To all the residents of Nelson, and all the brave people fighting the fires, we are thinking of you as you begin another day.
If you live there and participate in the Standard, special thoughts of “Keep safe Keep well.”
Aren’t we glad in Nelson that there are still community-minded volunteers willing to turn out to help the governance and work to keep our community going!
If left to PPP, or contracted out to private enterprise completely, we wouldn’t get the commitment and the systematic organisation; money and profit would get in the way. In the old days before fire insurance and community involvement, individual businesses would have their own coverage for fire, the other buildings nearby were left to burn down. Community is all in life, at the base of it.
Collingwood, small and isolated has had its share and the history of its fires date from early colonial times. http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-NHSJ06_06-t1-body1-d6.html
Nelson Historical Society Journal, Volume 6, Issue 6, 2008
Collingwood Fires, 1857 to 2004 authored by Penny Griffith
This was one of the worst: 4 1904: November 7 (Monday)
Fire started in a loft above Stallard’s bakery while the bakers were having supper next door after putting bread in the oven; the alarm was raised at 12.45 am. In very windy (westerly) conditions the fire spread rapidly; buildings were evacuated and people (‘for the most part half clad’) ran into the street, but the fire spread across the road. Cold lashing rain followed but it was calm and fine by 6 am. The fire was so bright it could be seen from Bainham, and it was claimed a newspaper could be read at Kaituna.
No evidence was found to prove how the fire originated but the ‘carelessness’ of Collingwood residents was referred to, ‘as there seems no doubt that a small and regular supply of water would have put the fire out when it first originated’.
All 21 buildings on both sides of Tasman St were destroyed, together with hens. Everything in fire-proof safes was turned to cinders, and gold melted into blobs [see, for example, the postmaster’s watch now in the Collingwood Museum]. The piano from the Public Hall was saved, plus some stock. Because the Post Office was destroyed, news initially had to be sent from Parapara, but by early afternoon a temporary telegraph office had been set up at the Courthouse. The Golden Bay Argus printery was destroyed but the Takaka newspaper office was used (the first issue being delayed by only 12 hours) until the printery was rebuilt and in operation again for the issue of 8 December. John McKinna (73) [spelt as ‘McKenna’ in Nelson papers] died from a heart attack in the afternoon after helping to fight the fire.
Was thinking most kiwis are earthquake and housefire ready etc. A big information campaign about being forest fire ready, how to prevent fires in summer etc would be massively beneficial.
Can only hope the good folk of Nelson and the Tasman area remain safe and well throughout their present predicament, which hopefully will come to an end soon.
Just a suggestion, but it might be a good idea if you gave some proof of what you are accusing me of, so that people can judge for themselves the verity of your accusation. (A smart alec unrelated gif doesen’t count).
Just in case; Tulsi Gabbard met with Assad. Her trip was funded by a fascist group. Assad commits genocide. These are all facts that you can try and disprove if you like. Be my guest.
So what? She has no doubt met with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama as well.
Her trip was funded by a fascist group.
U.S. “lawmakers”—and NZ ones as well—are frequently funded by fascist groups to tour Israel. Why do we not see you jumping up and down about that?
Assad commits genocide.
Really? Your argument for this about as rigorous as your insistence yesterday that Bill was a supporter of Assad. I note that assertion collapsed as soon as I challenged it, and you downgraded your accusation to the just as inflammatory charge that he was an “apologist.” You also charged me with the same offence.
Simply ridiculous, Jenny. Your mad accusations carry about as much weight as a Gosman post.
Are you interested in stoushes Morrissey rather than saving this bit of the planet, and its small civil society from growing degradation? Are you Irish Mr Breen? Is it true that Irish are aggressive and like a good punch-up? I would like to be enlightened on these matters if you will.
I think that if you look over this writer’s oeuvre, Mr Shark, you will see that he (i.e., moi) is very opposed to “stoushes”, AKA, unlawful interventions, AKA wars of aggression. I feel nothing but contempt for the people who shout for others to go to war.
Thank you Morrissey for that reply. You like to approach matters in a novel way at times, and I wondered if you were Irish. Often the English seem rather sour and dour, which perhaps explains something of our NZ temperament (and Brexit muddle perhaps). If you don’t want to say for some reason fine.
Sorry, Shark, I wasn’t avoiding your question, I simply forgot to add that, yes, I am indeed Irish. And I must confess that, yes, I do occasionally enjoy a “stoush”, AKA a “barney”, AKA a troid, AKA a “dust-up.”
But that’s just online. I do not support sending other young men and women to kill people in Syria or Afghanistan or Iraq or Venezuela or anywhere else. And I think there’s a special place in Hell for the people who do advocate those things.
Couldn’t help being curious. I’ve got an Irish bloke in my family and I have noticed he is very definite about things, which is better than being like soggy tissue for sure.
And I agree let’s go back to different ways of managing sovereignty and limiting barbarism. Perhaps baring our teeth at one another, desperate singing contests, swearing and punching and wrestling extravaganzas, If there is war, though person to person combat can result in large casualties, you get to be buried in identifiable pieces.
Today you can be blown into smithereens, which sound quite little bits, by something from overhead that you can’t fight or avoid, or it drops chemicals that gas everyone and/or… Just seen Peter Jackson’s WW1 They Shall Never Grow Old. It seems however that war remains forever young and fresh in country’s minds and the young men get sent off to be the pawns.
You see, James has the answer. They don’t have to say anything, he knows they are wrong. Hell he’s clever! Oh, and rational and mature and far-sighted and flexible, and …
Well, political parties have this thing called policy and they like to share it at opportune times so people are reminded of what they are about. There is no need for the Greens to do this currently re CC, everybody knows they are creating a Climate Commission.
And it is great the Nact are reminding people how negligent they are on this issue given how CC IS the news at the mo.
What is this “Climate Commission” going to do?
Spend the next 20 years holding a conversation?
Oh well, I suppose such a group may provide taxpayer paid jobs for their otherwise unemployable members.
Perhaps they will stick Turei onto it.
In that case I reckon you do often observe failure in others and especially in politicians. Failure, it’s everywhere around us because so many fall short of the mark because they aim too high …
Is shit useless when you tell the country there is no housing crisis or being shit useless is when you believe it? Or is it something complicated like there being a housing crisis and you don’t recognise it?
Yes tywford was shit useless at shutting down the bogus meth testing wasn’t he.
James I will tell you what shit useless is. National sitting on their arses for 9 years while the house issues in 2008 became a roaring crisis. And you people come on here and have the Gaul to criticise tywford.
Go away and read up on what happened under National in terms of housing
This one is getting really boring, can you not find something else to moan about? You are starting to look like Ed dumping this in so often at the start of Open Mike.
Jenny etc
Those words from solkta should be absorbed. You are sounding like Ed. It’s getting that you are Chicken Little yelling that The Sky is Falling. Can you try to concentrate on NZ and present us with the facts of your concerns because you care and we should know about them. That would be good. Just make them
as short as possible. And there are plenty of people having a go at the furriners and their doings.
Little NZ gets pushed and pulled by overseas doings, how we manage is our first concern surely. We have a chance of patching the boat and keeping afloat if we look after home affairs, while keeping a weather eye out for storms.
Shipping analogy! I see us as the Dingy Dinghy, but it’s my dingy dinghy, and yours. Let’s keep it seaworthy. LoL
I think it is a reasonable question. The Greens are virtually invisible. Why?
When they have been given so many opportunities to answer their detractors and raise their public profile?
Just as James (who hates the Greens), realises, the Greens silence and public invisibility will ensure their dipping below 5%.
Personally I disagree with James that if the Greens spoke up “it would hurt their polls even more”. Instead it is their silence is that is condemning. Not their message, which is just not being put out there. Meanwhile Todd Muller takes every opportunity to put National’s position.
P.S. (As for being first up on the Open Mike, Open Mike usually opens at 7am my comment appeared at 8.05, hardly first up).
But is it every day you wake with a worried frown. and release it over the blog?
Do you ever feel happy – it’s important to relax occasionally? Do you have a cat or dog I wonder? None of my business of course, but they do seem to provide solace for many.
If the question I raised disturbs you, maybe you should try answering it, instead of casting nasturtiums as to the state of my mental health.
And yes I do have cats, and lots of other animals in my care, all who worship me as some sort of benevolent dictator. One of them has just now climbed into an empty brown paper shopping bag just to amuse me. As I look at it’s cute little face peering out at me, I think of you.
Thanks Jenny tghat’s a kind thought. And the point I am making though you apparently resent it, is that we need to have more kind thoughts in our lives, and pass those on to others. And we need to have positivism not constant negativism; a balance so we can keep our spirits up and mix with others the same, going forward! If we want a chance to have a life that we enjoy that is. Because it could vanish into vicious dictatorship and loss of freedom, albeit with a smooth, smiling face.
Someone gave a link to Chinese moves, to be in by next year, of joining everyone up with an app or something and the populace will get points for behaving correctly according to the dicta from the authorities. And those who don’t get the required points, things will be withdrawn from their life.
Hi Grey I can’t imagine how you see that I am being negative. I am putting up an inspiring positive vision of the way forward, I am calling for leadership, I am providing positive examples, ie Cortez, of the sort of inspiring and positive outspoken leadership that I am calling for the Greens to provide.
And I am positive that they are capable of it.
As for kind thoughts, I have lots of them. For the Greens, for our Prime Minister. I want them to be the very best they can be. The science demands it.
There is nothing negative about my vision.
‘Grandma, what did you do about climate change when you were Prime Minister?’
‘Hello Darling, what a great question’
Way back in 2019, when the Green Party, in response to the climate emergency, banned all internal flights for the their MPs on principle, and as a leading example of the way forward.
As the then leader of the Labour Party and the country, to prevent our parliamentary ally, the Green Party, becoming isolated, or put at a disadvantage compared to the climate change denying parties and MPs. I immediately responded, by supporting a Green Party Bill to extend this ban to all government and opposition MPs. (As part of this package, I also supported our other government ally New Zealand First to begin double tracking the rail connection to Northland).
This became a leading example to the world, and was the beginning of the world wide switch away from commercial aviation, towards surface travel that you see today.
I also supported legislation to move the subsidy for free air travel, into supplying all MPs with the latest video and IT suites, to put them more in touch with their constituents and each other.
Happy birthday darling, I hope you like the mini-AI electric train set I bought you.
I’m sympathetic to your stance, actually. I did criticise it when you applied it to James, but I agree there’s no real reason Marama or any of the others ought to keep quiet.
If I was advising the Green caucus, I’d suggest they brainstorm the looming necessity of positioning themselves for the next election, and as part of that give themselves a mandate for aspirational policy signalling.
They could even discuss who ought to lead that, if putting the onus on Marama is asking too much. Gareth is the only one who has publicly self-identified as leftist. As a centrist I have no problem with him performing such a leadership role. He did stand for the leadership. I expect he could do it on that informal basis. It would probably be prudent for him to run each speech by them before he holds a press conference.
That’s a method likely to work okay in respect of what you feel is missing. Herding is making them into coalition conformists. They can do that still, while repositioning as described. It’s a walk & chew gum simultaneously type of challenge. Multi-tasking.
Obviously the Green Caucus discuss strategy on an ongoing basis. I don’t think it is any secret that Gareth is the Caucus strategist. As for delivering press conferences, obviously these need to be done by the MP who holds the portfolio concerned.
Merely conforming to a prescription induces the herding she is complaining about. Protocols only get you so far. There’s also a time for improvising, and they need to factor that in.
Applying the precautionary principle. Perception that they are allowing themselves to get boxed in by MMP constraints increases the danger of dropping below the threshold. Being imaginative, and enterprising, will impress voters more and build support.
Gareth making press releases beyond his portfolios would simply confuse voters. The whole point is to push forward the person who is actually handling the issue.
One thing that I’m not sure anyone has looked at is how many voters are (for want of a better term) Green “reservists” like me – I prefer Labour, but believe both are essential to be in parliament. So if the Greens look dicey like last time, I’ll vote Green (like last time).
Not to mention how many Greens are staunch – frankly I think they can guarantee 5% unless they suddenly abandon all Green principles. And the Blue-Green wet dream won’t cut it for those guys – we’re talking snails over industry territory.
I was greatly encouraged by the PM’s partial ban on new off shore oil and gas exploration. In my opinion it should have been a ban on all new off shore oil and gas exploration. Still, it was a step in the right direction. This is an example of the sort of positive inspiring lead I am talking about. It captured the world’s imagination. We need more of it.
@28:32 minutes
….. We announced last year, that if we are to be honest with ourselves about our future, we need to transition away from oil and gas and fossil fuels, so we have ceased to offer any more permits for oil and gas exploration in New Zealand, off shore. That was a significant move
Piss off Jenny. That is not the “PM’s partial ban on new off shore oil and gas exploration” but rather a Green Party initiative that from my understanding was hard fought for. You are being slimy to say that you are not being negative towards the Greens while attributing their successes to Labour.
There is only one poll that matters and that is the election. At that time the Greens will be judged on how they have delivered policy objectives. Foremost will be the Carbon Act and the cannabis referendum (and hopefully act).
The fact that Todd Muller has especially targeted Gen. Zero in his public attack, signals to me that the National Party has no intention of honouring any Zero Carbon legislation.
Todd Muller’s repeated demand that New Zealand must not take a lead on climate change, shows that National will do everything in their power to undermine and sabotage this piece of legislation.
Todd Muller’s lack of good faith over the Zero Carbon legislation needs to be answered.
I mean, when is enough, enough?
As well as attacking Gen Zero, and attacking the government “for being blinded by Green ideology”
Conservative politicians have also lashed out at Greenpeace over exposing illegal fishing.
Again not a murmur from the Green Party in response.
The Green Party are burning up their political capital like there is no tomorrow, all so as not to offend the National Party in attempt to get the National Party to sign up to the Zero Carbon Bill.
I have read the proposed Bill* one of the main paragraphs reads in part, “We can get most of the way there using solutions that are already available. Getting there will involve moving towards 100% renewable electricity….” This is something that Todd Muller says National are against, claiming it is too expensive.
“…..with electricity production already at 85 per cent renewable. We can continue to increase this, but as we approach 100 per cent renewable electricity, the last few per cent become very expensive and don’t deliver significant emissions reductions.”
Todd Muller, National Party climate change spokesperson
Getting to 100% renewable would be a milestone achievement, and a leading example to the world, Muller’s quibbles that the last little bit would be to expensive to be worth it, ignores the importance of giving a global lead, which of course is fully in line with National’s anti-leadership ‘Fast Follower’ strategy.
