UK Green Party still can’t figure out how to market itself: “while we will always campaign with others to oppose Brexit, we think it’s time to say loudly and clearly that the Green party will never be part of any vapid centrist blob. Nor will we join the multimillionaires trying to start new parties in an attempt to return Britain to the centrism that so utterly failed people earlier this century.” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/05/green-party-bold-brave-ideas-britain
The Greens’ new leadership duo of Jonathan Bartley and Siân Berry present themselves in a Guardian opinion column, and fail to impress. No urgency, no big picture view as context, totally clueless about their political positioning. Very sad.
Several days ago they did it better: “The Greens have been badly squeezed in recent years, seeing their vote share more than halve between the 2015 and 2017 elections, something put down in part to Corbyn’s approach with Labour. But the new leaders told the Guardian they wanted to counter the idea that Corbyn had moved into their territory, with Berry highlighting what she said was Labour’s equivocation over areas such as Brexit and migration. “It’s not tame – it’s a betrayal. They’ve utterly fudged those issues,” she said.”
“They aren’t committed to proportional representation. The Labour manifesto had no real wealth redistribution in there. There was income redistribution, but they’re not tackling the elephant in the room of wealth distribution. There’s still this commitment to credit-fuelled growth across the every sector of the economy. There’s subsidies for fossil fuels, subsidies for the commercial arms trade. This is a social democratic party. It’s not the radical alternative the country needs.” https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/04/jonathan-bartley-sian-berry-win-green-party-leadership-race
‘Years of doomsday talk at Silicon Valley dinner parties has turned to action.
In recent months, two 150-ton survival bunkers journeyed by land and sea from a Texas warehouse to the shores of New Zealand, where they’re buried 11 feet underground.
Seven Silicon Valley entrepreneurs have purchased bunkers from Rising S Co. and planted them in New Zealand in the past two years, said Gary Lynch, the manufacturer’s general manager. At the first sign of an apocalypse — nuclear war, a killer germ, a French Revolution-style uprising targeting the 1 percent — the Californians plan to hop on a private jet and hunker down, he said.
……The nation allows emigres to essentially buy residency through investor visas, and rich Americans have poured a fortune into the country, often by acquiring palatial estates.
Billionaire hedge-fund honcho Julian Robertson owns a lodge overlooking Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, the South Island’s luxury resort destination. Fidelity National Financial Inc. Chairman Bill Foley has a homestead in the Wairarapa region, north of Wellington, and Titanic director James Cameron bought a mansion nearby at Lake Pounui.
The Investor Plus Visa, which requires a minimum investment of NZD$10 million ($6.7 million) over three years, attracted 17 U.S. applicants in fiscal 2017, after President Donald Trump’s election. Previously, it averaged six applicants a year.
……A spokeswoman for the New Zealand Customs Service declined to confirm that the bunkers had arrived in the country, citing privacy reasons.
It takes about two weeks to excavate the land and bury the average bunker, Lynch said. It’s all done secretly so local residents aren’t aware. Once installed, passersby would have no way of knowing it’s there.
“There’s no clue left behind, not even a door,” Lynch said.”’
Excellent news if they work as in Ben Elton’s Stark.
They bugger off into them and let the rest of humanity get on with it sorting out the mess they left behind. With these folk gone from the scene earth slowly recovers.
They’re rich, mainly foreign, and NZ has a unique location. Plus if we have to attract weirdos I’d rather they be above ground where we can see what they’re doing.
Hmm – “bunker tax”. Let’s say $4 billion per square metre?
Seems reasonable to me.
We should let them all come here – then deliberately impoverish them or lock them up if they don’t pay. Perhaps an open-air refugee camp on the Chathams?
Sounds like fun.
Maybe with climate change, better to invest in a submarine. Probably more likely a place to lie low (ha ha), if civil war breaks out in US for example or there is a financial investigation into their affairs.
Being that one of the most important tenets of prepping is operational security (basically just keeping ones mouth shut) I’d be pretty pissed at all this information coming out
You spend all this money to keep safe which means not letting anyone know what you’re up to and then all this comes out
I’d be going to a different company for my shelter
Not that I prep of course
Apropos of nothing but this site is really good for prepping on a budget:
Nah, just wait until the event they fear and then declare them public shelters.
It must be the latest fad. Private islands, private yachts which are actually large ships, private jets, private golf courses, private resorts, private, and now private survival shelters.
The question of legality is interesting.
Are they fully permitted?
Do they have features which might be considered unlawful regarding devices or traps designed to kill or injure people unlawfully, or have the capacity now to be so armed?
I bet such survivalists would come armed, with private armed forces, and would have little regard for the citizens of the country into which they would insert their private fiefdoms.
Meantime, our people go without shelter.
I spoke yesterday to a 60 year old man who is sleeping in a car. There is not enough accommodation in our town. He worked in traffic direction during the post-earthquake coastal reconstruction. Then he would have lived in purpose built and acceptable quarters.
Now he has a mattress in a car in a car-park.
And multi-millionnaires have 150 tonnes survivalist bunkers shipped to this country?
The government is so crap at getting any money out of these billionaires the so called 10 million just goes on their house or they take money from the taxpayers while they profit and then NZ has effectively given them citizenship for free. If they want to keep these billionaires coming in at least make the 10 million a one off fee and then they have to ‘invest’ more money, plus they don’t get citizenship but just long term visa to stay here PROVIDED they don’t get convicted of a serious criminal offence. Aka lets stop attracting rich and poor criminals white collar and otherwise here…
For example so far Peter Thiel has earned millions more from NZ government than he paid in taxes (aka none), in fact looks like he was just here on route to OZ, and lets stop our billion investors only being forced (temporarily of course) in that non productive house/mansion/estate that apparently the government lecture constantly Kiwis not doing…
“A scheme funded by New Zealand taxpayers netted billionaire Peter Thiel tens of millions of dollars while his publicly funded investment partner barely broke even.
The partnering of Thiel’s Valar Ventures and the Government-owned New Zealand Venture Investment Fund (NZVIF) was launched by minister Steven Joyce in March 2012, nine months after Thiel took his oath of citizenship at the New Zealand consulate in Santa Monica.
Joyce said at the time the venture was “part of the Government’s comprehensive business growth agenda”, but a Herald investigation has discovered the arrangement was quietly ended in October when Thiel activated a generous buyback option allowing him and his private partners to claim all profits from the venture by cheaply buying out his public co-investor.”
In short our government are yokels so lets make it simple. Pay up the $10 million for residency (with conditions) and then they can invest more money away from our governments pathetic attempts at deals.
“A Wall St analyst told the Weekend Herald the clause left the Government facing a “horrendous risk-return proposition” that had no place in agreements between commercial parties.
“If a professional investor signed this deal, they would be the butt of their colleagues’ jokes all the way out the door,” the analyst said.
“This is a clear ‘heads I double win, tails I lose’, ‘heads the taxpayer loses, and tails the taxpayer loses’ proposition, and a very savvy deal for Thiel.”
This assessment is echoed by Auckland-based Castlepoint Funds partner Stephen Bennie, who said he would leap at the chance to sign up to a deal if a partner offered such a clause.
“You’d take it. And obviously a fairly smart guy did. Thiel didn’t need to be asked twice,” Bennie said.
The play appears to have left Thiel with an investment worth least $30 million after contributing just under $7m. The NZVIF, by contrast, confirmed in a statement to the Weekend Herald that it received just $10.2m following the October move after having earlier contributed $9m”
Overseas investor invests 7 million makes 30 million on a short term trade (aka not a long term investment at all) and government body invests 9 million and makes 10.2 million…
Seriously NZer’s are the worst deal makers in the universe. Please save us from all these councils, government officials and so forth giving away the country for peanuts while making the hard working kiwis pay for the folly and all the infrastructure needed (oh wait all these overseas firms can provide it for a very high fee) the next generation will be serfs.
Not even mentioning the high country tenures…
Please can we get a government or constitution to make laws to save us from these morons.
WFT, Customs and Police would have a few issues over the illegal importation of firearms and a wee matter over firearms licensing. As there is an awful lot of paperwork required to bring in firearms especially to bring them in and the issue of licensing requirements at short notice.
James Clare is on personal leave. Surely any foll can put 2 and 2 together and realise she is on stressed leave. She has lost her place in cabinet, blames herself, depressed people do that and then under pressure in parliament didn’t perform well, which was widely publicised. So I am going to ask you to quit with your somewhat snide remark about a holiday and others as well.
I’m now seriously considering if Clare Curran had anything to do with the leaking of Bridges accounts.
Consider that Trevor Mallard with whom Clare Curran has had, shall we say, history with in the past has run interference, the leaker claims to have mental health issues and Clare Curran uses gmail and now has gone to ground.
Balance of probabilities is now leaning towards Clare Currans, and by default Labours, involvement in the leaking.
You are a scum – attacking suffering people, weaponising mental health issues. It’s people like you with your attitudes that help facilitate all the suicides and self harming in this country. You think you are above it with your diatribes but you are dirty deep in this countries suicide shame.
It is getting a little ridiculous when people start suggesting someone caught out doing dodgy things and them not being able to handle the flack from it, becomes them “suffering” from mental health issues.
