Yeah well, … did they have the same mechanisms to register climate change 300 years ago?… and modern ice ore samples?… hey… lets ask the frozen mammoth who died with a tuft of grass in its mouths ( personally I think it died of a heart attack or old age .. ) , point is … why do we think we are any different ,- this worlds gone through many epochs of cooling and warming.
And as for the industrial revolution and 100 years of petroleum /coal usage?
One volcano the size of Karaktoa put up more debri into the atmosphere .
I dunno. I cannot escape the suspicion theres a definite political agenda behind much of this, and yes, there are changes, but we've moved from ' global warming' to 'climate change'… all in a few short decades…
20c Global Warming was considered linear, now it's evident it's exponential and the Planet is transitioning ( Abrupt Climate change) to a new hot state. Refer Michael Mann's hockey stick analogy.
Yeah well smog, space junk , and plastic bags killing marine life are all bad.
But if we are to believe the evolutionists ,they say this earth is 'old' and has gone through many heating and cooling events. From Gwondala land ( and every other permutation on the theme ) and its break up and the volcano/mountain building process to the Carboniferous , Mezazoic, Cretaceous and a whole bunch of other 'zoics' and convenient eras they care to label.
Think of it,… the 'Carboniferous' period… tons and tons of carbon locked up in trees, when they say the worlds atmosphere was far warmer than it is at present and there were no ice caps and the sea levels were much higher than now. So now we release a small percentage of that carbon in the form of oil and coal into the atmosphere again… so , voila!- instead of a return to the Carboniferous conditions and accepting it , – all of a sudden we get something different entirely… whereby certain groups ( read ' Bilderbergers' ) of this world can impose carbon taxes and gain control… seems a bit human – centric to me ,mate… with a fair few of those humans seeing a golden opportunity to make a fast buck and gain power more than any real concern ' for the planet'.
And this is where we have the orthodox geologists and evolutionists by the short and curly's yet again, – by asking the question exactly WHY should we expect any difference between the Carboniferous period for example and now?
You cant destroy matter as we've been led to believe, – and what goes up, must come down, – so they say. So now we release a very small portion of that former Carboniferous period carbon into the atmosphere in the form of oil and coal and now all of a sudden its 'anthropomorphic climate change'.
It raised the alarm when Al Gore stood to gain millions of dollars in carbon tax shares along with the Bilderberger society ( the originators and pay roll guys of the theory originally ).
There's no doubt there's change, but its a far cry from what the doomsayers are trying to make us believe. There's just no way conditions are going to approach anywhere close to the conditions that the orthodox geologists , climatologists and evolutionist's are leading us to believe. No way at all.
You, your children and your grandchildren will still be here in 100 years time. Yes , Australia will grow hotter, yes the polar caps will shrink – as many of the glaciers have,… and yes, we will see more cataclysmic events regards typhoons and hurricanes …but that is supposedly a trifle compared to what changes this planet has undergone before – WITHOUT anthropogenic interference.
As I've said before … you have far more to fear from THIS :
"I cannot escape the suspicion theres a definite political agenda behind much of this…"
Oh yes, there certainly is. And there is huge money to be made from this great bandwagon. But the bigger problem is that the kind of hysterical alarmism now so common is actually turning people off taking real action to address the issue.
I think the issue is when people keep repeating themselves.
You do have a point re: doomsayers. But we must allow for the grieving process people go though when they realise the world and life as they know is under threat. Hell, I'd rather dream of a rosy future full of robots and hover boards than worry about how to deal with survival through rapid change.
It does cause a period of histrionics in many as grief is a real bitch.
As for making money… You really think there's some leftie conspiracy going on for cash? You don't understand lefties at all do you. There might be a few opportunists on the bandwagon but most aint in it for money at all, they're trying to save our asses.
Some of them trying to save our asses seem kinda shrill. The intention is largely honorable and sometimes it's a PITA.
You're a big boy now aren't you. You'll figure it out.
If there's one thing that galls me is humankinds rank stupidity in clearing the worlds forests ,- those massive 'purifiers' that are the real 'lungs' of the earth. The natural flora in any environment is there for a reason because it is the flora designed for that region. They are the filters of the planet.
We replace it with monocrops such as pine , or worse ,… put it into pasture,… in NZ , I think there is less than 17% left of our lowland forests. Appalling.
We collectively destroy those forests and the fauna which derives sustenance from them. We truly are wreckers. We create deserts. And the worst thing?- it is totally preventable.
I wonder if more effort was put into simple revegetation ,… along with developing alternative, cheap sources of energy ( and they exist – one only has to read the huge amounts of data online ) whether we would see a far more balanced environment. I'm sure we would. One only has to look at documentary's on Chernobyl and the return of the mega wild life including Deer, Moose , Bears and Wolves – all totally unharmed by any 'radiation' to see the punyness of mankinds endeavors.
Nature has a way of cancelling out anything we ever do once left alone.
It is a comfort to see how rapidly the forest has again taken over and is covering the 'once city' of Chernobyl in a mere 30 years.
In a study of the Toltecs, Mayans, Aztecs and Incas ,.. it is amazing how those society's not only created vast land areas from swamps and islands, – massive city's – ( 20 million populace in both the Aztec and Incas empires) but how they managed by not managing their surrounds barring what they needed for horticulture/agriculture. We cannot go back to that era but it is food for thought.
An example of good planning are those farms in NZ who revege on riparian areas or provide natural areas for stock to shelter under… small increments such as that help to provide habitat, food sources, shelter – and in the case of riparian areas, – a natural filter for excess nitrates and the like.
Our problem is our method of governing,.. with successive govt's not seeing the environment as being more important long term than pandering to human profit interests in the short term.
Indeed,… it would be interesting to see if the 'lungs' of this earth were again increased to even a portion of what they once were,… if that would create a more stable atmospheric system and negate this mad hysteria of 'anthropomorphic climate change' and the carbon tax whereby nothing changes globally in an environmental sense , – barring certain elite individuals becoming even more obscenely powerful and wealthy.
And we still promote tourism as a growth industry. So we can "tax" those with a few $$ considered rich BUT should there be an industry that would have large negative impact on our well being better not touch !!
And as for calling for an emergency ?? Hopeless without meaningful action , and in most cases meaningful action has a price to pay as those US civil rights activists killed .
“staggering” new warning from a top United Nations official that climate crisis-related disasters are now occurring at the rate of one per week, with developing nations disproportionately at risk, provoked calls for immediate global action to combat the human-caused climate emergency.
The warning came in an interview with The Guardian, which reported Sunday:
Catastrophes such as cyclones Idai and Kenneth in Mozambique and the drought afflicting India make headlines around the world. But large numbers of “lower impact events” that are causing death, displacement, and suffering are occurring much faster than predicted, said Mami Mizutori, the U.N. secretary-general’s special representative on disaster risk reduction. “This is not about the future, this is about today.”
This means that adapting to the climate crisis could no longer be seen as a long-term problem, but one that needed investment now, she said. “People need to talk more about adaptation and resilience.”
If anyone was ever curious about Artificial Intelligence this is an excellent primer based around the question 'what are machines so smart, yet at the same time so dumb'?
One in five children are living in households where putting food on the table is a struggle, according to a new report from the Ministry of Health.
Queues of people lining up at the Manurewa MSD office to get emergency assistance.
Auckland City Mission general manager of social services Helen Robinson said they have seen a 40 percent increase in demand for food this financial year, compared to last year.
The number of hardship grants provided by this Government has increased 60 per cent year on year.
If this was a National Government one would be asking where is the brighter future? But in this case it's a Labour one promising wellbeing as it proudly spends $20 billion on defence
Without the Chairman's relentless and heartfelt expressions of concern for the Government's behaviour, this site would be nothing more than a riotous, bacchanalic festival of gloating and showboating by irresponsible, boastful lefties, drunk on power and sherry (is that what Socialists drink?Milk-stout maybe?Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell were never a Tories, were they?).
We have a great deal to thank the Chairman for; he brings dignity to a blog that would otherwise be nothing more than a great night at the Rovers.
Yay! Oh damn. I'll go for Yay! I love that florid description Robert – I wait in anticipation of being drunk on power, and sherry or kambucha (once I get used to it. We have a firm that has started making it in Nelson.)
Kambucha, grewarshark, is easy to make with basic brewing skills and gear. Cheap, tasty, even in smaller doses healthy. Doesn't have to be strongly alcoholic either. My brew is about 1% abv and made from mostly black tea with some flavoured tea bag additions. All you need is a SCOBY, tea, sugar and a brewing vessel. Mine's under an airlock in a 5 litre bottle. 3 litres every three weeks. My daughters reckon I'm an original hipster- though I'm of hippy age.Cheers!
"be concerned for those the Government are failing"
Are the Range Rover owners all getting crook off the plastics? Have the homeowners been dropping from exhaustion trying to make their rentals liveable? What about Farmers, cleaning up shit can't be good for them?
I understand how the lack of CGT has affected the poor dears leaving much less ammo to back up their claims the sky is falling while they continue to live off the sweat of real men.
I suggest an army of folks with umbrellas to symbolise the danger of said sky falling, and perhaps a Range Rover parade, to commemorate the death of the free market.
It is good the Auditor General is able to illustrate the gross failings and mismanagement of the previous government. Have we managed to link it all to the current government yet? Those PR boys need to earn money too.
It may be the government lack the perfection of execution required to clean a complete shit show up overnight. Let alone the convergence of many life threatening phenomena at once.
I do hope you'll send them a terse letter compiling your concerns.
It doesn’t matter whether I “already have some idea that it is far more” or not. The point is that others who read TS may not know. You drew the comparison with the Defence spending budget yet failed to show the other side of the ledger. A persistent failure, I may add.
But it would be interesting to know how much is spent on the bureaucracy opposed to the recipients.
I assume you mean the bureaucracy to run the social welfare system? In what way would it be interesting? Do you have a benchmark in mind? Would you like to propose a more efficient and effective system? Are you in favour of small government?
Again, you ask leading questions but fail to offer anything constructive. Is it merely negative criticism or anti-government propaganda? Despite your repeated protestations and claims of being “more left than most” it is often impossible to tell. By your comments we know you.
The comparison drawn was to highlight we have a welfare system that is largely unfit for purpose, resulting in widespread hardship. Yet, the Government prioritises a massive military spend over increasing core benefit rates in its so-called Wellbeing Budget.
If this wasn't so dire it would be a joke.
Thus, of course this is negative criticism. Labour can't pull crap like this and not expect to be criticised. The left I know are fuming. Yet, here, one can't point out such things without coming under fire.
In what way would it be interesting?
Exactly as I stated. To see how much of the welfare spend actually goes to those that require it. What's the CEO on now days?
I'm not advocating for smaller Government but I'm confident efficiencies could be found at MSD.
There you go again, with emphasis added where you clearly show your prejudice:
The comparison drawn was to highlight we have a welfare system that is largely unfit for purpose, resulting in widespread hardship. Yet, the Government prioritises a massive military spend over increasing core benefit rates in it's [sic] so-called Wellbeing Budget.
There is no comparison if you do not give the actual figures. It is just disingenuous innuendo and almost looks like a smear campaign.
I’m also sure efficiencies can be found at MSD, which is an operational matter. Let’s cut the CEO’s salary by 50% and see whether that will solve “widespread hardship”. What is your benchmark for how much should go to those who require it?
So, Labour, NZ First, and the Greens should stop to “pull crap like this” and you and your lefty buddies can stop fuming, no less. To me this sounds it is all about you and might explain the angry emotive language that has become your trademark for criticising Labour in particular rather than the CoL Government as a whole.
I think the paradox of who pays for the military and how is limited by a population that is surplus to requirements, Y'know disposable.
I don't think that is Ron Marks fault for successfully getting his budget priorities through. I think it is rather more telling that the rest of the cabinet ministers didn't.
I don't think so. If you were to construct a budget right now based on your desperate attempts to protect your little theoretical model of a government budget it would produced a CEO salary half what it is now, fewer bureaucrags so a smaller cheaper government and more stupid.
Well Y'know Chairmen and I have discussed this welfare thing a few different ways before and I thought he was correct on a few things. The public just has to get used to these billion dollar unicorns. A billion dollar budget blow out used to be a very rare event. Now practically every ministry is experiencing these budget unicorns and we just have to mornalize them.
Well I listened to Ron Marks budget speech. In it he congratulated the former minister of defence Gerry Brownly for showing a little bit of interest in his portfolio at the time, something he criticized Mark Mitchel for lacking, Y'know interest, self drive, a bit of knowledge of the issues.
If I go down the list of priorities out lined in the Defence Capability Plan released a couple of weeks ago, an extra LHD, an extra patrol vessel, basically $20 billion in stuff. No one thought Ron Marks could get all that past the Greens.
More significant is that the $20 billion dollar plan has so far crossed 2 successive governments. In my humble opinion I think the public should embrace such spending and more of it as a natural part of running a government.
There is no comparison if you do not give the actual figures.
Clearly, it wasn't a dollar for dollar comparison. It was a moral one. Highlighting a massive military spend was prioritises over increasing core benefit rates of kiwis most in need.
What is your benchmark for how much should go to those who require it?
The Welfare Expert Advisory Group gives some good indication.
To me this sounds it is all about you…
Well that clearly highlights you live in a bubble if you genuinely believe that to be true.
Do you see your disingenuous smear campaign criticism of Labour as some kind of moral crusade? I mean $20 billion and the CEO’s salary combined obviously show how evil out of touch Labour is, and without a moral compass. There is no comparison necessary about dollars or how taxpayers’ money is spent, it’s just plainly and clearly wrong.
You don’t have a benchmark except for some vague reference to a group of others. Did they give benchmark for how much of the total MSD spent should go to those who require it? You brought it up so it is a valid question to ask you. But you keep ducking for cover and not answering the question.
Yes, I live in my personal sphere. What do you live in? When do you stop drawing attention to yourself and when will you start using your skills in a more effective and productive way here?
It's somewhat moral but more so a political need. And I'll explain why. Unfortunately, despite all their rhetoric, Labour's representation of the left is vastly lacking. National lite is the most common description. Therefore, they only tend to act in the interest of the left when they are publicly pressured to do so (and even then they largely fall short). I'm one of many helping to apply that public pressure.
The need is somewhat exacerbated in the current political environment due to the Greens heading down the same path since the political demise of Metiria Turei.
Prioritising such a massive military spend up over better addressing the more pressing issue of poverty suffering and hardship in a so-called Wellbeing Budget is a kick in the face for those who believed their campaign rhetoric and voted for them as a result.
When Little was leader he talked of cutting back this military spend. Yet, evidently, that quickly went out the window once they achieved power.
If Labour no longer want to represent the left, then fine. But they must make that publicly clear. Don't try to appeal to us only to turn around and shit on us. A least with National, the left know where they stand. No expectations, no let downs. With National we know we are screwed.
Re the bureaucracy opposed to the recipients, as I don't have a total overview, I don't currently have a benchmark in mind. I just thought it would be interesting to see the actual breakdown of where the money all goes.
I appreciate your considered comment, I really do.
It leaves a number of questions unanswered. For example, is the Defence spending really “massive” compared to social welfare or health or poverty reduction? How can we tell without actual figures? Another way of putting it is to suggest how much less should be spent on Defence IYO and where and more importantly how should that money be spent elsewhere? It is easy enough to gesticulate wildly with your hands and arms but given that you don’t know what those who are in charge know I think this comes across as ignorant and arrogant.
Another question that remains is why Labour should be held to account for things they said and promised in the past, which they are allegedly not delivering on in the current Coalition Government? Can Jacinda Ardern be held to everything Andrew Little said when he was Labour Leader? Even when the parties are not delivering on past promises, it might mean that they are doing as much as they can under the circumstances.
The Defence spend is massive in a historical sense.
Little was speaking as Labour Party leader months out from the election, they changed leader but made no suggestion they were going to change their stance on this military spend. So of course they will be pulled up on this and called to account. Are you on planet Key? What were you expecting? Everybody to lay down and take it?
Labour's failure to deliver largely comes down to them tying their own hands (BRR, income tax, CGT etc) when it came to funding their rhetoric.
Another way of putting it is to suggest how much less should be spent on Defence IYO
I'd look at cutting it in half. And spend the money on welfare, housing and health. But I don’t have a full overview. Nevertheless, whatever the case I wouldn't be spending that much on Defence with the current shit that's going down locally.
Moreover, that massive expenditure will largely head offshore. Whereas, if we spend it locally now, it will not only stimulate the local economy but will also save us money (by improving social ills) going forward. Putting us in a better position to re look at it (the military spend) further down the road.
Ok, are you talking about cutting in half the Government's $20 billion Defence Capability Plan 2019 for the next 11 years?
What would be the known consequences of that cut?
Is that the only source of money or are there other areas you would cut too? Or was Defence spending just a rhetorical tool and a weapon to use against Labour? More like you’re ideologically opposed to Labour rather than ideologically supportive of more social welfare? I really cannot tell because once you start lashing out at Labour it doesn’t seem to matter what it is/was about.
You would “spend the money on welfare, housing and health”. Sounds good but what specifically would you do with the $10 billion? Build more social housing? Increase PHARMAC funding more? Increase benefits more? More support for mental health?
It’s the largest Defence procurement ever announced. Albeit it was initially announced by National.
What are you suggesting? That they rip up the Coalition Agreement?
Don't be silly. I was highlighting why they are failing to deliver.
Could they have avoided this? Yes, I'm confident they could of. They didn't have to make the BRR so stringent from the onset.
Just as Jacinda could have done more to secure a CGT (as I've highlighted here before) And she further dropped the ball completely dropping it. Polls showed support for a CGT. Especially when combined with tax cuts. She could have at least put it up for referendum come next election.
It was only going to be tax neutral for the first 5 years and it would have become a massive revenue source, which Jacinda has unnecessarily thrown away without batting an eyelid. And to make matter worse, they have no B plan as yet. And it will be a hard loss of revenue to compensate for.
They wouldn't have lost any votes taxing the top 1 percent (they may have even got away with taxing the top 10%) yet nada. Another lost form of revenue.
The tourist entry tax was another area they fell short. Another potential revenue stream cut far short.
They have a lot to deliver but are fiscally boxing themselves in.
I like your minimizing tactic and the way you continue to pretend it's just me that wants them to do more. Have you seen the People's Budget. Heard of CPAG? AAAP? I don't stand alone in my wants.
I'm not angry Labour are leading the coalition, I'm (along with many others) disappointed they are failing to deliver. Moreover, they seem intent on making matter worse. Why do they keep doing that?