When are these knuckle draggers going to be challenged and exposed?
If Gen Zero thought they were going to get away with a straight out attack on Todd Muller, they should go back to school and do some learning.
They got what they were asking for.
Shaw and the Greens have no choice but to keep their heads down until his bill gets into parliament again. Because unless he keeps Todd Muller and National on side, he is going to get fucked over clause by clause in Cabinet by NZF on the only bill he cares about.
Because unless he keeps Todd Muller and National on side, he is going to get fucked over clause by clause in Cabinet by NZF on the only bill he cares about.
I’m sorry, but I find this sentence ambiguous. Is he going to get fucked over by NZF and therefore needs National’s votes? Why would National not fuck him over, as well? Regardless, does this mean we all are going to get fucked over, euphemistically speaking? Oh boy, it sounds like the Roman orgy in Caligula.
A good question if you are a small animal figuring out how not to die underneath an elephant.
But the answer is:
Because just as National did with the anti-smacking bill in the last gasp of the Clark government, National get to take all the political credit for rescuing the government. Labour and the Greens spend massive amounts of political capital, leading into election year, and National look like the heroes of climate change to middle New Zealand and to their base.
Todd Muller is a fucking tool who is simply handing more ammunition to everyone who thinks he’s a tool.
Why on earth would the Greens get in a stoush with him now? They’re not going to change his mind, and anyone they do persuade will have forgotten by next November. And the more the fool keeps talking, the more any “blue-green” party looks like a shill if they’ll go into government with him.
The Greens know how to campaign, and better than most parties in parliament.
The Greens are active and out & about doing their things. People who are genuinely interested will know and pay attention. People who are less interested in the Greens may be happy to rely on the distorted ‘messaging’ by MSM. Less is more, right now.
Barely dragged over the line at the last election, its worst result at the polls since 2005 ironically gave it the best result it’s had in being part of a government.
There are Green Ministers! And Ministers in areas that are green bread and butter issues: Minister of Climate Change for co-leader James Shaw, Minister of Conservation and Associate Minister of Environment for Eugenie Sage, and Associate Minister of Transport for Julie Anne Genter.
All of these portfolios should have seen the Green Party thrive and constantly be in the spotlight for making great, positive, green change. Instead it’s gone missing…..
David Cormack
Just my point, the Green Party has gone missing. And their disappearance from public life is reflected in their poll results.
Politics is a public affair it is conducted publicly. Todd Muller seems to have taken this mantra to heart with his public attacks on the government and the Green Party and Gen Zero. accusing them of being “blinded by Green Ideology”.
You would have thought that Muller’s public attacks would have been the perfect opportunity for either of the Green Party leaders to deliver a devastating riposte.
As school kids march all around the world for their governments to do something about climate change, the Green Party seems to have made little effort to emulate it here…..
David Cormack
We live in an age when politicians must become activists and activists must become politicians must become activists.
Why didn’t the Green Party show some solidarity to Greenpeace and Gen Zero when they were under attack?
……if the media didn’t want to report on the Very Serious issues that the Green Party talked Very Seriously about then that wasn’t the Green Party’s fault. That was the media’s fault for not taking those Very Serious issues Seriously enough……
David Cormack
The Green Party can’t blame the media this time, because the Green Party haven’t given the media anything to go on.
And then along came Vernon Tava.
He ran for co-leader when Russel Norman stood down and his one platform was that the Green Party should be open to working with National.
Rightfully dismissed, he’s cropped up again as a possible leader of a “blue-green” party. One that is environmentally friendly but would be open to working with National. Vernon doesn’t seem to have a lot of tricks.
This ridiculous idea got a huge amount of coverage and was the perfect opportunity for the Green Party to leap into the conversation. To reassert themselves as the environmental party of New Zealand.
David Cormack
I have mentioned the attack on Greenpeace, I have mentioned the attack on the Government and Gen Zero. Both opportunities for the Green Party to “reassert themselves as the environmental party of New Zealand”. I had forgot to mention this, but yeah. What on earth? Again, why are the Green Party so silent?
Why are the Green Party so absolutely missing from public life?
You are concerned at length about the Greens. Why not write what you have on here first direct to both of the Leaders of the Green Party. Give them something direct under their noses to send a form reply then ignore, or not Jenny…
Instead you are chipping away at them as the Coalition tries to advance in hostile territory where citizens have to be encouraged to make moves that should have been started 20 years ago. You aren’t helping the Greens or the Coalition in government by bad mouthing them so much.
I have written, emailed, texted, phoned, facebook messaged, Green MPs, with zero response. I and other climate activists have requested appointments for discussions with them. It is like sending messages into an empty void.
I have even tried to button hole them at public events, I have traveled across the region to attend such meetings. Questions from the floor are disallowed at stage managed public events.. I have stood patiently with lots of other people in queues to meet with them at the end of the same public meetings only to have time to trade brief pleasantries, before they have to move onto the next person.
And now you say I shouldn’t voice my concerns in this forum either?
It is my honest opinion that the Green Party are headed for electoral oblivion if they don’t break out of their self appointed public silence, on the matters of the day, especially when they or their allies are being attacked. People will think that they have no answers when the Nats publicly attack them and they keep their silence.
I see the meteoric rise of Alexandria Cortez, who never backs down from a fight, and I wonder why we can’t have leaders like that here?
All I can say Ad. It had better be a doozy. If it is not and is just more vague and distant targets, but no agreed action in the here and now. I don’t think it will rescue the Greens.
Go Assange. His greatest problem is that for a while he was a media darling.
“Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad” is a slogan for today.
The leaders of the world have gone mad under the affects of desiring ever more money and power, so they have turned into sub-Gods. People who disagree are maddened enough to stand against them, giving the sub-Gods the unchallengeable right to destroy them.
And the media raised Assange in public eyes which can for a while strongly idolise someone, then turn around with opposite strong emotions and censure them.
Gilbert & Sullivan illustrates the problem of the exploiter of information or the truth-teller –
A Disagreeable Man, I Can’t Think Why https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql13RNb9OGI
Assange problem started when he became a darling of the left wing, then released more information showing left wing politicians to be as fallible as right wing politicians.
It hurts when someone proves your heroes are as bad as your enemies
[TS: Your comments are being held in moderation until you acknowledge the mod note on your previous contribution here. TRP]
Ah tuppence biscuit, I thought you got away with your comments yesterday & it seemed like the moderator’s threats were nary but a wet bus ticket. But no, TS is appearing to be a little more Putin like with its treatment of you.
Thanks for the news re Swiss support for the narcissist. I’ve been critical of his character defects and reluctance to transcend them, but as an authentic whistleblower I still feel he deserves support.
If they take the load off Ecuador, it will be a good move and I expect it will enhance their global reputation as supporters of natural justice. I hope they succeed in negotiating the transfer. If May refuses to allow it, she will destroy her credibility as a political leader.
Dennis, if you’re searching for a casual descriptor of Julian Assange, “the narcissist” is hardly appropriate. I accept he seems to be narcissistic, but that applies to virtually anyone in the public eye to some degree or other.
Rogue killer regimes in London and Washington are seeking to destroy Assange not because he’s a narcissist, but because he’s a truth-teller.
It’s because of his behaviour. The spoilt-brat syndrome he exhibits so readily. His lack of empathy re inconsiderate attitude to his hosts. Lack of empathy usually signifies narcissism. Telling the truth ought to be a discipline applied to oneself, not merely state misbehaviour. He hasn’t matured sufficiently to become a responsible individual…
Media coverage of what he has said and done in the past couple of years. Alienating his hosts was so unwise it can only have been due to his inability to see things from their point of view. Gratitude for their moral stand on his behalf ought to have been factored in to his view of the situation. Lack of it made it obvious he was being selfish.
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman (1903) “Maxims for Revolutionists”
Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 – 1950)
🤩 Could be, eh? Judged by the progress he does actually manage to produce, perhaps. More likely if he grows up a little and develops a better attitude. Adversity brings out character in some folks.
20 minutes and they never mentioned sexual assault once.
And if the Aussies worked hard (won’t happen) and got the UK to ignore the bail-jumping (highly unlikely), why would he need a consular escort to the airport?
I watched the first third of it, don’t have time for more. The arse-licker syndrome, normally prevalent among rightists. He correctly identifies Labour as equally part of the problem, so it makes leftists into fore-lock tuggers performing ritual obeisance to the Americans.
Yeah, I know. Sword of Damocles suspended over her. Will it drop? The EU head has served her mixed messages in recent days. No renegotiation, then possible renegotiation today. Because, if they do reach a compromise, it could save her. She could soldier on, regardless of lowered credibility.
Even if the EU renegotiate, they’re not suddenly going to roll over.
She’s already shat the bed so badly that nobody wants the job. Compared with Brexit, the concomitant Irish border issue, austerity, and everything else, whether Assange changes self-imposed prison under her watch would not even amount to a footnote.
To the British, yes. To folks expecting any political leader to honour a whistle-blower, acting on the basis of public service, it would be terminally discrediting. Even politicians who are conservative ought to balance their desire to serve the elites against a moral duty to serve the public. Can’t discount that necessity.
Labour is (on the face of it) returning to
its basic roots with the well being agenda.
However by meeting with business and farming they are also
adding more substance to the rebuild and broadening appeal
and making it harder for National to label Labour as flaky.
Sound economically + fairer tax system. Responsible immigration.
Compassionate socially eg housing, education, women, Maori.
Keeping the Green ,Women, Young and Maori vote
as independent allies is also very smart.
Just need to work on the Grey vote a bit more.
Labour needs to broaden its media face by not relying on JA.
Steve Joyce was John Keys shield for years.
Jones and Peters do good work but are Mavericks.
Satchi and Satchi would identify and choreograph the suitable lieutenants.
Advantage Labour?.
That mention of Saatchi and Saatchi – does Labour have guidance from the likes of them? Labour has what to balance Cosby Textor? They need to do better than Phil Quin, Josie Pagani, Mike Williams et al. A professional body – do they have one, can they afford one? Can they afford not to?
When you’ve got a PM who’s that good to camera, and who personally made up “Let’s Do This”, the guidance is less necessary. I can’t recall a better political communicator other than Bill Clinton.
Well, so much for Kiwibuild providing housing for people who couldn’t otherwise get a first home. https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/110468062/six-wanaka-kiwibuild-houses-on-open-market
Six houses that were built under the Twitford banner that nobody wanted to buy. Now they are being dumped onto the open market. They are too expensive apparently. Why am I not surprised.
I wonder how much he cost to the Country has been so far, and whether they have managed to blow through the whole $2 billion dollars yet?
Why has Twyford still got a position in Cabinet? Is there no display of ineptitude that is sufficient to get sacked by our current lot of idiots in the Government?
You’re correct, that’s how it looks on paper. The increased supply of housing will trickle down and the large profits for the lucky ones already on the property ladder will trickle up. It’s a win-win!
One fly in the ointment could be that the better-off will not release their house on the property market but rent it out or advertise on Airbnb. In fact, that could be a perverse outcome of CGT unless it’s accompanied with a raft of other measures to discourage less helpful kinds of behaviour.
You merely display your ignorance with comments such as this. If you bothered to read the article it quite clearly states:
But now six finished properties are listed for sale. Although buyers will not have to go through a ballot to purchase them, they still must meet KiwiBuild purchase criteria.
But you didn’t read the article, you silly little fellow.
If you did you might, just might, have seen that your comments merely spew forth from a morass of ignorance.
What on earth have you been drinking, smoking or injecting you stupid schmuck?
For further information I would suggest you reference a single statement I have made that could possibly lend any credence to your stupid remark.
Indeed I will wager you cannot find a single statement I have made in todays post on Venezuela.
If I never commented on the subject how does your silly little brain come to any conclusion at all on my views on Venezuela?
Oh that’s right you can’t so you just spew forth your fantasies.
What a dick you are.
People who had never bothered to register for Kiwibuild and now get a chance to buy because no one who registered wanted, or could afford the properties.
What evidence do you think will ever be produced to demonstrate that anyone who does buy one of these places will actually have qualified? Why do I think the Government will refuse to prove they were eligible and that they will say that the privacy of the purchaser is more important than the integrity of the scheme?
What are the chances that the actual purchase price is ever released and that the taxpayer won’t lose a lot of money from the deal?
Why do you seem to consider you should trust the ill conceived scheme promoted by Phool Twyford?
His record certainly doesn’t inspire any confidence does it?
I would suggest that leaving Twyford in these jobs for three terms would destroy both housing and transport.
Luckily I can’t see it happening. He is such a fool that I think Winston will sack him by later in this year. He is the most incompetent Minister in any senior role I have ever seen.
When both Winston First and the Red-Green parties vanish at the next election it won’t matter of course.
I really thought that it was time for a change after 3 terms. National were tired, as all 3 term Governments are. Unfortunately I was right in thinking that the current coalition troika were incapable of forming a competent Government. I only hope that National can come up with a proper competent and fresh team after only one term in Opposition. God knows they will have a lot of cleaning up to do from the activities of loose cannons like Phool..
“destroy both housing and transport”… “Winston will sack him”… “troika were incapable of forming a competent government”… The more snipes and turds you sprinkle through your comments, the more desperate you look.
As for most incompetent minister in any senior position you’ve seen, you do realise that two ministers and an associate minister signed off on Novopay.
Well that at least has given me a good laugh.
You call the total collapse of this Government major policy activity as being in some way comparable to the temporary difficulties with a payroll system for teachers?
The problems with Novopay were of course cured when the last Government took them seriously and put Stephen Joyce in charge of fixing the problem. This he did.
I thought about how I would consider Novopay and Kiwibuild in terms of a comparison with accidents at sea.
Novopay is rather like spilling a full cup of coffee over yourself when travelling on the Cook Strait ferry.
Uncomfortable at the time and a nuisance until you can get at your luggage and change your clothes.
The complete shambles that is Kiwibuild is best compared to the sinking of the Wahine back in 1968. A complete disaster.
A third example would be the mess that is the Census of 12 months ago. That is about like finding that your car on the vehicle deck was smashed into by a truck and is a write-off. It needn’t have been as bad if, shortly after the Census was held, the Government and the Department, had accepted that getting any valid results out of the exercise was impossible and decided to have another Census in 2021 in what would have been the traditional year (ending in 1). They didn’t of course. The Government Statistician and the Minister simply buried their heads in the sand and pretended that everything was just peachy.
