It is only a matter of time: Greece’s day of reckoning will arrive and it will not be pretty for her people, despite all promised made by Tsipras and his radicals.
The derivatives leveraged to Greek default put the entire world economy at risk because of there size.
Basically you can think of derivatives as buying insurance on someone else’s house – you then have an incentive to burn it down so you can claim on the policy. There is much money to be made out of Greece failing and much pain for all of us whether or not we understand the counterparty risk triggered by derivatives levered up to the trillions that turn toxic as soon as the default occurs.
An option to buy a share is used in hedging? The right to buy should the share go up in price at a lower price. So what happens when your Leemen brothers or whatever bank that collapses? The option is worthless. Does that mean in future companies could implode purposefully to take down the market? And should we be investigating financial terrorism? Was 9-11 the start of a financial world war?
Probably true but that day of reckoning has absolutely nothing to do with what Greece has done nor what it’s trying to do but with what the predatory private banks have done.
Prior to the mid 1990s the government subsidised the supply side of housing ensuring everyone had somewhere to live.
From the mid 1990s the government began to shift to subsidies over to the demand side of housing. Selling state houses and introducing the Accommodation Supplement so those on low incomes could “choose” where to live.
Unlike HNZ housing which was only available to those disadvantaged in the housing market, the Accommodation Supplement was available to all those who met a cash asset test, and income test.
so, who still thinks that it’s a good idea that we send NZ troops in to fight ISIS with the Americans. Because now it turns out that the rise of ISIS was not only predicted by the Americans because it knew that its allies helped shepherd it along, ISIS (or an entity like it) was seen by the Americans as being helpful in sorting out Assad and in limiting Iranian influence in the area.
By the way, the US are experts at importing, training and arming militant Muslim extremists to take down whole governments. The Americans have been doing it since Soviet Afghanistan.
By the way, the US are experts at importing, training and arming militant Muslim extremists to take down whole governments. The Americans have been doing it since Soviet Afghanistan.
The CIA has publicly admitted for the first time that it was behind the notorious 1953 coup against Iran’s democratically elected prime minister Mohammad Mosaddeq, in documents that also show how the British government tried to block the release of information about its own involvement in his overthrow.
Just read this stomach churning piece on how the US engineered the “El Salvador” option to controlling the Sunni insurgency in Iraq in 2004. In essence, enabling Shia sectarian death squads and torture centres to suppress Sunni insurgents, driving a sectarian blood bath in Iraq which would take pressure off attacks on US forces. At the cost of tens of thousands of Iraqi lives a month.
I can’t Bomber believe actually accused The Standard as being “pompous”. That’s rich coming from Bomber who it appears won’t leave the house without wearing a mustard coloured v-neck and sport coat.
What’s not to like? The PM cosying up to his state propaganda machine, naming babies and probably delivering them next on live tv! Watching it gave me the feeling that some more dirty tricks are at play here.
I have a serious problem. Perhaps someone can help me. I listened to the RNZ political spot this morning and – apart from an innocuous bit of union bashing – I agreed with pretty much everything Matthew Hooten said. Do you think I should contact Mike Williams and ask him how he copes with the “I agree with Matt” condition?
In two early examples, nothing he (the speaker) says made a judgement on whether anything was right or wrong, so the door is left open for people to “agree” as long as they look at it all from their perspective, not the perspective of the political speaker.
e.g. (I’ll paraphrase loosely)
“McCully didn’t follow protocols…etc etc [description of transgressions]…”, well is that a good or bad thing and would you or the people you support use that “back door” process? Nothing is said on that point. The speaker says journalists say it is all ok, but the speaker says “I don’t think that’s right”. Does he mean the action was wrong, or does he mean the opinion of journalists was wrong, or does he mean he thinks the action was wrong, but it was the right thing to do to assure a particular end result? The implication is there, that a conclusive comment could be made, but none is made: good or bad, something to be condoned and encouraged, or not. The speaker doesn’t specifically say, so anyone who agrees with him is giving him the benefit of the doubt that he agrees with one side, their side, when he may not, and in effect is only agreeing with themselves.
“Journalists used to hunt in packs… some called it bullying, now they don’t….”
Is that good or bad? Bullying is emotive language. Bullying, we’re told, is “bad”, so they should’ve been stopped… is that what he was implying? Who or what actions is he justifying so emotively? Is the political speaker making a further attack on journalists, or lamenting the loss of collaboration between colleagues? Could be either. Was, or is, the political speaker involved with anything that might have created the environment that journalists can now only “hunt solo”, even if they should do, or want to do, otherwise? “Hunting in packs” is a statement of fact, obvious in it’s loaded meaning, but not relevence, so what would anyone be agreeing with when it is said?
There is no proof that anything the speaker says is linked to the any other statement or topic that follows, or that a consistent perspective is being used. Apply these examples to what was said in the panel discussion, and see how much agreement there is now.
I don’t care about the size of Martyn Bradbury’s ego and I don’t care about the eccentricities of his personality, but telling outright lies about the standard being a Labour party blog (one piece of evidence is that Slater thinks it is) is well beyond what is ok. I no longer consider Bradbury to be trustworthy to the left (for whatever my opinion is worth). This isn’t about the standard vs TDB (I read both), or lprent vs Bomber (really, who gives a shit), it’s about someone on the left telling actual lies about the left and doing it from a position of power and responsibility in a way that is going to undermine the left, and create confusion for anyone trying to make sense of Dirty Politics who hasn’t been following closely (including the media and bloggers who have influence, but also just general readers). That’s fucked. Very very fucked.
Bradbury: As I said above, The Standard was set up by the Labour Party, the original creation of it was as a Labour Party newsletter for christ’s sakes. It’s a Labour Party blog, that’s why Slater was trying to hack it, to attack the Labour Party.
You’re personal feelings about him, and your need to make comment about that, don’t help. My point is, the personality stuff is irrelevant, it just clouds the reall issues, in this instance, that he’s telling harmful lies (and probably doing so intentionally), and what that means for the left.
Agree with weka. Telling Bomber off for wearing the wrong clothes does nothing to help our position. I often find his personality pompous and annoying too, so what? Who cares? Do us a favour and make a grown up argument instead.
No, you weren’t. You were just going on about his personality, again (hint, it’s in the words blowhardy, pompous etc). You’ve yet to make a single comment on this today about an actual issue that isn’t about you disliking Bomber.
Sure, Weka, but in the context of what you were talking about – his utter contempt of the truth which makes him an arrogant blowhard.
The same as Slater’s utter contempt of truth makes him an arrogant blowhard….I’m sure you’ll have the same faux outrage against me defining Slater in those terms too.