The Coalition Agreement is probably more of a ‘roadmap’ but also a ‘rulebook’ that loosely (?) defines the boundaries of what’s possible and what’s not from the Coalition’s perspective. Then there are, of course, the usual constraints on what the Government can do. In the end, Governments makes policy, they don’t perform miracles.
Yet, in your eyes, they systematically and continuously fall short and fail to deliver.
With the wisdom of hindsight, with different cards dealt to them by the voters, and under different political and economic circumstances we would and we will have a different outcome. Until then, they play with the cards they were dealt, to their best ability.
But you always claim to know better. Yet, you’re not an insider but more likely just another armChair critic.
I like your evading tactic and never provide straight answers, hard figures, or actual facts. Just your negative views of and attitude towards Labour. Didn’t you vote Green Party??
Good for you that don’t feel alone in your “wants”; is that supposed to show that it’s not all about you? Others here on TS are not exactly blown away by this Government either but at least they put up well supported arguments for debate and not just negative bias towards Labour.
Moreover, they seem intent on making matter [sic] worse. Why do they keep doing that?
This captures your enormous bias in one. Firstly, it is intentional on (again) Labour’s behalf. Secondly, (all) things are getting worse. Thirdly, doubt and suspicion again of their motives and wilful actions.
In short, you don’t seem to comment here in good faith and this is starting to concern me. In fact, you’ve been repeatedly called out about your behaviour here but there’s no hint of acknowledgement, that you take these things on board. Why do we have to put with your comments that demand change from Labour the Government in such an uncompromising way and whilst you show that you’re utterly unwilling to take our criticism on board? Your demands are therefore irreconcilable with your behaviour here and to me show a rigid angry person lashing out at Labour, time after time.
Yet, in your eyes, they systematically and continuously fall short and fail to deliver.
Are you that blind and committed to Labour that you can't see this failure?
So, for example. When they only took 3 recommendations from the The Welfare Expert Advisory Group and not one of them was lifting core benefit rates (which by the massive increase in emergency benefits being issued coupled with the fact we know benefits were slashed, thus no longer fit for purpose showing an increase is long overdue) you didn't see that as them falling short in any way?
Especially with all their campaigning on poverty and giving Kiwis a fair go and a so-called Wellbeing Budget on the horizon?
You see no failure and are totally shocked anybody else would?
Moreover, I'm "a rigid angry person lashing out at Labour" for even suggesting so. Oh and I'm supposedly the only one in NZ even thinking so? Yeah right.
If you don't like what am saying, move on to the next comment.
Don't play stand over games with me. I don't fear you.
It is not about being blind, it is about willing to see and focus. You seem to focus only on Labour’s failures. It is the only thing you want to see, expect to see, and focus on. Thus, you are wilfully blind. You cannot or do not want to see things in perspective. That is a very ‘limited’ way of discussing politics and trying to further progressive ideas IMHO.
If you don’t like what [I] am saying, move on to the next comment.
You claim to be “more left than most”, which should mean you and I are in the same political ‘camp’ for all intents and purposes. However, your anti-Labour bias, which often borders on smearing them IMO, is more hinder than help. To mitigate, I call you out.
Don’t play stand over games with me. I don’t fear you.
Well, that’s a new tactic to make another commenter stop challenging you on your anti-Labour bias. I tell you what, as long as you are making these unrealistic demands of Labour here, I will be challenging you on your comments. If you don’t like what I am saying, move on to the next comment. Don’t play silly games with me. I don’t fear you either.
"One of the key problems today is that politics is such a disgrace, good people don't go into government."
– Donald Trump
Failure is everywhere. It's puzzling that a self-professed "lefty" who is "more left than most", such as The Chairman, remains stubbornly silent (on this left-leaning blog) about the manifold failings of the National party, both in government and in opposition.
No let-up, however, in their "relentlessly soggy" criticism of left leaning politicians/government, so that's a ‘blind in one eye’ fail for The Chairman. As the (now searchable) evidence here continues to pile up, one begins to suspect they were never a friend of the left.
Yes, neoliberalism has moved political parties towards the right which has resulted in Labour becoming National lite, thus no longer really a friend of the left.
And the Greens have shown themselves to be a toothless kowtower to Labour as they are also moving with the neoliberal tide.
So the choice for the left is to either push them back to the left and regain our political representation or look elsewhere for it. Sadly, a good number have just opted out and no longer vote as they see no hope of change.
And when people lose hope, that is where we risk things becoming dangerous.
Are the youth losing hope, or are they "pretty damn hopeless"?
Do you recall your criticism of the Finance Minister at the time.
"Bill English blamed the number of young people on drugs, in part, for the Government's decision not to further limit unskilled migrant numbers.
It's not the first time either. English previously regaled a Fed Farmers meeting about the number of "pretty damn hopeless" young Kiwis who were unemployable."
"pretty damn hopeless" unemployable young Kiwis – Bill English
"when youth lose hope" – The Chairman @3:36 pm
I submit that the current coalition government, led by PM Ardern, gives most young NZers more cause for hope than English or his hair fondling predecessor ever did. Feel free to disagree, loudly & often.
The "lefty" "more left than most" Chairman deplores the inadequacies of NZ's current government, loudly and often, but couldn't manage a bad word about the efforts and outcomes of the previous National government, preferring instead to highlight the manifold shortcomings of Labour, the Greens and even NZ1st in opposition.
The Chairman is "an enigma wrapped in a riddle" – a conundrum. The Hair-man’s deceits, on the other hand, were lauded as examples of integrity and honesty in National party circles.
At least English was being honest in his opinion of young unemployed NZers.
What you clearly fail to see and evidently fail to understand is, Labour's achievements are largely tied to their failures. So it's not that I don't see them, it's just they are not worth raving about.
Take the new tourist entry tax/levy, that was an good achievement which also fell well short.
Medicinal cannabis is another achievement but also another fall short. And again, nothing really positive to rave about.
GP fees, another good move, but again they promised $8 GP visits but only dropped the fees to $18. So of course, the jumps for joy aren't going to be forthcoming.
I can go on but surely you must be starting to see and understand.
What gripes me and others is the lost opportunity, we don't have time to mess about, things are really bad out there and getting worse, hence we need far more done now.
Have you ever seen me rave about Labour or this Government for that matter?
The way I see it is that constructive criticism is about balance and finding the sweet spot between the ‘good, the bad, and the ugly’. Everything happens on a scale, a spectrum if you like. Actually, more in a multi-dimensional and multi-factorial continuum. Simplism and reductionism only get you so far, and binary thinking and dualism are not much help either.
I am optimistic that you and I and many others here are contributing to a better future, whatever that means, and not just for ourselves but also, and more importantly, for others. And we all do this in our own ways, starting with ourselves and our natality (cue Hannah Arendt).
"What you clearly fail to see and evidently fail to understand…"
It's clearlyillogical to expect me to understand that which I "clearly fail to see."
Nevertheless, I see well enough to see through your carefully choreographed pas de deux.
I'm personally disappointed by the scale and speed of progress the Labour-led coalition has made thus far in rolling back some of the more egregious ills perpetrated during nine LONG years of self-serving National party 'rule', but IMHO is a bit too soon to panic. Carry on.
Really? Come on, you're not that ignorant are you? Surely you must know there will be a number of them. Mainly, our defence capability will take longer to rebuild and the wider impact of that. However, it will be $10 billion better off than it currently is now going forward.
It's going to disappoint the international interests that are going to cash in on this. And those that want us to carry more weight. But again, $10 billion will make improvements to our current capability.
Is that the only source of money or are there other areas you would cut too?
No. I would make other cuts and changes too.
I'm ideologically opposed to war. Moreover, historically our military spending has largely been atrociously wasteful. With cost blowouts and purchases not fit for purpose. Which, I'm sure we will see more of with this massive spend up. As they say, watch this space.
I am ideologically supportive of more social welfare spending. It's not only morally correct, it's fiscally astute.
I don't generally lash out at Labour, I just tell it how it is, yet some here take it as a lashing. I guess its a case of the truth hurting some of the more sensitive ones.
Sounds good but what specifically would you do with the $10 billion? Build more social housing? Increase PHARMAC funding more? Increase benefits more?
Yes, yes and yes. In health, more preventative and diagnostic investment to better catch things early. Speaking of which, where are those $8 GP visits that Labour promised but have yet to deliver?
Social housing is where the need is worse and is not being met, which in turn will slow private investment in rental property as rents slow as supply increases. Resulting in less demand for housing, thus slowing house price growth going forward.
Indeed, I’m ignorant of the cuts you demand and their consequences. It is for you to show the impact of these cuts and whether and how the claimed benefits outweigh the negative consequences. This not a simple Excel exercise, you know. Yet again, you fail to provide a satisfactory answer. In fact, you don’t even make a genuine attempt. For example, tell us what you’d cut, why, and what the consequences would be. Be specific. You can use the Defence Capability Plan 2019 as your guide.
I am also opposed to war. Yet paradoxically, spending on Defence can help to avoid war.
Moreover, historically our military spending has largely been atrociously wasteful. With cost blowouts and purchases not fit for purpose. Which, I'm sure we will see more of with this massive spend up.
Nice adjectives. Care to give some examples? You do realise that cost blowouts and purchase not fit for purposes are part and parcel of governing and are really operational matters and not specific to Defence, don’t you?
I am also in favour of more or rather better social welfare spending. I agree, it is good economics.
I don't generally lash out at Labour, I just tell it how it is, yet some here take it as a lashing. [my bold]
Uhhmmm, no. You just tell it how you see it and how you want it. Unless you have all the facts and the complete picture, which you obviously do not, you have just an opinion.
You know that GP visits are not paid for or subsidised by PHARMAC, don’t you? Yes, very good point about prevention and early diagnosis with the only proviso that early diagnosis can have the unwanted consequence of too much and/or too early intervention. Along these lines, pregnancy appears to be more and more treated as a health risk and there are way too many C-sections performed IMHO, at great cost (and with their own health risks).
I agree that the Government should ramp up social housing. I don’t necessarily agree that this should come from the Defence budget but I’m awaiting a compelling argument to convince me otherwise.
Q.1: How long has NZ had "a welfare system that is largely unfit for purpose"?
Q.2: How long has The "lefty" "more left than most" Chairman been criticising the Government charged with formulating and delivering that welfare system?
Our welfare system hasn’t been fit for purpose since at least 1991. Some would argue before that when benefit rates ceased to be tagged to the cost of living.
China without any doubt whatsoever is a threat to our future way of life and standard and quality of living. Ergo, welfare for our countries future security is also social welfare.
Have we so soon forgotten the lessons of the creeping danger as in the appeasement policies of the 1930s, or the appeasement policies of the US towards the sick North Korean regime?
Have you reviewed the WW2 studies where it was pointed out that Chamberlain's period of appeasement enabled Britain to hurriedly prepare for war.
Earlier they would have had insufficient organisation, infrastructure, weaponry, training, planning, manpower etc. to withstand Germany's superior organisation. Winston could and no doubt, did, advise them on that as it had been an interest of his for probably a decade, and he organised regular reports to him on such matters.
The obvious was useful, everyone thought Britain was backing off, and no doubt if they had caught one of their diplomats leaking the truth about their unreadiness, he would have been quickly dealt with; faster than Trump.
This is a very interesting excerpt from a book about Edward VIII who abdicated in 1936. It seems to give a thoroughly researched picture of the man and his approach to his country and royal duties. He seems admirable to an extent which I had not realised, with enough detail to substantiate and explain any faults that could have been found.
' Have you reviewed the WW2 studies where it was pointed out that Chamberlain's period of appeasement enabled Britain to hurriedly prepare for war.'
Or it was a giant fudge that ended when a forest was found to be not a very effective fighter against the relatively most advanced & mobile technological war society of the time & probably since
No forests and fudge didn't appear in the information I was reading.
I thought i was talking about Britain and Germany and France all facing off around 1938-39, and I put a timeline showing earlier years. Was Britain all ready at the time Chamberlain was having talks – they had a phony war too for a while – that must have helped in giving time to get defences ready and plan for attack?
"The number of hardship grants provided by this Government has increased 60 per cent year on year." – The Chairman @4
Why would The Chairman, who is "more left than most", chose to propagate such a scurrilous out-and-out 'citation-free' lie? Steven Joyce, or John Key (god, weren’t they just stinkers) I could understand, but a "lefty" such as The Chairman? Why, it fair beggars belief – who does The Chairman get their facts from, Stacey Kirk?!!
Here are the annual increases (to Sept each year) in the number of hardship grants provided for the last three years. The increase to Sept 2018 is not dramatically higher than the previous two years under a National-led government, and is presumably needs-based. Possibly, just possibly, an unmet need developed under the ‘careful watch’ of National party MPs that is only now being addressed.
"If this was a National Government one would be asking where is the brighter future?" – The Chairman @4
Yet The Chairman was curiously silent about the year-on-year increases that occurred under the National-led government, curious at least for a self-described "lefty".
The Chairman, "as transparent as a transparent thing" – maybe it's all Jacinda's fault, but I don't trustThe Chairman's motives, nor anything they say.
Why would The Chairman, who is "more left than most", chose to propagate such a scurrilous out-and-out 'citation-free' lie?
A lie was it? Yet it was reported as a quote by Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni, in response to claims it was turning away people in need at Manurewa.
Blowing Labour's own trumpet a bit hard perhaps in the ass covering process?
So your information source is Stacey Kirk – quelle surprise.
So glad we at last have a NZ government that is attempting to address this previously unmet need so that folks who were struggling under National's 'blighted future' policies have a better chance of life with dignity – don't you agree?
“Blowing Labour’s own trumpet a bit hard perhaps in the ass covering process?“
Even for The “lefty” “more left than most” Chairman, this is a bit rich. Maybe, just maybe, they are finally transistioning from their ‘friend of the left’ charade – not a second too soon, IMHO.
When I was a child in the 1960's, a significant portion of my neighbourhood struggled to put food on the table. The difference was that people made sacrifices to make it happen, they didn't think the state was the first port of call for help, and they beat down every door looking for work. We have grown soft, massaged into submission by an overly generous welfare system and an unwillingness to make personal sacrifices to take care of those we have had a hand in creating.
Being concerned about how people die rather than some mythical welfare queen eating caviar between meals, popping out kids for less money than the government gives while having to prove they’re looking for work is a fantasy. It’s not a real concern.
It’s the signal. Do the right thing, pay what you owe, and then watch others who didn’t get rewarded. Or, keep you hands in your pockets, live frugally and independently, and watch others live off the state. It’s not all recipients, but there is enough to be of concern.
The 'others' who didn't pay the NCEA fees and had the debt forgiven. The 'others' who cheated the taxpayer and then become Green Party MP's. There are plenty of examples.
When we allow our political leaders to get away with stealing form the taxpayer, we are sending a signal that that is ok. All of what you mention is wrong, but maybe if we made an example of some high profile miscreants (and not just ex Green party leaders btw) the rest of our bad behavers might get the message.
Oh piss off Mr Realestate. Y'know thousands have lost there jobs in the last 10 years through offshoring jobs. Employers just make people redundant and you want to blame Labour, The Greens or the Welfare state. Classic really, conservatives and hard left all in denial.
Hey not every forex trader assumes sovereign risk. Sometimes they just get lucky. Nah but the Reserve Bank now has tools to fight against currency manipulation and I think they are exercising there duties as well as could be expected. Y'know the she'll be right attitude is just the wrong one to have. It's crazy to assume that poor people are the reason the economy is soft.
A reasonable strategy might be to allocate publicly-funded investigative and prosecutorial resources roughly on a pro rata basis, i.e. estimate the total cost (to victims and wider society) of each major category of offending, then allocate taxpayer funds accordingly, starting (as Shadrach suggests) with high-profile alleged offenders.
Don't know exactly how much Metiria Turei's self-confessed offending (~10 years before she was elected to parliament in 2002) cost the taxpayer, but the courts have determined that another former politician (an ex-PM, no less), is liable for $6,000,000 – no small sum. I wouldn't hold my breath that reparations will be forthcoming in either case.
And I couldn't begin to speculate on whether one, or the other, or both offended for love of money, although if personal wealth is any measure then their love of money is not shared equally
"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." – 1 Timothy 6:10
Shadrach – You conveniently forget that when you were growing up, people who found work were paid a decent wage relative to the cost of living. It was worth the effort to work.
No longer so: the minimum wage is now an insult to anybody's dignity.
I blame the Rogernomes. I am old enough to remember Roger Douglas earnestly expounding how his theories had to work, and how NZ should avoid becoming a low-wage economy. With a high-wage economy, we would thrive incredibly..
What a bloody liar. He and his ilk then put in policies that could only plunge NZ into a low-wage economy.
When you were young, people got decent wages when they worked. They don't now, and that changes everything. You reminiscences are invalid and downright stupid.
"When you were young, people got decent wages when they worked."
Did they? And yet my dad worked two jobs at times just to pay the bills. I don't know whether it's easier to live on the average wage today or not. All I know is that I see a lot of people with one hand out and the other spending it on stuff we used to call luxuries.
You're not, by any chance, thinking of David Hisco, Nigel Murray, Jenny Shipley or Peter Whittall? Best not to bother wealthy 'players'; focus instead on real crims.
“Only the poor break laws – the rich evade them.” – T-Bone Slim
In the early 60's, New Zealand enjoyed one of the highest standards of living in the world.
One main income earner was able to cover the bills, put food on the table and pay off the family home. Jobs were plentiful and double time and time and a half for working overtime and weekends were common practice. This allowed many low skilled workers the opportunity to put in some extra hours and be nicely rewarded come payday. Unions were strong and workers enjoyed the benefits of that.
Moreover, the cost of renting or owning a home was far less relative to incomes then than it is now. It was a totally different era, thus as In Vino (above) points out, your comparison, in a general sense is far from valid.
In the 1960's we owed our standard of living entirely to mother England. Those days of gone, and we have had to grow up. Some people haven't, and the rest of us are picking up the tab.
We didn't "grow up" we created an unsustainable mess.
Jobs were lost, unions weakened, and benefits were severely slashed. Labours share of the economy was reduced. House prices have soared and households debt is at record high levels. The most lucrative means of production are largely in foreign hands/ownership and the rich have become richer while more commoners are living in cars and our jails are at near full capacity.
We grew up. Yes jobs were lost, but far more were created. Our economy went from being a basket case to being described in rock star terms. NZ today employs more people than ever before.
