Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right up to the mike…
Four complaints. Someone should be losing their job over this.
“However a 15-year-old girl told 3News last night when she complained in 2011 about being sexually assaulted by two young men when she was 13, the line of questioning centred on the clothes she was wearing and why she had chosen to go out with the group.”
That is straight out of the 80s. I thought we had at least put processes in place so that rape victims got appropriate support when they first approached police and weren’t subjected to that. At the very least now, after an inquiry, ALL police stations in NZ should be required to have a protocol in place that prevents this shit. Women need an outside advocate and they need to be interviewd by police who have training in sexual assault cases including how to not retraumatise victims.
(Assuming I heard this guy on Radio NZ correctly – District Commander Bill Searle?) Nice to know that the difference between formal and informal complaints is entirely arbitrary and a matter that the police themselves decide.
Search warrants that will turn up absolutely nothing. On the assumption those guys aren’t utterly thick, any hard drives etc will have been ‘lost’, ie smashed up and disposed of.
May I suggest that people nominate a particular night of the week for a particular type of meal – as Catholics eat fish on Fridays, perhaps the non-vegetarians here would like to eat pork one night?
one of the girls thinks she was drugged, she had one drink of beer & passed out. their facebook page was full of images of drugs, not just weed but iv drugs! chilling.
Wairarapa, Rewa, Rotorua rape files just put into a filing cabinet. There were some recommendations by the IPCA regarding the Wairarapa and Rotorua files and the Rewa rape files are to be investigated.
Once again another complaint is going to the IPCA regarding miscommunication of a rape file which has caused further distress to the complainant.
Oh fuck! As the self-appointed person in charge of Natzi leaving presents – I never thought of that.
Maybe instead of thinking “what do I wish for” from the point of view of Natzis, I should be thinking in terms of the ‘ephermeral’ (see below)
Good pint Mr Smith!
I’ll take you contributions ‘on board’ (going forward).
Yes yes …. a far better option for the hard-pressed Tex Pay-ya
But then …. I know Pulla is rilly rilly ateched to them spots.
Keep in touch fella – together: we can work it out – in the spirit of ‘ne – go – shay -shun’
We shud talk – my agent will be in tuch
DSAC spokeswoman on Radio NZ seems to be of the persuasion that women and girls failing to negotiate the current fcked up culture of sex and sexuality is ‘sad’ and that education on how better to negotiate it is a solution. Now, maybe it’s just me, but that seems to in in parallel with ‘suggestions’ made by rape culture apologists to the effect that women and girls should behave differently, take more care, dress differently etc.
Nothing about challenging patriarchy – it’s assumptions, values, impacts or how it exhibits and unfolds throughout our culture, society and institutions. Seems that absolutely necessary discussion is off the table. So, there will be a police inquiry…there may be some campaign on saying no…there will be internet bills and….yup, everything will carry on as before
But then, even if she didn’t, just putting across the idea that a 13 year-old has ‘failed’ her sexual education by not understanding the sexual vileness of older teens is a little bit too blamey for a DSAC isn’t it? Why would a young girl submit to a doctor who thinks she’s ‘failed’?
Why isn’t she commenting on how young people are being failed by the belief that they can, with no consequences to themselves, use people… make fun of people… hurt people for self gratification? And yes, why isn’t she commenting on where that belief comes from?
No, I’m not saying she used that term (she may have). My comment is my interpretation of or distillation of her position.
As for DSAC not challenging patriarchy, I’m not actually surprised – I mean, the entire medical profession is extremely patriarchal. All our institutions are to one degree or other.
Way I see it is that it’s so much in plain view as to be rendered invisible. Maybe, to borrow an analogy from one of the links Joe90 provided in the ‘Don’t Wring Your Hands’ thread, it’s as though, having been locked in a red room since birth we are then removed from it and asked to describe the colour ‘red’.
“As for DSAC not challenging patriarchy, I’m not actually surprised – I mean, the entire medical profession is extremely patriarchal. All our institutions are to one degree or other.”
Yes and no. DSAC were set up originally precisely because some doctors (and rape crisis people I think) saw the desperate need to have doctors do post-rape exams who knew what they were doing in being with a rape victim ie protecting them from the prevailing culture which was further traumatising women. I think it also ensured that women doctors were available.
From what I can see, DTB was referring to the age of consent. As such, nothing to do with rape, unless the argument is that the consenting person is unable to consent due entirely to their age and regardless of the law deeming them to be person capable of consent.
I’ve just read the link and I must say I’m concerned that we on the left can’t bring ourselves to condemn underage sex as outlined in the link.
As a grandparent I’m having bug problems coming to terms with what has come out in the media over the last few days from the stupification and rape of teens to the apparent almost indifference of the police and the defence of the gang who did this by the group of girls who were their school friends.
The female friends of the Roast Busters told 3 News that Facebook anarchy is now the norm, so too is drunken “group sex”.
“People send it on Snapchat, who cares […] it’s normal in west Auckland, its normal here […] Not for everybody though it’s just the young ones 13- to 15-year-olds – that’s what they do.”
Am I out of touch with today’s society being outraged that I don’t care what the situation is that I’m appalled and consider it to be rape ?
“He refuted a suggestion there was a “culture of disbelief” of sex victims within the police.
“I think what’s happened here is the police officers have done their very best…”
See that would have a modicum of credibility if he didn’t refute, but instead said somethign like yes there are very real issues here and we need to look at what has failed these young women. We believe police did their best so we need to look at what the problem is.
He doesn’t at this stage have to admit specific culpability or assign blame, but at the very least should be expressing empathy with the victims who have been failed. As it is, it just sounds like butt covering and denial and ignorance in the extreme. Why are these people in charge?
Last night a girl told 3News she complained in 2011 when she just 13-years-old about being sexually assaulted by two young men.
She said the line of questioning centred on the clothes she was wearing and why she had chosen to go out with the group.
Fuck.
Pure Rape Culture this be.
What’s to bet though the relevant authorities will just let this officer off with “training” and wont even bother with establishing much needed fucking training for officers on how to deal with rape victims…
Our taxes paid for this crap. Sheeran shared on Twitter that he played all of the instruments himself on the track, except for the cello. This display of Sheeranian versatility does nothing to improve what is a dire and unlistenable dirge—quite possibly the worst movie song ever….
Mediocrity Watch aims to keep you informed of—or, to quote the epically mediocre Simon Dallow, to be “right across”—the shoddiest, least professional, most insulting journalism and taxpayer-subsidised-sensitive-singer-songwriting from all over the world, but especially New Zealand. It is produced by DeakerWatch®, a division of Daisycutter Sports Inc.
Check out these other third-raters….
No.7: Paul Little: [Russell Brand] is “petulant, ungracious and unfunny” and a “cut-rate Chomsky”.
No. 6: David Farrar: “Things were generally very relaxed in this area.”
No. 5: Jordan Williams: ““Capping rents seems like a recipe for disaster.”
No. 4: Prof. Robert Patman: “Hezbollah is totally a creature of the Iranian regime.”
No. 3: Jeremy Wells: “What evidence is there that secondhand smoking does any harm? Where is the evidence? WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE?”
No. 2: Gavin Gray: “…never been any problems associated with the name King George.”
No. 1: Susie Ferguson: “If, as you say, this has all been done before, why do it all again?”
Thank goodness, for everyones sake police interviews are recorded or videoed. Hopefully the media will focus on transcripts so as not to further divert this from the main issue unnecessarily. To clarify. The victim will be heavily traumatised and her perception of police conduct toward her may not be an entirely fair reflection.
I am not a police apologist by any means.
