Probably because this is the issue that will fell the govt.
There is going to be major social dislocation in regional NZ and by election time it will be blowing through the cities as well.
IMHO the govt has made a tactical blunder in trying to downplay this issue. Farmers won’t necessarily blame the govt but they will expect empathy beyond being called ” resilient ” and hearing platitudes about how “very bright” the future is.
That said, opposition parties need to articulate a credible suite of policies to position NZ inc further up the value chain. Rod Oram has been giving them the template for ages.
Remember this is MMP and it only takes a small shift to change the guard.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 1.1.1.1
That is a ill informed comment on so many levels The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell, it is hard to know where to begin with your obvious gaps in education.
Next, you will be blaming the left for the failure of capitalism.
Yet, where it had been practiced, poverty has decreased, the rights of minorities have gained growing respect, women are more equal and life expectancy rises.
In comparison to every other system ever tried, it is doing fabulously. Which is why record numbers of people are fleeing those other systems to get into capitalist ones.
You should try hooking up with the Shining Path, Draco. Bet it disappoints.
In fact, social democracies and mixed economies have achieved the results you claim for Capitalism. You should try hooking up with Augusto Pinochet Gormless.
Yet, where it had been practiced, poverty has decreased, the rights of minorities have gained growing respect, women are more equal and life expectancy rises.
Nope. Where it has been practised we’ve seen growing poverty, decreased human rights and decreasing life expectancy.
The only reason why we’ve increases in those over the last century is because of socialism. Now that capitalism is back in force we’re seeing the reversal.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrel …
those ‘social democracies’ are all based on Capitalist principles.
Typical semantic bullshit.
Every one of them incorporates some capitalist principles, as well as some socialist principles.
Not one of them is entirely based on capitalism.
Capitalism is a big dog that needs to be trained, restrained and caged while it serves whatever purpose is required. In a social democracy, socialism is the restraint. And democracy is what ensures only the right dog is restrained at the right time.
@ Gormless ‘What alternative are you proposing that has worked in the real world. Time and place, please’
You will have noticed that none of the ‘revolutionaries’ here ever answer that question, no matter how many times it is asked.
But if course, they must have something in mind? You couldn’t get that far in your thinking without having some glimmering of an alternative to the current situation?
Why can’t they say it then eh? What’s there to be shy about?
I’ve said many times that we need to get rid of the rich as they are the problem and not the solution. That means getting rid of private ownership of land, homes and businesses.
The land would be owned by the state and people would have a lease on it.
Homes should be rented from the state with a life time lease. First in, first served. Having a home would be a right.
Businesses would be a legal entity that has no shareholders and is run as a cooperative by the people who work there. The monetary reforms above would ensure that they have access to the money necessary to start up.
Politics would be Participatory Democracy rather than the Representative Democracy that we have at present that only represents the will of the rich thus making it an oligarchy/plutocracy.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
Yup. I give you credit for that, and that is a very clean and straight forward statement of your alternative thanks. Pity more of those who want to tear the current system down aren’t nearly so willing to state their beliefs so honestly.
Of course your system is completely unworkable, because humans beings simply aren’t built like that. You have as much chance of getting humans to agree to live in that manner as you have convincing Great Sharks to go vegetarian.
lol
another example of sheepy plastering bullshit over their outright lies (“none of the ‘revolutionaries’ here ever answer that question, no matter how many times it is asked”) after the falsehood has been shot down in flames, and hoping nobody notices.
‘Wrong. We no longer work on instinct but on intelligence and can choose’.
In that case putting your system into place will be very straight forward.
All those who share your belief will form a Political Party and put your alternative system to the people.
The people will very ‘intelligently’ realise that it is an option they are much keener on than the current system, and so they will ‘choose’ to vote for your Party.
Of course there is – it was drawn up by a RWNJ and designed to fail.
What we on the Left will do and keep doing is telling and showing people that there are better ways than the dystopia (Yes, that is actually what you describe every time you imply that things are the way things are that’s all they’ll ever be) of the RWNJs. Slowly, but surely, we’ll win out.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
Well, over the last 200 years slavery has been made illegal, child labour outlawed, worker safety measures vastly improved, state pensions and benefits introduced, national healthcare systems introduced, the voting franchise extended to women and poor people, the death penalty abolished, husbands no longer allowed to rape or beat their wives, same sex marriage legalised, abortion legalised, capital punishment abolished, unions legalised, the monarchy fading into a constitutional niche, and significant environmental protections and national parks created.
Pendulum swings abound from sector to sector, year to year and even decade to decade, but in the long term the times are a’changing.
‘dystopia (Yes, that is actually what you describe every time you imply that things are the way things are that’s all they’ll ever be
As McFlock has pointed out Draco, things do change and thank fuck for that. But If Humans had a natural inclination towards completely egalitarian communal principles and committee based social organisation then under democratic conditions we would be moving towards that.
But as democracy evolves Human societies are actually moving in the opposite direction, with the freedom and status of the individual ever more strongly expressed than adherence to a ‘hive’ mindset.
That is because we ARE all individuals, and we DO have an individual worldview, and that’s why there is zero support for the kind of system you propose.
Thank fuck for that I say. Your system looks like a nightmare to me, and in the highly unlikely event of finding myself in such a situation I would have no option but to subvert it.
I talked about the progress over centuries, you’re cherrypicking some areas of the last few decades with no evidence that it’s a change in the long term trends.
If you insist on looking at things in terms of recent history, I have two words for your ‘freedom ever more strongly expressed’ bullshit: “patriot act”.
$57 trillion of more debt put into the system since 2008 to what end? 3rd world countries run by corporations and democracy suppressed. New Zealand runners up to the capitalist big dogs the US in incarceration rates. Rocketing inequality straining society. 300,000 kids with dreams are punished because their parents don’t work 24/7. Nope, it’s tearing itself apart.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
Nothing to do with ” the left” it has everything to go with being a farmer and living this reality and knowing how things are affecting my wider community. I am old enough (just) to have been farming in the 80s and know how this plays out. There will be great pain for many and like it or not the govt will be held accountable to some degree. The govt claimed credit when they rode the terms of trade up and they will cop it on way down. This will change the govt.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 1.1.1.1.2.1
Sorry to hear that, Cowboy. Your point about the government taking credit is well made. It’s a fiction they like to perpetuate when things are going well: we did it. Really, they didn’t (and nor should they).
Judging from English on RNZ this morning he hinted at an enhanced R&D package in budget. The issue is wether it placates the masses or looksike too little too late?
“member this is MMP and it only takes a small shift to change the guard”
Yes. And we don’t generally give govts 4 terms. Much still depends on Labour appearing competent and the left/centre coalition parties presenting as working together before the election.
“Remember this is MMP and it only takes a small shift to change the guard”
You have spotted the danger in this ‘small shift’ idea I take it?
A similar small shift towards National (1-1.5%) would edge them over the ‘rule alone’ line? A 4th term with a majority for JK and the perfect opportunity for him to put through a few ‘legacy’ projects?
At this stage of the previous electoral cycle Labour/Greens were sitting on 45% in the polls, but currently they are stuck on the same 40% odd they haven’t been able to shift since the last election.
Just saying. Maybe it really is time for a change of strategy from the LW?
(P.S. waiting for events outside your control to happen is not a strategy.)
“(PS waiting for events outside your control is not a strategy)”
I agree with that but in reality govts generally get kicked out. The Nats only really need to shed a couple of % and they are in trouble.
On that I am surprised at Key not feigning more respect for Winston. I watched replay of question time last night and Key mocked Winston mercilessly during an answer. I would have thought Key bright enough to read the tea leaves. Hard to imagine them sitting down and having a reasoned discussion around a coalition.
We’ve had 4 x 4 term Governments in NZ, so self evidently that can happen again, and as I say, at this stage it looks likely.
Personally I would think the LW would find that 4th term a wee bit torturous, and would be highly motivated to avoid it.
But to be honest, I don’t see much sign at all of an urgency to break the current pattern and make the change happen.
But never a 5th term….so I guess you could say that’s an impossibility. Confident about that? Happy to wait for it?
As for Winston Peters, JK has known him a long time, and I believe he is perfectly confident that Winston will do the pragmatic thing and join coalition with the Party that gets the strongest mandate at the next election…if he gets the opportunity.
Anyone who believes that Winston is likely to go into a coalition that involves The Greens is barking mad. Labour yes. National yes. But let me remind you of his comments shortly before the last election…
Any coalition he was willing to make with The Greens would have to be on terms that rendered The Greens irrelevant, and which they would never accept.
“If the Greens think they are going to take over the levers of economic management they are assuming that other parties are not watching their record.”
Peters said there was still a chance for Labour and NZ First to form a government together, claiming that in 2005 the combination delivered the largest surpluses in recent times……
“Voters need to be disabused of the view promoted by the Greens that we in New Zealand First would stand by whole they promote extremist views in government,” Peters said.
Peters praised both Finance Minister Bill English and Labour spokesman David Parker as men of integrity.
“I see both of them as capable of being Ministers of Finance.
If you saw Country Calendar last week then everything is fine. Guy owned 4 dairy farms and taking on debt was just part of the game and healthy risk taking… I think they said his dad had been through the 80s crash as well and lesson was apparently learnt..
I probably would have not so long ago, and I reckon since it was being shown by the authority that is Country Calendar that most of the audience would have been fine going along with it too.
I see….my experience is those who were in the industry during the eighties have a much more realistic view than those involved since….even within family.
“Council chief executive Doug McKay said the cost of implementing computer systems was scary, but as far as he could tell the transition agency ran a good process.
The former private sector boss said he had implemented three new computer systems in the past and each time there had been serious cost blowouts.”
Seems he can add a fourth to his resume, that article was rather prophetic. I can’t help but think there’s something badly wrong when a CEO who’s already overseen three IT cost blowouts lets another happen on his watch. What does a CEO actually do these days?
Tom Lewandowski, the president of the Northeast Indiana Central Labor Council in Fort Wayne, puts it even more bluntly when I asked him about working-class Trump fans. “These people aren’t racist, not any more than anybody else is,” he says of Trump supporters he knows. “When Trump talks about trade, we think about the Clinton administration, first with Nafta and then with [Permanent Normal Trade Relations] China, and here in Northeast Indiana, we hemorrhaged jobs.”
“They look at that, and here’s Trump talking about trade, in a ham-handed way, but at least he’s representing emotionally. We’ve had all the political establishment standing behind every trade deal, and we endorsed some of these people, and then we’ve had to fight them to get them to represent us.”
And from the comments thread:
I was struck how similar Sander’s arguments are to those of Trump. Sanders passionately spoke out against free trade and NAFTA saying shouting “how stupid is that trade policy?” to audience applause. And I’ve noticed in the Republican debates, Trump is the only one who repeatedly discusses jobs. The others never even mention jobs AFAIK.
We tend to assume the left is automatically the choice of the working class, but history shows right-wing authoritarian nationalism can also be very attractive if the people peddling it focus on making sure the working class has work that pays.
Enforcing the laws they already have, fixing the mental health system and fixing the background checks will do more to lower gun deaths then anything (reasonably) else
When a major part of your policy relies on a fairly strong circumstantial case….
A study (really a study of studies) suggests there is “fairly strong circumstantial case for Exile’s impact” on crime rates. But there’s a fairly strong circumstantial case that a program similar to “Exile” worked in Rochester, NY, while the economy was humming along, and then didn’t once it wasn’t.
If Sanders and Trump are both talking about jobs and the problems of free trade then why are those working class people supporting Trump? Underneath the concern about jobs is something else.
There’s nothing inherently left-wing about a voter just because they’re working class. Which means that, given a choice between left and right candidates who are both talking about jobs for workers, there’s no reason to assume workers will all be attracted to the left-wing one. The 1930s demonstrated that pretty clearly.
Yes, I understand that. I was just curious what the rationale was for so many working class supporting Trump, when Sanders is saying the same things re jobs and free trade. i.e. it’s not about the jobs and free trade, it’s about something else. The man quoted above from the Guardian seemed to be arguing that it was about the jobs. I’m not convinced.
The German working class (particularly, the urban, industrial working class) were largely immune to the Nazi electoral appeal. Along with the unemployed, they were the Nazis’ weakest demographic, immersed as so many of them were in the SPD (Social Democrat) and KPD (Communist) sub-cultures.
Only the (non-unionised) rural and small town working class (often working in small handicraft factories with less than 10 fellow employees) moved to the Nazis in appreciable numbers.
It was the German rural and urban middle class Right and Centre-Right that swung en masse to Hitler.
