"The uncanny confluence of Putin's invasion and the IPCC report is a stark reminder: fossil fuel powers the worst crises facing our planet. If we use this moment to get off oil and gas, we have a fighting chance as a planet."
Poot’s wants to out do his mentor Stalin and to be remembered as one of the nastiest little barstard’s the Soviet Union has produced, the guy has severe mental health issues similar to Kim Jong Il from North Korea. All this shit is totally unnecessary.
And lets not forget one Roger Owen Douglas, who in 1992 gave a series of speeches on economics in Russia as part of a privatisation advisory committee organised by the World Bank.
You think ? Ive NEVER heard of him. You've assumed something….. I hadnt even thought !
My post was likening the RUSSIAN oligarchs to …..as I said. Fay, Richwhite, Myers, and all of their NZ ilk. Remember the Business Roundtable ? As every other person commenting on it noted.
Justice needs to be seen to be done for the people of Syria
The Ukrainian Security Services need to hand over the captured Russian Air Force Major to the ICC to be investigated for involvement in committing war crimes in Syria.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) reported that a Russian Air Force pilot who took part in the war in Syria and met with the country's president, Bashar al-Assad, has been captured.
"For him, bombing civilian cities is nothing new. As the criminal himself tells it, he didn't think about concepts like 'residential blocks of flats or neighbourhoods': 'There are just targets with coordinates'".
Valentyna Romanenko — Saturday, 5 March 2022, 17:32
There can be little doubt that Major Krasnoyartsev was involved directly or knew of the multiple war crimes committed in Syria by the Russian air force.
Syrians celebrate Ukraine capturing Russian pilot accused of Aleppo air strikes
People who fled Moscow’s Middle East bombing campaign ‘avenged’ after plane flown by Major Krasnoyartsev was shot down north of Kyiv
388 infections per 100K people reported last 7 days
Updated 11:08 PM NZDT
Average number of new infections reported each day in Ukraine falls by more than 7,300 over the last 3 weeks, 21% of its previous peak
COVID-19 infections are decreasing in Ukraine, with 24,623 new infections reported on average each day. That’s 68% of the peak — the highest daily average reported on February 10.
Sometimes you wonder why US firms continue to enable the United States to be the dominant economic power in the world, and then sometimes you don't need to wonder at all.
This analysis showing how Tesla is simply slaying German car makers both now and into the future is a bracing read for sad bastard still aspiring to a luxury European marque.
This article doesn't tell much truth it looks like an advertorial for Tesla.
Teslas profits are mainly from govt subsidies for electric vehicles.take those away and Tesla is barely profitable.
Then comparing Tesla reliability to VW and Mercedes is a joke you here something about Tesla's breaking down killing occupants brakes coming on of their own accord.
China would have given Tesla massive subsidies to built a factory in China ,Germany has done like wise.
The chip shortage and covid have disrupted supply lines factories are shutting down production until supply lines are back up to speed.
Musk is running a ponzi type business to claim carbon credits and govt subsidies.
One massive problem Tesla owners have is no dealerships handy for the continuous repairs needed.
Daimler/Mercedes have had field tests for commercial trucks for years in Europe. This I know because my partner's employer visited at the start of the trials and has an order already placed. (There's another manufacturer/supplier I can't recall at present.) They were ahead of Tesla in this market, significant for transitioning of the transport industry.
Also, Tesla has a habit of overpromising and under delivering.
You say "Poot's getting what he wants." ahead of a twitter post that there are shortages. Are you really saying that shortages of goods in Russia is actually what Putin was trying to achieve?
Given my contact with someone with knowledge of this project, I agree with the concerns raised in the first letter.
The second reads badly, and conflates 'science' as bad, without the influence of Mātauranga. When we should all know science is a discipline. As a tool it can be used positively or negatively.
Really? So you are saying that our 5.9% is merely typical and all due to the pandemic of Covid 19?
In that case, given that the apologists for our present Government like to claim we are less affected by Covid 19 than almost any other country why is our inflation rate so much higher than other countries?
For 2021 Japan was 0.5%, China 0.9%, Saudi Arabia 1.2%, Switzerland 2.2%, Taiwan 2.8% and Norway 3.2%.
Why are they doing so much better than we are? Those are just samples of course. A full list is at the reference below and we are a long way down the list.
That’s a bit naughty alwyn! Quoting nz’s current inflation rate and comparing it to the historical rates of other countries.
For a real comparison here is a chart (from your source link of NZ’s inflation rate over the past 3 years:
"Quoting nz’s current inflation rate and comparing it to the historical rates of other countries" "is a bit naughty" you say? Try looking at the source of my results.
They are all the latest figures available and in general they are a month or two later than the New Zealand one. New Zealand was the year to Dec 21. Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Norway were the year ending Jan/22 and Switzerland was Feb 22.
Current for New Zealand against historical for the other's? Rubbish. If you really got pedantic you would say it is the other way round, as the New Zealand numbers are a month older.
I merely said, slightly loosely I admit, that they were all for the year 2021.
The inflation is, in every case in my opinion, caused by the enormous deficits countries are running.
If you prefer it just call it printing money. We aren't quite as bad as the USA but we are a great deal worse than countries we consider our peers.
However our inflation is almost totally due to our own actions. It isn't Covid 19 causing it, as Barfly would like us to think. It is our "printing money" as it is termed. It is Robertson throwing money at anything he likes, regardless as to the effect it is having on inflation in New Zealand. Like many amateurs in the subject he likes the power of wasting our resources on rubbish.
"However our inflation is almost totally due to our own actions."
Which inflation? Housing(asset), you may have a case…. but energy, shipping and commodity prices are all outside our control except in that we placed ourselves in the position to be vulnerable to those risks over previous decades,
Government borrowing is very low comparatively and most of that borrowing remains unspent and therefore cannot be inflationary….and wages have been running behind inflation for years so its difficult to attribute inflation to domestic wages.
Which all goes to make a nonsense of Nationals announcement… and it will likely get them the votes they want.
Government net debt went from about 58 billion in 2019 to about $83 billion in 2020 and then to around $102 billion in 2021. That seems to be quite a large increase to me.
This is completely a ridiculous claim of course. Your essentially positing some kind of demand pull inflation, except we recorded the absence of massive incomes and spending needed to pull demand.
Meanwhile we have actually observed disruptions, delays and costs imposed on businesses by Covid-19 public health measures, and the direct impacts of infections (which are on going) and somehow you claim businesses are not responding in a supply side manner to this supply side shock.
Well, billions of that money kept employees being paid during covid, so probably better for the country than unemployment going through the roof. Even kept the taxpayers' "union" going.
Yes. What was done in 2020 during the first lockdown made sense. The trouble is that the Government fell in love with the idea that they can just create money and run deficits without penalty for ever.
Well they can't and it is coming home to bite us. Unfortunately the RBNZ Governor has also caught the bug. Unfortunately Adrian isn't in the intellectual class of some of his predecessors.
"The level of global economic activity is generating rising inflation pressures, exacerbated by ongoing supply disruptions."
and
"The near-term rise in inflation is accentuated by higher oil prices, rising transport costs, and the impact of supply shortfalls."
I am sure this is information you would prefer not to know as it does not follow Mr. Luxon's drivel about the NZ Government policies causing inflation.
The US Government deficit was $3.13 trillion in the 2020 fiscal year and $2.77 trillion in the 2021 year. In 2021 they collected about $4.05 trillion and spent around $6.82 trillion. The only amazing thing about it is that inflation has only reached 7.5%
Thus the US policies were similar to our own, and had the same effect. Why did you expect us to follow the same policies as the US and not get the same results?
The substantive increases in food cost inflation ( fao 20.7% over last 12 months) is also a mixture of speculation and sustainable mandates ( biofuels)
The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 140.7 points in February 2022, up 5.3 points (3.9 percent) from January and as much as 24.1 points (20.7 percent) above its level a year ago. This represents a new all-time high, exceeding the previous top of February 2011 by 3.1 points. The February rise was led by large increases in vegetable oil and dairy price sub-indices. Cereals and meat prices were also up, while the sugar price sub-index fell for the third consecutive month.