We have benefitted enormously from technological advance which has seen us enjoy a standard of living my parents only dreamed of. We have access to inexpensive goods and services far beyond those of the 1960's. And all of that is sustainable if we have government’s that manage the country with skill, which fortunately we have had. Until, arguably, the current government. Time will tell.
What we aren't is dependent on mother England for our standard of living. We have forged an independent economic pathway that has delivered benefits to all who work to enjoy it. That you see the weakening of unions (by workers voting with their feet) and the 'slashing' of benefits as somehow bad things is indicative of a mindset that is stuck in the 1970's. Thankfully the country has moved on.
Apart from technological advancements that, as time moved on, would have largely occurred regardless, our standard of living has fallen since the 60s – not improved.
The rock star label was a sham. Built on a house of cards, namely soaring household debt and an opening of the floodgates (immigration). Both of which are unsustainable in their current trajectory. Our infrastructure is failing to cope, and our growing debt is of concern to our creditors.
As for our indebtedness, local Government is up to its eyeballs. With Auckland for example, hitting their debt ceiling.
Jobs have largely become low paid and insecure, it's now called the gig economy. And the stats used classes one hour of work as being employed, thus there is a growing number that can get the hours of work they require.
Stats NZ data shows that in the year to June last year, there were 2.14 million people in New Zealand who had annual income from wages and salaries.
Of them, 50 per cent took home less than $45,673 a year.
Only 23 per cent of people had income of more than $70,000.
Our impoverishment is now straining our health system.
Having access to inexpensive imported goods such as big flat screens is of little help when people can't afford a flat/home to put them in.
The New Zealand economy would have been 10 per cent larger in 2010 were it not for the steep rise in income inequality which occurred between the late 1980s and mid-1990s, OECD economists have found.
Drawing on data from across the OECD over the past 30 years their econometric analysis finds that income inequality has a negative and statistically significant impact on subsequent growth.
Yes, we have come a long way from dependence on mother England. We were the first to do a trade deal with China and have a number of others under our belt. But while we have come a long way and had sustained GDP growth, our standard of living (bar from technological advancements) hasn't improved and we could have done better (as highlighted above) if we didn't slash benefits widening our inequality. Moreover, our income stats above highlight only a very small number are doing well. The love isn't being shared and it is costing us all apart from a small number at the top.
So instead of pointing the blame at those on the bottom, start looking at what's going on up top.
As I've clearly shown, my perspective is fine. It's yours that needs adjusting
“Apart from technological advancements that, as time moved on, would have largely occurred regardless, our standard of living has fallen since the 60s – not improved.”
That’s nonsense. NZ’ers have been in the position to enjoy new technologies because of the economic liberalisation of the 1980’s and beyond. Without those changes the new technologies would have remained beyond most people due to duties, quote etc. Today even the most modest of households enjoys a lifestyle my parents could only have dreamed of.
“The rock star label was a sham. Built on a house of cards, namely soaring household debt and an opening of the floodgates (immigration).”
Again, nonsense. Our economy is diverse. We have enjoyed growth in a range fo sectors beyond property, including tourism and technology.
“Jobs have largely become low paid and insecure, it's now called the gig economy.”
That is little more than a mantra to satisfy those who have been left behind in a modern economy. We compete on the world stage across a raft of different industry sectors, something we were incapable of in the ‘60’s.
“Our impoverishment is now straining our health system.”
No, they aren’t. Our health system is exceptional by world standards. The stresses on it are largely the result of the availability of new procedures and technologies, and the pressure of an aging population.
“Having access to inexpensive imported goods such as big flat screens is of little help when people can't afford a flat/home to put them in.”
Very few people cannot. I rent to low income families. All have the latest TV’s phones, etc.
“Moreover, our income stats above highlight only a very small number are doing well. The love isn't being shared and it is costing us all apart from a small number at the top.”
You are conflating income inequality with whether people are generally better off. For every economist you cite who claims we could have been better off with less inequality I’ll quote you one who disagrees. Just because my wealth hasn’t increased as much as my neighbours doesn’t mean mine hasn’t increased. Indeed mine may have increased BECAUSE my neighbours has increased by more. Our economy today provides the opportunities for far more people to prosper, but today it is far more about choice than it was in the 1960′. Some choose to live off the rest of us (and that is the fault of an overly generous welfare system), when it really isn’t necessary. Back to my original point.
Without those changes the new technologies would have remained beyond most people.
Not if the love was better shared and people were earning more as a result. As it stands, most of those items are put on tick as they continue to be beyond the salaries and wages of the majority as the cost of life's necessaries (like housing) are robbing them of their discretionary income.
While our economy has diversified somewhat, GDP growth is still largely coming from soaring debt and immigration. Tourism is another area that is becoming unsustainable in its current trajectory, hitting capacity constraints in our infrastructure and accommodation.
A large chunk of tourism income goes towards accommodation, which is vastly offshore owned.
The gig economy isn't merely a mantra, there is a growing number of part time work and a growing number of workers that are underemployed. A job for life has become a thing of the past.
The Auditor-General's latest report into DHBs points to years of underinvestment combined with an ageing and increasingly impoverished population putting strain on our health system.
While low income families may have the latest TV’s phones, etc, a good number still struggle to buy food and pay their bills. These largely one off items (opposed to ongoing daily expenses) don't offset the hardship they face. And you'll find most get into debt to buy them anyway.
I wasn't conflating income inequality with whether people are generally better off. I was highlighting the returns from GDP growth aren't being widely shared. The rich are getting richer as the majority are ending up with less of a share.
For every economist you cite who claims we could have been better off with less inequality I’ll quote you one who disagrees.
You sound like John Key. The IMF and OECD not only acknowledge this but understand how it contributes to the boom and bust cycle. A more equal economy not only fosters growth it is also a more long lasting sustainable economy.
You go on to say "our economy today provides the opportunities for far more people to prosper".
Yet, evidently, more aren't. Home ownership is in decline, Household debt is soaring. Food bank queues are growing. Jails are at full capacity. But that's OK for you as most have the latest phone and a big TV.
Even Phil O’Reilly gets the welfare system in NZ is not fit for purpose and is not overly generous. https://youtu.be/Cdo_Pz6ez5w
“Not if the love was better shared and people were earning more as a result.”
So go live in a communist country, but you’ll pass masses leaving for market economies, that are providing much higher standards of living.
“As it stands, most of those items are put on tick as they continue to be beyond the salaries and wages of the majority as the cost of life's necessaries (like housing) are robbing them of their discretionary income.”
No-one is forced to buy anything. That’s the beauty of a free society.
“While our economy has diversified somewhat, GDP growth is still largely coming from soaring debt and immigration.”
Now you’re saying ‘largely’. That’s a climb down, but you’ve still got some way to go.
“The Auditor-General's latest report into DHBs points to years of underinvestment combined with an ageing and increasingly impoverished population putting strain on our health system. “
We don’t have an increasingly impoverished population. You’re just making this up.
“While low income families may have the latest TV’s phones, etc, a good number still struggle to buy food and pay their bills. “
Maybe these are connected?
“I wasn't conflating income inequality with whether people are generally better off. I was highlighting the returns from GDP growth aren't being widely shared. The rich are getting richer as the majority are ending up with less of a share.”
So what? If my 10% share is worth ore than my old 15%, I’m better off.
“ A more equal economy not only fosters growth it is also a more long lasting sustainable economy.”
There is absolutely no evidence for that. In fact the failure of just about every socialist economy proves you are wrong.
“Home ownership is in decline”
Again, so what? Home ownership is in decline globally, and many immigrants to NZ come from countries with no specific culture of home ownership.
“Food bank queues are growing. Jails are at full capacity. But that's OK for you as most have the latest phone and a big TV.”
The prison population is the result of individual decisions to commit crime. Not colonisation. Not economic policy. Bad personal choices.
“Even Phil O’Reilly gets the welfare system in NZ is not fit for purpose and is not overly generous.”
Our welfare system is a disincentive to SOME to better themselves by their own effort. As a last resort, I fully endorse the welfare state, but it has become the first port of call for too many, and that as been actively encouraged by successive governments. The extensive reach of Working for Families is an excellent example. Middle class welfare is socialism by stealth. And yes, that is John Key.
Why would I want to do that when more socialist countries like Norway are doing so well? I'm a modern day Keynesian not a communist.
I didn't claim people were forced to buy. Was highlighting these items continue to be beyond the salaries and wages of the majority as the cost of life's necessities (like housing) are robbing them of their discretionary income.
Stating largely wasn't a climb down from my initial comment where I stated namely. Nor does it change the point made.
I'm not making shit up. You are just poorly informed.
Purchasing a TV etc is generally a one off expense albeit spread out over time if ticked up. So while purchases like this will have an impact on household budgets, it won't be the main driver of fiscal hardship. Therefore, the interconnection would be small.
If your new 10% share is now worth more than your old 15% share then your new 15% share would be worth more than your new 10% share, hence you are losing out dropping to 10%.
There is indeed evidence. Economic inclusion is a high priority issue for the IMF. High inequality is negatively associated with macroeconomic stability and sustainable growth—core to the Fund’s mandate in promoting systemic, balance of payments, and domestic stability.
You state home ownership is in decline globally as if it's a good thing.
The ability of less people to afford a home is an indication all is not well in an economy, and you are right, this isn't limited to NZ. But that is not a good thing.
While the prison population is the result of individual decisions, it's the wider circumstances that influences and helps shape the decision process. As a society, we can't turn a blind eye to the wider role we play (fiscally and politically) in people's personal choices as it will prevent the right solutions from being found.
The unemployment benefit pays little and has high churn. It's no longer enough to live off so is far from a disincentive. And if you fall ill and can no longer work, you are destine to a life of poverty as the supported living benefit is also no longer enough to live off. Hence, the massive increase of emergency benefits being issued.
The welfare state has become the first port of call for too many due to low incomes (remember your declining share) and the increase of the working poor. WFF is an employer subsidy taking pressure off wage demands and fails to give enough or any to the poor that aren't actually working. Which Key himself admitted and which is why he kept it on the National party agenda.
“I didn't claim people were forced to buy. Was highlighting these items continue to be beyond the salaries and wages of the majority as the cost of life's necessities (like housing) are robbing them of their discretionary income.”
You said they were purchased ‘on tick’. If they are beyond their income, why are they buying them?
“Purchasing a TV etc is generally a one off expense albeit spread out over time if ticked up. So while purchases like this will have an impact on household budgets, it won't be the main driver of fiscal hardship. Therefore, the interconnection would be small.”
But you claimed the funds are borrowed, meaning there is a close connection. You’re dancing across a number of contradictory arguments.
“There is indeed evidence. Economic inclusion is a high priority issue for the IMF. High inequality is negatively associated with macroeconomic stability and sustainable growth—core to the Fund’s mandate in promoting systemic, balance of payments, and domestic stability.”
That’s debatable. Very debatable. The evidence of actual economies is that the free market is reducing poverty while increasing inequality.
“You state home ownership is in decline globally as if it's a good thing.”
No, I state it to put your saying it is a bad thing in a global perspective. Home ownership is not a right.
“The ability of less people to afford a home is an indication all is not well in an economy, and you are right, this isn't limited to NZ. But that is not a good thing.”
In the UK, home ownership has not been an indication of how well the economy is doing. The idea of home ownership has been an unattainable notion for many for a very long time, and yet people live comfortably.
“While the prison population is the result of individual decisions, it's the wider circumstances that influences and helps shape the decision process.”
Not really. To end up in jail requires a particularly serious misdemeanour. That misdemeanor takes a particularly bad set of choices by the individual that most of us don’t take.
“The unemployment benefit…”
…is just one of a raft of welfare measures available in NZ.
“ It's no longer enough to live off so is far from a disincentive.”
And yet some do.
“The welfare state has become the first port of call for too many due to low incomes (remember your declining share) and the increase of the working poor.”
You’re doing it again. A declining share doesn’t mean lower income people get less.
“WFF is an employer subsidy taking pressure off wage demands and fails to give enough or any to the poor that aren't actually working.”
No it’s an income redistribution. Employers pay market rates. They don’t pay less simply because of WFF. WFF should be replaced with a tax free threshold, targeted at genuinely low income families, not middle class welfare.
I said a "more" socialist country opposed to your suggestion I move to a Communist country. And Norway is (albeit not fully) a more socialist country than a Communist country. Additionally, socialist countries tend to be based on a mixed economy, which Norway is.
I said the reason people were putting such items on tick is because it was beyond their discretionary income. And because they are not everyday items there impact on household budgets would be limited, and not the main driver of fiscal hardship such as the high and ongoing weekly cost of accommodation. Therefore, you are either trying to intentionally spin my words for the sake of scoring a point or it could be you genuinely misunderstood.
While the free market may have lifted people in developing countries out of 'extreme' poverty, the same can't be said for developments here in NZ. For example, the number of children living in poverty increased from 12% in 1986 peaking to 24% in 2001. It declined somewhat (with the impact of WFF and and the global boom) but is now (latest data, 2018) sitting at 23%. So not only has inequality worsen, poverty in NZ has almost doubled since 1986. Not improved.
Home ownership is not a legal right, but accommodation is a necessity. Moreover, increasing home ownership is a sign of growing and widely shared prosperity, hence is a good thing. Thus, its decline is not.
Child poverty in the UK is almost at record highs, sitting at over 30%. Clearly, their economy is not as "comfortable" as you claim.
Wider circumstances do indeed influences and shape the decision making process. It impacts us in all manners of ways. From our investment choices right through to whether or not someone will commit suicide or being put into a position they need to break the law. Activism being merely one example. Moreover, wider circumstances such as the poor being more likely to go to jail than an executive also comes into play.
Not only is declining share Of GDP a lower income (as clearly explained above with your new 10% share equating to less than a new 15% share you missed out on by dropping to 10%) it also has wider negative, macro and political impacts.
Again from the IMF:
Equality, like fairness, is an important value in most societies. Irrespective of ideology, culture, and religion, people care about inequality. Inequality can be a signal of lack of income mobility and opportunity – a reflection of persistent disadvantage for particular segments of the society. Widening inequality also has significant implications for growth and macroeconomic stability, it can concentrate political and decision making power in the hands of a few, lead to a suboptimal use of human resources, cause investment-reducing political and economic instability, and raise crisis risk.
rump is horrific self serving bullshitter …. People who claim to like him are sucked in by what he says …. as just like every other bullshitter .. he is a con artist who does not deliver on what he said.
Racists love his dog whistles, especially the ‘build a wall to keep out the invaders’, These idiots deserve to be deceived, and so it is ,,,Their nasty stupidity is being milked by dangerous fool smart enough to say the moronic things their dumb bad ears love to hear….
Trump is totally unable to ' seal the border' …. Unless he wants the usa to have a great depression again.
Sealing the entire border between the countries, meanwhile, would cause economic chaos. In 2017, about $558 billion in goods flowed across the U.S.- Mexico border in both directions, making Mexico our third-biggest trading partner for goods
47 official entry ports, which process more than 1 million people and about $1.7 billion in commerce every day.
Unfortunately and just like our own dirty mucksters, the national party ,,,, Trump goes after the racist vote, and flames their ugly paranoid delusions ,,, That means he will probably ramp up the cruelty towards migrants and refugees …A consolation prize to his angry inbreed voter base.
Microsoft are rolling out new Service Agreements and Privacy Statements. I'd really appreciate a lawyer type taking a look for we who lack sufficient legalese.
I'm putting up a link to this Aussie doco on our very very preventable christchurch mass murder tragedy …… it is very well made, and any Aussie who has watched it is way more informed than the NZ public.
We've got a whole lot of less than honest misdirection and filtering acting against us here in NZ ,, with our 'lone wolf media ' ,,,,, Arse covering secret investigations ,,,, Not to mention all the politicians and media people keeping quiet and hoping we all forget the smears and negative stereotypes they have pumped out since the 9/11 blow back,,,,,
Blowback that was motivated by the 'crusader' killings of 500,000 Iraq children ,,, who died quietly,,,, starved and poisoned with the old traditional crusaders weapon of siege warfare ,,, renamed as sanctions nowadays ,,,in a modern feel good touch.
Our indifference to the ethnic cleaning and land theft ,,, still going on till this day ,,, of the Palestinian People … was also mentioned as motivation … as reported on by Robert Fisk.
Anyway if you wish to be better informed it is a much watch …. Its quite emotional and I got really fucked off at the scope of the failings revealed … the sub-human and white disgrace / trash was posting and displaying red flags ,,, to eyes that were blind … if red was on white.
Also ….. who knew that apart from having " Turk Slayer" written on one of his weapons … He also called for the assassination of Erdogin …
Don't get me wrong …. Erdogin is a war criminal and Kurd killer etc etc …. But our media kept us in the dark when everyone was dumping on him for his ANZACs in coffins comments. However given the context of a networking white sub-supreme terrorist visiting his country twice…. and with the turk slayer message … and kill Erdogin directive.,
,,Tells me Once more NZ has been kept ignorant and manipulated … putting us in the wrong ,,, morally wrong against a creep like Erdogin …. ffs
*The doco does off course give us the name and face of sub supreme …
And it is emotionally upsetting … both from the tragic interviews of survivors …. and the huge red swatzstickers this killer clown was all but draped in when posting online at fascist facebook pages and other extreme right muck hole meeting points .
Sorry peter … I did not see your reply post sooner.
Osama Bin Laden …. who was one of the main planners and leaders behind 9/11 was quoted using the 'crusader' label, which he attached and used to describe the crime of 500,000 dead Iraq children killed as a result of the western nation siege / sanctions.
So I'm quoting the motivation for the 9/11 terrorists ,,,,
9/11 spurred on a big increase in anti-muslim language smears and stereotypes worldwide ,,,, and gave the excuse for the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, Libya.
These wars have been endless with huge destruction …. Causing tens of millions of refugees to flee from the bombs and the war.
The refugees from our bombs and wars have created a ' Invaders ' fear into the dumb insecure and paranoid white Europeans. … Trump and others fan their fears by using their language and agreeing with them ….
I hope this explains it a bit better for you …. 'Cruesader' crimes was the language used and excuse given at the start of a chain of events ….. leading up to the christchurch 'killer …. and his 'invaders' excuse.
None of the excuses given by all the terrorists involved ,,,, and I include the lies / excuses given for invading and going to war in Iraq or Afghanistan were valid.