However if she made the complaint then as soon as they saw the facebook stuff they wld prolly have had enough to issue search warrants on the young mens digital equipment and to interview them.
The assumption seems to remain that the victins word is not enough… hence up to 95% charged get off. That is purely about attitudes to women and an assumption that when it cones to sex their default position is to lie, exaggerate or have post coital remorse… as opposed to an assumption that guys lack self control sexually and see women as chattels.
Amirite and Tracey +100. Its just sickening. Finally after four complaints over the last two years the cops are waking up and doing something about it. Not much. But something at last. And the cops have the powers to (a) take the young men’s digital equipment and strip it right down to find everything they’ve now deleted (b) get that same evidence off Facebook and (c) make a case against those dreadful young trolls.
Possibly preparing representative charges. I have no doubt that Bullshit Castle has been given a swift hard kick to take action, by someone by this point. At least, that’s the hope.
” The Government also introduced legislation yesterday that would cut development contributions, which have soared from an average $3000 a section to $14,000 in the past decade.”
I note the legislation doesnt include an obligation on developers to pass on the saving. They will do it cos its the right thing to do.
Development contributions are/were meant to help pay for all the things additional subdivisions cost a council – more roading, much greatly improved sewerage schemes, more parks for all the extra people, etc etc. More people into any area means more and more services which are paid for via the rates – so cutting development contributions means more costs to the average Joe and Joanna, and less cost to the rich – again !
Exactly JK and next Tracey will be saying it’s the land prices, land is cheap on the outskirts of town lets build there, does she expects the existing rate-payers will be happy paying for the roads, sewer, storm-water, parks, footpaths, street-lighting etc that service these sections.
It’s the sprawl that costs us – more sprawl, most cost. If we want to lower rates and have cheaper living then we need to build upwards and not outwards.
….. and my daughter, just back from living there, tells a similar tale.
There’s another thing a new government should review ….. the ineptitude of our Commerce Commission.
Commerce Commission has been deliberately starved, hamstrung and misdirected by the NATs. So not really their fault. I’m hoping Labour give it real teeth and increased independence, very soon.
I Don’t disagree TL, but they have, over the years, allowed duopoly positions to emerge.
I recall back in 2006, or 2007 some of those ‘bloody academics’ from Vic Uni showing that the structure in the supply chain by the ‘big 2’ meant small producers were being penalised.
The CC should be commended on their recent decisions, but their ideas on what constitutes effective competition are sometimes pretty bloody suspect.
They need ‘guidelines’ obviously. In my mind, there should never be a situation EVER where a NZ public pays a higher price for locally produced goods than does a foreign market.
The NZ public will be expected to pay for whatever cleanup of shit infested waters is necessary whilst paying a premium for dairy products.
These so called ‘free market’ principles really are a scam at times.
I’ve seen NZ salmon sold a damn sight cheaper in Australia ffs! (even taking into account exchange rates and so on).
Building materials …. how’s THAT ffs!
Maybe there needs to be some sort of quota system applied to locally produced goods that must be sold locally – I don’t know but then the CC should be the experts
I recall back in 2006, or 2007 some of those ‘bloody academics’ from Vic Uni showing that the structure in the supply chain by the ‘big 2′ meant small producers were being penalised. The CC should be commended on their recent decisions, but their ideas on what constitutes effective competition are sometimes pretty bloody suspect.
You can’t get effective competition in what amounts to natural monopolies:- Power, telecommunications, supermarkets…
Nothing wrong with farmers markets though.
I’m in two minds about supermarkets. The manner in which that supply chain has been constructed over the past few decades means that they’re now natural monopolies/duopolies I guess.
Fuck em! I usually try to make a point of ONLY buying their loss leader items wherever possible. I wish more did, but for some – they’re now the new Town Hall and flirting venue.
Certainly anything that constitutes a grid type arrangement – roads; rail; electricity, water, sewer reticulation; local loop and national/international backbone.
(I’m a moderate doncha know) 😉
I’ve read various comments, eg on stuff, where poms say that in England it was soo much cheaper to eat at home, because the food was cheap and service in restaurants was a lot more expensive.
Now living in NZ, they don’t see any reason to eat at home, because the food is expensive and service in restaurants is cheap.
There’s a show on BBC Radio 4 called The Food Programme which looks at these kinds of issues. One episode looked at people feeding themselves for 10-15 pounds per week.
Of course, there have beeen corners cut in British food as a result of the heavy price pressure – the horsemeat scandal in particular.
With 50 units of local currency in the UK or Europe, you will be unable to get the shopping home without transport, preferable private. That includes the higher quality stores such as Waitrose and Marks n Spencer.
In NZ, 50 units of currency gets you the basics, which requires little more than a two bags, or a number of bags filled with refined sugar/salt junk products.
The UK, for example has a high number competition in the market, not to mention the 60m+ population base. They also have a wonderful selection of food, which far eclipse the shite we have on offer in the supermarkets here in NZ, which is pitiful in comparision. Should be reasons why people make use of farmers markets etc, move away from the supermarkets here, they are a bad joke!
NZ has two channels , an effective monopoly, and 4.5 million people!
Simple equations involved, but in NZ, we are getting completely ripped off over and above for every life sustaining necessity, food, water, energy, shelter, clothing…
Great lifestyle here though, and how about those AB’s!
+1 !
We’ve been sold the coolaid for far too long.
The examples are endless.
How about “export quality meat”. Doesn’t that imply that we (as the producing country) should be expected to be happy with something less than export quality?
Like err, maybe meat pumped with water, or with additives to ensure redness – all brought to us by people who are on wages that only just let them get by (unless of course they do as much overtime as they able, or maybe even 2 jobs).
Eat, sleep, shit, do the laundry (so those nice little uniforms are spik & span), work….. eat, sleep, shit, etc.
(They don’t know how lucky they are aye!!!! In my day I had to walk 5 miles to school every day and five miles home again and I didn’t complain – besides, that nice Mr Key is looking after them)
Just been in UK/Europe/USA….your points all valid. Lovely places but they don’t have the ABs. And they are too populous for me.
Apart from their subsidised prices..they have one good thing in common …(except for the US) they all seem to have far more tolerant populaces than our standard Kiwi authoritarians dressed up as social liberals (there’s plenty on this site who would claim to be otherwise)….still despite the prices here is home.
I hope to be in charge of leaving presents for departing Natzi MP’s.
Pulla Bent, Judith (Jude to her mates), Soimun and a couple of others will be getting Jack Boots after a formal fitting in Northern Italy where a ‘fact finding musshun’ will have occurred, and both Jude and Pulla – just because of their EXTENSIVE contributions will be getting leopard or tiger skin fatigues fresh from the Philibit Tiger Reserve.
In addition, they’ll all be getting Tiwai menyafekchard ledders mounted on bearings, equipped with flex rope from the Bay of Plenny that enables them to be pulled into an upright position – well away from ground level. There’s an ex-railway workshop in the deep south that’s putting in a tender that’ll hopefully come out cheaper than the Choinoise.
Unfortunately Pulla, Jude and Soimun haven’t yet indicated their departure is imminent – so I’ve got a bit of time before I run out of life.’
I’ve just got one problem so far though. The bloody ‘nargies’ don’t want a bar of it!
They’re still a bit pissed off that a couple of their students who lodged formal complaints about employers ripping them off were ‘deported’.
Never mind tho’ aye – a FTA is in the wind (like FUK!) (at least in terms of the definition of “free”)
We had a visitor from Manchester who was appalled at Australian grocery prices. Someone is making a lot of money out of us all, and it’s not the farmers or growers. Maybe a future government could help establish a producers’ co-op to get food to people at reasonable prices, and without GST. Anyone who didn’t relish the taste of “socialist food” would be welcome to continue with the main supermarket chains.
