The better team won, but the USA individuals created more chances, only to stopped from winning by the Swedish keeper (token brunette).
Then in the penalty shootout, the American keeper was good, but her team lost because teammates could not shoot on target.
A major success for those who train at The New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport for worldies. In the local club area of two former Ferns Sarah Gregorius and Wendi Henderson (and current PM).
I felt sorry for the US keeper, out of the cup by a few millimetres! Rather cruel way to go.
But happy with the result because I have a small bet at the TAB on Sweden to lift the cup and now they are past the US I think they have a great chance.
We have certainly seen some great football over the past couple of weeks.
Can any of the political geniuses around here explain why Labour’s “three tunnels” should not be considered an Auckland iteration of the “Springfield Monorail”? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marge_vs._the_Monorail
To put it bluntly, Act and Natzos want to destroy FPAs, slash public service, sit on minimum wage increases, attack Māori and wind back many of the incremental reforms Labour has enacted–it needs to be met head on with strong statements. NZ Labour may as well have announced a sky car for every home…
Get real, this general election is likely the last throw of the dice for the selfish section of boomers and should be taken more seriously.
The announcement yesterday was complete nonsense, grandiose vapourware that will be shelved by February if Labour win. And anyway, why does the North Shore need so much transport infrastructure? They've got the harbour bridge, ferries, two motorways, a dedicated busway, Penlink – talk about the home of the long white whine. Meanwhile, the Northwestern is a complete sh*tshow without even a bus lane, you can't commute to town from Howick without changing bus 40 million times and taking three hours or paying a ransom for the ferry, the Bermuda triangle of cycleways from New Lynn to Ellerslie/Penrose is a thing, the eastern line is closed for a year, and Dannemora/Flatbush resembles a giant carpark such is the paucity of transport options.
This tunnel plan from labour is bullshit…with a capital b..and a bevy of exclamation marks…
It is a classic diversion tactic ..
'look..!…over there..!'..
The bridge isn't the problem .(as others have noted above..)
Traffic on the bridge flows…it is the roads on both sides that are the problem..
Brown on rnz noted that traffic on the bridge hasn't increased because of the success of the busway..
He also pointed out the places on motorway that clog…all the time…and said they should be re-engineered…
(Strange to agree with brown..but there ya go..!)
And of course taking on board the roaring success of the north shore busway…it would seem bleeding obvious to look at the other busways ..and to re-engineer them to get the same results as the nth shore one..
And more of them ..
Which brings me to my idea for transport to airport…why not build a dedicated busway ..that could only be used by busses and emergency vehicles..and express busses could feed into it from those public transport deserts..
..much cheaper/nimble/multi/efficient option…I would submit..
I also agree with those asking why this ginormous expense should be focused on the north shore…an area already well served by public transport/road/bridge options..when so many other/poorer areas are those public transport deserts…
And here is something that could be done for public transport…use a small fraction of the cost of labours' pipe-dream ..and buy the ferry company…and slash the fares..and expand the fleet with electric ferries….with a larger terminal for them as part of the port plans..
Whichever way you look at it…this multi-tunnel/ginormously expensive idea from labour..is total bullshit ..
This election is becoming a hectic lolly scramble with most of the parties promising more and bigger lollies than the others. It is pretty obvious that they don't know how much their grandiose projects would really cost, but incredibly they seem to think that we – the voters – don't really care. They talk about projects costing an estimated $30 billion as if it is loose change begging to be spent.
I would like to see the parties looking at smaller, more targeted initiatives such as you mention that cover things like wealth equality, climate change, poverty and transport, but with the possible exception of the Greens, they are too obsessed with Think Big 2023.
And what's there even to do in the North shore once you get there?? Nothing but listening to Lorde and moan about not taking the Yacht out enough.
The scary thing about the project is if they say in 2023 it's gonna cost $15 billion, by 2029 it's gonna cost $20-25 billion and then there will be the usual project blow outs and construction will take about 5 years longer than estimated…it always does…
Eye watering.
Sure…. They actually do need a crossing at some point because the current bridge will not last forever, engineers are constantly telling us about Auckland harbour bridge being at risk of total structural failure.
But … $15 billion (which will really end up costing $20-25 billion) far out…
Those who see other transport priorities reducing congestion first as a priority might wonder about another option.
The current bridge has a problem with durability because of the clip-on. It could be replaced, but this reduces capacity during the work.
One option is to reserve the clip-on for lightweight use only – cars and light commercial vehicles and otherwise motorbikes/e bikes, bicycles and pedestrians.
If this does not provide enough capacity, then a new (toll) bridge (let the truckies pay for it).
Yep. I just cant see all the $ Billions…tunnels,time factor (cost overruns) et al, being appropriate, or needed.
And re your
If this does not provide enough capacity, then a new (toll) bridge (let the truckies pay for it).
Hell yes !
Re your earlier comment on Coastal Shipping. I am just baffled why NZ isnt "on board" with this. Coastal Ships should be Operational in NZ wherever possible !
You do realize that it's not the "truckies" paying for it – that cost will be loaded onto everything they transport – and onto the hourly rate of contractors.
It's not the truckies who will pay, it's their customers.
You could write a sternly worded letter to the Labour for failing to repeal legislation from National that allowed for the heavier trucks. You could then write another sternly worded letter to the Green Party – the one party that cancels out working with anyone else but Labour – defacto being a fully owned subsidiary to Labour – as to why they did not compel Labour for rescinding that policy.
