Apartheid Israel, an occupying force for 70 years, gruesomely penning Palestinians into tiny Gaza would be gone by lunchtime if the USA stopped supplying cash and weapons.
US Imperialism, in blunt terms–both substantial cause of and potential solution to–the Palestinian situation.
Arm chair generals and Governments everywhere are tut tutting about terrorism by Hamas–yet when Israeli snipers blow out teens knee caps for approaching a fence, poison water supply, detain and torture, the Euros and all the rest look away. The Israeli military state regularly stops humanitarian aid to Gaza by flotilla as local Kia Ora Gaza supporters like Marama Davidson and Mike Treen (Unite Union) found out.
I don’t support the religious aspect to Hamas, or armed violence, but what do people expect will be the outcome with hundreds of UN Resolutions ignored, and Gaza bombed the shit out of every few months?
There is a very nasty possible conclusion to this latest uprising aka asymmetric engagement, and I don’t want to use the term here–those capable in the international community need to step up immediately.
Nobody seems to complain about the illegal occupation of Palestinian land by the Israelis and the illegal settlements being built there, or about the giant concentration camp that is Gaza.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has it right when he says (from The Guardian's live feed today):
"Abbas also pointed to the “denial of the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, their land, and their sacred sites, and the continued terrorism of Israeli settlers,”
“President Abbas stated that ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land with East Jerusalem as its capital, recognizing the Palestinian people’s right to independence and sovereignty, and granting full UN membership would ensure security, stability, and peace in the region,
Pisses me off to see Biden saying "The United States stands with Israel" when he has done bugger all to rectify the above situation.
The scenes of celebratory barbarism as a catharsis against civilians coming from Hamas's successful raid into Southern Israel are sickening.
But you know, if you torment human beings by locking them in a cage like they are wild animals, and then beat them savagely with bombs and missiles, and strip them of all hope and dignity, and you do it for decades, then if they ever get out of the cage you have to expect the dehumanized and savage wild animals you've created will show their tormentor no mercy.
The state of Israel was created as a consequence of the holocaust. Unfortunately for the Zionists, there were people living there already on whom they visited a massive injustice by expelling them from their homes. The Arabs were also lied to by the British who then bailed out as fast as they could.
The abject failure over eight decades to come to terms with the injustices perpetrated by the circumstances leading to creation of Israel are the cause of the huge turmoil in the middle east today.
“I am a child of Lake Alice. I have been through all the institutions. We as kids were abused everywhere we went so we couldn’t respect authority, we couldn't trust authority, so that is more or less why we formed – to protect ourselves because we had no one else to help us.”
This is just off memory – The chap in Dunedin who did long term studies on people finding that the biggest driver of criminality, dysfunction and poor adult outcomes was severe poverty in childhood – this seems to be ringing the same bell to me.
They wouldn't care. I have worked for an organisation that supported survivors through the Royal Commission of Inquiry process. People's experiences were absolutely harrowing and the effects of the abuse had huge impacts on their lives, as you would expect.
Here is an excerpt from the Royal Commission of Inquiry's report "Stolen Lives, Marked Souls – The inquiry into the Order of the Brothers of St John of God at Marylands School and Hebron Trust" – among other things, this report details how the abuse affected survivors' lives. https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/our-progress/reports/stolen-lives-marked-souls/
"187. The Royal Commission finds in relation to the impacts of abuse and neglect:
a. All survivors of abuse and neglect from Marylands, the Hebron Trust and St Joseph’s Orphanage who the Inquiry has heard from, have experienced significant and life-long impacts to many facets of who they are, their relationships, their potential and the life they lead. These impacts include:
› physical injury, health and illness
› devastating mental health impacts, including self-harm and suicidality
› criminal offending and addiction including substance abuse
› struggles with sexual and gender identity
› loss of faith and spirituality
› financial hardship and homelessness
› lack of education, leading to further financial hardship and employment insecurity
› inability to trust and difficulties in relationships with children, partners and whānau."
Middle Eastern politics makes you want to scrub yourself clean in the shower with a stello pad after just thinking about it.
The Israelis, with the connivance of everyone, thought they could normalise relations with Saudi by simply locking the Palestinians in a permanent cage and then throwing away the key. The plan was to assassinate and destabilize any viable civil society in Gaza, paint the place as hopelessly in the thrall of barbaric terrorists and leave the Palestinians to rot forgotten in their ghetto while everyone else got on with plotting with their new buddies against Iran.
