me" is a story as old as history (and Hollywood).
Kerrison is his own worst enemy. Faafoi referred his case to Northland MP Matt King who apparently asked Kerrison to contact him. Kerrison apparently never did.
Thanks Formerly Ross
So Matt King was going to assist too was he just???
Very interesting, so the plot thickens eh?
We wonder if tonight on Newshub Tova OBrien is 'chirping' about National MP's wanting to assist Jason Kerriston as well??
Not likely as she is anti labour isn't she?
Remember this is the guy who built a bunker in 2012 to prepare for the end of the world…
Yeah I had forgotten all about that weirdness. His is not a style of music that resonates with me so seeing his name pop up during the local elections was a surprise.
I don't think Jason Kerrison will be getting a Christmas card from Kris this year.
My son did have the same problems with immigration as Jason had early last year.
Where my son had met a German lady while over there in Germany for a wedding.
His girlfriend later came to NZ after my son returned home to NZ and my son and her approached immigration and requested a work permit for her as she had university certification to show high work value skills for NZ.
Shockingly she was roughly told by the immigration officials "don't bother to send in an application as we will not look at it" !!!!
So as parents both my wife and I arranged to meet with our local MP Stuart Nash and explained the situation that as disabled older folks we needed my son here to care for us.
Stuart Nash said he can't help but would allow his staff to contact the Immigration department to see what they can do, and it never came to anything,
So we lost our son who was a fully licenceed Master Electrician when he went back to Germany to live with his fiance.
Nothing now makes any sense to us when you see the Government is prepared to break up even NZ born families now.
So much for the free market when it applies to NZ people who genuinely would like to access its cross-border benefits.
Agreed GWS
It was bad for my son it be treated that way as my Wife and I remember when our Son told us what Immigration NZ said that they would ignore any application for his Fiance to get a work permit he was very angry.
As he had worked very hard to get his full registration/licence to become a fully fledged Master Electrician he was despondent with legitimate reasons.
Considering almost any other country would welcome a skilled tradesman into their country but not his own with the wife of his choice.
Rest assured @ Cleangreen, our Immigration policy is based on "best practice" (/sarc) – which is pretty much code for not very much of it makes any sense.
I've given up having any sympathy for any of the 'officials ' that have, and continue to make fuckup after fuckup (as a matter of record), AND for ministers/associate minister that refuse to undertake radical reform of the cistern.
Ministers are going to continue to be let down by their "officials", and NZers and immigration applicants are going to continue to be let down by the cistern until they do.
More fool them though eh! As far as I know, masochism and flagellation is legal. Not as though the whole issue of immigration policy could be the tipping point of an election given an opposition wanting to use any dirty trick at their disposal.
Shudda Cudda Wudda
* "………..let down by their "officials", and NZers and immigration applicants are going to continue to be let down by the cistern until they do." = " ……….let down by their "officials", and NZers and immigration applicants are going to continue to be let down by the cistern until they (a gummint) do undertake radical reform".
Thanks Once Was Tim.
Yes it’s cold comfort to see the Minister being lamb-basted by the media hounds when it was the bureaucrats that have caused the mess not him.
So a restructuring of the obviously dysfunctional system needs radical change now as you allude too.
Since so many mistakes have been found.
Kris is a casualty of this dysfunctional bureaucratic mess.and must be excused for thinking they were doing right for all of us.
I feel for Kris Faaoi having worked so hard to do so much for NZ to be badgered like that, and then possibly see that work jeopardised by someone you felt that close to. In the interests of NZ the Coalition need to stop trusting that others are as honourable & honest as they are, it looks like many media – certain ones in particular are basing their entire careers on it – some govt employees & those who will call you friend are driven by self interest. It's actually a very sad and undeserved day that Mr Faafoi is facing.
pffffft to all above and below. (I'm desperate to know when we can apply for funding for a series of Border Force NZ. The dogs are in training, some Shortland Street star is rehearsing the smart-arse voice-overs, Julie Christie's bidding for the rights, and NuZullOn Ear are considering funding applications)
By the way …. Does anyone know if that queue jumper Dawn Baxendale's visa has been sorted?