Wellington’s Labour mayoral aspirant Justin Lester is at it again! This time, he is advocating that a community park should be fenced off, furnished with ‘all-weather’ turf and given to a private professional football club (Phoenix) AT RATEPAYER EXPENSE!!! Where does this guy get off his endless proposals for subsidising the private sector with rates funding that should be used to maintain the city’s sagging infrastructure and public amenities. It is a sad day when Nicola Young, the true-blue candidate for the mayoralty has a better grip on Council responsibilities than the disingenuous Deputy Mayor.
What park is this Petertoo? Phoenix FC is one of his pet projects and one I’m not willing to fund. He’s wealthy, he can sell his Kapai chain and fund them himself.
Does he have any comment on Illot Green by the way? I haven’t heard anything. Being on the Developers Advocacy Board I should imagine he’s keen to hock it off for the short term gain of raising the $$$ for earthquake strengthening for the council building.
They could of course scrap the 9 million dollar corporate welfare programme known as WEID and fund the work that way.
Rosie – Martin Luckie Park in Berhampore. The man has no qualms about this well used public space and the kids league team being shunted by the sound of it.
It is a widely held belief that the thought of John Illott Green being retained as open space is anathema to Lester. It has also been mooted that Pike, the City Shaper has already been talking deals with his surrogate boss, Mark McGuinness who owns much of what is likely to become known the Willis Bond Waterfront when the privatisation progresses further with the Site 10 (& 11?) developments.
As for the income from the sale of John Illott Green being used to strengthen the Town Hall – it wouldn’t make much of a dent. The land value, based on sites of similar size on Jervois Quay would be less than $6m. Much less than the nearby site that the ratepayers are paying to kick off the Peter Jackson et. al. museum and a Conference Centre. Obviously the ratepayers have much deeper pockets than Mark Dunajtschik who obviously wan’t prepared to pay an over the odds price to proceed with a proposed Hilton Hotel/Conference Centre on the same Cable Street site.
Obviously, Lester’s short-termism doesn’t factor in the obvious, that a future Council will have to buy and demolish other commercial buildings (like Midland Park at $millions) to provide open space for urban apartment dwellers.
I’m hoping that talk of turning the park in Berhampore into an all weather ground for the Phoenix is only talk. It would be deeply unfair to push children’s and adults sports clubs off the field – or would they be expected to concede to the Phoenix when ever they chose to practice on it? I have no idea why we have to fund a professional sports team anyway.
Re the $134 million convention centre/Jackson film museum site that Mark Dunajtschik couldn’t stump up for, for his hotel plans – he’s also on the executive for the Property Developers Advocacy group, alongside Lester. Maybe he said “here Justin, I’m not having it, you can have it”.
It is a widely held belief that the thought of John Illott Green being retained as open space is anathema to Lester.
Such people find anything public is anathema – especially democracy. They will work hard to privatise everything leaving the rest of us as serfs to the new owners. Democracy will be killed by the simple act of selling off the public’s wealth and thus leaving them powerless.
“Nicola Young, the true-blue candidate for the mayoralty has a better grip on Council responsibilities than the disingenuous Deputy Mayor”.
There. I trimmed of the totally unnecessary words from the sentence. Why on earth do you put “It is a sad day when ” in front of them?
Are you planning to vote for Nicola then? God help us if we have another term of Wade-Brown and Lester sounds even worse, if such a thing is possible.
Nearly all our present councillors seem to have this delusion that they are far-seeing business entrepreneurs. Then they stuff things up. It isn’t their money and they don’t give a damn about what they waste. I have always held the view that at least one councillor should have to take a personal financial interest in any of these projects they push on the ratepayer. When any guarantee is requested or some “can’t fail” expenditure, such as the Visitor Centre at Zealandia is proposed there should have to be one of the council who says “Yes, I believe it will work. If it falls in a heap I will return all the money I have been paid while on the council to help make up for the losses”. I bet they would be a great deal more careful then.
The other problem they, like all politicians, have is that they will never admit that anything they do is a failure and should be scrapped. They would rather just keep throwing other people’s money at it for ever. It is one of the reasons we need to get new people on Governing bodies at regular intervals. New people can throw out things that are useless because their ego isn’t involved.
It gets the same way of course in Central Government. Only the numbers are bigger. The problem at the moment is that there is no viable alternative Government. The opposition at the moment aren’t fit to be allowed near the Beehive. Can’t Labour have a clean out and get people who are capable into Parliament. They still have the fools who should have been dumped at the 2011 election.
Good point at the beginning of your comment alwyn. Guess it reflects how pissed off some, self included, where when we felt obliged to vote for the city damaging faux-Green Wade-Brown to block Morrison last time round. There is obviously some trepidation as to how neo-liberal Nicola Young might be, but then, could she be more in the pockets of business and the developers than Lester? Now waiting to hear if Paul Eagle does a screeming reverse on the earlier statement of support for Lester’s Mayoral campaign.
Getting back to the former Cr. Morrison, it was a real bummer to find out that the Mayor and her gang of three paid off him off with a $300 000 unrecoverable ratepayer ‘donation’ to establish his favourite Aussie owned call-centre, a cause that morphed into being his employer. Also, impressed with the idea that you consider Cr. Foster should be liable for some of the Zealandia debt. Didn’t the ACT apparatchik Catherine Isaac had a finger in the Visitor Centre pie too?
No I don’t think Foster is liable for the debt. I wouldn’t back date my proposal.
Also Isaac was never a councillor so it couldn’t apply to her.
To expand on my view.
The Council is approached to guarantee a loan, or make a loan for something. The people responsible claim that it will not only be self-sufficient but will be so popular that it will be able to repay the loan. See Zealandia.
When it all goes belly up the Council claims that they couldn’t possibly have known that it would happen and it isn’t their fault. The ratepayer gets screwed.
I would argue that before any such loans are made, or guaranteed, ONE councillor must be found who will put his/her money where their mouth is. If it crashes they will have to repay to the Council every bit of money they have ever received, up to a maximum of the money the Council has lost.
No Councillor willing to do that? No Loan is allowed.
If Foster had been willing to make the promise he would be out of pocket. He has been at the public trough so long we would get back quite a nice little bit of change. He wouldn’t have done it of course.
That would take care of the “Loans” for Zealandia or for the Stadium. It would have prevented the guarantees for the Embassy Theatre or for the sinking of that old frigate. We were promised that fundraising would mean that the guarantee would never be called on but they were.
The Council could still spend money on such activities but they would have to vote the money directly, not hide it away to blow up in the future.
alwyn – yes backdating the proposal would be unreasonable but the comment was meant in the hypothetical. The reference to Catherine Isaac was in a different realm though. It is galling that people are shoulder tapped for roles on a ‘political’ and/or ideological basis – stuff up, then there are no consequences. Strange how this is more apparent in the realms of the higher paid – not unlike today’s expose regarding the Ministry of Health and also applicable with regard to Theo Sperrings.
So the Labour Party, CTU and Unite are merely annoying yapping dogs he had to shut up by throwing a concession over zero hour contracts and workers are the passing cars causing the distraction for the yapping dogs.
What a smug little Fwit. He really needs to get a dose of reality, like having a look at the demands from employers on job ads. The extract below from seek.co.nz is typical of the type of attitude I see every day looking at job ads.
“This role would suit someone who is mature and savvy with no other commitments to allow for flexibility.”
This is a part time customer service role with a stated 18 hours a week over two specified days. The rest of the time you need to be on call to cover shifts as required. If you can’t come into work on call because you’re sick, you’re looking after someone who is sick, and well, you have have other commitments because you know, “life” happens then you’ll probably be fired under the 90 day law.
Its’ these kinds of employers that have to wake up to their responsibilities and that’s why the zero hour law is so important.
“Throw a bone at someone to stop barking at cars – call it a backdown if you wish.” My jaw dropped on reading that. I am utterly fed up with the culture of contempt that attends this government. Who does he think he is? Nero?
And by the way, your link didn’t work for me – possibly RNZ has taken the piece down.
Hi Olwyn. I just clicked on the link and it worked………………..?
I saw Woodhouse say that on newshrub last night – a jaw dropping moment for me too. You’re right about the culture of contempt. This Government is rife with it. No standards, no professionalism, no manners.
I have barked at cars and have subsequently needed screws and titanium thrown at my bones. I happily accept the Zero Hours outcome in this vein – not all bones are meal. The merit of barking prevails.
Watching this was odd, I started thinking this does not apply to Auckland, nor New Zealand.
Then I remembered all the small towns which are now effectively ghost towns up and down this nation.
The ever increasing prison system
and the masses of unemployment.
I know many here don’t want to see capitalism as evil, and I know many here think it can be reformed, but capitalism itself is it’s own worst enemy. We should not be trying to reform it, because in a few generations – it will do all this again.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 5.1
It’s a fair question Gormless is asking Adam?
Do you really expect the Workers to rise up and destroy their current situation, if you cannot tell them what you would replace it with?
The New Deal was a set of policies implemented within a Capitalist system, and in fact is widely credited with saving Capitalism. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Deal
So, no. It won’t be very difficult for Adam to find the system we already have.
Workers of the world awaken. Break your chains, demand your rights.
All the wealth you make is taken, by exploiting parasites.
Shall you kneel in deep submission from your cradle to your grave?
Is the height of your ambition to be a good and willing slave?
Joe Hill
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 5.1.2.1
Workers of the world awaken. Break your chains, demand your rights.
All the wealth you make is taken, by exploiting parasites.
Shall you kneel in deep submission from your cradle to your grave?
Is the height of your ambition to be a good and willing slave?
No, no, I want you to be a bit less specific, please.
In the context of this discussion then, is it fair for me to suggest that this is an ideal that might be achieved in the future, as opposed to something that has actually been achieved in the past?
We’ve had egalitarianism as the main organising principle, and those cultures definitely let women have power. How we get from where we are now to that I don’t know, but it does seem sensible to give the power to the people least likely to abuse it and most likely to use it for the good of all.
If you mean changing from a capitalist system, then I don’t know if that’s ever been done.
The recently signed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will “dramatically” restrict access to affordable medicine in every country that ratifies it, according to a US law expert.
Writing in scientific journal PLOS Medicine, Professor Brook Baker of the Northeastern University School of Law in Boston argues the TPP will:
lead to more patents being placed on new medicines
extend the length of new patents
restrict access to clinical trial data
prevent the introduction of new generic medicines
toughen penalties for patent infringements.
“TPP member states can expect an avalanche of IP-related claims from disappointed pharmaceutical companies that think their legitimate expectations of future profits have been thwarted.” Instead of helping Big Pharma, Prof Baker says the TPP provisions affecting access to healthcare should be scaled back to guidelines and standards agreed at the World Trade Organization in 1994.
“Health advocates should convince the US Congress and opponents in other countries to reject an agreement that could so adversely impact access to medicines.”
A Dunedin academic is criticising the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for refusing to attend a community-organised meeting on the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement.
“I think it’s unacceptable, and it calls into question the genuine nature of this public information exercise,” University of Otago Emeritus Prof Sir Alan Mark said.
As chairman of the Wise Response society advocacy group, Prof Mark has helped organise a public meeting at 7.30pm on March 14, following the Government-organised, TPP-themed road show presentation in Dunedin.
Prof Mark said the meeting was designed to be more open than the Government-organised one, which required registration and had a limited number of places available.
Thanks for your first link, I very seldom look at the TV3 website nowadays (didn’t even know that 7days had started up again). I had read that ODT piece earlier and particularly liked this bit:
Prof Mark said he and Wise Response secretary Dougal MacTavish had signed up to attend the MFAT meeting on March 14.
Prof Mark said he would promote the community meeting at the Government’s workshop.
Prof Mark said the meeting was designed to be more open than the Government-organised one, which required registration and had a limited number of places available.
The government is openly showing derision for the people and their right to govern the country, and control the government that has been voted in to work for the people. Aren’t I naive. But I still think that.
The first part of your post should get wider publicity. Serious stuff and one that we should be able to articulate it in the MSM.
And the second part is much closer to home and should get wider attention as well and beyond the ODT.
I wonder how to do that?
Well spotted Tautoko Mangō Mata.
Even more from Stiglitz. Forget ISIS, worry about ISDS foreign trade pact clause, economists say
Giving the keys to the country away
What is it that has put Stiglitz, a professor at New York’s Columbia University, on the warpath? It is the obscure treaty enforcement mechanism called the Investor-State Dispute Settlement, referred to by those “in the know” as “ISDS.”
