Does this really sound like an education to you or does it sound more like a Ponzi scheme, like you’ve been scammed?
Do I understand how all this works? No. I’m no expert on the subject. What anyone should be able to see, however, is that the promise of higher education has, in this century, sunk low indeed and that what your generation has been learning how to endure while still in school is a form of peonage. I’d binge drink, too, under the circumstances!
As that system, awash in plutocratic contributions to politics and taxpayer contributions to the military-industrial-homeland-security complex, morphs into something else, so will you, whether you realize it or not. Though never thought of as such, your debt is part of the same system. A society that programmatically trains its young into debt and calls that “higher education” is as corrupt as a wealthy country that won’t rebuild its own infrastructure.
Yep, in the US the salaries and numbers of administrators and managers has been shooting up for years, while the salaries and numbers of faculty have been cut and squeezed – unless you work in an area favoured by corporate money.
Student fees have been climbing and climbing as has student debt. Then they changed the rules in the US where students have to pay increasing interest on their debt – far more than bankers have to pay – and you cannot get out of student debt by declaring bankruptcy. The debt follows you to the grave.
And this in an environment where graduates are lucky to get a full time minimum wage job.
Marinaleda: Yeah, that’s the kind of place/way I’d like to live, if the only alternative was NZ’s existing reality/dominant culture and perspective.
Two stand-out points to me were the flat rate of wage, “because every position is important to the whole”; and making decisions based on considering what is good for those who have the least, before thinking about what is good for those that have the most. If NZ governments adopted that last point in isolation, it would solve many of NZ’s problems overnight. Once they did try that approach, now they reject it completely.
“A Socialist Utopia” is a good description of it – a both negative (ultimately limited) and positive (major advancement on status quo) euphemism – because there are plenty of flaws in the plan; and the guy talking glosses over some historical points that if they were explained to NZders, they might not be so enthusistic to superimpose the struggle here; but this is Sunday morning, so why not just revel in the possibility instead?
In Germany, one of the most successful economy in the world, house prices are flat. It is considered a failure if house prices rise because housing is a speculative investment that adds nothing to the economy.
Predictions for 2014 for Germany were price increases for property were 6%, with prices the the two years prior increasing by 9.8% per annum for existing stock and 7.7% per annum for new builds.
Reasons being? Demand in larger cities outstripping supply. Low interest rates and increased economic activity. Strong labour markets and rising immigration.
Germany, historically, has a completely different approach to rentals, where some families live 20+ years in rented accommodation (flats or houses). The money is in the rent return, not the property resale. The way mortgages are set-up and structured are different too.
To top it all off, German Super has always been sufficient to live off in retirement, there was little need or desire to invest/speculate in property for that old-age nest egg.
All up, you can’t compare the German approach and New Zealand one.
Max Keiser & Stacey Herbert talk UK property bubble
They mention in comparison that Berlin has just introduced maximum rent caps. That German ministers see “investment” flowing into ever increasing house prices as a waste of productive financial capital which should instead go into industry. This is of course a road to a ponzi economy and eventual economic collapse.
How UK policies of house ownership and rental subsidies have helped push up the property price bubble further, as well as encouraging home owners and rentier capitalists to vote Conservative.
Max Keiser also mentions how banks create money in the economy by extending loans which instantly become deposits in bank accounts.
The housing problem has only just started really. You can’t create all this extra money and have it stay in Auckland. Newly rich Jafas are already buying up large outside of Auckland and driving up prices elsewhere. Those cashed up sellers will themselves start pushing up prices even further.
I’ve been watching house prices in areas close to Auck – south an arc from Hamilton to Tauranga and north SH1 areas up to Whangarei & surrounds. The speed at which low priced properties have been selling is just incredible. The only houses not selling are those in rough streets.
It must be hugely distressing for those lower income earners saving to buy a home. They’re seeing their future disappearing right in front of their eyes.
No you cant and it is true that their social security system is (or was) – I am sorry to say – superior to that in NZ.
But what you omit is that, Germany has had more then 1 Million (!) immigrants/refugees per year entering the country and housing certainly has a different meaning when looking at these figures.
Vandalism of properties that was unheard of has increased and there are areas where you rather don’t want to go, let alone live because of the ghetto building from different ethnicity. Naturally, the situation is a lot more volatile then in NZ. And with that the social security system that has worked on the basis that people have to contribute in order to get a benefit, thus being a collective approach and really a cultural way of thinking about your neighbor, is being destroyed. Perhaps a geopolitical game to make it equal to the Anglo saxen approach that is in my point of view barbaric.
Wait until Germany suffers an economic downturn, then with mass immigration you will see the rise of white supremacist neonazi sentiment on the upswing.
Just saw something on Zero Hedge which said 2 out of 3 low paid jobs created by the US economic “upturn” has gone to illegal migrants. Local populations are going to become more restive.
White supremacists are already there. All immigrants are being supported by the state, hence the unrest. The moneys are not there anymore. The downturn has already started.
Mind you, I wonder what NZ would do if such influx of immigrants would happen here. Infrastructure and benefits would dry up in a flash. It would lead to aggression, latent or obvious.
The US is a completely different culture – they have no real sense of social coherency. 230 odd years in the making vs thousands of years in Germany.
The jobs they have created are low wage, no guarantied hours jobs. Sounds familiar?
Germans are underestimated with their sheer will to see things through if the going is tough.
