Labour’s health spokesman David Clark said we need to invest more heavily in primary healthcare but failed to elaborate how much more Labour would invest.
“Kids from more affluent backgrounds are entering the contest massively well prepared, while kids from less affluent backgrounds are not. The well-prepared kids win, and everybody pretends to themselves it’s a meritocracy,” he says.
…
“We need to be honest that the inequality problem does not kick in at 99 per cent, but much earlier than that.”
Not surprising. It’s difficult and expensive to undo the damage that National does. And then we have to take in account that 2.3 billion is around 1% of GDP compared to the government using around 30%.
Labour were fools to say that there won’t be any tax increases. Instead they should have said that taxes will be reviewed to cover the necessary expenses needed to maintain a good society.
Except, as I recall, they didn’t promise zero tax increases.
They said that at that stage, dependent on the budget and how the nats left the country, they could pay for all their pledges in the current tax levels and would review the entire tax system.
Even without going “gosh darn it, the Greens insist we raise taxes slightly, but that’s living in a coalition”, they have more than enough room for a “neutral tax shift” post review or even an outright increase.
Natz have taken 156 affordable state homes in Glen Innes and then turned that into only 39 affordable homes (if you think $650k is affordable).
Of the 156 state houses only 78 are replaced.
Presumably the other 104 homes are not affordable and for profit for the developer and Natz cronies.
No wonder we have a fucking housing crisis with this type of carry on.
The MSM are keeping the asset sales rout going by these vomitous spin articles not pointing out that the government are taking away affordable houses so that developers can profit from the asset sales.
How stupid do they think people are??? No wonder Granny has to give it’s papers away for free these days.
Please tell me this man is never working with sensitive sources ever.
👻 added,
Yashar AliVerified account @yashar
When someone mails you an entire document they are giving you permission to do this. Did the NYT reporters describe Trump’s tax returns? no. https://twitter.com/Dave_Fox/status/871939708489670656 …
*
I’ve had sources who were risking jail, or worse. Some understood the risks, some needed my help to understand and try to stay safe.
*
This kind of rhetoric sabotages what I do, & what I try to help other journalists do, in understanding, communicating, and mitigating risk.
*
The Intercept’s mistake was not exactly unheard of, people make these mistakes all the time, but in this case, the source bears the cost.
This from the Electronic Frontier Foundation on how printing often leaves footprints via yellow dots that aren’t visible to the naked eye. The dots tell things like the serial number of the printer and the date and time the document was printed. I think this might apply to colour printers (printing in black and white doesn’t have this set of footprints)
There’s all kinds of things that can be done to trace who did what with documents. Subtle changes in wording of different copies, subtle changes to fonts and letter spacings, variations in the letterhead, etc etc.
If The Intercept had any interest in trying to obscure the trail back to the leaker, at a minimum they should have had a staffer rewrite the whole thing in their own words (including changing the spelling of names) before sending it back to the agency as a text file for comment (and told the agency they had done so).
Sen. Mark Warner says there’s a lot more to the Russian hacking than the leak described.
.
The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee told USA TODAY on Tuesday that Russian attacks on election systems were broader and targeted more states than those detailed in an explosive intelligence report leaked to the website The Intercept.
“I don’t believe they got into changing actual voting outcomes,” Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said in an interview. “But the extent of the attacks is much broader than has been reported so far.” He said he was pushing intelligence agencies to declassify the names of those states hit to help put electoral systems on notice before the midterm voting in 2018.
“None of these actions from the Russians stopped on Election Day,” he warned.
Apparently Mondelez a US company, bought Cadbury and has taken out 130 million in dividends, a 120m loan so it can claim 43m in interest, and given itself 47.7m in royalties and service fees so it can maximise it’s profits while paying as little local tax as possible.
Even sadder is that now the locals have to crowd fund to keep their jobs and factories at Cadbury so offshore companies can have more profit.
But the National government thinks this foreign investment is wonderful. This is ‘investment’ in the provinces.
Tegal also has done a similar rout with it’s private equity owners who recently floated it and it’s now in trouble on the share market.
On the float, a measly, 1.2 m was given in capital to Tegal, 129m was given to it’s shareholders aka the private equity firm, 130m to pay back debt the private equity firm took out to float, and 23m in fees for floating on the sharemarket.
Apparently Business Desk did the analysis of Cadbury.
Do commentators real not understand why Kiwis like to invest in property – rather than shares when this sort of carry on is perfectly legal.
It’s a triple whammy of not encouraging people to invest in Kiwi business due to the routs, off shore companies not paying taxes and parasitically killing the business so that the locals lose their jobs and livelihoods.
More on Cadbury. Radionz did a piece this morning. An attempt to set up a local buy-in to keep the factory in Dunedin, and it is a reasonable investment with a known product and sales continuing for a popular product.
I think that regions have to set up investment trusts or something to buy their main and likely ongoing enterprises. Government is determined to undermine stability in jobs apparently carrying forward neolib ideas that people work harder when they are insecure and living near survival level. That’s the theory, but not sure what they say about working people when there is no work. Do they have a theory to counteract the despair of not having any part to play in society?
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/20m-plan-save-factory
Jim O’Malley, a Dunedin city councillor, is trying to raise $20 million to keep the factory open on a portion of the site.
Mr O’Malley is working in a personal capacity; the Dunedin City Council is not involved in the bid.
Mr O’Malley’s plan is to run a public share offer aimed at the general public as well as business.
Before launching any share offer, Mr O’Malley has organised a two-week pledge period to gauge interest, starting today.
If there was little interest, the plan would be dumped, and the ”lights will turn off in March”.
Shares in Dunedin Manufacturing Holdings (DMH) would be priced at $50 if the offer goes ahead.
