No matter what the criminals in charge promise, we are on a non stop ride to this future http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbLgszfXTAY
And all we seem able to do is chuck babies at the problems.
The only good thing I can see from all this is John Key has 3 children. How will they curse him?
“Daddy what did you do to help us?”
“I ignored all the warnings, and built you some more roads”
The difference between a child molester and our leaders, is normally when the molester is finished the child is still alive.
You are being lied to by everyone from primary school teachers to the prim minister, and you are all happy with this.
“Fuck hope” George Carlin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W9Cs6KPTus
Just listened to Simon Mercep give a disgraceful performance with Blinglish on RNZ. Caught lying finally about the level of borrowings and Mercep was indirect, stumbling and never got him answering obvious questions and let him compare us to PIGS.
Epic fail for the toothless morning report as the scaremongering the Nats used to slash n burn has shown to be hollow especially if you factor back the tax cuts also….like their backers.
It’s a believable story, which spoored the creation of it’s own FB page. “Peter Jackson disregards environmental concerns to get the perfect scenes for his upcoming movie the Hobbit,” is a plausible enough scenario. Even the lead in was somewhat credible: Alberta tar sands, “The hell on earth that he created,” really does have a nice ring to it. But you should see the backlash against the understandably gullible on news that the story was a hoax…
who saw the rant by federated farmers head don nicolson in the sst on sunday. pathetic. I have been reading his columns for a while now and he has yet to make any sense. It is never about farmers or agriculture but how the ACT party wants farmers to vote. very poor form don. NZFF will be much better of without you dude.
I’ve listened with disbelief to Nicholson on several occasions. Nearly every time, his words are not only extreme but also inflammatory and devoid of commonsense.
Greece needs another bailout. How’s a market to hedge the debt? Why not have NZ borrow more and reduce the ‘tranche’ debt? NZ borrows more forcing up our currency harming our economy, and now English admits we don’t need to borrow its just the terms are so good at the moment, yeah, sure! Greece high levels of debt means higher interest is demanded.
Its like English the whole collapse of the world fiscal system, that rolling risks into good mortgages actually just accelerated the world fiscal problems later.
So Blinglish is borrowing more than we need.
The meme leading up to and post budget has been “debt is debt is debt.” Yet now he is increasing debt by his borrowing.
Worse he is telling us that the government debt is too high.
Wrong – his greedy prospecting mates’ debt is too high. That’s private debt.
The government debt is quite manageable and has been for the last 10-15 years.
They will not admit that they have simply screwed up in their calculations.
Incidentally, if he now feels it is good money, how come he has not reinstated the Cullen fund which was apparently stupidly borrowing money to save for superannuation.
Me thinks the man speaks with forked tongue. (Or he is a lying b..stard.)
And it’s election year ain’t it – watch for some sort of bribe coming up.
Are we borrowing more than we need now or are we stuck with some commitment we made a few years ago to borrowing this amount of money from the US and are now having to do this.
At about 2:30 in there is mention of an arrangement to lend NZ 9 billion dollars.
Does anyone have any idea of what this 9 billion dollars is that we seem to have committed to borrowing, who asked for it and what has happened to it?
Haven’t watched your vid but I understand the idea is that the terms upon which one can presently borrow money are quite favourable to borrowers. So we are borrowing more than we need right now to use in the future.
http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2011/05/19/budget-faq-6-why-the-debt-hole/
This is about the only post I have come across from Labour questioning the level of borrowings. The $300-$380m never added up. And it did not help with the likes of Jacinda Ardern continually misleading the public as to why the borrowwings are so high. As J.A. thinks that 1/2 of the borrowings are for the tax cuts… Wrong !!! A large % was just refinacing existing debt e.g. EQC cashing out and the govt going offshore to replace this.
Listen to reports and people in the street the $300+m/week has been blindingly accepted, and the failed logic of having to sell some assets and govt cost reduction to curb this debt, has also been accepted. Selling assets does stuff all to the real problem – at best it buys us 4-5months on nil borrowings. The issue is still there-but many here know that 😉
All the borrowing in advance does is that it will allow the govt next year to tell us how great they are, as the new borrowing levels are abated somewhat. That is because they sourced the funding this year for next years expenditure. How brilliant !!!!!
