Sadly, I knew that this poor young woman would be a murder victim right from the moment she went missing. Hopefully the guy who did this will plead guilty and spare her family the ordeal of a trial.
This has paralells with that young Japanese woman that met a similar fate in 1998. Though her killer has yet to be caught.
The meta informs us – the underlying unhealthy media obsession with attractive, young white upper class women is itself a demonstration of a whole kitbag of wider social and cultural issues around violence towards women.
Thank goodness the young woman has been found. But it is time for NZ to be recognised as a place with young men having a wild west attitude.
Uncontrolled minds and behaviour, pleasure-seeking and mendacious is am appropriate description.
But there is a deep vein of this that runs through the country, an indication of which is that we kept advertising ourselves as 100% Pure when we knew we had gone far from that. But we can always rationalise
away our ingrained lying.
True, I did think that it would be a Kiwi. It follows the pattern of other murders committed by Kiwis. But it may be a foreigner. The way we run our country probably encourages criminals to come here, as we enable them through various devious habits we adopt. Government likes to keep our visitor and immigrant numbers up which give the impression that we are making lots of foreign money that they bring to us, but less noticed is whether it stays here in NZ taxpayers’ pockets.
Name suppression for the moment is only by default while legal appeals are made to the judge’s decision to NOT grant name suppression. RNZ (and presumably other news outlets) are choosing to not disclose his name at this point.
” … The 26-year-old accused of murdering Ms Millane between 1 and 2 of December appeared this morning dressed in a blue boiler suit.
The court heard extensive submissions on interim name suppression, but Judge Thomas declined to grant it.
The accused’s lawyer Ian Brookie indicated he would appeal, prohibiting media from identifying the accused in the meantime.
As the accused was walked out of court, a person in the public gallery yelled “Scumbag”.
He has been remanded in custody until he appears in court in January. …”
This article also provides more on the red 2016 Toyota Corolla rental car I mentioned earlier above.
“Detective Inspector Scott Beard said the police investigation into Ms Millane’s death would continue for some time, as they pieced together what happened after she was last seen entering a central Auckland hotel more than a week ago.
They want to hear about any sightings of a 2016 red Toyota Corolla rental car last Monday morning in West Auckland.
The car was rented in central Auckland and was then found in Taupō.”
I’ve been emailing a friend in England over the last 24 hours and this awful event was mentioned. In his reply I received this morning the rather telling statement “One thinks of NZ as being relatively crime free too. Just awful.”
Similar sentiments on RNZ this morning- NZ being seen as a safe destination be Europeans for young solo travellers. Were we ever, has it got worse, are we no worse than any other Western country?
I’ve been alone in some big cities in Europe at night and felt safer than I ever have alone in Queen St after dark.
We are repeatedly told that there is a decline in murder in New Zealand. But I seriously doubt that is the case.
How many many babies are bashed by daddy into the walls of homes. How often does daddy escape punishment.
Rape is rampant in our country. I cringe every time Haka is performed by Maori and Pakeha – because it charges up the Adrenalin of sick young hoods – brought up on Alcohol and violence.
Dodgy Statistics – are not a solution. Men of all ages must be treated to heavy doses of responsibility.from a very young age.
Finally, Prison is about Punishment not about Pity.
Do you think that prisons should be more for punishment than pity Observer?
These young guys definitely need something, but what? There are plans for getting them onto better behaviour paths but it seems they are often underfunded. There is just the will needed by government, then the follow-through to provide settled housing for those who have been guilty of bad behaviour so they have a place to go when released, then opportunity to get into work etc
Under-funded too is the help for parents to go it alone without a partner if best (so many stepfathers are involved in dodgy ways, and real fathers
need training to do a good job or they can be bad role models to have around. The government is so busy being disapproving of behaviour that its moralistic attitude is perpetuating a cycle of bad and violent parenting which they are forcing on mothers, ‘for their own good’.)
Good theory observer.
But you haven’t observed that prison itself doesn’t teach them that crime does not pay. How simple minded. A lot of rich people around have got their by manipulating the law, either by sailing close to the wind, or changing the law so they can’t be called criminals any more.
What I want is efficiency!! Prisons don’t work to habilitate criminals. Your ideas are too costly and a waste of money. Be sensible and look for better ways that can be seen to work to reduce crime.
I want those who commit crimes to be forced to work their brains thoroughly learning what to do instead of crime, and how to deal with their problems without losing it and being violent. Thinking is a punishment to many people. We can notice the difficulties of doing the mahi right in this blog. The people who aren’t criminals, or who haven’t been caught yet, find it difficult to think around problems and get a grasp. Criminals who are forced to do so are going to feel really hard worked eh!
I want less crime, better childhoods and parents helped to be good role models, and better chances to have a good life. Crime would be something that only extreme nutters do then. And people would smile more, be happy and occupied doing useful stuff.
Observer
I agree with what you say.
There are three levels to tackle this as i see it.
1 Is bringing boys and girls up to have self-respect and respect for others in their family and society, and if they are being abused that the whole family should be put on notice that they all deserve better conditions, and they work out how to achieve that as a group, with further consequences if it doesn’t improve. And important is that parents are helped by being respected, and enabled to have jobs, homes and a sense of wellbeing for their family. Good and settled role models.
2 Helping teenagers get through their difficult growing stages.
Giving them a basic schooling, enabling them to stay or go into a job, or do work and school at the same time, like an apprentice. I have seen this done, probablyunder a Labour Party idea, and it worked. Don’t know if still happening.
After school, get them into a job and keep up the training so they can better themselves, good reading and writing and arguing skills. If a person can express their thoughts, talk their way to understanding and dealing with them, the build-up of stress is less likely to happen.
3 Give them suspended sentences when they get into crime, and send them to a different part of the country were they can adjust to life outside of their familiar territory and its temptations. Give them remedial help, reading, basic housing, a paid job.
4 When they are in jail, give them time away from gangs in a different setting or place, where they can do some study, learn about Maoritanga, philosophy, determine their own strengths and weaknesses, and go to a half-way farm and work, and then apply for parole.
5 The really bad buggers should spend their life enclosed in controlled conditions under supervision, and separated from being able to influence others. They can be classed as criminally insane and unable to live or be trusted in ordinary society.
You are asking someone to back up their assumptions after that tear you went on that other day about how all rich people cheat in their taxes and are thieves while providing no evidence?
“Have you got anything to back up these assumptions?”
You are asking someone to back up their assumptions after that tear you went on that other day about how all rich people cheat in their taxes and are thieves while providing no evidence?
It’s morality that you refuse to see.
If someone has income from someone else’s work then they are stealing from that other person.
Like I already told you, Draco. That isn’t the way everyone gets rich and I agree some are getting rich that way.
But not everyone. Does the artist? Does that famous musician? Does the famous writer? Thats THEIR own work.
You have nothing to back up your assumptions so stop accusing others because you look like a fucking hypocrite right now.
I said to you “Stephen King has sold 350 million copies of his work” which is more than enough to make him rich and you just made the assmption that he was getting unearned income from somewhere and therefor he was a thief. That’s just your own evidence free assumption. At least be honest with yourself
I simply cannot understand why you and your political friends want to build more and bigger Prisons, when at the same time you are telling us that there are far fewer criminals.
Time for NZ to toughen up on the gang culture and illicit drugs, normal people don’t commit these sorts of crimes unless they have mental health problems. I believe this person may have or have had a substance abuse problem ?
Why not use the time in prison wisely ? Reading + writing lessons / budgeting classes / getting work ready / maybe learn a trade. Anger and time management All these could take place in the prison. Prisoners should come out of prison better educated than when they went in.
Honest question though @ BM. Have you ever asked why it is that crime (all that macho shit that goes with it – the concept of ‘taxing’, turf wars, trying to get little prospects under their wing, etc., etc., etc.)……have you ever asked why that has become the easier option?
C’mon, crime has always been the easier option. I mean, what’s not to like about all the piss, pot, and pussy your heart desires, staying up all night, sleeping late, and if you’re unfortunate enough to be caught, it’s do the crime, do the time.
Actually, those who get to the top have finely honed their thuggery to the point that their reputation precedes them, and anyone who knows them is scared shitless by their violence.
well it is the easier option if you’re totally divorced from any concept of a society. actually a very lazy and thick as pigshit option in terms of sustainability.
