The 90 day right to prove yourself has been proven to be a wonderful success story. Thousands of people who would never have been given the chance to work have found employment. Employers agree that the 90 day right to prove yourself encourages employers to take a risk without risking being sued for thousands. New Zealand has thus joined every other country in the OECD which gives prospective workers the chance to work. It has been a great success story as the article clearly shows.
A wonderful success for whom? One of the things you were touting years ago (from memory) was that youth unemployment rates would go down. Last time I looked they kept going up.
“It is not known how many workers were dismissed during the 90-day-trial period, but the figures revealed 27 per cent of employers said they had fired at least one new employee during or at the end of their trial. ”
– So the papers are making stuff up again and not mentioning how many new employees had been hired at the same time
Dishonest Puckish Rogue. You ignore the basis on which it is tentatively calculated (actually written in the article) that 18,000 people are involved here. Dishonest Puckish Rogue. Not surprised. Textor-Tosser. As always.
Yeah alright then Bowel Motion……..and then 18,000 more for 89 days, and then 18,000 more the 89 days after that, and so on. I daresay the plantation owners too were in the position to resolve that their last slave purchase was a bad deal.
The problem you fucked up old moron is that you don’t see a problem. Hope karma gets you. We’re talking at minimum 18,000 beating human hearts here. That doesn’t matter ??? Um um um what’s the problem ???
Because of the lack of distinction between people who should never have been hired in the first place and people who would have been excellent employees if their manager didn’t take a “sink or swim” approach.
All 90-day fire at will provides is a ripcord for managers who can’t hire appropriate staff for the job, and can’t manage the staff they do hire.
Frankly, it’s not the employee who should be fired after three months, it’s the incompetent manager.
management style like that (abuse, not context, no explanation of basis for that response, no advise on how to improve) is a perfect illustration of the sort of stupid fuck who needs a 90F@W law in order to run their business.
You can’t actually say any of that because we don’t know what’s really happening out there. All indications are, though, that the 90 day fire at will bill is working as intended – making work even more precarious and thus helping drive down wages.
The 90 day right to prove yourself has been proven to be a wonderful success story. Thousands of people who would never have been given the sack have found unemployment
National think it’s great WINZ save money when someone on a benefit gets a job for 90 days then has a stand down period before receiving a benefit again. Sick f**ks.
And some dick from the EPMU is also bleating about people being released within 90 days. They get released because they don’t cut the the mustard. Cuntlipps can change the law but nothing will change. Employers will get rid of dead wood bludgers and yes, they will curse they ever employed them, but at least the employer will learn from his/her mistake.
I’ve never seen much evidence that most employers can learn from anything. Given the number of mistakes they do make, if they could actually learn from them, they’d all be bloody Nobel Laureates. Instead, they have the emotional maturity of someone who thinks it’s witty to name someone after labia.
Hi, Paul, just noting that the number of posted referendum ballots has now passed the number of votes National claim gave them a ‘mandate’ to sell our assets. Not that all the ballots will be opposed, of course. I imagine we’ll need a return of around 1.5 million to have a ‘mandate’ that actually reflects what kiwis actually want.
Dropping firefox and reopening it seems to have worked. I have lost the “Gateway problem” message. Chrome worked through the server drop without a hitch. Could be something to do with the server stickiness and chrome wasn’t on that server. Could also be that firefox isn’t as good at tcp link failures.
Hummm replacement server also failed. That area seems to have a problem. Activating a server on the other side. Removing servers from the affected side.
lprent
I wonder do the other big blogs have problems similar? Do we need more money to purchase better, more robust systems. More should be forthcoming if this is so.
Also I can’t see that the site would be immune from the noxious attitudes being shown by ACC to a poor protester in the street outside their mansion. Harrassment diminishing strength, and a desire to remove and clear the irritating dissent. Now we have wide ranging privacy interference laws and people with few scruples, it is possible that the disturbing of the systems will recur often as covert harrassment. I would consider it if I was on The Dark Side.
lprent
And each comment this morning once submitted has led to page ‘Connection closed by remote server’. I’ve gone back, gone Home, and found it but there is no edit option with it hence separate comments.
I think The Standards reliability isn’t great compared to other big blogs either.
I put it down to Lynn doing this very much on a part-time / hobby basis, as well as with something that is a bit customised rather than a bog standard installation.
In that sense I think the reliability we receive is pretty good.
I see young master Robert Salmond is predicting a 950 K “No”-vote on a turnout of roughly 1.35 million. Not quite National’s vote, but not far off it. Opinion Polls, of course, have been suggesting two-thirds opposition for a long time now.
The ACC protest goes on, with Mike Dixon-McIvor looking increasingly sick and ACC is still harrassing him (see quote below). Why is this not even a brief story anymore?
“Now having lost his home and income thanks to ACC Mike is conducting a hunger strike on the doorsteps of ACC’s plush Wellington offices in Aitken Street.
But now it seems that ACC’s bullying of Mike continues even while he protests. At night as he maintains his presence outside their building an ACC security guard wakes him up every two hours. Last night the guard admitted he did this on the instructions of ACC. The denial of sleep in this way is getting pretty close to a form of sleep deprivation. Also Wellington City Council received an “anonymous” complaint about Mike’s dog, who was his companion on the protest. Following an approach by the council, Mike’s dog has had to be sent away.
The streets of our capital are cold at night, and to deprive an old man of both sleep and a source of warmth as he undertakes a hunger strike is particularly cruel.”
The ACC protest goes on, with Mike Dixon-McIvor looking increasingly sick and ACC is still harrassing him (see quote below). Why is this not even a brief story anymore?
“Now having lost his home and income thanks to ACC Mike is conducting a hunger strike on the doorsteps of ACC’s plush Wellington offices in Aitken Street.
But now it seems that ACC’s bullying of Mike continues even while he protests. At night as he maintains his presence outside their building an ACC security guard wakes him up every two hours. Last night the guard admitted he did this on the instructions of ACC. The denial of sleep in this way is getting pretty close to a form of sleep deprivation. Also Wellington City Council received an “anonymous” complaint about Mike’s dog, who was his companion on the protest. Following an approach by the council, Mike’s dog has had to be sent away.
The streets of our capital are cold at night, and to deprive an old man of both sleep and a source of warmth as he undertakes a hunger strike is particularly cruel.”
I do hope that the government will act to protect kids from the harm alcohol can do them. They seem to consistently ignore advice and solutions to the problems alcohol create.
I’m left with the distinct impression that the alcohol industry has way too much influence on the government.
Not at all,
3 months ago it was known that the icc were preparing investigating match and spot fixing and that nz players were to be part of the investigation, so if within some circles it was known back then think something is being missed in the reporting.
Police officer punches down protesting student at University of London
The power elite are destroying the university system of education in the UK, making it unaffordable for most, and privatising/corporatising the institution for the rest.
Went to Bryan Gould’s book launch (“Myths, Politicians & Money”) last night (Thanks to the mighty Fabians for arranging)
It was a good talk and he roved over some of the contents of the book and answered questions. Penny B was there and as usual was right on the button with her comments.
Purchased a copy read the intro. late last night and hopefully can start book proper today.
Extract from the post, with Thatcherism, Reaganism et al:
The ability to move capital at will across national boundaries not only meant that international investors could bypass national governments but also enabled them to threaten such governments that they would lose essential investment if they did not comply with the investors’ demands. This shifted the balance of power dramatically back in the direction of capital, and set the seal on the triumph of those “free-market” principles of economic policy that became known as the “Washington consensus”.
It became accepted that the “free market” was infallible and that its outcomes should not be challenged. Any attempt to second-guess the market would inevitably produce worse results. Everyone – it was thought – would be better off if the rich and powerful were subject to no restraint in manipulating the market to suit their own interests.
