It's not that employers can't pay decent living wages. It's just that they don't want to, they would prefer to exploit vulnerable migrant workers. Unlike other workers migrant workers are bound by law to one employer on pain of being deported if they try to better their condition by leaving for another position. And if they dare complain about their wages or conditions will not be picked for future work.
Six-figure roles for skilled labourers, excavator operators, carpenters
….the rate was indicative of the current market. The client was happy to pay more for someone, provided it could get people, he said.
“We’ve been doing this for 26 years and never in my career in this industry have I experienced it where the client is saying two things they haven’t said before – the first is they don’t care so much about the cost, they need people.
“The second is that previously they've been quite particular about people having to have certain skills… now they’ll just take a punt.”
Brad Olsen: Econ Talks – Wage growth accelerates as unemployment bounces to 3.3%
Wages rose as unemployment also ticked up slightly in the June quarter, data from Stats NZ shows.
He said labourers who might previously have earned 50c or $1 more than minimum wage could now command up to $5 because businesses were “that keen” to hire staff.
Economist Brad Olsen said it was an example of an employer trying to capture a broad variety of people.
The job ad noted that a lack of experience was not necessarily a problem, so long as the person had a good attitude.
“What this reflects is that at the moment with these ads, they’re looking for anyone – as a business they are not being able to be picky or direct on what skills or skill bases they want … they’re having to take what labour is available and employees have a lot more ability to dictate terms and demand what they want because there is a huge need for people.”
Olsen said there was a clear opportunity for someone who was experienced and could manage at team, or be relied upon to take on more work, to earn good money.
…a retail role at Furniture Clearance Co in Napier was offering $28 an hour, which would work out at about $58,000 a year for someone working full time, significantly higher than the national average of $51,739 for retail jobs.
Olsen said the employer was having to sell itself to potential workers – outlining at the top of the ad what the business could offer rather than what it was looking for. “It does highlight a change in how businesses are having to recruit.”
Seasonal worker cap increased to 19,000 people….
….Emma Consedine, chief executive at 40 Foot Consulting, said there were surprisingly high salaries on offer in other sectors, too, as employers around the country struggled to find staff…..
….“Most companies in tech are experiencing huge numbers of vacancies that they are not able to fill.”
She expected that to change when more potential candidates were able to come into the country.
Olsen said while there was an opportunity for workers at the moment, it would not last forever. “It’s important to be aware that conditions can and often have changed quite quickly in the labour market.”
But Eder was less sure that conditions would change soon…..
…..it takes a while for people – migrants and working holiday people – to get here. Particularly with the hiccups at Immigration NZ in comparison to the welcome mat that Australia is throwing out."
He said it was possible the shortage of workers could continue through next year.
A longish read, and a bit heavy going, but a fascinating discussion about the long arcs of geopolitical history.
”International systems are dynamic, not static. Although they may enjoy long periods of relative stability or stasis, they are fluid in nature and therefore prone to change over time. In the last century stable world order cycles have become shorter and transitional cycles have become longer due to a number of factors, including technological advances in areas such as transportation and telecommunications, demographic shifts, the globalisation of production, consumption and exchange, ideological diffusion, cultural transfer and increased permeability of national borders. Status quos are more short-lived and transitional moments–moments leading to systemic realignment–are decades in length.
We are currently in the midst of such a long transitional moment.“
Is anyone else following the Mermaids meltdown? Short of writing a long, detailed post, I'm at a loss as how to explain it to anyone who hasn't been following.
Not sure what is going on with that link, but here's the correct one. Click on the date/time stamp and then copy the URL. TS links need a . or word ahead of the link or they convert to the post link.
Response to a support tweet which lists some of the issues, I think just creating a list is the way to go. I'll add if I think you have missed any. Alternatively, I'm home most of this morning so we could collaborate.
Of course, since tweeting this last night the information around their digital communications employee, Darren Mews has come to light.
thanks Molly. I have to go out this morning, but will email you.
Saw the Darren Mews bit on Maya Forstater's twitter. I'm tempted to put up a running post where I just add the new content every day. So people can actually see the content not being reported in MSM, but also how much of it there is, and the progress of it unfolding.
I think the phrase "Not a bug, but a feature" that's been proffered, is an apt one.
