Expect some delays in page loads first thing this morning for the first few people in.
I’ve fixed the feeds so that they now work correctly. However I had to change the media string for the images and other static data from the CDN (Content Delivery Network). Depending on your browser and if anyone else has loaded from it previously, you might experience some page delays.
But the tabs are all working again. Now to figure out how to make them ‘faster’.
And also how to get rid of the bloody duplicated feed items that Blogger likes to provide !
Just noticed my tabs “Replies” and “Opinions” have been swapped around, either an update I guess or a tory gremlin stuck in the system trying to find a way out 😉
Forget the tin foil hat: NSA-proof wallpaper could keep snoopers and ‘doomsday’ electromagnetic weapons at bay
*New flexible material can block electronic emission
*Blocks signals that could be used for cybersnooping
*Can also block electromagnetic ‘doomsday’ weapons
*Could be used to protect drones flying in enemy territory
Good God man this is so depressing it makes a person want to crawl back into bed and stay there. Can’t this wait until we have showered, had a decent coffee and “girded the loins” so to speak for yet another day in this troubled planet we all dwell on. Thanks for it nevertheless the less – though god knows what anybody can do about it.
So do Mediawork’s mercenary front line “media persons” like Henry and Plunket (Radio Live and TV3), Goff is now accused of “double dipping”, while he has not even announced yet, that he will stand for the election of mayor for Auckland next year.
Are we surprised? No, I at least am not. The Labour conference was also treated with little mention, and while it was more a feel-good meeting offering inspiring speeches and no policy yet, that was exploited by Henry in his breakfast show.
Problem for Henry, Plunket and others, there is little to attack Labour for at present in regards to policy, as it is mostly “under review”, so they do of course look for any other next best opportunity to throw mud.
Goff is the best opportunity now, and while I am certain that Nat MPs have in the past held onto their seat and stood for election or any other alternative position in the meantime, they have to stress the possibility of Goff “double dipping” now.
While I have only so much time for Goff, he does not deserve to be treated like this.
Hell I thought the henry interview of Little was as good as I’ve seen for Little, he came across relaxed and batted away Henrys bs with ease ,ad to that Kelvin Davis getting a lot of coverage and this morning was a good start for labour.
Yes, Andrew did quite well, but Henry was trying various angles to embarrass him. He soon changed the topic from the conference to the Mt Roskill electorate, to Goff and to a likely by-election.
Potential voters, and more so non voters, they will probably not have been overly impressed by Little, as so many now fall for the machinations by media and spin artists. Only those that follow politics (a true minority in NZ) will even know about Andrew Little and his speech and the Labour conference.
Going on the Paul Henry Breakfast is like swimming in between sharks 24/7 I would say.
Kept his council job right up till the point it didnt cause the position to be refilled. He didnt do his council job just took the money whilst being a new MP as his non attendance showed.
Blinglish is an experienced double dipper so the glasshouse is well built.
So, that would be standard nasty politics at play then. The right wing don’t seem to be able to carry an argument and thus always revert to ad hominem attacks.
Little said the text of the deal (released late on Thursday) met four of the party’s five bottom lines.
Jane Kelsey says: I’ve spent the past 36 hours pouring over the massive technical text to understand some of the complexities and what they mean for current and future policy space in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Yet, within a day the Labour leadership seems to have decided the text is fine aside from the narrow issue of the right to restrict sales of residential property to foreign owners.
At the very least Labour’s leaders might have waited for the Waitangi Tribunal’s inquiry into the TPPA, which is now likely to be expedited following the release of the text.
The following is why the TPPA fails to satisfy the other four non-negotiable bottom lines, in addition to the one the caucus concedes.
Watch as no policy substance is delivered over the next 12 months. We know that Labour tolerates poverty very well. We know that Labour doesn’t believe in true full employment. We know that Labour cannot stand by tough policies unless they are neoliberal ones. We know that Labour takes climate change so seriously it won’t ban new oil exploration.
@ CV: I can see that you are currently disheartened with Labour. I respect that you have reasons for this, but I want to put forward a thought for your consideration. What was important about Little’s speech to congress was that it was not equivocal, and it outlined standards against which future policies are able to be measured. Since the exit of Helen Clark, “market forces” have been the unstated but absolute measure of everything: the task was to show loyalty to market forces and win the punters over with rhetoric and equivocally framed scraps of bait. Anyone seeking to depart from this model was hobbled, vilified or both, with David Cunliffe being the prime example. I think you need to allow that, prima facie at least, Little’s speech represents a departure from this duplicity. At least you can now say to him, this plan will or will not lead to jobs. That plan will or will not lead to people being cast on the scrap heap, etc.
However, I suspect that we already know what Little’s standard is, and that it is a low one full of wriggle room, if not “duplicity”. Take Labour’s ‘unequivocal’ bottom lines around the TPPA. Now according to Little, the TPPA actually does meet 4 out of Labour’s 5 bottom lines. And that Labour cannot meaningfully oppose the TPPA but it can ‘flout’ a few of its provisions here and there.
(While Jane Kelsey says that the TPPA fails all of Labour’s bottom lines. Who is right? GIven that Kelsey has gone through every page of the TPPA and no one in Labour has, I would say she is.)
Some may be feeling inspired to give Little and Labour 6 more months to prove themselves but after a long list of crap like this over the last 12 months (voting for National’s spying and anti-terrorism legislation!) I am not feeling similarly beneficent.
Two things: I think a glimmer of hope is better than no hope at all 🙂
I also think it may be inevitable that Labour has a more nuanced approach to the TPP than you and I. I am opposed to it, and will be at this weekend’s protests, but I can see that a political party that thunders opposition that it is not in the potion to action can back-foot itself in the face of a fait accompli. When you are up against a force much more powerful than anything you can muster, strategy sometimes works better than beating your head against a brick wall – in the latter case, the head tends to break while the wall continues to hold.
well fair enough but its hardly evidence that Labour has learnt to fight for and stick with what it believes in, and now they seem to be saying that they have indeed learnt. Time will tell.
I ask why you still continue to comment here, then.
“a long list of crap like this”apparently includes Little’s personal failure to repudiate elements of the TPPA in line with Jane Kelsey’s analysis. Said agreement released just days ago and containing reams of legalese.
Little somehow has to find a way to bridge the gap between the party factions. Everyone will have to compromise to some extent.
By all accounts he spoke well at the conference. His speech read pretty well given that it was light on policy specifics, for well understood reasons.
He sounds encouraging to me.
You’re beginning to sound shrill and desperate.
I ask why you still continue to comment here, then.