As I said, I don’t care how you feel about them. I’m more interested in what Bradbury is doing. I don’t care if he’s a blowhard or not. You obviously think the important bit is his blowhardiness (or your feelings that he is). I think the important bit is the lie he is telling and what that means (and no, it doesn’t mean he is a blowhard, really who cares about that?)..
Actually the original newsletter was The Maoriland worker. It was not till the 1930’s that it changed it’s name to The Standard. The news sheet ceased publishing in the 1960’s. One last point – it was not started by the labour party, but by the Shears Union.
So yeah Weka, I do believe you are right in calling Boomer a liar on this one. He deliberately misrepresent The standard, not only as it presently stands, but historically as well.
1910 – Robert Ross invited by the FOL from Melbourne to edit the paper
1911 – Robert Hogg (later editor of New Zealand Truth) was Manager.[3]
1913 – Contributors Edward Hunter (Billy Banjo) and Harry Holland charged with sedition.[4]
1913–1918 Harry Holland appointed editor.[5][6]
1922 – Publisher John Glover prosecuted (unsuccessfully) for blasphemous libel. New Zealand’s only trial to date for blasphemy.[6][7]
1922 – The manager John Glover lent £100 interest free to Walter Nash.
1930s – Renamed to “the Standard”.
1960 – Ceased publication.[8]
Anyone want to put up something about the modern Standard on wikipedia? For that matter there doesn’t appear to be anything about the old Standard.
Hmm. In the interests of clarification, I posted the following over at TDB. I’m in moderation and don’t really expect the comment to become public.
‘The Standard’ has, and had, nothing to do with the Labour Party Martyn.
The Maoriland Worker, later called The Standard, was a leading New Zealand labour journal of the early 20th century.
It was launched in 1910 by the Shearers’ Union and was initially published monthly (Frank Langstone was involved).[1] It was soon taken over by the New Zealand Federation of Labour and became the official organ of the federation.[2]
The journal ceased publication in 1960. At the time it was called The Standard, and was published weekly.
Yes I agree weka. Deliberately telling a lie to sow misinformation and muddy the waters so that your pet project can be enhanced or seen to be better is low and dishonest. Bomber has bombed and friendly fire ain’t friendly especially when aimed – the martyr-dum of martyn.
Anyone else catch Key’s cringe appearance on breakfast this morning (A link to the vid for those who want it http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11461572)
Funny, how in the midst of all the politcally shadiness being pushed at the moment, the prime minister gets to gleefully announce the pregnancy of a popular television presenter, while still ducking from anything resembling a robust interview. As woman around Pugh’s age I’ll say that this is sort of chit-chat you’d expect to have at a saturday brunch with the girls… not with the prime minister on national TV. To be fair Pugh seems pretty uncomfortable, while Key looks as happy as a kid who’s just managed to deliver his lines in the school play without stumbling (**looks out to mum and dad “Did i do good, you guys???”)
I don’t know if its possible but Little and the green leaders should be trying to get on both channels for a casual chat once a week this is a new era.
TV3 have shown contempt for the viewer with JC’s demise and this slide will continue and show them just how crucial he was to the overall ratings of the 6-7.30 slot.
Experienced TV news folk know this but you have a banksta and a reality TV copy/paste queen calling the shots now or puling the trigger on a loaded gun they get handed, either way results the same.
weight loss and road cops either side of the news…..Classy !
“”I’d just like to thank you for coming to see me while I was in jail in Japan,” he wrote.
“You were the only journalist who came and though we couldn’t physically speak through the glass, the sign language that day helped alleviate my family’s fears and quell a lot of rumours surrounding the incident at the time.”
I’m no expert in the IT space so can someone tell me if these eye watering sums are reasonable or whether the NZ public are being taken to the cleaners.
With a couple of consulting partners supervising at $2500/hr, a few senior consultants on at $800/hr, and a team of recent graduate analysts charged out at $450/hr (all excl GST, and those are per person rates), you do the math…
Business transformation is a nebulous Term that can mean anything from one or more new IT systems to a reorganisation, new roles/redundancies etc etc so it can have large chunks that have nothing to do with technology
The IRD is a complex and difficult environment so the governance and security aspects are deep with change being slow and cumbersome, it’s also full of opinionated idiots who get to influence outcomes (I include ministers in this) with no experience in such a project.
vendors factor that in such as the involvement of 1 particular architect at a site meant any value was doubled before being given to the client as that’s the impact 1 person can have….imagine committees full of them.
CR’s point above also weighs in with alot of overhead required just to get basic stuff done.
Even if it were strictly IT software/hardware upgrades (it’s not), for a client the size of IRD it’s probably not too bad value. Remember the fuckup with novopay, and apply it to our entire tax system from PAYE to GST to company tax, and… eeep.
It’s a long-term project with phased implementation and an entire refit of the processes as well as the IT infrastructure, so it’s more than a few consultants knocking out some bullshit.
Upcoming Public Meeting in Auckland for concerned citizens and ratepayers who are opposed to MORE Auckland Council proposed rate$ increases!
WHEN: Wednesday 10 June 2015
TIME: 7.30 – 10pm
WHERE: Mt Eden War Memorial Hall
487 Dominion Rd, Balmoral
You can see by the range of speakers – the range of concern and opposition across the political spectrum!
(Please be advised that ALL political parties currently represented in Parliament were invited, as was Auckland Mayor Len Brown.)
_____________________________________________________________________________
PRESS RELEASE
RAY CALVER & DICK CUTHBERT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ANOTHER SPEAKER ADDED TO LINE UP
The Auckland Rates Increases Public Meeting, taking place on Wednesday June 10, now has additional speakers to add to the line up. Ray Calver says
“We are delighted to be able to welcome Parmjeet Parma from the National Party and Hinurewa Te Hau from the Maori Party.
This brings the total number of speakers addressing the meeting up to 9.”
The confirmed speakers are now
· Stephen Berry – Affordable Auckland Mayoral candidate
· Cameron Brewer – Orakei Councillor
· Penny Bright – Mayoral candidate
· Jo Holmes – Auckland Ratepayer’s Alliance
· Damien Light – United Future
· Bill Raynor – Grey Power
· Parmjeet Parma – National MP
· David Seymour – Act Epsom MP
· Hinurewa Te Hau – Maori Party
“Following speeches, time will be put aside for audience members to either ask questions or give statements on how they believe we should proceed in opposing the rates increases. This will be followed by tea and coffee giving audience members an opportunity to talk with our speakers.”
The Auckland Rates Increases Public Meeting will take place from 7:30pm on June 10th at Mt. Eden War Memorial Hall, 487 Dominion Road.
Jerry Collins-balls
Just how bad can the commentary get?