Iran wants to scupper Saudi Arabia at every turn because of some religious difference that is even dumber than Europe fighting the thirty years war over transubstantiation, and Iran hates the west because of punitive sanctions and the way they've been shit on at every turn by the USA since the coup that put the Shah into power. None the less, Israel left Hamas and Hizbollah alone because it struck a deal with Putin to not interfere in Syria as long as Russia used its influence to stop Iran using Hamas to wreck its deal with Saudi.
Except mad dog Putin invaded the Ukraine, and now he needs Iran and it's ammunition and drone factories more than Iran thinks it need fear him and the equally mad Mullahs have realized they can't rely on busted-flush Russia for any damn thing by way of security guarantees so Iran has decided to use Hamas to launch an attack on Israel to end any hope of a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Now for the Palestinians the status quo was anyways tantamount to their genocide. Any option was better than the one looming. And the Palestinians have just shown they won't be forgotten and walling them up in Gaza and letting them rot isn't a viable plan, because if they can break into Israel once to wreak indiscriminate slaughter then they can do it again.
So the Palestinians have inflicted a mini 9/11 on Israel. They've demonstrated they're not going to give up and quietly die. Israel now has to change course. It can try to occupy the Gaza strip but last time it tried that the IDF discovered Gaza is an urban fortress capable of inflicting heavy losses on them. It can use its virtual immunity from consequences to inflict an aerial and artillery genocide on Gaza every bit the equivalent of the savagery inflicted on the Poles in the Warsaw uprising, or it will have to come up with a workable peace plan.
Unfortunately, lack of consequence means genocide will be the likely path Israel will go down.
They'll end up doing a Bele and Lokai and nuking each other before the century is out.
The best future for Gaza is UN occupation and development to nation state hood (the Hamas PA relationship is broken and the WB is not a goer with the current regime in Israel).
If Saudi Arabia gave that its backing, a deal whereby 1948 refugees could (if they want) take up citizenship (acquire passports) and be granted residency in Arab league nations or migrate to other places (and be given compensation for 1948 property loss).
Others could choose to remain refugees (these restored to some fit state (eg Lebanon/Syria) and await a West Bank resolution.
Agree +100% bringing in Honest John at the last minute may have done National more harm than good IMHO.
Also I can not see Luxon forming a Government with a NACT First combination, if Winston and NZF can get enough votes say 8-9% we may see a National/NZF Coalition however National and Luxon would have to swallow a number of dead rats.
National are beginning to show nervous jitters. Their advertising is tending towards warning voters that you have to party vote National to avoid eight weeks of confusion whilst a coalition government is formed.
They are perhaps being honest for the first time in (kind of) admitting that it will be difficult to form a government with their pals ACT and NZ First not even wanting to be in the same room together, let alone actually co-operating.
Labour needs to seize on this to show that there will be no such problems if you vote centre-left, WE get along well enough to lead the country, the rabble on the right don't so why would you vote for them?
The National party ad was on Facebook and I am unable to provide a link at this time, sorry.
Labour/Green/TPM looking solid coming up to next Saturday, fear mongering by National is not going down well with voters, evidently the Economy is going well according to all the statistics.
The economy is going well !! Will perhaps like Hipkins you need to get out and leave your protected bubble !! Wages below inflation for many interest rates killing us and the Labour Party gives each family $5/week to butter things over. Tax creep as we progress thru the tax bracket creep takes more from an individuals income, govt gives a token BUT takes more🤫
Our growth is primarily due to immigration and cleanups from the weather. Great base to build an economy on 🤬
Agree Herodotus most of what you are saying is correct, wages are poor here in NZ vs the Cost of Living and Housing, however the Supermarket Owners and the Corporates are doing extremely well, likewise the AU Banks are making record profits however interest rates are not dropping, so I agree we are being screwed. Yes Tax Brackets need to be changed with the first $20k being Tax Free. Immigration needs to be knocked on the head until we look after our own people first, so voting NZF and Uncle Winnie is probably your best bet, however they seem to forget all these things once in Government. Labour is pro Chinese Immigration and wouldn't budge on that in the 2017 Coalition Government. National are also very pro Chinese Investment in NZ Housing & Infrastructure.
Anyone concerned about wage levels and who votes NACT is intellectually challenged.