My believing that Labour is spineless (as per backdowns on the TPPA, 90 day right to fire, NZ power, GST off fruits and vegetables, CGT, raising the issue of Chinese last names but having zero new policy of substance around it etc.) has nothing to do with whether or not I should comment on The Standard.
Good thinking Olwyn and Tautoko MM.
As CV says – what about the bennies bottom line?
So nice words – very heartening.
Now we want baby steps to attend to the basics, then we can toddle to the next stage. Some things are urgently needed, and may have to be dripfed small and regular improvements so as not to destabilise the system.
Can we have a timeline for the improvements that are doable without a lot of parliamentary kerfuffle?
How soon could that be done without leaving time for National to do something malicious and spoil, plug the gap with their own short-term panacea etc.?
Could we have a reduction in GST as one of the toddling steps – down to 12 and half percent and 2andhalf be allocated to the originating region.? Give back to the area so they get full benefit of the spending multiplier. This will give more bang for the buck for poor people particularly.
Present 15% was what Switzerland had when I was there in the 70’s. Since when have we had a financial standing like them across the nation? It is far too high for NZ
On tax they are talking about how people ned help where they have to work numerous jobs and co-ordinate a portfolio of employers, and money earners. That’s realistic do it Labour. Get rid of secondary tax – that goes back to an anti double dipping mentality that is not appropriate for workers these days, forced to be serving numerous ‘masters’. Also do something about open slather hours. Make an attempt. Zero contracts out. Free rides for employers with subsidies not from government but from their workers out..
Put personal and trust tax up instead. The idea that the more money you get, the less tax you pay is stupid, illogical, and unsustainable. The country needs a certain tax take to operate successfully. You have to oil the machine.
And a system where some people are starved of jobs and wages and can’t pay much tax, while others benefit from that economy with people being out of work yet moan that they have to pay the tax thaat advantages them must be exposed as criminal and irrational. Perhaps the facts can be explained simply and firmly. Say the tax is going to better hospital services and health programs which are intensive in needy areas.
edited
One of the things they are talking about is allowing beneficiaries to earn more before abatement kicks in, and Carmel Sepuloni has spoken about that as well – I think she may have drafted a private members bill on it. I don’t know whether the ‘baby steps’ will follow your suggestions, but we will certainly want to see some.
“Could we have a reduction in GST as one of the toddling steps – down to 12 and half percent and 2andhalf be allocated to the originating region.? Give back to the area so they get full benefit of the spending multiplier. This will give more bang for the buck for poor people particularly.
Present 15% was what Switzerland had when I was there in the 70’s. Since when have we had a financial standing like them across the nation? It is far too high for NZ”
My response. Could we abolish GST? Lets do this. Introduce a robin hood style tax. For those of us struggling week to week and are always a step behind financially this would be a huge burden lifted from our shoulders. We can’t afford to prop up the lifestyles of wealthy MD and CE’s etc when our lifestyles are so threadbare.
As mentioned far too many times before. It’s not 1986 any more. Labour needs to acknowledge they introduced a cruel and unfair tax, and now, living in this vastly unequal society we need to abolish those taxes that grow the divide.
Agree with putting personal tax up if you’re on a high salary, eg, over $150K
Present 15% was what Switzerland had when I was there in the 70’s. Since when have we had a financial standing like them across the nation? It is far too high for NZ
You misunderstand why GST is there. It is solely so that the government could decrease taxes on the rich and put the responsibility for covering the inevitable shortfall upon the poor. In other words, it gives to the rich and takes from the poor.
+1 Olwyn
I would add – this policy will do nothing to reduce child policy.
Andrew Little has concentrated on uniting caucus and getting around the country as he said he would. Ensuring that the caucus does not split into various factions is an ongoing job, hence the careful words. By concentrating on the sovereignty issue in the TPP he can be opposed without allowing the pro TPP faction room to object.
I do hope that the attempt to keep the Labour Party operating as a cohesive entity does not reduce time for good policy, for us all as well as children.
Keeping Labour together is what Helen managed. We might excuse her then for not breaking the cycle of bennie bashing, and distancing herself from the concerns of oh-so-ordinary Kiwis. We won’t do so for Andrew Little and any other New Faces contestants looking for a big hand from the audience.
Oops – I meant child poverty. The bit where he said every policy will be measured in terms of reducing child poverty and every budget will measure the degree to which this has been achieved was very clever and heartening.
How can anybody, whatever their political leanings, say reducing child poverty isn’t something to work towards? And having accepted this is important and that the policies must reflect this, that means increasing minimum wages and benefits. There is no other way of reducing child poverty. An increase in minimum wages and benefits reduces all poverty – not just child poverty.
I’d like to see Labour support the Living Wage campaign.
Have I missed media reports of Labour’s vocal support of the WCC in the stoush with the Chamber of Commerce over insisting that contractors pay the Living Wage?
Indeed. And let’s remember that a “living wage” is only that for those lucky enough to have full time employment. For many others in NZ even a living wage would be largely irrelevant.
Fair enough for a “living wage”, what would a “dying wage” look like, as that must be the logical counter balance of a wage then? It seems many get nothing more than a little over the minimum wage, which should perhaps be renamed the “dying wage” (wage of a slowly dying, impoverished person).
However in Andrew Little’s speech he said
“So, I’m telling you, when it comes to undermining our democracy and our sovereignty in the TPPA, I am totally opposed and I will fight with every fibre in my body to stop it, to resist it, to make sure it never happens in New Zealand”.
Since the TPP is supposed to “level the playing field” and prevent any local favouritism, then some of the ideas for favouring Kiwis in jobs that Andrew Little mentioned in the speech would not be possible without incurring litigation if the TPP was ratified. He has outlined a vision of a proactive government. We now need the public to engage in some rational thinking and realise the full implications of what Key and Co are signing away.
The biggest dead rat in the TPP is the loss of our rights to determine the future direction of NZ without being financially screwed by foreign corporations.
To quote Andrew Little “I am totally opposed and I will fight with every fibre in my body to stop it, to resist it, to make sure it never happens in New Zealand”. Me too.
(Also, I’ll be fighting against the oil exploration with the same vigour!)
“So, I’m telling you, when it comes to undermining our democracy and our sovereignty in the TPPA, I am totally opposed and I will fight with every fibre in my body to stop it, to resist it, to make sure it never happens in New Zealand”.
But signing the TPP will do that. All his polices talked about in his speech will be in violation of TPP such as limiting property sales, keeping government contracts onshore, and taxing harmful products like sugar.
It’s utterly schizophrenic. Just a week ago Little was saying that the TPPA passed 4 out of 5 Labour “bottom lines” and that it was a done deal that could not be meaningfully opposed.
well in the post I wrote on the matter I said “weaker than tissue paper” but yep exactly right: Little remaking himself into a man of principle this weekend has me curious indeed.
