According to Chris Luxon, forestry is the only business sector that has made profits while imposing massive costs, in the form of environmental damage, on the community.
He really does need to get out more. A significant proportion of those in the dairy industry have operated that way for decades.
and lets not forget the airline industry and its emmissions, an industry Luxon keeps telling us he was a ceo in – what emmissions reductions did he achieve. Tourism is an extremely environmentally damaging industry on many levels.
Air New Zealand has been flirting with biofuels since about 2008. They seem to buy a bit of the stuff but it is still less than 1% of the fuel they use I believe.
I wonder if, after the Poll yesterday where ACT is currently a fair distance above 5% but the Green Party are flirting with the threshold, there will be a flip-flop in attitude by supporters on both the left and right of politics?
I suspect that 10 years ago ACT supporters would have tended to be in favour of the coat-tail rule and Green Party members would have leaned against it.
It's hardly strong evidence but in 2014 there was this comment here, quoting the Green Party on Facebook
"“Do you want to see political parties coat-tailing into Parliament? Neither do we.
We’ve been championing honest politics in New Zealand for years, that’s why we’ll implement all of the MMP review recommendations, including scrapping the coat-tailing rule.”
I suspect that today the Green enthusiasts, if they fear that they could dip below 5% may be coming to think that the coat-tail rule is a good one but the ACT fans may not care as much about it as they did.
Not all of them of course. Only the true pragmatists who believe the winning is the only thing that matters.
The Greens will get back in on about what they had last time.
The real ones to track are NZFirst who are on track for back.
It takes so little airtime for Winston to translate into poll share, whereas Shaw gets plenty of airtime and finds it very hard to improve his poll share.
I don't feel guilty in any way for the fact that it was unlinked. That will have to be on Marty's conscience. I am certainly not going to try and expand it as that would require signing up with Facebook. That, like joining a Political Party, is something that I am never going to do. There is no spoon long enough to get me to sup with such groups.
It was just an illustration of the view. There were probably comments at the time from ACT enthusiasts about what a great idea it was to have coat-tailing. I am curious to see whether the views alter.
fortunately we have this thing called the internet. I'm sure if you put some effort in you can find the GP position on coat tailing, then and more recently. My guess is that the GP position in 2014 included lowering the threshold.
I'm not too sure that would be acceptable as a reply to someone on this site if I were to quote an unreferenced statement about something silly a Labour MP perhaps might have said.
Do you think that a request to me by a Moderator for a link can be answered by the response "Look it up yourself"?
[one month ban for trolling (twice the last ban). Next time, put up a proper reference, at the start, for your argument. Also know that we are handing out long bans until well after the election to keep the space clear for robust debate as the election period progresses – weka]
Actually I couldn't stay here due to flooding and we were all sent home. Home computer doesn't log me in. I provided a couple of examples and the commenters names but as to why they were banned best to ask the moderator. Another one bites the dust.
[I’m sorry to hear that you were flooded (at work?).
I have given you more than enough opportunity to provide a simple explanation rather than twisting facts and rewriting TS moderation history. You didn’t even make an attempt, which would have incurred you only a one-week ban for wasting Moderator time. It shows that you are lazy, disingenuous, and that your comments cannot be taken in good faith. This confirms your pattern behaviour of commenting here.
I've been thinking about marty lately too. I didn't know he had health issues, my memory was he left TS because he was sick of aspects of the commentariat. But it has been a number of years.
This is an old tune, played before every election since 1999. Very tedious, and always wrong.
This is the 9th election for the Greens under MMP (in 1996 they were part of the Alliance). In all 8 previous elections, they have been above the 5% threshold … despite the wishful thinking on the Right masquerading as "analysis".
Whereas ACT, for 15 years (2005-2020) was entirely dependent on the National party for its existence.
(There is a separate and reasonable debate to have about coat-tails and thresholds, but it sure as hell isn't about saving the Greens. The voters save them, every time).
PS The most recent MMP review actually recommended lowering the threshold as a trade-off on the coat-tail rule. That fact must have slipped Alwyn's mind … as it simply destroys his argument.
If the argument was made by party supporters for a party that was hovering near the 5% figure but looked quite safe with a 3% threshold it would actually support, rather than destroy, my hypothesis.
You don't supply a link. Who was it that wanted to lower the cutoff? Was it by any chance a party then polling near to 5%?
The last review was over 10 years ago! Natzos/ACT/NZ1 did not want to go there in terms of revising the threshold from 5% to 4% as recommended by the Electoral Commission.
when polls are taken over such a small number of people(less than 1/4 of a percent of the population) ,the diff between act and greens is very very small. historically act is only above 5% when the nats are close to going under. majority of act voters arent committed to act, but will jump back to nat, very flakey base, no surprises there. greens have a far more stable and committed base, AND ,all parties are spruiking their green credentials(real,or imagined). hah!
