Goldsmith raises not extending the franchise to 16 year olds to youth crime. Doesn't Goldsmith think that practicing civics and letting them have a say might help empower some disempowered young people?
Government looks set to ditch Jacinda Ardern's attempt to lower voting age
Glenn McConnell05:00, Mar 08 2022
….it’s a distraction of officials’ time. Simply, they should be focused on violent crime, youth crime and delays in the court system.”
[Goldsmith]
I can almost hear. tough on crime torys like Goldsmith calling for harsher penalties for your offenders, chanting; 'if you can't do the time don't do the crime.'
Young people deserve adult punishment, but not the right to vote which might empower disempowered young people to lift their horizons above the immediate?
16 year olds are mostly still at school, have not finished their education,worked, or paid taxes. I do not want adult votes cancelled out by someone with a sense of me/me entitlement who gets all their information from social media.
votes cancelled out by someone with a sense of me/me entitlement who gets all their information from social media
Can you please explain how a 16 year old who is still at school, and will be part of a (presumed) civics curriculum if this happens, will be any different, or more of a threat to our democracy, than a very large portion of the current over 18 electorate.
I read a piece a couple of years ago around the start of the things arguing that civics curriculum and 16 were closely linked because it would be more relevant.
In my education we got a very good civics component (Upper form at Kelston Boys in early 70’s) and were engaged enough to see right through the Dancing Cossacks in 1975.
they should start teaching it now in depth whether the vote gets lowered or not. Start at the beginning of high school. It's such a basic for democracy.
I don't remember being taught it at all, but I might not have been paying attention either. I did vote the year I turned 18 in the general election.
Well, it all depends on what you mean by "Civics" – NZ government and comparative governmental systems are already covered in the NZ social studies curriculum – in several ways at several different ages/stages.
Here, for example in Level 5 (which is roughly equivalent to Year10)
Understand how systems of government in New Zealand operate and affect people’s lives, and how they compare with another system.
Understand how the Treaty of Waitangi is responded to differently by people in different times and places.
Understand how cultural interaction impacts on cultures and societies.
Understand that people move between places and how this has consequences for the people and the places.
Understand how economic decisions impact on people, communities, and nations.
Understand how people’s management of resources impacts on environmental and social sustainability.
Understand how the ideas and actions of people in the past have had a significant impact on people’s lives.
Understand how people seek and have sought economic growth through business, enterprise, and innovation.
Understand how people define and seek human rights.
Year 10 is the last year where AFAIK Social studies is mandatory – once kids are in Year 11 (what used to be 5th form), they are starting to make choices about subjects, and can opt away from soft sciences.
There were probably some enlightened secondary schools teaching Civics then. I recall it being suggested that it should be taught in all secondary schools and the then Prime Minister, Rob Muldoon vetoed it straight away as being an insidious communist plot.
I'd guess there are plenty of 16 year-olds who would think that's a good idea.
Although I am slightly uncomfortable about 16-year-olds voting, I'm not really convinced that the majority of them lack some necessary component that the majority of adults actually have – or that such a lack could be addressed by civics education.
In reality, civics education would become a contested space like the compulsory teaching of NZ history – ripe with culture war opportunities and filled with denunciations of 'wokeness'.
It's an academic argument anyway – most adults oppose it because they are scared that 16 year-olds would legislate to take their stuff away and stop them eating meat or flying on aeroplanes more than once a year.
I was thinking of the basics like how MMP works, and what local government does. Shouldn't be hard to teach that in a neutral way (assuming there was a will to neutrality!)
I'm relieved it's not a goer tbh. It's a complicated issue with lots of aspects factoring into it. For me it's mostly why 16 and not 17 or 14. Or 5, lol, to which one progresssive I know said he supported young children voting.
Yeah the thing about boundaries is a headache. It's a playground for reductio ad absurdum arguments that can run in all directions – "if 16, why not 10" or "if 18 why not 30", or "if we don't start till 18 why not stop at 60"?
It would be best to settle on an agreed age of adulthood and apply that everywhere. What cuts across that compromise though, is the idea of inter-generational fairness. If young people cannot vote – should there be some auditing of legislation for inter-generational fairness, just as there is for compliance with the BORA? (But the results of the BORA-compliance audits are often ignored I believe)
auditing for generational fairness makes sense. We should be doing this anyway. However I'm not convinced that people who have the right to vote get treated fairly in that regard eg Māori adults can vote but are outvoted by Pākehā interests. Wealthy mainstream people have more sway than poor and fringe people. And so on.
I'm in favour of increasing democracy by participatory means. One person one vote really is a low form of democracy.
Not sure about the age of adulthood. Sex, drinking, military, driving, leaving school, youth rates, lots of things don't match up neatly by age. How would we decide which ones to change?
edit to add: Admittedly I am unable to find the content also. All of the curriculum is undergoing a refresh that will be implemented fully in 2026 apparently.
Year 10 is the last year where AFAIK Social studies is mandatory – once kids are in Year 11 (what used to be 5th form), they are starting to make choices about subjects, and can opt away from soft sciences.
AFAIK there is nothing that tells a teacher how to teach a topic in the NZ curriculum.
It's outcome focused – and is deliberately designed to be non-specific.
"Understand how systems of government in New Zealand operate and affect people’s lives, and how they compare with another system."
So, at the end of the 'teaching' the student should be able to demonstrate that they understand how systems of government work in NZ – and compare these to those in other countries.
There are lots of different ways a teacher might approach teaching this topic – and lots of different resources they might use for the compare and contrast element.
When my son did this last year, they used print, online and film resources. And, were required to produce a report contrasting NZ political systems and their-country-of-choice (each one in the class had to choose a different one) – in a range of specific areas (from memory these included: Political structure (Democracy, Monarchy, Oligarchy, Autocracy, etc.); popular involvement (who can vote, does your vote make a difference); Decision-making structure (who runs the government, courts, etc.) — and a whole lot more – I think there were 10 questions which had to be covered.
This was IIRC about a 4-6 week block of work in the Social Studies curriculum.
Having said that – I'm sure there are lots of targeted resources on the Dept of Education sites – to assist with resourcing teaching in this area.
I recall the so called 'civic lessons' we had at my high school during election season. But not fondly.
In the '70's the Cold War was at its height and our teachers were earnestly trying teach us the value of democracy. In social studies class we were made to take part in a mock election. Not allowed to debate any real issues. Not allowed to take part in the real ballot we were given a fake ballot. The lesson I took,was no one cared what we thought. The whole thing was pointless and disempowering. We felt patronised and we let the teacher know it.
I hope things aren't done that way any more.
Because this is not how civics should be taught, or how civics is learnt.
Civics is learnt in the doing.
If you don't give people a voice, they never learn to use it.
If you don't give people choices they never learn to make them.
A large portion of over 16yr olds or "adult votes" get their sense of me/me entitlement from equally entitled radio and TV personalities. I don't think it's a policy worth dieing in a ditch over but there are equal arguments for and against. I'm not sure my vote preference would've changed between 16 and 18.
Mine certainly did. I was raised in a very middle class environment and the first political action I was involved with (at 17yo) was a demonstration IN FAVOUR of New Zealand's involvement in the Vietnam War. I had a placard with a quote from Churchhill! However, after the demo – my companion and I got talking with a couple of chaps from the PYM (Progressive Youth Movement) who were demonstrating on the other side of the road, and we decided that they had the better arguement. Next Friday evening we were on their side of the pavement – and that is where I have been ever since.
Where do people who grew up before homosexual law reform, still "remember the war" and whose parents called England "home" get their info from? Radio Rhema? Maybe their votes should be stripped as well.
How about immigrants? Maybe those that work in: <farming><arts><government> should be disenfranchised.
What about anyone that has Facebook – were the VFF nutters all 16yos?
I was 36 years old when Homosexual Law Reform came in – I remember the Vietnam War and I certainly do not listen to any religious radio. Nobody is talking about "stripping votes" I hope – this is about extending the franchise. The rest is hyperbole.
A few people make the argument for removing the vote from retirees. It's a piece of political inanity that demonstrates they don't understand the developmental differences between an old person and a child. Differences which are at the heart of why not that many people support lowering the age.
I know of quite a few 16 and younger that do pay income tax, let alone GST.
As for entitlement and selfishness being a barrier to voting, surely that includes landlords.
TBF, I would suggest most vote for their self interest, but we have elected and re-elected governments that have only paid lip service to CC. Perhaps having a few more idealists vote would be a circuit breaker.
An interesting discussion here between 10.30 min and 16.30 min on Australian aspiration culture, how it evolved politically post 90's to drive electorate decision-making. Now, in the last 6 months, particularly with the housing crisis, this aspirational viewpoint is switching to concern by many voters about their future financial security.
Think there are parallels in parts to our own political trends and messaging.
There are a great many young people today who are so much better informed and who are more intelligent and mature than their senior counterparts.
But on balance, I don't see any desperate need to lower the age to 16. Waiting two more years is nothing. My generation had to wait until we turned 21 and if – like me – you turned 21 soon after an election – tough bickies. I didn't get my first vote until I was closing in on 24.
To RosieLee at 1.1 : Your comment shows it's own me/me frame-of-reference. I am not a teenager taking umbrage, but in my tenth decade, acutely concerned for my greatgrandchildren ( one sixteen, more soon to be ) and their peers in their future.
I find much understanding of important issues in teenagers I know.
Please consult those teens in your own circle when you find a relaxed conversational moment. I think you might be surprised, even comforted.