Yes National did allow larger trucks and larger loads. The Road User charges are complex, and depend on the configuration and weight. I suspect it is time that those charges were reviewed, and I have believed for a long time that we should follow the UK with emission testing and registration based on how much pollution the vehicle emits. A friend who is an engineer told me that his truck with a heavy extendable crane on the back may cause as much damage as a larger truck with more wheels. I suspect a lot of the problem now is because National only put half the money into maintenance that they needed to for nine years and let the potholes develop.
And what did Labour do over the last 6 years? just asking, because the current government is a labour one with a full majority. National left the building in 2016 when Labour and NZFirst with supply from the Greens formed the government that unseated National.
And again, this changes nothing on the fact that businesses don't pay GST or Tolls. The tax payer does, the end consumer does, the purchaser of the goods that got transported do.
We will pay twice for it. First time the cost of toll will be factored in teh cost of delivery, end consumer pays. Second time, the cost of toll will be factored into the cost of doing business and will be written of as a business expense, the tax payer pays the toll.
But yeah, the evil truckies who bring good to a supermarket, warehouse, building site.
Just such limited thinking on who actually pays the shit everyone wants for free.
The old let the truckies write transport policy, they are in it for us, and let the tobacco companies write the rules for retailing – they are just giving people what they are addicted to.
let you do
The driving principle behind laissez-faire, a French term that translates to "leave alone" (literally, "let you do"), is that the less the government is involved in the economy, the better off business will be, and by extension, society as a whole. Laissez-faire economics is a key part of free-market capitalism.
Also known as Leave it to Lassie, a popular propaganda show from the 1950's.
You are putting a lot of words there where i left none.
Again, the costs of Tolls are paid by the end user of the trasnported product as the toll is factored into the purchasing price of any goods. Then the tolls are paid again, this time by the tax payer who will pay for the write off costs of doing business.
So in essence you could say that your toll roads are a net benefit for transport companies. They get to charge the toll + profit and then they get to write it off as a cost of doing business reducing their taxable income.
As for laissez faire economics, no one better then the current lot in government who have regulated nothing. See inflation, high cost of living, falling healthcare services, education failing on all levels, high crime, shootings by criminals leaving the country littered in dead bodies…..my oh my, so much laissez faire.
Which, btw, is going to be the reason for many people to not donate to labour, not volunteer for labour, not door knock for labour, not put signs up for labour and in the end not vote for labour.
Tolls and GST are things that only the end consumer and tax payer pays. Businesses charge them on and then demand a write of of their expenses. And labour no more will regulate that then national. Cause they both benefit of it.
The trouble in NZ is that we need decent roads, but we have not a single party in government that is honest about what we need, what we can finance. So in essence due to the cowardly suits in NZ politics we have shitty private transport, shitty public transport, and shitty commercial transport. It's almost as if it is by design. Underfunded, understaffed, like our schools, hospitals, coppers, but gazillions of people who earn 6 figures drawing dumb arse pictures with tunnels all the way to china.
Oh, I agree. This was in response to the very short-sighted comment about 'just make the truckies pay'
The reality is, that it's the truckies customers who will pay – and in the end (unless you live off what you grow in your backyard, and don't buy anything) – that's all of us.
The Labour plan has the road tunnels in the role of a new bridge (with the separate rail tunnel to complete its light rail network plan).
As the tunnels were built, two lanes on the existing bridge would be turned into dedicated bus lanes to extend the Northern Busway to the CBD, and some clip-on lanes would become cycling lanes and walkways. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency was also looking into building an elevated walkway above the cycle lanes to separate pedestrians.The remaining four lanes would be for general traffic.
I'd go with a cheaper option of a new bridge than the road tunnels and leave the idea of a rail tunnel and the city wide light rail development till later.
Disclosure – vote Green, and not competing with National for the car-driven mad vote.
Meanwhile – there is actually no reason for there to be dedicated bus lanes across the bridge itself.
The hold-ups are on the approaches – where on-ramps feed into the motorway – which is why the bus lanes were implemented and are effective.
Once the motorway is past the last on-ramp (Onewa Rd) – the traffic is free flowing and there is no need for buses to be separated out- there will be no advantage to them – they can't move faster than the rest of the traffic at 80K, even in their own lane.
This is one of those 'sound good' policies which actually has little, if any, benefit.
One option is to reserve the clip-on for lightweight use only – cars and light commercial vehicles and otherwise motorbikes/e bikes, bicycles and pedestrians.
That light use scenario has played out at various times across the bridge – when heavy traffic (including buses) has been directed to the centre span. It doesn't really have a big impact on the volume of traffic – although it makes it a bit difficult for buses to manoeuvre across to and from the side-of-the-motorway bus lanes.
Walking and cycling across the existing bridge is a dead duck. It's quite simply not going to happen unless the Government legislates for it – and accepts all H&S liability (I can't see them doing this either).
ATM – AT know that if they allowed walkers/cyclists to use the existing lanes – and there was an accident resulting in deaths – they would be liable. Every board of directors and CEO in the country is watching the White Island court case with shivers running down their spines.
In addition, any restriction of capacity (and using one or more lanes for walking/cycling will significantly restrict capacity) – will make the Government deeply unpopular (and the current Government appears to be courting popularity at all costs).
No one (least of all the cyclists) appears to be interested in any alternatives. The cheapest and quickest would be an EV cycle shuttle from the old toll plaza to the Curran St on-ramp – running on an endless cycle during rush hour – and on call at other times.