A pretty transparent interview by Audrey Young. Bad cop English versus Good cop Key the friend of the poor and the downtrodden. What a nice man that Key fellow is.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11152582
And a bit more realism from the same interview from strangely John Armstrong. Specially liked Bill’s view of John:
“He’s endlessly capable of everything, I assure you – catching fish, cooking pasta, making up policy, being friends with the Queen. There is nothing this man can’t do.”
Faint praise anyone?
As sickening as that New Zealand Fox News Herald’s two-part hagiography was, it did highlight the fact that there’s still some considerable niggle between John Key and Blinglish. In the first part, John Key tries, as you point out, to deflect taking responsibility for further excluding first-home buyers from the market. (Yeah, right.) Then, in the second part, Blinglish says . . .
. . . If a pime minister says “this is what we are going to do” , whether I might completely agree is irrelevant, particularly with a successful prime minister. If he says “I want this”, then that is what happens . . .
. . . blatantly and completely undermining John Key’s earlier statement about the LVR. Classic, and another lie to add to John Key’s elephantine list. Thanks Blinglish. Also, good on you for finally realising that your own lie regarding your place of residence is no longer sustainable. I guess you’ve paid off the Karori mortgage now, eh Bill?
That National Party having been presenting a number of their cauacus as “nice people ” recently through the media. While they make Key out to be a good old boy they are attacking Cunliffe making out he cant be trusted.
Well theres that as well as his clarification of what on his CV plus his ability to say one thing to one audience (the unions) then something different to another group (business)
Do you watch all of Paula’s speeches in parliament? For someone as idiotic as you, they must be better than viagra. And that Collins? Be still, my beating heart.
Guess what? When I was fixing bikes, I would talk about right side roller mains to a Triumph owner, and bushes to a BSA guy. I obviously couldn’t be trusted. More than that, when I went snapper fishing, I would talk about pilchards, mullet and squid with my fishing mate, but I was careful not to mention these while trout fishing.
Broadcaster MediaWorks has lost a string of high-profile shows like Homeland, Modern Family and Bones after the company’s new banker owners dumped an output deal with Fox.
Now, if the government would step forward to support our ow artists we could fill the gaps with our own shows.
so..instead of ‘homeland’..how about a drama based on the stresses/pressures/personalities/cliff-hanging/nail-biting happenings in.. say..a shearing gang..?
..oh..!..hang on..!
..and for modern familes..a comedy based around a dysfunctional-family..?
..having laffs/coping in the wake of a major earthquake..?
phillip u so..instead of ‘homeland’..how about a drama based on the stresses/pressures/personalities/cliff-hanging/nail-biting happenings in.. say..a shearing gang or a gang of political bloggers. Drama, emotion, passion. girls with no clothes on. It couldn’t miss.
I’m a fan of Wind in the Willows. A whimsical, kind little tale about friends and community and understanding each other. Toad is a lively character who gets focussed on one interest at a time and when it was motor cars, went round making car horn sounds ‘Poop, Poop’.
Spring has sprung and I must spring into the garden shouting Poop, Poop. So I’ll go and wrestle with the convolvulus bindweed and vow to be responsible in future and never let it take over and get control again.
Well he does fancy KH in a non-committed ‘open’ kinda way, so I guess there’s some sort of binary logic going on there where any sort of sex is OK as long as his partner “fancies” an object.
Logic? Rape culture actually. Which says: if a young woman is attracted to a man then the man has a right to have sex with her. What century are we living in?
Don’t know what Karyn Hay ever saw in this dickhead Andrew Fagan.
He must have forgotten the lyrics he sung :
Don’t walk away from me
I’m not the kind that likes to be put down
Don’t leave me standing here
I’m not kind that likes to be the clown in the rain for the world who must sing
Without you my life’s gonna be forever Tuesday morning
I’m so alone inside I haven’t got the guts to go away……..etc.
Maybe now he could find the guts to say sorry…..or go away, like the rest of that shit Radio Live.
Fagan’s a loudmouth bullshitting wanker at the best of times.
Heard him one night trying to stir up a hornet’s nest by stating as fact that Japanese military got washed up in the North during the war and disappeared into the population.
Then started crapping on about Hone Harawira’s “features” ?
..and then investigated thorium fueled nuclear reactors a little bit more..
..and what can i say..?
..i think as of about 1.45 pm this aft..
..(all things i read being true/up to scratch..
..i too..became a convert to the idea of thorium..
..as a/the(?) fuel for the future..
..now..where to build the first reactor..?
..i reckon northland..
..they need the jobs/economic-fillip this would bring..
..(and quick..!..flog the rest of the power companies off to the mug-elite..!..
..before they hear..
(..those power companies will never be worth this much again..)
..and use some of that money..to build the first thorium-reactor..
..mana/the greens should campaign on this..
(and knock me down with an anti-nuke banner..!..if you told me when i woke up this morn..that i wd end the day a promotor of a branch of the nuke-family..
A man’s house burned to the ground, but that wasn’t his only shock — because two weeks later, he received a bill for almost $20,000 from the private fire department that tried to fight it.
[…]
Highlighted on the back of the subscription, it reads, “Response times will vary.” So with the options for people living here are: buy a yearly subscription, which is around $500 from Rural Metro for a service that is 20 miles away or take their chances and get a huge bill if their home burns. A third option is to form their own fire district. It can take months and ultimately a board will decide if they’ll contract out fire service or form a volunteer department.
[…]
Rural Metro does have payment plans, but says it doesn’t give people the option to let their home burn
Sounds like the perfect plan for all those disengaged from society that lock themselves behind the walls of the ‘gated community’. In their case – I’d make it mandatory. They can have their private security firms, police force, roading contractors, ambulances and most other infrastructure as well.
Who was the person that almost seemed to be arguing that it was too much to expect a 17/18 year old from west Auckland not to commit an assault…….. or did I mis hear ?
Fuck knows. Someone was saying something like that, but they all sounded like drunk middle aged punters at 1/2 hour to last drinks. “Yeah nah yeah yeah listen wait you said blah mate nah listen but wait on mate wait on a minute I was saying nah mate listen”
pfft.
Didn’t think I would ever get some respect for Hooton. Good on him, and good on him for saying fuck you to Willie Jackson’s support of Clint Rickard.
I didn’t hear any of the Radio Live stuff yesterday, but Tamahere and Jackson appear to be saying that brown boys have a hard life and therefore an excuse whereas white boys grow up good and therefore don’t rape. That doesn’t explain why they would be so unsympathetic to the women/girls. Hiding misogyny behind class.
A stopped clock turns out to be right. Doesn’t excuse all of Hooton’s other misogynistic and racist statements that he’s cynically made for money. All it means is that they’re so revolting even Hoots is angry.
Yes that change in tone was very noticeable. Hooton is a hollowman but Jackson and Tamahere are hollow too. I don’t like any of them and that view has been reinforced again.
“He always looked pasty-faced!” The Panel briefly considers the death of Arafat
Radio NZ National, Thursday 7 November 2013
Paul Brennan, Rosemary McLeod, Tim Watkin
Note Tim Watkin’s nervousness, and his skittish laughter, which undermines and trivializes his otherwise intelligent comments…..
