More obfuscatory waffle from McIvor nee Woodham on a Sunday.
“The commemorations at Waitangi involve coming together to share a special day with ritual, good food, fun and a few good stoushes – just like any other family get together, really, isn’t it?”.
I for one would be very interested in knowing what her [and others’] remuneration is for these opinions.
I read fb posts that and are not only longer but have far less bias. There are tweets out there that contain more considered opinion and do so in greater depth.
I repeat what I wrote earlier
With Stuff and The Herald being the principal sources of daily news for the majority of kiwis, what hope does the public have of informed debate this election?
When Antonis Kantas, a deputy in the Defense Ministry here, spoke up against the purchase of expensive German-made tanks in 2001, a representative of the tank’s manufacturer stopped by his office to leave a satchel on his sofa. It contained 600,000 euros, about $814,000. Other arms manufacturers eager to make deals came by, too, some guiding him through the ins and outs of international banking and then paying him off with deposits to his overseas accounts.
At the time, Mr. Kantas, a wiry former military officer, did not actually have the authority to decide much of anything on his own. But corruption was so rampant inside the Greek equivalent of the Pentagon that even a man of his relatively modest rank, he testified recently, was able to amass nearly $19 million in just five years on the job.
“Key’s trip to Australia underscored the success of his Government in knocking the books back into shape after years of belt tightening – earning Key accolades from Abbott as an inspiration and a mentor. ”
W T F ???
knocking the books back into shape ?
There are not enough words in the dictionary to adequately explain how flawed that statement is.
With Stuff and The Herald being the principal sources of daily news for the majority of kiwis, what hope does the public have of informed debate this election?
“knocking the books back into shape ?” That’s garbage!!
This from the National Party:
“The level of public debt in New Zealand was $8 billion when National came into office in 2008. It’s now $53 billion, and it’s forecast to rise to $72 billion in 2016. Without selling minority shares in five companies, it would rise to $78 billion. Our total investment liabilities, which cover both public and private liabilities, are $150 billion – one of the worst in the world because of the high levels of private debt in New Zealand.
Like every household in New Zealand, we know how important it is to live within our means by budgeting carefully and deciding on our priorities.” http://www.national.org.nz/mixed-ownership.”
An another complete and utter lie by the Nact’s because nobody has any idea whatsoever about the value of assets that are owned by New Zealander’s offshore. Some have local tax implications but many do not and no data is collected about the capital sums involved. And of course even when they should be disclosed they may not be.
So private assets owned offshore should be offset against private debt
Yep, good times ahead for NZ and you can put the down to the brilliance of John Key and his National government.
50%+ at the next election is pretty much a certainty, especially after the idiocy of the best start debacle and then topped off with the racist bizarre ramblings of Labour party candidate Deborah Russell.
The tory shit sprayer seems to have turbo boost turned way down today if that is the best BM can offer.
The brilliance of John Phillip ShonKey was certainly on show in Australia last week, he showed ’em. Sick really, National exacerbates the conditions that cause kiwi flight to Australia then the PM grovels for a few miserable concessions for the refugees from slashed and burnt and under supported NZ industry.
There is a stumbling uncertainty in your spin today BM,
Could it be the earworm of truth has eaten into your addled brainstem
Is it singing an aria of enlightenment down into the ideological oubliette you call on for ideas
Could it be there is a consciousness in there after all
Trying to escape into the light
There is a haunting desperation in your words
A present lack of conviction giving you away
Have you finally realised that despite your lies
Your propaganda
Your hatred
You cannot put food on your table as easily as you once did
Are you hurting BM? Are you feeling the pinch a little?
Would it help you to know that hundreds of thousands of kiwis are beginning the same transformative process and are also grappling with that heart rending moment of truth
They too are acknowledging that manure makes a lousy Amuse-bouche
“Would it help you to know that hundreds of thousands of kiwis are beginning the same transformative process and are also grappling with that heart rending moment of truth”
Good grief. BM is hyperbolic, obviously. But do you folk ever get out? I do. All around the country from the deep south to the Bay of Islands.
The country is PUMPING. Bars and eating places are packed. The shopping malls are heaving. Every hospitality venue I went to in Westland was staffed by European travellers – I mean hundreds of them – because of a shortage of domestic labour.
OK lets look at some empirics. 63.5% of those in the last RM survey said the country is “heading in the right direction”. That is 10% points up since DC took over as Labour Party leader.
As far as I can find, it is currently the highest rating of this type in the WORLD. (This survey is used all over the OECD).
So keep up your class warfare. You sound like a bunch of story boards from the 1950s my father used to tell me about. I guess you have always been around but now you congregte at The Standard.
For sure there’s a few people struggling but there always will be.
Generally though most people aren’t which is why Labour’s getting no traction with the tales of woe they’re trying to push out into the media.
Labour needs to ditch the negative shit and actually demonstrate why they’d be a better government than National.
And by better government I don’t mean take money off one group of people and give it to another group who unsurprisingly represents their core voters.
I want to see how they’re going to make the pie bigger so every ones better off, if they can’t demonstrate that they should just get the fuck out of the way.
Bumptious Midden.
More propaganda from 5 eyes.
Broken promises is all we’ve had from your Nactional coalition
1 year out of 5 of growth.
Child poverty increasing.
Middle classes paying taxes while the rich pay nothing .
Higher real unemployment.
Bene bullying and bashing.
Real good paying jobs nowhere to be found except in Auckland and ChCh where living costs are sky rocketing because of Nactional party promoting property bubble speculation.
Serial liar and fraudster
The middle classes don,t agree with your pathetic propaganda.TV3 poll
As they are getting squeezed into the working poor classes as you fully know that’s your job at 5 eyes to con Enough middle class voters into believing your BS.
Fuck offf 5 eyed fuckwit.
I listened to this. It was the greatest load of crap. That academic from Colorado stringing together platitudes about the evils of “neoliberalism”. Notice that Cunliffe doesn’t talk much about “neoliberalism” on the hustings. That is because the punters buying boats and ipads won’t have a fucking clue what he is talking about. And he aint stupid.
There is no alternative to promoting efficient markets and trade liberalisation. Cunliffe knows that. And if Labour wins that is what you will get, with some token “embroidery” on the great fabric of neoliberal policy (to paraphrase the great Paul Keating).
No future government will change the pillars of New Zealand economic policy. There is no alternative.
[lprent: I auto-spam overworked phrases when I get irritated with them from all sides. Be advised that I frequently ban the morons who make them when they cause me too much work. It is usually safer to use the actual names unless your phrase is new becasue I will only correct a few times. Assess the risk. ]
Your comment re turn left at Kawakawa is very pertinent.
So why cannot Ngapuhi get their act together, as it would be for the benefit of those effective outcasts to the west of Kawakawa. Or will it ?
All that is happening now is a fight between certain families as who is going to be rich and control and be the beneficiary of the $600,000,000, and who is going to remain poor.
What about all the peoples of Ngapuhi ?
They do not appear to matter.
There are bugger all jobs in some towns up north so these people have two choices, either be long term unemployed or get a job in another town and move. Would you really want your kids to grow up in a shit hole where they will struggle to get a job? Lots of people move for work its just a matter of getting off your arse.
The District mayor moved. He moved the council facilities from Kaikohe to Kerikeri so he’d be closer to his developer mates as they cut down the remaining forest.
Opua’s pumping too. Pumping raw sewerage from NAct yachts into the estuary and making the oysters unfit for human consumption. Out past Kerikeri is pumping as well. Pumping MacMansions into kiwi habitat, all with the connivance of the District Council.
Auckland shopping malls are heaving? Yeah, sure. I was back recently and was amazed at how empty they were, despite everything being on sale. But then I doubt if I visit the same places SSLands does, because I actually have family and friends in Aotearoa, whereas he’s just an Aussie tourist. Or at most, a researcher for Crosby Textor.
This is the same OECD where our wages are rated against each other despite the fact most of them have tax free allowances built in and we don’t? that OECD ?
The same OECD which somehow forgets to highlight the skyrocketing % of debt-per-capita that NZ has suffered since National took office?
and as for “European travellers” in the workplace,
It is not for lack of kiwis wanting to work. It is because of the choices made by the business owners. Often explained to customers as a move made on their behalf to make their touristy guests feel more comfortable. In reality it is just cheaper than kiwi labour. These places, usually scenic in nature, or hub related, are filled with staff on short term contract deals, largely cash and/or barter based [some pay + tourist services + accommodation] where, if most of the details were actually known to you, you would be ranting against just as strongly. Let’s just say that hospitality is no different than banking, there is always some creative book keeping involved.
Look at the explosion of Chinese tourism into NZ. Whole networks with barely a kiwi on the staff anywhere. From the minute they get off the plane to the day they depart. I guess that is because of dole bludging no hopers with no interest in working? Nothing to do with the decisions of the business owners. You know, the market gods you have so much faith in.
srylands, I think I have mentioned this to you before but I have spent the majority of my working life in hospitality all over NZ , so don’t even try to talk about your vast expertise on that topic. Customers, as a rule, know jack about the hospitality industry. Recent discussion around bar restrictions and closing hours show how little thought is given to the workers in those industries. The fact that hospo staff might want a social life too, seems beyond most people’s consideration.
Consideration, that is an interesting term in relation to the unemployed.
Take this past week, where after sending off a dozen job hunt emails (with no reply of course), doing a bit of TS PPP time, finalising a business plan for a new venture that should lead to self-employment, (fingers crossed) hanging a new exhibition, overseeing the final OSH planning for an Organics Education weekend, being invited to present a new series of bone carvings to be exhibited during Matariki, negotiating the plans for a bookcase/screen for a local cafe and helping a friend get checked into a psych ward, I get called in to WINZ to spend 90 minutes explaining why I have not yet found a job and I should really fill in some boxes on a piece of paper that will help me find a career path. WTF!!!. Oh yeah it’s all those dole bludgers fault and their unwillingness to work.
Back to you though, and your expertise. I say you know little to nothing about hospitality. The same as I know very little about moving around numbers representing money earned by other people using software programmes built by other people whilst I write meaningless reports to be read by someone maybe, all the while sitting in a chair someone else made, in an office others built, drinking coffee grown and produced by someone else. What is it you contribute again?
-a week ago I thought I had the strength to ignore the idiots,
but just when you think you got out, they pull you back in 🙂
excuse the rant folks, i know what the report card reads – must try harder
Your paragraph about your week is both a damning indictment of Bennett’s welfare reforms and a brilliant argument for the UBI. Even without the UBI I read your story and think about all the ways that WINZ could support you to be continuing with all the amazing things you are doing, instead of putting soul-destroying obstacles in your way.
I agree re tourism/hospo jobs. Friends I’ve got living in tourist towns tell similar stories, and it’s crap to say there is a shortage of kiwi labour. As well as the wages, there is the issue of the casual nature of the work. Travellers or visitors here on work visas but who are really here for a working holiday are happy to work 20 hours one week, 5 hours the next and to be let go at no notice. Those who are permanent with high rents, kids to feed etc can’t manage with those conditions.
The other troubling thing about the current immigration/visa/work policy is that we are creating the same problems that the UK has majorly ie ‘foreigners taking our jobs’, with the potential for the bigotry to increase substantially.
I was remiss in not mentioning that the few staff I interact with at WINZ are trying hard to help. They are doing what they can, but the current environment they operate under has tied their hands. They know the work is not out there.
They simply do not have the autonomy they used to. Their entire operational framework is now all about following whatever ‘meet this target’ law is sent down from central office. I hate seeing the difficulties the WINZ front lines are facing. The WINZ front line staff are dealing with some of this country’s greatest troubles, in impossibly difficult circumstances and doing so in a thankless, largely misunderstood and often threatening environment.
In the late 80’s/early 90’s when it looked like Japan was going to overwhelm the New Zealand tourist sector, we faced a similar dilemma. Japanese tourists were paying for their fares in Japan, staying in mainly accommodation controlled by Japanese shareholders, so tariffs were paid in Japan, shopping in Japanese run shops, run by Japanese operators, whose staff were paid in accounts held in Japan. Very little money at the time was actually following into the New Zealand economy.
SSLands, you forgot a little in your elongated rant,(presumably generated by this mornings major alcohol hangover),
The country is PUMPING, a large proportion of the flow from the pump being generated by the ongoing splurge of house price inflation and all the major banks attaching credit cards to the billions in private household mortgages those banks hold,
The Reserve Bank is set to start raising the cash rate this year by probably a full % point by the years end which will probably translate to a 2-3% rise in floating bank rates immediately and a similar effect on fixed mortgages as they become liable for renewal,
The abrupt halt rising interest rates will cause in the sugar rush of credit card spending will crash ‘growth’ in the final quarter of 2014/first quarter of 2015, (timed to suit the National Government re-election aspirations) and ‘growth’ will contract by 1-1.5% resulting in another 20,000 unemployed…
It is the ‘high’ (rather it is a dazed and confused state) that little twerps get from the delusional view that working for the top wealthy 0.01% Club is the same as being in that Club.
It requires a high level of ability to believe false information, swallowing hook, line and sinker all lies propagated by a self-serving small minded and hostile bunch of ‘people’ (if you can refer to them as that – creatures? thingummies?) and requires strict obedience to that bunch of ‘people’. It requires a high degree of disconnection from oneself and ones fellow people, a lack of self awareness and an ability to lie to oneself and one’s family, friends and compatriots.
It leads to an ability to act against ones own and one’s communities greatest interests – all in the name of the delusional belief that all this obedience somehow puts one in The Club, when really all you have become is a hollowed out approximation of a human and more closely resemble a human club (as in thing you hit others over the head with).
They are talking about the current account. Its not that hard to follow. Abbott is under huge pressure to do the same as National have. Don’t you like hearing what a great job National are doing.
I expect Fairfax Media to write propaganda supporting a government that benefits the wealthy over the poor and foreign corporate interests over the civil rights of NZ citizens.