@ Colonial R
Someone wrote that a large number of the employed in USA are guarding wealthy people’s property. It could be a good job for a migrant to get. The low starting wage could be an indication of that.
USA Security guards employed, 1,077,520 at May 2014 mean hourly wage $13.48 (from $8.52, 25% percentile $9.64, 90% percentile $21.25-annual $44,200) http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes339032.htm
USA Cleaning and janitor jobs 2,324,000 for year 2012 @ $10.73 an hour
USA manufacturing stats – they were declining before 2008 and from then to 2010 they took a nosedive.
Manufacturing employment stats at Jan 2008 13,725,000, at Jan 2010 11,460,000.
Jan 2015 12,318,000. http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CES3000000001
the rich people in the gated compounds think that their armed security guards are going to protect them when the real decline comes. I think those armed security guards just as likely to take over the gated compounds for their own extended families and eject the useless 1%, when the time comes.
Please excuse my ignorance, but considering the continuing threat of climate change, it’s causes & likely outcomes, are there social media sites that younger New Zealanders participate in on this issue?
I ask only to be able to listen to their voice, not to participate.
There’s also 350 Aotearoa, and you can find the latest things theyre doing on their facebook pages.
I’d like to see a senior citizens activist group on climate change as well. After all they have had a lifetime of fossil fuel at their convenience and it will be their grandkids who will have to do the heavy lifting to adapt and change society to work in a different climate.
How much of the Auckland property ‘boom’ is being used for money-laundering?
How many of the empty 22,000 ‘ghost city’ private sector houses in Auckland (according to the 2013 Census), have been used for money-laundering?
Whose job is it to check on how real estate – especially Auckland real estate – is used for money-laundering?
The Organised and Financial Crime Agency of NZ (OFCANZ)?
Who failed to carry out any ‘due diligence’ on the increased risk of money-laundering arising from the NZ International Convention Act?
————————————————————————
Bernard Hickey: Dodgy deals to come out
The New Zealand Herald
A task force wants lawyers and agents to verify sources of overseas funds used to buy property.
By Bernard Hickey
The Government’s pre-Budget announcement of its two-year “bright line” tax on capital gains surprised a few people and captured headlines.
But the accompanying news that non-residents buying property would first have to open a bank account here, get an IRD number and declare their own passport and home tax details may have a bigger impact.
The Government is pointing to this measure as having the most potential to reduce foreign demand for Auckland properties and Prime Minister John Key has indicated information on non-resident buying would be gathered and published.
He said New Zealand tax authorities would also share these details with foreign tax authorities.
The elephant in the room of Auckland’s property debate is whether some of the money pouring into Auckland, from China in particular, is money laundering of ill-gotten funds.
Without any data, the debate is fuelled by anecdote and rumour, but the issue is capturing global attention.
In November, China’s President Xi Jinping asked for Key’s help to track down a number of Chinese nationals who had fled to New Zealand with allegedly corruptly obtained funds. This was part of Xi’s campaign to crack down on the “tigers and flies” officials and their cronies. Chinese authorities say New Zealand is the third most popular destination for such fugitives.
The issue of money laundering from China is heating up in Australia, too, where data on how much property is bought by non-residents is collected.
More than 25 per cent of all new and existing homes sold last year in Sydney and Melbourne were sold to non-residents, leaving many across the Tasman asking where the money came from.
It is a clever ploy by the Government to turn the Auckland housing problem into a Law & Order issue. Any place where large sums of money easily ‘change hands’ such as casinos and real estate is attractive to money launderers. However, this doesn’t mean that money laundering is a driving force behind Auckland’s housing woes. Is the Government now also proposing for Sky Casino to demand seeing and recording IRD numbers, bank account details, and home tax details?
Liar No. 46 Julia Gillard: “I have got a lot of respect for people who whistle-blow, ummm….” http://thestandard.org.nz/ope-mike-08022015/#comment-965394
Liar No. 45 Zara Potts: “Sir Bob Geldof has assembled the best of modern musicians for this year’s record, including Ed Sheeran and One Direction.” http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11112014/#comment-924196
More liars HERE….
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-09102014/#comment-907232
Time Magazine: Belgium removes all age limits on euthansasia
Says children should have same rights to choose death as adults. In the Netherlands, children aged 12-16 can choose death with parental consent. Activists in the Netherlands say that age limit should be reduced or removed.
Gardasil Survivors in Ireland Launch Support Group
Activist Post
The R.E.G.R.E.T. Support Group was launched recently in Ireland by parents of chronically ill teenage girls. These parents blame an injection the girls received at school as the cause of their daughters’ illness. The drug in question is called Gardasil and is being marketed as an anti-cancer vaccine. R.E.G.R.E.T. is an acronym for “Reactions and Effects of Gardasil Resulting in Extreme Trauma”.
Members of ten families from all over the country came together to share experiences and express their exasperation at the inability of health authorities to recognise the pattern of serious adverse reactions being suffered by children who, up until receiving the Gardasil injection, enjoyed an active healthy lifestyle.
One of the main complaints raised at the meeting was that the information provided by the HSE (as part of the ‘informed consent’ process) is extremely misleading, particularly with regard to how safe the vaccine is.
A high incidence of serious reactions have been reported in the U.S ever since Gardasil was released there in 2006. Even the drug manufacturer’s own clinical trials reveal a 1 in 40 (2.5%) incidence of a serious adverse reaction*, yet Irish parents are still told by the HSE that Gardasil is ‘very safe’.
