It's like when the ball bobbles around between hands when players try to grab it simultaneously. Hipkins, not a player, naturally doesn't see the rugby analogy.
Hipkins admitted the government tried to bite off more than it could chew. “In retrospect, the seeds of the Labour government’s defeat can actually be seen as far back as late 2021, or even potentially as early as the time we first took office in 2017,” he said.
“We formed a government in 2017 pledging to be transformational. But we made a few mistakes relatively early on in our time in office by not being more specific about the transformation we are proposing. We probably tried to transform too many things all at the same time.”
And off to one side there's Twyford, puzzled. "What game? Where?"
“We made a lot of sacrifices during the pandemic and that undoubtedly took a toll on the public support for the government. But it was the right thing to do… A succession of ministerial scandals didn’t help the mood that had already hardened against our government.
Strange, that. The whole point of ministerial scandals is to scale up the sacrificial thing. Why else would Labour sequence them?? It's like he's not seeing the pattern. And he doesn't explain why voters scooted off in response to serial sacrificing.
Wheel in a theologian, is my advice. So many centuries of christians sacrificing all over the place must surely have embedded traditional wisdom. One need only tap it. Aspiring political consultants can build a career on traditional sacrificial wisdom mining. Labour need to rope in a few & turn them into a focus group.
Too soon to call. Just have faith that Labour will get it right eventually. One could rope Christ into it, I suppose, although Bomber restrains himself to the hint. Popular opinion has had it that the Second Coming passed by un-noticed, due to Christ choosing an incarnation of obscurity rather than contention since the latter didn't work out too well last time. Working in mysterious ways is sensible recycling of the parental stance.
Greens are only really selling Wealth Tax to the converted. Labour have to sell it to the unconverted swing voters at a high enough level not to lose elections which is a lot harder.
Good point, Craig, & swing voters aren't homogenous. Despite being reasonably adept at getting a sense of political groups, I'd feel little confidence in my ability to respond intelligently to a questionnaire on the topic. I'd default to literary flair real fast. An essay on the topic could get me going but the problem with scientific education is that one feels obliged to do actual research. Credible social science research requires diligent effort.
But then it'd be more interesting to just shoot the breeze with strangers on the topic. Perhaps one could combine the two?? However I disagree with the Greens on principle: the deep Green view incorporates resilience design. That means sustainable economic policy. The Greens haven't figured that out yet, explicitly, tho one would hope some have intuitively.
So you go classical & use Plato's formula for the class wealth differential, then compare with other political initiatives that also target a simple ratio. That gets your developmental trajectory headed in the right direction When I entered into my second term with the Greens (after the 2014 election till 5/6 years later I asked the westie Greens in Ak to discuss it but they freaked out at the prospect. Perhaps because I waved my double-sided single page essay advocating it at them! Aghast at my optimism that they could drop down into deep Green that fast!
Regardless, my solution to the inequality of wealth problem could get traction on the basis of common sense: in the referendum, ask voters what proportion between high & low they want. I advocated 7 due to it being the magic number – I'm trialling the notion that there's more substance to it than you'd think (if you're a sceptic). Which I've always been. An experimental approach to life is widely used, so the path leads to consensus…
Hipkins didn’t have regrets about the policy bonfire or his decision to rule out a wealth tax, he said. In his analysis, “it wasn’t a campaign dominated by policies, it was a campaign dominated by sentiment.”
His wealth tax call and policy bonfire were when I finally gave up on Labour. The "sentiment" I felt was yet again a sense of betrayal.
I hoped Labour would do some serious, honest soul searching post-election, but it appears not.
Come on, that's just obligatory public comment by Hipkins. It's no different from MPs in any party saying "We all support the leader!" just before dumping the leader.
The soul-searching is definitely happening, whether Hipkins is part of it or not. He remains leader because it makes no sense to have a leadership contest before Xmas. Not because he'll be there in 2026.
Fair enough but I hope Hipkins has been told by his colleagues and party faithful that he screwed up big time with his tax call especially. It was politically expedient but it burnt me off and maybe others. I've consistently voted Labour in electorates but now my interest and votes are with Te Pati Maori and the Greens.
I fear Labour will remain centre left neoliberals.
The loss of left wing votes from Labour to Greens and TPM did not cost them the election.
43.34% was less than NACT’s 46.6% and if NZF got over 5% they said they would go with National.
It would have been around 45% to 47%, if NZF was failing to get over 5%.
The election was won and lost in the debate over living costs, if Labour had backed Greens on a cap on rent increases at 3% and proposed a windfall tax on banks to finance an adjustment to the IETC it could have got close.
Labour didn't lose because it was too centrist. That's utter nonsense. It was elected for another term in a landslide because of Covid, and it largely lost because of a lot of resentment from the way the second Auckland lockdown was handled and swing back to usual voting patterns. You can fear whatever you like but the rump of the electorate remains closest to the centre.
Curious – why would you vote for TPM or Greens when they will never be in power?
They haven't yet learned that politics is the art of the possible, not a stridently principled place at all.
And in terms of Labour, I think they've cooked their goose this last election – National is now moving towards centre-left, but still with the neo-lib background, as they have been shunted that way by ACT. Nowhere else for them to move, if they want to be continue to be a major party, not become a minor party.
I don't think anyone really knows what Labour represents any more.
"As he sets out to reclaim control of the political agenda, Luxon has an unwitting and unlikely ally – the Labour Party. Though Labour may be beginning to understand it is no longer the Government, it seems yet to appreciate that that did not happen by accident. Labour was voted out – overwhelmingly – because people did not like what it was doing, or the direction in which it was taking the country. The incoming Government’s early actions have not changed that voter sentiment."
The narrative promoted by Labour's "opposition" convinced a sufficient number of New Zealanders to vote against the then-Government. The core of those voters already hold the view that Labour and the Left always "take the country in the wrong direction" – it only required some of those who believe the same of the Right as well, to accept that this time around, the story from the Right was true.
National said they were robbed in 2017 by NZF's coalition choice and were well in it as to polls until the pandemic 2019-2020.
And people forget Labour/G/TPM 44.34% in 2017 and 41.58% in 2023. Hardly a significant change.
