Mandates choice, leadership, are currently hot button topics:
The Labour government are under pressure from employers to legislate to make make mandatory vaccination against Covid-19 a condition of employement at the discretion of the employer or management of a company or workplace.
The Labour government are already mandating teachers and health care workers and border workers to be vacinated.
Antivaxxers and even civil libertarians are protesting about the right to bodily integrity and choice.
My question:
Should the Labour Party. which is the governing party of this country, already responsible for setting mandates for others, consider setting an example of leadership for themselvs, by mandating that requirement for new membership of the Labour Party is to be vaccinated?
…….Should the Labour Party. which is the governing party of this country, already responsible for setting mandates for others, consider setting an example of leadership for themselvs, by mandating that requirement for new membership of the Labour Party is to be vaccinated?
How is it similar to places where people congregate for employment and the like? ….
Very similar, in that any mass gathering is an opportunity to spread the virus.
All leading civil organisations have a chance to set an example. The governing Party more than most.
The Green Party, the Labour Party. Maybe even the National and ACT parties, that all have claims to leadership in our society, could also show some in their organisations.
Leading civil society groups that have a leadership role can also that are in a position to set an example, Service clubs like the Lions, Rotary, etc. should do so.
Some businesses are already doing it.
We are all told that we all have a role to play, in addressing climate change and should.
Setting an example of responsibility is smart. Leave the low moral ground to the Trumpetistas – but be careful to carve out a protected space for genuine medical exceptions and well-behaved conscientious dissenters.
For the simple reason that benefits acknowledge that everyone has a right to life. At a minimum, enough to eat!
Even right wingers! Even though to many of them, want to starve people into taking low paid jobs.
Same as mandating vaccines where you have to associate with other people, such as workplaces, acknowledges the right that people have, to expect safety from follow workers and customers, for themselves and their families.
But if someone loses their job they go on a benefit and then they're in greater danger of catching covid so surely mandating beneficiaries to get the jab will keep more people safe
Or are beneficiaries not as important as other people….
'For the simple reason that benefits acknowledge that everyone has a right to life'
But beneficiaries don't have to get the jab against covid and if you get covid you might die so shouldn't beneficiaries do their bit for NZ by getting jabbed?
'Earlier this year, Ardern and Covid-19 Response Minister indicated Covid-19 vaccinations would not be made compulsory for all Kiwis.'
"We believe that we can talk about the vaccine on its merits, the difference that it makes to people’s lives, their health, their livelihood, without taking that extraordinary step [of compulsory vaccination]," Ardern said at the time.
On 26 October, Ardern and Workplace Relations Minister Michael Wood announced a new vaccine mandate requiring all workers in hospitality businesses and certain services industries like gyms, barbers, and hairdressers to get vaccinated within four weeks or risk losing their jobs. This announcement was welcomed by Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Julie White and Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois, who also expressed concern about vaccine hesitancy leading to staff resigning and labour shortages. Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford welcomed the vaccine mandate but stated that employers needed legal protection to counter the risk of legal action by vaccine hesitant employees. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_vaccination_in_New_Zealand
A hard core anti-vaxxer fanatic in a front line role who demands the right to infect the public as their human right and suddenly finds themselves jobless. Will this poor deluded individual have to turn to crime to live?
And our kind Aunt Jacinda and Uncle Grant are going to give everyone a present for Christmas that has a better chance of killing you if you haven't been vaccinated.
Jacinda and Grant are going to give everyone a good chance of getting Covid 19 for Christmas.
Remember the good old days when they said that were making all their Covid 19 decisions based on the advice from the medical experts? Those were the days. Now they are letting the vaccine out to play over summer.
I wonder if they have suddenly got religion and they have become members of Tamaki's Church and believe the Christ child will save us?
Maybe we should withdraw all state support from all the media, businessess, assorted right wing mouthpieces, and the deliberatly malicious, or ignorant, who sabotaged New Zealands Covid response, with the repeated calls to "open up', "let the tourists in", "blocking our freedom", "Nazi/Communist State" encouraging people to ignore sensible rules.
The vioices of loud entitled "children", mostly on the right wing side of politics, have drowned out everyone else. "Children" who appear to think that attacking the Government is more important than the people who will suffer in the coming carnage. Carnage that they will have caused.
"Maybe we should withdraw all state support from all the media, "
That 'state support' came with significant strings attached. The media should never have accepted the conditions, and government should never have imposed them.
As far as withdrawing state support for business, I'm with you. But I generally find state support follows state intervention. The state intervenes, then has to pick up the tab (directly or indirectly) for the increased costs of doing business.
Another boo-boo on my part. I meant the virus, not the vaccine.
Of course I don't mean that they are deliberately spreading the virus. Nobody, short of people like Osama bin Laden would do such a thing. Neither of course would any of the National Party MPs but it doesn't stop nutters on this site claiming they would.
We also had Robertson and Hipkins claiming that about National of course. They are lifetime Labour apparatchiks though so one shouldn’t be surprised.
Are they listening to what Bloomfield is saying? I have no idea. I am not privy to what he says in private but he does seem to have become a bit politicized. On the other hand the formerly quoted experts like Baker Skegg and the Iwi Leader's Forum seem to disagree with the Government.
For what it is worth, and I am no expert, I think opening up is the right thing. Believing that we could somehow cut ourselves off from the world was totally nuts.
Then why do you say such things? People are going to die, are dying. It is real and not really to be joked about. Opening up too soon is dangerous. It was not "nuts" to protect us 'till we were vaccinated. You are better than that Alwyn. Don't say things which could be painful later. None is safe 'till we all are. I did not approve of Grant saying what he did. It was politics instead of cooperation. Megan Woods did much better cooperating.
" It was not "nuts" to protect us 'till we were vaccinated"
And you will note I never said it was. Last year it was the best thing we could do. You will note of course that every political party in New Zealand agreed.
This year, when we vaccines existed, and we had time we should have got around to getting over the shutdown mentality. Hipkins did the country no favours by claiming we would be at the front of the line, or head of the queue, or whatever was his stupid rhetoric. We should have ordered vaccines earlier, and got them out into the community faster. We should have also spent the time providing better hospital facilities and more ICU equipment and trained people. We sat round and said how wonderful we are. Well we weren't.
We are apparently going to open up in Auckland on 29 November. What do you want to bet that the Government will boast that we were faster than National would have been, with their date of 01 December? Do they really care about anything except trying to gain political points?
"Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage, but the combination of stone walls, the political parasite, and the moral instructor is no garden of sweets."
~ Ambrose Bierce The Devils Dictionary.
Well, I guess we'll see what the odds are when the "hesitants" have grudgingly joined the reasonable in getting their dot, or whatever the current term is.
Besides, most beneficiaries I know aren't able to afford to go out all that often, and for most interesting stuff they'd need to be vaccinated anyway.
The people I'm worried about will be the fools who look for ways around vax passports and can afford to circulate with folks regularly.
5 million include the beneficiaries. Besides, the sentence " the needs of many outweigh the few" is a military term and does not sit very well with me because of the reasoning below.
"Something is wrong when we start calculating based on the lesser loss rather than on what is right. If the needs of the few – or the one- are ignored, then the needs of the many are not worth the paper they are written on. The same logic of the needs of the many was behind Hitler's campaign against Jews, gypsies, mentally disabled and handicapped. One could say they were exterminated for a greater good; Stalin exterminated political opponents "for the good of the State (the many)"."
Well, the nazis and stalin had significant ethical problems beyond a strict interpretation of utilitarianism.
To me, the conflict between fringe examples of welfare/happiness/"good" maximisation (e.g. the sherriff killing a prisoner to placate a mob) and categorical imperatives (especially negatives such as "don't kill prisoners without a trial.") is a lot like the conflict between rational knowledge and instinctive knowledge, math vs feels. Even if the sums say X, if experience gives you a feeling of Y then it's a good idea to recheck the sums and recheck your feels.
Both are necessary, but the real art is in figuring which takes precedence over the other when they come into conflict.
And if x% of beneficiaries aren't going to screw the pooch much more than if they were all in line, why worry about initiating that conflict, anyway.
Another day, another “Bennie Bash” from a tory commenter.
Now, if the vulnerable on benefits–including National super recipients as well as job seekers and sickness and disabled (yes benefits are all collapsed in Jobseeker), were paid beyond subsistence level and got free Wifi and dental etc. then maybe–maybe–they could be leaned on.
The fact is beneficiaries and their children are already discriminated against by virtue of being excluded from Working For Families, and having to deal with the sadistic WINZ/MSD.
The right wing default fall back position for all society's problems.
Despite what the Right continually maintain, ad nauseum – Life on a benefit is not a volutuntary lifestyle choice.
The anti vaxxers are saying it is all about choice.
I agree. If you don't want to get vaccinated and you are a teacher, or border worker, or frontline health worker, or aged carer, you have a choice. Get another job.
Benificiaries don't have that choice. They are on a benefit because they have no other means of support.
That has always been part of pandemic planning. Was twelve years ago when Civil Defence and DHB's did a big pandemic planning exercise. It isn't really news or surprising.
Some things just need to be thought about in emergency situations that might not normally be palatable eg shooting roaming dogs that the well-meaning owners let off in a major earthquake who then form packs – Jo's little Corgi turned into a menace.
How many frozen bodies can they get into a container?
Are they stacked like cordwood?
How long will they stay there?
Then what?
How do they get them out again?
How are they finally disposed?
Mass burial?
Cremation?
What about the workers engaged in doing this gory task?
What risk are they at?
Any thoughts on their welfare?
Who cares for their phyical and mental long term health and well being?
Has there been any planning for that, or will they just be hired from the local labour hire company and then forgotten about?
Then what do they do with the leased/hired containers after bodies have been stored in them?
Do they go back to storing perishable goods for the supermarkets?
Is this all part of the pandemic planning as well?
You say that this has all been planned for. You are right. This wasn’t forced on us, we chose to lift the L4 Lockdown in Auckland against the advice of the health professionals, for the good of the economy.
So just how many needless deaths are considered "palatable" as a trade off to protect the economy?
Maybe instead of dealing with an excess of dead bodies, and an overloaded health system, (at all levels), we would have been better off sticking with our world beating Elimination Strategy.
Sign the petition get the government to recommit to Elimination.
NZ Government: Recommit to elimination of COVID-19
Here's the report. It should answer all your questions.
You should be asking businesses what note they took of the planning done? What plans did they put in place, what assessment they did of supply chain risk, what money they put aside, what preparation they did in adjusting their workplaces, what lessons they took from SARS – in fact did any of these highly paid CEO's, Chamber of Commerces, astute business people actually do anything in preparation for the inevitability that a pandemic happened?
I do also think that DHB's should have been upping their ICU beds, increasing mental health services, etc over this time. I also think tax rates on high incomes should have been lifted to help pay for this – and for NZS.
The lack of business preparation to me has been quite startling – especially from those who I know were directly involved in the planning exercise.
We are lucky to have a vaccine in such short time (think if we didn't) but I wouldn't have opened borders when we did for holiday travel and I wouldn't open up Auckland yet. I'm not calling for either to happen so it isn't really that useful to ask me any of the above questions.
At University of Otago at the time. We had two students as "cases" on the plane – managed to track them down and "isolate" them and all their close contacts within two hours I think, mostly thanks to the cohort nature of freshers lol.
You probably offered a free beer to the one who exposed them. Otago University students would do anything for a bottle of that dreadful Speights wouldn't they?
God no. That would be the second years. 3/4 of freshers at the time lived in a residential college and generally turned up to class according to their assigned schedule. The fools.
That's an eye opener thanks Matiri. There seems to be a world wide blackout of Covid news. To tell it like it really is. If there is more real Covid bad news it will educate some of those who think this is a conspiracy and help change some AV attitudes?
They were doing that more than 18 months ago. One of my neighbours works for a company that customises containers and he said at the time that they were doing that during the first lockdown.
It was considered to be essential work and the people involved were not subject to the lockdown. Why is anyone surprised?
Being prepared with refrigeration, body bags and trays is essential when experiencing a pandemic.
Having a will is also essential. Dealing with ACC when the deceased person does not have an executor the case cannot be resolved as ACC will not recieve information to prove they have been misled or give the next of kin information. Sepuloni's office is going to hear from me this month on this matter. My timing is terrible, but were I to become incapacitated or worse nothing will get done about the DHB, ACC, the Coroner's Office and HDC. These systems work in silos and need restructuring.
It is a serious matter when a person goes in for routine surgery, ends up having 3 operations and is dead a week after being admitted. The 3rd surgery was to repair a treatment injury and the person died a few hours later.
I cannot disclose the DHB. The saddest part is that approx 700 pages from the DHB generated in a week and the obvious has not been corrected by the DHB to ACC. The Privacy Commissioner cannot assist me as they do not assist correction of information when the person is dead.
Put bluntly a previous partner was tortured in their last week and I will not let it rest until the matter is reviewed by a respiratory and a vascular surgeon who are independent of the DHB. The general surgeon the HDC engaged, his findings differ to the coroner's office and the coroner's office never saw the ACC injury form or the other relevant medical information.
When it gets a bit much I leave it and come back to it. The dead have rights.
Treetop, in our case we wrote to the CEO through an Advocate (See the bottom of any hospital letter). Clearly list your grievance and what you want fixed and why. Then make an appointment with the Advocate. (no cost) Good wishes.
Once a file is closed the Solicitor General can open it up, but probably a coronial inquest is required and will take 5 years.
A person's privacy is important as a person then has control over the information. When it comes to probably unintentionally covering up the truth and sorting out the correct answers using facts the conclusion is flawed and an injustice to the memory of the deceased.
Patricia BremnerI guess you are closer to the action. …
Do you have a hospital letter with the piece at the base? Otherwise go online and look for a Health Advocate in your area. Ours has a phone number for Rotorua.
Put in Health Advocate and the name of your town or region. All the best. Write down the points I mentioned earlier. It may be different for the deceased.
Oh that is not very good. Often patients sign a waiver as well.
The Advocate is the Health Advocate for your city/region. They take your case and seek clarification for you. Death may change that, but if there are discrepancies you might get a letter to clarify or expose them to the coroner at least This is a free service.
Thank you for that Patricia. DHB recieved 3 lots of questions from me over 18 months, one third answered, one third partly answered and one third not answered. No post mortem was done either.
Multiple organ failure was the cause of death BUT the cause of multiple organ failure is what I am disputing. Many medical reasons for the cause of respiratory and metabolic acidosis which end up as organ failure. As well an antecedent cause can appear beside the cause of death.
The first and second lot of my questions were asked through the HDC. The HDC only investigates 4% of complaints. Last month Patterson a former HDC commissioner voiced how there is no right of review for HDC decisions. The health select committee is looking into the HDC. There is no final decision on the case I took to the HDC only a preliminary decision and the HDC closed the file.
gender dysphoria, a medical condition in which a person feels intense unease about the mismatch between their gender identity and their biological sex.
This intrigues me. I empathise with those who feel such discomfort and agree that user-defined gender categories seems a suitable solution.
Trans, non-binary, takatāpui, intersex and gender-fluid people (henceforth referred to as gender minorities) have a gender identity that may not fit the binary based on biological sex.
Essential, therefore, that sex and gender become separated in law and in the public mind! However, Labour seems intent on ignoring this necessity:
The Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Bill (BDMRR) will allow anyone to change the listed sex on their birth certificate through a statutory declaration; the same process used for passports and driving licences.
Okay, you will be wanting to point out that it's totally unreasonable to expect Labour folk to be intelligent enough to spot the difference. True. However they could be seeking expert advice, eh? Any sign of that??