So hearing from them ‘what a great job National are doing’ is predictable.
After all, their largest shareholder, with a stake of approximately 14.9% is Gina Rinehart, the wealthiest person in Australia.
NI guess naki you believe greed is good and share the same sociopathic ideals as srylands.
Dull.
I guess if there were also charts for black or Latino men over 20 that showed ‘Labor Force Participation’ at 72% or more, then the inverted commas might make sense. And, if further charts for white women and black and Latino women showed similar participation rates, then the inverted commas might even seem a tad justified. But only within the sphere of economic participation.
And only a tad, because, you know, wage rates, security of employment, and job position would also have to be taken into account.
Then, if we looked at more general indicators of privilege and discrimination and found that white men were subjected to the same systemic racism and sexism etc…then yeah, then the inverted commas would be justified. In fact, the term should rightly be dropped from the sentence/statement at that point.
But since that isn’t the case, your inverted commas only serve to diminish the point that even systemically privileged white men are getting the squeeze. Sometimes Tat, deliberately projecting your blind spot goes beyond the cynical dismissing of important oppressions, y’know?
I think the point though is that structural advantages have not counted for much in the face of factors like offshoring of production and the financialisation of the economy. It’s a complicated picture because of all the different changes over that period, so not easy to make comparisons (another instance where ‘facts’ on their own are inadequate).
Labour force participation for women is higher than in the 1950s because of feminism and economic changes. Partly because the population is ageing, many women work in aged care industries. And upheaval in the economy means fewer adult children live near their parents, thus more need for social services.
I don’t know whether women in the aged care industry are better off now, where they are clearly exploited, than say 50 years ago, when they might have cared for the elderly and disabled in their family/whanau/community, and not received remuneration, but their partner earned sufficient income to support a family.
I think the point though is that structural advantages have not counted for much…
That overall economic opportunities may not be the same as in previous decades has absolutely no impact on how systemic disdvantage plays out. If people belonging to a generally privileged group are suffering more, then what do you reckon the situation is for those in generally disadvantaged groups? Are you suggesting that they might be in a relatively better position than before!?
Oh shit, finally the white dudes are suffering after everyone else has been screwed to breaking point, call a fucking waaaaaaaaahmbulance.
Like Bill said, the funny thing is how you’re diminishing your own point – about how everyone is getting hurt by the current economic situation, and how this is demonstrated by the fact that the most privileged groups in society are also getting screwed – because you just can’t handle the fact that sometimes progressive politics isn’t about directly benefiting you.
This from Genesis last year when I questioned a 13% price rise. For the following to be true either each of the costs have increased by at least 13% or some have increased by much more.
Genesis, owned wholly by us and yet lies and gouges.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013 2:21 PM
Good Afternoon Steve
Thank you for your email.
I understand price increases are concerning. We have not increased prices since April 2012 in your area. We have chosen during that time not to pass on any increased costs; however, we are unable to do that again this year and have had to pass those on to you.
The new electricity prices reflect increases in:
• transmission and distribution costs
• costs associated with servicing customers
• the expected future cost of wholesale energy
• our margins to maintain a reasonable return
• EC (Electricity Commission) Levies
Genesis Energy is confident that after recent increases it will continue to provide competitive prices to consumers in Christchurch. Customers can be confident that Genesis Energy is doing everything possible to manage its costs appropriately. A number of business improvement and cost efficiency programmes are underway throughout our generation and retailing business.
Our promise to our customers is to provide you with one of the most reliable energy sources in New Zealand and our focus is on customer service.
When the wholesale price for electricity is artificially inflated and [unethically manipulated] of course the retail side of the equation will also be flawed. Why do you have so much trouble admitting accepting or even understanding that the main issue with electricity pricing is the market driven hunt for profit at the point of production and not simply the ticket clipping that occurs along the way.
Mainly because when I worked at Meridian I learned the prices where tendered for by the various electricity retailers; that’s just competition and makes sense because the retailers had a reasonable idea of their expected usage. So the tender included a demand and price offer. A Canadian company called Transalta (for memory) went broke because they failed to make the tender deadline in 2000 and were charged a retail rate by Meridian production.
My observation is clear; a 13% price increase I believe cannot be justified by the response I was provided. If Genesis had simply stated “we want more profit” I would believe that; I am personally very intolerant of any fabrications of the truth. The intention of my post was to inform others of probable price gauging by Genesis. Mind you it’s got to make their shares more attractive.
What about the fact the successful tender is the second highest bid and not the lowest bid?
You know the exact opposite of what they do when they want something built!
Does that compute in your brain at all when trying to spin the scale of the rort that is electricity production in New Zealand?
I received the same price hike of 13% with their latest fixed term offer that makes the rise 18.98%
I am yet to see MSM come out with decent journalistic coverage of the effects of Key-Nationals assets sales.
This is exactly why power providers need to be regulated.
The new electricity prices reflect increases in:
• transmission and distribution costs
• costs associated with servicing customers
• the expected future cost of wholesale energy
• our margins to maintain a reasonable return
• EC (Electricity Commission) Levies
This point needs studying:
• our margins to maintain a reasonable return
This from the electricity company is a small number of words with a big meaning and effect.
I was thinking that in a low inflation environment with static wages, these companies can find a case to give customers for raising their prices, by continually getting their assets revalued which is likely to be up or they wouldn’t follow the practice, and then applying the set percentage that they expect to receive back. And 10% has been bandied about, though tht seems quite high on non-risk investments. So obviously if something that was valued at $1 million is revalued at $1.5 million but the same set percentage is applied, the return on assets is going to provide a higher amount. This then must be sadly, passed on to the consumer as necessary and explained away as resulting from rising costs.
This when viewed objectively, reminds me very much of the faux concern that unions involved with the ferries expressed every time they went on strike for more money at times of most demand, holidays etc.
It’s just an entity squeezing the public for more money to them, for little or no extra services or infrastructure. Greedy unions or corporates, same attitudes, from different perspectives, result same to consumers, pay more to us. A bit of unpacking of the background to some of the supposedly rational behaviours in the production of goods and services is called for.
Shame about the ‘greedy unions’ part of your comment. Obvious point is that the unions gain nothing from negotiations – the members do. I take your point about tactics sometimes being woefully thought out though and effects of strike action hitting the wrong target. (in the case of ferries, customers rather than than solely the bosses pocket)
Serial liar and fraudster
No New zealander calls Westland westland you are full of shit.
The Kiwis are all in Australia getting decent wages.
Hundreds of foriegners bullshit again .
You have no eye deer.
5 eyed fuckwit sryland.
How ridiculous is SSLands triumphalism given the speciousness of the poll enquiry as to “direction”.
The poll question is undeniably suspect –
“[GENERALLY] speaking, do you [FEEL] that [THINGS] in New Zealand are heading in the right direction ?…………..or would you [SAY] [THINGS] are [SERIOUSLY] heading in the wrong direction ?”
For a start the question lacks definitional bounds – what does [THINGS] mean ?
Secondly, the first alternative only minimally tests the respondent. It is a more or less enquiry as to the respondent’s general senses, which senses may be based on superb objective knowledge, or rank subjective ignorance. There is plenty of wiggle room.
In contrast the second alternative tests the respondent considerably more. The respondent is required to mentally address specifics, viz. matter/s which the respondent can honourably define to him/herself, in his/her knowledge, as tending to a direction [SERIOUSLY] wrong, not just wrong, but [SERIOUSLY] wrong. There is the heightened test.
Of course the intellectually dishonest blowhard SSLands will dismiss my point but that would be to say that ALL those who responded with “generally, right direction” see no wrong in child poverty for example. So really, this right direction/wrong direction business says little. It is specious.
What is significant is that Mr 62% is now Mr 39% and falling. A “dislikeability” factor is operative. Don’t forget, we have KDC and “Liar Liar” yet to come. Triumphalise on and good luck in your travels through the pumping malls and bars of the nation, old goat you.
Here are two good radio docos. The first on Income inequality –
and amongst others featuring Max Rushbrooke, is well worth a listen. And gives interesting ‘insight’ into how Phil O’Reilly, and various economists, can explain our economy ad being as satisfctory and understandable as a ball getting balanced on a seal’s nose. Myself I feel they are dissembling. What do you think?
was on Sunday 9/Feb/2014 at 8.15 am and is to be repeated on Radionz on Monday 10 February at 7.30pm
and Wednesday at 12.30 a.m. http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/insight
Insight – Sunday 9 February 2014, with Philippa Tolley
NZ Radio Awards 2013: winner of the Best Documentary or Feature Programme & co-winner of Best Daily or Weekly series under an Hour Duration
Insight for 9 February 2014 – Does Rich -Poor Divide Matter? ( 27′ 13″ )
Penny Mackay investigates whether a big income gap really matters. Share Download: Ogg | MP3
gap rich poor Once one of the most equal nations in the world, during the 80s and 90s New Zealand’s income gap widened faster than any other developed country.
Equality advocates say that is too wide and is responsible for social problems including high rates of mental illness, teenage pregnancy, violence and incarceration.
Others say obsessing about a “gap” is a distraction from tackling poverty itself.
Penny Mackay considers both arguments and some of the offered solutions.
Coming Up on Insight
8:12 am Sunday 16 February: Insight: Education Solving Society’s Ills?
Education spotlight shannon school The three main political parties, National, Labour and the Greens, started the year with major education announcements.
Their attention put the early childhood and school sectors in the political spotlight.
But are they beginning to expect too much from education?
Radio New Zealand’s Education Correspondent, John Gerritsen investigates how much social and economic change the education sector can deliver, and how schools are coping with the demands being placed upon them.
Shows the arrogance and partisan politics within the upper levels of iwi, nothing new there.
Watch the nact bundle a settlement through,full of holes, like alot of their urgency measures, then trumpet what legends they are for sorting it out.
This will leave the subsequent claims bought about by the holes another govts issue to sort out. Par for the course really but then shonkey likes golf.
So Andarko have found water at the bottom of the ocean.
But what kind of water?
Presumably it was fossil water disconnected from the main ocean for millions of years.
How old is it?
Are there any extremophile lifeforms in it, or is it sterile?
Is it water left over from the time when the submarine continent that surrounds New Zealand was above the surface?
Is it fresh water?
Andarko may not be interested in any of these questions but others might?
By showing no interest at all in such questions Andarko show themselves to be the scientific Philistines, heedlessly ploughing their way through the natural and human world without any thought to some of the greatest mysteries and wonders of the natural world. Their only interest is money.
The sooner we rid ourselves of these invading marauders from our shores the better.
You may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
You may find yourself in another part of the world
You may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
You may find yourself in a beautiful house with a beautiful wife
You may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?…
There is water at the bottom of the ocean
Remove the water, carry the water
Remove the water from the bottom of the ocean
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, after the money’s gone
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, into silent water
Under the rocks and stones, there is water underground
Letting the days go by, into silent water
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
You may ask yourself, what is that beautiful house?
You may ask yourself, where does that highway lead to?
You may ask yourself, am I right, am I wrong?
You may say to yourself, my god, what have I done?
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was, same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was, same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Time isn’t holding us, time isn’t after us
Time isn’t holding us, time doesn’t hold you back
Time isn’t holding us, time isn’t after us
Time isn’t holding us…
Letting the days go by, letting the days go by, letting the days go by, once in a lifetime (?)
Letting the days go by, letting the days go by, letting the days go by, once in a lifetime
Hopefully Our Munsta of tha Arts and Kulcha will be listening to RNZ today – Essshhpeshlee “tha…Artson Sunny” – I mean listen from start to finish and ‘especially’ the unedited portion.
If he did/has, I imagine he’ll be weighing up eggseklee where his peshuns loi.
I suspect he’ll go with the bitter ole Queen option. Yesssiree John – you’re gorgeous, I love you, I offer my undying leeeeeerv!
There goes one lonely funeral
I had a look at a No Minister post about Kiwis in Australia and didn’t find much reliable information there. So I thought I would find a bit out about this immigration business in Oz.
It seems that nearly anyone can get a SCV (Special Category Visa).
But that has limited benefits to you which don’t change the longer you are in the country. Fact Sheet 17 has much information.
The SCV – It allows a New Zealand citizen to remain indefinitely and live, work or study in Australia lawfully as long as that person remains a New Zealand citizen.
The SCV is not a permanent visa and visa holders do not have the same rights and benefits as Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents……
Changes introduced on 26 February 2001
A new bilateral social security arrangement between Australia and New Zealand was announced on 26 February 2001. This agreement sets out arrangements for payment of age pension, disability support pension and carer payment to New Zealand citizens in Australia.
It also recognised the right of each country to determine access to social security benefits not covered by the agreement, and to set related residence and citizenship rules according to the respective country’s national legislative and policy frameworks. In line with that principle Australia introduced a number of supplementary changes.
As a result, the Social Security Act 1991 requires New Zealand citizens who arrived in Australia after 26 February 2001 to apply for and be granted an Australian permanent visa to access certain social security payments (including income support payments) that are not covered by the bilateral agreement.
To support this requirement, changes were also made to citizenship and migration legislation to require New Zealand citizens to become permanent visa holders if they want to obtain Australian citizenship or sponsor their family members for a permanent visa.
When can you apply for a permanent visa?
You can apply for a permanent visa after you have:
lived for two years in a Specified Regional Area and worked, including being self-employed, for one year in these same areas.
See: Specified Regional Areas, or
obtained sponsorship under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme.
Which permanent visas can you apply for?
You can apply for any permanent visa in Australia, however the Skilled – Regional (Residence) visa (subclass 887) is specifically designed for holders of a provisional skilled visa who want to apply for permanent residency.
See: Skilled – Regional (Residence) Visa (Subclass 887)
The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa (subclass 857) has reduced eligibility requirements for holders of a Skilled – Regional Sponsored (Provisional) visa (subclasses 475 and 487) or a Skilled – Independent Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 495).