A nasty generalisation and slur made against the young people of this country, by RosieLee
"I do not want adult votes cancelled out by someone with a sense of me/me entitlement…" RosieLee
Young people with no right to vote on the issue, will inherit from us a badly degraded biosphere. Not having the vote, they have rallied in their thousands in our cities' streets for real government action on climate change. Of course this generation would want young people's voices cancelled out, so we can carry on doing what we are doing..
I want youth voices cancelled out by someone with a sense of me/me entitlement….
There you go Rosie, fixed it for you. No don't thank me.
Rosie, I don't want to get my adult (retiree) vote cancelled by other older citizens who get their daily brainwashing from nothing more than ZB Newstalk and their Natz sycophants.
You don't want people with a me me entitlement who get most of their information from social media from voting ?
That describes the majority of voters on both the left and the right.
Also teenagers pay tax but if not paying enough tax should exclude people from voting there's a lot of people in NZ who shouldn't vote.
Why shouldn't the people who will have to pay for and live with the consequences of decisions made by today's governments get a vote when the citizens who won't live for the consequences or pay for the policies of today's governments get a vote.
If 16 year olds can't get a say, why should pensioners? Why should the rich or unemployed vote? In fact let's make it so noone can vote till they pay their student loans.
Next Should we require voting eligibility be granted only to those who pay more into the tax system than they get out? This would make many working class and working poor families and many who are on subsidized medications and regularly using subsidized healthcare ineligible for voting.
I wondered whether we could have 'youth' MPs, a couple of seats in the current Parliament set aside specifcally for 16-20 y voters, similar to the Māori seats. Like the Māori electoral roll, those 18-20 could opt either to join this roll or the main electoral roll.
I'm not convinced about lowering the voting age to 16, but this idea of a youth roll and seats in parliament is good. Not sure it would work because of the numbers, but I like the thinking. It's a transition, from childhood to adulthood. It would increase awareness of youth issues and encourage youth to stand in general seats/lists. It could up awareness of how MMP works. Lots to like.
I think lowering it to 17 makes sense. That includes 6th form and is an age when many people start to understand what is going on in the world and have opinions.
Oh please, no! An upper house strikes me as a layer of pigs in troughs we do not need, as we are not a federal democracy. Even worse, a crony-laden, bloated House of entitled Lords!
Keep it simple, and easily accountable. I like our government structure a lot, MMP, Māori seats and all. The only wobbly bit is the strategic stand-down of one party to safeguard a coalition partner, eg. Epsom.
RNZ morning report today covered the anomalous position of banks as the four largest profit-making concerns in NZ. This is not usual in other OECD countries. There is a push for a Commerce Commission enquiry to investigate how and why this happens. RNZ asked about the influence of ex-politicians in bank directorships as a contributing factor to their political power.
This is relevant also regarding windfall profit tax.
Why are you so worried? As far as I am aware there is only one former MP on a Bank Board in New Zealand. Just one.
I would think it would be more useful if we looked at the directors of some of the failing SOEs in New Zealand to see whether there would be something to gain by replacing former political party hacks on their boards. Railways might be a good place to start. What role have they played in not planning for the Cook Strait ferries to be replaced. Were they asleep at the wheel and didn't look at the ferries getting old to the extent that they are now collapsing regularly and spend most of their time moored in Wellington.
Were we right to put old political relics like Mike Williams and Maryan Street on the Board?
Who owns the ferries Alwyn? What do "Supply lines" mean to you? Do your homework. The new terminals are designed to take hybrid rail ferries from 2025, and are part of a planned programme to replace an aging fleet. Your slurs are just deflection of the poorest kind.
Banking needs to offer ten and fifteen year mortgages. The gouging has to stop.
NZ has Australian owned banks who cream it, aided by such as Key. 200+ points above the base, and slow to pass that to savers. A Commission of Inquiry, which in Australia showed many sharp and even unlawful banking practices, would reveal the same here no doubt.
Simon Power was working for the ANZ at one stage.The big 4 pay no tax in NZ and are pushing services in NZ that were deemed illegal by the Australian banking enquiry resulting in huge fines against all the big banks and AMP.NZ allows Cartels free reign in our unregulated markets .NZ has no real competition in any sector making NZ one of the most expensive countries to live in.The free market policies were supposed to free up competition the reverse has happened.NZ would be better served by having an economic union with Australia at least their SEC has the clout to make the banks do the right thing.NZ just gives the supermarkets,Banks,fuel cos,Power cos, a god telling off but the reality is that nothing changes.Just spin.
The big 4 banks pay enormous amounts of tax in New Zealand. ANZ in the year to 30/09/2021 paid $750 million and was New Zealand's biggest corporate taxpayer. WBC paid $A402 million in 2019 in NZ (about $420 million NZD). BNZ paid $514 million in the year to September 2021.
I really don't think that I can be bothered pointing out the rest of your fallacies. If you really think you are stating facts please supply your evidence
RNZ asked about the influence of ex-politicians in bank directorships as a contributing factor to their political power.
Or their employment sinecure. In the USA people leave the Pentagon for positions within the MIC.
Another example two National Party interns get their first job out of university in the same corporate affairs job with an international tobacco company. Then become MP's. The same company has connections to Mr Whale (CS) and presumably funding to certain friendly to vaping organisations/unions etc.
That's raising an entirely different issue – the question of whether any political retreads should be employed in the senior levels of the corporate sector or in the civil service – immediately after exiting parliament. Or whether there should be a mandatory stand-down period (as there is in many other countries)
Most recently (and blatantly) controversially involving Kris Faafoi setting up a political lobbying consultancy immediately after resigning from government.
And, pointing out again, that Simon Power was never a bank director – he was a senior employee on the management team – so his employment situation is entirely irrelevant to the RNZ story.
The RNZ interviewed Adrian Stubbs over the bank review, who has questioned ex-politico appointments to banks before. Most OECD countries have a sensible 'restraint of trade' period of at least 3 years before you can move into the finance sector at director level after leaving Parliament.
The story you link to has nothing to do with whether Key should be able to be a bank director because he had been an MP.
It was whether key, as the ANZ NZ Board chairman, along with the BNZ chairman should be able to be on the Main Boards of the ANZ and NAB, who own the BNZ, in Australia. Being on both boards could be a conflict of interest as the ANZ (NZ) and ANZ Group interests could differ. The same applies to BNZ and NAB
It was nothing to do with Key's previous occupation.
James Bolger Kiwi Bank (contrarian vs the others – the black mirror glass ones)
Jennifer Shipley NZ board of the China Construction Bank.
Don Brash ANZ
Simon Power Westpac
John Key ANZ Bank.
OK William English (just about everywhere not bank), so not all former party leaders (Todd Corporation Limited and Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets probably do as much investment in business as the retail property mortgage banks).
Who the bloody hell, decided to scrap a one of the Ferries instead of refitting her because it was cheaper to her scrap her?
Then fluffed around realising, oh shit we need a replacement but instead of doing the more sensible & smart thing to do & order new one RO/RO Rail Ferries!
Let's buy a one 2nd hand one trick lemon & delay the replacement process as much as possible?
Would you please explain what NZG was in power at the time & why they didn't want to spend a single cent on critical infrastructure such as new RO/RO Rail Ferries?
Obviously they saw no reason to do anything in haste and took three and a half years to order new ferries to replace those which are now almost worn out. that means only wasting about two and a half years I suppose.
It appears that they actually started the work in early 2017. I guess that was when National were the Government. Here was the announcement of their plans in 2018 when the then CEO said they had been working on the proposal for eighteen months.
In July 1941 the US decided they would build a single building for the military. Design was complete by September and construction started in September 1941. It was finished 16 months later in January 1943. Why does everything take so ling these days?
It's was Labour & the NZF Coalition that finally ordered the 2 new Ferries (should've been 3) but costs blew out because the Nat's fart ass about delaying like old women at Country Women's Association meeting!
If you want proof mate? I'll go back through my NZ Rail Observer, Oz Rail Digest Magazines & bombard you like Ukraine Artillery Fire Mission. Plus throw in Winnie's press releases before the election & after the election for shits & giggles.
Who were quite damming in National's stupidity & arrogance at delaying the ordering for the new Ferries but hey we aka National want to be better economic managers than Labour!
Just like National not wanting to invest in Defence Infrastructure & especially in new Defence Married Quarters & Living In Quarters for NZDF Personal. so let's cap NZDF Married Quarters Tenancy for 6yr to save money & boot service personnel after 6yr!!
The Muppets tired to do it on the cheap when they paid off one instead of putting it into a refit to get through until the new ones entered service, as it was cheaper to buy or lease a 2nd hand lemon that has KiwiRail & taxpayers more $$$ than the cost of the refit of the paid off ferry.
Now the lemon has finally been paid off, which should've never entered service in the first place because bastards (National & Treasury) didn't what to do the job properly & spend money to do it right in the 1st place.
Because they all had an Anti Rail Agenda until Kaikoura Earthquakes blew up in respective faces & realise Rail is part of NZ's Logistics Chain! But they still starved it of decent funding, which is still going to bite NZ in the ass in future regardless who's in Government!
So if polytechs are centralised now and run by the state, high school is run by the state, and intermediate and primary school is run by the state, and we already subsidise early childhood education up the wazoo, why is the early childhood sector in private hands and not run by the state?
It's time to nationalise early childhood education.
What and take money off the Wright family, so they cannot fund a right wing propaganda network … . National is a fan on private profit making from government funded/subsidised service delivery.
But given the government's former focus on fees free tertiary study it does seem an oversight.
Because this way we can pretend it's personal choice that both parents and or single parents don't have to be out working to survive, if we made them public we'd be admitting that work is more important than raising our kids personally.
