All the protests in the world won't stop this war. Russia will fight to end, and the US will fight to the last Ukranian. It would make more sense to protest against the supply of weapons to the Ukrainians, in the hope of bringing about an early Ukrainian surrender.
It's going to be interesting when Russia achieves its goals and starts negotiating a ceasefire, won't be too far away.. Peace will not be permitted by the USA.
…..protest against the supply of weapons to the Ukrainians, in the hope of bringing about an early Ukrainian surrender.
Hi Mikesh,
Do you think stopping the flow of Russian and Chinese armaments to the Vietnamese would have stopped the US invader in Vietnam?
Stopping the flow of weapons to Ukraine won't stop this war, it will only provide a clear field of fire to one side. The Russian aggressor.
Richard Nixon campaigned for the US Presidency on the same stop the war platform as yours.
However Nixon's idea for stopping the war, (same as your idea), was through forcing a surrender. On taking office Nixon, to force the surrender he wanted (and end the war), Nixon began the most intensive bombing campaign of the war.
Ukraine will not surrender, they cannot afford to.
Already the Putin regime is recruiting the forces responsible for overseeing the genocide in Syria for the occupation of Ukraine. Ukraine knows the experience of the Syrian people, is what awaits them under Russian occupation. You only have to witness what Russia's ally the Assad regime behaves or how Russia itself behaved in Syria and Chechnya, to know what awaits the people of Ukraine under Russian occupation.
Even the total subjugation of Ukraine by Russia wouldn't stop this war. This war won't stop until Russia has achieved its full war aims. Which are the denazification of Ukraine, (ie Russia's code word for regime change in Ukraine).
And the seizure of the whole of the Northern Black Sea Coast of Ukraine as a corridor to the invasion and occupation of Moldova. And for Russian Federation naval supremacy and domination of the Black Sea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in March that he will approve up to 16,000 fighters from the Middle East to deploy in Ukraine’s Donbas region to support Russian-backed rebel groups.
If you’ve noticed an increase of female violent crime, it’s not women doing this but trans identified males (trans women, or men pretending to be women). Some MSM will include in their report that the offender is male, some like this one don’t.
“Our Fugitive Apprehension Team, other Detectives and assets are actively looking for this homicide suspect who we believe is armed and dangerous,” said Oakland Sheriff Michael Bouchard. “Please contact 911 if you see her or know of her whereabouts.”
Ms Taverner has been described as being a white female with purple hair, is 5-ft-2 inches tall, and of a thing build weighing about 115lbs.
Taverner is trans. This reporting is dangerous, especially for women. Humans intuitively recognise male from female most of the time. If Taverner dresses typically male they will look male. If they dress typically female then people afraid of or confused by gender ideology rules may find it harder to act appropriately because the rules that TW must be seen and treated as literal women at all times interrupts our instinctive responses atriums safety and safeguarding.
People need to know what actual sex the dangerous offender is in their area.
I see zero reason for this degree of inaccuracy in reporting a situation like this.
I think this is not great for trans women either who just want to get on with their lives. The ideological push is going to backlash and that’s unfair on TW and women alike.
"I see zero reason for this degree of inaccuracy in reporting a situation like this."
I see zero reason for this degree of inaccuracy in reporting.
As you mentioned, many transwomen don't support this either, and understand the impact it has on women. Unfortunately, anyone speaking against inclusive reporting guidelines are ignored.
The cowardly and captured NZ Herald referred to Toko Shane (Ashley) Winter as a woman and showered him with female pronouns all through his trial, conviction and sentencing for the sadistic torture and murder of a young woman. Winter is serving his sentence in Paremoremo where he belongs. His appeal against his conviction and sentencing has just been denied. To add insult to injury, The Herald left the name of his victim off the list of femicides in their recent article.
A paedophile has been jailed for 10 years after using social media to groom children.
Rachel Fenton, who police said was known as Richard Fenton when arrested and charged, pleaded guilty to 21 child sexual abuse offences and a drug offence and was sent to a male prison.
The Guardian understands Fenton was living as a man when arrested in November 2020 and was later charged under that name.
But during the sentencing hearing on Monday, Manchester Minshull Street crown court heard Fenton had changed their name and was in the process of transitioning to become a woman.
Regard our cute replica placentas! Flaunting our blood tie without needing to admit it? And why do you mutter about Georgia O'Keefe, who's that? Anyway, how very dare you question our ineffable bravery – who do you think you are, our mothers?
So… there has been a successful example dealing with the safety of incarcerated transwomen (and other vulnerable males) that has been going since 2014, which doesn't require the women's prison estate to accommodate.
Who'd have thought such a solution was possible?
(Apart from those that suggested it, that is.)
At the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail, a separate wing exists for gay, bisexual, and transgender inmates. Since its creation, the unit has gained a reputation as one of the safer, community-oriented units.
But getting in isn't easy. A series of questions, past incarcerations, arrest records, and resources are utilized to determine whether an inmate can be classified for this special unit. If one doesn't pass, it's back to the general population.
The unit, known as the K6G, is home to approximately 360 GBT inmates. It was established in 1985 after the ACLU filed a lawsuit urging for the protection and prevention of assault against LGBT inmates.
Moral panic over kids doing ram-raids mounts – meanwhile adults engaged in stealing much more money just as brazenly via wage subsidy fraud goes almost unnoticed.
These are adults, so we can't blame their parents; they will be upstanding members of the community so we cannot point at material deprivation and childhood abuse. Their criminality seems to be entirely their own.
But nobody is saying "where are the police?" or demanding that we "get tough on business". Why am I not seeing the shouty headlines about the disgraceful state of business ethics?
Or maybe I am confused and this is just entirely normal and expected – and the way things have always worked. In which case, these ram-raiding kids are just expressing our real core 'values' and should be praised for such an exquisite understanding of them.
