When I was a young follow at the time of Mamas Tangi one day all the children went down to the Waiapu river for a swim it was the day she was buried the aunties were not happy we were all covered in mud as we were all playing in it my younger brother was worse his blond hair was all covered in mud and the Tangi was to be held in 10 mins LOL there was no power so it was crank the old pot belle stove up to heat the water for a shower It was a big Tangi . That nite 2 of my close cousin decided they wanted to get there asses kicked they put some sheets on and acted like a kehua they sceared the shit out of a old kuia they were moaning about there sore ass for a while it was so funny.
There was a creek that ran along the riverside we would go catching eels in this creek a lot its gone now washed away by the Waiapu river when she is in flood .
When I stayed at Waiomatatini we were living in Mamas old house it had a wood stove no power it was light the lantern .This house had a beautiful view of the Waiapu river mouth Its not there now one day I would like to build me a house there.
I had a uncle he was the fisherman of Waiomatatini he would let everyone know when the kahawai was running at the Waiapu river mouth we would all go to the river mouth and catch fish .We would salt fish and dry it smoke fish and my favourite was bottled Kahawai .
We would ride our horses to Port Awanui along the way we would get mussels at the port we would gather Paua and walk around the rocks and pick Parengo off the rocks and pick huge Pupus off the rocks this was a wounder full experience gathering seafood from OUR whenua ka pai.
It is because of not having power that I researched solar power 20 years ago I started
this and in the process I learned about mother earths man made climatic change so all the information I put out there on climate change is from a neutral perspective and facts . All the people of Tairawhiti would benefit hugely by having solar power installed there power bills are huge and the last I heard the lines company was going to phase out there service Solar wind and micro hydro would benefit the iwi immensely I would pick solar power in most instances as unless you are good at fixing things and can maintain hydro and wind power were as solar you top up the batteries with water and clean the panels and change batteries you could pay some one to change batteries as its not often one has to do this . I could build my own solar setup for $8000 to server a large family and no power bill this is a dream of my to take this technology to benefit my Tairawhiti iwi . Ka kite ano
Good interesting comment eco maori. You are getting as good as Robert Guyton at keeping us in touch with the natural world and ideas on practicality for the simple living style.
Good thinking about solar. Soon we should have a fund that will be available to be applied to when people have a good and practical idea for those who are unlikely to afford it. For Maori, the politicians might please the broad population, if they teamed up with iwi who have had reparation payments so that both are supporting the local people, the iwi rohe.
From my research crown lead acid batteries are the most reliable cost effective battery to use you have to shop around as the price can vary by 30%.
I think that our government could offer tax rebates for solar and electric cars as there is no up front cost to our government we can’t just let things carry on as they are we will benefit immensely from more elictric cars and renewable energy. Ka kite ano
The sandflys were following me to and from work yesterday and using good people they have infected with there virus to try and break me but kao PS they wont follow me under a toll bridge I know why but it has me asking a lot of questions as should you . I will post these stories on the day before open mike so as not to hamper the wonderful new post on open mikes new day ka pai .
One thing I bet crime is dropping in Rotorua and Tauranga as everyone knows about my storie of being harresed by the police this is well known in Rotorua.
I know My calls for OUR people to keep out trouble is being heard ka pai
Some of the people infected by the sandflys virus think they have ECO Thunder worked out but no your adviser is wrong one has to stop helping the sandflys and treat Me and my whano fairly and humanely then thing will change for the better
take heed people this is not just about me now this is about me getting equality for all people all beings and mother earth and leaving behind a prosperous positive future for all OUR mokos .Ka kite ano
The important piece missing from the DIY battery is the charging circuit. The bit that charges the cells correctly and stops them blowing up and burning down your house.
Hi Draco, with my limited understanding of electrical systems I have only briefly watched a few of these, but I would be surprised if he misses out on a critical safety component. Lithium-ion seems to be less likely to overcharge and catch fire, but it would still be a major omission if that aspect was ignored.
Thanks DTB. Looks like there is a good reason to purchase in bulk from the same supplier. I think this Youtuber and others have done so, and/or used wrecked Teslas to get the 18650s for their power walls.
Even the use of a power wall (or similar) to charge up during the low rate night charge, and use during the peak times might be of use to some, but not at current purchase or power prices.
(The ZCell battery that mpledger posts below, look pretty good in terms of safety and reliability)
eco maori (1) … many thanks for a wonderful story of another aspect of your life, living alongside nature. It must have been an amazing respectful lifestyle, sharing and caring amongst your community. The way life should be.
The damage neoliberalism did to this country by one of the few politicians who never succumbed to its poisonous ideology.
Jim Anderton.
We should heed his words.
“The cost was enormous, and it wasn’t just in economic terms, it was in social terms – mental health, a massive rise in suicides in New Zealand, and a kind of disillusionment with the Government as being on your side,”
And yet the oligarchs who made away with the loot and the treasonous politicians who abetted them are still called ‘Sir’ and ‘Dame’
Their proper position should be in front of a people’s court.
Then trust in politics would return.
Thank you for your wonderful summary of Jim Anderton Ed.
We all saw the real face and true heart of humanity in Jim Anderton, even those who never followed his path to a plan for a Government who would be worked for the interests of the 99% and not just “the economic principals who had forgotten the human principals of their “public service” jobs.
Labour now must hold up Jim Anterton as the example the labour movement must ‘aspire to’ in all they plan as a “kinder gentler, warm, caring, Government” as we voted them to give to us and to ensure that they will be re-elected in 2020.
It’s a bit of a cliche, but Anderton was just “a good bloke”. It never seemed to go to his head, and he never appeared smug or arrogant. Passionate, definitely, but never dismissive or imperious.
The article focuses on EmilyBailey works with the Para Kore or Zero Waste movement and sits on the Taranaki Regional Council’s policy and planning committee as an iwi representative.
It’s about how climate change is a direct threat to Māori, their resources, culture and land.
Chris Hedges in On Contact has an interview with Charles Derber which I’ve now watched twice. 24 minutes. Charles Derber, Author and Sociologist, discusses the failings of the American left through intersectionality.
What left in NZ, is what I took from it. We have a so called left government, and still they won’t mention capitalism as the intersectional commonality of so many of
our problems. Let alone if you bring up militarized capitalism, dead on arrival that topic.
Political economy is a topic you can not mention. Look at the way I was repeatedly attacked on this site for pointing out the failings of the labour party at the political economy level.
Economically wise with a change of government, it’s business as usual. How many deaths/suicides of homeless happened over the Christmas/New Year period? How many people are still living in cars? Why have we stopped talking about this?
Socialism in whatever form you embrace, is a criticism of capitalism. Start being critical of it.
I agree that the mainstream political parties in NZ that are labelled “left” have a pretty weak left wing analysis and policies on many crucial issues of both economic and social justice.
