No comments yet. Everyone must be having a lie in. I know people on here are very tribal, but I do find today that both Labour and National are very similar and have both moved towards the centre. IMO it almost makes no difference which is the ruling party.
I don’t think reviewing NZ education curriculum by curriculum is the best approach. For example, a number of NCEA 1 subjects have been dropped but where/when are they now covered, if at all? To me it seems NZ education will continue to muddle through with uncertainty and lack of decisive visionary leadership. ACT is waiting in the wings with Charter Schools, which is no more than a plaster for some and does not address the system as a whole, which is just typical of those liberals.
The age-old problem of using surrogate measures, which in some cases are poor substitutes.
"In my experience in New Zealand, we are very good at coming up with solutions on a local basis. But identification and provision for equitable access of science education to all high-ability students is needed," says Dr. Moeed.
Indeed, local, ad hoc, reductionist, and aimed at symptoms rather than causes seems to be the ‘pragmatic’ approach here in NZ to many ills & evils. Where are our visionary leaders with deep-thinking skills and broad open minds?
That’s a rather unfortunate way of framing, IMO. Sure, they were tied up with political and ideological agendas and vested interests, but they also tried or claimed to address the issue of the long tail in NZ education. Quite a few people were genuinely supportive and work hard with the best of intentions to make a positive difference. To write them off is doing them and the children a huge disfavour and is unfair, IMHO.
I think the idea was for the state schools to wash their hands of the problem kids and they could be dumped in charters presumably just to be trained to read nothing but the Bible.
I rather think it was the other way round, Millsy. Charter schools would take lower decile students, and prove that state schools were failing these students, by making successes of them. They then tried to carefully cherry-pick lower decile students who would succeed anyway, but didn't quite do it right, and had to then quietly get rid of obvious upcoming failures.. They then found it was not so bloody easy to teach then anyway, so very few of the Charter Schools achieved anything like the superiority over the state system that they had claimed.
And where did our “Tomorrow’s Schools” review go ?? And now we have Haque now informing us that there are issues, we’ll sh@$ you are leading the eduction reviews Ffs lead.
we have had this century 4+ terms of a labour led government , that is now a 2nd generation being impacted from inaction and a race to the bottom. But keep on wishing, as every day you wish for action our children are missing out
I did not realise that I was so powerful- And schools already collaborate in not only this local area but other areas where family members teach.
Next time don't make sh^& up by making comments directed at me of something I have never said. But then if it suits your argument be like an Orange man in making things up.
You are on record as opposing any effort to stop schools competing, and bring back the education boards.
I would trust a public servant over a Karen any day in terms of running a school.
[You made a specific assertion about another commenter here. Please back it up with a link(s) or withdraw and apologise, thanks, or cop a ban – Incognito]
[Two weeks off for not backing up your allegations about another commenter or not withdrawing & apologising – Incognito]
Don't go fishing – Where is there any commentary by me that supports your comments ??
I gather you don't have any. There has been recently many occasions where commentators have been ask under threats of time in the corner for making unlinked comments as yours.
Put up then, without resorting to cheep name calling.
Millsy has the wrong end of the stick again. I do not believe that Herodotus is opposed to schools collaborating. Maybe he upset Millsy by arguing against some aspect back when National introduced a superficial policy of that type..
The rot actually starts in Early Childhood Education which was given over to private enterprise with the predictable consequences. If you don't get it right there the rest is built on a very shaky foundation
Well speaking as someone on the bottom of the financial pile there is a lot of difference. Labour's increase to core benefits plus the winter warmth payment and the end of the beneficiary hunting season has been a great help to me.
(meant as a reply to Jester)
But all that shows is that benefits core base should be way higher so that no supplementals – heating allowance, accom benefit, hard ship grants etc- are needed in the first place. And that was categorically ruled out before the second term. So that is it. The sum total of 6 years when all is set and done, a heating payment and a wee bit of an increase that does not hold up with anything. I don't say that it is not a bit better, on a scale of 1 – 10 you are 1 bit better off then you were before.
So this is again an exercise in doing nothing much where it is needed, and with the next government come in the supplementals like the heating allowance can just simply be canned and thus nothing was achieved other then a few drops on a hot stone for a few years.
In the meantime more people homeless, more people unemployed (well women people, people of color, other abled people, white men – as per the stats of the government are doing well), house prices even more unaffordable then they were 4 years ago, rents more unaffordable then they were 4 years ago, water, electricity and food up.
This is not to diminish that what little was done is to a benefit to you and others on a benefit, that personally is great, but it was no more then a drip on a hot stone.
And thus, there really is no real difference between the Nats and the Labs, and i would venture a guess that the 25 NZD benefit raise (core benefit) under Nat also would have helped a bit in the moment but as with Labours peanuts it changed nothing long term. Too little, in most cases to late, is just that, too little to late.
Apologies for shouting – I was feeling angry at the suggestion that the increases of Labour and National were similar. – Also forgot the reduced Doctor's charges
sometimes it's appropriate to shout I think, although should be used rarely. In this instance, regulars on TS have been repeatedly told that National's benefit raise was for only some beneficiaries. Shouting sometimes gets the message through (or at least gives some sense that it might).