Although its cancer-preventing properties have never been proven, the HSE insists that the benefits of Gardasil outweigh the risks and even claim that it has been ‘fully tested’.
This is despite the limited safety testing that took place as a result of this “life-Gardasil Survivors in Ireland Launch Support Group
Activist Post
The R.E.G.R.E.T. Support Group was launched recently in Ireland by parents of chronically ill teenage girls. These parents blame an injection the girls received at school as the cause of their daughters’ illness. The drug in question is called Gardasil and is being marketed as an anti-cancer vaccine. R.E.G.R.E.T. is an acronym for “Reactions and Effects of Gardasil Resulting in Extreme Trauma”.
Members of ten families from all over the country came together to share experiences and express their exasperation at the inability of health authorities to recognise the pattern of serious adverse reactions being suffered by children who, up until receiving the Gardasil injection, enjoyed an active healthy lifestyle. One of the main complaints raised at the meeting was that the information provided by the HSE (as part of the ‘informed consent’ process) is extremely misleading, particularly with regard to how safe the vaccine is.
A high incidence of serious reactions have been reported in the U.S ever since Gardasil was released there in 2006. Even the drug manufacturer’s own clinical trials reveal a 1 in 40 (2.5%) incidence of a serious adverse reaction*, yet Irish parents are still told by the HSE that Gardasil is ‘very safe’.
Although its cancer-preventing properties have never been proven, the HSE insists that the benefits of Gardasil outweigh the risks and even claim that it has been ‘fully tested’.
This is despite the limited safety testing that took place as a result of this “life-saving vaccine” being fast-tracked through the regulatory approval process. HSE did not inform parents that Gardasil contains genetically engineered non-human recombinant DNA, the effects of which are unknown and unpredictable when injected into a human host saving vaccine” being fast-tracked through the regulatory approval process.
HSE did not inform parents that Gardasil contains genetically engineered non-human recombinant DNA, the effects of which are unknown and unpredictable when injected into a human host.
This is a healthcare disaster and another example of how corporatised establishment medical thinking has led families down the wrong track, a track which transfers billions in tax payers money to big pharma while the vast majority of young women receiving the treatment will obtain zero life saving benefits.
I have just watched that disgusting display by Boag on The Nation, dressed like a bill board for a large carton of Fries. A theme I see that is beginning to develop from the right is:- “You don’t have a right,” In this discussion, if you can call it that with this hysterical female dressed like a packet of chips, Boag said “You don’t have a right” to owning a house.
Is this going to be a common theme to get us all conditioned so when they spy on us it will be a case of “You don’t have a right to privacy.” Also what gives winebox Boag the right to say “you don’t have a right”
Shit we will be told next We don’t have the right to breath
Yes, and what I saw is a lady with an American accent attacking NZ systems, a raged young man who just has bought a property in Wellington and one articulate young man trying to convince us that the rental laws need changing.
Here is what I took away from this:
Once more the future rich are making a dash for funds and asking for a RIGHT to own a house with the golden age of 22 in the dress circle of Auckland.
For them the old are guilty of everything because they have not facilitated them to get what they want (hissy fit follows), when they want it and how they want it.
Of cause they should give up their poultry weekly income of $ 320 smackers. Surely they can do without.
They have not figured out that the situation is a lot more volatile then they belief and there are many more deserving then they are. I am talking about families with small children – one that just died due to substandard accommodation.
If they really want to address any problems, maybe the should investigate and find out what drives the pricing and equally what the average age of an an average wage earner is when they buy. Perhaps they could start working within the community and not outside it with this sense of entitlement that only is ever seen by people of privilege.
Yes, the housing market is out of kilter, not because a pensioner owns his/her home, but because speculators driving this. (mostly from overseas with question marks of money laundering) OH, yes no question of those university educated people there.
The law is not designed to protect the wider public from shanty houses developing – again no question form the side of the younger generation who are suppose to be sooo educated, all they do is their “fair” share.
Most NZ people buy their house at the age of around 30 or later.
On the question of voting: they don’t because they don’t get what they want.. (stumping feet behind the podium?)
Educated? Really? Or just spoiled and dragged through Uni because there was money to be made…
There giving kohanga and its tyrant leader a very nice puff piece on marae
In the same week that a very good reporter resigns over her TV channel not letting her do a story on kohanga.
It’s possible to conclude that the Labour Party review document was leaked because otherwise it was never going to be shared in its entirety with the membership; rather it was going to be edited, censored, summarised and released selectively piecemeal. Contrary to popular opinion, maybe on balance we’ve been done a favour by the leaker.
CR.
definitely better to have it out in public 100% or there was always going to keep media busy wondering out loud about what wasnt being said/released
That would be a credible theory CV, except for the fact that it was leaked to Gower. If the leaker wanted to serve the membership or Labour’s best interests, there were far better places/people to leak it to.
I have no doubt that regional conferences were verbally told of the contents of, or at least the outline of, the majority of the report. Your comment and my comment are not mutually exclusive.
”The Government won’t support “extreme measures” like warrant of fitness checks for all houses because it will drive up rent and push housing stock out of the market, says Finance Minister Bill English.”
and
”But Housing Minister Nick Smith is reluctant to extend the warrants to all public and private rentals because if the Government prohibited the rental of home unless they were fully insulated, it would mean taking 100,000 homes off the market.”