"Foetal alcohol injuries in NZ 'could be five times higher' than some official figures suggest"
Highly likely we live in a country with approximately 250,000 poor souls with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome…most of whom will be undiagnosed and unsupported, with a life long disability/"injury?" that they have no ability to deal with.
And…with a Government that is clearly determined not to have the facts laid bare.
A tragedy for not just these people, but for every person who has crossed paths with someone so afflicted, with no understanding of what the problem actually is let alone how they can help…or why the help they offer seems futile..
and of course, and as usual, the irony of our Market worshiping Budget restrained Government actually ignoring the real cost of this feigned "ignorance"…
Shane Reti making a pig's breakfast of using charts.
In an effort to make self-harm admissions look inflated over covid (and how inflated might they be if we'd had hundreds or thousands of covid dead in another question), Reti tweeted a chart that was multiple kinds of misleading. The thread is interesting.
And this dude is a doctor,I assume his twitter is in the hands of junior staffers: a medical doctor should be able to create better propaganda than that.
Yes, self harm is a serious issue that has been affected in a number of ways by lockdowns, mandates, a fucking global pandemic that has killed millions, and all sorts of other issues well beyond the control of the NZ govt. Yes, the govt should resource mental health and the entire health system to a much higher level.
There are ways to address this without resorting to cut-price tactics, if one wants to be an effective politician who improves the lives of citizens. This chicanery is more the purview of someone without any practical ideas.
Oh wow – apparently the tweets were done to promote an opinion piece Reti wrote for the Herald/Northern Advocate, which has been pulled.
Reti reckons it's fine, as "He defended the article, nothing [sic: "noting"?McF] that he had said “further data analysis” was needed in the text of the piece."
Further data analysis, like actually competent and honest analysis.
Seeing increasing advice to take it easy with covid infect re exercise and exertion, including for some weeks after symptoms have gone. Even with mild covid. Prevent lint complications and long covid
We show that, beyond the first 30 d after infection, individuals with COVID-19 are at increased risk of incident cardiovascular disease spanning several categories, including cerebrovascular disorders, dysrhythmias, ischemic and non-ischemic heart disease, pericarditis, myocarditis, heart failure and thromboembolic disease. These risks and burdens were evident even among individuals who were not hospitalized during the acute phase of the infection and increased in a graded fashion according to the care setting during the acute phase (non-hospitalized, hospitalized and admitted to intensive care). Our results provide evidence that the risk and 1-year burden of cardiovascular disease in survivors of acute COVID-19 are substantial
Reti was in Nat government when it slashed youth mental help funding and closed drug and alcohol treatment schemes. In Marlborough in the Key years 25 different health initiatives had funding cuts. Maybe Shane was in charge of stats and planning then.
A poster here recently (I'd attribute if I remembered name) said this war might actually help get clean energy over the line. Here's Jen Psaki (White House Press Secretary):
'Psaki outlined a range of efforts from the Biden administration to increase production of natural gas and oil, but conceded that "domestic production has not insulated us from the price volatility of fossil fuels or the whims of those who control them, such as President Putin. Americans know that."
"The only way to protect US over the long term is to become energy independent," she said, reiterating an administration priority. "That is why the President is so focused on deploying clean energy technologies that don't require fossil fuels bought and sold on the global market, which will always be vulnerable to bad actors." '
Impressed by a line by Brian Turner in one of his essays.
Then in his essay he turns and angles his vision on the ‘conspicuously wealthy.’ How many of those, he wonders, “know in their hearts that much of what they have acquired is not earned, has come at others’ expense.”
Sad that Brian is fading away with Alzheimers. Jillian Sullivan is Brian's partner.
If anyone gets to read his poetry/geography/photography/autobiography books you will get no more loving sense of that part of central Otago than anyone has ever done in the form of Brian Turner.
It is not about the substantive point vis a vis western science and Matauranga Maori but over the use of a phrase saying that the original writers had sent lawyers letters to junior colleagues.
Siouxie Wiles was just one scientist of many who signed the followup open letter. She then made the claim about the letters to junior staff in a column about the differences. This claim was robustly and correctly denied, and Dr Wiles and Stuff taken to task.
You seem to have a bit of malice against Siouxie Wiles.
"It is not about the substantive point vis a vis western science and Matauranga Maori but over the use of a phrase saying that the original writers had sent lawyers letters to junior colleagues."
Yes, that's why I referenced 'porkies'. That claim was a lie.
"You seem to have a bit of malice against Siouxie Wiles."
Not at all. I just enjoy it when people telling porkies in public get held to account.
"You seem to have a bit of malice against Siouxie Wiles."
Not at all.
Not even a hint of malice – just a trivial case of ill will. Someone had to be 2021 NZer of the Year – maybe 2022 (or 2023, or ’26) will be Gypsy's year.
Sounds like she has got the Covid similar to me locked up in my bedroom for 10 days now, very similar symptoms. Dry cough, tight chest, headaches etc and I wasn't even in Wellington.
Well if she is one of those who thinks she was infected with magnetic rays or radiation, unvaccinated and not seeking treatment then she may be in for a rough ride. There are still those who were at the protest who think Covid is a hoax, that the vaccines actually are infecting people with Covid and various other conspiracy theories.
There are several US based websites pulling stories together from around the world about these deniers either of the existence of Covid or of the benefits of vaccination and their journeys in the hospitals.
Breathing is often (usually) affected and the need to breathe is such an automatic and primeval human urge that when covid deniers or the unvaccinated face this inability they often do make tracks to get medical help very quickly.
Wondering if she's got something from what was sprayed on the crowd.
Presumably about Ardern:
"Was it ever real? Did she actually get in legitimately into power? We will have to look at that one day, when we, when the people have taken back the country."
“… one of the worst human beings New Zealand has ever given birth to…”
I remember Amy Winehouse. When she died after the dramas of her life so many said things like, "We could see it happening before our eyes. Why didn't we do something about it."
If you are a friend of Liz Gunn your chance is there.
Is Liz saying there was political interference in the last Election, did Poots interfere in the NZ Election as well ? Interesting allegations hopefully someone can enlighten us on the Standard.
If you are a friend of Liz Gunn your chance is there.
I am sure many friends and family not infected by her conspiracy theories and concerned since October last year about her collapsing mental state, will have tried their very best to get her help. This inability to stop a train wreck occurring in front of one is a very sad part of addictive thinking and being trapped in a cult.
Hopefully if she does get much worse a real person concerned about her health will intervene.
Her fiends interviewing her from Counterspin not so much.
Nice work. Anonymous has hacked at least two streaming sites and several government television stations to broadcast the Ukranian war to Russian people. Putin's war of disinformation is being lost.
Gotta say, the NZDF thing seemed to me to be more about poor procedure and legal argument by the government rather than the general principle at stake. Be interesting to see if the government has learnt its lesson and which way the judgement goes if they have.
Please if you get Omicron, no matter how lightly, REST please or you will have real problems. The Covid Ward Dr on the Gold Coast told Grant " 10 min activity 2hrs rest" '
Omicron is deceptively mild.
Pity our government doesn’t see it that way. As someone who is now in their 4th week another member in their 3rd and still also struggling. Went to doctors with infections and major fatigue and struggling for breath was told as I had past my 10th day and been passed as clear, the cost was unable to be subsided by the govt and had to pay $100 for the visit. Fortunately I can cope financially but had to ring 5 surgeries including my own and was told on 4 instances that they would only do on line, no contact. How do you then diagnose infections then. Feel for the health workers but the system is not appropriate for purpose.
Already have 1 and recoding the trends heart and o2.
and to you muttonbird why just isolate the right I have heard our dir of health, ministers and PM make the same comments, so open your eyes and ears you maybe surprised at what you see/hear., or are you so simple that you have been captured by the pr spin ??
Director of Health and PM are jointly responsible for for continued health measures, mandates, and border controls in order to slow the spread of this variant.
All these policies have been criticised by anti-vax protestors and the right wing alike. Some might say these are the same people.
The spin is yours in trying to claim Bloomfield and Ardern aren't taking this seriously.