I agree that general use of bold is annoying for moderation.
And not every one on the benefit have equally benefitted from changes under Labour.
The point is not to minimize what changes have been made, my friend is very happy with her heating allowance, her reduced doctors bills etc. But still every few month she is at the office – virtually – so to speak asking for help with some bills because it is not enough.
Same as it was not enough with National.
So my issue is not with 'who is being more generous' with the pennies that are being dispensed but my issue is that both sides are 'stingy beyond believe and need' with the pennies that they dispense.
By comparing two mediocre responses to a huge problem in our society, we are actually not discussing the need that exists, but rather the trickle down responses to it.
there's a problem with saying there is no difference between National and Labour. It's factually incorrect in important ways. And it discourages the underclass from being politically active to effect change.
Both increased rates, to some extend. Both have not done enough. The labour party has campaigned on not doing anything else for beneficiaries and got voted in on this promise among others – those dear cross over fiscal conservatives votes came in handy winning an all out majority..
So yes, in my personal opinion, they are both the same when it comes to increasing the benefits of all beneficiaries to such an extend that it would be at the very lest 480.00 per week (covid relieve for full timer after tax). Missing in action and hiding behind meaningless feel good rethoric.
The need is still there and raising. Both Parties for the longest time have failed. Both parties do nothing more then tinker on the edges – both parties do this to the extend that they need to not upset the people whose vote they want.
As for the underclass……we have 1 million people that don't vote, and not all of them are underclass. And quite a few of the underclass will not vote for Labour or Green or any other left leaning party because conservative / religious/ libertarian etc. I would not consider the 'underclass' a monolithic voting block that will vote reflexively for a so called social leaning party.
So you are happy to tip your cap to the government for reluctantly giving you some chump change For your total deviation and loyalty ?
when should it be determined that much govt handouts are inadequate then address the real issue. Hope you spend the 40 pieces of silver wisely.
Be it housing, poverty, inequality etc Labour only dish out the min, IF THAT🥵
Last winter that chump change was $65 a week maybe that's chump change to you – I found it pretty helpful – I remember well the National government – the threats ,the promises of crackdowns , the continued demonisation of those least able to defend themselves (me included). The only structural change I remember was reducing the maximum length of a Doctor's medical Certificate from 5 years to 2 years – great stuff to increase the level of fear and uncertainty among the long term mentally ill
seriously, you're calling beneficiaries spending what little the government give them a bribe for betrayal? We all know what Labour is doing is not enough, but that's not he fault of beneficiaries who are grateful for the relief.
I will spell this out for you, that I have commented many time before.
If there is a problem fix it, if benefits are not adequate increase them. What this and other governments do is add ons. But NOT addressing the issue directly.
Those in need, after the tokenism are less in need. But has their needs been fully met ? Less Poor is STILL Poor. Those in less Need are still in need 🤬
dude, I'm a politicised long term beneficiary. I know what the state of play is. Reread my comment. Beneficiaries are entitled to feel relieved and even grateful when their income increases, esp those that have been struggling to eat properly, get medical care, look after their kids.
Try this from the Greens commenting on Nationals deficient increases in benefits in 2016 – Same can now be applied to this government. So where are The Greens now and that their government has "Not" ensured that every family got the help they need. But hey, they should be grateful for the little they are given. That will fix this
“If the Government really cared about helping children living in families on the breadline, it would have ensured every child in every family got the help they need. Instead it chose to do the bare minimum,” Ms Logie said.
It's not the Greens' govt. It's a Labour majority govt, and the Greens are once again still largely locked out of having input on welfare. Talk to Labour voters about that, not me.
2. I've long argued against the child poverty approach politically because it separates beneficiaries into deserving and undeserving poor. Children are innocent and should be fed, ill and disabled adults can get fucked. Not that advocates see it like that, but they are buying into dangerous framing that National uses against us.
It is not The Greens Govt – But where is their response now to Labours inadequate increases, and why are so many that were vocal now not so ? As you said TG have been locked out so why not comment ?
As what has been done in increasing benefits does not ensure that every child gets the help… Perhaps they 2 were gifted 30 pieces for their silence or some offices of power? And as Sabine has stated what is the difference ?? or perhaps, The Greens don't benchmark their statements that had been made towards national and apply them now. Just thinking out loud 😉
no, you're just making shit up. So sick of this bullshit too. Been hearing it for decades, and it never pans out. They consistently step up and do what is needed, including holding Labour to account.
The Greens won't go as far as to say Labour's breached the agreement, but Green Party spokesperson for social development Jan Logie said the overhaul promised "should include a well overdue increase to the benefit."
he increased pressure on Labour comes after a dramatic surge in the number of grants issued to low-income New Zealanders for basic needs like food and accommodation.
The welfare figures for July show hardship grants for basic needs like food and accommodation have increased to nearly half-a-million – from 267,244 in June 2017 to 487,539 in June 2019.
The majority of grants were for food, which have increased by 100,000 since the coalition Government was elected. Spending on emergency housing grants has doubled to $66m in the same timeframe.
The Greens say the increase in grants is down to benefits that are too low to meet the cost of living.
