TVNZ scoured the country to find a hard done by granny to go on TV and found one in Huntly.
But reunifying families is not primarily what this is about.
This is a return to BAU.
Imagine Incognito, if you will, that the government instead of spending tens of millions subsidising air travel, the government as major shareholder withdrew all support and shut Air NZ down, and instead had put that eye watering amount of money into setting up a high speed ferry service to compete with the air carriers.
A high speed ferry crossing of the Tasman would take roughly 24 hours, compared to the 3 hours by air. Obviously much longer, but no longer than a transcontinental flight to Europe, which Kiwis quite regularly bear. And if the ticket on the ferry was at half the price of an airfare, it could be quite attractive to many cross Tasman families tourists included. Especially as most high speed ocean crossing ferries of the size and power needed to cross the Tasman come with a roll on cargo deck for cars.
Now imagine even further, if all the laid off Air New Zealand staff and facilities were redeployed to set up and run this service.
If not done now. Eventually this measure, or something very close to it, will have to be done by a future generation. By then, it will be too little too late.
We will never Build Back Better, we will continue to miss opportunities like this to do so. The BAU imperitive is why nothing meaningful will ever be done about climate change, condemning the coming generation to a terrible future
If it is not in the media, it doesn’t exist or is only minor!? So Zen, or so ignorant.
Your comment is just one big ‘imagine this, imagine that’, full of irrelevant reckons, but you dodged the very basic question because it didn’t suit your narrative, that much is clear.
we don't need to go back to Bau – we never left it.
cue the election promise to the national voters taht the labour party was courting.
"No increase in benefits".
The Labour Party is Party of business as usual, they are not the solution they are part of the problem, specifically the current one. It is not that they are incompetent, its that they are so full of their own horsemanure they have started to believe the crap they sprout.
And everyone but them carries the risk, loses their jobs, their businesses and their homes, and they are there and will tell you over and over like a mantra, be nice, be kind, be gentle, and above all don't bother me. Waiting for Labour to do something meaningful is like waiting on National to do something meaningful.
It certainly makes a mockery of the government's 'Gen Less' campaign to reduce consumption. I should walk to the supermarket apparently, so a bunch of woskers can fly into Queenstown.
Nope, you should walk to the supermarket because it is good for you and for the environment. Framing it at as a zero sum game and us vs. them is divisive and counter-productive.
It is us against them – thirty years of neoliberal failure sure as hell wasn't in my interests. We're poor because a bunch of totally fith economist wonks and their enabling politicians chose to make it so – and it's about time those worthless mofos were made to pay for it.
you should walk to the supermarket because it is good for you and for the environment
That depends on the geographical features of where one lives. I bet even you would be thinking twice about walking back with a load of groceries up the hill where I live.
I did not suggest it – it is the recommendation of Genless – because over the course of perhaps ten years, these pedestrian journeys will add up to enough to balance out one foreign tourist flying into Queenstown.
But Stuart, if you are REALLY so concerned about ones impact upon climate change, maybe you should practise what you preach and refrain from internet use? As per the attached article (the science on this is very clear), take just one quote:
The carbon footprint of our gadgets, the internet and the systems supporting them account for about 3.7% of global greenhouse emissions, according to some estimates. It is similar to the amount produced by the airline industry globally,
Hmm, the carbon footprint of Greta Thurnberg must be massive. Trouble is, this is all an inconvenient truth to those who preach how the rest of us should live!
It's just a matter of consistency – an overseas flight typically represents one of the largest carbon expenditures ordinary people undertake, and tourism, unlike grocery shopping, is discretionary. 11% of annual totals was the BBC estimate.
practise what you preach and refrain from internet use
I never advocated anything of the kind – but I'm sure that if you do the quality of discourse will be measurably improved.
Stuart, apologies if it seemed like I was preaching or being a smart****.
I guess my point was that tackling climate change is a very complex thing, and at the end of the day it involves many trade offs. I just get very annoyed with the hypocrisy and populist bs on this matter (not referring to you specifically, but the name 'Greta' does loom large).
Yes, tourism is discretionary, but does it add value to the world? I would have thought international tourism has done wonders for breaking down cultural bigotry and racism for example. China is a classic. 40 years ago the Chinese were largely alien to us and us to them. Has tourism not brought the people closer and broken down many barriers? I would have thought so.
I'm sure the argument can be made – though tourism is a heading covering a lot of different activities, some of which might be better avoided.
If we are serious about climate change, longer term moves to reduce the bigger impacts, like air travel, are very desirable. One of the obvious candidates is transtasman passenger shipping. Ferries like the Busan-Shimonoseki run manage a comfortable though not palatial service that is pretty economical of both cash and carbon.
I am less sanguine about tourism as a vehicle for cultural mixing – more because some kinds of tourism don't do it very much – externally hosted coach tours for example, though lots of genuine interactions occur in more backpacker formats.
I expect the govt. is reluctant to see air travel fall off, because highend perishable exports like crayfish and tyee presently depend upon it. It's a relatively poor reason to preserve a sunset industry like mass air travel, when there are other ways to ship such products, which, properly developed, would open the incalculably large Asian markets to our mussel surplus.
That bit about cutting out short car trips has two sides to it. The image shows someone with a skateboard? If these people want to really be green, they could try walking. Oh but the footpaths are full of people on skateboards going faster than walkers which makes walking stressful even hazardous. The footpaths are not places that you can safely take a quiet stroll.
Males are the biggest user of footpaths on skateboards, bikes, battery powered machines of various kinds. Walking is so last century. Now there are skateboards on person power and soon there will be a condition of assymetrical leg muscles, one riding and the other pushing forward. But the smart person just stands on something and whizzes along the footpath. There are also the bikes some as fast as cars, and without registration, and few controls if any.
So to whom it may concern, stick your great ideas up both your nostrils, and don't come up with great schemes that suit the self-involved pushy males and aggressive females in what is supposed to be a society.
Here is a nice interview with Glenn Greenwald, without doubt the most effective journalist in the world today, discussing his new book "Securing Democracy: My Fight for Press Freedom and Justice in Bolsonaro’s Brazil," and his leading role in dismantling the Bolsonaro govt and freeing the most important Left wing leader in the World Lula da Silva from prison.
His courage in doing this type of journalism just cannot be understated, he is a shining example of what can be done in journalism when it is pursued with integrity and a high social purpose as its moral guide can achieve.
