Insanity has been defined as the act of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. First, it was the Moskva which came within range of Ukrainian missiles. Then it was two patrol boats close to shore taken out by a Ukrainian drone. And, again, the Russians sent the Makarov close to shore to a similar location within the range of Ukrainian neptune missiles again. I wonder if they will keep up the insanity and send another one close to shore.
Thus far, the verified toll against the Russian navy in the Black Sea has been:
1 x landing ship, 2 x patrol boats, 1 x Cruiser, 1x frigate.
Isn’t it ironic…🎶…that the ship was named after Ukrainian born naval innovator Admiral Stepan Makarov who pioneered research into preventing warships from sinking.
The review of images following the strike of the two Neptune anti-ship missiles from open-source naval analyst and retired Navy Capt. Chris Carlson told USNI News that the guided-missile cruiser did not have its fire control radars activated and could not see the threat from the two sea skimming weapons.
In the photo of Moskva after the strike, the radars “are in their normal stowed position,” Carlson told USNI News on Monday.
“If you look at the pictures of Moskva, when she’s just dancing around going from place to place, or she’s anchored as a showboat, those directors are all facing aft every time,” he said.
Is Sinn Fein getting the majority in the Northern Ireland Parliament the equivalent of the Maori Party getting the majority in the New Zealand Parliament?
OK. The gist of this post is simple. If we do not add water capturing earthworks to our catchments we can expect to be left high and dry. No groundwater flow = no hydro power.
I'm quite sick of repeating myself on this, but I will continue. Also, TOLD YOU SO.
The rain cycle used to be that that lost to sea was equivalent to that gained from rain. Now the rains arrive less frequently, and more severely. That lost to sea is continuously increasing. That captured on land is continuously decreasing. It is a compounding problem that arrived very fast since predictions made only a few years back.
How hard is it to admit we can't manage land properly, and correct it.
Get this in your thick government heads or we shall certainly face disaster the likes of which we are utterly unprepared for.
NZ is so complacent about water. We think it's always going to be there no matter what we do. This is some kind of stupid really, given we have the science and history to understand the dynamics you are referring to.
I live in a part of Auckland where they are prevalent. Nothing incenses me more than SUVs dominating the streets, the parking lots and generally making life miserable for other road users – not to mention the environmental damage.
Yes those awful SUVs are really the ultimate in self-centred stupidity. They make driving for others risky and unpleasant. They take up too much space and reduce visibility . Worse, it seems from the way drivers often use them, their main purpose is to bully others by tail-gating and dangerous exits from side streets etc.. However, I don't think letting down tyres is a good idea – likely to make them worse!
Worse, it seems from the way drivers often use them, their main purpose is to bully others by tail-gating and dangerous exits from side streets etc..
I agree. thoroughly informal and anecdotal surveys while travelling up and back to Otaki regularly indicate that they are:
most likely to tail-gate
most likely not to use the 'merge like a zip' concept
least likely to acknowledge the good manners of other drivers in letting them in
least likely to obey the sometimes very slow speed limits, thus kicking up stones for others, while the new Expressway is being built.
most likely to have tyres that are unsuitable for highway driving, I may be wrong but I had thought that using the incorrect tyres adds to wear and tear on highways and is less fuel efficient.
Then don't get me started on my partner's view that they are penis extensions for inadequate males…he puzzles over the irony of making a penis extension the 'family' car so the female partner has to collect children from city based sport, activities driving these vehicles.
I am a driver who has worked on the roads for over 26 years. My observations are that there are two main types of people on the road who don't care a monkeys about safety, courtesy, respect for road rules and just plain commonsense – those who drive black cars and those who drive large overpowered SUVs.
I quite agree. What amazed me, watching as I did the whole of the convoy arriving in Wellington for the protest, was how many of these utes/SUVs were in it driven mainly by the scowling demographic that I believe is behind the 'pretty communist' and other misogynistic thoughts/ideas.
Then I look at the tradies I use with their fit for purpose sign written trade vehicles that are much more practical than utes with low canopies. They have no place in towns and cities.
My farmer bro in law believes in many lowland farms they have no place either. On his lowland Southland farm he used a combo of tractor and ancient old station wagons for all his farming ops. Yet the people who rent most of the land as a dairy run-off to a man, and they mostly are all men, need SUVs, Utes to work on the same land. Most have legs just painted on as well.
Vanity not need accounts for much of the growth of Utes/SUVs.
In the Wellington they park right on the street corners and to see the road around them you need to get right out sometimes into the face of oncoming traffic.
Perhaps they could blitz just with the leaflets rather than letting down the tyres tho' I do/did snicker at the thought of the scowling ones being forced to deal with a flat tyre.
… watching as I did the whole of the convoy arriving in Wellington for the protest, was how many of these utes/SUVs were in it driven mainly by the scowling demographic…
So. Those activists were not concealing their faces? Not hiding behind anonymity or a silly pseudonym? For "security reasons" ?
Your anti-SUV saboteurs lack the courage of their convictions. Cowards.
I don't understand this at all so whatever point you are making is lost on me.
I was able to watch the arrival in slow motion as it were and did not expect to see masked people in their cars.
I made comment at the time about these surly Ute drivers in the convoy, usually by themselves, a few with an equally surly mate. Of course at that stage we thought they were all going to make a protest, make a point then away again. As it is now whatever point they were making, and it become very difficult to find a common cause, is remembered only by a riot, fires.
I have no idea whether those letting tyres down were masked, or had a pseudonym.
And still the PM is subjected to macho posturing and innuendo.
I have no idea whether those letting tyres down were masked, or had a pseudonym.
You didn't actually read the article Anne linked to? Then of course you would not have understood what I was referring to.
You decided to bring up the Freedom protest and you chose comment on the scowling ute/SUV drivers you observed as these anti-mandate activists rolled into Wellington. Clearly you could see their faces.
I know some of those people. All are fully committed to the mission, and none would use a false name or hide behind a stupid sounding organisation. Up front and in your face. At least you know who you are dealing with..or perhaps you prefer…
…the activists who let the SUV tyres down who were too cowardly to do so out in the open, and hid behind silly names.
Anonymous activism? Worthless.
(Oh, an as an aside…very seldom, as you will have noticed, did any of the 'river of filth' wear medical masks or face coverings of any kind. 'Filth' that they were.
Only on that last day did there suddenly appear men wearing various full face masks, designed more to conceal their identity rather than protect against viruses or police pepper spray. These were the guys filmed near the first tent that caught fire. No one recalled seeing these guys in the Freedom Village until that morning. Funny that.)
My comment built on the SUV part. I was amazed by the number of SUV/Utes etc in the convoy. The demographic riding around in Utes/SUVs here in Wellington is much of the same, scowling late 30s/40s males. So I was surprised to see them in the convoy until I realised that they were the anti PM brigade/anti women, rather than strictly anti vax, coming along – the ones that had the 'pretty little communist' type placards in the Groundswell convoys.
So good on them up in Auckland. They have got publicity and they may get a conversation going.
The depth of feeling about vehicles that are unsuitable for city/town traffic is not one that country dwellers will be really aware of. They make getting around much more difficult as sight lines are impeded for other traffic and pedestrians.
So I'm not interested in masks except to studiously wear one, respect others who do, avoid situations or people who do not. I am not interested in who did what in the protest.
In fact the protest and the whole anti vax is the stuff of irrelevance and yawn making to me, now. If I think about the protest at all it is to wonder how NZ got caught up in manufactured protests from overseas and I sometimes indulge in idle speculation about the finances, and 'dark' people behind it. We needed a public health response to a pandemic. We got one. The majority went along with it, some did not.
We have to deal with climate change, it is with us forever. Drawing attention to it is what the SUV protestors and the ones at the Southland coal mine are doing, on my behalf, as a 'ginger' group.
I realised that they were the anti PM brigade/anti women, rather than strictly anti vax, coming along – the ones that had the 'pretty little communist' type placards in the Groundswell convoys. Evidence of this?
…to wonder how NZ got caught up in manufactured protests from overseas err…you do realize that the Tyre Extinguishers are a proud overseas organisation?
How is it that its acceptable for Kiwis to join in protest actions that originate overseas, such as Black Lives Matter, Me Too, Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace etc…but not in protest action that happens to also have activists in other countries… that is centered around draconian government laws that effectively force people to take an experimental pharmaceutical product with known performance issues and very real adverse effects for far too many people?
For a disease that failed to reach the projected case fatality rates forecast by the modellers?
Closing our borders helped reduce our case load and fatality rates…the so called 'vaccines'…not so much. Double and triple jabbed folk are getting infected at a higher rate than the unvaccinated. An awful lot are still getting sick and still ending up in hospital…at rates not much lower that us filthy unvaxxed, and people jabbed and unjabbed, are still dying with, but not necessarily of Covid.
A Health Ministry, truly committed to Medical Science, would have initiated a study comparing outcomes between eligible unvaccinated and eligible vaccinated. Like the Pfizer Trial… but this time doing an actual Long Term study.
Good that the whole thing is an irrelevance to you now…for some of us the unjustified discrimination still impacts our lives, every day.
Yeah, I know, they're committing crimes but good on them.
Protestors taking such action clearly don't have much between their ears.
We've never had so many EVs in New Zealand or around the world. Yet climate change continues to worsen. The more EVs we buy, the worse climate change gets!
Deflating the tyres of SUVs will have zero effect on climate change, as will buying an EV. We need better protestors.
Interesting further information from the author of a link I posted yesterday….
"We owe thanks to Interest.co. for journalistic bravery.
This article was sent to Newsroom – no acknowledgement, not even a ' no thanks'.
It was sent to Kim Hill, Kathryn Ryan, Bryan Crump and Jim Mora – collectively the journalism end of RNZ. I'm picking there will be no reply, and no coverage (will edit this post should that happen).
My question to all those folk, is this: If this article contains the truth of our predicament (rebuttal invited); how do we describe journalism which avoids the topic? What, indeed, is the difference between silence and falsehood-peddling?"
Thought experiment: what would happen if NZ grew most of its own food? Not coffee or chocolate or vanilla, but our staples and seasonal produce. We could still export what we we could produce sustainably and regeneratively that we didn’t need. For the experiment assume that enough people were ok with this because they understood the urgency of climate action, and food security, so it didn’t prompt political outrage. Eg maybe we’d had a year of many crop failures globally.
are the issues here mainly trade agreements? Perceptions of government policies interference?
I don't think that it's predominantly trade agreements or government policies preventing people eating home-grown. It's that other countries grow X crops cheaper/better and the economics of shipping them here is viable. And that Kiwis want to eat X crops.
For example, while it's technically possible to grow bananas in NZ (Far North) it's not an ideal climate for them. While Queensland and/or Fiji are ideal banana-growing climates. [And, while Fiji may have cheaper labour, I don't think Australia does – so that's not necessarily a factor]
Growing crops in ideal climates is both quicker and cheaper – and they often taste better (Italian tinned tomatoes are way tastier than kiwi ones). And, while there is a cost of shipping them to NZ – it clearly doesn't outweigh the cost of growing them here.