As usual I advocate for politicians to actually listen to what constituants want. At least to the ideologs who started writing about this, sex is a social construct and the category should be replaced with gender identity for social progress to occur. They are not going to be satisfied with merely having an extra (mostly unused) category on documents and society largely carrying on as it has. They might be satisfied (enough to move on) if you and everybody else understands that talking about biological sex as if its a relevant fact puts you in the same category as that slightly racist uncle in the family. At least this appears to be what is the most politically pressing issue of the present time.
Now please go and write 'gender disphoria is not a medical condition' on a chalk board until you no longer have problems understanding.
You think I agree with Stuff reporter Charlie Mitchell? I didn't say so, did I? I neither agree nor disagree. Since you seem to believe 'gender disphoria is not a medical condition' it would probably be helpful to attempt a validation, eh?
Doing so could give us a reason to believe there's more to your opinion than subjective impression. I'm intrigued by the diagnosis angle – I wouldn't have thought it possible for medical professionals to diagnose on the basis of someone's feelings. These are internal and fall into the same category as subjective impressions. Medical experts are meant to be scientific, which requires objective data for decisions.
Interesting question. I'm not opposed to diagnosis based on a subject's self-perception. If I was the subject, I'd get pissed off with a medical professional ignoring my impressions real fast!
I was simply reporting the status quo, in which, as is usual with the status quo, mainstreamers recycle the 19th century ad nauseum. In this context, I referred to expectations that science rules medicine – and the 19th century scientific paradigm ruled subjectivity out.
I am more than willing to discuss if my comment was funny. However you will not summon my reply, I will reply after a blog post of which I will decide.
If you want a reply I am willing but I have some conditions,
Before you can read it you must read every positive submission to the BDMRR bill, you can only read it where its posted and after I have posted it and you must admit that Jordan Peterson is not funny.
There is the AMA, American Medical Association which has a whole person impairment assessment tool which ACC use.
There is the DSM, diagnostic statistical manual of mental illness.
The biggest issue I have with the DSM is that being trans should not be a classification in the manual.
I also object to the AMA guidelines as they do not recognise that the emotional damage can be worse than the physical damage. Unresolved emotional damage by agencies is what can make PTSD interminable. Look at the Lake Alice survivors and childhood sexual assault survivors needing closure because of government agencies not knowing any better.
I do not want to see any ones gender identity causing them emotional pain and hurt. If pain and hurt is being caused there is a reason for this and it needs to be resolved.
You seem to have a similar view to me. Problems arise when public policy to help one minority has an adverse effect on other minorities. Looks like Labour intends to make this mistake. I hope feminist lobbying will prevent them doing so!
I would like to further add how I feel about PTSD due to sexual offending by someone against you which is a crime and not due to a neuro chemical imbalance in the brain. Apparently PTSD is categorised as a mental illness. I object to this lable. The symptoms of PTSD are seen in mental illnesses BUT the cause of PTSD can be due to sexual criminal offence/s against you.
Then the decider is ACC, ok for straight forward claims, BUT complex historical claims cannot be finalised the same way. ACC's one size fits all can leave a person taking years of their life to sort out their claim. PTSD is intrusive and changes the course of your life and I do think this is enough to deal with.
Labour is not ready to pass legislation on gender ID and this cannot be rushed.
Yes, and the images coming from China after earth quakes do not really inspire me, to be honest.
Nothing against 'modular' homes, in the seventies in England, Germany, France and East Germany we called this 'Plattenbau'. Platebuilds. They did not age well, and generally get destroyed after a fairly short shelf life. They have however helped alleviate the housing shortage in the late sixties and early seventies.
Tens of thousands of climate activists marched Saturday through Glasgow, the Scottish city hosting the UN climate summit… with frustrated marchers increasingly dismissive of the climate talks and demanding immediate action instead
Demanding that world leaders act when those leaders are determined not to act seems futile. Democracy wasn't designed to operate in the sphere of geopolitics. Protesting is mere theatre when you're delusional and refuse to grasp reality.
However those leaders may respond to the pressure by agreeing to a simulation of necessary change. Presenting a sham that fools all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time is a proven political strategy. Protestors will be easily fooled by it. Media will report the sham as progress. We'll all move on…
"Demanding that world leaders act when those leaders are determined not to act seems futile."
I've never protested expecting change. I've always protested to join others, raise our voices and be visible so that those that ignore can never say. "Nobody said anything."
Also, from those grassroot meetings and groups come better problem identifications and solutions.
Jacinda's star was dulled the moment the Elimination statergy was dumped in favour of business interests and risible complaing from Auckland. The light went out and now there is nobody at home.
I agree. Business interests have been putting intense pressure on the government and the government bowed to it – and it's going to be at the expense of everyone living outside of Auckland. There has never been a time when the general public has been more at risk from catching covid-19 then now.
Yes I think we are all in for a very bad time, and the economy will crap out as well with lots of sick days off work taken due to Covid. This plan to "live with covid" is utterly fucked, all countries doing this are a mess as they stagger along trying to get back to BAU and failing. Idiots.
almost as if the Right (ie Business) have planned for this to happen
They'd be relying on the tendency for neoliberals to be held hostage by business. So the high priestess PM & and her deputy the high priest of neoliberalism must tiptoe the fine line between public health and the economy.
The winds of change are blowing at the high wire they tread. Any mis-step and the right will whinge about the govt in either direction, as required…
It was sad to hear Jacinda speak on Radio NZ this morning giving a comparison between the civil disobedience in Melbourne and that here – it seems 60 days lockdown is enough for too many to start having personal interactions outside a bubble, and so a single case spreads quickly. The media representation of cafe and bar owners and hairdressers as representing us all has fed that frustration; not helped by opposition parties consistently pushing profits before lives . . .
Jacinda screwed up, under massive pressure from business interests, when she dropped from L3 to L4 a couple of weeks too early….this allowed 300k workers to return to work in Akl and the rest is history.
But if National had been in charge there would have been thousands of deaths and we would not have had 18 months of normality, so she is still a hero and NZs Covid response remains one of the best in the world.
Rules mandating masks need to be strict in the future with mask wardens (like traffic wardens) empowered to on the spot fine people.
"Business interests have been putting intense pressure".
Rubbish. The so-called "business interests" have nothing to do with it. There polling is turning downhill and like all politicians they are terrified that they are likely to lose their place at the trough. Nothing so concentrates the mind of a politician so much as the thought that they are going to be hanged at the next election.
The idiot commentators and those that confuse safety precautions with totalitarianism (who knew that speed limits are such a threat to our lives!) encouraged people in Auckland to ignore rules and have parties and meet with friends without taking precautions. We are about to experience National-party normal – profits before lives . . .
I'm in Auckland. There was little complaining going on about the elimination strategy on the ground. There were however, numerous articles by the talking heads, and on the witless who wanted lockdown to end.
Thats the saddest part about it Molly. Even with the incessant whining of the media and business, the majority of people still kept a belief in the elimination strategy. If the politicians had asked, they would have found a lot of support. They also had a lot of support to come down hard on the likes of Destiny but instead allowed them to become a reason to ditch elimination. If their hearts were in elimination at the start, it became obvious at the point in Delta where the Auckland lockdown was eased, when another 10 days may have given the required downward trend (especially if combined with a hard line on Destiny nutters and their ilk), that they were moving towards living and dieing and becoming incapacitated with covd.
And they very well could choose to go back to it. But for that, someone from government needs to front up to Aucklanders and be honest. No, you will not travel for Christmas. Enjoy the area and the waters that you have, and stay put for the safety of NZ. To those outside Auckland/closed Waikato region/ditto Northland, no people will not be travelling to visit you for Christmas, they too will be staying close to home for the safety of NZ.
Announce a nice big pack of christmas for all beneficiaries in NZ – as there will be no large scale X-mas dinners run by charities – physical distancing demands this, and it will be for the good of all of NZ.
Announce a 'rent' aid to all businesses that are closed still becuase of Lockdown rules, simply do it. No business can continue to pay fixed costs without any income. Simply do it. No re-payment required. Apply for teh funds, and done.
Have a nice televised speach – on all channels, at a decent time say 7 pm, on all radio stations and on all social media. Flex that government muscle and call it a 'fire side chat' by the PM. Admit some errors, be humble, state all of the above and appeal to the pioneer kiwi, this is one chritmas and we will stay at home for it, for the good of the country, so that all of us have another christmas next year with all of our whanau.
Because most people know what needs to be done, and will do it, and those that whinge the most seem to be the evangelists (Tamaki and crew), the tele evangelists (all our overpaid opinionators mass media type) and a few overhyped and over platformed freaks from the left and the right. But the people, he tangata knows better. So call on them, admit their discomfort, their 'prison', the lack of family and the likes, their poverty, their hunger, their fear, and appeal to their decency. And send out aid, to those that need it, and don't pretend that 5$ next year April will cut it.
I must mix in different circles. I've heard plenty of complaining in Auckland and about Jacinda. When / if she comes to Auckland this week, she needs to choose carefully where she goes as she will certainly not be too popular in some areas.
I mean she’s been phenomenal and come under enormous amounts of nasty attack.
If she were a Nat she would have a sainthood, a Nobel prize and have changed the flag.
What a hack.
I can’t believe people who think this is a bad response- look at Germany, look at the UK, look at almost anywhere, NZ has done better.
Swarbrick was diagnosed with ADHD earlier this year, at the age of 27. Though she’s reluctant to describe the diagnosis as either “debilitating or a superpower”, she says the way her mind works delivers some advantages. It helps her feel comfortable flitting between criticising the Reserve Bank and calling for prisons to be abolished, even if it can be less of an unmitigated boon in her family and social circles. “All of the things that serve me relatively well in a political space are the things that irk a lot of people in my family. My little sister gets really annoyed when she’s talking about something to do with her baby and I’m like ‘here is the history of why that is a problem and how we can resolve that’.”
for someone so ambitious, she’s plagued by self-doubt. During her Auckland Central campaign, she became so overwhelmed that she sat down with scholar and former politician Marilyn Waring for a three-hour pep talk in a park.
Well, obviously that worked! It will be interesting to see if her diagnosis becomes a negative factor in her political career. She seems inherently self-confident enough to over-ride self-doubt moments.
It's now clearly understood that the frontal lobe (prefrontal cortex to be specific) in the ADHD brain develops or mature at a slower rate. Generally, maturing is slowed by approximately three years in developing children and adolescents. https://www.adhd.org.nz/what-is-adhd.html
Your ADHD brain has to work much harder to control and filter attention, behaviours, emotions that come naturally to others of the same age. This is the nature of the "disordered" part. It commonly results in significant fatigue by the end of the day.
So there's an evident need to incorporate lifestyle resilience around pacing yourself, focus & concentration at times, then shifting away when impulses arrive.
Only if dear old Chloe & various other bloated affluent Woke narcissists are forced to live right nextdoor to some of the ruthlessly violent anti-socials being released … the middle class Che Guevara beret-wearing Riks-from-the-Young-Ones are so very very good at volunteering other people [always poorer, often elderly] to do all the suffering that inevitably flows from their deluded luxury beliefs … as they seek to signal their unusually refined moral sensibilities & elevated social status to their fellow Riks.
Until then … they can pretty much STFU
[impossible, of course, for self-entitled narcissists suffering from the Dark Triad Personality Type]
'Prisons are a failure ' and will continue to be so as long as they keep the system of bully boys in charge, overseeing the efforts of educated reformists. Reaffirmation of pride in culture, yoga, toastmasters, english lessons, gardening and trade training are only provided at the whim of some dullard who sees his future in perpetuating growth in the prison population.
Yeah I suspect you have hit the nail on the head there. Residual patriarchy tends to be taken for granted in public policy – by both left & right govts. It ought to be circumvented via intelligent design.
Yup. There will I think always be some crims – a few – that need to be removed from general society for the protection of others, there being something wonky in their heads that produces violent & criminal behaviour that simply cannot be reprogrammed out. Psychopathic criminals & extreme narcissists spring to mind.
Then there are others for whom the best solution IS mental reprogramming – of the cognitive behavioural therapy type – as well as adjuncts such as proper & practical education (far too much illiteracy encountered in our prisons), treatment for treatable psychological & mental health issues, drug recovery programmes, & opportunities previously denied to many for the building of new work skills, new relationships based on the mana-enhancing giving & receiving of respect as a human being, and being a member of one or more communities which value everyone & their contributions & take care of their members, expecting only the same from them.
Seems so simple to write that; we are a long way away from our Justice system delivering that, and probably even as an overall society at present.
Now 30 years since I began writing justice policy drafts for the Greens. I put in a section on rehabilitation. Despite that having since become mainstream policy practice, reports of suitable delivery have been notably sparse. By which I mean they are officially doing it – without officially notifying the public of the success rate.
So it falls into the grey area between success & failure. I've seen sufficient reportage of successful rehabilitations – media features often generated by those who succeeded. Keeps hope alive for the others. But you're right, some victims are incapable of reforming themselves. In between are others who are probably `working on it'.
Some decades ago I listened to Kim Hill interviewing the somewhat quirky QC Mike Bungay on the event of his retirement. He was best known for defending many notorious crims – often with more success than the establishment would have wished for.
But he did say something insightful that I've never forgotten. That in his experience about 80% of homicides and serious crime was committed by otherwise ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circumstances they did not know how to deal with. He imagined that a better justice system could find more enlightened ways to handle them.
Ah, cheers for highlighting that situation, Ad … just found the article … hadn't seen it before.
They have all my sympathy … some real similarities … although my parents are probably in an even worse predicament given the guy is directly on the other side of a (not even remotely soundproof) dividing wall in a two-unit semi-detached.
More than 90 really major explosions of violent intimidation over the past 4 years (often throughout the early hours of the morning) & extreme sleep deprivation over a prolonged period (they've sometimes been kept awake until dawn over 2 or 3 consecutive nights).
They have some hope at the moment … he's largely been away over the last 9 weeks … although turns up sporadically (usually around Midnight or 1am) & has inflicted 4 substantial eruptions of intimidation through the early hours over these last 2 months.
I confronted him way back in 2018 … but it was clear he was desperate for violence, intrinsic facet of his sadistic personality, & I could see he was going to take it out on my parents … so I was just making things worse.
The Police have made it clear that he is very well-known to them … appears to be on parole … Mongrel Mob affiliations … & has a history of neglect of & violence towards his pet dogs & therefore no longer allowed to have a pet (pretty much tells you all you need to know).
My parents are in no way affluent like the Orakei lawyer … living solely on the pension … but their mixed/tending low income street is really attractive … beautiful views of Cook Strait & the Marlborough Sounds … very leafy, well established … 80-90% private housing … always very peaceful community-minded, never any street violence or anti-social behaviour in the past.
The Productivity Commission comes out strongly saying: before we let another big wave of immigrants in, can we build the infrastructure required to house them first?
And also, since the Treaty of Waitangi is essentially an immigrant control mechanism, can we actually recognise the role of the Treaty by specifically asking Maori what they want out of immigration.
Sounds like Winston was right all along.
Hopefully it has some impact on the broad Immigration review that's been going on since May.
They might want to consider how they mean to square the emissions circle before they impose further massive population growth on us – but perhaps they enjoy ignoring criticism – "Filthy peasants, you'll take our misgovernance and like it."
Maybe if the productivity commission was paying attention to productivity they could have noticed that earnings per hour worked has gone up since immigration went way down. What they seem to be more interested in falls in the category of profits from exploiting cheap labour.
