It's an opinion piece, we've heard about the coming financial crisis for years now. The last labour government left us in a great place to tackle the last financial crisis, I'm sure if there is another one they will again be prepared.
However it's a popular article, 330 comments and counting
"Some female Nats will cross the floor on a conscience vote. Little will be fine on with this."
FIFY
What a sexist comment, Ad. Shame on you.
Also – Some Labour MPs will cross the floor on a conscience vote. Little will be fine with this.
It is obvious that you have never looked at and analysed the make-up of conscience votes taken during this current Parliament such as those taken to date on the End of Life Bill. I have followed the latter very closely, including watching the total 5+ hours of the debate last week when the Committee of the House began its deliberations on the Bill as it was returned from the Select Committee and at 11.38pm passed Part A of the Bill on a conscience vote of 70 Ayes to 50 Nays.
There was a real mixed bag as to who made up those totals in relation to their Party and their gender etc, and a number of MPs both National and Labour changed their votes from their earlier votes on the First and Second Readings of the Bill.
I am in the process of putting together a summary of the above breakdowns for other reasons, and later today I will put up a short summary here of this breakdown in support of what I have said above.
When you can "pretend" about electric or low emmision car subsidies, you will pretend about anything, you ain't seen nothing yet wait till the marijuana decriminalisation and euthanasia debates he'll be spinning like a top.
Conscience votes are supposed to be left to individual MPs.
The broad backgrounds, experiences and beliefs etc of ALL MPs may cover the range of opinions of the rest of us, the general populace and provide a fairly good coverage for all of us!!
However, I am sure that there is definitely "political manipulation" when ALL members of one Party vote in the same way!
True, there is no such thing as 'crossing the floor' on a conscience vote.
I also agree that there will probably be a reasonable number of Nat MPs who will vote for the abortion changes – but there will also be quite a number who will not.
My bet is that the voting from all parties will be similar to that on the various stages of the End of Life Bill and it may well be very close … In other words, the passing of the abortion amendments is not a given.
Turns out the PM has shifted stance on China, after all. "The Government has rebuked China over its recent comments and actions where it sought to suppress freedom of speech and voiced support for violent opposition to Hong Kong protestors in New Zealand. On Monday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials met with Chinese Government representatives in New Zealand to reiterate that freedom of expression would be upheld and maintained, which included on university campuses."
"Along with New Zealand adding its name to a public letter regarding the treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang, this public reproach seems to signal a change in Jacinda Ardern’s approach to China. On Tuesday, Ardern confirmed MFAT reiterated the New Zealand’s position on freedom of speech, particularly on university campuses."
When the invasion of HK occurs, she'll have a better opportunity to demonstrate moral leadership. Xi's fate will hinge on whether he defaults to traditional communist state control, or attempts to chart a new course embracing democracy. He'll make history if he chooses the non-conformist option.
So they did absolutely nothing, then leapt into action and made their official representations to the Chinese government on the same day they discovered Seymour was so angry his top lip was quivering? Gosh, he has such influence.
"When the invasion of HK occurs, she'll have a better opportunity to demonstrate moral leadership. "
Not sure what you mean by invasion? How can a country invade itself. In case you don't know Hong Kong is a part of China (as Trump said), and that happened on 1 July 1997.
That is why most Hong Kong people carry Chinese passports, but with HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative region stamped on them)
But, if you do insist on calling it an 'invasion', well that already happened on 1 July 97:
Currently there are already around 10000 PLA troops stationed in Hong Kong.
Fuck you are a hypocrite. New Zealand, and other countries tries to influence other countries, particularly under the pretext of 'human rights' all the time.
So NZ signs up to that pathetic letter on Xinjiang with 21 other countries (37 other countries much more representative of the world community supported China's actions), and yet it cries 'interference' when some drama queen fakes a fall on campus.
What about New Zealand's lack of respect of the rights of the elderly and women? Recently we have had old people, women, tourists bashed in horrific acts of violence, and the courts hand out pathetic home detention sentences —-is that not a 'human rights' issue? How would NZ like it if China thought fit to comment on these incidents of outrageous injustice in NZ?
That you can't see this reeks of a sense of western exceptionalism bordering on white supremacy
What's the point of a climate emergency declaration?
"That question deserves a considered answer. First, let us immediately concede that the declaration of a climate change emergency produces no automatic and positive outcomes. It produces no new resources or solutions and provides no new powers. Such a declaration has no legal or statutory force – in that sense, it changes nothing.
But in other senses it is a significant step forward. It is, first, a formal and public recognition by those in authority that the issue is real and that the threat will only become more serious if it is not addressed.
And, it signals a determination to take whatever action is necessary to avert the threatened damage to our planet and our way of life. That signal serves as a constant reminder to themselves of their commitment to act – but is also a message to those they serve, alerting them to the certain need for measures that may be unwelcome."
If it's an emergency, then any form of denialism is marginal lunacy. If it's an emergency, a gradualism that permits only those actions that do not threaten the existing architecture of wealth and power is discredited. If it's an emergency, then holding out for magical techno-fixes is irresponsible risk-taking.
i.e. calling it an "emergency" determines what constitutes a rational response. It's a significant propaganda victory and an important one to win – which is why it is bitterly opposed.
A brilliant interview with Chris Finlayson by Sean Plunket laying out the actual facts around Ihumatao and the full and final Treaty settlement that included the land in dispute.
No, Muttonbird. Finlayson is/was a complete arsehole to work for (I know) and was a Member of the party I do not support or vote for – BUT he did a marvellous job as Minister in moving historical Treaty disputes and settlements forward in a timely but respectful manner. He was/is respected for his knowledge and work in this area by the vast majority of other MPs from all Parties, and of parties to Treaty settlements, including iwi, hapu etc, the legal profession and the judiciary.
I don't know whether you watched his valedictory speech on leaving Parliament but I doubt that National would have him back after that speech. LOL.
I have been thinking over the last week or so that he would be the go to person on the Ihumaatao* situation. Much as I cannot stand Sean Plunket, I will watch the interview in the link above.
However, I also found two more articles on the background to Ihumaatao yesterday which are well worth reading for detail of the earlier Treaty settlement and the complicated dealings, Council decisions etc in relation to the sale of the land to Fletchers by the Wallace family.
Vincent O'Malley was a source of information for both articles; and the Listener article details that the confiscated land was given to a “Gavin Wallace” and owned by the Wallace family for 150 years until sold to Fletchers by the family through Gavin H Wallace Ltd. (Obviously not the same Gavin Wallace unless he defied all usual human age limits!)
This registered company is still in existence but now based in Dargaville and is listed as a Fish breeding /farming (onshore) company.
In fact Labour and the Greens will have voted for all the Treaty settlement bills that CF proposed.
Ngapuhi was the big miss. But that also seems to be the case with Andrew Little. Right at the moment the Ngapuhi negotiations seem to be stalled. Basically a fresh mandate is required, probably with major hapu sub groupings, such as Ngati Hine.
Peeni Henare in particular will be very conscious of the potential effect of Ihumatao on Ngapuhi (or hapu thereof) negotiations. As will Shane Jones and Winston Peters. What was likely to be a $200 to 300 million settlement could suddenly be $500 million, if the government does not get Ihumatao right.
Totally agree, Wayne*. It is a very complex situation which needs very careful handling otherwise the backlash and cost to- and from – everyone, Maori and Pakeha, will enormous in relation to the Treaty agreements already completed.
I highly recommend the two links above in my 5.1.2. You, probably better than any of us, will understand the conniptions etc vis a vis the Council decisions etc.
Pair of conservative White guys have little patience for Māori land protests – gee, who could have seen that coming? We should subject ourselves to it for what reason, now?
As PM says, good luck with that. Even at the time it was implemented it was obvious the full and final was never going to work. There are also compelling reasons why it should be applied in this case.
Then the Iwi should never have agreed to sign the deed of Settlement. If full and final does not mean full and final then the whole Treaty settlement process is a joke.
If they hadn't signed they would have got nothing. Hobson's choice.
The Crown mandated full and final, Māori weren't treated at partners in that decision. Yes, that part of it is a joke. There was plenty of discussion at the time that this would come back to bite the government.
Yes it is . The iwi have made that clear as part of their claims in 1989 Treaty hearings at the very marae just around the corner from the land in dispute.
As a result of those the Manukau Council purchased the Stonefields and mountain as open space reserve. The iwi wanted the other block included and that didnt happen, this block is the supject of the protest by SOUL
“Sean notes that on average waitangi settlements result in two to three percent returns[of land] for Maori while Fletchers have gone above that and returned 25 percent of the land, which Pita [Turei] resoundingly agrees.
The Crown gives financial compensation where it cant return land
Private land is excluded from Treaty settlements, so how would that work?
I think there are at least four Iwi with connections to Ihumātao. I don't have a good enough grasp of the situation to explain how Hapū fit into that, but if we put the Crown's imposition of legal structures aside for a moment, it's clear that more than TKAM have a stake in this.
Land confiscation issues can be discussed and dealt with as far as I am aware. Compensation can be made for land confiscated that is in private hands and this can be used to buy back private land when it becomes available for sale.
You're talking about the treaty, the protectors want the land included as part of the existing historic reserve. This is more a reserve issue and how culturally important land is put into reserve.
I get what you are saying, maui, and now I know a lot more about the historical significance of that whole area, I too would like to see as much as possible put into historic reserve. And also, if done in a culturally respectful way (ie not as a tourist site) a site for visits to learn the history of both the area itself and its role in NZ's overall history and culture.
