For those with an attention span, this is brilliant reading, the Greens will likely be the quiet achievers this Gen. Election and help along with Te Pāti Māori and a reduced NZ Labour quotient to keep Baldrick and Act well away from office.
The best thing the Key Government did was allow the cashing out of one week of holidays. If this Greens policy becomes law bwaghorn could cash it rather than taking the fifth week of holidays if they so choose.
5 weeks ?….nah. A needless distraction. And James Shaw
did say to his credit…
Asked if he liked the sound of an extra week off, Green co-leader James Shaw listed some other “priorities” like “action on climate change” and “ending poverty” instead.
I did like….
In the arts and culture section, the Green Party manifesto said the Government should create a special funding pool for alcohol-free venues.
The party also called for the Government to introduce funding for community and arts groups, so they did not have to rely on the Pub Charities grants which come from gambling revenue.
It might not be an election-changing vote-winner but surely we’ve moved on from binary majority-based policy-making to a situation in which politicians, governments, and by extension, our society look after the interests of minorities, especially when these have been ignored or neglected and lag behind in terms of equity. Surely? If you’re a dogmatic devotee of majoritarianism then you should vote NACT.
I assuming this is to give residency to the children and grandchildren of Maori who left nz long ago, that'd mean those children are from another country, I can't see a need for special privilege because of that.
I also think Noone should have dual citizenship Amy where ever, why should some get privileges because of birth or gaming citizenship rules?
Billions of dollars ($1.3 or so bill in latest US weapons splurge) for technology that demonstrably kills civilians, while the US continues not to prioritise some of its own citizens basic needs.
More proof as if any were needed, that this is a proxy war. Even 5 Eyes partners bar the US of course, have signed up to the international Convention on Cluster Munitions this includes New Zealand, UK, Canada and US Imperialism’s Pacific deputy dog–Australia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_Cluster_Munitions
This war has to end and quickly via the intervention of as many international efforts as possible for a ceasefire, and then negotiations.
Manuherikia River minimum flow recommendations will be put to Otago regional councillors next month, ending a two-year wait, the council has confirmed.
It follows years of wrangling between irrigators concerned about retaining allocations to extract water and people concerned about the river’s health.
A transgender self-identification law has been blocked at the last minute in Germany over fears it will be abused by criminals trying to escape punishment.
…
Important information like criminal records, outstanding arrest warrants and weapons licences need to be recognizable to prosecutors in databases after changing name and gender,” Dirk Peglow, chair of the Alliance of German Legal Civil Servants, told the German news magazine Der Spiegel.
……..
The draft law would ban police and other agencies from using the name a person went by before transitioning. But Nancy Faeser, the interior minister of Scholz’s Social Democrats, reportedly insisted that both names must be automatically given to enforcement authorities to prevent criminals misusing the fast-track gender-swap procedure.
A few other concerns are all noted, but rest assured that the well being of women – human females of all ages was not a concern at all. But at least the Police has had some success with their concerns.
This is a block based on law and the ability to execute law by police and court. In essence it would make police work impossible as you could not describe victims or perpetrators, you could not arrest the person with their deadname on the arrest warrant etc. It would undermine all of law.
In some discussion about what to do when the hubby/wife comes out as trans what do you do? Honestly, i would declare my husband dead. Not even go for a divorce, as with the change of their 'sex marker' and 'name' they killed whom ever was there before. Why would i divorce a 'woman' i never was married too in the first place.
Now the conspiracy theorist in me stipulates that if you want to change many laws – how would you go about? Open debate, and little tweaks here an there to go with the times, or you undermine them altogether and then create new laws to better fit the time.
that is the question that Germany needs to answer now. And some other countries if ever they have political appointees that still have some sort of respect for their country, the laws they are sworn to upheld, and some integrity and courage. I am not holding my breath though that it would be found here and in many other places.
Case in point: A young boy recently got attacked by two women, beaten unconsious and then raped. The discription for the women, One is 1.9 meter the 1.75.
The description did not talk about boys he /him, but kids/children he/him so could be both male or female.
It can't be good for police work.
And here in NZ we have the case of the big burly person who tortured a young girl to death, referred to as a she/her. The dead girl never stood a fighting chance, but at least we not gonna upset the murderer/torturer with the wrong pronouns.
Arguing from the specific to the general there, Sabine.
Under that approach to law-making, no women should teach teenagers, based on the number of women who have been successfully prosecuted for having sex with their students.
The British tabloid Press has a flush of excitement a couple of years ago when they noted a rise in the numbers of "women" being prosecuted for sex crimes against children. However the most basic of research showed that these were just the usual perverts, but now with an extra co-morbidity.
And it is precisely the reason Germany blocked Self ID for now.
In Germany the reason Self ID was blocked was because Justice, Corrections pointed out that they could no longer in any meaningful way uphold the law if they can not refer to aliases of people, refer tot he state of their biology, and so on and so forth.
This poster is just someone who is after a cheap gotcha, chances are they could no more define the word woman in any meaningful term then our PM couldn't just some time ago. The reality is, this poster could not point out if the 'woman' rapists are male or female as identifying as a woman is something anyone can do, male or female alike.
Hence the reason why Germany currently has a block on Self ID.
Btw, Rape in the UK is always the act of a male as it involves always the penis. Any other sexual assault is classified differently. Rape involves the penis, thus is always the crime of a male no matter how that male identifies.
The legal definition of rape is when a person intentionally penetrates another's vagina, anus or mouth with a penis, without the other person's consent."
But then, they – the poster – might be one of them that believe that women have penises. Who knows, it's all so confusing now. 🙂
Maybe in 20 – 50 years humanity will have the knowledge to graft arm / leg rolls onto the pupic bone of females that will simulate 'penis' quite well (or no one will know what a real penis is anymore cause they all got cut off and inverted) and at that stage Transmen(human females identifying as men) will also be part of that 'male' group that rapes.
edit:
I only believe that about 5 – 10 % of all humanity are sexual predators. They are however quite prolific, and sadly it seems supported by many for cheap gotchas and to scare females into kindness and acquiescence.
"Even Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP’s reliably progressive leader, claimed that she couldn’t be sure whether Isla Bryson was actually a woman. This is an outrage. Just because Isla has a penis, testicles and a track record of sexual assault doesn’t make her any less of a lady".
