….and this promotion of fear can “activate” certain groups in society into becoming proponents of authoritarianism.
“…According to Stenner’s theory, there is a certain subset of people who hold latent authoritarian tendencies. These tendencies can be triggered or “activated” by the perception of physical threats or by destabilizing social change, leading those individuals to desire policies and leaders that we might more colloquially call authoritarian.
It is as if, the NYU professor Jonathan Haidt has written, a button is pushed that says, “In case of moral threat, lock down the borders, kick out those who are different, and punish those who are morally deviant.”….
Grim reading for leftists however all is not lost apparently. The revolution can be saved with a managed float and perhaps the country has more stashed away than originally thought.
Perhaps we should worry about Venezuela after our failed finance minister and failing prime minister show that they can break even without borrowing $20 billion a year.
Do you get paid Gosman? Or simply a volunteer, but you ought to get an honorarium, or a nice bottle of whisky from the group leader each Christmas. Perhaps we should protest about the principle of you deserving compensation if not receiving some reward. Just let us know who you work for and we will decide what approach would be most suitable. We of course are trying to hold onto principles, but you wouldn’t be conversant with such matters.
You definitely do a good job of adding to the smoke and confabulation around the running of our nation. If it was cigarette smoke, it would be bad but yours is more noxious coming from lower regions.
Keyistas in the “National” party are attempting to use a symbol associated with rugby on a new national flag despite mounting medical evidence of life-changing injury.
I do apologise for bordering on spam with my repetitive woeful cries about the fact that Justin Lester, Deputy Mayor of Wellington and Mayoral candidate has a conflict of interest as he sits on the executive of the Wellington branch of the NZ Property Council (and other issues, background and history).
But now it’s becoming clear why this hasn’t been declared as a conflict of interest – the council don’t see it as one, not when they are considering creating a council body who purpose is to be a property market player:
“This year’s draft Annual Plan includes a new climate change strategy, with a focus on reducing car ownership, as well as plans for a new council-controlled organisation that can play the property market.”
WTF?
and more WTF?
“The formation of an Urban Development Agency has also been proposed. The new council-controlled organisation would be able to purchase land, enter into agreements with developers, and prepare ‘master plans’ for urban growth and big projects that boost economic development.”
The seedy links the council already with developers, (and they already have agreements with developers) instead of being destroyed for the public good will now be formalised and entrenched.
So ratepayers who can barely afford to cover their rates as it is because they are on inadequate wages or fixed wages, can’t afford to buy their first house, or struggling with their own mortgage will now get to fund the council and it’s property development fantasies. Our $$$ will be used to invest in an unstable volatile “product” that is exposed to the ever changing winds of the market.
So we are well and truly stuffed here in Wellington. This year we have a choice between the faux left that run council now and National Party aligned Nicola Young, so either way we will end up with the same.
I didn’t say anything about climate adaptation projects being more expensive that doing nothing. I have no idea how you got to that conclusion.
I’m talking about the duplicity that exists between developers and the council, how that unhealthy relationship may possibly be formalised and how the ratepayer will provide the funds for the council’s property development fantasies – we can’t afford to prop this plaything up.
If you’d read my previous comments about WCC and it’s amazing lack of interest in developing ANY climate change strategy (we are faux green as well as faux left) you would assume I would welcome some sort gesture towards mitigating climate change.
The idea to get more cars off the road is a good start but it is merely a token gesture. Reasons being:
a) Wellingtonians are the highest users of public transport in the country already. This can be built upon by reducing fares on public transport and providing free public transport in the weekend, as has been proposed by actual Green councillor, Iona Pannett, but rejected.
b)I have spoken at length with councillors, and council officers about the lack of climate strategy for the mass development projects they are so fond of. As I’ve said many times on TS, there has been no environmental protections in place on these development areas, let alone measures put in place to reduce the impact development ultimately has on climate.
Huge tracts of land have been turned into housing. This means more tarmac, less vegetation, more people sucking up resources like air conditioning as there is no shade provided by tree’s – these areas are hotter than traditional suburbs with established trees. There is no expectation for developers to plant tree’s to offset increased carbon levels. Very little public transport has been put in to these new areas, so people drive cars to work instead of catching the bus. There is no commercial zoning in these developments, so people have to drive several KM’s to get to the nearest shops and service centres.
These poorly designed developments have a detrimental effect on the environment.
Our council are a bunch of hypocrites when they pay lip service to climate change.
You’re focusing on the costs to ratepayers as well as potential conflicts of interest; your link describes climate projects as being (at least partially) behind the cost increases.
You’re making sense. People aren’t listening to each other very well at the moment. Don’t know why. OAB does lots of small, fast comments which suggest to me he is at work and can’t devote a lot of time to looking at things indepth, or taking time to check things out (that’s also a social skill that to many here lack). But his comments to you today look weird even allowing for that.
I mean that from what you’re saying, they’re using climate issues as a smokescreen: the article makes much of the increased spending that will have to occur as a result, when the real purpose is simply to channel public funds to developers.
OK OAB. I was using the article as reference only, not analysing it’s reporting of WCC’s options.
What I am doing is trying to highlight the sheer hypocrisy of the WCC around their potential implementation of climate change strategy when they’ve had their heads in the sand for years and years and refuse to acknowledge the unnecessary damage development does.
And, yes, agreed, the real purpose is to channel funds to developers.
Without looking very closely at it (only reading your comment not the link), I’d say that in theory council’s investing in property to have more control over subdivision development and thus housing is potentially a useful thing (because it’s been left to private developpers for too long). But in practice, in this neoliberal environment, it looks like a disaster waiting to happen. That they use the word ‘play’ the market in a document suggests just how far up their own arses they already are that they don’t see anything wrong with that.
I don’t know what you can do other other than what you already do. Write submissions, make oral submissions, organise. Have you talked to the GP? Are they putting up candidates this year on the GP ticket?
There’s been a lot of jiggery pokery done to local bodies in recent years, I haven’t kept up with it, but it concerns me that we don’t look at how National have been fucking with that as much as with health, education, welfare etc. It’s been low hanging fruit for them and we’ve ignored it to our detriment.
Yes, on the surface weka, it could look like council investment in private residential development could be socially beneficial, after all this council has been very good at refurbishing social housing stock to a comfortable and safe standard and building good quality new social housing.
But you’re right, the neoliberal approach is the one they are taking. This has been confirmed to me through my ongoing conversations with certain councillors.
As for getting things done, I have tried to organise at a local level on our development and others but have been met with silence. (The northern ward roughly sits within the same footprint as the Ohariu electorate, very conservative).
Ironically the only councillor supporting me is a right winger, who is more aghast at the behaviour of the council than anything. he legit though, completely on the level. The Green Party councillor won’t respond to my emails. I’ve had meetings with council managers, at the council and meetings with a councillor at my house.
I’ve really run out of options as just one person.
As for the National Government, you’re right there too, they have had a profound influence in Wellington in regard to the SHA Accord and roading.
Can’t speak for other regions. Thats why it’s always good to hear from other commenters about what’s happening in their turf, both at a local and government level. Often the regional political news doesn’t make it to the MSM, so it’s good to stay connected in other ways.
Rosie – while it is true that the WCC has done a good job of refurbishing some of its social housing stock, the reason may have been lost in some of the mists of recent history. The investor sharks were circling until the government put the kaibosh on the intended privatisation of some of the council housing stock. The deal ended up with a healthy dollop of taxpayer funding and a ‘no-sale’ edict.
Otherwise, and more pertinent to your comments, the Council (elected and administrative) have a lengthy grab-bag of strategies to aid and abet a coterie of favoured developers who can already do much as they please with the wink and nod of planning and compliance staff which constantly frustrates local communities throughout the city. In most cases, the developers eventually get largely what they want, unless cases are taken to the Environment Court. The quandry then is, how many small groups of ratepayers can affort to front against the high paid lawyers engaged by Council and developers who act as a ‘tag team’, along with their so called ‘expert’ witnesses who, on occasions, prove to be little more than paid obfuscators. The other interesting feature of the Wellington Council is that it engages its former employees as ‘Independent’ Commissioners and has an open door policy when private sector ex-colleagues are engaged by developers. Recently it seems, they also had ex-employees contracted to cover full-time staff who were engaged in the MDH propaganda campaign. It all seems pretty incestuous and getting closer to something more sinister. The latest utterances regarding the proposed new CCO is taking the situation into the ball-park of the questionable deals like those of WWL and subsequently City Shaper which is under the same developer friendly leadership.
Petertoo. I hadn’t been aware of the intention to sell off some of the housing, or only vaguely aware perhaps….was that mid to late 2000’s? During Clark’s Government and during Prendergast’s time? I had only just recently arrived back in Wellington. Or was it more recent?
“The other interesting feature of the Wellington Council is that it engages its former employees as ‘Independent’ Commissioners and has an open door policy when private sector ex-colleagues are engaged by developers.”
You mentioned this recently. It’s fascinating, as is your statement about ex employees being engaged in the MDH campaign.
You really do seem to have some very detailed knowledge of the motivations and processes of some councillors and council officials. I really would like to know the full story – after having spent 18 months dealing with these people, both developer and council and having my eyes opened to some disturbing behavioural patterns and alliances. But I only have part of the picture. I want to see the whole picture. It will also help me join a few dots that I haven’t been able to connect.
Would you consider writing a guest post about the matter?
Rosie – a number of people have been around the traps a bit but so far, the Council/developer cabal have been fortunate in that they have only had to deal with small isolated individuals and inadequately financed community groups. That said, the Council and their fellow-traveller developer friends invariably get pegged back, even by amateur litigants, at Court hearings if cases proceed that far. It is unfortunate that no-one has yet been sufficiently motivated to write a guest post, this commentor included but this will doubt change if there is evidence of the metaphorical brown paper bag or two filled with cash. In the meantime, it is suggested you keep an eye on wellington.scoop.co.nz which constantly exposes gems of information for those of a justified cynical disposition.
As an additional comment, it is not fair to be too hard on some of the Councillors. The Council administration, no doubt with some guidance from the spin-meister, Richard McLean, seem to do a good job of ensuring that any criticism is sanitised before it gets to them.
Thanks for the reminder about scoop. They DO have some interesting council snippets that would never make it to the Dom Post.
I do look forward to a time when you may be able to do a guest post – you’ve got a good writing style and you have more of a 360 degree view than me. I’m a relative newbie to the shenanigans at WCC. I was naive enough to trust them earlier on due to the political colours of a good number of the councillors.