Bush, Blair . Clinton and Cameron ….. should have all ended up where the christchurch shooter now is … getting locked away for ever/
Trump is having a major fit of the sulks over the British Ambassador emails. He's not gonna work with him anymore even though he and the Ambassador have never met. He's also lashing out at Theresa May and proclaiming his pleasure she will no longer be PM soon:
I'm still trying to figure out why the leaker (whoever it was) leaked the emails in the first place. Was it because he/she was wanting to embarrass the govt., or did he/she think it important for the public to hear the truth from a top diplomat?
Q. Have you ever socialized with Donald Trump in the presence of females under the age of 18?
A: Though I'd like to answer that question, at least today I'm going to have to assert my Fifth, Sixth, and 14th Amendment rights, sir.
a great activist song and I've put some explanation of the lyrics up too 🙂
Pukumeke is a conjunction of puku and meke, meaning ‘final blow’ in the context of the song. As in, the final power, the power to bring change ultimately lies with us.
This is a waiata porotēhi, a protest song towards the dairy industry and other industries in NZ that are polluting our waterways and poisoning the land.
Thanks, Marty. The timing of your post was exquisite and I hope I can share why that was with you someday soon. You'll be thrilled. Can't say more at this time.
Racism. We are all racists. As we can all attribute to someone's virtues based on racial origin. Maori are some of the strongest advocates of positive racism, attributing positive virtues to Maori. Well no, surely examples are needed, otherwise this is well, bad racism, racism that is unevidenced, its like heckling badly. Fair dealing would be some form of accomadation between racists where they evidance each others virtues, but no this isnt common. Since talk of racism immediate brings up one's racial divisions most people avoid the notion as it's rather dumb. Racism is dumb.
Evolution shows us that we are all superbeings having hundreds of million of years of successful ancestors, the idea that we are dissimilar in some way significant way as to require being enslaved, mistreated, denied equality, is absurd as it is an abuse of logic.
Religion, wealth, skin pigmentation, height, etc are continuing to be used in debates to push control of each other. As a society, rule of law isnt about denying people the opportunity of warning us who is making a special pleading, since it's nice to know who to deny jobs, to keep distance from, for good reasons, that bigots come in all forms, closed minded bad for business.
It is wrong what happen to many, it's inevitable societies make mistakes, advancing some, it's necessary that efforts are made to rectify them. The rich are failing to deal with growing inequality.
Did a Iwi / Kiwi racist National electioneering board fall on your head hard, giving you amnesia, makeing you numerically illiterate and unable to see our … racist …. society….
While not committing the aggressive genocide which cleansed murdered and starved the indigenous Native Americans and Aboriginals in Australia … We did lie cheat and steal through 'legal' means …. wage war to take land ….and generally try really hard to break their culture.
We're still attacking their well being ……
Who do we think bears the brunt of our predatory speculation housing bubble ….
Or our Alcohol abuse problem …. that the nats did a Dirty Politics side-step to avoid any meaningful measures to address
Someone like Judith Collins will shit all over Maori in our Justice system … But as pointed out by the corruption exposing reporter who ended up bringing down the criminal ruling Malaysian PM and his Govt …. Judith Collins is saying things that are untrue and unbeleviable …. as she defended the biggest criminals in the world … and Nationals non-fix, of their sneaky corruption enabling tax legislation.
Where greed combined with rich racists … shows the absolute worst about our culture.
New Zealand has vulture investors …. ie the billionaire chandler Bro s
The British, usa and Israel diplomats … should all be told to piss off out of NZ until they reform and stop their warmongering,,,, their stealing,,, and acting like a weaponized lynch mob.
What a depraved disgrace they all are …. The christchurch sick fuck shooter praised both trump and Israel …. it's easy to see why.
The Poms are boozey has been pirates …. only good for stealing, starving children to death in Yemen…. and killing civilians with their military.
We should get out of the five eyes lynch club …. grubby mobsters.
Which reminds me …… Did double dipper Wayne Mapp ever state or show ,,,,, that he made an apology or compensation,,,For the killings of children and civilians …. that he involved all of us in ?.
I'm still waiting for the slightest bit of real proof …. that he has any remorse for the pain and suffering and death and maiming that he walked himself …. and us into.
Some people think he's remorsefull …. He's had a long time to say sorry to the victims ,,, and offer something for the lives he's destroyed.
Because I'd like to get really rude ,,,, and tell him to fuck off and live in Israel .. a flabby but hard right wing Uber-gentile, living among uber-zionists … A kiwi war criminal living in the war criminal Apartheid state of Israel.
Maybe he can show that he did care enough to do the two token gestures towards his …. and our victims.
Or does he have the old white slave-masters complex ????
racist do not want to address racism. duh. So why box them in as racists, let them be humans like you who have feelings. You assume that all racism is racist, it's not some people have turrets? some people just mimic and don't get that it's offensive. most just want a easy life and thought being a jerk gets them what they want. If a boulder is rolling uncontrollably down a hill, you don't argue with the boulder, you point out how the smashing hurts, how the waste costs us, how the simple life…
Anyway, Romans invaded Briton and changed Britons, Britons interbred and are much more diverse, coloured pinkies, and are as a rule unlikely to sign a treaty with Maori if they were racists. rather they knew better by then.
By saying let racists be ……. your passively participating.
And even passive actions speak louder than fine words of how equal we all are when speaking to non-racists. ….
Its like bad behavior from a child ,,, we teach them good behavior ,,,, and everybody ends up more happy .
Racism is also a lie ,,,,, it can make some people so sick they will kill Women, children and old people ……. Christchurch.
I doubt you put up with other types of lies being told to you … if you know the truth you'll go 'hang on a sec, that aint right ' … and explain why.
Racists are a bit like wife beaters … they sick on the inside, with this ugly anger that robs them of the good emotions, those which make us content, happy, satisfied and relaxed.
Kia kaha to the youth for fighting for their future environment.
Let the neanderthal who run this Papatuanuku your future is so special to Eco Maori
New Plymouth students organising climate conference
For two New Plymouth students, climate change boils down to whether or not they will have a planet on which to live out their lives.
Jezza Vivian and Nikita Taiapa, both 17, are organising a climate conference to help the next generation get actively involved, as well as providing rangatahi with a platform to have their voices heard.
Many of their friends don't even want to have children because of uncertainty over the future environment, Nikita said
Coach Stevie I know how you feel with people taking your words and making a moanga out of a mole hill of course there are some women who beat men I have seen it as well.
All you people who are complaining about tamariki getting there qualifications even if they could not afford to pay their fees are just not very nice people you should be feeling sorry for all the tamariki in hardship muppets.
There you go trump is a brat full stop that was a conversation that should not have gotten leaked is trump spying on him ???????????.
Sir David Attenborough ka pai for your highlighting the harm that climate change is going to do to our mokopuna futures. If we don't stop burning carbon the common person future looks very bleak.
Jensen you're art is making the place better and beautiful we should be encouraging people who have great art not suppressing them kia kaha m8.
I it is a step in the correct position on medical marijuana it can revleave a lot of pain that people are suffering.
Biddle I thought I new the feachers I know some Biddles from Te taiwhiti.
The ass has dropped out of the log markets thanks to trump.
Like I have said the returns the Maori land owners get is crap if the logs have to be carted more than 2 hours only the forestry company's are making cream good money there needs to be a port on te taiwhiti coast to cut costs. I reckon that the forest company's short change Maori forest owners and pay their Pakaiha m8 more I see that behavior has been happening for hundreds of years the same can be said for stock agents ripping off Maori farmers and paying their m8 more money.
Lloyd you look like you're enjoying yourself in Britain.
Ryan we need to invest in mass transport not roads we need more Railways. The line to Gisborne Te taiwhiti needs to be fixed so Ngati Porou can get more value out of our exports. Is it a coincidence that the 2 place with high Maori populations have had next to no investment in the roads or railroad. ?????.
I heard that the tenants gave Jensen permission to paint the building with his street art it's all good Ryan the Eco Maori effect is in play Jensen art will get heaps of publicity NOW .
The neanderthals running Our Papatuanuku to the dirt at the minute can not even listen to Wahine concerns let alone listening to our rangitahi concerns with the Papatuanuku and their futures. The 30 under 30 is a great campaign kia kaha. Rangitahi are intelligent people some can see the big picture on Humanity's reality that is we can not keep SHITTING in our own backyard in reality it's full of shit that needs cleaning up right NOW.
I agree Sir Graham we need to nurture our rangitahi not put them down.
Good parenting Reason. Isn't calling your kid a racist when they say something racist, it's far more than that. Kids learn hate from those who teach hate towards racism and racists. Racism is just shallow thinking, as all vulgarity, yet of course has wider effects.
Eco Maori goes to Jaycars Rotorua and Harvey Norman's and what do you know they don't sell satellite dishes for sky or other tv satellites YEA RIGHT The sandflys are playing there stupid game the Muppets
Eco Maori thanks France for putting a Eco tax on there Air travelers all countrys need to follow there lead but use the tax to subsidize clean energy transportation. Ka pai.
France to slap new 'ecotax' on plane tickets from 2020
France will introduce a new charge on plane tickets from next year, with revenue used to fund environment-friendly alternatives, the country's transport minister has said.
The "ecotax'' costing between €1.50 (NZ$2.50) and €18 euros (NZ$30.50) will apply to most flights departing in France, Elisabeth Borne said.
The only exceptions will be for domestic flights to Corsica and France's overseas territories, and connecting flights that pass through France. It will not apply to flights arriving in France
Murphy said the French move could boost efforts to introduce a Europe-wide tax on aviation to reflect plane travel's environmental impact Germany, Italy and some Nordics nations also have ticket taxes. Several European countries are meanwhile pushing for the VAT exemption that airline fuel enjoys in Europe to be dropped
Germany's Environment Ministry said Tuesday it supports discussions on additional CO2-based pricing systems for air travel to reduce the industry's contribution to man-made greenhouse gas emissions, currently estimated at more than 2 per cent but forecast to grow significantly in coming decadesWhat's more, the conditions for competition between air, road and rail travel need to be made fairer,'' the ministry said in a statement. "This is something we in Europe need to achieve together ka kite ano link below.
Ka pai to Meng Foon for his new mahi as race relations Commissioner a great choice for that job.
The Americas couple whose IV babies got mixed up looked unhappy about the time of the mix up happened the hospital tried to sweep it under the carpet tipical don't give a stuff about the people feeling both parents.
Its is great that Middlemore hospital is getting a big money injection so that the hospital can lower the operating list its good that there is more investment going into treatment for Maori and Pacific health problems.
Condolences to Hone Ngati Whanau I like his DJ on The Code on Maori TV.
I agree stop the war on the poor one good thing is we now have a government that is trying its best to serve the tangata needs .It's tuff trying to live in Auckland when you are poor.
Meng foon deserves his new mahi.
With the James Cook not comments but Eco Maori has to let the Whanau know what is actually happening so that they can counter the bias discriminatory ways . Maori must keep trying harder when the system throws US heaps of underarm bowls kia kaha.
Tea puia marae is preforming a excellent service for te tangata.
I,,, you can't beat a traditional Hangi the last hakari was reka.
I think wakakura flax pepi cots will be excellent for Maori pepi living in the . It will be a lot safer than pepi sleeping in the same bed as te Wahine.
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Jones, Program Lead, Food Governance, George Institute for Global Health wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock On Thursday, Australian and New Zealand food ministers at state, federal and national levels met to thrash out what’s next for health star ratings on packaged foods. Now, after ...
The Abuse in Care report found many Pacific survivors lost their connections to their culture and language, resulting in trauma that has been carried from generation to generation. ...
In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori invites the current government to work in partnership with them to develop a pathway forward, including the development of a parallel pathway and meaningful policy and strategy for Kura Kaupapa Māori ...
If you haven’t started watching yet, Tara Ward begs you to reconsider. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In the world of New Zealand reality television, we have many gems in our crown. There’s the delicious second season of the Celebrity Treasure ...
A new poem by Fiona Kidman. The clothes of the dead I did not keep my mother’s furry red beret for long nor the stringy scarves that adorned the necks of my aunts, although I have kept tag ends of gold, the rings and trinkets they wore, the brooches no ...
The government’s announcement that it will re-open the foreshore and seabed controversy by changing the rules on recognising centuries-old Māori customary title for a third time goes against the rule of law and New Zealand values,” Mr Tipa says. ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Lioness by Emily Perkins (Bloomsbury, $25) Roarrrr! Perkins’ brilliant, award-winning, Marian-Keyes anointed, darkly funny, long ...
The 2004 Act vested ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown, extinguishing any Māori claims to ownership and causing widespread outrage and protests among Māori communities. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antje Deckert, Associate Professor (Criminology), Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Despite the connection between institutional harm and gang membership made clear in this week’s mammoth royal commission abuse-in care report, the government seems unlikely to soften its “get tough on ...
From Lewis Clareburt in the swimming to the start of the rowing – the first seven days of Paris 2024 promise to be big for New Zealand. There are few events that bring the country together quite like an Olympic Games. Nothing quite matches the excitement of getting up in ...
Groundbreaking local science just showed up in the most surprising of places: the season finale of The Kardashians. In the season five finale of The Kardashians last night, several members of the family gathered together in one of their signature empty, cream-coloured rooms to hear test results that had been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The Middle East is on the brink of a possibly devastating regional war, with hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah reaching an extremely dangerous level. Washington has engaged in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Elizabeth Eades, Rheumatologist, Monash University Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune illness, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. Lupus can affect virtually any part of the body, although it most commonly affects the skin, joints and kidneys. The symptoms ...
A law firm that specialises in working with survivors of abuse in State care is disappointed that the Government fails to recognise that its boot camps can be directly compared to previous boot camps from the 1990s and 2000s. ...
Dying is a natural part of life, like updating your Wof or seeing your hairdresser, but without the word-of-mouth recs that help guarantee a good service. What if we changed that? Dying Reviews received by The Spinoff have had the names of organisations redacted while Hospice NZ collects further data. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Mike Lewinski/Flickr, CC BY On any clear night, if you gaze skywards long enough, chances are you’ll see a meteor streaking through the sky. Some nights, however, are better than others. At ...
Despite having no bars or other designated spaces for lesbians, Auckland boasts a small but mighty lesbian museum. So how did it get here? The past 18 months has brought increasing hostility towards the queer community across Aotearoa. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s anti-trans rally in Tamaki Makaurau last March led to a ...
Poneke Antifascist Coalition has invited Wellingtonians to stand in solidarity with the Kanak people at 12pm today outside the French Embassy in Wellington. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Drones are the signature technology of the Ukraine war. A few miniature aircraft designs were used in the war’s early days, but an incredible array of drones have now evolved. There are different types, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Slee, Associate Professor, Clinical Academic Neurologist, Flinders University Francisco Gonzelez/Unsplash Migraine is many things, but one thing it’s not is “just a headache”. “Migraine” comes from the Greek word “hemicrania”, referring to the common experience of migraine being predominantly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee White, Senior Lecturer and Horizon Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney Australia was slow to introduce minimum building standards for energy efficiency. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) only came into force in 2003. Older homes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth’s land area – particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Heynen, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Energy, The University of Queensland A temporary stadium in the Champ-de-Mars, ParisEkaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock As Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sustainability of the event is coming under scrutiny. The organisers have promoted ...
A night of karaoke and community in a pub that feels like a memory. You’d barely even notice it, unless you knew to look. Tucked away behind a liquor store on busy Constable Street is the capital’s last great pub. Newtown Sports Bar is an emblem of the pub culture ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury Louise Corcoran/Getty Images The decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurie Berg, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney defotoberg/Shutterstock Migrant worker exploitation is entrenched in workplaces across Australia. Tragically, a deep fear of immigration consequences means most unlawful employer conduct goes unreported. On Wednesday, however, the government officially launched a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Paris is about to host its third summer Olympics. While we don’t yet know what the legacy of this year’s games will be, let’s take the opportunity to reflect on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Deputy Director, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Griffith University In the wake of the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, there were calls from bothsides of US politics, as well as internationally, to reduce the brutal, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keith Rathbone, Senior Lecturer, Modern European History and Sports History, Macquarie University Two high-profile assaults on Australians in Paris have raised concerns about security ahead of the Olympic Games. On Saturday evening, a young woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a ...
Dying is inevitable and, so it seems, is it costing a lot, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.The cost of dying ...
The government took Joyce Harris's first baby and sent her off to a girls' home. Half a century on - and out of oceans of hurt - it asked her to be a mother figure. ...
It’s the deadliest fictional town in the country, but which death has been the most bonkers? Alex Casey looks back at 10 seasons of The Brokenwood Mysteries to find out. Warning: The following ranking story contains famous New Zealand actors appearing to be dead (not alive). The Spinoff has been ...
Water cremation is the biggest thing to happen to the death industry in the last 100 years. Alex Casey meets the people trying to bring it to Aotearoa. Through a set of mirrored doors down the industrial end of Christchurch’s St Asaph Street, death is getting a new lease on ...
The Department of Conservation is in greater need of a commissioner than Health NZ, a veteran scientist says The post The risks and rewards of remaking DoC appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Wooooo hoooooo….. cheaper electric cars? YES PLEASE and THANK YOU 🙂
We've been wanting one for ages, but haven't been able to afford, I really hope this happens, it would be life changing for so many.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/114068301/government-proposes-massive-feebate-car-scheme-that-would-make-cleaner-cars-up-to-8k-cheaper-and-dirtier-cars-more-expensive
Our climate is transitioning to a hotter state = Abrupt Climate Change
Tiny Blip in Jet Stream Submerges Large Parts of Washington, DC
Anchorage, Alaska roasts in 90°F heat, smashing all-time record by 5°F
https://desdemonadespair.net/2019/07/anchorage-alaska-roasts-in-90f-heat-smashing-all-time-record-by-5f.html
Washington D.C. Drenched By Record Rainfall And Flash Floods
https://dailycaller.com/2019/07/08/washington-dc-virginia-reagan-record-rainfall-flash-floods/
Alex Farrant 1 hour ago
Washington DC now a swamp. Almost prophetic. This is why I don't do fiction anymore.
Riitta Puhjo 54 minutes ago
Literally and figuratively a swamp.
Yeah well, … did they have the same mechanisms to register climate change 300 years ago?… and modern ice ore samples?… hey… lets ask the frozen mammoth who died with a tuft of grass in its mouths ( personally I think it died of a heart attack or old age .. ) , point is … why do we think we are any different ,- this worlds gone through many epochs of cooling and warming.
And as for the industrial revolution and 100 years of petroleum /coal usage?
One volcano the size of Karaktoa put up more debri into the atmosphere .