A website has been launched – http://www.ownthefactory.co.nz – to register pledges.
”You will not be committed to make an investment at this time, but we ask you to only make a pledge if you intend to invest in the future,” he said.
My point is, that it should not be happening in the first place. It should not be legal to do what Mondelez has done. Sounds like a similar issue at Dick Smith as well. Pumpkin patch, that security firm that went bust, Tegal possibly on the ropes after all that money routed out by directors and shareholders. It is certainly is not moral and it’s certainly not sustainable.
Seen that a few times over the past few years. Foreign company buys local company that has little or no debt and immediately takes out a huge loan and pays a massive dividend.
It shouldn’t be allowed as it’s nothing more than a scam and can result in the local company going bankrupt – usually after the new owners have sold it on.
All this for jaffas and pineapple lumps? Give me a break. How pathetic. How can we fight the diabetes epidemic when people carry on like this about stupid bloody lollies?
Also keeping the monetary lolly in the country. And some of us like sweet things and if we can keep them in moderation, same as we keep our criticisms, we can get advantage without downsides.
Just listened to an interview on National Radio from a jellyfish expert. Apparantly they (the jellyfish) have no heart, no brain and no backbone. I thought, there you go, they must be tory voters.
yes, they also usually kill with thousands of stingers that each inject a tiny trace of poison into an almost invisible or trivial cut, the weight of these injections eventually killing a larger organism
There were a lot of interesting things said on the radio jellyfish interview. I’ll pass on what I remember to add to the sting of the humorous twist that johnr heard. (E&OE)
The dried jellyfish or some, are very water absorbent and can be used in products requiring that, baby naps etc.
Jellyfish are colonising and can act together though individual entities attached to main platform.
They bloom naturally, and spread to wide proportions, and this will happen with climate change because more warmth will encourage.
They drift and depending on their structure will drift to the left or right, depending on which ‘sail’ the majority put up.
They eat into our fish stocks, and when hauled up with fish catch in a massive reproduction phase, they tipped the fishing boat over.
One has a sting that mimics herpes with blisters, and like herpes will stay in the body arising later and this may last for years.
I think in Oz they always take vinegar with them to the beach. If not, swill salt water over stings, if you rub them they hook into you more and release venom or something, yuk.
I was wondering if over the Barrier Reef perhaps they could moor? jellyfish clumps to shade and cool the water – if they could de-acidify the water it might help, but presumably they would have the opposite effect.
It looks as if we need to find a way to use them as resources if they are going to be increasing with as bad effects as we ourselves have.
When listing facts & trivia about jellyfish you cannot omit green fluorescent protein, which has its own pedestal in cellular and molecular biology research.
Hey these jellyfish are definitely something else! I was all prepared to dislike them but the next thing I’ll find out that one brighter one is my first cousin once removed.
Yes – Diddums, Gosman. As if much more than 1% of voters would have even noticed that one comment. More fun to annoy you than worry about people who probably have not read the thread… After all, you seem to exist for the sole purpose of annoying the majority who read this site.
We keep hearing from conservative idiots, such as Family First, that like to rewrite history to conform to their biases about how great the nuclear family is. Real history, once you get round to reading it, proves them wrong.
Citing “How Did We Get Into This Mess?: Politics, Equality, Nature” by George Monbiot:
“The nuclear family, as idealised today, was an invention of the Victorians, but it bore little relation to the family life we are told to emulate. Its development was driven by economic rather than spiritual needs, as the Industrial Revolution made manufacturing in the household inviable. Much as the Victorians might have extolled their families, ‘it was simply assumed that men would have their extramarital affairs and women would also find intimacy, even passion, outside marriage’, and often with other women.8 Gillis links the twentieth century’s attempt to find intimacy and passion only within marriage – and the impossible expectations this raises – to the rise in the rate of divorce.”
“The conservatives’ supposedly moral concerns turn out to be nothing but an example of the age-old custom of first idealising and then sanctifying one’s own culture. The past they invoke is fabricated from their own anxieties and obsessions. It has nothing to offer us”
8 Gillis links the twentieth century’s attempt to find intimacy and passion only within marriage – and the impossible expectations this raises – to the rise in the rate of divorce.”
Who can know about causes for divorce even after doing huge long term research? But finding someone to live with life-long is quite a task, and getting used to someone of another gender, another family, and having to form one’s own family culture, is quite an effort and can be greatly affected by stresses from outside, and unreal expectations, and self-centred or narrow interests. Being drawn to passion is a mistake. It’s the result of peak emotion and who can live at that level all the time, or would want to it would be exhausting, one would be sated. Reality says, to have a peak there must be a lower base that’s common. Even when there is divorce available, some people stay married, they may get past wanting a real friendship and enjoyment and settle for what they know on the basis that divorce might end up worse.
It’s a wonder that we don’t give up trying to live with some other ornery blighter, but we are such hopeful romantics!
But finding someone to live with life-long is quite a task
They didn’t say that previous generations weren’t finding someone to live with lifelong. they just said that there was a whole lot more flexibility in relationships than what the conservatives like to portray up to and including having sex outside of the main relationship.
I have a book about rural English customs. It says that often an Anglican minister unmarried, in a rural area, would have a young housekeeper and would find her a good husband as time went on. And then get another young housekeeper. I have forgotten when perhaps late 1800s.
That sounds like the same type of myth as the myth of chivalry that Bill put up.
And I really don’t know WTF it’s got to do with how the nuclear family is a modern creation used to help businesses by splitting people from the community.
This is a conversation I am interested in.
What are the sacrifices/changes folks have made in respect to climate change?
I have stopped flying back and forth from aucks for work.
Started planting trees too.
Our house is heated by solid fuel so if I keep planting as well as harvesting, it should be a closed loop.