Of course, some women teachers can and do sexually abuse students. And some trans people commit sexual assault. Therefore we must ban women from teaching and trans women from existing.
'According to the Center for Sex Offender Management, which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice, females account for around 10 percent of all sex crimes reported to authorities,” Fox News reported. “However, a much higher percentage – over 30 percent – of all teacher-student sexual offenses are estimated to have been perpetrated by females.'
'The Blenheim teacher who admitted sexually abusing two schoolboys has been jailed – but still cannot be named as she continues the fight to keep her identity a secret. She is understood to be the first female teacher in New Zealand convicted and sentenced for sexual offending against students. And it was confirmed in court that the woman did not dispute having sexual relationships with other older boys.'
Based on those figures 70-90% of teacher student sex-crimes are committed by males. Ignoring, for the moment, the huge differential between the numbers of women and men teachers in the profession – that would mean (following your argument) that males are even more unsafe as teachers than women are.
"Under that approach to law-making, no women should teach teenagers, based on the number of women who have been successfully prosecuted for having sex with their students."
Can you explain this leap of logic in more detail, tWiggle?
Moderators, does TS mind these archived links being posted to allow access to articles. There were a couple of commentators who seemed concerned, is there a TS policy?
Interesting comment by the anti-discrimination commissioner:
"Ferda Ataman, the anti-discrimination commissioner, has accused the government of bowing down to Right-wing populism with the delay after it put the brakes on the reform.
“It’s being said that we have to be worried about men and women no longer being clearly defined, and men changing their gender just to get into a sauna and gawp at women.” But, she pointed out “in Germany we have mostly mixed-sex saunas anyway. No man has to legally change their gender to see a naked woman.”"
Such an illogical argument.
People using mixed-sex spaces CONSENT to inclusion of the other sex.
The impact will be on single-sex spaces, where consent is not transferable.
The anti-discrimination commissioner seems to be anti-critical thinking.
The anti-discrimination commissioner is discriminative against women – human females as women – human females are entitled to single sex spaces under the law and can not be discriminated against on the grounds of their sex. Oops.
And as the Police and the Justice Department and Ministers in Germany have helpfully pointed out these provisions in law exists and currently they are being blatantly broken and transgressions can not be appropriately policed and prosecuted.
'Woriads', worthy of respect in a democratic society, until the laws are changed.
Why do you fuss so much about NZ self-id? It allows people to change their sex on birth certificates by affirmation, without having to go through the Family Court, as previously.
From the Dept of Internal Affairs website 'Birth certificates are not intended to be considered proof of a person's identity' and 'are not usually used to determine a person's right to access single sex services or spaces'.
In fuller detail:
'Questions about the implications of self-identification for service providers
What does the new law say about how service providers should consider birth certificates as evidence of sex or gender?
The new legislation clarifies how birth certificates can be used as evidence of sex or gender. Where service providers need to determine someone’s sex or gender, other factors can be considered over and above the registered sex listed on a birth certificate. This reflects the fact that birth certificates are not intended to be considered evidence of a person’s identity (usually birth certificates are provided with other documents such as a driver licence or passports to prove identity).
What does self-identification mean for single sex spaces and activities such as changing rooms and sports teams?
The self-identification process should not affect how access to single sex spaces or sports is determined. Birth certificates are not usually used to determine a person’s right to access single sex services or spaces.
Organisations and individuals can continue to rely on their own policies rather than birth certificates. For example, it is still up to individual governing bodies to determine how sex and gender are determined in sport. It is also still up to individual schools to discuss with learners, parents, caregivers and whānau what name and gender learners use, regardless of the details on their birth certificates.
How will self-identification affect the placement of people in prison?
The self-identification process should not affect the placement of people in prison. Corrections is exploring a policy change to ensure birth certificates are not an overriding consideration in placement decisions. Any changes will come into force alongside the self-identification process.’
They discuss results of a very interesting study mining NZ health and justice data used to evaluate mental health diagnosis with justice system outcomes.
Thanks tWiggle. Family has ADHD but luckily avoided the justice system. One was in his 20s by the time he got diagnosed and then treatment. An earlier visit to a Psychologist he was told no such thing as ADHD. Big help.
It's the central base of our democracy so no wonder it comes in at #4 on Stuff's daily popularity rating. Democrats throughout the nation glued to the screen!
Even his mother, the epitome of duty, was reluctant to move in when she became sovereign in 1952. According to legend, it was only when her prime minister, Winston Churchill, put his foot down that she gave up hope of staying in Clarence House. “You are basically living above the office,” said one former servant, “so it doesn’t lend itself to privacy and it’s not an easy place to relax.”
Edward VIII complained about “the gloom of Buckingham Palace” and how the family would “freeze up” as soon as they went inside. When the then princess Elizabeth moved in with her family in 1937, the palace had a full-time pest controller to dispose of mice, and her governess likened staying at the palace to “camping in a museum”.
The mice were still in residence when the Obamas stayed at the palace in 2011 (Barack Obama was terrified his wife, Michelle, who is frightened of mice, would find out), and the couple found themselves accommodated for the first and only time in a presidential guest suite that did not have an en-suite bathroom. The Obamas had to cross a corridor to clean their teeth and wash… The majority of the 775 rooms are accounted for by the 188 staff bedrooms, 52 guest rooms, 92 offices, 78 bathrooms, 19 state rooms and various other service rooms, including kitchens, storage rooms and staff canteens… Throughout her life, the late queen used a two-bar electric fire to heat rooms at Buckingham Palace in which enormous fireplaces were never lit. The king is so appalled at the energy bills for Buckingham Palace that he has ordered staff to set the thermostats at no higher than 19C in the winter, and when rooms are not being used they are turned down to 16C, with radiators turned off completely at weekends. He has also stopped heating the swimming pool.
It's tough at the top. Our head of state will struggle within the shackles of democracy regardless of how well they do the multi-year renovations. Still, look on the bright side. The multitude of ghosts abiding in those massive empty room will keep him in good company, whispering in his ear during sleep, connecting him to tradition. Democracy's inertial effect will proceed on this experiential basis…
In 2021 National hassled the government about lack of RATs, even though orders were in place, and tests arrived in time for the winter wave of covid. Otto's timeline also lays out National's attack of the government covid response to make political capital.
Captain Hindsight and Corporal Knew-it-all-Along (Luxon and Bishop) are at it again. Many of the so-called wasted RAT tests may get used anyway. I used a couple this week because I've got a heavy cold and I know people who have recently caught Covid.