I dunno. I cannot escape the suspicion theres a definite political agenda behind much of this, and yes, there are changes, but we've moved from ' global warming' to 'climate change'… all in a few short decades…
20c Global Warming was considered linear, now it's evident it's exponential and the Planet is transitioning ( Abrupt Climate change) to a new hot state. Refer Michael Mann's hockey stick analogy.
Michael Mann: The Hockey Stick in His Own Words
Yeah well smog, space junk , and plastic bags killing marine life are all bad.
But if we are to believe the evolutionists ,they say this earth is 'old' and has gone through many heating and cooling events. From Gwondala land ( and every other permutation on the theme ) and its break up and the volcano/mountain building process to the Carboniferous , Mezazoic, Cretaceous and a whole bunch of other 'zoics' and convenient eras they care to label.
Think of it,… the 'Carboniferous' period… tons and tons of carbon locked up in trees, when they say the worlds atmosphere was far warmer than it is at present and there were no ice caps and the sea levels were much higher than now. So now we release a small percentage of that carbon in the form of oil and coal into the atmosphere again… so , voila!- instead of a return to the Carboniferous conditions and accepting it , – all of a sudden we get something different entirely… whereby certain groups ( read ' Bilderbergers' ) of this world can impose carbon taxes and gain control… seems a bit human – centric to me ,mate… with a fair few of those humans seeing a golden opportunity to make a fast buck and gain power more than any real concern ' for the planet'.
And this is where we have the orthodox geologists and evolutionists by the short and curly's yet again, – by asking the question exactly WHY should we expect any difference between the Carboniferous period for example and now?
You cant destroy matter as we've been led to believe, – and what goes up, must come down, – so they say. So now we release a very small portion of that former Carboniferous period carbon into the atmosphere in the form of oil and coal and now all of a sudden its 'anthropomorphic climate change'.
It raised the alarm when Al Gore stood to gain millions of dollars in carbon tax shares along with the Bilderberger society ( the originators and pay roll guys of the theory originally ).
There's no doubt there's change, but its a far cry from what the doomsayers are trying to make us believe. There's just no way conditions are going to approach anywhere close to the conditions that the orthodox geologists , climatologists and evolutionist's are leading us to believe. No way at all.
You, your children and your grandchildren will still be here in 100 years time. Yes , Australia will grow hotter, yes the polar caps will shrink – as many of the glaciers have,… and yes, we will see more cataclysmic events regards typhoons and hurricanes …but that is supposedly a trifle compared to what changes this planet has undergone before – WITHOUT anthropogenic interference.
As I've said before … you have far more to fear from THIS :
What Happens When a Nuclear Bomb Hits – YouTube
Than climate change in the next 100 years.
"I cannot escape the suspicion theres a definite political agenda behind much of this…"
Oh yes, there certainly is. And there is huge money to be made from this great bandwagon. But the bigger problem is that the kind of hysterical alarmism now so common is actually turning people off taking real action to address the issue.
If it's nothing more than alarmism, then the issue is not real, is it, Shadrach.
Not at all. The issue can be real and yet have it's credibility/believability harmed by gross exaggeration.
Not at all. The issue can be real and yet have it's credibility/believability harmed by gross exaggeration.
I think the issue is when people keep repeating themselves.![wink wink](https://cdn.ckeditor.com/4.11.3/full-all/plugins/smiley/images/wink_smile.png)
You do have a point re: doomsayers. But we must allow for the grieving process people go though when they realise the world and life as they know is under threat. Hell, I'd rather dream of a rosy future full of robots and hover boards than worry about how to deal with survival through rapid change.
It does cause a period of histrionics in many as grief is a real bitch.
As for making money… You really think there's some leftie conspiracy going on for cash? You don't understand lefties at all do you. There might be a few opportunists on the bandwagon but most aint in it for money at all, they're trying to save our asses.
Some of them trying to save our asses seem kinda shrill. The intention is largely honorable and sometimes it's a PITA.
You're a big boy now aren't you. You'll figure it out.
"You really think there's some leftie conspiracy going on for cash?"
Heck no. The exploiters come from all points of the political spectrum.
If there's one thing that galls me is humankinds rank stupidity in clearing the worlds forests ,- those massive 'purifiers' that are the real 'lungs' of the earth. The natural flora in any environment is there for a reason because it is the flora designed for that region. They are the filters of the planet.
We replace it with monocrops such as pine , or worse ,… put it into pasture,… in NZ , I think there is less than 17% left of our lowland forests. Appalling.
We collectively destroy those forests and the fauna which derives sustenance from them. We truly are wreckers. We create deserts. And the worst thing?- it is totally preventable.
I wonder if more effort was put into simple revegetation ,… along with developing alternative, cheap sources of energy ( and they exist – one only has to read the huge amounts of data online ) whether we would see a far more balanced environment. I'm sure we would. One only has to look at documentary's on Chernobyl and the return of the mega wild life including Deer, Moose , Bears and Wolves – all totally unharmed by any 'radiation' to see the punyness of mankinds endeavors.
Nature has a way of cancelling out anything we ever do once left alone.
It is a comfort to see how rapidly the forest has again taken over and is covering the 'once city' of Chernobyl in a mere 30 years.
In a study of the Toltecs, Mayans, Aztecs and Incas ,.. it is amazing how those society's not only created vast land areas from swamps and islands, – massive city's – ( 20 million populace in both the Aztec and Incas empires) but how they managed by not managing their surrounds barring what they needed for horticulture/agriculture. We cannot go back to that era but it is food for thought.
An example of good planning are those farms in NZ who revege on riparian areas or provide natural areas for stock to shelter under… small increments such as that help to provide habitat, food sources, shelter – and in the case of riparian areas, – a natural filter for excess nitrates and the like.
Our problem is our method of governing,.. with successive govt's not seeing the environment as being more important long term than pandering to human profit interests in the short term.
Indeed,… it would be interesting to see if the 'lungs' of this earth were again increased to even a portion of what they once were,… if that would create a more stable atmospheric system and negate this mad hysteria of 'anthropomorphic climate change' and the carbon tax whereby nothing changes globally in an environmental sense , – barring certain elite individuals becoming even more obscenely powerful and wealthy.
An interesting view. I found this article after recently watching the Chernobyl series. It backs a lot of what you say about wildlife in the area. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/060418-chernobyl-wildlife-thirty-year-anniversary-science/
And we still promote tourism as a growth industry. So we can "tax" those with a few $$ considered rich BUT should there be an industry that would have large negative impact on our well being better not touch !!
And as for calling for an emergency ?? Hopeless without meaningful action , and in most cases meaningful action has a price to pay as those US civil rights activists killed .
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/113946213/more-than-50-of-new-zealands-top-scientists-call-on-government-to-declare-climate-emergency
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/110618125/what-is-the-carbon-footprint-of-international-tourism-in-nz
https://www.carbonbrief.org/tourism-responsible-for-8-of-global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-study-finds
Climate Crisis Disasters Now Occur Weekly, UN Warns
https://truthout.org/articles/un-warning-that-climate-crisis-disasters-now-occur-weekly-provokes-calls-to-act/
“staggering” new warning from a top United Nations official that climate crisis-related disasters are now occurring at the rate of one per week, with developing nations disproportionately at risk, provoked calls for immediate global action to combat the human-caused climate emergency.
The warning came in an interview with The Guardian, which reported Sunday:
The great mountain pine beetle outbreak
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSIEzq0fofk
Our heating Planet has enabled this miniscule beatle to kill millions of trees in N.America
If anyone was ever curious about Artificial Intelligence this is an excellent primer based around the question 'what are machines so smart, yet at the same time so dumb'?
One in five children are living in households where putting food on the table is a struggle, according to a new report from the Ministry of Health.
Queues of people lining up at the Manurewa MSD office to get emergency assistance.
Auckland City Mission general manager of social services Helen Robinson said they have seen a 40 percent increase in demand for food this financial year, compared to last year.
The number of hardship grants provided by this Government has increased 60 per cent year on year.
If this was a National Government one would be asking where is the brighter future? But in this case it's a Labour one promising wellbeing as it proudly spends $20 billion on defence
How much does the NZ Government spend on Defence each year and how much on Social Welfare, for example?
I'm sure you already have some idea that it is far more. Yet, evidently not near enough.
But it would be interesting to know how much is spent on the bureaucracy opposed to the recipients.
I am concerned as to how many concerns you have. A concerted effort to contemplate concerning concerns of the concerned should be co-opted.
Doesn't look good for the government. Concerning in fact.
Without the Chairman's relentless and heartfelt expressions of concern for the Government's behaviour, this site would be nothing more than a riotous, bacchanalic festival of gloating and showboating by irresponsible, boastful lefties, drunk on power and sherry (is that what Socialists drink?Milk-stout maybe?Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell were never a Tories, were they?).
We have a great deal to thank the Chairman for; he brings dignity to a blog that would otherwise be nothing more than a great night at the Rovers.
Back-slapping echo chambers are excessively dull. Though, some find comfort in them.
Yay! Oh damn. I'll go for Yay! I love that florid description Robert – I wait in anticipation of being drunk on power, and sherry or kambucha (once I get used to it. We have a firm that has started making it in Nelson.)
Kambucha, grewarshark, is easy to make with basic brewing skills and gear. Cheap, tasty, even in smaller doses healthy. Doesn't have to be strongly alcoholic either. My brew is about 1% abv and made from mostly black tea with some flavoured tea bag additions. All you need is a SCOBY, tea, sugar and a brewing vessel. Mine's under an airlock in a 5 litre bottle. 3 litres every three weeks. My daughters reckon I'm an original hipster- though I'm of hippy age.Cheers!
@ WeTheBleeple
Don't be concerned for me, be concerned for those the Government are failing.
It costs far less to pay a decent benefit rate than it does to keep someone in hospital.
The Auditor-General's latest report into DHBs points to years of underinvestment combined with an ageing and increasingly impoverished population.
"be concerned for those the Government are failing"
Are the Range Rover owners all getting crook off the plastics? Have the homeowners been dropping from exhaustion trying to make their rentals liveable? What about Farmers, cleaning up shit can't be good for them?
I understand how the lack of CGT has affected the poor dears leaving much less ammo to back up their claims the sky is falling while they continue to live off the sweat of real men.
I suggest an army of folks with umbrellas to symbolise the danger of said sky falling, and perhaps a Range Rover parade, to commemorate the death of the free market.
It is good the Auditor General is able to illustrate the gross failings and mismanagement of the previous government. Have we managed to link it all to the current government yet? Those PR boys need to earn money too.
It may be the government lack the perfection of execution required to clean a complete shit show up overnight. Let alone the convergence of many life threatening phenomena at once.
I do hope you'll send them a terse letter compiling your concerns.
One letter of concern has little to no impact. Whereas, if the so-called left all spoke out publicly, I'm sure we would have a larger impact.
Going off the distraction you just posted, I'm sure we can't count on your support.
Love your use of "we", toryboy. You have the impact of soggy bogroll.
This government were left a mountain of shit. Well, they're shovelling it out the door. What are you doing, other than complaining about the smell?
He's trying to push the door closed while complaining the shovelers are lazy and the shovels too small!".
It doesn’t matter whether I “already have some idea that it is far more” or not. The point is that others who read TS may not know. You drew the comparison with the Defence spending budget yet failed to show the other side of the ledger. A persistent failure, I may add.
I assume you mean the bureaucracy to run the social welfare system? In what way would it be interesting? Do you have a benchmark in mind? Would you like to propose a more efficient and effective system? Are you in favour of small government?
Again, you ask leading questions but fail to offer anything constructive. Is it merely negative criticism or anti-government propaganda? Despite your repeated protestations and claims of being “more left than most” it is often impossible to tell. By your comments we know you.
The comparison drawn was to highlight we have a welfare system that is largely unfit for purpose, resulting in widespread hardship. Yet, the Government prioritises a massive military spend over increasing core benefit rates in its so-called Wellbeing Budget.
If this wasn't so dire it would be a joke.
Thus, of course this is negative criticism. Labour can't pull crap like this and not expect to be criticised. The left I know are fuming. Yet, here, one can't point out such things without coming under fire.
Exactly as I stated. To see how much of the welfare spend actually goes to those that require it. What's the CEO on now days?
I'm not advocating for smaller Government but I'm confident efficiencies could be found at MSD.
There you go again, with emphasis added where you clearly show your prejudice:
There is no comparison if you do not give the actual figures. It is just disingenuous innuendo and almost looks like a smear campaign.
I’m also sure efficiencies can be found at MSD, which is an operational matter. Let’s cut the CEO’s salary by 50% and see whether that will solve “widespread hardship”. What is your benchmark for how much should go to those who require it?
So, Labour, NZ First, and the Greens should stop to “pull crap like this” and you and your lefty buddies can stop fuming, no less. To me this sounds it is all about you and might explain the angry emotive language that has become your trademark for criticising Labour in particular rather than the CoL Government as a whole.
And you do wonder why you come under fire here …
I think the paradox of who pays for the military and how is limited by a population that is surplus to requirements, Y'know disposable.
I don't think that is Ron Marks fault for successfully getting his budget priorities through. I think it is rather more telling that the rest of the cabinet ministers didn't.
This is not about the Defence budget.
Last time you commented it was to inform me that I wasn't Trump. Now this pathetic contribution.
Both times you were missing the point. Going for the trifecta?
I don't think so. If you were to construct a budget right now based on your desperate attempts to protect your little theoretical model of a government budget it would produced a CEO salary half what it is now, fewer bureaucrags so a smaller cheaper government and more stupid.
Congratulations! You won the Trifecta and a Bonus Ticket.
Well Y'know Chairmen and I have discussed this welfare thing a few different ways before and I thought he was correct on a few things. The public just has to get used to these billion dollar unicorns. A billion dollar budget blow out used to be a very rare event. Now practically every ministry is experiencing these budget unicorns and we just have to mornalize them.
Telling in what way?
That the international support for Ron successfully getting his budget had more sway?
Well I listened to Ron Marks budget speech. In it he congratulated the former minister of defence Gerry Brownly for showing a little bit of interest in his portfolio at the time, something he criticized Mark Mitchel for lacking, Y'know interest, self drive, a bit of knowledge of the issues.
If I go down the list of priorities out lined in the Defence Capability Plan released a couple of weeks ago, an extra LHD, an extra patrol vessel, basically $20 billion in stuff. No one thought Ron Marks could get all that past the Greens.
More significant is that the $20 billion dollar plan has so far crossed 2 successive governments. In my humble opinion I think the public should embrace such spending and more of it as a natural part of running a government.
Clearly, it wasn't a dollar for dollar comparison. It was a moral one. Highlighting a massive military spend was prioritises over increasing core benefit rates of kiwis most in need.
The Welfare Expert Advisory Group gives some good indication.
Well that clearly highlights you live in a bubble if you genuinely believe that to be true.
It's not my bubble that's burst![wink wink](https://cdn.ckeditor.com/4.11.3/full-all/plugins/smiley/images/wink_smile.png)
Do you see your
disingenuous smear campaigncriticism of Labour as some kind of moral crusade? I mean $20 billion and the CEO’s salary combined obviously show howevilout of touch Labour is, and without a moral compass. There is no comparison necessary about dollars or how taxpayers’ money is spent, it’s just plainly and clearly wrong.You don’t have a benchmark except for some vague reference to a group of others. Did they give benchmark for how much of the total MSD spent should go to those who require it? You brought it up so it is a valid question to ask you. But you keep ducking for cover and not answering the question.
Yes, I live in my personal sphere. What do you live in? When do you stop drawing attention to yourself and when will you start using your skills in a more effective and productive way here?
It's somewhat moral but more so a political need. And I'll explain why. Unfortunately, despite all their rhetoric, Labour's representation of the left is vastly lacking. National lite is the most common description. Therefore, they only tend to act in the interest of the left when they are publicly pressured to do so (and even then they largely fall short). I'm one of many helping to apply that public pressure.
The need is somewhat exacerbated in the current political environment due to the Greens heading down the same path since the political demise of Metiria Turei.
Prioritising such a massive military spend up over better addressing the more pressing issue of poverty suffering and hardship in a so-called Wellbeing Budget is a kick in the face for those who believed their campaign rhetoric and voted for them as a result.
When Little was leader he talked of cutting back this military spend. Yet, evidently, that quickly went out the window once they achieved power.
If Labour no longer want to represent the left, then fine. But they must make that publicly clear. Don't try to appeal to us only to turn around and shit on us. A least with National, the left know where they stand. No expectations, no let downs. With National we know we are screwed.
Re the bureaucracy opposed to the recipients, as I don't have a total overview, I don't currently have a benchmark in mind. I just thought it would be interesting to see the actual breakdown of where the money all goes.
I appreciate your considered comment, I really do.
It leaves a number of questions unanswered. For example, is the Defence spending really “massive” compared to social welfare or health or poverty reduction? How can we tell without actual figures? Another way of putting it is to suggest how much less should be spent on Defence IYO and where and more importantly how should that money be spent elsewhere? It is easy enough to gesticulate wildly with your hands and arms but given that you don’t know what those who are in charge know I think this comes across as ignorant and arrogant.
Another question that remains is why Labour should be held to account for things they said and promised in the past, which they are allegedly not delivering on in the current Coalition Government? Can Jacinda Ardern be held to everything Andrew Little said when he was Labour Leader? Even when the parties are not delivering on past promises, it might mean that they are doing as much as they can under the circumstances.
The Defence spend is massive in a historical sense.
Little was speaking as Labour Party leader months out from the election, they changed leader but made no suggestion they were going to change their stance on this military spend. So of course they will be pulled up on this and called to account. Are you on planet Key? What were you expecting? Everybody to lay down and take it?
Labour's failure to deliver largely comes down to them tying their own hands (BRR, income tax, CGT etc) when it came to funding their rhetoric.
What on Earth does this mean? What kind of answer is this, I ask you. BTW, astronomical sounds even better than massive.
Apart from the $20 billion figure, you’ve provided absolutely nothing of any substance, nada, zilch, rien, niente …
What are you suggesting? That they rip up the Coalition Agreement?
If Labour’s hand are tied down they cannot really do what you want them to do, can they?
Why did they tie down their own hands IYO? Should they have told NZF to go with National? Were you part of the coalition negotiations? Thought not.
Are you angry, or “fuming” rather, that Labour is leading this Coalition Government because you really come across that way.
I'd look at cutting it in half. And spend the money on welfare, housing and health. But I don’t have a full overview. Nevertheless, whatever the case I wouldn't be spending that much on Defence with the current shit that's going down locally.