Please correct me if wrong but the bill would give landlords five years to get rental houses up to a liveable standard and it was never the intention that housing stock would be taken off the rental market during that period.
But they are downplaying the scale and severity of the problem and only because they can’t use plausible denial any longer. I look forward to hearing more from Bill English about “something practical and affordable that will start lifting the standard”.
“We’re not going to adopt extreme measures, we want to get something practical and affordable that will start lifting the standard,” he said.
To be able to lift standards you a) need to know where you’re at at the moment an b) set some standards that need to be reached. National not doing either of these things is setting up to fail.
I also note the propagandising use of extreme measures. It’s being used in such a way as to make people think that having liveable homes is an extreme idea and thus not doable.
Mrs Lagarde must stop playing the role of a diplomat. She must take off her European hat and speak instead for the organisation she leads and for the world.
She must confront the EMU creditors head on and in public. She must tell them, in blunt language, that they share much of the blame for the current impasse.
She must make it clear to them that Greece needs sweeping debt relief – as a matter of economic science, whatever the morality – and that the refusal of the creditors to face up to this elemental fact is now the chief impediment to a solution. And she should tell them that the IMF will no longer play any part in their deceitful charade.
If she does not do so, and if the lack of leadership by Europe’s political class leads to a catastrophic denouement on every level, then let it be on her head too.
Both The Great Depression and the Great Recession produced winners and losers. Interestingly, the winners should have been the losers in both cases.
Corporations would get to comment on any new regulatory attempts, and enforce this regulatory straitjacket through a dispute mechanism similar to the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) process in other trade agreements, where they could win money equal to “expected future profits” lost through violations of the regulatory cap.
For an example of how this would work, let’s look at financial services. It too has a “standstill” clause, which given the unpredictability of future crises could leave governments helpless to stop a new and dangerous financial innovation. In fact, Switzerland has proposed that all TiSA countries must allow “any new financial service” to enter their market. So-called “prudential regulations” to protect investors or depositors are theoretically allowed, but they must not act contrary to TiSA rules, rendering them somewhat irrelevant.
Most controversially, all financial services suppliers could transfer individual client data out of a TiSA country for processing, regardless of national privacy laws. This free flow of data across borders is true for the e-commerce annex as well; it breaks with thousands of years of precedent on locally kept business records, and has privacy advocates alarmed.
Just in case you weren’t aware that the corporations have several methods in play to take away our ability to govern ourselves and thus make us corporate serfs.
Guess which was the ONLY NZ political party to support ‘facilitation payments’ being included as BRIBES in the Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Legislation Bill?
—————————————————————————-
The (——) Party supports the majority of the Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Legislation Bill in its current form.
The (——) Party intends to continue with its support of this bill; it will bring us in line with our obligations under various international treaties and conventions dealing with national and international organised crime and corruption, and it will strengthen our ability to effectively respond to people trafficking and private sector corruption.
However, the (——) Party holds the view that this bill is a missed opportunity to address the issue of facilitation payments, which will still be excepted from the foreign bribery offence under section 105C(3) of the Crimes Act 1961–
(3)This section does not apply if—
(a)the act that is alleged to constitute the offence was committed for the sole or primary purpose of ensuring or expediting the performance by a foreign public official of a routine government action; and
(b)the value of the benefit is small.
The Ministry of Justice departmental report refers to these payments as being for things such as “small payments relating to the grant of a permit or licence, the provision of utility services, or loading or unloading cargo.” The Ministry commented that these payments do not yield an “undue advantage”, and that measures in the bill to ensure the recording of these payments mitigate any concerns that the exception may be abused.
However, the select committee heard persuasive submissions on the issue from the Human Rights Commission, Transparency International New Zealand and Michael Macaulay, Director of the Institute for Governance and Policy Studies at Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Government.
These ‘grease’ payments are bribes, no matter their size, and help breed a culture where low-level corruption is permitted and accepted, contrary to international guidance from groups like the Serious Fraud Office, the UNCAC Implementation Review Group, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the OECD.
New Zealand is seen as a leader in public sector ethics and transparency, and we are proud of that legacy. It is disappointing that when provided an opportunity to take a strong stance on a controversial and unethical practice like facilitation payments – a stance already taken by the United Kingdom and Australia, and allegedly being pursued in China and India – we choose to split hairs about semantics and ‘balance’, leaving the door open for facilitation payments and subtly undermining our international reputation for honesty and transparency.
————————————————————
Could National’s Minister of Trade – in my opinion – ‘sheepish’ Murray McCully’s sordid Saudi ‘bribe’ have had anything to do with this Government’s apparent opposition to ‘facilitation payments’ being regarded as BRIBE$?
New Zealand – ‘perceived’ to be the SECOND ‘least corrupt country in the world’, according to the 2014 (arguably meaningless) Transparency International ‘Corruption Perception Index’?
Ha! Bomber’s gone into a Whale Oil style meltdown over at TDB, deleting comments that don’t blow smoke up his perfectly coiffured arse. He really is a sensitive wee sausage.
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What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
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 Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
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Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
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The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
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http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-06-06/america-ponzi-scheme-commencement-speech-scammed
Does this really sound like an education to you or does it sound more like a Ponzi scheme, like you’ve been scammed?
Do I understand how all this works? No. I’m no expert on the subject. What anyone should be able to see, however, is that the promise of higher education has, in this century, sunk low indeed and that what your generation has been learning how to endure while still in school is a form of peonage. I’d binge drink, too, under the circumstances!