The frenzy following the death of Jerry Collins hasn’t, on the whole, been as obscene or absurd as what we were subjected to for the visit of that coke-snorting, whore-pestering, peasant-smiting “playboy” beneficiary and scrounger a few weeks ago. Nevertheless, hapless “consumers” of the New Zealand media over the last three days have been exposed to some of the most bewildered, ignorant and unpleasant commentary to be found outside of an ACT Party policy or a Sensible Sentencing Trust klavern.
BEWILDERED…..
“It’s a travesty for the rugby world,” intoned a commentator during the Hurricanes-Highlanders game on Friday night. He meant to say “tragedy”, of course, but he was doing a rugby broadcast, where ignorance reigns supreme, so no one picked him up on it.
IGNORANT…..
On Saturday afternoon, Brendan Telfer interviewed Dominion Post rugby writer Toby Robson, who after a few gracious words about Jerry Collins, went on to spoil it by displaying a breathtaking level of sporting ignorance that hasn’t been heard on radio since the departure of Martin “Moron” Devlin….
BRENDAN TELFER: He was playing for a second division club.
TOBY ROBSON: Yeah, he’s been playing for a club called Narbonne. I don’t know what standard it would be, whether it’s club level or what it is….
It’s club level in France, of course, which is provincial level in New Zealand. But Robson appears not to know this, or indeed to know anything about French rugby—“a club called Narbonne”—which begs the question: Why is he allowed to write about the game?
UNPLEASANT…..
Anyone unwise or undiscriminating enough to be listening to RadioLIVE at 2:20 p.m. today (Monday June 8th) would have heard the host desperately making his case….
WILLIE JACKSON: [shouting passionately] Yeah he WAS! Jerry Collins was a ROLE MODEL!!
Now, when someone asserts something like that, with extreme truculence—other examples are: “Bruce Hutton had integrity beyond reproach” or “You KNOW me. I am a GOOD man” or “Never, ever would I ever knowingly sign a false electoral return”[1]—-he, or she (probably Michelle Boag) is almost always trying to cover up something unpleasant. The unpleasant truth about Jerry Collins is that, in spite of being a wonderful athlete and a genuinely nice guy, he did have another, more disturbing, side to him. While he neither brought death and disaster to anyone in Afghanistan nor launched into extended racist rants on radio, it is a fact that the last time he was in the news was when he was arrested in Japan for carrying knives. [2] Willie Jackson went on to express his extreme displeasure that Television One had dared to mention that unsavory incident on its Friday night coverage of the tragedy. “I sat there, getting angrier and angrier,” he raged to a caller.
Perhaps other Standardistas are able to furnish other examples of nonsense spoken about Jerry Collins.
[1]http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-09102014/#comment-907232 [2] Jackson once announced live on air that if his “missus” ever fooled around on him, he’d “put a knife through her heart”. Even his co-hosts, John “JT” Tamahere and Dean Lonergan, a gruesome twosome if ever there was a gruesome twosome, were appalled by that one.
A report on the status of human rights in New Zealand says serious fault lines are developing and that the country’s reputation as a global leader is at risk.
“A three-year study of the six major human rights treaties New Zealand has signed, shows we’re better at talking about human rights than walking the talk and implementing our promises made internationally,” says Auckland University of Technology’s Professor Judy McGregor, co-author of Fault lines: Human rights in New Zealand.
“The detailed research shows we’re slipping behind in areas such as child poverty, gender equality, systemic disadvantage of Māori, and the rights of disabled people to challenge the State.
“For example, we keep telling the United Nations we were the first to grant women the vote, but we still don’t have equal pay for women or pay equity for carers. Nor do we have adequate paid parental leave, and we continue to suffer completely unacceptable levels of violence against women. We say how good we are, but the reality is we’re in trouble.”
Funded by the New Zealand Law Foundation, Fault lines was written by Professor McGregor, human rights lawyer Sylvia Bell and Waikato University’s Professor Margaret Wilson. Each has significant practical experience of working in human rights.
URGENT ACTION NEEDED
The report suggests New Zealand needs to take urgent remedial action to retain its point of difference as a human rights leader. It is also critical of the level of understanding of Members of Parliament on human rights treaty obligations.
In addition, the report says New Zealanders’ strong belief that we are good at human rights has blinded us to the fact that we are falling behind other countries in implementing economic, social and cultural rights on the ground, despite our treaty obligations.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It suggests 13 recommendations to help New Zealand retain human rights leadership including a comprehensive rewrite of human rights legislation, a new parliamentary select committee to deal with human rights, and the urgent repeal of non-human rights compliant legislation to reinstate the rights of all New Zealanders to complain about discrimination.
The recommendations also suggest a new, more proactive role for the Māori Affairs Select Committee in monitoring New Zealand’s response to the United Nations about closing the inequality gaps. More New Zealanders should be nominated for significant UN human rights treaty bodies and journalists need better training in the reporting of treaty body reports which remain largely invisible to the public.
WHAT THE REPORT COVERS
New Zealand has ratified six international treaties covering political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights, racial discrimination and the rights of women, children and people with disabilities.
Fault lines, examines each of the treaties and New Zealand’s engagement in the Universal Periodic Review, an overview of human rights progress. The report is based on interviews in New Zealand and at the United Nations, case law, analysis of treaty body reports and personal observation.
Professor McGregor says the backing of the Law Foundation, which is New Zealand’s major funder of independent legal research, was critical to producing the report.
The report is online at Fault lines: Human rights in New Zealand.
Warnings about a corporate takeover of the dairy industry in New Zealand
Questions need to be asked about what happening to the dairy industry and the New Zealand economy.
Is New Zealand just a victim of low commodity prices and the collapse of the world economy or – as some suggest- is there a move of financial and banking interests to bankrupt New Zealand farmers so they are ripe for a takeover.
Do we have a Fifth Column of corporates and their representatives in politics who are acting, not in the national interest, but are, in fact, acting to sell New Zealand off – something we have witnessed in this country since 1984?
A week or so ago there was a revealing interview about the high debt levels of farmers and how many are being squeezed by low commodity prices.
Today there was an interesting item about a review in Fonterra, which is now mentioned as a low-achieving company like Solid Energy (throw under the bus by this government) before it.
Good points Penny ….and provocative questions …hope you are not correct re
“Do we have a Fifth Column of corporates and their representatives in politics who are acting, not in the national interest, but are, in fact, acting to sell New Zealand off – something we have witnessed in this country since 1984?…
Kathryn Ryan also did a good review of the issues today:
” As dairy farmers around the country tighten their belts in the face of continuing low milk prices, Fonterra has a major review of its business performance underway. The company has instituted what it calls a “performance improvement programme” called “Velocity”. Nine to Noon understands the dairy cooperative has has brought in external consultants McKinsey’s `Recovery and Transformation Services’ unit, which specialises in helping distressed companies, underperforming business units and in implementing large-scale restructuring and transformation. Jacqueline Rowarth is Professor of Agribusiness at Waikato University. Russell Macpherson is immediate past president of Federated Farmers, Southland. Fonterra shareholder and farmer, Will Wilson is an agricultural consultant, company director and part owner and director of several dairy farms.