Stiglitz told reporters recently at a National Press Club event (which I moderated) that the ISDS clause within the pact would allow foreign firms in America to sue “when the U.S. government passes a regulation that they think hurts their profits.”
He notes that American firms would not have this power under the law. Stiglitz calls it “fundamental discrimination against Americans, particularly small businesses.”
How might this work if Congress were to ratify the trade agreement?
Stiglitz makes an analogy comparing to what might have happened decades ago when asbestos was found to be a health risk and banned. If “the U.S. government would have to compensate any foreign-owned asbestos company” for future lost profits — as under the TPP — in effect, he says companies would have to be “compensated for not killing people or for not destroying their lives.”
And that means taxpayers would be on the hook for billions of dollars.
Blowhards, trolls and rat-fuckers – say it ain’t so.
And as probability becomes clearer, I’ve been hearing and reading people who profess to be leftists or progressives saying they will never vote for Clinton but might instead vote for Trump.
Anybody who does that is a freaking numbskull. Anybody claiming to be on the left who votes for Trump deserves not an ounce of respect. Anybody who thinks putting this billionaire bully into the White House makes any kind of sense has none. And anybody who urges people to vote for him is dead to me.
I have no idea how many actual Sanders’ supporters are considering a vote for Trump if Bernie fails to get the nomination.
I don’t know how many of the people who are saying Trump is a good option for progressives in November actually are progressives themselves, how many are blowhards and trolls, and how many are rat-fuckers who have all along favored Trump and are eager to exploit our division. Too many, whatever the count.
Glad to hear that SAFE are not feeling threatened by this move, as the believe they meet the criteria for operating as a charity, otherwise that status wouldn’t have been granted it by the charities commission.
Several Native Americans disrupted the state Senate on Monday to protest Utah’s continued observance of Columbus Day.
Three men and woman began shouting from the gallery in the Senate chamber just as senators returned to the floor about 2:15 p.m. One held a sign reading, “Abolish Columbus Day. Stop Celebrating Genocide.”
Protester Charles Aoires said the group came to speak out against Weiler’s words about Native Americans last week.
“The native population gave the early explorers syphilis, which they brought back to Europe. Blaming Columbus for the extermination of the native population is as fair as blaming the native population for people who die using tobacco and cocaine, which the natives introduced to the Europeans,” Weiler said during debate over SB170, a bill that would have changed Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.
Why do people in the USA celebrate Columbus day anyway?
He never landed in North America, but only on islands in the Caribbean.
Any refugee from the USA who can explain?
Just looking for the frequency for local community radio and looked on ite called Love NZ which listed all in locality and National Radio genre is Talkback.
The response to radio on the site is so vacuous that it is automatically regarded as a music service in the main, classic, adult contemporary, feel good, variety, easy listening etc. Rhema is Christian, Sport is sport so that didn’t try their brains much, then there is Community, RADIONZ Concert is listed as Live Concert for goodness sake, as if that is the only concert music they can envisage.
They have no word that is suitable to describe our peerless feeder of information, thought, culture and news. Except to call national radio, RADIONZ, ‘Talkback’, as if this was the highest intellectual offering they could conceive. Thinking, a bit sterile!
Video killed the radio star! It certainly dims when it comes to marketing music for profit,
and not mainly for the musicians either.
Ironic given the hole that Kim Dotcom is in over copyright law that:
“Lawyers for Eminem, National Party back in court.
In September, spokesman for the publishers Joel Martin said Eminem was never approached for permission to use his work in National’s rowing-themed election ads, which featured backing music similar to the riff of Lose Yourself.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11602702
Thanks! Useful for me too. I liked the driving to work analogy both in the context of ecomomics but also why thinking about the collective is important in general.
Hard not to draw the conclusion that it’s that Keynesian or Monetarist economics are wrong, but that all economics is 😉 (or maybe it’s just that the economy shouldn’t be based primarily on economics but other things like well being, the collective good, our place in the environment).
Our 100 000 Hindu speakers in NZ have no choice on the flag referendum: they are asked to tick the box they want for the new New Zealand flag. Careless mistranslation or devious manipulation?
Fuck up by someone. I doubt that it was intentional.
As an aside, I was surprised about the 100,000 Hindi speakers number though. Seemed high, although the 2013 census says 66,309, which is nearly doubled since 2006.
Old Billy Boy Ralston standing for Auckland Council finally broken cover aye ? Been on JohnTheNeolib/ParnellBBQ payroll for however long, one way or another. Finally come clean. Hope his splendid benign pomposity doesn’t grow with this. Could be life threatening.
In Question Time today the Prime Minister was naturally facing questions about Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and his dubious party financing arrangements, which seem to violate electoral finance law. Her response was to pretend that it was nothing to do with her, and that she is not responsible for ...
A prisoner stripped of their name, imprisoned for a secret crime after a secret trial, with all details legally suppressed for secret reasons. A story by Kafka or Dumas? China? No, its just the latest stage of Australian tyranny:An Australian citizen was prosecuted, convicted, and jailed in the ACT last ...
Stuff has more details on what New Zealand First's slush-fund has been funding, with much of the spending directly benefiting the party. Which makes it look a lot like hidden donations, rather than the completely-innocent-giant-pile-of-cash Winston is trying to portray it as. The Electoral Commission is now investigating, but Simon ...
I've joked before about how hosting international summits effectively turns part of your country into a police state for the duration. Well, New Zealand is hosting APEC in 2021, with events throughout the year in Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland. And the government has put up a bill to give itself ...
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.nzI saw an article claiming that “king tides” will increase in ...
It has been revealed that firing ranges used by the NZDF while deployed to the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Bamyan Province, Afghanistan, contained unexploded ordnance that caused numerous deaths and injuries after the NZDF withdrew the PRT in April 2013. In 2014 seven children were killed when an unidentified ...
Didn't See It Coming: NZ Herald columnist Lizzie Marvelly's latest column merits serious scrutiny because such a clear example of anti-democratic thinking is encountered only rarely on the pages of the daily press. Which is not to say that the elitism which lies at the heart of such social disparagement ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh Initially it was reported that in an aerial bombardment that took place on August 30th seven children were massacred; the figure then went up to eight and then on November 11th Noticias Uno reported that, according to people from the community in close proximity to the ...
A lot has happened since the UN’s report on 1.5ºC was released in October 2018. New Zealand’s Zero Carbon Bill has passed, and enshrines the 1.5ºC goal in law. The UK and France have also legally strengthened their targets to Net Zero 2050. The School Strike For Climate and Extinction ...
Next year is an election year, and Labour needs money to fund its campaign. So naturally, they're selling access:Labour is charging wealthy business figures $1500-a-head to lunch with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at its annual conference later this month. [...] On the weekend beginning November 29th, around 800 delegates will ...
Yesterday the government announced its changes to tenancy laws, including an end to no-cause evictions, limits on rent increases, and anonyminity for tenants who defend their rights against bad landlords (sadly necessary because landlords are scum who maintain blacklists of "uppity" tenants). They're all good moves, and have resulted in ...
In 2003 New Zealand sent a Provincial Reconstruction Team to Afghanistan to support America's doomed war there. While there, they conducted regular weapons practice on local firing ranges, littering the landscape with unexploded ammunition. These ranges weren't secure - they're on land used by locals for animal herding - so ...
Green MP Gareth Hughes has announced he will retire at the election. Its understandable - he's been there ten years, and wants to actually see his children grow up rather than miss it while drowning in the toxic parliamentary sewer. But his departure is also a huge loss for the ...
Words and images by Jacqui GibsonGone are Auckland Museum’s days of doing science using a museum-centric academic approach, after Māori land rights holders Ngāti Kuri gave the museum an ultimatum.Tom Trnski holding a fossilised whale tooth from the Far North.Aussie-born Head of Natural Sciences at Auckland Museum ...
MediaWorks announced in October 2019 that it intended to sell off its struggling television business and cancel or cut back on several popular local programmes, including New Zealand Today, Married at First SightNew Zealand and 7 Days. Its radio and outdoor advertising arms are currently performing well, but MediaWorks’ ...
Westminster voting intention:CON: 44% (+3)LAB: 28% (-1)LDEM: 14% (-1)BREX: 6% (-)via @OpiniumResearch, surveyed this weekChgs. w/ 08 Nov— Britain Elects (@britainelects) 16 November 2019 This, of course, doesn't look good. Labour have been chucking big, headline grabbing policies left, right and centre ... Well, maybe not right. Left, left ...
Some readers may remember that I mentioned last year that I was applying for NZ citizenship. I filled out the paperwork and had my original citizenship interview in February. Everything went well until they discovered that, because I had spent five months in the US in 2017, I had not ...
by Deirdre O’Neill It is becoming quite acceptable for certain sections of the left to declare that people like me – women who are ‘gender critical’ – should not be allowed in leftist or anarchist spaces. Leaving aside the arrogance and implicit authoritarianism of this claim, its lack of critical ...
There is an article in The Conversation, written by Jeremy P. Shapiro (Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University), about what he sees as the psychologically-based underpinnings of three main matters that seem to vex people all around the planet. The article is titled “The Thinking ...
. . Blogger Martyn Bradbury has won his case against unreasonable search and surveillance against the NZ Police; and subsequent Police attempts to produce evidence in secrecy, in a closed Court. His case highlights a disturbing growing trend in Aotearoa New Zealand for State power to be used against ...
The Committee of Disobedient Women has intercepted an email from Dr Emma Eejut, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Massey University to the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Jan Thomas. Dear Jan, Thank you for your courageous move. I think 10 pages of blether** should tie any of the students game enough to try holding ...
That's the only response to the findings of the Ombudsman's investigation into LGOIMA practices at the Christchurch City Council:My investigation identified serious concerns about the Council’s leadership and culture, and its commitment to openness and transparency. In particular, Council staff raised concerns with me about various methods employed by some ...
NZ First seems to be nakedly trying to enrich itself from public office:A powerful New Zealand First figure helped establish a forestry company that then pushed for money from two key funding streams controlled by a New Zealand First Minister. An RNZ investigation has found Brian Henry, lawyer for Winston ...
Behrouz Boochani is an award winning author and journalist. He is also a refugee, who for the past six years has been detained in Australia's offshore gulag on Manus Island, and in Papua New Guinea. But last night, with the cooperation of the WORD Christchurch festival and Amnesty International, he ...
Different Strokes: If a multicultural immigration policy imposes no obligation on immigrant communities to acknowledge and ultimately embrace their host nation’s most cherished traditions and values, then how is that nation to prevent itself from being reduced to a collection of inward-looking and self-replicating ethnic and cultural enclaves?THE COALITION GOVERNMENT’S ...
Protective Zone: Reading the rules and guidelines released by Massey University, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that its governing body considers the whole concept of free speech a disruptive threat to the orderly imparting of orthodox academic knowledge.IN TRUE ORWELLIAN fashion, Massey University has announced its commitment to ...
Farmers held a hate-march on Parliament today, complete with MAGA hats, gun-nut signs, and gendered insults. While supposedly about a grab-bag of issues - including, weirdly, mental health - it was clear that the protest was about one thing, and one thing only: climate change. And specifically, forestry "destroying" rural ...
The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security released their annual report today, and I've been busy reading through it. In amongst the usual review of what they've been doing all year, there's a few interesting bits. For example, a discussion on "agency retention and disposal of information", which points out that ...
Recently more than 150 post-graduate students and young scientists presented an open letter to the Green Party via The Spinoff, encouraging them to reconsider their position on genetic modification. Their target is tackling climate change issues.[1] Can any party continue to be dismissive about genetic modification (GM) contributing to ...
by Deirdre O’Neill Under Thatcher and then Blair and continuing up until our contemporary moment, the working class has seen its culture slowly and progressively destroyed. The change from an industrial society to a service society produced a marked shift in focus from the working class as the backbone of ...
Since 2013, the Australian government has detained refugees without trial in Pacific gulags, where they are abused, tortured, and driven to suicide. The policy is not just an abuse of human rights and possible crime against humanity; it has also had a corrosive effect on the states Australia uses as ...
It seems fair to say that we currently live in a problematic political moment in world history. Democracies are in decline and dictatorships are on the rise. Primordial, sectarian and post-modern divisions have re-emerged, are on the rise or have been accentuated by political evolutions of the moment such as ...
Last month, Greenpeace head Russel Norman surrendered his speaking slot at an EPA conference to student climate activist Sorcha Carr, who told the EPA exactly what she thought of them. It was a bold move, which confronted both regulators and polluters (or, as the EPA calls them, "stakeholders") with the ...
