Words! Words! I’m so sick of words!
I get words all day through;
First from him, now from you! Is that all you blighters can do?
Don’t talk at all! Show me!
Never do I ever want to hear another word.
There isn’t one I haven’t heard.
Don’t wait until wrinkles and lines
Pop out all over my brow,
Show me now!
This TPPA thing has got beyond words – I want some action (peaceful, of course!)
I want to let this f. awful government know that not all New Zealanders can be so blatantly disregarded! I want to march and shout some slogans.
I marched down Riccarton Road on a miserably wet day in September; now I want to do so again!
And I want to do so as much for my own self-respect as anything. I want to be able to look my grandchildren in the eyes when this country had completely gone to the dogs and say – “I fought against the foreign takeover of our country!”
I marched in 1981 and have always had a warm feeling about that – though I admit to being frightened at the time. I have put my name down for the climate change march in November – does that qualify me for Key’s ‘rent-a-crowd’ one third?
This has got beyond words – let’s have some action! Show me how! And when!
Onya Tony. I’m a “rent a crowd” third too. And a Labour and Green voter, so am another third according to Key. Who do we invoice for services provided to promote democracy btw? Cos, you know, in Key’s world, everything is for sale.
FYI. I spoke to a friend who is involved in the organisation around TPP. Like you, I’m keen to get out there again. As far as I know there isn’t anything in the pipeline as yet – BUT, there will be. Thats for sure.
I think it’s possible that organisers are holding off until we have access to the text of all 30 chapters. Once we have that information we plan strategy for activity. Thats just my theory.
Listening to Alistair Thompson on Scoop Politics on Radio Active this morning – he mentioned that without knowing the full content of the deal we are really only shadow boxing. I thought that was good way of looking at at. It’s not until the deal gets tabled in congress that we and the other 11 countries get to know the content, and thats thirty days after.
I think there will be a delay before we hit the streets again.
Don’t hold off organising your own local march though 😀
PS: Do you keep an eye on Action Station? They were involved in co organising the last march. Sing up and receive their email news.
Other than that the rest of the stories seemed to focus on “how hard it for poor Mr Key & the rest of the party to get there and how unpleasant it had all been”.
Left the lasting impression that it was all about me, me ,me… look how tough I had it but zero empathy for the people who have to live their lives there.
and Corin Dann (sp) was almost breathless with his excitement at being in a war zone… reminds me why I prefer Mike McRoberts. The coverage struck me as highlighting that it’s all about
Old neoliberal farts like Fran O’Sullivan and John Key really do seem to believe their own bullshit, in an almost religious fervour. It is like they cannot abide any alternative views. Their minds cannot fathom that there are other ways of structuring society and trade. They are stuck in a time warp.
“In Kunduz, our patients burned in their beds. MSF doctors, nurses and other staff were killed as they worked. Our colleagues had to operate on each other.”
+100 Manuka AOR – would be keen to see further analysis of this on the Standard too.
It seems unfathomable that the USA can just murder (either deliberately or by accident) so many doctors, patients and other staff at the hospital and the international community does nothing. Is this the international and media response – Meh?
Even if the MSM seem reluctant to report it properly with analysis I hope the blogs can look at it.
Look at what the difference when a muslim kills someone in Paris – massive widespread international condemnation and dialogue – funeral with all the international dignitaries invited (and some who were not).
And in a sad irony, Docs without Borders are vocal opponents of the TPP:
” the TPP will still go down in history as the worst trade agreement for access to medicines in developing countries, which will be forced to change their laws to incorporate abusive intellectual property protections for pharmaceutical companies.”
” As the trade agreement now goes back to the national level for countries’ final approval, we urge all governments to carefully consider before they sign on the dotted line whether this is the direction they want to take on access to affordable medicines and the promotion of biomedical innovation. The negative impact of the TPP on public health will be enormous, be felt for years to come, and will not be limited to the current 12 TPP countries, as it is a dangerous blueprint for future agreements.” http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/article/statement-msf-conclusion-tpp-negotiations-atlanta
@Tony Veitch
My initial reaction to the signing was exactly like yours. I have managed to push my anger down to a level where I can do now think more rationally and make better plans to fight this more effectively.
The current situation is this:
1.Only the trade issues have been revealed.
2. The Herald in particular is doing the soft-sell PR job for Groser, Key
3. The ISDS, the selling of land to foreigners and minimal dairy gains are really the only negative issue that are out in the public domain.
4. The fine print fishhooks have yet to be revealed so the arguments surrounding these cannot be had to inform the general public of the negative consequences. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11525498
I think we will need to take to the streets but the events need to be well planned, well publicised, with all groups co-ordinating, similar to the big antimining march in Auckland. It needs to be after the text is released so the negatives are indisputably out there so the public can see that we are not just a pack of angry feral, left wing nutters but have damn good reasons for marching and what’s more, they want to join in because they agree.
In the meantime, we need to educate those around us as more information comes to light, get people involved in planning placards, street theatre, ready for the big marches.
5. Let’s all learn the lyrics of Twisted Sister’s “We’re not Gonna Take It”
Oh We’re Not Gonna Take It
no, We Ain’t Gonna Take It
oh We’re Not Gonna Take It Anymore
we’ve Got The Right To Choose And
there Ain’t No Way We’ll Lose It
this Is Our Life, This Is Our Song
we’ll Fight The Powers That Be Just
don’t Pick Our Destiny ’cause
you Don’t Know Us, You Don’t Belong
oh We’re Not Gonna Take It
no, We Ain’t Gonna Take It
oh We’re Not Gonna Take It Anymore
oh You’re So Condescending
your Gall Is Never Ending
we Don’t Want Nothin’, Not A Thing From You
your Life Is Trite And Jaded
boring And Confiscated
if That’s Your Best, Your Best Won’t Do
I also think there should be a consumer campaign run too. For example buy no milk products day, buy no meat day, buy nothing day, buy no overseas goods day etc.
