Lprent has been doing site maintenance, plugin trimming, fixing stuff, et cetera. I believe tweets also don’t embed at present. It is like reading MSM online with an ad-blocker, i.e., I quite like it this way!
I wonder if Teachers and Nurses are going hard because they know that if Nat/Act are in power they will get no pay rise and if anything a pay reduction.
Probably – National scrapped the Pay Equity unit shortly after winning the 2008 election, so there's something to be said for getting things done under the current government and avoiding that as a possibility.
Any future pay increases that don’t keep up with inflation are a pay cut in real dollar terms. IIRC, National would not commit to increasing pay [of nurses] in line with inflation. Which is ironic given that they bleat a lot about indexing tax brackets.
A Japanese film that explores involuntary euthanaesia in drama form. The director has made it in order to pre-empt a slow creep in Japanese society towards demonising those who are not financially secure.
'Over the past decade, [the director] adds, the Japanese concept of self-responsibility has become an obsession. “It means that we have to take care of ourselves instead of relying on the government or being a burden to society – and it has created a kind of hatred towards the elderly and the weak.” '
I used to joke to my son growing up that his could be the first generation to have the chance to live for ever. And that his probably would also be the first generation with the legal power to euthanise their parents.
Of course, I started from the age of four or five to inculcate him with "you'll look after me when I'm old, won't you" (no question mark). We talked about fun stuff, too, in case you judge me as morbid. I'm of the school 'prepare (psychologically) for the worst, hope for the best'. Oops, reading this through I realise I need to emphasise the /sarc.
Sounds like the evil twin of Bill English's "social investment". You identify a set of people as being in themselves problematic. Then you can either pretend to give them extra support (the Blinglish model), or you withdraw whatever support they might already have in order to kill them. Same underlying pathological idea, just some sentimental surface differences in treatment.
New Zealand Green Investment Finance, created thanks to the Greens, has been allocated another $300 million in the 2023 Budget:
Budget 2023 will accelerate the uptake of low-emissions technologies across Aotearoa and help create new jobs and opportunities, Climate Change Minister James Shaw announced today.
“Pioneering green investor, NZGIF, will be provided with an additional $300 million to invest in solutions to stimulate clean, green investment into low carbon companies and projects, and mobilise private capital.
“Since its establishment in 2019 New Zealand Green Investment Finance has been a major player in the work to finance and incentivise climate innovation and drive down emissions,” said James Shaw.
…
“This capital investment will support existing and future projects, including transport, process heat, infrastructure and early-stage companies. It will also open up new parts of the market and enable NZGIF to attract larger sums of private capital.
“As at June 2022, the total estimated lifetime emissions reductions of its investments was 580,000 to 710,000 tonnes of CO2e. That is equivalent to 480,000 to 590,000 homes energy use for one year.
“We know we can’t plant our way out of the climate crisis. We have to stop putting pollution into the atmosphere that causes climate change. The great thing about NZGIF is that it invests capital into companies, technologies, and projects that focus on abating emissions rather than offsetting.
“In addition to generating a rate of return on investments, the capital is recycled and can be invested into other projects. It’s a win win.
“NZGIF shows that it is possible to deliver low carbon benefits alongside investment returns – and that capital coupled with purpose makes economic sense.
“It is a Government and climate success story that not enough people know about”, James Shaw said.
Yes, targetted profiling a big theme for neolibs. The UK runs such a system of focussing on "problem families". That way you can blame the individuals and not societal conditions/pay rates. I prefer Labour's approach of investment to uplift a class, in this case Māori, who dominate in negative health and prison stats. The Nat/neolib approach smacks of the classist "undeserving poor".
That seems to be baseless speculation – Mahuta has been explicit that she has no intention of following Whaitiri to TPM
Mahuta told the Herald that following Whaitiri out the door was “not going to happen”.
“Fundamentally, the mandate I’ve been put into Parliament to represent is one that has been firmly based on Labour policies but also the needs within my electorate, which ostensibly have always been bread and butter issues.”
Yeah it is just speculation – but you have to admit it has some logic to it. It likely hangs on this calculus – have I peaked with Labour, or can I achieve more with TMP?