He also discusses the rise of, and destructive power of the woke liberal movement in the West, which as we know has been having an extremely corrosive effect on free discourse, but is proving to be extremely effective in creating divisiveness across all political/social spectrums.
But the buses spewing black soot, as the electrical buses were exchanged against diesel will be allowed.
Are we then enriching the parking company by having to pay astronomical amounts when leaving the car at the city limits or even parking on the city council lots around train stations when coming to Wellington from areas where a bike ride takes days?
The transport system is absolute terrible, it could well be that you are stuck in town when those unreliable buses and trains are something to go by. Better not to go at all.
Why not address the urgent items first. You know the ones we actually need to pass the test of being a civilization and pay rates that have increased by double digits?
I was extremely unhappy with the replacement of the trolley busses without having the next generation of electric busses in place beforehand. This hopefully gets changed within the next years (as well as the car issue, e-scooter issue…).
Didn't know parking in the CBD is free at the moment. So it will move from within the CBD to the CBD fringe. Taking into account a significant portion of cars simply drives through the CBD instead of doing business within the CBD, parking fees doesn't apply to those cars… maybe the introduction of a congestion charge for vehicles driving through the CBD could cover that?
I would also suggest a very frequent inner CBD free public transport, similar to Melbourne, so people don't require a car in the city at all. Some of the freed road space can be used for bicycle / e-scooter etc. to free up the footpaths for pedestrians, for example in Germany e-scooters are not allowed on footpaths.
As far as I can see there are significantly more bike going into the CBD now compared to 10 years ago, especially e-bikes. So many people moved beyond the "car über alles" sentiment we have here in NZ. Public transport will improve when more people are going to use it and public transport is not stuck within car traffic.
I also strongly believe that the road rules have to be properly enforced here, so pedestrians and bike riders can feel safe. And isn't it time to adjust road fines by at least inflation since they were set last time (late 1990s!)?
Coming from a city where you do not need a car at all – true! – with a population size half of NZ, I know that Wellington is so far behind the 8-ball it isn't funny anymore. But we have wasted so much money on stupid things that one could cry. Besides, who wants to live in a place where sewage can be your morning greeting at any minute and your drinking water is being sold rather then flowing through maintained pipes. I do not harbour any hope that this will see any improvement in the next 20-30 years.
I have moved out of Wellington and so glad I did. Perhaps a visit once or twice a year will do me just fine.
you know they are circleing the plughole when one sad entitled git writing about another sad entitled git from the same organisation is a featured headline. the herald is jumping the shark.
Not the best way to get on side with Kiwis – a Taupo boutique lodge manager complains "sorry to say, Kiwis are tight arses, to be honest" (Stuff 8 April page 13). Perhaps Kiwis are happy spending their money at a nice motel, not a hyper expensive boutique lodges, and spending their money also on experiences etc.
also go's on to say that aussies dont stay their much either. hmmm, great business plan ,if you need people to cross the equator, maybe time to lower your prices.it doesnt sound like a sustainable business, long term.
Grant Robertson really seems to be out of touch with reality and not taking advice from treasury etc. So if landlords raise rents, he said tenants should simply look elsewhere like this tenant.
By the sounds of the article she is doing exactly that and selling all five properties. Seems a bit knee jerk to me as the interest deductibility is being phased in not next tax year will only cost a bit more.
It seems to me interest deductibility is an anomaly in the Income Tax Act, so she cannot complain about its removal. However, had depreciation not become non deductible she would probably have been OK. Depreciation is a legitimate expense and, therefor removing its deductibility was, I believe, a mistake. I suspect though that margins in property investment are so low that wiping out depreciation allowances would wipe out profits altogether.
Perhaps it is time to rationalize the situation and make rental property investment tax free, and all the related expenses non deductible.
How can depreciation be a legitimate expense in this case, when property values increase ?? There is, under housing no loss in value. There are rules that the IRD follow to determine what is valid R&M verse capital cost, and R&M is a deductible expense to reduce tax.
I thought the changes to depreciation for housing was necessary.
"Depreciation is an accounting method of allocating the cost of a tangible or physical asset over its useful life or life expectancy. Depreciation represents how much of an asset's value has been used up."
I thought the changes to depreciation for housing was necessary.
It wasn't really necessary. The book value of a property equals original cost less depreciation allowed prior to sale, though depreciation is not applicable to land, only to the house. When a property is sold one would treat any difference between the sale price and the book value of the house as capital gain. After all, what would one do if the property had been sold for less than book value. Would one continue to regard depreciation as non deductible inf that situation.
In the case quoted above depreciation, being a non cash expense, might have helped to ease Ms Goodman's flow problems until the houses were sold had depreciation been deductible – even if there had been an excess depreciation claw back rule in place.
From what I understand plenty are getting out asap as they feel the market is at a peak.
Im no expert but I'm fairly worried that inflationary pressure is going to arrive and the real effects of what is a global slow down masked by printed money will hit hard.
Or Landlords are rushing to change things out of panic.
How long has she had the properties? She is getting a 12 month lead in and a staggered rate over four years, so her reasons for selling up seem political at this stage. The comment regarding double glazing shows there was no contingency fund.
Would selling 1 home pay the interest on the other homes?
At some point a landlord is going to cash up. Blaming the recent changes for not being a landlord is going to far in this case. Maybe just having the 1 home and paying off the interest on the loan could be to much once the tax deduction on interest is cut for some with a big mortgage on an investment property.
Were the sale price on a rental home start to drop will landlords cash up?
Your blaming Grant R for that? Most “business” owners have some compassion and in a case like this wouldn’t evict a terminally ill person. Shame on the landlord. Shame, shame on him
but then Grant boy will never have to go looking elsewhere should his housing costs go up as the Tax payer is paying him such a good wage that this is not one of his concerns. Like his collegues he too is well fed, well heeled, and well housed, and that is what matters.
So yeah, shame to the greedy landlord, and shame to the Finance Minister who obviously has no idea what he is talking about. But then, its on par with what someone else said a few years ago.
"I don't think the issue of someone living in a homeless situation is new – it's been there for a very long period of time. But we are there to provide support as best we can. All I can say to people if somebody is homeless they should go see Winz."
They are virtually the same comments, one in blue one in red, and both just take the piss at the misery of those that finance their lives. The citizens and taxpayers of this country.
You obviously didn't watch the video. Even the tenants were not blaming the landlord. She owns five properties and rents to low income people with pets, so I would say she's actually a pretty reasonable landlord.