I live rurally so have been cutting trips to town unless there are three reasons to go.
The last one for me too, it’s not that hard. Working local food too, both within NZ and reducing food coming from overseas. I burn wood but haven’t done much on replanting yet. What are you doing with that? (I don’t own land).
A few years back a British guy won an employment case off the back of human rights legislation when he lost his job for refusing to fly for conference meetings etc.
The human rights legislation is the same here as there.
The judge decided he was discriminated against on the basis of his belief (around AGW) and that the discriminationwas on a par with religious discrimination.
I’m not saying everyone’s who’s aware of AGW and who is ‘forced’ to fly by their employer will have either the presence of mind or stamina to follow that lead, but some might – maybe even someone reading this comment. 😉
Heh. Top law firms won’t represent Trump. Coz he probably won’t pay any attention to their advice and will likely stiff them like he does to everybody else.
Massive disconnect here from Bling. He admits vulnerable families don’t trust him or his government or the Police yet can’t imagine how more money might, I don’t know, fund research into repairing that trust and pay for more decent people at the coal face to action the results.
That’s before we even get into the community-busting, inequality-growing hopelessness among the disenfranchise which his government has carefully watched over.
This, ‘I care on my bad days’, shit is disgusting from him after admitting he and his predecessor are at fault.
Sounds like Blinglish just wants to feed into their hopeless meme. Out of our big hearts we keep trying – but – fling hands open – what can we do, just hold the line really when talking about the great unwashed and beneficiaries, and really all those that aren’t like US.
Craaaap. People go doolally when they are constantly confronted with closed doors when they knock and expect to be spoken to. When that’s been going for three generations and the only jobs available are those where you are supposed to sit like a battery hen, and you have never been able to sit quiet and relax, then you’re not suited by the jobs available. Some action jobs that go away for the week, and back to the pub and some films in the weekend, would get work for youngsters like this. It would take them out of their peer group and environment to where they could learn to put their back into it and properly despise the finger-tappers. Then there would be equality of put-downs.
Just government planning the economy would be a start. But the buggers resigned from that when Labour went and got Rogered back in 1984 and they’ve taken years to stand up again after that. Perhaps now they can grow a pair and do what a decent government can do, efficiently, first phase within a year and having some clear movement by 100 days. Then second phase – trying ten different projects in second year, and carry on five for third year. And if elected again, explore new ways of implementing those projects both completed, and piloted taking the next term. Plus jump start and trial some new ones. The energy would grow, people could come up with a project thought out, rough costings, ideas for obtaining resources (not stealing them after midnight from across the river etc.) and things would be amazing. And there would be a few frauds. That’s only to be expected so need lots of practical auditors to ensure frauds were kept small. But one fault can’t stop good outcome.
Apparently the Russian involvement in the U.S. election is a little more sinister.
Their foray into A.I. was to create a prototype humanoid.
There are some who fear it got away and finished up winning the Whitehouse.
I was just thinking – what a great market for the wealthy cynic? Have your very own AI model of Donald Trump stumping round your home, making unsavoury comments, annoying your relatives, insulting the annoying neighbours, and threatening to beat up your creditors, and inventing bad jokes and making sexist and racist jokes and remarks. And you need not take any responsibility – just shrug and say it’s modern technology, a release of a beta version, ‘He’s like…you know… a force of nature.”
And there could be a whole range of products, clothing stylists, hair stylists, musical versions of him as concert pianist, mad guitarist or drummer, singer – the mind boggles. This could be a revitalisation of USA business which had been in the doldrums just waiting for some new craze, and will truly MAKE AMERICA GRATE AGAIN.
Chatting to an Englishman at a social event.. ok a bar.
Got around to UK GE and Brexit and migrants.
His view is that Brexit will stop the flow of migrants into England and that that will be a good thing.
I asked him where he lives and works and where he intends to retire: he said NZ.
I told him that he was therefore a migrant. i suggested there was a dichotomy between what he was saying about migrants and his current status!
“An ExPat, I’m not a migrant”
“What’s the differance?”
Things went downhill and I’m none the wiser. Can anyone enlighten me?
Reading between the lines ExPat is a term with both or either racial and “Imperial” connotations!
Do the English who come here have any other cultural bagage?
What are we doing for immigrants from England to help adjust to our culture? Is there an education or cultural awareness program to help then overcome the negative aspects of their culture?
Should we give them lesson in cooking and language to help them make the shift?
He sounds like most migrants, white, brown and pink, there are not enough high paid or satisfying jobs in NZ so they come here and get residency or citizenship, work overseas once that is acheived and then are planning to come back here to retire.
It’s working out kinda the opposite of what most governments would want…
Take note of this that I heard and have sourced for your information and knowledge.
Bill English telling local government to borrow more despite that they are trying to be fiscally prudent and stay within limits to give them a high credit rating and low interest.
49 Local Government entities do this by going through one agency but Billy Boy wants them to get as loaded up as government (which isn’t high of course, but is crushingly burdened by all the private credit for our imported purchases at home and out in the mean streets.) http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/businessnews/audio/201846567/business-news-for-7-june-2017
Listen 3.30-6 mins – was on Business News 6.49am Wednesday 7 June 2017
When will we realise that leaving the door open for the very rich to gorge themselves in a unfettered desire to fill the void of greed. Never works out well for ordinary folk.
It’ll appeal to the Facebook and Instagram crowd(s) and people who think that a sentence or a Tweet equals an essay. The mind-numbing and dumbing down has reached its next phase; expect more photos of kittens & cupcakes 😉
Not only are the regulations for rentals completely inadequate, there are only 15 compliance officers for the whole of NZ. No wonder there are so many of these disgusting boarding houses.