The culture there – and in other similar organisations – seems to be one of Queer Theory boundary breaking and elimination of safeguards. I have some bookmarks of Mermaid standard greeting screenshotted by a family that tells children to not use the family email, but to create a separate one for communication on the forum. Coupled with the advice to move to a Discord server, it is apparent the basic safeguarding protocols with children were deliberately abandoned.
Mermaids made a complaint about the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Alliance to the Charity Commission, claiming they're not a charity
In that investigation, the spotlight also went on Mermaids
This includes the Mail investigation re the things Mermaids has been doing that undermine child safeguarding. Two of the Trustees resigned at this time
last week, it was revealed that one of the remaining Trustees is an academic with a history of writing pro-child sex pieces. He has since resigned. The issues is whether Mermaids knew and didn't care, or didn't know because they didn't screen their Trustees.
Orgs that have been using Mermaids as a referral service have started telling their staff to stop doing this.
In addition to that, there are connections between Mermaids, Queer Theory, and pro-paedophilia. The left won't talk about it, because we're not allowed to criticise the Rainbow people. But there is a huge amount of discussion and material being shared by GC people on twitter and it is damning.
I think it's important to underline HOW influential this charity has been.
Despite claiming in court to not be medical experts, they were meeting regularly with the Tavistock GIDS clinic, leveraging that relationship to advocate for "affirmation only" healthcare responses for those that sought medical help, and Susie Green (despite her non-medical background) is listed as one of the authors of the WPATH SoC 8 that has just been released which removed minimum age levels for medication and surgeries.
They have also been very embedded in education, and institutional and corporate training, without oversight of materials or scrutiny of what is being delivered without evidence.
There are many such organisations following the Mermaids model in the UK. And we also seem to have a couple in NZ. Apparently, they have an exemption from showing where their grants come from, but I have to double-check that information to confirm. Looking at the Charity Commission website there are no details of grant income, but I don't know why that is.
thanks Molly and Weka for continuing to highlight what is happening re gender ideology in other parts of the world. The msm silence on these issues is deafening
You've got to be currently getting water or sewage services form your local Council to come under the new Entities.
There's some existing Council rural supplies that are agricultural mixed use that may be sold to their users rather than go into the Entities, Clutha and Waitaki have quite a few of these.
There are also some existing private supplies that may look at moving to Entity ownership / management. I manage several small water supplies and one of those may be better in the Entity than being private. The other two are agricultural focused and will be outside the expertise of the entities.
do you mean that rural people on non-council domestic water won't be part of Three Waters? I've heard varying opinions about this, but don't regional councils have responsibility for those atm?
Initially private supplies will be outside 3 Waters, but down the track those supplies may elect to be part of it. Or, if they are unable to comply with standards they may be required to do something about their management structures.
There's a private supply near me that could charitably be described as dysfunctional that I expect to go into 3 Waters quite quickly, by fair of foul. Will take up many column inches when it does.
The rates are a function of the service provided. To reduce the rates councils have to reduce the service below the regulated minimums. These standards haven't really been tightened by recent legislation (Water Services Act 2021), but the enforcement and liabilities have been. The standards go back 30 – 50 years and have been ignored / procrastinated / debated by councils all that time. The tactics are the same as the farmer lobby is using to secure water rights in ORC.
It's not a very pretty situation and some districts are downright ugly. At long last we've got a Government that is actually doing something about it.
yeah, but ignoring standards is on councils and the government could have passed legislation and enforced compliance. Regional councils have been allowed to do what they want, it's just daft to say that there aren't various ways this could be addressed.
There is lots of hesitancy purely based on the fact that once control is centralized pretty much zero thought will be given to the needs and wants of small communities nor will thought be given about how and policy change will effect small communities. Many of which have invested in and have effective infrastructure already in place that meets the needs of those small communities
I think that’s not an accurate description. There’s definitely consideration of small(er) communities but where the convo becomes unhinged and unstuck (…) is how best to put this into practice. Co-government is the antithesis of centralisation, in essence.
A second observation is that current infrastructure may be (just) adequate but as with all infrastructure, it requires constant upkeep, repair & maintenance that is increasingly more costly. Don’t forget that drinkable water is essential for well-being (good health) and that this is the primary objective, not the economic (or political) factors.