So much more important (/sarc)
Edit
China attempted to control its projected population growth by decree and brute force. The culture elevates males to carry the family line and fortunes down the generations. One child only was allowed to most people. So males took precedence often. Some people drowned their girl baby in a bucket.
It was a traumatic decree with consequences with now a vastly skewed gender balance which will have the affect of females being greatly prized but also being objects to be controlled and guarded, not free, and likely to be traded in a commercial way for advantage.
Chinese men are looking to Pakistan and women trafficking with 629 victims of a people smuggling ring being accused. But Pakistan wants to obtain agreements 'to cement business with its ally' so witnesses are being told to stay schtum.
To lessen birth numbers the MIT in USA is working on a contraceptive pill that will give a month's protection from only one taken each month. That may be good if it passes trials for safety and effectiveness.
(Items – p.16 Nelson Mail World section Dec 6 2019 Fairfax).
But I think there must be an effort to limit the population burden on countries and the planet. We could allow people to choose their time of death after the age of 75, and ensure that this was properly planned for, with respect and effectively achieved according to the wishes of the person.
Source ?
https://apnews.com/c586d0f73fe249718ec06f6867b0244e
To date – Brexit in the UK generally
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-politics-50670627/general-election-2019-farage-on-meps-leaving-brexit-party
General election 2019: Farage on MEPs leaving Brexit Party
Nigel Farage said three of the MEPs who have left his Brexit Party have links to the Conservative party.
He said they were wrong to back the Conservatives and “don’t understand” what is happening in the Labour seats being contested by the Brexit Party.
The BBC's Andrew Neil told Mr Farage that links that the MEPs had to the Tories were well known when he “paraded” them as Brexit Party candidates.
(Farage reminds me of pictures of Toad in Wind and the Willows. Anyone else see a likeness?) Confusion in Labour about Brexit – why would they be disturbed at having another Brexit vote? Which must first have a legally raised majority level to ensure it's a widely and firmly supported decision.)
.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/uk-labour-supporters-unhappy-prospect-brexit-vote-191205121502167.html
The decision by Britain's main opposition Labour party to hold another Brexit vote if it wins the upcoming election has upset some supporters.
In Hartlepool, in northeast England, most people voted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum.
Now they are threatening to switch to pro-Brexit parties.
Al Jazeera's Emma Hayward reports from Hartlepool.
.
EU's Donald Tusk (Polish politician) is not confused, he has considered and pronounces:
Brexit has been “one of the most spectacular mistakes” in the history of the EU and followed a campaign marked by “an unprecedented readiness to lie”, Donald Tusk has said….
The unabashed anglophile, who recently said he would “in my heart always be a remainer”, put himself at odds with other EU leaders by declaring it would still be better for both sides if Brexit did not happen. Many EU diplomats fear any second referendum leading to a remain result would mean festering divisions in the UK that would block the EU from making decisions – a view Tusk strongly rejected.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/05/brexit-one-of-most-spectacular-mistakes-in-eu-history-donald-tusk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Tusk
A little slow with my Israel Folau comment, but here's my penny's worth:
A satisfactory result for him, all considered it would seem.
He walks away smiling and they, Rugby Australia (RA), get rid of a social media zealot.
But in a way, Folau has won on two counts;
1. He ends up with a settlement in his back pocket with only a relatively small amount having to be spent on legal "mouthpieces" (paid for by others in any case) and he will probably do well elsewhere in relation to recreational sport as a money making venture.
2. He walks off with the satisfaction of knowing that he has sent RA into a tail spin as it pertains to employment contracts and fine print.
Of course, few ever suggested that RA were anti-Christian and it should be evident that they were, more or less, trying to stay compliant in relation to almost global anti-discrimination laws pertaining to religion, race, gender etc.