Yeah, a Samoan mate with aiga connections who’s staying here at the moment asked me to check out his ‘in English’ Facebook tribute. I could. We got that down then he asked me to check out his tribute in Samoan. I couldn’t. How the fuck could I ? The Samoan tribute is special and not for this palagi to tamper with. So, so sad. I grieve with Porirua. Hope that wee girl if she endures finds comfort in knowing that she came from fineness.
Hope the NZRU see fit to agree to the All Blacks/Samoa Test in Apia being a memorial to Jerry. I’m sure the ABs themselves would love it. It’s so memorable when driving along the main road from Apia in near twilight to see supremely athletic youngsters darting, dummying, stepping, all over the village green which is peppered with lumps of volcanic rock ‘hurters’. And everyone laughing expellingly, rejoicing, completely into it.
Just watching The Gauche But Devilishly Cunning Everyman Fuck on Maori TV Native Affairs. The words “lawful” or “lawfullly” used used 4 or 5 times in the first 90 seconds. Like that’s all that matters, “at the end of the day”. Fuck proceeding with a view to the gross-society-twisting of being just “lawful”. Snake. If only by the effluxion of time ShonKey will be gone. Leaving our society seriously depleted. Thank you Michelle Boag and others. You don’t have to give a fuck. You can tra-la-la forever. Because you’ve never had to suffer the consequences of what you’ve done. You’ve actually profited from it for God’s Sake !
Forbes is brilliant. I win the big Powerball on Saturday…..her and Campbell. Somewhere, somehow. People with heart !
On a separate note entirely, the US air force’s new super-dooper does-everything-for-a-massive-cost multi-role cyber-wank jet is scheduled to take part in a combined services exercise. It can’t aim its gun and can only carry a couple of bombs, so I assume the pilots will yell “bang” as they fly over the area.
That’s what one and a half trillion gets ya, apparently.
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Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – 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 is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
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 is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
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 Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan resistance leader has condemned the United Nations role in allowing Indonesia to “integrate” the Melanesian Pacific region in what is claimed to be an “egregious act of inhumanity” on 1 May 1963. In an open letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Organisasi Papua Merdeka-OPM ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A key part of the Albanese government’s political strategy is to fill the news cycle with its presence and messaging. Ministers are deployed to the maximum, even when they’ve little to say. This week ...
Recent extreme weather events showed the importance of a well-functioning insurance system, says Commerce and Consumer Affairs minister Andrew Bayly. ...
By Jo Moir, RNZ News political editor, and Craig McCulloch, deputy political editor New Zealand’s Labour Party is demanding Winston Peters be stood down as Foreign Minister for opening up the government to legal action over his “totally unacceptable” attack on a prominent AUKUS critic. In an interview on RNZ’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Brakenridge, Postdoctoral research fellow at Swinburne University, Centre for Urban Transitions, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute The Conversation, Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock People have a pretty intuitive sense of what is healthy – standing is better than sitting, exercise is great for overall ...
The Wellington-based Reserve Force soldier is now almost three years into his New Zealand Army career with 5th/7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. ...
"The Government needs to release the review immediately as this reckless approach to change risks disjointed decision making and creates more distress and uncertainty for staff," Fitzsimons said. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Jeremiah Manele has been elected Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, polling 31 votes to 18 over rival candidate and former opposition leader Mathew Wale with one abstention. The final result of the election by secret ballot was announced by the Governor-General, Sir David Vunagi, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priestley Habru, PhD candidate, public diplomacy, University of Adelaide Former foreign minister Jeremiah Manele has been elected the next prime minister of Solomon Islands, defeating the opposition leader, Matthew Wale, in a vote in parliament. The result is a mixed bag for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shaun Eaves, Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Jamey Stutz, CC BY-SA How often do mountains collapse, volcanoes erupt or ice sheets melt? For Earth scientists, these are important questions as we try ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Flood, Professor of Sociology, Queensland University of Technology Shutterstock Most young adult men in Australia reject traditional ideas of masculinity that endorse aggression, stoicism and homophobia. Nonetheless, the ongoing influence of those ideas continues to harm men and the people ...
The NZQA proposal released to staff today would involve a net loss of 35 roles. There are 66 roles being disestablished with 13 of those currently vacant, and 31 new roles proposed, said Fleur Fitzsimons Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga ...
Alex Casey talks to Loren Taylor, the writer, director and star of new film The Moon is Upside Down, about assembling her dream ensemble cast, toilet paper pads and turning literal dreams into reality. There’s a moment in The Moon is Upside Down where frazzled anaesthetist Briar (Loren Taylor) gets ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassy Dittman, Senior Lecturer/Head of Course (Undergraduate Psychology), Research Fellow, Manna Institute, CQUniversity Australia With winter sports swinging into action, adults around the country have volunteered or been volunteered by others (humorously known as being “volun-told”) to coach junior sports teams. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karleen Gribble, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University richardernestyap/Shutterstock Parents are often advised to burp their babies after feeding them. Some people think burping after feeding is important to reduce or prevent discomfort crying, or to ...
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Results ranged from surprisingly yum to soul-destroying. I love cooking. The kitchen is a hearth of culinary creation, of sensory delights, of gastronomic poetry. I also can’t afford anything nice. Why does a pack of instant noodles and some milk cost ten bucks? I love you, Aotearoa, but I miss ...
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He’s fine but it feels like I’m losing a friend and it’s making me bitter. How do I say ‘enough is enough’? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzHey Hera,I’ve recently moved in with a girlfriend, her partner Steve, and his friend. We all live in a lovely little house. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Chartres, Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney shutterstockAhmet Misirligul/Shutterstock You go to the gym, eat healthy and walk as much as possible. You wash your hands and get vaccinated. You control your health. This is ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Balanzategui, Senior Lecturer in Media, RMIT University ABC “Bluey mania” shows no sign of abating. Bluey’s season finale, The Sign, was the most viewed ABC program of all time on iView. A “hidden” follow-up episode, aptly named The Surprise, created ...
Labour market figures came in softer than the Reserve Bank had forecast, but they won’t be enough to move the needle on interest rates, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Unemployment ...
The campaign will engage the community and encourage submissions on the bill to the New Zealand government by the closing submission deadline of Friday 31st of May 2024 4pm. ...
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Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 2 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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Open letter from Alexis Tsipras
http://www.primeminister.gov.gr/english/2015/05/31/prime-minister-alexis-tsipras-article-at-le-monde-newspaper-europe-at-crossroads/
It is only a matter of time: Greece’s day of reckoning will arrive and it will not be pretty for her people, despite all promised made by Tsipras and his radicals.