Well not wanting to go in circles but the Speaker shouldn’t have stuck his oar in (but then hes always been close to Clare) and the investigation run and it would have been very interesting to see what would come out
Mind you this is like the good ‘ol days of when National would do something but you only had to wait for Labour to come along and take the heat off
You are a scum – attacking suffering people, weaponising mental health issues. It’s people like you with your attitudes that help facilitate all the suicides and self harming in this country. You think you are above it with your diatribes but you are dirty deep in this countries suicide shame.
James and BM are politicising mental health.
Words fail me.
James may pretend he’s a cheerful bloke who has lots of friends round for barbecues.
His words at 3.1.3. show that to be a shallow front.
Behind the mask, we see the ruthless and selfish attitude to the world.
Actually it was the national leaker who raised their own mental health issues.
I have no firm evidence ms Curran is depressed.
I work in the field though and are well aware of how these things can play out. So I would always err on the side of caution. Also we.know when someone is being piced on when they are vulnerable it’s important for bystanders to stand up for them. This is how I see it at the moment for Clare. I would do the same for a Nat As I did for Paula whose policies I detest
I’ve been critical of Clare in the past but now she is being treated like a football by people who get their kicks out of stomping on others when they are down. Melissa Lee who, imo, was always a suspect character is leading the charge.
Having been through a similar experience in another forum [and I was actually the innocent party], I know how profoundly damaging this kind of behaviour can be on the personal and professional life of the victim. The affects can linger for years afterwards. So:
You only have to look at those who have commented on the thread started by James (a troll) to see which political party wants this story to keep running.
Hilarious, you are a class A hypocrite Ed, I could list many, many comments that you have made about politicians that are far more “vile” than those made by James above.
Ed, making the left look good since forever!
Yes politicians will be criticized. That goes with the territory. But at a certain point, a decent person will put two and two together and back off. As our PM did about the leaker with mental health issues when she said we are all human and didn’t point score off someone with mental health issues.
I have also always refrained from critcizing politicians over their weight. I actually called people on a website who where critcizing Paula b over her weight.
You are a scum – attacking suffering people, weaponising mental health issues. It’s people like you with your attitudes that help facilitate all the suicides and self harming in this country. You think you are above it with your diatribes but you are dirty deep in this countries suicide shame.
I never gleefully spent months putting the boot into Todd B.
But its an interesting comparison. MP performs an illegal act, i.e. recording his staff member a loyal Nat who worked for Bill E for eons. This transgression gets covered up at the highest level, including using the PM’s slush fund to bail him out. It drags on because of the cover up.
Because the Nat employee (Glenys??? ) is obvious very, very upset about all of this and actually was only blowing the whistle on a poor performer, (Mr Barclay)………..Nats were put under pressure by this cause they kept lying and changing their story. Still no idea why Bill E sent all those text to Glenys.
Compare and contrast.
Curren mucks up with the meeting with Hirshfield. Its made public and she faces a consequence. She mucks up again and she’s lost her port folios and is out of Cabinet. Consequence. Clearly this has been stressful for Curren and embarrassing. Faltering as she did in public, in parliament would for most people be pretty humiliating. She takes personal leave which I suggest on this website is likely stress leave. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to have a very got hunch that she will be suffering (even Judith Collins showed some compassion)………………………………..So she realizes she just can’t continue and resigns. She has done the right thing and I wish her well.
As for Jacinda “lying” by saying her job was safe this morning when she already knew Curren had resigned. …..Please…..She would have her reasons for waiting to make the announcement in her own good time. Like maybe Ms Curran had people to tell, or Ardern had to update colleagues and make sure others were ok to take Cullens role e.g. Faaifoi. Imagine how it would have looked if she had of told Am in journalist “oh actually Clare is resigned” oh yeah and I think I have got someone for her port folios, just waiting to hear back from Chris about it. Anyway the Am station, doesn’t deserve any breaking news stories from the PM. They were rat bags about trip to Nauru.
Typical responses from misogynist neanderthals who have no conception of the psychological violence – let alone the physical violence – many women have to face in their lives and often with extreme deleterious effects. It can destroy their lives altogether.
And the joke is, men like you two wouldn’t last 5 mins under the same kind of pressure.
Clare made some mistakes. She has to pay a price but have the nous and the decency to leave it at that.
I know from personal experience what goes on behind the scenes when a woman is deemed to be in trouble. It’s covert, it’s nasty, its misogynistic and sometimes extremely threatening. It rarely makes it into the public arena because the person on the receiving end is too afraid it will make things worse.
I have no idea whether Clare is being bullied and threatened behind the scenes, but it would not surprise me one iota if she is.
Sticking up for Bennett?
After she maliciously released the details of two solo mums who had dared to criticise her axing of the extra tertiary education for solo parents etc? Especially repugnant given she took advantage of it herself.
I don’t recall calling her a bitch, but she certainly was behaving like one at the time.
And you’re trying to equate that with Currans indiscretions? Pathetic.
James and Chris – guess you enjoy pulling the wings off butterflies. Pity your family members who have to associate with you if they have any human frailties.
Clare Curran has shown she is not really up to ministerial responsibilities and has obviously been affected by all the strident criticism. She may not have a thick skin like you James and Chris. Leave her alone for now. The PM will get this sorted in due course.
I hope the day never comes when the only people suited for parliament are hard- hearted, cold types like the ones you admire.
Julie Bishop has the other day spoken about the horrible time in their parliament she and other women have had to endure.
Why do you think Jacinda is so well liked – because she is likeable herself and she likes people. She has emotional intelligence and wanted to give Clare Curran a chance, which may or may not have been the best thing to do in hindsight. James/Chris have you ever looked back at something you have done and been wise after the event?
‘Typical responses from misogynist neanderthals who have no conception of the psychological violence – let alone the physical violence – many women have to face in their lives and often with extreme deleterious effects. It can destroy their lives altogether.”
Considering how Clares good friend Trevor Mallard treated Erin Leigh I find that comment highly ironic
Anne, you do realise you have contradicted yourself?
As you say “I’ve been critical of Clare in the past” now you have moved onto Melissa Lee “who, imo, was always a suspect character is leading the charge.”
Clare Curran should have been sacked by Ardern when it was clear Curran was not up to the job. If you want to blame someone blame Ardern for prolonging the inevitable.
The truth is now “contradicting yourself”? Fiddlesticks. Melissa Lee has showed up in the past as being a nasty little piece of work. I saw it in action in Mt.Albert in 2009.
And Lee was leading the charge on Curran. Get up to speed with what has been going on before you go off half cock.
‘Mainland Chinese purchased $1.5 billion of residential real estate in New Zealand last year, according to a real estate website for Chinese investors.
Juwai.com said that was an increase of US$130 million (NZ$197.2m) on the year before, although there was a lack of reliable data in 2016.
The New Zealand figures did not include commercial property. “We do not have good data on Chinese investment in commercial property in New Zealand so have conservatively estimated it at zero,” the website stated.’
@ ED and AsleepWhileWalking, and our government is actively encouraging it. Not only with this, but clauses in free trade deals which was supposed to be one of Labours non negotiable bottom lines for the trades deals but seems to have been reneged on with Singapore being allowed to still buy up investment apartments here, the same apartments that are being touted as the ‘affordable’ option for Kiwis….
“On 14 August, the Government passed the Overseas Investment Amendment Act 2018 which bans the sale of existing homes to non-residents as a means of easing the housing shortage in New Zealand. Australians and Singaporean nationals were made exempt from this ban due to free trade rules. The Bill was supported by Labour and its coalition partners New Zealand First and the Greens but was opposed by the opposition National and ACT parties. It passed its third reading on 14 August by 63 votes to 57 votes.[56][57][58][59]”
One of the reasons we have all our property being bought up by Chinese is because in the free Chinese trade deal the Chinese are allowed to buy NZ land but Kiwis and Chinese are not allowed to buy Chinese land. The government could have challenged it, but too gutless to get a fair deal for it’s citizens born here. So guess what 1.42 billion people can buy here… we have 3.5 million people who live here… totally will be owned by overseas interests because our government does not see the future.. nearly 6 million in Singapore… in OZ they can buy their own land so it has not been so much of an issue, but Chinese can’t buy their own land and Singapore has little to zero land to buy…
https://returntonow.net/
Is it glyphosphate and not gluten that’s causing some of us problems . ?
Surely glyphosphate is used on none gluten containing crops that replace wheat in our diets?
There are a lot of theories based on anecdotal experience but very few strict scientific studies of the causes of gluten problems and similar. So the jury is probably out as to whether or not glyphosphate is a possible contributor to problems with grains/crops containing gluten. It seems to be raised as a possible contributor to cancer – but again few strict scientific trials etc.
As you say it is probably used on non-gluten crops such as sorghum which is a very similar grain to wheat and grown in the same way and in the same places – eg it is now being grown in Australia by wheat growers alongside or in place of wheat.
Another theory re wheat and gluten problems is that the hybrid forms of wheat developed continually over the last century to increase productivity etc bear little chemical makeup etc resemblance to the original wheat. Again, anecdotally, people with gluten intolerances can sometimes find they have better tolerance to wheat from places like Italy, Turkey etc where they still grow the older forms of wheat than the highly developed newer forms grown in Canada, US and Australia. For example, some advice on gluten intolerance suggest people try Italian made pasta for this reason rather than that made in Australia and NZ.