See: Concessions for the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Visa (Subclass 857)
It appears that if you want to get Citizenship status you can only apply after having got a PermanentVisa.
It seems possible that you could have dual status if the NZ Government allows this.
Since 1 Sept 1994 any NZer arriving in Australia is automatically issued a Subclass 444 or “Special Category” Visa. The SCV allows a NZer to live and work in Australia indefinitely without needing any other sort of work or residency visa. It is not permanent; it can be revoked; you lose it by leaving Australia and you are issued a new one if you re-enter Australia.
The SCV makes the holder ineligible for almost all Australian government welfare and financial assistance. If you’re a NZer on an SCV you can not get unemployment assistance if you lose your job, you’re not eligible for payments under the National Disability Insurance Scheme, you can not (presently) get a student loan or allowance, if your house gets burned down or washed away you are not entitled to the emergency financial assistance that your Australian neighbour gets, etc etc. If you become a burden on the Australian taxpayer (eg by going to jail) you will be put on a one-way flight to NZ upon release. A child born in Australia to parents who are NZers on SCVs does not receive Australian citizenship and is “stateless” unless the parents apply for and are granted NZ citizenship for the child by birth. A NZer on an SCV is basically a long-term guest with obligations (pay tax, obey the law) but with very few of the rights of a resident or citizen.
Getting official Australian residency is hard. People are literally dying to get in to Australia.
NZers on SCVs are considered no different from other immigrants where applications for permanent residency are concerned. It makes no difference that you’re already in Australia and working; if you want to become a permanent resident you have to meet the same immigration criteria as any other foreign immigrant. You must have qualifications and work in a field that Australia considers desirable (i.e. be on the “Skilled Occupations” list), be under 45 years of age, and (depending on the specific visa you’re applying for) be sponsored by your employer or be moving to a “Regional Area” where Australia needs more people in certain professions.
There are approximately 600,000 NZers in Australia and many of them are placed in great hardship by the situation described above. I’m sure that many of those 600,000 are eligible to vote in NZ elections and would look favourably on the NZ government that helped them.
– you can only apply for Australian citizenship if you have spent two years in Australia with permanent resident status.
– it is possible to have dual Australian and New Zealand citizenship.
Trivia:
– NZers who were on SCVs when the current law took effect in Feb 2001 were allowed to apply directly for citizenship if they’d been physically present in Australia for more than 12 months of the 24 months to Feb 2001. Thus Russell Crowe, who lived in Australia but was in the northern hemisphere filming first Gladiator then A Beautiful Mind during that time, did not qualify and had his Australian citizenship application rejected. And since he’s over 45 and in a nonessential profession (“actor”) he can not become a permanent resident.
As long as these kiwi ‘guest workers’ are in Australia, paying tax to that govt, they are not paying tax to the NZ govt who ultimately will have to pick up the tab when they return to New Zealand.
The point is that most will not be able to retire in Australia and will almost certainly be returning to NZ and become immediately eligible for Super.
Here is also an interesting point. Of the 850,000 odd New Zealanders who did not vote in the last election – how many would be included in this 620,000 living in Australia under this SCV?
Twenty five years ago we should’ve, could’ve, would’ve…..but never did a thing…
Four former state-owned companies employed most of the Tuzla population. The contracts agreed to at the time of government sell-off stipulated that the new private owners were to advance investment in the companies, according to Deutsche Welle.
Instead, the new owners sold the assets and halted payment to workers, leading to bankruptcy filings between 2000 and 2008. Sead Causevic, local leader in Tuzla, directed blame at the court system, saying upset workers turned to the law years ago, yet they were ignored.
Causevic told Bosnian state TV that the “rip-off privatization” had occurred before he took office. He called the factory workers’ demands legitimate, Deutsche Welle reported.
“It was our government that sold state assets for peanuts and left the people without pensions, jobs or health insurance,” Hana Obradovic, an unemployed graduate from Sarajevo, told Reuters.
SSLands, i realize this is only an indication but if i was in the ACT camp i wouldn’t want to be wasting money on shonky quasi-gambling websites able to manipulated with a used 20 dollar note,(you are going to need all the spare coin you have got to pay your fair share of tax as assessed by the incoming Labour/Green Government),
Heres a few of today’s ‘predictions’ of note, National 42%, Labour 33.2%, Green 9.5 %, Internet Party 14.2%,
Ha ha ha obviously someone like you, with a massive alcohol hangover forgot to put a . in the right place for the internet party, just goes to show how badly run that site is and how stupid you are to waste money on it…
Yep and someone has sold a thousand shares at .38c so it will not move for a while. It also shows that someone with a bit of money is trying to give the impression that Labour’s chances are not good. And someone has also listed a thousand National PM shares at .62c so it is obviously someone trying to manipulate things.
An ex-KGB spy has been let off a drink driving charge because it would limit him travelling overseas.
Yep, that of consultant to spy agencies. One wonders why, in this digital age, he would have to travel at all – oh, wait, it’s to help ensure that he’s not spied upon by those same spy agencies.
Thing is, career should never be a reason to discharge a criminal conviction. All we really see when people’s convictions are discharged because of career is rich people being treated differently from everyone else.
I disagree – the “career” thing is actually a clause that stops a punishment being unduly harsh. Fair enough.
That having been said, twice the limit is pretty pissed and highly dangerous, so I’d be tending towards “fuck off, you could have killed someone” rather than discharge.
When a truck driver gets pulled up driving drunk he loses his license and his job. There’s no way he’s going to be let off because it’ll ruin his career. This guy’s likely to lose everything whereas the ex-KGB agent would probably still be able to maintain his career and his income although maybe somewhat reduced or he could just get a job at the GCSB. So, what does unduly harsh actually mean?
theoretically it’s based on the individual circumstances of the case interpreted via precedent.
I agree, in this case the decision seems … odd, but the principle is sound (and indeed essential). The problem as you point out is the unequal treatment of poor people compared to the rich.
Yes, the poor are treated differently because they can’t afford lawyers which is a problem but that’s not the problem here – the problem is that it’s an excuse that shouldn’t exist. As Murray Olsen points out it should be applied to every single case as it limits peoples career choices. Essentially, this legal defense means that people should automatically get off criminal charges.
BTW, there’s plenty of All Blacks that have got off assault for exactly the same reason.
8 Principles of sentencing or otherwise dealing with offenders
In sentencing or otherwise dealing with an offender the court—
(a) must take into account the gravity of the offending in the particular case, including the degree of culpability of the offender; and
(b) must take into account the seriousness of the type of offence in comparison with other types of offences, as indicated by the maximum penalties prescribed for the offences; and
(c) must impose the maximum penalty prescribed for the offence if the offending is within the most serious of cases for which that penalty is prescribed, unless circumstances relating to the offender make that inappropriate; and
(d) must impose a penalty near to the maximum prescribed for the offence if the offending is near to the most serious of cases for which that penalty is prescribed, unless circumstances relating to the offender make that inappropriate; and
(e) must take into account the general desirability of consistency with appropriate sentencing levels and other means of dealing with offenders in respect of similar offenders committing similar offences in similar circumstances; and
(f) must take into account any information provided to the court concerning the effect of the offending on the victim; and
(g) must impose the least restrictive outcome that is appropriate in the circumstances, in accordance with the hierarchy of sentences and orders set out in section 10A; and
(h) must take into account any particular circumstances of the offender that mean that a sentence or other means of dealing with the offender that would otherwise be appropriate would, in the particular instance, be disproportionately severe; and
(i) must take into account the offender’s personal, family, whanau, community, and cultural background in imposing a sentence or other means of dealing with the offender with a partly or wholly rehabilitative purpose; and
(j) must take into account any outcomes of restorative justice processes that have occurred, or that the court is satisfied are likely to occur, in relation to the particular case (including, without limitation, anything referred to in section 10).
[my boldface]
I think we both agree that in this case that particular section was interpreted in an overly-lenient manner, probably because the drunk driver wore a suit to work. But should a truckie driving just over the limit on a scooter wearing a batman costume be convicted for drink-driving? I’m not so sure. Twice the legal limit in the truck? Yes.
I agree. The law should apply equally. A temporarily unemployed person may lose potential career opportunities if convicted, so why shouldn’t an employed person lose real ones?
I just love it when you have the gall to lecture another party on gerrymanders, Mike.
Still forgetting about your pledge card theft in 2005 huh. Convenient.
He who lives in the glassiest of houses shouldn’t throw too many stones, me thinks.
[lprent: Off topic. Deliberate diversion. Moved to OpenMike. Repeat that tactic again and I’ll ban you until after the election. You have over-used that tactic in the past (and it is so 2008) ]
MMP = manipulation by:
Winston, Sue Bradford, Steve Chadwick, I won’t bother with the rest of List Mps
[lprent: Off-topic. Looks like a deliberate diversion because it didn’t deal with anything in the post. Repeat if you want to pick up a ban. Moved to OpenMike. ]
Feels weird not being around a computer all weekend and doing so much driving..
Spent much of yesterday at Music for Matua at the winery in north-west Auckland. Some late tickets came for TS. So I used them. Pleasant environs. Music worth listening to. Good pinot and bratwurst hot dogs. Liked the limit of 800 tickets and that each ticket was allowed up to 3 kids free (parents/guardian). There were a *lot* of kids there amusing themselves away from the adults (but in view of).
Reminded me of staff picnics at Wenderholm in the 60s. I might post some pictures for next weekend..
Today I drove to Rotorua and back on a long holiday weekend (did anyone not take Friday off?). Would only ever do that for family. In this case my mother is in hospital because a wound wasn’t healing – maybe requires a skin graft. She was in fine shape apart from having a drip and dislike of the hospital bed.
Was avoiding SH27 because of the boats in single lanes coming in from the Tauranga roads. Always jams badly. Slow slow traffic through Cambridge and Huntly on the way back. Avoided Hamilton using State Highway 1B… Otherwise traffic was good. The upgrades Labour put into SH1 past huntly are very effective.
I say good on Australians for pressurising their supermarkets to support local producers.
If we had a decent socialist government here we would have the government, not a couple of supermarkets chains, advancing the cause of buy one’s own country’s produce…and a lot more.
So let’s not just boycott Countdown,,
What about all foreign owned corporations hauling their obscene profits off shore.
Start with the Australian Banks
Then foreign owned insurance companies, chain stores, energy companies….
A true socialist government would take these national resources back and regain control of the country from foreign financial interests.
They would then bring Douglas and his crew to trial for treason.
What a load of crap. Trade liberalisation is the route to prosperity. There is no alternative. And thankfully we will not be getting a your choice of government.
Nope, all that brings about is a few getting exponentially richer while everyone else gets poorer – exactly as we’ve seen over the last thirty years in NZ and around the world. It also brings about financial meltdown as the GFC proved once again.
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Forestry Minister Shane Jones says concerns that carbon foresters are planting pine trees that will never be harvested are the result of "misinformation". "The billion tree strategy is an excellent idea, unfortunately from time to time it's tainted by misinformation spread by the National Party or their grandees, hiding in scattered ...
The Green Party welcomes funding in the budget to reunite more refugees with their families, ensuring they have the best chance at a new life in Aotearoa New Zealand. ...
This year’s Budget is about rebuilding New Zealand together in the face of COVID-19. Jobs are central to how we’re going to do that.There’s a lot of targeted investment for employment in this year’s Budget, with announcements on creating new jobs, training people for the jobs we have, and supporting ...
Speaking to Stuff's Coronavirus NZ podcast, Foreign Minister Winston Peters revealed China tried to dissuade New Zealand from going into lockdown.“Without speaking out of turn, they wanted a discussion as to why we were doing it, because they thought it was an overreaction,” Mr Peters told Stuff’s Coronavirus NZ podcast.He also ...
The Coalition Government is making changes to the Overseas Investment Act to ensure New Zealand assets don't fall into the hands of foreign ownership in the economic aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Associate Minister of Finance David Parker announced the Act will be amended to bring forward a national interest ...
A quick start to a trans-Tasman bubble could see the tourism industry make a swift recovery, according to Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters. "I believe tourism will turn around dramatically faster than people think," Mr Peters told reporters after Thursday's Budget. "Why? Because I think the Tasman bubble is [going ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First Please check against deliveryhttps://vimeo.com/418303651 Budget 2020: Jobs, Business and Balance Introduction Acknowledgements to all Cabinet colleagues, and party ministers Tracey Martin, Shane Jones and Ron Mark, Under-Secretary Fletcher Tabuteau and to caucus colleagues. Thank you for your support, your ...
The 2020 Budget includes significant support to stabilise New Zealand’s family violence services, whose work has been shown to be so essential throughout the COVID-19 lockdown. ...
The Green Party says huge new investment in public and transitional housing will get thousands more families into the warm, safe homes they deserve. ...
The Green Party says the $1.1 billion environmental investment in this year’s budget to create thousands of green jobs will help jump start a sustainable recovery from the COVID crisis. ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said today the Coalition Government told foreigners at the start of the Covid-19 crisis that if their circumstances had changed dramatically, they should go home. "And 50,000 did," Mr Peters said. Official advice to Cabinet revealed there is potentially 380,000 foreigners and migrant workers in ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First welcomes the decision today to go to Alert Level 2 from midnight Wednesday, says Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters. Alert Level 2 will mean a return to work for the vast majority of New Zealand’s businesses. A return ...
Nurses now look set to get more protection from violence at work, under a proposed new law.This after NZ First MP Darroch Ball's "Protection for First Responders Bill", which introduces a six-month minimum sentence for assaults on first responders, will now also cover emergency department healthcare workers. The ...
Darroch Ball MP, New Zealand First Law and Order Spokesperson An amendment to the ‘Protection of First Responders Bill’ is being tabled which will see emergency department healthcare workers included in the legislation. “During this COVID-19 crisis we have seen reports of violence and specifically increased incidents of spitting towards ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones is breathing new life into the proposal to move Auckland's port to Whangārei to help in the economic recovery post Covid-19 pandemic.If New ZealandFirst was returned in the September general election, Minister Jones said a priority would be development of an "economic haven" at Northport, ...