There was a manufactured protest against the mandates and pro Maori policies and a successful effort to blame government for rising costs and failure to be transformational – and otherwise a mislead of voters as to the nature of the tax cut plan. Heavily assisted by the funding from the rentier class of society.
It is not a matter of not being bothered. National ran their usual divide and conquer campaign, reprise of Kiwi vs iwi.
The entire working class had the offer of more state housing, assistance to own, tenants rights and housing standards, rising MW and the Fair Pay Agreement industry awards, more generous welfare – food in schools.
However implying that the Labour government was pro Maori and National and its partners would not be, was the way the party of the "middle class" tried to divide the working class.
It reminds on the American south, there the federal minimum wage applies and it is low. It achieves one thing it keeps the more poorly educated in poverty and in housing areas apart from others. Income disparity to maintain segregation. The white poor would be better off with a higher state minimum wage, but the disparity in income between them and others would diminish.
"That means Labour’s first task over the next three years is to show humility as a prelude to regaining the public trust once more. Sneering at the new Government’s actions is not the way to do that, and simply plays into Luxon’s hands that voters were right to make the change they did."
Poppycock, Peter.
Hipkins et al are fully justified in lampooning Luxon/Peters/Seymour for their spiteful behaviours. Revealing the details and ramifications of, and motivations behind the actions of the coalition, is the job of Opposition parties and necessary for democracy's sake.
I wonder if the national caucus is now sitting there saying: "Now what do we do? You mean we have to come up with some actual policies?"
"He is not a political streetfighter like Chris Hipkins, neither does he demonstrate Jacinda Ardern’s sense of occasion, Bill English’s overt compassionate conservatism, or John Key’s optimistic enthusiasm. "What we have seen so far from Luxon is a more cautious, head-down approach, aimed at getting on top of the job and managing the process of government effectively. Luxon seems less driven by drama and histrionics, and more by doing his job properly and efficiently."
Dunne just confirms for me that Luxon is an empty vessel lacking the skills or character to lead a country.
And what does that tell you about why the Government changed?
The new PM is anything but inspirational, he's inexperienced and the Government appears to lack any ideas other than dismantle recent policy….and yet they now lead the Government with a reasonable majority in the house.
And we have been here before…a newly elected government that arrives with no fleshed out policy but a mandate for change.
A tiny detail mentioned one time by an ACT politician, might indeed surprise a National voter, when it's suddenly front and centre of Government action.
NZF voters likely didn't vote for, or even know about details of ACT's policy list.
"But for others they must wonder what’s left? Given that so many of the coalition’s priorities are those from the two minor parties. Policies that fewer than 10% of the population voted for, which they have no real mandate to deliver. Was it really all to put National in charge of administering other parties policies?"
"So we're going to stand here today and, of course, we're going to oppose this. We're going to oppose it not because we disagree with the end points. I've seen as much clinical harm from smoking as anyone in this House, but we do disagree with the pathway and the process, and we will not tolerate collateral damage when those goals could have been achieved with a different mechanism—in fact, this Government's own mechanism. All we asked for was a change in schedule, and they said, "No." They can answer to small retailers. They can answer to communities when small retailers leave. This will be part of your collateral damage that you will answer for.
This bill is flawed; this bill will not achieve the 2025 goal. We believe in that goal; we want to get there. This is not the pathway to get there. We have an alternative proposal; we have a plan. Thank you."
National spokesperson Dr Shane Reti in the House in 2022 in response to the 3rd reading of the Act.
Dr. Ciga-Reti would say that, wouldn't he, co-habiting with ex-Big Tobacco folk as he was then and is now. He was clear in his statement, especially where he claims, "We have an alternative proposal; we have a plan."
If that plan was made clear during the campaign, I missed it. Perhaps you have it filed away somewhere, Pat? If so, I'd appreciate the chance to view it.
That National opposed the Smoke Free Act as amended by Labour in 2022 should not surprise anyone Robert.
Hardly "A tiny detail mentioned one time by an ACT politician, might indeed surprise a National voter, when it's suddenly front and centre of Government action."
As we know the Coalition agreed upon the policy however it was not contrary to anything National indicated.
Mandate for change Crock from the man that looks like a.
Peter's last stand will turn to custard every minor support party looses popularity most loose there representation in Parliament.
The coalition has made big promises and given Nationals history of running a yoyo economy . Tax cuts will fuel a sugar hit for a very short time causing inflation followed by higher interest rates Austerity! Just like the 1990s .No cumulative growth the off again on again no real gain.
Robertson is eloquent, has a great sense of humour (unlike Luxon) has done a good job in finance, is across all the issues and supports a wealth tax. He should be given a chance to roll Luxon in 3 years.
The Public wanted a wealth tax. Chris Hipkins did not, and consigned us to the bin. Hipkins will be good in Opposition, but needs to reflect that next time many supporters like me will have died or be too ill. He needs to inspire NZ… is he capable?
Peters is determined to wipe any Labour gains away, and is actively supporting the most destructive governing group in NZ's history, and he is full of bile, but has few concrete plans.
Luxon is a blinkered thinker, and he will not care about collateral damage. Buckle up. His hubris is huge. He tends to believe his own press, and belittles others he disagrees with. (Bottom Feeders and Nitpickers.)
Seymore will strip rights as quickly as he is able as Minister of Regulations. Then it will be back to the snake oil pit of Charter schools, no ministries for Maori Pacifica and Human rights. He talks of "human rights" but he means "we will all be the same"
Will Labour morph to a people based party again? Well under Hipkins I never felt included.. I could feel the frustration of those on the front-line. We were never asked for our opinion. So 4 men all with too much hubris imo.
Rubbish. The only people who left Labour over the lack of a wealth tax would have voted for the Greens. None of that impacted on the overall left vote block. Labour lost because of a perception that Covid was over saw established voting patterns return, and National et al were able to exploit a lot of resentment at how the Auckland lockdown was handled, the vacuous absurdity of proposed changes to our hate speech laws, and Labour's inability to communicate Three Waters and co-governance clearly.