When it was instituted FDR called for a minimum wage that is a living wage, since then the two have diverged in meaning and practice.
no business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country. By "business" I mean the whole of commerce as well as the whole of industry; by workers I mean all workers, the white collar class as well as the men in overalls; and by living wages I mean more than a bare subsistence level-I mean the wages of decent living.
– Franklin Roosevelt's Statement on the National Industrial Recovery Act, June 16, 1933
Does anyone know the maths of how our MMP parliament would be shaped in the event that a large party received the vast majority of their vote share as electorate votes?
I reran it with a more completed outline and this time there were only 7(!) overhang seats.
I used 2020 results and changed Labours party vote to 30% and upped te Pāti Māori, the Greens and ACTs. This meant Labour would have 46 seats plus the Greens 19 and Pāti Māori with 9. An enormous 74 seat government, which is probably highly unlikely too sadly.
Styles is great. The big, glaringly obvious difference between him and some other big act musicians trying to push the boundaries on gender norms, is that he looks like he's having a lot of fun and being real.
If representation were a criterion only the upper income quartile and Treasury wonks would pay tax – government doesn't pay any attention to anyone else.
Given the nature of the social media global village we live in this is not surprising
In the US Congress the new speaker Joseph McCarthy has formed a committee to stalk people in government positions on Capitol Hill (and is also removing some Democrat Reps from their committee positions).
And at the same time, they come for Campbell, Maharey and Dyson here …
It begins with mobs on the streets and ends with the installation of a government to complete the job (over there no more “stolen” elections).
Hope there's a proper investigation into the chemcouriers truck which went up in flames today.
Was it carrying what it shouldn't be ? Had incompatible categories of chemicals together ? Serious questions as that could've been alongside much denser population close to the motorway as it moved north.
The theme for this year's IWD, 'Embracing Equity', highlights this. What it's saying is that for women – as with every other group of people who face disadvantage, discrimination and bias – equality is not enough. It's also acknowledging that women – just like men – are not one homogenous group: there's intersectionality at play here, too. Giving everyone a pair of shoes is one thing; making sure everyone has a pair of shoes that fits is another.
International Women's Day, also known as IWD for short, grew out of the labour movement to become a recognised annual event by the United Nations (UN).
The seeds of it were planted in 1908, when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote. A year later, the Socialist Party of America declared the first National Woman's Day.
The idea to make the day international came from a woman called Clara Zetkin, communist activist and advocate for women's rights. She suggested the idea in 1910 at an International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. There were 100 women there, from 17 countries, and they agreed on her suggestion unanimously.
It was first celebrated in 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. The centenary was celebrated in 2011, so this year we're technically celebrating the 111th International Women's Day.
Things were made official in 1975 when the United Nations started celebrating the day. The first theme adopted by the UN (in 1996) was; Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future.
International Women's Day has become a date to celebrate how far women have come in society, in politics and in economics, while the political roots of the day mean strikes and protests are organised to raise awareness of continued inequality.
Hopefully our leaders will take note of stress within the hospitals and rethink the Dunedin rebuild, but then again the same people who have reduced the scope of Dunedin are still there. Perhaps the govt needs to think long term and to make better decisions, we can only hope 😢.
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Photo by Magdalena Kula Manchee on UnsplashIt’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour (I’ll be online for an hour from 12.30 so pile them up), including:The Government’s latest climate back-tracks on diesel cars and ...
All of the Government’s five options for improving Auckland’s links include or prioritise tunnels and bridges for cars, double-cab utes and trucks ahead of walking, cycling and rail. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Labour Government has brought forward plans to start building and/or drilling a second Waitematā harbour ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes: Green’s co-leader Marama Davidson just keeps digging the hole she is in deeper. First she showed her bitter antipathy towards white CIS (same gender as birth) men. Then she walked it back to all men. On Tuesday night on TV1 News she said, “…overwhelmingly it ...
as Auckland’s cantankerous mayor stumbles from one crisis to the next, the hope is not that Wayne Brown will learn on the job – that’s almost certainly a lost cause – but that Aucklanders will manage to come together and limit the damage that he threatens to inflict on the ...
Wow, it’s the end of March already. Here are a few of the smaller items that caught our attention over the last week. We need better trucks Newsroom reported on a Ministry of Transport report showing just how dirty our current truck fleet is. A heavy diesel truck costs ...
Listening to RNZ yesterday, I heard that the government was making a major announcement about a second crossing of the Waitematā. I was fairly surprised.I’d have thought with it being election year the last thing the government would want to be talking about was a massive Auckland transport project. Especially ...
I cracked open a fortune cookie with a family group after dinner. My loved ones got warm, inspiring messages such as my son’s: ‘You will be successful in business and society’. Nice. I got this one: “Friends come and go, but enemies accumulate.” By coincidence, I had already drafted a ...
THOMAS CRANWELL: When ideology turns violent – the political and media backing behind the Posie Parker mob Thomas Cranwell writes – ——————————– Similar to other countries, the transgender movement in New Zealand is not a grassroots organisation but instead is an increasingly ...
It is a lovely autumn morning.The sun is shining. The birds in Kōwhai park are twittering.There is music playing on Today FM.You can hardly tell that the children at Kia Kaha primary school are being greenhouse gassed.It is not just happening at Kia Kaha Primary School.It is happening to all ...
Poor old Mike Hosking! In today’s Herald, such is his visceral antipathy to our current government, that he is reduced to wrestling with himself in trying to understand how it is that despite its many failings – in his eyes at least – the Labour government is somehow ahead in ...
Air pollution kills, and dirty diesel vehicles are a major source of it. Cleaning them up has enormous social benefits in avoided deaths and hospitalisations. How much? Billions of dollars: A report quietly released by the Ministry of Transport in July shows tighter regulation of vehicle imports for air ...
Via one of my lovely Twitter sources, the sardonic and interesting @johubris … the following ‘poll question’ has been recently distributed: “Thinking about your life and your country now, what is the most important issue that you want to see the New Zealand Government addressing?” This qualifies as push-polling, which ...
On Tuesday night, former Forestry Minister Stuart Nash was sacked for corruption, after the Prime Minister discovered he had disclosed confidential cabinet discussions to his donors. Its since emerged that Jacinda Ardern's office knew of this disclosure, but didn't act on the obvious breach of the Cabinet manual, and didn't ...
Buzz from the Beehive Whoa, there – we can’t keep up! Suddenly, the PM’s ministerial team has unleashed a slew of press statements. Sixteen announcements have been posted on the Beehive website since our last check. This burst of activity (we wondered) might be the result of them responding positively ...
Big transport news today with the government beginning public engagement on options for the Waitemata Harbour Connections project. This project has had an incredibly long history, with previous versions somehow managing to be incredibly expensive, detrimental to most of the transport outcomes we are trying to achieve in Auckland, and ...
If ever there was an example of complacency about corruption and integrity in New Zealand politics it’s the fact that the Prime Minister’s Office knew back in 2021 that Cabinet Minister Stuart Nash was feeding privileged Cabinet information to business donors but did nothing about it. This is one of ...
Open access notables "Despite the potential for positive methane–climate feedbacks from global wetlands, most Earth System Models (ESMs) and Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) that informed the last Assessment Report of the IPCC do not directly incorporate this process."Publishing in Nature Climate Change, Zheng et al. unpack the implications of this ...
Among its ‘go slow’ on climate measures, the Government chose to delay tighter regulation of vehicle imports for air pollution for six years because it would have increased vehicle purchase costs. Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government continues to backtrack on moves to reduce emissions, with three news items ...
Stuart Nash’s downfall appears to have had its beginnings with one of the players from the “Dirty Politics” scandals of 2014. Simon Lusk, a close associate of Cameron “Whaleoil” Slater, one of the key figures in Nicky Hagar’s “Dirty Politics” expose, has been associated with Stuart Nash. Lusk has ...
Worried if this election will be shellacked by “the culture war”? That arrived ages ago. And, one side is definitely in panic mode, even if that’s not being admitted right now. Because of that, they’re reverting yet again to straight up… culture wars. Yes, fellow traveler, the Party who ...
All About Climate is a Youtube channel dedicated to communicating climate science and combating misinformation about global warming. It is run by Roshan Salgado D'Arcy - or 'Rosh' for short. He is a geology graduate with an MSc in climate change and is currently reading for a PhD in the communication of ...
ChatGPT is an interesting little beastie. I have only really started experimenting with it recently – not because I have any interest in using it for my own writing projects, but because I enjoy pushing and prodding the AI in strange directions. I have spent an inordinate amount of ...
The science of climate change is clear: we need to stop burning fossil fuels as quickly as possible, and we cannot burn even a fraction of those already discovered. So naturally, Labour is offering oil companies more exploration permits: The Government is offering companies another opportunity to search for ...
There are two keyboards in my office. I hammer at one a lot more than the other.But some days — today, for instance, after a few days of steeping myself in toxicity —that other keyboard can really come into its own.I learned to play the piano as a kid, went ...
Is the government imploding? Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has had to sack one of his more effective (and likeable) ministers, while another (from the Green Party) has insulted many of the adult population. For his part, Hipkins had appeared to be shaping up well since he took over the ...
Mobbed! As Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s (Posie Parker’s) opponents surged forward, her only protecters were a handful of burly security guards who surrounded their client and began forcing a path through what was now a howling mob. At least one video recording shows the diminutive Keen-Minshull, a terrified rag-doll, eyes dulled by ...
Buzz from the Beehive It looks like Marama Davidson must revile white sis males – or some other group of our population – three more times before she gets the heave-ho as one of Chris Hipkins’ ministers. That’s the conclusion to be drawn from the PM’s treatment of Stuart Nash, ...
