Bitcoin gets a lot of press. But it appears to be nothing more than than a certificate of gratuitously wasted electricity. That waste of electricity appears inherent to blockchain transactions in general, bitcoin is just the largest at the moment. For instance, one bitcoin transaction apparently uses around the same electricity as one American household for one week.
Just how much electricity is wasted by bitcoin mining? Here’s some comparisons to national electricity consumption. For instance, bitcoin mining worldwide now consumes an amount equivalent to about 3/4 of NZ electricity use.
I need enlightening on this bitcoin biz so thanks for cogent info. I will do some exploring to get my mind round it. Like smart meters and other hype stuff will it be useful or has someone found another portal to suck their money vacuum into and both suck and blow up to a nice bubble.
Unless you feel the urge to make untraceable transactions, you have zero practical need for bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency. Hence cryptocurrencies popularity for drug and kiddie porn deals.
Unless gambling your money in extremely-high-risk, potential-high-reward-but-maybe-lose-the-lot scenarios appeals to you, you’ve got zero “investment” reason to get involved in bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency.
There’s no such thing as an untraceable transactions in Bitcoin. It is essentially a ledger of account. You can put a bitcoin laundry between you and another party but there will always be a record of a transaction between two addresses.
I agree there is zero investment reason to get involved. I never got into Bitcoin because for me it isn’t tangible enough. And now, at the prices it is at, it looks like a bubble to me, and the fact it has hit the mainstream with all the accompanying PR hype around it means it’s too late for the average Joe to get in.
Seems to me bitcoin is the ultimate example of something that has value only because a bunch of people decided it has value. There’s absolutely nothing to back it.
Hell, even fiat money is ultimately backed by the issuing state’s powers of compulsion. So it doesn’t become worthless until the issuing government becomes worthless, like say Zimbabwe. And even though gold is relatively useless compared to something genuinely important like platinum, it has some uses to justify some value being placed on it. You could even grow pretty flowers from tulip bulbs. But bitcoin?
Greywarshark…. if you want a good read on what Bitcoin is and how it works, have a look at this series just recently started on Automatic Earth by Dr D:
It’s the first of 5 parts and 2 have been published, so it’s very current. I have some understanding of Bitcoin but this lays it all out, so far, really well.
We saw this used by NZ Power companies as their push was made during the “rollout of smart metering nation wide from 2011 to now, so one wonders now that most regions have had smart meters installed the “wasting of power in NZ has been “arrested”?
At least that is what the Electricty industry tols us would happen after new smart metering was installed.
Maybe that was yet another lie perpurtrated by National and their “corporate raiders and corrupt elite allies.”
Smart metering means no meter readers (outsourcing contract gets canceled) and buckets of data they don’t seem to know what to do with.
As it’s a granular breakdown from what they get out of each sub station throughout already IMO it’s just more of that ‘looking busy’ routine we get from an industry gouging the consumer with such BS as tariffs on people with solar panels (unison) etc
Seems to me smart meters provide some very useful data. I can go to the Genesis website and see a graph of my daily power usage. From this it is easy to estimate what running an electric heater costs me etc.
Yep. Not long ago I noticed the spike of extra power consumption when the hot water timer kicks on at night had got a bit bigger. Turned out to be a leaking pressure relief valve. It would have had to have got a lot worse and wasted a lot more power and water before I would have noticed it in daily or monthly average bills.
That’s interesting on smart meters. It has been hard to get a picture of their worth.
Some people have had meters installed without their say-so which only charge the basic rates and override agreement pricing plans they have entered into. Can the pricing system be changed? How easy is it to get a new system that has all the features the consumer wants? How long does it take from ringing or emailing to getting a satisfactory finish? Does it have to be done over the phone where the consumer is getting charged per minute?
Sorry, I don’t know enough about the different company plans or the nitty-gritty of the different smart meter capabilities to give a useful response.
But the smart meters do enable things like Flick Electric’s plans, where they just pass through all of their costs plus either a small per day or per kWhr charge for their costs and profit. If you’re willing and able to manage your electricity use, say by putting hot water, fridge, fridge, freezer, dishwasher etc on timers so you don’t use them at peak times, you can save quite a bit on your power bill. Powershop offer a much cruder version, with separate pricing for peak and off-peak use.
When smart meters will really make a difference is when they can communicate with the grid and users to manage the demand and smooth out peaks and troughs.
When smart meters will really make a difference is when they can communicate with the grid and users to manage the demand and smooth out peaks and troughs.
A fully cooperative national grid. Pretty much essential in this day and age but something we won’t get as long as we have privatisation and faux competition in the electricity ‘market’.
Some people have had meters installed without their say-so which only charge the basic rates and override agreement pricing plans they have entered into.
The metres don’t do the charging. That’s still done by the retailer entering the info into the computer and if someone’s plan got changed that would be a mistake done by a human.
Can the pricing system be changed?
Of course it can and, if extra has been paid by the customer because of the mistake, a refund organised.
Does it have to be done over the phone where the consumer is getting charged per minute?
Most places have secure websites that people can log into to change account details.
Thanks Andre and DTB. Something to think about when I turn down my next persistent offer of comparing prices with my present provider. What a scam. They can instantly offer a cheaper price for a year or something. I may be paying more but I have a reliable provider and am offered discounts if I pay in time which don’t disappear if it’s a day late. But I could do more perhaps. So now I know a bit more about smart meters workings.
There’s no difference in reliability between providers, they all use the same wires and grid connections. It’s not physically possible for there to actually be a difference in reliability (unless you’re signed up with a provider that’s in the habit of randomly sending someone out disconnect houses). The differences are in the pricing plans, customer service, billing practices etc.
It might not have been the main driver for implementing this technology but that does not mean that the data gathered is not helpful.
Also, gone are the days of estimated power bills where the consumer had to wait until the next actual reading before realising savings from reduced use.
The ” Line charge” for my location is now $2.46 per day including GST, before any power is used, that just happens to round out at $944 annually or $73.8 per month(30Days), again, before any actual power is used, I believe the term “Gouging” of essential services is the correct one, starting to make Solar look like an excellent investment, have lived ion properties with only solar, no problems, except the battery replacement after 10 yrs or so, a 5 kw system is adequate for most if your heating/cooking is gas.
We have previous notified government claiming that the Municipal water supply is taken out of “shallow aquifer bores” while foriegn water bottlers are allowed to sink “deep well extraction” bores hence they get our premium water; while are only left now with the top of aquifer water which is mostly soiled and contaminated from road and land use water runoff.
This ” Dirty NZ drinking water” issue has not even begun to be carefully and properly planned, as we need to stop “deep well ejection” by foriegn ‘free water pirates’ taking our best safe water.
While all NZ households get contaminated water that will be now be “doped” with harsh toxic chemicals including chorine and flouride that will harm weaker older and young almost our society.
This was forced on Municipal authorities who, now will add those chemiicals to kill pathegens and bactaria so our water is now equal to a third world water supply.