The core principle supposedly underlying New Zealand's electoral finance regime is transparency: parties can accept large donations from rich people wanting to buy policy, but only if they tell the public they've been bought. Most parties abide by this, so we know that TOP was wholly-owned by Gareth Morgan, and ...
Today is a Member's Day, probably the second-to-last one of the year, and its a big one, with the Third Reading of David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill. last Member's Day it was reported back from committee, after MPs voted narrowly to make it subject to a (rules TBA) ...
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.nzThe growth of the human population over the last 70 ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women In her excellent oral submission to the Abortion reform select committee on 31st October on behalf of Otago University’s Department of Public Health, historian and public health researcher Hera Cook stated: “We would ask that the committee not use the term ‘pregnant persons’ and ...
by Don Franks In 1957, E M Forster wrote, of his greatest work: “The India described in ‘A Passage to India’ no longer exists either politically or socially. Change had begun even at the time the book was published ( 1924) and during the following quarter of a century it ...
The Referendums Framework Bill was due back from select committee today. But there's no report on it. Instead, the bill has been bounced back to the House under Standing order 29593) because the Committee didn't bother to produce one. They probably tried. But given the membership of the committee (which ...
Two years into New Zealand’s Labour-led government, the long-delayed Zero Carbon Bill became law on 7 November. Passed essentially unanimously, the lengthy public debates and political manoeuvring faded away until the final passage was even anticlimactic: Flipping through the @nzstuff@DomPost I was starting to wonder if I’d dreamt ...
Now the Zero Carbon Bill is law, what's next? Obviously, the ETS changes currently before select committee are going to be the next battleground. But we're also going to get a good idea of where we're going, and if the progress the Zero Carbon Act promises is good enough, during ...
Grant PearceThe effects of the current Australian bushfires in New South Wales and Queensland (and also again in California) are devastating and far-reaching. To date, the fires have resulted in several lives being lost and many homes and properties destroyed. Here in New Zealand, the impacts have been only ...
A passing comment in a post the other day about the labour force participation rates of older people prompted me to pull down the fuller data and see what we could see about various participation rates over the decades since the HLFS began in 1986. As it happens, the ...
Distract And Divert: The rise of what we have come to call “Identity Politics” represents the ideological manifestation of the ruling class’s objective need to destroy class politics, and of the middle-class’s subjective need to justify their participation in the process.THE RELIEF of the ruling class can only be imagined. ...
"I saw a newspaper picture,From the political campaignA woman was kissing a child,Who was obviously in pain.She spills with compassion,As that young child'sFace in her hands she gripsCan you imagine all that greed and avariceComing down on that child's lips?" ...
Dr Matt Boyd, Prof Michael Baker, Prof Nick WilsonThe Global Health Security Index which considers pandemic threats has just been published. Unfortunately, NZ scores approximately half marks (54/100), coming in 35th in the world rankings – far behind Australia. This poor result suggests that the NZ Government needs to ...
The Zero Carbon Act is inadequate, with a weak methane target designed to give farmers a free ride. But it turns out it could have been worse: Climate Change Minister James Shaw was so desperate to get National on board, he wanted to gut that target, and leave it in ...
The Herald reprints an Australian story on a couple of tragic deaths in Bali from drinking cocktails that had methanol in them. The story argues that methanol is likely the result of home distillation. But what the young tourists were experiencing was far from a hangover. They’d consumed a toxic cocktail ...
Last month, the police announced a trial of specialist roaming armed units, which would drive round (poor, brown) areas in armoured SUVs, armed to the teeth. When they announced the trial, they told us it was about having armed police "ready to attend major incidents at any time if needed". ...
Spain went to the polls today in the second elections this year, after the Socialists (who had come to power in a confidence vote, then gone to the polls in April) rejected the offer of a coalition with the left-wing PoDemos, and instead decided to gamble n a better outcome ...
A couple of days ago I attended (and spoke at) the University of Waikato’s “LearnFest” event. There were lots of talks and sessions on very diverse aspects of teaching, mostly at tertiary level. One was by Myra Williamson from Te Piringa Faculty of Law here at Waikato, on Contract Cheating ...
There will be a transit of Mercury – the planet Mercury will pass across the face of the Sun – taking place at sunrise in New Zealand on Tuesday, 12th November. It was by observing such an event 250 years ago that James Cook and his scientist colleagues were able ...
Since becoming the world’s first openly transexual mayor and member of parliament, Georgina Beyer has been recognised as a trailblazer for trans rights. Daphna Whitmore talks with her about where she sees the current trans movement We start out talking about legislation the government put on hold that would have ...
If FFNZ really put their faith in “Top Medical Journals” they would now be amending their billboards to recognise new research results. Image from FFNZ but updated to agree with the latest research. ...
National Messiah? Chris Luxon identifies himself as an evangelical Christian. If he is genuine in this self-characterisation, then he will take every opportunity his public office provides to proselytise on behalf of his faith. He will also feel obliged to bear witness against beliefs and practices he believes to be ...
I'm going to make a Reckless Prediction™ that the Tories have 'topped out' in the 'poll of polls' / Britain Elects multipoll tracker at about 38%, and in the next week we will start to see Labour creep up on them.In fact, we might just be seeing the start of ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women Lizzie Marvelly: “I may have missed this… has @afterellen gone all terf-y? Or am I reading something incorrectly? “ https://twitter.com/LizzieMarvelly/status/1191840059105742849 After Ellen is a lesbian website that is unashamedly pro-lesbian, as you’d expect. So why is Ms Marvelly so bothered about lesbians having their ...
Did you know there once was a time when it was illegal to be a gypsy (aka Romani) in Britain?That was between 1530, when the Egyptians Act was passed, and 1856, when it was repealed.Amongst other things, the act forbade the entry of 'Egyptians' into England, ordered those already there ...
Some days I sit and think, “what will I write…?” What do you say when you get to 1000 posts? Maybe you just start where you are, diverge to where this all began, then offer a collection of reader’s favourite posts, and a few of your own? (And throw in ...
Counter-Puncher: The “activists” and “radicals” (his own words) from the Indian community who took such strong exception to Shane Jones’ remarks about Immigration NZ’s treatment of arranged marriages, may end up bitterly regretting their intervention. Jones is not the sort of person who turns the other cheek to his critics.SHANE ...
In the spirit of Remember, remember the fifth of November, let's keep this in mind FOREVER.
Oh dear. Extraordinary interview on PM with Andrew Bridgen and @EvanHD just now. Bridgen was defending Jacob Rees Mogg’s Grenfell comments. Evan asked him if JRM had meant to say he would have left ...
Collision Course? In conditions of ideological white-out, the international bankers’ “Woop-Woop! Pull Up!” warning may have come too late to save global capitalism.WHAT DOES IT MEAN when international bankers are more willing to embrace radical solutions than our politicians and their electors? At both the International Monetary Fund and the ...
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a conundrum. It is a disease that was described hundreds of years ago and the bacteria that causes it (Bordetella pertussis) isolated in 1906. We have had vaccines for about 80 years but this disease is defiant in the face of human immunity. I wanted to ...
The Zero Carbon Bill has just passed its third reading, uanimously. In the end, National supported it - but we all know they'll turn around and gut it the moment they regain power. Meanwhile, I guess ACT's David Seymour didn't even bother to show up. I am on record as ...
Dr Lindsay Robertson, Dr Jerram Bateman, Professor Janet HoekMembers of the public health community hold divergent views on how access to vaping products or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products should be arranged. Some believe ENDS should be as widely available as smoked tobacco and argue for liberal ...
When the Police were trying to cover up for the National Party over Dirty Politics, they went all-in with their abuses of power. They illegally search Nicky Hager's house, violating his journalistic privilege and invading his privacy. They unlawfully acquired Hager's bank records. They did the same to left-wing blogger ...
Last month, in response to a wave of protests by Extinction Rebellion, the British government purported to ban their protests from the whole of London. It was a significant interference with the freedoms of expression and assembly, and another sign of the country's decline into tyranny. But now, a court ...
Last year, the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security reported on significant problems with the intelligence warrant system. While they were unwilling to declare any warrant "irregular" (meaning unlawful) due to the recent law change, they were also not willing to give the system a clean bill of health. Now, they've ...
The National Party has come out in support of encouraging greater vaccination uptake. But it sure isn’t the way I’d do it. National’s suggested docking the benefits of those on benefit whose kids aren’t keeping up with their vaccinations. Some in National have suggested extending that to payments under Working ...
Feeding The Flames: It is simply not enough to demand an end to “corruption”, or “inequality”, or the overbearing influence of the authorities in Beijing. These are just “lowest common denominator” demands: the sort of slogans that pull people onto the streets. They are not a plan.WHERE’S THE PLAN? Across ...
Clayton Mitchell, Spokesperson for Consumer Affairs The ‘wheel clamping’ Bill that will cap clamper fees to $100 passed its third readinginParliament today. New Zealand First welcomes The Land Transport (Wheel Clamping) Amendment Bill to combat predatory wheel clamping behaviour in what is currently a largely unregulated business. Cowboy clampers are: gouging ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First welcomes the passage of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill through its first reading in Parliament. “Today’s progress takes serious action on the mental health and addiction crisis the country is facing,” says New Zealand First Health Spokesperson Jenny Marcroft. “The re-establishment ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries Today the Government announced the delivery of the promise to protect New Zealand interests by applying a new National Interest Test to the sales of our most sensitive and high risk assets to overseas buyers. This further strengthening of the Overseas Investment Act will ...
The Coalition Government is delivering on its promise to protect New Zealanders’ interests by applying a new national interest test to the sales of our most sensitive and high-risk assets to overseas buyers. Under current Overseas Investment Act (OIA) rules, assets such as ports and airports, telecommunications infrastructure, electricity and ...
Rt Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First Allegations raised this morning by Stuff Limited / Fairfax concern a party matter but I am confident that New Zealand First has operated within electoral laws, now and for the last 27 years. Declarable donations were declared to the Electoral Commission. Our ...
The chairman of the Upper North Island Supply Chain Strategy (UNISCS) working group, Wayne Brown, has hit back at critics of his group’s recommendations to relocate the Ports of Auckland cargo operations to Whangarei’s deepwater port of Northport. The working group's recommendation to close Auckland waterfront to all but cruise ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First backs the public to decide on the End of Life Choice Bill via a referendum at the 2020 General Election. The Bill, with New Zealand First’s referendum provision incorporated, passed its final reading in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Justice New Zealand First is proud that a key Coalition Agreement commitment which will provide for a more transparent and effective criminal justice system has been realised. Legislation to establish the Criminal Cases Review Commission, an independent body focused on identifying and responding to possible miscarriages of ...
"Today we have made a choice that will leave a legacy... I hope that means that future generations will see that we, in New Zealand, were on the right side of history." - Jacinda Ardern, Third Reading of the Zero Carbon Bill ...
Darroch Ball, New Zealand First List MP A Member’s bill has been proposed that would provide income tax exemptions for all New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel while on operational deployment overseas. The Income Tax (Exemption for Salary or Wages of NZDF Members on Active Deployment) Amendment Bill proposed by New Zealand First ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have brought common sense to the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill, which passed its final reading in Parliament today. Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters says months of hard work went into negotiating a balanced ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First has listened to calls to recognise paramedics as registered health professionals under the Health Practitioners’ Competence Assurance Act (the Act).Today, the Coalition Government announced plans for paramedics to be registered as health practitioners under the Act, and the establishment of a ...
We began the week by commemorating the New Zealand Wars and celebrating a major increase in the number of teachers. Then, we were busy supporting offenders into work and getting our rail back on track after years of underinvestment. And that's just the start! ...
In October I was sworn in as the Mayor of Lower Hutt.It’s the privilege of my life to serve Hutt people as their Mayor. There is something really special to be able to serve the community where I was raised, and where I live. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the first reading of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 2021 (APEC 2021) Bill in Parliament today. The temporary bill supports New Zealand’s security preparations for hosting the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum in 2021. “APEC is the leading economic and trade forum ...
The Government is making progress on improving the wellbeing of the one million New Zealanders under the age of 18,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on World Children’s Day. The Government has today recommitted to the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history – the United Nation’s Convention on ...
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter has released a new report celebrating the contribution of Māori women in business across Aotearoa New Zealand. “Māori women are leaders in our communities, they employ many people and support our economy and our communities,” Julie Anne Genter said. The report, Ngā wāhine kaipakihi: ...
Four parcels of land have been bought in Omokoroa, in the Western Bay of Plenty District, for an education facility that will accommodate both a primary and secondary school on a campus-like facility, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. Two parcels were acquired from private land owners and two were ...
