A blunder by a government worker sent Northland into an 11-day lockdown after travel documents that were meant to be declined were mistakenly approved.
The case of three women who travelled from Auckland to Northland hit headlines in October 2021 in the midst of a Delta outbreak – but new documents released under the Official Information Act finally outline the truth behind the saga, and the reason Northland was put into lockdown.
The OIA papers show the women – who had earlier been blamed for using "false information" to get travel permits – had no links to gangs and weren't sex workers, as had been suggested.
Among the documents released is a summary of a police investigation into the women which found "no offence" and no "deception" in obtaining the travel documents.
Detective Inspector Aaron Proctor's summary of "Operation Hiking" quoted an email from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment which said the travel documents were "issued in error by the Ministry of Social Development, (the error not being the fault of the applicant)".
snip……..
Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni said she was briefed at the time.
“I understand that the information contained in the application wouldn’t have met the criteria at the time and it was approved in error.
“I’ve spoken to MSD officials who are very sorry this occurred. Overall MSD staff assessing business travel register applications for travel across borders during lockdown did a great job, and while this incident was an isolated one, it should not have happened.”
How many more of these stories will come out?
And again, the point is not the lock down. The point is that these people were vilified, slandered, defamed, and in part by a government that could not admit to the public that a Winz Drone provided travel documents by mistake – the Winz Drone mistake.
And dear Carmel Sepuloni, YOU should apologize on behalf of your ministry to these People that were slandered and vilified in public by government employees, the press and the public .
To be fair, Sepuloni was briefed at the time but she may not have been told of the "blunder" by the Social Welfare ministry worker. That information appears to have come to light further down the track.
Even so, I agree Sepuloni needs to formally apologise to the young women concerned. They must be deeply scarred by the experience. They will have to carry the ignominy of being charged by public opinion as gang related prostitutes which is effectively what happened. Racism was also up there from the start.
Believe me, sweeping embarrassing situations under metaphorical carpets is par for the course when it comes to some government agencies. It has been going on for decades. The plight of the unsuspecting victim or victims is not considered to be of any consequence. Indeed they often are – or were – bullied into silence.
I hope those young women receive compensation for what they've been through.
Thanks Anne for providing an absolute model of how to respond rationally to these sorts of inevitable administrative cock-ups and the ensuing (but not inevitable) cover-ups. There is a way of criticising Labour from the left that does not give succour and support to the right-wing Jimmies (1.1) who will leverage it to discredit any progressive policy or intentions. In this case, the right-wing Jimmies will try and use it to re-write history and trash the best overall Covid response in the western world.
It was the media who were making the 'inferences' during the blanket coverage at the time. Chris Hipkins was repeating the official line he had been given… that the young women had not been truthful about their reasons for travel. He reacted the same way as the rest of the country by expressing his "disappointment" with them – just did it a little more diplomatically than the rest of us.
We now know through the inquiry that was not correct. The fault lay fairly and squarely with the Social Welfare ministry and so it looks like it is they who should be apologising and recompensing the young women concerned.
I should qualify my comment above by placing the responsibility for the apology on Social Welfare minister, Carmel Sepuloni which is what I said @ 1.2. That is the correct procedure. It should have happened before now, but I guess it would be better late than never.
“My understanding at this point – and I want to be clear this is not yet verified – is that this person obtained a document by providing false information in order to get the document to travel across the border,” Hipkins said.
I can't find any media statement where he corrected this information – on or after the 13th of October, when his office had a briefing, telling them that it was a bureaucratic error, rather than deliberate deception.
This led to the October 13 briefing from MBIE to Hipkins, Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash. The briefing said: "It is our understanding that the intention was to decline the application but it was approved in error."
The women were publicly vilified for crossing the border with then Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins accusing them of using "false information to travel across the border".
The case also saw reporters quizzing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern over whether the women were prostitutes and former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters was forced to apologise for falsely claiming the pair were helped by Hawke's Bay-based Mongrel Mob leader Harry Tam.
The police inquiry summary said: "The police investigation found no evidence to suggest that (the women) had any connection to Harry Tam, the Mongrel Mob or were involved in prostitution."
this might be a better article on this issue as it is not behind pay wall.
So that was some shitstirring too considering it was a Winz Drone that got it wrong. But then its easy to accuse beneficiaries of fraud as that always provides a nice scapegoat behind the short comings of highly paid public servants can be hidden.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern referred questions on the Government blunder that sent Northland into an 11-day lockdown to former Covid Minister Chris Hipkins.
New documents released under the Official Information Act have revealed the truth about the highly publicised case of three women who travelled from Auckland to Northland in October 2021 in the midst of a Delta outbreak, putting Northland into an alert level 3 lockdown.
The OIA papers show the women – who had earlier been blamed for using "false information" to get travel permits – had no links to gangs and weren't sex workers, as had been suggested, and their permit had been approved in error.
Hipkins claimed there was nothing new in today's reporting as the error that led to the Northland lockdown in October last year was made public.
So, Sabine you are happy for the government's opponents including the right wing media to milk the inquiry findings in order to create the perception that it was…
all this evil government's fault n' the ministers are to blame n' we hate em so's we're going to trash em for all they're worth and forget the two women at the centre cos they don't count.
You are doing exactly what AB @1.2.1 notes should not happen:
… criticising Labour from the left that gives succour and support to the right-wing Jimmies (1.1) who will leverage it to discredit…
I wrote a comment initially in support of your stand, but of you think the above tactic is going to be helpful to the young women concerned then you are wrong.
"The claims, along with other allegations about the woman, have been widely circulated on social media, text and email but have not been confirmed by officials or the Government.