What happens when middle NZ becomes aware of just how radical the separatist Maori sovereignty agenda really is?
Well they are not that worried about the crazy far right radicalism of the act party, and the economic melt down their election would cause.
Māori sovereignty or let me rephrase it so you don't have to run with your fearmongering line, up lifting Māori out of economic bondage seems quite tame in comparison.
Criticising a political policy is not the same as 'fearmongering'. No more than your not unreasonable objections to 'crazy far right radicalism' of ACT.
As for "lifting Māori out of economic bondage" – the Māori I meet here in Australia seem more than capable of doing this for themselves. Not sure what is holding back the ones still living in NZ.
Yep very poor decision and likely very tragic consequences. To enter a cave system which contains a waterway when rain any rain is forecast let alone when there have been numerous weather warnings is complete insanity.
I'm sure the bereaved family will entirely support your position /sarc/
I'm not quite sure what conclusions I'm supposed to have jumped to. The death of the student has now been confirmed. We all know what the weather conditions were. There is no question but that this was an 'official' school trip.
What more information do you need to have?
Can you think of *any* circumstances where this would have been a sensible and responsible trip to take, given the forecast weather?
You can't even say that the consequences would have been unforseen – we've had previous tragedies where school trips have been overcome by bad weather.
In a statement to Newshub, the family said they're deeply grateful for the help and support from search and rescuers – and they wish for their privacy to be respected.
[…]
"WorkSafe has opened an investigation into the incident, but cannot comment further while the investigation is underway."
[…]
[David] Seymour is urging people to take a breath before criticising people involved in organizing the trip.
"I can understand why people will say, 'It's hard to believe how they could go with a rain warning being a cave.' But, having said that, you shouldn't judge people before you know all the circumstances they faced at the time," he said.
"I'm a bit worried that there'll be a national pile-on today when maybe there were circumstances or factors we don't all understand yet."
Education Minister Jan Tinetti shared similar thoughts to Seymour, saying it was a day of grieving.
[…]
"I will be talking to my officials today about just that but at the same time being mindful that today is a time of grief.
[…]
"We [Police] acknowledge this event has been very distressing for the school and wider community, and that there are a number of questions the public will have.
"At the moment, police's focus is on supporting those affected and we remind people to please not make assumptions as to what has occurred."
I look forward to you imposing the same level of proof on all of your political commentary.
And countering your selective quoting
“The mother who spoke to Stuff said the school group should have never been in the caves given the weather warnings.
She said communication from the police and school was “shocking”, with police urging the students not to answer their phones after they were rescued as distressed parents tried to reach them.”
…..
“Parents posted online criticising the school’s “absolutely insane” decision.
Questions about why the outing was not called off remain unanswered, and intensified after Stuff revealed students were meant to be rock climbing but the forecast downpours forced the trip underground instead.”
Valid commentary based on the publicly available information.
If we are required to wait for the official W&S investigation before commenting – surely you will also wish to apply that 'level of proof' requirement to other commentary. /sarc/
Nah, you can jump the gun, if you must, even before the poor boy’s body was found and recovered. I find it insensitive, disrespectful, and premature, which is neither a requirement nor an imposition. You may want to be more careful with jumping to conclusions and accusing others – it seems a bit of a habit of yours.
Sure thing. I'll continue to make valid commentary.
And, always happy to respond to additional information as it is presented.
I call it forming an opinion, based on publicly available evidence. You call it jumping to conclusions.
I note that you didn't express this opinion in any of the criticism which has been presented on non-Labour politicians or figures (you might want to look at the Charlotte Bellis debacle – not TS's finest hour).
Wilson makes an important point about our news media as well. Broken glass is more newsworthy than routine white collar crime, even though the scale is vastly different and impacts are systemic and hurt more people eventually
There is a blogsite I look at regularly where anger about ram raiders is common and ideas about what should happen to ram raiders (and their families) are freely shared. Ruthless treatment is to be meted out.
Some young people do things which have profound impacts on victims. We know that.
If a lawyer or businessperson operating in the same block of shops or offices of a ram raider ruthlessly destroys the lives of a number of people with crooked dealings, ripoffs and treachery do they get the same attention and contempt in that same forum? No, or at least very seldom and certainly not with the same venom and sustained attack. That stuff is ignored.