But the whole point of democracy – that the legitimacy enjoyed by elected governments allowed them to defend the interests of ordinary people against the otherwise overwhelming economic power of those who dominated the market – was thereby lost.
We see the outcomes of this shift all too clearly. Virtually the whole of the increased wealth of the last three decades has gone to the richest people in our society; poverty, even in the “rich” countries, has risen while inequality, with its attendant social ills, has widened; the rights of working people at work have been weakened; joblessness is endemic; and the “free market” free-for-all achieved its culmination in the global financial crisis.
. Virtually the whole of the increased wealth of the last three decades has gone to the richest people in our society; poverty, even in the “rich” countries, has risen
And this has come to be accepted as ‘the’ norm, the correct way,. Discussing with a wealthy relative this nation’s bad outcomes from past present and likely future policies, he said that Key will lead us out of our problems this is what he knows.
When you have money there is no spur to change anything, to do anything but ameliorate some ills. The mind goes to sleep, and all interest is centred on organising one’s own little world to maximise benefits from one’s own resources.
And the others who don’t have those resources get offered disingenuous slogans – ‘get more education, work harder, smarten yourself up to get opportunities and seize them – it’s all individual striving nothing structural and the advice ignores the current realities.
in order for this kind of thinking to work politically, there must be a huge number of people NOT in the top group but who slavishly believe it’s either their fault for not working hard enough, or it’s only a matter of time? In the face of oh so much evidence to the contrary.
1 minute into this video and two things strike me.
Firstly, I like Hedges. His book ‘American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America’ was a good read and intellectually sound take on the US religious right.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Fascists)
Secondly was the quote “The inability to to articulate a viable socialism has been our gravest mistake”.
1 minute into this video and two things strike me.
Firstly, I like Hedges. His book ‘American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America’ was a good read and intellectually sound take on the US religious right.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Fascists)
Secondly was the quote “The inability to to articulate a viable socialism has been our gravest mistake”.
Hedges is very good. Writing from Sarajevo as it was being shelled week after week after week, as well as from many other war zones, has given the man a perspective of the potential results of moral, economic and political decline that few others have.
BBC Hard Talk: SOFT on Power, HARD on Real Journalism, Truth Telling and Glenn Greenwald
by JOSHUA FUNNELL, Huffington Post, 5 December 2013
Listening to the political gurglings of right-wing commentators a vision is painted of a monolithic BBC acting as an anti-establishment, subversive enemy within. A BBC where leftist executives plot how best to infect society with commie ideals and pollute the minds of youth with an antibusiness, pro EU, anti military, politically correct neurosis. “The BBC is left wing” has become one of those “common sense” truisms read straight from the book of Tory cliches. Alas the idea bears no relation to reality.
According to research by Cardiff University, the “left wing BBC” idea, academically speaking, is crap. For example, we are told Auntie Beeb is “anti business” and “pro unions”. Strange then that Cardiff have discovered that “On (the) BBC News at Six, business representatives outnumbered trade union spokespersons by more than five to one (11 vs 2) in 2007 and by 19 to one in 2012.” Additionally, whilst discussing the impacts of immigration and EU trade policy, out of 806 sources not ONE was from organised labour.
Organised labour, lest we forget, amounts only to that minor accolade of being the single greatest democratic block of working people in British civil society and those primarily effected by the aforementioned policies. However, the BBC’s actions suggest that these union members do not register as economic players, they aren’t the movers and shakers, the guys in the big club wielding political and economic capital, the owner and controller class that the BBC routinely embraces for opinion and source material. The BBC has historic form on this front; the fledgling organisation was used by the Baldwin government to peddle government propaganda demonising the 1922 General Strike. Again in this instance the BBC denied appearances to organised labour representatives. Workers renamed the BBC in response as the “British Falsehood Corporation”.
This hidden in plain sight bias has long been documented by the fine work of Media Lens. They have presided over a decades worth of ceaseless mainstream/corporate media vigilance, documenting clear trends in bias by scouring vast databases of media output. The bias is firmly to the establishment, of whom a principle culprit is the BBC. In short the BBC of today demonstrates a systematic penchant for parroting, or providing platforms for, the views of pro military interventionists, economic Neoliberals and the unholy trinity of UK party politics. Despite these entities and ideologies being responsible for economic and military extremism that has lead to disastrous foreign escapades and global financial meltdowns, they still provide the bulk of the BBC’s primary source material. This was notable during the financial crisis, where the BBC in a perverse and sick twist depended heavily on the city culprits themselves as sources. Cardiff’s research shows how they were gifted near saturation exposure by the BBC to exonerate themselves of responsibility.
Additionally, let’s take the Iraq war, where former Director General Greg Dyke had the audacity to criticise the pro war bias of the American media. Yet under his own watch – according to both the University of Cardiff and research by Media Tennor – the BBC’s war coverage consisted of just 2% anti war voices. This was the single worst performance of any news organisation in the Western Media, where pro war voices outnumbered the antis by a ratio of roughly 10 to 1. The fact that the majority of the British public rejected the war did not reflect in coverage. The BBC’s abysmal performance amounted to a psychological crime perpetrated against the very public who fund the institution. Yet this should not surprise anyone. During the Falkland’s war the BBC stated in leaked minutes….
If you are serious about the quality of public discourse, you will want to check out David Edwards’ and David Cromwell’s superb British site Media Lens, the scourge of the BBC, the Grauniad, the Murdoch media and other government mouthpieces…. http://www.medialens.org/
Yep, Morrissey, same preposterous accusations of Left-wing-bias against the mainstream US, Aussie and even Kiwi media. In reality, most journos are (in tune with their socio-economic interests) ‘Liberal-Centrists’ at best. Relatively liberal on moral issues like abortion, homosexual law reform and capital punishment, but generally centre-right on economic issues (Former leading journo-turned-Govt-Dept-Head, Al Morrisson, being a perfect example. Constantly abused by Righties (eg local Neo-Con bore, David Cohen) as a “leftie”, Morrison made clear on his retirement from the profession that his economic views were very much centre-right).
More importantly, of course, the MSM they work for is inherently pro-establishment, including – as you argue – on foreign policy. Any critical journalism occurs within very narrow parameters.
More on the British Bullshit Corporation in Part 2 (The Empire Strikes Back), below.
“A throwaway remark by Prime Minister John Key has unleashed nervous speculation and head scratching among members of Parliament that a minor party is about to rescue National’s stalled new environmental law.”
Still looking for work and getting very discouraged. Sick of agents and sick of being ignored or there being someone better, always some excuse. You are just a resource to be used up and boxed into a category. If you do not fit exactly forget it. Never mind that you have a brain and are adaptable. A cog in the machinery of business.When you are left out or do not fit what does that make you? A defective part?
The feeling you get from employing managers and agents is do not bother me because I’m busy and my time is valuable and I’m more important than you. There must be something wrong with you if you cannot get a job.
Life sucks when you cannot get a job. The financial, mental and physical effects take you down.
Sorry for the self pity rant. Trying to stay positive but some days are hard. 😐
my sympathies Flip, nearly went back overseas after months of that in a pre GFC market, I now know what the issue was….I have ability and a proven track record of achievement.
Trick is to not stand out, threaten or look anything remotely like a free thinker who may rock the boat or you may show the incumbents up.
Show up, fit in, keep your counsel, go the AB’s, gosh that John key’s a great bloke etc etc
Yep. Express an opinion or view that the boss has made a mistake. Managers are employed to do the capitalists bidding. Much like security guards protecting a tyrant.
Hard for employees to get a say. It is only our lives that are expended in the service of the business not something important like money. (Sarcasm)
Reminds me of something someone said to me after a round of public service downsizings 20 odd years ago, although he was quoting someone who was talking of the private sector which was also going through a time of belt-tightening to enrich the executives and investors. “Give up on your boss – they gave up on you a long time ago”.