Well I’ve never been able to get one off their butt to actually leave the office in Auckland. Glad the MP for Kelston was able to get (embrace) one into action recently. Good on her.
Have to say since she has come back to parliament, she has been one of the best preforms for labour. I never hesitate sending people to her office for help.
With the rental regulations as they stand there is nothing stopping Stuff from running stories about people living in sub standard housing that throw a whole new angle on the situation.
I want to read Jeff and Julia stories that go like this:
“The prevailing wind blows straight into the front of our home. The gaps around the windows and door are really bad. The house is icy cold for 6 months of the year. We provided our landlord with a 14 day notice requesting that he start taking steps to fix the issue. He did nothing. After 4 months we lodged papers at the Tenancy Tribunal, cost us $20.
The adjudicator ordered he must pay us $1500 damages and all of the rent we’ve paid since we gave him the 14 day notice is being returned to us. He gave us notice to move out, we went back to the Tribunal, it is illegal for him to kick us out for retaliatory reasons. We got $3000 damages for that.
He still needs to fix the house but with our house savings and windfall of make good money, we’re looking for a do-up in South Auckland to buy.”
The Tenancy Services website is really well organized and really easy to understand. Bugger boo hoo, get even.
I thought there was a good question asked in the House today. A supplementary question so the Beehive Blues were able to answer with the trusty “I don’t have those details to hand.”
For years the government have offered proof of how many houses are being built by quoting the number of building consents granted. Getting the nod to build 20 apartments is of course quite a different thing to 20 families moving into their new homes.
‘Show me the houses!’
When a home is completed, one of the last tasks is to have a ‘Code of Compliance’ issued. The question was: “How many NZ Codes of Compliance have been issued in the last year?”
I think it’s a question worthy of going on the card. Allow them enough time to have that figure at hand. I think it will be an embarrassing number.
But had incoming migration of 70,000 plus 180,000 working visas issued, …. do the math, that’s why there is rising homelessness and overcrowding among other things.
It’s really bonkers to be in the top 3 countries in the world per capita with migration (the others are Israel and Liechtenstein), and turning NZ a formally pristine wealthy and educated country into a banana republic with mass surveillance, pollution and disabled people being billed $200 a night for dodgy hotels and having to move from week to week. Or working families with kids living in cars.
It’s the National government creating the problem as it benefits them voter wise and like all ponzi schemes looks good at the beginning with cash flooding in.
Urban houses with large sections are often sold with lines like “Approval for 8 units”.
Is Nick counting those 8 units when quoting consent numbers? The consent may go no further than a seductive sub-heading in the marketing for the property. Can’t live in those.
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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 ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
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 ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammage’s Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australia’s forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmers’s third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief – beyond the tax cuts – although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
“Three Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.” ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallace’s debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that he’s always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe it’s something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. She’s ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whānau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says ‘outlook not great’ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
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Gosh, this is good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=220&v=pTPvPwF38kY
Bluddy good riffer!
Notice how the right never get any nice tunes/poems written for them…
The great Howard Zinn.
Artists in Times of War
https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=howard+zinn+artists+in+times+of+war&source=lnms&tbm=vid&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi1_eH7pqrUAhXJmJQKHYw3ApQQ_AUIDCgD&biw=1360&bih=653
Very good!!
Doctors warn fees will increase unless Government stumps up more cash
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/93363517/doctors-fees-will-increase-unless-government-stumps-up-more-cash-gps
Labour’s health spokesman David Clark said we need to invest more heavily in primary healthcare but failed to elaborate how much more Labour would invest.
Hospital patients being put up in motels
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/93333026/wellington-hospital-sends-preop-patients-to-motels-in-response-to-bed-shortages
Hospital hits crisis point – multiple patients unable to be admitted.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/93285908/patients-forced-to-wait-hours-as-palmerston-north-hospital-hits-capacity
Maybe we need Obamacare like that other well-run country we follow – the USA.
A very good article IMO that deserves attention here: The middle class is ruining the American dream.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11869848
…
Isn’t that the way it has always been in the Western system all over the world?
Very interesting, thanks for posting.
Andrew Kirton on health
Little on the health funding shortfall
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201846573/govt-short-changing-health-sector-by-2-point-3-billion-labour
$2.3 billion shortfall unlikely to be corrected in first term.
Not surprising. It’s difficult and expensive to undo the damage that National does. And then we have to take in account that 2.3 billion is around 1% of GDP compared to the government using around 30%.
It’s far more difficult when fiscal constraints have been self-imposed and there is no willingness to increase taxes of the elite.
True.
Labour were fools to say that there won’t be any tax increases. Instead they should have said that taxes will be reviewed to cover the necessary expenses needed to maintain a good society.
Except, as I recall, they didn’t promise zero tax increases.
They said that at that stage, dependent on the budget and how the nats left the country, they could pay for all their pledges in the current tax levels and would review the entire tax system.
Even without going “gosh darn it, the Greens insist we raise taxes slightly, but that’s living in a coalition”, they have more than enough room for a “neutral tax shift” post review or even an outright increase.
what’s a neutral tax shift?
that GST/income tax malarky key pulled – technically they projected no increase in taxes, just more GST less income tax
It’s the 70th anniversary of the Marshall Plan.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Plan
If anyone remembers the Marshall Plan, here’s a good text on how the German government views it now in terms of recent events:
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/sid_192467928A5AB69CD9B00E5E1E7FB639/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Reden/2017/170518-BM_Marshall-Plan_70.html
Natz have taken 156 affordable state homes in Glen Innes and then turned that into only 39 affordable homes (if you think $650k is affordable).
Of the 156 state houses only 78 are replaced.
Presumably the other 104 homes are not affordable and for profit for the developer and Natz cronies.
No wonder we have a fucking housing crisis with this type of carry on.