Why? Because they are highly likely to not be young Māori offenders.
Broken glass is so much more tangible and easier to prove than 'pretty legal' white-collar crime. Court cases are highly technical, long, and thus boring.
I (for better or worse – usually the latter) subscribe to NZ Herald – the comments to Simon's article are just so predictable, most of them are frothing at the mouth and possibly other places as well! One or two brave souls had the utter temerity to support what Simon said and they got shot down in flames as well.
Kia Ora. I have not been here for quite some time.
I noted on a recent Open Mike there was a bit of discussion around Chloe Swarbrick talking about the cruelty of Greyhound racing.
I have been campaigning for many years, along with others, for a ban on the sale of fireworks to the public. I have been motivated from an animal welfare perspective, after knowing of the loss of animals to fireworks, permanent disability and evolving psychological disorders.
This is a move formally supported by FENZ, NZ Police, SAFE, NZ Veterinary Association, SPCA and others. that I have possibly forgotten.
I've been through two Select Committees. The first report published in August 2020 was full of top notch evidence from the above organisations, and I think I put up a fairly good fight.
The second Select Committee was a pared back version of the first and the report, written by Nat Jacqui Dean was verging on insulting and patronising.
I am here to tell you that, if you are considering animal welfare when you vote, think about the Green Party. They have been the only ones who have actively engaged with me and supporting a ban. They also really mean it. It's not lip service for the feels.
I’d be fine with a ban on public sales. The other aspect is people going to beaches and letting off fireworks and leaving all the shit behind from that (as well as impact on wildlife). And in many parts of the country November is a fire risk and this will only get worse with climate change.
Are sparklers included in the ban? The biggest challenge is removing family fund and tradition.
I think part of the problem has been the H&S bar for local community fireworks displays being ridiculously and unreasonably high. It used to be a great little fundraiser for rugby clubs, Playcentres and schools to hold a 'bonfire night' event. Families would pay as small amount, and bring along their own fireworks to 'pool' for everyone to enjoy.
Sausage sizzles, food sales, softdrinks etc. – were the major funding stream for the hosting organization.
Many also did this as a community goodwill gesture – making a family-friendly, fun event.
The requirement for OTT safety plans, and personal liability for risk for the organizers, has killed off all of these local events. In the last 15 years it's gone from a choice of 3 or 4 within walking distance – to nothing.
Families have the choice of attending a large event, costing a lot of money, held miles away, and which is often not suitable for small children; or holding back-yard celebrations (often moving, illicitly, to beaches or local parks).
What people really want is a community event: a safe space for kids to play (supervised) with sparklers, and seeing mid-size fireworks (catherine wheels, rockets, etc.) – touched off by adults or older children under supervision; with a picnic space, and with the odd treat food and drink option.
If there's a community event, where they can freely participate, teens are much less likely to sneak off to the bush or the beach to let off their rockers and bangers. And people are much more likely to join in to the local event/s rather than letting off their own fireworks on their own schedule.
There's space for the mega-events as well – but they can't be the only option.
Hi weka. Yes, it's a problem with fireworks on beaches. In many cases there will be council by law in place that prevents fireworks being lit on beaches or council reserves. This can be enforced by Police. If in doubt contact your local council prior to fireworks going on sale to check whether there is a by law in place preventing people from using fireworks in public spaces.
FENZ have already commented on the fact that this is a terrible time of year to be letting off fireworks. After all, they are heavily affected at this time of the year putting out fireworks related bush and scrub fires.
As for us campaigners the resistance is not coming from families (largely they have the good sense to go to safety approved public displays) and tradition doesn't count as there is nothing to do with modern Aotearoa acknowledging the gun powder plot of 1605 in England. Our challenge is merely political apathy.
Public polling was used as evidence in submissions to both SC's but later a man bv the name of Johnathon Hill commissioned a private survey showing that 65% want an end to public sales.
"Helm’s call to ban fireworks has been backed up by a survey commissioned by Wellington man Jonathan Hill which shows two thirds (65%) of the 1085 people asked, now oppose the private sale of fireworks."