1 million New Zealanders warmed by the Winter Energy Payment 36,000 families bank the Best Start Payment in first year 6,000 more families received the Family Tax Credit, 220,600 in total They receive an increase too – from an average of $117 to $157 a week for Inland Revenue clients, ...
New rules to clamp down on overzealous wheel clamping and extortionate fees charged in order to release a vehicle have passed their final stage in Parliament today. The Land Transport (Wheel Clamping) Amendment Bill has now passed its third reading. “These changes mean $100 will be the maximum wheel clamping ...
An independent Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission is a step closer after it unanimously passed its first vote in Parliament today. The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill lays the groundwork for establishing the Commission as a fully independent crown entity – delivering on a key recommendation of He Ara ...
We’ve improved border security with the NZeTA, New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, which helps us to screen travellers for border and immigration risks off-shore before they travel to New Zealand. It was launched in August and became mandatory on 1 October 2019. More than 500,000 NZeTAs have been issued since ...
A proposed national plan of action to reduce the number of seabirds caught in fisheries is being circulated for public feedback. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage say New Zealand is a global centre of seabird diversity with about 145 species in our waters. It has more ...
The Government is delivering on its promise to protect New Zealanders’ interests by applying a new national interest test to the sales of our most sensitive and high risk assets to overseas buyers. Associate Finance Minister David Parker said under current Overseas Investment Act rules, assets such as ports and ...
The Government is building special housing to accommodate one of Aotearoa’s greatest taonga- our kaumātua, says the Minister for Māori Development, Hon Nanaia Mahuta. Speaking at a National Kaumātua Service Providers Conference in Rotorua today, the Minister reinforced the importance kaumātua play in maintaining and passing on mātauranga Māori, knowledge, ...
Eleven men from a pilot forestry training programme for prisoners in Northland now have full time jobs or job offers upon release, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis and Forestry Minister Shane Jones announced today. The ‘release to work’ programme was a collaboration between Te Uru Rākau and the Department of Corrections, ...
Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins today introduced into Parliament a Bill that will make it easier for the public service to tackle the biggest challenges facing Governments. The Bill represents the most significant change in the public service in 30 years. The State Sector Act 1988 will be repealed ...
The families of more than 416,000 students will be better off next year as their schools have signed up to the Government’s donations scheme, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. The scheme will see almost $62.5 million in additional Government funding go to schools nationwide next year. “I’m really pleased ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced further support as the Government of Samoa responds to a serious measles outbreak. “New Zealand will deploy a further 18 vaccination nurses, bringing the total to 30 working in Samoa over the next four weeks,” Mr Peters said. “A New Zealand Medical Assistance ...
Fa’atalofa atu, malo e lelei, Kia ora koutou katoa Thank you to the Child Poverty Action Group for asking me to be here today to provide an update on some of the things that have been happening across my the social development portfolio. Can I firstly acknowledge the vast ...
***Please check against delivery*** Good morning everyone. It is a pleasure to be with you this morning to open this year’s New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Conference and AGM. Firstly, thank you Dr Alan Jackson, NZTR Chair for your introduction. And let us acknowledge also: The NZTR Board; Dean McKenzie, Chair ...
The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer and more secure, Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing) Kris Faafoi has announced today. Both renters and landlords will benefit from the suite of practical changes to the Residential ...
A marine conservation milestone - the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Te Tapuwae o Rongokako Marine Reserve - is being celebrated today at a community event in Tairāwhiti/East Coast attended by the Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage. “The creation of this marine reserve in November 1999 was a game ...
The Government is asking the food industry to step up work to tackle obesity including reducing sugar, fat and salt in their products, better information for consumers, and tighter restrictions on advertising to children. Health Minister David Clark and Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor have responded to a ...
ew, modern emergency department and outpatient facilities at Queenstown’s Lakes District Hospital mean better emergency care for the growing tourist mecca’s visitors and locals, says Health Minister David Clark. Today Dr Clark officially opened the hospital’s redeveloped Emergency Department and Outpatient facilities. The new facilities include: • An extended Emergency Department ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter says today’s release of sexual and reproductive health data reinforces the significance of the Government’s commitment to providing free or very low-cost contraception. The Ministry of Health today published statistics from the Ministry of Health’s 2014/15 Health Survey. “It is important people can make ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced that at the request of the Samoan Government, New Zealand will be providing further support to Samoa as it faces a worsening measles outbreak. “In response to a request from the people of Samoa, New Zealand is providing 3000 measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) ...
“The new Disability Action Plan 2019–2023 moves us towards the inclusive and accessible New Zealand that this government has committed to,” Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni announced today. “The Action Plan was designed by disabled people, their family and supporters, the disability sector and government agencies. It will ensure ...
Third Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting 14 November 2019 Joint Statement 1. Defence Ministers Ron Mark and Dr Ng Eng Hen today conducted their third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore. 2. Building on the Enhanced Partnership signed between both countries in May this year, this annual meeting ...
A Bill to improve the court system’s response to sexual violence has passed its first reading in Parliament today. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Sexual Violence Legislation Bill will reduce the trauma sexual violence complainants experience in court, while maintaining defendants’ fundamental rights and making sure the trial process ...
Streamlined payment practices are a step closer for Kiwi businesses with the formal launch of New Zealand’s e-Invoicing framework. Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says the government has now established the structure to enable automated and direct data exchange between the accounting systems of buyers and sellers. “The move to ...
Another 51 quarantine officers and four new biosecurity detector dog teams will help protect New Zealand from invasive pests and diseases this summer, says Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor. “The Government is delivering on its commitment to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity system and support our valuable primary sector “New Zealand’s flora, fauna ...
A new report has found New Zealand’s space sector contributed $1.69 billion to the economy in the last financial year and employs 12,000 people, Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford announced today. The report by Deloitte was commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and shows New Zealand ...
Judge Coral Shaw has been appointed as the new Chair of the Royal Commission into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. "Judge Shaw, who is currently one of the inquiry commissioners, is extremely well qualified for the ...
The Government has confirmed its third major mental health facility upgrade since the Budget, this time at Palmerston North Hospital. The Prime Minister and Health Minister today visited MidCentral DHB to announce that $30 million has been allocated to upgrade its acute mental health facility. It follows earlier announcements in ...
The roll out of the National Bowel Screening Programme has reached the halfway mark, with 10 out of 20 District Health Boards now part of the programme. MidCentral DHB, which covers Palmerston North, Manawatu and surrounding districts, this week became the latest to DHB to offer free bowel screening to ...
The Government welcomes PHARMAC’s decision to fund a vaccine to protect young people from meningococcal disease from 1 December this year. “Meningococcal disease is a serious threat which people at higher risk should be protected from,” says Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter. “The combined pharmaceutical budget was increased by ...
Groups involved with innovative fisheries research projects are encouraged to apply for government support in the latest funding round from the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures programme. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash says the SFF Futures funding is designed to be flexible enough to support small or large projects across a ...
The Government has fixed an issue affecting how Immigration New Zealand has processed visa applications for culturally arranged marriages, which will now see a consistent process applied which ensures people with legitimate arranged marriages can visit New Zealand while also preventing any rorting of the system. Earlier this year Immigration ...
The Royal Commission into the Attacks on Christchurch Mosques will report back on 30 April 2020 to give it more time to hear submissions and consider information, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The Royal Commission was originally scheduled to report back to Government by 10 December 2019. “There has ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Washington DC today to attend a ministerial meeting focused on defeating ISIS, and to continue pursuing New Zealand’s trade opportunities. Mr Peters will participate in a meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers from key countries contributing to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. ...
The recently crowned Bird of the Year, the hoiho/yellow eyed penguin, is getting a much needed helping hand alongside more than 168 other community conservation projects announced Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage today. 168 community conservation projects throughout New Zealand are benefiting from $8 million in government grants, including $500,000 ...
Controls on assault rifles and semi-automatic firearms are to be broadened to include some types of pistols, under changes to a bill currently making its way through Parliament. Police Minister Stuart Nash has tabled a Supplementary Order Paper to the Arms Legislation Bill, which is currently before a Select Committee ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark will travel to Singapore today to conduct a counterpart visit and to co-chair the third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting with his counterpart, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen. “Singapore is one of our most important defence partners in the region, and our ...
A flash new playground has been unveiled on Parliament's grounds today, amid growing calls for the government to take more action to help lift Kiwi kids out of poverty. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne Two and a half months before the February 3 Iowa Democratic caucus, the highly regarded Selzer poll for CNN and the Des Moines Register gave Pete Buttigieg 25% in Iowa ...
A bill allowing overseas security agents to carry illegal guns while in New Zealand for the APEC summit has passed its first reading, without support from the Greens. ...
The Labour led coalition government is continuing to create homelessness. The impact of immigration, failure of Kiwibuild, and attacks on the rental market, have resulted in the opposite outcomes that New Zealanders were promised. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Every, Senior Research Fellow in social vulnerability and disasters, CQUniversity Australia If you live in a bushfire-prone area, you’ll likely have considered what you will do in the event of a bushfire. The decision, which should be made well in advance ...
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Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) says that the Government’s Families Package Monitoring Report shows strong commitment to the intentions outlined in the Child Poverty Reduction Act, specifically with regard to reporting on progressing towards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni Di Virgilio, Research associate, UNSW Temperatures across many regions of Australia are set to exceed 40℃ this week, including heatwaves forecast throughout parts of eastern Australia, raising the spectre of more devastating bushfires. We have already heard warnings this fire season ...
Today leading Māori health and public health organisations called on the Crown to meet its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi as it drafts legislation for the regulation of cannabis. More than 50 Māori leaders joined the call for Māori rights ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudia Vickers, Director, Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, CSIRO We need to revolutionise agriculture in the next 30 years. In 2050 we may have almost 10 billion people to feed. Farmland is already degraded by existing agriculture, and climate change is putting ...
Between now and March 2020 there is a small window where migrants who work in industries like aged care will have a realistic chance to get residency for the first time. This is due to ANZSCO skill levels being reclassified in Australia and some of those ...
Spinoff Art editor Mark Amery and photographer Ebony Lamb pay a visit to the internationally celebrated jewellery couple at their colonial cottage above Island Bay.The white horses are galloping in from the Cook Strait as photographer and singer-songwriter Ebony Lamb (Eb and Sparrow) and I roll in to Island Bay, ...
New powers to protect strategically-important assets from overseas investors are necessary due to the extremes of global capitalism, the government says. ...
Don’t get sucked in by the jovial banter and the sausage sizzle with Jacinda Ardern. Stephen Colbert is an international criminal mastermind who must be stopped. New Zealand is fizzing today with the exciting news that someone from another country has noticed that we exist. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ...
When the 59 new constables of Wing 332 graduate on Thursday, one of them will be the 1,800th new constable to head to the frontline since October 2017. ...
Extending the amnesty period for the return of banned firearms is utterly pointless unless the compensation period is extended as well, says the Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO). ...
The Taxpayers Union denounced the role it seemed the government would require taxpayers to play in resolving the Ihumatao land dispute. But the union further claimed that taxpayers had contributed to the funding of an organisation which has been involved in the prolonged protest action at Ihumatao. This was a ...
Save the Children are extremely pleased by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s announcement today that the Government will recommit to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). ...
David Farrier has been writing about clamping enthusiast Michael Organ for nearly three years. In this latest installment, the totally logical thing happens and the New Zealand government rolls up its sleeves.Catch up with the extraordinary saga of the clamp-happy Bashford Antiques: Parts I to V are hereWhen Michael Organ ...
In October teams of second-year Unitec Architecture students designed, modelled, then constructed interactive light installations in Devonport’s Windsor Reserve for GLOW@Artweek. The brief is strict. Their budget is zero. And the installations must be zero waste too, both in the construction and in the afterlife of the projects. These strict conditions ...
A wave of reviews and inquiries into audit around the globe are raising questions about trust, independence, and freedom from conflicts of interest in the profession, says CAANZ President Stephen Walker. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Labor frontbencher Chris Bowen, who has previously been shadow treasurer and before that treasurer, wants the study of economics made “more sexy” to attract more students, especially women, to study it. And he thinks young ...
Jenée Tibshraeny of interest.co.nz surveys the issues that have farmers worried right now, and looks at the facts behind the fears.Rumblings from the dairy farming sector are becoming increasingly loud, as both the Government and Reserve Bank (RBNZ) make policy changes that affect the sector.New Zealand has for years milked ...
He Kākano Ahau is a podcast by writer and activist Kahu Kutia (Ngāi Tūhoe) that explores stories of Māori in the city, and weaves together strands of connection. In this episode: what happens when Māori are not ‘urban Māori’ as we know them, but mana whenua.For episode four of He ...