2 wrongs do not make one right. How would you feel if you invested 20 years of your life working 7 days 12 hr weeks and some snotty kid destroy's it all for a thrill? That's all good? No, not at all. Solution: Why not get the army involved with stay in camps for 6 to 8 months? Discipline, contributing and getting to be part of a bigger society has to be thought. To just neglect this is like believing that a wild wolf will be one day your cuddly buddy.
And just for the record, I am certainly – with exclamation mark – for the prosecution of those who stole a good porting of 16 billion dollars from the NZ Public. If only … same softly softly now courage, no ethics, no honesty approach. Go figure.
Agree with everything you say – and that's not in conflict with my original comment. I was pointing out the inconsistent ideological and media treatment of two different types of criminality – based on the social class and ethnicity of those committing the offences.
Media is just going for sound bites. They are not trustworthy, I equate them to the same profession as car sales people. Anybody thinking they are, is very much mistaken. I don't even watch the news anymore. The language pattern used is sometimes cringeworthy, peppered with political correctness and so highly manipulative. Perhaps we can exclude some sport and the weather forecast, maybe 🙂
I have family members in the Defence Force, that have had experience at being the trainers for LSVs (Limited Service Volunteers). The inclusion of young people redirected from the Justice System, or the benefits system impacts on those who are looking for an idea of what army life is like, and doesn't often produced the desired results of change from strict discipline and routines.
I agree that both issues can and should be addressed.
I think army discipline can work for some, but for many, it doesn't address the wider issues. They need specific programmes that address any addictions, trauma, environment and understanding of opportunities available and lost due to behaviour.
But there is a marked difference between just doing something and doing something effective. Unfortunately we often aim for the former without taking time for consideration.
I think you need a specialised unit for youth involving people from all types of disciplines. Therapists, skills training, and people finding opportunities or jobs for when they leave. Unfortunately, unless there is some way to give them a way out of their current life when they exit they programme, they will often go back to their habitual ways when they return. Jim Moriarty was involved in a programme years ago, and I attended one of the graduation events, as a relative was involved with sending students there from a high school. It was a six-week residential, and those completing the programme were energised, engaged individuals. I recall the talk afterwards being about how Jim Moriarty tried really hard to have a forward path for them all, because it became so much harder for his students when they returned home. I can't recall the name of the programme, sorry. (Just had a look, and it seems that he was able to get funding for a permanent programme – which was closed down in 2011 after allegations of sexual abuse, and failures of safeguarding. It's a problem with no simple solutions. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/110729832/news-drama-school-failed-to-keep-troubled-kids-safe-js-).
I'm just against utilising existing programmes set up for young people actually interesting in joining the Defence Force as a pseudo punishment for them. The trainer/supervisor said the inclusion of such people created an off putting environment for those that did want to be there. They also had to deal with outsiders being called in by the young offenders, deliveries of drugs, assault and concealed weapons. They preferred working with people who wanted to be in the army, not act as de-facto prison or rehabilitation officers. They are not trained to do this either.
That sounds like a good program, a wrap around set up so to speak. It is almost impossible to redirect young people if they go back where the started from creating the very reason they are there in the first place.
Perhaps a kind of boarding school might be the answer. It would also take care of nutritional aspects too? Maybe?
I attended a graduation late 1990's early 2000's when he was still trying to get funding, course by course. IIRC, he deliberately tried to employ graduates whenever he could in order to give them gainful employment away from their home environment.
One very powerful part of the presentation, was when participants stood up to read letters of personal histories. For various easily comprehended reasons, the history of one was read by another. I remember vividly the delivery of one history read by a tall, imposing young man. It told of the gambling addiction of the father, who used to hold poker games at his house attended by a regular crew. Starting from the age of five, this young girl was added to the stakes when her father ran out of money. This sexual abuse by strangers continued for years.
These programmes need the expertise and employment of very competent safeguarding and health and safety officers. And they need to be given authority to challenge and conduct investigations by the book. I think that's an improvement that could be made to ensure that programmes that are succeeding in one major outcome, are not let down by failure of basic, necessary housekeeping structures.
Short memories and the ubiquitous success of social media look like making Ferdinand Marcos the 2nd new President of the Phillipines.
Campaigned on tackling poverty and corruption!Democracy
From CBS…'
Manila — Millions of voters headed to the polls in the Philippines Monday, propelling the namesake and son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos to an early lead in his bid to bring his family back to the top of the country's political hierarchy. Amnesty International estimates that during the elder Marcos' two-decade reign — about half of which the nation spent under Marial Law — some 70,000 people were jailed, 34,000 tortured, and more than 3,000 killed.
"What the Marcoses have done is basically propagate an alternative history of the Martial Law period as a period of peace, progress, and prosperity," Sheila Coronel, a veteran Philippine journalist and professor at the Columbia School of Journalism, told CBS News. '
It's more to do with population demographics & the way old mate Marcos used SM.
The Philippines has a very young population 18- 39yrs makes around 40-45% of the total population (from memory) & are very social media savvy compared to the cohort of older voters in the Philippines.
Marcos delivered his election pitch around SM by recasting the legacy of the Marcos Family in particular his Dad to these younger voters. As the younger voters never lived under the Macros Regime & nor understand what the family did to the country.
As a result, he's been able to manipulate this cohort of younger voters to vote for him. As he only needs around 30-35% of the Young vote & the same with the older voters to win.
Arkie, this is very noble as a concept. But you do realise that NZ supermarkets are all Franchised? This means that the parent company demands every higher "fees" to satisfy their shareholders and this keeps the profit line always at the same % year in year out for the person running the business. There is, in other words a ceiling to how much these proprietor can earn. Of cause no one will talk about that.
If anyone needs to be held to task than it is the body corporate and also the distribution chain for local produce and meat. I mean we are paying overseas pricing but we don't get overseas wages. Do we?
My feeling is that this is the reason the government and commerce commission has not acted. The ones to offend are too large to handle.