The Government indexed benefits to the average wage in Budget 2019, meaning they will increase in line with wages. That'll mean benefits increase by an extra $10 to $17 a week by 2023. The Greens say indexing benefits "does not represent an overhaul of the welfare system."
"It will not result in any more money for almost a year which clearly doesn't reflect the urgency of this situation," Logie said.
Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni told Newshub the indexation is "just a part of the overhaul of the system".
In the meantime Jan Logie and/ or the Green Party is/are still correct in the assessment that the hardship grants are just a window to the obviouis, the main benefits are not high enough, and that is ongoing as per the government owns stats.
A total of 634,207 hardship assistance payments, worth $215,069,392 were granted during the December 2020 quarter.
These figures are higher than the hardship assistance granted during the December 2019 quarter, when there were 573,851 hardship assistance payments worth $165,380,115.
Hardship assistance includes, but is not limited to: Special Needs Grants (SNGs), Benefit Advances (ADVs) and Recoverable Assistance Payments (RAPs). These forms of assistance are designed to help people who have immediate needs. The numbers reported for hardship assistance granted are sums of grants granted within the December quarter (i.e. 1 October to 31 December). Hardship assistance contains all ages data, rather than working-age only (i.e. 18 to 64).
Special Needs Grants:
The number of Special Needs Grants granted was 51,468 higher during the December 2020 quarter when compared with the same period last year.
The value of grants granted increased from $88,815,126 during the December 2019 quarter to $130,770,852 during the December 2020 quarter.
A Special Needs Grant provides non-taxable, one-off recoverable or non-recoverable financial assistance for people to meet immediate needs. A person does not need to be receiving a main benefit to be eligible for a Special Needs
TheGreens are not currently in the position to do much.
Fwiw, this is Labours and only Labours failure. They knew that the benefits were to short, lowly, miserly already when Key replaced Clark, and nothing has changed since. Their failure to stand up to the voting public in Sept /Oct and take some risk in what was a won election from the onset is what makes them mediocre and not much different from the Nats in my opinion. No guts, no glory.
And thus eventually they arrive at the position of 'i have tried nothing and everything failed, what else could i have possibly done'. Well you could have campaigned on raising the benefit levels for all, remove the unemployment benefits from relationship status, and finally admit that children are poor in this country because their parents are poor, or have fallen into poverty. Just a few suggestions.
Comes across as bitter and with an axe to grind. $25 plus $40 pw winter payments (for a 6 month duration) is not insignificant at all.
Prior to increase a base rate of around $202 in the hand.
Add $45 per week.
That's over 20% more in the hand. Also, state house tenants not living in fear of evictions, market rents, P-tests, drug tests, doxing etc as National like to do. So what's Sabine's deal other than grinding an axe. Poor people know there's a clear difference between Labour and National. Sure, Labour could do more. To say they're the same is some fanciful bullshit.
I'd add that with Labour there's the chance of good change, because they're at least facing in the right direction. National were going as fast as they could get away with in NZ down the proto-fascist pathway and beneficiaries were one of the front lines with that. Bill English's big data plans were horrendous. The Bennett Reforms were neoliberal punitive welfare on steroids. Labour have done some shit stuff, National took it to a whole new level. Ardern's Labour look to me like they're not going to do enough (thanks Labour voters), but they're not doing nothing and they're certainly not taking us in the direction that National were.
It pretty much confirms the suspicion I've always had that the women were trading off the abuse claims. Assange comes across to me as repulsive, but the woman who wrote the book invited him to stay with her, knowing pretty much what he was like. She has acknowledged she wanted to have sex with the man.
In terms of the allegations, it seems like it was a bit of a storm in a tea cup. Most women would accept they were partly to blame by encouraging the person in the first place, and hopefully move on having learnt from the experience.
As far as the "shit storms" over the case… I think some of it is identity politics taken too far. Now lets wait for the shit fight to begin. 😉
Not exactly on topic, but I'll be watching with interest what happens with Assange's extradition case once Merrick Garland gets confirmed as Attorney General.
Garland's history is fairly strong on the press having a right to publish, and Biden seems to have evolved from his 2010 views calling Assange a high-tech terrorist. So I'm kinda hopeful for the extradition to be dropped along with a statement that press freedom to publish is such an important right that the extradition case should never have been brought.
not sure what the point in posting that is. It's a fairly useless piece of reporting, and posting it here will open up TS for another round of rape culture denial. See Anne's comment below. So sick of this shit, and at a time when there's barely any feminist presence on TS, it just ends up being echo chamber affirmation of the status quo around women and sexual assault.
He he that reminds me of a story. Back in the 80s a friend of mine was on the Ponsonby Community Committee and the subject of street trees came up. My friend suggested planting fruit trees. The response from one woman was that you couldn't do that because the children might eat the fruit! Ponsonby was in the process of being gentrified at the time so was slowly being infested with the 'upwardly mobile'
Yes, i used to live in Grey Lynn when first moving to AKL. And gosh, there were boxes of free fruit out on Williamson Ave from the private houses. Now they mostly have rock gardens and house chartered accountants.
I plant fruit trees with a vengance. Its my great hobby.