The MSM are keeping the asset sales rout going by these vomitous spin articles not pointing out that the government are taking away affordable houses so that developers can profit from the asset sales.
How stupid do they think people are??? No wonder Granny has to give it’s papers away for free these days.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11870527
New Zealand’s first Artificial Intelligence Forum starts in Wellington today
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/innovation/93267316/innovation-series-businesses-not-latching-onto-artificial-intelligence-opportunity
Quinn Norton on the NSA leaker getting caught,
https://twitter.com/quinnnorton/status/872193952853745665
This from the Electronic Frontier Foundation on how printing often leaves footprints via yellow dots that aren’t visible to the naked eye. The dots tell things like the serial number of the printer and the date and time the document was printed. I think this might apply to colour printers (printing in black and white doesn’t have this set of footprints)
https://twitter.com/EFF/status/872198852958314496
There’s all kinds of things that can be done to trace who did what with documents. Subtle changes in wording of different copies, subtle changes to fonts and letter spacings, variations in the letterhead, etc etc.
If The Intercept had any interest in trying to obscure the trail back to the leaker, at a minimum they should have had a staffer rewrite the whole thing in their own words (including changing the spelling of names) before sending it back to the agency as a text file for comment (and told the agency they had done so).
True and in this case it appears they didn’t even do the most basic of precautions. Weird.
http://blog.erratasec.com/2017/06/how-intercept-outed-reality-winner.html?m=1
edit:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/06/06/the-easy-trail-that-led-the-feds-to-reality-winner-alleged-source-of-nsa-leak/?utm_term=.49de0442f601
Good explanation.
Sen. Mark Warner says there’s a lot more to the Russian hacking than the leak described.
.
The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee told USA TODAY on Tuesday that Russian attacks on election systems were broader and targeted more states than those detailed in an explosive intelligence report leaked to the website The Intercept.
“I don’t believe they got into changing actual voting outcomes,” Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said in an interview. “But the extent of the attacks is much broader than has been reported so far.” He said he was pushing intelligence agencies to declassify the names of those states hit to help put electoral systems on notice before the midterm voting in 2018.
“None of these actions from the Russians stopped on Election Day,” he warned.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/06/06/mark-warner-more-state-election-systems-targeted-by-russians-nsa-senate-intelligence/102549928/
Apparently Mondelez a US company, bought Cadbury and has taken out 130 million in dividends, a 120m loan so it can claim 43m in interest, and given itself 47.7m in royalties and service fees so it can maximise it’s profits while paying as little local tax as possible.
Even sadder is that now the locals have to crowd fund to keep their jobs and factories at Cadbury so offshore companies can have more profit.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11870727
But the National government thinks this foreign investment is wonderful. This is ‘investment’ in the provinces.
Tegal also has done a similar rout with it’s private equity owners who recently floated it and it’s now in trouble on the share market.
On the float, a measly, 1.2 m was given in capital to Tegal, 129m was given to it’s shareholders aka the private equity firm, 130m to pay back debt the private equity firm took out to float, and 23m in fees for floating on the sharemarket.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201843153/business-commentator-rod-oram
Apparently Business Desk did the analysis of Cadbury.
Do commentators real not understand why Kiwis like to invest in property – rather than shares when this sort of carry on is perfectly legal.
It’s a triple whammy of not encouraging people to invest in Kiwi business due to the routs, off shore companies not paying taxes and parasitically killing the business so that the locals lose their jobs and livelihoods.
It’s obscene.
More on Cadbury. Radionz did a piece this morning. An attempt to set up a local buy-in to keep the factory in Dunedin, and it is a reasonable investment with a known product and sales continuing for a popular product.
I think that regions have to set up investment trusts or something to buy their main and likely ongoing enterprises. Government is determined to undermine stability in jobs apparently carrying forward neolib ideas that people work harder when they are insecure and living near survival level. That’s the theory, but not sure what they say about working people when there is no work. Do they have a theory to counteract the despair of not having any part to play in society?
food Otago
8:54 am today
Dunedin public called on to invest in Cadbury proposal
From Morning Report, 8:54 am toda
Listen duration 3′ :49″ en
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201846594/dunedin-public-called-on-to-invest-in-cadbury-proposal
Less than a year before Cadbury is due to close its Dunedin factory and the race is on to save it, and up to 360 jobs. A Dunedin City Councillor is launching a last-minute bid to keep the factory open with his ‘own the factory’ campaign.
and
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/332441/last-ditch-bid-to-keep-confectionary-made-in-nz
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/20m-plan-save-factory
Jim O’Malley, a Dunedin city councillor, is trying to raise $20 million to keep the factory open on a portion of the site.
Mr O’Malley is working in a personal capacity; the Dunedin City Council is not involved in the bid.
Mr O’Malley’s plan is to run a public share offer aimed at the general public as well as business.
Before launching any share offer, Mr O’Malley has organised a two-week pledge period to gauge interest, starting today.
If there was little interest, the plan would be dumped, and the ”lights will turn off in March”.
Shares in Dunedin Manufacturing Holdings (DMH) would be priced at $50 if the offer goes ahead.
A website has been launched – http://www.ownthefactory.co.nz – to register pledges.
”You will not be committed to make an investment at this time, but we ask you to only make a pledge if you intend to invest in the future,” he said.
and
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/93402836/ambitious-20-million-plan-to-keep-kiwi-cadbury-brands-in-new-zealand
And investment opportunity. Can a NZ owned business buy this from Cadbury, making condensed milk, milk products etc?
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/cadbury-dairy-unit-sale-mondelez-offers-going-concern
My point is, that it should not be happening in the first place. It should not be legal to do what Mondelez has done. Sounds like a similar issue at Dick Smith as well. Pumpkin patch, that security firm that went bust, Tegal possibly on the ropes after all that money routed out by directors and shareholders. It is certainly is not moral and it’s certainly not sustainable.
