Open mike 08/12/2020
Written By:
- Date published:
6:00 am, December 8th, 2020 - 127 comments
Categories: open mike -
Tags:
Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.
The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
127 comments on “Open mike 08/12/2020 ”
- Comments are now closed
- Comments are now closed
Recent Comments
- Climate Adam: How to visualise Climate Change (ft. Katharine Hayhoe)
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...10 hours ago - The wrong direction
Some good news on climate change today: the energy transition away from fossil fuels is picking up speed, and renewables now make up 30% of global electricity supply. Meanwhile, in Aotearoa, we're moving in the opposite direction, with Genesis Energy announcing that it will resume importing Indonesian coal. Their official ...13 hours ago - National hates democracyIts a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...14 hours ago
- No Tikanga Please, We're Lawyers.
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...16 hours ago - Member’s DayToday is a Member's Day, and it seems we've entered the slowdown as things emerge from select committee. First up is the committee stage of Greg O'Connor's Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) (Overseas Travel Reporting) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the second readings of Stuart ...16 hours ago
- Hurrah for coal – Shane Jones welcomes Genesis Energy’s import plans as natural gas production s...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...16 hours ago - Bryce Edwards: Following the political money
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...17 hours ago - A Left-Right ranking of universities in NZ: a practical guide for students and parents
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim. Extreme Left Auckland University of Technology Evidence The ...18 hours ago - Inflation and GST thresholdsEric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...18 hours ago
- Green Party grapples with persistent scandalsJacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...18 hours ago
- A law school to be avoided – Auckland University of TechnologyGary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...18 hours ago
- 17 people in Malaita stand in way of China’s takeover of the SolomonsCleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...19 hours ago
- Gordon Campbell on the Hamas Ceasefire Offer, and Mark Mitchell’s Incompetence
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...20 hours ago - Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Wednesday May 8
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...20 hours ago - A few PT announcements
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...20 hours ago - Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Green Party grapples with persistent scandalsParliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...20 hours ago
- At a glance – Tree ring proxies and the divergence problemOn February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...1 day ago
- Nothing to sneer at
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...1 day ago - Still on their bullshitWhen in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...2 days ago
- DrawnA ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...2 days ago
- A nod and a wink that will unnecessarily cost Aucklanders tens of millions per yearSimeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...2 days ago
- Correcting the Corrections announcement – a fiscal farce that should bother the OECDBuzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...2 days ago
- Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into ‘Pillar 2’ – or they are going to ChinaChris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...2 days ago
- A balanced and an unbalanced articleDavid Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...2 days ago
- Deeply unserious countryEvery bit of this seems insane. And people wonder why productivity is falling through the floor. Energy News reports that the Environment Court finally threw out Allan Crafar’s appeal against a solar farm. From the story: Consent was granted in 2022. Crafar appealed November 2022. On what grounds? That ...2 days ago
- Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law studentsThe tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied… Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...2 days ago
- https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/?p=77196The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...2 days ago
- Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, May 7
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...2 days ago - HM Prison Aotearoa.
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...2 days ago - Get Your Webworm Merch!
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...2 days ago - Top OECD economist puts Willis between a rock and a hard placeThe OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...2 days ago
- Media Link: “A View from Afar” on the moment of friction, and more.
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading ...2 days ago - Preposterous priorities – politicians preferred pastryNewsroom writer Aaron Smale, in an article triggered by the High Court’s ruling on whether a sitting MP must respond to a summons to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal, reports on issues underpinning the tribunal’s urgent inquiry into the Government’s intention to remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki ...2 days ago
- Climate Change: Forcing accountability in the UKIn 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...3 days ago
- Other councils are keen to be next to strike a water deal with govtBuzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report: District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...3 days ago
- Why India is key to heading off climate catastropheThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections A farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...3 days ago
- Meanwhile “… the disturbing trend of increasing violence towards children continues to worsen”Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...3 days ago
- New Zealand’s geopolitical friendly fire has its limitsGeoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...3 days ago
- The post-Covid economy: is it in another long stagnation – and if so, why?Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...3 days ago
- On the LTP 2024 FeedbackA few weeks ago Auckland Council released the results of consultation on the Long Term Plan (LTP) that occurred in March. With almost 28,000 submissions, it received the most feedback of any LTP in Auckland. It covered a wide range of topics soliciting feedback on different areas of council funded ...3 days ago
- Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, May 6
TL;DR: Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...3 days ago - Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s geopolitical friendly fire has its limitsThe gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...3 days ago
- I could be a Florist.
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...3 days ago - The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 12 and beyond
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...3 days ago - Willis on defenceThe price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...3 days ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #18A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...3 days ago
- A prerequisite for Vulture Capitalism.
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...4 days ago - Early evening, April 30
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...4 days ago - Do Newsroom’s staff think they’re culturally superior to the rest of us? Are they arguing that A...Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...5 days ago
- Fun minor grudgesEric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...5 days ago
- Bernard’s dawn chorus for Saturday, May 4 and pick ‘n’ mix for the weekendA new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...5 days ago
- The Dark Side and the Rebel Alliance.
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...5 days ago - Imaginary mandate, imaginary leadership
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.ShareVerity, Ilfracombe ...5 days ago - Winston Peters delivers a speech about NZ’s relationship with China but media focus on Bob Carr’...Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...5 days ago
- The Post-Covid Economy
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...5 days ago - An awkward coincidence!The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...5 days ago
- The Israel/Palestinian metastasis.In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading ...6 days ago
- 27,000That's the number of submissions received on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track legislation. Except its higher than that, because the number doesn't include form submissions, such as the 15,000 people who supported Forest & Bird's submission, or the 14,000 who supported Greenpeace. And so many people want to appear in person ...6 days ago
- MPs’ salaries – when is the best time to increase them?Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...6 days ago
- Genter under fireDavid Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...6 days ago
- New Treasury paper on the productivity slowdown supports the downgrading of forecastsThe Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...6 days ago
- Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Friday, May 3
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 9:26 am on Friday, May 3:Climate 'Ministerial override must go' - Hearings begin over fast-track bill RNZ Kate GreenPopulation: Labour hire firm struggling to find staff as Australia lures away workers. HireStaff ...6 days ago - Weekly Roundup 3-May-2024Here we are in May already! And here are a few of the stories that caught our eye this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted that it’s been a decade since Auckland’s rail system was electrified. On Wednesday, Matt looked at AT’s rollout of new ways ...6 days ago
- The Hoon around the week to May 36 days ago
- Pamphlets at Ten Paces.
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...6 days ago - A land without pier
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...6 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #18 2024Open access notables Generative AI tools can enhance climate literacy but must be checked for biases and inaccuracies, Atkins et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the face of climate change, climate literacy is becoming increasingly important. With wide access to generative AI tools, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, we explore the potential ...6 days ago
- Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live
Photo by Jari Hytönen on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...6 days ago - Ruckus over AUKUS – Labour demands Peters step down as Foreign Minister, but he still had the job ...Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...6 days ago
- Secrecy undermines participationThe Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...7 days ago
- Agribusiness following oil and gas playbookAs pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...7 days ago
- Here’s hoping they aren’t counting on a 100 per cent acceptance…The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...7 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on unemployment, Winston Peters’ low boiling point and music criticismOn Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events: The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...7 days ago
- TVNZ and poll results7 days ago
- Mana or MoneyMuriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...7 days ago
- A win for Wellington – Greens welcome more housing
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...14 hours ago - Release: Backtrack on school lunches a win for Kiwi kids
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...16 hours ago - Release: Hon Willie Jackson to debate at the Prestigious Oxford UnionHon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...19 hours ago
- Members Bill will prevent Māori land confiscationsGreen Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...2 days ago
- TIKANGA IS NOT LAW. IT IS CULTURAL INDOCTRINATION.
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...2 days ago - Release: National won’t commit to full Nelson Hospital upgradeThe Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...2 days ago
- Release: Labour calls for fast track list to be releasedMinisters must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...3 days ago
- Release: National gaslights women fighting for equal payNational has scrapped the pay equity taskforce that fights for equal pay for women and looks at ethnic pay gaps. ...6 days ago
- Release: More job cuts, fewer houses under NationalThe Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...6 days ago
- Release: Children fall deeper through the cracks in Govt cutsWith Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...7 days ago
- Release: Labour honours memory of Sir Robert MartinThe Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...7 days ago
- Release: 130,000 cattle saved from live exportLabour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...1 week ago
- Central Bank makes clear Government is pouring fuel on housing crisis fireToday’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...1 week ago
- New unemployment figures paint bleak pictureThe Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...1 week ago
- Release: National’s job cuts already starting to bite as unemployment risesUnemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...1 week ago
- Release: National hiking transport costs for families and young New ZealandersWeekly expenses will grow for more than 1.6 million New Zealanders as the Government ends free and half price public transport fares tomorrow. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour welcomes EU free trade agreementThe New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...1 week ago
- Surprise: Landlord tax cuts don’t trickle downThe Green Party is renewing its call for rent controls following reports of rental prices hitting an all-time high. ...1 week ago
- Release: $1.7b for no increase in access to medicineThe National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...1 week ago
- Release: National should heed Tribunal warning and scrap coalition commitment with ACTThis afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...1 week ago
- Release: More accountability for preventable workplace deaths this Workers’ Memorial DayLabour is calling for more accountability for preventable workplace deaths because everybody who goes to work deserves to come home safely. ...1 week ago
- Gaza: Aotearoa Must Support Independent Investigation into Mass GravesTe Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Working together on consistent support for veterans this Anzac DayOur two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Penny drops – but what about Seymour and Peters?Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...2 weeks ago
- Another ‘Stolen Generation’ enabled by court ruling on Waitangi Tribunal summonsTonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Budget blunder shows Nicola Willis could cut recovery fundingIt appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...2 weeks ago
- Further environmental mismanagement on the cardsThe Government’s resource management reforms will add to the heavy and ever-growing burden this Government is loading on to our environment. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: RMA changes will be a disaster for environmentThe Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management systemLabour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for New Zealand to recognise PalestineThe Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kindThe Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...2 weeks ago