I currently have little faith in any real shift towards economic and social justice via political parties in NZ. A strong flax roots movement is needed.
But, to be strong, it needs an alliance of those focused on both economic and social justice. Splitting them as you seem to be doing, will weaken any broad flax roots movement. That just plays into the hands of the neo-libs and neo-cons.
Before the neocon-neolib (social conservatism linked with an economic liberal rhetoric) alliance gained traction internationally, there seemed to be shifts in NZ and elsewhere to have a more inclusive left. I watched bits of a doco on NZOnscreen yesterday, that focused on shifts in NZ Labour in 1980. It featured Jim Anderton quite a bit, plus the new candidate for Mt Albert, a very young Helen Clark.
Clark wanted to include more focus on inequalities that impacted on Maori. Anderton, of course, was focused on stronger left wing principles. There was talk in the doco about a move away from trade unions by a new young generation – which was debatable.
However, at that time, there seemed to be a promise of a more inclusive left that focused on both social and economic justice. And then came Douglas and the neo-liberal traitors within NZ Labour.
So, but the time the 2 rafts of economic and social justice came into power with Clark as PM, and Anderton as deputy, the left was already weakened, and under attack from the media, nationally and internationally.
I’m not asking or prescribing to any splitting. What I’d suggest if we want a broad left movement, we need to include a heavy dose of political economy. This bowing down to liberalism as a economic system which many here do, is the biggest block we have to a flax roots movement.
Intersectionality is a tool we need to use more, not less. What was trumps biggest victory – he won the identity politics game (ugly as it was). We are never going to win by playing the right wing games, even as some have suggested, we play them better.
Hedges wrote an amazing book Death of the Liberal Class
‘The liberal class is facing an untimely demise of its own making. In this provocative new work Chris Hedges explains how liberals sold us out, bankrupted the country and now face a crisis of their own.’
In New Zealand this is the rentier class who sold their principles to get ahead.
Hedges slams five specific groups and institutions — the Democratic Party, churches, unions, the media and academia — for failing Americans and allowing for the creation of a “permanent underclass.”
And lumping in of trade unions with the church and media creates a big problem. Also, the church in NZ is not as influential in politics as NZ.
This is a well-written and hard-hitting book.
…
We are certainly living in a reactionary period in most of the advanced capitalist countries; liberalism (and social democracy) has definitively declined. The working class and other movements of the oppressed have been defeated, although they have not been smashed and terrorized as happened under fascism. But the roots of this defeat cannot be attributed to the misdeeds of the media or the betrayals of the “liberal class.” They may have been bought off; they may lack spine. But they themselves did not give rise to our current problems.
Instead, the crisis goes back to the late sixties and early seventies when the post-war boom came to an end and employers went on an international offensive that through the next thirty years ended up reorganizing capitalism. In the case of the US, capitalist neo-liberalism formed an alliance with a newly-politicized religious fundamentalism (rooted in a reaction to the cultural revolution of the sixties) to build a powerful right wing force.
I think that the middle class was bought off in the 1980s.
Initially the cost of neoliberalism was paid by the working class, but since the GFC austerity has started to eat away at the Middle class’s position.
Too late.
So then, what is it you take from Charles Derber? other than he focuses on the dangers of individualism? And how does this relate to the intersectional politics?
For me. intersectionality is about the systematic oppression (sometimes in the form of economic/financial exploitation) of groups as identified collectively: by race, class, gender, sexuality, able-bodiness, etc. Not much to do with individualism.
He’s not blaming the failure of the left on intersectionality – he’s saying that one aspect of intersectional thinking has fallen away – the focus on capitalism and alternatives to it.
He repeatedly says that there needs to be truly intersectional thinking and that power structures are definitely intersectional. He feels the left has become too splintered, and needs to be more intersectional, not less.
Yes, he criticises “identity politics”, but that’s not the same as criticising intersectionality.
Still an interesting discussion, but he’s pretty dismissive of what he calls identity politics. I do agree with plenty of what he says, but it would have been more interesting to have heard some voices that weren’t from ageing white men, having people speaking about their own beliefs and arguing their own positions rather than just hearing these two guys (who agree with each other) dismissing any views and priorities that don’t match theirs.
How the fuck does the deliberate infringement of an authors copyright fit with Wikileaks stated purpose of being a multi-jurisdictional public service designed to protect whistleblowers, journalists and activists who have sensitive materials to communicate to the public?
Oh, that’s right, it’s Assange and his vanity project acting on Trump’s behalf, again.
I noted a Google request for people to behave fairly in relation to books they had in print and available for purchase as read only on your download.
https://improvebooks.com/
Note to myself: Look further into this – appears to use automation – a mega seach engine – to read and copy other sites then offer them free when the other sites advertise a charge for reading ie google
and Google’s response
Celebrity Biographies – The Amazing Life of …and … https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=VjoPDgAAQBAJ
Matt Green – Biography & Autobiography
If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Google Play or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy.
Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. Book One …..
It really boggles my mind how the right operate in relation to Trump.
I read blogs and news from both sides of the fence – right and left – and the cognizant dissonance in relation to Trump is staggering.
He’s one of their tribe, and as such they will defend him no matter what. The pathological lying and incendiary rhetoric, not to mention his dumpster fire diplomacy, well that’s all just “fake news”. It’s those dirty liberals telling lies again.
Reading Kiwiblog comments (I know – bad idea) makes me wonder if they are aware of the hypocrisy.
“Obama played golf 30 times last year! That lazy Kenyan!”
“Trump played golf 112 times last year! BEST PREZ EVER!!!”
That’s what happens when your focus is on winning rather than arguing for your values and beliefs. Think of The Hollow Men, and Bill English swallowing dead rats.
The left is subject to these tribal impulses too. I feel them myself whenever anyone (other than me, naturally) offers criticism (valid or otherwise) of Left-wing figures. I have my doubts about Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party, and then my hackles raise whenever someone else articulates exactly the same doubts.
Eco Maori, when I was young we used to go camping at Bowentown. This was half a dozen families and friends putting up their tents for a three week break at the beach.
There was a reserve on which we could camp, which had a natural fresh water spring on the bay side with a view across to Matakana Island.
Over the sand dune was the 5 miles of Waihi Beach, with white sand and six inches thick yards wide swathes of shells and seaweed pods, this side with a view of Mayor Island.
It was a kai moana paradise, living up to the Bay of Plenty name. My school friend Ron and I would lie on the two yard long boat jetty, and watch the seahorses in the clear water below. Ron telling me the male protected the babies by taking them into his mouth in any danger.
We fished off the rocks, foraged for shell food at low tide, or fished from my father’s home built dingy, rowed out ’till we lined up “the best fishing hole” ready by tide turn.
This paradise could be reached by driving along the firm sand at low tide, then all pushing to get the vehicle over the dune at the Bowentown/ Atheree end. The Bowentown heads gave great views, and the camping area had huge pahutukawa.