As I have lived with a medium degree of gluten (and diary) intolerance for years, this is a subject I have followed a lot. LOL. Luckily not a full allergy with all of their complications. And finally now probably a symptom caused by an autoimmune condition only diagnosed in the last couple of years. Treatment for that which includes regular vitamin B12 injections and the need to supplement low stomach acid by daily use of raw apple cider vinegar (yes, an old medically acceptable treatment for that and certain other conditions) has actually considerably improved both intolerances. But forget the claims for ACV leading to weight loss!
Thanks for the link. That website is really interesting and I have now bookmarked to watch regularly.
On the plus side being g free keeps one thin .
More should be done on the links of food alligies and mental well being .
Before I went off gluten I was an anxious barely functioning mess .
The site turned up.on my Google feed if you are relaxed about the fact their super computer is tracking things you look at and pushing of interest topics your way all sorts of interesting things pop up .
Happy to back up that anecdote re being able to tolerate wheat/gluten in some European countries. That is definitely the case for me and I have relayed that information to many friends, colleagues and acquaintances who are heading to that part of the world.
Invariably they have returned waxing lyrical of the joys of being able to enjoy a croissant or a danish with their coffee whilst travelling.
Different but similar: my horticultural in law’s – mum, dad, and son living at home on the farm develop diabetes.
The three sisters who go to boarding school do not develop diabetes
“Ten points for a better Britain” https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/sep/05/ten-points-for-a-better-britain-institute-for-public-policy-research “The IPPR commission on economic justice sets out a 10-point plan to improve the British economy and make it fairer for its participants.” Whoopee! Jump into Labour’s De Lorean for an exhilarating ride back to the future!! “The policy proposals include reviving trade unions in workplaces and raising the minimum wage.”
“The report calls for an activist government with an expanded industrial strategy, focused on spurring economic growth through investment in infrastructure such as transport links… The commission also proposes an industrial strategy act to set out clear goals and criteria for state support for industry”. Yet more growth, but spiced up with a return of subsidies for corporations! Wow, this is so exciting, how radical can Labour get? This radical: “inclusion of workers on company boards” just like back in the sixties!
“The commission suggests setting up a sovereign wealth fund with the sale of Royal Bank of Scotland shares and gains from wealth taxes that could be worth £186bn in next 10 years. The fund would use its proceeds to pay 25-year-olds a lump sum of £10,000 as a “universal minimum inheritance”.” So just as they hit peak earning in their careers, the govt would gift them capital as well – so as not to give it to the needy, I presume.
“The Institute for Public Policy Research is a left-wing think tank based in London. It was founded in 1988 and is an independent registered charity.. Founder: Baron Hollick” [Wikipedia]
I have read on many occasions how useless the previous govt was, and in order to achieve a surplus the likes of govt employees wages were surprised. Whist this govt hides behind “meeting budget responsibility rules” then enter into dodgy off balance sheet accounting.
The current Gove goes on and on about the last 9 year’s and how corrosive that period was to workers
Then why does the current govt think that 2% pa will cut it ? https://www.yudu.co.nz/news/police-pay-talks-officers-totally-reject-offer/40445/
It does appear that you three are making stuff up against Clare Curran. Accusing her among other things, of entering National Caucus and Leaking information about Simon Bridges. Simon as you know, is not well able to defend his poor standing in New Zealand.
Winston may well ask you to explain your apparent character assassination in Court .
He may well include National Politicians and RNZ Reporters for implying that Clare Curran acted criminally and thereby broke the Law of the land.
But I suppose you have lots of money to pay any penalties and Court Costs.
PS: have you paid the costs of the Music you stole at election time? It is awful living with an opposition that cannot even pay its Bills.
Ok Chris 73i did re-read what you wrote and you said Clare Curren May have been involved in the leak …..how would that have worked?
Prey tell what your hypothesis is????? The only theory I can come up with is the Nat caucus leaker passed on the info to Clare, but that has shades of “listen very carefully I will say this only once”. And the idea that a Nat caucus member would pass it on to Clare who is labour and has slipped up is……..IMO ridiculous
Claire Curran has resigned. A thoroughly decent and ethical woman. She obviously realises she fucked up and has fallen short, and has done the decent thing.
It’s a bloody shame many of her gNatzi critics (including Melissa) don’t see fit to look at their own behaviour and do likewise.
Oravida Collins, Benefit Bennet, Immigration-scam Bakshi, Soldier of Fortune Mitchell, Never inhaled Nafe, Green cowshit Smith ……
There’d probably be nothing left (or should that be nothing remaining)
Clare has resigned from Cabinet. As a fellow human being I feel sad for her. She may have been brilliant behind the scenes but stumbled in the public eye.
Hope that she regains her strength.
Indeed, and there’s no doubt that while she remained, she was going to be a target.
Better she takes time out to get her own shit together and consider her options.
gNatzis will be screaming, but then they always did sound like the cat’s chorus
Apparently safety is everything for AT and our accidents have increased remarkably in the last five years. Clue, what has changed in Auckland in the last five years???
Nope they don’t seem to worry about things like people who can’t drive and people on fake licenses – this judge Johns described Lovepreet Brar who was convicted of 107 corrupt transactions between 2014 and 2016 for giving false drivers licenses. He received over $56,000 in bribes. More bribe money was passed on to his co-defendants.
Judge Johns described Brar as a 25-year-old with potential. She gave him time off for his previous good record and his early guilty pleas.
The judge ignored the pre-sentencing report and downplayed the cost of potential road fatalities from his actions. She did not make him pay the money back or give him a prison sentence.
That’s sending a message that 107 corrupt transactions and making money from bribes in NZ is just a weak slap on the wrist…
So what is AT’s take on what’s gone wrong in the last 5 years, yep you guessed it, too much speed (in a place where practically every headline is about congestion and slow traffic) so they are bringing down the speed limits in congested Auckland to 30k p/h in many places… as if we were not as unproductive as possible without even lower speed limits.
Bonus, more speeding tickets to be handed out and if you live in Wellington or central Auckland you don’t need to worry about even slower traffic! Win win!
Teach people to drive properly when coming into NZ and jail people who commit fraud and corruption on our roads might be a fairer and more effective solution as would have been getting those elected members on the AT board like Mike Lee and Christine Fletcher who might actually have a bit more of a clue about the effects of even slower traffic!
Now lets imagine if the offender was a 25 yo Maori or Pakeha with 107 corruption charges do we really think he would be given a non custodial sentence and described as a man with potential from the judge??
Sadly we seem to have reverse racism working in the judiciary in NZ with fraud and financial gains from migrants just being waived aside as a non consequential.
Again (Commented on similar post) why doesn’t the IRD just investigate this guy for undisclosed earnings and tax him + interest + penalties ?
Our govts and their agencies are crap when dealing with “white collar” crime 🙁
From my few dealings with white collar crime, what is reported is only the tip of the ice berg of offending by an offender, as this is what can be EASILY proved or the low hanging fruit. Once you can prove a few incidents the other (suspected) acts are not investigated as it becomes too hard.
I just received my birthday present a book called “Mad on Radium, New Zealand in the Atom Age”.
Page 95, mentions the USA 9 Jul 1962 conducted a bomb test at Johnston Atoll, where the US lanuch a rocket fitted with 1.2 Mt H Bomb which the USA exploded above Johnston Atoll at a height of 320km, which was designed to test the effects of a nuclear explosion on radio- and radar- communication, it also disrupted NZ’s telecommunications systems and created an artificial aurora across the northern hemisphere.
Did anyone here witness the aurora or experience issues with their radios etc and would like to share their experience, thoughts or feelings on what they saw that night.
There is a special issue on starfish prime and its effects and observations in the New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics Dec 1962 (couple of papers from ( Brian Tinsley)
I reckon an innocent person would like to be exonerated.
NEW: President Trump will not answer questions, in person or in writing, about obstruction of justice.That declaration from Rudy Giuliani tonight is the most definitive rejection yet of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s efforts to interview the president https://t.co/pgmN0x6Hin— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) September 6, 2018
“Heating – what minimum achievable indoor temperature should heating devices be sized for in rental homes, where should heating be located, should landlords only be required to provide heating devices where portable electric heaters are insufficient and should certain heating devices be not acceptable?”
“Draught stopping – what appropriate measures should landlords take to stop draughts in a rental home?”
Easy answer – landlords given additional rights to visit regularly to ensure tenant keeps doors closed, as Government doesn’t believe tenants are capable of doing these sorts of things themselves.
As one commenter below the article suggests – maybe we just wait until next week’s vote.
Definitely no democracy in Tasman. It was supposedly a closed meeting – strange then that the irrigators were allowed to stay – only the general public (read dissenters) were made to leave.
A very long road ahead for the Waimea Dam proponents.
– Forest and Bird will have a crack at them for the DoC land requirement
– The Company does not yet have a viable business
– The government will be considering whether a new dam should be in public hands as per Minister Mahuta’s direction to the local government and water industries
– The costs of the dam will continue to escalate.
– There will be a Council election before a construction contract is signed.
These guys are still further back in the programme than the Hawkes Bay one got to before it was killed off.
Thanks Ad – a glimmer of hope then that it still may not progress. Our water rates are already the highest in the country and our land rates second highest.