Hedgerows could be a green and sappy venous system for the body landscape for all NZ. Insects, birds, fungi and bipedal walkers could flow from place to place, sheltered and fed all the way. Hamlets might form at the intersections and foot-traffic take its rightful place as the preferred form of travel. News might travel by hedgerow rather than wire or fibre, story-tellers in Lincoln green could….hang on! Anyone read Riddley Walker???
The roads in between make for good tracktor roads if they are a shared commodity and also allow for walking/cycling as a form of transport. As someone who used to cycle a lot this is the one thing that i miss, the old tracktor/walking/pilgrimage roads that often times have at least on one side a hedgerow growing.
Hi I'm a time traveler from the 1700s that the hanky to return to . Most of us were dead by 40 and we were ruled by feudal cunts ,take it from me you are much better off now.
It seems that way, Time Traveller, but if I may ask: did your activities in the 17 hundreds bring the natural world to the brink of collapse? It's kind of a pressing issue for us in the 20-20's and it may be that our own children and grandchildren will have far shorter lives even, than yours. All the best with your mission.
To be fair, that rough life expectancy was skewed by a massive infant mortality rate that wasn't the fault of hedgerows. It wasn't exactly unheard of to get to your 70s or 80s even in those days.
My point is RG s dream of the world becoming a small holding utopia, it's a pointless dream that helps not one bit with modern day problems, you can lump the whole power down mob in there to . Imho
It's an intriguing approach – to belittle and dismiss the efforts of one who is trialling alternative solutions to the 'pickle' of modern day problems. All civilisations fail – spaceship Earth simply can't sustain the one we've crafted – we (all) need to make changes.
It's prudent to work on improving societal resilience in order to retain at least some of the privileges that ‘the golden billion‘ enjoy. Imho.
The Public Will Never Go For That! [8 Feb 2021]
Which story do you think most business leaders and citizens have chosen to believe? The one that says there’s still time, that we can “solve” the problem if, if, if only, and that we can get where we need to get by painless baby steps. Starting in five years.
But they [climate scientists] told me there was another reason they didn’t say what they really believed, what they really knew, in public. And that was that they were afraid that a dire message that told people they had to make drastic changes in their own lifestyles, and major sacrifices, now, would simply be unacceptable to their audiences. They would not be invited back. They would be discounted as crazies, alarmists. People would simply not listen. People only want to hear reassurances, comforts, good news. Even if it’s untrue.
Now, to me, that’s defeatism. It indicates a failure to appreciate that throughout history people have been willing to make huge changes to the way they live, if everyone else is willing (perhaps with some cajoling) to do their part, too. And that’s the rub. We have given up believing in the potential for large-scale collective action in the public good. We have given up on each other.
That’s dreadfully understandable. Self-interested corporatists, conservatives and their media use the public will never go for that as a club to beat down any suggestion that large-scale collective action is possible. The public will never go for medicare for all. The public will never agree to make sacrifices to mitigate climate change. The public will never give up their guns, their cars, their vacation flights, to reduce needless deaths, global warming, or the spread of a pandemic.
The problem is, we don’t know that that’s true. Many countries have medicare for all, and have made major sacrifices for the benefit of all their citizens, including, if reluctantly, in New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan and other countries that have beaten CoVid-19 and long ago returned to near-normal lives.
Still, I'm undeterred by your misreading of my views 🙂
"Small holding utopia"?
Nah.
I see adaptation no matter where "you" are, no matter what you're doing.
It's a cultural thing – our present culture is not proving sustainable, so we (all) must change. Sticking to our guns will leave us … stuck to our guns.
I'd love to see more and bigger beards in the House. Most people think "patriarchy" when they see a substantial beard, but in fact, cascading beards reflect a growing feminine aspect; it's far more common to see long, curling locks on a the head of a woman than it is a man and the increased sensitivity to breeze, bramble-snagging and tugs by grandchildren help develop a more aware human; think buzz-cut American grunt as compared with fully-tressed 70's hippie from the cast of Hair 🙂
In fact, Mallard has form in this area. Soon after Brash's infamous Orewa speech, the Clark regime made the strategic decision to ease back on its support for Māori. This would apparently make the bigots who comprised Brash's base think twice, and appreciate that Labour was not "too P.C."
Clark could not be seen to lower herself to such dodgy behaviour, so Mallard was given the role of attack dog. One of the most unpleasant things he did was to publicly complain about the length of pōwhiri at parliamentary and other functions.That won him praise from people like Paul Holmes and Sean Plunket, but there is no evidence that the racists abandoned National and rushed to Labour.This disastrous reset in Labour policy culminated in Clark making her contemptuous statements about the Foreshore and Seabed protestors—"I'd rather meet Shrek the Sheep," she intoned, mirthlessly.
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Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
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. ...
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 ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
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 ...
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 ...
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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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra Shutterstock An important principle was invoked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week in defence of the government’s Future Made in Australia industry ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Security forces reinforcements were sent from France ahead of two rival marches in the capital Nouméa today, at the same time and only two streets away one from the other. One march, called by Union Calédonienne party (a component of the ...
A poll last August found that just 16% of New Zealanders oppose bringing back the ‘Three Strikes’ law. The nationwide poll of 1,000 New Zealanders was commissioned by Family First NZ and carried out by Curia Market Research. ...