No I am staying that all those I mentioned also have stated that this version is mild, but when you are fully captured by PR what hope is there for you to see anything different.
the pm is quoted now go away it is a school night and you need your sleep 😴
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
This transcript of a recent conversation between the Prime Minister and his chief economic adviser has not been verified.We’ve announced we are the ‘Yes Government’. Do you like it?Yes, Prime Minister.Dreamed up by the PR team. It’s about being committed to growth. Not that the PR team know anything about ...
The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
Hi,This week’s Flightless Bird episode was about “fake seizure guy” — a Melbourne man who fakes seizures in order to get members of the public to sit on him.The audio documentary (which I have included in this newsletter in case you don’t listen to Flightless Bird) built on reporting first ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The 119th Congress comes with a price tag. The oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in January 3, 2025, according to a ...
Early morning, the shadows still long, but you can already feel the warmth building. Our motel was across the road from the historic homestead where Henry Williams' family lived. The evening before, we wandered around the gardens, reading the plaques and enjoying the close proximity to the history of the ...
Thanks folks for your feedback, votes and comments this week. I’ll be making the changes soon. Appreciate all your emails, comments and subscriptions too. I know your time is valuable - muchas gracias.A lot is happening both here and around the world - so I want to provide a snippets ...
Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “The latest data shows that employment fell in Aotearoa at its fastest rate since the GFC. Unemployment rose in 8 ...
The December labour market statistics have been released, showing yet another increase in unemployment. There are now 156,000 unemployed - 34,000 more than when National took office. And having thrown all these people out of work, National is doubling down on cruelty. Because being vicious will somehow magically create the ...
Boarded up homes in Kilbirnie, where work on a planned development was halted. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 5 are;Housing Minister Chris Bishop yesterday announcedKāinga Ora would be stripped of ...
This week Kiwirail and Auckland Transport were celebrating the completion of the summer rail works that had the network shut or for over a month and the start of electric trains to Pukekohe. First up, here’s parts of the press release about the shutdown works. Passengers boarding trains in Auckland ...
Through its austerity measures, the coalition government has engineered a rise in unemployment in order to reduce inflation while – simultaneously – cracking down harder and harder on the people thrown out of work by its own policies. To that end, Social Development Minister Louise Upston this week added two ...
This year, we've seen a radical, white supremacist government ignoring its Tiriti obligations, refusing to consult with Māori, and even trying to legislatively abrogate te Tiriti o Waitangi. When it was criticised by the Waitangi Tribunal, the government sabotaged that body, replacing its legal and historical experts with corporate shills, ...
Poor old democracy, it really is in a sorry state. It would be easy to put all the blame on the vandals and tyrants presently trashing the White House, but this has been years in the making. It begins with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan and the spirit of Gordon ...
The new school lunches came in this week, and they were absolutely scrumptious.I had some, and even though Connor said his tasted like “stodge” and gave him a sore tummy, I myself loved it!Look at the photos - I knew Mr Seymour wouldn’t lie when he told us last year:"It ...
The tighter sanctions are modelled on ones used in Britain, which did push people off ‘the dole’, but didn’t increase the number of workers, and which evidence has repeatedly shown don’t work. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, ...
Catching you up on the morning’s global news and a quick look at the parallels -GLOBALTariffs are backSharemarkets in the US, UK and Europe have “plunged” in response to Trump’s tariffs. And while Mexico has won a one month reprieve, Canada and China will see their respective 25% and 10% ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. Gondolas are often in the news, with manufacturers of ropeway systems proposing them as a modern option for mass transit systems in New Zealand. However, like every next big thing in transport, it’s hard ...
This is a re-post from The Climate BrinkBoth 2023 and 2024 were exceptionally warm years, at just below and above 1.5C relative to preindustrial in the WMO composite of surface temperature records, respectively. While we are still working to assess the full set of drivers of this warmth, it is clear that ...
Hi,I woke up feeling nervous this morning, realising that this weekend Flightless Bird is going to do it’s first ever live show. We’re heading to a sold out (!) show in Seattle to test the format out in front of an audience. If it works, we’ll do more. I want ...
From the United-For-Now States of America comes the thrilling news that a New Zealander may be at the very heart of the current coup. Punching above our weight on the world stage once more! Wait, you may be asking, what New Zealander? I speak of Peter Thiel, made street legal ...
Even Stevens: Over the 33 years between 1990 and 2023 (and allowing for the aberrant 2020 result) the average level of support enjoyed by the Left and Right blocs, at roughly 44.5 percent each, turns out to be, as near as dammit, identical.WORLDWIDE, THE PARTIES of the Left are presented ...
Back in 2023, a "prominent political figure" went on trial for historic sex offences. But we weren't allowed to know who they were or what political party they were "prominent" in, because it might affect the way we voted. At the time, I said that this was untenable; it was ...
I'm going, I'm goingWhere the water tastes like wineI'm going where the water tastes like wineWe can jump in the waterStay drunk all the timeI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayAll this fussing and fighting, man, you know I sure ...
Waitangi Day is a time to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and stand together for a just and fair Aotearoa. Across the motu, communities are gathering to reflect, kōrero, and take action for a future built on equity and tino rangatiratanga. From dawn ceremonies to whānau-friendly events, there are ...
Subscribe to Mountain Tūī ! Where you too can learn about exciting things from a flying bird! Tweet.Yes - I absolutely suck at marketing. It’s a fact.But first -My question to all readers is:How should I set up the Substack model?It’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask since November ...
Here’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s political economy on politics and in the week to Feb 3:PM Christopher Luxon began 2025’s first day of Parliament last Tuesday by carrying on where left off in 2024, letting National’s junior coalition partner set the political agenda and dragging ...
The PSA have released a survey of 4000 public service workers showing that budget cuts are taking a toll on the wellbeing of public servants and risking the delivery of essential services to New Zealanders. Economists predict that figures released this week will show continued increases in unemployment, potentially reaching ...
The Prime Minister’s speech 10 days or so ago kicked off a flurry of commentary. No one much anywhere near the mainstream (ie excluding Greens supporters) questioned the rhetoric. New Zealand has done woefully poorly on productivity for a long time and we really need better outcomes, and the sorts ...
President Trump on the day he announced tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, unleashing a shock to supply chains globally that is expected to slow economic growth and increase inflation for most large economies. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 9 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 3Politics: New Zealand Government cabinet meeting usually held early afternoon with post-cabinet news conference possible at 4 pm, although they have not been ...
Trump being Trump, it won’t come as a shock to find that he regards a strong US currency (bolstered by high tariffs on everything made by foreigners) as a sign of America’s virility, and its ability to kick sand in the face of the world. Reality is a tad more ...
A listing of 24 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, January 26, 2025 thru Sat, February 1, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
What seems to be the common theme in the US, NZ, Argentina and places like Italy under their respective rightwing governments is what I think of as “the politics of cruelty.” Hate-mongering, callous indifference in social policy-making, corporate toadying, political bullying, intimidation and punching down on the most vulnerable with ...
If you are confused, check with the sunCarry a compass to help you alongYour feet are going to be on the groundYour head is there to move you aroundSo, stand in the place where you liveSongwriters: Bill Berry / Michael Mills / Michael Stipe / Peter Buck.Hot in the CityYesterday, ...
Shane Jones announced today he would be contracting out his thinking to a smarter younger person.Reclining on his chaise longue with a mouth full of oysters and Kina he told reporters:Clearly I have become a has-been, a palimpsest, an epigone, a bloviating fossil. I find myself saying such things as: ...
Warning: This post contains references to sexual assaultOn Saturday, I spent far too long editing a video on Tim Jago, the ACT Party President and criminal, who has given up his fight for name suppression after 2 years. He voluntarily gave up just in time for what will be a ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is global warming ...
Our low-investment, low-wage, migration-led and housing-market-driven political economy has delivered poorer productivity growth than the rest of the OECD, and our performance since Covid has been particularly poor. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty this ...
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.As far as major government announcements go, a Three Ministers Event is Big. It can signify a major policy development or something has gone Very Well, or an absolute Clusterf**k. When Three Ministers assemble ...