Yes, sparklers need to included in a ban given recent concern about the explosives toxins creating respiratory problems in children, however sparklers can be used in animal torture too.
One of the many things that happen when same sex attracted people are force teamed with straight people with a bunch of medical and psychological conditions.
"Resist Gender Education (RGE) objects in the strongest terms to our group being named in the above Stuff report about harassment and threats against teachers, librarians, trans people and their allies, and the implication that we have participated in such behaviour. We do not advocate for, nor condone, threats or harassment towards anyone and certainly not towards the rainbow community, which many of our group are part of.
Stuff’s coverage of this issue is, as usual, one dimensional, implying that anyone who might challenge schools on education policies regarding sexuality and gender must necessarily be against same-sex relationships. RGE is a non-partisan and non-religious group of parents and educators, including lesbians and gays, who are (obviously) supportive of same-sex relationships and the marriage equality laws in NZ. Our challenge to education policies is focused solely on the teaching of gender identity beliefs as if they are fact and on teaching these concepts to children who are too young to be able to grasp the complexities involved.”
Looking at RGE's website, of the three links with NZ content, one is from Family First, one is a very old article from 2016 about a student at an all-girls' school who didn't like the idea of sharing a bathroom with a transgender student, an issue which was resolved at the time with little fuss, plus a link to the I'm Local NZ Rainbow Youth resource site.
"Kicked off in 2014 by RainbowYOUTH, the I’m Local project focuses on contacting high schools, medical centres, hospitals, libraries, marae and community centres in more rural or isolated area of Aotearoa and supplying them with free resources about gender and sexuality."
The educational material is clearly targetted at high schools, not primary schools, is voluntary, and seems quite a good idea to proovide support for gender-diverse adolescents in small rural towns. No kiddie grooming here, as far as I can see.
The other site links are to overseas articles, eg, from the right-wing Spectator and culture wars mag The Critic, and refer to situations not relevant to us here. Full of the usual horror and indignation, though.
"The educational material is clearly targetted at high schools, not primary schools, is voluntary, and seems quite a good idea to proovide support for gender-diverse adolescents in small rural towns. "
Where was the reference to the source material, and the indication who it was for?
Holy fsck Seymour is an annoying prat. After all the RW scaremongering about 3 Waters he has suddenly realised it might be a good idea to build drains.
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You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
Karl du Fresne writes – There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
David Farrar writes – The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time.A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
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Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference. “In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed ...
The Tribunal had called on Minister for Children Karen Chhour to provide evidence at an urgent inquiry into the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Midjourney image by T.J. Thomson As more than half of Australian office workers report using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for work, we’re starting to see this technology affect every ...
This sort of thing is unbelievably grim. BTW – how come youtube videos no longer embed automatically?
https://youtu.be/TeOdxKozra0
Health and Safety in the workplace.
Lprent has been doing site maintenance, plugin trimming, fixing stuff, et cetera. I believe tweets also don’t embed at present. It is like reading MSM online with an ad-blocker, i.e., I quite like it this way!
Land of the free
Home of the brave!!!
The URLs still show though
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/131986127/meka-whaitiri-breaks-silence-explains-why-it-was-time-to-leave-labour-and-join-te-pti-mori
How can you potentially go into Government with someone you do not trust?
The answer is:
With a written agreement that you then fulfil over multiple budgets.
See: 2017-2020 coalition agreement
If TMP has a brain, they will bargain for a specific agreement with dumptrucks of money attached, just as Winston Peters did.
Assuming you are older than 5, you do still think the world is B&W!?
Trust is fundamental, no matter what your age
Indeed, but this doesn’t mean it is unconditional, complete, absolute, infinite, permanent, or blind.
Smells like BS to me. Looks like an attempt at self preservation. Waka jumping doesn't exactly demonstrate trustworthiness
Misleading headlines!
No wonder there’s staff shortages in NZ schools.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/489548/has-sexism-suppressed-teachers-pay-education-ministry-launches-investigation
I wonder if Teachers and Nurses are going hard because they know that if Nat/Act are in power they will get no pay rise and if anything a pay reduction.
Probably – National scrapped the Pay Equity unit shortly after winning the 2008 election, so there's something to be said for getting things done under the current government and avoiding that as a possibility.