Pedestrians, of course, already have their alternative in place – the bus system. Which has the advantage of running from close to where you live – rather than requiring you to walk for an hour to get to the bridge.
Sure- Springfield’s monorail is a solution without a problem.
This plan is essential to keep a secure and consistent connection between the shore and the city. Good density on the Shore and good access to public transport would be part of the solution to reducing a carbon footprint.
At the moment the bridge is the only point of crossing. It is currently dangerous in high winds. We are going to see more storms. That would see emergency services on either side of the harbour unnecessarily separated. It is an aging structure not designed for the kind of loads it currently takes. We will need new harbour crossings to keep the city functioning. It is a good idea to plan for them.
Solving one problem doesn’t mean not solving other problems too. What a redundant argument! If we have police we can’t have hospitals?
The mayor was busy planning cosmetic swimming pools rather than focus on urgent issues a day ago. He’s allowed to do that but central government isn’t allowed to plan for a much more pressing problem?
Having seen the plans (where it reaches surface level especially on the Shore side), I'm more worried about sea level rise. The section of the motorway where the road tunnel lands on the NS is already subject to being splashed by waves in a king tide with following winds.
Projecting for a 30 centimetre sea-level rise by 2050 – the whole area is going to be underwater. I wouldn't feel safe in a tunnel….
I can't comment on the projected rail link landing – the maps are too waffly to know where it would actually end up.
Plenty of stormwater / sewer / power tunnels under Auckland already, most of them in recent times with TBMs
The geology of the place is generally sandstone / greywacke with the volcanics coming up through that in known places. Makes for pretty good tunnelling conditions.
Didn't some German engineering students do a report that recommended a commuter monorail system up the centre of the North Shore motorway some years back?
It wouldn't require using extra land, although motorway overbridges would be a problem.
Can anyone shed some light on the issue of our current distribution system?
Is any of our inward cargo to Auckland and Tauranga sent down to Christchurch or Wellington via coastal shipping? And if not, why not?
Is there any reason why the government should not run a state owned coastal shipping service to get trucks (less of them and phase back down the maximum size/weight) off our roads and ensure resilience for when roads are washed out (supply into Northland or Hawkes Bay etc)?
Another issue is reducing Auckland to a coastal port – receiving goods for the local area (apart from some down from Northport by train). And having Northport and Tauranga as the two international ports (for onward shipment to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch).
PS Another (related) matter is the failure of the Cook Strait service to food from north to south and south to north reliably.
Yes. Unfortunately National’s “open Coast” policy in the 90’s decimated reliable coastal shipping services in favour of much more expensive and resource intensive, trucking.
Need to encourage coastal shipping. But we already have a Government owned coastal service. The rail ferries.
Having shipping on a level footing with overly subsidised trucking should be the first step.
Doesn't make sense to replace Auckland with Whangarei and Tauranga when most of the cargo goes to and from South Auckland. Both are limited for larger ships and need cargo transported from South Auckland to them.
Firth of Thames, Orere Point is the sensible option for the North Island main port for the future. However local politics prevents sensible solutions. As NZ fails to plan ahead Sydney may well become the hub port with all the associated costs and inefficiencies. Or we will continue to try and get ever larger ships into ports which will never be suitable for them without ongoing and ever increasing inefficiencies and expense.
Even if Auckland becomes a coastal port the capability and area used on the existing site will need to be improved/increased.
Anyone who suggests the Manukau, loses their credibility straight away.
Having alternative shipping services to and from more smaller ports helps solve the bottleneck of Cook Strait weather and the reliance on only a few ships.
Then there is the issue of whether exporting cheap bulk commodities to China, in return for short lived manufactered junk, is actually a sustainable future path for Aotearoa.
Try http://www.coastalbulkshipping.co.nz The present government has also done some sort of deal with two other offshore shipping companies, one of which is Swires. The latest 'CBS' ship came into service in time to pick up a 3 month contract servicing the east coast area after the cyclone wrecked the roads.
Be careful, if you criticise the Greens you'll need at least two learned opinions from top law firms, several linked citations and a correct translation from the original Sanskrit or Weka will ban you until after the election.
Nope. The Standard has long used Notices and Features to publish media releases or other material from political parties. It also gets used for cross posting, caption contests etc. Basically it's for posts that don't have a TS author commentary.
Correctly 4 midfield (Havili over Goodhue with Ennor injured) with cover from Fainga'anuku,
* a surprise extra at the back
Will Jordan and Mark Telea and Narawa is fit enough, Leicester Fainga'anuku but for mine Stevenson has the form this year, rather than Clarke if there is an extra one.
She’s beautiful this way. (And as for the Soviet fetishists on here – you can fuck right off. I’m telling you this as the direct descendant of Red Army officers on both sides of the family. We’ve moved on. Fuck Moscow. Enough is enough.)
Ukraine’s national trident was installed on a monument depicting the Motherland in Kyiv on Sunday, replacing Soviet symbols in one of the most visible examples of breaking away from the past and Moscow’s influence.
[…]
Originally, the shield bore the Soviet Union’s coat of arms – a crossed hammer and sickle surrounded by ears of wheat.
The 'corner dairy campaign' quietly backed by big tobacco
Since 1 August, ads have started showing up on Facebook urging people to support a petition to "save our stores".
And much earlier, similar tactic in Britain (same link)
In 2008, British MPs were fooled by a 'save our shop' campaign they thought was from independent retailers protesting rules for displaying cigarettes. The campaign was run by the Tobacco Retailers' Association which was linked to tobacco companies British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco and Gallaher.