He has a good sense of humour, as seen in past debates. He showed how challenging the early-days as Speaker can be, despite his extensive experience in the House – keeping the flow going, remembering names etc. is obviously very challenging first time up. Curiously likeable, despite his politics, but we shall see. If he warps process to shield his mates, we'll enjoy lambasting him 🙂
He is the classic speaker – a long serving politician who knows the arcane rules inside out and no longer has a dog in the fight ambition wise, seeking to round out a thirty year career in politics with a successful stint as a respected speaker before heading off into semi-retirement on various boards and Qangoes.
When he dies he'll get a new school named after him and everyone will beam happily on the occasion of the opening, where some mercifully short speeches will be made, a relative will cut the ribbon and various slightly stale and lukewarm light refreshments will be served.
He's a bit huffy-puffy though – I hope no one winds him up too much. Luckily, Winston's of his side this time. Chloe might push his buttons. Certainly some in Te Pati Māori will
The tv quiz show host who never seemed anything other than airhead may have coped credibly as speaker tho my brain seems reluctant to entertain the notion – as for Carter, the best that could accurately be said concedes that he persevered as a struggler. Brownlee could grow into it but the prospect of seeing the big picture on any point of contention could trigger brain paralysis.
Lloyd Burr for AM co-host. Hope he ramps up them subtle eye-rolls!
AM host Ryan Bridge is set to host a new 7pm current affairs show on Three replacing The Project.
The new show will be interview-based and mostly live in an attempt by Discovery to return to a harder style of current affairs in the primetime spot, Shayne Currie’s Media Insider column in the NZ Herald is reporting.
“I will be leaving AM … next Friday is my last day on the show,” Bridge told viewers on Friday morning. “Thankfully I still have a job. I will be going to the 7pm slot on TV3, so that’s from early next year.”
Elderly viewers will be filled with nostalgia at the glimmer of possibility of a return to leading-edge prime-time current affairs television. Since Brian Edwards did it, everyone's been too scared. Just cos Muldoon monstered Exel. Going gets tough, real contenders toughen up.
Traditional broadcasting is loosing support at a rapid pace thats why the project is being canned .Cheap alternatives will only hasten the end. Traditional broadcasting has no future the big player's have already run out of money snd are just holding on.repeats of reality shows and advertorials for thin lizzy given Mark Mitchell wants them to cover their tattoos that could be seen as a party political broadcast.
He's a great friend of the Right of a given value, but he also has the chops to be a good political interviewer in the same way Piers Morgan is a first class sh*t but also a first class interviewer. He may be politically right wing, but neither does he fawn on politicians, and I'm far from convinced that the Coalition is his flavour of right wing. He's not a social conservative.
Oh yeah, forgot about him. Perhaps an exception that proves the rule. There were a bunch of times I saw him doing exactly what the situation required. Even Holmes managed that sometimes though despite his congenital narcissism.
I'm picking Ryan will exhibit a flair for exposing weakness in the position of any politician. To serve the public interest, doing so whilst operating above the left/right divide is an essential skill. Given that media corporates are capitalist entities, finagling situations via balanced framing will remain the default stance, of course. Simulating fairness is easily done. Hipkins funding the media corporates is the role model everyone must learn from…
On reading Chris Hipkins' views on the election loss in the Spin-off, his words were straightforward, concise, with no jumbled jargon. On the other hand Chris Luxon again left me perplexed with his rambling, boring self-congratulatory jargon.
Tova O'Brien has a look at our version of the paraodox noted by someone in the 19th C – Randolph Churchill (how the extension of the franchise to the poor/working class would boost the Tories as the middle class Whigs in fear of the workers doing better would join them).
A comment on Willie Jackson's Facebook made a point – will Asian shops have to remove or lessen any signage other than English? If not, why not.
Since it was opened Te Papa has always been the dominant title which everyone uses rather than Museum of New Zealand. People are very used to this and no one is bothered. People are starting to get used to Waka Kotahi now. Just give it some time people. Everyone knows exactly what the Koru Club is even if they are not members!
Asian shops won't have to do that because they are private businesses – so Luxon's argument about NZers being able to "navigate their government" doesn't apply. (He means "navigate their way around their own government" if anyone's wondering wtf his ugly bit of grandiose, corporate flannel actually means.) Plus to require Asian businesses to do this would be 'red tape'.
De-emphasising Te Reo is the price he's had to pay for getting votes and pulling together his coalition. The test of his character will be whether he does the least amount possible in this direction and does it with obvious distaste for the vindictive insanity that gave rise to it. Or whether he shows some relish for the task and reveals that he's actually just a wee bit fashy after all.
I recently sold an old trailer to a guy. When I suggested we get onto the “Waka Kotahi” website to do the change of ownership he got a bit angry at my use of that name. It came from nowhere in what had up to that point been a friendly process. It was baffling and a bit shocking.
One snippet I saw recently was in the discussion about multi languages on traffic signs.
Having ‘Kura’ and ‘School’ on the same sign was too much for some, all the confusion and so on.
Yep, the education system is failing, our kids are dumb, the modern generation is incapable of thinking!
Processing kura and school is too hard, learning to process such is beyond some. Having confidence in one’s ability to learn something new? No way.
Funny how those who so prolific, fluent and verbose when it comes to rationalising the use of Te Reo are so handicapped when it comes being able to handle its basic use. Maybe the problem is they have racist attitudes.
There is a now infamous Highway 30 road sign that says–“71 km Tauranga, Rotorua 9km, 77km Whakatane, Taupo 88km.” Heh, whatcha gonna do about that one all you dual language scaredy cats…
Being bilingual helps young do much better at school snd life also bilingual older people have less dementia much lower rates of depression. It's an inoculation of continual mental fitness. As opposed to the haters who will suffer from negative thinking and stubborn ignorance making them more susceptible.
Being bilingual also teaches about one's own language and culture since the act of learning another language introduces another culture and thereby enables a comparison.
It's also good to use as a code for secrecy purposes. Our kids took ages to work out what 'une glace' meant as we discussed the merits of buying an icecream for them.
Funnily enough we thick Irish and descendants of Irish have had no problems since the 1920s with dual language road signs in Ireland. The Gaelige sign is on top in italic script, and the English version is underneath in capitals, both in the same size font.
Neither the Irish people nor visitors to Ireland have any difficulty reading the signs.