Just because the RAT tests have expired according to the date on the packet does not make them unusable so long as they have been stored carefully. They were never that accurate in the first place, something the Captain and Corporal refused to acknowledge. I think many people would be happy to take a few packets for future use.
I’m a baby boomer, live next door to a school, have children, and grandchildren.
The sheer entitlement and fucking arrogance of those who time is so precious they’d rather risk the lives of kids to save themselves a few seconds tells you everything you need to know about them and their ilk.
The sooner the boomer generation is confined to history the better.
In 1990 road deaths were running at about 700 a year. In 2023 they are running at about 350 per year.
Over this time the population has gone from 3.4m to 5.2m.
Deaths per million have gone from 206 per million to 67 per million.
So this is pretty good, but we are way behind Europe-the EU has 46 deaths per million.
It's hard to tell how the "Road to Zero" is going because traffic was so light in the Covid years 2021 and 2022 but I love the policies of more median barriers, improved junctions and lower speed limits. My understanding is the government has had some resistance to this because contractors like to bild roads not fix roads up.
Where the article says “Road safety campaigner, Clive Matthew-Wilson, said the Road to Zero project was “a dismal failure”” Where is his evidence?
Median barriers are causing some issues for police who have to drive a-ways before turning around to get to offenders / emergencies in the opposite direction.
Not a reason for not doing them but long stretches with no gaps could be better redesigned.
It would be more useful in analysisng the Road to Zero policy – in looking at road deaths in 2018 (before it was implemented) and in 2022 (the most recent full year, after the policy was implemented – and one in which there were no lockdowns).
The totals are virtually the same.
The final road toll five years ago (2018) was finalised at 378 deaths in that year, meaning at this point the 2022 provisional tally eerily mirrored the same figure.
I suspect that this is the "dismal failure" of the Road to Zero campaign referenced – all of the median barriers, improved junctions and lowered speed limits implemented since 2018 – have made no difference to the numbers killed.
Alas, I think a large part of that decrease is due to airbags. The number to look at is the rate of vehicle accidents with reported casualties, not deaths.
Car body construction has improved hugely so that cars do not crumple on impact and the car frame is designed to absorb the impact as well as the airbags.
The state of the roads is also important. Cars crossing to the wrong side of the road can't happen with median barriers. Better designed junctions are important. There are two terrible junctions in Wanaka that are scheduled to be replaced by a roundabout and traffic lights for instance. And so on….
What we don’t need is motorways being built using the excuse that they are safer. They are massively expensive-much better to spend this on public transport.
Nothing in the article saying that it is only (or even primarily) boomers complaining.
When we look at deaths from speeding (people, who by definition already don't care about any speed limits) the under 30 age group are much more significantly represented than the over 60s (the boomers)
With over 90% of drivers speeding outside the school near my home, I can guarantee you it's not limited to a certain age range (younger people maybe on their mobile phone while speeding though). Speeding is widespread and excessive in this country (there are more drivers over 60 km/h than within the limit of 30 km/h – I measured it).
But then the police doesn't care (and probably doesn't have enough resources), the council doesn't care (they even widened the road), the 90% of the drivers don't care either… and the funny thing is, following one of those "speedsters" you will very likely see them at the next traffic light over 1 km away… so they didn't even safe any travel time (they are just morons complaining about their high petrol bill mainly caused by their stupid driving habits).
And then the fines for traffic offences in the country can only be considered a joke. $30 for speeding, same as late 90s… when a glass of beer in a pub was $2, the house prices $150,000… compared to $15 and $900,000 or so here in Wellington.
Speeding tickets should start at $200+ – similar to drinking alcohol in a liquor ban zone, like Country Place (I guess whoever set $250 dollar fine figured out that nobody cares about $30, $40 to $60 anymore), and, if you ask me, we should introduce a license suspension for anything 20km/h plus over the speed limit in towns, like they do in many Europe countries.
It's illegal to be on phones while driving, but all these new cars have a bloody ipad as their central control. You literally can't watch the road and it. And some even have more screens displaying all manner of distracting info – I drove one that had three(!).
Please, give me my knobs and switches back, tactility, so I can watch the damn road (and possibly the speedo).
The Heron review was commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) after it was revealed dawn raids continued after then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s 2021 apology to Pacific People for historic Dawn Raids.
The review found that despite the immense publicity of the apology in 2021, nothing was done by ministers or officials to change the way the Government sought people for deportation. The review found the apology “created a reasonable expectation within the Pasifika community that ‘dawn’ intrusions into houses would cease (or at least would be a very last resort”.
It found there “does not appear to have been an attempt to implement the principles of the government’s apology or alter out of hours visits in light of it”. Only now, after the review was initiated, was MBIE updating its internal guidance for dawn raids to align them with the apology.
Look, everyone knows the pandemic afflicted Labour mental processes so extensively that they became unable to make decisions. People point that out onsite here constantly, so it must be true. Faafoi may have put it on the cabinet agenda & it got displaced later.
Jacinda knew someone had told her she had to apologise for what Muldoon had done. It's vitally important that Labour accept responsibility for National mistakes. Apparently. Dunno why. You can't blame her for forgetting to ensure that the same mistakes weren't being produced by her govt: that's rocket science thinking, which Labour doesn't do. Still racist though, according to islanders…
Since 2015, there have been 95 dawn raids, which found 117 people for deportation, of whom 101 were eventually deported. Of those 101 people, eight were Pacific Island nationals, while 47 were Chinese nationals. This was largely the result of a pivot from focusing on horticulture visas to focusing on construction, where more Chinese nationals work.
“When presented with evidence that Chinese and Indian persons made up the majority of deportees, the Pasifika community told us that this was still racist – the racism had turned to other parties, " the review said.
Or the current stats realistically reflect the racial proportions of overstayers. Looks like NZ Herald didn't bother to investigate that possibility in their reportage – in a hurry for an anti-government soundbite.
A 2020 Herald article estimated 10,000 overstayers in NZ, mostly Pasifika. The article is about an Indian overstayer who came as a student on borrowed money.
Oops, seems like a switch from PI overstayers to Chinese construction workers could, in fact, be racist.
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Yesterday de facto Prime Minister David Seymour announced that his glove puppet government would be re-introducing charter schools, throwing $150 million at his pet quacks, donors and cronies and introducing an entire new government agency to oversee them (the existing Education Review Office, which actually knows how to review schools, ...
