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.
Michael Bassett writes – I’m not sure that it’s much comfort to anyone to know that the post-Covid surge in violent crimes, gang activity, ram raids, random shootings, thuggery and stabbings is occurring in other countries as well as New Zealand. These days, wagging school, out-of-control welfare and ...
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Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
Asia Pacific Report Barangay New Zealand’s Rene Molina has interviewed the country’s first Filipino Green MP Francisco Hernandez who was sworn into Parliament yesterday as the party’s latest member. This is the first interview with Hernandez who replaces former Green Party co-leader James Shaw after his retirement from politics to ...
An Australian Strategic Policy Institute report says Pillar Two could raise the industry to state of the art capability - or "crush" it "under the weight of the globe's biggest player". ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marlene Longbottom, Associate Professor, Indigenous Education & Research Centre, James Cook University ShutterstockThis article contains information on deaths in custody and the violence experienced by First Nations people in encounters with the Australian carceral system. It also contains references to ...
“Instead of following along countries that are investing in death and better ways of killing people faster, we need to invest in life and in making Aotearoa a fair, just and equitable place where everyone has what they need for a dignified life.” ...
MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI, TPM MP FOR TAI TOKERAU This Government will not waver in its mission to exterminate Māori. CHRISTOPHER LUXON Oh well look you know I don’t think that hard-working Kiwis want to hear language like that. It’s just really unhelpful rhetoric. My Government is genuinely committed to advancing outcomes ...
The body positivity movement started with women confronting the unrealistic expectations and unrepresentative portrayals of them in media and advertising. Men weren’t part of it … their bodies hadn’t been sexualised to the same extremes and they didn’t really need it. But now that’s changed. And in a warped sort ...
The New Zealand comedy legend takes us through her life in television, including the time she hugged Elton John and the unshakeable legacy of a girl named Lyn. In 1981, Ginette McDonald stood on the stage of Auckland’s St James Theatre and directly addressed Queen Elizabeth II. It was a ...
An essay by Lily Duval from the just-released anthology Otherhood: Essays on being childless, childfree and child adjacent.I was 22 when my friend Alice gave birth in the living room of our pokey Addington flat. She laboured in the blow-up pool for hours. Garish fish swam along the inflated ...
Ella Borrie on the best books about motherhood she’s come across so far. Over the past few years I’ve been drawn to books about motherhood. I’m fascinated by the joys and horrors of becoming a parent. The question of children also feels more pressing than it used to. It’s like ...
Out of gift ideas for mum? You can’t go wrong with a bottle of toilet cleaner and a new squeegee. Emily Writes is the writer and editor of Emily Writes Weekly. This week marks five years since I published a post on The Spinoff about Mother’s Day marketing titled ‘A ...
My husband is posted overseas for 12 months and I’m armed with an expensive, newfangled vibrator. Will I miss him? The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.A few days after my husband leaves, a new sex toy arrives at the front door. Nestled ...
Jaimie Baird’s new book Here Today Gone Tomorrow is a record of four decades of graffiti and street art in Wellington, told through more than 1,200 photographs. He spoke with Joel MacManus about what inspired the book. How did you first get interested in photographing street art? I remember ...
Editor Madeleine Chapman looks back at a busy week where food of all political leanings dominated. Sometimes you’re just going about your week thinking you’ve got a good handle on what might be coming as far as news topics and then someone (usually a politician) says something so ridiculous that ...
In a week of cold rain and frost, the climate in courtroom four upstairs at the Invercargill courthouse was simmering with restrained indignation. At times it felt like the famous Mexican standoff scene from Reservoir Dogs, or, as someone watching the proceedings described it, there was so much throwing of ...
A banner notification alerts me to the fact that I’ve received an Instagram message from @felicity.loves. She always comments on my posts. I shouldn’t have opened the message, but clicked on the notification before rationalising this. OMG! Are you in Wellys? X I debate not replying, but Instagram will inform ...