Took the Nats 19 days in government to scrap the Employment Equity Act 1990.
Any future pay increases that don’t keep up with inflation are a pay cut in real dollar terms. IIRC, National would not commit to increasing pay [of nurses] in line with inflation. Which is ironic given that they bleat a lot about indexing tax brackets.
Stories like this probably don't help either.
'WorkSafe investigates treatment of staff at Christchurch Boys’ High School'
Behind paywall.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/worksafe-investigation-launched-after-former-staff-concerns-raised-at-christchurch-boys-high-school/JZAT7ZZYYBGLXGCHTRODRFKOOU/
What’s that got to do with the price of fish?
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/may/08/plan-75-ageing-japan-euthanasia-suicide
A Japanese film that explores involuntary euthanaesia in drama form. The director has made it in order to pre-empt a slow creep in Japanese society towards demonising those who are not financially secure.
'Over the past decade, [the director] adds, the Japanese concept of self-responsibility has become an obsession. “It means that we have to take care of ourselves instead of relying on the government or being a burden to society – and it has created a kind of hatred towards the elderly and the weak.” '
I used to joke to my son growing up that his could be the first generation to have the chance to live for ever. And that his probably would also be the first generation with the legal power to euthanise their parents.
Of course, I started from the age of four or five to inculcate him with "you'll look after me when I'm old, won't you" (no question mark). We talked about fun stuff, too, in case you judge me as morbid. I'm of the school 'prepare (psychologically) for the worst, hope for the best'. Oops, reading this through I realise I need to emphasise the /sarc.
Sounds like the evil twin of Bill English's "social investment". You identify a set of people as being in themselves problematic. Then you can either pretend to give them extra support (the Blinglish model), or you withdraw whatever support they might already have in order to kill them. Same underlying pathological idea, just some sentimental surface differences in treatment.
New Zealand Green Investment Finance, created thanks to the Greens, has been allocated another $300 million in the 2023 Budget:
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/pioneering-green-investor-gets-significant-boost
Yes, targetted profiling a big theme for neolibs. The UK runs such a system of focussing on "problem families". That way you can blame the individuals and not societal conditions/pay rates. I prefer Labour's approach of investment to uplift a class, in this case Māori, who dominate in negative health and prison stats. The Nat/neolib approach smacks of the classist "undeserving poor".
boom!
Pocket•Cindy
@Pocket_Cindy
Saw this on Facebook, and The Men are foaming at the mouth. Way to prove the point.
https://twitter.com/Pocket_Cindy/status/1655656375513382914
Thank you. That was beautiful.
Noah's flood is deluging Auckland again, arrrgh! At least I got the washing done.
Heard a rumour that Naniah Mahuta is not well and dropping portfolios?
via Barry Soper on ZB (03:22)
Likely well enough to waka jump when the moment is right.
That seems to be baseless speculation – Mahuta has been explicit that she has no intention of following Whaitiri to TPM
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/nanaia-mahuta-rules-out-maori-party-as-meka-whaitiri-prepares-for-big-return-to-parliament/NLR2R6ZV2ZFBTME6JIJBF37PI4/
Yeah it is just speculation – but you have to admit it has some logic to it. It likely hangs on this calculus – have I peaked with Labour, or can I achieve more with TMP?
What happens when middle NZ becomes aware of just how radical the separatist Maori sovereignty agenda really is?
Well they are not that worried about the crazy far right radicalism of the act party, and the economic melt down their election would cause.
Māori sovereignty or let me rephrase it so you don't have to run with your fearmongering line, up lifting Māori out of economic bondage seems quite tame in comparison.
Criticising a political policy is not the same as 'fearmongering'. No more than your not unreasonable objections to 'crazy far right radicalism' of ACT.
As for "lifting Māori out of economic bondage" – the Māori I meet here in Australia seem more than capable of doing this for themselves. Not sure what is holding back the ones still living in NZ.
Is “radical separatist Māori sovereignty agenda” your dysphemism for “co-governance”?
