The NZH predictably falls back into its default position and supports Nationals education policy. But is National’s policy workable, how are teachers/principals who are working 12 hour days going to be released, why would a BOT even release them and reduce the capacity in their own school, BOT’s were not voted in to lower the standards in their school.
Tomorrow Schools has generated a lot of competition between schools, this will make it even harder for schools to accept outside resources into their schools.
I have discussed this with many staunch National supporters who also reckon that their policy is unworkable.
Granny will be an important part of the nact campaign as will TVNZ with rawdon, mikey, suzie etc RNZ not so much as its audience mostly already knows where its voting.
“Labour subscribes to the unions’ dogma that every trained teacher is as good as the next and all that pupils need is more of them so that classes can be smaller. ”
Note the choice of emotive language…’dogma’ to turn the reader against Labour’s ideas. And of course, the link to the Unions. In another section, the anonymous editor writes “Oddly, teacher unions continue to press….”, linking the word oddly to the Unions.
No mention by contrast of any link of National to big multinational corporations.
And then of course misinformation. Labour is making more plans to raise quality than the Nat’s executive teacher idea. That, according to the anonymous editor, is “having a bob each way”. I imagine Roughan, who wrote Key’s biography, would have described Labour’s policy differently had his icon been the architect.
Either Murphy and Roughan haven’t read Labour’s plans or they have wilfully ignored them.
Either way the Labour Party should sue them for misrepresentation.
Another smear by this disgraceful rag.
This is the problem that happens when large foreign corporates own the media.
Very disappointed with Labour, their ‘concerns’ about child poverty are just empty words but when it comes to specific actions, they’re nowhere to be seen.
You’ve just lost another vote, Labour.
An interesting survey, i don’t find Labour’s stance, a NO to food in schools anything other than what i have suspected vis a vis the constant ”use” of 280,000 children living in poverty chant that many of its MP’s have made political capital out of for so long,(even here at the Standard),
Pretty much pointless at this stage to say anything more on this issue, other than debate the pro’s and con’s of actually having such a food in schools program and how such a basic piece of bread and butter Socialism won’t only ensure food in the stomach’s of the poorer kids, such a program would take the pressure off of some very hard pressed parents further up the income tree,
Juxtapose this program with the just announced 2000 extra teachers and it becomes the dance of the absurd, how many teachers does it take to get a classroom of hungry kids learning would be the question,
As i have told other’s out here in the real world, my Party Vote is going to InternetMana, based solely upon the food in schools program…
This morning’s cone must have been stronger than normal Phillip, heard of the song ”it aint what you do its the way that you do it”, i think a little tune by the Funboy three if my thought processor is fully functioning this morning,
“this concerted ‘smear-campaign’ you are running against lab/grns must end..”
Like the little glowing blue plasma grenades in Halo, you can wriggle and dance, but you just can’t shake them off when they stick.
Direct hit….whoar….fucken…eh?… 😆
i doubt if Phillip is self aware to such an extent that He has given an iota of thought to the fact that He is ‘smearing’ a commenter with his little piece of work above who isn’t at this stage commenting,
Such behavior, or lack of it, could be seen as either a forlorn sob in an effort to attract allies to His aid, or, simply the use of a flame-thrower trying to rake over the ashes of yesterday…
You need to stick to addressing issues rather than constant attacks on commenters that do not agree with you Phillip,
Your constant Me Me me me me sprayed into the pages reminds me of another Ure i had the displeasure of meeting in my pub drinking days,
His babble only differed from yours in that it was verbal, the ‘spray’ physical, and, in his pants, all this accomplished in a public bar accompanied by the laughter of at times 100’s,
Seems to be a family trait all this babbling and spraying Phillip…
And you wonder why folk think that while a collection of left leaning parties MAY be able to work together to get rid of the Nats, they would never have a hope in hell of working together to successfully run the country???????
Hell you lot cant even hold a decent, semi rational discussion on a left leaning Board so why would you think that it would e any different when decisions had to be made in the Country, and its citizens best interests?
[lprent: I suspect it is because you aren’t that good at listening. You’re too busy blowing yourself up. ]
Because, if you hadn’t noticed mr haranguer, mr bad12 and mr ure engage in this manner quite happily on their own. Few or even zero others join in on this ongoing ding-dong.
Count up the number of commenters on this site and turn bad and ure into a percentage.
Silly egg. The more that time passes the more I come to understand how little thinking and logic actually goes into right wing dogma.
I’m sure when the election campaign gets under way for real, we’ll see more love ins and less look outs, but then given human nature, there are still bound to be disagreements.
At the end of the road, we are, wing nuts aside, united against a common foe.
To The Lone Haranguer, your apparent failure to glean the positive character of people is what I find illustrated by your comment. Like many here I tend to give their ongoing discussions a wide berth and think we all have reached a comfortable détente in our individual communications which vary topic to topic, person to person. That does not mean I believe their behaviour can be translated as something endemic of the political left in New Zealand.
Look at it this way…I see bad12 and Phillip ure’s ongoing ‘debates’ in the same way I would view two brothers who signed up to fight for Queen & Country in WWI and found themselves stationed within the same Company.
Siblings full of character and passion who spend 85% of their time in the trenches beating the living crap out of each other, filling each others boots with cold tea leaves, writing jokes and improper cartoons onto the other’s letters home but when that whistle was blown were the first over the top and the very ones you wanted by your side as you clawed back the territory lost by the incompetent decisions of the Generals safely ensconced at their desks miles behind the decaying bodies strewn along the front lines.
[lprent: I don’t tend to moderate much of the usual internecine bickering. Eventually it just drops back to a detente of agreeing to disagree. One of the reasons for this site to exist is to allow those differences of opinion to be aired so that they don’t wind up festering and eventually interfering with campaign and coalition level politics. On the left we all need each other and the differing views to build a adaptable left. ]
TRP, I cant (and have no wish to) argue with history – my concern is about the future.
Im just not seeing a unified Left, and I think we need one.
VTO, I beg to differ. Its not just these two who apparently can not agree, the other week there was widespread bitching about Trotter – actually thats often a theme around here, and throw in the Cunliffe lovers, and the Cunliffe haters, the policy lovers and the policy haters, and I think it amazing that you can mock the “unthinking right wing dogma” when it seems that “the Left” can not themselves agree on what they believe.
And Mr Ure. is there a big cash prize coming with your flash sounding “False equivalence” award? Put up $100 with my award and I will give your $100 and match it with my $100 and we can both give it to the Christchurch City Mission. And get a tax rebate too so theres proof of our donations.
Some of us are just not in a highly combative approach to politics. That approach is dominated by treating it as a “game”- pick your team and then try to do as much damage to other teams as possible.
I’d rather see a more collaborative approach, especially between left wing parties. There’s a place for respectful criticism, including of the party chosen for the tick in the election: but constantly disparaging other “teams” doesn’t do anything for broader left wing collaboration.
If you want a bunch of “authoritarian followers” singing form the same song sheet, look towards ACT, or National these days.
The strength of the left, in New Zealand at least, is our diversity of ideas, opinions and experience.
The things I learn from the diversity of opinions and ideas, is why I am here.
Some of us have what someone called “huge testosterone fuelled arguments” (Not really the right term as there are women participating at times as well), but we all have the same goals, a better society, even some of the right wingers, and we still respect each other in the morning”.
I am convinced that the tension, and battle of ideas, between Labour, Greens, Internet/Mana and maybe New Zealand first is going to result in much more robust and well thought out decisions, when they are in Parliament.
(1) The on-going spat between Phillip and Bad has little to do with policy or broad ideological direction.
(2) It involves just 2 (occasionally 3 or 4) individuals.
(3) You obviously haven’t noticed, but neither of them are among the leadership of the Labour, Green or IMP parties.
(4) This relatively minor bickering is absolutely nowt compared to the abuse that regularly goes on among your Kiwiblog chums – Big Bruv vs Dad4Justice being just one, prominent example.
But then, of course, you’re being disingenuous anyway, so I’m really wasting my time with this reply.
Very disappointed with National their ‘concerns’ about child poverty are just empty words but when it comes to specific actions, they’re nowhere to be seen.
You’ve just lost another vote, National.
……ho hum
bryan bruce is another nitwit journo who thinks he knows everything and if you are going to vote for the evil spirits in the Nazgul party then pick up your crap and take a hike.
and no you are not rite.
you cant spell like heka paratai and you cant reed.
byeeeeeeee.
Media bias watch #2 for the day…and it isn’t even 8 a.m.!
Listening to Espiner’s aggressive approach to Penny Webster and his softly softly stance to George Wood. She had to ask him at least twice to stop interrupting her.
Espiner joins the Herlad in creating panic about Auckland rates. His line of attack would suggest there is a concerted attack on the rail link.
RNZ slips further towards mediocrity….
E–spinner remains unlistenable and must be causing some drop off for RNZ figures. As others have speculated is that what the political masters want so public broadcasting gets further downgraded?
Hope endures that post election he will daily face a bunch of left bloc government MPs and even Winston too that would send the slimy creep packing.
guyon espinner is a little toad and should be sacked forthwith.
there is no doubt that he will be sacked after the election but that is not soon enough to maintain some semblance of objectivity in the nations debate.