But in fact, that which he expressed on social media didn’t appear to break any of those laws.
For example, if I were to take some obscure interpreted verse from the Quran and I were to state that this book of joy suggested death and damnation to the infidel, my advice is that I would not be breaking the law either.
I may seriously have an issue with the comments made by Folau, (and hey, I'm not even homosexual, nor am I a Muslim), but I do congratulate him for his entrepreneurial spirit in relation to the use of contractual law and sport to profit from.
He has proven something that is clearly apparent, people can make oodles of money from virtually doing nothing.
Translation : Someone skilled at playing with balls and his equally skillful ball handling squeeze are cunning as shit-house rats and can now go back into their circle-jerk pretend religion family and spout as many knuckle dragging opinions as they like on the dime of poor innocent rugby players.
Now maybe they'll start doing what their god wishes and start punching out babies instead of focusing on their illustrious careers.
May a God bless them and heal their hurt feelings.
You have a way with words, Red Blooded One.
You have pretty much expressed what I was thinking when I was tapping away earlier on, but where my words came out a little too politely.
well, contract law or a bit of litigious extortion: you can pay me X to settle, or you'll pay your lawyers X+Y to fight the case in court.
He was allowed to say what he said, I don't think anyone's said it crossed legal lines. He just shat on the brand that was paying him by advertising the brand that's the family business.
Edit
This is really interesting. On Radionz details about a building firm that has put up a new building in Christchurch which a junior structural engineer blew the whistle about. Just as well or probably no-one would have known until there was a disaster. What a story, the young engineer walking past the building, looked past the construction fence, and saw some unnerving evidence of poor construction and reported it. Good on that person, and on his firm to which he first reported.
Then…bad. The building was allowed to be continued. And now sits vacant and pending dangerous.
A full two years of wrangling later – during which time the building was completed, as was one next door – experts have confirmed there are 10 significant weaknesses in the design or construction of columns, bracing, the calculation of seismic loads, hold-down bolts, the pile design and the stairs.
The building consent team at the city council said it was "gutted" the eight-storey design got through its checking systems.
This from another developer who has background on the people and company behind the building.
"Two or three years ago, they approached us, were aware that we wanted to build a carparking building in Hereford Street. They said that they felt that Christchurch was being overcharged for buildings and that they could do it so much better," Mr Gough said.
He looked into Rockwell, he said.
Companies office records show it was set up in 2014 and 2015 by business interests originally from Korea, and in online posts says it offers seismic engineering and specialised construction.
"They had a company that was only about $100 shareholding, was less than a month old and had no experience in New Zealand or Christchurch whatsoever," Mr Gough said.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/404956/developer-declined-rockwell-group-responsible-for-substandard-building-in-christchurch
Don't we check on integrity of people, company, experience, materials etc before approving projects and their formation? Have NZ and particularly, Christchurch planners and regulators, been overcome by some virus that has over-ridden their normal desire to do their jobs well? What sort of background credentials have they, to even get into their jobs? What are they being taught during the time they are studying for their qualifications?
We have so many botches in NZ and it is time for a revolution as all–embracing as that of Douglas & Co, and old worn-out Labour. We can't let this country be run by cowboys with the rodeo running on a national scale. Those who specialise in looking after animal welfare have got rodeos banned. We humans consider ourselves so intelligent, and on a higher level above animals, yet we can't trust our trained and well-paid managers to look after our welfare, and ultimately, their own. We are the animals being spurred and kicked. God help us!
One of the downsides not considered in NZ's unseemly haste to embrace globalization is the issue of enforcement across language barriers. Council inspectors are fairly taxed assuring compliance even among builders from our own culture, and moreso in Christchurch, where large numbers of substandard earthquake repairs seem to have slid through without the inspectorate so much as clearing it's throat. Throw in language and cultural issues and they are more likely to avoid the job than demonstrate the extra vigilance and communication skills required.
not to mention the dearth of capability in house to assess the performance of the design
Really needs to be a lot more inspectors, pain in the ass trying to get an inspector in to sign off on an inspections.