The Ethiopian government and regional forces from Tigray agreed on Wednesday to cease hostilities, a dramatic diplomatic breakthrough two years into a war that has killed thousands, displaced millions and left hundreds of thousands facing famine.
Ethiopia has the same problems as many other African "states". These relate to the imposition of various colonial boundaries with no thought to the previous separations between tribal groups, languages and customs. Add religion, poverty, exploitation and machismo and you have a recipie for these sorts of difficulties.
They do have sort of a democracy, but if one tribal group attains some sort of dominance (like a previous Tigrayan Prime Minister,) the Amhara people resent it. There are frictions between the Oromo people and the Amhara people, and although they seem to have good comprehension of each other's languages and cultures (one of my women Ethiopian friends can tell where someone comes from by the way they do their hair, and at least one of her husbands was from a different language group) there are splits and divisions which go back centuries.
This is notable as to the use of metaphor by the Tory class towards those they want gone. It reminds one of a certain sort of policing by profile where the undesirable is the first investigated after a crime – and of the American practice of (no knock warrant) policing an area designated for urban renewal. And as a tactic of landlords in removing tenants by making s… up. Under new management can also refer to takeover of someones assets.
Christopher Luxon has hit back at the opposition during his first speech in the House as prime minister, comparing Chris Hipkins to an “arsonist” who set fire to his party.
According to the new PM, Hipkins should have quit after the election result but was instead “loitering around” at the “scene of the crime”, and described him as being “bitter, and twisted, and negative”.
“Why is he still here when so little was achieved?” Luxon said. The Labour MPs that remained after the election had “survivors guilt”, said Luxon, naming Grant Robertson and Ayesha Verrall.
The new prime minister said Labour had “squandered” its historic majority, crashing down to one of its worst results this year. “They started the last term with everything they needed to set up a political dynasty for the next decade but they squandered it,” Luxon said.
But while Hipkins said the new government’s beginnings had been shambolic, Luxon claimed New Zealand was now under “new management”.
The undertone is one of de-legitimising opposition to government, after coming into power. In business it can refer to asset stripping to line the pockets of the sponsors of the new party in government.
The USA has gone for more secure supply lines, green and local. A reverse of external lower cost outsourcing (especially China). A return to local job creation.
Europe will more likely simply adopt green supply lines as part of GW mitigation. That will be lower cost than the US subsidy for local. And thus open up opportunities for them to invest offshore.
Will be interesting to know if local people are now much cheaper to hire than they would have been without the intervening period (20-30 years maybe) of offshoring. If they are, perhaps the true, long-term goal of offshoring has been achieved – to lower domestic wages..
What a rich fantasy life you have. Globalisation is far from dead, it's just greenwashing itself or falling into the circle of China. As for capitalism, you are funny.
Tame says 2 of the governments new policies will not do much harm.
The facts have changed in meth making area, offshore large scale production at lower cost, makes local supply of less importance (except to small scale independent operations).
And the continuance of the process for reduced nicotine levels in the tobacco sold means consumption will still fall (to patches and vaping for the greater nicotine addiction fix).
Leaving little prospect of major interest in importing the traditional smoke (again small scale operations at most).
If right, the 6000 sellers will lose sales – the smart ones already having created in-store vaping cabins.
If seems the focus is going to move onto vaping policy. And hopefully low THC marijuana sales being legalised for use in nausea management and to help people sleep.
That would create jobs and replace tax revenue lost tobacco consumption declines further.
Market interventions are always fun: gangster economics, likewise. The govt is adventuring into social engineering on a large and politically significant front – one suspects consequent theatrics will make it seem as if the circus has come to town.
Sideshows all over the place, journos struggling to keep up with the flow of stories. The deep Green view switches to resilience on drug policy: whatever gets you thro the nite, as Lennon pointed out. Therefore the Greens ought to create a spokesperson for the gangs & explain to them how to go green on drugs to make themselves & customers healthy. Expect Labour to change the subject…
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Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On 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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
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"I am constantly underestimated"
That's the PM's opinion of himself. Yes, a direct quote. Such a modest man.
(note: the headline says Hipkins but read on for Luxon as well)
Chris Hipkins opens up on what went wrong at the 2023 election | The Spinoff
He's right a great amount of kiwis underestimated his ability to divide new Zealand and take us backwards😄
It's like when the ball bobbles around between hands when players try to grab it simultaneously. Hipkins, not a player, naturally doesn't see the rugby analogy.
And off to one side there's Twyford, puzzled. "What game? Where?"
Strange, that. The whole point of ministerial scandals is to scale up the sacrificial thing. Why else would Labour sequence them?? It's like he's not seeing the pattern. And he doesn't explain why voters scooted off in response to serial sacrificing.
Wheel in a theologian, is my advice. So many centuries of christians sacrificing all over the place must surely have embedded traditional wisdom. One need only tap it. Aspiring political consultants can build a career on traditional sacrificial wisdom mining. Labour need to rope in a few & turn them into a focus group.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/08-12-2023/chris-hipkins-opens-up-on-what-went-wrong-at-the-2023-election
I'm with Bomber on the relation between economic policy, Deborah effing Russell, equity, and Steve Jobs' iPad:
Too soon to call. Just have faith that Labour will get it right eventually. One could rope Christ into it, I suppose, although Bomber restrains himself to the hint. Popular opinion has had it that the Second Coming passed by un-noticed, due to Christ choosing an incarnation of obscurity rather than contention since the latter didn't work out too well last time. Working in mysterious ways is sensible recycling of the parental stance.
Greens are only really selling Wealth Tax to the converted. Labour have to sell it to the unconverted swing voters at a high enough level not to lose elections which is a lot harder.
Good point, Craig, & swing voters aren't homogenous. Despite being reasonably adept at getting a sense of political groups, I'd feel little confidence in my ability to respond intelligently to a questionnaire on the topic. I'd default to literary flair real fast. An essay on the topic could get me going but the problem with scientific education is that one feels obliged to do actual research. Credible social science research requires diligent effort.
But then it'd be more interesting to just shoot the breeze with strangers on the topic. Perhaps one could combine the two?? However I disagree with the Greens on principle: the deep Green view incorporates resilience design. That means sustainable economic policy. The Greens haven't figured that out yet, explicitly, tho one would hope some have intuitively.