If this could be done outside the Treaty and related processes – eg as a Reserve issue as you suggest – that would be great and hopefully a lot of very experienced, knowledgeable legals etc are currently working hard on trying to achieve exactly this. Having worked on the fringes of the Treaty Settlement process/agencies, my limited knowledge of that process leads me to believe it is a minefield that needs to be traversed very carefully as one step out of place could have major consequences not only in relation to this particular situation, but many others including Treaty settlements already completed.
I have everything crossed that a good solution can be found without this happening. If you haven't read the two links that I included in my 5.1.2 above, I recommend them as they gave me a much better picture of the complicated path that has led to the current impasse.
But on reflection after reading them, I am beginning to think that if the Wallace family had got their original consents through to allow the land to be rezoned, all would have been lost back in 2012; and that the sale to Fletchers may in fact have been a blessing in disguise in now leading to the opportunity to relook at the whole future of this area. Here's hoping… .
We're seeing the dark side of socialism again. RNZ midday news had a story of the Canterbury manufacturer of tiny houses being bullied by little hitlers in the local council. Apparently he explained that the ones he makes are actually vehicles. Local govt folks get their jobs due to the need to reduce the number of unemployed drifters, so it's a mistake to assume they can actually do anything. They obviously think "it's called a tiny house, so it must be a house".
Check the specs & you find it ain't necessarily so: "Built on a strong steel chassis, mobilised on tri-set axles, 6 low set radial tyres. Lightweight & size allows for ease of transportation. Unique efficient construction telescopic drawbar, both ends!" http://ecocottages.co.nz/
The cerebral processing involved in thinking "well, if it moves around on wheels it obviously can't be a house" is way too hard for the council officials.
I was going to pull up Dennis Frank on that one too. On the one hand he describes them as "little Hitlers" and them refers to "the dark side of socialism". Nothing to do with socialism. As my father used to call them "big frogs in little pools". Much more apt description.
One aspect of the neo-liberal religion is to manipulate the meaning of language. If they could, they’d sell it to the highest bidder – along with emotion and religious belief itself if they perceived there was a market for it.
One of the latest things that drew my interest was the idea that there are a huge number of ‘Co-Operatives’ in New Zealand. Now I guess that COULD be technically correct if you are prepared to believe that ‘franchises’ that pay minimum and under-wage to their workers should be included in the definition.
Actually, now I think about it, they’ve already managed it if you consider how “Oh Woe! Bizzniss Confidence is down” seems to reign supreme – even when all else suggests it’s a complete bloody appeal to emotion and reality.
These days – I wouldn’;t even call Fonterra a fucking Co-Operative – but more fool its owners eh?
Trouble is they’ll be squealing like stuffed pigs if and when it all goes tits up and calling for mummy/nanny state
that's not socialism, its neoliberalism and protofeudalism. If it was socialism, the council would be full of socialists assisting people to build tiny homes.
They're registered as vehicles for the purposes of the Land Transport Act, so calling them buildings on their website is a bit daft. I'm going to guess they're built to code though (where possible), and that the issue for the council is about preventing unauthorised dwellings on sections.
I've owned a similar transportable 2 bedroom home for around 12 years now. It cost around $90,000 on site. (Auckland). It is extremely well finished including cedar panelling and came with fridge/freezer, full gas stove/oven. gas hot water, and dish drawer, carpeted and ready to go. Just needs to be plugged in to a builders pole for electricity – a caravan connection suffices – can run off a tap for water supply or a small rain tank and water pump if not on town supply. The main problem for councils is the grey water and sewage disposal. Obviously, it has the same outflows as a normal dwelling.
The company has supplied a similar home to one of NZ's wealthiest, so they are far from tatty. It is classified as a caravan and awning, and comes on a steel chassis and is towed onto site. A large transporter truck can ferry it over large distances (each module is 3 m wide and 10 m in length), so no need to be registered for road use. So is very transportable. I shifted mine to a new location in the Coromandel from Auckland after two years. No problems.
Being small, well insulated it is very quick to heat on a cold night, and with two large ranch slider doors easy to ventilate and keep cool in summer. I think if we really wanted to house homeless people in NZ. a building programme along the lines of these transportable dwelling would ensure a lot of people could enjoy a private comfortable place in short order far quicker and less costly than the current method of building.
Trouble is that trailer-homes can end up being rusted in place after a few years in the same place – or people can't pay lot fees and then can't afford to move them. ends up being another trap for the poor.
But my main issue with this is that if they become mainstream, it basically screws consents systems. Stick a prefab on wheels, oh look we don't need a consent to double the built-space area on our land. Double the infrastructure burden on council, too, but it's not an addition (even though we haven't moved it in 15 years) and doesn't count as an "improvement" on our rates bill.
The area ends up being a high-density slum without any council knowledge or consent.
Let me put it this way – currently, it seems that there might more process required around the installation of a 1.8m wide swimming pool for the summer than there is for a three-bedroom modular home for ten years… because wheels?
Bishop reminds me of a chubby little four year old kid sitting on the floor with some upturned paper cups. He's trying to work out which one's got the piece of chocolate under it. He lifts one, not there, another, not there, … Inevitably, when they've all been lifted and he knows there's no chocolate there what does he do?
Silly question – he keeps on lifting them and looking. Meanwhile the world keeps on turning.
Bishop caught Genter out on a technicality; fair enough; she's learned. I think she should have been more up-front in the House. Mallard thought so to. A minor issue, but that's all National have to chuck at the Coalition.
Jeez, if you call that a grilling, you've been hanging out too long at National damp sausage with limp lettuce Barbeques too much. JAG didn't waiver and answered well. Bishop should go back to spending his time doing searches on Budget websites and "political grooming" on social media.
I thought this was interesting. I feel that males are having hard time coping with life, finding what it is to be a man and a person coping with a contradictory culture – things being the opposite that is the accepted state in the public mind. No wonder their mental health is down. And no wonder so many are thinking of changing their gender – who can find their way in such a shitty present and see what they might be in the future?
It's helping to encourage men and boys to talk about things that might be bothering them – encouraging them to open up and share what's going on in their lives in a safe place.
Matt, who started barbering more than 10 years ago, realised while working at his first barbers in Auckland that men came for more than a cut.
“Men were coming in and not you know, wanting more than just the haircut, they wanted a conversation. And not many places, spaces, allow men to really open up quite like the barber chair.”
The land claims over land now in private hands reminded me of Titford in Northland. The road can be hard for Maori with connections to historic land to get it back from someone to whom it's just a piece of dirt. Titford make a right old fuss and wanted compensation for the future profitable enterprise he was going to develop – yeah right.
It was found he had burnt down his own home in 1992, but had blamed it on local Maori to increase his claim to compensation from the government. Te Roroa Maori hope this is a chance for their story to be told and the claims of harassment, terrorism, and sabotage exposed as lies…
Anything we had to say was just dismissed out of hand, the perception was such that we were the nasties, all the negative was laid on us,” said Alex Nathan, who along with Murray is the last of the Te Roroa Treaty negotiators.
“At the time that was hurtful but we weren’t given an opportunity to put an alternative point of view. There wasn’t a mood to listen to what we were saying,” he said.
Titford became a spokesman for apparently honest farmers having land stolen by apparently greedy Maori. He fed into a racist sentiment that turned many New Zealanders against Maori.
“There is a current just beneath the surface that is quite racist and it doesn’t take much to reveal it,” said Nathan.
“Titford represents the extreme end of the spectrum. It is very easy for someone if they are noisy enough to stir a response from the generality.”
Date of the stuff report on Titford was 24/11/2013. The long time stand-off started with his farm purchase in 1986, then Maori claims against subdivision, then he burnt his house in 1992 and in 1995 the Crown came in and paid out $3.25 million. He had paid $600,000 in 1986.
I was at the negotiating round in Melbourne in early July. Officials met again in China this week for intensive negotiations on the investment chapter.
RCEP trade ministers are due to meet in Shanghai on Friday to decide on matters still outstanding in this secretive negotiation, including the investment rules.
There is a high risk that New Zealand will capitulate again and accept, at best, a footnote that allows it to object, but would still allow the investor to sue New Zealand in this expensive and discredited system of international investment arbitration.
I call on David Parker to “assure New Zealanders that he won’t sell us out again by accepting ISDS and giving foreign investors even more power to intimidate governments from acting in the national interest.”
Those are the final wordefrom Professor Jane Kelsey on negotiations around our international trade deals that NZ thinkers hate. So David Parker have you any spine?
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Helloy… My name is Todd Muller and I am the leader of the National Party of New Zealand. Many people come up to me on the street and ask me who I am. I’m often walking through Tauranga, or in a mall in suburban Auckland, or maybe even a farmers’ ...
The US state of Mississippi has finally voted to remove the Confederate emblem from its state flag. Good. Its appalling that it was put there in the first place, but even more appalling that it took so long to remove it. Its basicly as if a German Länder still had ...
No one could have predicted when David Seymour’s End of Life Choice Bill was passed by Parliament last November that the referendum required to bring the legislation into force would be held against the backdrop of a deadly global pandemic. Since then, the mounting tally of casualties around the world ...
Paul GoldsmithYou can often tell just how effective a progressive policy proposal will be by how much the right wing criticise it. The more socially beneficial, the more vitriolic and unhinged they seem to become.That was the case when the Green Party announced their Poverty Action Plan yesterday. The response ...
Back at the beginning of April, when we had much else on our minds, I wrote this post urging some caution in interpreting the results of the latest Horizon poll, conducted in February, on voting intentions in this year's cannabis referendum, which was paid for by Helius Therapeutics.I wrote that ...
Over the weekend the Greens made their first election policy announcement, and promised transformational change: a more progressive tax system, with new rates applying to incomes of $100,000 and $150,000; a new wealth tax on net wealth over $1 million; and a guaranteed minimum income to eliminate poverty. Its bold, ...
Story of the Week... El Niño/La Niña Update... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Global Warming Is Melting Our Sense of Time Satellite image of smoke from active fires burning near the ...