The Ministry of Health has not commented on the claims and Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told a hastily arranged press conference last night that he did not have information to suggest the woman was connected to a gang.
A reporter at the press conference said they had been told the woman is a sex worker but Hipkins said he could not confirm that – he had not been briefed that was the case"
'Winston Peters' TV claims – woman at centre of Northland scare 'connected to Mongrel Mob'
However, locations of interest were limited to two service stations as the woman had been "uncooperative" with authorities in determining her movements in the region, according to Hipkins.
Of course they were uncooperative. They were scared witless. The authorities were intimidating in their attitude and they ran away and hid.
I don't blame Hipkins. He couldn't possibly have known exactly what was going on. He was repeating what he had been told. Everyone assumed they were guilty and when a bunch of arseholes are spreading false stories via social media and a former deputy leader repeats them as being for real, then it is only going to make matters worse.
I can understand why these two women seem to think it was the government's fault, but the real culprits were a) the ministry for attempting to play down the error and b) the social media 'bottom feeders’ along with Winston Peters who picked up the crap and ran with them.
Even though we now know Govt. ministers were not to blame, I hope they will still offer them a full apology on behalf of those who were responsible for their plight.
Sorry can't answer because it is not in the context of whatever the conversation was about. One thing I can say: it was NOT referring to front line health staff. What I have witnessed – including a few days in hospital earlier this year – they have gone above and beyond. All of them deserve gongs.
This reminds me if what Celia Lashlie wrote about in reference to people (usually mothers) who become involved with state agencies.
The individual is closely held to account and made responsible for every transgression or omission, and yet, MSD, WINZ, Police, IRD etc can be incorrect. Often leading to dire consequences for the people at the bottom of the heap and never be held to the same scrutiny.
Totally agree. Have witnessed it happen to others and have also been on the receiving end. For decades there was a left/right divide too. If you were on the 'right' then a blind eye was turned on your transgressions. If you were 'left' then the lights were shone on your every move.
Greenhouse gas emissions fell during lockdowns – Stats NZ
Household emissions fell in most regions of New Zealand between 2019 and 2021, the result less use of transport during Covid-19 restrictions, Stats NZ says
Where did emissions increase the most?
Stats NZ said the Canterbury increase was largely from agriculture, forestry, and fishing (up 6.5 percent), and most significantly because the number of dairy cattle had increased.
First Link.CO2 increase bad enough..but the Methane and NO2 increase are a clear danger.
Second Link. Well….not too hard to see that reduced cars on roads….(often stuck in jams) would lead to less polluting gases. Sad that ..as lockdowns ended people just reverted back. Even with huge fuel increases….
Why the fuck should we be having more rights to existance then cows? What other animal could we cull in order to save our overconsuming, lazy asses? Horses? Pigs? Dogs? Hedgehogs? Squirrels? Buffalo? Crickets? Bees? Flying insects (mind we done a good job here already).
The problem really is that most humans can't imagine a world in which they don't have electricity to squander, they don't have supermarket full of shit that is not good for their bodies but nicely packaged, that they don't be able to pull a boat/bikes/gadgets from the North Island to the south Island for some biking on some new track in some nice natural parks for leisure and so on and so forth.
Maybe we cull half of humanity, and safe the cows. Cows have never harmed anyone. Also, cows don't need oil, dumb arse human beings do.
That is right. Profit for humans, human governments etc etc etc.
Again, nothing that the cow should be carrying responsibility for, and nothing for which cows should be culled / exterminated/ kept in a zoo to preserve the species. They are the exploited natural being. Humans in their zeal for more are the exploiters, polluters and world killers.
DB Brown knows full well what i am saying. But hey, him/her/they being hyperbole about me gives them the excuse to actually not comment on the fact that I am blaming human overconsumption and the need for new shit every other day rather then cows, who are the most unlikely beast on this planet to harm anyone.
The world ruining predator is US, humans and their need to need more in order to feel fullfilled.
Hey RB just an idea. Why not brush up on figures and mechanisms of speech – you know metaphor, irony, sarcasm, alliteration before you try to derail an argument (because that is what you are doing) with some careless rigid approach.
Consider reading poetry or Shakespeare. There are more ways of expressing oneself and making an impact than a bare recitation of facts.
Consider Churchill from his speech to the House of Commons on 4/6/1940
'…
I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty’s Government-every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.'
So memorable that my mother could recite this last paragraph, right down to intonation until the end of her life in 2010 ……from hearing on the radio in 1940.
Last time she went on a genocidal rant I believe it was prompted by my mentioning making cheese from fermented cashews. Or maybe it was cows again. It was in recent memory. And long term, it's not so much a debating style as an unhinged asshole venting their spleen. We all vent, sometimes.
I just spent the morning mulching weed species to plant productive tree species. My 'green' neighbor makes some snide comment about what we determine to be weeds, as if the privet will feed us.
Sometimes I really can't be fucked with stupid. I don't need to be told off for not engaging with such nonsensical ranting. Sabine's points on climate are as new to me as climate change itself.
Hi DB Brown. Sounds like you walk the talk into Positive action. Always the best way. Oh I did see you and Stuart Munro talking about Black Soldier fly? Interesting!
There was a Country Calendar episode on Regenerative Farming ..and Dung Beetles
Do you have Tiger worms ? They are voracious…eat old veges, leaves, grass clippings,cardboard, even carpet ! Turns all into fantastic compost…..can even get the liquid out as it is a super growth formula !
I'm not sure what worms are currently in the compost bin, though I've done a bit of worm wrangling before. I like those fast shiny native ones, good lookin' – for worms.