NZ could live on what we grow. But our choices at the supermarket/greengrocer would be a lot more limited; and probably more expensive (NZ olive oil is way more expensive than Italian, for example)
It's not just the fancy flavourings. Think rice, wheat flour (NZ wheat isn't good for baking), sugar, etc.
…while it's technically possible to grow bananas in NZ (Far North) it's not an ideal climate for them … Commercial banana growing is a thing up here. Bonza
Smaller fruit than the inferior tasting Cavendish variety, the things grow like weeds up here. Our Misi Luki plants have been in for 18 months, and each of the original three plants have large bunches of fruit. Other than removing the excess daughters, (which transplant really well) they get next to no attention. I have papaya trees, (grown from seed) and I'm just beginning to cover them with frost cloth on cold nights. Some commercial blueberry growers up here (often grown in high gro tunnels) are pulling out the blueberries and planting papaya.
We also have coffee growing up here….so its not all avos and citrus.
Much of the produce is sold at Farmers Markets…these guys are not big enough to take on the supermarket duopoly in order to get a fair price.
In a big tunnel house and out of doors as well. Frost certainly can set them back 🙂 but we have few if any frosts (we're southern but we're coastal). My out of door bananas are Cook Island plantains which are pretty hardy. I have misiluki (Samoan bananas) and others growing in the tunnel house.Thai ginger (galangal) grows readily outside here and has done for many years. Under the cover of plastic, it booms! I have Amarillo fruiting under cover. The plants are 3 or 4 metres tall. Lemons and grapefruit. Fruiting cherry guava, fig, Elephant grass, 5 metres tall (higher than an elephants eye 🙂 Brugmansias throughout the garden. Many of these plants look "scrappy" during the winter months, but bounce back strongly.
You are most welcome to visit. If you are unable to do so, we have a short-film by Happen Films about to be released – I'll let you know when. As well, there is this: An invitation for wildness – our first film about our forest-garden, you might enjoy 🙂
Well, you'd have to define how you'd envisage the 'government transition'.
If they use tariffs to make imported goods more expensive, then you'd fall foul of a whole host of international trade treaties (nuking NZ export trade).
If you give NZ goods a tax cut (e.g. no GST on NZ produce) then I think you run foul of the trade treaties again.
If they require local produce to be sold at a reasonable mark-up (thinking milk & cheese, NZ lamb, etc here) then I *think* they'd be OK with trade treaties (pretty sure France do this…)
If they require mandatory food labelling (and are very specific about what qualifies as NZ produce) – then there's no comeback.
If they run advertising campaigns (hopefully better ones than the disastrous 3 waters) and 3rd party organisations campaign for NZ produce to be promoted – and it becomes patriotic to buy Kiwi – then again no comeback. That's consumer choice.
Remember, that NZ is also vulnerable to the need to export in order to afford imports.
And that many essentials, sugar, rice, etc. are either not grown in NZ or will never be grown in the quantities that Kiwi consumers want them.
Just come across this list of countries which are self-sufficient in food (of course some continue to import – but they don't have to).
The only country in Europe that’s self-sufficient is France. Other countries in the exclusive club of self sufficiency: Canada, Australia, Russia, India, Argentina, Burma, Thailand, the U.S. and a few small others.
Article is from 2014 – so subject to being corrected by later-arriving information.
There's a link in the article to a nice source map – with the relative proportions of imports (NZ at the 30% level)
By and large it tends to be the largest countries which cross a wide latitude which are self-sufficient (wide variety of micro-climates and growing conditions). A fair split between authoritarian and democratic governments – so that's not an obvious factor.
They may be able to get back to growing their own food on their own land, instead of it being taken for growing monocultures, for export for corporate profits, while they have to migrate in desperation to outer city shanty towns.
That depends on the country. Assuming it isn't a totally corrupt one, you can't make infrastructure and healthcare with bananas. And in an increasingly uncertain climate future, some countries may not be able to rely exclusively on domestic agriculture, including our own.
Subsistence farming – which is what you're talking about – with airy assumptions that developing countries will be "able to get back to growing their own food on their own land" isn't really a very attractive modern lifestyle. Especially without the technical support and infrastructure that you need foreign sales to bring in.
No tractors built in Fiji (for example) or diesel to run them. No communications gear (so no phone or IT infrastructure). Little medical infrastructure (apart from the most basic of care), etc., etc.
All of those are 'bought' by the export of commodities (e.g. raw sugar – and, bizarrely, bottled water, in the case of Fiji – who knew? But it it's a money-spinner for them – why take it away?).
How about you give a real life example of a country which could "get back to growing their own food on their own land" without killing off their external trade and therefore their imports of all the things they are unable to produce.
There have been several examples given in-thread of countries for which this would be disastrous.
Funny that you gave Fiji as an example.. Fiji is one where locals retain ownership of their land.
We will forget about the many places where large scale agriculture, and other resource extraction, benefits a very few, mostly offshore, profit takers, while the locals are forced into poverty and even, starvation!
South American countries were called, banana Republics, for a reason.
There are too many examples to count.
We will also forget about other examples. Such as African grain farmers who lost their livilihoods after being undercut by grain imported from the West.
Believers in the “Free trade” religion, like other believers in “Woo”, ignore the disasters it has caused. Including preventing third world countries from developing the protected internal economies that made Western countries prosperous.
But are you saying Fiji wouldn't be affected though? Also you have a very strange idea of the history of economic development in the West – that prosperity mostly came off the back of centuries of feudalism and imperial conquest.
Well, in our immediate vicinity, Samoa's economy is largely agricultural exports, fish, and foreign manufacturing. Fiji, which is arguably the most developed economy in the region outside Australia and New Zealand is also a major exporter of sugar cane, coconuts, cassava, rice, sweet potato, bananas, ginger, taro etc. Further afield, Ghana is heavily dependent on exporting cacao.
There is sufficient ethical production to supply some manufacturers. There really isn't much incentive to continue to improve ethics and sustainability without an export market.
I'd be good with trade with our Pacific neighbours provided it was actually ecologically sustainable (not greenwashed). I don't know if Fijians are being economically forced to cash crop and then can't afford to buy food themselves. Do you?
A sure winner for the government, taxing the company, not the individual. Put the money to helping families over the cost of living until Fair Pay agreements kick in.
Here's an article from 2006 discussing the baby trade, or "reproductive market", in the US. Fewer abortions may help to make it easier, and cheaper, for couples to become parents. The gay community, in particular, could benefit from fewer abortions.
It is entirely possible to conceive of the reproductive market in the United States as a small enclave of science. The market is irrelevant to 85% to 90% of the population—that is, to those lucky enough to conceive children the old-fashioned way. Nearly by definition, then, it shouldn’t share the traits that characterize the markets for potato chips or sneakers or even general health services. It is a niche market, one that is unlikely to expand beyond a small segment of customers. Most of these potential customers, moreover, never avail themselves of any form of treatment: Only 36% of infertile women in the United States seek medical assistance in conceiving, 15% use fertility drugs, 5.5% employ artificial insemination, and only 1% try IVF or other high-tech treatments.
…
In the baby business, even private transactions can impose costs on the rest of society. Consider, for instance, the babies born to 25-year-old Teresa Anderson of Mesa, Arizona, in April 2005. Anderson was a gestational surrogate who, for $15,000, had agreed to carry a child for Enrique Moreno, a landscaper, and his 32-year-old wife, Luisa Gonzalez. To increase the chance of pregnancy, doctors transplanted five embryos into Anderson’s womb. They all survived, and Anderson subsequently bore quintuplets for the couple. When the babies arrived, the news media showed the smiling surrogate, the delighted couple, and the five relatively healthy babies. These babies, however, were extraordinarily expensive: The costs of delivery almost certainly ran to well over $400,000. Gonzalez and Moreno paid to conceive these children, but U.S. consumers—through increased insurance fees and hospital costs—are paying, too. According to one recent study, the total cost of delivering a child born through IVF ranges between $69,000 and $85,000. If the child is born to an older woman, the cost rises to between $151,000 and $223,000. The prospective parents in these cases pay for part of these costs—the IVF, the hormones, the multiple medical visits—but their fellow citizens are paying as well. (See the exhibit “What Price Babies?”)
Presumably the author is setting up a public debate between the ethical and commercial costs of adoption versus the ethical and commercial costs of aborting unborn children.
The US movement against abortion will be seeking to push this kind of contest worldwide through the media, as distinct from the narrow band of international aid and development as they did under Bush.
The upcoming abortion argument contest is going to make the Trans debate look like a very, very small thing in comparison.
I don't think so, Ad. Firstly, discussing rights for women, while reframed as a trans debate, is more of a maintaining of boundaries. However, the infiltration of institutions, companies and schools, and the negative effect on children and young people has meant that more people are getting interested in exploring past the #NoDebate edicts. That's going to take a while.
The abortion debate has never been hampered by #NoDebate tactics, and those who want to be informed will have plenty of opportunities to do so, with articles and television broadcasts from both sides.
It will be interesting to see on TS which of the male commentators will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of the aspects of the abortion topic.
They are birthing bodies with unproductive uteruses that need to be put to work. And yes, quite a few people are not at all fussed by the idea that birthing bodies are nothing more then bipedal gestation units for lease and profit, to be hired and discarded at will.
There will be a future were fertile wombs will be told by WINZ that if they need a job they could gestate a human being for a paying third party. Its like slavery but kind and inclusive.
Women aren't brood mares producing a fucking commodity to be traded.
Thats an opinion rather than fact. Adoption has been around for quite a while, and to a lesser extent surrogacy and IVF. What benefits have these brought parents-to-be and wider society? Where would we be without these options?
I was commenting on Joe’s opinion. To repeat: adoption has been around a while and to a lesser extent surrogacy and IVF. Do the existence of each of these imply or suggest that women are broodmares? I wouldn’t have thought so but you may disagree.
Similarly, should men be allowed to sell sperm? What are the pros and cons of allowing such a transaction?
have you ever given birth Ross? Do you have *any sense of what that process involves for women, and why many of us don't want to go through it unnecessarily.
There was a slogan a while back in regards to the violence against women. 'She is not your therapy'. I guess the woke left saw that and decided that 'She is your therapy' was the correct way to go forward.
A progressive activist has suggested Mother's Day be renamed to reflect how transgender men are now classified as giving birth.
Norrie May-Welby, who was born a male and had gender reassignment surgery at age 28, said the term 'mother' was not exclusive to females.
So a man is telling us to stop calling mothers mothers. Not hidden agenda there.
Probably the most disturbing thing about that is the degree to which society (looking at you liberals) think that we should centre people with mental health distress (gender dysphoria) and base our cultural practices on what they want. And invent whole new sets of language to do that. Have we lost our goddamn minds?