Meanwhile we have McFlock saying that Twyford just needs a little more time. What a funny fellow he is.
Thousands of people went underpaid, not paid, and some overpaid for months, missing rent and mortgage payments and having to take out loans. It took Mr Don’t-fix-it over a year to sort out after two ministers signed off without thinking about the words “mission critical”.
And you call that a spilled cup of coffee.
And not building enough houses in the first year is a sign of the most incompetent minister you have ever seen.
Albert Finney, Brit actor has died 82. He was five times Oscar nominee and earlier from the Royal Shakespeare Company.
His last film role came in 2012 James Bond film Skyfall, in which he played the irascible gamekeeper Kincaid.
A life-long fan of Manchester United, he declined a CBE in 1980 and a knighthood in 2000. “I think the Sir thing slightly perpetuates one of our diseases in England, which is snobbery,” he said at the time.
He was also reluctant to discuss his craft. “My job is acting, and that is why I hate interviews or lectures, explaining myself to an audience,” he once said.
Finney was married three times and had one child with his first wife, the actress Jane Wenham.
He was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2007, after which he largely disappeared from public view.
I just looked at a trailer and I don’t think it would the film enabled today. Somehow the funding would dry up or something. It would be inappropriate.
Too much echoing real life happenings.
Yes the nobility is already in the person. Knighthoods are good for a laugh though. I like the Monty Python skit of the Knight Who Never Gives Up.
And in French taunting the castle guard scorns the silly k-nites.
It was being modified for people with disabilities.
It’s a really long process to decide what changes need to be made, get funding, draw up the plans, get quotes, get more funding, get a builder to do it (all bespoke work depending on the disability) etc.
I know someone who has done it once and is about to do it again and she envisioned a 12 month to 18 month time frame.
“I know someone who has done it once and is about to do it again and she envisioned a 12 month to 18 month time frame.”
If that is the case best to leave the job to someone who knows what they are doing.
I have done a few of these jobs for HNZ in the past. They already have plumbers, builders, sparkies etc. Pretty standard stuff. ramps, hand rails, level entry shower,
They vary depending on the house and the clients disability. Nothing difficult about it. Two or three weeks and job done.
Stop being disingenuous, James. Of course this situation does not signal that the housing crisis is over.
First the article says that disability renovations to that house have taken 20 months – which takes the original decisions etc to do so back to about May 2017 ie. in the National Govt era. 20 months does seem to be a long time when it appears that the house already has a lot of disability features, but it does not surprise me given the current state of the building industry.
However, what bemuses me about that article is here is the local Mayor saying he is looking for a home for a family whose current Council-owned house is being put up for sale by his own Council because they no longer want to provide social housing to anyone other than pensioners.
It would appear that the family may qualify for Housing NZ accommodation. If so and the house meets their needs in accord with Housing NZ criteria, why doesn’t the Council offer the Council-owned house to Housing NZ at a reasonable market rate agreed on the basis of market prices for similar house sales and/or say three market price assessments. This would then allow the family to stay in the house they have been living in without incurring moving costs, upheaval etc probably requiring financial assistance from the govt via WINZ etc. Just saying.
Whoever organised a state house to be empty for that long should be given a Knighthood or Damehood for the unique achievement and a Prime Minister’s award for creativity.Such has never happened before.
Then some officials in all sorts of departments should be sacked for not breaking rules and protocols and customary health and safety things and just going ahead and putting a new family in there the day after it was vacated.
Not only did they deny a family a home, they denied fuckwits the opportunity to attack the government for breaking rules and protocols and customary health and safety things by putting a family in it improperly and in less than perfect circumstances.
Anyway, on thinking about it calmly, it probably happened because the Housing NZ people on the Kapiti Coast are still coming to and are slow to process the new mindset after the years of brainwashing: THERE IS NO HOUSING CRISIS, THERE IS NO HOUSING CRISIS, THERE IS NO HOUSING CRISIS …
Nah, he’s not ripping into him, he’s calling him out. I was expecting something more substantial but it’s the usual clickbait by lazy uncreative MSM waiting for snappy little tweets to ‘inspire’ their snappy little headlines.
True to a degree and certainly perception is all important. I actually think that until JLR is back in Parliament (expected there this week) it will be hard to gauge the situation. Did you read JLR’s interview by mental health blogger, Hadley Robinson-Lewis on The Daily Blog last week? Worth the few minutes it takes IMO.
in terms of Bridges keeping quiet, I have my doubts he will be able to sustain that, especially if the leaks from his caucus continue which could be likely. Check out this Newshub report on the Nat gathering in Hamilton on Thurs/Friday. Two carefully worded mentions that indicate they had leaks from a caucus source as to what went on in the closed sessions.
China in direct talks with U.S. army, new sanctions on way
RNZ, 9 February 2019
China is holding direct communications with members of the U.S. military urging them to abandon President Donald Trump and is also preparing new sanctions aimed at increasing pressure on him, a senior Beijing official said.
The Xi Jinping administration expects further military defections from Trump’s side, the official told Xinhua in an interview, despite only a few senior officers having done so since opposition leader Nancy Pelosi declared herself interim president last month, backed by China and dozens of other countries.
“We believe these to be those first couple pebbles before we start really seeing bigger rocks rolling down the hill,” the official said this week, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We’re still having conversations with members of the former Trump regime, with military members, although those conversations are very, very limited.”
The official declined to provide details on the discussions or the level at which they are being held, and it was unclear whether such contacts could create cracks in the U.S. fascist leader’s support from the military, which is pivotal to his grip on power.
With the U.S. military still loyal to Trump, a source in Beijing close to the opposition expressed doubts whether the Xi Jinping administration had laid enough groundwork to spur a wider mutiny in the ranks.
“It depends on what they’re offering,” Hua Chunying, vice president of the Council of the Bo’ao Forum think tank in Beijing, said.
“Are there incentives built into these contacts that will at least cause people to question their loyalty to the regime?” ….
What’s democracy got to do with Trump, Bolton, Pompeo, Pence, and Abrams? This is all about brute power, and demonstrating who’s boss. In motivation and even in modus operandi (terrorizing vassals and little guys into silence or complicity*) it’s little different from a Mafia boss enforcing his will.
They were here to start a culture war, and Charlie Kirk was looking forward to the backlash.
“There will be retaliation, there will be protest,” the 25-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, a right-wing student organisation with close links to Donald Trump, said in London recently as he described plans for an assault on British university campuses. “You will see that it takes individuals to go straight into the fire to start a movement.”
But already some of the Tory activists Kirk recruited to launch Turning Point in the UK are having second thoughts about its war on “cultural marxism”, according to several people familiar with their internal discussions. Within days of the launch, one of the “influencers” tapped to front the campaign has distanced himself from the group, BuzzFeed News has learned.
“There was a sense of people realising, ‘Who are these cranks?’” one source said.
“These 26 people are so hard-working that each one of them achieves about 146 million times more per day than a person from the lazier parts of the world”
“First, the cameras on boats. The coalition government has completely iced the project. The decision will be delayed till August. This isn’t just a matter of letting things slip – they actually had to unpick existing regulations to make it happen. We’ve just learnt the fishing industry wrote Nash a letter totally opposing cameras in July last year, while hypocritically running TV ads with the memorable line “we have nothing to hide“. Nash’s current line is that he won’t implement the cameras without the “buy-in” of the fishing industry.”
Re the other guy: “he gets campaign money from Talley’s, one of the biggest players in the business. He received ten thousand dollars from the company towards his election campaign.”
“Jones strongly rejects any impropriety in his links with Talley’s, but it’s worth remembering this is also the fishing company that MPI found to be unlawfully under-reporting the weight of their cartons in the hoki fishery and hence under-reporting their catch. This MPI compliance investigation never saw the light of day until Greenpeace leaked it. Predictably Talley’s were not prosecuted because, as MPI’s head of compliance said, “we know from experience that prosecution will achieve behavioural change for maybe four or five years at best.” So they had a quiet chat instead and buried the report.”
“we know from experience that prosecution will achieve behavioural change for maybe four or five years at best.”
That’s like excusing crimes from being prosecuted and paid for with some sort of recompense because it is known that there is recidivism, so ‘What’s the use’ let ’em lie. Trouble is they know we are stupid and con’t care about having good government, and so they don’t feel shy about telling us that we can shut up and get stuffed, when they brazenly admit what they are doing. The right wing attitude that we receive from the RWNJs here, ‘You can fuss, but we have the power, and you are just irritating twerps to be put in their place’.
Another type of flow battery that looks interesting.
It uses a liquid electrolyte solution and a solid sacrificial anode. You fill up with charged electrolyte (and drain your discharged electrolyte) every 500km or so, and get a new anode every 5000km or so. The discharged electrolyte goes back to a solar or wind farm to be recharged (or could be done at the fillup station with a grunty enough grid connection).
Just noticed from the front page photo accompanying the Venezuela piece that our very own Slimin’ Bridges appears to be following the tie-length example set by the short-fingered vulgarian.
Here is further evidence of the consequences of under regulation in the accomodation market.
Putting “hotel guests” in the middle of people’s ordinary lives can cause major disruption.
I do know that some airbnb guests in apartment blocks are asked to lie to residents by saying they are relatives of or house-sitters for the owner. This isn’t secure and it isn’t fair to the residents of apartment blocks with airbnb set up in them.
Great to see the Pride March well attended and on their own terms rather than being further highjacked by corporate PR departments and the Police wishing to promote themselves.
Kia ora R&R The Crown owes Tangata Whenua ART it inclueds Te reo waiata haka carving that is needed to keep our great culture pumping .
They suppressed Tangata Whenua Art for decades.
One just has to check old footage of VIP being welcomed to Powhiri to Aotearoa I just checked out BOb Marleys Poehiri the quality in those days is not as good as today
I BACK the Idear that we NEED to record our Kaumatua knowledge no one is doing that I have heard of at the minute that needs to stepped up.
There is a big surge in the demand for Tangata Whenua Art in the motu and Papatuanuku not just Aotearoa Art all indigenous cultures art is getting a great increase in demand .indigenous cultures respect wild life and our enviroment mother earth more that the west do and we are seeing the mess that is being made of our wildlife and Papatuanuku because of the lack of respect for others
Ka kite ano
We have to forget about the oil barrons distraction’s trump brexit and others and all work together to battle CLIMATE CHANGE everything else will / is irrelevant if we go past the tipping POINT.
The world is in the middle of what is likely to be the warmest 10 years since records began in 1850, says the Met Office.
Will the forecast temperature rises bust the Paris climate agreement?
The Met Office says that 2015 was the first year in which the global annual average surface temperature reached 1C above the pre-industrial level, which is generally taken to mean the temperatures between 1850 and 1900.
Each year since then, the global average has hovered close to or above the 1C mark. Now, the Met Office says that trend is likely to continue or increase over the next five years.
“We’ve just made this year’s forecasts and they go out to 2023 and what they suggest is rapid warming globally,” Prof Adam Scaife, head of long term forecasting at the Met Office, told BBC News.
“By looking at individual years in that forecast we can now see for the first time, there is a risk of a temporary, and I repeat temporary, exceedance of the all-important 1.5C threshold level set out in the Paris climate agreement.”
Last October, UN scientists published a special report on the long-term impacts of a temperature rise of 1.5C.
They concluded that it would take a massive carbon cutting effort to keep the world from tipping over the limit by 2030. The Met Office analysis now says there’s a 10 percent chance of this happening within the next five years.
“It’s the first time the forecasts have shown a significant risk of exceedance – it is only temporary. We are talking about individual years fluctuating above the 1.5 degree level,” said Prof Scaife.
“But the fact that that can happen now due to a combination of general warming and the fluctuations due to things like El Niño events in the next few years does mean we are getting close to that threshold.”
How confident is the Met Office of its prediction?
The Met Office says it has a 90 percent confidence limit in the forecasts for the years ahead.
It says that from 2019 to 2023, we will see temperatures ranging from 1.03C to 1,57C above the 1850-1900 level, with enhanced warming over much of the globe, especially over areas like the Arctic.
The research team says it is pretty certain in its predictions because of its past experience. The team’s previous forecast, made in 2013, predicted the rapid rate of warming that’s been observed over the past five years. It even predicted some of the lesser known details such as the patch of cooling seen in the North Atlantic and the cooler spots in the Southern Ocean.
If the observations over the next five years match the forecasts, then the decade between 2014 and 2023 will be the warmest in more than 150 years of records.
Ka kite ano links below P.S Some neanderthal lie and say its just summer YEA RIGHT.
Kia ora R&R Eco Maori says one is a Kiwi so long as you show respect for people and our enviroment Kiwis those that don’t want to be called a Kiwi don’t get IT .
There you go paul henry disrespecting a fellow kiwi .
United we are strong devided we are weak Kiwi unites the good people of Aotearoa who want and give respect fellow Kiwis in my views
I do beleve Matariki should be celerbrated yes Matariki was delibreately suppressed to stop Matariki giving Maori Mana,
There are chovernistic raciest people in all cultures and Maori is no different .
Ka kite ano
I see this new tech for refrigerator and air conditioning in 2016 scientific mag this story is from 2016 we need to invest in efficencys as this is the low hanging fruit on OUR Worlds journey to becoming Carbon neutral some people dont want effiencys as there profits will fall.
Innovative refrigerator developed using multistage sound wave engine
Shinya Hasegawa and colleagues at Tokai University have developed a refrigerator (107 C) powered only by waste heat that generated sound waves in an innovative multistage traveling wave thermoacoustic engine. The refrigerator produced the gas oscillations and refrigeration at a temperature lower than the boiling point of water and achieved a minimum cold temperature of -107.4 C when the hot temperature was 270 C. The findings are published in the journal of Applied Thermal Engineering, November 2016.
The operation of thermoacoustic (TA) engines is based on the heating, cooling and oscillation of acoustic (sound) waves created by the thermal expansion and contraction of gases such as helium enclosed dedicated cavities. The potential of TA engines for generating clean and renewable energy was demonstrated in seminal reports published in the late 1990s and early 2000s by researchers in the USA. Notably, these reports into the modern implementations of TA engines have led to increased worldwide research on the development of high efficiency TA engines to convert heat into useful power.
Two of the main hurdles to the proliferation of this technology are (1) high efficiency systems operable at less than 300 C as compared to the 400 to 600 C range at the moment; and (2) robust design so that the systems could be used in a wide range of environments such as fishing boats and heavy industries.