So we are paying servicing costs for debt we don’t yet need( what has the govt done with this money entered the cash n carry trade, and depositied it in an interest bearing account at one of our banks?), and to sell assets that return more than the cost of servicing the debt !!! mmmmmm, and what dothey say about Geniuses “are not recognized until long after their death. Some go insane, while others simply remain in poverty and obscurity, until some historian finds their work and makes it known.” Perhaps we all here do not see a genius at work !!!
For the first two years of the Obama administration, Krugman has been building, in his columns and on his blog, not just a critique of this presidency but something grander and more expansively detailed, something closer to an alternate architecture for what Obamaism might be. The project has remade Krugman’s public image, as if he had spent years becoming a chemically isolate form of himself—first a moderate, then an anti-Bush partisan, and now the leading exponent of a kind of liberal purism against which the compromises of the White House might be judged. Krugman’s counterfactual Obama would have provided far more stimulus money and would have nationalized Citigroup and Bank of America. He would have written off Republicans and worked only with Democrats to fashion a health-care reform bill that included a so-called public option. The president of Krugman’s dreams would have made his singular long-term goal the preservation of the welfare state and the middle-class society it was designed to create.
A lot of analysis of the geo-political machinations of global economics and lately, a lot of articles on the problems with the euro.
Will Greece Let EU Central Bankers Run Riot Over Sovereignty?
Concentration of financial power in non-democratic hands is inherent in the way that Europe’s centralized planning in financial hands was achieved in the first place.
Is Iceland’s rejection of financial bullying a model for Greece and Ireland?
aj – surely europe is just tryimg to build an integrated currency that will aid all its members. wouldn’t this be similar to the numerous states in the usa. where the concentration of financial might is in the hands of a few – it is laughable to use the term non-democratic in regard to the eu.
Iceland’s rejection of financial bullying should be a model for the entire friggen world. We do not have to do as the bankers tell us and, when people loan out money, they’re taking the risk that they’re not going to get it back. The GFC should have resulted in the write-off of a few trillion dollars and not taxpayer bailouts for the banks.
It was horrible watching a group of politicians refuse to give an opinion or take a stand on opposing some of the Destiny churches views.
The attempted deflection by some to talk about issues in other churches was nonsense.
What is it about many of our leftish politicians that they don’t seem to know what they believe in and what they stand for.
Is it that they don’t have a position and bend with the wind, is that they are trying to be all things to all people, are they simply gutless, is it semi-cultural in the sense of having your say on the marae and not washing your dirty linen (in this case your opinions and disagreement) in public?
Thanks for pointing that out, gobsmacked.
And yes, DoS, disappointment here that our leftish politicians don’t seem to know and show what they believe in and stand for.
One of my two ticks has just disassociated itself from Labour.
And the other tick is looking for the least worst party/candidate on offer.
Is it that they don’t have a position and bend with the wind, is that they are trying to be all things to all people, are they simply gutless, is it semi-cultural…?
Bring back some people who know what they think.
Frakin’A DoS
How is the Left going to command a winning voting block at this miserable mealy mouthed rate.
Yes, gobsmacked, I was left with very mixed emotions after watching Campbell Live this evening and was very disappointed particularly with Shane Jones’ effort and also with all the other pollies present. It seemed as if they were absolutely in some sort of trance and totally under the so called ‘Bishop Brian’s’ authority. I couldn’t help wondering if Shane was the worse for some liquid spiritual courage, rather than the purely spiritual variety, especially as he and Hone are supposed to be an [albeit nominal] Anglicans and they both would have said something about ‘Apostolic Succession’ rather than Brian Tamaki’s self proclamation. But maybe I’m getting a bit pedantic here.
Read the body Language!
Shane (& others) couldn’t afford to say things which would piss off the Disney church morons but to any astute observer his & Tau’s body language clearly said, ‘what a bunch of wankers we have to put up with in this job!’
Personally I abhor most of Bishop Brian’s utterances. They do not reflect Christ’s core message as delivered in Matthew 5 & 6.
I remember Helen’s diplomacy when Tamaki was ranting about the government turning evil. Clark’s Labour party freaked out a lot of Christians but the Key/Brash show and its rampaging anti-social policies deserve far more condemnation.