Yet, Little’s focus concerning the investor-state dispute process seems to be solely on our ability to ban foreign buyers from the local housing market.
If Little genuinely wanted to ensure our sovereignty, he could utilize the exit clause.
However, he insists the deal is here. Implying there is little he can now do about it except for flouting or renegotiating the ability to ban foreign buyers from the local housing market.
and now R0b has written a post on the escalating costs of cancer treatments in NZ. Guess what: the TPPA is going to make it even worse for Kiwis and our health budget.
A great program Chairman.
What a pity that there is no public dialog in NZ to do this analysis of TPPA! A TV channel? Nah! MSM? Nah! Criminal isn’t it?
And Congress gets to vote yes/no. In NZ it will be Grosser, Key, Joyce and English who decide. Trust them? Sure can
+1 – great link – very similar problem to NZ – on one hand they are thinking NZ can push our food exports out there but like in the US it allows very cheap food to flood in and now people can fight the inspections.
So a pile of fruit flies and diseases comes into the country but NZ has reduced powers to stop it the pests coming in.
Shrimp from Vietnam that is not safe.
No food labelling.
6 of the 7 Nafda environmental conditions deleted in the TPP.
Pharma able to extend existing patents even if they have no real change.
Increased medicine costs.
Competing with Vietnamese workers on 65 cents an hour.
Can’t see what you are quibbling about savenz. /sarc
Don’t know whether I mean quibbling or kibbling. ( I think the kibbling comes after the quibbling. I can feel myself getting ground down and coarser as I write. Fu.ked……)
kibble1
ˈkɪb(ə)l/
verb
gerund or present participle: kibbling –
grind or chop (beans, grain, etc.) coarsely.
“a high protein legume such as kibbled beans”
On the food labelling it makes no sense either because
NZ food’ has a really safe international reputation so without knowing where any food is coming we are undermining our exports with cheaper producers who are cutting corners. (Unless the idea is, we all cut corners to have unsafe food?)
From boom to bust, and little hope for dairy farmers, same as Australian mining companies, and other businesses exporting raw materials and low value added products to the “Middle Empire”.
“We know that companies with more gender balanced leadership teams significantly outperform companies with only men at the helm,” says Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, CEO of Twenty first, a consulting company that focuses in building gender-balanced businesses. “Why wouldn’t this be even more true at a country level?”
Actual balance, rather than the ‘balance’ that the RWNJs like which prioritises the economy over everything else, produces better results.
FYI, Jamie Oliver is not some newcomer to this debate. He has campaigned for a long time on issues around obesity.
I wonder what Vernon Small and the rest of the right wing media will make of this?
John Key has proven himself to be a pm who is beholden to celebrity culture so I wouldn’t be surprised of there is some movement from National to steal this policy on the back of a TV chef’s Facebook post.
Labour’s policy on sugar labelling is ABSOLUTE madness. A. King has no idea what she is trying to do. It is not only unworkable but will cost many votes.
their usual form is to steal the rhetoric and fuck up the details so that what on the surface was a good idea becomes a seven-figure clusterfuck, and then the tories say “but it was Labour policy”.
I don’t think it’ll work as well as people think/want as it doesn’t do anything to solve the real issue which is people not grasping the basics such as fizzy drink being a treat drink and not an all day/every day drink
What I suspect is that the most obvious labelling (e.g. “50% less sugar!!!”) has more influence than kJ/carbohydrates per 100gm or arbitrary serving size.
When I started looking at labels more closely after going onto a lower-sodium diet, I was surprised at some of the ingredient levels, expecially in processed foods. E.g. fruit juice is often as sugary as fizzy drink, yet juice is often seen as “healthy”.
So I suspect that the minority might down 8 litres of coke a day and be surprised when helth turns to shit, but a hefty chunk of folks probably just follow broad rules and don’t realise quite how bastardised some of their food staples are – e.g. the cheaper bread usually has a massive anount of salt.
But then if I were a cynic, I’d suspect that you knew very well that having simple graphical guides on food content would show up some of the major foodstuff producers as being as amoral as the tobacco industry, and that’s why you speak against the label idea.
well, no it doesn’t taste the same (some of it has a really rank aftertaste), but you missed my point about people who “want to drink a boat load of fizzy drink” probably not really making up all that large a chunk (excuse the pun) of our increasingly obese population.
Shows you how our culture has a complete disconnect on knowledge about food, how many people are self medicating on shitty food, and how we’ve driven low income earners to poor diets, poorer overall health and shorter lives.
Yeah we just need to all channel our inner Annabel Langbeins, and flounce around making our coq au vins and wait for hubby/wifey to come home in the audi.
Well that was actually the WHO recommendation that was altered without the authors’ knowledge.
Many countries use the WHO guidelines to determine their standards.
Seems that the only reason the recommendation was suppressed and the only reason it would be political suicide is because of the lobbying by the powerful sugar industry.
Good of you to acknowledge that money buys influence.
Why would the public care if a maximum limit was imposed in all products? You really think people would object to their coke being a little less sweet?
I knew that Milo has been changed but didn’t know it was the vanilla.
We use their instant coffee cafe sleeves and that has changed its packaging recently and as often happens, the recipe too I think. It’s sort of watery, perhaps less milk powder and maybe it had vanilla there too.
On a side note I was surprised to find out how little sugar there is in beer, something like 1/2 teaspoon per bottle.
Beer is a great drink for diabetics. It does fuck-all to your blood sugar unless you’re drinking stuff like Kilkenny or Guinness. Every time medical professionals suggest I drink less beer, I give them a more polite version of “Fuck off.”
Yeah the beer belly is actually a complete myth, nothing to do with beer at all.
Having said that though, beer can often lead to eating large amounts of fatty fish and chips and other assorted take away nasties which results in a rather large gut.
Friends of Earth Indonesia/WALHI and its five regional offices have been conducting investigations of companies suspected of involvement in the fires and triggering the smoke and haze problems in Indonesia. They overlaid the concession maps of the companies, and tracked the names of companies mentioned by the environment and forestry minister. Many of the land concessions of those companies are in the precious peatland area
Already a number of company executives have been arrested for their suspected role in starting illegal forest fires, some of whom supply pulp products to the giant logging corporation Asian Pulp and Paper (APP).
The fires that have been started deliberately are part of a process which usually involves building canals to block water to the beautiful peatlands; thereby drying it out and enabling deliberately lit fires to burn. This drains the life out of these naturally-moist tropical forests, dries them out, and enables deliberately lit fires to burn. In time, companies and contractors will return to plant endless rows of palm oil and wood plantations in their place.