I’m quite interested in gang criminality – having worked with the likes of Mr O’Riley and others, and having one or two distant relatives holding ‘rank’ on both sides of the Mungie/BP divide. I can agree with all that he (Denis) maintains as to why people join a gang (in a word a feeling of disenfranchisement. etc. – a desire for community, of mutual support, solidarity and all the buzz)
Except that take (say) the Mungies, and the BP, and others (Rebels maybe), and they all profess the same motivations and reasons for being in their ‘club’. That all falls apart though because of their turf wars and spats with each other.
In reality, they’ve just become the ultimate capitalists all aspiring towards some sort of supremacy.
It’s all just a wee bit pathetic really and a complete display of a collective of individuals that are a bit fucked up (albeit legends in their own minds)
They will at least commit smarter crimes according to BM. Then they will be able to join the in-crowd of the Natinal Party. Social mobility, that is what is needed there.
Have yopu heard Kim Workman on his book and life
OWT.
He’s another like Denis O’Reilly, a valuable potential waiting to be listened and followed.
But in the meantime, I kind of despair at the fucking stupidity of it all.
(I.e. on BOTH sides – crims/gangs and ‘authorities’ …… it is pig shittery at its worst – but I ‘spose it at least keeps people in employment on upper muddle class salaries)
PS sorry for being a bit lazy about Denis’ surname – kind of a Brambles versus NZ Freighters kind of thing
Don’t be sorry OwT. I have found I always enjoy reading your comments, and learn something no matter if there are typos. (I find my fingers are getting there and their mixed up,)
It appears that she met her killer on a dating app. I would wager that he killed her because she wouldnt sleep with him. Most male on female killings are sexually motivated.
Thanks for that info millsy. Women and men too need to be more wary of strangers, and also the type of people who are dodgy. Just because there are these fast ways of making contact with others, doesn’t mean that you can trust the people you meet.
There is a high level of trust being extended,ie couchsurfing with strangers, meeting unknowns through apps etc. It all involves risk.
Hitchhikers know this. When you are in a car it is hard to get out.
There were two women tourists who got a lift and who were brutally attacked, the man went onto Christchurch and attacked someone else.
I believe that level of behaviour should automatically cause the person to be regarded as criminally insane and never be let out again into public life. They have crossed the line for being a decent citizen with self control and morals and are likely to prey again on others. Ordinary citizens deserve to have safety and the predatory and vicious locked down.
Are you so dogmatic that you’re unable to view this tragedy except through the lens of a rigid left wing ideologue.
The insidious implication that arises from you’re comment is that because this young woman may have the characteristics you describe, that her murder is some how to be diminished.
It s a human tragedy first and foremost and this is the only lens that is appropriate regardless.
You Grantoc and a few others are misinterpreting Sanctuary’s comment.
He is correct. Because the woman is young, attractive, white and English (which is the country most of us have family and hereditary ties to) she is getting VIP media coverage both here and overseas. Had she been a woman who is young, attractive, black and from say…Kenya, the media coverage would be negligible in comparison.
That is the reality whether people like it or not, and it doesn’t detract one iota from feelings of empathy, sadness and outrage no matter who they are or where they come from.
The thing is Anne that as human beings we inevitably extend our strongest expressions of empathy and related feelings to those who are most like us – our family, and those who appear to live similar lives to us from similar ethnic, social and cultural backgrounds.
I, like most NZ’ers, have daughters who have travelled overseas on their OE and at times travelled by themselves. We (collectively) have experienced times when our daughters (and at times sons) have been out of contact and as parents we get anxious, naturally.
The events of Grace Mullane’s murder are easy to relate too. The family is like us, they could be us. And so naturally our reactions are as they are. You saw that demonstrated by the PM at her press conference this afternoon.
The death of a young Kenyan woman as per your example is too remote from us; both geographically, psychologically, culturally and economically. For better or for worse we don’t relate to such an example in the same way as we do to Grace Mullane.
What I am describing is the humam condition. No amount of left wing hand ringing over this will make any difference to where we place our empathy and feelings in these situations.
That is precisely what I was saying Grantoc. I am of English stock. I identify strongly with my inheritance. My response to this murder was as shocked and outraged as anyone else.
But that does not stop me from reflecting on the fact that we don’t show anything like the empathy to people of a different race and colour in similar circumstances – including Maori and Pacific Islanders – and it is something that should be acknowledged. This, I believe, is what Sanctuary was saying.
It has nothing to do with being Left or Right and those who suggest as much are the ones playing politics with a tragic occurrence.
And your reflections Anne are insightful and worth making.
Acknowledging our behaviour in these situations is a useful exercise because I think it does tell us something about ourselves as humans.
This is possibly where your thinking starts to sedge way with mine. I am of the opinion that even if we do make this acknowledgement, its a very rare human being who actually does something about it – and this is for the reasons I’ve referred to.
I think that as humans we are psychologically incapable of moving much beyond our own reference group in situations such as the Mullane case. As much as anything we psychologically crowd out other similar situations, such as the scenario you describe. Its almost like there is no capacity left for us to deal with it. I don’t think this is deliberate; its just a comment on our limitations.
Well, in turn I say that is a very thoughtful response Grantoc. In particular your last paragraph.
It is true that we identify far more with our own kind, but we should at least try and keep these awful events in proper perspective. We are a multicultural society now and it is our responsibility to learn to recognise that people among us from countries other than English speaking ones, suffer tragedy and loss in the same way we do.
I don’t think our thoughts are all that far apart.
That is a low blow Sanctuary – does everything have to be about woke left discourse and of course it will come out the ethnicity of the attacker shortly.
Will he be part of our 100% pure criminal campaign drive of the last 20 years?
I feel heart broken about the fate of the young backpacker.
Somehow it feels worse cause she is a tourist. There was also a 21year old male stabbed to death over the weekend. Both will effect their families and love ones for life……..
I probably pay attention more to the tourist cause she was missing initially and therefore in the news a lot. Also some maybe old fashion idea of hospitality and responsibility for someone visiting our country. It reflects on our country (was on bbc world news)…….it will make no difference to graces family, but I hope the perp is from overseas
1. Overall crime rates continue to decline. No-one can definitively say why; it could be anything from de-leading petrol, to dropping testosterone levels, to some unspecified social factors … but this is the good news.
2. Homicide remains rare; double digits per annum. Way lower than say the road toll. In any given year only one or two murders would committed by strangers. NZ is really a very, very safe place in public. At home it’s not such a good story, but still comparatively we’re doing quite well, so we can count this as good news too.
3. 62% of homicide victims are male. If we included suicide (as a form of self-inflicted homicide) the proportion would be even higher. Maori remain over-represented by a factor of two. Roughly two-thirds of people never experience a significant crime in their lives ever; while a small fraction around 4% are serial victims.
4. While IPV homicides understandably attract a lot of social attention, in say 2017 of the 48 homicides only 10 were classified as being related as a ‘couple’. Of that 10, 8 victims were female and 2 were male. (The 3 child victims were all male.)
It makes for an interesting and complex picture even if it is a snapshot of just one year. The pdf report is here:
My theory is that it’s to do with the Boomers. Crime was high when they were young and has decreased as they age. It’s not just that they are a large group, so influence all stats, but that they lower the density of young people who don’t rub up against each other as much and so don’t egg each other on to commit crime (plus the young are all gaming).
We agree that this Government need to open up fully with “transparency” now.
We hear this morning on RNZ news that Chis Hipkins has release details on Labour policy to have all their MP’s now release all the details on whom they have met during their activities of the term of their Governance of NZ, so this will assist us all to observe if our own “community NGO’s” public representatives who are speaking for us all also are properly receiving the same level of meetings with these same MP’s as the business interests are obviously receiving now.
Make it an “even balanced level of ‘consultation.”
“I think there’s increasing public interest in who senior politicians are meeting with. We’re seeing that through written parliamentary questions, through OIAs, through media questions
That’s because people are really starting to wonder where the government is getting its marching orders from as it certainly isn’t the people.
“There isn’t anything sinister about who politicians meet with, actually it shows that New Zealand government is very open.”
MPs meeting with lobbyists is sinister. It shows that the parliament is listening to those who don’t have the best interests of the country at heart.
so this will assist us all to observe if our own “community NGO’s” public representatives who are speaking for us all
Our Environmental NGO founded in 2001 speaks for the negative impacts to all people in regions it environmentally monitors continually on their loss of health and well being when they have no voice.
So we are a free community service that operates on a volunteer basis.