The left have had all those years of screaming "TERF" at us when we said that biological sex existed and was important. Meanwhile the right wingers in the reality based world where biological sex not only exists but functions as a weapon to control women were organising and strategising for this victory. You cannot identify out of this one kiddies – enjoy your pronouns.
As has been discussed previously, abortion is not an absolute right. Similarly, people who chose (perhaps sensibly) not to be vaccinated against COVID-19 apparently didn’t have the right to choose. I imagine that losing their job and possibly their home was quite inconvenient and upsetting.
As English author Julian Barnes once said: we can have our cake and eat it. The trouble is, we get fat.
There are costs and benefits to any course of action. Your focus is on the costs while ignoring the benefits. The costs of IVF are discussed above. Some of those costs are born by taxpayers. Should that be the case? Maybe society thinks the benefits outweigh the costs.
Given how little you appear know about the difference between producing a child and producing sperm – "Similarly, should men be allowed to sell sperm?", I'm trying to gauge where your level of knowledge is on this topic.
1. a) What are the possible negative effects (physical, financial, social, psychological) of producing sperm on the male body?
b) What are the possible negative effects (physical, financial, social, psychological) of pregnancy on the female body?
c) Which one of these two will have an ongoing effect after production?
"Fewer abortions may help to make it easier, and cheaper, for couples to become parents. The gay community, in particular, could benefit from fewer abortions."
The quotes you provided specifically talk about women's bodies in production lines terms, and a child as a commodity.
There is a conversation to be had about the provision of IVF, and adoption. If you have spent time investigating adoption you may find that regardless of the care and love provided by adoptive parents, a significant percentage of adoptees have had disrupted lives due to their emotional reaction to their adoptive status.
But I'd be interested in hearing what you understand of the possible costs of pregnancy, just to get started.
a significant percentage of adoptees have had disrupted lives due to their emotional reaction to their adoptive status.
Yep life isn't fair. I'm sure a significant percentage of adoptees from Ukraine have had more than disrupted lives given that both of their biological parents may be dead. We should stop the war there.
Once you select your child, and the documents are prepared, you will be accompanied to the local court, where the adoption will be granted. There is now a 10 day appeal period following the court. It might be extended ONLY if there are serious complications, which happens extremely rarely. Then an additional 7 – 10 days is required to obtain the child’s documents. Families may choose to return to the U.S. until their adoption order is final and documents are ready. You will return to Kiev and be accompanied to the U.S. Embassy to undergo the required medical exams and receive your immigrant visa for new your child.
What are the possible negative effects (physical, financial, social, psychological) of pregnancy on the female body?
What are the positive effects of pregnancy on the female body?
The quotes you provided specifically talk about women's bodies in production lines terms, and a child as a commodity.
A woman who makes a logical and well-thought out decision to have one or more babies may be nothing more than a production line? That's fairly insulting towards women who wish to be a surrogate or to place their child for adoption. It suggests that they are incapable of making good decisions about their own body. That sort of attitude may be behind the (interim) decision to overturn Roe v Wade.
Actually, it was a thinly veiled suggestion to go away and inform yourself before participating further. Sometimes it is clear that a comment is made from someone who hasn't explored the topic before submitting their reckons. This was one such time.
Now I've seen your reply, I still don't rate it highly, because it is a simplistic – and therefore basic understanding of what is being discussed.
"A woman who makes a logical and well-thought out decision to have one or more babies may be nothing more than a production line? That's fairly insulting towards women who wish to be a surrogate or to place their child for adoption. It suggests that they are incapable of making good decisions about their own body. That sort of attitude may be behind the (interim) decision to overturn Roe v Wade."
That position assumes that there are no forms of coercion, or exploitation of women' bodies happening. If you know of such a place, do tell.
If women are in a tenuous or vulnerable position, and have choices other than adoption or surrogacy, and still choose them, then I'd say that choice is fairly autonomous, but still not without harm. Given that the majority of women in commercial surrogacy are there for financial relief or in desperate circumstances – I'd say there is something else occurring other than autonomy. There are also knock on social effects – on the child, the purchasing parents, and the wider community, that need to be recognised and assessed for harm.
But I’m game to learn of a different perspective, so have at it, what are the "positive effects of pregnancy on the female body?"
(I know of a couple, but would be interested in seeing your list, since you seem to want to avoid any mention of the negative effects that IIRC were not limited to physical, but included social, financial, psychological.)
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Buzz from the BeehiveEducation Minister Jan Tinetti brings news of a book of rules for school board members at the same time as her own grasp of Parliament’s rule book has been brought into question. Tinetti has announced a compulsory code of conduct to “ensure school board members are ...
Photo by Branden Tate on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour from midday (my apologies for the late start today), including:the Government’s vague promise of sharing the costs of cyclone rebuilding and buy-backs ...
Last night was a big night for our most celebrated radio presenter.Mike Hosking was named the Sir Paul Holmes Broadcaster of the Year - for the third straight year - as well as Best Talk Presenter (breakfast/drive) at the New Zealand Radio awards. Do you feel proud Aotearoa?In the presenter category ...
Speak of the devil. The Australian website Crikey has just launched an investigative series about the notorious lobbying firm Crosby Textor, or C/T as it now prefers to be called. It transpires that two clients of C/T’s American subsidiary will benefit greatly from the AUKUS defence pact between the US, ...
Aotearoa’s failure to deal with the escalating pace of human-induced climate change was starkly on display yesterday. Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: Our planet is now warming and generating extreme climate events faster than our politicians, voters and institutions can agree to reduce the costs and share the burden of those events ...
It’s Friday and we’ve got a long weekend ahead of us. Here’s our latest roundup of stories that caught our eye this week. The Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt reviewed National’s new housing policy. On Tuesday Matt looked at some of the highlights from Auckland Transport’s ...
The facts are bald and simple; India is now the most populous country in the world and the fifth largest economy and is on track to becoming the fourth. Despite that, New Zealand’s relationship with India could best be described as in its infancy, even though New Zealand has ...
Open access notables Multiple studies indicate changes in the properties of Antarctic bottom water (AABW) over the past half century. These changes involve density and hence will affect both local and distant circulation of the oceans, not least overturning effects that are vital for marine biology but also climate and ...
Completed reads for May: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, by Jules Verne Gulliver’s Travels, by Jonathan Swift Journey to the Centre of the Earth, by Jules Verne Round the World in Eighty Days, by Jules Verne The Secret of the Island, by Jules Verne From the Earth ...
Ben Roberts-Smith is apparently "Australia’s most decorated living soldier", having won a Victoria Cross for killing people in Afghanistan. But today, after a stupendous self-own defamation case, he's also been proven to be a war criminal who committed multiple murders: Ben Roberts-Smith VC, Australia’s most decorated living soldier, has ...
Hey Uncle Dave, My house got wrecked in the summer floods. Do you know if the government’s got any plans to help me, or are they too busy making bilingual road signs?Noah InsuranceYou picked a good day to ask, Noah, the Govt has just announced there’ll be an offer of ...
The government has looked at imposing a tax on nitrogen fertiliser, used heavily in NZ agriculture, but yesterday Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor conceded he had not convinced farming leaders to go ahead with it. ACT”s Mark Cameron claimed credit in Parliament for “killing” the plan. Both Federated ...
Are women the new Māori?Since Christopher Luxon has been leader National have shown they’re prepared to throw Māori under a bus. Be it not wanting them to have a seat at the table on water management, referring to the Treaty as a “little experiment”, or the monocultural candidate selection polices ...
Are women the new Māori?Since Christopher Luxon has been leader National have shown they’re prepared to throw Māori under a bus. Be it not wanting them to have a seat at the table on water management, referring to the Treaty as a “little experiment”, or the monocultural candidate selection polices ...
Buzz from the Beehive An email from Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta had yet to be posted on the government’s official website, when Point of Order made its morning check on our ministers and what they are (officially) up to. She was providing us with an account – a ...
Multiple reviews are examining options to address a $25M to $40M funding hole in its operating budget and a reported $300M, 70,000 hour maintenance backlog for huts, tracks and visitor assets.Thomas Cranmer writes – Following Friday’s revelation that Budget 2023has left the Department of Conservation ...
Property values fell a further 0.7% in May from April across Aotearoa, but Core Logic sees evidence in the data “the current downturn is winding up.” Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: There are fresh signs this morning the housing market-with-bits-tacked-on economy is brightening up going into winter, and just ...
This is a cross post by Malcom McCracken at Better things are possible. It was from between when National signalled their change in housing policy but before they announced it but highlights why the Medium Density Residential Standards are important. Yesterday, the leader of the National Party, Christopher Luxon, ...
Do the global climate models (GCMs) we use for describing future climate change really capture the change and variations in the region that we want to study? There are widely used tools for evaluating global climate models, such as the ESMValTool, but they don’t provide the answers that I ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). The world is getting hotter and the headlines are scary. So does climate change mean the world is about to pass ...
Politik (paywalled) reports that He waka eke noa, the farmers' scam to have the rest of us subsidise their emissions forever, so they can keep on destroying the planet, is dead: Reality appears to be about to shatter Jacinda Ardern's dream that New Zealand could lead the world in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two ministerial press statements today draw attention to the Government’s incorporation of mātauranga Māori in its science policies and programmes. One of these announced the launch of the national space policy, which will oblige our space boffins to bring indigenous knowledge into their considerations. The ...
The Stations of the Cross, as all of us know from our devout and Godly ways, is a series of fourteen stations that depict the final hours in the story of Christ our Lord - appearing before Pilate, shouldering the wooden cross, whistling the Monty Python tune, so on and ...
The Stations of the Cross, as all of us know from our devout and Godly ways, is a series of fourteen stations that depict the final hours in the story of Christ our Lord - appearing before Pilate, shouldering the wooden cross, whistling the Monty Python tune, so on and ...
The Herald reports on a trivial but telling incident from Parliament: Labour Cabinet Minister Kiri Allan read the wrong speech at the third reading of a freedom camping bill in Parliament last night. She re-read almost word for word a speech given at the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation bill’s ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Very well-intentioned politicians, judges and others have taken New Zealand down into a Treaty rabbit hole, from which few know how to exit without creating more social divisions. The modern interpretations of the Maori version of Treaty have set aside a common understanding of ...
It’s like deja-vu all over again. House prices are primed to surge 10-20% soon after any clear National-ACT win on October 14. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: There are increasing signs in economists’ forecasts, auction clearance rates, migration rates, divergent tax policies and house building rates that a clear ...
I did something yesterday that I hadn’t done in ages. Watch Oral Questions in parliament. I’m not sure what happened in all the episodes I missed, but nothing much seemed to have changed.For those unfamiliar, Question Time takes place in parliament at 2pm each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the ...
Slow Learner: Effective leaders develop a political “muscle memory” of their own. The National Party should get one.SPEAKING IN PUBLIC tops most people’s list of fearful situations. There are some careers, however, for which public fluency is a non-negotiable pre-requisite. There’s little point in pursuing an acting career, for example, ...