The derivatives leveraged to Greek default put the entire world economy at risk because of there size.
Basically you can think of derivatives as buying insurance on someone else’s house – you then have an incentive to burn it down so you can claim on the policy. There is much money to be made out of Greece failing and much pain for all of us whether or not we understand the counterparty risk triggered by derivatives levered up to the trillions that turn toxic as soon as the default occurs.
An option to buy a share is used in hedging? The right to buy should the share go up in price at a lower price. So what happens when your Leemen brothers or whatever bank that collapses? The option is worthless. Does that mean in future companies could implode purposefully to take down the market? And should we be investigating financial terrorism? Was 9-11 the start of a financial world war?
Probably true but that day of reckoning has absolutely nothing to do with what Greece has done nor what it’s trying to do but with what the predatory private banks have done.
Prior to the mid 1990s the government subsidised the supply side of housing ensuring everyone had somewhere to live.
From the mid 1990s the government began to shift to subsidies over to the demand side of housing. Selling state houses and introducing the Accommodation Supplement so those on low incomes could “choose” where to live.
Unlike HNZ housing which was only available to those disadvantaged in the housing market, the Accommodation Supplement was available to all those who met a cash asset test, and income test.
Does USA really want to get rid of ISIS?…Makes you wonder why we are involved in this USA led war
By Robert Fisk of ‘The Independent’
‘Isis slaughter in the sacred Syrian city of Palmyra: The survivors’ stories’
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-slaughter-in-the-sacred-syrian-city-of-palmyra-the-survivors-stories-10297989.html
The US (and Israel) really really want to get rid of Assad. That’s their first priority.
Considering that the US created ISIS – probably not.
so, who still thinks that it’s a good idea that we send NZ troops in to fight ISIS with the Americans. Because now it turns out that the rise of ISIS was not only predicted by the Americans because it knew that its allies helped shepherd it along, ISIS (or an entity like it) was seen by the Americans as being helpful in sorting out Assad and in limiting Iranian influence in the area.
By the way, the US are experts at importing, training and arming militant Muslim extremists to take down whole governments. The Americans have been doing it since Soviet Afghanistan.
I think many people’s eyes glaze over at this point, because haven’t we been here before, many many times.
Since before then:
The US cannot be trusted as it is a rogue nation.
Just read this stomach churning piece on how the US engineered the “El Salvador” option to controlling the Sunni insurgency in Iraq in 2004. In essence, enabling Shia sectarian death squads and torture centres to suppress Sunni insurgents, driving a sectarian blood bath in Iraq which would take pressure off attacks on US forces. At the cost of tens of thousands of Iraqi lives a month.
The US is a brutal and cruel imperial master.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/06/el-salvador-iraq-police-squads-washington
I can’t Bomber believe actually accused The Standard as being “pompous”. That’s rich coming from Bomber who it appears won’t leave the house without wearing a mustard coloured v-neck and sport coat.
what are you on about?
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/06/06/compare-how-long-slaters-complaint-gets-investigated-to-investigations-against-him/
In the comments Bradbury accuses the standard of being “pompous”
What’s pompous is his constant deletion of comments that challenge his bullshit, so that he can always have the last word. I’d never do that. Fact!
Giving bans for the weakest of reasonings is the exact same tactic
it’s authoritarian and it’s turned the tone of discussion to shit.
right. Because that’s the most important thing going on that thread/post 🙄
Just thought Bomber’s complete lack of self awareness was amusing.
Wow – just bloody pathetic wow. http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/69178668/tvnz-breakfast-presenter-ali-pugh-announces-she-is-five-months-pregnant
And, then of course there’s the Woman’s Weekly puff piece on Judith Collins. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11461426
What’s not to like? The PM cosying up to his state propaganda machine, naming babies and probably delivering them next on live tv! Watching it gave me the feeling that some more dirty tricks are at play here.
CERA staff “leaving in droves”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/69033570/Cera-staff-leaving-in-droves
Dear Standardistas,
I have a serious problem. Perhaps someone can help me. I listened to the RNZ political spot this morning and – apart from an innocuous bit of union bashing – I agreed with pretty much everything Matthew Hooten said. Do you think I should contact Mike Williams and ask him how he copes with the “I agree with Matt” condition?
signed
Worried.
Anne, it’s the first rule of propaganda. Repeat the lie, never change the message, and people will come to agree with you…………………
Actually, he was being quite reasonable today. So, perhaps I haven’t caught the propaganda disease. 🙂
Stopped Clock and all that
Sheepgate. Even Matthew can see how bad it is ///
Leaving aside any personal comment on who M.Hooten might be or his political orientations, let’s look at the style of his rhetoric:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201757498/political-commentators-mike-williams-and-matthew-hooton
In two early examples, nothing he (the speaker) says made a judgement on whether anything was right or wrong, so the door is left open for people to “agree” as long as they look at it all from their perspective, not the perspective of the political speaker.
e.g. (I’ll paraphrase loosely)
“McCully didn’t follow protocols…etc etc [description of transgressions]…”, well is that a good or bad thing and would you or the people you support use that “back door” process? Nothing is said on that point. The speaker says journalists say it is all ok, but the speaker says “I don’t think that’s right”. Does he mean the action was wrong, or does he mean the opinion of journalists was wrong, or does he mean he thinks the action was wrong, but it was the right thing to do to assure a particular end result? The implication is there, that a conclusive comment could be made, but none is made: good or bad, something to be condoned and encouraged, or not. The speaker doesn’t specifically say, so anyone who agrees with him is giving him the benefit of the doubt that he agrees with one side, their side, when he may not, and in effect is only agreeing with themselves.
“Journalists used to hunt in packs… some called it bullying, now they don’t….”
Is that good or bad? Bullying is emotive language. Bullying, we’re told, is “bad”, so they should’ve been stopped… is that what he was implying? Who or what actions is he justifying so emotively? Is the political speaker making a further attack on journalists, or lamenting the loss of collaboration between colleagues? Could be either. Was, or is, the political speaker involved with anything that might have created the environment that journalists can now only “hunt solo”, even if they should do, or want to do, otherwise? “Hunting in packs” is a statement of fact, obvious in it’s loaded meaning, but not relevence, so what would anyone be agreeing with when it is said?
There is no proof that anything the speaker says is linked to the any other statement or topic that follows, or that a consistent perspective is being used. Apply these examples to what was said in the panel discussion, and see how much agreement there is now.
It’s part of why Hooton is good at his job, sometimes he’s actually reasonable and makes sense.
103 years later – these cartoons perfectly predicted the impact of Wall St and the big banks on US popular democracy
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-06-07/thats-uncanny-102-years-later-wall-street-turned-out-just-man-predicted
The image representing trusts in this picture looks remarkably like this.