[deleted. That was a lot of scrolling to get past on a phone]
[Please don’t post whole tracts or long cut and pastes. You can cut and paste shorter bits to support the point you are trying to make or to give people and idea what the article is about. – weka]
“The solution is not chlorination.
The solution is clean water”
The RMA should be immediately changed to put that as number 1 priority because at the moment ‘The environment court’ is actually ‘the development court’, likewise council consenting. It’s not about proving that new development and consents (aka water extraction) will not impact water and the community – it is about some other person x proving at their own cost that it will NOT impact water and community. That is pretty hard to do.
The onus is on the wrong groups to prove impacts in environment not the one putting in the consents. There no come back or fines if the information in the consents provides to be wrong. It is an incredible dangerous and risky way to be running a consenting process and open to fraud especially with the amount of money involved in these consents.
Are you people losing Mana with the public well its your own fault I tried for negotiation but that’s right you don’t negotiate with a dum broke ass MAORI. KIA KAHA
it’s okay if you are a republican.
you can add Supreme Justice Thomas Clarence to that list have the right to sexually harras women. After all its t he wimminz fault with their poisonous and wily ways raising the lust in their hearts – filthy harlots – even at 14. I mean, really what is a 34 year old man to do when a 14 year old looks at him, or a married man who feels like he has to grab some pussy.
Of course no one’s calling for this pig’s resignation.
Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, says he promises to pay back taxpayers for funds from a special congressional account he used to pay a harassment settlement back in 2013.
Farenthold told NBC affiliate KRIS6 in Corpus Christi that he “didn’t do anything wrong” but would “do my best” to repay the settlement fee sometime this week, this time taking out a personal loan instead.
[…]
Farenthold is the only sitting House member since 2013 to have used the congressional Office of Compliance account to pay for a sexual harassment claim, in which $84,000 was paid out, CBS News confirmed Friday.
The House Administration Committee revealed Friday that only one sexual harassment claim has been paid through the taxpayer-funded account since 2013. Politico was the first to identify Farenthold as the lawmaker who was accused.
I agree, actually. By all means take their savings, etc, and give them a debt to pay off, but they have 2 children who are innocent and will be the greatest sufferers if they have to give up their home – there are enough families in trouble already without deliberately adding to them
Yes. The article is a bit vague on the house confiscation details but it does appear it’s been taken under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The Judge has ruled that some illegal income may have paid some of the mortgage and consequently ‘tainted’ the property.
If true then everyone who commits any kind of offence involving financial proceeds could potentially lose their home. So much for the punishment fitting the crime.
Not as I was led to believe the proceeds of crimes act would be utilised. I was of the understanding it was to help stamp out profiteering from drugs. I didn’t think it would take long for the law to start using it in other areas. Non payment of parking tickets next? You may laugh.
It doesn’t say specifically the Act was called on, I just assumed from the inference, but the term ‘tainted’ is used in the Act so it probably was.
I just had a read thru Ads link and it says the Act applies to serious offences which are described “an offence punishable by imprisonment for a term of 5 years or more” so I guess parking tickets might not make it (but who knows)
I thought the same, that the act was aimed only at the heavy hitters. Nothing forces them to make these confiscation orders, they don’t have to do it, and I wonder at the thinking & motivations behind them.
Just read the news report on the couple. Admittedly they obtained funds they weren’t entitled to, but the proceeds of crimes act is being stretched to it’s limits confiscating the house. Far exceeds the power. Judge is wrong. As someone else stated, how many white collar criminals have been prosecuted to this degree. No mansions confiscated as far as I’m aware. Most would be in trust though. If they are going to use the POCA for individuals that aren’t big time criminals, there should be no borders, such as trusts, which stop the enacting of the Act against multi-millionaire/dollar fraudsters
Yeah. It looks a bit vigilante-ish. I read the sentencing report Bill linked to below. The judge goes into great detail explaining the penalty he thinks she deserves and proceeds to give it her. And then along come these characters who appear to decide the court ordered sentence isn’t enough so they proceed to take her house as well.
This is bad policy. As JanM says, money should be confiscated and some punishment meted out, and some atonement.
I think there should always be some personal atonement for crime, apart from just handing over money. It could be doing a certain number of hours for the Council on community jobs. As they are done, they would be recorded and if not done, then there is a jail sentence. The life has to be moulded round the reparation time, not the other way round.
But why take away the house while the country is in this situation! What does that help the country and the lawbreaker, her children and partner in the long run. FGS.
You could say that the rich hold the purse, and the purse-lipped among the rich twist the poor for their misdeeds.
I am sure that the Judge regarded this rancid behaviour by a female beneficiary as totally outrageous and went all purse-lipped about it. Hence the serious stripping of all her assets. It is well-known that beneficiaries should not be able to have joy or satisfaction while they are receiving money for their keep from the government or some helping agency. Feckless pleasure and advantages gained are Not Allowed and the highest probity is required from the lowest living.
For you Rod Petricevich had no reparations ordered by the court upon his imprisonment some assets had been forfeited earlier but there was no “he might win lotto order ” or reparations out of his superannuation ordered. He also enjoys significant trust benefits
Is this 1 law for rich criminals and another for poor ones?
It’s a short read. To refer to someone with a gambling addiction as follows kind of beggars belief imo.
The pre-sentence report indicates that there is a significant problem with gambling and poor decision making. That is putting it mildly. Mr Johnson, I think appropriately, lays the genesis of this offending on a gambling problem, although I suspect that there may well have been other issues as well, but this is behaviour that has bedevilled the defendant all of her adult life and she seems to have been a somewhat slow learner as to the undesirability of fuelling this behaviour by access to money which is not hers.
And just to note that the sum she was sentenced on would have been the entire monetary value of her claim and not any proportion deemed to have been gained by dishonesty.
edit – just to note further, that while her face and story is ‘everywhere’, there is nothing bar a side mention of her partner and his tax evasion.
Love the way the crown couldn’t be bothered investigating the complaints against and alleged benefit frauds by Paula B.
I guess the legal and police system is not about innocence or guilt it’s just about having enough power and using the lawyers by the elite so you don’t get investigated properly, let alone caught.
This movement looks like it has a bunch more stamina than Black Lives Matter and Occupy.
Speaking of which, Franken is going to go down now that the Democrat women have pretty much ordered it. Although still looks like Moore will get Alabama.
Speaking of Franken, he had the opportunity to make a difference by resigning when the first allegations came out. He could have made a statement something like “behaviour of the kind I indulged in should be disqualifying for public office. To make that clear, I am now resigning…”.
But if he goes reluctantly as a result of mounting pressure and an increasing list of accusers, he’s just another abuser that still doesn’t get it.
I don’t know about it having more stamina, but it’s absolutely of a different nature.
Black Lives Matter and Occupy challenge structural foundations. ‘Silence breakers” or whatever name is being given to it, is about “bad apples” – at least, that’s the vein in which it’s generally reported.
boys will always be boys no matter how old and how famous, and how rich and how connected and any of the bullshit.
for the women it is
when it bleeds it breeds
beauty must suffer
if you can’t escape it, try to enjoy it
close your eyes and do it for England (insert any other country)
martial duty of the women vs martial right for the man
they are ‘jailbait’
what did she wear
why did she go there
why did she not speak earlier
where was the mother
why did she drink
to the victor go the spoils
she must’ave enticed him
lolita
etc etc etc
btw, the ‘me too’ movement is over ten years old, and was started by a woman of colour.