There are a number of projects that have terrible benefit–cost ratios that should never have gone ahead. In fact it appears that National has borrowed to fund these projects simply to give their mates an income stream.
A good place to save money would be to halt any projects that haven’t started yet which show no overall benefit. National’s build it and they will come philosophy clearly isn’t logical or economically sustainable.
The other problem is that the amount of borrowing doesn’t correspond with the amount of projects being funded. Much of New Zealand’s infrastructure is still dilapidated even though National has borrowed a whopping $60 billion. That’s around six times more borrowing than Muldoon’s think big projects, with nothing to really show for it.
Tracking down all that money and ensuring it hasn’t been wasted or stolen would be another good area to make some savings. We need tangible and practicable infrastructure in New Zealand, not anymore white elephants that will not provide any real financial return on the investment.
Madge, are you aware that there are two sides to the revenue/spending coin?
Luckily, the left has heard of ‘revenue’, and also consistently produces higher per-capita GDP than the right. Consistently: yes, they do, the evidence is in. So they always have more ‘revenue’ to work with.
Left wing economic management: nine years of surpluses. Public debt down to practically zero.
No cuts…except for subsidies to polluters
Just tax the wealthy more – higher income tax rate, Capital Gains tax, Inheritance tax.
Raise corporate tax, close down loopholes on multinationals.
Tax unhealthy foods
You know… make the spongers in society pay their share.,
• vote Internet/Mana if you support furthering cannabis reform
• this is however a bit of a dead end issue a few weeks out from an election, do not expect ‘stoner Dave’ or Russ and Met to make any promising noises.
• it will be revisited for sure though if even in the belly of the “war on drugs” beast, the USA, liberalisation is happening,
note: cannabis use will not become compulsory when eventually decriminalised etc
“(fact-check:..pigs are also ‘highly intelligent animals’..some say smarter than dogs..”
It’s true, I saw it in Babe. That little pig was amazingly smart.
“.and no doubt those laughing/making bacon-jokes..wd no doubt be horrified at the idea of eating dogs..eh..?”
A perversion of the old rspca adverts every November in GB, a dog is not just for Christmas – With a bit of luck you’ll have some left over for boxing day.
“..their ignorances are as wide as they are deep..”
Plants also Alien, although the science proving just how smart plants really are is only in its infancy,
Some are able to ‘manufacture’ up to 3000 different chemicals in response to differing stimulation, one plant scientist refers to this chemical manufacture as ‘plant language’
The bean stalk experiment, one anyone can conduct at home, shows Plants can ‘sense/see’ an item introduced into the enviroment which does not physically effect the Plant, but, the Plant none-the-less responds physically to the presence,
The caterpillar recording is another piece of work that shows that Plants are not only effected by the physical in the enviroment, where Plant scientists played a recording of a caterpillar munching on a different Plant, a known enemy of the particular plant, to the Plant and it reacted, releasing chemicals to deter the caterpillar, a reaction only ever recorded befor in the presence of an actual caterpillar,(strongly suggestive of this particular Plant being able to ‘hear’),
Some people mutilate and kill these sensitive creations of nature simply for their own pleasure…
No surprise there methinks. Mankind has been underestimating animals and their abilities for donkeys. Like the one about sharks mistaking swimmers for seals ….. I mean sheesh, a human can tell the difference between the two yet we presume that sharks, who have been swimming in the briny since before humans even existed, cannot tell the difference? What arrogance is that?
The Herald shows the level at which it can discuss serious issues.
The continued dumbing down of debate in this country.
Well done Mr Murphy. The 0.01% love you.
A bit cheeky to put a post here sent from my wife but I was thinking of public transport around NZ cities and the opportunities for development in Christchurch or Auckland or anywhere here:
“Travelling and transport around Copenhagen and the larger island of Zealand is seamless and very easy. We have purchased a Copenhagen card which allows us unlimited use of all transport networks, discounts in restaurants, cafes, services and full entrance to major attractions. The unlimited use of all the transport networks is the real plus as this has allowed us to travel all around the Zealand Island. Copenhagen is a major cycling city with 40% of the population riding bikes around the city. This resonates out into the provinces. Everyone rides a bike. Every road has a cycle lane, inclusive of traffic lights just for the bikes. To accommodate so many cyclists the trains are equipped to carry bikes. There are special carriages on every train designated for cycles….
The latest exposure of the cruel and inhumane treatment of darling pigs has attracted some much needed media attention. Last night John was interviewed on 3 News and Labour have announced that they will ban factory farming of pigs by 2017. Reason # 542 to vote out this couldn’t-care-less-about-anything government.
In the meantime Nathan Guy lurks around nonchalantly as if it’s business as usual and he’s got the votes of the farming sector to think about out there in the Otaki electorate. Don’t forget this is the guy that admitted to smashing a calves skull with a hammer so wouldn’t bat an eyelid at cruelty against pigs.
Well done John, all your hard and difficult work and sacrifice has paid off.
The Budget deficit was tracking $332 million worse than forecast for the 11 months to the end of May, throwing doubt on the forecast 2014/15 Budget surplus.
Treasury said the budget deficit excluding gains and losses (Obegal) was $1.1 billion against $770m forecast in the May 15 Budget update, due to softer than expected GST and corporate tax returns.
So much for the rockstar economy – rockstars, rise and fall and there’s no certainty of remaining a “star”.
And Bill English on the radio just before, completely in la la land, saying that consumers are keeping the money from their pay rises in their pockets, and being cautious as an explanation for the less than expected GST take.
A) What pay increases?
B)Being cautious? More like being broke and can’t afford even the basics, let alone a treat.
That 60 number is way too low. For the thousands of rugby games on during each week and weekends right now. School, club, provincial, professional level. And you can’t average it out over 50 weeks as you don’t get ACC claims for rugby over the summer holiday weeks.
There are probably around 3000 physios and 400 chiropractors in this country, plus god knows how many osteopaths, GPs etc. who would see ACC rugby injuries at least semi-regularly this time of year. Just do the math.
From my footballing days – conventional/competitive Saturday football was where you got the major injuries, but the inter-team violence was always much more likely to happen in the Indoor variety. Something to do with all that effort in a confined space.
When you attend kindergarten for all that much needed remedial English Phillip you might want to have your ability at math started again from the bottom rung,
They could start you off with a little set of colored wooden blocks, ”now Phillip you have 3 red blocks and one blue block, what have you got”,(600x the weeks in a year is???)…
Ah look, i has attracted a stalker with a fixation about hard ons, there’s plenty of porn sites for you to explore these little fixations in, or is that just where you have sprung from…
Your comment history is strongly suggestive of you being as deranged as your mate, i did tho really really like in the vein of, Ha H Ha what a fucking fruit loop, the one about you all being so tough out in your burb that the plods were too fearful to come there,
And your drivel minarch looks akin to something penned by someone with an anus fantasy, i am not sure which is the funnier, your anal fixation or your ”we are so tough in my burb the cops wont even come there”,
”we are so hard that we sort it all without the cops”, i thought your mate sprayed it, but, in a few comments you put poor old Loose Head Len to utter shame…
“Apart from Craig, the biggest donor to the party is Laurence Day, of Hamilton, who handed over $100,000. I asked him about his stand on the smacking law. He said, “A step too far.” Same with gay marriage? “Yes.” His wife, Katrina, is the party’s electorate chair in Hamilton East. The Days belong to the Church of Latter Day Saints.” http://metromag.co.nz/current-affairs/uncle-colin/
So that’s $600k. Rich pricks can’t get into their heaven with all that loot, so rather than donate to rid the nation of poverty, they support another rich prick with odd religious leanings.
Good stuff Hamilton couple. 🙄
From the Herald article: “……….taking their total payments to the party to $675,000.”
More money than sense, as the saying goes.
There’s something very weird about the way Craig poses for photographs; like showing his palms to prove there’s no hair on them and staring out to sea wearing a suit waiting for someone to arrive. He looks certifiable to me…
Pfft, i couldn’t possibly comment,snigger, (except to ask which dialect of the 6 Celtic languages are you quoting, one i looked up described it as an orifice pluck)….
There is something completely and utterly wrong about being able to give such colossal amounts to political parties….
and the reason is simple
it completely and utterly discriminates against people with less or no means. It creates two types of citizen within the democratic system. Those with money get more influence and those without money get significantly less. The political parties that pander to the rich will fair better than political parties that pander to the poor. And that stinks. And leads eventually to a terrible and unsustainable society dominated by the rich people – French revolution anyone?
The situation is abhorrent and ugly. It is demeaning to any idea of equality of man. It is a disgusting pus-filled sore that must be lanced quickly and decisively.
The system is pig-ugly. It debases our principles of equality and egalitarianism – there is neither while this system lives.
I quite agree, take the money out of politics completely.
I’d be happy for the state to fund electioneering, ad campaigns and so on. At least we’d know who was paying what, without buying influence or setting agendas.
I noticed when googling the couple, they made a submission to keep a nearby sub development section size at over 5000 sqm. Obviously not ones for living in the real world with the rest of us.
Hope Colin’s accountant does a runner to a non extradition country with all their hard earned.
Fu*k ’em 😆
Yep it needs to be something neutral but most importantly, equal.
It must be that the man on the digger has the same political voice as the man at the bank.
