We do, he’s called Paul Holmes with 3 subtle differences:
1. He thinks he funny but isn’t
2. He think’s he relevant but isn’t
3. He thinks he’s fresh and unbiased etc etc
Yes thanks indeed for that link. Have been looking forward to this debate so thanks for making it easy to access.
Been a fan of Jon Stewart for many years but its hard to access unless you want to sit in front of a computer of an evening. Have finally sorted some kind of computer sorcery that will allow me to watch on telly from the comfort of the couch.
Agree with Anne that we need a Jon Stewart in NZ. Or any political satire in fact. I guess theres no room on nz tv these days for politcal satire as “dancing-with-the-celebrity-chefs-whose-got-americas-next-big-ridges-propertymakeover-mykitchensux-theGC-NZ’s-got-idiots have anihilated any smart and funny programming.
Rosie: Agree with Anne that we need a Jon Stewart in NZ. Or any political satire in fact.
Â
Bomber’s view on this posted today:
Sharp political satire that goes that extra mile can rate but few NZ broadcasters have the courage to produce it and the furore NZ on Air received over a child poverty documentary means they are highly unlikely to risk more political pressure by funding something that openly mocks the Government.
It’ll happen, but it will require a broadcaster with some vision.
Hey thanks Karol! Good timing. That was a good article. I noted what they said about 7 days. It is irreverent and essentailly not that political but I do watch it. I agree that theres too many dick jokes, especially when that creepy sleezy guy from Taranaki is on it. Ben Hurley I think it is. Some of the humour can be quite demeaning to women at times and that makes me a little uncomfortable. I wasn’t paying attention fully last Friday night but I am sure I heard the host call Shonkey a liar. What ever it was, it was said with serious intent. They haven’t gone that far before and I hope they continue to step up the criticism. The section of the show where they wheel a politician out to answer qustions without saying yes or no is quite funny and often smart.
Rosie, I used to be a fan of the UK and Aus equivalents (Have I Got News for You, and Good News Week). I tried watching 7 Days a couple of times way back when it started, but but got put off by the juvenile dick-level jokes, and masculine slant. If they are starting to be more mature and politically critical, maybe should start watching?
“…………….maybe should start watching?”
Hmmm, maybe give it a go if you’ve nothing better to do and can deflect the cringey bits. If you consider shows where there is a panel of comedians participating in a set of games you’ll find 7 days at the other end of the spectrum from say, QI. I just watched a bit of the last episode on TV on demand to see what the host did have to have to say and it was “we’ll be right back with plenty of celebrity and criminal themes and funnily enough John Key fits both those categories”. I think as the mood changes and the public perception of the performance of Key & Co changes they probably will become more critical and the Key govt will provide more comedy fodder for a show such as this.
It would be fantastic though to see a show fully committed to political satire. The silence is deafening.
joe90
Thanks – I had a tingling in my palms but wanted to confirm it. I wonder how Bill Rosenberg would be described? Is this serious enough for you Petra?
From the CT/U bio – Bill Rosenberg Economist and Director of Policy
Bill Rosenberg was appointed Economist and Director of Policy at the CTU in May 2009. He holds a B.Com in Economics, a BSc in Mathematics and a PhD in Mathematical Psychology. Bill was previously Deputy Director, University Centre for Teaching and Learning at the University of Canterbury, a Member of the Institute of Directors, a Commissioner on TEC, and was a member of the Regional Land Transport Committee of Environment Canterbury.
Bill Rosenberg is widely published on globalisation, trade and e-learning and has been an active trade unionist for 30 years including the Tramways Union and Association of University Staff where he was National President for several years.
Whereas the spokesperson for the NZ Institute of Economic Research from the right has been practising for 11 years (and mightn’t ever play it right.)
Shamubeel [Eaqub] holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Management with Honours in Economics from Lincoln University. He has worked as a macro economist in the private sector since 2001, both in New Zealand and Australia. His focus and interest is in analytical frameworks to aid economic forecasting, commentary and incisive research into topical areas of economics.
Incidentally the bio on Wikipedia of the USA William Rosenberg is an indication of how someone with chutzpah could get on there. (Thought – Peter Jackson also has chutzpah. Maybe we should be encouraging chutzpah!) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Rosenberg
He was forced to leave school to help support his family in the Great Depression. At 17 he started selling ice cream and at 21 became the Branch Manager.
He became Union Delegate at Bethlehem Steel Works in World War 2 and eventually Contract Co-Ordinator.
After that he borrowed some money to add to his own and started a business of mobile industrial catering. Soon he had 140 trucks. But he noticed that 40% of turnover came from coffee and doughnuts so he started Dunkin Donuts which he then franchised after opening six shops. There are now five thousand outlets.
In 1960, he founded the International Franchise Association.
We need more William Rosenbergs I think.
Shamubeel Eaqub is what you call a bank economist only puts forward ideas that benefit vested interests!
Any ideas that are outside those vested interests these bank economists become propaganda experts rubbishing those ideas with scare tactics.
Ganesh Nana is an economist not a bank economist he says we are getting screwed over by the devaluing economies!
Hollywood movie director James Cameron on RNZ news yesterday touting for more NZ taxpayer hand-outs for him and his Holywood mates. Instead of enriching the already rich even more and further backing the production of Hollywood crap we should be putting that money into our own movies, our own arts, our hospitals, our railway, our children. James Cameron you should be ashamed of yourself, greedy rich prick.
Agree marsman. An intervention on behalf of yank studio bosses from a usually âhands offâ prime minister.
Sell socially profitable assets built over generationsâfine, send kiwi rail workers down the road and buy dodgy imported rolling stockâfine. Gut the public serviceâfine. âNot ruling it in, or ruling it outâ is ShonKeyâs regular weasel line, he has certainly ruled in more taxpayer assistance for the bloated studios and Lord Jackson.
Cameron is an experienced producer/director and knows how to follow the money trail, you can’t blame him he’s just following johnnylocks’ trail of taxpayer money crumbs.
Beware the diversions kids…..sparkles has come back with his masters script and rehearsed lines to play the red herring while they plunder more assets.
Tiwai and Norske skog should be front and centre, job losses and smashes the wholesale power market.
I just posted (on Karol’s Hollywood Rules post here) a link to a post by Gordon Campbell on Scoop this morning in which he quotes a Guardian article revealing that Cameron has recently been in China pursuing more US-Chinese co-productions.