Now, it’s anything but that. As a Labour member I can’t bring myself to attend the electorate AGM next week as Justin Lester will be speaking. He has been an active enabler, contributing to my problems with the developer in my neighbourhood and standing by as I was abused by these powerful men.
He damn well better not give any speeches about the rights and equality of women, ever.
These Auckland problems are just on my periphery at the mo and having scanned through your post on TS and the public address it would take some digesting.
Just quickly are the outsourced planners local but being paid more in fee’s than council employees would be, or are they so outsourced that they’re from another country? – (Outsourcing design tasks to other countries happens in the engineering sector, so it wasn’t a funny ha ha question).
It’s a very National Government way of working – outsource work to “consultants” and pay more while reducing job security for those who have the knowledge of the systems.
I have just voted in the flag referendum and could not help reflecting that the system is broken due to the
closure of local post offices. I have to trek to mine a few suburbs away.
Indeed. A friend of mine who works for the PWUA said something like 1300 “street receivers”, those street side boxes used to post mail, have been removed in recent years. Posties receive a lot of complaints from the public about inconvenient this is.
Can someone wise in the ways of the web and the intellectual ownership industry advise me why the link to some NZ Vimeo content that I had put in one of my comments just disappears after a short time? Are people not allowed to show examples of performances, work on line if done by Vimeo? Youtube can be invoked with little trouble, and is a great way to bring content to new viewers or refresh memories of past content.
I should mention that it was a song written for an advertisement for AMP. I don’t think it is still being used by them though I wouldn’t know as I gave up TV on changeover from digital.
“Plan A was based on a future promise that told us to stay the course. Things will come right once our trade negotiators have prevailed. This is now not going to happen. We will have some small successes in opening up new markets, but the big step change promised since the Uruguay Round now won’t happen. We need a Plan B that can actually address the problems, shocks, surprises that are starting to overwhelm us here and now.
Actually, we need multiple Plan B’s. One of the most hypnotic and seductive aspects of the liberalization plan was that it presented governments and policymakers with a ‘one size fits all’ answer to any policy problem. It would be a dire mistake to respond to the monolithic quality of Plan A by suggesting that there is a fully formed one size fits all Plan B just waiting to be implemented. Achieve resilient transitions to a more sustainable future will require many solutions of varying size fitted to problems of varying scale. We will need to draw on the reservoir of marginalized and neglected alternatives that sit outside Plan A. We will need to know as much as we can about small-scale food provisioning, medium-scale networks of food production and consumption, and the relationship between food systems and energy systems. We will need to pay attention to how specific communities and localities are trying to create their own Plan B’s in fitting these things together into credible transition pathways. In order to do so, we must first recognize that Plan A no longer provides a full or sufficient answer to the challenges of agriculture and food in the 21st century. “
Power outages.
The NZH reports this morning that there was an outage in the Auckland CBD ( http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11601121)
Most consumers were only out for a short period but 88 for about 5 hours.
BTW Outage is not in my dictionary but I think it is a very neat and clever word
Not reported by the NZH is another outage in Milford on Saturday 5.3.16, which lasted from about 2pm to 8.30pm.
It was reported by Stuff who said that the cause was that a seagull
had broken the line which must have been weakened by wind and age? One person was hospitalised for electric shock.
Is it then appropriate that the lines company is called Vector?
The 2nd meaning of Vector in my dictionary is ” The carrier of a disease or infection”.
Private providers of electricity services in the USA have vectored in mass outages that are called brown-outs, not quite black-outs.
Brownout (electricity) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownout_(electricity)
A brownout is an intentional or unintentional drop in voltage in an electrical power supply system. Intentional brownouts are used for load reduction in an emergency. The reduction lasts for minutes or hours, as opposed to short-term voltage sag (or dip).
This will no doubt be adopted here, as being more efficient than aiming for 100% provision at any time whatever the load, which involves over and under capacity, and that would probably lead to lower profits.
in the film enron; the smartest guys in the room, brownouts (unscheduled maintenance on a generator or two) were a deliberate ploy used in california to up the spot price of power therefore making massive returns to enron.
The “employment issue” in a National Party electorate office is understood to involve a claim a secret recording was made by Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay.
Long-serving staff member Glenys Dickson left Mr Barclay’s Gore office last month after 18 years in the job.
The circumstances of her departure have been kept under wraps.
The Otago Daily Times asked the National Party if it was investigating a claim about a secret recording, but party secretary Greg Hamilton said in a statement it was not the role of the party to investigate or comment on staffing matters.
Mr Barclay said he could not comment because it involved staff.
Last week, Gore branch secretary Maeva Smith said an “employment issue” was behind Mrs Dickson’s departure.
At the weekend, electorate chairman Stuart Davie resigned, calling his position untenable, but he declined to comment further.
It is understood some southern party members feel the matter warrants further investigation.
A central issue is whether the recording was made, or whether its existence was an unfounded claim.
A party member, who declined to be named, said that the issue was sensitive for the party because of the prominence of surveillance and spying issues during its time in office.
The Parliamentary Service, which employs electorate secretaries, declined to comment.
Mrs Dickson had worked for Deputy Prime Minister Bill English when he was Clutha-Southland MP.
Yesterday, Mr English declined to comment, but earlier this week told reporters in Wellington the resignations reflected a transition phase in which an MP builds their own team, and he was not concerned about the situation.
Queenstown electorate secretary Barbara Swan has also resigned, and is working out a notice period.
Earlier this week, Mr Barclay apologised for releasing Ms Swan’s resignation letter to a media outlet.
Mr Barclay (25), who grew up in Dipton and Gore, was elected to Parliament in 2014 after Mr English opted to become a list MP.
His youth and previous employment at Phillip Morris New Zealand prompted comment when he was selected for the blue-ribbon seat.
The “employment issue” in a National Party electorate office is understood to involve a claim a secret recording was made by Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay.
If the kid was found to have made a recording the woman that resigned could take a personal grievance against him for recording their conversations without her knowledge.
Yeah, there was a chat about this on Open Mike last Friday.
Nats need to respond to the membership who want an investigation and grant it………. If they have any sense of responsibility to the membership they would.
And how neurotic/paranoid/nutty is that kid if he IS recording conversations.
My understanding is the challenge could come from the Queenstown guy who pulled out at the last minute in the last pre selection process. From recollection his name was Simon Flood and he was…drumroll please…. a currency trader…. that had parachuted in from Singapore to contest the seat.
Interesting dynamic in this seat because it is a mix of ultra rural heartland Southland and cosmopolitan Queenstown. The Queenstown faction have always wanted a Queenstown advocate which is fair enough given the distinct issues they face so maybe they now sense their opportunity. Of course that will not be popular with the rural base who have plenty of issues of their own to deal with at present.
Fair point Weka. I suspect though if Barclay has been so woeful or infact has acted illegally as an employer and Queenstown can get a credible candidate up, then it could all be on. Although Barclay is based in Gore and is originally from Dipton his rural credentials as a tabacco lobbyist are hardly overwhelming. Does this disarray signal the chance of another Northland upset?
One would hope that Labour, the Greens and NZF would try talking to each other. Probably shouldn’t hold our breaths though.
I’m not sure what the rest of Southland would think about a Queenstown candidate. I guess it would depend on who it was. I can see how Baccy could easily lose the nomination next time round, he’s a really bad fit for that electorate. And now the National Party nationally appear to be saying that Clutha Southland should suck it up and get used to things being run by the suits. It will indeed be interesting to follow.
Labour had what seemed to be a credible candidate last time. I think she was a health professional or the like but she was heavily defeated. I think someone with a strong rural background would poll well here.
Skulduggery by Parata?
At Rangiora High School they administer a Trust which owns about $16million worth of land. This Trust has operated for about 100 years and the Trust is usuallyv mostly by the BOT and Principal. The school was running well until the Ministry spotted the $16million. The Trust refused to give it to the Ministry to fund repairs and build a new hall.
After a Commissioner was put in to get at the millions, Ministry fired the BOT and suspended the Principal Peggy Burrows hinting at Financial malpractice. No such malpractice exists as an audit has cleared them all but now Peggy has been fired by the Commissioner anyway. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11601495
Another principal sacked in Invercargill won her Employment Court case and was awarded $158,000. That principal compared Hekia Parata to Hitler which was a bit unfair on Adolf.
I’m not sure if the Minister and her motley Ministry crew will be compared to Hitler in this case. I don’t know how corrupt, vindictive and plain nasty Hitler was.
The old School Inspectorate, independent educational experts working directly to the Department of Education, would have nipped any problems in the bud a long time ago and before it got to this crisis point whereby a very good, highly qualified woman School Principal is sacked.
The Labour Party under Rogernomics and David Lange made a huge mistake by bringing in ‘Tomorrow’s Schools’
Hekia Parata does not have the experience or educational qualifications or ethics to be judge in this matter … she is captured by John Key’s and ACT’s privatising agenda for Charter Schools…a USA model whereby privatised schools are run by corporations …(replacing State run schools which employed highly qualified educational professionals) …and a model which has failed
“I don’t know how corrupt, vindictive and plain nasty Hitler was.”
Unutterably vile, petty, vindictive and mean-spirited. Much worse than Trump – he was even worse than Cruz (who is much more evil than Trump. Cruz is the one who’s promising to legislate Government discrimination against minorities if he gets elected).
Fairly bad in fact – I recommend http://www.amazon.com/Man-Called-Intrepid-Incredible-Narrative/dp/159921170X – outlines a lot about Hitler et al from an external perspective. Jung has a nice anecdote in Psychology and the Unconcious too. The Gnats are probably more like the Italian Fascists – crookeder but less about racial destiny.
Best Joke of the year, when he was asked what he gave to Rupert Murdoch, as a wedding present, Guest, Barry Humphries replied, a set of Jumper Leads. Hilarious,
Regarding Trump’s hideous behaviour of making the crowd vote for him, there is a really apt word for this ‘trumpery’. It is actually an old word which means foolish words or actions and has a secondary meaning of worthless and useless. All of which I gleaned from Bryan Gould’s brilliant post below.
Donald Trump appears to take aspects of his German background seriously. John Walter works for the Trump Organization, and when he visits Donald in his office, Ivana told a friend, he clicks his heels and says, “Heil Hitler,” possibly as a family joke.