The young uns probably have the right attitude these days. All the mission statements and values and bollocks about the organisation valuing its staff & customers is PR garbage.Show up, work for the hours you signed up to and no more. Leave that job for something different or something better every two years or so before you get too comfortable. Don’t expect the boss to do anything more for you than employ you to do what they hired you for and pay you what they agreed to pay you. You owe the boss nothing more than to work the hours they pay you for.
Don’t apologise Flip. You are not the one to be sorry.
I am in the same situation as you. I sometimes begin to doubt my ability after all the let downs and some days its hard not to feel discouraged, isolated and “other”. I try to remember that this is the first time in my life that I have not been able to get work, and that we are living in shit times with an anti worker govt that treats us like disposable units. The 90 day Act is a prime example.
You are right though. It does suck, and I hope good things are just around the corner for you. Take care.
Thanks for the encouragement. Agree about the 90 day Act. Read on kiwiblog propaganda on how successful it has been from the POV of employers. Pointed out the article did not survey workers views and so it is a bit of a one-sided story.
It is a very difficult circumstance. Your health and fitness is most important. Also keep a sharp, tight, regular daily routine. Read. Actual physical books preferred. And join some volunteer or sporting activities during the week so you continue to extend your social networks. We place a lot of importance in defining ourselves and our place in society via work. That’s worth reflecting on by itself.
Good advice CV – I’ve tried to do the above. The library has provided an ongoing education and volunteering has been helpful, for social interaction and self esteem – I did gain a short term paid contract out of it too.
Flip, something I’ve chosen to do is not engage with small minded opinionated types, the likes of which you find on kiwiblog. as mentioned at 20.4.1) Personally I find it a downer when daily life can sometimes be a struggle with the eternal budgeting and that sense the world seems against you, (even though you know its not) and then dealing with people like that, who want to bring you down and make you feel small. For others though, they might like to engage with such folks, maybe for sport, if it helps.
In my considered opinion, Transparency International’s ‘Corruption Perception Index’ is not worth the paper upon which it is written.
How ‘transparent’ is the data upon which this ‘Corruption Perception Index’ is based?
Is this ‘Corruption Perception Index’ not based upon the subjective opinions of anonymous business people?
The ‘perception’ of New Zealand, as ‘the least corrupt country in the world’, is about as real as the ‘clean, green’ image.
Pity that the reality doesn’t match the perception, and the FACTS don’t match the mantra?
My opinion is considered, having now attended three international anti-corruption conferences, questioned and talked to anti-corruption experts, read the material, and carried out research no one else has here in New Zealand.
Attendee: 2009 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference
Attendee: 2010 Transparency International Anti-Corruption Conference
Attendee: 2013 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference
Good work Penny!….I agree with you…Corruption in NZ is something to be concerned and not complacent about …….and NZ seems to be becoming more corrupt, especially in Auckland
The nitwits from the use everything crowd and the thickos from federated farmers dont seem to understand that it is better to have 60% of something than 100% of nothing.
trying to leverage the arable to the max and extract every last cent is short term and shows a distinct lack of understanding of what farming is all about.
John Key (TV3) just now. The dead face tells us that his relationship with Nelson Mandela was “quite an intimate one…..”. Oh yeah ?
Perhaps the twenty hours of laxing back first-class to South Africa for Nelson Mandela’s funeral will afford him time to recall which side he was on during the Springbok Tour ’81.
I saw he received some coverage on TV3.
I’m hopeful that one day that New Zealands legislation around recreational drugs will focus on treating drug use as a health issue and focus on harm minimisation rather than the current prohibition and retribution model.
Mark Crysell’s commentary on TV One today
Friday 6 December 2013
As you’d expect, the airwaves are full of Nelson Mandela retrospectives. Television One midday news covered the rugby connection, and of course, other than the 1995 RWC final, one event above all else had to be mentioned….
MARK CRYSELL: The 1981 tour divided the nation….
[VIDEO montage of protests, and clashes with police]
MARK CRYSELL: And the protests against the tour were not confined to New Zealand. But the South African police had an entirely DIFFERENT way of dealing with protestors….
[VIDEO of police flailing protestors with sjamboks]
We expect, as a matter of course, for our “news” services to mislead and deceive us, or more commonly to deliberately omit crucial aspects of an issue; all of that is largely for ideological reasons. But it’s still unusual to see anything as unprofessional, as plain incompetent, as Crysell’s commentary.
Colin Craig, John Banks, Simon Bridges, Jamie Whyte—this has been a remarkable week for moronic statements fouling this country’s public discourse. But Crysell’s commentary rivals all of those others for sheer breathtaking inanity. If Crysell thinks that the South African police brutality was worse or more extreme (“an entirely DIFFERENT way of dealing with protestors”) than the ferociousness and brutality of the New Zealand Police Red Squad in 1981, then he has the memory—or more accurately, the integrity—of John Key.
Whether it’s a bad memory or simply a lack of honesty, Crysell’s incredibly stupid commentary surely renders him unfit for his job.
Surely Television One viewers deserve better than Mark Crysell.
You really are an ar5e, moz. The obvious point Crysell was making* was that the SA police force regularly killed protesters. Was that too subtle for you?
*assuming you are quoting him correctly, which, on form, is unlikely
You really are a fool. Anybody that experienced or read about—you should try that some time—what the police did to protestors on that tour would have been as shocked as I was when Crysell tried to imply that the South African police whipping—not killing, and not, as the NZ police did, smashing them in the face with steel batons—were more violent.
The violence of the New Zealand police shamed our country in 1981—but one “journalist” never noticed. And neither, it seems, did you.
But carry on with your rancid abuse; it’s all you’ve got, obviously.
When the NZ police deliberately massacre a minimum of 69 people in one event, you might have a point.
I did not suggest the New Zealand police were as bad all the time—just in 1981. Crysell was speaking over a clip of the S.A. police using SJAMBOKS. He seemed to be unaware of the fact that the New Zealand police had perpetrated far worse violence than that.
look up the SA death in custody rate for about that time, you tool
I have a huge amount of respect for the tour protestors in 1981, and I’m disgusted that a PM who can’t remember how he felt about the tour is uttering platitudes to mourn Mandela, but you’re a fucking moron if you think that the Red Squad were as bad as routine police work in SA at the time.
As a younger child being driven around in South Africa in 1995, I remember pulling up in a town where the day before us arriving, a crowd of high school aged students had been shot with buckshot for daring to march peacefully to occupy an abandoned white school.
Moz, I was a protester in 81 and I still have the helmet I was wearing at athletic park, complete with baton shaped dent. You know nothing about the tour and, obviously, less than zero about day to day life in RSA at the time.
But, on the up side, if you work real hard and aim high, one day you could be average.
Nice scar in my upper lip where a baton pushed my teeth through it. Had to have one of those ghastly 80’s moustaches to conceal the puckered scarred result for most of the 80’s until it disappeared into a fine white line.
Bloody irritating thing was that it wasn’t from when I did anything remotely illegal. It was from when the police went nuts at the 3rd test “clearing” the street. Bloody police riot as they completely lost discipline was my view.
