“MPs have been given just five days to consider hundreds of submissions on the controversial TPP trade deal after the timeframe was drastically cut from four weeks.
The select committee was originally give a month to write its report and present it back to Parliament. Opposition MPs were furious at the sudden change and they called it an attack on democracy.”
IMO, They realised that all of the submissions were going to be against the TPPA and so they decided that they weren’t going to bother to read them as they were simply going to ignore them anyway.
And, yes, GFC2 isn’t far away and they know that as well. When it hits it’s going to highlight, yet again, just how badly modern capitalism and ‘free’ markets fail.
Tautoko@ Murray Simmonds. I listened to some submissions yesterday in which
there were good practical solutions to some of the obvious shortcomings about the TPP. Chairman Mark Mitchell is just acting as timekeeper. I was appalled to hear him suggest that a submitter was “anti-trade” after a submission had been made pointing out some serious omissions in the TPP text.
These submission should have been listened to BEFORE the document was signed. The whole process is a farce, the outcome of the select committee process has been predetermined. Key is shoving this through as quickly as possible because the public are waking up. The small protest group outside the venue for submissions were receiving a massive number of car toots. Their support is appreciated. These people are not rent-a-mob, they are committed activists.
” …After three days of stalling and four partial statements issued by Downing Street he confessed that he owned shares in the tax haven fund, which he sold for £31,500 just before becoming prime minister in 2010.
In a specially arranged interview with ITV News’ Robert Peston he confirmed a direct link to his father’s UK-tax avoiding fund, details of which were exposed in the Panama Papers revelations in the Guardian this week.
Admitting it had been “a difficult few days”, the prime minister said he held the shares together with his wife, Samantha, from 1997 and during his time as leader of the opposition. They were sold in January 2010 for a profit of £19,000.
He paid income tax on the dividends but there was no capital gains tax payable and he said he sold up before entering Downing Street “because I didn’t want anyone to say you have other agendas or vested interests”.
But the interview appeared unlikely to end scrutiny of Cameron’s tax affairs.
The Labour MP John Mann, a member of the Treasury select committee, said the prime minister should resign, claiming that Cameron had “covered up and misled”.
Cameron also admitted he did not know whether the £300,000 he inherited from his father had benefited from tax haven status due to part of his estate being based in a unit trust in Jersey.
….”
Smacks of sins of the father being visited upon the children.
The PM can hardly be held to account for the fact that his father operated Jersey and other funds. What his father did in his business life, is what he did, not what the PM has done.
If the only direct involvement is the investment that PM sold in 2010, he will not be in any difficulty.
It is a bit hard to ping him for the inheritance which relates, it seems, to his fathers actions.
It is very different situation to the Iceland PM, who effectively effectively bet against the very banks he was bailing out.
Agree with Wayne. As someone who was once directly affected by the sins of her father (although in his case it was wrongful suspicion based on insufficient facts), I have empathy for any person – no matter who they are – who finds themselves in such a situation. If his only involvement was to sell the investment in question, then I can’t see how he can be made accountable for his father’s actions.
He’s not being made accountable for his father’s actions, he’s been held to account for benefitting from his father’s actions and then subsequently misleading the British public about that.
On whether Mr Cameron should resign, Mr Watson told Sky News: “I think it’s too early to tell. He may have to resign over this but I think we need to know a lot more about what his financial arrangements have been, why it’s taken three days for him to answer legitimate questions from journalists, why he didn’t come clean when he heralded in the new age of transparency, and what other shareholdings does David Cameron have or has had since he was a Member of Parliament.”
It was not too early for John Mann, a Labour MP and member of the Treasury Select Committee, who said the Prime Minister should quit. He wrote on his Twitter account: “Cameron has been less than honest. He should resign immediately. Most decent people would expect nothing less.
“So during the 2010 general election campaign Cameron failed to declare offshore shares. Get out now hypocrite. Cameron has had six years to be honest with Parliament and the people. He failed to do so. Get out now hypocrite…Cameron issue is simple. He covered up and misled. How he got his shares is irrelevant. He has no choice but to resign.”
Mr Cameron also faced questions after it emerged he personally intervened to try to prevent EU transparency rules affecting offshore tax trusts.
The Prime Minister was forced to respond after it emerged that he sent a letter to the European Council president Herman van Rompuy in 2013 arguing for trusts to be treated differently from companies in anti-money laundering rules.
But Cameron actually sold his interest in 2010, so did he in fact have anything to declare?
It seems pretty unlikely to me that he will have to resign, it takes rather more than an Opposition MP calling for the PM’s head for that to happen.
Taking three days to clarify something is almost never an issue. Helen Clark always took her time, and generally that is how it works. Although Watson asks the question about whether there are other undisclosed shareholdings, that is simply an assertion.
Cameron would know that he has one shot at disclosure, so it seems pretty unlikely there are other financial skeletons in his cupboard.
If there are , then he really would be in trouble.
Taking three days to clarify something probably wouldn’t be an issue provided you haven’t lied from the start. Cameron’s biggest problem right now is he is having to row back from a deliberately misleading position at the start.
Furthermore Cameron is a bit of lame duck PM now since he’s said he won’t stand at the 2020 general election, jockeying for his job in the Conservative Party has already begun and he can’t afford a cock-up like this.