MW. ACT wants no MW increaaes for 3 years, National wants minimal ones. Labour wants it lifted to the Living Wage level – $1 an hour or more each year ($40 a week extra).
Fair Pay Agreement Industry Awards – as per Oz. NACT would get rid of it. Labour's development will result in wage improvements between the MW-LW and the median wage and maybe above. It will be the only way to guarantee wages go up as fast as rents/inflation.
Public Sector, Labour's record in raising the pay of teachers, nurses and doctors is far superior to that of National.
So where is the proof that voting Labour is any different ?? Many of us have experience nil to inferior pay increases well below inflation.
Don't forget that the pay increases/min wage etc are on the back of, for most unknown inflation rates, tax creep and costs that are lost in CIP calculations as they are excluded. So if the govt had handled and reacted to minimise the rising inflation, perhaps the level of pay increase recently fought over would not have to be as high to lessen the impact on Inflation ? So your justification to support labours rising pay levels is questionable at the least, but don't let that get in the way
Teachers fought hard for what they have achieved. Pity that the agreement was not backdated as in real terms their wage has gone backwards. Previous agreement covered July 2019- June 2022. Current agreement covers July 23- July 25.
The fact that you made a reply without reference to the known facts about MW and LW relativity, or the FPA Industry Awards, or any comparison of increases under Labour compared to National (as per nurses and teachers 2008-2017) says it all.
And you blame the government for inflation (and divert into bracket creep with taxation) – its worldwide mate with the add on here of the flood events on food prices, and the company that filed to get its gib production sorted (housing costs 2022).
PS Inflation will be 4% by the end of the year and its forecast to be 3% at the end of next year.
If I were really informed I would know that those are not the RBNZ projections from the RBNZ household expectations survey….assuming they meant anything anyway.
This is not Politics…(well maybe somewhat)..more a why are "we" stillracing to Planet burn……and why cant we go another way?
Ok….most of us (Deniers excepted) know our Planet is heating …ever more dangerously. This combined with El Nino type events. of course has cumulative effect. So Niwa recently gives warning…In ODT Rural Life..which I do read .
As the El Nino weather phenomenon takes hold across New Zealand, Otago farmers are being urged to prepare for potential pasture and water supply problems caused by dry spells.
A recent long-term Niwa forecast stated there was a 100% chance of El Nino continuing during October through to December, and the chance of it persisting through summer was forecast to be more than 95%.
My why cant we ?……was also in the ODT..randomly, in Life and Style. Connection ? I seen the Regenerative photo. And such a great article by Sean Connelly .
It is past time farming stepped into its future
The report also highlighted how our agricultural sector is also dependent on our natural capital — the rivers, lakes, soils, biodiversity, atmosphere and climate. It emphasised that continuing down the path of intensive agriculture would increasingly put both our economic and environmental wellbeing under threat.
agriculture has intensified, fertiliser use has intensified, irrigation has intensified, and on the whole, environmental indicators have worsened. Synthetic nitrogen use has risen from just over 50,000 tonnes in 1990 to more than 450,000 tonnes by 2020, largely driven by the dairy boom. The ability of our land and water to cope with that injection of nutrients has been stretched beyond limits. Direct greenhouse gas emissions from synthetic nitrogen fertilisers have increased more than 600% since 1990.
Pukekohe Vegetable Growers gearing up for a big drought has to happen soon especially with all the rain we have had over the past 2 years, it is the law of averages.
From the side-bar, Paul Buchanan's latest offering is a must read. "Bully Pulpits and thePolitics of Nastiness", is a summary of the Trump style and how the parties of the Right in NZ are consciously emulating him. The following excerpt imo is worthy of repeat in toto:
… after four years of his presidency and the sequels to it, I realise that his long moment in public life has served as an invitation to and license for others around the world to follow his approach to political and social discourse. The core of this approach is to appeal to the lowest common denominator in the basest of terms, seeking to appeal to the darkest of instincts and deepest ignorance extant in a given political community. This is the politics of nastiness, and the nasty has reached NZ.