I'm keen on the more food forest approach of mulching in place and letting the critters make compost on the spot. The compost bin is simply convenient (throw scraps out window, scraps land in bin). But in drought mulch simply wasn't breaking down so plants weren't getting compost… Climate change is one MF'er of a challenge! Now we've had some wet it's better. I only lost a couple of trees to drought which is great considering I didn't water (swales to soak water in). Harvesting bananas that haven't been watered in a drought – LOL. That's pushing the edge.
I will irrigate some of my new trees, sparingly, as I don't want to lose my avocados (again).
The large privet I just dropped are still alive. They'll get coppiced and used for fuel (outdoor rocket stove summers), mushroom logs (only Tramates so far, but experimenting with four local edibles with this new lot of wood), garden poles, landscaping logs… They can stay on the perimeter and provide shelter/goods till I'm ready to replace them with something 'better'.
Got too much wood right now. Might make a big hugelkultur though they're very labor intensive they do build fantastic soil.
I've written a paper on privet's uses, it got people mighty upset. CULL that shit too apparently. The purists are pointlessly spouting ideals that no longer apply, everything's changing, keep up!
Only four hours food foresting today. Back inside for a nice dahl and… I just harvested, today… some kumara! Crazy but true. Harvested kumara and at the same time rooting kumara slips for the next crop. To get them real late (yet small and edible) put slips under tree drip lines in poor hard soil so they've competition for (and few) resources. They'll take all year to make you lovely wee baby kumara.
The Botanical Gardens on Saturday has the Auckland Tree Crop Association Annual Sale, for anyone who wants some great deals/variety/tips. I'm way excited. Clear out the bank balance and got the mate engaged with his truck.
A food forest, and place to teach from, that's the plan. Blame Robert if we're to yell at anyone.
"Mulching in place" – yes x a million – it's so elegant! Hard to watch though, over the fence.
Don't chip; prune, chop, snap and crunch underfoot, as if you were a bear or an elk.
I envy you the "Auckland Tree Crop Association Annual Sale" – if only!
Brought pigeon pea plants yesterday. Cajanus cajan. Excited! Dividing and relocating various bamboos today. Love it. The bananas are throwing out their first post-winter leaves and cannas are pushing through. I love this stuff 🙂
Yes I'm very excited about the sale. Almost perfect timing except there's a months work down back not 2-3 weeks as I'd planned. But they will be fine sitting under the macadamia while I finish the mulch/landscaping. Close to perfect timing…
I have a slope downhill to the west. I'm planning tall species at back (right up to the native bush) medium in centre and small/shrubs at the top. So there's a level canopy and you walk down the hill till you are under a canopy of food. This is an extension to an existing garden/forest garden which provides much for me, I couldn't be happier except for the huge workload up front! Could call a working bee but nah, just get fit.
Huge Karaka stand right behind where the food forests going too. For those in the know, there'll be no shortages here.
I disagree…….it was a plea not to be so literal when we have a beautiful language to use. The point too was being so literal actually missed the point that was being made by Sabine.
Who wants to be a slave to Twitter? Or, as my sister says, have brains the size of the tiny screen in front of us? Why do we need to even think of doing this in this forum?
Ecofascism is a thing, and, among other things, it proposes various ways of population control some of which even go as far as culling [certain] people. It is no joke, no metaphor, irony, sarcasm, or alliteration; it is serious.
I have no idea what Sabine is or is not, as I don’t know her, have never met her, and only read her comments here on TS. Her commenting & debating style can be aggressive, acerbic, antagonistic, and acrimonious at times, IMO. Others could easily mistake her comment about culling people as an ecofascist argument, particularly when it is poorly articulated with little explanatory context and no nuance – you know how hard it can be for people to clearly state here what they mean (e.g., https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-03-09-2022/#comment-1908901). Anywho, that’s it from me on this.
touche. Although I think Sabine is pretty direct. I do know her, from her comments and talking with her online over the years. I guess she would be an ecofascist and playing double game but I prefer to take people at face value.
And yes, it does take some work to understand her at times, which is why I made a point of pointing this out to DB. I don't think her point is poorly articulated, I think her commenting style is outside the bell curve of what is usual here. I count that as a good thing. If people are unclear they can always ask.
The cull (population reduction) is part of the SRES emission scenarios,it requires the human population to cap at 8 billion,then reduce to 6 billion by 2100.
There is also a widespread increase in Eco anxiety ( mostly due to decreased Fe transport of O2 brain) a side effect of the prozac generation and increase in the size of social studies faculty's and decrease in STEM ability.
Reduce cow herd size by reducing cow breeding of new stock. Certainly stop the ever increasing cow population across the world at the expense of other animals (including insects, birds, fish) plants and terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (methane and coal burning at the dairy production end).
Return the bulk of New Zealand farmland to woodland; manage it for "food'n'fibre" (mahingakai) and provide space and opportunity for people to live and work, create community and contribute to the health of the planet 🙂
Yes. And dairy farmers already cull cows for multiple reasons – such as low production, failure to conceive and produce offspring and susceptibility to disease. Those who call for a reduction in cow population are not advocating some new mass slaughter that does not already occur – it does. Cow number reduction would occur through exactly these same mechanisms – as well as regulatory restrictions preventing new dairy conversions from other land uses.
Dairy cattle numbers increased by 82 percent nationally from 3.4 million to 6.3 million
Between 1990 and 2019
Southland dairy cattle increased sixteen-fold (1,584 percent) from 38,000 to 636,000. beef cattle decreased by 15.3 percent nationally from 4.6 million to 3.9 million. sheep decreased by 53.6 percent nationally from 57.9 million to 26.8 million.15/04/2021
A reduction in land use probably as exotic tree planting by foreigners to offset their lignite use in Sweden and Germany seems to be the new esg rainbow.