David Cameron has the blood of millions of human beings on his hands, as well as the misery and poverty of tens of millions more
Cameron has his own sins to pay for, and how payback returns to him will not make a blind bit of difference to those he has killed, maimed and impoverished
well, as this lady here says, he is not responsible for the sins of his father, but neither are the children of those he deems to be lazy unemployed, disabled, sick and otherwise undeserving of government help.
Quote: So David Cameron’s dad didn’t pay his fair share of taxes. The sins of Cameron’s dad are not his fault. True, but the Government are no strangers to damning the children of people who they think aren’t doing their bit for society. Barnardo’s, the Child Poverty Action Group and many others have all said that the Conservative Welfare and Work Bill will make poor children poorer. Policies such as only paying tax credits to the first two children in a family directly penalise children for the decisions of their parents. So in Tory Britain poor kids are paying the price for the actions of their parents but David Cameron doesn’t have to?
The Tories want taxpayers to hate people on benefits and be annoyed that we are paying for their lifestyle, I think it was IDS referred to as, “a direction which divides society”. To use the words of the Prime Minister, ‘let me be clear’: The sins of Daddy Cameron were not illegal but they are utterly disgusting. They are worse than the sins of fathers up and down the country who can’t find work, even the most feckless amongst them.
People who don’t pay their taxes are robbing from us all. The Camerons may well have forked out for education and health services, but it was my money that trained the doctors, nurses and teachers they used. Without the taxpayer the posh who jump the queue would just be sitting in a rather nicely decorated room without the staff to actually deliver the service. Every time Cameron Snr drove his car on a public highway, every time he could see on the street because of a streetlight, every day when there was a pavement outside his house and a regular bin collection, he took money from you, the nation’s honest taxpayers, without seeing fit to put his hand in his pocket. And while the Camerons had a bob or two I doubt very much they funded their own private police force and army. I mean the Eton set are a bit old fashioned but think the acts of livery and maintenance is a step to far even for them. So they got the security we all enjoy but it was you footing the bill, not daddy darling.
What makes it worse is that they got the best of everything while you paid the tab. They reaped the benefits of your hard toil, and because they had money to spare they got the best education, smaller class sizes, better service. Their kids got privilege that you paid for but never benefited from.
So David Cameron doesn’t need our praise for paying his tax. He’s not a very clever boy, he’s a very average boy who used privilege rather than brains to get where he got. Perhaps we could all buy our babies a better life if only we weren’t burdened with being decent human beings.Quote End.
———————————————————————————————————
and this applies very well here in NZ too. AS here too the children of the poor are paying the bill for the country that does not care and is happy to not pay taxes if they can avoid them.
“Is David Cameron fucked?” With any luck. He should follow Iceland’s example and resign. Now the people of Iceland are protesting again and calling for a snap election. Hopefully the international escalation of public outrage might eventually rub off on our “whatev’s” PM.
He is BOUND to be hiding something, aside from the fact he literally shrugs off such morally corrupt behaviour.
He’s guilty of plenty of things. Not telling the truth is one of them.
He’s the bloody south Pacific version of Silvio Berlusconi for gawds sake. And he gets things mixed up on purpose all the time, you know, like thinking assaulting a woman is “horse play”. That kind of thing. So what makes you think his word can be trusted?
On Planet Key, advice given by lawyers and accountants to their clients on tax avoidance is a good thing because it netted $24 million for those companies. On Planet Normal People that would be considered morally corrupt. If Key has been using offshore tax free trusts (and I’m not accusing him of that, it’s a hypothetical suggestion) I would expect him to come up with some sort of Father Ted “It was just resting in my account” excuse and you’d believe it.
“They need harsher penalties for people like that who put greed and money over human life.”
TOMMY DAVIS, who lost his brother and son and his nephew in the UBB coal mine disaster.
Disgraced coal baron Don Blankenship received the maximum possible sentence Wednesday for his misdemeanor conspiracy conviction, in a criminal case spurred by the Upper Big Branch disaster that killed 29 coal miners in West Virginia in 2009
Blankenship was acquitted in December of three felony charges over his direct personal responsibility for those deaths. But he was convicted on conspiracy to violate federal mining safety standards. And yesterday, federal judge handed down a sentence of one year in prison, plus a year of probation and a fine of $250,000 for Blankenship’s crimes.
2009, Twenty nine coal miners killed at the Upper Big Branch Coal mine in 2009 due to safety lapses.
2010, Twenty nine coal miners killed at the Pike River coal mine due to safety lapses.
Two eerily similar disasters, two very different outcomes for those responsible.
Why are managers and politicians prepared to take such risks with other peoples lives?
As well as greed, Don Blankenship shares something else in common with John Key, who’s government weakened mining safety regulations before the Pike River disaster, in particular banning worker chosen, check inspectors.
Blankenship had briefly tried to re-insert himself into the debate over energy policy briefly after his indictment, remaining among the ranks of climate-deniers. “Record low temperatures are freezing the Global Warming movement,” one of his most recent tweets, from November 2014, reads. “Hope @BarackObama notices that Climate Science is not settled.”
“I’ve seen a lot of leaders get up and say that this is potentially the biggest threat to mankind. Well that may be true, but my point really would be it’s not going to get there.”
JOHN KEY,
Newstalk ZB, Wednesday, 16 December 2015, 10:00AM
That is no surprise really in the nat controlled RNZ.