So you go classical & use Plato's formula for the class wealth differential, then compare with other political initiatives that also target a simple ratio. That gets your developmental trajectory headed in the right direction When I entered into my second term with the Greens (after the 2014 election till 5/6 years later I asked the westie Greens in Ak to discuss it but they freaked out at the prospect. Perhaps because I waved my double-sided single page essay advocating it at them! Aghast at my optimism that they could drop down into deep Green that fast!
Regardless, my solution to the inequality of wealth problem could get traction on the basis of common sense: in the referendum, ask voters what proportion between high & low they want. I advocated 7 due to it being the magic number – I'm trialling the notion that there's more substance to it than you'd think (if you're a sceptic). Which I've always been. An experimental approach to life is widely used, so the path leads to consensus…
Hipkins doesn't get it.
Hipkins didn’t have regrets about the policy bonfire or his decision to rule out a wealth tax, he said. In his analysis, “it wasn’t a campaign dominated by policies, it was a campaign dominated by sentiment.”
His wealth tax call and policy bonfire were when I finally gave up on Labour. The "sentiment" I felt was yet again a sense of betrayal.
I hoped Labour would do some serious, honest soul searching post-election, but it appears not.
Come on, that's just obligatory public comment by Hipkins. It's no different from MPs in any party saying "We all support the leader!" just before dumping the leader.
The soul-searching is definitely happening, whether Hipkins is part of it or not. He remains leader because it makes no sense to have a leadership contest before Xmas. Not because he'll be there in 2026.
Fair enough but I hope Hipkins has been told by his colleagues and party faithful that he screwed up big time with his tax call especially. It was politically expedient but it burnt me off and maybe others. I've consistently voted Labour in electorates but now my interest and votes are with Te Pati Maori and the Greens.
I fear Labour will remain centre left neoliberals.
The loss of left wing votes from Labour to Greens and TPM did not cost them the election.
43.34% was less than NACT’s 46.6% and if NZF got over 5% they said they would go with National.
It would have been around 45% to 47%, if NZF was failing to get over 5%.
The election was won and lost in the debate over living costs, if Labour had backed Greens on a cap on rent increases at 3% and proposed a windfall tax on banks to finance an adjustment to the IETC it could have got close.
Labour didn't lose because it was too centrist. That's utter nonsense. It was elected for another term in a landslide because of Covid, and it largely lost because of a lot of resentment from the way the second Auckland lockdown was handled and swing back to usual voting patterns. You can fear whatever you like but the rump of the electorate remains closest to the centre.
Curious – why would you vote for TPM or Greens when they will never be in power?
They haven't yet learned that politics is the art of the possible, not a stridently principled place at all.
And in terms of Labour, I think they've cooked their goose this last election – National is now moving towards centre-left, but still with the neo-lib background, as they have been shunted that way by ACT. Nowhere else for them to move, if they want to be continue to be a major party, not become a minor party.
I don't think anyone really knows what Labour represents any more.
Just my opinion, but I don't think Hipkins will lead them in to the next election. But I also think they would be silly to get rid of him now.
I think he's the perfect man to trap this three headed dung fly of an opposition and slowly pull its wings off.
"As he sets out to reclaim control of the political agenda, Luxon has an unwitting and unlikely ally – the Labour Party. Though Labour may be beginning to understand it is no longer the Government, it seems yet to appreciate that that did not happen by accident. Labour was voted out – overwhelmingly – because people did not like what it was doing, or the direction in which it was taking the country. The incoming Government’s early actions have not changed that voter sentiment."
https://newsroom.co.nz/2023/12/07/pm-cant-just-dismantle-labour-policies/
Waiting…
The narrative promoted by Labour's "opposition" convinced a sufficient number of New Zealanders to vote against the then-Government. The core of those voters already hold the view that Labour and the Left always "take the country in the wrong direction" – it only required some of those who believe the same of the Right as well, to accept that this time around, the story from the Right was true.
Yeah na.
National said they were robbed in 2017 by NZF's coalition choice and were well in it as to polls until the pandemic 2019-2020.
And people forget Labour/G/TPM 44.34% in 2017 and 41.58% in 2023. Hardly a significant change.
There was a manufactured protest against the mandates and pro Maori policies and a successful effort to blame government for rising costs and failure to be transformational – and otherwise a mislead of voters as to the nature of the tax cut plan. Heavily assisted by the funding from the rentier class of society.
If Labour can't be bothered demonstrating that so-called pro-Maori policies are actually pro-everybody policies, they can't want to govern too much.
It is not a matter of not being bothered. National ran their usual divide and conquer campaign, reprise of Kiwi vs iwi.
The entire working class had the offer of more state housing, assistance to own, tenants rights and housing standards, rising MW and the Fair Pay Agreement industry awards, more generous welfare – food in schools.
However implying that the Labour government was pro Maori and National and its partners would not be, was the way the party of the "middle class" tried to divide the working class.
It reminds on the American south, there the federal minimum wage applies and it is low. It achieves one thing it keeps the more poorly educated in poverty and in housing areas apart from others. Income disparity to maintain segregation. The white poor would be better off with a higher state minimum wage, but the disparity in income between them and others would diminish.
Oh, Peter Dunne wrote that! Ha!
"That means Labour’s first task over the next three years is to show humility as a prelude to regaining the public trust once more. Sneering at the new Government’s actions is not the way to do that, and simply plays into Luxon’s hands that voters were right to make the change they did."
Poppycock, Peter.
Hipkins et al are fully justified in lampooning Luxon/Peters/Seymour for their spiteful behaviours. Revealing the details and ramifications of, and motivations behind the actions of the coalition, is the job of Opposition parties and necessary for democracy's sake.
27 minutes until the messenger was shot
Only with rock-salt.
Dunne makes some good points.
I wonder if the national caucus is now sitting there saying: "Now what do we do? You mean we have to come up with some actual policies?"
"He is not a political streetfighter like Chris Hipkins, neither does he demonstrate Jacinda Ardern’s sense of occasion, Bill English’s overt compassionate conservatism, or John Key’s optimistic enthusiasm. "What we have seen so far from Luxon is a more cautious, head-down approach, aimed at getting on top of the job and managing the process of government effectively. Luxon seems less driven by drama and histrionics, and more by doing his job properly and efficiently."