There is no doubt the cost of the dam will continue to escalate as they have not even factored in that they will have to clear the land first. They are saying that it won’t need to be fully concreted because the clay will seal it. Unfortunately there is no clay – they already know that it is mostly shale based so any clay will need to be trucked in. They don’t even know if it will actually hold water!
Additionally, despite the Council et al talking about it being for urban use as well as irrigation, there is no inclusion of cost for any pipes to the urban areas. Most locals don’t realise this, they have bought the lie that water will be available for everyone and the dam will bring an end to water restrictions each summer. Apart from the water drawn off by the irrigators, any water that is released from the dam will simply flow out into Tasman Bay.
Roll on the election – and I shall remain hopeful that this madness will end.
Meanwhile I shall continue to avoid Estel water and Appleby icecream and encourage others to do the same.
Thanks Ad – a glimmer of hope then that it still may not progress. Our water rates are already the highest in the country and our land rates second highest.
There is no doubt the cost of the dam will continue to escalate as they have not even factored in that they will have to clear the land first. They are saying that it won’t need to be fully concreted because the clay will seal it. Unfortunately there is no clay – they already know that it is mostly shale based so any clay will need to be trucked in. They don’t even know if it will actually hold water!
Additionally, despite the Council et al talking about it being for urban use as well as irrigation, there is no inclusion of cost for any pipes to the urban areas. Most locals don’t realise this, they have bought the lie that water will be available for everyone and the dam will bring an end to water restrictions each summer. Apart from the water drawn off by the irrigators, any water that is released from the dam will simply flow out into Tasman Bay.
Roll on the election – and I shall remain hopeful that this madness will end.
Meanwhile I shall continue to avoid Estel water and Appleby icecream and encourage others to do the same.
I’m sure Dicky Kempthorne will be keen to clarify all those matters, and won’t pretend it’s all out of his hands now. I guess this Cawthron Institute has no skin in the game.
Right on cue, the Guardian starts repeating US propaganda about Idlib and chemical weapons.
Right after another bout of Novochok and ‘Russia did it’ in the UK.
How predictable.
I seen a good story on Horohoro just 10 minutes out of Rotorua.
There Marae has set up a 3 micro hydro turbine I think they were the design of Michael Lawley of Taranaki ECO innovation he’s has been designing and manufactureing alternative energy solutions for about 15 years he started by converting a gentle Anne washing electronic motor so it can be used as a generator this can be used in a wind turbine hydro turbine or one could hook one up to a combustion engine.
I have learnt a lot about alternative energy from Mike website. If you can build it yourself it’s cheap and easy to do. Solar energy is the way to go it’s cheap now thanks to CHINA and if you are not a handy man solar is low maintenance.
What Questions ECO MAORI is asking is why there are no big electrical generation assets on the East Coast Gisborne or Up North both regions with high Maori populations and extremely high power bills.
The big picture is generating your own electricity is the way to a prosperous positive productive future.
I have been harping on about the whano generation there own electricy for 15byears Ka kite ano link below Ka pai Horohoro
These countries that are fighting over Syria BETTER BE CAREFUL THEY Could Start World War 3 This is just a power struggle between the People with Big ego
If they start bombing the city of 3 million in Idib this will cause a massive wave of refugees flooding into Turkey and EUROPE and the MIDDLE EASTERN country’s
They all read have a big problem with refugees now. Millions of people are going to DIE.
I Back Turkey President Erdogin for a ceasefire WAR IS FOR IDIOTS. Intelligent people use deplomacy this move is a win win for all especially the common people who will suffer and DIE enough said.
Link below Ka kite ano
Here how much one can trust the NEW ZEALAND JUSTICE SYSTEM This mam has been harrest buy the police probley because he would not be a informer once you do they never let anyone out of there net.
Link below Ka kite ano.
Good evening Newshub common Kiwi will not get the correct breast cancer diegnosed and treated.
The wealthy can buy the best treatment.
I Back banning 1080 animal poison. It commonly known that large multi nation chemical companies are using there money and lobbying power to keep this poison going in NZ only.
There you go the Syria situation could start world wars 3 there are at least 4 different fraction fighting in Syria and the rebels switch sides quite often it all depends on who has the biggest suitcase full of greenbacks these people always have different motives for their actions the don’t give a shit about the poor people.
That’s the way Elon to me some one threatened to realse the fact that you smoke pot so you let a podcast speak a thousand words nothing wrong with smoking pot so long as you are over 18 years old it’s only going to give you a sore face it’s legal were you smoke it Kia kaha Elon
That cool DOC trying to find that whale with rope around its mouth.
Many thanks Newshub for the story about young man who has come up with a plan to clean the plastic waste from Tangaroas Kiki we have a smorgasbord of sports on this weekend there will be a bit of hollering going on tonight
Ka kite ano
I ran across a recent essay from The Brothers Krynn, which attempts to map common horror monsters onto the Seven Deadly Sins: https://canadianculturecorner.substack.com/p/horror-monsters-and-vice My interest, however, is not in the meat of the piece, but rather the opening paragraph: It is an interesting fact that in recent decades, Vampires have ...
Buzz from the Beehive Transport Minister Simeon Brown dutifully issued advice to all road users to keep safe on our roads during the Easter weekend. He encouraged them to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her government’s ...
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As we’ve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
COMMENTARY:By Ronny Kareni Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia’s army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding. Nowhere is this more evident ...
Analysis - Nicola Willis is holding firm on tax cuts despite the economic outlook being worse than forecast and critics urging her to wait, writes Peter Wilson for The Week In Politics. ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 29 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
UK Green Party still can’t figure out how to market itself: “while we will always campaign with others to oppose Brexit, we think it’s time to say loudly and clearly that the Green party will never be part of any vapid centrist blob. Nor will we join the multimillionaires trying to start new parties in an attempt to return Britain to the centrism that so utterly failed people earlier this century.”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/05/green-party-bold-brave-ideas-britain
The Greens’ new leadership duo of Jonathan Bartley and Siân Berry present themselves in a Guardian opinion column, and fail to impress. No urgency, no big picture view as context, totally clueless about their political positioning. Very sad.
Several days ago they did it better: “The Greens have been badly squeezed in recent years, seeing their vote share more than halve between the 2015 and 2017 elections, something put down in part to Corbyn’s approach with Labour. But the new leaders told the Guardian they wanted to counter the idea that Corbyn had moved into their territory, with Berry highlighting what she said was Labour’s equivocation over areas such as Brexit and migration. “It’s not tame – it’s a betrayal. They’ve utterly fudged those issues,” she said.”
“They aren’t committed to proportional representation. The Labour manifesto had no real wealth redistribution in there. There was income redistribution, but they’re not tackling the elephant in the room of wealth distribution. There’s still this commitment to credit-fuelled growth across the every sector of the economy. There’s subsidies for fossil fuels, subsidies for the commercial arms trade. This is a social democratic party. It’s not the radical alternative the country needs.”
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/04/jonathan-bartley-sian-berry-win-green-party-leadership-race
A story that caught my eye.
‘Years of doomsday talk at Silicon Valley dinner parties has turned to action.
In recent months, two 150-ton survival bunkers journeyed by land and sea from a Texas warehouse to the shores of New Zealand, where they’re buried 11 feet underground.
Seven Silicon Valley entrepreneurs have purchased bunkers from Rising S Co. and planted them in New Zealand in the past two years, said Gary Lynch, the manufacturer’s general manager. At the first sign of an apocalypse — nuclear war, a killer germ, a French Revolution-style uprising targeting the 1 percent — the Californians plan to hop on a private jet and hunker down, he said.
……The nation allows emigres to essentially buy residency through investor visas, and rich Americans have poured a fortune into the country, often by acquiring palatial estates.
Billionaire hedge-fund honcho Julian Robertson owns a lodge overlooking Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, the South Island’s luxury resort destination. Fidelity National Financial Inc. Chairman Bill Foley has a homestead in the Wairarapa region, north of Wellington, and Titanic director James Cameron bought a mansion nearby at Lake Pounui.
The Investor Plus Visa, which requires a minimum investment of NZD$10 million ($6.7 million) over three years, attracted 17 U.S. applicants in fiscal 2017, after President Donald Trump’s election. Previously, it averaged six applicants a year.
……A spokeswoman for the New Zealand Customs Service declined to confirm that the bunkers had arrived in the country, citing privacy reasons.
It takes about two weeks to excavate the land and bury the average bunker, Lynch said. It’s all done secretly so local residents aren’t aware. Once installed, passersby would have no way of knowing it’s there.
“There’s no clue left behind, not even a door,” Lynch said.”’
Read it all here.
Fascinating.
Disturbing.
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2018-rich-new-zealand-doomsday-preppers/
Excellent news if they work as in Ben Elton’s Stark.
They bugger off into them and let the rest of humanity get on with it sorting out the mess they left behind. With these folk gone from the scene earth slowly recovers.
Hmmm…doomday prepper tax!
They’re rich, mainly foreign, and NZ has a unique location. Plus if we have to attract weirdos I’d rather they be above ground where we can see what they’re doing.
Hmm – “bunker tax”. Let’s say $4 billion per square metre?
Seems reasonable to me.
We should let them all come here – then deliberately impoverish them or lock them up if they don’t pay. Perhaps an open-air refugee camp on the Chathams?
Sounds like fun.
Maybe with climate change, better to invest in a submarine. Probably more likely a place to lie low (ha ha), if civil war breaks out in US for example or there is a financial investigation into their affairs.