Seeing that, in order to discredit the figures and achieve moral superiority while attempting to deflect attention away from the military assault on Rafa, Israel supporters in NZ have seized on reports that casualty numbers in Gaza may be inflated … Continue reading → ...
David Farrar writes – Newstalk ZB report: The man responsible for a horror hit and run in central Wellington last year was on a suspended licence and was so drunk he later asked police, “Did I kill someone?” Jason Tuitama injured two women when he ran a red ...
Muriel Newman writes – Former US President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation.” The fight for ...
Why Courts should have said Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Karen Chhour Gary Judd writes – In the High Court, Justice Isacs declined to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal to compel Minister for Children, Karen Chhour, to appear before it to be ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the proposed legislation. Twenty-seven thousand submissions have been made to Parliament ...
An average of 166 New Zealand citizens left the country every day during the March quarter, up 54% from a year ago.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy and housing market is sinking into a longer recession through the winter after a slump in business and consumer confidence in ...
The government has made it abundantly clear they’re addicted to the smell of new asphalt. On Tuesday they introduced a new term to the country’s roading lexicon, the Roads of Regional Significance (RoRS), a little brother for the Roads of National (Party) Significance (RoNS). Driving ahead with Roads of Regional ...
School is outAnd I walk the empty hallwaysI walk aloneAlone as alwaysThere's so many lucky penniesLying on the floorBut where the hell are all the lucky peopleI can't see them any moreYesterday morning, I’d just sent out my newsletter on Tama Potaka, and I was struggling to make the coffee. ...
Hi,I wanted to check in and ask how you’re doing.This is perhaps a selfish act, of attempting to find others feeling a similar way to me — that is to say, a little hopeless at the moment.Misery loves company, that sort of deal.Some context.I wish I could say I got ...
I have hitherto been fairly quiet on the new season of Rings of Power, on the basis that the underwhelming first season did not exactly build excitement – and the rumours were fairly daft. The only real thing of substance to come out has been that they have re-cast Adar ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
“The thing is,” Chris Luxon says, leaning forward to make his point, “this has always been my thing.”“This goes all the way back to the first multinational I worked for. I was saying exactly the same thing back then. The name of our business needs to be more clear; people ...
Buzz from the Beehive It’s been a momentous few days for Children’s Minister Karen Chhour. The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision which blocked a summons order from the Waitangi Tribunal for her. And today she has announced the Government is putting children first by introducing to ...
In 2014 former Australian army lawyer David McBride leaked classified military documents about Australian war crimes to the ABC. Dubbed "The Afghan Files", the documents led to an explosive report on Australian war crimes, the disbanding of an entire SAS unit, and multiple ongoing prosecutions. The journalist who wrote the ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – According to the respected Pew Research Centre, “In seven of eight [European] countries surveyed, the most trusted news outlet asked about is the public news organization in each country”. For example, “in Sweden, an overwhelming majority (90%) say they trust the public broadcaster SVT”. ...
David Farrar writes – Kata MacNamara reports: Details of Tony Blakely’s involvement in the New Zealand Government’s response to the pandemic raise serious questions about the work of the Covid-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry over which he presides. It has long been clear that Blakely, a ...
Chris Trotter writes – Are you a Brahmin or a Merchant? Or, are you merely one of those whose lives are profoundly influenced by the decisions of Brahmins and Merchants? Those are the questions that are currently shaping the politics of New Zealand and the entire West. ...
RNZ reports – It’s supposed to be a haven of healing and spiritual awakening but residents of the Kawai Purapura community say they’ve been hurt and deceived. It’s the successor to the former Centrepoint commune, and has been on the bush block opposite Albany shopping centre since 2008. It ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. Usually we have a video chat to go with this wrap, but were unable to do one this week. We’ll be back next week.Several reports ...
The Transport Minister has set a hard 'fiscal envelope' of $6.54 billion for transport capital spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy is settling into a state of suspended animation as the Government’s funding freezes and job cuts chill confidence and combine with stubbornly high interest rates to ...
To be precise, the term “anti- Zionism” refers to (a) criticism of the political movement that created a modern Jewish state on the historical land of Israel, and to (b)the subjugation of Palestinians by the Israeli state. By contrast, the term “anti-Semitism” means bigotry and racism directed at Jewish people, ...
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...
Yesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...
And it's a pleasure that I have knownAnd it's a treasure that I have gainedAotearoa’s coalition government is fragile. It’s held together by the obsequious sycophancy of Christopher Luxon, who willingly contorts his party into the fringe positions of his junior coalition partners and is unwilling to contradict them. The ...
The Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...
Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
Buzz from the BeehiveTolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
David Farrar writes – Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
Don Brash writes – There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
The Government’s introduction of legislation that would enable landlords to end tenancies with no reason marks a dark day for the 1.4 million people who rent their home in Aotearoa. ...
The Minister for Mental Health has found the Suicide Prevention Office and mental health support for 111 calls slipping through his fingers, says Labour spokesperson for Mental Health Ingrid Leary. ...
Today’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...
The Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...
“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...
The Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Te Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced that the Government will make it easier for lines firms to take action to remove vegetation from obstructing local powerlines. The change will ensure greater security of electricity supply in local communities, particularly during severe weather events. “Trees or parts of trees falling on ...
Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani were the top winners at this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy awards recognising the best in Māori dairy farming. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the winners and congratulated runners-up, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, at an awards celebration also attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister ...
"On the 27th of March, I sought assurances from the Chief Executive, Department of Internal Affairs, that the Department’s correct processes and policies had been followed in regards to a passport application which received media attention,” says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden. “I raised my concerns after being ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools. “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...
Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...
New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019. “It is my pleasure ...
New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says. “This ...
Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners. “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
SPECIAL REPORT:Islands Business in Suva Today is the 24th anniversary of renegade and failed businessman George Speight’s coup in 2000 Fiji. The elected coalition government headed by Mahendra Chaudhry, the first and only Indo-Fijian prime minister of Fiji, was held hostage at gunpoint for 56 days in the country’s ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist and Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific digital journalist Police have used tear gas and stun grenades on rioters at an airport near Nouméa as the chaos in New Caledonia stretched into its sixth day. Five people, including two police officers, have died and hundreds of ...