Don’t go to Bunnings are get that garden hose etc.
Now that money is the new god and lobbyists are the messengers, when the end consumer fights the money, the lobbyists start listening.
This is what happened in the 90’s with cruelty free animal testing – consumers stopped buying and changed the way the company did business.
As voters democracy might be gone, but as consumers we still have choice and a lot of ability to damage corporations.
@Grumpystilskin – already mostly stopped watching TV. Don’t watch TV news anymore although I have heard early morning news is a lot better than 6pm.
Also another thought, don’t use the phone day.
I’m no economist but not consuming anything for one day (banks also affected) would wipe off millions in the economy I would have thought. A powerful message.
Get onto the US – if the US consumer stopped consuming for one day – the lobbyists would have a heart attack. No TPP.
Telly is rubbish. haven’t watched it for ages. I visually filter out all advertising.
When the I search for a particular product to buy and the google picks that up and bombards me with pop up ads…I do a search for something REALLY obscure.
Thank you TMM – your response, and those of the others, are just what I needed – a boost to my flagging enthusiasm. This fight is far from over!
I shall be emailing all the Green, NZ First and Labour MPs in the Christchurch area, letting them know that support of the TPP will have electoral consequences.
I shall be spreading the word as far as I am able among my friends and family – and yes, also waiting until the nasty aspects of this agreement can no longer be hidden from the public.
But let’s get the people who planned the September marches on board again – make it bigger and more emphatic and really stick it to this (to paraphrase jonkey) goddam awful government!
“But let’s get the people who planned the September marches on board again – make it bigger and more emphatic and really stick it to this (to paraphrase jonkey) goddam awful government!”
Hi Tony. Not sure if you saw my response to you at 1.2. There WILL be action 😀
You’re right, the fight is far from over. There is just a pause for gathering strength and planning the next steps. From what I hear some of the organisers are quite exhausted because they have been involved intensively in the anti TPP movement for three years now.
I don’t know if it will either PR. Our Government’s mind is made up, and Grocer wouldn’t wear the shame of NZ not singing to the deal.
Then again, there is so much that may be revealed in the coming months, that maybe the government may find they have a riot on their hands. Even the placid and sleepy might even go “Huh?”
If Congress does ratify this, meaning we then go ahead, then it becomes a very important point in our history. There has to be a reaction to that.
What will most likely happen in the upcoming months is NZ will see theres more benefits then negatives and eventually everyone will wonder what the big deal was
I opposed it because I don’t buy Wayne Mapp’s notion that secrecy was required to secure negotiating positions. John Key recently admitted that we, and our allies, spy on each other for commercial reasons. Therefore, no one had a secret negotiating position. ALL governments leak information that suits them. Labour did, National does and so on. So WHY the secrecy this time?
Wayne Mapp says dissenters who NEVER supported a FTA can be discounted cos they have always opposed but won’t address the corollary, that someone who NEVER opposes one is equally as questionable ( on his logic).
Kelsey has been very clear that she opposes the opening of the door to erosion of soveriegn decision-making through a closed door tribunal made up of former or current corporate lawyers, with no chance of Appeal.
Fair questions to ask I would have thought.
Key says we won’t be sued. BUT he hasn’t told us what he bases that on. There is plenty of evidence that other governments have been sued. There is NO history of such suing in the FTA’s we are in… but some of the countries we are now climbing into bed with DO have a history of suing under those clauses. THAT is a significant difference.
Labour started this and the people voted them in, National continued it and the people voted them in, its a bugger when democracy doesn’t work exatcly how you want it to work
Are you suggesting the people who voted for National and Labour knew what they would get from a TPP? Or something else?
It’s far too early to say if NZ got a good or bad or something-else deal. As long as only one party has the information and is releasing it selectively no voter is in a position to judge anything.
The majority of NZers understand that the TPPA will be bad for us and that the only winners from it will be the foreign corporations. Key and National know that as well.
Agree that organisation for protest needs to take place after content of the deal is revealed. Then we know exactly what we are dealing with and can formulate a plan for appropriate reaction.
LOLs. At one of the TPP demo’s in Wellington, prior to the last one we all did a sing along to We’re not Gonna Take It. It was the best!
@Pat
To continue from yesterday, it appears nothing is certain on the banning of house sales to overseas purchasers. Labour may well have the option of modifying the OIA (which has been exempted from the TPP) so that it can implement its policy.
From the Herald today:
as always the devil is in the detail , however that link (thanks) suggests to me that there may be room for restricting foreign investment under the provisions of the CURRENT overseas investment act….and dosnt remove the risk of ISDS prosecution should any future government wish to change the act….my take.
@left
Agreed. She didn’t seem very well briefed. Assange had to correct her on facts several times and it sounded like he was thinking “why on earth is she asking this?”.
“..according to the ….mad breathless fanboys of the right wing press, after today’s speech to the Tory party conference Davie Cameron is the new voice of the left. In other news, Hannibal Lector is the new voice of veganism, Ian Paisley is the Vatican spokesman on ecumenicalism, and the BNP are the new UN Commissioners for Refugees.”
Not how Sir David Shearer of IISS lineage, Grant Robertson and David Parker will be advocating in the Caucus. They will be pushing hard for conformity with the fictions “middle ground consensus” .
Sir David and Lady Anuschka will get that cushy ambassador spot from National or Labour: there don’t care which. They are not going to allow bloody left wingers dirty their clean establishment credentials.
If Labour came out and said they’ll support the TPP wholeheartedly, you’d call them right wing neoliberals who are weak.
When they criticise it, and say they won’t be following its regulations – the regulations of an international agreement – and will implement their policies anyway, you call it empty promises and weak.
Within that article is a link to another story about a Whakatane man who starved calves to death.
Read that one only yesterday, and now one today.
Read another two weeks ago about about a farm manager and staff who abused dairy cows, forced extremely lame cows who were in acute pain to walk 2km to an offal pit where they shot them. The farm manager and a farm hand were charged for that and other abuses.