Being that one of the most important tenets of prepping is operational security (basically just keeping ones mouth shut) I’d be pretty pissed at all this information coming out
You spend all this money to keep safe which means not letting anyone know what you’re up to and then all this comes out
I’d be going to a different company for my shelter
Not that I prep of course
Apropos of nothing but this site is really good for prepping on a budget:
https://thesurvivalmom.com/
and this site is really good for well lots of stuff: http://americanpreppersnetwork.com/
just ignore the political and firearms side of it, unless you like to argue:-)
If only you’d prepped for finals before hols chrissy.
Oh I’m not a prepper, I think they’re silly people spending all that money on something that’ll likely not happen
I hope they had all the appropriate consents for those earthworks eddy.
Maybe the local councils should take an interest.
Nah, just wait until the event they fear and then declare them public shelters.
It must be the latest fad. Private islands, private yachts which are actually large ships, private jets, private golf courses, private resorts, private, and now private survival shelters.
The question of legality is interesting.
Are they fully permitted?
Do they have features which might be considered unlawful regarding devices or traps designed to kill or injure people unlawfully, or have the capacity now to be so armed?
I bet such survivalists would come armed, with private armed forces, and would have little regard for the citizens of the country into which they would insert their private fiefdoms.
Meantime, our people go without shelter.
I spoke yesterday to a 60 year old man who is sleeping in a car. There is not enough accommodation in our town. He worked in traffic direction during the post-earthquake coastal reconstruction. Then he would have lived in purpose built and acceptable quarters.
Now he has a mattress in a car in a car-park.
And multi-millionnaires have 150 tonnes survivalist bunkers shipped to this country?
FFS.
The government is so crap at getting any money out of these billionaires the so called 10 million just goes on their house or they take money from the taxpayers while they profit and then NZ has effectively given them citizenship for free. If they want to keep these billionaires coming in at least make the 10 million a one off fee and then they have to ‘invest’ more money, plus they don’t get citizenship but just long term visa to stay here PROVIDED they don’t get convicted of a serious criminal offence. Aka lets stop attracting rich and poor criminals white collar and otherwise here…
For example so far Peter Thiel has earned millions more from NZ government than he paid in taxes (aka none), in fact looks like he was just here on route to OZ, and lets stop our billion investors only being forced (temporarily of course) in that non productive house/mansion/estate that apparently the government lecture constantly Kiwis not doing…
“A scheme funded by New Zealand taxpayers netted billionaire Peter Thiel tens of millions of dollars while his publicly funded investment partner barely broke even.
The partnering of Thiel’s Valar Ventures and the Government-owned New Zealand Venture Investment Fund (NZVIF) was launched by minister Steven Joyce in March 2012, nine months after Thiel took his oath of citizenship at the New Zealand consulate in Santa Monica.
Joyce said at the time the venture was “part of the Government’s comprehensive business growth agenda”, but a Herald investigation has discovered the arrangement was quietly ended in October when Thiel activated a generous buyback option allowing him and his private partners to claim all profits from the venture by cheaply buying out his public co-investor.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11794020
In short our government are yokels so lets make it simple. Pay up the $10 million for residency (with conditions) and then they can invest more money away from our governments pathetic attempts at deals.
“A Wall St analyst told the Weekend Herald the clause left the Government facing a “horrendous risk-return proposition” that had no place in agreements between commercial parties.
“If a professional investor signed this deal, they would be the butt of their colleagues’ jokes all the way out the door,” the analyst said.
“This is a clear ‘heads I double win, tails I lose’, ‘heads the taxpayer loses, and tails the taxpayer loses’ proposition, and a very savvy deal for Thiel.”
This assessment is echoed by Auckland-based Castlepoint Funds partner Stephen Bennie, who said he would leap at the chance to sign up to a deal if a partner offered such a clause.
“You’d take it. And obviously a fairly smart guy did. Thiel didn’t need to be asked twice,” Bennie said.
The play appears to have left Thiel with an investment worth least $30 million after contributing just under $7m. The NZVIF, by contrast, confirmed in a statement to the Weekend Herald that it received just $10.2m following the October move after having earlier contributed $9m”
Overseas investor invests 7 million makes 30 million on a short term trade (aka not a long term investment at all) and government body invests 9 million and makes 10.2 million…
Seriously NZer’s are the worst deal makers in the universe. Please save us from all these councils, government officials and so forth giving away the country for peanuts while making the hard working kiwis pay for the folly and all the infrastructure needed (oh wait all these overseas firms can provide it for a very high fee) the next generation will be serfs.
Not even mentioning the high country tenures…
Please can we get a government or constitution to make laws to save us from these morons.
What’s Jawsie up to these days?
WFT, Customs and Police would have a few issues over the illegal importation of firearms and a wee matter over firearms licensing. As there is an awful lot of paperwork required to bring in firearms especially to bring them in and the issue of licensing requirements at short notice.
We really do need to stop selling citizenship. We really don’t want these people who obviously fail the Good Character test here.
I wonder where Clare Curran has gone onn holiday – seems she’s disappeared.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12120509
James Clare is on personal leave. Surely any foll can put 2 and 2 together and realise she is on stressed leave. She has lost her place in cabinet, blames herself, depressed people do that and then under pressure in parliament didn’t perform well, which was widely publicised. So I am going to ask you to quit with your somewhat snide remark about a holiday and others as well.
“blames herself,”
You would hope so
I’m now seriously considering if Clare Curran had anything to do with the leaking of Bridges accounts.
Consider that Trevor Mallard with whom Clare Curran has had, shall we say, history with in the past has run interference, the leaker claims to have mental health issues and Clare Curran uses gmail and now has gone to ground.
Balance of probabilities is now leaning towards Clare Currans, and by default Labours, involvement in the leaking.
This is almost like a Jeffery Archer novel 🙂
Chris, is Clare a member of National?
Taking into account her performance of late I’d say yes she must be because shes doing a fine job of helping National win the next election
Chris 73 by your reasoning Simon would then be a member of labour.
You are at risk of making yourself look ridiculous by suggesting Clare leaked Simon’s expenses.
The leaker knew details of what was discussed at national caucus meetings. But if you don’t mind looking ridiculous go for it.
This would be so funny if true.
You are a scum – attacking suffering people, weaponising mental health issues. It’s people like you with your attitudes that help facilitate all the suicides and self harming in this country. You think you are above it with your diatribes but you are dirty deep in this countries suicide shame.
It is getting a little ridiculous when people start suggesting someone caught out doing dodgy things and them not being able to handle the flack from it, becomes them “suffering” from mental health issues.
Right – like the Gnat leaker.
Curran is struggling to manage her portfolio but she’s somehow infiltrated the Gnat caucus?
Maybe you’re right – they’re pretty stupid – most of them wouldn’t notice.
I haven’t said anything about the leaker
But I can see why you would want to divert attention away from her ineptitude
Where did you get she had menta health issues?
You are the one using it as an excuse – with no evidence she has any.
I’m sure she will be happy to see left wing blogs just assuming she has mental health issues.
Except the leaker had details of nat caucus meetings – so now you have the nat caucus leaking to (or texting to cover for) Curran.
Her mess is her mess. Bridges’ mess is the nat caucus.
Well not wanting to go in circles but the Speaker shouldn’t have stuck his oar in (but then hes always been close to Clare) and the investigation run and it would have been very interesting to see what would come out
Mind you this is like the good ‘ol days of when National would do something but you only had to wait for Labour to come along and take the heat off
Good times
How’s the nat leak inquiry going? Everyone pinky-swearing that it wasn’t them?
She’s on stressed leave ? Really? I guess she’s been told to go on leave because she is an out and out embarrassment.
She lost her positions for repeated behaviour- as she should (I would argue she should never had them in the first place)
Blames herself- well that’s refreshing- as she should – she’s bloody useless. That’s all on her.
As for depressed – do you have any evidence of this ? No? Funny that.
You can’t use the possibility of this to hide from your responsibilities.
You are a scum – attacking suffering people, weaponising mental health issues. It’s people like you with your attitudes that help facilitate all the suicides and self harming in this country. You think you are above it with your diatribes but you are dirty deep in this countries suicide shame.
Can you provide a source for your inference that she has mental health issues?
From what I have read she is on personal leave.
MP with mental health issues? hmmm, that’s ringing a bell.
Wasn’t there something about this just recently in the media?
You mean Pricksmith bmmer? That’s a while ago now isn’t it.
This comment is below scum.
Scum of the lowest order Ed.
James and BM are politicising mental health.
Words fail me.
James may pretend he’s a cheerful bloke who has lots of friends round for barbecues.
His words at 3.1.3. show that to be a shallow front.
Behind the mask, we see the ruthless and selfish attitude to the world.
How are they politicising mental health.
No one has confirmed she has mental issues?
Actually it was the national leaker who raised their own mental health issues.
I have no firm evidence ms Curran is depressed.
I work in the field though and are well aware of how these things can play out. So I would always err on the side of caution. Also we.know when someone is being piced on when they are vulnerable it’s important for bystanders to stand up for them. This is how I see it at the moment for Clare. I would do the same for a Nat As I did for Paula whose policies I detest
Ankerrawshark I agree with you.