Perhaps, if it was to be state funding, then it should be relatively modest in amount. This would force those standing for election out into the electorates. Physical presence rather than electronic presence – after all the electorates are smaller in size today than prior to days of tv and the like, plus transport is easier and cheaper, so it should be easier to pound the pavements than it was when they actually did pound the pavements. They could each be given a soapbox to speak from.
Whatever the solution is, it needs to come fast and hard. The political system must be equal to all – the current system is rotten to the core.
edit – and do we take aim personally at donors such as this Hamilton couple? I think yes – if they step into the political arena to such an extent then they become open to scrutiny and criticism. Absolutely they do.
it completely and utterly discriminates against people with less or no means. It creates two types of citizen within the democratic system. Those with money get more influence and those without money get significantly less. The political parties that pander to the rich will fair better than political parties that pander to the poor. And that stinks. And leads eventually to a terrible and unsustainable society dominated by the rich people – French revolution anyone?
The rich have always been the main cause of the collapse of societies and our politicians have been catering to these sociopaths for the last thirty years. The economists for even longer.
So what’s the deal? Are they poorer or is the clue right there in the very last sentence of the article trumpeting no extra inequality? Taxable, eh. Funny that.
what irks me is that the stuff headline was “Rich:poor gap not growing”.
It might more accurately be “no longer growing until treasury issue their ‘correction’ after the election.
Looking at the stuff item on Christchurch memorial visit by the Prime Minister and his wife from Japan. It seems that the media is a moving feast. And can be moved on a whim. We are frustrated and disappointed [CTV] to not have been invited and were embarrassed in front of Christchurch media to have been sent away.”
CTV is apopletic, the police are apologetic. If it’s Christchurch and problems, it’s magnetic.
Mr Brownlee is finding it hard to incline his head a little, and his bulk does not allow him to match the deep bow of respect of the Japanese Prime couple.
And what the media reports can be wrong.
… Among those victims were employees of the station and 28 Japanese students*. …
* An earlier version of this story said 12 Japanese students died in the CTV building. This was incorrect.
(Only 16 dead students out.)
there are way too many people in the middle and upper middle management/administrative tiers of this country who are either shite, or shite and asleep at the wheel.
TV3 “news” tonight.
They found two Pacific Islanders in South Auckland to spout the “I was Labour but now I’m not’ mantra..& .John Key feels the love- Oh please!
The reason given was because of same sex marriage. What is National telling people in South Auckland to get their vote? Does National plan to repeal the law if they win a third term ?
Or did they simply forget to mention the fact 27 National MP’s voted for the law?
There was certainly nothing convincing in the stage managed delivery of the message. The woman they spoke to seemed very unsure what to say and the guy appeared devoid of any personal relationship to the pro-nat information he was sharing.
Seems it is not just the Obama 2012 images that TeamKey are stealing
they must be replaying the whole Obama 2012 campaign
I’ll just link to my comment from a month ago – where I provide a brief overview of the long history of the MSM proclaiming the end of Pasifika support for Labour. It’s been going on for a fair few years now, the story always seeded by the National Party and uncritically taken up by the media …http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-12062014/#comment-829668 Meanwhile, the Pasifika community just keep on voting Labour regardless.
The same righty form comment from time of the affair, with the addition of the word ‘incompetent’. Same result though, Len Brown keeps winning the mayoral election until he doesn’t want to be mayor any more. Sucks being an Auckland Tory, eh?
It could have read TRP that Brown’s council is running round our West in Ranui issuing eviction notices to those trapped in the ‘holiday park’ out there who have nowhere else to go because the ‘holiday park’ in question isn’t supposed to house these people for long periods,
An unkind person might come to the conclusion that Brown’s council is working hand in glove with Paula Bennett who had earlier held meetings out there trying to stir up trouble with the tenants(who incidently told Paula to F off),
i don’t think Phillip was trying to say that, just something similar…
Phillip, a citation is needed for both your little squirts in the direction of Celia, last time i took the tour, every night for a number of months, the homeless in Wellington were not much more numerous than usual, the citation here is needed to put the proof of Wade-Brown making promises vis a vis ‘the homeless’,(another plucked out of the bottemless hole you have stuffed full of them perhaps),
The war memorial Phillip???,National Government project given the green light by the Clark Government, no Council monies involved, actually a bit of a bonus for the hard core rough sleepers as well,
It brings more of the old Museum bush down into the city, just up the road from the soup kitchen, you could say seamless living, from kitchen to bedroom with a number of old tunnels in the side of the Museum hill being utilized as the doss…
Well, one way is that he’s not going round promising lower rates while massively increasing borrowing without telling anyone. I’m sure that a lot of Auckland’s present financial difficulty can be slated back to Banks incompetence and lying.
but he was a bumbling amateur in the debt-building business..
..compared to brown..
Oh, BS.
Compare Manukau’s books while Brown was mayor compared to Auckland’s when Banks was mayor. Then, of course, we’re stuck with the balls up that Hide and National through at us. If Super-city had been implemented they way that the royal commission had advised we wouldn’t be having the debts and rates issues.
Is Brown a good mayor? Yeah, he seems pretty good although he leans too far to the right for my liking.
how the fuck does brown get to cry ‘poor’…
He gets to cry poor because National set it up so that he’d have to. If Banks had got in I’m sure that National would have been there with an open cheque book and then the rest of the country really would have had something to complain about re subsidising Auckland.
I would like to know just what National is going to do about the epidemic of cars going about at night with their rear number plate obscured.
would it trouble the minister of police (whoever it is this week) to get off their bums and make the roads safer by directing the police to take action?
How are Northland’s standardistas coping with the storm? I live on the North Shore and its getting scary. My house is shuddering and the worst is still apparently to come. More power cuts and no hot water I suppose. Damage is going to be serious and widespread!
And still these fruit-loop ideologically driven Global Warming deniers will insist “its all part of a normal cycle”.
Yep. It’s looking like it’s been getting up steam/ I’ve been out and about. The wind blowing through New Lynn town centre made it seem quite desolate – those new buildings make great wind tunnels.
No politician is allowed to oppose the banking industry for long
Because on January 22, 2012, as Socialist presidential candidate, in a speech in Bourget that instantly went viral on a global scale, he’d pointed out, had dared to point out, the true nature of finance, not of the bank branch down the street, but that part of finance that had brought down the financial system and had triggered the great recession, a part of finance that is aided and abetted by central banks to this day:
“I’ll tell you who my opponent is, my true opponent,” he said at the time. “He has no name, no face, no party. He will never run for office. He will not be elected. And yet he governs. My opponent is the world of finance.”
He promised he’d rein in that world. He’d impose a tax on all its financial transactions, “a real tax,” and he’d eliminate stock options, and he’d curtail bonuses, and he’d do a million other things. And the huddled masses began to dream.
But soon after he was anointed President of France, nuances began to appear. In September 2013, his Industrial Renewal Minister, now re-baptized Economy Minister, Arnaud Montebourg explained it this way: “Finance is like cholesterol, there is the good and the bad.”
Yes the game is up when the IMF is calling on state aid for crippled capitalism, and the OECD projections for capitalism over next 50 years is a long decline exacerbated by climate change. This comes as no surprise according to Michael Roberts http://thenextrecession.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/slowing-global-growth-and-the-capitalist-future/
and Paul Mason questions the OECDs rosy assumptions. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/07/capitalism-rich-poor-2060-populations-technology-human-rights-inequality
All of this should be enough to prove that capitalism is doomed, posing the question whether we as a species are doomed with it.
But never mind young people with their smart phones will rescue us.
“The OECD’s prescription – more globalisation, more privatisation, more austerity, more migration and a wealth tax if you can pull it off – will carry weight. But not with everybody. The ultimate lesson from the report is that, sooner or later, an alternative programme to “more of the same” will emerge. Because populations armed with smartphones, and an increased sense of their human rights, will not accept a future of high inequality and low growth.”
Maybe Internet-Mana is an early sign of this in Aotearoa.
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The last few days have been a bit too much of a whirl for me to manage a fresh edition each day. It's been that kind of year. Hope you don't mind.I’ve been coming around to thinking that it doesn't really matter if you don't have something to say every ...
The worms will live in every hostIt's hard to pick which one they eat the mostThe horrible people, the horrible peopleIt's as anatomic as the size of your steepleCapitalism has made it this wayOld-fashioned fascism will take it awaySongwriter: Twiggy Ramirez Read more ...
Hi,It’s almost Christmas Day which means it is almost my birthday, where you will find me whimpering in the corner clutching a warm bottle of Baileys.If you’re out of ideas for presents (and truly desperate) then it is possible to gift a full Webworm subscription to a friend (or enemy) ...
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30am include:Rachel Helyer Donaldson’s scoop via RNZ last night of cuts to maternity jobs in the health system;Maddy Croad’s scoop via The Press-$ this morning on funding cuts for Christchurch’s biggest food rescue charity;Benedict Collins’ scoop last night via 1News on a last-minute ...
A listing of 25 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 15, 2024 thru Sat, December 21, 2024. Based on feedback we received, this week's roundup is the first one published soleley by category. We are still interested in ...
Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...
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 from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Are we heading ...