Yes, indeed, but I do realise that many (?) people seem to think that Māori [will] only look after the interests of Māori and ‘shaft’ everyone else, i.e., those people might be projecting. I could dig further into the issue of racism vs. reverse-racism, but that would just raise a red flag for some 🙁
In my opinion too, the alleged Māori card is a huge red herring (aka large mammal in the room).
I don't trust the process that was used to get this far. I think the model will make local democracy worse than it is (we should retain localism wherever and whenever we can). I'm doubtful that suits in Chch have the necessary skills and experience to make decisions for small towns in Otago and Southland. I think not bringing people along is a massive mistake at this point in history. The amount of TINA lines being run is a big red flag.
Previously drinking water came under the Health Act, administered by MOH. This was completely useless and I don't think there was ever a prosecution despite some quite blatant breaches of standards (Havelock North and another in Queenstown in late 80's where 3000 people were very sick). Things sort of got fixed after the fact and that was that.
Regional Councils have regulated discharges of sewage, and have been quite good. In Otago especially since Ngai Tahu have been involved, But that is only after the fact, they don't have any role until there is a discharge.
Regulation of infrastructural practice and operation is the role of the new regulator established under Water Services Act 2021. Taumata Arowai is a rather grunty orgaisation with big boots and a bigger stick. There will be changes in how things are done irrespective of the 3 Waters reforms. However it's going to work a lot better for water users with the 3 Waters reforms as suppliers / Councils will have the scale to do the job at a more reasonable cost.
Russia has appointed a notorious general who opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in the 1990s as its first overall commander for the war in Ukraine, as the Kremlin struggles to halt a Ukrainian counteroffensive that has left its forces in disarray.
[…]
Surovikin is a veteran commander who led the Russian military expedition in Syria in 2017, where he was accused of using “controversial” tactics including indiscriminate bombing against anti-government fighters.
[…]
Yet Surovikin also has a checkered history that includes two stints in jail for allegedly selling weapons and for leading a military column against protesters during the 1991 coup. He has also previously served in Tajikistan and Chechnya.
“For over 30 years, Surovikin’s career has been dogged with allegations of corruption and brutality,” wrote British intelligence officials in a recent report on Surovikin’s likely promotion to lead the southern military group.
During the 1991 coup d’état attempt launched by Soviet hardliners, Surovikin, then a captain, led a rifle division that drove through barricades erected by pro-democracy protesters. Three men were killed in the clash, including one who was crushed.
The fighting is in majority russian ethnic areas of ukraine. So what you're saying is that Russia is deliberately harming its own people, which is either crazy or you've got it wrong.
Terrorists target civilians in densely populated city centers during morning rush hour with indiscriminate cruise missile attacks. They don't care who they kill.
Bartlett's stock-in-trade is whitewashing war crimes and spreading conspiracy theories. She's never given a fuck about the victims, let alone the evidence.
The ACT party has put out some policies to do with co-governance and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Karen Chhour who was in the news recently when Kelvin Davis made comments about her in the House, was at the launch. I can imagine her once again drawing attention with her 'colourblind' assimilation perspective.
Whats that, ACT is ruling out going into coalition with National already? I don't think the Green Party has even voted on that issue for this election and obviously would have to wait to see Nationals election policies before undertaking such a vote.
Nope. ACT just issuing statements of 'bottom lines' for future negotiation- which doesn't appear to be the way the GP operates, in any case.
National (Luxon) have said it's too far out from the election for National to negotiate.
It would be interesting to see just how 'bottom' all of the ACT bottom lines will be in reality. Would missing even one of them result in the party sitting on the cross-benches?
Mind you- National have already said that they'll wind back 3 waters (including the co-governance aspects) – so they're on board with some of it already.
Nope? Go on, nice David the twerking robot, wouldn't misslead people. Surely this is already as good as one of Chris the land Lords upcoming election promises.
Whats that, ACT is ruling out going into coalition with National already? I don't think the Green Party has even voted on that issue for this election and obviously would have to wait to see Nationals election policies before undertaking such a vote.
I don't think it works like that with the Greens. I would have thought the remit was voted on at an AGM and stays policy until someone brings a different remit or a revision to be voted on. It's been while since I looked at it, but it basically says they won't support National into government because the policy gulf is too wide. I think it's safe to say that is still true.
hmm, you might be right. This post I wrote in 2017 basically says that at each election they reiterated their position. But I think I'm right too, in that it's quite a high level process to change the fundamental position (no to National).