I’ve been critical of Clare in the past but now she is being treated like a football by people who get their kicks out of stomping on others when they are down. Melissa Lee who, imo, was always a suspect character is leading the charge.
Having been through a similar experience in another forum [and I was actually the innocent party], I know how profoundly damaging this kind of behaviour can be on the personal and professional life of the victim. The affects can linger for years afterwards. So:
LEAVE HER ALONE.
You only have to look at those who have commented on the thread started by James (a troll) to see which political party wants this story to keep running.
Do you not think it worthy of comment ?
If she was a bat do you think it wouldn’t get mentioned on here.
You are funny Ed.
And you are a right wing troll on a left wing site.
Couldn’t answer the question huh?
Leave her alone ???why??
She’s a minister and failing appallingly at her job.
Do we leave her alone because she’s on labour’s team?
Or is it because she is a woman ?
Don’t recall you making the same plea for Melissa lee?
That because she’s National ? Or Chinese perhaps ?
James. Does your family comment on your lack of empathy?
Must be a nasty experience for such members to be in need in your house.
It is nasty enough putting up with his vile comments on this site.
Hilarious, you are a class A hypocrite Ed, I could list many, many comments that you have made about politicians that are far more “vile” than those made by James above.
Ed, making the left look good since forever!
Yes politicians will be criticized. That goes with the territory. But at a certain point, a decent person will put two and two together and back off. As our PM did about the leaker with mental health issues when she said we are all human and didn’t point score off someone with mental health issues.
I have also always refrained from critcizing politicians over their weight. I actually called people on a website who where critcizing Paula b over her weight.
Give it some thought James.
The hypocrisy on this site does my head in
People such as yourself gleefully spent months putting the boot into a young man by the name of Todd Barclay.
Yet the walking clusterfuck that is Clare Curren should be left alone, why?
You are a scum – attacking suffering people, weaponising mental health issues. It’s people like you with your attitudes that help facilitate all the suicides and self harming in this country. You think you are above it with your diatribes but you are dirty deep in this countries suicide shame.
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings/audio/pm-says-she-wont-fire-clare-curran/
I don’t know where you’re getting this thing about mental health from, she merely had a bad day
I never gleefully spent months putting the boot into Todd B.
But its an interesting comparison. MP performs an illegal act, i.e. recording his staff member a loyal Nat who worked for Bill E for eons. This transgression gets covered up at the highest level, including using the PM’s slush fund to bail him out. It drags on because of the cover up.
Because the Nat employee (Glenys??? ) is obvious very, very upset about all of this and actually was only blowing the whistle on a poor performer, (Mr Barclay)………..Nats were put under pressure by this cause they kept lying and changing their story. Still no idea why Bill E sent all those text to Glenys.
Compare and contrast.
Curren mucks up with the meeting with Hirshfield. Its made public and she faces a consequence. She mucks up again and she’s lost her port folios and is out of Cabinet. Consequence. Clearly this has been stressful for Curren and embarrassing. Faltering as she did in public, in parliament would for most people be pretty humiliating. She takes personal leave which I suggest on this website is likely stress leave. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to have a very got hunch that she will be suffering (even Judith Collins showed some compassion)………………………………..So she realizes she just can’t continue and resigns. She has done the right thing and I wish her well.
As for Jacinda “lying” by saying her job was safe this morning when she already knew Curren had resigned. …..Please…..She would have her reasons for waiting to make the announcement in her own good time. Like maybe Ms Curran had people to tell, or Ardern had to update colleagues and make sure others were ok to take Cullens role e.g. Faaifoi. Imagine how it would have looked if she had of told Am in journalist “oh actually Clare is resigned” oh yeah and I think I have got someone for her port folios, just waiting to hear back from Chris about it. Anyway the Am station, doesn’t deserve any breaking news stories from the PM. They were rat bags about trip to Nauru.
While agreeing with most of that ankerawshark, I feel the PM could have done better answering the ‘curran question’.
It sounds deliberately misleading.
As for you Chris 73 and James:
Typical responses from misogynist neanderthals who have no conception of the psychological violence – let alone the physical violence – many women have to face in their lives and often with extreme deleterious effects. It can destroy their lives altogether.
And the joke is, men like you two wouldn’t last 5 mins under the same kind of pressure.
Clare made some mistakes. She has to pay a price but have the nous and the decency to leave it at that.
Ahhhhh so we do have to treat her differently because she’s a woman.
According to Anne at least.
Didn’t see you being so nice to Paula Bennet calling her a bitch and the like.
No, you are to treat her respectfully because she did the honorable thing and resigned.
I can think of any number of Gnat ministers who should have and didn’t.
I’m commenting on her exactly the same as if she was a male – how does that make me misogynistic?
It’s you wanting her to be treated special because of her sex.
I know from personal experience what goes on behind the scenes when a woman is deemed to be in trouble. It’s covert, it’s nasty, its misogynistic and sometimes extremely threatening. It rarely makes it into the public arena because the person on the receiving end is too afraid it will make things worse.
I have no idea whether Clare is being bullied and threatened behind the scenes, but it would not surprise me one iota if she is.
Savvy?
I think you are projecting Anne.
Curran is a master of her own demise.
It should be open to comment on. Personally I think your comments are more sexist than anything else said on the subject in this thread.
Again – didn’t see you sticking up for bennet or Melissa lee ? In fact you piled in calling bennet a bitch.
Sticking up for Bennett?
After she maliciously released the details of two solo mums who had dared to criticise her axing of the extra tertiary education for solo parents etc? Especially repugnant given she took advantage of it herself.
I don’t recall calling her a bitch, but she certainly was behaving like one at the time.
And you’re trying to equate that with Currans indiscretions? Pathetic.
James and Chris – guess you enjoy pulling the wings off butterflies. Pity your family members who have to associate with you if they have any human frailties.
Clare Curran has shown she is not really up to ministerial responsibilities and has obviously been affected by all the strident criticism. She may not have a thick skin like you James and Chris. Leave her alone for now. The PM will get this sorted in due course.
Shes been an MP for 10 years so if she hasn’t got a thick skin by now she should do the right thing and resign
“The PM will get this sorted in due course.”
The PM is to blame for this current debacle by not firing her in the first place
I hope the day never comes when the only people suited for parliament are hard- hearted, cold types like the ones you admire.
Julie Bishop has the other day spoken about the horrible time in their parliament she and other women have had to endure.
Why do you think Jacinda is so well liked – because she is likeable herself and she likes people. She has emotional intelligence and wanted to give Clare Curran a chance, which may or may not have been the best thing to do in hindsight. James/Chris have you ever looked back at something you have done and been wise after the event?
I don’t admire Labour MPs
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12108983
‘National MP Nick Smith has called out Labour MP and government minister Kris Faafoi over a comment about his “medication” in Parliament yesterday.’
He certainly supports the torture of animals.
I’m not picking on her because shes a woman I’m picking on her because shes a Labour minister
Please go over my comments and let me know where I’ve attacked her gender
‘Typical responses from misogynist neanderthals who have no conception of the psychological violence – let alone the physical violence – many women have to face in their lives and often with extreme deleterious effects. It can destroy their lives altogether.”
Considering how Clares good friend Trevor Mallard treated Erin Leigh I find that comment highly ironic
Anne, you do realise you have contradicted yourself?
As you say “I’ve been critical of Clare in the past” now you have moved onto Melissa Lee “who, imo, was always a suspect character is leading the charge.”
Clare Curran should have been sacked by Ardern when it was clear Curran was not up to the job. If you want to blame someone blame Ardern for prolonging the inevitable.
The truth is now “contradicting yourself”? Fiddlesticks. Melissa Lee has showed up in the past as being a nasty little piece of work. I saw it in action in Mt.Albert in 2009.
And Lee was leading the charge on Curran. Get up to speed with what has been going on before you go off half cock.
Tenants in our own land,
‘Mainland Chinese purchased $1.5 billion of residential real estate in New Zealand last year, according to a real estate website for Chinese investors.
Juwai.com said that was an increase of US$130 million (NZ$197.2m) on the year before, although there was a lack of reliable data in 2016.
The New Zealand figures did not include commercial property. “We do not have good data on Chinese investment in commercial property in New Zealand so have conservatively estimated it at zero,” the website stated.’
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/property/106836362/chinese-pour-15-billion-into-nz-housing-market-last-year
That’s a wealth transfer from NZ taxpayers straight overseas.
+111
This is how we end up as slaves.
@ ED and AsleepWhileWalking, and our government is actively encouraging it. Not only with this, but clauses in free trade deals which was supposed to be one of Labours non negotiable bottom lines for the trades deals but seems to have been reneged on with Singapore being allowed to still buy up investment apartments here, the same apartments that are being touted as the ‘affordable’ option for Kiwis….
“On 14 August, the Government passed the Overseas Investment Amendment Act 2018 which bans the sale of existing homes to non-residents as a means of easing the housing shortage in New Zealand. Australians and Singaporean nationals were made exempt from this ban due to free trade rules. The Bill was supported by Labour and its coalition partners New Zealand First and the Greens but was opposed by the opposition National and ACT parties. It passed its third reading on 14 August by 63 votes to 57 votes.[56][57][58][59]”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixth_Labour_Government_of_New_Zealand
One of the reasons we have all our property being bought up by Chinese is because in the free Chinese trade deal the Chinese are allowed to buy NZ land but Kiwis and Chinese are not allowed to buy Chinese land. The government could have challenged it, but too gutless to get a fair deal for it’s citizens born here. So guess what 1.42 billion people can buy here… we have 3.5 million people who live here… totally will be owned by overseas interests because our government does not see the future.. nearly 6 million in Singapore… in OZ they can buy their own land so it has not been so much of an issue, but Chinese can’t buy their own land and Singapore has little to zero land to buy…
https://returntonow.net/
Is it glyphosphate and not gluten that’s causing some of us problems . ?