New powers to protect strategically-important assets from overseas investors are necessary due to the extremes of global capitalism, the government says. ...
The Children’s Commissioner is calling on the government to re-prioritise its commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (the Children’s Convention) on International Children’s Day. ...
National Party leaders Simon Bridges wants Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to take stronger action over allegations that New Zealand First has breached electoral law. ...
"Prince Charles’ visit to Waitangi today, the first by a Royal in a quarter-century, highlights Moana Jackson’s view that it is kāwanatanga that is the Treaty partner," said Lewis Holden, campaign chair of New Zealand Republic. ...
Seriously, if you haven’t seen The Mandalorian, look away now. This article also contains spoilers for Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, Return of the Sith, and The Last Jedi.In case you didn’t read the standfirst: this article contains spoilers about The Mandalorian, and also all of Star Wars.The ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.NZ First Matt Shand (Stuff): What NZ First slush fund was spent on: Campaign HQ, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Cook, Lecturer, Computer and Security Science,Edith Cowan University, Edith Cowan University Fake videos and doctored photographs, often based on events such as the Moon landing and supposed UFO appearances, have been the subject of fascination for decades. Such imagery is often ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Evelyn Parr, Research Fellow in Exercise Metabolism and Nutrition, Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University As an aesthetic society, we often demonise body fat and stigmatise people with lots of it. There’s often an assumption that people carrying excess ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (climate science), Victoria University of Wellington CC BY-NDClimate 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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Larissa McLean Davies, Associate Professor Language and Literacy Education, University of Melbourne In recent weeks, Australian universities’ commitment to teaching Australian literature has come under scrutiny. This came amid revelations Sydney University has withdrawn funding from its Chair of Australian Literature – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Maund, PhD Candidate, School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle The impacts of the bushfires that are overwhelming emergency services in New South Wales and Queensland suggest houses are being built in areas where the risks are high. We ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andreas Cebulla, Senior Research Fellow, South Australian Centre for Economic Studies, University of Adelaide In the past decade a 30-year trend to earlier retirement has been reversed. In OECD countries the average age at which people retire has risen by about one ...
Correspondence between MPI (Fisheries NZ) and NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmosphere), obtained by Sea Shepherd under the Official Information Act, shows conclusively that MPI unreasonably influenced the research they had contracted from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gay Hawkins, Professor, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University Most of us will never see a platypus or a lyrebird in the wild, but it’s likely we’ve encountered them on television. Our new research looks at the vital role early ...
The release of the proposed new electoral boundaries is an appropriate time to consider whether our electoral system is fit for purpose or needs a complete revamp. ...
Winston Peters says his party has always obeyed electoral law after new revelations about foundation; and RBNZ steps up BNZ supervision after capital calculation breaches. ...
The government has released statistics showing uptake of its budgeted welfare package two days after it was criticised over inaction on child poverty reduction. ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Pressure mounts over NZ First Foundation, range of changes made to overseas investment office, and accusations of bottom trawling destroying coral.The allegations swirling around the NZ First Foundation are serious enough to warrant going back to again today. Party leader Winston ...
Are possible solutions to child maltreatment complicated? Yes. Quantum physics? No. The University of Auckland's Dr Ian Hyslop looks at how we can address child abuse as a social problem. ...
Erica Dawson didn't want to be another female who dropped out of sailing, so now she's focused on the Tokyo Olympics and being a role model instead ...
If what has been reported is both true and not a breach of the rules for political donations, then New Zealand’s reputation for for being squeaky clean looks like a joke, writes electoral law expert Andrew Geddis.Anyone paying attention to New Zealand political parties and how they run their election ...
New Zealanders like to claim moral superiority over their Australian neighbours when it comes to how asylum seekers are treated. But this belief is not based on reality, writes Tim Maurice of the Asylum Seekers Support TrustThe local news media has welcomed Iranian asylum seeker Behrouz Boochani into New Zealand ...
Sometimes it’s a great job being a news editor. Like the BBC staffer putting together the national news for radio on Tuesday morning.Lead off with the Conservative party election pledge to increase the life sentence for child murderers to … er … really life. Add factual qualification: this might ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The government is responding to increasing concern about the faltering economy by bringing forward A$3.8 billion of infrastructure investment into the next four years, including $1.8 billion for the current and next financial years. Scott ...
Power Play - Rumours of dodgy political donations, Winston Peters full of bluster and denial, and potentially a drawn-out series of combative but ultimately meaningless exchanges with the press gallery. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The government has overhauled its much-criticised robo-debt scheme which has seen many welfare recipients asked to repay money they do not owe. A Tuesday email to staff in the Human Services department’s customer compliance division ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The government has overhauled its much-criticised robo-debt scheme which has seen many welfare recipients asked to repay money they do not owe. A Tuesday email to staff in the Human Services department’s customer compliance division ...
Open mike 09/03/2016 
Open mike is your post.
In Question Time today the Prime Minister was naturally facing questions about Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and his dubious party financing arrangements, which seem to violate electoral finance law. Her response was to pretend that it was nothing to do with her, and that she is not responsible for ...5 hours ago
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Farmers on the brink of selling their farms.
New Zealand on the brink of economic collapse.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/298360/fonterra-drops-forecast-milk-payout
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201792286/fonterra-cuts-dairy-payout
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/rural/297689/dairy-downturn-could-get-worse-lawyer
Why so excited then?
Probably because this is the issue that will fell the govt.
There is going to be major social dislocation in regional NZ and by election time it will be blowing through the cities as well.
IMHO the govt has made a tactical blunder in trying to downplay this issue. Farmers won’t necessarily blame the govt but they will expect empathy beyond being called ” resilient ” and hearing platitudes about how “very bright” the future is.
That said, opposition parties need to articulate a credible suite of policies to position NZ inc further up the value chain. Rod Oram has been giving them the template for ages.
Remember this is MMP and it only takes a small shift to change the guard.
The Left love misery and are so eager for it.
That is a ill informed comment on so many levels The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell, it is hard to know where to begin with your obvious gaps in education.
Next, you will be blaming the left for the failure of capitalism.
He’s trolling.
Capitalism is going fine.
Yep, it’s destroying society just like it always has.
Yet, where it had been practiced, poverty has decreased, the rights of minorities have gained growing respect, women are more equal and life expectancy rises.
In comparison to every other system ever tried, it is doing fabulously. Which is why record numbers of people are fleeing those other systems to get into capitalist ones.
You should try hooking up with the Shining Path, Draco. Bet it disappoints.
In fact, social democracies and mixed economies have achieved the results you claim for Capitalism. You should try hooking up with Augusto Pinochet Gormless.
Nope. Where it has been practised we’ve seen growing poverty, decreased human rights and decreasing life expectancy.
The only reason why we’ve increases in those over the last century is because of socialism. Now that capitalism is back in force we’re seeing the reversal.
OK , Draco. What alternative are you proposing that has worked in the real world. Time and place, please.
Poor OAB. Can’t bring himself to say that those ‘social democracies’ are all based on Capitalist principles.
‘Smash it all down’ eh. And still, after all the discussions I’ve seen here, no one can propose a compelling alternative.
Typical semantic bullshit.
Every one of them incorporates some capitalist principles, as well as some socialist principles.
Not one of them is entirely based on capitalism.
Capitalism is a big dog that needs to be trained, restrained and caged while it serves whatever purpose is required. In a social democracy, socialism is the restraint. And democracy is what ensures only the right dog is restrained at the right time.
You me and OAB agree on this much at least then McFlock.
Any viable system must incorporate at least some Capitalist principles.
@ Gormless ‘What alternative are you proposing that has worked in the real world. Time and place, please’
You will have noticed that none of the ‘revolutionaries’ here ever answer that question, no matter how many times it is asked.
But if course, they must have something in mind? You couldn’t get that far in your thinking without having some glimmering of an alternative to the current situation?
Why can’t they say it then eh? What’s there to be shy about?
🙄
I talked about social democracies.
You dragged that out to “any viable system”.
You really are a disingenuous piece of shit. And that’s when you’re not outright lying.
Actually, I have – many times.
Cashless
How an economy works
I’ve said many times that we need to get rid of the rich as they are the problem and not the solution. That means getting rid of private ownership of land, homes and businesses.
The land would be owned by the state and people would have a lease on it.
Homes should be rented from the state with a life time lease. First in, first served. Having a home would be a right.
Businesses would be a legal entity that has no shareholders and is run as a cooperative by the people who work there. The monetary reforms above would ensure that they have access to the money necessary to start up.
Politics would be Participatory Democracy rather than the Representative Democracy that we have at present that only represents the will of the rich thus making it an oligarchy/plutocracy.
Lot of “would be”s, Draco. Got an example of that working anywhere in the history of the world ever?
@ Draco ‘Actually, I have – many times.’
Yup. I give you credit for that, and that is a very clean and straight forward statement of your alternative thanks. Pity more of those who want to tear the current system down aren’t nearly so willing to state their beliefs so honestly.
Of course your system is completely unworkable, because humans beings simply aren’t built like that. You have as much chance of getting humans to agree to live in that manner as you have convincing Great Sharks to go vegetarian.
lol
another example of sheepy plastering bullshit over their outright lies (“none of the ‘revolutionaries’ here ever answer that question, no matter how many times it is asked”) after the falsehood has been shot down in flames, and hoping nobody notices.
Yes. Go read David Graeber’s Debt: The first 5000 years for details.
Wrong. We no longer work on instinct but on intelligence and can choose.
Of course, RWNJs tend to choose not to be intelligent.
‘Wrong. We no longer work on instinct but on intelligence and can choose’.
In that case putting your system into place will be very straight forward.
All those who share your belief will form a Political Party and put your alternative system to the people.
The people will very ‘intelligently’ realise that it is an option they are much keener on than the current system, and so they will ‘choose’ to vote for your Party.
No possible flaw in that plan Draco?
Of course there is – it was drawn up by a RWNJ and designed to fail.
What we on the Left will do and keep doing is telling and showing people that there are better ways than the dystopia (Yes, that is actually what you describe every time you imply that things are the way things are that’s all they’ll ever be) of the RWNJs. Slowly, but surely, we’ll win out.
That explains your unprecedented electoral success.
Well, over the last 200 years slavery has been made illegal, child labour outlawed, worker safety measures vastly improved, state pensions and benefits introduced, national healthcare systems introduced, the voting franchise extended to women and poor people, the death penalty abolished, husbands no longer allowed to rape or beat their wives, same sex marriage legalised, abortion legalised, capital punishment abolished, unions legalised, the monarchy fading into a constitutional niche, and significant environmental protections and national parks created.
Pendulum swings abound from sector to sector, year to year and even decade to decade, but in the long term the times are a’changing.
‘dystopia (Yes, that is actually what you describe every time you imply that things are the way things are that’s all they’ll ever be
As McFlock has pointed out Draco, things do change and thank fuck for that. But If Humans had a natural inclination towards completely egalitarian communal principles and committee based social organisation then under democratic conditions we would be moving towards that.
But as democracy evolves Human societies are actually moving in the opposite direction, with the freedom and status of the individual ever more strongly expressed than adherence to a ‘hive’ mindset.
That is because we ARE all individuals, and we DO have an individual worldview, and that’s why there is zero support for the kind of system you propose.
Thank fuck for that I say. Your system looks like a nightmare to me, and in the highly unlikely event of finding myself in such a situation I would have no option but to subvert it.
what a load of crap.
I talked about the progress over centuries, you’re cherrypicking some areas of the last few decades with no evidence that it’s a change in the long term trends.
If you insist on looking at things in terms of recent history, I have two words for your ‘freedom ever more strongly expressed’ bullshit: “patriot act”.
$57 trillion of more debt put into the system since 2008 to what end? 3rd world countries run by corporations and democracy suppressed. New Zealand runners up to the capitalist big dogs the US in incarceration rates. Rocketing inequality straining society. 300,000 kids with dreams are punished because their parents don’t work 24/7. Nope, it’s tearing itself apart.
New Zealand runners up to the capitalist big dogs the US in incarceration rates.
No.
http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/government_finance/central_government/nz-in-the-oecd/justice.aspx
No no, NZ is 2nd behind the US in the OECD.
Only if you ignore the statistics.
If you take into account the actual incarceration rates (which you obviously choose not to) we are seventh, one place behind Mexico.
Nothing to do with ” the left” it has everything to go with being a farmer and living this reality and knowing how things are affecting my wider community. I am old enough (just) to have been farming in the 80s and know how this plays out. There will be great pain for many and like it or not the govt will be held accountable to some degree. The govt claimed credit when they rode the terms of trade up and they will cop it on way down. This will change the govt.