Incorrect. Countdowns’ are wholly owned by Woolworths NZ.
While the other brands have majority franchised stores there also remain some non-franchised supermarkets under those brands.
The duopoly uses its buyer power to drive prices down at the farmgate and thereby ensure excessive profits, that as the Commerce Commission noted exceed $1 million a day.
Action is required and if signing a petition can help provide the impetus then it’s an easy win.
Thats what is reported….'New Zealand supermarkets are comprised of three main chains, Countdown (~150 stores), New World Market (~140 stores), and Pak'nSave (~60 stores), along with several small chains. The five largest supermarketsin New Zealand are run by two companies, Foodstuffs, and Woolworths NZ.
I find it hard to believe…that's an ave of around $1million profit per store=$19,000 odd per week.(350 stores)
Respect to who. The Red Army soldiers who invaded Poland during Stalin's and his Austrian mate's effort to divvy up the country? Or the Red Army soldiers who liberated Poland so it could spend 42 years as Soviet satellite state?
Or during & after the Warsaw Uprising was quite telling at how the Soviets conducted themselves. Then Post war with the returning Polish expats who serve with the British/ Commonwealth Forces who were treated like a 5th Columnists by the Soviets and the Polish Communist Party.
On 17 September 1939, the Red Army broke the 1932 Soviet–Polish Non-Aggression Pact and invaded Poland. The Red Army returned on January 17 1945 to occupy Poland.
This is how Central Eastern Europe remembers 1945.
I just like to make the point that all wars are proxy fights for those in power and with money. None of the wars are for "democracy" or "decency" or "morality" or "for a better future" etc…. We are not learning seemingly, still haven't figured it out.
The only back the Russia Federation has been breaking, is the back of the Syrian opposition, on behalf of Assad fascism, and the Russian Federation’s own geo-political imperial interests.
Save The Date: Auckland Anti-War March. June 5th, 2022. 12pm.
In any weather, join this march from Aotea Sq to Auckland Domain.
March for peace and self-determination for the Ukrainian people, against war and authoritarian regimes!
Organised by the Auckland Ukrainian community.
The march is to start with any weather at Aotea Sq. 12:00 noon, and go to the War Memorial Museum at Auckland Domain, with 40 – 45 minutes final meeting by the Museum
Pataua4life, even if that supremely unreliable source is 100% correct, it does not diminish the gargantuan sacrifice of Soviet peoples in WW2 (including Ukrainians).
Seems the master race who are the 'collective West' have found new Untermenschen.
WM – I don't disagree that the Eastern Europe bore the brunt of the Nazi aggression and the Russian in particular did the most to push back the invaders which makes it all the more ironic that now the Russian are behaving like the Nazi invaders.
Even more ironic when Hitler invaded Russia to defeat the Bolshevik's. Now Putin uses the exact same excuse Hitler did using the exact same language.
Putin is a Nazi in a suit not a uniform. that is the only difference. I guess given Putin background we should call him Himmler.
it is time for the would be policy wonks and other intaleksalls to get their collective arses into gear and start reading their weekly giveaways and provincial tabloids which contain daily opinion pieces and editorials by right wing operatives like clare trevatt, mathew hooten and cake hoaxby. their utterances are a virtual torrent and need countering cogently and forcefully. get to work and flog them for free.
In Syria the Assad regime is under attack from various outside forces, Hezbolla, ISIS probably, and of course Uncle Sam has his grubby mitts in there as well. Russia has been fighting wars in Chechnyna at various times for centuries. The problem with Chechnya is that it represents a main gateway to Russia, and one which the Ottomans would have had to pass through if they were to invade Russia. In Putin's time Chechnya was infiltrated by ISIS terrorists, – Chechnyans are Muslims – a circumstance which Putin understandably felt he had to react to.
I don't think the Russians would want to take over Moldova, though the latter should probably maintain a neutral stance.
As for Nixon. He manged to get himself forced out of office, I seem to recall.
The Spanish Civil War was to Nazi Germany, what the Syrian revolution is to Russia.
The German Nazi invasion was to Poland , what the Russian Federation invasion is to Ukraine.
The first was ignored by the world, the Second became the ground zero for world war.
You said so yourself Mikesh. Russia will not stop this war.
Russia will not stop this war unless they are stopped by one of two things, either by a broad front international anti-war peace movement, spanning both sides, or by something much worse.
On seeing Mark Mitchell a couple of times recently, I was disappointed he didn't get to be Leader of the Opposition. Previously he'd come across as a bit like a rock on the foreshore but without the personality of it. The latest sightings have confirmed that.
He might be a most charming, quick-witted and effervescent character. If so I congratulate him on his skills of disguise.
Little point gaining the whole of the Kharkiv oblast when you are about to lose the whole of the Donbass. Ukraine better watch its' over-extended front line.
It's pretty weird when the AA, Chamber of Commerce, Greater Auckland, the Helen Clark Foundation and plenty of others all supporting a tax every time you take the car into town (at peak times).
And that will come in right after the half price public transport goes back to fullprice?
Poor worker of akl who pays for his full commuter costs, sucks to be you in public transport and private transport as you will be fleeced.
Who will not pay for this?
The dudes/and non males of the AA, Chamber of Commerce, Helen Clarke Foundation, Greater Auckland, Ministers and such will all just use their tax payer funded vehicles, with the tax payer funded gasoline/electricity and the tax payer funded congestion charge. Or the big businesses that cause a lot of that pollution who will simply write of this 'congestion charge' on their tax bill as an expense, no worry sir, no not at all the Tax Payer provided and payeth.
Non of them will pay just even one cent of this charge and thus they have no issue with it.
But sure it sounds like something is being done. lol Done again to the working poor.
9 days to find out what will happen to the Public Transport 50% discount. My suspicion is that it will be permanent. It is hugely popular in Auckland.
Also surprising that the $8000 subsidy for electric cars is one fo the most popular policies this government has generated. Electric car sales are now over 20% of all vehicle sales, and sales of utes has plummeted now that the ute tax is in.