Reminds me of the final test match at Eden Park. As my ‘squad’ walked towards the park we passed a senior police officer (or somebody very important) dressed in a black uniform with whopping great epaulettes, and sitting in a smart highly polished red sportscar. I gave him a friendly smile. What I was given in return was the facial equivalent of a bullet through my skull. That was the mindset of the NZ Police hierarchy during that tour – ugly and sinister. Yet any reasonably sane person could see that the vast bulk of those protestors (many thousands of them) were ordinary, decent and kindly New Zealanders ranging in age from very young to very old…
Anne you were brave!…there is no way I would have gone there !…it looked like war, felt like war, with the police now facing the Maori gangs who really meant business!…and we were cheering for the gangs
….after Molesworth Street (my sister and I , one row from getting a batoning…where we screamed “Resign!”…and apparently some of the police did resign after Molesworth St…some of them looked as shocked as we felt);……and Palmerston North ( where we put on helmets and chest protectors, shin protectors and teeth guards)….where I was absolutely terrified with the army, and helicopters and the barbed wire):….and then Wellington’s Rintoul / Riddiford Street intersection… where the police shoved protesters into a glass shop front …leaving us the yellowest in the middle of Yellow Squad in the front row (squawk !)…..( however luckily for us we were facing Blue Squad, not Red( who were real mean bastards!), and the Blue Officer in charge was determined we werent going to get hurt and kept urging us to leave…we said we couldnt leave because the people behind would cop it…..and my Mother, a school teacher who had come to protect her daughters, offered Blue Squad lollies and told them off…(smirk!)I think the Blue Officer took a lolly or two rather bemused and put them in his pocket ….Blue Squad then set about softly pummeling us with their batons….. when this didn’t dislodge us they pulled my helmet off and cracked my friends ribs and threw my sister in the gutter, shoved around my mother…but thanks to the Blue officer who was watching out for us …we weren’t hurt..and eventually got out when we had had enough …only to watch police run kicking over sitting protesters):…. and then Christchurch where I saw innocent new novice protesters ….middle class, middle aged, well dressed good citizens getting a batoning…..there was no way in hell I was going to Auckland!!!!!!!!!!!
For us it was both scary and serious, foolhardy and fun, part- time action on a matter of principle… The bravest NZers were the cold- headed public face organizers/strategists/ spokespeople like Trevor Richards and his partner Patty and Tom Newnam….who had to face the ire of rugby hooligans month after month…But of course the courage, year after year … of the activists in South Africa and Nelson Mandala …is almost unimaginable!…… and on a different plane altogether!
Moz, I was a protester in 81 and I still have the helmet I was wearing at athletic park, complete with baton shaped dent.
And yet you have the hide to back up Crysell’s foolish suggestiion that police using sjamboks is as bad or worse than the brutal thuggery of the Red Squad.
Having trouble getting into the Standard, refreshing, posting. Pity as it is a must read site. This try is in Safari instead of Firefox. Getting repeats or stopping altogether.
So, they’ve found a new way to come up with real-estate-backed securities that can be turned into derivatives, worth billions in profits.
How? They’ve become landlords.
It’s simple.
By renting these homes back to Americans, and securitizing America’s home-rental market, they can bundle up rental payments the same way they used to bundle mortgage payments, and sell them to investors.
Sounds awfully familiar, doesn’t it?
Changing the topic, I have a friend who is currently unemployed. She is being told that she has to prove that she is actively looking for jobs. Last week she was at the WINZ office and sent to look at the jobs board – the only positions available that would suit a woman were as prostitutes.
My friend is a confident, competent, middle aged woman. What about the younger, less articulate, more malleable women who are needing WINZ support? How many do WINZ send off into the brothels?
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Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
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RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
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Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
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Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
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The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
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Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
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By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallace’s debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that he’s always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe it’s something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. She’s ...
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A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: What’s KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
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By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Kokoda Station, Northern province, at the start of his state visit to Papua New Guinea. Both Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape will meet with the locals and the Northern Provincial government before they begin their ...
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And of course this was never gonna happen was it ? Call it Simon Bridges’ 89 day slavery law. *
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/9483649/Thousands-lose-jobs-in-90-day-trial
* For Simon Bridges read ShonKey Python.
The only surprise is that this made the corporate news at all
there are always ‘McJobs’ to queue for. ‘McJobs’, very enticing…
why wouldn’t you? queue for the benefits. Not 40 hrs though, oh no…
The 90 day right to prove yourself has been proven to be a wonderful success story. Thousands of people who would never have been given the chance to work have found employment. Employers agree that the 90 day right to prove yourself encourages employers to take a risk without risking being sued for thousands. New Zealand has thus joined every other country in the OECD which gives prospective workers the chance to work. It has been a great success story as the article clearly shows.
A wonderful success for whom? One of the things you were touting years ago (from memory) was that youth unemployment rates would go down. Last time I looked they kept going up.
So I guess that is a failure?
“It is not known how many workers were dismissed during the 90-day-trial period, but the figures revealed 27 per cent of employers said they had fired at least one new employee during or at the end of their trial. ”
– So the papers are making stuff up again and not mentioning how many new employees had been hired at the same time
Dishonest Puckish Rogue. You ignore the basis on which it is tentatively calculated (actually written in the article) that 18,000 people are involved here. Dishonest Puckish Rogue. Not surprised. Textor-Tosser. As always.
18,000 people who didn’t make the grade gave another 18,000 the opportunity to show what they’ve got and secure themselves a job.
What’s the problem?
Yeah alright then Bowel Motion……..and then 18,000 more for 89 days, and then 18,000 more the 89 days after that, and so on. I daresay the plantation owners too were in the position to resolve that their last slave purchase was a bad deal.
The problem you fucked up old moron is that you don’t see a problem. Hope karma gets you. We’re talking at minimum 18,000 beating human hearts here. That doesn’t matter ??? Um um um what’s the problem ???
Because of the lack of distinction between people who should never have been hired in the first place and people who would have been excellent employees if their manager didn’t take a “sink or swim” approach.
All 90-day fire at will provides is a ripcord for managers who can’t hire appropriate staff for the job, and can’t manage the staff they do hire.
Frankly, it’s not the employee who should be fired after three months, it’s the incompetent manager.
What a load of horse shit.
There is an odour surrounding your argument BM
management style like that (abuse, not context, no explanation of basis for that response, no advise on how to improve) is a perfect illustration of the sort of stupid fuck who needs a 90F@W law in order to run their business.
You can’t actually say any of that because we don’t know what’s really happening out there. All indications are, though, that the 90 day fire at will bill is working as intended – making work even more precarious and thus helping drive down wages.
How could I not let that quip through.
National think it’s great WINZ save money when someone on a benefit gets a job for 90 days then has a stand down period before receiving a benefit again. Sick f**ks.
cuts those “long term unemployed” stats though, don’t it…
Exactly, was the main motivation for it’s implementation imo
And some dick from the EPMU is also bleating about people being released within 90 days. They get released because they don’t cut the the mustard. Cuntlipps can change the law but nothing will change. Employers will get rid of dead wood bludgers and yes, they will curse they ever employed them, but at least the employer will learn from his/her mistake.
I’ve never seen much evidence that most employers can learn from anything. Given the number of mistakes they do make, if they could actually learn from them, they’d all be bloody Nobel Laureates. Instead, they have the emotional maturity of someone who thinks it’s witty to name someone after labia.
Why do people worship these privileged, parasitic inbreds?
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Habsburg-Jaw-And-Other-Royal-Inbreeding-Deformities-and-Disorders
Some number crunching:
1,058,636: number of votes received by National in 2011
1,083,309: number of votes cast in the referendum, so far.
Hmmm, not sure why my comments are doubling up.
I’m not sure I understand the point behind your numbers..
Or is just a reflection?
Hi, Paul, just noting that the number of posted referendum ballots has now passed the number of votes National claim gave them a ‘mandate’ to sell our assets. Not that all the ballots will be opposed, of course. I imagine we’ll need a return of around 1.5 million to have a ‘mandate’ that actually reflects what kiwis actually want.
Nor do I. 90% of the time it is the browser. Try shutting it down and reopening it (if it isn’t IE of course – that never really shuts down).