There is much common ground between the social justice aspect of the Gospel message and Labour’s aims for a fairer society. It’s a long shot but perhaps Tamaki will mellow out and allow a constructive approach in future.
The body language said it all! The only thing missing was the dentist’s chair and a large needle looming into view. What’s the bet they were both on orders by their respective senior colleagues to “keep their mouths shut and just take it on the chin”.
Interrupting her very important high level meetings, United Nations Development Program Administrator Helen Clark is returning home tonight to attend a state funeral for a national icon. Initial reports are that the former Prime Minister of New Zealand is grief stricken at the loss of her closest friend. Apparently the whole country is in shock at the news and a national day of mourning has been planned. In a moving press conference, Helen Clark spoke eloquently about the sad news:
Which political parties will support legislative changes to ensure the following?
A NZ ‘Register of Lobbyists’ and ‘Code of Conduct for Lobbyists’ – as required by most Australian States and Commonwealth Governments?
An enforceable ‘Code of Conduct’ for New Zealand MPs?
How is it that NZ is ‘perceived’ to be the least corrupt country in the world’ (along with Denmark and Singapore according to Transparency International’s 2010 ‘Corruption Perception Index’) – when we lack transparency and accountability in such critical areas?
AUSTRALIAN OVERVIEW: http://www.aph.gov.au/Library/pubs/BN/pol/CodesOfConduct.htm Summary of codes of conduct in Australian parliament, including a comparison with NZ ______________________________________________________________________________
AUSTRALIAN REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTERS OF LOBBYISTS, AND LOBBYISTS ‘CODES OF CONDUCT’ :
In 2008 the Australian Government introduced a Lobbying Code of Conduct and established a Register of Lobbyists to ensure that contact between lobbyists and Commonwealth Government representatives is conducted in accordance with public expectations of transparency, integrity and honesty.
Any lobbyist who acts on behalf of third-party clients for the purposes of lobbying Government representatives must be registered on the Register of Lobbyists and must comply with the requirements of the Lobbying Code of Conduct.
The public Register of Lobbyists contains the following information about lobbyists who make representations to Government on behalf of their third-party clients:
the business registration details and trading names of each lobbying entity including, where the business is not a publicly listed company, the names of owners, partners or major shareholders, as applicable; the names and positions of persons employed, contracted or otherwise engaged by the lobbying entity to carry out lobbying activities;
and the names of clients on whose behalf the lobbying entity conducts lobbying activities.
Didn’t Claire Curran look like a worning class yobbo when she walked out of parliament is black boots, black leggings and a Highlanders rugby shirt.
Not business atire at all, just something some drunken scrubber would wear after consuming lots of Speights at the rugby.
Someone who aspires to be a government minsiter should have had more sense and Phil Goff should have pulled her into line before question time.
Pathetic.
Can’t see the black boots and black leggings from the video files during Parliamentary Questions.
Clare looked acceptable with the Highlanders jersey over the black skivvy.
The Speaker’s attempted reasoning was, with all respect and to put it politely, pathetic and quite stupid.
How rude Sam. I thought Clare looked fresh,smart and stylish . Glad Metiria walked out in support of her, and that Sue Kedgeley backed her by insisting that there should be more comprehensive rules on women’s dress code.
I am afraid that it’s your comment that is pathetic.
So Sam, working class yobbos are not allowed to represent themselves as MPs in Parliament? Or only if they wear a suit? Get a life buddy, we dont all want to look and act like corporate business types, and we dont alll want those buggers representing us in their flash attire either.
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
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Subscribe to Mountain Tūī ! Where you too can learn about exciting things from a flying bird! Tweet.Yes - I absolutely suck at marketing. It’s a fact.But first -My question to all readers is:How should I set up the Substack model?It’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask since November ...
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Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guest David Patman and ...
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Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to stand firm and work with allies to progress climate action as Donald Trump signals his intent to pull out of the Paris Climate Accords once again. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
A new monthly podiatry clinic has been launched today in Wairoa and will bring a much-needed service closer to home for the Wairoa community, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Health New Zealand has been successful in securing a podiatrist until the end of June this year to meet the needs of ...
The Judicial Conduct Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be established to inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken in an incident last November, Attorney-General Judith Collins said today. “I referred the matter of Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct during an incident ...
