Sheet the bill back to Mallard. Let him pay it off at $500 a week. I am sure he can afford it. It wouldn't be a hardship on his salary.
It would take the wind out of the sails of the Nats, narrative that,' Labour are irresponsible tax and spend wastrels.'
It would make a good example, that there will be no impunity for any future MP who might be tempted to copy Mallard's impulsive hotheaded track record.
That there will be consequences for reckless hotheaded behaviour, might give pause for thought before acting impulsively.
Put the generator onboard and call it a hybrid electric vehicle?
Ford Motor Co is offering a new feature for its 2022 F-150 Lighting and Hybrid trucks called "Power Pro Onboard", which is a 240-volt on board generator that can charge Ford and other brands of electric vehicle, such as the Mach-E, or be used to power a home in the event of a power failure
This too is going to be funny, it kind of reminds of Baghdad after the US invaded as detailed by a young women on this blog here. http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
They kind of had like 2 – 4 hours electricity a day.
From below, 38,000 members of Oathkeepers are named including hundreds of current serving and past Police and US military: current Sherriffs, and Chiefs of Police, and serving Army.
From above, 8 formers US Secretaries of Defence and five former Chairs of the Joint Chiefs of the US military set out in a joint letter the principles of civilian control and the peaceful handover of power in their democracy.
Football club Chelsea sacked coach Thomas Tuchelon on Wednesday night six games into the season. Hired in January 2021, Tuchelhad success. He took his team to the FA Cup final and EFL Cup final last season. Tuchel won the Champions League with Chelsea in that first season as well as claiming two minor trophies.
His team lost to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League this week.
American owner Todd Boehly seemingly can't tolerate being a loser. A new ownership group spent around NZ$514 to be winners.
Funny that you can splash all the money in the world around but human foibles and performance don't necessarily reach a zenith just on money. And does someone spending NZ$514 million and playing a team which has spent $515 million necessarily win?
I look forward to seeing results with Chelsea not winning. That dimension certainly makes sport entertaining.
Of course the lack of tolerance for losing and the lack of understanding and tolerance of the nature of human performance in sport is germane to our sports debate.
In April, the ECHR in the UK, did what many governments, legislators and policy makers have resisted doing and published guidelines regarding the law and the provision of single sex spaces.
Nineteen LGBT+ groups, including Stonewall, have also called on the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions to strip the EHRC of its A-rating as a human rights body. – Vice (link below)
The most relevant points are:
The Equality Act allows for the provision of separate or single sex services in certain circumstances under ‘exceptions’ relating to sex.
To establish a separate or single-sex service, you must show that you meet at least one of a number of statutory conditions (set out in this section of the guide) and that limiting the service on the basis of sex is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. For example, a legitimate aim could be for reasons of privacy, decency, to prevent trauma or to ensure health and safety. You must then be able to show that your action is a proportionate way of achieving that aim.
A protest against this – commended by allies such as Billy Bragg and applauded as 'art' by others, took place outside the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) last Friday afternoon.
Please take time to read the protestors concerns and intentions, before viewing the photos before telling me this is not a display of a combination of sexual paraphilias.
Well it is a sign of alpha w-manliness to mark ones territory and let everyone know that a w-man was here. , and I as otherother / person /people/ folx/ non male/ non penis haver totally would have no issues with this 'w-man' pissing all over the toilets, changing rooms, into the pool, and elsewhere, after all that is what 'w-man' do. Right, pissing on the rights of people not them.
In saying that someone should advise this w-man to his water intake, cause that piss is brown and that can't healthy.
I don't think this is an appropriate sentence for the crimes committed, despite the slur on government.
Can we just acknowledge that certain people have certain patterns of mendacious behaviour, and then discuss the issue of why we agree/disagree with the sentence?
For me, it is the knowledge of the impact of sexual assault on victims, that often isolates them at home for much longer than nine months, that provides dissatisfaction with nine months home detention. Incarceration that doesn't provide a solid attempt to change behaviour is also not the full answer.
Does NZ have any successful programmes running in our Justice and prison systems at the moment?
5 – 10 percent of all humans male – or female (sex based not gender based) are capable of horrendous crimes against other people. They rape, they kill, they torture, and they cause mayhem for others.
95 – 90% of all humans male or female (sex based not gender based) to not cause any harm to anyone but have a good chance of being made a victim by the minority.
Someone who at 16 years old has raped and assaulted 5 young girls (15 years old and girls as in human female child – sex based) should not be given home d. But should be sent to a. prison or b. a mental clinic until they are no longer a risk to society and have paid their debt to those that were given a life time sentence of living with the after math of having been raped.
But feel free to run around pretending/insinuating/stating that ALL men are rapists that should be chemically castrated or surgically castrated should they be found guilty of raping 4 girls aged 15 and assaulting another girl. Heck why don’t you write a nice letter to the nice people who set sentencing and outline your proposal to them. See how that would work out for you and report back to us.
As well as Malay and English. Three main languages there, much of the signage is in Malay, and most of the place names. It is after all a small island at the bottom of the Malaysian peninsula, and only a 1/2 hour drive across the causeway. 🙂
Had a 2 year posting there and learnt a bit of Malay. On a holiday trip back from Penang Island we asked the overland taxi driver at Butterworth to take us to the Cameron Highlands, All was going good but there was much discussion between the taxi drivers who had heard our request and then some hurried transition of our luggage from the initial taxi to another. When I asked what was going on, it was revealed that the first taxi driver thought I had asked to go to Thailand!
It was a ride I shall never forget. It helped to keep my eyes closed for most of the journey. Fortunately Allah was looking out for us and we arrived shaken but not stirred.
The Cameron Highlands has some of the most beautiful butterflies I have ever seen, and they were everywhere.
Looking more for the stats or data regarding the outcomes, rather than what you linked to.
Searching for statistics, it's easy to find stats on prevalence etc, but not so easy to find programmes with supporting data for perpetrators or victims.
There is no simple answer or we'd already be doing it.