The solo show from Ana Scotney is both sprawling and intimate, and a must-see, writes Mad Chapman. In the opening moments of Scattergun: After the Death of Rūaumoko, writer and performer Ana Scotney lays out the groundwork, literally. Silently moving around the square stage, Scotney is not so much dancing ...
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No comments yet. Everyone must be having a lie in. I know people on here are very tribal, but I do find today that both Labour and National are very similar and have both moved towards the centre. IMO it almost makes no difference which is the ruling party.
Coming from an education background I can see Labour making moves to unravel the mess that National got it into. Long way to go yet tho!
I don’t think reviewing NZ education curriculum by curriculum is the best approach. For example, a number of NCEA 1 subjects have been dropped but where/when are they now covered, if at all? To me it seems NZ education will continue to muddle through with uncertainty and lack of decisive visionary leadership. ACT is waiting in the wings with Charter Schools, which is no more than a plaster for some and does not address the system as a whole, which is just typical of those liberals.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/124148144/new-zealand-failing-to-identify-highachieving-science-students-at-school-research-finds
https://educationhq.com/news/schools-are-failing-to-identify-high-ability-science-students-study-90006/
The age-old problem of using surrogate measures, which in some cases are poor substitutes.
https://phys.org/news/2021-02-schools-high-ability-science-students.html
Indeed, local, ad hoc, reductionist, and aimed at symptoms rather than causes seems to be the ‘pragmatic’ approach here in NZ to many ills & evils. Where are our visionary leaders with deep-thinking skills and broad open minds?
I always thought that Charter Schools were set up as a dumping ground for the bottom 20% of pupils.
That’s a rather unfortunate way of framing, IMO. Sure, they were tied up with political and ideological agendas and vested interests, but they also tried or claimed to address the issue of the long tail in NZ education. Quite a few people were genuinely supportive and work hard with the best of intentions to make a positive difference. To write them off is doing them and the children a huge disfavour and is unfair, IMHO.
I think the idea was for the state schools to wash their hands of the problem kids and they could be dumped in charters presumably just to be trained to read nothing but the Bible.
I believe you’re wrong and misinformed but feel free to find evidence in support. You may want to avoid Bible-bashing, if you can, thanks.
I rather think it was the other way round, Millsy. Charter schools would take lower decile students, and prove that state schools were failing these students, by making successes of them. They then tried to carefully cherry-pick lower decile students who would succeed anyway, but didn't quite do it right, and had to then quietly get rid of obvious upcoming failures.. They then found it was not so bloody easy to teach then anyway, so very few of the Charter Schools achieved anything like the superiority over the state system that they had claimed.
And where did our “Tomorrow’s Schools” review go ?? And now we have Haque now informing us that there are issues, we’ll sh@$ you are leading the eduction reviews Ffs lead.
we have had this century 4+ terms of a labour led government , that is now a 2nd generation being impacted from inaction and a race to the bottom. But keep on wishing, as every day you wish for action our children are missing out
Well people like you were horrified at the idea of schools collaborating and getting proper support so the government backed down.
The wealthier schools like AGC, Rangitoto, etc depend on the poorer schools failing
I did not realise that I was so powerful- And schools already collaborate in not only this local area but other areas where family members teach.
Next time don't make sh^& up by making comments directed at me of something I have never said. But then if it suits your argument be like an Orange man in making things up.
You are on record as opposing any effort to stop schools competing, and bring back the education boards.
I would trust a public servant over a Karen any day in terms of running a school.
[You made a specific assertion about another commenter here. Please back it up with a link(s) or withdraw and apologise, thanks, or cop a ban – Incognito]
[Two weeks off for not backing up your allegations about another commenter or not withdrawing & apologising – Incognito]
Don't go fishing – Where is there any commentary by me that supports your comments ??
I gather you don't have any. There has been recently many occasions where commentators have been ask under threats of time in the corner for making unlinked comments as yours.
Put up then, without resorting to cheep name calling.
a Karen? Please don't bring that politically dodgy term here. Just use a few more words to say what you mean.
See my Moderation note @ 4:30 PM.
Millsy has the wrong end of the stick again. I do not believe that Herodotus is opposed to schools collaborating. Maybe he upset Millsy by arguing against some aspect back when National introduced a superficial policy of that type..
Thanks but it is for millsy to front up or come clean. Let’s see what millsy is made of otherwise millsy will be marching.
See my second Moderation note @ 4:30 PM.
The rot actually starts in Early Childhood Education which was given over to private enterprise with the predictable consequences. If you don't get it right there the rest is built on a very shaky foundation
Well speaking as someone on the bottom of the financial pile there is a lot of difference. Labour's increase to core benefits plus the winter warmth payment and the end of the beneficiary hunting season has been a great help to me.
(meant as a reply to Jester)
But all that shows is that benefits core base should be way higher so that no supplementals – heating allowance, accom benefit, hard ship grants etc- are needed in the first place. And that was categorically ruled out before the second term. So that is it. The sum total of 6 years when all is set and done, a heating payment and a wee bit of an increase that does not hold up with anything. I don't say that it is not a bit better, on a scale of 1 – 10 you are 1 bit better off then you were before.