Few have beaten Delta better than we have. Keeping a "Shine" after all that has gone before, would be impossible. Bryce does what Bryce does, chew over others' opinions.
Let's wait to see what todays decision brings. It may be to extend into December, as the supports have increased.
After all the crises handled with aplomb in NZ, Delta has proven difficult for every country. The decisions are horrible.
90% fully vaccinated is still not counting 10% plus all children 11yrs and below, a total close to 30% unvaccinated.. So 70% fully vaccinated.? So yes it is keeping her (the PM) awake at night. No one seems to have been able to sustain elimination with Delta… or not for long.
Lucky Bryce, he just gets to throw muck, stand back and see if any sticks. The bravery was keeping Auckland in lockdown and trying to control the outbreak while fatigue and protests set in. The pressure was eased with the picnic idea.
We are reaching the time when the goals set may be reached. I would not be surprised to see two more weeks added to allow mature immunity responses for the last few of 90%(70% total pop) to be reached.
What people are not talking about is how many will get sick, a third possibly suffering long covid, and the high numbers of unvaccinated dying at home or in hospitals.
Recently Sydney has suffered this outcome, a ward of dying unvaccinated, the sole survivor being a vaccinated woman of middle age.
Those who push for early opening are playing Russian Roulette Politics. Shame!!
It will be bad, no matter how we tackle it. I would rather this Government and the current Leaders rather than any other.
Yes Patricia. You've got it in a nutshell. It will not surprise me if "the govt." (its not just Jacinda who makes the decisions) pushes the current status out for up to two more weeks which would bring the opening up of Auckland to around the 23rd November. There may be a small sweetener for Aucklanders in the meantime but wouldn't hazard a guess what it might be.
My experiences of Aucklanders which is admittedly mostly my relatives in these times is:
Not only have they had a gutsful (who hasn't) but they are blaming Jacinda for everything. They are in complete denial over the rising numbers of Covid cases and the ramifications for hospitals and the health system in general. The moment you try to point out the government is trying to save people's lives etc., they lose it as people in denial are wont to do. As far as they are concerned, anyone who isn't vaccinated has no-one but themselves to blame so if they snuff it that's their problem. I know they are doing it tough. They're upset and emotional and are not seeing straight. I have my doubts they ever will. They are typical of a large section of Auckland's population and of course the Opposition parties are milking it for all their worth.
"milking it for all they are worth" Anne, so true. Doing it with glee!! A few more on our blog I note. A few of Gezzer's mates. Our relatives in Auckland are keeping to their home and ordering in as just about every place round them is a “Place of Interest.”
I admit I haven't followed too much of it (undercover of covid?) but my recently retired father in law is attending a 3 waters protest and hes not really the type to protest so thats pretty telling
3 things 1. David Lange had huge hubris, which is not a feature of Jacinda's manner.
2. No one fell to powers more than David did after the bombing of the
Rainbow Warrior..giving in to France.
3. He should have sacked Douglas, not had a cup of tea.
There is no comparison except for adroit thinking and eloquence. On every other measure Ardern has had far more impact. She is not a flawed being who has put herself first.
It's never wise for a politician to fall in love with their PR staff – the modern version of Narcissus being smitten by his reflection. But the Lange's faults stories are rarely told – party survivors not wanting to be reminded of their role in selling out the founding principles of the Labour movement.
Reads like another attempt at resurrecting the ghost of Don Brash. If Maori are at 17% of the population and Te Tirity promises partnership then playing the "democracy" card just becomes another way to weasel out of obligations that were never intended to be honoured
There are significant difficulties in interpreting the treaty that arise out of the differences between the two versions, Maori and English, which the courts have wrestled with. Justice Mckay wrote this:
"The English and Mäori texts in the first schedule to the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 are not translations the one of the other, and the differences between the texts and shades of meaning are less important than the spirit."
This has led to Parliament referring to the 'principles' of the Treaty, rather than the actual text of each version. The court of Appeal has referred to the treaty being "akin to a partnership", but that itself is not definitive – for example not all partnership's are 50:50.
It seems to me that the Chiefs who signed the Treaty had something quite different in mind than the representatives if the Crown. That remains, IMHO, a significant problem for us as a nation as we navigate (rightfully) enhanced Maori aspiration with a modern liberal democracy.
Thats all good. So debate over what parnership means, sure. But to assume that on the one hand Maoridom could accept decimation of their population to 17% or on the other that the crown envisaged this to be the aim of any idea of partnership is to live in an alternate reality or a Don Brash and Ayn Rand world where everything that happens to you is the result of freely made choices. To then use this fact of being now only at 17% of the population as a weapon i.e "democracy" is just blind, cruel, right wing ignorance
It's a tricky matter, construing the intent of the various parties to the Treaty. More than an equal division of power, the court may have been asserting that a state of goodwill existed or should have existed between the parties, which ought to have halted a good many of the dodgy processes by which Maori assets were taken away over the century that followed.
The writer's citation with approval of the Taxevaders Union and Curia polls does tend to call into question the weight and direction of his analysis however.
Not to mention the use of anonymous protesting councillors. We've all seen the fringe element that covd has brought out. The same fringe element exists in anything to do with positive outcomes for Maori. The whole tone is anti Maori rather than any kind of analysis on 3 waters. He's even trying to relitigate Maori wards on councils. If 3 waters becomes a tool to pressure dairy farmers that can only be to the good of the environment and an aid towards getting our emissions down. Its about time we developed a whole system approach and water and its quality is a brilliant and necessary indicator of systemic health
If 3 waters becomes a tool to pressure dairy farmers that can only be to the good of the environment and an aid towards getting our emissions down.
Although some controls are definitely overdue there, there are quite a lot of other users who have inappropriately secured a kind of control over water, of which Nongfu Spring are a prime example.
No argument that a holistic approach is to be preferred – but we must be cautious – an iwi based privatisation program would not be intrinsically better than a dodgy RW one.
"The same fringe element exists in anything to do with positive outcomes for Maori."
True. It's disappointing.
"The whole tone is anti Maori rather than any kind of analysis on 3 waters. "
Not really. Adams isn't calling out Maori, he's calling out the government for denying He Puapua is anything more than a discussion document while running away implementing it. His comparison with the Lange government implementing policy it kept from the electorate is sound.
For mine an urban myth – Roger Douglas wrote a book in 1983 outlining his plans for the economy and Lange read it before appointing him Finance Minister.
Douglas was not hiding anything – I wrote to him in 1983 asked him questions and he replied fairly fully (MP's did in those days, I also got a reply from Hercus that year about their surtax plans – and her/their preference for this over making super a retirement benefit). Douglas wanted an assets tax – he preferred it to an CGT, but in the end did neither. It was possibly his biggest mistake.
But you seem to be conflating two seperate issues. There is no question there were many and serious wrongs inflicted on Maori by the colonists, and the mechanism for addressing those is the Waitangi Tribunal. That process needs to run it's course.
The imposition of law that provides for 16.5% of the population to hold 50% of the control is inconsistent with a modern democracy. This is what we need to navigate through.
Many would argue that the control at present is cincentrated in a lot less than 16%. But be that as it may, nobody is demanding an end to democracy. A model has been put forward that puts our whole water sysrem together as a whole. It appears that purely on an operational and infrastructure basis this is a no brainer. A lot of the input is going to come from local iwi. I for one have more confidence in that model than farmer lobby groups or govt bodies like ecan that can be sacked by central govt when the money men milking the system dont get what they want. If we dont get some sort of environmental constraints put on water or at a minimum, some payback for taking a fundamental resource then we're just going to keep getting deeper into a polluted and degraded environment. National and Act have vowed to overturn this so you can easily see that democracy is alive and well. They understand that there is a lot of money to be made from unconstrained use of water in the short term. Iwi will be taking into account the future like no other section of nz society does, sadly
"A lot of the input is going to come from local iwi."
No, not "a lot", 50%. And it's not just 'input'; it's effective veto. It's placing 50% power in the hands of 16.5% of the population (and as you rightly point out it will be even less than that). That is not democracy, and that’s the conflict I see on the horizon.
If 3Waters had real economic merit, it would have not required the bluster, the spin and the broken promises to see it into existence.
I find the tv ads for 3 Waters misleading, propagandistic, & am fascinated at how much it is targeted AT Māori, & young Māori in particular, by the pidgin English language & characterisations used.
When the govt goes to this extent to try build support for a plan they obviously intend to force thru, that’s a worry for future racial harmony.
I certainly believe Māori kaitiakitanga is a valuable force to be employed in dealing with the cleanups needed in our waters & environment, but my personal view is that Māori iwi should have no more claim to ownership of water than me or mine.
“God” creates water (or if you like, it’s just a natural resource created by the planet’s climate & weather systems). Either nobody should own it – or EVERYBODY should, equally.
My mother once told me a fascinating story about her father who worked as a butcher all his life. (Him and his father used to drive the bullocks up and down the street still known in Auckland as 'Bullock Track'.) In later years he worked at Westfield in South Auckland – until he was 75.
As a young girl mum said that she recalled a visit she and her mother made to the works. In those days when there was a strike the men had to camp in the works to prevent scab labour from being brought in. And if the strike dragged on their families often had to bring food to them. (There being no UberEats.)
Going to the works was not something women did much back then (this would be just post-war I'd guess) and just passing through the gates was intimidating in itself. Worse still when they started asking for dad – no-one knew who they were talking about. They wandered from building to building increasingly distressed at their failure to find him and that no-one apparently knew of the man who had been going to work there for years.
Suddenly one man came running up to them – "oh you mean xxx" he said. "Follow me".
Now I'm sorry to say I have no recollection of what 'xxx ' was – but mum said it was a Maori nickname that he was universally known as. Soon enough they found him in some back shed having a great time playing cards with all his Maori and Pacifica mates – to everyone's great relief and delight.
The notion of the good old days is of course bunk – but it's wrong to think that overt racism was universal or even that commonplace. Among working people there was often a solidarity that transcended ethnicity.
I never met my maternal grandfather – he died in a stupid accident the year before I was born – but the many stories my mother told of him, and she loved him dearly, have been the closest to a true family heritage I ever got.
17% of today's population (5 million). This is 850 000 people. The chart in this link shows that the population was a lot lower in 1840. So if you could be so kind and furnish the numbers in 1740 or earlier it would be a good measure. Thank you.
Is this report an undersigned policy that labor is actively pursuing? Has the wider population been told and ask to give the government a mandate to see this through via electoral means? If this is a no, than NZ is not governed by a government that holds up democratic principles. No amount of shiny "look how well we did" will wash over that fact. But then again, the wider population is not really in the know and maybe not interested and will just follow an image. Tik Tok….
"Is this report an undersigned policy that labor is actively pursuing?""
The writer makes a good case that they are.
Has the wider population been told and ask to give the government a mandate to see this through via electoral means? "
That would be a no. Labour's coalition partner in the last term claims not to have known about HePuapua, so it's certainly not something the government discussed with the electorate.
While I still believe there is a case for the Three Waters project on technocratic grounds – I haven't been across the aspects Adams is writing to here.
Sometime in the 90's I got to ask a Maori Council member – who is still very influential – about his vision for NZ. At that time I was very non-political, my question was asked in total naivety. His reply still lingers in my mind – and I paraphrase I hope accurately.
His vision is that within another generation that Aoteoroa would be returned to the iwi chiefs in toto. It would revert to 13 or so independent states, each with it's own borders, laws and governed by Maori leadership. There was no mention of democracy.
I asked about the rest of the people that lived here. He said "oh you can stay if you pay the rent".
Until I read He Puapua I had largely consigned this conversation to a dusty corner with all the other random oddments you collect in life.
Yes – now you come to mention it I recall that at the time the strategy he had in mind involved the forestry industry – but since then dairy has become more important.
As you know it's my strong and informed view that NZ's water supply industry urgently needs amalgamation to gain the necessary economies of skill and scale to meet the challenges of this next century. But if they're derailed over the politics of an ethnic power grab I'll be damned disappointed.
It's well overdue this government spent it's political capital somewhere – anywhere. Auckland's amalgamation experience (vertical integration of nearly 40% of NZ’s population) was ok for price, good for water efficiency, but terrible for certainty, security and planning. It's hard to see proof of success occurring elsewhere soon.
Few will have sympathy for regional councils. Parker in particular is from Dunedin and will have seen how the Otago Regional Council just crushed and rolled a previous Minister of Environment Marian Hobbs two weeks ago.
The Departments to watch in this are Treasury and MFAT. Treasury won't want yet another oligopoly set up when NZ commerce is so strangled by a key set of them.
MFAT are in many senses just a subbie to Fonterra and DairyNZ. The industry heat will come out in the submissions.
I would watch their lobbying (excuse me. input) before the bill becomes drafted text for submissions.
In absence of any useful coalition partner, it's down to officials to leaven this out.
The synchronicity is over water supply to horticulture and pastoral farming and river water quality (wadeable, swimable etc at the regional council level) and stock levels – as to methane. And presumably greater Maori involvement in the first two.
Meh, from the journalist who broke the He Puapua story …white fear of the future empowerment of the indigenous people in governance
the idea that if the government does what Maori want white people will go Trump and vote NACT, projected onto the Three Waters reform to make it relevant to now and 2023 …
and the add on that Ardern's popularity is being misused by others in her caucus government, the message in that is she has become a threat to non Maori
Giving an un-elected ethnic elite who represent less than 15% of the population such a dominant share of political power tears up the democratic contract to say the least.
If this is what you want – then just state your position openly and without ambiguity. What is your vision for this nation's governance?
For mine the Democracy Project at risk of being exposed as part of the wokewash white establishment (younger than the Listener writers and audience but very much the same) that was complacent about growing inequality for decades (and then opposed CGT except on the path National enabled).
Rushing into the arms of Mr Orewa (one people one law one people one vote) because of "democracy" and the majority decides – just as settler governments back in the 19thC. A share of delivery of services to Maori as benevolence, but not partnership in the management of assets and resources because real exercise of power is "democratic" – like the regional councils enabling pollution of waterways by farmers and urban councils letting underground out of sight decay to go for decades.
The issue is good governance.
The politics of this are blatant – I'll call it now in every second term of a Labour government National will go all out on being anti-Maori.
A constitution also limits democracy and many have them.
Why is one, designed to preserve, say the white property owner in New England OK, and one recognising partnership with Maori not?
Just say it you oppose partnership with Maori in management of public assets, despite the influence of farmers and business (PPP'S) on central and local government (enabling farmer pollution by not even applying accountability to regulations). Why tolerate such flaws in an imperfect democracy to the point of resisting a change in management that might diminish these flaws in governance standards?
Well yes – giving the iwi elites a non-elected power of veto over pretty much all political power in NZ would obviously undermine the authority and legitimacy of Parliament.
The other 85% of the population – who are not all 'white' incidentally – might very quickly conclude that voting is pointless and consider resorting to other means to protect their interests.
What has Maori representation on 4 regional water bodies managing public assets to do with democratic governance by parliament?
Breathe. I realise white people get triggered by the idea of loss of control. But at least be rational.
Have you ever got angry at government appointees to HB's or respected the comptence brought? Would not Maori governance be interested in the long term public good, unlike some interests with influence on local councils?
I realise white people get triggered by the idea of loss of control.
Right there – you clearly anticipate that control should be taken from the current political setup and transferred elsewhere. You would not say this otherwise.
And it would indeed be irrational to ignore the undeniable fact of this 'non-Cabinet' document called He Puapua – that no-one voted for – seems to be increasingly a blueprint for radical political change in many areas of both public and private life.