That may be true Sabine but to keep them in existence you need bulls as well. Bulls have certainly harmed lots of people. Indeed I have never yet met a farmer who would turn his back on a bull. They can attack with no warning at all.
Good grief, the first thing we learned as little kids on the country side was that: Do not enter any paddocks/stalls of any lifestock without competent handlers. I.e. farmers, farm hands. That included goats, cows, pigs, horses, ponies, and also…..stay away from bee hives. Ditto if you don't know the dog, don't touch/pet it, you might lose a hand. lol. Heck, some even put signs up for the townies and tourists that came for the good air cause humans are actually quite stupid.
clyptosporidium, nitrates from industrial dairy farming are killing people.Bowel cancer rates increasing in areas where intensified dairy farming areas.
Humans "can't imagine", Sabine, for a number of reasons, one being the erosion of the ability to imagine anything at all, thanks to civilisations need to quell imagination for its own security. When someone with a functioning imagination appears and alerts us to their imaginings, we ring-fence, diminish and dismiss them as "crazy folk", to ease our anxiety. The recent Kim Hill interview with George Monbiot is a good example of this.
For what its worth we can imagine the killing/culling of animals rather then downsizing and consuming less. But i guess consuming until this planet looks like the Easter Island is a human right, or lack of imagination.
It's purely lack of imagination. If everyone could "see" the outcomes of this behaviour and that behaviour, all would change. Our ability to "picture" or envision scenarios other than what we have been presented with, through movies and books; media of all sorts, Government and business decrees, religious instructions, cultural imperatives etc. blinds us to the real situation and this is exploited by those who seek the various forms of power that appeal. Our best bet, on a personal and global level, is to cultivate imagination; seek it's source, explore and share your discoveries; artists do this, and by artists, I mean everyone who does this 🙂
maybe raise that imagination in those that really believe that cows, or other animals that the human being exploits for profit is the issue.
we know what we have to do, in general i elieve that people know, but it is hard to stop squandering resources be they cows, water, farmland and/or humans.
in the end, we will only have ourselfs to eat once we killed everything else.
Yes, we've discovered, finally, in the Western World, that
"…it is hard to stop squandering resources be they cows, water, farmland and/or humans."
Other/earlier cultures faced the same issue and came up with solutions – rahui, potlatch etc. to rein themselves in. Our culture has yet to reach that state of maturity.
Yep. just never going to attempt a mindset change…because their minds are set in reinforced concrete. And what do "they" care about their/OUR Future? Most so focused on the end of the day… they cant even imagine what World our Children will inherit. And the others…making a LOT of Moo lah (some humour cause its a bit not)
Anyway. Gotta keep trying ! Always rate your comments. Informative
Eric Crapton Crampton has jumped the shark today, with another repulsive polemic full of distortions and outright lies in his latest Herald brainfart opinion piece.
Then Luxon goes on TVNZ Breakfast and RNZ Morning Report and repeats this rubbish, with nobody pulling him up, or asking what National will actually *do*
This shrill misinfo campaign from the Herald, Newshub, and other National Party regurgitators, reeks of desperation.
I know it’s hard to keep them apart sometimes but perhaps you meant Bryce instead of Eric? It doesn’t matter all that much because Clint is on to them both, it appears 😉
Whano These sandflys thugs are trying to take my eldest grandchild off her mother who is working with me full time what the FUCK that is how low these thugs will go use anything in the state system to get people to kiss their ass im going to Lawyer up for this bull shit
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TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three. ...
Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blogIn 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
Citizen Science writes – Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
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 ...
You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
Karl du Fresne writes – There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
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 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
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oh well…….i guess someone will send an apology to the Non-Penishavers that were slandered as gang bangers and prostitutes’ and drug runners. In fact, it was WINZ that fucked up.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/covid-19-outbreak-blunder-in-wellington-let-women-into-northland-and-shut-the-region-for-11-days/D3OIYTFMDOSWGRYBTHFO2VY7JQ/
How many more of these stories will come out?
And again, the point is not the lock down. The point is that these people were vilified, slandered, defamed, and in part by a government that could not admit to the public that a Winz Drone provided travel documents by mistake – the Winz Drone mistake.
And dear Carmel Sepuloni, YOU should apologize on behalf of your ministry to these People that were slandered and vilified in public by government employees, the press and the public .
Another day, another fuck up comes to light. No wonder they do not want an enquiry in to the Covid response.
Another day another old story dug up to attack Labour with even though it wasn't their fault on the information available at the time.
To be fair, Sepuloni was briefed at the time but she may not have been told of the "blunder" by the Social Welfare ministry worker. That information appears to have come to light further down the track.
Even so, I agree Sepuloni needs to formally apologise to the young women concerned. They must be deeply scarred by the experience. They will have to carry the ignominy of being charged by public opinion as gang related prostitutes which is effectively what happened. Racism was also up there from the start.
Believe me, sweeping embarrassing situations under metaphorical carpets is par for the course when it comes to some government agencies. It has been going on for decades. The plight of the unsuspecting victim or victims is not considered to be of any consequence. Indeed they often are – or were – bullied into silence.
I hope those young women receive compensation for what they've been through.
Thanks Anne for providing an absolute model of how to respond rationally to these sorts of inevitable administrative cock-ups and the ensuing (but not inevitable) cover-ups. There is a way of criticising Labour from the left that does not give succour and support to the right-wing Jimmies (1.1) who will leverage it to discredit any progressive policy or intentions. In this case, the right-wing Jimmies will try and use it to re-write history and trash the best overall Covid response in the western world.