It is well known that National has been for some time looking to US rightwing spin doctors for campaign guidance and narratives (crime! waste! taxes!), but now Winston First and ACT’s David Seymour have decided to go full US conspiracy theory (Winston: globalists! mandates!) and pseudo-libertarian racist (David: free speech! bureaucrats! Treaty separatists!). The tone of politics in NZ has gotten cruder (see: Chris Bishop, Judith Collins) and more personal (e.g. treatment of Kiri Allen). The corporate media has clearly decided to go full Murdoch in approach (with a few exceptions duly noted) by stirring partisan and racial division and polemics, focusing on personal foibles and conflicts rather than platforms/proposals and going for “gotcha” moments rather than offering dispassion analyses of the policy platforms of the respective parties.
Why does the Standard continue to give a platform for right-wing propaganda? The Point of Order website (on the sidebar, every day) is a constant barrage of right-wing talking points, and not even interesting ones.
Yes, I know, it's not my blog, you can publish whatever you want, and nobody's stopping you but the question remains … why?
I wonder how many NZ First voters are aware of what they might be getting into? The party appears to have undergone a significant shape-shift lately, and it doesn't seem to be all Winston's doing:
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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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
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. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
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. ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
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 ...
Ngaio Marsh House is one of Christchurch’s best kept secrets – and contains more than a few mysteries of its own.Trust Ngaio Marsh to leave more than a few mysteries scattered through her house long after her departure. For a start, there’s the curious concrete portal in the garden, ...
Appointment viewing has been lost to the mists of time, but memories of Montana Sunday Theatre can still be conjured by hitting play on a particular piece of classical music. “You’re not going to be able to sell it.” Over 30 years on, Karen Bieleski still recalls how the task ...
Performance Review King Luxon sat behind His massive polished oak desk. It is Performance Review time. There is a knock on the door. “Enter!” says the King. In steps Minister of Disabilities and Carer Pedicures, Penny Simmonds. “I can explain everything …” she begins. “Fine,” says King Luxon, pressing the ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.‘It didn’t start out like, ‘This is a show about Nina,’” says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. I’m another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
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. ...
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/7/palestinian-group-hamas-launches-surprise-attack-on-israel-what-to-know
Apartheid Israel, an occupying force for 70 years, gruesomely penning Palestinians into tiny Gaza would be gone by lunchtime if the USA stopped supplying cash and weapons.
US Imperialism, in blunt terms–both substantial cause of and potential solution to–the Palestinian situation.
Arm chair generals and Governments everywhere are tut tutting about terrorism by Hamas–yet when Israeli snipers blow out teens knee caps for approaching a fence, poison water supply, detain and torture, the Euros and all the rest look away. The Israeli military state regularly stops humanitarian aid to Gaza by flotilla as local Kia Ora Gaza supporters like Marama Davidson and Mike Treen (Unite Union) found out.
I don’t support the religious aspect to Hamas, or armed violence, but what do people expect will be the outcome with hundreds of UN Resolutions ignored, and Gaza bombed the shit out of every few months?
There is a very nasty possible conclusion to this latest uprising aka asymmetric engagement, and I don’t want to use the term here–those capable in the international community need to step up immediately.
Agree Tiger.
Nobody seems to complain about the illegal occupation of Palestinian land by the Israelis and the illegal settlements being built there, or about the giant concentration camp that is Gaza.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has it right when he says (from The Guardian's live feed today):
"Abbas also pointed to the “denial of the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, their land, and their sacred sites, and the continued terrorism of Israeli settlers,”
“President Abbas stated that ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land with East Jerusalem as its capital, recognizing the Palestinian people’s right to independence and sovereignty, and granting full UN membership would ensure security, stability, and peace in the region,
Pisses me off to see Biden saying "The United States stands with Israel" when he has done bugger all to rectify the above situation.
The scenes of celebratory barbarism as a catharsis against civilians coming from Hamas's successful raid into Southern Israel are sickening.
But you know, if you torment human beings by locking them in a cage like they are wild animals, and then beat them savagely with bombs and missiles, and strip them of all hope and dignity, and you do it for decades, then if they ever get out of the cage you have to expect the dehumanized and savage wild animals you've created will show their tormentor no mercy.
Might we not use the same argument to explain why Israel is tormenting the people of Gaza – the result of their treatment in world War 2?
The state of Israel was created as a consequence of the holocaust. Unfortunately for the Zionists, there were people living there already on whom they visited a massive injustice by expelling them from their homes. The Arabs were also lied to by the British who then bailed out as fast as they could.
The abject failure over eight decades to come to terms with the injustices perpetrated by the circumstances leading to creation of Israel are the cause of the huge turmoil in the middle east today.