Last April, perhaps in a surge of Czech nationalism, Ivana Trump told her lawyer Michael Kennedy that from time to time her husband reads a book of Hitler’s collected speeches, My New Order, which he keeps in a cabinet by his bed. Kennedy now guards a copy of My New Order in a closet at his office, as if it were a grenade. Hitler’s speeches, from his earliest days up through the Phony War of 1939, reveal his extraordinary ability as a master propagandist.
“Did your cousin John give you the Hitler speeches?” I asked Trump.
Trump hesitated. “Who told you that?”
“I don’t remember,” I said.
“Actually, it was my friend Marty Davis from Paramount who gave me a copy of Mein Kampf, and he’s a Jew.” (“I did give him a book about Hitler,” Marty Davis said. “But it was My New Order, Hitler’s speeches, not Mein Kampf. I thought he would find it interesting. I am his friend, but I’m not Jewish.”)
Later, Trump returned to this subject. “If I had these speeches, and I am not saying that I do, I would never read them.”
“Bernie Sanders has attacked Hillary Clinton over her record with corporate America and “disastrous trade agreements” destructive to the US economy, as well as multibillion bailouts that robbed the state of jobs – all at the expense of the US middle class….
‘Assange: Vote for Hillary Clinton is ‘vote for endless, stupid war’ which spreads terrorism’
Yes, let’s just ignore Sanders’ shilling for the NRA, Lockheed Martin and the war machine and his commitment to an ongoing drone programme.
Fuck it, while we’re at it let’s just forget about Sanders’ part in the export of nuclear waste to some place far far away where brown people live, too.
/
The Government is being accused of going easy on Chinese authorities when making trade deals for the infant formula industry.
Dozens of Kiwi brands made by small businesses going down the drain.
There were 200 brands – and now there are just 20.
Michael Barnett of the Infant Formula Exporters Association said “MPI have allowed them to control that process, so we’ve ended up with a small group of privileged exporters.”
He says many of those exporters are Chinese-owned companies based in New Zealand.
Despite the growing attacks on Donald Trump from within the Republican establishment, all three of his challengers vowed to support Trump if he wins the nomination.
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For the past week, Extinction Rebellion has been peacefully protesting in London to demand action on climate change. The British government's response? Ban their protests:Police have banned Extinction Rebellion protests from continuing anywhere in London, as they moved in almost without warning to clear protesters who remained at the movement’s ...
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More than double the number of people who will vote in this year’s local body elections have tried marijuana or urinated somewhere they shouldn’t have. As local elections look set for the lowest turnout in decades, with many regions falling well short of 40%, the Government is exploring a number ...
A Statement on Abortion Law Reform by the Council of Disobedient Women On the eve of bringing an end to antiquated, anti-women abortion laws Green MP Jan Logie intends to write women out of the Bill. With a stroke of the pen, the woke are aiming for total erasure ...
Musings continue apace about “the experienced businessman!” soon to be taking up a National Party MP position. Or to be more accurate, being parachuted into a seat to shut down their former MP Jamie-Lee Ross, who despite his own shortcomings shed at least some more light on the inner workings ...
The Ugandan government wants to murder gay people:Uganda has announced plans to impose the death penalty on homosexuals. The bill, colloquially known as “Kill the Gays” in Uganda, was nullified five years ago on a technicality, but the government said on Thursday it plans to resurrect it within weeks. The ...
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Back in 2011, journalist Nicky Hager published Other People's Wars, an expose on NZDF's activities over the previous decade of the "war on terror". NZDF didn't like this, and especially didn't like the fact that it was base don leaks from their own. So, they had the SIS investigate him ...
The Zero Carbon Bill is due back from select committee in two weeks, and will likely pass its final stages in November. So naturally, farmers are planning a hate-march against it. But they're not just demanding lower methane targets so they can keep on destroying the planet; they're also demanding ...
Last year, California burned. This year, to stop it happening again (or rather, to stop themselves from being found liable if it happens again), Pacific Gas and Electric is cutting power to half the state for a week:Schools are closed. Traffic lights down. Tunnels dark. Businesses unopened. Hospitals running on ...
The Best Way: Missing from the on-line voting debate is any reference to the voting system that produces turn-out figures ranging from 77 to 93 percent of registered voters. The voting system used to collect and count the votes cast in our parliamentary elections. The system that involves citizens making ...
Among the great new bunch of political friends we have been making recently is the excellent Australian-based Marxist gender-critical site, Freer Lives. So we asked the comrade who set up that blog to write something for Redline on the blog, himself, his analysis of the rise of gender politics and ...
by Don Franks The Auckland City Mission is struggling with a 40 percent increase in demand for food parcels this year. A total of 23,020 were needed by June. Last month Missioner Chris Farrelly told the Herald the “cupboards are bare” and without an emergency food drive, he can’t see ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women Massey Wellington Student Association had a sit-in today. Imagine a sit-in. On a campus. Against a women’s rights meeting. Did the ’60s really happen or did we fucking dream it? They gathered in the student square, an echo chamber. Sitting on soft pillows ...
For some reasons, my post about the mystery message from inside the Downing Street bunker seemed to catch people's attention. Quite a lot of hits from NZ (unsurprisingly) and the USA (a bit more puzzlingly, but hi there, USAians!!) and 76 views from the Ukraine.I've celebrated my Ukrainian readers in ...
First, almost a score of Labour MPs seem to have sent a letter to the EU basically begging them to accept a deal - any deal - just so Britain can get the Heck on with Brexiting instead of being trapped in limbo:
by Phil Duncan In 2016 the National-led government suspended the Parent Visa Category, through which migrants were able to bring their parents into New Zealand. Since then over 5,700 people have been in immigration limbo, stuck on the visa wait list. Labour is now bringing back the scheme. Well, sort ...
The following was released yesterday (Tues, October 8) by the women’s liberation organisation Speak Up for Women. On 23 September Speak Up For Women announced that we would be holding an event at the Massey University Theaterette in Wellington. The event is called Feminism 2020. The intention of the event ...
The government is currently consulting on plans to improve freshwater quality. So naturally, farmers oppose it:South Taranaki farmers are preparing to fight proposed national freshwater changes that some fear will bankrupt them. The Government's proposed National Environment Standard on Freshwater Management, released in September, rated the Waingongoro River as one ...
Yesterday was the last day for (reliably) posting your vote away in local body elections. Turnouts are mostly much lower than the equivalent time last year (Palmerston North is down 2.3%), and so naturally people are pushing their online-voting snake oil again. Because the online census worked so well, lets ...
This essay, on the political legacy of the eugenics movement, by Kenan Malik was originally published in the Observer on 6 October 2019, under the headline ‘The spirit of eugenics is still with us, as immigrants know to their cost’. Birth control. Intelligence tests. Town planning. Immigration controls. It’s striking how ...
Another year, and the government has announced another enormous government "surplus". And just like last year, its nothing of the sort. When we have people homeless and sick and hungry, when we have schools and hospitals still falling down, when we have underpaid public servants and infrastucture unmaintained or unbuilt, ...
James Forsyth at The Spectator (I know, I know) has tapped one of his contacts inside Number Ten for an insight into the Johnson administration's thinking and strategy.It is fascinating, unsettling and quite, quite mad. Some key points:Negotiations have stalled and the Johnson administration are keen to blame the EU: ...
Fatal Contact: With the arrival of captain James Cook in October 1769, the islands of what would become New Zealand ceased to be the preserve of Polynesian navigators and settlers and became a part of both the world’s map and the world’s history.THE MAORI NATIONALIST assault upon the historical meaning ...
Another round of tactical talks about forming a Government of National Unity have come to nothing with the Liberal Democrats still refusing countenance putting Jeremy Corbyn into Downing Street:Opposition talks on Monday made little headway over when to try and vote down Boris Johnson's government and who might succeed him as ...
by Nick Rogers The debate around the meaning of sex and gender made an appearance at this year’s British Labour Party conference in Brighton. Women’s Place UK – an organisation that questions the demand that biological males who self-identify as woman should have access to women’s spaces, to all-women shortlists, ...
Yesterday I went down to Wellington to participate in the Extinction Rebellion protest. Its part of the latest global wave of XR actions, with actions happening all over the world. Some of those protests are massively disruptive: in Canada, XR is blocking major bridges, stopping people from getting to work. ...
The Workshop is a charitable trust for public good. The Workshop undertake research to find ways of communicating that will build support for the solutions that work to solve complex social and environmental problems. See their Report on Talking about Poverty and Welfare Reform below. ...
Being and Being Bought (Spinifex Press, 2013) by Kajsa Ekis Ekman A synopsis and commentary of Chapters 1-2 by Daphna Whitmore Ekman, a Swedish journalist and critic, brings together a Marxist and feminist analysis of prostitution and surrogacy in this groundbreaking book She opens the discussion with a definition of ...
I make no claims to having much legal knowledge, so I defer to those trained in this area.I am very much enjoying this twitter stream from m'learned friend in Edinburgh, deciphering the legal arguments around the Scottish court challenge to Boris Johnson, based on the charmingly obscure principle of Nobile ...
Ivory Folly? The University of Auckland’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart McCutcheon, upheld the right of the radical nationalist group, Action Zealandia to exercise their freedom of speech – not matter how distasteful that speech might be. A wiser community of students and scholars would have nodded their agreement and moved on. ...
If you are not convinced terrorist Organisation ‘Extinction Rebellion’ is very, very dangerous – watch this video at one of their recent meetings. Not only is this obviously mentally ill Woman begging the other terrorists to promote killing and “eating” babies and children, if you watch carefully other members nod ...
The Ombudsman has been surveying people about their knowledge of the OIA and the right to information. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that widespread:The Chief Ombudsman says too many New Zealanders were in the dark over their right to access official information. Peter Boshier said an independent survey released yesterday on ...
In the wake of last Friday's climate strike, Peter McKenzie had an article in The Spinoff about protest strategies. The school strike movement is "polite" and cooperates with those in power because that's its kaupapa - its led by schoolkids who understandably don't want to risk arrest. But there's more ...
So, the latest ruminations on the gnews from Westminster (Again, sorry; I'll stop making that pun right now). This follows on from, and likely repeats bits of, my last post, on the suggestion that a Government of National Unity (GNU) should be set up and then oversee a referendum before ...
New Zealand likes to think of itself as not a racist country (despite being founded on the racist dispossession and subjugation of Maori). But for years, we've had a racist refugee policy, which basicly excludes refugees from Africa and the Middle East unless they already have relatives here. Now, the ...