Ideally you'd have a surplus & cycle them through the construction sector & polytechs & WEAs during low build times, to upskill and spread the knowledge. Kindof at odds with the black economy model of exploited foreign workers building McMansions though.
"$100 shareholding", more at "$100 company". An old phrase or terminology but still widely used and used most legitimately as a description for a company which might only be worth the cost of the original company registration set up cost, and then even less when the company is being pursued by creditors or other irate individuals or groups.
Indeed the safety and quality assurance concerns are one issue, and also the other issue pertaining to the many who'd have assisted with the construction in good faith and had supplied materials, only to find that as creditors, they may never get paid anything close to their costs, let alone getting paid adequately for their supply and trade.
https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/status/1202305787705606144
I would like to imagine you to be our Aotearoa (TS) version, Weka.
Like a Weka Thunberg.
☺️
I have been known to sit in paddocks of long grass. Not a Thunberg but appreciate the encouragement 🙂
Greta has to be an inspiration to any human being.
Like the boy who cried wolf, Simon squeaks Meka, Clare, Grant, Ian, Shane, Stuart, Kris must resign!. Everyone resign!, anyone?, hello?, hello?…
A sad lonely voice crying in the wilderness. Poor little Simon.
To be fair though, when in opposition they did cry the same about National ministers whenever they could.
That's part of the job we pay him to do.
Well, maybe I should take a more considered view of Mr Bridges.
Here goes…
Simon is like the skidmark on my undies. Doesn't pass the sniff test, is always unpleasant, but sometimes is just plain unavoidable.
That, and when we've run out of undies and decide to go jocks "commando style".
Then he can be likened to some used and soggy tea leaves in tea cup, probably only fit to be placed at the window side of a Newmarket cafe on Carlton Gore Road, so as to be mishandled or reused for an even weaker, pallid, lackluster brew and then abused or consumed by any and sundry, in and around the national political set.
NoRightTurn nails it again.
http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2019/12/faafoi-should-be-fired.html?m=1
Acta non verba
Something good happening because Labour is working for the country.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/404936/help-may-be-on-the-way-for-farmers-struggling-with-farm-environment-plans
5.12.2019 Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern indicated help could be on the way, in answer to a question at a farmers' conference, on what might be available for farmers in next year's budget.
"Farm environment plans can be the one thing that you know you need to follow and work to," Ms Ardern told the conference."But then, how do we know those have relevant at the level of each catchment. "So there are things we would like your views on…
Farmers have already fenced off around 25,000 kilometres of riverbank under earlier agreements with the Crown.
But most of them were built closer to a river than the five metre setback required under September's Action Plan for Healthy Waterways….
Ms Ardern said the Minister for the Environment, David Parker, would offer farmers a temporary reprieve.
"He (Mr Parker) has said there could be a 10-year period (to do this) or a five-year period, so he is being very pragmatic about this."
I have a small creek running through the bottom of my 10 acre mini-farm and wonder what we need to do as the sheep all 40 of them don't go near the creek that we see.
We wonder where to for us now? – do we need to fence that small creek, will Gov’t help fund it?
If not do we just de-stock to keep just a few pet sheep like we had at the beginning of our organic farm?
There are councils/developers that are looking for land to assist in protecting water courses from stock, by providing offsetting mitigation that has resulted from effects of development. You could ask someone at your local authority/council for information as to the suitability of your land, the mitigation can be fencing, riparian planting
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/104195114/developers-fund-25-million-project-to-return-concrete-culvert-to-stream-in-reserve-on-aucklands-north-shore
Herodotus; -Thanks
Yes I will ask when next at the GDC, as we do always want the steam protected from any pollution inundation.