In the evening Dad and Mum would “pull the net’ on the ocean beach, a happening which drew crowds near and wide, and from an empty beach there would twenty or more suddenly arrive. Dad was always generous with the plentiful catch of mullet.
Sometimes we would go for a trip to Orakau, the rocky headland at the far end of Waihi Beach. This was along five miles of beach then a long climb up and down to fish off the rocks.
Although now there is easy access and the views are still lovely, I was sad to see no shells, and a huge number of boats fouling the water. No seahorses now, and the spring provides water for toilets.
Worse, many years ago when we had a twelve mile fishing limit for foreign vessels, a Russian fishing fleet cleaned out the stock beach side of Mayor Island. The life cycles have never completely recovered to what they were.
But young people never have seen the shells shoals of fish and living rock pools.
They enjoy the sand and surf, never experiencing the living beach.
Your final two sentences are very poignant, Patricia. Much of the world and the humans living there suffer that effect. The only ‘heroic’ action left to humans is to restore the life that’s so thin on the ground now, I reckon. If we can rally our thoughts and actions to do that, everything will change.
Labour in England has a new landscape to contend with according to psephologist Prof Curtice on Strathclyde.
“Labour still thinks of itself as the party of the working class, but in practice it is now almost as accurate to regard it as the party of university educated social liberals. This gives rise to debate in the party about whether it should be trying to recapture the ‘left behind’ working class voters that it appears to have lost – whose views on Brexit are very different from those of the party’s university educated voters.”
Brexit is what highlights this change. Maybe Brexit is responsible for some of the change.
However as an NZ Labour person is has always being a question: to what degree are we a party of the Social Liberals rather than a working class party.
There’s a new cartoon show starting up – Our Cartoon President – should be (gentle) fun. It’s from the makers of The Late Show, so it won’t exactly be radical, but should probably still raise a chuckle. Apparently they won’t be going over past events (no Rex Tillerson, Mooch or Steve Bannon, unless they get actively involved again).
It starts in the US 2 days before Trump’s first State of the Union address. That should provide good fodder! 😋
The federal probe into a 2010 land deal orchestrated by former Burlington College president Jane Sanders, wife of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has deepened. VTDigger has confirmed that a grand jury has been empaneled and has taken sworn testimony in the case.
[…]
The lingering nature of the federal investigation has frustrated the Sanders family.
According to Politico, the federal probe is “clouding” Sen. Sanders’ outlook and has complicated his decision whether to run for president again in 2020. More immediately, Sanders faces re-election to his Senate seat this year and his step-daughter, Carina Driscoll, has announced a bid for mayor of Burlington.
Burlington College borrowed heavily to finance the purchase of 33 acres of lakefront property from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington. The deal relied on pledged donations and projections of increased enrollment. In 2015, VTDigger reported that Jane Sanders overstated pledged donations in the loan document. Two donors listed in the document told VTDigger at that time that their listed pledges were greater than what their personal financial records showed they gave.
VTDigger also interviewed the largest confirmed donor listed in the loan application. Corinne Bove Maietta, a member of the renowned Burlington Bove’s Restaurant family, disputed the manner in which her pledge was represented by Sanders in the loan agreement.
Maietta said she agreed to give the college an unspecified amount upon her death as a bequest. Documents show, however, Sanders stated in a loan application that Maietta would contribute a series of cash payments totaling $1 million. The payments were to be completed over a period of time, according to records obtained by VTDigger.
Could have turned it into a piece about the fact that school needed to borrow money to survive in this economy. Even then, they went under.
Or that
“In August 2011, The Daily Beast and Newsweek ranked Burlington College as the number-one school in the United States for free-spirited students.In October 2013, Newsweek named Burlington College as among the 10 colleges in the United States to have the highest rate of participation in student internships in their study field” From the wiki on the school
Yes SPC an interesting read, and I had a demand from Farmers once years ago. They had provided the wrong banking code for the final payment, and demanded I pay twice and collect a refund later.
This seemed questionable, so I went to a local lawyer who was recommended through the Labour Party. A letter from her caused a complete about face., and an assurance my credit rating would not be affected.
However 5 years later when seeking a bank loan to do renovations I was questioned about my debt to Farmers. I promptly rang the lawyer who provided a copy of the letter I had mislaid in a house shift.
Just shows, a loan, even repaid can cause hassles. I have always kept records of full and final payments since then.
This scam of selling off real and made up debt to collectors, sounds very like the banks chopping up good and bad mortgages scam to sell off as derivatives.
Many people have umpty cards and loans, and may be scammed more easily.
I’ve had the same issue. many years ago I needed power for a new rental and it was refused because of a so called debt with a previous farmers card. several hours later and many WTF phone calls from me it was sorted. Thankfully I have an ‘educated timbre’ so everything was ‘an honest mistake’ when questioned. Gotta wonder how someone less forcefull then myself would have managed..
A Quaker organization that received the 1947 Nobel Peace Prize for its work assisting and rescuing victims of the Nazis is among the blacklisted groups whose senior activists have been barred from entering Israel. Peace activists in Israel who have worked with the group expressed surprise at the decision.
The Listener this week is running a story on ‘Puppy Hell . Our Secret Breeding Programme.’
The subtitle to the story ( on page 10) asks the following question.
‘ New Zealand has an unregulated puppy breeding industry where unscrupulous operators can flourish, so why aren’t we following the lead of overseas governments?’
Sally Blundell is the author of this disturbing story.
However, pause for a moment.
Read that question again, replacing the words ‘puppy breeding’ with ‘forestry’ or ‘fishing’ or ‘housing rental’ or Fast food’ or..
The list is endless.
In reality, a more worthwhile question would be ‘why is New Zealand such an unregulated country?’
And of course, the answer is the same as it would be to any of the questions.
Because New Zealand adopted an extreme form of neoliberalism in the 1980s and the country has suffered the consequences of that ideology ever since.
The death of Jim Anderton is a reminder of the revolutionary nature of those changes enacted by Douglas and his treasonous crew.
As the great man said,
“The cost was enormous, and it wasn’t just in economic terms, it was in social terms – mental health, a massive rise in suicides in New Zealand, and a kind of disillusionment with the Government as being on your side,”
We should heed his words.
Until we criticise and tear down the actual economic system , we are trapped with all the awful effects of free market neoliberal capitalism. It may be cruelty to dogs, it may be forestry workers’ deaths, it may be an obese population, it may be soaring suicide rates, it may be terrible working conditions, the root cause of all is neoliberalism.
And by not looking at the big picture, Blundell does what so many liberal thinkers do. They miss the target.
And their article is only useful for wrapping takeaways.