Please don’t knock those people who honestly and genuinely want to help others as we do with free services to monitor their environment since 2002.
You do realise that Clare Curran was used by the present government as an example as to why this needs to be brought in right? In the same article that I quoted.
Clare Curran was used by National as a tool for their agenda to rob RNZ and bed in all their own Natz clip-on’s right under her own nose; – and she could not see that when she had power to fix the RNZ right wing swing.
National also had there own man inside as the head of RNZ then.
Clare Curran should have had him removed but she lost any chance to take control of a now right wing trumpet for National.
A sad blow for the Opposition because if the records of meetings are published, what are they going to do to ferment suspicion and doubt about apparent secret dodgy meetings?
Why didn’t PM John Key tell NZ he was into Bilderberg?
List of Bilderberg participants 4
New Zealand
• John Key (2011-2012), Prime Minister of New Zealand
On behalf of all NZ taxpayers, we ask someone’s assistance to investigate this connection between a secretive global power hungry group and answers from PM John Key the following;
Why PM failed to tell us that he attended the Bilderberg Group as PM of NZ in 2011.
Why did not prior, inform us why he attended this most secretive powerful global elitist black ops organisation who plots to destabilise secretly sovereign countries around the world.
Is he being requested by Bilderberg or any other party to spy on our country and others for their information?
Why has he attended an highly secretive organisation who bans any media coverage of events?
Our belief;
We believe the global elite is causing all this degradation of our world “so called order”.
The capitalistic system is failing and these Bilderberg NAZI regenerated agenda plotters have invited Key to their 2011 annual conference so he is in it Don-key deep.
No Bilderberg meeting agenda has ever been made public. “It is the epitome of low-profile dark ops, a shadow government hidden in a doorway.” According to critics and close observers, it’s agenda is to weaken all world leadership but their own. It is also, according to a U.S. law called the Logan Act, [15] illegal:
I heard this this morning and I am heartened there may be a culture change I regards to lobbyists.
To have this followed up by the radical, obvious, fiscally responsible, co-operative idea of schools serving their wider community.
My day off got brighter.
Meanwhile the Hosk has three names (three wise men?) therefore Kiwibuild was conceived bad, born bad and is bad. The Hosk has obviously been listening to George Thorogood while doing dougnuts on his mobility scooter. No doubt his Christmas ham will be bad to the bone as well.
The Dorian Gray Husk purports to find it shocking that the new builds cost more than existing homes … thus buying doer uppers remains cheaper …
The radical next development of the KB design will be to allow landlords and existing homeowners to buy them – they will of course be at the standard required for rentals. The point is to build more houses and then sell them onto the market so the government can finance building more, it does not matter if they are not sold to first home buyers – the increased supply reduces the value of existing houses to make them more affordable to first home buyers.
Sounds like playing Pass the Parcel casino-wise. Once a lot of outside players can join in the game, the chances of special people included in the game with good odds for winning a housing opportunity are greatly reduced.
But timorous government can’t go directly to the most appropriate recipients and offer them a State house, they have to have this long linkage with ticket clippers along the way. In the end it will get so bad we’ll see someone prepared to sell a kidney or something, to raise enough deposit to get a stake in the Housing Lottery.
The thing is, where it costs more to buy a new build than an existing home – how many first home buyers can afford the Kiwibuild one?
There will come a point where after a few ballots where there are unsold homes, and if the government wants to release the cash to build more it will have to sell to other buyers.
National trying to cut Shane Jones tree planting value claims off to a stump.
They are more interested in Goldsmith being a spoiler for positive steps. What a bunch of sitabouts they are. Malign, and computer model sitters, but not doing
the country-building needed; just following predatory business asset-stripping
on a country of people that is the base for any business, then National is just a diseased group eating its own parent. Yerk.
Forest and Bird and Doc have combined to push out digging up iwi land up Northland. The people up there want to get some economic growth but it is to affect wetlands and I think take peat and kauri by Resin and Wax for export.
Got rung up on Friday night by Roy Morgan wanting to do a survey. My demographics eliminated me immediately and I asked the guy if it was a survey about politics,but he rang off as I am sure he was keen to call the next person……..
Interesting … Roy Morgan has not done a NZ political poll since Oct/Nov 2017 but they still do other types of surveys, eg marketing surveys, from time to time. For example back in May 2018 they did a survey on attitudes, satisfaction etc with the main banks.
I was contacted about a month ago saying they were from Roy Morgan, about a political poll. My answers were not allowed in the binary choices they offered, and I ended up removing myself from the process.
Again interesting, because there were rumours about the time of the last Colmar Brunton poll that another public poll was expected at about the same time and this did not eventuate. Or was it the Colmar Brunton poll before that??
The latest two Colmar Brunton polls have been conducted from Monday, 15 October to Friday 19 October, and from Sat 24 November to Weds 28 November.
Was your Roy Morgan call close to either of those periods?
I did end up exiting the interview. Tried to find my comment posted at the time, which would give a better indication of date, but ran out of interest in that level of accuracy… 🙂
Called me prior to 2014 election and my demographics eliminated me immediately and
I asked the guy and he said “we don’t need your age bracket thank you, but the strange thing was he said “we have another person listening to our conversation and was monitoring it??????
Actually, probably – older people answer the phone more, so will fill up their response quota more quickly. And are more likely to have landlines (although some pollsters do mobiles now as well).
They have people (potentially) listening in so that they can make sure the interviewer actually records the responses accurately and that they are from a real person. Interviewers often have some payment dependent of how many people they interview so there is a perverse incentive to make data up (as it’s quicker then interviewing real people).
He said National would like to work with the Government on getting an education system both parties could agree on, so it wouldn’t have to be changed every time there was a new Government.
Yeah, they don’t have to be changed every time there’s a new government – only after National has been at it and fucked things up through their ignorance and ideology.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/q-and-a https://www.labour.org.nz/kiwibuild
KiwiBuild homes will only be sold to first home buyers. To avoid buyers reaping windfall gains, a condition of sale will require them to hand back any capital gain if sold on within 5 years.
How easy our Minister can BREAK an Election promise and it means so little to keep one’s word !!! 10:40 “We decided…” ” Storm in a teacup”
‘Judith Collins, National’s housing and urban development spokeswoman, said this morning it was not good enough that Twyford would not answer questions about Barclay’s departure and she plans to put questions to him in Parliament tomorrow.’
Whatcha want, watcha want
Whatcha gonna do
When Judith Collins come for you
Tell me
Whatcha wanna do, whatcha gonna dooo
Yeaheah
Twyford, Twyford
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When Judith Collins comes for you
Oh @PR. I truly lerv you. Such a wit with an encyclopeadia of British humour and musical paraphernalia ready at short notice to display just how oh so clever you are. And most of the examples you are able to whip out at short notice are really ‘hip’.
As the yanks would say, you must be some ‘regular guy’ and the life of the party.
Do you take ‘your kid’ to any of those parties btw?
On Q&A last night Phil Twyford was asked over and over but refused to make any comment over this. No doubt Judith will make a big fuss tomorrow.
“KiwiBuild boss Stephen Barclay is in an employment dispute with the Government department overseeing the massive house construction scheme, the Herald understands.
Amidst growing calls for Housing Minister Phil Twyford to say why the KiwiBuild head has not been performing his duties since early last month, the new Ministry of Housing and Urban Development this afternoon issued a brief statement saying that Barclay had not resigned.”
..issues revolve around the transfer of KiwiBuild from the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment to the new Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, headed by Crisp.”
Spare a thought for sad simon this christmas – it’s gonna be tough to have a relax when the main word associated with you is untrustworthy. Time for a real big think I think simon.
A word cloud, which UMR says was drawn from one-word answers given by a representative group, drawn from a sample size of 1000, gives a highly unflattering glimpse into perceptions of Bridges.
In a statement, National appeared to question the accuracy of UMR.
“You would never expect a Labour Party poll to be positive about the Leader of the Opposition. Labour’s polling consistently inflates Labour’s support. For example, UMR polling had Labour only 2 per cent behind in the Northcote by-election, yet National won by almost six points,” a spokesman for the National Party said.
And there you have it. Proof that National thinks that polls should be biased and that they don’t understand the difference between polling and an election.
Bryan Gould has some interesting things to say about television developments here. http://www.bryangould.com/public-television/ Despite the efforts of socially aware programme-makers such as Bryan Bruce, issues such as these scarcely receive the attention they need and deserve; the national debate is the poorer for their neglect.