Education Secretary Ron Tomalis’ change, made without federal approval, might have skewed the results of the 2011-12 PSSA scores to make it appear charter schools were outperforming traditional public schools, according to a Morning Call review of publicly available test score data.
Front page commentary on the US election…run up! Good God is there NOTHING else we can report on? Anything!? Please send us a natural disaster…or let Hekia speak again.
What proportion of New Zealander’s care deeply, if at all, about some aging reptilian overlords fighting a highly manipulative PR war with the blindfolded public over an aging and soon to be ex-superpower? Their nation clearly suffers from a misplaced sense of patriotism….is is absolutely necessary that their pathetic puppet politicians are inflicted upon a NZ public, or is this preparation for who has real influence over us with the signing away of our sovereignty that comes with the TPPA?
Though the name of the Federal Reserve includes the word “federal,” it’s not actually part of the government. It’s an independent institution tasked with something very simple, but very huge: Creating money out of thin air. And during this last financial crisis, the leaders of the Fed did things that they would never have considered doing in the past. Alex Blumberg and David Kestenbaum report on what the Fed usually does, and how, since 2008, it’s taken a trip to what amounts to Fed Crazytown. (26 minutes)
Gisborne people are fighting to keep their rail access. They make good points. Kiwirail is too scared to persevere with this practical infrastructure that is needed by this region isolated from the main transport lines.
The government should be putting funds into infrastructure like this as well as improving the roads. But they are a comedy team, with the boss for entertainment jobs like a theatrical agent, and any effort to look seriously at our economy and unglamorous and permanent jobs in the rural fastness of the country is called ‘voodoo economics’.
By the way Steven Joyce says he knows all about the exchange rate and exporting as he has been an exporter. Does anyone know in what? He has been in tourism, but that’s all I could see that could qualify from his bio. By the way he lives in Albany so that new northern motorway will be a boon for him while getting to the airport. Or does he have his own jet, yet?
Our experts.
John Key is apparently becoming a clinical psychologist as every solution suggested is termed “Loony” or “Wacky”. (Acshly, to his credit, more than single syllable words.)
And then there is Tina there-is-no-alternative Joyce.
Here’s one for both of them. Reinstate the tax levels to the 2008 state and also tax the multinationals before they ship their monies offshore.
Here’s another “Loony” one for starters. Given that the evil of fast-food hamburgers is with us for some time, why not have a government funded and run chain of hamburger joints modelled on McDonalds. Ultimately have PPP franchises to New Zealanders. That way, all the profit remains in New Zealand.
Government burgers? No thank you. Im not that left wing. Believer in the common ownership of production distrubution and exchange as I may be, I am no more keen on government run takeaway shops as someome like Farrar is.
Though, a co-operative farmer and grower owned fast food chain (perhaps collectively owned by Fonterra, Silver Fern Farms, Inghams and the like), , or even a Maori owned hangi takeaway chain, sounds like a good idea.
So how did this heading for RW Aotearoa page get featured in the Comments listings after
Colonial Viper on Govt defends tax haven?
Russell Norman Channels His Inner Mugabe, The Left Wing Bloggosphere Goes Agog and Reason Leaves the Building. So what is QE and Why Is It Destroying The Global Economy? « Aotearoa: A Wider Perspective on Greens call for new tools, QE to save jobs
karol
Thanks – weird to see though interesting seeing the firepower on Aotearoa being manned to shoot down any new economic forays. Can’t disturb the present system that suits so many suits so can’t tear through the Ideological Curtain (like the Iron Curtain but with a Right Wing design this time).
Food in Schools
So KidsCan are pleased that the government has seen that there is an alternative. (Wonder how Tina Joyce feels about that.)
However, a close look at just what the well-meaning Kids-Can actually provides for schools should be made before the government climbs on board. From what we saw on Campbell Live, it is snack food and lunch-box fillers – not wholesome food.
Suspend the Middle Classes (they are in detention anyway) that they might share their play-lunch
money.
(i have said it before, that Canterbury V.C is an unhelpful man; cross me)
I dont know why the prospect of food in schools make people cringe? I see it as an extension to other popular social programs in our education system: the school dental service, eye and hearing tests, MMR vaccinations (remember lining up and getting them back in ’92), school nurses and the now defunct milk in schools program (though those who benefited from all tend to bitch and moan about how sour the milk was, or how the milk monitors were little Hitlers).
Though I would keep KidsCan out of it, better to have the schools do it themselves.
I think its unlikely. Carmel Sepuloni is hugely popular out West.
Tamihere’s claim on Q&A that Waitakere is a safe Labour seat and Labour should have won it just isn’t true any more. The demographics of the electorate have altered since the last boundary changes. Carmel did extremely well to come within 9 votes of winning the seat. Indeed if Labour wasn’t so cash-strapped and had been able to afford a judicial recount, then I’m picking she would have won the seat.
I heard that a number of Polynesian votes were not counted on the grounds they were incorrectly cast or their intention was (supposedly) unclear. From past experiences, there was a strong chance many of them would have been accepted at a recount.
Anne
I can imagine that some people keen to cast their vote might put a line or a cross over whom they didn’t want, to make it clear that the one they ticked got in.
And of course that is not following the instructions. Possibly some people can’t read too well and though there’s an example shown with the tick only, the importance of that may not have registered.
Yes prism that is the sort of thing that goes on – especially amongst our immigrant population.
I heard about a large Polynesian family in the Waitakere electorate who were so keen to vote for Carmel they went and voted as soon as the polling booths opened. Later that day they went to another polling booth and voted again because they thought they had done it wrong the first time and their votes wouldn’t be counted. They ended up having none of their votes counted of course. I understand their first votes would have been counted, so if they hadn’t voted again Carmel would probably be the MP for Waitakere.
Anne
What a pity. I would have thought that one of their votes would have been accepted. It isn’t a case that it can be assumed that illegality is intended.
Well I guess the view was… the law is the law. No matter the law is an ass sometimes, if you vote twice you’re gone – end of story. That’s the sort of thing a judicial recount can – and often does – overturn. But its something that can never be guaranteed so I understand why Labour (and Carmel) felt they couldn’t take the risk.