We came hare 14 yrs ago to escape the Napier city pollution, under doctors orders, so it has been in in our mind for years.
But on a small fixed pension we have very limited funds..
Yesterday we were able to get this "study" shut down
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/404933/epilepsy-patients-angry-at-being-told-symptoms-all-in-their-heads
Today, this happened
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/404964/chief-coroner-opens-inquiry-into-deaths-linked-to-anti-epileptic-medication
If the Pharmac apologists are still floating around here I would be very interested in hearing your views on these latest developments. Just be warned, I'm still recovering from a seizure last night and I'm very stroppy and argumentative(a very common after effect) but I'll do my best to manage it.
Although I acknowledge the patients’ rights to be angry the irony is that the study aimed to improve health outcomes for said patients.
I hope you are all right now Kay. Have you got the treatment that you want?
I hope you are all right now Kay. Have you got the treatment that you want?
Why can't people be asked to trial it, while they still have their previous medication. And if it doesn't suit, they can change back again. Those with the condition will understand their condition and know when it is suitable to try anything new, and have their other medication handy if there is a reaction.
@grey, thank you, I actually managed to fluke funding to stay on my long-standing brand some months ago before the Pharmac back down, but it could've gone the other way. Had I not, I would've been paying to stay on it and starving in the process, and probably dropping my dose to afford it.
I've been helping out with the fight behind the scenes and in the process have seen so many documents and OIA requests etc, and it's bloody scary what goes on. This fight is not over because Logem is still the sole funded brand and the other 2 brands are only still available here by the grace of the drug companies, ie supply not guaranteed. So we're not out of the woods.
Remember this isn't just a fight over a drug used for a few people with epilepsy and bipolar- this has happened before and will continue to happen, and people will continue to be harmed if this practice is not severely scrutinised and reigned in. And the people who want to back Pharmac blindly are welcome to, but they might want to remember they could be next to be affected.
It is amazing to see how things work out. We are talking about a drug for people who will be ill without it. There is a right dose, neither too little and certainly not too much will give the required effect.
The government has to be careful with its health budget and we all know that. So they try to be careful with expenditure, and yet need to keep the right amount of health treatment available. They want to take a balanced approach.
Then they allow their agent Pharmac to go OTT in a type of experiment, as it cannot be predicted just how many people will not be able to utilise the new type of the old drug. So they are prepared for them to underdose on the budget availability for epilepsy drugs and take a risk in the process, with your life. No wonder you are angry. They are virtually taking a guinea pig approach (sorry for any guinea pigs that have been hurt in the process).
If you wanted to boost support for the PM, it would go something like this:
"Stage a gun protest outside a primary school. Have no connection at all with the location, the event, the people. Involve ultra-fringe groups like the New Conservatives. Make sure you get on telly. Antagonise the public as much as possible."
Top work, guys!
A motorist yelled at the gun owning protesters : "Why outside a primary school you maniacs ."
The Herald describes the motorist as an "highly agitated driver".
Of course he was agitated. So, I bet were many other passers-by.
How dumb can some of these journos be?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12291623
Perhaps people who are agitated and excited seem silly and journalists only respect cold-blooded types like the March gunman who apparently remained detached while he created mayhem. He wasn't highly agitated although others were. Journos need to look for the cool one, at the eye of the storm.
Exactly as dumb as they need to be to secure continued employment with Granny Herald. 'The NZ Herald – lowering the bar since forever.'
Whenever there is a protest by lefties/greenies/Maori, especially during weekday work hours, they are immediately labelled "rentamob". (Disclosure: nobody has ever paid me rent to go and protest, but my rates are available on request).
Why is "rentamob" never used for right wing protests?
Especially as the typsetting on their posters seems suspiciously uniform. Someone shelled out a few bucks for each placard.
Anne at 19.1
Jouro's by name only but low quality ones at that!!!
How sad that the journo said only the (gun) weapon user was agitated??