Thanks AB.
Chris Hipkins sums up what happened very well in this morning's stand up with Jacinda Ardern and others:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-to-explain-govt-blunder-that-led-to-northland-lockdown/4LOTIORD7EGBRDETVUW3JR5P3I/
Yes and Press that enlarged the story should also apologise.
I may be wrong, but I don’t remember any Govt spokesperson calling out the women for their reasons heading north.
A citation would be useful.
It was the media who were making the 'inferences' during the blanket coverage at the time. Chris Hipkins was repeating the official line he had been given… that the young women had not been truthful about their reasons for travel. He reacted the same way as the rest of the country by expressing his "disappointment" with them – just did it a little more diplomatically than the rest of us.
We now know through the inquiry that was not correct. The fault lay fairly and squarely with the Social Welfare ministry and so it looks like it is they who should be apologising and recompensing the young women concerned.
I should qualify my comment above by placing the responsibility for the apology on Social Welfare minister, Carmel Sepuloni which is what I said @ 1.2. That is the correct procedure. It should have happened before now, but I guess it would be better late than never.
Hipkins did
https://www.1news.co.nz/2021/10/08/covid-case-who-visited-northland-uncooperative-may-have-lied-to-travel-hipkins/
I can't find any media statement where he corrected this information – on or after the 13th of October, when his office had a briefing, telling them that it was a bureaucratic error, rather than deliberate deception.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/covid-19-outbreak-blunder-in-wellington-let-women-into-northland-and-shut-the-region-for-11-days/D3OIYTFMDOSWGRYBTHFO2VY7JQ/
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/covid-19/453437/chris-hipkins-on-alert-level-decisions-border-exemption-error [9:32 am on 13 October 2021]
I'd also like to know how they were accused of fraud, having gang connections and being prostitutes. Where did that come from?
From the article linked in my above comment.
this might be a better article on this issue as it is not behind pay wall.
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/politics/covid-19-outbreak-blunder-in-wellington-let-women-into-northland-and-shut-the-region-for-11-days/
So Winston was shit stirring. But he isn’t and wasn’t a member of the Govt.
Yes, he was.
And Hipkins accused them of fraud.
So that was some shitstirring too considering it was a Winz Drone that got it wrong. But then its easy to accuse beneficiaries of fraud as that always provides a nice scapegoat behind the short comings of highly paid public servants can be hidden.
You’re shit stirring yourself, as you have no idea how much the person is or was paid who made the error. It is utterly irrelevant anyway.
The election was at the end of 2020. All this happened in October 2021. Winston was long gone from Govt.
Stephen D
government response here
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/chris-hipkins-defends-northland-lockdown-amid-calls-for-responsibility-over-govt-blunder/4LOTIORD7EGBRDETVUW3JR5P3I/
So, Sabine you are happy for the government's opponents including the right wing media to milk the inquiry findings in order to create the perception that it was…
all this evil government's fault n' the ministers are to blame n' we hate em so's we're going to trash em for all they're worth and forget the two women at the centre cos they don't count.
You are doing exactly what AB @1.2.1 notes should not happen:
I wrote a comment initially in support of your stand, but of you think the above tactic is going to be helpful to the young women concerned then you are wrong.
The following backs Hipkins
"The claims, along with other allegations about the woman, have been widely circulated on social media, text and email but have not been confirmed by officials or the Government.
The Ministry of Health has not commented on the claims and Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told a hastily arranged press conference last night that he did not have information to suggest the woman was connected to a gang.
A reporter at the press conference said they had been told the woman is a sex worker but Hipkins said he could not confirm that – he had not been briefed that was the case"
'Winston Peters' TV claims – woman at centre of Northland scare 'connected to Mongrel Mob'
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-winston-peters-tv-claims-woman-at-centre-of-northland-scare-connected-to-mongrel-mob/IUAPS4YERU4NNAPSCI2YOCLWVM/
Of course they were uncooperative. They were scared witless. The authorities were intimidating in their attitude and they ran away and hid.
I don't blame Hipkins. He couldn't possibly have known exactly what was going on. He was repeating what he had been told. Everyone assumed they were guilty and when a bunch of arseholes are spreading false stories via social media and a former deputy leader repeats them as being for real, then it is only going to make matters worse.
I can understand why these two women seem to think it was the government's fault, but the real culprits were a) the ministry for attempting to play down the error and b) the social media 'bottom feeders’ along with Winston Peters who picked up the crap and ran with them.
Even though we now know Govt. ministers were not to blame, I hope they will still offer them a full apology on behalf of those who were responsible for their plight.
Anne, given any thought to the question I asked you on Open Mike 31/7/22?
Wouldn't have a clue what you asked me on the 31st.
"
…. a Health Minister repeatedly getting offside with the workforce while trying to reform (rebrand) the system.
Uggh? The other way round imo."
Do you mind expanding a little on that Anne?
My reckons have it health staff have gone above and beyond the last 8 or so years and in particular the last 33 months, especially front line staff.
Sorry can't answer because it is not in the context of whatever the conversation was about. One thing I can say: it was NOT referring to front line health staff. What I have witnessed – including a few days in hospital earlier this year – they have gone above and beyond. All of them deserve gongs.
I want to know who was vilified, slandered, defamed. Can you give me their names so I won't vilify, slander and defame them?
Does anyone know what Chris Bishop said about them at the time?
This reminds me if what Celia Lashlie wrote about in reference to people (usually mothers) who become involved with state agencies.