For a serial offender like Stuart Nash, it was inevitable that another skeleton would emerge from his closet, and end his ministerial career. This one though, was a whopper. Previously, Nash had tried to tell the Police how to do their job. He had also tried to tell the courts ...
Cabinet Minister Stuart Nash was sacked last night for violating Cabinet Collective Responsibility rules, when it was revealed he disclosed sensitive Government information to business supporters who had donated money to him. The breach of the Cabinet Manual was enough to land him in trouble, but the fact that it ...
Some good news last week with the Council confirming that Te Hā Noa – Victoria St Linear Park will go ahead and with construction starting on 11 April – though with a few fishhooks. Te Hā Noa, a renewed Victoria Street, is the next big project in Auckland Council’s Midtown ...
Stuart Nash’s assurances to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins that there were no further examples of him breaching the Cabinet Manual became meaningless with the release of emails from Nash sharing Cabinet discussions with business people. The Prime Minister had no choice but to sack Nash as a Minister with immediate ...
Hi,Just a quick online-only update after yesterday’s newsletter, How Michael Organ Weaponised the Family Court... and Sean Plunket. First up — wow. Thanks for all the support, and to all those who shared their own personal stories in the comments. And welcome to any new Webworm readers.I just wanted ...
Let that sink in for a moment - Christopher Luxon, who has spent the last year demonising Māori, wants Marama Davidson to apologise to white men.You will likely have seen the video, or read about it. Marama Davidson rushing along Princes St on Saturday evening, the road that runs between ...
Stuart Nash, the great-grandson of former Prime Minister Sir Walter Nash, has lost his political career. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Stuart Nash was sacked for telling donors what happened in Cabinet. Wellington’s City and Regional Councils are going cold on light rail plans. Wayne Brown is under ...
NZ First Leader Winston Peters is sympathising with Stuart Nash and defending him but dodging questions on whether he would be welcome in New Zealand First. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins last night sacked Nash from the Cabinet after an email he had sent to two of his campaign donors ...
So, after interfering with the police, and then interfering with immigration decisions, Stuart Nash has finally been sacked: Stuart Nash has been sacked as a minister, after Stuff revealed he had emailed business figures, including donors, detailing private Cabinet discussions. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed the people Nash emailed ...
Nearly 25% of mortgages in Auckland are deemed at risk in a 1-in-100 year flood event. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Once a year, every year, from now on, in our not-so-slow-cooking climate crisis, there will be a moment when the most important number in Aotearoa’s own personal, national ...
Item One: About a confected crisis Please bear with me for a moment, readers outside Auckland, I wish to sound the klaxon. Auckland, we have until 11pm today to have our say. About what? About this, as copied and pasted from Pippa Coom’s Facebook page:The "austerity" budget is built on ...
Buzz from the Beehive Yet again, the statement we were looking for could not be found on the Beehive website. Nor was it on the Scoop or Green Party websites. But – come to think of it – we are probably wasting our time by searching. Our quest is for the ...
The following is from a speech given by Arundhati Roy at the Swedish Academy on March 22, 2023, at a conference called Thought and Truth Under Pressure and reprinted from Literary Hub. I thank the Swedish Academy for inviting me to speak at this conference and for affording me the privilege ...
After almost two decades of racism, Australia is finally getting off its "stop the boats" bullshit. But don't worry, racists - Michael Wood has your back!The Government wants to increase the time it can detain without a warrant people seeking asylum en masse from four days to 28 ...
Last year, the Education and Workforce Committee recommended that the government legislate for pay transparency to prevent employers from secretly discriminating. This ought to be a bread and butter issue for Labour - discrimination sees women (and particularly Māori and Pasifika women) paid significantly less than men. But since then ...
Thomas Cranmer writes – ———— An unruly mob in Albert Park has catapulted New Zealand into the global headlines with ugly images that may become iconic in the debate about the dangers of transgenderism. ———— Bravo Kellie-Jay Keen. She did the job that needed to be done. For all the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global warming is melting the Arctic ice cap, and that’s having unforeseen effects on the world’s weather — even thousands of miles away from the North Pole. Some climate scientists have begun to link increasingly common heat waves in Europe to what is ...
Hot on the heels of the demotion of former police Minister Stuart Nash for breaching the Cabinet Manual, Radio New Zealand has revealed the close links between lobbyists and politicians- an area of New Zealand politics that is completely unregulated. The evidence in Guyon Espiner’s series Mate, Comrade, Brother, the ...
At the Auckland Transport board meeting today a series of papers really highlight the cost of sprawl. For the last few years, the Supporting Growth work has been looking at designing the strategic transport networks for future greenfield areas in the South, Northwest, North (around Dairy flat) and in Warkworth. ...
Over a million New Zealanders will receive a little extra to help with the cost of living as a result of our 1 April changes. Around the world, inflation is causing costs to rise and we’re feeling it here at home. In tough times, we need to support those who ...
With benefit changes coming into effect tomorrow, the Green Party is calling on the Government to lift benefits to liveable levels to make sure everyone has what they need to thrive. ...
Following decades of work by the Green Party alongside the organics sector, people will finally be able to be confident that products labelled organic have met standards. ...
The Green Party supports immediate Government action to close the pay gap as called for in an open letter released today by the Human Rights Commission and 50 other organisations. ...
The Green Party is today welcoming the release of the Government’s waste strategy, but says it has a big gap without action on the container return scheme for beverage containers. ...
The Government’s decision to introduce ‘mass arrivals’ legislation goes against the values we all share of Aotearoa as a place where all people are treated fairly, the Green Party says. ...
MINISTER DAVIDSON MUST RESIGN AFTER 'VIOLENCE' COMMENTS Marama Davidson should stand down as ‘Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence’ for the clear and outrageous statement she made at the Posie Parker protest that ‘white straight men’ are the cause of violence. Her offensive, racist, and sexist remarks ...
In response to Newshub and Amelia Wade’s obvious and ham-fisted attempt at a typical and predicted political hit job. As any politically aware reporter would know, any Cabinet subcommittee has a duty and obligation as a part of any government to respond to any UN declaration, in this case ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for the invitation to speak with you today and in your busy lives turning up to this meeting. Forty five years ago, in Howick, often described as racist, and where few Maori lived because it had been a ‘Fencible’ settlement at the time of the Anglo-Maori ...
The Green Party has marked the National Party’s new education policy and given it a fail, especially for its failure to address the underlying drivers of school performance. ...
“This is it; 2023 will be the last opportunity New Zealand has to get a government that will confront the climate emergency with the urgency it demands,” says the Green Party’s co-leader and climate change spokesperson, James Shaw. ...
Political parties that want to negotiate with the Green Party must come to the table with much faster, bolder climate action, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson emphasised in their State of the Planet speech today. ...
Political parties that want to negotiate with the Green Party after the election must come to the table with much faster, bolder climate action, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson emphasised today. ...
You will never truly understand, from the pictures you’ve seen in the newspapers or on the six o-clock news, the sheer scale of the devastation wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle. ...
We’re boosting incomes and helping ease cost of living pressures on Kiwis through a range of bread and butter support measures that will see pensioners, students, families, and those on main benefits better off from the start of next month. ...
The error Labour Ministers made by stopping work on a beverage container return scheme will be reversed by the Greens at the earliest opportunity as part of the next Government. ...
“Cabinet needs to do better - and today has shown exactly why we need Green Ministers in cabinet, so we can prioritise action to cut climate pollution and support people to make ends meet,” says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson. ...
Biggest increase in food prices for over three decades shows the need for an excess profit tax on corporations to help people put food on the table. ...
A secure facility that will house protected information for a broad range of government agencies is being constructed at RNZAF Base Auckland (Whenuapai), Public Service, Defence and GCSB Minister Andrew Little says. The facility will consolidate and expand the government’s current secure storage capacity and capability for at least another ...
From today, 1.8 million flu vaccines are available to help protect New Zealanders from winter illness, Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall has announced. “Vaccination against flu is safe and will be a first line of defence against severe illness this winter,” Dr Verrall said. “We can all play a part ...
Associate Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Willow-Jean Prime has congratulated Professor Rangi Mātāmua (Ngāi Tūhoe) who was last night named the prestigious Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa New Zealander of the Year. Professor Mātāmua, who is the government's Chief Adviser Mātauranga Matariki, was the winner of the New Zealander ...
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta has announced further sanctions on political and military figures from Russia and Belarus as part of the ongoing response to the war in Ukraine. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Alekseevna Lvova-Belova ...
A new public housing development planned for Whangārei will provide 95 warm and dry, modern homes for people in need, Housing Minister Megan Woods says. The Kauika Road development will replace a motel complex in the Avenues with 89 three-level walk up apartments, alongside six homes. “Whangārei has a rapidly ...
New Zealand welcomes the substantial conclusion of negotiations on the United Kingdom’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. “Continuing to grow our export returns is a priority for the Government and part of our plan to ...
Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and the Crown initial Taranaki Maunga collective redress deed Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and the Crown have today initialled the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Deed, named Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little says. “I am pleased to be here for this ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Barbara Edmonds has announced the 2023 Pacific Language week series, highlighting the need to revitalise and sustain languages for future generations. “Pacific languages are a cornerstone of our health, wellbeing and identity as Pacific peoples. When our languages are spoken, heard and celebrated, our communities thrive,” ...
880,000 pensioners to get a boost to Super, including 5000 veterans 52,000 students to see a bump in allowance or loan living costs Approximately 223,000 workers to receive a wage rise as a result of the minimum wage increasing to $22.70 8,000 community nurses to receive pay increase of up ...
Over 8000 community nurses will start receiving well-deserved pay rises of up to 15 percent over the next month as a Government initiative worth $200 million a year kicks in, says Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall. “The Government is committed to ensuring nurses are paid fairly and will receive ...