Students who need extra help with maths are set to benefit from a targeted acceleration programme that will give them more confidence in the classroom, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Last year, significant numbers of students did not meet the foundational literacy and numeracy level required to gain NCEA. To ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced three new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ...
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. The Government has achieved its target to reduce the number of households in emergency housing motels by 75 per cent five years early, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The number of households ...
The opening of Palmerston North’s biggest social housing development will have a significant impact for whānau in need of safe, warm, dry housing, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The minister visited the development today at North Street where a total of 50 two, three, and four-bedroom homes plus a ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the new membership of the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC), who will serve for a three-year term. “The Committee brings together wide-ranging expertise relevant to disarmament. We have made six new appointments to the Committee and reappointed two existing members ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora, good morning, talofa, malo e lelei, bula vinaka, da jia hao, namaste, sat sri akal, assalamu alaikum. It’s so great to be here and I’m ready and pumped for 2025. Can I start by acknowledging: Simon Bridges – CEO of the Auckland ...
The Government has unveiled a bold new initiative to position New Zealand as a premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy. “Invest New Zealand will streamline the investment process and provide tailored support to foreign investors, to increase capital investment ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced the largest reset of the New Zealand science system in more than 30 years with reforms which will boost the economy and benefit the sector. “The reforms will maximise the value of the $1.2 billion in government funding that goes into ...
Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead for all Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. In the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Speech in Auckland today, Christopher Luxon laid out the path to the prosperity that will affect all aspects of New Zealanders’ lives. ...
The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year. “That is completely ...
The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months. “There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don't fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job ...
Jon Kroll and Aimee McCammon have been appointed to the New Zealand Film Commission Board, Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “I am delighted to appoint these two new board members who will bring a wealth of industry, governance, and commercial experience to the Film Commission. “Jon Kroll has been an ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hailed a drop in the domestic component of inflation, saying it increases the prospect of mortgage rate reductions and a lower cost of living for Kiwi households. Stats NZ reported today that inflation was 2.2 per cent in the year to December, the second consecutive ...
Two new appointed members and one reappointed member of the Employment Relations Authority have been announced by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today. “I’m pleased to announce the new appointed members Helen van Druten and Matthew Piper to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) and welcome them to ...
Health NZ's CEO has resigned, but frontline healthworkers are sceptical that installing new leadership will make any difference to a system grappling with problems. ...
Gail Duncan, Chairperson of the St Peter’s on Willis Social Justice Group, one of the organisations invited to submit on the Bill, says the Government’s actions are unprecedented. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amani Kasherwa, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Queensland In late January, a rebel group that has long caused mayhem in the sprawling African nation of Democratic Republic of Congo took control of Goma, a major city of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yee-Fui Ng, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Monash University An ad falsely depicting independent candidate Alex Dyson as a Greens member.ABC News/Supplied The highly pertinent case of a little-known independent candidate in the Victorian seat of Wannon has exposed a gaping ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland Nik/Unsplash You might have heard that eating too many eggs will cause high cholesterol levels, leading to poor health. Researchers have examined the science behind this myth again, and ...
Everything you missed from the third day of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard four hours of oral submission. Read our recaps of day one of the hearings here, and day two here. Parliament was quiet on Friday for the third day of hearings on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University Tijana Simic/Shutterstock The news last week that three people in Sydney were hospitalised with botulism after receiving botox injections has raised questions about the regulation of the cosmetic injectables industry. The ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jens Blotevogel, Principal Research Scientist and Team Leader for Remediation Technologies, CSIRO Mino Surkala, Shutterstock Lithium-ion batteries are part of everyday life. They power small rechargeable devices such as mobile phones and laptops. They enable electric vehicles. And larger versions store ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edith Jennifer Hill, Associate Lecturer, Learning & Teaching Innovation, Flinders University Netflix Netflix’s new limited series, Apple Cider Vinegar, tells the story of the elaborate cancer con orchestrated by Australian blogger Annabelle (Belle) Gibson. The first episode opens with Gibson’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dee Ninis, Earthquake Scientist, Monash University Greece’s government has just declared a state of emergency on the island of Santorini, as earthquakes shake the island multiple times a day and sometimes only minutes apart. The “earthquake swarm” is also affecting other ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Western Australian state election will be held on March 8. A Newspoll, conducted January 29 to February 4 from a sample ...