Nope. I just rely on TPM's policy page on to inform me:
https://www.maoriparty.org.nz/mana_motuhake
Faced between a choice of ACT's radical economics amd TMP's radical constitutional and social agenda's – it's not all that clear which I'd pick.
I'm more worried that TPM is positioning itself as kingmaker with potential to form govt with the right. Big turn-off
Rubbish Red !! Stop telling porkies. Nanaia is staunch Labour.
It seems beyond belief that a school felt that it was a good idea to send students on a caving expedition in the teeth of a warning of heavy rainfall
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/northland-weather-police-and-fire-respond-to-students-trapped-in-abbey-caves/4EBTF2452JHLPGZH7TN6QUHNPY/
My heart goes out to the family of the missing student.
Yep very poor decision and likely very tragic consequences. To enter a cave system which contains a waterway when rain any rain is forecast let alone when there have been numerous weather warnings is complete insanity.
I think you may jumped to conclusions prematurely, but I feel it is too early to start waving fingers and go tsss, tsss …
I'm sure the bereaved family will entirely support your position /sarc/
I'm not quite sure what conclusions I'm supposed to have jumped to. The death of the student has now been confirmed. We all know what the weather conditions were. There is no question but that this was an 'official' school trip.
What more information do you need to have?
Can you think of *any* circumstances where this would have been a sensible and responsible trip to take, given the forecast weather?
You can't even say that the consequences would have been unforseen – we've had previous tragedies where school trips have been overcome by bad weather.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/centres-guilty-pleas-over-canyon-tragedy-welcomed/Y3CJ747JVU5OWCJ2MQ23FGMUXQ/
Schools know that weather is a risk factor, and school trips are routinely cancelled because of weather conditions.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2023/05/body-found-in-search-for-missing-student-in-whang-rei-s-abbey-caves.html
The conclusions you jumped to last night have not changed, it seems.
Each to their own.
I look forward to you imposing the same level of proof on all of your political commentary.
And countering your selective quoting
“The mother who spoke to Stuff said the school group should have never been in the caves given the weather warnings.
She said communication from the police and school was “shocking”, with police urging the students not to answer their phones after they were rescued as distressed parents tried to reach them.”
…..
“Parents posted online criticising the school’s “absolutely insane” decision.
Questions about why the outing was not called off remain unanswered, and intensified after Stuff revealed students were meant to be rock climbing but the forecast downpours forced the trip underground instead.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/abbey-caves-tragedy-lost-a-much-loved-and-treasured-son-and-brother-whangarei-boys-principal-pays-tribute-to-dead-student/TRCLN7XBFVD2VMSX6RXI4UFLAY/
What level of proof am I imposing and on whom?
"Jumping to conclusions"
Valid commentary based on the publicly available information.
If we are required to wait for the official W&S investigation before commenting – surely you will also wish to apply that 'level of proof' requirement to other commentary. /sarc/
Nah, you can jump the gun, if you must, even before the poor boy’s body was found and recovered. I find it insensitive, disrespectful, and premature, which is neither a requirement nor an imposition. You may want to be more careful with jumping to conclusions and accusing others – it seems a bit of a habit of yours.
Sure thing. I'll continue to make valid commentary.
And, always happy to respond to additional information as it is presented.
I call it forming an opinion, based on publicly available evidence. You call it jumping to conclusions.
I note that you didn't express this opinion in any of the criticism which has been presented on non-Labour politicians or figures (you might want to look at the Charlotte Bellis debacle – not TS's finest hour).
I said you “may [have] jumped to conclusions prematurely”. You couldn’t even wait till the body had been found.
Instead of sarcasm you’re now opting for deflection and whataboutism!? Not your finest comment.
I don’t expect you to change your spots, almost nobody here does anyway.
You said:
"The conclusions you jumped to last night have not changed, it seems."
Nothing about "may" or "prematurely"
However, little profit in debating form with a moderator.
Enjoy your evening.
Your subesequent comments removed any doubt.
Simon Wilson pulls no punches: “Tax avoidance is the ram-raiding of the uber-rich”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/simon-wilson-tax-avoidance-is-the-ram-raiding-of-the-uber-rich/XYERIHPL7VHGFGOP7E5P5JN3AM/
Well said Simon. Thanks Rob.