Making an observation about the presentation is perfectly valid of course.
If I were a media columnist comparing the position that Karen Chhour took today with the essence of the claim which Davis made, I'm sure that would be accepted as pertinent by many.
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David Farrar writes – The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time.A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
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 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
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Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference. “In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed ...
The Tribunal had called on Minister for Children Karen Chhour to provide evidence at an urgent inquiry into the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Midjourney image by T.J. Thomson As more than half of Australian office workers report using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for work, we’re starting to see this technology affect every ...
'
It's not that employers can't pay decent living wages. It's just that they don't want to, they would prefer to exploit vulnerable migrant workers. Unlike other workers migrant workers are bound by law to one employer on pain of being deported if they try to better their condition by leaving for another position. And if they dare complain about their wages or conditions will not be picked for future work.
Don’t misunderstand me here. I am not against migrant workers.
Our economic recovery depends on them.
But they should have the same rights to leave a job and change employers to better their conditions.
A more equal labour market will stop employers playing migrant workers off against local workers, to keep wages low for both groups.
Justice for migrants.
https://www.waikato.ac.nz/news-opinion/media/2020/caring-for-300000-temporary-migrants-in-new-zealand-is-a-crucial-missing-link-in-our-coronavirus-response
overly long copypasta deleted.
'
Migrants lives matter.
As the above shows employers could payer higher wages, but would prefer not to if they can get away with it.
https://www.migrantworkers.org.nz/
https://www.kiwipolitico.com/2022/10/systemic-realignment-and-the-long-transition/
A longish read, and a bit heavy going, but a fascinating discussion about the long arcs of geopolitical history.
”International systems are dynamic, not static. Although they may enjoy long periods of relative stability or stasis, they are fluid in nature and therefore prone to change over time. In the last century stable world order cycles have become shorter and transitional cycles have become longer due to a number of factors, including technological advances in areas such as transportation and telecommunications, demographic shifts, the globalisation of production, consumption and exchange, ideological diffusion, cultural transfer and increased permeability of national borders. Status quos are more short-lived and transitional moments–moments leading to systemic realignment–are decades in length.
We are currently in the midst of such a long transitional moment.“
Is anyone else following the Mermaids meltdown? Short of writing a long, detailed post, I'm at a loss as how to explain it to anyone who hasn't been following.
I am considering writing a post, but everyday more comes out and the amount of research needed has exploded.
Mermaids?
Yeah, I also wondered so I Googled it. It's an Auckland Strip Club. I'm guessing it's where Mayor Brown had his victory party……
Very influential and institutionally embedded children's charity in the UK, set up to support families of gender questioning children.
Posted on this briefly the other day:
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06-10-2022/#respond
missed that the other day thanks.
Not sure what is going on with that link, but here's the correct one. Click on the date/time stamp and then copy the URL. TS links need a . or word ahead of the link or they convert to the post link.
.https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06-10-2022/#comment-1914026
… twice in one day. Thanks.
don't think I've ever seen that /#respond before 😀
Thanks Molly
I am.
Response to a support tweet which lists some of the issues, I think just creating a list is the way to go. I'll add if I think you have missed any. Alternatively, I'm home most of this morning so we could collaborate.
Of course, since tweeting this last night the information around their digital communications employee, Darren Mews has come to light.
Click tweet to read list.
https://twitter.com/Mousketeer/status/1578447668996554752?s=20&t=WNIjG0oECClETirf8GdzGA
Wrong tweet:
https://twitter.com/EdgeWatching/status/1579009771457622016?s=20&t=i69PVfvDZdQBpVo8_TPooA
thanks Molly. I have to go out this morning, but will email you.
Saw the Darren Mews bit on Maya Forstater's twitter. I'm tempted to put up a running post where I just add the new content every day. So people can actually see the content not being reported in MSM, but also how much of it there is, and the progress of it unfolding.
I think the phrase "Not a bug, but a feature" that's been proffered, is an apt one.