One of those blasts from the past. Peter Dunne – originally neoliberal Labour, then leader of various parties that sought to work with both big parties (generally National) – has taken to calling ...
Completed reads for January: I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson The Black Spider, by Jeremias Gotthelf The Spider and the Fly (poem), by Mary Howitt A Noiseless Patient Spider (poem), by Walt Whitman August Heat, by W.F. Harvey Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White The Shrinking Man, by Richard Matheson ...
Do its Property Right Provisions Make Sense?Last week I pointed out that it is uninformed to argue that the New Zealand’s apparently poor economic performance can be traced only to poor regulations. Even were there evidence they had some impact, there are other factors. Of course, we should seek to ...
Richard Wagstaff It was incredibly jarring to hear the hubris from the Prime Minister during his recent state of the nation address. I had just spent close to a week working though the stories and thoughts shared with us by nearly 2000 working people as part of our annual Mood ...
Odd fact about the Broadcasting Standards Authority: for the last few years, they’ve only been upholding about 5% of complaints. Why? I think there’s a range of reasons. Generally responsible broadcasters. Dumb complaints. Complaints brought under the wrong standard. Greater adherence to broadcasters’ rights to freedom of expression in the ...
And I said, "Mama, mama, mama, why am I so alone"'Cause I can't go outside, I'm scared I might not make it homeWell I'm alive, I'm alive, but I'm sinking inIf there's anyone at home at your place, darlingWhy don't you invite me in?Don't try to feed me'Cause I've been ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ star is on the rise, having just added the Energy, Local Government and Revenue portfolios to his responsibilities - but there is nothing ambitious about the Government’s new climate targets. Photo: SuppliedLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate ...
It may have been a short week but there’s been no shortage of things that caught our attention. Here is some of the most interesting. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt took a look at public transport ridership in 2024 On Thursday Connor asked some questions ...
The East Is Red: Journalists and commentators are referring to the sudden and disruptive arrival of DeepSeek as a second “Sputnik moment”. (Sputnik being the name given by the godless communists of the Soviet Union to the world’s first artificial satellite which, to the consternation and dismay of the Americans, ...
Hi,Back on inauguration day we launched a ridiculous RFK Jr. “brain worms” tee on the Webworm store, and I told you I’d be throwing my profits over to Mutual Aid LA and Rainbow Youth New Zealand. Just to show I am not full of shit, here are the receipts. I ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump over Gaza and Ukraine.Health expert and author David Galler ...
In an uncompromising paper Treasury has basically told the Government that its plan for a third medical school at Waikato University is a waste of money. Furthermore, the country cannot afford it. That advice was released this week by the Treasury under the Official Information Act. And it comes as ...
Back in November, He Pou a Rangi provided the government with formal advice on the domestic contribution to our next Paris target. Not what the target should be, but what we could realistically achieve, by domestic action alone, without resorting to offshore mitigation. Their answer was startling: depending on exactly ...
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guest David Patman and ...
I don't like to spend all my time complaining about our government, so let me complain about the media first.Senior journalistic Herald person Thomas Coughlan reported that Treasury replied yeah nah, wrong bro to Luxon's claim that our benighted little country has been in recession for three years.His excitement rose ...
Back in 2022, when the government was consulting internally about proactive release of cabinet papers, the SIS opposed it. The basis of their opposition was the "mosaic effect" - people being able to piece together individual pieces of innocuous public information in a way which supposedly harms "national security" (effectively: ...
With The Stroke Of A Pen:Populism, especially right-wing populism, invests all the power of an electoral/parliamentary majority in a single political leader because it no longer trusts the bona fides of the sprawling political class among whom power is traditionally dispersed. Populism eschews traditional politics, because, among populists, traditional politics ...
I’ve spent the last week writing a fairly substantial review of a recent book (“Australia’s Pandemic Exceptionalism: How we crushed the curve but lost the race”) by a couple of Australian academic economists on Australia’s pandemic policies and experiences. For all its limitations, there isn’t anything similar in New Zealand. ...
Mr Mojo Rising: Economic growth is possible, Christopher Luxon reassures us, but only under a government that is willing to get out of the way and let those with drive and ambition get on with it.ABOUT TWELVE KILOMETRES from the farm on the North Otago coast where I grew up stands ...
You're nearly a good laughAlmost a jokerWith your head down in the pig binSaying, 'Keep on digging.'Pig stain on your fat chinWhat do you hope to findDown in the pig mine?You're nearly a laughYou're nearly a laughBut you're really a crySongwriter: Roger Waters.NZ First - Kiwi Battlers.Say what you like ...
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Climate denial is dead. Renewable energy denial is here. As “alternative facts” become the norm, it’s worth looking at what actual facts tell us about how renewable energy sources like solar and wind are lowering the price of electricity. As ...
SIR GEOFFREY PALMER is worried about democracy. In his Newsroom website post of 27 January 2025 he asserts that “the future of democracy across the world now seems to be in question.” Following a year of important electoral contests across the world, culminating in Donald Trump’s emphatic recapture of the ...
The Government hasn’t stopped talking about growth since the Prime Minister made his “yes” speech at the Auckland Chamber of Commerce last week. But so far, the measures announced would seem hardly likely to suddenly pitch New Zealand into the fast-growth East Asian league. The digital nomad announcement hardly deserved ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to stand firm and work with allies to progress climate action as Donald Trump signals his intent to pull out of the Paris Climate Accords once again. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
A new monthly podiatry clinic has been launched today in Wairoa and will bring a much-needed service closer to home for the Wairoa community, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Health New Zealand has been successful in securing a podiatrist until the end of June this year to meet the needs of ...
The Judicial Conduct Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be established to inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken in an incident last November, Attorney-General Judith Collins said today. “I referred the matter of Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct during an incident ...
Students who need extra help with maths are set to benefit from a targeted acceleration programme that will give them more confidence in the classroom, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Last year, significant numbers of students did not meet the foundational literacy and numeracy level required to gain NCEA. To ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced three new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ...
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. The Government has achieved its target to reduce the number of households in emergency housing motels by 75 per cent five years early, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The number of households ...
The opening of Palmerston North’s biggest social housing development will have a significant impact for whānau in need of safe, warm, dry housing, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The minister visited the development today at North Street where a total of 50 two, three, and four-bedroom homes plus a ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the new membership of the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC), who will serve for a three-year term. “The Committee brings together wide-ranging expertise relevant to disarmament. We have made six new appointments to the Committee and reappointed two existing members ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora, good morning, talofa, malo e lelei, bula vinaka, da jia hao, namaste, sat sri akal, assalamu alaikum. It’s so great to be here and I’m ready and pumped for 2025. Can I start by acknowledging: Simon Bridges – CEO of the Auckland ...
The Government has unveiled a bold new initiative to position New Zealand as a premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy. “Invest New Zealand will streamline the investment process and provide tailored support to foreign investors, to increase capital investment ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced the largest reset of the New Zealand science system in more than 30 years with reforms which will boost the economy and benefit the sector. “The reforms will maximise the value of the $1.2 billion in government funding that goes into ...
Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead for all Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. In the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Speech in Auckland today, Christopher Luxon laid out the path to the prosperity that will affect all aspects of New Zealanders’ lives. ...
The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year. “That is completely ...
The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months. “There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don't fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job ...
Jon Kroll and Aimee McCammon have been appointed to the New Zealand Film Commission Board, Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “I am delighted to appoint these two new board members who will bring a wealth of industry, governance, and commercial experience to the Film Commission. “Jon Kroll has been an ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hailed a drop in the domestic component of inflation, saying it increases the prospect of mortgage rate reductions and a lower cost of living for Kiwi households. Stats NZ reported today that inflation was 2.2 per cent in the year to December, the second consecutive ...
Two new appointed members and one reappointed member of the Employment Relations Authority have been announced by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today. “I’m pleased to announce the new appointed members Helen van Druten and Matthew Piper to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) and welcome them to ...