Yep. Poisonous creeps. In all meanings. I still remember when B.A.T. went into Africa, particularly targetting the young smoker market….
Big Tobacco indeed….
With its young and growing population, Africa is one of the only regions in the world where cigarette sales are still increasing. BAT’s dubious activities helped keep consumers addicted to its deadly products.
How come the perception that Youth Crime is raging out of control? Derek Chang has a brilliant column under "Election Analysis 2023" Graphs and all:
The number of charges has also fallen, though not as sharply as the number of those facing charges; there were 10,701 charges across those aged 10 to 16 in 2013, but this dropped by 43 per cent to 6060 charges by 2022, and is still a decent drop (22 per cent) if charges against 17-year-olds are included.
Sometimes someone has already archived it, use the 2nd field first to check. But if it hasn't been, use the first one. It will take a while to archive then you can click on the latest version and copy and paste the direct link here.
Allowing Wayne Brown to blowhard on RNZ this morning. Geeeeeez.
For a while for the right the harbour crossing was more important than any light rail. Now it’s a distraction from other things, apparently. Outmaneuvered, they shift attack.
No one seems to have pulled him up for spending his time talking about putting swimming pools on the waterfront and moving the port ahead of other pressing business.
Or the fact that we can walk and breathe and it’s vitally important to keep the Shore properly connected to the city so we need to get started well before the bridge starts failing or the rate of high winds etc increases. We can do that and resurface other roads etc etc.
And the right had organised good Vox popli follow up to support the mayor too, as if starting the planning for this was responsible for too many cones in streets in the city.
On the back foot and the opposition is getting time to frame their policies.
Both major parties are looking at a new Harbour crossing.
The busway is already heavily subscribed.
The bridge is already dangerous in high winds. This is something that needs replacing and because of the size it needs to be looked at early to get it done.
I know chewing gum and walking is a problem for some- but we can plan to deal with this issue as well as working on other problems across the transport network. It’s a false argument.
My point is yesterday the Mayor was talking about a long term plan, but no one said Oh no! No more road resurfacing because we want to put a swimming pool downtown.
As well in a city very well served with beaches, and considering the failure of the Wynyard tram you have to wonder about the value of these developments on what can be a cold, windy space. A two month a year development? Perhaps less with sub tropical summer storms.
Under the usual scenario in NZ infrastructure you don’t actually build something or even think about it until the original structure is well past its use by date or falls down. Then 2 decades go by while we drive around it or climb over it before a replacemet is thrown together. It seems also to be a mantra especially at local level to build something for yesterday instead of 30 or 50 years down the track. The number of one- way bridges in this country is testament to that cross-eyed yokel thinking. it is still going n, I drive across two of them built within the last 15 years to go 20kms to a large town. The previous ones were 90 and 110 years old, if one lane was enough a hundred years ago I suppose another 100 years of backing trucks backwards off bridges so at least someone can get past will just have to do, can’t spend too much money y’know.
The time to build a second harbour crossing was yesterday.
The planning for the tunnels and rail started as Ad said in 2014. Nine years looking at what is long lasting and feasible. Making a commitment. Brown complains about consultation. What a crock.
Show us the consultation on Budget cuts he high handedly announced. Show us the consultation and planning for his Ports idea. Both were non existent, but now he wants consultation.?????
To be entirely fair to Brown, the budget cuts came after what was the most submitted upon budget in Auckland Council history.
We (the public) did have our say. And the Councillors (from all sides of the political spectrum) did have to agree upon it. He's not a one-man-dictatorship, he only has one vote on the Council.
I never put down organised labour–apart perhaps from tactical differences–having been a life long unionist myself, but…would note that a number of public sector workers were way more timid when sirkey was in office, with the honourable exception of those teacher unions that held out against Hekia Parata’s National Standards, Charter schools, and bulk funding and “performance” pay.
Labour spent big during COVID basically, pity so much of it went into property via finance capital!
We only accepted in the knowledge that if we held out the Mecca would drag out past October and a change of Government would mean no settlement for years.
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TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
Open access notablesImproving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society:To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
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Interesting game of football – Sweden vs USA.
The better team won, but the USA individuals created more chances, only to stopped from winning by the Swedish keeper (token brunette).
Then in the penalty shootout, the American keeper was good, but her team lost because teammates could not shoot on target.
A major success for those who train at The New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport for worldies. In the local club area of two former Ferns Sarah Gregorius and Wendi Henderson (and current PM).
I felt sorry for the US keeper, out of the cup by a few millimetres! Rather cruel way to go.
But happy with the result because I have a small bet at the TAB on Sweden to lift the cup and now they are past the US I think they have a great chance.
We have certainly seen some great football over the past couple of weeks.
Can any of the political geniuses around here explain why Labour’s “three tunnels” should not be considered an Auckland iteration of the “Springfield Monorail”?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marge_vs._the_Monorail
To put it bluntly, Act and Natzos want to destroy FPAs, slash public service, sit on minimum wage increases, attack Māori and wind back many of the incremental reforms Labour has enacted–it needs to be met head on with strong statements. NZ Labour may as well have announced a sky car for every home…
Get real, this general election is likely the last throw of the dice for the selfish section of boomers and should be taken more seriously.