Tākiri mai ana te ata Ki runga o ngākau mārohirohi Kōrihi ana te manu kaupapa Ka ao, ka ao, ka awatea Tihei mauri ora Let the dawn break On the hearts and minds of those who stand resolute As the bird of action sings, it welcomes the dawn of a ...
The Government is introducing a scheme which will lift incomes for artists, support them beyond the current spike in cost of living and ensure they are properly recognised for their contribution to New Zealand’s economy and culture. “In line with New Zealand’s Free Trade Agreement with the UK, last ...
New Zealand is welcoming a decision by the United Nations General Assembly to ask the International Court of Justice to consider countries’ international legal obligations on climate change. The United Nations has voted unanimously to adopt a resolution led by Vanuatu to ask the ICJ for an advisory opinion on ...
More Police officers are being deployed to the frontline with the graduation of 59 new constables from the Royal New Zealand Police College today. “The graduation for recruit wing 364 was my first since becoming Police Minister last week,” Ginny Andersen said. “It was a real honour. I want to ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta met with Vanuatu Foreign Minister Jotham Napat in Port Vila, today, signing a new Statement of Partnership — Aotearoa New Zealand’s first with Vanuatu. “The Mauri Statement of Partnership is a joint expression of the values, priorities and principles that will guide the Aotearoa New Zealand–Vanuatu relationship into ...
The Government has passed new legislation amending the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) levy regime, ensuring the best balance between a fair and cost effective funding model. The Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Levy) Amendment Bill makes changes to the existing law to: charge the levy on contracts of ...
The Government has passed the Organic Products and Production Bill through its third reading today in Parliament helping New Zealand’s organic sector to grow and lift export revenue. “The Organic Products and Production Bill will introduce robust and practical regulation to give businesses the certainty they need to continue to ...
The Digital Identity Services Trust Framework Bill, which will make it easier for New Zealanders to safely prove who they are digitally has passed its third and final reading today. “We know New Zealanders want control over their identity information and how it’s used by the companies and services they ...
The full Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery Taskforce has met formally for the first time as work continues to help the regions recover and rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle. The Taskforce, which includes representatives from business, local government, iwi and unions, covers all regions affected by the January and February floods and cyclone. ...
Changes have been made to legislation to give subcontractors the confidence they will be paid the retention money they are owed should the head contractor’s business fail, Minister for Building and Construction Megan Woods announced today. “These changes passed in the Construction Contracts (Retention Money) Amendment Act safeguard subcontractors who ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood has unveiled five scenarios for one of the most significant city-shaping projects for Tāmaki Makaurau in coming decades, the additional Waitematā Harbour crossing. “Aucklanders and businesses have made it clear that the biggest barriers to the success of Auckland is persistent congestion and after years of ...
The Government has passed new legislation that ensures New Zealand’s civil aviation rules are fit for purpose in the 21st century, Associate Transport Minister Kiri Allan says. The Civil Aviation Bill repeals and replaces the Civil Aviation Act 1990 and the Airport Authorities Act 1966 with a single modern law ...
A Bill aimed at helping to reduce delays in the coronial jurisdiction passed its third reading today. The Coroners Amendment Bill, amongst other things, will establish new coronial positions, known as Associate Coroners, who will be able to perform most of the functions, powers, and duties of Coroners. The new ...
The Prime Minister has asked the Cabinet Secretary to conduct a review into communications between Stuart Nash and his donors. The review will take place over the next two months. The review will look at whether there have been any other breaches of cabinet collective responsibility or confidentiality, or whether ...
The new Recovery Visa to help bring in additional migrant workers to support cyclone and flooding recovery has attracted over 600 successful applicants within its first month. “The Government is moving quickly to support businesses bring in the workers needed to recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland floods,” Michael ...
Bills to ensure non-teaching employees and contractors at schools, and unlicensed childcare services like mall crèches are vetted by police, and provide safeguards for school board appointments have passed their first reading today. The Education and Training Amendment Bill (No. 3) and the Regulatory Systems (Education) Amendment Bill have now ...
Wānanga will gain increased flexibility and autonomy that recognises the unique role they fill in the tertiary education sector, Associate Minister of Education Kelvin Davis has announced. The Education and Training Amendment Bill (No.3), that had its first reading today, proposes a new Wānanga enabling framework for the three current ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta will travel to Vanuatu today, announcing that Aotearoa New Zealand will provide further relief and recovery assistance there, following the recent destruction caused by Cyclones Judy and Kevin. While in Vanuatu, Minister Mahuta will meet with Vanuatu Acting Prime Minister Sato Kilman, Foreign Minister Jotham ...
The Government is backing Police and making communities safer with the roll-out of state-of-the-art tools and training to frontline staff, Police Minister Ginny Andersen said today. “Frontline staff face high-risk situations daily as they increasingly respond to sophisticated organised crime, gang-violence and the availability of illegal firearms,” Ginny Andersen said. ...
The Government has provided Police with more tools to crack down on gang offending with the passing of new legislation today which will further improve public safety, Justice Minister Kiri Allan says. The Criminal Activity Intervention Legislation Bill amends existing law to: create new targeted warrant and additional search powers ...
The Government today announced far-reaching changes to the way we make, use, recycle and dispose of waste, ushering in a new era for New Zealand’s waste system. The changes will ensure that where waste is recycled, for instance by households at the kerbside, it is less likely to be contaminated ...
New legislation passed by the Government today will make it harder for gangs and their leaders to benefit financially from crime that causes considerable harm in our communities, Minister of Justice Kiri Allan says. Since the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 came into effect police have been highly successful in ...
This evening I have advised the Governor-General to dismiss Stuart Nash from all his ministerial portfolios. Late this afternoon I was made aware by a news outlet of an email Stuart Nash sent in March 2020 to two contacts regarding a commercial rent relief package that Cabinet had considered. In ...
Legislation to enable more build-to-rent developments has passed its third reading in Parliament, so this type of rental will be able to claim interest deductibility in perpetuity where it meets the requirements. Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods, says the changes will help unlock the potential of the build-to-rent sector and ...
A law passed by Parliament today exempts employers from paying fringe benefit tax on certain low emission commuting options they provide or subsidise for their staff. “Many employers already subsidise the commuting costs of their staff, for instance by providing car parks,” Environment Minister David Parker said. “This move supports ...
Today marks the 40th anniversary of Closer Economic Relations (CER), our gold standard free trade agreement between New Zealand and Australia. “CER was a world-leading agreement in 1983, is still world-renowned today and is emblematic of both our countries’ commitment to free trade. The WTO has called it the world’s ...
The Government is making procedural changes to the Immigration Act to ensure that 2013 amendments operate as Parliament intended. The Government is also introducing a new community management approach for asylum seekers. “While it’s unlikely we’ll experience a mass arrival due to our remote positioning, there is no doubt New ...
The Government welcomes progress on public sector pay adjustment (PSPA) agreements, and the release of the updated public service pay guidance by the Public Service Commission today, Minister for the Public Service Andrew Little says. “More than a dozen collective agreements are now settled in the public service, Crown Agents, ...
The Government has introduced the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill to further support the recovery and rebuild from the recent severe weather events in the North Island. “We know from our experiences following the Canterbury and Kaikōura earthquakes that it will take some time before we completely understand the ...
Further assistance is now available to businesses impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, with Customs able to offer payment plans and to remit late-payments, Customs Minister Meka Whaitiri has announced. “This is part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to assist economic recovery in the regions,” Meka Whaitiri said. “Cabinet has approved the ...
Tea drinkers of Aotearoa, your new favourite dunking bikkie is here. There are several things I love about this recipe. The first is that they make a delicious dunking biscuit, the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea shared with friends. The second is that the recipe is ...
Part two of writer Marty Smith’s reporting from her flood-damaged home.Read part one here. Sunday 12 March, 21 days after the floods.Google Maps shows a pale blue line for the flat-lined bridge between Taradale and Waiohiki and sends you instead over the Expressway to Merge Like A Zip, ...
Bard Billot on the booted out broadcasterSpartans, prepare for glory! The hardy army of Today FM Spartans Camps out on the harsh lands of talk radio. The long months of the campaign Have worn down their resolve, For though they have loyally broadcast Their snappy banter and hot ...
The danger of National's policy is that it undoes much of an informal pact with Labour to depoliticise education at a time of real struggleOpinion: The National Party’s recently released education policy narrowly channels nearly every tired and cliched right-wing approach to schooling. If you have been in education for ...
A refurbished, expanded and more earthquake-proof building is a still few years away. Can it live up to the impeccable postmodernist vibes of its predecessor?A long time ago, my non-Wellington then-boyfriend was visiting the windy city and asked the barber what he recommended in town. “Dunno mate,” the barber ...
Doing the cryptic crossword isn’t simply a hobby. It’s a way of life, a love affair – even a full-blown obsession. The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Illustrations by Asia Martusia King. Clue: Mafia boss consumed first dish free of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The rout of the Liberals in Aston is a disaster for Peter Dutton. The party has defied history – in the worst possible way. This is the first time in more than a century ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Morgan Hancock/AAP With 44% of enrolled voters counted in today’s Aston federal byelection, the ABC has Labor expected to win ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Morgan Hancock/AAP With 44% of enrolled voters counted in today’s Aston federal byelection, the ABC has Labor expected to win ...
Analysis - When is a cabinet minister not a cabinet minister? The faulty logic of Stuart Nash has landed him and Labour in a heap of trouble but opened the door to serious reform of the Official Information Act, Tim Watkin writes. ...