The individual is closely held to account and made responsible for every transgression or omission, and yet, MSD, WINZ, Police, IRD etc can be incorrect. Often leading to dire consequences for the people at the bottom of the heap and never be held to the same scrutiny.
Violence always goes down a hierarchy.
Totally agree. Have witnessed it happen to others and have also been on the receiving end. For decades there was a left/right divide too. If you were on the 'right' then a blind eye was turned on your transgressions. If you were 'left' then the lights were shone on your every move.
First Link.CO2 increase bad enough..but the Methane and NO2 increase are a clear danger.
Second Link. Well….not too hard to see that reduced cars on roads….(often stuck in jams) would lead to less polluting gases. Sad that ..as lockdowns ended people just reverted back. Even with huge fuel increases….
And the Dairy cattle. Not going to end until…
https://www.renews.co.nz/series/milk-and-money-the-true-cost-of-dairy-in-aotearoa/
They simply can't imagine a world without
powercows and oil.Why the fuck should we be having more rights to existance then cows? What other animal could we cull in order to save our overconsuming, lazy asses? Horses? Pigs? Dogs? Hedgehogs? Squirrels? Buffalo? Crickets? Bees? Flying insects (mind we done a good job here already).
The problem really is that most humans can't imagine a world in which they don't have electricity to squander, they don't have supermarket full of shit that is not good for their bodies but nicely packaged, that they don't be able to pull a boat/bikes/gadgets from the North Island to the south Island for some biking on some new track in some nice natural parks for leisure and so on and so forth.
Maybe we cull half of humanity, and safe the cows. Cows have never harmed anyone. Also, cows don't need oil, dumb arse human beings do.
Wow.
But the cow population has exploded because humans want to milk them…for all they're…worth!
That is right. Profit for humans, human governments etc etc etc.
Again, nothing that the cow should be carrying responsibility for, and nothing for which cows should be culled / exterminated/ kept in a zoo to preserve the species. They are the exploited natural being. Humans in their zeal for more are the exploiters, polluters and world killers.
That's twice in a week you've called for the culling of people.
Unhinged.
How about you try cleaning up your diet those prions seem to be taking hold.
she's not calling for the culling of people. She's using hyperbole to point out the problems with humans.
DB Brown knows full well what i am saying. But hey, him/her/they being hyperbole about me gives them the excuse to actually not comment on the fact that I am blaming human overconsumption and the need for new shit every other day rather then cows, who are the most unlikely beast on this planet to harm anyone.
The world ruining predator is US, humans and their need to need more in order to feel fullfilled.
"Maybe we cull half of humanity" – gimme a break. She's doing exactly what I said.
And apparently I'm looking for excuses.
A fucking bore and an idiot.
hahahahahahahaha
thanks for the laugh.
cheers.
Hey RB just an idea. Why not brush up on figures and mechanisms of speech – you know metaphor, irony, sarcasm, alliteration before you try to derail an argument (because that is what you are doing) with some careless rigid approach.
Consider reading poetry or Shakespeare. There are more ways of expressing oneself and making an impact than a bare recitation of facts.
Consider Churchill from his speech to the House of Commons on 4/6/1940
So memorable that my mother could recite this last paragraph, right down to intonation until the end of her life in 2010 ……from hearing on the radio in 1940.
well said. Sabine's style of political discourse is challenging but rewarding imo if one makes the effort at understanding.
and that's true when I'm agreeing or disagreeing with her.
Last time she went on a genocidal rant I believe it was prompted by my mentioning making cheese from fermented cashews. Or maybe it was cows again. It was in recent memory. And long term, it's not so much a debating style as an unhinged asshole venting their spleen. We all vent, sometimes.
I just spent the morning mulching weed species to plant productive tree species. My 'green' neighbor makes some snide comment about what we determine to be weeds, as if the privet will feed us.
Sometimes I really can't be fucked with stupid. I don't need to be told off for not engaging with such nonsensical ranting. Sabine's points on climate are as new to me as climate change itself.
Hi DB Brown. Sounds like you walk the talk into Positive action. Always the best way. Oh I did see you and Stuart Munro talking about Black Soldier fly? Interesting!
There was a Country Calendar episode on Regenerative Farming ..and Dung Beetles
Do you have Tiger worms ? They are voracious…eat old veges, leaves, grass clippings,cardboard, even carpet ! Turns all into fantastic compost…..can even get the liquid out as it is a super growth formula !
I'm not sure what worms are currently in the compost bin, though I've done a bit of worm wrangling before. I like those fast shiny native ones, good lookin' – for worms.
I'm keen on the more food forest approach of mulching in place and letting the critters make compost on the spot. The compost bin is simply convenient (throw scraps out window, scraps land in bin). But in drought mulch simply wasn't breaking down so plants weren't getting compost… Climate change is one MF'er of a challenge! Now we've had some wet it's better. I only lost a couple of trees to drought which is great considering I didn't water (swales to soak water in). Harvesting bananas that haven't been watered in a drought – LOL. That's pushing the edge.
I will irrigate some of my new trees, sparingly, as I don't want to lose my avocados (again).
The large privet I just dropped are still alive. They'll get coppiced and used for fuel (outdoor rocket stove summers), mushroom logs (only Tramates so far, but experimenting with four local edibles with this new lot of wood), garden poles, landscaping logs… They can stay on the perimeter and provide shelter/goods till I'm ready to replace them with something 'better'.
Got too much wood right now. Might make a big hugelkultur though they're very labor intensive they do build fantastic soil.
I've written a paper on privet's uses, it got people mighty upset. CULL that shit too apparently. The purists are pointlessly spouting ideals that no longer apply, everything's changing, keep up!