Of course the givers of huge amounts for Nat/Act expect nothing at all in return. Not a thing. The givers are just being kind as is their custom.
Wilson makes an important point about our news media as well. Broken glass is more newsworthy than routine white collar crime, even though the scale is vastly different and impacts are systemic and hurt more people eventually
There is a blogsite I look at regularly where anger about ram raiders is common and ideas about what should happen to ram raiders (and their families) are freely shared. Ruthless treatment is to be meted out.
Some young people do things which have profound impacts on victims. We know that.
If a lawyer or businessperson operating in the same block of shops or offices of a ram raider ruthlessly destroys the lives of a number of people with crooked dealings, ripoffs and treachery do they get the same attention and contempt in that same forum? No, or at least very seldom and certainly not with the same venom and sustained attack. That stuff is ignored.
Why? Because they are highly likely to not be young Māori offenders.
Excellent points Peter.
Broken glass is so much more tangible and easier to prove than 'pretty legal' white-collar crime. Court cases are highly technical, long, and thus boring.
I (for better or worse – usually the latter) subscribe to NZ Herald – the comments to Simon's article are just so predictable, most of them are frothing at the mouth and possibly other places as well! One or two brave souls had the utter temerity to support what Simon said and they got shot down in flames as well.
Didn't know they still allowed comments. Probably not a good idea for the Boomers' blood pressure
Kia Ora. I have not been here for quite some time.
I noted on a recent Open Mike there was a bit of discussion around Chloe Swarbrick talking about the cruelty of Greyhound racing.
I have been campaigning for many years, along with others, for a ban on the sale of fireworks to the public. I have been motivated from an animal welfare perspective, after knowing of the loss of animals to fireworks, permanent disability and evolving psychological disorders.
This is a move formally supported by FENZ, NZ Police, SAFE, NZ Veterinary Association, SPCA and others. that I have possibly forgotten.
I've been through two Select Committees. The first report published in August 2020 was full of top notch evidence from the above organisations, and I think I put up a fairly good fight.
The second Select Committee was a pared back version of the first and the report, written by Nat Jacqui Dean was verging on insulting and patronising.
I am here to tell you that, if you are considering animal welfare when you vote, think about the Green Party. They have been the only ones who have actively engaged with me and supporting a ban. They also really mean it. It's not lip service for the feels.
Thank you and that is all.
Catherine AKA We Care, No Fireworks Here
Labour Party member, Ohariu Electorate
I’d be fine with a ban on public sales. The other aspect is people going to beaches and letting off fireworks and leaving all the shit behind from that (as well as impact on wildlife). And in many parts of the country November is a fire risk and this will only get worse with climate change.
Are sparklers included in the ban? The biggest challenge is removing family fund and tradition.
I think part of the problem has been the H&S bar for local community fireworks displays being ridiculously and unreasonably high. It used to be a great little fundraiser for rugby clubs, Playcentres and schools to hold a 'bonfire night' event. Families would pay as small amount, and bring along their own fireworks to 'pool' for everyone to enjoy.
Sausage sizzles, food sales, softdrinks etc. – were the major funding stream for the hosting organization.
Many also did this as a community goodwill gesture – making a family-friendly, fun event.
The requirement for OTT safety plans, and personal liability for risk for the organizers, has killed off all of these local events. In the last 15 years it's gone from a choice of 3 or 4 within walking distance – to nothing.
Families have the choice of attending a large event, costing a lot of money, held miles away, and which is often not suitable for small children; or holding back-yard celebrations (often moving, illicitly, to beaches or local parks).
What people really want is a community event: a safe space for kids to play (supervised) with sparklers, and seeing mid-size fireworks (catherine wheels, rockets, etc.) – touched off by adults or older children under supervision; with a picnic space, and with the odd treat food and drink option.
If there's a community event, where they can freely participate, teens are much less likely to sneak off to the bush or the beach to let off their rockers and bangers. And people are much more likely to join in to the local event/s rather than letting off their own fireworks on their own schedule.
There's space for the mega-events as well – but they can't be the only option.