The report from the Helen Clark Foundation shows that those coming into the CBD every day are mostly from wealthy suburbs. Less well off are in the southern and western areas, going from job to job and far less within the CBD.
I also suspect you will something in the Budget on the company vehicle and whether it's still attracting any tax benefit at all.
You know what, if i were a rich person who could spend 30.000 + on a car outright, i too would have the 8000 courtesy of the tax payer, i means like, take a family of five (a rich family of course) and that subsidy will get you a brand new car for free!!! What is not to like, maybe we should ask Mike Hoskin and his wife and the kids. I wonder if they all drive a brand new electric car 🙂
Or like the dude that got his car and then sold it on Trade Me for a tidy profit of 8000. Mind, that is just kiwi ingenuity and a right entrepreneural spirit.
So yeah, if you are rich, and NZ has rich people, that is a little give a way that is nice to have.
As for the utes, that is just people now not buying a car, maybe they are too poor for the non existing electrice utes? So they might be saving up for that vehicle when it comes available, i am sure at that stage no 'incentives' will be made available.
The Helen Clark foundation, can you link to that? I used to live in the 'richer' subburbs, simply because the extra in rent was cheaper then the time wasted in the car and the cost of the maintenance. And i have always considered my time to have a cost/price.
And i do hope that that report from the Helen Clarke Foundation is from times before the pandemic when people actually still had to travel to the CBD and surrounding areas.
Not sure how much value a report about travels into town from the outer suburbs make sense when mostly everyone is working from home, has spend several month in lockdown over a 2 year period and had strict 5 km radius rule , and people generally move less then they used too thanks to Covid. That report would be not very realistic unless of course that is the intended outcome to pretend that this will be something 'rich' people will pay cause rich people travel more to the CBD. LOL. If working remote is going to be an ongoing thing in the future – and the occasional lockdown, then the CBD are going to be dead and deserted, and then you will need to find a different way to milk the worker in order to get that 'congestion charge' of the workers.
But this charge will only be paid for by the working public who will have to travel by car to the CBD as they are the only ones that pay the full cost of everything without any chances of write offs. Those that have public transport available will use that if they can afford it. And that is the big question, and fwiw, they could have announced the half price forever with the announcement of the congestion charge. But they did not. I wonder why?
And let me just remind you that National/Act will follow this labour government, do you really believe that any removal of business write offs etc in regards to transport/cost of transport will stand? I might have a bridge in Northland on sale for you, its double laned and has a kauri on either side too.
Congestion charges work in cities like London, where the public transport systems are well established, accessible, affordable and efficient. So the congestion charges mostly fall on those who choose to drive in London, and have the money to afford the car and the parking.
This is not the case in Auckland. The public transport system is neither accessible, affordable or efficient for those in the outer regions. For students travelling into Auckland to study it is abysmal. They have a choice of three-four hours commute into town, at quite a high cost OR trying to find accommodation in town while studying. Adding to the student loan.
The electric car subsidy might have been 'popular' but was a discount for those who could already afford an electric car but couldn't be bothered getting one. A more equitable policy would have been to offer free registration for those with electric vehicles (particularly rewarding the early adopters), which would have been a small recognition, but a just one.
The fuel tax for Aucklanders also affected the wage earners who had to travel distances more. They were more likely to be those who lived where they could afford, and commuted by car because that was the cheapest and most timely (or only option). Those who voted it in most likely travelled short distances, in cars or by transport paid by their employers. Our representatives only representative a particular demographic.
Yup agree getting beyond Stage 4 is no place to live in Auckland without a car. Except North Shore. They have the best PT of anyone in t he country.
You won't have to sorry about congestion charges being a reality until at least 2025 which is when CRL completes. Or if National get in it will be never.
Everyone is subsidised up the wazoo in Auckland on transport – every time you buy a ticket, use a road, ride a bike or buy an electric car. Very little point arguing about what is more or less 'equitable' after 70 years of road investment dominance.
"Everyone is subsidised up the wazoo in Auckland on transport – every time you buy a ticket, use a road, ride a bike or buy an electric car. Very little point arguing about what is more or less 'equitable' after 70 years of road investment dominance."
Transport – for those who are struggling – is only part of the hits that they have currently. It is compounded by housing costs, rising utilities and food costs, rising petrol costs, etc.
To say that everyone is "subsidised" by the priorities of governments to spend money in certain ways is missing the point. Taxes are collected to deliver services. You can refer to them as government delivered services, or subsidised services, but they are the same.
What is apparent is that successive governments, and councils have had little care to make a priority of looking after the most financially vulnerable in any of these necessary areas. Even when they do look at issues like housing costs, and transport, they still ignore the impact on those with lower incomes – and fewer choices.
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New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
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Stop the War, an international on-line organising event on May, 12 leading up to the June 25 International Day of Action
6 AM UTC (6 pm NZ time, I think. Hope I have got that right).
All the protests in the world won't stop this war. Russia will fight to end, and the US will fight to the last Ukranian. It would make more sense to protest against the supply of weapons to the Ukrainians, in the hope of bringing about an early Ukrainian surrender.
It's going to be interesting when Russia achieves its goals and starts negotiating a ceasefire, won't be too far away.. Peace will not be permitted by the USA.
Hi Mikesh,
Do you think stopping the flow of Russian and Chinese armaments to the Vietnamese would have stopped the US invader in Vietnam?
Stopping the flow of weapons to Ukraine won't stop this war, it will only provide a clear field of fire to one side. The Russian aggressor.
Richard Nixon campaigned for the US Presidency on the same stop the war platform as yours.
However Nixon's idea for stopping the war, (same as your idea), was through forcing a surrender. On taking office Nixon, to force the surrender he wanted (and end the war), Nixon began the most intensive bombing campaign of the war.
Ukraine will not surrender, they cannot afford to.