The good news, however, is that “public” television is back on the agenda, courtesy of none other than Bryan Bruce himself. Bryan has established a new website, called New Zealand Public Television. The new site, which anyone can access for nothing at http://www.nzptv.org.nz, has a dual purpose.
First, it identifies programmes, from both New Zealand and around the world, that explore issues of interest to New Zealanders, whether living here or overseas, and makes them available to a Kiwi viewership. The site, although primarily provided for a domestic audience, will undoubtedly be of great value to ex-pat Kiwis and to those on holiday or living overseas who may miss programmes about issues that are making waves at home.
Why not use the time in prison wisely ? Reading + writing lessons / budgeting classes / getting work ready / maybe learn a trade. Anger and time management All these could take place in the prison. Prisoners should come out of prison better educated than when they went in.
[How about you take the rest of the night off, BM? I’ve got a feeling you’re a comment or two away from saying something really, really stoopid and I’m one of the few people here who’d miss you. TRP]
Ingrid Hipkiss grinned vacuously and called
Ruth Money a “victim’s advocate” this morning. a.m., Newshub, Tuesday 11 December 2018
Flashback to Manurewa, ten years ago….
Late one night in 2008, a man called Bruce Emery chases down a fifteen year old boy and stabs him repeatedly, killing him. Emery is Pākehā , his victim, Pihema Cameron, is Māori. What follows this killing will turn out to be one of the most vicious and disgraceful sagas of racist hatred in this country’s sordid history. Taking their lead from the Crown Prosecutor, who routinely dismisses the dead boy as “a tagger”, the media unleashes a seemingly non-stop tirade of abuse and belittlement against not the killer, but the victim. Perhaps most disgustingly of all, one of the loudest and most vociferous denouncers of the dead boy and his “useless” family is an organization called the “Sensible Sentencing Trust”. In a rare moment of moral decency, Noelle McCarthy memorably confronted that organization’s Grand Dragon about the affair three years later. [1]
Fast forward to a.m. News at 7:30 this morning…..
In a story related to the murder of British tourist Grace Millane, smiling but vacuous newsreader Ingrid Hipkiss refers to someone called Ruth Money as a “victim’s advocate.” In fact, contrary to that descriptor, Ruth Money is a disciple of Garth “The Knife” McSticker. Money parted from the S.S. Trust not because it was a bunch of racist knife enthusiasts, but because of a disagreement over political tactics. [2]
Now, anyone with an I.Q. in triple figures would know that; Ingrid Hipkiss, however, seems oblivious.
After the news, anchor Duncan Garner weighs in with a typically weighty, thoughtful observation:
“Y’know, f you were a visitor from Ma-a-a-aars, you’d think that the world was quite an evil place.”
Less than a minute later, Garner makes the following extraordinarily foolish contention:
“Chris Finlayson is the brightest person to ever serve in parliament. He’d have the biggest brain in parliament.”
Sports meathead Mark Richardson and Ingrid Hipkiss are reduced to a stunned, disbelieving silence. Remember, Hipkiss has just had the gall or the brass or the hide or (most likely) the naïveté to read out with a straight face that Ruth Money was “a victim’s advocate.” But even she is stunned at that pronouncement from Garner.
After the silence, Mark Richardson laughs: “How do you KNOW that?”
.
.
.
Garner did proffer an answer; I know that because I saw his lips moving. But his words were drowned out in a torrent of criticism from the crew at Chez Breen. I picked up the phrase “that stupid c**t” from Hector Stoop and “Oh my GOD! Ha ha ha ha ha!” from the lovely Serena Sopwith-Fotherington amidst the general hubbub.
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
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. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
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. ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
“Our exporters should, therefore, be deeply concerned that the Fast-track Approvals Bill was not assessed for consistency with any of our free trade commitments prior to being introduced to the House,” says Gary Taylor, Chief Executive of the Environmental ...
NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff is calling on all political parties to support the new Member’s Bill from Labour’s workplace relations and safety spokesperson Camilla Belich MP that would ensure negligent companies are held accountable when their employees ...
A historian with an uncanny track record of predicting US election winners tells RNZ's Sunday Morning that President Biden looks to be on track for another term, but things could still go very wrong for him. ...
Ngaio Marsh House is one of Christchurch’s best kept secrets – and contains more than a few mysteries of its own.Trust Ngaio Marsh to leave more than a few mysteries scattered through her house long after her departure. For a start, there’s the curious concrete portal in the garden, ...
Appointment viewing has been lost to the mists of time, but memories of Montana Sunday Theatre can still be conjured by hitting play on a particular piece of classical music. “You’re not going to be able to sell it.” Over 30 years on, Karen Bieleski still recalls how the task ...
Performance Review King Luxon sat behind His massive polished oak desk. It is Performance Review time. There is a knock on the door. “Enter!” says the King. In steps Minister of Disabilities and Carer Pedicures, Penny Simmonds. “I can explain everything …” she begins. “Fine,” says King Luxon, pressing the ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.‘It didn’t start out like, ‘This is a show about Nina,’” says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. I’m another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
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)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, 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 ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
Praise for DI Scott Beard and his team who have done their work competently and compassionately over the last week.
Sadly, I knew that this poor young woman would be a murder victim right from the moment she went missing. Hopefully the guy who did this will plead guilty and spare her family the ordeal of a trial.
This has paralells with that young Japanese woman that met a similar fate in 1998. Though her killer has yet to be caught.
It’s a bit like hearing a tramper is overdue in bad weather – one tends to expect the worst, and sadly is often correct.
I figured that as well. It doesn’t happen often here but always tragic when it does
I feel very much for the victim and my heart goes out to Grace Millane’s family.
But the MSM is suffering a very bad case of Missing White Woman Syndrome.
Really??
Yes, really.
The meta informs us – the underlying unhealthy media obsession with attractive, young white upper class women is itself a demonstration of a whole kitbag of wider social and cultural issues around violence towards women.
🙄
Thank goodness the young woman has been found. But it is time for NZ to be recognised as a place with young men having a wild west attitude.
Uncontrolled minds and behaviour, pleasure-seeking and mendacious is am appropriate description.
But there is a deep vein of this that runs through the country, an indication of which is that we kept advertising ourselves as 100% Pure when we knew we had gone far from that. But we can always rationalise
away our ingrained lying.
Hmmm… you’re making the assumption that the murderer is a Kiwi.
He was staying at a hostel, where most of the people staying there are foreigners.
Also RNZ has described the car involved, which NZ Police have been asking for information about its movements, was a 2016 Red Corolla -rental.
True, I did think that it would be a Kiwi. It follows the pattern of other murders committed by Kiwis. But it may be a foreigner. The way we run our country probably encourages criminals to come here, as we enable them through various devious habits we adopt. Government likes to keep our visitor and immigrant numbers up which give the impression that we are making lots of foreign money that they bring to us, but less noticed is whether it stays here in NZ taxpayers’ pockets.
…..and now has name suppression!
Name suppression for the moment is only by default while legal appeals are made to the judge’s decision to NOT grant name suppression. RNZ (and presumably other news outlets) are choosing to not disclose his name at this point.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/377883/backpacker-murder-judge-tells-millane-s-family-all-of-us-hope-that-justice-for-grace-is-fair
” … The 26-year-old accused of murdering Ms Millane between 1 and 2 of December appeared this morning dressed in a blue boiler suit.
The court heard extensive submissions on interim name suppression, but Judge Thomas declined to grant it.
The accused’s lawyer Ian Brookie indicated he would appeal, prohibiting media from identifying the accused in the meantime.
As the accused was walked out of court, a person in the public gallery yelled “Scumbag”.
He has been remanded in custody until he appears in court in January. …”
This article also provides more on the red 2016 Toyota Corolla rental car I mentioned earlier above.
“Detective Inspector Scott Beard said the police investigation into Ms Millane’s death would continue for some time, as they pieced together what happened after she was last seen entering a central Auckland hotel more than a week ago.
They want to hear about any sightings of a 2016 red Toyota Corolla rental car last Monday morning in West Auckland.
The car was rented in central Auckland and was then found in Taupō.”
“Hmmm… you’re making the assumption that the murderer is a Kiwi.”
One news says a 26 year old Kiwi has been charged.
I’ve been emailing a friend in England over the last 24 hours and this awful event was mentioned. In his reply I received this morning the rather telling statement “One thinks of NZ as being relatively crime free too. Just awful.”