That’s true. Interestingly it’s black women that are most likely to prevent #metoo from becoming predominantly a liberal agenda, so I see the success of BLM here too. As you say, one has to look past much of the reporting to see the broader effects of what is going on.
now what we need to see is a detailed plan of how its to be achieved…im hoping James Shaw has been very quiet because hes busy formulating that plan for imminent release.
they are still annoyed that the Green Party did not rubber stamp the ‘majority’ of the National Party. How dare they do as they want to instead of doing as they are ordered too.
This fight to preserve jobs and conditions at the Aquatic Centre in Rotorua is winnable, if people rally aorund behind the workers and put maximum pressure on the mayor, CEO and Council.
@ Philip Ferguson, That’s terrible. I bet they could easily save $700,000+ by cutting the Rotorua CEO and executive team down to minimum wages… Some one should do a tally on how much the executive team is being paid and their wage increases. Should be enlightening.
I really hate all this conversion on NZ to a low wage transient economy. It’s such a race to the bottom and it does not save any money because then taxpayers and ratepayers then pay all the wages in work for dole schemes, more wage subsidies like working for families, the courts when people need to turn to crime, etc etc Nobody saves!!!! Not only does it not save money, it actually horribly reduces peoples quality of life and their mental health and wrecks their kids and dependants lives too!
Yeah, Boag is still there. Seems to be there as a lobbyist and you are right, they should be required to make an appointment which is recorded and verifiable.
God knows why supposes of former MPs are still there.
We commented on this some days ago, that is that no one had looked into what exactly Phil Quin did in Rwanda and for whom. We speculated on the information available which was that he worked as a consultant for the Kagame government and specifically the Rwandan Police at one point.
Now someone on Reddit (thats right, Reddit of all places, not the NZ media) posted about Phin Quin’s past and dear bitter old Phil claims it’s a hatchet job!
He does and apology clip (which I can’t bring myself to watch) and seems very concerned he’s burned some bridges with ‘people he respects’. Read ‘contacts’ with which to attack the Labour party with, and ‘clients’ who pay him for attacks on the Labour party.
Phil Quin has been squashed like a snail, good and proper.
I think Phil Q probably needs some ‘wrap around’ services about now – purely from philanthropic sources of course.
Probably the first wrap around service is to assure him is that his dick size is within the bounds of normality, and anyway (as Ms Muldaur once said to the insecure) – it ain’t the meat but the motion anyway
At the end of the linked article Quin says
“and won’t simply trigger another unhelpful round of substance-free nastiness”.
I think he is talking about you Muttonbird.
I didn’t call anyone a genocide denier in a Twitter rant sparking an epic round of hatred for Ghahraman. Quin needs to have a long hard look in the mirror.
Wet houses – a practical answer to the difficulties for blokes and women living on the streets with a booze problem. In this item hopeful Wellington Mayor Justin Lester says he will have talk with the government to get the first NZ one set up there. I wonder if that is progressing?
Wellington mayoral candidate Justin Lester says his plan for the country’s first wet house would help addicts on the road to becoming more independent.
A wet house is a residential facility where alcoholics can continue to drink, and research from Washington University found most of those people would halve their intake while they were there….
Another FFS moment … Natz gobshite Soper still at it. Today it’s Labour taking advantage of National’s initiatives! Getting more ridiculous now. Time to give it a rest.
Soper has an anology about National spreading hayseeds that the Goverment are reaping, any farmer knows that the only seeds to germinate from hay are weeds.
Petition
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern: I ask that you do not approve planned seismic blasting for oil in the newly discovered blue whale habitat off Taranaki, and that you make climate change your “nuclear free moment” by ending offshore oil exploration and drilling in NZ waters and the ‘Block Offer’ process.
well I want to tell her that if she’s worried about the planet she should stop mowing her bloody lawn. Bonus, she wouldn’t have to use a sprinkler to water it.
Some fairly salient comments by Ella Henry and Bernard Hickey on the RNZ ZB Hour (aka ‘The Panel’) re our public service. (It’s in the first 15 minutes thank Christ – i.e. before Mora has the opportunity to start exercising his wisdom and ego – so not too much of a burden to listen to).
The good thing is though, that people are starting to take interest and listen – and when they do (whether DHB’s or Water/health, Ed Jikayshun, Seeyoe’s celeries et al), they are starting to think: mmmmm geeeze Wayne – wtf?
Well, on the one hand I subverted the interpretation of the ‘dwarf’ as a label, a mere cypher, an insult to David Farrar, and gave the dwarf a personal voice, but then I placed the dwarf in a potentially compromising position.
The connection between Farrar and princesses should be familiar to any student of Dirty Politics.
Let me deal with the fat phobia first. Fat phobic comments attack a person from a place of prejudice. There are a whole range of political implications that come from that. Do you think it would be ok to make putdown jokes about someone based on their gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation? I don’t. Nor gratuitous digs at someone because of their body shape.
Perhaps it is more correct to say it as ‘Does this tie make my gut look slim.’ I don’t know how we are going to poke fun at each other if Health and Safety get too sterile about it. Instead of poking fun we might have to revert to poking someone in the nose.
National used it successfully for at least god knows how many years…but that was with corrupt media support so I guess your correct (not going to say Right)
I think the depth of the problems left behind cannot be turned around in 6-12 months to a point where the forces of 9 years of National’s abject non-governance no longer have an effect on society.
This government have several terms and more to rightly blame the Nats for the housing crisis, and under-planning for infrastructure. Same goes for improvements in educational achievement. Perhaps 18-36 months to get the health ministry and water infrastructure sorted.
Lets face it. National screwed these things up so bad that even an economy in free teenage party mode couldn’t help them win the 2017 GE.
I don’t think they’ll have too, most voted for the coalition knowing all these problems(fires) existed, the only ones that didn’t was the National supporters who probably didn’t care or weren’t interested.