(One aspect I'm particularly aware of , and has had little public traction so far, is to give ownership of the entire Conservation estate to the iwis. Given the opaqueness of the policy process at present there is a lot of confusion around what is intended – but the mere talk of the possibility arouses considerable angst among those who have a deep connection to NZ's wild places.)
If you think He Puapua is the right path forward just say so openly and with conviction.
You've just flushed out 1 example of the profoundly anti-democratic sentiments of the Māori ethno-nationalist & Woke Pakeha Brahmin “Left”.
The elitism … the bare-faced contempt for majority opinion … the uber-romanticisation of minorities … so a co-governing Aristocracy of Iwi Elites & affluent PMC ideologues.
There needs to be MUCH more OPEN, even rigorous, debate about He Puapua – by all sectors of society – if we are to avoid our generally genuinely harmonious Pākehā-Māori relationships in Kiwiland turning toxic & ending up being set back perhaps by as much as a century by acrimonious divisions & claims & assumptions (from both sides) about the modern day superiority of one culture over another.
SPC – 9.8.1.1
You might be in for a surprise. But please keep going. People like you lose the election for labor. Maori have currently 2% according to the latest poll.
As to Partnership, tell me this: What is holding Maori back to get a decent education, to achieve and work for a better life for their whanau? And btw., many would be whakama if this is a proposition.
If you imply that 50:50 means that you should get a slice of the hard work of the rest of the population segment (34%) without contributing than this is not about democracy but something else.
50 percent immigrants of recent times, 17% Maori, 34% immigrants seconded to support 17%. Yes?
I've long argued for equal numbers of Maori and general seats in parliament to reflect an equal partnership. Feel the same about councils.
I don't think there is anything to fear about that and NZ has a long history of imbalance in voting power and of trying to correct that e.g. giving women the vote.
Democracy isn't just about one person one vote and majority rule. Democracy should protect minority interests and the interest of the indigenous population as well.
The notion that we are at the current best model for the overall interests of New Zealand is as laughable as thinking first past the post was the best option possible.
You get one vote on the Maori roll for your local Maori seats and no vote for the general seats. 60 Maori seats and 60 non Maori seats would mean that every major iwi would have representation in parliament – just like non-Maori would have their 60 local constituent seats.
Ah I think I see what you mean – correct me if I'm wrong – but are you suggesting there should be 60 Maori seats that are not elected at all, but appointed from within each of the iwi?
I doubt it. Clue – 120 FPP electorates is not MMP and there would not be the same number of voters in each (some would argue that some Maori Maori electorates have fewer or more voters than others to reflect iwi community better).
I prefer a Treaty SC myself – it’s more about governance accountability and transparency to build up trust and partnership.
No 6o Maori seats aligned to iwi boundaries and candidates stand and get elected as well in those seats – no different to the current Maori seats but more of them – and less general seats.
But you do understand that iwi are not democratic entities in the slightest. Who do you think would pick the 'candidates' being voted for in these iwi electorates?
The issue that would occur would be if electorate rolls would be based on residence or iwi (or choice of one or the other – some Maori would have multiple iwi connections).
The point is to share power more even handedly. As it stands now Maori power can be diminished through the voting system by something as simple as immigration – which in effect is what has happened over the years.
Without a structural change the rest is just tinkering.
SPC – The message is that democracy has been disestablished with the help of Maori. This will not do them any favors. Lets see what next election brings. Could well be that all those votes that labor won from the right will move back. Right now, polling shows that labor has fallen below the majority in the house. Maori are on 2%. Act polls higher than the greens. Not sure what you are seeing but this looks like some shift in the balance to me.
Lol- an excellent article?
This is the same writer I now realize of please, won’t someone think of the musket wars!
If only Michael Bassett were the one teaching our kids! We could tell them about the black on black violence, so all other violence and inequity is okay!
And in this article he must be asking us to remove the scourge of neo-liberalism foisted on us by the terribly weak Mr Lange?
No, not that either.
I don’t know everything about the proposal and removing a key asset from local councils seems like a good way to pick a fight with a whole bunch of previously non-aligned folk. However, I don’t trust him quoting ACT supporting QCs and continually saying 50:50. The guy has a bee in his bonnet, and wants us to believe it’s a beehive.
Anyway, I don’t know if there’s an improvement on this as an explainer but the fear on here really seems Orewa speech-ish.
Very difficult decision to be made today by Cabinet. We thought last year was bad, this Delta outbreak makes last year seem a walk in the park.
Bryce Edwards' Herald headline gleefully reports on Jacinda's 'shine' coming off. I doubt any Prime Minister apart from during World War 2 has ever had as many fraught challenges to deal with.
The constant stream of complaints, whining and moaning, by all and sundry, plus obnoxious anti-vaccinators thrusting themselves in our faces, actually makes the situation harder to deal with. Wish some people would just shut up.
I was having great trouble fixing things. One post the script went minute, another post appeared to pick up part pf a comment to Ad, so I left then came back and managed to correct two comments Sorry Weka. I usually check, but it would not let me correct it at first.
Bryce Edwards is always predictable….he parrots a lot of right wing criticism as though, because there is a lot of it, it must be true. There is not an oriental thought in his analysis.
Can't be bothered reading him any more.
Patricia BremnerI guess you are closer to the action. 10.2.1
Isn't the decision pretty much already made? My understanding is today's 4pm will simply announce or confirm that Auckland retailers are allowed to open from Wednesday (midnight Tuesday).
I will be surprised if it is any different to that.
There may be something about size of indoor and outdoor gatherings although no one here in Auckland is concerned about that as everyone pretty much just does whatever now. As I've said before, it has been level 1 down at Orakei beach for months.
Yeh. They can just fuck right off. If she was a Nat who had done so amazingly, the Churchillian tributes would be flowing.
I mean this is a website who ran an incoherent defense of famous tribal historian Michael Bassett. It’s the lever of panicked righties.
Not having half the right base vote for her anymore doesn’t mean she’s not a very popular and capable PM. It just means those who didn’t like the idea of Collins and Brownlee are cranking up to have another go and they’re getting nastier.
The conservative cable network One America News has a minuscule audience, attracts few readers on the web and has struggled to break into the television mainstream.
But thanks to one powerful viewer in the White House, the network’s influence — and its conspiracy theories — are echoing in the highest reaches of American politics.
What content did she have to say? Not giving those trumpists my clicks.
let me guess – if trans folk were recognised as existing, people would self-identify ethnicity to get affirmative action spots, then self identify as turtles to marry a frog?
And regarding Craigslist, anyone who isn't a cornfed Ken & Barbie clone knows it is full of people with kinks looking for gratification. They would also know there are a segment of people who are sexually gratified by dressing as babies, being treated as babies, etc… A "specialty act" to paraphrase Deadwood.
If you knew anything about OAN you would know they are basically full of shit spreading dis-information about everything from BLM to Covid to the US elections.
For more information about how they formulate their "News" coverage I recommend you read the CJR item on them:
It's basically one mans disinformation project. On the plus side, they are being sued for over $1 billion dollars for some of their lies surrounding the last US election.
Oh, and "bible bashing Barbie" as I shall refer to her has a looooong history of lying about things…
Pivotal to the argument that choice is paramount (no mandate, no coercion…) is the consequences of getting it wrong. Not so much the consequence to yourself, more, to the wider community. If it didn't matter to anyone but you, whether you got vaccinated or not, then fine, there'd be little anxiety/frustration/anger out there, but, it is argued, there is great cost to the rest of us, if things go wrong as the result of your choice. Then, of course, the defence is raised: you won't be affected by "my" choice, so butt-out!
At this point, if your not a revolutionary, then your just not paying attention. I know at this point the liberals going to whinge, almost as much as the tories. But our government has been captured in a corporate coup, and they will kill us all to feed their never fulfilled greed.
That's the exciting part of running an experiment with the only planet we know that supports life in the whole f-ing universe – just so we can make a few billionaires even richer.
Central to this tech movement, nicknamed Web 3, for a third wave of internet innovation, is that what people create in these online communities belongs to them, a shift away from the Big Tech model of "accumulating energy and attention and optimizing it for buying behavior," Gill said.
Evan Greer, an activist with Fight for the Future, said it's easy to see Facebook's Meta announcement as a cynical attempt to distance itself from all the scandals the company is facing. But she says Meta's push is actually even scarier. "This is Mark Zuckerberg revealing his end game, which is not just to dominate the internet of today but to control and define the internet that we leave to our children and our children's children," she said.
Activists are calling for the US to pass a national digital privacy act that would apply not just to today's platforms like Facebook but also those that might exist in the metaverse. Outside of a few such laws in states such as California and Illinois, though, actual online privacy laws remain rare in the US.
Looks like there's a shift happening: instead of heads stuck agonising over the failure of social media to provide a non-toxic option, we're shifting into brainstorming the solution. As in the wild west, the cultural frontier will have to be tamed by laws. Cyberspace being inherently nonlocal, this means lawyers being confronted with the concept of territory-transcending law. Too novel for them to be able to think about??
Plenty to consider in today's post-Cab. All about those second doses now.
But the highlight (lowlight?) was Barry Soper asking about going to the loo. The PM is far too nice, she should have answered "I have to toilet-train Neve, but not you".
Yep a pretty dumb question from Barry Soper trying to get a "gottcha" type moment. Thought we had moved on from that as we all know Jacinda, Robertson, Hipkins and Bloomfield last month all gave different answers on going to the loo so there was inconsistency, but surely a bit of common sense applies?
is Barry a bit slow that he needs toilet stuff explained to him in great detail? of the myriad of things the media could ask about, Barry decided his golden moment would be to talk about toilets?
It is not helped by his choice of spouse either. Must be lovely /sarc/ to have a 'hate-session' with your spouse about your mutual 'hatee'. She is as bad as him, if what I am hearing she has been saying in Auckland about the terrible Wellingtonians is accurate.
So now Whangarei hospital , the base hospital that Northlander’s from all over Northland are sent to when things get too serious for the outlying medical centres and handful of small community hospitals around Northland to handle , has a Covid patient in care.
I would be very interested to know just how much this one case of covid in Whangarei hospital is now impacting on the usual day to day routines, operations and medical practice of this sole significant Northland hospital , a hospital already over-burdened by Northlanders everyday medical demands.
Surely it would be more practical, a better use of suitable ICU staff and more economic to have several hospitals designated solely to Covid care here and there around NZ ? They would not necessarily have to be public hospitals.
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
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‘
Setting an example
Leadership.
Choice.
Mandates.
Mandates choice, leadership, are currently hot button topics:
My question:
Should the Labour Party. which is the governing party of this country, already responsible for setting mandates for others, consider setting an example of leadership for themselvs, by mandating that requirement for new membership of the Labour Party is to be vaccinated?
And if not, why not?
Discuss:
That is completely silly.
How is it similar to places where people congregate for employment and the like?
Discuss yourself
…….Should the Labour Party. which is the governing party of this country, already responsible for setting mandates for others, consider setting an example of leadership for themselvs, by mandating that requirement for new membership of the Labour Party is to be vaccinated?
And if not, why not?
Discuss:
Reply
8 November 2021 at 8:33 am
That is completely silly.
How is it similar to places where people congregate for employment and the like? ….
Very similar, in that any mass gathering is an opportunity to spread the virus.
All leading civil organisations have a chance to set an example. The governing Party more than most.
The Green Party, the Labour Party. Maybe even the National and ACT parties, that all have claims to leadership in our society, could also show some in their organisations.
Leading civil society groups that have a leadership role can also that are in a position to set an example, Service clubs like the Lions, Rotary, etc. should do so.
Some businesses are already doing it.
We are all told that we all have a role to play, in addressing climate change and should.
Same with Covid.
Setting an example of responsibility is smart. Leave the low moral ground to the Trumpetistas – but be careful to carve out a protected space for genuine medical exceptions and well-behaved conscientious dissenters.
I would like to know why some government workers are mandated to be vaccinated but those on government benefits are not
No jab no benefit
For the simple reason that benefits acknowledge that everyone has a right to life. At a minimum, enough to eat!
Even right wingers! Even though to many of them, want to starve people into taking low paid jobs.
Same as mandating vaccines where you have to associate with other people, such as workplaces, acknowledges the right that people have, to expect safety from follow workers and customers, for themselves and their families.
But if someone loses their job they go on a benefit and then they're in greater danger of catching covid so surely mandating beneficiaries to get the jab will keep more people safe
Or are beneficiaries not as important as other people….
How does losing ones job make someone more likely to catch covid?
Because you're under no obligation to get the jab.
How to totally mis-comprehend the point.
'For the simple reason that benefits acknowledge that everyone has a right to life'
But beneficiaries don't have to get the jab against covid and if you get covid you might die so shouldn't beneficiaries do their bit for NZ by getting jabbed?
Is it too much to ask beneficiaries to jabbed?
Not at all – as long as you “ask” nicely.
Unite against COVID-19
https://covid19.govt.nz/covid-19-vaccines/2-shots-for-summer/
Of course. Ask. Then mandate.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2021/11/03/ardern-addresses-vaccine-mandates-amid-protests/
'Earlier this year, Ardern and Covid-19 Response Minister indicated Covid-19 vaccinations would not be made compulsory for all Kiwis.'
"We believe that we can talk about the vaccine on its merits, the difference that it makes to people’s lives, their health, their livelihood, without taking that extraordinary step [of compulsory vaccination]," Ardern said at the time.
Vaccinating 'front-facing' staff during a pandemic – too obvious?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccination_policy
Vaccinating everyone possible during a pandemic – too obvious?
Was an obvious choice for me – c'mon Kiwis, take 2 for the team.
Unite against COVID-19
https://covid19.govt.nz/covid-19-vaccines/2-shots-for-summer/
@Drowsy M. Kram … very well put![yes yes](https://cdn2.thestandard.org.nz/wp-content/plugins/ark-wysiwyg-comment-editor/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/thumbs_up.png?x42494)
So in your opinion Puckish
A hard core anti-vaxxer fanatic in a front line role who demands the right to infect the public as their human right and suddenly finds themselves jobless. Will this poor deluded individual have to turn to crime to live?
Asking for a frenemy.
No-jab no super,their fixed it.sarc !!
Sure why not
Well, you don't get super if you are dead.
And our kind Aunt Jacinda and Uncle Grant are going to give everyone a present for Christmas that has a better chance of killing you if you haven't been vaccinated.
Jacinda and Grant are going to give everyone a good chance of getting Covid 19 for Christmas.
Remember the good old days when they said that were making all their Covid 19 decisions based on the advice from the medical experts? Those were the days. Now they are letting the vaccine out to play over summer.
I wonder if they have suddenly got religion and they have become members of Tamaki's Church and believe the Christ child will save us?
Maybe we should withdraw all state support from all the media, businessess, assorted right wing mouthpieces, and the deliberatly malicious, or ignorant, who sabotaged New Zealands Covid response, with the repeated calls to "open up', "let the tourists in", "blocking our freedom", "Nazi/Communist State" encouraging people to ignore sensible rules.
The vioices of loud entitled "children", mostly on the right wing side of politics, have drowned out everyone else. "Children" who appear to think that attacking the Government is more important than the people who will suffer in the coming carnage. Carnage that they will have caused.
"Maybe we should withdraw all state support from all the media, "
That 'state support' came with significant strings attached. The media should never have accepted the conditions, and government should never have imposed them.
As far as withdrawing state support for business, I'm with you. But I generally find state support follows state intervention. The state intervenes, then has to pick up the tab (directly or indirectly) for the increased costs of doing business.