Reality appears to be about to shatter Jacinda Ardern’s dream that New Zealand could lead the world in showing how to deal with farm emissions. The Government is facing a breakdown in negotiations over its much-vaunted He Waka Eke Noa deal with farmers to price greenhouse gas emissions and ...
Hi,Webworm won a Voyager media award over the weekend for “Best Team Investigation”! This would not have been possible without readers. Without you. Thank you.Also, there’s a new Flightless Bird out today, where I look at drug rehab clinics in Florida. I talk to three former addicts, and their stories ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive The Government is coy about some aspects of its relationship with China – and with the United States. Earlier this month, the PM spent a hectic 23 hours in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, where he responded to the superpower security deal just ...
What do Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and your daily newspaper all have in common? They all tell tales of imaginary worlds.In Game of Thrones the honourable Stark family find themselves in deadly conflict with the ruthless House of Lannister.In the NZ Herald the Rt Hon Chris Hipkins finds himself ...
What do Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and your daily newspaper all have in common? They all tell tales of imaginary worlds.In Game of Thrones the honourable Stark family find themselves in deadly conflict with the ruthless House of Lannister.In the NZ Herald the Rt Hon Chris Hipkins finds himself ...
In 2022 the government announced a periodic review of the Intelligence and Security Act, the legislation governing New Zealand's spies. Yesterday the review presented its report, Taumaru: Protecting Aotearoa New Zealand as a Free, Open and Democratic Society. Its a chunky read, and I'm not finished yet, but from the ...
The Charities Services decision to require the Waipareira Trust to claw back $385,000 of interest-free loans from John Tamihere brings renewed attention to the links between Whānau Ora and the Trust.Thomas Cranmer writes – Revelations earlier this month in the Herald that the social services charity Waipareira ...
National has developed a novel election strategy. It involves being both for and against almost every issue that comes down the pike. The use of te reo on public signage? Recently National Party leader Christopher Luxon came out against the bi-lingual use of te reo in the naming of government ...
Anti-densification residents’ and ratepayers’ groups are cock-a-hoop over National’s partial backflip on MDRS over the weekend and have ramped up their campaigns to stop densification in their areas. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: NIMBY groups are cock-a-hoop this morning, calling on councils and the Government to completely abandon the MDRS housing ...
It’s been two months but today the Auckland Transport board meet for again. There’s a lot on the agenda so I can’t cover it all in this post but here are some of the highlights from their regular board papers. The open session starts at 9am and can be watched on ...
This story by Aaron Cantú was originally published in Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Monic Uriarte was thrilled to get approved for an affordable apartment in Los Angeles’ University Park, close to USC. But soon after she and her ...
This incomplete picture speaks of everything we love most about a summer holiday in Aotearoa: The bach, the beach, the barbecue, the sand, the christmas ham sandwiches, the serenity.We love it, don’t we, Aotearoa? Getting away to somewhere warm and quiet with a high tide and a hammock. And if ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers who took time out from the Labour Party congress to attend to portfolio duties were focused largely on promoting the country’s interests overseas. The statements with the widest implications dealt with: Trade – Damien O’Connor joined ministerial representatives at a meeting in Detroit, USA, ...
In the last year of a second term in government. the election outcome shouldn’t even be close. All that’s required for a competent Opposition to be streets ahead in the polls, is an ability to look like a credible government-in-waiting. Instead, we’ve got a very tight contest. There’s a reason ...
The Herald reports that WINZ debt has reached the staggering total of $2.4 billion, with the usual racism and sexism in who owes and how much they pay: Anti-poverty groups say the poorest Kiwis are caught in a debt trap as the total amount of money owed to the ...
There was a poll last week which asked if now was the right time for a tax cut. Which is quite an odd thing to ask really, don’t you think?We’ve got to pay back the money used to keep paying people and stop businesses going under during the pandemic. Our ...
The Treasury released its budget economic forecasts. What do they say about the economy over the next four months?Brian Easton writes – Let me begin me with an irritation. One post-budget headline was ‘Treasury optimistic over recession risk in Budget 2023‘. Treasury being optimistic is almost an ...
As a politician swallowing a rat under a very public spotlight, Chris Bishop gave a spirited and relatively smooth account of himself yesterday. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Chris Bishop has detailed National’s new housing policy for Election 2023 that confirms a National Government would not force councils ...
After signalling it a week ago, yesterday National launched their new housing policy which abandons their support for the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) that they had worked with the government to deliver back in 2021 and shifts the focus to more sprawl. Overall there are three key areas National ...
The audacity of National’s “u-turn” over housing intensification is an extraordinary slap in the face for Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis. If it does nothing else, it raises questions about their political judgement, not for the first time.. Some in the Caucus have still not forgiven them for their ...
As the general election approaches, the Association of Former Members of the Parliament of New Zealand has organised an essay competition to to foster democracy. Secondary school students are being challenged to identify the important elements of a successful democracy, explain their value and consider whether they can be improved ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: For paying subscribers, here's my pick of the week’s top six news developments, quotes and charts of the week with my personal reflections, plus my suggestions for Sunday reading and listening. There’s also one fun thing. In summary this week, my six takeaways were:Christopher ...
With Open Arms: Is it at all reasonable to suppose that a colonial society in which whites traditionally occupied all the upper rungs of the ethnic hierarchy, and where the colonised were relegated to the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, will respond positively to a concerted indigenous push from below, ...
Hi,Just a quick online-only update that Webworm won “Best Team Investigation” last night at the Voyagers.This means a lot, especially considering we were up against giant newsrooms like Stuff and TVNZ:WINNER: David Farrier and Hayden Donnell | Webworm – The Downward Spiral of Arise ChurchJUDGES: Alan Sunderland and Ali Ikram“This ...
May 28, 2025.Ladies and gentlemen. It’s a beautiful clear morning here in Auckland City. We’re heading for a maximum temperature of 14 degrees, and the local time is now 10:30am. Please remain seated if you’d like to, or get up and walk around the plane if you prefer. New regulations ...
Focussed immigration has always been essential to our future, but New Zealanders need to be aware of the immediate dire situation our government is putting us in with a predicted record of one hundred thousand new immigrants moving to New Zealand in this year alone. That means we will have ...
Today, President of Te Pāti Māori, John Tamihere has confirmed that Heather Te-Au Skipworth will stand for Te Pāti Māori in the Tukituki electorate this election. ...
During New Zealand First coalition negotiations our policy was to train and resource 1800 new frontline police. We secured this coalition policy win to ensure our streets had a police force that could tackle crime - after years of neglect. Remember those previous nine years of neglect saw a ‘tag ...
Katie Kenny from Stuff published an article today with a lazy attempt at so-called ‘fact checking’ my recent comments on the World Health Organisation’s concerning new regulations being developed. What is most surprising is that throughout this entire ‘fact checking’ process, Kenny never once rang me asking for my side ...
The National Party has released another confused and rushed policy that will only further worsen the inequality that is driven by unaffordable housing. ...
Welcome to sunny and calm Wellington, which I know those of you who are visiting would of course expect to be the case. It’s been a busy week since we put forward the 2023 Budget. Labour MPs have been out across the motu giving the good oil on the Budget. ...
Kia orana, Talofa lava, Mālo e lelei, Taloha ni, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Noa’ia e mauri, Ni sa bula vinaka, Kia ora, Tena Koutou Katoa. Labour Party President Jill Day, Prime Minister Hipkins, Party faithful, delegates and comrades, whānau and friends, it’s a privilege to be here today. I begin my ...
One of my kaumātua up North stood before the Waitangi Tribunal and said: ‘He aha kē ahau, te tangata kore hara i mua i te Atua, e tu nei kia whakawaatia e koe, te tangata tāhae, te tangata hara, te tangata kore tikanga?Ko koe kē te tika, kia tū ...
New Zealanders will be highly concerned that the World Health Organisation proposes to effectively take control of independent decision making away from sovereign countries and place control with the Director General. W.H.O International Health Regulations on future outbreaks of disease aim to give the Director General extraordinary and wide-sweeping powers. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take responsibility for reducing inflation by taxing wealth instead of leaving RBNZ to continue hiking the Official Cash Rate. ...
The Green Party has released its list of candidates for the 2023 election. With a mix of familiar faces, fresh new talent, and strong tangata whenua voices, this exceptional group of candidates are ready to set the direction of the next Government. ...
Thank you for your invitation to be here, after yesterday's budget, and for the opportunity to talk with you. In the economic and social turmoil following the arrival of COVID 19 in New Zealand many concerns emerged. How would we keep our economy going and maintain our exports which are ...
At the heart of Budget 2023 is a cost of living package, designed to ease the pressure on New Zealanders in the face of global inflation and the challenges of rebuilding from extreme weather events. It provides practical cost of living relief across some of the core expenses facing Kiwis ...
A long standing Green Party policy has been extended yet again in this year’s Budget. This will deliver warmer homes for thousands of people, lower power bills, and cut climate pollution. ...
The Green Party is fully on board with free bus and train travel for under 12s and half price travel for under 25s - next stop, free travel for all under 18s, students, and apprentices. ...
Earlier this week, the Prime Minister announced a billion dollar flood and cyclone recovery package as part of Budget 2023. This is about doing the basics - repairing and rebuilding what has been damaged and making smart investments, including $100 million of protection funding to ensure future events don’t cause ...
New Zealand’s most recent defence assessment identified climate change and geostrategic competition as the two greatest security challenges to our place in the South Pacific. To the first issue, partners engaging and re-engaging with Pacific Island Countries are finding that climate change is a security and existential threat in our ...
The government is continuing to support rangatahi in providing more funding into Maori Trades training and new He Poutama Rangatahi programmes across Aotearoa. “We’re backing 30 new by Māori for Māori Kaupapa employment and training programmes, which will help iwi into sustainable employment or progress within their chosen careers” says ...
Murihiku Marae was officially reopened today, setting a gold standard in sustainable building practices as well as social outcomes for the people of Waihōpai Invercargill, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan says. “The marae has been a central hub for this community since the 1980’s. With the support of $9.65 million ...
The first major public housing development in Whangārei for decades has reached completion, with 37 new homes opened in the suburb of Maunu today. The project on Tapatahi Crescent and Puriri Park Road, consists of 15 one-bedroom, 4 two-bedroom, 7 three-bedroom, 8 four-bedroom and 3 five-bedroom homes, as well as ...
Trade and Export Growth Minister Damen O’Connor will depart tomorrow for London to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Trade Ministers’ Meeting and then to Paris to vice-chair the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting. “My travel to the United Kingdom is well-timed, with the United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (UK FTA) ...
The Fuel Industry (Improving Fuel Resilience) Amendment Bill would: boost New Zealand’s fuel supply resilience and economic security enable the minimum stockholding obligation regulations to be adapted as the energy and transport environment evolves. “Last November, I announced a six-point plan to improve the resiliency of our fuel supply from ...