Jubi News in Jayapura Indonesia’s Papua police chief Inspector-General Mathius D Fakhiri has called for action to ensure that “security disturbances” in the Puncak Jaya highlands do not widen in the face of escalating attacks by pro-independence militants. “For Puncak, we will take immediate action,” he said. According to General ...
What are you going to be watching this month? We round up everything coming to streaming services this month, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, Neon and TVNZ+. The biggies Party Down (all seasons on TVNZ+ from April 1) Thirteen years is a long time between drinks and ...
Ginny Andersen has landed a hot-potato portfolio and has been in Cabinet less than two months - the opposition will be eager to test her mettle this election year. ...
The executive producer of Modern Family has issued an incendiary claim about New Zealanders cheering and clapping in public. Hayden Donnell gets to the bottom of things.The sitcom Modern Family is remembered as a “warm-hearted story about the unbreakable bonds of family”; a tale of radically different people overcoming ...
As rain kept falling across January, February and into March, all band members cold do was sit at home cancelling festivals and posting sad Facebook messages to fans. The first post landed on January 3. As wild weather began hitting the country, campers around Northland packed up their tents ...
Because pro-social behaviour emerges so often after disaster, community empowerment should be central to disaster mitigation and recoveryOpinion: Cyclone Gabrielle caused major damage across the North Island. This unprecedented climate event created great uncertainty. People are wondering if, or when, they can return to their homes, the extent to ...
"We, women, loving you; you, men, finding new women to love": a Francophile love story in NZ Louis woke up and found out Marine was not lying next to him in bed. He checked his phone – 5:30am. The aurora shone a bright gold on the windows of the detached ...
Every weekday, The Detail makes sense of the big news stories. This week, we looked at how co-governance really works, Labour's record on climate action, what the new AUKUS nuclear submarine deal means for New Zealand, Posie Parker's visit to Auckland and the free speech debate, and the damage processed foods are ...
The radio workers were caught by the unexpected speed of the decline of NZ's consumer economy, since Christmas – and they won't be the last. Jonathan Milne reports. When broadcaster Tova O’Brien uttered the resounding words, "they’ve f***ed us", they resonated beyond the 1 percent audience share of a small talk radio operation ...
A New Zealand Battery Project centred on Lake Onslow in Central Otago is up against a cheaper North Island alternative Studies into whether a massive pumped-hydro scheme at Lake Onslow is New Zealand’s best bet for a secure energy future may have only four more months to run. While the ...
This is The Detail's Long Read - one in-depth story read by us every weekend. This week, it's Jungle Warfare, written by Ellen Rykers and published in New Zealand Geographic's March/April 2023 edition. You can find the full article, with photos by Adrian Malloch, here. Hundreds of pest plant species—many of them garden escapees—run rampant in ...
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Extending the franchise.
Nah.
Goldsmith raises not extending the franchise to 16 year olds to youth crime. Doesn't Goldsmith think that practicing civics and letting them have a say might help empower some disempowered young people?
I can almost hear. tough on crime torys like Goldsmith calling for harsher penalties for your offenders, chanting; 'if you can't do the time don't do the crime.'
Young people deserve adult punishment, but not the right to vote which might empower disempowered young people to lift their horizons above the immediate?
16 year olds are mostly still at school, have not finished their education,worked, or paid taxes. I do not want adult votes cancelled out by someone with a sense of me/me entitlement who gets all their information from social media.
Can you please explain how a 16 year old who is still at school, and will be part of a (presumed) civics curriculum if this happens, will be any different, or more of a threat to our democracy, than a very large portion of the current over 18 electorate.
it's the presumed civics question that interests me. Is that an actual thing?
Can we make adults do it too?
I read a piece a couple of years ago around the start of the things arguing that civics curriculum and 16 were closely linked because it would be more relevant.
In my education we got a very good civics component (Upper form at Kelston Boys in early 70’s) and were engaged enough to see right through the Dancing Cossacks in 1975.
they should start teaching it now in depth whether the vote gets lowered or not. Start at the beginning of high school. It's such a basic for democracy.
I don't remember being taught it at all, but I might not have been paying attention either. I did vote the year I turned 18 in the general election.
looks like its voluntary in the school curriculum currently.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/443400/civics-and-citizenship-education-being-left-to-chance-academic
Well, it all depends on what you mean by "Civics" – NZ government and comparative governmental systems are already covered in the NZ social studies curriculum – in several ways at several different ages/stages.
Here, for example in Level 5 (which is roughly equivalent to Year10)
https://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Social-sciences/Achievement-objectives#collapsible5
Year 10 is the last year where AFAIK Social studies is mandatory – once kids are in Year 11 (what used to be 5th form), they are starting to make choices about subjects, and can opt away from soft sciences.
There were probably some enlightened secondary schools teaching Civics then. I recall it being suggested that it should be taught in all secondary schools and the then Prime Minister, Rob Muldoon vetoed it straight away as being an insidious communist plot.
I'd guess there are plenty of 16 year-olds who would think that's a good idea.
Although I am slightly uncomfortable about 16-year-olds voting, I'm not really convinced that the majority of them lack some necessary component that the majority of adults actually have – or that such a lack could be addressed by civics education.
In reality, civics education would become a contested space like the compulsory teaching of NZ history – ripe with culture war opportunities and filled with denunciations of 'wokeness'.
It's an academic argument anyway – most adults oppose it because they are scared that 16 year-olds would legislate to take their stuff away and stop them eating meat or flying on aeroplanes more than once a year.
I was thinking of the basics like how MMP works, and what local government does. Shouldn't be hard to teach that in a neutral way (assuming there was a will to neutrality!)
I'm relieved it's not a goer tbh. It's a complicated issue with lots of aspects factoring into it. For me it's mostly why 16 and not 17 or 14. Or 5, lol, to which one progresssive I know said he supported young children voting.
thinking about it you are probably right. How to teach Te Tiriti without making some people's heads explode.
Yeah the thing about boundaries is a headache. It's a playground for reductio ad absurdum arguments that can run in all directions – "if 16, why not 10" or "if 18 why not 30", or "if we don't start till 18 why not stop at 60"?
It would be best to settle on an agreed age of adulthood and apply that everywhere. What cuts across that compromise though, is the idea of inter-generational fairness. If young people cannot vote – should there be some auditing of legislation for inter-generational fairness, just as there is for compliance with the BORA? (But the results of the BORA-compliance audits are often ignored I believe)
auditing for generational fairness makes sense. We should be doing this anyway. However I'm not convinced that people who have the right to vote get treated fairly in that regard eg Māori adults can vote but are outvoted by Pākehā interests. Wealthy mainstream people have more sway than poor and fringe people. And so on.
I'm in favour of increasing democracy by participatory means. One person one vote really is a low form of democracy.
Not sure about the age of adulthood. Sex, drinking, military, driving, leaving school, youth rates, lots of things don't match up neatly by age. How would we decide which ones to change?
We learned all that stuff at school in the 60's – even practised mock court sessions to understand how the legal system worked as well.
Even learned about tsunami's even though we lived hundreds of miles from the sea.
Didn't realise they'd stopped teaching this stuff.
apparently something is in the curriculum, in Social Studies, but it's voluntary (for the school I guess?). I couldn't find the actual content.
This is the online portal: https://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Social-sciences
edit to add: Admittedly I am unable to find the content also. All of the curriculum is undergoing a refresh that will be implemented fully in 2026 apparently.
Try this one
Here, for example in Level 5 (which is roughly equivalent to Year10)
https://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Social-sciences/Achievement-objectives#collapsible5
Year 10 is the last year where AFAIK Social studies is mandatory – once kids are in Year 11 (what used to be 5th form), they are starting to make choices about subjects, and can opt away from soft sciences.
where’s the bit that tells the teacher how to teach this,
AFAIK there is nothing that tells a teacher how to teach a topic in the NZ curriculum.
It's outcome focused – and is deliberately designed to be non-specific.
"Understand how systems of government in New Zealand operate and affect people’s lives, and how they compare with another system."
So, at the end of the 'teaching' the student should be able to demonstrate that they understand how systems of government work in NZ – and compare these to those in other countries.
There are lots of different ways a teacher might approach teaching this topic – and lots of different resources they might use for the compare and contrast element.
When my son did this last year, they used print, online and film resources. And, were required to produce a report contrasting NZ political systems and their-country-of-choice (each one in the class had to choose a different one) – in a range of specific areas (from memory these included: Political structure (Democracy, Monarchy, Oligarchy, Autocracy, etc.); popular involvement (who can vote, does your vote make a difference); Decision-making structure (who runs the government, courts, etc.) — and a whole lot more – I think there were 10 questions which had to be covered.
This was IIRC about a 4-6 week block of work in the Social Studies curriculum.
Having said that – I'm sure there are lots of targeted resources on the Dept of Education sites – to assist with resourcing teaching in this area.
are you saying that this is literally the only guidance given?
What guidance do you need?
It's an outcome – which is intended to be able to be objectively measured.
The curriculum gives deducational outcomes which have to be achieved/demonstrated – it doesn't tell a teach how to teach.
I recall the so called 'civic lessons' we had at my high school during election season. But not fondly.
In the '70's the Cold War was at its height and our teachers were earnestly trying teach us the value of democracy. In social studies class we were made to take part in a mock election. Not allowed to debate any real issues. Not allowed to take part in the real ballot we were given a fake ballot. The lesson I took,was no one cared what we thought. The whole thing was pointless and disempowering. We felt patronised and we let the teacher know it.
I hope things aren't done that way any more.
Because this is not how civics should be taught, or how civics is learnt.
Civics is learnt in the doing.
If you don't give people a voice, they never learn to use it.