These stories crop up far too frequently in the farming section on stuffed.co.nz
But surely this is just tip of the iceberg stuff, the cases that end in convictions.
After long campaigning, over decades, only now are customers purchasing free range chicken eggs and pork in supermarkets, and not just at health stores and farmers markets as before. They have finally grown aware of the cruelty of factory farming and it is more widely known about.
How long will it be before we can expose the culture of farmed animal abuse, dairy, cattle and sheep, understand the depth of the abuse and remedy the situation?
Why, in an agricultural nation are we so backwards about animal welfare?
Why as a people are we so backward about animal welfare? There is only one way to stop this constant and horrific abuse of animals and that is to go vegan.
I go with the free market argument, too.
Farmers cutting back on feed and help means the remaining staff are underpaid, overworked and in precarious (and often dangerous) employment.
We can’t expect people to care more about animals than the economy cares about people.
Adern is right to say they will continue to legislate regardless, especially in light of how little would be lost, in 15 years time, if it gets ditched. 1% is nothing.
1% is nothing. Just pay it and ditch the piece of shit
For fucks sake 2.7billion aint much different to Bill English’s handout to his mates who invested in South Canterbury Finance at 1.7billion
A few crumbs is all Grosser and co have been fed.Michael that figure of $ 2.7 billion is highly dubious.
As the loss side of the balance sheet is not included.
Biologicals the cost of keeping longer patents will wipe that out by itself as this government has deliberately covered up the %’s that pharmac will be purchasing for now it is small but by 2020 it will be 15% + of purchases by 2030 it could be half of all purchases.
Then their is loss of local purchasing for govts and local bodies.
That could include health boards.
Then the right to sue .
This is a pigs arse of a trade deal pushed by pigheaded pirates.
There is no increase to the patent term of medicines in NZ under this proposed TPP agreement.
Your figures on the percentage of biologicals as a percentage of total spend of pharmaceuticals is incorrect – suggest you have look at PHARMAC’s website where this information is published – regardless as i have said before there is no increase to the patent term of medicines in NZ under this proposed TPP agreement.
Regarding local purchasing for government and councils – this will most likely still go through a tender process with the purchasing body making the decision based on the specifics of the tender.
What would your better half (presuming you have one) think if you got home after years away toiling for a pay rise and came back saying … “yes honey, I did it… 1% rise in 15 years time!… Lets go out and celebrate…”
At this early stage it appears that NZ (read every TTP nation other than the USA) is going to be screwed on various levels
With the agreements and legislation being authored and directed by private company’s and corporations, the likelihood of positive impact for people as a whole, is extremely low.
The likelihood of negative outcomes flowing through by becoming part of this agreement, are immeasurably high
Increased trade is a good outcome, yes I’m pro trade and agree with the former prime minster and current trade minister on the importance of trade to the NZ economy.
What? You consider the 1% gain after 15 years piffle?
I guess you’re right, it is piffle. The entire TPP is piffle.
And this is even more classic piffle … “Increased trade is a good outcome, yes I’m pro trade and agree with the former prime minster and current trade minister on the importance of trade to the NZ economy.”
You run a business that turns over some where between 10 million and a 100 million, so I’m assuming it would be something to do with exports or imports.
I would think the TPPA would have quite an impact on your bottom line if you’e in exports, or is the TPPA of no to relevance to your business?
What would have a bigger impact on our business’s bottom line is a more robust and financially healthy lower income sector…. not pandering to already successful pharmaceutical companies and big tobacco….
ffs, this stuff aint rocket science…. every business in NZ would do better if the base of our society was actually strong. This is where the effort should go – into making the low income demographic wealthier..
.. it builds all the way up doesn’t it BM. Like any foundation.
.. which is why restricting foreign ownership in order to drive down all capital values will help
.. but we ALL know that lowering capital values is like speaking of the devil, such is the religious fervour of the right wing on these matters
… lower the capital values – high capital values are only damaging
Yep I come across them types all the time in real life – they just cannot fathom other ways of going about life and business. They really are bamboozled by it. If it aint about money then they just glaze over….
Commentary on the extent of the gain (1% in 15 years) resulting from the TPP is considered piffle. Do you think we should just bend even further over and not comment on the outcome of the TPP?
Is a 1% economic gain in 15 years piffle?
I think it is.
After all that means at that level of achievement a 10% increase will take 150 years – ha ha, may as well pack the bags and head to the beach …
Not necessarily. In fact, that just proves your position is ideological belief rather than a considered position.
As I say, if there was a truly level field there would be only minimal trade as each country would produce for itself from its own resources. The added costs of trade would prevent trade.
Sigh – Pat I’ve explained the difference between data exclusivity and patent term from a NZ medicines regulatory perspective a number of times, have a look at my previous comments on this using the Standard’s dinky search function.
I know its tiresome having to deal with mere mortals doc but humour me awhile and confirm a point or two for me if you would
– it is your contention that due to the WTO 20 year drug patent period it has no impact on Pharmacs ability to purchase generics whether the data exclusivity period is 5 or 8 years as both fall well within the 20 years (leaving aside evergreening)
– the additional costs to NZ under the TPP will be negligible and essentially for administration
-Pharmaceutical companies need this period to recoup Rand D costs and to provide a return on investment, therefore the drivers are financial
– the advocates for the increased data exclusivity period of 12 years in the TPP negotiation were the pharmaceutical companies and their lobbyists
There was an interesting conversation (if short lived when a ban was threatened) on whether retiring CTU president Helen Kelly, who has lung cancer, smoked (she doesn’t as far as I know). I’m a huge admirer of Helen and this post isn’t about her but about the fact that lung cancer sufferers, and to a lesser extent other cancer sufferers are often blamed for their illness (the first quote and link below touch on this subject.)