So this is again an exercise in doing nothing much where it is needed, and with the next government come in the supplementals like the heating allowance can just simply be canned and thus nothing was achieved other then a few drops on a hot stone for a few years.
In the meantime more people homeless, more people unemployed (well women people, people of color, other abled people, white men – as per the stats of the government are doing well), house prices even more unaffordable then they were 4 years ago, rents more unaffordable then they were 4 years ago, water, electricity and food up.
This is not to diminish that what little was done is to a benefit to you and others on a benefit, that personally is great, but it was no more then a drip on a hot stone.
And thus, there really is no real difference between the Nats and the Labs, and i would venture a guess that the 25 NZD benefit raise (core benefit) under Nat also would have helped a bit in the moment but as with Labours peanuts it changed nothing long term. Too little, in most cases to late, is just that, too little to late.
The Nats benefit raise WAS ONLY TO SOME BENEFITS not all – Job Seekers and Supported Living GOT NOTHING.
Using capitals is considered shouting on-line and using bold font makes it worse (and might be confused with Moderation here).
Please consider using italics when you want to emphasise something. For example:
FIFY
Apologies for shouting – I was feeling angry at the suggestion that the increases of Labour and National were similar. – Also forgot the reduced Doctor's charges
I totally understand. It is because sometimes it can create ‘bad vibes’.
Hi Barfly, I agree!! There are times when righteous drivel and pro Nat anti Labour is reason to shout.
sometimes it's appropriate to shout I think, although should be used rarely. In this instance, regulars on TS have been repeatedly told that National's benefit raise was for only some beneficiaries. Shouting sometimes gets the message through (or at least gives some sense that it might).
I agree that general use of bold is annoying for moderation.
sad that beneficiaries have to keep yelling about this. Glad the Labour changes have made some difference for you Barfly
And not every one on the benefit have equally benefitted from changes under Labour.
The point is not to minimize what changes have been made, my friend is very happy with her heating allowance, her reduced doctors bills etc. But still every few month she is at the office – virtually – so to speak asking for help with some bills because it is not enough.
Same as it was not enough with National.
So my issue is not with 'who is being more generous' with the pennies that are being dispensed but my issue is that both sides are 'stingy beyond believe and need' with the pennies that they dispense.
By comparing two mediocre responses to a huge problem in our society, we are actually not discussing the need that exists, but rather the trickle down responses to it.
there's a problem with saying there is no difference between National and Labour. It's factually incorrect in important ways. And it discourages the underclass from being politically active to effect change.
Well see i don't think it is factually incorrect.
Both increased rates, to some extend. Both have not done enough. The labour party has campaigned on not doing anything else for beneficiaries and got voted in on this promise among others – those dear cross over fiscal conservatives votes came in handy winning an all out majority..
So yes, in my personal opinion, they are both the same when it comes to increasing the benefits of all beneficiaries to such an extend that it would be at the very lest 480.00 per week (covid relieve for full timer after tax). Missing in action and hiding behind meaningless feel good rethoric.
The need is still there and raising. Both Parties for the longest time have failed. Both parties do nothing more then tinker on the edges – both parties do this to the extend that they need to not upset the people whose vote they want.
As for the underclass……we have 1 million people that don't vote, and not all of them are underclass. And quite a few of the underclass will not vote for Labour or Green or any other left leaning party because conservative / religious/ libertarian etc. I would not consider the 'underclass' a monolithic voting block that will vote reflexively for a so called social leaning party.
So you are happy to tip your cap to the government for reluctantly giving you some chump change For your total deviation and loyalty ?
when should it be determined that much govt handouts are inadequate then address the real issue. Hope you spend the 40 pieces of silver wisely.
Be it housing, poverty, inequality etc Labour only dish out the min, IF THAT🥵
Last winter that chump change was $65 a week maybe that's chump change to you – I found it pretty helpful – I remember well the National government – the threats ,the promises of crackdowns , the continued demonisation of those least able to defend themselves (me included). The only structural change I remember was reducing the maximum length of a Doctor's medical Certificate from 5 years to 2 years – great stuff to increase the level of fear and uncertainty among the long term mentally ill
seriously, you're calling beneficiaries spending what little the government give them a bribe for betrayal? We all know what Labour is doing is not enough, but that's not he fault of beneficiaries who are grateful for the relief.
Yup, it smelled of bad faith but was probably just extremely poorly worded.
the generous interpretation is that he didn't think about what forty pieces of silver means.
the chosen handle suggests otherwise.
Must be because of inflation.
Put my hand up there and own my mistake. 30 not 40 ☹️
I will spell this out for you, that I have commented many time before.
If there is a problem fix it, if benefits are not adequate increase them. What this and other governments do is add ons. But NOT addressing the issue directly.
Those in need, after the tokenism are less in need. But has their needs been fully met ? Less Poor is STILL Poor. Those in less Need are still in need 🤬
+1
dude, I'm a politicised long term beneficiary. I know what the state of play is. Reread my comment. Beneficiaries are entitled to feel relieved and even grateful when their income increases, esp those that have been struggling to eat properly, get medical care, look after their kids.