PAUL BRENNAN: It’s five minutes to five. All right, this next story. ….[uncomfortable pause]….It appears that the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was poisoned by radioactive polonium. Traces of the isotope have been found in his bones. What do you think of this? ROSEMARY McLEOD: It’s like a ghastly horror show. TIM WATKIN: Well, the Israelis held him as a virtual prisoner in his compound for the last few years of his life, didn’t they. That explains why he always looked pasty-faced! Ha ha ha ha ha! ROSEMARY McLEOD: Ha ha ha ha ha! It’s what the Russians gave to that chap a few years ago, isn’t it. TIM WATKIN: That’s right. Ha ha ha! ROSEMARY McLEOD: He started off as a very good-looking man, but he wasn’t when they’d finished with him. PAUL BRENNAN:[thoughtfully] Hmmmm. Poisonous stuff, that Polonium 125. ROSEMARY McLEOD: We don’t want it in our coffee! TIM WATKIN: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! PAUL BRENNAN: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Okay, three minutes left, and there’s just time for our last story….
Yes I did, fender, and I agree with you. The reason I posted that snatch of conversation was not to criticise Paul Brennan but to draw attention to the way Tim Watkin was afraid to state a grave truth clearly and unequivocally. His nervous little snicker only served to detract from and undermine what he said. This is understandable: no doubt Tim Watkin has suffered screeching insults in the past after daring to say anything critical of Israel.
It’s still disappointing, however. Tim Watkin is an intelligent, well read and decent person, which makes him a rarity on radio chat shows. He should think about expressing his views clearly and courageously—which means not undercutting them by snickering nervously.
Why? Because it can decades to remediate nutrient pollution, particularly when dealing with slow flowing rivers and more so lakes, where the low over rate of flow + mud increase the residency time for nutrients added by human activity and can be released later by storms/floods. Which leads to flux that invasive species oft thrive with and kick the local ecosystem into a another state with subsequent (usually) negative ecological impacts to ecosystem health and human uses.
*sigh*
We can haz science based government legislation noaw please?…
Instead of limp-wristed bullshit to pander to federated farmers.
Despite all the hissing and roaring about climate change and greenhouse gases in the last decade, fossil fuels are now being burnt at a faster rate than at any other time in human history. With the trend continuing to increase.
I don’t think there is going to be a happy ending.
This is colourfully put – from latest Bowalley Road. That made Sir Roger and his followers the most dangerous cuckoos ever to take up residence in Labour’s nest, and it has taken the best part of 30 years to eradicate their legacy within the party organisation.
Observing the party closely since the departure of Helen Clark in 2008 has been a little like watching Rip Van Winkle rousing himself from twenty long years of slumber.
Hi Murray O http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-081113/#comment-723950
That had some more comments on post Roger from Chris T which registered with me later.
If you go to this link on my comment with quote, under that is link to the item courtesy
of Draco. I think it makes points that are good to reflect on.
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Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
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New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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It seems that the cops culture of contempt for rape victims has not changed:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11152671
Four complaints. Someone should be losing their job over this.
“However a 15-year-old girl told 3News last night when she complained in 2011 about being sexually assaulted by two young men when she was 13, the line of questioning centred on the clothes she was wearing and why she had chosen to go out with the group.”
That is straight out of the 80s. I thought we had at least put processes in place so that rape victims got appropriate support when they first approached police and weren’t subjected to that. At the very least now, after an inquiry, ALL police stations in NZ should be required to have a protocol in place that prevents this shit. Women need an outside advocate and they need to be interviewd by police who have training in sexual assault cases including how to not retraumatise victims.
Would like to know where DSAC are in all this http://www.dsac.org.nz/
(Assuming I heard this guy on Radio NZ correctly – District Commander Bill Searle?) Nice to know that the difference between formal and informal complaints is entirely arbitrary and a matter that the police themselves decide.
Which utterly destroys their previous argument that their hands were tied by the lack of formal complaints.
Wankers.
What station was the father of the rape group member working in?
4 complaints. Nothing happened.
Now, all of a sudden, they’ve issued search warrants.
Search warrants that will turn up absolutely nothing. On the assumption those guys aren’t utterly thick, any hard drives etc will have been ‘lost’, ie smashed up and disposed of.
Facebook will have copies of the photos and videos that they uploaded.
May I suggest that people nominate a particular night of the week for a particular type of meal – as Catholics eat fish on Fridays, perhaps the non-vegetarians here would like to eat pork one night?
No, sorry, that’s unkind to pigs.
if the cap fits..eh..?
..this is ‘the 17 dumbest things vegetarians have to put up with’..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/04/vegetarians-dumbest-things_n_4177147.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
phillip ure..
one of the girls thinks she was drugged, she had one drink of beer & passed out. their facebook page was full of images of drugs, not just weed but iv drugs! chilling.
Never fear Collins is having the ‘Independent’ Police Conduct Authority look into it, she is also having carpet and huge broom delivered as well.
Wairarapa, Rewa, Rotorua rape files just put into a filing cabinet. There were some recommendations by the IPCA regarding the Wairarapa and Rotorua files and the Rewa rape files are to be investigated.
Once again another complaint is going to the IPCA regarding miscommunication of a rape file which has caused further distress to the complainant.
It’s going to have to be a big carpet. Which galaxy do you think would provide a comparison?
Oh fuck! As the self-appointed person in charge of Natzi leaving presents – I never thought of that.
Maybe instead of thinking “what do I wish for” from the point of view of Natzis, I should be thinking in terms of the ‘ephermeral’ (see below)
Good pint Mr Smith!
I’ll take you contributions ‘on board’ (going forward).
Yes yes …. a far better option for the hard-pressed Tex Pay-ya
But then …. I know Pulla is rilly rilly ateched to them spots.
Keep in touch fella – together: we can work it out – in the spirit of ‘ne – go – shay -shun’
We shud talk – my agent will be in tuch
“Dust Busters”
DSAC spokeswoman on Radio NZ seems to be of the persuasion that women and girls failing to negotiate the current fcked up culture of sex and sexuality is ‘sad’ and that education on how better to negotiate it is a solution. Now, maybe it’s just me, but that seems to in in parallel with ‘suggestions’ made by rape culture apologists to the effect that women and girls should behave differently, take more care, dress differently etc.
Nothing about challenging patriarchy – it’s assumptions, values, impacts or how it exhibits and unfolds throughout our culture, society and institutions. Seems that absolutely necessary discussion is off the table. So, there will be a police inquiry…there may be some campaign on saying no…there will be internet bills and….yup, everything will carry on as before
Did she use that term … “failing to negotiate”?
But then, even if she didn’t, just putting across the idea that a 13 year-old has ‘failed’ her sexual education by not understanding the sexual vileness of older teens is a little bit too blamey for a DSAC isn’t it? Why would a young girl submit to a doctor who thinks she’s ‘failed’?
Why isn’t she commenting on how young people are being failed by the belief that they can, with no consequences to themselves, use people… make fun of people… hurt people for self gratification? And yes, why isn’t she commenting on where that belief comes from?
No, I’m not saying she used that term (she may have). My comment is my interpretation of or distillation of her position.
As for DSAC not challenging patriarchy, I’m not actually surprised – I mean, the entire medical profession is extremely patriarchal. All our institutions are to one degree or other.
Way I see it is that it’s so much in plain view as to be rendered invisible. Maybe, to borrow an analogy from one of the links Joe90 provided in the ‘Don’t Wring Your Hands’ thread, it’s as though, having been locked in a red room since birth we are then removed from it and asked to describe the colour ‘red’.
Plato and the cave?????
22.3 A prudent [person] sees danger and takes refuge, Yet the simple keep going (touching up the paint) and suffer for it.