Several people have asked me whether a particular repeat litigant could be declared a vexatious litigant, in light of their recent decision to appeal an adverse High Court ruling. My nascent tweet thread was getting ridiculously long, so it became this blog post instead.The short answer is: no. The particular ...
Appealing To The Past: Action Zealandia, like so many of the organisations springing up on the far-Right, across what they call the “Anglosphere”, is born out of the profound confusion over what a man is supposed to be in the twenty-first century and, more importantly, what he is supposed to do.THE STATUE OF ...
The attempts of anti-democratic transactivists to (often violently) disrupt women’s rights organising is largely ignored by those sections of the left most prone to misogyny and authoritarianism in New Zealand. In Britain, however, scores of trade union and left activists added their names to a letter in July, defending ...
The Justice Committee has reported back on the Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill. The Bill would establish an independent, quasi-judicial body to investigate and review potential miscarriages of justice, and refer them back to the Court of appeal if required. It would be a vital backstop to our judiciary, help ...
by The Spark On September 14, a total of 22 drones and cruise missiles struck two oil installations in Saudi Arabia, the Abqaiq processing facility and the Khurais oil field. Abqaiq is the largest oil production facility in the world. For a few days afterwards, Saudi Aramco, the Saudi national ...
How much will NeoLiberal irregulation of the building sector and subsequent leaky homes crisis cost us? $47 billion, according to a new book:The total cost to fix all of New Zealand's leaky homes would be $47 billion, probably. The estimate comes from a new book, Rottenomics written by journalist Peter ...
Below is the start of another excellent article on the Freer Lives blog. Click onto the link at the end of this extract to read the full article. The punch-a-terf, kill-a-terf message pervades social media, always righteously delivered, chin held high. By contrast, the dehumanised “terfs” themselves, that is gender-critical ...
The Reserve Bank is currently planning tighter banking regulation, requiring banks to hold enough local capital to survive a 1-in-200 year financial crisis in order to protect consumers. The big Aussies banks, those foreign leeches who suck $5 billion in profit out of our economy every year, don't like that, ...
Its the usual story: a police officer beats a handcuffed suspect so hard they break one of their own fingers. The IPCA investigates and concludes that the use of force was unlawful. And the police refuse to do anything about it:A man punched repeatedly in the face by a police ...
From time to time we add links to our blogroll. The latest blog we have added is Freer Lives. This is a Marxist gender-critical blog, based in Melbourne, Australia. On it you will find a bunch of excellent articles which use the tools of Marxist analysis to critique the rise ...
Last Friday say the largest protest in a generation, as 170,000 people joined the school strike and marched to demand real action on climate change. The demands of the school strike were simple and clear: declare a climate emergency, set a climate target of net-zero by 2040, impose a total ...
Labour is a rather middle of the road capitalist party and earlier this year we discussed how far from being ‘transformative’, Ardern’s government is. An article published this week in the Guardian, by Bryce Edwards (political scientist and commentator at Victoria University), looks at Ardern’s business as usual performance. Where ...
In the hours since my last interminable wittering about the possibility of a Government of National Unity (GNU) in Britain, there has been a slight maybe development:A Corbyn-led caretaker government could then sit for several months while it enacted and delivered a referendum with the support of smaller parties and ...
Jeremy Clarkson says much like Greta Thunberg, Anne Frank “didn’t like what was going on”, but “she didn’t have a tantrum about it.” Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has offered praise to historical figure Anne Frank, comparing her favourably to 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, who he attacked in ...
Press release by Speak Up For Women Lesbians from women’s rights group Speak Up For Women are furious at reports that Rainbow Tick are threatening Massey University with the removal of their ‘tick’ if they let the group’s event go ahead. The group has been under attack from trans ...
By Duncan Garner Before you jump down my throat, nobody cares about the environment more than me. I have a garden, and since my wife and I broke up, I’ve let it grow wildly out of control, so please don’t tell me I’m not doing enough for plants. They’re ten ...
Local government elections are upon us again. It is a fair bet that, when they are over, we will have all the usual complaints that, despite their undoubted importance, the turnout was depressingly low. So, why do local elections attract so little attention and involvement from the general public? I ...
We want every New Zealander to be happy, safe, and healthy. To do this, we need to support strong, safe communities, and a robust and efficient health system. ...
Defence Minister Ron Mark has used his powers to overrule a noise complaint ruling against Whenuapai airbase on the grounds of "national security". The Environment Court last month released a ruling in favour of a private developer, declaring the Auckland airbase had to comply with noise restrictions when it performs ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has opened fire against "unreconstructed morons" after NZ First MP Shane Jones was photographed on holiday holding an AR-15 rifle. Mr Peters is defending Mr Jones, telling Magic Talk host Peter Williams that his MP was just having fun "like most people do". "The ...
New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau was in attendance during the morning blessing of the Rotorua Lakefront development project. Around 60 people gathered on the shores of Lake Rotorua, including city mayor Steve Chadwick and deputy Dave Donaldson. The Lakefront development is a ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones is considering reining in on conversions of farmland to forestry, and also issued a warning to foreign-owned forestry companies that make up nearly 75 per cent of the industry. He said too many foreign companies had not provided enough access for domestic processors to get timber. ...
Speaking to Radio NZ, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the tightening of the parental category visa is a direct result of the Party’s coalition negotiations with the Labour Party. He said the new changes switch the financial onus from the parent moving to New Zealand to the child ...
The Coalition Government is set to cut red tape in the building and construction sector in an effort to allow more houses to be built, including prefabricated houses. The changes will enable the mass factory production of "high quality" buildings, slash the likely number of building inspections for factory produced ...
Since coming into Government, we’ve worked hard to tackle homelessness and make sure everyone has a warm, dry home. And today, on World Homeless Day, we want to report back and update you on our progress so far. ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has hit back at National Party leader Simon Bridges who criticized the Coalition Government’s approach to crime, and said that the latter isn't credible in his attack on the Government over gang recruitment. "We've got as massive drug problem in this country. It is ...
New Zealand Mānuka honey exporters have welcomed an initiative by the Coalition Government to help secure the term “mānuka honey” to be used exclusively by Kiwi exporters, ensuring that our multimillion-dollar industry is protected. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones had recently announced that a Provincial Growth Funding of $5.7 ...
Political commentator Mike Hosking has labelled New Zealand First leader Winston Peters as “the voice of reason in a government soft on drugs”, for the Party’s stance on drug testing at music festivals. “If common sense is worth a vote, Winston Peters is quids in,” Mr Hosking said. The Labour ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau has announced Provincial Growth Funding to ensure work opportunities in Turangi and Whanganui, through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi. A fund of $500,000 will go to Rafting NZ in Turangi for a 16-week river guide training course to train ...
Treasury has shown that the Coalition Government has a $7.5 billion surplus, which is $4 billion higher than what was expected in the 2019 Budget unveiled last May. It is also $2 billion higher than the actual surplus unveiled this time last year, and at a size that has not ...
Official Information Act figures released to NZME show there were 350 assaults on officers in the year to the end of June, 79 more than the year before. The increase in attacks have sparked calls for more legal protection for first responders to be enacted. The assaults included officers being ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
We're making progress on tackling the long-term challenges: from homelessness, to strengthening border security, to bringing banking back New Zealand's small towns. ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones has backed the ambitious plan to move Auckland’s port to Northport, at Whangarei harbour, which he says will be the “King Kong of infrastructure”. The plan is part of the recommendations of a six-person independent working group, which has recommended the Ports of Auckland be ...
A six-member independent working group selected the option of moving Auckland’s port to Northport, in Whangarei, ahead of other options. In what could be New Zealand’s most ambitious infrastructure project yet, a major expansion of the Marsden Point port could happen within 15 years. The project, officially called the “Upper ...
The final Electricity Price Review recommended prohibiting prompt payment discounts but allowing “reasonable” late fees. The findings of this review was welcomed by the Coalition Government, but they hope companies will follow through with its recommendations without regulations needed to be passed. Meridian Energy had already stopped prompt payment discounts, ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi,will invest nearly $600,000 to ensure work opportunities for locals in Turangia and Whanganui, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “I’m pleased to announce the PGF ...
An export-led economy is one of New Zealand First’s key principles, and our commitment to achieving this is shown by the continuing skyrocketing demand for our beef and sheep meat exports. Beef + Lamb New Zealand's New Season Outlook 2019-20 report forecasts beef, lamb and mutton prices to lift from ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today in Gisborne an investment of $17.27m into bringing “world-leading” food-growing technology and the creation of more than 100 new jobs in the East Coast city. The funding comes from the Provincial Growth Fund, and included a $15 million loan to LeaderBrand, a ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development More than 100 people in Tairāwhiti’s Tolaga Bay will benefit from two employment initiatives supported by the Provincial Growth Fund, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Employment Minister Willie Jackson announced today. “Tolaga Bay is an incredibly tight-knit community, but one in ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is supporting Gisborne business Leaderbrand to produce salad vegetables year round and create more jobs in the Tairāwhiti region, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Our support for Leaderbrand will help them build large greenhouses ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has praised the promise by New Zealand’s biggest banks not to close any provincial branches while the Coalition Government trials regional banking hubs across the country. The Minister said the announce was the “first sign of hope for regional communities”, many of which have ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have delivered an upgrade of the SuperGold Card website and a new smartphone app, which will help unlock the full benefits of the SuperGold Card for 750,000 New Zealand seniors.Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters, ...
Delivering a key election campaign promise, New Zealand First is proud to have accomplished a long overdue upgrade of the SuperGold Card today. At an event in Auckland, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters joined Minister for Seniors Hon. Tracey Martin in unveiling the new website and smartphone app which ...
Another busy week, from speaking with world leaders on the world stage about climate change, to equipping our school leavers with everything they need to get ahead in life. ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says Air New Zealand has "an obligation to look after Kiwis", and urged the national carrier not to hike up their prices after Jetstar airline announced their withdrawal from regional flights this week. The Provincial Champion also expressed his disappointment at Jetstar’s decision on ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will help fund a new dredge for the Port of Greymouth to ensure the regional fishing fleet have a reliable and productive harbour, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today “Last year the movements of ...
Ladies and gentlemen, NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff, members of respective unions – thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. This might be preaching to the choir, but the importance of trade unions in New Zealand’s historical arch is difficult to understate. And it is my belief that ...