When I was naive I thought our justice systems were like science and that was it is not a fact till it was proven to be fact but not now our justice system will spread lies about anyone they have a beef with. I can prove that everything I have said to he TRUE. If they had one shred evidence that could stand up in our courts we’ll you no what would happen . My great grandmother died when I was 9 an I ended up living with the worst family of all my whano I had been living with them for a week and after drank for 4 days they took me to the post office and got me to sign a withdrawal slip and drew out all the money my great grandmother had me save at my school savings. I found out later that MAMA MY GGMAM had another account that my fathers maintainec was beeping payed into they spent that to the first account had $300 and the second account had $800 they carried on getting my father maintainec till I turned 18 and I had left at 14 and went to work my dad told me he had carried on paying till I turn 18 and I told all the other family members about this and the people who did this don’t like this fact getting out there. I never got any gifts or new clothing I was the little white slave lite the fire chop the wood milk the cow boil the water for a bath. I was 12 and I fix a mower that someone could not get going he gave it away I was sick of carting water so I setup a syphon system to take the water from the tank to the copper and another from the copper to the bathroom I buried the black plastic pipe and put taps on the ends into the copper and the bathroom he got pissed at someone and picked on me and pulled that out every time he got upset he would call me a white honky bustard everyone called me honky when he tried to hit me I would runaway and hide one time I stayed at the neighbours for 2 weeks when I was 13.One week he took my money from cutting ragwort and used it to go to a funeral and left 2 of us home alone for 5 days no food I went to the neighbours. After watching them catch possum I started catching and skinny and drying them I had about 30 skins he said he would sell them for me i never seen a cent. So what these people are doing to me now is not a new feeling I am use to being intimated and bullied its like water off a ducks back. What I did not like was I was very submissive but not now I will protect my family we made. Kia kaha
Sad to hear of the death of Christine Keeler, one of the victims in the Profumo Scandal, although at least she lived to tell the tale, whereas poor Stephen Ward ended up committing suicide.
There you go the state using all its power to try and suppress me I use to be able to find eco Maori by Googleing it not anymore they did the same to a website I found about corruption in the NZ justice systems email the IPCA about it as proof next minute web site vanished they would have paid Google to make it come up in page 1000 in any search. Kia kaha
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 28 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
As a young gymnast, Aimee Didierjean was always conscious of making sure her underwear wasn’t showing on the competition floor. A peek of a bra strap, or briefs if a leotard rode up, would cost a gymnast points in her routines. “When I was growing and going through puberty, it ...
Jubi/West Papua Daily Repeated cases of Indonesian military (TNI) soldiers torturing civilians in Papua have been evident, as seen in the viral video depicting the torture of civilians in the Puncak Regency allegedly done by soldiers of Raider 300/Brajawijaya Infantry Battalion. There is a pressing need for stringent law enforcement ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In 2023, Anthony Albanese was shooting for the moon, his eyes on the Voice referendum. On one view, he looked like the idealist reflecting his left-wing roots. In 2024, we’re seeing a pragmatic, determined, ...
The House - The principle that all MPs are honourable and that they should be taken at their word has been tested multiple times this week in Parliament. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Helen Dickinson, Professor, Public Service Research, UNSW Sydney Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock Since the review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) released its recommendations in December, there has been a series of Town Hall events to discuss them around the country ...
Asia Pacific Report Two of the global Freedom Flotilla ships are being prepared in Turkey and almost ready for the upcoming humanitarian mission to Gaza. It is expected that the flotilla will include a New Zealand medical team. Kia Ora Gaza is a member of the international Freedom Flotilla Coalition ...
Bitcoin gets a lot of press. But it appears to be nothing more than than a certificate of gratuitously wasted electricity. That waste of electricity appears inherent to blockchain transactions in general, bitcoin is just the largest at the moment. For instance, one bitcoin transaction apparently uses around the same electricity as one American household for one week.
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2017/12/climatedesk-bitcoin-is-really-bad-for-the-environment/
Just how much electricity is wasted by bitcoin mining? Here’s some comparisons to national electricity consumption. For instance, bitcoin mining worldwide now consumes an amount equivalent to about 3/4 of NZ electricity use.
https://powercompare.co.uk/bitcoin/
I need enlightening on this bitcoin biz so thanks for cogent info. I will do some exploring to get my mind round it. Like smart meters and other hype stuff will it be useful or has someone found another portal to suck their money vacuum into and both suck and blow up to a nice bubble.
Unless you feel the urge to make untraceable transactions, you have zero practical need for bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency. Hence cryptocurrencies popularity for drug and kiddie porn deals.
Unless gambling your money in extremely-high-risk, potential-high-reward-but-maybe-lose-the-lot scenarios appeals to you, you’ve got zero “investment” reason to get involved in bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency.
There’s no such thing as an untraceable transactions in Bitcoin. It is essentially a ledger of account. You can put a bitcoin laundry between you and another party but there will always be a record of a transaction between two addresses.
I agree there is zero investment reason to get involved. I never got into Bitcoin because for me it isn’t tangible enough. And now, at the prices it is at, it looks like a bubble to me, and the fact it has hit the mainstream with all the accompanying PR hype around it means it’s too late for the average Joe to get in.
Seems to me bitcoin is the ultimate example of something that has value only because a bunch of people decided it has value. There’s absolutely nothing to back it.
Hell, even fiat money is ultimately backed by the issuing state’s powers of compulsion. So it doesn’t become worthless until the issuing government becomes worthless, like say Zimbabwe. And even though gold is relatively useless compared to something genuinely important like platinum, it has some uses to justify some value being placed on it. You could even grow pretty flowers from tulip bulbs. But bitcoin?
It has ‘value’ because the ‘goods’ and services that are traded do.
Kiddie porn? !!
I might be out of date with that comment, there’s a good chance they’ve moved on to something else for their nasty deals.
https://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/06/blockchain-start-up-elliptic-aims-to-catch-people-using-bitcoin-to-pay-for-child-porn-online.html
Bitcoin – sounds like a teething ring for a rich kid.
Greywarshark…. if you want a good read on what Bitcoin is and how it works, have a look at this series just recently started on Automatic Earth by Dr D:
https://www.theautomaticearth.com/2017/12/bitcoin-doesnt-exist-1/
It’s the first of 5 parts and 2 have been published, so it’s very current. I have some understanding of Bitcoin but this lays it all out, so far, really well.
Thanks for this Andre,
We saw this used by NZ Power companies as their push was made during the “rollout of smart metering nation wide from 2011 to now, so one wonders now that most regions have had smart meters installed the “wasting of power in NZ has been “arrested”?
At least that is what the Electricty industry tols us would happen after new smart metering was installed.
Maybe that was yet another lie perpurtrated by National and their “corporate raiders and corrupt elite allies.”
Smart metering means no meter readers (outsourcing contract gets canceled) and buckets of data they don’t seem to know what to do with.
As it’s a granular breakdown from what they get out of each sub station throughout already IMO it’s just more of that ‘looking busy’ routine we get from an industry gouging the consumer with such BS as tariffs on people with solar panels (unison) etc
Seems to me smart meters provide some very useful data. I can go to the Genesis website and see a graph of my daily power usage. From this it is easy to estimate what running an electric heater costs me etc.
Yep. Not long ago I noticed the spike of extra power consumption when the hot water timer kicks on at night had got a bit bigger. Turned out to be a leaking pressure relief valve. It would have had to have got a lot worse and wasted a lot more power and water before I would have noticed it in daily or monthly average bills.
That’s interesting on smart meters. It has been hard to get a picture of their worth.
Some people have had meters installed without their say-so which only charge the basic rates and override agreement pricing plans they have entered into. Can the pricing system be changed? How easy is it to get a new system that has all the features the consumer wants? How long does it take from ringing or emailing to getting a satisfactory finish? Does it have to be done over the phone where the consumer is getting charged per minute?