Already the Putin regime is recruiting the forces responsible for overseeing the genocide in Syria for the occupation of Ukraine. Ukraine knows the experience of the Syrian people, is what awaits them under Russian occupation. You only have to witness what Russia's ally the Assad regime behaves or how Russia itself behaved in Syria and Chechnya, to know what awaits the people of Ukraine under Russian occupation.
The Tadamon massacre
https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2022/apr/27/a-hidden-war-footage-sheds-light-on-horrors-of-war-in-syria-video-explainer
Even the total subjugation of Ukraine by Russia wouldn't stop this war. This war won't stop until Russia has achieved its full war aims. Which are the denazification of Ukraine, (ie Russia's code word for regime change in Ukraine).
And the seizure of the whole of the Northern Black Sea Coast of Ukraine as a corridor to the invasion and occupation of Moldova. And for Russian Federation naval supremacy and domination of the Black Sea.
From glitter bombs to cockroaches, what a wonderful way to deal with scammers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsLJZyih3Ac
If you’ve noticed an increase of female violent crime, it’s not women doing this but trans identified males (trans women, or men pretending to be women). Some MSM will include in their report that the offender is male, some like this one don’t.
https://twitter.com/independent/status/1523696544930750466
Taverner is trans. This reporting is dangerous, especially for women. Humans intuitively recognise male from female most of the time. If Taverner dresses typically male they will look male. If they dress typically female then people afraid of or confused by gender ideology rules may find it harder to act appropriately because the rules that TW must be seen and treated as literal women at all times interrupts our instinctive responses atriums safety and safeguarding.
People need to know what actual sex the dangerous offender is in their area.
I see zero reason for this degree of inaccuracy in reporting a situation like this.
I think this is not great for trans women either who just want to get on with their lives. The ideological push is going to backlash and that’s unfair on TW and women alike.
"I see zero reason for this degree of inaccuracy in reporting a situation like this."
I see zero reason for this degree of inaccuracy in reporting.
As you mentioned, many transwomen don't support this either, and understand the impact it has on women. Unfortunately, anyone speaking against inclusive reporting guidelines are ignored.
The cowardly and captured NZ Herald referred to Toko Shane (Ashley) Winter as a woman and showered him with female pronouns all through his trial, conviction and sentencing for the sadistic torture and murder of a young woman. Winter is serving his sentence in Paremoremo where he belongs. His appeal against his conviction and sentencing has just been denied. To add insult to injury, The Herald left the name of his victim off the list of femicides in their recent article.
I recall that. It's surreal to read that obvious avoidance of referring to biological sex.
It seems the Guardian has taken the small opportunity to be brave for this report:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/may/10/paedophile-jailed-trying-groom-children-social-media?CMP=share_btn_tw
What could have prompted Richard to initiate transition? Could it be the possibility of lighter sentencing and if convicted, being housed in the women's estate?
Women are not even non-males and birthing bodies now. We’re an it.
https://twitter.com/bettysea_/status/1522364378997215234
the woman gestating and delivering a baby to this man is his sister.
She’s not a mother, she’s a machine.
Regard our cute replica placentas! Flaunting our blood tie without needing to admit it? And why do you mutter about Georgia O'Keefe, who's that? Anyway, how very dare you question our ineffable bravery – who do you think you are, our mothers?
Next step Burka?
Are we missing an opportunity for a pithy chant here?
"It's Rights Are Women's Rights!".
I'll alert the press.
In fact, the "it" he casually refers to turns out to be his sister.
Not likely to be a commercial arrangement, but one with its own considerations, not helped by referring to his sister as an 'it'.
Have to change the chant, though.
Have only my 70s and 80s music tastes to draw on for creative thought:
"Sisters Are Doing It For Them Bros" or
"We Are Family, I've Got All My Itsers With Me".
Showing my age, and hopefully also, my mild disdain.
So… there has been a successful example dealing with the safety of incarcerated transwomen (and other vulnerable males) that has been going since 2014, which doesn't require the women's prison estate to accommodate.
Who'd have thought such a solution was possible?
(Apart from those that suggested it, that is.)
Video included in the link:
https://www.kcet.org/shows/socal-connected/clip/life-behind-bars-for-gbt-inmates-at-the-k6g
Moral panic over kids doing ram-raids mounts – meanwhile adults engaged in stealing much more money just as brazenly via wage subsidy fraud goes almost unnoticed.
These are adults, so we can't blame their parents; they will be upstanding members of the community so we cannot point at material deprivation and childhood abuse. Their criminality seems to be entirely their own.
But nobody is saying "where are the police?" or demanding that we "get tough on business". Why am I not seeing the shouty headlines about the disgraceful state of business ethics?
Or maybe I am confused and this is just entirely normal and expected – and the way things have always worked. In which case, these ram-raiding kids are just expressing our real core 'values' and should be praised for such an exquisite understanding of them.
2 wrongs do not make one right. How would you feel if you invested 20 years of your life working 7 days 12 hr weeks and some snotty kid destroy's it all for a thrill? That's all good? No, not at all. Solution: Why not get the army involved with stay in camps for 6 to 8 months? Discipline, contributing and getting to be part of a bigger society has to be thought. To just neglect this is like believing that a wild wolf will be one day your cuddly buddy.
And just for the record, I am certainly – with exclamation mark – for the prosecution of those who stole a good porting of 16 billion dollars from the NZ Public. If only … same softly softly now courage, no ethics, no honesty approach. Go figure.
Agree with everything you say – and that's not in conflict with my original comment. I was pointing out the inconsistent ideological and media treatment of two different types of criminality – based on the social class and ethnicity of those committing the offences.