The announcement yesterday was complete nonsense, grandiose vapourware that will be shelved by February if Labour win. And anyway, why does the North Shore need so much transport infrastructure? They've got the harbour bridge, ferries, two motorways, a dedicated busway, Penlink – talk about the home of the long white whine. Meanwhile, the Northwestern is a complete sh*tshow without even a bus lane, you can't commute to town from Howick without changing bus 40 million times and taking three hours or paying a ransom for the ferry, the Bermuda triangle of cycleways from New Lynn to Ellerslie/Penrose is a thing, the eastern line is closed for a year, and Dannemora/Flatbush resembles a giant carpark such is the paucity of transport options.
your comments got held back because there’s a typo in your email address. please fix for next comment.
Frankly, I'm beginning to wonder what the f*** Labour stands for anymore!
This tunnel plan from labour is bullshit…with a capital b..and a bevy of exclamation marks…
It is a classic diversion tactic ..
'look..!…over there..!'..
The bridge isn't the problem .(as others have noted above..)
Traffic on the bridge flows…it is the roads on both sides that are the problem..
Brown on rnz noted that traffic on the bridge hasn't increased because of the success of the busway..
He also pointed out the places on motorway that clog…all the time…and said they should be re-engineered…
(Strange to agree with brown..but there ya go..!)
And of course taking on board the roaring success of the north shore busway…it would seem bleeding obvious to look at the other busways ..and to re-engineer them to get the same results as the nth shore one..
And more of them ..
Which brings me to my idea for transport to airport…why not build a dedicated busway ..that could only be used by busses and emergency vehicles..and express busses could feed into it from those public transport deserts..
..much cheaper/nimble/multi/efficient option…I would submit..
I also agree with those asking why this ginormous expense should be focused on the north shore…an area already well served by public transport/road/bridge options..when so many other/poorer areas are those public transport deserts…
And here is something that could be done for public transport…use a small fraction of the cost of labours' pipe-dream ..and buy the ferry company…and slash the fares..and expand the fleet with electric ferries….with a larger terminal for them as part of the port plans..
Whichever way you look at it…this multi-tunnel/ginormously expensive idea from labour..is total bullshit ..
..and does them no favours…
I agree.
This election is becoming a hectic lolly scramble with most of the parties promising more and bigger lollies than the others. It is pretty obvious that they don't know how much their grandiose projects would really cost, but incredibly they seem to think that we – the voters – don't really care. They talk about projects costing an estimated $30 billion as if it is loose change begging to be spent.
I would like to see the parties looking at smaller, more targeted initiatives such as you mention that cover things like wealth equality, climate change, poverty and transport, but with the possible exception of the Greens, they are too obsessed with Think Big 2023.
And what's there even to do in the North shore once you get there?? Nothing but listening to Lorde and moan about not taking the Yacht out enough.
The scary thing about the project is if they say in 2023 it's gonna cost $15 billion, by 2029 it's gonna cost $20-25 billion and then there will be the usual project blow outs and construction will take about 5 years longer than estimated…it always does…
Eye watering.
Sure…. They actually do need a crossing at some point because the current bridge will not last forever, engineers are constantly telling us about Auckland harbour bridge being at risk of total structural failure.
But … $15 billion (which will really end up costing $20-25 billion) far out…
Those who see other transport priorities reducing congestion first as a priority might wonder about another option.
The current bridge has a problem with durability because of the clip-on. It could be replaced, but this reduces capacity during the work.
One option is to reserve the clip-on for lightweight use only – cars and light commercial vehicles and otherwise motorbikes/e bikes, bicycles and pedestrians.
If this does not provide enough capacity, then a new (toll) bridge (let the truckies pay for it).
Yep. I just cant see all the $ Billions…tunnels,time factor (cost overruns) et al, being appropriate, or needed.
And re your
Hell yes !
Re your earlier comment on Coastal Shipping. I am just baffled why NZ isnt "on board" with this. Coastal Ships should be Operational in NZ wherever possible !
And just make it possible !
You do realize that it's not the "truckies" paying for it – that cost will be loaded onto everything they transport – and onto the hourly rate of contractors.
It's not the truckies who will pay, it's their customers.
We sure pay for it. We allow the heavier trucks on the add-on and the bridge life is compromised.
We allow the heavier trucks on the roads and they crack faster and the rain makes holes.
We undermine alternatives to the trucks and lack (regional) resilience when the roads go down – GW anyone?
You could write a sternly worded letter to the Labour for failing to repeal legislation from National that allowed for the heavier trucks. You could then write another sternly worded letter to the Green Party – the one party that cancels out working with anyone else but Labour – defacto being a fully owned subsidiary to Labour – as to why they did not compel Labour for rescinding that policy.
After all we are globally boiling? Right? Right?
Yes National did allow larger trucks and larger loads. The Road User charges are complex, and depend on the configuration and weight. I suspect it is time that those charges were reviewed, and I have believed for a long time that we should follow the UK with emission testing and registration based on how much pollution the vehicle emits. A friend who is an engineer told me that his truck with a heavy extendable crane on the back may cause as much damage as a larger truck with more wheels. I suspect a lot of the problem now is because National only put half the money into maintenance that they needed to for nine years and let the potholes develop.
And what did Labour do over the last 6 years? just asking, because the current government is a labour one with a full majority. National left the building in 2016 when Labour and NZFirst with supply from the Greens formed the government that unseated National.
And again, this changes nothing on the fact that businesses don't pay GST or Tolls. The tax payer does, the end consumer does, the purchaser of the goods that got transported do.
We will pay twice for it. First time the cost of toll will be factored in teh cost of delivery, end consumer pays. Second time, the cost of toll will be factored into the cost of doing business and will be written of as a business expense, the tax payer pays the toll.