She’s back behind the wheel, and this time, she wants to find out what it is that makes us tick. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. After a prolific career on stage and screen, 83-year-old Miriam Margolyes is on the road again. ...
A new poem by Jordan Hamel. Real Poet Every word earned its place and so did he, so should you. Real poet lives in the capital but writes himself into the Mackenzie country golden hour, man of the paper land, he neglects to mention his pollen ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Understanding Te Tiriti by Roimata Smail (Wai Ako Press, $25) No better time to get ...
The committee has published this list to inform the public about its work, and to give clarity to submitters who have contacted the committee asking if they will be invited to make an oral submission. ...
Alex Casey and Gabi Lardies dissect their Laneway 2025 experience. Gabi Lardies: Hi Alex :))))))) Congratulations on not getting sunburnt. Everyone I talked to at Laneway yesterday was braving the sun for one thing. Charli XCX. How was your brat experience?Alex Casey: We will talk about the rest of ...
The US President's suggestion, which sparked enormous debate globally, has been labelled as a threat, not a proposal, by the Federation of Islamic Associations. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine McCarthy, Senior Lecturer in Interior Architecture, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Interior of Auckland South Men’s Prison.Getty Images Prisons are not colourful places. Typically, they are grey or some variation of a monochrome colour scheme. But increasingly, ...
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Remembering the renowned New Zealand writer, who died on February 5, 2025. The Stopover When the trout rise like compassion It is worth watching when the hinds come down from the hills with a new message it will be as well to listen. – Brian Turner Poet, environmentalist, sportsman, journalist, ...
Survivors can choose to have former High Court judge Paul Davison assess their individual claims to tailor payments to their personal circumstances. ...
Are we too modest when it comes to celebrating our putrid plant life?She’s beauty. She’s grace. She smells like a decaying corpse and lurks in the backrooms of Auckland Zoo, wallowing tragically in a bucket. In recent weeks an Australian corpse plant named Putricia has captured the noses and ...
Politicians from the coalition government received a frosty reception at Waitangi this year, but Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says the pōwhiri that received so much attention was just one part of many events throughout the week. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Allen, Postdoctoral research associate, Griffith University A humpback whale mother and calf on the New Caledonian breeding grounds.Mark Quintin All known human languages display a surprising pattern: the most frequent word in a language is twice as frequent as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Keogh, Associate Dean of Research, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University Jordan Mailata is an Australian-born NFL star who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles as an offensive left tackle. This position favours very tall, heavy and strong athletes who ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nigel Tucker, Research Associate in Environment and Sustainability, James Cook University TREAT volunteers planting treesTREAT Like ferns and the tides, community conservation groups come and go. Many achieve their goal. Volunteers restore a local wetland or protect a patch of urban ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karyn Healy, Honorary Principal Research Fellow in Psychology, The University of Queensland Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock The start of the school year means new classes, routines, after-school activities and sometimes even a new school. This can be a really exciting time for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kerrie Sadiq, Professor of Taxation, QUT Business School, and ARC Future Fellow, Queensland University of Technology The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) released a discussion paper this week on investment tax breaks. The study looks at whether tax incentives, such as instant ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Naomi Zouwer, Visual Artist and Lecturer in Teacher Education, University of Canberra Galleries and art museums can be intimidating and alienating even for adults. Imagine it from a child’s point of view. Stern security guards in uniforms stationed the doors, bags checked, ...
The clock is ticking in the great chain chase. 2025 is an election year in New Zealand. Not the general variation, obviously, but the local form. If you’re thinking of running, nominations open in just five months, and your chances are good – about 50% across the various races; in ...
No matter what the criminals in charge promise, we are on a non stop ride to this future http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbLgszfXTAY
And all we seem able to do is chuck babies at the problems.
The only good thing I can see from all this is John Key has 3 children. How will they curse him?
“Daddy what did you do to help us?”
“I ignored all the warnings, and built you some more roads”
The difference between a child molester and our leaders, is normally when the molester is finished the child is still alive.
You are being lied to by everyone from primary school teachers to the prim minister, and you are all happy with this.