Women’s health is being “held together by fax machine,” with Jacinda Ardern’s Government rejecting three years of funding requests to bring New Zealand’s cervical screening programme into the 21st century.
Documents obtained under the Official Information Act reveal the Government has known the nationwide cervical screening programme – that is, cytology testing, or the pap smear test – is not the best way of saving lives since at least May 2016.
Doctors have had the physical ability to carry out a better test, known as the HPV viral DNA test, with at least 15 per cent more effectiveness at detecting cancer and reducing deaths, since 2008.
At least 30 cancers each year could have been prevented with a new programme using this test. A 2019 external review said the risks to women grew greater with each delay. …………………..
The National Cervical Screening Register (NCSR) was built in 1990 to receive results through fax, and doctors still have to call or fax to check on patients. Both the technology and the law currently prohibit GPs from looking up results in a centralised system.
Sources spoken to by Stuff say the ministry’s register is commonly referred to as being “held together by fax machine,” and doctors and district health boards are angry at the programme’s continual delay.
Some DHBs have offered to roll out their own self-testing programmes, recorded on Excel spreadsheets. ………………….
In June 2018, its delay was announced by the ministry’s National Screening Unit director Dr Jane O'Hallahan, who said a “fit-for-purpose IT solution,” was needed.
But sources spoken to by Stuff say attempts to get the programme funded in 2018, 2019 and again in 2020 were rejected, with those close to the process told it was because there was no money left after $197m went into bowel cancer screening.
In early 2018, the ministry told then Associate Minister Julie Anne Genter the new register would take 18 months to develop and implement once it had been funded. It was projected it could be finished by 2021.
It has still not been funded. Sources say projected costs sat between $60-$160m.
good grief. IS this a case of can't or won't?
For people like Kiri who obviously do not like anyone to poke about their business, the ability to perform a self test could have been potentially a deal breaker and rather then undergoing Stage 3 cancer treatment she would have had alternatives that would be less invasive, and lasting.
Robertson also said efforts to get more people to use screening procedures for cervical cancer and HPV were ongoing, but he was non-committal regarding the introduction of self-swabbing tests, which were supposed to be rolled out three years ago.
"I know there is some advice coming through to us on that … and that's all now part of the process that we work through with the budget," he said.
The issue was brought into focus this week with news that Conservation Minister Kiri Allan is battling stage 3 cervical cancer.
Yep, its not that they can't, they simply don't, won't and don't give no dime. Kinder gentler, Yeah, right Labour!
Nope we had no pandemic in 2017 – 2018. The health sector is so underfunded that people will die. And Kiri – who has been open about not liking to go to a OBGYN or a GP for a papsmear could have done it by herself and thus prevented the thousands upon thousands it will now cost in surgery and chemo therapy etc.
And dear Grant still gives no fuck.
It sounds like the Pandemic is to Labour what Helen Clark was to John Key.
Any encouragement to get a cervical test for a cancer or a pre cancer which has a high likely hood of being detected with a do it yourself procedure or the current method used no excuse to not fully fund it.
National are pushing the panic buttons when we need to be patient until we know that vaccines are effective against variants and safe administration is keeping an eye on adverse reactions during administration of vaccines there is no need to rush vaccine roll outs or opening borders.
Especially when countries where vast numbers of people are dying who need the vaccine more urgently reflects on National's selfishness.
Bringing people from the Pacific Islands who could be trapped here vice versa travel opening travel to Pacific islands until they are vaccinated/immunised could devistate indigenous populations who are far more susceptible to c19 as well as not having health systems that barely exist now.NZ 's health system is overloaded now with out an outbreak.
Rory Mac Illroy speaks out about voter suppression in Georgia Lee Travino boycotted the Masters at the height of his career because of the racism at the Masters.
Ah ha. Come in you rich people with great ideas that sound good to greenies, future looking, diversifying, yes you can buy our piece of land to add to your various hideouts around the world. Just get your foot in the door, and NZ will never push you out again, they aren't 'robust' enough (and always looking for a quick buck, don't be fooled by the greenwash.)
I think with cases currently nearing 100 it wont be long until we have to shut down everything again. Then we print some more money and add another 16 billion dollars to the debt mountain. niiice….
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/solar-geoengineering-climate-change_n_605c765dc5b67593e055ff9d …It is, quiteliterally, the stuff of science fiction. But on Thursday the United States inched closer to realizing what, depending on where you fall, could be considered a dream of environmental engineering or a dystopian nightmare: devising a plan to artificially cool the planet if humans fail to cut climate-changing emissions quickly enough.
In a 329-page report, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine outlined its vision for a federal program to study what’s collectively known as solar geoengineering ― a handful of techniques to reflect sunlight back into space or manipulate cloud coverage to temporarily alleviate the effects of pollution-fueled heating.…
Ju-darth's days must be numbered. Dick Prebble the other day, and now National Party embedded journalist, Claire Trevett have both begun the process of leadership change.
If the choice is between Chris Lucks-in and Soimon, or both, as Trevett suggests, then the Nats have a long, long way to go.
They may find she's as hard to be rid of as a cockroach infestation. With no plausible leaders in the offing, and a rank and file so lacking in talent it has room for Smith & Brownlee, the National Party is waiting for Godot – boredom incarnate without the redeeming literary merit.
What i would like to know is if the people that are currently not being allowed to board a plane in India will have some recompensation for their flights, and their booked isolation facilities. Will other people be allowed in on short notice to use the space up? And why are we freaking out because 100 people in isolation have covid. Are we not prepared for that number? Are our hospitals not capable now or are we still worried that our already collapsing health care system would collapse in sight of all and everyone, one year after the closure of the border.
Meh, I feel nothing but pity for the people that shelled out good money to get back here, who waited a month or several for a spot in isolation just to be fobbed of like that.
These are risky times. There’s a global pandemic raging. It is not BAU. Maybe this will act as a warning for wannabe travelers in the Oz-NZ bubble. I feel pity for people who have lost loved ones to Covid-19 but fortunately only 26 so far in NZ.
-are the travelers just to absorb the costs? a wet hand shake? uncertain times?
-will the freed up beds allocated to others who have been on the waiting line?
is our healthcare sector in such bad shape that we close to travelers who have planned this trip for the better part of the last year.
i don't care much about people coming back to the country before full vaccination but these gap stop actions are kind of rude to anyone who has put in the effort of actually getting here. Cause it ain't easy.
As i said, i don't want anyone to come before at least we have had a chances at getting the vaccines to everyone, but i guess that is going to take a bit longer for while. And yes, 2020 was rude for most of us, it helps to keep that in mind when holding awesome powers.
