Learn how, in spite of what every single one of its deluded residents contend, Gaza is in fact “filled with luxury hotels, office buildings, palatial villas, nightclubs, beach clubs, and well-stocked markets.”….
Jeez, it’s so good it should be parody, right down to the author’s name, which sounds rather like something Woody Allen would have come up with (back when his movies were funny, ‘natch).
I wonder if Israel has the cojones to slaughter American citizens this time? A few dead Turks did cause them a bit of diplomatic grief with Ankara, but it seems to have passed the rest of the world by. But if the IDF start executing Pulitzer prize winning authors, I think there may be a bit more fuss.
…it’s so good it should be parody, right down to the author’s name, which sounds rather like something Woody Allen would have come up
Believe it or not, Phyllis Chesler has written several books. I have struggled through one of them, a ridiculous, fraudulent farrago titled, grandly, The New Anti-Semitism. The Current Crisis and What We Must Do About It (2003).
I recommend you read it some time as well, just to see the state of intellectual discourse on the extreme right of American public life.
Ihope somebody who reads this will have the gumption to act.
its no good railing at the junkey government beczause they just steamroller on.
if new zealand is to retain its elecictricty networks and generation in local hands then the government needs to be taken to task in the international press and media.
there must be plent of supporters and not just labour party people all over the world who can text twitter and write letters and articles in the worlds press about how the national government is selling off the states assets to pay for its own wish listxs and enrich themselves after office.
is this too much to ask.
Nah, that’s what the EMA were discussing with Thompson’s lawyers last week. It looks like he got greedy and turned down the exit package and left the EMA with no option but to sack him. If it was an agreed departure, it would be along the lines of a lengthy gardening leave period, followed by retirement at Xmas. This is an actual sacking.
Expect a personal grievance case to follow shortly. Ironic, eh?
Republican Senator and leading climate denier Jim Inhofe had to cancel his keynote address yesterday at the Heartland climate denial conference because he felt “under the weather.” The ironic thing is his sickness was due to a toxic algal bloom in the Oklahoma Grand Lake where he has a home. Inhofe had swam in the lake last Monday morning, which resulted in a severe upper respiratory illness.
Are there others out there experiencing wireless broadband dropping out at an increasing frequency? Both home and work run on the same type of telecom wireless systems are I am forever dropping off.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 11
Just heard Joky Hen opining on the capital gains tax on the National Radio’s Checkpoint.
Apparently everyone who might be liable will simply re-organise their affairs,
create paper companies and use all sorts of other ruses. What a disgraceful attitude to take.
But then Mr and Mrs Aldgate-Whitechapel would know all about that wouldn’t they.
Just say, for once, we had a government that would commit to closing all those loopholes.
Sometimes Joky gives the impression of being too clever by half. Not a rich-prick as is often misquoted but a smart-arse. Thompson’s career appears to have come to an abrupt end with his “mouth” getting him into trouble – and possibly Joky Hen will slip up once too often.
Yesterday it was reported that an investigation into what David Garrett told the courts in 2005 when he appeared on a charge of stealing the identity of a dead baby to obtain a passport, found no criminal offending and Garrett would not be charged with perjury. What a farce! The Sensible Sentencing Trust member and former Act Party MP on law and order came under increasing pressure in Sept 2010 when it was revealed that he’d created a false identity.
Those who believe in freedom of expression seen this?
“The tide is turning……………
Have been flat out like a lizard drinking (as my Aussie uncle used to say) defending Macsyna King, Ian Wishart and the public’s right to ‘freedom of expression’ with the controversial “Breaking Silence” ‘whistle-blowing’ mother’s story of the murder of the Kahui baby boys.
Joined the ‘Boycott the Macsyna King Book’ facebook page to help promote some robust debate. Got ‘banned/blocked’ after cutting and pasting from the “About’ and ‘Description’ sections of the ‘Boycott the Macsyna King Book’ facebook page the information which proven that thousands of people had been LIED to a ‘sucked in’ to believing that Macsyna King would personally profit from her ‘atrocious deeds’ when that was never the case.
Nearly 50,000 people were misled by deceptive and dishonest behaviour of the mysterious person ‘Chris’ who established this facebook page – and helped get so many people stirred up over a blatant LIE – which has still to be corrected.
Presumably a number of them are starting to feel a bit ‘sheepish’ now?
WHY are people still boycotting “BREAKING SILENCE” – if they are genuinely opposed to child abuse?
I’ve asked a number of them this rather elementary, albeit provocative question, and have copped a lot of misdirected anger because a number of them simply can’t answer the question. They don’t know why exactly they’re doing what they’re doing – but HOW DARE I ask them?
Check it out for yourself.
There is NOTHING on the ‘Boycott the Macsyna King Book’ facebook page that says anything about opposing Ian Wishart making money out of “BREAKING SILENCE” (after having researched and written it – why shouldn’t he? It’s what he does for a living to feed his family?
There is nothing on the ‘Boycott the Macsyna King Book’ face book page which says anything about being opposed to child abuse or child abusers. Just opposed to the mother who is trying to break the Kahui ‘Code of Silence’ behind which whoever murdered the Kahui baby boys is hiding.