IMHO a large proportion of offending stems from the intergenerational trauma of Maori displacement. And another component is the systemic fallout of predatory capitalism, trapping people in a cycle of deprivation. As well as other factors like mental health, literacy rates, addiction, abuse.
The Nordic model appears to be reasonably effective, but it relies upon a certain type of society, and political will.
Left-wing governments are more likely to mitigate the worst inequality and actually invest in people over profit… so long term, vote Left to reduce crime.
National likes to talk about getting tough but their plans (harsher sentences, more violent cops) are not backed by evidence, they are all just photo ops and tend to backfire.
You are correct in this. Just looking for some form of hard data in terms of how successful this approach is.
And don't be so quick to label people privileged just because they have no interaction with the justice system.
In my closest circle of female friends, none have interacted with the justice department, one was physically abused by both parents, two had their virginity stolen via sexual assault. One when they were a small child.
It'd be great is some of that compassion and understanding on the left remained for those who are not politically identified as vulnerable minorities, who are injured and suffer nonetheless.
Sorry for the implication, I am also privileged to avoid the Courts etc. In the light of the horrific stats against women and girls (and the difficulty of adolescence), little wonder that some are desperate to avoid predators by identifying into another gender.
Here's a meta study from Canada – evaluating the recidivism rate of adolescent sexual offenders who have completed rehabilitation programmes, with those who dropped out, and those who never participated.
Just aware there are many different programmes, and although they are often announced with great fanfare and promise, follow up information and data about attendees, costs, outcomes etc are hard to find.
There has been a follow up article with a response from the crown prosecutor, but even that is low on details regarding which programme the convicted rapist will be expected to attend (if indeed it is a specific sexual assault programme). Perhaps if those details were provided, and were able to be assessed as having a reasonable chance of success, people would be more accepting of the sentence.
Growing anger surrounding the sentence has prompted public protests – planned for this afternoon – in cities across the North Island.
This afternoon, Tauranga's Crown Solicitor Anna Pollett defended the sentence, explaining that a "rehabilitative approach is to protect the community in the long term from re-offending".
"In the circumstances of this prosecution, and in careful consideration of all the available material, the Crown did not oppose a sentence of home detention to balance the need for accountability and deterrence while also maximising the opportunity for intensive rehabilitation of the young person," Pollett said, in a rare statement from a Crown Solicitor.
The sentence, she also mentioned, included numerous conditions to ensure compliance and engagement with the rehabilitation programme.
This includes post-detention conditions and court-imposed judicial monitoring which Pollett said "adds a further layer of scrutiny to ensure compliance with the sentence".
Meyer, who has no criminal history, pleaded not guilty to all charges but was later found guilty.
A psychologist, who saw Meyer 30 times during the prosecution, found he had a medium risk of reoffending, and continues to minimize the effect of his crimes.
I guess that non male human beings that are biological uterus/cervix/fallopian tubes and ovary havers need to understand the value society and our law / order / justice complex has for them vs rapists. Like none. No value, what so ever.
A 16 year old raping 4 girls plus assaulting another one, should in fact be given a reward for his manliness and prowess. Anything else would just be too upsetting for the rapist. s/
That's not sarcasm, Sabine, that's unnecessarily triggering provocation, with no humorous or wry aspect whatsoever. Sarcasm should at least entertain, imo.
It's a wry analysis of the outcome for perpetrators and victims of sexual violence.
It's very difficult and distressing to get convictions.
Sentences of home detention agreed to by the crown prosecutor when as Sabine quotes above:
"A psychologist, who saw Meyer 30 times during the prosecution, found he had a medium risk of reoffending, and continues to minimize the effect of his crimes."
is not an indictment on the whole system, but may be indicative of a perspective that requires investigation. I think it does.
My answer is to the comment above on the Farrar tweet. It is not ment to be nice.
Farrar is Farrar and will do as Farrar did and has done since ever.
But to minimise the damage this young bloke did to the 5 girls in order to schtup a person with whom one disagrees one politically is despicable. Life long damage as i can assure you in no uncertain terms. My rapist is now dead and thanks god for that, and he raped me almost 50 years ago. And the damage is still there and it still hurts. Lifelong sentence for the victim and a nothing for the rapist. Now that is kindness.
And yes, where is the our government? the 'suicide' prevention government? the 'be kind' government when it comes to rape and sexual assault of girls/women? Oh they girls/women (sex based not gender based) are not marginalised and vulnerable enough? Are they even human?
What does it say about the so-called left that it can not ask where the justice is in this ruling. Justice for the girls. Justice for the community. Justice for the families of these girls?
And yes, that dude got exactly that what i wrote. A wee slap on the hand, after all they could not let that dude that has a medium risk of re-offending, and has shown no remorse be locked up for a few years. They are letting him go out again in a few month from his traumatising experience of home D and if he rapes again, oh well who could / would / should have known that, and did he not learn his lesson?
Susie Ferguson has made calling Luxon on his bullshit a national sport. Unfortunately within the key MSM interviewers she is the only one playing at the moment.
"Repeat the Lies Luxon" knows people remember the meme. True or Not!!
(I am glad to see Ad doing some decent posts on the Government and making suggestions. Well done Ad.)
Suzy is great. she cuts to the chase!! She could have said "Where are you getting those figures from? They are wrong"
Now we need to build in a strategy to "call out" distortions and outright Lies.
Plus the Election has started.!!!!!
I have increased my regular donation to Labour by a third. I suggest every supporter give a small amount regularly, as then Labour can plan their campaign.
Say if you will provide a billboard spot, if you can do other tasks. If you don't want Luxon as our next Leader, start the fighting fund and planning.
I have said the exact same thing some time ago. that the warehousing of our poor in motels is nothing more then a hiding of a problem and a huge transfer of government funds to private businesses that run run down motels.
For the weekly cost of housing a desperate family in one of these hovels the government could have literally rented a house of the free market and saved some money.
happy to see this now out in the open. I don't believe much will change, and those that recently have lost their properties rented or owned will themselves find that a run down motel unit is the best they will find for a long long time to come. But then the government pays what ever is asked, don't ask questions, just carry on. Let's keep moving. To where? Who cares.