Sorry, I don’t know enough about the different company plans or the nitty-gritty of the different smart meter capabilities to give a useful response.
But the smart meters do enable things like Flick Electric’s plans, where they just pass through all of their costs plus either a small per day or per kWhr charge for their costs and profit. If you’re willing and able to manage your electricity use, say by putting hot water, fridge, fridge, freezer, dishwasher etc on timers so you don’t use them at peak times, you can save quite a bit on your power bill. Powershop offer a much cruder version, with separate pricing for peak and off-peak use.
When smart meters will really make a difference is when they can communicate with the grid and users to manage the demand and smooth out peaks and troughs.
A fully cooperative national grid. Pretty much essential in this day and age but something we won’t get as long as we have privatisation and faux competition in the electricity ‘market’.
The metres don’t do the charging. That’s still done by the retailer entering the info into the computer and if someone’s plan got changed that would be a mistake done by a human.
Of course it can and, if extra has been paid by the customer because of the mistake, a refund organised.
Thanks Andre and DTB. Something to think about when I turn down my next persistent offer of comparing prices with my present provider. What a scam. They can instantly offer a cheaper price for a year or something. I may be paying more but I have a reliable provider and am offered discounts if I pay in time which don’t disappear if it’s a day late. But I could do more perhaps. So now I know a bit more about smart meters workings.
If you’re interested in comparing price, Consumer have this handy website: https://www.powerswitch.org.nz/
There’s no difference in reliability between providers, they all use the same wires and grid connections. It’s not physically possible for there to actually be a difference in reliability (unless you’re signed up with a provider that’s in the habit of randomly sending someone out disconnect houses). The differences are in the pricing plans, customer service, billing practices etc.
In other words a huge bureaucracy that costs heaps but achieves nothing.
For the convenience and benefit of the consumer…
Is not why smart meters or most any technology is rolled out
High Speed Broadband
Smart Meters
‘Internet of Things’
It might not have been the main driver for implementing this technology but that does not mean that the data gathered is not helpful.
Also, gone are the days of estimated power bills where the consumer had to wait until the next actual reading before realising savings from reduced use.
The ” Line charge” for my location is now $2.46 per day including GST, before any power is used, that just happens to round out at $944 annually or $73.8 per month(30Days), again, before any actual power is used, I believe the term “Gouging” of essential services is the correct one, starting to make Solar look like an excellent investment, have lived ion properties with only solar, no problems, except the battery replacement after 10 yrs or so, a 5 kw system is adequate for most if your heating/cooking is gas.
We have previous notified government claiming that the Municipal water supply is taken out of “shallow aquifer bores” while foriegn water bottlers are allowed to sink “deep well extraction” bores hence they get our premium water; while are only left now with the top of aquifer water which is mostly soiled and contaminated from road and land use water runoff.
This ” Dirty NZ drinking water” issue has not even begun to be carefully and properly planned, as we need to stop “deep well ejection” by foriegn ‘free water pirates’ taking our best safe water.
While all NZ households get contaminated water that will be now be “doped” with harsh toxic chemicals including chorine and flouride that will harm weaker older and young almost our society.
This was forced on Municipal authorities who, now will add those chemiicals to kill pathegens and bactaria so our water is now equal to a third world water supply.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/345570/new-zealand-s-drinking-water-a-mess
[deleted. That was a lot of scrolling to get past on a phone]
[Please don’t post whole tracts or long cut and pastes. You can cut and paste shorter bits to support the point you are trying to make or to give people and idea what the article is about. – weka]
Please do not paste an entire article you have linked to.
moderation note above, please respond so I know you have seen it, thanks.
This is what happens when you put profit above people.
A destroyed environment.
Undrinkable water.
The solution is not chlorination.
The solution is clean water.
Abandon unsustainable dairy farming.
Abandon neoliberalism.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11954491
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/345616/clean-water-it-s-the-communities-that-have-to-pay
Ageed 100%.
When did we learn that term “you cant get blood out of a stone”???
Our Elders knew this would happen that was the reason for the term.
Now we get get back to our former cleangreen country, or something close to representing the words of our dreams and asperations.?
You got it in one ED,
“The solution is not chlorination.
The solution is clean water”
The RMA should be immediately changed to put that as number 1 priority because at the moment ‘The environment court’ is actually ‘the development court’, likewise council consenting. It’s not about proving that new development and consents (aka water extraction) will not impact water and the community – it is about some other person x proving at their own cost that it will NOT impact water and community. That is pretty hard to do.
The onus is on the wrong groups to prove impacts in environment not the one putting in the consents. There no come back or fines if the information in the consents provides to be wrong. It is an incredible dangerous and risky way to be running a consenting process and open to fraud especially with the amount of money involved in these consents.
This disgusting water policy of the National Party and its farmer friends….
https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/l/f/i/z/s/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620×349.1lfi0o.png/1504501119377.jpg
Are you people losing Mana with the public well its your own fault I tried for negotiation but that’s right you don’t negotiate with a dum broke ass MAORI. KIA KAHA
Senator Al Franken is officially toast:
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/363543-women-in-senate-call-for-franken-to-resign
Toast:
Bill Clinton
Al Franken
John Conyers
Harvey Weinstein
Louis CK
Matt Lauer
Kevin Spacey
Jeremy Piven
Brett Ratner
Not toast:
Roy Moore
Donald Trump
it’s okay if you are a republican.
you can add Supreme Justice Thomas Clarence to that list have the right to sexually harras women. After all its t he wimminz fault with their poisonous and wily ways raising the lust in their hearts – filthy harlots – even at 14. I mean, really what is a 34 year old man to do when a 14 year old looks at him, or a married man who feels like he has to grab some pussy.
Of course no one’s calling for this pig’s resignation.
Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, says he promises to pay back taxpayers for funds from a special congressional account he used to pay a harassment settlement back in 2013.
Farenthold told NBC affiliate KRIS6 in Corpus Christi that he “didn’t do anything wrong” but would “do my best” to repay the settlement fee sometime this week, this time taking out a personal loan instead.
[…]
Farenthold is the only sitting House member since 2013 to have used the congressional Office of Compliance account to pay for a sexual harassment claim, in which $84,000 was paid out, CBS News confirmed Friday.
The House Administration Committee revealed Friday that only one sexual harassment claim has been paid through the taxpayer-funded account since 2013. Politico was the first to identify Farenthold as the lawmaker who was accused.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rep-blake-farenthold-says-hell-repay-taxpayers-for-harassment-settlement/
# IOIYAR
This is bad…..
“Benefit fraudster Leticia Drake and her partner lose home, savings and insurance payouts ”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/99589505/benefit-fraudster-leticia-drake-and-her-partner-lose-home-savings-and-insurance-payouts
There’s a disturbing vindictiveness from ‘The Crown’ there and the ruling has sinister implications.
I agree, actually. By all means take their savings, etc, and give them a debt to pay off, but they have 2 children who are innocent and will be the greatest sufferers if they have to give up their home – there are enough families in trouble already without deliberately adding to them
Yes. The article is a bit vague on the house confiscation details but it does appear it’s been taken under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The Judge has ruled that some illegal income may have paid some of the mortgage and consequently ‘tainted’ the property.