Only four hours food foresting today. Back inside for a nice dahl and… I just harvested, today… some kumara! Crazy but true. Harvested kumara and at the same time rooting kumara slips for the next crop. To get them real late (yet small and edible) put slips under tree drip lines in poor hard soil so they've competition for (and few) resources. They'll take all year to make you lovely wee baby kumara.
The Botanical Gardens on Saturday has the Auckland Tree Crop Association Annual Sale, for anyone who wants some great deals/variety/tips. I'm way excited. Clear out the bank balance and got the mate engaged with his truck.
A food forest, and place to teach from, that's the plan. Blame Robert if we're to yell at anyone.
I'll shoulder the blame, no worries 🙂
"Mulching in place" – yes x a million – it's so elegant! Hard to watch though, over the fence.
Don't chip; prune, chop, snap and crunch underfoot, as if you were a bear or an elk.
I envy you the "Auckland Tree Crop Association Annual Sale" – if only!
Brought pigeon pea plants yesterday. Cajanus cajan. Excited! Dividing and relocating various bamboos today. Love it. The bananas are throwing out their first post-winter leaves and cannas are pushing through. I love this stuff 🙂
Yes I'm very excited about the sale. Almost perfect timing except there's a months work down back not 2-3 weeks as I'd planned. But they will be fine sitting under the macadamia while I finish the mulch/landscaping. Close to perfect timing…
I have a slope downhill to the west. I'm planning tall species at back (right up to the native bush) medium in centre and small/shrubs at the top. So there's a level canopy and you walk down the hill till you are under a canopy of food. This is an extension to an existing garden/forest garden which provides much for me, I couldn't be happier except for the huge workload up front! Could call a working bee but nah, just get fit.
Huge Karaka stand right behind where the food forests going too. For those in the know, there'll be no shortages here.
Karaka – nice – prepare carefully!
(I have them growing here, in Southland 🙂
Complaining about commentators not rising to the heights of Shakespeare or Churchill in an age of Twitter is just a bit silly.
Best to apply facts with comments that are testable.
Otherwise, OpenMike just is what it is.
I disagree…….it was a plea not to be so literal when we have a beautiful language to use. The point too was being so literal actually missed the point that was being made by Sabine.
Who wants to be a slave to Twitter? Or, as my sister says, have brains the size of the tiny screen in front of us? Why do we need to even think of doing this in this forum?
oh, so you're a literalist? I hadn't picked that.
Ecofascism is a thing, and, among other things, it proposes various ways of population control some of which even go as far as culling [certain] people. It is no joke, no metaphor, irony, sarcasm, or alliteration; it is serious.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecofascism
I know what ecofascism is, but Sabine isn't an ecofascist and people reading her comment literally are misinterpreting what she is saying.
Maybe an argument can be made that this kind of mockery shouldn't be done, but that's a different argument.
I have no idea what Sabine is or is not, as I don’t know her, have never met her, and only read her comments here on TS. Her commenting & debating style can be aggressive, acerbic, antagonistic, and acrimonious at times, IMO. Others could easily mistake her comment about culling people as an ecofascist argument, particularly when it is poorly articulated with little explanatory context and no nuance – you know how hard it can be for people to clearly state here what they mean (e.g., https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-03-09-2022/#comment-1908901). Anywho, that’s it from me on this.
touche. Although I think Sabine is pretty direct. I do know her, from her comments and talking with her online over the years. I guess she would be an ecofascist and playing double game but I prefer to take people at face value.
And yes, it does take some work to understand her at times, which is why I made a point of pointing this out to DB. I don't think her point is poorly articulated, I think her commenting style is outside the bell curve of what is usual here. I count that as a good thing. If people are unclear they can always ask.
The cull (population reduction) is part of the SRES emission scenarios,it requires the human population to cap at 8 billion,then reduce to 6 billion by 2100.
There is also a widespread increase in Eco anxiety ( mostly due to decreased Fe transport of O2 brain) a side effect of the prozac generation and increase in the size of social studies faculty's and decrease in STEM ability.
https://www.iberdrola.com/social-commitment/what-is-ecoanxiety
I assume that the IPCC didn't use the word cull though, which by definition means slaughter.
No the EU just restricted european investment ( not in gas production or lng) but in ammonia production,by technology transfer constraints in Africa.
Eco-fascism ≠ eco-anxiety
However, there might be a relatively strong correlation between the two, and even causation.
I recommend hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatment once daily for 6 weeks and gradually lowering the dose of any mood-altering substances.
Reduce cow herd size by reducing cow breeding of new stock. Certainly stop the ever increasing cow population across the world at the expense of other animals (including insects, birds, fish) plants and terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (methane and coal burning at the dairy production end).
Ethical animal husbandry would be a nice thing to see promoted. Ethical farming – in any aspect – would be a nice thing to see promoted.
Agreed, pingao.
Return the bulk of New Zealand farmland to woodland; manage it for "food'n'fibre" (mahingakai) and provide space and opportunity for people to live and work, create community and contribute to the health of the planet 🙂
Yes. And dairy farmers already cull cows for multiple reasons – such as low production, failure to conceive and produce offspring and susceptibility to disease. Those who call for a reduction in cow population are not advocating some new mass slaughter that does not already occur – it does. Cow number reduction would occur through exactly these same mechanisms – as well as regulatory restrictions preventing new dairy conversions from other land uses.
Let's not mention bobby calves and hammers.
Reduce cow herds to the size ones land can sustain. Ban the use of palm kernel.
Seems to be the Kernel of it
in 1990 there were around 9 million sheep now around 3 million.
Even though Merino wool..and sheep meat, there is more money….in milk.