Sorry to hear that, Cowboy. Your point about the government taking credit is well made. It’s a fiction they like to perpetuate when things are going well: we did it. Really, they didn’t (and nor should they).
Judging from English on RNZ this morning he hinted at an enhanced R&D package in budget. The issue is wether it placates the masses or looksike too little too late?
We only like your misery fool – payback for all the people who’ve suffered under your vicious and false economic model.
“member this is MMP and it only takes a small shift to change the guard”
Yes. And we don’t generally give govts 4 terms. Much still depends on Labour appearing competent and the left/centre coalition parties presenting as working together before the election.
“Remember this is MMP and it only takes a small shift to change the guard”
You have spotted the danger in this ‘small shift’ idea I take it?
A similar small shift towards National (1-1.5%) would edge them over the ‘rule alone’ line? A 4th term with a majority for JK and the perfect opportunity for him to put through a few ‘legacy’ projects?
At this stage of the previous electoral cycle Labour/Greens were sitting on 45% in the polls, but currently they are stuck on the same 40% odd they haven’t been able to shift since the last election.
Just saying. Maybe it really is time for a change of strategy from the LW?
(P.S. waiting for events outside your control to happen is not a strategy.)
Keep it up: perhaps Cowboy will switch sides 😆
“(PS waiting for events outside your control is not a strategy)”
I agree with that but in reality govts generally get kicked out. The Nats only really need to shed a couple of % and they are in trouble.
On that I am surprised at Key not feigning more respect for Winston. I watched replay of question time last night and Key mocked Winston mercilessly during an answer. I would have thought Key bright enough to read the tea leaves. Hard to imagine them sitting down and having a reasoned discussion around a coalition.
We’ve had 4 x 4 term Governments in NZ, so self evidently that can happen again, and as I say, at this stage it looks likely.
Personally I would think the LW would find that 4th term a wee bit torturous, and would be highly motivated to avoid it.
But to be honest, I don’t see much sign at all of an urgency to break the current pattern and make the change happen.
But never a 5th term….so I guess you could say that’s an impossibility. Confident about that? Happy to wait for it?
As for Winston Peters, JK has known him a long time, and I believe he is perfectly confident that Winston will do the pragmatic thing and join coalition with the Party that gets the strongest mandate at the next election…if he gets the opportunity.
Anyone who believes that Winston is likely to go into a coalition that involves The Greens is barking mad. Labour yes. National yes. But let me remind you of his comments shortly before the last election…
Any coalition he was willing to make with The Greens would have to be on terms that rendered The Greens irrelevant, and which they would never accept.
“If the Greens think they are going to take over the levers of economic management they are assuming that other parties are not watching their record.”
Peters said there was still a chance for Labour and NZ First to form a government together, claiming that in 2005 the combination delivered the largest surpluses in recent times……
“Voters need to be disabused of the view promoted by the Greens that we in New Zealand First would stand by whole they promote extremist views in government,” Peters said.
Peters praised both Finance Minister Bill English and Labour spokesman David Parker as men of integrity.
“I see both of them as capable of being Ministers of Finance.
*whoosh*
😆 too funny hahahahaha
If you saw Country Calendar last week then everything is fine. Guy owned 4 dairy farms and taking on debt was just part of the game and healthy risk taking… I think they said his dad had been through the 80s crash as well and lesson was apparently learnt..
and you believed him?
I probably would have not so long ago, and I reckon since it was being shown by the authority that is Country Calendar that most of the audience would have been fine going along with it too.
I see….my experience is those who were in the industry during the eighties have a much more realistic view than those involved since….even within family.
it is a generational, life experience difference
Following the discussion on the Auckland City IT fiasco I saw this article from 2011….
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10715430
The bit that took my notice is at the bottom;
“Council chief executive Doug McKay said the cost of implementing computer systems was scary, but as far as he could tell the transition agency ran a good process.
The former private sector boss said he had implemented three new computer systems in the past and each time there had been serious cost blowouts.”
Seems he can add a fourth to his resume, that article was rather prophetic. I can’t help but think there’s something badly wrong when a CEO who’s already overseen three IT cost blowouts lets another happen on his watch. What does a CEO actually do these days?
Gets a nice, easy sinecure where s/he gets nicely rewarded for no personal risk and gives jobs and profits to the favoured.
Mckay is experienced at watching sap projects blow out from their original bs number to land on what the real cost was always going to be.
Sap is up to 20 times more expensive than similar packages that do everything it does except look as good on peoples resumes for the next sap trough.
Why Trump is filling stadiums with working class voters (and no, the answer isn’t “bigotry”): http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/07/donald-trump-why-americans-support
Tom Lewandowski, the president of the Northeast Indiana Central Labor Council in Fort Wayne, puts it even more bluntly when I asked him about working-class Trump fans. “These people aren’t racist, not any more than anybody else is,” he says of Trump supporters he knows. “When Trump talks about trade, we think about the Clinton administration, first with Nafta and then with [Permanent Normal Trade Relations] China, and here in Northeast Indiana, we hemorrhaged jobs.”
“They look at that, and here’s Trump talking about trade, in a ham-handed way, but at least he’s representing emotionally. We’ve had all the political establishment standing behind every trade deal, and we endorsed some of these people, and then we’ve had to fight them to get them to represent us.”
And from the comments thread:
I was struck how similar Sander’s arguments are to those of Trump. Sanders passionately spoke out against free trade and NAFTA saying shouting “how stupid is that trade policy?” to audience applause. And I’ve noticed in the Republican debates, Trump is the only one who repeatedly discusses jobs. The others never even mention jobs AFAIK.
We tend to assume the left is automatically the choice of the working class, but history shows right-wing authoritarian nationalism can also be very attractive if the people peddling it focus on making sure the working class has work that pays.
I tell you what though hes right about a couple of things in this:
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/second-amendment-rights
Enforcing the laws they already have, fixing the mental health system and fixing the background checks will do more to lower gun deaths then anything (reasonably) else
Mind you its easier said then done…
When a major part of your policy relies on a fairly strong circumstantial case….
A study (really a study of studies) suggests there is “fairly strong circumstantial case for Exile’s impact” on crime rates. But there’s a fairly strong circumstantial case that a program similar to “Exile” worked in Rochester, NY, while the economy was humming along, and then didn’t once it wasn’t.
http://www.msnbc.com/martin-bashir/whats-wayne-lapierres-love-richmon
If Sanders and Trump are both talking about jobs and the problems of free trade then why are those working class people supporting Trump? Underneath the concern about jobs is something else.
There’s nothing inherently left-wing about a voter just because they’re working class. Which means that, given a choice between left and right candidates who are both talking about jobs for workers, there’s no reason to assume workers will all be attracted to the left-wing one. The 1930s demonstrated that pretty clearly.
Yes, I understand that. I was just curious what the rationale was for so many working class supporting Trump, when Sanders is saying the same things re jobs and free trade. i.e. it’s not about the jobs and free trade, it’s about something else. The man quoted above from the Guardian seemed to be arguing that it was about the jobs. I’m not convinced.
Ummm, No.
The German working class (particularly, the urban, industrial working class) were largely immune to the Nazi electoral appeal. Along with the unemployed, they were the Nazis’ weakest demographic, immersed as so many of them were in the SPD (Social Democrat) and KPD (Communist) sub-cultures.
Only the (non-unionised) rural and small town working class (often working in small handicraft factories with less than 10 fellow employees) moved to the Nazis in appreciable numbers.
It was the German rural and urban middle class Right and Centre-Right that swung en masse to Hitler.
Wellington’s Labour mayoral aspirant Justin Lester is at it again! This time, he is advocating that a community park should be fenced off, furnished with ‘all-weather’ turf and given to a private professional football club (Phoenix) AT RATEPAYER EXPENSE!!! Where does this guy get off his endless proposals for subsidising the private sector with rates funding that should be used to maintain the city’s sagging infrastructure and public amenities. It is a sad day when Nicola Young, the true-blue candidate for the mayoralty has a better grip on Council responsibilities than the disingenuous Deputy Mayor.
What park is this Petertoo? Phoenix FC is one of his pet projects and one I’m not willing to fund. He’s wealthy, he can sell his Kapai chain and fund them himself.
Does he have any comment on Illot Green by the way? I haven’t heard anything. Being on the Developers Advocacy Board I should imagine he’s keen to hock it off for the short term gain of raising the $$$ for earthquake strengthening for the council building.
They could of course scrap the 9 million dollar corporate welfare programme known as WEID and fund the work that way.
Rosie – Martin Luckie Park in Berhampore. The man has no qualms about this well used public space and the kids league team being shunted by the sound of it.
It is a widely held belief that the thought of John Illott Green being retained as open space is anathema to Lester. It has also been mooted that Pike, the City Shaper has already been talking deals with his surrogate boss, Mark McGuinness who owns much of what is likely to become known the Willis Bond Waterfront when the privatisation progresses further with the Site 10 (& 11?) developments.
As for the income from the sale of John Illott Green being used to strengthen the Town Hall – it wouldn’t make much of a dent. The land value, based on sites of similar size on Jervois Quay would be less than $6m. Much less than the nearby site that the ratepayers are paying to kick off the Peter Jackson et. al. museum and a Conference Centre. Obviously the ratepayers have much deeper pockets than Mark Dunajtschik who obviously wan’t prepared to pay an over the odds price to proceed with a proposed Hilton Hotel/Conference Centre on the same Cable Street site.
Obviously, Lester’s short-termism doesn’t factor in the obvious, that a future Council will have to buy and demolish other commercial buildings (like Midland Park at $millions) to provide open space for urban apartment dwellers.
Sorry, yes, town hall, not council buildings.
I’m hoping that talk of turning the park in Berhampore into an all weather ground for the Phoenix is only talk. It would be deeply unfair to push children’s and adults sports clubs off the field – or would they be expected to concede to the Phoenix when ever they chose to practice on it? I have no idea why we have to fund a professional sports team anyway.
Re the $134 million convention centre/Jackson film museum site that Mark Dunajtschik couldn’t stump up for, for his hotel plans – he’s also on the executive for the Property Developers Advocacy group, alongside Lester. Maybe he said “here Justin, I’m not having it, you can have it”.
Such people find anything public is anathema – especially democracy. They will work hard to privatise everything leaving the rest of us as serfs to the new owners. Democracy will be killed by the simple act of selling off the public’s wealth and thus leaving them powerless.
“Nicola Young, the true-blue candidate for the mayoralty has a better grip on Council responsibilities than the disingenuous Deputy Mayor”.
There. I trimmed of the totally unnecessary words from the sentence. Why on earth do you put “It is a sad day when ” in front of them?
Are you planning to vote for Nicola then? God help us if we have another term of Wade-Brown and Lester sounds even worse, if such a thing is possible.
Nearly all our present councillors seem to have this delusion that they are far-seeing business entrepreneurs. Then they stuff things up. It isn’t their money and they don’t give a damn about what they waste. I have always held the view that at least one councillor should have to take a personal financial interest in any of these projects they push on the ratepayer. When any guarantee is requested or some “can’t fail” expenditure, such as the Visitor Centre at Zealandia is proposed there should have to be one of the council who says “Yes, I believe it will work. If it falls in a heap I will return all the money I have been paid while on the council to help make up for the losses”. I bet they would be a great deal more careful then.
The other problem they, like all politicians, have is that they will never admit that anything they do is a failure and should be scrapped. They would rather just keep throwing other people’s money at it for ever. It is one of the reasons we need to get new people on Governing bodies at regular intervals. New people can throw out things that are useless because their ego isn’t involved.
It gets the same way of course in Central Government. Only the numbers are bigger. The problem at the moment is that there is no viable alternative Government. The opposition at the moment aren’t fit to be allowed near the Beehive. Can’t Labour have a clean out and get people who are capable into Parliament. They still have the fools who should have been dumped at the 2011 election.
Good point at the beginning of your comment alwyn. Guess it reflects how pissed off some, self included, where when we felt obliged to vote for the city damaging faux-Green Wade-Brown to block Morrison last time round. There is obviously some trepidation as to how neo-liberal Nicola Young might be, but then, could she be more in the pockets of business and the developers than Lester? Now waiting to hear if Paul Eagle does a screeming reverse on the earlier statement of support for Lester’s Mayoral campaign.