Asia Pacific ReportThe global human rights watchdog Amnesty International has called on France to not “misuse” a crackdown in the ongoing unrest in the non-self-governing French Pacific territory of Kanaky New Caledonia in the wake of a controversial vote by the French Parliament to adopt a bill changing the territory’s ...
A major provider of school lunches fears the government's new $3 limit for most students will see them eating more pre-packaged and processed food. ...
The star of Dark City: The Cleaner takes us through his life in TV, including the VHS revolution and the John Campbell impression that started it all. Best known for his comedic roles, Cohen Holloway says he struggled at times to maintain the stone cold facade of serial killer on ...
David Hill remembers an old friend, who you’ve probably never heard of. My friend Doug never travelled; he had little interest in the world beyond his own tiny rural town. I’ve rarely known anyone who radiated such contentment. Doug (I’ll call him that) died in March. You won’t know him. ...
Some of the earliest photos of life in Aotearoa are on display at Auckland Museum right now – but the identities of some of the people in them are a mystery.What was it like to be one of the first people in New Zealand to have their photo taken? ...
Since its founding almost a decade ago, Featherston Booktown has grown into one of the country’s most interesting and idiosyncratic literary events. Erin Banks reports from the audience. “Come in, have you had lunch? I’m about to make a cheese toastie.” Mary Biggs, operations manager of Featherston Booktown Karukatea Festival, ...
After 33 years abroad, Loveni Enari recently returned to Aotearoa and Samoa in what a friend joked was an “existential crisis”. He learnt and re-learnt so much about his family, friends and both countries. Almost as an afterthought, he got a Samoan tatau. This is his story. (Accompanying it are ...
Nearly 30 years ago, two people told me they’d killed a woman they knew. I thought the truth would come out, that others would tell it. In the end, I had to. The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Fact: in 1995, Angela Blackmoore ...
Editor Madeleine Chapman looks back at the week and shines a light on some increasingly rare longform journalism. Mōrena and welcome to The Weekend where there will sadly be no aurora to see. After a busy week last week of short, sharp pieces, this week we swung the other way, ...
ANALYSIS:By David Robie, editor of Asia Pacific Report Jean-Marie Tjibaou, a revered Kanak visionary, was inspirational to indigenous Pacific political activists across Oceania, just like Tongan anthropologist and writer Epeli Hao’ofa was to cultural advocates. Tragically, he was assassinated in 1989 by an opponent within the independence movement during ...
Forget thin is in, apparently now bigger is better … or is it? After over a decade of body positivity, girls, teens and women are even more confused about what body positivity actually is. The movement began with women confronting unrealistic expectations of how their bodies should look. But sub-strands ...
Grace always sat at the bar at the back of The Cambridge, where she could watch who came in. A huge mirror ran the length of the pub, so you could sometimes watch people without them knowing. The mirror made the place seem a lot bigger than it really was. ...
MONDAY Sheriff Mark Mitchell rose at dawn. He had a long day’s ride ahead of him. He was headed for Waikeria. Waikeria! Even the name itself stirred his blood, and set root in his imagination. There was nothing and no one in Waikeria. But he would bend it to his ...
The first phase of the inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones finished this week, turning up plenty of revelations and few answers. But through all the confusion, heartbreak and antipathy on display, the simple fact at the heart of this case remains: if little Lachie’s body had ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger Benjamin, Professor in Art History, University of Sydney “She’s no oil painting”. Those were the unkind words of a colleague commenting on the subject of Vincent Namatjira’s acrylic painting, Gina. Every one of the prominent Australians and cultural heroes in Namatjira’s ...
Government plans to require local councils hold a referendum on whether to have Māori wards breaches the Treaty of Waitangi, a Waitangi Tribunal report has found. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney This year the National Rugby League (NRL) opened its season in Las Vegas. It was an audacious move by the league’s ambitious head honcho Peter V’Landys to showcase the game in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate Professor, Music Industry, RMIT University Leading music organisations have praised the federal budget for its investment in the live music sector. The budget includes A$8.6 million for a program called Revive Live: to provide essential support to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marnee Shay, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, The University of Queensland The 2024 federal budget contains A$110 million for Indigenous education. This includes funding for various different organisations to represent and help Indigenous people as well as scholarships in a bid to ...
Air New Zealand has confirmed Nouméa’s Tontouta International airport in New Caledonia is closed until Tuesday. The airline earlier told RNZ it would update customers as soon as it could. Earlier today, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Morning Report government officials had been working on an “hourly basis” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Linley, PhD Candidate in Ecology, Charles Sturt University Grant Linley Australia’s unprecedented Black Summer bushfires in 2019–20 created ideal conditions for misinformation to spread, from the insidious to the absurd. It was within this context that a bizarre story ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marcel Scharth, Lecturer in Business Analytics, University of Sydney OpenAI executive Mira Murati launching GPT-4o.OpenAI Earlier this week OpenAI launched GPT-4o (“o” for “omni”), a new version of the artificial intelligence (AI) system powering the popular ChatGPT chatbot. GPT-4o is promoted ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treasure McGuire, Assistant Director of Pharmacy, Mater Health SEQ in conjoint appointment as Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Bond University and as Associate Professor (Clinical), The University of Queensland Speedkingz/Shutterstock Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a ...
A new poem by Hannah Patterson. Xiāng There’s a pear tree in our backyard And Xiāng tells me She can’t eat them anymore Not after some things that have happened in her life. She tells me, in Mandarin The word for pear sounds the same as the word for disassociation ...
‘Cycling Works’ aims to show business support for citywide cycle infrastructure. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, supermarket giant Foodstuffs lost its attempt to block the construction of a cycle lane outside Thorndon New World in Wellington. The Spinoff’s Wellington editor ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Slow Productivity by Cal Newport (Penguin, $40)Taking out the top spot in Auckland this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Lowe, Emeritus Professor, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University For decades, Australia has exported uranium – but not used it, other than in the Lucas Heights research reactor. But change is coming. We now face a rapidly deepening commitment to ...
"In future I should walk away," Green MP Julie Anne Genter says after complaints over an exchange in Parliament and from two members of the public. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Graffam, PhD Candidate in Theatre, Monash University Gianna Rizzo/Malthouse Music pumps; lights pulsate; two sweaty bodies sway together, touching, breathing in each other’s scent. A male body framed by downlight restlessly shifts between stances and gestures. He undresses. The intensity ...