The Government is making sure those on low incomes will no longer have to wait five weeks to get the minimum weekly rate of ACC, and improving the data collected to make the system fairer, Minister for ACC Peeni Henare said today. The Accident Compensation (Access Reporting and Other Matters) ...
A compulsory code of conduct will ensure school board members are crystal clear on their responsibilities and expected standard of behaviour, Minister of Education Jan Tinetti said. It’s the first time a compulsory code of conduct has been published for state and state-integrated school boards and comes into effect on ...
Tena koutou katoa and thank you, Mayor Nadine Taylor, for your welcome to Marlborough. Thanks also Doug Saunders-Loder and all of you for inviting me to your annual conference. As you might know, I’m quite new to this job – and I’m particularly pleased that the first organisation I’m giving a ...
The Government will enter into a funding arrangement with councils in cyclone and flood affected regions to support them to offer a voluntary buyout for owners of Category 3 designated residential properties. It will also co-fund work needed to protect Category 2 designated properties. “From the beginning of this process ...
The Government has announced changes to strengthen requirements in venues with pokie (gambling) machines will come into effect from 15 June. “Pokies are one of the most harmful forms of gambling. They can have a detrimental impact on individuals, their friends, whānau and communities,” Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds said. ...
The total Police workforce is now the largest it has ever been. Police constabulary stands at 10,700 officers – an increase of 21% since 2017 Māori officers have increased 40%, Pasifika 83%, Asian 157%, Women 61% Every district has got more Police under this Government The Government has delivered on ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Nanaia Mahuta met with Korea President Yoon, as well as Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna, during her recent visit to Korea. “It was an honour to represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the first Korea – Pacific Leaders’ Summit. We discussed Pacific ambitions under the ...
The Government’s Research and Development Tax Incentive has supported more than $2 billion of New Zealand business innovation – an increase of around $1 billion in less than nine months. "Research and innovation are essential in helping us meet the biggest challenges and seize opportunities facing New Zealand. It’s fantastic ...
The next ‘giant leap’ in New Zealand’s space journey has been taken today with the launch of the National Space Policy, Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds announced. “Our space sector is growing rapidly. Each year New Zealand is becoming a more and more attractive place for launches, manufacturing space-related technology ...
A new Year 7-13 designated character wharekura will be built in Pāpāmoa, Associate Minister of Education Kelvin Davis has announced. The wharekura will focus on science, mathematics and creative technologies while connecting ākonga to the whakapapa of the area. The decision follows an application by the Ngā Pōtiki ā Tamapahore ...
Protecting the environment by establishing a stronger, more consistent system for freedom camping Supporting councils to better manage freedom camping in their region and reduce the financial and social impacts on communities Ensuring that self-contained vehicle owners have time to prepare for the new system The Self-Contained Motor Vehicle ...
A new law passed last night could see up to 25 percent of Family Court judges’ workload freed up in order to reduce delays, Minister of Justice Kiri Allan said. The Family Court (Family Court Associates) Legislation Bill will establish a new role known as the Family Court Associate. The ...
New Zealand businesses will begin reaping the rewards of our gold-standard free trade agreement with the United Kingdom (UK FTA) from today. “The New Zealand UK FTA enters into force from today, and is one of the seven new or upgraded Free Trade Agreements negotiated by Labour to date,” Prime ...
The Government will reform outdated surrogacy laws to improve the experiences of children, surrogates, and the growing number of families formed through surrogacy, by adopting Labour MP Tāmati Coffey’s Member’s Bill as a Government Bill, Minister Kiri Allan has announced. “Surrogacy has become an established method of forming a family ...
Defence Minister Andrew Little departs for Singapore tomorrow to attend the 20th annual Shangri-La Dialogue for Defence Ministers from the Indo-Pacific region. “Shangri-La brings together many countries to speak frankly and express views about defence issues that could affect us all,” Andrew Little said. “New Zealand is a long-standing participant ...
Research, Science and Innovation Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall and the Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang met in Wellington today and affirmed the two countries’ long-standing science relationship. Minister Wang was in New Zealand for the 6th New Zealand-China Joint Commission Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation. Following ...
5 percent uplift clearer and simpler to navigate Domestic productions can access more funding sources 20 percent rebate confirmed for post-production, digital and visual effects Qualifying expenditure for post-production, digital and visual effects rebate dropped to $250,000 to encourage more smaller productions The Government is making it easier for the ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs (Pacific Region) Carmel Sepuloni will represent New Zealand at Samoa’s 61st Anniversary of Independence commemorations in Apia. “Aotearoa New Zealand is pleased to share in this significant occasion, alongside other invited Pacific leaders, and congratulates Samoa on the milestone of 61 ...
The Government is continuing to support retailers with additional funding for the highly popular Fog Cannon Subsidy Scheme, Police and Small Business Minister Ginny Andersen announced today. “The Government is committed to improving retailers’ safety,” Ginny Andersen said. “I’ve seen first-hand the difference fog cannons are making. Not only do ...
The Government has received the first independent review of the Intelligence and Security Act 2017, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says. The review, considered by the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee, was presented to the House of Representatives today. “Ensuring the safety and security of New Zealanders is of the utmost ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has expressed condolences on behalf of New Zealand to the Kingdom of Tonga following the death of Her Royal Highness Princess Mele Siu’ilikutapu Kalaniuvalu Fotofili. “New Zealand sends it’s heartfelt condolences to the people of Tonga, and to His Majesty King Tupou VI at this time ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has expressed condolences on behalf of New Zealand to the Kingdom of Tonga following the death of Her Royal Highness Princess Mele Siu’ilikutapu Kalaniuvalu Fotofili. “New Zealand sends it’s heartfelt condolences to the people of Tonga, and to His Majesty King Tupou VI at this time ...
Defence Minister Andrew Little and Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta have today announced the extension of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) deployment to Solomon Islands, as part of the regionally-led Solomon Islands International Assistance Force (SIAF). “Aotearoa New Zealand has a long history of working alongside the Royal Solomon ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta will travel to the Republic of Korea today to attend the Korea–Pacific Leaders’ Summit in Seoul and Busan. “Korea is an important partner for Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific region. I am eager for the opportunity to meet and discuss issues that matter to our ...
Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor joined ministerial representatives at a meeting in Detroit, USA today to announce substantial conclusion of negotiations of a new regional supply chains agreement among 14 Indo-Pacific countries. The Supply Chains agreement is one of four pillars being negotiated within the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework ...
Our most spoken Pacific language is taking centre stage this week with Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa – Samoa Language Week kicking off around the country. “Understanding and using the Samoan language across our nation is vital to its survival,” Barbara Edmonds said. “The Samoan population in New Zealand are ...
Over 90 per cent of New Zealanders are expected to receive this year’s nationwide test of the Emergency Mobile Alert system tonight between 6-7pm. “Emergency Mobile Alert is a tool that can alert people when their life, health, or property, is in danger,” Kieran McAnulty said. “The annual nationwide test ...
ENGLISH: Whakatōhea and the Crown sign Deed of Settlement A Deed of Settlement has been signed between Whakatōhea and the Crown, 183 years to the day since Whakatōhea rangatira signed the Treaty of Waitangi, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little has announced. Whakatōhea is an iwi based in ...
Elizabeth Longworth has been appointed as the Chair of the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, Associate Minister of Education Jo Luxton announced today. UNESCO is the United Nations agency responsible for promoting cooperative action among member states in the areas of education, science, culture, social science (including peace and ...
Tourism and hospitality employer accreditation scheme to recognise quality employers Better education and career opportunities in tourism Cultural competency to create more diverse and inclusive workplaces Innovation and technology acceleration to drive satisfying, skilled jobs Strengthening our tourism workers and supporting them into good career pathways, pay and working conditions ...
Tourism and hospitality employer accreditation scheme to recognise quality employers Better education and career opportunities in tourism Cultural competency to create more diverse and inclusive workplaces Innovation and technology acceleration to drive satisfying, skilled jobs Strengthening our tourism workers and supporting them into good career pathways, pay and working conditions ...
Greater access to primary care, including 193 more front line clinical staff More hauora services and increased mental health support Boost for maternity and early years programmes Funding for cancers, HIV and longer term conditions Greater access to primary care, improved maternity care and mental health support are ...
Greater access to primary care, including 193 more front line clinical staff More hauora services and increased mental health support Boost for maternity and early years programmes Funding for cancers, HIV and longer term conditions Greater access to primary care, improved maternity care and mental health support are ...
The Government continues progress on the survivor-led independent redress system for historic abuse in care, with the announcement of the design and advisory group members today. “The main recommendation of the Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Abuse in Care interim redress report was for a survivor-led independent redress system, and the ...
By Tess Brunton, RNZ News reporter New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins faced a grilling by University of Otago students during his trip to Ōtepoti yesterday. Students, staff and community members have been fighting against the university’s request for staff to consider redundancies in a bid to save $60 million. ...
RNZ Pacific Transparency International Papua New Guinea has welcomed the conviction of lawyer Paul Paraka as the police confirm they are widening the investigation into the fraud case. The NGO admits the depths of Paraka’s activities, revealed by the case, are very worrying. Paraka, who had operated his own eponymous ...
Government and the tech sector are considering principles for an AI strategy, but there seems little urgency from ministers and no sign of action before the election. ...
Government and the tech sector are considering principles for an AI strategy, but there seems little urgency from ministers and no sign of action before the election. ...
Susan Wardell’s first picture book is nominated in two categories at this year’s New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults. She tells Claire Mabey about the genesis of the book, and what she thinks of the state of children’s publishing in Aotearoa. Claire Mabey: What was the inspiration ...
In June 1997, a new reality TV juggernaut arrived on New Zealand screens. Tara Ward and Alex Casey look back on a quarter-century of Treasure Island mayhem. Twenty-six years ago this month, we watched 12 fresh-faced New Zealanders arrive on a Fijian beach with nothing but their hopes and dreams ...
Governments around the world are searching for how to fix housing affordability, but the solutions will have to be local and community based, writes Nicole Gurran of the University of SydneyOpinion: From Sydney to San Francisco, the housing affordability crisis is affecting communities across the world. Younger generations priced out of ...
A lack of female football stars in the media didn't stop Claudia Bunge on her journey to the top; now the Football Fern hopes a new campaign helps girls see what they can become The first time Claudia Bunge watched a women’s football game, it featured some of the Football Ferns she now ...
Councillors still weighing up their options before next week’s budget vote say there has been insufficient information, communication and time to assess the consequences of a full selldown of airport shares Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is famous for his straight to the bone style of communication, but Thursday’s budget announcement ...
Love, Instagram, and a new bed, from a dazzling new short story collection Alice had wanted a heart-shaped bed since she was sixteen, which was when she had started wanting most of the things she wanted now. She had imagined she would meet some Lolita-loving, Sugar Daddy type who ...
Every day, pets are being removed from domestic violence situations around the country. Alex Casey talks to one of the workers on the front line. This story contains discussion of domestic violence and emotional abuse, please take care.Alice Hayward has never been busier. As a caseworker for Pet Refuge, ...