If true then everyone who commits any kind of offence involving financial proceeds could potentially lose their home. So much for the punishment fitting the crime.
Funny enough they don’t seem to take the houses/assets of larger white collar criminals or corporate criminals like Banks.
Exactly! Mind you they will have all their assets tied up in trusts and have expensive lawyers
If they are having a crack under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Court can grant relief to a third party:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1991/0120/latest/whole.html#DLM251081
Not as I was led to believe the proceeds of crimes act would be utilised. I was of the understanding it was to help stamp out profiteering from drugs. I didn’t think it would take long for the law to start using it in other areas. Non payment of parking tickets next? You may laugh.
It doesn’t say specifically the Act was called on, I just assumed from the inference, but the term ‘tainted’ is used in the Act so it probably was.
I just had a read thru Ads link and it says the Act applies to serious offences which are described “an offence punishable by imprisonment for a term of 5 years or more” so I guess parking tickets might not make it (but who knows)
I thought the same, that the act was aimed only at the heavy hitters. Nothing forces them to make these confiscation orders, they don’t have to do it, and I wonder at the thinking & motivations behind them.
Just read the news report on the couple. Admittedly they obtained funds they weren’t entitled to, but the proceeds of crimes act is being stretched to it’s limits confiscating the house. Far exceeds the power. Judge is wrong. As someone else stated, how many white collar criminals have been prosecuted to this degree. No mansions confiscated as far as I’m aware. Most would be in trust though. If they are going to use the POCA for individuals that aren’t big time criminals, there should be no borders, such as trusts, which stop the enacting of the Act against multi-millionaire/dollar fraudsters
Yeah. It looks a bit vigilante-ish. I read the sentencing report Bill linked to below. The judge goes into great detail explaining the penalty he thinks she deserves and proceeds to give it her. And then along come these characters who appear to decide the court ordered sentence isn’t enough so they proceed to take her house as well.
This is bad policy. As JanM says, money should be confiscated and some punishment meted out, and some atonement.
I think there should always be some personal atonement for crime, apart from just handing over money. It could be doing a certain number of hours for the Council on community jobs. As they are done, they would be recorded and if not done, then there is a jail sentence. The life has to be moulded round the reparation time, not the other way round.
But why take away the house while the country is in this situation! What does that help the country and the lawbreaker, her children and partner in the long run. FGS.
Law grinds the poor, and rich men rule the law. Oliver Goldsmith
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/oliver_goldsmith_403444
You could say that the rich hold the purse, and the purse-lipped among the rich twist the poor for their misdeeds.
I am sure that the Judge regarded this rancid behaviour by a female beneficiary as totally outrageous and went all purse-lipped about it. Hence the serious stripping of all her assets. It is well-known that beneficiaries should not be able to have joy or satisfaction while they are receiving money for their keep from the government or some helping agency. Feckless pleasure and advantages gained are Not Allowed and the highest probity is required from the lowest living.
Great job – the tax payer will be getting their stolen money back.
I have no issue with this – or any other criminals having assets sold to pay back stolen money.
So you’d kick a person when they’re down huh James. Why does that not surprise me.
“So you’d kick a person when they’re down huh James”
They are not “down” they were “caught”.
@ James
What if the value of the house (or other assets) taken far exceed the amount stolen and fine (if any) given?
They should sell all the items until the money is re-paid and give back the remaining items to the fraudster.
“I have no issue with this”
James declares his position and it’s that of a pretzel.
I agree with you James, they did the crime, time to pay the consequences.
James
For you Rod Petricevich had no reparations ordered by the court upon his imprisonment some assets had been forfeited earlier but there was no “he might win lotto order ” or reparations out of his superannuation ordered. He also enjoys significant trust benefits
Is this 1 law for rich criminals and another for poor ones?
Do you have any input on this?
Cheers Barfly
Gone quiet so apparently not. James probably has a headache from trying to formulate a response.
Nothing if not consistent.
Erm. Here’s the sentencing document. Note the date? The judgement was on the 16th of May last year – 18 months ago.
It’s a short read. To refer to someone with a gambling addiction as follows kind of beggars belief imo.
And just to note that the sum she was sentenced on would have been the entire monetary value of her claim and not any proportion deemed to have been gained by dishonesty.
edit – just to note further, that while her face and story is ‘everywhere’, there is nothing bar a side mention of her partner and his tax evasion.
Love the way the crown couldn’t be bothered investigating the complaints against and alleged benefit frauds by Paula B.
I guess the legal and police system is not about innocence or guilt it’s just about having enough power and using the lawyers by the elite so you don’t get investigated properly, let alone caught.
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year goes to ….
Silence-breakers against sexual harrassment:
http://time.com/
http://www.dw.com/en/time-names-the-silence-breakers-person-of-the-year/a-41675559
This movement looks like it has a bunch more stamina than Black Lives Matter and Occupy.
Speaking of which, Franken is going to go down now that the Democrat women have pretty much ordered it. Although still looks like Moore will get Alabama.
Speaking of Franken, he had the opportunity to make a difference by resigning when the first allegations came out. He could have made a statement something like “behaviour of the kind I indulged in should be disqualifying for public office. To make that clear, I am now resigning…”.
But if he goes reluctantly as a result of mounting pressure and an increasing list of accusers, he’s just another abuser that still doesn’t get it.
So when is Trump going to resign?
And why did Nancy Pelosi, that great defender of civil rights, not say a word about Bill Clinton?
https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/nancy-pelosi-nobody-was-proud-of-president-clinton-s-behavior-at-the-time-1103782467514
Republicans are immune from any of this.
It’s in the law.
I don’t know about it having more stamina, but it’s absolutely of a different nature.
Black Lives Matter and Occupy challenge structural foundations. ‘Silence breakers” or whatever name is being given to it, is about “bad apples” – at least, that’s the vein in which it’s generally reported.
boys will always be boys no matter how old and how famous, and how rich and how connected and any of the bullshit.
for the women it is
when it bleeds it breeds
beauty must suffer
if you can’t escape it, try to enjoy it
close your eyes and do it for England (insert any other country)
martial duty of the women vs martial right for the man
they are ‘jailbait’
what did she wear
why did she go there
why did she not speak earlier
where was the mother
why did she drink
to the victor go the spoils
she must’ave enticed him
lolita
etc etc etc
btw, the ‘me too’ movement is over ten years old, and was started by a woman of colour.
Pretty sure if you relied on reporting for an understanding of BLM and Occupy you wouldn’t get the challenge to structural foundations either 😉
That’s true. And my comment was badly worded.
What I was trying to get at is that some stuff just doesn’t get reported on and some other stuff gets reported in a way that renders it “safe.
That’s true. Interestingly it’s black women that are most likely to prevent #metoo from becoming predominantly a liberal agenda, so I see the success of BLM here too. As you say, one has to look past much of the reporting to see the broader effects of what is going on.