In my view it’s wrong that some political parties and their candidates can’t get electoral justice because they lack the money, while others (namely the Nats) can do so whenever they choose. Hardly a level playing field.
There would be a rebellion out west if head office went for Tamihere. Â The locals support Carmel and do not like Tamihere. Â With one interview he managed to write off the support of women and gays. Â God knows hoe much damage he could cause if he really tried.
Yesterday or Friday? on Radionz there was a discussion on the Novopay new electronic program that is paying teachers salaries. So many stuff ups. One teacher had to hang on for two hours to reach someone at a call desk, the accent was hard to understand, when it was understood the desk person didn’t know what they were talking about. Double fudge.
Incidentally the word is that Novopay hadn’t fixed all the bugs, knew it wasn’t ready to fly, but the MOE (Ministry of Exclamation, Expiration, Expiation, Excitation, Education, Effectuation, Elimination, Vexation – dunno, one of those) insisted on it being released – perhaps they thought they would use it as a beta model.
Not so good when you’ve got accounts to pay and food to buy and transport or car registration or children’s needs or the electricity. Perhaps people like leading Light in the MOE getting over $500,000 p.a. (not over her lifetime) don’t worry about these. Just set up a direct debit and suck it out you tradespeople. No worries.
Missed out Ministry of Evacuation – that’s meaningful in a number of ways after the Christchurch
announcements about possible closures – Ministry of Expose, Exposure. They feel out in the cold down there.
Let’s be perfectly clear, Smith resigned to avoid an investigation into the extent of his corruption. Without an investigation, Smith can never be exonerated, which should mean he never again returns to a position within cabinet…
As it is now clear the LA dinner was not a quiet social event with a few studio heads perhaps Peter Jackson would like to share the full message that was shown to all and sundry?
Yeah, didnt think Chavez would make it across the line this time, but he did. The Bolivarian Revolution is safe — for now. Though the guy needs to start realising that he is not immortal and needs to start planning for the future, ie sorting out a successor.
Not a successor but more democracy and he seems to be doing that. From the WSJ link:
Mr. ChĂĄvez, who will have been in power for 20 years by the next election, has vowed to give more power to grass-roots community councils to carry out social programs with state money. Critics say that would undermine democratically elected mayors across the country.
The rich are getting pissed off that their system of dictatorship is being undermined.
Melissa Rock ⥠â@MeowwItsMelissa
I’m starting to believe there’s no morals in this world at all. How can Chavez win when it’s evident 99.9% of the country voted Capriles?!
Kinda sad looking at all the Caprilles supporters crying fraud. From what I’ve read most of the polls leading up to the election had Chavez winning and only one with Caprilles. There’s fraud alright but it isn’t from the Chavez camp.
Dunne-“legitimate to avoid taxes” Done!
Slippery-” well from my university days” ($180 annual tuition fees that Mum saved)”there is tax evasion and then there is tax avoidance” ????
He Wept. (NAct supporters caudally lured by hemipenes)
The reason that the economic recovery is coinciding with middle class decline is increasingly clear. America is creating jobs, but they are bad jobs: retailing, food preparation, and table waiting, for exampleâin other words, jobs that donât pay much.
Which is exactly what’s been happening in NZ since the advent of neo-liberalism under the 4th Labour Government. The reduction in manufacturing and R&D has seen to that.
That’s a model which will inevitably lead to consumerism. Make people want more in order to sell them more, so that we can make more things for more money using more of the world’s constrained resources.
the only people making anything in NZ are the National Party gang making a killing out of their share parcels when they sell the states assets that they thieved from the legitimate owners..
Lprent, are you looking into the issue of the “too many redirects” issue that your Chrome readers are experiencing? There are plenty of examples scattered around the threads and comments. I like reading your site but I’m getting a bit tired of having to launch IE just to read it.
This is the error that a lot of Chrome users are experiencing when accessing your site. Please have a go at sorting it out as Chrome is one of the most widely used browsers and you’re losing out on viewer stats by having this happen…
Sheryl bleep you are not the only one that’s having problems I use fire fox and msn its the standards server its always having teething problems.
You just have to be patient it takes lots of money and or time to keep a sever functioning optimally!
That is likely to be the posting problem. New or edited posts cause a hell of a load on the primary server because it informs damn near everyone that a post has been posted or live edited. It meant that there was a flood of requests at the primary server for everything from search engines to RSS feeds. Shows up as a server unavailable error to readers and as a major spike in queries and CPU.
I moved the SEO system from event driven to periodic last week and that seems to have helped by time offsetting of the server.
This week or next, I am going to move the RSS to feedburner and remove direct RSS feeds from the main server. It will redirect automatically once I have it running. And before anyone asks, I know about the feedburner API change and that isn’t really an issue. We currently don’t count RSS in page stats. And I haven’t seen any other RSS sevice that is comparable. It also means that we can start looking at RSS more closely on analytics.
Clear the cookies for the site on your Chrome. I had it show on one machine once (I use Chrome as my default browser across 4 systems). When I was tracking it, it would disappear as soon as some or all of the cookies for the site were cleared. You can either ean all of your cookies, just the ones for the site, or down to individual ones. I will link to pages for the latter when I get off the pad if I aren’t beaten to it.
After repeated restores and testing last week, it appears to have been one of a group of cookies set by chrome for the site caching by google on chrome rather than anything put out by the site – which explains why it only showed on chrome. It also expired during testing, so I presumed it had a finite lifetime and would eventually clean itself up.
BTW: I ran comparisions of weekly code snapshots backups. There were no changes in any cookie management for the last month in the sites code. I love diffzilla on slickedit.
I offer this salient piece of advice to Dear Leader and the National Party; if we expect commitment from New Zealanders â then, as a nation, we must show commitment to our young folk, and to each other.
That involves old fashioned concepts and values such as pride in our country. Not just our flag or rugby team or latest successful movie by Peter Jackson â but pride in a nation that invests in each citizen with universal, free education; food in schools programmes; decent housing; comprehensive free healthcare for our young people; fair wages sufficient to raise a family on; everyone paying their taxes (no exceptions for capital gains, sorry), and ensuring that no one is left behind.
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, âsaving the planetâ 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. âThis 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 âget New Zealand back on track.â When you look at the basic promisesâto 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 , ...