- Three strikes has failed before and will fail againResurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Ferris – Three Strikes targets those ‘too brown to be white’The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt cuts doctors and nurses in hiring freezeCuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...3 weeks ago
- Fast-track submissions period must be extendedThe Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Progress on climate will be undone by GovtNew Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...3 weeks ago
- NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...10 hours ago - Therapeutic Products Act to be repealedThe Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...13 hours ago
- Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District PlanThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...15 hours ago
- Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violenceRape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...15 hours ago
- Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs lessAssociate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...17 hours ago
- Report provides insights into marine recoveryNew research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...18 hours ago
- NZ to send political delegation to the PacificDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...18 hours ago
- Low gas production threatens energy securityThere has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...23 hours ago
- Defence industry talent, commitment recognisedDefence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...1 day ago
- Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for IndustryWelcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...1 day ago
- Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data SummitIt is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...1 day ago
- Ceasefire agreement needed now: PetersNew Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...2 days ago
- Daily school attendance data now availableA new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...2 days ago
- Ambassador to United States appointedForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...2 days ago
- New permit proposed for recreational gold miningThe Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...2 days ago
- NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiationsMinister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...2 days ago
- New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to signNew Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...2 days ago
- Next stop NASA for New Zealand studentsSix tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...2 days ago
- $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crimeNew Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...2 days ago
- OECD reinforces need to control spendingThe OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...3 days ago
- Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for AucklandThe Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...4 days ago
- Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with GermanyForeign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...5 days ago
- Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of PlentyThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...6 days ago
- Speech to New Zealand China CouncilThank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...6 days ago
- Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi householdsThe Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...6 days ago
- Government recommits to equal payThe coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...7 days ago
- Transforming how our children learn to readStructured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...7 days ago
- NZ not backing down in Canada dairy disputeTrade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...7 days ago
- Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable childrenThe rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...7 days ago
- Streamlining Building Consent ChangesThe Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...7 days ago
- Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...1 week ago
- Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...1 week ago
- Accelerating airport security linesFrom today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...1 week ago
- Community hui to talk about kina barrensPeople with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...1 week ago
- Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into forceKiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...1 week ago
- Mining resurgence a welcome signThere are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...1 week ago
- Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first readingThe return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...1 week ago
- Government to boost public EV charging networkEnergy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...1 week ago
- Residential Property Managers Bill to not progressThe coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...1 week ago
- Independent review into disability support servicesThe Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...1 week ago
- Gas is good until 2050 and beyond, under Albanese gas strategy
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is talking up the crucial role of gas as a transition fuel “through to 2050 and beyond”. In a gas strategy to be released on Thursday, the government envisages the fuel’s ...2 hours ago - Politics with Michelle Grattan: James Paterson on prospects for passage of the government’s deport...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...8 hours ago
- NZCTU Launch Project To Set Out Alternative Vision For Aotearoa
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...10 hours ago - Yes, Australia’s big supermarkets have been price gouging. But fixing the problem won’t be easySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...10 hours ago
- The government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its deportation bill. Given the findings, it’s easy...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...10 hours ago
- Senate report on lobbying passes the buck on improving transparency or legislationSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...10 hours ago
- Ngāti Toa rallies against Fast Track Approvals Bill
Iwi would not allow the government to degrade its whenua, moana or awa for the purpose of urban development, ministers were told. ...11 hours ago - Free school lunches: Labour MP apologises over 'offensive' Hamas tweet to SeymourDuncan Webb had queried if the ACT leader did not like hummus because it is too close to Hamas. ...11 hours ago
- Australia’s Eurovision entry this year is the first to sing in First Nations language: meet Electr...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...12 hours ago
- Labour claims win as govt commits to new free school lunches modelThe Labour Party is claiming a win for its campaign that the government commit to keeping and funding free school lunches. ...12 hours ago
- A definitive list of woke and non-woke foods
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...13 hours ago - Future of the planet more important than the Greens survival, former co-leader James Shaw saysFormer Green Party co-leader James Shaw calls out tribalism and hyper-partisanship - including in his own party. ...13 hours ago
- Fourth urgent inquiry by the Waitangi Tribunal, this time on Māori wardsThe Tribunal is conducting another urgent inquiry into plans to require councils to hold a binding referendum on Māori wards. ...13 hours ago
- NCSC Briefs IPAC Representatives On Response To Malicious Cyber ActivityThe Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...13 hours ago
- How is China being taught at Australian universities? And why does this matter? Here’s what our re...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...13 hours ago
- Saving the Mary River turtle: how the people of Tiaro rallied behind an iconic speciesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...13 hours ago
- Why are algorithms called algorithms? A brief history of the Persian polymath you’ve likely never ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...14 hours ago
- Neuroaffirming care values the strengths and differences of autistic people, those with ADHD or othe...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...14 hours ago
- ‘Reckless’ kina devaluation spells disaster for PNG, says NomanePNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...14 hours ago
- Modernising Census – Stats NZFrom today, members of the public can have their say on what Aotearoa New Zealand’s census could look like in the future. ...14 hours ago
- ‘I do love a good funnysad novel’: Jane Arthur on her favourite booksWelcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books. The book I wish I’d written I have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...14 hours ago
- RMA Minister rejects Wellington council's bid to remove heritage protections from buildingsCouncil did not provide sufficient evidence to support its reasons for removing the 10 buildings from the Heritage schedule, Chris Bishop says. ...14 hours ago
- War for Wellington: Minister approves sweeping upzoning, rejects heritage changesThe final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington. Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses ...15 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards Analysis – Following the political moneyAnalysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz) Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...15 hours ago
- Free school lunches: Year 7 students and above to shift to alternative modelA new interim delivery model will kick in next year to allow time for a full redesign of the scheme before any more money is dedicated. ...16 hours ago
- Rafah ‘last place of safety’ in Gaza, UN aid boss warnsRNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...16 hours ago
- Foreign Affairs minister to lead Pacific delegationThe Foreign Affairs minister is heading on a five-stop Pacific tour, which he says will strengthen New Zealand's engagement in the region. ...16 hours ago
- Why we’re fighting to save Te Huia, the Hamilton-Auckland trainWith funding set to be scrapped for the Hamilton-Auckland commuter train, Te Huia enthusiast Georgie Dansey argues for it to be thrown a lifeline. It’s 5.45am and the chain of my crappy old bike falls off slugging up the one hill in Hamilton. I contemplate yeeting the bike into the ...16 hours ago
- Greens Call On Government To Keep Same-day Election Enrolment And VotingOn Radio New Zealand this morning, the Justice Minister stated the Government was considering ending election day enrolments. ...16 hours ago
- Many people are feeling ecological grief. How can we help those whose work puts them at risk?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Cooke, Honorary Fellow, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland We feel ecological grief when we lose places, species or ecosystems we value and love. These losses are a growing threat to mental health and wellbeing globally. We all see ...16 hours ago
- Revitalizing Toronto’s downtown core after COVID-19 greatly benefits the city and the regionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shauna Brail, Associate Professor, Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto A shift to hybrid and remote work continues to affect worker presence in Toronto’s downtown. (Shutterstock) Downtown Toronto, the core of Canada’s largest city, continues to reel from the lingering ...16 hours ago
- Government quiet on costs, building plan for Waikato prison expansionThe extra beds would take longer than the four-years covered in this week's budget announcement to deliver, the Corrections Minister told RNZ. ...17 hours ago
- Chief Electoral Officer Needs To Fall On His SwordResponding to an Auditor-General's report slamming failures in the administration of the 2023 General Election, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ...17 hours ago
- How many productivity apps do I have to use to become more productive?Productivity apps now make up a big chunk of the software market. But do they work? And why do they all have AI integrations? Despite being firmly on the record as a physical planner fan, I sometimes dream of something better than my pretty diary and its scrawled, ugly, interior ...18 hours ago
- Government considers removing election day voter enrolmentJustice Minister Paul Goldsmith says very few countries allow it, and New Zealand should consider changing the rules. ...18 hours ago
- Beehive Need To Lead By ExampleThe Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...18 hours ago
- The Spinoff Power List: 50 New Zealanders you need to knowAn objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...19 hours ago
- First Nations imprisonment is already at a record high. Unless government policy changes, it will on...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock This article contains information on deaths in custody and the names of deceased people, and describes ongoing colonial violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. First Nations people in Australia ...19 hours ago
- Martha isn’t Baby Reindeer’s biggest villain. So why is she painted as such?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University Netflix Baby Reindeer’s phenomenal success has much to do with its writer and lead, Richard Gadd, who plays Donny in a tender semi-autobiographical account of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking. Gadd’s story has ...19 hours ago
- Yes, adults can develop food allergies. Here are 4 types you need to know aboutSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle KarolinaGrabowska/Pexels If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much ...20 hours ago
- An outsider on the inside: how Ans Westra created New Zealand’s ‘national photo album’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Ans Westra, self-portrait, c. 1963. National Library ref AWM-0705-F They try but invariably fail – those writers who believe they are capable of encapsulating in prose or verse the essence of ...20 hours ago
- How the lessons from Covid-19 could help us prepare for bird fluStewart Sowman-Lund looks at the growing concern around the world in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. What’s all this? When Covid-19 arrived on our shores in early 2020, some argued we were too slow, or crucially, ill-prepared for a pandemic. So ...21 hours ago
- As climate change amplifies urban flooding, here’s how communities can become ‘sponge cities’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Franco Montalto, Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and Director, Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University Water runs into a storm drain in a Los Angeles alley on Aug. 19, 2023, during Tropical Storm Hilary. Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images ...21 hours ago
- Genesis Energy to fire up coal imports, citing increased demand, dwindling gas supplyGenesis Energy is to resume importing coal, as reduced gas supplies and increased demand add to the problems of keeping the lights on. ...21 hours ago
- The Boy in the Water: ‘Someone was struggling at a fence’
The inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones has turned up a new witness who says he saw two teenagers and a small child in a high vis vest in the area where the boy’s body was found the day he died. Lachie’s body was discovered face up ...22 hours ago - Te Pāti Māori comments: 'That kind of language isn't helpful'Political parties have roundly criticised Te Pāti Māori for using words like 'extermination' and 'white supremacy' in the House. ...23 hours ago
- Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey sought advice on ‘social impact bonds’ to fund servicesMinisters have sought advice on 'social impact bonds', which offer a potential return on private investment in public services. ...23 hours ago
- Managed retreat: How do we get out of the way of climate change?"Ad hoc" house buyouts after major disasters cannot continue, the Climate Change Minister says. ...23 hours ago