Lovely article on New Zealand emissions, a proper plan for reducing them, and some hope that the Green Party will start to re-address this issue:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1712/S00054/a-fresh-start-for-climate-change-mitigation-in-new-zealand.htm
now what we need to see is a detailed plan of how its to be achieved…im hoping James Shaw has been very quiet because hes busy formulating that plan for imminent release.
Why do you always come out with lies about the Green party?
As you well know, climate change and emissions have always been part of the Greens policies.
The Green Party are in charge of actual implementation. as per their agreement with Labour. “Re-address” is covered in the article cited.
Waiting for Shaw to show he will hold up his part of the 100-day plan. It’s their only action.
they are still annoyed that the Green Party did not rubber stamp the ‘majority’ of the National Party. How dare they do as they want to instead of doing as they are ordered too.
Farrar’s lost his keys to parliament.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/99552731/speaker-reviews-list-of-approved-visitors-with-access-to-parliament-for-the-first-time
That on its own will go a long way to cleaning up the place.
This fight to preserve jobs and conditions at the Aquatic Centre in Rotorua is winnable, if people rally aorund behind the workers and put maximum pressure on the mayor, CEO and Council.
https://rdln.wordpress.com/2017/12/06/workers-resist-redundancies-outsourcing-and-cuts-at-rotorua-aquatic-centre/
@ Philip Ferguson, That’s terrible. I bet they could easily save $700,000+ by cutting the Rotorua CEO and executive team down to minimum wages… Some one should do a tally on how much the executive team is being paid and their wage increases. Should be enlightening.
I really hate all this conversion on NZ to a low wage transient economy. It’s such a race to the bottom and it does not save any money because then taxpayers and ratepayers then pay all the wages in work for dole schemes, more wage subsidies like working for families, the courts when people need to turn to crime, etc etc Nobody saves!!!! Not only does it not save money, it actually horribly reduces peoples quality of life and their mental health and wrecks their kids and dependants lives too!
https://www.facebook.com/Rotorua-Aquatics-SOS-Save-Our-Staff-136776193653037/
“I should have shut my fat face”
Hit that nail right on the head, Mr Quin.
Where’d he say that?
http://www.philquin.com/blog/2017/12/6/on-opining
He’s no longer going to do revenge porn on the Labour party. Thank god for that.
Farrar has been locked out of parliament and Quin has had an epiphany. What a great day!
An epiphany. Sounds serious. Is it a heart condition? Does it require surgery?
It’s when he suddenly realised his pay checks have dried up.
“Farrar has been locked out of parliament”
Wait, what?
He’s had his swipe card taken off him. He was on this list yesterday, but not today.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/99552731/speaker-reviews-list-of-approved-visitors-with-access-to-parliament-for-the-first-time
thanks, that was interesting.
How did you know about Farrar? (not in the link)
His name isn’t on the list of approved visitors to parliament.
where is the list?
Mid-page in Muttonbird’s stuff link.
https://screenshots.firefoxusercontent.com/images/0559d7eb-1ba8-41d4-bd0e-b38458ee082f.png
https://screenshots.firefoxusercontent.com/images/0dbcebae-3312-4350-8560-b149b957e53c.png
I remembered this story from a few weeks ago when there were 93 on the access list and you can see Farrar, David Curia Market Research Ltd is there.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/98473124/list-of-lobbyists-with-access-to-parliament-to-be-reviewed-by-new-speaker
On today’s list he’s not there. He’ll be devastated as it’s a status thing for him.
Interesting there were 15 on the list when it was first made public in 2012 climbing to 93 by 2017. Carter just handed them out to anyone it seems.
Morticia is still on it though. And what’s with spouses of former MPs?
Lobbyists (and Morticia) should have to make an appointment like anyone else.
Yeah, Boag is still there. Seems to be there as a lobbyist and you are right, they should be required to make an appointment which is recorded and verifiable.
God knows why supposes of former MPs are still there.
Spouses.
And now this.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/12/ghahraman-accuser-phil-quin-denies-he-was-part-of-the-rwandan-government-pr-machine.html
We commented on this some days ago, that is that no one had looked into what exactly Phil Quin did in Rwanda and for whom. We speculated on the information available which was that he worked as a consultant for the Kagame government and specifically the Rwandan Police at one point.
Now someone on Reddit (thats right, Reddit of all places, not the NZ media) posted about Phin Quin’s past and dear bitter old Phil claims it’s a hatchet job!
He does and apology clip (which I can’t bring myself to watch) and seems very concerned he’s burned some bridges with ‘people he respects’. Read ‘contacts’ with which to attack the Labour party with, and ‘clients’ who pay him for attacks on the Labour party.
Phil Quin has been squashed like a snail, good and proper.
Had to laugh.
I think Phil Q probably needs some ‘wrap around’ services about now – purely from philanthropic sources of course.
Probably the first wrap around service is to assure him is that his dick size is within the bounds of normality, and anyway (as Ms Muldaur once said to the insecure) – it ain’t the meat but the motion anyway
Its a good backgrounder.
It’s a shame Garner and other msm oiks are shit useless at research and instead parrot reckons from the dwarf at kiwiblog
https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/7hmhgt/dirty_politics_the_disturbing_context_behind_phil/
At the end of the linked article Quin says
“and won’t simply trigger another unhelpful round of substance-free nastiness”.
I think he is talking about you Muttonbird.
I didn’t call anyone a genocide denier in a Twitter rant sparking an epic round of hatred for Ghahraman. Quin needs to have a long hard look in the mirror.
Quin should be looking to himself, first.
Last week he was pegged on TS as an apologist for the current regime.
https://thestandard.org.nz/phil-quin-our-medias-goto-dogwhistling-aussie/#comment-1420543
Wet houses – a practical answer to the difficulties for blokes and women living on the streets with a booze problem. In this item hopeful Wellington Mayor Justin Lester says he will have talk with the government to get the first NZ one set up there. I wonder if that is progressing?
Wellington mayoral candidate Justin Lester says his plan for the country’s first wet house would help addicts on the road to becoming more independent.
A wet house is a residential facility where alcoholics can continue to drink, and research from Washington University found most of those people would halve their intake while they were there….
If he were to become mayor, he said the council would lobby the government more strongly to solve homelessness, and would also push for tenants in council housing to be eligible for the Income-Related Rent Subsidy.
5/9/2016 https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/312534/%27wet-house%27-plan-to-tackle-wellington-homelessness @m_cropp michael.cropp@notrnz.com
https://www.rehabs.com/are-wet-house-facilities-really-helping-alcoholics/
More on progress for the Wet House in Wellington after talks with Phil Twyford.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/99529102/government-backs-wellington-city-councils-plans-for-a-capital-housing-strategy
And it got great support from a group of musicians.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/99065678/wellington-musicians-highlight-frontline-services-for-the-homeless
And this housing initiative. I hadn’t got wind of it. Sounds like a good start.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/98664506/first-prisonerbuilt-house-for-rimutaka-earns-inmates-skills
A useful discussion around uncertainties and transparency in science, and how vested interests and politicians misuse them to further their agendas.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-easiest-way-to-dismiss-good-science-demand-sound-science/
And if you followed that link, here is a link where you can down-load the vaccine for your new virus: http://www.go-read-a-book.com
Another FFS moment … Natz gobshite Soper still at it. Today it’s Labour taking advantage of National’s initiatives! Getting more ridiculous now. Time to give it a rest.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11954555
Stop reading that drivel Mary_a! It just keeps their ratings up! Boycott them!