Jacinda and Grant are going to give everyone a good chance of getting Covid 19 for Christmas:
By getting as many as possible to not get vaccinated,
By encouraging people to never wear masks,
By suggesting everyone to not sanitise hands on being out and about,
By urging people to ignore flu like symptoms and not get covid tested.
By persuading anyone with flu like symptoms to mix with as many people as they can in as many environments as possible.
By praying to some God because God will make sure that that God's ultimate plan comes about.
Alwyn are you saying Grant and Jacinda are not listening to the Director of Health and are deliberately spreading covid?
"Now they are letting the vaccine out to play" Did you mean covid or delta?
Another boo-boo on my part. I meant the virus, not the vaccine.
Of course I don't mean that they are deliberately spreading the virus. Nobody, short of people like Osama bin Laden would do such a thing. Neither of course would any of the National Party MPs but it doesn't stop nutters on this site claiming they would.
We also had Robertson and Hipkins claiming that about National of course. They are lifetime Labour apparatchiks though so one shouldn’t be surprised.
Are they listening to what Bloomfield is saying? I have no idea. I am not privy to what he says in private but he does seem to have become a bit politicized. On the other hand the formerly quoted experts like Baker Skegg and the Iwi Leader's Forum seem to disagree with the Government.
For what it is worth, and I am no expert, I think opening up is the right thing. Believing that we could somehow cut ourselves off from the world was totally nuts.
Then why do you say such things? People are going to die, are dying. It is real and not really to be joked about. Opening up too soon is dangerous. It was not "nuts" to protect us 'till we were vaccinated. You are better than that Alwyn. Don't say things which could be painful later. None is safe 'till we all are. I did not approve of Grant saying what he did. It was politics instead of cooperation. Megan Woods did much better cooperating.
" It was not "nuts" to protect us 'till we were vaccinated"
And you will note I never said it was. Last year it was the best thing we could do. You will note of course that every political party in New Zealand agreed.
This year, when we vaccines existed, and we had time we should have got around to getting over the shutdown mentality. Hipkins did the country no favours by claiming we would be at the front of the line, or head of the queue, or whatever was his stupid rhetoric. We should have ordered vaccines earlier, and got them out into the community faster. We should have also spent the time providing better hospital facilities and more ICU equipment and trained people. We sat round and said how wonderful we are. Well we weren't.
We are apparently going to open up in Auckland on 29 November. What do you want to bet that the Government will boast that we were faster than National would have been, with their date of 01 December? Do they really care about anything except trying to gain political points?
What a sick thing to say, no wonder you have a Judith fetish. Makes one question your suitability for the corrections role.
' Makes one question your suitability for the corrections role.'
Comments like the above always make me smile![laugh laugh](https://cdn2.thestandard.org.nz/wp-content/plugins/ark-wysiwyg-comment-editor/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/teeth_smile.png?x42494)
"Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage, but the combination of stone walls, the political parasite, and the moral instructor is no garden of sweets."
~ Ambrose Bierce The Devils Dictionary.
Most of the guys are already imprisoned, the only thing that changes is the location
Because nobody is entitled to work for the government, but everyone is entitled to enough funds to survive.
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.
If they don't get the jab they, me or you may not survive this either so if they don't, willingly, get the jab then other…measures need to be taken.
After all we are a team of 5 million.
Well, I guess we'll see what the odds are when the "hesitants" have grudgingly joined the reasonable in getting their dot, or whatever the current term is.
Besides, most beneficiaries I know aren't able to afford to go out all that often, and for most interesting stuff they'd need to be vaccinated anyway.
The people I'm worried about will be the fools who look for ways around vax passports and can afford to circulate with folks regularly.
5 million include the beneficiaries. Besides, the sentence " the needs of many outweigh the few" is a military term and does not sit very well with me because of the reasoning below.
"Something is wrong when we start calculating based on the lesser loss rather than on what is right. If the needs of the few – or the one- are ignored, then the needs of the many are not worth the paper they are written on. The same logic of the needs of the many was behind Hitler's campaign against Jews, gypsies, mentally disabled and handicapped. One could say they were exterminated for a greater good; Stalin exterminated political opponents "for the good of the State (the many)"."
https://jewishdutchess.org/blogging-jewish-in-dutchess/the-needs-of-the-many
Well, the nazis and stalin had significant ethical problems beyond a strict interpretation of utilitarianism.
To me, the conflict between fringe examples of welfare/happiness/"good" maximisation (e.g. the sherriff killing a prisoner to placate a mob) and categorical imperatives (especially negatives such as "don't kill prisoners without a trial.") is a lot like the conflict between rational knowledge and instinctive knowledge, math vs feels. Even if the sums say X, if experience gives you a feeling of Y then it's a good idea to recheck the sums and recheck your feels.
Both are necessary, but the real art is in figuring which takes precedence over the other when they come into conflict.
And if x% of beneficiaries aren't going to screw the pooch much more than if they were all in line, why worry about initiating that conflict, anyway.
Another day, another “Bennie Bash” from a tory commenter.
Now, if the vulnerable on benefits–including National super recipients as well as job seekers and sickness and disabled (yes benefits are all collapsed in Jobseeker), were paid beyond subsistence level and got free Wifi and dental etc. then maybe–maybe–they could be leaned on.
The fact is beneficiaries and their children are already discriminated against by virtue of being excluded from Working For Families, and having to deal with the sadistic WINZ/MSD.
Maybe they are, depending on what they’re doing.
Why? If you're going to force beneficiaries, why not force everyone?
That's right bash the bennies.
The right wing default fall back position for all society's problems.
Despite what the Right continually maintain, ad nauseum – Life on a benefit is not a volutuntary lifestyle choice.
The anti vaxxers are saying it is all about choice.
I agree. If you don't want to get vaccinated and you are a teacher, or border worker, or frontline health worker, or aged carer, you have a choice. Get another job.
Benificiaries don't have that choice. They are on a benefit because they have no other means of support.
So no.
Hospitals scope refrigerated containers for Covid bodies
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018819568/covid-19-hospitals-scope-refrigerated-containers-for-bodies
That has always been part of pandemic planning. Was twelve years ago when Civil Defence and DHB's did a big pandemic planning exercise. It isn't really news or surprising.
Some things just need to be thought about in emergency situations that might not normally be palatable eg shooting roaming dogs that the well-meaning owners let off in a major earthquake who then form packs – Jo's little Corgi turned into a menace.
And are they planning to dig mass graves as well?
How many containers are being ordered?
How many frozen bodies can they get into a container?
Are they stacked like cordwood?
How long will they stay there?
Then what?
How do they get them out again?
How are they finally disposed?
Mass burial?
Cremation?
What about the workers engaged in doing this gory task?
What risk are they at?
Any thoughts on their welfare?
Who cares for their phyical and mental long term health and well being?
Has there been any planning for that, or will they just be hired from the local labour hire company and then forgotten about?
Then what do they do with the leased/hired containers after bodies have been stored in them?
Do they go back to storing perishable goods for the supermarkets?
Is this all part of the pandemic planning as well?
You say that this has all been planned for. You are right. This wasn’t forced on us, we chose to lift the L4 Lockdown in Auckland against the advice of the health professionals, for the good of the economy.
So just how many needless deaths are considered "palatable" as a trade off to protect the economy?
Maybe instead of dealing with an excess of dead bodies, and an overloaded health system, (at all levels), we would have been better off sticking with our world beating Elimination Strategy.
Sign the petition get the government to recommit to Elimination.
NZ Government: Recommit to elimination of COVID-19
https://www.change.org/p/nz-government-recommit-to-elimination-of-covid-19?redirect=false&fbclid=IwAR08xeHG9NRECjGgyT3eNvBFlFQSQbdvs8Bl0YeK2AqbliD808scvI-Gw1M
Why are you asking me?
https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/report-exercise-cruickshank
Here's the report. It should answer all your questions.
You should be asking businesses what note they took of the planning done? What plans did they put in place, what assessment they did of supply chain risk, what money they put aside, what preparation they did in adjusting their workplaces, what lessons they took from SARS – in fact did any of these highly paid CEO's, Chamber of Commerces, astute business people actually do anything in preparation for the inevitability that a pandemic happened?
I do also think that DHB's should have been upping their ICU beds, increasing mental health services, etc over this time. I also think tax rates on high incomes should have been lifted to help pay for this – and for NZS.
The lack of business preparation to me has been quite startling – especially from those who I know were directly involved in the planning exercise.
We are lucky to have a vaccine in such short time (think if we didn't) but I wouldn't have opened borders when we did for holiday travel and I wouldn't open up Auckland yet. I'm not calling for either to happen so it isn't really that useful to ask me any of the above questions.
Exercise Cruickshank.
At University of Otago at the time. We had two students as "cases" on the plane – managed to track them down and "isolate" them and all their close contacts within two hours I think, mostly thanks to the cohort nature of freshers lol.
Nah. The students were all narks.
You probably offered a free beer to the one who exposed them. Otago University students would do anything for a bottle of that dreadful Speights wouldn't they?
God no. That would be the second years. 3/4 of freshers at the time lived in a residential college and generally turned up to class according to their assigned schedule. The fools.
as well as the beer, a supply of cardboard to plug the holes in the flat walls/windows and an old couch to burn
That's an eye opener thanks Matiri. There seems to be a world wide blackout of Covid news. To tell it like it really is. If there is more real Covid bad news it will educate some of those who think this is a conspiracy and help change some AV attitudes?
They were doing that more than 18 months ago. One of my neighbours works for a company that customises containers and he said at the time that they were doing that during the first lockdown.
It was considered to be essential work and the people involved were not subject to the lockdown. Why is anyone surprised?
Being prepared with refrigeration, body bags and trays is essential when experiencing a pandemic.
Having a will is also essential. Dealing with ACC when the deceased person does not have an executor the case cannot be resolved as ACC will not recieve information to prove they have been misled or give the next of kin information. Sepuloni's office is going to hear from me this month on this matter. My timing is terrible, but were I to become incapacitated or worse nothing will get done about the DHB, ACC, the Coroner's Office and HDC. These systems work in silos and need restructuring.
It is a serious matter when a person goes in for routine surgery, ends up having 3 operations and is dead a week after being admitted. The 3rd surgery was to repair a treatment injury and the person died a few hours later.
So sad for you and their family Treetop. May I ask which DHB? Our DHB is the slowest to get vaccines out. Lakes.
I cannot disclose the DHB. The saddest part is that approx 700 pages from the DHB generated in a week and the obvious has not been corrected by the DHB to ACC. The Privacy Commissioner cannot assist me as they do not assist correction of information when the person is dead.
Put bluntly a previous partner was tortured in their last week and I will not let it rest until the matter is reviewed by a respiratory and a vascular surgeon who are independent of the DHB. The general surgeon the HDC engaged, his findings differ to the coroner's office and the coroner's office never saw the ACC injury form or the other relevant medical information.
When it gets a bit much I leave it and come back to it. The dead have rights.
Treetop, in our case we wrote to the CEO through an Advocate (See the bottom of any hospital letter). Clearly list your grievance and what you want fixed and why. Then make an appointment with the Advocate. (no cost) Good wishes.
Which advocate?
Once a file is closed the Solicitor General can open it up, but probably a coronial inquest is required and will take 5 years.
A person's privacy is important as a person then has control over the information. When it comes to probably unintentionally covering up the truth and sorting out the correct answers using facts the conclusion is flawed and an injustice to the memory of the deceased.
Do you have a hospital letter with the piece at the base? Otherwise go online and look for a Health Advocate in your area. Ours has a phone number for Rotorua.
Put in Health Advocate and the name of your town or region. All the best. Write down the points I mentioned earlier. It may be different for the deceased.
Oh that is not very good. Often patients sign a waiver as well.
The Advocate is the Health Advocate for your city/region. They take your case and seek clarification for you. Death may change that, but if there are discrepancies you might get a letter to clarify or expose them to the coroner at least This is a free service.
Thank you for that Patricia. DHB recieved 3 lots of questions from me over 18 months, one third answered, one third partly answered and one third not answered. No post mortem was done either.
Multiple organ failure was the cause of death BUT the cause of multiple organ failure is what I am disputing. Many medical reasons for the cause of respiratory and metabolic acidosis which end up as organ failure. As well an antecedent cause can appear beside the cause of death.
Oh Treetop, it hard to get answers from them without the advocate, because they have to answer. So sorry for your situation.
The first and second lot of my questions were asked through the HDC. The HDC only investigates 4% of complaints. Last month Patterson a former HDC commissioner voiced how there is no right of review for HDC decisions. The health select committee is looking into the HDC. There is no final decision on the case I took to the HDC only a preliminary decision and the HDC closed the file.
Diagnosis:
This intrigues me. I empathise with those who feel such discomfort and agree that user-defined gender categories seems a suitable solution.
Essential, therefore, that sex and gender become separated in law and in the public mind! However, Labour seems intent on ignoring this necessity:
Okay, you will be wanting to point out that it's totally unreasonable to expect Labour folk to be intelligent enough to spot the difference. True. However they could be seeking expert advice, eh? Any sign of that??
As usual I advocate for politicians to actually listen to what constituants want. At least to the ideologs who started writing about this, sex is a social construct and the category should be replaced with gender identity for social progress to occur. They are not going to be satisfied with merely having an extra (mostly unused) category on documents and society largely carrying on as it has. They might be satisfied (enough to move on) if you and everybody else understands that talking about biological sex as if its a relevant fact puts you in the same category as that slightly racist uncle in the family. At least this appears to be what is the most politically pressing issue of the present time.
Now please go and write 'gender disphoria is not a medical condition' on a chalk board until you no longer have problems understanding.
You think I agree with Stuff reporter Charlie Mitchell? I didn't say so, did I? I neither agree nor disagree. Since you seem to believe 'gender disphoria is not a medical condition' it would probably be helpful to attempt a validation, eh?
Doing so could give us a reason to believe there's more to your opinion than subjective impression. I'm intrigued by the diagnosis angle – I wouldn't have thought it possible for medical professionals to diagnose on the basis of someone's feelings. These are internal and fall into the same category as subjective impressions. Medical experts are meant to be scientific, which requires objective data for decisions.
So what are psychiatrists?
Not medical experts?
Interesting question. I'm not opposed to diagnosis based on a subject's self-perception. If I was the subject, I'd get pissed off with a medical professional ignoring my impressions real fast!
I was simply reporting the status quo, in which, as is usual with the status quo, mainstreamers recycle the 19th century ad nauseum. In this context, I referred to expectations that science rules medicine – and the 19th century scientific paradigm ruled subjectivity out.
I am more than willing to discuss if my comment was funny. However you will not summon my reply, I will reply after a blog post of which I will decide.
If you want a reply I am willing but I have some conditions,
Before you can read it you must read every positive submission to the BDMRR bill, you can only read it where its posted and after I have posted it and you must admit that Jordan Peterson is not funny.
They might just have to live with being unhappy in this matter.
There is the AMA, American Medical Association which has a whole person impairment assessment tool which ACC use.
There is the DSM, diagnostic statistical manual of mental illness.
The biggest issue I have with the DSM is that being trans should not be a classification in the manual.
I also object to the AMA guidelines as they do not recognise that the emotional damage can be worse than the physical damage. Unresolved emotional damage by agencies is what can make PTSD interminable. Look at the Lake Alice survivors and childhood sexual assault survivors needing closure because of government agencies not knowing any better.
I do not want to see any ones gender identity causing them emotional pain and hurt. If pain and hurt is being caused there is a reason for this and it needs to be resolved.