Sabine the problem is old, in my lifetime I have seen building on the current scale once!! That was in the 70s. The number of houses is not enough, but the changes made mean apartment blocks are able to be built in all centers near transport. The solution is not magic, but did need central government change as Rotorua had 1500 consents over years!! They were mainly top end houses, not social houses.
Your suggestion of build to rent subsidised Government housing is practised in Australian States. Yes I agree that would help, but the government could not join an overheated market and make it worse. Now prices have begun to stabilise they have a chance to buy into a falling market to provide homes from failed airb&b landlords.
I guess we should just vote for the guy that will magically make all these problems disappear. By selling off state housing and ignoring all the people sleeping rough and celebrating a rock star economy and hoping the bottom feeders will just go away.
Or, we could acknowledge that there is a housing shortage and at the same time an unprecedented government response in facilitating 10,000+ new state houses in the last 5 years.
Yes. one house – and these are a tiny fraction bigger then a tiny house has now found someone to live in.
the rest are still empty.
All three houses are up the road from us. The property was knocked down three years ago, stood empty for a bout a year and half and took a year and a half to be build. With that speed in the year 2300 we will have housed all the Motel Citizens of NZ. Drip Drip Drip some water on a hot stone.
Never mind the future climate refugees such as those that have lost their properties in the recent floods up and down the country.
If you want to celebrate these three tiny houses on one section with three carparks and a rug of 'grass' behind the shed (they are about double garage sized houses) then go ahead and consider it success.
Again, i live not far from this success and i know how well they are build (lol) and how big they are – two tiny bedrooms, toilet/shower and a kitchen-living, and these houses will be rented to people with kids.
The only grace these houses have is that schools are in walking distance and hopefully some of the reserve that the Council wants to sell to private developpers for 'low income housing' will be preserved for the future poor to have a bit of an outdoor space, and the next supermarket is about 3 kms walking distance form these properties, if one does not have enough money for a bus. Town is about an hours walk away.
We initially thought that hese properties were for hte retired, and i would actully consider them perfect for that group of people. However pushing 3 – 5 people into a barely 45 sqm 'house' *3 i.e. 12 – 15 people plus a few cars on a section that used to have 1 Kainga Ora house on it will bring its own problems.
I understand the desperation. I watched Auckland during the N years, and now i get to watch Rotorua during the L years, and you know what, it is hard very hard to find a difference.
For what its worth, the whole of downtown Rotorua could be knocked down and rebuild. ITs either abandoned, or not earthquake save, empty shops everywhere. Now that would be something. Re-design the town centre to be pedestrian / cyclist friendly, ground floor shops and above those three floors of apartments. You would not need to re-develop, utilities would already be there, water/sewerage etc all at hand, and you would revive your town centre.
The country needs to re-think housing as a whole. Cost of build, rents, sizes 1 bdrm / studio to 5 bedrm, cheap monthly rents, next to shops, schools, medical centres etc etc etc.
That is not what we are doing. In this case, we build three very small houses on one section to house up to 15+ people in.
In fact it would have been better to build these properties up two stories. And i can see these houses be demolished in a few years to do exactly that.
Are you getting these talking points from talkback radio? I was talking to a mate a couple of days ago who was saying similar stuff about Rotovegas and asking "where is Jacinda?!!11!!"
She's overseas at the moment, so I guess it is time for the Nat's mouthpieces to moan that she isn't visiting their pet projects.
Aesop said that a man is known by the company he keeps.
Now we all know where, and with whom, he stands.
"The meeting was hosted by Unify NZ, a local group that is aligned to a number of anti-mandate/anti-vax groups such as Voices for Freedom and Convoy 2022. The audience, as demonstrated during question time, was a mix of diehard NZ First supporters and right-wing conspiracy theorists."
What is it about free school lunches that triggers right wingers so badly? The NZ Herald has revived its attacks on the school lunch programme. Is it the thought of some little brown kids getting a meal and maybe feeling happy and keen to learn – rather than knowing their place and pulling themselves up by their non-existent bootstraps? Is it the thought of working class parents saving maybe $25 a week per child to spend on other necessities? God knows – but it is a peculiarly intense example of their vileness.
It's not the first time NZ has had a school lunch programme. When I was a kid – admittedly a long time ago – our Mums used to take it in turns to 'do' the school lunches for those kids who regularly came to school with no lunch. We're talking about parents on very low wages who couldn’t afford them. No big deal. It was what you did back in the day. I presume each school had an allocation of money to keep the programme going.
He was second speaker at the Kelston Boys debating team back in the day, and it was always fun to go against the Kelston Girls team.
So Willie was pretty buff from all that First 15 Rugby gym training, and the topic was "That some things are best left to men". Good ground for a boys against the girls afternoon fun contest in the early 1980s.
You can get the tenor of the school by noting that Graham Henry was both Principal and Auckland Rugby Coach at the same time.
We oiled Willie up in coconut oil and he only wore a lavalava for that debate, so he could deliver Second Speaker with a bit of panache. He made his pecs talk to each other.
Sure went down well at the Kelston Girls auditorium.
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Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
Alwyn Poole writes – After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
Eric Crampton writes – A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Today’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...
The Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...
“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...
The Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Te Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners. “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
What happens when cash is king – and then your bank leaves. A businessman in a town that hasn’t had a bank for three years says the Reserve Bank’s plans to put more cash in the hands of its people and introduce digital cash could save hours of time. John ...