âLike you said, Iâm an unreconstructed socialist. Everybody deserves to get something for Christmas.ââONE OF THOSE had better be for me!â Hannah grinned, fascinated, as Laurie made his way, gingerly, to the bar, his arms full of gift-wrapped packages.âOf course!â, 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. âThe 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 Governmentâs economic management.This end-of-year review about the state of economic management â the state of the economy was last week â is not going to cover the National Party contribution. Frankly, like every other careful observer, I cannot make up ...
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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 countryâs 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 Zealandâs 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. âWe 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. âOur fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction â 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 donât see workers fall further behind, in response to todayâs announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. âWith 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 Governmentâs achievements. âIt certainly has ...
This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition governmentâs approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after youâve 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 ...
Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...
This is a guest post by Tim Adriaansen, a community, climate, and accessibility advocate.I won’t shut up about climate breakdown, and whenever possible I try to shift the focus of a climate conversation towards solutions. But you’ll almost never hear me give more than a passing nod to ...
A grassroots backlash has forced a backdown from Brown, but he is still eyeing up plenty of tolls for other new roads. And the pressure is on Willis to ramp up the Government’s austerity strategy. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 8, 2024 thru Sat, December 14, 2024. Listing by Category Like last week's summary this one contains the list of articles twice: based on categories and based on ...
I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...
Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...
The collective right have a problem.The entire foundation for their world view is antiscientific. Their preferred economic strategies have been disproven. Their whole neoliberal model faces accusations of corporate corruption and worsening inequality. Climate change not only definitely exists, its rapid progression demands an immediate and expensive response in order ...
Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...
Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...
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 Governmentâs 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 Regulationâs 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, whÄnau, 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 Nationalâs 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 Governmentâs 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 PÄti MÄori 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 PÄti MÄori government. This warning comes ahead of todayâs third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Governmentâs 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 itâs 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 âsuper chargeâ 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 countryâs gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-nationalâs disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Governmentâs new child poverty targets that are based on a new âpersistent povertyâ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Governmentâs 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 MÄori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for MÄori 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 Billâwhich allows landlords to end tenancies with no reasonâignores 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 Memberâs 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 âlossmaking paper productionâ. 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 Theatreâs restoration. ...
Today, the Green Party of Aotearoa proudly unveils its new Emissions Reduction PlanâHe Ara Anamataâa blueprint reimagining our collective future. ...
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. âThe 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). âAt my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,â Mr Luxon says. âNew Zealandâs ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealandâs 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. âThe government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,â Mr Penk says. âApplications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Governmentâs 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. âImproving 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. âOur 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. âThe 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. âRegulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. âSynthetic 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 NgÄruawÄhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.âI 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. âI 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. âIt 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 Whataâs 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 taxpayersâ 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. âTreasury 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. âFreedom 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 yearâs Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Networkâs 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.âThe 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. âDelivering 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. âCabinet 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. âAs 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. âMr Horsleyâs experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. âHe 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. âEarlier 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. âThe Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill â the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawkeâs 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.âThe 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. âPlanting 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. âThese 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). âThe 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. âThis Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
âAccelerated 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,â says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mĆ te tangata, mahia â if itâs good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sectorâs delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for MÄori and all New Zealanders, MÄori 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. âI would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. âThe appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Boardâs 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. âIn 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 Governmentâs $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. âThis fund is part of the Governmentâs 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 Commissionâs plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.âThe 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 â providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Governmentâs 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.âNew Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
Legislation to enable new water service delivery models that will drive critical investment in infrastructure has passed its first reading in Parliament, marking a significant step towards the delivery of Local Water Done Well, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly say.âCouncils and voters ...
New Zealand is one step closer to reaping the benefits of gene technology with the passing of the first reading of the Gene Technology Bill, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. "This legislation will end New Zealand's near 30-year ban on gene technology outside the lab and is ...
Summer reissue: Was it a false measurement, a full-blown conspiracy or just some mild incompetence? Mad Chapman uncovers the truth of Maddi Wescheâs final throw. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julie Old, Associate Professor, Biology, Zoology, Animal Science, Western Sydney University Dmitry Chulov, Shutterstock At this time of year, images of reindeer are everywhere. Iâve had a soft spot for reindeer ever since I was a little girl. Doesnât everyone? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grozdana Manalo, Career Services Manager (Education), University of Sydney hedgehog94/Shutterstock Getting casual work over summer, or a part-time job that you might continue once your tertiary course starts, can be a great way to get workplace experience and earn some extra ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ty Ferguson, Research associate in exercise, nutrition and activity, University of South Australia Peera_Stockfoto/Shutterstock Itâs never been easier to stay connected to work. Even when weâre on leave, our phones and laptops keep us tethered. Many of us promise ourselves we ...
The NZ Media Council upheld the complaint under principle four: comment and fact On 5 September 2024, The Spinoff published a brief article titled Made in Palestine, found in 1970s Hastings, which highlighted an upcoming art exhibition featuring photographs of vintage cosmetic products labelled âMade in Palestine.â The piece, described ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kasey Symons, Lecturer of Communication, Sports Media, Deakin University We are well and truly in cricket season. The Australian menâs cricket team is taking centre stage against India in the Border Gavaskar Trophy series while the Big Bash League is underway, as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Woods, Lecturer, Nursing, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University FTiare/Shutterstock Summer is here and for many that means going to the beach. You grab your swimmers, beach towel and sunscreen then maybe check the weather forecast. Did you think to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Saman Khalesi, Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead in Nutrition, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia Dean Clarke/Shutterstock The holiday season can be a time of joy, celebration, and indulgence in delicious foods and meals. However, for many, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia Late Night With The Devil. Maslow Entertainment Marketing is critical to the success of commercial films, and companies will often spend half as much again on top of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Francisco Jose Testa, Lecturer in Earth Sciences (Mineralogy, Petrology & Geochemistry), University of Tasmania The Conversation As a kid, it was tough for me to grasp the massive time scale of Earthâs history. Now, with nearly two decades of experience as ...
Opinion: The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science report was announced earlier this month, yet it didnât get the flurry of media attention and political hand-wringing that typically accompanies these announcements. This might be because it presented good news, or you could argue, no news; the results paint a ...
NewsroomBy Dr Lisa Darragh, Dr Raewyn Eden and Dr David Pomeroy
Te PÄti MÄori has had to adopt a new way of debating, operating and even thinking in Parliament in response to the Government’s “onslaught” against te ao MÄori, co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says.In an end-of-year interview with Newsroom, the Te Tai Hauauru MP reflected on how 2024 has differed from her ...