Seen that a few times over the past few years. Foreign company buys local company that has little or no debt and immediately takes out a huge loan and pays a massive dividend.
It shouldn’t be allowed as it’s nothing more than a scam and can result in the local company going bankrupt – usually after the new owners have sold it on.
What happens when Shareholders don’t get enough profit…
Donkey fed to tigers at China zoo in ‘fit of rage’ by shareholders
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2017/06/donkey-fed-to-tigers-at-china-zoo-in-fit-of-rage-by-shareholders.html
Dunedin CC should just take over the factory and make the owners take a bath.
slightly exceeds the authority of the local govt act, methinks 🙂
All this for jaffas and pineapple lumps? Give me a break. How pathetic. How can we fight the diabetes epidemic when people carry on like this about stupid bloody lollies?
Nah, it’s about jobs, corporate loyalty (or lack), and industry diversity. Not because of pineapple lumps.
Also keeping the monetary lolly in the country. And some of us like sweet things and if we can keep them in moderation, same as we keep our criticisms, we can get advantage without downsides.
Just listened to an interview on National Radio from a jellyfish expert. Apparantly they (the jellyfish) have no heart, no brain and no backbone. I thought, there you go, they must be tory voters.
yes, they also usually kill with thousands of stingers that each inject a tiny trace of poison into an almost invisible or trivial cut, the weight of these injections eventually killing a larger organism
They have also apparently defied evolution and are now eating up the food chain. Which I kind of admired, so maybe there is hope yet 😉
There were a lot of interesting things said on the radio jellyfish interview. I’ll pass on what I remember to add to the sting of the humorous twist that johnr heard. (E&OE)
The dried jellyfish or some, are very water absorbent and can be used in products requiring that, baby naps etc.
Jellyfish are colonising and can act together though individual entities attached to main platform.
They bloom naturally, and spread to wide proportions, and this will happen with climate change because more warmth will encourage.
They drift and depending on their structure will drift to the left or right, depending on which ‘sail’ the majority put up.
They eat into our fish stocks, and when hauled up with fish catch in a massive reproduction phase, they tipped the fishing boat over.
One has a sting that mimics herpes with blisters, and like herpes will stay in the body arising later and this may last for years.
I think in Oz they always take vinegar with them to the beach. If not, swill salt water over stings, if you rub them they hook into you more and release venom or something, yuk.
I was wondering if over the Barrier Reef perhaps they could moor? jellyfish clumps to shade and cool the water – if they could de-acidify the water it might help, but presumably they would have the opposite effect.
It looks as if we need to find a way to use them as resources if they are going to be increasing with as bad effects as we ourselves have.
Don’t knock the old jellyfish too much, we may well have to use them as a source of protein when our fish stocks collapse.
When listing facts & trivia about jellyfish you cannot omit green fluorescent protein, which has its own pedestal in cellular and molecular biology research.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_fluorescent_protein
Hey these jellyfish are definitely something else! I was all prepared to dislike them but the next thing I’ll find out that one brighter one is my first cousin once removed.
Wow way to diss almost 50 % of the voting population there. Good luck with trying to win them back after that.
When did the Natz get 50% of enrolled voters?
FYI – never. Closest was 48% of enrolled voters in 1951
People need to learn from the truth, not get upset by it.
Yes – Diddums, Gosman. As if much more than 1% of voters would have even noticed that one comment. More fun to annoy you than worry about people who probably have not read the thread… After all, you seem to exist for the sole purpose of annoying the majority who read this site.
We keep hearing from conservative idiots, such as Family First, that like to rewrite history to conform to their biases about how great the nuclear family is. Real history, once you get round to reading it, proves them wrong.
Citing “How Did We Get Into This Mess?: Politics, Equality, Nature” by George Monbiot:
8 Gillis links the twentieth century’s attempt to find intimacy and passion only within marriage – and the impossible expectations this raises – to the rise in the rate of divorce.”
Who can know about causes for divorce even after doing huge long term research? But finding someone to live with life-long is quite a task, and getting used to someone of another gender, another family, and having to form one’s own family culture, is quite an effort and can be greatly affected by stresses from outside, and unreal expectations, and self-centred or narrow interests. Being drawn to passion is a mistake. It’s the result of peak emotion and who can live at that level all the time, or would want to it would be exhausting, one would be sated. Reality says, to have a peak there must be a lower base that’s common. Even when there is divorce available, some people stay married, they may get past wanting a real friendship and enjoyment and settle for what they know on the basis that divorce might end up worse.
It’s a wonder that we don’t give up trying to live with some other ornery blighter, but we are such hopeful romantics!
They didn’t say that previous generations weren’t finding someone to live with lifelong. they just said that there was a whole lot more flexibility in relationships than what the conservatives like to portray up to and including having sex outside of the main relationship.
I have a book about rural English customs. It says that often an Anglican minister unmarried, in a rural area, would have a young housekeeper and would find her a good husband as time went on. And then get another young housekeeper. I have forgotten when perhaps late 1800s.
That sounds like the same type of myth as the myth of chivalry that Bill put up.
And I really don’t know WTF it’s got to do with how the nuclear family is a modern creation used to help businesses by splitting people from the community.
Question about the Paris agreement. Why do you need government to sign up? Why can’t citizens make the sacrifices that may need to be made?
5……4…….3……
Venezuela in 3, 2, 1…
What has Venezuela have to do with the Paris Climate Agreement?
That was probably a response to when your comment was just “test”, before your edit.
This, and Venezuela won’t be far off anyway.
You wondered if your ban for lying was lifted and didn’t want to type your inane point if it wasn’t going to appear.