Try this from the Greens commenting on Nationals deficient increases in benefits in 2016 – Same can now be applied to this government. So where are The Greens now and that their government has "Not" ensured that every family got the help they need. But hey, they should be grateful for the little they are given. That will fix this
“If the Government really cared about helping children living in families on the breadline, it would have ensured every child in every family got the help they need. Instead it chose to do the bare minimum,” Ms Logie said.
https://www.greens.org.nz/half-families-denied-full-benefit-increase
2. I've long argued against the child poverty approach politically because it separates beneficiaries into deserving and undeserving poor. Children are innocent and should be fed, ill and disabled adults can get fucked. Not that advocates see it like that, but they are buying into dangerous framing that National uses against us.
It is not The Greens Govt – But where is their response now to Labours inadequate increases, and why are so many that were vocal now not so ? As you said TG have been locked out so why not comment ?
As what has been done in increasing benefits does not ensure that every child gets the help… Perhaps they 2 were gifted 30 pieces for their silence or some offices of power? And as Sabine has stated what is the difference ?? or perhaps, The Greens don't benchmark their statements that had been made towards national and apply them now. Just thinking out loud 😉
https://www.greens.org.nz/economic_windfall_should_be_funnelled_straight_back_into_communities
no, you're just making shit up. So sick of this bullshit too. Been hearing it for decades, and it never pans out. They consistently step up and do what is needed, including holding Labour to account.
To be fair, they said this in 2019
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/07/greens-call-out-labour-over-failure-to-increase-benefits.html
In the meantime Jan Logie and/ or the Green Party is/are still correct in the assessment that the hardship grants are just a window to the obviouis, the main benefits are not high enough, and that is ongoing as per the government owns stats.
https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/benefit/2020/benefit-fact-sheets/benefit-fact-sheets-snapshot-december-2020.pdf Page 8
TheGreens are not currently in the position to do much.
Fwiw, this is Labours and only Labours failure. They knew that the benefits were to short, lowly, miserly already when Key replaced Clark, and nothing has changed since. Their failure to stand up to the voting public in Sept /Oct and take some risk in what was a won election from the onset is what makes them mediocre and not much different from the Nats in my opinion. No guts, no glory.
And thus eventually they arrive at the position of 'i have tried nothing and everything failed, what else could i have possibly done'. Well you could have campaigned on raising the benefit levels for all, remove the unemployment benefits from relationship status, and finally admit that children are poor in this country because their parents are poor, or have fallen into poverty. Just a few suggestions.
Ok I accept that Greens have made comments of wanting more.
My comments have migrated away from the main point – Inadequate support.
Comes across as bitter and with an axe to grind. $25 plus $40 pw winter payments (for a 6 month duration) is not insignificant at all.
Prior to increase a base rate of around $202 in the hand.
Add $45 per week.
That's over 20% more in the hand. Also, state house tenants not living in fear of evictions, market rents, P-tests, drug tests, doxing etc as National like to do. So what's Sabine's deal other than grinding an axe. Poor people know there's a clear difference between Labour and National. Sure, Labour could do more. To say they're the same is some fanciful bullshit.
I'd add that with Labour there's the chance of good change, because they're at least facing in the right direction. National were going as fast as they could get away with in NZ down the proto-fascist pathway and beneficiaries were one of the front lines with that. Bill English's big data plans were horrendous. The Bennett Reforms were neoliberal punitive welfare on steroids. Labour have done some shit stuff, National took it to a whole new level. Ardern's Labour look to me like they're not going to do enough (thanks Labour voters), but they're not doing nothing and they're certainly not taking us in the direction that National were.
I couldn’t possibly comment.
Herodotus @ 2.2 "Total deviation?" Devotion? Your biblical reference to coin…. Try some kindness, doesn't cost a bean.
Thanks Incognito.
It pretty much confirms the suspicion I've always had that the women were trading off the abuse claims. Assange comes across to me as repulsive, but the woman who wrote the book invited him to stay with her, knowing pretty much what he was like. She has acknowledged she wanted to have sex with the man.
In terms of the allegations, it seems like it was a bit of a storm in a tea cup. Most women would accept they were partly to blame by encouraging the person in the first place, and hopefully move on having learnt from the experience.
As far as the "shit storms" over the case… I think some of it is identity politics taken too far. Now lets wait for the shit fight to begin. 😉
Not exactly on topic, but I'll be watching with interest what happens with Assange's extradition case once Merrick Garland gets confirmed as Attorney General.
Garland's history is fairly strong on the press having a right to publish, and Biden seems to have evolved from his 2010 views calling Assange a high-tech terrorist. So I'm kinda hopeful for the extradition to be dropped along with a statement that press freedom to publish is such an important right that the extradition case should never have been brought.
not sure what the point in posting that is. It's a fairly useless piece of reporting, and posting it here will open up TS for another round of rape culture denial. See Anne's comment below. So sick of this shit, and at a time when there's barely any feminist presence on TS, it just ends up being echo chamber affirmation of the status quo around women and sexual assault.
We need hedgerows, now!
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/02/reservoirs-of-life-hedgerows-help-uk-net-zero-2050-aoe
hazelnut and almonds make good hedgerows and they produce food.