"Let’s start by acknowledging that it has been a huge year. " Police Association Annual Conference James Cook Grand Chancellor Hotel Wellington Nau mai, haere mai. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, ka nui te mihi, ki a koutou katoa. President of the Police Association, Chris Cahill; Members of the Association and ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Minister of Defence Ron Mark have announced the New Zealand Government’s decision to again deploy a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 (P-3) maritime patrol aircraft to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions imposing sanctions against North Korea. New ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand continues to have serious concerns for peace and stability in north-east Syria. “Recent reports that hundreds of ISIS-affiliated families have fled from a camp are deeply concerning from a humanitarian and security perspective”, Mr Peters says. “While we acknowledge Turkey’s domestic security ...
Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor is warning travelling Kiwis to be vigilant as the high-season for the crop-eating brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is under way. “We’re on high alert to stop BMSB arriving in NZ. The high season runs until April 30 and we’ve strengthened our measures to stop stink ...
The Government is moving swiftly to change the law to improve the welfare and pastoral care of students living in university halls of residence and other tertiary hostels. Cabinet has agreed to several changes, including creating a new mandatory Code of Practice that sets out the duty of pastoral care ...
The Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage has launched a new comprehensive trapping guide for community trappers to help them protect our native birds, plants and other wildlife, at Zealandia in Wellington today. ‘A practical guide to trapping’, has been developed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), and was launched during ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter welcomes PHARMAC’s move to improve access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs). PHARMAC has today announced it will fund the full cost of Mirena and Jaydess for anyone seeking long term contraception, lifting previous restrictions on access to Mirena. “I welcome women having greater choices ...
The Government has approved the next stage of a major redevelopment of Taranaki Base Hospital, which will deliver new and improved facilities for patients. Health Minister Dr David Clark has announced details of a $300 million dollar project to build a new East Wing at the New Plymouth hospital. It ...
Extra funding will allow Rural Support Trusts to help farming families, says Minister for Rural Communities and Agriculture Damien O’Connor. “I know that rural families are worried about some of the challenges facing them, including the ongoing uncertainty created by the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak. “Those concerns sit alongside ongoing worries ...
Thank you for the opportunity to be here to present certificates to the 16 graduates who have completed a beekeeping course delivered by the Howard League. Let us start by acknowledging Auckland Prison’s Deputy Prison Director Tom Sherlock, and Acting Assistant Regional Commissioner of Corrections Northern Region Scott Walker - ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson leaves this weekend to attend the APEC Finance Ministers meeting in Santiago, Chile. Discussions between APEC Finance Ministers at the meeting will include the effects of the current global economic uncertainty, risks for APEC economies and sustainable development of the region. While at APEC Grant Robertson ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says for Pacific people, language can be a source of strength. It can help ground us and give us confidence. When we speak them, our languages provide us with an immediate and intimate access to our identity and our story - and ...
The Coalition Government has announced an action plan to improve the wellbeing of disabled New Zealanders by addressing inequalities in play, active recreation and sport. The initiative includes training to develop a workforce that understands the needs of children and young people with a range of impairments, advocacy for fit ...
The construction sector is being freed up to allow more homes to be built more quickly as the Government cuts through some of the red tape of the Building Act. “Every New Zealander deserves a warm, dry, safe home and old inefficiencies in the Building Act make building slow and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed further details on the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s visit to New Zealand next month. Their Royal Highnesses will visit New Zealand from 17-23 November – their third joint visit to New Zealand and first in four years. They arrive in Auckland ...
Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth and Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor, heads to Thailand today to attend the final Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministerial meeting, as negotiations enter their final stages. “The RCEP Agreement would anchor New Zealand in a regional agreement that covers 16 countries, ...
Pacific young people living in the Hawke’s Bay, Southland and Otago regions will have access to support services that have proved successful in helping young people find new earning and learning opportunities. “Tupu Aotearoa is about changing Pacific young peoples’ lives. Our young people are talented, they are smart, they ...
Introduction As the Minister for ACC I thank you all for the work that you do supporting New Zealanders in their literally most vulnerable moments. From those who hold people’s lives in their hands, to the people who research technique, technology and trends, your work is highly valued. A special ...
Notes prepared for speeches in Christchurch – Wednesday 9 October 2019 Today’s topic, “trends and opportunities for the New Zealand economy,” is certainly one getting a great deal of commentary at the moment. Looking across the media landscape lately you’ll notice we aren’t the only ones having this discussion. There ...
Minister of Health Dr David Clark and Associate Minister of Health Peeni Henare say this year’s World Mental Health Day theme is a reminder of why the Government’s work on mental health is so important. “This year the World Federation for Mental Health has made suicide prevention the main theme ...
Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni will represent the government at Australia’s Meeting of Cultural Ministers in Adelaide this week. “This year’s meeting is special because New Zealand is expected to become an International Member of the Meeting of Cultural Ministers at this Australian forum,” Carmel Sepuloni said. “The meeting is an opportunity to ...
The Greater Christchurch Claims Resolution Service has resolved 608 insurance and EQC claims in its first year in operation, Minister Megan Woods has announced. The government service, which celebrates its first birthday today, provides a one stop shop to help Cantabrians still battling to get their homes repaired or rebuilt ...
Today’s topic, “trends and opportunities for the New Zealand economy,” is certainly one getting a great deal of commentary at the moment. Looking across the media landscape lately you’ll notice we aren’t the only ones having this discussion. There has been an increasing amount of attention paid to the outlook ...
The Government is acting swiftly to strengthen NZTA’s regulatory role following a review into the Transport Agency, and Ministry of Transport’s performance as its monitor, Transport Minister Phil Twyford said today. An independent review by Martin Jenkins has found NZTA failed to properly regulate the transport sector under the previous ...
The Netherlands and New Zealand have a long-standing and close relationship based on many shared interests and values. We value the rule of law, our democracies, and multilateralism. And we value our environment – at home and globally. Right now there are major global challenges in all of these areas – ...
The Government is putting right a decade’s worth of underpayment to nurses, doctors and other health workers, says Health Minister Dr David Clark. Initial sampling of District Health Boards payroll records has found that around $550-$650 million is owed to DHB staff to comply with the Holidays Act. It’s expected ...
A strong surplus and low debt show the economy is performing well, and means the Government is in a good position to meet the challenges of global economic uncertainty. “The surplus and low levels of debt show the economy is in good shape. This allows the Government to spend more ...
New applications from mining company OceanaGold to purchase land in Waihi for new tailings ponds associated with its gold mines have been approved. Minister of Finance Grant Robertson and Associate Minister of Finance David Parker considered the applications under the Overseas Investment Act. Earlier this year, applications from OceanaGold to ...
New Zealanders in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa / Poverty Bay will witness Māori, Pākehā and Pacific voyaging traditions come together today as the Tuia 250 Voyage flotilla assembles for the first time, Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti Minister Kelvin Davis says. “Tuia 250 is a national commemoration and an opportunity for honest conversations ...
Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker leaves tomorrow for Dubai, London and Berlin for a series of meetings to advance New Zealand’s trade interests. In Dubai he will visit New Zealand’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 where construction is underway. There he will meet Minister of State for International Cooperation, Her ...
Confirmation that PHARMAC will fund two new cancer drugs is further evidence of the good progress the Government is making to improve the treatment of New Zealand’s leading cause of death, Health Minister David Clark says. From 1 December PHARMAC will fund alectinib (Alecensa) for ALK positive advanced non-small cell ...
An additional $2.7 million has been announced for the Government Strategy for Women and Girls in Sport and Active Recreation on the first anniversary of the strategy’s launch. Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson gave the opening address to the first Sport NZ Women + Girls Summit in Wellington today, ...
As part of its work to ensure businesses can get the skilled workers they need, the Coalition Government is re-opening and re-setting the Parent Category visa programme, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. The move will: support skilled migrants who help fill New Zealand’s skills gaps by providing a pathway for ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark has today announced Major General Evan Williams of the New Zealand Defence Force has been selected as the commander of a significant, longstanding peacekeeping mission in the Middle East. In December, Major General Williams takes over as Force Commander for the Multinational Force and Observers ...
A record number of nurses are now working to deliver health services to New Zealanders as the Government’s increased funding and new initiatives rebuild key workforces start to show results, Health Minister Dr David Clark says. • 1458 more DHB nurses since the Government took office • 106 more midwives ...
Farmer and former Nuffield scholar Mel Poulton has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy, Minister for Trade and Export Growth, David Parker, and Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor, announced today. The position supports key Government objectives, including raising the value of New Zealand agricultural goods and services. Mel is ...
New Zealand’s Pacific and Māori voyaging heritage is acknowledged and celebrated today as waka of the Tuia 250 voyage flotilla arrive in Tūranga / Gisborne. “Today we celebrate Tangata Whenua, the first people of Aotearoa, and the triumphs of the voyaging tradition that brought our ancestors here from Polynesia 1000 ...
“Fijian Language Week starts on Sunday and the theme reminds us how important it is that we each have something to anchor ourselves to, something that can help us pause and feel in control in a rapidly changing world,” says Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. “Family, culture, faith, ...
The Government is establishing an Airspace Integration Trials Programme to support the safe testing and development of advanced unmanned aircraft and accelerate their integration into the aviation system, Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods announced today. The Government will work with leading, innovative aviation industry partners to test and ...
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and Ngā Tāngata Microfinance endorse the Salvation Army’s call for tougher regulations on debt collectors and mechanisms to provide forgiveness or waivers for debts to private lenders and Government that are "effectively ...
Cotton On members are currently negotiating a new Collective Agreement with their employer, but despite the company’s repeated claims that they will provide “a pathway to the living wage”, a “people first focus” and a “commitment to ...
Today the Wellington Howard League releases the results of its fourth annual Wellington Howard League prison survey. The survey suggests a variation in the conditions experienced across prisons in New Zealand and an overall decline in most aspects surveyed. This ...
Some people go for a run to let off steam after work, while others try their hand at ballroom dancing or hit up a pub quiz. And some, as Greta Yeoman discovers, throw sharp objects at walls. She gives it a go.An uncoordinated, anxious journalist with terrible aim is probably ...
A move by Australia's financial regulator could be enough to turn the big banks' threat to ditch New Zealand into a reality - or at least see them charge customers more. ...
A staffing survey carried out by the senior doctors’ union, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, has found a gaping shortfall of hospital specialists at the Northland DHB. ...
Iain Lees-Galloway has defended granting residency to a man with multiple drink-driving convictions saying the person had been in the country for 20 years and had kept out of trouble for a long time. ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Industrial relations Luke Malpass (Stuff): Winston Peters holds the keys to new union laws. Will ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Following the Christchurch mosque shootings, the New Zealand government’s first response was to ban the firearms the alleged gunman had used to murder 51 people. Seven months later, the second tranche of this process ...