I guessed you were going to rant about Venezuela but instead it was a rant about self-regulation in response to climate change.
Self-regulation. Interesting concept. How does it work?
Lol. Just happy to see the commentariat self-regulating 🙂
How is paying for climate change mitigation in another country related to regulation?
I meant they were regulating your trolling so the mods don’t have to. But by all means carry on being a dick Gosman.
fish gotta swim…
“Question about the Paris agreement. Why do you need government to sign up? Why can’t citizens make the sacrifices that may need to be made?”
Citizens can make the sacrifices too. What steps have you taken Gosman?
This is a conversation I am interested in.
What are the sacrifices/changes folks have made in respect to climate change?
I have stopped flying back and forth from aucks for work.
Started planting trees too.
Our house is heated by solid fuel so if I keep planting as well as harvesting, it should be a closed loop.
I live rurally so have been cutting trips to town unless there are three reasons to go.
The last one for me too, it’s not that hard. Working local food too, both within NZ and reducing food coming from overseas. I burn wood but haven’t done much on replanting yet. What are you doing with that? (I don’t own land).
Re planting, both here on our place and a mates farm: gums, fruit trees, manuka and mac.
Nice. I’d love to learn about coppicing.
A few years back a British guy won an employment case off the back of human rights legislation when he lost his job for refusing to fly for conference meetings etc.
The human rights legislation is the same here as there.
The judge decided he was discriminated against on the basis of his belief (around AGW) and that the discriminationwas on a par with religious discrimination.
I’m not saying everyone’s who’s aware of AGW and who is ‘forced’ to fly by their employer will have either the presence of mind or stamina to follow that lead, but some might – maybe even someone reading this comment. 😉
Heh. Top law firms won’t represent Trump. Coz he probably won’t pay any attention to their advice and will likely stiff them like he does to everybody else.
http://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/four-top-law-firms-turned-down-trump-report/ar-BBCbJc0?li=BBqdg4K&ocid=mailsignout
Massive disconnect here from Bling. He admits vulnerable families don’t trust him or his government or the Police yet can’t imagine how more money might, I don’t know, fund research into repairing that trust and pay for more decent people at the coal face to action the results.
That’s before we even get into the community-busting, inequality-growing hopelessness among the disenfranchise which his government has carefully watched over.
This, ‘I care on my bad days’, shit is disgusting from him after admitting he and his predecessor are at fault.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/06/bill-english-on-family-violence-sometimes-on-my-worst-day-i-think-we-service-misery.html
Sounds like Blinglish just wants to feed into their hopeless meme. Out of our big hearts we keep trying – but – fling hands open – what can we do, just hold the line really when talking about the great unwashed and beneficiaries, and really all those that aren’t like US.
Craaaap. People go doolally when they are constantly confronted with closed doors when they knock and expect to be spoken to. When that’s been going for three generations and the only jobs available are those where you are supposed to sit like a battery hen, and you have never been able to sit quiet and relax, then you’re not suited by the jobs available. Some action jobs that go away for the week, and back to the pub and some films in the weekend, would get work for youngsters like this. It would take them out of their peer group and environment to where they could learn to put their back into it and properly despise the finger-tappers. Then there would be equality of put-downs.
Just government planning the economy would be a start. But the buggers resigned from that when Labour went and got Rogered back in 1984 and they’ve taken years to stand up again after that. Perhaps now they can grow a pair and do what a decent government can do, efficiently, first phase within a year and having some clear movement by 100 days. Then second phase – trying ten different projects in second year, and carry on five for third year. And if elected again, explore new ways of implementing those projects both completed, and piloted taking the next term. Plus jump start and trial some new ones. The energy would grow, people could come up with a project thought out, rough costings, ideas for obtaining resources (not stealing them after midnight from across the river etc.) and things would be amazing. And there would be a few frauds. That’s only to be expected so need lots of practical auditors to ensure frauds were kept small. But one fault can’t stop good outcome.
Wingnut fight!.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/the-pro-trump-internet-and-the-alt-right-is-turning-on?utm_term=.tkaEEEVp7z#.rkRjjj7OqK
Apparently the Russian involvement in the U.S. election is a little more sinister.
Their foray into A.I. was to create a prototype humanoid.
There are some who fear it got away and finished up winning the Whitehouse.
Who, what? Frank N. Stein?
I was just thinking – what a great market for the wealthy cynic? Have your very own AI model of Donald Trump stumping round your home, making unsavoury comments, annoying your relatives, insulting the annoying neighbours, and threatening to beat up your creditors, and inventing bad jokes and making sexist and racist jokes and remarks. And you need not take any responsibility – just shrug and say it’s modern technology, a release of a beta version, ‘He’s like…you know… a force of nature.”
And there could be a whole range of products, clothing stylists, hair stylists, musical versions of him as concert pianist, mad guitarist or drummer, singer – the mind boggles. This could be a revitalisation of USA business which had been in the doldrums just waiting for some new craze, and will truly MAKE AMERICA GRATE AGAIN.
This could be a prototype version of the drummer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8aGlOj2VFo
You can already get Trump to voice your GPS. Wonder what it says after it directs you into the sewage ponds.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-voice-gps_us_591f454de4b094cdba540695
Andre Funny thanks for that. It’s having a laugh, snigger, guffaw, that keeps us going.
NSA contractor faces 10-year sentence in first Espionage Act charge under Trump
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/06/reality-winner-espionage-act-leak-russian-hacking
Chatting to an Englishman at a social event.. ok a bar.
Got around to UK GE and Brexit and migrants.
His view is that Brexit will stop the flow of migrants into England and that that will be a good thing.
I asked him where he lives and works and where he intends to retire: he said NZ.