I keep waiting for God to do something, but I think there is too much going on for him/her to be able to cope. We may have to do more ourselves. Any way of getting through to the Indonesian’s heart?
Sadly, the bad parts are indeed bad enough to risk the whole; yet, the partners could also agree to a more measured, step-by-step approach, since that would be in the common interest, though not necessarily to the benefit of certain powerful interest groups.
The most egregious parts of the agreement are the exorbitant investor powers implicit in the Investor-State Dispute Settlement system as well as the unjustified expansion of copyright and patent coverage. We’ve seen this show before. Corporations are already using ISDS provisions in existing trade and investment agreements to harass governments in order to frustrate regulations and judicial decisions that negatively impact the companies’ interests. The system proposed in the TPP is a dangerous and unnecessary grant of power to investors and a blow to the judicial systems of all the signatory countries. And as in earlier trade agreements, the United States has pushed through overly strong intellectual property rights that strengthen the aggressive pricing practices of big pharma and unnecessarily extend the copyright protections far beyond their social usefulness.”
It isn’t all good news, though: soon the Australian forces will regroup and launch a full on assault, and although our plucky lads have plenty of heart, they simply don’t have the weapons that would allow them to fight back.
At the very least we could send someone over there to give them some training.
I’m glad you think that anyone who proposes military action go to the front of the deployment queue. That will have a most salutory effect, let’s do it!
‘As Syrian peace talks pick up speed, should we hope for any progress in ending the war? This conflict is a riddle, surely – as years go on, it becomes more and more difficult to sort out who’s fighting whom and for what purpose. And over that boiling pot of violence and blood, major powers – Russia, America, Gulf States, Iran – play their own game, no less convoluted, with goals and forces used to influence the conflict unclear. We try to solve that riddle, and to do that, we speak to the director of the Center for Middle East studies at the University of Oklahoma, who is an influential analyst on Syria. Professor Joshua Landis is on Sophie&Co today.”
“Steady as she goes: Russia continues to pursue a carefully calibrated policy of force and diplomacy in Syria. Damascus invited Moscow to enter the conflict to preserve the state and fight terrorism. Washington and its allies remain clueless.
CrossTalking with Mohammad Marandi, Gregg Roman and Catherine Shakdam.”
Trust Trev’ of the Herald to be all invigorated over this piece of Who.Gives.A.Fuck ? Egomaniac crooks wanking one another. Still, some relief for Richie…..
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Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
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Expect some delays in page loads first thing this morning for the first few people in.
I’ve fixed the feeds so that they now work correctly. However I had to change the media string for the images and other static data from the CDN (Content Delivery Network). Depending on your browser and if anyone else has loaded from it previously, you might experience some page delays.
But the tabs are all working again. Now to figure out how to make them ‘faster’.
And also how to get rid of the bloody duplicated feed items that Blogger likes to provide !
Just out of interest, do you run the Google Page Speed mod for apache?
Seems you don’t. You should seriously install that.
Just noticed my tabs “Replies” and “Opinions” have been swapped around, either an update I guess or a tory gremlin stuck in the system trying to find a way out 😉
Forget the tin foil hat: NSA-proof wallpaper could keep snoopers and ‘doomsday’ electromagnetic weapons at bay
*New flexible material can block electronic emission
*Blocks signals that could be used for cybersnooping
*Can also block electromagnetic ‘doomsday’ weapons
*Could be used to protect drones flying in enemy territory
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3286629/Forget-tin-foil-hat-NSA-proof-wallpaper-snoopers-doomsday-electromagnetic-weapons-bay.html
Good God man this is so depressing it makes a person want to crawl back into bed and stay there. Can’t this wait until we have showered, had a decent coffee and “girded the loins” so to speak for yet another day in this troubled planet we all dwell on. Thanks for it nevertheless the less – though god knows what anybody can do about it.
Bill Ralston was interviewed by Espiner on the radio a few minutes ago.
What an obvious propagandist.
What an arse.
What an easy run from Espiner.
**He was announcing that he will compete for Waitamata. He slagged off Phil Goff
So do Mediawork’s mercenary front line “media persons” like Henry and Plunket (Radio Live and TV3), Goff is now accused of “double dipping”, while he has not even announced yet, that he will stand for the election of mayor for Auckland next year.
Are we surprised? No, I at least am not. The Labour conference was also treated with little mention, and while it was more a feel-good meeting offering inspiring speeches and no policy yet, that was exploited by Henry in his breakfast show.
Problem for Henry, Plunket and others, there is little to attack Labour for at present in regards to policy, as it is mostly “under review”, so they do of course look for any other next best opportunity to throw mud.
Goff is the best opportunity now, and while I am certain that Nat MPs have in the past held onto their seat and stood for election or any other alternative position in the meantime, they have to stress the possibility of Goff “double dipping” now.
While I have only so much time for Goff, he does not deserve to be treated like this.
Hell I thought the henry interview of Little was as good as I’ve seen for Little, he came across relaxed and batted away Henrys bs with ease ,ad to that Kelvin Davis getting a lot of coverage and this morning was a good start for labour.
Yes, Andrew did quite well, but Henry was trying various angles to embarrass him. He soon changed the topic from the conference to the Mt Roskill electorate, to Goff and to a likely by-election.
Potential voters, and more so non voters, they will probably not have been overly impressed by Little, as so many now fall for the machinations by media and spin artists. Only those that follow politics (a true minority in NZ) will even know about Andrew Little and his speech and the Labour conference.
Going on the Paul Henry Breakfast is like swimming in between sharks 24/7 I would say.
Wasn’t there a few instances of National Party MPs double dipping which the MSM thoroughly ignored?
Sleepy Sam standing for National while still an Auckland City Councillor. Did both jobs for a while in my recall.
Kept his council job right up till the point it didnt cause the position to be refilled. He didnt do his council job just took the money whilst being a new MP as his non attendance showed.
Blinglish is an experienced double dipper so the glasshouse is well built.
Jono Naylor was still Mayor of Palmerston North while running for Parliament for the Nats in 2014 – How is that alright but for Goff it’s not?
So, that would be standard nasty politics at play then. The right wing don’t seem to be able to carry an argument and thus always revert to ad hominem attacks.
I wonder who invited Ralston to be on the programme. mustn’t ask that sort of question I suppose.
How many people have to die before Australian wingnuts start appearing at The Hague?
Send in Kelvin Davis? Send the SAS to Canberra to arrest the fuckers more like.