So the Solstice has arrived – Summer in this part of the world, Winter for the Northern Hemisphere. And with it, the publication my new Norse dark-fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens at Eternal Haunted Summer: https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/issues/winter-solstice-2024/as-our-power-lessens/ As previously noted, this one is very ‘wyrd’, and Northern Theory of Courage. ...
The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on UnsplashEvery morning I get up at 3am to go around the traps of news sites in Aotearoa and globally. I pick out the top ones from my point of view and have been putting them into my Dawn Chorus email, which goes out with a podcast. ...
Over on Kikorangi Newsroom's Marc Daalder has published his annual OIA stats. So I thought I'd do mine: 82 OIA requests sent in 2024 7 posts based on those requests 20 average working days to receive a response Ministry of Justice was my most-requested entity, ...
Welcome to the December 2024 Economic Bulletin. We have two monthly features in this edition. In the first, we discuss what the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update from Treasury and the Budget Policy Statement from the Minister of Finance tell us about the fiscal position and what to ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have submitted against the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, slamming the Bill as a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and an attack on tino rangatiratanga and the collective rights of Tangata Whenua. “This Bill seeks to legislate for Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles that are ...
I don't knowHow to say what's got to be saidI don't know if it's black or whiteThere's others see it redI don't get the answers rightI'll leave that to youIs this love out of fashionOr is it the time of yearAre these words distraction?To the words you want to hearSongwriters: ...
Our economy has experienced its worst recession since 1991. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, December 20 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above and the daily Pick ‘n’ Mix below ...
Twas the Friday before Christmas and all through the week we’ve been collecting stories for our final roundup of the year. As we start to wind down for the year we hope you all have a safe and happy Christmas and new year. If you’re travelling please be safe on ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the year’s news with: on climate. Her book of the year was Tim Winton’s cli-fi novel Juice and she also mentioned Mike Joy’s memoir The Fight for Fresh Water. ...
The Government can head off to the holidays, entitled to assure itself that it has done more or less what it said it would do. The campaign last year promised to “get New Zealand back on track.” When you look at the basic promises—to trim back Government expenditure, toughen up ...
Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment:Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guests and , ...
“Like you said, I’m an unreconstructed socialist. Everybody deserves to get something for Christmas.”“ONE OF THOSE had better be for me!” Hannah grinned, fascinated, as Laurie made his way, gingerly, to the bar, his arms full of gift-wrapped packages.“Of course!”, beamed Laurie. Depositing his armful on the bar-top and selecting ...
Data released by Statistics New Zealand today showed a significant slowdown in the economy over the past six months, with GDP falling by 1% in September, and 1.1% in June said CTU Economist Craig Renney. “The data shows that the size of the economy in GDP terms is now smaller ...
One last thing before I quitI never wanted any moreThan I could fit into my headI still remember every single word you saidAnd all the shit that somehow came along with itStill, there's one thing that comforts meSince I was always caged and now I'm freeSongwriters: David Grohl / Georg ...
Sparse offerings outside a Te Kauwhata church. Meanwhile, the Government is cutting spending in ways that make thousands of hungry children even hungrier, while also cutting funding for the charities that help them. It’s also doing that while winding back new building of affordable housing that would allow parents to ...
It is difficult to make sense of the Luxon Coalition Government’s economic management.This end-of-year review about the state of economic management – the state of the economy was last week – is not going to cover the National Party contribution. Frankly, like every other careful observer, I cannot make up ...
This morning I awoke to the lovely news that we are firmly back on track, that is if the scale was reversed.NZ ranks low in global economic comparisonsNew Zealand's economy has been ranked 33rd out of 37 in an international comparison of which have done best in 2024.Economies were ranked ...
Remember those silent movies where the heroine is tied to the railway tracks or going over the waterfall in a barrel? Finance Minister Nicola Willis seems intent on portraying herself as that damsel in distress. According to Willis, this country’s current economic problems have all been caused by the spending ...
Similar to the cuts and the austerity drive imposed by Ruth Richardson in the 1990’s, an era which to all intents and purposes we’ve largely fiddled around the edges with fixing in the time since – over, to be fair, several administrations – whilst trying our best it seems to ...
String-Pulling in the Dark: For the democratic process to be meaningful it must also be public. WITH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE in New Zealand’s politicians and journalists steadily declining, restoring those virtues poses a daunting challenge. Just how daunting is made clear by comparing the way politicians and journalists treated New Zealanders ...
Dear Nicola Willis, thank you for letting us know in so many words that the swingeing austerity hasn't worked.By in so many words I mean the bit where you said, Here is a sea of red ink in which we are drowning after twelve months of savage cost cutting and ...
The Open Government Partnership is a multilateral organisation committed to advancing open government. Countries which join are supposed to co-create regular action plans with civil society, committing to making verifiable improvements in transparency, accountability, participation, or technology and innovation for the above. And they're held to account through an Independent ...
Today I tuned into something strange: a press conference that didn’t make my stomach churn or the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Which was strange, because it was about the torture of children. It was the announcement by Erica Stanford — on her own, unusually ...
This is a must watch, and puts on brilliant and practical display the implications and mechanics of fast-track law corruption and weakness.CLICK HERE: LINK TO WATCH VIDEOOur news media as it is set up is simply not equipped to deal with the brazen disinformation and corruption under this right wing ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Acting Secretary Erin Polaczuk is welcoming the announcement from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden that she is opening consultation on engineered stone and is calling on her to listen to the evidence and implement a total ban of the product. “We need ...
The Government has announced a 1.5% increase in the minimum wage from 1 April 2025, well below forecast inflation of 2.5%. Unions have reacted strongly and denounced it as a real terms cut. PSA and the CTU are opposing a new round of staff cuts at WorkSafe, which they say ...
The decision to unilaterally repudiate the contract for new Cook Strait ferries is beginning to look like one of the stupidest decisions a New Zealand government ever made. While cancelling the ferries and their associated port infrastructure may have made this year's books look good, it means higher costs later, ...
Hi there! I’ve been overseas recently, looking after a situation with a family member. So apologies if there any less than focused posts! Vanuatu has just had a significant 7.3 earthquake. Two MFAT staff are unaccounted for with local fatalities.It’s always sad to hear of such things happening.I think of ...
Today is a special member's morning, scheduled to make up for the government's theft of member's days throughout the year. First up was the first reading of Greg Fleming's Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill, which was passed unanimously. Currently the House is debating the third reading of ...
We're going backwardsIgnoring the realitiesGoing backwardsAre you counting all the casualties?We are not there yetWhere we need to beWe are still in debtTo our insanitiesSongwriter: Martin Gore Read more ...
Willis blamed Treasury for changing its productivity assumptions and Labour’s spending increases since Covid for the worsening Budget outlook. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, December 18 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above ...
Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...
Hi,If you’re a New Zealander — you know who Mike King is. He is the face of New Zealand’s battle against mental health problems. He can be loud and brash. He raises, and is entrusted with, a lot of cash. Last year his “I Am Hope” charity reported a revenue ...
Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...
The right have a stupid saying that is only occasionally true:When is democracy not democracy? When it hasn’t been voted on.While not true in regards to branches of government such as the judiciary, it’s a philosophy that probably should apply to recently-elected local government councillors. Nevertheless, this concept seemed to ...
Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...
Come and join myself and CTU Chief Economist for a pop-up ‘Hoon’ webinar on the Government’s Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) with paying subscribers to The Kākā for 30 minutes at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream to watch our chat. Don’t worry if ...
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...
New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...
At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob HensonIn this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...
In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...
On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...
The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...
This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition government’s approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after you’ve cut the funding to where they could get vaccinated. This has been the case all year with public ...
And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...
Here’s a quick round up of today’s political news:1. MORE FOOD BANKS, CHARITIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS AND YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES SET TO CLOSE OR SCALE BACK AROUND THE COUNTRY AS GOVT CUTS FUNDINGSome of Auckland's largest foodbanks are warning they may need to close or significantly reduce food parcels after ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Kiwis planning a swim or heading out on a boat this summer should remember to stop and think about water safety, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop and ACC and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “New Zealand’s beaches, lakes and rivers are some of the most beautiful in the ...
The Government is urging Kiwis to drive safely this summer and reminding motorists that Police will be out in force to enforce the road rules, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“This time of year can be stressful and result in poor decision-making on our roads. Whether you are travelling to see ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11289243
The NZH predictably falls back into its default position and supports Nationals education policy. But is National’s policy workable, how are teachers/principals who are working 12 hour days going to be released, why would a BOT even release them and reduce the capacity in their own school, BOT’s were not voted in to lower the standards in their school.
Tomorrow Schools has generated a lot of competition between schools, this will make it even harder for schools to accept outside resources into their schools.
I have discussed this with many staunch National supporters who also reckon that their policy is unworkable.
Granny will be an important part of the nact campaign as will TVNZ with rawdon, mikey, suzie etc RNZ not so much as its audience mostly already knows where its voting.
Herald bias watch.
I noticed their editorial also.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11289243
“Labour subscribes to the unions’ dogma that every trained teacher is as good as the next and all that pupils need is more of them so that classes can be smaller. ”
Note the choice of emotive language…’dogma’ to turn the reader against Labour’s ideas. And of course, the link to the Unions. In another section, the anonymous editor writes “Oddly, teacher unions continue to press….”, linking the word oddly to the Unions.