Surely glyphosphate is used on none gluten containing crops that replace wheat in our diets?
There are a lot of theories based on anecdotal experience but very few strict scientific studies of the causes of gluten problems and similar. So the jury is probably out as to whether or not glyphosphate is a possible contributor to problems with grains/crops containing gluten. It seems to be raised as a possible contributor to cancer – but again few strict scientific trials etc.
As you say it is probably used on non-gluten crops such as sorghum which is a very similar grain to wheat and grown in the same way and in the same places – eg it is now being grown in Australia by wheat growers alongside or in place of wheat.
Another theory re wheat and gluten problems is that the hybrid forms of wheat developed continually over the last century to increase productivity etc bear little chemical makeup etc resemblance to the original wheat. Again, anecdotally, people with gluten intolerances can sometimes find they have better tolerance to wheat from places like Italy, Turkey etc where they still grow the older forms of wheat than the highly developed newer forms grown in Canada, US and Australia. For example, some advice on gluten intolerance suggest people try Italian made pasta for this reason rather than that made in Australia and NZ.
As I have lived with a medium degree of gluten (and diary) intolerance for years, this is a subject I have followed a lot. LOL. Luckily not a full allergy with all of their complications. And finally now probably a symptom caused by an autoimmune condition only diagnosed in the last couple of years. Treatment for that which includes regular vitamin B12 injections and the need to supplement low stomach acid by daily use of raw apple cider vinegar (yes, an old medically acceptable treatment for that and certain other conditions) has actually considerably improved both intolerances. But forget the claims for ACV leading to weight loss!
Thanks for the link. That website is really interesting and I have now bookmarked to watch regularly.
On the plus side being g free keeps one thin .
More should be done on the links of food alligies and mental well being .
Before I went off gluten I was an anxious barely functioning mess .
The site turned up.on my Google feed if you are relaxed about the fact their super computer is tracking things you look at and pushing of interest topics your way all sorts of interesting things pop up .
Happy to back up that anecdote re being able to tolerate wheat/gluten in some European countries. That is definitely the case for me and I have relayed that information to many friends, colleagues and acquaintances who are heading to that part of the world.
Invariably they have returned waxing lyrical of the joys of being able to enjoy a croissant or a danish with their coffee whilst travelling.
Different but similar: my horticultural in law’s – mum, dad, and son living at home on the farm develop diabetes.
The three sisters who go to boarding school do not develop diabetes
“Thinktank calls for major overhaul of Britain’s economy” “IPPR commission suggests changes on a par with Labour’s post-war reforms” https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/sep/05/thinktank-calls-for-major-overhaul-of-britains-economy
“Ten points for a better Britain” https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/sep/05/ten-points-for-a-better-britain-institute-for-public-policy-research “The IPPR commission on economic justice sets out a 10-point plan to improve the British economy and make it fairer for its participants.” Whoopee! Jump into Labour’s De Lorean for an exhilarating ride back to the future!! “The policy proposals include reviving trade unions in workplaces and raising the minimum wage.”
“The report calls for an activist government with an expanded industrial strategy, focused on spurring economic growth through investment in infrastructure such as transport links… The commission also proposes an industrial strategy act to set out clear goals and criteria for state support for industry”. Yet more growth, but spiced up with a return of subsidies for corporations! Wow, this is so exciting, how radical can Labour get? This radical: “inclusion of workers on company boards” just like back in the sixties!
“The commission suggests setting up a sovereign wealth fund with the sale of Royal Bank of Scotland shares and gains from wealth taxes that could be worth £186bn in next 10 years. The fund would use its proceeds to pay 25-year-olds a lump sum of £10,000 as a “universal minimum inheritance”.” So just as they hit peak earning in their careers, the govt would gift them capital as well – so as not to give it to the needy, I presume.
“The Institute for Public Policy Research is a left-wing think tank based in London. It was founded in 1988 and is an independent registered charity.. Founder: Baron Hollick” [Wikipedia]
I have read on many occasions how useless the previous govt was, and in order to achieve a surplus the likes of govt employees wages were surprised. Whist this govt hides behind “meeting budget responsibility rules” then enter into dodgy off balance sheet accounting.
The current Gove goes on and on about the last 9 year’s and how corrosive that period was to workers
Then why does the current govt think that 2% pa will cut it ?
https://www.yudu.co.nz/news/police-pay-talks-officers-totally-reject-offer/40445/
Solutions to the deal with the corporate media
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEYy7EATHhQ
Corbyn and any other remaining progressive leader should look hard at the Trump model of working successfully around the corporate media.
Trump won an election using these techniques.
It doesn’t take Corbyn’s arcane and reversible policy about public ownership.
The left should study why Trump won using new media, and why the Republicans are consistently better at deploying its use than progressive campaigns.
Three Blind Mice
Hi James; Chris 73; BM
It does appear that you three are making stuff up against Clare Curran. Accusing her among other things, of entering National Caucus and Leaking information about Simon Bridges. Simon as you know, is not well able to defend his poor standing in New Zealand.
Winston may well ask you to explain your apparent character assassination in Court .
He may well include National Politicians and RNZ Reporters for implying that Clare Curran acted criminally and thereby broke the Law of the land.
But I suppose you have lots of money to pay any penalties and Court Costs.
PS: have you paid the costs of the Music you stole at election time? It is awful living with an opposition that cannot even pay its Bills.
Thats rather specific, please copy and paste where I said Clare Curran entered National Caucus and Leaked information about Simon Bridges
“PS: have you paid the costs of the Music you stole at election time? It is awful living with an opposition that cannot even pay its Bills.”
I suppose National could a Labour and, eventually, pass legislation to say its ok or do a Winston and just say they paid it to charity
Chris 73 by your reasoning Simon would then be a member of labour.
You are at risk of making yourself look ridiculous by suggesting Clare leaked Simon’s expenses.
The leaker knew details of what was discussed at national caucus meetings. But if you don’t mind looking ridiculous go for it.
“You are at risk of making yourself look ridiculous by suggesting Clare leaked Simon’s expenses.”
Re-read what I wrote and then come back to me
Ok Chris 73i did re-read what you wrote and you said Clare Curren May have been involved in the leak …..how would that have worked?
Prey tell what your hypothesis is????? The only theory I can come up with is the Nat caucus leaker passed on the info to Clare, but that has shades of “listen very carefully I will say this only once”. And the idea that a Nat caucus member would pass it on to Clare who is labour and has slipped up is……..IMO ridiculous
Claire Curran has resigned. A thoroughly decent and ethical woman. She obviously realises she fucked up and has fallen short, and has done the decent thing.
It’s a bloody shame many of her gNatzi critics (including Melissa) don’t see fit to look at their own behaviour and do likewise.
Oravida Collins, Benefit Bennet, Immigration-scam Bakshi, Soldier of Fortune Mitchell, Never inhaled Nafe, Green cowshit Smith ……
There’d probably be nothing left (or should that be nothing remaining)
Clare has resigned from Cabinet. As a fellow human being I feel sad for her. She may have been brilliant behind the scenes but stumbled in the public eye.
Hope that she regains her strength.
Indeed, and there’s no doubt that while she remained, she was going to be a target.
Better she takes time out to get her own shit together and consider her options.
gNatzis will be screaming, but then they always did sound like the cat’s chorus
Oh Christ …. here they come! I just scrolled up: Christ T, James, BM…… they’re all on shift
Whoar, they’re so fucking tuff eh? I wanna be like them
Hi BM
Hi BM
Just quoting you verbatim –
” Yet the walking clusterfuck that is Clare Curren should be left alone, why? ”
You are letting yourself down – and not Her.
Ref: 3.1.4.3 Open Mike 07/09/2018
Apparently safety is everything for AT and our accidents have increased remarkably in the last five years. Clue, what has changed in Auckland in the last five years???
Nope they don’t seem to worry about things like people who can’t drive and people on fake licenses – this judge Johns described Lovepreet Brar who was convicted of 107 corrupt transactions between 2014 and 2016 for giving false drivers licenses. He received over $56,000 in bribes. More bribe money was passed on to his co-defendants.
Judge Johns described Brar as a 25-year-old with potential. She gave him time off for his previous good record and his early guilty pleas.
The judge ignored the pre-sentencing report and downplayed the cost of potential road fatalities from his actions. She did not make him pay the money back or give him a prison sentence.
That’s sending a message that 107 corrupt transactions and making money from bribes in NZ is just a weak slap on the wrist…
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/365583/punjabi-singer-gets-homedetention-for-drivers-licences-bribes
So what is AT’s take on what’s gone wrong in the last 5 years, yep you guessed it, too much speed (in a place where practically every headline is about congestion and slow traffic) so they are bringing down the speed limits in congested Auckland to 30k p/h in many places… as if we were not as unproductive as possible without even lower speed limits.