Watch them bring in some experts like hoots, dave etc (maybe brash even) to explain theres nothing really to see and its not shonkys fault anyway, happens all the time, we just did as told etc etc
Watch how the deep pockets influence behind this govts and its sellout agenda plays out
Don’t too hard on RadioNZ They will follow up the Panama Papers but it’s not new news. Now if they could give us less news about Trump, and all the other card-playing USA politicians – ‘Every move you make, every breath you take, I’ll be watching you’. (Which is actually sung by the Police, the band so aptly named for that song.) It is a sort of advertising for the USA Empah!
Budding journalist, researcher, fact magician (secret or unseen rabbits pulled out of hats before your wondering eyes), then take note, an award might come to you to help with your exertions.
Bruce Jesson Awards – http://www.brucejesson.com/
The grants are unique in New Zealand because they fund time and research costs of up to $4000 in advance.
Applications for the 2016 grants and student journalism prizes are now open, and close on Friday 9 September….
Applications and nominations can be submitted online through the Jesson website or by mail.
Grant applicants should submit an outline of their proposed project and explain how it meets the criteria set out the Jesson website http://www.brucejesson.com.
It is usual to submit references and/or examples of previous work, and a budget for the project.
The separate Emerging Journalism Prize for student journalists offers $1000 for “outstanding recent work by New Zealand print journalism students.” It is nominated by the heads of New Zealand journalism schools or journalism programme leaders for work by student journalists published between the closing date of last year’s award, 18 Sept 2015, and this year’s closing date 9 Sept 2016.
Entries for both awards will be assessed by members of the Bruce Jesson Foundation’s Journalism Sub-committee: Simon Collins (convenor), Joe Atkinson, Bryan Bruce, Geoff Kemp and Nicola Legat. The committee’s convenor may be contacted here. http://www.brucejesson.com/contact/journalism-sub-committee-convenor/
Remember the publicity when Mt Puna was arrested at the airport for Student Loan overdue? Thanks No Right Turn:
“Mr Puna lives and works in the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands along with Niue and Tokelau are dependent territories. This means that those who are citizens of these countries are also citizens of New Zealand, and that MrPuna was never an overseas based borrower to start with.
IRD have belatedly acknowledged this – his alleged $120,000 loan was reduced to $30,000, now further less the $5000 he was forced to borrow from his family in order to be released from his imprisonment at the airport.”…… http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2016/04/an-expensive-mistake.html
Mossack Fonseca isn’t the only firm involved in this kind of shit. There are at least three other, larger firms, that have their client data in tact.
I’d be very surprised if John Key doesn’t have something squirreled away by one of them….very surprised. He’s worth, what? 50 million? And banging money away in off-shore accounts is just normal, everyday stuff for peeps with that sort of money.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 11.1.1.1.1
Just have to say, what the fuck are the left going on about NZ being this massive tax haven?
Christ, we’re not even in the top 10, which makes us less of a tax haven than the UK! and going by the graph shown the UK barely even rates.
I’m assuming you’re talking about the graph with the title
From the Caribbean to the Pacific: tax havens used by Mossack Fonseca
Other countries and states on that graph are
BAHAMAS
BELIZE
BRITISH ANGUILLA
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
COSTA RICA
CYPRUS
HONG KONG
ISLE OF MAN
JERSEY
MALTA
NEVADA
NEW ZEALAND
NIUE
PANAMA
RAS AL KHAIMAH
SAMOA
SEYCHELLES
SINGAPORE
UNITED KINGDOM
URUGUAY
WYOMING
According to that graph we are so small in the scale of tax havens they didn’t even bother plotting us on the graph!
UK’s Cameron has made statements to the effect that he disposed of his shareholdings prior to his becoming PM in order to avoid any accusations of “conflicts of interest”. Key apparently simply created a Blind Trust in which to move all of his investment portfolios to remove any suspicions.
Spin spin spin, I love how you fishing for the new spin. Here it is folks.
The National Party shortly after coming into office tweaked the laws, created a de-facto tax haven for criminals, and people who think it is sport to avoid tax.
The package of changes, contained in the 2015 Land Reform Bill, defines land as a finite resource that must be protected in law for the common good and in the public interest.
The third stage of a detailed, 10 part Bill passed in March and paves the way for a new Land Register to ensure greater transparency of land ownership and improvements to community rights to roam common land.
Strangly very little comment on this site on Government proposed changes to CYFS, general feedback across the board has been very positive, It is an unusual policy for a Proto fascist government that is just there for the rich, what next passing on the first benefit increases in 20 years, raising the minimum wage, who would think ?
The sales brochure sounds good, but I think many people are waiting to see how this crowd fuck it up.
Probably by letting the new central organisation privatise shit. Was trying to find some home help support for an acquaintance with a chronic condition, got referred to an office at the other end of the country because that was who won the DHB contract 🙄
well, if the money from the other agencies was only for children, and the new single agency gets all that money, and it’s sufficient for the job, and if the single agency closes all the cracks that currently exist between different organisation without creating new cracks when it contracts for services, then it might be better for the kids.