The most extreme case of the central problem of all settler colonial societies.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/133064688/election-2023-what-young-mum-gang-member-and-cyclone-victim-think-of-this-election
Maybe someone should show national that sentence on a driver of gang growth, I bet it’s still happening today
This is just off memory – The chap in Dunedin who did long term studies on people finding that the biggest driver of criminality, dysfunction and poor adult outcomes was severe poverty in childhood – this seems to be ringing the same bell to me.
They wouldn't care. I have worked for an organisation that supported survivors through the Royal Commission of Inquiry process. People's experiences were absolutely harrowing and the effects of the abuse had huge impacts on their lives, as you would expect.
Here is an excerpt from the Royal Commission of Inquiry's report "Stolen Lives, Marked Souls – The inquiry into the Order of the Brothers of St John of God at Marylands School and Hebron Trust" – among other things, this report details how the abuse affected survivors' lives. https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/our-progress/reports/stolen-lives-marked-souls/
"187. The Royal Commission finds in relation to the impacts of abuse and neglect:
a. All survivors of abuse and neglect from Marylands, the Hebron Trust and St Joseph’s Orphanage who the Inquiry has heard from, have experienced significant and life-long impacts to many facets of who they are, their relationships, their potential and the life they lead. These impacts include:
› physical injury, health and illness
› devastating mental health impacts, including self-harm and suicidality
› criminal offending and addiction including substance abuse
› struggles with sexual and gender identity
› loss of faith and spirituality
› financial hardship and homelessness
› lack of education, leading to further financial hardship and employment insecurity
› inability to trust and difficulties in relationships with children, partners and whānau."
This Hamas 3000+ rocket attack and multi-town invasion looks like Iran trying to shank the upcoming Israel-Saudi Arabia peace deal.
It will do the reverse.
Middle Eastern politics makes you want to scrub yourself clean in the shower with a stello pad after just thinking about it.
The Israelis, with the connivance of everyone, thought they could normalise relations with Saudi by simply locking the Palestinians in a permanent cage and then throwing away the key. The plan was to assassinate and destabilize any viable civil society in Gaza, paint the place as hopelessly in the thrall of barbaric terrorists and leave the Palestinians to rot forgotten in their ghetto while everyone else got on with plotting with their new buddies against Iran.
Iran wants to scupper Saudi Arabia at every turn because of some religious difference that is even dumber than Europe fighting the thirty years war over transubstantiation, and Iran hates the west because of punitive sanctions and the way they've been shit on at every turn by the USA since the coup that put the Shah into power. None the less, Israel left Hamas and Hizbollah alone because it struck a deal with Putin to not interfere in Syria as long as Russia used its influence to stop Iran using Hamas to wreck its deal with Saudi.
Except mad dog Putin invaded the Ukraine, and now he needs Iran and it's ammunition and drone factories more than Iran thinks it need fear him and the equally mad Mullahs have realized they can't rely on busted-flush Russia for any damn thing by way of security guarantees so Iran has decided to use Hamas to launch an attack on Israel to end any hope of a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Now for the Palestinians the status quo was anyways tantamount to their genocide. Any option was better than the one looming. And the Palestinians have just shown they won't be forgotten and walling them up in Gaza and letting them rot isn't a viable plan, because if they can break into Israel once to wreak indiscriminate slaughter then they can do it again.
So the Palestinians have inflicted a mini 9/11 on Israel. They've demonstrated they're not going to give up and quietly die. Israel now has to change course. It can try to occupy the Gaza strip but last time it tried that the IDF discovered Gaza is an urban fortress capable of inflicting heavy losses on them. It can use its virtual immunity from consequences to inflict an aerial and artillery genocide on Gaza every bit the equivalent of the savagery inflicted on the Poles in the Warsaw uprising, or it will have to come up with a workable peace plan.
Unfortunately, lack of consequence means genocide will be the likely path Israel will go down.
They'll end up doing a Bele and Lokai and nuking each other before the century is out.
The best future for Gaza is UN occupation and development to nation state hood (the Hamas PA relationship is broken and the WB is not a goer with the current regime in Israel).
If Saudi Arabia gave that its backing, a deal whereby 1948 refugees could (if they want) take up citizenship (acquire passports) and be granted residency in Arab league nations or migrate to other places (and be given compensation for 1948 property loss).
Others could choose to remain refugees (these restored to some fit state (eg Lebanon/Syria) and await a West Bank resolution.