Yes, NZ is well on it’s way down the same path.
Yep, in the US the salaries and numbers of administrators and managers has been shooting up for years, while the salaries and numbers of faculty have been cut and squeezed – unless you work in an area favoured by corporate money.
Student fees have been climbing and climbing as has student debt. Then they changed the rules in the US where students have to pay increasing interest on their debt – far more than bankers have to pay – and you cannot get out of student debt by declaring bankruptcy. The debt follows you to the grave.
And this in an environment where graduates are lucky to get a full time minimum wage job.
In Texas for example,the highest paid in public office are sports coaches,and orthopedics specialists.
http://salaries.texastribune.org/
For those with some time on their hands on Sunday morning to ponder on alternatives to current economic models IRL: Marinaleda and Mondragon.
Marinaleda: Yeah, that’s the kind of place/way I’d like to live, if the only alternative was NZ’s existing reality/dominant culture and perspective.
Two stand-out points to me were the flat rate of wage, “because every position is important to the whole”; and making decisions based on considering what is good for those who have the least, before thinking about what is good for those that have the most. If NZ governments adopted that last point in isolation, it would solve many of NZ’s problems overnight. Once they did try that approach, now they reject it completely.
“A Socialist Utopia” is a good description of it – a both negative (ultimately limited) and positive (major advancement on status quo) euphemism – because there are plenty of flaws in the plan; and the guy talking glosses over some historical points that if they were explained to NZders, they might not be so enthusistic to superimpose the struggle here; but this is Sunday morning, so why not just revel in the possibility instead?
In Germany, one of the most successful economy in the world, house prices are flat. It is considered a failure if house prices rise because housing is a speculative investment that adds nothing to the economy.
– Keiser Report E767
+1 link to this below
Predictions for 2014 for Germany were price increases for property were 6%, with prices the the two years prior increasing by 9.8% per annum for existing stock and 7.7% per annum for new builds.
Reasons being? Demand in larger cities outstripping supply. Low interest rates and increased economic activity. Strong labour markets and rising immigration.
http://m.welt.de/finanzen/immobilien/article123300858/Auch-2014-steigen-die-Mieten-und-Wohnungspreise.html
Germany, historically, has a completely different approach to rentals, where some families live 20+ years in rented accommodation (flats or houses). The money is in the rent return, not the property resale. The way mortgages are set-up and structured are different too.
To top it all off, German Super has always been sufficient to live off in retirement, there was little need or desire to invest/speculate in property for that old-age nest egg.
All up, you can’t compare the German approach and New Zealand one.
Max Keiser & Stacey Herbert talk UK property bubble
They mention in comparison that Berlin has just introduced maximum rent caps. That German ministers see “investment” flowing into ever increasing house prices as a waste of productive financial capital which should instead go into industry. This is of course a road to a ponzi economy and eventual economic collapse.
How UK policies of house ownership and rental subsidies have helped push up the property price bubble further, as well as encouraging home owners and rentier capitalists to vote Conservative.
Max Keiser also mentions how banks create money in the economy by extending loans which instantly become deposits in bank accounts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNAgpkzRmqI
The housing problem has only just started really. You can’t create all this extra money and have it stay in Auckland. Newly rich Jafas are already buying up large outside of Auckland and driving up prices elsewhere. Those cashed up sellers will themselves start pushing up prices even further.
I’ve been watching house prices in areas close to Auck – south an arc from Hamilton to Tauranga and north SH1 areas up to Whangarei & surrounds. The speed at which low priced properties have been selling is just incredible. The only houses not selling are those in rough streets.
It must be hugely distressing for those lower income earners saving to buy a home. They’re seeing their future disappearing right in front of their eyes.
No you cant and it is true that their social security system is (or was) – I am sorry to say – superior to that in NZ.
But what you omit is that, Germany has had more then 1 Million (!) immigrants/refugees per year entering the country and housing certainly has a different meaning when looking at these figures.
Vandalism of properties that was unheard of has increased and there are areas where you rather don’t want to go, let alone live because of the ghetto building from different ethnicity. Naturally, the situation is a lot more volatile then in NZ. And with that the social security system that has worked on the basis that people have to contribute in order to get a benefit, thus being a collective approach and really a cultural way of thinking about your neighbor, is being destroyed. Perhaps a geopolitical game to make it equal to the Anglo saxen approach that is in my point of view barbaric.
Wait until Germany suffers an economic downturn, then with mass immigration you will see the rise of white supremacist neonazi sentiment on the upswing.
Just saw something on Zero Hedge which said 2 out of 3 low paid jobs created by the US economic “upturn” has gone to illegal migrants. Local populations are going to become more restive.
White supremacists are already there. All immigrants are being supported by the state, hence the unrest. The moneys are not there anymore. The downturn has already started.
Mind you, I wonder what NZ would do if such influx of immigrants would happen here. Infrastructure and benefits would dry up in a flash. It would lead to aggression, latent or obvious.
The US is a completely different culture – they have no real sense of social coherency. 230 odd years in the making vs thousands of years in Germany.
The jobs they have created are low wage, no guarantied hours jobs. Sounds familiar?
Germans are underestimated with their sheer will to see things through if the going is tough.
@ Colonial R
Someone wrote that a large number of the employed in USA are guarding wealthy people’s property. It could be a good job for a migrant to get. The low starting wage could be an indication of that.