At long last, The Spinoff shells out for a nut ranking.  The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today.It recently came to The Spinoffâs attention ...
I was one of hundreds of people who lost my government job this week. Hereâs exactly how it played out. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a ...
Summer reissue: One anxiously attentive passenger pays attention to an in-flight safety video, and wonders âWhy canât I pick up my own phone?â The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up ...
Summer reissue: Why do those Lange-Douglas years cast such a long shadow 40 years on? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. First published June ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 23 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The Governmentâs social housing agency has backed out of a billion-dollar infrastructure alliance that would have built about 6000 new homes in Auckland â less than 18 months after signing a five-year extension.Labour says the decision to rip up the contract and sell off existing state houses could lead to ...
ByKoroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor New Zealandâs Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) says impending bad weather for Port Vila is now the most significant post-quake hazard. A tropical low in the Coral Sea is expected to move into Vanuatu waters, bringing heavy rainfall. Authorities have issued warnings to people ...
Cosmic CatastropheThe year draws to a close.King Luxon has grown tired of the long eveningsListening to the dreary squabbling of his Triumvirate.He strolls up to the top floor of the PalaceTo consult with his Astronomer Royal.The Royal Telescope scans the skies,And King Luxon stares up into the heavensFrom the terrestrial ...
Spinoff editor Mad Chapman and books editor Claire Mabey debate Carl Shukerâs new novel about⊠an editor. Claire: Hello Mad, you just finished The Royal Free â overall impressions? Mad: Hi Claire, I literally just put the book down and I would have to say my immediate impression is ...
Christmas and its buildup are often lonely, hard and full of unreasonable expectations. Hereâs how to make it to Jesusâs birthday and find the little bit of joy we all deserve. Have you found this year relentless? Has the latest Apple update âfucked up your lifeâ? Have you lost two ...
Despite overwhelming public and corporate support, the government has stalled progress on a modern day slavery law. That puts us behind other countries â and makes Christmas a time of tragedy rather than joy, argues Shanti Mathias. Picture the scene on Christmas Day. Everyone replete with nice things to eat, ...
Asia Pacific Report âIt looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two,â says an Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University about the horrifying reality of Gaza. Professor Omer Bartov, has described Israelâs ongoing war on Gaza as an ...
The New Zealand government coalition is tweaking university regulations to curb what it says is an increasingly ârisk-averse approachâ to free speech. The proposed changes will set clear expectations on how universities should approach freedom of speech issues. Each university will then have to adopt a âfreedom of speech statementâ ...
Pacific Media Watch The union for Australian journalists has welcomed the delivery by the federal government of more than $150 million to support the sustainability of public interest journalism over the next four years. Combined with the announcement of the revamped News Bargaining Initiative, this could result in up to ...
MONDAY“Merry Xmas, and praise the Lord,” said Sheriff Luxon, and smiled for the camera. There was a flash of smoke when the shutter pressed down on the magnesium powder. The sheriff had arranged for a photographer from the Dodge Gazette to attend a ceremony where he handed out food parcels to ...
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The Guardian has a story and link to the big US election debate. No, not Obama/Mittens, Bill O’Reilly vs Jon Stewart.
Crikey Te Reo Putake. You caused me to spend 1:33hrs watching a fascinating encounter. Couldn’t stop watching. Thanks – I think?
Ditto: Just wasted a whole morning but every moment worth it. Oh for a Jon Stewart in NZ!
We do, he’s called Paul Holmes with 3 subtle differences:
1. He thinks he funny but isn’t
2. He think’s he relevant but isn’t
3. He thinks he’s fresh and unbiased etc etc
Same but NOT a waste of time. But it also allowed me to find some of the Clinton Interviews and they are great. Especially this one..
Love Jon Stewart’s ..”They can’t privatize the profits but socialize the losses..”
Many thanks for that link.
I think NZ has the same quality of idiots as in USA politics but not the quantity to make a full length daily programme.
Cheers, guys, I knew you’d like it, though I figured only CV would have time to watch it during the day đ
đ
Yes thanks indeed for that link. Have been looking forward to this debate so thanks for making it easy to access.
Been a fan of Jon Stewart for many years but its hard to access unless you want to sit in front of a computer of an evening. Have finally sorted some kind of computer sorcery that will allow me to watch on telly from the comfort of the couch.
Agree with Anne that we need a Jon Stewart in NZ. Or any political satire in fact. I guess theres no room on nz tv these days for politcal satire as “dancing-with-the-celebrity-chefs-whose-got-americas-next-big-ridges-propertymakeover-mykitchensux-theGC-NZ’s-got-idiots have anihilated any smart and funny programming.
Rosie: Agree with Anne that we need a Jon Stewart in NZ. Or any political satire in fact.
Â
Bomber’s view on this posted today:
Â
Â
Hey thanks Karol! Good timing. That was a good article. I noted what they said about 7 days. It is irreverent and essentailly not that political but I do watch it. I agree that theres too many dick jokes, especially when that creepy sleezy guy from Taranaki is on it. Ben Hurley I think it is. Some of the humour can be quite demeaning to women at times and that makes me a little uncomfortable. I wasn’t paying attention fully last Friday night but I am sure I heard the host call Shonkey a liar. What ever it was, it was said with serious intent. They haven’t gone that far before and I hope they continue to step up the criticism. The section of the show where they wheel a politician out to answer qustions without saying yes or no is quite funny and often smart.
Rosie, I used to be a fan of the UK and Aus equivalents (Have I Got News for You, and Good News Week). I tried watching 7 Days a couple of times way back when it started, but but got put off by the juvenile dick-level jokes, and masculine slant. If they are starting to be more mature and politically critical, maybe should start watching?
“…………….maybe should start watching?”
Hmmm, maybe give it a go if you’ve nothing better to do and can deflect the cringey bits. If you consider shows where there is a panel of comedians participating in a set of games you’ll find 7 days at the other end of the spectrum from say, QI. I just watched a bit of the last episode on TV on demand to see what the host did have to have to say and it was “we’ll be right back with plenty of celebrity and criminal themes and funnily enough John Key fits both those categories”. I think as the mood changes and the public perception of the performance of Key & Co changes they probably will become more critical and the Key govt will provide more comedy fodder for a show such as this.