I think that we all have a right to be safe and if it is found that 80% of travelers from a country (any country) are arriving in NZ infected, the NZ population also has the right to say no, you have to be virus free if you come to these shores. If you look at the visitor cards for immigration, any foreign material or organism is not allowed into NZ. A carrier of a virus with such known devastating effect on health, lives and economic impact qualifies. I really don't care who these people are, everybody has a right to have predictable consequences affecting lives avoided at all costs.
I think it is to protect Border workers and quarantine from being swamped. 7×24 in a day might mean 148 in a week, or 296 in a fortnight. That is pushing the envelope. I am pleased they are alert to changes happening overseas. Most airlines are allowing rebooking. This is the new reality. Buyer beware!!
Daily new COVID-19 case numbers in India have surged in the last month (126,315 new cases on 7 April, the highest number ever reported outside the USA). In the last few days the daily new case numbers have been consistently higher than during the mid-Sept peak of India's first wave, and trending sharply upwards.
The travel ban is precautionary – wouldn’t be surprised if it is extended, and of course any disruption and grief it causes is regrettable.
Wouldn't be surprised also if some opposition National party MP pipes up soon and opines that the Government should have put this travel ban in place sooner.
"Wouldn't be surprised also if some opposition National party MP pipes up soon and opines that the Government should have put this travel ban in place sooner."
Gotta say, the opposition are fairly tragic.They make me think of one of the 5000 that were fed with five loaves and two fish that there wasn't a gluten free option.
Daily new covid cases are surging pretty much everywhere as the old variant is being replaced by the new UK variant.
And everyone who got a vaccine so far hopes and prays to any deity that wants to listen that it works.
In the meantime in NZ we still stuck at lockdown mentality cause that is all we got.
So i really hope dear leader will close the borders to Europeans, US America (75% of all cases are now the UK variant) and everywhere else where the virus is on the march again, just to fair. …..and equal, and maybe just to watch that stench of 'racism' and 'panic' of.
Again, a hundered cases in the country, non in our crumbling hospital system and they panic. How bad is our hospital system? Worse then it was before lockdown?
Ardern has just announced that there will be no entry by kiwis from India till the end of the month.
Best to fact-check Chris T's fake news. The travel ban hasn't started yet, and the intention is end the ban on 28 April (although it could be extended if necessary), so initially it’s an 18-day ban, not a 22-day ban (until the end of the month.)
Most NZers will see this as a strategic decision, courtesy of epidemiological analyses, to ensure that our much admired COVID-19 elimination strategy continues to work for the team of nearly five million.
4 pm on 11 April is 3 days on my calendar. You shortened it so much it was grossly misleading but I assume that was entirely unintentional and accidental.
Chris T, imho your sole motive for commenting here is to stir ("This will turn ugly").
You can't count well enough to tell the difference between 22 days ("till the end of the month") and 18 days (11 – 28 April) – why would anyone trust your judgement?
Poor widdle Chris T, earlier in the day he’s been whinging about the PM being too scared and running from tough questions and then our brave PM fronts the country (again) with strong and brave leadership to make an announcement to protect our country. You can't catch a break eh sweetie. She also said the delay will give them time to pass the necessary laws, I assume to cover your fear mongering yadda yadda yadda, but I’m sure you’ll be back here regularly with your Faux outrage and Chicken Little conspiracies.
All your combined comments continue to highlight your outrage my very wise and thoughtful friend. You are quite right I am very simple minded, in fact generally I'm as dumb as a box of rocks, but I know right from wrong and sincere from insincere and that keeps me a very content and happy simpleton.
The man who would be Q is a guy by the name of Ron Watkins. Ron is the son of Jim Watkins, the owner of the imageboard 8chan. They live in the Philipines and have for years. Ron is the administrator of 8kun, the successor to 8chan. Both men have been intimately involved in the spread of QAnon content on boards like 4Chan, 8chan, and 8kun, so much so that for a while the main theory for the identity of Q was one or both of the Watkinses.
The previously camera-shy Watkins — who runs 8kun alongside his father, Jim — has long been the key suspect for the identity of Q. In fact, anybody really paying attention all but knew it.
Oh, I see now, you took 2 days off at the end, not at the beginning, or maybe you did both or would it be pedantic to assume that? Your stirring is starting to waste our time here. Are you going to apologise for that too? I think you should.
I apologise for for not including the time at the beginning.
Now can I please get some apologies from all those that didn't ake into account some travellers from places in India can take over 24 hours and even more if they are travelling by boat, so these places will need to stop people leaving earlier.
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Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
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Yay the tourists are back.
Burn a ton of jet fuel to see the melting Tasman glaciers.
As are the happily reuniting families. Got a problem with that too?
TVNZ scoured the country to find a hard done by granny to go on TV and found one in Huntly.
But reunifying families is not primarily what this is about.
This is a return to BAU.
Imagine Incognito, if you will, that the government instead of spending tens of millions subsidising air travel, the government as major shareholder withdrew all support and shut Air NZ down, and instead had put that eye watering amount of money into setting up a high speed ferry service to compete with the air carriers.
A high speed ferry crossing of the Tasman would take roughly 24 hours, compared to the 3 hours by air. Obviously much longer, but no longer than a transcontinental flight to Europe, which Kiwis quite regularly bear. And if the ticket on the ferry was at half the price of an airfare, it could be quite attractive to many cross Tasman families tourists included. Especially as most high speed ocean crossing ferries of the size and power needed to cross the Tasman come with a roll on cargo deck for cars.
Now imagine even further, if all the laid off Air New Zealand staff and facilities were redeployed to set up and run this service.
If not done now. Eventually this measure, or something very close to it, will have to be done by a future generation. By then, it will be too little too late.
We will never Build Back Better, we will continue to miss opportunities like this to do so. The BAU imperitive is why nothing meaningful will ever be done about climate change, condemning the coming generation to a terrible future
If it is not in the media, it doesn’t exist or is only minor!? So Zen, or so ignorant.
Your comment is just one big ‘imagine this, imagine that’, full of irrelevant reckons, but you dodged the very basic question because it didn’t suit your narrative, that much is clear.
we don't need to go back to Bau – we never left it.
cue the election promise to the national voters taht the labour party was courting.
"No increase in benefits".
The Labour Party is Party of business as usual, they are not the solution they are part of the problem, specifically the current one. It is not that they are incompetent, its that they are so full of their own horsemanure they have started to believe the crap they sprout.