Ed, don’t let’s forget that Anderton was DP in the Clark administration from 1999 to 2002, and stayed on as Minister of Economic Development after that. He certainly didn’t see that government as neoliberal, and I don’t think he would put that label on the current one either. He did lots to help turn back the tide on neoliberalism within the Labour Party, ironically having more success with this after he had stepped away from it. While there were certainly disagreements in the Clark-Anderton-Cullen relationship, he had a positive influence within that government. Paid parental leave, Kiwibank, increases in the minimum wage – thanks, Jim (and Helen, and Michael).
Anderton was always ready to criticise what he saw as unfair or wrong, but he didn’t “tear down the actual economic system” – he helped to (re)build protections and supports that the state should offer its citizens.
China’s put a ban on taking the world’s plastic stuff for recycle and reuse.
The depot in Auckland can only handle some plastics, not all.
Any hope that the gummint will pass a few laws and regulations saying that no plastics can be sold or used here that we can’t recycle?
Any hope that we can set up manufacturing in more towns than Sacred Auckland to use the recycle material instead of adding more carbon to the air for ‘shipping coals to Newcastle’?
Another three processors? Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin or even the wild West Coast. With the best anti-pollution technologies we can develop and keep on refining.
A ‘temporary’ business until we’ve scaled back the profligate use of this muck and cleaned up our fresh and salty waters. Coupled with alternative packaging from starches, which are already available.
And good luck, Wen’an county. Hope the land and waters return to the quality they had before the plastics blight came to town.
While looking up John Wydham on google I came across this from one of his short stories and it’s what I have been thinking lately myself.
Book Review: The Seeds Of Time – John Wyndham – Uncertain Tales https://uncertaintales.wordpress.com/…/book-review-the-seeds-of-time-john-wyndha…
Jan 3, 2015 – Book Review: The Seeds Of Time – John Wyndham. Seeds of Time – John Wyndham.
‘Ingenious you certainly were – like monkeys. But you neglected your philosophers – to your own ruin. Each new discovery was a toy. You never considered its true worth. You just pushed it into your system – a system …
?
So the latest story is ‘they’ are moving the ‘bad people’ to Guantanamo Bay ? And there is some major shit going down globally, with regards to the Clinton’s et al ?
I haven’t a clue?
But supposedly John Podesta hasn’t tweeted for a month
And you can see H C hasn’t for 5-6 days
Bill ( I didn’t think he new how to use a computer?) 8 – 9 days
Obama 9 – 10 days, and supposedly publishing a 2 year old Christmas photo of him and the girls?
Bill Gates is fine, or has bots doing his stuff?
So yeah, who has gone missing?
Is anyone talking about this? I haven’t been here for a while?
A gender inequality demonstration that is clear, specific and indefensible (UK I know, but I doubt it is any different here), and in a jurisdiction with equality statutes!…a gutsy action by someone that is likely have real personal cost (as opposed to a wardrobe choice)….all power to her.
‘Addressing victims of sexual abuse, Oprah noted that the recent revelations about Hollywood’s endemic sexual misconduct go well beyond the entertainment industry, noting that the issue “transcends transcends any culture, geography, race, religion, politics, or workplace”.
She went on: “So I want tonight to express gratitude to all the women who have endured years of abuse and assault because they, like my mother, had children to feed and bills to pay and dreams to pursue. They’re the women whose names we’ll never know. They are domestic workers and farm workers. They are working in factories and they work in restaurants and they’re in academia, engineering, medicine, and science. They’re part of the world of tech and politics and business. They’re our athletes in the Olympics and they’re our soldiers in the military.”
Winfrey then referenced Recy Taylor, a black woman who was abducted in 1944 in Alabama and raped by six men. When her story was reported to the NAACP, Winfrey explained, Rosa Parks investigated her case but was unable, in the Jim Crow era, to prosecute her abusers. “Recy Taylor died 10 days ago, just shy of her 98th birthday,” Winfrey said. “She lived as we all have lived, too many years in a culture broken by brutally powerful men. For too long, women have not been heard or believed if they dare speak the truth to the power of those men. But their time is up. Their time is up.”
The 2018 Women’s March is a planned rally and follow-up to the 2017 Women’s March, scheduled to take place on January 20th and 21, 2018. Demonstrations and marches are expected nationwide [in US], primarily on January 20th.[1] Emerging themes of the 2018 events are voting and women running for office.[2] The Women’s Marches are coinciding with Impeachment Marches, also being held worldwide.
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Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
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Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
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Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammage’s Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australia’s forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmers’s third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief – beyond the tax cuts – although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
“Three Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.” ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallace’s debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that he’s always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe it’s something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. She’s ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whānau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says ‘outlook not great’ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: What’s KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertson’s valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules – and costs – that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didn’t know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race he’d dreamed ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 24 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. It’s not as if we haven’t done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didn’t say: “Oh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.” No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
NEWSMAKERS:By Vijay Narayan, news director of FijiVillage Blessed to be part of the University of Fiji (UniFiji) faculty to continue to teach and mentor those who want to join our noble profession, and to stand for truth and justice for the people of the country. I was privileged to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarctica’s glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer “yes” to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if they’re experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey caught the headlines yesterday, courtesy of a blistering speech condemning the latest GST carve-up. New South Wales, he claimed, would be A$11.9 billion worse off over the ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Kokoda Station, Northern province, at the start of his state visit to Papua New Guinea. Both Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape will meet with the locals and the Northern Provincial government before they begin their ...
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When I was a young follow at the time of Mamas Tangi one day all the children went down to the Waiapu river for a swim it was the day she was buried the aunties were not happy we were all covered in mud as we were all playing in it my younger brother was worse his blond hair was all covered in mud and the Tangi was to be held in 10 mins LOL there was no power so it was crank the old pot belle stove up to heat the water for a shower It was a big Tangi . That nite 2 of my close cousin decided they wanted to get there asses kicked they put some sheets on and acted like a kehua they sceared the shit out of a old kuia they were moaning about there sore ass for a while it was so funny.
There was a creek that ran along the riverside we would go catching eels in this creek a lot its gone now washed away by the Waiapu river when she is in flood .
When I stayed at Waiomatatini we were living in Mamas old house it had a wood stove no power it was light the lantern .This house had a beautiful view of the Waiapu river mouth Its not there now one day I would like to build me a house there.
I had a uncle he was the fisherman of Waiomatatini he would let everyone know when the kahawai was running at the Waiapu river mouth we would all go to the river mouth and catch fish .We would salt fish and dry it smoke fish and my favourite was bottled Kahawai .
We would ride our horses to Port Awanui along the way we would get mussels at the port we would gather Paua and walk around the rocks and pick Parengo off the rocks and pick huge Pupus off the rocks this was a wounder full experience gathering seafood from OUR whenua ka pai.
