Open mike 10/08/2020

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 10th, 2020 - 82 comments
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82 comments on “Open mike 10/08/2020 ”

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  1. Observer Tokoroa 1
    10 August 2020 at 4:42 am

    Of Course Chris T abuses the Prime Minister

    First and foremost – he clearly feels the need to abuse women – at every opportunity.

    Second – Chris T – is representative of some of the very lazy side of Waikato farmers. Wretched paddocks and buildings. Rubbish galore. Rusty useless vehicles of all manner.

    Third – Chris T – gets offered endless written attention. Boring yards and yards of it.

    Fourth – he denigrates and rubs out any person who has a reasonable standard of achievement.

    I don't know why he is a Poster boy of "The Standard". His fellow Layabouts, Communists, and Farmers must get quite tired of Chris T.

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

    [Presumably, you’re referring to Chris Trotter but without a link it is impossible to tell what triggered your rant this time. In addition, Chris Trotter is not a Poster boy of “The Standard”. I get quite tired of your unhinged comments here – Incognito]

    • Incognito 1.1
      10 August 2020 at 8:05 am

      See my Moderation note @ 4:42 AM.

      • Sacha 1.1.1
        10 August 2020 at 8:31 am

        I assumed it was commenter here Chris T. Vitriol in any case.

        • Incognito 1.1.1.1
          10 August 2020 at 8:42 am

          That possibility crossed my mind too and OT has form. I went for the ‘lesser crime’ instead 😉

          • Sacha 1.1.1.1.1
            10 August 2020 at 8:53 am

            Kind.

          • Robert Guyton 1.1.1.1.2
            10 August 2020 at 11:17 am

            Hi Incognito. In defence/support of OT (yes, you're right, it's de minimis) he was referring to the Chris T who comments here and his comment was attached to a thread involving Chris T (from which OT's comment was moved) and I don't personally find OT's comments vitriolic or out of order; a little stylistically sour maybe, but not offensive; I too wondered about CT's support for the placard-wielding farmer who thinks Jacinda is "pretty" and his approach to commenting here, so wasn't perturbed by OT's comments. I don't think "unhinged" is a fair label for them. For what it's worth smiley

            • greywarshark 1.1.1.1.2.1
              10 August 2020 at 11:27 am

              The last para – if he had deleted that he would have got a lot of things off his/her chest which may be true. I think a little rant now and then is reasonable, where else can you safely vent impatience at the way politics and life is unfolding? Most of us understand and say yeah or there, there. Perhaps he could give us examples of the various things he has enumerated so we know what has got him going. That would be a practical outcome and a kindly one also.

            • Incognito 1.1.1.1.2.2
              10 August 2020 at 11:30 am

              Hi Robert, thank you for the feedback.

              OT’s comment was a standalone one and not a reply to another comment. OT has form but I gave him the benefit of doubt and a gentle warning, not a threat.

              Of course, I posted the image of the muppet farmer, not CT. That said, CT is becoming more cumbersome and more of an issue than OT; CT’s ‘TS credit rating’ is dropping rapidly and I’ve warned CT about this too.

              We’re all adults here and I hope I don’t have to spend more time on either OT or CT 😉

  2. Jum 2
    10 August 2020 at 6:24 am

    If National is moving to the more conservative and 'moral' side, with the new list, why did they then rush to choose Collins? That can only prove what hypocrites these people are.

    Church in the weekend, screw everyone financially during the week. Nothing changes.

    • tc 2.1
      10 August 2020 at 7:09 am

      National are a hollowed out collection of factions fronted by the biggest bullies now it seems.

      They are trusted with the skeletons from the last 3 terms of nationals rule. A few of them are theirs anyway.

  3. Muttonbird 3
    10 August 2020 at 7:54 am

    Gerry's rebuild:

    A Public Service Association official who worked at the precinct, last year said that the building was not a nice place to be.

    The man, who did not want to be named, said the constant repairs were disruptive and stressful and he no longer felt safe.

    "From the building issues that we were made aware of during the process, having to replace all of the glass because of not being up to spec or fitted incorrectly.