- Rules for property managers are scrapped. But what’s the worst that could happen?Stories from the tenancy trenches, featuring spider infestations, cupboard rats and same-sex discrimination. Lucy’s brother was living in a damp 1930s building in Mt Eden where “he had to tie the cupboard doors closed so the rats didn’t get in”. Although he shared custody of his six-year-old son, his property ...23 hours ago
- Explainer: What’s the deal with Auckland’s new water deal?Simeon Brown, Chris Luxon, and Wayne Brown climbed into a hole and announced a plan to solve Auckland’s water woes. This is how it’ll work. New Zealand’s pipes are munted. They’re cracked and leaking, and struggling to handle all the extra poos excreted by our rising population. It’s a big, ...23 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Wednesday 8 MayThe post Daily crossword, Wednesday 8 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago
- Persistent Green Party scandals delay caucus resetAfter replacing a fifth of their caucus in just four months, the Greens’ opportunity to reset, reshuffle and refocus on the Government is quickly slipping away The post Persistent Green Party scandals delay caucus reset appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago
- Coutts’ call prompts urgent board meeting over SailGPDespite Sir Russell Coutts vowing SailGP wouldn’t return to Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour, negotiations over 2025 are ongoing The post Coutts’ call prompts urgent board meeting over SailGP appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago
- Meet the man behind the Government’s education policyThe parallels between the Government’s education policy and those put forward by researcher Michael Johnston, is raising questions The post Meet the man behind the Government’s education policy appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago
- ‘We didn’t behave very well in NZ’, says Wakefield heirI knew Taika Waititi quite well when he was a kid. His mother lived in a tall narrow house in Aro St, and my youngest sister had a similar house two doors along. They were both single mums, they each had a son aged seven. Taika and my nephew Stepan ...23 hours ago
- Govt risks another Havelock North by undoing water protectionsOpinion: “As time passes, knowledge of the circumstances of the August 2016 outbreak will fade and its immediate impact will be lost.” This statement is from the 2017 report of the Official Inquiry into the Havelock North campylobacteriosis outbreak. The then National-led government established the inquiry after the outbreak left ...23 hours ago
- Where to next for the Aukus ruckus?Opinion: Nicholas Khoo looks at two key points in the high-stakes foreign policy pact debate – and asks if NZ can engage with as little drama as possible. The post Where to next for the Aukus ruckus? appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 8 MayLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 8 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago
- ‘Think fast and act slowly’ is failing big projectsOpinion: ‘Reference-class forecasting’ is at the heart of improving pricing a project and identifying the expected timeframe but it doesn’t appear to be in use here The post ‘Think fast and act slowly’ is failing big projects appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago
- A controversial driving exam – put to the testWhat do a sombrero in Argentina and cognitive driving tests have in common? Don’t worry, we’re not setting up a bad joke. Hinengaro Clinic dementia clinician Gregory Winkelman has the answer on today’s episode of The Detail. “We ask a patient’s spouse or son or daughter: If you went to ...23 hours ago
- A long road back to a very long jumpWellington long jumper Phoebe Edwards is back and she’s having fun again. Until this year, Edwards, a top athlete in her teens, had never competed as a senior athlete in New Zealand. In March, the 26-year-old won a national long jump title in a lifetime best of 6.28m after ...23 hours ago
- From Gallipoli to Gaza: remembering the Anzacs not as a ‘coming of age’ tale but as a lesson for...ANALYSIS: By Olli Hellmann, University of Waikato When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day today on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also to mark a defining event for national identity. The battle of Gallipoli against ...1 day ago
- NZ local council calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza as strikes hitBy Robin Martin, RNZ News reporter A New Zealand local authority, Whanganui District Council, has passed a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, condemnation of all acts of violence and terror against civilians on both sides of the conflict and the immediate return of hostages. It comes as ...1 day ago
- End this ‘cruel, barbaric use of force’ on Gaza – WILPF plea to NZAsia Pacific Report The Aotearoa chapter of the Women’s International league for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has appealed to the New Zealand government to call out Israel over the “cruel and barbaric use of force” in Gaza and demand a permanent ceasefire. The league’s open letter was sent to Prime ...1 day ago
- Albanese government to invest $566 million for ‘generational’ mapping to promote resource explor...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government will invest $566 million over a decade on data, maps and other tools to promote exploration and development in Australia’s resources industry. The project will fund “the first comprehensive map of what’s ...1 day ago
- Prison spending: Waikeria to have capacity for nearly 2000 bedsThe government has clarified just how many beds the Waikato prison will get after a series of maths gaffes - 455, 600, 810 or 1865? ...1 day ago
- ‘Repair colonial violence’ and support Gaza ceasefire, say Otago academicsAsia Pacific Report Following an open letter by Auckland University academics speaking out in support of their students’ right to protest against the genocidal Israeli war on Gaza, a group of academics at Otago University have today also called on New Zealand academic institutions to “repair colonial violence” and end ...1 day ago
- Expelling students for bad behaviour seems like the obvious solution, but is it really a good idea?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda J. Graham, Professor and Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology Ryan Tauss/ Unsplash, CC BY Two male students have been expelled from a Melbourne private school for their involvement in a list ranking female students. ...1 day ago
- Green MP Julie Anne Genter responds after behaviour in the House, florist's accusations"I can do better," she says, acknowledging the need to work on her de-escalation strategy. ...1 day ago
- If the RBA’s right, interest rates may not fall for another year. Here’s why – and what it mea...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The Reserve Bank is now assuming Australians will see no interest rate cuts this year – and quite possibly none before the next federal election, due next May. That’s ...1 day ago
- ‘Eye watering’ spending, growing debt make up surprisingly generous Victorian state budgetSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University The Victorian budget offered more of the same on Tuesday, with the only change being how the budget papers were packaged. The usual shrink wrap was gone, hinting at savings in the pages ...1 day ago
- Budgeting service cuts: 'It's like watching a train derail'With some services facing closure after missing out on the latest government funding, there are for some of NZ's most vulnerable. ...1 day ago
- Coalition demands amendments to government’s deportation bill, as crucial High Court judgement set...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Coalition is demanding extensive amendments to the government’s legislation targeting non-citizens who refuse to co-operate with their removal. In a dissenting report to the senate inquiry into the legislation, the Coalition says it ...1 day ago
- MP's comments 'bang on' despite negative response from other parties – Te Pāti...Te Pāti Māori is standing by comments made by MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi which other parties have called inflammatory and offensive. ...1 day ago
- A story of trauma, hope and regaining control, Nayika: A Dancing Girl is soul-stirring dance theatreSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanita Yadav, Senior Research Fellow, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Brett Boardman/Belvoir The complex and grappling issue of violence against women takes centre stage in the soul-stirring solo dance drama Nayika: A Dancing Girl. During a dinner conversation ...1 day ago
Kiss all concern for life goodbye. Water now trading as a commodity.
This will bring violence and desperation like never before. Time to invest in crowd control armaments?
Time to eat the rich.
“Sellers are water districts with surplus supply, for example farmers and municipalities in other parts of the state.”
Very bad.
P.S. It’s not like the rich could send up weather satellites and rig the whole game. Right?
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/07/investing/water-futures-trading/index.html
"Water now trading as a commodity."
Now??? It has been for a long long time. The only surprising thing about a futures market starting up is that it didn't happen a long long time ago.
When it comes to California and other western states, as far as I'm concerned a massive price increase in water would actually be a good thing. It might get them to be a bit more careful in how much they use.
Twenty years ago on return to NZ, I was shocked at how high Auckland's water prices were compared to San Diego's. But I should have been shocked in retrospect at how low San Diego's price was. Considering a lot of San Diego's water comes from the Colorado River, around 500km and a mountain range away.
This piece takes a look at how much water cost is embodied in food from California:
https://news.berkeley.edu/berkeley_blog/the-cost-of-irrigation-water-and-urban-farming/
More about how much water goes into food:
https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/01/almonds-nuts-crazy-stats-charts/
https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/02/wheres-californias-water-going/
Err, you're assuming to educate me on water use? That's rich.
As prices rise (that which you think is a good thing) guess who gets to have water, and who does not?
This is ridiculous. What they need is a future, not a fucking futures market.
In your case, the knowledge deficit appears to be in the area of water law, water economics, and the engineering of water supply in western US states.
For a lot of other readers though, an occasional reminder of how much water actually goes into food supply might be useful. Particularly when that food supply comes from places where adequate water doesn't just fall from the sky. For instance, the 150g bag of almonds I just bought represents as much water as I use in my house in three weeks.
So when prices rise in western states, the first things to go will be the low value crops with disproportionately high water demand. Cotton. Alfalfa to be shipped to Saudi Arabia. Rice. Other water users producing higher value crops will adopt ways of using less water.
Cities will also adapt to lower water use, through means such as discouraging lawns and swimming pools by regulation and and progressive pricing structures and reusing treated sewage water for applications that don't require drinking water. That's already happening, for instance in San Diego the first 11 cubic metres per month costs about $1.90/cu m, over 50 cubic metres per month the charge is $4.22/cu m. But realistically, personal water use is pretty small compared to the vast amounts agriculture consumes.
Of course, how stupid of me, the market will fix everything.
What's gonna happen when investors buy water and hold onto it till it's scarce? Fair play?
I saw a company in US yesterday selling what was basically a roof mounted solar powered dehumidifier that pulled in only a few litres per day – for drinking water. The cost was up around 4K per unit. The interesting bit was what drove them to make it. Many Americans do not have safe, or secure, drinking water.
Agriculture/hort has very high use, but also very high land area for water collection. But do we see them making simple earthworks to retain water? Do we see in areas of low rainfall crops suited to the area?
Business is solving nothing till impending (financial) doom forces their hand. Impending planetary doom not a concern.
You buy almonds? Boo. Grow some macadamias. They’re free and require no maintenance.
Investors and speculators have a long history in water supply issues. Owens Valley in California provides just one example of the sordid dealings that have gone on. But just a quick google turns up plenty of info that suggests they aren't currently considered much of a problem, and may even be stabilisers.
eg, looking at the Murray-Darling system in Australia: https://theconversation.com/investors-and-speculators-arent-disrupting-the-water-markets-69492
Outta curiosity, what kind of water allocation and distribution would you set up, and how would it be paid for, if you were handed the magic wand?
The problem of lack of access to safe drinking water for personal use is much more an infrastructure cost issue. Because personal water needs are so tiny, compared to agricultural use. That's where spending 4K for a system to pull water from the air (a link for that assertion would be useful BTW) can make more sense than paying tens of thousands to get a pipe laid to your house. It's possible that was also in a state where collecting rainwater from your roof was illegal, because someone else has been allocated rights to that water.
What would I do. I've neither the time or inclination to write that book here and now.
I'd make landowners collect and store water in the ground.
I'd demolish any nonsense e.g. rainwater belongs to someone else. Then I'd encourage home collection including sections.
I'd have street and impervious surfaces of water running into land storage with only overflow making it into waterways.
I'd establish rules around what can/cannot grow in specific rain zones.
I'd have a whip and take to these money grubbing charlatans.
…and nationalise NZ's electricity industry…
every new build has to have water collection.
The govt has relaxed the rules on how much water you are allowed to store on your property .
But it has to meet the building code plus the water would have to be filtered and your collection system kept clean for potable water.
With the amount of pollution in built up areas it would be expensive for individuals to keep a clean safe water supply.
Dust would be a much bigger problem than you would expect I have worked in the building industry for most of my life and as the number of cars trucks etc have increased over the years the amount of dust ending up on roofs and in spoutings is unbelieveable the closer you get to high traffic areas the bigger the dust build up so much so that spoutings need cleaning every year just to work properly.
Fair points. At the least, any property that has plants on it needs its own water catchment system. We're going to need urban farms as well as home gardens.
There will be solutions to the dust issue: plant more trees and wind brakes. We should be transitioning to less traffic anyway.
That's all very nice. It might even have some effect on groundwater levels in built-up areas and improve water quality in the waterways draining those built-up areas. I can't see how that results in secure supply for industrial users, let alone agricultural. Nor do I see any proposed mechanism for paying for it or pricing supply to industrial and agriculture.
Do that in California, and the Central Valley and Imperial Valley will revert back to the dusty near-deserts they were before the massive importation of water from elsewhere (mostly the Colorado River), instead of being the massively productive area it is now. Because there simply isn’t enough water supply falling from the sky and running off the surrounding hills to sustain water-needy agriculture there.
edit
Andre @11.55am
A NZr Wendy Campbell Purdie got fired up by St Barbe Baker (who lived in NZ later to his death in 1982). She ended up planting many trees which enabled crops to grow with protection from the hard sun.