Officially, they’re called ‘memecoins,’ but Kōura Wealth founder Rupert Carlyon says the crypto world has another name for them: ‘shitcoins’.In digital finance, that phrase is used for tokens that have no true value – in essence, a money-grab.A few days before his inauguration, US President Donald Trump launched his own ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. Guy Williams has made a whole show off the joke that he is a “volunteer” journalist. So getting publicly owned by David Seymour while trying to act as a journalist is a good and timely reminder not to underestimate the nuance and ...
Many of Sāmoa’s beloved dishes are the result of cultural collaboration, writes Madeleine Chapman. All photos by Jin FelletIf you ever find yourself at a barbecue in a Sāmoan home, there’s 99% chance that sapasui (chop suey) will be on the table. For the past century, sapasui has ...
The funnyman takes us through his life in television, including Jono and Ben mayhem, live Telethon flubs, and funnelling all those experiences into his new comedy Vince. There’s an inciting incident in Three’s new comedy Vince where morning television presenter Vince Walters (Jono Pryor) is visiting sick kids in hospital ...
People often claim they just want Waitangi Day to be a celebration. At Waitangi, away from the headlined political acrimony and the marae ātea, celebrating is what most people are doing. The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous ...
Is there anything more fashionable than a Māori get together? One of the best things about Northland is that nobody cares what they look like — probably because they’re all naturally more stylish than the rest of us, famously. Māori from the Far North, especially. In 27 degree heat, wearing ...
I’ve been in love with him since last July, but it’s only now in this tepid hotel room that I find myself wondering why. The first thing he does when we arrive is smoke a cone in the bathroom – he emerges, hacking up a lung, fists thrust into his ...
MONDAY“Name,” barked a representative of the lower orders.I regarded him with a look of stern disapproval, and told him from up high, “May I remind you that I have name suppression. I shall also thank you to ask with more respect as befits a former president of the Act Party, ...
Books of Mana: 180 Māori-Authored Books of Significance, edited by Jacinta Ruru, Angela Wanhalla and Jeanette Wikaira has just been released by Otago University Press. In this essay, Books are Taonga, Jeanette Wikaira explores her personal relationship to books and their value.For me, books are taonga. The knowledge ...
Get to know Tara, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Tara’s human for their support! Dog name: Tara Age: Two Breed: Mostly Border Collie and a little bit Catahoula Leopard dog If dog ...
Health NZ's CEO has resigned, but frontline healthworkers are sceptical that installing new leadership will make any difference to a system grappling with problems. ...
Gail Duncan, Chairperson of the St Peter’s on Willis Social Justice Group, one of the organisations invited to submit on the Bill, says the Government’s actions are unprecedented. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amani Kasherwa, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Queensland In late January, a rebel group that has long caused mayhem in the sprawling African nation of Democratic Republic of Congo took control of Goma, a major city of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yee-Fui Ng, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Monash University An ad falsely depicting independent candidate Alex Dyson as a Greens member.ABC News/Supplied The highly pertinent case of a little-known independent candidate in the Victorian seat of Wannon has exposed a gaping ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland Nik/Unsplash You might have heard that eating too many eggs will cause high cholesterol levels, leading to poor health. Researchers have examined the science behind this myth again, and ...
Everything you missed from the third day of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard four hours of oral submission. Read our recaps of day one of the hearings here, and day two here. Parliament was quiet on Friday for the third day of hearings on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University Tijana Simic/Shutterstock The news last week that three people in Sydney were hospitalised with botulism after receiving botox injections has raised questions about the regulation of the cosmetic injectables industry. The ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jens Blotevogel, Principal Research Scientist and Team Leader for Remediation Technologies, CSIRO Mino Surkala, Shutterstock Lithium-ion batteries are part of everyday life. They power small rechargeable devices such as mobile phones and laptops. They enable electric vehicles. And larger versions store ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edith Jennifer Hill, Associate Lecturer, Learning & Teaching Innovation, Flinders University Netflix Netflix’s new limited series, Apple Cider Vinegar, tells the story of the elaborate cancer con orchestrated by Australian blogger Annabelle (Belle) Gibson. The first episode opens with Gibson’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dee Ninis, Earthquake Scientist, Monash University Greece’s government has just declared a state of emergency on the island of Santorini, as earthquakes shake the island multiple times a day and sometimes only minutes apart. The “earthquake swarm” is also affecting other ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Western Australian state election will be held on March 8. A Newspoll, conducted January 29 to February 4 from a sample ...
She’s back behind the wheel, and this time, she wants to find out what it is that makes us tick. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. After a prolific career on stage and screen, 83-year-old Miriam Margolyes is on the road again. ...
A new poem by Jordan Hamel. Real Poet Every word earned its place and so did he, so should you. Real poet lives in the capital but writes himself into the Mackenzie country golden hour, man of the paper land, he neglects to mention his pollen ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Understanding Te Tiriti by Roimata Smail (Wai Ako Press, $25) No better time to get ...
The committee has published this list to inform the public about its work, and to give clarity to submitters who have contacted the committee asking if they will be invited to make an oral submission. ...
Alex Casey and Gabi Lardies dissect their Laneway 2025 experience. Gabi Lardies: Hi Alex :))))))) Congratulations on not getting sunburnt. Everyone I talked to at Laneway yesterday was braving the sun for one thing. Charli XCX. How was your brat experience?Alex Casey: We will talk about the rest of ...
The US President's suggestion, which sparked enormous debate globally, has been labelled as a threat, not a proposal, by the Federation of Islamic Associations. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine McCarthy, Senior Lecturer in Interior Architecture, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Interior of Auckland South Men’s Prison.Getty Images Prisons are not colourful places. Typically, they are grey or some variation of a monochrome colour scheme. But increasingly, ...
FICTION1Tree of Nourishment (Kāwai 2) by Monty Soutar (David Bateman, $39.99)Interesting to note that the author of the biggest-selling New Zealand novel in Waitangi Week is Māori (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tai, and Ngāti Kahungunu).2 Kāwai: For Such a Time as This (Kāwai 1) by Monty Soutar (David ...
Remembering the renowned New Zealand writer, who died on February 5, 2025. The Stopover When the trout rise like compassion It is worth watching when the hinds come down from the hills with a new message it will be as well to listen. – Brian Turner Poet, environmentalist, sportsman, journalist, ...
Survivors can choose to have former High Court judge Paul Davison assess their individual claims to tailor payments to their personal circumstances. ...
Are we too modest when it comes to celebrating our putrid plant life?She’s beauty. She’s grace. She smells like a decaying corpse and lurks in the backrooms of Auckland Zoo, wallowing tragically in a bucket. In recent weeks an Australian corpse plant named Putricia has captured the noses and ...
Politicians from the coalition government received a frosty reception at Waitangi this year, but Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says the pōwhiri that received so much attention was just one part of many events throughout the week. ...
Weird to see oil at US$120 a barrel. It's so 1979.
Good to see Bill McKibben encouraging us all to see the moment for what it is.
@billmckibben
"The uncanny confluence of Putin's invasion and the IPCC report is a stark reminder: fossil fuel powers the worst crises facing our planet. If we use this moment to get off oil and gas, we have a fighting chance as a planet."
Poot’s wants to out do his mentor Stalin and to be remembered as one of the nastiest little barstard’s the Soviet Union has produced, the guy has severe mental health issues similar to Kim Jong Il from North Korea. All this shit is totally unnecessary.
https://theconversation.com/meet-russias-oligarchs-a-group-of-men-who-wont-be-toppling-putin-anytime-soon-178474
Yep. They are POS alright. But anyone see a …SIMILARITY with NZ ? Fay,Richwhite !,Myers,etc etc…..
There is a direct comparison.
A high % of NZ's rich list are there compliments of cheap state assets.
The list includes ACT funder Alan Gibbs,NZ's richest man-G.Hart,and the perennial bubble boys Fay/Richwhite.
I think you mean Christopher Chandler – our own NZ billionaire who made bank on major Gazprom shares and property investments in Moscow.
Do not ever accuse him of anything you can't prove in court.
Note he was defended by a UK Conservative MP Steve Baker. You can look up his background for yourself.
I'm not even going to mention what Legatum does.
And lets not forget one Roger Owen Douglas, who in 1992 gave a series of speeches on economics in Russia as part of a privatisation advisory committee organised by the World Bank.