Media is just going for sound bites. They are not trustworthy, I equate them to the same profession as car sales people. Anybody thinking they are, is very much mistaken. I don't even watch the news anymore. The language pattern used is sometimes cringeworthy, peppered with political correctness and so highly manipulative. Perhaps we can exclude some sport and the weather forecast, maybe 🙂
I have family members in the Defence Force, that have had experience at being the trainers for LSVs (Limited Service Volunteers). The inclusion of young people redirected from the Justice System, or the benefits system impacts on those who are looking for an idea of what army life is like, and doesn't often produced the desired results of change from strict discipline and routines.
I agree that both issues can and should be addressed.
I think army discipline can work for some, but for many, it doesn't address the wider issues. They need specific programmes that address any addictions, trauma, environment and understanding of opportunities available and lost due to behaviour.
Does this mean for the parents or kids – just being sarcastic mind you.
We need somewhere to start and address this. Doing nothing is not an option.
Agree.
But there is a marked difference between just doing something and doing something effective. Unfortunately we often aim for the former without taking time for consideration.
What would you suggest?
I think you need a specialised unit for youth involving people from all types of disciplines. Therapists, skills training, and people finding opportunities or jobs for when they leave. Unfortunately, unless there is some way to give them a way out of their current life when they exit they programme, they will often go back to their habitual ways when they return. Jim Moriarty was involved in a programme years ago, and I attended one of the graduation events, as a relative was involved with sending students there from a high school. It was a six-week residential, and those completing the programme were energised, engaged individuals. I recall the talk afterwards being about how Jim Moriarty tried really hard to have a forward path for them all, because it became so much harder for his students when they returned home. I can't recall the name of the programme, sorry. (Just had a look, and it seems that he was able to get funding for a permanent programme – which was closed down in 2011 after allegations of sexual abuse, and failures of safeguarding. It's a problem with no simple solutions. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/110729832/news-drama-school-failed-to-keep-troubled-kids-safe-js-).
I'm just against utilising existing programmes set up for young people actually interesting in joining the Defence Force as a pseudo punishment for them. The trainer/supervisor said the inclusion of such people created an off putting environment for those that did want to be there. They also had to deal with outsiders being called in by the young offenders, deliveries of drugs, assault and concealed weapons. They preferred working with people who wanted to be in the army, not act as de-facto prison or rehabilitation officers. They are not trained to do this either.
That sounds like a good program, a wrap around set up so to speak. It is almost impossible to redirect young people if they go back where the started from creating the very reason they are there in the first place.
Perhaps a kind of boarding school might be the answer. It would also take care of nutritional aspects too? Maybe?
I attended a graduation late 1990's early 2000's when he was still trying to get funding, course by course. IIRC, he deliberately tried to employ graduates whenever he could in order to give them gainful employment away from their home environment.
One very powerful part of the presentation, was when participants stood up to read letters of personal histories. For various easily comprehended reasons, the history of one was read by another. I remember vividly the delivery of one history read by a tall, imposing young man. It told of the gambling addiction of the father, who used to hold poker games at his house attended by a regular crew. Starting from the age of five, this young girl was added to the stakes when her father ran out of money. This sexual abuse by strangers continued for years.
These programmes need the expertise and employment of very competent safeguarding and health and safety officers. And they need to be given authority to challenge and conduct investigations by the book. I think that's an improvement that could be made to ensure that programmes that are succeeding in one major outcome, are not let down by failure of basic, necessary housekeeping structures.
Short memories and the ubiquitous success of social media look like making Ferdinand Marcos the 2nd new President of the Phillipines.
Campaigned on tackling poverty and corruption!Democracy
From CBS…'
Manila — Millions of voters headed to the polls in the Philippines Monday, propelling the namesake and son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos to an early lead in his bid to bring his family back to the top of the country's political hierarchy. Amnesty International estimates that during the elder Marcos' two-decade reign — about half of which the nation spent under Marial Law — some 70,000 people were jailed, 34,000 tortured, and more than 3,000 killed.
"What the Marcoses have done is basically propagate an alternative history of the Martial Law period as a period of peace, progress, and prosperity," Sheila Coronel, a veteran Philippine journalist and professor at the Columbia School of Journalism, told CBS News. '
It's more to do with population demographics & the way old mate Marcos used SM.
The Philippines has a very young population 18- 39yrs makes around 40-45% of the total population (from memory) & are very social media savvy compared to the cohort of older voters in the Philippines.
Marcos delivered his election pitch around SM by recasting the legacy of the Marcos Family in particular his Dad to these younger voters. As the younger voters never lived under the Macros Regime & nor understand what the family did to the country.
As a result, he's been able to manipulate this cohort of younger voters to vote for him. As he only needs around 30-35% of the Young vote & the same with the older voters to win.
Chinese police are using modern psy ops tech on dissidents – but of course none of this is done in the West to discredit anyone …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCA38FojQTI
Please sign Consumer NZs petition for Govt intervention in the supermarket duopoly:
https://campaigns.consumer.org.nz/supermarkets#sign-the-petition
Arkie, this is very noble as a concept. But you do realise that NZ supermarkets are all Franchised? This means that the parent company demands every higher "fees" to satisfy their shareholders and this keeps the profit line always at the same % year in year out for the person running the business. There is, in other words a ceiling to how much these proprietor can earn. Of cause no one will talk about that.
If anyone needs to be held to task than it is the body corporate and also the distribution chain for local produce and meat. I mean we are paying overseas pricing but we don't get overseas wages. Do we?
My feeling is that this is the reason the government and commerce commission has not acted. The ones to offend are too large to handle.
NZ supermarkets are all Franchised?
Incorrect. Countdowns’ are wholly owned by Woolworths NZ.
While the other brands have majority franchised stores there also remain some non-franchised supermarkets under those brands.
The duopoly uses its buyer power to drive prices down at the farmgate and thereby ensure excessive profits, that as the Commerce Commission noted exceed $1 million a day.
Action is required and if signing a petition can help provide the impetus then it’s an easy win.
Only $1million a day for supermarkets?Sounds way too little.
Look at the banks profits,getting exported….unbelievable.
I saw on the news? that it was excess profit of 1m per day.