. . Plague town? There are two things right now in Aotearoa New Zealand that are guaranteed to piss people off. Firstly, it’s National playing silly-bugger politics with the covid-19 pandemic. This cost Simon Bridges his job as National’s Leader. Lately, Michael Woodhouse has been playing fast and loose with ...
Tertiary fees in New Zealand versus Australia: Fees Are Important, but not as Important as Financing In Australia, the Education Minister Dan Tehan has proposed an overhaul of the existing higher education funding system to offer 39,000 additional study places by 2023 and 100,000 by 2030. The proposal has been ...
The latest opinion poll forecasts a landslide win by Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party, but when taken alongside other polling, it illustrates New Zealand politics remains volatile and the contest is still very open. According to the Colmar Brunton poll published by TVNZ last night, Labour would easily romp back ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, June 21 through Sat, June 27, 2020Editor's ChoiceFacebook creates fact-checking exemption for climate deniers Facebook is "aiding and abetting the spread of climate misinformation,” said Robert Brulle, an ...
The images and reports delivered to us by the world’s media leave us in no doubt that the rest of the world is still in the grip of a coronavirus pandemic that shows no signs of slackening, but is actually uncontrolled and picking up pace in many countries; and even ...
Minister of Health - David ClarkIf you follow politics at all in New Zealand, David Clark is likely a name you’re a bit familiar with. The current Minister of Health is perhaps the most disliked Member of Parliament at the moment, which amongst very stiff competition is really saying something. ...
SATURDAY JUNE 27Banksy and the Rise of Outlaw Art (Sky Arts, Sky 017, 8.00pm). There was graffiti before Banksy, but perhaps his pungent political messages hit home a bit harder. Anyways, a doco about his influence on street art featuring a bunch of cool people.SUNDAY JUNE 28Beat the Chasers (TVNZ 1, ...
SUNDAY JUNE 28Beat the Chasers (TVNZ 1, 8.30pm). Judging by the tweets, which is probably a bad idea, over lockdown, all of New Zealand found itself in front of The Chase every night at 5pm. It is a brilliant fomat: hardly anyone wins any money ...
We have been assailed by Fox News-style headlines, lurid stories of “a breach!”. An almost nuclear level disaster on the horizon scream, “Fiasco!” here, “Hero to Zero!” there… Oh quick, panic everyone!This has fueled an unbelievably stupid environment of panic among some, and spurred useless, counterproductive political ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters A massive dust storm formed over the Sahara Desert last week and invaded the Caribbean over the June 20-21 weekend, bringing dangerous levels of air pollution and low visibility to the islands. The dust is accompanied by a large amount ...
Will the Covid Crisis lead to a dramatic redirection for New Zealand and the World? A hinge in history occurs where the past and present are connected but they point in different directions. Big hinges are rare but crucial in the development of humankind. Not in Narrow Seas identifies six. ...
RNZ reports that Refining NZ is considering shutting down Marsden Point and effectively turning itself into a fuel distribution service. The problem they're immediately trying to address is that running a refinery is expensive, and it is cheaper just to import processed fuel. But there's a longer-term problem too: climate ...
We all know that the COVID-19 virus is a terrible infectious disease that has already caused untold misery and numerous deaths around the world. Nearly half a million people have already died, and those are just the cases we know about.But how bad could things actually get exactly?Today, the NZ ...
New Zealand First is pleased to announce Jenny Marcroft as the party’s election 2020 candidate for the Auckland Central electorate. Jenny spent years working in Auckland Central, having spent a vast proportion of her broadcasting career there. She says she, "knows the place and knows the people." Ms Marcroft says ...
New Zealanders deserve healthy rivers and lakes that are safe to swim in - but they have been getting worse for decades. That's why, with our latest announcement, we're investing in projects that will help clean up our rivers and lakes and restore them to health, within a generation. ...
This week we moved into the second half of 2020 - and our Government delivered another week of big changes and major progress for New Zealanders. Read below for a wrap of the key things moments from the week - from extending paid parental leave, to making major investments in ...
The Green Party has opposed the COVID-19 Recovery Fast-track Consenting Bill which shortcuts normal consenting processes under the Resource Management Act (RMA), reduces public participation and narrows environmental considerations. ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Regional Economic Development A regional freight hub for the lower North Island will be built just northeast of Palmerston North, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The Government is investing $40 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to designate and buy land and design ...
Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson is calling for the introduction of a Guaranteed Minimum Income to lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty and prevent more families entering into further debt with the Ministry of Social Development. ...
There has been renewed focus on New Zealand First acting as a handbrake on the Government after our decision to not support Auckland light rail. We are a handbrake for bad ideas, that istrue, but our track record since 2017 has seen New Zealand First constructively also serve as an ...
Mark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP New Zealand First’s Fair Residency for Superannuation Bill passed its First Reading in Parliament today. The Bill makes a significant change to NZ Super by raising the minimum residency requirement from 10 to 20 years, after age 20. “Currently, a migrant of ...
Darroch Ball MP, Spokesperson for Law and Order A New Zealand First member’s bill in the name of Darroch Ball introducing a six-month minimum prison sentence for assaults on first responders has passed its second reading in Parliament. The new offence of "injuring a first responder or corrections officer with ...
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Deputy Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First welcomes the launch of the new Criminal Cases Review Commission, gifted with the name from Waikato-Tainui - Te Kāhui Tātari Ture, announced in Hamilton today by Justice Minister Andrew Little. “New Zealand First has long believed in and ...
The Green Party is celebrating over $800m in new funding for green projects, which will get people into jobs while solving New Zealand’s long-term challenges. ...
Mark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is appalled that Meridian seems to have been unnecessarily spilling water from its dams to drive up its profits."While New Zealanders have been coming together in some of our darkest hours, we don’t expect power gentailers to waste water and ...
We wrapped up the first half of 2020 with a busy month, taking additional steps to support New Zealanders as we continue with our economic recovery. We rolled out targeted packages to support key industries like tourism and construction, helped create jobs in the environmental and agriculture sectors, and set ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Infrastructure Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has welcomed the appointment of Maurice Davis and his deep infrastructure and construction experience to the board of the Infrastructure Commission. Mr Davis (Ngāti Maniapoto), is the seventh and final appointment to the board led by former Reserve Bank Governor ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand’s click bait journalism is taking a turn for the worse, with yet another example of sensationalist, wilful-misrepresentation of the facts. “New Zealand First has worked constructively with its Coalition partner on hundreds of pieces of legislation and policy, and ...
The Green Party is today unveiling its Poverty Action Plan, which includes a Guaranteed Minimum Income to ensure people have enough to live with dignity. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Rotorua Museum redevelopment and Whakarewarewa and Tokorangi Forest projects will be accelerated thanks to a $2.09 million Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) boost, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher ...
This week, we rolled out the next steps of our recovery plan, with new infrastructure investment, extra support for tourism operators, and a new programme to get Kiwis into agriculture careers. The global economic consequences of COVID-19 will continue to be a challenge, but we have a detailed plan to ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First welcomes the passage of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill through its final reading in Parliament today fulfilling a coalition agreement commitment. “This is an important step in saving the lives of New Zealanders and delivers a key coalition commitment ...
Whakatāne has been given a $2.5 million boost to speed up previously funded projects and create more than 450 jobs in the next decade. Of those, the equivalent of 160 full-time jobs could be delivered in the next six weeks. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is in town to make ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $2.5 million to accelerate three infrastructure projects in Whakatāne, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “This package is about ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones is throwing his weight behind a bid by the Auckland Council to fast-track the more than doubling of the city's water allowance from the Waikato River. And he's coming out strongly against anyone who plans on getting in the way of this campaign. "It is my ...
The Green Party is thrilled to see changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that mean consents for large projects can be declined if they will have significant climate change implications that are inconsistent with the Zero Carbon Act and Aotearoa New Zealand’s Paris Agreement obligations. ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence The Royal New Zealand Navy’s new ship, Aotearoa, set sail for New Zealand on 10 June from the Republic of Korea, and is due to arrive in Auckland tomorrow, announced Minister of Defence Ron Mark. “Aotearoa is the Royal New Zealand Navy’s new fleet ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters has today welcomed the Racing Industry Bill passing its third reading, creating the legislative framework for revitalising the racing industry while limiting the need for future government intervention. “For too long our domestic racing industry has ...
The Green Party has today put forward an amendment to the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill to ensure all people in prisons can vote in general elections. ...
The Green Party welcomes the decision to not proceed with Public Public Investment (PPI) delivery of Auckland’s light rail project and to instead run the process through the public service. ...
Hon Ron Mark, New Zealand First List MP based in the Wairarapa New Zealand First List MP Hon Ron Mark welcomes the announcement of Provincial Growth Funding investment of $1.4 million to help secure the Wairarapa’s water supply. The funding boost will allow the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), and ...
New Zealand First list MP Mark Patterson has been selected to represent the party in the newly formed Taieri electorate at the upcoming election. Mr Patterson, his wife Jude and two daughters farm sheep and beef at Lawrence and Waitahuna. He previously stood in the Clutha-Southland electorate however boundary changes ...
Hon Shane Jones, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises A new ‘super depot’ to be built for NZ Post in Wellington will create around 350 jobs during construction, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises Shane Jones says. Shane Jones today attended a ground-breaking and blessing ceremony for the parcel-processing depot ...
Our strong economic management prior to COVID-19 - with surpluses, low debt and near-record-low unemployment - put us in a good position to weather the impact of the virus and start to rebuild our economy much earlier than many other countries.Now we're putting our plan to recover and rebuild ...