Ian Wishart set up a facebook page ‘Break the Kahui code of silence support the new book’ – where there has been some excellent and robust debate on a number of the pertinent issues.
If you believe in freedom of expression – I strongly recommend you make a little bit of time to have look for yourselves, and if YOU support ‘freedom of expression’ – now is a VERY good time to ‘step up to the plate’.
Without ‘freedom of expression’ – you have nothing.
Except it’s not a lie to say Macsyna King intends to profit from the book, Penny. That’s exactly what she intends to do or why would she bother telling the story? The profit isn’t financial, it’s personal. She does not want to take responsibility for the deaths of her kids, in any way, so by releasing the book she aims to stay out of jail, which is to her obvious advantage.
In other words, both her and the odious Wishart seek to make gain from the book. But they profit in different ways.
The proposed negotiation of an Australia–Papua New Guinea defence treaty will falter unless the Australian Defence Force embraces cultural intelligence and starts being more strategic with teaching languages—starting with Tok Pisin, the most widely spoken language in ...
Bishop ignores pawnPoor old Tama Potaka says he didn't know the new RMA legislation would be tossing out the Treaty clause.However, RMA Minister Bishop says it's all good and no worries because the new RMA will still recognise Māori rights; it's just that the government prefers specific role descriptions over ...
China is using increasingly sophisticated grey-zone tactics against subsea cables in the waters around Taiwan, using a shadow-fleet playbook that could be expanded across the Indo-Pacific. On 25 February, Taiwan’s coast guard detained the Hong Tai ...
Yesterday The Post had a long exit interview with outgoing Ombudsman Peter Boshier, in which he complains about delinquent agencies which "haven't changed and haven't taken our moral authority on board". He talks about the limits of the Ombudsman's power of persuasion - its only power - and the need ...
Hi,Two stories have been playing over and over in my mind today, and I wanted to send you this Webworm as an excuse to get your thoughts in the comments.Because I adore the community here, and I want your sanity to weigh in.A safe space to chat, pull our hair ...
A new employment survey shows that labour market pessimism has deepened as workers worry about holding to their job, the difficulty in finding jobs, and slowing wage growth. Nurses working in primary care will get an 8 percent pay increase this year, but it still leaves them lagging behind their ...
Big gunBig gun number oneBig gunBig gun kick the hell out of youSongwriters: Ascencio / Marrow.On Sunday, I wrote about the Prime Minister’s interview in India with Maiki Sherman and certainly didn’t think I’d be writing about another of his interviews two days later.I’d been thinking of writing about something ...
The Trump administration’s decision to impose tariffs on Australian aluminium and steel has surprised the country. This has caused some to question the logic of the Australia-United States alliance and risks legitimising China’s economic coercion. ...
OPINION & ANALYSIS:At the heart of everything we see in this government is simplicity. Things are simpler than they appear. Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Behind all the public relations, marketing spin, corporate overlay e.g. ...
This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Wang Zhongying, chief national expert, China Energy Transformation Programme of the Energy Research Institute, and Kaare Sandholt, chief international expert, China Energy Transformation Programme of the Energy Research Institute China will need to install around 10,000 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar capacity ...
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...
With many of Auckland’s political and bureaucratic leaders bowing down to vocal minorities and consistently failing to reallocate space to people in our city, recent news overseas has prompted me to point out something important. It is extremely popular to make car-dominated cities nicer, by freeing up space for people. ...
When it comes to fleet modernisation programme, the Indonesian navy seems to be biting off more than it can chew. It is not even clear why the navy is taking the bite. The news that ...
South Korea and Australia should enhance their cooperation to secure submarine cables, which carry more than 95 percent of global data traffic. As tensions in the Indo-Pacific intensify, these vital connections face risks from cyber ...
The Parliament Bill Committee has reported back on the Parliament Bill. As usual, they recommend no substantive changes, all decisions having been made in advance and in secret before the bill was introduced - but there are some minor tweaks around oversight of the new parliamentary security powers, which will ...
When the F-47 enters service, at a date to be disclosed, it will be a new factor in US air warfare. A decision to proceed with development, deferred since July, was unexpectedly announced on 21 ...
All my best memoriesCome back clearly to meSome can even make me cry.Just like beforeIt's yesterday once more.Songwriters: Richard Lynn Carpenter / John BettisYesterday, Winston Peters gave a State of the Nation speech in which he declared War on the Woke, described peaceful protesters as fascists, said he’d take our ...
Regardless of our opinions about the politicians involved, I believe that every rational person should welcome the reestablishment of contacts between the USA and the Russian Federation. While this is only the beginning and there are no guarantees of success, it does create the opportunity to address issues ...
Once upon a time, the United States saw the contest between democracy and authoritarianism as a singularly defining issue. It was this outlook, forged in the crucible of World War II, that created such strong ...
A pre-Covid protest about medical staffing shortages outside the Beehive. Since then the situation has only worsened, with 30% of doctors trained here now migrating within a decade. File Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories shortest: The news this morning is dominated by the crises cascading through our health system after ...
Bargaining between the PSA and Oranga Tamariki over the collective agreement is intensifying – with more strike action likely, while the Employment Relations Authority has ordered facilitation. More than 850 laboratory staff are walking off their jobs in a week of rolling strike action. Union coverage CTU: Confidence in ...