“As for DSAC not challenging patriarchy, I’m not actually surprised – I mean, the entire medical profession is extremely patriarchal. All our institutions are to one degree or other.”
Yes and no. DSAC were set up originally precisely because some doctors (and rape crisis people I think) saw the desperate need to have doctors do post-rape exams who knew what they were doing in being with a rape victim ie protecting them from the prevailing culture which was further traumatising women. I think it also ensured that women doctors were available.
But yeah, medicine and the patriarchy.
Aren’t they required by law to have a social worker (as advocate) in on those interviews with a child?
No, it sounds like the police have tried to sweep it under the carpet. IMO, that’s how they managed to lose four complaints.
That and the rape culture we have in NZ backed up by the likes of idiots like yourself.
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-31052012/#comment-477832
From what I can see, DTB was referring to the age of consent. As such, nothing to do with rape, unless the argument is that the consenting person is unable to consent due entirely to their age and regardless of the law deeming them to be person capable of consent.
Hi Bill
I’ve just read the link and I must say I’m concerned that we on the left can’t bring ourselves to condemn underage sex as outlined in the link.
As a grandparent I’m having bug problems coming to terms with what has come out in the media over the last few days from the stupification and rape of teens to the apparent almost indifference of the police and the defence of the gang who did this by the group of girls who were their school friends.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Roast-Busters-actions-defended/tabid/423/articleID/320166/Default.aspx#.Unrnu5E5EyE
The female friends of the Roast Busters told 3 News that Facebook anarchy is now the norm, so too is drunken “group sex”.
“People send it on Snapchat, who cares […] it’s normal in west Auckland, its normal here […] Not for everybody though it’s just the young ones 13- to 15-year-olds – that’s what they do.”
Am I out of touch with today’s society being outraged that I don’t care what the situation is that I’m appalled and consider it to be rape ?
Please check your targets in future…
and adjust your sights. Objections may appear larger in the rear-vision mirror. 🙂
“He refuted a suggestion there was a “culture of disbelief” of sex victims within the police.
“I think what’s happened here is the police officers have done their very best…”
See that would have a modicum of credibility if he didn’t refute, but instead said somethign like yes there are very real issues here and we need to look at what has failed these young women. We believe police did their best so we need to look at what the problem is.
He doesn’t at this stage have to admit specific culpability or assign blame, but at the very least should be expressing empathy with the victims who have been failed. As it is, it just sounds like butt covering and denial and ignorance in the extreme. Why are these people in charge?
“refute”
BULLSHIT.
Any fool with a dictionary knows that to refute means to fully disprove. All that scumbag has done is make a denial.
The official bullshit is going to be flying thick and fast around this. Watch for it and be quick to call it for what it is.
Are you taking about the journalist? I don’t carry a dictionary around with me and I took ‘refute’ in this context to mean deny (refuse to accept).
Fuck.
Pure Rape Culture this be.
What’s to bet though the relevant authorities will just let this officer off with “training” and wont even bother with establishing much needed fucking training for officers on how to deal with rape victims…
I really would like someone from the police to tell me what has changed in 20 years in processing a sexual assault?
I SEE DIRE
Mediocrity Watch No. 8: ED SHEERAN
Our taxes paid for this crap. Sheeran shared on Twitter that he played all of the instruments himself on the track, except for the cello. This display of Sheeranian versatility does nothing to improve what is a dire and unlistenable dirge—quite possibly the worst movie song ever….
http://music-mix.ew.com/2013/11/05/ed-sheeran-song-for-the-hobbit-the-desolation-of-smaug/
Mediocrity Watch aims to keep you informed of—or, to quote the epically mediocre Simon Dallow, to be “right across”—the shoddiest, least professional, most insulting journalism and taxpayer-subsidised-sensitive-singer-songwriting from all over the world, but especially New Zealand. It is produced by DeakerWatch®, a division of Daisycutter Sports Inc.
Check out these other third-raters….
No.7: Paul Little: [Russell Brand] is “petulant, ungracious and unfunny” and a “cut-rate Chomsky”.
No. 6: David Farrar: “Things were generally very relaxed in this area.”
No. 5: Jordan Williams: ““Capping rents seems like a recipe for disaster.”
No. 4: Prof. Robert Patman: “Hezbollah is totally a creature of the Iranian regime.”
No. 3: Jeremy Wells: “What evidence is there that secondhand smoking does any harm? Where is the evidence? WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE?”
No. 2: Gavin Gray: “…never been any problems associated with the name King George.”
No. 1: Susie Ferguson: “If, as you say, this has all been done before, why do it all again?”
Thank goodness, for everyones sake police interviews are recorded or videoed. Hopefully the media will focus on transcripts so as not to further divert this from the main issue unnecessarily. To clarify. The victim will be heavily traumatised and her perception of police conduct toward her may not be an entirely fair reflection.
I am not a police apologist by any means.
However if she made the complaint then as soon as they saw the facebook stuff they wld prolly have had enough to issue search warrants on the young mens digital equipment and to interview them.
The assumption seems to remain that the victins word is not enough… hence up to 95% charged get off. That is purely about attitudes to women and an assumption that when it cones to sex their default position is to lie, exaggerate or have post coital remorse… as opposed to an assumption that guys lack self control sexually and see women as chattels.
Amirite and Tracey +100. Its just sickening. Finally after four complaints over the last two years the cops are waking up and doing something about it. Not much. But something at last. And the cops have the powers to (a) take the young men’s digital equipment and strip it right down to find everything they’ve now deleted (b) get that same evidence off Facebook and (c) make a case against those dreadful young trolls.
They’ve started calling the girls ‘ a group’ . Serial rape complainants?
Possibly preparing representative charges. I have no doubt that Bullshit Castle has been given a swift hard kick to take action, by someone by this point. At least, that’s the hope.
Bf made this point this morning that it is the police’s job to gather evidence and do an investigation.
The way they’re behaving is if you don’t provide all necessary evidence up-front to them, they won’t do anything.
+1
I like this guy’s response to misogny in his workplace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaqpoeVgr8U&feature=player_embedded
Perhaps someone in our police force could do the same ?
” The Government also introduced legislation yesterday that would cut development contributions, which have soared from an average $3000 a section to $14,000 in the past decade.”
I note the legislation doesnt include an obligation on developers to pass on the saving. They will do it cos its the right thing to do.
buwahahahahahahaha
Development contributions are/were meant to help pay for all the things additional subdivisions cost a council – more roading, much greatly improved sewerage schemes, more parks for all the extra people, etc etc. More people into any area means more and more services which are paid for via the rates – so cutting development contributions means more costs to the average Joe and Joanna, and less cost to the rich – again !
Exactly JK and next Tracey will be saying it’s the land prices, land is cheap on the outskirts of town lets build there, does she expects the existing rate-payers will be happy paying for the roads, sewer, storm-water, parks, footpaths, street-lighting etc that service these sections.
All these people we are forced to live next too! They cost us money, and I have to stand up on the bus. People, that’s the problem.
It’s the sprawl that costs us – more sprawl, most cost. If we want to lower rates and have cheaper living then we need to build upwards and not outwards.
Need to make it clear that building more subdivisions pushes up rates. That will upset National and the land-bankers.
Xox
I can see Ben Uffendal’s headline
” Police need funding increase to pursue teenage sex case”
My employers partner is just off the phone to her daughter in England who has just done her weekly grocery shopping for a grand total of £28
Bacon 90p for 500g
1 Dozen Egg 38p
Feta Cheese 65p
Blue Cheese £1.20
Cucumber 65p
Cheddar Cheese 500g £1.80
…and on it goes.