That’s a lot of “if”s ‘twixt Tolley and triumph, however…
Strange again the kiwi bank idea came from a legend of the left, just irony after irony in our little south pacific proto fascist state for the rich Also sort of struggling how government prioritising between its own capital and expenditure is theft, if it does as you say and use special dividend to support social services (oops not another Proto fascist state contradiction)
From memory, and it is proving to be less reliable these days, Jim Anderton dragged Cullen kicking and screaming to fall in behind the creating of KiwiBank in the first place. So it would not be a surprise to see him working with the asset sale brigade…
“A number of historians regard fascism either as a revolutionary centrist doctrine, as a doctrine that mixes philosophies of the left and the right, or as both those things. Fascism was founded during World War I by Italian national syndicalists who drew upon left-wing and right-wing political views.”
“Some scholars consider fascism to be right-wing because of its social conservatism and authoritarian means of opposing egalitarianism”
Not sure why you would suggest such a thing.
You do get that when I call national fascist it’s colloquial rather than literal and to counter balance the left being referred to so often as communists (when most are far from communists).
There are of course fascist approaches within the National Party that make such colloquialism appropriate:
1. The spying on it’s own citizens and the increase of surveillance powers
2. The use of nothing to fear, nothing to hide as a justification
3. A strong emphasis on nationalism
4. The notion that an election gives me the leader mandate to do whatever the fuck I want
5. The links between the elite and the party – from fundraising, to law changes, to the taking over of elected bodies
6. The attacks on notions of egalitarianism and the promotion of individualism
7. The demeaning of the poor as undeserving and responsible for their own misfortune and the racism that this exudes both in political aspects and in the general populace.
8. The promotion of work for the disabled and the ill as the means to salvation.
Also sort of struggling how government prioritising between its own capital and expenditure is theft.
Cause neither the ACC money nor the pension money is theres to expend in that way.
Understanf your points but I suggest most governments would be considered facist based on your criteria, ie you could apply to any government and find some evidence of such? I think degrees is important here, calling national facist is absurd where the benchmark is Mussolini Italy and Nazi Germany
Re your last point the ACC and Superfund have simply traded one asset for another, while nzpost has traded and asset for cash and are paying a special dividend to thier shareholder, I can’t see the problem if all parties see the deal as a win win of which they obviously do based on thier respective strategic direction
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Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
EDITORIAL:By Pip Hinman and Susan Price Meta, the giant social media corporation, has “unpublished” Green Left’s longstanding Facebook page, which had tens of thousands of followers. We had been regularly posting stories, videos and photographs on the page from our consistent reporting of the news and views that seldom ...
Richard Shaw’s latest book, The Unsettled, explores the truth behind his and other Pākehā families’ ‘settler’/’pioneer’ histories and considers what to do with them. In this excerpt Shaw reveals how, once family facts come to light, the places around us look and feel different as our view of our place ...
The comedian and Celebrity Treasure Island champion takes us through his life in television, including trying to find his mum a man, the lasting impact of the 3B cream ad and his love for a certain Sticky TV presenter. James Mustapic’s closest collaborator is his mum Janet, who has been ...
Opinion: Although opioid use rates are rising in Aotearoa New Zealand, we have an opportunity to prevent an opioid crisis – let’s not waste the time we have left. Opioid overdose is in the news again as two recent New Zealand studies found overdose rates ticking upwards in Aotearoa. Rates ...
The Government has confirmed the problematic Performance-Based Research Fund will be reviewed over the course of the year, as part of a wider review into the university funding system. The upcoming Quality Evaluation component has subsequently been cancelled with funding to be allocated based on the last evaluation which was ...
Rachel Hunter sold out a Christchurch school hall for a mysterious sounding ‘Community Event’. Alex Casey went along to find out what it was all about. Former international supermodel Rachel Hunter is sitting cross-legged on stage between HEAT PUMP 3 and HEAT PUMP 4. It’s a school night in St ...
Rescue pup Coltrane 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 Coltrane’s human, Troy, for his support. Dog name: ColtraneAge: 2Breed: Labrador x InSinkeratorIf rescued, where from? Like his (human) dad, ...
When I next saw James, he was wiping his nose on a paper towel, the kind you get from beside a kitchen sink. The weather had suddenly turned, so he was wearing a dark jacket and an absurd little scarf that I thought made him look years older. Embarrassingly, I ...
COMMENTARY:By Ronny Kareni Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia’s army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding. Nowhere is this more evident ...
Analysis - Nicola Willis is holding firm on tax cuts despite the economic outlook being worse than forecast and critics urging her to wait, writes Peter Wilson for The Week In Politics. ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
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Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
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From RNZ news:
“MPs have been given just five days to consider hundreds of submissions on the controversial TPP trade deal after the timeframe was drastically cut from four weeks.
The select committee was originally give a month to write its report and present it back to Parliament. Opposition MPs were furious at the sudden change and they called it an attack on democracy.”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/300943/tpp-timeframe-'attack-on-democracy‘
Either the Government has just woken up to the fact that Global Financial Crisis 2 is just around the corner and is in PANIC MODE . . .
or its intended to provide a distraction from the Panama Papers and NZ’s status as a tax haven.
Or both.
I can’t see any other reason for shortening the time-frame for TPP submissions.
They don’t care for people’s opinions?
IMO, They realised that all of the submissions were going to be against the TPPA and so they decided that they weren’t going to bother to read them as they were simply going to ignore them anyway.
And, yes, GFC2 isn’t far away and they know that as well. When it hits it’s going to highlight, yet again, just how badly modern capitalism and ‘free’ markets fail.