Getting back to the former Cr. Morrison, it was a real bummer to find out that the Mayor and her gang of three paid off him off with a $300 000 unrecoverable ratepayer ‘donation’ to establish his favourite Aussie owned call-centre, a cause that morphed into being his employer. Also, impressed with the idea that you consider Cr. Foster should be liable for some of the Zealandia debt. Didn’t the ACT apparatchik Catherine Isaac had a finger in the Visitor Centre pie too?
No I don’t think Foster is liable for the debt. I wouldn’t back date my proposal.
Also Isaac was never a councillor so it couldn’t apply to her.
To expand on my view.
The Council is approached to guarantee a loan, or make a loan for something. The people responsible claim that it will not only be self-sufficient but will be so popular that it will be able to repay the loan. See Zealandia.
When it all goes belly up the Council claims that they couldn’t possibly have known that it would happen and it isn’t their fault. The ratepayer gets screwed.
I would argue that before any such loans are made, or guaranteed, ONE councillor must be found who will put his/her money where their mouth is. If it crashes they will have to repay to the Council every bit of money they have ever received, up to a maximum of the money the Council has lost.
No Councillor willing to do that? No Loan is allowed.
If Foster had been willing to make the promise he would be out of pocket. He has been at the public trough so long we would get back quite a nice little bit of change. He wouldn’t have done it of course.
That would take care of the “Loans” for Zealandia or for the Stadium. It would have prevented the guarantees for the Embassy Theatre or for the sinking of that old frigate. We were promised that fundraising would mean that the guarantee would never be called on but they were.
The Council could still spend money on such activities but they would have to vote the money directly, not hide it away to blow up in the future.
alwyn – yes backdating the proposal would be unreasonable but the comment was meant in the hypothetical. The reference to Catherine Isaac was in a different realm though. It is galling that people are shoulder tapped for roles on a ‘political’ and/or ideological basis – stuff up, then there are no consequences. Strange how this is more apparent in the realms of the higher paid – not unlike today’s expose regarding the Ministry of Health and also applicable with regard to Theo Sperrings.
Frankly it is hard to respect any “professionals” who require extensive funding from debt ridden local councils.
I’m pretty sure the Ole(!) Football Academy didn’t ask for ratepayers in Porirua to chip in, but they have an awesome field with water views.
Yesterday Michael Woodhouse managed to insult those who actively resisted zero hours contracts AND NZ workers with this comment
“Throw a bone at someone to stop barking at cars – call it a backdown if you wish.”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/298442/green-light-for-zero-hours-ban
So the Labour Party, CTU and Unite are merely annoying yapping dogs he had to shut up by throwing a concession over zero hour contracts and workers are the passing cars causing the distraction for the yapping dogs.
What a smug little Fwit. He really needs to get a dose of reality, like having a look at the demands from employers on job ads. The extract below from seek.co.nz is typical of the type of attitude I see every day looking at job ads.
“This role would suit someone who is mature and savvy with no other commitments to allow for flexibility.”
This is a part time customer service role with a stated 18 hours a week over two specified days. The rest of the time you need to be on call to cover shifts as required. If you can’t come into work on call because you’re sick, you’re looking after someone who is sick, and well, you have have other commitments because you know, “life” happens then you’ll probably be fired under the 90 day law.
Its’ these kinds of employers that have to wake up to their responsibilities and that’s why the zero hour law is so important.
“Throw a bone at someone to stop barking at cars – call it a backdown if you wish.” My jaw dropped on reading that. I am utterly fed up with the culture of contempt that attends this government. Who does he think he is? Nero?
And by the way, your link didn’t work for me – possibly RNZ has taken the piece down.
Worked for me Olwyn.
Thanks ianmac and Rosie – I tried the link again and it worked – it seems I spoke too soon. 🙂
Hi Olwyn. I just clicked on the link and it worked………………..?
I saw Woodhouse say that on newshrub last night – a jaw dropping moment for me too. You’re right about the culture of contempt. This Government is rife with it. No standards, no professionalism, no manners.
No wonder we are an international laughing stock.
Not jaw dropping- just what we expect from anti-empathetic people.
That comment’ Throw a bone…etc” typifies Tory caught in the headlights reaction.
I have barked at cars and have subsequently needed screws and titanium thrown at my bones. I happily accept the Zero Hours outcome in this vein – not all bones are meal. The merit of barking prevails.
Watching this was odd, I started thinking this does not apply to Auckland, nor New Zealand.
Then I remembered all the small towns which are now effectively ghost towns up and down this nation.
The ever increasing prison system
and the masses of unemployment.
I know many here don’t want to see capitalism as evil, and I know many here think it can be reformed, but capitalism itself is it’s own worst enemy. We should not be trying to reform it, because in a few generations – it will do all this again.
What system would you favour implementing, adam? Do you have an example of people flourishing under it?
Adam’s task should be too easy.
I’m no social democrat,
I think reforming capitalism is like keeping pet sharks,
you canny complain when it bites your face off.
It’s a fair question Gormless is asking Adam?
Do you really expect the Workers to rise up and destroy their current situation, if you cannot tell them what you would replace it with?
The New Deal was a set of policies implemented within a Capitalist system, and in fact is widely credited with saving Capitalism.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Deal
So, no. It won’t be very difficult for Adam to find the system we already have.
I wouldn’t call what we’ve got now is Keynes’ form of capitalism.
It’s still Capitalism.
You’re flattering yourself that you’re a political historian now are you?
Lame tosser.
Workers of the world awaken. Break your chains, demand your rights.
All the wealth you make is taken, by exploiting parasites.
Shall you kneel in deep submission from your cradle to your grave?
Is the height of your ambition to be a good and willing slave?
Joe Hill
Workers of the world awaken. Break your chains, demand your rights.
All the wealth you make is taken, by exploiting parasites.
Shall you kneel in deep submission from your cradle to your grave?
Is the height of your ambition to be a good and willing slave?
No, no, I want you to be a bit less specific, please.
“What system would you favour implementing, adam? Do you have an example of people flourishing under it?”
Egalitarian cultures seem to do pretty well. Take the power away from white men and give it to the Māori kuia and see how we get on.
You specify ‘Māori kuia’ rather than ‘Māori’ Weka? Is there a reason for the distinction?
I think they are the group of people most likely to prioritise egalitarianism over power, and the importance of the wellbeing of everyone.
In the context of this discussion then, is it fair for me to suggest that this is an ideal that might be achieved in the future, as opposed to something that has actually been achieved in the past?
We’ve had egalitarianism as the main organising principle, and those cultures definitely let women have power. How we get from where we are now to that I don’t know, but it does seem sensible to give the power to the people least likely to abuse it and most likely to use it for the good of all.
If you mean changing from a capitalist system, then I don’t know if that’s ever been done.
TPP
http://www.newshub.co.nz/nznews/health-law-expert-rips-into-tpp-2016030910#axzz42LwRSRtL
but wait, there’s more
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/375719/mark-slates-govt-tpp-road-show
Thanks for your first link, I very seldom look at the TV3 website nowadays (didn’t even know that 7days had started up again). I had read that ODT piece earlier and particularly liked this bit:
– See more at: http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/375719/mark-slates-govt-tpp-road-show#sthash.DKKErkRE.dpuf
Perhaps an idea that should emulated at other MFAT “workshops”?
WTF –
The government is openly showing derision for the people and their right to govern the country, and control the government that has been voted in to work for the people. Aren’t I naive. But I still think that.
IIRC, Don Brash referred to the voters as “the punters out in punterland.”
It seems to be an attitude typical of the Tories high up in any organisation.
The first part of your post should get wider publicity. Serious stuff and one that we should be able to articulate it in the MSM.
And the second part is much closer to home and should get wider attention as well and beyond the ODT.
I wonder how to do that?
Well spotted Tautoko Mangō Mata.
Even more from Stiglitz.
Forget ISIS, worry about ISDS foreign trade pact clause, economists say
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/forget-isis-worry-isds-foreign-trade-pact-clause-article-1.2557485
Just an ordinary guy.
/
Ari Melber Verified account
@AriMelber
New: Trump admitted he makes UNDER $500,000 a year in a 2016 tax filing.
That got him $300 back.
-@CrainsNewYork
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20160308/BLOGS02/160309865/how-did-trump-qualify-for-a-middle-class-tax-break?CSDropAuthCookieSpecified=1&CSDropAuthCookie=1
Blowhards, trolls and rat-fuckers – say it ain’t so.
And as probability becomes clearer, I’ve been hearing and reading people who profess to be leftists or progressives saying they will never vote for Clinton but might instead vote for Trump.
Anybody who does that is a freaking numbskull. Anybody claiming to be on the left who votes for Trump deserves not an ounce of respect. Anybody who thinks putting this billionaire bully into the White House makes any kind of sense has none. And anybody who urges people to vote for him is dead to me.
I have no idea how many actual Sanders’ supporters are considering a vote for Trump if Bernie fails to get the nomination.
I don’t know how many of the people who are saying Trump is a good option for progressives in November actually are progressives themselves, how many are blowhards and trolls, and how many are rat-fuckers who have all along favored Trump and are eager to exploit our division. Too many, whatever the count.
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/3/4/1495625/-If-you-re-thinking-of-voting-for-Trump-because-you-can-t-stand-Clinton-you-aren-t-thinking-very-hard
From the “hot headed knee jerk reaction files”.
The petition to get SAFE’s status as a charity revoked has made it to the DIA
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/77647167/farmers-threaten-animal-rights-groups-charitable-status
Glad to hear that SAFE are not feeling threatened by this move, as the believe they meet the criteria for operating as a charity, otherwise that status wouldn’t have been granted it by the charities commission.
Wholesale spying on New Zealanders and the merger between SIS and GCSB recommended by Michael Cullen
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11602643
See new post on this.
That word again.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865649537/Native-Americans-protest-at-Capitol-over-observance-of-Columbus-Day.html
Why do people in the USA celebrate Columbus day anyway?
He never landed in North America, but only on islands in the Caribbean.
Any refugee from the USA who can explain?
‘Presidential primaries 2016: Americans head to polls in 4 states’
https://www.rt.com/usa/334903-primary-michigan-hawaii-idaho/
Michael Moore tweet
“The choices r a demented billionaire, a democratic socialist, maybe our 1st woman prez who’s “sorry” 4 her Iraq War vote &a Canadian Dracula”
Just looking for the frequency for local community radio and looked on ite called Love NZ which listed all in locality and National Radio genre is Talkback.
The response to radio on the site is so vacuous that it is automatically regarded as a music service in the main, classic, adult contemporary, feel good, variety, easy listening etc. Rhema is Christian, Sport is sport so that didn’t try their brains much, then there is Community, RADIONZ Concert is listed as Live Concert for goodness sake, as if that is the only concert music they can envisage.
They have no word that is suitable to describe our peerless feeder of information, thought, culture and news. Except to call national radio, RADIONZ, ‘Talkback’, as if this was the highest intellectual offering they could conceive. Thinking, a bit sterile!
Video killed the radio star! It certainly dims when it comes to marketing music for profit,
and not mainly for the musicians either.
Ironic given the hole that Kim Dotcom is in over copyright law that:
“Lawyers for Eminem, National Party back in court.
In September, spokesman for the publishers Joel Martin said Eminem was never approached for permission to use his work in National’s rowing-themed election ads, which featured backing music similar to the riff of Lose Yourself.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11602702
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11602456
Economic s for dummy’s. ( me included)
Thanks! Useful for me too. I liked the driving to work analogy both in the context of ecomomics but also why thinking about the collective is important in general.
Hard not to draw the conclusion that it’s that Keynesian or Monetarist economics are wrong, but that all economics is 😉 (or maybe it’s just that the economy shouldn’t be based primarily on economics but other things like well being, the collective good, our place in the environment).
Our 100 000 Hindu speakers in NZ have no choice on the flag referendum: they are asked to tick the box they want for the new New Zealand flag. Careless mistranslation or devious manipulation?
Fuck up by someone. I doubt that it was intentional.
As an aside, I was surprised about the 100,000 Hindi speakers number though. Seemed high, although the 2013 census says 66,309, which is nearly doubled since 2006.
I live in a very Euro-centric part of NZ :-/
http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-culture-identity/languages.aspx
Old Billy Boy Ralston standing for Auckland Council finally broken cover aye ? Been on JohnTheNeolib/ParnellBBQ payroll for however long, one way or another. Finally come clean. Hope his splendid benign pomposity doesn’t grow with this. Could be life threatening.
Ralston has been spinning for Key for ages.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/77685076/sell-aucklands-port-bill-ralston-launches-councillor-campaign
Billy Boy in earnest mode. By which he will ‘earnest’ much more pleasingly than ever before. Geezuz !