She wrote: “Trees I planted in Tiznit, Morocco, in January and December 1960 are now twice as tall as a man. One of the thousand trees I planted near Bou Saada in March 1964 is now taller than the large Conservator of Forests in Algeria. He was startled.” https://internationaltreefoundation.org/women-heart-men-trees/
And I think that the system she used was to space the trees so they formed a canopy giving an umbrella overstory and then crops were planted in rows underneath in the understory, and evaporation and sun scald was limited.
And there is much work that has been done to recover from desertification and alleviate drought which seems to have largely been ignored by developed nations like the USA who allow business to decimate the land if its cheaper than following the right practices for agriculture.
Such as (from a report from Food and Agriculture Organisation in their work against desertification and in facilitating food growing #84, 1967. – http://www.fao.org/3/55408e/55408e0a.htm)
Denmark. – The countryside of Middle Jutland has been completely changed over the last century: large stretches of heathland have disappeared. Protective shelterbelts divide the land into squares, and there are small and large plantations everywhere. Average production on sandy fields in Jutland is now on a level with production in the rest of the country.
Experience has shown that, depending on the density, protective and forest plantations reduce by 20 to 40 percent the force of the wind which blows eastward across Jutland.
The right kind of protection around a field reduces, for example, evaporation: 1 mm less evaporation means that about 32 million cubic meters more water is available for the crops. (HAR SKODSHØJ).
@greywarshark – if you've got the answers on how to make that land productive without a shitload of imported water, then there's a fuckload of money to be made doing it.
Without access to imported water, you can buy land there for under a thousand bucks an acre. $1500 an acre if you want a natural streambed running through the middle of it. But if it's got access to imported water, the land is worth ten times as much.
https://www.landsofamerica.com/Imperial-County-CA/all-land/
You are so ecologically illiterate engaging any further is a waste of my time. Also an opportunity for you to talk more nonsense which we'd be better off without.
Storing groundwater will revert ecosystems to dusty near deserts? FFS.
You do not see the things you wish to see because I can't be fucked with your nonsense.
Dunno Bleeple, it is kind of useful to see the thinking laid bare. Money is the premier driver, and the degree of ecological illiteracy is probably not even recognised. Which tbf is pretty much why we're in the situation we're in.
Andre @ 1.41pm I was not talking about real estate values in the deserts in California that have flourished with imported water. It is taken for granted that cannot carry on.
I was saying that all is not lost for growing something there. It may be a different crop grown in a different way. But one thing is certain, that the previous profitability has gone. Are you a USA born person? You seem obsessed with the politics there and more interested in the goings on there than ours.
@ greywarshark The thread starter was about water markets in California. The differential in real estate value depending on access to water is an integral part of the whole water system in western US.
Yes, I was born in the US, spent about a third of my adult life working there, and still have extended family there. Some of whom are involved in farming in western states. Also, one of my rellies made his living for a while in western water law, and is now practicing at the intersection of water law and engineering.
So western US farming and water supply and US politics are all topics on which I do have some insight beyond just keyboard warrioring from a remote small island in the middle of a big ocean.
Allocating rain water that falls on someone else's is peak insanity and comes from the capitalist mindset that refuses to work with nature but instead treats it as a resource and/or commodity.
Bleeple pointed to the solution above: transition to ag that intentionally holds water in the soil. This is the basis of regenerative agricultures.
Also peak insanity: growing milk in dry climates like Otago and Canterbury via water extraction from the water table or rivers, shipping that milk to a factory and using coal to burn off all the water, then shipping the powder overseas, all to make money. We're also a net exporter of soil fertility that will take time to reinstate once we are forced into regenag.
Making Fonterra or farmers pay for the right to farm so destructively is what society does when it can't regulate itself. Letting people make water an item of the financial sector's greed frenzy doubles down on all the issues and makes things like conservation, just transition, regeneration so much harder.
I don't think NZ has a better example of the failure of capitalism and democracy than that, and later generations will look at us with bafflement and anger.
That's interesting Andre, but you do realise that nothing in that negates what Bleeple said?
Your points are useful for the vegan zealots who think we can substitute NZ beef and lamb for imported almond milk and soy.
@weka..
as opposed to those flesh–addictcd 'zealots'..
who don't give a fuck about the cruelties/environmental damage caused by their addictions to flesh/fat..
and who claim to be 'green'..?
pausing only to wipe the animal fat from their lips ..?
'cos that really is the mark of the 'zealot '…isn't it..?
not caring a jot about the harms done.
in the following of their 'beliefs'..
how in this day and age…at this crossroads..they just don't care…
the force of their addiction denies/flys in the face of green-logic..
"as opposed to those flesh–addictcd 'zealots'.."
No, as opposed to local food people who say that it's not what we eat that matters but how it is produced. That includes but isn't limited to animal welfare.
By all means make an ethical argument for eating almonds imported from California over mutton from the farmer down the road, I'm all ears. You can save yourself the trouble if it's just killing animals is always wrong/eating plants is always right.
you really just don't care about the suffering of the animals..?
have you ever been to an abbattoir…and seen what is done in your name..?
Love eating well-done chicken (and Xmas turkey), pork (hmm, bacon), lamb (shanks for the memories) and (what's the) beef, moreso now I've cut down, but "vegan zealots" seems tad pejorative. Live and let live I reckon, unless you're a production animal of course.
It’s amusing to see push back against promoting a lifestyle choice such as veganism (and to a lesser extent vegetarianism) – after all it's not compulsory, although Thunberg apparently 'persuaded' her father into it.
Fwiw, eating plants is always right – I eat fewer veges than is healthy, but it's tough, you know. Wonder if almond trees would crop OK in NZ.
You know I wasn't talking about vegans but the vegans who are zealots, right? The ones who do want everyone to be vegan even if it means ecocidal almond orchards or monsantoed soy fields.
many of them around..?
I have been vegan for quite a long time..and I have met many other vegans..
not once have I heard advocacy for 'monsanto soy'..
nor for 'ecocidal almond orchards'…
know a lot of vegans do you..?
what percentage of all these vegans you know..pimp for 'ecocidal almond orchards'..?
in fact have you ever heard a vegan do that. .?
or is this just a chimera you have whipped up in yr head…?
(it sure walks and barks like it is..)
to in some way excuse your constant slighting of vegans..?
did you get a bad lentil-burger one time..?
and have found it hard to forgive/forget..?
what to explain your virulence..
toward those who are only trying to end the suffering of animals..and to help save the environment..?
and you sit there chewing flesh..and hurling abuse..
why does that mess with you so much…
it takes over 6,000 litres of water to make one litre of almond milk….
it is the most ungreen drink you can buy..
Thanks Weka – no, I didn't know that you weren't talking about all vegans, but rather only about vegans who are zealots and "who do want everyone to be to be vegan even if it means ecocidal almond orchards or monsantoed soy fields."
I thought you'd made your opinion of those who, for whatever reason, promote the benefits of a vegan diet quite clear. To me, it even comes across in the above quote, but maybe I'm guilty of a little too much reading between the lines
Or maybe projecting? Why would you assume that 'vegan zealots' = all vegans?
I'm good with people making personal choices to be vegan where that doesn't impact on others. I was vegetarian for a long time, so I appreciate the ethical positioning. There is however a big difference between individual choice and a movement that is actively working against actions needed to get us out of the massive climate and ecological crisis. And the zealots who support that.
"Projecting" – meaning I might subconsciously consider (all) vegans to be zealots? It's possible – certainly wouldn't 'convert' voluntarily.
I don't consciously consider (the growth of) NZ veganism a threat, nor share your opinion that the 'vegan movement' "is actively working against actions needed to get us out of the massive climate and ecological crisis". And, if you're right, there's still a good chance there are even greater threats to a sustainable future for humanity than vegan zealots.
I've yet to meat one of these rare beasts – they'd tell me, right?
https://treecrops.org.nz/crops/nut/almond/almond-factsheet/
Thanks solkta (and Stuart), I see from the link that one variety, ‘Fabrin’, is suitable for dry climates only; explains “ex Manawatu”
There is so much more that we could grow here with all the micro-climates and soil types we have. So much wasted on cows.
Macadamia nuts are back in season at the Whangarei Growers Market and will be my Saturday breakfast while they are (way yummier than almonds).
Hazelnuts and walnuts are the nuts of choice further south. Recently harvested hazelnuts are another world compared to the long stored ones we usually can buy.
I have a friend in the Waikato who grows walnuts semi-commercially. He used to give me a whole big box full each year when i lived there, mmmm. Can get them also at the market here which i do sometimes as well as the macadamia.
Agree that all nuts are heaps better when not stored too long.
They grow like weeds around Nelson/Marlborough.
My nursery is swelling with sweet chestnut seedlings, as the nuts I collected and planted in autumn grow and show themselves in their beds for me to transfer them to pots and grow-on. I'd like to see them planted extensively throughout the region/rohe, along with hazels, similarly grown (it's too, too easy!). Imagine a "thin-forest" of nut-trees across Southland/Otago/Canterbury etc…
I'm encouraging gevuina as well; I've just 10 or so, but learning…
Did WTB make any points beyond expressing generalised horror at the idea of markets for water? It sure didn't look like it to me.
If vegans want to argue against irrigating unsuitable areas for beef and dairy, where that irrigation lowers water tables and dries up watercourses, and the cows fill what's left full of nitrates and fecal lurgies, I'll be right with them. But over most of New Zealand, enough water falls from the sky to allow reasonable stocking rates with minimal additional water. If vegans want to argue against overstocking because of the resulting environmental damage, I'll be right with them on that, too.
If people want almond milk, that's totally fine with me. Whatever their motivations may be. But if almond growers has to pay a reasonable price for water, the price of almond milk would go waaay up.
When it comes to soy, well, yes, vegans do in fact have a good argument that much less land and other inputs would be needed to feed humans if humans ate the soy directly instead of wasting most of the nutrients in the soy by converting most of it to cow shit and cow piss and just a tiny bit of cow meat. IIRC, only about 1/20th of the inputs would be needed if humans ate the soy directly, instead of eating it in the form of dead cow. For me personally, though, the taste and texture etc of soy products are just so wrong that it's too high a price to pay.
Oh do shut up don't speak about what I have to say if you're too stupid to follow it.
You need to show that you actually have something useful to add to the topic of discussion. Otherwise you're just an example of the Dunning-Kruger effect.
[lprent: should we find you two a room to work it out in? Pretty boring listening. ]
Do you not understand I am utterly bored trying to inform a fool with his fingers in his ears.
I'm also not here to trot out information at your request.
Nobody has answers that satisfy anything you disagree with, ever. You just take part of a sentence and run up many paragraphs of nonsense then demand answers to your garbage.
[lprent: should we find you two a room to work it out in? Pretty boring listening. ]
Mmmmmmmm, how to win friends and influence people, not. The fact that we may not all share your views or even your particular knowledge base makes us all the more interesting I would have thought and doesn't deserve a 'shut-up' or telling someone they are 'stupid'.