It would be fantastic though to see a show fully committed to political satire. The silence is deafening.
Petra rules !!!!
signing off the PM slot today: ” Thank you Prime Minister. Next we speak with a serious Economist”
Lol. Did she say that with a straight face?
freedom 2
Don’t leave us in suspense. Who was the Serious Economist?
This bloke.
http://nzier.org.nz/user/shamubeeleaqub
joe90
Thanks – I had a tingling in my palms but wanted to confirm it. I wonder how Bill Rosenberg would be described? Is this serious enough for you Petra?
From the CT/U bio – Bill Rosenberg Economist and Director of Policy
Bill Rosenberg was appointed Economist and Director of Policy at the CTU in May 2009. He holds a B.Com in Economics, a BSc in Mathematics and a PhD in Mathematical Psychology. Bill was previously Deputy Director, University Centre for Teaching and Learning at the University of Canterbury, a Member of the Institute of Directors, a Commissioner on TEC, and was a member of the Regional Land Transport Committee of Environment Canterbury.
Bill Rosenberg is widely published on globalisation, trade and e-learning and has been an active trade unionist for 30 years including the Tramways Union and Association of University Staff where he was National President for several years.
Whereas the spokesperson for the NZ Institute of Economic Research from the right has been practising for 11 years (and mightn’t ever play it right.)
Shamubeel [Eaqub] holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Management with Honours in Economics from Lincoln University. He has worked as a macro economist in the private sector since 2001, both in New Zealand and Australia. His focus and interest is in analytical frameworks to aid economic forecasting, commentary and incisive research into topical areas of economics.
Incidentally the bio on Wikipedia of the USA William Rosenberg is an indication of how someone with chutzpah could get on there. (Thought – Peter Jackson also has chutzpah. Maybe we should be encouraging chutzpah!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Rosenberg
He was forced to leave school to help support his family in the Great Depression. At 17 he started selling ice cream and at 21 became the Branch Manager.
He became Union Delegate at Bethlehem Steel Works in World War 2 and eventually Contract Co-Ordinator.
After that he borrowed some money to add to his own and started a business of mobile industrial catering. Soon he had 140 trucks. But he noticed that 40% of turnover came from coffee and doughnuts so he started Dunkin Donuts which he then franchised after opening six shops. There are now five thousand outlets.
In 1960, he founded the International Franchise Association.
We need more William Rosenbergs I think.
Shamubeel Eaqub is what you call a bank economist only puts forward ideas that benefit vested interests!
Any ideas that are outside those vested interests these bank economists become propaganda experts rubbishing those ideas with scare tactics.
Ganesh Nana is an economist not a bank economist he says we are getting screwed over by the devaluing economies!
Prism: some NZIER mouthpiece.
weka: straightface but i suspect once dear Petra realised what was said the smile dropped somewhat.
Hollywood movie director James Cameron on RNZ news yesterday touting for more NZ taxpayer hand-outs for him and his Holywood mates. Instead of enriching the already rich even more and further backing the production of Hollywood crap we should be putting that money into our own movies, our own arts, our hospitals, our railway, our children. James Cameron you should be ashamed of yourself, greedy rich prick.
Agree marsman. An intervention on behalf of yank studio bosses from a usually âhands offâ prime minister.
Sell socially profitable assets built over generationsâfine, send kiwi rail workers down the road and buy dodgy imported rolling stockâfine. Gut the public serviceâfine. âNot ruling it in, or ruling it outâ is ShonKeyâs regular weasel line, he has certainly ruled in more taxpayer assistance for the bloated studios and Lord Jackson.
Driver 8
Cameron is an experienced producer/director and knows how to follow the money trail, you can’t blame him he’s just following johnnylocks’ trail of taxpayer money crumbs.
Beware the diversions kids…..sparkles has come back with his masters script and rehearsed lines to play the red herring while they plunder more assets.
Tiwai and Norske skog should be front and centre, job losses and smashes the wholesale power market.
But what game is Cameron really playing?
I just posted (on Karol’s Hollywood Rules post here) a link to a post by Gordon Campbell on Scoop this morning in which he quotes a Guardian article revealing that Cameron has recently been in China pursuing more US-Chinese co-productions.
http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2012/10/08/gordon-campbell-on-the-chinese-shadow-over-john-keys-trip-to-hollywood/
Campbell’s post is well worth reading as it explores the possible ramifications for the film industry here – and also raises the TPPA question.
No You Are Not Entitled To Your Opinion
Perhaps some of our esteemed MSM political opinionists/apologists should
check this out!
https://theconversation.edu.au/no-youre-not-entitled-to-your-opinion-9978?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+8+October+2012&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+8+October+2012+CID_60ffcd79d48271bf59b81d744da589d1&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=its%20here
Having trouble…no worries….we’ll change the rules.
Education Secretary Ron Tomalis’ change, made without federal approval, might have skewed the results of the 2011-12 PSSA scores to make it appear charter schools were outperforming traditional public schools, according to a Morning Call review of publicly available test score data.
Front page commentary on the US election…run up! Good God is there NOTHING else we can report on? Anything!? Please send us a natural disaster…or let Hekia speak again.
What proportion of New Zealander’s care deeply, if at all, about some aging reptilian overlords fighting a highly manipulative PR war with the blindfolded public over an aging and soon to be ex-superpower? Their nation clearly suffers from a misplaced sense of patriotism….is is absolutely necessary that their pathetic puppet politicians are inflicted upon a NZ public, or is this preparation for who has real influence over us with the signing away of our sovereignty that comes with the TPPA?
Asleepwhilewalking 6
+1
This American Life on Quantitive Easing: Weekend at Bernanke’s
Though the name of the Federal Reserve includes the word “federal,” it’s not actually part of the government. It’s an independent institution tasked with something very simple, but very huge: Creating money out of thin air. And during this last financial crisis, the leaders of the Fed did things that they would never have considered doing in the past. Alex Blumberg and David Kestenbaum report on what the Fed usually does, and how, since 2008, it’s taken a trip to what amounts to Fed Crazytown. (26 minutes)
Gisborne people are fighting to keep their rail access. They make good points. Kiwirail is too scared to persevere with this practical infrastructure that is needed by this region isolated from the main transport lines.