But yeah, the evil truckies who bring good to a supermarket, warehouse, building site.
Just such limited thinking on who actually pays the shit everyone wants for free.
The old let the truckies write transport policy, they are in it for us, and let the tobacco companies write the rules for retailing – they are just giving people what they are addicted to.
Also known as Leave it to Lassie, a popular propaganda show from the 1950's.
You are putting a lot of words there where i left none.
Again, the costs of Tolls are paid by the end user of the trasnported product as the toll is factored into the purchasing price of any goods. Then the tolls are paid again, this time by the tax payer who will pay for the write off costs of doing business.
So in essence you could say that your toll roads are a net benefit for transport companies. They get to charge the toll + profit and then they get to write it off as a cost of doing business reducing their taxable income.
As for laissez faire economics, no one better then the current lot in government who have regulated nothing. See inflation, high cost of living, falling healthcare services, education failing on all levels, high crime, shootings by criminals leaving the country littered in dead bodies…..my oh my, so much laissez faire.
Which, btw, is going to be the reason for many people to not donate to labour, not volunteer for labour, not door knock for labour, not put signs up for labour and in the end not vote for labour.
Tolls and GST are things that only the end consumer and tax payer pays. Businesses charge them on and then demand a write of of their expenses. And labour no more will regulate that then national. Cause they both benefit of it.
The trouble in NZ is that we need decent roads, but we have not a single party in government that is honest about what we need, what we can finance. So in essence due to the cowardly suits in NZ politics we have shitty private transport, shitty public transport, and shitty commercial transport. It's almost as if it is by design. Underfunded, understaffed, like our schools, hospitals, coppers, but gazillions of people who earn 6 figures drawing dumb arse pictures with tunnels all the way to china.
We all pay through the nose already for trucking roads, energy and pollution costs.
Just that it is not obvious, because the costs are paid indirectly.
Oh, I agree. This was in response to the very short-sighted comment about 'just make the truckies pay'
The reality is, that it's the truckies customers who will pay – and in the end (unless you live off what you grow in your backyard, and don't buy anything) – that's all of us.
https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2023/03/30/harbour-crossing-project-now-estimated-to-cost-15-25-billion/
The Labour plan has the road tunnels in the role of a new bridge (with the separate rail tunnel to complete its light rail network plan).
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/auckland-harbour-crossing-mayor-wayne-brown-fires-shot-at-major-parties-over-start-date-and-price-tag/U45RBB2DYBGDNF3IIPFYM4VWFA/
I'd go with a cheaper option of a new bridge than the road tunnels and leave the idea of a rail tunnel and the city wide light rail development till later.
Disclosure – vote Green, and not competing with National for the car-driven mad vote.
Meanwhile – there is actually no reason for there to be dedicated bus lanes across the bridge itself.
The hold-ups are on the approaches – where on-ramps feed into the motorway – which is why the bus lanes were implemented and are effective.
Once the motorway is past the last on-ramp (Onewa Rd) – the traffic is free flowing and there is no need for buses to be separated out- there will be no advantage to them – they can't move faster than the rest of the traffic at 80K, even in their own lane.
This is one of those 'sound good' policies which actually has little, if any, benefit.
We’re talking a couple of decades into the future at least. There will be no buses and more cars you’d think.
It also has the added benefit of problems with other traffic- breakdowns and so on, not affecting the buses.
I'm not sure what you're getting at here??? Do you think that PT is no longer going to be necessary?
noThat light use scenario has played out at various times across the bridge – when heavy traffic (including buses) has been directed to the centre span. It doesn't really have a big impact on the volume of traffic – although it makes it a bit difficult for buses to manoeuvre across to and from the side-of-the-motorway bus lanes.
Walking and cycling across the existing bridge is a dead duck. It's quite simply not going to happen unless the Government legislates for it – and accepts all H&S liability (I can't see them doing this either).
ATM – AT know that if they allowed walkers/cyclists to use the existing lanes – and there was an accident resulting in deaths – they would be liable. Every board of directors and CEO in the country is watching the White Island court case with shivers running down their spines.
In addition, any restriction of capacity (and using one or more lanes for walking/cycling will significantly restrict capacity) – will make the Government deeply unpopular (and the current Government appears to be courting popularity at all costs).
No one (least of all the cyclists) appears to be interested in any alternatives. The cheapest and quickest would be an EV cycle shuttle from the old toll plaza to the Curran St on-ramp – running on an endless cycle during rush hour – and on call at other times.
Pedestrians, of course, already have their alternative in place – the bus system. Which has the advantage of running from close to where you live – rather than requiring you to walk for an hour to get to the bridge.
Sure- Springfield’s monorail is a solution without a problem.
This plan is essential to keep a secure and consistent connection between the shore and the city. Good density on the Shore and good access to public transport would be part of the solution to reducing a carbon footprint.
At the moment the bridge is the only point of crossing. It is currently dangerous in high winds. We are going to see more storms. That would see emergency services on either side of the harbour unnecessarily separated. It is an aging structure not designed for the kind of loads it currently takes. We will need new harbour crossings to keep the city functioning. It is a good idea to plan for them.
Solving one problem doesn’t mean not solving other problems too. What a redundant argument! If we have police we can’t have hospitals?
The mayor was busy planning cosmetic swimming pools rather than focus on urgent issues a day ago. He’s allowed to do that but central government isn’t allowed to plan for a much more pressing problem?
Take a breath people!
I'd love to know what geologists think of a tunnel in a volcanic city?
totes ok, now give that consultant a 6 figure check.