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https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/132512457/5-policies-you-might-not-have-expected-from-the-greens-election-manifesto
Greens policies.
An extra weeks holiday, na 4s plenty , businesses are gonna hate it.
Free lunches, yip if the school wants it.
Nin resident Maori getting automatic residency, more decisive policy, that in reality won’t affect many people
Council ability to set tax, na government needs a hand on the tiller.
Funding arts stuff and alcohol free gigs , ok
So they've released policies. At least someone has aye?
Sometimes I'm sure politicians make up policy just to be seen to be doing something, I'm sure, if it ain't broke don't fix it.
For those with an attention span, this is brilliant reading, the Greens will likely be the quiet achievers this Gen. Election and help along with Te Pāti Māori and a reduced NZ Labour quotient to keep Baldrick and Act well away from office.
https://www.greens.org.nz/manifesto_2023
what does that mean?
No, Four is plenty
The best thing the Key Government did was allow the cashing out of one week of holidays. If this Greens policy becomes law bwaghorn could cash it rather than taking the fifth week of holidays if they so choose.
4 weeks holiday
Actually the Greens have put forward a progressive and coherent and consistent set of policies, and they are a great challenge.
Good on the Greens.
I don't always like them but they are coherent and consistent.
5 weeks ?….nah. A needless distraction. And James Shaw
did say to his credit…
I did like….
Both the alcohol and gambling industries have massive reach and IMO proven adverse consequences for Communities.
Pub "charities" , charitably gifting funds from harmful pokies ?…a blight on aforesaid Communities.
On another..did you see my reply re your Passenger Rail comment? Had some links. I , (and many others) think Passenger Rail…is well needed in NZ.
Yip I a saw your reply, thanks
It might not be an election-changing vote-winner but surely we’ve moved on from binary majority-based policy-making to a situation in which politicians, governments, and by extension, our society look after the interests of minorities, especially when these have been ignored or neglected and lag behind in terms of equity. Surely? If you’re a dogmatic devotee of majoritarianism then you should vote NACT.
I assuming this is to give residency to the children and grandchildren of Maori who left nz long ago, that'd mean those children are from another country, I can't see a need for special privilege because of that.
I also think Noone should have dual citizenship Amy where ever, why should some get privileges because of birth or gaming citizenship rules?
Biden green lights Cluster Munitions in Ukraine.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/7/us-to-give-ukraine-widely-banned-cluster-munitions-despite-fears
Billions of dollars ($1.3 or so bill in latest US weapons splurge) for technology that demonstrably kills civilians, while the US continues not to prioritise some of its own citizens basic needs.
More proof as if any were needed, that this is a proxy war. Even 5 Eyes partners bar the US of course, have signed up to the international Convention on Cluster Munitions this includes New Zealand, UK, Canada and US Imperialism’s Pacific deputy dog–Australia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_Cluster_Munitions
This war has to end and quickly via the intervention of as many international efforts as possible for a ceasefire, and then negotiations.
War is a racket for those that sell weapon and a shallow grave in a ditch for the young ones send to fight for the old men.
exactly
Agree Sabine.
Surely…A Rivers health….affects everyone ? And 2 years to get…where ?
IMO I am certain..that some are desperate for ACT to assume absolute control. As in : River health ? Climate change? fuck off….
Even if minimum flow levels are set:
* will they be sufficient to protect the river environment?
* will they be enforced or will ORC turn a blind eye to lawbreakers?
Well it seems like Self ID in Germany has hit a roadblock.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/07/09/germany-trans-self-id-blocked-criminals-escape-prosecution/
A few other concerns are all noted, but rest assured that the well being of women – human females of all ages was not a concern at all. But at least the Police has had some success with their concerns.
Bit like the NZ Green Party policy on the "Rainbow Community" which hardly mentions same sex attracted people at all.
This is a block based on law and the ability to execute law by police and court. In essence it would make police work impossible as you could not describe victims or perpetrators, you could not arrest the person with their deadname on the arrest warrant etc. It would undermine all of law.
In some discussion about what to do when the hubby/wife comes out as trans what do you do? Honestly, i would declare my husband dead. Not even go for a divorce, as with the change of their 'sex marker' and 'name' they killed whom ever was there before. Why would i divorce a 'woman' i never was married too in the first place.
Now the conspiracy theorist in me stipulates that if you want to change many laws – how would you go about? Open debate, and little tweaks here an there to go with the times, or you undermine them altogether and then create new laws to better fit the time.
that is the question that Germany needs to answer now. And some other countries if ever they have political appointees that still have some sort of respect for their country, the laws they are sworn to upheld, and some integrity and courage. I am not holding my breath though that it would be found here and in many other places.
Case in point: A young boy recently got attacked by two women, beaten unconsious and then raped. The discription for the women, One is 1.9 meter the 1.75.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-66107716
Go try find these women. 🙂
Here you have three kids that go buy he/him pronouns that got lost, luckily they got found.
https://reduxx.info/missing-childrens-notice-describes-three-boys-by-pronouns/
The description did not talk about boys he /him, but kids/children he/him so could be both male or female.
It can't be good for police work.
And here in NZ we have the case of the big burly person who tortured a young girl to death, referred to as a she/her. The dead girl never stood a fighting chance, but at least we not gonna upset the murderer/torturer with the wrong pronouns.
Arguing from the specific to the general there, Sabine.
Under that approach to law-making, no women should teach teenagers, based on the number of women who have been successfully prosecuted for having sex with their students.
why don't you write a letter to the editor?
The British tabloid Press has a flush of excitement a couple of years ago when they noted a rise in the numbers of "women" being prosecuted for sex crimes against children. However the most basic of research showed that these were just the usual perverts, but now with an extra co-morbidity.
This is just one of many
examples.https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/22739331.sussex-police-row-trans-woman-paedophile/
And it is precisely the reason Germany blocked Self ID for now.
In Germany the reason Self ID was blocked was because Justice, Corrections pointed out that they could no longer in any meaningful way uphold the law if they can not refer to aliases of people, refer tot he state of their biology, and so on and so forth.
This poster is just someone who is after a cheap gotcha, chances are they could no more define the word woman in any meaningful term then our PM couldn't just some time ago. The reality is, this poster could not point out if the 'woman' rapists are male or female as identifying as a woman is something anyone can do, male or female alike.
Hence the reason why Germany currently has a block on Self ID.