The culture there – and in other similar organisations – seems to be one of Queer Theory boundary breaking and elimination of safeguards. I have some bookmarks of Mermaid standard greeting screenshotted by a family that tells children to not use the family email, but to create a separate one for communication on the forum. Coupled with the advice to move to a Discord server, it is apparent the basic safeguarding protocols with children were deliberately abandoned.
I'll check my emails on my return.
Not a bug, is a good lead in for a post.
I think the boundary breakdowns and the connections with Queer Theory and child sex abuse is the way in. May as well put it all out there.
Dropping this soo can find it later. Feeling I should be putting content warnings up. Mermaids supported and accepted online porn fundraiser.
What’s even more fucked up is I will have to explain why that is wrong.
https://twitter.com/millihill/status/1579306608756416517
and this
https://twitter.com/ShahrarAli/status/1579367768058920960
Weka,a link would help ?
The irony of asking a moderator for a link
What,weka's renown for asking and providing.
👍
not really. The only requirement here for links is with quotes (at the time) or claims of fact (when asked for, but good to put links up front).
People can talk about whatever they want, and people can ask for links to explain. As happened here.
as you can see from my comment, this is a very difficult event to explain. Including with a single link. I'll see what I can come up with.
Mermaids is a charity in the UK that provides services to trans and other gender non-conforming youth and children.
You can start here,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mermaids_(charity)#The_Daily_Telegraph_investigation
Cheers weka,I wasn't being cheeky.
edit. that I know,why are they falling apart,to my mind about time they helped trans people and not hinder.
all good 👍
Precis:
In addition to that, there are connections between Mermaids, Queer Theory, and pro-paedophilia. The left won't talk about it, because we're not allowed to criticise the Rainbow people. But there is a huge amount of discussion and material being shared by GC people on twitter and it is damning.
I think it's important to underline HOW influential this charity has been.
Despite claiming in court to not be medical experts, they were meeting regularly with the Tavistock GIDS clinic, leveraging that relationship to advocate for "affirmation only" healthcare responses for those that sought medical help, and Susie Green (despite her non-medical background) is listed as one of the authors of the WPATH SoC 8 that has just been released which removed minimum age levels for medication and surgeries.
They have also been very embedded in education, and institutional and corporate training, without oversight of materials or scrutiny of what is being delivered without evidence.
There are many such organisations following the Mermaids model in the UK. And we also seem to have a couple in NZ. Apparently, they have an exemption from showing where their grants come from, but I have to double-check that information to confirm. Looking at the Charity Commission website there are no details of grant income, but I don't know why that is.
Some articles in the Times on one or two aspects, but the full story and revelations are not in the media but on Twitter and independent sites.
Archived – non paywall Times articles here which only scratch the surface:
Mermaids: Trans youth group faces scrutiny by charity watchdog
Trustee of the transgender charity Mermaids quits after speech to paedophile aid group
Lottery pauses cash for trans charity Mermaids during investigation
cheers
For those who prefer videos, Helen Joyce briefly outlines the situation on Andrew Doyles Free Speech Nation, and the challenges ahead:
https://youtu.be/ADWqB3IDRtc?t=5788
Thanks,Molly. Have heard of Helen Joyce and listened,she's good value.
thanks Molly and Weka for continuing to highlight what is happening re gender ideology in other parts of the world. The msm silence on these issues is deafening
https://twitter.com/thomasbeagle/status/1579222694893334528
https://twitter.com/thomasbeagle/status/1579224775305531393
https://twitter.com/thomasbeagle/status/1579225551851913216
You've got to be currently getting water or sewage services form your local Council to come under the new Entities.
There's some existing Council rural supplies that are agricultural mixed use that may be sold to their users rather than go into the Entities, Clutha and Waitaki have quite a few of these.
There are also some existing private supplies that may look at moving to Entity ownership / management. I manage several small water supplies and one of those may be better in the Entity than being private. The other two are agricultural focused and will be outside the expertise of the entities.
do you mean that rural people on non-council domestic water won't be part of Three Waters? I've heard varying opinions about this, but don't regional councils have responsibility for those atm?
Initially private supplies will be outside 3 Waters, but down the track those supplies may elect to be part of it. Or, if they are unable to comply with standards they may be required to do something about their management structures.
There's a private supply near me that could charitably be described as dysfunctional that I expect to go into 3 Waters quite quickly, by fair of foul. Will take up many column inches when it does.
https://www.dia.govt.nz/three-waters-reform-programme-interaction-with-rural-water-schemes
I’ll take it that you don’t know the answer either.