The people have spoken, in their hundreds. Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton has been overwhelmingly voted the favourite New Zealand book of 2023 as nominated by ReadingRoom readers. The vote can informally be regarded as the People’s Choice award – ahead of tonight’s Ockham book awards, where Catton’s novel is competing ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt Garrow, Editorial Web Developer The government has handed down its budget for 2024–25. It’s delivered a $9.3 billion surplus for the financial year just about to finish but is forecasting a $28.3 billion deficit for next year. Here’s the key points: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Jim Chalmers has produced a benign third budget aimed at soothing hard-pressed voters agitated about their high cost of living and punishing interest rates. At the same time he has walked a tightrope, trying ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Wes Mountain/The Conversation, CC BY-ND A $300 energy rebate for all households from July 1 and a 10% increase in Commonwealth Rent Assistance are key measures in a budget targeting cost-of-living relief that put ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers promised an “inflation-fighting and future-making budget” and he has delivered by introducing measures aimed at directly bringing down inflation. Combined, his A$300-per-household energy rebate and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers promised an “inflation-fighting and future-making budget” and he has delivered by introducing measures aimed at directly bringing down inflation. Combined, his A$300-per-household energy rebate and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers has been bitten by the giveaway bug. This budget contains not only the well-foreshadowed tax cuts for all taxpayers, but a range of new spending measures in health, education, infrastructure, aged ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews French authorities have imposed a curfew on New Caledonia’s capital Nouméa and banned public gatherings after supporters of the Pacific territory’s independence movement blocked roads, set fire to buildings and clashed with security forces. Tensions in New Caledonia have been inflamed by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Greste, Professor of Journalism and Communications, Macquarie University Governments and their agencies wield awesome power. At times, it is quite literally the power over life and death. That is why in any functioning democracy, we have robust checks and balances designed ...
As the world commemorates the 71st Everest Day, it's not just a celebration of human achievement but also a reflection of the enduring bond between New Zealand and Nepal. This day marks the historic feat of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa ...
Individuals in Wellington, led by City Councillor Nīkau Wi Neera, are working to use the ‘hecklers veto’ to shut down Inflection Point , a gender-critical event to be held at a Te Papa venue this weekend featuring speakers such as Bob McCoskrie ...
The transgender community, whānau & allies will rally outside Tākina/Wellington Convention Centre against anti-trans confederation “Inflection Point NZ,” who are hosting a conference to encourage parliamentarians to restrict trans people’s ...
A strategic asset for Auckland that has been fought over for years as either sacrosanct or a sacred cow looks certain to be sold and the proceeds of around $1.3 billion put in a new investment fund. A year after bitter political struggle ended in a compromise in which Auckland ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – the Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the ...
RNZ Pacific New Caledonians lined up in long queues outside shopping centres to buy supplies in the capital Nouméa today amid political unrest in the French territory Demonstrations, marches and clashes with security forces erupted yesterday and French High Commissioner Louis Le Franc told the public broadcaster he had called ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Chalmers, Senior Lecturer in Human Movement, University of South Australia The tragic death of Manly rugby league player Keith Titmuss in 2020 due to exertional heat stroke is a reminder of the life-threatening nature of the condition. Titmuss died after ...
Internet Governance Project founder Milton Mueller asked “is the Christchurch Call accomplishing anything?” Increasingly it seems the only thing it hopes to achieve is killing off free expression. ...
New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has cancelled his visit to New Caledonia due to pro-independence unrest throughout the French Pacific territory. Peters and a delegation of other ministers was due to visit the capital Nouméa later this week. Nouméa’s La Tontouta International Airport is expected to remain closed ...
Audition by Pip Adam and Lioness by Emily Perkins are both shortlisted for the fiction award at the 2024 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Here the authors discuss awards, writing, Selling Sunset, review culture, Zoolander and more.Pip Adam: Whenever I think about writers and our ambitions, I can’t help ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Broomhall, Director, Gender and Women’s History Research Centre, Australian Catholic University Andrea Mantegna, Minerva (Athena) expelling Vices from the Garden of Virtue, from the Studiolo of Isabella d’Este, Palazzo Ducale, Mantua (c. 1499–1502).Louvre Museum/Wikimedia Commons Wartime has often presented opportunities ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images The stories Aotearoa New Zealand tells itself about the history of Te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi have evolved considerably over time. For many decades, starting with the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Carter, Associate Professor, RMIT University Aurora visible from Cope Cope, Victoria on May 11 2024.cafuego/Flickr, CC BY-SA On Saturday evening before Mother’s Day, Australians witnessed a rare celestial spectacle: a breathtaking display of aurora australis, also known as the southern ...
Tara Ward watches as TVNZ’s long-running current affairs show bows out with humility and grace.We have just 12 days left to view the final episode of Sunday on TVNZ+. In just over a week, there will be no more evidence of the award-winning current affairs show on the digital ...
To celebrate New Zealand Music Month, Sophie Ricketts wears a different band T-shirt every day. Here she picks her top 20. I love music. I love listening to it, I love seeing it live, and I love buying a T-shirt from the band or artist I’ve enjoyed. Every year, during ...
Research from AA Insurance reveals more and more people are taking pride in their garage. Meet three New Zealanders using their space in creative ways.If you think of a garage, you might picture a dark room with a parked car. There might be some tools on the wall, or ...
Government spending cuts have forced Scion, the dedicated Crown research institute charged with growing forestry exports, to propose shedding a significant number of scientists. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yasir Arafat, Senior Research Associate, Edith Cowan University asharkyu, Shutterstock As electric vehicle (EV) demand accelerates, so does the need for lithium batteries. But these batteries contain valuable critical minerals, as well as toxic materials, so they should not be treated ...
NZDF personnel will support the New Zealand National Commemorative Service at the Cassino War Cemetery and a New Zealand Service of Remembrance at the Cassino Railway Station, next week. ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a masseuse tells us how much she earns and where she spends it. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Female Age: 33 Ethnicity: NZ EuropeanRole: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liam Byrne, Honorary Fellow, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne For many reasons, the 2024 US presidential election will be like no other. Republican nominee Donald Trump’s campaign is unprecedented. Never before has a former president who ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meru Sheel, Associate Professor and Epidemiologist, Infectious Diseases, Immunisation and Emergencies Group, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney We know vaccines have been a miracle for public health. Now, new research led by the World Health Organization has found vaccines ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chrissy Severinsen, Associate Professor in Public Health, Massey University Getty Images Becoming a mother is a significant identity shift, and many new mums struggle. Up to 18% of New Zealand mothers experience depression and anxiety after giving birth. The first ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron Teo, Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy, University of Southern Queensland ABC Much has been written and produced about white men’s fetishisation of Asian women (crudely nicknamed “yellow fever”). The ABC’s comedy series White Fever breaks new ground by exploring an ...