In fact, one new set of research findings (see second link and quote) has found that in the majority of cases people who get cancer are simply unlucky. This raises an interesting question about how much responsibility we are placing on cancer sufferers for having the disease and why we are doing this. Has the health industry become over-zealous, for instance? Is it a result of society pushing all responsibility on to the individual. Or is it a great conceit we now have the power to control our health when in fact we often don’t.
We have managed to demonise smokers but bowel cancer is the second most common form of cancer and we don’t have an easy target for that. If there was a lifestyle that society disapproved of that was known to contribute to bowel cancer, would people who participate in that also be demonised?
“Unlike some cancers, which typically evoke sympathy and concern, lung cancer patients often experience stigma, isolation, and social judgment. In some instances, patients with lung cancer blame themselves and are filled with regret for having failed to take the advice (liberally meted out by doctors, family, friends, and strangers) to quit smoking. Patients who smoked (even those who had long ago quit) find themselves not only battling their disease, but also rebuke and self-recrimination.”
yesterday my partner and were driving home from a funeral. We started talking about stress and so forth. She mentioned that from time to time mention is made of the impact of stress on illness. She mused “Has anyone studied terminal illness suffered by survivors of active duty since WWII? Cos” she continued” “you can’t get much more stressed than being shelled and shot at and freezing etc”.
Jacinda Ardern’s comments are most welcome. It’s good to see Labour committing to policies in the interests of the majority of our citizens.
I’ll take her comments at face value, bravo.
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Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
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The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
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In the words of Eliza Dolittle, My Fair Lady:
Words! Words! I’m so sick of words!
I get words all day through;
First from him, now from you! Is that all you blighters can do?
Don’t talk at all! Show me!
Never do I ever want to hear another word.
There isn’t one I haven’t heard.
Don’t wait until wrinkles and lines
Pop out all over my brow,
Show me now!
This TPPA thing has got beyond words – I want some action (peaceful, of course!)
I want to let this f. awful government know that not all New Zealanders can be so blatantly disregarded! I want to march and shout some slogans.
I marched down Riccarton Road on a miserably wet day in September; now I want to do so again!
And I want to do so as much for my own self-respect as anything. I want to be able to look my grandchildren in the eyes when this country had completely gone to the dogs and say – “I fought against the foreign takeover of our country!”
I marched in 1981 and have always had a warm feeling about that – though I admit to being frightened at the time. I have put my name down for the climate change march in November – does that qualify me for Key’s ‘rent-a-crowd’ one third?
This has got beyond words – let’s have some action! Show me how! And when!
“…does that qualify me for Key’s ‘rent-a-crowd’ one third?”
….and “misinformed”
….and “politically irrelevant”
What did ‘is nibs say about ‘third term arrogance’?
Onya Tony. I’m a “rent a crowd” third too. And a Labour and Green voter, so am another third according to Key. Who do we invoice for services provided to promote democracy btw? Cos, you know, in Key’s world, everything is for sale.
FYI. I spoke to a friend who is involved in the organisation around TPP. Like you, I’m keen to get out there again. As far as I know there isn’t anything in the pipeline as yet – BUT, there will be. Thats for sure.
I think it’s possible that organisers are holding off until we have access to the text of all 30 chapters. Once we have that information we plan strategy for activity. Thats just my theory.
Listening to Alistair Thompson on Scoop Politics on Radio Active this morning – he mentioned that without knowing the full content of the deal we are really only shadow boxing. I thought that was good way of looking at at. It’s not until the deal gets tabled in congress that we and the other 11 countries get to know the content, and thats thirty days after.
I think there will be a delay before we hit the streets again.
Don’t hold off organising your own local march though 😀
PS: Do you keep an eye on Action Station? They were involved in co organising the last march. Sing up and receive their email news.
according to Groser we all think “the TPP eats babies”. No hysterical rhetoric there then, the deal clearly stands on its own merits.
Did Key really use the words “goddam awful place” ??
what a dick
From yesterday’s stories it sounds like he did.
Other than that the rest of the stories seemed to focus on “how hard it for poor Mr Key & the rest of the party to get there and how unpleasant it had all been”.
Left the lasting impression that it was all about me, me ,me… look how tough I had it but zero empathy for the people who have to live their lives there.
And I bet he said Gaaaad Dayam Arful place and then spit on the ground. GI Johnny, our own Yankey.
TV1 6pm news bulletin lead with the line. I thought it was a bit on the nose for a 6pm broadcast, but I guess we’re not that god faring any more.
bf said that because they were quoting the leader of the nation, they were allowed to say it.
I think the TV1 audience can put up with almost anything if they can embrace Hosking. Just dont mention Hager, Assange et al. Red rag to a bull.
and Corin Dann (sp) was almost breathless with his excitement at being in a war zone… reminds me why I prefer Mike McRoberts. The coverage struck me as highlighting that it’s all about
The PM (as it should be); and
The journalist
In no particular order
Good to see most aren’t buying the pro tpp rhetoric from our media and pointing out the downsides to journo’s..
For example, have a read of the replies to fran o’sullivans article in yesterdays herald.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11524807
Old neoliberal farts like Fran O’Sullivan and John Key really do seem to believe their own bullshit, in an almost religious fervour. It is like they cannot abide any alternative views. Their minds cannot fathom that there are other ways of structuring society and trade. They are stuck in a time warp.
They are well past their use-by date (the 1990’s)
+1 vto
The replies to Fran Osullivan’s adulatory sycophancy are worth reading.No rants – just calm critiques.
Doctors Without Borders are calling for an independent investigation into the hospital airstrike in which a dozen doctors were killed, – 22 people in all, including adult and child patients:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/doctors-borders-calls-independent-probe-deadly-kunduz-hospital/story?id=34310266
“In Kunduz, our patients burned in their beds. MSF doctors, nurses and other staff were killed as they worked. Our colleagues had to operate on each other.”
“Today, we say enough. Even war has rules.”
More on the ever-changing nature of the official story here: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/06/doctors-without-borders-airstrike-afghanistan-us-account-changes-again
+100 Manuka AOR – would be keen to see further analysis of this on the Standard too.