You seem to have a similar view to me. Problems arise when public policy to help one minority has an adverse effect on other minorities. Looks like Labour intends to make this mistake. I hope feminist lobbying will prevent them doing so!
I agree with your comment in full.
I would like to further add how I feel about PTSD due to sexual offending by someone against you which is a crime and not due to a neuro chemical imbalance in the brain. Apparently PTSD is categorised as a mental illness. I object to this lable. The symptoms of PTSD are seen in mental illnesses BUT the cause of PTSD can be due to sexual criminal offence/s against you.
Then the decider is ACC, ok for straight forward claims, BUT complex historical claims cannot be finalised the same way. ACC's one size fits all can leave a person taking years of their life to sort out their claim. PTSD is intrusive and changes the course of your life and I do think this is enough to deal with.
Labour is not ready to pass legislation on gender ID and this cannot be rushed.
Experts submitted to the BDMRR select committee, including international experts. They appear to have been ignored.
Stats NZ intends to replace sex with gender, except where there is a particular need for sex data.
What a difference a day….makes.
https://youtu.be/vRjGVS1FIwk
yes, my first thought was shipping containers.
And yip that is what they are, glorified shipping containers, stacked and bolted together. How would that place look in a nice earth quake NZ stylez?
It is fast however, and would suit environments that are not shaky.
Why couldn't you make an "Earthquake Frame" around them which could hold them in place and all together in the event of an earthquake?
THE Japanese idea of rollers is better. Absorbing and spreading the shock not resisting.
China has massive earthquakes, that is why it is built to withstand earthquakes and typhoons. Modular homes well built can be fine.
Yes, and the images coming from China after earth quakes do not really inspire me, to be honest.
Nothing against 'modular' homes, in the seventies in England, Germany, France and East Germany we called this 'Plattenbau'. Platebuilds. They did not age well, and generally get destroyed after a fairly short shelf life. They have however helped alleviate the housing shortage in the late sixties and early seventies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plattenbau
China has massive earthquakes, that is why it is built to withstand earthquakes and typhoons. Modular homes are fine if well built.
Designed to withstand earthquakes-1.21.
Can you elaborate on that? It says nothing to me?
Would it withstand a CHCH earthquake or two? That is a frame of reference that i can understand.
Refer to Patricia's post above mine.
What is the current NZ building standard for buildings to withstand earthquakes
and at what measure?
I have no idea.
The earthquake and typhoons were mentioned in the clip. No standard though.
Demanding that world leaders act when those leaders are determined not to act seems futile. Democracy wasn't designed to operate in the sphere of geopolitics. Protesting is mere theatre when you're delusional and refuse to grasp reality.
However those leaders may respond to the pressure by agreeing to a simulation of necessary change. Presenting a sham that fools all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time is a proven political strategy. Protestors will be easily fooled by it. Media will report the sham as progress. We'll all move on…
"Demanding that world leaders act when those leaders are determined not to act seems futile."
I've never protested expecting change. I've always protested to join others, raise our voices and be visible so that those that ignore can never say. "Nobody said anything."
Also, from those grassroot meetings and groups come better problem identifications and solutions.
People need to force them to act. The signs are there, not a time to move on, every moment counts.
From the Financial Times:
Got a link?
https://12ft.io/proxy?q=http://www.ft.com/content/4788beae-9035-4449-b5cd-200dc7b6ea9d
paywalled but 12ft provides.
Bryce Edwards interviewing his keyboard again.
https://mailchi.mp/democracyproject/political-roundupthe-glory-days-of-jacinda-arderns-labour-government-are-over?e=bed3cc2d35
Jacinda's star was dulled the moment the Elimination statergy was dumped in favour of business interests and risible complaing from Auckland. The light went out and now there is nobody at home.
I agree. Business interests have been putting intense pressure on the government and the government bowed to it – and it's going to be at the expense of everyone living outside of Auckland. There has never been a time when the general public has been more at risk from catching covid-19 then now.
Yes I think we are all in for a very bad time, and the economy will crap out as well with lots of sick days off work taken due to Covid. This plan to "live with covid" is utterly fucked, all countries doing this are a mess as they stagger along trying to get back to BAU and failing. Idiots.
It is almost as if the Right (ie Business) have planned for this to happen ? They must be delighted watching it all turn to custard.
almost as if the Right (ie Business) have planned for this to happen
They'd be relying on the tendency for neoliberals to be held hostage by business. So the high priestess PM & and her deputy the high priest of neoliberalism must tiptoe the fine line between public health and the economy.
The winds of change are blowing at the high wire they tread. Any mis-step and the right will whinge about the govt in either direction, as required…
It was sad to hear Jacinda speak on Radio NZ this morning giving a comparison between the civil disobedience in Melbourne and that here – it seems 60 days lockdown is enough for too many to start having personal interactions outside a bubble, and so a single case spreads quickly. The media representation of cafe and bar owners and hairdressers as representing us all has fed that frustration; not helped by opposition parties consistently pushing profits before lives . . .
Jacinda screwed up, under massive pressure from business interests, when she dropped from L3 to L4 a couple of weeks too early….this allowed 300k workers to return to work in Akl and the rest is history.
But if National had been in charge there would have been thousands of deaths and we would not have had 18 months of normality, so she is still a hero and NZs Covid response remains one of the best in the world.
Rules mandating masks need to be strict in the future with mask wardens (like traffic wardens) empowered to on the spot fine people.
Russia or China?
"Business interests have been putting intense pressure".
Rubbish. The so-called "business interests" have nothing to do with it. There polling is turning downhill and like all politicians they are terrified that they are likely to lose their place at the trough. Nothing so concentrates the mind of a politician so much as the thought that they are going to be hanged at the next election.
With apologies to Samuel Johnson.
The idiot commentators and those that confuse safety precautions with totalitarianism (who knew that speed limits are such a threat to our lives!) encouraged people in Auckland to ignore rules and have parties and meet with friends without taking precautions. We are about to experience National-party normal – profits before lives . . .
I'm in Auckland. There was little complaining going on about the elimination strategy on the ground. There were however, numerous articles by the talking heads, and on the witless who wanted lockdown to end.
The was an article (stuff?) re possible 1000 per day by xmas, by a modeller
Now it seems to have gone.
And one of the problems is the number of unlinked cases, abt 25%?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/455173/fears-covid-19-cases-will-surpass-1000-a-day-by-christmas-if-restrictions-eased
OOps thanks!! US
Thats the saddest part about it Molly. Even with the incessant whining of the media and business, the majority of people still kept a belief in the elimination strategy. If the politicians had asked, they would have found a lot of support. They also had a lot of support to come down hard on the likes of Destiny but instead allowed them to become a reason to ditch elimination. If their hearts were in elimination at the start, it became obvious at the point in Delta where the Auckland lockdown was eased, when another 10 days may have given the required downward trend (especially if combined with a hard line on Destiny nutters and their ilk), that they were moving towards living and dieing and becoming incapacitated with covd.
And they very well could choose to go back to it. But for that, someone from government needs to front up to Aucklanders and be honest. No, you will not travel for Christmas. Enjoy the area and the waters that you have, and stay put for the safety of NZ. To those outside Auckland/closed Waikato region/ditto Northland, no people will not be travelling to visit you for Christmas, they too will be staying close to home for the safety of NZ.
Announce a nice big pack of christmas for all beneficiaries in NZ – as there will be no large scale X-mas dinners run by charities – physical distancing demands this, and it will be for the good of all of NZ.
Announce a 'rent' aid to all businesses that are closed still becuase of Lockdown rules, simply do it. No business can continue to pay fixed costs without any income. Simply do it. No re-payment required. Apply for teh funds, and done.
Have a nice televised speach – on all channels, at a decent time say 7 pm, on all radio stations and on all social media. Flex that government muscle and call it a 'fire side chat' by the PM. Admit some errors, be humble, state all of the above and appeal to the pioneer kiwi, this is one chritmas and we will stay at home for it, for the good of the country, so that all of us have another christmas next year with all of our whanau.
Because most people know what needs to be done, and will do it, and those that whinge the most seem to be the evangelists (Tamaki and crew), the tele evangelists (all our overpaid opinionators mass media type) and a few overhyped and over platformed freaks from the left and the right. But the people, he tangata knows better. So call on them, admit their discomfort, their 'prison', the lack of family and the likes, their poverty, their hunger, their fear, and appeal to their decency. And send out aid, to those that need it, and don't pretend that 5$ next year April will cut it.
Absolutely brilliant Sabine. That would do it nicely!
I must mix in different circles. I've heard plenty of complaining in Auckland and about Jacinda. When / if she comes to Auckland this week, she needs to choose carefully where she goes as she will certainly not be too popular in some areas.
You mixing in different circles kind of goes without saying jimby.
you don't get out much do you Stephen
No surprise it's not behind their paywall to maximise it's exposure.
I mean she’s been phenomenal and come under enormous amounts of nasty attack.
If she were a Nat she would have a sainthood, a Nobel prize and have changed the flag.
What a hack.
I can’t believe people who think this is a bad response- look at Germany, look at the UK, look at almost anywhere, NZ has done better.
The tough part is going to come after opening up.
Another diagnosis:
Well, obviously that worked! It will be interesting to see if her diagnosis becomes a negative factor in her political career. She seems inherently self-confident enough to over-ride self-doubt moments.
So there's an evident need to incorporate lifestyle resilience around pacing yourself, focus & concentration at times, then shifting away when impulses arrive.
.
Only if dear old Chloe & various other bloated affluent Woke narcissists are forced to live right nextdoor to some of the ruthlessly violent anti-socials being released … the middle class Che Guevara beret-wearing Riks-from-the-Young-Ones are so very very good at volunteering other people [always poorer, often elderly] to do all the suffering that inevitably flows from their deluded luxury beliefs … as they seek to signal their unusually refined moral sensibilities & elevated social status to their fellow Riks.
Until then … they can pretty much STFU
[impossible, of course, for self-entitled narcissists suffering from the Dark Triad Personality Type]
Heh. I always look for the positive alternative being offered. If the critique fails to include one, just roll your eyes & move on.
Idealist me agrees prisons are a failure. Pragmatist me discerns no suitable alternative being suggested. Reformist agendas must propose a new form.
'Prisons are a failure ' and will continue to be so as long as they keep the system of bully boys in charge, overseeing the efforts of educated reformists. Reaffirmation of pride in culture, yoga, toastmasters, english lessons, gardening and trade training are only provided at the whim of some dullard who sees his future in perpetuating growth in the prison population.
Yeah I suspect you have hit the nail on the head there. Residual patriarchy tends to be taken for granted in public policy – by both left & right govts. It ought to be circumvented via intelligent design.
Yup. There will I think always be some crims – a few – that need to be removed from general society for the protection of others, there being something wonky in their heads that produces violent & criminal behaviour that simply cannot be reprogrammed out. Psychopathic criminals & extreme narcissists spring to mind.
Then there are others for whom the best solution IS mental reprogramming – of the cognitive behavioural therapy type – as well as adjuncts such as proper & practical education (far too much illiteracy encountered in our prisons), treatment for treatable psychological & mental health issues, drug recovery programmes, & opportunities previously denied to many for the building of new work skills, new relationships based on the mana-enhancing giving & receiving of respect as a human being, and being a member of one or more communities which value everyone & their contributions & take care of their members, expecting only the same from them.
Seems so simple to write that; we are a long way away from our Justice system delivering that, and probably even as an overall society at present.
Now 30 years since I began writing justice policy drafts for the Greens. I put in a section on rehabilitation. Despite that having since become mainstream policy practice, reports of suitable delivery have been notably sparse. By which I mean they are officially doing it – without officially notifying the public of the success rate.
So it falls into the grey area between success & failure. I've seen sufficient reportage of successful rehabilitations – media features often generated by those who succeeded. Keeps hope alive for the others. But you're right, some victims are incapable of reforming themselves. In between are others who are probably `working on it'.
Some decades ago I listened to Kim Hill interviewing the somewhat quirky QC Mike Bungay on the event of his retirement. He was best known for defending many notorious crims – often with more success than the establishment would have wished for.
But he did say something insightful that I've never forgotten. That in his experience about 80% of homicides and serious crime was committed by otherwise ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circumstances they did not know how to deal with. He imagined that a better justice system could find more enlightened ways to handle them.
The other 20% were in his mind beyond redemption.
I was going to reply to this but you've said it for me so you've saved me the time
Bet Bruce hasn't "said it for you" 🙂
He's not completely wrong.
Head office, much like most government departments, have a lot to answer for for, except that won't because they never are.
Presumably you will have seen the lawyer from Orakei who is taking their proletarian state house disruptor neighbours to court for 18 months of grief.
Sounded similar to what your parents have been going through.
.
Ah, cheers for highlighting that situation, Ad … just found the article … hadn't seen it before.
They have all my sympathy … some real similarities … although my parents are probably in an even worse predicament given the guy is directly on the other side of a (not even remotely soundproof) dividing wall in a two-unit semi-detached.
More than 90 really major explosions of violent intimidation over the past 4 years (often throughout the early hours of the morning) & extreme sleep deprivation over a prolonged period (they've sometimes been kept awake until dawn over 2 or 3 consecutive nights).
They have some hope at the moment … he's largely been away over the last 9 weeks … although turns up sporadically (usually around Midnight or 1am) & has inflicted 4 substantial eruptions of intimidation through the early hours over these last 2 months.
I confronted him way back in 2018 … but it was clear he was desperate for violence, intrinsic facet of his sadistic personality, & I could see he was going to take it out on my parents … so I was just making things worse.
The Police have made it clear that he is very well-known to them … appears to be on parole … Mongrel Mob affiliations … & has a history of neglect of & violence towards his pet dogs & therefore no longer allowed to have a pet (pretty much tells you all you need to know).
My parents are in no way affluent like the Orakei lawyer … living solely on the pension … but their mixed/tending low income street is really attractive … beautiful views of Cook Strait & the Marlborough Sounds … very leafy, well established … 80-90% private housing … always very peaceful community-minded, never any street violence or anti-social behaviour in the past.
Yup – something the wokies just cannot accept – that a substantial fraction of people are indeed stupid, dangerous or both.
And a sane society does all in it's power not to indulge them.
The Productivity Commission comes out strongly saying: before we let another big wave of immigrants in, can we build the infrastructure required to house them first?
Productivity Commission calls for higher immigration rates to wait for more infrastructure | Stuff.co.nz
And also, since the Treaty of Waitangi is essentially an immigrant control mechanism, can we actually recognise the role of the Treaty by specifically asking Maori what they want out of immigration.
Sounds like Winston was right all along.
Hopefully it has some impact on the broad Immigration review that's been going on since May.
They might want to consider how they mean to square the emissions circle before they impose further massive population growth on us – but perhaps they enjoy ignoring criticism – "Filthy peasants, you'll take our misgovernance and like it."
Maybe if the productivity commission was paying attention to productivity they could have noticed that earnings per hour worked has gone up since immigration went way down. What they seem to be more interested in falls in the category of profits from exploiting cheap labour.
On review, well done to the productivity commission for actually changing its primary narrative (under new leadership).
Excellent article on the 3-waters reforms and its impact on Jacinda Ardern – by comparing her powerlessness to Lange.
Graham Adams: Jacinda Ardern and the Ghost of David Lange – Democracy Project
And her powerlessness to business interests e,g dumping elimination strategy.
Few have beaten Delta better than we have. Keeping a "Shine" after all that has gone before, would be impossible. Bryce does what Bryce does, chew over others' opinions.