Could also be the server that just shut down, you’d have gotten diverted to another server so the dup checking wouldn’t have worked
Dropping firefox and reopening it seems to have worked. I have lost the “Gateway problem” message. Chrome worked through the server drop without a hitch. Could be something to do with the server stickiness and chrome wasn’t on that server. Could also be that firefox isn’t as good at tcp link failures.
Tis odd..
Hummm replacement server also failed. That area seems to have a problem. Activating a server on the other side. Removing servers from the affected side.
Fixed after figuring out the server that was causing the issue.
Cheers, LP. As always, in awe of your technical prowess.
Not this morning. It was freaking irritating because it got in the way of what I got up at 0530 to work on.
Not this morning. It was freaking irritating because it got in the way of what I got up at 0530 to work on. And I forgot to resticky the balancer.
lprent
I wonder do the other big blogs have problems similar? Do we need more money to purchase better, more robust systems. More should be forthcoming if this is so.
Also I can’t see that the site would be immune from the noxious attitudes being shown by ACC to a poor protester in the street outside their mansion. Harrassment diminishing strength, and a desire to remove and clear the irritating dissent. Now we have wide ranging privacy interference laws and people with few scruples, it is possible that the disturbing of the systems will recur often as covert harrassment. I would consider it if I was on The Dark Side.
lprent
I notice that in my personal archive all the comments between Nov 30th and today have vanished.
lprent
And each comment this morning once submitted has led to page ‘Connection closed by remote server’. I’ve gone back, gone Home, and found it but there is no edit option with it hence separate comments.
such a Problem Child , oopsa’ daisy. 😀
I think The Standards reliability isn’t great compared to other big blogs either.
I put it down to Lynn doing this very much on a part-time / hobby basis, as well as with something that is a bit customised rather than a bog standard installation.
In that sense I think the reliability we receive is pretty good.
I see young master Robert Salmond is predicting a 950 K “No”-vote on a turnout of roughly 1.35 million. Not quite National’s vote, but not far off it. Opinion Polls, of course, have been suggesting two-thirds opposition for a long time now.
Ironic
Yeah. I have to find out why a server instance dumping like that causes a problem with dup comments. I guess it isn’t using the common memcache.
Another job for the weekend.
The ACC protest goes on, with Mike Dixon-McIvor looking increasingly sick and ACC is still harrassing him (see quote below). Why is this not even a brief story anymore?
http://michaelbott.blogspot.co.nz/2013/11/accs-continuing-persecution-of-mike.html
“Now having lost his home and income thanks to ACC Mike is conducting a hunger strike on the doorsteps of ACC’s plush Wellington offices in Aitken Street.
But now it seems that ACC’s bullying of Mike continues even while he protests. At night as he maintains his presence outside their building an ACC security guard wakes him up every two hours. Last night the guard admitted he did this on the instructions of ACC. The denial of sleep in this way is getting pretty close to a form of sleep deprivation. Also Wellington City Council received an “anonymous” complaint about Mike’s dog, who was his companion on the protest. Following an approach by the council, Mike’s dog has had to be sent away.
The streets of our capital are cold at night, and to deprive an old man of both sleep and a source of warmth as he undertakes a hunger strike is particularly cruel.”
The ACC protest goes on, with Mike Dixon-McIvor looking increasingly sick and ACC is still harrassing him (see quote below). Why is this not even a brief story anymore?
http://michaelbott.blogspot.co.nz/2013/11/accs-continuing-persecution-of-mike.html
“Now having lost his home and income thanks to ACC Mike is conducting a hunger strike on the doorsteps of ACC’s plush Wellington offices in Aitken Street.
But now it seems that ACC’s bullying of Mike continues even while he protests. At night as he maintains his presence outside their building an ACC security guard wakes him up every two hours. Last night the guard admitted he did this on the instructions of ACC. The denial of sleep in this way is getting pretty close to a form of sleep deprivation. Also Wellington City Council received an “anonymous” complaint about Mike’s dog, who was his companion on the protest. Following an approach by the council, Mike’s dog has had to be sent away.
The streets of our capital are cold at night, and to deprive an old man of both sleep and a source of warmth as he undertakes a hunger strike is particularly cruel.”
@ asleep..thnx 4 the heads-up on that..
..i’ve featured it..fwiw..
..my headline is ‘the bastards who surround us’..
..phillip ure..
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9483812/Quick-solution-to-online-underage-liquor-sales
I do hope that the government will act to protect kids from the harm alcohol can do them. They seem to consistently ignore advice and solutions to the problems alcohol create.
I’m left with the distinct impression that the alcohol industry has way too much influence on the government.
re cricket-corruption allegations:
when you have three accused..
..and ‘a’ is ‘cooperating fully with the authorities’…
..and ‘b’ ‘has heard nothing’ from those same authorities..
..it is easy to surmise that ‘a’ has ‘rolled-over’..
..and is being lined up to give evidence against ‘b’..
..eh..?
..phillip ure..
It looks a little like that, doesn’t it.
Not at all,
3 months ago it was known that the icc were preparing investigating match and spot fixing and that nz players were to be part of the investigation, so if within some circles it was known back then think something is being missed in the reporting.
Police officer punches down protesting student at University of London
The power elite are destroying the university system of education in the UK, making it unaffordable for most, and privatising/corporatising the institution for the rest.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2013/dec/05/police-officer-punches-student-university-london-protest-video
Went to Bryan Gould’s book launch (“Myths, Politicians & Money”) last night (Thanks to the mighty Fabians for arranging)
It was a good talk and he roved over some of the contents of the book and answered questions. Penny B was there and as usual was right on the button with her comments.
Purchased a copy read the intro. late last night and hopefully can start book proper today.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/2575827
I hope the above link works, it is the Bryan Gould interview with Chris Laidlaw a few weeks back discussing this book…very interesting.
Thanks. Interesting audio.
Gould’s post based on his book.
Extract from the post, with Thatcherism, Reaganism et al:
. Virtually the whole of the increased wealth of the last three decades has gone to the richest people in our society; poverty, even in the “rich” countries, has risen
And this has come to be accepted as ‘the’ norm, the correct way,. Discussing with a wealthy relative this nation’s bad outcomes from past present and likely future policies, he said that Key will lead us out of our problems this is what he knows.
When you have money there is no spur to change anything, to do anything but ameliorate some ills. The mind goes to sleep, and all interest is centred on organising one’s own little world to maximise benefits from one’s own resources.
And the others who don’t have those resources get offered disingenuous slogans – ‘get more education, work harder, smarten yourself up to get opportunities and seize them – it’s all individual striving nothing structural and the advice ignores the current realities.
in order for this kind of thinking to work politically, there must be a huge number of people NOT in the top group but who slavishly believe it’s either their fault for not working hard enough, or it’s only a matter of time? In the face of oh so much evidence to the contrary.
It does.
The pathology of the rich
Essential watching.
1 minute into this video and two things strike me.
Firstly, I like Hedges. His book ‘American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America’ was a good read and intellectually sound take on the US religious right.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Fascists)
Secondly was the quote “The inability to to articulate a viable socialism has been our gravest mistake”.
That’s where you come in Draco…
1 minute into this video and two things strike me.
Firstly, I like Hedges. His book ‘American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America’ was a good read and intellectually sound take on the US religious right.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Fascists)
Secondly was the quote “The inability to to articulate a viable socialism has been our gravest mistake”.
That’s where you come in Draco…
Hedges is very good. Writing from Sarajevo as it was being shelled week after week after week, as well as from many other war zones, has given the man a perspective of the potential results of moral, economic and political decline that few others have.
I’m working on it and most of what I say is already sounder than the capitalist system that we have.
Keep at it, champ.