Accidentally I watched Kerre Woodham interview our PM Chris Hipkins. Kerre tried really hard to "gotcha" Chris but to my eyes he was brilliant. Answered concisely and credibly. Kerre seemed a bit exasperated by the end as he was so hugely different from the shambles by Luxon.
Starts after 4 minutes.
He scores highly on self-awareness, even self-deprecation. It's painful to watch politicians who don't have it (Luxon is the latest example, and one of the worst, trying to be relatable and failing dismally).
Hipkins is not an Ardern and won't get mobbed by fans, but he knows it, and doesn't project that "Office boss trying way too hard to be cool" vibe.
The smart concise answers from the PM were great especially for a politician. Think back to Luxon's ability to confuse the issue, contradict himself then have to explain what he really meant.
Which of those two would make a good PM? Mmmmmmm…
(Actually one would hope that Luxon stays on as the LOTO.)
properly cool people dont have to try. kief, jack etc.its painful/funny to watch tryhards try to get down .seymour KNOWS he;s a dork, and doesnt hide it. luxon is so fake , even he doesnt know the man in the mirror.
"The pair eventually separated, but Rajesh continued to live in a room in the house."
This isn't the test for whether the marital bond has severed. If the relationship has ended, as it seems MSD and the court has accepted, continuing to live under the same roof does not mean that two people remain "married" for benefit purposes.
If this is the factual situation MSD believes has given rise to the offending, then the decision is wrong. Two people whose relationship has ended cannot be regarded as still together just because they live under the same roof. But MSD do this all the time.
Business as usual down at MSD, wrongly criminalising receipt of a benefit, setting people up for a lifetime of debt they'll never repay.
I suggest you don't rely on a Stuff article for the facts in any legal case. They and many other media do not understand the law, and often compound their ignorance by not even trying to. Read the court documents before making a decision on what was decided and why, and what legal test was used by the court.
Don't be childish. I said no such thing. I simply pointed out that relying on media to provide accurate advice on court cases/legal decisions was unwise, and that if they want to understand what was decided and why they should read the relevant court documents. I did not volunteer to search for them.
It's entirely childish to claim that people have routine access to court documents.
They don't.
You might want to read and consider the process that you’re required to go through to apply to have the information (no guarantee you’ll get it) – and certainly not in a timely fashion.
Repeating for the apparently hard of understanding.
There is *no* online access to these routine court documents available to the ordinary public.
If you want to claim that there is – you need to provide some evidence.
The link (which you don't seem to have even opened, let alone read) was to the explanation of how you can (attempt) to access this information. Note, there is no guarantee that the court will approve your access, and certainly no guarantee that the information will be provided in a timely manner.
Turning this around. Since you don't have the court documents, either – you have no way of knowing that the media haven't reported it accurately.
https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/judgments has decisions by the High Court (since 2003), Court of Appeal (since 2005) and the Supreme Court (all). Decisions are published quickly – the most recent High Court decision is 3 March 2023.
Just searched. No results under the name of the participants.
Unsurprising. The delay in the publication of judgements at the District Court level has been an ongoing issue in the court system. As you comment, delays of months are the rule, not the exception.
And, in any case, this would only provide access to the judgement – not to the "court documents" which is the high bar that Nordy apparently requires for informed comment.
If I read this correctly, they deny being a couple from 2001/2003 through to 2017.
However…
[11] Another incident was witnessed by Yogita Dhani, who is the wife of Rajesh Dhani. In her statement she recalls an incident which occurred on 25 April 2007. She and her husband had invited family members for dinner, including S and his family.
It's worth scrolling down to see the breakdown by age and gender. Men 50+ (that's me!) are the most right-wing, and of course also the dominant voices in talkback, commentary and general angry cloud-shouting. That's why it's always a mistake to confuse the "media reckons" with real public opinion.
Not much difference in the major parties to the Curia poll, which dropped yesterday.
But a big difference in the 'wasted vote' totals (5% rather than nearly 15%).
The headline seems to ignore that these figures would almost certainly result in a left-coalition government – with TPM either in coalition, or giving confidence and supply on the cross-benches (yes, of course there are different variations in support possible – just giving a broad outline, here).
Government Confidence Rating of 109.5 for men 18 – 49.
Can understand older men having a confidence rating of 70, there's plenty of bitter and twisted old fukas out there, especially in the country, but a majority of younger men thinking the government was on the right track came as a surprise.