Dunne just confirms for me that Luxon is an empty vessel lacking the skills or character to lead a country.
Like silly-putty, he can be, and is being, moulded into shape.
And what does that tell you about why the Government changed?
The new PM is anything but inspirational, he's inexperienced and the Government appears to lack any ideas other than dismantle recent policy….and yet they now lead the Government with a reasonable majority in the house.
And we have been here before…a newly elected government that arrives with no fleshed out policy but a mandate for change.
Mandate for change?
They've created that idea to suit themselves.
Surely their mandate is tied to their promises.
Citing "mandate for change" is a strategy for doing whatever they can dream up.
The proposition is a crock.
Surely you are not so obtuse Robert….they are the government ipso facto they have the mandate to implement that which they campaigned upon.
Whether what they campaigned on is sensible or comprehensive or even beneficial voters determined that they preferred it to the alternatives.
They campaigned on "change" and are therefore justified in any change they care to make?
And you wonder if I'm being obtuse?
Surely you don't believe they have carte blanche?
Our Parliamentary system does indeed give them carte blanche….though not without consequence.
However to date (and its only been a little more than a week) they havnt done anything unforeshadowed.
As was just mentioned on RNZ , everything that has happened to date was campaigned on and should be of no surprise to anyone.
A tiny detail mentioned one time by an ACT politician, might indeed surprise a National voter, when it's suddenly front and centre of Government action.
NZF voters likely didn't vote for, or even know about details of ACT's policy list.
So, surprised? Many will be.
Which tiny detail may that be?
ACT's "to do” list was famously/reportedly complex and extensive; very few voters will have been aware of the details therein.
Again, which tiny detail?…perhaps you are referring to the repeal of the smokefree regulations?
There is opaque….and then theres (deliberately) obtuse.
Nick Rockel (we like him here 🙂 says,
"But for others they must wonder what’s left? Given that so many of the coalition’s priorities are those from the two minor parties. Policies that fewer than 10% of the population voted for, which they have no real mandate to deliver. Was it really all to put National in charge of administering other parties policies?"
See more here:
https://nickrockel.substack.com/p/your-circus-your-clowns
"So we're going to stand here today and, of course, we're going to oppose this. We're going to oppose it not because we disagree with the end points. I've seen as much clinical harm from smoking as anyone in this House, but we do disagree with the pathway and the process, and we will not tolerate collateral damage when those goals could have been achieved with a different mechanism—in fact, this Government's own mechanism. All we asked for was a change in schedule, and they said, "No." They can answer to small retailers. They can answer to communities when small retailers leave. This will be part of your collateral damage that you will answer for.
This bill is flawed; this bill will not achieve the 2025 goal. We believe in that goal; we want to get there. This is not the pathway to get there. We have an alternative proposal; we have a plan. Thank you."
National spokesperson Dr Shane Reti in the House in 2022 in response to the 3rd reading of the Act.
https://www.parliament.nz/mi/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20221213_20221213_24
Dr. Ciga-Reti would say that, wouldn't he, co-habiting with ex-Big Tobacco folk as he was then and is now. He was clear in his statement, especially where he claims, "We have an alternative proposal; we have a plan."
If that plan was made clear during the campaign, I missed it. Perhaps you have it filed away somewhere, Pat? If so, I'd appreciate the chance to view it.
Heh..!..'dr ciga-reti'..
Very good…!..is it yours..?
It will stick…
Hi Phillip – not mine, though I wish…
I cadged it off someone else.
That National opposed the Smoke Free Act as amended by Labour in 2022 should not surprise anyone Robert.
Hardly "A tiny detail mentioned one time by an ACT politician, might indeed surprise a National voter, when it's suddenly front and centre of Government action."
As we know the Coalition agreed upon the policy however it was not contrary to anything National indicated.
Pat, Robert is far from obtuse. That comment is a deflection. Talk to the topic rather than making rude personal comments please.
No worries, Patricia, I'm not offended: one man's obtuse is another's opaque and I was shunted from here a while back for being just that 🙂
Mandate for change Crock from the man that looks like a.
Peter's last stand will turn to custard every minor support party looses popularity most loose there representation in Parliament.
The coalition has made big promises and given Nationals history of running a yoyo economy . Tax cuts will fuel a sugar hit for a very short time causing inflation followed by higher interest rates Austerity! Just like the 1990s .No cumulative growth the off again on again no real gain.
and the Government appears to lack any ideas other than dismantle recent policy…
And those ideas, the pro tobacco and pro landlord policies, are not exactly edifying.
"Whether what they campaigned on is sensible or comprehensive or even beneficial voters determined that they preferred it to the alternatives"
So that wasn't Luxon crouching and snarling at Question time from the Opposition benches???
Seems pretty clear in local discussions that the Labour caucus has worked out that it wasn't an accident.
If thats the case then they may be able to address it….time will tell.
Hipkins has to go. He will do fine as a minister.
Robertson is eloquent, has a great sense of humour (unlike Luxon) has done a good job in finance, is across all the issues and supports a wealth tax. He should be given a chance to roll Luxon in 3 years.
Anyone who thinks Peters will allow Seymour to be deputy PM for 18 months is nuts.
we'll be back at the polls in two years, tops.
The Public wanted a wealth tax. Chris Hipkins did not, and consigned us to the bin. Hipkins will be good in Opposition, but needs to reflect that next time many supporters like me will have died or be too ill. He needs to inspire NZ… is he capable?
Peters is determined to wipe any Labour gains away, and is actively supporting the most destructive governing group in NZ's history, and he is full of bile, but has few concrete plans.
Luxon is a blinkered thinker, and he will not care about collateral damage. Buckle up. His hubris is huge. He tends to believe his own press, and belittles others he disagrees with. (Bottom Feeders and Nitpickers.)
Seymore will strip rights as quickly as he is able as Minister of Regulations. Then it will be back to the snake oil pit of Charter schools, no ministries for Maori Pacifica and Human rights. He talks of "human rights" but he means "we will all be the same"
Will Labour morph to a people based party again? Well under Hipkins I never felt included.. I could feel the frustration of those on the front-line. We were never asked for our opinion. So 4 men all with too much hubris imo.