Let's wait to see what todays decision brings. It may be to extend into December, as the supports have increased.
After all the crises handled with aplomb in NZ, Delta has proven difficult for every country. The decisions are horrible.
90% fully vaccinated is still not counting 10% plus all children 11yrs and below, a total close to 30% unvaccinated.. So 70% fully vaccinated.? So yes it is keeping her (the PM) awake at night. No one seems to have been able to sustain elimination with Delta… or not for long.
Lucky Bryce, he just gets to throw muck, stand back and see if any sticks. The bravery was keeping Auckland in lockdown and trying to control the outbreak while fatigue and protests set in. The pressure was eased with the picnic idea.
We are reaching the time when the goals set may be reached. I would not be surprised to see two more weeks added to allow mature immunity responses for the last few of 90%(70% total pop) to be reached.
What people are not talking about is how many will get sick, a third possibly suffering long covid, and the high numbers of unvaccinated dying at home or in hospitals.
Recently Sydney has suffered this outcome, a ward of dying unvaccinated, the sole survivor being a vaccinated woman of middle age.
Those who push for early opening are playing Russian Roulette Politics. Shame!!
It will be bad, no matter how we tackle it. I would rather this Government and the current Leaders rather than any other.
Yes Patricia. You've got it in a nutshell. It will not surprise me if "the govt." (its not just Jacinda who makes the decisions) pushes the current status out for up to two more weeks which would bring the opening up of Auckland to around the 23rd November. There may be a small sweetener for Aucklanders in the meantime but wouldn't hazard a guess what it might be.
My experiences of Aucklanders which is admittedly mostly my relatives in these times is:
Not only have they had a gutsful (who hasn't) but they are blaming Jacinda for everything. They are in complete denial over the rising numbers of Covid cases and the ramifications for hospitals and the health system in general. The moment you try to point out the government is trying to save people's lives etc., they lose it as people in denial are wont to do. As far as they are concerned, anyone who isn't vaccinated has no-one but themselves to blame so if they snuff it that's their problem. I know they are doing it tough. They're upset and emotional and are not seeing straight. I have my doubts they ever will. They are typical of a large section of Auckland's population and of course the Opposition parties are milking it for all their worth.
"milking it for all they are worth" Anne, so true. Doing it with glee!! A few more on our blog I note. A few of Gezzer's mates. Our relatives in Auckland are keeping to their home and ordering in as just about every place round them is a “Place of Interest.”
Absolutely.
Thats a really interesting article.
I admit I haven't followed too much of it (undercover of covid?) but my recently retired father in law is attending a 3 waters protest and hes not really the type to protest so thats pretty telling
3 things 1. David Lange had huge hubris, which is not a feature of Jacinda's manner.
Rainbow Warrior..giving in to France.
There is no comparison except for adroit thinking and eloquence. On every other measure Ardern has had far more impact. She is not a flawed being who has put herself first.
Please moderators fix that script. Thanks.
It's never wise for a politician to fall in love with their PR staff – the modern version of Narcissus being smitten by his reflection. But the Lange's faults stories are rarely told – party survivors not wanting to be reminded of their role in selling out the founding principles of the Labour movement.
Reads like another attempt at resurrecting the ghost of Don Brash. If Maori are at 17% of the population and Te Tirity promises partnership then playing the "democracy" card just becomes another way to weasel out of obligations that were never intended to be honoured
That depends what you mean by 'partnership'.
Te Tirity was signed between the crown and Maori. To my knowledge no one else was included. So partnership in that case means 50:50
There are significant difficulties in interpreting the treaty that arise out of the differences between the two versions, Maori and English, which the courts have wrestled with. Justice Mckay wrote this:
"The English and Mäori texts in the first schedule to the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 are not translations the one of the other, and the differences between the texts and shades of meaning are less important than the spirit."
This has led to Parliament referring to the 'principles' of the Treaty, rather than the actual text of each version. The court of Appeal has referred to the treaty being "akin to a partnership", but that itself is not definitive – for example not all partnership's are 50:50.
It seems to me that the Chiefs who signed the Treaty had something quite different in mind than the representatives if the Crown. That remains, IMHO, a significant problem for us as a nation as we navigate (rightfully) enhanced Maori aspiration with a modern liberal democracy.
Thats all good. So debate over what parnership means, sure. But to assume that on the one hand Maoridom could accept decimation of their population to 17% or on the other that the crown envisaged this to be the aim of any idea of partnership is to live in an alternate reality or a Don Brash and Ayn Rand world where everything that happens to you is the result of freely made choices. To then use this fact of being now only at 17% of the population as a weapon i.e "democracy" is just blind, cruel, right wing ignorance
It's a tricky matter, construing the intent of the various parties to the Treaty. More than an equal division of power, the court may have been asserting that a state of goodwill existed or should have existed between the parties, which ought to have halted a good many of the dodgy processes by which Maori assets were taken away over the century that followed.
The writer's citation with approval of the Taxevaders Union and Curia polls does tend to call into question the weight and direction of his analysis however.
Not to mention the use of anonymous protesting councillors. We've all seen the fringe element that covd has brought out. The same fringe element exists in anything to do with positive outcomes for Maori. The whole tone is anti Maori rather than any kind of analysis on 3 waters. He's even trying to relitigate Maori wards on councils. If 3 waters becomes a tool to pressure dairy farmers that can only be to the good of the environment and an aid towards getting our emissions down. Its about time we developed a whole system approach and water and its quality is a brilliant and necessary indicator of systemic health
If 3 waters becomes a tool to pressure dairy farmers that can only be to the good of the environment and an aid towards getting our emissions down.
Although some controls are definitely overdue there, there are quite a lot of other users who have inappropriately secured a kind of control over water, of which Nongfu Spring are a prime example.
No argument that a holistic approach is to be preferred – but we must be cautious – an iwi based privatisation program would not be intrinsically better than a dodgy RW one.
"The same fringe element exists in anything to do with positive outcomes for Maori."
True. It's disappointing.
"The whole tone is anti Maori rather than any kind of analysis on 3 waters. "
Not really. Adams isn't calling out Maori, he's calling out the government for denying He Puapua is anything more than a discussion document while running away implementing it. His comparison with the Lange government implementing policy it kept from the electorate is sound.
For mine an urban myth – Roger Douglas wrote a book in 1983 outlining his plans for the economy and Lange read it before appointing him Finance Minister.
Douglas was not hiding anything – I wrote to him in 1983 asked him questions and he replied fairly fully (MP's did in those days, I also got a reply from Hercus that year about their surtax plans – and her/their preference for this over making super a retirement benefit). Douglas wanted an assets tax – he preferred it to an CGT, but in the end did neither. It was possibly his biggest mistake.
I'm not sure where you get the "accept decimation of their population to 17%" from.
In 1840, the Maori population was around 80k. By 1860 it was around 60k, that's a decline of around 25%. The main cause of death was introduced diseases. After 1860, natural immunity began to reduce that decline.
But you seem to be conflating two seperate issues. There is no question there were many and serious wrongs inflicted on Maori by the colonists, and the mechanism for addressing those is the Waitangi Tribunal. That process needs to run it's course.
The imposition of law that provides for 16.5% of the population to hold 50% of the control is inconsistent with a modern democracy. This is what we need to navigate through.
Many would argue that the control at present is cincentrated in a lot less than 16%. But be that as it may, nobody is demanding an end to democracy. A model has been put forward that puts our whole water sysrem together as a whole. It appears that purely on an operational and infrastructure basis this is a no brainer. A lot of the input is going to come from local iwi. I for one have more confidence in that model than farmer lobby groups or govt bodies like ecan that can be sacked by central govt when the money men milking the system dont get what they want. If we dont get some sort of environmental constraints put on water or at a minimum, some payback for taking a fundamental resource then we're just going to keep getting deeper into a polluted and degraded environment. National and Act have vowed to overturn this so you can easily see that democracy is alive and well. They understand that there is a lot of money to be made from unconstrained use of water in the short term. Iwi will be taking into account the future like no other section of nz society does, sadly
"A lot of the input is going to come from local iwi."
No, not "a lot", 50%. And it's not just 'input'; it's effective veto. It's placing 50% power in the hands of 16.5% of the population (and as you rightly point out it will be even less than that). That is not democracy, and that’s the conflict I see on the horizon.
If 3Waters had real economic merit, it would have not required the bluster, the spin and the broken promises to see it into existence.
Last sentence, 👍🏼
I find the tv ads for 3 Waters misleading, propagandistic, & am fascinated at how much it is targeted AT Māori, & young Māori in particular, by the pidgin English language & characterisations used.
When the govt goes to this extent to try build support for a plan they obviously intend to force thru, that’s a worry for future racial harmony.
I certainly believe Māori kaitiakitanga is a valuable force to be employed in dealing with the cleanups needed in our waters & environment, but my personal view is that Māori iwi should have no more claim to ownership of water than me or mine.
“God” creates water (or if you like, it’s just a natural resource created by the planet’s climate & weather systems). Either nobody should own it – or EVERYBODY should, equally.
@Gezza
My mother once told me a fascinating story about her father who worked as a butcher all his life. (Him and his father used to drive the bullocks up and down the street still known in Auckland as 'Bullock Track'.) In later years he worked at Westfield in South Auckland – until he was 75.
As a young girl mum said that she recalled a visit she and her mother made to the works. In those days when there was a strike the men had to camp in the works to prevent scab labour from being brought in. And if the strike dragged on their families often had to bring food to them. (There being no UberEats.)
Going to the works was not something women did much back then (this would be just post-war I'd guess) and just passing through the gates was intimidating in itself. Worse still when they started asking for dad – no-one knew who they were talking about. They wandered from building to building increasingly distressed at their failure to find him and that no-one apparently knew of the man who had been going to work there for years.
Suddenly one man came running up to them – "oh you mean xxx" he said. "Follow me".
Now I'm sorry to say I have no recollection of what 'xxx ' was – but mum said it was a Maori nickname that he was universally known as. Soon enough they found him in some back shed having a great time playing cards with all his Maori and Pacifica mates – to everyone's great relief and delight.
The notion of the good old days is of course bunk – but it's wrong to think that overt racism was universal or even that commonplace. Among working people there was often a solidarity that transcended ethnicity.
I never met my maternal grandfather – he died in a stupid accident the year before I was born – but the many stories my mother told of him, and she loved him dearly, have been the closest to a true family heritage I ever got.
There were large numbers employed during the war years (bully beef canning),even Eleanor Roosevelt went to Westfield.
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22476273?search%5Bi%5D%5Bsubject%5D=Westfield+Freezing+Company&search%5Bpath%5D=items
17% of today's population (5 million). This is 850 000 people. The chart in this link shows that the population was a lot lower in 1840. So if you could be so kind and furnish the numbers in 1740 or earlier it would be a good measure. Thank you.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/27240/maori-population-changes
Unfortunately there is no way of knowing what the Maori population was in 1740. There has been a number of attempts to place a number on the population pre-colonisation, but none particularly definitive.
It's an excellent piece of writing, and a timely expose on just how much He Puapua is influencing current government policy.
Is this report an undersigned policy that labor is actively pursuing? Has the wider population been told and ask to give the government a mandate to see this through via electoral means? If this is a no, than NZ is not governed by a government that holds up democratic principles. No amount of shiny "look how well we did" will wash over that fact. But then again, the wider population is not really in the know and maybe not interested and will just follow an image. Tik Tok….
"Is this report an undersigned policy that labor is actively pursuing?""
The writer makes a good case that they are.
Has the wider population been told and ask to give the government a mandate to see this through via electoral means? "
That would be a no. Labour's coalition partner in the last term claims not to have known about HePuapua, so it's certainly not something the government discussed with the electorate.
Interesting Ad.
While I still believe there is a case for the Three Waters project on technocratic grounds – I haven't been across the aspects Adams is writing to here.
Sometime in the 90's I got to ask a Maori Council member – who is still very influential – about his vision for NZ. At that time I was very non-political, my question was asked in total naivety. His reply still lingers in my mind – and I paraphrase I hope accurately.
His vision is that within another generation that Aoteoroa would be returned to the iwi chiefs in toto. It would revert to 13 or so independent states, each with it's own borders, laws and governed by Maori leadership. There was no mention of democracy.
I asked about the rest of the people that lived here. He said "oh you can stay if you pay the rent".
Until I read He Puapua I had largely consigned this conversation to a dusty corner with all the other random oddments you collect in life.
The choke-hold to watch is:
Ownership power over water = de facto power over the entire dairy industry.
We retain a successful economy based on free water to the dairy industry.
Mahuta currently has no structure to regulate the price of water – just starting to think about it.
Yes – now you come to mention it I recall that at the time the strategy he had in mind involved the forestry industry – but since then dairy has become more important.
As you know it's my strong and informed view that NZ's water supply industry urgently needs amalgamation to gain the necessary economies of skill and scale to meet the challenges of this next century. But if they're derailed over the politics of an ethnic power grab I'll be damned disappointed.
It's well overdue this government spent it's political capital somewhere – anywhere. Auckland's amalgamation experience (vertical integration of nearly 40% of NZ’s population) was ok for price, good for water efficiency, but terrible for certainty, security and planning. It's hard to see proof of success occurring elsewhere soon.
Few will have sympathy for regional councils. Parker in particular is from Dunedin and will have seen how the Otago Regional Council just crushed and rolled a previous Minister of Environment Marian Hobbs two weeks ago.
The Departments to watch in this are Treasury and MFAT. Treasury won't want yet another oligopoly set up when NZ commerce is so strangled by a key set of them.
MFAT are in many senses just a subbie to Fonterra and DairyNZ. The industry heat will come out in the submissions.
I would watch their lobbying (excuse me. input) before the bill becomes drafted text for submissions.
In absence of any useful coalition partner, it's down to officials to leaven this out.
The synchronicity is over water supply to horticulture and pastoral farming and river water quality (wadeable, swimable etc at the regional council level) and stock levels – as to methane. And presumably greater Maori involvement in the first two.
Meh, from the journalist who broke the He Puapua story …white fear of the future empowerment of the indigenous people in governance
the idea that if the government does what Maori want white people will go Trump and vote NACT, projected onto the Three Waters reform to make it relevant to now and 2023 …
and the add on that Ardern's popularity is being misused by others in her caucus government, the message in that is she has become a threat to non Maori
Giving an un-elected ethnic elite who represent less than 15% of the population such a dominant share of political power tears up the democratic contract to say the least.
If this is what you want – then just state your position openly and without ambiguity. What is your vision for this nation's governance?
For mine the Democracy Project at risk of being exposed as part of the wokewash white establishment (younger than the Listener writers and audience but very much the same) that was complacent about growing inequality for decades (and then opposed CGT except on the path National enabled).
Rushing into the arms of Mr Orewa (one people one law one people one vote) because of "democracy" and the majority decides – just as settler governments back in the 19thC. A share of delivery of services to Maori as benevolence, but not partnership in the management of assets and resources because real exercise of power is "democratic" – like the regional councils enabling pollution of waterways by farmers and urban councils letting underground out of sight decay to go for decades.
The issue is good governance.
The politics of this are blatant – I'll call it now in every second term of a Labour government National will go all out on being anti-Maori.
Rushing into the arms of Mr Orewa (one people one law one people one vote) because of "democracy" and the majority decides
Well that seems a straight forward rejection of democracy and erases the basis on which we grant Parliament it's legitimacy.
Anything else?
A constitution also limits democracy and many have them.
Why is one, designed to preserve, say the white property owner in New England OK, and one recognising partnership with Maori not?