No mention by contrast of any link of National to big multinational corporations.
And then of course misinformation. Labour is making more plans to raise quality than the Nat’s executive teacher idea. That, according to the anonymous editor, is “having a bob each way”. I imagine Roughan, who wrote Key’s biography, would have described Labour’s policy differently had his icon been the architect.
Either Murphy and Roughan haven’t read Labour’s plans or they have wilfully ignored them.
Either way the Labour Party should sue them for misrepresentation.
Another smear by this disgraceful rag.
This is the problem that happens when large foreign corporates own the media.
Very disappointed with Labour, their ‘concerns’ about child poverty are just empty words but when it comes to specific actions, they’re nowhere to be seen.
You’ve just lost another vote, Labour.
http://bryanbruce.co.nz/feature/election-2014/survey-political-parties-child-well-being-issues-july-8th-2014
An interesting survey, i don’t find Labour’s stance, a NO to food in schools anything other than what i have suspected vis a vis the constant ”use” of 280,000 children living in poverty chant that many of its MP’s have made political capital out of for so long,(even here at the Standard),
Pretty much pointless at this stage to say anything more on this issue, other than debate the pro’s and con’s of actually having such a food in schools program and how such a basic piece of bread and butter Socialism won’t only ensure food in the stomach’s of the poorer kids, such a program would take the pressure off of some very hard pressed parents further up the income tree,
Juxtapose this program with the just announced 2000 extra teachers and it becomes the dance of the absurd, how many teachers does it take to get a classroom of hungry kids learning would be the question,
As i have told other’s out here in the real world, my Party Vote is going to InternetMana, based solely upon the food in schools program…
this concerted ‘smear-campaign’ you are running against lab/grns must end..
..(haven’t you heard..?..
..querying = ‘smearing’..)
..and whatever you do..
..don’t refer to the fact that the greens ‘have no bottom lies’..
..and don’t mention that they have ministerial-limo-fever…
This morning’s cone must have been stronger than normal Phillip, heard of the song ”it aint what you do its the way that you do it”, i think a little tune by the Funboy three if my thought processor is fully functioning this morning,
Most of what you print is simply ”smears”…
yeah..right..
Yerp, funboy three with Bananarama guesting on vocals. Good memory Bad12.
“this concerted ‘smear-campaign’ you are running against lab/grns must end..”
Like the little glowing blue plasma grenades in Halo, you can wriggle and dance, but you just can’t shake them off when they stick.
Direct hit….whoar….fucken…eh?… 😆
i doubt if Phillip is self aware to such an extent that He has given an iota of thought to the fact that He is ‘smearing’ a commenter with his little piece of work above who isn’t at this stage commenting,
Such behavior, or lack of it, could be seen as either a forlorn sob in an effort to attract allies to His aid, or, simply the use of a flame-thrower trying to rake over the ashes of yesterday…
you really need to get a fucken hobby…eh..?
..i mean..what else do you do all day..?
..except auto-eroticise all over this place..?
..that’s no excuse for a life..
You need to stick to addressing issues rather than constant attacks on commenters that do not agree with you Phillip,
Your constant Me Me me me me sprayed into the pages reminds me of another Ure i had the displeasure of meeting in my pub drinking days,
His babble only differed from yours in that it was verbal, the ‘spray’ physical, and, in his pants, all this accomplished in a public bar accompanied by the laughter of at times 100’s,
Seems to be a family trait all this babbling and spraying Phillip…
“..You need to stick to addressing issues rather than constant attacks on commenters that do not agree with you.”
from you..that is fucken hilarious..
..that’s all you fucken do..
..whether i respond to you..or ignore you..
..almost every time i post anything..in you launch..
..closely followed by yr gibbering mini-me..(what’s his name..?)
..like i said..you need to get a fucken hobby…
..stalking is not that good a look..eh..?
And you wonder why folk think that while a collection of left leaning parties MAY be able to work together to get rid of the Nats, they would never have a hope in hell of working together to successfully run the country???????
Hell you lot cant even hold a decent, semi rational discussion on a left leaning Board so why would you think that it would e any different when decisions had to be made in the Country, and its citizens best interests?
[lprent: I suspect it is because you aren’t that good at listening. You’re too busy blowing yourself up. ]
Coz, um, history? Labour has already led 3 multi-party governments, and had the economy humming for nine years, and balanced the books. Vote Positive!
Why would it be any different?
Because, if you hadn’t noticed mr haranguer, mr bad12 and mr ure engage in this manner quite happily on their own. Few or even zero others join in on this ongoing ding-dong.
Count up the number of commenters on this site and turn bad and ure into a percentage.
Silly egg. The more that time passes the more I come to understand how little thinking and logic actually goes into right wing dogma.
Considering we both appear to be voting for the same Party Haranguer, ie: InternetMana your question would seem to be pretty much void,
Of course there is miles of debate to be had surrounding just ‘who’ you include in the best interests category of citizens,
i am though sure that you could politely discuss for hours why the poor should remain so right???…
remember the days when we used to tit for tat vto – ahh good times. As for the odd couple – seems pretty one-sided to me.
i wd like to nominate lone haraunger for this months’ false-equivalence-award…
Yes I well recall marty mars. Found it all pretty tough and rough actually and wouldn’t like to go back there….
@vto agree
Vto and Marty, sitting in a tree 😆
I’m sure when the election campaign gets under way for real, we’ll see more love ins and less look outs, but then given human nature, there are still bound to be disagreements.
At the end of the road, we are, wing nuts aside, united against a common foe.
To The Lone Haranguer, your apparent failure to glean the positive character of people is what I find illustrated by your comment. Like many here I tend to give their ongoing discussions a wide berth and think we all have reached a comfortable détente in our individual communications which vary topic to topic, person to person. That does not mean I believe their behaviour can be translated as something endemic of the political left in New Zealand.
Look at it this way…I see bad12 and Phillip ure’s ongoing ‘debates’ in the same way I would view two brothers who signed up to fight for Queen & Country in WWI and found themselves stationed within the same Company.
Siblings full of character and passion who spend 85% of their time in the trenches beating the living crap out of each other, filling each others boots with cold tea leaves, writing jokes and improper cartoons onto the other’s letters home but when that whistle was blown were the first over the top and the very ones you wanted by your side as you clawed back the territory lost by the incompetent decisions of the Generals safely ensconced at their desks miles behind the decaying bodies strewn along the front lines.
[lprent: I don’t tend to moderate much of the usual internecine bickering. Eventually it just drops back to a detente of agreeing to disagree. One of the reasons for this site to exist is to allow those differences of opinion to be aired so that they don’t wind up festering and eventually interfering with campaign and coalition level politics. On the left we all need each other and the differing views to build a adaptable left. ]
TRP, I cant (and have no wish to) argue with history – my concern is about the future.
Im just not seeing a unified Left, and I think we need one.
VTO, I beg to differ. Its not just these two who apparently can not agree, the other week there was widespread bitching about Trotter – actually thats often a theme around here, and throw in the Cunliffe lovers, and the Cunliffe haters, the policy lovers and the policy haters, and I think it amazing that you can mock the “unthinking right wing dogma” when it seems that “the Left” can not themselves agree on what they believe.
And Mr Ure. is there a big cash prize coming with your flash sounding “False equivalence” award? Put up $100 with my award and I will give your $100 and match it with my $100 and we can both give it to the Christchurch City Mission. And get a tax rebate too so theres proof of our donations.
Some of us are just not in a highly combative approach to politics. That approach is dominated by treating it as a “game”- pick your team and then try to do as much damage to other teams as possible.
I’d rather see a more collaborative approach, especially between left wing parties. There’s a place for respectful criticism, including of the party chosen for the tick in the election: but constantly disparaging other “teams” doesn’t do anything for broader left wing collaboration.
TLH, I doubt you are raising this in good faith.
The strength of democratic decision making is its ability to reduce the influence of ubiquitous bias, not in eradicating said bias.
We bicker, then we vote, then we bicker some more. You have a pack of nodding dogs.
If you want a bunch of “authoritarian followers” singing form the same song sheet, look towards ACT, or National these days.
The strength of the left, in New Zealand at least, is our diversity of ideas, opinions and experience.
The things I learn from the diversity of opinions and ideas, is why I am here.
Some of us have what someone called “huge testosterone fuelled arguments” (Not really the right term as there are women participating at times as well), but we all have the same goals, a better society, even some of the right wingers, and we still respect each other in the morning”.
I am convinced that the tension, and battle of ideas, between Labour, Greens, Internet/Mana and maybe New Zealand first is going to result in much more robust and well thought out decisions, when they are in Parliament.
@kjt..
..+ 1..
@ The LH
(1) The on-going spat between Phillip and Bad has little to do with policy or broad ideological direction.
(2) It involves just 2 (occasionally 3 or 4) individuals.
(3) You obviously haven’t noticed, but neither of them are among the leadership of the Labour, Green or IMP parties.
(4) This relatively minor bickering is absolutely nowt compared to the abuse that regularly goes on among your Kiwiblog chums – Big Bruv vs Dad4Justice being just one, prominent example.
But then, of course, you’re being disingenuous anyway, so I’m really wasting my time with this reply.
Thank you for aquainting me with your much maligned status Phillip, you poor poor little victim you…
yr in wellington..