Hasegawa and colleagues have designed a high efficiency multistage-type thermoacoustic (MS-TA) engine, without moving parts, that operates at less than 300 C; the temperature of more than 80% of industrial waste heat. The design of the MS-TA engine was based on finite element numerical analysis conducted by Hasegawa and his group.
Background and aims
“TA engines do not have moving parts, are easy to maintain, potentially high efficiency, and low cost,” says Shinya Hasegawa, an associate professor at the Department of Prime Mover Engineering, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Japan. “My goals in this research are to develop TA engines that operates at less than 300 C with more that 30% efficiency, and also to demonstrate a refrigerator operating at -200 C at these low temperatures.”
This sound waves techology that can be used for fridges sounds interesting. Any tech people who know enough to comment on how viable it is and whether we could use it for lower carbon footprint etc.?
We have to stop buying prouducts that use Palm oil that is produced unsestainable.
We have to stop putting money before the welbeing of our wildlife we are the guardians of MotherEarth & her creatures some people are exployting this all for $$$$$$$$$$$$$ humans are linked to the wildlife .
The main threat to the survival of orangutan populations in the wild is the massive expansion of palm oil plantations in Borneo and Sumatra.
Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world, having even surpassed soya in terms of usage. Surging global demand for palm oil has fueled massive forest destruction throughout Indonesia and Malaysia, countries that together account for 85% of the world’s palm oil production. Palm oil is ubiquitous! Half the packaged food (and other) products found on supermarket shelves now contain palm oil. Palm oil and palm kernel oil are found in all manner of baked goods, such as cookies, bread, and potato chips, as well as in chocolate and milk (where it adds Vitamin A). Palm oil has also replaced coconut as the main cooking oil traditionally used in Indonesia as well as replacing peanut oil in Myanmar. Palm oil is also extensively used in cosmetics and toiletries where it adds creaminess and/or foam to the product. Palm oil is an important ingredient in the manufacturing of soaps, shampoos, detergents, and toothpaste. Increasingly, palm oil is used as a biofuel.
Oil palms only grow in the tropics and need much water. Originally native to South America and West Africa, palm oil plantations have now spread throughout the wet tropics to Papua New Guinea, parts of Asia, Kenya, and also back to countries in West Africa and South America where the palms are native. The problem with palm oil is that vast areas of virgin tropical rain forest are clear cut to open up land for cultivation. Palm oil is a huge industry. Palm oil accounts for 11% of Indonesia’s export earnings and is the most valuable agricultural export. Overall, it is Indonesia’s third largest export earner.
The recent expansion of vast monocrop oil palm plantations in Asia, the Neotropics, and Africa threatens large areas of tropical rain forests. The two most affected countries in this expansion are Indonesia and Malaysia, home of the imperiled orangutans. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) indicated in 2007 that oil palm plantations are the leading cause of rainforest destruction in Malaysia and Indonesia. Another study by Princeton and a Swiss institution reported that between 1990 and 2005, up to 60% of palm oil expansion occurred at the expense of primary tropical rain forest. The establishment of palm oil plantations has been a disaster not only for endangered wildlife such as orangutans and tigers (in Sumatra) but has also exacerbated conflict with local communities in Indonesia over traditional land rights. Local people have been evicted from their customary land holdings and local communities impoverished, leading to much conflict with palm oil concession companies. Ka kite ano links below
Kia ora Newshub looks like everyone is having a good time at the Big Gay Out in Auckland today. Te twerker.
Our Australian cousins are getting a bad run from Mother Nature there pollies in power are still deniers.
Its a good day for sports in Waikato today Ka pai
Ka kite ano
Kia ora The AM Show The Chinese Terracotta army is a great view of Chinas long history.
People have to start making choices that include the risk to animals as well as humans when choice are being made the wild fires and flooding forests being cleared choice being made for money over the best choices to save animals and wild life .
Jason I do think it’s a joke that the Australian Army cannot fly stock food in to Townsville to feed the animals that are effected by the floods the roads are stuffed so fodder can’t be trucked in.
What about companies selling alcohol that does more damage to society than most others Substances and its sold in supermarkets go figure.
Rude you made that Wahine feel uncomfortable respect for all is a lesson you need to learn why did the other Mayor not get interview.
Mark I was going to comment on the 10 questions competition I chose not to comment on it.
Internet tech is a dubble edged sword it has its good and bad points it all about have good knowledge on the tech and a ballance. Ain’t nothing wrong with Rugby it’s a game every one can play Ka kite ano.
Putting solar panels on our drinking water reservoir and lakes is cool the solar panels stay cool in summer and prouduce up to 20 more power dosen’t use expencive land slows the growth of alge that is caused by our farms leaching urea it our water a lot of positives get the big tick copying this move.
Putting Solar Panels on Water Is a Great Idea—but Will It Float?
The U.S. has been slow to embrace the technology, even though Japan and China are zooming ahead
Winemaker Greg Allen had a problem. As president of Far Niente Winery in Napa Valley, California, he had done the math on how much land the vineyard could possibly dedicate to solar panels, to offset energy costs. The figure—about two acres—“really hurt,” Allen says. So he compromised: Far Niente completed an array of 2,296 solar panels, 994 of which float on pontoons tethered to the bottom of the winery’s pond. The installation was the world’s first nonexperimental floating solar array.
That was in 2008. Since then floating photovoltaics have proliferated in Asia—yet not so much in the U.S. Japan has more than 60 installations, the most of any country in the world. China, a bourgeoning giant in renewable energy, claims the world’s largest array. That facility, which went online in 2017, floats atop an artificial lake created from a collapsed coal mine near the city of Huainan. The 166,000 panels can produce some 40 megawatts, or enough electricity to power about 15,000 homes. A {{2018 World Bank report estimated the global potential for floating solar arrays on artificial water surfaces would exceed 400 gigawatts.}}}
But floating installations also offer several advantages over land-based arrays: Most obvious is they do not take up valuable parcels that could be used for agriculture or development. The technology can be easier to install than land-based or roof-mounted systems; once assembled, crews float them into place and anchor them. The arrays can improve the environment as well; blocking sunlight from penetrating the water can reduce evaporation and inhibit algae blooms. (It is not yet clear how the arrays might affect fish, birds or other wildlife.) And because solar cells become less efficient as they heat up, the water’s cooling effect can{{ increase their conversion ability by as much as 20 percent.}}
Given the benefits, the sluggish pace of adoption in the U.S.—which had just 14 installations at the end of 2018—can be puzzling. Teresa Barnes, who manages the photovoltaic reliability group at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), says the availability of open land could be one factor. Yet lack of land has often been a driver at the
small number of U.S. sites. That was the case for the Kelseyville County Waterworks District in California, which installed a 720-panel array on its wastewater treatment pond in 2018. Good payback is another incentive; the district anticipates it will recoup installation costs within eight years of operation. Links below ka kite ano
Kia ora Newshub the polls give me hope that we will be able to combat climate changes Ka pai
I seen that scientists review on our insects collapseing they are treasure that we need yes the pesticides that the big companies flog to us lieing that the chemicals have no negative effect on on human and the wildlife YEA RIGHT Organic farming will save our insects and awa rivers and Environment. NZ big companies best start to invest in organic farming products or risk going BROKE.
Times are changing for the better in Aotearoa society Ka pai
Its not on that people import workers and rip them off hope the offenders gets what they deserve.
The Sir Edmund Hillary trust does a good deed with the youth Kayaking and his grandson kayaking trip in Antarctic. Ka kite ano
The Crowd goes Wild sorry Guys I have chosen not to comment on our sports stars as unusual phenomenon happens ECO MAORI enjoys the show heaps Kia kaha Ka kite ano
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
Open access notablesImproving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society:To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Jones, Program Lead, Food Governance, George Institute for Global Health wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock On Thursday, Australian and New Zealand food ministers at state, federal and national levels met to thrash out what’s next for health star ratings on packaged foods. Now, after ...
The Abuse in Care report found many Pacific survivors lost their connections to their culture and language, resulting in trauma that has been carried from generation to generation. ...
In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori invites the current government to work in partnership with them to develop a pathway forward, including the development of a parallel pathway and meaningful policy and strategy for Kura Kaupapa Māori ...
If you haven’t started watching yet, Tara Ward begs you to reconsider. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In the world of New Zealand reality television, we have many gems in our crown. There’s the delicious second season of the Celebrity Treasure ...
A new poem by Fiona Kidman. The clothes of the dead I did not keep my mother’s furry red beret for long nor the stringy scarves that adorned the necks of my aunts, although I have kept tag ends of gold, the rings and trinkets they wore, the brooches no ...
The government’s announcement that it will re-open the foreshore and seabed controversy by changing the rules on recognising centuries-old Māori customary title for a third time goes against the rule of law and New Zealand values,” Mr Tipa says. ...
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 Lioness by Emily Perkins (Bloomsbury, $25) Roarrrr! Perkins’ brilliant, award-winning, Marian-Keyes anointed, darkly funny, long ...
The 2004 Act vested ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown, extinguishing any Māori claims to ownership and causing widespread outrage and protests among Māori communities. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antje Deckert, Associate Professor (Criminology), Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Despite the connection between institutional harm and gang membership made clear in this week’s mammoth royal commission abuse-in care report, the government seems unlikely to soften its “get tough on ...
From Lewis Clareburt in the swimming to the start of the rowing – the first seven days of Paris 2024 promise to be big for New Zealand. There are few events that bring the country together quite like an Olympic Games. Nothing quite matches the excitement of getting up in ...
Groundbreaking local science just showed up in the most surprising of places: the season finale of The Kardashians. In the season five finale of The Kardashians last night, several members of the family gathered together in one of their signature empty, cream-coloured rooms to hear test results that had been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The Middle East is on the brink of a possibly devastating regional war, with hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah reaching an extremely dangerous level. Washington has engaged in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Elizabeth Eades, Rheumatologist, Monash University Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune illness, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. Lupus can affect virtually any part of the body, although it most commonly affects the skin, joints and kidneys. The symptoms ...
A law firm that specialises in working with survivors of abuse in State care is disappointed that the Government fails to recognise that its boot camps can be directly compared to previous boot camps from the 1990s and 2000s. ...
Dying is a natural part of life, like updating your Wof or seeing your hairdresser, but without the word-of-mouth recs that help guarantee a good service. What if we changed that? Dying Reviews received by The Spinoff have had the names of organisations redacted while Hospice NZ collects further data. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Mike Lewinski/Flickr, CC BY On any clear night, if you gaze skywards long enough, chances are you’ll see a meteor streaking through the sky. Some nights, however, are better than others. At ...
Despite having no bars or other designated spaces for lesbians, Auckland boasts a small but mighty lesbian museum. So how did it get here? The past 18 months has brought increasing hostility towards the queer community across Aotearoa. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s anti-trans rally in Tamaki Makaurau last March led to a ...
Poneke Antifascist Coalition has invited Wellingtonians to stand in solidarity with the Kanak people at 12pm today outside the French Embassy in Wellington. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Drones are the signature technology of the Ukraine war. A few miniature aircraft designs were used in the war’s early days, but an incredible array of drones have now evolved. There are different types, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Slee, Associate Professor, Clinical Academic Neurologist, Flinders University Francisco Gonzelez/Unsplash Migraine is many things, but one thing it’s not is “just a headache”. “Migraine” comes from the Greek word “hemicrania”, referring to the common experience of migraine being predominantly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee White, Senior Lecturer and Horizon Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney Australia was slow to introduce minimum building standards for energy efficiency. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) only came into force in 2003. Older homes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth’s land area – particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Heynen, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Energy, The University of Queensland A temporary stadium in the Champ-de-Mars, ParisEkaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock As Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sustainability of the event is coming under scrutiny. The organisers have promoted ...
A night of karaoke and community in a pub that feels like a memory. You’d barely even notice it, unless you knew to look. Tucked away behind a liquor store on busy Constable Street is the capital’s last great pub. Newtown Sports Bar is an emblem of the pub culture ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury Louise Corcoran/Getty Images The decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurie Berg, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney defotoberg/Shutterstock Migrant worker exploitation is entrenched in workplaces across Australia. Tragically, a deep fear of immigration consequences means most unlawful employer conduct goes unreported. On Wednesday, however, the government officially launched a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Paris is about to host its third summer Olympics. While we don’t yet know what the legacy of this year’s games will be, let’s take the opportunity to reflect on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Deputy Director, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Griffith University In the wake of the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, there were calls from bothsides of US politics, as well as internationally, to reduce the brutal, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keith Rathbone, Senior Lecturer, Modern European History and Sports History, Macquarie University Two high-profile assaults on Australians in Paris have raised concerns about security ahead of the Olympic Games. On Saturday evening, a young woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a ...
Dying is inevitable and, so it seems, is it costing a lot, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.The cost of dying ...
The government took Joyce Harris's first baby and sent her off to a girls' home. Half a century on - and out of oceans of hurt - it asked her to be a mother figure. ...
It’s the deadliest fictional town in the country, but which death has been the most bonkers? Alex Casey looks back at 10 seasons of The Brokenwood Mysteries to find out. Warning: The following ranking story contains famous New Zealand actors appearing to be dead (not alive). The Spinoff has been ...
Water cremation is the biggest thing to happen to the death industry in the last 100 years. Alex Casey meets the people trying to bring it to Aotearoa. Through a set of mirrored doors down the industrial end of Christchurch’s St Asaph Street, death is getting a new lease on ...
The Department of Conservation is in greater need of a commissioner than Health NZ, a veteran scientist says The post The risks and rewards of remaking DoC appeared first on Newsroom. ...
To all the residents of Nelson, and all the brave people fighting the fires, we are thinking of you as you begin another day.
If you live there and participate in the Standard, special thoughts of “Keep safe Keep well.”
+ 1 yep
Aren’t we glad in Nelson that there are still community-minded volunteers willing to turn out to help the governance and work to keep our community going!
If left to PPP, or contracted out to private enterprise completely, we wouldn’t get the commitment and the systematic organisation; money and profit would get in the way. In the old days before fire insurance and community involvement, individual businesses would have their own coverage for fire, the other buildings nearby were left to burn down. Community is all in life, at the base of it.