It is because of not having power that I researched solar power 20 years ago I started
this and in the process I learned about mother earths man made climatic change so all the information I put out there on climate change is from a neutral perspective and facts . All the people of Tairawhiti would benefit hugely by having solar power installed there power bills are huge and the last I heard the lines company was going to phase out there service Solar wind and micro hydro would benefit the iwi immensely I would pick solar power in most instances as unless you are good at fixing things and can maintain hydro and wind power were as solar you top up the batteries with water and clean the panels and change batteries you could pay some one to change batteries as its not often one has to do this . I could build my own solar setup for $8000 to server a large family and no power bill this is a dream of my to take this technology to benefit my Tairawhiti iwi . Ka kite ano
Beautiful post, about living with nature, and the best use of renewable energy. Thanks, eco maori.
Good interesting comment eco maori. You are getting as good as Robert Guyton at keeping us in touch with the natural world and ideas on practicality for the simple living style.
Good thinking about solar. Soon we should have a fund that will be available to be applied to when people have a good and practical idea for those who are unlikely to afford it. For Maori, the politicians might please the broad population, if they teamed up with iwi who have had reparation payments so that both are supporting the local people, the iwi rohe.
I forgot my link here it is thanks Carolyn
https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/99859535/our-supercharged-future-electric-vehicles-to-make-up-40-per-cent-of-fleet-by-2040
From my research crown lead acid batteries are the most reliable cost effective battery to use you have to shop around as the price can vary by 30%.
I think that our government could offer tax rebates for solar and electric cars as there is no up front cost to our government we can’t just let things carry on as they are we will benefit immensely from more elictric cars and renewable energy. Ka kite ano
The sandflys were following me to and from work yesterday and using good people they have infected with there virus to try and break me but kao PS they wont follow me under a toll bridge I know why but it has me asking a lot of questions as should you . I will post these stories on the day before open mike so as not to hamper the wonderful new post on open mikes new day ka pai .
One thing I bet crime is dropping in Rotorua and Tauranga as everyone knows about my storie of being harresed by the police this is well known in Rotorua.
I know My calls for OUR people to keep out trouble is being heard ka pai
Some of the people infected by the sandflys virus think they have ECO Thunder worked out but no your adviser is wrong one has to stop helping the sandflys and treat Me and my whano fairly and humanely then thing will change for the better
take heed people this is not just about me now this is about me getting equality for all people all beings and mother earth and leaving behind a prosperous positive future for all OUR mokos .Ka kite ano
The new tesla powerwalls are available in NZ and are supposed to be fantastic batteries.
https://www.tesla.com/en_NZ/powerwall
You (and others) may be interested in watching this Youtube channel, DIY powerwall.
They use recycled 18650 batteries in arrays, which is what they do in the powerwall and the Tesla.
The important piece missing from the DIY battery is the charging circuit. The bit that charges the cells correctly and stops them blowing up and burning down your house.
Hi Draco, with my limited understanding of electrical systems I have only briefly watched a few of these, but I would be surprised if he misses out on a critical safety component. Lithium-ion seems to be less likely to overcharge and catch fire, but it would still be a major omission if that aspect was ignored.
https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/126673/charging-li-ion-batteries-in-parallel
Thanks DTB. Looks like there is a good reason to purchase in bulk from the same supplier. I think this Youtuber and others have done so, and/or used wrecked Teslas to get the 18650s for their power walls.
Even the use of a power wall (or similar) to charge up during the low rate night charge, and use during the peak times might be of use to some, but not at current purchase or power prices.
(The ZCell battery that mpledger posts below, look pretty good in terms of safety and reliability)
for a lazy 10K….battery only
Yep – but they are good. quality cost.
This is the battery my husband likes the look of.
https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/redflows-zinc-bromide-zcell-battery-may-have-the-edge-over-lithium-ion/
Lots of really nice properties.
I love your memory stories – thank you eco maori
eco maori (1) … many thanks for a wonderful story of another aspect of your life, living alongside nature. It must have been an amazing respectful lifestyle, sharing and caring amongst your community. The way life should be.
Keep the stories coming eco maori.
The damage neoliberalism did to this country by one of the few politicians who never succumbed to its poisonous ideology.
Jim Anderton.
We should heed his words.
“The cost was enormous, and it wasn’t just in economic terms, it was in social terms – mental health, a massive rise in suicides in New Zealand, and a kind of disillusionment with the Government as being on your side,”
And yet the oligarchs who made away with the loot and the treasonous politicians who abetted them are still called ‘Sir’ and ‘Dame’
Their proper position should be in front of a people’s court.
Then trust in politics would return.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11970987
+ 100 Ed off to mow some lawns ka pai
Thank you for your wonderful post this morning.
Ed;
Thank you for your wonderful summary of Jim Anderton Ed.
We all saw the real face and true heart of humanity in Jim Anderton, even those who never followed his path to a plan for a Government who would be worked for the interests of the 99% and not just “the economic principals who had forgotten the human principals of their “public service” jobs.
Labour now must hold up Jim Anterton as the example the labour movement must ‘aspire to’ in all they plan as a “kinder gentler, warm, caring, Government” as we voted them to give to us and to ensure that they will be re-elected in 2020.
It’s a bit of a cliche, but Anderton was just “a good bloke”. It never seemed to go to his head, and he never appeared smug or arrogant. Passionate, definitely, but never dismissive or imperious.
+100cleangreen
Dena Coster: Living on the Edge: A Māori perspective on the climate crisis
The article focuses on EmilyBailey works with the Para Kore or Zero Waste movement and sits on the Taranaki Regional Council’s policy and planning committee as an iwi representative.
It’s about how climate change is a direct threat to Māori, their resources, culture and land.
Chris Hedges in On Contact has an interview with Charles Derber which I’ve now watched twice. 24 minutes. Charles Derber, Author and Sociologist, discusses the failings of the American left through intersectionality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C4aCCihy7s&ab_channel=RTAmerica
So, what did you take from it? And how does it relate to the left in NZ?
What left in NZ, is what I took from it. We have a so called left government, and still they won’t mention capitalism as the intersectional commonality of so many of
our problems. Let alone if you bring up militarized capitalism, dead on arrival that topic.
Political economy is a topic you can not mention. Look at the way I was repeatedly attacked on this site for pointing out the failings of the labour party at the political economy level.
Economically wise with a change of government, it’s business as usual. How many deaths/suicides of homeless happened over the Christmas/New Year period? How many people are still living in cars? Why have we stopped talking about this?
Socialism in whatever form you embrace, is a criticism of capitalism. Start being critical of it.
We have a ‘left’ government that is too scared of taking on the banks.
I agree that the mainstream political parties in NZ that are labelled “left” have a pretty weak left wing analysis and policies on many crucial issues of both economic and social justice.
I currently have little faith in any real shift towards economic and social justice via political parties in NZ. A strong flax roots movement is needed.
But, to be strong, it needs an alliance of those focused on both economic and social justice. Splitting them as you seem to be doing, will weaken any broad flax roots movement. That just plays into the hands of the neo-libs and neo-cons.