..you could give trainspotting a go..?
..could meet kindred-spirits..?
..dig out the anorak..?..eh..?
you really do have a hard on for Phillip dont you Bad ?
Just like an old married couple eh!
I see that Labour set aside $50 million in their budget for “food in schools”, so I wonder why they replied “no” in the survey?
I’m wondering if they’re planning to target the funding, whereas the food in schools question was across the board?
Don’t know what their policy is, but the question was pretty clear about starting at lower decile schools and progressively going for all schools.
That’s interesting Francis, have you got a link to where this is found online,(perhaps poor old Labour is being much maligned about the program)…
Very disappointed with National their ‘concerns’ about child poverty are just empty words but when it comes to specific actions, they’re nowhere to be seen.
You’ve just lost another vote, National.
……ho hum
bryan bruce is another nitwit journo who thinks he knows everything and if you are going to vote for the evil spirits in the Nazgul party then pick up your crap and take a hike.
and no you are not rite.
you cant spell like heka paratai and you cant reed.
byeeeeeeee.
Is this the Herald starting a campaign to block the rail link?http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11289315
Media bias watch #2 for the day…and it isn’t even 8 a.m.!
Listening to Espiner’s aggressive approach to Penny Webster and his softly softly stance to George Wood. She had to ask him at least twice to stop interrupting her.
Espiner joins the Herlad in creating panic about Auckland rates. His line of attack would suggest there is a concerted attack on the rail link.
RNZ slips further towards mediocrity….
E–spinner remains unlistenable and must be causing some drop off for RNZ figures. As others have speculated is that what the political masters want so public broadcasting gets further downgraded?
Hope endures that post election he will daily face a bunch of left bloc government MPs and even Winston too that would send the slimy creep packing.
Good description of Espiner
guyon espinner is a little toad and should be sacked forthwith.
there is no doubt that he will be sacked after the election but that is not soon enough to maintain some semblance of objectivity in the nations debate.
Bernard Orsman: Hey big spender, you’re in a deep financial hole
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11289303
Pity Bernard Osman does not direct his comments to this extremely large hole being created by Mr Key and Mr English.
http://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/debtclock/newzealand
Ah, but he works for the NZ Herald.
Sure, but what spending cuts do you suggest government makes?
There are a number of projects that have terrible benefit–cost ratios that should never have gone ahead. In fact it appears that National has borrowed to fund these projects simply to give their mates an income stream.
A good place to save money would be to halt any projects that haven’t started yet which show no overall benefit. National’s build it and they will come philosophy clearly isn’t logical or economically sustainable.
The other problem is that the amount of borrowing doesn’t correspond with the amount of projects being funded. Much of New Zealand’s infrastructure is still dilapidated even though National has borrowed a whopping $60 billion. That’s around six times more borrowing than Muldoon’s think big projects, with nothing to really show for it.
Tracking down all that money and ensuring it hasn’t been wasted or stolen would be another good area to make some savings. We need tangible and practicable infrastructure in New Zealand, not anymore white elephants that will not provide any real financial return on the investment.
Madge, are you aware that there are two sides to the revenue/spending coin?
Luckily, the left has heard of ‘revenue’, and also consistently produces higher per-capita GDP than the right. Consistently: yes, they do, the evidence is in. So they always have more ‘revenue’ to work with.
Left wing economic management: nine years of surpluses. Public debt down to practically zero.
No cuts…except for subsidies to polluters
Just tax the wealthy more – higher income tax rate, Capital Gains tax, Inheritance tax.
Raise corporate tax, close down loopholes on multinationals.
Tax unhealthy foods
You know… make the spongers in society pay their share.,
Neither local government nor central government should be making cuts – they should be raising taxes to cover the costs.
“..The Real Reason Pot Is Still Illegal..
…Opponents of marijuana-law reform insist that legalisation is dangerous —
(cont..)
(think the booze-pushers who have had successive lab/nat-govts in their pockets..)
http://www.thenation.com/article/180493/anti-pot-lobbys-big-bankroll
booze-pushers are terrified at the idea of cannabis-legalisation..
..’cos it will effect their bottom-lines..
..as alcohol-consumption will drop..
..replaced by the much safer grow-yr-own cannabis..
..btw..after six months of legalisation in colorado..
..all the signs are good..big tax revenues/income..
..and with a (surprising?) drop in violent-crime registered..
(mellow-high..instead of pissed/drunk..see..!..)
..and because of that now proven drop in violent-crime after cannabis legalisation..
..i am awaiting/expecting the sensible-sentencing-clowns to swing in behind pot-legalisation..
..why wouldn’t they..?
..if they were true to their crime-fighting/harm-minimisation reasons-for-being claims..eh..?
http://whoar.co.nz/?s=colorado
one toke over the line sweet jesus dept;
• vote Internet/Mana if you support furthering cannabis reform
• this is however a bit of a dead end issue a few weeks out from an election, do not expect ‘stoner Dave’ or Russ and Met to make any promising noises.
• it will be revisited for sure though if even in the belly of the “war on drugs” beast, the USA, liberalisation is happening,
note: cannabis use will not become compulsory when eventually decriminalised etc
@ tiger..
..is the internet party coming out with a strong colorado-model of legalisation/regulation/taxation..?
(this one is for those that laugh/jeer/crack bacon-jokes about animal-slavery/factory-farming..
..those who claim it doesn’t matter..’cos pigs etc..aren’t sentient-creatures..)
“..Elephant ‘cries’ while being rescued – after 50 years of abuse in India..
“..When Raju was being rescued – volunteers said they saw tears rolling down his face.
Pooja Binepal – from Wildlife SOS UK, said: “The team were astounded to see tears roll down his face during the rescue.
It was so incredibly emotional for all of us.
“We knew in our hearts he realised he was being freed.
“Elephants are not only majestic – but they are highly intelligent animals –
(cont..)
(fact-check:..pigs are also ‘highly intelligent animals’..some say smarter than dogs..
..and no doubt those laughing/making bacon-jokes..wd no doubt be horrified at the idea of eating dogs..eh..?
..their ignorances are as wide as they are deep..)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/elephant-cries-while-being-rescued-after-50-years-of-abuse-in-india-9589665.html
“(fact-check:..pigs are also ‘highly intelligent animals’..some say smarter than dogs..”
It’s true, I saw it in Babe. That little pig was amazingly smart.
“.and no doubt those laughing/making bacon-jokes..wd no doubt be horrified at the idea of eating dogs..eh..?”
A perversion of the old rspca adverts every November in GB, a dog is not just for Christmas – With a bit of luck you’ll have some left over for boxing day.
“..their ignorances are as wide as they are deep..”
Tell me the one about the one trick pony.
Plants also Alien, although the science proving just how smart plants really are is only in its infancy,
Some are able to ‘manufacture’ up to 3000 different chemicals in response to differing stimulation, one plant scientist refers to this chemical manufacture as ‘plant language’
The bean stalk experiment, one anyone can conduct at home, shows Plants can ‘sense/see’ an item introduced into the enviroment which does not physically effect the Plant, but, the Plant none-the-less responds physically to the presence,
The caterpillar recording is another piece of work that shows that Plants are not only effected by the physical in the enviroment, where Plant scientists played a recording of a caterpillar munching on a different Plant, a known enemy of the particular plant, to the Plant and it reacted, releasing chemicals to deter the caterpillar, a reaction only ever recorded befor in the presence of an actual caterpillar,(strongly suggestive of this particular Plant being able to ‘hear’),
Some people mutilate and kill these sensitive creations of nature simply for their own pleasure…
Day of the triffids, and I’ll say no more 😉
No surprise there methinks. Mankind has been underestimating animals and their abilities for donkeys. Like the one about sharks mistaking swimmers for seals ….. I mean sheesh, a human can tell the difference between the two yet we presume that sharks, who have been swimming in the briny since before humans even existed, cannot tell the difference? What arrogance is that?
The Herald shows the level at which it can discuss serious issues.
The continued dumbing down of debate in this country.
Well done Mr Murphy. The 0.01% love you.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11289535
life without Redheads ? noooooooooooooooo! 😯 🙂 😯
A bit cheeky to put a post here sent from my wife but I was thinking of public transport around NZ cities and the opportunities for development in Christchurch or Auckland or anywhere here:
“Travelling and transport around Copenhagen and the larger island of Zealand is seamless and very easy. We have purchased a Copenhagen card which allows us unlimited use of all transport networks, discounts in restaurants, cafes, services and full entrance to major attractions. The unlimited use of all the transport networks is the real plus as this has allowed us to travel all around the Zealand Island. Copenhagen is a major cycling city with 40% of the population riding bikes around the city. This resonates out into the provinces. Everyone rides a bike. Every road has a cycle lane, inclusive of traffic lights just for the bikes. To accommodate so many cyclists the trains are equipped to carry bikes. There are special carriages on every train designated for cycles….
All stand for a huge round of applause for John Darroch and the Farmwatch crew. Last week John posted on his work as an animal rights campaigner:
http://thestandard.org.nz/pig-farming-expose-a-personal-perspective/
The latest exposure of the cruel and inhumane treatment of darling pigs has attracted some much needed media attention. Last night John was interviewed on 3 News and Labour have announced that they will ban factory farming of pigs by 2017. Reason # 542 to vote out this couldn’t-care-less-about-anything government.