“Fuck hope” George Carlin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W9Cs6KPTus
Just listened to Simon Mercep give a disgraceful performance with Blinglish on RNZ. Caught lying finally about the level of borrowings and Mercep was indirect, stumbling and never got him answering obvious questions and let him compare us to PIGS.
Epic fail for the toothless morning report as the scaremongering the Nats used to slash n burn has shown to be hollow especially if you factor back the tax cuts also….like their backers.
Where Was Gondor?
It’s a believable story, which spoored the creation of it’s own FB page. “Peter Jackson disregards environmental concerns to get the perfect scenes for his upcoming movie the Hobbit,” is a plausible enough scenario. Even the lead in was somewhat credible: Alberta tar sands, “The hell on earth that he created,” really does have a nice ring to it. But you should see the backlash against the understandably gullible on news that the story was a hoax…
who saw the rant by federated farmers head don nicolson in the sst on sunday. pathetic. I have been reading his columns for a while now and he has yet to make any sense. It is never about farmers or agriculture but how the ACT party wants farmers to vote. very poor form don. NZFF will be much better of without you dude.
I’ve listened with disbelief to Nicholson on several occasions. Nearly every time, his words are not only extreme but also inflammatory and devoid of commonsense.
Is he on the ACT list, by any chance?
Greece needs another bailout. How’s a market to hedge the debt? Why not have NZ borrow more and reduce the ‘tranche’ debt? NZ borrows more forcing up our currency harming our economy, and now English admits we don’t need to borrow its just the terms are so good at the moment, yeah, sure! Greece high levels of debt means higher interest is demanded.
Its like English the whole collapse of the world fiscal system, that rolling risks into good mortgages actually just accelerated the world fiscal problems later.
So Blinglish is borrowing more than we need.
The meme leading up to and post budget has been “debt is debt is debt.” Yet now he is increasing debt by his borrowing.
Worse he is telling us that the government debt is too high.
Wrong – his greedy prospecting mates’ debt is too high. That’s private debt.
The government debt is quite manageable and has been for the last 10-15 years.
They will not admit that they have simply screwed up in their calculations.
Incidentally, if he now feels it is good money, how come he has not reinstated the Cullen fund which was apparently stupidly borrowing money to save for superannuation.
Me thinks the man speaks with forked tongue. (Or he is a lying b..stard.)
And it’s election year ain’t it – watch for some sort of bribe coming up.
Nothing like getting a bribe in your back pocket – unless it was taken out of your own back pocket in the first place.
English must think we are all chumps.
I’ve never quite understood this borrowing mentioned in this youtube clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0NYBTkE1yQ
Are we borrowing more than we need now or are we stuck with some commitment we made a few years ago to borrowing this amount of money from the US and are now having to do this.
At about 2:30 in there is mention of an arrangement to lend NZ 9 billion dollars.
Does anyone have any idea of what this 9 billion dollars is that we seem to have committed to borrowing, who asked for it and what has happened to it?
Haven’t watched your vid but I understand the idea is that the terms upon which one can presently borrow money are quite favourable to borrowers. So we are borrowing more than we need right now to use in the future.
I understand that is what is being said what I don’t understand is why in 2009 we had already agreed to borrow 9 billion dollars.
http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2011/05/19/budget-faq-6-why-the-debt-hole/
This is about the only post I have come across from Labour questioning the level of borrowings. The $300-$380m never added up. And it did not help with the likes of Jacinda Ardern continually misleading the public as to why the borrowwings are so high. As J.A. thinks that 1/2 of the borrowings are for the tax cuts… Wrong !!! A large % was just refinacing existing debt e.g. EQC cashing out and the govt going offshore to replace this.
Listen to reports and people in the street the $300+m/week has been blindingly accepted, and the failed logic of having to sell some assets and govt cost reduction to curb this debt, has also been accepted. Selling assets does stuff all to the real problem – at best it buys us 4-5months on nil borrowings. The issue is still there-but many here know that 😉
All the borrowing in advance does is that it will allow the govt next year to tell us how great they are, as the new borrowing levels are abated somewhat. That is because they sourced the funding this year for next years expenditure. How brilliant !!!!!