How many Australian wingnuts care? They devolved responsibility.
https://www.amris.com/serco_australia/requirement_display.php?noheader=1&requirementid=68168
NZ wingnuts will cheer them on rather than arrest them.
Serco would have run the gas chambers during the Holocaust.
This is who Serco are
“Serco would have run the gas chambers during the Holocaust”
exactly
Or send them to Christmas Island unannounced and rescue those in the detention camp. Or do the same on Manus Island or Nauru.
Little said the text of the deal (released late on Thursday) met four of the party’s five bottom lines.
Jane Kelsey says: I’ve spent the past 36 hours pouring over the massive technical text to understand some of the complexities and what they mean for current and future policy space in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Yet, within a day the Labour leadership seems to have decided the text is fine aside from the narrow issue of the right to restrict sales of residential property to foreign owners.
At the very least Labour’s leaders might have waited for the Waitangi Tribunal’s inquiry into the TPPA, which is now likely to be expedited following the release of the text.
The following is why the TPPA fails to satisfy the other four non-negotiable bottom lines, in addition to the one the caucus concedes.
See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/11/07/exclusive-open-letter-from-jane-kelsey-to-labour-party-conference/#sthash.yi60JtLh.dpuf
Surely you’re not surprised ?
It adds to the disappointment Labour have become.
Watch as no policy substance is delivered over the next 12 months. We know that Labour tolerates poverty very well. We know that Labour doesn’t believe in true full employment. We know that Labour cannot stand by tough policies unless they are neoliberal ones. We know that Labour takes climate change so seriously it won’t ban new oil exploration.
The substance of policy is how one deciphers how the political rhetoric will take shape.
Labour can’t expect voter support when voters aren’t clear on how the rhetoric will take shape.
Therefore, failing to produce it will be another mistake.
Moreover, they can’t genuinely counter National when they can’t offer the substance behind what they will do differently.
@ CV: I can see that you are currently disheartened with Labour. I respect that you have reasons for this, but I want to put forward a thought for your consideration. What was important about Little’s speech to congress was that it was not equivocal, and it outlined standards against which future policies are able to be measured. Since the exit of Helen Clark, “market forces” have been the unstated but absolute measure of everything: the task was to show loyalty to market forces and win the punters over with rhetoric and equivocally framed scraps of bait. Anyone seeking to depart from this model was hobbled, vilified or both, with David Cunliffe being the prime example. I think you need to allow that, prima facie at least, Little’s speech represents a departure from this duplicity. At least you can now say to him, this plan will or will not lead to jobs. That plan will or will not lead to people being cast on the scrap heap, etc.
Hi Olwyn. Thanks for your thoughtful comments.
However, I suspect that we already know what Little’s standard is, and that it is a low one full of wriggle room, if not “duplicity”. Take Labour’s ‘unequivocal’ bottom lines around the TPPA. Now according to Little, the TPPA actually does meet 4 out of Labour’s 5 bottom lines. And that Labour cannot meaningfully oppose the TPPA but it can ‘flout’ a few of its provisions here and there.
(While Jane Kelsey says that the TPPA fails all of Labour’s bottom lines. Who is right? GIven that Kelsey has gone through every page of the TPPA and no one in Labour has, I would say she is.)
Some may be feeling inspired to give Little and Labour 6 more months to prove themselves but after a long list of crap like this over the last 12 months (voting for National’s spying and anti-terrorism legislation!) I am not feeling similarly beneficent.
Two things: I think a glimmer of hope is better than no hope at all 🙂
I also think it may be inevitable that Labour has a more nuanced approach to the TPP than you and I. I am opposed to it, and will be at this weekend’s protests, but I can see that a political party that thunders opposition that it is not in the potion to action can back-foot itself in the face of a fait accompli. When you are up against a force much more powerful than anything you can muster, strategy sometimes works better than beating your head against a brick wall – in the latter case, the head tends to break while the wall continues to hold.
well fair enough but its hardly evidence that Labour has learnt to fight for and stick with what it believes in, and now they seem to be saying that they have indeed learnt. Time will tell.
Do your heart condition a favour and pop over and knock on the Greens door.
Overall they are less conflicted people, and the Dunedin lot could do with fresh blood. They will already know you are a good organizer.
It would be no fun to lose you from political activism altogether out of sheer frustration.
Thanks, Ad. Always enjoy your writing on The Standard.
You say ‘ I am not feeling similarly beneficent.”
I ask why you still continue to comment here, then.
“a long list of crap like this”apparently includes Little’s personal failure to repudiate elements of the TPPA in line with Jane Kelsey’s analysis. Said agreement released just days ago and containing reams of legalese.
Little somehow has to find a way to bridge the gap between the party factions. Everyone will have to compromise to some extent.
By all accounts he spoke well at the conference. His speech read pretty well given that it was light on policy specifics, for well understood reasons.
He sounds encouraging to me.
You’re beginning to sound shrill and desperate.
My believing that Labour is spineless (as per backdowns on the TPPA, 90 day right to fire, NZ power, GST off fruits and vegetables, CGT, raising the issue of Chinese last names but having zero new policy of substance around it etc.) has nothing to do with whether or not I should comment on The Standard.
Why do you believe it does?
Good thinking Olwyn and Tautoko MM.
As CV says – what about the bennies bottom line?
So nice words – very heartening.
Now we want baby steps to attend to the basics, then we can toddle to the next stage. Some things are urgently needed, and may have to be dripfed small and regular improvements so as not to destabilise the system.
Can we have a timeline for the improvements that are doable without a lot of parliamentary kerfuffle?
How soon could that be done without leaving time for National to do something malicious and spoil, plug the gap with their own short-term panacea etc.?
Could we have a reduction in GST as one of the toddling steps – down to 12 and half percent and 2andhalf be allocated to the originating region.? Give back to the area so they get full benefit of the spending multiplier. This will give more bang for the buck for poor people particularly.
Present 15% was what Switzerland had when I was there in the 70’s. Since when have we had a financial standing like them across the nation? It is far too high for NZ
On tax they are talking about how people ned help where they have to work numerous jobs and co-ordinate a portfolio of employers, and money earners. That’s realistic do it Labour. Get rid of secondary tax – that goes back to an anti double dipping mentality that is not appropriate for workers these days, forced to be serving numerous ‘masters’. Also do something about open slather hours. Make an attempt. Zero contracts out. Free rides for employers with subsidies not from government but from their workers out..
Put personal and trust tax up instead. The idea that the more money you get, the less tax you pay is stupid, illogical, and unsustainable. The country needs a certain tax take to operate successfully. You have to oil the machine.