Keep at it, champ.
wow…Simon Bridges (wanker) Website hacked…
http://www.simon-bridges.co.nz/
Good work who ever did this!
Simon Bridges site is http://www.simonbridges.co.nz
http://www.simon-bridges.co.nz is a nice image of the original with a few extras. Not a hack..
Nice though.
LOL
UK Marine who shot heavily wounded Afghan insurgent in chest named
Charged with murder. How to take a talented young man and twist him over the years into a cold blooded murderer on the orders of the power elite.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/dec/05/royal-marine-alexander-blackman-taliban-murder
two words we really need to focus more on:
..’tax-gap’..
..this is the amount the tax dept of any country (from their number-crunching) estimates it should receive in revenue on any given year..
..and the actual amount that comes in..
..in britain..the chancellor there has estimated the amount is $35 billion..
..and the recent doco on poverty here had an ‘industry-expert’ estimate the amount here is $2.5 billion..
..each and every year..
..this is the amount the corporates/elites are ‘dodging/avoiding’…
..(and as an aside..get that monies due each year..and there is yr funding to end poverty..eh..?
..and to do so so much more..)
..and instead of parker pushing raising retirement age..(on economic grounds)..shouldn’t he be promising to get this money..?
..and that $2.5 billion per yr..puts into clear perspective those who this govt focuses on/targets..
..total benefit fraud in nz is $23 million per yr..
..not a small amount of money..
..but next to $2.5 billion..?..
..really..?..
http://whoar.co.nz/2013/ed-just-what-is-the-tax-gap-here-in-new-zealand-just-how-much-are-those-1erscorporates-with-sharp-accountantslawyers-ripping-off-from-the-rest-of-the-country/
phillip ure..
great piece by Tipene O’regan on 9-noon this a.m.
He understands what the nitwits dont.
Cap hook
Yes +1
BBC Hard Talk: SOFT on Power, HARD on Real Journalism, Truth Telling and Glenn Greenwald
by JOSHUA FUNNELL, Huffington Post, 5 December 2013
Listening to the political gurglings of right-wing commentators a vision is painted of a monolithic BBC acting as an anti-establishment, subversive enemy within. A BBC where leftist executives plot how best to infect society with commie ideals and pollute the minds of youth with an antibusiness, pro EU, anti military, politically correct neurosis. “The BBC is left wing” has become one of those “common sense” truisms read straight from the book of Tory cliches. Alas the idea bears no relation to reality.
According to research by Cardiff University, the “left wing BBC” idea, academically speaking, is crap. For example, we are told Auntie Beeb is “anti business” and “pro unions”. Strange then that Cardiff have discovered that “On (the) BBC News at Six, business representatives outnumbered trade union spokespersons by more than five to one (11 vs 2) in 2007 and by 19 to one in 2012.” Additionally, whilst discussing the impacts of immigration and EU trade policy, out of 806 sources not ONE was from organised labour.
Organised labour, lest we forget, amounts only to that minor accolade of being the single greatest democratic block of working people in British civil society and those primarily effected by the aforementioned policies. However, the BBC’s actions suggest that these union members do not register as economic players, they aren’t the movers and shakers, the guys in the big club wielding political and economic capital, the owner and controller class that the BBC routinely embraces for opinion and source material. The BBC has historic form on this front; the fledgling organisation was used by the Baldwin government to peddle government propaganda demonising the 1922 General Strike. Again in this instance the BBC denied appearances to organised labour representatives. Workers renamed the BBC in response as the “British Falsehood Corporation”.
This hidden in plain sight bias has long been documented by the fine work of Media Lens. They have presided over a decades worth of ceaseless mainstream/corporate media vigilance, documenting clear trends in bias by scouring vast databases of media output. The bias is firmly to the establishment, of whom a principle culprit is the BBC. In short the BBC of today demonstrates a systematic penchant for parroting, or providing platforms for, the views of pro military interventionists, economic Neoliberals and the unholy trinity of UK party politics. Despite these entities and ideologies being responsible for economic and military extremism that has lead to disastrous foreign escapades and global financial meltdowns, they still provide the bulk of the BBC’s primary source material. This was notable during the financial crisis, where the BBC in a perverse and sick twist depended heavily on the city culprits themselves as sources. Cardiff’s research shows how they were gifted near saturation exposure by the BBC to exonerate themselves of responsibility.
Additionally, let’s take the Iraq war, where former Director General Greg Dyke had the audacity to criticise the pro war bias of the American media. Yet under his own watch – according to both the University of Cardiff and research by Media Tennor – the BBC’s war coverage consisted of just 2% anti war voices. This was the single worst performance of any news organisation in the Western Media, where pro war voices outnumbered the antis by a ratio of roughly 10 to 1. The fact that the majority of the British public rejected the war did not reflect in coverage. The BBC’s abysmal performance amounted to a psychological crime perpetrated against the very public who fund the institution. Yet this should not surprise anyone. During the Falkland’s war the BBC stated in leaked minutes….
Read more….
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/joshua-funnell/glenn-greenwald-bbc_b_4376980.html
If you are serious about the quality of public discourse, you will want to check out David Edwards’ and David Cromwell’s superb British site Media Lens, the scourge of the BBC, the Grauniad, the Murdoch media and other government mouthpieces….
http://www.medialens.org/
…and its superb forum….
http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/
thanks for this. good read.
Yep, Morrissey, same preposterous accusations of Left-wing-bias against the mainstream US, Aussie and even Kiwi media. In reality, most journos are (in tune with their socio-economic interests) ‘Liberal-Centrists’ at best. Relatively liberal on moral issues like abortion, homosexual law reform and capital punishment, but generally centre-right on economic issues (Former leading journo-turned-Govt-Dept-Head, Al Morrisson, being a perfect example. Constantly abused by Righties (eg local Neo-Con bore, David Cohen) as a “leftie”, Morrison made clear on his retirement from the profession that his economic views were very much centre-right).
More importantly, of course, the MSM they work for is inherently pro-establishment, including – as you argue – on foreign policy. Any critical journalism occurs within very narrow parameters.
More on the British Bullshit Corporation in Part 2 (The Empire Strikes Back), below.
Good morning, peeps.
Have just seen this.
Throwaway remark or throw out the guy ? 🙂
“A throwaway remark by Prime Minister John Key has unleashed nervous speculation and head scratching among members of Parliament that a minor party is about to rescue National’s stalled new environmental law.”
http://agrihq.co.nz/article/speculation-grows-on-rma-rescue?p=6
Winston First? Do they have a stated view on this one?
Nelson Mandela has died
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/africa/9485450/Nelson-Mandela-dead-Zuma
R.I.P
Very sad news. With the deaths of Hugo Chávez and Nelson Mandela, that’s two great democratic leaders who have passed away this year.
Please that his struggle is over. I sometimes wondered if he kept hanging on cos others werent ready for him to go.
This man epitomised “leadership”, SO MANY HOLD LEADERSHIP POSITIONS BUT ARENT ACTUALLY LEADERS.
Very sad to hear about Nelson Mandela, because he was the “Epitome” of struggle and fight against an unjust & corrupt system.
But life goes on, I will be watching to see what this govt will be slipping in under the radar while the public’s focus is elsewhere.
Still looking for work and getting very discouraged. Sick of agents and sick of being ignored or there being someone better, always some excuse. You are just a resource to be used up and boxed into a category. If you do not fit exactly forget it. Never mind that you have a brain and are adaptable. A cog in the machinery of business.When you are left out or do not fit what does that make you? A defective part?
The feeling you get from employing managers and agents is do not bother me because I’m busy and my time is valuable and I’m more important than you. There must be something wrong with you if you cannot get a job.
Life sucks when you cannot get a job. The financial, mental and physical effects take you down.