Similar sentiments on RNZ this morning- NZ being seen as a safe destination be Europeans for young solo travellers. Were we ever, has it got worse, are we no worse than any other Western country?
I’ve been alone in some big cities in Europe at night and felt safer than I ever have alone in Queen St after dark.
Yes Greywarshark
We are repeatedly told that there is a decline in murder in New Zealand. But I seriously doubt that is the case.
How many many babies are bashed by daddy into the walls of homes. How often does daddy escape punishment.
Rape is rampant in our country. I cringe every time Haka is performed by Maori and Pakeha – because it charges up the Adrenalin of sick young hoods – brought up on Alcohol and violence.
Dodgy Statistics – are not a solution. Men of all ages must be treated to heavy doses of responsibility.from a very young age.
Finally, Prison is about Punishment not about Pity.
Do you think that prisons should be more for punishment than pity Observer?
These young guys definitely need something, but what? There are plans for getting them onto better behaviour paths but it seems they are often underfunded. There is just the will needed by government, then the follow-through to provide settled housing for those who have been guilty of bad behaviour so they have a place to go when released, then opportunity to get into work etc
Kim Workman has retired. He was tryuingto get more habilitation going but it is something that must be followed for decades, or as long as needed.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018673187/kim-workman-journey-towards-justice
Under-funded too is the help for parents to go it alone without a partner if best (so many stepfathers are involved in dodgy ways, and real fathers
need training to do a good job or they can be bad role models to have around. The government is so busy being disapproving of behaviour that its moralistic attitude is perpetuating a cycle of bad and violent parenting which they are forcing on mothers, ‘for their own good’.)
Hi Greywarshark
If we do not wish to punish Criminals then we should not put them in Prisons.
We should leave them in the community to do as they will.
But if we deem serious crime as a revolt against the Community then we should punish the Criminals until such time as they learn crime does not pay.
Good theory observer.
But you haven’t observed that prison itself doesn’t teach them that crime does not pay. How simple minded. A lot of rich people around have got their by manipulating the law, either by sailing close to the wind, or changing the law so they can’t be called criminals any more.
What I want is efficiency!! Prisons don’t work to habilitate criminals. Your ideas are too costly and a waste of money. Be sensible and look for better ways that can be seen to work to reduce crime.
I want those who commit crimes to be forced to work their brains thoroughly learning what to do instead of crime, and how to deal with their problems without losing it and being violent. Thinking is a punishment to many people. We can notice the difficulties of doing the mahi right in this blog. The people who aren’t criminals, or who haven’t been caught yet, find it difficult to think around problems and get a grasp. Criminals who are forced to do so are going to feel really hard worked eh!
I want less crime, better childhoods and parents helped to be good role models, and better chances to have a good life. Crime would be something that only extreme nutters do then. And people would smile more, be happy and occupied doing useful stuff.
Thanks Greywarshark
I respect your words. as you know.
I did say in a brief sentence : “Men of all ages must be treated with heavy doses of responsibility.from a very young age.”
Even as children, boys must be raised as responsible persons and accountable for their actions.
Boot camps have not worked. I don’t think rehabilitation has really reduced recidivism.
All of which, seems to say, raise and teach the Boy. At Home. Give him pride and achievement. Start it early.
It will still mean that Prison is for Punishment. For criminals who deserve it. For society is not a plaything for Criminals or Gangs.
Observer
I agree with what you say.
There are three levels to tackle this as i see it.
1 Is bringing boys and girls up to have self-respect and respect for others in their family and society, and if they are being abused that the whole family should be put on notice that they all deserve better conditions, and they work out how to achieve that as a group, with further consequences if it doesn’t improve. And important is that parents are helped by being respected, and enabled to have jobs, homes and a sense of wellbeing for their family. Good and settled role models.
2 Helping teenagers get through their difficult growing stages.
Giving them a basic schooling, enabling them to stay or go into a job, or do work and school at the same time, like an apprentice. I have seen this done, probablyunder a Labour Party idea, and it worked. Don’t know if still happening.
After school, get them into a job and keep up the training so they can better themselves, good reading and writing and arguing skills. If a person can express their thoughts, talk their way to understanding and dealing with them, the build-up of stress is less likely to happen.
3 Give them suspended sentences when they get into crime, and send them to a different part of the country were they can adjust to life outside of their familiar territory and its temptations. Give them remedial help, reading, basic housing, a paid job.
4 When they are in jail, give them time away from gangs in a different setting or place, where they can do some study, learn about Maoritanga, philosophy, determine their own strengths and weaknesses, and go to a half-way farm and work, and then apply for parole.
5 The really bad buggers should spend their life enclosed in controlled conditions under supervision, and separated from being able to influence others. They can be classed as criminally insane and unable to live or be trusted in ordinary society.
Why?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/107415102/murder-rate-hits-a-40yearlow-police-say
You’re assuming a) that it was always daddy and b) that daddy then got away with murder
Have you got anything to back up these assumptions?
They’re a hell of a lot better than the anecdotes you seem to want to rely upon.
Hi Draco
So our Prisons are obviously nearly empty, if we have a forty year reduction in serious crime ?
Please advise me ?
I thought they want to build more and more prisons Draco to cope with the crime rate – which you say does not exist.
Yep, you’re still talking shit.
We were talking murder rate – not crime rate but that’s going down to.
Perhaps you should learn maths so that you understand how a crime rate can go down while there are more people in prison.
Really Draco? Really?
You are asking someone to back up their assumptions after that tear you went on that other day about how all rich people cheat in their taxes and are thieves while providing no evidence?
“Have you got anything to back up these assumptions?”
Have you?
Come on man, at least be consistent.
It’s morality that you refuse to see.
If someone has income from someone else’s work then they are stealing from that other person.
This is true for all rich people.
Like I already told you, Draco. That isn’t the way everyone gets rich and I agree some are getting rich that way.
But not everyone. Does the artist? Does that famous musician? Does the famous writer? Thats THEIR own work.
You have nothing to back up your assumptions so stop accusing others because you look like a fucking hypocrite right now.
I said to you “Stephen King has sold 350 million copies of his work” which is more than enough to make him rich and you just made the assmption that he was getting unearned income from somewhere and therefor he was a thief. That’s just your own evidence free assumption. At least be honest with yourself
Draco T
I agree I am not as intelligent as you.
I simply cannot understand why you and your political friends want to build more and bigger Prisons, when at the same time you are telling us that there are far fewer criminals.
Draco Houdini Bastard
please try and be helpful
Draco is incapable of admitting there are, or considering, other ideas that do not conform with his own POV.
That is the opposite of intelligent. Observer Tokoroa, you’re doing just fine
Time for NZ to toughen up on the gang culture and illicit drugs, normal people don’t commit these sorts of crimes unless they have mental health problems. I believe this person may have or have had a substance abuse problem ?
Why not use the time in prison wisely ? Reading + writing lessons / budgeting classes / getting work ready / maybe learn a trade. Anger and time management All these could take place in the prison. Prisoners should come out of prison better educated than when they went in.
Fuck sake, have you ever had any dealings with the underworld?
Crime is their trade.
Honest question though @ BM. Have you ever asked why it is that crime (all that macho shit that goes with it – the concept of ‘taxing’, turf wars, trying to get little prospects under their wing, etc., etc., etc.)……have you ever asked why that has become the easier option?
C’mon, crime has always been the easier option. I mean, what’s not to like about all the piss, pot, and pussy your heart desires, staying up all night, sleeping late, and if you’re unfortunate enough to be caught, it’s do the crime, do the time.
Crime is no different to any other trade/profession.
Those that have got to the top have worked hard and sacrificed a lot to get there.
Actually, those who get to the top have finely honed their thuggery to the point that their reputation precedes them, and anyone who knows them is scared shitless by their violence.
well it is the easier option if you’re totally divorced from any concept of a society. actually a very lazy and thick as pigshit option in terms of sustainability.
I’m quite interested in gang criminality – having worked with the likes of Mr O’Riley and others, and having one or two distant relatives holding ‘rank’ on both sides of the Mungie/BP divide. I can agree with all that he (Denis) maintains as to why people join a gang (in a word a feeling of disenfranchisement. etc. – a desire for community, of mutual support, solidarity and all the buzz)
Except that take (say) the Mungies, and the BP, and others (Rebels maybe), and they all profess the same motivations and reasons for being in their ‘club’. That all falls apart though because of their turf wars and spats with each other.