And a system where some people are starved of jobs and wages and can’t pay much tax, while others benefit from that economy with people being out of work yet moan that they have to pay the tax thaat advantages them must be exposed as criminal and irrational. Perhaps the facts can be explained simply and firmly. Say the tax is going to better hospital services and health programs which are intensive in needy areas.
edited
One of the things they are talking about is allowing beneficiaries to earn more before abatement kicks in, and Carmel Sepuloni has spoken about that as well – I think she may have drafted a private members bill on it. I don’t know whether the ‘baby steps’ will follow your suggestions, but we will certainly want to see some.
yeah well only a small proportion have additional income so fat lot of use that will be to most people.
Re-instating Ruth’s benefit cuts, getting rid of the youth rate – or putting it back to 18 would both be more meaningful.
Better still remove age discrimination all together and make benefits the same rate as NZS.
Those things would be a darn site more help than fiddling at the margins.
Bring back universal family benefit as well so you’re not playing off one set of NZer’s against another.
The whole benefit system is now set up to play NZer’s off in that way,
But it’s still pale blue Labour we’re talking about.
“Could we have a reduction in GST as one of the toddling steps – down to 12 and half percent and 2andhalf be allocated to the originating region.? Give back to the area so they get full benefit of the spending multiplier. This will give more bang for the buck for poor people particularly.
Present 15% was what Switzerland had when I was there in the 70’s. Since when have we had a financial standing like them across the nation? It is far too high for NZ”
My response. Could we abolish GST? Lets do this. Introduce a robin hood style tax. For those of us struggling week to week and are always a step behind financially this would be a huge burden lifted from our shoulders. We can’t afford to prop up the lifestyles of wealthy MD and CE’s etc when our lifestyles are so threadbare.
As mentioned far too many times before. It’s not 1986 any more. Labour needs to acknowledge they introduced a cruel and unfair tax, and now, living in this vastly unequal society we need to abolish those taxes that grow the divide.
Agree with putting personal tax up if you’re on a high salary, eg, over $150K
You misunderstand why GST is there. It is solely so that the government could decrease taxes on the rich and put the responsibility for covering the inevitable shortfall upon the poor. In other words, it gives to the rich and takes from the poor.
thats essentially true Draco but it also adds 2 + million tourists year as taxpayers as the majority fail to claim it back
+1 Olwyn
I would add – this policy will do nothing to reduce child policy.
Andrew Little has concentrated on uniting caucus and getting around the country as he said he would. Ensuring that the caucus does not split into various factions is an ongoing job, hence the careful words. By concentrating on the sovereignty issue in the TPP he can be opposed without allowing the pro TPP faction room to object.
It was a very good speech – let’s celebrate it.
I do hope that the attempt to keep the Labour Party operating as a cohesive entity does not reduce time for good policy, for us all as well as children.
Keeping Labour together is what Helen managed. We might excuse her then for not breaking the cycle of bennie bashing, and distancing herself from the concerns of oh-so-ordinary Kiwis. We won’t do so for Andrew Little and any other New Faces contestants looking for a big hand from the audience.
Oops – I meant child poverty. The bit where he said every policy will be measured in terms of reducing child poverty and every budget will measure the degree to which this has been achieved was very clever and heartening.
How can anybody, whatever their political leanings, say reducing child poverty isn’t something to work towards? And having accepted this is important and that the policies must reflect this, that means increasing minimum wages and benefits. There is no other way of reducing child poverty. An increase in minimum wages and benefits reduces all poverty – not just child poverty.
We know that Labour tolerates poverty very well.
I’d like to see Labour support the Living Wage campaign.
Have I missed media reports of Labour’s vocal support of the WCC in the stoush with the Chamber of Commerce over insisting that contractors pay the Living Wage?
Indeed. And let’s remember that a “living wage” is only that for those lucky enough to have full time employment. For many others in NZ even a living wage would be largely irrelevant.
Fair enough for a “living wage”, what would a “dying wage” look like, as that must be the logical counter balance of a wage then? It seems many get nothing more than a little over the minimum wage, which should perhaps be renamed the “dying wage” (wage of a slowly dying, impoverished person).
YUP, the disability and mental health communities are relegated to subsistence unless and until they reach 65… then they get a “pay rise”
Good, Labour is finally learning.
Politics only matters for about 6 weeks every 3 years
Rest of the time should be spent in PR.
Yup with slogans and catchphrases that cut to the core of nacts subtle and belligerent methods.
The sheeple doze off between elections so they need to start the memes now.
The sheeple aren’t listening so you’re wasting your time.
If Key and National fuck up let the media crucify them, Little sticking is oar in doesn’t help, people just roll their eyes and go what ever.
Save it for the election period.
“If Key and National fuck up let the media crucify them,” & therein lies the problem, the media, on a whole, won’t (crucify them).
Actually the people are listening and don’t like what they see and so don’t vote.
Why would you vote for one set of neo-libs over another?
Ah, the RWNJ comes in tells the populace to go back to sleep, nothing to see here while National and their stooges keep fucking us over.
However in Andrew Little’s speech he said
“So, I’m telling you, when it comes to undermining our democracy and our sovereignty in the TPPA, I am totally opposed and I will fight with every fibre in my body to stop it, to resist it, to make sure it never happens in New Zealand”.
Since the TPP is supposed to “level the playing field” and prevent any local favouritism, then some of the ideas for favouring Kiwis in jobs that Andrew Little mentioned in the speech would not be possible without incurring litigation if the TPP was ratified. He has outlined a vision of a proactive government. We now need the public to engage in some rational thinking and realise the full implications of what Key and Co are signing away.
The biggest dead rat in the TPP is the loss of our rights to determine the future direction of NZ without being financially screwed by foreign corporations.
To quote Andrew Little “I am totally opposed and I will fight with every fibre in my body to stop it, to resist it, to make sure it never happens in New Zealand”. Me too.
(Also, I’ll be fighting against the oil exploration with the same vigour!)
+100 TMM
Yes I have to say it was good to hear the lines
“So, I’m telling you, when it comes to undermining our democracy and our sovereignty in the TPPA, I am totally opposed and I will fight with every fibre in my body to stop it, to resist it, to make sure it never happens in New Zealand”.
But signing the TPP will do that. All his polices talked about in his speech will be in violation of TPP such as limiting property sales, keeping government contracts onshore, and taxing harmful products like sugar.
It’s utterly schizophrenic. Just a week ago Little was saying that the TPPA passed 4 out of 5 Labour “bottom lines” and that it was a done deal that could not be meaningfully opposed.
Bottom lines appear to be written on crepe paper with chalk.
well in the post I wrote on the matter I said “weaker than tissue paper” but yep exactly right: Little remaking himself into a man of principle this weekend has me curious indeed.