Sorry for the self pity rant. Trying to stay positive but some days are hard. 😐
Glad you could get it off your chest. I wont type anything trite just wish you all the luck in the world landing some work.
Cheers.
my sympathies Flip, nearly went back overseas after months of that in a pre GFC market, I now know what the issue was….I have ability and a proven track record of achievement.
Trick is to not stand out, threaten or look anything remotely like a free thinker who may rock the boat or you may show the incumbents up.
Show up, fit in, keep your counsel, go the AB’s, gosh that John key’s a great bloke etc etc
Yep. Express an opinion or view that the boss has made a mistake. Managers are employed to do the capitalists bidding. Much like security guards protecting a tyrant.
Hard for employees to get a say. It is only our lives that are expended in the service of the business not something important like money. (Sarcasm)
Reminds me of something someone said to me after a round of public service downsizings 20 odd years ago, although he was quoting someone who was talking of the private sector which was also going through a time of belt-tightening to enrich the executives and investors. “Give up on your boss – they gave up on you a long time ago”.
The young uns probably have the right attitude these days. All the mission statements and values and bollocks about the organisation valuing its staff & customers is PR garbage.Show up, work for the hours you signed up to and no more. Leave that job for something different or something better every two years or so before you get too comfortable. Don’t expect the boss to do anything more for you than employ you to do what they hired you for and pay you what they agreed to pay you. You owe the boss nothing more than to work the hours they pay you for.
I did make the mistake of staying somewhere too long. Too committed.
Don’t apologise Flip. You are not the one to be sorry.
I am in the same situation as you. I sometimes begin to doubt my ability after all the let downs and some days its hard not to feel discouraged, isolated and “other”. I try to remember that this is the first time in my life that I have not been able to get work, and that we are living in shit times with an anti worker govt that treats us like disposable units. The 90 day Act is a prime example.
You are right though. It does suck, and I hope good things are just around the corner for you. Take care.
Thanks for the encouragement. Agree about the 90 day Act. Read on kiwiblog propaganda on how successful it has been from the POV of employers. Pointed out the article did not survey workers views and so it is a bit of a one-sided story.
It is a very difficult circumstance. Your health and fitness is most important. Also keep a sharp, tight, regular daily routine. Read. Actual physical books preferred. And join some volunteer or sporting activities during the week so you continue to extend your social networks. We place a lot of importance in defining ourselves and our place in society via work. That’s worth reflecting on by itself.
‘We place a lot of importance in defining ourselves and our place in society via work. That’s worth reflecting on by itself.’
Agree. That was me. Had to do a bit of redefining over the last few years.
Good advice CV – I’ve tried to do the above. The library has provided an ongoing education and volunteering has been helpful, for social interaction and self esteem – I did gain a short term paid contract out of it too.
Flip, something I’ve chosen to do is not engage with small minded opinionated types, the likes of which you find on kiwiblog. as mentioned at 20.4.1) Personally I find it a downer when daily life can sometimes be a struggle with the eternal budgeting and that sense the world seems against you, (even though you know its not) and then dealing with people like that, who want to bring you down and make you feel small. For others though, they might like to engage with such folks, maybe for sport, if it helps.
Well, some of us do.
Eating their own:
https://twitter.com/DFisherJourno/status/408717779211001856/photo/1
FYI
NZ POLITICS DAILY: Is NZ really the least corrupt country on earth?
Bryce Edwards | Thursday December 05, 2013
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/nz-politics-daily-5th-december-2013-149675#comment-640526
(My comment – yet to be published….)
In the recent Auckland Mayoral election, I polled 4th with 11,723 votes on a campaign to stop corrupt corporate control of the Auckland region.
This is the ‘Action Plan’ upon which I campaigned, to stop ‘white collar’ crime, corruption and ‘corporate welfare’:
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ANTI-CORRUPTION-WHITE-COLLAR-CRIME-CORPORATE-WELFARE-ACTION-PLAN-Ak-Mayoral-campaign-19-July-2013-2.pdf
In my considered opinion, Transparency International’s ‘Corruption Perception Index’ is not worth the paper upon which it is written.
How ‘transparent’ is the data upon which this ‘Corruption Perception Index’ is based?
Is this ‘Corruption Perception Index’ not based upon the subjective opinions of anonymous business people?
The ‘perception’ of New Zealand, as ‘the least corrupt country in the world’, is about as real as the ‘clean, green’ image.
Pity that the reality doesn’t match the perception, and the FACTS don’t match the mantra?
My opinion is considered, having now attended three international anti-corruption conferences, questioned and talked to anti-corruption experts, read the material, and carried out research no one else has here in New Zealand.
Read it for yourself on http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com
http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz
http://www.pennybright4epsom.org.nz
http://www.stopthesupercity.org.nz
Penny Bright
Attendee: 2009 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference
Attendee: 2010 Transparency International Anti-Corruption Conference
Attendee: 2013 Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference
Good work Penny!….I agree with you…Corruption in NZ is something to be concerned and not complacent about …….and NZ seems to be becoming more corrupt, especially in Auckland
The nitwits from the use everything crowd and the thickos from federated farmers dont seem to understand that it is better to have 60% of something than 100% of nothing.
trying to leverage the arable to the max and extract every last cent is short term and shows a distinct lack of understanding of what farming is all about.
What it shows is the total and utter greed and selfishness of the farmers. We need to stop these fools before they destroy us.
Mr Ambrose is going to sue Mr Key for defamation. Good on yer mate!
National Radio midday.
this is the story that will slip under the radar due to mandela’s death BUT hopefully will have a long tale.
Saw it on 3 News but not on herald or stuff online yet
TV3 article
Yes!… good luck Mr Ambrose
edit: snap Naturesong
Snap!
😀
Awesome, hopefully Ambrose wins. Key really did a number on him at the time and should be held to account for it.
article from 2011 about possibility of defamation
http://www.3news.co.nz/Cameraman-may-sue-Key-for-defamation/tabid/419/articleID/233313/Default.aspx
And here is an item of interest on Mr Key’s lawyer, Peter Kiely, who has apparently received the defamation papers.
http://www.3news.co.nz/McCully-caught-up-in-conflict-of-interest-claims/tabid/1607/articleID/279326/Default.aspx
Good luck Mr Ambrose.
John Key (TV3) just now. The dead face tells us that his relationship with Nelson Mandela was “quite an intimate one…..”. Oh yeah ?
Perhaps the twenty hours of laxing back first-class to South Africa for Nelson Mandela’s funeral will afford him time to recall which side he was on during the Springbok Tour ’81.
Disgusting little creep of a man !
Professor David Nutt speaking at Auckland Uni this evening: Drugs without the hot air: A proper assessment of drug harms and their relative dangers .
I saw he received some coverage on TV3.
I’m hopeful that one day that New Zealands legislation around recreational drugs will focus on treating drug use as a health issue and focus on harm minimisation rather than the current prohibition and retribution model.
chrs 4 the heads-up on that..
..i saw it @ 5.30..and scooted right over..
..a most excellent lecture..
..it was filmed..and i will be notified when it is edited etc..
..so will link you to it then..
phillip ure..
Mark Crysell’s commentary on TV One today
Friday 6 December 2013
As you’d expect, the airwaves are full of Nelson Mandela retrospectives. Television One midday news covered the rugby connection, and of course, other than the 1995 RWC final, one event above all else had to be mentioned….
MARK CRYSELL: The 1981 tour divided the nation….
[VIDEO montage of protests, and clashes with police]
MARK CRYSELL: And the protests against the tour were not confined to New Zealand. But the South African police had an entirely DIFFERENT way of dealing with protestors….