Actually Shanreagh Bleeple is flat out getting information, developing ideas etc to ameliorate climate change. He is fully extended studying, thinking, worrying and can get annoyed when people miss the urgency of the matter, and we as a country and elsewhere, are so slow to get started on new methods and argue instead. If we don't share his views then we probably don't understand what is actually going on.
So getting a bit tetchy goes with the situation and it would be good if you don't start taking people to task because you don't 'share their views' or approach. We are into more than interesting, idle discussion here, we are trying to gather information and get a handle on what we can do to survive in the world. As adults here most recognise the serious commenters and we need to be a bit tolerant when tempers flare. remembering that thoughtful people are under a lot of stress.
The most learned and thoughtful people in the world are the ones who are able to multi-task ie express their views plus not getting snarly at others…On here it is just a matter of proof reading and we all do that don't we?
I understand perfectly what is going on. I don't need it coated with a heap of grumpy to understand it better. No exceptions are needed for the so-called ‘serious commentators’ as that is all of us isn't it?
To go much further down your track is close to the old 'ends justify the means trick'…..you are allowing an exception because you agree with the subject matter.
I sense a bit of head patting here and that is definitely not needed.
Andre a fault in your economics of water the flat playing field why do residents pay more than farmers.
Look at what's happened in our electricity market prices just keep going up to where they are unaffordable for most.
Domestic water costs much much more than agricultural water because of the cost to treat it to make it safe and taste ok, and the massive cost of piping it to every house.
Similarly, for domestic electricity, the cost of the wiring to get it to every house is a large component of the electricity price. Between Transpower and local lines charges, getting it to the house is a bigger component of the bill than the actual electricity. Similarly, domestic customers get rorted for huge marketing and administrative costs for all the different retailers.
Andre your almonds or almond milk will be highly tainted by glyphosate.
Then the bees needed to pollinate the almonds are dying out because of widespread use of glysophate.
So your almonds could be a very expensive luxury given the rapid increase in temperature in the growing areas in the US.
The free market needs Welfare every 10 years to survive .
So anyone who pushes this free market theory cause that's all it is, Is making shit up no where in this world does the free market exist it's a myth pushed by the wealthy to keep the poor poorer .
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-safety-home/safe-levels-of-chemicals-in-food/fertilisers-pesticides-hormones-and-medicines-in-food/glyphosate-in-food/
Well now, glyphosate is waaaay down the list of concerns in almonds. Even for those that have bought into the false demonising of glyphosate.
Personally, I'd be more worried about my almonds coming from a batch that for some reason had regressed to a natural high amygdalin content that has been genetically modified out of the ancestors to almonds. (My concern level about that is indistinguishable from zero).
Neonicotinoid insecticides on the other hand …
Just outta curiosity, if you've got a problem with a market model for water allocation in areas where it's a scarce resource, what kind of allocation and cost recovery model would you impose if you were handed a magic wand?
Andre they use glyphosate to keep the grass and weeds down between the almond trees.there are only a small number of organic growers.
…those that have bought into the false demonising of glyphosate.
Right.
Like these numpties…https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal-articles/carcinogenicity-ofa-glyphosate-why-isa-newa-zealand-sa-epaa-losta-in-the-weeds
But hey, if it floats your boat to stand with the poisoners.
If you're a worker spending all day every day exposed to it, then you should probably be concerned enough to take some rudimentary precautions to reduce exposure. At massive levels of exposure, there aren't many substances that aren't likely to cause harm of one kind or another.
In terms or what the risk really is, a few studies suggest workers at the highest levels of exposure may have a slightly increased risk of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. (Other credible studies find no increased risk). Like maybe 30% increased risk of a rare-ish cancer, non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Reminder, these are workers with the highest exposure, they're the ones spending all day mixing and spraying it. But realistically, the absolute numbers of people involved in the studies are so low that there remains a high chance the claimed elevated risk (reminder, it's only the small number of workers with the highest exposure level that show any elevated risk) is just noise rather than true signal.
If the risk is so low for workers with the highest levels of exposure to the stuff, what does that mean for the rest of us whose exposure is many orders of magnitude less? It means that while it may indeed be unwise to take a weekly swig from the bottle of Roundup in the garage, but if you can refrain from that, there really isn't anything to be concerned about.
Something that amuses me (in a black humour way) about the glyphosate demonisation is that most growers that feel pressured to not use it then go on to substitute something else. Often that something else is something that has much more significant questions against its use, such as dicamba. But for the growers, the pressure is off until the whatever else they've changed to catches the attention of the loony brigade.
Assessing the effects of glyphosate on animals must be quite tricky, don't you think – so many potential effects to consider.
Best to keep an open mind, and I wonder about the utility of the "loony brigade" label – after all, while our collective knowledge is increasing in leaps and bounds, it's evident that behavioural and ‘institutional’ quirks can delay optimal responses to some new knowledge.
Not to mention that 'unknowns' will always outnumber 'knowns'.
It may this, it may that … Arguing like that is just making up one's mind that they don't like something and are making up all kinds of shit that may be true, but don't really care whether or not it is true as long as the fear and doubt created is enough to create opposition to whatever it is they don't like.
Meanwhile, many large studies have been done which have found zero evidence that glyphosate causes harm in the vast majority of people exposed to it, with a very weak possibility of slightly increased risk of a rare harm in the very small portion of the population with extremely high exposure to it.
I'd call that very good reason to continue using it until something else comes along that has received equal scrutiny and been found to have a better effectiveness/risk profile. That's going to be tough because the actual demonstrated risk of glyphosate is somewhere between very very very low and zero.
Right now, the specious fear,uncertainty, doubt whipped up by the loony glyphosate antis have the effect of increasing the use of alternatives that are much higher risk of harm. That's just dumb.
From the study abstract:
"A conservative estimate from our results shows that 54% of species in the core human gut microbiome are sensitive to glyphosate"
The results are interesting in that some gut species are resistant (to glyphosate), while others are sensitive – imbalances in the gut microbiome will very likely result. Evolution baby, happens fast for microbes, way slower for humans.
Science uses terms like may, could, likely… until further evidence is at hand. Conclusions should not be grabbed at, nor should possibilities be ignored.
The human gut microbiome has a profound effect on human development, health and disease outcomes.
But we could always pretend everything's fine because glyphosate is very useful and convenient. Should it turn out to be altering the evolution of the human gut, no biggie right?
Thanks Andre; the use of glyphosate has many benefits.
When planning, conducting and analysing the results of scientific research, really does pay to keep an open mind, IMHO and experience. I hope that doesn’t make me a ‘loony‘, or ‘dumb‘ in your eyes, but even if it does it’s too late for me to change now. Maybe too late for us both.
In this case, plenty of studies of actual humans exposed to the substance of interest have been done from which a reasonable conclusion can be drawn.
That reasonable conclusion is that for the vast majority of exposure scenarios, there is zero evidence of harm. For the worst exposure case, there might be a tiny blip of risk, or the numbers are so small that's it's also fairly likely to be a statistical artefact from how widely the net was cast.
A reasonable open mind is also capable of accepting when enough has been investigated to come to a conclusion that there really is nothing there. Until new good evidence of a different conclusion becomes available.
Glyphosate is certainly in the category of enough investigations have been done to conclude it is safe, with maybe a tiny question mark against highest exposure workers. In any reasonable world, the burden of proof would now shift to those asserting (currently without evidence) that it is harmful to those exposed to tiny residual amounts.
There’s a vast body of historical scientific research on the safety of glyphosate in animals, including research that was conducted carefully by scientists with no conflicts of interest. All research has limitations – IMHO it's prudent to remain open-minded about potential and/or as yet poorly recognised side effects of such a large-scale (global) experiment. Such concerns may prove to be unfounded, but that previous quote sums things up (for me), and we can agree to disagree.
DDT was highly effective in keeping the mosquito vector of malaria in check, and that wasn’t its only use. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDT
DDT was originally used and tested for spraying on surfaces as a contact poison, and it's highly effective and low risk used that way.
Had it stayed within that method of application and use, it would likely never have developed the bad name it now has. The problems came about when they started spraying enormous quantities of it indiscriminately outdoors more or less anywhere a flying insect might be, before any investigations had been done of what its effects in the wider ecosystem might be.
When the problems became obvious, it was banned. At the cost of enormous human suffering from malaria that could have been reduced had it been reverted to its original use on indoor surfaces.
But DDT is now making a bit of a comeback, strictly limited to application to indoor surfaces. Which is a good thing. It will alleviate a lot of suffering from malaria, at least until the local mosquito populations develop resistance.
Dunno why the problems from spraying massive amounts of DDT into the environment without prior testing is relevant to glyphosate. They are totally different situations. Glyphosate has been extensively studied across humans and many other lifeforms, and negligible harm has been detected, except to the targeted pest plants and nearby plants that cop unintended overspray.
@Andre
…plenty of studies of actual humans exposed to the substance of interest have been done
"Plenty", and yet you cite absolutely none.
Funny that.
@Rosemary the conversation with DMK was philosophical in nature around the relationship of results from studies and the acceptance (or not) of vague hypothetical undemonstrated risks from those substances after tests have been done.
But if you want links, here's just the first one that popped up from my search:
Note that the "some evidence" was for a different kind of cancer than the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cited elsewhere. The one-off appearance of weak evidence for different effects in different studies is a strong indication of statistical noise rather than real effects. That statistical noise should be expected when dredging large data sets, which is effectively what these studies are doing when looking for evidence of some previously unknown harm from a substance.
This piece from The Conversation has a good walk through the evidence, and what the different organisation statements really mean and how they should be interpreted.
https://theconversation.com/stop-worrying-and-trust-the-evidence-its-very-unlikely-roundup-causes-cancer-104554
Relevance? "Problems from spraying massive amounts of DDT into the environment" were recognised only after the event. 'We' are learning, but there's always room for improvement, if the spirit is willing.
Would you be oppsed to “Future long-term studies examining physiologically relevant doses in both healthy and genetically susceptible populations“?
No I wouldn't be opposed to doing more studies.
I'm just of the opinion that the evidence from the large number of studies already done on actual humans is sufficient to conclude the risk of harm is negligible (except maybe for the highest exposure workers).
So now, as far as I'm concerned, the burden of proof has clearly shifted to those that continue to baseless assert risk against the huge amount of evidence of negligible harm that has already been gathered. And that it's quite appropriate to continue using it in the meantime.
Note that glyphosate was first introduced in 1974, and has been very extensively used since the 90s. The complete lack of field evidence of harm so far is quite strong evidence for safety.
It's also a clear point of difference with DDT where the harms became evident from the field quite quickly, and were quickly and easily confirmed in lab studies.
Excellent! A brief, balanced and appropriately cautious editorial opinion (in JNCI) on the 2017 study you cited about a possible association between glyphosate exposure and (only) cancer. Worth a read.