Before the neocon-neolib (social conservatism linked with an economic liberal rhetoric) alliance gained traction internationally, there seemed to be shifts in NZ and elsewhere to have a more inclusive left. I watched bits of a doco on NZOnscreen yesterday, that focused on shifts in NZ Labour in 1980. It featured Jim Anderton quite a bit, plus the new candidate for Mt Albert, a very young Helen Clark.
Clark wanted to include more focus on inequalities that impacted on Maori. Anderton, of course, was focused on stronger left wing principles. There was talk in the doco about a move away from trade unions by a new young generation – which was debatable.
However, at that time, there seemed to be a promise of a more inclusive left that focused on both social and economic justice. And then came Douglas and the neo-liberal traitors within NZ Labour.
So, but the time the 2 rafts of economic and social justice came into power with Clark as PM, and Anderton as deputy, the left was already weakened, and under attack from the media, nationally and internationally.
I’m not asking or prescribing to any splitting. What I’d suggest if we want a broad left movement, we need to include a heavy dose of political economy. This bowing down to liberalism as a economic system which many here do, is the biggest block we have to a flax roots movement.
Intersectionality is a tool we need to use more, not less. What was trumps biggest victory – he won the identity politics game (ugly as it was). We are never going to win by playing the right wing games, even as some have suggested, we play them better.
Hedges wrote an amazing book Death of the Liberal Class
‘The liberal class is facing an untimely demise of its own making. In this provocative new work Chris Hedges explains how liberals sold us out, bankrupted the country and now face a crisis of their own.’
In New Zealand this is the rentier class who sold their principles to get ahead.
Thanks, I prefer to read such arguments than spend more time watching videos.
The reviews and analyses of Hedges’ book are mixed.
He doesn’t seem to blame intersectionality as much as failed institutions in the US:
NPR review:
And lumping in of trade unions with the church and media creates a big problem. Also, the church in NZ is not as influential in politics as NZ.
The New Yorker is dismissive of the lack of supporting evidence.
The Socialist Worker has a more in depth and nuanced analysis:
I think that the middle class was bought off in the 1980s.
Initially the cost of neoliberalism was paid by the working class, but since the GFC austerity has started to eat away at the Middle class’s position.
Too late.
List of Charles Derbers books Carolyn_Nth
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/29320.Charles_Derber
Read some excerpts recentantly from Sociopathic society – will hunt down the link to those for you later today.
Adam, what do you take from these? i actually have other things I need to be doing today, than reading all your links.
The other speaker in the video was Charles Derbers. Just a list of his works – no big reading exercise.
So then, what is it you take from Charles Derber? other than he focuses on the dangers of individualism? And how does this relate to the intersectional politics?
For me. intersectionality is about the systematic oppression (sometimes in the form of economic/financial exploitation) of groups as identified collectively: by race, class, gender, sexuality, able-bodiness, etc. Not much to do with individualism.
He’s not blaming the failure of the left on intersectionality – he’s saying that one aspect of intersectional thinking has fallen away – the focus on capitalism and alternatives to it.
He repeatedly says that there needs to be truly intersectional thinking and that power structures are definitely intersectional. He feels the left has become too splintered, and needs to be more intersectional, not less.
Yes, he criticises “identity politics”, but that’s not the same as criticising intersectionality.
Still an interesting discussion, but he’s pretty dismissive of what he calls identity politics. I do agree with plenty of what he says, but it would have been more interesting to have heard some voices that weren’t from ageing white men, having people speaking about their own beliefs and arguing their own positions rather than just hearing these two guys (who agree with each other) dismissing any views and priorities that don’t match theirs.
Wolff’s book “Fire and Fury” is currently available as a free PDF download over on “Zero Hedge” (by courtesy of Wikileaks.)
Might not last long though . . .
Aagh I love the smell if a bit of theft in the morning
How the fuck does the deliberate infringement of an authors copyright fit with Wikileaks stated purpose of being a multi-jurisdictional public service designed to protect whistleblowers, journalists and activists who have sensitive materials to communicate to the public?
Oh, that’s right, it’s Assange and his vanity project acting on Trump’s behalf, again.
/
I noted a Google request for people to behave fairly in relation to books they had in print and available for purchase as read only on your download.
https://improvebooks.com/
Note to myself: Look further into this – appears to use automation – a mega seach engine – to read and copy other sites then offer them free when the other sites advertise a charge for reading ie google
Download celebrity biographies the amazing life of….
https://improvebooks.c/book/celebrity-biographies-the-amazing-life-of-…
Book Celebrity Biographies – The Amazing Life Of… – Famous Actors PDF Free Download, by Matt Green ISBN : , , Ever wondered how …rose to stardom?
and Google’s response
Celebrity Biographies – The Amazing Life of …and …
https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=VjoPDgAAQBAJ
Matt Green – Biography & Autobiography
If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Google Play or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy.
Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. Book One …..
An interesting review here, on The Spinoff.
It’s occurred to me that the bar has been raised awfully high for Omarosa’s tell-all…
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/365253-5-stories-omarosa-might-tell-after-leaving-the-white-house
It really boggles my mind how the right operate in relation to Trump.
I read blogs and news from both sides of the fence – right and left – and the cognizant dissonance in relation to Trump is staggering.
He’s one of their tribe, and as such they will defend him no matter what. The pathological lying and incendiary rhetoric, not to mention his dumpster fire diplomacy, well that’s all just “fake news”. It’s those dirty liberals telling lies again.
Reading Kiwiblog comments (I know – bad idea) makes me wonder if they are aware of the hypocrisy.
“Obama played golf 30 times last year! That lazy Kenyan!”
“Trump played golf 112 times last year! BEST PREZ EVER!!!”
hypocrisy!!!
Seems more like stupidity!!
One generally implies the other in my book
Laziest prez ever!
https://www.axios.com/scoop-trumps-secret-shrinking-schedule-1515364904-ab76374a-6252-4570-a804-942b3f851840.html?
That’s what happens when your focus is on winning rather than arguing for your values and beliefs. Think of The Hollow Men, and Bill English swallowing dead rats.
The left is subject to these tribal impulses too. I feel them myself whenever anyone (other than me, naturally) offers criticism (valid or otherwise) of Left-wing figures. I have my doubts about Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party, and then my hackles raise whenever someone else articulates exactly the same doubts.
Eco Maori, when I was young we used to go camping at Bowentown. This was half a dozen families and friends putting up their tents for a three week break at the beach.
There was a reserve on which we could camp, which had a natural fresh water spring on the bay side with a view across to Matakana Island.
Over the sand dune was the 5 miles of Waihi Beach, with white sand and six inches thick yards wide swathes of shells and seaweed pods, this side with a view of Mayor Island.