Darroch Ball MP, New Zealand First Spokesperson for Law and Order Recently released Police fleeing driver statistics have shown yet another increase in incidents with another record-high in the latest quarter. “This new quarterly record-high is the latest in a string of record-high numbers since 2014. The data shows incidents ...
New Zealand First MP Fletcher Tabuteau is pleased to be confirmed today as the party’s candidate for the Rotorua electorate. Speaking at the Rotorua AGM for New Zealand First, Mr Tabuteau said this is an election that is incredibly important for the people of Rotorua. “The founding principles of New ...
The Human Rights Commission’s PRISM report on the issues impacting people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) provides an excellent programme of work for future governments to follow, say the Greens. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said the trans-Tasman bubble had not been jeopardised after aborder botch-upresulted in New Zealand having two active cases of COVID-19. On Friday, Mr Peters told RNZ's Morning Report he had heard from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison that borders for trans-Tasman travel would open by ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said today he was pleased the army was now running the quarantine and isolation process - up until now it has been the Ministry of Health. Peters told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking that the army knew how to introduce and follow protocols and instil discipline. ...
Hon Ron Mark, New Zealand First List MP based in the Wairarapa New Zealand First MP and Minister for Defence and Veteran’s Affairs Ron Mark has confirmed his bid for the Wairarapa seat.“The Coalition Government has done a lot of good work throughout the Wairarapa, but many constituents have told ...
New Zealand First is pleased to release the names of its next tranche of candidates for the 2020 election. We’re proud to announce these hardworking New Zealanders that have put their hand up to fight for a commonsense and resilient future.Jamie Arbuckle – Kaikoura Mark Arneil – Christchurch Central Jackie ...
The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Poto Williams, is seeking feedback on a proposal to better enable the development and operation of commercial film and video facilities in Christchurch. The Proposal, developed by Regenerate Christchurch in response to a request from Christchurch City Council, asks that powers under section ...
The Government has launched a bold plan to boost primary sector export earnings by $44 billion over the next decade, while protecting the environment and growing jobs. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today released Fit for a Better World – Accelerating our Economic Potential, a 10-year roadmap to unlock greater value ...
A new approach to prevent family harm that encourages greater collaboration across government and community groups is being celebrated at the opening of a new facility in Auckland. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today opened the Multi-Disciplinary Family Harm Prevention Hub Te Taanga Manawa in Lambie Road in Manukau. The facility ...
The Government has released a major new report on the options for relocating the Port of Auckland’s freight operations while deferring any decision on the issue. “That decision needs to be informed by policy analysis that is still to be completed. As a result it will be up to a ...
The history of Rāpaki is being restored through the inclusion of te reo in thirteen official place names on Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū / Banks Peninsula and around Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō, the Minister for Land Information, Eugenie Sage, announced today. “I am pleased to approve the proposals from Te Hapū o Ngāti ...
Bookings for seats on Air New Zealand flights into New Zealand will be managed in the short term to ensure the Government is able to safely place New Zealanders arriving home into a managed isolation or quarantine facility, says Housing Minister Megan Woods. “Last week Air Commodore Darryn Webb and I ...
Grant Robertson has today announced the first major release of funding from the $265 million Sport Recovery Package announced at Budget 2020. “Today we’re setting out how $80 million will be invested, with $54 million of that over the 2020/2021 financial year for organisations from community level through to elite ...
The Government is maintaining current levy rates for the next 2 years, as part of a set of changes to help ease the financial pressures of COVID-19 providing certainty for businesses and New Zealanders, ACC Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. “New Zealanders and businesses are facing unprecedented financial pressures as a ...
Small businesses are getting greater certainty about access to finance with an extension to the interest-free cashflow loan scheme to the end of the year. The Small Business Cashflow Loan Scheme has already been extended once, to 24 July. Revenue and Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says it will be ...
A package of 23 projects across the country will clean up waterways and deliver over 2000 jobs Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Environment Minister David Parker announced today. The $162 million dollar package will see 22 water clean-up projects put forward by local councils receiving $62 million and the Kaipara ...
Tena koutou katoa Nga tangata whenua o tenei rohe o Pōneke, tena koutou Nau mai, haere mai ki te hui a tau mo te roopu reipa Ko tatou! Ko to tatou mana! Ko to tatou kaupapa kei te kokiri whakamua Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa Welcome. I ...
The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $1.5 million to ensure QE Health in Rotorua can proceed with its world class health service and save 75 existing jobs, Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development, Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. The PGF funding announced today is in addition to the $8 million ...
A new programme, which sets a firm course for the Building and Construction sector to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has been announced by the Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa. “A significant amount of New Zealand’s carbon emissions come from the building and construction sector. If we’re serious ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing more than $7.5 million in Northland ventures to combat the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) investment is going to the Northern Adventure Experience and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced significant funding for Auckland’s Northcote College as part of the first wave of a new nationwide school redevelopment programme to upgrade schools over the next 10 years. The $48.5 million project brings the total investment in Northcote College to ...
The Government has opened an urgent response fund to support schools and early learning services to get children and young people back on track after the Covid-19 lockdown. “While we are seeing improvements in attendance under Alert Level 1 Ministry of Education data shows that attendance rates in our schools ...
The law to boost the economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 by speeding up resource consenting on selected projects has passed its second and third readings in the House today. “Accelerating nationwide projects and activities by government, iwi and the private sector will help deliver faster economic recovery and ...
Five port-related projects in Whanganui will receive a $26.75 million Provincial Growth Fund investment to support local economic recovery and create new opportunities for growth, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This is a significant investment that will support the redevelopment of the Whanganui Port, a project governed ...
Whanganui’s Sarjeant Gallery will receive an investment of up to $12 million administered by the Provincial Growth Fund to support its redevelopment, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. The project is included in a $3 billion infrastructure pipeline announced by Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Shane Jones yesterday. ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing nearly $2.5 million into three Te Ara Mahi programmes to support Manawatū-Whanganui jobseekers and employees to quickly train and upskill, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Up to 154 local people will be supported into employment within the first year by these ...
This morning I have formally tendered my resignation as Minister of Health, which was accepted by the Prime Minister. Serving as Minister of Health has been an absolute privilege – particularly through these extraordinary last few months. It’s no secret that Health is a challenging portfolio. I have given ...
Scholarships for 57 early-career agricultural emissions scientists from 20 developing countries is another example of New Zealand’s international leadership in primary sector sustainability, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. Mr O’Connor, announcing the scholarships today, says hundreds of applications were received for this fourth round of the CLIFF-GRADS programme (Climate, Food ...
A project to help rejuvenate the Horowhenua town of Foxton will receive a Provincial Growth Fund investment of $3.86 million, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This funding for the Foxton Regeneration project will be used to make the well-known holiday town even more attractive for visitors and ...
Moa bones and other sub-fossil remains of extinct species are set to have improved protection with proposals to prevent the trade in extinct species announced the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today. “We have lost too many of our native species, but these lost species, such as moa, remain an ...
The Government’s free and healthy school lunches programme moves south for the first time creating jobs for around 30 people in Otago and Southland. “Eighteen schools with 3000 students are joining the programme – 11 have already begun serving lunches, and seven are preparing to start during Term 3. This is ...
Thousands of Kiwi jobs and investment in New Zealand productions will be protected through a screen sector support package announced today by Associate Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford and Minister for Broadcasting Kris Faafoi. The package also includes investment in broadcasting ...
The Government has established a new $10 million fund for the domestic events sector to help save jobs and protect incomes as it recovers from the impacts of COVID-19, Minister of Economic Development Phil Twyford announced today. This funding from Budget 2020 follows talks with the event sector designed to ...
The Government has taken another step in its commitment to making sure New Zealanders get a fairer deal at the petrol pump with the introduction of legislation to improve competition in the retail fuel market, says Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods. “The fuel market study that this Government ordered ...
New Zealand has joined a global initiative that aims to enable all countries to access a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters announced today. The COVAX Facility was recently launched by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The Alliance includes the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank ...
From today new legislation takes effect to both restore the right to legal representation at the start of a Care of Children (CoCA) dispute in the Family Court, and allow parties to those proceedings to access legal aid where eligible. During a visit to the Family Court in Auckland today, ...
Home-based early childhood education (ECE) subsidised by the government will transition to a fully qualified workforce by 2025 to ensure better and more consistent quality, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. “Quality early learning helps provide children with a strong foundation for their future,” Chris Hipkins said. From 1 January ...
The new Criminal Cases Review Commission | Te Kāhui Tātari Ture (CCRC) has started work and can now independently investigate claimed miscarriages of justice. “Even though we have appeal rights and safeguards against unsafe convictions, from time to time our justice system does get things wrong. The design of the ...
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha, tēnā koutou Ki a koutou Te Āti Awa, Taranaki Whānui, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, ngā mana whenua o te rohe nei, tēnā koutou Ko Te Whare Wānanga o Aotearoa ki ngā take o te Ao (NZIIA), Ko te Rōpū Tohu Tono ...
The Government’s increase to paid parental leave kicks in today with another 4 weeks taking New Zealand up to a full 6 months (26 weeks, up from 22 weeks) leave for new parents, and the maximum weekly payment will increase by $20pw, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. ...
A new package of infrastructure investments will help kick-start the post-COVID rebuild by creating more than 20,000 jobs and unlocking more than $5 billion of projects up and down New Zealand. Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones today outlined how the $3 billion infrastructure fund in the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today expressed the New Zealand Government’s deep disappointment at the passage by China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee of a national security law for Hong Kong. “New Zealand has consistently emphasised its serious concern about the imposition of this legislation on Hong Kong without inclusive ...
More jobs and more family time with newborns are the centrepiece of a suite of Government initiatives coming into effect today. July 1 is a milestone day for the Government as a host of key policies take effect, demonstrating the critical areas where progress has been made. “The Coalition Government ...