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The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
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 ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
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“Three Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.” ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallace’s debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that he’s always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe it’s something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. She’s ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whānau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says ‘outlook not great’ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: What’s KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertson’s valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 24 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules – and costs – that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didn’t know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race he’d dreamed ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. It’s not as if we haven’t done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didn’t say: “Oh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.” No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarctica’s glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
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While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
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The solo show from Ana Scotney is both sprawling and intimate, and a must-see, writes Mad Chapman. In the opening moments of Scattergun: After the Death of Rūaumoko, writer and performer Ana Scotney lays out the groundwork, literally. Silently moving around the square stage, Scotney is not so much dancing ...
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Responding to the Government’s announcement of changes to resource management laws, Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, said: “These changes are a step in the right direction in terms of removing ideological and unworkable ...
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We repeat our call for criminal justice policy to be based on evidence, something the three strikes regime neglects to recognise – with no evidence that it either reduces crime or assists with rehabilitation. ...
According to Chris Luxon, forestry is the only business sector that has made profits while imposing massive costs, in the form of environmental damage, on the community.
He really does need to get out more. A significant proportion of those in the dairy industry have operated that way for decades.
and lets not forget the airline industry and its emmissions, an industry Luxon keeps telling us he was a ceo in – what emmissions reductions did he achieve. Tourism is an extremely environmentally damaging industry on many levels.
Air New Zealand has been flirting with biofuels since about 2008. They seem to buy a bit of the stuff but it is still less than 1% of the fuel they use I believe.
It would be great for Labour to have any identifiable economic development policy at all, other than "recover", from whatever fate throws next.
Agree totally.
I wonder if, after the Poll yesterday where ACT is currently a fair distance above 5% but the Green Party are flirting with the threshold, there will be a flip-flop in attitude by supporters on both the left and right of politics?
I suspect that 10 years ago ACT supporters would have tended to be in favour of the coat-tail rule and Green Party members would have leaned against it.
It's hardly strong evidence but in 2014 there was this comment here, quoting the Green Party on Facebook
"“Do you want to see political parties coat-tailing into Parliament? Neither do we.
We’ve been championing honest politics in New Zealand for years, that’s why we’ll implement all of the MMP review recommendations, including scrapping the coat-tailing rule.”
.https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-13062014/#comment-830320
I suspect that today the Green enthusiasts, if they fear that they could dip below 5% may be coming to think that the coat-tail rule is a good one but the ACT fans may not care as much about it as they did.
Not all of them of course. Only the true pragmatists who believe the winning is the only thing that matters.
The Greens will get back in on about what they had last time.
The real ones to track are NZFirst who are on track for back.
It takes so little airtime for Winston to translate into poll share, whereas Shaw gets plenty of airtime and finds it very hard to improve his poll share.
The pressure is all on the Greens now.
lol 2014, and an unlinked comment from marty, so we can't see the full context. Scraping the bottom of the barrel there alwyn.
I don't feel guilty in any way for the fact that it was unlinked. That will have to be on Marty's conscience. I am certainly not going to try and expand it as that would require signing up with Facebook. That, like joining a Political Party, is something that I am never going to do. There is no spoon long enough to get me to sup with such groups.
It was just an illustration of the view. There were probably comments at the time from ACT enthusiasts about what a great idea it was to have coat-tailing. I am curious to see whether the views alter.
fortunately we have this thing called the internet. I'm sure if you put some effort in you can find the GP position on coat tailing, then and more recently. My guess is that the GP position in 2014 included lowering the threshold.
Hmmm.
I'm not too sure that would be acceptable as a reply to someone on this site if I were to quote an unreferenced statement about something silly a Labour MP perhaps might have said.
Do you think that a request to me by a Moderator for a link can be answered by the response "Look it up yourself"?
[one month ban for trolling (twice the last ban). Next time, put up a proper reference, at the start, for your argument. Also know that we are handing out long bans until well after the election to keep the space clear for robust debate as the election period progresses – weka]
mod note.
?????????????? Oh dear!
[Long time not seen, Jimmy.
Since you never complied with your Mod note (https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-10-02-2023/#comment-1935070) I assume you’re taking the one-year ban. It’s fine with me – Incognito]
Mod note
Actually I couldn't stay here due to flooding and we were all sent home. Home computer doesn't log me in. I provided a couple of examples and the commenters names but as to why they were banned best to ask the moderator. Another one bites the dust.
[I’m sorry to hear that you were flooded (at work?).