($1m per day is abt 20c per person per day)
Thats what is reported….'New Zealand supermarkets are comprised of three main chains, Countdown (~150 stores), New World Market (~140 stores), and Pak'nSave (~60 stores), along with several small chains. The five largest supermarkets in New Zealand are run by two companies, Foodstuffs, and Woolworths NZ.
I find it hard to believe…that's an ave of around $1million profit per store=$19,000 odd per week.(350 stores)
Respect to who. The Red Army soldiers who invaded Poland during Stalin's and his Austrian mate's effort to divvy up the country? Or the Red Army soldiers who liberated Poland so it could spend 42 years as Soviet satellite state?
https://twitter.com/AP/status/1523650262350667777
deleted
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland
When did Austria divvy something up? Austria used to be a monarchy before WWI and was divvy'd up after the war ended. What do you mean?
https://alphahistory.com/worldwar1/austria-hungary/
[please put quotes in quotation marks or other form that makes it clear what is a quote]
Stalin's mate Hitler was an Austrian, The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was their deal to roll over Eastern Europe and divvy up the spoils.
Eternally grateful you were never my History lecturer, joe90.
A low blow at the people who broke the back of Nazism. Truly unworthy comments.
Learn some history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Poland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_repressions_of_Polish_citizens_(1939%E2%80%931946)
Or during & after the Warsaw Uprising was quite telling at how the Soviets conducted themselves. Then Post war with the returning Polish expats who serve with the British/ Commonwealth Forces who were treated like a 5th Columnists by the Soviets and the Polish Communist Party.
On 17 September 1939, the Red Army broke the 1932 Soviet–Polish Non-Aggression Pact and invaded Poland. The Red Army returned on January 17 1945 to occupy Poland.
This is how Central Eastern Europe remembers 1945.
I just like to make the point that all wars are proxy fights for those in power and with money. None of the wars are for "democracy" or "decency" or "morality" or "for a better future" etc…. We are not learning seemingly, still haven't figured it out.
Yes 100%
The Russian Federation is not the Soviet Union.
The only back the Russia Federation has been breaking, is the back of the Syrian opposition, on behalf of Assad fascism, and the Russian Federation’s own geo-political imperial interests.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ncaWI-QTtE
The march is to start with any weather at Aotea Sq. 12:00 noon, and go to the War Memorial Museum at Auckland Domain, with 40 – 45 minutes final meeting by the Museum
Pataua4life, even if that supremely unreliable source is 100% correct, it does not diminish the gargantuan sacrifice of Soviet peoples in WW2 (including Ukrainians).
Seems the master race who are the 'collective West' have found new Untermenschen.
WM – I don't disagree that the Eastern Europe bore the brunt of the Nazi aggression and the Russian in particular did the most to push back the invaders which makes it all the more ironic that now the Russian are behaving like the Nazi invaders.
Even more ironic when Hitler invaded Russia to defeat the Bolshevik's. Now Putin uses the exact same excuse Hitler did using the exact same language.
Putin is a Nazi in a suit not a uniform. that is the only difference. I guess given Putin background we should call him Himmler.
' Now Putin uses the exact same excuse Hitler did using the exact same language.'
What am I missing here…your statement does NOT make ..sense.
it is time for the would be policy wonks and other intaleksalls to get their collective arses into gear and start reading their weekly giveaways and provincial tabloids which contain daily opinion pieces and editorials by right wing operatives like clare trevatt, mathew hooten and cake hoaxby. their utterances are a virtual torrent and need countering cogently and forcefully. get to work and flog them for free.
In Syria the Assad regime is under attack from various outside forces, Hezbolla, ISIS probably, and of course Uncle Sam has his grubby mitts in there as well. Russia has been fighting wars in Chechnyna at various times for centuries. The problem with Chechnya is that it represents a main gateway to Russia, and one which the Ottomans would have had to pass through if they were to invade Russia. In Putin's time Chechnya was infiltrated by ISIS terrorists, – Chechnyans are Muslims – a circumstance which Putin understandably felt he had to react to.
I don't think the Russians would want to take over Moldova, though the latter should probably maintain a neutral stance.
As for Nixon. He manged to get himself forced out of office, I seem to recall.
The Spanish Civil War was to Nazi Germany, what the Syrian revolution is to Russia.
The German Nazi invasion was to Poland , what the Russian Federation invasion is to Ukraine.
The first was ignored by the world, the Second became the ground zero for world war.
You said so yourself Mikesh. Russia will not stop this war.
Russia will not stop this war unless they are stopped by one of two things, either by a broad front international anti-war peace movement, spanning both sides, or by something much worse.
All the protests in the world will stop this war. They must, before this war becomes a global conflagration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgmKygmkqSA
On seeing Mark Mitchell a couple of times recently, I was disappointed he didn't get to be Leader of the Opposition. Previously he'd come across as a bit like a rock on the foreshore but without the personality of it. The latest sightings have confirmed that.
He might be a most charming, quick-witted and effervescent character. If so I congratulate him on his skills of disguise.
Oh yes. Mitchell to a 'T'
Four more settlements to east of Kharkiv have been wrested from Russian control and liberated today.
That should piss off the Ukraine can't win and should surrender now crowd.
https://liveuamap.com/
Little point gaining the whole of the Kharkiv oblast when you are about to lose the whole of the Donbass. Ukraine better watch its' over-extended front line.
Russia is very close to it's stated goals. This will be painted as defeat of course.
If I were Russia I would call it now.
It's pretty weird when the AA, Chamber of Commerce, Greater Auckland, the Helen Clark Foundation and plenty of others all supporting a tax every time you take the car into town (at peak times).
Move Forward With Congestion Charging But Put Fairness In The Driver’s Seat, Says Helen Clark Foundation & WSP NZ | Scoop News
This is a move to make better use of the motorway at peak, push people onto public transport, and raise a bit of revenue as well.