Translation: We didn't find anything, but give us more money to keep looking because we think it's important. BTW doing this stuff is hard coz there's lots of factors, so we need more money to keep trying to figure it out.
Is that the best way to bolster your position? To be fair to the author, I doubt she's after more money, but maybe you know her circumstances better than I?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_M._Ward
Figuring and not figuring things out is what people, including scientists, do. Sometimes that takes money – go figure!
There's nothing in that piece that argues against my position. They didn't find anything suggesting harm from glyphosate. They included a lot of waffle about benzene (a well-known serious risk), for some reason that's not at all clear to me, but didn't attribute any harm to glyphosate. None.
It's just a collection of maybe this, maybe that … we need to keep looking to be sure.
Ward is an epidemiologist. The piece argues for more epidemiological studies. Studies need funding. If that funding comes through, it may create more employment for Ward and/or her colleagues.
A lot of my immediate family are and were academics. That funding treadmill is one of the many reasons I had zero interest in following them into academia.
edit: although in hindsight maybe I should have followed up my interest in Paul Callahan’s MRI machine a bit more, at Massey. That was a seriously interesting bit of kit, and the math to work out what it could tell us was really fascinating too.
Seemed to me that you were having a go at the author (Ward) for her money grubbing ways, but maybe I misread.
Ward is indeed an epidemiologist, with some expertise in the epidemiology of cancers – that's probably why she was considered an appropriate scientist to write an editorial on a primary research paper that might be expected to have real-world implications.
Presumably that particular expert on cancer epidemiology (Ward) believed it was relevant, but if the reason for the benzene ‘waffle‘ genuinely eludes you then there's really little point in further discussion. Over and out.
Sorry about the crap wording on my part.
I'm disgusted at how the "publish or perish" of decades ago seems to have morphed into something like "you're only as good as the overhead portion of your latest grant" and it came out as a personal dig at Ward.
As far as benzene goes, I really can't see a scientific purpose for including that waffle. Hell, even the American Petroleum Institute way back in 1948 said the only safe exposure level to benzene is zero. At a time when tetraethyllead was still the wonder additive.
So the only purpose I can see is to slip it in there is in support of a potential grant application as a "see, here's another substance where there were inconclusive results, so that's why we need to do more studies".
That tactic ignores the vast body of evidence of harm from benzene, which is obvious as soon as anyone looks into it. There's just no plausible equivalence about risks from benzene, and risks from glyphosate (which are very very low if not zero).
The evidence to date suggests that glyphosate exposure poses at worst a very slight, and at best an insignificant cancer risk to humans – apart from tonight I'm certainly not losing any sleep over it here in NZ, although maybe I should be.
An Oct 2019 NZEPA article on Use of Glyphosate in NZ states:
Glossing over the known toxicity of those lovely "crispy burned proteins" does make you wonder about the scientific integrity of the NZEPA, and that's coming from someone who loves his chippies.
It's interesting (to me) that a very recent review of the available literature claims there is a paucity of data on actual human exposure to glyphosate, i.e. studies that measure glyphosate levels in humans remain quite limited in number.
I believe the point Ward was making by referencing benzene is that our understanding of the risk of (different types of) cancer due to benzene exposure has enlarged over 30+ years, from early studies in the 80s, through a review in 1997, and a further review in 2007, to a 'final' WHO review in 2012 (all referenced in Ward's editorial).
In short, it's best (scientific) practice not to jump to conclusions, nor to clutch at convenient answers – that can be left to the market. I don't personally believe that it's prudent to conclude that glyphosate poses no significant risk to human health, but don't worry about it because that multi-billion dollar horse (est. US$7.8 billion in 2020) has bolted.
Down on the farm glyphosate is becoming less effective – time for another herbicide? Why not just use more – we've all gotta eat!
Oh boy, now we come around to acrylamide.
That piece you've linked doesn't show any evidence that dietary acrylamide poses any risk. It merely asserts that, in several different ways. Although it looks like it is linked to references in that paragraph where it repeated asserts this, all those links just go back to itself.
As for the substance of the paper, it's excellent fodder for anyone wanting to have a crack at scientists for wasting huge amounts of time and money to demonstrate the bleedin' fucken obvious, The bleedin' fucken obvious being demonstrated is that a fried potato dish contains wildly different amounts of acrylamide depending on how it's prepared. IgNobel level stuff, if it weren't so banal.
Back to whether acrylamide is indeed a risk via dietary administration in dietary quantities, it seems that there actually is significant dispute over whether there are risks. The piece below from Harvard is the most readable overview that came up on a quick search, there's plenty in a similar vein from more recently but they weren't as readable:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/acrylamide-no-longer-such-a-hot-potato
It appears to be another case where acrylamide is a chemical with industrial uses, so it's quite reasonable for workers exposed to massive amounts to query its safety. As it turns out, at massive exposures it is outright toxic as well hints of carcinogenicity. But it's a helluva stretch to go from there to claiming ill effects from the tiny quantities in food.
But if anyone is taken in by the scaremongering, that's fine. They can easily make dietary choices to avoid acrylamides without affecting anyone else. If they decide the only cooking method they're comfortable with is boiling, it doesn't limit anyone else's choices. Well, not unless they turn into rabid zealots about it and insist that everyone else do the same.
Thing is, I'd wager a dedicated scaremonger could take just about any food, and drill down to find some constituent that is harmful at massive exposures, complete with lab animals studies to "prove" it. The "banana equivalent dose" for radioactivity illustrates this.
If your explanation of Ward's reason for mentioning benzene is close, it is still deeply deceptive. Benzene has long been known as bad bad shit to keep well away from. The understanding of the precise nature of some of the edges of that badness has evolved a bit over time, in ways of interest only to a very small subset of epidemiologists, toxicologists and cancer specialists. That evolution in understanding hasn't in the slightest changed the general understanding of benzene as bad shit to keep well away from. Including benzene in a discussion about glyphosate, where the question is whether risk is effectively zero for everybody or whether there may be a small risk for the small number of highest exposed workers, is disingenuous at best and more likely deliberately deceptively trying to paint a false equivalence.
As for keeping an open mind, that's a circle back to where we were in the thread back here: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-08-12-2020/#comment-1770148
Polyacrylamide's very useful in the lab, but we do apply the precautionary principle and treat the monomer with respect, largely out of concern for its neurotoxic effects. Can't imagine that there's any risk from regularly ingesting tiny quantities (although I wouldn't swear to it) – maybe it could even ward off the COVID
There are (a small number of) irresponsible scientists, in both public and private sectors, and it’s best to keep an open mind on who the worst offenders might be. But when it comes to industrial-scale scientific misconduct, always "follow the money".
I do try to keep an open mind regarding the possibility that some scientists are scaremongering for personal gain, just as I try to keep an open mind on the risks associated with the deliberate release of huge quantities of unnatural chemicals into the environment. I urge you (and others) to do the same, but understand that it’s a personal choice.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
– Santayana
I have steered clear of almond milk…
after learning how much water is used to make 1 litre of the stuff ..
I would like to alert those looking for economic answers/viable alternatives to the recently published book by yanis varoufakis..
varoufakis was the finance minister in greece when the greek govt melted down..
this book is called 'another now' (subtitle) 'dispatches from an alternative present'..
and that subtitle explains the premise of the book..(230 pages)
it is set in 2025…and posits that after the gfc in 2008..the world underwent serious reform..leading to a world almost unrecognisable…it is so different to the neoliberal tyranny we suffer under..
varoufakis presents a clear brace of ideas/formula for change..
but this is no weighty/dry tome..
the conceit used is conversations between people from our neoliberal future..and those living in this much better/changed world..
and this is how varoufakis explains his ideas…and I found his ideas both exciting and viable…
I am totally smitten with/by this tome..
to the extent I got it out from the library..and am doing a version of the returning rich/ex-backpacker tourist..
..in that I am going to purchase my own copy..(that I can loan to interested parties)
and I am sure that many on this forum will find his ideas 'interesting' to say the least..
and I am looking forward to hearing the reactions from other readers..
I went to hear Colin James' address at Wellington's Baptist Church last evening. He pointed out that, when Keynesianism collapsed, there was Milton Friedman sitting on the shelf with ideas waiting for adoption. He asked who was sitting on the shelf now that neoliberalism was collapsing – nobody as far as he could see. Perhaps he should have considered Syriza's former finance minister.
Yanis Varoufakis – one of my heroes. Smart guy.
I'm with you there. He is big enough and robust enough to look at the Great Pretenders trying to dominate the world.
I thought this was an interesting piece in the list under the link about a clamp on economic discussion in UK education. From September 2020.
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/27/uk-schools-told-not-to-use-anti-capitalist-material-in-teaching
Schools in England told not to use material from anti-capitalist groups
Idea categorised as ‘extreme political stance’ equivalent to endorsing illegal activity
Department for Education (DfE) guidance issued on Thursday for school leaders and teachers involved in setting the relationship, sex and health curriculum categorised anti-capitalism as an “extreme political stance” and equated it with opposition to freedom of speech, antisemitism and endorsement of illegal activity.
This sounds as if they are aligned with the Labour officials who resiled from supporting their leader as they should have. Psychologically thinking, it is an example of the Karpman triangle where at any one time someone can be moving between three positions which makes it impossible to argue for a point, as you will always be wrong from another two POV. The UK seems to be getting very sly with extreme concern about some people’s sensitivities which will mean in the end that matters will not be revealed on the excuse it would be upsetting. Sort of we can’t tell the people about something or it would start a riot.
I watched the Colin James/Tamatha Paul/Fabian stream. Very encouraging.
Local and organised was the take home for me.
Local solutions to our problems. As a workforce we need to organize. Join a union.
Not that keen on Yanis after he dropped his bundle when negotiating with the EU on austerity measures, though that is easy to say from a distance and there was rather a lot of pressure on him. Academics are well known for vacillating, but in Greece OXI should mean OXI.
Should check out his book regardless to keep up, as many people still rate him.
The Greek word for "no" should be "ohi" when transcribed into English. The Greek "X" is actually a sort of gutteral "h".
yes, a Greek guy I know told me that, and gave a demo, but I just liked the look of the X on the signs at demos etc.
my understanding is that he was the finance minister….
and that all around him in cabinet caved to the demands around any bailout..that he argued against 'till the end..
he has also written a book about how all that went down..
While Yanis was the Greek leader he could only do incremental change sound familiar
He was held to ransom by the EU and Goldman Sachs who defrauded Greece so the Fox was left in control of the henhouse.
So what solutions does Yanis Varoufakis to undo the monopolistic hegemony.
Can anyone help explain?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300176880/taxpayer-grants-to-lord-of-the-rings-represent-significant-fiscal-risk-to-government-finances
I hate subsidising Bezos as much as anyone, but if a production brings in $5, they take back $1, doesn't that leave the country with $4 in hand? Is the author suggesting that the prod's would come here without subsidies (if so, why wouldn't he say that)? How can the subsidies 'cost' us, when they attract four times as much as they pay? Or is it that those $4 just go into private accounts, not the government's, i.e. is it the tax on that $4 that we should be counting?
star-struck politicians..