Bonus, more speeding tickets to be handed out and if you live in Wellington or central Auckland you don’t need to worry about even slower traffic! Win win!
Teach people to drive properly when coming into NZ and jail people who commit fraud and corruption on our roads might be a fairer and more effective solution as would have been getting those elected members on the AT board like Mike Lee and Christine Fletcher who might actually have a bit more of a clue about the effects of even slower traffic!
Now lets imagine if the offender was a 25 yo Maori or Pakeha with 107 corruption charges do we really think he would be given a non custodial sentence and described as a man with potential from the judge??
Sadly we seem to have reverse racism working in the judiciary in NZ with fraud and financial gains from migrants just being waived aside as a non consequential.
That would depend on which Development Squad he was in savy.
Again (Commented on similar post) why doesn’t the IRD just investigate this guy for undisclosed earnings and tax him + interest + penalties ?
Our govts and their agencies are crap when dealing with “white collar” crime 🙁
From my few dealings with white collar crime, what is reported is only the tip of the ice berg of offending by an offender, as this is what can be EASILY proved or the low hanging fruit. Once you can prove a few incidents the other (suspected) acts are not investigated as it becomes too hard.
I just received my birthday present a book called “Mad on Radium, New Zealand in the Atom Age”.
Page 95, mentions the USA 9 Jul 1962 conducted a bomb test at Johnston Atoll, where the US lanuch a rocket fitted with 1.2 Mt H Bomb which the USA exploded above Johnston Atoll at a height of 320km, which was designed to test the effects of a nuclear explosion on radio- and radar- communication, it also disrupted NZ’s telecommunications systems and created an artificial aurora across the northern hemisphere.
Did anyone here witness the aurora or experience issues with their radios etc and would like to share their experience, thoughts or feelings on what they saw that night.
Cheers, EKF
There is a special issue on starfish prime and its effects and observations in the New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics Dec 1962 (couple of papers from ( Brian Tinsley)
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tnzg20/5/6?nav=tocList
(The magnetic meridian passing through Johnston island via samoa fiji nz to the antarctic)
I reckon an innocent person would like to be exonerated.
There must be a few red dots illuminated on Tywford from the opposition as a result of him reaching out for feed back on this:
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/proposals-make-homes-healthier-released
From this:
https://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/housing-property/housing-quality
“Heating – what minimum achievable indoor temperature should heating devices be sized for in rental homes, where should heating be located, should landlords only be required to provide heating devices where portable electric heaters are insufficient and should certain heating devices be not acceptable?”
Easy answer – Landlord purchases additional chattels, adjusts rent to recover costs.
“Draught stopping – what appropriate measures should landlords take to stop draughts in a rental home?”
Easy answer – landlords given additional rights to visit regularly to ensure tenant keeps doors closed, as Government doesn’t believe tenants are capable of doing these sorts of things themselves.
Is Slick Britches taking up finger painting indinana?
Don’t even know what to say about this.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/106835760/tasman-district-council-decides-to-proceed-with-controversial-waimea-dam-project
As one commenter below the article suggests – maybe we just wait until next week’s vote.
Definitely no democracy in Tasman. It was supposedly a closed meeting – strange then that the irrigators were allowed to stay – only the general public (read dissenters) were made to leave.
A very long road ahead for the Waimea Dam proponents.
– Forest and Bird will have a crack at them for the DoC land requirement
– The Company does not yet have a viable business
– The government will be considering whether a new dam should be in public hands as per Minister Mahuta’s direction to the local government and water industries
– The costs of the dam will continue to escalate.
– There will be a Council election before a construction contract is signed.
These guys are still further back in the programme than the Hawkes Bay one got to before it was killed off.
Thanks Ad – a glimmer of hope then that it still may not progress. Our water rates are already the highest in the country and our land rates second highest.
There is no doubt the cost of the dam will continue to escalate as they have not even factored in that they will have to clear the land first. They are saying that it won’t need to be fully concreted because the clay will seal it. Unfortunately there is no clay – they already know that it is mostly shale based so any clay will need to be trucked in. They don’t even know if it will actually hold water!
Additionally, despite the Council et al talking about it being for urban use as well as irrigation, there is no inclusion of cost for any pipes to the urban areas. Most locals don’t realise this, they have bought the lie that water will be available for everyone and the dam will bring an end to water restrictions each summer. Apart from the water drawn off by the irrigators, any water that is released from the dam will simply flow out into Tasman Bay.
Roll on the election – and I shall remain hopeful that this madness will end.
Meanwhile I shall continue to avoid Estel water and Appleby icecream and encourage others to do the same.
Thanks Ad – a glimmer of hope then that it still may not progress. Our water rates are already the highest in the country and our land rates second highest.
There is no doubt the cost of the dam will continue to escalate as they have not even factored in that they will have to clear the land first. They are saying that it won’t need to be fully concreted because the clay will seal it. Unfortunately there is no clay – they already know that it is mostly shale based so any clay will need to be trucked in. They don’t even know if it will actually hold water!
Additionally, despite the Council et al talking about it being for urban use as well as irrigation, there is no inclusion of cost for any pipes to the urban areas. Most locals don’t realise this, they have bought the lie that water will be available for everyone and the dam will bring an end to water restrictions each summer. Apart from the water drawn off by the irrigators, any water that is released from the dam will simply flow out into Tasman Bay.
Roll on the election – and I shall remain hopeful that this madness will end.
Meanwhile I shall continue to avoid Estel water and Appleby icecream and encourage others to do the same.
Sorry – didn’t mean to post that twice. Can someone remove the second one? Thanks.
I’m sure Dicky Kempthorne will be keen to clarify all those matters, and won’t pretend it’s all out of his hands now. I guess this Cawthron Institute has no skin in the game.
Deliverance and Mystery Alaska, I think.
Right on cue, the Guardian starts repeating US propaganda about Idlib and chemical weapons.
Right after another bout of Novochok and ‘Russia did it’ in the UK.
How predictable.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/07/iran-russia-turkey-leaders-meet-talks-syria-idlib-putin-rouhani-erdogan
As predicted ….
https://t.co/H7A9964Llf?amp=1
This is a good study into human mind and why people keep believing the Unbelievable. Link below. Ka kite ano
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12120189 Most of the time I research the topic and read the feed back and come to a logical conclusion.
I seen a good story on Horohoro just 10 minutes out of Rotorua.
There Marae has set up a 3 micro hydro turbine I think they were the design of Michael Lawley of Taranaki ECO innovation he’s has been designing and manufactureing alternative energy solutions for about 15 years he started by converting a gentle Anne washing electronic motor so it can be used as a generator this can be used in a wind turbine hydro turbine or one could hook one up to a combustion engine.
I have learnt a lot about alternative energy from Mike website. If you can build it yourself it’s cheap and easy to do. Solar energy is the way to go it’s cheap now thanks to CHINA and if you are not a handy man solar is low maintenance.
What Questions ECO MAORI is asking is why there are no big electrical generation assets on the East Coast Gisborne or Up North both regions with high Maori populations and extremely high power bills.
The big picture is generating your own electricity is the way to a prosperous positive productive future.
I have been harping on about the whano generation there own electricy for 15byears Ka kite ano link below Ka pai Horohoro
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12120189
These countries that are fighting over Syria BETTER BE CAREFUL THEY Could Start World War 3 This is just a power struggle between the People with Big ego
If they start bombing the city of 3 million in Idib this will cause a massive wave of refugees flooding into Turkey and EUROPE and the MIDDLE EASTERN country’s
They all read have a big problem with refugees now. Millions of people are going to DIE.
I Back Turkey President Erdogin for a ceasefire WAR IS FOR IDIOTS. Intelligent people use deplomacy this move is a win win for all especially the common people who will suffer and DIE enough said.
Link below Ka kite ano
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/07/iran-russia-turkey-leaders-meet-talks-syria-idlib-putin-rouhani-erdogan
Here how much one can trust the NEW ZEALAND JUSTICE SYSTEM This mam has been harrest buy the police probley because he would not be a informer once you do they never let anyone out of there net.
Link below Ka kite ano.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/106807345/george-moulden–twice-imprisoned-for-crimes-he-didnt-commit–now-fighting-for-compensation Ana to kai
To the sandflys
https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2018/09/the-void/
To the trump supporters
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a1BS7XnEZqc
Good evening Newshub common Kiwi will not get the correct breast cancer diegnosed and treated.
The wealthy can buy the best treatment.
I Back banning 1080 animal poison. It commonly known that large multi nation chemical companies are using there money and lobbying power to keep this poison going in NZ only.
There you go the Syria situation could start world wars 3 there are at least 4 different fraction fighting in Syria and the rebels switch sides quite often it all depends on who has the biggest suitcase full of greenbacks these people always have different motives for their actions the don’t give a shit about the poor people.
That’s the way Elon to me some one threatened to realse the fact that you smoke pot so you let a podcast speak a thousand words nothing wrong with smoking pot so long as you are over 18 years old it’s only going to give you a sore face it’s legal were you smoke it Kia kaha Elon
That cool DOC trying to find that whale with rope around its mouth.
Many thanks Newshub for the story about young man who has come up with a plan to clean the plastic waste from Tangaroas Kiki we have a smorgasbord of sports on this weekend there will be a bit of hollering going on tonight
Ka kite ano