Yet, Little’s focus concerning the investor-state dispute process seems to be solely on our ability to ban foreign buyers from the local housing market.
If Little genuinely wanted to ensure our sovereignty, he could utilize the exit clause.
However, he insists the deal is here. Implying there is little he can now do about it except for flouting or renegotiating the ability to ban foreign buyers from the local housing market.
and now R0b has written a post on the escalating costs of cancer treatments in NZ. Guess what: the TPPA is going to make it even worse for Kiwis and our health budget.
I was heartened by that too, if he meant what I took him to mean…
What is being said in the US:
https://youtu.be/KEi4ZqruX6Q
A great program Chairman.
What a pity that there is no public dialog in NZ to do this analysis of TPPA! A TV channel? Nah! MSM? Nah! Criminal isn’t it?
And Congress gets to vote yes/no. In NZ it will be Grosser, Key, Joyce and English who decide. Trust them? Sure can
+1 – great link – very similar problem to NZ – on one hand they are thinking NZ can push our food exports out there but like in the US it allows very cheap food to flood in and now people can fight the inspections.
So a pile of fruit flies and diseases comes into the country but NZ has reduced powers to stop it the pests coming in.
Shrimp from Vietnam that is not safe.
No food labelling.
6 of the 7 Nafda environmental conditions deleted in the TPP.
Pharma able to extend existing patents even if they have no real change.
Increased medicine costs.
Competing with Vietnamese workers on 65 cents an hour.
What a great day to be an international lawyer!!!
Where do we sign? Sarc/
And the Disputes Risk.
Little says it meets 4 out of Labour’s 5 bottom lines…no problems right.
Can’t see what you are quibbling about savenz. /sarc
Don’t know whether I mean quibbling or kibbling. ( I think the kibbling comes after the quibbling. I can feel myself getting ground down and coarser as I write. Fu.ked……)
kibble1
ˈkɪb(ə)l/
verb
gerund or present participle: kibbling –
grind or chop (beans, grain, etc.) coarsely.
“a high protein legume such as kibbled beans”
On the food labelling it makes no sense either because
NZ food’ has a really safe international reputation so without knowing where any food is coming we are undermining our exports with cheaper producers who are cutting corners. (Unless the idea is, we all cut corners to have unsafe food?)
Now this is what should really get our attention, prepare for a harder landing with the Mainland Chinese economy than so far expected:
‘China’s imports fall 19% on waning demand’
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34759608
From boom to bust, and little hope for dairy farmers, same as Australian mining companies, and other businesses exporting raw materials and low value added products to the “Middle Empire”.
Here’s What Happens When You Put More Women in Government
Actual balance, rather than the ‘balance’ that the RWNJs like which prioritises the economy over everything else, produces better results.
Whatever you think of Jamie Oliver, this is some heavy hitting support for Labour’s sugar policy…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/73828189/celebrity-chef-jamie-oliver-throws-support-behind-labour-plans-to-cut-back-sugar
FYI, Jamie Oliver is not some newcomer to this debate. He has campaigned for a long time on issues around obesity.
I wonder what Vernon Small and the rest of the right wing media will make of this?
John Key has proven himself to be a pm who is beholden to celebrity culture so I wouldn’t be surprised of there is some movement from National to steal this policy on the back of a TV chef’s Facebook post.
Soon someone will tell us that he should keep his nose out of NZ and what would he know?
Only in more colourful language Tracey.
Naah hes a bit of a twat although I did manage to follow one of his recipies for pork chops that turned out pretty good…
Labour’s policy on sugar labelling is ABSOLUTE madness. A. King has no idea what she is trying to do. It is not only unworkable but will cost many votes.
That’s what they said about “number of standard drinks” labels on liquor bottles.
Thanks for your concern
And star ratings for water and power use on appliances. Terrible idea.
The government will steal this policy. You watch.
If National can appropriate the policy quickly and easily it likely means that the policy didn’t go far enough to begin with.
their usual form is to steal the rhetoric and fuck up the details so that what on the surface was a good idea becomes a seven-figure clusterfuck, and then the tories say “but it was Labour policy”.
E.g. flags.
That is well expressed.
Thanks for being specific and stcking to facts. Your post may have been undermined if you had gone all scattergun and emotive.
I don’t think it’ll work as well as people think/want as it doesn’t do anything to solve the real issue which is people not grasping the basics such as fizzy drink being a treat drink and not an all day/every day drink
I think most people grasp that.
What I suspect is that the most obvious labelling (e.g. “50% less sugar!!!”) has more influence than kJ/carbohydrates per 100gm or arbitrary serving size.
When I started looking at labels more closely after going onto a lower-sodium diet, I was surprised at some of the ingredient levels, expecially in processed foods. E.g. fruit juice is often as sugary as fizzy drink, yet juice is often seen as “healthy”.
So I suspect that the minority might down 8 litres of coke a day and be surprised when helth turns to shit, but a hefty chunk of folks probably just follow broad rules and don’t realise quite how bastardised some of their food staples are – e.g. the cheaper bread usually has a massive anount of salt.
But then if I were a cynic, I’d suspect that you knew very well that having simple graphical guides on food content would show up some of the major foodstuff producers as being as amoral as the tobacco industry, and that’s why you speak against the label idea.
If they really want to drink a boat load of fizzy drink then they could try the diet or sugar free versions, costs the same and tastes the same
well, no it doesn’t taste the same (some of it has a really rank aftertaste), but you missed my point about people who “want to drink a boat load of fizzy drink” probably not really making up all that large a chunk (excuse the pun) of our increasingly obese population.
Yeah the amount of people I see with trollies full of cheap fizz, fatty cuts of meat and white bread is quite staggering.
I some how doubt a couple of tea spoons on the side is going to make any difference.
Thing is there’s already a ton of low sugar options out there.
On a side note I was surprised to find out how little sugar there is in beer, something like 1/2 teaspoon per bottle.
And if you marinate your steak in beer first, the carcinogen levels go right down.
Beer really is a super food.
Shows you how our culture has a complete disconnect on knowledge about food, how many people are self medicating on shitty food, and how we’ve driven low income earners to poor diets, poorer overall health and shorter lives.
Nah, it’s just laziness and lack of will power.
There’s never been more information available to people at any time in human history.
There really is no excuse.
There’s lots of data available.
Whether that equates to “information”, on the other hand, is highly debatable.
Yeah we just need to all channel our inner Annabel Langbeins, and flounce around making our coq au vins and wait for hubby/wifey to come home in the audi.
don’t forget all those handy hints Gwyneth gives us for using our leftover quinoa 🙂
Come on McFlock, all other things being equitable I can’t believe that you would ever eat quinoa.
lol
I might have done. I have no idea. Sometimes there’s weird stuff on a plate next to the meat, and one doesn’t wish to offend…
You don’t know how to cook healthy?