Btw, Rape in the UK is always the act of a male as it involves always the penis. Any other sexual assault is classified differently. Rape involves the penis, thus is always the crime of a male no matter how that male identifies.
What is rape and sexual assault?
Metropolitan Police
https://www.met.police.uk › advice › rsa › what-is-rap…
The legal definition of rape is when a person intentionally penetrates another's vagina, anus or mouth with a penis, without the other person's consent."
But then, they – the poster – might be one of them that believe that women have penises. Who knows, it's all so confusing now. 🙂
edit:
Maybe in 20 – 50 years humanity will have the knowledge to graft arm / leg rolls onto the pupic bone of females that will simulate 'penis' quite well (or no one will know what a real penis is anymore cause they all got cut off and inverted) and at that stage Transmen(human females identifying as men) will also be part of that 'male' group that rapes.
edit:
I only believe that about 5 – 10 % of all humanity are sexual predators. They are however quite prolific, and sadly it seems supported by many for cheap gotchas and to scare females into kindness and acquiescence.
Confusion all the way.
"Even Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP’s reliably progressive leader, claimed that she couldn’t be sure whether Isla Bryson was actually a woman. This is an outrage. Just because Isla has a penis, testicles and a track record of sexual assault doesn’t make her any less of a lady".
https://thecritic.co.uk/issues/march-2023/double-rapists-can-be-ladies-too/?fbclid=IwAR3XX5OpButB56G0sWIPgvsjNVuJkVf12QYnB4P4R-JhRkeS3wIUzxk7GPY
Sabine, your oversize women in Essex are reported only to have sexually assaulted their victim, not raped them.
Of course, some women teachers can and do sexually abuse students. And some trans people commit sexual assault. Therefore we must ban women from teaching and trans women from existing.
from the US
'According to the Center for Sex Offender Management, which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice, females account for around 10 percent of all sex crimes reported to authorities,” Fox News reported. “However, a much higher percentage – over 30 percent – of all teacher-student sexual offenses are estimated to have been perpetrated by females.'
2019 in NZ
'The Blenheim teacher who admitted sexually abusing two schoolboys has been jailed – but still cannot be named as she continues the fight to keep her identity a secret. She is understood to be the first female teacher in New Zealand convicted and sentenced for sexual offending against students. And it was confirmed in court that the woman did not dispute having sexual relationships with other older boys.'
Based on those figures 70-90% of teacher student sex-crimes are committed by males – so therefore, males are even more unqualified to teach.
What does that leave us with? Robots?
Based on those figures 70-90% of teacher student sex-crimes are committed by males. Ignoring, for the moment, the huge differential between the numbers of women and men teachers in the profession – that would mean (following your argument) that males are even more unsafe as teachers than women are.
What does that leave us with? Robots?
"Under that approach to law-making, no women should teach teenagers, based on the number of women who have been successfully prosecuted for having sex with their students."
Can you explain this leap of logic in more detail, tWiggle?
Archived link available.
Moderators, does TS mind these archived links being posted to allow access to articles. There were a couple of commentators who seemed concerned, is there a TS policy?
Interesting comment by the anti-discrimination commissioner:
"Ferda Ataman, the anti-discrimination commissioner, has accused the government of bowing down to Right-wing populism with the delay after it put the brakes on the reform.
“It’s being said that we have to be worried about men and women no longer being clearly defined, and men changing their gender just to get into a sauna and gawp at women.” But, she pointed out “in Germany we have mostly mixed-sex saunas anyway. No man has to legally change their gender to see a naked woman.”"
Such an illogical argument.
People using mixed-sex spaces CONSENT to inclusion of the other sex.
The impact will be on single-sex spaces, where consent is not transferable.
The anti-discrimination commissioner seems to be anti-critical thinking.
The anti-discrimination commissioner is discriminative against women – human females as women – human females are entitled to single sex spaces under the law and can not be discriminated against on the grounds of their sex. Oops.
And as the Police and the Justice Department and Ministers in Germany have helpfully pointed out these provisions in law exists and currently they are being blatantly broken and transgressions can not be appropriately policed and prosecuted.
'Woriads', worthy of respect in a democratic society, until the laws are changed.
Why do you fuss so much about NZ self-id? It allows people to change their sex on birth certificates by affirmation, without having to go through the Family Court, as previously.
From the Dept of Internal Affairs website 'Birth certificates are not intended to be considered proof of a person's identity' and 'are not usually used to determine a person's right to access single sex services or spaces'.
In fuller detail:
'Questions about the implications of self-identification for service providers
What does the new law say about how service providers should consider birth certificates as evidence of sex or gender?
The new legislation clarifies how birth certificates can be used as evidence of sex or gender. Where service providers need to determine someone’s sex or gender, other factors can be considered over and above the registered sex listed on a birth certificate. This reflects the fact that birth certificates are not intended to be considered evidence of a person’s identity (usually birth certificates are provided with other documents such as a driver licence or passports to prove identity).
What does self-identification mean for single sex spaces and activities such as changing rooms and sports teams?
The self-identification process should not affect how access to single sex spaces or sports is determined. Birth certificates are not usually used to determine a person’s right to access single sex services or spaces.
Organisations and individuals can continue to rely on their own policies rather than birth certificates. For example, it is still up to individual governing bodies to determine how sex and gender are determined in sport. It is also still up to individual schools to discuss with learners, parents, caregivers and whānau what name and gender learners use, regardless of the details on their birth certificates.
How will self-identification affect the placement of people in prison?
The self-identification process should not affect the placement of people in prison. Corrections is exploring a policy change to ensure birth certificates are not an overriding consideration in placement decisions. Any changes will come into force alongside the self-identification process.’
Can you give a coherent definition of gender so all can follow your reasoning?
Then I will be able to respond to your musings and points without any misunderstanding.
Nine to noon interview about skew in ADHD youth numbers in prison
They discuss results of a very interesting study mining NZ health and justice data used to evaluate mental health diagnosis with justice system outcomes.
Thanks tWiggle. Family has ADHD but luckily avoided the justice system. One was in his 20s by the time he got diagnosed and then treatment. An earlier visit to a Psychologist he was told no such thing as ADHD. Big help.
It's the central base of our democracy so no wonder it comes in at #4 on Stuff's daily popularity rating. Democrats throughout the nation glued to the screen!