Environment Minister David Parker has today “called in” Auckland’s application to the Waikato Regional Council to take an extra 200 million litres of water a day from the lower reaches of the Waikato River for Auckland drinking water and other municipal uses. The call-in means the application has been referred ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker announced today that New Zealand’s hosting of APEC in 2021 will go ahead using virtual digital platforms. Mr Peters said the global disruption caused by COVID-19, including resultant border restrictions, had been the major factor in the ...
The start of construction on a new link road between Matakana Road and State Highway 1 will create jobs and support the significant population growth expected in the Warkworth area, Transport Minister Phil Twyford and Mayor Phil Goff announced today. Transport Minister Phil Twyford said construction of the Matakana Link ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chongyi Feng, Associate Professor in China Studies, University of Technology Sydney Chinese law professor Xu Zhangrun, who completed his PhD at the University of Melbourne, has become the latest high-profile critic of President Xi Jinping to be silenced for his views. It’s ...
If you’ve ever wondered what influencers have to offer to the world, look no further than Simone Anderson’s new recipe book So Delish!, which will revolutionise the way you put things on plates and in freezers.You know what I’m tired of? Professional cooks publishing cookbooks. Boring. If I ever fancy ...
The Electoral Commission has confirmed that the 'Aroha' posters of Jacinda Ardern, promoted by artists Weston Frizzell and advertiser Phantom Billstickers, does indeed constitute a party advertisement for the Labour Party. This judgment comes after ...
The Primary Land Users Group (PLUG) representing a cross-section of forestry, dairy, horticulture and dry-stock land-users has called out the Green Party, asking how they can reconcile their desire for legal cannabis with the negative environmental ...
Latest from the Beehive Readers are increasingly being introduced to Te Reo by a government which eschews prosaic names that simply and functionally reflect an agency’ purpose – such as Ministry of Forestry. Consistent with the discarding of plain English, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has opened a Multi-Disciplinary Family Harm ...
Mau Whenua statement on Nicky Hager Investigative Report - The long, sorry saga of Shelly Bay – Published Saturday 4th of July 2020 Hirini Jenkins-Mepham Chair of the Mau Whenua group opposing Port Nicholson Block Trustees land sales said “Nicky ...
Forest & Bird welcomes a new sustainable vision for the primary sector, but says it needs to be backed up with strong rules, meaningful support, and a change of attitude from industry laggards. The Government has released a report outlining ...
Rather than MPs rushing to regulate vaping in the last few days of this Parliamentary term, the bill’s many complexities should be debated after the General Election, says Nancy Loucas, co-director of Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA). Parliament ...
The Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand will share parts 1 and 2 of the submission we presented to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch Mosque Attacks. The aim is to ensure New Zealand is fully informed about the efforts IWCNZ took prior ...
Irrigation New Zealand is greatly encouraged by the fact that the Government has today recognised the “transformational opportunity” water storage provides for New Zealand as part of our post-Covid economic recovery. Water storage was acknowledged ...
The Taxpayers’ Union cannot believe that New Zealand First is importing foreign political consultants, presumably because no New Zealanders are suitable, or perhaps willing, for NZ First campaign roles. Union spokesperson Jordan Williams says: “Winston ...
Retailers upset by the Government’s blinkered restrictions on vaping products say they feel shut out and ignored given the outcome of the select committee process. New Zealand Association of Convenience Stores (NZACS) Executive Director, Dave Hooker, ...
The MakeItLegal campaign has today welcomed the website on cannabis legalisation from the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor. “It is essential that people have reliable and factual information to help them decide how to vote in the cannabis ...
Responding to National MP Nicola Willis’s statement that National was wrong to sell so much state housing, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “What a weak capitulation to left-wing ideology.” “Selling a state house ...
The Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand are sharing parts 1 and 2 of the submission we presented to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch Mosque Attacks. The aim is to ensure New Zealand is fully informed about the efforts IWCNZ took prior ...
An interesting tale of international diplomacy has emerged over NZ’s decision to turn next year’s round of APEC meetings – including the leaders’ summit – into a virtual event. NZ had to fight off a determined bid by the 2020 host, Malaysia, which hoped it could have its hosting rights ...
Members of New Zealand’s Indian community rallied in Auckland on Sunday to raise awareness about threats to their homeland’s democracy from the rise of right-wing Hindu nationalism. As the world’s second-most populous nation grapples with a burgeoning pandemic and deepening political and social division, about 25 protesters gathered in Auckland’s Aotea ...
CEAC applauds professor Mike Joy as NZ’s leading environmental ecologists tireless efforts to enlighten ‘successive Governments’ over the pollution of our waterways and promoting best practice paths of cleaning up of our waterways over successive ...
Almost 170 years ago, Māori political processes were interrupted and displaced by a new, enforced electoral system. Researcher Jo Waitoa dispels the myth that voter turnout and political participation are the same thing. Read more of the The Spinoff’s Election 2020 coverage here.Māori political participation has a long and enduring tradition ...
After previously stonewalling inquiries on the matter, Leave.EU ‘bad boy’ Arron Banks has told a UK newspaper he is sending a team to New Zealand to work on Winston Peters’ NZ First campaign. Justin Giovannetti reports. New Zealand First has hired a crew of political operators from one of the most ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Campbell, Senior research fellow and ARC Future Fellow, Monash University Lithium is used in everything from medication to mobile phone batteries, but where does it come from? We know it is mined here on Earth, but where it is created in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janak Rogers, Associate Lecturer, Broadcast Journalism, RMIT University The case for a more diverse and representative media should be clear by now – it’s been made time and time again. But it’s instructive to take stock every now and then. Over the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Lee, Professor at the National Drug Research Institute (Melbourne) and Director at 360Edge, Curtin University The “hard lockdown” of nine public housing towers in Melbourne has no doubt brought an array of challenges for the thousands of residents. For people who ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ryan R. Witt, Conjoint Lecturer | School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle This article is a preview from Flora, Fauna, Fire, a multimedia project launching on Monday July 13. The project tracks the recovery of Australia’s native plants and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Turney, Professor of Earth Science and Climate Change, Director of the Changing Earth Research Centre and the Chronos 14Carbon-Cycle Facility at UNSW, and Node Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, UNSW Evidence of minute amounts ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isaac Gross, Lecturer in Economics, Monash University Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has spent billions trying to save us from recession. The winding down of JobKeeper scheduled for September means he’ll have to spend billions more. Many of the stimulus measures talked about are ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hassan, Professor, School of Culture and Communication, University of Melbourne Spoiler alert: this story details how The War of the Worlds ends. The latest screen adaption of H. G. Wells’ 1898 modern masterwork The War of the Worlds will hit our ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level one – read about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. To support this ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Problems looming for temporary visa holders, state house waiting list balloons again, and US ban could hit NZ seafood exports.There are some real problems looming for temporary visa holders and their employers, with thousands set to expire all once, reports Nona ...
Publisher Stuff is turning its back on Facebook. Anna Rawhiti-Connell explains why, and how that might affect readers In a bold move, one of our biggest media companies announced on Monday it will cease all activity on Facebook and Instagram for an unspecified time. Stuff’s action follows in the wake ...
A call by Peter Gluckman, Helen Clark and Rob Fyfe for a 'conversation' on opening our border lacks serious economic analysis and ignores real risks to New Zealanders, writes Geoff Bertram From the start of the coronavirus pandemic there has been a steady drumbeat of demands from tourism and other ...
Cat MacLennan argues there's scanty evidence for a decision to rule footage of a sharemilker beating cows with a metal pole inadmissible on the grounds it would encourage more undercover filming The judge in the cow cruelty case of Ministry for Primary Industries v Luke ruled that hidden camera film footage ...
I’m one of many applauding the Government’s decision to prescribe the teaching of New Zealand history in our schools. But wait – prescription – isn’t that anathema to the Ministry of Education? We now have a localised curriculum, with the national document giving guidelines only. It’s up to schools to ...
An author finds historical parallels with the dog-whistling comments made by Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker. The recent race-based comments by the Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker have been described as “disgraceful, scaremongering and racist”. But I found them fascinatingly familiar. My wife Jenny and I, both Otago-born teachers, lived in Central ...
A new port report before Cabinet is a U-turn on the last one, which recommended Auckland's port be moved to Northland Moves to shift Auckland's port from the CBD to Northland have ground to a halt on the back of a new report before Cabinet that suggests Manukau Harbour is a better option. ...
Sarah Cowley Ross sits down with Mary Thompson, one of New Zealand's great sports volunteers, who's given much of her life to netball. Mary Thompson clearly remembers the conversation with Dame Lois Muir. It was during Thompson’s stint as president of Bay of Plenty Netball, and two candidates had applied to ...
Matt Bartlett explains why Facebook should come to see political advertising and its challenges in the same way as Twitter Even before Covid-19 prevented most of us from leaving our homes, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter had become society’s main public square. We gather online in Facebook and ...
In quitting the social media giant, Stuff has taken a risk. But the gamble is not as big as it may seem, writes Hal Crawford.Ceasing all activity on Facebook is a bold move for a news publisher, and I’m not surprised that it has come from the company now owned ...
Bullying behaviour is embedded in institutions across our country, and parliament is no exception. But it can be different, writes Jess Berentson-Shaw.Every now and then I find myself imagining what it would look like if our political system was built around the sorts of ideals most of us deeply aspire ...
Clare Curran’s interview has resurfaced concerns about the toxic nature of parliamentary politics. But while politics shouldn’t be toxic, or misogynistic, or cruel, for the system to be work, nor should it be nice, writes Danyl Mclauchlan.Two high-profile MPs are leaving parliament at the end of this term: National’s Paula ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison has repeatedly and vociferously championed keeping state borders open. But on Monday, Morrison was forced to change course, agreeing, in a hook up with premiers Daniel Andrews and Gladys Berejiklian that the Victorian-NSW ...
Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk Papua New Guinea’s police and courts must work closely with media for transparency to inform the public on the daily investigation and court processes taken over the death of young mother Jenelyn Kennedy late last month, a men’s gender justice advocate says. Man Up group representative ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Esterman, Professor of Biostatistics, University of South Australia Victoria recorded its largest daily increase of 127 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, 16 more than the previous peak of 111 cases on March 28. As I recently wrote, there’s no formal definition ...
After months of delays, the man responsible for murdering 51 people in a Christchurch mosque will finally be sentenced next month. Law professor Kris Gledhill explains how the sentencing will likely unfold. On the very day New Zealand entered Covid-19 lockdown, the man arrested for the Christchurch mosque terror attacks admitted ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Kettlewell, Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Economics Discipline Group, University of Technology Sydney We live in a culture that values “experiences”. These are often promoted in the media, and by those selling them, as vital to enhancing our well-being. We all know ...
Hidden camera footage showing cows being beaten with a steel pipe was deemed unlawful in court partially on the grounds it would encourage undercover filming in the future A Northland contract milker caught on hidden camera beating cows with a steel pipe has had five charges against him dropped after a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Iredell, Professor, Medicine and Microbiology (conjoint), University of Sydney The NSW-Victorian border will be closed as of midnight Tuesday this week, the NSW and Victorian premiers have announced, in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19. The announcement comes amid ...
Keagan Carr Fransch reviews I May Destroy You, the acclaimed new show from British writer-director-actress Michaela Coel. The following includes discussion of rape, sexual assault, sexual violence, drug-facilitated sexual assault, and PTSD.Since the release of her comedy Chewing Gum in 2015, Michaela Coel has been a recurrent name on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Burridge, Lecturer in Human Geography, Macquarie University Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced the border between his state and NSW will close after 11:59pm on Tuesday to prevent the coronavirus outbreak in Melbourne from spreading further. It will be the first ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jim Salinger, Honorary Associate, Tasmanian Institute for Agriculture, University of Tasmania A major global update based on data from more than 36,000 weather stations around the world confirms that, as the planet continues to warm, extreme weather events such as heatwaves and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Trevor Thornton, Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University The federal government today announced A$190 million in funding for new recycling infrastructure, as it seeks to divert more than ten million tonnes of waste from landfill and create 10,000 jobs. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Graeme Dunk, PhD Candidate, Australian National University Amid fanfare last week at the start of the new financial year the government promised to invest A$270 billion over a decade to upgrade the defence force. It said a side benefit would be a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sonya Teich, Lecturer in Design, Visual Effects Projects, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington When Star Wars was awarded the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 1978 it marked the first time the visual component of effects was differentiated ...
The Forest Owners Association says the MBIE announcement of ‘Building for Climate Change’ will mean more timber is used in New Zealand construction. FOA President Phil Taylor says he’s been waiting three years for the government to announce a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Kelly, Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University This week, the Victorian government unilaterally placed the residents of nine public housing towers in inner Melbourne under “hard lockdown” due to the “explosive potential” of increasing COVID-19 cases. The lockdown requires ...
Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk Thirty five years ago this week in another life Pacific Media Centre director Professor David Robie was an environmental journalist on board the original Rainbow Warrior, the Greenpeace flagship that was bombed by French secret agents on 10 July 1985. He was on board for almost ...
Head of the inquiry Michael Heron QC will have the power to require the production of documents, summon witnesses and question parties under oath if necessary. ...
State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes has today announced the details of an investigation into the breach of sensitive personal information last week. The Commissioner said the Minister of State Services, the Hon Chris Hipkins, had asked him to undertake ...
More than 3400 primary health care nurses and medical receptionists/administrators across more than 500 practices and accident and medical centres will stop work for two hours nationwide on Thursday 23 July after mediation to settle their multi-employer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kris Gledhill, Professor of Law, Auckland University of Technology On the very day New Zealand entered COVID-19 lockdown (March 26), the man arrested for the Christchurch mosque terror attacks admitted he was a murderer and a terrorist. Despite the lockdown, Justice Mander ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union says Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford needs to front up about how much public money is being used to bail out struggling bus company InterCity. Union spokesperson Louis Houlbrooke says: “InterCity has ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is sceptical that 61% of taxpayer funding for waterway clean-up just happens to be focused on the Northland electorate. Union spokesperson Louis Houlbrooke says: “The Government has announced that $162 million of taxpayers' ...
Tai Tonga Candidate, Takuta Ferris, has signed up to the visionary thinking that has been produced by Tokona Te Raki (Māori futures collective). “The opening statement by Dr Eruera Tarena says it all” said Takuta Ferris. “The future is not just ...
The huge success of a pilot programme featuring rural mayors connecting youth in their regions with local small businesses has led to it being scaled up around the country, across 23 more councils. A collaboration between the Mayors Taskforce for ...
Open mike 07/08/2019 
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https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/114789346/grant-robertson-need-to-get-his-tools-ready-for-the-next-crisis
He has a couple of years at the most before the paper ponzi of a monetary system collapses
Yeah, the whole world is going "let's wait for it to crash and burn, then get our repair tools active"
Dingbats. Should change the system now. Wont happen but
It's an opinion piece, we've heard about the coming financial crisis for years now. The last labour government left us in a great place to tackle the last financial crisis, I'm sure if there is another one they will again be prepared.
However it's a popular article, 330 comments and counting
"Justice Minister Andrew Little says he will not be doing a deal with NZ First that would lead to a referendum on proposed abortion law reform." https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/114804743/no-referendum-on-abortion-law–andrew-little
Calling their bluff. Either Peters folds, or the PM will have to intervene via some kind of leadership. Interesting!
Some female Nats will cross the floor on a conscience vote. Little will be fine on this.
"Some
femaleNats will cross the floor on a conscience vote. Little will be fineonwith this."FIFY
What a sexist comment, Ad. Shame on you.
Also – Some Labour MPs will cross the floor on a conscience vote. Little will be fine with this.
It is obvious that you have never looked at and analysed the make-up of conscience votes taken during this current Parliament such as those taken to date on the End of Life Bill. I have followed the latter very closely, including watching the total 5+ hours of the debate last week when the Committee of the House began its deliberations on the Bill as it was returned from the Select Committee and at 11.38pm passed Part A of the Bill on a conscience vote of 70 Ayes to 50 Nays.
There was a real mixed bag as to who made up those totals in relation to their Party and their gender etc, and a number of MPs both National and Labour changed their votes from their earlier votes on the First and Second Readings of the Bill.
I am in the process of putting together a summary of the above breakdowns for other reasons, and later today I will put up a short summary here of this breakdown in support of what I have said above.
Surely it'll depend if simon says they can . The nats dont do courage they do as they are told .
Hate to burst your balloon, but Bridges is voting for the changes himself.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/114782208/simon-bridges-will-vote-for-abortion-bill-at-first-reading-but-wants-more-safeguards
Is that the truth or an interpretation that Slick's entitled to pretend is the truth christy?
When you can "pretend" about electric or low emmision car subsidies, you will pretend about anything, you ain't seen nothing yet wait till the marijuana decriminalisation and euthanasia debates he'll be spinning like a top.
Conscience votes are supposed to be left to individual MPs.
The broad backgrounds, experiences and beliefs etc of ALL MPs may cover the range of opinions of the rest of us, the general populace and provide a fairly good coverage for all of us!!
However, I am sure that there is definitely "political manipulation" when ALL members of one Party vote in the same way!
There is no such thing as "crossing the floor" on a concious vote.
Unless you work for Winston
There will be a heap of people from the Nats just voting for it
True, there is no such thing as 'crossing the floor' on a conscience vote.
I also agree that there will probably be a reasonable number of Nat MPs who will vote for the abortion changes – but there will also be quite a number who will not.
My bet is that the voting from all parties will be similar to that on the various stages of the End of Life Bill and it may well be very close … In other words, the passing of the abortion amendments is not a given.
Fold franko? How does that work in praxis?
Or, if it's not a charade, then at least it's probably a disagreement within agreed bounds and with no danger of escalating – i.e. not 1997.
But depending on how NZ1 mps vote, it does reinfoce NZ1's conservative base.
Turns out the PM has shifted stance on China, after all. "The Government has rebuked China over its recent comments and actions where it sought to suppress freedom of speech and voiced support for violent opposition to Hong Kong protestors in New Zealand. On Monday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials met with Chinese Government representatives in New Zealand to reiterate that freedom of expression would be upheld and maintained, which included on university campuses."
"This is a significant move for a Government that has largely spoken generally about foreign interference and about democratic principles, while avoiding specifically mentioning China’s behaviour in recent years under an emboldened president." https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/08/07/734342/government-raises-interference-concerns-with-china
"Along with New Zealand adding its name to a public letter regarding the treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang, this public reproach seems to signal a change in Jacinda Ardern’s approach to China. On Tuesday, Ardern confirmed MFAT reiterated the New Zealand’s position on freedom of speech, particularly on university campuses."
When the invasion of HK occurs, she'll have a better opportunity to demonstrate moral leadership. Xi's fate will hinge on whether he defaults to traditional communist state control, or attempts to chart a new course embracing democracy. He'll make history if he chooses the non-conformist option.
Labour only making such moves in terms of criticising China likely because Seymour's letter shamed them into doing something.
Seymours letter ?
Nothing that guy do has any effect and 'a letter' even less so. The Consul general probably used it for a paper dart
So they did absolutely nothing, then leapt into action and made their official representations to the Chinese government on the same day they discovered Seymour was so angry his top lip was quivering? Gosh, he has such influence.
See MoreCoq jumped in first to hog the attention thraycy.