The plan to build a memorial to the SS Ventnor, and those who were lost when it sank off the Hokianga coast in 1902, has been granted $100,000 from the Provincial Growth Fund.Originally planned for a site near Rāwene cemetery, the memorial will now be built at the new Manea ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First LeaderLeader of New Zealand First, Rt Hon Winston Peters said: “Today is the 75th anniversary of VE Day – marking the end of World War II in Europe."Millions died in the six years of war, and families were torn apart. 75 years ...
From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Government has committed to providing calm, clear, and consistent communication, including regular press conference updates from the Prime Minister. While New Zealand is at Alert Level 3, we're making sure that New Zealanders are kept informed and up-to-date with all the latest ...
Setting higher health standards at swimming spots Requiring urban waterways to be cleaned up and new protections for urban streams Putting controls on higher-risk farm practices such as winter grazing and feed lots Setting stricter controls on nitrogen pollution and new bottom lines on other measures of waterway health Ensuring ...
The Government is on the verge of reaching its target of state sector boards and committees made up of at least 50 percent women, says Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter and Minister for Ethnic Communities Jenny Salesa. For the first time, the Government stocktake measures the number of Māori, ...
The Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister and Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister, Kris Faafoi, has today announced the appointment of Tristan Gilbertson as the new Telecommunications Commissioner and member of the Commerce Commission. “Mr Gilbertson has considerable experience in the telecommunications industry and a strong reputation amongst his peers,” ...
The Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Riu Roa have agreed to settle the pay equity claim for teacher aides, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. This will see more than 22,000 teacher aides, mostly women, being valued and paid fairly for the work they do. “Teacher aides are frontline ...
Subcontractors will have greater certainty, more cashflow support and job security with new changes to retention payments under the Construction Contracts Act says Minister for Building and Construction, Jenny Salesa. A recent review of the retentions money regime showed that most of the building and construction sector is complying with ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have marked the first anniversary of the New Zealand-Singapore Enhanced Partnership with a virtual Leaders’ Meeting today. The Enhanced Partnership, signed on 17 May 2019, provides the framework for cooperation across the four main areas of trade, defence and ...
On 17 May 2019, New Zealand and Singapore established an Enhanced Partnership to elevate our relations. The Enhanced Partnership – based on the four pillars of trade and economics, security and defence, science, technology and innovation, and people-to-people links – has seen the long-standing relationship between our countries strengthen over the ...
State-Owned Enterprises Minister Winston Peters has welcomed KiwiRail’s announcement that it is seeking a preferred shipyard to build two new rail-enabled ferries for the Cook Strait crossing. “This Government is committed to restoring rail to its rightful place in New Zealand. Bigger, better ships, with new technology are yet another ...
Better protection for seabirds is being put in place with a new National Plan of Action to reduce fishing-related captures, Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. The National Plan of Action for Seabirds 2020 outlines our commitment to reduce fishing-related captures and associated seabird ...
Almost $1 billion in interest-free loans for small businesses More than 55,000 businesses have applied; 95% approved Average loan approx. $17,300 90% of applications from firms with ten or fewer staff A wide cross-section of businesses have applied, the most common are the construction industry, accommodation providers, professional firms, and ...
Thousands of children will have healthier lungs after the Government’s ban on smoking in cars with kids becomes law, says Associate Minister of Health Jenny Salesa. This comes after the third reading of Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill earlier today. “This law makes it ...
The special Epidemic Response Committee (ERC) has successfully concluded its role, Leader of the House Chris Hipkins said today. The committee was set up on 25 March by the agreement of Parliament to scrutinise the Government and its actions while keeping people safe during levels 4 and 3 of lockdown. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced four diplomatic appointments: New Zealand’s Ambassador to Belgium, High Commissioners to Nauru and Niue, and Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism. “As the world seeks to manage and then recover from COVID-19, our diplomatic and trade networks are more important than ever,” Mr Peters said. “The ...
New Zealanders will be better protected from online harm through a Bill introduced to Parliament today, says Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin. “The internet brings many benefits to society but can also be used as a weapon to spread harmful and illegal content and that is what this legislation targets,” ...
New Zealand’s world-first plan to eradicate the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis is on track the latest technical data shows, says Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor. “Two years ago the Government, DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand and industry partners made a bold decision to go hard and commit ...
Further support for New Zealanders affected by 1-in-100 year global economic shock 12-week payment will support people searching for new work or retraining Work programme on employment insurance to support workers and businesses The Government today announced a new temporary payment to support New Zealanders who lose their jobs due ...
The Provincial Growth Fund will play a vital role in New Zealand’s post-COVID-19 recovery by creating jobs in shorter timeframes through at least $600 million being refocused on projects with more immediate economic benefits, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The funding is comprised of repurposed Provincial Growth ...
Government exempts some home improvements from costly consents Homeowners, builders and DIYers will soon have an easier time making basic home improvements as the Government scraps the need for consents for low-risk building work such as sleep-outs, sheds and carports – allowing the construction sector to fire back up quicker ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says the New Zealand Government has reacted with concern at the introduction of legislation in China’s National People’s Congress relating to national security in Hong Kong. “We have a strong interest in seeing confidence maintained in the ‘one country, two systems’ principle under which Hong ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio, says the theme for the 2020 Samoa Language Week is a perfect fit for helping our Pacific communities cope with the unfolding COVID-19 crisis, and to prepare now for the journey ahead as New Zealand focuses on recovery plans and rebuilding New ...
A nearly 40-year programme to protect one of New Zealand’s most critically endangered birds is paying off, with a record number of adult kakī/black stilt recently recorded living in the wild, the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today. “Thanks to the team effort involved in the Department of Conservation’s ...
The story of the Waikato-Tainui Treaty process and its enduring impact on the community is being told with a five-part web story launched today on the 25th anniversary of settlement, announced Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni. “I am grateful to Waikato-Tainui for allowing us to help capture ...
Taita College in the Hutt Valley will be redeveloped to upgrade its ageing classrooms and leaky roofs, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. “The work is long overdue and will make a lasting difference to the school for generations to come,” Chris Hipkins said. “Too many of our schools are ...
The Government is allocating $36.72 million to projects in regions hard hit economically by COVID-19 to keep people working, Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. Projects in Hawke’s Bay, Northland, Rotorua and Queenstown will be funded from the Government’s $100 million worker ...
A $35m boost to financial capability service providers funded by MSD will help New Zealanders manage their money better both day to day and through periods of financial difficulty, announced Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni. “It’s always been our position to increase support to key groups experiencing or at risk ...
Dunedin barrister Melinda Broek has been appointed as a District Court Judge with Family Court jurisdiction to be based in Rotorua, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Ms Broek has iwi affiliations to Ngai Tai. She commenced her employment in 1996 with Scholefield Cockroft Lloyd in Invercargill specialising in family and ...
The Coalition Government has approved a business case for $206 million in upgrades to critical infrastructure at Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Ohakea, with the first phase starting later this year, Defence Minister Ron Mark announced today. The investment will be made in three phases over five years, and ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today released the Ministry of Transport’s review of the organisational culture at the Civil Aviation Authority. Phil Twyford says all employees are entitled to a safe work environment. “I commissioned this independent review due to the concerns I had about the culture within the CAA, and ...
Ensuring that Stats NZ’s direction and strategy best supports government policy decisions will be a key focus for a new Governance Advisory Board announced today by the Minister for Statistics, James Shaw. The new Governance Advisory Board will provide strategic advice to Stats NZ to ensure it is meeting New ...
Environment Judge David Kirkpatrick of Auckland has been appointed as the Principal Environment Judge, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Judge Kirkpatrick was appointed an Environment Judge in February 2014. From December 2013 to July 2016 he was Chair of the Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel. Prior to appointment he ...
A programme to connect marae around the country to the internet has received $1.4 million to expand to include urban marae in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister Kris Faafoi and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. The funding for the Marae Connectivity Programme ...
The Government will provide $500,000 to the Hawke’s Bay Mayoral Drought Relief Fund to help farmers facing one of the worst droughts in living memory, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Yesterday afternoon I received a letter from Hawke's Bay's five local Government leaders asking me to contribute to the Fund. ...
Budget 2020 provides a major investment in New Zealand’s documentary heritage sector, with a commitment to leasing a new Archives Wellington facility and an increase in funding for Archives and National Library work. “Last year I released plans for a new Archives Wellington building – a purpose-built facility physically connected ...
Government Ministers are asking significant private enterprises to adopt prompt payment practices in line with the state sector, as a way to improve cashflow for small businesses. The Ministers of Finance, Small Business, Commerce and Consumer Affairs have written to more than 40 significant enterprises and banking industry representatives to ...
Maori Arts and Crafts will continue to underpin the heart of the tourism sector says Minister for Maori Development Nanaia Mahuta. “That’s why we are making a core investment of $7.6 million to Te Puia New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, over two years, as part of the Government’s ...
The Government is funding more pathways to jobs through training and education programmes in regional New Zealand to support the provinces’ recovery from the economic impacts of COVID-19, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Employment Minister Willie Jackson have announced. “New Zealand’s economic recovery will be largely driven by ...
Minister for Veterans Ron Mark has announced the launch of a national conversation that aims to find out whether New Zealanders think there should be a formal agreement between service people, the Government, and the people of New Zealand. “This year marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World ...
The Government’s drive to improve the quality of early childhood education (ECE) is taking another step forward with the reintroduction of a higher funding rate for services that employ fully qualified and registered teachers, Education Minister Chris Hipkins has announced. “Research shows that high-quality ECE can improve young people’s learning ...
The Sport and Recreation sector will receive a multi-million dollar boost as part of the COVID-19 response funded at Budget 2020. Grant Robertson says the Sport and Recreation Sector contributes about $5 billion a year to New Zealand’s GDP and employs more than 53,000 people. “Sport plays a significant role ...
A major increase in funding and availability of support will improve the incomes and reduce the pressure on 14,000 caregivers looking after more than 22,000 children. Children’s Minister Tracey Martin says that caregivers – all those looking after someone else’s children both in and outside the state care system – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nik Thompson, Senior Lecturer, Curtin University Data is the new oil, and online platforms will siphon it off at any opportunity. Platforms increasingly demand our personal information in exchange for a service. Avoiding online services altogether can limit your participation in society, ...
By RNZ News New Zealand has reported no new cases of covid-19 coronavirus today, but the death toll has risen to 22 to include a woman who died after recovering from the disease. Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there were only eight active cases in the country and ...
Fisheries New Zealand is seeking public feedback on a draft Pāua Fisheries Plan and a proposed subdivision of the pāua fishery along the Kaikōura and Canterbury coasts, known as the PAU3 quota management area. “Splitting the quota management ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jarrod Haar, Professor of Human Resource Management, Auckland University of Technology When New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said recently, “I’ve heard lots of people suggesting we should have a four-day week”, she inevitably ignited debate. Ardern was not, as some critics ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Bricknell, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Health, CQUniversity Australia Now we have fewer cases of COVID-19, and restrictions are lifting, many of us are thinking of rejuvenating our social lives by heading to our local cafe or favourite restaurant. What can we ...
Former Race Relations Commissioner, Gregory Fortuin says he agrees with Judith Collins that no one should be superficially judge on skin colour and ethnicity . Fortuin was responding to Collins’ reported outburst about "sick of being demonised" ...
The government says it allowed the Avatar film crew back into New Zealand in spite of the current border closures because the making of the film offers “significant economic value” to our country. But this criterion is being applied unevenly. What ...
New Zealand Defence Force bases in Auckland are attacking their water use as the region battles one of the worst droughts in recent history. The taps are being turned off at Devonport Naval Base, RNZAF Base Auckland at Whenuapai, Papakura Military ...
The Kahui Wai Maori Advisory group welcomed the announcement made by the Hon David Parker, Minister for the Environment today of the new rules designed to clean up our waterways. At the heart of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management ...
Water New Zealand says the Government’s Action for Healthy Waterways package provides a sensible and realistic way forward and will result in much-needed improvements in freshwater quality. Acting CEO John Mackie says it’s vital that there is no ...
When Claire Freeman became a wheelchair user at age 17, the questions she had about how she might enjoy sex were dismissed and she was made to feel like that part of her life was over. Here she flips the script with some advice on how to find pleasure on ...
As companies in New Zealand’s property development and building sectors digest opportunities presented by the Budget, what they need most urgently to move forwards is Resource Management Act and policy reform in order to rebuild together, says the ...
“We are pleased to see that the Government’s freshwater reforms announced today respond to some of the issues raised, and recommendations made, by the irrigation sector,” says Elizabeth Soal, Chief Executive of IrrigationNZ. “But there is ...
The government is imposing tough rules on water quality despite over 17,000 submissions, many of them complaining the move would impose a huge financial burden. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Helen Dickinson, Professor, Public Service Research, UNSW COVID-19 has had a significant impact on all Australians, but there are very good reasons why the impact might be more keenly felt by people with disability and their carers. Our new research on behalf ...
Freshwater campaigners are frustrated the Government has delayed a crucial decision on nitrogen pollution for a further 12 months until after the election. “We have urged the Government many times to put in place clear and unequivocal limits for ...
The government has just announced a whole lot of new rules and policies for freshwater with the aim of urgently stopping degradation and cleaning up rivers over the long term.What’s all this then? A massive package of work on freshwater quality has just been announced in an attempt to halt further ...
The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) has welcomed the announcement by Ministers David Parker, Damien O’Connor and James Shaw this morning of the much-awaited freshwater reforms. “This package of changes to the present regulatory settings largely delivers ...
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) has welcomed the Government’s announcement of a set of targeted tools to improve the quality of freshwater. LGNZ is the peak body representing New Zealand’s 78 local councils, providing a unified voice for ...