Rubbish. The only people who left Labour over the lack of a wealth tax would have voted for the Greens. None of that impacted on the overall left vote block. Labour lost because of a perception that Covid was over saw established voting patterns return, and National et al were able to exploit a lot of resentment at how the Auckland lockdown was handled, the vacuous absurdity of proposed changes to our hate speech laws, and Labour's inability to communicate Three Waters and co-governance clearly.
I notice your lack of imo as you rubbish my opinion lol.
Would you also like me to tell you I'm typing it?
Any thoughts on Brownlee's First Day?
He has a good sense of humour, as seen in past debates. He showed how challenging the early-days as Speaker can be, despite his extensive experience in the House – keeping the flow going, remembering names etc. is obviously very challenging first time up. Curiously likeable, despite his politics, but we shall see. If he warps process to shield his mates, we'll enjoy lambasting him 🙂
He is the classic speaker – a long serving politician who knows the arcane rules inside out and no longer has a dog in the fight ambition wise, seeking to round out a thirty year career in politics with a successful stint as a respected speaker before heading off into semi-retirement on various boards and Qangoes.
When he dies he'll get a new school named after him and everyone will beam happily on the occasion of the opening, where some mercifully short speeches will be made, a relative will cut the ribbon and various slightly stale and lukewarm light refreshments will be served.
Is Jonathan Hunt still enjoying his post-Speaker state, I wonder?
The Right Honorable Jonathan Hunt has not been well for some time.
I'm sorry to hear that. I met him, long ago, when he was Speaker. He was affable.
No doubt there'll be a sirhood as well if he wants it.
Yes it will be interesting. I've always thought him grumpy, rude and arrogant but he may enjoy the role and try and do a decent job.
If he ends up more in the mould of Lockwood Smith than David Carter then Parliament will be a better place.
He can be. Gout, perhaps? 🙂
He tells an engaging story, when he wants to.
He's a bit huffy-puffy though – I hope no one winds him up too much. Luckily, Winston's of his side this time. Chloe might push his buttons. Certainly some in Te Pati Māori will
The tv quiz show host who never seemed anything other than airhead may have coped credibly as speaker tho my brain seems reluctant to entertain the notion – as for Carter, the best that could accurately be said concedes that he persevered as a struggler. Brownlee could grow into it but the prospect of seeing the big picture on any point of contention could trigger brain paralysis.
I enjoyed Trevor Mallard's term as Speaker.
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Lloyd Burr for AM co-host. Hope he ramps up them subtle eye-rolls!
Elderly viewers will be filled with nostalgia at the glimmer of possibility of a return to leading-edge prime-time current affairs television. Since Brian Edwards did it, everyone's been too scared. Just cos Muldoon monstered Exel. Going gets tough, real contenders toughen up.
Since Brian Edwards did it, everyone's been too scared
John Campbell would like a word. His 7 pm interviews were hit and miss, but there were some decent hits.
If Ryan Bridge is hosting, don't get your hopes up.
Ryan's a great friend of the Right.
Traditional broadcasting is loosing support at a rapid pace thats why the project is being canned .Cheap alternatives will only hasten the end. Traditional broadcasting has no future the big player's have already run out of money snd are just holding on.repeats of reality shows and advertorials for thin lizzy given Mark Mitchell wants them to cover their tattoos that could be seen as a party political broadcast.
He's a great friend of the Right of a given value, but he also has the chops to be a good political interviewer in the same way Piers Morgan is a first class sh*t but also a first class interviewer. He may be politically right wing, but neither does he fawn on politicians, and I'm far from convinced that the Coalition is his flavour of right wing. He's not a social conservative.
That sounds promising then. I hope he digs deep and dislodges any yellow, cyan or magenta grot he finds hidden away.
Oh yeah, forgot about him. Perhaps an exception that proves the rule. There were a bunch of times I saw him doing exactly what the situation required. Even Holmes managed that sometimes though despite his congenital narcissism.
I'm picking Ryan will exhibit a flair for exposing weakness in the position of any politician. To serve the public interest, doing so whilst operating above the left/right divide is an essential skill. Given that media corporates are capitalist entities, finagling situations via balanced framing will remain the default stance, of course. Simulating fairness is easily done. Hipkins funding the media corporates is the role model everyone must learn from…
On reading Chris Hipkins' views on the election loss in the Spin-off, his words were straightforward, concise, with no jumbled jargon. On the other hand Chris Luxon again left me perplexed with his rambling, boring self-congratulatory jargon.
Tova O'Brien has a look at our version of the paraodox noted by someone in the 19th C – Randolph Churchill (how the extension of the franchise to the poor/working class would boost the Tories as the middle class Whigs in fear of the workers doing better would join them).
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/301023141/tova-podcast-mori-are-being-shafted-and-we-cant-accept-thats-okay
Was impressed with Kieran McAnulty's speech this week. Direct and to the point.
Dear Labour,
it shouldn't be that hard to work out what you need to do to beat plutocrat funded right wing culture war politics.
https://theintercept.com/2023/12/04/nebraska-senate-dan-osborn-deb-fisher/
https://osbornforsenate.com/platform/
A unionist focusing on the economic issues of the state.
A comment on Willie Jackson's Facebook made a point – will Asian shops have to remove or lessen any signage other than English? If not, why not.
Since it was opened Te Papa has always been the dominant title which everyone uses rather than Museum of New Zealand. People are very used to this and no one is bothered. People are starting to get used to Waka Kotahi now. Just give it some time people. Everyone knows exactly what the Koru Club is even if they are not members!
Asian shops won't have to do that because they are private businesses – so Luxon's argument about NZers being able to "navigate their government" doesn't apply. (He means "navigate their way around their own government" if anyone's wondering wtf his ugly bit of grandiose, corporate flannel actually means.) Plus to require Asian businesses to do this would be 'red tape'.
De-emphasising Te Reo is the price he's had to pay for getting votes and pulling together his coalition. The test of his character will be whether he does the least amount possible in this direction and does it with obvious distaste for the vindictive insanity that gave rise to it. Or whether he shows some relish for the task and reveals that he's actually just a wee bit fashy after all.