Collingwood, small and isolated has had its share and the history of its fires date from early colonial times.
http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-NHSJ06_06-t1-body1-d6.html
Nelson Historical Society Journal, Volume 6, Issue 6, 2008
Collingwood Fires, 1857 to 2004 authored by Penny Griffith
This was one of the worst:
4 1904: November 7 (Monday)
Fire started in a loft above Stallard’s bakery while the bakers were having supper next door after putting bread in the oven; the alarm was raised at 12.45 am. In very windy (westerly) conditions the fire spread rapidly; buildings were evacuated and people (‘for the most part half clad’) ran into the street, but the fire spread across the road. Cold lashing rain followed but it was calm and fine by 6 am. The fire was so bright it could be seen from Bainham, and it was claimed a newspaper could be read at Kaituna.
No evidence was found to prove how the fire originated but the ‘carelessness’ of Collingwood residents was referred to, ‘as there seems no doubt that a small and regular supply of water would have put the fire out when it first originated’.
All 21 buildings on both sides of Tasman St were destroyed, together with hens. Everything in fire-proof safes was turned to cinders, and gold melted into blobs [see, for example, the postmaster’s watch now in the Collingwood Museum]. The piano from the Public Hall was saved, plus some stock. Because the Post Office was destroyed, news initially had to be sent from Parapara, but by early afternoon a temporary telegraph office had been set up at the Courthouse. The Golden Bay Argus printery was destroyed but the Takaka newspaper office was used (the first issue being delayed by only 12 hours) until the printery was rebuilt and in operation again for the issue of 8 December. John McKinna (73) [spelt as ‘McKenna’ in Nelson papers] died from a heart attack in the afternoon after helping to fight the fire.
+! Patricia
Everyone is working so hard doing what they can, emergency crews etc have been phenomenal.
Perhaps the crows have something to teach us about planning.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/382102/crows-solve-tricky-problem-by-planning-ahead-study-finds
That was a very cool link Grey.
Was thinking most kiwis are earthquake and housefire ready etc. A big information campaign about being forest fire ready, how to prevent fires in summer etc would be massively beneficial.
Thumbs up to that statement Patricia (1).
Can only hope the good folk of Nelson and the Tasman area remain safe and well throughout their present predicament, which hopefully will come to an end soon.
Todd Muller has launched two public attacks on the environmental movement and the government over the past month.
Why have the Greens been silent, with not even a squeak?
Why are the Greens so invisible, when this invisibility is hurting them in the polls?
Because when they talk it hurts them in the polls even more.
I’m looking forward to seeing them under 5%
You wish.
The example of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shows it pays to speak up and fight your corner.
With even the slightest tweet of criticism of her from the Republicans, Cortez hits back, lifting her profile into the stratosphere.
The Green Party’s silence in inexplicable.
Ha! Pretending to support AOC on the one hand, slandering Tulsi Gabbard on the other.
https://i0.wp.com/bobcesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/cant-tell-if-serious.jpg
Hi Morrissey.
Just a suggestion, but it might be a good idea if you gave some proof of what you are accusing me of, so that people can judge for themselves the verity of your accusation. (A smart alec unrelated gif doesen’t count).
Just in case; Tulsi Gabbard met with Assad. Her trip was funded by a fascist group. Assad commits genocide. These are all facts that you can try and disprove if you like. Be my guest.
Tulsi Gabbard met with Assad.
So what? She has no doubt met with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama as well.
Her trip was funded by a fascist group.
U.S. “lawmakers”—and NZ ones as well—are frequently funded by fascist groups to tour Israel. Why do we not see you jumping up and down about that?
Assad commits genocide.
Really? Your argument for this about as rigorous as your insistence yesterday that Bill was a supporter of Assad. I note that assertion collapsed as soon as I challenged it, and you downgraded your accusation to the just as inflammatory charge that he was an “apologist.” You also charged me with the same offence.
Simply ridiculous, Jenny. Your mad accusations carry about as much weight as a Gosman post.
Are you interested in stoushes Morrissey rather than saving this bit of the planet, and its small civil society from growing degradation? Are you Irish Mr Breen? Is it true that Irish are aggressive and like a good punch-up? I would like to be enlightened on these matters if you will.
I think that if you look over this writer’s oeuvre, Mr Shark, you will see that he (i.e., moi) is very opposed to “stoushes”, AKA, unlawful interventions, AKA wars of aggression. I feel nothing but contempt for the people who shout for others to go to war.
Thank you Morrissey for that reply. You like to approach matters in a novel way at times, and I wondered if you were Irish. Often the English seem rather sour and dour, which perhaps explains something of our NZ temperament (and Brexit muddle perhaps). If you don’t want to say for some reason fine.
Sorry, Shark, I wasn’t avoiding your question, I simply forgot to add that, yes, I am indeed Irish. And I must confess that, yes, I do occasionally enjoy a “stoush”, AKA a “barney”, AKA a troid, AKA a “dust-up.”
But that’s just online. I do not support sending other young men and women to kill people in Syria or Afghanistan or Iraq or Venezuela or anywhere else. And I think there’s a special place in Hell for the people who do advocate those things.
Couldn’t help being curious. I’ve got an Irish bloke in my family and I have noticed he is very definite about things, which is better than being like soggy tissue for sure.
And I agree let’s go back to different ways of managing sovereignty and limiting barbarism. Perhaps baring our teeth at one another, desperate singing contests, swearing and punching and wrestling extravaganzas, If there is war, though person to person combat can result in large casualties, you get to be buried in identifiable pieces.
Today you can be blown into smithereens, which sound quite little bits, by something from overhead that you can’t fight or avoid, or it drops chemicals that gas everyone and/or… Just seen Peter Jackson’s WW1 They Shall Never Grow Old. It seems however that war remains forever young and fresh in country’s minds and the young men get sent off to be the pawns.
You see, James has the answer. They don’t have to say anything, he knows they are wrong. Hell he’s clever! Oh, and rational and mature and far-sighted and flexible, and …
I didn’t say they were wrong. I just inferred they lost more votes talking than being quite.
Last thing I can remember them doing was reclaiming the word cunt.
They are useless
Did you mean ‘implied’ when you wrote ‘inferred’?
Some might infer bitterness from you that they reclaimed the word cunt and you want it back. And some might conclude it never left.
Dream on troll…they have a solid 7-8 per cent base
And yet the poll lower than that. Must be losing it huh?
Well, political parties have this thing called policy and they like to share it at opportune times so people are reminded of what they are about. There is no need for the Greens to do this currently re CC, everybody knows they are creating a Climate Commission.
And it is great the Nact are reminding people how negligent they are on this issue given how CC IS the news at the mo.
What is this “Climate Commission” going to do?
Spend the next 20 years holding a conversation?
Oh well, I suppose such a group may provide taxpayer paid jobs for their otherwise unemployable members.
Perhaps they will stick Turei onto it.
I pick it will be less successful than kiwi build
Of course, you would, but it depends on how you define “success”, doesn’t it?
Actually delivering what they say they will.
In that case I reckon you do often observe failure in others and especially in politicians. Failure, it’s everywhere around us because so many fall short of the mark because they aim too high …
And others are just shit at their jobs. Twyford would be an amazing example of shit useless.
Is shit useless when you tell the country there is no housing crisis or being shit useless is when you believe it? Or is it something complicated like there being a housing crisis and you don’t recognise it?
Shit useless is whoever taught James to read and write.🤣
I believe he’s a home-schooled autodidact.
Lol. A product of the UK, apparently.
Yes tywford was shit useless at shutting down the bogus meth testing wasn’t he.
James I will tell you what shit useless is. National sitting on their arses for 9 years while the house issues in 2008 became a roaring crisis. And you people come on here and have the Gaul to criticise tywford.
Go away and read up on what happened under National in terms of housing
James; you’re such a wet blanket. Or soggy tissue. Can’t decide which is the best descriptor.
Sticky tissue?
Ffs kiwi build is a 10 year programme. It is ridiculous to judge it so soon.
I remind people how the building of the Sydney opera house unfolded…..how the architect was slated etc. it is of course an absolute master piece
Better than ignoring the issue, supressing debate or piling on the Greenwash that we had for the last 9 years
ps
This one is getting really boring, can you not find something else to moan about? You are starting to look like Ed dumping this in so often at the start of Open Mike.
Jenny etc
Those words from solkta should be absorbed. You are sounding like Ed. It’s getting that you are Chicken Little yelling that The Sky is Falling. Can you try to concentrate on NZ and present us with the facts of your concerns because you care and we should know about them. That would be good. Just make them
as short as possible. And there are plenty of people having a go at the furriners and their doings.
Little NZ gets pushed and pulled by overseas doings, how we manage is our first concern surely. We have a chance of patching the boat and keeping afloat if we look after home affairs, while keeping a weather eye out for storms.
Shipping analogy! I see us as the Dingy Dinghy, but it’s my dingy dinghy, and yours. Let’s keep it seaworthy. LoL
I think it is a reasonable question. The Greens are virtually invisible. Why?
When they have been given so many opportunities to answer their detractors and raise their public profile?
Just as James (who hates the Greens), realises, the Greens silence and public invisibility will ensure their dipping below 5%.
Personally I disagree with James that if the Greens spoke up “it would hurt their polls even more”. Instead it is their silence is that is condemning. Not their message, which is just not being put out there. Meanwhile Todd Muller takes every opportunity to put National’s position.
P.S. (As for being first up on the Open Mike, Open Mike usually opens at 7am my comment appeared at 8.05, hardly first up).
But is it every day you wake with a worried frown. and release it over the blog?
Do you ever feel happy – it’s important to relax occasionally? Do you have a cat or dog I wonder? None of my business of course, but they do seem to provide solace for many.
The political becomes personal.
Really Grey?
If the question I raised disturbs you, maybe you should try answering it, instead of casting nasturtiums as to the state of my mental health.
And yes I do have cats, and lots of other animals in my care, all who worship me as some sort of benevolent dictator. One of them has just now climbed into an empty brown paper shopping bag just to amuse me. As I look at it’s cute little face peering out at me, I think of you.
Thanks Jenny tghat’s a kind thought. And the point I am making though you apparently resent it, is that we need to have more kind thoughts in our lives, and pass those on to others. And we need to have positivism not constant negativism; a balance so we can keep our spirits up and mix with others the same, going forward! If we want a chance to have a life that we enjoy that is. Because it could vanish into vicious dictatorship and loss of freedom, albeit with a smooth, smiling face.
Someone gave a link to Chinese moves, to be in by next year, of joining everyone up with an app or something and the populace will get points for behaving correctly according to the dicta from the authorities. And those who don’t get the required points, things will be withdrawn from their life.
Hi Grey I can’t imagine how you see that I am being negative. I am putting up an inspiring positive vision of the way forward, I am calling for leadership, I am providing positive examples, ie Cortez, of the sort of inspiring and positive outspoken leadership that I am calling for the Greens to provide.
And I am positive that they are capable of it.
As for kind thoughts, I have lots of them. For the Greens, for our Prime Minister. I want them to be the very best they can be. The science demands it.
There is nothing negative about my vision.
I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t think calling the Greens “invisible” isn’t negative. They’re politicians, not stealth bombers.
I’m sympathetic to your stance, actually. I did criticise it when you applied it to James, but I agree there’s no real reason Marama or any of the others ought to keep quiet.
If I was advising the Green caucus, I’d suggest they brainstorm the looming necessity of positioning themselves for the next election, and as part of that give themselves a mandate for aspirational policy signalling.
They could even discuss who ought to lead that, if putting the onus on Marama is asking too much. Gareth is the only one who has publicly self-identified as leftist. As a centrist I have no problem with him performing such a leadership role. He did stand for the leadership. I expect he could do it on that informal basis. It would probably be prudent for him to run each speech by them before he holds a press conference.
That’s a method likely to work okay in respect of what you feel is missing. Herding is making them into coalition conformists. They can do that still, while repositioning as described. It’s a walk & chew gum simultaneously type of challenge. Multi-tasking.
Obviously the Green Caucus discuss strategy on an ongoing basis. I don’t think it is any secret that Gareth is the Caucus strategist. As for delivering press conferences, obviously these need to be done by the MP who holds the portfolio concerned.
Merely conforming to a prescription induces the herding she is complaining about. Protocols only get you so far. There’s also a time for improvising, and they need to factor that in.
Applying the precautionary principle. Perception that they are allowing themselves to get boxed in by MMP constraints increases the danger of dropping below the threshold. Being imaginative, and enterprising, will impress voters more and build support.
Gareth making press releases beyond his portfolios would simply confuse voters. The whole point is to push forward the person who is actually handling the issue.
One thing that I’m not sure anyone has looked at is how many voters are (for want of a better term) Green “reservists” like me – I prefer Labour, but believe both are essential to be in parliament. So if the Greens look dicey like last time, I’ll vote Green (like last time).
Not to mention how many Greens are staunch – frankly I think they can guarantee 5% unless they suddenly abandon all Green principles. And the Blue-Green wet dream won’t cut it for those guys – we’re talking snails over industry territory.
Hi Grey,
I was greatly encouraged by the PM’s partial ban on new off shore oil and gas exploration. In my opinion it should have been a ban on all new off shore oil and gas exploration. Still, it was a step in the right direction. This is an example of the sort of positive inspiring lead I am talking about. It captured the world’s imagination. We need more of it.
@28:32 minutes
Piss off Jenny. That is not the “PM’s partial ban on new off shore oil and gas exploration” but rather a Green Party initiative that from my understanding was hard fought for. You are being slimy to say that you are not being negative towards the Greens while attributing their successes to Labour.
There is only one poll that matters and that is the election. At that time the Greens will be judged on how they have delivered policy objectives. Foremost will be the Carbon Act and the cannabis referendum (and hopefully act).
One of the targets of Todd Muller’s public attack has been Generation Zero.
James Shaw has said, that the Zero Carbon legislation is “directly the brainchild” of Generation Zero.
The fact that Todd Muller has especially targeted Gen. Zero in his public attack, signals to me that the National Party has no intention of honouring any Zero Carbon legislation.
Todd Muller’s repeated demand that New Zealand must not take a lead on climate change, shows that National will do everything in their power to undermine and sabotage this piece of legislation.
Todd Muller’s lack of good faith over the Zero Carbon legislation needs to be answered.
I mean, when is enough, enough?
As well as attacking Gen Zero, and attacking the government “for being blinded by Green ideology”
Conservative politicians have also lashed out at Greenpeace over exposing illegal fishing.
Again not a murmur from the Green Party in response.
The Green Party are burning up their political capital like there is no tomorrow, all so as not to offend the National Party in attempt to get the National Party to sign up to the Zero Carbon Bill.