It seems unfathomable that the USA can just murder (either deliberately or by accident) so many doctors, patients and other staff at the hospital and the international community does nothing. Is this the international and media response – Meh?
Even if the MSM seem reluctant to report it properly with analysis I hope the blogs can look at it.
Look at what the difference when a muslim kills someone in Paris – massive widespread international condemnation and dialogue – funeral with all the international dignitaries invited (and some who were not).
What the F is wrong with the world?
And in a sad irony, Docs without Borders are vocal opponents of the TPP:
” the TPP will still go down in history as the worst trade agreement for access to medicines in developing countries, which will be forced to change their laws to incorporate abusive intellectual property protections for pharmaceutical companies.”
” As the trade agreement now goes back to the national level for countries’ final approval, we urge all governments to carefully consider before they sign on the dotted line whether this is the direction they want to take on access to affordable medicines and the promotion of biomedical innovation. The negative impact of the TPP on public health will be enormous, be felt for years to come, and will not be limited to the current 12 TPP countries, as it is a dangerous blueprint for future agreements.”
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/article/statement-msf-conclusion-tpp-negotiations-atlanta
Perhaps the hospital was deliberately targeted due to DWB opposition to TPPA
Key must have been in Iraq when it approved cruise missile transit to Syria.
Does this mean we declare war on Russia ?
Peter Sellers once made a film called ‘The Mouse that Roared’ ..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mouse_That_Roared_(film)
@Tony Veitch
My initial reaction to the signing was exactly like yours. I have managed to push my anger down to a level where I can do now think more rationally and make better plans to fight this more effectively.
The current situation is this:
1.Only the trade issues have been revealed.
2. The Herald in particular is doing the soft-sell PR job for Groser, Key
3. The ISDS, the selling of land to foreigners and minimal dairy gains are really the only negative issue that are out in the public domain.
4. The fine print fishhooks have yet to be revealed so the arguments surrounding these cannot be had to inform the general public of the negative consequences.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11525498
I think we will need to take to the streets but the events need to be well planned, well publicised, with all groups co-ordinating, similar to the big antimining march in Auckland. It needs to be after the text is released so the negatives are indisputably out there so the public can see that we are not just a pack of angry feral, left wing nutters but have damn good reasons for marching and what’s more, they want to join in because they agree.
In the meantime, we need to educate those around us as more information comes to light, get people involved in planning placards, street theatre, ready for the big marches.
5. Let’s all learn the lyrics of Twisted Sister’s “We’re not Gonna Take It”
Oh We’re Not Gonna Take It
no, We Ain’t Gonna Take It
oh We’re Not Gonna Take It Anymore
we’ve Got The Right To Choose And
there Ain’t No Way We’ll Lose It
this Is Our Life, This Is Our Song
we’ll Fight The Powers That Be Just
don’t Pick Our Destiny ’cause
you Don’t Know Us, You Don’t Belong
oh We’re Not Gonna Take It
no, We Ain’t Gonna Take It
oh We’re Not Gonna Take It Anymore
oh You’re So Condescending
your Gall Is Never Ending
we Don’t Want Nothin’, Not A Thing From You
your Life Is Trite And Jaded
boring And Confiscated
if That’s Your Best, Your Best Won’t Do
oh…………………
oh…………………
we’re Right/yeah
we’re Free/yeah
we’ll Fight/yeah
you’ll See/yeah
oh We’re Not Gonna Take It
no, We Ain’t Gonna Take It
oh We’re Not Gonna Take It Anymore
oh We’re Not Gonna Take It
no, We Ain’t Gonna Take It
oh We’re Not Gonna Take It Anymore
no Way!
source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/onehitwonders/werenotgonnatakeitlyrics.html
+1
I also think there should be a consumer campaign run too. For example buy no milk products day, buy no meat day, buy nothing day, buy no overseas goods day etc.
Don’t go to Bunnings are get that garden hose etc.
Now that money is the new god and lobbyists are the messengers, when the end consumer fights the money, the lobbyists start listening.
This is what happened in the 90’s with cruelty free animal testing – consumers stopped buying and changed the way the company did business.
As voters democracy might be gone, but as consumers we still have choice and a lot of ability to damage corporations.
If Kiwis stop buying stuff for a month (use car less etc) that will scare the pants off the Nats and be great for the environment too.
go places without taking money or plastic with you
it is very refreshing
F R E E D O M ! !
Turn off the TV, that’s your biggest corporate agent.
Seriously, do it. Your desire for new widgets will soon disappear.
+ a billion or so.
+1
Not only that but your tolerance for people shouting at you really declines….
@Grumpystilskin – already mostly stopped watching TV. Don’t watch TV news anymore although I have heard early morning news is a lot better than 6pm.
Also another thought, don’t use the phone day.
I’m no economist but not consuming anything for one day (banks also affected) would wipe off millions in the economy I would have thought. A powerful message.
Get onto the US – if the US consumer stopped consuming for one day – the lobbyists would have a heart attack. No TPP.
I fear it will be an uphill battle to deflect the faithful from their pilgrimages to worship at the alter of the Great God of Shop.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/72592453/shoppers-flock-to-aucklands-new-northwest-mall
Telly is rubbish. haven’t watched it for ages. I visually filter out all advertising.
When the I search for a particular product to buy and the google picks that up and bombards me with pop up ads…I do a search for something REALLY obscure.
Like “buy submarine”.
Try it. Hilarious.
+1
That is the big one. Get rid of the TV and a lot of the worst manipulation goes away.
Thank you TMM – your response, and those of the others, are just what I needed – a boost to my flagging enthusiasm. This fight is far from over!
I shall be emailing all the Green, NZ First and Labour MPs in the Christchurch area, letting them know that support of the TPP will have electoral consequences.
I shall be spreading the word as far as I am able among my friends and family – and yes, also waiting until the nasty aspects of this agreement can no longer be hidden from the public.