USA Security guards employed, 1,077,520 at May 2014 mean hourly wage $13.48 (from $8.52, 25% percentile $9.64, 90% percentile $21.25-annual $44,200)
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes339032.htm
USA Cleaning and janitor jobs 2,324,000 for year 2012 @ $10.73 an hour
USA manufacturing stats – they were declining before 2008 and from then to 2010 they took a nosedive.
Manufacturing employment stats at Jan 2008 13,725,000, at Jan 2010 11,460,000.
Jan 2015 12,318,000.
http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CES3000000001
USA population at 29/4/2015 – 318,857,056
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
the rich people in the gated compounds think that their armed security guards are going to protect them when the real decline comes. I think those armed security guards just as likely to take over the gated compounds for their own extended families and eject the useless 1%, when the time comes.
Please excuse my ignorance, but considering the continuing threat of climate change, it’s causes & likely outcomes, are there social media sites that younger New Zealanders participate in on this issue?
I ask only to be able to listen to their voice, not to participate.
http://www.generationzero.org/blog
Thanks.
welcome. one place to start. they do good campaigning.
There’s also 350 Aotearoa, and you can find the latest things theyre doing on their facebook pages.
I’d like to see a senior citizens activist group on climate change as well. After all they have had a lifetime of fossil fuel at their convenience and it will be their grandkids who will have to do the heavy lifting to adapt and change society to work in a different climate.
While not specifically senior citizens, this group seems to represent the ones who’ve done well out of fossil fuels.
http://wiseresponse.org.nz/
Seen this ?
How much of the Auckland property ‘boom’ is being used for money-laundering?
How many of the empty 22,000 ‘ghost city’ private sector houses in Auckland (according to the 2013 Census), have been used for money-laundering?
Whose job is it to check on how real estate – especially Auckland real estate – is used for money-laundering?
The Organised and Financial Crime Agency of NZ (OFCANZ)?
Who failed to carry out any ‘due diligence’ on the increased risk of money-laundering arising from the NZ International Convention Act?
————————————————————————
Bernard Hickey: Dodgy deals to come out
The New Zealand Herald
A task force wants lawyers and agents to verify sources of overseas funds used to buy property.
By Bernard Hickey
The Government’s pre-Budget announcement of its two-year “bright line” tax on capital gains surprised a few people and captured headlines.
But the accompanying news that non-residents buying property would first have to open a bank account here, get an IRD number and declare their own passport and home tax details may have a bigger impact.
The Government is pointing to this measure as having the most potential to reduce foreign demand for Auckland properties and Prime Minister John Key has indicated information on non-resident buying would be gathered and published.
He said New Zealand tax authorities would also share these details with foreign tax authorities.
The elephant in the room of Auckland’s property debate is whether some of the money pouring into Auckland, from China in particular, is money laundering of ill-gotten funds.
Without any data, the debate is fuelled by anecdote and rumour, but the issue is capturing global attention.
In November, China’s President Xi Jinping asked for Key’s help to track down a number of Chinese nationals who had fled to New Zealand with allegedly corruptly obtained funds. This was part of Xi’s campaign to crack down on the “tigers and flies” officials and their cronies. Chinese authorities say New Zealand is the third most popular destination for such fugitives.
The issue of money laundering from China is heating up in Australia, too, where data on how much property is bought by non-residents is collected.
More than 25 per cent of all new and existing homes sold last year in Sydney and Melbourne were sold to non-residents, leaving many across the Tasman asking where the money came from.
…………
Penny Bright
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
Very interesting thanks Penny
It is a clever ploy by the Government to turn the Auckland housing problem into a Law & Order issue. Any place where large sums of money easily ‘change hands’ such as casinos and real estate is attractive to money launderers. However, this doesn’t mean that money laundering is a driving force behind Auckland’s housing woes. Is the Government now also proposing for Sky Casino to demand seeing and recording IRD numbers, bank account details, and home tax details?
+100 Penny
Liars of Our Time
No. 50: CAMERON “BLUBBERGUTS” SLATER
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“I’m sick to death of people trying to set me up. I don’t break the law, and that’s the end of the story.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
—Cameron “Blubberguts” Slater snarls defiance at a reporter, RadioLIVE 12 o’clock news, Saturday 6 June 2015
Liar No. 49 Jay Carney: ““He [Edward Snowden] is not a human rights activist. He is not a dissident.”
Liar No. 48 Jim Mora: “Fantastic! I’ll have a listen to the full version [of Tony Doe’s new song] after The Panel.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/ope-mike-08022015/#comment-978969
Liar No.47 Simon Mercep: “Coming up in a few minutes, The Panel. …. Whoever they are, quality broadcasting will ensue.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-18022015/#comment-970927
Liar No. 46 Julia Gillard: “I have got a lot of respect for people who whistle-blow, ummm….” http://thestandard.org.nz/ope-mike-08022015/#comment-965394
Liar No. 45 Zara Potts: “Sir Bob Geldof has assembled the best of modern musicians for this year’s record, including Ed Sheeran and One Direction.” http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11112014/#comment-924196
More liars HERE….
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-09102014/#comment-907232
Time Magazine: Belgium removes all age limits on euthansasia
Says children should have same rights to choose death as adults. In the Netherlands, children aged 12-16 can choose death with parental consent. Activists in the Netherlands say that age limit should be reduced or removed.
http://time.com/7565/belgium-euthanasia-law-children-assisted-suicide/
Sweet, caring, compassionate, misunderstood Judith Collins – read all about her in Woman’s Weekly. Next chapter of PR campaign.