As the country contends with a cost-of-living permacrisis and an election year, is it too much to ask that our politicians don’t spend a week playing petty games?It would be fitting to reflect on this week in politics by simply dropping this gif and, as with Succession itself, calling ...
As part of a weekly showcase of future leaders and inspirational young New Zealanders from the Hyundai Pinnacle Programme, Jennifer Palmer wants to know how we can treat neurodegenerative diseases more effectively | Content Partnership When Jennifer Palmer was growing up, her nickname was Chatterbox. “I’d always be saying, ‘Why? ...
This is The Detail's Long Read – one in-depth story read by us every weekend. This week, we're diving into the back catalogues. It's The Preppers Next Door by Tom Doig, published in New Zealand Geographic magazine's November/December 2022 issue. You can read the full article, with accompanying photos by Cameron James McLaren, here. When Tom Doig ...
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RNZ Pacific Members of Fijian communities in Auckland and Wellington are eager to meet Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka next week when he arrives on his first official state visit to Aotearoa New Zealand. Rabuka and wife Sulueti are expected to arrive in Auckland on Monday before meeting with the local ...
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Wayne Brown has sent councillors copies of insulting emails from the public, including one that called them "dip shits", while the deputy mayor says the mayor is not making the budget process easier. ...
The National Party wildly underestimated how popular its leader would be when he visited New Plymouth on Friday and had to turn people away at the door. Political editor Jo Moir found a patch of wall to lean against as Christopher Luxon got all sorts of questions and advice, not ...
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Asia Pacific Report A new edition of the Okinawan Journal of Island Studies features social justice island activism, including a case study of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Pacific Media Centre, in what the editors say brings a sense of “urgency” in the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion in scholarship. In ...
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RNZ News New Zealand’s Media Freedom Council has called Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s exclusion of some media outlets from his budget speech today “unacceptable”. In an appearance at Auckland Transport’s Viaduct headquarters, Brown took time out of pitching his plan to sell the city’s holdings in Auckland Airport to complain ...
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The parliamentary petition calling for a national food strategy launched on the 1st of June and will remain open for signatures for eight weeks. The call is led by Eat New Zealand, Freedom Farms and Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Aotearoa (VAWA). ...
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Duncan Greive is joined by The Spinoff staff writer Shanti Mathias and The Bulletin editor Anna Rawhiti-Connell to discuss the Safer Online Services and Media Platforms document, and its implications for the future of digital media. For a very special episode of The Fold, Duncan Greive analyses the Safer Online ...
Yes, they’re phenomenally expensive at the moment. But if you manage to track down a bargain or are keen on a splurge, there’s plenty of ways to make the kūmara worth it. As a child, there was no doubt in my mind: kūmara was the world’s best vegetable. This belief ...
Yes, they’re phenomenally expensive at the moment. But if you manage to track down a bargain or are keen on a splurge, there’s plenty of ways to make the kūmara worth it. As a child, there was no doubt in my mind: kūmara was the world’s best vegetable. This belief ...
Wayne Brown called most of his councillors ‘financially illiterate’ during a press conference yesterday morning. He then went back to the office and sent them emails from constituents who called them ‘dip shits’.Auckland mayor Wayne Brown spent a good portion of Thursday morning berating his councillors. In a 9.30am press ...
Wayne Brown called most of his councillors ‘financially illiterate’ during a press conference yesterday morning. He then went back to the office and sent them emails from constituents who called them ‘dip shits’.Auckland mayor Wayne Brown spent a good portion of Thursday morning berating his councillors. In an 8.30am press ...
Budget 2023’s promise of significant additional ECE funding has the potential to help many centres avoid financial unviability and hardship, as long as the current 20-hours conditions are kept, prompting the Early Childhood Council to withdraw its ...
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 Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Chatto & Windus, $37)Let’s get quizzical: ...
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The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care is being challenged in court by two of the institutions it is investigating Two churches have filed applications for a judicial review of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, arguing that they don't bear responsibility for care of ...
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New Zealand scored highest in a recent global survey on protection against discrimination of transgender people, but for some, that sentiment did not extend to access to single-sex facilities. The latest global survey from Ipsos – the LGBT+ Pride 2023 survey – shows that 84% of New Zealanders believe transgender ...
New Zealand scored highest in a recent global survey on protection against discrimination of transgender people, but for some, that sentiment did not extend to access to single-sex facilities. The latest global survey from Ipsos – the LGBT+ Pride 2023 survey – shows that 84% of New Zealanders believe transgender ...
New Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project. Today’s contentMEDIA REGULATION AND CODE OF CONDUCT, BROADCASTING Glenn McConnell (Post): ‘The cost will be everyday Kiwis’: New media regulation concerns civil society (paywalled) ...
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NZ Post has, with little or no warning, stopped sending mail to 34 countries; there are another 21 that aren’t sending mail to us. But it's kept pretty quiet about it ...
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From the "Whoops I did it again file." It looks like the Russians have lost another ship. This time one of their most modern frigates, the Admiral Makarov.
Insanity has been defined as the act of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. First, it was the Moskva which came within range of Ukrainian missiles. Then it was two patrol boats close to shore taken out by a Ukrainian drone. And, again, the Russians sent the Makarov close to shore to a similar location within the range of Ukrainian neptune missiles again. I wonder if they will keep up the insanity and send another one close to shore.
Thus far, the verified toll against the Russian navy in the Black Sea has been:
1 x landing ship, 2 x patrol boats, 1 x Cruiser, 1x frigate.
All this from a country that doesn't have a navy.
Isn’t it ironic…🎶…that the ship was named after Ukrainian born naval innovator Admiral Stepan Makarov who pioneered research into preventing warships from sinking.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepan_Makarov
btw
The crew of RTS Moskva (121) was blind to and not ready for the Ukrainian missile attack that sank Russia’s Black Sea flagship, according to a new analysis of the April 13 strike reviewed by USNI News.
The review of images following the strike of the two Neptune anti-ship missiles from open-source naval analyst and retired Navy Capt. Chris Carlson told USNI News that the guided-missile cruiser did not have its fire control radars activated and could not see the threat from the two sea skimming weapons.
In the photo of Moskva after the strike, the radars “are in their normal stowed position,” Carlson told USNI News on Monday.
“If you look at the pictures of Moskva, when she’s just dancing around going from place to place, or she’s anchored as a showboat, those directors are all facing aft every time,” he said.
https://news.usni.org/2022/05/05/warship-moskva-was-blind-to-ukrainian-missile-attack-analysis-shows
Is Sinn Fein getting the majority in the Northern Ireland Parliament the equivalent of the Maori Party getting the majority in the New Zealand Parliament?
Local elections 2022: Tories lose hundreds of seats to Labour and Lib Dems; Sinn Féin set to become largest party in NI elections – live (theguardian.com)
There's some real fun in some of these results today.
The bloody people have stolen our election!
Not unless the Maori party has a murderous, bank robbing military wing.
Northern Ireland's two biggest parties Sin Fein and the equally murderous DUP had military wings.
Whoever wins I'll doubt theyll win a majority more likely a plurality but whoever wins .. I hope there's calm and understanding not bloodshed.
Their government MUST be a power sharing between the 2 largest parties.
Having the most seats just means Sinn Fein is is first minister while DUP is the deputy position for government
Still way short of a majority in 90 seat parliament as they may have 27 seats or so.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Northern_Ireland_Assembly_election#Results
OK. The gist of this post is simple. If we do not add water capturing earthworks to our catchments we can expect to be left high and dry. No groundwater flow = no hydro power.
I'm quite sick of repeating myself on this, but I will continue. Also, TOLD YOU SO.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/128551741/drought-conditions-threaten-southlands-power-supply
The rain cycle used to be that that lost to sea was equivalent to that gained from rain. Now the rains arrive less frequently, and more severely. That lost to sea is continuously increasing. That captured on land is continuously decreasing. It is a compounding problem that arrived very fast since predictions made only a few years back.
How hard is it to admit we can't manage land properly, and correct it.
Get this in your thick government heads or we shall certainly face disaster the likes of which we are utterly unprepared for.
And have a great weekend, HA!
NZ is so complacent about water. We think it's always going to be there no matter what we do. This is some kind of stupid really, given we have the science and history to understand the dynamics you are referring to.
For French specialists: does unifying the French left into a bloc give Melenchon a shot at being Prime Minister?
France: Socialist Party joins leftist coalition against President Emmanuel Macron | News | DW | 06.05.2022
Sadly the left in france will splinter at some time again, so i guess no.
Macrons party is also forming a coalition with other centre right parties too
Insoumise only strong in the Paris region and 2 other low population places .
I dont think forming an election alliance committs them to a parliamentary bloc after the election
Yeah, I know, they're committing crimes but good on them.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/05/07/climate-protest-group-deflating-auckland-tyres-first-action-in-new-wave/
I live in a part of Auckland where they are prevalent. Nothing incenses me more than SUVs dominating the streets, the parking lots and generally making life miserable for other road users – not to mention the environmental damage.
Yes those awful SUVs are really the ultimate in self-centred stupidity. They make driving for others risky and unpleasant. They take up too much space and reduce visibility . Worse, it seems from the way drivers often use them, their main purpose is to bully others by tail-gating and dangerous exits from side streets etc.. However, I don't think letting down tyres is a good idea – likely to make them worse!
How might it make them worse, Jan?
By developing 'righteous indignation' and a desire for payback
I agree. thoroughly informal and anecdotal surveys while travelling up and back to Otaki regularly indicate that they are:
Then don't get me started on my partner's view that they are penis extensions for inadequate males…he puzzles over the irony of making a penis extension the 'family' car so the female partner has to collect children from city based sport, activities driving these vehicles.
I am a driver who has worked on the roads for over 26 years. My observations are that there are two main types of people on the road who don't care a monkeys about safety, courtesy, respect for road rules and just plain commonsense – those who drive black cars and those who drive large overpowered SUVs.
I quite agree. What amazed me, watching as I did the whole of the convoy arriving in Wellington for the protest, was how many of these utes/SUVs were in it driven mainly by the scowling demographic that I believe is behind the 'pretty communist' and other misogynistic thoughts/ideas.
Then I look at the tradies I use with their fit for purpose sign written trade vehicles that are much more practical than utes with low canopies. They have no place in towns and cities.
My farmer bro in law believes in many lowland farms they have no place either. On his lowland Southland farm he used a combo of tractor and ancient old station wagons for all his farming ops. Yet the people who rent most of the land as a dairy run-off to a man, and they mostly are all men, need SUVs, Utes to work on the same land. Most have legs just painted on as well.
Vanity not need accounts for much of the growth of Utes/SUVs.
In the Wellington they park right on the street corners and to see the road around them you need to get right out sometimes into the face of oncoming traffic.
Perhaps they could blitz just with the leaflets rather than letting down the tyres tho' I do/did snicker at the thought of the scowling ones being forced to deal with a flat tyre.