Roger Douglas a lecturer in economics.The only business he ran went bankrupt.
Poverty has remained endemic and grown in NZ since rogernomics
Yes, the dog eat dog “winners and losers model” of the monetarists.
Rogers Pig Farm turned to Pig Shit.
Chandler Russian oligarchs stole all his money and told him to fuck off.
You think ? Ive NEVER heard of him. You've assumed something….. I hadnt even thought !
My post was likening the RUSSIAN oligarchs to …..as I said. Fay, Richwhite, Myers, and all of their NZ ilk. Remember the Business Roundtable ? As every other person commenting on it noted.
Yes it was apparent you hadn't thought and didn't know.
So now you do.
Yea…not really sure where youre coming from. Strange……………..
Exactly – Roger Douglas was basically Chernomyrdin with the redeeming personal qualities.
Justice needs to be seen to be done for the people of Syria
The Ukrainian Security Services need to hand over the captured Russian Air Force Major to the ICC to be investigated for involvement in committing war crimes in Syria.
There can be little doubt that Major Krasnoyartsev was involved directly or knew of the multiple war crimes committed in Syria by the Russian air force.
This post certainly makes mickysavage's 'This is awkward' post from yesterday seem somewhat bombastic.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Which post?
Mike Smith's 'interesting' views on the invasion in Ukraine.
Thanks.
An Ode to Andrew Coster by Victor Billot
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/an-ode-to-andrew-coster
A small …mercy..
Covid cases declining rapidly.
Ukraine
68% of peak and falling
388 infections per 100K people reported last 7 days
Updated 11:08 PM NZDT
Average number of new infections reported each day in Ukraine falls by more than 7,300 over the last 3 weeks, 21% of its previous peak
COVID-19 infections are decreasing in Ukraine, with 24,623 new infections reported on average each day. That’s 68% of the peak — the highest daily average reported on February 10.
Those figures would be hard to substantiate as the countries infrastructure is under extreme pressure.
Sometimes you wonder why US firms continue to enable the United States to be the dominant economic power in the world, and then sometimes you don't need to wonder at all.
This analysis showing how Tesla is simply slaying German car makers both now and into the future is a bracing read for sad bastard still aspiring to a luxury European marque.
The Competitive Weakness of German Automakers Revealed – Fully Charged Show
This article doesn't tell much truth it looks like an advertorial for Tesla.
Teslas profits are mainly from govt subsidies for electric vehicles.take those away and Tesla is barely profitable.
Then comparing Tesla reliability to VW and Mercedes is a joke you here something about Tesla's breaking down killing occupants brakes coming on of their own accord.
China would have given Tesla massive subsidies to built a factory in China ,Germany has done like wise.
The chip shortage and covid have disrupted supply lines factories are shutting down production until supply lines are back up to speed.
Musk is running a ponzi type business to claim carbon credits and govt subsidies.
One massive problem Tesla owners have is no dealerships handy for the continuous repairs needed.
This photo shows what Tesla found in Germany,The bureaucratic wall.
https://twitter.com/SawyerMerritt/status/1499769448374362125?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1499769448374362125%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.twitter.com%2F%3Fquery%3Dhttps3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FSawyerMerritt2Fstatus2F1499769448374362125widget%3DTweet
Daimler/Mercedes have had field tests for commercial trucks for years in Europe. This I know because my partner's employer visited at the start of the trials and has an order already placed. (There's another manufacturer/supplier I can't recall at present.) They were ahead of Tesla in this market, significant for transitioning of the transport industry.
Also, Tesla has a habit of overpromising and under delivering.
Poot's getting what he wants.
https://twitter.com/biannagolodryga/status/1500300730544050177
What is it the Putin wants?
It looks just the same as at my local supermarket yesterday where customers were only allowed to buy one pack of flour.
I suppose the difference is: the supermarkets in western countries do it of their own volition. In Russia it is done by government decree.
The difference between democracy and autocracy.
Had Labour issued an edict that you were only allowed to buy one pack of flour you'd have a point. But they haven't.
/
You say "Poot's getting what he wants." ahead of a twitter post that there are shortages. Are you really saying that shortages of goods in Russia is actually what Putin was trying to achieve?
He's certainly gone about the right way of achieving food shortages ?
Poots is acting out from the deficiencies of his childhood (well that is my theory anyway).
https://acestoohigh.com/2022/03/02/how-vladimir-putins-childhood-is-affecting-us-all/
Interesting read explains everything now. actually feel sorry for the guy, he needs physcological help.
Gee somebody might think that the supply chains were disrupted by a pandemic….
/sarc
https://www.stuff.co.nz/about-stuff/complaints-and-corrections/127946397/media-council-upholds-professors-complaint
media council uphold complaint from the Listener 7. Stuff alleged they had sent intimidating lawyers letters to junior staff. It wasn’t true
Articles to read in order:
In Defence of Science Article – copy of Listener article
An open response to 'In defence of science' New Zealand Listener (July 23)
Given my contact with someone with knowledge of this project, I agree with the concerns raised in the first letter.
The second reads badly, and conflates 'science' as bad, without the influence of Mātauranga. When we should all know science is a discipline. As a tool it can be used positively or negatively.
RNZ has a good outline.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/447898/university-academics-claim-matauranga-maori-not-science-sparks-controversy
I blame Twitter,
.
I wonder if Jacinda will decide to no longer appear on Ryan bridges show after this interview as she did with Hoskings show?
'I totally reject that': PM denies Govt wasteful spending, pushes back on claim NZ in cost of living crisis (msn.com)
Jester as you very well know pandemic related inflation is a world wide problem please troll better
Really? So you are saying that our 5.9% is merely typical and all due to the pandemic of Covid 19?
In that case, given that the apologists for our present Government like to claim we are less affected by Covid 19 than almost any other country why is our inflation rate so much higher than other countries?
For 2021 Japan was 0.5%, China 0.9%, Saudi Arabia 1.2%, Switzerland 2.2%, Taiwan 2.8% and Norway 3.2%.
Why are they doing so much better than we are? Those are just samples of course. A full list is at the reference below and we are a long way down the list.
https://tradingeconomics.com/country-list/inflation-rate?continent=world
That’s a bit naughty alwyn! Quoting nz’s current inflation rate and comparing it to the historical rates of other countries.

For a real comparison here is a chart (from your source link of NZ’s inflation rate over the past 3 years:
"Quoting nz’s current inflation rate and comparing it to the historical rates of other countries" "is a bit naughty" you say? Try looking at the source of my results.
They are all the latest figures available and in general they are a month or two later than the New Zealand one. New Zealand was the year to Dec 21. Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Norway were the year ending Jan/22 and Switzerland was Feb 22.
Current for New Zealand against historical for the other's? Rubbish. If you really got pedantic you would say it is the other way round, as the New Zealand numbers are a month older.
I merely said, slightly loosely I admit, that they were all for the year 2021.
NZ seems to be about middle of that list (91/185), lower than USA on 7.2% and only slightly higher (<1%) than EU and UK.
But hey, keep at it. Sooner or later you might actually find a genuine comparison that makes the govt look bad internationally.
The inflation is, in every case in my opinion, caused by the enormous deficits countries are running.
If you prefer it just call it printing money. We aren't quite as bad as the USA but we are a great deal worse than countries we consider our peers.
However our inflation is almost totally due to our own actions. It isn't Covid 19 causing it, as Barfly would like us to think. It is our "printing money" as it is termed. It is Robertson throwing money at anything he likes, regardless as to the effect it is having on inflation in New Zealand. Like many amateurs in the subject he likes the power of wasting our resources on rubbish.
"However our inflation is almost totally due to our own actions."
Which inflation? Housing(asset), you may have a case…. but energy, shipping and commodity prices are all outside our control except in that we placed ourselves in the position to be vulnerable to those risks over previous decades,
Government borrowing is very low comparatively and most of that borrowing remains unspent and therefore cannot be inflationary….and wages have been running behind inflation for years so its difficult to attribute inflation to domestic wages.
Which all goes to make a nonsense of Nationals announcement… and it will likely get them the votes they want.