In the meantime Nathan Guy lurks around nonchalantly as if it’s business as usual and he’s got the votes of the farming sector to think about out there in the Otaki electorate. Don’t forget this is the guy that admitted to smashing a calves skull with a hammer so wouldn’t bat an eyelid at cruelty against pigs.
Well done John, all your hard and difficult work and sacrifice has paid off.
Nathan Guy is an obsessive. To him it is all about primary production at all costs. Hence why we lost all our Kauri forests.
Nathan Guy is from the 1800’s.
“Nathan Guy is from the 1800′s.”
The eyebrows and forehead are all cro magnon…………..
guy is actually the cartoon character clutch cargo..
..brought to life…
..you can tell from the way he moves his jaw…
..pure clutch..!
Is that true?
why is it that the most obvious outcome/’sore’ from this 30 yr rand-ite/neo-lib/fuck-the-poor! experiment..
..the 15,000 men/women/children sleeping-rough in auckland every nite..
..why is this onerous/odious fact not front and centre in the political-dialogue currently underway..?
Vernon Small reports that the government surplus is in doubt:
So much for the rockstar economy – rockstars, rise and fall and there’s no certainty of remaining a “star”.
snap
And Bill English on the radio just before, completely in la la land, saying that consumers are keeping the money from their pay rises in their pockets, and being cautious as an explanation for the less than expected GST take.
A) What pay increases?
B)Being cautious? More like being broke and can’t afford even the basics, let alone a treat.
The economy went past its peak a couple month ago. See it in our biz and indicators in other sectors suggest similar.
+100 Rosie
It’s hard enough just keeping the basics on the table.
Treasury tea
partyleaves fail again. Again.They’re shit at their job, and yet they feel entitled to dictate education policy. Time for a major clean-out. Maklouf first.
+1
AGAIN…
Just as well they don’t attempt to predict the weather, thousands would perish every day after leaving home in togs…
3,000 rugby neck/spine injuries resulting in acc claims..each fucken year..?
..time to switch from rugby to soccer..
..that is crazy..
..3,000 per year..
..600 every fucken wk..?…!!!
Do you have a link Phil?
just heard it on the national radio news bulletin..
..they may have them online..?
RNZ
Thank you 🙂
With the mayhem from some of our soccer matches, I am not sure about that one.
All sports have risks.
But so does doing nothing.
600 per wk..?
..are you fucken kidding..?
..you can just wave that away..?
3000/50 is 60, not 600.
most would not be the full monty, mind. Twinges, sprains and suchlike.
Still not my cup of tea, but I have other sins that might need insuring…
doh..!..basic math-fail..
..60 spine/neck acc-claim-injuries each/every wk. is till a fucken lot..
That 60 number is way too low. For the thousands of rugby games on during each week and weekends right now. School, club, provincial, professional level. And you can’t average it out over 50 weeks as you don’t get ACC claims for rugby over the summer holiday weeks.
so at least twice that..?
..120 spine/neck/acc-claimed rugby injuries..
..every rugby week..?
..that is a real lot..
..ban rugby..!
There are probably around 3000 physios and 400 chiropractors in this country, plus god knows how many osteopaths, GPs etc. who would see ACC rugby injuries at least semi-regularly this time of year. Just do the math.
ban rugby..!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/5291850/We-re-sitting-ourselves-to-death
From my footballing days – conventional/competitive Saturday football was where you got the major injuries, but the inter-team violence was always much more likely to happen in the Indoor variety. Something to do with all that effort in a confined space.
When you attend kindergarten for all that much needed remedial English Phillip you might want to have your ability at math started again from the bottom rung,
They could start you off with a little set of colored wooden blocks, ”now Phillip you have 3 red blocks and one blue block, what have you got”,(600x the weeks in a year is???)…
yep
big raging hard-on
Ah look, i has attracted a stalker with a fixation about hard ons, there’s plenty of porn sites for you to explore these little fixations in, or is that just where you have sprung from…
your the one who spent all that time locked up with all those big burly bad men
reminds me certain of a tool song ………….
heh..!..
Your comment history is strongly suggestive of you being as deranged as your mate, i did tho really really like in the vein of, Ha H Ha what a fucking fruit loop, the one about you all being so tough out in your burb that the plods were too fearful to come there,
Fanatasyland much miniarch…
And your drivel minarch looks akin to something penned by someone with an anus fantasy, i am not sure which is the funnier, your anal fixation or your ”we are so tough in my burb the cops wont even come there”,
”we are so hard that we sort it all without the cops”, i thought your mate sprayed it, but, in a few comments you put poor old Loose Head Len to utter shame…
Hamilton couple donate $500k to Colin Craig’s Conservatives
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11289619
“Apart from Craig, the biggest donor to the party is Laurence Day, of Hamilton, who handed over $100,000. I asked him about his stand on the smacking law. He said, “A step too far.” Same with gay marriage? “Yes.” His wife, Katrina, is the party’s electorate chair in Hamilton East. The Days belong to the Church of Latter Day Saints.”
http://metromag.co.nz/current-affairs/uncle-colin/
So that’s $600k. Rich pricks can’t get into their heaven with all that loot, so rather than donate to rid the nation of poverty, they support another rich prick with odd religious leanings.
Good stuff Hamilton couple. 🙄
From the Herald article: “……….taking their total payments to the party to $675,000.”
More money than sense, as the saying goes.
There’s something very weird about the way Craig poses for photographs; like showing his palms to prove there’s no hair on them and staring out to sea wearing a suit waiting for someone to arrive. He looks certifiable to me…
i think hes trying to show you his stigmata
well HE knows its there any way …
this might freak some people out..
..but i have stigmata..crosses in the centre of both palms..
..should i go and flash them @ col..?..and freak him out..?
..and my name in celtish means ‘the holy one’…
..whoar..!..eh..?
Pfft, i couldn’t possibly comment,snigger, (except to ask which dialect of the 6 Celtic languages are you quoting, one i looked up described it as an orifice pluck)….
de-tumesce laddie..de-tumesce..
Indeed Phillip, a rather limp comment considering your past efforts…
There is something completely and utterly wrong about being able to give such colossal amounts to political parties….
and the reason is simple
it completely and utterly discriminates against people with less or no means. It creates two types of citizen within the democratic system. Those with money get more influence and those without money get significantly less. The political parties that pander to the rich will fair better than political parties that pander to the poor. And that stinks. And leads eventually to a terrible and unsustainable society dominated by the rich people – French revolution anyone?
The situation is abhorrent and ugly. It is demeaning to any idea of equality of man. It is a disgusting pus-filled sore that must be lanced quickly and decisively.
The system is pig-ugly. It debases our principles of equality and egalitarianism – there is neither while this system lives.
It must be killed dead.
I quite agree, take the money out of politics completely.
I’d be happy for the state to fund electioneering, ad campaigns and so on. At least we’d know who was paying what, without buying influence or setting agendas.
I noticed when googling the couple, they made a submission to keep a nearby sub development section size at over 5000 sqm. Obviously not ones for living in the real world with the rest of us.
Hope Colin’s accountant does a runner to a non extradition country with all their hard earned.
Fu*k ’em 😆
Yep it needs to be something neutral but most importantly, equal.
It must be that the man on the digger has the same political voice as the man at the bank.
Perhaps, if it was to be state funding, then it should be relatively modest in amount. This would force those standing for election out into the electorates. Physical presence rather than electronic presence – after all the electorates are smaller in size today than prior to days of tv and the like, plus transport is easier and cheaper, so it should be easier to pound the pavements than it was when they actually did pound the pavements. They could each be given a soapbox to speak from.
Whatever the solution is, it needs to come fast and hard. The political system must be equal to all – the current system is rotten to the core.
edit – and do we take aim personally at donors such as this Hamilton couple? I think yes – if they step into the political arena to such an extent then they become open to scrutiny and criticism. Absolutely they do.
The rich have always been the main cause of the collapse of societies and our politicians have been catering to these sociopaths for the last thirty years. The economists for even longer.
Agreed vto.
I remember Rodney Hide echoing the US right in saying that limiting election donations was limiting free speech.
The logical follow through of that thinking is that richer people must have more free speech than poorer people.
The implications are not only for democratic processes, then, but for our whole view of equal civil rights.
Smoke and mirrors…
According to the report, the top 1 per cent of New Zealand received 8 per cent of all taxable income in 2010 and 2011, down from 9 per cent in the 1990s.
Meanwhile luxury car sales are up.
So what’s the deal? Are they poorer or is the clue right there in the very last sentence of the article trumpeting no extra inequality? Taxable, eh. Funny that.
what irks me is that the stuff headline was “Rich:poor gap not growing”.
It might more accurately be “no longer growing until treasury issue their ‘correction’ after the election.
Yes, the take-home message has been delivered, despite the proof of reality contained in the very last sentence.
In other news, only one third of those who read the headline will read the article, and of those, only one ninth will make it to the end.
I believe OxfamNZ recently reported that 10% of the population controls 90% of the country’s wealth.
if its a tory with a hard on you can guarantee they need viagra for performance!
AN “OVERSIGHT” ?!?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/10244853/CTV-journalists-barred-from-wreath-laying
Why were CTV not at the very top of the media list?