    "There's just so many problems around that, I don't have a lot of faith in the building at all," he said.

    PSA national secretary Glenn Barclay said aside from the constant maintenance, the building was too small and staff were moved away.

    The Justice Ministry confirmed that about 50 to 60 staff were being shifted to offices about three minutes walk away from the precinct.

    Imagine if Gerry Brownlee, the deputy leader of the opposition, was let loose in a National-led government next month. Be very afraid, people…

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/08/christchurch-justice-precinct-needed-more-than-700-000-to-fix-electronics.html

  4. Grafton Gully 4
    10 August 2020 at 9:57 am

    Infectious diseases ASF and COVID-19 contributing to falling production of non-poultry meat.

    "World total meat production in 2020 is forecast to fall to 333 million tonnes (carcass weight equivalent), 1.7 percent lower than in 2019, marking the second year of consecutive decline. Much of the contraction is again expected to reflect a sharp drop in global production of pig meat, largely concentrated in Asian countries affected by the African swine fever (ASF) viral disease, but also of bovine meat, especially in the United States of America (USA) and Australia. By contrast, global production of poultry meat is forecast to expand, albeit at half the rate recorded last year. Modest output growth is also predicted for ovine meat. The pace of expansion of all the meat sectors has been negatively affected by COVID-19 market disruptions, aggravating the effects of animal diseases."

    http://www.fao.org/3/ca9509en/CA9509EN.pdf

  5. Muttonbird 5
    10 August 2020 at 10:10 am

    Always good to throw Hoskings a bone every now and then, and today he got one:

    Hosking said he had watched (Ardern) on the campaign trail at the Grey Lynn farmers' market at the weekend and she hadn't been practising social distancing.

    "No, and nor do we ask anyone to continue practise social distancing because we are at level 1," she said.

    Hosking said he had seen a poster that encouraged social distancing at level 1.

    Ardern said at level 1, people had to wash hands, stay home if they were sick, and get advice from Healthline or their GP about being tested. Plus the restrictions at the border continued.

    She said she could not comment on the poster, "but we have never been encouraging social distancing at level 1".

    Now, it's fair to say none of us practice much social distancing at L1, although I do give people a wider berth than I used to, but this is a rare mistake from the PM and she should probably acknowledge it in some way.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12355032

    • Anne 5.1
      10 August 2020 at 10:34 am

      I think whoever put together that poster was thinking in terms of public places – not private gatherings or functions. In other words, if you are waiting in a queue there is no need to stand immediately behind the person in front of you. I find now that I automatically stand a few paces away and most other people do too. Its a courteous gesture anyway and usually appreciated.

    • Sacha 5.2
      10 August 2020 at 10:40 am

      Without having time to even read that story, I suspect it is based on the difference between the official guidance issued before and after lockdown but which kept the same Level numbers.

      Hosk likely just recycling a bone tossed to him by the Nat party 'intelligence' unit. Who's a good boy!

    • weka 5.3
      10 August 2020 at 2:45 pm

      what's the source of the image? (link please). Like Sacha I want to check the version and date.

  6. Adrian Thornton 6
    10 August 2020 at 11:10 am

    Prof. Cornel West: Joe Biden a Neoliberal Disaster, Donald Trump a Neofascist Catastrophe!

    • Andre 6.1
      10 August 2020 at 11:31 am

      Why settle for less? Vote for the greatest evil of all!

      • Sabine 6.1.1
        10 August 2020 at 1:24 pm

        +1

        it was the best choice last time around too.

        • Andre 6.1.1.1
          10 August 2020 at 5:19 pm

          SMoD has its appeal, as well. "Just end it already" is quite the powerful slogan.

          • McFlock 6.1.1.1.1
            10 August 2020 at 6:51 pm

            I was sort of speculating a few days ago that the SMoD on Dec 31, 2020 (you know, the big finale to a clusterfucked year) would leave a few astro/cosmonauts on the ISS, stranded in LEO. Which would, of course, be the utopian "true left" government the "everyone's a tory except me" crowd could appreciate.