Government net debt went from about 58 billion in 2019 to about $83 billion in 2020 and then to around $102 billion in 2021. That seems to be quite a large increase to me.
https://tradingeconomics.com/new-zealand/government-debt
If you have access to it have a look at what Grant Spencer has to say about what the RBNZ has been up to.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/former-acting-governor-says-reserve-banks-loose-policy-is-increasing-the-risk-of-recession/ZADRXP4UAR6AXQHAEHLQZ5DI5Q/
36 billion sitting in Crown settlement Account
https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/markets-and-payments/our-balance-sheet-at-work
And GDP remains bellow 2019 levels so the borrowing that has been used hasnt even made up for the lost activity….hardly inflationary.
https://tradingeconomics.com/new-zealand/gdp
This is completely a ridiculous claim of course. Your essentially positing some kind of demand pull inflation, except we recorded the absence of massive incomes and spending needed to pull demand.
Meanwhile we have actually observed disruptions, delays and costs imposed on businesses by Covid-19 public health measures, and the direct impacts of infections (which are on going) and somehow you claim businesses are not responding in a supply side manner to this supply side shock.
Well, billions of that money kept employees being paid during covid, so probably better for the country than unemployment going through the roof. Even kept the taxpayers' "union" going.
Yes. What was done in 2020 during the first lockdown made sense. The trouble is that the Government fell in love with the idea that they can just create money and run deficits without penalty for ever.
Well they can't and it is coming home to bite us. Unfortunately the RBNZ Governor has also caught the bug. Unfortunately Adrian isn't in the intellectual class of some of his predecessors.
Seems like Orr is just like his predecessors….new boss=same as old..boss.
All very nice rhetoric, but if they were as incompetent as all that then we'd be a bit higher up the inflation rate rankings than the middle.
So we're running a bit hot on one guage, while the other guages are doing better than many nations (most importantly, fatalities).
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/461311/us-inflation-hits-7-point-5-percent-highest-since-1982
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-12196322 inflation 7%
In January 2022, Canadian inflation surpassed 5% for the first time since September 1991, rising 5.1% on a year-over-year basis
In its Winter 2022 outlook, the EU projects an average Irish rate of inflation of 4.6% this year
Alwyn somehow I doubt NZ government policies are creating inflation in USA, UK, Canada, Ireland et cetera.
https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/news/2022/02/more-tightening-needed
Statement from NZ reserve bank includes this
"The level of global economic activity is generating rising inflation pressures, exacerbated by ongoing supply disruptions."
and
"The near-term rise in inflation is accentuated by higher oil prices, rising transport costs, and the impact of supply shortfalls."
I am sure this is information you would prefer not to know as it does not follow Mr. Luxon's drivel about the NZ Government policies causing inflation.
The US Government deficit was $3.13 trillion in the 2020 fiscal year and $2.77 trillion in the 2021 year. In 2021 they collected about $4.05 trillion and spent around $6.82 trillion. The only amazing thing about it is that inflation has only reached 7.5%
Thus the US policies were similar to our own, and had the same effect. Why did you expect us to follow the same policies as the US and not get the same results?
The production of funny money had done more for inflation,and inequality then the pandemic.
https://twitter.com/nntaleb/status/1469296635167526913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1469296635167526913%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.twitter.com%2F%3Fquery%3Dhttps3A2F2Ftwitter.com2Fnntaleb2Fstatus2F1469296635167526913widget%3DTweet
The substantive increases in food cost inflation ( fao 20.7% over last 12 months) is also a mixture of speculation and sustainable mandates ( biofuels)
https://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/foodpricesindex/en/
https://twitter.com/A_Riley17/status/1499390386992652303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1499390386992652303%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.twitter.com%2F%3Fquery%3Dhttps3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FA_Riley172Fstatus2F1499390386992652303widget%3DTweet
"Unless housing prices and stock prices crash inflation is not going away"
….or 'when' housing and stock prices crash inflation will end.
Not long now I suspect.
I suspect your right.
Highly likely we live in a country with approximately 250,000 poor souls with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome…most of whom will be undiagnosed and unsupported, with a life long disability/"injury?" that they have no ability to deal with.
And…with a Government that is clearly determined not to have the facts laid bare.
A tragedy for not just these people, but for every person who has crossed paths with someone so afflicted, with no understanding of what the problem actually is let alone how they can help…or why the help they offer seems futile..
and of course, and as usual, the irony of our Market worshiping Budget restrained Government actually ignoring the real cost of this feigned "ignorance"…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/stuff-circuit/300532318/foetal-alcohol-injuries-in-nz-could-be-five-times-higher-than-some-official-figures-suggest
Been close friends with a family where one member had this diagnosis.
Devastating, and lacking understanding and support in services meant to assist.
Shane Reti making a pig's breakfast of using charts.
In an effort to make self-harm admissions look inflated over covid (and how inflated might they be if we'd had hundreds or thousands of covid dead in another question), Reti tweeted a chart that was multiple kinds of misleading. The thread is interesting.
Firstly, the chart was tweeted, then edited because whoever did the fabrication couldn't even get that right. As for the intended fabrication, it seems that the straight lines in the chart are simply drawn between two largely arbitrary datapoints in a sequence that has wide variability from month to month.
And this dude is a doctor,I assume his twitter is in the hands of junior staffers: a medical doctor should be able to create better propaganda than that.
Yes, self harm is a serious issue that has been affected in a number of ways by lockdowns, mandates, a fucking global pandemic that has killed millions, and all sorts of other issues well beyond the control of the NZ govt. Yes, the govt should resource mental health and the entire health system to a much higher level.
There are ways to address this without resorting to cut-price tactics, if one wants to be an effective politician who improves the lives of citizens. This chicanery is more the purview of someone without any practical ideas.
We were one of the few countries that had a lower than normal mortality rate.
Reti has caught National former health spokesperson disease imaginary people sneeking in an out of hospital.
Look where that got him into the outhouse. Or as simple Simon would he fn useless.
Oh wow – apparently the tweets were done to promote an opinion piece Reti wrote for the Herald/Northern Advocate, which has been pulled.
Reti reckons it's fine, as "He defended the article, nothing [sic: "noting"?McF] that he had said “further data analysis” was needed in the text of the piece."
Further data analysis, like actually competent and honest analysis.
When I was a kid I loved comics. In light of the circumstances a relatively recent comic bears looking at again. Ukraine.
"We hired 2 comic creators from the world of DC and Marvel to tell the full story of why Trump was impeached, and what he got away with."
https://www.insider.com/trump-impeachment-graphic-feature-comic-2020-2
Seeing increasing advice to take it easy with covid infect re exercise and exertion, including for some weeks after symptoms have gone. Even with mild covid. Prevent lint complications and long covid
https://twitter.com/drannanz/status/1500557818621206528?s=21
They do not link or say why,but the big news is overlooked.
https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1499953051251232769
Paper here.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01689-3
"could lead to worse disease" – well they are the professionals frankly I think over exertion with covid can lead to death quite easily.
A poster here recently (I'd attribute if I remembered name) said this war might actually help get clean energy over the line. Here's Jen Psaki (White House Press Secretary):
'Psaki outlined a range of efforts from the Biden administration to increase production of natural gas and oil, but conceded that "domestic production has not insulated us from the price volatility of fossil fuels or the whims of those who control them, such as President Putin. Americans know that."
"The only way to protect US over the long term is to become energy independent," she said, reiterating an administration priority. "That is why the President is so focused on deploying clean energy technologies that don't require fossil fuels bought and sold on the global market, which will always be vulnerable to bad actors." '
Good call.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/06/politics/us-officials-action-ukraine/index.html
Impressed by a line by Brian Turner in one of his essays.
Sad that Brian is fading away with Alzheimers. Jillian Sullivan is Brian's partner.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/portrait-brian-turner?utm_source=Friends+of+the+Newsroom&utm_campaign=d2bf48f08b-Daily+Briefing+07.03.2022&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_71de5c4b35-d2bf48f08b-95522477
+100 outstanding article.
If anyone gets to read his poetry/geography/photography/autobiography books you will get no more loving sense of that part of central Otago than anyone has ever done in the form of Brian Turner.