And everyone but them carries the risk, loses their jobs, their businesses and their homes, and they are there and will tell you over and over like a mantra, be nice, be kind, be gentle, and above all don't bother me. Waiting for Labour to do something meaningful is like waiting on National to do something meaningful.
Meanwhile Savage is spinning in his grave.
It certainly makes a mockery of the government's 'Gen Less' campaign to reduce consumption. I should walk to the supermarket apparently, so a bunch of woskers can fly into Queenstown.
Nope, you should walk to the supermarket because it is good for you and for the environment. Framing it at as a zero sum game and us vs. them is divisive and counter-productive.
It is us against them – thirty years of neoliberal failure sure as hell wasn't in my interests. We're poor because a bunch of totally fith economist wonks and their enabling politicians chose to make it so – and it's about time those worthless mofos were made to pay for it.
\shrug
That depends on the geographical features of where one lives. I bet even you would be thinking twice about walking back with a load of groceries up the hill where I live.
Clearly, it is an option for Stuart Munro otherwise he would not have suggested it, would he?
I did not suggest it – it is the recommendation of Genless – because over the course of perhaps ten years, these pedestrian journeys will add up to enough to balance out one foreign tourist flying into Queenstown.
Yippee!
But Stuart, if you are REALLY so concerned about ones impact upon climate change, maybe you should practise what you preach and refrain from internet use? As per the attached article (the science on this is very clear), take just one quote:
Hmm, the carbon footprint of Greta Thurnberg must be massive. Trouble is, this is all an inconvenient truth to those who preach how the rest of us should live!
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200305-why-your-internet-habits-are-not-as-clean-as-you-think#:~:text=Those%20scraps%20of%20energy%2C%20and,emissions%2C%20according%20to%20some%20estimates.
It's just a matter of consistency – an overseas flight typically represents one of the largest carbon expenditures ordinary people undertake, and tourism, unlike grocery shopping, is discretionary. 11% of annual totals was the BBC estimate.
practise what you preach and refrain from internet use
I never advocated anything of the kind – but I'm sure that if you do the quality of discourse will be measurably improved.
Stuart, apologies if it seemed like I was preaching or being a smart****.
I guess my point was that tackling climate change is a very complex thing, and at the end of the day it involves many trade offs. I just get very annoyed with the hypocrisy and populist bs on this matter (not referring to you specifically, but the name 'Greta' does loom large).
Yes, tourism is discretionary, but does it add value to the world? I would have thought international tourism has done wonders for breaking down cultural bigotry and racism for example. China is a classic. 40 years ago the Chinese were largely alien to us and us to them. Has tourism not brought the people closer and broken down many barriers? I would have thought so.
I'm sure the argument can be made – though tourism is a heading covering a lot of different activities, some of which might be better avoided.
If we are serious about climate change, longer term moves to reduce the bigger impacts, like air travel, are very desirable. One of the obvious candidates is transtasman passenger shipping. Ferries like the Busan-Shimonoseki run manage a comfortable though not palatial service that is pretty economical of both cash and carbon.
I am less sanguine about tourism as a vehicle for cultural mixing – more because some kinds of tourism don't do it very much – externally hosted coach tours for example, though lots of genuine interactions occur in more backpacker formats.
I expect the govt. is reluctant to see air travel fall off, because highend perishable exports like crayfish and tyee presently depend upon it. It's a relatively poor reason to preserve a sunset industry like mass air travel, when there are other ways to ship such products, which, properly developed, would open the incalculably large Asian markets to our mussel surplus.
Ta
Do you mean this?
https://genless.govt.nz/moving/lower-energy-transport/say-no-to-short-car-trips/
Yes.
Thanks for the tyee link Stuart. I'd missed reports about that. Very interesting.
That bit about cutting out short car trips has two sides to it. The image shows someone with a skateboard? If these people want to really be green, they could try walking. Oh but the footpaths are full of people on skateboards going faster than walkers which makes walking stressful even hazardous. The footpaths are not places that you can safely take a quiet stroll.
Males are the biggest user of footpaths on skateboards, bikes, battery powered machines of various kinds. Walking is so last century. Now there are skateboards on person power and soon there will be a condition of assymetrical leg muscles, one riding and the other pushing forward. But the smart person just stands on something and whizzes along the footpath. There are also the bikes some as fast as cars, and without registration, and few controls if any.
So to whom it may concern, stick your great ideas up both your nostrils, and don't come up with great schemes that suit the self-involved pushy males and aggressive females in what is supposed to be a society.
https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change
Here is a nice interview with Glenn Greenwald, without doubt the most effective journalist in the world today, discussing his new book "Securing Democracy: My Fight for Press Freedom and Justice in Bolsonaro’s Brazil," and his leading role in dismantling the Bolsonaro govt and freeing the most important Left wing leader in the World Lula da Silva from prison.
His courage in doing this type of journalism just cannot be understated, he is a shining example of what can be done in journalism when it is pursued with integrity and a high social purpose as its moral guide can achieve.
He also discusses the rise of, and destructive power of the woke liberal movement in the West, which as we know has been having an extremely corrosive effect on free discourse, but is proving to be extremely effective in creating divisiveness across all political/social spectrums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPiNIxeGZCE&t=3s
Glen Greenwald on Syria
https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/glenn-greenwald-revving-us-war-machine-wont-help-syrias-suffering-civilians
Fr out this mental health hiding stats from the normal report thing is looking a bit of a joke.
Andrew Little is getting reamed on the AM show and Garner usually spends most of his interviews with this government sucking up.
I haven't seen so many bullshit excuses from a Minister in a long time.
I’m waiting for something like this for a decade now:
Wellington car-free CBD
Naturally, there will be strong opposition to the plans.
And where exactly is every on supposed to go at the end of the Motorway?
lol you're so close to understanding some of the positive flow-on effects.
But the buses spewing black soot, as the electrical buses were exchanged against diesel will be allowed.
Are we then enriching the parking company by having to pay astronomical amounts when leaving the car at the city limits or even parking on the city council lots around train stations when coming to Wellington from areas where a bike ride takes days?
The transport system is absolute terrible, it could well be that you are stuck in town when those unreliable buses and trains are something to go by. Better not to go at all.
Why not address the urgent items first. You know the ones we actually need to pass the test of being a civilization and pay rates that have increased by double digits?
I was extremely unhappy with the replacement of the trolley busses without having the next generation of electric busses in place beforehand. This hopefully gets changed within the next years (as well as the car issue, e-scooter issue…).