Both major parties in Parliament have committed to keeping the TPP regardless of public opinion.
So why waste time on consultation theatre?
That’s the state of our “democracy” for you.
Tautoko@ Murray Simmonds. I listened to some submissions yesterday in which
there were good practical solutions to some of the obvious shortcomings about the TPP. Chairman Mark Mitchell is just acting as timekeeper. I was appalled to hear him suggest that a submitter was “anti-trade” after a submission had been made pointing out some serious omissions in the TPP text.
These submission should have been listened to BEFORE the document was signed. The whole process is a farce, the outcome of the select committee process has been predetermined. Key is shoving this through as quickly as possible because the public are waking up. The small protest group outside the venue for submissions were receiving a massive number of car toots. Their support is appreciated. These people are not rent-a-mob, they are committed activists.
Is David Cameron fucked?
http://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/07/david-cameron-admits-he-profited-fathers-offshore-fund-panama-papers
Will UK Prime Minister David Cameron be the next to resign?
http://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/07/david-cameron-admits-he-profited-fathers-offshore-fund-panama-papers
” …After three days of stalling and four partial statements issued by Downing Street he confessed that he owned shares in the tax haven fund, which he sold for £31,500 just before becoming prime minister in 2010.
In a specially arranged interview with ITV News’ Robert Peston he confirmed a direct link to his father’s UK-tax avoiding fund, details of which were exposed in the Panama Papers revelations in the Guardian this week.
Admitting it had been “a difficult few days”, the prime minister said he held the shares together with his wife, Samantha, from 1997 and during his time as leader of the opposition. They were sold in January 2010 for a profit of £19,000.
He paid income tax on the dividends but there was no capital gains tax payable and he said he sold up before entering Downing Street “because I didn’t want anyone to say you have other agendas or vested interests”.
But the interview appeared unlikely to end scrutiny of Cameron’s tax affairs.
The Labour MP John Mann, a member of the Treasury select committee, said the prime minister should resign, claiming that Cameron had “covered up and misled”.
Cameron also admitted he did not know whether the £300,000 he inherited from his father had benefited from tax haven status due to part of his estate being based in a unit trust in Jersey.
….”
Penny Bright
2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
Smacks of sins of the father being visited upon the children.
The PM can hardly be held to account for the fact that his father operated Jersey and other funds. What his father did in his business life, is what he did, not what the PM has done.
If the only direct involvement is the investment that PM sold in 2010, he will not be in any difficulty.
It is a bit hard to ping him for the inheritance which relates, it seems, to his fathers actions.
It is very different situation to the Iceland PM, who effectively effectively bet against the very banks he was bailing out.
As usual though it’s not the crime so much as the cover-up that gets you. Downing Street has totally fucked this up and now they are panicking.
Agree with Wayne. As someone who was once directly affected by the sins of her father (although in his case it was wrongful suspicion based on insufficient facts), I have empathy for any person – no matter who they are – who finds themselves in such a situation. If his only involvement was to sell the investment in question, then I can’t see how he can be made accountable for his father’s actions.
He’s not being made accountable for his father’s actions, he’s been held to account for benefitting from his father’s actions and then subsequently misleading the British public about that.
Oh I see.
Will David Cameron have to resign following the revelations
of the Panama Papers?
More news on this from The Independent……
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/panama-papers-david-cameron-admits-he-did-have-a-stake-in-father-ian-camerons-offshore-investment-a6973586.html
On whether Mr Cameron should resign, Mr Watson told Sky News: “I think it’s too early to tell. He may have to resign over this but I think we need to know a lot more about what his financial arrangements have been, why it’s taken three days for him to answer legitimate questions from journalists, why he didn’t come clean when he heralded in the new age of transparency, and what other shareholdings does David Cameron have or has had since he was a Member of Parliament.”
It was not too early for John Mann, a Labour MP and member of the Treasury Select Committee, who said the Prime Minister should quit. He wrote on his Twitter account: “Cameron has been less than honest. He should resign immediately. Most decent people would expect nothing less.
“So during the 2010 general election campaign Cameron failed to declare offshore shares. Get out now hypocrite. Cameron has had six years to be honest with Parliament and the people. He failed to do so. Get out now hypocrite…Cameron issue is simple. He covered up and misled. How he got his shares is irrelevant. He has no choice but to resign.”
Mr Cameron also faced questions after it emerged he personally intervened to try to prevent EU transparency rules affecting offshore tax trusts.
The Prime Minister was forced to respond after it emerged that he sent a letter to the European Council president Herman van Rompuy in 2013 arguing for trusts to be treated differently from companies in anti-money laundering rules.
…. ”
Penny Bright
2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
But Cameron actually sold his interest in 2010, so did he in fact have anything to declare?
It seems pretty unlikely to me that he will have to resign, it takes rather more than an Opposition MP calling for the PM’s head for that to happen.
Taking three days to clarify something is almost never an issue. Helen Clark always took her time, and generally that is how it works. Although Watson asks the question about whether there are other undisclosed shareholdings, that is simply an assertion.
Cameron would know that he has one shot at disclosure, so it seems pretty unlikely there are other financial skeletons in his cupboard.
If there are , then he really would be in trouble.