I have given you more than enough opportunity to provide a simple explanation rather than twisting facts and rewriting TS moderation history. You didn’t even make an attempt, which would have incurred you only a one-week ban for wasting Moderator time. It shows that you are lazy, disingenuous, and that your comments cannot be taken in good faith. This confirms your pattern behaviour of commenting here.
Take a year away from this forum – Incognito]
Mod note
Off topic, but does anyone know how @martymars is doing healthwise?
(Haven't noticed him posting for a while now)
Looks like marty mars' last comment was over three years ago (17 November 2019) – maybe the 'tone' of TS moderation wasn't to his liking?
I (still) like the way weka sometimes moderates re bans, i.e. short bans at first, getting progressively longer if a commenter can't take a hint.
a moderation practice that's been used by a number of mods here over the years 👍
I also prefer to give warnings, but with regulars who've been modded a lot in the past, I don't feel the need to waste my time now.
I've been thinking about marty lately too. I didn't know he had health issues, my memory was he left TS because he was sick of aspects of the commentariat. But it has been a number of years.
This is an old tune, played before every election since 1999. Very tedious, and always wrong.
This is the 9th election for the Greens under MMP (in 1996 they were part of the Alliance). In all 8 previous elections, they have been above the 5% threshold … despite the wishful thinking on the Right masquerading as "analysis".
Whereas ACT, for 15 years (2005-2020) was entirely dependent on the National party for its existence.
(There is a separate and reasonable debate to have about coat-tails and thresholds, but it sure as hell isn't about saving the Greens. The voters save them, every time).
PS The most recent MMP review actually recommended lowering the threshold as a trade-off on the coat-tail rule. That fact must have slipped Alwyn's mind … as it simply destroys his argument.
If the argument was made by party supporters for a party that was hovering near the 5% figure but looked quite safe with a 3% threshold it would actually support, rather than destroy, my hypothesis.
You don't supply a link. Who was it that wanted to lower the cutoff? Was it by any chance a party then polling near to 5%?
It was the independent review. This was very widely covered in the media at the time, so any "link" would take one second to Google.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300310977/electoral-commission-urges-parliament-to-lower-5-per-cent-party-vote-threshold-and-abolish-coattailing–again
Parties naturally make a case for their own interests. Facts don't change though: the Greens have always been above 5%.
The last review was over 10 years ago! Natzos/ACT/NZ1 did not want to go there in terms of revising the threshold from 5% to 4% as recommended by the Electoral Commission.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/113111/drop-threshold-from-5-percent-to-4-percent-mmp-review
when polls are taken over such a small number of people(less than 1/4 of a percent of the population) ,the diff between act and greens is very very small. historically act is only above 5% when the nats are close to going under. majority of act voters arent committed to act, but will jump back to nat, very flakey base, no surprises there. greens have a far more stable and committed base, AND ,all parties are spruiking their green credentials(real,or imagined). hah!
Accidentally I watched Kerre Woodham interview our PM Chris Hipkins. Kerre tried really hard to "gotcha" Chris but to my eyes he was brilliant. Answered concisely and credibly. Kerre seemed a bit exasperated by the end as he was so hugely different from the shambles by Luxon.
Starts after 4 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBguhtMrh5s
Woodham is incredibly thick – perfect for talkback radio – so no surprises there.
yes, for yrs she traded on her looks, not talent. like duplicious-alien and hawksby, the cupboard is bare.
I'm beginning to like Hipkins despite all my instincts against it.
Fronts up with a lei and a dance at Polyfest. Likeable for a reptile.
He scores highly on self-awareness, even self-deprecation. It's painful to watch politicians who don't have it (Luxon is the latest example, and one of the worst, trying to be relatable and failing dismally).
Hipkins is not an Ardern and won't get mobbed by fans, but he knows it, and doesn't project that "Office boss trying way too hard to be cool" vibe.
The smart concise answers from the PM were great especially for a politician. Think back to Luxon's ability to confuse the issue, contradict himself then have to explain what he really meant.
Which of those two would make a good PM? Mmmmmmm…
(Actually one would hope that Luxon stays on as the LOTO.)
properly cool people dont have to try. kief, jack etc.its painful/funny to watch tryhards try to get down .seymour KNOWS he;s a dork, and doesnt hide it. luxon is so fake , even he doesnt know the man in the mirror.
Hipkins was excellent here. Woodham's job is easy: Gish Gallop, that's all. Hipkins quashed/squashed each "point" Woodham floated.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300827103/former-couple-sentenced-for-benefit-fraud-receiving-600k-in-taxpayer-money
"The pair eventually separated, but Rajesh continued to live in a room in the house."