Didn't know parking in the CBD is free at the moment. So it will move from within the CBD to the CBD fringe. Taking into account a significant portion of cars simply drives through the CBD instead of doing business within the CBD, parking fees doesn't apply to those cars… maybe the introduction of a congestion charge for vehicles driving through the CBD could cover that?
I would also suggest a very frequent inner CBD free public transport, similar to Melbourne, so people don't require a car in the city at all. Some of the freed road space can be used for bicycle / e-scooter etc. to free up the footpaths for pedestrians, for example in Germany e-scooters are not allowed on footpaths.
As far as I can see there are significantly more bike going into the CBD now compared to 10 years ago, especially e-bikes. So many people moved beyond the "car über alles" sentiment we have here in NZ. Public transport will improve when more people are going to use it and public transport is not stuck within car traffic.
I also strongly believe that the road rules have to be properly enforced here, so pedestrians and bike riders can feel safe. And isn't it time to adjust road fines by at least inflation since they were set last time (late 1990s!)?
Coming from a city where you do not need a car at all – true! – with a population size half of NZ, I know that Wellington is so far behind the 8-ball it isn't funny anymore. But we have wasted so much money on stupid things that one could cry. Besides, who wants to live in a place where sewage can be your morning greeting at any minute and your drinking water is being sold rather then flowing through maintained pipes. I do not harbour any hope that this will see any improvement in the next 20-30 years.
I have moved out of Wellington and so glad I did. Perhaps a visit once or twice a year will do me just fine.
NZME has Soper writing about Hosk in granny.
The NZ media in a nutshell: manufacture content from within your owned media assets.
Yep just posted on it. Clearly they were after clicks.
you know they are circleing the plughole when one sad entitled git writing about another sad entitled git from the same organisation is a featured headline. the herald is jumping the shark.
Not the best way to get on side with Kiwis – a Taupo boutique lodge manager complains "sorry to say, Kiwis are tight arses, to be honest" (Stuff 8 April page 13). Perhaps Kiwis are happy spending their money at a nice motel, not a hyper expensive boutique lodges, and spending their money also on experiences etc.
it is a very rude way of saying that most Kiwis are broke as. 🙂
Agreed Sabine, made the very comment to "him indoors".
also go's on to say that aussies dont stay their much either. hmmm, great business plan ,if you need people to cross the equator, maybe time to lower your prices.it doesnt sound like a sustainable business, long term.
Grant Robertson really seems to be out of touch with reality and not taking advice from treasury etc. So if landlords raise rents, he said tenants should simply look elsewhere like this tenant.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/04/terminally-ill-woman-winz-families-asked-to-vacate-homes-by-hamilton-landlord-after-government-crackdown-on-property-investors.html
Best Ms Goodwin gets off the pot and gives someone more competent an opportunity to pee.
By the sounds of the article she is doing exactly that and selling all five properties. Seems a bit knee jerk to me as the interest deductibility is being phased in not next tax year will only cost a bit more.
It seems to me interest deductibility is an anomaly in the Income Tax Act, so she cannot complain about its removal. However, had depreciation not become non deductible she would probably have been OK. Depreciation is a legitimate expense and, therefor removing its deductibility was, I believe, a mistake. I suspect though that margins in property investment are so low that wiping out depreciation allowances would wipe out profits altogether.
Perhaps it is time to rationalize the situation and make rental property investment tax free, and all the related expenses non deductible.
How can depreciation be a legitimate expense in this case, when property values increase ?? There is, under housing no loss in value. There are rules that the IRD follow to determine what is valid R&M verse capital cost, and R&M is a deductible expense to reduce tax.
I thought the changes to depreciation for housing was necessary.
"Depreciation is an accounting method of allocating the cost of a tangible or physical asset over its useful life or life expectancy. Depreciation represents how much of an asset's value has been used up."
I thought the changes to depreciation for housing was necessary.
It wasn't really necessary. The book value of a property equals original cost less depreciation allowed prior to sale, though depreciation is not applicable to land, only to the house. When a property is sold one would treat any difference between the sale price and the book value of the house as capital gain. After all, what would one do if the property had been sold for less than book value. Would one continue to regard depreciation as non deductible inf that situation.
In the case quoted above depreciation, being a non cash expense, might have helped to ease Ms Goodman's flow problems until the houses were sold had depreciation been deductible – even if there had been an excess depreciation claw back rule in place.
She owns the houses. She can sell them whenever she likes and can also ask tenants to leave to help with doing that.
It’s been a while since I saw somebody wheel out the ‘pretty legal’ excuse here. Typically, by a simpleton or by a RW stirrer.
A panicking ninny,?
Or a scummy little right wing tool making shit up to try damage the government?
From what I understand plenty are getting out asap as they feel the market is at a peak.
Im no expert but I'm fairly worried that inflationary pressure is going to arrive and the real effects of what is a global slow down masked by printed money will hit hard.
Or Landlords are rushing to change things out of panic.
How long has she had the properties? She is getting a 12 month lead in and a staggered rate over four years, so her reasons for selling up seem political at this stage. The comment regarding double glazing shows there was no contingency fund.
Would selling 1 home pay the interest on the other homes?
At some point a landlord is going to cash up. Blaming the recent changes for not being a landlord is going to far in this case. Maybe just having the 1 home and paying off the interest on the loan could be to much once the tax deduction on interest is cut for some with a big mortgage on an investment property.
Were the sale price on a rental home start to drop will landlords cash up?
Your blaming Grant R for that? Most “business” owners have some compassion and in a case like this wouldn’t evict a terminally ill person. Shame on the landlord. Shame, shame on him
shame on the landlord.
and shame on Grant Robertson to sprout something so profoundly tone deaf and stupid and down right dumb as
but then Grant boy will never have to go looking elsewhere should his housing costs go up as the Tax payer is paying him such a good wage that this is not one of his concerns. Like his collegues he too is well fed, well heeled, and well housed, and that is what matters.
So yeah, shame to the greedy landlord, and shame to the Finance Minister who obviously has no idea what he is talking about. But then, its on par with what someone else said a few years ago.
They are virtually the same comments, one in blue one in red, and both just take the piss at the misery of those that finance their lives. The citizens and taxpayers of this country.
You obviously didn't watch the video. Even the tenants were not blaming the landlord. She owns five properties and rents to low income people with pets, so I would say she's actually a pretty reasonable landlord.