Hi weka. Yes, it's a problem with fireworks on beaches. In many cases there will be council by law in place that prevents fireworks being lit on beaches or council reserves. This can be enforced by Police. If in doubt contact your local council prior to fireworks going on sale to check whether there is a by law in place preventing people from using fireworks in public spaces.
FENZ have already commented on the fact that this is a terrible time of year to be letting off fireworks. After all, they are heavily affected at this time of the year putting out fireworks related bush and scrub fires.
As for us campaigners the resistance is not coming from families (largely they have the good sense to go to safety approved public displays) and tradition doesn't count as there is nothing to do with modern Aotearoa acknowledging the gun powder plot of 1605 in England. Our challenge is merely political apathy.
Public polling was used as evidence in submissions to both SC's but later a man bv the name of Johnathon Hill commissioned a private survey showing that 65% want an end to public sales.
"Helm’s call to ban fireworks has been backed up by a survey commissioned by Wellington man Jonathan Hill which shows two thirds (65%) of the 1085 people asked, now oppose the private sale of fireworks."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/130533495/call-for-ban-on-fireworks-after-temuka-woman-has-to-put-seriously-injured-foal-down
Yes, sparklers need to included in a ban given recent concern about the explosives toxins creating respiratory problems in children, however sparklers can be used in animal torture too.
"insulting and patronising" describes Jacqui Dean quite well.
One of the many things that happen when same sex attracted people are force teamed with straight people with a bunch of medical and psychological conditions.
"Resist Gender Education (RGE) objects in the strongest terms to our group being named in the above Stuff report about harassment and threats against teachers, librarians, trans people and their allies, and the implication that we have participated in such behaviour. We do not advocate for, nor condone, threats or harassment towards anyone and certainly not towards the rainbow community, which many of our group are part of.
Stuff’s coverage of this issue is, as usual, one dimensional, implying that anyone who might challenge schools on education policies regarding sexuality and gender must necessarily be against same-sex relationships. RGE is a non-partisan and non-religious group of parents and educators, including lesbians and gays, who are (obviously) supportive of same-sex relationships and the marriage equality laws in NZ. Our challenge to education policies is focused solely on the teaching of gender identity beliefs as if they are fact and on teaching these concepts to children who are too young to be able to grasp the complexities involved.”
https://resistgendereducation.substack.com/p/challenging-harmful-policies-is-not?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&fbclid=IwAR1VKIFdx6EeIil0Dns59fDew83awiArjiWc9_VIJ6BCuBt8K0wSQ9EMGpQ
https://www.resistgendereducation.nz/information/gender-in-education
Looking at RGE's website, of the three links with NZ content, one is from Family First, one is a very old article from 2016 about a student at an all-girls' school who didn't like the idea of sharing a bathroom with a transgender student, an issue which was resolved at the time with little fuss, plus a link to the I'm Local NZ Rainbow Youth resource site.
https://www.imlocal.co.nz/#freestuff
"Kicked off in 2014 by RainbowYOUTH, the I’m Local project focuses on contacting high schools, medical centres, hospitals, libraries, marae and community centres in more rural or isolated area of Aotearoa and supplying them with free resources about gender and sexuality."
The educational material is clearly targetted at high schools, not primary schools, is voluntary, and seems quite a good idea to proovide support for gender-diverse adolescents in small rural towns. No kiddie grooming here, as far as I can see.
The other site links are to overseas articles, eg, from the right-wing Spectator and culture wars mag The Critic, and refer to situations not relevant to us here. Full of the usual horror and indignation, though.
[deleted because of unlinked quote]
I've deleted your comment. I'll reinstate it when you provide links for the quotes.
Where was the reference to the source material, and the indication who it was for?
In quote marks at the start I give the self-description from the Rainbow Youth site, where they state who they think will benefit from the resources.
I made a mistake in that the material is targetted at Rainbow Youth generally.
Holy fsck Seymour is an annoying prat. After all the RW scaremongering about 3 Waters he has suddenly realised it might be a good idea to build drains.
https://twitter.com/StrayDogNZ/status/1655809769427570688?s=20
FYI Seymour CC is real. You utter womble.
The thick blue line is 2023. Other lines are rainfall data back to 1963, measured at Auckland Airport.
from https://twitter.com/REasther/status/1655754262142648320?s=20