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Open mike 07/03/2016 
Open mike is your post.
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The media promotes fear.
Fear of crime
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/crime/news/article.cfm?c_id=30&objectid=11600999
Fear of Islam
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/325102-muslims-attacks-media-britain/
Better to be scared than questioning why the 1% have everything.
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/18/richest-62-billionaires-wealthy-half-world-population-combined
Of course they do.
Fear sells.
And I sense you condone it
….and this promotion of fear can “activate” certain groups in society into becoming proponents of authoritarianism.
“…According to Stenner’s theory, there is a certain subset of people who hold latent authoritarian tendencies. These tendencies can be triggered or “activated” by the perception of physical threats or by destabilizing social change, leading those individuals to desire policies and leaders that we might more colloquially call authoritarian.
It is as if, the NYU professor Jonathan Haidt has written, a button is pushed that says, “In case of moral threat, lock down the borders, kick out those who are different, and punish those who are morally deviant.”….
http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11127424/trump-authoritarianism
Grim reading for leftists however all is not lost apparently. The revolution can be saved with a managed float and perhaps the country has more stashed away than originally thought.
http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/11832
ha ha, and where is Zimbabwe gosman? If only the world were so black and so white you funny man
How is El Salvador coming along?
How is Ukraine coming along?
And the environmentalist murders in Honduras?
How’s the economy going in the Ukraine?
Perhaps we should worry about Venezuela after our failed finance minister and failing prime minister show that they can break even without borrowing $20 billion a year.
must be the beginning of a new working week…i see our resident troll are back on the clock.
Do you get paid Gosman? Or simply a volunteer, but you ought to get an honorarium, or a nice bottle of whisky from the group leader each Christmas. Perhaps we should protest about the principle of you deserving compensation if not receiving some reward. Just let us know who you work for and we will decide what approach would be most suitable. We of course are trying to hold onto principles, but you wouldn’t be conversant with such matters.
You definitely do a good job of adding to the smoke and confabulation around the running of our nation. If it was cigarette smoke, it would be bad but yours is more noxious coming from lower regions.
Who.Oh no not Grossman again!
lol…I see i missed the “s” off trolls
Hows your boy Ron Paul doing?
Keyistas in the “National” party are attempting to use a symbol associated with rugby on a new national flag despite mounting medical evidence of life-changing injury.
http://deeperweb.com/results.php?cx=%21004415538554621685521%3Avgwa9iznfuo&cof=FORID%3A11%3BNB%3A1&ie=UTF-8&q=rugby+injury&as_qdr=
Nationalism is the last refuge of the scoundrel
I’d leave off the -ism.
Nationalism comes in positive and negative forms – some of which may be necessary to resist the ills of globalisation.
It is National that is the refuge of scoundrels.
I do apologise for bordering on spam with my repetitive woeful cries about the fact that Justin Lester, Deputy Mayor of Wellington and Mayoral candidate has a conflict of interest as he sits on the executive of the Wellington branch of the NZ Property Council (and other issues, background and history).
But now it’s becoming clear why this hasn’t been declared as a conflict of interest – the council don’t see it as one, not when they are considering creating a council body who purpose is to be a property market player:
“This year’s draft Annual Plan includes a new climate change strategy, with a focus on reducing car ownership, as well as plans for a new council-controlled organisation that can play the property market.”
WTF?
and more WTF?
“The formation of an Urban Development Agency has also been proposed. The new council-controlled organisation would be able to purchase land, enter into agreements with developers, and prepare ‘master plans’ for urban growth and big projects that boost economic development.”
The seedy links the council already with developers, (and they already have agreements with developers) instead of being destroyed for the public good will now be formalised and entrenched.
So ratepayers who can barely afford to cover their rates as it is because they are on inadequate wages or fixed wages, can’t afford to buy their first house, or struggling with their own mortgage will now get to fund the council and it’s property development fantasies. Our $$$ will be used to invest in an unstable volatile “product” that is exposed to the ever changing winds of the market.
So we are well and truly stuffed here in Wellington. This year we have a choice between the faux left that run council now and National Party aligned Nicola Young, so either way we will end up with the same.
How can it be stopped?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/77592281/wellingtons-rates-and-debt-set-to-increase-as-city-council-eyes-big-projects
What makes you think climate adaptation projects will be more expensive than doing nothing?
I didn’t say anything about climate adaptation projects being more expensive that doing nothing. I have no idea how you got to that conclusion.
I’m talking about the duplicity that exists between developers and the council, how that unhealthy relationship may possibly be formalised and how the ratepayer will provide the funds for the council’s property development fantasies – we can’t afford to prop this plaything up.
If you’d read my previous comments about WCC and it’s amazing lack of interest in developing ANY climate change strategy (we are faux green as well as faux left) you would assume I would welcome some sort gesture towards mitigating climate change.
The idea to get more cars off the road is a good start but it is merely a token gesture. Reasons being:
a) Wellingtonians are the highest users of public transport in the country already. This can be built upon by reducing fares on public transport and providing free public transport in the weekend, as has been proposed by actual Green councillor, Iona Pannett, but rejected.
b)I have spoken at length with councillors, and council officers about the lack of climate strategy for the mass development projects they are so fond of. As I’ve said many times on TS, there has been no environmental protections in place on these development areas, let alone measures put in place to reduce the impact development ultimately has on climate.
Huge tracts of land have been turned into housing. This means more tarmac, less vegetation, more people sucking up resources like air conditioning as there is no shade provided by tree’s – these areas are hotter than traditional suburbs with established trees. There is no expectation for developers to plant tree’s to offset increased carbon levels. Very little public transport has been put in to these new areas, so people drive cars to work instead of catching the bus. There is no commercial zoning in these developments, so people have to drive several KM’s to get to the nearest shops and service centres.
These poorly designed developments have a detrimental effect on the environment.
Our council are a bunch of hypocrites when they pay lip service to climate change.
You’re focusing on the costs to ratepayers as well as potential conflicts of interest; your link describes climate projects as being (at least partially) behind the cost increases.
Sounds like it’s just a smokescreen.
What do you mean smoke screen? The extra costs are the stupid convention centre and the latest Peter Jackson project we have to fund.
I really think that OAB has misunderstood what you are talking about Rosie. Make of that what you will 😉
Thats what I figured. Am I not making sense?
You’re making sense. People aren’t listening to each other very well at the moment. Don’t know why. OAB does lots of small, fast comments which suggest to me he is at work and can’t devote a lot of time to looking at things indepth, or taking time to check things out (that’s also a social skill that to many here lack). But his comments to you today look weird even allowing for that.
I mean that from what you’re saying, they’re using climate issues as a smokescreen: the article makes much of the increased spending that will have to occur as a result, when the real purpose is simply to channel public funds to developers.
OK OAB. I was using the article as reference only, not analysing it’s reporting of WCC’s options.
What I am doing is trying to highlight the sheer hypocrisy of the WCC around their potential implementation of climate change strategy when they’ve had their heads in the sand for years and years and refuse to acknowledge the unnecessary damage development does.
And, yes, agreed, the real purpose is to channel funds to developers.
+1 Rosie
Without looking very closely at it (only reading your comment not the link), I’d say that in theory council’s investing in property to have more control over subdivision development and thus housing is potentially a useful thing (because it’s been left to private developpers for too long). But in practice, in this neoliberal environment, it looks like a disaster waiting to happen. That they use the word ‘play’ the market in a document suggests just how far up their own arses they already are that they don’t see anything wrong with that.
I don’t know what you can do other other than what you already do. Write submissions, make oral submissions, organise. Have you talked to the GP? Are they putting up candidates this year on the GP ticket?
There’s been a lot of jiggery pokery done to local bodies in recent years, I haven’t kept up with it, but it concerns me that we don’t look at how National have been fucking with that as much as with health, education, welfare etc. It’s been low hanging fruit for them and we’ve ignored it to our detriment.
Yes, on the surface weka, it could look like council investment in private residential development could be socially beneficial, after all this council has been very good at refurbishing social housing stock to a comfortable and safe standard and building good quality new social housing.
But you’re right, the neoliberal approach is the one they are taking. This has been confirmed to me through my ongoing conversations with certain councillors.
As for getting things done, I have tried to organise at a local level on our development and others but have been met with silence. (The northern ward roughly sits within the same footprint as the Ohariu electorate, very conservative).
Ironically the only councillor supporting me is a right winger, who is more aghast at the behaviour of the council than anything. he legit though, completely on the level. The Green Party councillor won’t respond to my emails. I’ve had meetings with council managers, at the council and meetings with a councillor at my house.
I’ve really run out of options as just one person.
As for the National Government, you’re right there too, they have had a profound influence in Wellington in regard to the SHA Accord and roading.
Can’t speak for other regions. Thats why it’s always good to hear from other commenters about what’s happening in their turf, both at a local and government level. Often the regional political news doesn’t make it to the MSM, so it’s good to stay connected in other ways.
Hmm, maybe try phoning the Green one, or doorstepping them?
It’s not good nationally from what I can tell, although some areas seem to be doing good things in isolation.
After 18 months of this fight with the council and the developers I’m kind of pooped. They win.
Fair enough Rosie.
Rosie – while it is true that the WCC has done a good job of refurbishing some of its social housing stock, the reason may have been lost in some of the mists of recent history. The investor sharks were circling until the government put the kaibosh on the intended privatisation of some of the council housing stock. The deal ended up with a healthy dollop of taxpayer funding and a ‘no-sale’ edict.
Otherwise, and more pertinent to your comments, the Council (elected and administrative) have a lengthy grab-bag of strategies to aid and abet a coterie of favoured developers who can already do much as they please with the wink and nod of planning and compliance staff which constantly frustrates local communities throughout the city. In most cases, the developers eventually get largely what they want, unless cases are taken to the Environment Court. The quandry then is, how many small groups of ratepayers can affort to front against the high paid lawyers engaged by Council and developers who act as a ‘tag team’, along with their so called ‘expert’ witnesses who, on occasions, prove to be little more than paid obfuscators. The other interesting feature of the Wellington Council is that it engages its former employees as ‘Independent’ Commissioners and has an open door policy when private sector ex-colleagues are engaged by developers. Recently it seems, they also had ex-employees contracted to cover full-time staff who were engaged in the MDH propaganda campaign. It all seems pretty incestuous and getting closer to something more sinister. The latest utterances regarding the proposed new CCO is taking the situation into the ball-park of the questionable deals like those of WWL and subsequently City Shaper which is under the same developer friendly leadership.