Southland destocked by 6 million ovine stock units,(since 1990) increased bovine by 600 k,what is the differential in carrying capacity?
Did the total hectarage of farmland change at all?
Was more land retired to biodiverse woodland and wetland?
Or did we spray and pray?
A reduction in land use probably as exotic tree planting by foreigners to offset their lignite use in Sweden and Germany seems to be the new esg rainbow.
Paying to plant trees in other countries seems to be New Zealand's favoured option as well.
Wonder what the folk living in those countries think about that?
Four million two hundred thousand stock units. So there was a higher carrying capacity with sheep.
PN Though that may be the case.
3 million?
You forgot to add…circa 5million to the..total.
Read it again.
ovine = sheep
Yes,but sometimes humans are referred to as…'sheep'….we have a team…of…
Ah…i see, very good.
You are quite possibly correct.
Might be missing a zero there, friend.
As of June 2021, there were approximately 25.97 million sheep in New Zealand, ~ https://www.statista.com/statistics/974492/new-zealand-sheep-livestock-numbers/#:~:text=As%20of%20June%202021%2C%20there,million%20sheep%20in%20the%20country.
talking about southland
Palm kernel, yes, palm oil also.
Reduce cow herd size to … whatever cow herd sizes were pre-domestication 🙂
"Cows have never harmed anyone".
That may be true Sabine but to keep them in existence you need bulls as well. Bulls have certainly harmed lots of people. Indeed I have never yet met a farmer who would turn his back on a bull. They can attack with no warning at all.
Good grief, the first thing we learned as little kids on the country side was that: Do not enter any paddocks/stalls of any lifestock without competent handlers. I.e. farmers, farm hands. That included goats, cows, pigs, horses, ponies, and also…..stay away from bee hives. Ditto if you don't know the dog, don't touch/pet it, you might lose a hand. lol. Heck, some even put signs up for the townies and tourists that came for the good air cause humans are actually quite stupid.
clyptosporidium, nitrates from industrial dairy farming are killing people.Bowel cancer rates increasing in areas where intensified dairy farming areas.
Humans "can't imagine", Sabine, for a number of reasons, one being the erosion of the ability to imagine anything at all, thanks to civilisations need to quell imagination for its own security. When someone with a functioning imagination appears and alerts us to their imaginings, we ring-fence, diminish and dismiss them as "crazy folk", to ease our anxiety. The recent Kim Hill interview with George Monbiot is a good example of this.
For what its worth we can imagine the killing/culling of animals rather then downsizing and consuming less. But i guess consuming until this planet looks like the Easter Island is a human right, or lack of imagination.
It's purely lack of imagination. If everyone could "see" the outcomes of this behaviour and that behaviour, all would change. Our ability to "picture" or envision scenarios other than what we have been presented with, through movies and books; media of all sorts, Government and business decrees, religious instructions, cultural imperatives etc. blinds us to the real situation and this is exploited by those who seek the various forms of power that appeal. Our best bet, on a personal and global level, is to cultivate imagination; seek it's source, explore and share your discoveries; artists do this, and by artists, I mean everyone who does this 🙂
🙂 according to you i am such an artist. thanks.
maybe raise that imagination in those that really believe that cows, or other animals that the human being exploits for profit is the issue.
we know what we have to do, in general i elieve that people know, but it is hard to stop squandering resources be they cows, water, farmland and/or humans.
in the end, we will only have ourselfs to eat once we killed everything else.
Yes, we've discovered, finally, in the Western World, that
"…it is hard to stop squandering resources be they cows, water, farmland and/or humans."
Other/earlier cultures faced the same issue and came up with solutions – rahui, potlatch etc. to rein themselves in. Our culture has yet to reach that state of maturity.
My hope is that we will.
My fear is that there isn't much time left…
🙂
For humanity? Yes there is time left i believe. For our civilization however i tend to agree with you.
Shouldn't we start to…'eat the rich'…first?
not enough fat to make for nice gravy.
Yep. just never going to attempt a mindset change…because their minds are set in reinforced concrete. And what do "they" care about their/OUR Future? Most so focused on the end of the day… they cant even imagine what World our Children will inherit. And the others…making a LOT of Moo lah (some humour cause its a bit not)
Anyway. Gotta keep trying ! Always rate your comments. Informative
Eric
CraptonCrampton has jumped the shark today, with another repulsive polemic full of distortions and outright lies in his latest Heraldbrainfartopinion piece.Clint V Smith straightened out a few of his lies.
https://twitter.com/ClintVSmith/status/1567284641182396424?s=20&t=66R_aIpeKID9nwvAmxKOSg
Then Luxon goes on TVNZ Breakfast and RNZ Morning Report and repeats this rubbish, with nobody pulling him up, or asking what National will actually *do*
This shrill misinfo campaign from the Herald, Newshub, and other National Party regurgitators, reeks of desperation.
I know it’s hard to keep them apart sometimes but perhaps you meant Bryce instead of Eric? It doesn’t matter all that much because Clint is on to them both, it appears 😉
Oops yeah they seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet
Clint shot both Sherriff and Deputy.
That's a fistful of dollars there.
The good vs. the bad & the ugly.
Perhaps needs a '…few dollars more'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNt9NcLteoU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X2DtiE7VLw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1PfrmCGFnk
Good old Clint was a bit younger then.
Yahoooooo…..
We were so much younger then…
Whano These sandflys thugs are trying to take my eldest grandchild off her mother who is working with me full time what the FUCK that is how low these thugs will go use anything in the state system to get people to kiss their ass im going to Lawyer up for this bull shit
Ka kite Ano