In reality, they’ve just become the ultimate capitalists all aspiring towards some sort of supremacy.
It’s all just a wee bit pathetic really and a complete display of a collective of individuals that are a bit fucked up (albeit legends in their own minds)
They will at least commit smarter crimes according to BM. Then they will be able to join the in-crowd of the Natinal Party. Social mobility, that is what is needed there.
Have yopu heard Kim Workman on his book and life
OWT.
He’s another like Denis O’Reilly, a valuable potential waiting to be listened and followed.
West Side Story for gangsd and turf wars!
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018673187/kim-workman-journey-towards-justice
Yep I have @ grey, and I agree.
But in the meantime, I kind of despair at the fucking stupidity of it all.
(I.e. on BOTH sides – crims/gangs and ‘authorities’ …… it is pig shittery at its worst – but I ‘spose it at least keeps people in employment on upper muddle class salaries)
PS sorry for being a bit lazy about Denis’ surname – kind of a Brambles versus NZ Freighters kind of thing
Don’t be sorry OwT. I have found I always enjoy reading your comments, and learn something no matter if there are typos. (I find my fingers are getting there and their mixed up,)
It appears that she met her killer on a dating app. I would wager that he killed her because she wouldnt sleep with him. Most male on female killings are sexually motivated.
Thanks for that info millsy. Women and men too need to be more wary of strangers, and also the type of people who are dodgy. Just because there are these fast ways of making contact with others, doesn’t mean that you can trust the people you meet.
There is a high level of trust being extended,ie couchsurfing with strangers, meeting unknowns through apps etc. It all involves risk.
Hitchhikers know this. When you are in a car it is hard to get out.
There were two women tourists who got a lift and who were brutally attacked, the man went onto Christchurch and attacked someone else.
I believe that level of behaviour should automatically cause the person to be regarded as criminally insane and never be let out again into public life. They have crossed the line for being a decent citizen with self control and morals and are likely to prey again on others. Ordinary citizens deserve to have safety and the predatory and vicious locked down.
Does the meta talk to you sanky? Late at night, when it’s just you and the meta? Heavy meta.
Sanctuary
Are you so dogmatic that you’re unable to view this tragedy except through the lens of a rigid left wing ideologue.
The insidious implication that arises from you’re comment is that because this young woman may have the characteristics you describe, that her murder is some how to be diminished.
It s a human tragedy first and foremost and this is the only lens that is appropriate regardless.
You Grantoc and a few others are misinterpreting Sanctuary’s comment.
He is correct. Because the woman is young, attractive, white and English (which is the country most of us have family and hereditary ties to) she is getting VIP media coverage both here and overseas. Had she been a woman who is young, attractive, black and from say…Kenya, the media coverage would be negligible in comparison.
That is the reality whether people like it or not, and it doesn’t detract one iota from feelings of empathy, sadness and outrage no matter who they are or where they come from.
The thing is Anne that as human beings we inevitably extend our strongest expressions of empathy and related feelings to those who are most like us – our family, and those who appear to live similar lives to us from similar ethnic, social and cultural backgrounds.
I, like most NZ’ers, have daughters who have travelled overseas on their OE and at times travelled by themselves. We (collectively) have experienced times when our daughters (and at times sons) have been out of contact and as parents we get anxious, naturally.
The events of Grace Mullane’s murder are easy to relate too. The family is like us, they could be us. And so naturally our reactions are as they are. You saw that demonstrated by the PM at her press conference this afternoon.
The death of a young Kenyan woman as per your example is too remote from us; both geographically, psychologically, culturally and economically. For better or for worse we don’t relate to such an example in the same way as we do to Grace Mullane.
What I am describing is the humam condition. No amount of left wing hand ringing over this will make any difference to where we place our empathy and feelings in these situations.
That is precisely what I was saying Grantoc. I am of English stock. I identify strongly with my inheritance. My response to this murder was as shocked and outraged as anyone else.
But that does not stop me from reflecting on the fact that we don’t show anything like the empathy to people of a different race and colour in similar circumstances – including Maori and Pacific Islanders – and it is something that should be acknowledged. This, I believe, is what Sanctuary was saying.
It has nothing to do with being Left or Right and those who suggest as much are the ones playing politics with a tragic occurrence.
And your reflections Anne are insightful and worth making.
Acknowledging our behaviour in these situations is a useful exercise because I think it does tell us something about ourselves as humans.
This is possibly where your thinking starts to sedge way with mine. I am of the opinion that even if we do make this acknowledgement, its a very rare human being who actually does something about it – and this is for the reasons I’ve referred to.
I think that as humans we are psychologically incapable of moving much beyond our own reference group in situations such as the Mullane case. As much as anything we psychologically crowd out other similar situations, such as the scenario you describe. Its almost like there is no capacity left for us to deal with it. I don’t think this is deliberate; its just a comment on our limitations.
Well, in turn I say that is a very thoughtful response Grantoc. In particular your last paragraph.
It is true that we identify far more with our own kind, but we should at least try and keep these awful events in proper perspective. We are a multicultural society now and it is our responsibility to learn to recognise that people among us from countries other than English speaking ones, suffer tragedy and loss in the same way we do.
I don’t think our thoughts are all that far apart.
That is a low blow Sanctuary – does everything have to be about woke left discourse and of course it will come out the ethnicity of the attacker shortly.
Will he be part of our 100% pure criminal campaign drive of the last 20 years?
This is a tragic incident- it’s not a political football for anyone.
James for once I agree with you 100%
Don’t often agree with you James (2.2.1). However I absolutely concur with your sentiments here.
Missing White Women on the whole are A Bad Thing sanky.
I feel very sorry for the victim. What a tragedy for the family. I feel like the murderer should be put down, but that is not a good way to think.
I feel heart broken about the fate of the young backpacker.
Somehow it feels worse cause she is a tourist. There was also a 21year old male stabbed to death over the weekend. Both will effect their families and love ones for life……..
I probably pay attention more to the tourist cause she was missing initially and therefore in the news a lot. Also some maybe old fashion idea of hospitality and responsibility for someone visiting our country. It reflects on our country (was on bbc world news)…….it will make no difference to graces family, but I hope the perp is from overseas
There was also a 21year old male stabbed to death over the weekend.
Actually worth a read:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_New_Zealand
http://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/publication/homicide-victims-report-2017-and-historic-nz-murder-rate-report-1926-2017
Four points that frequently get lost:
1. Overall crime rates continue to decline. No-one can definitively say why; it could be anything from de-leading petrol, to dropping testosterone levels, to some unspecified social factors … but this is the good news.
2. Homicide remains rare; double digits per annum. Way lower than say the road toll. In any given year only one or two murders would committed by strangers. NZ is really a very, very safe place in public. At home it’s not such a good story, but still comparatively we’re doing quite well, so we can count this as good news too.
3. 62% of homicide victims are male. If we included suicide (as a form of self-inflicted homicide) the proportion would be even higher. Maori remain over-represented by a factor of two. Roughly two-thirds of people never experience a significant crime in their lives ever; while a small fraction around 4% are serial victims.
4. While IPV homicides understandably attract a lot of social attention, in say 2017 of the 48 homicides only 10 were classified as being related as a ‘couple’. Of that 10, 8 victims were female and 2 were male. (The 3 child victims were all male.)
It makes for an interesting and complex picture even if it is a snapshot of just one year. The pdf report is here:
http://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/homicide-victims-report-2017.pdf
My theory is that it’s to do with the Boomers. Crime was high when they were young and has decreased as they age. It’s not just that they are a large group, so influence all stats, but that they lower the density of young people who don’t rub up against each other as much and so don’t egg each other on to commit crime (plus the young are all gaming).
Chris Hipkins is finally doing some good here as RNZ released other policies Labour is ‘rolling out here.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/377885/government-ministers-meetings-to-be-made-public-from-next-year
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/12/10/a-breath-of-fresh-spring-air-shows-the-way-out-of-a-dark-age-in-education/
We agree that this Government need to open up fully with “transparency” now.
We hear this morning on RNZ news that Chis Hipkins has release details on Labour policy to have all their MP’s now release all the details on whom they have met during their activities of the term of their Governance of NZ, so this will assist us all to observe if our own “community NGO’s” public representatives who are speaking for us all also are properly receiving the same level of meetings with these same MP’s as the business interests are obviously receiving now.