Wow.
I don’t care about the size of Martyn Bradbury’s ego and I don’t care about the eccentricities of his personality, but telling outright lies about the standard being a Labour party blog (one piece of evidence is that Slater thinks it is) is well beyond what is ok. I no longer consider Bradbury to be trustworthy to the left (for whatever my opinion is worth). This isn’t about the standard vs TDB (I read both), or lprent vs Bomber (really, who gives a shit), it’s about someone on the left telling actual lies about the left and doing it from a position of power and responsibility in a way that is going to undermine the left, and create confusion for anyone trying to make sense of Dirty Politics who hasn’t been following closely (including the media and bloggers who have influence, but also just general readers). That’s fucked. Very very fucked.
Bradbury: As I said above, The Standard was set up by the Labour Party, the original creation of it was as a Labour Party newsletter for christ’s sakes. It’s a Labour Party blog, that’s why Slater was trying to hack it, to attack the Labour Party.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/06/06/compare-how-long-slaters-complaint-gets-investigated-to-investigations-against-him/#comment-289059
It’s Bomber. What did you expect?
You’re personal feelings about him, and your need to make comment about that, don’t help. My point is, the personality stuff is irrelevant, it just clouds the reall issues, in this instance, that he’s telling harmful lies (and probably doing so intentionally), and what that means for the left.
My personal feelings about him are driven by exactly this sort of blowhardy, bullshit, pompous idiocy.
I don’t care. Your continual focus on personality is a distraction.
So far as I can tell you are the only one getting distracted.
🙄
That rolling eyes icon distracts from the real issues here, Weka.
Agree with weka. Telling Bomber off for wearing the wrong clothes does nothing to help our position. I often find his personality pompous and annoying too, so what? Who cares? Do us a favour and make a grown up argument instead.
“My personal feelings about him are driven by exactly this sort of blowhardy, bullshit, pompous idiocy.”
^You see here I was actually agreeing with Weka.
My attempt at humour re: Bombers fashion sense was supposed to understood in that context…an attempt at humour…
No, you weren’t. You were just going on about his personality, again (hint, it’s in the words blowhardy, pompous etc). You’ve yet to make a single comment on this today about an actual issue that isn’t about you disliking Bomber.
Sure, Weka, but in the context of what you were talking about – his utter contempt of the truth which makes him an arrogant blowhard.
The same as Slater’s utter contempt of truth makes him an arrogant blowhard….I’m sure you’ll have the same faux outrage against me defining Slater in those terms too.
As I said, I don’t care how you feel about them. I’m more interested in what Bradbury is doing. I don’t care if he’s a blowhard or not. You obviously think the important bit is his blowhardiness (or your feelings that he is). I think the important bit is the lie he is telling and what that means (and no, it doesn’t mean he is a blowhard, really who cares about that?)..
I get that you can’t tell the difference.
Actually the original newsletter was The Maoriland worker. It was not till the 1930’s that it changed it’s name to The Standard. The news sheet ceased publishing in the 1960’s. One last point – it was not started by the labour party, but by the Shears Union.
So yeah Weka, I do believe you are right in calling Boomer a liar on this one. He deliberately misrepresent The standard, not only as it presently stands, but historically as well.
NIce to see someone remembers the important details 🙂
A link for those interested
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maoriland_Worker
1910 – Robert Ross invited by the FOL from Melbourne to edit the paper
1911 – Robert Hogg (later editor of New Zealand Truth) was Manager.[3]
1913 – Contributors Edward Hunter (Billy Banjo) and Harry Holland charged with sedition.[4]
1913–1918 Harry Holland appointed editor.[5][6]
1922 – Publisher John Glover prosecuted (unsuccessfully) for blasphemous libel. New Zealand’s only trial to date for blasphemy.[6][7]
1922 – The manager John Glover lent £100 interest free to Walter Nash.
1930s – Renamed to “the Standard”.
1960 – Ceased publication.[8]
Anyone want to put up something about the modern Standard on wikipedia? For that matter there doesn’t appear to be anything about the old Standard.
Hmm. In the interests of clarification, I posted the following over at TDB. I’m in moderation and don’t really expect the comment to become public.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maoriland_Worker
Yes I agree weka. Deliberately telling a lie to sow misinformation and muddy the waters so that your pet project can be enhanced or seen to be better is low and dishonest. Bomber has bombed and friendly fire ain’t friendly especially when aimed – the martyr-dum of martyn.
Anyone else catch Key’s cringe appearance on breakfast this morning (A link to the vid for those who want it http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11461572)
Funny, how in the midst of all the politcally shadiness being pushed at the moment, the prime minister gets to gleefully announce the pregnancy of a popular television presenter, while still ducking from anything resembling a robust interview. As woman around Pugh’s age I’ll say that this is sort of chit-chat you’d expect to have at a saturday brunch with the girls… not with the prime minister on national TV. To be fair Pugh seems pretty uncomfortable, while Key looks as happy as a kid who’s just managed to deliver his lines in the school play without stumbling (**looks out to mum and dad “Did i do good, you guys???”)
pathetic infotainment …surely a NZ Prime Minister has more important things to talk about…I cant imagine Norm Kirk doing that
Nor Helen Clark, chooky. I always got the feeling she hated sucking up to the ‘soft’ media.
I don’t know if its possible but Little and the green leaders should be trying to get on both channels for a casual chat once a week this is a new era.
yes Helen Clark is a professional
Hopefully the pregnant presenter was smart enough not to have a pony tail for Key to indulge in his trichophilic gratification.
Ah, the ‘always impartial’ Gower. http://www.radiolive.co.nz/AUDIO-Labour-election-report-reveals-a-party-rotten-to-the-core—Paddy-Gower/tabid/506/articleID/84007/Default.aspx
TV3 programming decisions going from bad to worse it seems, and still waiting for the fall out of dropping Campbell to kick in.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/69201129/shortened-tv3-news-suffers-ratings-slump
TV3 have shown contempt for the viewer with JC’s demise and this slide will continue and show them just how crucial he was to the overall ratings of the 6-7.30 slot.
Experienced TV news folk know this but you have a banksta and a reality TV copy/paste queen calling the shots now or puling the trigger on a loaded gun they get handed, either way results the same.
weight loss and road cops either side of the news…..Classy !
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/jerry-collins-emotional-letter-john-campbell-you-were-only-journo-visited-me-in-jail-6333961
“”I’d just like to thank you for coming to see me while I was in jail in Japan,” he wrote.