Foreign Minister Penny Wong in 2024 said that ‘we’re in a state of permanent contest in the Pacific—that’s the reality.’ China’s arrogance hurts it in the South Pacific. Mark that as a strong Australian card ...
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...
In the past week, Israel has reverted to slaughtering civilians, starving children and welshing on the terms of the peace deal negotiated earlier this year. The IDF’s current offensive seems to be intended to render Gaza unlivable, preparatory (perhaps) to re-occupation by Israeli settlers. The short term demands for the ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 16, 2025 thru Sat, March 22, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. We are still interested ...
In recent months, I have garnered copious amusement playing Martin, chess.com’s infamously terrible Chess AI. Alas, it is not how it once was, when he would cheerfully ignore freely offered material. Martin has grown better since I first stumbled upon him. I still remain frustrated at his capture-happy determination to ...
Every time that I see ya,A lightning bolt fills the room,The underbelly of Paris,She sings her favourite tune,She'll drink you under the table,She'll show you a trick or two,But every time that I left her,I missed the things she would doSongwriters: Kelly JonesThis morning, I posted - Are you excited ...
Long stories shortest this week in our political economy:Standard & Poor’s judged the Government’s council finance reforms a failure. Professional investors showed the Government they want it to borrow more, not less. GDP bounced out of recession by more than forecast in the December quarter, but data for the ...
Each day at 4:30 my brother calls in at the rest home to see Dad. My visits can be months apart. Five minutes after you've left, he’ll have forgotten you were there, but every time, his face lights up and it’s a warm happy visit.Tim takes care of almost everything ...
On the 19th of March, ACT announced they would be running candidates in this year’s local government elections. Accompanying that call for “common-sense kiwis” was an anti-woke essay typifying the views they expect their candidates to hold. I have included that part of their mailer, Free Press, in its entirety. ...
Even when the darkest clouds are in the skyYou mustn't sigh and you mustn't crySpread a little happiness as you go byPlease tryWhat's the use of worrying and feeling blue?When days are long keep on smiling throughSpread a little happiness 'til dreams come trueSongwriters: Vivian Ellis / Clifford Grey / ...
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...
ACT up the game on division politicsEmmerson’s take on David Seymour’s claim Jesus would have supported ACTACT’s announcement it is moving into local politics is a logical next step for a party that is waging its battle on picking up the aggrieved.It’s a numbers game, and as long as the ...
1. What will be the slogan of the next butter ad campaign?a. You’re worth itb.Once it hits $20, we can do something about the riversc. I can’t believe it’s the price of butter d. None of the above Read more ...
It is said that economists know the price of everything and the value of nothing. That may be an exaggeration but an even better response is to point out economists do know the difference. They did not at first. Classical economics thought that the price of something reflected the objective ...
Political fighting in Taiwan is delaying some of an increase in defence spending and creating an appearance of lack of national resolve that can only damage the island’s relationship with the Trump administration. The main ...
The unclassified version of the 2024 Independent Intelligence Review (IIR) was released today. It’s a welcome and worthy sequel to its 2017 predecessor, with an ambitious set of recommendations for enhancements to Australia’s national intelligence ...
Yesterday outgoing Ombudsman Peter Boshier published a report, Reflections on the Official Information Act, on his way out the door. The report repeated his favoured mantra that the Act was "fundamentally sound", all problems were issues of culture, and that no legislative change was needed (and especially no changes to ...
The United States government is considering replacing USAID with a new agency, the US Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance (USIHA), according to documents published by POLITICO. Under the proposed design, the agency will fail its ...
Hi,Journalism was never the original plan. Back in the 90s, there was no career advisor in Bethlehem, New Zealand — just a computer that would ask you 50 questions before spitting out career options. Yes, I am in this photo. No, I was not good at basketball.The top three careers ...
Mōrena. Long stories shortest: Professional investors who are paid a lot of money to be careful about lending to the New Zealand Government think it is wonderful place to put their money. Yet the Government itself is so afraid of borrowing more that it is happy to kill its own ...
As space becomes more contested, Australia should play a key role with its partners in the Combined Space Operations (CSpO) initiative to safeguard the space domain. Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States signed the ...
Ooh you're a cool catComing on strong with all the chit chatOoh you're alrightHanging out and stealing all the limelightOoh messing with the beat of my heart yeah!Songwriters: Freddie Mercury / John Deacon.It would be a tad ironic; I can see it now. “Yeah, I didn’t unsubscribe when he said ...
The PSA are calling the Prime Minister a hypocrite for committing to increase defence spending while hundreds of more civilian New Zealand Defence Force jobs are set to be cut as part of a major restructure. The number of companies being investigated for people trafficking in New Zealand has skyrocketed ...
Another Friday, hope everyone’s enjoyed their week as we head toward the autumn equinox. Here’s another roundup of stories that caught our eye on the subject of cities and what makes them even better. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Connor took a look at how Auckland ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking with special guest author Michael Wolff, who has just published his fourth book about Donald Trump: ‘All or Nothing’.Here’s Peter’s writeup of the interview.The Kākā by Bernard Hickey Hoon: Trumpism ...