Statement from Kris Faafoi,
https://twitter.com/David_Cormack/status/1202781916828598275
Adios Amigos (and others).
I've my digs, a billy and some te secured in a fag end wrap, attached to the end of a broomstick handle, and I’m off to seek my fortune in marketing and script writing.
No more the philosophical journeys (imposed or otherwise) down a path of hand to mouth monk hood if I can help it.
It's been a pleasure, am sure. One to one, to many and a chance to deliberate the wherefores and y's.
Don't go…
Don't leave us – now we have learned to appreciate your sterling qualities and ideas. If you have an idea why not drop it in – just takes a moment and then leave it to us to note it or thrash it out. Something of interest that intrigues you. Maybe just give us a link and a steer – this for the USA political watchers or Climate Change findings etc. Set a time limit for yourself which I have to do now. I confess I have to have a wind up device that ticks off the minutes. It's quirky, shaped like a tomato and dings when my time is up.
Awh, we need you here, thoughtful, poetic and polite. Good luck with your fortune seeking and maybe visit occasionally.
Yeah, good luck Karol, I hope your flight wings you to contentment. You look to be on the way to me.
Well my daughter flew out yesterday so we are 'alone again naturally' (Gilbert o' Sullivan) cera 1974. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTF3BTKlj9Q
Nearly all family visitors start to grind on each other after a while. I love my beautiful ol Dad to bits but gee after 2 days of sharing the same space together…
The true and divine pleasure lives in the anticipation of being together again Clean and you're rolling in clover.
I was thinking today about protesting and if there could be a better way.
Traditionally, it is about getting in the face of perpetrators or influencers and harping 'We don't like what you're doing, stop it.'
It's a very basic strategy, rudimentary.
I wonder if we could be doing more with the same energy if we got in Twyford's face and demanded free rego and a rebate on the sticker price for electric vehicles as opposed to inhibiting OMV vessels from leaving port.
Do to oil what Henry Ford did to the horse.
Creative protesting. Abseiling up the beehive will draw popular media coverage to a cause.
I don't know about you but I'm a long way from Wellington and a first-time abseiler…should that be absailor? If not, it should be.
Anyway, creative protesting. making the most effective noise possible with the least energy.
There must be better ways than standing outside Rio Tinto's head office chanting 'Stop all Mining you bastards'.
Traditional protesting is about 'Stop doing that'. I think protesting stands a much better chance of attracting a groundswell of popular support if it's focused on 'Lets do this instead'. Like hassling Twyford to make owning an electric car so easy and attractive you'd be a mug not to.
Imagine the kudos if an energy minister could declare '3 new geothermal generators are coming on line. There will be 30 fewer tankers tying up to the Marsden Point refinery this year. 300,000 more Kiwis will be getting around courtesy of the steam escaping from our beautiful country.'
Politicians with stories like that don't get voted out.
Early Nissan Leafs with gasping batteries are worthless.
If I had a burning desire to make money, I'd be looking for a way to give a worthless Leaf a new lease on life on a tight budget.
I could keep my Princess as she is accustomed rebirthing orthodox Leafs but if I could convince Mr Twyford to go absolutely loopy over electric cars I think I could make serious money with a competition range.
The Nissan Bud with the sticky head handling package.
How much dope do you reckon Phil Twyford has smoked? That Kiwibuild thing was a bit of a stoner's FU hey.
Great thoughts David Mac. Your idea of positive protesting is wise. We can whine about what is being done wrong and be accused of being airy-fairy theoretical types. But practical ideas are springing out of this blog like shoots from a creeper. Can we use this place as a central post to grow round and stick out individual shoots, carry them out and report we did it? Not sure about too much info. We will have to consider, sooner or later we will be annoying enough to the uncouth pollies and their dainty wealthy friends who will find us uncouth in turn.