In Melbourne’s hardscrabble western suburbs where AFL – Aussie rules football – is a state religion, Callum Donaldson has been quietly grafting away, four months into an odyssey that he hopes will take him to another promised land: the NRL. It was a solid 2023 for the softly spoken 20-year-old ...
Pacific Media Watch Television New Zealand Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to investigative journalism and Pacific communities in a ceremony at Government House, reports 1News. She has been the Pacific correspondent for 1News since 2002, breaking many ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Tuesday’s budget will respond to the deepening public agitation over Australia’s housing shortages by pouring new money into crisis accommodation for women and children, social housing and infrastructure. A specially-convened national cabinet late Friday ticked ...
By Kaneta Naimatu in Suva Journalists in the Pacific region play an important role as the “eyes and ears on the ground” when it comes to reporting the climate crisis, says the European Union’s Pacific Ambassador Barbara Plinkert. Speaking at The University of the South Pacific (USP) on World Press ...
Aldora Itunu is back in the Black Ferns squad after a three-year absence. The last of her 24 internationals was an underwhelming loss to France (7-29) in Castres to conclude the disastrous 2021 Northern Tour. The powerhouse prop won a Rugby World Cup in 2017 and thought she was done. ...
The fight to control major transport policy and projects in Auckland has burst into the open again, with councillors rejecting Mayor Wayne Brown’s latest attempt to steer things more under his influence. Councillors from the left and right broke ranks on the mayor’s bid to control Auckland Transport more directly ...
Exhausted by the general election campaign, horrified by the twilight zone of coalition negotiations, distracted by the silly season and waiting for the honeymoon to begin, Raw Politics has been in hibernation since October. From today, we’re back. Our weekly political video show and podcast returns for ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Authorities in the small town of Boulouparis have commemorated Armistice Day on May 8 with a new memorial honouring New Zealand soldiers who were stationed in New Caledonia during World War II. The ceremony took place in the township on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior lecturer, international migration and refugee law, University of Technology Sydney The High Court unanimously ruled today that the Australian government can keep asylum seekers in immigration detention indefinitely in cases where they do not “voluntarily” cooperate with their own ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Munro, Lecturer, Creative Industries and Digital Media, University of South Australia Twenty-four hours after the release of Macklemore’s pro-Palestine protest song Hind’s Hall on social media on May 7, the video had already notched up over 24 million views. In ...
Failing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...
Failing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...
350 Aotearoa is calling the Environment Select Committee’s decision to allow oral submissions from just 40% of individual, unique submitters who asked to speak to the committee ‘a disgraceful blight to democracy’. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Helal, Assistant Dean (Sustainability), The University of Melbourne Dubai skylineAleksandarPasaric/Pexels Since ancient times, people have built structures that reach for the skies – from the steep spires of medieval towers to the grand domes of ancient cathedrals and mosques. Today ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Musole, PhD Law Student, University of New England Girts Ragelis/ShutterstockRecent trends show Australians are increasingly buying wearables such as smartwatches and fitness trackers. These electronics track our body movements or vital signs to provide data throughout the day, with ...
Papua New Guinea experienced a significant earthquake on 24 March in East Sepik and there has also been recent flooding there and in surrounding provinces. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yousuf Mohammed, Dermatology researcher, The University of Queensland Maridav/Shutterstock You wake up, stagger to the bathroom and gaze into the mirror. No, you’re not imagining it. You’ve developed face wrinkles overnight. They’re sleep wrinkles. Sleep wrinkles are temporary. But as your ...
The Environment Select Committee has just announced that 60 percent of individuals who asked to speak at the hearings will not be heard. This equates to almost 700 people who made individual submissions and more than 1000 more who made a form submission. ...
The Royal New Zealand Ballet is performing Swan Lake around the country. What kind of dream does the ballet sell?Before going to see the Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Swan Lake, I had about as much familiarity with the plot of this ballet as could be expected from having ...
A new poem by Auckland poet Eamonn Tee. High Tide at Local Maxima It is only going to get worse. The streams will be narrow and fickle. The week will bend and buckle like a pot-bellied waist. You will make it to the weekend with one ...