Wolff, who describes Trump as truly a ‘one of a kind’, at a book launch in Spain. Photo: GettyImagesIt may be a bumpy ride for the world but the era of Donald J. Trump will die with him if we can wait him out says the author of four best-sellers ...
Australia needs to radically reorganise its reserves system to create a latent military force that is much larger, better trained and equipped and deployable within days—not decades. Our current reserve system is not fit for ...
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...
I have argued before that one ought to be careful in retrospectively allocating texts into genres. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) only looks like science-fiction because a science-fiction genre subsequently developed. Without H.G. Wells, would Frankenstein be considered science-fiction? No, it probably wouldn’t. Viewed in the context of its time, Frankenstein ...
Elbridge Colby’s senate confirmation hearing in early March holds more important implications for US partners than most observers in Canberra, Wellington or Suva realise. As President Donald Trump’s nominee for under secretary of defence for ...
China’s defence budget is rising heftily yet again. The 2025 rise will be 7.2 percent, the same as in 2024, the government said on 5 March. But the allocation, officially US$245 billion, is just the ...
Concern is growing about wide-ranging local repercussions of the new Setting of Speed Limits rule, rewritten in 2024 by former transport minister Simeon Brown. In particular, there’s growing fears about what this means for children in particular. A key paradox of the new rule is that NZTA-controlled roads have the ...
Speilmeister:Christopher Luxon’s prime-ministerial pitches notwithstanding, are institutions with billions of dollars at their disposal really going to invest them in a country so obviously in a deep funk?HAVING WOOED THE WORLD’s investors, what, if anything, has New Zealand won? Did Christopher Luxon’s guests board their private jets fizzing with enthusiasm for ...
Christchurch City Council is one of 18 councils and three council-controlled organisations (CCOs) downgraded by ratings agency S&P. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories shortest:Standard & Poor’s has cut the credit ratings of 18 councils, blaming the new Government’s abrupt reversal of 3 Waters, cuts to capital ...
Figures released by Statistics New Zealand today showed that the economy grew by 0.7% ending the very deep recession seen over the past year, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “Even though GDP grew in the three months to December, our economy is still 1.1% smaller than it ...
What is going on with the price of butter?, RNZ, 19 march 2025: If you have bought butter recently you might have noticed something - it is a lot more expensive. Stats NZ said last week that the price of butter was up 60 percent in February compared to ...
I agree with Will Leben, who wrote in The Strategist about his mistakes, that an important element of being a commentator is being accountable and taking responsibility for things you got wrong. In that spirit, ...
You’d beDrunk by noon, no one would knowJust like the pandemicWithout the sourdoughIf I were there, I’d find a wayTo get treated for hysteriaEvery dayLyrics Riki Lindhome.A varied selection today in Nick’s Kōrero:Thou shalt have no other gods - with Christopher Luxon.Doctors should be seen and not heard - with ...
Two recent foreign challenges suggest that Australia needs urgently to increase its level of defence self-reliance and to ensure that the increased funding that this would require is available. First, the circumnavigation of our continent ...
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, The Atlantic-$, The ...
According to RNZ’s embedded reporter, the importance of Winston Peters’ talks in Washington this week “cannot be overstated.” Right. “Exceptionally important.” said the maestro himself. This epic importance doesn’t seem to have culminated in anything more than us expressing our “concern” to the Americans about a series of issues that ...
Up until a few weeks ago, I had never heard of "Climate Fresk" and at a guess, this will also be the case for many of you. I stumbled upon it in the self-service training catalog for employees at the company I work at in Germany where it was announced ...
Japan and Australia talk of ‘collective deterrence,’ but they don’t seem to have specific objectives. The relationship needs a clearer direction. The two countries should identify how they complement each other. Each country has two ...
The NZCTU strongly supports the OPC’s decision to issue a code of practice for biometric processing. Our view is that the draft code currently being consulted on is stronger and will be more effective than the exposure code released in early 2024. We are pleased that some of the revisions ...
Australia’s export-oriented industries, particularly agriculture, need to diversify their markets, with a focus on Southeast Asia. This could strengthen economic security and resilience while deepening regional relationships. The Trump administration’s decision to impose tariffs on ...
Minister Shane Jones is introducing fastrack ‘reforms’ to the our fishing industry that will ensure the big players squeeze out the small fishers and entrench an already bankrupt quota system.Our fisheries are under severe stress: the recent decision by theHigh Court ruling that the ...
In what has become regular news, the quarterly ETS auction has failed, with nobody even bothering to bid. The immediate reason is that the carbon price has fallen to around $60, below the auction minimum of $68. And the cause of that is a government which has basically given up ...
US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats have dominated headlines in India in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Trump announced that his reciprocal tariffs—matching other countries’ tariffs on American goods—will go into effect on 2 April, ...
Hi,Back in June of 2021, James Gardner-Hopkins — a former partner at law firm Russell McVeagh — was found guilty of misconduct over sexually inappropriate behaviour with interns.The events all related to law students working as summer interns at Russell McVeagh:As well as intimate touching with a student at his ...
Climate sceptic MP Mark Cameron has slammed National for being ‘out of touch’ by sticking to our climate commitments. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories shortest:ACT’s renowned climate sceptic MP Mark Cameron has accused National of being 'out of touch' with farmers by sticking with New Zealand’s Paris accord pledges ...