Having seen the plans (where it reaches surface level especially on the Shore side), I'm more worried about sea level rise. The section of the motorway where the road tunnel lands on the NS is already subject to being splashed by waves in a king tide with following winds.
Projecting for a 30 centimetre sea-level rise by 2050 – the whole area is going to be underwater. I wouldn't feel safe in a tunnel….
I can't comment on the projected rail link landing – the maps are too waffly to know where it would actually end up.
Ad might comment on that. According to him this plan began in 2014 so in 9 years surely that problem would dictate the route?
Plenty of stormwater / sewer / power tunnels under Auckland already, most of them in recent times with TBMs
The geology of the place is generally sandstone / greywacke with the volcanics coming up through that in known places. Makes for pretty good tunnelling conditions.
Didn't some German engineering students do a report that recommended a commuter monorail system up the centre of the North Shore motorway some years back?
It wouldn't require using extra land, although motorway overbridges would be a problem.
Can anyone shed some light on the issue of our current distribution system?
Is any of our inward cargo to Auckland and Tauranga sent down to Christchurch or Wellington via coastal shipping? And if not, why not?
Is there any reason why the government should not run a state owned coastal shipping service to get trucks (less of them and phase back down the maximum size/weight) off our roads and ensure resilience for when roads are washed out (supply into Northland or Hawkes Bay etc)?
Another issue is reducing Auckland to a coastal port – receiving goods for the local area (apart from some down from Northport by train). And having Northport and Tauranga as the two international ports (for onward shipment to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch).
PS Another (related) matter is the failure of the Cook Strait service to food from north to south and south to north reliably.
Having shipping on a level footing with overly subsidised trucking should be the first step.
Firth of Thames, Orere Point is the sensible option for the North Island main port for the future. However local politics prevents sensible solutions. As NZ fails to plan ahead Sydney may well become the hub port with all the associated costs and inefficiencies. Or we will continue to try and get ever larger ships into ports which will never be suitable for them without ongoing and ever increasing inefficiencies and expense.
Even if Auckland becomes a coastal port the capability and area used on the existing site will need to be improved/increased.
Anyone who suggests the Manukau, loses their credibility straight away.
Then there is the issue of whether exporting cheap bulk commodities to China, in return for short lived manufactered junk, is actually a sustainable future path for Aotearoa.
Try http://www.coastalbulkshipping.co.nz The present government has also done some sort of deal with two other offshore shipping companies, one of which is Swires. The latest 'CBS' ship came into service in time to pick up a 3 month contract servicing the east coast area after the cyclone wrecked the roads.
I believe this government move was an attempt to make our transport system more resilient following the kaikoura earthquake
Is The Standard really now just doing cut and paste political media releases with zero commentary?
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Be careful, if you criticise the Greens you'll need at least two learned opinions from top law firms, several linked citations and a correct translation from the original Sanskrit or Weka will ban you until after the election.
Funny, I thought he was unable to criticise the GP free dental policy so resorted to criticising how The Standard works instead.
I've just seen this Ad…..it is definitely laugh or at least smirk material.
Yes.
Mod note: you were warned a week ago to stop the trolling. Take a week off.
.https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-31-07-2023/#comment-1962394
Nope. The Standard has long used Notices and Features to publish media releases or other material from political parties. It also gets used for cross posting, caption contests etc. Basically it's for posts that don't have a TS author commentary.
https://thestandard.org.nz/author/notices-and-features/
eg https://thestandard.org.nz/labours-party-list/
It's useful because it gives readers and the commentariat broader material than what TS authors are able to do posts about.
Oh well, I guess the US team could ask for another pay rise.
The men's team also aspire to win a group 16 game to make the quarter-finals.
AB's
Newshub.
I prefer Weber to Christie at halfback (Kerr-Barlow if they changed their rules). Finau or Blackadder?
I'd have 4 in midfield (Ennor or Havili and Goodhue missing out).
And add Narawa or Stevenson to the FB/wing group. Fainga'anuku can cover midfield. The one missing out, injury reserve.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2023/08/ollie-ritchie-predicting-all-blacks-rugby-world-cup-squad-for-france.html
No Moody.
4 locks and one injured.
Only 5 loose forwards.*
Correctly 4 midfield (Havili over Goodhue with Ennor injured) with cover from Fainga'anuku,
* a surprise extra at the back
Will Jordan and Mark Telea and Narawa is fit enough, Leicester Fainga'anuku but for mine Stevenson has the form this year, rather than Clarke if there is an extra one.
Better late than never.
Natalia Antonova
@NataliaAntonova
She’s beautiful this way. (And as for the Soviet fetishists on here – you can fuck right off. I’m telling you this as the direct descendant of Red Army officers on both sides of the family. We’ve moved on. Fuck Moscow. Enough is enough.)
Ukraine’s national trident was installed on a monument depicting the Motherland in Kyiv on Sunday, replacing Soviet symbols in one of the most visible examples of breaking away from the past and Moscow’s influence.
[…]
Originally, the shield bore the Soviet Union’s coat of arms – a crossed hammer and sickle surrounded by ears of wheat.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/06/ukraine-replaces-soviet-symbol-on-motherland-monument-in-kyiv
please link to the tweet directly, not just the person's twitter account.
https://twitter.com/NataliaAntonova/status/1688221147848957952
And much earlier, similar tactic in Britain (same link)
Scumbags.
Sneaking in vaping shacks within dairies before the new vaping legislation ….corporate tobacco killing it transferring nicotine addiction to vaping.