Taking three days to clarify something probably wouldn’t be an issue provided you haven’t lied from the start. Cameron’s biggest problem right now is he is having to row back from a deliberately misleading position at the start.
Furthermore Cameron is a bit of lame duck PM now since he’s said he won’t stand at the 2020 general election, jockeying for his job in the Conservative Party has already begun and he can’t afford a cock-up like this.
Even The Telegraph can smell the blood in the water on this one
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/07/david-cameron-has-disastrously-mishandled-the-crisis-over-his-ta/
David Cameron has the blood of millions of human beings on his hands, as well as the misery and poverty of tens of millions more
Cameron has his own sins to pay for, and how payback returns to him will not make a blind bit of difference to those he has killed, maimed and impoverished
well, as this lady here says, he is not responsible for the sins of his father, but neither are the children of those he deems to be lazy unemployed, disabled, sick and otherwise undeserving of government help.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/jess-phillips/david-cameron-taxes_b_9622288.html
Quote: So David Cameron’s dad didn’t pay his fair share of taxes. The sins of Cameron’s dad are not his fault. True, but the Government are no strangers to damning the children of people who they think aren’t doing their bit for society. Barnardo’s, the Child Poverty Action Group and many others have all said that the Conservative Welfare and Work Bill will make poor children poorer. Policies such as only paying tax credits to the first two children in a family directly penalise children for the decisions of their parents. So in Tory Britain poor kids are paying the price for the actions of their parents but David Cameron doesn’t have to?
The Tories want taxpayers to hate people on benefits and be annoyed that we are paying for their lifestyle, I think it was IDS referred to as, “a direction which divides society”. To use the words of the Prime Minister, ‘let me be clear’: The sins of Daddy Cameron were not illegal but they are utterly disgusting. They are worse than the sins of fathers up and down the country who can’t find work, even the most feckless amongst them.
People who don’t pay their taxes are robbing from us all. The Camerons may well have forked out for education and health services, but it was my money that trained the doctors, nurses and teachers they used. Without the taxpayer the posh who jump the queue would just be sitting in a rather nicely decorated room without the staff to actually deliver the service. Every time Cameron Snr drove his car on a public highway, every time he could see on the street because of a streetlight, every day when there was a pavement outside his house and a regular bin collection, he took money from you, the nation’s honest taxpayers, without seeing fit to put his hand in his pocket. And while the Camerons had a bob or two I doubt very much they funded their own private police force and army. I mean the Eton set are a bit old fashioned but think the acts of livery and maintenance is a step to far even for them. So they got the security we all enjoy but it was you footing the bill, not daddy darling.
What makes it worse is that they got the best of everything while you paid the tab. They reaped the benefits of your hard toil, and because they had money to spare they got the best education, smaller class sizes, better service. Their kids got privilege that you paid for but never benefited from.
So David Cameron doesn’t need our praise for paying his tax. He’s not a very clever boy, he’s a very average boy who used privilege rather than brains to get where he got. Perhaps we could all buy our babies a better life if only we weren’t burdened with being decent human beings.Quote End.
———————————————————————————————————
and this applies very well here in NZ too. AS here too the children of the poor are paying the bill for the country that does not care and is happy to not pay taxes if they can avoid them.
“Is David Cameron fucked?” With any luck. He should follow Iceland’s example and resign. Now the people of Iceland are protesting again and calling for a snap election. Hopefully the international escalation of public outrage might eventually rub off on our “whatev’s” PM.
He is BOUND to be hiding something, aside from the fact he literally shrugs off such morally corrupt behaviour.
He is BOUND to be hiding something, aside from the fact he literally shrugs off such morally corrupt behaviour
– Well that’s good enough for me, hes definitely guilty of something then
He’s guilty of plenty of things. Not telling the truth is one of them.
He’s the bloody south Pacific version of Silvio Berlusconi for gawds sake. And he gets things mixed up on purpose all the time, you know, like thinking assaulting a woman is “horse play”. That kind of thing. So what makes you think his word can be trusted?
On Planet Key, advice given by lawyers and accountants to their clients on tax avoidance is a good thing because it netted $24 million for those companies. On Planet Normal People that would be considered morally corrupt. If Key has been using offshore tax free trusts (and I’m not accusing him of that, it’s a hypothetical suggestion) I would expect him to come up with some sort of Father Ted “It was just resting in my account” excuse and you’d believe it.
You’re a prime example of why courts are damn good idea
Eh?
capital punishment anyone?
April 7, 2016
2009, Twenty nine coal miners killed at the Upper Big Branch Coal mine in 2009 due to safety lapses.
2010, Twenty nine coal miners killed at the Pike River coal mine due to safety lapses.
Two eerily similar disasters, two very different outcomes for those responsible.
Why are managers and politicians prepared to take such risks with other peoples lives?
As well as greed, Don Blankenship shares something else in common with John Key, who’s government weakened mining safety regulations before the Pike River disaster, in particular banning worker chosen, check inspectors.
Winston Peters in reply to the Speaker of the House challenging him regarding his question-asking technique:
“Ive been in the House longer than you, and I know how to ask a question.”
Brilliant reply!
It may have got him thrown out of the House for the second day in a row, but Peters definitely won this spat by retaining the moral high ground.
That man is quite often worth his weight in Gold-Cards.
+1 MurrayS LOL
RNZ 7 a.m. news headlines
It’s official.