The children’s minister could have been legally brought before the tribunal after all, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The end of ...
Seen comments on social media about eating bugs? Byron Clark explains the short history of our latest conspiracy. “No, Bill Gates nor Klaus Schwab has not funded the research done here,” reads an August 2023 Facebook post from Otago Locusts, the first farm in Aotearoa rearing insects for human consumption. ...
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Mallard leaves us with yet another unnecessary legal bill.
Mallard's legal bill revealed: Cost to taxpayers of trespassing Peters from Parliament (msn.com)
It's very easy to spend money when it is not yours and you have no responsibility for it.
It was certainly a dum move by Mallard. But, one also has to be utterly disgusted at the criminal costs of legal advice.
Sheet the bill back to Mallard. Let him pay it off at $500 a week. I am sure he can afford it. It wouldn't be a hardship on his salary.
It would take the wind out of the sails of the Nats, narrative that,' Labour are irresponsible tax and spend wastrels.'
It would make a good example, that there will be no impunity for any future MP who might be tempted to copy Mallard's impulsive hotheaded track record.
That there will be consequences for reckless hotheaded behaviour, might give pause for thought before acting impulsively.
Zero chance. No Speaker is ever going to set the precedent that the MP is personally liable for actions taken in the role of Speaker.
At least this one is only $23.5k compared with accusing someone falsely of rape and costing $330k!
Sacremento City. Hotter than 46 C ? Fark that is intense. Its all gathering dangerous momentum.
nek minute
https://twitter.com/hugh_mankind/status/1567257731765080070
we need better solutions to the issues facing us.
Put the generator onboard and call it a hybrid electric vehicle?
Ford Motor Co is offering a new feature for its 2022 F-150 Lighting and Hybrid trucks called "Power Pro Onboard", which is a 240-volt on board generator that can charge Ford and other brands of electric vehicle, such as the Mach-E, or be used to power a home in the event of a power failure
http://www.futurecar.com/article-5080-1.html
This too is going to be funny, it kind of reminds of Baghdad after the US invaded as detailed by a young women on this blog here. http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
They kind of had like 2 – 4 hours electricity a day.
https://twitter.com/DrEliDavid/status/1567488848116043781
"…“We haven’t lost anything and we won’t lose anything,” said Putin, when asked about the cost of the invasion…"
Thus we hear the eternal and genuine contempt of fascist dictatorships to the value of human life.
Imagine hearing that if you are the mother, father, sibling or wife of one of Russia's dead. 50,000 nothings to Putin.
https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1567486326580150273
From below, 38,000 members of Oathkeepers are named including hundreds of current serving and past Police and US military: current Sherriffs, and Chiefs of Police, and serving Army.
Report finds alleged link between Oath Keepers, public officials (msnbc.com)
From above, 8 formers US Secretaries of Defence and five former Chairs of the Joint Chiefs of the US military set out in a joint letter the principles of civilian control and the peaceful handover of power in their democracy.
To Support and Defend: Principles of Civilian Control and Best Practices of Civil-Military Relations – War on the Rocks
This is far, far deeper than Trump's insurrection though it is certainly that.
This is instability across military and civil society that has rocked the US government institutions to their very core.
Trump has permanently degraded America, but the Deep State is also abetting him.
Hipkins spinning like a top!
Why Hipkins owes a simple apology for claiming women used 'false' info to cross Northland border – Bridge (msn.com)
The world of professional sport:
Football club Chelsea sacked coach Thomas Tuchelon on Wednesday night six games into the season. Hired in January 2021, Tuchelhad success. He took his team to the FA Cup final and EFL Cup final last season. Tuchel won the Champions League with Chelsea in that first season as well as claiming two minor trophies.
His team lost to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League this week.
American owner Todd Boehly seemingly can't tolerate being a loser. A new ownership group spent around NZ$514 to be winners.
Funny that you can splash all the money in the world around but human foibles and performance don't necessarily reach a zenith just on money. And does someone spending NZ$514 million and playing a team which has spent $515 million necessarily win?
I look forward to seeing results with Chelsea not winning. That dimension certainly makes sport entertaining.
Of course the lack of tolerance for losing and the lack of understanding and tolerance of the nature of human performance in sport is germane to our sports debate.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/premier-league-chelsea-stun-football-world-after-new-owners-axe-thomas-tuchel/E2CUL2KKFX2DYKTI6VEK7PNOYI/
Couldn’t happen to a better club.
COYS
He had a big blow up with Conte post match the other week earning himself a red card. Perhaps the pressure is too much?
Luxon really has no shame.
From RNZ
“How many students are wagging school?
Earlier this week National Party leader Christopher Luxon told Morning Report 100,000 children were chronically truant.
This is incorrect.”
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/474365/figures-reveal-how-many-students-are-wagging-school
Just manipulated the numbers. Wonder if he did the same running Air NZ.
In April, the ECHR in the UK, did what many governments, legislators and policy makers have resisted doing and published guidelines regarding the law and the provision of single sex spaces.
The most relevant points are:
A protest against this – commended by allies such as Billy Bragg and applauded as 'art' by others, took place outside the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) last Friday afternoon.
Please take time to read the protestors concerns and intentions, before viewing the photos before telling me this is not a display of a combination of sexual paraphilias.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/jgpj5y/pissed-off-trannies-ehrc-protest
Vice's tweet – and comments:
https://twitter.com/VICE/status/1567226215798276096?s=20&t=dLyCP9bomLnhI1ZEaFoSGw
Nothing more ridiculous than a bunch of blokes in frocks and masks pouring piss on themselves.