If you don't give people choices they never learn to make them.
The answer is an emphatic, No!
A large portion of over 16yr olds or "adult votes" get their sense of me/me entitlement from equally entitled radio and TV personalities. I don't think it's a policy worth dieing in a ditch over but there are equal arguments for and against. I'm not sure my vote preference would've changed between 16 and 18.
Mine certainly did. I was raised in a very middle class environment and the first political action I was involved with (at 17yo) was a demonstration IN FAVOUR of New Zealand's involvement in the Vietnam War. I had a placard with a quote from Churchhill! However, after the demo – my companion and I got talking with a couple of chaps from the PYM (Progressive Youth Movement) who were demonstrating on the other side of the road, and we decided that they had the better arguement. Next Friday evening we were on their side of the pavement – and that is where I have been ever since.
Not wanting people with a sense of me me entitlement cuts most voters out!!!
Where do people who grew up before homosexual law reform, still "remember the war" and whose parents called England "home" get their info from? Radio Rhema? Maybe their votes should be stripped as well.
How about immigrants? Maybe those that work in: <farming><arts><government> should be disenfranchised.
What about anyone that has Facebook – were the VFF nutters all 16yos?
I was 36 years old when Homosexual Law Reform came in – I remember the Vietnam War and I certainly do not listen to any religious radio. Nobody is talking about "stripping votes" I hope – this is about extending the franchise. The rest is hyperbole.
A few people make the argument for removing the vote from retirees. It's a piece of political inanity that demonstrates they don't understand the developmental differences between an old person and a child. Differences which are at the heart of why not that many people support lowering the age.
I know of quite a few 16 and younger that do pay income tax, let alone GST.
As for entitlement and selfishness being a barrier to voting, surely that includes landlords.
TBF, I would suggest most vote for their self interest, but we have elected and re-elected governments that have only paid lip service to CC. Perhaps having a few more idealists vote would be a circuit breaker.
An interesting discussion here between 10.30 min and 16.30 min on Australian aspiration culture, how it evolved politically post 90's to drive electorate decision-making. Now, in the last 6 months, particularly with the housing crisis, this aspirational viewpoint is switching to concern by many voters about their future financial security.
Think there are parallels in parts to our own political trends and messaging.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2023/mar/08/guardian-essential-report-do-cost-of-living-pressures-change-how-people-vote
The other side of the coin:
There are a great many young people today who are so much better informed and who are more intelligent and mature than their senior counterparts.
But on balance, I don't see any desperate need to lower the age to 16. Waiting two more years is nothing. My generation had to wait until we turned 21 and if – like me – you turned 21 soon after an election – tough bickies. I didn't get my first vote until I was closing in on 24.
To RosieLee at 1.1 : Your comment shows it's own me/me frame-of-reference. I am not a teenager taking umbrage, but in my tenth decade, acutely concerned for my greatgrandchildren ( one sixteen, more soon to be ) and their peers in their future.
I find much understanding of important issues in teenagers I know.
Please consult those teens in your own circle when you find a relaxed conversational moment. I think you might be surprised, even comforted.
A nasty generalisation and slur made against the young people of this country, by RosieLee
"I do not want adult votes cancelled out by someone with a sense of me/me entitlement…" RosieLee
Young people with no right to vote on the issue, will inherit from us a badly degraded biosphere. Not having the vote, they have rallied in their thousands in our cities' streets for real government action on climate change. Of course this generation would want young people's voices cancelled out, so we can carry on doing what we are doing..
I want youth voices cancelled out by someone with a sense of me/me entitlement….
There you go Rosie, fixed it for you. No don't thank me.
Rosie, I don't want to get my adult (retiree) vote cancelled by other older citizens who get their daily brainwashing from nothing more than ZB Newstalk and their Natz sycophants.
And left wing don't want their vote cancelled by right wing, (and vice versa)
You don't want people with a me me entitlement who get most of their information from social media from voting ?
That describes the majority of voters on both the left and the right.
Also teenagers pay tax but if not paying enough tax should exclude people from voting there's a lot of people in NZ who shouldn't vote.
Why shouldn't the people who will have to pay for and live with the consequences of decisions made by today's governments get a vote when the citizens who won't live for the consequences or pay for the policies of today's governments get a vote.
If 16 year olds can't get a say, why should pensioners? Why should the rich or unemployed vote? In fact let's make it so noone can vote till they pay their student loans.
Next Should we require voting eligibility be granted only to those who pay more into the tax system than they get out? This would make many working class and working poor families and many who are on subsidized medications and regularly using subsidized healthcare ineligible for voting.
Fair is fair!!
I wondered whether we could have 'youth' MPs, a couple of seats in the current Parliament set aside specifcally for 16-20 y voters, similar to the Māori seats. Like the Māori electoral roll, those 18-20 could opt either to join this roll or the main electoral roll.
I'm not convinced about lowering the voting age to 16, but this idea of a youth roll and seats in parliament is good. Not sure it would work because of the numbers, but I like the thinking. It's a transition, from childhood to adulthood. It would increase awareness of youth issues and encourage youth to stand in general seats/lists. It could up awareness of how MMP works. Lots to like.
I think lowering it to 17 makes sense. That includes 6th form and is an age when many people start to understand what is going on in the world and have opinions.
also when many people start to have to think about adult shit like income and housing.
That is a great idea tWiggle.
After all, we tell them their future is bleak, but "hey keep waiting to have a say in our direction."
If we had an upper house we could do this, it wouldn't have the powers of the HoR but would be a start.
Oh please, no! An upper house strikes me as a layer of pigs in troughs we do not need, as we are not a federal democracy. Even worse, a crony-laden, bloated House of entitled Lords!
Keep it simple, and easily accountable. I like our government structure a lot, MMP, Māori seats and all. The only wobbly bit is the strategic stand-down of one party to safeguard a coalition partner, eg. Epsom.
RNZ morning report today covered the anomalous position of banks as the four largest profit-making concerns in NZ. This is not usual in other OECD countries. There is a push for a Commerce Commission enquiry to investigate how and why this happens. RNZ asked about the influence of ex-politicians in bank directorships as a contributing factor to their political power.
This is relevant also regarding windfall profit tax.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018880868/calls-growing-louder-for-inquiry-into-banks
"ex-politicians in bank directorships".
Why are you so worried? As far as I am aware there is only one former MP on a Bank Board in New Zealand. Just one.
I would think it would be more useful if we looked at the directors of some of the failing SOEs in New Zealand to see whether there would be something to gain by replacing former political party hacks on their boards. Railways might be a good place to start. What role have they played in not planning for the Cook Strait ferries to be replaced. Were they asleep at the wheel and didn't look at the ferries getting old to the extent that they are now collapsing regularly and spend most of their time moored in Wellington.
Were we right to put old political relics like Mike Williams and Maryan Street on the Board?
Who owns the ferries Alwyn? What do "Supply lines" mean to you? Do your homework. The new terminals are designed to take hybrid rail ferries from 2025, and are part of a planned programme to replace an aging fleet. Your slurs are just deflection of the poorest kind.
Banking needs to offer ten and fifteen year mortgages. The gouging has to stop.
NZ has Australian owned banks who cream it, aided by such as Key. 200+ points above the base, and slow to pass that to savers. A Commission of Inquiry, which in Australia showed many sharp and even unlawful banking practices, would reveal the same here no doubt.
Simon Power was working for the ANZ at one stage.The big 4 pay no tax in NZ and are pushing services in NZ that were deemed illegal by the Australian banking enquiry resulting in huge fines against all the big banks and AMP.NZ allows Cartels free reign in our unregulated markets .NZ has no real competition in any sector making NZ one of the most expensive countries to live in.The free market policies were supposed to free up competition the reverse has happened.NZ would be better served by having an economic union with Australia at least their SEC has the clout to make the banks do the right thing.NZ just gives the supermarkets,Banks,fuel cos,Power cos, a god telling off but the reality is that nothing changes.Just spin.
Oh dear, where do I begin?
Simon Power never worked for ANZ.
The big 4 banks pay enormous amounts of tax in New Zealand. ANZ in the year to 30/09/2021 paid $750 million and was New Zealand's biggest corporate taxpayer. WBC paid $A402 million in 2019 in NZ (about $420 million NZD). BNZ paid $514 million in the year to September 2021.
I really don't think that I can be bothered pointing out the rest of your fallacies. If you really think you are stating facts please supply your evidence
https://www.anz.com/content/dam/anzcom/shareholder/2021-FY-new-zealand-full-year-results.pdf
https://www.westpac.co.nz/assets/About-us/sustainability-community/documents/Group-Tax-Transparency-Report-Westpac-NZ.pdf
https://blog.bnz.co.nz/2021/11/fy21-result-strong-and-stable-bnz-backing-business
https://www.interest.co.nz/news/56131/commerce-minister-simon-power-joining-westpac-heading-banking-services-its-wealthy
You did read what tricledrown wrote did you?
"Simon Power was working for the ANZ at one stage".
Well he didn't, which is what I said.
The topic at hand.
From your article, it seems clear that Power was an employee (albeit a senior one on the management team), not a board member.
Two very different things.
Or their employment sinecure. In the USA people leave the Pentagon for positions within the MIC.
Another example two National Party interns get their first job out of university in the same corporate affairs job with an international tobacco company. Then become MP's. The same company has connections to Mr Whale (CS) and presumably funding to certain friendly to vaping organisations/unions etc.