The government should be putting funds into infrastructure like this as well as improving the roads. But they are a comedy team, with the boss for entertainment jobs like a theatrical agent, and any effort to look seriously at our economy and unglamorous and permanent jobs in the rural fastness of the country is called ‘voodoo economics’.
By the way Steven Joyce says he knows all about the exchange rate and exporting as he has been an exporter. Does anyone know in what? He has been in tourism, but that’s all I could see that could qualify from his bio. By the way he lives in Albany so that new northern motorway will be a boon for him while getting to the airport. Or does he have his own jet, yet?
Our experts.
John Key is apparently becoming a clinical psychologist as every solution suggested is termed “Loony” or “Wacky”. (Acshly, to his credit, more than single syllable words.)
And then there is Tina there-is-no-alternative Joyce.
Here’s one for both of them. Reinstate the tax levels to the 2008 state and also tax the multinationals before they ship their monies offshore.
Here’s another “Loony” one for starters. Given that the evil of fast-food hamburgers is with us for some time, why not have a government funded and run chain of hamburger joints modelled on McDonalds. Ultimately have PPP franchises to New Zealanders. That way, all the profit remains in New Zealand.
Government burgers? No thank you. Im not that left wing. Believer in the common ownership of production distrubution and exchange as I may be, I am no more keen on government run takeaway shops as someome like Farrar is.
Though, a co-operative farmer and grower owned fast food chain (perhaps collectively owned by Fonterra, Silver Fern Farms, Inghams and the like), , or even a Maori owned hangi takeaway chain, sounds like a good idea.
So how did this heading for RW Aotearoa page get featured in the Comments listings after
Colonial Viper on Govt defends tax haven?
Russell Norman Channels His Inner Mugabe, The Left Wing Bloggosphere Goes Agog and Reason Leaves the Building. So what is QE and Why Is It Destroying The Global Economy? « Aotearoa: A Wider Perspective on Greens call for new tools, QE to save jobs
prism, as far as I can see it’s a link from that site, listed at the bottom of the Green QE post.
karol
Thanks – weird to see though interesting seeing the firepower on Aotearoa being manned to shoot down any new economic forays. Can’t disturb the present system that suits so many suits so can’t tear through the Ideological Curtain (like the Iron Curtain but with a Right Wing design this time).
Food in Schools
So KidsCan are pleased that the government has seen that there is an alternative. (Wonder how Tina Joyce feels about that.)
However, a close look at just what the well-meaning Kids-Can actually provides for schools should be made before the government climbs on board. From what we saw on Campbell Live, it is snack food and lunch-box fillers – not wholesome food.
Suspend the Middle Classes (they are in detention anyway) that they might share their play-lunch
money.
(i have said it before, that Canterbury V.C is an unhelpful man; cross me)
I dont know why the prospect of food in schools make people cringe? I see it as an extension to other popular social programs in our education system: the school dental service, eye and hearing tests, MMR vaccinations (remember lining up and getting them back in ’92), school nurses and the now defunct milk in schools program (though those who benefited from all tend to bitch and moan about how sour the milk was, or how the milk monitors were little Hitlers).
Though I would keep KidsCan out of it, better to have the schools do it themselves.
JT essentially confirmed he is running for 2014.
Will he get Waitakare?
I think its unlikely. Carmel Sepuloni is hugely popular out West.
Tamihere’s claim on Q&A that Waitakere is a safe Labour seat and Labour should have won it just isn’t true any more. The demographics of the electorate have altered since the last boundary changes. Carmel did extremely well to come within 9 votes of winning the seat. Indeed if Labour wasn’t so cash-strapped and had been able to afford a judicial recount, then I’m picking she would have won the seat.
I heard that a number of Polynesian votes were not counted on the grounds they were incorrectly cast or their intention was (supposedly) unclear. From past experiences, there was a strong chance many of them would have been accepted at a recount.
Anne
I can imagine that some people keen to cast their vote might put a line or a cross over whom they didn’t want, to make it clear that the one they ticked got in.
And of course that is not following the instructions. Possibly some people can’t read too well and though there’s an example shown with the tick only, the importance of that may not have registered.
Yes prism that is the sort of thing that goes on – especially amongst our immigrant population.
I heard about a large Polynesian family in the Waitakere electorate who were so keen to vote for Carmel they went and voted as soon as the polling booths opened. Later that day they went to another polling booth and voted again because they thought they had done it wrong the first time and their votes wouldn’t be counted. They ended up having none of their votes counted of course. I understand their first votes would have been counted, so if they hadn’t voted again Carmel would probably be the MP for Waitakere.
Anne
What a pity. I would have thought that one of their votes would have been accepted. It isn’t a case that it can be assumed that illegality is intended.
Well I guess the view was… the law is the law. No matter the law is an ass sometimes, if you vote twice you’re gone – end of story. That’s the sort of thing a judicial recount can – and often does – overturn. But its something that can never be guaranteed so I understand why Labour (and Carmel) felt they couldn’t take the risk.
In my view it’s wrong that some political parties and their candidates can’t get electoral justice because they lack the money, while others (namely the Nats) can do so whenever they choose. Hardly a level playing field.
Will he get….? For John Tamihere to get anything from Labour would be clear signal to voters that Labour don’t want to govern.
There would be a rebellion out west if head office went for Tamihere. Â The locals support Carmel and do not like Tamihere. Â With one interview he managed to write off the support of women and gays. Â God knows hoe much damage he could cause if he really tried.
Yesterday or Friday? on Radionz there was a discussion on the Novopay new electronic program that is paying teachers salaries. So many stuff ups. One teacher had to hang on for two hours to reach someone at a call desk, the accent was hard to understand, when it was understood the desk person didn’t know what they were talking about. Double fudge.
Incidentally the word is that Novopay hadn’t fixed all the bugs, knew it wasn’t ready to fly, but the MOE (Ministry of Exclamation, Expiration, Expiation, Excitation, Education, Effectuation, Elimination, Vexation – dunno, one of those) insisted on it being released – perhaps they thought they would use it as a beta model.
Not so good when you’ve got accounts to pay and food to buy and transport or car registration or children’s needs or the electricity. Perhaps people like leading Light in the MOE getting over $500,000 p.a. (not over her lifetime) don’t worry about these. Just set up a direct debit and suck it out you tradespeople. No worries.