He he that reminds me of a story. Back in the 80s a friend of mine was on the Ponsonby Community Committee and the subject of street trees came up. My friend suggested planting fruit trees. The response from one woman was that you couldn't do that because the children might eat the fruit! Ponsonby was in the process of being gentrified at the time so was slowly being infested with the 'upwardly mobile'
Yes, i used to live in Grey Lynn when first moving to AKL. And gosh, there were boxes of free fruit out on Williamson Ave from the private houses. Now they mostly have rock gardens and house chartered accountants.
I plant fruit trees with a vengance. Its my great hobby.
Hedgerows could be a green and sappy venous system for the body landscape for all NZ. Insects, birds, fungi and bipedal walkers could flow from place to place, sheltered and fed all the way. Hamlets might form at the intersections and foot-traffic take its rightful place as the preferred form of travel. News might travel by hedgerow rather than wire or fibre, story-tellers in Lincoln green could….hang on! Anyone read Riddley Walker???
No but it sounds wonderful like Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter?
Best you don't get yourself a copy then 🙂
Beatrix Potter for grown – ups?
The roads in between make for good tracktor roads if they are a shared commodity and also allow for walking/cycling as a form of transport. As someone who used to cycle a lot this is the one thing that i miss, the old tracktor/walking/pilgrimage roads that often times have at least on one side a hedgerow growing.
bustling hedgerows
… and spring cleaning may queens …
Hi I'm a time traveler from the 1700s that the hanky to return to . Most of us were dead by 40 and we were ruled by feudal cunts ,take it from me you are much better off now.
It seems that way, Time Traveller, but if I may ask: did your activities in the 17 hundreds bring the natural world to the brink of collapse? It's kind of a pressing issue for us in the 20-20's and it may be that our own children and grandchildren will have far shorter lives even, than yours. All the best with your mission.
We were well on our way, look forward for your answers not backwards.
Only a small % of people would want a quaint life.
To be fair, that rough life expectancy was skewed by a massive infant mortality rate that wasn't the fault of hedgerows. It wasn't exactly unheard of to get to your 70s or 80s even in those days.
My point is RG s dream of the world becoming a small holding utopia, it's a pointless dream that helps not one bit with modern day problems, you can lump the whole power down mob in there to . Imho
It's an intriguing approach – to belittle and dismiss the efforts of one who is trialling alternative solutions to the 'pickle' of modern day problems. All civilisations fail – spaceship Earth simply can't sustain the one we've crafted – we (all) need to make changes.
It's prudent to work on improving societal resilience in order to retain at least some of the privileges that ‘the golden billion‘ enjoy. Imho.
Harsh, bwaghorn, harsh!
Still, I'm undeterred by your misreading of my views 🙂
"Small holding utopia"?
Nah.
I see adaptation no matter where "you" are, no matter what you're doing.
It's a cultural thing – our present culture is not proving sustainable, so we (all) must change. Sticking to our guns will leave us … stuck to our guns.
Who dobbed-in the leader of Te Path Maori, for not wearing a tie in the House???
Bishop? or someone similarly petty
Could be any (of them) 🙂
Bishop is trying to tie a noose around Mallard’s neck.
Isn't 'colonial noose' a great term for it..
Did Dunne wear neck or bow?
https://twitter.com/Publicwrongs/status/1359058689647284227
All I can remember is the coiffure.
You’d be ok in Parliament though, you can hide anything underneath that magnificent beard, you could even go unbuttoned
I'd love to see more and bigger beards in the House. Most people think "patriarchy" when they see a substantial beard, but in fact, cascading beards reflect a growing feminine aspect; it's far more common to see long, curling locks on a the head of a woman than it is a man and the increased sensitivity to breeze, bramble-snagging and tugs by grandchildren help develop a more aware human; think buzz-cut American grunt as compared with fully-tressed 70's hippie from the cast of Hair 🙂
Mallard is being a goose. He could easily say it looks like a tie to me.
Hard to tell under that big hat.
yep, seems an odd path for Mallard to have taken, can't make sense of it tbh.
In fact, Mallard has form in this area. Soon after Brash's infamous Orewa speech, the Clark regime made the strategic decision to ease back on its support for Māori. This would apparently make the bigots who comprised Brash's base think twice, and appreciate that Labour was not "too P.C."
Clark could not be seen to lower herself to such dodgy behaviour, so Mallard was given the role of attack dog. One of the most unpleasant things he did was to publicly complain about the length of pōwhiri at parliamentary and other functions. That won him praise from people like Paul Holmes and Sean Plunket, but there is no evidence that the racists abandoned National and rushed to Labour. This disastrous reset in Labour policy culminated in Clark making her contemptuous statements about the Foreshore and Seabed protestors—"I'd rather meet Shrek the Sheep," she intoned, mirthlessly.
Looks like Chris Bishop is not the only person gunning for Mallard.
Barry Soper: Failure to hold Trevor Mallard to account shows Labour's hypocrisy – NZ Herald
No matter how hard they rub off on each other, they’ll never create an original spark, only fricative hot air.
It's pretty clear the man who was making a nuisance of himself and who Mallard outed is a good mate of Soper's.
Barry sees nothing wrong in chasing much younger women and I suspect our man in parliament is cut from the same cloth.
Yep I agree. I have always thought that Soper knows the person very well and is a friend.