Now I've heard there was a secret chordThat David played, and it pleased the LordBut you don't really care for music, do you?It goes like this, the fourth, the fifthThe minor falls, the major liftsThe baffled king composing HallelujahSongwriter: Leonard CohenI always thought the lyrics of that great song by ...
People are getting carried away with the virtues of small warship crews. We need to remember the great vice of having few people to run a ship: they’ll quickly tire. Yes, the navy is struggling ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
“Make New Zealand First Again” Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, thank you for being here today. We know your lives are busy and you are working harder and longer than you ever have, and there are many calls on your time, so thank you for the chance to speak ...
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...
Labour does not support the private ownership of core infrastructure like schools, hospitals and prisons, which will only see worse outcomes for Kiwis. ...
The Green Party is disappointed the Government voted down Hūhana Lyndon’s member’s Bill, which would have prevented further alienation of Māori land through the Public Works Act. ...
The Labour Party will support Chloe Swarbrick’s member’s bill which would allow sanctions against Israel for its illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories. ...
The Government’s new procurement rules are a blatant attack on workers and the environment, showing once again that National’s priorities are completely out of touch with everyday Kiwis. ...
With Labour and Te Pāti Māori’s official support, Opposition parties are officially aligned to progress Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in Palestine. ...
Te Pāti Māori extends our deepest aroha to the 500 plus Whānau Ora workers who have been advised today that the govt will be dismantling their contracts. For twenty years , Whānau Ora has been helping families, delivering life-changing support through a kaupapa Māori approach. It has built trust where ...
Labour welcomes Simeon Brown’s move to reinstate a board at Health New Zealand, bringing the destructive and secretive tenure of commissioner Lester Levy to an end. ...
This morning’s announcement by the Health Minister regarding a major overhaul of the public health sector levels yet another blow to the country’s essential services. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will ensure employment decisions in the public service are based on merit and not on forced woke ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ targets. “This Bill would put an end to the woke left-wing social engineering and diversity targets in the public sector. ...
Police have referred 20 offenders to Destiny Church-affiliated programmes Man Up and Legacy as ‘wellness providers’ in the last year, raising concerns that those seeking help are being recruited into a harmful organisation. ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Progressing a holistic strategy to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s geothermal resources, possibly in applications beyond energy generation, is at the centre of discussions with mana whenua at a hui in Rotorua today, Resources and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is in the early stages ...
New annual data has exposed the staggering cost of delays previously hidden in the building consent system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I directed Building Consent Authorities to begin providing quarterly data last year to improve transparency, following repeated complaints from tradespeople waiting far longer than the statutory ...
Increases in water charges for Auckland consumers this year will be halved under the Watercare Charter which has now been passed into law, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The charter is part of the financial arrangement for Watercare developed last year by Auckland Council ...
There is wide public support for the Government’s work to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity protections, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “The Ministry for Primary Industries recently completed public consultation on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act and the submissions show that people understand the importance of having a strong biosecurity ...
A new independent review function will enable individuals and organisations to seek an expert independent review of specified civil aviation regulatory decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Director of Civil Aviation, Acting Transport Minister James Meager has announced today. “Today we are making it easier and more affordable ...
The Government will invest in an enhanced overnight urgent care service for the Napier community as part of our focus on ensuring access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown has today confirmed. “I am delighted that a solution has been found to ensure Napier residents will continue to ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey attended a sod turning today to officially mark the start of construction on a new mental health facility at Hillmorton Campus. “This represents a significant step in modernising mental health services in Canterbury,” Mr Brown says. “Improving health infrastructure is ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed confirmation the economy has turned the corner. Stats NZ reported today that gross domestic product grew 0.7 per cent in the three months to December following falls in the June and September quarters. “We know many families and businesses are still suffering the after-effects ...
The sealing of a 12-kilometre stretch of State Highway 43 (SH43) through the Tangarakau Gorge – one of the last remaining sections of unsealed state highway in the country – has been completed this week as part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the safety and resilience ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says relations between New Zealand and the United States are on a strong footing, as he concludes a week-long visit to New York and Washington DC today. “We came to the United States to ask the new Administration what it wants from ...
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has welcomed changes to international anti-money laundering standards which closely align with the Government’s reforms. “The Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) last month adopted revised standards for tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism to allow for simplified regulatory measures for businesses, organisations and sectors ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he welcomes Medsafe’s decision to approve an electronic controlled drug register for use in New Zealand pharmacies, allowing pharmacies to replace their physical paper-based register. “The register, developed by Kiwi brand Toniq Limited, is the first of its kind to be approved in New ...
The Coalition Government’s drive for regional economic growth through the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund is on track with more than $550 million in funding so far committed to key infrastructure projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “To date, the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has received more than 250 ...
[Comments following the bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; United States State Department, Washington D.C.] * We’re very pleased with our meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon. * We came here to listen to the new Administration and to be clear about what ...
The intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road in the Eastern Bay of Plenty will be made safer and more efficient for vehicles and freight with the construction of a new and long-awaited roundabout, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop. “The current intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road is ...