Seen this?
Gardasil Survivors in Ireland Launch Support Group
Activist Post
The R.E.G.R.E.T. Support Group was launched recently in Ireland by parents of chronically ill teenage girls. These parents blame an injection the girls received at school as the cause of their daughters’ illness. The drug in question is called Gardasil and is being marketed as an anti-cancer vaccine. R.E.G.R.E.T. is an acronym for “Reactions and Effects of Gardasil Resulting in Extreme Trauma”.
Members of ten families from all over the country came together to share experiences and express their exasperation at the inability of health authorities to recognise the pattern of serious adverse reactions being suffered by children who, up until receiving the Gardasil injection, enjoyed an active healthy lifestyle.
One of the main complaints raised at the meeting was that the information provided by the HSE (as part of the ‘informed consent’ process) is extremely misleading, particularly with regard to how safe the vaccine is.
A high incidence of serious reactions have been reported in the U.S ever since Gardasil was released there in 2006. Even the drug manufacturer’s own clinical trials reveal a 1 in 40 (2.5%) incidence of a serious adverse reaction*, yet Irish parents are still told by the HSE that Gardasil is ‘very safe’.
Although its cancer-preventing properties have never been proven, the HSE insists that the benefits of Gardasil outweigh the risks and even claim that it has been ‘fully tested’.
This is despite the limited safety testing that took place as a result of this “life-Gardasil Survivors in Ireland Launch Support Group
Activist Post
The R.E.G.R.E.T. Support Group was launched recently in Ireland by parents of chronically ill teenage girls. These parents blame an injection the girls received at school as the cause of their daughters’ illness. The drug in question is called Gardasil and is being marketed as an anti-cancer vaccine. R.E.G.R.E.T. is an acronym for “Reactions and Effects of Gardasil Resulting in Extreme Trauma”.
Members of ten families from all over the country came together to share experiences and express their exasperation at the inability of health authorities to recognise the pattern of serious adverse reactions being suffered by children who, up until receiving the Gardasil injection, enjoyed an active healthy lifestyle. One of the main complaints raised at the meeting was that the information provided by the HSE (as part of the ‘informed consent’ process) is extremely misleading, particularly with regard to how safe the vaccine is.
A high incidence of serious reactions have been reported in the U.S ever since Gardasil was released there in 2006. Even the drug manufacturer’s own clinical trials reveal a 1 in 40 (2.5%) incidence of a serious adverse reaction*, yet Irish parents are still told by the HSE that Gardasil is ‘very safe’.
Although its cancer-preventing properties have never been proven, the HSE insists that the benefits of Gardasil outweigh the risks and even claim that it has been ‘fully tested’.
This is despite the limited safety testing that took place as a result of this “life-saving vaccine” being fast-tracked through the regulatory approval process. HSE did not inform parents that Gardasil contains genetically engineered non-human recombinant DNA, the effects of which are unknown and unpredictable when injected into a human host saving vaccine” being fast-tracked through the regulatory approval process.
HSE did not inform parents that Gardasil contains genetically engineered non-human recombinant DNA, the effects of which are unknown and unpredictable when injected into a human host.
———————————————————————————————–
Penny Bright
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
This is a healthcare disaster and another example of how corporatised establishment medical thinking has led families down the wrong track, a track which transfers billions in tax payers money to big pharma while the vast majority of young women receiving the treatment will obtain zero life saving benefits.
+100 Penny and CR
I have just watched that disgusting display by Boag on The Nation, dressed like a bill board for a large carton of Fries. A theme I see that is beginning to develop from the right is:- “You don’t have a right,” In this discussion, if you can call it that with this hysterical female dressed like a packet of chips, Boag said “You don’t have a right” to owning a house.
Is this going to be a common theme to get us all conditioned so when they spy on us it will be a case of “You don’t have a right to privacy.” Also what gives winebox Boag the right to say “you don’t have a right”
Shit we will be told next We don’t have the right to breath
“don’t talk to me about evidence”
#pffft
Yes, and what I saw is a lady with an American accent attacking NZ systems, a raged young man who just has bought a property in Wellington and one articulate young man trying to convince us that the rental laws need changing.
Here is what I took away from this:
Once more the future rich are making a dash for funds and asking for a RIGHT to own a house with the golden age of 22 in the dress circle of Auckland.
For them the old are guilty of everything because they have not facilitated them to get what they want (hissy fit follows), when they want it and how they want it.
Of cause they should give up their poultry weekly income of $ 320 smackers. Surely they can do without.
They have not figured out that the situation is a lot more volatile then they belief and there are many more deserving then they are. I am talking about families with small children – one that just died due to substandard accommodation.
If they really want to address any problems, maybe the should investigate and find out what drives the pricing and equally what the average age of an an average wage earner is when they buy. Perhaps they could start working within the community and not outside it with this sense of entitlement that only is ever seen by people of privilege.
Yes, the housing market is out of kilter, not because a pensioner owns his/her home, but because speculators driving this. (mostly from overseas with question marks of money laundering) OH, yes no question of those university educated people there.
The law is not designed to protect the wider public from shanty houses developing – again no question form the side of the younger generation who are suppose to be sooo educated, all they do is their “fair” share.
Most NZ people buy their house at the age of around 30 or later.
On the question of voting: they don’t because they don’t get what they want.. (stumping feet behind the podium?)