Many families facing newfound financial hardship due to COVID-19 may not be seeking help – believing they should be able to manage on their own or unaware they qualify for support, according to Good Shepherd NZ. The charitable organisation provides ...
Changes to central government Essential Freshwater regulations reflect farmer feedback, Federated Farmers says. "While we’re still working through the detail, the high level policy decisions indicate the government has heeded some of the rural ...
The Council of Trade Unions is congratulating teacher aides in achieving an historic pay equity offer from the government to settle their long standing concerns. "What this offer from the government does is acknowledge the historic under valuation of ...
Freshwater reforms a significant step forward The Government's policy announced today is a significant step forward in reducing pollution in our rural and our urban waterways caused by intensive farming and through council's neglect. However, there ...
Thursday, 28th May: Greenpeace is today welcoming the Government’s move to place a cap on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, but says more controls are needed to protect freshwater. The fertiliser cap was announced today as part of the Government’s ...
Following today’s announcements on the government’s response to the future of freshwater, it appears that despite the chorus of calls for a change in how the post-COVID future of Aotearoa is shaped - and following many months of engagement, consultation ...
Horticulture New Zealand says the Government’s decisions around freshwater recognise the importance of growing fresh fruit and vegetables in this country. ‘We applaud the Government for the pragmatic approach it is taking to meeting the long-term freshwater ...
NZ’s primary exports held up well in April, again proving the country’s farming industries are sustaining the economy despite many sectors being stricken by the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost coincidentally, a UMR probe of public opinion about farming revealed a sharp swing in perception. Instead of the negativity that had been ...
In a world where players have unfettered access to fans through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, it raises the question of whether traditional media still has a role to play. But as Scotty Stevenson explains, a player-driven model powered by social media can only go so far. Among the many weird and ...
Two statements from the Beehive yesterday were enlightening for taxpayers trying to keep tabs on the burgeoning billions being spent on facilitating the economic recovery. One statement told us how much is being handed out to small businesses. Correction. One statement told us how much is being loaned to small ...
Emily Writes celebrates wholesome shows and the rise of cosy television.The world is frightening right now. From Covid-19 to climate change, just watching the news can be overwhelming let alone going outside. This horror is the perfect environment for what I call Soft TV to flourish. Wholesome reality TV isn’t ...
While many areas of the workforce have been shaken by the effects of Covid-19, a Ngāi Tahu futures lab has been working to give rangatahi Māori the opportunity to decide their own futures.Futurists have thought up myriad strategies for how the world should look post-Covid. For all its hurt, the ...
Pacific Media Centre The dramatic daily increase of covid-19 coronavirus cases in West Papua poses a “great threat” to Papua New Guinea, says the country’s deputy emergency chief. State of Emergency Deputy Controller and Acting Secretary for Health Dr Paison Dakulala said the Indonesian-ruled Papua region had seen an increase ...
Recent public opinion polls are revealing some very interesting, if somewhat contradictory, insights into New Zealanders’ current thinking about the Covid19 crisis and the national response. The most recent 1News Colmar Brunton poll reported that 92% of ...
Trucking companies have missed out on the Government’s Covid-19 money lolly scramble and this will mean increased costs across the already damaged economy, Road Transport Forum (RTF) chief executive Nick Leggett says. "Despite working through the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Bowman, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, University of Tasmania Since last summer’s bushfire crisis, there’s been a quantum shift in public awareness of Aboriginal fire management. It’s now more widely understood that Aboriginal people used landscape burning to sustain biodiversity ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Geoff Hanmer, Adjunct Professor of Architecture, University of Adelaide A return to face to face teaching at universities and technical colleges “where possible” is one of the goals of the Morrison government’s three step framework for a COVIDsafe Australia. A look at ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hazel Easthope, Scientia Associate Professor, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW We’re building a lot of apartments in Australia. High-density precincts are being developed across our major cities. But these buildings and neighbourhoods are often not designed and managed in ways that meet ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Kaine, Associate Professor UTS Centre for Business and Social Innovation, University of Technology Sydney Workers everywhere are feeling the impact of COVID-19 and the restrictions necessitated by COVID-19. In Australia, retail and hospitality workers have been particularly hard hit. In other ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Forsyth, Professor of Workplace Law, RMIT University Prime Minister Scott Morrison this week proposed a new deal in industrial relations, bringing together the government, employers and unions to agree on reforms to create jobs and lift the economy in the post-CIVD-19 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ray Markey, Emeritus Professor, Macquarie University In a bid to repair the economy, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced an industrial relations overhaul. Business groups and unions will be brought together to try to change a system that Morrison says is “not ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathon Hutchinson, Senior Lecturer Online Communication and Media, University of Sydney The constraints of coronavirus isolation have closed down most recreational activities, but some creative industries are responding in innovative ways. I have been researching “digital first personalities” – content producers who ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level two – read The Spinoff’s giant explainer about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by The Spinoff Members. To support this ...
Mainfreight's revenues have risen since April 1 despite Covid-19 as it reports higher annual profit and stable dividend, and repays $10.6m wage subsidy. NZX 50 back to March 9 level ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Lamb, Associate Professor in Geophysics, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Back in the 1970s, scientists came up with a revolutionary idea about how Earth’s deep interior works. They proposed it is slowly churning like a lava lamp, with ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Kiwibuild buyers left facing years of delays, calls for relaxation of alert levels and travel, and new details emerge in NZ First Foundation saga.Despite a reset of the policy last year, Kiwibuild is still proving to be problematic. A disastrous new ...
Dr Emily Henderson Last night, the Labour Party named Whangarei Family Court lawyer, Dr Emily Henderson, as its candidate to contest the Whangarei seat in the September general election. Emily has lived in Whangarei since she was seven years old, attending ...
Lockdown shut down an overseas couple's bid to walk the length of the country. When freed again, they returned from Auckland to the deep south to complete the task. Dressed in handmade ninja turtle costumes, hikers Becca Rolon and Diarmuid McInerney finally reached Bluff - finishing a 3000km walk the length ...
We can't decouple growth from its adverse effects and it's becoming clear that the same economic thinking that got us here won't get us out. A cultural shift to ‘enoughness’ and non-consumptive means of happiness could be the way forward after Covid-19, argues Lucie Greenwood. Talk of economic transition in a post-Covid-19 world ...
The return of intra-coalition dissent, on the speed of New Zealand’s move out of lockdown and freshwater policy measures, is a useful reminder that National is not the only party with political headaches, Sam Sachdeva writes For a politician who often trumpets the importance of due process when he wants ...
With the Black Ferns Sevens back in camp after lockdown, long-time star Kelly Brazier returns as a new mum, with a new rugby plan. Kelly Brazier is used to having crowds cheer her on in stadiums around the world. But with countries shutting down, sport being cancelled and ...
An essay by Martin Edmond in response to the monumental second volume by Peter Simpson on artist Colin McCahon.I. Bro Aspect I first met Peter Simpson at Sally and Alan’s place in Coromandel Street, Newtown, Wellington, 1988. Alan Brunton and Sally Rodwell, the founders of Red Mole. They ...
As we emerge from the last of lockdown and begin to look beyond our borders again, let’s not forget the vital role language skills play in strengthening our economic, political and cultural connections to the rest of the world, writes Sally Hill. This week is Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa ...
Quarantine-free travel between NZ and Pacific Islands should be our priority, ahead of plans to extend our bubble to include Australia, writes the University of Auckland's Dr Collin Tukuitonga Much has been made of the desirability of a ‘trans-Tasman’ bubble with quarantine-free air travel as a priority. There are compelling reasons ...
Diversifying the export economy is a worthy goal – but let’s be realistic about what throwing away a critical relationship with China would mean for New Zealand, writes Stephen Jacobi of the NZ International Business Forum.In a 2018 study of 183 economies’ dependence on China, undertaken by the Australian Department ...
New Zealanders might like to think of our country as relatively equitable in many ways. But in the boardroom, we have a long way to go. As James Brown sings, it’s a man’s world, designed by, and often unconsciously for, men. One recent example – a month ago when ...
By Philip Cass of Kaniva News Recognised seasonal employee workers in New Zealand rarely have a voice in the New Zealand media, new research at Massey University has found. Researcher Dr Angelynne Enoka said coverage of the RSE scheme by regional media tended to focus on official sources and employers’ ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Hepburn, Director of the Centre for Energy and Natural Resources Law, Deakin Law School, Deakin University In the expansion of its iron ore mine in Western Pilbara, Rio Tinto blasted the Juukan Gorge 1 and 2 – Aboriginal rock shelters dating ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Climie, Exercise Physiologist and Research Fellow, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute In Australia, more than 1.1 million people currently have type 2 diabetes. A host of potential complications associated with the disease mean a 45-year-old diagnosed with type 2 diabetes will ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scott Adams, Postdoctoral Biomedical Engineering Researcher, Deakin University During the frenzy of the past few months to secure resources for the fight against COVID-19, the demand for technologies that promise to detect symptomatic individuals has been sky-high. However, not all proposed solutions ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brooke Collins-Gearing, Senior Lecturer, University of Newcastle Review: The Beach, created and directed by Warwick Thornton Watching Warwick Thornton’s The Beach is a journey into place and self. It made me want to breathe deeper and smell the salty air. It made ...
“The Government is undermining democracy by progressing 15 bills in the space of just 17 hours,” according to ACT Leader David Seymour. “The Government has put Parliament into urgency this evening and asked it to consider 15 pieces of legislation ...
By RNZ News New opposition National leader Todd Muller is backing his front bench, saying he chose the shadow cabinet line-up on merit and talent. While three out of National’s top four ranked MPs are women, there are no Māori MPs on the front bench, or of any other ethnicity. ...
Civil society and tech industry stakeholders are split over a provision in new legislation that would grant the Government the ability to filter the internet. ...
National Party leader, Todd Muller. Is Todd Muller the Ned Flanders of the National Party? This is how he’s been characterised by political commentator Gordon Campbell, who suggests the change in leadership is, in Simpsons terms, akin to swapping the scary and cruel Monty Burns for Homer Simpson’s compassionate ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Sweden reverting to type. Chart by Keith Rankin. Australia happy to spend foreigners’ savings (someone has to do it!). Chart by Keith Rankin. 1980s: Sweden like New Zealand and Australia Sweden in the 1980s, financially speaking, looked something like New Zealand and Australia. It ...
Tensions flared over race relations again today at Parliament, with National MP Judith Collins saying questions about treaty partnership and government procurement were "stupid". ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie Quinn, Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University A new trial has begun in Victoria this week to evaluate a potential vaccine against COVID-19. The vaccine is called NVX-CoV2373 and is from a US biotech company, Novavax. ...
Open mike 09/02/2014 
The government released its Action for Healthy Waterways package today, ostensibly with the goal of cleaning up our rivers and making them swimmable within a generation. Doing that, of course, requires confronting the cow in the room: the dairy industry which causes most of the pollution. But while they've imposed ...2 hours ago
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nz I would like to know if New Zealand’s carbon emissions ...3 hours ago
Don Franks Now Covid-19 restrictions allow gatherings of a hundred, an urgent hui needs calling. A special conference of the Council of Trade Unions. Today, workers face the greatest attack on employment, pay and conditions since the depression, we need a strong united union voice. As it stands now, organised ...8 hours ago
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/kerre-mcivor-on-new-zealand/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502870&objectid=11198649
More obfuscatory waffle from McIvor nee Woodham on a Sunday.
“The commemorations at Waitangi involve coming together to share a special day with ritual, good food, fun and a few good stoushes – just like any other family get together, really, isn’t it?”.
Some columnists should simply write, “As a paid up member of the NACT Party, I tow the following party line …………………………” But that would be too obvious.
I for one would be very interested in knowing what her [and others’] remuneration is for these opinions.
I read fb posts that and are not only longer but have far less bias. There are tweets out there that contain more considered opinion and do so in greater depth.
I repeat what I wrote earlier
With Stuff and The Herald being the principal sources of daily news for the majority of kiwis, what hope does the public have of informed debate this election?
Another example of the dregs that the Herald employs to sell its corporate lies.
The favourite bogeyman of the left – “corporate” = bad.
The Herald is a terrible newspaper. That is nothing new. However, it has a distinct left bias.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
As if arms dealers had any integrity anyway.
When Antonis Kantas, a deputy in the Defense Ministry here, spoke up against the purchase of expensive German-made tanks in 2001, a representative of the tank’s manufacturer stopped by his office to leave a satchel on his sofa. It contained 600,000 euros, about $814,000. Other arms manufacturers eager to make deals came by, too, some guiding him through the ins and outs of international banking and then paying him off with deposits to his overseas accounts.
At the time, Mr. Kantas, a wiry former military officer, did not actually have the authority to decide much of anything on his own. But corruption was so rampant inside the Greek equivalent of the Pentagon that even a man of his relatively modest rank, he testified recently, was able to amass nearly $19 million in just five years on the job.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/08/world/europe/so-many-bribes-a-greek-official-cant-recall-all.html?hpw&rref=world&_r=0
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9701077/Kiwis-guest-workers-in-Australia-Key
“Key’s trip to Australia underscored the success of his Government in knocking the books back into shape after years of belt tightening – earning Key accolades from Abbott as an inspiration and a mentor. ”
W T F ???
knocking the books back into shape ?
There are not enough words in the dictionary to adequately explain how flawed that statement is.
With Stuff and The Herald being the principal sources of daily news for the majority of kiwis, what hope does the public have of informed debate this election?
“knocking the books back into shape ?” That’s garbage!!
This from the National Party:
“The level of public debt in New Zealand was $8 billion when National came into office in 2008. It’s now $53 billion, and it’s forecast to rise to $72 billion in 2016. Without selling minority shares in five companies, it would rise to $78 billion. Our total investment liabilities, which cover both public and private liabilities, are $150 billion – one of the worst in the world because of the high levels of private debt in New Zealand.