Presumably the Minister of Transport who lives in central Auckland will pick this up into the required legislation.
And that will come in right after the half price public transport goes back to fullprice?
Poor worker of akl who pays for his full commuter costs, sucks to be you in public transport and private transport as you will be fleeced.
Who will not pay for this?
The dudes/and non males of the AA, Chamber of Commerce, Helen Clarke Foundation, Greater Auckland, Ministers and such will all just use their tax payer funded vehicles, with the tax payer funded gasoline/electricity and the tax payer funded congestion charge. Or the big businesses that cause a lot of that pollution who will simply write of this 'congestion charge' on their tax bill as an expense, no worry sir, no not at all the Tax Payer provided and payeth.
Non of them will pay just even one cent of this charge and thus they have no issue with it.
But sure it sounds like something is being done. lol Done again to the working poor.
9 days to find out what will happen to the Public Transport 50% discount. My suspicion is that it will be permanent. It is hugely popular in Auckland.
Also surprising that the $8000 subsidy for electric cars is one fo the most popular policies this government has generated. Electric car sales are now over 20% of all vehicle sales, and sales of utes has plummeted now that the ute tax is in.
The report from the Helen Clark Foundation shows that those coming into the CBD every day are mostly from wealthy suburbs. Less well off are in the southern and western areas, going from job to job and far less within the CBD.
I also suspect you will something in the Budget on the company vehicle and whether it's still attracting any tax benefit at all.
You know what, if i were a rich person who could spend 30.000 + on a car outright, i too would have the 8000 courtesy of the tax payer, i means like, take a family of five (a rich family of course) and that subsidy will get you a brand new car for free!!! What is not to like, maybe we should ask Mike Hoskin and his wife and the kids. I wonder if they all drive a brand new electric car 🙂
Or like the dude that got his car and then sold it on Trade Me for a tidy profit of 8000. Mind, that is just kiwi ingenuity and a right entrepreneural spirit.
So yeah, if you are rich, and NZ has rich people, that is a little give a way that is nice to have.
As for the utes, that is just people now not buying a car, maybe they are too poor for the non existing electrice utes? So they might be saving up for that vehicle when it comes available, i am sure at that stage no 'incentives' will be made available.
The Helen Clark foundation, can you link to that? I used to live in the 'richer' subburbs, simply because the extra in rent was cheaper then the time wasted in the car and the cost of the maintenance. And i have always considered my time to have a cost/price.
And i do hope that that report from the Helen Clarke Foundation is from times before the pandemic when people actually still had to travel to the CBD and surrounding areas.
Not sure how much value a report about travels into town from the outer suburbs make sense when mostly everyone is working from home, has spend several month in lockdown over a 2 year period and had strict 5 km radius rule , and people generally move less then they used too thanks to Covid. That report would be not very realistic unless of course that is the intended outcome to pretend that this will be something 'rich' people will pay cause rich people travel more to the CBD. LOL. If working remote is going to be an ongoing thing in the future – and the occasional lockdown, then the CBD are going to be dead and deserted, and then you will need to find a different way to milk the worker in order to get that 'congestion charge' of the workers.
But this charge will only be paid for by the working public who will have to travel by car to the CBD as they are the only ones that pay the full cost of everything without any chances of write offs. Those that have public transport available will use that if they can afford it. And that is the big question, and fwiw, they could have announced the half price forever with the announcement of the congestion charge. But they did not. I wonder why?
And let me just remind you that National/Act will follow this labour government, do you really believe that any removal of business write offs etc in regards to transport/cost of transport will stand? I might have a bridge in Northland on sale for you, its double laned and has a kauri on either side too.
Congestion charges work in cities like London, where the public transport systems are well established, accessible, affordable and efficient. So the congestion charges mostly fall on those who choose to drive in London, and have the money to afford the car and the parking.
This is not the case in Auckland. The public transport system is neither accessible, affordable or efficient for those in the outer regions. For students travelling into Auckland to study it is abysmal. They have a choice of three-four hours commute into town, at quite a high cost OR trying to find accommodation in town while studying. Adding to the student loan.
The electric car subsidy might have been 'popular' but was a discount for those who could already afford an electric car but couldn't be bothered getting one. A more equitable policy would have been to offer free registration for those with electric vehicles (particularly rewarding the early adopters), which would have been a small recognition, but a just one.
The fuel tax for Aucklanders also affected the wage earners who had to travel distances more. They were more likely to be those who lived where they could afford, and commuted by car because that was the cheapest and most timely (or only option). Those who voted it in most likely travelled short distances, in cars or by transport paid by their employers. Our representatives only representative a particular demographic.
Yup agree getting beyond Stage 4 is no place to live in Auckland without a car. Except North Shore. They have the best PT of anyone in t he country.
You won't have to sorry about congestion charges being a reality until at least 2025 which is when CRL completes. Or if National get in it will be never.
Everyone is subsidised up the wazoo in Auckland on transport – every time you buy a ticket, use a road, ride a bike or buy an electric car. Very little point arguing about what is more or less 'equitable' after 70 years of road investment dominance.
"Everyone is subsidised up the wazoo in Auckland on transport – every time you buy a ticket, use a road, ride a bike or buy an electric car. Very little point arguing about what is more or less 'equitable' after 70 years of road investment dominance."
Transport – for those who are struggling – is only part of the hits that they have currently. It is compounded by housing costs, rising utilities and food costs, rising petrol costs, etc.
To say that everyone is "subsidised" by the priorities of governments to spend money in certain ways is missing the point. Taxes are collected to deliver services. You can refer to them as government delivered services, or subsidised services, but they are the same.
What is apparent is that successive governments, and councils have had little care to make a priority of looking after the most financially vulnerable in any of these necessary areas. Even when they do look at issues like housing costs, and transport, they still ignore the impact on those with lower incomes – and fewer choices.
https://youtu.be/DpE5cBgl11U
Something to think about?