Totally agree with Ad. +100 outstanding article.
Beautiful writing, style and substance, insight and understanding. Prose and poetry together.
NZMC find against Stuff and Siouxsie Wiles for publishing porkies. Great to see the system works sometimes.
The Herald removes the Reti piece for the misleading graph, lolz!
Yes the decision notes the somewhat sloppy approach Stuff took to correcting the misinformation.
Clear that you have not read the decision.
It is not about the substantive point vis a vis western science and Matauranga Maori but over the use of a phrase saying that the original writers had sent lawyers letters to junior colleagues.
Siouxie Wiles was just one scientist of many who signed the followup open letter. She then made the claim about the letters to junior staff in a column about the differences. This claim was robustly and correctly denied, and Dr Wiles and Stuff taken to task.
You seem to have a bit of malice against Siouxie Wiles.
"It is not about the substantive point vis a vis western science and Matauranga Maori but over the use of a phrase saying that the original writers had sent lawyers letters to junior colleagues."
Yes, that's why I referenced 'porkies'. That claim was a lie.
"You seem to have a bit of malice against Siouxie Wiles."
Not at all. I just enjoy it when people telling porkies in public get held to account.
Not even a hint of malice – just a trivial case of ill will. Someone had to be 2021 NZer of the Year – maybe 2022 (or 2023, or ’26) will be Gypsy's year.

Men, Women, and Ghosts in Science
https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.0040019
The article itself should be apologised for.
Full of sound and fury,… signifying nothing.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/science/300480580/academics-use-your-mana-to-aid-colleagues-not-fight-them
Well said.
I hope she gets well soon. And doesn't infect too many other people.
Sounds like she has got the Covid similar to me locked up in my bedroom for 10 days now, very similar symptoms. Dry cough, tight chest, headaches etc and I wasn't even in Wellington.
I can't help wondering howLiz Gunn is getting on?
Is she getting better, is she getting worse?
Is she isolating or spreading it around?
Has she sought medical attention?
Has she tried Ivermectin?
Definitely Covid IMO has she had a RAT Test or a proper Nasal Swab ?
Well if she is one of those who thinks she was infected with magnetic rays or radiation, unvaccinated and not seeking treatment then she may be in for a rough ride. There are still those who were at the protest who think Covid is a hoax, that the vaccines actually are infecting people with Covid and various other conspiracy theories.
There are several US based websites pulling stories together from around the world about these deniers either of the existence of Covid or of the benefits of vaccination and their journeys in the hospitals.
Breathing is often (usually) affected and the need to breathe is such an automatic and primeval human urge that when covid deniers or the unvaccinated face this inability they often do make tracks to get medical help very quickly.
Reported comment from an American nurse:
“None of the vaccine sceptics seem to be treatment sceptics.
Every single one of my unvaccinated Covid patients blindly accepts being pumped full of various drugs when their own life is tangibly on the line.”
When was this? Apparently she was lunching out during the weekend.
OMG
Red appears to lack Logic at times.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
The Liz Gunn video.
Wondering if she's got something from what was sprayed on the crowd.
Presumably about Ardern:
"Was it ever real? Did she actually get in legitimately into power? We will have to look at that one day, when we, when the people have taken back the country."
“… one of the worst human beings New Zealand has ever given birth to…”
I remember Amy Winehouse. When she died after the dramas of her life so many said things like, "We could see it happening before our eyes. Why didn't we do something about it."
If you are a friend of Liz Gunn your chance is there.
Is Liz saying there was political interference in the last Election, did Poots interfere in the NZ Election as well ? Interesting allegations hopefully someone can enlighten us on the Standard.
Interesting allegations? No. They're in the strategies in Chapter One of "Starting Conspiracy Theories to Sink Someone."
Part of the chapter is about how to appeal to simpletons to gently get them to spread rumours.
I hope you feel enlightened.
I am sure many friends and family not infected by her conspiracy theories and concerned since October last year about her collapsing mental state, will have tried their very best to get her help. This inability to stop a train wreck occurring in front of one is a very sad part of addictive thinking and being trapped in a cult.
Hopefully if she does get much worse a real person concerned about her health will intervene.
Her fiends interviewing her from Counterspin not so much.
Nice work. Anonymous has hacked at least two streaming sites and several government television stations to broadcast the Ukranian war to Russian people. Putin's war of disinformation is being lost.
Good to see Justice Francis Cooke hearing this case about vaccine mandates affecting teachers and medical specialists.
Zero tolerance for unvaccinated doctors and teachers necessary to prevent transmission, Crown tells judge | Stuff.co.nz
This is the same judge that made the rulings on the NZPolice and NZDF mandates and found them wanting.
I suspect he's going to have to weigh severity and spread of Omicron, as well as access to essential medical services.
Hopefully with the same judge we get more and more precedent that is very consistent in its framing and language.
Also the same judge who upheld requirements for aviation security workers to be covid-vaccinated.
Gotta say, the NZDF thing seemed to me to be more about poor procedure and legal argument by the government rather than the general principle at stake. Be interesting to see if the government has learnt its lesson and which way the judgement goes if they have.
Please if you get Omicron, no matter how lightly, REST please or you will have real problems. The Covid Ward Dr on the Gold Coast told Grant " 10 min activity 2hrs rest" '
Omicron is deceptively mild.
Absolutely – one of the big problems with Covid affecting the lungs is the blood oxygen saturation rate
"A healthy oxygen saturation level ranges between 95% and 100%"
I have read of Covid patients with levels as low as 60%. Oxygen deficit from exertion with Covid is easy to do and likely to kill you.
Pity our government doesn’t see it that way. As someone who is now in their 4th week another member in their 3rd and still also struggling. Went to doctors with infections and major fatigue and struggling for breath was told as I had past my 10th day and been passed as clear, the cost was unable to be subsided by the govt and had to pay $100 for the visit. Fortunately I can cope financially but had to ring 5 surgeries including my own and was told on 4 instances that they would only do on line, no contact. How do you then diagnose infections then. Feel for the health workers but the system is not appropriate for purpose.
If you are struggling for breath I recommend looking at buying an oximeter
https://www.chemistwarehouse.co.nz/search?searchtext=oximeter
They stock 2 brands look around for reviews and other suppliers to choose between
If your oxygen saturation is below 92% you very likely have a problem
Already have 1 and recoding the trends heart and o2.
and to you muttonbird why just isolate the right I have heard our dir of health, ministers and PM make the same comments, so open your eyes and ears you maybe surprised at what you see/hear., or are you so simple that you have been captured by the pr spin ??
Director of Health and PM are jointly responsible for for continued health measures, mandates, and border controls in order to slow the spread of this variant.
All these policies have been criticised by anti-vax protestors and the right wing alike. Some might say these are the same people.
The spin is yours in trying to claim Bloomfield and Ardern aren't taking this seriously.
No I am staying that all those I mentioned also have stated that this version is mild, but when you are fully captured by PR what hope is there for you to see anything different.
the pm is quoted now go away it is a school night and you need your sleep 😴
“Because of vaccinations, it will be a mild to moderate illness which can be managed at home, she said.”
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/460016/watch-jacinda-ardern-and-ashley-bloomfield-hold-covid-19-briefing-on-omicron
This can't be true because we are told by pandemic sceptics and other forms of right wing people that Omicron is mild.
Luxon tests positive for covid.
Shoulda learned to wear his damned mask properly.
Is he an essential worker?
Yes
Essential to the 1%!
He’s the captain of a tight ship but he can’t smell the RATs below deck due to Covid. Is there a doctor other than Dr Reti in the house?
Ha! Well the was Dr Smith – “Oh, the pain, the pain of it all.”
https://michaelstvtray.com/2018/02/18/oh-the-pain-of-it-all/
Nah, he wasn’t a real doctor like Dr Jonathan Coleman.
Oops, I thought you were referring to Dr Nick Smith because you were still editing your comment …
The 1% you say ?
Not according to the latest Roy Morgan polling.
https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8912-nz-national-voting-intention-february-2022-202203070501
One way or another, all voters vote for the 1%.