Moreover, that massive expenditure will largely head offshore. Whereas, if we spend it locally now, it will not only stimulate the local economy but will also save us money (by improving social ills) going forward. Putting us in a better position to re look at it (the military spend) further down the road.
Ok, are you talking about cutting in half the Government's $20 billion Defence Capability Plan 2019 for the next 11 years?
What would be the known consequences of that cut?
Is that the only source of money or are there other areas you would cut too? Or was Defence spending just a rhetorical tool and a weapon to use against Labour? More like you’re ideologically opposed to Labour rather than ideologically supportive of more social welfare? I really cannot tell because once you start lashing out at Labour it doesn’t seem to matter what it is/was about.
You would “spend the money on welfare, housing and health”. Sounds good but what specifically would you do with the $10 billion? Build more social housing? Increase PHARMAC funding more? Increase benefits more? More support for mental health?
“What on Earth does this mean?”
It’s the largest Defence procurement ever announced. Albeit it was initially announced by National.
Don't be silly. I was highlighting why they are failing to deliver.
Could they have avoided this? Yes, I'm confident they could of. They didn't have to make the BRR so stringent from the onset.
Just as Jacinda could have done more to secure a CGT (as I've highlighted here before) And she further dropped the ball completely dropping it. Polls showed support for a CGT. Especially when combined with tax cuts. She could have at least put it up for referendum come next election.
It was only going to be tax neutral for the first 5 years and it would have become a massive revenue source, which Jacinda has unnecessarily thrown away without batting an eyelid. And to make matter worse, they have no B plan as yet. And it will be a hard loss of revenue to compensate for.
They wouldn't have lost any votes taxing the top 1 percent (they may have even got away with taxing the top 10%) yet nada. Another lost form of revenue.
The tourist entry tax was another area they fell short. Another potential revenue stream cut far short.
They have a lot to deliver but are fiscally boxing themselves in.
I like your minimizing tactic and the way you continue to pretend it's just me that wants them to do more. Have you seen the People's Budget. Heard of CPAG? AAAP? I don't stand alone in my wants.
I'm not angry Labour are leading the coalition, I'm (along with many others) disappointed they are failing to deliver. Moreover, they seem intent on making matter worse. Why do they keep doing that?
The Coalition Agreement is probably more of a ‘roadmap’ but also a ‘rulebook’ that loosely (?) defines the boundaries of what’s possible and what’s not from the Coalition’s perspective. Then there are, of course, the usual constraints on what the Government can do. In the end, Governments makes policy, they don’t perform miracles.
Yet, in your eyes, they systematically and continuously fall short and fail to deliver.
With the wisdom of hindsight, with different cards dealt to them by the voters, and under different political and economic circumstances we would and we will have a different outcome. Until then, they play with the cards they were dealt, to their best ability.
But you always claim to know better. Yet, you’re not an insider but more likely just another armChair critic.
I like your evading tactic and never provide straight answers, hard figures, or actual facts. Just your negative views of and attitude towards Labour. Didn’t you vote Green Party??
Good for you that don’t feel alone in your “wants”; is that supposed to show that it’s not all about you? Others here on TS are not exactly blown away by this Government either but at least they put up well supported arguments for debate and not just negative bias towards Labour.
This captures your enormous bias in one. Firstly, it is intentional on (again) Labour’s behalf. Secondly, (all) things are getting worse. Thirdly, doubt and suspicion again of their motives and wilful actions.
In short, you don’t seem to comment here in good faith and this is starting to concern me. In fact, you’ve been repeatedly called out about your behaviour here but there’s no hint of acknowledgement, that you take these things on board. Why do we have to put with your comments that demand change from
Labourthe Government in such an uncompromising way and whilst you show that you’re utterly unwilling to take our criticism on board? Your demands are therefore irreconcilable with your behaviour here and to me show a rigid angry person lashing out at Labour, time after time.Are you that blind and committed to Labour that you can't see this failure?
So, for example. When they only took 3 recommendations from the The Welfare Expert Advisory Group and not one of them was lifting core benefit rates (which by the massive increase in emergency benefits being issued coupled with the fact we know benefits were slashed, thus no longer fit for purpose showing an increase is long overdue) you didn't see that as them falling short in any way?
Especially with all their campaigning on poverty and giving Kiwis a fair go and a so-called Wellbeing Budget on the horizon?
You see no failure and are totally shocked anybody else would?
Moreover, I'm "a rigid angry person lashing out at Labour" for even suggesting so. Oh and I'm supposedly the only one in NZ even thinking so? Yeah right.
If you don't like what am saying, move on to the next comment.
Don't play stand over games with me. I don't fear you.
It is not about being blind, it is about willing to see and focus. You seem to focus only on Labour’s failures. It is the only thing you want to see, expect to see, and focus on. Thus, you are wilfully blind. You cannot or do not want to see things in perspective. That is a very ‘limited’ way of discussing politics and trying to further progressive ideas IMHO.
You claim to be “more left than most”, which should mean you and I are in the same political ‘camp’ for all intents and purposes. However, your anti-Labour bias, which often borders on smearing them IMO, is more hinder than help. To mitigate, I call you out.
Well, that’s a new tactic to make another commenter stop challenging you on your anti-Labour bias. I tell you what, as long as you are making these unrealistic demands of Labour here, I will be challenging you on your comments. If you don’t like what I am saying, move on to the next comment. Don’t play silly games with me. I don’t fear you either.
Failure is everywhere. It's puzzling that a self-professed "lefty" who is "more left than most", such as The Chairman, remains stubbornly silent (on this left-leaning blog) about the manifold failings of the National party, both in government and in opposition.
No let-up, however, in their "relentlessly soggy" criticism of left leaning politicians/government, so that's a ‘blind in one eye’ fail for The Chairman. As the (now searchable) evidence here continues to pile up, one begins to suspect they were never a friend of the left.
@Drowsy M. Kram
Labour haven't been left since the 80s
Muldoon was probably more left than this Labour lot.
Agree that 30+ years of neoliberalism as moved political parties towards the right on the NZ political 'Left – Right axis'. Nevertheless:
LEFT Greens (yeah) Labour NZ1st National ACT RIGHT
Relentlessy soggy criticism Deafening silence The Chair
Does The Chairman disagree?
Yes, neoliberalism has moved political parties towards the right which has resulted in Labour becoming National lite, thus no longer really a friend of the left.
And the Greens have shown themselves to be a toothless kowtower to Labour as they are also moving with the neoliberal tide.
So the choice for the left is to either push them back to the left and regain our political representation or look elsewhere for it. Sadly, a good number have just opted out and no longer vote as they see no hope of change.
And when people lose hope, that is where we risk things becoming dangerous.
Chair, don't lose hope. Simon & Seymour ‘lead’ NZ’s ‘right’.![wink wink](https://cdn.ckeditor.com/4.11.3/full-all/plugins/smiley/images/wink_smile.png)
Here is an example of what happens when youth lose hope
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/114105329/gang-activity-forces-stokes-valley-mums-to-keep-their-kids-inside
Are the youth losing hope, or are they "pretty damn hopeless"?
Do you recall your criticism of the Finance Minister at the time.
The Chairman is highly selective when choosing targets for their relentless sogginess. Only The Chairman knows why.
What does English have to do with what I'm telling you.
Did you bring that up because you think the youth of today are"pretty damn hopeless". Cause that's not what I said.
"pretty damn hopeless" unemployable young Kiwis – Bill English
"when youth lose hope" – The Chairman @3:36 pm
I submit that the current coalition government, led by PM Ardern, gives most young NZers more cause for hope than English or his hair fondling predecessor ever did. Feel free to disagree, loudly & often.
The "lefty" "more left than most" Chairman deplores the inadequacies of NZ's current government, loudly and often, but couldn't manage a bad word about the efforts and outcomes of the previous National government, preferring instead to highlight the manifold shortcomings of Labour, the Greens and even NZ1st in opposition.
The Chairman is "an enigma wrapped in a riddle" – a conundrum. The Hair-man’s deceits, on the other hand, were lauded as examples of integrity and honesty in National party circles.
At least English was being honest in his opinion of young unemployed NZers.
@Incognito
What you clearly fail to see and evidently fail to understand is, Labour's achievements are largely tied to their failures. So it's not that I don't see them, it's just they are not worth raving about.
Take the new tourist entry tax/levy, that was an good achievement which also fell well short.
Medicinal cannabis is another achievement but also another fall short. And again, nothing really positive to rave about.
GP fees, another good move, but again they promised $8 GP visits but only dropped the fees to $18. So of course, the jumps for joy aren't going to be forthcoming.
I can go on but surely you must be starting to see and understand.
What gripes me and others is the lost opportunity, we don't have time to mess about, things are really bad out there and getting worse, hence we need far more done now.
I 100% agree with your last sentence.
Have you ever seen me rave about Labour or this Government for that matter?
The way I see it is that constructive criticism is about balance and finding the sweet spot between the ‘good, the bad, and the ugly’. Everything happens on a scale, a spectrum if you like. Actually, more in a multi-dimensional and multi-factorial continuum. Simplism and reductionism only get you so far, and binary thinking and dualism are not much help either.
I am optimistic that you and I and many others here are contributing to a better future, whatever that means, and not just for ourselves but also, and more importantly, for others. And we all do this in our own ways, starting with ourselves and our natality (cue Hannah Arendt).
That’s all I have to say for now.
Have a good night.
"What you clearly fail to see and evidently fail to understand…"
It's clearly illogical to expect me to understand that which I "clearly fail to see."
Nevertheless, I see well enough to see through your carefully choreographed pas de deux.
I'm personally disappointed by the scale and speed of progress the Labour-led coalition has made thus far in rolling back some of the more egregious ills perpetrated during nine LONG years of self-serving National party 'rule', but IMHO is a bit too soon to panic. Carry on.
"Softly, softly, catchee monkey."
You too. Catch you up next time, ta-ta.
Really? Come on, you're not that ignorant are you? Surely you must know there will be a number of them. Mainly, our defence capability will take longer to rebuild and the wider impact of that. However, it will be $10 billion better off than it currently is now going forward.
It's going to disappoint the international interests that are going to cash in on this. And those that want us to carry more weight. But again, $10 billion will make improvements to our current capability.
No. I would make other cuts and changes too.
I'm ideologically opposed to war. Moreover, historically our military spending has largely been atrociously wasteful. With cost blowouts and purchases not fit for purpose. Which, I'm sure we will see more of with this massive spend up. As they say, watch this space.
I am ideologically supportive of more social welfare spending. It's not only morally correct, it's fiscally astute.
I don't generally lash out at Labour, I just tell it how it is, yet some here take it as a lashing. I guess its a case of the truth hurting some of the more sensitive ones.
Yes, yes and yes. In health, more preventative and diagnostic investment to better catch things early. Speaking of which, where are those $8 GP visits that Labour promised but have yet to deliver?
Social housing is where the need is worse and is not being met, which in turn will slow private investment in rental property as rents slow as supply increases. Resulting in less demand for housing, thus slowing house price growth going forward.
Indeed, I’m ignorant of the cuts you demand and their consequences. It is for you to show the impact of these cuts and whether and how the claimed benefits outweigh the negative consequences. This not a simple Excel exercise, you know. Yet again, you fail to provide a satisfactory answer. In fact, you don’t even make a genuine attempt. For example, tell us what you’d cut, why, and what the consequences would be. Be specific. You can use the Defence Capability Plan 2019 as your guide.
I am also opposed to war. Yet paradoxically, spending on Defence can help to avoid war.
Nice adjectives. Care to give some examples? You do realise that cost blowouts and purchase not fit for purposes are part and parcel of governing and are really operational matters and not specific to Defence, don’t you?
I am also in favour of more or rather better social welfare spending. I agree, it is good economics.
Uhhmmm, no. You just tell it how you see it and how you want it. Unless you have all the facts and the complete picture, which you obviously do not, you have just an opinion.
You know that GP visits are not paid for or subsidised by PHARMAC, don’t you? Yes, very good point about prevention and early diagnosis with the only proviso that early diagnosis can have the unwanted consequence of too much and/or too early intervention. Along these lines, pregnancy appears to be more and more treated as a health risk and there are way too many C-sections performed IMHO, at great cost (and with their own health risks).
I agree that the Government should ramp up social housing. I don’t necessarily agree that this should come from the Defence budget but I’m awaiting a compelling argument to convince me otherwise.
Q.1: How long has NZ had "a welfare system that is largely unfit for purpose"?
Q.2: How long has The "lefty" "more left than most" Chairman been criticising the Government charged with formulating and delivering that welfare system?
Honest answers could set The Chairman free.
Blast! He’ll be forever chained to TS; our own poltergeist.
Our welfare system hasn’t been fit for purpose since at least 1991. Some would argue before that when benefit rates ceased to be tagged to the cost of living.
Ingcognito, Is defence not also welfare though?
China without any doubt whatsoever is a threat to our future way of life and standard and quality of living. Ergo, welfare for our countries future security is also social welfare.
Have we so soon forgotten the lessons of the creeping danger as in the appeasement policies of the 1930s, or the appeasement policies of the US towards the sick North Korean regime?
Have you reviewed the WW2 studies where it was pointed out that Chamberlain's period of appeasement enabled Britain to hurriedly prepare for war.
Earlier they would have had insufficient organisation, infrastructure, weaponry, training, planning, manpower etc. to withstand Germany's superior organisation. Winston could and no doubt, did, advise them on that as it had been an interest of his for probably a decade, and he organised regular reports to him on such matters.
The obvious was useful, everyone thought Britain was backing off, and no doubt if they had caught one of their diplomats leaking the truth about their unreadiness, he would have been quickly dealt with; faster than Trump.
Here is a Timeline of the interwar years from Wikipedia. What turbulent times. Whats that French saying – 'plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose' Karr from 1849 – proven correct. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_events_preceding_World_War_II#1930
This is a very interesting excerpt from a book about Edward VIII who abdicated in 1936. It seems to give a thoroughly researched picture of the man and his approach to his country and royal duties. He seems admirable to an extent which I had not realised, with enough detail to substantiate and explain any faults that could have been found.
(King Edward VIII: An American Life by Ted Powell is available now (Oxford University Press, £25).
This article was first published on History Extra in September 2018.)
https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/real-edward-viii-nazi-sympathiser-reformer-soldier/
' Have you reviewed the WW2 studies where it was pointed out that Chamberlain's period of appeasement enabled Britain to hurriedly prepare for war.'
Or it was a giant fudge that ended when a forest was found to be not a very effective fighter against the relatively most advanced & mobile technological war society of the time & probably since
Much of its equipment having been captured from the Czechs.
No forests and fudge didn't appear in the information I was reading.
I thought i was talking about Britain and Germany and France all facing off around 1938-39, and I put a timeline showing earlier years. Was Britain all ready at the time Chamberlain was having talks – they had a phony war too for a while – that must have helped in giving time to get defences ready and plan for attack?
How much on the elect Shane Jones northland fund you mean?
Not quite.
Getting a bit off the track SHG. Do you know where you are and the date? People might have to ask you these questions soon I think.
Why would The Chairman, who is "more left than most", chose to propagate such a scurrilous out-and-out 'citation-free' lie? Steven Joyce, or John Key (god, weren’t they just stinkers) I could understand, but a "lefty" such as The Chairman? Why, it fair beggars belief – who does The Chairman get their facts from, Stacey Kirk?!!
Here are the annual increases (to Sept each year) in the number of hardship grants provided for the last three years. The increase to Sept 2018 is not dramatically higher than the previous two years under a National-led government, and is presumably needs-based. Possibly, just possibly, an unmet need developed under the ‘careful watch’ of National party MPs that is only now being addressed.
213,167 (Sept 2015) – 247,641 (Sept 2016): + 16.2 %
248,641 (Sept 2016) – 290,683 (Sept 2018): + 16.9 %
290,683 (Sept 2017) – 344,731 (Sept 2018): + 18.6 %
https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/benefit/2018/benefit-fact-sheets-september-2018.pdf
Yet The Chairman was curiously silent about the year-on-year increases that occurred under the National-led government, curious at least for a self-described "lefty".
The Chairman, "as transparent as a transparent thing" – maybe it's all Jacinda's fault, but I don't trust The Chairman's motives, nor anything they say.
A lie was it? Yet it was reported as a quote by Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni, in response to claims it was turning away people in need at Manurewa.
Blowing Labour's own trumpet a bit hard perhaps in the ass covering process?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/114070792/this-government-promised-a-war-on-poverty–is-it-gaining-any-ground#comments
So your information source is Stacey Kirk – quelle surprise.
So glad we at last have a NZ government that is attempting to address this previously unmet need so that folks who were struggling under National's 'blighted future' policies have a better chance of life with dignity – don't you agree?
Even for The “lefty” “more left than most” Chairman, this is a bit rich. Maybe, just maybe, they are finally transistioning from their ‘friend of the left’ charade – not a second too soon, IMHO.
She was merely one of a number of journalists that reported it.
The attempts of this Government have fallen well short. Their response to the Welfare Expert Advisory Group was absolutely dismal.
Is Stacey Kirk one of the left you know is fuming?
When I was a child in the 1960's, a significant portion of my neighbourhood struggled to put food on the table. The difference was that people made sacrifices to make it happen, they didn't think the state was the first port of call for help, and they beat down every door looking for work. We have grown soft, massaged into submission by an overly generous welfare system and an unwillingness to make personal sacrifices to take care of those we have had a hand in creating.
Do you want to be called trash as well do you?
thats a rubbish comment you made. The welfare state didn't spawn dependant children. That's like saying F1 racing causes drink driving.
No TV adverts selling children GI Joe and Barby over decades made them soft you nutter.
"The welfare state didn't spawn dependant children. "
No, but it's expansion and abuse created the environment for intergenerational dependence.
Oh the timing. Here's the sort of bs that just encourages irresponsibility: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/07/parents-angry-after-government-scraps-unpaid-ncea-fees.html
So you're scared angry at a double tax?
Being concerned about how people die rather than some mythical welfare queen eating caviar between meals, popping out kids for less money than the government gives while having to prove they’re looking for work is a fantasy. It’s not a real concern.
It’s the signal. Do the right thing, pay what you owe, and then watch others who didn’t get rewarded. Or, keep you hands in your pockets, live frugally and independently, and watch others live off the state. It’s not all recipients, but there is enough to be of concern.
What others?