(of all stripes)..?
Goldman Sachs loan shark vulture capitalist corruption of the Greek political elite is what lead to Greeces economic collapse.
Yet after Goldman Sachs were also deeply involved in most of the Ponzi scheme collapses 2008 one of their chief executives was made governor of EU finance .
Nothing changed Trump reprieved all the safe guards against bank under capitalization allowing ponzi schemes to flourish again.
These vulture capitalists have more power than any govt and no amount of legislation or reform in NZ can undo it.
The big trading blocks are all in it together protecting the power brokers print money to bail them out while they have their money hidden away in corrupt tax havens.
The panama papers only scratched the surface the whistle blower ends up in jail while the proceeds of crime are laundered back through the big international banks where nobody has been prosecuted.
tax?
That is for the working class, not the investor class. Bezos wants and gets hit tax hand outs and his tax incentives and his negative tax rates and his tax returns. Thank eew very much.
It's an absolute rort. We are subsidising the richest man in the world to make fantasies for adult children.
Cos living in fantasy land has worked out great so far. All my peers who are more concerned with a film franchise than the planet. Screw this industry it's part of the keep em distracted with nonsense strategy.
Take the $4 and tax it. What does govt get? Less than they're spending. And all that spending is to make profits, not art.
Why do you think this is causing concern? It's not because it's a gravy train. We are being rorted, and nobody's got the nuts to stand up to the rich.
So? Can we make money from it. And keep on the world's mind-map. Down 'Here at the End of the World we Learn to Dance' sort of thing. We will have less tourists here soonish and out of sight is out of mind so often. Don't get in a tizz about Peter please Standardistas – he seems a man people love to hate. There are plenty of Slytherins around as alternatives.
I have no idea if NZ is contracted in as a shareholder of profit in these enterprises. I've found no evidence that we profit from any of this.
What is the cost of these big players?
Sinking tremendous resources into light entertainment as the world burns is utter nonsense. Propping up the richest people on the planet while our people are homeless.
There's no job security these are contractors here to make a buck, and when the tap's turned off they'll leave. Then there'll be a press release about how Bezos has been picked on and unfairly denied the ability to shower us with his blessings.
"Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she would like to see small increases in houses prices, acknowledging most people “expect” the value of their most valuable asset to keep rising."
https://www.interest.co.nz/property/108301/pm-jacinda-ardern-says-sustained-moderation-remains-governments-goal-when-it-comes
"According to the latest 1 News-Colmar Brunton poll (conducted between November 28 and December 2), Labour is up seven percentage points since the last poll on October 15, with 53% support, while National is down six percentage points to 25%.
Ardern is also up three points in the preferred prime minister ranks to 58%."
Well and here in Rotorua a rental manager called 'renting a privilege'. Who needs National when you can have a majority Labour Government. Same homelessness and misery, but kinder and gentler.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/24-11-2020/ardern-pledges-to-care-9-more-by-2030/
Danyl Mclauchlan with some good satire.
heh..!
Sabine a problem in the making for 40 years the low tax mantra is the problem no body wants to pay more tax to fix the problem.
Bringing in people to fill gaps in our work force because we make education unaffordable when we have had shortages for decades and no sign of those shortages being locally filled because the education system doesn't have the capacity to train specialist's .
IT,teachers,builders,doctors surgeons other medical professionals Nurses.Builders electricians plumbers engineers road construction workers etc.
No longterm planning by successive govts just election to election thinking.
It's cheaper to steal workers from other countries than to fix a longterm problem.
Do they supply thick cardboard cartons in the shop doorways for the homeless to use? Thoughtful.
Here is a good piece on Obama that makes me wonder if a similar piece will be written on Ardern in a few years, who like all Liberals can never ever deliver the changes they promise because it always becomes a conflict of ideology, and the Liberal ideology has NO empathy for Humans or the Planet if it becomes a case of picking one or the other, the extreme centrist liberal will always conform to the market before considering people or the planet…every time.
Barack Obama & the Death of Idealism
https://consortiumnews.com/2020/12/07/barack-obama-the-death-of-idealism/
" Over the next five years, Obama administration officials vigorously fought a Senate investigation into Bush torture abuses, and Obama personally defended the CIA after it was caught illegally spying on the Senate to thwart the inquiry. The Obama administration also torpedoed every lawsuit by a torture victim in U.S. court."
Adrian Obama as any president is only a figure head who can veto or make a meaningless executive orders.
The Power lies in the house of Representatives and the Senate with the supreme court having some power as well.
The republicans controlled those houses 6 out of 8 years of his presidency and filibustered the other 2 years so blaming Obama for failures is a failure to understand how US politics works.
Obama has to follow not lead the people who control the US have more power than any politician to stay in power you have to be a lapdog .
Similar in NZ if you go to far from the Neo liberal ideology you will be targeted by the powers that control the media .
one of the major fails of obama – aside from Libya – was his failure to appoint judges when he had the chance ..
I was quite shocked to find he had only appointed 85 judges during his term of office..
leaving trump to fill all those vacancies with his people..
I mean..w.t.f..?…obama..?
I'm sure this has come up before. Perhaps in the archives?
A quick google would quickly tell you why that came about. It's not a failing of Obama's. You would really do well to develop a few fact-checking skills of your own instead of lazily jumping to conclusions.
Judges have to be confirmed by the senate. For the first two years of Obama's term, Dems had a supermajority and were mostly able to confirm judges. Then they lost their supermajority in 2010, and Repugs used the filibuster to block all judges.
Finally in November 2013, Dems in the senate get frustrated enough by the Repug blockade that they nuked the filibuster for judicial appointments below Supreme Court level, and they were able to confirm a few more.
Then the Repugs took a senate majority in 2014, and refused to confirm any judges from that point onwards.
Since 2016, the Reepugs have had a senate majority, so have been able to push appointment confirmations through. Even Supreme Court appointments after they nuked the filibuster for Supreme appointments that the Dems had left in place.
Obama's enters the White House on the back of promises of Hope and Change and then after eight years of his utter failure to deliver or even seem like he wanted to deliver = straight line to Trump….simple, and then to prove how narcissistic the Democrats are, they don't learn even one lesson from their historic loss in 2016…oh no they make up some bullshit about the Russians to divert attention and avoid any self reflection whatsoever instead….and almost lose a second time.
All that relates to the simple problem of things don't happen when you you don't have enough votes … exactly how?
Also, Mueller was a lifelong Republican, appointed by a lifelong Republican (Rosenstein), who was appointed by by Donnie Dorko himself. Dunno why you're completely obsessed by the false idea that the Russia investigation is a Dem thing when all the key players are Republicans. Did Sean or Rupert set up your news feed for you?
NZ Labour won’t set a course to port willingly. Efforts must obviously be made however in the material interests of the working class. It is torture watching an unencumbered Govt. with the power to build thousands of state houses and apartments, and to make all the sadists at WINZ/MSD reapply for their own jobs, not do it.
Long time Labour loyalists say it is too soon, and hint knowingly that us “maddies” should “wait and see”. I say lets start door knocking all the new Labour MPs, picketing MSD offices, and running united campaigns among the NGOs that do some of the Govts job for them. Jeeze, in Whangarei the Hare Krishna kitchen provides several thousand lunches per week to local schools.
The largely middle class professionals and neo liberal managerialists that make up much of NZ Labour Wellington staff and MPs seem to have less idea of the lot of the underclass and working class as the years since 1984 roll on.
Roger Douglas used to bully unionist Sonia Davies and call her “granny” as an MP, union MPs still get deselected like happened to Sue Moroney, who NZ women can thank for improvements to PPL. There used to be a joint Council of Labour where the FOL would meet directly on workers issues with the Labour Party, till Douglas and Prebble got to work! So really Labour tops have effectively tried to weaken if not sever the relationship with organised Labour, only a handful of unions remain affiliated.
Jacinda and Robbo have only ever known the monetarist, contract out, governance, flog it off, model–so don’t look to them to retire neo liberal hegemony. The NZ People, grass roots, and boomer* replacement generations are going to have to do that! At least we have three years to get busy and not deal with National attacks, but if this Govt. stays passive, the right will be back–likely in a populist Trumpish form.
* I’m in the boomer ‘cohort’, but have been a life long socialist, not a grumpy reactionary tory.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
[lprent: if you want to write about a topic that is completely different to the post topic, then do it here. Don’t waste my time. ]
Good comment and analysis there TM…+1
I wrote a poem for an evening poetry event in the village; perhaps someone here will enjoy it.
Trees aren’t people
Trees aren’t people
It’s pretty obvious.
They don’t have, say, mouths and breathe the way we do,
Though I suppose the tiny holes under their leaves, stomata, their “little mouths”, do breathe,
But not deeply, into lungs, as people breathe.
Nor do they have a brain, complex and multi-branched like the amazing organ inside of our heads,
Though you might see a resemblance to their root-systems, complex and multi-branched;
But if you accept that as a brain; sure, it passes chemical messages the way ours does, but in the soil??
A brain without a skull? How is that possible?
If that were true, it would mean the tree is upside-down; head in the ground, body in the air!
Or that we were upside down, I suppose…
But trees can’t talk; communicate with each other.
Well, other than through their roots, as scientists claim they can;
Warning each other of approaching herbivores or clouds of hungry leaf-eating insects.
But they don’t have complex family relationships like people do;
Though foresters do say there are grandparent trees in the old-growth forests that nurture vulnerable saplings,
Sending nutrients and water through those same root-networks,
Keeping them alive through droughts and restoring them to health following fires;
But it’s not real family though, is it?
Not like ours.
Trees do reproduce though, don’t they?
And their “bits”; their reproductive parts, flowers with their stamens and pistils, anthers and ovaries, for goodness sake, they’re so much like ours,
Ovaries! Really!
But that’s most likely coincidence,
Because trees aren’t people.
Trees can’t hear, of course; they have no ears,
Though vibrations, well, okay, yes, they do detect and respond to vibrations;
The sensitive mimosa shows us that,
But that’s not hearing, is it?
Vibration-detection?
Is that hearing?
Perhaps it might be,
At a stretch.
A blood-stream?
A network of tiny tubes that carry their life-fluids throughout their body?
I suppose they do have that,
Sap, where we have blood.
But a heart, that rhythmically beats,
Trees have no heart,
True, it has been found that trees pulse, in a rhythm that confounds researchers
But we don’t know yet where that comes from.
Yep.
I’m fairly confident in saying,
That trees aren’t people.
It’s pretty obvious.
Thanks Robert, informative and fun, with a nice rhythm – hope it goes/went well aloud.
I did, Drowsy, read it aloud and it was very well received, thanks!
Thought of recording that Robert?
Spoken word or with a mellow musical accompaniment.
Perhaps the wind moving thru branches and leaves…
I hadn't, gsays, till now and am thinking, thanks to your suggestion, of a lovely set of wind-chimes I was given that have an especially melodious sound to them that perhaps might make a good sound back-drop 🙂
The tree that is outside my place is annoying. It is always dropping little cones with sharp points. I have picked up 200 at one time so I can mow the berm without dulling the blades, and anyway they break up and would leave sharp bits that when children run across the grass would hurt them.