There are groups around NZ who can see NZ is on the decline and doing something about it. When I mentioned decline here the other day a regular said What? explain yourself. Hollow laughter from me. The thinking and practical need to keep in touch off the big screen in a way that does not make them vulnerable.
Kia Ora 1 News.
Way down south
There ways blocked from flooding taking out the main roads Tawhirimate has been given heaps of Mana with Global Warming.
That's a great way for the District Health Board to be governed having half Wahine and Tangata whenua on the Board is good.
Well there you go I knew who is not happy with our common peoples government.
Awsome to the Salvation Army running the unit to keep people out of the Hinaki.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
That's the way Opotiki tangata 5000 signed petition to take to the Bop health board to keep the birth unit open you will have fresh taringa now that should listen.
Alcohol and hard drugs is making a big mess of Maori and Pacific tangata lives That's the way let all the people know the stuff is rotten with your march .
I sports is a great way for tangata Stars to shine Bright.
Ka kite Ano
The birthing unit at Opotiki closed down with three days notice on 1st December 2019. WTF!
https://www.change.org/p/bay-of-plenty-district-health-board-stop-the-closing-of-the-opotiki-birthing-centre-and-emergency-services
For some rural ports along the East Coast, this is the closest birthing Uni, which is up to an hours drive to opotiki! And yes this affects Hapū Māmā, but they are also effecting changes to emergency services, so it actually affects all whānau.
This sounds similar to Southland's situation. The country being run like a factory business – there must be a certain volume of units going through to be efficient.
Get those machine-minds out of their comfy chairs! Including those of Parliament. Big sale – must clear – comfy chairs from Parliament, each one personally signed by its previous owner. Great souveniers and talking points at parties. Can be used as fund raisers along with cake stalls – a koha per minute of sitting in The Chair and addressing the audience about the things that you would do for the country if you were elected.
Now that is a great idea don't you all think? Making fun and frolic with the empty pomposity and cunning conversation that we hear from the powers-that-be.
https://youtu.be/qQfetkoGrpU
Kia Ora 1 News.
Its better to re use glass bottles.
I think My food bag being delivered to the poorest peoples door is a excellent idea.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Andy Te Tangata Whenua all know that the treaty settlement putea is only 1 cent in the dollar of the Whenua that was stolen from us stop playing hard ball a pony up more putea. That's what it is some are settling for bugger all while we watch the fat cats who got our whenua cheap going on holiday with flash waka boats while our whano struggle to keep our whanau afloat.
Hine brand looks great that is needed encouragement for our Tangata to keep fit and keep Wahine heads held up.
Mana Wahine
Kia Ora Breakfast.
Well I don't have to worry about personal alcohol problems as I don't touch the stuff anymore.
Is it a coincidence that Bus strikes are happening in the lead up to Christmas. I bet the owners of the bus company's are blue flags wavers.??????.
New Zealand needs to learn to respect all cultures.
trump is not going to win some one else is going to Trump him.
Ka kite Ano
We need to protect our beautiful wildlife from being over exploitatived.
Measures to arrest nature's decline must be passed into law, say MEPs
If humanity wants to reverse the widespread destruction of the natural world, biodiversity needs legal protection like the Paris agreement on climate change, members of the European parliament have said.
Action to halt biodiversity decline is based on voluntary commitments but, less than a year before a crucial UN biodiversity conference in China, MEPs pointed to the destruction of precious ecosystems and the more than 1m species facing extinction as evidence that the approach is failing
The global biomass of wild animals has fallen by 82% since records began and 25% of plant and animal species are threatened with extinction. The IPBES report also found there was a strong link between climate change and loss of biodiversity and one could not be solved without the other.
“The dual emergency of nature decline alongside climate breakdown means transformational action is needed,” said Sandra Bell from Friends of the Earth.