Limit the amount of sugar (carbohydrate) in all manufactured products ie they can’t be sold.
So you can still produce Coke but with less sugar in it QED.
Of course the sugar lobby is fighting any suggestion people have less sugar:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2003/apr/21/usnews.food
http://www.tonywardle.co.uk/articles/vh2_15.php
There’s a documentary somewhere about the NZ scientist involved in the 1990 report which was altered before release by the sugar lobby groups.
Political suicide.
Well that was actually the WHO recommendation that was altered without the authors’ knowledge.
Many countries use the WHO guidelines to determine their standards.
Seems that the only reason the recommendation was suppressed and the only reason it would be political suicide is because of the lobbying by the powerful sugar industry.
Good of you to acknowledge that money buys influence.
Why would the public care if a maximum limit was imposed in all products? You really think people would object to their coke being a little less sweet?
You may find this interesting.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/69169715/Milos-new-recipe-slated-as-disgusting-but-its-healthy-Nestle-says
Imagine of every one had to change their recipes, lots and lots of very unhappy voters.
Did you bother to read the article. They changed the flavours quite substantially eg removing vanilla.
Removing sugar, which has no flavour, and is simply sweet won’t particularly change the taste – it will simply be less sweet.
It’s a bit like when people started removing the copious amount of salt put in boiled potatoes. It didn’t take long for people to adjust.
You’re not removing the ability to put sugar in – just limiting the volume.
In the case of soft drinks for instance they will still be sweet – just less so.
I knew that Milo has been changed but didn’t know it was the vanilla.
We use their instant coffee cafe sleeves and that has changed its packaging recently and as often happens, the recipe too I think. It’s sort of watery, perhaps less milk powder and maybe it had vanilla there too.
On a side note I was surprised to find out how little sugar there is in beer, something like 1/2 teaspoon per bottle.
Beer is a great drink for diabetics. It does fuck-all to your blood sugar unless you’re drinking stuff like Kilkenny or Guinness. Every time medical professionals suggest I drink less beer, I give them a more polite version of “Fuck off.”
Yeah the beer belly is actually a complete myth, nothing to do with beer at all.
Having said that though, beer can often lead to eating large amounts of fatty fish and chips and other assorted take away nasties which results in a rather large gut.
Indonesia burning again.
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/nov/07/setting-a-country-alight-indonesias-devastating-forest-fires-are-manmade
Friends of Earth Indonesia/WALHI and its five regional offices have been conducting investigations of companies suspected of involvement in the fires and triggering the smoke and haze problems in Indonesia. They overlaid the concession maps of the companies, and tracked the names of companies mentioned by the environment and forestry minister. Many of the land concessions of those companies are in the precious peatland area
Already a number of company executives have been arrested for their suspected role in starting illegal forest fires, some of whom supply pulp products to the giant logging corporation Asian Pulp and Paper (APP).
The fires that have been started deliberately are part of a process which usually involves building canals to block water to the beautiful peatlands; thereby drying it out and enabling deliberately lit fires to burn. This drains the life out of these naturally-moist tropical forests, dries them out, and enables deliberately lit fires to burn. In time, companies and contractors will return to plant endless rows of palm oil and wood plantations in their place.
Also http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/know-indonesias-devastating-fires/
I keep waiting for God to do something, but I think there is too much going on for him/her to be able to cope. We may have to do more ourselves. Any way of getting through to the Indonesian’s heart?
God is busy being all excited about the All Blacks and the Royals of the UK.
TPP deal ‘worst thing that Harper government has done for Canada’: Balsillie
Sadly, the bad parts are indeed bad enough to risk the whole; yet, the partners could also agree to a more measured, step-by-step approach, since that would be in the common interest, though not necessarily to the benefit of certain powerful interest groups.
The most egregious parts of the agreement are the exorbitant investor powers implicit in the Investor-State Dispute Settlement system as well as the unjustified expansion of copyright and patent coverage. We’ve seen this show before. Corporations are already using ISDS provisions in existing trade and investment agreements to harass governments in order to frustrate regulations and judicial decisions that negatively impact the companies’ interests. The system proposed in the TPP is a dangerous and unnecessary grant of power to investors and a blow to the judicial systems of all the signatory countries. And as in earlier trade agreements, the United States has pushed through overly strong intellectual property rights that strengthen the aggressive pricing practices of big pharma and unnecessarily extend the copyright protections far beyond their social usefulness.”
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2015/11/08/jeffrey-sachs-tpp-too-flawed-for-simple-yes-vote/sZd0nlnCr18RurX1n549GI/story.html
A bunch of can-do Kiwis showing John Key how to get some guts.
It isn’t all good news, though: soon the Australian forces will regroup and launch a full on assault, and although our plucky lads have plenty of heart, they simply don’t have the weapons that would allow them to fight back.
At the very least we could send someone over there to give them some training.
At the very least we could send someone over there to give them some training.
– You volunteering?
No, I’m nominating you be sent over as a human shield.
Thought not, just another keyboard warrior
I’m glad you think that anyone who proposes military action go to the front of the deployment queue. That will have a most salutory effect, let’s do it!
‘US in stupor, doesn’t know what to do or even what it wants in Syria – MidEast studies academic’
https://www.rt.com/shows/sophieco/321020-syrian-peace-talk-conflict/
‘As Syrian peace talks pick up speed, should we hope for any progress in ending the war? This conflict is a riddle, surely – as years go on, it becomes more and more difficult to sort out who’s fighting whom and for what purpose. And over that boiling pot of violence and blood, major powers – Russia, America, Gulf States, Iran – play their own game, no less convoluted, with goals and forces used to influence the conflict unclear. We try to solve that riddle, and to do that, we speak to the director of the Center for Middle East studies at the University of Oklahoma, who is an influential analyst on Syria. Professor Joshua Landis is on Sophie&Co today.”
‘Russian diplomacy’
https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/321032-syria-russian-diplomacy-terrorism/
“Steady as she goes: Russia continues to pursue a carefully calibrated policy of force and diplomacy in Syria. Damascus invited Moscow to enter the conflict to preserve the state and fight terrorism. Washington and its allies remain clueless.
CrossTalking with Mohammad Marandi, Gregg Roman and Catherine Shakdam.”
Trust Trev’ of the Herald to be all invigorated over this piece of Who.Gives.A.Fuck ? Egomaniac crooks wanking one another. Still, some relief for Richie…..
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11542494