RNZ thinks Health and Safety issues at a private school’s drama production is more important than the Panama Papers.
Unbelievable.
And is it just me, but we seem to be getting more and more bloody sports news on this RNZ bulletin? Idle curiosity an’ all.
That is no surprise really in the nat controlled RNZ.
Watch them bring in some experts like hoots, dave etc (maybe brash even) to explain theres nothing really to see and its not shonkys fault anyway, happens all the time, we just did as told etc etc
Watch how the deep pockets influence behind this govts and its sellout agenda plays out
Don’t too hard on RadioNZ They will follow up the Panama Papers but it’s not new news. Now if they could give us less news about Trump, and all the other card-playing USA politicians – ‘Every move you make, every breath you take, I’ll be watching you’. (Which is actually sung by the Police, the band so aptly named for that song.) It is a sort of advertising for the USA Empah!
Brian Fallow: When work isn’t working. A good read on UBI, CGT, etc.
Remember this interview with John key in 2008
http://thestandard.org.nz/key-i-just-followed-what-was-in-my-diary/
Budding journalist, researcher, fact magician (secret or unseen rabbits pulled out of hats before your wondering eyes), then take note, an award might come to you to help with your exertions.
Bruce Jesson Awards – http://www.brucejesson.com/
The grants are unique in New Zealand because they fund time and research costs of up to $4000 in advance.
Applications for the 2016 grants and student journalism prizes are now open, and close on Friday 9 September….
Applications and nominations can be submitted online through the Jesson website or by mail.
Grant applicants should submit an outline of their proposed project and explain how it meets the criteria set out the Jesson website http://www.brucejesson.com.
It is usual to submit references and/or examples of previous work, and a budget for the project.
The separate Emerging Journalism Prize for student journalists offers $1000 for “outstanding recent work by New Zealand print journalism students.” It is nominated by the heads of New Zealand journalism schools or journalism programme leaders for work by student journalists published between the closing date of last year’s award, 18 Sept 2015, and this year’s closing date 9 Sept 2016.
Entries for both awards will be assessed by members of the Bruce Jesson Foundation’s Journalism Sub-committee: Simon Collins (convenor), Joe Atkinson, Bryan Bruce, Geoff Kemp and Nicola Legat. The committee’s convenor may be contacted here.
http://www.brucejesson.com/contact/journalism-sub-committee-convenor/
For those of you interested to learn more about the work of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 truth here is week 1 of their 4 week webinar program.
Remember the publicity when Mt Puna was arrested at the airport for Student Loan overdue? Thanks No Right Turn:
“Mr Puna lives and works in the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands along with Niue and Tokelau are dependent territories. This means that those who are citizens of these countries are also citizens of New Zealand, and that MrPuna was never an overseas based borrower to start with.
IRD have belatedly acknowledged this – his alleged $120,000 loan was reduced to $30,000, now further less the $5000 he was forced to borrow from his family in order to be released from his imprisonment at the airport.”……
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2016/04/an-expensive-mistake.html
A nice wee settlement on the horizon?.
Anyone yet found that mention you all assumed Key would have in the Panama Papers?
Keep me informed, will you?
Oh well, might just be a slow burner instead.
So long as we’re all clear that he’s definitely involved.
I will check back periodically for news.
Mossack Fonseca isn’t the only firm involved in this kind of shit. There are at least three other, larger firms, that have their client data in tact.
I’d be very surprised if John Key doesn’t have something squirreled away by one of them….very surprised. He’s worth, what? 50 million? And banging money away in off-shore accounts is just normal, everyday stuff for peeps with that sort of money.
And banging money away in off-shore accounts is just normal, everyday stuff for peeps with that sort of money.
Got a link for that? Or is this pronouncement as a consequence of personal experience?
here you go
I just had a look, haven’t been that interested
Just have to say, what the fuck are the left going on about NZ being this massive tax haven?
Christ, we’re not even in the top 10, which makes us less of a tax haven than the UK! and going by the graph shown the UK barely even rates.
https://panamapapers.icij.org/graphs/
Starting to seriously smell like KDS.
Obviously didn’t look at the graph further down the page, where NZ is listed as one of the 21 countries Mossack-Fonseca uses “for tax purposes”.
New Zealand appears once on that page.
I’m assuming you’re talking about the graph with the title
From the Caribbean to the Pacific: tax havens used by Mossack Fonseca
Other countries and states on that graph are
BAHAMAS
BELIZE
BRITISH ANGUILLA
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
COSTA RICA
CYPRUS
HONG KONG
ISLE OF MAN
JERSEY
MALTA
NEVADA
NEW ZEALAND
NIUE
PANAMA
RAS AL KHAIMAH
SAMOA
SEYCHELLES
SINGAPORE
UNITED KINGDOM
URUGUAY
WYOMING
According to that graph we are so small in the scale of tax havens they didn’t even bother plotting us on the graph!
KDS rides again !
Yep, our 60,000 mentions obviously doesn’t cut it 😉
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/panama-papers-aussie-media-claims-nz-referred-in-60-000-documents
2.6 terabyte of information.
Not in the top ten out of 200-odd countries?