The Ocean Race will return to the City of Sails in 2027 following the Government’s decision to invest up to $4 million from the Major Events Fund into the international event, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand is a proud sailing nation, and Auckland is well-known internationally as the ...
Improving access to mental health and addiction support took a significant step forward today with Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announcing that the University of Canterbury have been the first to be selected to develop the Government’s new associate psychologist training programme. “I am thrilled that the University of Canterbury ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened the new East Building expansion at Manukau Health Park. “This is a significant milestone and the first stage of the Grow Manukau programme, which will double the footprint of the Manukau Health Park to around 30,000m2 once complete,” Mr Brown says. “Home ...
The Government will boost anti-crime measures across central Auckland with $1.3 million of funding as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Fund, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “In recent years there has been increased antisocial and criminal behaviour in our CBD. The Government ...
The Government is moving to strengthen rules for feeding food waste to pigs to protect New Zealand from exotic animal diseases like foot and mouth disease (FMD), says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. ‘Feeding untreated meat waste, often known as "swill", to pigs could introduce serious animal diseases like FMD and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held productive talks in New Delhi today. Fresh off announcing that New Zealand and India would commence negotiations towards a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the two Prime Ministers released a joint statement detailing plans for further cooperation between the two countries across ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the forestry sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the horticulture sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new Family Court Judges. The new Judges will take up their roles in April and May and fill Family Court vacancies at the Auckland and Manukau courts. Annette Gray Ms Gray completed her law degree at Victoria University before joining Phillips ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU). “This unit will boost critical care services in the lower North Island, providing extra capacity and relieving pressure on the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and emergency department. “Wellington Regional Hospital has previously relied ...
Namaskar, Sat Sri Akal, kia ora and good afternoon everyone. What an honour it is to stand on this stage - to inaugurate this august Dialogue - with none other than the Honourable Narendra Modi. My good friend, thank you for so generously welcoming me to India and for our ...
Check against delivery.Kia ora koutou katoa It’s a real pleasure to join you at the inaugural New Zealand infrastructure investment summit. I’d like to welcome our overseas guests, as well as our local partners, organisations, and others.I’d also like to acknowledge: The Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, and other Ministers from the Coalition ...
Asia Pacific Report A Fiji-based Pacific solidarity group supporting the indigenous Palestine struggle for survival against the Israeli settler colonial state has today issued a statement condemning Fiji backing for Israel. In an open letter to the “people of Fiji”, the Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network (F4P) has warned “your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Parker, Adjunct Fellow, Naval Studies at UNSW Canberra, and Expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University A report in The Atlantic today sent shockwaves through Washington and beyond: senior US officials shared military operations for a bombing campaign against Houthi ...
Ngāti Ruanui’s Crown-mandated agency said the south Taranaki iwi wasn’t opposed to improving the resource management system. But Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui kaiwhakahaere Rachel Arnott said they totally rejected not carrying over Treaty obligations. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Watson, Professor in Conservation Science, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland Hans Wismeijer/Shutterstock In 2022, Australia and many other nations agreed to protect 30% of their lands and waters by 2030 to arrest the rapid decline in biodiversity. ...
Under proposals released by the Representation Commission, the electorates of Ōhāriu, Mana, and Ōtaki will be scrapped, and replaced by two new seats: Kenepuru, and Kāpiti. ...
"Swarbrick’s bill is antisemitic as it denies Israel, the world’s only Jewish state, the right to self defense, a right granted to all other sovereign states." ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Irene Nikoloudakis, PhD Candidate in Law, University of Adelaide Getty Images Being robbed is a horrible experience under any circumstances. But being robbed by your employer involves a unique betrayal of trust. So it was a sign of real progress when ...
By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent The Papua New Guinea government has admitted to using a technology that it says was “successfully tested” to block social media platforms, particularly Facebook, for much of the day yesterday. Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr said the “test” was done under the framework ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria, Lecturer in International Law, Curtin University Only five days after the arrest warrant against former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte was issued, he was apprehended and immediately put on a plane to The Hague to face charges before the International Criminal ...
The new campaign features an AI customer clone ‘to keep prices low’. But what is the real cost? Everywhere I look at the moment, I see her. She lurks on The NZ Herald homepage, her digital grin jarring with the horror-filled headlines about Destiny Church protestors and missing women abroad. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben McCann, Associate Professor of French Studies, University of Adelaide The Divine Sarah Bernhardt. Memento This year’s Alliance Française French Film Festival showcases a diverse selection of films from blockbusters and biopics to comedies and gripping thrillers for Australian audiences. I’ve ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Fuller, Clinical Trials Director, Department of Endocrinology, RPA Hospital, University of Sydney Maria Symchych/Shutterstock If you’ve ever picked up your child from childcare and wondered if they’re living a double life, you’re not alone. Parents often receive rave reports ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mike Climstein, Associate Professor, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University Cottonbro Studio/Pexels You’ve got a new brown spot on your face, but is it a freckle or a sunspot? Or perhaps you’ve found a spot on your back that looks like ...
The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service has been warning Pacific partners that China's growing influence in the region presents foreign interference and espionage risks. ...
An 11-year-old was taken to a mental health facility after being mistaken for a 20-year-old. The PM wants to know why it took two weeks to tell the minister. ...