This isn't the test for whether the marital bond has severed. If the relationship has ended, as it seems MSD and the court has accepted, continuing to live under the same roof does not mean that two people remain "married" for benefit purposes.
If this is the factual situation MSD believes has given rise to the offending, then the decision is wrong. Two people whose relationship has ended cannot be regarded as still together just because they live under the same roof. But MSD do this all the time.
Business as usual down at MSD, wrongly criminalising receipt of a benefit, setting people up for a lifetime of debt they'll never repay.
I suggest you don't rely on a Stuff article for the facts in any legal case. They and many other media do not understand the law, and often compound their ignorance by not even trying to. Read the court documents before making a decision on what was decided and why, and what legal test was used by the court.
That's a test that's almost impossible to achieve.
The legal documents (court records) are not easily available, and may, indeed, be sealed.
Unless you know of some simple and transparent way to access this information….which has passed me by.
Perhaps you could link to the legal information which is available in this case.
I'm happy for you to do your own homework.
A clear admission that there is no easy access to this information.
Therefore your recommendation was entirely pointless.
Touche.
Don't be childish. I said no such thing. I simply pointed out that relying on media to provide accurate advice on court cases/legal decisions was unwise, and that if they want to understand what was decided and why they should read the relevant court documents. I did not volunteer to search for them.
It's entirely childish to claim that people have routine access to court documents.
They don't.
You might want to read and consider the process that you’re required to go through to apply to have the information (no guarantee you’ll get it) – and certainly not in a timely fashion.
https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/going-to-court/media/finding-out-about-a-case/
It's good to see you have learnt how to find the information you might want. It wasn't that hard was it.
Repeating for the apparently hard of understanding.
There is *no* online access to these routine court documents available to the ordinary public.
If you want to claim that there is – you need to provide some evidence.
The link (which you don't seem to have even opened, let alone read) was to the explanation of how you can (attempt) to access this information. Note, there is no guarantee that the court will approve your access, and certainly no guarantee that the information will be provided in a timely manner.
Turning this around. Since you don't have the court documents, either – you have no way of knowing that the media haven't reported it accurately.
Hoist by your own petard.
https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/judgments has decisions by the High Court (since 2003), Court of Appeal (since 2005) and the Supreme Court (all). Decisions are published quickly – the most recent High Court decision is 3 March 2023.
District Court decisions are here: https://www.districtcourts.govt.nz/search/SearchForm
https://www.districtcourts.govt.nz/all-judgments/ministry-of-social-development-v-dodunski-2022-nzdc-9060/ is a decision from May 2022 that was published in January 2023, suggesting it could be some time before this one is published, but I think there's a reasonable chance it will be published eventually.
Just searched. No results under the name of the participants.
Unsurprising. The delay in the publication of judgements at the District Court level has been an ongoing issue in the court system. As you comment, delays of months are the rule, not the exception.
And, in any case, this would only provide access to the judgement – not to the "court documents" which is the high bar that Nordy apparently requires for informed comment.
Fair point, can't see any other supporting documents being uploaded/provided, just the judgments themselves.
If I read this correctly, they deny being a couple from 2001/2003 through to 2017.
However…
[11] Another incident was witnessed by Yogita Dhani, who is the wife of Rajesh Dhani. In her statement she recalls an incident which occurred on 25 April 2007. She and her husband had invited family members for dinner, including S and his family.
https://www.lawyerservices.in/The-Queen-Versus-Abhinesh-Sharma-2009-02-19
Usual caveat (it's Roy Morgan) but today's latest poll is in line with other recent polls … Hipkins gains, Luxon stalls:
https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9202-nz-national-voting-intention-february-2023
It's worth scrolling down to see the breakdown by age and gender. Men 50+ (that's me!) are the most right-wing, and of course also the dominant voices in talkback, commentary and general angry cloud-shouting. That's why it's always a mistake to confuse the "media reckons" with real public opinion.
Fortunately they are outvoted by the rest of us.
Not much difference in the major parties to the Curia poll, which dropped yesterday.
But a big difference in the 'wasted vote' totals (5% rather than nearly 15%).
The headline seems to ignore that these figures would almost certainly result in a left-coalition government – with TPM either in coalition, or giving confidence and supply on the cross-benches (yes, of course there are different variations in support possible – just giving a broad outline, here).
And has NZF as well outside the 5% threshold.
great comment.
Well this surprised me.
Government Confidence Rating of 109.5 for men 18 – 49.
Can understand older men having a confidence rating of 70, there's plenty of bitter and twisted old fukas out there, especially in the country, but a majority of younger men thinking the government was on the right track came as a surprise.
There might be hope yet.