Like every household in New Zealand, we know how important it is to live within our means by budgeting carefully and deciding on our priorities.”
http://www.national.org.nz/mixed-ownership.”
An another complete and utter lie by the Nact’s because nobody has any idea whatsoever about the value of assets that are owned by New Zealander’s offshore. Some have local tax implications but many do not and no data is collected about the capital sums involved. And of course even when they should be disclosed they may not be.
So private assets owned offshore should be offset against private debt
Yep, good times ahead for NZ and you can put the down to the brilliance of John Key and his National government.
50%+ at the next election is pretty much a certainty, especially after the idiocy of the best start debacle and then topped off with the racist bizarre ramblings of Labour party candidate Deborah Russell.
Two real clangers and we’re only in February.
The tory shit sprayer seems to have turbo boost turned way down today if that is the best BM can offer.
The brilliance of John Phillip ShonKey was certainly on show in Australia last week, he showed ’em. Sick really, National exacerbates the conditions that cause kiwi flight to Australia then the PM grovels for a few miserable concessions for the refugees from slashed and burnt and under supported NZ industry.
Key-National are their own worst enermy BM. Benefit bashing, dealing to the youth, poor and everyone else who didn’t turned out to vote last time.
Voting is going to be in this year thanks to JK & Co, it’s going to be a white wash!
There is a stumbling uncertainty in your spin today BM,
Could it be the earworm of truth has eaten into your addled brainstem
Is it singing an aria of enlightenment down into the ideological oubliette you call on for ideas
Could it be there is a consciousness in there after all
Trying to escape into the light
There is a haunting desperation in your words
A present lack of conviction giving you away
Have you finally realised that despite your lies
Your propaganda
Your hatred
You cannot put food on your table as easily as you once did
Are you hurting BM? Are you feeling the pinch a little?
Would it help you to know that hundreds of thousands of kiwis are beginning the same transformative process and are also grappling with that heart rending moment of truth
They too are acknowledging that manure makes a lousy Amuse-bouche
“Would it help you to know that hundreds of thousands of kiwis are beginning the same transformative process and are also grappling with that heart rending moment of truth”
Good grief. BM is hyperbolic, obviously. But do you folk ever get out? I do. All around the country from the deep south to the Bay of Islands.
The country is PUMPING. Bars and eating places are packed. The shopping malls are heaving. Every hospitality venue I went to in Westland was staffed by European travellers – I mean hundreds of them – because of a shortage of domestic labour.
OK lets look at some empirics. 63.5% of those in the last RM survey said the country is “heading in the right direction”. That is 10% points up since DC took over as Labour Party leader.
As far as I can find, it is currently the highest rating of this type in the WORLD. (This survey is used all over the OECD).
http://www.roymorgan.com/morganpoll/new-zealand/nz-government-confidence
So keep up your class warfare. You sound like a bunch of story boards from the 1950s my father used to tell me about. I guess you have always been around but now you congregte at The Standard.
This.
For sure there’s a few people struggling but there always will be.
Generally though most people aren’t which is why Labour’s getting no traction with the tales of woe they’re trying to push out into the media.
Labour needs to ditch the negative shit and actually demonstrate why they’d be a better government than National.
And by better government I don’t mean take money off one group of people and give it to another group who unsurprisingly represents their core voters.
I want to see how they’re going to make the pie bigger so every ones better off, if they can’t demonstrate that they should just get the fuck out of the way.
Bumptious Midden.
More propaganda from 5 eyes.
Broken promises is all we’ve had from your Nactional coalition
1 year out of 5 of growth.
Child poverty increasing.
Middle classes paying taxes while the rich pay nothing .
Higher real unemployment.
Bene bullying and bashing.
Real good paying jobs nowhere to be found except in Auckland and ChCh where living costs are sky rocketing because of Nactional party promoting property bubble speculation.
Serial liar and fraudster
The middle classes don,t agree with your pathetic propaganda.TV3 poll
As they are getting squeezed into the working poor classes as you fully know that’s your job at 5 eyes to con Enough middle class voters into believing your BS.
Fuck offf 5 eyed fuckwit.
“..from the deep south to the Bay of Islands…”
..maybe next time you head to the bay of islands..mr soury-lands..
..maybe you should turn left @ kawakawa..
..and go and experience the east/west divide/gulf that is the north..
..go spend half a day in kaikohe..a half a day in kaitaia..
..go take the ‘pumping’-pulse of those places..eh..?
..go see the grinding miseries that define poverty like we have..
..and yes..greedy tory-prick class-warriors like yrslf..have..in yr own words..
..’always been around’..
..and you..are one of them..
..as you sit in a cafe in ‘pumping’-russell…
..you couldn’t care fucken less that a few short miles away..
..over on ‘the other’ side of the north..
..there are children with third world diseases of/from poverty..
..and lots of them..
..(and this all part of your handiwork..eh..?..
..the manifestation of yr ‘beliefs’/prescriptions for society.)..
..but you don’t fucken care about that..do you..?
..’cos you are..and always have been ..
..a slimy uncaring fucken tory-toad..
..eh..?
..phillip ure..
RNZ this morning 11.30.
The conservative right manurfacturing uncertaity.
i’m with pandora..
..i have 35 different genre/themed streams up and running..
..and on shuffle…
(currently listening to ‘bugs henderson’..’it’s my own fault..baby’..(johnny winterish blues..)
..what was that ‘uncertainty’ being ‘manufactured’..?
phillip ure..
followed by ‘blister in the sun’..violent femmes..
..mmm!!!..tasty..!
..then ‘nine hundred miles’..by barbara dane..
..i love shuffle..!
..then ‘crossroads’..by cream..live..
phillip ure..
Here is the RNZ recording for this (Counterpoint section).
It was very interesting nd worth listening to.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2585086/wayne-brittenden's-counterpoint-for-9-february-2014
Cheers, V.
Brittenden’s always worth the listen. Nice overview of the neo-liberal corruption of western soc dem parties.
Particularly liked: “social darwinism = the survival of the fattest”
I listened to this. It was the greatest load of crap. That academic from Colorado stringing together platitudes about the evils of “neoliberalism”. Notice that Cunliffe doesn’t talk much about “neoliberalism” on the hustings. That is because the punters buying boats and ipads won’t have a fucking clue what he is talking about. And he aint stupid.
There is no alternative to promoting efficient markets and trade liberalisation. Cunliffe knows that. And if Labour wins that is what you will get, with some token “embroidery” on the great fabric of neoliberal policy (to paraphrase the great Paul Keating).
No future government will change the pillars of New Zealand economic policy. There is no alternative.
[lprent: I auto-spam overworked phrases when I get irritated with them from all sides. Be advised that I frequently ban the morons who make them when they cause me too much work. It is usually safer to use the actual names unless your phrase is new becasue I will only correct a few times. Assess the risk. ]
Philip
Your comment re turn left at Kawakawa is very pertinent.
So why cannot Ngapuhi get their act together, as it would be for the benefit of those effective outcasts to the west of Kawakawa. Or will it ?
All that is happening now is a fight between certain families as who is going to be rich and control and be the beneficiary of the $600,000,000, and who is going to remain poor.
What about all the peoples of Ngapuhi ?
They do not appear to matter.
There are bugger all jobs in some towns up north so these people have two choices, either be long term unemployed or get a job in another town and move. Would you really want your kids to grow up in a shit hole where they will struggle to get a job? Lots of people move for work its just a matter of getting off your arse.
so..just de-populate the north..?
..that’s the naki-solution..?
..what a simple/simplistic world you live in..eh..?..
..a typical mono-brain..
..have you met soury-lands yet..?
..maybe if you both got together you could get a faux-stereo-brain thing happening..
..eh..?..
..with a bit of luck..?
..phillip ure..
The District mayor moved. He moved the council facilities from Kaikohe to Kerikeri so he’d be closer to his developer mates as they cut down the remaining forest.
Opua’s pumping too. Pumping raw sewerage from NAct yachts into the estuary and making the oysters unfit for human consumption. Out past Kerikeri is pumping as well. Pumping MacMansions into kiwi habitat, all with the connivance of the District Council.
Auckland shopping malls are heaving? Yeah, sure. I was back recently and was amazed at how empty they were, despite everything being on sale. But then I doubt if I visit the same places SSLands does, because I actually have family and friends in Aotearoa, whereas he’s just an Aussie tourist. Or at most, a researcher for Crosby Textor.
This is the same OECD where our wages are rated against each other despite the fact most of them have tax free allowances built in and we don’t? that OECD ?
The same OECD which somehow forgets to highlight the skyrocketing % of debt-per-capita that NZ has suffered since National took office?
and as for “European travellers” in the workplace,
It is not for lack of kiwis wanting to work. It is because of the choices made by the business owners. Often explained to customers as a move made on their behalf to make their touristy guests feel more comfortable. In reality it is just cheaper than kiwi labour. These places, usually scenic in nature, or hub related, are filled with staff on short term contract deals, largely cash and/or barter based [some pay + tourist services + accommodation] where, if most of the details were actually known to you, you would be ranting against just as strongly. Let’s just say that hospitality is no different than banking, there is always some creative book keeping involved.
Look at the explosion of Chinese tourism into NZ. Whole networks with barely a kiwi on the staff anywhere. From the minute they get off the plane to the day they depart. I guess that is because of dole bludging no hopers with no interest in working? Nothing to do with the decisions of the business owners. You know, the market gods you have so much faith in.
srylands, I think I have mentioned this to you before but I have spent the majority of my working life in hospitality all over NZ , so don’t even try to talk about your vast expertise on that topic. Customers, as a rule, know jack about the hospitality industry. Recent discussion around bar restrictions and closing hours show how little thought is given to the workers in those industries. The fact that hospo staff might want a social life too, seems beyond most people’s consideration.
Consideration, that is an interesting term in relation to the unemployed.
Take this past week, where after sending off a dozen job hunt emails (with no reply of course), doing a bit of TS PPP time, finalising a business plan for a new venture that should lead to self-employment, (fingers crossed) hanging a new exhibition, overseeing the final OSH planning for an Organics Education weekend, being invited to present a new series of bone carvings to be exhibited during Matariki, negotiating the plans for a bookcase/screen for a local cafe and helping a friend get checked into a psych ward, I get called in to WINZ to spend 90 minutes explaining why I have not yet found a job and I should really fill in some boxes on a piece of paper that will help me find a career path. WTF!!!. Oh yeah it’s all those dole bludgers fault and their unwillingness to work.
Back to you though, and your expertise. I say you know little to nothing about hospitality. The same as I know very little about moving around numbers representing money earned by other people using software programmes built by other people whilst I write meaningless reports to be read by someone maybe, all the while sitting in a chair someone else made, in an office others built, drinking coffee grown and produced by someone else. What is it you contribute again?
-a week ago I thought I had the strength to ignore the idiots,
but just when you think you got out, they pull you back in 🙂
excuse the rant folks, i know what the report card reads – must try harder
Bloody good rant freedom.
Your paragraph about your week is both a damning indictment of Bennett’s welfare reforms and a brilliant argument for the UBI. Even without the UBI I read your story and think about all the ways that WINZ could support you to be continuing with all the amazing things you are doing, instead of putting soul-destroying obstacles in your way.
I agree re tourism/hospo jobs. Friends I’ve got living in tourist towns tell similar stories, and it’s crap to say there is a shortage of kiwi labour. As well as the wages, there is the issue of the casual nature of the work. Travellers or visitors here on work visas but who are really here for a working holiday are happy to work 20 hours one week, 5 hours the next and to be let go at no notice. Those who are permanent with high rents, kids to feed etc can’t manage with those conditions.
The other troubling thing about the current immigration/visa/work policy is that we are creating the same problems that the UK has majorly ie ‘foreigners taking our jobs’, with the potential for the bigotry to increase substantially.
I was remiss in not mentioning that the few staff I interact with at WINZ are trying hard to help. They are doing what they can, but the current environment they operate under has tied their hands. They know the work is not out there.
They simply do not have the autonomy they used to. Their entire operational framework is now all about following whatever ‘meet this target’ law is sent down from central office. I hate seeing the difficulties the WINZ front lines are facing. The WINZ front line staff are dealing with some of this country’s greatest troubles, in impossibly difficult circumstances and doing so in a thankless, largely misunderstood and often threatening environment.
Excuse it?
Rant on
and kia kaha
In the late 80’s/early 90’s when it looked like Japan was going to overwhelm the New Zealand tourist sector, we faced a similar dilemma. Japanese tourists were paying for their fares in Japan, staying in mainly accommodation controlled by Japanese shareholders, so tariffs were paid in Japan, shopping in Japanese run shops, run by Japanese operators, whose staff were paid in accounts held in Japan. Very little money at the time was actually following into the New Zealand economy.
Serialiar
5 eyed fuckwit
Your ideology is taking us back to dickensian days.
How much does 5 eyes pay you.
Mcguffin.
SSLands, you forgot a little in your elongated rant,(presumably generated by this mornings major alcohol hangover),
The country is PUMPING, a large proportion of the flow from the pump being generated by the ongoing splurge of house price inflation and all the major banks attaching credit cards to the billions in private household mortgages those banks hold,
The Reserve Bank is set to start raising the cash rate this year by probably a full % point by the years end which will probably translate to a 2-3% rise in floating bank rates immediately and a similar effect on fixed mortgages as they become liable for renewal,
The abrupt halt rising interest rates will cause in the sugar rush of credit card spending will crash ‘growth’ in the final quarter of 2014/first quarter of 2015, (timed to suit the National Government re-election aspirations) and ‘growth’ will contract by 1-1.5% resulting in another 20,000 unemployed…
Then don’t come here.
Talk to your mates at the sewer.
Shit BM what you taking and can I have some?
@ David H
It is the ‘high’ (rather it is a dazed and confused state) that little twerps get from the delusional view that working for the top wealthy 0.01% Club is the same as being in that Club.