            But then the thought occurred just now that the ISS is only a couple of hundred km up, IIRC, so would probably go through the SMoD's ejecta plume and be zapped that way. Alas, a truly left wing government is impossible.

            • Andre 6.1.1.1.1.1
              10 August 2020 at 7:19 pm

              It's 400km up, on average. It has to do debris collision avoidance maneuvers about once a year on average, so even without the ejecta plume it might not last that long without earth tracking all the space trash. Then there's the risk of a crazed rooskie going and drilling holes in it.

              • McFlock …
                10 August 2020 at 7:32 pm

                The hole could have been to craftily sneak a sly ciggie or cover up a particularly odiferous fart.

    • Andre 6.2
      10 August 2020 at 11:55 am

      I'm not curious enough to watch 26 minutes of russian propaganda to find out, but I'm curious enough to ask: is Cornel West such a slow learner that he's endorsed the Greens candidate this time around? (it's some noname like Who?ie Who?kins)

    • Dennis Frank 6.3
      10 August 2020 at 12:09 pm

      Having written scathingly about Biden in the past, I need to see his good side. It is illuminated via historical evidence here: https://www.reddit.com/r/neoliberal/comments/fedjp0/the_comprehensive_case_for_joe_biden/

      • Adrian Thornton 6.3.1
        10 August 2020 at 12:38 pm

        Joe Biden, Mass Incarceration Zealot

        https://www.jacobinmag.com/2018/08/biden-crime-mass-incarceration-police-prisons

        Expect More Military “Liberal Interventionism” Under a Joe Biden Presidency

        https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/06/joe-biden-foreign-policy-military-liberal-interventionism-obama

        A Biden presidency would not be good news for Palestine

        https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/biden-presidency-good-news-palestine-200602085815765.html

        Joe Biden to rich donors: "Nothing would fundamentally change" if he's elected

        https://www.salon.com/2019/06/19/joe-biden-to-rich-donors-nothing-would-fundamentally-change-if-hes-elected/

        etc etc and so forth……

        • Andre 6.3.1.1
          10 August 2020 at 12:50 pm

          Surely you've got more than that to unload yourself of? You've been holding it in a while. Go on, let rip. You'll feel better.

        • Dennis Frank 6.3.1.2
          10 August 2020 at 1:02 pm

          Yeah, so I wrote scathingly of him several times here after seeing that kind of stuff. However, one must adopt a balanced view in politics. Partisans & bigots fall victim to prejudice routinely, but why copy them??

          When you read how a politician started out, and get a sense of consistency from his legislative track record in the earlier phase of his political career, and it seems evident that he was trying to help disadvantaged groups, you are likely to form a favourable opinion of his character. And if you have already formed a negative view, you can change your mind.

          If you mind is open, that is. So it's just a matter of being fair to the guy by evaluating the pros & cons, eh?

          • Adrian Thornton 6.3.1.2.1
            10 August 2020 at 1:30 pm

            While I resect your view that this is a time (in the US) for political pragmatism, don't fool yourself as who Biden is and whose interests he actually represents..and if we where living in the states..they sure as hell wouldn't be ours.

            Then of course there is the very serious ( though bizarrely barely reported upon) issue that he is quite obviously suffering from some sort of age related mental decline/condition…so it looks like the US public are finally really going to vote on an actual dead dog.

            • Dennis Frank 6.3.1.2.1.1
              10 August 2020 at 2:11 pm

              Yeah, he's a trad establishment Dem, I get that. Will keep an open mind on the mental health front, but Trump has beaten him to it, really!

              I'm somewhat inclined to the thesis advocated by "14th-century bishop William of Wykeham… Manners maketh man, you know". https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/manners+maketh+man

              So his gentility of style may actually indicate that he is a true gentleman. Yeah, I know, whimsy has no place nowadays – but stranger things have happened!

            • lprent 6.3.1.2.1.2
              10 August 2020 at 7:28 pm

              …and if we where living in the states..they sure as hell wouldn't be ours.