So we are paying servicing costs for debt we don’t yet need( what has the govt done with this money entered the cash n carry trade, and depositied it in an interest bearing account at one of our banks?), and to sell assets that return more than the cost of servicing the debt !!! mmmmmm, and what dothey say about Geniuses “are not recognized until long after their death. Some go insane, while others simply remain in poverty and obscurity, until some historian finds their work and makes it known.” Perhaps we all here do not see a genius at work !!!
http://nymag.com/print/?/news/politics/paul-krugman-2011-5/
What’s left of the Left?
Paul Krugman’s lonely crusade
For the first two years of the Obama administration, Krugman has been building, in his columns and on his blog, not just a critique of this presidency but something grander and more expansively detailed, something closer to an alternate architecture for what Obamaism might be. The project has remade Krugman’s public image, as if he had spent years becoming a chemically isolate form of himself—first a moderate, then an anti-Bush partisan, and now the leading exponent of a kind of liberal purism against which the compromises of the White House might be judged. Krugman’s counterfactual Obama would have provided far more stimulus money and would have nationalized Citigroup and Bank of America. He would have written off Republicans and worked only with Democrats to fashion a health-care reform bill that included a so-called public option. The president of Krugman’s dreams would have made his singular long-term goal the preservation of the welfare state and the middle-class society it was designed to create.
Michael Hudson http://michael-hudson.com/
A lot of analysis of the geo-political machinations of global economics and lately, a lot of articles on the problems with the euro.
Will Greece Let EU Central Bankers Run Riot Over Sovereignty?
Concentration of financial power in non-democratic hands is inherent in the way that Europe’s centralized planning in financial hands was achieved in the first place.
Is Iceland’s rejection of financial bullying a model for Greece and Ireland?
aj – surely europe is just tryimg to build an integrated currency that will aid all its members. wouldn’t this be similar to the numerous states in the usa. where the concentration of financial might is in the hands of a few – it is laughable to use the term non-democratic in regard to the eu.
Iceland’s rejection of financial bullying should be a model for the entire friggen world. We do not have to do as the bankers tell us and, when people loan out money, they’re taking the risk that they’re not going to get it back. The GFC should have resulted in the write-off of a few trillion dollars and not taxpayer bailouts for the banks.
Yeah right and which country has put a wanker in its top government job??
Shane Jones on Campbell Live … unable / unwilling to say that Destiny / Tamaki stand for vile bigotry and ripping off the poor.
Shame on you, Shane Jones. You must never, ever lead the Labour Party.
And my vote has just switched to the greens.
It was horrible watching a group of politicians refuse to give an opinion or take a stand on opposing some of the Destiny churches views.
The attempted deflection by some to talk about issues in other churches was nonsense.
What is it about many of our leftish politicians that they don’t seem to know what they believe in and what they stand for.
Is it that they don’t have a position and bend with the wind, is that they are trying to be all things to all people, are they simply gutless, is it semi-cultural in the sense of having your say on the marae and not washing your dirty linen (in this case your opinions and disagreement) in public?
Bring back some people who know what they think.
Thanks for pointing that out, gobsmacked.
And yes, DoS, disappointment here that our leftish politicians don’t seem to know and show what they believe in and stand for.
One of my two ticks has just disassociated itself from Labour.
And the other tick is looking for the least worst party/candidate on offer.
Frakin’A DoS
How is the Left going to command a winning voting block at this miserable mealy mouthed rate.
Yes, gobsmacked, I was left with very mixed emotions after watching Campbell Live this evening and was very disappointed particularly with Shane Jones’ effort and also with all the other pollies present. It seemed as if they were absolutely in some sort of trance and totally under the so called ‘Bishop Brian’s’ authority. I couldn’t help wondering if Shane was the worse for some liquid spiritual courage, rather than the purely spiritual variety, especially as he and Hone are supposed to be an [albeit nominal] Anglicans and they both would have said something about ‘Apostolic Succession’ rather than Brian Tamaki’s self proclamation. But maybe I’m getting a bit pedantic here.
Read the body Language!
Shane (& others) couldn’t afford to say things which would piss off the Disney church morons but to any astute observer his & Tau’s body language clearly said, ‘what a bunch of wankers we have to put up with in this job!’
Actually they could afford to say it – they just didn’t have the guts to do so.
Personally I abhor most of Bishop Brian’s utterances. They do not reflect Christ’s core message as delivered in Matthew 5 & 6.