The 'others' who didn't pay the NCEA fees and had the debt forgiven. The 'others' who cheated the taxpayer and then become Green Party MP's. There are plenty of examples.
Plenty of examples of dishonesty crime (fraud, corruption, etc.) in NZ. https://teara.govt.nz/en/dishonesty-crime
It's important that they are all addressed, but resources are limited.
If you actually wanted the biggest bang for taxpayer buck, which area(s) would you prioritise, i.e. allocate the greatest resources?
Burglary and theft?
Fraud?
White-collar crime?
Copyright crime and tax evasion?
When we allow our political leaders to get away with stealing form the taxpayer, we are sending a signal that that is ok. All of what you mention is wrong, but maybe if we made an example of some high profile miscreants (and not just ex Green party leaders btw) the rest of our bad behavers might get the message.
Oh piss off Mr Realestate. Y'know thousands have lost there jobs in the last 10 years through offshoring jobs. Employers just make people redundant and you want to blame Labour, The Greens or the Welfare state. Classic really, conservatives and hard left all in denial.
Like the ones who made their money shorting the NZ dollar, for example?
How much did that, cost every individual New Zealander.
But. That theft was legal, so it was OK.
Hey not every forex trader assumes sovereign risk. Sometimes they just get lucky. Nah but the Reserve Bank now has tools to fight against currency manipulation and I think they are exercising there duties as well as could be expected. Y'know the she'll be right attitude is just the wrong one to have. It's crazy to assume that poor people are the reason the economy is soft.
A reasonable strategy might be to allocate publicly-funded investigative and prosecutorial resources roughly on a pro rata basis, i.e. estimate the total cost (to victims and wider society) of each major category of offending, then allocate taxpayer funds accordingly, starting (as Shadrach suggests) with high-profile alleged offenders.
Don't know exactly how much Metiria Turei's self-confessed offending (~10 years before she was elected to parliament in 2002) cost the taxpayer, but the courts have determined that another former politician (an ex-PM, no less), is liable for $6,000,000 – no small sum. I wouldn't hold my breath that reparations will be forthcoming in either case.
And I couldn't begin to speculate on whether one, or the other, or both offended for love of money, although if personal wealth is any measure then their love of money is not shared equally![wink wink](https://cdn.ckeditor.com/4.11.3/full-all/plugins/smiley/images/wink_smile.png)
Then there's the super dupery tough conservative policy of handing out tax cuts for the "poor" people, of course.
Apparently, there are prevalant myths that the state relationship is reversed: that the poor taxes support rich infrastructure and whatnot.
So I'm gonna go with yeah, nah. They don't, and yes, it's both concerning and painfully eye-rolley.
The ones who, couldn't, pay the NCEA fees, which should never have been levied in the first place.
Education costs. Some have paid, so have bludged. This government has just given in to the bludgers. Expect more of them as a result.
Some have paid, so [sic] have bludged.
What do you call Bill English then, Shadrach?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2910957/Bill-English-buckles-over-housing-allowance
Shadrach – You conveniently forget that when you were growing up, people who found work were paid a decent wage relative to the cost of living. It was worth the effort to work.
No longer so: the minimum wage is now an insult to anybody's dignity.
I blame the Rogernomes. I am old enough to remember Roger Douglas earnestly expounding how his theories had to work, and how NZ should avoid becoming a low-wage economy. With a high-wage economy, we would thrive incredibly..
What a bloody liar. He and his ilk then put in policies that could only plunge NZ into a low-wage economy.
When you were young, people got decent wages when they worked. They don't now, and that changes everything. You reminiscences are invalid and downright stupid.
"When you were young, people got decent wages when they worked."
Did they? And yet my dad worked two jobs at times just to pay the bills. I don't know whether it's easier to live on the average wage today or not. All I know is that I see a lot of people with one hand out and the other spending it on stuff we used to call luxuries.
You're not, by any chance, thinking of David Hisco, Nigel Murray, Jenny Shipley or Peter Whittall? Best not to bother wealthy 'players'; focus instead on real crims.
“Only the poor break laws – the rich evade them.” – T-Bone Slim
When did I mention breaking the law?
@Shadrach
In the early 60's, New Zealand enjoyed one of the highest standards of living in the world.
One main income earner was able to cover the bills, put food on the table and pay off the family home. Jobs were plentiful and double time and time and a half for working overtime and weekends were common practice. This allowed many low skilled workers the opportunity to put in some extra hours and be nicely rewarded come payday. Unions were strong and workers enjoyed the benefits of that.
Moreover, the cost of renting or owning a home was far less relative to incomes then than it is now. It was a totally different era, thus as In Vino (above) points out, your comparison, in a general sense is far from valid.
In the 1960's we owed our standard of living entirely to mother England. Those days of gone, and we have had to grow up. Some people haven't, and the rest of us are picking up the tab.
We didn't "grow up" we created an unsustainable mess.
Jobs were lost, unions weakened, and benefits were severely slashed. Labours share of the economy was reduced. House prices have soared and households debt is at record high levels. The most lucrative means of production are largely in foreign hands/ownership and the rich have become richer while more commoners are living in cars and our jails are at near full capacity.
We grew up. Yes jobs were lost, but far more were created. Our economy went from being a basket case to being described in rock star terms. NZ today employs more people than ever before.
We have benefitted enormously from technological advance which has seen us enjoy a standard of living my parents only dreamed of. We have access to inexpensive goods and services far beyond those of the 1960's. And all of that is sustainable if we have government’s that manage the country with skill, which fortunately we have had. Until, arguably, the current government. Time will tell.
What we aren't is dependent on mother England for our standard of living. We have forged an independent economic pathway that has delivered benefits to all who work to enjoy it. That you see the weakening of unions (by workers voting with their feet) and the 'slashing' of benefits as somehow bad things is indicative of a mindset that is stuck in the 1970's. Thankfully the country has moved on.
Apart from technological advancements that, as time moved on, would have largely occurred regardless, our standard of living has fallen since the 60s – not improved.
The rock star label was a sham. Built on a house of cards, namely soaring household debt and an opening of the floodgates (immigration). Both of which are unsustainable in their current trajectory. Our infrastructure is failing to cope, and our growing debt is of concern to our creditors.
As for our indebtedness, local Government is up to its eyeballs. With Auckland for example, hitting their debt ceiling.
Jobs have largely become low paid and insecure, it's now called the gig economy. And the stats used classes one hour of work as being employed, thus there is a growing number that can get the hours of work they require.
Stats NZ data shows that in the year to June last year, there were 2.14 million people in New Zealand who had annual income from wages and salaries.
Of them, 50 per cent took home less than $45,673 a year.
Only 23 per cent of people had income of more than $70,000.
Our impoverishment is now straining our health system.
Having access to inexpensive imported goods such as big flat screens is of little help when people can't afford a flat/home to put them in.
The New Zealand economy would have been 10 per cent larger in 2010 were it not for the steep rise in income inequality which occurred between the late 1980s and mid-1990s, OECD economists have found.
Drawing on data from across the OECD over the past 30 years their econometric analysis finds that income inequality has a negative and statistically significant impact on subsequent growth.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11371860
Yes, we have come a long way from dependence on mother England. We were the first to do a trade deal with China and have a number of others under our belt. But while we have come a long way and had sustained GDP growth, our standard of living (bar from technological advancements) hasn't improved and we could have done better (as highlighted above) if we didn't slash benefits widening our inequality. Moreover, our income stats above highlight only a very small number are doing well. The love isn't being shared and it is costing us all apart from a small number at the top.
So instead of pointing the blame at those on the bottom, start looking at what's going on up top.
As I've clearly shown, my perspective is fine. It's yours that needs adjusting![wink wink](https://cdn.ckeditor.com/4.11.3/full-all/plugins/smiley/images/wink_smile.png)
“Apart from technological advancements that, as time moved on, would have largely occurred regardless, our standard of living has fallen since the 60s – not improved.”
That’s nonsense. NZ’ers have been in the position to enjoy new technologies because of the economic liberalisation of the 1980’s and beyond. Without those changes the new technologies would have remained beyond most people due to duties, quote etc. Today even the most modest of households enjoys a lifestyle my parents could only have dreamed of.
“The rock star label was a sham. Built on a house of cards, namely soaring household debt and an opening of the floodgates (immigration).”
Again, nonsense. Our economy is diverse. We have enjoyed growth in a range fo sectors beyond property, including tourism and technology.
“Jobs have largely become low paid and insecure, it's now called the gig economy.”
That is little more than a mantra to satisfy those who have been left behind in a modern economy. We compete on the world stage across a raft of different industry sectors, something we were incapable of in the ‘60’s.
“Our impoverishment is now straining our health system.”
No, they aren’t. Our health system is exceptional by world standards. The stresses on it are largely the result of the availability of new procedures and technologies, and the pressure of an aging population.
“Having access to inexpensive imported goods such as big flat screens is of little help when people can't afford a flat/home to put them in.”
Very few people cannot. I rent to low income families. All have the latest TV’s phones, etc.
“Moreover, our income stats above highlight only a very small number are doing well. The love isn't being shared and it is costing us all apart from a small number at the top.”
You are conflating income inequality with whether people are generally better off. For every economist you cite who claims we could have been better off with less inequality I’ll quote you one who disagrees. Just because my wealth hasn’t increased as much as my neighbours doesn’t mean mine hasn’t increased. Indeed mine may have increased BECAUSE my neighbours has increased by more. Our economy today provides the opportunities for far more people to prosper, but today it is far more about choice than it was in the 1960′. Some choose to live off the rest of us (and that is the fault of an overly generous welfare system), when it really isn’t necessary. Back to my original point.
Not if the love was better shared and people were earning more as a result. As it stands, most of those items are put on tick as they continue to be beyond the salaries and wages of the majority as the cost of life's necessaries (like housing) are robbing them of their discretionary income.
While our economy has diversified somewhat, GDP growth is still largely coming from soaring debt and immigration. Tourism is another area that is becoming unsustainable in its current trajectory, hitting capacity constraints in our infrastructure and accommodation.
A large chunk of tourism income goes towards accommodation, which is vastly offshore owned.
The gig economy isn't merely a mantra, there is a growing number of part time work and a growing number of workers that are underemployed. A job for life has become a thing of the past.
The Auditor-General's latest report into DHBs points to years of underinvestment combined with an ageing and increasingly impoverished population putting strain on our health system.
While low income families may have the latest TV’s phones, etc, a good number still struggle to buy food and pay their bills. These largely one off items (opposed to ongoing daily expenses) don't offset the hardship they face. And you'll find most get into debt to buy them anyway.
I wasn't conflating income inequality with whether people are generally better off. I was highlighting the returns from GDP growth aren't being widely shared. The rich are getting richer as the majority are ending up with less of a share.
You sound like John Key. The IMF and OECD not only acknowledge this but understand how it contributes to the boom and bust cycle. A more equal economy not only fosters growth it is also a more long lasting sustainable economy.
You go on to say "our economy today provides the opportunities for far more people to prosper".
Yet, evidently, more aren't. Home ownership is in decline, Household debt is soaring. Food bank queues are growing. Jails are at full capacity. But that's OK for you as most have the latest phone and a big TV.
Even Phil O’Reilly gets the welfare system in NZ is not fit for purpose and is not overly generous.
https://youtu.be/Cdo_Pz6ez5w
“Not if the love was better shared and people were earning more as a result.”
So go live in a communist country, but you’ll pass masses leaving for market economies, that are providing much higher standards of living.
“As it stands, most of those items are put on tick as they continue to be beyond the salaries and wages of the majority as the cost of life's necessaries (like housing) are robbing them of their discretionary income.”
No-one is forced to buy anything. That’s the beauty of a free society.
“While our economy has diversified somewhat, GDP growth is still largely coming from soaring debt and immigration.”
Now you’re saying ‘largely’. That’s a climb down, but you’ve still got some way to go.
“The Auditor-General's latest report into DHBs points to years of underinvestment combined with an ageing and increasingly impoverished population putting strain on our health system. “
We don’t have an increasingly impoverished population. You’re just making this up.
“While low income families may have the latest TV’s phones, etc, a good number still struggle to buy food and pay their bills. “
Maybe these are connected?
“I wasn't conflating income inequality with whether people are generally better off. I was highlighting the returns from GDP growth aren't being widely shared. The rich are getting richer as the majority are ending up with less of a share.”
So what? If my 10% share is worth ore than my old 15%, I’m better off.
“ A more equal economy not only fosters growth it is also a more long lasting sustainable economy.”
There is absolutely no evidence for that. In fact the failure of just about every socialist economy proves you are wrong.
“Home ownership is in decline”
Again, so what? Home ownership is in decline globally, and many immigrants to NZ come from countries with no specific culture of home ownership.
“Food bank queues are growing. Jails are at full capacity. But that's OK for you as most have the latest phone and a big TV.”
The prison population is the result of individual decisions to commit crime. Not colonisation. Not economic policy. Bad personal choices.
“Even Phil O’Reilly gets the welfare system in NZ is not fit for purpose and is not overly generous.”
Our welfare system is a disincentive to SOME to better themselves by their own effort. As a last resort, I fully endorse the welfare state, but it has become the first port of call for too many, and that as been actively encouraged by successive governments. The extensive reach of Working for Families is an excellent example. Middle class welfare is socialism by stealth. And yes, that is John Key.
Why would I want to do that when more socialist countries like Norway are doing so well? I'm a modern day Keynesian not a communist.
I didn't claim people were forced to buy. Was highlighting these items continue to be beyond the salaries and wages of the majority as the cost of life's necessities (like housing) are robbing them of their discretionary income.
Stating largely wasn't a climb down from my initial comment where I stated namely. Nor does it change the point made.
I'm not making shit up. You are just poorly informed.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12245927
Purchasing a TV etc is generally a one off expense albeit spread out over time if ticked up. So while purchases like this will have an impact on household budgets, it won't be the main driver of fiscal hardship. Therefore, the interconnection would be small.
If your new 10% share is now worth more than your old 15% share then your new 15% share would be worth more than your new 10% share, hence you are losing out dropping to 10%.
There is indeed evidence. Economic inclusion is a high priority issue for the IMF. High inequality is negatively associated with macroeconomic stability and sustainable growth—core to the Fund’s mandate in promoting systemic, balance of payments, and domestic stability.
https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/Policy-Papers/Issues/2018/06/13/pp060118howto-note-on-inequality
You state home ownership is in decline globally as if it's a good thing.
The ability of less people to afford a home is an indication all is not well in an economy, and you are right, this isn't limited to NZ. But that is not a good thing.
While the prison population is the result of individual decisions, it's the wider circumstances that influences and helps shape the decision process. As a society, we can't turn a blind eye to the wider role we play (fiscally and politically) in people's personal choices as it will prevent the right solutions from being found.
The unemployment benefit pays little and has high churn. It's no longer enough to live off so is far from a disincentive. And if you fall ill and can no longer work, you are destine to a life of poverty as the supported living benefit is also no longer enough to live off. Hence, the massive increase of emergency benefits being issued.
The welfare state has become the first port of call for too many due to low incomes (remember your declining share) and the increase of the working poor. WFF is an employer subsidy taking pressure off wage demands and fails to give enough or any to the poor that aren't actually working. Which Key himself admitted and which is why he kept it on the National party agenda.
“Why would I want to do that when more socialist countries like Norway are doing so well?”
Except that Norway is not socialist. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffreydorfman/2018/07/08/sorry-bernie-bros-but-nordic-countries-are-not-socialist/#3d5058bd74ad
“I didn't claim people were forced to buy. Was highlighting these items continue to be beyond the salaries and wages of the majority as the cost of life's necessities (like housing) are robbing them of their discretionary income.”
You said they were purchased ‘on tick’. If they are beyond their income, why are they buying them?
“Purchasing a TV etc is generally a one off expense albeit spread out over time if ticked up. So while purchases like this will have an impact on household budgets, it won't be the main driver of fiscal hardship. Therefore, the interconnection would be small.”
But you claimed the funds are borrowed, meaning there is a close connection. You’re dancing across a number of contradictory arguments.
“There is indeed evidence. Economic inclusion is a high priority issue for the IMF. High inequality is negatively associated with macroeconomic stability and sustainable growth—core to the Fund’s mandate in promoting systemic, balance of payments, and domestic stability.”
That’s debatable. Very debatable. The evidence of actual economies is that the free market is reducing poverty while increasing inequality.
“You state home ownership is in decline globally as if it's a good thing.”
No, I state it to put your saying it is a bad thing in a global perspective. Home ownership is not a right.
“The ability of less people to afford a home is an indication all is not well in an economy, and you are right, this isn't limited to NZ. But that is not a good thing.”
In the UK, home ownership has not been an indication of how well the economy is doing. The idea of home ownership has been an unattainable notion for many for a very long time, and yet people live comfortably.
“While the prison population is the result of individual decisions, it's the wider circumstances that influences and helps shape the decision process.”
Not really. To end up in jail requires a particularly serious misdemeanour. That misdemeanor takes a particularly bad set of choices by the individual that most of us don’t take.
“The unemployment benefit…”
…is just one of a raft of welfare measures available in NZ.
“ It's no longer enough to live off so is far from a disincentive.”
And yet some do.
“The welfare state has become the first port of call for too many due to low incomes (remember your declining share) and the increase of the working poor.”
You’re doing it again. A declining share doesn’t mean lower income people get less.
“WFF is an employer subsidy taking pressure off wage demands and fails to give enough or any to the poor that aren't actually working.”
No it’s an income redistribution. Employers pay market rates. They don’t pay less simply because of WFF. WFF should be replaced with a tax free threshold, targeted at genuinely low income families, not middle class welfare.
FWIW, that was a great exchange between Shadrach and you, and I applaud you for that. Credit where and when credit is due.
I said a "more" socialist country opposed to your suggestion I move to a Communist country. And Norway is (albeit not fully) a more socialist country than a Communist country. Additionally, socialist countries tend to be based on a mixed economy, which Norway is.
I said the reason people were putting such items on tick is because it was beyond their discretionary income. And because they are not everyday items there impact on household budgets would be limited, and not the main driver of fiscal hardship such as the high and ongoing weekly cost of accommodation. Therefore, you are either trying to intentionally spin my words for the sake of scoring a point or it could be you genuinely misunderstood.
While the free market may have lifted people in developing countries out of 'extreme' poverty, the same can't be said for developments here in NZ. For example, the number of children living in poverty increased from 12% in 1986 peaking to 24% in 2001. It declined somewhat (with the impact of WFF and and the global boom) but is now (latest data, 2018) sitting at 23%. So not only has inequality worsen, poverty in NZ has almost doubled since 1986. Not improved.