The answer , such as it has been outlined to date is contained in the link.
So no comment from you to take the debate or conversation a bit further? Like
1 Do you agree?
2 Are there aspects that have not been included
Or is this facebook and I go
LOL, whatevs etc?
Sigh…neither
I am providing information that is available (such as it is) that answers some of the questions posed.
You're welcome.
Just trying to encourage some participation really rather than cut & run. Won't offend again.
I don’t believe you. If the answer was in the link you’d be able to quote it or just say it.
so will places that don't currently have water charges eg Dunedin, have water charges under Three Waters?
The rates are a function of the service provided. To reduce the rates councils have to reduce the service below the regulated minimums. These standards haven't really been tightened by recent legislation (Water Services Act 2021), but the enforcement and liabilities have been. The standards go back 30 – 50 years and have been ignored / procrastinated / debated by councils all that time. The tactics are the same as the farmer lobby is using to secure water rights in ORC.
It's not a very pretty situation and some districts are downright ugly. At long last we've got a Government that is actually doing something about it.
yeah, but ignoring standards is on councils and the government could have passed legislation and enforced compliance. Regional councils have been allowed to do what they want, it's just daft to say that there aren't various ways this could be addressed.
I'm puzzled by your antipathy toward 3 Waters, weka.
🙂
There is lots of hesitancy purely based on the fact that once control is centralized pretty much zero thought will be given to the needs and wants of small communities nor will thought be given about how and policy change will effect small communities. Many of which have invested in and have effective infrastructure already in place that meets the needs of those small communities
I think that’s not an accurate description. There’s definitely consideration of small(er) communities but where the convo becomes unhinged and unstuck (…) is how best to put this into practice. Co-government is the antithesis of centralisation, in essence.
A second observation is that current infrastructure may be (just) adequate but as with all infrastructure, it requires constant upkeep, repair & maintenance that is increasingly more costly. Don’t forget that drinkable water is essential for well-being (good health) and that this is the primary objective, not the economic (or political) factors.
And don't ignore the elephant in the room…co-governance and 'those Maaaaaris'
If we throw out Three Waters on grounds to do with cost/access to supply and local voice we don't have to put on our pretty horrible racist hat.
This is very /sarc.
Regrettably.
Yes, indeed, but I do realise that many (?) people seem to think that Māori [will] only look after the interests of Māori and ‘shaft’ everyone else, i.e., those people might be projecting. I could dig further into the issue of racism vs. reverse-racism, but that would just raise a red flag for some 🙁
In my opinion too, the alleged Māori card is a huge red herring (aka large mammal in the room).
I don't trust the process that was used to get this far. I think the model will make local democracy worse than it is (we should retain localism wherever and whenever we can). I'm doubtful that suits in Chch have the necessary skills and experience to make decisions for small towns in Otago and Southland. I think not bringing people along is a massive mistake at this point in history. The amount of TINA lines being run is a big red flag.
Previously drinking water came under the Health Act, administered by MOH. This was completely useless and I don't think there was ever a prosecution despite some quite blatant breaches of standards (Havelock North and another in Queenstown in late 80's where 3000 people were very sick). Things sort of got fixed after the fact and that was that.
Regional Councils have regulated discharges of sewage, and have been quite good. In Otago especially since Ngai Tahu have been involved, But that is only after the fact, they don't have any role until there is a discharge.
Regulation of infrastructural practice and operation is the role of the new regulator established under Water Services Act 2021. Taumata Arowai is a rather grunty orgaisation with big boots and a bigger stick. There will be changes in how things are done irrespective of the 3 Waters reforms. However it's going to work a lot better for water users with the 3 Waters reforms as suppliers / Councils will have the scale to do the job at a more reasonable cost.
After nine months of murder, rape, torture, looting, and razing entire communities, Russia calls blowing up a bridge terrorism.
That really takes the fucking biscuit.
If bombing a bridge is terrorism. What is bombing the centre of a capitol city?
https://twitter.com/Ukraine66251776/status/1579347170792452096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1579347170792452096%7Ctwgr%5E2f6da6cdf7e4992874474d32109af3c74155b92e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mirror.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fworld-news%2Fbreaking-kyiv-shelled-putin-turns-28195366
https://twitter.com/igorlachenkov/status/1579361005661888512
Meet the new butcher.