Make it an “even balanced level of ‘consultation.”
That’s because people are really starting to wonder where the government is getting its marching orders from as it certainly isn’t the people.
MPs meeting with lobbyists is sinister. It shows that the parliament is listening to those who don’t have the best interests of the country at heart.
Since when did NGOs speak for us all?
Draco;
Our Environmental NGO founded in 2001 speaks for the negative impacts to all people in regions it environmentally monitors continually on their loss of health and well being when they have no voice.
So we are a free community service that operates on a volunteer basis.
Please don’t knock those people who honestly and genuinely want to help others as we do with free services to monitor their environment since 2002.
1. Not all NGOs do moral work
2. If they haven’t asked all of us then they’re not speaking for all of us
““There isn’t anything sinister about who politicians meet with, actually it shows that New Zealand government is very open.”
Tell that to Claire Curran.
You do realise that Clare Curran was used by the present government as an example as to why this needs to be brought in right? In the same article that I quoted.
Yes James,
Clare Curran was used by National as a tool for their agenda to rob RNZ and bed in all their own Natz clip-on’s right under her own nose; – and she could not see that when she had power to fix the RNZ right wing swing.
National also had there own man inside as the head of RNZ then.
Clare Curran should have had him removed but she lost any chance to take control of a now right wing trumpet for National.
A sad blow for the Opposition because if the records of meetings are published, what are they going to do to ferment suspicion and doubt about apparent secret dodgy meetings?
Ianmac,
I am not sure if National are going to release all folks they met.
Especially with their doggy meetings with all ‘those crooks’ they cuddle up to all over the planet.
John Key even went to the high alter of global crooks at “The Bilderberg Group” in 2011/12.
These are just Criminal gangs that attend the following, to learn their trade,
http://twochurchesonly.com/supmat/03/most_influential/bilderberg_group/list_of_bilderberg_attendees.pdf
Why didn’t PM John Key tell NZ he was into Bilderberg?
List of Bilderberg participants 4
New Zealand
• John Key (2011-2012), Prime Minister of New Zealand
On behalf of all NZ taxpayers, we ask someone’s assistance to investigate this connection between a secretive global power hungry group and answers from PM John Key the following;
Why PM failed to tell us that he attended the Bilderberg Group as PM of NZ in 2011.
Why did not prior, inform us why he attended this most secretive powerful global elitist black ops organisation who plots to destabilise secretly sovereign countries around the world.
Is he being requested by Bilderberg or any other party to spy on our country and others for their information?
Why has he attended an highly secretive organisation who bans any media coverage of events?
Our belief;
We believe the global elite is causing all this degradation of our world “so called order”.
The capitalistic system is failing and these Bilderberg NAZI regenerated agenda plotters have invited Key to their 2011 annual conference so he is in it Don-key deep.
(Here is the full attendance list.) http://twochurchesonly.com/supmat/03/most_influential/bilderberg_group/list_of_bilderberg_attendees.pdf
Why didn’t PM John Key tell NZ he was into Bilderberg?
List of Bilderberg participants 4
New Zealand
• John Key (2011-2012), Prime Minister of New Zealand
According to this site it quotes; http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bilderberg
No Bilderberg meeting agenda has ever been made public. “It is the epitome of low-profile dark ops, a shadow government hidden in a doorway.” According to critics and close observers, it’s agenda is to weaken all world leadership but their own. It is also, according to a U.S. law called the Logan Act, [15] illegal:
Yep. The publishing of meetings needs to apply to all of parliament and not just the parties in government.
One World Government
I heard this this morning and I am heartened there may be a culture change I regards to lobbyists.
To have this followed up by the radical, obvious, fiscally responsible, co-operative idea of schools serving their wider community.
My day off got brighter.
Meanwhile the Hosk has three names (three wise men?) therefore Kiwibuild was conceived bad, born bad and is bad. The Hosk has obviously been listening to George Thorogood while doing dougnuts on his mobility scooter. No doubt his Christmas ham will be bad to the bone as well.
The Dorian Gray Husk purports to find it shocking that the new builds cost more than existing homes … thus buying doer uppers remains cheaper …
The radical next development of the KB design will be to allow landlords and existing homeowners to buy them – they will of course be at the standard required for rentals. The point is to build more houses and then sell them onto the market so the government can finance building more, it does not matter if they are not sold to first home buyers – the increased supply reduces the value of existing houses to make them more affordable to first home buyers.
The Husk of Dorian Gray…
Sounds like playing Pass the Parcel casino-wise. Once a lot of outside players can join in the game, the chances of special people included in the game with good odds for winning a housing opportunity are greatly reduced.
But timorous government can’t go directly to the most appropriate recipients and offer them a State house, they have to have this long linkage with ticket clippers along the way. In the end it will get so bad we’ll see someone prepared to sell a kidney or something, to raise enough deposit to get a stake in the Housing Lottery.
The thing is, where it costs more to buy a new build than an existing home – how many first home buyers can afford the Kiwibuild one?
There will come a point where after a few ballots where there are unsold homes, and if the government wants to release the cash to build more it will have to sell to other buyers.
National trying to cut Shane Jones tree planting value claims off to a stump.
They are more interested in Goldsmith being a spoiler for positive steps. What a bunch of sitabouts they are. Malign, and computer model sitters, but not doing
the country-building needed; just following predatory business asset-stripping
on a country of people that is the base for any business, then National is just a diseased group eating its own parent. Yerk.
Forest and Bird and Doc have combined to push out digging up iwi land up Northland. The people up there want to get some economic growth but it is to affect wetlands and I think take peat and kauri by Resin and Wax for export.
Not sure I entirely 100% trust the Provincial Prince of Pomposity greysie.
ouch!!!!!!
Gabby I don’t trust anyone who expects 100% reliability of anyone, whether politicians or not.
Got rung up on Friday night by Roy Morgan wanting to do a survey. My demographics eliminated me immediately and I asked the guy if it was a survey about politics,but he rang off as I am sure he was keen to call the next person……..
Interesting … Roy Morgan has not done a NZ political poll since Oct/Nov 2017 but they still do other types of surveys, eg marketing surveys, from time to time. For example back in May 2018 they did a survey on attitudes, satisfaction etc with the main banks.
I was contacted about a month ago saying they were from Roy Morgan, about a political poll. My answers were not allowed in the binary choices they offered, and I ended up removing myself from the process.
Again interesting, because there were rumours about the time of the last Colmar Brunton poll that another public poll was expected at about the same time and this did not eventuate. Or was it the Colmar Brunton poll before that??
The latest two Colmar Brunton polls have been conducted from Monday, 15 October to Friday 19 October, and from Sat 24 November to Weds 28 November.
Was your Roy Morgan call close to either of those periods?
Probably the November one…
I did end up exiting the interview. Tried to find my comment posted at the time, which would give a better indication of date, but ran out of interest in that level of accuracy… 🙂
Roy Morgan = rigged polls.
Called me prior to 2014 election and my demographics eliminated me immediately and
I asked the guy and he said “we don’t need your age bracket thank you, but the strange thing was he said “we have another person listening to our conversation and was monitoring it??????
Creepy that was.
they might have had their fill of single issue old men.
heh
Actually, probably – older people answer the phone more, so will fill up their response quota more quickly. And are more likely to have landlines (although some pollsters do mobiles now as well).
Again – zero evidence of rigged polls – god you sound desperate when you keep pulling that one out.
It was almost 5 years ago, but you’d think it was yesterday the way he carries on…..
…#oldmanissues
I’ve instructed the woman to take me out the back and shoot me if I start displaying similar behaviours.
Self Defence Judge. Or I didn’t intend to kill him, I only wanted the relationship to get better. Or I found him dead, honest?
1:There’s rigged on purpose.
2:There’s rigged due to demographics.
1:There’s rigged due to propaganda on the voter.
So 1 might be calling in party strongholds.
So 2 might be calling an old white male, or possibly even only ladies.
So 3 is a constant.
Then you have fair voting.
MAGA.
They have people (potentially) listening in so that they can make sure the interviewer actually records the responses accurately and that they are from a real person. Interviewers often have some payment dependent of how many people they interview so there is a perverse incentive to make data up (as it’s quicker then interviewing real people).
Simon Bridges wants input into NCEA review
Yeah, they don’t have to be changed every time there’s a new government – only after National has been at it and fucked things up through their ignorance and ideology.