It requires a high level of ability to believe false information, swallowing hook, line and sinker all lies propagated by a self-serving small minded and hostile bunch of ‘people’ (if you can refer to them as that – creatures? thingummies?) and requires strict obedience to that bunch of ‘people’. It requires a high degree of disconnection from oneself and ones fellow people, a lack of self awareness and an ability to lie to oneself and one’s family, friends and compatriots.
It leads to an ability to act against ones own and one’s communities greatest interests – all in the name of the delusional belief that all this obedience somehow puts one in The Club, when really all you have become is a hollowed out approximation of a human and more closely resemble a human club (as in thing you hit others over the head with).
Do you really want what BM is on?
Hmmm on second thoughts, maybe i’ll just keep my little foibles, and BM can just stew in his delusions.
Phew… Thank’s Blue Leopard, saved me from a mindset worse than death.
You should be grateful to Key. If Ab bott sees Key as a mentor then we should not have to wait too long before Australia is completely stuffed
They are talking about the current account. Its not that hard to follow. Abbott is under huge pressure to do the same as National have. Don’t you like hearing what a great job National are doing.
I expect Fairfax Media to write propaganda supporting a government that benefits the wealthy over the poor and foreign corporate interests over the civil rights of NZ citizens.
So hearing from them ‘what a great job National are doing’ is predictable.
After all, their largest shareholder, with a stake of approximately 14.9% is Gina Rinehart, the wealthiest person in Australia.
NI guess naki you believe greed is good and share the same sociopathic ideals as srylands.
Dull.
Are you talking about all the wealthy people that have been earning a small fortune working for Gina Rinehart in the mining industry in Australia?
Dear Genesis Energy,
Thank you for the offer of a 2 year fixed term contract.
Your offer of a price increase amounting to a 5.98 % rise per month was hotly debated in our house hold.
However rather than be locked in for 2 years we have decided to tell you to fuck off and we will be closing our account preferring to shop elsewhere.
Please feel free to disclose to potential
investors how many former loyal customer have done the same.
Regards
Mr Ha Ha
http://whoar.co.nz/2014/how-lapdog-journalism-led-to-the-financial-crisis-comment-and-how-our-business-media-of-the-time-manymost-still-there-pontificatingneo-lib-apologising-away-both-sucked-and-blew/
(excerpt..)
(ed:..and here in new zealand..the business-media were also a shocker..
..dutifully/unthinkingly reprinting the corporate-handouts/messages they were fed..
..and what compounds/(ed) this..
..is/was their willful(?) ignoring of the ever-growing warning-chorus internationally..
..with perhaps a nadir reached for them when they dutifully reprinted the absolute horse-shit/bullshit from treasury..
..just prior to the 2008 election..
..that what became known as the ‘great financial crisis’..
would be ‘all over early in the new year’..
of 2009..(!)..)
(cont..)
phillip ure..
US ‘privileged’ white male labor force participation rate continues to collapse.
50 year drop accelerating.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-02-07/white-men-still-cant-work
I guess if there were also charts for black or Latino men over 20 that showed ‘Labor Force Participation’ at 72% or more, then the inverted commas might make sense. And, if further charts for white women and black and Latino women showed similar participation rates, then the inverted commas might even seem a tad justified. But only within the sphere of economic participation.
And only a tad, because, you know, wage rates, security of employment, and job position would also have to be taken into account.
Then, if we looked at more general indicators of privilege and discrimination and found that white men were subjected to the same systemic racism and sexism etc…then yeah, then the inverted commas would be justified. In fact, the term should rightly be dropped from the sentence/statement at that point.
But since that isn’t the case, your inverted commas only serve to diminish the point that even systemically privileged white men are getting the squeeze. Sometimes Tat, deliberately projecting your blind spot goes beyond the cynical dismissing of important oppressions, y’know?
I think the point though is that structural advantages have not counted for much in the face of factors like offshoring of production and the financialisation of the economy. It’s a complicated picture because of all the different changes over that period, so not easy to make comparisons (another instance where ‘facts’ on their own are inadequate).
Labour force participation for women is higher than in the 1950s because of feminism and economic changes. Partly because the population is ageing, many women work in aged care industries. And upheaval in the economy means fewer adult children live near their parents, thus more need for social services.
I don’t know whether women in the aged care industry are better off now, where they are clearly exploited, than say 50 years ago, when they might have cared for the elderly and disabled in their family/whanau/community, and not received remuneration, but their partner earned sufficient income to support a family.
That overall economic opportunities may not be the same as in previous decades has absolutely no impact on how systemic disdvantage plays out. If people belonging to a generally privileged group are suffering more, then what do you reckon the situation is for those in generally disadvantaged groups? Are you suggesting that they might be in a relatively better position than before!?
Oh shit, finally the white dudes are suffering after everyone else has been screwed to breaking point, call a fucking waaaaaaaaahmbulance.
Like Bill said, the funny thing is how you’re diminishing your own point – about how everyone is getting hurt by the current economic situation, and how this is demonstrated by the fact that the most privileged groups in society are also getting screwed – because you just can’t handle the fact that sometimes progressive politics isn’t about directly benefiting you.
This from Genesis last year when I questioned a 13% price rise. For the following to be true either each of the costs have increased by at least 13% or some have increased by much more.
Genesis, owned wholly by us and yet lies and gouges.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013 2:21 PM
Good Afternoon Steve
Thank you for your email.
I understand price increases are concerning. We have not increased prices since April 2012 in your area. We have chosen during that time not to pass on any increased costs; however, we are unable to do that again this year and have had to pass those on to you.
The new electricity prices reflect increases in:
• transmission and distribution costs
• costs associated with servicing customers
• the expected future cost of wholesale energy
• our margins to maintain a reasonable return
• EC (Electricity Commission) Levies
Genesis Energy is confident that after recent increases it will continue to provide competitive prices to consumers in Christchurch. Customers can be confident that Genesis Energy is doing everything possible to manage its costs appropriately. A number of business improvement and cost efficiency programmes are underway throughout our generation and retailing business.
Our promise to our customers is to provide you with one of the most reliable energy sources in New Zealand and our focus is on customer service.
Enjoy your day.
Regards
Raewyn
Customer Services Representative – Administration Genesis Energy
Phone: 0800 300 400
Contact Us : 8.00am-8.00pm Monday to Friday
Email: info@genesisenergy.co.nz
Web: http://www.genesisenergy.co.nz
Dear Steve
When the wholesale price for electricity is artificially inflated and [unethically manipulated] of course the retail side of the equation will also be flawed. Why do you have so much trouble admitting accepting or even understanding that the main issue with electricity pricing is the market driven hunt for profit at the point of production and not simply the ticket clipping that occurs along the way.
Hello freedom
Mainly because when I worked at Meridian I learned the prices where tendered for by the various electricity retailers; that’s just competition and makes sense because the retailers had a reasonable idea of their expected usage. So the tender included a demand and price offer. A Canadian company called Transalta (for memory) went broke because they failed to make the tender deadline in 2000 and were charged a retail rate by Meridian production.
My observation is clear; a 13% price increase I believe cannot be justified by the response I was provided. If Genesis had simply stated “we want more profit” I would believe that; I am personally very intolerant of any fabrications of the truth. The intention of my post was to inform others of probable price gauging by Genesis. Mind you it’s got to make their shares more attractive.
What about the fact the successful tender is the second highest bid and not the lowest bid?
You know the exact opposite of what they do when they want something built!
Does that compute in your brain at all when trying to spin the scale of the rort that is electricity production in New Zealand?
thought not
I received the same price hike of 13% with their latest fixed term offer that makes the rise 18.98%
I am yet to see MSM come out with decent journalistic coverage of the effects of Key-Nationals assets sales.
This is exactly why power providers need to be regulated.
.
This from Steve James at 7.
The new electricity prices reflect increases in:
• transmission and distribution costs
• costs associated with servicing customers
• the expected future cost of wholesale energy
• our margins to maintain a reasonable return
• EC (Electricity Commission) Levies
This point needs studying:
This from the electricity company is a small number of words with a big meaning and effect.
I was thinking that in a low inflation environment with static wages, these companies can find a case to give customers for raising their prices, by continually getting their assets revalued which is likely to be up or they wouldn’t follow the practice, and then applying the set percentage that they expect to receive back. And 10% has been bandied about, though tht seems quite high on non-risk investments. So obviously if something that was valued at $1 million is revalued at $1.5 million but the same set percentage is applied, the return on assets is going to provide a higher amount. This then must be sadly, passed on to the consumer as necessary and explained away as resulting from rising costs.
This when viewed objectively, reminds me very much of the faux concern that unions involved with the ferries expressed every time they went on strike for more money at times of most demand, holidays etc.
It’s just an entity squeezing the public for more money to them, for little or no extra services or infrastructure. Greedy unions or corporates, same attitudes, from different perspectives, result same to consumers, pay more to us. A bit of unpacking of the background to some of the supposedly rational behaviours in the production of goods and services is called for.
Shame about the ‘greedy unions’ part of your comment. Obvious point is that the unions gain nothing from negotiations – the members do. I take your point about tactics sometimes being woefully thought out though and effects of strike action hitting the wrong target. (in the case of ferries, customers rather than than solely the bosses pocket)
Serial liar and fraudster
No New zealander calls Westland westland you are full of shit.
The Kiwis are all in Australia getting decent wages.
Hundreds of foriegners bullshit again .
You have no eye deer.
5 eyed fuckwit sryland.
How ridiculous is SSLands triumphalism given the speciousness of the poll enquiry as to “direction”.
The poll question is undeniably suspect –
“[GENERALLY] speaking, do you [FEEL] that [THINGS] in New Zealand are heading in the right direction ?…………..or would you [SAY] [THINGS] are [SERIOUSLY] heading in the wrong direction ?”
For a start the question lacks definitional bounds – what does [THINGS] mean ?
Secondly, the first alternative only minimally tests the respondent. It is a more or less enquiry as to the respondent’s general senses, which senses may be based on superb objective knowledge, or rank subjective ignorance. There is plenty of wiggle room.
In contrast the second alternative tests the respondent considerably more. The respondent is required to mentally address specifics, viz. matter/s which the respondent can honourably define to him/herself, in his/her knowledge, as tending to a direction [SERIOUSLY] wrong, not just wrong, but [SERIOUSLY] wrong. There is the heightened test.
Of course the intellectually dishonest blowhard SSLands will dismiss my point but that would be to say that ALL those who responded with “generally, right direction” see no wrong in child poverty for example. So really, this right direction/wrong direction business says little. It is specious.
What is significant is that Mr 62% is now Mr 39% and falling. A “dislikeability” factor is operative. Don’t forget, we have KDC and “Liar Liar” yet to come. Triumphalise on and good luck in your travels through the pumping malls and bars of the nation, old goat you.
No New zealander calls Westland westland you are full of shit.
Wtf
Here are two good radio docos.
The first on Income inequality –
and amongst others featuring Max Rushbrooke, is well worth a listen. And gives interesting ‘insight’ into how Phil O’Reilly, and various economists, can explain our economy ad being as satisfctory and understandable as a ball getting balanced on a seal’s nose. Myself I feel they are dissembling. What do you think?
was on Sunday 9/Feb/2014 at 8.15 am and is to be repeated on Radionz on Monday 10 February at 7.30pm
and Wednesday at 12.30 a.m.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/insight
Insight – Sunday 9 February 2014, with Philippa Tolley
NZ Radio Awards 2013: winner of the Best Documentary or Feature Programme & co-winner of Best Daily or Weekly series under an Hour Duration
Insight for 9 February 2014 – Does Rich -Poor Divide Matter? ( 27′ 13″ )
Penny Mackay investigates whether a big income gap really matters. Share Download: Ogg | MP3
gap rich poor Once one of the most equal nations in the world, during the 80s and 90s New Zealand’s income gap widened faster than any other developed country.
Equality advocates say that is too wide and is responsible for social problems including high rates of mental illness, teenage pregnancy, violence and incarceration.
Others say obsessing about a “gap” is a distraction from tackling poverty itself.
Penny Mackay considers both arguments and some of the offered solutions.
Coming Up on Insight
8:12 am Sunday 16 February: Insight: Education Solving Society’s Ills?
Education spotlight shannon school The three main political parties, National, Labour and the Greens, started the year with major education announcements.
Their attention put the early childhood and school sectors in the political spotlight.
But are they beginning to expect too much from education?
Radio New Zealand’s Education Correspondent, John Gerritsen investigates how much social and economic change the education sector can deliver, and how schools are coping with the demands being placed upon them.
Matt McCarten brilliant today on Iwi fatcats. It’s here:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11198636
Excellent, balanced and objective piece by McCarten BG.
Shows the arrogance and partisan politics within the upper levels of iwi, nothing new there.
Watch the nact bundle a settlement through,full of holes, like alot of their urgency measures, then trumpet what legends they are for sorting it out.
This will leave the subsequent claims bought about by the holes another govts issue to sort out. Par for the course really but then shonkey likes golf.
“Nothing new here”.
Agree tc but Cunliffe needs to exploit.
Can’t wait to hear McCarten’s opinion on tax evasion.
Well done greywarbler.
need a laff..?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/08/bill-maher-seniors-obamacare-sex-penis-pumps_n_4751627.html
“..70 is the new ’69’..”
phillip ure..
Thanks Phillip I’d seen just the news rules part of that before, but the whole segment is just classic.
So Andarko have found water at the bottom of the ocean.
But what kind of water?
Presumably it was fossil water disconnected from the main ocean for millions of years.
How old is it?
Are there any extremophile lifeforms in it, or is it sterile?
Is it water left over from the time when the submarine continent that surrounds New Zealand was above the surface?
Is it fresh water?
Andarko may not be interested in any of these questions but others might?
By showing no interest at all in such questions Andarko show themselves to be the scientific Philistines, heedlessly ploughing their way through the natural and human world without any thought to some of the greatest mysteries and wonders of the natural world. Their only interest is money.
