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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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 ...
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, ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble.Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhire’s 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.My World War I Poem Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging. Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihan’s gorgeous and sad debut Kōhine, Noelle McCarthy’s memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend Ngāhuia te ...
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, Thursday 25 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
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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. ...
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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 ...
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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.