IS there anything this government actually likes to fund? I mean seriously, why is this not funded?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300271227/womens-health-held-together-by-fax-machine-as-ardern-govt-fails-to-fund-modern-hpv-testing
good grief. IS this a case of can't or won't?
For people like Kiri who obviously do not like anyone to poke about their business, the ability to perform a self test could have been potentially a deal breaker and rather then undergoing Stage 3 cancer treatment she would have had alternatives that would be less invasive, and lasting.
yeah, and Grant boy answered the Question, its We Won't.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/woman-battling-cancer-has-to-pay-64k-for-drug-cytoxan-theyre-making-money-out-of-me-dying/LORD6PAJSPWOZKG5RJXOZILSI4/
Yep, its not that they can't, they simply don't, won't and don't give no dime. Kinder gentler, Yeah, right Labour!
They gave an extra 800 000 000 to health.. what have the DHBs done with it? Raised
pay? Hired specialists? Being DHBs your guess is as good as mine.
Could be the little matter of the Pandemic elimination strategy?
Nope we had no pandemic in 2017 – 2018. The health sector is so underfunded that people will die. And Kiri – who has been open about not liking to go to a OBGYN or a GP for a papsmear could have done it by herself and thus prevented the thousands upon thousands it will now cost in surgery and chemo therapy etc.
And dear Grant still gives no fuck.
It sounds like the Pandemic is to Labour what Helen Clark was to John Key.
Is another Cartwright inquiry needed?
Any encouragement to get a cervical test for a cancer or a pre cancer which has a high likely hood of being detected with a do it yourself procedure or the current method used no excuse to not fully fund it.
National are pushing the panic buttons when we need to be patient until we know that vaccines are effective against variants and safe administration is keeping an eye on adverse reactions during administration of vaccines there is no need to rush vaccine roll outs or opening borders.
Especially when countries where vast numbers of people are dying who need the vaccine more urgently reflects on National's selfishness.
Bringing people from the Pacific Islands who could be trapped here vice versa travel opening travel to Pacific islands until they are vaccinated/immunised could devistate indigenous populations who are far more susceptible to c19 as well as not having health systems that barely exist now.NZ 's health system is overloaded now with out an outbreak.
Rory Mac Illroy speaks out about voter suppression in Georgia Lee Travino boycotted the Masters at the height of his career because of the racism at the Masters.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/440003/hollywood-director-james-cameron-s-enviro-farm-turns-to-dairy-cow-grazing
Ah ha. Come in you rich people with great ideas that sound good to greenies, future looking, diversifying, yes you can buy our piece of land to add to your various hideouts around the world. Just get your foot in the door, and NZ will never push you out again, they aren't 'robust' enough (and always looking for a quick buck, don't be fooled by the greenwash.)
My pick is hes tired of topping up his project with his movie money and has decided to be economic he needs to go conventional.
Yes I'll bet he had that up his sleeve. Organic (enviro?) farming isn't exciting enough for a movie man.
Pop
https://twitter.com/minhealthnz/status/1379927454479904769
Oh dear, here we go again. So this is what we learn from the 1pm press conference
1. the border work was not vaccinated
2. they didn’t refuse the vaccine but
3. there were “logistical” issues.
Where have we heard this before? Maybe the PPE saga, the we’re doing weekly tests / no we’re not saga, the MIQ escape saga …
MOH makes the policy,the DHB implements the policy.
Ask the DHB why not.
I think with cases currently nearing 100 it wont be long until we have to shut down everything again. Then we print some more money and add another 16 billion dollars to the debt mountain. niiice….
Paul Crutzen – one of today's great people. Now RIP though – since 28 January 2021.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-29/the-scientist-who-warned-of-ozone-hole-then-named-our-climate-age
https://www.mpg.de/16360356/obituary-paul-j-crutzen –
.
(Max Planck Institute – https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bpplan.html)
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/solar-geoengineering-climate-change_n_605c765dc5b67593e055ff9d
…It is, quite literally, the stuff of science fiction. But on Thursday the United States inched closer to realizing what, depending on where you fall, could be considered a dream of environmental engineering or a dystopian nightmare: devising a plan to artificially cool the planet if humans fail to cut climate-changing emissions quickly enough.
In a 329-page report, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine outlined its vision for a federal program to study what’s collectively known as solar geoengineering ― a handful of techniques to reflect sunlight back into space or manipulate cloud coverage to temporarily alleviate the effects of pollution-fueled heating.…
Ju-darth's days must be numbered. Dick Prebble the other day, and now National Party embedded journalist, Claire Trevett have both begun the process of leadership change.
If the choice is between Chris Lucks-in and Soimon, or both, as Trevett suggests, then the Nats have a long, long way to go.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/claire-trevett-is-a-simon-bridges-christopher-luxon-leadership-ticket-on-the-cards/DSCBWYHFH2CGYCA3ONHAFOMDHE/
They may find she's as hard to be rid of as a cockroach infestation. With no plausible leaders in the offing, and a rank and file so lacking in talent it has room for Smith & Brownlee, the National Party is waiting for Godot – boredom incarnate without the redeeming literary merit.
Ardern has just announced that there will be no entry by kiwis from India till the end of the month.
This will turn ugly
In what way do you mean 'will turn ugly'?
It will start arguments about it being against international law……yadda yadda yadda.
At leat she was at pains to highlight the “temporarily” bit, so may not be that bad.
That and they look a bit stupid given Megan Woods comments the other day when Hamish Walker moaned about Indians going into MIQ down south.
"“I think it’s disgraceful and reprehensible. It’s scaremongering and frankly it’s racist,”"
Lol
You seem to be having a great time!?
What international laws are you talking about? Sounds like you’re making it up as you go, which wouldn’t be the first time. Therefore, I add this:
[link required]
there is a right to return in NZ, but as expected this can be stopped or amended to protect the people here. From AUT here https://news.aut.ac.nz/news/the-legal-rights-of-kiwis-coming-home
What i would like to know is if the people that are currently not being allowed to board a plane in India will have some recompensation for their flights, and their booked isolation facilities. Will other people be allowed in on short notice to use the space up? And why are we freaking out because 100 people in isolation have covid. Are we not prepared for that number? Are our hospitals not capable now or are we still worried that our already collapsing health care system would collapse in sight of all and everyone, one year after the closure of the border.
Meh, I feel nothing but pity for the people that shelled out good money to get back here, who waited a month or several for a spot in isolation just to be fobbed of like that.