… watching as I did the whole of the convoy arriving in Wellington for the protest, was how many of these utes/SUVs were in it driven mainly by the scowling demographic…
So. Those activists were not concealing their faces? Not hiding behind anonymity or a silly pseudonym? For "security reasons" ?
Your anti-SUV saboteurs lack the courage of their convictions. Cowards.
I don't understand this at all so whatever point you are making is lost on me.
I was able to watch the arrival in slow motion as it were and did not expect to see masked people in their cars.
I made comment at the time about these surly Ute drivers in the convoy, usually by themselves, a few with an equally surly mate. Of course at that stage we thought they were all going to make a protest, make a point then away again. As it is now whatever point they were making, and it become very difficult to find a common cause, is remembered only by a riot, fires.
I have no idea whether those letting tyres down were masked, or had a pseudonym.
And still the PM is subjected to macho posturing and innuendo.
I have no idea whether those letting tyres down were masked, or had a pseudonym.
You didn't actually read the article Anne linked to? Then of course you would not have understood what I was referring to.
You decided to bring up the Freedom protest and you chose comment on the scowling ute/SUV drivers you observed as these anti-mandate activists rolled into Wellington. Clearly you could see their faces.
I know some of those people. All are fully committed to the mission, and none would use a false name or hide behind a stupid sounding organisation. Up front and in your face. At least you know who you are dealing with..or perhaps you prefer…
…the activists who let the SUV tyres down who were too cowardly to do so out in the open, and hid behind silly names.
Anonymous activism? Worthless.
(Oh, an as an aside…very seldom, as you will have noticed, did any of the 'river of filth' wear medical masks or face coverings of any kind. 'Filth' that they were.
Only on that last day did there suddenly appear men wearing various full face masks, designed more to conceal their identity rather than protect against viruses or police pepper spray. These were the guys filmed near the first tent that caught fire. No one recalled seeing these guys in the Freedom Village until that morning. Funny that.)
I did read the article.
My comment built on the SUV part. I was amazed by the number of SUV/Utes etc in the convoy. The demographic riding around in Utes/SUVs here in Wellington is much of the same, scowling late 30s/40s males. So I was surprised to see them in the convoy until I realised that they were the anti PM brigade/anti women, rather than strictly anti vax, coming along – the ones that had the 'pretty little communist' type placards in the Groundswell convoys.
So good on them up in Auckland. They have got publicity and they may get a conversation going.
The depth of feeling about vehicles that are unsuitable for city/town traffic is not one that country dwellers will be really aware of. They make getting around much more difficult as sight lines are impeded for other traffic and pedestrians.
So I'm not interested in masks except to studiously wear one, respect others who do, avoid situations or people who do not. I am not interested in who did what in the protest.
In fact the protest and the whole anti vax is the stuff of irrelevance and yawn making to me, now. If I think about the protest at all it is to wonder how NZ got caught up in manufactured protests from overseas and I sometimes indulge in idle speculation about the finances, and 'dark' people behind it. We needed a public health response to a pandemic. We got one. The majority went along with it, some did not.
We have to deal with climate change, it is with us forever. Drawing attention to it is what the SUV protestors and the ones at the Southland coal mine are doing, on my behalf, as a 'ginger' group.
I realised that they were the anti PM brigade/anti women, rather than strictly anti vax, coming along – the ones that had the 'pretty little communist' type placards in the Groundswell convoys. Evidence of this?
…to wonder how NZ got caught up in manufactured protests from overseas err…you do realize that the Tyre Extinguishers are a proud overseas organisation?
How is it that its acceptable for Kiwis to join in protest actions that originate overseas, such as Black Lives Matter, Me Too, Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace etc…but not in protest action that happens to also have activists in other countries… that is centered around draconian government laws that effectively force people to take an experimental pharmaceutical product with known performance issues and very real adverse effects for far too many people?
For a disease that failed to reach the projected case fatality rates forecast by the modellers?
Closing our borders helped reduce our case load and fatality rates…the so called 'vaccines'…not so much. Double and triple jabbed folk are getting infected at a higher rate than the unvaccinated. An awful lot are still getting sick and still ending up in hospital…at rates not much lower that us filthy unvaxxed, and people jabbed and unjabbed, are still dying with, but not necessarily of Covid.
A Health Ministry, truly committed to Medical Science, would have initiated a study comparing outcomes between eligible unvaccinated and eligible vaccinated. Like the Pfizer Trial… but this time doing an actual Long Term study.
Good that the whole thing is an irrelevance to you now…for some of us the unjustified discrimination still impacts our lives, every day.
Yeah, I know, they're committing crimes but good on them.
Protestors taking such action clearly don't have much between their ears.
We've never had so many EVs in New Zealand or around the world. Yet climate change continues to worsen. The more EVs we buy, the worse climate change gets!
Deflating the tyres of SUVs will have zero effect on climate change, as will buying an EV. We need better protestors.
https://www.carsguide.com.au/ev/advice/how-many-electric-cars-are-there-in-the-world-85961
🙄 🙄
Interesting further information from the author of a link I posted yesterday….
"We owe thanks to Interest.co. for journalistic bravery.
This article was sent to Newsroom – no acknowledgement, not even a ' no thanks'.
It was sent to Kim Hill, Kathryn Ryan, Bryan Crump and Jim Mora – collectively the journalism end of RNZ. I'm picking there will be no reply, and no coverage (will edit this post should that happen).
My question to all those folk, is this: If this article contains the truth of our predicament (rebuttal invited); how do we describe journalism which avoids the topic? What, indeed, is the difference between silence and falsehood-peddling?"
https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy/115678/murray-grimwood-outlines-why-and-how-be-believes-our-relationship-and
Thanks for posting Pat. Our media simply ignore some stories. It's not good
Thought experiment: what would happen if NZ grew most of its own food? Not coffee or chocolate or vanilla, but our staples and seasonal produce. We could still export what we we could produce sustainably and regeneratively that we didn’t need. For the experiment assume that enough people were ok with this because they understood the urgency of climate action, and food security, so it didn’t prompt political outrage. Eg maybe we’d had a year of many crop failures globally.
are the issues here mainly trade agreements? Perceptions of government policies interference?
We already do….around 20% of food products are imported, though that may be increasing.
https://www.infometrics.co.nz/article/2020-03-nz-continues-to-produce-and-import-food-so-theres-no-need-to-panic-buy
I don't think that it's predominantly trade agreements or government policies preventing people eating home-grown. It's that other countries grow X crops cheaper/better and the economics of shipping them here is viable. And that Kiwis want to eat X crops.
For example, while it's technically possible to grow bananas in NZ (Far North) it's not an ideal climate for them. While Queensland and/or Fiji are ideal banana-growing climates. [And, while Fiji may have cheaper labour, I don't think Australia does – so that's not necessarily a factor]
Growing crops in ideal climates is both quicker and cheaper – and they often taste better (Italian tinned tomatoes are way tastier than kiwi ones). And, while there is a cost of shipping them to NZ – it clearly doesn't outweigh the cost of growing them here.
NZ could live on what we grow. But our choices at the supermarket/greengrocer would be a lot more limited; and probably more expensive (NZ olive oil is way more expensive than Italian, for example)
It's not just the fancy flavourings. Think rice, wheat flour (NZ wheat isn't good for baking), sugar, etc.
…while it's technically possible to grow bananas in NZ (Far North) it's not an ideal climate for them … Commercial banana growing is a thing up here. Bonza
Smaller fruit than the inferior tasting Cavendish variety, the things grow like weeds up here. Our Misi Luki plants have been in for 18 months, and each of the original three plants have large bunches of fruit. Other than removing the excess daughters, (which transplant really well) they get next to no attention. I have papaya trees, (grown from seed) and I'm just beginning to cover them with frost cloth on cold nights. Some commercial blueberry growers up here (often grown in high gro tunnels) are pulling out the blueberries and planting papaya.
We also have coffee growing up here….so its not all avos and citrus.
Much of the produce is sold at Farmers Markets…these guys are not big enough to take on the supermarket duopoly in order to get a fair price.
Bananas grow and fruit all over the show…Whanganui, Gisborne.
Climate change…if we can't beat it…
Well, Rosemary – you live and learn!
I had no idea that commercial banana plantations were a thing up north.
How about sugar cane? IIRC it needs roughly the same climate as bananas – but it may need a bigger area in order to be commercially viable.
I have bananas and sugar cane growing in Riverton 🙂
Good Lord! Outdoors? Or in some form of climate control?
I'd have thought that frost would be a killer for both of them.
In a big tunnel house and out of doors as well. Frost certainly can set them back 🙂 but we have few if any frosts (we're southern but we're coastal). My out of door bananas are Cook Island plantains which are pretty hardy. I have misiluki (Samoan bananas) and others growing in the tunnel house.Thai ginger (galangal) grows readily outside here and has done for many years. Under the cover of plastic, it booms! I have Amarillo fruiting under cover. The plants are 3 or 4 metres tall. Lemons and grapefruit. Fruiting cherry guava, fig, Elephant grass, 5 metres tall (higher than an elephants eye 🙂 Brugmansias throughout the garden. Many of these plants look "scrappy" during the winter months, but bounce back strongly.
That is so cool. I'd love to see it!
You are most welcome to visit. If you are unable to do so, we have a short-film by Happen Films about to be released – I'll let you know when. As well, there is this: An invitation for wildness – our first film about our forest-garden, you might enjoy 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GJFL0MD9fc
It's worth it.
so there would be no international pressure if a NZ government tried to transition us to eating mostly from what we grow ourselves?
Well, you'd have to define how you'd envisage the 'government transition'.
If they use tariffs to make imported goods more expensive, then you'd fall foul of a whole host of international trade treaties (nuking NZ export trade).
If you give NZ goods a tax cut (e.g. no GST on NZ produce) then I think you run foul of the trade treaties again.
If they require local produce to be sold at a reasonable mark-up (thinking milk & cheese, NZ lamb, etc here) then I *think* they'd be OK with trade treaties (pretty sure France do this…)
If they require mandatory food labelling (and are very specific about what qualifies as NZ produce) – then there's no comeback.
If they run advertising campaigns (hopefully better ones than the disastrous 3 waters) and 3rd party organisations campaign for NZ produce to be promoted – and it becomes patriotic to buy Kiwi – then again no comeback. That's consumer choice.
Remember, that NZ is also vulnerable to the need to export in order to afford imports.
And that many essentials, sugar, rice, etc. are either not grown in NZ or will never be grown in the quantities that Kiwi consumers want them.
Just come across this list of countries which are self-sufficient in food (of course some continue to import – but they don't have to).
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/is-your-country-food-independent
Article is from 2014 – so subject to being corrected by later-arriving information.
There's a link in the article to a nice source map – with the relative proportions of imports (NZ at the 30% level)
By and large it tends to be the largest countries which cross a wide latitude which are self-sufficient (wide variety of micro-climates and growing conditions). A fair split between authoritarian and democratic governments – so that's not an obvious factor.