Petertoo. I hadn’t been aware of the intention to sell off some of the housing, or only vaguely aware perhaps….was that mid to late 2000’s? During Clark’s Government and during Prendergast’s time? I had only just recently arrived back in Wellington. Or was it more recent?
“The other interesting feature of the Wellington Council is that it engages its former employees as ‘Independent’ Commissioners and has an open door policy when private sector ex-colleagues are engaged by developers.”
You mentioned this recently. It’s fascinating, as is your statement about ex employees being engaged in the MDH campaign.
You really do seem to have some very detailed knowledge of the motivations and processes of some councillors and council officials. I really would like to know the full story – after having spent 18 months dealing with these people, both developer and council and having my eyes opened to some disturbing behavioural patterns and alliances. But I only have part of the picture. I want to see the whole picture. It will also help me join a few dots that I haven’t been able to connect.
Would you consider writing a guest post about the matter?
Rosie – a number of people have been around the traps a bit but so far, the Council/developer cabal have been fortunate in that they have only had to deal with small isolated individuals and inadequately financed community groups. That said, the Council and their fellow-traveller developer friends invariably get pegged back, even by amateur litigants, at Court hearings if cases proceed that far. It is unfortunate that no-one has yet been sufficiently motivated to write a guest post, this commentor included but this will doubt change if there is evidence of the metaphorical brown paper bag or two filled with cash. In the meantime, it is suggested you keep an eye on wellington.scoop.co.nz which constantly exposes gems of information for those of a justified cynical disposition.
As an additional comment, it is not fair to be too hard on some of the Councillors. The Council administration, no doubt with some guidance from the spin-meister, Richard McLean, seem to do a good job of ensuring that any criticism is sanitised before it gets to them.
Thanks for the reminder about scoop. They DO have some interesting council snippets that would never make it to the Dom Post.
I do look forward to a time when you may be able to do a guest post – you’ve got a good writing style and you have more of a 360 degree view than me. I’m a relative newbie to the shenanigans at WCC. I was naive enough to trust them earlier on due to the political colours of a good number of the councillors.
Now, it’s anything but that. As a Labour member I can’t bring myself to attend the electorate AGM next week as Justin Lester will be speaking. He has been an active enabler, contributing to my problems with the developer in my neighbourhood and standing by as I was abused by these powerful men.
He damn well better not give any speeches about the rights and equality of women, ever.
+1 Rosie
+1 Rosie. Auckland Council is now apparently spending 2 million a MONTH on outsourced planners.
On top of over 1 billion in IT blowouts.
http://publicaddress.net/hardnews/the-unstable-supercity/
You are very wise to be worried.
These Auckland problems are just on my periphery at the mo and having scanned through your post on TS and the public address it would take some digesting.
Just quickly are the outsourced planners local but being paid more in fee’s than council employees would be, or are they so outsourced that they’re from another country? – (Outsourcing design tasks to other countries happens in the engineering sector, so it wasn’t a funny ha ha question).
It’s a very National Government way of working – outsource work to “consultants” and pay more while reducing job security for those who have the knowledge of the systems.
I have just voted in the flag referendum and could not help reflecting that the system is broken due to the
closure of local post offices. I have to trek to mine a few suburbs away.
Indeed. A friend of mine who works for the PWUA said something like 1300 “street receivers”, those street side boxes used to post mail, have been removed in recent years. Posties receive a lot of complaints from the public about inconvenient this is.
& small post offices all around the country too.
annnd some of the large ones in suburban centres.
Can someone wise in the ways of the web and the intellectual ownership industry advise me why the link to some NZ Vimeo content that I had put in one of my comments just disappears after a short time? Are people not allowed to show examples of performances, work on line if done by Vimeo? Youtube can be invoked with little trouble, and is a great way to bring content to new viewers or refresh memories of past content.
I should mention that it was a song written for an advertisement for AMP. I don’t think it is still being used by them though I wouldn’t know as I gave up TV on changeover from digital.
I would ask Lynn first. It always helps if you link to what you are referring to so people can see what is going on directly.
Links are still visible in the search engine but not the actual comments
/?s=vimeo&isopen=none&search_posts=true&search_comments=true&search_sortby=date
Looks like it’s not just grey’s couple of comments. Here’s a comment from Draco where the link is no longer visible,
Draco’s comment should have https://*****.com/71074210 in it (* = vimeo) as per the search results above.
Freaking odd.
I can see what is happening inside the code. It has a div with an iframe. But the other side (ie vimeo) as it set as being off.
I’ll have a look later in the day.
Lots of others are missing too, but I found this one with the link still visible
Thanks weka and lprent
is it the difference between http and https?
Does Farming need a Plan B? – an interesting read.
http://www.brct.org.nz/cuppa-tea/hugh-campbell/high-time-for-a-plan-b-for-new-zealand-agriculture/
“Plan A was based on a future promise that told us to stay the course. Things will come right once our trade negotiators have prevailed. This is now not going to happen. We will have some small successes in opening up new markets, but the big step change promised since the Uruguay Round now won’t happen. We need a Plan B that can actually address the problems, shocks, surprises that are starting to overwhelm us here and now.
Actually, we need multiple Plan B’s. One of the most hypnotic and seductive aspects of the liberalization plan was that it presented governments and policymakers with a ‘one size fits all’ answer to any policy problem. It would be a dire mistake to respond to the monolithic quality of Plan A by suggesting that there is a fully formed one size fits all Plan B just waiting to be implemented. Achieve resilient transitions to a more sustainable future will require many solutions of varying size fitted to problems of varying scale. We will need to draw on the reservoir of marginalized and neglected alternatives that sit outside Plan A. We will need to know as much as we can about small-scale food provisioning, medium-scale networks of food production and consumption, and the relationship between food systems and energy systems. We will need to pay attention to how specific communities and localities are trying to create their own Plan B’s in fitting these things together into credible transition pathways. In order to do so, we must first recognize that Plan A no longer provides a full or sufficient answer to the challenges of agriculture and food in the 21st century. “
Power outages.
The NZH reports this morning that there was an outage in the Auckland CBD ( http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11601121)
Most consumers were only out for a short period but 88 for about 5 hours.
BTW Outage is not in my dictionary but I think it is a very neat and clever word
Not reported by the NZH is another outage in Milford on Saturday 5.3.16, which lasted from about 2pm to 8.30pm.
It was reported by Stuff who said that the cause was that a seagull
had broken the line which must have been weakened by wind and age? One person was hospitalised for electric shock.
Is it then appropriate that the lines company is called Vector?
The 2nd meaning of Vector in my dictionary is ” The carrier of a disease or infection”.
BTW Outage is not in my dictionary, NZ Oxford.
Private providers of electricity services in the USA have vectored in mass outages that are called brown-outs, not quite black-outs.
Brownout (electricity) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownout_(electricity)
A brownout is an intentional or unintentional drop in voltage in an electrical power supply system. Intentional brownouts are used for load reduction in an emergency. The reduction lasts for minutes or hours, as opposed to short-term voltage sag (or dip).
This will no doubt be adopted here, as being more efficient than aiming for 100% provision at any time whatever the load, which involves over and under capacity, and that would probably lead to lower profits.
in the film enron; the smartest guys in the room, brownouts (unscheduled maintenance on a generator or two) were a deliberate ploy used in california to up the spot price of power therefore making massive returns to enron.
As some one who had to fight to get on a waiting list.
Big thanks to Idiot/Savant for this piece.
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2016/03/a-waiting-list-by-another-name.html
Could be a duck….
Matthew Reichbach
@fbihop
Trump rally photo is… something.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cc0Ok4_W8AAdCru.jpg
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/271932-trump-makes-rally-attendees-swear-to-vote-for-him
a GINGER in action politiking…i know he is a badass but i still prefer him to Hillary
of course Bernie is the BESTEST
Always frisk your local MP. The little fucker’s wearing a wire.
I got the impression in one of the earlier articles about this was the implication that it was normal with National MPs to record everything.
Either that’s the wrong link or Stuff have removed any reference to recording. Always best to cut and paste 😉
Not the wrong link – I’m hoping readers can join the dots. Too obscure?
I couldn’t see anything in that about recording at all. ODT link below is reporting it up front.
Yes, that’s what I was hoping they’d join the dots to. Definitely too obscure. Oh, well.
The “employment issue” in a National Party electorate office is understood to involve a claim a secret recording was made by Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay.
Long-serving staff member Glenys Dickson left Mr Barclay’s Gore office last month after 18 years in the job.
The circumstances of her departure have been kept under wraps.
The Otago Daily Times asked the National Party if it was investigating a claim about a secret recording, but party secretary Greg Hamilton said in a statement it was not the role of the party to investigate or comment on staffing matters.
Mr Barclay said he could not comment because it involved staff.
Last week, Gore branch secretary Maeva Smith said an “employment issue” was behind Mrs Dickson’s departure.
At the weekend, electorate chairman Stuart Davie resigned, calling his position untenable, but he declined to comment further.
It is understood some southern party members feel the matter warrants further investigation.
A central issue is whether the recording was made, or whether its existence was an unfounded claim.
A party member, who declined to be named, said that the issue was sensitive for the party because of the prominence of surveillance and spying issues during its time in office.
The Parliamentary Service, which employs electorate secretaries, declined to comment.
Mrs Dickson had worked for Deputy Prime Minister Bill English when he was Clutha-Southland MP.
Yesterday, Mr English declined to comment, but earlier this week told reporters in Wellington the resignations reflected a transition phase in which an MP builds their own team, and he was not concerned about the situation.
Queenstown electorate secretary Barbara Swan has also resigned, and is working out a notice period.
Earlier this week, Mr Barclay apologised for releasing Ms Swan’s resignation letter to a media outlet.
Mr Barclay (25), who grew up in Dipton and Gore, was elected to Parliament in 2014 after Mr English opted to become a list MP.
His youth and previous employment at Phillip Morris New Zealand prompted comment when he was selected for the blue-ribbon seat.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/375242/claim-secret-recording
Wee Toddy Baccy must be angling for a role with the SIS.
Wee Toddy Baccy, that’s good.
For a moment there I thought you said Mr Barclay had grown up!
gotta love the local news:
Gotta love good faith employers, eh…
If the kid was found to have made a recording the woman that resigned could take a personal grievance against him for recording their conversations without her knowledge.