Russia has appointed a notorious general who opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in the 1990s as its first overall commander for the war in Ukraine, as the Kremlin struggles to halt a Ukrainian counteroffensive that has left its forces in disarray.
[…]
Surovikin is a veteran commander who led the Russian military expedition in Syria in 2017, where he was accused of using “controversial” tactics including indiscriminate bombing against anti-government fighters.
[…]
Yet Surovikin also has a checkered history that includes two stints in jail for allegedly selling weapons and for leading a military column against protesters during the 1991 coup. He has also previously served in Tajikistan and Chechnya.
“For over 30 years, Surovikin’s career has been dogged with allegations of corruption and brutality,” wrote British intelligence officials in a recent report on Surovikin’s likely promotion to lead the southern military group.
During the 1991 coup d’état attempt launched by Soviet hardliners, Surovikin, then a captain, led a rifle division that drove through barricades erected by pro-democracy protesters. Three men were killed in the clash, including one who was crushed.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/08/russia-appoints-notorious-general-sergei-surovikin-ukraine
The fighting is in majority russian ethnic areas of ukraine. So what you're saying is that Russia is deliberately harming its own people, which is either crazy or you've got it wrong.
Terrorists target civilians in densely populated city centers during morning rush hour with indiscriminate cruise missile attacks. They don't care who they kill.
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1579383443040788480
#RussiaIsATerroristState
There are two sides to every story…
https://twitter.com/EvaKBartlett/status/1579444371187195906
Bartlett's stock-in-trade is whitewashing war crimes and spreading conspiracy theories. She's never given a fuck about the victims, let alone the evidence.
‘
“….Russia is deliberately harming its own people, which is either crazy or you’ve got it wrong.” Maui
Odessa is a majority Russian speaking city. Yet Odessa has suffered months of non-stop Russian missile attacks on civilian infrastructure and housing.
We have not got it wrong.
The Russian Federation is a murderous avaricious fascistic state with designs on the whole of Ukraine as a colony of a new Imperial Russian empire.
The ACT party has put out some policies to do with co-governance and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Karen Chhour who was in the news recently when Kelvin Davis made comments about her in the House, was at the launch. I can imagine her once again drawing attention with her 'colourblind' assimilation perspective.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/130122915/act-increases-cogovernance-focus-says-treaty-referendum-a-bottom-line
Whats that, ACT is ruling out going into coalition with National already? I don't think the Green Party has even voted on that issue for this election and obviously would have to wait to see Nationals election policies before undertaking such a vote.
Nope. ACT just issuing statements of 'bottom lines' for future negotiation- which doesn't appear to be the way the GP operates, in any case.
National (Luxon) have said it's too far out from the election for National to negotiate.
It would be interesting to see just how 'bottom' all of the ACT bottom lines will be in reality. Would missing even one of them result in the party sitting on the cross-benches?
Mind you- National have already said that they'll wind back 3 waters (including the co-governance aspects) – so they're on board with some of it already.
https://www.national.org.nz/national-pledges-three-waters-repeal-return
Nope? Go on, nice David the twerking robot, wouldn't misslead people. Surely this is already as good as one of Chris the land Lords upcoming election promises.
No more than any other politician misleads people. Campaign promises…..
I don't think it works like that with the Greens. I would have thought the remit was voted on at an AGM and stays policy until someone brings a different remit or a revision to be voted on. It's been while since I looked at it, but it basically says they won't support National into government because the policy gulf is too wide. I think it's safe to say that is still true.
hmm, you might be right. This post I wrote in 2017 basically says that at each election they reiterated their position. But I think I'm right too, in that it's quite a high level process to change the fundamental position (no to National).
https://thestandard.org.nz/the-green-partys-coalition-process/
I don't know why it's particularly notable that an ACT MP was at an ACT policy launch.
And the less said about Davis' racist comments, the better. Even his apology doesn't seem to have erased them from some minds.
Debate the policy, not the person.
Making an observation about the presentation is perfectly valid of course.
If I were a media columnist comparing the position that Karen Chhour took today with the essence of the claim which Davis made, I'm sure that would be accepted as pertinent by many.