[VIDEO of police flailing protestors with sjamboks]
We expect, as a matter of course, for our “news” services to mislead and deceive us, or more commonly to deliberately omit crucial aspects of an issue; all of that is largely for ideological reasons. But it’s still unusual to see anything as unprofessional, as plain incompetent, as Crysell’s commentary.
Colin Craig, John Banks, Simon Bridges, Jamie Whyte—this has been a remarkable week for moronic statements fouling this country’s public discourse. But Crysell’s commentary rivals all of those others for sheer breathtaking inanity. If Crysell thinks that the South African police brutality was worse or more extreme (“an entirely DIFFERENT way of dealing with protestors”) than the ferociousness and brutality of the New Zealand Police Red Squad in 1981, then he has the memory—or more accurately, the integrity—of John Key.
Whether it’s a bad memory or simply a lack of honesty, Crysell’s incredibly stupid commentary surely renders him unfit for his job.
Surely Television One viewers deserve better than Mark Crysell.
You really are an ar5e, moz. The obvious point Crysell was making* was that the SA police force regularly killed protesters. Was that too subtle for you?
*assuming you are quoting him correctly, which, on form, is unlikely
You really are a fool. Anybody that experienced or read about—you should try that some time—what the police did to protestors on that tour would have been as shocked as I was when Crysell tried to imply that the South African police whipping—not killing, and not, as the NZ police did, smashing them in the face with steel batons—were more violent.
The violence of the New Zealand police shamed our country in 1981—but one “journalist” never noticed. And neither, it seems, did you.
But carry on with your rancid abuse; it’s all you’ve got, obviously.
When the NZ police deliberately massacre a minimum of 69 people in one event, you might have a point.
Until then, you still make Don Quixote look like he has a handle on reality.
When the NZ police deliberately massacre a minimum of 69 people in one event, you might have a point.
I did not suggest the New Zealand police were as bad all the time—just in 1981. Crysell was speaking over a clip of the S.A. police using SJAMBOKS. He seemed to be unaware of the fact that the New Zealand police had perpetrated far worse violence than that.
look up the SA death in custody rate for about that time, you tool
I have a huge amount of respect for the tour protestors in 1981, and I’m disgusted that a PM who can’t remember how he felt about the tour is uttering platitudes to mourn Mandela, but you’re a fucking moron if you think that the Red Squad were as bad as routine police work in SA at the time.
As a younger child being driven around in South Africa in 1995, I remember pulling up in a town where the day before us arriving, a crowd of high school aged students had been shot with buckshot for daring to march peacefully to occupy an abandoned white school.
NZ police ain’t got shit on that.
Moz, I was a protester in 81 and I still have the helmet I was wearing at athletic park, complete with baton shaped dent. You know nothing about the tour and, obviously, less than zero about day to day life in RSA at the time.
But, on the up side, if you work real hard and aim high, one day you could be average.
Nice scar in my upper lip where a baton pushed my teeth through it. Had to have one of those ghastly 80’s moustaches to conceal the puckered scarred result for most of the 80’s until it disappeared into a fine white line.
Bloody irritating thing was that it wasn’t from when I did anything remotely illegal. It was from when the police went nuts at the 3rd test “clearing” the street. Bloody police riot as they completely lost discipline was my view.
Reminds me of the final test match at Eden Park. As my ‘squad’ walked towards the park we passed a senior police officer (or somebody very important) dressed in a black uniform with whopping great epaulettes, and sitting in a smart highly polished red sportscar. I gave him a friendly smile. What I was given in return was the facial equivalent of a bullet through my skull. That was the mindset of the NZ Police hierarchy during that tour – ugly and sinister. Yet any reasonably sane person could see that the vast bulk of those protestors (many thousands of them) were ordinary, decent and kindly New Zealanders ranging in age from very young to very old…
Anne you were brave!…there is no way I would have gone there !…it looked like war, felt like war, with the police now facing the Maori gangs who really meant business!…and we were cheering for the gangs
….after Molesworth Street (my sister and I , one row from getting a batoning…where we screamed “Resign!”…and apparently some of the police did resign after Molesworth St…some of them looked as shocked as we felt);……and Palmerston North ( where we put on helmets and chest protectors, shin protectors and teeth guards)….where I was absolutely terrified with the army, and helicopters and the barbed wire):….and then Wellington’s Rintoul / Riddiford Street intersection… where the police shoved protesters into a glass shop front …leaving us the yellowest in the middle of Yellow Squad in the front row (squawk !)…..( however luckily for us we were facing Blue Squad, not Red( who were real mean bastards!), and the Blue Officer in charge was determined we werent going to get hurt and kept urging us to leave…we said we couldnt leave because the people behind would cop it…..and my Mother, a school teacher who had come to protect her daughters, offered Blue Squad lollies and told them off…(smirk!)I think the Blue Officer took a lolly or two rather bemused and put them in his pocket ….Blue Squad then set about softly pummeling us with their batons….. when this didn’t dislodge us they pulled my helmet off and cracked my friends ribs and threw my sister in the gutter, shoved around my mother…but thanks to the Blue officer who was watching out for us …we weren’t hurt..and eventually got out when we had had enough …only to watch police run kicking over sitting protesters):…. and then Christchurch where I saw innocent new novice protesters ….middle class, middle aged, well dressed good citizens getting a batoning…..there was no way in hell I was going to Auckland!!!!!!!!!!!
For us it was both scary and serious, foolhardy and fun, part- time action on a matter of principle… The bravest NZers were the cold- headed public face organizers/strategists/ spokespeople like Trevor Richards and his partner Patty and Tom Newnam….who had to face the ire of rugby hooligans month after month…But of course the courage, year after year … of the activists in South Africa and Nelson Mandala …is almost unimaginable!…… and on a different plane altogether!
watched it all from a bar in new york..
..it was hell..
..phillip ure..
Moz, I was a protester in 81 and I still have the helmet I was wearing at athletic park, complete with baton shaped dent.
And yet you have the hide to back up Crysell’s foolish suggestiion that police using sjamboks is as bad or worse than the brutal thuggery of the Red Squad.
‘Surely Television One viewers deserve better than Mark Crysell’ ahh no Mark Crysell is exactly what you deserve expecting quality from TVNZ.
It could be alot worse like Jack Tame who would wax lyrically about a time before he was probably born.
It could be alot worse like Jack Tame…
Yes, that’s a very good point, tc.
Sharp little 4.9 earthquake felt sharply in Blenheim 1:45pm
Sharp little 4.9 earthquake felt sharply in Blenheim 1:45pm
I blame Brownlee for these quakes. If we want them to stop we need to vote Green.
Or maybe the rumble of democracy trying to surface?
Or maybe the rumble of democracy trying to surface?
@ ‘blame brownlee..’
was brownlee twerking..?
..did that bring on a 4.9..?
..whoar..!
phillip ure..
Having trouble getting into the Standard, refreshing, posting. Pity as it is a must read site. This try is in Safari instead of Firefox. Getting repeats or stopping altogether.
it’s been doing that all day..
phillip ure..
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9483615/Workers-eating-at-sacred-site-offend-Maori-MP
– Can always rely on a Labour MP to shift focus
And it looks like the banksters are setting the world up for global financial another crash:
Who needs housing when you can stay for free in empty office blocks abandoned by closed down businesses?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11168490
Now re Sky City and the Proceeds of Drugs ACT etc etc etc , WHEN WILL THE CROWN BE CONFISCATING SKY CITY? or is only the poor who this LAW APPLIES TO?
Changing the topic, I have a friend who is currently unemployed. She is being told that she has to prove that she is actively looking for jobs. Last week she was at the WINZ office and sent to look at the jobs board – the only positions available that would suit a woman were as prostitutes.
My friend is a confident, competent, middle aged woman. What about the younger, less articulate, more malleable women who are needing WINZ support? How many do WINZ send off into the brothels?