Hopefully a demonstration of "peak Trans" and it is all downhill from there.
Well it is a sign of alpha w-manliness to mark ones territory and let everyone know that a w-man was here. , and I as otherother / person /people/ folx/ non male/ non penis haver totally would have no issues with this 'w-man' pissing all over the toilets, changing rooms, into the pool, and elsewhere, after all that is what 'w-man' do. Right, pissing on the rights of people not them.
In saying that someone should advise this w-man to his water intake, cause that piss is brown and that can't healthy.
Farrar is a slimeball, exhibit #86459
https://twitter.com/nz_voter/status/1567606162937516032?s=20&t=gNCuGMcGV7LKfpCXQmY92w
I don't think this is an appropriate sentence for the crimes committed, despite the slur on government.
Can we just acknowledge that certain people have certain patterns of mendacious behaviour, and then discuss the issue of why we agree/disagree with the sentence?
For me, it is the knowledge of the impact of sexual assault on victims, that often isolates them at home for much longer than nine months, that provides dissatisfaction with nine months home detention. Incarceration that doesn't provide a solid attempt to change behaviour is also not the full answer.
Does NZ have any successful programmes running in our Justice and prison systems at the moment?
David Seymour thinks ankle bracelets are the solution
yeah, why not? Honestly, what would you do? What should be done?
Nothing?
Isn't it already being done? I would have thought a sentence of home detention includes an ankle bracelet.
Perhaps chemical castration? Why not surgical castration? Castrate all men in fact; we are rapists inside after all. s/
5 – 10 percent of all humans male – or female (sex based not gender based) are capable of horrendous crimes against other people. They rape, they kill, they torture, and they cause mayhem for others.
95 – 90% of all humans male or female (sex based not gender based) to not cause any harm to anyone but have a good chance of being made a victim by the minority.
Someone who at 16 years old has raped and assaulted 5 young girls (15 years old and girls as in human female child – sex based) should not be given home d. But should be sent to a. prison or b. a mental clinic until they are no longer a risk to society and have paid their debt to those that were given a life time sentence of living with the after math of having been raped.
But feel free to run around pretending/insinuating/stating that ALL men are rapists that should be chemically castrated or surgically castrated should they be found guilty of raping 4 girls aged 15 and assaulting another girl. Heck why don’t you write a nice letter to the nice people who set sentencing and outline your proposal to them. See how that would work out for you and report back to us.
For someone who loves to use sarcasm as a
weapontool you seem unable dealing with it when someone else reciprocates with it.Singapore has a very low crime rate. We should look at what they do different to us.
Speak Chinese?
As well as Malay and English. Three main languages there, much of the signage is in Malay, and most of the place names. It is after all a small island at the bottom of the Malaysian peninsula, and only a 1/2 hour drive across the causeway. 🙂
Had a 2 year posting there and learnt a bit of Malay. On a holiday trip back from Penang Island we asked the overland taxi driver at Butterworth to take us to the Cameron Highlands, All was going good but there was much discussion between the taxi drivers who had heard our request and then some hurried transition of our luggage from the initial taxi to another. When I asked what was going on, it was revealed that the first taxi driver thought I had asked to go to Thailand!
It was a ride I shall never forget. It helped to keep my eyes closed for most of the journey. Fortunately Allah was looking out for us and we arrived shaken but not stirred.
The Cameron Highlands has some of the most beautiful butterflies I have ever seen, and they were everywhere.
FIFY
Most teens would wear them as a badge of honour. TikTok and Snapchat would be full of it.
Hardly a deterrent, or punishment.
Even Graham Lowe, who you wouldn’t call a bleeding heart wokester, thinks it’s a bad idea.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/09/new-zealand-rugby-league-great-sir-graham-lowe-criticises-act-s-idea-to-put-youth-offenders-who-commit-serious-crimes-in-ankle-bracelets.amp.html
Seymour is not someone I would consider able to provide solutions or considerations of worth on this issue.
In terms of solutions or informative discussion, there's little achieved by pointing out him acting true to character.
Was a facetious response to the question
It is a privilege not to have to interact with the criminal justice system and know nothing about the Corrections programmes
I wasn’t being disingenuous.
Looking more for the stats or data regarding the outcomes, rather than what you linked to.
Searching for statistics, it's easy to find stats on prevalence etc, but not so easy to find programmes with supporting data for perpetrators or victims.
Do you have any links for such?
There is no simple answer or we'd already be doing it.
IMHO a large proportion of offending stems from the intergenerational trauma of Maori displacement. And another component is the systemic fallout of predatory capitalism, trapping people in a cycle of deprivation. As well as other factors like mental health, literacy rates, addiction, abuse.
The Nordic model appears to be reasonably effective, but it relies upon a certain type of society, and political will.
To clarify the second para from above…
Left-wing governments are more likely to mitigate the worst inequality and actually invest in people over profit… so long term, vote Left to reduce crime.
National likes to talk about getting tough but their plans (harsher sentences, more violent cops) are not backed by evidence, they are all just photo ops and tend to backfire.
You are correct in this. Just looking for some form of hard data in terms of how successful this approach is.
And don't be so quick to label people privileged just because they have no interaction with the justice system.
In my closest circle of female friends, none have interacted with the justice department, one was physically abused by both parents, two had their virginity stolen via sexual assault. One when they were a small child.
It'd be great is some of that compassion and understanding on the left remained for those who are not politically identified as vulnerable minorities, who are injured and suffer nonetheless.
Sorry for the implication, I am also privileged to avoid the Courts etc. In the light of the horrific stats against women and girls (and the difficulty of adolescence), little wonder that some are desperate to avoid predators by identifying into another gender.
I agree that it's not easy to find data.
Here's a meta study from Canada – evaluating the recidivism rate of adolescent sexual offenders who have completed rehabilitation programmes, with those who dropped out, and those who never participated.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8548636/
Thanks, Belladonna.
Just aware there are many different programmes, and although they are often announced with great fanfare and promise, follow up information and data about attendees, costs, outcomes etc are hard to find.