….. and my daughter, just back from living there, tells a similar tale.
There’s another thing a new government should review ….. the ineptitude of our Commerce Commission.
Commerce Commission has been deliberately starved, hamstrung and misdirected by the NATs. So not really their fault. I’m hoping Labour give it real teeth and increased independence, very soon.
I Don’t disagree TL, but they have, over the years, allowed duopoly positions to emerge.
I recall back in 2006, or 2007 some of those ‘bloody academics’ from Vic Uni showing that the structure in the supply chain by the ‘big 2’ meant small producers were being penalised.
The CC should be commended on their recent decisions, but their ideas on what constitutes effective competition are sometimes pretty bloody suspect.
They need ‘guidelines’ obviously. In my mind, there should never be a situation EVER where a NZ public pays a higher price for locally produced goods than does a foreign market.
The NZ public will be expected to pay for whatever cleanup of shit infested waters is necessary whilst paying a premium for dairy products.
These so called ‘free market’ principles really are a scam at times.
I’ve seen NZ salmon sold a damn sight cheaper in Australia ffs! (even taking into account exchange rates and so on).
Building materials …. how’s THAT ffs!
Maybe there needs to be some sort of quota system applied to locally produced goods that must be sold locally – I don’t know but then the CC should be the experts
You can’t get effective competition in what amounts to natural monopolies:- Power, telecommunications, supermarkets…
Nothing wrong with farmers markets though.
I’m in two minds about supermarkets. The manner in which that supply chain has been constructed over the past few decades means that they’re now natural monopolies/duopolies I guess.
Fuck em! I usually try to make a point of ONLY buying their loss leader items wherever possible. I wish more did, but for some – they’re now the new Town Hall and flirting venue.
Certainly anything that constitutes a grid type arrangement – roads; rail; electricity, water, sewer reticulation; local loop and national/international backbone.
(I’m a moderate doncha know) 😉
I’ve read various comments, eg on stuff, where poms say that in England it was soo much cheaper to eat at home, because the food was cheap and service in restaurants was a lot more expensive.
Now living in NZ, they don’t see any reason to eat at home, because the food is expensive and service in restaurants is cheap.
There’s a show on BBC Radio 4 called The Food Programme which looks at these kinds of issues. One episode looked at people feeding themselves for 10-15 pounds per week.
Of course, there have beeen corners cut in British food as a result of the heavy price pressure – the horsemeat scandal in particular.
With 50 units of local currency in the UK or Europe, you will be unable to get the shopping home without transport, preferable private. That includes the higher quality stores such as Waitrose and Marks n Spencer.
In NZ, 50 units of currency gets you the basics, which requires little more than a two bags, or a number of bags filled with refined sugar/salt junk products.
The UK, for example has a high number competition in the market, not to mention the 60m+ population base. They also have a wonderful selection of food, which far eclipse the shite we have on offer in the supermarkets here in NZ, which is pitiful in comparision. Should be reasons why people make use of farmers markets etc, move away from the supermarkets here, they are a bad joke!
NZ has two channels , an effective monopoly, and 4.5 million people!
Simple equations involved, but in NZ, we are getting completely ripped off over and above for every life sustaining necessity, food, water, energy, shelter, clothing…
Great lifestyle here though, and how about those AB’s!
+1 !
We’ve been sold the coolaid for far too long.
The examples are endless.
How about “export quality meat”. Doesn’t that imply that we (as the producing country) should be expected to be happy with something less than export quality?
Like err, maybe meat pumped with water, or with additives to ensure redness – all brought to us by people who are on wages that only just let them get by (unless of course they do as much overtime as they able, or maybe even 2 jobs).
Eat, sleep, shit, do the laundry (so those nice little uniforms are spik & span), work….. eat, sleep, shit, etc.
(They don’t know how lucky they are aye!!!! In my day I had to walk 5 miles to school every day and five miles home again and I didn’t complain – besides, that nice Mr Key is looking after them)
Just been in UK/Europe/USA….your points all valid. Lovely places but they don’t have the ABs. And they are too populous for me.
Apart from their subsidised prices..they have one good thing in common …(except for the US) they all seem to have far more tolerant populaces than our standard Kiwi authoritarians dressed up as social liberals (there’s plenty on this site who would claim to be otherwise)….still despite the prices here is home.
ae, Nu Zillund is an authoritarian’s jet black cream.
I hope to be in charge of leaving presents for departing Natzi MP’s.
Pulla Bent, Judith (Jude to her mates), Soimun and a couple of others will be getting Jack Boots after a formal fitting in Northern Italy where a ‘fact finding musshun’ will have occurred, and both Jude and Pulla – just because of their EXTENSIVE contributions will be getting leopard or tiger skin fatigues fresh from the Philibit Tiger Reserve.
In addition, they’ll all be getting Tiwai menyafekchard ledders mounted on bearings, equipped with flex rope from the Bay of Plenny that enables them to be pulled into an upright position – well away from ground level. There’s an ex-railway workshop in the deep south that’s putting in a tender that’ll hopefully come out cheaper than the Choinoise.
Unfortunately Pulla, Jude and Soimun haven’t yet indicated their departure is imminent – so I’ve got a bit of time before I run out of life.’
I’ve just got one problem so far though. The bloody ‘nargies’ don’t want a bar of it!
They’re still a bit pissed off that a couple of their students who lodged formal complaints about employers ripping them off were ‘deported’.
Never mind tho’ aye – a FTA is in the wind (like FUK!) (at least in terms of the definition of “free”)
The jobs yours: the image of Jude and Pulla in tiger skin fatigues scares the crap out of me. Nightmare on Queen St..
@ ‘great lifestyles here’..
..and don’t forget ‘nz’s got talent’..!
(..you can think/dream about that while paying yr supermarket-bill..
..it’ll help blunt the pain..a little…)
..phillip ure..
Does VAT apply to food in England?
We had a visitor from Manchester who was appalled at Australian grocery prices. Someone is making a lot of money out of us all, and it’s not the farmers or growers. Maybe a future government could help establish a producers’ co-op to get food to people at reasonable prices, and without GST. Anyone who didn’t relish the taste of “socialist food” would be welcome to continue with the main supermarket chains.
Apparently Key is a nice guy, it is that mean Mr English that does all the mean things
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11152668
No exception for first home buyers in LVR? That was Mr English that convinced Mr key to not fight for that.
GST changes? Mr English again!
However Mr Key managed to win a debate on labour law reforms
A pretty transparent interview by Audrey Young. Bad cop English versus Good cop Key the friend of the poor and the downtrodden. What a nice man that Key fellow is.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11152582
And a bit more realism from the same interview from strangely John Armstrong. Specially liked Bill’s view of John:
“He’s endlessly capable of everything, I assure you – catching fish, cooking pasta, making up policy, being friends with the Queen. There is nothing this man can’t do.”
Faint praise anyone?
Gosh, what a Guy, lets sit him atop the pyre.
‘
As sickening as that New Zealand Fox News Herald’s two-part hagiography was, it did highlight the fact that there’s still some considerable niggle between John Key and Blinglish. In the first part, John Key tries, as you point out, to deflect taking responsibility for further excluding first-home buyers from the market. (Yeah, right.) Then, in the second part, Blinglish says . . .
. . . blatantly and completely undermining John Key’s earlier statement about the LVR. Classic, and another lie to add to John Key’s elephantine list. Thanks Blinglish. Also, good on you for finally realising that your own lie regarding your place of residence is no longer sustainable. I guess you’ve paid off the Karori mortgage now, eh Bill?