Soper has an anology about National spreading hayseeds that the Goverment are reaping, any farmer knows that the only seeds to germinate from hay are weeds.
Yes I purposely avoid reading anything from soper and his missus.
Petition
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern: I ask that you do not approve planned seismic blasting for oil in the newly discovered blue whale habitat off Taranaki, and that you make climate change your “nuclear free moment” by ending offshore oil exploration and drilling in NZ waters and the ‘Block Offer’ process.
https://act.greenpeace.org/page/15809/petition/1?ea.tracking.id=facebook_promotion&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=climate&utm_term=seismicwhalesfb003&utm_content=paid_promo
and that you make climate change your “nuclear free moment”
You didn’t actually believe that bullshit. she only said because Labour wanted to get back all those ex-labour voters who moved over to the greens.
Psychic now are you BM ?
If your traveling SH1 south of AKL, warning, “don’t look up”.
Persistent condensation trails again.
pfft..sprinklers are the new contrail…
/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c6HsiixFS8
only made the first 45 secs, but please tell me that’s satire.
Isn’t it scary that nobody will ever know…
well I want to tell her that if she’s worried about the planet she should stop mowing her bloody lawn. Bonus, she wouldn’t have to use a sprinkler to water it.
Having debunked the God conspiracy, the good young Bolshevik was confident he would never need to look upward ever again.
“Rainbows – this can not be natural.”
That’s some pretty good shit.
Loath as I am to endorse right wing policy, it has to be said: the National Party threw money at a problem and there was a slight improvement.
It’s definitely worth trying this National Party policy some more.
Some fairly salient comments by Ella Henry and Bernard Hickey on the RNZ ZB Hour (aka ‘The Panel’) re our public service. (It’s in the first 15 minutes thank Christ – i.e. before Mora has the opportunity to start exercising his wisdom and ego – so not too much of a burden to listen to).
The good thing is though, that people are starting to take interest and listen – and when they do (whether DHB’s or Water/health, Ed Jikayshun, Seeyoe’s celeries et al), they are starting to think: mmmmm geeeze Wayne – wtf?
“Does this tie make my gut look fat?”
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
[no fat phobia please – weka]
Aw come on you let me get away with a dwarfist jibe
Which I hope I redeemed, and not in a good way.
not quite getting that (was there a particular meaning in princess?)
Well, on the one hand I subverted the interpretation of the ‘dwarf’ as a label, a mere cypher, an insult to David Farrar, and gave the dwarf a personal voice, but then I placed the dwarf in a potentially compromising position.
The connection between Farrar and princesses should be familiar to any student of Dirty Politics.
Ah. I thought the off camera bit was funny. Missed the princess bit, I’ll blame the hot weather.
Let me deal with the fat phobia first. Fat phobic comments attack a person from a place of prejudice. There are a whole range of political implications that come from that. Do you think it would be ok to make putdown jokes about someone based on their gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation? I don’t. Nor gratuitous digs at someone because of their body shape.
Perhaps it is more correct to say it as ‘Does this tie make my gut look slim.’ I don’t know how we are going to poke fun at each other if Health and Safety get too sterile about it. Instead of poking fun we might have to revert to poking someone in the nose.
Jeez, there’s some nasty surprises left by National under the rocks overturned today with the Minister briefings release.
Housing, water, health, education. All the things we’ve known about for some years but denied by National and their greedy RWNJ hangers-on.
beware of the it’s nationals fault cry , its valid for 6 months or a year tops.
National used it successfully for at least god knows how many years…but that was with corrupt media support so I guess your correct (not going to say Right)
I think the depth of the problems left behind cannot be turned around in 6-12 months to a point where the forces of 9 years of National’s abject non-governance no longer have an effect on society.
This government have several terms and more to rightly blame the Nats for the housing crisis, and under-planning for infrastructure. Same goes for improvements in educational achievement. Perhaps 18-36 months to get the health ministry and water infrastructure sorted.
Lets face it. National screwed these things up so bad that even an economy in free teenage party mode couldn’t help them win the 2017 GE.
I don’t think they’ll have too, most voted for the coalition knowing all these problems(fires) existed, the only ones that didn’t was the National supporters who probably didn’t care or weren’t interested.
When I was naive I thought our justice systems were like science and that was it is not a fact till it was proven to be fact but not now our justice system will spread lies about anyone they have a beef with. I can prove that everything I have said to he TRUE. If they had one shred evidence that could stand up in our courts we’ll you no what would happen . My great grandmother died when I was 9 an I ended up living with the worst family of all my whano I had been living with them for a week and after drank for 4 days they took me to the post office and got me to sign a withdrawal slip and drew out all the money my great grandmother had me save at my school savings. I found out later that MAMA MY GGMAM had another account that my fathers maintainec was beeping payed into they spent that to the first account had $300 and the second account had $800 they carried on getting my father maintainec till I turned 18 and I had left at 14 and went to work my dad told me he had carried on paying till I turn 18 and I told all the other family members about this and the people who did this don’t like this fact getting out there. I never got any gifts or new clothing I was the little white slave lite the fire chop the wood milk the cow boil the water for a bath. I was 12 and I fix a mower that someone could not get going he gave it away I was sick of carting water so I setup a syphon system to take the water from the tank to the copper and another from the copper to the bathroom I buried the black plastic pipe and put taps on the ends into the copper and the bathroom he got pissed at someone and picked on me and pulled that out every time he got upset he would call me a white honky bustard everyone called me honky when he tried to hit me I would runaway and hide one time I stayed at the neighbours for 2 weeks when I was 13.One week he took my money from cutting ragwort and used it to go to a funeral and left 2 of us home alone for 5 days no food I went to the neighbours. After watching them catch possum I started catching and skinny and drying them I had about 30 skins he said he would sell them for me i never seen a cent. So what these people are doing to me now is not a new feeling I am use to being intimated and bullied its like water off a ducks back. What I did not like was I was very submissive but not now I will protect my family we made. Kia kaha
I had been shown how to smoke tabbco in 2 weeks WTF
Sad to hear of the death of Christine Keeler, one of the victims in the Profumo Scandal, although at least she lived to tell the tale, whereas poor Stephen Ward ended up committing suicide.
https://rdln.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/the-profumo-affair-a-moral-panic-between-austerity-britain-and-the-swinging-sixties/
There you go the state using all its power to try and suppress me I use to be able to find eco Maori by Googleing it not anymore they did the same to a website I found about corruption in the NZ justice systems email the IPCA about it as proof next minute web site vanished they would have paid Google to make it come up in page 1000 in any search. Kia kaha