It's tough at the top. Our head of state will struggle within the shackles of democracy regardless of how well they do the multi-year renovations. Still, look on the bright side. The multitude of ghosts abiding in those massive empty room will keep him in good company, whispering in his ear during sleep, connecting him to tradition. Democracy's inertial effect will proceed on this experiential basis…
Gerald Otto's facebook post timelines National's hypocricy in moaning about RAT test costs
In 2021 National hassled the government about lack of RATs, even though orders were in place, and tests arrived in time for the winter wave of covid. Otto's timeline also lays out National's attack of the government covid response to make political capital.
Thanks for that tWig.
Captain Hindsight and Corporal Knew-it-all-Along (Luxon and Bishop) are at it again. Many of the so-called wasted RAT tests may get used anyway. I used a couple this week because I've got a heavy cold and I know people who have recently caught Covid.
Just because the RAT tests have expired according to the date on the packet does not make them unusable so long as they have been stored carefully. They were never that accurate in the first place, something the Captain and Corporal refused to acknowledge. I think many people would be happy to take a few packets for future use.
Google, which is never wrongtells me:
"you can use an expired test until you can get new ones, as long as the control line is working."
Ta tWiggle, that was vg. Worth folowing.
This really pisses me off.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plenty/300922764/the-not-fast-and-the-very-furious-30kph-limit-plans-for-nz-towns
I’m a baby boomer, live next door to a school, have children, and grandchildren.
The sheer entitlement and fucking arrogance of those who time is so precious they’d rather risk the lives of kids to save themselves a few seconds tells you everything you need to know about them and their ilk.
The sooner the boomer generation is confined to history the better.
Can you elaborate please?
Have you read the Stuff story? Should be self explanatory from there.
In 1990 road deaths were running at about 700 a year. In 2023 they are running at about 350 per year.
Over this time the population has gone from 3.4m to 5.2m.
Deaths per million have gone from 206 per million to 67 per million.
So this is pretty good, but we are way behind Europe-the EU has 46 deaths per million.
It's hard to tell how the "Road to Zero" is going because traffic was so light in the Covid years 2021 and 2022 but I love the policies of more median barriers, improved junctions and lower speed limits. My understanding is the government has had some resistance to this because contractors like to bild roads not fix roads up.
Where the article says “Road safety campaigner, Clive Matthew-Wilson, said the Road to Zero project was “a dismal failure”” Where is his evidence?
Median barriers are causing some issues for police who have to drive a-ways before turning around to get to offenders / emergencies in the opposite direction.
Not a reason for not doing them but long stretches with no gaps could be better redesigned.
It would be more useful in analysisng the Road to Zero policy – in looking at road deaths in 2018 (before it was implemented) and in 2022 (the most recent full year, after the policy was implemented – and one in which there were no lockdowns).
The totals are virtually the same.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/481764/tragic-tally-60-more-people-killed-on-the-roads-in-2022-than-2021
I suspect that this is the "dismal failure" of the Road to Zero campaign referenced – all of the median barriers, improved junctions and lowered speed limits implemented since 2018 – have made no difference to the numbers killed.
Alas, I think a large part of that decrease is due to airbags. The number to look at is the rate of vehicle accidents with reported casualties, not deaths.
Good point tWig, But there are many factors.
Car body construction has improved hugely so that cars do not crumple on impact and the car frame is designed to absorb the impact as well as the airbags.
The state of the roads is also important. Cars crossing to the wrong side of the road can't happen with median barriers. Better designed junctions are important. There are two terrible junctions in Wanaka that are scheduled to be replaced by a roundabout and traffic lights for instance. And so on….
What we don’t need is motorways being built using the excuse that they are safer. They are massively expensive-much better to spend this on public transport.
Nothing in the article saying that it is only (or even primarily) boomers complaining.
When we look at deaths from speeding (people, who by definition already don't care about any speed limits) the under 30 age group are much more significantly represented than the over 60s (the boomers)
https://www.transport.govt.nz/statistics-and-insights/safety-annual-statistics/sheet/speed
With over 90% of drivers speeding outside the school near my home, I can guarantee you it's not limited to a certain age range (younger people maybe on their mobile phone while speeding though). Speeding is widespread and excessive in this country (there are more drivers over 60 km/h than within the limit of 30 km/h – I measured it).
But then the police doesn't care (and probably doesn't have enough resources), the council doesn't care (they even widened the road), the 90% of the drivers don't care either… and the funny thing is, following one of those "speedsters" you will very likely see them at the next traffic light over 1 km away… so they didn't even safe any travel time (they are just morons complaining about their high petrol bill mainly caused by their stupid driving habits).
And then the fines for traffic offences in the country can only be considered a joke. $30 for speeding, same as late 90s… when a glass of beer in a pub was $2, the house prices $150,000… compared to $15 and $900,000 or so here in Wellington.
Speeding tickets should start at $200+ – similar to drinking alcohol in a liquor ban zone, like Country Place (I guess whoever set $250 dollar fine figured out that nobody cares about $30, $40 to $60 anymore), and, if you ask me, we should introduce a license suspension for anything 20km/h plus over the speed limit in towns, like they do in many Europe countries.
It's illegal to be on phones while driving, but all these new cars have a bloody ipad as their central control. You literally can't watch the road and it. And some even have more screens displaying all manner of distracting info – I drove one that had three(!).
Please, give me my knobs and switches back, tactility, so I can watch the damn road (and possibly the speedo).
Ship aground, captain went missing:
Look, everyone knows the pandemic afflicted Labour mental processes so extensively that they became unable to make decisions. People point that out onsite here constantly, so it must be true. Faafoi may have put it on the cabinet agenda & it got displaced later.
Jacinda knew someone had told her she had to apologise for what Muldoon had done. It's vitally important that Labour accept responsibility for National mistakes. Apparently. Dunno why. You can't blame her for forgetting to ensure that the same mistakes weren't being produced by her govt: that's rocket science thinking, which Labour doesn't do. Still racist though, according to islanders…
Or the current stats realistically reflect the racial proportions of overstayers. Looks like NZ Herald didn't bother to investigate that possibility in their reportage – in a hurry for an anti-government soundbite.
A 2020 Herald article estimated 10,000 overstayers in NZ, mostly Pasifika. The article is about an Indian overstayer who came as a student on borrowed money.
Oops, seems like a switch from PI overstayers to Chinese construction workers could, in fact, be racist.