These are risky times. There’s a global pandemic raging. It is not BAU. Maybe this will act as a warning for wannabe travelers in the Oz-NZ bubble. I feel pity for people who have lost loved ones to Covid-19 but fortunately only 26 so far in NZ.
the questions raised still stand tho.
-are the travelers just to absorb the costs? a wet hand shake? uncertain times?
-will the freed up beds allocated to others who have been on the waiting line?
i don't care much about people coming back to the country before full vaccination but these gap stop actions are kind of rude to anyone who has put in the effort of actually getting here. Cause it ain't easy.
"-are the travelers just to absorb the costs? a wet hand shake? uncertain times?"
They could start by talking to their travel insurance company.
"-will the freed up beds allocated to others who have been on the waiting line?"
Maybe the beds stay empty and the workers can have a break.
I think it’ll depend on insurance and refund policies of airlines, et cetera.
I’d assume any freed-up empty beds will be put to good use.
The temporary measures are to protect both travellers and MIQ facilities.
Is it considered rude to protect people and others from catching Covid-19? If so, 2020 was the ‘rudest’ year on record.
Nobody has said it is easy!
As i said, i don't want anyone to come before at least we have had a chances at getting the vaccines to everyone, but i guess that is going to take a bit longer for while. And yes, 2020 was rude for most of us, it helps to keep that in mind when holding awesome powers.
Somehow, I don’t think “rude’ is the word you’re looking for.
I think that we all have a right to be safe and if it is found that 80% of travelers from a country (any country) are arriving in NZ infected, the NZ population also has the right to say no, you have to be virus free if you come to these shores. If you look at the visitor cards for immigration, any foreign material or organism is not allowed into NZ. A carrier of a virus with such known devastating effect on health, lives and economic impact qualifies. I really don't care who these people are, everybody has a right to have predictable consequences affecting lives avoided at all costs.
They gave an extra 800 000 000 to health.. what have the DHBs done with it? Raised
pay? Hired specialists? Being DHBs your guess is as good as mine.
Could be the little matter of the Pandemic elimination strategy?
I think it is to protect Border workers and quarantine from being swamped. 7×24 in a day might mean 148 in a week, or 296 in a fortnight. That is pushing the envelope. I am pleased they are alert to changes happening overseas. Most airlines are allowing rebooking. This is the new reality. Buyer beware!!
Daily new COVID-19 case numbers in India have surged in the last month (126,315 new cases on 7 April, the highest number ever reported outside the USA). In the last few days the daily new case numbers have been consistently higher than during the mid-Sept peak of India's first wave, and trending sharply upwards.
The travel ban is precautionary – wouldn’t be surprised if it is extended, and of course any disruption and grief it causes is regrettable.
Wouldn't be surprised also if some opposition National party MP pipes up soon and opines that the Government should have put this travel ban in place sooner.
"Wouldn't be surprised also if some opposition National party MP pipes up soon and opines that the Government should have put this travel ban in place sooner."
Gotta say, the opposition are fairly tragic.They make me think of one of the 5000 that were fed with five loaves and two fish that there wasn't a gluten free option.
Daily new covid cases are surging pretty much everywhere as the old variant is being replaced by the new UK variant.
And everyone who got a vaccine so far hopes and prays to any deity that wants to listen that it works.
In the meantime in NZ we still stuck at lockdown mentality cause that is all we got.
So i really hope dear leader will close the borders to Europeans, US America (75% of all cases are now the UK variant) and everywhere else where the virus is on the march again, just to fair. …..and equal, and maybe just to watch that stench of 'racism' and 'panic' of.
Again, a hundered cases in the country, non in our crumbling hospital system and they panic. How bad is our hospital system? Worse then it was before lockdown?
Please inform yourself before you comment here, thanks.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/124786540/covid19-what-the-numbers-say-about-the-india-travel-ban
Best to fact-check Chris T's fake news. The travel ban hasn't started yet, and the intention is end the ban on 28 April (although it could be extended if necessary), so initially it’s an 18-day ban, not a 22-day ban (until the end of the month.)
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/440052/new-zealand-temporarily-suspending-travel-from-india-pm-jacinda-ardern
Collins can only hope.
Most NZers will see this as a strategic decision, courtesy of epidemiological analyses, to ensure that our much admired COVID-19 elimination strategy continues to work for the team of nearly five million.
Oh my god! I shorten it by 2 days to make it easier to write!
4 pm on 11 April is 3 days on my calendar. You shortened it so much it was grossly misleading but I assume that was entirely unintentional and accidental.
Chris T, imho your sole motive for commenting here is to stir ("This will turn ugly").
You can't count well enough to tell the difference between 22 days ("till the end of the month") and 18 days (11 – 28 April) – why would anyone trust your judgement?
Poor widdle Chris T, earlier in the day he’s been whinging about the PM being too scared and running from tough questions and then our brave PM fronts the country (again) with strong and brave leadership to make an announcement to protect our country. You can't catch a break eh sweetie. She also said the delay will give them time to pass the necessary laws, I assume to cover your fear mongering yadda yadda yadda, but I’m sure you’ll be back here regularly with your Faux outrage and Chicken Little conspiracies.
Where have I been outraged over it my simple minded friend?
I agree with doing it.
All your combined comments continue to highlight your outrage my very wise and thoughtful friend. You are quite right I am very simple minded, in fact generally I'm as dumb as a box of rocks, but I know right from wrong and sincere from insincere and that keeps me a very content and happy simpleton.
Just don't mention Greta.
Or the mental health report on here and expect justification for it's "tinkering"
https://twitter.com/Shayan86/status/1378916248063463428
https://www.themarysue.com/did-q-really-out-himself-we-investigate/
https://mashable.com/article/q-identity-revealed-hbo-documentary/
I deeply apologise for any offence I may have caused by saying end of month and not 2 days before the end of the month.
But if we are going to get pedantic about it, some flights from India take 24 hours, so presumably they will stop them going 24 hours before
Oh, I see now, you took 2 days off at the end, not at the beginning, or maybe you did both or would it be pedantic to assume that? Your stirring is starting to waste our time here. Are you going to apologise for that too? I think you should.
Of course.
I apologise for for not including the time at the beginning.
Now can I please get some apologies from all those that didn't ake into account some travellers from places in India can take over 24 hours and even more if they are travelling by boat, so these places will need to stop people leaving earlier.
Thanks in advance
Fact is, people traveling from India are not doing enough to protect New Zealand from Covid.
This is one of the best things JA has done all year. Sends a message.