I remember Helen’s diplomacy when Tamaki was ranting about the government turning evil. Clark’s Labour party freaked out a lot of Christians but the Key/Brash show and its rampaging anti-social policies deserve far more condemnation.
There is much common ground between the social justice aspect of the Gospel message and Labour’s aims for a fairer society. It’s a long shot but perhaps Tamaki will mellow out and allow a constructive approach in future.
That may be true but it doesn’t necessarily extend to fundamentalist churches who almost always lean to the right.
The body language said it all! The only thing missing was the dentist’s chair and a large needle looming into view. What’s the bet they were both on orders by their respective senior colleagues to “keep their mouths shut and just take it on the chin”.
Clark Flies Home for Friends Funeral
Interrupting her very important high level meetings, United Nations Development Program Administrator Helen Clark is returning home tonight to attend a state funeral for a national icon. Initial reports are that the former Prime Minister of New Zealand is grief stricken at the loss of her closest friend. Apparently the whole country is in shock at the news and a national day of mourning has been planned. In a moving press conference, Helen Clark spoke eloquently about the sad news:
Silly
Which political parties will support legislative changes to ensure the following?
A NZ ‘Register of Lobbyists’ and ‘Code of Conduct for Lobbyists’ – as required by most Australian States and Commonwealth Governments?
An enforceable ‘Code of Conduct’ for New Zealand MPs?
How is it that NZ is ‘perceived’ to be the least corrupt country in the world’ (along with Denmark and Singapore according to Transparency International’s 2010 ‘Corruption Perception Index’) – when we lack transparency and accountability in such critical areas?
______________________________________________________________________________
AUSTRALIAN OVERVIEW: http://www.aph.gov.au/Library/pubs/BN/pol/CodesOfConduct.htm Summary of codes of conduct in Australian parliament, including a comparison with NZ ______________________________________________________________________________
AUSTRALIAN REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTERS OF LOBBYISTS, AND LOBBYISTS ‘CODES OF CONDUCT’ :
Australian Commonwealth Government http://lobbyists.pmc.gov.au/
In 2008 the Australian Government introduced a Lobbying Code of Conduct and established a Register of Lobbyists to ensure that contact between lobbyists and Commonwealth Government representatives is conducted in accordance with public expectations of transparency, integrity and honesty.
Any lobbyist who acts on behalf of third-party clients for the purposes of lobbying Government representatives must be registered on the Register of Lobbyists and must comply with the requirements of the Lobbying Code of Conduct.
The public Register of Lobbyists contains the following information about lobbyists who make representations to Government on behalf of their third-party clients:
the business registration details and trading names of each lobbying entity including, where the business is not a publicly listed company, the names of owners, partners or major shareholders, as applicable; the names and positions of persons employed, contracted or otherwise engaged by the lobbying entity to carry out lobbying activities;
and the names of clients on whose behalf the lobbying entity conducts lobbying activities.
SAMPLE LOBBYIST PROFILE: http://lobbyists.pmc.gov.au/register ”
____________________________________________________________________________
Penny Bright
http://waterpressure.wordpress.com
Didn’t Claire Curran look like a worning class yobbo when she walked out of parliament is black boots, black leggings and a Highlanders rugby shirt.
Not business atire at all, just something some drunken scrubber would wear after consuming lots of Speights at the rugby.
Someone who aspires to be a government minsiter should have had more sense and Phil Goff should have pulled her into line before question time.
Pathetic.
Can’t see the black boots and black leggings from the video files during Parliamentary Questions.
Clare looked acceptable with the Highlanders jersey over the black skivvy.
The Speaker’s attempted reasoning was, with all respect and to put it politely, pathetic and quite stupid.
How rude Sam. I thought Clare looked fresh,smart and stylish . Glad Metiria walked out in support of her, and that Sue Kedgeley backed her by insisting that there should be more comprehensive rules on women’s dress code.
I am afraid that it’s your comment that is pathetic.
And yet a National Minister wore a sports jersey to parliament and Lockwood didn’t say a thing…
Tell me, are you also going to call Dr. Jackie Blue a scrubber as well?
So Sam, working class yobbos are not allowed to represent themselves as MPs in Parliament? Or only if they wear a suit? Get a life buddy, we dont all want to look and act like corporate business types, and we dont alll want those buggers representing us in their flash attire either.