“We seem to have lost sight of the fact that nature provides us with healthy soils, water and air. In the UK, and across the EU, existing targets haven’t worked because they have lacked action, so it’s up to the EU commission and national governments to enforce nature laws
Ka kite Ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/dec/06/measures-to-arrest-natures-decline-must-be-passed-into-law-say-meps
https://youtu.be/QAB6aXOfUmU
Kia Ora 1 News.
Let's hope the government makes decisions that minimise our carbon footprint and not just to maximise Te putea.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Te puia o whakaai is erupting.
You see the bus company's owner are not just blue flag wavers they are climate change deniers.
I agree one must show respect for Tangaroa.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Breakfast.
Condolences to the tangata who lost whanau on Te Puia O Whakaai out of respect for the dead I will say no more on the subject.
Ka kite Ano
Global Warming is creating huge problems we have to minimise our use of green house gases ASAP.
1.9 billion people at risk from mountain water shortages, study shows
Rising demand and climate crisis threaten entire mountain ecosystem, say scientists
A quarter of the world’s population are at risk of water supply problems as mountain glaciers, snow-packs and alpine lakes are run down by global heating and rising demand, according to an international study.
The first inventory of high-altitude sources finds the Indus is the most important and vulnerable “water tower” due to run-off from the Karakoram, Hindu Kush, Ladakh, and Himalayan mountain ranges, which flow downstream to a densely populated and intensively irrigated basin in Pakistan, India, China and Afghanistan.
The world has a third pole – and it's melting quickly
Read more
The authors warn this vast water tower – a term they use to describe the role of water storage and supply that mountain ranges play to sustain environmental and human water demands downstream – is unlikely to sustain growing pressure by the middle of the century when temperatures are projected to rise by 1.9C (35.4F), rainfall to increase by less than 2%, but the population to grow by 50% and generate eight times more GDP
Ka kite Ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/dec/09/billion-people-risk-water-supply-rising-demand-global-heating-mountain-ecosystem
Kia Ora 1 News.
Its not looking good for New Zealand's toursim flooding down south roads washed out desaster in the north a earthquake in Te Tairawhiti that was felt in Whakatane what next.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
I agree we have to be thankful for what we have in Aotearoa it good to see tangata helping out Samoa in there time of sorrow and need.
That's will be Awesome to see St Stevens Maori school reopen soon we must keep tangata whenua culture going Mana.
Great to see Te Rangatahi enjoying Maori sports.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Breakfast.
Should have had a question to spend the putea on Greening Aotearoa economy that can make the economy grow and create jobs and save our environment.
Our whole transport system needs to be changed to a low carbon low cost system.
You might think you are funny pakiha.
Ka kite Ano.
Doesn't matter everyone can see Te Eco Maori affect on you.
I remember reading stories from the deniers that Wind power and Solar power ie Green energy can never replace coal. Well in your face Global warming deniers no only is Wind and Solar replacing Coal its cheaper and cleaner they use a fraction of the water that is need to burn coal. This tells me one thing the World is corupt for these lieing fools being able to get away with their lies for 40 years.
Windfarms drive fall in wholesale energy price with lower bills forecast for 2020
Australian Energy Market Commission says prices will begin to fall next year and by 2022 will be $97 a year lower
The price of residential electricity is estimated to start falling next year and continue to fall until 2022, the Australian Energy Market Commission says.
The AEMC’s annual report on electricity price trends shows an overall falling price outlook over the next few years, mostly due to decreases in the wholesale cost from increased generation capacity, particularly from windfarms.
By the end of 2022, almost all Australians are expected to spend an average $97 less on their annual power bills after prices start falling in 2020, the Australian Energy Market Commission says.
Annual bills during the financial year 2018-19 reached $1,370 and have been calculated to fall to $1,273 by June 2022.
This drop is not expected for Western Australia, where annual bills are estimated to be $100 more expensive
Ka kite Ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/09/windfarms-drive-fall-in-wholesale-energy-price-with-lower-bills-forecast-for-2020
Some Eco Maori Music For The Minute.
https://youtu.be/5Yj4j_lZMBo