              If we were living in the states John Key would be considered a dangerous left radical. Bill English would be regarded politically as being religiously left of John Kennedy.

              The political scales there are a bit sc(r)ewed

              • Professor Longhair …
                11 August 2020 at 9:34 am

                If we were living in the states John Key would be considered a dangerous left radical.

                No, he would be considered to be a right wing neoliberal patsy. The U.S. Congress is full of Key equivalents, unfortunately.

  7. Adrian Thornton 7
    10 August 2020 at 12:06 pm

    Mate it seems (judging by your history on this site anyway) that you have been advocating for free thinking progressives to be voting for eating cold bowls of shit for years, obviously it an acquired taste that you have become accustomed too..maybe even look forward to…that particular perversion has no appeal for me thank you all the same.

    Nina Turner Says Voting For Joe Like Eating ‘Bowl Of Shit'

    • Tony Veitch (not etc.) 7.1
      10 August 2020 at 4:16 pm

      Were I an America (and thank God I'm not) I would be voting for Joe Biden – the lesser of two incompetents.

  8. rawsharkyeshe 8
    10 August 2020 at 12:36 pm

    This story originally from Forbes, now NYPost .. top New York real estate exec now entering NZ market suggesting there is a 'getaround' for overseas owners to buy NZ residential property .. thoughts please? Rape and plunder all over again ?

    While there is now a law against non-natives buying second homes in New Zealand, there is a loophole.

    The 13,175-square-foot mountainside home Serhant is selling has been rezoned for commercial use, and therefore not beholden to normal restrictions, according to Bloomberg. The person selling the property would also be up for leasing the land back from the buy for $56,525 a month.

    https://nypost.com/2020/08/08/million-dollar-listing-broker-eyes-new-zealand-real-estate/

    [Fixed error in user name]

    • Incognito 8.1
      10 August 2020 at 12:41 pm

      [Fixed error in user name]

      • rawsharkyeshe 8.1.1
        10 August 2020 at 1:55 pm

        apologies Incognito .. I will try to remember to use my old email address.

        [No worries, but in this comment you used your full name(?) as your user name]

    • Graeme 8.2
      10 August 2020 at 1:08 pm

      That workaround has been going from before the foreign buyer rules for tax purposes and for a sometimes easier road through the OIO

      The ‘investment’ becomes tax deductible and pre covid could ha e generated considerable income. There’s a lot of private lodges around the place. At 1300 m2 it’s hardly in the affordable housing category. The deal will have got someone out of the shit, maybe.
      The local council will be smiling, visitor accom. rates on it will be significant. Getting the commercial use will have kept the planning dept and lawyer busy for a while too

      • rawsharkyeshe 8.2.1
        10 August 2020 at 1:57 pm

        dodgy as all get up …. when it is being advertised and promoted in Forbes and New York as a simple easy 'getaround'. John Key's dream all over again. Enough, no more.

    • Andre 9.1
      10 August 2020 at 12:40 pm

      Awww, that knitted elf is soooooo cuuuuuute!

    • PaddyOT 9.2
      10 August 2020 at 1:42 pm

      Pollies should not take bus tours.

      A busload of politicians were driving down a country road when, all of a sudden, the bus ran off the road and crashed into a tree in a farmer's field. The farmer, after seeing what happened, went over to investigate. He then proceeded to dig a hole and bury the politicians. The local cop came out, saw the crashed bus and asked the farmer where all the politicians had gone. The farmer said he had buried them. The cop asked the farmer, "Were they ALL dead?" The old farmer replied, "Well, some of them said they weren't, but you know how them politicians lie."

    • mary_a 9.3
      10 August 2020 at 2:01 pm

      Seymour should have been more economical and gone for the more appropriate Noddy car to transport his ACT team around the country.

  11. Ad 11
    10 August 2020 at 2:24 pm

    The Prime Minister is saying today we're going to get a travel bubble with the Cook Islands before the end of the year.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

    Ladies and gentlemen, pack your snorkels.

    • lprent 11.1
      10 August 2020 at 3:25 pm

      I will correct that mistatement for you.