It has largish leaves with pointy edges like a star, they look so fresh and green in spring and turn delicate shades of pale lemon or ruddy red in winter. Then they fall and I sweep up the ones on the road and call for the road sweeper to make sure our street is on their route. The others I pop in the compost with a few in the Greenwaste. It is time consuming but they demand attention because of their numbers – how many? Hundreds of thousands?
It keeps the hot early morning sun from heating the house in summer, and in winter is bare and doesn't block the welcome light and warmth. I want some of the horizontal branches trimmed so its more compact and doesn't drop leaves in guttering and on the footpath which many pedestrians and folks with wheels use. The council person does not take my request for more soil seriously and suggests I organise it myself. I am taking umbrage at the idea that they impose the care for it on me. After Christmas I plan to make a move to encourage co-operative not autocratic behaviour from them. If I have the energy.
It has a sort of yellow bleeding coming from high up in the trunk and I have looked it up on google. It is a liquidambar, (sweetgum) and prone to this it seems if I have understood it right. I have mentioned this to the contractors and will have to see if it is in their contract to take an interest and how much time their money allocation allows for, to attend to such matters.
This is an example of how government can just limit its work and responsibilities, get someone else to do a prescribed list of things, and other matters fall between the cracks. When the cracks are wide as after the Christchurch earthquake, bigger more important matters causing great distress can fall in the bigger cracks. That is why we should try and get our governments back again to do directly what they are paid to do and with direct accountability.
I like my tree but nothing is ever simple and straightforward in this marvellous modern age.
Just a note for myself and interested others about roots: https://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/fact-sheets/in-the-garden/gardening-tips-books-techniques-and-tools/liquidambar-roots/
The trunk is oozing moistly. Apparently it could be slime flux or bacterial wetwood. https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2007/jun/070801.htm .
Cankers – liquidambars are susceptible and can rot the tree from inside: https://www.hunker.com/12256839/liquid-amber-tree-diseases .
and – https://counties.agrilife.org/cooke/files/2018/05/White-flux-disease-7-2017.pdf
When it comes to feeding your liquidambar tree, any all-purpose fertilizer or manure should do the trick, but there's one thing more important than plant food that will help your tree thrive. Adding an inch or two of mulch to the top of the soil in which your liquidambar tree is planted will help maintain the proper water levels needed for your tree to grow. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/care-for-a-liquid-amber-tree-13429278.html
I had a storm damaged sweetgum drop a massive branch a couple of years ago to reveal the heartwood infected by fungi. It had to go. Now it's trying to resprout off the root system which was extensive. I trim them back. In it's place so far are many coprosmas and karo popping up naturally, and a few exotics planted by myself.
I used the branches to make garden beds, landscape features, birdbaths, seats and benches. I used to the mulch to fill the garden beds. It was a windfall for the section.
I will not miss the sharp objects on the ground, but having a massive tree on the property was a source of joy. We congregated under it, made swings and huts, collected leaves and watched the birds who used it as a lookout in winter.
It took me months to get over losing that tree. I nurture the new trees growing where it was. I look out with pride at the many species now growing from the recycling of one.
Definitely a windfall! I noted that the wood was good though it said it was hard to work or something. How very productive you are with your carpentry.
Carpentry? Chainsaw…
The materials will break down over time but in the interim it builds soil, and holds things in place as new tree roots grow.
Unfortunately this will be the part of the story which outrages most New Zealanders.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-shooting/123623166/march-15-terrorist-accidentally-shot-himself-months-before-mosque-attack
Surely it is reasonable for NZrs to be ropeable at a system that can enable a crazed man or woman to dabble in guns, and give him medical attention for a gunshot, for free? – he is Australian – and shoot a hole in the ceiling of his dwelling. It is so lax not reporting it to the police, who then one would hope, would have followed up and checked on him and his activities.
They certainly did with a Russian ex-military type who came into their radar in Christchurch in a number of ways; for legal infractions, breaking road rules, and he also had guns, and was I think affected by PTSD. The police came down hard on him so much that when he was dying his wife and son were not allowed to speak to him.
At one time the Russian used an imitation pistol – the mosque shooter had a number of real guns. If the police had known about the hospital and house damage incidents they would have had warning bells after their experience of nutty male psychology with the Aramoana affair and David Gray coldly shooting them and others.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/111622101/russian-man-found-dead-after-christchurch-police-standoff-was-intimidating-and-cold – In 2000, Dubovskiy was jailed for four years after a burglary in which the returning householders, who recognised him, disarmed him of an imitation pistol.
https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/108297/john-mauldin
How long is this BS going to continue?
According to the E3, “If Iran is serious about preserving a space for diplomacy, it must not implement these steps. Such a move would jeopardise our shared efforts to preserve the JCPoA and risks compromising the important opportunity for a return to diplomacy with the incoming US Administration. A return to the JCPoA would also be beneficial for Iran. We will address Iran’s non-compliance within the framework of the JCPoA.” The Guardian.
This from the mongrels who have not complied in any material sense with their side of the JCPoA. Worse still, they have in the most cowardly way, demurred in the face of the threats of US sanction which to all intents and purposes as applied to Iran, should be regarded as war crimes. Up until recently, Iran has been fully compliant and ratcheted up the measures they have every entitlement to do under the JCPoA.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/432364/debt-reduction-and-saving-crucial-over-next-year-says-cfc
Commission for Financial Capability's Jane Wrightson told Morning Report those in precarious situations would need to show flexibility and a willing to train, while building financial resilience over the next year or so….(I wonder if they are to be given an education grant not a loan, that will pay for their childcare, and transport, and with an opportunity for payment for more than one training period as it may require a number of skills to be worked on?)
found working families in blue and "pink-collar", or working women occupations, were among the hardest hit….
The highest percentage of households suffering smaller incomes were those where the main person being surveyed was aged between 55 and 64.
Wrightson said the survey found the situations of couples aged between 18-54 with children most vulnerable.
"The category that we were most concerned with was, generally speaking, couples between the ages of 18 and 54 with children.
This is another woman who is a good little performer in following the norm. The epitome of the university-trained receiving every word as from the God of All-Knowing and never deviating from The Knowledge. Sounds sour I know. But that is my knee jerk reaction to the advice from Commission for Financial Capability's Jane Wrightson.
There was or is another one on about Retirement and Superannuation who was recommending that the age should go up to 67, The knee jerk reaction of the herd follower who follows the mainstream thinking that we can't afford super and so limiting the age of attainment is the best thing to do.
The compliant educated well-dressed affluent woman without a hint of rebellious difference from the accepted norm, seems to be the epitome of the female advancement that has arisen from the effort that feminists put in to improve women's lot.
However, poor mothers are despised, working women with low educational attainment are unworthy of having time at home with their children – away to work at entry-level jobs without the option of having a weekend to see family, friends, community activity. Single women are still paying market price for everything, while receiving an 80% calculation of men's wages; similar to a special higher price for the undeserving woman. And the poor treatment of maternity these days – almost a hate of the irresponsible female, not having babies to order, being humanly feckless which means responding to life as an average female, unlike the calculating, careful ladies who behave 'properly'. And children are not treasured and cared about by the women with power over parents, who almost have adopted the old-fashioned ideas of lords who were said not to bother with their children till they were about three and able to talk.
Parents might have to neglect their children's health to go to work either because WINZ says so, or because they need to keep their job and keep up their income. They should be able to stay home with young children, and do a little part-time work to keep in the workforce and retain that bit of extra money. But be free to leave working when it is necessary to help their youngest.
Norovirus is highly contagious, and just one child with the illness can spread it to many other children, staff and their families at home, Dr Harrower said.
"While most people make a quick and full recovery, very young children can become unwell enough to need hospital care.
"It can be difficult for whānau to take time off work when they have sick children, but it is important to remind parents and caregivers that tummy bugs are very contagious. It is highly likely your child will infect others, and outbreaks can lead to centre closures."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/432371/spike-in-norovirus-outbreaks-at-auckland-early-learning-services-under-investigation
Why can't we love and nurture our young parents, to enable them to pass on the same feelings to their children. A society of cold, callous, demanding people will find that the children under this regime will develop similarly. Isn't that what we are often seeing now. It's time for a change.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/432397/mosque-attacks-report-families-let-down-by-agencies-in-aftermath
…Death certificates with spelling errors, family members having to work as translators for police interviews and widows being advised to put their children in care to apply for jobs are just some of the problems highlighted in the commission's report…
Many told the commission the direct aftermath caused more grief and trauma as they were not told where their loved ones were.
Some resorted to watching the terrorist's video of the attack to try and figure out if their loved ones were alive or dead.
"An acquaintance of my parents said that she had seen [my brother] in operating theatre," a relative told the commission. "Mum and dad rushed to the hospital with this news and after waiting outside Al-Noor Mosque for four hours, they then proceeded to wait at Christchurch Hospital for another six hours.
"After this, they found out that the person my parents were waiting for, patient number 13, was not at all [my brother]. They were finally told my brother was unaccounted for."..
Many victims raised questions about the police's response on the day.
They told the commission the fact medical staff were not allowed inside the mosques straight away due to police cordons led to more deaths.
Since 15 March, victims and families have struggled to get help, telling the commission they had to recount their experience of the attack over and over to different agencies…
"Where there should have been active listening, there is a deluge of information, where there should be advocacy there are endless meetings," a victim told the commission.
Some witnesses told the commission they were not eligible for financial support from the Accident Compensation Corporation as they had not suffered any physical injuries….
"Witnesses to the attack have suffered severe mental trauma, which some describe as a feeling of physically debilitating pain."
But, but this is not us. We aren't like that. We are however good at feeling short periods of grief and emotion, and then 'get on with our lives' and expect the traumatised to do so also.
Having to deal with different government agencies or the same one over and over again is draining for anyone who has a mental injury. The grief process is complicated by how loved ones died. When it comes to the coronial inquests this will be a long process due to how slow the coroners office is. With some hope the coronial inquests can be managed in such a way to reduce distress.
The 1982 – 1992 ACC Act had cover for mental injury when no physical force occurred. This act is online. There are other articles on the subject of taking cover away as well. It is not my intention to inflame the situation. I am pointing out that ACC is not fit for purpose when it comes to exceptional circumstances which need to be covered.
I think you are indicating that we have a serious problem with ACC. The more stressful the government makes life, the more it diminishes living conditions for people, the more it takes away what supports used to be provided in better times. It is a pernicious process and amoral.
NZ Government, Queen says something about you:
Yes serious problems with ACC for a mental injury.
I left a reply to your 2.1111 comment late last night on open mike with some of the concerns I have about ACC. I have a lot more.
The average person has got no idea on how ACC determine what and what not to include when it comes to cover for a mental injury.
The government is going to get a wake up call from the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care on how shit ACC are for a mental injury and the damage done from organisatonal failure.