It was a kai moana paradise, living up to the Bay of Plenty name. My school friend Ron and I would lie on the two yard long boat jetty, and watch the seahorses in the clear water below. Ron telling me the male protected the babies by taking them into his mouth in any danger.
We fished off the rocks, foraged for shell food at low tide, or fished from my father’s home built dingy, rowed out ’till we lined up “the best fishing hole” ready by tide turn.
This paradise could be reached by driving along the firm sand at low tide, then all pushing to get the vehicle over the dune at the Bowentown/ Atheree end. The Bowentown heads gave great views, and the camping area had huge pahutukawa.
In the evening Dad and Mum would “pull the net’ on the ocean beach, a happening which drew crowds near and wide, and from an empty beach there would twenty or more suddenly arrive. Dad was always generous with the plentiful catch of mullet.
Sometimes we would go for a trip to Orakau, the rocky headland at the far end of Waihi Beach. This was along five miles of beach then a long climb up and down to fish off the rocks.
Although now there is easy access and the views are still lovely, I was sad to see no shells, and a huge number of boats fouling the water. No seahorses now, and the spring provides water for toilets.
Worse, many years ago when we had a twelve mile fishing limit for foreign vessels, a Russian fishing fleet cleaned out the stock beach side of Mayor Island. The life cycles have never completely recovered to what they were.
But young people never have seen the shells shoals of fish and living rock pools.
They enjoy the sand and surf, never experiencing the living beach.
This is what happens when you ignore public opinion under MMP. Take note pro TPP Labour:
https://www.rt.com/news/415235-germany-grand-coalition-talks-poll/
When did Angela Merkel ignore public opinion?
Your final two sentences are very poignant, Patricia. Much of the world and the humans living there suffer that effect. The only ‘heroic’ action left to humans is to restore the life that’s so thin on the ground now, I reckon. If we can rally our thoughts and actions to do that, everything will change.
Labour in England has a new landscape to contend with according to psephologist Prof Curtice on Strathclyde.
“Labour still thinks of itself as the party of the working class, but in practice it is now almost as accurate to regard it as the party of university educated social liberals. This gives rise to debate in the party about whether it should be trying to recapture the ‘left behind’ working class voters that it appears to have lost – whose views on Brexit are very different from those of the party’s university educated voters.”
https://whatukthinks.org/eu/has-brexit-reshaped-british-politics/
Brexit is what highlights this change. Maybe Brexit is responsible for some of the change.
However as an NZ Labour person is has always being a question: to what degree are we a party of the Social Liberals rather than a working class party.
https://whatukthinks.org/eu/has-brexit-reshaped-british-politics/
Doesn’t Labour always have that issue?
I view it less as a quandary and more as a perpetual source of renewal within the party.
Someone’s got to keep those ruffians’ cardies straight and clean 😉
There’s a new cartoon show starting up – Our Cartoon President – should be (gentle) fun. It’s from the makers of The Late Show, so it won’t exactly be radical, but should probably still raise a chuckle. Apparently they won’t be going over past events (no Rex Tillerson, Mooch or Steve Bannon, unless they get actively involved again).
It starts in the US 2 days before Trump’s first State of the Union address. That should provide good fodder! 😋
What, Bernie blackened by a financial matter?
Unpossible….
The federal probe into a 2010 land deal orchestrated by former Burlington College president Jane Sanders, wife of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has deepened. VTDigger has confirmed that a grand jury has been empaneled and has taken sworn testimony in the case.
[…]
The lingering nature of the federal investigation has frustrated the Sanders family.
According to Politico, the federal probe is “clouding” Sen. Sanders’ outlook and has complicated his decision whether to run for president again in 2020. More immediately, Sanders faces re-election to his Senate seat this year and his step-daughter, Carina Driscoll, has announced a bid for mayor of Burlington.
Burlington College borrowed heavily to finance the purchase of 33 acres of lakefront property from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington. The deal relied on pledged donations and projections of increased enrollment. In 2015, VTDigger reported that Jane Sanders overstated pledged donations in the loan document. Two donors listed in the document told VTDigger at that time that their listed pledges were greater than what their personal financial records showed they gave.
VTDigger also interviewed the largest confirmed donor listed in the loan application. Corinne Bove Maietta, a member of the renowned Burlington Bove’s Restaurant family, disputed the manner in which her pledge was represented by Sanders in the loan agreement.
Maietta said she agreed to give the college an unspecified amount upon her death as a bequest. Documents show, however, Sanders stated in a loan application that Maietta would contribute a series of cash payments totaling $1 million. The payments were to be completed over a period of time, according to records obtained by VTDigger.
https://vtdigger.org/2018/01/07/grand-jury-empaneled-burlington-college-case/
Doing the alt-rights work again I see joe90.
Could have turned it into a piece about the fact that school needed to borrow money to survive in this economy. Even then, they went under.
Or that
“In August 2011, The Daily Beast and Newsweek ranked Burlington College as the number-one school in the United States for free-spirited students.In October 2013, Newsweek named Burlington College as among the 10 colleges in the United States to have the highest rate of participation in student internships in their study field” From the wiki on the school
Just an observation
Did you miss the bit about alleged loan fraud and deliberate misrepresentation.
Of course you did.
As I said, hearsay, and blowing allegations into news are the tactics of the alt-right.
You should try breitbart, they always looking for tools.
Always with the names.
Sad.
btw, other than grammar, editing without acknowledgement is fucking poor form
“btw, other than grammar, editing without acknowledgement is fucking poor form
Now you are just making things up.
Is joe90 right wing?
The American debt scam.
Using information to create fake debt to on-sell to multiple collecting agents.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11971228
A form of a more well known scam – when banks placed bad debts into bundles of assets for on-sale.
Yes SPC an interesting read, and I had a demand from Farmers once years ago. They had provided the wrong banking code for the final payment, and demanded I pay twice and collect a refund later.
This seemed questionable, so I went to a local lawyer who was recommended through the Labour Party. A letter from her caused a complete about face., and an assurance my credit rating would not be affected.
However 5 years later when seeking a bank loan to do renovations I was questioned about my debt to Farmers. I promptly rang the lawyer who provided a copy of the letter I had mislaid in a house shift.
Just shows, a loan, even repaid can cause hassles. I have always kept records of full and final payments since then.
This scam of selling off real and made up debt to collectors, sounds very like the banks chopping up good and bad mortgages scam to sell off as derivatives.
Many people have umpty cards and loans, and may be scammed more easily.
I’ve had the same issue. many years ago I needed power for a new rental and it was refused because of a so called debt with a previous farmers card. several hours later and many WTF phone calls from me it was sorted. Thankfully I have an ‘educated timbre’ so everything was ‘an honest mistake’ when questioned. Gotta wonder how someone less forcefull then myself would have managed..
They’re lashing out.