That National Party having been presenting a number of their cauacus as “nice people ” recently through the media. While they make Key out to be a good old boy they are attacking Cunliffe making out he cant be trusted.
Well the amount of flip flops Cunliffe has done means he cant be trusted
Flip flops? Do you mean the shoes?
‘
Fuckish Rogue is probably referring to Cunliffe’s flip-flops on charter schools and SkyCity.
Well theres that as well as his clarification of what on his CV plus his ability to say one thing to one audience (the unions) then something different to another group (business)
Do you watch all of Paula’s speeches in parliament? For someone as idiotic as you, they must be better than viagra. And that Collins? Be still, my beating heart.
Guess what? When I was fixing bikes, I would talk about right side roller mains to a Triumph owner, and bushes to a BSA guy. I obviously couldn’t be trusted. More than that, when I went snapper fishing, I would talk about pilchards, mullet and squid with my fishing mate, but I was careful not to mention these while trout fishing.
Gunna giv’em a taste of your stinkfist for wearing jandals too are you…
Iha, a perfect circumnavigation across Mer de Noms
This Pukish one is “such an inspiration for the ways that’ll never ever choose to be…..”
Lolz, a small chortle when having a scroll down the Herald online edition this morning, anyone else noticed this little gem,
Scrolling down the page looking at the clickable links there’s a headline for:
Politics Headlines:
Top stories:
And snigger i kid you not, a headline to a pile of clickable links: NZ National Party Headlines,
The official voice of the NZ National Party, the Pravda of the South Pacific, the NZ Herald…
Can’t say as I see this as a problem:
Now, if the government would step forward to support our ow artists we could fill the gaps with our own shows.
so..instead of ‘homeland’..how about a drama based on the stresses/pressures/personalities/cliff-hanging/nail-biting happenings in.. say..a shearing gang..?
..oh..!..hang on..!
..and for modern familes..a comedy based around a dysfunctional-family..?
..having laffs/coping in the wake of a major earthquake..?
..(working title:..’shaky’..?..(geddit..?..geddit..?.)
..and i haven’t ever seen ‘bones’…
..but isn’t it a will/they/won’t they..ever fuck..again..kinda story/saga..(yawn..!..)
..here..we could call that ‘the len and bevan show’..
..eh..?
..(this week..!..that conference in christchurch..!..will they..?..won’t they..?..
..will bevan take that ‘personal-assistance’ further than her job-description mandates..?
..and yes..!..we have body-fluids..!
..follow every sperm-dropping/clean-up moment..!
..on their bonking in sacred maori places tour of new zealand..
..next week:..’the waitangi-pole’..
..phillip ure..
phillip u
so..instead of ‘homeland’..how about a drama based on the stresses/pressures/personalities/cliff-hanging/nail-biting happenings in.. say..a shearing gang or a gang of political bloggers. Drama, emotion, passion. girls with no clothes on. It couldn’t miss.
I’m a fan of Wind in the Willows. A whimsical, kind little tale about friends and community and understanding each other. Toad is a lively character who gets focussed on one interest at a time and when it was motor cars, went round making car horn sounds ‘Poop, Poop’.
Spring has sprung and I must spring into the garden shouting Poop, Poop. So I’ll go and wrestle with the convolvulus bindweed and vow to be responsible in future and never let it take over and get control again.
And it’s off to the gulag for you.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/nadezhda-tolokonnikova-siberia_n_4217448.html
Radio station needs help to sort out it’s rampant rape culture.
This time it’s Radio Live’s nighttime DJ, Andrew Fagan:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11152672
Another RadioLive host has come under fire, this time for an interview with a caller who said she was raped as a 14-year-old.
Night-time host Andrew Fagan copped flak after the woman told how she had met a boy she fancied on the way home from school.
At his house, she drank alcohol for the first time and woke up realising she had lost her virginity.
Fagan asked her if it was consensual. “Did you not hear what I just said?” she replied. He replied: “Yes, but you said you fancied him.”
Well he does fancy KH in a non-committed ‘open’ kinda way, so I guess there’s some sort of binary logic going on there where any sort of sex is OK as long as his partner “fancies” an object.
Logic? Rape culture actually. Which says: if a young woman is attracted to a man then the man has a right to have sex with her. What century are we living in?
Don’t know what Karyn Hay ever saw in this dickhead Andrew Fagan.
He must have forgotten the lyrics he sung :
Don’t walk away from me
I’m not the kind that likes to be put down
Don’t leave me standing here
I’m not kind that likes to be the clown in the rain for the world who must sing
Without you my life’s gonna be forever Tuesday morning
I’m so alone inside I haven’t got the guts to go away……..etc.
Maybe now he could find the guts to say sorry…..or go away, like the rest of that shit Radio Live.
Fagan’s a loudmouth bullshitting wanker at the best of times.
Heard him one night trying to stir up a hornet’s nest by stating as fact that Japanese military got washed up in the North during the war and disappeared into the population.
Then started crapping on about Hone Harawira’s “features” ?
Yeah his bullshit ruined Kiwi FM too. He loves his own voice and Karyn constantly needs to reprimand him like he’s a child.
I live in hope.
http://www.industrytap.com/thorium-fueled-automobile-engine-needs-refueling-once-a-century/15649
http://www.slatesenergy.com/cadillac_thorium_laser.htm
well joe..i followed yr link..
..and then investigated thorium fueled nuclear reactors a little bit more..
..and what can i say..?
..i think as of about 1.45 pm this aft..
..(all things i read being true/up to scratch..
..i too..became a convert to the idea of thorium..
..as a/the(?) fuel for the future..
..now..where to build the first reactor..?
..i reckon northland..
..they need the jobs/economic-fillip this would bring..
..(and quick..!..flog the rest of the power companies off to the mug-elite..!..
..before they hear..
(..those power companies will never be worth this much again..)
..and use some of that money..to build the first thorium-reactor..
..mana/the greens should campaign on this..
(and knock me down with an anti-nuke banner..!..if you told me when i woke up this morn..that i wd end the day a promotor of a branch of the nuke-family..
..i’d have said you were certifiable..eh..?..
..but good ideas are like that..eh..?
..they can be very infectious/caught quick….)
..phillip ure..
A few links inside that may interest you phil.
https://sites.google.com/site/rethinkingnuclearpower/aimhigh
edit: although I do think that an awful lot of the discussion going on is pie in the sky stuff
How user pays really works.
A man’s house burned to the ground, but that wasn’t his only shock — because two weeks later, he received a bill for almost $20,000 from the private fire department that tried to fight it.
[…]
Highlighted on the back of the subscription, it reads, “Response times will vary.” So with the options for people living here are: buy a yearly subscription, which is around $500 from Rural Metro for a service that is 20 miles away or take their chances and get a huge bill if their home burns. A third option is to form their own fire district. It can take months and ultimately a board will decide if they’ll contract out fire service or form a volunteer department.
[…]
Rural Metro does have payment plans, but says it doesn’t give people the option to let their home burn
.http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/23888502/2013/11/5/man-gets-20k-bill-from-rural-metro
Sounds like the perfect plan for all those disengaged from society that lock themselves behind the walls of the ‘gated community’. In their case – I’d make it mandatory. They can have their private security firms, police force, roading contractors, ambulances and most other infrastructure as well.
This is going too far
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/11/07/breaking-police-threaten-daily-blog-editor-with-6months-imprisonment-5000-fine-for-parodying-their-roast-buster-rape-inaction/#sthash.vdQx0YFz.dpuf
perfect storm soon? & then this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugsq_ssKh4g hooton storming out of radiolive in disgust with willi & jt!