As hundreds marched to parliament to protest possible restrictions on gender-affirming care for youth, NZ First leader Winston Peters promised his party would continue to fight against the use of puberty blockers.In his state of the nation speech in Christchurch on Sunday, Winston Peters used the term “woke” about ...
An 11-year-old was taken to a mental health facility after being mistaken for a 20-year-old. The PM wants to know why it took two weeks to tell the minister. ...
Liv Sisson reviews a milestone gig for an ascendant New Zealand act. On Saturday night, Fazerdaze headlined Auckland’s Powerstation for the very first time. “This is my favourite venue in the whole world,” Amelia Murray (aka Fazerdaze) told the crowd. Playing it clearly meant a lot to her. During the ...
An 11-year-old was taken to a mental health facility after being mistaken for a 20-year-old. The PM wants to know why it took two weeks to tell the minister. ...
From its humble beginnings to becoming the world’s largest Polynesian cultural festival, ASB Polyfest has shaped generations of young people, strengthened cultural connections, and fostered community resilience. I remember being a fresh-faced 13-year-old as the smell of dry cow dung – used to dye the fibres on our piupiu – ...
In early March an 11-page letter sent shockwaves through media giant NZME. Duncan Greive analyses its withering critique of the business, and the plan to redirect its news direction after ripping out the board. New Zealand’s sharemarket is typically a fairly sleepy place. Stocks rise and fall, sometimes abruptly – ...
We’re pleased to see the government working from the basis that the clear allocation of property rights is a fundamental tenet of a well-functioning economy. This is critical to unlocking the investment we need to thrive and grow. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Brodribb, Professor of Plant Physiology, University of Tasmania Stomata – the breathing ‘mouths’ of leaves – under the microscope.Barbol / Shutterstock Plant behaviour may seem rather boring compared with the frenetic excesses of animals. Yet the lives of our vegetable friends, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucy Montgomery, Dean of Research, Humanities, Curtin University Mykhailo Kopyt/Shutterstock In December 2024, the editorial board of the Journal of Human Evolution resigned en masse following disagreements with the journal’s publisher, Elsevier. The board’s grievances included claims of inadequate copyediting, misuse ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Vice-Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow in Music Industries and Cultural Economy, RMIT University iam_os/Unsplash The Australian Music Venue Foundation launched this month to advocate for and potentially administer an arena ticket levy to support grassroots live music venues. Funds would ...
Unless there is a sound medical reason not to please ensure your children are vaccinated.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/5240183/Measles-outbreak-increases-to-48
Agreed, hopefully there are no life-long repercussions or deaths for the kids who have contracted it.
Poor journalism , has a lot to answer for in the decreased MMR rates, at least among the worried well. Food for thought also at this page .
The Mitochondria(QT), an animation from Biovisions.
If cows could talk/If Yentas took crack
Learn how, in spite of what every single one of its deluded residents contend, Gaza is in fact “filled with luxury hotels, office buildings, palatial villas, nightclubs, beach clubs, and well-stocked markets.”….
http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/if-cows-could-talkif-yentas-took-crack/
Jeez, it’s so good it should be parody, right down to the author’s name, which sounds rather like something Woody Allen would have come up with (back when his movies were funny, ‘natch).
I wonder if Israel has the cojones to slaughter American citizens this time? A few dead Turks did cause them a bit of diplomatic grief with Ankara, but it seems to have passed the rest of the world by. But if the IDF start executing Pulitzer prize winning authors, I think there may be a bit more fuss.
…it’s so good it should be parody, right down to the author’s name, which sounds rather like something Woody Allen would have come up
Believe it or not, Phyllis Chesler has written several books. I have struggled through one of them, a ridiculous, fraudulent farrago titled, grandly, The New Anti-Semitism. The Current Crisis and What We Must Do About It (2003).
I recommend you read it some time as well, just to see the state of intellectual discourse on the extreme right of American public life.
Sadly, Chesler used to be a good writer…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5241334/Govt-debt-higher
NAct really dont have any idea but hey as long as they’re okay…………………..
Stop borrowing $100 million per week when you don’t need to, in an attempt to try and justify cuts and selling our SOE’s then Blinglish.
16 billion down the hole since they got into power. And then they complain that Labour’s policies may cost 12 billion over 3 years.
Final count for TTT in, Hone’s majority increased by a respectable 250 votes:
“Harawira was named the winner on the night with a 867 majority but once the final results were released this morning, and all the special votes counted, that had risen to 1117.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5241676/Final-count-increases-Harawiras-majority
Mana 49.15% vs Labour on 40.10%.
Ihope somebody who reads this will have the gumption to act.
its no good railing at the junkey government beczause they just steamroller on.
if new zealand is to retain its elecictricty networks and generation in local hands then the government needs to be taken to task in the international press and media.
there must be plent of supporters and not just labour party people all over the world who can text twitter and write letters and articles in the worlds press about how the national government is selling off the states assets to pay for its own wish listxs and enrich themselves after office.
is this too much to ask.
And on the 89th day, the EMA said ‘sorry, Alisdair, your trial period is over, as indeed is your employment.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5243023/Employers-group-sacks-Alasdair-Thompson
More like “here’s 6 months pay, a nice reference, and go and see so n so in 3 mths when this all quietens down, he’ll see you right”.