That's raising an entirely different issue – the question of whether any political retreads should be employed in the senior levels of the corporate sector or in the civil service – immediately after exiting parliament. Or whether there should be a mandatory stand-down period (as there is in many other countries)
Most recently (and blatantly) controversially involving Kris Faafoi setting up a political lobbying consultancy immediately after resigning from government.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/130147021/kris-faafois-unwelcome-move-into-lobbying
And, pointing out again, that Simon Power was never a bank director – he was a senior employee on the management team – so his employment situation is entirely irrelevant to the RNZ story.
It isn't just Key aiding and abetting.
Claire Matthews, RNZ's go-to on all things banks, thinks they make big profits 'coz they are big businesses…
No mention of creating credit/debt by entering keystrokes nor anything about fractional reserve banking.
Ugh?
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/113222943/reserve-bank-governor-adrian-orr-questions-sir-john-keys-anz-directorship
The RNZ interviewed Adrian Stubbs over the bank review, who has questioned ex-politico appointments to banks before. Most OECD countries have a sensible 'restraint of trade' period of at least 3 years before you can move into the finance sector at director level after leaving Parliament.
The story you link to has nothing to do with whether Key should be able to be a bank director because he had been an MP.
It was whether key, as the ANZ NZ Board chairman, along with the BNZ chairman should be able to be on the Main Boards of the ANZ and NAB, who own the BNZ, in Australia. Being on both boards could be a conflict of interest as the ANZ (NZ) and ANZ Group interests could differ. The same applies to BNZ and NAB
It was nothing to do with Key's previous occupation.
James Bolger Kiwi Bank (contrarian vs the others – the black mirror glass ones)
Jennifer Shipley NZ board of the China Construction Bank.
Don Brash ANZ
Simon Power Westpac
John Key ANZ Bank.
OK William English (just about everywhere not bank), so not all former party leaders (Todd Corporation Limited and Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets probably do as much investment in business as the retail property mortgage banks).
Bank of China New Zealand Chairman Chris Tremain
OMFG,
Who the bloody hell, decided to scrap a one of the Ferries instead of refitting her because it was cheaper to her scrap her?
Then fluffed around realising, oh shit we need a replacement but instead of doing the more sensible & smart thing to do & order new one RO/RO Rail Ferries!
Let's buy a one 2nd hand one trick lemon & delay the replacement process as much as possible?
Would you please explain what NZG was in power at the time & why they didn't want to spend a single cent on critical infrastructure such as new RO/RO Rail Ferries?
Labour have been the Government for, if I remember correctly, five and a half years.
Obviously they saw no reason to do anything about getting new ferries to replace those which are now almost worn out.
Why on earth did they ignore reality?
I'd have thought you'd be better informed. New ferries have been ordered.
https://www.irex.co.nz/new-ferries
I shall correct the second sentence.
Obviously they saw no reason to do anything in haste and took three and a half years to order new ferries to replace those which are now almost worn out. that means only wasting about two and a half years I suppose.
It appears that they actually started the work in early 2017. I guess that was when National were the Government. Here was the announcement of their plans in 2018 when the then CEO said they had been working on the proposal for eighteen months.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/107729669/investing-in-interislander-fleet-crucial-to-future-of-nz-inc
In July 1941 the US decided they would build a single building for the military. Design was complete by September and construction started in September 1941. It was finished 16 months later in January 1943. Why does everything take so ling these days?
It's was Labour & the NZF Coalition that finally ordered the 2 new Ferries (should've been 3) but costs blew out because the Nat's fart ass about delaying like old women at Country Women's Association meeting!
If you want proof mate? I'll go back through my NZ Rail Observer, Oz Rail Digest Magazines & bombard you like Ukraine Artillery Fire Mission. Plus throw in Winnie's press releases before the election & after the election for shits & giggles.
Who were quite damming in National's stupidity & arrogance at delaying the ordering for the new Ferries but hey we aka National want to be better economic managers than Labour!
Just like National not wanting to invest in Defence Infrastructure & especially in new Defence Married Quarters & Living In Quarters for NZDF Personal. so let's cap NZDF Married Quarters Tenancy for 6yr to save money & boot service personnel after 6yr!!
Do you want some proof for as well?
Just buy the latest Nth & Sth Mag for that btw.
They didn’t ignore reality, Scud. Seems like the ones we have are on stopgap lease until new ones arrive in 1-2 years.
https://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/information-release/official-information-regarding-kiwirails-purchase-new-ferries-information-release
The Muppets tired to do it on the cheap when they paid off one instead of putting it into a refit to get through until the new ones entered service, as it was cheaper to buy or lease a 2nd hand lemon that has KiwiRail & taxpayers more $$$ than the cost of the refit of the paid off ferry.
Now the lemon has finally been paid off, which should've never entered service in the first place because bastards (National & Treasury) didn't what to do the job properly & spend money to do it right in the 1st place.
Because they all had an Anti Rail Agenda until Kaikoura Earthquakes blew up in respective faces & realise Rail is part of NZ's Logistics Chain! But they still starved it of decent funding, which is still going to bite NZ in the ass in future regardless who's in Government!
So if polytechs are centralised now and run by the state, high school is run by the state, and intermediate and primary school is run by the state, and we already subsidise early childhood education up the wazoo, why is the early childhood sector in private hands and not run by the state?
It's time to nationalise early childhood education.
Good point well made.
What and take money off the Wright family, so they cannot fund a right wing propaganda network … . National is a fan on private profit making from government
funded/subsidised service delivery.But given the government's former focus on fees free tertiary study it does seem an oversight.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/cheaper-after-school-care-on-the-cards/UZPPHI7YSCQJVB3XY4ZKFZJAC4/#:~:text=Current%20costs%20of%20after%2Dschool,cent%20of%20the%20average%20wage.
https://www.live-work.immigration.govt.nz/live-in-new-zealand/education-and-schooling/before-and-after-school-care
Maybe free education 9-3 and subsidy for charging for pre school and after school care.
Especially since we already have some state ECE in kindergartens.
That’s a drum I’ve been banging for a while.
Because this way we can pretend it's personal choice that both parents and or single parents don't have to be out working to survive, if we made them public we'd be admitting that work is more important than raising our kids personally.
A good counterpoint well made.
When it was instituted FDR called for a minimum wage that is a living wage, since then the two have diverged in meaning and practice.
https://docs.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/odnirast.html
That's closer to where I am at on this.
Like 'aged care', ECE is a euphamism for love. Best provided by whanau.
The crux of the issue is low wages, making it awkward for folk to give their time.
Yes.
Erin Brokovich flagged as a terrorist. What a sick little world we live in.
At first there were thousands, then tens of thousands, then hundreds of thousands then millions under threat assessment watch.
https://www.dhs.gov/fusion-centers
She's been labeled with a bit more than, being a threat to watch.
Does anyone know the maths of how our MMP parliament would be shaped in the event that a large party received the vast majority of their vote share as electorate votes?
It wuz rigged!
https://elections.nz/stats-and-research/mmp-seat-allocation-calculator/
Ta.
Seems the calculator doesn't expect the results I was testing, it led to 27 overhang seats haha.
Did you account for the fact that there are only 72 electorates?
Yes, admittedly mine was initially broad and extremely unlikely
how many electorates did Labour win?
I reran it with a more completed outline and this time there were only 7(!) overhang seats.
I used 2020 results and changed Labours party vote to 30% and upped te Pāti Māori, the Greens and ACTs. This meant Labour would have 46 seats plus the Greens 19 and Pāti Māori with 9. An enormous 74 seat government, which is probably highly unlikely too sadly.
I hope Chris Trotter is surrounded by family today, he will need the support.
Think Styles was pipped, powerfully, by Danes
Alien Weaponry in Denmark heavy metal youtube
Hard to see Emma Tween and her anxious helicopter mum at that one…
Styles is great. The big, glaringly obvious difference between him and some other big act musicians trying to push the boundaries on gender norms, is that he looks like he's having a lot of fun and being real.
"No tax without representation." So perhaps persons 17 and under shouldn't have to pay tax if they are earning.
If representation were a criterion only the upper income quartile and Treasury wonks would pay tax – government doesn't pay any attention to anyone else.
Given the nature of the social media global village we live in this is not surprising
In the US Congress the new speaker
JosephMcCarthy has formed a committee to stalk people in government positions on Capitol Hill (and is also removing some Democrat Reps from their committee positions).And at the same time, they come for Campbell, Maharey and Dyson here …
It begins with mobs on the streets and ends with the installation of a government to complete the job (over there no more “stolen” elections).
Hope there's a proper investigation into the chemcouriers truck which went up in flames today.
Was it carrying what it shouldn't be ? Had incompatible categories of chemicals together ? Serious questions as that could've been alongside much denser population close to the motorway as it moved north.
Spray cans +
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckland-southern-motorway-truck-fire-south-auckland-residents-on-evacuations-fireballs-and-blast-zones/PYQ5C6ZG5ZFUPHJ4COTHQJ744U/
Sounds like the truck itself caught fire. Alot more common than folks think with the friction at high speed of steel on steel etc on longer hauls.
They don't even have to be carrying dangerous goods and boom up they go.
Today is International Womens Day:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/stories/2018880607/four-reasons-why-we-still-need-international-women-s-day
https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
https://www.internationalwomensday.com/theme
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-64723201
Hopefully our leaders will take note of stress within the hospitals and rethink the Dunedin rebuild, but then again the same people who have reduced the scope of Dunedin are still there. Perhaps the govt needs to think long term and to make better decisions, we can only hope 😢.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-government/131068018/fight-looming-over-proposed-cuts-to-dunedin-hospital-rebuild
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/emergency-departments-under-pressure-ambulance-staff-called-in-to-help-patient-beds-overflow-into-hospital-cafe/YK5D2XBGBBGE3CQMRUBAUXTMGE/