Looking at the stuff item on Christchurch memorial visit by the Prime Minister and his wife from Japan. It seems that the media is a moving feast. And can be moved on a whim.
We are frustrated and disappointed [CTV] to not have been invited and were embarrassed in front of Christchurch media to have been sent away.”
CTV is apopletic, the police are apologetic. If it’s Christchurch and problems, it’s magnetic.
Mr Brownlee is finding it hard to incline his head a little, and his bulk does not allow him to match the deep bow of respect of the Japanese Prime couple.
And what the media reports can be wrong.
… Among those victims were employees of the station and 28 Japanese students*. …
* An earlier version of this story said 12 Japanese students died in the CTV building. This was incorrect.
(Only 16 dead students out.)
there are way too many people in the middle and upper middle management/administrative tiers of this country who are either shite, or shite and asleep at the wheel.
The latest strategy of Tories on blogs and letters to the editors seems to be,
“I was a Labour supporter but because of XYZ they just lost my vote.”
I’ve seen quite a bit of it lately but it is such obvious nonsense.
They should try something less transparent.
TV3 “news” tonight.
They found two Pacific Islanders in South Auckland to spout the “I was Labour but now I’m not’ mantra..& .John Key feels the love- Oh please!
The reason given was because of same sex marriage. What is National telling people in South Auckland to get their vote? Does National plan to repeal the law if they win a third term ?
Or did they simply forget to mention the fact 27 National MP’s voted for the law?
Well it obvious they’re push polling freedom.
Commenting starts here:
http://thestandard.org.nz/a-quick-note-to-john-key/#comment-846006
Also Whatevernext at 18 on same thread.
There was certainly nothing convincing in the stage managed delivery of the message. The woman they spoke to seemed very unsure what to say and the guy appeared devoid of any personal relationship to the pro-nat information he was sharing.
Seems it is not just the Obama 2012 images that TeamKey are stealing
they must be replaying the whole Obama 2012 campaign
freedom ….Yes-‘not convincing’ and ‘stage managed’ were the words.
I’ll just link to my comment from a month ago – where I provide a brief overview of the long history of the MSM proclaiming the end of Pasifika support for Labour. It’s been going on for a fair few years now, the story always seeded by the National Party and uncritically taken up by the media …http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-12062014/#comment-829668 Meanwhile, the Pasifika community just keep on voting Labour regardless.
The Auckland budget debacle will signal the end of the line for Major Len Brown, who will go down in history as a philanderer and incompetent.
The same righty form comment from time of the affair, with the addition of the word ‘incompetent’. Same result though, Len Brown keeps winning the mayoral election until he doesn’t want to be mayor any more. Sucks being an Auckland Tory, eh?
why brown grinds my gears..
..is because he..and the ‘green’ wellington mayor..wade-brown..
..both when first campaigning for the job of mayor..
..promised to ‘help the homeless’..
..and since being elected..
..both have done diddly-squat..
..wade-brown tho’ has campaigned for/secured funding for a new/flashed up war memorial..
..which is what the homeless of wellington really need..
..and brown hasn’t mentioned the homeless..
..since being first elected..
..and there are now 15,000 men/women/children sleeping-rough in ak..2nite..
..way to go..!..len..!
..there for the people..!..eh..?
..you lying fucken toad..
..you are no fucken better than key and those other uncaring/fuck-the-poor! tory-shites..
..in fact you are worse..
..’cos you fucken pretend to care…
..at least they are upfront with their shit-headedness..
..you pretend to be better.
..but you ain’t…
Sorry, Phil, couldn’t read that. Do you have a problem with Brown? As well as English?
It could have read TRP that Brown’s council is running round our West in Ranui issuing eviction notices to those trapped in the ‘holiday park’ out there who have nowhere else to go because the ‘holiday park’ in question isn’t supposed to house these people for long periods,
An unkind person might come to the conclusion that Brown’s council is working hand in glove with Paula Bennett who had earlier held meetings out there trying to stir up trouble with the tenants(who incidently told Paula to F off),
i don’t think Phillip was trying to say that, just something similar…
no capital letters to direct you..and yr lost..eh..?
..and yes..i do have ‘a problem’ with brown..
..and wade-brown..
Phillip, a citation is needed for both your little squirts in the direction of Celia, last time i took the tour, every night for a number of months, the homeless in Wellington were not much more numerous than usual, the citation here is needed to put the proof of Wade-Brown making promises vis a vis ‘the homeless’,(another plucked out of the bottemless hole you have stuffed full of them perhaps),
The war memorial Phillip???,National Government project given the green light by the Clark Government, no Council monies involved, actually a bit of a bonus for the hard core rough sleepers as well,
It brings more of the old Museum bush down into the city, just up the road from the soup kitchen, you could say seamless living, from kitchen to bedroom with a number of old tunnels in the side of the Museum hill being utilized as the doss…
And still better than the corrupt Banks or, well, pretty much any independent RWNJ that National would back.
how exactly is he ‘better’..?
i must have missed that..
..remind me again..!
Well, one way is that he’s not going round promising lower rates while massively increasing borrowing without telling anyone. I’m sure that a lot of Auckland’s present financial difficulty can be slated back to Banks incompetence and lying.
yes..banks increased debt from a low level to a seeming (at the time) whopping $750 million..
..but he was a bumbling amateur in the debt-building business..
..compared to brown..
..so..yes..he was ‘better’ at that..
..got anything else..?
.that whole top-heavy/bloated place needs an efficiency-audit..
..do you know how many fucken spin-doctor trouts they have working there..?
..the first thing you’d do..is fire all of them..
..w.t.f. do they do all day..?
..how the fuck do they justify their existance..?
..how the fuck does brown get to cry ‘poor’…
..yet he is happy for the ratepayers to fund all of these fucken leeches..?
Oh, BS.
Compare Manukau’s books while Brown was mayor compared to Auckland’s when Banks was mayor. Then, of course, we’re stuck with the balls up that Hide and National through at us. If Super-city had been implemented they way that the royal commission had advised we wouldn’t be having the debts and rates issues.
Is Brown a good mayor? Yeah, he seems pretty good although he leans too far to the right for my liking.
He gets to cry poor because National set it up so that he’d have to. If Banks had got in I’m sure that National would have been there with an open cheque book and then the rest of the country really would have had something to complain about re subsidising Auckland.
and what is council debt now..?
..compared to that $750 million banks racked up..?
..how many billion is it..?
..how many multiples of banks’ total..?
..and you don’t think council is a bloated/middle-management sodden/inefficient behemoth..?
..with how many spin-doctors..?
/facepalm
‘facepalm’ away..!
..try answering the question..eh..?
I would like to know just what National is going to do about the epidemic of cars going about at night with their rear number plate obscured.
would it trouble the minister of police (whoever it is this week) to get off their bums and make the roads safer by directing the police to take action?
How are Northland’s standardistas coping with the storm? I live on the North Shore and its getting scary. My house is shuddering and the worst is still apparently to come. More power cuts and no hot water I suppose. Damage is going to be serious and widespread!
And still these fruit-loop ideologically driven Global Warming deniers will insist “its all part of a normal cycle”.
Yep. It’s looking like it’s been getting up steam/ I’ve been out and about. The wind blowing through New Lynn town centre made it seem quite desolate – those new buildings make great wind tunnels.
Hope Northland and the Shore stay safe.
there is a kick-arse doco on maori tv..about shackelton..
..fuck maori tv is a good tv channel..!
..brainfood..
..this is the sort of stuff tvone used to do..
..before they went on their (still ongoing) crime-bender..
For the Brit kids of my generation.
Why don’t you just switch off your television set and go out and do something less boring instead?
Gibberish vocals except for the ‘pour on’ bit 😉
https://soundcloud.com/theal1en/rain-guide-vocal-mix-1
Edit:
Yes, some good progs on there, including ecky thump rugby.
No politician is allowed to oppose the banking industry for long
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-07-07/no-politician-allowed-oppose-banks-long-not-even-french-president
Yes but you know what colonial viper? The cat is well and truly out of the bag about the world of finance now. The game is up and they know it …..
…. but unfortunately it will be all of us that get hurt in the implosion…
unless ……………….
Yes the game is up. Not sure we can do much for the rest of the world, but we can damn well do something for NZ.
Yes the game is up when the IMF is calling on state aid for crippled capitalism, and the OECD projections for capitalism over next 50 years is a long decline exacerbated by climate change. This comes as no surprise according to Michael Roberts
http://thenextrecession.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/slowing-global-growth-and-the-capitalist-future/
and Paul Mason questions the OECDs rosy assumptions. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/07/capitalism-rich-poor-2060-populations-technology-human-rights-inequality
All of this should be enough to prove that capitalism is doomed, posing the question whether we as a species are doomed with it.
But never mind young people with their smart phones will rescue us.
“The OECD’s prescription – more globalisation, more privatisation, more austerity, more migration and a wealth tax if you can pull it off – will carry weight. But not with everybody. The ultimate lesson from the report is that, sooner or later, an alternative programme to “more of the same” will emerge. Because populations armed with smartphones, and an increased sense of their human rights, will not accept a future of high inequality and low growth.”
Maybe Internet-Mana is an early sign of this in Aotearoa.