Nah, that’s what the EMA were discussing with Thompson’s lawyers last week. It looks like he got greedy and turned down the exit package and left the EMA with no option but to sack him. If it was an agreed departure, it would be along the lines of a lengthy gardening leave period, followed by retirement at Xmas. This is an actual sacking.
Expect a personal grievance case to follow shortly. Ironic, eh?
Ignore Climate Change at Your Peril
Republican Senator and leading climate denier Jim Inhofe had to cancel his keynote address yesterday at the Heartland climate denial conference because he felt “under the weather.” The ironic thing is his sickness was due to a toxic algal bloom in the Oklahoma Grand Lake where he has a home. Inhofe had swam in the lake last Monday morning, which resulted in a severe upper respiratory illness.
Herald “The CEO of the Employers and Manufacturers Association Alasdair Thompson has been sacked by the board this afternoon. ”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10736695
Are there others out there experiencing wireless broadband dropping out at an increasing frequency? Both home and work run on the same type of telecom wireless systems are I am forever dropping off.
I see that the Greens are complaining that EMA took too long to sack Thompson. Apparently, some employees are not entitled to a fair process.
– Thompson has been at the forefront of removing the process for the masses – oh the irony.
Just heard Joky Hen opining on the capital gains tax on the National Radio’s Checkpoint.
Apparently everyone who might be liable will simply re-organise their affairs,
create paper companies and use all sorts of other ruses. What a disgraceful attitude to take.
But then Mr and Mrs Aldgate-Whitechapel would know all about that wouldn’t they.
Just say, for once, we had a government that would commit to closing all those loopholes.
Sometimes Joky gives the impression of being too clever by half. Not a rich-prick as is often misquoted but a smart-arse. Thompson’s career appears to have come to an abrupt end with his “mouth” getting him into trouble – and possibly Joky Hen will slip up once too often.
Asshole of the Week Award – David Garrett
Yesterday it was reported that an investigation into what David Garrett told the courts in 2005 when he appeared on a charge of stealing the identity of a dead baby to obtain a passport, found no criminal offending and Garrett would not be charged with perjury. What a farce! The Sensible Sentencing Trust member and former Act Party MP on law and order came under increasing pressure in Sept 2010 when it was revealed that he’d created a false identity.
Hi folks!
Those who believe in freedom of expression seen this?
“The tide is turning……………
Have been flat out like a lizard drinking (as my Aussie uncle used to say) defending Macsyna King, Ian Wishart and the public’s right to ‘freedom of expression’ with the controversial “Breaking Silence” ‘whistle-blowing’ mother’s story of the murder of the Kahui baby boys.
Joined the ‘Boycott the Macsyna King Book’ facebook page to help promote some robust debate. Got ‘banned/blocked’ after cutting and pasting from the “About’ and ‘Description’ sections of the ‘Boycott the Macsyna King Book’ facebook page the information which proven that thousands of people had been LIED to a ‘sucked in’ to believing that Macsyna King would personally profit from her ‘atrocious deeds’ when that was never the case.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-the-Macsyna-King-Book/140832719326817?sk=info
Nearly 50,000 people were misled by deceptive and dishonest behaviour of the mysterious person ‘Chris’ who established this facebook page – and helped get so many people stirred up over a blatant LIE – which has still to be corrected.
Presumably a number of them are starting to feel a bit ‘sheepish’ now?
WHY are people still boycotting “BREAKING SILENCE” – if they are genuinely opposed to child abuse?
I’ve asked a number of them this rather elementary, albeit provocative question, and have copped a lot of misdirected anger because a number of them simply can’t answer the question. They don’t know why exactly they’re doing what they’re doing – but HOW DARE I ask them?
Check it out for yourself.
There is NOTHING on the ‘Boycott the Macsyna King Book’ facebook page that says anything about opposing Ian Wishart making money out of “BREAKING SILENCE” (after having researched and written it – why shouldn’t he? It’s what he does for a living to feed his family?
There is nothing on the ‘Boycott the Macsyna King Book’ face book page which says anything about being opposed to child abuse or child abusers. Just opposed to the mother who is trying to break the Kahui ‘Code of Silence’ behind which whoever murdered the Kahui baby boys is hiding.
Ian Wishart set up a facebook page ‘Break the Kahui code of silence support the new book’ – where there has been some excellent and robust debate on a number of the pertinent issues.
If you believe in freedom of expression – I strongly recommend you make a little bit of time to have look for yourselves, and if YOU support ‘freedom of expression’ – now is a VERY good time to ‘step up to the plate’.
Without ‘freedom of expression’ – you have nothing.
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=118473574910713&id=184638478257810
Cheers!
Penny Bright
http://waterpressure.wordpress.com
Except it’s not a lie to say Macsyna King intends to profit from the book, Penny. That’s exactly what she intends to do or why would she bother telling the story? The profit isn’t financial, it’s personal. She does not want to take responsibility for the deaths of her kids, in any way, so by releasing the book she aims to stay out of jail, which is to her obvious advantage.
In other words, both her and the odious Wishart seek to make gain from the book. But they profit in different ways.