I told him that he was therefore a migrant. i suggested there was a dichotomy between what he was saying about migrants and his current status!
“An ExPat, I’m not a migrant”
“What’s the differance?”
Things went downhill and I’m none the wiser. Can anyone enlighten me?
He believes he’s retiring to the colonies.
It’s one of the complications of having been part of the British Empire.
I am picking he is white skinned therefore an ‘alright’ migrant.
Im picking that you are right in what he thinks.
Its sad.
Reading between the lines ExPat is a term with both or either racial and “Imperial” connotations!
Do the English who come here have any other cultural bagage?
What are we doing for immigrants from England to help adjust to our culture? Is there an education or cultural awareness program to help then overcome the negative aspects of their culture?
Should we give them lesson in cooking and language to help them make the shift?
He sounds like most migrants, white, brown and pink, there are not enough high paid or satisfying jobs in NZ so they come here and get residency or citizenship, work overseas once that is acheived and then are planning to come back here to retire.
It’s working out kinda the opposite of what most governments would want…
You wasted some precious drinking conversation time with a bigot – a racist one by the sounds of it.
Take note of this that I heard and have sourced for your information and knowledge.
Bill English telling local government to borrow more despite that they are trying to be fiscally prudent and stay within limits to give them a high credit rating and low interest.
49 Local Government entities do this by going through one agency but Billy Boy wants them to get as loaded up as government (which isn’t high of course, but is crushingly burdened by all the private credit for our imported purchases at home and out in the mean streets.)
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/businessnews/audio/201846567/business-news-for-7-june-2017
Listen 3.30-6 mins – was on Business News 6.49am Wednesday 7 June 2017
*face palm*
AWW Yes that’s what I thought.
When will we realise that leaving the door open for the very rich to gorge themselves in a unfettered desire to fill the void of greed. Never works out well for ordinary folk.
This is not good.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/qatar-diplomatic-crisis-latest-updates-170605105550769.html
Then mr small hands wads in
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/06/world/middleeast/trump-qatar-saudi-arabia.html?_r=0
Qatar: home of Al Jazeera….. anything to do with Trump’s bias against Qatar?
High possibility. It all seems just a bit odd.
The new Herald on line format is a straight steal from the UK Independent.
And it’s crap
It’ll appeal to the Facebook and Instagram crowd(s) and people who think that a sentence or a Tweet equals an essay. The mind-numbing and dumbing down has reached its next phase; expect more photos of kittens & cupcakes 😉
Not only are the regulations for rentals completely inadequate, there are only 15 compliance officers for the whole of NZ. No wonder there are so many of these disgusting boarding houses.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/93422776/just-15-compliance-officers-to-keep-entire-rental-market-in-line
Well I’ve never been able to get one off their butt to actually leave the office in Auckland. Glad the MP for Kelston was able to get (embrace) one into action recently. Good on her.
Have to say since she has come back to parliament, she has been one of the best preforms for labour. I never hesitate sending people to her office for help.
With the rental regulations as they stand there is nothing stopping Stuff from running stories about people living in sub standard housing that throw a whole new angle on the situation.
I want to read Jeff and Julia stories that go like this:
“The prevailing wind blows straight into the front of our home. The gaps around the windows and door are really bad. The house is icy cold for 6 months of the year. We provided our landlord with a 14 day notice requesting that he start taking steps to fix the issue. He did nothing. After 4 months we lodged papers at the Tenancy Tribunal, cost us $20.
The adjudicator ordered he must pay us $1500 damages and all of the rent we’ve paid since we gave him the 14 day notice is being returned to us. He gave us notice to move out, we went back to the Tribunal, it is illegal for him to kick us out for retaliatory reasons. We got $3000 damages for that.
He still needs to fix the house but with our house savings and windfall of make good money, we’re looking for a do-up in South Auckland to buy.”
The Tenancy Services website is really well organized and really easy to understand. Bugger boo hoo, get even.
I thought there was a good question asked in the House today. A supplementary question so the Beehive Blues were able to answer with the trusty “I don’t have those details to hand.”
For years the government have offered proof of how many houses are being built by quoting the number of building consents granted. Getting the nod to build 20 apartments is of course quite a different thing to 20 families moving into their new homes.
‘Show me the houses!’
When a home is completed, one of the last tasks is to have a ‘Code of Compliance’ issued. The question was: “How many NZ Codes of Compliance have been issued in the last year?”
I think it’s a question worthy of going on the card. Allow them enough time to have that figure at hand. I think it will be an embarrassing number.
And then minus off those houses that got demolished…. and those houses unliveable due to natural disasters…
Ha! Yes, a supplementary question could create a headline for the MSM.
‘NZ is 120 houses better off this year’.
But had incoming migration of 70,000 plus 180,000 working visas issued, …. do the math, that’s why there is rising homelessness and overcrowding among other things.
It’s really bonkers to be in the top 3 countries in the world per capita with migration (the others are Israel and Liechtenstein), and turning NZ a formally pristine wealthy and educated country into a banana republic with mass surveillance, pollution and disabled people being billed $200 a night for dodgy hotels and having to move from week to week. Or working families with kids living in cars.
It’s the National government creating the problem as it benefits them voter wise and like all ponzi schemes looks good at the beginning with cash flooding in.
Urban houses with large sections are often sold with lines like “Approval for 8 units”.
Is Nick counting those 8 units when quoting consent numbers? The consent may go no further than a seductive sub-heading in the marketing for the property. Can’t live in those.
UBI
A lovely long discussion on productivity and capitalism and so on that you can partake of while eating something warming while you chew over this which arises from Austria, but is in very readable English, not too much jargon.
https://antinational.org/en/what-wrong-free-money/
and
http://www.cca-glasgow.com/programme/caught-learning–whats-wrong-with-free-money