Others could choose to remain refugees (their camps restored to some fit state (eg Lebanon/Syria) and await a West Bank resolution.
Sort of, Hamas is seeking alliances against the deal and Iran is one party.
It will complicate the deal being finalised.
The possibility of a second election is canvassed here if the Nats and ACT can't form a government.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2023-national-warns-very-real-possibility-of-no-deal-with-nz-first-sending-voters-back-to-the-polls/SEDJLYGOEVHV5DABMIJQZV3JQ4/
Luxon getting nervous pulling out all the tricks from the old Crosby Textor Handbook.
"Even" with the Nats calling up their ring-in, slimy sir Key..they are looking less and less so sure of themselves.
Also their coalition of chaos infighting also proceeds ..apace.
We on the Left must have Solidarity. And..I think we will prevail !
Agree +100% bringing in Honest John at the last minute may have done National more harm than good IMHO.
Also I can not see Luxon forming a Government with a NACT First combination, if Winston and NZF can get enough votes say 8-9% we may see a National/NZF Coalition however National and Luxon would have to swallow a number of dead rats.
Anecdotal – yes, and hardly scientific – but the people I meet driving an uber two nights a week are
– solidly Green or TPM voters, lesser number favouring Labour
– quite disparaging of Luxon and think Act is a bit of a joke
– hardly ever mention Winston, and usually not in a complimentary way.
I think we're (the left) going to be in for a very pleasant surprise on Election night!
Totally agreed PLA – National is sounding increasingly uncertain, chaotic, and desperate
Looks like bringing out the old politicians is par for the course in this election campaign. Labour have rolled out Helen.
Election 2023: Helen Clark releases video calling for people to vote Labour | Newshub
Hi J – great vid, but why no mention of "limbo land" or "lots of moving parts"?
Quite telling that "Minister of Flap" Chris Bishflap Bishop is winding up the scare siren. Oooer… second election !
Of course its only scary for the Nats. Gotta love it : )
National are beginning to show nervous jitters. Their advertising is tending towards warning voters that you have to party vote National to avoid eight weeks of confusion whilst a coalition government is formed.
They are perhaps being honest for the first time in (kind of) admitting that it will be difficult to form a government with their pals ACT and NZ First not even wanting to be in the same room together, let alone actually co-operating.
Labour needs to seize on this to show that there will be no such problems if you vote centre-left, WE get along well enough to lead the country, the rabble on the right don't so why would you vote for them?
The National party ad was on Facebook and I am unable to provide a link at this time, sorry.
If someone else could, thanks.
Labour/Green/TPM looking solid coming up to next Saturday, fear mongering by National is not going down well with voters, evidently the Economy is going well according to all the statistics.
The economy is going well !! Will perhaps like Hipkins you need to get out and leave your protected bubble !! Wages below inflation for many interest rates killing us and the Labour Party gives each family $5/week to butter things over. Tax creep as we progress thru the tax bracket creep takes more from an individuals income, govt gives a token BUT takes more🤫
Our growth is primarily due to immigration and cleanups from the weather. Great base to build an economy on 🤬
Agree Herodotus most of what you are saying is correct, wages are poor here in NZ vs the Cost of Living and Housing, however the Supermarket Owners and the Corporates are doing extremely well, likewise the AU Banks are making record profits however interest rates are not dropping, so I agree we are being screwed. Yes Tax Brackets need to be changed with the first $20k being Tax Free. Immigration needs to be knocked on the head until we look after our own people first, so voting NZF and Uncle Winnie is probably your best bet, however they seem to forget all these things once in Government. Labour is pro Chinese Immigration and wouldn't budge on that in the 2017 Coalition Government. National are also very pro Chinese Investment in NZ Housing & Infrastructure.
If NAct + NZF do get over the line, then at least Willis will have a chaotic 'out' for her hollow promise to resign as finance minister.
The Hollow, the Shallow and the Crusty. F**k me, what a shambolic prospect
Anyone concerned about wage levels and who votes NACT is intellectually challenged.
MW. ACT wants no MW increaaes for 3 years, National wants minimal ones. Labour wants it lifted to the Living Wage level – $1 an hour or more each year ($40 a week extra).
Fair Pay Agreement Industry Awards – as per Oz. NACT would get rid of it. Labour's development will result in wage improvements between the MW-LW and the median wage and maybe above. It will be the only way to guarantee wages go up as fast as rents/inflation.