There has been a follow up article with a response from the crown prosecutor, but even that is low on details regarding which programme the convicted rapist will be expected to attend (if indeed it is a specific sexual assault programme). Perhaps if those details were provided, and were able to be assessed as having a reasonable chance of success, people would be more accepting of the sentence.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/474427/why-prosecutor-didn-t-seek-prison-term-for-bay-of-plenty-teen-rapist
The question really is where is the government currently in regards to crime, assault, murder, sexual assault, theft, ramraids and so on and so forth.
Keeping non violent offenders out of prison and have them in home detention is laudable and should be used as much as possible. I am all in favor.
But a 16 year old raping 4 girls that is not normal teenage male behavior
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/teenager-jayden-meyer-sentenced-to-nine-months-home-detention-after-raping-four-15-year-old-girls/D6IWSUPAWWA7Q5TBPZ4BRLZRMQ/
I guess that non male human beings that are biological uterus/cervix/fallopian tubes and ovary havers need to understand the value society and our law / order / justice complex has for them vs rapists. Like none. No value, what so ever.
I realise your question is rhetorical but here ya go, some policy: labour.org.nz/justice
Perhaps the Covid lockdowns made everyone a little bit crazy
"Perhaps the Covid lockdowns made everyone a little bit crazy"
roblogic – I'm not sure what point you are making by posting this, in this context.
Can you elaborate?
Responding to Sabine's question about an overall increase in crime
A 16 year old raping 4 girls plus assaulting another one, should in fact be given a reward for his manliness and prowess. Anything else would just be too upsetting for the rapist. s/
That's not sarcasm, Sabine, that's unnecessarily triggering provocation, with no humorous or wry aspect whatsoever. Sarcasm should at least entertain, imo.
It's a wry analysis of the outcome for perpetrators and victims of sexual violence.
It's very difficult and distressing to get convictions.
Sentences of home detention agreed to by the crown prosecutor when as Sabine quotes above:
"A psychologist, who saw Meyer 30 times during the prosecution, found he had a medium risk of reoffending, and continues to minimize the effect of his crimes."
is not an indictment on the whole system, but may be indicative of a perspective that requires investigation. I think it does.
My answer is to the comment above on the Farrar tweet. It is not ment to be nice.
Farrar is Farrar and will do as Farrar did and has done since ever.
But to minimise the damage this young bloke did to the 5 girls in order to schtup a person with whom one disagrees one politically is despicable. Life long damage as i can assure you in no uncertain terms. My rapist is now dead and thanks god for that, and he raped me almost 50 years ago. And the damage is still there and it still hurts. Lifelong sentence for the victim and a nothing for the rapist. Now that is kindness.
And yes, where is the our government? the 'suicide' prevention government? the 'be kind' government when it comes to rape and sexual assault of girls/women? Oh they girls/women (sex based not gender based) are not marginalised and vulnerable enough? Are they even human?
What does it say about the so-called left that it can not ask where the justice is in this ruling. Justice for the girls. Justice for the community. Justice for the families of these girls?
And yes, that dude got exactly that what i wrote. A wee slap on the hand, after all they could not let that dude that has a medium risk of re-offending, and has shown no remorse be locked up for a few years. They are letting him go out again in a few month from his traumatising experience of home D and if he rapes again, oh well who could / would / should have known that, and did he not learn his lesson?
Sorry to hear that happened to you Sabine. You are absolutely right to be concerned about justice for the victims.
Peace
Susie Ferguson is a Taonga, pulling up Luxon in the middle of his Gish gallop
https://twitter.com/rugbyintel/status/1567300971885395968?s=20&t=gNCuGMcGV7LKfpCXQmY92w
Luxon gishes and gallops all over the course. His training is coming along well.
Yeah his punters will be pleased but he's not on Planet Key just yet.
Susie Ferguson has made calling Luxon on his bullshit a national sport. Unfortunately within the key MSM interviewers she is the only one playing at the moment.
"Repeat the Lies Luxon" knows people remember the meme. True or Not!!
(I am glad to see Ad doing some decent posts on the Government and making suggestions. Well done Ad.)
Suzy is great. she cuts to the chase!! She could have said "Where are you getting those figures from? They are wrong"
Now we need to build in a strategy to "call out" distortions and outright Lies.
Plus the Election has started.!!!!!
I have increased my regular donation to Labour by a third. I suggest every supporter give a small amount regularly, as then Labour can plan their campaign.
Say if you will provide a billboard spot, if you can do other tasks. If you don't want Luxon as our next Leader, start the fighting fund and planning.
I have said the exact same thing some time ago. that the warehousing of our poor in motels is nothing more then a hiding of a problem and a huge transfer of government funds to private businesses that run run down motels.
For the weekly cost of housing a desperate family in one of these hovels the government could have literally rented a house of the free market and saved some money.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/lizzie-marvelly-motel-emergency-housing-vulnerable-treated-like-cash-cows-turning-rotorua-into-a-dumping-ground/O2OQEVQQJXF42I7N67PVN53EXA/
happy to see this now out in the open. I don't believe much will change, and those that recently have lost their properties rented or owned will themselves find that a run down motel unit is the best they will find for a long long time to come. But then the government pays what ever is asked, don't ask questions, just carry on. Let's keep moving. To where? Who cares.
Sabine the problem is old, in my lifetime I have seen building on the current scale once!! That was in the 70s. The number of houses is not enough, but the changes made mean apartment blocks are able to be built in all centers near transport. The solution is not magic, but did need central government change as Rotorua had 1500 consents over years!! They were mainly top end houses, not social houses.
Your suggestion of build to rent subsidised Government housing is practised in Australian States. Yes I agree that would help, but the government could not join an overheated market and make it worse. Now prices have begun to stabilise they have a chance to buy into a falling market to provide homes from failed airb&b landlords.
I guess we should just vote for the guy that will magically make all these problems disappear. By selling off state housing and ignoring all the people sleeping rough and celebrating a rock star economy and hoping the bottom feeders will just go away.