      The Prime Minister is saying today we're going to may get a travel bubble with the Cook Islands before the end of the year.

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12355183

      Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hopes a travel bubble with the Cooks Islands will be up and running before the end of this year.

      A draft agreement has been drawn up between the two countries and Ardern said officials would verify it within the next 10 days.

      The final phase of the arrangement requires signing-off by director general of health Ashley Bloomfield and his Cook Islands counterpart.

      But it could still be months before Kiwis can fly quarantine-free to the island nation.

      In other words we are probably talking aspirational for the moment. But yeah, if nothing screws up, this looks possible.

    • gsays 11.2
      10 August 2020 at 4:44 pm

      I saw Bridges call this at a candidate/political meeting on a news clip, sometime last week.

      How did he know?

      Is he privvy to the planning/korero going on as opposition spokesperson?

      Public servant whisper?

    • rawsharkyeshe 11.3
      10 August 2020 at 6:30 pm

      High cyclone season — yippee !!!

  12. newsense 12
    10 August 2020 at 3:04 pm

    Looks like whatever Collins says is going to be top of the RNZ webpage until the election.

    • Incognito 12.1
      10 August 2020 at 3:10 pm

      I reckon they’ve hacked the site with ransomware in the form of endless promotional puff-pieces on National and its present Leader. \sarc

  13. solkta 13
    10 August 2020 at 3:21 pm

    Donald Trump: I want my face to be on Mount Rushmore

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/300078543/donald-trump-i-want-my-face-to-be-on-mount-rushmore

    lol, i think i wet my pants.

  14. joe90 14
    10 August 2020 at 4:01 pm

    Fuck, Belgium.

    http://archive.li/7A3NP (nyt)

  15. Morrissey 15
    10 August 2020 at 6:09 pm

    This fellow has been a national embarrassment for decades. He was, ominously for Collins and her ever-diminishing crew this year, also the Deputy Leader of the party in 2005….

    [deleted]

    [don’t post blatant fat bigotry. If you don’t understand why this is a problem, then consider if you had written a piece of blatant sexism aimed at a National woman MP. If that doesn’t get through, imagine if someone had written pejorative stereotypes about a Māori MP. There are plenty of problems with Brownlee’s politics and personality without buying into and promoting negative stereotypes based in shaming people for their bodies – weka]

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

    • greywarshark 15.1
      10 August 2020 at 8:26 pm

      I think not to show unreasonable bias against gez, you should put personal descriptions for each of the players you mention. All of them are troughers.

      John Key – smooth, oily, slimy etc

    • Just Is 15.2
      10 August 2020 at 8:29 pm

      So what you're really saying is he's met all the requirements to be nominated for a Knighthood

    • Sacha 15.3
      10 August 2020 at 8:31 pm

      How many times do you people need to be told not to focus on Brownlee's body when his character and actions offer more than enough targets. Pathetic.

    • Professor Longhair 15.4
      11 August 2020 at 9:36 am

      Mr Breen's post was focused on Brownlee's misconstruing of the word "fatuous." The shaming of Brownlee was for his foolishness, not his weight.

      • Incognito 15.4.1
        11 August 2020 at 12:47 pm

        The comment has been deleted so we cannot verify your defence of your dear ami. IIRC, he was also link-whoring to one of his own dated blog posts on his own site, which usually doesn’t add anything to the conversation here.

        I don’t think that Morrissey has been banned, just warned, and I’m sure he’s big enough to put up his own defence if he feels the need.

        Please don’t meddle with Moderation because you’re playing with fire.

        • Professor Longhair 15.4.1.1
          11 August 2020 at 1:48 pm

          he was also link-whoring to one of his own dated blog posts on his own site

          Indeed. Mr Breen is without doubt a "link whore." Timely intervention on your part, my good man. yes

          • Incognito 15.4.1.1.1
            11 August 2020 at 1:52 pm

            You seem to have eyesight problems; I, i.e. moi, did not intervene, but I can now if you keep insisting because you’re starting to blister already.

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    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

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