I have read the proposed Bill* one of the main paragraphs reads in part, “We can get most of the way there using solutions that are already available. Getting there will involve moving towards 100% renewable electricity….” This is something that Todd Muller says National are against, claiming it is too expensive.
Getting to 100% renewable would be a milestone achievement, and a leading example to the world, Muller’s quibbles that the last little bit would be to expensive to be worth it, ignores the importance of giving a global lead, which of course is fully in line with National’s anti-leadership ‘Fast Follower’ strategy.
When are these knuckle draggers going to be challenged and exposed?
*https://zerocarbonact.nz/
If Gen Zero thought they were going to get away with a straight out attack on Todd Muller, they should go back to school and do some learning.
They got what they were asking for.
Shaw and the Greens have no choice but to keep their heads down until his bill gets into parliament again. Because unless he keeps Todd Muller and National on side, he is going to get fucked over clause by clause in Cabinet by NZF on the only bill he cares about.
I’m sorry, but I find this sentence ambiguous. Is he going to get fucked over by NZF and therefore needs National’s votes? Why would National not fuck him over, as well? Regardless, does this mean we all are going to get fucked over, euphemistically speaking? Oh boy, it sounds like the Roman orgy in Caligula.
“Why would National not fuck him over as well?”
A good question if you are a small animal figuring out how not to die underneath an elephant.
But the answer is:
Because just as National did with the anti-smacking bill in the last gasp of the Clark government, National get to take all the political credit for rescuing the government. Labour and the Greens spend massive amounts of political capital, leading into election year, and National look like the heroes of climate change to middle New Zealand and to their base.
Todd Muller is a fucking tool who is simply handing more ammunition to everyone who thinks he’s a tool.
Why on earth would the Greens get in a stoush with him now? They’re not going to change his mind, and anyone they do persuade will have forgotten by next November. And the more the fool keeps talking, the more any “blue-green” party looks like a shill if they’ll go into government with him.
The Greens know how to campaign, and better than most parties in parliament.
Jenny I get regular Green Party messages on fbook detailing policies…things they are doing
Hi Bearded Git, Could let us lay people know what the Green Party are doing.
https://www.facebook.com/nzgreenparty/
You seem to be on the same page as David Cormack: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12200816
The Greens are active and out & about doing their things. People who are genuinely interested will know and pay attention. People who are less interested in the Greens may be happy to rely on the distorted ‘messaging’ by MSM. Less is more, right now.
Yes you are right. David Cormack seems to be referencing similar themes and more that I have mentioned here. Thanks for this Incog.
From the link supplied by Incognito
Just my point, the Green Party has gone missing. And their disappearance from public life is reflected in their poll results.
Politics is a public affair it is conducted publicly. Todd Muller seems to have taken this mantra to heart with his public attacks on the government and the Green Party and Gen Zero. accusing them of being “blinded by Green Ideology”.
You would have thought that Muller’s public attacks would have been the perfect opportunity for either of the Green Party leaders to deliver a devastating riposte.
We live in an age when politicians must become activists and activists must become politicians must become activists.
Why didn’t the Green Party show some solidarity to Greenpeace and Gen Zero when they were under attack?
The Green Party can’t blame the media this time, because the Green Party haven’t given the media anything to go on.
I have mentioned the attack on Greenpeace, I have mentioned the attack on the Government and Gen Zero. Both opportunities for the Green Party to “reassert themselves as the environmental party of New Zealand”. I had forgot to mention this, but yeah. What on earth? Again, why are the Green Party so silent?
Why are the Green Party so absolutely missing from public life?
Do they want to be irrelevant?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12200816
You are concerned at length about the Greens. Why not write what you have on here first direct to both of the Leaders of the Green Party. Give them something direct under their noses to send a form reply then ignore, or not Jenny…
Instead you are chipping away at them as the Coalition tries to advance in hostile territory where citizens have to be encouraged to make moves that should have been started 20 years ago. You aren’t helping the Greens or the Coalition in government by bad mouthing them so much.
I have written, emailed, texted, phoned, facebook messaged, Green MPs, with zero response. I and other climate activists have requested appointments for discussions with them. It is like sending messages into an empty void.
I have even tried to button hole them at public events, I have traveled across the region to attend such meetings. Questions from the floor are disallowed at stage managed public events.. I have stood patiently with lots of other people in queues to meet with them at the end of the same public meetings only to have time to trade brief pleasantries, before they have to move onto the next person.
And now you say I shouldn’t voice my concerns in this forum either?
It is my honest opinion that the Green Party are headed for electoral oblivion if they don’t break out of their self appointed public silence, on the matters of the day, especially when they or their allies are being attacked. People will think that they have no answers when the Nats publicly attack them and they keep their silence.
I see the meteoric rise of Alexandria Cortez, who never backs down from a fight, and I wonder why we can’t have leaders like that here?
Maybe the Greens like a little too much of the “herbal jazz cigarettes”. A good reason for their relaxed stance re answering questions.
You won’t see them back until they have something delivered into law in Parliament. And there’s only one bill of any note that’s theirs coming up.
Only once that is through will they be able to campaign.
All I can say Ad. It had better be a doozy. If it is not and is just more vague and distant targets, but no agreed action in the here and now. I don’t think it will rescue the Greens.
Maybe the Greens don’t want to be rescued.
Maybe Shaw’s got the more audacious goal in mind:
Cross Parliamentary agreement on climate change mitigation for New Zealand.
It may well come at the expense of the Green Party, but it may not.
I mean if they can survive nut jobs like Metiria Turei self-immolating 4 weeks out from election, maybe the Green base is still good for 5%.
They just following what our shitty little lap dog mp’s did years ago. Ahh Australia, so slow on nasty hard right ideological B.S.
Here’s at least one Aussie who shows some backbone
Former Aus. diplomat Tony Kevin and his plan to save Assange
On that topic, news from Switzerland
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wikileaks_geneva-politicians-vote-to-propose-julian-assange-asylum/44740406
Strangely, not reported elsewhere as yet
Go Assange. His greatest problem is that for a while he was a media darling.
“Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad” is a slogan for today.
The leaders of the world have gone mad under the affects of desiring ever more money and power, so they have turned into sub-Gods. People who disagree are maddened enough to stand against them, giving the sub-Gods the unchallengeable right to destroy them.
And the media raised Assange in public eyes which can for a while strongly idolise someone, then turn around with opposite strong emotions and censure them.
Gilbert & Sullivan illustrates the problem of the exploiter of information or the truth-teller –
A Disagreeable Man, I Can’t Think Why
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql13RNb9OGI
and a parody on He is a very model of a modern major-general
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svCpEIRAkjM
Assange problem started when he became a darling of the left wing, then released more information showing left wing politicians to be as fallible as right wing politicians.
It hurts when someone proves your heroes are as bad as your enemies
[TS: Your comments are being held in moderation until you acknowledge the mod note on your previous contribution here. TRP]
Ah tuppence biscuit, I thought you got away with your comments yesterday & it seemed like the moderator’s threats were nary but a wet bus ticket. But no, TS is appearing to be a little more Putin like with its treatment of you.
Thanks for the news re Swiss support for the narcissist. I’ve been critical of his character defects and reluctance to transcend them, but as an authentic whistleblower I still feel he deserves support.
If they take the load off Ecuador, it will be a good move and I expect it will enhance their global reputation as supporters of natural justice. I hope they succeed in negotiating the transfer. If May refuses to allow it, she will destroy her credibility as a political leader.
Dennis, if you’re searching for a casual descriptor of Julian Assange, “the narcissist” is hardly appropriate. I accept he seems to be narcissistic, but that applies to virtually anyone in the public eye to some degree or other.
Rogue killer regimes in London and Washington are seeking to destroy Assange not because he’s a narcissist, but because he’s a truth-teller.
It’s because of his behaviour. The spoilt-brat syndrome he exhibits so readily. His lack of empathy re inconsiderate attitude to his hosts. Lack of empathy usually signifies narcissism. Telling the truth ought to be a discipline applied to oneself, not merely state misbehaviour. He hasn’t matured sufficiently to become a responsible individual…
Fair comment, Dennis. But let’s face it, he’s a choirboy compared to the people trying to destroy him.
That is your opinion of him Dennis. What do you base this on?
Media coverage of what he has said and done in the past couple of years. Alienating his hosts was so unwise it can only have been due to his inability to see things from their point of view. Gratitude for their moral stand on his behalf ought to have been factored in to his view of the situation. Lack of it made it obvious he was being selfish.
Is he an example of the quote –
🤩 Could be, eh? Judged by the progress he does actually manage to produce, perhaps. More likely if he grows up a little and develops a better attitude. Adversity brings out character in some folks.
All interesting thinking. What did you think of the comments from past diplomat Kevin that Fransesca put up at 3.1.1. Seems a sound man in his views.
20 minutes and they never mentioned sexual assault once.
And if the Aussies worked hard (won’t happen) and got the UK to ignore the bail-jumping (highly unlikely), why would he need a consular escort to the airport?
I watched the first third of it, don’t have time for more. The arse-licker syndrome, normally prevalent among rightists. He correctly identifies Labour as equally part of the problem, so it makes leftists into fore-lock tuggers performing ritual obeisance to the Americans.
Brexit.
Yeah, I know. Sword of Damocles suspended over her. Will it drop? The EU head has served her mixed messages in recent days. No renegotiation, then possible renegotiation today. Because, if they do reach a compromise, it could save her. She could soldier on, regardless of lowered credibility.
Even if the EU renegotiate, they’re not suddenly going to roll over.
She’s already shat the bed so badly that nobody wants the job. Compared with Brexit, the concomitant Irish border issue, austerity, and everything else, whether Assange changes self-imposed prison under her watch would not even amount to a footnote.
To the British, yes. To folks expecting any political leader to honour a whistle-blower, acting on the basis of public service, it would be terminally discrediting. Even politicians who are conservative ought to balance their desire to serve the elites against a moral duty to serve the public. Can’t discount that necessity.
Labour is (on the face of it) returning to
its basic roots with the well being agenda.
However by meeting with business and farming they are also
adding more substance to the rebuild and broadening appeal
and making it harder for National to label Labour as flaky.
Sound economically + fairer tax system. Responsible immigration.
Compassionate socially eg housing, education, women, Maori.
Keeping the Green ,Women, Young and Maori vote
as independent allies is also very smart.
Just need to work on the Grey vote a bit more.
Labour needs to broaden its media face by not relying on JA.
Steve Joyce was John Keys shield for years.
Jones and Peters do good work but are Mavericks.
Satchi and Satchi would identify and choreograph the suitable lieutenants.
Advantage Labour?.
Rata’s in bloom. It’s going to be a mast year.
Not until budget 2019 lands well.
If it doesn’t land well in the public, Labour know they have simply pushed almost all the hard political work out to the 2020 election.
That mention of Saatchi and Saatchi – does Labour have guidance from the likes of them? Labour has what to balance Cosby Textor? They need to do better than Phil Quin, Josie Pagani, Mike Williams et al. A professional body – do they have one, can they afford one? Can they afford not to?
When you’ve got a PM who’s that good to camera, and who personally made up “Let’s Do This”, the guidance is less necessary. I can’t recall a better political communicator other than Bill Clinton.
Well, so much for Kiwibuild providing housing for people who couldn’t otherwise get a first home.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/110468062/six-wanaka-kiwibuild-houses-on-open-market
Six houses that were built under the Twitford banner that nobody wanted to buy. Now they are being dumped onto the open market. They are too expensive apparently. Why am I not surprised.
I wonder how much he cost to the Country has been so far, and whether they have managed to blow through the whole $2 billion dollars yet?
Why has Twyford still got a position in Cabinet? Is there no display of ineptitude that is sufficient to get sacked by our current lot of idiots in the Government?
If more houses get built then more people have homes – it’s as simple as that.
The people who buy expensive homes release less expensive homes giving opportunity for people in a different price bracket.
Sounds an awful lot like trickle down housing supply to me 😉
You’re correct, that’s how it looks on paper. The increased supply of housing will trickle down and the large profits for the lucky ones already on the property ladder will trickle up. It’s a win-win!
One fly in the ointment could be that the better-off will not release their house on the property market but rent it out or advertise on Airbnb. In fact, that could be a perverse outcome of CGT unless it’s accompanied with a raft of other measures to discourage less helpful kinds of behaviour.
You merely display your ignorance with comments such as this. If you bothered to read the article it quite clearly states:
But you didn’t read the article, you silly little fellow.
If you did you might, just might, have seen that your comments merely spew forth from a morass of ignorance.
Alwyn is almighty concerned that Phil Twyford is going to Venezuelanise NZH. For further information, I refer to today’s other post on this topic.
What on earth have you been drinking, smoking or injecting you stupid schmuck?
For further information I would suggest you reference a single statement I have made that could possibly lend any credence to your stupid remark.
Indeed I will wager you cannot find a single statement I have made in todays post on Venezuela.
If I never commented on the subject how does your silly little brain come to any conclusion at all on my views on Venezuela?
Oh that’s right you can’t so you just spew forth your fantasies.
What a dick you are.
Are you morrie in disguise wally?
Apologies, Alwyn, I hope to get back to you tomorrow.
I did read it you little diesel soaked seagull.
People who had never bothered to register for Kiwibuild and now get a chance to buy because no one who registered wanted, or could afford the properties.
What evidence do you think will ever be produced to demonstrate that anyone who does buy one of these places will actually have qualified? Why do I think the Government will refuse to prove they were eligible and that they will say that the privacy of the purchaser is more important than the integrity of the scheme?
What are the chances that the actual purchase price is ever released and that the taxpayer won’t lose a lot of money from the deal?
Why do you seem to consider you should trust the ill conceived scheme promoted by Phool Twyford?
His record certainly doesn’t inspire any confidence does it?
Twyford needs three terms.
In both transport and housing.
In housing the institutions both public and private are taking too long to gear up.
In transport the institution is in a leadership-led cataclysm and it is crippling delivery in his key policies.
Both will now take years to fix.
I would suggest that leaving Twyford in these jobs for three terms would destroy both housing and transport.
Luckily I can’t see it happening. He is such a fool that I think Winston will sack him by later in this year. He is the most incompetent Minister in any senior role I have ever seen.
When both Winston First and the Red-Green parties vanish at the next election it won’t matter of course.