Public Sector, Labour's record in raising the pay of teachers, nurses and doctors is far superior to that of National.
So where is the proof that voting Labour is any different ?? Many of us have experience nil to inferior pay increases well below inflation.
Don't forget that the pay increases/min wage etc are on the back of, for most unknown inflation rates, tax creep and costs that are lost in CIP calculations as they are excluded. So if the govt had handled and reacted to minimise the rising inflation, perhaps the level of pay increase recently fought over would not have to be as high to lessen the impact on Inflation ? So your justification to support labours rising pay levels is questionable at the least, but don't let that get in the way
Teachers fought hard for what they have achieved. Pity that the agreement was not backdated as in real terms their wage has gone backwards. Previous agreement covered July 2019- June 2022. Current agreement covers July 23- July 25.
https://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/School/Collective-Employment-Agreements/Primary-Teachers-Collective-Agreement/Primary-Teachers-Collective-Agreement-2019-2022.pdf
https://www.education.govt.nz/school/people-and-employment/employment-agreements/collective-agreements/changes-to-primary-teachers-collective-agreement-2023/
The fact that you made a reply without reference to the known facts about MW and LW relativity, or the FPA Industry Awards, or any comparison of increases under Labour compared to National (as per nurses and teachers 2008-2017) says it all.
And you blame the government for inflation (and divert into bracket creep with taxation) – its worldwide mate with the add on here of the flood events on food prices, and the company that filed to get its gib production sorted (housing costs 2022).
PS Inflation will be 4% by the end of the year and its forecast to be 3% at the end of next year.
"PS Inflation will be 4% by the end of the year and its forecast to be 3% at the end of next year."
Thats a confident and specific statement….you must have made a fortune with such forecasting ability
If you were informed you would know its the forecast of the RB.
The former is more likely to be accurate than the latter (more uncertain as per election etc)
If I were really informed I would know that those are not the RBNZ projections from the RBNZ household expectations survey….assuming they meant anything anyway.
'I'll call Winston. I won't call Winston.' Make up your mind.
This is what happens when you invite John Key to stick his oar in. Key does what's good for Key, no one else.
Absolute chaos.
National are looking lost, no clear policy apart from selling $2.0 million homes to the Saudi's.
This is not Politics…(well maybe somewhat)..more a why are "we" still racing to Planet burn……and why cant we go another way?
Ok….most of us (Deniers excepted) know our Planet is heating …ever more dangerously. This combined with El Nino type events. of course has cumulative effect. So Niwa recently gives warning…In ODT Rural Life..which I do read .
My why cant we ?……was also in the ODT..randomly, in Life and Style. Connection ? I seen the Regenerative photo. And such a great article by Sean Connelly .
IMO he sums the case for change so well. I struggle to understand anyone that wouldnt?
Pukekohe Vegetable Growers gearing up for a big drought has to happen soon especially with all the rain we have had over the past 2 years, it is the law of averages.
From the side-bar, Paul Buchanan's latest offering is a must read. "Bully Pulpits and the Politics of Nastiness", is a summary of the Trump style and how the parties of the Right in NZ are consciously emulating him. The following excerpt imo is worthy of repeat in toto:
Like +100% good analysis
Thanks Anne 100%
Politics still goes on in Britain. While we look forward to crazy possibilities post-election their bizarre environment simply continues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UxDJS-dWSk
Proves Buchanan's point. 🙂
Why does the Standard continue to give a platform for right-wing propaganda? The Point of Order website (on the sidebar, every day) is a constant barrage of right-wing talking points, and not even interesting ones.
Yes, I know, it's not my blog, you can publish whatever you want, and nobody's stopping you but the question remains … why?
I'd love to know.
'If you want to defeat your enemy, whistle their tune'.
I posted something similar last week Obs.
What is worse Points of Order pretends to be balanced….but ends up always supporting the Right/slagging off the Left.
I wonder how many NZ First voters are aware of what they might be getting into? The party appears to have undergone a significant shape-shift lately, and it doesn't seem to be all Winston's doing:
https://www.thepost.co.nz/a/politics/350084986/awakening-how-freedom-movement-found-its-man-winston-peters
And here’s what the Graun has to say about next Saturday:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/08/tired-broke-and-eager-for-change-new-zealand-expected-to-shift-right-at-coming-election