Indeed.
and if he was recording conversations that he wasn’t party to, it’s a criminal offence.
If recordings were taken, after all. Unless it was at a photo-op where everyone could expect to be recorded.
Our PM, bold as brass hypocrite.
Yeah, there was a chat about this on Open Mike last Friday.
Nats need to respond to the membership who want an investigation and grant it………. If they have any sense of responsibility to the membership they would.
And how neurotic/paranoid/nutty is that kid if he IS recording conversations.
“And how neurotic/paranoid/nutty is that kid if he IS recording conversations.”
Probably means he’s got got a bright future in national.
What makes you think he hasn’t caught them doing something illegal? They are National Party types, after all.
Well, none of the staffers seem to have been put on the fast track to candidate selection. Does their reputations good…
Looks like the tom toms are getting louder for Barclay.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/77630096/disquiet-over-mp-todd-barclays-performance-could-spark-selection-challenge
My understanding is the challenge could come from the Queenstown guy who pulled out at the last minute in the last pre selection process. From recollection his name was Simon Flood and he was…drumroll please…. a currency trader…. that had parachuted in from Singapore to contest the seat.
Interesting dynamic in this seat because it is a mix of ultra rural heartland Southland and cosmopolitan Queenstown. The Queenstown faction have always wanted a Queenstown advocate which is fair enough given the distinct issues they face so maybe they now sense their opportunity. Of course that will not be popular with the rural base who have plenty of issues of their own to deal with at present.
Queenstown population 13,000
Gore 12,000
Clutha Southland voting age population 51,000
Queenstown doesn’t look that special in what is essentially a rural seat.
Can’t find the voter age population for the individual towns, but here’s the polling place breakdown from 2014.
Fair point Weka. I suspect though if Barclay has been so woeful or infact has acted illegally as an employer and Queenstown can get a credible candidate up, then it could all be on. Although Barclay is based in Gore and is originally from Dipton his rural credentials as a tabacco lobbyist are hardly overwhelming. Does this disarray signal the chance of another Northland upset?
One would hope that Labour, the Greens and NZF would try talking to each other. Probably shouldn’t hold our breaths though.
I’m not sure what the rest of Southland would think about a Queenstown candidate. I guess it would depend on who it was. I can see how Baccy could easily lose the nomination next time round, he’s a really bad fit for that electorate. And now the National Party nationally appear to be saying that Clutha Southland should suck it up and get used to things being run by the suits. It will indeed be interesting to follow.
Labour had what seemed to be a credible candidate last time. I think she was a health professional or the like but she was heavily defeated. I think someone with a strong rural background would poll well here.
Skulduggery by Parata?
At Rangiora High School they administer a Trust which owns about $16million worth of land. This Trust has operated for about 100 years and the Trust is usuallyv mostly by the BOT and Principal. The school was running well until the Ministry spotted the $16million. The Trust refused to give it to the Ministry to fund repairs and build a new hall.
After a Commissioner was put in to get at the millions, Ministry fired the BOT and suspended the Principal Peggy Burrows hinting at Financial malpractice. No such malpractice exists as an audit has cleared them all but now Peggy has been fired by the Commissioner anyway.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11601495
Peggy Burrows sacked.
Another principal sacked in Invercargill won her Employment Court case and was awarded $158,000. That principal compared Hekia Parata to Hitler which was a bit unfair on Adolf.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/77622719/rangiora-high-principal-peggy-burrows-sacked
Some background:
https://networkonnet.wordpress.com/2016/01/04/in-cold-blood-terror-as-an-instrument-of-control-in-state-education-part-1/
https://networkonnet.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/in-cold-blood-the-rangiora-horror-show-part-2/
https://networkonnet.wordpress.com/2016/01/05/press-release-from-nz-first-urgent-action-required-at-rangiora-high/
https://networkonnet.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/rangiora-invidious-deception-but-truth-now-out-burrows-suspended-to-get-at-schools-money/
I’m not sure if the Minister and her motley Ministry crew will be compared to Hitler in this case. I don’t know how corrupt, vindictive and plain nasty Hitler was.
The old School Inspectorate, independent educational experts working directly to the Department of Education, would have nipped any problems in the bud a long time ago and before it got to this crisis point whereby a very good, highly qualified woman School Principal is sacked.
The Labour Party under Rogernomics and David Lange made a huge mistake by bringing in ‘Tomorrow’s Schools’
http://schools.reap.org.nz/tanui/Jubileepages/Tomorrows%20Schools.htm
http://www.ppta.org.nz/events-info-forms/doc_view/26-tomorrow-s-schools-yesterday-s-mistake
Hekia Parata does not have the experience or educational qualifications or ethics to be judge in this matter … she is captured by John Key’s and ACT’s privatising agenda for Charter Schools…a USA model whereby privatised schools are run by corporations …(replacing State run schools which employed highly qualified educational professionals) …and a model which has failed
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/07/06/growing-evidence-charter-schools-are-failing
“I don’t know how corrupt, vindictive and plain nasty Hitler was.”
Unutterably vile, petty, vindictive and mean-spirited. Much worse than Trump – he was even worse than Cruz (who is much more evil than Trump. Cruz is the one who’s promising to legislate Government discrimination against minorities if he gets elected).
Fairly bad in fact – I recommend http://www.amazon.com/Man-Called-Intrepid-Incredible-Narrative/dp/159921170X – outlines a lot about Hitler et al from an external perspective. Jung has a nice anecdote in Psychology and the Unconcious too. The Gnats are probably more like the Italian Fascists – crookeder but less about racial destiny.
Worth watching.
Best Joke of the year, when he was asked what he gave to Rupert Murdoch, as a wedding present, Guest, Barry Humphries replied, a set of Jumper Leads. Hilarious,
Why automation is a bad idea,
E-Lev-in Will never be the same. Ouch!
Good spelling of a Scottish accent!
@joe90 12.57pm
Regarding Trump’s hideous behaviour of making the crowd vote for him, there is a really apt word for this ‘trumpery’. It is actually an old word which means foolish words or actions and has a secondary meaning of worthless and useless. All of which I gleaned from Bryan Gould’s brilliant post below.
http://www.bryangould.com/trumpery-is-the-last-thing-we-need/
….especially as we have had almost eight years of trumpery from key……. I knew there was a word for his unappealing and unacceptable behaviours.
Mr Drumpf is rather proud of his heritage.
Donald Trump appears to take aspects of his German background seriously. John Walter works for the Trump Organization, and when he visits Donald in his office, Ivana told a friend, he clicks his heels and says, “Heil Hitler,” possibly as a family joke.
Last April, perhaps in a surge of Czech nationalism, Ivana Trump told her lawyer Michael Kennedy that from time to time her husband reads a book of Hitler’s collected speeches, My New Order, which he keeps in a cabinet by his bed. Kennedy now guards a copy of My New Order in a closet at his office, as if it were a grenade. Hitler’s speeches, from his earliest days up through the Phony War of 1939, reveal his extraordinary ability as a master propagandist.
“Did your cousin John give you the Hitler speeches?” I asked Trump.
Trump hesitated. “Who told you that?”
“I don’t remember,” I said.
“Actually, it was my friend Marty Davis from Paramount who gave me a copy of Mein Kampf, and he’s a Jew.” (“I did give him a book about Hitler,” Marty Davis said. “But it was My New Order, Hitler’s speeches, not Mein Kampf. I thought he would find it interesting. I am his friend, but I’m not Jewish.”)
Later, Trump returned to this subject. “If I had these speeches, and I am not saying that I do, I would never read them.”
http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2015/07/donald-ivana-trump-divorce-prenup-marie-brenner
Sanders attacks Clinton over Wall Street ties & ‘disastrous trade agreements’
https://www.rt.com/usa/334754-sanders-attacks-clinton-debates/
“Bernie Sanders has attacked Hillary Clinton over her record with corporate America and “disastrous trade agreements” destructive to the US economy, as well as multibillion bailouts that robbed the state of jobs – all at the expense of the US middle class….
‘Assange: Vote for Hillary Clinton is ‘vote for endless, stupid war’ which spreads terrorism’
https://www.rt.com/news/332022-assange-clinton-vote-war/
‘Michael Savage: Only Trump Can Beat Hillary Clinton’
https://www.rt.com/shows/politicking-larry-king/323154-larrry-king-politickin-michael-savage/
Ralph Nader Slams Bernie Sanders for Endorsing Hillary Clinton
Yes, let’s just ignore Sanders’ shilling for the NRA, Lockheed Martin and the war machine and his commitment to an ongoing drone programme.
Fuck it, while we’re at it let’s just forget about Sanders’ part in the export of nuclear waste to some place far far away where brown people live, too.
/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-the-nra-helped-put-bernie-sanders-in-congress/2015/07/19/ed1be26c-2bfe-11e5-bd33-395c05608059_story.html
http://gui.afsc.org/birddog/bernie-sanders-lockheed-martin-f-35-jets-vermont
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/09/bernie-sanders-loves-this-1-trillion-war-machine.html
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/bernie-sanders-troubling-history-supporting-us-military-violence-abroad
http://thinkprogress.org/world/2015/08/31/3697175/bernie-sanders-wouldnt-end-obamas-drone-program-promises-to-use-it-very-selectively/
http://social-ecology.org/wp/1998/10/the-texas-vermont-maine-nuclear-dump-bringing-environmental-racism-home/
The Government is being accused of going easy on Chinese authorities when making trade deals for the infant formula industry.
Dozens of Kiwi brands made by small businesses going down the drain.
There were 200 brands – and now there are just 20.
Michael Barnett of the Infant Formula Exporters Association said “MPI have allowed them to control that process, so we’ve ended up with a small group of privileged exporters.”
He says many of those exporters are Chinese-owned companies based in New Zealand.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/business/infant-formula-agency-accused-government-going-easy-china?autoPlay=4785655384001
Thoughts?
My inside contact says follow the money.
I say .. also follow the political and personal relationships.
No-one who knows the culture would’ve expected anything different. But where were our government? Drunk? Asleep? Or bought and paid for?
Despite the growing attacks on Donald Trump from within the Republican establishment, all three of his challengers vowed to support Trump if he wins the nomination.
Has anybody else seen Pete Georges new profile picture on YourNZ ???
Something ain’t right.
Think he’s having a mental break down.
I’m still giggling at his description of himself as a “better democracy campaigner”.
“Eminem” anyone ?