But let’s get the people who planned the September marches on board again – make it bigger and more emphatic and really stick it to this (to paraphrase jonkey) goddam awful government!
“But let’s get the people who planned the September marches on board again – make it bigger and more emphatic and really stick it to this (to paraphrase jonkey) goddam awful government!”
Hi Tony. Not sure if you saw my response to you at 1.2. There WILL be action 😀
You’re right, the fight is far from over. There is just a pause for gathering strength and planning the next steps. From what I hear some of the organisers are quite exhausted because they have been involved intensively in the anti TPP movement for three years now.
Well I wish you all good luck, I don’t think you lot will change anything but at least you’re doing something you believe in and thats good
I don’t know if it will either PR. Our Government’s mind is made up, and Grocer wouldn’t wear the shame of NZ not singing to the deal.
Then again, there is so much that may be revealed in the coming months, that maybe the government may find they have a riot on their hands. Even the placid and sleepy might even go “Huh?”
If Congress does ratify this, meaning we then go ahead, then it becomes a very important point in our history. There has to be a reaction to that.
What will most likely happen in the upcoming months is NZ will see theres more benefits then negatives and eventually everyone will wonder what the big deal was
An interesting take from Planet Key.
Yep. Righto PR…………….. 🙄
I opposed it because I don’t buy Wayne Mapp’s notion that secrecy was required to secure negotiating positions. John Key recently admitted that we, and our allies, spy on each other for commercial reasons. Therefore, no one had a secret negotiating position. ALL governments leak information that suits them. Labour did, National does and so on. So WHY the secrecy this time?
Wayne Mapp says dissenters who NEVER supported a FTA can be discounted cos they have always opposed but won’t address the corollary, that someone who NEVER opposes one is equally as questionable ( on his logic).
Kelsey has been very clear that she opposes the opening of the door to erosion of soveriegn decision-making through a closed door tribunal made up of former or current corporate lawyers, with no chance of Appeal.
Fair questions to ask I would have thought.
Key says we won’t be sued. BUT he hasn’t told us what he bases that on. There is plenty of evidence that other governments have been sued. There is NO history of such suing in the FTA’s we are in… but some of the countries we are now climbing into bed with DO have a history of suing under those clauses. THAT is a significant difference.
That’s easy – they didn’t want the people to know by how much they’re being sold out for until after it was done.
Key knows that’s a lie. The ISDS wouldn’t be in there if we weren’t going to be sued.
That can’t possibly happen as there’s essentially no benefits and lots and lots of downsides.
Thanks Rosie – am looking forward to doing something concrete and effective to stop this travesty of democracy going any further.
Labour started this and the people voted them in, National continued it and the people voted them in, its a bugger when democracy doesn’t work exatcly how you want it to work
Pretty sure you wouldn’t know democracy if you fell over it.
Democracy. = All citizens decide..
It is not , when, for example asset thefts, sorry, sales! continue when 80% are opposed
Are you suggesting the people who voted for National and Labour knew what they would get from a TPP? Or something else?
It’s far too early to say if NZ got a good or bad or something-else deal. As long as only one party has the information and is releasing it selectively no voter is in a position to judge anything.
What you describe is not democracy – it’s elected dictatorship.
If we’d gone with what the people wanted we wouldn’t be in the TPPA – we would have dropped out of it years ago:
http://itsourfuture.org.nz/opinion-polls-show-pm-out-of-touch-with-public-on-tppa/
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1212/S00004/poll-shows-most-nzers-want-to-end-secret-tppa-negotiations.htm
poll: Benefit?
The majority of NZers understand that the TPPA will be bad for us and that the only winners from it will be the foreign corporations. Key and National know that as well.
+1 Tautoko Mango Mata.
Agree that organisation for protest needs to take place after content of the deal is revealed. Then we know exactly what we are dealing with and can formulate a plan for appropriate reaction.
LOLs. At one of the TPP demo’s in Wellington, prior to the last one we all did a sing along to We’re not Gonna Take It. It was the best!
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/trans-pacific-partnership-charade-by-joseph-e–stiglitz-and-adam-s–hersh-2015-10
@Pat
To continue from yesterday, it appears nothing is certain on the banning of house sales to overseas purchasers. Labour may well have the option of modifying the OIA (which has been exempted from the TPP) so that it can implement its policy.
From the Herald today:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11525498
The list of “things to look out for” from Jacobi and Rosenberg when the fine print comes through are interesting.
as always the devil is in the detail , however that link (thanks) suggests to me that there may be room for restricting foreign investment under the provisions of the CURRENT overseas investment act….and dosnt remove the risk of ISDS prosecution should any future government wish to change the act….my take.
Come on Radio NZ, this is the problem you get when we have an art critic doing serious political journalism, that was rubbish.
No I can not link RNZ Wiki leaks
.
@left
Agreed. She didn’t seem very well briefed. Assange had to correct her on facts several times and it sounded like he was thinking “why on earth is she asking this?”.
Ta….
Twitterback radio without the talkback, don’t get me wrong, I like a lot of Lynn’s work else were on that station. 👿
https://medium.com/@jamie_love/tpp-designed-to-make-medicine-more-expensive-reforms-more-difficult-e6a94a5d4a18
“..according to the ….mad breathless fanboys of the right wing press, after today’s speech to the Tory party conference Davie Cameron is the new voice of the left. In other news, Hannibal Lector is the new voice of veganism, Ian Paisley is the Vatican spokesman on ecumenicalism, and the BNP are the new UN Commissioners for Refugees.”
https://weegingerdug.wordpress.com
An entertaining read.
http://campaign.labour.org.nz/our_position_on_the_tpp
Just a reminder on those Labour Party “bottom lines”.
Wyndham….exactly.
So Labour does not support the TPP right?
Yes. That’s how I see it.
Not how Sir David Shearer of IISS lineage, Grant Robertson and David Parker will be advocating in the Caucus. They will be pushing hard for conformity with the fictions “middle ground consensus” .