You'd be cutting off revenue to a lot of developing countries that rely heavily on it.
They may be able to get back to growing their own food on their own land, instead of it being taken for growing monocultures, for export for corporate profits, while they have to migrate in desperation to outer city shanty towns.
Terrible!
That depends on the country. Assuming it isn't a totally corrupt one, you can't make infrastructure and healthcare with bananas. And in an increasingly uncertain climate future, some countries may not be able to rely exclusively on domestic agriculture, including our own.
Subsistence farming – which is what you're talking about – with airy assumptions that developing countries will be "able to get back to growing their own food on their own land" isn't really a very attractive modern lifestyle. Especially without the technical support and infrastructure that you need foreign sales to bring in.
No tractors built in Fiji (for example) or diesel to run them. No communications gear (so no phone or IT infrastructure). Little medical infrastructure (apart from the most basic of care), etc., etc.
All of those are 'bought' by the export of commodities (e.g. raw sugar – and, bizarrely, bottled water, in the case of Fiji – who knew? But it it's a money-spinner for them – why take it away?).
https://oec.world/en/profile/country/fji
No. It is not what I'm talking about.
But keep your simplistic assumptions.
How about you give a real life example of a country which could "get back to growing their own food on their own land" without killing off their external trade and therefore their imports of all the things they are unable to produce.
There have been several examples given in-thread of countries for which this would be disastrous.
Where's your counter example?
Funny that you gave Fiji as an example.. Fiji is one where locals retain ownership of their land.
We will forget about the many places where large scale agriculture, and other resource extraction, benefits a very few, mostly offshore, profit takers, while the locals are forced into poverty and even, starvation!
South American countries were called, banana Republics, for a reason.
There are too many examples to count.
We will also forget about other examples. Such as African grain farmers who lost their livilihoods after being undercut by grain imported from the West.
Believers in the “Free trade” religion, like other believers in “Woo”, ignore the disasters it has caused. Including preventing third world countries from developing the protected internal economies that made Western countries prosperous.
But are you saying Fiji wouldn't be affected though? Also you have a very strange idea of the history of economic development in the West – that prosperity mostly came off the back of centuries of feudalism and imperial conquest.
To help you open your mind away from unthinkingly repeating memes.
Better than a summary “Kicking Away the Ladder” book by Ha-Joon Chang (blinkist.com)
You mean like you're doing?
Confirmed my point.
Thank you..
Can you please give some examples?
Well, in our immediate vicinity, Samoa's economy is largely agricultural exports, fish, and foreign manufacturing. Fiji, which is arguably the most developed economy in the region outside Australia and New Zealand is also a major exporter of sugar cane, coconuts, cassava, rice, sweet potato, bananas, ginger, taro etc. Further afield, Ghana is heavily dependent on exporting cacao.
Ghana?
How does poverty taste? Chocolatey. – Solidaridad Network
There is sufficient ethical production to supply some manufacturers. There really isn't much incentive to continue to improve ethics and sustainability without an export market.
I'd be good with trade with our Pacific neighbours provided it was actually ecologically sustainable (not greenwashed). I don't know if Fijians are being economically forced to cash crop and then can't afford to buy food themselves. Do you?
A sure winner for the government, taxing the company, not the individual. Put the money to helping families over the cost of living until Fair Pay agreements kick in.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/128536233/why-are-we-not-discussing-a-windfall-tax
Gotta keep the domestic supply going.
//
https://twitter.com/BFriedmanDC/status/1522576662218649602
What's your point, Joe?
Here's an article from 2006 discussing the baby trade, or "reproductive market", in the US. Fewer abortions may help to make it easier, and cheaper, for couples to become parents. The gay community, in particular, could benefit from fewer abortions.
Presumably the author is setting up a public debate between the ethical and commercial costs of adoption versus the ethical and commercial costs of aborting unborn children.
The US movement against abortion will be seeking to push this kind of contest worldwide through the media, as distinct from the narrow band of international aid and development as they did under Bush.
Abortion laws worldwide: In what countries is abortion legal? (nbcnews.com)
The upcoming abortion argument contest is going to make the Trans debate look like a very, very small thing in comparison.
gee, I wonder what both those things have in common.
Brava!
I don't think so, Ad. Firstly, discussing rights for women, while reframed as a trans debate, is more of a maintaining of boundaries. However, the infiltration of institutions, companies and schools, and the negative effect on children and young people has meant that more people are getting interested in exploring past the #NoDebate edicts. That's going to take a while.
The abortion debate has never been hampered by #NoDebate tactics, and those who want to be informed will have plenty of opportunities to do so, with articles and television broadcasts from both sides.
It will be interesting to see on TS which of the male commentators will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of the aspects of the abortion topic.
Women aren't brood mares producing a fucking commodity to be traded.
useful I guess to hear it said outloud.
shh, you need to get on with times
They are birthing bodies with unproductive uteruses that need to be put to work. And yes, quite a few people are not at all fussed by the idea that birthing bodies are nothing more then bipedal gestation units for lease and profit, to be hired and discarded at will.
There will be a future were fertile wombs will be told by WINZ that if they need a job they could gestate a human being for a paying third party. Its like slavery but kind and inclusive.
Women aren't brood mares producing a fucking commodity to be traded.
Thats an opinion rather than fact. Adoption has been around for quite a while, and to a lesser extent surrogacy and IVF. What benefits have these brought parents-to-be and wider society? Where would we be without these options?
Ross, are you expressing the opinion that women are brood mares?
Weka
I was commenting on Joe’s opinion. To repeat: adoption has been around a while and to a lesser extent surrogacy and IVF. Do the existence of each of these imply or suggest that women are broodmares? I wouldn’t have thought so but you may disagree.
Similarly, should men be allowed to sell sperm? What are the pros and cons of allowing such a transaction?
Commercial surrogacy treats women like brood mares, yes.
https://twitter.com/glosswitch/status/1522839324089274368
have you ever given birth Ross? Do you have *any sense of what that process involves for women, and why many of us don't want to go through it unnecessarily.
they really don't care.
did you see this?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10788221/Call-Mothers-Day-renamed-transgender-men-classified-giving-birth.html
Can't have motherday now that 'men' give birth.
There was a slogan a while back in regards to the violence against women. 'She is not your therapy'. I guess the woke left saw that and decided that 'She is your therapy' was the correct way to go forward.
So a man is telling us to stop calling mothers mothers. Not hidden agenda there.
Probably the most disturbing thing about that is the degree to which society (looking at you liberals) think that we should centre people with mental health distress (gender dysphoria) and base our cultural practices on what they want. And invent whole new sets of language to do that. Have we lost our goddamn minds?
The left have had all those years of screaming "TERF" at us when we said that biological sex existed and was important. Meanwhile the right wingers in the reality based world where biological sex not only exists but functions as a weapon to control women were organising and strategising for this victory. You cannot identify out of this one kiddies – enjoy your pronouns.
Have we lost our goddamn minds? I'm surprised you need to ask.
it was rhetorical 😈
Weka
As has been discussed previously, abortion is not an absolute right. Similarly, people who chose (perhaps sensibly) not to be vaccinated against COVID-19 apparently didn’t have the right to choose. I imagine that losing their job and possibly their home was quite inconvenient and upsetting.
As English author Julian Barnes once said: we can have our cake and eat it. The trouble is, we get fat.
rights are granted and taken away by society. In that sense no-one has an absolute right to anything.
I see you ignored my point about the impact on women of unnecessary pregnancy, childbirth and post-partum.
There are costs and benefits to any course of action. Your focus is on the costs while ignoring the benefits. The costs of IVF are discussed above. Some of those costs are born by taxpayers. Should that be the case? Maybe society thinks the benefits outweigh the costs.
do you consider birthing bodies to be even human?
Given how little you appear know about the difference between producing a child and producing sperm – "Similarly, should men be allowed to sell sperm?", I'm trying to gauge where your level of knowledge is on this topic.
1. a) What are the possible negative effects (physical, financial, social, psychological) of producing sperm on the male body?
b) What are the possible negative effects (physical, financial, social, psychological) of pregnancy on the female body?
c) Which one of these two will have an ongoing effect after production?
"Fewer abortions may help to make it easier, and cheaper, for couples to become parents. The gay community, in particular, could benefit from fewer abortions."
The quotes you provided specifically talk about women's bodies in production lines terms, and a child as a commodity.
There is a conversation to be had about the provision of IVF, and adoption. If you have spent time investigating adoption you may find that regardless of the care and love provided by adoptive parents, a significant percentage of adoptees have had disrupted lives due to their emotional reaction to their adoptive status.
But I'd be interested in hearing what you understand of the possible costs of pregnancy, just to get started.
Given how little you appear know
That's never a great start to a discussion lol.
a significant percentage of adoptees have had disrupted lives due to their emotional reaction to their adoptive status.
Yep life isn't fair. I'm sure a significant percentage of adoptees from Ukraine have had more than disrupted lives given that both of their biological parents may be dead. We should stop the war there.
What are the possible negative effects (physical, financial, social, psychological) of pregnancy on the female body?
What are the positive effects of pregnancy on the female body?
The quotes you provided specifically talk about women's bodies in production lines terms, and a child as a commodity.
A woman who makes a logical and well-thought out decision to have one or more babies may be nothing more than a production line? That's fairly insulting towards women who wish to be a surrogate or to place their child for adoption. It suggests that they are incapable of making good decisions about their own body. That sort of attitude may be behind the (interim) decision to overturn Roe v Wade.
https://www.opendooradoption.org/adoption-services/international-adoptions/ukraine/
Actually, it was a thinly veiled suggestion to go away and inform yourself before participating further. Sometimes it is clear that a comment is made from someone who hasn't explored the topic before submitting their reckons. This was one such time.
Now I've seen your reply, I still don't rate it highly, because it is a simplistic – and therefore basic understanding of what is being discussed.
"A woman who makes a logical and well-thought out decision to have one or more babies may be nothing more than a production line? That's fairly insulting towards women who wish to be a surrogate or to place their child for adoption. It suggests that they are incapable of making good decisions about their own body. That sort of attitude may be behind the (interim) decision to overturn Roe v Wade."
That position assumes that there are no forms of coercion, or exploitation of women' bodies happening. If you know of such a place, do tell.
If women are in a tenuous or vulnerable position, and have choices other than adoption or surrogacy, and still choose them, then I'd say that choice is fairly autonomous, but still not without harm. Given that the majority of women in commercial surrogacy are there for financial relief or in desperate circumstances – I'd say there is something else occurring other than autonomy. There are also knock on social effects – on the child, the purchasing parents, and the wider community, that need to be recognised and assessed for harm.
But I’m game to learn of a different perspective, so have at it, what are the "positive effects of pregnancy on the female body?"
(I know of a couple, but would be interested in seeing your list, since you seem to want to avoid any mention of the negative effects that IIRC were not limited to physical, but included social, financial, psychological.)