National have always been keen on bipartisanship after the fact.
Definitely didn’t see them looking for bipartisanship for National Standards or the RONs or pretty much anything really.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/q-and-a
https://www.labour.org.nz/kiwibuild
KiwiBuild homes will only be sold to first home buyers. To avoid buyers reaping windfall gains, a condition of sale will require them to hand back any capital gain if sold on within 5 years.
How easy our Minister can BREAK an Election promise and it means so little to keep one’s word !!! 10:40 “We decided…” ” Storm in a teacup”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12174085
‘Judith Collins, National’s housing and urban development spokeswoman, said this morning it was not good enough that Twyford would not answer questions about Barclay’s departure and she plans to put questions to him in Parliament tomorrow.’
Whatcha want, watcha want
Whatcha gonna do
When Judith Collins come for you
Tell me
Whatcha wanna do, whatcha gonna dooo
Yeaheah
Twyford, Twyford
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When Judith Collins comes for you
Wasn’t there another Barclay nobody wanted to answer questions about?
Todd Barclay was his name I think
https://tenor.com/view/david-mitchell-oh-you-shy-laugh-happy-gif-5934829
Not quite 🙂
Best music video of all time
Whip out a string of garlic cloves and a swamp kauri stake puckers.
Not good being attacked by a wild kunikuni ?
Oh @PR. I truly lerv you. Such a wit with an encyclopeadia of British humour and musical paraphernalia ready at short notice to display just how oh so clever you are. And most of the examples you are able to whip out at short notice are really ‘hip’.
As the yanks would say, you must be some ‘regular guy’ and the life of the party.
Do you take ‘your kid’ to any of those parties btw?
Hooray! James had two goes at baiting and failed to score any dollars. Well done people. (Remember he gets $10 for each response to his baits.)
On Q&A last night Phil Twyford was asked over and over but refused to make any comment over this. No doubt Judith will make a big fuss tomorrow.
“KiwiBuild boss Stephen Barclay is in an employment dispute with the Government department overseeing the massive house construction scheme, the Herald understands.
Amidst growing calls for Housing Minister Phil Twyford to say why the KiwiBuild head has not been performing his duties since early last month, the new Ministry of Housing and Urban Development this afternoon issued a brief statement saying that Barclay had not resigned.”
..issues revolve around the transfer of KiwiBuild from the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment to the new Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, headed by Crisp.”
Yes Ianmac,
Anything inside MBIE is a total balls up as it’s inventor (Steven Joyce) the $11 million dollar man was!!!!!
No one cares about $11m. Trifling amounts. Wouldn’t even fund…. 1/10th of the Napier to Gisborne rail line
Spare a thought for sad simon this christmas – it’s gonna be tough to have a relax when the main word associated with you is untrustworthy. Time for a real big think I think simon.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/109229941/what-the-public-is-saying-about-simon-bridges-according-to-labours-pollsters
Must be the negative half surely. No way everybody thinks he’s a shifty little wanker.
Na, the positive words are in there, just they are really small
And there you have it. Proof that National thinks that polls should be biased and that they don’t understand the difference between polling and an election.
UMR is just telling Labour what it want’s to hear.
Left wingers are so disconnected from reality and full of their own self-importance they’d probably fire a polling company for returning bad results.
Because obviously, they’re doing it wrong, as we’re so fucking amazing and everyone loves what we’re doing
They’d tell Labour that 99% of New Zealanders think Ardern walks on water if it keeps them the polling contract
She makes Jesus look like an amateur, they all love her.
BM;
And you obstinate NatZ are ‘pure as driven snow???
I see Nat supporters are full retard because apparently the PM made some comment about the Auckland murder.
Let’s see, she says something like that shouldn’t happen in New Zealand so she should resign?
Whether the poll numbers are 41 or 46, add them together you’d exceed their IQs.
Pete, 100% there.
These arrogant Natz are certainly becoming sad today as if something has hit a raw nerve with them.
Come on you sad sack NatZ, – tell us your story didums.
Boohoo!!
Bryan Gould has some interesting things to say about television developments here.
http://www.bryangould.com/public-television/
Despite the efforts of socially aware programme-makers such as Bryan Bruce, issues such as these scarcely receive the attention they need and deserve; the national debate is the poorer for their neglect.
The good news, however, is that “public” television is back on the agenda, courtesy of none other than Bryan Bruce himself. Bryan has established a new website, called New Zealand Public Television. The new site, which anyone can access for nothing at http://www.nzptv.org.nz, has a dual purpose.
First, it identifies programmes, from both New Zealand and around the world, that explore issues of interest to New Zealanders, whether living here or overseas, and makes them available to a Kiwi viewership. The site, although primarily provided for a domestic audience, will undoubtedly be of great value to ex-pat Kiwis and to those on holiday or living overseas who may miss programmes about issues that are making waves at home.
Why not use the time in prison wisely ? Reading + writing lessons / budgeting classes / getting work ready / maybe learn a trade. Anger and time management All these could take place in the prison. Prisoners should come out of prison better educated than when they went in.
They should but how do you make someone learn when they don’t want to
How old are you Patricia?
Are you just sick BM or sick of old people?
You seem to have Tuppence Shrewsbury disease!! – are you one and the same?
That is showing a real sickness you troll.
Say something constructive you twerp.
Suck my balls, you whiny old fuck.
[How about you take the rest of the night off, BM? I’ve got a feeling you’re a comment or two away from saying something really, really stoopid and I’m one of the few people here who’d miss you. TRP]
Not the time nor the place to come on to an older man like that.
Ha Ha, that made me laugh.
Hi Patricia
I get called a shit head by some chap who calls himself “Draco T Bastard”. But I know that his foul language means i have hit a nerve.
But I am appalled That BM has been allowed to attempt to insult you. Your entry above is excellent.
Men who use foul language are always drunkards. Useless bums.
Ingrid Hipkiss grinned vacuously and called
Ruth Money a “victim’s advocate” this morning.
a.m., Newshub, Tuesday 11 December 2018
Flashback to Manurewa, ten years ago….
Late one night in 2008, a man called Bruce Emery chases down a fifteen year old boy and stabs him repeatedly, killing him. Emery is Pākehā , his victim, Pihema Cameron, is Māori. What follows this killing will turn out to be one of the most vicious and disgraceful sagas of racist hatred in this country’s sordid history. Taking their lead from the Crown Prosecutor, who routinely dismisses the dead boy as “a tagger”, the media unleashes a seemingly non-stop tirade of abuse and belittlement against not the killer, but the victim. Perhaps most disgustingly of all, one of the loudest and most vociferous denouncers of the dead boy and his “useless” family is an organization called the “Sensible Sentencing Trust”. In a rare moment of moral decency, Noelle McCarthy memorably confronted that organization’s Grand Dragon about the affair three years later. [1]
Fast forward to a.m. News at 7:30 this morning…..
In a story related to the murder of British tourist Grace Millane, smiling but vacuous newsreader Ingrid Hipkiss refers to someone called Ruth Money as a “victim’s advocate.” In fact, contrary to that descriptor, Ruth Money is a disciple of Garth “The Knife” McSticker. Money parted from the S.S. Trust not because it was a bunch of racist knife enthusiasts, but because of a disagreement over political tactics. [2]
Now, anyone with an I.Q. in triple figures would know that; Ingrid Hipkiss, however, seems oblivious.
After the news, anchor Duncan Garner weighs in with a typically weighty, thoughtful observation:
Less than a minute later, Garner makes the following extraordinarily foolish contention:
Sports meathead Mark Richardson and Ingrid Hipkiss are reduced to a stunned, disbelieving silence. Remember, Hipkiss has just had the gall or the brass or the hide or (most likely) the naïveté to read out with a straight face that Ruth Money was “a victim’s advocate.” But even she is stunned at that pronouncement from Garner.
After the silence, Mark Richardson laughs: “How do you KNOW that?”
.
.
.
Garner did proffer an answer; I know that because I saw his lips moving. But his words were drowned out in a torrent of criticism from the crew at Chez Breen. I picked up the phrase “that stupid c**t” from Hector Stoop and “Oh my GOD! Ha ha ha ha ha!” from the lovely Serena Sopwith-Fotherington amidst the general hubbub.
[1] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/noelle-mccarthy-swallowed-vomit-for-15.html
[2] https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/64746950/Sensible-Sentencing-Trust-Garth-McVicars-election-bid-cause-of-division