I really thought that it was time for a change after 3 terms. National were tired, as all 3 term Governments are. Unfortunately I was right in thinking that the current coalition troika were incapable of forming a competent Government. I only hope that National can come up with a proper competent and fresh team after only one term in Opposition. God knows they will have a lot of cleaning up to do from the activities of loose cannons like Phool..
“destroy both housing and transport”… “Winston will sack him”… “troika were incapable of forming a competent government”… The more snipes and turds you sprinkle through your comments, the more desperate you look.
As for most incompetent minister in any senior position you’ve seen, you do realise that two ministers and an associate minister signed off on Novopay.
Well that at least has given me a good laugh.
You call the total collapse of this Government major policy activity as being in some way comparable to the temporary difficulties with a payroll system for teachers?
The problems with Novopay were of course cured when the last Government took them seriously and put Stephen Joyce in charge of fixing the problem. This he did.
I thought about how I would consider Novopay and Kiwibuild in terms of a comparison with accidents at sea.
Novopay is rather like spilling a full cup of coffee over yourself when travelling on the Cook Strait ferry.
Uncomfortable at the time and a nuisance until you can get at your luggage and change your clothes.
The complete shambles that is Kiwibuild is best compared to the sinking of the Wahine back in 1968. A complete disaster.
A third example would be the mess that is the Census of 12 months ago. That is about like finding that your car on the vehicle deck was smashed into by a truck and is a write-off. It needn’t have been as bad if, shortly after the Census was held, the Government and the Department, had accepted that getting any valid results out of the exercise was impossible and decided to have another Census in 2021 in what would have been the traditional year (ending in 1). They didn’t of course. The Government Statistician and the Minister simply buried their heads in the sand and pretended that everything was just peachy.
Meanwhile we have McFlock saying that Twyford just needs a little more time. What a funny fellow he is.
Thousands of people went underpaid, not paid, and some overpaid for months, missing rent and mortgage payments and having to take out loans. It took Mr Don’t-fix-it over a year to sort out after two ministers signed off without thinking about the words “mission critical”.
And you call that a spilled cup of coffee.
And not building enough houses in the first year is a sign of the most incompetent minister you have ever seen.
Says it all, really.
Your mask has slipped, alwyn.
Normally restrained, tonight you are lashing out and indulging in conspiracy theories and name-calling.
Is it because you had your own words read back to you?
For reference, alwyn, this is the statement you made which you need to retract, and apologise to the forum for.
I await your fulsome and sincere apology.🤣
Albert Finney, Brit actor has died 82. He was five times Oscar nominee and earlier from the Royal Shakespeare Company.
His last film role came in 2012 James Bond film Skyfall, in which he played the irascible gamekeeper Kincaid.
A life-long fan of Manchester United, he declined a CBE in 1980 and a knighthood in 2000.
“I think the Sir thing slightly perpetuates one of our diseases in England, which is snobbery,” he said at the time.
He was also reluctant to discuss his craft. “My job is acting, and that is why I hate interviews or lectures, explaining myself to an audience,” he once said.
Finney was married three times and had one child with his first wife, the actress Jane Wenham.
He was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2007, after which he largely disappeared from public view.
Finney also backed the epic fulm “If” an all time favourite of mine.
I just looked at a trailer and I don’t think it would the film enabled today. Somehow the funding would dry up or something. It would be inappropriate.
Too much echoing real life happenings.
Someone who turns down knighthoods is of noble character.
Yes the nobility is already in the person. Knighthoods are good for a laugh though. I like the Monty Python skit of the Knight Who Never Gives Up.
And in French taunting the castle guard scorns the silly k-nites.
The Knights who say “Ni!”.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/110418610/700000-state-home-on-kpiti-coast-sits-empty-for-20-months
Beautiful 700k family state house left empty.
I guess the homeless crisis is officially over then.
It was being modified for people with disabilities.
It’s a really long process to decide what changes need to be made, get funding, draw up the plans, get quotes, get more funding, get a builder to do it (all bespoke work depending on the disability) etc.
I know someone who has done it once and is about to do it again and she envisioned a 12 month to 18 month time frame.
Specific actual people or just in case?
“I know someone who has done it once and is about to do it again and she envisioned a 12 month to 18 month time frame.”
If that is the case best to leave the job to someone who knows what they are doing.
I have done a few of these jobs for HNZ in the past. They already have plumbers, builders, sparkies etc. Pretty standard stuff. ramps, hand rails, level entry shower,
They vary depending on the house and the clients disability. Nothing difficult about it. Two or three weeks and job done.
It is the palaver around the highly-rationed funding that slows things down. Paying a whole lot of people to say ‘no’.
Stop being disingenuous, James. Of course this situation does not signal that the housing crisis is over.
First the article says that disability renovations to that house have taken 20 months – which takes the original decisions etc to do so back to about May 2017 ie. in the National Govt era. 20 months does seem to be a long time when it appears that the house already has a lot of disability features, but it does not surprise me given the current state of the building industry.
However, what bemuses me about that article is here is the local Mayor saying he is looking for a home for a family whose current Council-owned house is being put up for sale by his own Council because they no longer want to provide social housing to anyone other than pensioners.
It would appear that the family may qualify for Housing NZ accommodation. If so and the house meets their needs in accord with Housing NZ criteria, why doesn’t the Council offer the Council-owned house to Housing NZ at a reasonable market rate agreed on the basis of market prices for similar house sales and/or say three market price assessments. This would then allow the family to stay in the house they have been living in without incurring moving costs, upheaval etc probably requiring financial assistance from the govt via WINZ etc. Just saying.
Whoever organised a state house to be empty for that long should be given a Knighthood or Damehood for the unique achievement and a Prime Minister’s award for creativity.Such has never happened before.
Then some officials in all sorts of departments should be sacked for not breaking rules and protocols and customary health and safety things and just going ahead and putting a new family in there the day after it was vacated.
Not only did they deny a family a home, they denied fuckwits the opportunity to attack the government for breaking rules and protocols and customary health and safety things by putting a family in it improperly and in less than perfect circumstances.
Anyway, on thinking about it calmly, it probably happened because the Housing NZ people on the Kapiti Coast are still coming to and are slow to process the new mindset after the years of brainwashing: THERE IS NO HOUSING CRISIS, THERE IS NO HOUSING CRISIS, THERE IS NO HOUSING CRISIS …
James…That comment is so stupid it should be worth a ban…arguments based on real facts please troll.
Jami-Lee Ross rips into Simon Bridges in mental health tweet.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/02/jami-lee-ross-rips-into-simon-bridges-in-mental-health-tweet.html
Nah, he’s not ripping into him, he’s calling him out. I was expecting something more substantial but it’s the usual clickbait by lazy uncreative MSM waiting for snappy little tweets to ‘inspire’ their snappy little headlines.
Yes it’s clickbait and the media love it. Ross will be the go-to guy for gossip on Simon.
I think JLR is losing the PR battle on this
Losing to who, and who has more to lose?
Losing to Bridges and this might actually help Bridges, in the long run
How?
The longer it goes on the more it looks like JLR is being vindictive especially if Bridges keeps quiet
Not saying that’s how the situation is but instead how it looks
Mind you I’ve occasionally (albeit extremely rarely) been wrong in the past before and I may well be wrong here
True to a degree and certainly perception is all important. I actually think that until JLR is back in Parliament (expected there this week) it will be hard to gauge the situation. Did you read JLR’s interview by mental health blogger, Hadley Robinson-Lewis on The Daily Blog last week? Worth the few minutes it takes IMO.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/02/04/exclusive-tdb-interview-with-jami-lee-ross/
in terms of Bridges keeping quiet, I have my doubts he will be able to sustain that, especially if the leaks from his caucus continue which could be likely. Check out this Newshub report on the Nat gathering in Hamilton on Thurs/Friday. Two carefully worded mentions that indicate they had leaks from a caucus source as to what went on in the closed sessions.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/02/national-discusses-sinking-winston-peters-vote-at-caucus-retreat.amp.html
Didn’t Weewoss reply to Slick’s dopey pronouncement puckers?
Something about ‘battles and wars’; something…
At least we know who has more to lose.
JLR is a gift to the Coalition that just keeps on giving.
Fireblade (8) … Parliament resumes next week. Could be an interesting year.
JLR might be about to fire off on all cylinders very soon. He seemed pretty sharp at responding to SB’s recent tweet re mental health!
Might not be such a smooth ride for Simon after all this term!
Have the popcorn ready.
One of the wealthiest men in the world with unlimited resources and a score to settle.
This should be fun.
https://twitter.com/KimZetter/status/1093725317535956992
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/02/08/did-national-enquirer-blackmail-amazons-jeff-bezos-protect-saudi-crown-prince
And I thought it was going to be about tax evasion. Disappointing.
Seems about right.
https://twitter.com/F24Debate/status/1093960768872161281
China in direct talks with U.S. army, new sanctions on way
RNZ, 9 February 2019
China is holding direct communications with members of the U.S. military urging them to abandon President Donald Trump and is also preparing new sanctions aimed at increasing pressure on him, a senior Beijing official said.
The Xi Jinping administration expects further military defections from Trump’s side, the official told Xinhua in an interview, despite only a few senior officers having done so since opposition leader Nancy Pelosi declared herself interim president last month, backed by China and dozens of other countries.
“We believe these to be those first couple pebbles before we start really seeing bigger rocks rolling down the hill,” the official said this week, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We’re still having conversations with members of the former Trump regime, with military members, although those conversations are very, very limited.”
The official declined to provide details on the discussions or the level at which they are being held, and it was unclear whether such contacts could create cracks in the U.S. fascist leader’s support from the military, which is pivotal to his grip on power.
With the U.S. military still loyal to Trump, a source in Beijing close to the opposition expressed doubts whether the Xi Jinping administration had laid enough groundwork to spur a wider mutiny in the ranks.
“It depends on what they’re offering,” Hua Chunying, vice president of the Council of the Bo’ao Forum think tank in Beijing, said.
“Are there incentives built into these contacts that will at least cause people to question their loyalty to the regime?” ….
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/382103/us-in-direct-talks-with-venezuelan-army-new-sanctions-on-way
Analogy doesn’t work.
Why not? Apart from the fact that it’s an insult to Venezuela to compare it to the U.S.
There’s a few.
China is close to the military equal of the United States.
China and the United States are negotiating substantially already.
No one from the United States military has ever defected to China.
China is not a democracy.
If you ran the allegory from Cuba to Venezuela you’d get a better result I’m sure.
China is not a democracy.
What’s democracy got to do with Trump, Bolton, Pompeo, Pence, and Abrams? This is all about brute power, and demonstrating who’s boss. In motivation and even in modus operandi (terrorizing vassals and little guys into silence or complicity*) it’s little different from a Mafia boss enforcing his will.
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3qjZnEiOCc
tl:dr – millennial conservative wunderkinder are malignant know-nothings who grew up on a diet of Info Wars and YouTube conspiracy videos.
https://twitter.com/TP_Ambridge/status/1093202249998831616
They were here to start a culture war, and Charlie Kirk was looking forward to the backlash.
“There will be retaliation, there will be protest,” the 25-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, a right-wing student organisation with close links to Donald Trump, said in London recently as he described plans for an assault on British university campuses. “You will see that it takes individuals to go straight into the fire to start a movement.”
But already some of the Tory activists Kirk recruited to launch Turning Point in the UK are having second thoughts about its war on “cultural marxism”, according to several people familiar with their internal discussions. Within days of the launch, one of the “influencers” tapped to front the campaign has distanced himself from the group, BuzzFeed News has learned.
“There was a sense of people realising, ‘Who are these cranks?’” one source said.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexspence/pro-trump-turning-point-loses-star-activists
a new avatar that looks like a bendy swastika …jeez Wayne
Turning Point Ambridge, dude.
Exposing the lie of the meritocracy bullshit of the right!
26 most hard-working people as rich as 3.8 billion laziest people combined
“These 26 people are so hard-working that each one of them achieves about 146 million times more per day than a person from the lazier parts of the world”
um, its about working smart and hard, some people have that combination of talents and do very well, good on them, I salute their success.
Can I sell you a bridge?
why?
Because you might want to put a toll booth on it – a nice little earner.
Um Alan it’s about you popping up like burnt toast, with some overdone, tasteless, useless remark.
Ha! Not heard that one before. Love it.
Alan – are you being satirical?
If not, your daft comment is exactly the point…
Russel Norman is gunning for two coalition ministers: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/08-02-2019/russel-norman-nash-and-jones-are-leading-nz-fishing-into-rotten-waters/
“First, the cameras on boats. The coalition government has completely iced the project. The decision will be delayed till August. This isn’t just a matter of letting things slip – they actually had to unpick existing regulations to make it happen. We’ve just learnt the fishing industry wrote Nash a letter totally opposing cameras in July last year, while hypocritically running TV ads with the memorable line “we have nothing to hide“. Nash’s current line is that he won’t implement the cameras without the “buy-in” of the fishing industry.”
Re the other guy: “he gets campaign money from Talley’s, one of the biggest players in the business. He received ten thousand dollars from the company towards his election campaign.”
“Jones strongly rejects any impropriety in his links with Talley’s, but it’s worth remembering this is also the fishing company that MPI found to be unlawfully under-reporting the weight of their cartons in the hoki fishery and hence under-reporting their catch. This MPI compliance investigation never saw the light of day until Greenpeace leaked it. Predictably Talley’s were not prosecuted because, as MPI’s head of compliance said, “we know from experience that prosecution will achieve behavioural change for maybe four or five years at best.” So they had a quiet chat instead and buried the report.”
“we know from experience that prosecution will achieve behavioural change for maybe four or five years at best.”
That’s like excusing crimes from being prosecuted and paid for with some sort of recompense because it is known that there is recidivism, so ‘What’s the use’ let ’em lie. Trouble is they know we are stupid and con’t care about having good government, and so they don’t feel shy about telling us that we can shut up and get stuffed, when they brazenly admit what they are doing. The right wing attitude that we receive from the RWNJs here, ‘You can fuss, but we have the power, and you are just irritating twerps to be put in their place’.
Does Gnashy sympathise ideologically or is he bought and paid for?
The Pompous Prince of Provincial Pukupatting would see no impropriety in a well feathered nest.
Another type of flow battery that looks interesting.