Home ownership is not a legal right, but accommodation is a necessity. Moreover, increasing home ownership is a sign of growing and widely shared prosperity, hence is a good thing. Thus, its decline is not.
Child poverty in the UK is almost at record highs, sitting at over 30%. Clearly, their economy is not as "comfortable" as you claim.
Wider circumstances do indeed influences and shape the decision making process. It impacts us in all manners of ways. From our investment choices right through to whether or not someone will commit suicide or being put into a position they need to break the law. Activism being merely one example. Moreover, wider circumstances such as the poor being more likely to go to jail than an executive also comes into play.
Not only is declining share Of GDP a lower income (as clearly explained above with your new 10% share equating to less than a new 15% share you missed out on by dropping to 10%) it also has wider negative, macro and political impacts.
Again from the IMF:
Equality, like fairness, is an important value in most societies. Irrespective of ideology, culture, and religion, people care about inequality. Inequality can be a signal of lack of income mobility and opportunity – a reflection of persistent disadvantage for particular segments of the society. Widening inequality also has significant implications for growth and macroeconomic stability, it can concentrate political and decision making power in the hands of a few, lead to a suboptimal use of human resources, cause investment-reducing political and economic instability, and raise crisis risk.
https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/sdn/2015/sdn1513.pdf
As for WFF being a employer subsidy, even Matthew Hooton gets it.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12091904
@Incognito
Re your comment 14 July at 10:39 pm
rump is horrific self serving bullshitter …. People who claim to like him are sucked in by what he says …. as just like every other bullshitter .. he is a con artist who does not deliver on what he said.
Racists love his dog whistles, especially the ‘build a wall to keep out the invaders’, These idiots deserve to be deceived, and so it is ,,,Their nasty stupidity is being milked by dangerous fool smart enough to say the moronic things their dumb bad ears love to hear….
Trump is totally unable to ' seal the border' …. Unless he wants the usa to have a great depression again.
Unfortunately and just like our own dirty mucksters, the national party ,,,, Trump goes after the racist vote, and flames their ugly paranoid delusions ,,, That means he will probably ramp up the cruelty towards migrants and refugees …A consolation prize to his angry inbreed voter base.
Trying to get my head around how this good-news puff about Rwanda:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/africa/114036137/rwanda-is-a-shining-example-of-good-news-from-africa
– can be reconciled with what we're being told here about backers of ongoing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/08/warlord-bosco-ntaganda-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-congolese
Microsoft are rolling out new Service Agreements and Privacy Statements. I'd really appreciate a lawyer type taking a look for we who lack sufficient legalese.
I'm putting up a link to this Aussie doco on our very very preventable christchurch mass murder tragedy …… it is very well made, and any Aussie who has watched it is way more informed than the NZ public.
We've got a whole lot of less than honest misdirection and filtering acting against us here in NZ ,, with our 'lone wolf media ' ,,,,, Arse covering secret investigations ,,,, Not to mention all the politicians and media people keeping quiet and hoping we all forget the smears and negative stereotypes they have pumped out since the 9/11 blow back,,,,,
Blowback that was motivated by the 'crusader' killings of 500,000 Iraq children ,,, who died quietly,,,, starved and poisoned with the old traditional crusaders weapon of siege warfare ,,, renamed as sanctions nowadays ,,,in a modern feel good touch.
Our indifference to the ethnic cleaning and land theft ,,, still going on till this day ,,, of the Palestinian People … was also mentioned as motivation … as reported on by Robert Fisk.
Anyway if you wish to be better informed it is a much watch …. Its quite emotional and I got really fucked off at the scope of the failings revealed … the sub-human and white disgrace / trash was posting and displaying red flags ,,, to eyes that were blind … if red was on white.
Also ….. who knew that apart from having " Turk Slayer" written on one of his weapons … He also called for the assassination of Erdogin …
Don't get me wrong …. Erdogin is a war criminal and Kurd killer etc etc …. But our media kept us in the dark when everyone was dumping on him for his ANZACs in coffins comments. However given the context of a networking white sub-supreme terrorist visiting his country twice…. and with the turk slayer message … and kill Erdogin directive.,
,,Tells me Once more NZ has been kept ignorant and manipulated … putting us in the wrong ,,, morally wrong against a creep like Erdogin …. ffs
*The doco does off course give us the name and face of sub supreme …
And it is emotionally upsetting … both from the tragic interviews of survivors …. and the huge red swatzstickers this killer clown was all but draped in when posting online at fascist facebook pages and other extreme right muck hole meeting points .
Ok, but why did you not mention the Chinese 'crusade' in Xinjiang against the Uighurs?
This is happening in real time. A repeat of the Nazi persecution of the Jews. Yet fee care.
Sorry peter … I did not see your reply post sooner.
Osama Bin Laden …. who was one of the main planners and leaders behind 9/11 was quoted using the 'crusader' label, which he attached and used to describe the crime of 500,000 dead Iraq children killed as a result of the western nation siege / sanctions.
So I'm quoting the motivation for the 9/11 terrorists ,,,,
9/11 spurred on a big increase in anti-muslim language smears and stereotypes worldwide ,,,, and gave the excuse for the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, Libya.
These wars have been endless with huge destruction …. Causing tens of millions of refugees to flee from the bombs and the war.
The refugees from our bombs and wars have created a ' Invaders ' fear into the dumb insecure and paranoid white Europeans. … Trump and others fan their fears by using their language and agreeing with them ….
I hope this explains it a bit better for you …. 'Cruesader' crimes was the language used and excuse given at the start of a chain of events ….. leading up to the christchurch 'killer …. and his 'invaders' excuse.
None of the excuses given by all the terrorists involved ,,,, and I include the lies / excuses given for invading and going to war in Iraq or Afghanistan were valid.
Bush, Blair . Clinton and Cameron ….. should have all ended up where the christchurch shooter now is … getting locked away for ever/
Trump is having a major fit of the sulks over the British Ambassador emails. He's not gonna work with him anymore even though he and the Ambassador have never met. He's also lashing out at Theresa May and proclaiming his pleasure she will no longer be PM soon:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jul/08/donald-trump-we-will-no-longer-deal-with-the-british-ambassador
I'm still trying to figure out why the leaker (whoever it was) leaked the emails in the first place. Was it because he/she was wanting to embarrass the govt., or did he/she think it important for the public to hear the truth from a top diplomat?
The Ambassador's emails could well be the least of tRump's worries.
https://twitter.com/ShimonPro/status/1148286297267671041
Q. Have you ever socialized with Donald Trump in the presence of females under the age of 18?
A: Though I'd like to answer that question, at least today I'm going to have to assert my Fifth, Sixth, and 14th Amendment rights, sir.
https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/j59vm8/the-salacious-ammo-even-donald-trump-wont-use-in-a-fight-against-hillary-clinton-bill-clinton
Oh boy..
https://twitter.com/PSheppardTV/status/1148298544526159872
The leaked emails might insert a wrecking bar in the united USA – UK deal that Brexiters seem to want?
activate!
a great activist song and I've put some explanation of the lyrics up too 🙂
Thanks, Marty. The timing of your post was exquisite and I hope I can share why that was with you someday soon. You'll be thrilled. Can't say more at this time.
Racism. We are all racists. As we can all attribute to someone's virtues based on racial origin. Maori are some of the strongest advocates of positive racism, attributing positive virtues to Maori. Well no, surely examples are needed, otherwise this is well, bad racism, racism that is unevidenced, its like heckling badly. Fair dealing would be some form of accomadation between racists where they evidance each others virtues, but no this isnt common. Since talk of racism immediate brings up one's racial divisions most people avoid the notion as it's rather dumb. Racism is dumb.
Evolution shows us that we are all superbeings having hundreds of million of years of successful ancestors, the idea that we are dissimilar in some way significant way as to require being enslaved, mistreated, denied equality, is absurd as it is an abuse of logic.
Religion, wealth, skin pigmentation, height, etc are continuing to be used in debates to push control of each other. As a society, rule of law isnt about denying people the opportunity of warning us who is making a special pleading, since it's nice to know who to deny jobs, to keep distance from, for good reasons, that bigots come in all forms, closed minded bad for business.
It is wrong what happen to many, it's inevitable societies make mistakes, advancing some, it's necessary that efforts are made to rectify them. The rich are failing to deal with growing inequality.
Racists do not want to address racism ….. sodden
Did a Iwi / Kiwi racist National electioneering board fall on your head hard, giving you amnesia, makeing you numerically illiterate and unable to see our … racist …. society….
While not committing the aggressive genocide which cleansed murdered and starved the indigenous Native Americans and Aboriginals in Australia … We did lie cheat and steal through 'legal' means …. wage war to take land ….and generally try really hard to break their culture.
We're still attacking their well being ……
Who do we think bears the brunt of our predatory speculation housing bubble ….
Or our Alcohol abuse problem …. that the nats did a Dirty Politics side-step to avoid any meaningful measures to address
Someone like Judith Collins will shit all over Maori in our Justice system … But as pointed out by the corruption exposing reporter who ended up bringing down the criminal ruling Malaysian PM and his Govt …. Judith Collins is saying things that are untrue and unbeleviable …. as she defended the biggest criminals in the world … and Nationals non-fix, of their sneaky corruption enabling tax legislation.
Where greed combined with rich racists … shows the absolute worst about our culture.
New Zealand has vulture investors …. ie the billionaire chandler Bro s
http://100photos.time.com/photos/kevin-carter-starving-child-vulture
Αντιο σας, Syriza. And good riddance.
https://twitter.com/AliAbunimah/status/1148341706418470912
Too right, traitorous is the only word to describe Syriza, it's too bad Tsipras wasn't removed by some sort of popular uprising earlier.
Though I am sure Deutsche Bank would have taken good care of him had that happened.
The British, usa and Israel diplomats … should all be told to piss off out of NZ until they reform and stop their warmongering,,,, their stealing,,, and acting like a weaponized lynch mob.
What a depraved disgrace they all are …. The christchurch sick fuck shooter praised both trump and Israel …. it's easy to see why.
The Poms are boozey has been pirates …. only good for stealing, starving children to death in Yemen…. and killing civilians with their military.
We should get out of the five eyes lynch club …. grubby mobsters.
Which reminds me …… Did double dipper Wayne Mapp ever state or show ,,,,, that he made an apology or compensation,,,For the killings of children and civilians …. that he involved all of us in ?.
I'm still waiting for the slightest bit of real proof …. that he has any remorse for the pain and suffering and death and maiming that he walked himself …. and us into.
Some people think he's remorsefull …. He's had a long time to say sorry to the victims ,,, and offer something for the lives he's destroyed.
Because I'd like to get really rude ,,,, and tell him to fuck off and live in Israel .. a flabby but hard right wing Uber-gentile, living among uber-zionists … A kiwi war criminal living in the war criminal Apartheid state of Israel.
Maybe he can show that he did care enough to do the two token gestures towards his …. and our victims.
Or does he have the old white slave-masters complex ????
racist do not want to address racism. duh. So why box them in as racists, let them be humans like you who have feelings. You assume that all racism is racist, it's not some people have turrets? some people just mimic and don't get that it's offensive. most just want a easy life and thought being a jerk gets them what they want. If a boulder is rolling uncontrollably down a hill, you don't argue with the boulder, you point out how the smashing hurts, how the waste costs us, how the simple life…
Anyway, Romans invaded Briton and changed Britons, Britons interbred and are much more diverse, coloured pinkies, and are as a rule unlikely to sign a treaty with Maori if they were racists. rather they knew better by then.
By saying let racists be ……. your passively participating.
And even passive actions speak louder than fine words of how equal we all are when speaking to non-racists. ….
Its like bad behavior from a child ,,, we teach them good behavior ,,,, and everybody ends up more happy .
Racism is also a lie ,,,,, it can make some people so sick they will kill Women, children and old people ……. Christchurch.
I doubt you put up with other types of lies being told to you … if you know the truth you'll go 'hang on a sec, that aint right ' … and explain why.
Racists are a bit like wife beaters … they sick on the inside, with this ugly anger that robs them of the good emotions, those which make us content, happy, satisfied and relaxed.
So step up , its better for all .
God when are we going to grow up and realise that we play other sports and not just bloody rugby!!!
Maybe then when we get good at cricket they will get their own tv channel.
Yes a tax on the gas guzzling big vehicle.
https://youtu.be/Xo7WjnC8ekQ
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/cEXhZ8PwM-Y
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/9XaS93WMRQQ
Kia kaha to the youth for fighting for their future environment.
Let the neanderthal who run this Papatuanuku your future is so special to Eco Maori
New Plymouth students organising climate conference
For two New Plymouth students, climate change boils down to whether or not they will have a planet on which to live out their lives.
Jezza Vivian and Nikita Taiapa, both 17, are organising a climate conference to help the next generation get actively involved, as well as providing rangatahi with a platform to have their voices heard.
Many of their friends don't even want to have children because of uncertainty over the future environment, Nikita said
Ka kite ano link below
https://i.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/114105263/new-plymouth-students-organising-climate-conference
Kia ora Newshub
Coach Stevie I know how you feel with people taking your words and making a moanga out of a mole hill of course there are some women who beat men I have seen it as well.
All you people who are complaining about tamariki getting there qualifications even if they could not afford to pay their fees are just not very nice people you should be feeling sorry for all the tamariki in hardship muppets.
There you go trump is a brat full stop that was a conversation that should not have gotten leaked is trump spying on him ???????????.
Sir David Attenborough ka pai for your highlighting the harm that climate change is going to do to our mokopuna futures. If we don't stop burning carbon the common person future looks very bleak.
Jensen you're art is making the place better and beautiful we should be encouraging people who have great art not suppressing them kia kaha m8.
Ka kite ano
Kia ora te ao Maori news.
I it is a step in the correct position on medical marijuana it can revleave a lot of pain that people are suffering.
Biddle I thought I new the feachers I know some Biddles from Te taiwhiti.
The ass has dropped out of the log markets thanks to trump.
Like I have said the returns the Maori land owners get is crap if the logs have to be carted more than 2 hours only the forestry company's are making cream good money there needs to be a port on te taiwhiti coast to cut costs. I reckon that the forest company's short change Maori forest owners and pay their Pakaiha m8 more I see that behavior has been happening for hundreds of years the same can be said for stock agents ripping off Maori farmers and paying their m8 more money.
Ka kite ano
Kia ora The Am Show.
Lloyd you look like you're enjoying yourself in Britain.
Ryan we need to invest in mass transport not roads we need more Railways. The line to Gisborne Te taiwhiti needs to be fixed so Ngati Porou can get more value out of our exports. Is it a coincidence that the 2 place with high Maori populations have had next to no investment in the roads or railroad. ?????.
I heard that the tenants gave Jensen permission to paint the building with his street art it's all good Ryan the Eco Maori effect is in play Jensen art will get heaps of publicity NOW .
The neanderthals running Our Papatuanuku to the dirt at the minute can not even listen to Wahine concerns let alone listening to our rangitahi concerns with the Papatuanuku and their futures. The 30 under 30 is a great campaign kia kaha. Rangitahi are intelligent people some can see the big picture on Humanity's reality that is we can not keep SHITTING in our own backyard in reality it's full of shit that needs cleaning up right NOW.
I agree Sir Graham we need to nurture our rangitahi not put them down.
Ka kite ano
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/5Yj4j_lZMBo
Good parenting Reason. Isn't calling your kid a racist when they say something racist, it's far more than that. Kids learn hate from those who teach hate towards racism and racists. Racism is just shallow thinking, as all vulgarity, yet of course has wider effects.
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/tgVVG5EknuI
Eco Maori goes to Jaycars Rotorua and Harvey Norman's and what do you know they don't sell satellite dishes for sky or other tv satellites YEA RIGHT The sandflys are playing there stupid game the Muppets
Eco Maori thanks France for putting a Eco tax on there Air travelers all countrys need to follow there lead but use the tax to subsidize clean energy transportation. Ka pai.
France to slap new 'ecotax' on plane tickets from 2020
France will introduce a new charge on plane tickets from next year, with revenue used to fund environment-friendly alternatives, the country's transport minister has said.
The "ecotax'' costing between €1.50 (NZ$2.50) and €18 euros (NZ$30.50) will apply to most flights departing in France, Elisabeth Borne said.
The only exceptions will be for domestic flights to Corsica and France's overseas territories, and connecting flights that pass through France. It will not apply to flights arriving in France
Murphy said the French move could boost efforts to introduce a Europe-wide tax on aviation to reflect plane travel's environmental impact Germany, Italy and some Nordics nations also have ticket taxes. Several European countries are meanwhile pushing for the VAT exemption that airline fuel enjoys in Europe to be dropped
Germany's Environment Ministry said Tuesday it supports discussions on additional CO2-based pricing systems for air travel to reduce the industry's contribution to man-made greenhouse gas emissions, currently estimated at more than 2 per cent but forecast to grow significantly in coming decadesWhat's more, the conditions for competition between air, road and rail travel need to be made fairer,'' the ministry said in a statement. "This is something we in Europe need to achieve together ka kite ano link below.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/114118704/france-to-slap-new-ecotax-on-plane-tickets-from-2020
Kia ora Newshub.
Ka pai to Meng Foon for his new mahi as race relations Commissioner a great choice for that job.
The Americas couple whose IV babies got mixed up looked unhappy about the time of the mix up happened the hospital tried to sweep it under the carpet tipical don't give a stuff about the people feeling both parents.
Its is great that Middlemore hospital is getting a big money injection so that the hospital can lower the operating list its good that there is more investment going into treatment for Maori and Pacific health problems.
Kia kaha Angela Merkel Mana Wahine .
Ka kite ano
Kia ora Te ao Maori News.
Condolences to Hone Ngati Whanau I like his DJ on The Code on Maori TV.
I agree stop the war on the poor one good thing is we now have a government that is trying its best to serve the tangata needs .It's tuff trying to live in Auckland when you are poor.
Meng foon deserves his new mahi.
With the James Cook not comments but Eco Maori has to let the Whanau know what is actually happening so that they can counter the bias discriminatory ways . Maori must keep trying harder when the system throws US heaps of underarm bowls kia kaha.
Tea puia marae is preforming a excellent service for te tangata.
I,,, you can't beat a traditional Hangi the last hakari was reka.
I think wakakura flax pepi cots will be excellent for Maori pepi living in the . It will be a lot safer than pepi sleeping in the same bed as te Wahine.
Ka kite ano