“You were the only journalist who came and though we couldn’t physically speak through the glass, the sign language that day helped alleviate my family’s fears and quell a lot of rumours surrounding the incident at the time.”
as reported by TVNZ.
good that TV3 losing viewers
Where is this open mike I am in Auckland
I’m no expert in the IT space so can someone tell me if these eye watering sums are reasonable or whether the NZ public are being taken to the cleaners.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/69181626/inland-revenue-picks-us-firm-for-technology-overhaul
With a couple of consulting partners supervising at $2500/hr, a few senior consultants on at $800/hr, and a team of recent graduate analysts charged out at $450/hr (all excl GST, and those are per person rates), you do the math…
Business transformation is a nebulous Term that can mean anything from one or more new IT systems to a reorganisation, new roles/redundancies etc etc so it can have large chunks that have nothing to do with technology
The IRD is a complex and difficult environment so the governance and security aspects are deep with change being slow and cumbersome, it’s also full of opinionated idiots who get to influence outcomes (I include ministers in this) with no experience in such a project.
vendors factor that in such as the involvement of 1 particular architect at a site meant any value was doubled before being given to the client as that’s the impact 1 person can have….imagine committees full of them.
CR’s point above also weighs in with alot of overhead required just to get basic stuff done.
Even if it were strictly IT software/hardware upgrades (it’s not), for a client the size of IRD it’s probably not too bad value. Remember the fuckup with novopay, and apply it to our entire tax system from PAYE to GST to company tax, and… eeep.
It’s a long-term project with phased implementation and an entire refit of the processes as well as the IT infrastructure, so it’s more than a few consultants knocking out some bullshit.
FYI folks!
Upcoming Public Meeting in Auckland for concerned citizens and ratepayers who are opposed to MORE Auckland Council proposed rate$ increases!
WHEN: Wednesday 10 June 2015
TIME: 7.30 – 10pm
WHERE: Mt Eden War Memorial Hall
487 Dominion Rd, Balmoral
You can see by the range of speakers – the range of concern and opposition across the political spectrum!
(Please be advised that ALL political parties currently represented in Parliament were invited, as was Auckland Mayor Len Brown.)
_____________________________________________________________________________
PRESS RELEASE
RAY CALVER & DICK CUTHBERT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ANOTHER SPEAKER ADDED TO LINE UP
The Auckland Rates Increases Public Meeting, taking place on Wednesday June 10, now has additional speakers to add to the line up. Ray Calver says
“We are delighted to be able to welcome Parmjeet Parma from the National Party and Hinurewa Te Hau from the Maori Party.
This brings the total number of speakers addressing the meeting up to 9.”
The confirmed speakers are now
· Stephen Berry – Affordable Auckland Mayoral candidate
· Cameron Brewer – Orakei Councillor
· Penny Bright – Mayoral candidate
· Jo Holmes – Auckland Ratepayer’s Alliance
· Damien Light – United Future
· Bill Raynor – Grey Power
· Parmjeet Parma – National MP
· David Seymour – Act Epsom MP
· Hinurewa Te Hau – Maori Party
“Following speeches, time will be put aside for audience members to either ask questions or give statements on how they believe we should proceed in opposing the rates increases. This will be followed by tea and coffee giving audience members an opportunity to talk with our speakers.”
The Auckland Rates Increases Public Meeting will take place from 7:30pm on June 10th at Mt. Eden War Memorial Hall, 487 Dominion Road.
Ends
________________________________________________________________________________
Penny Bright
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
good to see you are on the case Penny
Penny there are 8 right wingers on stage …
Jerry Collins-balls
Just how bad can the commentary get?
The frenzy following the death of Jerry Collins hasn’t, on the whole, been as obscene or absurd as what we were subjected to for the visit of that coke-snorting, whore-pestering, peasant-smiting “playboy” beneficiary and scrounger a few weeks ago. Nevertheless, hapless “consumers” of the New Zealand media over the last three days have been exposed to some of the most bewildered, ignorant and unpleasant commentary to be found outside of an ACT Party policy or a Sensible Sentencing Trust klavern.
BEWILDERED…..
“It’s a travesty for the rugby world,” intoned a commentator during the Hurricanes-Highlanders game on Friday night. He meant to say “tragedy”, of course, but he was doing a rugby broadcast, where ignorance reigns supreme, so no one picked him up on it.
IGNORANT…..
On Saturday afternoon, Brendan Telfer interviewed Dominion Post rugby writer Toby Robson, who after a few gracious words about Jerry Collins, went on to spoil it by displaying a breathtaking level of sporting ignorance that hasn’t been heard on radio since the departure of Martin “Moron” Devlin….
BRENDAN TELFER: He was playing for a second division club.
TOBY ROBSON: Yeah, he’s been playing for a club called Narbonne. I don’t know what standard it would be, whether it’s club level or what it is….
It’s club level in France, of course, which is provincial level in New Zealand. But Robson appears not to know this, or indeed to know anything about French rugby—“a club called Narbonne”—which begs the question: Why is he allowed to write about the game?
UNPLEASANT…..
Anyone unwise or undiscriminating enough to be listening to RadioLIVE at 2:20 p.m. today (Monday June 8th) would have heard the host desperately making his case….
WILLIE JACKSON: [shouting passionately] Yeah he WAS! Jerry Collins was a ROLE MODEL!!
Now, when someone asserts something like that, with extreme truculence—other examples are: “Bruce Hutton had integrity beyond reproach” or “You KNOW me. I am a GOOD man” or “Never, ever would I ever knowingly sign a false electoral return”[1]—-he, or she (probably Michelle Boag) is almost always trying to cover up something unpleasant. The unpleasant truth about Jerry Collins is that, in spite of being a wonderful athlete and a genuinely nice guy, he did have another, more disturbing, side to him. While he neither brought death and disaster to anyone in Afghanistan nor launched into extended racist rants on radio, it is a fact that the last time he was in the news was when he was arrested in Japan for carrying knives. [2] Willie Jackson went on to express his extreme displeasure that Television One had dared to mention that unsavory incident on its Friday night coverage of the tragedy. “I sat there, getting angrier and angrier,” he raged to a caller.
Perhaps other Standardistas are able to furnish other examples of nonsense spoken about Jerry Collins.
[1] http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-09102014/#comment-907232
[2] Jackson once announced live on air that if his “missus” ever fooled around on him, he’d “put a knife through her heart”. Even his co-hosts, John “JT” Tamahere and Dean Lonergan, a gruesome twosome if ever there was a gruesome twosome, were appalled by that one.
Thanks morissey, definitely not missing much by not listening but appreciate your diligent summaries none the less.
Seen this?
http://www.aut.ac.nz/midyear-pg/story2?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=article2&utm_content=headline1&utm_campaign=midyearPG-2015
NEW ZEALAND’S HUMAN RIGHTS REPUTATION AT RISK
A report on the status of human rights in New Zealand says serious fault lines are developing and that the country’s reputation as a global leader is at risk.