Or, we could acknowledge that there is a housing shortage and at the same time an unprecedented government response in facilitating 10,000+ new state houses in the last 5 years.
HUD NZ Housing dashboard
Despite media wailing, the Government is NOT "hiding the problem" FFS.
Minister Woods was in Rotorua just last week.
https://twitter.com/LabourMaoriNZ/status/1564084645238800384?s=20&t=gNCuGMcGV7LKfpCXQmY92w
Yes. one house – and these are a tiny fraction bigger then a tiny house has now found someone to live in.
the rest are still empty.
All three houses are up the road from us. The property was knocked down three years ago, stood empty for a bout a year and half and took a year and a half to be build. With that speed in the year 2300 we will have housed all the Motel Citizens of NZ. Drip Drip Drip some water on a hot stone.
Never mind the future climate refugees such as those that have lost their properties in the recent floods up and down the country.
I find it more productive to turn on the light rather than curse the darkness.
If you want to celebrate these three tiny houses on one section with three carparks and a rug of 'grass' behind the shed (they are about double garage sized houses) then go ahead and consider it success.
Again, i live not far from this success and i know how well they are build (lol) and how big they are – two tiny bedrooms, toilet/shower and a kitchen-living, and these houses will be rented to people with kids.
The only grace these houses have is that schools are in walking distance and hopefully some of the reserve that the Council wants to sell to private developpers for 'low income housing' will be preserved for the future poor to have a bit of an outdoor space, and the next supermarket is about 3 kms walking distance form these properties, if one does not have enough money for a bus. Town is about an hours walk away.
We initially thought that hese properties were for hte retired, and i would actully consider them perfect for that group of people. However pushing 3 – 5 people into a barely 45 sqm 'house' *3 i.e. 12 – 15 people plus a few cars on a section that used to have 1 Kainga Ora house on it will bring its own problems.
I understand the desperation. I watched Auckland during the N years, and now i get to watch Rotorua during the L years, and you know what, it is hard very hard to find a difference.
For what its worth, the whole of downtown Rotorua could be knocked down and rebuild. ITs either abandoned, or not earthquake save, empty shops everywhere. Now that would be something. Re-design the town centre to be pedestrian / cyclist friendly, ground floor shops and above those three floors of apartments. You would not need to re-develop, utilities would already be there, water/sewerage etc all at hand, and you would revive your town centre.
The country needs to re-think housing as a whole. Cost of build, rents, sizes 1 bdrm / studio to 5 bedrm, cheap monthly rents, next to shops, schools, medical centres etc etc etc.
That is not what we are doing. In this case, we build three very small houses on one section to house up to 15+ people in.
In fact it would have been better to build these properties up two stories. And i can see these houses be demolished in a few years to do exactly that.
Kainga Ora is already investing in all these things as well as industry support and community engagement.
https://kaingaora.govt.nz/developments-and-programmes/
Clint Smith gives us more deets on Rotovegas…
https://twitter.com/ClintVSmith/status/1566622559465918464?s=20&t=2wCFtarl8sHc5qbigcdLvA
Are you getting these talking points from talkback radio? I was talking to a mate a couple of days ago who was saying similar stuff about Rotovegas and asking "where is Jacinda?!!11!!"
She's overseas at the moment, so I guess it is time for the Nat's mouthpieces to moan that she isn't visiting their pet projects.
I don't think she's overseas….
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-taking-buggy-ride-on-aucklands-44b-city-rail-link/2C6BUNNCFO5X2LZ3QEOIYKBE5U/
Dang, she was off to the UN just a few days ago
The government probably decided to use the motels because of the lockdowns and lack of tourists.
It's past time to move on
Otherwise make it easier for mobile homes to be located on sections (either for children of parents or parents of children).
Aesop said that a man is known by the company he keeps.
Now we all know where, and with whom, he stands.
"The meeting was hosted by Unify NZ, a local group that is aligned to a number of anti-mandate/anti-vax groups such as Voices for Freedom and Convoy 2022. The audience, as demonstrated during question time, was a mix of diehard NZ First supporters and right-wing conspiracy theorists."
https://www.localmatters.co.nz/mahurangi-news/audience-gets-its-moneys-worth-from-peters-rhetoric/?fbclid=IwAR3HRuD_ub_PqVfrvSTFTl20gQp-EmfY8m9NP8suB57NJfuW7xGwtDjqQk8
What is it about free school lunches that triggers right wingers so badly? The NZ Herald has revived its attacks on the school lunch programme. Is it the thought of some little brown kids getting a meal and maybe feeling happy and keen to learn – rather than knowing their place and pulling themselves up by their non-existent bootstraps? Is it the thought of working class parents saving maybe $25 a week per child to spend on other necessities? God knows – but it is a peculiarly intense example of their vileness.
All I saw was some spoilt kids complaining because they don't like kumara, and saying the menu was crap. They are lucky to have a choice.
It's not the first time NZ has had a school lunch programme. When I was a kid – admittedly a long time ago – our Mums used to take it in turns to 'do' the school lunches for those kids who regularly came to school with no lunch. We're talking about parents on very low wages who couldn’t afford them. No big deal. It was what you did back in the day. I presume each school had an allocation of money to keep the programme going.
Shoutout to Willie Lose.
Former rugby international and commentator Willie Los'e dies aged 55 – NZ Herald
He was second speaker at the Kelston Boys debating team back in the day, and it was always fun to go against the Kelston Girls team.
So Willie was pretty buff from all that First 15 Rugby gym training, and the topic was "That some things are best left to men". Good ground for a boys against the girls afternoon fun contest in the early 1980s.
You can get the tenor of the school by noting that Graham Henry was both Principal and Auckland Rugby Coach at the same time.
We oiled Willie up in coconut oil and he only wore a lavalava for that debate, so he could deliver Second Speaker with a bit of panache. He made his pecs talk to each other.
Sure went down well at the Kelston Girls auditorium.