The sooner we rid ourselves of these invading marauders from our shores the better.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1401/S00063/deep-sea-drilling-the-spirit-of-mururoa.htm
Colin Craig and the US Tea Party- what is the latter, and how similar are they?
http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/31/printer_14572.php
The teapartiers are populist loons short of a clue, the evangelicals scare the living daylights out of me.
http://www.thenation.com/article/177823/how-us-evangelicals-fueled-rise-russias-pro-family-right?page=full
http://www.politicalresearch.org/livelys-lies-a-profile-of-scott-lively/
Hopefully Our Munsta of tha Arts and Kulcha will be listening to RNZ today – Essshhpeshlee “tha…Artson Sunny” – I mean listen from start to finish and ‘especially’ the unedited portion.
If he did/has, I imagine he’ll be weighing up eggseklee where his peshuns loi.
I suspect he’ll go with the bitter ole Queen option. Yesssiree John – you’re gorgeous, I love you, I offer my undying leeeeeerv!
There goes one lonely funeral
Chris Finlayson …. it was never going to be “Standing Romm Only”
I had a look at a No Minister post about Kiwis in Australia and didn’t find much reliable information there. So I thought I would find a bit out about this immigration business in Oz.
It seems that nearly anyone can get a SCV (Special Category Visa).
But that has limited benefits to you which don’t change the longer you are in the country. Fact Sheet 17 has much information.
The SCV – It allows a New Zealand citizen to remain indefinitely and live, work or study in Australia lawfully as long as that person remains a New Zealand citizen.
The SCV is not a permanent visa and visa holders do not have the same rights and benefits as Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents……
Changes introduced on 26 February 2001
A new bilateral social security arrangement between Australia and New Zealand was announced on 26 February 2001. This agreement sets out arrangements for payment of age pension, disability support pension and carer payment to New Zealand citizens in Australia.
It also recognised the right of each country to determine access to social security benefits not covered by the agreement, and to set related residence and citizenship rules according to the respective country’s national legislative and policy frameworks. In line with that principle Australia introduced a number of supplementary changes.
As a result, the Social Security Act 1991 requires New Zealand citizens who arrived in Australia after 26 February 2001 to apply for and be granted an Australian permanent visa to access certain social security payments (including income support payments) that are not covered by the bilateral agreement.
To support this requirement, changes were also made to citizenship and migration legislation to require New Zealand citizens to become permanent visa holders if they want to obtain Australian citizenship or sponsor their family members for a permanent visa.
If you want to ensure some standing you get a Permanent Visa (Residency).
http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/sir.htm
When can you apply for a permanent visa?
You can apply for a permanent visa after you have:
lived for two years in a Specified Regional Area and worked, including being self-employed, for one year in these same areas.
See: Specified Regional Areas, or
obtained sponsorship under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme.
Which permanent visas can you apply for?
You can apply for any permanent visa in Australia, however the Skilled – Regional (Residence) visa (subclass 887) is specifically designed for holders of a provisional skilled visa who want to apply for permanent residency.
See: Skilled – Regional (Residence) Visa (Subclass 887)
The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa (subclass 857) has reduced eligibility requirements for holders of a Skilled – Regional Sponsored (Provisional) visa (subclasses 475 and 487) or a Skilled – Independent Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 495).
See: Concessions for the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme Visa (Subclass 857)
It appears that if you want to get Citizenship status you can only apply after having got a PermanentVisa.
It seems possible that you could have dual status if the NZ Government allows this.
Since 1 Sept 1994 any NZer arriving in Australia is automatically issued a Subclass 444 or “Special Category” Visa. The SCV allows a NZer to live and work in Australia indefinitely without needing any other sort of work or residency visa. It is not permanent; it can be revoked; you lose it by leaving Australia and you are issued a new one if you re-enter Australia.
The SCV makes the holder ineligible for almost all Australian government welfare and financial assistance. If you’re a NZer on an SCV you can not get unemployment assistance if you lose your job, you’re not eligible for payments under the National Disability Insurance Scheme, you can not (presently) get a student loan or allowance, if your house gets burned down or washed away you are not entitled to the emergency financial assistance that your Australian neighbour gets, etc etc. If you become a burden on the Australian taxpayer (eg by going to jail) you will be put on a one-way flight to NZ upon release. A child born in Australia to parents who are NZers on SCVs does not receive Australian citizenship and is “stateless” unless the parents apply for and are granted NZ citizenship for the child by birth. A NZer on an SCV is basically a long-term guest with obligations (pay tax, obey the law) but with very few of the rights of a resident or citizen.
Getting official Australian residency is hard. People are literally dying to get in to Australia.
NZers on SCVs are considered no different from other immigrants where applications for permanent residency are concerned. It makes no difference that you’re already in Australia and working; if you want to become a permanent resident you have to meet the same immigration criteria as any other foreign immigrant. You must have qualifications and work in a field that Australia considers desirable (i.e. be on the “Skilled Occupations” list), be under 45 years of age, and (depending on the specific visa you’re applying for) be sponsored by your employer or be moving to a “Regional Area” where Australia needs more people in certain professions.
There are approximately 600,000 NZers in Australia and many of them are placed in great hardship by the situation described above. I’m sure that many of those 600,000 are eligible to vote in NZ elections and would look favourably on the NZ government that helped them.
To specifically reply to a couple of gw’s points:
– you can only apply for Australian citizenship if you have spent two years in Australia with permanent resident status.
– it is possible to have dual Australian and New Zealand citizenship.
Trivia:
– NZers who were on SCVs when the current law took effect in Feb 2001 were allowed to apply directly for citizenship if they’d been physically present in Australia for more than 12 months of the 24 months to Feb 2001. Thus Russell Crowe, who lived in Australia but was in the northern hemisphere filming first Gladiator then A Beautiful Mind during that time, did not qualify and had his Australian citizenship application rejected. And since he’s over 45 and in a nonessential profession (“actor”) he can not become a permanent resident.
And here’s the nub that everyone is ignoring.
As long as these kiwi ‘guest workers’ are in Australia, paying tax to that govt, they are not paying tax to the NZ govt who ultimately will have to pick up the tab when they return to New Zealand.
The point is that most will not be able to retire in Australia and will almost certainly be returning to NZ and become immediately eligible for Super.
Here is also an interesting point. Of the 850,000 odd New Zealanders who did not vote in the last election – how many would be included in this 620,000 living in Australia under this SCV?
Twenty five years ago we should’ve, could’ve, would’ve…..but never did a thing…
Four former state-owned companies employed most of the Tuzla population. The contracts agreed to at the time of government sell-off stipulated that the new private owners were to advance investment in the companies, according to Deutsche Welle.
Instead, the new owners sold the assets and halted payment to workers, leading to bankruptcy filings between 2000 and 2008. Sead Causevic, local leader in Tuzla, directed blame at the court system, saying upset workers turned to the law years ago, yet they were ignored.
Causevic told Bosnian state TV that the “rip-off privatization” had occurred before he took office. He called the factory workers’ demands legitimate, Deutsche Welle reported.
“It was our government that sold state assets for peanuts and left the people without pensions, jobs or health insurance,” Hana Obradovic, an unemployed graduate from Sarajevo, told Reuters.
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/2/7/bosnia-privatizationprotestsspreadtoothercities.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/bosnia-privatization-protests-reach-other-cities/2014/02/06/4907df00-8f65-11e3-878e-d76656564a01_story.html
Ipredict’s stock “There will be a Labour Prime Minister after the 2014 General Election” has just hit a 12 months low this afternoon.
I realise this is simply one indicator, but if I was in camp Labour this would have me a little concerned.
Last Trade Price: $0.3747
https://www.ipredict.co.nz/app.php?do=contract_detail&contract=PM.2014.LABOUR
Put your mansion on Key, literally, you fucking idiot.
SSLands, having nothing else of note to spray about has now become a whore touting for ipredict…
SSLands, i realize this is only an indication but if i was in the ACT camp i wouldn’t want to be wasting money on shonky quasi-gambling websites able to manipulated with a used 20 dollar note,(you are going to need all the spare coin you have got to pay your fair share of tax as assessed by the incoming Labour/Green Government),
Heres a few of today’s ‘predictions’ of note, National 42%, Labour 33.2%, Green 9.5 %, Internet Party 14.2%,
Ha ha ha obviously someone like you, with a massive alcohol hangover forgot to put a . in the right place for the internet party, just goes to show how badly run that site is and how stupid you are to waste money on it…
Yep and someone has sold a thousand shares at .38c so it will not move for a while. It also shows that someone with a bit of money is trying to give the impression that Labour’s chances are not good. And someone has also listed a thousand National PM shares at .62c so it is obviously someone trying to manipulate things.
In direct contradiction to that,
NZ First to use balance of power to support Labour-led Government: $0.32
NZ First to use balance of power to support National-led Government $0.24.
If I were in camp Australia-based Objectivist shill this would have me a little concerned.
Lolz, OAB, the wet dreamers will be over there as soon as they read your comment to manipulate that one as well…
Still here?
Man let off drink driving charge because of career
But what career do I hear you ask?
Yep, that of consultant to spy agencies. One wonders why, in this digital age, he would have to travel at all – oh, wait, it’s to help ensure that he’s not spied upon by those same spy agencies.
Thing is, career should never be a reason to discharge a criminal conviction. All we really see when people’s convictions are discharged because of career is rich people being treated differently from everyone else.
The law should apply equally.
I disagree – the “career” thing is actually a clause that stops a punishment being unduly harsh. Fair enough.
That having been said, twice the limit is pretty pissed and highly dangerous, so I’d be tending towards “fuck off, you could have killed someone” rather than discharge.
When a truck driver gets pulled up driving drunk he loses his license and his job. There’s no way he’s going to be let off because it’ll ruin his career. This guy’s likely to lose everything whereas the ex-KGB agent would probably still be able to maintain his career and his income although maybe somewhat reduced or he could just get a job at the GCSB. So, what does unduly harsh actually mean?
theoretically it’s based on the individual circumstances of the case interpreted via precedent.
I agree, in this case the decision seems … odd, but the principle is sound (and indeed essential). The problem as you point out is the unequal treatment of poor people compared to the rich.
Yes, the poor are treated differently because they can’t afford lawyers which is a problem but that’s not the problem here – the problem is that it’s an excuse that shouldn’t exist. As Murray Olsen points out it should be applied to every single case as it limits peoples career choices. Essentially, this legal defense means that people should automatically get off criminal charges.
BTW, there’s plenty of All Blacks that have got off assault for exactly the same reason.
I believe that the relevant section is this:
[my boldface]
I think we both agree that in this case that particular section was interpreted in an overly-lenient manner, probably because the drunk driver wore a suit to work. But should a truckie driving just over the limit on a scooter wearing a batman costume be convicted for drink-driving? I’m not so sure. Twice the legal limit in the truck? Yes.
And what immigration category did he fit into?
I agree. The law should apply equally. A temporarily unemployed person may lose potential career opportunities if convicted, so why shouldn’t an employed person lose real ones?
I just love it when you have the gall to lecture another party on gerrymanders, Mike.
Still forgetting about your pledge card theft in 2005 huh. Convenient.
He who lives in the glassiest of houses shouldn’t throw too many stones, me thinks.
[lprent: Off topic. Deliberate diversion. Moved to OpenMike. Repeat that tactic again and I’ll ban you until after the election. You have over-used that tactic in the past (and it is so 2008) ]
MMP = manipulation by:
Winston, Sue Bradford, Steve Chadwick, I won’t bother with the rest of List Mps
[lprent: Off-topic. Looks like a deliberate diversion because it didn’t deal with anything in the post. Repeat if you want to pick up a ban. Moved to OpenMike. ]
Feels weird not being around a computer all weekend and doing so much driving..
Spent much of yesterday at Music for Matua at the winery in north-west Auckland. Some late tickets came for TS. So I used them. Pleasant environs. Music worth listening to. Good pinot and bratwurst hot dogs. Liked the limit of 800 tickets and that each ticket was allowed up to 3 kids free (parents/guardian). There were a *lot* of kids there amusing themselves away from the adults (but in view of).
Reminded me of staff picnics at Wenderholm in the 60s. I might post some pictures for next weekend..
Today I drove to Rotorua and back on a long holiday weekend (did anyone not take Friday off?). Would only ever do that for family. In this case my mother is in hospital because a wound wasn’t healing – maybe requires a skin graft. She was in fine shape apart from having a drip and dislike of the hospital bed.
Was avoiding SH27 because of the boats in single lanes coming in from the Tauranga roads. Always jams badly. Slow slow traffic through Cambridge and Huntly on the way back. Avoided Hamilton using State Highway 1B… Otherwise traffic was good. The upgrades Labour put into SH1 past huntly are very effective.
Not a bad weekend.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9701076/Social-media-calls-for-supermarket-boycott
I say good on Australians for pressurising their supermarkets to support local producers.
If we had a decent socialist government here we would have the government, not a couple of supermarkets chains, advancing the cause of buy one’s own country’s produce…and a lot more.
So let’s not just boycott Countdown,,
What about all foreign owned corporations hauling their obscene profits off shore.
Start with the Australian Banks
Then foreign owned insurance companies, chain stores, energy companies….
A true socialist government would take these national resources back and regain control of the country from foreign financial interests.
They would then bring Douglas and his crew to trial for treason.
What a load of crap. Trade liberalisation is the route to prosperity. There is no alternative. And thankfully we will not be getting a your choice of government.
zzzzzzzzzzzz
Nope, all that brings about is a few getting exponentially richer while everyone else gets poorer – exactly as we’ve seen over the last thirty years in NZ and around the world. It also brings about financial meltdown as the GFC proved once again.
Notice the tired old line spewed out ‘there is no alternative.’
Yep. These RWNJs are getting desperate as the failure and the corruption that their policies engenders becomes more and more obvious as time goes by..
These folk have betrayed the people of New Zealand.