They are only doing it because National want to slow down the phase out of tobacco retailing – a certain Bishop worked for BAT.
Na Philip Morris
https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/10074746/Hutt-South-candidate-downplays-his-tobacco-past
Yep. Poisonous creeps. In all meanings. I still remember when B.A.T. went into Africa, particularly targetting the young smoker market….
Big Tobacco indeed….
And IMO, the very sad corruption of the Vape alternative to smoking and cessation of same.
+1 SPC
Damn. Behind the paywall. Someone?
How come the perception that Youth Crime is raging out of control? Derek Chang has a brilliant column under "Election Analysis 2023" Graphs and all:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2023-youth-crime-the-politics-numbers-and-what-would-make-a-difference/USKHTN6HTREZJFBXE3HSRHVLMU/
https://archive.is/
Sometimes someone has already archived it, use the 2nd field first to check. But if it hasn't been, use the first one. It will take a while to archive then you can click on the latest version and copy and paste the direct link here.
eg
https://archive.is/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2023-youth-crime-the-politics-numbers-and-what-would-make-a-difference/USKHTN6HTREZJFBXE3HSRHVLMU/
What the direct link looks like https://archive.is/IUUMm
Allowing Wayne Brown to blowhard on RNZ this morning. Geeeeeez.
For a while for the right the harbour crossing was more important than any light rail. Now it’s a distraction from other things, apparently. Outmaneuvered, they shift attack.
No one seems to have pulled him up for spending his time talking about putting swimming pools on the waterfront and moving the port ahead of other pressing business.
Or the fact that we can walk and breathe and it’s vitally important to keep the Shore properly connected to the city so we need to get started well before the bridge starts failing or the rate of high winds etc increases. We can do that and resurface other roads etc etc.
And the right had organised good Vox popli follow up to support the mayor too, as if starting the planning for this was responsible for too many cones in streets in the city.
On the back foot and the opposition is getting time to frame their policies.
I thought he made some sense…
What exactly did you disagree with..?
And the nth shore is already well-served..with road/bridge/ferry options…lots of other areas are public transport deserts..
And I have no problem with the port being reclaimed for people to use…
What have you got against that idea..?
Both major parties are looking at a new Harbour crossing.
The busway is already heavily subscribed.
The bridge is already dangerous in high winds. This is something that needs replacing and because of the size it needs to be looked at early to get it done.
I know chewing gum and walking is a problem for some- but we can plan to deal with this issue as well as working on other problems across the transport network. It’s a false argument.
My point is yesterday the Mayor was talking about a long term plan, but no one said Oh no! No more road resurfacing because we want to put a swimming pool downtown.
As well in a city very well served with beaches, and considering the failure of the Wynyard tram you have to wonder about the value of these developments on what can be a cold, windy space. A two month a year development? Perhaps less with sub tropical summer storms.
Under the usual scenario in NZ infrastructure you don’t actually build something or even think about it until the original structure is well past its use by date or falls down. Then 2 decades go by while we drive around it or climb over it before a replacemet is thrown together. It seems also to be a mantra especially at local level to build something for yesterday instead of 30 or 50 years down the track. The number of one- way bridges in this country is testament to that cross-eyed yokel thinking. it is still going n, I drive across two of them built within the last 15 years to go 20kms to a large town. The previous ones were 90 and 110 years old, if one lane was enough a hundred years ago I suppose another 100 years of backing trucks backwards off bridges so at least someone can get past will just have to do, can’t spend too much money y’know.
The time to build a second harbour crossing was yesterday.
So, Phillip "all for a view?"
The planning for the tunnels and rail started as Ad said in 2014. Nine years looking at what is long lasting and feasible. Making a commitment. Brown complains about consultation. What a crock.![surprise surprise](https://cdn2.thestandard.org.nz/wp-content/plugins/ark-wysiwyg-comment-editor/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/omg_smile.png?x42494)
Show us the consultation on Budget cuts he high handedly announced. Show us the consultation and planning for his Ports idea. Both were non existent, but now he wants consultation.?????![wink wink](https://cdn2.thestandard.org.nz/wp-content/plugins/ark-wysiwyg-comment-editor/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/wink_smile.png?x42494)
I see you don't address what he said..
He is wanting different not better is why.
To be entirely fair to Brown, the budget cuts came after what was the most submitted upon budget in Auckland Council history.
We (the public) did have our say. And the Councillors (from all sides of the political spectrum) did have to agree upon it. He's not a one-man-dictatorship, he only has one vote on the Council.
HUUUUGE shoutout to the nurses unions and teachers unions who stuck it out and got what they needed, accepting their big offers.
Have to ask why a Labour government made it all so hard.
But a win's a win for everyone.
I never put down organised labour–apart perhaps from tactical differences–having been a life long unionist myself, but…would note that a number of public sector workers were way more timid when sirkey was in office, with the honourable exception of those teacher unions that held out against Hekia Parata’s National Standards, Charter schools, and bulk funding and “performance” pay.
Labour spent big during COVID basically, pity so much of it went into property via finance capital!
We only accepted in the knowledge that if we held out the Mecca would drag out past October and a change of Government would mean no settlement for years.
Bread and knowing which side is buttered
with a little honey on the side.
Theres something to be said for honesty….and all those that say the PS Unions target Labour admins are vindicated.
Depends on the union. Serious action also requires members to want to do it – if they don't, it doesn't matter who the government is.
https://youtu.be/HFqQGIBUDWA