Never thought I’d be on the same side of the argument as Hooten – but can’t fault him this time.
I think he says at one point that he has daughters, so blah blah.
I’d fault that part of his argument.
Who was the person that almost seemed to be arguing that it was too much to expect a 17/18 year old from west Auckland not to commit an assault…….. or did I mis hear ?
Fuck knows. Someone was saying something like that, but they all sounded like drunk middle aged punters at 1/2 hour to last drinks. “Yeah nah yeah yeah listen wait you said blah mate nah listen but wait on mate wait on a minute I was saying nah mate listen”
pfft.
I didn’t say that on air and you are right it makes no difference – but it does make it a little more personal.
Yeah I was joking really, ‘if I had to quibble, it would be this’ sort of thing. You did good.
+1
Well done pointing out that this isn’t a class issue, Matthew.
Aha, the libertarian left and right unite, I always thought the portraits mirrored! What hope now for rednecks?
“I agree with Matthew”
hmmm so Willie and JT claim Hooton is making middle class judgments and doesn’t understand the working classes.
Reports of rape at elite private schools overseas:
New South Wales
Princeton, US.
The class differences would be in the ability by the authorities to cover it up.
Didn’t think I would ever get some respect for Hooton. Good on him, and good on him for saying fuck you to Willie Jackson’s support of Clint Rickard.
I didn’t hear any of the Radio Live stuff yesterday, but Tamahere and Jackson appear to be saying that brown boys have a hard life and therefore an excuse whereas white boys grow up good and therefore don’t rape. That doesn’t explain why they would be so unsympathetic to the women/girls. Hiding misogyny behind class.
edit: snap karol.
Yes, I also respect Hooten’s stand.Who’d have thought! Thank you to all who are speaking out and writing about this. Very distressing indeed.
Yes, agree, weka. Willie & JT do no service to either Westie males, but are especially MIA with respect to Westie girls and women.
And the fallout continues.
Roast Busters: Companies pull ads from RadioLive
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11153170
A stopped clock turns out to be right. Doesn’t excuse all of Hooton’s other misogynistic and racist statements that he’s cynically made for money. All it means is that they’re so revolting even Hoots is angry.
Completely agree. For a man with such repugnant morals otherwise it was surprising. I’m guessing he’s had some life experience that’s educated him.
The other thing that stands out is the change of tone in Jackson’s voice when he tells Hooton to shut his mouth about Rickards.
Yup, and I’d say the kids sit up and take notice when they hear it.
im probably being a little bit ungenerous but maybe hooton wants to be on the winning side? i mean, who wants to be a rape apologist? (not me!)
Yes that change in tone was very noticeable. Hooton is a hollowman but Jackson and Tamahere are hollow too. I don’t like any of them and that view has been reinforced again.
“All it means is that they’re so revolting even Hoots is angry.”
Exactly, I think I’ll hold off on “Yay Matthew Hooten doesn’t like rape apologists” for now.
Wow. Did anyone see Bomber’s graphic?
http://t.co/IDfkC5V2hR
Ta.
IS got a better lawyer than Bomber perhaps.
Yep sure did
Some one better warn imperator fish.
done
“He always looked pasty-faced!”
The Panel briefly considers the death of Arafat
Radio NZ National, Thursday 7 November 2013
Paul Brennan, Rosemary McLeod, Tim Watkin
Note Tim Watkin’s nervousness, and his skittish laughter, which undermines and trivializes his otherwise intelligent comments…..
PAUL BRENNAN: It’s five minutes to five. All right, this next story. ….[uncomfortable pause]….It appears that the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was poisoned by radioactive polonium. Traces of the isotope have been found in his bones. What do you think of this?
ROSEMARY McLEOD: It’s like a ghastly horror show.
TIM WATKIN: Well, the Israelis held him as a virtual prisoner in his compound for the last few years of his life, didn’t they. That explains why he always looked pasty-faced! Ha ha ha ha ha!
ROSEMARY McLEOD: Ha ha ha ha ha! It’s what the Russians gave to that chap a few years ago, isn’t it.
TIM WATKIN: That’s right. Ha ha ha!
ROSEMARY McLEOD: He started off as a very good-looking man, but he wasn’t when they’d finished with him.
PAUL BRENNAN: [thoughtfully] Hmmmm. Poisonous stuff, that Polonium 125.
ROSEMARY McLEOD: We don’t want it in our coffee!
TIM WATKIN: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
PAUL BRENNAN: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Okay, three minutes left, and there’s just time for our last story….
i couldn’t listen to brennan..
..this is the email i sent the show yesterday:
“..i am listening from behind the sofa..chewing knuckles..scared..
..i think he is one of the worst people i have ever heard on radio..
..his faux-jollity just sets teeth on edge..
..and he clearly has an intellect that would drown in a petrie-dish..
..w.t.f..!..”
..when he came on again today..
..i just turned him off..
..straightaway..
..phillip ure..
That’s a good summary of the man, Phillip.
Did you hear his comments about the living wage? I think he deserves some credit for supporting people getting paid enough to live on.
Yes I did, fender, and I agree with you. The reason I posted that snatch of conversation was not to criticise Paul Brennan but to draw attention to the way Tim Watkin was afraid to state a grave truth clearly and unequivocally. His nervous little snicker only served to detract from and undermine what he said. This is understandable: no doubt Tim Watkin has suffered screeching insults in the past after daring to say anything critical of Israel.
It’s still disappointing, however. Tim Watkin is an intelligent, well read and decent person, which makes him a rarity on radio chat shows. He should think about expressing his views clearly and courageously—which means not undercutting them by snickering nervously.
Consequences.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9374848/Yellow-RadioLive-boycott-after-show
Is there a list of advertisers somewhere up on the net. I’ll ring them and take my business elsewhere too –
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/proposed-water-standards-met-criticism-5702371
The Stupid, It Burns.
Why? Because it can decades to remediate nutrient pollution, particularly when dealing with slow flowing rivers and more so lakes, where the low over rate of flow + mud increase the residency time for nutrients added by human activity and can be released later by storms/floods. Which leads to flux that invasive species oft thrive with and kick the local ecosystem into a another state with subsequent (usually) negative ecological impacts to ecosystem health and human uses.
*sigh*
We can haz science based government legislation noaw please?…
Instead of limp-wristed bullshit to pander to federated farmers.
Half of all fossil fuels ever burned have been burned since the election of the forth Labour government.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BYQGFCJCYAAitjs.png:large
Indeed.
Despite all the hissing and roaring about climate change and greenhouse gases in the last decade, fossil fuels are now being burnt at a faster rate than at any other time in human history. With the trend continuing to increase.
I don’t think there is going to be a happy ending.
As this website says, nature bats last..
http://guymcpherson.com/
This is colourfully put – from latest Bowalley Road.
That made Sir Roger and his followers the most dangerous cuckoos ever to take up residence in Labour’s nest, and it has taken the best part of 30 years to eradicate their legacy within the party organisation.
Observing the party closely since the departure of Helen Clark in 2008 has been a little like watching Rip Van Winkle rousing himself from twenty long years of slumber.
I think they’re still struggling with waking up. Maybe I should send them some coffee?
There are still cuckoos in the nest.
Hi Murray O
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-081113/#comment-723950
That had some more comments on post Roger from Chris T which registered with me later.
If you go to this link on my comment with quote, under that is link to the item courtesy
of Draco. I think it makes points that are good to reflect on.
http://www.sickchirpse.com/new-zealand-roast-busters/ very biting sarcasm here, no holds barred about ugly nz. “worldwide outrage” according to the huffington post, this has gone total global.