It uses a liquid electrolyte solution and a solid sacrificial anode. You fill up with charged electrolyte (and drain your discharged electrolyte) every 500km or so, and get a new anode every 5000km or so. The discharged electrolyte goes back to a solar or wind farm to be recharged (or could be done at the fillup station with a grunty enough grid connection).
https://phys.org/news/2019-02-refillable-technology-energy-electric-car.html
lprent
Twice now I have had this line come at the bottom of a comment that has time left for editing –
‘You can no longer edit this comment’.
Just noticed from the front page photo accompanying the Venezuela piece that our very own Slimin’ Bridges appears to be following the tie-length example set by the short-fingered vulgarian.
Reckon it’s for the same reasons?
Here is further evidence of the consequences of under regulation in the accomodation market.
Putting “hotel guests” in the middle of people’s ordinary lives can cause major disruption.
I do know that some airbnb guests in apartment blocks are asked to lie to residents by saying they are relatives of or house-sitters for the owner. This isn’t secure and it isn’t fair to the residents of apartment blocks with airbnb set up in them.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/110453472/tenants-forced-to-move-out-because-of-drunken-airbnb-guests-next-door
Brexit and Northern Ireland all explained!
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/firefighters-lament-winds-preventing-them-putting-tasman-fire-in-days
The thing is, to get the containment/firebreak lines done & in conjunction with the winds whatever the directions are to those.
IF the effort goes into that, AT some point the fire has to start turning on itself.
Great to see the Pride March well attended and on their own terms rather than being further highjacked by corporate PR departments and the Police wishing to promote themselves.
A good reset by the community.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/02/thousands-turn-out-for-new-auckland-pride-march-up-queen-street.html
Kia ora R&R The Crown owes Tangata Whenua ART it inclueds Te reo waiata haka carving that is needed to keep our great culture pumping .
They suppressed Tangata Whenua Art for decades.
One just has to check old footage of VIP being welcomed to Powhiri to Aotearoa I just checked out BOb Marleys Poehiri the quality in those days is not as good as today
I BACK the Idear that we NEED to record our Kaumatua knowledge no one is doing that I have heard of at the minute that needs to stepped up.
There is a big surge in the demand for Tangata Whenua Art in the motu and Papatuanuku not just Aotearoa Art all indigenous cultures art is getting a great increase in demand .indigenous cultures respect wild life and our enviroment mother earth more that the west do and we are seeing the mess that is being made of our wildlife and Papatuanuku because of the lack of respect for others
Ka kite ano
We have to forget about the oil barrons distraction’s trump brexit and others and all work together to battle CLIMATE CHANGE everything else will / is irrelevant if we go past the tipping POINT.
The world is in the middle of what is likely to be the warmest 10 years since records began in 1850, says the Met Office.
Will the forecast temperature rises bust the Paris climate agreement?
The Met Office says that 2015 was the first year in which the global annual average surface temperature reached 1C above the pre-industrial level, which is generally taken to mean the temperatures between 1850 and 1900.
Each year since then, the global average has hovered close to or above the 1C mark. Now, the Met Office says that trend is likely to continue or increase over the next five years.
“We’ve just made this year’s forecasts and they go out to 2023 and what they suggest is rapid warming globally,” Prof Adam Scaife, head of long term forecasting at the Met Office, told BBC News.
“By looking at individual years in that forecast we can now see for the first time, there is a risk of a temporary, and I repeat temporary, exceedance of the all-important 1.5C threshold level set out in the Paris climate agreement.”
Last October, UN scientists published a special report on the long-term impacts of a temperature rise of 1.5C.
They concluded that it would take a massive carbon cutting effort to keep the world from tipping over the limit by 2030. The Met Office analysis now says there’s a 10 percent chance of this happening within the next five years.
“It’s the first time the forecasts have shown a significant risk of exceedance – it is only temporary. We are talking about individual years fluctuating above the 1.5 degree level,” said Prof Scaife.
“But the fact that that can happen now due to a combination of general warming and the fluctuations due to things like El Niño events in the next few years does mean we are getting close to that threshold.”
How confident is the Met Office of its prediction?
The Met Office says it has a 90 percent confidence limit in the forecasts for the years ahead.
It says that from 2019 to 2023, we will see temperatures ranging from 1.03C to 1,57C above the 1850-1900 level, with enhanced warming over much of the globe, especially over areas like the Arctic.
The research team says it is pretty certain in its predictions because of its past experience. The team’s previous forecast, made in 2013, predicted the rapid rate of warming that’s been observed over the past five years. It even predicted some of the lesser known details such as the patch of cooling seen in the North Atlantic and the cooler spots in the Southern Ocean.
If the observations over the next five years match the forecasts, then the decade between 2014 and 2023 will be the warmest in more than 150 years of records.
Ka kite ano links below P.S Some neanderthal lie and say its just summer YEA RIGHT.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/environment/381910/world-headed-for-warmest-period-on-record
Kia ora R&R Eco Maori says one is a Kiwi so long as you show respect for people and our enviroment Kiwis those that don’t want to be called a Kiwi don’t get IT .
There you go paul henry disrespecting a fellow kiwi .
United we are strong devided we are weak Kiwi unites the good people of Aotearoa who want and give respect fellow Kiwis in my views
I do beleve Matariki should be celerbrated yes Matariki was delibreately suppressed to stop Matariki giving Maori Mana,
There are chovernistic raciest people in all cultures and Maori is no different .
Ka kite ano
I see this new tech for refrigerator and air conditioning in 2016 scientific mag this story is from 2016 we need to invest in efficencys as this is the low hanging fruit on OUR Worlds journey to becoming Carbon neutral some people dont want effiencys as there profits will fall.
Innovative refrigerator developed using multistage sound wave engine
Shinya Hasegawa and colleagues at Tokai University have developed a refrigerator (107 C) powered only by waste heat that generated sound waves in an innovative multistage traveling wave thermoacoustic engine. The refrigerator produced the gas oscillations and refrigeration at a temperature lower than the boiling point of water and achieved a minimum cold temperature of -107.4 C when the hot temperature was 270 C. The findings are published in the journal of Applied Thermal Engineering, November 2016.
The operation of thermoacoustic (TA) engines is based on the heating, cooling and oscillation of acoustic (sound) waves created by the thermal expansion and contraction of gases such as helium enclosed dedicated cavities. The potential of TA engines for generating clean and renewable energy was demonstrated in seminal reports published in the late 1990s and early 2000s by researchers in the USA. Notably, these reports into the modern implementations of TA engines have led to increased worldwide research on the development of high efficiency TA engines to convert heat into useful power.
Two of the main hurdles to the proliferation of this technology are (1) high efficiency systems operable at less than 300 C as compared to the 400 to 600 C range at the moment; and (2) robust design so that the systems could be used in a wide range of environments such as fishing boats and heavy industries.
Hasegawa and colleagues have designed a high efficiency multistage-type thermoacoustic (MS-TA) engine, without moving parts, that operates at less than 300 C; the temperature of more than 80% of industrial waste heat. The design of the MS-TA engine was based on finite element numerical analysis conducted by Hasegawa and his group.
Background and aims
“TA engines do not have moving parts, are easy to maintain, potentially high efficiency, and low cost,” says Shinya Hasegawa, an associate professor at the Department of Prime Mover Engineering, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Japan. “My goals in this research are to develop TA engines that operates at less than 300 C with more that 30% efficiency, and also to demonstrate a refrigerator operating at -200 C at these low temperatures.”
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2016-12-refrigerator-multistage.html#jCp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwV4GkniFNo
https://phys.org/news/2016-12-refrigerator-multistage.html
This sound waves techology that can be used for fridges sounds interesting. Any tech people who know enough to comment on how viable it is and whether we could use it for lower carbon footprint etc.?
We have to stop buying prouducts that use Palm oil that is produced unsestainable.
We have to stop putting money before the welbeing of our wildlife we are the guardians of MotherEarth & her creatures some people are exployting this all for $$$$$$$$$$$$$ humans are linked to the wildlife .
The main threat to the survival of orangutan populations in the wild is the massive expansion of palm oil plantations in Borneo and Sumatra.
Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world, having even surpassed soya in terms of usage. Surging global demand for palm oil has fueled massive forest destruction throughout Indonesia and Malaysia, countries that together account for 85% of the world’s palm oil production. Palm oil is ubiquitous! Half the packaged food (and other) products found on supermarket shelves now contain palm oil. Palm oil and palm kernel oil are found in all manner of baked goods, such as cookies, bread, and potato chips, as well as in chocolate and milk (where it adds Vitamin A). Palm oil has also replaced coconut as the main cooking oil traditionally used in Indonesia as well as replacing peanut oil in Myanmar. Palm oil is also extensively used in cosmetics and toiletries where it adds creaminess and/or foam to the product. Palm oil is an important ingredient in the manufacturing of soaps, shampoos, detergents, and toothpaste. Increasingly, palm oil is used as a biofuel.
Oil palms only grow in the tropics and need much water. Originally native to South America and West Africa, palm oil plantations have now spread throughout the wet tropics to Papua New Guinea, parts of Asia, Kenya, and also back to countries in West Africa and South America where the palms are native. The problem with palm oil is that vast areas of virgin tropical rain forest are clear cut to open up land for cultivation. Palm oil is a huge industry. Palm oil accounts for 11% of Indonesia’s export earnings and is the most valuable agricultural export. Overall, it is Indonesia’s third largest export earner.
The recent expansion of vast monocrop oil palm plantations in Asia, the Neotropics, and Africa threatens large areas of tropical rain forests. The two most affected countries in this expansion are Indonesia and Malaysia, home of the imperiled orangutans. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) indicated in 2007 that oil palm plantations are the leading cause of rainforest destruction in Malaysia and Indonesia. Another study by Princeton and a Swiss institution reported that between 1990 and 2005, up to 60% of palm oil expansion occurred at the expense of primary tropical rain forest. The establishment of palm oil plantations has been a disaster not only for endangered wildlife such as orangutans and tigers (in Sumatra) but has also exacerbated conflict with local communities in Indonesia over traditional land rights. Local people have been evicted from their customary land holdings and local communities impoverished, leading to much conflict with palm oil concession companies. Ka kite ano links below
https://orangutan.org/rainforest/the-effects-of-palm-oil/
Kia ora Newshub looks like everyone is having a good time at the Big Gay Out in Auckland today. Te twerker.
Our Australian cousins are getting a bad run from Mother Nature there pollies in power are still deniers.
Its a good day for sports in Waikato today Ka pai
Ka kite ano
Kia ora The AM Show The Chinese Terracotta army is a great view of Chinas long history.
People have to start making choices that include the risk to animals as well as humans when choice are being made the wild fires and flooding forests being cleared choice being made for money over the best choices to save animals and wild life .
Jason I do think it’s a joke that the Australian Army cannot fly stock food in to Townsville to feed the animals that are effected by the floods the roads are stuffed so fodder can’t be trucked in.
What about companies selling alcohol that does more damage to society than most others Substances and its sold in supermarkets go figure.
Rude you made that Wahine feel uncomfortable respect for all is a lesson you need to learn why did the other Mayor not get interview.
Mark I was going to comment on the 10 questions competition I chose not to comment on it.
Internet tech is a dubble edged sword it has its good and bad points it all about have good knowledge on the tech and a ballance. Ain’t nothing wrong with Rugby it’s a game every one can play Ka kite ano.
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute.
Putting solar panels on our drinking water reservoir and lakes is cool the solar panels stay cool in summer and prouduce up to 20 more power dosen’t use expencive land slows the growth of alge that is caused by our farms leaching urea it our water a lot of positives get the big tick copying this move.
Putting Solar Panels on Water Is a Great Idea—but Will It Float?
The U.S. has been slow to embrace the technology, even though Japan and China are zooming ahead
Winemaker Greg Allen had a problem. As president of Far Niente Winery in Napa Valley, California, he had done the math on how much land the vineyard could possibly dedicate to solar panels, to offset energy costs. The figure—about two acres—“really hurt,” Allen says. So he compromised: Far Niente completed an array of 2,296 solar panels, 994 of which float on pontoons tethered to the bottom of the winery’s pond. The installation was the world’s first nonexperimental floating solar array.
That was in 2008. Since then floating photovoltaics have proliferated in Asia—yet not so much in the U.S. Japan has more than 60 installations, the most of any country in the world. China, a bourgeoning giant in renewable energy, claims the world’s largest array. That facility, which went online in 2017, floats atop an artificial lake created from a collapsed coal mine near the city of Huainan. The 166,000 panels can produce some 40 megawatts, or enough electricity to power about 15,000 homes. A {{2018 World Bank report estimated the global potential for floating solar arrays on artificial water surfaces would exceed 400 gigawatts.}}}
But floating installations also offer several advantages over land-based arrays: Most obvious is they do not take up valuable parcels that could be used for agriculture or development. The technology can be easier to install than land-based or roof-mounted systems; once assembled, crews float them into place and anchor them. The arrays can improve the environment as well; blocking sunlight from penetrating the water can reduce evaporation and inhibit algae blooms. (It is not yet clear how the arrays might affect fish, birds or other wildlife.) And because solar cells become less efficient as they heat up, the water’s cooling effect can{{ increase their conversion ability by as much as 20 percent.}}
Given the benefits, the sluggish pace of adoption in the U.S.—which had just 14 installations at the end of 2018—can be puzzling. Teresa Barnes, who manages the photovoltaic reliability group at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), says the availability of open land could be one factor. Yet lack of land has often been a driver at the
small number of U.S. sites. That was the case for the Kelseyville County Waterworks District in California, which installed a 720-panel array on its wastewater treatment pond in 2018. Good payback is another incentive; the district anticipates it will recoup installation costs within eight years of operation. Links below ka kite ano
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/putting-solar-panels-on-water-is-a-great-idea-mdash-but-will-it-float/
Kia ora Newshub the polls give me hope that we will be able to combat climate changes Ka pai
I seen that scientists review on our insects collapseing they are treasure that we need yes the pesticides that the big companies flog to us lieing that the chemicals have no negative effect on on human and the wildlife YEA RIGHT Organic farming will save our insects and awa rivers and Environment. NZ big companies best start to invest in organic farming products or risk going BROKE.
Times are changing for the better in Aotearoa society Ka pai
Its not on that people import workers and rip them off hope the offenders gets what they deserve.
The Sir Edmund Hillary trust does a good deed with the youth Kayaking and his grandson kayaking trip in Antarctic. Ka kite ano
The Crowd goes Wild sorry Guys I have chosen not to comment on our sports stars as unusual phenomenon happens ECO MAORI enjoys the show heaps Kia kaha Ka kite ano