“A three-year study of the six major human rights treaties New Zealand has signed, shows we’re better at talking about human rights than walking the talk and implementing our promises made internationally,” says Auckland University of Technology’s Professor Judy McGregor, co-author of Fault lines: Human rights in New Zealand.
“The detailed research shows we’re slipping behind in areas such as child poverty, gender equality, systemic disadvantage of Māori, and the rights of disabled people to challenge the State.
“For example, we keep telling the United Nations we were the first to grant women the vote, but we still don’t have equal pay for women or pay equity for carers. Nor do we have adequate paid parental leave, and we continue to suffer completely unacceptable levels of violence against women. We say how good we are, but the reality is we’re in trouble.”
Funded by the New Zealand Law Foundation, Fault lines was written by Professor McGregor, human rights lawyer Sylvia Bell and Waikato University’s Professor Margaret Wilson. Each has significant practical experience of working in human rights.
URGENT ACTION NEEDED
The report suggests New Zealand needs to take urgent remedial action to retain its point of difference as a human rights leader. It is also critical of the level of understanding of Members of Parliament on human rights treaty obligations.
In addition, the report says New Zealanders’ strong belief that we are good at human rights has blinded us to the fact that we are falling behind other countries in implementing economic, social and cultural rights on the ground, despite our treaty obligations.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It suggests 13 recommendations to help New Zealand retain human rights leadership including a comprehensive rewrite of human rights legislation, a new parliamentary select committee to deal with human rights, and the urgent repeal of non-human rights compliant legislation to reinstate the rights of all New Zealanders to complain about discrimination.
The recommendations also suggest a new, more proactive role for the Māori Affairs Select Committee in monitoring New Zealand’s response to the United Nations about closing the inequality gaps. More New Zealanders should be nominated for significant UN human rights treaty bodies and journalists need better training in the reporting of treaty body reports which remain largely invisible to the public.
WHAT THE REPORT COVERS
New Zealand has ratified six international treaties covering political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights, racial discrimination and the rights of women, children and people with disabilities.
Fault lines, examines each of the treaties and New Zealand’s engagement in the Universal Periodic Review, an overview of human rights progress. The report is based on interviews in New Zealand and at the United Nations, case law, analysis of treaty body reports and personal observation.
Professor McGregor says the backing of the Law Foundation, which is New Zealand’s major funder of independent legal research, was critical to producing the report.
The report is online at Fault lines: Human rights in New Zealand.
To WHOM exactly are NZ Dairy farmers indebted?
http://robinwestenra.blogspot.co.nz/2015/06/warnings-about-corporate-takeover-of.html
Monday, 8 June 2015
Warnings about a corporate takeover of the dairy industry in New Zealand
Questions need to be asked about what happening to the dairy industry and the New Zealand economy.
Is New Zealand just a victim of low commodity prices and the collapse of the world economy or – as some suggest- is there a move of financial and banking interests to bankrupt New Zealand farmers so they are ripe for a takeover.
Do we have a Fifth Column of corporates and their representatives in politics who are acting, not in the national interest, but are, in fact, acting to sell New Zealand off – something we have witnessed in this country since 1984?
A week or so ago there was a revealing interview about the high debt levels of farmers and how many are being squeezed by low commodity prices.
Today there was an interesting item about a review in Fonterra, which is now mentioned as a low-achieving company like Solid Energy (throw under the bus by this government) before it.
Fonterra “transformation” review underway …..
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Anyone got some current stats which show the banking and financial interests who are poised to profit from NZ dairy farmers going ‘belly up’?
Penny Bright
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
Good points Penny ….and provocative questions …hope you are not correct re
“Do we have a Fifth Column of corporates and their representatives in politics who are acting, not in the national interest, but are, in fact, acting to sell New Zealand off – something we have witnessed in this country since 1984?…
Kathryn Ryan also did a good review of the issues today:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201757487/fonterra-transformation-review-underway
” As dairy farmers around the country tighten their belts in the face of continuing low milk prices, Fonterra has a major review of its business performance underway. The company has instituted what it calls a “performance improvement programme” called “Velocity”. Nine to Noon understands the dairy cooperative has has brought in external consultants McKinsey’s `Recovery and Transformation Services’ unit, which specialises in helping distressed companies, underperforming business units and in implementing large-scale restructuring and transformation. Jacqueline Rowarth is Professor of Agribusiness at Waikato University. Russell Macpherson is immediate past president of Federated Farmers, Southland. Fonterra shareholder and farmer, Will Wilson is an agricultural consultant, company director and part owner and director of several dairy farms.
Why no-one should vote for the Australian Labor Party
http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=31107
Much of which also applies to the NZ Labour party.
RIP Jerry and Alana
Yeah, a Samoan mate with aiga connections who’s staying here at the moment asked me to check out his ‘in English’ Facebook tribute. I could. We got that down then he asked me to check out his tribute in Samoan. I couldn’t. How the fuck could I ? The Samoan tribute is special and not for this palagi to tamper with. So, so sad. I grieve with Porirua. Hope that wee girl if she endures finds comfort in knowing that she came from fineness.
Hope the NZRU see fit to agree to the All Blacks/Samoa Test in Apia being a memorial to Jerry. I’m sure the ABs themselves would love it. It’s so memorable when driving along the main road from Apia in near twilight to see supremely athletic youngsters darting, dummying, stepping, all over the village green which is peppered with lumps of volcanic rock ‘hurters’. And everyone laughing expellingly, rejoicing, completely into it.
Fa’a Samoa !
Just watching The Gauche But Devilishly Cunning Everyman Fuck on Maori TV Native Affairs. The words “lawful” or “lawfullly” used used 4 or 5 times in the first 90 seconds. Like that’s all that matters, “at the end of the day”. Fuck proceeding with a view to the gross-society-twisting of being just “lawful”. Snake. If only by the effluxion of time ShonKey will be gone. Leaving our society seriously depleted. Thank you Michelle Boag and others. You don’t have to give a fuck. You can tra-la-la forever. Because you’ve never had to suffer the consequences of what you’ve done. You’ve actually profited from it for God’s Sake !
Forbes is brilliant. I win the big Powerball on Saturday…..her and Campbell. Somewhere, somehow. People with heart !
I did love the way she had the prick looking nervous though , not many can do that.
hmm, I’m almost tempted to watch.
do
National goes on about things being legal and lawful because they know that they legalise immoral actions.
On a separate note entirely, the US air force’s new super-dooper does-everything-for-a-massive-cost multi-role cyber-wank jet is scheduled to take part in a combined services exercise. It can’t aim its gun and can only carry a couple of bombs, so I assume the pilots will yell “bang” as they fly over the area.
That’s what one and a half trillion gets ya, apparently.