How's that a shift franko?
"When the invasion of HK occurs, she'll have a better opportunity to demonstrate moral leadership. "
Not sure what you mean by invasion? How can a country invade itself. In case you don't know Hong Kong is a part of China (as Trump said), and that happened on 1 July 1997.
That is why most Hong Kong people carry Chinese passports, but with HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative region stamped on them)
But, if you do insist on calling it an 'invasion', well that already happened on 1 July 97:
Currently there are already around 10000 PLA troops stationed in Hong Kong.
Fuck you are a hypocrite. New Zealand, and other countries tries to influence other countries, particularly under the pretext of 'human rights' all the time.
So NZ signs up to that pathetic letter on Xinjiang with 21 other countries (37 other countries much more representative of the world community supported China's actions), and yet it cries 'interference' when some drama queen fakes a fall on campus.
What about New Zealand's lack of respect of the rights of the elderly and women? Recently we have had old people, women, tourists bashed in horrific acts of violence, and the courts hand out pathetic home detention sentences —-is that not a 'human rights' issue? How would NZ like it if China thought fit to comment on these incidents of outrageous injustice in NZ?
That you can't see this reeks of a sense of western exceptionalism bordering on white supremacy
What's the point of a climate emergency declaration?
"That question deserves a considered answer. First, let us immediately concede that the declaration of a climate change emergency produces no automatic and positive outcomes. It produces no new resources or solutions and provides no new powers. Such a declaration has no legal or statutory force – in that sense, it changes nothing.
But in other senses it is a significant step forward. It is, first, a formal and public recognition by those in authority that the issue is real and that the threat will only become more serious if it is not addressed.
And, it signals a determination to take whatever action is necessary to avert the threatened damage to our planet and our way of life. That signal serves as a constant reminder to themselves of their commitment to act – but is also a message to those they serve, alerting them to the certain need for measures that may be unwelcome."
http://www.bryangould.com/whats-the-point-of-a-climate-change-emergency-declaration/
It means a lot if it alters budget allocations and priorities across local governments.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/02/if-you-act-now-you-can-maybe-avoid-the-worst-of-climate-change-but-you-know-youre-not-going-to
If it's an emergency, then any form of denialism is marginal lunacy. If it's an emergency, a gradualism that permits only those actions that do not threaten the existing architecture of wealth and power is discredited. If it's an emergency, then holding out for magical techno-fixes is irresponsible risk-taking.
i.e. calling it an "emergency" determines what constitutes a rational response. It's a significant propaganda victory and an important one to win – which is why it is bitterly opposed.
‘
The stiff resistance to calling it, is an indication that it means something to its opponents.
Well observed. That resistance was intense, rather than casual. It's a deep issue.
A brilliant interview with Chris Finlayson by Sean Plunket laying out the actual facts around Ihumatao and the full and final Treaty settlement that included the land in dispute.
https://www.magic.co.nz/home/news/2019/07/treaty-settlements-concerning-ihumtao-are–full-and-final—-chr.html?fbclid=IwAR338zS4DePQSaJgXXBt4EVrRzMNI7vOVLfBdXgIeLI7gLhi4UI5x5IeRfM
Finlayson is the guy who prided himself on ramming through settlements at record rate, isn't he?
what could possibly go wrong….
No, Muttonbird. Finlayson is/was a complete arsehole to work for (I know) and was a Member of the party I do not support or vote for – BUT he did a marvellous job as Minister in moving historical Treaty disputes and settlements forward in a timely but respectful manner. He was/is respected for his knowledge and work in this area by the vast majority of other MPs from all Parties, and of parties to Treaty settlements, including iwi, hapu etc, the legal profession and the judiciary.
I don't know whether you watched his valedictory speech on leaving Parliament but I doubt that National would have him back after that speech. LOL.
I have been thinking over the last week or so that he would be the go to person on the Ihumaatao* situation. Much as I cannot stand Sean Plunket, I will watch the interview in the link above.
However, I also found two more articles on the background to Ihumaatao yesterday which are well worth reading for detail of the earlier Treaty settlement and the complicated dealings, Council decisions etc in relation to the sale of the land to Fletchers by the Wallace family.
This Spinoff one a week or so ago
https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/27-07-2019/our-trail-of-tears-the-story-of-how-ihumatao-was-stolen/
And this 2016 Listener article which is again very relevant:
https://www.noted.co.nz/planet/ihumatao-and-the-otuataua-stonefields-a-very-special-area/
Vincent O'Malley was a source of information for both articles; and the Listener article details that the confiscated land was given to a “Gavin Wallace” and owned by the Wallace family for 150 years until sold to Fletchers by the family through Gavin H Wallace Ltd. (Obviously not the same Gavin Wallace unless he defied all usual human age limits!)
This registered company is still in existence but now based in Dargaville and is listed as a Fish breeding /farming (onshore) company.
https://www.bizdb.co.nz/company/9429040668253/
* using a double a in place of macron, as suggested by weka.
Thanx for those links VV. Good reading.
Ummm… he had no ability to "ram" through Treaty settlements. I have NEVER seen him make any statement to that effect.
In fact Labour and the Greens will have voted for all the Treaty settlement bills that CF proposed.
Ngapuhi was the big miss. But that also seems to be the case with Andrew Little. Right at the moment the Ngapuhi negotiations seem to be stalled. Basically a fresh mandate is required, probably with major hapu sub groupings, such as Ngati Hine.
Peeni Henare in particular will be very conscious of the potential effect of Ihumatao on Ngapuhi (or hapu thereof) negotiations. As will Shane Jones and Winston Peters. What was likely to be a $200 to 300 million settlement could suddenly be $500 million, if the government does not get Ihumatao right.
Totally agree, Wayne*. It is a very complex situation which needs very careful handling otherwise the backlash and cost to- and from – everyone, Maori and Pakeha, will enormous in relation to the Treaty agreements already completed.
I highly recommend the two links above in my 5.1.2. You, probably better than any of us, will understand the conniptions etc vis a vis the Council decisions etc.
* Also well said on Bowalley Road.
Pair of conservative White guys have little patience for Māori land protests – gee, who could have seen that coming? We should subject ourselves to it for what reason, now?
Except one of those "conservative White guys" was intimately involved in resolving the Treaty claims around the very land in dispute now.
If you don’t think his opinion on the topic is worth listening to then you are seriously close minded.
What is he saying about what should happen?
It seems that he is taking the position that a signed full and final settlement should mean exactly that.
Yeah, good luck with that.
Pania Newton has what leverage … she started this in 2015. Fletchers are in no hurry.
Māori have been there for at least 800 years, so I think Pania and co probably have a different perspective on time and hurry.
As PM says, good luck with that. Even at the time it was implemented it was obvious the full and final was never going to work. There are also compelling reasons why it should be applied in this case.
Then the Iwi should never have agreed to sign the deed of Settlement. If full and final does not mean full and final then the whole Treaty settlement process is a joke.
If they hadn't signed they would have got nothing. Hobson's choice.
The Crown mandated full and final, Māori weren't treated at partners in that decision. Yes, that part of it is a joke. There was plenty of discussion at the time that this would come back to bite the government.
Full and final…unless something genuinely significant comes up. Address the emerging issue. That's what a tribunal is for.
This isn't a treaty issue however.
Yes it is . The iwi have made that clear as part of their claims in 1989 Treaty hearings at the very marae just around the corner from the land in dispute.
As a result of those the Manukau Council purchased the Stonefields and mountain as open space reserve. The iwi wanted the other block included and that didnt happen, this block is the supject of the protest by SOUL
“Sean notes that on average waitangi settlements result in two to three percent returns[of land] for Maori while Fletchers have gone above that and returned 25 percent of the land, which Pita [Turei] resoundingly agrees.
The Crown gives financial compensation where it cant return land
Which Iwi?
The one that signed the Deed of Settlement that included the land in question.
Te Kawerau a Maki. What about the other Iwi and Hapū with ties to Ihumātao?
Such as ?
Have they had Treaty settlements or are in the process of getting one? If so they can raise the matter as part of their negotiations with the Crown.
Private land is excluded from Treaty settlements, so how would that work?
I think there are at least four Iwi with connections to Ihumātao. I don't have a good enough grasp of the situation to explain how Hapū fit into that, but if we put the Crown's imposition of legal structures aside for a moment, it's clear that more than TKAM have a stake in this.
Land confiscation issues can be discussed and dealt with as far as I am aware. Compensation can be made for land confiscated that is in private hands and this can be used to buy back private land when it becomes available for sale.
have you looked at the maths on Iwi buying the Wallace's land using settlement money? What were the blocks there?
Really? Maori have to buy back land which was stolen from them.
Seems fair.
Yes, with the compensation they received for having the land taken from them unjustly (not stolen).
What IS excluded from Treaty Settlements is the idea that Private land can be compulsory purchased to meet the settlement of claims.
You're talking about the treaty, the protectors want the land included as part of the existing historic reserve. This is more a reserve issue and how culturally important land is put into reserve.
I get what you are saying, maui, and now I know a lot more about the historical significance of that whole area, I too would like to see as much as possible put into historic reserve. And also, if done in a culturally respectful way (ie not as a tourist site) a site for visits to learn the history of both the area itself and its role in NZ's overall history and culture.
If this could be done outside the Treaty and related processes – eg as a Reserve issue as you suggest – that would be great and hopefully a lot of very experienced, knowledgeable legals etc are currently working hard on trying to achieve exactly this. Having worked on the fringes of the Treaty Settlement process/agencies, my limited knowledge of that process leads me to believe it is a minefield that needs to be traversed very carefully as one step out of place could have major consequences not only in relation to this particular situation, but many others including Treaty settlements already completed.