Just say it you oppose partnership with Maori in management of public assets, despite the influence of farmers and business (PPP'S) on central and local government (enabling farmer pollution by not even applying accountability to regulations). Why tolerate such flaws in an imperfect democracy to the point of resisting a change in management that might diminish these flaws in governance standards?
Well yes – giving the iwi elites a non-elected power of veto over pretty much all political power in NZ would obviously undermine the authority and legitimacy of Parliament.
The other 85% of the population – who are not all 'white' incidentally – might very quickly conclude that voting is pointless and consider resorting to other means to protect their interests.
What has Maori representation on 4 regional water bodies managing public assets to do with democratic governance by parliament?
Breathe. I realise white people get triggered by the idea of loss of control. But at least be rational.
Have you ever got angry at government appointees to HB's or respected the comptence brought? Would not Maori governance be interested in the long term public good, unlike some interests with influence on local councils?
I realise white people get triggered by the idea of loss of control.
Right there – you clearly anticipate that control should be taken from the current political setup and transferred elsewhere. You would not say this otherwise.
And it would indeed be irrational to ignore the undeniable fact of this 'non-Cabinet' document called He Puapua – that no-one voted for – seems to be increasingly a blueprint for radical political change in many areas of both public and private life.
(One aspect I'm particularly aware of , and has had little public traction so far, is to give ownership of the entire Conservation estate to the iwis. Given the opaqueness of the policy process at present there is a lot of confusion around what is intended – but the mere talk of the possibility arouses considerable angst among those who have a deep connection to NZ's wild places.)
If you think He Puapua is the right path forward just say so openly and with conviction.
Sad.
I'll leave it to others to indulge you and Mr Orewa fanboys to like.
2. Have number of it's proposals become public policy already or not?
3. Do you support it or not?
Attacking me personally is a pretty transparent dodge to avoid answering the question.
Imagine what you like.
Evasion.
.
You've just flushed out 1 example of the profoundly anti-democratic sentiments of the Māori ethno-nationalist & Woke Pakeha Brahmin “Left”.
The elitism … the bare-faced contempt for majority opinion … the uber-romanticisation of minorities … so a co-governing Aristocracy of Iwi Elites & affluent PMC ideologues.
@ Swordfish
Harsh, but true – and very much needs to be said.
There needs to be MUCH more OPEN, even rigorous, debate about He Puapua – by all sectors of society – if we are to avoid our generally genuinely harmonious Pākehā-Māori relationships in Kiwiland turning toxic & ending up being set back perhaps by as much as a century by acrimonious divisions & claims & assumptions (from both sides) about the modern day superiority of one culture over another.
SPC – 9.8.1.1
You might be in for a surprise. But please keep going. People like you lose the election for labor. Maori have currently 2% according to the latest poll.
http://www.roymorgan.com/morganpoll/new-zealand/voting-intention-summary
As to Partnership, tell me this: What is holding Maori back to get a decent education, to achieve and work for a better life for their whanau? And btw., many would be whakama if this is a proposition.
If you imply that 50:50 means that you should get a slice of the hard work of the rest of the population segment (34%) without contributing than this is not about democracy but something else.
50 percent immigrants of recent times, 17% Maori, 34% immigrants seconded to support 17%. Yes?
I've long argued for equal numbers of Maori and general seats in parliament to reflect an equal partnership. Feel the same about councils.
I don't think there is anything to fear about that and NZ has a long history of imbalance in voting power and of trying to correct that e.g. giving women the vote.
Democracy isn't just about one person one vote and majority rule. Democracy should protect minority interests and the interest of the indigenous population as well.
The notion that we are at the current best model for the overall interests of New Zealand is as laughable as thinking first past the post was the best option possible.
A Treaty Select Committee is an option – and resourced to determine impact of policy on indigenous rights etc.
I've long argued for equal numbers of Maori and general seats in parliament to reflect an equal partnership.
That sounds cool until you realise it means that every person on the Maori role gets roughly four or five votes for every one that everyone else gets.
And having a Ngati Kahungunu grandfather I'd be an idiot not to take advantage.
Nonsense.
You get one vote on the Maori roll for your local Maori seats and no vote for the general seats. 60 Maori seats and 60 non Maori seats would mean that every major iwi would have representation in parliament – just like non-Maori would have their 60 local constituent seats.
Ah I think I see what you mean – correct me if I'm wrong – but are you suggesting there should be 60 Maori seats that are not elected at all, but appointed from within each of the iwi?
I doubt it. Clue – 120 FPP electorates is not MMP and there would not be the same number of voters in each (some would argue that some Maori Maori electorates have fewer or more voters than others to reflect iwi community better).
I prefer a Treaty SC myself – it’s more about governance accountability and transparency to build up trust and partnership.
No 6o Maori seats aligned to iwi boundaries and candidates stand and get elected as well in those seats – no different to the current Maori seats but more of them – and less general seats.
But you do understand that iwi are not democratic entities in the slightest. Who do you think would pick the 'candidates' being voted for in these iwi electorates?
Parties would still pick their candidates as they do in the Maori seats now or as currently people can stand as independents.
Basically 60 rohe pōti.
So if the parties pick the candidates who do they answer to? The party that nominated them – or the iwi they're supposed to represent?
The issue that would occur would be if electorate rolls would be based on residence or iwi (or choice of one or the other – some Maori would have multiple iwi connections).
It is residence now.
The point is to share power more even handedly. As it stands now Maori power can be diminished through the voting system by something as simple as immigration – which in effect is what has happened over the years.
Without a structural change the rest is just tinkering.
For mine it's a direction.
DoS
This sounds like a half tribal tent government. You are either in or out. Good luck.
SPC – The message is that democracy has been disestablished with the help of Maori. This will not do them any favors. Lets see what next election brings. Could well be that all those votes that labor won from the right will move back. Right now, polling shows that labor has fallen below the majority in the house. Maori are on 2%. Act polls higher than the greens. Not sure what you are seeing but this looks like some shift in the balance to me.
Lol- an excellent article?
This is the same writer I now realize of please, won’t someone think of the musket wars!
If only Michael Bassett were the one teaching our kids! We could tell them about the black on black violence, so all other violence and inequity is okay!
And in this article he must be asking us to remove the scourge of neo-liberalism foisted on us by the terribly weak Mr Lange?
No, not that either.
I don’t know everything about the proposal and removing a key asset from local councils seems like a good way to pick a fight with a whole bunch of previously non-aligned folk. However, I don’t trust him quoting ACT supporting QCs and continually saying 50:50. The guy has a bee in his bonnet, and wants us to believe it’s a beehive.
Anyway, I don’t know if there’s an improvement on this as an explainer but the fear on here really seems Orewa speech-ish.
Very difficult decision to be made today by Cabinet. We thought last year was bad, this Delta outbreak makes last year seem a walk in the park.
Bryce Edwards' Herald headline gleefully reports on Jacinda's 'shine' coming off. I doubt any Prime Minister apart from during World War 2 has ever had as many fraught challenges to deal with.
The constant stream of complaints, whining and moaning, by all and sundry, plus obnoxious anti-vaccinators thrusting themselves in our faces, actually makes the situation harder to deal with. Wish some people would just shut up.
They will do what they've done throughout and just rubber stamp the MoH advice.
In a Health crisis what else Ad?
We need politicians who are more than puppets for bureaucrats exercising physical control over us.
The political element – the part for politicians – is rising fast.
This 6 weeks to Christmas is the trickiest of her Prime Ministership.
Even the Christchurch massacre was more cut-and-dried than this.
You are closer to the action Ad. The middle way folk were only going to back her as long as they felt they were gaining.
Having to face covid a slowing housing market and taxes they do have grouches.
Over the next two years there will be successes as well as new problems. Like other countries we will adapt.
It may be an important 6 weeks, but not the most important. What we have to guard against is white anting. Cheers.
please fix user name on next comment. That’s four comments with obvious problems.
I was having great trouble fixing things. One post the script went minute, another post appeared to pick up part pf a comment to Ad, so I left then came back and managed to correct two comments Sorry Weka. I usually check, but it would not let me correct it at first.
Bryce Edwards is always predictable….he parrots a lot of right wing criticism as though, because there is a lot of it, it must be true. There is not an oriental thought in his analysis.
Can't be bothered reading him any more.
.
😳
🤔 “oriental” thought, or “original” thought, BG?
Isn't the decision pretty much already made? My understanding is today's 4pm will simply announce or confirm that Auckland retailers are allowed to open from Wednesday (midnight Tuesday).
I will be surprised if it is any different to that.
There may be something about size of indoor and outdoor gatherings although no one here in Auckland is concerned about that as everyone pretty much just does whatever now. As I've said before, it has been level 1 down at Orakei beach for months.
Yeh. They can just fuck right off. If she was a Nat who had done so amazingly, the Churchillian tributes would be flowing.
I mean this is a website who ran an incoherent defense of famous tribal historian Michael Bassett. It’s the lever of panicked righties.
Not having half the right base vote for her anymore doesn’t mean she’s not a very popular and capable PM. It just means those who didn’t like the idea of Collins and Brownlee are cranking up to have another go and they’re getting nastier.
Food for thought…where does it end.
https://youtu.be/dpYytrxLIoA
Trans-species?
Puts werewolves in an awkward spot! Selkies too.
OAN? Really?
Food for thought for the gullible and cognitively challenged.
Are you going to link to something from the Epoch Times or Nexus next?
The content was interesting.
What did she say that you found so facile?
Not familiar with the Epoch Times or Nexus.Not sure if your critique has much weight.
https://www.nytimes.com/article/oann-trump.html
The conservative cable network One America News has a minuscule audience, attracts few readers on the web and has struggled to break into the television mainstream.
But thanks to one powerful viewer in the White House, the network’s influence — and its conspiracy theories — are echoing in the highest reaches of American politics.
What content did she have to say? Not giving those trumpists my clicks.
let me guess – if trans folk were recognised as existing, people would self-identify ethnicity to get affirmative action spots, then self identify as turtles to marry a frog?
🙄
OAN – context free bullshit guaranteed.
It took me all of five minutes to get the context surrounding those claims:
https://people.com/celebrity/jewel-shuping-blinds-herself-with-drain-cleaner/
https://qz.com/988823/new-research-shows-theres-a-good-reason-why-some-people-want-to-cut-off-their-healthy-arms-and-legs/
And regarding Craigslist, anyone who isn't a cornfed Ken & Barbie clone knows it is full of people with kinks looking for gratification. They would also know there are a segment of people who are sexually gratified by dressing as babies, being treated as babies, etc… A "specialty act" to paraphrase Deadwood.
If you knew anything about OAN you would know they are basically full of shit spreading dis-information about everything from BLM to Covid to the US elections.
For more information about how they formulate their "News" coverage I recommend you read the CJR item on them:
https://www.cjr.org/the_profile/one-america-news-oan-trump-herring.php
It's basically one mans disinformation project. On the plus side, they are being sued for over $1 billion dollars for some of their lies surrounding the last US election.
Oh, and "bible bashing Barbie" as I shall refer to her has a looooong history of lying about things…
Thats good information.
There are so many opinion sources out there these days that I guess every
bias and prejudice is catered for.
There is a healthy distrust of MSM evident by commentators all around the world.
I have seen a number of interviews with Cathy Areu,who has some non mainstream views-they are primarily on Fox News however.
She is given a platform with high traffic to explain her take on a number of quite new/radical topics…like 'theybies'.
Should her opinion be discounted because it is broadcast on..Fox.
Pretty much. If it's only on Fox, or Fox and the even more right wing OANN, it's probably bullshit.
Took the words out of my mouth. OAN!!! Good grief.
Pivotal to the argument that choice is paramount (no mandate, no coercion…) is the consequences of getting it wrong. Not so much the consequence to yourself, more, to the wider community. If it didn't matter to anyone but you, whether you got vaccinated or not, then fine, there'd be little anxiety/frustration/anger out there, but, it is argued, there is great cost to the rest of us, if things go wrong as the result of your choice. Then, of course, the defence is raised: you won't be affected by "my" choice, so butt-out!
At this point, if your not a revolutionary, then your just not paying attention. I know at this point the liberals going to whinge, almost as much as the tories. But our government has been captured in a corporate coup, and they will kill us all to feed their never fulfilled greed.
Barking mad Stryne billionaires in particular.
https://www.gawker.com/politics/meet-australias-batshit-insane-mining-billionaire
The largest delegation at COP26 is in lock strep with Oz
The industry asks to be able to make the profits required for it to invest in going zero carbon by 2050.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59199484
Probably advised by the same people who now deliver nicotine addiction without the tobacco smoking.
Oops. Rogue full stop mucked that attempt up. Try again…
Checking you were really back.![devil devil](https://cdn2.thestandard.org.nz/wp-content/plugins/ark-wysiwyg-comment-editor/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/devil_smile.png?x42494)
Here comes web 3:
Looks like there's a shift happening: instead of heads stuck agonising over the failure of social media to provide a non-toxic option, we're shifting into brainstorming the solution. As in the wild west, the cultural frontier will have to be tamed by laws. Cyberspace being inherently nonlocal, this means lawyers being confronted with the concept of territory-transcending law. Too novel for them to be able to think about??
Plenty to consider in today's post-Cab. All about those second doses now.
But the highlight (lowlight?) was Barry Soper asking about going to the loo. The PM is far too nice, she should have answered "I have to toilet-train Neve, but not you".
Yep a pretty dumb question from Barry Soper trying to get a "gottcha" type moment. Thought we had moved on from that as we all know Jacinda, Robertson, Hipkins and Bloomfield last month all gave different answers on going to the loo so there was inconsistency, but surely a bit of common sense applies?
is Barry a bit slow that he needs toilet stuff explained to him in great detail? of the myriad of things the media could ask about, Barry decided his golden moment would be to talk about toilets?
There are some who would say Soper writes a lot of crap so he was in his realm.
The man is so eaten up with his hatred of Jacinda. You can hear the venom in his tone of voice. Its time he saw a shrink.
He's in bed with all the FoxtalkZB nutters, they all need professional help.
It is not helped by his choice of spouse either. Must be lovely /sarc/ to have a 'hate-session' with your spouse about your mutual 'hatee'. She is as bad as him, if what I am hearing she has been saying in Auckland about the terrible Wellingtonians is accurate.![wink wink](https://cdn2.thestandard.org.nz/wp-content/plugins/ark-wysiwyg-comment-editor/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/wink_smile.png?x42494)
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/covid-19-delta-outbreak-5-new-cases-in-northland-1-in-whangarei-hospital/MGYVMUKL5YZIQGMANOPBSFKRFU/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR1rva2ABqH0Cl8WME8gtr7QMCFrpUbeZeM6JlYtAsCrLMJEeVcimSIKoQg#Echobox=1636333039
So now Whangarei hospital , the base hospital that Northlander’s from all over Northland are sent to when things get too serious for the outlying medical centres and handful of small community hospitals around Northland to handle , has a Covid patient in care.
I would be very interested to know just how much this one case of covid in Whangarei hospital is now impacting on the usual day to day routines, operations and medical practice of this sole significant Northland hospital , a hospital already over-burdened by Northlanders everyday medical demands.
Surely it would be more practical, a better use of suitable ICU staff and more economic to have several hospitals designated solely to Covid care here and there around NZ ? They would not necessarily have to be public hospitals.
Barry Soper's insistence on the PM solving his toilet dilemma is almost comical, as in age, and sometimes prostate conditions that go along with that.
Yes he certainly tends to dribble like someone in need of a nappy.