A Quaker organization that received the 1947 Nobel Peace Prize for its work assisting and rescuing victims of the Nazis is among the blacklisted groups whose senior activists have been barred from entering Israel. Peace activists in Israel who have worked with the group expressed surprise at the decision.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.833556
The Listener this week is running a story on ‘Puppy Hell . Our Secret Breeding Programme.’
The subtitle to the story ( on page 10) asks the following question.
‘ New Zealand has an unregulated puppy breeding industry where unscrupulous operators can flourish, so why aren’t we following the lead of overseas governments?’
Sally Blundell is the author of this disturbing story.
However, pause for a moment.
Read that question again, replacing the words ‘puppy breeding’ with ‘forestry’ or ‘fishing’ or ‘housing rental’ or Fast food’ or..
The list is endless.
In reality, a more worthwhile question would be ‘why is New Zealand such an unregulated country?’
And of course, the answer is the same as it would be to any of the questions.
Because New Zealand adopted an extreme form of neoliberalism in the 1980s and the country has suffered the consequences of that ideology ever since.
The death of Jim Anderton is a reminder of the revolutionary nature of those changes enacted by Douglas and his treasonous crew.
As the great man said,
“The cost was enormous, and it wasn’t just in economic terms, it was in social terms – mental health, a massive rise in suicides in New Zealand, and a kind of disillusionment with the Government as being on your side,”
We should heed his words.
Until we criticise and tear down the actual economic system , we are trapped with all the awful effects of free market neoliberal capitalism. It may be cruelty to dogs, it may be forestry workers’ deaths, it may be an obese population, it may be soaring suicide rates, it may be terrible working conditions, the root cause of all is neoliberalism.
And by not looking at the big picture, Blundell does what so many liberal thinkers do. They miss the target.
And their article is only useful for wrapping takeaways.
Ed, don’t let’s forget that Anderton was DP in the Clark administration from 1999 to 2002, and stayed on as Minister of Economic Development after that. He certainly didn’t see that government as neoliberal, and I don’t think he would put that label on the current one either. He did lots to help turn back the tide on neoliberalism within the Labour Party, ironically having more success with this after he had stepped away from it. While there were certainly disagreements in the Clark-Anderton-Cullen relationship, he had a positive influence within that government. Paid parental leave, Kiwibank, increases in the minimum wage – thanks, Jim (and Helen, and Michael).
Anderton was always ready to criticise what he saw as unfair or wrong, but he didn’t “tear down the actual economic system” – he helped to (re)build protections and supports that the state should offer its citizens.
Do you see my point about articles like the puppy story which miss the big picture?
+1 Ed
and leaky buildings….
All the same….
And Pike River – the consequence of a deregulated mining industry.
The message of the Iranian protesters is one we could all take to heart. No longer should we choose politically between bad and worse.
https://rdln.wordpress.com/2018/01/03/no-longer-should-there-be-a-choice-between-bad-and-worse-mass-protests-break-out-in-iran/
Oprah Winfrey’s acceptance speech for the Cecil B DeMille lifetime contribution award at the Emmys (9m): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyBims8OkSY
As Sir Alex would say, it’s squeaky bum time for a lot of rich, powerful men.
China’s put a ban on taking the world’s plastic stuff for recycle and reuse.
The depot in Auckland can only handle some plastics, not all.
Any hope that the gummint will pass a few laws and regulations saying that no plastics can be sold or used here that we can’t recycle?
Any hope that we can set up manufacturing in more towns than Sacred Auckland to use the recycle material instead of adding more carbon to the air for ‘shipping coals to Newcastle’?
Another three processors? Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin or even the wild West Coast. With the best anti-pollution technologies we can develop and keep on refining.
A ‘temporary’ business until we’ve scaled back the profligate use of this muck and cleaned up our fresh and salty waters. Coupled with alternative packaging from starches, which are already available.
And good luck, Wen’an county. Hope the land and waters return to the quality they had before the plastics blight came to town.
While looking up John Wydham on google I came across this from one of his short stories and it’s what I have been thinking lately myself.
Book Review: The Seeds Of Time – John Wyndham – Uncertain Tales
https://uncertaintales.wordpress.com/…/book-review-the-seeds-of-time-john-wyndha…
Jan 3, 2015 – Book Review: The Seeds Of Time – John Wyndham. Seeds of Time – John Wyndham.
‘Ingenious you certainly were – like monkeys. But you neglected your philosophers – to your own ruin. Each new discovery was a toy. You never considered its true worth. You just pushed it into your system – a system …
?
So the latest story is ‘they’ are moving the ‘bad people’ to Guantanamo Bay ? And there is some major shit going down globally, with regards to the Clinton’s et al ?
I haven’t a clue?
But supposedly John Podesta hasn’t tweeted for a month
And you can see H C hasn’t for 5-6 days
Bill ( I didn’t think he new how to use a computer?) 8 – 9 days
Obama 9 – 10 days, and supposedly publishing a 2 year old Christmas photo of him and the girls?
Bill Gates is fine, or has bots doing his stuff?
So yeah, who has gone missing?
Is anyone talking about this? I haven’t been here for a while?
Bill posted a comment on his Twitter yesterday, but still nothing from HC or Barack ?
A gender inequality demonstration that is clear, specific and indefensible (UK I know, but I doubt it is any different here), and in a jurisdiction with equality statutes!…a gutsy action by someone that is likely have real personal cost (as opposed to a wardrobe choice)….all power to her.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jan/08/carrie-gracie-letter-in-full
Oprah Winfrey at Golden Globes.
‘Addressing victims of sexual abuse, Oprah noted that the recent revelations about Hollywood’s endemic sexual misconduct go well beyond the entertainment industry, noting that the issue “transcends transcends any culture, geography, race, religion, politics, or workplace”.
She went on: “So I want tonight to express gratitude to all the women who have endured years of abuse and assault because they, like my mother, had children to feed and bills to pay and dreams to pursue. They’re the women whose names we’ll never know. They are domestic workers and farm workers. They are working in factories and they work in restaurants and they’re in academia, engineering, medicine, and science. They’re part of the world of tech and politics and business. They’re our athletes in the Olympics and they’re our soldiers in the military.”
Winfrey then referenced Recy Taylor, a black woman who was abducted in 1944 in Alabama and raped by six men. When her story was reported to the NAACP, Winfrey explained, Rosa Parks investigated her case but was unable, in the Jim Crow era, to prosecute her abusers. “Recy Taylor died 10 days ago, just shy of her 98th birthday,” Winfrey said. “She lived as we all have lived, too many years in a culture broken by brutally powerful men. For too long, women have not been heard or believed if they dare speak the truth to the power of those men. But their time is up. Their time is up.”
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jan/08/golden-globes-2018-three-billboards-ebbing-missouri-oprah-winfrey
Women’s March, Jan 20-21, 2018.
Also some planned outside the US.
Women’s march
power to the polls – anniversary
London march: Times Up