Sir David and Lady Anuschka will get that cushy ambassador spot from National or Labour: there don’t care which. They are not going to allow bloody left wingers dirty their clean establishment credentials.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/business/72752247/labour-to-carry-on-regardless-of-tppa–ardern
Labour to carry on regardless of TPPA – Ardern
A Labour Government will make laws without regard to the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and if necessary “face the consequences”.
That was the view of Jacinda Ardern, Labour MP and spokesperson for small business, speaking at a Chamber of Commerce event in Rotorua on Tuesday.
“When we’re in Government we’ll continue to legislate as we would and we’ll face the consequences,” she said.
—
Good to hear it in solid, straightforward terms now.
Easy to make promises when you know you don’t have to back them up untill 2020
easy to make promises when no-one else can see the fine print.
Yes PR, always easy to make promises in opposition ?
“These tax cuts will be fiscally neutral…no GST rise…brighter future…higher standards…”
I see what you mean.
PS: found out about Google’s personalised searches yet Stigie? I’d hate to think my charity was going to waste.
PR isideous arrogance Nationals unwritten policy .
What would you prefer?
If Labour came out and said they’ll support the TPP wholeheartedly, you’d call them right wing neoliberals who are weak.
When they criticise it, and say they won’t be following its regulations – the regulations of an international agreement – and will implement their policies anyway, you call it empty promises and weak.
What do you want from the Labour party?
Quoting article:
More lies from the MSM – the TPP negotiations were started something like ten years ago – by Labour.
It was the corporate takeover of the state.
Really sick of reading about sicko’s abusing farmed animals:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/286410/farmer-jailed-for-'horrific-animal-abuse‘
Within that article is a link to another story about a Whakatane man who starved calves to death.
Read that one only yesterday, and now one today.
Read another two weeks ago about about a farm manager and staff who abused dairy cows, forced extremely lame cows who were in acute pain to walk 2km to an offal pit where they shot them. The farm manager and a farm hand were charged for that and other abuses.
These stories crop up far too frequently in the farming section on stuffed.co.nz
But surely this is just tip of the iceberg stuff, the cases that end in convictions.
After long campaigning, over decades, only now are customers purchasing free range chicken eggs and pork in supermarkets, and not just at health stores and farmers markets as before. They have finally grown aware of the cruelty of factory farming and it is more widely known about.
How long will it be before we can expose the culture of farmed animal abuse, dairy, cattle and sheep, understand the depth of the abuse and remedy the situation?
Why, in an agricultural nation are we so backwards about animal welfare?
Because our free-market, low wage culture, requires that we cut corners to save ‘costs’.
Why as a people are we so backward about animal welfare? There is only one way to stop this constant and horrific abuse of animals and that is to go vegan.
I go with the free market argument, too.
Farmers cutting back on feed and help means the remaining staff are underpaid, overworked and in precarious (and often dangerous) employment.
We can’t expect people to care more about animals than the economy cares about people.
Odd. I checked for replies early evening and there weren’t any, yet DTB posted a reply at 3.19.
Now I’ve run out time to get back into this subject.
Good points however, alot that could be expanded on there. Will have to wait for another day.
At least the guy yesterday got 4.5 years in prison.
.
TPP equals 1% economic gain by 2030
.
unbelievably useless
.
Adern is right to say they will continue to legislate regardless, especially in light of how little would be lost, in 15 years time, if it gets ditched. 1% is nothing.
1% is nothing. Just pay it and ditch the piece of shit
For fucks sake 2.7billion aint much different to Bill English’s handout to his mates who invested in South Canterbury Finance at 1.7billion
ha ha ha ha ha ha how fucking useless
A few crumbs is all Grosser and co have been fed.Michael that figure of $ 2.7 billion is highly dubious.
As the loss side of the balance sheet is not included.
Biologicals the cost of keeping longer patents will wipe that out by itself as this government has deliberately covered up the %’s that pharmac will be purchasing for now it is small but by 2020 it will be 15% + of purchases by 2030 it could be half of all purchases.
Then their is loss of local purchasing for govts and local bodies.
That could include health boards.
Then the right to sue .
This is a pigs arse of a trade deal pushed by pigheaded pirates.
There is no increase to the patent term of medicines in NZ under this proposed TPP agreement.
Your figures on the percentage of biologicals as a percentage of total spend of pharmaceuticals is incorrect – suggest you have look at PHARMAC’s website where this information is published – regardless as i have said before there is no increase to the patent term of medicines in NZ under this proposed TPP agreement.
Regarding local purchasing for government and councils – this will most likely still go through a tender process with the purchasing body making the decision based on the specifics of the tender.
Good deal eh doc?
What would your better half (presuming you have one) think if you got home after years away toiling for a pay rise and came back saying … “yes honey, I did it… 1% rise in 15 years time!… Lets go out and celebrate…”
ffs
Some will always support
Some will never support
At this early stage it appears that NZ (read every TTP nation other than the USA) is going to be screwed on various levels
With the agreements and legislation being authored and directed by private company’s and corporations, the likelihood of positive impact for people as a whole, is extremely low.
The likelihood of negative outcomes flowing through by becoming part of this agreement, are immeasurably high
Contracts, words and definitions used as weapons
“Good deal eh doc?”
Increased trade is a good outcome, yes I’m pro trade and agree with the former prime minster and current trade minister on the importance of trade to the NZ economy.
yeah nah that wasn’t the question was it
@VTO the question you asked was irrelevant piffle, I’m avoiding such rubbish so as to avoid massively long pointless threads.
What? You consider the 1% gain after 15 years piffle?
I guess you’re right, it is piffle. The entire TPP is piffle.
And this is even more classic piffle … “Increased trade is a good outcome, yes I’m pro trade and agree with the former prime minster and current trade minister on the importance of trade to the NZ economy.”
Are you an exporter or importer vto?
why?
You run a business that turns over some where between 10 million and a 100 million, so I’m assuming it would be something to do with exports or imports.