I recently sold an old trailer to a guy. When I suggested we get onto the “Waka Kotahi” website to do the change of ownership he got a bit angry at my use of that name. It came from nowhere in what had up to that point been a friendly process. It was baffling and a bit shocking.
One snippet I saw recently was in the discussion about multi languages on traffic signs.
Having ‘Kura’ and ‘School’ on the same sign was too much for some, all the confusion and so on.
Yep, the education system is failing, our kids are dumb, the modern generation is incapable of thinking!
Processing kura and school is too hard, learning to process such is beyond some. Having confidence in one’s ability to learn something new? No way.
Funny how those who so prolific, fluent and verbose when it comes to rationalising the use of Te Reo are so handicapped when it comes being able to handle its basic use. Maybe the problem is they have racist attitudes.
There is a now infamous Highway 30 road sign that says–“71 km Tauranga, Rotorua 9km, 77km Whakatane, Taupo 88km.” Heh, whatcha gonna do about that one all you dual language scaredy cats…
Being bilingual helps young do much better at school snd life also bilingual older people have less dementia much lower rates of depression. It's an inoculation of continual mental fitness. As opposed to the haters who will suffer from negative thinking and stubborn ignorance making them more susceptible.
Being bilingual also teaches about one's own language and culture since the act of learning another language introduces another culture and thereby enables a comparison.
It's also good to use as a code for secrecy purposes. Our kids took ages to work out what 'une glace' meant as we discussed the merits of buying an icecream for them.
Funnily enough we thick Irish and descendants of Irish have had no problems since the 1920s with dual language road signs in Ireland. The Gaelige sign is on top in italic script, and the English version is underneath in capitals, both in the same size font.
Neither the Irish people nor visitors to Ireland have any difficulty reading the signs.
Ethiopia this year.
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ethiopia-just-ended-one-war-is-another-one-beginning-2023-08-08/
2022
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/african-union-parties-ethiopia-conflict-have-agreed-cease-hostilities-2022-11-02/
Ethiopia has the same problems as many other African "states". These relate to the imposition of various colonial boundaries with no thought to the previous separations between tribal groups, languages and customs. Add religion, poverty, exploitation and machismo and you have a recipie for these sorts of difficulties.
They do have sort of a democracy, but if one tribal group attains some sort of dominance (like a previous Tigrayan Prime Minister,) the Amhara people resent it. There are frictions between the Oromo people and the Amhara people, and although they seem to have good comprehension of each other's languages and cultures (one of my women Ethiopian friends can tell where someone comes from by the way they do their hair, and at least one of her husbands was from a different language group) there are splits and divisions which go back centuries.
The former government began a dam project, called Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in Amhara territory.
https://www.water-technology.net/projects/grand-ethiopian-renaissance-dam-africa/
It's not fully operational yet because of disputes (with Egypt) about annual intake levels of water to fill it up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Ethiopian_Renaissance_Dam
This is notable as to the use of metaphor by the Tory class towards those they want gone. It reminds one of a certain sort of policing by profile where the undesirable is the first investigated after a crime – and of the American practice of (no knock warrant) policing an area designated for urban renewal. And as a tactic of landlords in removing tenants by making s… up. Under new management can also refer to takeover of someones assets.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/live-updates/06-12-2023/labour-caucus-should-have-survivors-guilty-luxon
The undertone is one of de-legitimising opposition to government, after coming into power. In business it can refer to asset stripping to line the pockets of the sponsors of the new party in government.
I think Luxon soon will have Stockholm Syndrome, as he and his party are being held hostage by ACT and NZF and their respective leaders.
I see the Financial Times has woken up to the fact that globalisation is dead.
Wonder if it will wake up to the fact capitalism is gone as well?
Just under 30 min video – Specifically how the Inflation Reduction Act changes everything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfaubxeS5HU
The USA has gone for more secure supply lines, green and local. A reverse of external lower cost outsourcing (especially China). A return to local job creation.
Europe will more likely simply adopt green supply lines as part of GW mitigation. That will be lower cost than the US subsidy for local. And thus open up opportunities for them to invest offshore.
Will be interesting to know if local people are now much cheaper to hire than they would have been without the intervening period (20-30 years maybe) of offshoring. If they are, perhaps the true, long-term goal of offshoring has been achieved – to lower domestic wages..
What a rich fantasy life you have. Globalisation is far from dead, it's just greenwashing itself or falling into the circle of China. As for capitalism, you are funny.
Recent article in Guardian says Thatcherism/Monetrist ideology come politics is a failure maybe someone can link.
When you’re hoping that someone else will do the linking for you, you should give a little more information, e.g., date, title, and author, at least.
Or better, learn to link yourself!
Maybe this one:
Guardian – Thatcherism isn’t working – it never did
Tame says 2 of the governments new policies will not do much harm.
The facts have changed in meth making area, offshore large scale production at lower cost, makes local supply of less importance (except to small scale independent operations).
And the continuance of the process for reduced nicotine levels in the tobacco sold means consumption will still fall (to patches and vaping for the greater nicotine addiction fix).
Leaving little prospect of major interest in importing the traditional smoke (again small scale operations at most).
If right, the 6000 sellers will lose sales – the smart ones already having created in-store vaping cabins.
If seems the focus is going to move onto vaping policy. And hopefully low THC marijuana sales being legalised for use in nausea management and to help people sleep.
That would create jobs and replace tax revenue lost tobacco consumption declines further.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/12/08/jack-tame-are-smokes-and-pseudoephedrine-really-ram-raid-issues/
Market interventions are always fun: gangster economics, likewise. The govt is adventuring into social engineering on a large and politically significant front – one suspects consequent theatrics will make it seem as if the circus has come to town.
Sideshows all over the place, journos struggling to keep up with the flow of stories. The deep Green view switches to resilience on drug policy: whatever gets you thro the nite, as Lennon pointed out. Therefore the Greens ought to create a spokesperson for the gangs & explain to them how to go green on drugs to make themselves & customers healthy. Expect Labour to change the subject…
I've got 12 months to squirrel away $22,000.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/133418969/aussie-electric-motorbike-maker-readying-new-zealand-launch
Unless anyone here knows someone who can retrofit batteries into a BMW K75…