The New Zealand entrepreneur behind beauty business Ethique is gearing up to launch a new eco-venture. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Our thirst for a tasty bevvy is insatiable, but it comes with a hefty plastic price for the planet: 580 billion ...
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 James by Percival Everett (Mantle, $38) A retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from ...
By Kamna Kumar in Suva Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna stressed the importance of media freedom and its link to the climate and environmental crisis at the 2024 World Press Freedom Day event organised by the University of the South Pacific’s journalism programme. Under the theme “A Planet for ...
Tara Ward previews a new local TV series offering alternative visions of motherhood. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. A woman is clambering up the side of her two-story house, clinging desperately to a drainpipe. Nearby, her child is perched on the ...
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is supportive of the cross-party approach to climate adaptation announced by the Minister of Climate Change today. ...
The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) and Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) welcome today’s announcement from Government around a bipartisan inquiry into an enduring climate adaptation framework for New Zealand. ...
The Free Speech Union welcomes the decision by the Department of Internal Affairs, and Minister Brooke Van Velden, to abandon proposals to further regulate online speech. ...
Its new building in Wellington will not be nearly big enough for all its records, and it has also run out of money to build its new storage facility in Levin. ...
BusinessNZ is congratulating the Minister of Climate Change for his work in achieving cross-party consensus for a way forward on climate adaptation. ...
Recent research reveals the repeal of smokefree measures is not only bad for our health, but also the economy. The Government has repealed various smokefree measures to ensure it keeps collecting $1.2 billion a year in tobacco taxes, in order to pay for tax cuts already being delivered to ...
The club’s surprisingly good season is built on the desire to prove a random A-League YouTuber wrong… and a few other factors.“There’s no way that Wellington Phoenix play finals this year. I can’t see it happening at all.” Those are the words of Lachlan Raeside, an Australian football content ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By César Albarrán-Torres, Senior Lecturer, Department of Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology Apple TV+ As one of billions of bilingual individuals in the world, it disappoints me when a film or TV show with characters of a non-English-speaking background is ...
The under-utilised course is a waste of space, and with a little political will, it could be turned into something better. For the duration of her stay in Wellington, my long-suffering cousin listened to me rant about golf courses. They’re bad for the environment: water intensive and pesticide heavy. They ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Ruppanner, Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of The Future of Work Lab, Podcast at MissPerceived, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock A recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows US fertility rates dropped 2% in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Corderoy, Medical doctor and PhD candidate studying involuntary psychiatric treatment, School of Psychiatry, UNSW Sydney shop_py/Shutterstock Picture two people, both suffering from a serious mental illness requiring hospital admission. One was born in Australia, the other in Asia. Hopefully, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Treby, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, RMIT University P.j.Hickox, Shutterstock Peatlands store more carbon per square metre than any other ecosystem on Earth. These waterlogged, mossy bogs beat even dense rainforests for their ability to act as carbon reservoirs. Under the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Goss, Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra Government spending on health has been growing so rapidly that a decade ago the then health minister Peter Dutton called it “unmanageable” and “unsustainable”. Health spending grew in real terms by ...
New Zealand's largest electricity distributor is warning the country to hurry up with controls around charging electric vehicles or face unnecessary bills running into the billions. ...
New Zealanders have been asked to conserve energy this morning to combat a possible electricity shortfall, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A call to conserve power New Zealand is facing a possible electricity shortfall, with people up ...
Writer Rebecca K Reilly breaks down the national book awards. What are the Ockhams?The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are our annual national awards for books published for adults, and have existed in this form since 2016. There are four categories: Fiction, Poetry, General Non-fiction and Illustrated Non-fiction. There ...
Wellington City Council should keep its 34% ownership share in Wellington International Airport, argue Unions Wellington spokespeople Finn Cordwell and Ashok Jacob. Insanity, as the saying goes, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Wellington City Council (WCC) is yet again proposing to dispose ...
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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