I would think the TPPA would have quite an impact on your bottom line if you’e in exports, or is the TPPA of no to relevance to your business?
What would have a bigger impact on our business’s bottom line is a more robust and financially healthy lower income sector…. not pandering to already successful pharmaceutical companies and big tobacco….
ffs, this stuff aint rocket science…. every business in NZ would do better if the base of our society was actually strong. This is where the effort should go – into making the low income demographic wealthier..
.. it builds all the way up doesn’t it BM. Like any foundation.
.. which is why restricting foreign ownership in order to drive down all capital values will help
.. but we ALL know that lowering capital values is like speaking of the devil, such is the religious fervour of the right wing on these matters
… lower the capital values – high capital values are only damaging
vto, BM doesn’t understand that you don’t just want to make more and more money for yourself. His head might explode
Yep I come across them types all the time in real life – they just cannot fathom other ways of going about life and business. They really are bamboozled by it. If it aint about money then they just glaze over….
Wayne’s world
Wayne’s world
good on ya vto for being the type of employer you are. I know a few who operate a similar way. It is possible.
No you must have misread my comment.
I remarked that the question you asked was piffle.
Oooohhh…..
Commentary on the extent of the gain (1% in 15 years) resulting from the TPP is considered piffle. Do you think we should just bend even further over and not comment on the outcome of the TPP?
Is a 1% economic gain in 15 years piffle?
I think it is.
After all that means at that level of achievement a 10% increase will take 150 years – ha ha, may as well pack the bags and head to the beach …
you are off the planet doc
Not necessarily. In fact, that just proves your position is ideological belief rather than a considered position.
As I say, if there was a truly level field there would be only minimal trade as each country would produce for itself from its own resources. The added costs of trade would prevent trade.
would be a little concerned about filling one of your scripts if you consider there is no difference between 5 and 8.
Sigh – Pat I’ve explained the difference between data exclusivity and patent term from a NZ medicines regulatory perspective a number of times, have a look at my previous comments on this using the Standard’s dinky search function.
Yes. You have now proved several times that you have no fucking idea what the TPPA says. Or don’t want us to know, like most of it’s supporters.
🙄 congratulations you have managed to add nothing to the discussion yet again.
I know its tiresome having to deal with mere mortals doc but humour me awhile and confirm a point or two for me if you would
– it is your contention that due to the WTO 20 year drug patent period it has no impact on Pharmacs ability to purchase generics whether the data exclusivity period is 5 or 8 years as both fall well within the 20 years (leaving aside evergreening)
– the additional costs to NZ under the TPP will be negligible and essentially for administration
-Pharmaceutical companies need this period to recoup Rand D costs and to provide a return on investment, therefore the drivers are financial
– the advocates for the increased data exclusivity period of 12 years in the TPP negotiation were the pharmaceutical companies and their lobbyists
would that be a fair summary?
There was an interesting conversation (if short lived when a ban was threatened) on whether retiring CTU president Helen Kelly, who has lung cancer, smoked (she doesn’t as far as I know). I’m a huge admirer of Helen and this post isn’t about her but about the fact that lung cancer sufferers, and to a lesser extent other cancer sufferers are often blamed for their illness (the first quote and link below touch on this subject.)
In fact, one new set of research findings (see second link and quote) has found that in the majority of cases people who get cancer are simply unlucky. This raises an interesting question about how much responsibility we are placing on cancer sufferers for having the disease and why we are doing this. Has the health industry become over-zealous, for instance? Is it a result of society pushing all responsibility on to the individual. Or is it a great conceit we now have the power to control our health when in fact we often don’t.
We have managed to demonise smokers but bowel cancer is the second most common form of cancer and we don’t have an easy target for that. If there was a lifestyle that society disapproved of that was known to contribute to bowel cancer, would people who participate in that also be demonised?
“Unlike some cancers, which typically evoke sympathy and concern, lung cancer patients often experience stigma, isolation, and social judgment. In some instances, patients with lung cancer blame themselves and are filled with regret for having failed to take the advice (liberally meted out by doctors, family, friends, and strangers) to quit smoking. Patients who smoked (even those who had long ago quit) find themselves not only battling their disease, but also rebuke and self-recrimination.”
http://www.nypcancerprevention.com/archive_newsletter/issue/10/pro/feature/blame-victim.shtml
“The majority of cancers are the result of bad luck rather than unhealthy lifestyles or inherited genetic faults, scientists have discovered.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11320497/Most-cancers-are-caused-by-bad-luck-not-genes-or-lifestyle-say-scientists.html
Thanks for posting this EP.
I’ve been way, way too angry to respond to Infused’s vile insinuation on the HK tribute thread.
I wanted to stop him/her before it escalated to “Unions cause cancer”
pineapples
yesterday my partner and were driving home from a funeral. We started talking about stress and so forth. She mentioned that from time to time mention is made of the impact of stress on illness. She mused “Has anyone studied terminal illness suffered by survivors of active duty since WWII? Cos” she continued” “you can’t get much more stressed than being shelled and shot at and freezing etc”.
yep – just as we have the deserving and undeserving poor, now it’s going into the deserving and undeserving sick.
Looking for an excuse to ascribe blame/inferiority is the first step towards looking for an excuse to let people die.
Jacinda Ardern’s comments are most welcome. It’s good to see Labour committing to policies in the interests of the majority of our citizens.
I’ll take her comments at face value, bravo.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/business/72752247/labour-to-carry-on-regardless-of-tppa–ardern
Congratulations LP and TS, your very own stalker blog.
http://www.donotlink.com/gxfe
Pretty poor content, we need better critics.
Aren’t they on a ban currently?
Someone did suggest a comment of the day feature recently, who was that?
Edit, it was Pasupial,
http://thestandard.org.nz/standard-changes/#comment-1076697
Nah, that George person had that niche covered a long time ago. Your link is more wannabe-beige than the authentic variety.
Lasso the operative word on US foreign policy and trade