Missed out Ministry of Evacuation – that’s meaningful in a number of ways after the Christchurch
announcements about possible closures – Ministry of Expose, Exposure. They feel out in the cold down there.
MOE should take payroll in-house. It is the obession with outsourcing that leads to things like this.
Nick Smith out of the dog box?
Let’s be perfectly clear, Smith resigned to avoid an investigation into the extent of his corruption. Without an investigation, Smith can never be exonerated, which should mean he never again returns to a position within cabinet…
Ol’Lizard eyes is on the way back scum will always float to the top!
Slithering his way back into the snake pit Nationals caucus!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/c19.0.403.403/p403x403/399631_484015698298548_2046534845_n.jpg
Feed Your Head
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HmJQyS8QVw
Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. To the Romans 14:22
-the Cheshire Cat đ
()
As it is now clear the LA dinner was not a quiet social event with a few studio heads perhaps Peter Jackson would like to share the full message that was shown to all and sundry?
Kind of happy about this http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/08/hugo-chavez-wins-venezuelan-election
Yeah, saw that on WSJ which is pretty much just rant on just how evil Chavez is.
Amen (guess the CIA do not have the pull in S.A they tugged before)
They obviously gave him a cure rabble type of Cancer.
Yep anyone who pisses of Wall Street, the right wing MSM and the oil industry at the same time while feeding the poor is doing alright …
Yeah, didnt think Chavez would make it across the line this time, but he did. The Bolivarian Revolution is safe — for now. Though the guy needs to start realising that he is not immortal and needs to start planning for the future, ie sorting out a successor.
Not a successor but more democracy and he seems to be doing that. From the WSJ link:
The rich are getting pissed off that their system of dictatorship is being undermined.
The poor wee things # Capriles aren’t happy.
Melissa Rock ⥠â@MeowwItsMelissa
I’m starting to believe there’s no morals in this world at all. How can Chavez win when it’s evident 99.9% of the country voted Capriles?!
Kinda sad looking at all the Caprilles supporters crying fraud. From what I’ve read most of the polls leading up to the election had Chavez winning and only one with Caprilles. There’s fraud alright but it isn’t from the Chavez camp.
Dunne-“legitimate to avoid taxes” Done!
Slippery-” well from my university days” ($180 annual tuition fees that Mum saved)”there is tax evasion and then there is tax avoidance” ????
He Wept. (NAct supporters caudally lured by hemipenes)
Little Conversations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNC5H-3gCUs&noredirect=1
“Shekinah”
đ
(Bolt that Gatorade down: NOT)
Will we really have to endure a full blown depression and a major conflict?.
http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2012/oct/02/our-crisis-bad-jobs/
When global debt levels are this high, widespread armed conflict is the rule, not the exception.
approaching Thanksgiving and Turkey’s on the table.
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTx6TPQxdR5AZnoJ-AMMIIHN_LQlaLTuiqSQ9kSIulljdHofKeq
(out in the “book” of life now; thesis signature)
Dreadful parallels with another time.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/next-economy/essay-the-growing-income-gap-in-the-u-s-harms-the-economy-20120927
Which is exactly what’s been happening in NZ since the advent of neo-liberalism under the 4th Labour Government. The reduction in manufacturing and R&D has seen to that.
Yes, bascially we need to be making things that people want to buy, not paying each other to do each other’s laundry.
That’s a model which will inevitably lead to consumerism. Make people want more in order to sell them more, so that we can make more things for more money using more of the world’s constrained resources.
Sound familiar?
At this moment 8:40 John Ansell is getting a hearing on Native Affairs Maori TV
the only people making anything in NZ are the National Party gang making a killing out of their share parcels when they sell the states assets that they thieved from the legitimate owners..
Lprent, are you looking into the issue of the “too many redirects” issue that your Chrome readers are experiencing? There are plenty of examples scattered around the threads and comments. I like reading your site but I’m getting a bit tired of having to launch IE just to read it.
This is the error that a lot of Chrome users are experiencing when accessing your site. Please have a go at sorting it out as Chrome is one of the most widely used browsers and you’re losing out on viewer stats by having this happen…
http://i.imgur.com/xd9me.png
Sheryl bleep you are not the only one that’s having problems I use fire fox and msn its the standards server its always having teething problems.
You just have to be patient it takes lots of money and or time to keep a sever functioning optimally!
I use Firefox and have very few issues with this site.
@ Beryl
The general advice that I’ve been able to determine so far is to reinstall Chrome as it seems to be Chrome that’s having the problem.
That is likely to be the posting problem. New or edited posts cause a hell of a load on the primary server because it informs damn near everyone that a post has been posted or live edited. It meant that there was a flood of requests at the primary server for everything from search engines to RSS feeds. Shows up as a server unavailable error to readers and as a major spike in queries and CPU.
I moved the SEO system from event driven to periodic last week and that seems to have helped by time offsetting of the server.
This week or next, I am going to move the RSS to feedburner and remove direct RSS feeds from the main server. It will redirect automatically once I have it running. And before anyone asks, I know about the feedburner API change and that isn’t really an issue. We currently don’t count RSS in page stats. And I haven’t seen any other RSS sevice that is comparable. It also means that we can start looking at RSS more closely on analytics.
I wasn’t aware that it was still an issue.
Clear the cookies for the site on your Chrome. I had it show on one machine once (I use Chrome as my default browser across 4 systems). When I was tracking it, it would disappear as soon as some or all of the cookies for the site were cleared. You can either ean all of your cookies, just the ones for the site, or down to individual ones. I will link to pages for the latter when I get off the pad if I aren’t beaten to it.
After repeated restores and testing last week, it appears to have been one of a group of cookies set by chrome for the site caching by google on chrome rather than anything put out by the site – which explains why it only showed on chrome. It also expired during testing, so I presumed it had a finite lifetime and would eventually clean itself up.
BTW: I ran comparisions of weekly code snapshots backups. There were no changes in any cookie management for the last month in the sites code. I love diffzilla on slickedit.
I have chrome and its never given me any problems here at all.
Republican Lullaby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnepPZChA5U
night.
âSpin me a brain exchangeâ, said Dear Leader!
Damn good stuff. I can see Shearer pushing these exact lines later this week.
A simple philosophy but extremely valid for us all. If David Shearer could get passionate about this and spark a following then….