You tories have a low threshold for acceptable standards. But then we already knew that – especially Northlanders and Southlanders…
yes Panama Papers have not been revealed yet…only a tiny select titivating skewed selection thus far…here is to hoping someone is sweating
‘Panama Papers: WikiLeaks’ Kristinn Hrafnsson calls for data leak to be released in full’
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/panama-papers/panama-papers-wikileaks-kristinn-hrafnsson-calls-for-data-leak-to-be-released-in-full-34601909.html
UK’s Cameron has made statements to the effect that he disposed of his shareholdings prior to his becoming PM in order to avoid any accusations of “conflicts of interest”. Key apparently simply created a Blind Trust in which to move all of his investment portfolios to remove any suspicions.
Trusts … mmmmm.
And yet he still knew that he owned shares in a winery despite the fact that those shares were, IIRC, held by the ‘blind’ trust.
Spin spin spin, I love how you fishing for the new spin. Here it is folks.
The National Party shortly after coming into office tweaked the laws, created a de-facto tax haven for criminals, and people who think it is sport to avoid tax.
Aye giving land back to the people. Hopefully next they’ll give copyright back to the people as well.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/78709340/scotland-moves-against-wealthy-gentry-dominating-land
The package of changes, contained in the 2015 Land Reform Bill, defines land as a finite resource that must be protected in law for the common good and in the public interest.
The third stage of a detailed, 10 part Bill passed in March and paves the way for a new Land Register to ensure greater transparency of land ownership and improvements to community rights to roam common land.
Strangly very little comment on this site on Government proposed changes to CYFS, general feedback across the board has been very positive, It is an unusual policy for a Proto fascist government that is just there for the rich, what next passing on the first benefit increases in 20 years, raising the minimum wage, who would think ?
The sales brochure sounds good, but I think many people are waiting to see how this crowd fuck it up.
Probably by letting the new central organisation privatise shit. Was trying to find some home help support for an acquaintance with a chronic condition, got referred to an office at the other end of the country because that was who won the DHB contract 🙄
I think the funds are to be taken from other agencies. According to Tolley on Radio National yesterday. Robbing Peter to…
well, if the money from the other agencies was only for children, and the new single agency gets all that money, and it’s sufficient for the job, and if the single agency closes all the cracks that currently exist between different organisation without creating new cracks when it contracts for services, then it might be better for the kids.
That’s a lot of “if”s ‘twixt Tolley and triumph, however…
Ok until otherwise you agree it’s a good policy, that’s a start
Waiting for National to say the special dividends from the Kiwibank sale will fund it.
Politically that would be as funny as the benefit increases.
(It would still be theft of money that government shouldn’t be touching but it would be funny.)
Strange again the kiwi bank idea came from a legend of the left, just irony after irony in our little south pacific proto fascist state for the rich Also sort of struggling how government prioritising between its own capital and expenditure is theft, if it does as you say and use special dividend to support social services (oops not another Proto fascist state contradiction)
Got any proof of that?
Cullen may have announced but where did the idea come from?
He admitted as such on Paul henry this week, plainly ask who idea was it, he quite proudly said it was his
Well then, Cullen just went down in my estimation and it wasn’t that high to begin with.
Fair enough
From memory, and it is proving to be less reliable these days, Jim Anderton dragged Cullen kicking and screaming to fall in behind the creating of KiwiBank in the first place. So it would not be a surprise to see him working with the asset sale brigade…
I can’t see any irony at all.
“A number of historians regard fascism either as a revolutionary centrist doctrine, as a doctrine that mixes philosophies of the left and the right, or as both those things. Fascism was founded during World War I by Italian national syndicalists who drew upon left-wing and right-wing political views.”
“Some scholars consider fascism to be right-wing because of its social conservatism and authoritarian means of opposing egalitarianism”
Not sure why you would suggest such a thing.
You do get that when I call national fascist it’s colloquial rather than literal and to counter balance the left being referred to so often as communists (when most are far from communists).
There are of course fascist approaches within the National Party that make such colloquialism appropriate:
1. The spying on it’s own citizens and the increase of surveillance powers
2. The use of nothing to fear, nothing to hide as a justification
3. A strong emphasis on nationalism
4. The notion that an election gives me the leader mandate to do whatever the fuck I want
5. The links between the elite and the party – from fundraising, to law changes, to the taking over of elected bodies
6. The attacks on notions of egalitarianism and the promotion of individualism
7. The demeaning of the poor as undeserving and responsible for their own misfortune and the racism that this exudes both in political aspects and in the general populace.
8. The promotion of work for the disabled and the ill as the means to salvation.
Also sort of struggling how government prioritising between its own capital and expenditure is theft.
Cause neither the ACC money nor the pension money is theres to expend in that way.
Understanf your points but I suggest most governments would be considered facist based on your criteria, ie you could apply to any government and find some evidence of such? I think degrees is important here, calling national facist is absurd where the benchmark is Mussolini Italy and Nazi Germany
Re your last point the ACC and Superfund have simply traded one asset for another, while nzpost has traded and asset for cash and are paying a special dividend to thier shareholder, I can’t see the problem if all parties see the deal as a win win of which they obviously do based on thier respective strategic direction
More from this is a strange week file
why is a Proto fascist right wing government for the rich promoting a true ( and deserved) legend of the left and a feminist to boot as head of the UN
Don’t RWNJ’s believe that everything has its place?
Yes we do OAB and we cerianly no yours, a dark place where the sun don’t shine 😀
Your morbid projections are very revealing.