Educated? Really? Or just spoiled and dragged through Uni because there was money to be made…
this might help explain things 🙂
http://i.imgur.com/EY8aHA1.jpg
If you’re unemployed it’s not because there isn’t any work
There giving kohanga and its tyrant leader a very nice puff piece on marae
In the same week that a very good reporter resigns over her TV channel not letting her do a story on kohanga.
It’s possible to conclude that the Labour Party review document was leaked because otherwise it was never going to be shared in its entirety with the membership; rather it was going to be edited, censored, summarised and released selectively piecemeal. Contrary to popular opinion, maybe on balance we’ve been done a favour by the leaker.
CR.
definitely better to have it out in public 100% or there was always going to keep media busy wondering out loud about what wasnt being said/released
That would be a credible theory CV, except for the fact that it was leaked to Gower. If the leaker wanted to serve the membership or Labour’s best interests, there were far better places/people to leak it to.
That;s funny because we were told the majority of what was in report at Regional Conference. Did you not get the update from President in your region?
I have no doubt that regional conferences were verbally told of the contents of, or at least the outline of, the majority of the report. Your comment and my comment are not mutually exclusive.
Is National scaremongering again?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/69168659/english-wont-adopt-labours-extreme-warrant-of-fitness-for-housing
”The Government won’t support “extreme measures” like warrant of fitness checks for all houses because it will drive up rent and push housing stock out of the market, says Finance Minister Bill English.”
and
”But Housing Minister Nick Smith is reluctant to extend the warrants to all public and private rentals because if the Government prohibited the rental of home unless they were fully insulated, it would mean taking 100,000 homes off the market.”
Please correct me if wrong but the bill would give landlords five years to get rental houses up to a liveable standard and it was never the intention that housing stock would be taken off the rental market during that period.
Oh dear. Sounds like the Government accepts Labour’s position that there is a huge quality and livability problem with NZ’s housing stock.
But they are downplaying the scale and severity of the problem and only because they can’t use plausible denial any longer. I look forward to hearing more from Bill English about “something practical and affordable that will start lifting the standard”.
BTW, the story was last updated at 16.18 o’clock.
To be able to lift standards you a) need to know where you’re at at the moment an b) set some standards that need to be reached. National not doing either of these things is setting up to fail.
I also note the propagandising use of extreme measures. It’s being used in such a way as to make people think that having liveable homes is an extreme idea and thus not doable.
IMF has betrayed its mission in Greece, captive to EMU creditors
Both The Great Depression and the Great Recession produced winners and losers. Interestingly, the winners should have been the losers in both cases.
The Scariest Trade Deal Nobody’s Talking About Just Suffered a Big Leak
Just in case you weren’t aware that the corporations have several methods in play to take away our ability to govern ourselves and thus make us corporate serfs.
FYI
Guess which was the ONLY NZ political party to support ‘facilitation payments’ being included as BRIBES in the Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Legislation Bill?
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The (——) Party supports the majority of the Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Legislation Bill in its current form.
The (——) Party intends to continue with its support of this bill; it will bring us in line with our obligations under various international treaties and conventions dealing with national and international organised crime and corruption, and it will strengthen our ability to effectively respond to people trafficking and private sector corruption.
However, the (——) Party holds the view that this bill is a missed opportunity to address the issue of facilitation payments, which will still be excepted from the foreign bribery offence under section 105C(3) of the Crimes Act 1961–
(3)This section does not apply if—
(a)the act that is alleged to constitute the offence was committed for the sole or primary purpose of ensuring or expediting the performance by a foreign public official of a routine government action; and
(b)the value of the benefit is small.
The Ministry of Justice departmental report refers to these payments as being for things such as “small payments relating to the grant of a permit or licence, the provision of utility services, or loading or unloading cargo.” The Ministry commented that these payments do not yield an “undue advantage”, and that measures in the bill to ensure the recording of these payments mitigate any concerns that the exception may be abused.
However, the select committee heard persuasive submissions on the issue from the Human Rights Commission, Transparency International New Zealand and Michael Macaulay, Director of the Institute for Governance and Policy Studies at Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Government.
These ‘grease’ payments are bribes, no matter their size, and help breed a culture where low-level corruption is permitted and accepted, contrary to international guidance from groups like the Serious Fraud Office, the UNCAC Implementation Review Group, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the OECD.
New Zealand is seen as a leader in public sector ethics and transparency, and we are proud of that legacy. It is disappointing that when provided an opportunity to take a strong stance on a controversial and unethical practice like facilitation payments – a stance already taken by the United Kingdom and Australia, and allegedly being pursued in China and India – we choose to split hairs about semantics and ‘balance’, leaving the door open for facilitation payments and subtly undermining our international reputation for honesty and transparency.
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Could National’s Minister of Trade – in my opinion – ‘sheepish’ Murray McCully’s sordid Saudi ‘bribe’ have had anything to do with this Government’s apparent opposition to ‘facilitation payments’ being regarded as BRIBE$?
New Zealand – ‘perceived’ to be the SECOND ‘least corrupt country in the world’, according to the 2014 (arguably meaningless) Transparency International ‘Corruption Perception Index’?
Penny Bright
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
Ha! Bomber’s gone into a Whale Oil style meltdown over at TDB, deleting comments that don’t blow smoke up his perfectly coiffured arse. He really is a sensitive wee sausage.
I’d link, but what’s the point?