I have everything crossed that a good solution can be found without this happening. If you haven't read the two links that I included in my 5.1.2 above, I recommend them as they gave me a much better picture of the complicated path that has led to the current impasse.
But on reflection after reading them, I am beginning to think that if the Wallace family had got their original consents through to allow the land to be rezoned, all would have been lost back in 2012; and that the sale to Fletchers may in fact have been a blessing in disguise in now leading to the opportunity to relook at the whole future of this area. Here's hoping… .
We're seeing the dark side of socialism again. RNZ midday news had a story of the Canterbury manufacturer of tiny houses being bullied by little hitlers in the local council. Apparently he explained that the ones he makes are actually vehicles. Local govt folks get their jobs due to the need to reduce the number of unemployed drifters, so it's a mistake to assume they can actually do anything. They obviously think "it's called a tiny house, so it must be a house".
Check the specs & you find it ain't necessarily so: "Built on a strong steel chassis, mobilised on tri-set axles, 6 low set radial tyres. Lightweight & size allows for ease of transportation. Unique efficient construction telescopic drawbar, both ends!" http://ecocottages.co.nz/
The cerebral processing involved in thinking "well, if it moves around on wheels it obviously can't be a house" is way too hard for the council officials.
Councils have been ultra picky for the last 15 years or so. Your thing about 'its socialism' is baseless.
Thats the problem with calling it a tiny house to mean permanent fixed site when they want it built under caravan regulations.
Even Fixed houses can be moved – if they have timber floor. Keith Hay homes arrive on the back of a truck.
The downside is that councils will be stuck with US style 'trailer parks' which are mostly fixed houses.
The pictures dont emphasise the mobility!
https://i.ontrapages.com/static/images/117525.8244ec9c41c37b8442d480a924409217.JPEG
Your thing about 'its socialism' is baseless.
I was going to pull up Dennis Frank on that one too. On the one hand he describes them as "little Hitlers" and them refers to "the dark side of socialism". Nothing to do with socialism. As my father used to call them "big frogs in little pools". Much more apt description.
Franko prolly thinks the narzies were leftists anny, That's the twisty little wordgamery his ilk praxises.
Irony?
One aspect of the neo-liberal religion is to manipulate the meaning of language. If they could, they’d sell it to the highest bidder – along with emotion and religious belief itself if they perceived there was a market for it.
One of the latest things that drew my interest was the idea that there are a huge number of ‘Co-Operatives’ in New Zealand. Now I guess that COULD be technically correct if you are prepared to believe that ‘franchises’ that pay minimum and under-wage to their workers should be included in the definition.
Actually, now I think about it, they’ve already managed it if you consider how “Oh Woe! Bizzniss Confidence is down” seems to reign supreme – even when all else suggests it’s a complete bloody appeal to emotion and reality.
These days – I wouldn’;t even call Fonterra a fucking Co-Operative – but more fool its owners eh?
Trouble is they’ll be squealing like stuffed pigs if and when it all goes tits up and calling for mummy/nanny state
that's not socialism, its neoliberalism and protofeudalism. If it was socialism, the council would be full of socialists assisting people to build tiny homes.
Sounds like they're looking after the building industry in praxis franko. That's crony capitalism, that is.
Besides the "nothing to do with socialism" thing, the website even calls them "buildings" in one or two places.
It's a smart-arse dodge around planning regulations. Maybe it'll work, maybe not.
They're registered as vehicles for the purposes of the Land Transport Act, so calling them buildings on their website is a bit daft. I'm going to guess they're built to code though (where possible), and that the issue for the council is about preventing unauthorised dwellings on sections.
I've owned a similar transportable 2 bedroom home for around 12 years now. It cost around $90,000 on site. (Auckland). It is extremely well finished including cedar panelling and came with fridge/freezer, full gas stove/oven. gas hot water, and dish drawer, carpeted and ready to go. Just needs to be plugged in to a builders pole for electricity – a caravan connection suffices – can run off a tap for water supply or a small rain tank and water pump if not on town supply. The main problem for councils is the grey water and sewage disposal. Obviously, it has the same outflows as a normal dwelling.
The company has supplied a similar home to one of NZ's wealthiest, so they are far from tatty. It is classified as a caravan and awning, and comes on a steel chassis and is towed onto site. A large transporter truck can ferry it over large distances (each module is 3 m wide and 10 m in length), so no need to be registered for road use. So is very transportable. I shifted mine to a new location in the Coromandel from Auckland after two years. No problems.
Being small, well insulated it is very quick to heat on a cold night, and with two large ranch slider doors easy to ventilate and keep cool in summer. I think if we really wanted to house homeless people in NZ. a building programme along the lines of these transportable dwelling would ensure a lot of people could enjoy a private comfortable place in short order far quicker and less costly than the current method of building.
Trouble is that trailer-homes can end up being rusted in place after a few years in the same place – or people can't pay lot fees and then can't afford to move them. ends up being another trap for the poor.
But my main issue with this is that if they become mainstream, it basically screws consents systems. Stick a prefab on wheels, oh look we don't need a consent to double the built-space area on our land. Double the infrastructure burden on council, too, but it's not an addition (even though we haven't moved it in 15 years) and doesn't count as an "improvement" on our rates bill.
The area ends up being a high-density slum without any council knowledge or consent.
Let me put it this way – currently, it seems that there might more process required around the installation of a 1.8m wide swimming pool for the summer than there is for a three-bedroom modular home for ten years… because wheels?
JAG getting grilled by Bishop over her letter in question time.
Bishop reminds me of a chubby little four year old kid sitting on the floor with some upturned paper cups. He's trying to work out which one's got the piece of chocolate under it. He lifts one, not there, another, not there, … Inevitably, when they've all been lifted and he knows there's no chocolate there what does he do?
Silly question – he keeps on lifting them and looking. Meanwhile the world keeps on turning.
Bishop caught Genter out on a technicality; fair enough; she's learned. I think she should have been more up-front in the House. Mallard thought so to. A minor issue, but that's all National have to chuck at the Coalition.
Jeez, if you call that a grilling, you've been hanging out too long at National damp sausage with limp lettuce Barbeques too much. JAG didn't waiver and answered well. Bishop should go back to spending his time doing searches on Budget websites and "political grooming" on social media.
I don't think it's over for JAG yet. I'm sure it will continue today.
I thought this was interesting. I feel that males are having hard time coping with life, finding what it is to be a man and a person coping with a contradictory culture – things being the opposite that is the accepted state in the public mind. No wonder their mental health is down. And no wonder so many are thinking of changing their gender – who can find their way in such a shitty present and see what they might be in the future?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018707417/matt-brown-a-haircut-and-a-friendly-ear
It's helping to encourage men and boys to talk about things that might be bothering them – encouraging them to open up and share what's going on in their lives in a safe place.
Matt, who started barbering more than 10 years ago, realised while working at his first barbers in Auckland that men came for more than a cut.
“Men were coming in and not you know, wanting more than just the haircut, they wanted a conversation. And not many places, spaces, allow men to really open up quite like the barber chair.”
The land claims over land now in private hands reminded me of Titford in Northland. The road can be hard for Maori with connections to historic land to get it back from someone to whom it's just a piece of dirt. Titford make a right old fuss and wanted compensation for the future profitable enterprise he was going to develop – yeah right.
The tail-end of the saga:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/9435787/Bittersweet-vindication-for-iwi
It was found he had burnt down his own home in 1992, but had blamed it on local Maori to increase his claim to compensation from the government. Te Roroa Maori hope this is a chance for their story to be told and the claims of harassment, terrorism, and sabotage exposed as lies…
Anything we had to say was just dismissed out of hand, the perception was such that we were the nasties, all the negative was laid on us,” said Alex Nathan, who along with Murray is the last of the Te Roroa Treaty negotiators.
“At the time that was hurtful but we weren’t given an opportunity to put an alternative point of view. There wasn’t a mood to listen to what we were saying,” he said.
Titford became a spokesman for apparently honest farmers having land stolen by apparently greedy Maori. He fed into a racist sentiment that turned many New Zealanders against Maori.
“There is a current just beneath the surface that is quite racist and it doesn’t take much to reveal it,” said Nathan.
“Titford represents the extreme end of the spectrum. It is very easy for someone if they are noisy enough to stir a response from the generality.”
Date of the stuff report on Titford was 24/11/2013. The long time stand-off started with his farm purchase in 1986, then Maori claims against subdivision, then he burnt his house in 1992 and in 1995 the Crown came in and paid out $3.25 million. He had paid $600,000 in 1986.
Another piece of shit in a stolen car kills an innocent pedestrian.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12256538
That " piece of shit " will get a slap on the wrist if they catch him.
Manslaughter is not a serious crime in New Zealand.
We don't value human life or animal life come too that.
Oh, some of us value them before they are born, but not much afterwards.
That judge Raoul Neave thinks he is a nice person and can come good!
Making the white man great again.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/outrage-photo-shows-police-leading-black-man-rope-190807015812644.html
I was at the negotiating round in Melbourne in early July. Officials met again in China this week for intensive negotiations on the investment chapter.
RCEP trade ministers are due to meet in Shanghai on Friday to decide on matters still outstanding in this secretive negotiation, including the investment rules.
There is a high risk that New Zealand will capitulate again and accept, at best, a footnote that allows it to object, but would still allow the investor to sue New Zealand in this expensive and discredited system of international investment arbitration.
I call on David Parker to “assure New Zealanders that he won’t sell us out again by accepting ISDS and giving foreign investors even more power to intimidate governments from acting in the national interest.”
Those are the final wordefrom Professor Jane Kelsey on negotiations around our international trade deals that NZ thinkers hate. So David Parker have you any spine?
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/08/04/is-nz-about-to-break-its-promise-again-by-accepting-investment-disputes-in-rcep/